Ask Mike
Helping other Music Educators learn from our mistakes! No need to reinvent the wheel, Mike has been there and done that. Just ask Mike!
Mike Lunney spent 31 successful years as a head band director in the State of Texas, where his bands were consistently recognized as superior bands. Mike is still active as a clinician, mentor and adjudicator.
Derrick Killam has been involved in school music programs in the state of Texas since 1990 through music retail. Derrick has been a repair tech, shop foreman, Education Rep and currently is the Operations Manager for N-Tune Music and Sound, a NAMM Top 100 Dealer!
Episodes
106 episodes
The Interview: Putting Your Best Foot Forward
So you got the interview! When was the last time you had an interview? Mike Lunney walks us through the process of researching for an interview, rehearsing for an interview (yes, rehearsing!), and then communicating before, during, and after th...
Job Hunting: Talking Through the Process
If you find yourself looking for a new position, or considering it, Mike Lunney talks us through the waves and gives some great insight into a good decision-making process. And Mike reminds us to take our fingers off the panic button, it's goin...
Marching Show Design Tips for Success
Are we on track for marching season? Yes, it’s still spring, but if we aren’t actively preparing for next fall, we’re probably already behind! Mike Lunney offers some great tips and anecdotes from his 30+ years of experience to help get you loc...
Ratings Reactions: Be Coachable!
Concert and Sight Reading Evaluations are wrapping up for another spring. The time of reactions and reflection is upon us. If the ratings weren’t what you hoped for, what do we do with that? Are we defensive and looking for someone or some circ...
Student Leadership, Pt. 2: Teaching Them To Lead
In Part 1, Mike Lunney gave us tips for a great process to help create the leadership team. In Part 2, Mike gives great ideas for actually making them a team! This includes teaching communication skills and using them to create vision and goals...
Student Leadership Pt 1: Choosing The Team
What is your goal for student leadership? What positions will you have on your leadership team? What responsibilities will the positions hold? If your goal is to have an effective and cohesive team of students helping create positive culture an...
The Wayland Baptist University Reboot: Conversations with Dr. Anthony King
Dr. Anthony King is rebuilding the Wayland Baptist University instrumental program. Mike Lunney and Derrick visit with Dr. King on how it is going, challenges he has faced, and his mindset on recruiting musicians from his experience as a colleg...
Texas Bandmasters Association - Checking in on the Latest
Mike Lunney and Derrick enjoy a conversation with the TBA Executive Director-Designate, Phillip Clements, as he highlights the upcoming 2026 Convention and shares vision for the organization moving forward!
Defining Success For This Season
A great discussion with Mike Lunney about how we define success. Is it really the trapezoidal statue? Is it what you think your peers think about you? Let’s talk about it.
It's The Final Countdown! Rehearsal Thoughts for the Push To Evaluations.
Can you feel it? The indecision paralysis trying to decide what to fix, do you have time to fix it, can it be fixed? Everybody breathe. In. Out. Again...Mike Lunney has some great thoughts on helping you rehearse in the heat of the final...
Coaching As A Band Director
Nick Saban is widely recognized as an elite football coach. It is interesting that he considers creating character and awesome people more important than X's and O's. In this episode, Mike Lunney shares insights from Saban's book "How ...
The Aftermath JJ Firenza
In the fall of 2021, Joseph "JJ" Firenza was on the band staff for Andrews High School in Texas when the unimaginable happened. The tragic crash of the band buses on the way to a football game made local and national news.Out of this eve...
Everyday Carry with JJ Firenza
In the fall of 2021, Joseph "JJ" Firenza was on the band staff for Andrews High School in Texas when the unimaginable happened. The tragic crash of the band buses on the way to a football game made local and national news.Out of this eve...
Logistics and Inventory with JJ Firenza
In the fall of 2021, Joseph "JJ" Firenza was on the band staff for Andrews High School in Texas when the unimaginable happened. The tragic crash of the band buses on the way to a football game made local and national news.Out of this eve...
Checklist For Concert Band Success
Some musings as we move into our spring season of concert and sight reading. It has been an observation through the years, that some folks wait until the week or two before adjudication dates to start asking some questions. And, most of those q...
Making the Most of Hosting a Clinician
Jay Lester joins Mike and Derrick again to help you and your program squeeze all the juice from a visiting clinician. What if we told you there are small things that will reap big dividends in having a clinician in your rehearsal hall. And noth...
Getting Involved with Music Education Associations: We're All In This Together
Two wonderful guests in this episode, John Carroll and Britt Cole. They join the podcast to discuss their experiences with TMEA and ATSSB, two great associations dedicated to further music education and our students. John and Britt discuss how ...
Tech Time w/Mike! Apps and Tools to Work Smarter, Not Harder!
Our last conversation in a series of episodes discussing tools to make your group better, this week Mike discusses some of the tools and apps he has found useful to make your workday smoother so you can spend more time doing the part you love, ...
2026 is here! Opportunity Awaits!
We hope you are looking forward to all the great possibilities 2026 has for you and those you work with and lead. Time to recharge and head boldly into the spring!
Tech Time With Tim Part 3
Joined again by Tim Jones, the crew talks about tech and electronics. The conversation discusses what equipment we really need, what to look at for budgets, and helps refocus on what is a must. This episode moves from outside to ins...
Tech Time With Tim Part 2
Joined again by Tim Jones, the crew talks about tech and electronics. The conversation discusses what equipment we really need, what to look at for budgets, and helps refocus on what is a must.
Tech Time with Tim
Joined again by Tim Jones, the crew talks about tech and electronics. The conversation discusses what equipment we really need, what to look at for budgets, and helps refocus on what is a must. The first part of the conversation wil...