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
72 episodes
Creating a Dynamic Ensemble on the Marching Field. You Can Do It!
Which comes first on the marching field, movement or music? No matter what your answer is, the music better matter! One of the best ways to make music instead of noise is remembering dynamics! Is there more to dynamics than loud or soft? Are dy...
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Season 2
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Episode 37
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1:01:08
Second Summer! Reminders about the Heat and Practices
It's September! In Texas that means second summer is in full swing! As we work outside and travel Friday nights, here are some tips and reminders of how to combat the heat, and what precautions and preventions we can put in place to keep our gr...
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Season 2
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Episode 36
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1:01:56
Booster Clubs and Parent Groups: A Visit With the Prez!
Mike Lunney and Derrick Killam sit down with Juan Ramirez in this episode to discuss Booster Clubs. What does a healthy parent organization look like? What does a good relationship between boosters and the director look like? With over a decade...
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Season 2
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Episode 35
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1:05:03
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 8: The Strength to be Graceful
It's the last episode in the Mike Lunney Marching Band Academy series. As we close out this set of episodes, Mike reminds us that before we start throwing too many body moves at our group, it might be good to work on a little core strength. Alo...
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Season 2
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Episode 34
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56:52
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 7: A Little Bit of Everything
In this episode of Mike Lunney's ongoing Marching Academy, Mike covers points to use for rehearsal procedures, reinforces teaching sequence for most groups, and talks about some overall marching concepts. There's also a few random items in the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 33
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55:36
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 6: Moving With Confidence and Uniformity
In our ongoing discussion, we have talked about the set positions, what we look like when we aren't moving. This episode Mike Lunney explains to me what good body movement looks like in the midst of a marching show. Getting from set to set, etc...
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Season 2
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Episode 32
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1:19:23
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 5: Position Your Group for Success
Let's talk about body positions, horn positions, set position, horns up positions... all the positions that will help position your group for success! See what we did there? Let's talk flutter step, trail position... Let's talk about ALL OF IT!...
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Season 2
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Episode 31
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1:05:19
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 4: Deep Dive into 8 Core Principles
The Eight Core Principles for Marching Band. This episode Mike Lunney takes a closer look at each of these principles and how they will improve your group. We also look at some more concepts of physical movement! Who knows, you may learn new wo...
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Season 2
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Episode 30
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59:04
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 3: Finding Success Beyond the Basics
In this episode Mike Lunney shares keys to success by looking beyond the basics. In the discussion, we discuss the importance of creating a confident and strong look on the field through body movement. Not just marching but marching well....
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Season 2
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Episode 29
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1:08:31
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 2: Checking the Boxes
In our ongoing episode series for all things marching band, this episode is focused on the different boxes adjudicators are using to determine how well your band is performing. Is your band demonstrating the measurables for the highest box, or ...
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Season 2
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Episode 28
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1:21:59
Mike Lunney's Marching Band Academy - Lesson 1: How Do We Win?
How do we win at Marching Band? Mike isn't talking about trophies in this episode; he's talking about the things that make us successful regardless of trophies or plaques. Let's help your program establish a standard. Let's help your kids get b...
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Season 2
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Episode 27
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1:05:52
The Non-Varsity Groups...Are You Experienced?
New Guest Alert! Ask Mike is excited to welcome Jett Lowrance to the podcast! We sit down and talk about the triumphs and pitfalls of the non varsity group. How do we motivate them? How do we teach them? Listen to the wisdom that comes from exp...
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Season 2
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Episode 26
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1:10:12
They Aint Heavy, They're Our Program Kids!
The Hollies had a hit with, "He Aint Heavy, He's My Brother." One of the lines... "His Welfare is of my concern, no burden is he..." What a great sentiment! And one that many of us in Music Education relate to.But how do we help? What is...
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Season 2
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Episode 25
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1:08:28
Wiggly Bodies - Rule 19! Mike Lunney's Band Rules!
In this episode, Mike Lunney shares his Rules for Band! Read them, learn them, live by them! Or at least give them a listen and follow the link to download a document you can share or edit for your program!
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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40:42
On Further Evaluation... Thoughts on Teacher Evaluations
The question for Mike Lunney this week is, "Does it matter who evaluates a music educator?" What can we take away from an evaluation done by a non-music supervisor. Should we prepare differently, can it be constructive? Settle in and listen to ...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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44:50
How Do We Manage our Classroom?
In this episode, Mike Lunney answers the question of classroom management. Is it discipline? Is it having a plan in place to create a positive learning environment? We'll discuss! And we'll discuss the importance of having a plan ready when an ...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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58:37
Teaching Perfectionists and Superstars
Mike and Derrick are joined in this episode by our friend Rusty Gray. Our conversation is about recognizing your high achiever and your perfectionist and digs in to how we can best help them reach their potential while teaching them how to be t...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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1:06:33
Are We Successful? What's the Definition?
Glad to have friend Anthony Gibson back to help Mike and Derrick hash out how we define success as music educators. Or maybe a better thought... how SHOULD we define success as a music educator? Let us encourage you with this episode, you are d...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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1:13:18
Moving On Up - The Job Transition Up In Classifications
In this episode, Mike and Derrick are joined by Brian Hecimovich from Fredericksburg, Texas. Brian talks us through some of the differences moving from a program in a smaller classification to a program in a larger classification. It's a great ...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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1:11:47
Exit Stage Left - How we leave a job speaks loudly!
Sometimes we move jobs. It really doesn't matter what the catalyst was for our departure, we can all leave with integrity. In this episode, Mike Lunney discusses several ideas about leaving your current position in the most positive manner you ...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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1:00:18
Creating a Program Kids Want to Be a Part Of
Recruiting and Retention, we all talk about it, we all want it to happen... but what can we do daily to make sure the kids WANT to be in the program? It is a year round activity but making it a part of your band culture will make it painless! M...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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54:11
Marching Shows: Time to Remember the Drills
It is time to make sure your have the drill down for the upcoming season! Mike Lunney shares some timely reminders to help us get ready for the summer and fall. These are the things that you can take care of now to make it easier then. No one w...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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1:16:06
There's a Job for You! Riding the Waves of the Job Search Tide.
Whether you are looking for your first job, looking for a new and better job, or just finding out you might need to look for a job, Mike Lunney has great advice in making sure you are checking off the correct boxes for those doing the hiring! A...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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57:44
Exploring the Self Determination Theory
Guest Stephen Cox is back with Mike and Derrick to dig deeper into the concept of Self Determination Theory. The crew discusses the three components of Self Determination: Competence, Relatedness, and Autonomy, and how these thoughts relate spe...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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1:14:46
Want a Better Band? The Man In The Mirror
After talking about rehearsal space, warm-ups, tuning, planning rehearsals, and problem solving with our groups, in this episode, Mike Lunney encourages us all to be willing to also stop and do some honest evaluation of our teaching and relatio...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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59:19