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
61 episodes
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
Planning the Perfect Rehearsal
The elusive perfect rehearsal. Neither Mike or Anthony will fess up if they've ever had a perfect rehearsal, but they can share ways you can plan for one! And know when rehearsal is over that progress was made... that's perfect.
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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50:36
Problem Solving: All the Things
Continuing with our guest, Anthony Gibson, the Ask Mike crew looks at several sets of problems and how to solve them! You can do it!
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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57:43
Recruiting and Retention: Tips for Keeping the Butts in the Seats!
In this episode of Ask Mike, guest Anthony Gibson shares tips for recruiting and retaining the most important part of your program, the students! Taken from session notes presented at many professional organizations and conferences, take some n...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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57:30
Warm Up and Tuning: Put Some Respect On It
Is your ensemble's warm up just something to give you time to take attendance? Do your students know why, and more importantly what the purpose of the warm ups are? Are you teaching your ensemble to tune as an ensemble, or do you give concert F...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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45:02
The Band Hall: Create the Ambiance for Success
The first of three sessions that our friend, Anthony Gibson, sat in with the guys at Ask Mike. Mr. Gibson is well versed in creating an atmosphere for success in the rehearsal hall. Your group will rehearse and perform better when you create an...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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39:49
Don't Get Trapped in a Glass Case of Emotions!
The stress of spring, contest season, losing students in your rehearsal to other activities and groups... it adds up. But Mike Lunney has some suggestions for helping to manage the emotional season. He even had to practice some of them on Derri...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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38:43
Spring Cleaning: Tone to Dynamics
Spring Cleaning, not everybody loves it but we probably all need to do a little! Whether it's our characteristic sounds and tone, our articulation, or dynamics. Mike Lunney is here to advocate for all of it! And encourage you in the process! Ti...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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1:22:33
Music Education the Saban Way
Mike Lunney discusses great thoughts from "How Great Do You Want To Be" by Nick Saban, and relates these thoughts to our perspective as music educators.
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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54:45
Success: What is Our Product?
Fantastic visit with Stephen Cox of the Willis Wonderland Foundation exploring how music education is taught in our schools. The ultimate question of, "What is our product?" leads to some thought provoking, perhaps challenging, discussions!
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:28:19
Teaching All Beginners in the Same Class...We See You!
Heterogeneous classroom teaching. In music education it is a big word for: Congratulations! You're teaching all the beginners in the same class! But our friend Mike Lunney has not only been there, but he also made it work and had a successful p...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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34:18
This Old Rehearsal Hall: Pt 2 - Some Admin Considerations
This is the second episode to help answer questions about New Rehearsal Space Construction.In this episode we are excited to have Jay Lester as our guest to walk back through the first episode and offer comment, as well as offer insight...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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41:29