3 minute read
Vice President’s Message
Greetings fellow National Band Association members! The excitement I feel at the beginning of each biennium is akin to when I watch any of the Marvel Avengers movies. It’s that palpable sense of momentum that is created by assembling a team of highly dedicated and widely respected directors in our profession. We welcome people to a variety of elected and appointed positions, such as state chairs, division chairs, middle and high school representatives, many of whom have served the National Band Association for multiple years. I am personally thrilled to continue my work on the Executive Committee alongside Randall Coleman, Rebecca Phillips, and Scott Tobias, each of them in a new leadership role. Lastly, we are elated to welcome PresidentElect Col. Jason Fettig to the team.
You may have noticed by now that Jason and I are doppelgangers. I have been mistaken as Col. Fettig multiple times in the past. Strangely, I don’t believe people have mistaken him for me. I guess people are more likely to recognize the Director of “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band than the Director of Bands at New Trier High School. Nonetheless, we have identified a few markers that may help you distinguish us.
As you can see in the photo, Col. Fettig often wears his military uniform whereas I typically wear a traditional tuxedo for performances. For those of you who notice more nuanced details, Jason wears a gold wedding band whereas I wear a platinum one. I am also a few inches taller than the Colonel, a fact that I will not too soon let him forget as any good brother would. On a personal note, we discovered this summer that we both have boy/ girl twins, though this is likely to confound the issue here further. All joking aside, Jason brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Executive Committee that will greatly benefit our organization.
As we begin the new biennium, I want to emphasize that the National Band Association is truly an organization for everyone. Unlike some of our other esteemed band organizations, you do not need to be elected for membership in NBA. Every lover of bands is welcome to join, whether you teach in a private or public school at any grade level, direct a community band or service band, work in the music industry, or simply want to stay abreast of the band movement. Please take a moment to reach out to a colleague or two whom you think would enjoy membership in the NBA. The strength of our organization is in the diversity of its membership.
MATT TEMPLE
Vice-President’s Message, Matt Temple, cont.
To that end, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness Committee (IDEA) has proposed some changes to the Educational Purposes of the National Band Association. These changes have been reviewed by the Executive Committee and will be submitted to the Board of Directors and then the general membership for their approval. Remarkably, the original Educational Purposes were written in such a thoughtful and forward-looking manner that they served our organization well for over 60 years. The NBA, however, wishes to stay current with the values and aspirations of current and future members by updating our Educational Purposes to be more inclusive and welcoming of all. We are excited to share them with you soon.
I trust that, by now, your fall activities are well under way and the band members in your own groups are sufficiently charged for the year ahead. Being the leader of a band requires a lot of planning and energy upfront for your group to be successful. Please be mindful of how you pace yourself over the course of a year. I think it’s important to acknowledge that work/life balance can be very difficult in our profession at times. Becoming more aware of this critical balance was one of the resounding lessons of the pandemic for me. As you enjoy another year of musicmaking and learning, please don’t hesitate to reach out for assistance with any of your endeavors. The National Band Association is a robust and comprehensive band organization that is here to support your needs, whether it be providing mentors, awards, research grants, project sponsorships, and much more.
Best wishes in all that you do!
Matt Temple Vice President National Band Association
