it's giving ron swanson.

austin snow might have one of the most unique origin stories we’ve heard from a band director. before he ever stepped on a podium, he served as a marine, and that experience still shapes the way he approaches teaching, leadership, and building a band program.

we talked with austin about growing up in a military family, his early dreams of becoming a rock star, and the musical journey that took him from oboe to saxophone. we also get into his love of smoked meats, his obsession with systems and processes, and how those things all connect to running a successful band program.

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

we’re with kim!

we’ve yapped with kim before, but she’s back and better than ever. in this episode, she shares an update on what’s been going on in her world and walks us through her candidacy for tmea band division vice president. we catch up on all things kim, including when her band trailers blew over in straight-line winds, what crayon she would be, the time she ghost-commentated on a kgas marching band radio broadcast, and how she plans to serve the best interests of students across the state.

to learn more about kim and the other tmea executive board candidates, visit
https://www.tmea.org/about/executive-board/candidates/

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

bazinga!

whitney sims is a true renaissance woman. she is a band director (with a gold medal to boot), but she has also taught science, graphic design, yearbook, and more since the beginning of her career. she completed five minors in college because she took just about every class possible. she has taught alongside her husband, zach, for over a decade.

we yapped with whitney about how she balances life as a teacher and mom, why she loves the horse, growing up in a small school, how she chose texas tech, and her longtime dream of becoming a marine biologist.

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

amen!

spencer is a man of integrity. as an accomplished band director, he knows what works and what doesn't in the classroom. not only does he lead in the band hall, but he also has served as a church music minister for many years. his experience as a music minister influences his approach in the band hall, and vice versa. we talked with spencer about the importance of his family, hank hill, life behind the pine curtain, singing in the band hall, and the people who have influenced him throughout his career.

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

she’s a horse girlie!

we’ve known alexis since she was a wee oboe player from italy, texas. alexis has a knack for teaching middle school band and a big personality to match. we had a true yap session with alexis, covering in-depth lore, carnivorous plants, how many books she read this year, the most influential people in her music career, and her obsession with robert w. smith.

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

heads up: this episode talks about santa, elf on the shelf, and other magical topics. parents may want to listen without kids around.

he's back! this is the conclusion of our christmas extravaganza. if you haven't listened to part one, make sure to do that first! in part two we discuss christmas power rangers, how much lead time kevn mcallister would need to defeat the predator, the star wars holiday special, the magic of handbells, and the muppet christmas carol.

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

heads up: this episode talks about santa, elf on the shelf, and other magical topics. parents may want to listen without kids around.

we all know and love jon schriver! jon joined us for a whirlwind of a conversation. this episode is a two parter, spreading the christmas spirit across two episodes. in part one we discuss christmas parades, the best christmas movies, the best gifts we have ever received, multi-color vs. white lights, santa the barbarian, and more!

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠

she's one cool cat!

erika hails from the rio grande valley. after graduating from baylor, she found her way back home. while erika is well-versed in all the aspects of band, jazz is her forte. erika has taken her student group to midwest, tmea, jen, and music for all events, opening a world of opportunities to her students. we talked with erika about her musical upbringing, her phantom regiment experience, her positions with uil and tmea, and baylor beating a&m on her birthday.

sponsored by:

• ⁠⁠shawn murphy⁠⁠⁠ with fanpledge
• ⁠⁠the band blueprint⁠⁠⁠⁠ (use promo code bandyap5 when you purchase)
• ⁠⁠troubadour consultants⁠⁠⁠⁠

check out our uil pml playlists on ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ (all 5 grades available!)

• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 1s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 2s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 3s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 4s⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠uil pml grade 5s ⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠mixtape⁠⁠⁠

listen to our ⁠⁠⁠march madness⁠⁠⁠ playlist

get help with your resume, or featured on our socials to assist in your job hunt, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠talent connect form⁠⁠