My Band & Orchestra Recruiting Tips

Recruiting at the high school level, which I did for over twenty years, is much different from recruiting the little ones in elementary/middle school. We have a pull-out lesson program in my district at the elementary level, so band is not a class or choice students and parents can simply “sign-up” for. Instead we have to recruit students and parents, many of whom have never met the band director before. I have been back teaching elementary school music for three years now, and I have picked up some tips and ideas for recruiting that I’d like to share.

1. Teaching General Music! Yes – I’m still a band director at heart, but when my principal gave me most of the third grade and all of the fourth grade to teach general music – how could I not focus on recruitment? Just seeing the kids week after week and having them get to know me was a big help. This year’s spring recruitment was by far the best we’ve ever had with more than forty new students – including two new cellists, a french horn and a baritone!
2. Visit the General Music Classes – make the time in your schedule to visit all of the general music classes to introduce yourself and talk-up the band!
3. Don’t Forget to Recruit the Parents! – Too many teachers only reach out to the students. I have seen this in many schools where the band director only hands out welcome letters to students who ask for them. While many students may be excited to join band, we must remember that it’s the parents who make the decisions to rent instruments and allow their children to take instrumental music lessons. Connecting with the parents and getting the valuable message of music advocacy is important! I suggest that teachers reach out to every parent in every grade you are recruiting from, and send flyers home with every student.
4. Email Parents – If you can get access to parent emails for the students in your recruiting grade-levels, send them an introductory email and a flyer that describes the band program and the benefits of studying a musical instrument!
5. Instrument Petting Zoo – have parents and kids come to meet you and the instruments at an after-school/evening event where they can check-out and try-out the different instruments! I have an Instrumental Petting Zoo kit on Teachers Pay Teachers that is my best-selling item – the petting zoo works!

More Resources

Band Directors Talk Shop is an amazing blog and resource – they have some great ideas for recruitment and retention in band

The National Federation of State High School Associations has some tips from music educators posted here.

BePartoftheMusic.org is an amazing resource for both elementary and high school directors. It has some great recruitment videos that explain the different instruments, parent testimonials, form letters, and tons of recruitment ideas. My “Instrumental Petting Zoo” idea came from this site and it’s a big hit with the students and parents.