All sports · Sport guide
Band, for the parent in it.
Every read, drill, calendar, pathway, rule, and recruiting note we have on band. Use this as the front door.
21 pieces.
From The Drawer for band
Cost
What does band actually cost?
Pre-filled annual estimates by tier. Edit any line.
Pathway
Band by age
What good looks like at 7, 10, 13, 15.
Calendar
The band year
The high school band year: mandatory band camp in late July or August, Friday night football games and Saturday competitions September through November, then concert band from December through spring with solo and ensemble contests in late winter. Band is a fall sport that doesn't call itself one.
Reads
Band articles
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
Band scholarships: what parents need to know
Two different doors into college music, and most families only know about one of them.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
College band audition prep: what programs actually want
One audition can be a video from the living room. The other is a formal hearing in front of a faculty panel. Know which one your kid is walking into.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
Drum major and section leader: the real odds
One podium, a handful of section leader spots, and a decision directors make on more than talent.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
Marching band vs concert band vs music major: the three paths
Three tracks, three different sets of goals, and most families never sit down to figure out which one they're on.
age 15-plus · Jul 6, 2026
When your kid doesn't get first chair or all-state
Senior year was supposed to be the year it happened. It didn't. Here is what to say.
age 11-12 · Jun 11, 2026
First Season of School Band: What the Permission Slip Doesn't Tell You
Rent the instrument, survive the squeaking, and know what makes a kid want to keep playing by spring.
age all-ages · Jun 10, 2026
How Much Does School Band Cost?
The rent-or-buy decision, the marching season fees, and the costs the signup form never mentions.
age all-ages · Jun 10, 2026
The Marching Band Competition Packing List
The uniform checklist, the instrument kit, and what band parents actually need for a fourteen-hour Saturday.
age 11-12 · May 12, 2026
Chairs and sectionals: how middle school band ranks its players
First chair, second chair, sectionals, challenges. The ranking system feels brutal at 11. Here is how it works and what it actually means.
age 13-14 · May 12, 2026
Jazz band, concert band, marching: where does your kid fit
Middle and high school bands are not one band. They are three or four. Here is what each one does and how to choose if your kid has to.
age 13-14 · May 12, 2026
Honor band audition season: how to actually prepare
All-county, all-state, all-region. The fall honor band auditions are when the next year's leaders get picked. Here is what the process looks like and how to help your kid through it.
age 13-14 · May 12, 2026
Marching band uniform fitting day: what to expect
Uniform fitting is a logistical mess. Here is what to bring, what to wear, and what you are agreeing to when you sign the form.