Meet Yamaha Master Educator Daniel Berard
In his inspirational and practical presentations, Daniel Berard, the assistant director of bands at Wakeland High School in Frisco, Texas, shares his experience of starting with nothing but a blank piece of paper and a vision. He helped build support systems comprised of community members and parents to create a thriving program.
He brings knowledge and experience of what must be done at various stages of development to place a program on a trajectory of sustained success.
Berard’s passion for developing musical literacy and high levels of performance excellence in students is infectious. He offers valuable advice on how to create and sustain a nurturing environment for student success, creativity, leadership and independence, as well as advancing one’s pedagogical foundation, rehearsal environment, and effective and expressive conducting techniques.
He hears and understands what teachers experience and what they might need to do in order to clear obstacles and build support systems. Berard is an expert at diagnosing and prescribing what may be the best steps for teachers seeking to advance their pedagogy, positively impact their students and sustain successful music programs.
Berard assisted with the process of opening Fossil Ridge High School and Kinard Middle School, in Fort Collins, Colorado, and created thriving music programs at both schools. He has led the music department through a path of explosive growth, innovation and excellence, and provides practical suggestions for teachers to connect to the larger scope of the school community by positively engaging colleagues across disciplines.
He is often asked to speak about integrating technology into pedagogy, assessment and rehearsals. These sessions focus on everything from establishing a music technology lab to production classes that include live audio reinforcement, digital creation, recording and film scoring.
Some of Daniel Berard’s session titles include:
- “Developing Independent Musicians Through Collaborative Rehearsals”
- “Fueling Your Fire, Sustaining Your Passion— A Discussion on Career Longevity, Finding Joy and Balance, and Avoiding Burnout”
- “From Nothing to Nationals — A Blueprint for Building and Sustaining a Thriving Band Program”
- “The Business of the Band — the Band Director as CEO”
- “The Unintended Consequences of ‘Don’t’ — Rehearsal Strategies that Foster Student Engagement and Build Musical Independence”
- “Creative Show Design Solutions for Marching Bands Large and Small”
- “Engaging the ‘Screen-Ager’ and Leveraging Social Media Within Your Ensemble”
- “Streamlining Your Assessment Systems Through Integrating Technology — Helping You ‘Inspect What You Expect'”
To learn more about clinics by Daniel Berard, please contact Jalissa Gascho at jgascho@yamaha.com.