Top Five Rules You Don’t Need to Follow

They just couldn’t get it. We were prepping for contest. One piece, Manhattan Beach March by Sousa, has a beautiful melody in the first clarinet part. Meanwhile, the second and third clarinet parts have more notes in eight bars than some kids ever played in an entire concert.

Sectionals, assessments, alternate fingerings and praying to the band gods — no improvement. So, I called my mentor.

“I’ve tried everything and no results. Even worse, the kids are getting frustrated.”

“Have you tried switching the parts?” he said. “Have the first clarinets play the hard part, and give the easier melody to the second and thirds?”

“Is that legal?” I asked.

He laughed and said, “Yes, just because it says clarinet one doesn’t mean someone else can’t play it. In fact, it’s better for everyone if they do.”

It was the simplest solution. It was also the most effective. I just had to let go of the rules.

Most of us don’t question this stuff at first. We inherit it. Some of it is good. Some of it doesn’t fit our kids anymore.

Here are five unwritten rules of music programs worth rethinking.

Rule 1: You Must Do the Same Things Every Year

Same concerts, same festivals, same fundraisers and a trip every two years. This is what I walked into, so I assumed it had to stay. But I had years where this didn’t work. Concerts seemed to sneak up on us, and the fundraisers weren’t bringing in enough money. We passed up a few opportunities because it wasn’t a trip year.

Now I run everything through a filter:

• Does this help the students I have right now?
• Or am I just doing it because it’s always been there?

The answers usually fall into three categories:

1. Yes → keep it. If it’s working, leave it alone.
2. Kind of → adjust it. Change the format. Shorten it. Move it. Fix what’s off.
3. No → pause it. Not cancel forever. Just stop doing it for now and see what happens.

You don’t have to change everything. Take a little vacation from that jazz dinner with dwindling attendance — and see if it truly needs to come back.

Rule 2: You Have to Program to Others’ Expectations

At some point, most of us pick up some unwritten formulas. You need a march. You need contrast. You need balance so the concert looks “right.”

I remember forcing pieces into programs that didn’t need them. The group wasn’t ready, and I didn’t even want to do it. But it felt wrong not to do this based on what other programs were doing. The pieces never clicked. All they did was frustrate the kids and put a hiccup into the concert flow. That’s the problem with checklists — they don’t know your group.

There’s nothing wrong with tradition or variety. But programming should serve the specific students at this specific time in your program.

Rule 3: Concerts Must Be at Least an Hour

Sunken cost fallacy: We hang on to pieces way too long just because we already spent time on them. In nearly 20 years of teaching, I can say that I’ve never regretted cutting a piece, no matter how long we rehearsed it.

We think we have to fill out the concert because:

• We’ve been rehearsing for months.
• It’s our only concert this fall.
• We’ve reserved the space.
• Administration is present.
• Parents are driving out.

Long concerts don’t impress anyone. Well-prepared ones do. If that one piece isn’t working, cut it or shelve it for the next cycle. This isn’t cutting corners — it’s making a decision.

Rule 4: You Have to Eat, Sleep and Breathe This Job

Picture this on social media: a black and white photo of an empty parking lot except for one vehicle, perfectly framed in the shot. Caption: “Tell me you’re a band director without telling me you’re a band director — I’ll start. Last car in the parking lot after school.”

Some colleagues and social media may suggest the recipe for a “winning” music teacher:

1. Always at school
2. First in, last to leave
3. No sleep
4. Too busy to take a lunch.
5. Always thinking about the next concert cycle.

I had that view of the job. After years of playing in school and then getting a degree, I could finally lead a group. And that’s what I’m going to do, 24/7.

If your health, sleep and personal life are suffering because of your job — relax. Start small by taking your lunch break. Set working hours and put boundaries on school email. This will help you stay in the job longer.

You also can’t miss something if you’re always there.

Rule 5: You Have to Make Everyone Happy

You want to make everyone in your school happy? Here they are: Students, teachers, counselors, speech therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, library specialists, reading specialists, intervention specialists, coaches, assistant coaches, administrative assistants, financial clerks, teachers’ aides, paraprofessionals, nurses, food service workers, custodians, maintenance crew, technology staff, bus drivers.

But wait, there’s more: Superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, athletic directors, board members, parents, alumni, local business owners, local politicians, professional development staff, educational consultants, vendors, community members, communication directors, volunteers, school resource officers, security staff, and bookstore clerks.

My apologies if I missed anyone.

There are two ways to look at these lists:

1. Try to make everyone happy and become more stressed
2. Understand that a school community involves many people, and that we’re better together.

You are the expert hired to make most of your program decisions. Research, listen to people and accept feedback. Then, make the decisions in your power.

Changing Just to Change

After all of that, you may be ready to kick the doors open and say, “There’s about to be some changes ‘round here.”

Wait. Let’s go back to our filter:

• Does this help the students I have right now?
• Or am I just doing it because it’s always been there?

It’s OK to take it slow. Most importantly, run these ideas by your students.

I once thought about cutting a festival. It was a long day, and we always seemed to get beat up in the comments. I mentioned this to the kids. The kids told me that yes, this festival was tough, but that this was the festival where younger members realized they had to start stepping it up.

We kept the festival.

Redefine the Playbook

Not all rules are bad. Some are useful. Some are worth keeping. But not all of them are necessary. Old doesn’t always mean good, but neither does new.

This isn’t about breaking rules or being a rebel. It’s about making the best call for the kids in front of you.