25 Best Practices, Tips and Hacks for the Middle Level Band Teacher

Mike Perez is in his twenty first year of teaching and is in his sixteenth year as Director of Bands at Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School in Fort Collins, CO.  Mr. Perez previously taught for five years in the Thompson School District at Erwin Middle School and Loveland High School.  

Mr. Perez’s duties at Kinard Middle School include teaching 245 students in three beginning bands, Intermediate Band, Honors Band, and Symphonic Band.  The Symphonic Band was the first Colorado middle school band selected to perform at the prestigious Music for All National Concert Band Festival in 2018 and has performed four times as an honor band at the Colorado Music Educators Association Convention.  The Symphonic Band also consistently earns superior ratings at local and state level festivals, represents one third of the Poudre School District Honor Band, and among the most students accepted into the CU Middle School Honor Band. The Symphonic Band has been a demonstration group at the University of Northern Colorado’s Conducting Symposium with Richard Saucedo and at the Colorado Music Educators Association Clinic Conference with Dr. Matthew Arau.

Mike has had two master’s degree projects published and featured in Band World Magazine (Oct. 2003 and April 2005).  He is a member of the National Association of for Music Education, Phi Beta Mu and the Colorado Bandmasters Association.  Mr. Perez’s musical family includes his wife Jessica (piano and voice), Jackson (percussion and guitar), Sophia (piano and tuba), and Micah (trombone).