who are natural leaders, as well as student
leaders who developed through adversity.
“They have to have individual desire or
they are not going to have a good time or
as much fun in the program,” Weaver said.
This is yet another example of how
band imitates life, the two directors say.
Developing drum majors is part of being
a band director.
Students who have become drum ma-
jors say they have learned that leadership
is really about service.
“As teenagers, it is incredibly difficult
for us to do things that are truly selfless,
but in band, or music in general, you
must learn the give and take that makes
something artful,” said Caitlyn Hazzard
of Liberty High School. “You won't always
have the melody in band, and you won't
always have the limelight in leadership,
in fact, you rarely will have either, but you
can't let that affect how you do what you
do.”
Weaver said he has a rubric in his head
when each new year starts and freshmen
Drum Major Lexi
Para leads the
Independence
High School Band
with energy and
enthusiasm.
32 | FOCUS
arrive. By the end of fall, he says he usu-
ally can identify the students who show
the potential to be section leaders and
eventually drum major.
“We let them adapt and get oriented.
Kids will change the most during fresh-
men and sophomore years. That is when
we start seeing the traits that are neces-
sary,” Cansler said.
L e x i P a ra , a d r u m m a j o r a t
Independence, says band has developed
her leadership skills.
“Being in band for four years and
leading up to being drum major certainly
helped me build some of my best quali-
ties, if not all,” she said. “I’ve focused a
lot in my two years of being drum major
to make sure that while I am in a position
of leadership to work with my band and
not order them to do things. With that, I
had to learn how to be a better servant to
my band through asking members what
I could improve upon or if anything I say
seems ‘bossy’ or too bold. It can be easy
to get carried away when you’re put in
charge of 200 students who are all looking
at you for what to do and how to behave.”
Band is not just the music or the
marching. FISD marching band students
go through lengthy application processes
for leadership roles. Band students are
expected to perform service projects.
If students do it just for their college
applications, it doesn’t work, Weaver and
Cansler agreed. They enjoy helping stu-
dents find their passion for music. They
also rejoice when they see students grow
and develop even when band doesn’t
come easy for them.
The two say that an attitude of deter-
mination has shown up in several of their
students. They see band not only build-
ing leaders, but more importantly, leaders
who serve. They agree that while band
directors don’t teach leadership, teachers
can cultivate it.
At Liberty, Hazzard sets an example of
caring as well as leadership. She is plan-
ning to be a music therapist. Weaver has
seen her take time to help her band mates,