Every music director has many days that feel like “The Big Day” - it might be a concert off campus, UIL Concert and Sight Reading Festival, a Spring Festival or Contest, or any performance that makes you nervous! Believe me - if you are nervous, so are your students! Here are some tips to keep your students and you calm and ready for The Big Day.

Prepare Yourself for The Big Day

At least 2 weeks before your performance, be sure to have a list of items that you need to accomplish so as you finish them, you can check them off to feel better! The more you go through every step of the plan and the timings for the day, the better you will feel and more prepared you are for your students. Here is a sample check list:

• Order buses and/or equipment truck
• Order 3 copies of all needed scores WELL in advance - and number the measures as soon as you get them between the woodwinds and brass for easy reading by judges
• Make a roster of students attending the trip and send it to staff and admin at least 2 weeks in advance.
• Make bus lists for the parent chaperones.
• Ask for parent chaperones and create name badges for the day of trip
• Send an email reminder to parents at least 3 days prior to the trip in case someone needs to back out so you have time to find another.
• Create a percussion packing list and be very detailed so it’s fail proof!
• Communicate with your colleagues about anything needed from them on the day of the trip so they have a good list of responsibilities.
• Print off all needed information for The Big Day from a contest host and be sure to send anything needed in advance right away so you don’t forget (seating charts, etc) - PRO TIP: I create a set up chart here and save it so I can adjust later if needed: https://www.bgreco.net/band/
• Pack up your bag/backpack with essentials the day before including any medical necessities, forms, post-its, pens, extra reeds, extra mouthpieces, valve oil, etc.
• Check buses and/or equipment truck the week of the performance.
• Lay out your clothes the night before - including a change of clothes if needed!
• Create a detailed Itinerary just for you so that you can keep yourself accountable on The Big Day for timings.

Prepare Your Students for The Big Day

Once you feel prepared, be sure to give your students AND parents all the information and details so THEY feel calm and ready. The more you go through every step of the plan with them, the better they will feel about the uncertainty of the performance. Here is a sample “To Do” list for students and parents:

• Reminders for The Big Day in newsletters or weekly emails at least 3 weeks in advance. Remember to ask for parent chaperones!
• Remind students what to wear and schedule a Remind text or email to go out the day before so students are setting their clothes out, too. Be sure to include what time they need to meet you if it’s before school hours and to bring any money or anything they need for after the performance.
• Remind students of the performance order many times so you don’t get the dreaded, “What are we starting on?”
• Give them a rehearsal calendar with important sectionals and rehearsals leading up to The Big Day so they can plan in advance.
• Send performance details to parents including where to park, what time to be there (and factor in that they will be late!). Remind them of anything for the audience etiquette like not clapping between movements, clapping loudly after each piece, and coming to support their child!

Before You Leave, Check it ALL

Once everyone is present for The Big Day, be sure to check everything before you leave your campus. Do all students have on the correct clothes? If not, do you have items they can use to ensure everyone is uniform? Preparing for a smooth start to the day is critical. Here are some ideas for a check list before you leave:

• Check clothes and if they are not correct, have them change (i.e. black socks, dress shoes, extra band shirt if it’s an informal performance)
• Take attendance and have a colleague call home if they are not on time.
• Check every student’s binder before you leave and don’t let them take free sheets of music that can blow away in the wind!
• Check that everyone’s case has their name and school on a luggage tag. PRO TIP: Do this in the first 3 weeks of school so it’s already done for The Big Day!
• Check that everyone has a tuner if that’s something you take and ensure you have batteries in case of emergency.
• Check that all percussion have every piece of equipment and mallet/beater that they need personally.

Prepare to Rehearse Well

Be sure to write out a detailed and step by step plan for YOURSELF for rehearsals on The Big Day. This could include warming up in your own rehearsal space, or for when you have your warm up time at the performance venue. Nothing is more nerve wracking than not having a plan and looking up to realize you spent half your time tuning, but didn’t get to hit any spots in the music! Here are some ideas of what to do in the warm up time:

• Ensure students have a plan for where their cases go and remind double reeds to bring water and extra reeds. I usually remind clarinets and piccolo players to bring swabs, too.
• Ensure students have their binder and tuner when they get off the bus before going into the venue.
• Ensure students know exactly where to sit in advance and that they enter warm up silently.
• Direct students to get their space set up with binder, tuner, pencil, Tuner Caddy, etc.
• Play Concert F and listen carefully since you will be in a different venue than you’re used to.
• Play an easy warm up that allows them to check tone quality and tuning without it being complicated.
• Spot check tuning by sections to ensure adjustments are made. I allow students to check personal tuning first as well.
• Have specific sections you plan to rehearse written out so you know your plan on the spot. I mark these with a see through post-it or write them on a paper so I know the correct spots so there is no wasting of time.
• Start with your last piece first, then work on the middle piece, and end with your beginning piece. This allows for students to have that piece fresh on their minds (and it’s key signature!) before you go out to perform.
• About 3 minutes until the end, stop warming up, and have them empty water and then put slides back in the same places. Remind students to pick up all their belongings and quietly walk to the next location. Be sure to tell them who should follow the end of the row so they have an exact understanding of the procedure. If possible, have a chaperone at the end to help ensure everyone stays quiet.

Prepare to Perform Well

Before you go out onto stage, be sure to have the set up done exactly to your liking. This includes having your percussionists go with a percussion instructor or colleague to set up all equipment, get all beaters and mallets ready, and to have time to check sound levels from the snare and bass drum on stage. Be sure to have the timpani tuned for the first piece as well. You can have a parent chaperone or a colleague also get all the chairs/stands set the way you’d like. Many times they can be set too far forward or a student crew gets them all spread out too far. Check that it’s done the way the students are used to and how you like it for sound levels. This also includes ensuring any Tuner Caddies, mutes, mute towels, special electronics, and other special effects are ready. Test your electronics ahead of time to ensure it’s the proper level and have a trusted colleague in the audience to tell you if it’s appropriate.

It’s Finally Time - Stay Calm

Be sure that you are calm on stage and very poised for your students. Ensure you have told them in advance what they will exactly do on stage - no surprises! Sometimes you hear a director say Concert F and then a snare drummer starts playing the march! Tell them in the days leading up and even just before in the warm up room what your plan is for the stage to test sound levels. Before you start, smile at the students and be sure to reassure them that they are prepared for their best performance. Between pieces, be sure to bow and acknowledge applause. Once you are ready, have students quietly change seats if needed and have percussion switch to the next piece. Ensure students know not to talk on stage no matter what. Remind them to empty water and vacuum reeds as well. If you’d like, have them do a sound test between pieces.

While you are performing, if something doesn’t go according to plan, try to have communication set up where you can tell them non-verbally. A good example would be lifting your chin at the flute section if they go flat or giving the back off hand signal if a section enters too loudly. The more you have rehearsed this eye contact, the better this will go during your performance.

We Finished! What Now?

Be sure to have a plan to get all percussion and other equipment packed up off stage so the next group can come on. Remind students to stay silent and have them get all their belongings to leave the stage. After you are all done, be sure to text the bus drivers to come and pick you up, and ensure the parent chaperones can help percussion and tubas pack up as well. Stay positive and be complimentary of your students as they just did their best! It’s totally appropriate to celebrate after you leave the performance venue with a lunch out or cookies at your home campus to celebrate a job well done!

Reflect and Rejuvenate!

After The Big Day, listen to the performance with the students and have them evaluate their performance. Did everything go according to plan? Did anything weird happen? What could we have done differently to ensure that didn’t occur? Give students easy ways to learn from the performance and grow for the next time. Rejuvenate the students with actionable items to make the performance better for the next time if you’re performing the music again. If you are not, give out new music and have a plan and process for that as well. Be sure to include parents in this reflection! Send the judge’s comments (as necessary) and recordings so parents can listen to the final product with their child. This allows for great conversations to be had with parents and students about process over perfection and pride in their work.

Plan for The Next Big Day

If you have another performance opportunity on the horizon, be sure to follow the same steps with small tweaks to ensure everyone is ready for whatever comes your way! Preparation will always ensure everyone feels calm and in control when nerves can get the best of them. Good skill as you all work towards The Big Day!