Harmony Through Life: Building Skills and Friendship Through Marimba Band

This initiative highlights the powerful role that school band programs (specifically marimba bands) play in shaping students’ lives beyond music. Through active participation in a marimba band, students develop critical life skills such as leadership, discipline, teamwork, and communication—while also forming deep, lasting friendships. By advocating for continued support and visibility of music education, this project aims to show how band fosters personal growth, emotional well-being, and a lifelong sense of community among young people.

1. Promote the Value of Music Education – To advocate for continued support and funding for school band programs as essential components of a well-rounded education.
2. Highlight Life Skills Developed Through Band – To demonstrate how participation in band cultivates leadership, discipline, time management, collaboration, and resilience.
3. Foster Social and Emotional Growth – To emphasize the role of band in helping students build confidence, express emotion through music, and develop lifelong friendships.
4. Encourage Student Participation – To inspire more students to join band by sharing personal stories of growth, connection, and achievement.
5. Build Community Awareness and Support – To engage families, educators, and community members in recognizing the long-term impact of music programs on youth development.

Students are the direct beneficiaries of band programs, gaining personal, social, and academic skills. Their voices and experiences help demonstrate the impact of music education.

Parents are essential advocates at home and within school communities. When they understand the value of band, they are more likely to support their children’s participation and speak up for program funding.

Teachers (especially music educators) bring the program to life and help shape the student experience. Their insights highlight how music supports academic and personal development.

Administrators influence budget decisions, scheduling, and program offerings. Engaging them helps ensure that music remains a priority within the school system.

Community Members (including alumni, local leaders, and arts supporters) help create a wider base of support. Their involvement reinforces the idea that music education has long-term benefits for society—not just for students.

By involving all of these stakeholders, the initiative aimed to build a strong, united voice for the value of band, ensuring both current success and future sustainability.

2023-2024 academic year:

The teacher searched for appropriate repertoire, arranged, and composed pieces for the band.

Students began to practice on the first day of school in early August.

The band performed concerts in our school gymnasium (Tucumcari, New Mexico), Eastern New Mexico University (Portales, New Mexico), and New Mexico Highlands University (Las Vegas, New Mexico).

The director submitted videos of these performances to the New Mexico Music Educators’ Association (NMMEA) to be considered as the honor ensemble for the NMMEA 2025 conference.

The band was selected for this honor and invited to perform a concert for hundreds of music teachers and all-state high school musicians in Popejoy Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

2024-2025 academic year:

The teacher searched out appropriate repertoire, composed, and arranged music for the program.

Students began rehearsing the first week of school. The band performed concerts in our school gymnasium (Tucumcari, New Mexico), Eastern New Mexico University (Portales, New Mexico), and New Mexico Highlands University (Las Vegas, New Mexico) to prepare for the concert in Albuquerque.

The band performed a well-received concert at the NMMEA convention, January 9, 2025.

Music Teacher and band director

Find, arrange, and compose appropriate and diverse pieces of music

Conduct band rehearsals

Fundraising

Create written programs

Communicate with college professors to organize performance events

Purchase three new marimbas by working with a builder

Marimba Builder and Composer

Make three new marimbas for the band

Compose a piece that the band performed

Parent Chaperone

Chaperone students to events

Media Teacher, Tucumcari Middle School

Provided video equipment and expertise on the use of the equipment

Chair of Music and Band Director, Eastern New Mexico University

Provide a performance venue and audience

Provide a high-quality video

Professor of Music Education and Music Technology, New Mexico Highlands University

Provide a performance venue and audience

Provide a high-quality video

Students

Work on the music and elements of ensemble playing.

Sell candy bars to raise money for t-shirts and travel.

Personal Skills as a Composer and Arranger
I used my skills in composition and arranging to create custom music pieces tailored to the abilities and interests of the band students. This helped keep students engaged, challenged, and excited about performance. Sharing original works also highlighted the creativity and flexibility inherent in a marimba band. This inspired both students and audiences.

Student Testimonials & Personal Stories
Real experiences from current and former band members were used to highlight the emotional, social, and personal growth gained through participation. These stories helped make the advocacy personal and relatable.

Social Media Platforms
Utilized the Tucumcari Public Schools Facebook page to share student highlights and upcoming events.

School and Community Events
Presented concerts to invite community families and showcase the value of the program, especially concerts in the gymnasium and high school auditorium.

Communication Tools
Used the school website and Facebook page to involve administrators, parents, and staff. This helped keep the community informed about our concerts. Parents’ communication was done via a group text daily.

Showcasing Original Music
We promoted the initiative through performances of my own original compositions and arrangements, which highlighted the creative potential of student musicians and drew interest from peers, families, and the wider school community.

Social Media Engagement
We used platforms like the school webpage and Facebook to share behind-the-scenes photos, and concert videos. Google Drive and Google Classroom were used to share resources with the students (recordings and videos). We also posted performance videos with the students on their Google Classroom page.

Live Events and Performances
We organized and promoted open rehearsals and concerts as key advocacy moments. These events gave families, administrators, and community members a firsthand look at student talent, hard work, and teamwork in action.

Positive Impact
These strategies led to increased visibility of the band program, stronger student engagement, and deeper support from families and school leaders. Attendance at events grew, new students expressed interest in joining, and community members began recognizing the program as a key part of student development—not just a performance group.

Marimba 1 $1,500

Instrument 1 $1,700

Instrument 2 $1,000

Hotel Accommodation

2 nights for 20 people $120/night $4,800

Meals 2 meals/day for 20 people for 2 days $15/meal $600

Band T-Shirts 20 shirts $15 each $300

Estimated Total Budget: $9,900

One significant challenge we faced was low attendance at initial rehearsals. The students of our community are involved in sports, church, and clubs, which limited the ability of students to have regular attendance. This also proved to be a burden for parents to provide transportation. To overcome this, I worked closely with coaches to make sure the students could participate in both sports and music. We also scheduled events at more convenient times for working families. These strategies successfully improved attendance, helping us build a stronger, more engaged community around the band program.

Yes, the initiative was effective in raising awareness and engagement for the band program. One key measure of success was the 7,200 views of our encore performance video on Facebook, which is especially significant given that the city’s population is less than 5,000. This wide reach indicates that the initiative resonated beyond the immediate community, attracting attention and support from a larger audience.

Additionally, increased event attendance and positive feedback from students, parents, and educators further demonstrate the initiative’s impact in strengthening community involvement and support for music education.

The band members demonstrated a loving and caring community spirit, with older students actively mentoring and supporting younger members. This peer mentorship not only fostered strong friendships but also helped build confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of belonging among all participants.

The initiative significantly strengthened the music program by increasing student participation and enthusiasm for band. It fostered a supportive community where students felt valued and connected through mentorship and teamwork. This boost in engagement encouraged greater family and community involvement, leading to increased attendance at performances and broader support for music education within the school and district.

Looking ahead, our future goal is to reach new band members and include more students from diverse backgrounds and grade levels. We plan to expand outreach efforts and create welcoming opportunities so that even more young people can experience the personal growth, friendships, and skills that band offers.

Start with passion and a clear message.

Fundraising and grants can go a long way – fundraisers like selling chocolate bars.

Most importantly, create an environment where students feel supported, seen, and inspired.