VISIONS Drum Major Academy

Be Present. Be Courageous. Work Smart.

Project Confidence On and Off the Podium
The Confident Drum Major
Build lasting friendships with other drum major candidates as you learn enduring leadership skills through interactive games, challenges, and discussion. In a no-pressure environment, practice some stomach churning situations.
What do you say when your friends don't listen to your instructions at rehearsal? How do you approach your director about an unruly section leader? Mature, authentic responses to these difficult questions will set you apart during your interview! Learn conducting exercises that help you develop your clear conducting style and confidently lead band members on-field and off. Finally, chat with a panel of veteran drum majors about what you need to know before stepping into the role.

Drum Major

Audition Clinics

All clinics are held from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and are located at 1140 Smiley Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45240.
  • The Confident Drum Major
  • Sticking out with a Service Project
  • Acing the Interview
Number of Clinics:
Clinics Currently Closed
Separate Yourself From the Competition
Sticking out with a Service Project
Why do band directors think of some students as potential drum major candidates, while others fail to stand out from the crowd? This clinic teaches you what leadership looks like when it is applied in the real world-more than just adults telling you to “BE” a leader. Be seen as a leader by your directors and peers as you plan and execute a service project for the betterment of your program. The step-by-step planning process and accountability will build confidence in completing a small but meaningful project and will give you experience to stand out during your interview. Continue improving your conducting skills through video feedback and conducting short musical excerpts in front of your peers.
Feel Calm, Collected, and Composed
Acing the Interview
The reality is that the moment you signed up for band, your audition for drum major has begun. Ace drum majors shouldn't need to sweat acing the interview—in this clinic, you will practice interviewing techniques to match your new conducting skills so you're not blindsided by difficult or unexpected questions: Why do you deserve to be chosen as a drum major? What are your weaknesses? When was a time that you failed and how did you overcome it? Answer hard questions with ease and showcase the best version of yourself.
About VISIONS

Learn by doing, not by watching

Visionaries get more done by focusing on what is most important by building rhythms of planning, executing, and reflecting. Place your drum majors alongside rock stars who will push, encourage, and refine them as they pursue their goals in music, leadership, and life throughout the entire year.

Access an esteemed network

Visionaries gain access to Mastermind Groups with other like-minded student leaders where they collaborate, problem solve, and grow. Leadership Lessons throughout the year presented by the best local music educators will continue to hone their leadership.

Set Your Students Apart

Give your most talented, high achieving, and special students the tools they need as they embark on a lifetime of leadership.

Improve Efficiency and Performance

Weekly meetings are designed to help Visionaries execute their aspirations by breaking them into actionable steps. Drum major team Wellness Checks during the season provide support and keep the team running smoothly.

Learn Meaningful Communication

In the small settings of the Mastermind Group, students build deeper relationships with local Visionaries. They will learn, fail, and sharpen others with similar mindsets and goals

Focus on What is Most Important

Drum majors need competence in the technical skills like conducting, score study, and marching technique. Good drum majors also are competent in the human skills like listening, empathy, and effective confrontation. Visionaries, while simultaneously learning the technical skills and the human skills, intentionally develop virtues like patience, integrity, humility, forgiveness, courage, self discipline, selflessness, and teachability.

About Visions

Jordan Habel

When I was a drum major, I took the role very seriously. I always had to be a role model because I was told there was always someone watching.

I invented an unrealistic, crushing expectation for myself and went through depression that I felt I should keep to myself. After all, I was a Drum Major. Didn’t I have to be perfect? These misguided thoughts were conceived in the isolation that often comes with leadership.

As you think of preparing your most talented, high achieving, and special high school students, just molding effective drum majors neglects the bigger and more important picture - nurturing the well being and guiding the trajectory of incredible young people. For your students, this discovery and support takes time.

What if the role of “drum major” had less to do with leading your marching bands and instead was meant to train and send out visionaries and world-changers? Visionaries who can attribute the start of their leadership journey to your band. Wouldn’t this development be better accomplished over an entire year of community and mentorship?

The time we have to teach our students is short - and this time also happens to be one of the most formative in their lives. Visions was born from a desire to keep leaders out of the isolation I felt, but it exists to constantly push them to see their present situations as opportunities to cast vision for their future.

We are not training drum majors. We are training Visionaries. Will you join me?

Register for Pre-Drum Major Clinics
Hear What Our Drum Majors Are Saying!
when asking our 2020 Drum Majors...
100% of Visions Drum Majors would recommend the academy to future DM's!
In 2020, the 21 participating Drum Majors said that Visions helped with...
Developing leadership in others
Collaborating with my drum major team
Positively handling social situations without involving the director
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree

Dalan Toups

Wilmington High School

Visions helped me understand what it takes to be drum major and make connections with drum majors from different schools. Do Visions! It's fun!

Nicholas Suman

Hamilton High School

Visions is very personal, that's what I love about it. Mr. Habel genuinely wants to see you improve and actively loves doing this and it's comforting to know the drum majors. It relieved a lot of my stress conducting-wise and has prepared me going into band camp.

Have a Question? Contact Us!
For questions or to explore scholarship opportunities contact
Jordan Habel
jhabel@visionsdma.com

vi·sion·ar·y

/ˈviZHəˌnerē/
Adjective

Thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom.

Noun

A person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like.

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