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The Director's Cut, a focused newsletter with tips for teachers and directors, helpful articles, and more

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This month's MSFQ tips come from David F. Eccles, Orchestra Program and Upper School Director, The Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia. RECRUITMENT TIPS Orchestra Signing Day In this season of sports and academic committing events, create your own Orchestra Signing Day for incoming students. A quick visit to spring rehearsals with cool welcome certificates, welcome letters from student orchestra leadership, and some orchestra swag will show future students that they are entering a dynamic and welcoming organization. RETENTION TIPS Vision Box Begin by having your students write a reflection on the things that they've accomplished this year. The reflections don't have to be in full sentences they could be a simple bulleted list or marked list. On another card or sheet of paper, have them write stream-of-consciousness notes to themselves about their technical, social, or leadership goals for orchestra next year. Next, have them put this written reflection in the Vision Box. Create a ritual of storing those goals away over the summer in a safe place so that they can be ready to be read by the students when they return in the fall. SUCCESS TIPS If you’re like me, your music library can be the bane of your existence. Make sure your music library is clean and organized to begin the next year. Students are hungry for community service hours this time of year. Consider offering those students in your program the opportunity to earn community service time by helping you organize the music library. Wishing you and your students all the best! David F. Eccles (he/him/his) The Lovett School Upper School Orchestra Director Orchestra Program Director

These are your school’s musical all-stars.

There are lots of big and small ways to get your students more involved in your rehearsals, and the impact older students to coach younger, less-experienced students and nurture peer mentor relationships The more students are vested in your program and culture, the more they'll get out of their music experience.