Monday, October 31, 2022
My social media feeds have been lit up with pictures of marching band Glow Shows and orchestra Halloween Concerts for the past few weeks! I love seeing how many programs are using engaging events to draw in their audiences, and give their student musicians a chance to have some silly fun while performing! After all, we all got into this making music thing to have a good time, didn't we?!
Music educators don't need tips on putting on a Halloween Concert, but a Glow Show does involve a few more steps. So, I reached out to a handful of directors in the Kansas City area to give me their tips on what makes a successful Glow Show. Check out these bright ideas!
First step: Get boosters and the AD on board! Need some help? Show them pictures from this article or just search for a video on your social media feed.
Stadium Tips:
- Learn how your stadium lights operate and how long they will take to power back up following the show.
- Glow Show should be announced throughout the game and a pre-show countdown should be given so any audience members can leave if they want.
- Audience needs to be instructed to stay in their seats during the show.
- Indoor guard/drumline shows can be performed during the pre-show countdown to keep the audience entertained.
- After the show, play the fight song or some stand tunes to keep people engaged while the lights are slowly coming back on.
Performer Tips:
- Everyone wears dark clothing from head to toe - long sleeves.
- Hoodies are a great option because they can pull the hood up and tape an outline of their face to the hood.
- Glow sticks are taped on with clear packaging tape - you will need WAY more of this than you think.
- Invite parents and family to help the students with their lights.
- Students gather glow stick donations through the year - plan on needing a minimum of 20 per student performer, plus more for the rehearsal(s).
- Allow students to decorate their instruments (be sure to have them remove the tape that night, after the performance.)
- Students can bring additional glow sticks, LEDs that night.
- March halftime as normal, take third quarter off to change into dark clothes and add lights, then come back out during 4th quarter.
- Have parents prep / snap the glow sticks during second quarter.
Performance Tips:
- Have a rehearsal (or two) on the field with the lights out - the students will have a lot to get used to out there so this step should not be skipped.
- Tape glow sticks on the backs of drum majors so audience can see them conducting, and have them conduct with lighted batons or large glow sticks.
- Glow sticks on back of marchers if they face backfield for any visuals you want the audience to see.
- Add small flashlights to the ankles of every marcher so they can follow their forms more clearly.
- If your students will need flip folders, tape a thick glow stick to the bottom of their flip folder and it will provide the light they need.
- Ask band parents with good cameras to capture this moment - your school will want to share it on social media.
- Glow stick pieces will be everywhere following the performance. Everyone helps gt that cleaned up.
I hope these ideas will spark some creativity in your corner of the music education world. From Glow Shows to Halloween Concerts and Instrument Petting Zoos to performing for community events, there are so many ways to raise your program's profile and increase your recruiting numbers! If our team at Palen Music can be of any assistance to you, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Thanks to the following directors for sharing ideas, tips, and/or pictures from their Glow Show: Carrie Epperson, Joe Fedrizzi, Kenny Hansen, Jonathan Hobbs, Belinda Johnson, Daniel Ogle. Photos are from Blue Springs South HS (B. Johnson Photography).
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Mike Steffen joined Team PMC as an Educational Representative in 2011, and has since traveled all over Missouri serving directors and their programs. He is a KC (Grandview), and is a proud alum of both Missouri State and UMKC with a bachelors and master degree in music education. He served as a band director in the Lee's Summit R-7 & Pleasant Hill R-3 School Districts where he taught band in grades 5-12. His main passions are teaching jazz at all levels, working with middle school band programs, and teaching private saxophone. Mike is married to his high school sweetheart Miranda, and is the proud papa of three wonderful girls - Melody, McKenna, and Mae! Mike was named MVP of Palen Music Center in 2016 and 2021 |
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