The Importance of Student Leadership in Music Ensembles

Musical ensembles have directors or conductors to lead them through the performance of their programmed selections. For school musical ensembles, that person is also the educator who uses that program to teach the students everything from the basics of creating a sound on their instrument through the reading and performing of that music and on to recognizing and interpreting the different musical styles and eras.

Marching bands have a student leader (or two or three) who serve as drum majors, leading the group through their well-practiced routines and presentations. Often an ensemble is large enough to have section leaders, students who work with those who play the same instrument or sing the same voice part, primarily on the proper performance of the music before them. These student leaders provide an essential service to the group as a whole, supporting the efforts of the conductor and leading through not only direction, but through setting a good example for others in their section, group or ensemble to emulate and follow.

But if inclusion of students in leadership roles in your ensemble is limited to those few positions, you may be missing multiple opportunities to not only enhance how your group functions, but to grow student leaders who will then help you grow your program. By making various roles of responsibility available to students, you create another avenue for students to feel ownership of their efforts, ownership they will proudly display for all to see. And just as most ensembles have a traditional manner for selecting their drum majors or section leaders, the ‘passing of the baton’ for these other roles will carry the same prestige and weight. And many hands make light work, something that every ensemble has more than its fair share.

Student leadership roles within an ensemble can range from long-term roles where the student is willing to invest time in that position on a regular basis to the ones that only last for the duration of a specific event or timeframe. In-between are the positions, while long-term, only require effort occasionally. Most of these leadership roles are volunteers, students who understand the parameters involved in being successful and are willing to offer their time to do so.

Many times, students who have served as helpers or assistants to those specific leadership positions will step up when the opportunity arises. Few positions, if any, are ones where the ensemble elects the student to serve. Because of that, the volunteering student self-selects the roles he or she is best suited to fill.

If your ensemble does not have a designated student leader (drum major, etc.), selecting an experienced student to serve as ensemble president will provide the director with a “right-hand man.” The president’s role can range from daily responsibilities like taking attendance, dealing with music issues, leading sectionals, to covering for the director during absences. Having a student who can direct the ensemble in rehearsal, who knows the music, the rehearsal procedure and the group’s members is far better than any substitute teacher, musically trained or not, leading the group when the music teacher is unavailable. You will find that the group will improve under their direction.

Long-term roles can range from the librarian to the quartermaster/ equipment manager. Both of these roles have fairly steady activity in maintaining their areas of responsibility. Besides preparing music for distribution and filing returned music away properly, the librarian can help to manage the library’s data management system, make suggestions to the music teacher on selections to consider for purchase, handle the proper cataloging of any new music and be the contact person for other schools looking to borrow from the library.

The quartermaster/equipment manager’s role would seem to be focused only on when the ensemble is performing or rehearsing outside of the music facility, but it can include maintaining the equipment data system, assigning equipment as needed, tracking damage and repairs, and monitoring consumables (reeds, oils, drumsticks, etc.). Both of these roles can expand (or contract) as the abilities and time availability of the student leader grow or change over the course of the school year. And each can start out small as the educator learns to transfer more and more responsibility to the student in each role.

Short-term roles would include a stage manager, stage crew, event manager and team leader. The stage manager and their crew would only be needed when the ensemble is scheduled for performances and when traveling as a group. Having an experienced stage manager with a designated group as the stage crew provides the assistance needed to make sure every performance can focus on the music. And that experience also brings a higher level of safety to dealing with chairs, risers, flats and the like.

The event manager’s role can include simply helping to plan any day-long or overnight trip or event to being a part of the leadership during that time as well as being involved in the organization if your school is the host for a festival or performance. And when traveling, sight-seeing and shopping (always required) as a group, keeping track of everyone is always the biggest challenge. Having the ensemble members sign-up to be in a travel group (based on friends and classmates, not sections) and then select a team leader provides the director with a contact to ensure everyone is present without having to take attendance. Team leaders are critical when traveling by subway, walking or moving about in museums, etc.

If fundraising is a part of the annual efforts made by the ensemble, a council of student leaders should be considered. Two students representing each grade level who meet, under the leadership of the ensemble president/drum major, to help plan, prepare, promote and organize your fundraising brings student ownership to those tasks as well. The council’s role can then expand to include performance and program suggestions, ideas on promotion and inclusion, and work on making sure every member feels represented. Ensembles are always better when there is an active student leadership in place.