66th ASBDA National Convention
66th ASBDA National Convention
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66th ASBDA National Convention- June 23rd - 26th
Refine your skills, discover new ideas, connect with colleagues, and lead with purpose!
Refine your skills, discover new ideas, connect with colleagues, and lead with purpose!
To all of the graduating seniors in our band family — congratulations from the American School Band Directors Association!
Some of you have already crossed the stage, while others are counting down the final days until graduation day. No matter where you are in the journey, this season marks an incredible achievement worth celebrating.
Thank you for the leadership, dedication, musicianship, and spirit you brought to your bands, schools, and communities. Whether your next step is college, military service, the workforce, or a new adventure still unfolding, we know the lessons learned through band will continue to guide you.
Keep leading. Keep creating. Keep making music.
Congratulations, Class of 2026! 🎶🎓
Member Spotlight
Member Spotlight
Kelly Dorsey
Kelly Dorsey
#HaveYouMet Kelly Dorsey(FL)?
We asked Ms. Dorsey to share her journey, wisdom, and inspiration as a music educator.
What inspired you to become a band director, and how did your journey in music education begin?
My middle school band director was an absolutely fabulous teacher. His pedagogy was extremely solid and the best I've seen since then. I found the inner workings of teaching mesmerizing, and he gave me many opportunities to teach my peers. It was exciting!
What’s one teaching strategy or rehearsal technique that’s made a big difference in your band program?
In my classroom, we make a habit out of celebrating each other's successes. Even if the success is a small one, the students still show support for one another. They have become more inclined to help each other rather than push each other down with competition. They each want to leave a legacy of success behind. Since we began this culture, I have seen more collaboration between students than ever before.
Can you tell us about a moment with your students that reminded you why you love teaching band?
There was a moment on stage at a spring concert. The students chose their favorite piece to perform for their parents. It was the most beautiful and musical rendition of "Thus do you Fare My Jesus". It was even better than their State MPA performance. Their faces were absolutely glowing. They literally made me cry on stage with their labor of love. It was a profound moment that I will never forget.
What advice would you give to a first-year band director entering the profession today?
Get professionals into your room as much as possible. Seek out the older generation and be willing to take their advice. Go to your State Conference.
Ms. Kelly Dorsey has been the Band Director at Union County High School since 2003. She spent thirteen years before that at Bell Jr./Sr. High School. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Florida State University. Bands under Ms. Dorsey’s direction have consistently received superior ratings at all FBA-sponsored events. Ms. Dorsey has served as a guest clinician for numerous band programs and honor bands throughout the state, and as the Conductor for the Florida Small Schools Honor Band in 2008 and the FBA Nine Star Honor Band in 2022. In addition, she has served The Florida Bandmasters Association as a member of several committees, including the Marching Band Study Committee, State Music Selection Committee, Professional Resources Committee, and chair of the Classification Committee. She is currently serving as the chair of the Small Schools Committee. Ms. Dorsey has presented clinics at the FMEA State Convention on “Building Successful Small School Band Programs'', "The Concert Band Sight Reading Experience", "How to Be Successful at the Concert MPA with Limited Instrumentation" and multiple units of the ASBDA sponsored "How to Fix it Series". She was selected as “Teacher of the Year'' at Bell High School in 1997-98 and at Union County High School in 2013-2014 as well as the Union County School “District Teacher of the Year” in 2020-2021. She was also awarded the prestigious "Oliver Hobbs Award'' presented by the Florida Bandmasters Association in 2016, and the Legion of Honor Award presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 2024. Ms.Dorsey is a member of the FBA, FMEA, NAfME, NBA, Tau Beta Sigma-National Band Fraternity for Women, and an elected member of the American School Band Directors Association, as well as Phi Beta Mu, an International Honorary Band Director's Fraternity.
Legacy Series
Legacy Series
Forrest Munden
Forrest Munden
Forrest Munden (R-NC) is a North Carolina band director with over 50 years in public education. He was notably honored with the inaugural ASBDA Ron Payne Award for outstanding service to bands.
Forrest Munden committed years to teaching band in North Carolina. He served as a director in Windsor and Reidsville, NC, before ending his career at Grimsley High School in Greensboro. He retired in 1999 and returned to teaching band part-time in 2004 with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. He served on the Board of Directors of the Central District Bandmasters and became an elected member of ASBDA in 1997. His band programs were well-balanced, including marching, concert, jazz, and small ensembles. His concert bands were consistently of the highest level, earning Superior Ratings.
Mr. Munden wrote two articles that were published in music journals. The first article appeared in the 2001 issue of Band World Magazine, titled "Mentoring." The second article appeared in the 2010 issue of the North Carolina Music Educator Journal, titled "Band Is More Than A 'Me Too' Subject."
Forrest has been teaching since 1965, with only a few years off after his "official" retirement. Bill Witcher states, “There is no one more committed to excellence in the classroom and the performance stage. Having observed his classroom teaching and heard his bands perform, I have been impressed by his demand for excellence while caring for each and every child. Forrest is indeed a true gentleman and a role model for all band directors”.
Tenure: He has shaped young musicians for over half a century, beginning his teaching in the 1960s.
Grimsley High School: He led the band program in Greensboro, NC, until his retirement in 1999, earning the Central District Bandmasters Association Award of Excellence and being named Band Director of the Year.
Walkertown Schools: Following his high school retirement, he continued to teach and mentor at Walkertown Middle and High Schools, guiding students to consecutive superior ratings at Music Performance Adjudication (MPA).
"Music can stand on its own. ... It doesn't have to help with math, to help you be more disciplined. All those things are true, but music is so important that it can stand on its own."
- Forrest Munden
The NC ASBDA Legacy Project was started by Ruth Petersen(NC) in 2020. NC Chapter, American School Band Directors Association - ASBDA
We are excited to announce that Travis Smith has been selected as the recipient of the Al and Gladys Wright Award for 2025. This award is given to individuals who have shown exceptional dedication and passion in the band field after retirement. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Travis Smith for being named the recipient of the 2025 Al & Gladys Wright Service to Bands Award! From the moment Travis first picked up an instrument, his life's passion for music was ignited, and his unwavering dedication has been a guiding light for countless individuals. His work in music education, a field to which he has dedicated his life, is a testament to the thousands of lives he has changed and his esteemed reputation among hundreds of his fellow music educators.
Travis has taken every challenge in hand, overcoming obstacles throughout his distinguished career to become a truly highly successful band director and a well-known figure in music education. His appreciation from his peers is evident in all the awards he has received. His commitment extends far beyond the podium; he has consistently served on numerous regional and state committees for various national organizations, including the Texas State Chair for ASBDA. He is adamant about furthering and bettering music education for all. Many of his peers in the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA) know Travis best as the charismatic, friendly voice of our National Convention's auction. Travis has never met a stranger; he instantly becomes a great friend to all he meets. Some of his most wonderful attributes are his infectious laugh, bright smile, and welcoming Southern accent, all of which make him a genuinely unique and respected figure in the world of bands.
2024 National ASBDA Honor Band
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