The Downbeat Design Team

Read what music educators from all levels are saying about Dr. Thomas Bough and The Downbeat Design Team.

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Added: 08/02/2009 10:56 PM - root (0)

Updated: 08/02/2009 10:56 PM - root (0)

The Band Boot Camp Method Book

Dr. Thomas Bough has provided a comprehensive and thorough approach to fundamentals in The Band Boot Camp. From tone production and breath support to scale drills, The Band Boot Camp has it all."

- Robert Calonico, Director of Bands, University of California, Berkley

"Tom Bough presents quality material in his clinics and music. It is thorough, to the point and fits a logical sequence that has worked well for our band. Tom is enthusiastic and exciting to work with."

- Rex Barker, Millard South High School Bands, Past-President, Nebraska Music Educators Association, Millard, Nebraska

"The 'Band Boot Camp' is an excellent supplemental book for my band. It provides me and my students the opportunity to use several different exercises to help build physical strength and technical proficiency. Even at the Jr. High School level, there are plenty of useful tools in the 'Band Boot Camp' that will challenge your students and build the skills that are necessary to perform at a higher level. My students really like using this method."

- Tom Tedeschi, Director of Bands, Lakeview Jr. High School, Downers Grove, Illinois

"Tom Bough's 'Band Boot Camp' has been a valuable resource for our entire band program. We use his method book with all four levels of our bands, and it has been very well received by the students. Tom's composition and arranging experience is very evident throughout the entire book. It contains and wide variety of useful material that can be combined and arranged in countless ways. I highly recommend this method book to all junior high and high school band directors"!

- Matt Moore, Director of Bands, Fremd High School, Palatine, Illinois

"For many years, I searched for that one single warmup and fundamentals book that truly addressed the unique needs of every instrument. In Dr. Tom Bough's Band Boot Camp, I have found what I've been searching for. In a concise but thorough method, he provides exercises that focus on one of the most overlooked facets of wind playing – smooth air movement. His flexibility exercises provide progressive lips slurs for brass players, while building technical facility through scale and chromatic patterns for woodwinds. After using the Band Boot Camp book with my students, I have found the one book that works equally well for marching and concert band use. The time investment in Dr. Bough's book has paid off in our bands playing with better tone quality, technical facility, and recognition of key patterns. In addition, there are several exercises that we have successfully utilized as audition material. Kudos to Tom Bough and this terrific Band Boot Camp book!"

- Dan Valkema, Director of Bands, Plainfield Central High School

"I have been using the Band Boot Camp method book for the past 2 years and have found it to work very well. It contains material for warming up, developing skills and technique, and listening. I have found it easy to work with and manipulate to meet our specific needs."

- Vic Scimeca, Director of Bands, Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, Wheaton, Illinois

Custom Marching Band Shows

"Over the 18 years dealing with marching band show design, I have found that Dr. Bough and his staff have been the most organized designers I have ever worked with. Each aspect of the show has been well thought out, and my input has been included. It has made the process of show design very easy."

- Vic Scimeca, Director of Bands, Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, Wheaton, Illinois

"My name is DJ Alstadt, and I am a high school band director in the Chicago land area. Every year we as educators have those moments were we ask ourselves 'how I can raise the quality of our program?' Annually, we go through this process with the concert, jazz, and marching bands. The biggest problem I was having with our marching program was tailoring my program goals and finding music that matched the weaknesses and strengths of the marching wind players. I was wondering if the 'custom' tailoring of a marching show was a step I was ready to take. We have the battery, front ensemble, and color guard members all with tailored work, why not with the winds? It was actually through the 'Concert Band World' that I built and developed a strong relationship with Dr. Thomas Bough that this story advances. He knew my plight and together agreed he would work on our design team. Working with Dr. Bough is one of the finest experiences I have had in my career. He is completely mindful of the 'big picture' in his tailored writings. I found Dr. Bough to complement and set our percussion writers and guard staff up for maximum success. Without question his writing is excellent, with creative lines, and routed in firm pedagogical knowledge. The musical lines are lyrical, angular, and great pains were taken to give the woodwinds their moments! He also wrote for the visual space and having complete command and comfort in the direction of our program. Dr. Bough offered thoughtful visual ideas and humble suggestions throughout the entire design process. As I sit to begin drill, I can tell you that I am excited; because we have a product our kids are going to be successful performing and the process has simply been electrifying! Thank you Dr. Bough!"

- DJ Alstadt, Director of Bands, Naperville Central High School, Naperville, Illinois

Concert Band Commission

"I would like to share with you why I work with Dr. Bough, one simple word, integrity! He has tailored a major work for our Wind Ensemble at Naperville Central High School. Dr. Bough took extensive time getting to know the specific needs, strengths, and capabilities of our Wind Ensemble and delivered artful, meaningful music. In preparing the score for rehearsals, I found myself lost in the rich writing, scoring, and sonorities that were on the page. This challenged me as a conductor to deliver the stunning color and brilliance that 'were on the page.' Simply put, my students had an amazing experience through preparing the work from Dr. Bough's writing. My students were challenged to play in the style of Baroque with an eloquent, professional, and outstanding Eb Trumpet Soloist, Mrs. Erica Bough. Dr. Bough poured himself into this project. I would highly recommend my colleagues to program 'Concerto in Eb.' The overall experience was so enriching, I have already contracted Dr. Bough for our second major commission for this coming year! Dr. Bough has consistently demonstrated strong pedagogy and integrity in all areas of music and personal dealings; I am for sure a repeat customer. Bravo Dr. Bough!"

- DJ Alstadt, Director of Bands, Naperville Central High School, Naperville, Illinois

Clinician/Guest Conductor

"I have had the pleasure of working with Tom Bough in a variety of settings. He is very knowledgeable in working with wind bands and is able to relate to students from the beginning stages and beyond. Mr. Bough provided my elementary and Jr. High School students with master classes that were both entertaining and professional. His work with my students as a composer, arranger, clinician, and performer was a highlight of our year. I would highly recommend Mr. Bough's services to any band program."

- Tom Tedeschi, Director of Bands, Lakeview Jr. High School, Downers Grove, Illinois

"I have been fortunate to have Tom as a guest clinician/conductor and tuba soloist with my Wind Symphony. Tom is a gifted conductor that relates to high school students extremely well. He truly goes beyond the score and educates the students on a wide variety of musical concepts specific to the compositions and beyond. As a professional tuba artist he is as good as it gets. His musicality and timing were impeccable - an exciting soloist that definitely left the audience wanting more!"

- Matt Moore, Director of Bands, Fremd High School, Palatine, Illinois