Maryland Band Directors Band | Montgomery College, Maryland

Continuing Education for Music Teachers

Montgomery College, in collaboration with the Montgomery County Public Schools, offers this course to music teachers to support professional growth aligned with MCPS curricular objectives for instrumental music.

This course has been approved by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for continuing education units (CEU) awarded towards renewal of the Advanced Placement Certificate (APC). The Montgomery College course, FLM 031, consists of 15 clock hours per semester. Upon completion, teachers will receive a certificate confirming full attendance in the course, which may be accepted as one workshop credit under Option 11 on MCPS Form 440-34. Due to the changing music literature and curriculum addressed in this course, teachers may repeat the course up to nine times within a five-year period.

The Maryland Band Directors Band studies and performs classic band literature of grades IV and above and improves participants’ skills and knowledge pertaining to instrumental performance and to conducting and rehearsal techniques. The performance repertoire changes for every concert. Professional musicians, such as music teachers, military band personnel, and freelance performers, are accepted by interview with the conductor. Participation is open to outstanding high school and college-age students, and to community band players by audition. Good sight-reading skills are essential. Members have opportunities to solo and conduct. There are six rehearsals and two concerts per semester for which 1.5 Continuing Education Units are awarded per semester. CPD credits are available for MCPS teachers who have the Advanced Placement Certificate.

Acceptance is contingent upon interview or audition.

October 10, 2024 - 7:30 p.m., Cultural Arts Center, Takoma Park / Silver Spring Campus, Montgomery College
November 14, 2024 - 7:30 p.m., Parilla Performing Arts Center, Rockville Campus, Montgomery College
March 6, 2025 - 7:30 p.m., Cultural Arts Center, Takoma Park / Silver Spring Campus, Montgomery College
April 10, 2025 - 7:30 p.m., Parilla Performing Arts Center, Rockville Campus, Montgomery College

Daniel Ord currently serves as the Director for the Maryland Band Directors Band. He graduated with a Bachelors in Music Education from Columbus State University in Columbus, GA and a Master's degree in euphonium performance from the University of North Texas under the famed euphonium virtuoso, Dr. Brian Bowman. In addition to his euphonium studies, Mr. Ord studied conducting under Dr. Robert Rumbelow, Dennis Fischer, and Eugene Corporon. In 2007, he enlisted in the Army and served as a member of the 56th Army Band, the euphonium instructor at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, VA, the United States Army Europe Band in Sembach, Germany and won a position with The U.S. Army Band in 2014. Mr. Ord has since enjoyed long walks in Arlington National Cemetery, sailing, cycling, and currently lives in Olney, MD with his wife and two adorable children.

Christian Folk is a music educator and conductor currently based in College Park, Maryland. Christian taught for several years in North Carolina and South Carolina private and public schools before beginning their graduate studies in music education. A fierce advocate for diversity in wind band programming, he created databases of pieces for wind band written by gender and/or racially minoritized composers which were featured in presentations at The Midwest Clinic and The College Band Directors National Association conference. His research interests include music education and disability, music and LGBQTIA+ studies, wind band programming, arts education in prisons and other carceral institutions, and minimalist music, specifically the works of Philip Glass. They have presented at conferences of The National Association for Music Education, the South Carolina Music Educators Association, DC Area Educators for Social Justice, and the Society for Minimalist Music. His primary conducting and music education mentors include Dr. Lorrie Crochet, Dr. Amanda Schlegel, Dr. Scott Weiss, and Dr. Cormac Cannon. Christian has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Winthrop University, a master’s in music education from The University of South Carolina, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in music education from The University of Maryland. He is an Assistant Director for Maryland Band Directors Band at Montgomery College.

Guest Soloists