Mentorship
Are you in your First Three Years or New to Teaching Band?
Then the MBA Mentorship Program is designed for you! All current MBA members in their first three years of teaching band are eligible to participate in this program.
We will pair you with a mentor who can help you plan your year, recommend classroom management tips, choose repertoire, suggest ideas for starting beginners, plan marking/report cards/parent teacher interviews, provide school visits, book buses for festivals, order chairs for concerts, plan a trip… the list is endless. Or our involvement can simply be someone at the other end of the phone when you have a question, or more hands on; this program is completely customizable depending on your needs - we are here to support you and help you succeed!​​​​
Ready to sign up? Join our 2025-26 Mentorship program and register for the Virtual Kick-Off (via Zoom) by filling out the form below.
MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE 2025 - 2026
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Bill Kristjanson, chair
Fraser Linklater
Eric Marshall
Vanessa Nowostawski
Janet Yochim
Derek Fraser
Rob Chrol​​
RESOURCES
To view resources shared at Mentorship PD session presenters, by Mentors, and by fellow mentees head over to the Member Resources Page and scroll down to Mentorship Resources.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Jazz 101 Workshop
Friday, January 30, 2026
Full-day, in-person​
9:00am - 3:15pm; Registration & Coffee 8:30am
École Regent Park, 411 Moroz St.​
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​​Music educators of all experience levels are invited to the Jazz 101 Workshop on Friday, January 30. This full day workshop is designed to strengthen your skills and confidence in teaching jazz. The morning will include sessions with master educator Cheryl Ferguson and a middle school lab band. In the afternoon we will debrief the lab band rehearsal, and to conclude the day Rob Chrol will lead us through a session on listening to jazz with students.​
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Schedule:
8:30am - Registration & Coffee
9:00am - Session One: How to Make Your Band Sound Good with Cheryl Ferguson
10:15am - Break
10:30am - Session Two: Middle School Lab Band Rehearsal led by Cheryl Ferguson
12:00 – 1:15pm Group Lunch
1:30pm - Session Three: Debrief of Rehearsal
2:15pm - Session Four: Listening to Jazz with Rob Chrol
Registration Fees:
MBA Member: $50 regular, $10 student
Non-Member: $65 regular, $20 student
(does not include lunch; a group reservation will be made at a nearby restaurant for a lunch together)
Virtual PD: Tried, True, and Teachable: Effective Literature for Lower-Level Bands
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 (7:00pm)
Presented by: Janet Yochim
Via Zoom
Free​
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In this session, we’ll explore a collection of tried-and-true concert band repertoire at the lower grade levels that have consistently proven successful in rehearsal and performance. These pieces, drawn from my own experience and that of trusted colleagues, represent music that engages students, builds essential ensemble skills, and resonates with audiences. We’ll discuss what makes each selection effective—from teachable moments to student appeal—and provide practical ideas for programming that supports both musical growth and enjoyment.
Janet Yochim is a retired music educator with 32 years of experience. She remains actively engaged in music education through the MMEA, the MBA mentorship program, and adjudicating.
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Past Events
Virtual PD: Note-Worthy Feedback: Strategies for assessment in band, report card writing, and communication with parents
Monday, October 27, 2025 (7:00pm)
Presenter: Justine Burke
Via Zoom
Free​
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Justine completed the concurrent B. Mus/B. Ed degree program at Brandon University in May, 2014. The focus of her studies was on middle and senior years instrumental music with a major on piano and a minor on clarinet.
Justine is currently in her t​welfth year of running the grade 5-12 music program at Carberry Collegiate where she teaches general music, band, and jazz band. She is a board member of the Manitoba Band Association. She lives in Carberry with her partner, Dane, and four-legged friend Chuck. In her free time, Justine enjoys camping, baking, kayaking, and playing board games.
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Prelude Conference
Friday, October 3, 2025 (full day)
Springfield Middle School, Oakbank, MB
Host & Presenter: Marissa Hirsch
Fee: $20 (includes refreshments & lunch)
Note: Registration has closed for this event
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Join us for a full day of Mentorship hosted by experienced music educator Marissa Hirsch. We will begin the day by observing Marissa’s band classes in the morning, inclusive of a nutrition & connection break, followed by more class observation. For lunch we’ll head to a nearby, local restaurant, for lunch and conversation. The afternoon session will be available for virtual participation and will include a debrief on the morning's class observations followed by a presentation on Music Literacy for Beginning Band Students, a nutrition and conversation break followed by roundtable discussions facilitated by our team of experienced Mentors, and concluding with a Q&A.
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​​​​​​​​​​Virtual PD: Planning for Learning: Navigating the musical and logistical elements of the school year calendar
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (7:30pm)
Presenter: Erin Dodds
Via Zoom
Free
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​There are so many different elements to think about when are starting out in your career. How do you plan your calendar of events for the year? What is happening with the band trip? How do I even plan a band trip?! This session will walk through some of the timelines and details for planning events as well as how to approach the administrative side of event planning. ​​​​
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​​​​​​​​​​Virtual PD: Outstanding Opportunity and Perpetual Puzzle: The Process of Selecting Festival Repertoire
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 (7:30pm)
Presenter: Derek Klassen
Via Zoom
Free
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Festival experiences offer excellent musical and educational opportunities for students and educators alike, but it can be daunting to navigate the many factors that go into the repertoire selection process: which class to enter,
timeline for music selection, variety in the selections, which titles will work for your group, syllabus vs. non-syllabus, comments only vs. graded performance, etc.! Join Derek Klassen as he shares some thoughts and ideas on how to make the festival preparation process as smooth as possible.
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Wednesday, January 22, 2025 (7:30pm)
Presenter: Derek Fraser
Via Zoom
Free
Recruiting and retaining students with the goal of building a healthy and thriving band program and culture is something we can all use a boost in. Join us for an online workshop on recruiting and retention on Wednesday, January 22 at 7:30 PM via Zoom. Oak Park High School band director Derek Fraser will share tips, tricks, and strategies that have worked well for him in building his program. This workshop is presented by the MBA Mentorship program, everyone is welcome!
Presenter: Derek Fraser
A graduate of the University of Manitoba and a diehard Winnipegger, Derek has been teaching high school band and jazz band in Manitoba for the last 14 years or so with the majority of that time at Oak Park High School. When not finding new and exciting repertoire or finding new notes on the trumpet (he's almost graduated to using the 3rd valve) he spends his time with his wife, young children, and friends - reading books, playing Lego, playing boardgames, and fixing stuff.
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​Video Link for this session is available through the MBA Member Resources page. You must be a member to access the video. Become a member of the MBA!
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Questions or concerns?
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Please contact MBA Executive Director,
Brent Johnson, at executivedirector@mbband.org or
204.663.1226