136. From the Air Force to the Podium with Erica Donahoe, Orchestra Director & Published Composer

Episode #136: From the Air Force to the Podium with Erica Donahoe, Orchestra Director & ComposerIn this episode, Dr. Charles Laux sits down with Erica Donahoe, the Director of Orchestras at New Albany Plain Local Schools in Ohio. Erica’s journey to the podium is unlike any other—spanning from the United States Air Force Academy to becoming one of the most prolific string composers in the industry today.Erica shares how she manages a program of over 400 students, her secrets for keeping middle schoolers engaged through high-energy "games" like Sheriffs and Outlaws, and how she transitioned from a military career back to her musical roots. We also dive deep into her composition process, her tips for working with publishers, and the wild story of how she ended up performing with Andrea Bocelli on just two hours' notice!In this episode, we discuss:* The Non-Traditional Path: How Erica’s time in the Air Force shaped her discipline and work ethic as a teacher.* Growing a Program: Strategies for taking a high school program from 60 to over 160 students.* The Art of Composition: How Erica went from self-taught Finale user to being published by Alfred, Carl Fischer, Excelcia, and more.* Classroom Management through Play: Practical games like "Sheriffs and Outlaws" and "Pepperoni Pizza Scales" to keep students focused.* The "Parent" Perspective: How having her own children in her program changed her teaching style for the better.* Performance Pressure: The incredible story of sight-reading 23 arias for a stadium of 11,000 people.About Our Guest: Erica Donahoe directs the New Albany Plain Local Schools orchestra program in New Albany, Ohio. She holds degrees from the U.S. Air Force Academy and The Ohio State University. An active performer and violinist, she has played with the Pikes Peak Philharmonic and the New Albany Symphony Orchestra. Her compositions are performed nationwide and have been featured at the ASTA National Convention and the Midwest Clinic.Connect with Erica:* Find her music at: Alfred Music, Carl Fischer, Excelcia Music Publishing, and Randall Standridge Music.* Search "Erica Donahoe" on J.W. Pepper to explore her latest scores.Subscribe & Support: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share it with a fellow music educator!— SPONSORS AND REFERRAL LINKS —Looking to plan a great orchestra trip? Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning performance travel beyond expectations for more than 30 years. ⁠https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-orchestra-teacher-podcast/⁠Want to find some classic repertoire or looking for something different and new? Check out Keiser Productions!https://www.keiserproductions.comLooking for things on Amazon?  Use my referral link:⁠https://amzn.to/3RkfRLk⁠Do you keep a monthly budget?  If not, try You Need a Budget!  It’s a great app/website that helps keep your finances on track.⁠https://tinyurl.com/TheOrchestraTeacherYNAB⁠Do you have cable?  Cut the cord and check out YouTube TV!  It works on mobile, Smart TVs, the web and more!⁠https://tv.youtube.com/referral/r22irzcuy7jshi⁠Resources and more information at ⁠www.orchestrateacher.net⁠#OrchestraTeacher #MusicEducation #StringOrchestra #MusicComposition #OrchestraDirector #TheOrchestraTeacherPodcast