Our Purpose and Vision

To empower students to achieve their best in themselves and each other while enhancing the quality and spirit of the Anacortes Community.

Be Superior, Always!

Our Core Values

Program Benefits

Family

Band provides another environment and family atmosphere for members to lean on.

There will be ups and downs as with any family, but band provides its members with a unique habitat of students that will support them both during good times and bad. For our underclassmen, there are many upperclassmen to learn from who have been through what they will experience. For our upperclassmen, they will learn to develop leadership skills and give back to others in the way someone gave to them.

Music Making

While the band members and staff do work hard, we also enjoy one another's company on a daily basis making great music and enjoy sharing our musical gifts with others.
Our primary goal as musicians is to entertain and share great music with our parents, alumni, and community. Whether it is playing pep tunes at athletic games, or sharing passionate and sophisticated literature through our concert bands, there is no end to the wonderful music that we enjoy with one another. We strive to perform at the highest level but of course, there is great joy in doing what we do.

Self Confidence

Band affords its members to benefit enormously from participating on a team that breeds excellence.
All of our student performers are a part of the greater whole. We experience success and failure together, we learn how to handle ups and downs together, and most importantly your band member can take pride in knowing that they contributed to something greater than him or herself, and can take ownership in the group. Band also provides our members with a model of excellence that can boost their confidence in their own abilities in other classes or activities. Band members will learn that they really can accomplish goals with a clear plan and a high level of discipline, and will be able to tackle other projects outside of band with direction and purpose.

Commitment

Band teaches the ability to practice and learn follow through. “Doing what I say I will do when I say I will do it.”
Band members learn by committing to a practice schedule, accepting responsibility to complete a task, and making a promise to their teammates to see a task through to its conclusion. Participation in a team sport, and sticking it out when it isn’t always fun or the rewards aren’t always tangible in the moment is a lesson that benefits band members far beyond the music classroom.

There is Always Someone Better

No matter how good you are, there is almost always someone better. In the competitive world we live in, many strive to be at the top. Learning how to handle the fact that you will not always be the best is an important skill.
Sometimes students will do everything to the best of their abilities... and things still won’t go their way. Learning how to bounce back from these disappointments will benefit long beyond the band hall. Life is not fair or always fun despite our best efforts. Learning how to handle disappointments as well as develop systems for dealing with disappointment is an important part of being in band. We can celebrate others accomplishments when they are doing well as we would want others to celebrate with us as we achieve goals.

Instant Gratification or Shortcut Patience

There is no shortcut to excellence.
Excellence requires diligent study, focused practice and a high level of commitment, as well as patience. Band members will learn the level of dedication required to achieve excellence in any one skill. Music provides a wonderful outlet for this as it is something than can provide a great deal of enjoyment at all levels and can take the edge off the pursuit of excellence. However, the pursuit of excellence often comes with bumps in the road, and demands perseverance and patience. “Slow and steady wins the race” will benefit them enormously over those who gave up long before.

Workforce

While some students are “intrinsically motivated,” others benefit greatly from the structure and discipline band provides.
The real world expects its employees to show up on time. It expects a level of discipline and follow through, and it expects that if an employee gets paid to do a job, they will do it. There are bosses, co-workers, data reports, and plenty of detractors. Employees who perform at a high level are promoted, those who do not perform well are demoted, and those who do not follow the rules or become complacent are replaced. Band is truly a “miniature playground for the real world” and places real world expectations on its students that build character, and teach independence.

Balancing Act

Ultimately, learning how to balance the many requirements of school and band is no different than learning to balance a job, mortgage payments, taking the kids to activities, and other skills that adults face in their lives.
It often seems like our band members who are involved in the most activities, high level classes, and top bands are also the kids who achieving the highest grades. Of course, high school will be different for each and every student. While they are “just teenagers,” learning to balance on their own will prepare them as they head off to life. Life requires a high level of independence and organization. Band will provide students with tools to help overcome these stresses, and ensure they learn how much is possible in a day, and how to manage their time efficiently.

I have been the band director in Anacortes since 2024. My teaching philosophy consists of 3 pillars:

1. A strong emphasis on fundamentals and quality.
2. Students will learn skills that are applicable for life outside of their school and band career: organization and self-discipline.
3. Music is and should be fun!

I have a Bachelor’s Degree from Elon University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Houston while serving as the lead graduate teaching assistant. Before relocating to the Pacific Northwest, I was a band director in the Dallas metropolitan area for 13 years. Bands I have worked with have consistently won Best in Class and Sweepstake Awards, a few of which include an Honor Band Selection at the T.M.E.A. Conference, the Midwest International Conference, and Music for All National Concert Band Festival. My bands have also performed in the Macy’s Day Parade, the Sugar Bowl halftime show, and with the U.S. Air Force Academy Band Clinic to name a few.

I am an active drill designer consulting with multiple high schools each year. Also an active music adjudicator, I have judged over 60 events, including multiple regional, state, and Open Class national and circuit Championships. Having previous experience in the drum corps activity, I have been an instructor of the visual staff for The Cavaliers and served as the Visual Caption Head and Assistant Brass Caption Head for the Boston Crusaders. As a member, I have toured with three World Class corps: Carolina Crown, The Bluecoats, and The Cavaliers. I was fortunate to have won a gold medal at the World Class Championships as both a marching member and again as a visual staff instructor. I was also a gold medal recipient in the D.C.I. Ensemble contest as well as numerous caption awards.

In addition to extensive touring in the U.S., I traveled to Japan on a Yamaha sponsorship to participate with the world-renowned Aimachi band. I served as program and drill designer for two European Drum Corps: Beatrix’ from the Netherlands and Besana from Italy. My designs won International Class Championships and many other Netherlands circuit contests, including a silver medal at Europe Championships. I also was able to travel to Holland to participate in the World Music Contest, an international music contest held every 4 years in Kerkrade, the Netherlands.

Band Booster Club

We are looking for new officers! If interested in joining the Anacortes Band Booster Club, please contact Barry Janicula. No experience is necessary but any help is appreciated. ​

Private lessons are highly encouraged and are a great way for students to get specialized, quality instruction in a one-on-one setting. Lessons are usually run in 30 minute or 60 minute sessions and are independent from class time. Payment and scheduling are handled directly through the private lesson instructors.