Membership.

Information and Registration

Membership into the Minnesota Band Directors Association is open to all individuals, institutions, and industries sincerely interested in bands in Minnesota.

Annual membership runs from August 1st to July 31st. To take full advantage of MBDA activities and membership perks, please complete your registration in early August 1st!

Membership registration opens August 1st

Please follow the registration process below: (There are two steps)

  1. Step 1: Fill out the Online Registration Application
  2. Step 2: Choose a payment method

    • PayPal: (click the "BUY NOW" button after your registration is accepted). If you choose to pay with PayPal, you do not need to mail anything, but you should keep a copy of the form from Step 1 for your records. PayPal payments are accepted for Individual memberships. Associate or Retired memberships need to use a check payment.

      OR

    • Check: mail your check AND membership form to:
      Minnesota Band Directors Association
      c/o Joshua T. Anderson, Membership Chair
      Chisago Lakes High School
      29400 Olinda Trail
      Lindstrom, MN 55045
  3. Optional: Consider adding a donation to the Arts Education Consortium to your check total, or use the PayPal link provided.

Membership Perks

MBDA members are eligible for the following perks this year:

  1. Email Updates Receive email updates about honor bands, festivals, clinics, symposiums, job postings and much more.
  2. Job Postings are sent out in the email updates to all MBDA members. Be the first to apply for new job openings!
  3. Networking become involved in MBDA to network with active band directors across the state.
  4. Volunteer Opportunities each member can log in to MBDA to update their personal contact information as well as volunteer for opportunities such as working at honor band events and festivals. Volunteer to work at one of our many festival and honor band events across the state. MBDA has six regions that host events each year as well as our state level MBDA 6-8 Honor Band and 9-10 Honor Band. Duties may include site set up, student check in, serving meals, stage set up, collecting and sorting music, and site clean up. The benefits to you are enormous: networking with current band directors, sitting in on rehearsals with renowned conductors, sitting in on sectionals with our skilled section coaches, and building your resume. Go to our Volunteer Opportunities page to register. Also, check out our Features page to view featured band-related website resources and featured MBDA members.
  5. Editors Choice for Concert Bands a $20.00 value for MBDA Members! MBDA Members will again be eligible to receive the Editors Choice for Concert Band CD from Pepper Music - a $20.00 value - at no cost! Absolutely free!

To obtain your CD:

  1. Complete your MBDA Registration.
  2. Submit payment using PayPal or print and mail the registration form along with your membership dues to the Membership Chair.
  3. After October 1st, you can receive your free CDs one of two ways:
    1. Stop in to Pepper Music in Hopkins and pick up your free CDs by identifying yourself as an MBDA Member (they will have a list); or
    2. Next time you call Pepper Music to place an order, identify yourself as an MBDA Member and they will mail your CD set with your music order!

Many thanks to Pepper Music for making this available to our members!

Please follow the registration process below: (There are two steps)

  1. Step 1: Fill out the Online Registration Application
  2. Step 2: Choose a payment method

    • PayPal: (click the "BUY NOW" button after your registration is accepted). If you choose to pay with PayPal, you do not need to mail anything, but you should keep a copy of the form from Step 1 for your records. PayPal payments are accepted for Individual memberships. Associate or Retired memberships need to use a check payment.

      OR

    • Check: mail your check AND membership form to:
      Minnesota Band Directors Association
      c/o Joshua T. Anderson, Membership Chair
      Chisago Lakes High School
      29400 Olinda Trail
      Lindstrom, MN 55045
  3. Optional: Consider adding a donation to the Arts Education Consortium to your check total, or use the PayPal link provided.

MBDA Membership Categories

Individual Membership - $30

This membership category is for all band directors (or other interested persons) currently employed by schools, colleges and other recognized organizations. This category is required for all members wishing to have students participate in the various MBDA Honor Bands.

Retired Membership - $15

Retired membership is open to all retired band directors. Retired members shall receive all privileges of an Individual Membership.

Associate Membership - $100

This category is for any commercial firm or music institution desiring to contribute to the support of MBDA. Associate membership entitles one person from the firm or institution to the rights and privileges of an Individual Membership. It also includes the placement of a link from the MBDA web site to the Associates site for that year free of charge!

Collegiate Membership - $100

  1. Up to four (4) names from a single college or university can be included in the price of the membership, with the following stipulations for each of the four submitted names:
    • Must be an active member of the college or university faculty.
    • Must be actively conducting a band or orchestra at the college or university during year of membership.
    • One of the four names must be identified as the main contact person from that college or university. This person will be given the official login and password for the collegiate account.
  2. Free link from the MBDA website to the college or university website.
  3. Ability to send mass email messages to the MBDA membership
    • Message must first be approved by current MBDA president
    • Message will then be sent by a member of the MBDA executive board.
    • Email lists will NOT be sold under any circumstance.
College Workshop Grants

The Minnesota Band Directors Association has made two $500.00 grants available to college or university MBDA members.

These grants are to be used for clinics or workshops that directly benefit Minnesota band directors. The grant must constitute no more than 50% of the total clinic/workshop budget.

For more information and a grant application, download the MBDA Grant Application.

Questions should be directed to Dr. John Ginocchio.

Music Education Major Membership - Free

Music education majors of any college or university may join MBDA free of charge by signing up on the MBDA website. Benefits would include receipt of all email communications throughout the year including job announcements, concerts, special events, career building resources and volunteer opportunities. Student members may NOT sign off on MBDA honor band applications and will NOT receive the Pepper Music or SmartMusic(or future) membership perks

Please follow the registration process below: (There are two steps)

  1. Step 1: Fill out the Online Registration Application
  2. Step 2: Choose a payment method

    • PayPal: (click the "BUY NOW" button after your registration is accepted). If you choose to pay with PayPal, you do not need to mail anything, but you should keep a copy of the form from Step 1 for your records. PayPal payments are accepted for Individual memberships. Associate or Retired memberships need to use a check payment.

      OR

    • Check: mail your check AND membership form to:
      Minnesota Band Directors Association
      c/o Joshua T. Anderson, Membership Chair
      Chisago Lakes High School
      29400 Olinda Trail
      Lindstrom, MN 55045
  3. Optional: Consider adding a donation to the Arts Education Consortium to your check total, or use the PayPal link provided.
Mentorship Resources

Many of our active MBDA members have volunteered to help out new teachers and music education members with the multiple issues we as band directors deal with on a daily basis. Topics include music technology use, curriculum, band literature ideas, chamber music, advocacy, conducting, motivation, recruitment, retention, and much more. Click on our Mentorship page to view lists of current band directors across the state who are available for mentorship via email or phone on a variety of topics.