Tucked away in his office in University of the Cumberlands' music building, Director of Bands Duane Warfield (left) accompanies sophomore Alex Coleman in a trombone lesson. Outside of leading the university's marching, pep and concert bands, Duane also teaches individual trombone lessons.
Some students feel the band's small size of 50 members has helped them find friendship and camaraderie.
“I’ve always loved smaller schools and the smaller band program because you’re kind of forced to be friends with everyone,” says Hope Arnold, a senior trumpet player and music education major.
“You get to know everyone, and that’s nice,” says Delaney Troutman, a junior studying psychology. “Drama spreads fast.”
Lauren VanBebber, a sophomore clarinet player, transferred from a larger school, where she says she was intimidated by the band program. “It was so big, there was so much going on,” she says.
Working in a smaller university helps to form a closer bond with students than he could at a larger university such as the University of Iowa, where he attended grad school, Duane says.
In the past, Duane taught at a small private school in Mississippi and then at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia for several years. Now, he’s in his second year as the director of bands at the University of the Cumberlands, leading the university’s marching, pep and concert bands and giving private lessons.
“I wanted to get a little closer to family, and I wanted something a little bigger, so I got this job,” Duane says. “About a month or so later my wife got a job here too, so it all worked out.”
His wife, Tara, teaches vocal classes and lessons in the same building, and it isn’t the first time they’ve taught at the same university.
“It’s tricky, but we’ve done it twice,” Tara says.
Both Duane and Tara got into music when they were young. She started piano lessons with her grandmother when she was 5, and he began playing trombone in fourth grade. They continued playing and performing and studied different forms of music education through college. They met while attending Eastern Illinois University.
Duane and Tara agree that having the same overall view of education helps them to form a bond with their students.
“We have the same view about how important the student is, and that’s our focus,” Tara says. “We’re concerned about them as people, as human beings, about preparing them for the future.”
They also feel that having extracurricular programs helps students to build a stronger bond with them.
“You get to know them one-on-one really well," Tara says. "And because they know that we care about them as people, they come with their problems and their struggles and asking for advice and things in a different way."
After running through the marching band's performance, Duane moves the band inside to practice pep band songs. Sometimes, after a pep band rehearsal, they will also rehearse music for concert band.
Duane leads a pep band rehearsal inside the university's auditorium. Instead of copying sheet music for his pep band students, he uses an app that lets him select songs and sync it to his students' devices.
A sign hanging on the wall in the university's auditorium reminds students performing to have fun and smile while also empowering them. "You are amazing – enjoy your time in the spotlight," the sign reads.
Trumpeters practice during a pep band rehearsal in the university's auditorium.
In the hallway outside his office, Music Education major Hayden Huff speaks with Duane about expenses and items needed for "Boo Fest," an upcoming festival for the university's music department. "It's something to take their mind off of everything," Duane said.
One of the university's new uniforms hangs in Duane's office over a collection of photographs. The photographs show Duane with all of the music teachers he had growing up, going all the way back to his middle school years.
Duane watches from the sidelines as the band practices choreography for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" ahead of performing at a football game. The song was added to the Lego-themed show for performances around Halloween.
Before practicing, band members stretch "Port-a-Field" lines across the field. The band used to practice in a city park but moved to a university field, because it's closer to the music building, though they aren't allowed to paint lines on it.
Duane watches from the sidelines as the band practices before performing at a football game. This year's show features a Lego theme, including several songs from "The Lego Movie."