I would like to focus my message on building relationships through our daily "art of teaching band." As band directors, we are in the people business-teaching music to make a difference in student's lives. This is what we do, it's what we study and train for. It is what we embrace daily.

Thank you Texas band teachers for the greatest opportunity of my 33 years of teaching to build new relationships as a TBA board member. My wife and I, along with the other board members had a marvelous time serving you this past year. By all indicators, the 2006 TBA Convention/Clinic was a huge success. Collectively, the clinicians, the members, performers, exhibitors, leadership, workers and spouses create a great relationship and environment for the TBA experience. The many weeks of convention planning and careful attention to details by the TBA office team, and you, our enthusiastic members, are what make TBA remarkable.

I want to encourage us all to be music ambassadors within our communities this year. For starters-build a good-ongoing relationship with your band parents and your school district officials. Try this: invite a board member or your superintendent to conduct the fight song at a football game when the team enters the stadium. Continue that spirit of good ambassadorship with new teachers on your campus and new directors in your region. Imagine how great these young teachers will feel when you, the "band director" reaches out to them. You can help them find "joy" in teaching kids through your enthusiasm and encouragement. Remember, building good relationships is what we do as band teachers.

For the past 31 years at LBJ High (Austin), I have been blessed with amazing bands, great supportive parents, and superb administrators. I am overwhelmed with joy as I share this news: The Austin ISD school board honored my contributions to LBJ High by naming our new 500 seat LBJ HS Theater the Don T. Haynes Theater. I wish to publicly thank them for honoring a Texas band director.

And finally I would like to share with the readers that the LBJ Band will serve as Texas ambassadors in a special invitation tour to Beijing, China (March 2007.) We will perform "Texas" band music on the Great Wall and perform an exchange concert at a Beijing high school. The new relationships our students will form on this trip will forever impact their lives, and thus these students will impact our world.

May each of you have a super year in your music endeavors. May you continue to bond amazing relationships with your impressionable students, your music colleagues, your administration, and your community.