Technic Today, Part 2: Conductor (Piano Acc.) Book

Ployhar built Technic Today to strengthen the fundamentals that Band Today introduces, making it an essential companion rather than a standalone supplement. The 84 pages of conductor-friendly materials give you practical tools to address technique transparently without derailing regular rehearsal pacing. Directors return to this book year after year because it works within the method itself rather than requiring students to juggle competing pedagogical systems.

Opening Technic Today feels purposeful and grounded; the exercises are framed around real musical concerns rather than abstract dexterity. The piano accompaniment transforms what could be sterile drill into a conversation between melody and harmony, reminding students that technique serves musicianship.

This conductor book is designed for band directors working with intermediate-level ensembles who are already using Band Today, Part Two as their primary method. It serves directors who want targeted, systematic reinforcement of technical fundamentals without adopting a separate technique curriculum.

• Use the piano accompaniment to establish clarity around intonation and rhythm when introducing new technical concepts; this grounds abstract exercises in a harmonic context.
• Rotate which students conduct or lead sections during technical passages to reinforce their understanding of ensemble balance and sectional interdependence.
• Break longer technical sequences into shorter work units within rehearsal rather than front-loading them; spaced repetition across multiple rehearsals builds retention and confidence.
• Select excerpts that align with your concert repertoire to show students how the technical work applies directly to the pieces they are preparing to perform.

Integrate this material into your regular rehearsal structure by assigning specific exercises from the book to reinforce the technique introduced in Band Today that week. The sequential design means you can move through the book in parallel with your method book progression, creating a seamless technical foundation for your concert repertoire.

• Systematic approach to major and minor scales and arpeggios across all keys
• Intonation control with harmonic context provided by piano accompaniment
• Rhythm reading and subdivision accuracy in varied meters and note values
• Ensemble blend and balance within sectional and full band settings
• Articulation clarity and consistency across the ensemble