Not a band director but our kids are in band-marching band started Mid-July with 8 hour/day practices, band camp runs for a week goes from 7am-midnight each day. After band camp back to 8 hour/day practices for another week then 4 hours each evening until school starts-in 90+ degree heat. We have had a band competition or football game every weekend since the beginning of Sept and run through the end of Oct. The band was up and going at about 9:00 am and will be done today around 11:00pm-a short day for a competition for us-only 7 bands playing tonight. Usually our band doesn't even perform until around 10-10:30, getting home after midnight.
Once marching band is over they have about 3 weeks off then Jazz Bands and small ensembles start. They have 4 different jazz bands at our school and they run for about 2 hours every day after school (each band practices twice/week). Jazz band runs into March. Once that is over it is time to prep for state competitions.
During the school day we have 8 concert bands split between 3 band directors. Also, each band student is required to take 4 lessons/trimester. There are about 700 kids in our band program overall.
The colorguard and drumline for the marching band start up again in May.
In other words, our band directors work pretty much from 6am-10;00PM year round, 6 days/week, not to scare you off or anything. Our band directors are amazing. Our administration is very supportive of our band program (our assistant principal is a former band director and usually directs a song at one of the concerts). The community is very supportive of the band as well.
The football coach and the basketball coaches make sure the teams go to the band concerts as the band is at their games (they wear their jerseys to the concerts so the kids know they are there).
