We are excited to welcome award-winning music educator, Nora Tycast to the Band Room! Dylan, Cait, and Nora dive into her remarkable musical journey, connecting with students on a deeper level, the significance of inviting guest artists into the classroom to enhance the learning environment, and how parenthood has influences her teaching perspective. Tune in for an engaging discussion filled with inspiration and wisdom from a true expert in the field. You won't want to miss it!

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Music used in this episode
BRP Theme Music: Skyline by EKR Hammell
Performing Ensemble: University of Toronto Wind Ensemble
Dr. Gillian MacKay – Conductor

Chasing Sunlight (Piano Version) by Cait Nishimura
Arranged and performed by Brian Barber

About Nora
Nora Tycast is in her 22nd year of teaching and has served as the director of bands at Spring Lake Park and Hopkins High School, both near suburbs of Minneapolis, MN. Currently she conducts 4 concert bands, 2 jazz bands and an active marching and pep band. Her bands have performed with Ashley DuBose, Joshua Holmgren, Cameron Kinghorn, Scott Agster, JT and Chris Bates, Ben Bussey, Salsa del Soul, McNasty Brass Band, the After Hours Jazz Project, Aby Wolfe, and Dessa. Her marching band, jazz bands and concert bands have traveled all over the United States, Costa Rica and as the first US high school band in Havana, Cuba.

She has presented multiple times at the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Midwinter Clinic and at the National Association for Music Education (NAFME) annual conference. Topics have included; literacy intervention in the large ensemble classroom, teaching to students with trauma, including historically underrepresented composers in wind ensemble literature, and developing racial and equity conversation curriculum within the large ensemble classroom as a way to engage all of our students.

Outside of teaching, Tycast has served as secretary for the MN Band Directors Association (MBDA), as the chair of the International Spanish Language Academy school board and as a Regional Arts Teacher-Leader with the Perpich Center for the Arts. She earned her B.A. in Music Education from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and her Master’s in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She resides in the Twin Cities with her husband and three daughters, travels often and puts in a lot of miles on her athletic shoes.

Episode Links
Hopkins High School Music
https://highschool.hopkinsschools.org/activities/music

Schmitt Music Educator of the Year
https://www.hopkinsschools.org/district/news/article/~board/district-news/post/nora-tycast-named-schmitt-music-educator-of-the-year

Band is Everything Podacast feat. Nora Tycast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/18-quality-music-of-diversity-nora-tycast-brian-lukkasson/id1502567757?i=1000478289967

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