Recruitment and
Retention

Successful band and orchestra recruitment doesn’t happen through a single event. It takes thoughtful planning, clear communication, strong partnerships and consistent effort to help students and families see the value of instrumental music. To help with that, the Music Achievement Council created Recruiting Beginners for Your Instrumental Music Program — a free instrumental music recruitment guide for band directors, orchestra directors and music educators. It offers a practical blueprint of band and orchestra recruitment strategies for planning and improving student recruitment. Whether you’re preparing for beginning band recruitment, rebuilding enrollment, or refining an established process, this guide will help you create a more organized and welcoming experience — with guidance on instrument fittings, rental options for families, social media promotion, first-day experiences and results tracking.

Instrumental music has a place for every student. A thoughtful recruitment process helps them discover the instruments, programs and communities where they can thrive.