Candidate Lauren Reynolds

University of Delaware
Associate Professor of Music, Director of Concert Bands, and Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies

Biographical Statement

As a proud and enthusiastic member of the Eastern Division of CBDNA, I respectfully present myself as a candidate for president-elect of CBDNA. I currently serve as Associate Professor of Music, Director of Concert Bands, and Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies at the University of Delaware School of Music, where I conduct the Wind Ensemble and teach conducting and wind literature. While I hold memberships and engage regularly with multiple professional organizations, I have really found myself at home within CBDNA. The professional relationships, mentorship, and friendships I have developed through CBDNA have had a deep and meaningful impact on both my professional and personal life. My involvement with CBDNA actually began when I first attended a CBDNA Conducting Symposium during my master’s studies. The experience was transformative and opened my eyes to all that the organization has to offer.

Over the past eleven years I have served CBDNA in a variety of roles: Connecticut State Chair, Chair of the Eastern Division Small Band Programs Task Force, Eastern Division Vice President, President-Elect, and finally President, during which time I was also a part of the national board. In these roles I have had the pleasure of working with colleagues across the organization and have been inspired by the abundance of excellence and kindness in our profession. In addition to my service roles, CBDNA has afforded me a number of wonderful professional opportunities. I have presented at divisional conferences (Eastern Division and Western-Northwestern Divisions), have organized and moderated panel discussions and showcase performance sessions, have presented at two national conferences, and organized the 2022 Eastern Division Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally, the University of Delaware Wind Ensemble performed at two Eastern Division conferences.

Vision for the Future of CBDNA

My vision for the future of CBDNA is an optimistic one. I have found such genuine collegiality in this organization, and it is my sincere desire to further CBDNA’s purpose in connecting members for dialogue, support, and professional sharing. I have been inspired by the work CBDNA has done in recent years. I was grateful for the organization’s leadership and service through the most intense periods of the pandemic, and was extremely impressed with the work of the committee that developed the new (2021) Vision Statement for CBDNA. Most recently, the revision of the bylaws has taken a significant step toward equitable access to leadership positions. The national committees are active, have purpose, tackle actionable goals, and have created valuable resources for our membership. Just a few examples are: the expansion of the Mike Moss Conducting Study grants (Diversity Committee), the publication of a Small Band Program Guidebook (Small Band Program Committee), the creation of a webinar series (Social Media Committee), and the continued success of the Athletic Band Symposium (Athletic Band Committee). Rather than offer you a grandiose and broad-strokes view of the organization, I prefer to share with you some specifics about how I envision myself leading CBDNA and the initiatives I would lead.

Leadership
While the revised bylaws are designed to increase access to elected positions and promote a more diverse leadership, it will take sustained efforts to realize this diversity. Patience alone will not suffice- we must take continual action in encouraging members to apply for these positions.

Committees
I will facilitate and encourage expanded access to and participation in national committees. My perception is that the general membership opts out of participating on committees due to imposter syndrome or a sense that only a select few are meant to serve in this capacity. I firmly believe that in every organization, no matter its type, membership is served best by the inclusion of as many diverse perspectives as possible. Gaining contributions from a broad group of representatives across CBDNA’s membership will strengthen the organization and keep us moving forward.

I admire the Education Committee’s idea for a video series and would like to see this expanded. I believe the Research Committee can take steps to encourage more members to submit their research for consideration in the CBDNA Journal, and I would like to establish a mechanism for scholarly mentorship as a means for supporting members in their research pursuits.

Finally, we must develop strategies for disseminating the work of these committees more consistently.

Website and Social Media
The new website has been a welcome improvement. With gratitude to the committee who helped make this transition happen, I encourage us to sustain our efforts at keeping the website up-to-date, relevant, and content-rich. Similarly, our social media presence has improved tremendously in recent years. The CBDNA Oral History Project is an invaluable resource and I intend to promote further activity in this arena. Finally, the CBDNA archive project (spearheaded by Christine Higley) should continue to be supported and shared widely.

Mentorship and Membership
Over the years I have considered the question of “why should a person join CBDNA?” time and time again. We are not an accrediting agency. We do not create and enforce policy. We do not offer grants or financial assistance to member institutions. We are a professional organization. We are a community. To this end, I see potential for more formalized and accessible mentorship within the organization. Our strength comes from our diversity, and I encourage us to develop initiatives to connect members to each other and to prospective members.

Additional Partnerships
There are several communities with whom we intersect and with whom our partnerships can be strengthened: the music education community (of which the vast majority of us are also members), the HBCU community (we already have an established committee for HBCU relations), and the military band community (which serves as a model for so much of our musical activity). I propose making concerted efforts to strengthen and enhance these critical relationships.

In summary, I submit my application for this position with gratitude and admiration for the leaders who have come before us, who have enacted real and meaningful change in our profession, and have done so with a nimble and flexible approach that adapts to the times and the needs of the membership. I commit to serving our community with open ears and a grateful heart.