These are examples of Drum Major / Guard Captain Interview Questions I’ve used in the past as part of the interview process for student leaders. Feel free to copy and paste so you can customize for your situation. I have used this in face-to-face interviews, but have also had students write their responses and submit them ahead of time. I always tell potential student leader candidates – Have fun, say what you think,not what I want to hear! Hope these help – Jeff.
Do you have others I didn’t think of? Please submit in the comments box below! Happy to add stuff.
Drum Major Interview Questions
1.What leadership skills make you the right candidate for Drum Major of the __HS Marching Band?
2. What musical experiences do you have that will help you to be a successful Drum Major?
3. What role(s) does/should the Drum Major fill in a successful Marching Band?
4. How can you be a student leader, while maintaining your friendships within the band?
5. What can we do to maintain a positive attitude throughout the band all season?
6. Are there any concerns regarding band leadership that you had during (last) season?
7. What organizational skills do you possess that would ensure that expectations, policies, and general communications within the band would continue to improve?
8. Can you warm up a band? How would you structure that? Are your musical skills adequate to read and understand a score, and know when a part is incorrect? Does this matter?
9. How could we improve football game readiness? (More efficient, fun, spirited)
10. How about show days?
11. Is it possible that you are more valuable as a musician in the band than as a drum major?
12. Your thoughts on the weekly rehearsal schedule? Or anything else to be considered.
Guard Captain Interview Questions
1. What leadership skills make you the right candidate for Captain of the __HS Color Guard?
2. What guard experiences do you have that will help you to be a successful Captain?
3. What role(s) does/should the Captain fill in a successful Guard/Marching Band?
4. How can you be a student leader, while maintaining your friendships within the guard?
5. What can we do to maintain a positive attitude throughout the guard all season?
6. Are there any concerns regarding guard leadership that you had during the (last) season?
7. What organizational skills do you possess that would ensure that expectations, policies, and general communications within the guard would continue to improve?
8. Can you warm up a Guard? What might that look like?
9. Are your equipment skills adequate to know when a something is incorrect? (not so much ‘is it together?’, but small hand position/angle types of things?) Does this matter?
10. How could we improve performance day readiness? (More efficient, fun, spirited)
11. Your thoughts on the weekly rehearsal schedule? Or anything else to be considered.
You can find more resources like this on my Free Resources post, on my Pinterest site, or at my Teachers-Pay-Teachers store.
