Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Noe.
Hi Aaron, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, but my professional journey has really been shaped by education. I earned my undergraduate degree in music education from Greensboro College, and after graduating, I spent more than 20 years as a high school band director in South Carolina, Virginia, and North Carolina.
During those years, I learned that being a band director is about much more than teaching music. You are developing students, building a culture, managing events, recruiting, advocating for your program, communicating with families, and trying to create meaningful musical experiences along the way. That experience shaped how I think about leadership, teaching, and program building.
Over time, I also began creating resources for other music educators. That eventually grew into Aamano Music, where I publish music, professional development materials, and planning resources for band directors. One of the main products to come out of that work is The Band Director Planner, which helps directors set goals, organize the school year, and build stronger programs with more intention.
Today, my work has come full circle in a meaningful way. I serve as Director of Bands at Greensboro College, my alma mater, where I get to help grow the instrumental music program and work with the next generation of musicians. At the same time, I continue to develop Aamano Music and resources for band directors across the country.
In many ways, everything I do now is connected by the same purpose: helping musicians, students, and music educators grow through thoughtful teaching, intentional planning, and strong program leadership.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a perfectly smooth road, but I am grateful for the lessons that have come from each season.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to grow through change. I spent more than 20 years as a high school band director, and that work was meaningful, demanding, and deeply personal. When you invest that much of yourself into students, families, schools, and communities, every transition carries weight. Moving into new roles and eventually into higher education required me to rethink how my experience could serve people in a new way.
Another challenge has been learning how to balance the creative, educational, and business sides of my work. Starting Aamano Music and creating The Band Director Planner required me to learn skills that were not part of my formal training as a musician or educator. I had to figure out publishing, marketing, web design, product development, customer communication, and the practical realities of building something from the ground up.
There have also been the normal struggles that come with being in music education. Band directors are often expected to be teachers, conductors, recruiters, administrators, event planners, fundraisers, mentors, and advocates all at once. That can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming. Those experiences are part of what led me to create planning resources for other directors. I wanted to help them feel more focused, supported, and intentional in their work.
Looking back, the struggles have helped clarify my purpose. They taught me the value of consistency, relationships, long-term planning, and resilience. They also helped me realize that the work I care most about is helping musicians and music educators build something meaningful that lasts.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My professional life has always centered around music education, but it has grown into several connected areas: teaching, conducting, composing, publishing, and creating resources for other band directors.
I currently serve as Director of Bands at Greensboro College, where I lead the instrumental music program and work with students through ensembles, recruiting, performances, and program development. I am also the founder of Aamano Music, where I publish music, create professional development materials, and develop resources designed specifically for music educators.
A large part of my work now focuses on helping band directors build stronger programs with more intention. That is what led me to create The Band Director Planner. It is a planning and goal-setting system designed for the real life of a band director. It helps directors look beyond the next concert and think about the long-term health of their program through four key areas: Musicianship, Growth, Community Support, and School and Administration Support.
I think what sets my work apart is that it comes directly from experience. I spent more than 20 years as a high school band director, so I understand the daily demands of the profession. Band directors are not just teaching music. They are building culture, recruiting students, communicating with parents, advocating with administrators, planning events, managing logistics, and trying to create meaningful experiences for students. My resources are designed with that reality in mind.
I am most proud when something I have created helps another director feel more focused, organized, or encouraged. Whether it is a piece of music, a workshop, or The Band Director Planner, my goal is to create practical tools that support the people doing the work every day.
At this stage in my career, I see my work as a combination of educator and program-builder. I still love making music, but I am also passionate about helping other music educators build programs that are healthy, sustainable, and meaningful for their students and communities.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have always had a complicated relationship with the word “luck.” I certainly recognize that there have been opportunities, relationships, and moments in my life that I could not have planned on my own. But my faith tells me that God has given me purpose and has shaped my path through both the highs and the lows.
There have been moments that, from the outside, might look like good luck: the right person offering encouragement at the right time, an unexpected opportunity opening up, or a connection that led to something meaningful. I am grateful for those moments, but I also see them as part of a larger story of faith, preparation, and purpose.
At the same time, some of the more difficult seasons have shaped me just as much. Disappointments, transitions, setbacks, and uncertainty have all taught me resilience. They have helped me grow as a teacher, musician, leader, and business owner. Looking back, I can see how even the hard parts helped prepare me for the work I am doing now.
So, while I understand the idea of luck, I tend to see my journey more through the lens of calling and stewardship. I believe I have been given certain gifts and experiences, and my responsibility is to use them well. Whether in music education, through Aamano Music, or in my work with students at Greensboro College, I try to stay faithful to that purpose and keep taking the next right step.
Pricing:
- The Band Director Planner: $39.95 A physical planning and goal-setting system created specifically for school band directors.
- Professional Development Course: $95 A self-paced course focused on setting meaningful goals and building stronger band programs.
- Workshops and clinics: Pricing varies depending on the event, format, and needs of the school or organization.
- Original music and teaching resources: Available through Aamano Music, with pricing varying by product.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AamanoMusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaaronnoe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaronnoe
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronnoe/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@THEAARONNOE
- Other: https://WindConductor.org
