PIXEL is the pen name of composer and educator Evan Combs. This playfully academic newsletter offers a behind-the-scenes look at designing and shaping learning experiences and culture. Supported by practical insights and actionable strategies, it’s perfect for teachers, leaders, and anyone curious about the art and science of learning through the lens of music.
The Quiet Power of Leadership
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Hey everyone, Leadership is sometimes loud and obvious, like on a podium or facilitating a meeting. More often, it’s quiet and subtle, like a single question or a decision NOT to speak. Over the last decade, I’ve led teams and individuals through growth, uncertainty, and big shifts. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that real leadership isn’t just managing programs, giving rousing speeches, or saving the day with a pivot table (though that last one is criminally underrated). How often do you think about your impact as a leader? How often do you see it as a way to create opportunity, foster growth, and build trust with students OR colleagues? This issue is all about reflecting on that kind of leadership, allowing you to better support and inspire the people around you, not just Excel at management (alright I’m done with spreadsheet humor).
From Managing to Leading Shifting from “I” to “We” This sounds small. It’s NOT! Observe leaders around you and take note of their language. I bet you’ll find the ones that inspire shift this innately. Before:
After:
This simple change: ✅ Decenters your ego ✅ Emphasizes shared ownership ✅ Creates space for collaboration Where Education and Leadership Philosophy Collide Every time I hear the word “collide,” I hear it in Howie Day’s voice, that song from the early 2000’s. If you also learned it on guitar to impress a date in high school… let’s be friends, because you’re also probably contemplating the health of your 401k.
Practicing Leadership 🏅 Tiny Triumphs: Celebrate your wins, big and small, frequently. Ask: What is something we should be proud of this week? True story, this is something I have been working on. I don’t take compliments well and am extremely self-driven. That transitioned into my leadership, which wasn’t fair. Not everyone thrives in silence. 👥 Build A Culture of Leaders: Embed leadership into your classroom’s DNA. “If you act in a way that inspires, encourages, or engages others, you are a leader. It doesn’t matter your title or position.” (Harvard Business School) Student leadership is a thing, but be sure to create recognition beyond titles. 🔊 Amplify Others: Make space, then step back. One teacher I admire literally says, “Alright, it’s open mic night,” and lets the students take over (feedback, instruction, rehearsal, whatever). Silent brainstorms are another great tool. They give quieter voices the room to be heard and often surface more intentional ideas. 🧩 Lead Like You’re Replaceable (My Fav): When I teach drumline, my proudest moments aren’t when I lead the best rehearsal, it’s when I don’t. When the section runs like a machine, it means we’ve built trust, ownership, and leadership into the group. (Yes, I have pulled out a lawn chair in front of other instructors mid-band camp to prove the point. No regrets.) Updates from the Music Room To close out the new release season, I received a JW Pepper Editorial’s Choice award for the last of my 2025 releases, The Skytrain Icarus. This work is for high school concert bands (or strong middle school). Teachable moments include theme development, form, and storytelling. Think: Studio Ghibli style train that flies too close to the sun. I also just submitted a new work for 2026. It may be a march about unicorns. No, it doesn’t involve Excel. But yes, this image will make much more sense if you’re still reading:
Your Thoughts Who’s someone whose leadership inspired you, and what made their style impactful? Get inspired, |
PIXEL
PIXEL is the pen name of composer and educator Evan Combs. This playfully academic newsletter offers a behind-the-scenes look at designing and shaping learning experiences and culture. Supported by practical insights and actionable strategies, it’s perfect for teachers, leaders, and anyone curious about the art and science of learning through the lens of music.
Hey everyone, Imagine every learner left your classroom with perfect scores and flawless performances. They demonstrated every objective you slapped down. BUT, they still… Struggle to collaborate. Panic when plans change. Can't communicate ideas clearly. Don't know how to learn something new without you. Did you succeed? According to "the book," yes! However, it begs a much bigger question: What the heck is education for?! (pause for your passionate response) If you answered, “To learn about...
Hey everyone, ⚠️ Warning: This issue leans heavily into music education. BUT, I promise the learning design underneath applies to any educational experience. ⚠️ Musical performances go like this: Lights dim Audience quiets Conductor steps on the podium like they’re summoning ancient magic (Fig. 1A) The learners (our performers) think: If I crack that note, civilization collapses. Figure 1A: Nézet-Séguin summoning demons conducting. All that pressure makes sense. Performances, final exams,...
Hey everyone, I’m celebrating 1 year 🎉 of writing these newsletters by revisiting one of the very first topics I covered: AI in education. A year ago, most conversations sounded like this: “AI is cheating.”“AI will replace teachers.”“AI is a terrible amalgamation of human history and now society is collapsing.” Well, the sky is still here, and AI hasn’t gone anywhere. So, I don’t want to talk about whether AI belongs in education anymore. It’s here. Your learners are using it. The better...