Choral Director March by Choral Director Magazine

MARCH 2013 $5.00

Daniel Gregerman

Jazz Voice Of Niles North High School Performance: Managing Music Performance Anxiety

Roundtable: Trends in Travel – Tips from the Pros

Repertoire Forum: Choral Works with French Texts

Repertoire Forum: French Texts

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Choral Works

With French Texts By John C. Hughes

he French language’s innate lyricism and beauty has inspired generations of composers. Below, I’ve selected some of my favorite settings of French texts for choirs. Of course, I could

not include all my favorites and had to omit Debussy’s “Trois Chansons de Charles d’Orléans,” which are well worth the challenge! While French pronunciation can be intimidating for many of us, valuable resources exist. John Glenn Paton’s new book Gateway to French Diction: A Guide for Singers (Alfred Music Publishing, 2012) is well organized and very easy to use. The book also includes a CD of phrases and song texts spoken by a native French speaker.

TWO-PART “En Roulant Ma Boule” arr. Cristi Cary Miller Hal Leonard Easy Christi Cary Miller has created a lively arrangement of this French Canadian song. Verses can be sung in either English or French (or some combination), allowing the performer to vary and adapt the piece to one’s unique situation. The piano part is helpful 32

while still having its own artistic merit. The fast tempo and playful text allow this piece to function well at the beginning or end of a concert. A preview of the score and an audio recording are available. goo.gl/qEC2U “J’entends Le Moulin” arr. Emily Crocker Hal Leonard Easy “J’entends Le Moulin” is a famous French Canadian folksong from the Quebec province. The flowing piano accompaniment wonderfully portrays the text, “I hear the windmill (tique tique taque).” The infectious melody and simple harmonies allow emerging ensembles to master this piece, even with its French text. Throughout the arrangement, Crocker alternates between English and French, which helps both the singers and audience follow the story. The score is very useful with IPA guides and information about the folksong. An accompaniment

“Au Joli Jeu,” from Two European Madrigals Clément Janequin, arr. Jerry Weseley Harris Walton Medium-Advanced Clément Janequin (1472–1587) is a famous composer known primarily for his programmatic chansons. “Au Joli Jeu” is a wonderful example of French Renaissance music and contains both polyphonic and homophonic textures. Lynne Gackle, the editor of the choral series from which this piece comes, has done a wonderful job providing a clean score with helpful information. The work is not without challenges: it is unaccompanied and requires significant independent singing. An audio recording is available. goo.gl/3Y0Ln

TTB “Viva Tutti” Anonymous 18th century, ed. Ralph Hunter Lawson-Gould/Alfred Medium Young men will enjoy the raucous nature of “Viva Tutti.” At 200 bpm, the piece flies by with patter-like text setting and unexpected rhythmic accents. This piece truly requires three independent voice parts, but the intrigue of the piece will inspire the singers to work hard. “Viva Tutti” is the perfect way to feature a special group of tenors and basses in a fun, upbeat piece.

TTBB “Vive l’Amour” arr. Robert Boyd Colla Voce Medium-Advanced Composed in 2006 for an Illinois high school honor choir festival, Boyd’s arrangement of this traditional French song has enjoyed many subsequent performances. “Vive l’Amour” is a wonderful piece for men’s voices and extols the virtue of friendship and camaraderie. To truly showcase a talented and tight-knit group of tenors and basses, program this work. While not overly difficult, this piece is truly for four parts, making it accessible

Choral Director • March 2013

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only to advanced singers. The piano a companiment is supportive and adds the nature of the work. A score previe and an audio recording are available. goo.gl/fD0VB

THREE-PART

“Mes Chants” Victor Hugo, arr. Jerry Estes Shawnee Medium-Easy Jerry Estes adapted Victor Hugo timeless text and composed a haunting beautiful melody for it. The first and la section has French text, and the midd section has an English text. The descan for select voices allows conductors to fe ture students. The vocal ranges are appro priate for developing voices. goo.gl/f54e6

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“Chantez Alleluia!” Dave and Jean Perry Heritage/Lorenz Medium Also available in a two-part setting, th piece by Dave and Jean Perry is well craf ed for developing voices. The repetitiv text of only a few words serves as a goo introduction to singing in French. “Chan tez Alleluia!” has a brisk tempo which further enlivened by the buoyant pian accompaniment. A score preview and au dio recording are available. goo.gl/mu3dA

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Oxford Book of French Chansons ed. Frank Dobbins Oxford Medium The Renaissance was a fertile perio

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March 2013

20 Daniel Gregerman

“ ” Contents It’s not about giving them an experience – It’s about giving them the best experience.

Features 6

From the Trenches Bob Morrison looks at some specific ways in which the music products industry and music education have helped each other over the years.

Performance: Musical Performance Anxiety

Helping Singers Manage Music Performance Anxiety

Julia is experiencing Music Performance Anxiety (MPA), a condition that has physical and psychological manifestations that can inhibit a musician’s performance quality and experience. Fortunately, choral conductors are in a position to help singers of all ages under their leadership manage their MPA by becoming informed and employing some simple strategies.

Managing the Physical Symptoms of MPA

By Wendy Nixon

Frequently occurring physical symptoms of MPA include being unable to relax, dry mouth, frequent urination,

“Y

“When singers feel that the conductor is confident in him or herself and the choir, they will trust that the situation is safe for them to more readily express themselves vocally.”

es!” exclaims Julia to a fellow soprano following

dress

rehearsal. “I finally got the third verse words right, just in the nick home, knowing her mother has planned a healthy dinner and a

singers like Julia cope with the physical Roundtable: Travel symptoms of MPA: breathing exercises,

her energy for tomorrow’s eagerly anticipated choral concert. Unfortunately, her evening unfolds much differently than she had hoped. Julia tucks into bed on the early side of her normal bedtime and settles in for a refreshing sleep, but she has a difficult time winding down. Her brain spins with lyrics and loops challenging melodic snippets endlessly. She rises in the morning feeling as if she’s been rehearsing all night long. Breakfast seems like a good idea until the first bite tastes like sawdust in her dry mouth and the butterflies in her stomach scream, “Not hungry!” Panicking and madly flipping through her music binder, Julia erratically jumps from piece to piece, finding that hardly any of it seems familiar. “Only two hours until concert time!” she tensely shrills as she paces the floor, wringing her hands. “What am I going to do? I’m going to let my choir down, look foolish, and my conductor will be so angry with me!” 10

singers’ visual presentation on stage. Pre-performance routines can help a singer get in the right mindset to focus on performance. A conductor can help singers develop an awareness of what procedures or rituals would be beneficial to them as individuals. For examgentle physical warm-ups, and pre-perple, many athletes employ visualization formance routines. in their pre-performance routines. LikeDeep breathing can help calm the wise, conductors can lead visualization mind, lower the heart rate, and prevent exercises for their singers, helping them hyperventilation. A simple deep breathto picture and feel themselves singing ing exercise conductors can teach singwith calm focused confidence while ers involves expanding the belly with an breathing deeply. A short, positive, and inhalation that lasts for four slow beats relevant phrase to repeat in their heads (60 bpm), then singing a mid-range may be helpful. With respect to water, pitch on an “ah” for four beats and singers should be instructed to hydrate then repeating the exercise a semi-tone up to an hour prior to performing to lower for five consecutive pitches. The help with dry mouth, and in extreme number of beats can then be increased cases, be permitted to bring water on to five, then six slow beats for those stage. Attire matters; cool clothing can same five pitches. This exercise can take help reduce hot sweats and flat shoes about 10 minutes, but it can be adjusted can help singers feel more grounded as necessary and is very effective. when shaking or trembling are felt. SimSelf-led physical activities such as ple routines, like going to the bathroom stretching, walking, napping, and doing and eating a sufficient amount of easyyoga or progressive muscle relaxation to-digest food, are helpful. Remembercan be helpful. Progressive muscle reing these necessities is highly beneficial laxation is a technique where different to coping with physical discomforts. muscle groups from the toes to the head Some singers prefer to have a quiet are individually tensed for 5-10 sectime prior to performing while some onds then released for 10-20 seconds prefer to go over challenging sections of while the eyes are closed and the mind or affirm each other. Each between students can participate. Often thesinger choralfocuses grouponisthe andifference adventure for theber ofmusic the trip is the groupwould just being canoflearn what activity be most sensations. A conductor can also incor-best part shaking/trembling, nausea/indigestion, hyperventilation, hot/cold sweats, and light-headedness. There are three strategies a conductor can implement to help

of time!” Julia strolls confidently

quiet night to help her conserve

Trends in in Travel: Tips from the Pros

raveling with a school

students, and even more so for the director. From the

Choral Director • March 2013

initial planning phases to hammering down the logistical

10 Performance: Music Performance Anxiety

and worth paying for, as well as what can be trimmed to adhere to budgetary restrictions without negatively impacting the overall experience. For some perspective on the latest trends in choral travel, Choral Director reached out to a number of travel professionals, who shared their thoughts on the most important components to a successful travel experience, tips for keeping costs down without skimping on the experience, as well as what they’re seeing as the latest trends in school music ensemble travel.

CD contributor Wendy Nixon examines the triggers for music performance anxiety, as well as some strategies for helping students cope with this common affliction.

porate physical warm-ups at the start of rehearsals to release unwanted tension, particularly in the jaw, throat, and shoulders. Simple moves like gentle neck and shoulder rolls, self-massage of the jaw, and massage circles, where the singers stand in a circle and massage each other’s shoulders, are effective. This can be done along to a recording of an uplifting song. Singers also enjoy taking turns leading these exercises. Applying physical strategies can help reduce muscular tension, thereby improving the function of the vocal mechanism, the efficiency of the body in supporting vocal production, and having a positive effect on a

Kurt Hargleroad, EPN Travel Plan ahead. The further out you start the planning process, the more likely you are to get the transportation and attractions that best meet your needs. Communicate directly with the parents concerning the cost of the trip, payment deadlines, and cancellation policies. Use a travel planner: their knowledge and experience are invaluable, especially if something does not go as planned. Be realistic with your time and with your budget. Allow time for traffic and weather issues. The more affordable the trip, the greater num-

together. A pizza party at the hotel can be just as much fun as a sit down dinner in an expensive restaurant. The number of performers in ensembles is decreasing. We are seeing more small ensemble travel such as a jazz band or chamber choir.

Janet Tollund, Accolades International Tours for the Arts When I speak to ensemble directors about planning a prospective performance tour, one of the first questions that comes up is, “How much is this going to cost?” Our company specializes in international tours, so many directors assume our tours won’t come close to matching their budget. Surprisingly, this is often not the case. There’s no question that the cost of touring has risen significantly over the last few years, but there are many ways a director can keep costs more reasonable for his/her students, such as traveling during low season. For a European tour, this means late winter/early spring – perfect for spring break tours. Consider combining with another ensemble or inviting parents/friends to join the group. Every empty seat on a motor

beneficial for him or herself through experimentation. A pre-performance pep talk by the conductor can include a little humor, affirmation that the singers know what they are doing, and that the conductor has confidence in them. It might also be helpful to include two or three specific directions/reminders (no more!), and a short review of the purpose of music and why we choose to sing (this can be done around the circle with each singer contributing an idea).

Psychological Symptoms of MPA

The psychological symptoms of MPA center on fear. They include the fear of forgetting notes/rhythms, the fear of letting others down, fear of social disapproval, fear of MPA symptoms negatively affecting performance, negative self-talk, feeling terrified, and experiencing a lack of focus or concentration. The aspects of fear in the context of MPA can be reduced by conductors planning with intentionality, coaching singers on the practice of mindfulness, and creating opportunities for singers coach adds cost toConducthe tour, so the goal is to to desensitize to performing. with a for full sufficient coach-load. tors must plan travel in advance Manytime of our clients continue to and effective rehearsal for loyal the pertour abroad with us, as they know the huge formance material to become almost auvalue these tours add to the future of their tomatic, for vocal technique to develop, program. A consistent international tour and potentially schedule for memorization of the is a great recruitment tool for the material. We’veprogram, all heardno thematter expression: what the level. Today’s “Practice, practice, butshorter choristourspractice,” tend to be in length, but the of the programming ters may need quality some guidance in what is still intact. It’s not impossible plan a tour that fits that entails. For example, they maytonot budget, but itfordoes know that theyone’ ares responsible self-take careful planningpracticing with a tourfor company studying and that shorterthat understands the needs of the ensemble. periods consistently over time is more effective than cramming for extended Rick Dillard, American Classic periods at the last minute, as Julia was Tours & Music Festivals attempting to do. Conductors need to The most important remember thatcomponents the implementation of to a successful last-minute changes rarely successful travel is experience include a and highly anxiety-inducing. Lettingcongo thorough and patient of the fear of forgetting imperative so sultation is with the decision thatapply matches the that the mind ismaker free to whatuphas goals and withcan the been well-rehearsed and dreams the singer practical realityofofperformwhat the enjoy the aesthetic benefits group believes they can achieve. A good dising music. with some guidance from a consulCultivating cussion mindfulness, a state of tant with a background in teaching and exbeing aware of perience your thoughts, is a useplanning trips with student groups ful approach to prevent the The negative is really helpful. group needs to have thoughts or fears surrounding thetoprossomeone (assistant the teacher or volunpect of a performance that who can maintain teer parent) is willing to keep financial records and assist in getting and amplify anxiety. Conductors can payments pro-

cessed in a timely fashion – keeping the burteacher. Being willing to consider staying a little outside the metro area of the city (as in Newark when going to Manhattan) is a way to save a considerable amount of money. Using public transportation whenever possible, rather than charter buses, and allowing the students to find good food options in a nice and safe mall location can also help the budget. In our area, I find more schools deciding to not travel every year, but when they do, they are making it a bigger trip – sometimes even international.

den off the shoulders Choral Director • March 2013of the 11

Kyle Naylor, WorldStrides Heritage Performance Programs The most important component to a successful travel experience for music students is the ability to provide both worryfree and cost-effective programs. Our model allows a music director to turn as much of the itinerary planning as they wish over to our destination specialists so that we can chase down the time consuming details while they focus on their musical preparation.

Controlling costs will always be the challenge and rightful responsibility of each music director on tour and can be done without compromising the quality of the experience. Allying themselves with an expert for their desired destination is the best way to control those costs. Experienced professionals have put together hundreds of itinerary plans and have dealt with budget ranges from slim to extravagant and everything in between. They can give good counsel on what to see, where to eat, and so on, providing a wonderful experience packaged within a budget that the music director provides. The latest trends we’ve noticed among our traveling ensembles is an ever-increasing usage of technology. Our festival teams are able to communicate with the music director with real time updates on what may be happening in a given city, both pre-departure and during the actual trip. This certainly allows for better planning and has resulted in greater safety and security for each of our student travelers. We also digitally record and archive all of our adjudication sessions to make them available immediately after the event. This allows the different ensembles to immediately implement the musical suggestions of our adjudicators to improve the quality of their performance. Social media at our events keeps parents and friends at home updated on festival fun and achievements.

Michael Way, Brightspark Since there is so much to experience, knowing your goals and focus of the tour is very important to creating an efficient tour plan that takes full advantage of your time (and wasting less of it in traffic). It is also important to schedule enough time at venues so students can appreciate them and learn more about where they will be performing. It’s a good idea to take into consideration the interest of your group: they will enjoy it more if they know they will be performing at a venue they’ve been particularly excited about. Realistically estimate the number of travelers in your ensemble. If you have 100, chances are that 10-15 will not go right off the bat. So plan for taking less than 100 percent of your ensemble. Prepare your students for the trip and the costs; don’t just spring the trip on them with a payment schedule. Allow time to present the trip and for the families to plan financially for the tour. We would always suggest using a travel operator that can offer experience and expertise, to help you make the most

Choral Director • November 2012

of your investment of time and resources. Communicate with your travel planning partner often to be sure you both have an understanding of the budget as well as the educational goals of the trip. But also planning ahead can help you recruit enough students, or allow for time if you need to fundraise. Too little time may not give the financial options to all students who wish to attend. In many cases it is wise to organize and include a team of parents and students who can take ownership of helping you insure a trips success. Here are other tips: • Consider driving instead of flying if time allows. • Prioritize your venues with your travel coordinator weighing cost vs. options. • Consider a day of public transportation in venues such as New York instead of needing to rent a coach. We are seeing a resurgence of the longer trip, and larger numbers of passengers on each trip. The focus of trips has also changed so that the music education curriculum portion of the trip is much more apparent than it used to be. The performance trips are having to conform to points in the state education curriculums. Also, performance opportunities that connect to the venue such as Voices on Broadway or the experience at Third Man Records at Jack White’s live recording studio are gaining a lot of interest. At Voices on Broadway, students have the chance to perform with the real Broadway cast. Third Man Records offers “School Choirs & Bands at Third Man: A Vinyl Recording Experience,” a program that exposes the MP3 generation to the world of vinyl, analog recording, and the recording industry beyond the performance. These types of exclusive programs connect students directly with the artists, making for a truly unique experience.

Veena Vohra, Four Winds Tours For music groups, the performance opportunities are what make the difference in a successful trip. Performing at a unique location with a good audience is what can really make a performance special. There are many ways to keep the cost down without compromising the value of a student trip. Location can make a difference. Choosing a location like Washington, D.C., where many of the attractions are free but still very worthwhile, can help. Also, staying closer to home helps save on transportation costs. Staying at hotels where Choral Director • March 2013

14 Guest Editorial: Oklahoma! Keith Mason takes a thorough look at the renowned American musical in celebration of its 70th anniversary.

20 UpClose: Daniel Gregerman In this recent interview, Daniel Gregerman of the highly acclaimed Niles North High School choral program talks about building a well-rounded program, the development of his vocal jazz ensembles, and the challenges of balancing family and work.

26 Roundtable: Travel Industry professionals share successful ingredients of choral trips, cost-saving ideas, and the latest trends in travel.

30 Tech: Cloud Sequencers John Kuzmich Jr. highlights free online recording and sequencing programs.

32 Repertoire Forum: French Texts John C. Hughes presents a selection of choral works with French texts. 2

Choral Director • March 2013

Columns 4

Opening Notes

35 Classifieds

Headlines

36 Ad Index

34 Vocal Tip Cover photo by Tom C. McGrath, TCMcG Photography, Chicago, Ill. www.tcmcgphotography.com Choral Director® Volume 10, Number 2, is published six times annually by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781)453-9310, publisher of School Band and Orchestra, Musical Merchandise Review, Music Parents America and JAZZed. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: $20 one year; $30 two years. Rates outside U.S.A. available upon request. Singles issues $5 each. Resource Guide $15 Standard Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER/SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to Choral Director, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham MA 02494. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright © 2013 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

Opening Notes

Elevating the Message Everywhere I turn, people are talking about music. While it might be fair to chalk some of this up to my own bias and the company I keep – I do spend most of my waking time either thinking about music ed-related topics and articles or actively pursuing my own (strictly amateur) music-making endeavors – there’s no question that this message of the importance of music education is resonating within the public eye. Along those lines, kudos are in order to our many friends over at the Music Education Policy Roundtable, which, even though it is less than a year old, has already had some tremendous victories presenting a powerful, unified voice on behalf of music education. This coalition, comprised of members of Chorus America, ACDA, MTNA, NAfME, Drum Corps International, the League of American Orchestra, NAMM, the Percussive Arts Society, and a handful of other organizations, is dedicated to advocating for the advancement of music education in schools. The group’s vision, per the NAfME website is: “A music education advocacy and public policy infrastructure of organizations dedicated to ensuring the presence and perseverance of school music programs operated by certified music educators teaching sequential, standards-based music education to students across the nation.” Recent successes achieved by the Roundtable and “This coalition is its members include the designation of a new Grammy dedicated to advocating award to be given annually to a music educator – anfor the advancement nounced live at the Grammy Awards in February by of music education in Justin Timberlake, Ryan Seacrest, and Neil Portnow of schools.” the Grammy Foundation (see Headlines: Page 4) – and a strong statement delivered in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address (see Headlines: Page 4) with the hopes of influencing policy makers to further support music and the arts in schools. For a more comprehensive listing of advancements made by music industry and advocacy groups on behalf of music education, see this issue’s “From the Trenches” column (Page 6) by Bob Morrison, founder of Quadrant Arts Education Research – also the newest member of the Music Education Policy Roundtable. While the prospect of future funding, support, and recognition is surely welcome by all music and arts educators, this issue of Choral Director is also full of practical and insightful information that teachers can use in their classrooms today. Covering everything from tips on dealing with music performance anxiety (see Performance: Page 10) to travel tips from industry professionals (Roundtable: Page 26), a guide to the latest free online recording and sequencing software (Technology: Page 30), and even an indepth look at Oklahoma!, one of America’s most renowned musicals (Guest Editorial: Page 14), this issue is sure to have a little something for everyone. And then there’s the insight provided by cover subject Daniel Gregerman, director of the award-winning choral program at Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois and founding member of the Jazz Education Network. “If I’m not learning every day, I’m not doing justice to the field of education and I’m not doing justice to my students,” says Gregerman. “So I’m constantly striving for ways to do things differently, be cutting edge, and find what the next best thing is.” Hopefully this issue of Choral Director can help achieve that aim…

March 2013 • Volume 10, Number 2 GROUP PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHER Richard E. Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matt Parish mparish@symphonypublishing.com Art PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Advertising ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com ADVERTISING SALES Matt King mking@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED SALES Steven Hemingway shemingway@symphonypublishing.com Business CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com

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Headlines Music Ed Roundtable Issues Response to State of the Union Address

Photo by Chuck Kennedy

On the evening of February 12th, 2013, President Obama spoke directly to the nation regarding a variety of significant domestic policy issues. The Music Education Policy Roundtable is pleased that a portion of the President’s State of the Union address pertained to the importance of addressing education reform in America. We applaud the President’s support for improving both K-12 and higher education for all citizens. Such initiatives are necessary so as to ensure our nation’s future prosperity. The Roundtable would like to express its concern, however, that neither music education, nor arts education, generally, were included in the President’s remarks as an element of the solution to equipping students “for the

demands of a high-tech economy.” The needs of the Twenty-First Century workforce cannot and will not be met through STEM alone. Experts including Richard Florida, Daniel Pink, and Ken Robinson suggest that creative experiences, like those provided for by education in music and the other arts, are essential in preparing students for these new kinds of work. According to neuroscientists, including Eriko Skoe and Nina Kraus, music education, specifically, has a demonstrable positive impact on brain development. Classroom music experiences provide students with the opportunity to develop skills to be creative, solve complex problems, and work collaboratively. Additionally, through music, students develop dispositions toward hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Music education facilitates the skills imperative for employers and employees in the Twenty-First Century workplace… advocacy.nafme.org

The Music Education Policy Roundtable – an association formed last June that counts among its members NAfME, ACDA, Chorus America, NAMM, Quadrant Arts Education Research, and a host of other music education advocacy and trade groups – has released a response to President Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union Address. The response is excerpted below:

Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation Announce New ‘Music Educator Award’

Choral Director • March 2013

schools. Anyone can nominate a teacher – students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans and administrators – and teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers will be notified and invited to

fill out an application. One winner will be selected from 10 finalists each year to be recognized for his or her remarkable impact on students’ lives. The first award will be presented during Grammy Week 2014. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the Grammy Awards, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium. The honorariums provided to the winners are made possible by a grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund. This new partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund expands their financial support of Grammy Foundation music Education initiatives. www.grammy.org/grammy-foundation

During the recent 55th Annual Grammy Awards, a trio of stars announced that the Grammy Foundation and The Recording Academy are partnering to present their first-ever Music Educator Award to recognize music educators for their contributions to our musical landscape and their positive influence on their students’ musical experiences. President and CEO of the Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation Neil Portnow was joined by Grammy Foundation honorary board chair Ryan Seacrest and multi-Grammywinning artist Justin Timberlake. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers from kindergarten through college, in public and private

Headlines Kansas City Chorale Comes up Big at Grammys The Kansas City Chorale (Charles Bruffy, conductor) won the 2013 Grammy Award in the category “Best Choral Performance” for their recording, Life & Breath: Choral Works By René Clausen. The ensemble had been nominated for two Grammy Awards for the album. Released on Chandos Records, it was the first recording dedicated entirely to the music of René Clausen by a professional choir. One of the most prolific choral composers of his time, René Clausen’s music is known by American choirs across the country.

www.kcchorale.org

The College Board Releases New Study on Common Core Standards Common Core Standards that reference the same broad goals and thinking skills (such as the Conceptual Framework’s Creative Practices of imagining, constructing, investigating, and reflecting) that are shaping the development of the National Core Arts Standards. advocacy.collegeboard.org

the arts in these standards across the disciplines of dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. For example, among the 220 Reading standards reviewed, the study found that 50 utilize arts-based content as a tool for strengthening analysis and observation skills. Part two clarifies the elements of the

Carnegie Hall Receives $10 Million Gift Toward Renovation Project Carnegie Hall recently announced that a $10 million major gift from Judith and Burton Resnick will provide important support toward its Studio Towers Renovation Project, a comprehensive undertaking that will create new inspirational spaces for music education on the building’s existing upper floors while also fully refurbishing the venue’s backstage areas. The project, scheduled to be completed and opened in 2014, will be transformational for Carnegie Hall, creating new facilities designed to make great music accessible to as many people as possible. The 61,000-square foot Judith B. and Burton P. Resnick Education Wing – newly-named in recognition of this gift and the Resnick family’s longtime support of Carnegie Hall – will include new ensemble rooms, practice rooms, and teaching studios atop the landmark building as well as a state-of-the-art home for Carnegie Hall’s Archives. www.carnegiehall.org

The College Board, in partnership with the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS), has released a new research report that details the alignment between the 2010 Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math and the National Core Arts Standards currently being written. The study – titled “The Arts and the Common Core: A Review of Connections Between the Common Core State Standards and the National Core Arts Standards Conceptual Framework” – analyzes parallels between the ELA and Math Standards and the foundations of artistic literacy outlined in the National Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning, the NCCAS document guiding the work of the writing teams. The Arts and the Common Core report is divided into two parts. Part one is a content-based alignment study that focuses on arts-based examples and references already present in the Common Core ELA standards. Part two investigates areas of overlap between skills and habits emphasized in the Common Core Standards and those outlined in NCCAS’s Conceptual Framework. In part one, the research looks at all four groups of the ELA College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards and their corresponding grade-level standards, analyzing the function of specific references to

Choral Director • March 2013

From the Trenches

What Have You Done for ME Lately? (Music Education)

By Bob Morrison

uring the days leading up to the 2013 Grammy Awards in early February, I found myself involved in a curious and somewhat frustrating debate on a music education

group on LinkedIn regarding this question: What has the Music Industry done for music education?

The implications of this statement were clear: 1. The music industry has made boatloads of money as a result of the fruits of music education. 2. They have not done nearly enough to support music education in or schools. Also implied in this statement is the idea that, “If only the music industry would do more to support music education, then the field would be in a much stronger state.” Needless to say this got my dander up… just little bit. To address item number one, the simple answer is yes, the music industry has made a lot of money from a wide variety of aspects of music. So have the chemical and pharmaceutical companies in science. So have all the architecture firms from math. So have all of the history firms (oh wait, there is no history industry). The point is we live in a capitalistic society. The object of the free enterprise system is to make money. There is nothing wrong with this! The more important question is: Does any of that money ever get reinvested to support the underlying educational structure? Let’s review some of the facts to see if the music industry has done anything to “invest” in music education.

Choral Director • March 2013

Fact Number One: Music and Arts Education in the United States are designated a core subject in federal law as a direct result of the music industry. You can quibble all you want about how much money is spent and weather or not the industry has done enough, but this is one fact that cannot be denied. If it were not for the efforts of the music industry at the time (NAMM, The Recording Academy, the American Music Conference) in partnership with the National Association for Music Education (or as it was affectionately known at the time, MENC) the list of core subjects for federal education policy would be English, Math, Science, History, and Geography. These were the subjects proposed as part of President George Herbert Walker Bush’s America 2000 education program. Without the spirited offense lead by this coalition of organizations and the grass roots network underneath them, we would have a caste system today of courses that are core and those that are non-core. Music and the arts were destined for the latter. The Goals 2000 Education Act codified the arts as a core subject. A recent study released by Dr. Kenneth Elpus documented the impact of music and the arts being designated a “core subject.” The findings are important:

Love it or hate it there is no denying the impact that research of the role music plays on human development has played a critical role in influencing the debate about music education. Critical funding for the most important research in this area has been spearheaded by the music industry (NAMM, NARAS, Remo, Yamaha, and many others). Music and Brain Development, Music and Wellness, Music Therapy… the list is extensive and could fill a year’s worth of issues in SBO. Facts Three through 1256: The Music Industry is responsible in whole or in part for: • The National Commission of Music Education • Passage of the Goals 2000 Educate America Act • The Report “Growing Up Complete” • Support of the Development of the National Standards for Arts Education • The National Coalition for Music Education • The National Music Education Summit • Best Communities for Music Education • Mr. Holland’s Opus film promotion • Music of the Heart film promotion • Shari Lewis’s PBS Series, The Charlie

Horse Music Pizza • Sesame Street embracing music as a central theme of the show • Elmo on Capitol Hill • Elaborate floats in the Tournament of Roses and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade • Funding for hundreds of organizations doing important work from Technology in Music Education (TI:ME) through the documentation of the cost of a quality music program • Little Kids Rock • Lobbying for Music Education in Congress • Development of State Coalitions for Music Education • Advocacy tools and resources for use in local communities • Documenting the implementation of the National Standards for Arts Education • Music Education featured on the Grammy Awards broadcast • Media campaigns encouraging articles promoting the positive impact of music education • The Grammy Honor Jazz Band • Grammy Camp • VH1 Save The Music (responsible for the restoration of nearly 2,000

(Paul) Lehman (1993) argued that the net effect of Goals 2000 would be to “secure a firm position” for music and the arts in the nation’s public schools; the empirical data analyzed here suggest that Lehman’s prediction was correct: more schools required more arts coursework of their students in the postGoals 2000 era than did schools prior to the enactment of the law. So if the music industry didn’t do anything ever again, this single critical act of courage has done more to ensure that students have access to music and arts education then any other. The facts are what they are. But the industry has done so much more than just this single act of valor. Fact Number Two: Research on the impact of music on a variety of societal benefits came about in large part because of the music industry. Choral Director • March 2013

• • • • • •

• • • •

school programs for almost 2 million students) Music for All The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Music Education featured at the White House Corporate Battle of the Bands “Best Ad Campaigns Featuring Music” Awards Fighting for Title 1 funding to be used to support music and arts education Advocating for more federal investment in research SchoolJam USA competitions NAfME National Conferences Funding that supports every single state music education association through exhibit fees, booth spaces, and industry membership

And this is what I came up within five minutes from memory while on an airplane over the Midwestern United States! And recently we have seen: • The SupportMusic Coalition celebrate its 10-year Anniversary as the primary advocacy force for music education (and all of the arts for that matter). What has been accomplished by this effort is historic and worth a full review in its own right! • And last but by no means least, Grammy president Neil Portnow, Ryan Seacrest, and Justin Timberlake joined together on the Grammy Awards taking valuable global air-

time to announce the creation of the special Grammy Award for Music Educator of the year (see “Headlines” on page 6). Did they do it because they had to? Is there some great new profit opportunity by giving this award? No! They did it because the industry is made of people who have been directly impacted by music education, have found a way to turn their passion into a career, and are looking for new and innovative ways to give back. So, to answer the original question, what has the music industry done? Plenty! And I would argue that the music industry has done more to support music education than any other industry has done to support any other core subject area. Period. Where is the “Save The Science Foundation?” How about “World Languages for All?” Where are the publishing houses out front fighting for literacy? Where is the funding to actually document whether or not more time devoted to testing will lead to improved schools? (And I would argue it doesn’t since you can’t fatten a pig by weighing it all the time.) No industry segment has done more and no other industry has come close to the depth and breadth of support offered to a subject area than the music industry. If you think music education has it bad go check in with your geography or world language peers. Heck even amongst the other artistic disciplines, the support for the music education community is envied by them all.

So this is what the music industry has done (through the investment of time, energy, people and hundreds of millions of dollars) and continues to do. So now I ask this question: What have you done to advocate for music education? Anything? My guess is that if, collectively, us music educators spent as much time proactively advocating for our programs as we do complaining about our plight, we would be in much better shape. Strong vibrant music education programs, at all grade levels, have great educators providing wonderful instruction supported by the promotion and advocacy of music education in the school and across the community. As I have said in this space many times before. Music education advocacy is not something you only d; it is something that you are. So ask yourself, “What have I done lately to support music education in my own school?” Then go out and do one thing right now to make a difference. If you need some ideas to get you started, visit supportmusic.com (cofounded and sponsored by the music industry association, NAMM). Oh and while you’re at it, give your music retailer a hug. They helped make a lot of this possible. Robert B. Morrison is the founder of Quadrant Arts Education Research, an arts education research and intelligence organization. In addition to other related pursuits in the field of arts education advocacy, Mr. Morrison has helped create, found, and run Music for All, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, and, along with Richard Dreyfuss and the late Michael Kaman, the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. He may be reached directly at bobm@artsedresearch.org.

For the latest news and content, follow CD on Facebook: www.facebook.com/cdmagazine 8

Choral Director • March 2013

maraderie. These Confidence. Character. Ca Disney Performing are the three tenets of the ce to perform Arts program. The confiden The character on the grandest of stages. osen craft. And the required to perfect your ch l to come together camaraderie that’s essentia group takes part in as a team. And when your program– whether a Disney Performing Arts l learn, sharpen these are the skills they wil al– tiv fes or p ho rks wo a ce-in-athat’s in a performance or s bonded by this shared on ist art of up gro ive lus exc of an ile building memories and refine, becoming part your ensemble’s talents wh en gth en str to nt Wa ce. en learn more about lifetime experi er or call 1-866-254-7431 to nn pla vel tra r you ct nta that last forever? Co portunities. Disney Performing Arts op

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Performance: Musical Performance Anxiety

Helping Singers Manage Music Performance Anxiety By Wendy Nixon

“Y

es!” exclaims Julia to a fellow soprano following

dress

rehearsal. “I finally got the third verse words right, just in the nick of time!” Julia strolls confidently home, knowing her mother has planned a healthy dinner and a quiet night to help her conserve her energy for tomorrow’s eagerly anticipated choral concert. Unfortunately, her evening unfolds much differently than she had hoped.

Julia tucks into bed on the early side of her normal bedtime and settles in for a refreshing sleep, but she has a difficult time winding down. Her brain spins with lyrics and loops challenging melodic snippets endlessly. She rises in the morning feeling as if she’s been rehearsing all night long. Breakfast seems like a good idea until the first bite tastes like sawdust in her dry mouth and the butterflies in her stomach scream, “Not hungry!” Panicking and madly flipping through her music binder, Julia erratically jumps from piece to piece, finding that hardly any of it seems familiar. “Only two hours until concert time!” she tensely shrills as she paces the floor, wringing her hands. “What am I going to do? I’m going to let my choir down, look foolish, and my conductor will be so angry with me!” 10

Choral Director • March 2013

Managing the Physical Symptoms of MPA Frequently occurring physical symptoms of MPA include being unable to relax, dry mouth, frequent urination,

“When singers feel that the conductor is confident in him or herself and the choir, they will trust that the situation is safe for them to more readily express themselves vocally.” shaking/trembling, nausea/indigestion, hyperventilation, hot/cold sweats, and light-headedness. There are three strategies a conductor can implement to help singers like Julia cope with the physical symptoms of MPA: breathing exercises, gentle physical warm-ups, and pre-performance routines. Deep breathing can help calm the mind, lower the heart rate, and prevent hyperventilation. A simple deep breathing exercise conductors can teach singers involves expanding the belly with an inhalation that lasts for four slow beats (60 bpm), then singing a mid-range pitch on an “ah” for four beats and then repeating the exercise a semi-tone lower for five consecutive pitches. The number of beats can then be increased to five, then six slow beats for those same five pitches. This exercise can take about 10 minutes, but it can be adjusted as necessary and is very effective. Self-led physical activities such as stretching, walking, napping, and doing yoga or progressive muscle relaxation can be helpful. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique where different muscle groups from the toes to the head are individually tensed for 5-10 seconds then released for 10-20 seconds while the eyes are closed and the mind focuses on the difference between the sensations. A conductor can also incor-

Psychological Symptoms of MPA The psychological symptoms of MPA center on fear. They include the fear of forgetting notes/rhythms, the fear of letting others down, fear of social disapproval, fear of MPA symptoms negatively affecting performance, negative self-talk, feeling terrified, and experiencing a lack of focus or concentration. The aspects of fear in the context of MPA can be reduced by conductors planning with intentionality, coaching singers on the practice of mindfulness, and creating opportunities for singers to desensitize to performing. Conductors must plan in advance for sufficient and effective rehearsal time for the performance material to become almost automatic, for vocal technique to develop, and potentially for memorization of the material. We’ve all heard the expression: “Practice, practice, practice,” but choristers may need some guidance in what that entails. For example, they may not know that they are responsible for selfstudying and that practicing for shorter periods consistently over time is more effective than cramming for extended periods at the last minute, as Julia was attempting to do. Conductors need to remember that the implementation of last-minute changes is rarely successful and highly anxiety-inducing. Letting go of the fear of forgetting is imperative so that the mind is free to apply what has been well-rehearsed and the singer can enjoy the aesthetic benefits of performing music. Cultivating mindfulness, a state of being aware of your thoughts, is a useful approach to prevent the negative thoughts or fears surrounding the prospect of a performance that can maintain and amplify anxiety. Conductors can Choral Director • March 2013

help singers by coaching them in the mindfulness process. Once negative thoughts about performing have been discussed or written down, negative thinking can be replaced with positive affirmations such as, “People are here to listen because they want us to do well,” or “Singing is joyful for me because…” Creating opportunities for singers to desensitize somewhat to the performance experience will help with MPA. Singers can use practice recordings, practice with small groups, and sing for friends and family. Informal presentations could be incorporated into rehearsals by asking for volunteers to sing solos that haven’t yet been assigned, encouraging volunteer quartets to sing excerpts from the performance material, or getting a small group of singers or a section to face the rest of the choir while all singers are singing. Other ideas for informal performances include inviting friends and family members to attend a rehearsal, performing for another ensemble, doing a flashmob-style presentation at a city centre or mall, or offering

to sing at a hospital ward or long-term care facility.

The Importance of Trust Trust is the most important ingredient in the conductor-chorister relationship in order for the musical experience to feel satisfying for all involved. Singers trust in their leader to prepare them well before they will feel comfortable exposing themselves vocally in front of an audience. Singing can be a vulnerable experience, and the fears that singers have can best be alleviated by being in trusting relationships with themselves, their fellow musicians, and their conductors. Bryk and Schneider have defined relational trust as having four key components: personal regard, personal integrity, respect, and competence in core responsibilities (2003). Personal regard is demonstrated when conductors go the extra mile to show they care by being encouraging, supportive, and communicating expectations clearly. Recognizing the singers as individuals !

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is essential, and can be accomplished as easily as greeting them at the door and personally welcoming each singer by name. Participants want conductors to assess their needs, provide feedback, to be aware of what each singer’s comfort zone is and how far he can be pushed, while simultaneously making sure not to single out one person in front of the group without their consent. The reciprocal nature of trust necessitates that a conductor in turn trust the singers in the groups they lead. When conductors talk openly about their own experiences with MPA, they let people know that it’s normal and common. In opening up and being vulnerable too, the conductor shows the choir that she trusts them, and the mutual nature of trust is nurtured. Personal integrity is a commitment to walk the talk. Choristers need their conductors to demonstrate, encourage, and instill confidence. Reflect the image you want to see in the choir by modeling calm, confident behavior and appearing in control. Express confidence in the choir, and look them in the eye and say, “I believe in you. Enjoy what you are singing and make it come alive.” When singers feel that the conductor is confident in him or herself and the choir, they will trust that the situation is safe for them to more readily express themselves vocally. Respect is communicated when interactions convey good intentions and shared understanding (Reina and Reina, 1999). Good intentions are communicated when a leader’s approach is positive: smile, be upbeat, have fun, and make it fun! People learn best when they are enjoying themselves. Conductors cultivate shared understanding by communicating their own enjoyment, acknowledging the choristers’ musical successes, creating a safe environment where everyone can be themselves and take risks, and remembering that what they give out energetically will be mirrored back to them. Conductors must show respect for the singers under their leadership in order to develop trusting relationships and be part of the choir, not separate. Competence involves carefully designing a learning opportunity. Conductors must be organized, prepared, and

knowledgeable. With regard to repertoire, tailor the choice of the material to the ability and taste of the majority of the group, but include some pieces that challenge. Clearly outline choir membership expectations (home study, attendance, and memorization), and learning intentions to help singers plan their own lives to uphold the required commitment. Singers in choirs need for their conductors to be knowledgeable in many realms, such as vocal technique, the language of music, the expression of music, conducting, rehearsal techniques, and teaching strategies, to name a few. One participant said, “Teach, don’t just conduct.” Create physical and vocal warm-ups, ask students for suggestions, implement theory, technique, memorization strategies, and management strategies for dealing with MPA into rehearsals. Conductors can continue to develop their knowledge base by pursuing new learning opportunities for themselves.

Conclusion Conductors are in a privileged position to create conditions where singers like Julia can thrive, feel confident about their vocal contributions to a choir, and carry that positivity out into the world. Conductors should be informed about Music Performance Anxiety in order to help singers, their audiences, and themselves experience more fulfilling and enjoyable performances. MPA is a normal reaction to public presentation of oneself and, at a moderate level, some will argue it can enhance performance; however, when MPA consistently prevents singers from doing their best work, it is recommended that conductors incorporate three key strategies: physical relaxation and deep breathing, sufficient preparation, and the development of relational trust with the singers in their ensembles.

Wendy Nixon Stothert recently completed her Master’s in Educational Leadership at Vancouver Island University, in B.C., Canada, receiving the Governor General’s Gold Award for academic achievement. She has taught middle school and secondary music and now embarks on a new adventure in teaching elementary music. Wendy also directs the Just in Time Vocal Jazz Choirs, three adult community ensembles, and has guest conducted. Her research regarding Music Performance Anxiety is informing her constantly evolving teaching practice and her personal performance. Singing with people of all ages to help spread positivity through music is one of her greatest joys. Contact Wendy with feedback or questions: stothert@telus.net

References Bryk, A. & Schneider, B. (2003) Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for School Reform. Educational Leadership, 60(6). Reina, D.S. & Reina, M.L. (1999). Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

T:7”

Your performers won’t just experience the 18th century. They’ll be part of it.

T:5”

Music during the 18th century crossed all social lines and provided accompaniment for work as well as entertainment. Come and be part of our musical heritage. Choral or band groups or other entertainers are permitted to perform at specific Colonial Williamsburg locations. Year~round venues include Merchants Square, Bruton Parish Church, Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center. Reservations are required to secure performance venue. Discounted admission available for performers. Call us at 1~800~400~2862, email groupsales@cwf.org, or visit colonialwilliamsburg.com/musicgroups

Be part of the story.

Choral Director • March 2013

Guest Editorial: Oklahoma!

Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’:

70 Years of Oklahoma! By Keith Mason

klahoma!, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first full-length professional collaboration and America’s most popular folk musical, marks its 70 anniversary on March 31. While new

audiences keep discovering it, old audiences keep returning to it. This article outlines the history of Oklahoma! and offers activities for the performing arts curriculum.

History and Background Oklahoma!, originally entitled Away We Go from a square dance call, is based on the mildly successful folk play Green Grow the Lilacs (1931) by Lynn Riggs. Theresa Helburn of the Theatre Guild believed that the Riggs play would fare better as a musical so she approached Rodgers with the idea. He reacted positively

Lee Dixon, Celeste Holm, Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts, Joseph Buloff, and ensemble pose near the surrey in the original 1943 production of Oklahoma! Photos courtesy of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization. Stamps courtesy of United States Postal Service. 14

Choral Director • March 2013

to the idea of writing the music but his partner and lyricist Lorenz Hart thought the play would fail as a musical. Hart’s attitude prompted Rodgers to approach Oscar Hammerstein to inquire about collaborating with him, thus paving the way for what would become a seventeen-year partnership [see the sidebar “The Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein” for details about their 11 collaborations]. Hammerstein was not only a lyricist but also a librettist, an added advantage to a budding partnership. Ironically, Hammerstein had tried to convince his regular collaborator Jerome Kern to make a musical out of Green Grow the Lilacs and Kern, like Hart, did not approve of the idea. In 1943, Rodgers found himself with two partners for two separate ventures. Originally, Rodgers was set to do the music, Hart the lyrics, and Hammerstein the book for Oklahoma! Ultimately, Hart rejected the project opting instead to partner with Rodgers to produce a remake of A Connecticut Yankee. Reportedly, this kept Hart working and helped make him not feel excluded while Rodgers worked on Oklahoma! with Hammerstein, a reluctant replacement for Hart who originally declined the offer to collaborate with Rodgers. Rodgers and Hammerstein met at Columbia University when they worked on varsity shows there. Hammerstein, who, like Hart, was seven years older

An Oklahoma! Chronology 1931

Joan Roberts and women’s ensemble perform “Many a New Day.”

than Rodgers, had worked mainly with Otto Harbach and Kern prior to his partnership with Rodgers. His first musical Always You was done with Herbert Stothart. Five musicals, four of which were major productions in the ‘20s, were written with Harbach: Tickle Me, Wildflower, Rose-Marie, Sunny, and The Desert Song. Hammerstein then wrote both book and lyrics and Kern composed for Show Boat, Sweet Adeline, Music in the Air, and Very Warm for May. Oklahoma! opened on Broadway on March 31, 1943 at the St. James Theatre, changing musical theatre forever by being hailed as a seamlessly perfect integration of character, story, music, and dance into a cohesive whole. Previous audiences attended musicals simply to enjoy the songs and dances; they attended straight plays for dramatic storylines. Theodore S. Chapin, president of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, also described Oklahoma! in a similar vein: “Oklahoma! was hailed as revolutionary, an odd word, perhaps, to describe a musical play about plain and simple territory folk. But the revolution was simply that all the elements – music, spoken words, sung words, dancing, orchestrations, vocal and dance arrangements, scenery, costumes, etc. – were blended into one cohesive artistic whole for the first time… It may have seemed like an invisible revolution, but once the show opened the musical theatre was never

1943

On January 26, the Theatre Guild presents Lynn Riggs’ play Green Grow the Lilacs on Broadway, where it runs for 64 performances. Riggs, a native Oklahoman, uses his childhood memories of the Indian Territory’s transformation into statehood for the historical context within his play. The original Broadway production of Oklahoma! based on Green Grow the Lilacs opens at the St. James Theatre on March 31, 1943. It runs for five years and is the longest running Broadway musical until the early 1960s. The national tour of the show broke records for its time. On December 2, Decca Records releases the original Broadway cast recording of Oklahoma!, marking the first time a musical is recorded complete with all members of the original cast, chorus, and orchestra. Eventually, it wins a gold record and in 1976 is inducted into the NARAS (Grammy Award) Hall of Fame.

1944

On May 2, Oklahoma! receives a special Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

1947

On April 29, Oklahoma! opens at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London with Harold (later Howard) Keel and Betty Jane Watson running 1,548 performances.

1948

On May 29, Oklahoma! closes on Broadway after 2,212 performances, a Broadway record unsurpassed until My Fair Lady in 1961.

1953

On April 28, the Oklahoma State House of Representatives passes House Bill No. 1094, declaring the song “Oklahoma” by Rodgers and Hammerstein to be the official song and anthem of the State of Oklahoma. The Senate ratifies the bill on May 6, 1953.

1955

On October 11, the film version of Oklahoma! is released starring Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Charlotte Greenwood, Gloria Graham, Gene Nelson, and Rod Stirling. The film is produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein and directed by Fred Zinnemann. The motion picture was filmed twice; once in Todd-AO widescreen and once in Cinemascope for theatres that could not accommodate the widescreen version.

1993

On March 30, the United States Postal Service issues a stamp commemorating Oklahoma!, the first Broadway musical so honored. The first day ceremony is held in Oklahoma City and the stamp goes on sale that day statewide. On March 31, the Oklahoma! stamp is issued for national release, marking the fiftieth anniversary of its Broadway debut.

1998

On July 15, a new production of Oklahoma! premieres at the Royal National Theatre, London. It is directed by Trevor Nunn, choreographed by Susan Stroman, and stars Hugh Jackman, Josefina Gabrielle, and Shuler Hensley. A film version of this production premieres on SKY-TV in 1999 and later wins an International Emmy Award.

2002

On February 23, the London production is transferred to the Gershwin Theater on Broadway with Patrick Wilson, Andrea Martin, Josefina Gabrielle, and Shuler Hensely.

First Broadway commemorative stamp for Oklahoma! to mark 50th anniversary, released March 3031, 1993.

Choral Director • March 2013

The Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein After their success with Oklahoma!, Rodgers and Hammerstein collaborated on ten more projects: they wrote nine stage musicals including Oklahoma!, one television special, and wrote one movie musical. Of their eleven works, five are generally considered to be their “big five”: Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. These five were made into movies between 1955 and 1965. Flower Drum Song was also successful as both a stage production and movie musical. Oklahoma! (1943) State Fair (1945) (film) Carousel (1945) Allegro (1947) South Pacific (1949) The King and I (1951) Me and Juliet (1953) Pipe Dream (1955) Cinderella (1957) (TV special) Flower Drum Song (1958) The Sound Of Music (1959)

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.

Alfred Drake as Curly and Joan Roberts as Laurey. 16

Choral Director • March 2013

the same again.” Easton (1996:207) also observed that “Oklahoma! was the first musical in which the libretto, score, character development, plot development, decor, stage direction, and choreography all came together: the show worked seamlessly as a whole, without sacrificing the integrity of its parts.” Oklahoma! is considered by Ethan Mordden, a prominent author and musical theatre historian, to be one of the most popular American musicals. Max Wilk, a playwright, screenwriter and author of several books on the subject believes that Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music are Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most enduring musicals. Wilk (1993:257) also observed that Oklahoma! is clearly the most popular work in the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue. [The sidebar “An Oklahoma! Chronology” provides details about this classic musical.] Oklahoma! features Curly, a cowboy, who wants to take Laurey, a farm girl, to the box social. She plays hard to get and instead accepts an invitation from farmhand Jud Fry. Another cowboy, Will Parker, is interested in Ado Annie, a local girl, but she falls for any man who pays attention to her. Laurey has a change of heart about Jud, not only leaving him behind but also firing him. She decides to marry Curly when he proposes marriage. The two marry but not without problems: Jud tries to kill Curly but dies in the process. The newlyweds leave for their honeymoon in the surrey with the fringe on the top that is sung about in one of the show’s most recognizable songs, also a favorite of Hammerstein’s. The cast members of Oklahoma! were unknowns: Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts, Celeste Holm, and Howard da Silva. When the show opened in New Haven at the Shubert Theatre prior to its Broadway run, critic Walter Winchell declared “no legs, no jokes, no chance.” Mordden (1976) believes this critique to be misleading because the out-of-town audiences liked Oklahoma!, and very few revisions were made before the Broadway opening. The Oklahoma! score includes “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’,” “The Surrey With The Fringe On Top,” “Okla-

homa,” “I Cain’t Say No,” “Out Of My Dreams,” “Many A New Day,” and “People Will Say We’re in Love.” Mordden (1993) sums up the innovations of Oklahoma!: “Like Show Boat, but better than Show Boat, Oklahoma! told its American grass roots tale in the language of the fruited plain, lighter in tone than Green Grow the Lilacs, with dream ballet, murder, and chorus of farmers and cowmen all playing exactly their parts in the story, and no more or less. The seams of musical comedy craftsmanship did not show this time because this one was not a patchwork in the way that nearly all musicals were before.” In search of a choreographer, Rodgers, Hammerstein, and Helburn went to see Rodeo, which Agnes de Mille both performed in and choreographed in 1942. The trio was impressed with de Mille’s work and hired her to choreograph Oklahoma! The musical put de Mille on the map because of its rave reviews and the fact that it made dance an integral component of musical theatre. De Mille went on to choreograph Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel in 1945, and Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon in 1947, the latter pair’s first big hit. De Mille also directed and choreographed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1947 musical Allegro. Regarding Oklahoma!, de Mille observed, “It rolled… from the twittering prelude and “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin;” right through to that joyous reprise of the title song for a finale, the story flowed in one straight line. It never bored. It never tried too hard or traded glitz for glow. It rolled.” The director, Rouben Mamoulian, and choreographer de Mille brought the show together, although with some altercations. The same production team produced both Oklahoma! and Carousel. Mordden (1976:188) believes that people did not realize how different Oklahoma! was until later. He observed that “Oklahoma! was a fresh use of a familiar medium, not an offshoot, nor a new idea, but very solidly constructed and beautifully, sparingly produced.” Louis Untemeyer remembered, “When the idea for Oklahoma! was first broached, no one was aware that an American classic was in the

making” (cited in Matthew-Walker 1996:141). In terms of de Mille’s choreography, the end of Act I ballet “Laurey Makes Up Her Mind” helps develop the action psychologically. Easton (1996:201) describes the dream ballet as representing a young woman’s repressed sexuality and her conflicting longings. The 18-minute ballet was set to medleys from the musical score including “Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” Dream ballets had been used before on Broadway: George Balanchine’s in Rodgers and Hart’s On Your Toes, Babes in Arms, and I Married an Angel, Robert Alton’s in Rodgers and Hart’s Pal Joey, and Albertina Rasch’s three in Kurt Weill’s Lady in the Dark. However, with the new standard set by de Mille’s Act I ballet, 46 of 72 Broadway musicals to open within three-and-a-half years of Oklahoma! included ballet; 21 of these featured dream sequences. In addition to the ballet, de Mille devised other dances such as a twostep for Will and Aunt Eller, ragtime for Will and four cowboys, a waltz for Curly and Gertie, a spritely dance for Laurey and her girlfriends, an up tempo dance for Ado Annie and Will, and

is a depth of feeling to its ballads that is lacking in Oklahoma!- properly lacking, for Oklahoma! is a happy show with a few scary moments while Carousel is tragic throughout.” The following areas can serve as a guide for Oklahoma! lessons within the music and performing arts curriculum: • How are song lyrics in Oklahoma! used to develop the characters of Curly, Laurey, Aunt Eller, Jud Fry, Ado Annie, and Will Parker? • Which musical numbers in Oklahoma! feature dancing? What types of dances are found and what song tempos are associated with the various types of dances? • Consider the use of ballet within well known musical theatre pieces similar to Oklahoma! Look at these ballets in the movie versions of the following: Oklahoma!, Kiss Me Kate, Carousel, The King and I, Babes in Arms, Flower Drum Song, and Can-Can. Who choreographed the original stage versions of these ballets? And the movie versions? Were any ballets cut for the movie version or added? Watch the dream ballet scene “Laurey Makes Up Her Mind” in the film version, a live performance, or the 1998

“Many have argued that the strength of Oklahoma! comes from its songs, most of which are considered standards that are now universally familiar.” two square dances for the ensembles. In all, de Mille developed 40 minutes worth of dances for the show, nearly half of which were cut before opening night.

Musical and Performing Arts Activities Many have argued that the strength of Oklahoma! comes from its songs, most of which are considered standards that are now universally familiar. Mordden (1976:189) describes the Oklahoma! music and lyrics as “marvelous.” He describes Hammerstein’s lyrics as “sunny” and Rodgers’ folk-inflected tunes as “a cunning craftsmanship.” He also compares the Oklahoma! score with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s masterpiece Carousel as follows: “There

•

London production of Oklahoma! Write about the images you see, interpreting them within the context of the story. What song melodies are used during the dream ballet? Agnes de Mille choreographed Oklahoma! Find out more about her, her famous relative, and other works she did, especially for Rodgers and Hammerstein. Choose one favorite song from the Oklahoma! score and write an interpretation of the lyrics and orchestration. The song “Oklahoma!” has been called the showstopper in Oklahoma! Find out about this song: when was it added to the show and what effect did it have on the Choral Director • March 2013

show? The title of the musical was changed because of this song.

Conclusion Undoubtedly, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music has left a permanent mark on the music of the twentieth century in general, and on musical theatre in particular. Oklahoma! changed musical theatre forever by integrating character development with the songs, dance, dialog, and artistic aspects of the show. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration can truly enhance the performing arts curriculum. “Oklahoma! OK!” Keith Mason, Ph.D. teaches World Languages at New Providence High School in New Providence, New Jersey. Dr. Mason has received eight Rising Star Awards for Educational Impact from the Paper Mill Playhouse for integrating his school’s musicals into the high school curriculum. He has authored many articles about using musicals in the interdisciplinary curriculum.

Print Sources Easton, Carol. 1996. No Intermissions: The Life of Agnes de Mille. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Fordin, Hugh. 1978. Getting to Know Him: A Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II. New York. Green, Stanley, ed. 1980. The Rodgers and Hammerstein Fact Book. A Record of Their Work Together and with Other Collaborators. New York: Lynn Farnol. Mason, Keith. 2002. “Richard Rodgers: The Man and His Music.” Music Educators Journal 88:6 (May 2002):17-25, 60. Matthew-Walker, Robert. 1998. Broadway to Hollywood: The Musical and the Cinema. London: Sanctuary Publishing. Mordden, Ethan. 1976. Better Foot Forward: The History of American Musical Theatre. New York: Viking Press. Mordden, Ethan. 1993. Rodgers & Hammerstein. New York: Abrams. Secrest, Meryle. 2001. Somewhere for Me: A biography of Richard Rodgers. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Wilk, Max. 1993. OK! The Story of Oklahoma! New York: Grove Press. Wilk, Max. 1999. Overture and Finale: Rodgers and Hammerstein and the Creation of Their Two Greatest Hits. New York: Back Stage Books.

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Jazz Voice Daniel Gregerman and his renowned jazz vocal ensemble program at Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Niles North High School By Matt Parish

Choral programs are always in a unique position to provide their students with one-of-a-kind life experiences. What other opportunity mixes performances with such levels of discipline, self-expression, and pop culture all at the same time? Jazz vocal ensembles are a little different. Often leaner and sometimes more flexible, they can be tight-knit and incredibly creative outlets for aspiring singers and instrumental musicians. Daniel Gregerman leads one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost such programs at Niles North High School, located in Skokie, Ill. just north of Chicago. There, he runs three jazz vocal ensembles (on top of five concert choral groups) in an impressive program that has gained national renown as one of the most recognized high school jazz groups in the country.

Since he began at Niles North 23 years ago, Gregerman’s groups have gone on to win six DownBeat awards, including the 2012 Jazz Education Achievement Award. The program’s top group, Take One, won the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts Award for Outstanding Fine Arts Education in 2009 and has performed with Diane Schuur, the New York Voices, Take Six, and Janis Segal (Manhattan Transfer), as well as commissioned work from composers like Jennifer Barnes, Michele Weir, and Kirby Shaw. Meanwhile, Gregerman has been a tireless advocate and leader in the greater jazz education community. He was a founder of the Jazz Education Network (where he remains constantly active), and has served as state chairman of Vocal Jazz for IMEA, director or the Midwest Grammy All-Star Jazz Choir for NARAS, Inc., director of the Midwest Young Artists Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and more. Through his success, Gregerman’s earned the trust of the school administrators, who have allowed him great control over the development of the school’s choral wing. Always thinking ahead, they’ve partnered for a long-

term vision that includes a complex of rehearsal rooms, private lesson and practice studios, and a space for a planned digital production studio that will be able to record from any of the practice spaces (there are also plans for a specific audio engineering track in Niles North’s music program in the future). For Gregerman, it all comes down to making sure the students get the most out of their time in his program. “It’s not about giving them an experience – it’s about giving them the best experience.” Choral Director spoke with Gregerman recently about the development of this stellar vocal program and how it fits within the school’s arts program in general. Choral Director: It’s great to speak with you about this incredible program. What do you feel like the jazz ensembles have to offer the kids that they can’t find anywhere else? Daniel Gregerman: Freedom, creativity, improvisation, and friendship. It’s about developing a love for America’s true art form and the confidence to

Gregerman meets with assistant directors Logan Farris, Leah Fisher, and Kathryn Lachey at an annual retreat (Photo: Dylan Rice)

Choral Director • March 2013

stand up in front of people and perform, which translates to confidence in any other areas of their life. That friendship goes to a different level even because we consider it a family here. They’re getting lifelong skills and friends that they’ll have forever. We do a three-day retreat in the fall for the vocal groups every year. That weekend isn’t just about rehearsing, but it’s about icebreakers, getting to know each other, building an identity for your own ensemble and an identity for the program, teaching kids to let their barriers down and trust. They’re incredible life skills that we’re trying to teach while we’re doing all this other stuff with jazz. CD: You’ve said before that you figured out a lot about jazz on your own. How did that work for you? DG: I grew up and went to Wachusett Regional High School, in Holden, Mass. During high school, I was lucky enough to attend a summer camp that

turned me onto music so much that I just made a decision as a freshman that I was going to be a music teacher. I went to college at Northwestern University as a music education major with a choral emphasis. But even there, I didn’t know what I was going to do. So for my electives, I completed all the requirements of the instrumental education degree also. I fell in love with jazz a little bit. It might have been because my dad loved jazz – I remember him always playing big band music around the house. In high school, we had no jazz until my senior year, when they started a jazz band. And that was in the ‘80s, so it wasn’t anything like what it is today. I was a keyboard player who didn’t know anything about jazz. I did the best I could. I played for a year in one of the Northwestern jazz bands. I wasn’t very good, but I still had this bug about liking it. My junior year, I stated a student-run jazz band and kind of fronted it and played piano and did gigs. That

same time, my school started a vocal jazz group and it seemed fun. But I honestly don’t know what made me want to share jazz with the kids. I got a job teaching at McHenry Community High School in Illinois and I was the band director, choir director, and department chair. I started a vocal jazz group there while I was doing everything else, and it started to get a good reputation. My friend, April Arabian-Tini, who at the time was at Northwestern, saw my group and said to me, “You need to check out Western Michigan University. They’re doing exactly what you do and it would be a great place to go work on your master’s degree.” CD: So there you would have been introduced to the Gold Company jazz vocal ensemble. DG: That was my first time seeing a Gold Company show at WMU and I was amazed at what they did. That trip

sent me home to apply to their master’s program. I was given two assistant positions – one was as the director of the women’s choir in the concert choir program, and the other was as the graduate assistant to Gold Company. So I was singing in Gold Company and

At a Glance: Niles North High School 9800 North Lawler Street Skokie, IL 60077 On the Web: http://www.niles-hs.k12. il.us/north Students in Jazz Vocal Program: 55 Students in Choir Program: 160 Students Enrolled at NNHS: 2,100 Jazz Vocal Ensembles: Take One Sound Check Harmonic Motion Staff: Choral Director: Daniel Gregerman Assistant Dir. Logan Farris (Sound Check) Assistant Dir. Kathryn Lachey (Harmonic Motion) Dir. Barry Grossman (Rhythm Section)

I couldn’t be a good jazz director if I wasn’t a good choral director because those kids are learning good vocal technique in my concert choir program. They have to be grounded somewhere. Choral Director • March 2013

also working as Steve Zegree’s assistant. You’ll think I’m insane because, while I was doing that, I also chose to go out and help with the marching band if I could. It just took me a long time to give up the love for all those different kinds of music. But the one thing that was consistent was that jazz bug. So I did my two years at Western Michigan University and then ended up here at Niles North High School. My first year, I came here strictly as a choral director. CD: It must have been tougher to gain a footing in jazz education back then. DG: Back in the day, the jazz program at Northwestern was two bands and that was it. There was nothing back at my high school. So I was just always on my own learning about jazz and picking things up wherever I could. My first formal training in jazz was after I started my master’s degree. That’s a thing I preach to people all the time – it’s never too late to learn. You can always dive into jazz and learn – it’s not as hard as people think. I mean to get to advanced level, yes – that’s a little more difficult. But to get started and do basic jazz, anybody can do it. CD: You’ve had to set up this whole jazz program while at the same time running a very full concert choral program. DG: I’ve gotten so much PR for my jazz program, because it’s different than most and because of the nature of jazz and pop music, that sometimes people forget I’m a choral director, too. I couldn’t be a good jazz director if I wasn’t a good choral director because those kids are learning good vocal technique in my concert choir program. They have to get grounded somewhere. It seems like it’s a different beast altogether, but you’ve got such unique position in being able to supervise everyone’s fundamental techniques. I do everything – the musical with the theater director, the five choirs during the day, a piano class, I’m in charge of the sound and audio for the school. CD: Did it take you awhile to flesh out your idea of what a jazz ensemble would be? Did it evolve? 24

Choral Director • March 2013

DG: No, I think I’ve known all along what the ensemble would be. The size varies a bit, but I’ve always believed in taking no more than 16 kids so you have four to a part, plus a rhythm section. Sometimes that changes because I set a level of expectation for the top group and if I don’t have 16 people that reach that level in a given year, I’m not going to take people just to have 16. This year I have 13, which sounds unlucky but it’s been really good for us. I also allow each group to evolve every year and take on its own identity. So some groups might be better at Latin music. Some might be better at a capella. Some might have more of an R&B sound. It varies year to year and the challenge is showing the strength of that ensemble and building up the weaknesses. There’s always a joke with the older kids in the group where in the beginning of the year I’ll pass out 10 charts and they’ll tell everyone else, “Don’t worry, there are five of these that we’re not going to do!” And it’s the truth. CD: Have there been any particular programs getting the jazz ensemble to mesh with the overall choral program there? DG: Yeah, there are always challenges, like schedules. My kids are doing a lot of things so I’m competing with sports and our phenomenal theatre program here and which many of my kids are involved with – when

I say phenomenal, I mean our theater department does seven to nine productions a year. A lot of my kids are in those productions. That’s probably our biggest challenge: finding the time to have a dedicated ensemble. Another huge challenge, honestly, is me personally juggling school and my own family and children. I’m not afraid to talk about them – I have a wonderful wife and I could not do what I do if I didn’t have the support of her. Then I have two children, ages five and eight. So that keeps me really busy outside of school. I’m also the voice of the basketball and football teams at the school – I actually coached the football team at freshman, sophomore, and varsity level for the first seven years at the school! CD: Has school administration been consistently supportive of your program there? DG: I have to say that is one thing I’m thankful for. We all scream in public education about budgets. I want more money – everybody wants more money. But I’ve been blessed over the years to have the support of the administration and I’ve had their backing for a long time for a lot of my financial needs. I always want more, but we keep getting new equipment, we’re able to bring in guest artists, and it’s not unlike me to commission a piece of music every year. So the kids are getting experiences that no one else gets.

Gregerman leads his seniors at Niles North’s 21st Annual Vocal Jazz Night. (Photo: Dylan Rice)

CD: The facilities are an incredible example of that. DG: I have a very large choir room that is big enough that my regular concert choir setup is in the room with an area next to it for the vocal jazz group to rehearse, with another room dedicated to sound equipment in our vocal jazz groups. Then I also have seven choral practice rooms – four large ensemble rooms and three small practice rooms for private lessons. One of my large ensemble rooms is dedicated to the rhythm sections, so it has a piano-bass-drums setup so that students can come in any time of the day to come practice as a group or just individually. We set the sound system up and we do a rotation into the main room so that everyone’s rehearsing on the sound system and with the rhythm section whenever they need to. The last part of this whole puzzle, for which we’re waiting for full funding, is a room we’ve built that is ready to operate as a recording studio. The plan is to put a full Pro Tools HD recording system in there. Every practice room will be able to work as an isolation booth to record and work on vocal techniques. I have three students working as sound engineers for us right now. CD: You also have an extensive history of commissioning new pieces for the ensembles. DG: That goes back about 20 years now. Many of those composers are from Western Michigan, but there are also people I knew before that. You meet one person then you meet another. I would go to the IAJE conference every year and got ideas. Now JEN has come along and that helps, so we have connections all over the place and continue to build them. I’m always thinking of my kids first and how I can tap into someone else for them. CD: Is there a point in your program where you felt like it turned from being just a really great program to one that was consistently recognized on a national level as it is today? DG: I can’t say that there was. I think that the kids have always strived to be bet-

ter. I started the group 22 years ago and, every year, I push the kids to be as good as they can and raise the bar a little every year. So it snowballed and got better and better. As the reputation was building after about five years, I was a little tired of turning kids away because so many of them wanted to be a part of it. As an educator I had a problem with limiting kids like that. After

Gregerman directs a concert choir at Niles North. (Photo: Jim Luning).

some talks with administration, we started a second group, which gave more opportunity and also raised the expectations on the first group. Now you had two groups within the same high school – even though the more advanced kids were in the top group, the second group was still competing to be as good as them. On top of that, it allowed kids to get experience. I started a third ensemble 10 years later. All of that has kind of led to the maintenance of the excellence of our program because I’ve created my own training ground. A lot of people don’t have that luxury. They have their one vocal jazz ensemble at the high school, kids try out for that, and that’s it. They have no other opportunity. I’ve got 60 kids in my program training for the next level. I’ve got assistant directors working on all of these ensembles, so I’ve always structured the vocal jazz rehearsals so that all groups rehearse at the same time.

Therefore, I have the freedom to administrate the whole program and drop in on anyone’s rehearsal to see how things are going and mentor the students and, if I need to, the teachers. Each vocal jazz group also has its own rhythm section. They rehearse Tuesday nights and then, on Thursday night, they are on call as we need them for our rehearsal. CD: That’s a lot of work! DG: I can’t complain. We’ve won DownBeat awards here, we’ve performed at all the major conferences over the years like MENC and ACDA and IAJE and IMEA, and you probably know I’m one of the founding members of JEN, which I’m very involved with. In the end, I have a passion in my heart and soul for jazz and love sharing it and talking about it and helping to further the education and expansion of jazz. Choral Director • March 2013

Roundtable: Travel

Trends in in Travel: Tips from the Pros

raveling with a school choral group is an adventure for students, and even more so for the director. From the initial planning phases to hammering down the logistical

details to execution of those plans during the trip itself, directors have their hands full making sure everything goes smoothly at every step along the entire process. There’s also the constant balance of opportunity versus cost: deciding what elements are essential and worth paying for, as well as what can be trimmed to adhere to budgetary restrictions without negatively impacting the overall experience.

For some perspective on the latest trends in choral travel, Choral Director reached out to a number of travel professionals, who shared their thoughts on the most important components to a successful travel experience, tips for keeping costs down without skimping on the experience, as well as what they’re seeing as the latest trends in school music ensemble travel.

Kurt Hargleroad, Festivals of Music Plan ahead. The further out you start the planning process, the more likely you are to get the transportation and attractions that best meet your needs. Communicate directly with the parents concerning the cost of the trip, payment deadlines, and cancellation policies. Use a travel planner: their knowledge and experience are invaluable, especially if something does not go as planned. Be realistic with your time and with your budget. Allow time for traffic and weather issues. The more affordable the trip, the greater num26

Choral Director • March 2013

ber of students can participate. Often the best part of the trip is the group just being together. A pizza party at the hotel can be just as much fun as a sit down dinner in an expensive restaurant. The number of performers in ensembles is decreasing. We are seeing more small ensemble travel such as a jazz band or chamber choir.

coach adds cost to the tour, so the goal is to travel with a full coach-load. Many of our loyal clients continue to tour abroad with us, as they know the huge value these tours add to the future of their program. A consistent international tour schedule is a great recruitment tool for the program, no matter what the level. Today’s tours tend to be shorter in length, but the quality of the programming is still intact. It’s not impossible to plan a tour that fits one’s budget, but it does take careful planning with a tour company that understands the needs of the ensemble.

Rick Dillard, American Classic Tours & Music Festivals The most important components to a successful travel experience include a thorough and patient consultation with the decision maker that matches up the goals and dreams with the practical reality of what the group believes they can achieve. A good discussion with some guidance from a consultant with a background in teaching and experience planning trips with student groups is really helpful. The group needs to have someone (assistant to the teacher or volunteer parent) who is willing to keep financial records and assist in getting payments processed in a timely fashion – keeping the burden off the shoulders of the teacher. Being willing to consider staying a little outside the metro area of the city (as in Newark when going to Manhattan) is a way to save a considerable amount of money. Using public transportation whenever possible, rather than charter buses, and allowing the students to find good food options in a nice and safe mall location can also help the budget. In our area, I find more schools deciding to not travel every year, but when they do, they are making it a bigger trip – sometimes even international.

investment of time and resources. Communicate with your travel planning partner often to be sure you both have an understanding of the budget as well as the educational goals of the trip. But also planning ahead can help you recruit enough students, or allow for time if you need to fundraise. Too little time may not give the financial options to all students who wish to attend. In many cases it is wise to organize and include a team of parents and students who can take ownership of helping you insure a trips success. Here are other tips: • Consider driving instead of flying if time allows. • Prioritize your venues with your travel coordinator weighing cost vs. options. • Consider a day of public transportation in venues such as New York instead of needing to rent a coach. We are seeing a resurgence of the longer trip, and larger numbers of passengers on each trip. The focus of trips has also changed so that the music education curriculum portion of the trip is much more apparent than it used to be. The performance trips are having to conform to points in the state education curriculums. Also, performance opportunities that connect to the venue such as Voices on Broadway or the experience at Third Man Records at Jack White’s live recording studio are gaining a lot of interest. At Voices on Broadway, students have the chance to perform with the real Broadway cast. Third Man Records offers “School Choirs & Bands at Third Man: A Vinyl Recording Experience,” a program that exposes the MP3 generation to the world of vinyl, analog recording, and the recording industry beyond the performance. These types of exclusive programs connect students directly with the artists, making for a truly unique experience.

We’ve heard from a lot of our school groups that some of the best times the kids have take place right at the hotel. So staying in for pool time or a game night with their piers at the hotel is a good substitute for an expensive evening activity, and it can help to save on costs. We are finding that a lot of our performance groups are trending more toward performances with clinics for their ensembles instead of expensive competitions. Economic concerns are also leading toward shorter trips and fewer participants then trips we have had in the past.

Cathy Skinner, Cultural Tour Consultants Organization is very important. Directors should try to designate a tour director to handle the travel details, so the director can concentrate on the musical aspect of the tour. Try to start planning as far in advance as possible to be sure the concert venues and other tour components will be available to your choir.

To keep cost down, maximize the cost of shared tour components, such as the touring coaches, by increasing the number of participants. Listen to ideas and be flexible. We find that choir groups are more interested in spending more time at destinations, town and cities to absorb the culture and learn more, rather than traveling long distances on extended tours in Europe.

Jane Larson, Witte Travel & Tours If this is the first time the music director is planning a tour (and especially an international tour), it is important that he or she does some research and asks for references from colleagues so proposals are requested from companies that specialize in performance tours. Once the music director has selected a tour operator, collaboration and communication between the music director and tour operator is probably the most important key to success. From the very first planning, there needs to be a discussion of the performance and educa-

tional goals-as well as planning a tour that matches the group’s budget. Probably the easiest way to keep costs down is to plan on having a nearly full motor coach and the minimum number of complimentary trips required. If your ensemble is not large enough to fill a motor coach, you may want to consider combining with another group or opening your tour up to supporters. We also recommend having a shorter, all-inclusive experience instead of a longer tour that might include too many options or extras that the students have to pay for on their own. For international travel, often a big cost savings is to travel during spring break instead of summer. I have found that more groups are choosing to cover less ground so that they can have a deeper immersion into the culture. For student groups, performance and educational goals are often equally important. For example in addition to giving concerts and visiting the main sites, a performing group might also want to have an exchange concert with a local choir at the destination or have workshop with a local conductor or composer. There is also more interest in learning about the music history and composers from the destination they are visiting.

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Choral Director • March 2013

Technology: Cloud Sequencing Tools

Sequencing Magic in the

Clouds! by John Kuzmich, Jr.

equencing harnesses the elements of sound. Music sequencers are device or application software that can record or edit music by manipulating note information. Of all the fundamental

areas of music technology, sequencing software is the easiest solution for students who have a minimum of music theory training to use to create music. Ken Johnson, in an article published in Music & Com-

puters magazine way back in 1993, first alerted me to 10 basic ways to use a MIDI sequencer in the classroom: • • • • •

Accompany ensembles Teach composition at all levels Teach arranging concepts at all levels Create presentation tools Teach rhythmic concepts

• • • • •

Teach transcription skills Produce class- and school-wide projects Promote music programs Use as interactive rehearsal tools Create original compositions

Since then, this list has expanded courtesy of two new innovations in the tech world: a plethora of free sequencers and the cloud.

The Cloud Cloud and online technology represents an exciting environment for enhanced productivity and collaboration because it is improving daily and constantly rolling out new features. Google for example, has a number of apps including sequencers that can automatically synchronize data from one computer to the cloud so data files are never out-of-date, regardless of which computer you are working on. Ap30

Choral Director • March 2013

ple’s iWork productivity suite is great for automatically syncing your work to the cloud. Microsoft’s SkyDrive offers a free Office web apps based on their Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, and Word. You can store and access music, documents, movies and TV shows, photos, and personal videos for free.

Free Sequencing Tools Free cloud audio recording and editing applications allow directors and students to create musical compositions online. Aviary Myna is a free web-based audio editor/loop much like GarageBand and can be more approachable than GarageBand and its highly visual interface. Aviary Myna is a flash-based multi-track editor that can record vocals, accompaniments, remix music tracks and audio clips, apply sound effects, and more. Myna comes with a library of riffs from Quantum Tracks that can be used noncommercially, and a few sound effects from other sources. The limits of this app are that you can only lay down ten tracks and have to keep the total playing time under five minutes. Its editing tools are impressive, allowing users to trim, loop, stretch, and reverse audio

clips, while using width-editable loop points and interactive time stretch capabilities. You can easily add fade-ins, fade-outs, pan from left to right, and modify gain over time, again, with editable control points. Plus, you can add non-destructive effects to your audio clips, like Pitch Change, Reverb, Delay, and Parametric EQ. Go ahead and import your own audio files or search one of their provided libraries. Mix it down and export directly to your desktop or publish back to your account. And this tools allows users to share and collaborate with other users. JamStudio.com is another webbased sequencer for music mixing and songwriting, similar to Acid, Acid Pro, Garageband, and Sony Acid. It is an Adobe Flash-based website that allows users to create music with an amazing GUI interface for very intuitive use. JamStudio.com allows users to mix different instruments (guitars, drums, bass, etc.) with simple clicks to create music. Created music tracks can be saved as MP3s or saved online on the site. You can also embed your song, and the entire mixer, into your webpage, where it can then be remixed by visitors to your page. It is available for only a $4.95 month per user, and there are a limited number of grants for schools making this application totally free. Simply click on the grant icon inside the “In The Classroom” icon and apply. For a host of YouTube videos demonstrating this app, go to bit. ly/YfbMlV, where you will find many videos representing different levels of composition. UJAM is a free on-line music-making application that allows anyone to create professional sounding songs easily and quickly. UJAM is cloud-based, and there is no software to download. The site is organized into three sections: “composition,” “select a musical style,” and “share it with others.” You can add customized soundtracks to videos, greeting cards, and slide shows within minutes. Or, this music software can create customized multi-track playbacks faster than ever before. Soundation is a powerful free online audio and voice recorder. This sequencing tool can be used directly from a web browser without any sign

ups or registration. However, you will be required to sign up if you have made a recording and want to save it in the cloud. This free application has the functionalities of a recording studio. In can record tracks and add effects to those recordings. This easy-to-use freeware contains some features that even advanced users may find useful, including an intuitive interface with

audio data. You can use Power Sound Editor Free to record music, voice, or other audio files, edit it, mix it with other audio or musical parts, add effects like reverb, chorus, and echo, burn it to a CD, and post it on the web or e-mail it. mp3DirectCut is a fast and extensive audio editor and recorder for compressed mp3 files. No need to decom-

“Cloud technology has re-invigorated sequencing apps and their hybrid web and mobile versions.” easily recognizable tabs and buttons. You can also edit settings in the application before starting your recordings and alter the buffer size and add plugins to the app for easy recording. Record directly from the microphone input on your computer into a highlighted channel in the freeware studio and enjoy.

More Powerful, Free Sequencing Options The one disadvantage of the more powerful sequencing apps is that they often need to be downloaded, installed, and configured on each computer; cloud sequencers, on the other hand, do not need to be installed and configured on each workstation, making them the simpler choice when dealing with many students and their home computers. Nevertheless, if power and more advanced features are what you’re looking for, here are some choices to consider. Audacity is one of the leading players in this market. It is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It allows you to record live audio, convert tapes and record into digital recordings or CDs, and edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files. Audacity lets you cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together. Built-in effects can remove static, hiss, hum, or other background noises. The features in the new version 2.0 are better than ever. Power Sound Editor Free is a visual audio editing and recording software solution, which supports many advanced and powerful operations with

press your files for audio editing when you cut, copy, paste or change the volume. Using cue sheets, pause detection or auto cue let’s you can easily divide long files. The built in recorder creates mp3 files on the fly from your audio input. Music Editor Free (MEF) is a multiaward winning music editor software tool for recording and editing audio recordings. When editing audio files you can cut, copy and paste parts of recordings and add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction.

Closing Comments Cloud technology has re-invigorated sequencing apps and their hybrid web and mobile versions. Ableton has already taken a step forward in the area of collaboration by offering a function that allows users to share tracks and control who accesses them via an online interface. As ever, improving technology is the driver: better connectivity via standard broadband and mobile connections makes it all possible.

Dr. John Kuzmich Jr. is a veteran music educator, jazz educator and music technologist with more than 41 years of public school teaching experience. He is a TI:ME-certified training instructor and has a Ph.D. in comprehensive musicianship. As a freelance author, Dr. Kuzmich has more than 400 articles and five text books published. As a clinician, Dr. Kuzmich frequently participates in workshops throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and South America. For more information, visit www.kuzmich.com. Choral Director • March 2013

Repertoire Forum: French Texts

Choral Works

With French Texts By John C. Hughes

he French language’s innate lyricism and beauty has inspired generations of composers. Below, I’ve selected some of my favorite settings of French texts for choirs. Of course, I could

not include all my favorites and had to omit Debussy’s “Trois Chan-

sons de Charles d’Orléans,” which are well worth the challenge! While French pronunciation can be intimidating for many of us, valuable resources exist. John Glenn Paton’s new book Gateway to French Diction: A Guide for Singers (Alfred Music Publishing, 2012) is well organized and very easy to use. The book also includes a CD of phrases and song texts spoken by a native French speaker. TWO-PART “En Roulant Ma Boule” arr. Cristi Cary Miller Hal Leonard Easy Christi Cary Miller has created a lively arrangement of this French Canadian song. Verses can be sung in either English or French (or some combination), allowing the performer to vary and adapt the piece to one’s unique situation. The piano part is helpful while still having its own artistic merit. The fast tempo and playful text allow this piece 32

Choral Director • March 2013

to function well at the beginning or end of a concert. A preview of the score and an audio recording are available. goo.gl/qEC2U “J’entends Le Moulin” arr. Emily Crocker Hal Leonard Easy “J’entends Le Moulin” is a famous French Canadian folksong from the Quebec province. The flowing piano accompaniment wonderfully portrays the text, “I hear the windmill (tique tique taque).” The infectious melody and simple harmonies allow emerging ensembles to master this piece, even with its French text. Throughout the arrangement, Crocker alternates between English and French, which helps both the singers and audience follow the story. The score is very useful with IPA guides and information about the folksong. An accompaniment CD is available for purchase. goo.gl/hmdoI

SSA

THREE-PART

“Mes Chants” Victor Hugo, arr. Jerry Estes Shawnee Medium-Easy Jerry Estes adapted Victor Hugo’s timeless text and composed a hauntingly beautiful melody for it. The first and last section has French text, and the middle section has an English text. The descant for select voices allows conductors to feature students. The vocal ranges are appropriate for developing voices. goo.gl/f54e6

SAB “Chantez Alleluia!” Dave and Jean Perry Heritage/Lorenz Medium Also available in a two-part setting, this piece by Dave and Jean Perry is well crafted for developing voices. The repetitive text of only a few words serves as a good introduction to singing in French. “Chantez Alleluia!” has a brisk tempo which is further enlivened by the buoyant piano accompaniment. A score preview and audio recording are available. goo.gl/mu3dA

madrigal choir, a set of these books, while not inexpensive, would serve as a tremendous resource and an investment in the program for years to come. Choose from the myriad of wonderful pieces contained in this collection, including: “Tant que vivrai” by Sermisy, “Bonjour mon cœur” by Lassus, or my favorite, “Revoici venir du printemps” by le Jeune. “J’entends le Moulin” arr. Donald Patriquin earthsongs Medium-Advanced While many people might associate “J’entends le Moulin” with a children’s playsong, Patriquin’s arrangement is quite advanced. Using un-pitched speaking parts, snapping, clapping, and foot stamps, this arrangement is far from ordinary. The easily learned melody makes learning the work accessible for choirs; however, the piano part is quite demanding – so much so that it is printed separately. Feature a wonderful accompanist on this fun piece; just make sure to give it to him/her well in advance! This piece is also available in a two-part arrangement. The choral score, piano part, and full score are sold separately. goo.gl/kFwNx

SATB Oxford Book of French Chansons ed. Frank Dobbins Oxford Medium The Renaissance was a fertile period for composition in France. While many chansons are available for purchase separately, why not purchase a collection of the most popular works from the era? Perfect for high schools with a well-established

John C. Hughes is a versatile choral musician and pedagogue, drawing from experience as a K-12 teacher, collegiate conductor, and church musician. Presently, Hughes is pursuing the D.M.A. in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy at The University of Iowa, as well as serving as music director at The Congregational United Church of Christ of Iowa City. Please contact him directly at his website: www.johnchughes.com.

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Repor t:

The 2013

Choral Directors

of Note

Changing the Culture of Dale Warland

Reper toire Forum

Show Starters

and Stoppers

Professional Cho

irs

Survey: Summer Camps & Workshops

The Impact

of Camps and

Workshops

h, the brisk and invigorating

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chill of winter thoughts to what – what better time to turn our summer has to offer? This recent readers to weigh Choral Director in on the latest survey asked trends in summer both students and educators. camps and workshops for Unfortunately, 75 percent of Most responding readers that “few” or Some “none” indicate 20% camps and workshops.of their students attend Few 66% vocal music Meanwhile, 82 in this poll attend None 9% camps and workshops percent of educators sional and musical development, where for their own profesnew repertoire, they gain exposure camaraderie among are able to learn like-minded people, to new teaching and techniques, among tential benefits. other poEven though only 18 percent of from camps and readers see major workshops translated impact grams, few would deny the potential into their school protion that many for growth and of these offerings provide. And yet, inspirafactors appear to be taking a toll, with a number economic dents pointing noting that a lack of of funding is one responmary reasons more of the pristudents don’t attend. Read on for the latest trends in ing, rejuvenating, these potentially eye-opening – stimulatand fun – summertime ing opportunities. learn24

What proportion of your students attends summer vocal camps and workshops?music Most

None

18%

Some

20% Yes

Few

82%

66%

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Choral Director • March 2013

Exposure to new

Camaraderie

repertoire

of being around

other people

Rejuvenation!

New teaching

who share my

interests

techniques

New vocal techniques

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techniques

Other

We see major benefits

Not much impact at all

18%

40%

Helpful, but not substantial

42%

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