In this issue...
2013-14 AMEA Schedule of Events
Technology in Music - SmartMusic Edition
Tips on Starting a Jazz Ensemble
Pizitz Middle School Band awarded Sudler Cup
All-National Honor Ensembles
Phi Beta Mu “Tips That Click”
Campus Connections
President Sara Womack Greystone Elementary 300 Village Street Birmingham, AL 35242-6447 (205) 439-3200
sara@music org
President, ABA Rusty CoursonSmiths Station Hig P.O. Box 253 Smiths Station, AL 36877 (334) 664-4435
courson.rusty@lee.k12.al.us
Past PresidentSteve McLendonDothan High Sch 1236 S Oates St. Dothan, AL 36301 (dhstigerband@aol.com 334) 794-0146 School
President, AOA Lisa Caravan Auburn University 101 Goodwin Music Building Auburn University, AL 36849 caravanlr@auburn.edu (334) 844-8192
President-Elect
Carl Hancock University of Alabam Box 870366 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (205) 348-6335 chancock@bama ua.edu
Executive Director Editor, Ala Breve Garry Taylor 1600 Manor Dr. NE Cullman, AL 35055 (256) 636-2754
amea@bellsouth net
President, AVA
Jody Powell St. Paul’s Epicopal S 161 Dogwood Lane Mobile, AL 36608 251-463-6961
jpowell@stpaulsmobile.net
EAAdvisor Ted HoffmanUnivesity of Montevallo Station 6670 Davis Music Building 308 Montevallo, AL 35115 (205) 665-6668
ehoffman@montevallo edu
Treasurer Chris Walker Clay-Chalkville Midd 6700 Trussville Clay Road Trussville, AL 35173 (205) 379-3100
christopherwalker@jefcoed.com
President, Higher Education Lori Ardovino University of Montevallo Station 6670 Montevallo, AL 35115 (205) 666-6670 ardovinl@montevallo edu
Recording Secret Carla Gallahan 212 Smith Hall, Troy University Troy, AL 36082 (334) 670-350
cgallahan@troy.edu
President, Collegiate AMEA Ethan Lolley UNA Box 7710 1 Harrison Plaza Florence, AL 35632 (205) 269-9426
ey@una edu
esident, Elem/Gen Karla Hodges Rock Quarry Elementar 2000 Rock Quarry Dr. Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 (205) 759-8347
karlahodges@gmail.com
Now that the school year is beginning, the time has come to refocus our purpose as music educators. One technique used by many to renew enthusiasm for teaching is the refocus method, which is detailed in Suzanne Pitner ’s teaching blog at www teacherwriter net
R – Reflect
Take some time to reflect on the past year What were some of your most successful lessons? Why were they successful? Did I grow as a teacher?
E
Take stock of your accomplishments and be proud of the successes that you attained last year. You are the expert on music education with your students What were you able to teach your students that they couldn’t have achieved without your know-how?
F – Focus
With your successes in mind, determine the next step in your growth as a teacher and the next phase of learning for your students. What do you want your students to accomplish this year under your leadership?
Develop a plan for accomplishing your focus for the year Break down larger goals into manageable chunks until weekly or daily targets emerge Just as the Chinese proverb says, “The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
C
Commit yourself to completing your goals. If you get behind or off track, rework your objectives, but “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize ”
Mistakes will be made. Use the mistakes as an opportunity to model problem solving
Students will be more creative and receptive to all ideas when perfection is not expected or exhibited.
Use surprise to keep stakeholders motivated Employ a new teaching strategy, guest teacher, or technology to keep you and the students enthusiastic about the objectives and ultimate goals
Take a little time to refocus your teaching. It will help you become more effective and efficient in your classroom and your life, as well as the lives of the students that you teach.
As part of my summer refocus, Executive Director Garry Taylor and I spent a few days at the NAfME Leadership Assembly in Washington, D C We met with leaders from other states to share successful ideas and received an update on the new arts education standards We learned about current legislative actions and advocated for music education with Senator Richard Shelby, Senator Jeff Sessions, and Representative Spencer Bachus We toured NAfME headquarter in Reston, VA and spoke with staff members regarding how they could better serve AMEA. We experienced a global perspective of our association and defined areas where we can improve.
An upcoming opportunity for additional refocusing is the NAfME National In-Service Conference at Gaylord Opryland in Nashville on October 27-30 This reimagined idea of a national conference will provide a variety of practical sessions, as well as a multitude of performances, including the All-National Ensembles and the new Disney musical “Tarzan ”
Colin Powell said, “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” We must reflect on our past successes and failures and then, move forward and do great things Take time to refocus
Greetings again from North Alabama!
It is my hope that you all have had wonderful opportunities this summer to promote music education wherever life has taken you! As for myself, this has been a summer filled with unforgettable musical experiences. I had the honor and privilege of joining the staff of the George N Parks Drum Major Academy as a collegiate Impact Team Leader. There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by almost 100 other passionate young leaders who are eager to learn every skill it takes to make them more efficient, productive and successful within their high school bands. Being a college drum major myself at the University of North Alabama Pride of Dixie Band, I thought I knew pretty much what it takes to be successful, but I was humbly reminded that learning never stops. I hope to take some of the information I learned at DMA and use it within my own college band! Use every chance to engulf yourself with musical experiences to keep the learning wheel spinning!
Ethan Lolley - President, Collegiate AMEA
As for NAfME, what a productive summer this has proven to be with the AMEA governing board. I received all collegiate session proposals for the AMEA conference 2014. Along with my fellow collegiate officers, Stacy and Schuler, we chose 10 top-notch sessions, including topics such as passing the praxis, transitioning from college student to teacher, and conducting gestures. Please go ahead and make plans to attend this conference. Many universities offer funding for student organizations. Our NAfME chapter at UNA receives funding in full for our members to attend the conference by the student allocations funding. Look into your university’s student engagement offices and ask!
Now, I am happy to say that planning for the 2013 collegiate summit is in its final stages. We hope to have a certified specialist in the Alexander technique to lead a session, and many useful workshops that benefit choral, instrumental, and orchestral music education students alike! If you have
suggestions, I love hearing your feedback! The collegiate summit will be held November 10 at the University of Montevallo. I would like to ask that every chapter president email me their chapter’s current officers and their contact information, so I can communicate more effectively with each chapter. Like always, contact me anytime with suggestions, questions, or comments. As many of you are soon to be teaching high school band camps across the state or preparing for your own college band camps, I encourage you all to be a shining example of what our state has to look forward to in future music education.
I hope that your summer has been a productive one As your fall semester unfolds, please take time to think about planning for the 2014 AMEA Conference There is a need to elect new officers for the 2014-2016 term. There will be a special meeting to elect officers during the AMEA conference, so please put it in your calendars. On the HED link on the AMEA website, there will be a nomination for officers ballet. The call is for President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, and Research. Please think seriously about donating your time to such an important cause Once nominations are received, I will put forth a formal ballot and we will vote at the meeting. You must be present at the meeting in order for your vote to count Please consider serving as an officer in the HED Division. Without you, there
would be no music teachers. Your voice is important, so please let it be heard
The HED recital was very successful last year, featuring chamber music The focus this year will be works that are appropriate competition pieces for the high school student. These can be pieces from the ABA Approved Solo List, or in the case of vocal or piano, works that are appropriate for competitions such as MTNA Please limit your selections to no more than 8 minutes. For a multimovement work, you may only be able to perform a single movement. Applications will be on the HED link on the website There are only 50 minutes available, so please apply early if you are interested Please remember, that in order to perform, you must be a member of Nafme and be registered for the conference, your collaborators must be as well.
If you are interested in showcasing your chamber ensembles, consider applying for a lobby performance spot. This is a great way to promote your students and university
I look forward to a great year and seeing you at the 2014 Conference!
Jane Kuehne, Research Chair
The Alabama Music Educators Association, Higher Education Division invites research poster submissions from all levels of music scholars and practitioners. Submissions may include completed and in-progress research studies involving any aspect of music (education, therapy, history, psychology, performance, music in higher education, etc ) Research based on issues facing music educators, musicians, and music students in the Southeastern United States are especially welcome, though this is not a requirement.
All submissions should meet the Code of Ethics found in the Journal of Research in Music Education
Research presented at other conferences will be considered. However, previously published work will not be accepted.
Conference Days and Location. The AMEA conference will be Thursday, January 23, 2014 through Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery, Alabama See http://www alabamamea org for more information.
Poster Session Day and Time. Friday, January 24, 2014, 11:30 a m – 1:30 p m
Proposal Submission. Interested researchers should submit a detailed abstract of the research project (up to 1000 words) as a Word or PDF document through our online submission website: http://amea-research org
Deadline. Submissions must be received by 11:59 p m CST on Friday, November 15, 2013 for full consideration.
Process for Review & Notification All abstracts will be peer-revised and authors will be notified of acceptance by Friday,
December 6, 2013 When accepted, at least one of the authors must register and attend the AMEA Conference to present the poster
Poster Dimensions Posters should be professional in appearance and have poster dimensions of dimensions no larger than 36 inches X 48 inches. Presenters are expected to bring 20-30 copies of their research abstract to the session.
More Information. Contact Dr. Jane Kuehne at Auburn University by phone at (334) 844-6852 or by email at kuehnjm@auburn.edu.
As I sit here writing this article, I must stop and think,”Where did the summer go?” I hope all of you have had a wonderful restful summer. Now it is time to start thinking ahead to the next school year
The AVA Summer Board meeting was held in the first week of June in Mobile A lot of work was accomplished through the diligence of all present. Your AVA Board works extremely hard for this organization. It is not only at the meetings, but, most of the time, on their own time. There is always so much to do and so little time to do it All of these folks give of themselves and their time unselfishly to benefit the association Take a little time and thank them for all they do They deserve it!
Looking ahead, we have a fantastic year in store for us in AVA. Fall Workshop will be held September 6-7, 2013 at the University of Alabama’s Moody Music Building in Tuscaloosa. Thank you to Dr. Marvin Latimer for this opportunity This
Workshop is always a great time to rejuvenate your expertise so that you may take the things you learn back to your classrooms. We will have several different types of sessions this year along with the usual All-State reading sessions. J.W. Pepper will be sponsoring a New Teacher Luncheon as well as providing the All-State music packets and a really fine reading packet of music that you can use with your choral groups If you are a new teacher or a teacher that has taught for just a few years, please plan to attend this luncheon
All-State Show Choir Auditions will be held in October as well as our regular AllState Auditions in early November This is an Honor Choir year so we will have our screenings in late November and early December. Also, the OCS/OA/ME auditions will be held during November and December. AMEA is set for January 23-25, 2014 at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery We will hold All-State Show Choir and Honor Choir at this conference AllState is Schedule for April 3-5, 2014 at Samford University in Birmingham During the interim and following AMEA,
each District will hold their Solo/Ensemble and SCPA events As you can see it is going to be another busy year.
As we begin our new year of choral music in our schools, strive to touch each student’s life. It is our duty to develop these students and to set them up for success in life. Choral music is one of the main ways this can be accomplished In the words of John Sykes, President of the popular VH1 television program Save The Music, “In every successful business there is one budget line that never gets cut It’s called ‘Product Development’, and it’s the key to any company’s future growth. Music education is critical to the product development of this nation’s most important resource – our children.”
If you need anything, please contact your District Chair and ask We are all here to serve you Check the website, www alavocal org It will have all of the newest information for you to use I look forward to seeing each of you at Fall Workshop Have a great year! Jody
A M E A P r e s i d e n t s - P a s t t o P r e s e n t
1 9 9 2 D i a n n e J o h n s o n
1 9 9 4 J a m e s K . S i m p s o n
1 9 9 6 J o h n n i e Vi n s o n
1 9 9 8 M i c h a e l M e e k s
9 7 6 S J A l l e n
1 9 7 8 W. F r a n k M c A r t h u r, J r.
1 9 8 0 P a u l H a l l
1 9 8 2 L a c e y P o w e l l , J r.
1 9 8 4 J o h n n y J a c o b s
1 9 8 6 M e r i l y n J o n e s
1 9 8 8 R o n a l d D H o o t e n
1 9 9 0 K e n Wi l l i a m s
2 0 0 0 J o h n M c A p h e e , J r
2 0 0 2 To n y P i k e
2 0 0 4 B e c k y R o d g e r s
2 0 0 6 J o h n B a k e r
2 0 0 8 P a t S t e g a l l
2 0 1 0 S t e v e M c L e n d o n
2 0 1 2 S a r a Wo m a c k
I hope you all are enjoying summer, getting a well-deserved break and are now gearing up for the new school year! As I enter my first term as president, I am thrilled by the increasing string activity across our state. Summer camps such as the Montgomery Music Project Summer Camp, Auburn University String and Chamber Music Camp, Stringfellows Summer Music Seminar and Summer String Camp (Community Music School) at University of Alabama (and any others I may have missed) provide experiences to our young string students to develop their musicianship and build our string community Please look for these opportunities for your students for summer 2014!
We are pleased to announce this year ’s upcoming All State Festival Event Please spread the word to students and teachers after you read so that we don’t miss anyone We have a lot more orchestra teachers and students in the state now and we want to make sure they know about All State. As always, you may also point them towards the website www alabamaorchestraassociation org
We are pleased to announce the repertoire and conductor for the Festival Orchestra James Ross is the Director of Orchestral Activity at the University of Maryland, Artistic Director of the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) and newly-named Associate Director of the Conducting Program at the Juilliard School As always the programming for the Festival Orchestra will be outstanding Mr Ross will be leading the Festival Orchestra in a performance of Overture to Candide by Leonard Bernstein, IV. Allegro energico e passionate from Symphony No 1 by Johannes Brahms and the world premiere of the winning piece from our composition contest
We are excited to continue the expanded Sinfonia Orchestra (includes Winds, Brass and Percussion), which was a resounding success this past year A special thanks to wind, brass, and percussion teachers for encouraging their students to audition and participate in the inaugural year! We are please to announce that Dr John Fetter will be conducting the group this year. He is the assistant professor of music education at the
Eastman School of Music and is the director of the Philharmonia and Sinfonia Youth Orchestras for the Hochstein School of Music and Dance As a conductor, he has worked with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra The program for Sinfonia will be Overture to Rienzi by Wagner (arr by Dackow), Kabalevsky Suite by Kabalevsky (arr Hull), Hungarian Dance No 5 Brahms (ed by Schmeling) and Movement IV. Allegro Moderato from Symphony No. 2 by Sibelius (arr by Leidig)
We are also very excited about our conductor for the Consort Orchestra, Dr James Mick, who comes to us from Ithaca College where he is director of String Music Education and Orchestral Activities. Dr. Mick conducts the Ithaca College Sinfonietta and the music director of the Ithaca Community Orchestra and is wonderful with young orchestras! You can read more about him and our other conductors at the AOA website
To our winds, brass and percussion teachers, please check our website for specific instrumentation, audition excerpts and audition procedures We absolutely cannot make this a success without your students and we appreciate your support in this endeavor If you have any questions at all about All State Orchestra or any of the audition or registration procedures, please do not hesitate to contact me, caravanlr@auburn edu
Please be mindful of the deadline for scholarship assistance for students to attend the festival. If you are in need of financial aid please make use of these funds. The deadline is very strict, October 15th, for all financial aid applications
Back again this year will be online registration for auditions and festival registration at our web site www.alabamaorchestraassociation.org. Here you will find all the latest information for registrations and anything pertaining to AOA Thank you to everyone, especially our brilliant Webmaster Kenyon Wilson If you have suggestions as to how we can improve the registration process or have comments about your experience with it last year please email those to me
For interested exhibitors there are five potential exhibit locations in the Moody Music Building during the Festival Exhibitors may set up any time after 4:00 on Thursday, February 13 and remain until the
concert is over on Sunday afternoon, February 16 This time window is the available time, but exhibitors are not required to be present at all times and may choose to use any periods within this time frame. There will be no reduction in fee for reduced usage. The AOA President, Lisa Caravan, must receive all requests for exhibitor space via email at caravanlr@auburn edu before January 31, 2014 Three prime locations are available in the lobby There is a fee for each spot and use of space includes up to two 6’ tables for two spots and three 6’ tables for one spot. A $100 deposit is required to reserve a lobby spot Two other locations in the building, closer to rehearsal rooms but with less space, will be made available for a reduced price Use of these spaces includes one 6’ table each For more information, please visit our website and click on the 2014 festival link.
To all of our string teachers out there, please plan on attending the annual AMEA conference in January at the Renaissance Conference Center in Montgomery, January 23-25, 2014. We will have Roland Huthmaker present a session on instrument repair, a session by our own Dr Anne C Witt on classroom management systems and routines, two sessions by Gabriel Villasurda, a frequent presenter across the country, who comes to us from Michigan and more! I know we are all busy during the year with many responsibilities, but let’s come together to learn new teaching strategies and to share ideas with one another to build our string teachers’ community We have a growing presence in our state and therefore a responsibility to continue the health of that growth. Let your voice be heard and your presence known. Our general business meeting during this time will be on Friday January 24th 3:30-4:20 in the conference center Please make plans to attend Back by popular demand is the reading session sponsored by J W Pepper and will last for a double session this year. We will read through several titles for string orchestra so please bring your instrument to the conference After our business meeting we will raffle off the titles Entry in the raffle is free but you must attend the meeting to submit an entry
Thank-you as always for all that you do to educate our young string players. It is a pleasure serving as your president and I look forward to an excellent year
Sincerely,
Lisa Caravan
I would like to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve as President of ABA
It is indeed an honor and a humbling experience to be selected to lead our professional organization Many thanks to John Cooper, our immediate PastPresident, for your leadership and guidance over the past two years If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call on me. Just as all of you, I’m teaching throughout the day, but I can assure you that I’ll get back to you as soon as I possibly can You can always reach me through email at courson rusty @lee.k12.al.us, through my cell phone at (706) 289-4721, or my office phone at (334) 664-4435 If you leave a voicemail on my office phone, it is saved as an .mp3 file and sent to me through email as well
A very special thanks to our board members for a very productive summer conference meeting I expect to have more details by the next issue of Ala Breve, but the board voted to contract with Dorian Business Systems (DBS) to bring our technology possibilities into the 21st Century Eventually, we will be able to conduct our all-state auditions, all-state registration at the district and state levels, MPA registration, and solo and ensemble registration completely on line (of course, we’ll still have to physically mail Harry McAfee a check which is obviously an important part of the process!!!). Some of you may be more familiar with DBS through their primary product, Charms Office Assistant, which many of us have utilized with our band programs for several years Be watching for updates
We also owe a debt of gratitude to the outstanding clinicians that presented at our summer conference this year. Dr. Jed Smart, Dr Ken Ozzello and Mr Randall Coleman, Dr. Ward Miller and Dr. Will Petersen, and Mr Terry Ownby presented outstanding clinics with valuable and informative information. In addition, we also need to thank Frank Godfrey and Jeff Therber with DeMoulin Uniforms, Wayne Broom with AWB Apparel, and Paul Freehling with Art’s Music Shop for sponsoring our annual Wednesday evening Social Hour.
I also want to thank our new PresidentElect/Vice-President, Mike Holmes, for all of his help this summer. The music selection committee had an incredibly productive session during our summer
convention, thanks to the leadership of Mike and the assistant chair of that committee, David Allinder In addition, our online directory has not been updated in a number of years, and Mike has been working hard to take care of that If you need to update your personal information and haven’t heard from your district chairman, or you’re a new director, please contact Mike at thetubaman@charter.net with your information
At this point, we are in our second full year of self-published all-state exercises Although all of the exercises for wind players were published on the website just before the close of the 2012-13 school year, our newly created All-State Music Review Committee had recommended revisions on several of the pieces, so all UPDATED exercises are now published and available. If you or your students downloaded the initial publications, please make sure to go back and download the CURRENT and LAST revision to ensure that your students have the CORRECT material
I’m writing this in between making last minute preparations for band camp. We’ve just wrapped up our auxiliary and percussion camps this week, and many of you have already completed a week of band camp as well To those of you like myself that have been doing this for awhile, please remember to be helpful to our other
colleagues, especially those directors that are just entering our profession. To our new directors, WELCOME! With that being stated, please be receptive when others offer you help!!! I can tell you unequivocally that I could not have survived my first years as a band director without the assistance and guidance of SO MANY that were willing to help One thing that I learned early on from my good friend Steve McLendon: During the year, when you’re hosting a home football game, contact the band director at the visiting school and make sure they’re aware of available facilities, directions to the stadium, instructions regarding parking, etc See if your band boosters are willing to provide visiting bands with water after halftime (think about it one less thing to have to load to travel!!!). We try to get enough water donated to get throughout the year to provide for our group as well as visiting bands, so it really ends up not costing our program anything financially Treat directors and those associated with their programs with respect and admiration SO MANY of the world’s problems could be solved if we would simply treat people right Keep that in mind as you progress through the school year I hope all of you have a GREAT year!!!
This month, we are pleased to share an article written by Rho Chapter member Ralph Ford. Mr. Ford is the retired Director of Bands at Troy University and is one of the most prolific and outstanding composers for concert, jazz, and athletic music ensembles. This article appeared earlier in the Ledger Lines newsletter published by Alfred Music.
This was a phone‐in remark from a listener to the weekend big band jazz show I hosted on a local radio station many years ago. In my former life as a college band director, I found that, like programming a good radio show on big band music, finding a balance of fun, effective, easy to put together charts for an athletic band "book" could be challenging. It was important for me to face the fact that musical taste varied widely depending on the venue and the sport (not to mention the age ranges of the audiences) It also occurred to me early on that bands have to compete with pre‐recorded music and advertising over a public address system that can be turned up to eleven (just like Spinal Tap) This planning developed into a system that allowed the band to be flexible with regard to events occurring in real time It also involved teaching all of the student musicians, especially the student conductors, an understanding of the sport being played, a how to read the "room" (players, crowd, etc.) and adjust the bands performance accordingly In order to make this work from year to year, I developed a standard book that was adjusted each year At the beginning
of each year, our staff and students will meet and discuss to retire some charts (those that didn't get the response we had hoped), give some others a year or two off (great charts, but we all need a break), and audition new charts for the marching band folio and/or basketball/volleyball band book Frankly, athletic bands enjoy a high public profile and need to be able to provide a variety of music in addition to the marching competition show book. The charts do not have to be difficult to be effective
Being in a college situation, I was fortunate to have students every year interested in studying arranging (I have also witnessed this in many high school situations, as well) Each student was provided the opportunity to audition charts during the folio/book "reboot" at the beginning of each season, starting with the basketball band book then graduating to the marching band folio if the chart was successful The chart audition process I used on these students is the same process I use for the published charts that I would buy, which provided the majority of music in each book. It is important to note that I continue to impose these guidelines on myself when writing marching and pep band charts for publication.
• Is the song instantly recognizable? (Most of the time, simple tunes need to be played simply ‐ that is, folks don't care for extended harmony in your everyday pop tune)
• Are the parts and score clean? (Easy to read, no complex instructions needed,
• Is it 1:30 in length or less? (Let's face it, attention spans are short. So are time‐outs )
• Can it be adjusted/edited to fit into :30 second segments or less?
• Does it have additional parts for
Rho Chapter has created a free Director ’s Planning Guide to help you plan your way to a successful year! This publication has many helpful suggestions, and has plenty of room for you to add notes or adapt to your individual situation This free and valuable booklet is available on the Alabama Bandmasters Association website (see the sidebar menu) or can be requested by emailing: pemin@mac.com
maximum flexibility? (Keyboard, drum set, electric bass, optional bass clef parts in treble clef)
• Can the chart be played in public on the third or fourth read down? (When you're preparing 20‐30 charts, they need to read down fast and easy)
• Bonus points: does the song transcend age? Jump in the Line (Shake Señora) comes to mind as an example: known by people ages 5 to 85
After the new charts are in place and prepared for public consumption, it is time to watch and read the atmosphere they do or do not create in a real time,
live situation. Those that worked as planned were performed more often, those that did not were placed in secondary mode and tried a few more times to double check their effectiveness.
The strangest story about the short life and rebirth of a chart was my arrangement of Peter Gabriel's cool tune, Sledgehammer. The year I wrote the chart, it failed the basic audition criteria. It was moved to the book anyway where it was met with a total lack of interest by the band and the audience. Needless to,say, that chart was quickly retired. Fast forward ten years: a student librarian discovers
Sledgehammer in the library and asked to add it to the reading session It was an instant hit with the band, the team, the audience...becoming one of the most popular recurring charts for the next ten years! Be flexible, be interested in current music and music trends (stay hip, my friend!), and remember to observe the atmosphere that is created by the band.
Rho Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity is committed to the improvement of bands and band instruction in this state Comments on this column and ideas for future columns are welcome! Please email: pemin@mac com
Greetings to my friends in the Elementary/ General Division of AMEA! It is with great excitement that I write to you today I hope that you all enjoyed a wonderful summer where you took exciting trips, made lasting memories, and had time to relax
Now it is the time of year where we once again reflect on the past and look ahead with anticipation and excitement. I am excited about the upcoming year in the Elementary/ General Division Your board met in June for a Strategic Planning Meeting where ideas were shared to make our division stronger and better You will be hearing more about these great ideas soon Also, this year we have some exciting Professional Development opportunities available for you. On Friday, October 4 we will have the Eighth Annual Elementary Music Festival at Samford University. We currently have 45 schools registered to participate in this exciting event Thank you for supporting this wonderful opportunity for our students, parents, and schools. You will not want to miss the evening concert at 6:30 PM in the Samford UniversityWright Center. This year our conductor is Dr Maribeth Yoder-White who will also be our clinician for the Fall Workshop on Saturday, October 5 at Samford University Dr Yoder-White is a certified Orff-Schulwerk specialist and will be sharing some of her fabulous ideas for the elementary music classroom
The 2014 January In-Service Conference in Montgomery, AL is one that you will not want to miss I am excited to announce that Artie Almeida will be
joining us this year to share her magnificent ideas with us. It has been several years since we have had her present for us and we are thrilled to have her back We will also have with us, Steve Campbell, drummer, educator, and creator of Dancing Drum We will be “Drumming Up Character” with him day and night. Our very own Theresa McKibben will be sharing “A Few of Her Favorite Things” We will also have sessions discussing technology, classroom management, using the guitar in the classroom, advocacy, and lots more! As you can see this year ’s conference will have something for EVERYONE, so go ahead and make plans now to attend.
It is an honor and privilege to serve as your President for the next two years. My goal is to continue the tradition of excellence that has been established before me. I also want to see us grow as a division and become better connected with one another across the state One way that you can help us reach this goal is by attending our Fall Workshop and January Conference You can find out more about these events by visiting www.alabamamea.org and clicking on the Elementary/ General Division link at the top of the page. Alabama is blessed with a talented group of elementary music educators and YOU are one of them. Come and connect with others at these two professional development opportunities that actually pertain to what you teach everyday- MUSIC!!!
As always, I am here to serve you and so are our other officers and division chairs Please do not hesitate to contact one of us if you have a question or if we can be of assistance to you We are stronger as a united body of music educators and together we will make a difference! Have a great start to your school year and I will see you in October!
Upcoming Dates:
• October 4 Elementary Music Festival at Samford Univ. with Dr. Maribeth Yoder-White
• October 5 AMEA/AOSA Joint Workshop at Samford with Dr Maribeth Yoder-White
• October 27-30, 2013 NAfME
National In-Service Conference
Nashville, TN
• November 13-16, 2013 AOSA
National Professional Conference
Denver, Colorado
• January 23 – 25, 2014 AMEA State In-service Conference Montgomery, AL
• March 1, 2014 AOSA Spring Workshop with Brian Burnette
Join us in Music City for a conference that’s designed for you! This year, you’ll have a whole new range of practical sessions to choose from – giving you tools and techniques you can take right into the classroom. Plus, you’ll nd inspiring performances throughout the conference, including music at the Grand Ole Opry House, a performance based on the new Disney musical Tarzan and a special headliner we’ll be announcing soon. Don’t miss this chance to kick up your heels - and get credit for it.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY AT WWW.NAFME.ORG/NASHVILLE2013
Troy University
As a new school year begins, we are grateful to AMEA for providing this opportunity to share information with our music colleagues and music students across the state
A new John M Long Hall for the School of Music is scheduled to open this fall on our Troy University campus This new 8 million dollar facility will serve as “home” to our university bands, university choirs, percussion, and administrative areas in the School of Music.
New Additions to our School of Music
Faculty:
Dr. James Brown is Assistant Professor of Music and Assistant Director of Choirs
Dr Brown brings nearly 10 years of highly successful public school teaching to this position, including 6 years at Pinecrest High School in North Carolina, where choirs under his direction received multiple superior ratings at state, regional, and national competitions. Dr. Brown has a Ph.D. in Music Education/Choral Conducting from The Florida State University.
Dr Brian Nozny is a Lecturer in Music focusing on percussion, music technology, and composition Prior to his appointment at Troy University, Dr Nozny served as Assistant Professor of Percussion at Dickinson State University in North Dakota. His commissioned compositions for percussion have been showcased at PASIC on a regular basis. Dr. Nozny has a DMA in Percussion Performance from the University of Kentucky
Dr. Hui-Ting Yang is Assistant Professor of Piano. Dr. Yang brings 6 years of highly successful university teaching/performance experience to this position Dr Yang has several solo piano recordings released by Neos Most
recently she completed an international recital tour of South Korea. Dr. Yang has a DM in Piano Performance from The Florida State University
Up-coming Annual Events: Southeastern United States Middle School Band Clinic – Dec 5-7, 2013 Contact Dr Mark Walker
Southeastern United States Choral Clinic – Jan 16-18, 2014 Contact Dr Diane Orlofsky
Southeastern United States HS Honor Band/Conductors Clinic – Jan 31-Feb 2, 2014 Contact Dr Carla Gallahan
Special Event: American Bandmasters Association Convention - Montgomery, Mar. 4-8, 2014.
Clarinet Day – Mar. 29, 2014. Contact Dr. Tim Phillips
National Band Association Hall of Fame and New Virtual Hall of Fame
On February 2, 2013 the National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors held its 20th Induction Ceremony in the Hall of Fame on the
campus of Troy University. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic Inductees included Bobby Adams, Ray Cramer, Paula Crider, Thomas Fraschillo, and John Paynter Additionally, a new National Band Association Virtual Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors site was unveiled at the Midwest Clinic in December of 2012. The curator of the virtual Hall of Fame is Professor Robert W. Smith of Troy University. The site may be accessed at www nationalband associationhalloffame org
2014 American Bandmasters Association Convention
Troy University will serve as host for the 80th American Bandmasters Association Convention. The convention will be held at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel March 4-9, 2014. The Troy University Symphony Band will perform as part of this convention
Additional information about the John M Long School of Music may be found at music troy edu We invite you to visit us online or in person soon.
Technology is fast catching up with the rich history of instructional strategies that have been utilized for music instruction for decades. One outstanding example of this can be found with SmartMusic. Currently, the music library available to SmartMusic users rivals that of the finest university music departments The categories are divided into:
• Solos - more than 30,000 solo & ensemble titles.
• Exercises - more than 50, 000 exercises including scales.
• Method Books - 35 popular books for brass and woodwind instruments, 13 for string, 3 for jazz ensemble, and 7 for vocal
• Jazz Improvisation - includes Aebersold tracks
• Concert & Jazz Band, String & Full Orchestra, - thousands of titles ranging from beginning to college level
All of the resources above and more can be acquired for what you would have to spend to purchase just a few method books SmartMusic includes an easy to use tuner, metronome, parent/student assignment
ability to click on a note and have the correct fingering diagram automatically pop up You can also make use of a green cursor that ability to follow the beat to provide a visual reference within the music. For the student of today these tools just make sense
SmartMusic allows for assigning lesson pass offs either from a method book or from your current ensemble pieces Automated rhythm assignments can be made where students clap the correct rhythm as seen on the screen (Our students especially like this tool indicating they feel less intimidated while improving their reading skills ) The student’s grade for that assignment is automatically entered into the grade book. There is also a feature allowing you to export the grade book into an excel file Learning these features is made easy with tutorials and webinars available on the SmartMusic website (Remember to submit the Webinars you attend for professional development!)
Through SmartMusic, assignments can be made detailed or more general depending on what the teacher desires. Playing assignments
without comments This email includes details about the assignment along with how many minutes the student spent working on the assignment in SmartMusic You may select to
notification and reminder tool, grade book, automated or tailored assignment options, and many other features One feature that is especially useful for young players is the
may simply receive a grade from the computer or you may add an additional grade submitted by the teacher upon listening to the recorded assignment Upon grading, an email can be sent to the student and/or parent with or
include a sound file with the email so the parent can hear their child’s performance as well as see a screen shot of the SmartMusic assessment
Through SmartMusic you are able to challenge the highest achieving students while also providing a non-threatening opportunity for those that are behind to catch up The program documents these efforts and automatically notifies parents as well as students SmartMusic brings technology into the music classroom in a way that enhances existing methodologies and bridges tradition with the tools of today. You can find out more about SmartMusic and view resources for demonstrating the program to parents, administrators, and students at www smartmusic com
Linda Bean is in her 24th year as band director at Cullman Middle School in Cullman Alabama The Cullman Middle School Band Course has been recognized internationally by Desire2Learn as one of the top twelve courses in the Teaching and Learning Category Most recently, the Cullman Middle School Band was selected as a presenter to The National School Board featuring the use of technology in the classroom showcasing SmartMusic
The University of Alabama School of Music features degrees in composition, jazz studies, music administration, music education, music therapy, performance, music theory and musicology.
Ensembles Include:
Huxford Symphony Orchestra University Singers
Contemporary Ensemble Opera Theatre University Chorus
Alabama Wind Ensemble
Alabama Symphonic Band
Alabama Concert Band
Alabama Jazz Ensemble
Scan here for more events, news and information about the University of Alabama School of music.
Pizitz Middle School's band program, under the direction of Kim Bain and Leah Seng, has been awarded the prestigious Sudler Cup, considered by many to be the highest honor in the nation available to middle school and high school bands.
"It was wonderful," said Bain, about hearing news of the honor while attending the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. "It was very exciting."
"The students were thrilled," she said, especially after she explained the magnitude of their accomplishment Then, they had a big party
According to the John Philip Sousa Foundation website, the award's administrator, the purpose of the Sudler Cup is to "identify, recognize and honor junior high school and middle school concert band programs that have demonstrated particularly significant high standards of excellence in concert activities over a period of several years "
According to the award's listed criteria, nominations are accepted from any source year-round before being handed over to the selection committee established by the Sousa
Foundation The committee, composed of public school and college-level band directors evaluates the nominations to ensure the programs meet at the very least the following requirements:
• The band must have achieved and maintained a high standard of literature in the concert area over a period of several years
• The concert band will have placed itself in situations where there has been opportunity for evaluation by qualified persons or has been rated "superior" at state, regional, or national levels in concert activities.
• The band should have performed at regional, state, national, and professional meetings of significance These can include but are not limited to state music conventions, regional or national MENC meetings, and state or national band association conventions
• The director must have been incumbent in his/her position for at least seven years, including the current year.
• A number of the students in the band should have participated in district and allstate honor bands or similar all-area groups
• The total program of music should exemplify what is considered a sound viable, music education program for this level of endeavor.
Nominated bands are asked to submit an assortment of materials, including, but not limited to:
• Concert programs covering the previous three or more years
• A recording from the previous year which should include a quickstep type march and at least two other works for band in contrasting styles.
• Press clippings or copies of press clippings.
• Written recommendations from three or more band conductors of recognized national reputation who have heard the band perform recently
As explained on the school's website, historically, the Sousa Foundation has awarded the cup to no more than three schools in any given year since 1986. One year, in 1996, the committee was unable to deem any school worthy of the cup.
AMEA In-Service Conference/All-State Jazz Band
January 23-25, 2014 - Renaissance Montgomery Hotel at the Convention Center
All-State Solo Festival
April 9, 2014 - UAH, Huntsville
District Fall Meeting
All-State Band Auditions
District Honor Band State MPAI State MPA II
Solo & Ensemble Festival
Solo & Ensemble Festival
District Fall Meeting
All-State Band Auditions State MPA
District Honor Band
Solo & Ensemble Festival
Solo & Ensemble Festival
District Fall Meeting
All-State Band Auditions
District Honor Band State MPA
Solo & Ensemble Festival
District IV
District Fall Meeting
All-State Band Auditions
State MPA (Middle School)
State MPA (High School)
District Honor Band
Solo & Ensemble Festival
Solo & Ensemble Festival
District Spring Meeting
District V
District Fall Meeting
All-State Band Auditions
District Honor Band
District Spring Meeting State MPA
Solo
District VI All-State Band Auditions
District VII
All-State Band Festival
April 10-12, 2014 - Von Braun Center, Huntsville
Summer In-Service Conference
June 24-26, 2014 - Hampton Inn and Suites, Orange Beach
August 26 UAH Banquet Hall
January 31 & February 1 Sparkman 9th
February 14-15 Bob Jones High School
February 27-28 Hartselle HS
March 13-14..........................Madison, James Clemens HS
April 5 TBA
May 3 TBA
August 20 Gadsden City HS
January 18 Southside High School
February 26-28.........................................Gadsden City HS
March 14--15 Albertville High School
April 21 Oxford High School
May 4 Arab High School
August 17 Smith Lake
January 18 Muscle Shoals High School
February 21-22 Hanceville, Wallace State
March 4-6 UNA
May 3 UNA
September 19
Hoover High School
January 18 Hoover High School
March 4-6 Hewitt-Trussville High School
March 11-13 Homewood High School
April 4-5 Homewood High School
April 22 Homewood High School
May 3 Bumpus Middle School
May 19................................................Hoover High School
August
February
February 21-22
February
February
March
April 22
January 18
February 21-22
March 11-12
District VIII
Fall Workshop - September 6-7, 2013 - University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
All-State Show Choir Auditions - October 10-12, 2013 - UAB, Birmingham
All-State Show Choir and AMEA Honor Choir at AMEA Conference - January 23-25, 2014 - Renaissance Montgomery Hotel at the Conference Center
All-State Auditions (You may register at any site)
October 31 & November 1 - Central Baptist Church, Decatur
November 2 - Florence Middle School, Florence
November 3 & 4 - Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Alexandria
November 5 & 6 - Northport Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa
November 7 - St. James School, Montgomery
November 8 - Springhill Baptist Church, Mobile
All-State Festival - April 3-5, 2014 - Samford University, Birmingham
District I
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship
State Choral Performance Assessment
Solo and Ensemble Festival
District II
District III
District IV
District V
District VI
District VII
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship
State Choral Performance Assessment
Solo and Ensemble Festival
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship
State Choral Performance Assessment
Solo and Ensemble Festival
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship
State Choral Performance AssessmentSpring
Solo and Ensemble Festival
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship
State Choral Performance Assessment
Solo and Ensemble Festival
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship Music Ed State Choral Performance Assessment
Solo and Ensemble Festival
Honor Choir Screening
OA, OCS, & Music Ed Scholarship State Choral Performance AssessmentHonor
Fall Solo & Ensemble Festival Spring Solo & Ensemble Festival
November 14..........................................................................TBA
November 21..........................................................................TBA
March 17.............................................Southside Baptist, Decatur
March 18...............................................................UNA, Florence
March 18...............................................................UNA, Florence
November 14..............................Tuscaloosa County High School
November 21..............................Tuscaloosa County High School
February 20-21.....................................................UA, Tuscaloosa
February 20-21.....................................................UA, Tuscaloosa
November 12................................Bluff Park UMC, Birmingham
November 18................................Bluff Park UMC, Birmingham
February 24, 25 & 26 ...................Bluff Park UMC, Birmingham
February 26 ..................................Bluff Park UMC, Birmingham
November 21...........................................Alexandria High School
November 14...........................................Alexandria High School
March 13...............................Golden Springs Baptist, Alexandria
February 27........................................................JSU, Jacksonville
November 21..........................................................................TBA
November 14..........................................................................TBA
March 3 & 4...........................Columbia High School, Huntsville
April 28 & 29.............................Willowbrook Baptist, Huntsville
November 21.............................................Montgomery Academy
October 30.................................Tallassee High School, Tallassee
March 18.......................................First Baptist Church, Tallassee
March 18.......................................First Baptist Church, Tallassee
November 21....................................St. Paul’s Episcopal, Mobile
December 2.......................................St. Paul’s Episcopal, Mobile
February 20.............................Springhill Baptist Church, Mobile
November 14...........................Springhill Baptist Church, Mobile
February 20.............................Springhill Baptist Church, Mobile
October 4, 2013 Elementary Music Festival, Samford University, Dr. Maribeth Yoder-White
October 5, 2013 Joint AMEA/AOSA Fall Workshop, Samford University, Dr. Maribeth Yoder-White
October 27 - 30, 2013 NAfME National In-Service Conference, Nashville, TN
November 13-16, 2013 AOSA National Professional Conference, Denver, CO
January 23 - 25, 2014 AMEA Conference, Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center
March 1, 2014 AOSA Spring Workshop with Brian Burnette
are pleased to announce THE FIFTH ANNUAL AUBURN UNIVERSITY SYMPHONIC HONOR BAND FESTIVAL FOR JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADES 6-9
February 6-8, 2014
THE TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL AUBURN UNIVERSITY SYMPHONIC HONOR BAND FESTIVAL FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADES 9-12
February 13-15, 2014
Please place these events on your calendar now!
Deadline for nomination forms: November 15, 2013
AMEA recently launched an Industry/Institutional membership drive and would like to express appreciation to the following partners who have already joined AMEA in our efforts to promote music education in Alabama Please support these industry/institutional members who support you as music educators!
Art’s Music Shop, Inc.
3030 East Blvd. Montgomery, AL 36116
www.artsmusic.com
Gadsden Music Company
P.O. Box 132
Gadsden, AL 35902
www gadsdenmusic com
AWB Apparel
206 Potomac Ct. Woodstock, GA 30188
www.awbapparel.com
Group Travel Network, Inc.
410 N. Dillard St.- Suite 104 Winter Garden, FL 34787
www grouptravelnetwork com
Eastman Music Company
2158 Pomona Blvd.
Pomona, CA 91768
www.eastmanmusiccompany.com
Marchmaster, Inc.
P.O. Box 73379
Newnan, GA 30271
www marchmaster com
Mouchette Enterprises, Inc.
P O Box 394
Northport, AL 35426
Sunburst Indian River Citrus
49600 Meadow Brook Rd Birmingham, AL 35242
www.sunburstplus.com
University of South Alabama
LPAC 1072, 5751 USA Drive, S Mobile, AL 36688
www.southalabama.edu/music
Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade –ALL-STAR Band
Marching Bands are a very integral part of every successful parade The pageantry, music selections, colors, marching style, and auxiliary contributions, displayed by marching bands, help create a stunning presentation
Of course the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade (The Nation’s oldest Thanksgiving Day Parade) is no exception, as numerous qualifying high school, college and specialty bands apply
for the coveted fifteen marching band positions each year.
Since the three hour live television broadcast is a very complex mix of entertainment, gigantic balloons, magnificent floats, stars, and special production numbers, they are limited to the number of marching bands that appear in the parade These limitations have historically prohibited the appearance of marching bands that have a participant count of less than 125 members until now Introducing the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade ALL-STAR
Band!
The ALL-STAR Band is open to units of 40+ members that will combine with other marching units to create a massed band like no other.
Bands from all over the world are encouraged to apply, regardless of style (i.e. Dance, Military, Drum Corps style, Traditional, Scottish, etc). Variety in marching band styles is an important ingredient to our overall parade presentation.
Band directors & Travel Planners/Tour Operators are encouraged to contact
The National Association of School Music Dealers (NASMD) held its annual convention March 13-16 at the Hyatt Regency Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX. NASMD members are school music retailers, manufacturers, and service providers who share a passion for helping school music students make music. Each year the convention provides educational sessions covering virtually every item of importance to a school music dealer: leadership, marketing, sales, personnel management, financial management, and much more
The convention is also a great way for members to network and to exhibit their "road rep prowess," as demonstrated by Art's Music Shop's participation and success in a couple of the forums presented, plus the fourth annual NASMD Road Rep Olympics The Olympics measure the "really" important skills of being a quality road rep Dealer road representatives from across the country competed to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies, plus a chance to win a Rock-nRoller Multi-Cart, which was donated by Ace Products to all the first place winners Competitions included the Road Rep Obstacle Course; Emergency Repairs, using only a pencil and a paper clip; Van loading and Schlepping; and Rep-ardy, a trivia game following the Jeopardy! format.
Several road reps from Art's Music Shop placed high and/or won awards in the various Olympic-style challenges. Greg Garrett won for Best Emergency Repair, using only a pencil and a paper clip, while Dick Turner placed first in the Road Rep Obstacle Course. Heather Ransom placed in the Van Loading and Schlepping competition, a category she has won each of the two previous years, and Greg
Faulker excelled and won first prize in the trivia challenge, Rep-ardy
Also during the three day meeting, Art's own Mike Hamilton's contribution to the fast-paced Best Ideas for Road Reps, topped the list The Best Ideas session is where members share tips and tricks in only two minutes on how to better provide top notch school service Lastly, Art's Music Shop manager Jessica FreehlingKazzie was recognized for the input she provided during the How to Make the Most of Rental Nights roundtable.
The 2014 NASMD convention will be held April 2-4 at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando, Florida
like a glove If you’re looking for a jazz shoe that will last for an entire season then look no further than the Ever-Jazz dance shoe
Contact Marchmaster at 800-816-2263 or visit our website at www.marchmaster.com.
For
Marchmaster Inc has two new shoes avaialble through DSI
The Velocity Marching Shoe
The all new Velocity marching shoe from DSI features all the comfort and durability of premium marching shoes but at a more attractive price. Currently worn by Carolina Crown, the Velocity features a thinner sole with “hidden tread” for a sleeker, dancier look. The perforated side panels on the napa upper allow your foot to breathe yet remain low profile so they appear invisible while marching
Since all DSI shoes have soles that are sewn to the upper (rather than glued) you can feel confident that they will last longer than any other brand of marching shoes
The Ever-Jazz Dance Shoe
Finally, a washable dance shoe for outdoor or indoor use! The new Ever-Jazz shoe from DSI was designed for dancers by dancers. It’s split sole design allows for maximum flexibility and helps you achieve the perfect toe point. Made from a micro-fiber blend, the Ever-Jazz is machine washable and will fit your foot
Got music education questions? Want some expert advice?
NAfME offers this exciting free benefit to members throughout the school year. NAfME members visiting the band, orchestra, chorus, jazz, inovations, guitar, general music, composition, and Collegiate networks can get expert advice in answer to their questions.
The NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles represent the top performing high school musicians in the United States In October, the ensembles will perform in Nashville, Tennessee at the NAfME National In-Service Conference. We are pleased to announce the following student musicians from Alabama have been selected:
Sam Ardovino, Concert Band, Trumpet - Thompson High School
Danielle Bentley, Mixed Choir, Alto - Oxford High School
Hayden Courington, Mixed Choir, Bass - Saraland High School
Maggie McGuire, Mixed Choir, Soprano - Holy Spirit Catholic School
Ryan McKinney, Concert Band, Tuba - White Plains High School
Charlie Mercier, Concert Band, Trombone - Chelsea High School
Kayla Moyers, Concert Band, Flute - Buckhorn High School
Matthew Tyree, Mixed Choir - Tenor - Oxford High School
Xu Yan, Symphony Orchestra, Tuba - Chelsea High School
AMEA Young Composers Application Form
Hall of Fame Nomination Form
Barbara Odom Distinguished Service Award Nomination Form
Outstanding Administrator Award Nomination Form
Outstanding Music Educator Nomination Form
Outstanding Young Music Educator Nomination Form
Call for Sessions Form
Conference Performance Application Form
Industry/Institutional Membership Application Form
Greetings! I hope everyone had a relaxing summer and a great start to the school year. In addition to marching band, fall is the time to help your students prepare for the all-state jazz ensemble auditions Please check the ABA website for audition requirements and registration information Students have to perform a recorded audition, which consists of two jazz standards (which includes some improvisation), an etude, and some scales I have tried to make the improvisation as logical and easy to understand as possible this year Students should be able to improvise with just a few scales, so please don’t let your students get intimidated by the improv component We have 2 high school and 1 middle school all-state jazz ensembles in Alabama Last year we had over 120 students audition for the bands, I would like to see this number grow substantially this year, so please encourage your students to audition for the band
----Remember to allow enough preparation time to get recordings completed and mailed by November 1, 2013
If you have never had a jazz ensemble at your school, try finding some time to start one this year It is a great musical outlet for your students, and it is something they all enjoy In addition, there are always performance opportunities for a group like
this at the school or in your community.
1. Try not to be intimidated by it. Your band does not have to be as good as the Buddy Rich band the first year, and you don’t have to be an improviser like John Coltrane to have a great jazz band. There is a wide range of jazz charts on the market from various publishers that serve as great training pieces for young bands For example, many of the charts available in the Kjos catalog have great teaching aids that include help teaching style and improvisation. Much of the improvisation in these charts can be done with one or two scales or modes, which are explained clearly in the chart I have found that once students start improvising like this, they are less intimidated by it, and they will often seek out opportunities to learn more about improv and build their skills-they just have to be exposed to it
2 Just a few well-written charts will work to start off. Don’t feel like you have to have 300 charts in a folder You can have three or four pieces with varying styles that will make a great concert
3 When will we rehearse? Rehearsal time is sometimes a problem for jazz bands as very few schools have the perfect scheduling situation that allows jazz band to rehearse as a full class during the school day I’ve rehearsed during school, during lunch, during study hall, during academic opportunities, after school, and before school, but I’ve never had a problem getting kids to commit to coming to jazz band rehearsal It is usually more work on the part of the director, but the rewards are great-and the students will appreciate the extra time you put into the program
Where do I go for help? There are plenty of band directors throughout the state that have great jazz programs and would be willing to give you advice on getting one started at your school. Please contact me if I can help, and if I can’t, I’ll put you in contact with some directors who can.
5.You don’t have to have perfect instrumentation ANY INSTRUMENT CAN PLAY JAZZ. Many of the charts being written today have parts that will work with any band instrument, and many also work with incomplete instrumentation Two of the best jazz players I’ve taught in my career were a horn player and a flute player It’s ok to have non-standard instrumentation in a jazz band
6 Teaching Listening Much of the way jazz musicians learn style is through listening to and collecting lots of jazz. Youtube and iTunes offer great opportunities for this Youtube in particular is a treasure chest for jazz enthusiasts There are videos there of live performances from all the great artists. Jazz is popular in America, but it is really popular in Europe, and many of the great American jazz artists went to Europe to perform and these performances are all over Youtube You can see Count Basie’s band play April in Paris, or Bill Evans play Waltz for Debbie and share these artists with your students in a way that was not possible 20 years ago Also, with the resurgence of Vinyl lately, there are millions of great recordings at thrift stores and flea markets all over the place. Here is a small list of some great jazz artists and significant recordings that your students will enjoy listening to: Miles Davis: Kind of Blue & Sketches of Spain; Bill Evans: You Must Believe In Spring & From Left to Right; Stan Kenton: Live at Redlands University; Harry Connick Jr : Soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally; Jay Jay Johnson: Say When & Jay and Kai +6; The Mingus Big Band: Essential Mingus Big Band; John Coltrane: John Coltrane Gold & Blue Train; Woody Herman: Giant Steps; Anything by Duke Ellington The Glenn Miller Orchestra (many of the famous big band era recordings are accessible to students) All of these are available on CD and with iTunes, they can have them before they get to next period
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance to you in any way with your jazz programs, and I hope you will encourage your students to audition for the all-state jazz ensembles I wish everyone a great school year.
This comprehensive education tool brings harmony training, rhythm training and ensemble timing together in one convenient educator resource. It enables music educators to clearly demonstrate for students how to tune individual notes within chords, so that entire chords may be tuned. The HD-200 Harmony Director helps musicians understand how their parts fit into the complete harmony of the ensemble.
Thanksgiving Day 2014 will mark the first ever “Official” All-Star Band for The Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. Contact us today to GUARANTEE the opportunity to showcase your band’s talent on a national stage, in front of millions of viewers!
Universal STARS Performance Program is the music performance program that puts your group in the heart of non-stop excitement and unparalleled entertainment. Universal Orlando offers you a once-in-a- lifetime experience and one-of-a-kind thrills… before, during and after your performance.
Don’t miss your group’s chance to perform in the Macy’s Holiday Parade™ at Universal Studios Florida®! There will be daily performance opportunities for your performance group select nights in December 2013 and 2014.
There’s nothing more exciting, or more magical, than performing on a Disney stage in front of an international audience. Disney Performing Arts OnStage sets the standard for which all other performance opportunities are measured. Expose your group to the highest level of performance excellence, as well as a taste of show biz – Disney style.
