October/November 2015 Ala Breve

ala breve

The Official Publication of the Alabama Music Educators Association

October/November 2015

Conference Issue Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser

Chris Woodside

Boston Brass

www.alabamamea.org

ala breve

October/November 2015

the official publication of the Alabama Music Educators Association Features...

8

AMEA Governing Board Directory

10

2016 Conference Quick Facts

10

ABA Legislation

12

Phi Beta Mu “Tips that Click”

20

Campus Connctions

23

2016 Conference Clinicians

28

2016 Conference Featured Performers and Speakers

33

2016 Conference Performers

39

2016 Conference Schedule

44

AMEA Governing Board Meeting Minutes

45

Proposals to Revise the AMEA Constitution

46

Educating Those Ears by Nate Buonviri

48

The Smartest Thing I Ever Did... by Matthew Spieker

50

Schedule of Events

52

Creating a Positive Solo and Ensemble Experience by James Mick and David Pope

55

2016 AMEA Conference Pre-Registration Form

56

AMEA Industry Members

57

Straight Talk for Music Teachers... by Charlene Ryan

59

FAME Registration Form

60

Choral Reviews by Diane Orlofsky

Departments...

6 .....................President

Advertisers Index

10 ..........................HED

American College of Musicians.................53

Samford University........................................19

13 .............................AVA

Arts Music Shop, Inc.....................back cover

Smoky Mountain Music Festival ..............36

14 ...........................ABA

AU Bands - HS Honor Band ........................12

Tempest..............................................................13

AU Bands - MS Honor Band........................38

UA Bands...............................................................4

AU Music Department ..................................63

UA School of Music.........................................61

AWB......................................................................21

UNA Department of Music..........................27

Gadsden Music Company...............................9

University of Montevallo.............................15

Group Travel Network ....................................2

University of South Alabama Bands.......37

Huntingdon College Bands .........................62

University of South Alabama Music........54

John M. Long School of Music (Troy)........3

Yamaha................................................................11

14...........................Jazz 16...........................AOA 18 ..................Elem/Gen 18 ..........Past Presidents 22....................Registrar 22 ...................Research ala breve

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Carl Hancock, AMEA President

The 2015-2016 AMEA Governing Board, resolute to put more professional into professional development.

Dear Friends and Colleagues, It’s hard for me to contain my enthusiasm for our upcoming Professional Development Conference. Since joining the National Association for Music Education as a college student 27 years ago, I’ve participated in conferences as a learner, panelist, clinician, and speaker. Whatever my role, I leave conferences primed, connected, and knowledgeable of the remarkable strides our profession has made. So, my excitement for the 2016 AMEA Professional Development Conference (January 21-23, 2016, in Montgomery, Alabama) should not come as a surprise, especially in my current role as president.

So, let’s talk about our upcoming conference!

Highlights of the 2016 Professional Development Conference, “We are all teachers, we are all students!”

Alabama’s Music Educators are renowned for participating in professional development.

Whether attending organized clinics or participating in informal dialog, we have a thirst for learning and collegiality, which is why, at our 2016 conference, we are inviting everyone to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Alabama Music Educators Association! There has never been a better time to reach out to our colleagues, especially those who have not attended our conference in a while. The AMEA has changed significantly, and the 2016 conference illuminates the future of our organization and honors our past accomplishments.

Professional Performances. The world-renowned professional brass quintet, the Boston Brass, will headline our conference. On Thursday (January 21), they will dazzle us with an opening-night concert for all registered conference attendees. Additional tickets will be available to schools and other organizations. On Friday (January 22), they will present a clinic and return to the stage as guest performers with the Oak Mountain High School Band and Alabama Wind Ensemble. Hosting our first world-class professional ensemble at our state conference is a testament to the growth of our organization. I hope you will join me in welcoming the Boston Brass to Montgomery.

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Keynote Speakers. By your request, we invited two keynote speakers. On Thursday morning, you will experience the entertaining insights of the legendary “Dr. Tim” Lautzenheiser. If you have ever had even a moment of doubt about being a music educator or need a reminder of the joys of teaching music, he can easily reignite your passion and purpose. On Friday morning, political and advocacy guru, Christopher Woodside, from the National Association for Music Education, will “walk us through” the brilliance of NAfME’s Broader Minded™ music advocacy campaign and present an update on our progress with lawmakers in Washington DC. New Music. Our publisher-sponsored reading band will return this year under the baton of composer Brian Balmages, who will also meet with winners of our Young Composers Competition and present a session on selecting literature for bands and orchestras. Speaking of excitement, I am excited to announce that the AOA arranged for a publisher-sponsored reading orchestra, which will be conducted by noted composer, pianist, actress, and conductor Soon Hee-Newbold.

Featured Clinicians. In addition to these spotlights, our division presidents invited clinicians from across the country to participate in our conference. Joining us this year are Dr. Jeffrey Benson, Director of Choral Activities at San José State University; renowned Canadian music specialist, Denise Gagné; and former AMEA President and distinguished educator, Becky (Rodgers) Warren.

This provides a small snapshot of what the 2016 AMEA conference has to offer. Many of our friends and colleagues are preparing sessions and performances that will make you proud to be a music educator. I encourage you to take a moment to read the conference schedule in this issue and make plans to attend the 2016 Professional Development Conference.

Online registration is conveniently located on our website. Visit http://www.alabamamea.org for more information.

For your consideration…a new AMEA position, the Executive Director.

As I peruse this issue of the Ala Breve, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride about the pages stitched together especially for you, the

committed music educators of Alabama. From the stimulating original articles to informative division announcements to the exciting conference preview, every page represents our values and aspirations as an organization. The quarterly publication of the Ala Breve is a part of our culture and heritage. Not long ago, I decided to read past issues from as far back as 1984, and it is clear to me that throughout our journey as a profession, the Ala Breve has been there to chronicle our progress and forecast upcoming challenges. It is a valuable resource that can be used to inform our present-day decisions. When you think about the hours of labor that go into producing the pages found in just one issue of the Ala Breve, it is easy to overlook the fact that this quality publication has been compiled by one person, our Executive Director and Editor, Garry Taylor.

Background. Our association has not always enjoyed the privilege of a dedicated Executive.

In the 1980s, the AMEA struggled with the notion that we needed an employee to assist our organization; after all, music teachers are renowned for putting in extra hours. At the time, we were a small association struggling with the growing pains of exploding membership and demands for superior professional development. Also, we were directly involved in significant legislative efforts in Montgomery. Our forbearers realized that while our elected AMEA officers were excellent leaders, as full-time educators, they needed someone to attend to the daily needs of our association in order to truly achieve the organization’s goals. So, they consulted with other state music education organizations across the country, especially in the South, and found kindred groups that were experiencing similar growing pains. Many decided to employ a staff dedicated to carrying out logistical demands. Many more decided to employ a fulltime executive manager. After much debate, and assurances from the AMEA leadership, we decided to employ a part-time Executive Secretary, which, in the 1990s, transformed into our present-day, part-time, position known as the Executive Director. The ED serves to carry out the duties assigned by the Governing Board, facilitates the preparation of our professional development conference, administers the business affairs of our organization, and serves as the “go-to” person for all members of our association.

We are a large and active association. Today, the AMEA is a celebrated and much larger organization than it was in the 1980s.

According to active member data from NAfME, seven out of every ten Alabama music October/November 2015

teachers hold membership, which means we have the third highest percentage of market penetration of all NAfME state affiliates (70%)!

In addition, a rank order of active NAfME members across the US indicates we are the 19th largest state music education organization. When we look at indicators compiled by the AMEA, we see that over the past five years, our professional development conference has grown at an astonishing rate. Last year, our conference was the largest we have ever hosted as an organization with more performing groups, sessions, vendors, and attendees than previously recorded. And yet, all of this growth is managed by one incredibly competent person, our Executive Director, Garry Taylor.

Assessment of Executive Director workload. A couple of months ago, the Governing Board asked the ED to log everything he does for the AMEA, and needless to say, the list of daily tasks and responsibilities we saw was overwhelming. From negotiating contracts with vendors, to editing our state journal, to maintaining records for our organization, to organizing our annual in-service conference, to coordinating matters with the national office, to maintaining membership records, to implementing the initiatives developed by the governing board, the ED is a one-person administrative office, public-

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relations machine, and so on. Historically, the AMEA Executive Director was considered a part-time position, yet, present-day demands reveal the ED carries full-time responsibilities.

When I spoke with the leaders of other state music education organizations, many were shocked to learn we accomplished so much without a dedicated staff.

Development Conference. I think you will agree that this proposal is proactive and designed to ensure the stability of our organization. It is exciting to think about how far we’ve come as an organization. Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts, ideas, feedback, and suggestions. I can be reached at 205-657-2624 or by email at alabamamusiceducators@gmail.com.

The problem and proposed solution. So, we have a problem. And it is one that is easy to fix, but it will require some courage and your support.

Here is the problem. Each of our divisions has a president and a president-elect, which in my mind, is a healthy redundancy. Interestingly, the most important managerial position in our association, the Executive Director, does not have a comparable backup to rely on. After talking with the Governing Board, we concluded that we need an “understudy” who can assist in the management of our association and serve as a “backup” in case of an emergency. We also need to provide the ED with additional support to facilitate the continued growth of our Association. On page 45 of this issue of the Ala Breve is a description of our proposed Assistant Executive Director position and associated constitutional amendments. As an organization, we will vote on these additions to the constitution at the 2016 AMEA Professional

Conclusion I want to thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your President. It brings me great pleasure to represent our association and music educators of our great state. I’m looking forward to seeing you in Montgomery!

Carl B. Hancock, President Alabama Music Educators Association

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AMEA Governing Board 2015-2016

Past Pr esident Sara Wo mack Greysto ne Elemen tary Sch ool 300 Vil lage Str eet Birming ham, A L 5242 ( 205) 4 39- 3200 saratwo mack@ gmail.c om

nt Preside ncock Carl Ha labama ity of A Univers 0366 Box 87 35487 osa, AL Tuscalo 48- 6335 ( 205) 3 .ua.edu @bama k c o c n a ch Preside nt, ABA Michea l Holme s Mounta in Broo k Junio School r High 205 O v erbrook Rd. Birming ham, AL 35213 ( 205) 8 71- 3516 x8525 thetuba man@c harter.n et

A ent, AO Presid r chrade Sarah S 2221 P.O. Box 6 L 3653 Foley, A 5 5 8 28-2 om (334) 7 yahoo.c @ h a r a s _ t burkar

nt, AVA Preside vis Carl Da hool High Sc Decatur rive ospect D 1011 Pr 01 A L 356 Decatur, 7 m 59- 040 mail.co ( 256) 5 llen@g e y r e m e carlbeth

e sentativ y Repre r t s u d n I t ightfoo Becky L p sic Sho Arts Mu d st Blv .

3030 Ea L 36116 mery, A o tg n o M -2787 op.com 334/271 musicsh ts r a l@ becky

t nt-Elec Preside mith Susan S ool mes Sch Saint Ja oad ughn R 6010 Va L 36116 mery, A Montgo rg stjweb.o ssmith@

Treasur er/Regis trar Pat Steg all AMEA Registr ation PO Box 3385 Muscle Shoals, A L 356 pstegall 61 @mscs .k12.al. us

AMEA Collegia te A d v Ted Ho isor ffman ucation Univesit her Ed ig H y of M o , t n ntevallo Preside Station 6670 ingara James Z Davis M usic Bu ilding 3 UAB Montev 08 nter allo, AL lsey Ce 35115 231 H u ( 205) 6 L 35294 65- 6668 gham, A in m ir B ehoffma n@mon - 7376 tevallo.e 05) 934 2 ( du du @uab.e jzingara

Garry Taylor, Editor & Advertising Manager 1600 Manor Dr. NE Cullman, AL 35055 (256) 636-2754 amea@bellsouth.net

Execut ive Dire ctor Editor, Ala Bre v e Garry T aylor 1600 M anor Dr. NE Cullma n, A L 3 5055 ( 256) 6 36- 2754 amea@ bellsou th.net

retary ing Sec Record allahan Carla G ith Hall 212 S m iversity Troy Un 36082 Troy, AL 7 0 - 3 502 ( 334) 6 y.edu an@tro cgallah

Preside n t, A M EA Coll Thad W egiate alker Univers ity of M ontevall ( 205) 6 o 36- 0756 jwalker 14@for um.mon tevallo.e du

Preside nt, Elem /Gen Cliff Hu ckabee The Mo ntgome ry Acad Lower S emy chool C ampus 1550 P e rry Hill Road Montgo mery, A L 36106 334- 462 - 3790 cliffhuc kabee@ gmail.c om

ADVERTISING & COPY DEADLINES Fall - August/September (Back to School) issue: July 15 Winter - October/November (Conference) issue: September 15 Spring - February/March (All-State) issue: January 15 Summer - May/June (Digital Only) issue: April 15

Unless otherwise indicated, permission is granted to NAfME members to reprint articles for educational purposes. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of AMEA or the Editor. All announcements & submissions are subject to editorial judgement/revision.The Alabama Music Educators Association is a state unit of NAfME: The National Association for Music Education, a voluntary, nonprofit organization representing all phases of music education in schools, colleges, universities, and teacher-education institutions. Active NAfME/AMEA membership is open to all persons engaged in music teaching or other music education work.

Ala Breve is published four times a year (August, October, February & May) by the Alabama Music Educators Association and printed by Hardwick and Son Printing in Dothan, Alabama.

Subscription for members is $4.00 per year as part of annual NAfME/AMEA dues. Subscriptions for non-members is $15.00 per year. Bulk rate postage paid at Dothan, Alabama.

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August/September 2013

James Zingara - President, Higher Education Division Dear Colleagues, I hope that the new fall semester is treating you well. This edition of Ala Breve is dedicated to the annual AMEA Conference in January, and I feel that this year’s sessions are not only interesting but are also quite eclectic as they cover a broad spectrum of topics including teacher education, music business, music technology, and applied music. Many of these sessions are in themselves eclectic, as they address multiple areas of content as well as overlapping into the interest areas of other AMEA Divisions. As with last year, I am glad to see that we have presenters representing a large cross-section of higher education institutions throughout the state of Alabama: Auburn University (Jane Kuehn), the University of Alabama (Ellary Draper), the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Denise Gainey and Scott Phillips), the University of Montevallo (Ted Hoffman), and the University of North Alabama (Daniel Stevens). I would also like to take this opportunity to thank fellow HED officers Becky Halliday (President–elect) and Mildred Lanier (Secretary-Treasurer) for their assistance in the session selection process.

One of our priorities this year was the inclusion of our community college

colleagues into Higher Education Division activities at the AMEA Conference. I am happy to announce that we will take a large first step towards this goal by offering a session by Mildred Lanier, faculty member at Jefferson State Community College and HED Secretary-Treasurer entitled The Musician/Performer as Sole Proprietor. Mildred will also be our liaison to bring community college groups in to perform at the HED Student Recital.

We will also continue the HED Panel Discussion (The Breakdown Between the Higher Ed Classroom and First Year Teacher Experiences ) with a session that focuses on the perceived “knowledge gap” between graduating student expectations and actual performance in initial positions. Our main objective is to establish better lines of communication between Higher Education faculty and fledgling music educators in the field in order to better prepare students for the challenges that they will face in their first jobs. We have assembled a great faculty panel including Dr. Becky Halliday (University of Montevallo), Dr. Brian Kittredge (University of Alabama at Birmingham), and Dr. Anne Witt (University of Alabama). Joining us will be four first and second year music educators from around the state. I would like to encourage the HED membership to submit specific questions and discussion points; you can send these inquiries to our HED e-mail: ameahed@gmail.com.

As I mentioned in the August column, the 2016 HED Recital will again consist of student ensembles led by our HED membership. The idea here is to provide your chamber ensembles with the opportunity to perform at the state conference as a noteworthy and prestigious endeavor. If you would like to have your group perform, please send an e-mail including your proposed program information (title, composer/arranger and movement titles) and personnel list to ameahed@gmail.com by November 1st, 2015. In addition, please mark your calendar for the HED Luncheon, which will be held on Thursday, January 21st at 12:00 p.m. This will be where we will hold our meeting for the nomination and election for the offices of President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer. If you would like to attend the luncheon, please reserve your spot by sending an e-mail to ameahed@gmail.com by December 1st, 2015.

I am greatly looking forward to the 2016 AMEA Conference and having the opportunity to reconnect with my HED colleagues from around the state. Please do not hesitate to write me if you have any questions or ideas concerning the future activities of the Higher Ed Division. In the meantime, please accept my best wishes for a rewarding and successful fall semester!

2016 AMEA Professional Development Conference Quick Facts l 70th Anniversary of AMEA! l Dates: January 21-23, 2016 l Location: Renaissance Montgomery Hotel at the Convention Center and the Embassy Suites Hotel (across the street) l Special Performances and Clinic by the Boston Brass l Two dynamic keynote speakers - Chris Woodside and Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser l FAME applications are due by January 8. Visit the AMEA website to register online or print the form on page 59. l Pre-register on-line (www.alabamamea.org) Or print and mail the pre-registration form on page 55 of this issue. l Reserve a room at the conference rate: Click on the link on the main page of the AMEA website. Or, call 800-266-9432 (Renaissance) 334-269-5055 (Embassy Suites) code AME. 10

October/November 2015

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Phi Beta Mu

Tips That Click

Balance and the Band Director The focus of this issue’s article is to provide some techniques to help maintain a proper balance of work and “life”. Every year it seems we lose too many promising music teachers in this state. Often, the ones that choose to leave are successful or on the verge of reaching big pinnacles in their careers. The reasons for this phenomenon are varied, but frequently the underlying reason has to do with burnout or lack of personal satisfaction.

Having a properly balanced lifestyle would probably help many to keep a healthier perspective on their teaching and give them more years in their chosen profession. I asked three highly regarded directors to share some thoughts with us and there were glad to give some great counsel.

Dr. David Spencer recently retired after serving as the Band Director of the highly accomplished Huntsville High School Band for thirty-four years. He also performs in the Huntsville Symphony and serves as the Artistic Director and Conductor of the acclaimed Brass Band of Huntsville. His advice to us is very simple, but sometimes hard for us in the profession to execute: “You have to learn to say NO and when to say it.

When we first moved to Huntsville, I played with a big band and the symphony. With rehearsals for these groups plus my band obligations, it was not unusual for me to be away from home at least three evenings each week, leaving my wife alone at home with young children. This was not a very fair situation and fortunately things played out to where I was able to adjust the schedule of these outside activities and find more time for my family! You have to look at your priorities 12

and be sure to keep your values in order by not taking every opportunity that comes along.”

Dr. Mark Walker is the Director of Bands at Troy University where he oversees and plays a very active role in all areas of that dynamic band program. Previous to his work in higher education, he was a very successful teacher in the public schools of Texas, so he understands the demands of a high school and middle school teacher and the need for balance. He shares some very useful information: “While the job and your band is important, you have to put your family first. I struggled with that early in my career and only lately have I been able to find a better balance.

You also have to have time for hobbies and other interests outside of your job. That way, you can recharge your batteries from time to time and remain fresh for your band. Finally, you can't get everything done in one day. If you don’t finish something up, it will be there tomorrow. Take time for yourself and your loved ones.”

David Raney is the Director of Bands at Sparkman High School in Madison County.

This program is one of the largest and most active in the state and has outstanding achievements in both ensemble and individual assessments. David has been a District Chairman and has also served ABA as the web master of ABAfest.com. His wife, Regina, is the Band Director at Cedar Ridge Middle School and an outstanding teacher in her own right.

David speaks very candidly about his philosophy about maintaining proper balance and offers some specific suggestions to assist us: “The following three things are items I wish I had focused on early in my career but now feel are the foundation to my marriage with Regina. Note: Both Regina and I had failed first marriages for different reasons.

The following items were not present in my first marriage: 1. Christ is at the center of our marriage. We know that when we work long hours and become frustrated with the circumstances concerning our jobs we have a foundation of trust and forgiveness that is rooted in our faith.

2. To not include your partner with your work, which is a large part of your life, can become toxic to a marriage. Most of our jobs require long hours and without including your spouse they soon become an outsider to your life.

3. Utilize time together when you are not working. Find a hobby you both can do like riding motorcycles or playing tennis and plan to do those things every moment you have available. Allow yourself an opportunity to enjoy your spouse as much as you enjoy teaching music.

I am very blessed to have married up to a person that is faithful enough to trust me during the long hours, forgiving enough during the stressful times of year, and smart enough to be a mentor to me in my own profession.”

These are very wise and powerful words from three music educators that have had a great deal of success in their careers. I hope we can all follow their example and strive for balance in building a career and our lives outside of teaching.

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 October/November 2015

Carl Davis- President, Alabama Vocal Association I hope your year is off to fine start. We provided a quality in-service experience at the Fall Workshop. Dr. Debra Spurgeon presented four sessions that addressed 1) Improving the Sound of Your Chorus; 2) Selection of Literature; 3) The Arrangement of Ensemble Members; and 4) Reading Session. I also want to thank Dr. Marvin Latimer for providing a really thoughtprovoking session concerning physical expression during performance. I want to also thank Mr. Chip Colee and First Baptist Church for hosting the Fall Workshop.

All attendants were given an opportunity, during the in-service, to enter their biographical information on the AVA Membership Database—an activity that is required this year before you can participate in an AVA event. If you have not registered yet, please go to the AVA website and enter your biographical information. Click the “Member Enrollment” link on the home page.

Registrations are processed in the order received and your registration is not considered received until you register on the database. This will provide us a yearly up-to-date mailing list which we can use to more effectively communicate with the membership.

communicate if you have extras that can be used to complete a quartet.

Dr. Jeffrey Benson of Diablo Valley College will present three sessions. His sessions will address: Saying What We Mean, Not Just Saying What We ‘Say’ -Feedback in the Choral Rehearsal; Conserve, Love, Understand, Teach: Doable Masterworks for Your High School Chorus; and a Reading Session.

I congratulate all who submitted an application to have ensembles perform at the AMEA conference. We are testing a new performance venue in Ballroom A. This has allowed flexibility in the scheduling and has

allowed us more performance slots. I encourage you to think this year, as concerts approach, of making quality recordings of your ensembles and use them to apply for an AMEA conference performance.

Communication within our organization is important. Interact with your district chairman, communicating with him/her any needs you have. I look forward to seeing you in Montgomery.

Thank you in advance for all the time you are spending in preparation for the upcoming All-State Show Choir and All-State Choir Auditions. The All-State Slide Show that was presented at the Fall Workshop is available on the AVA All State page on the website. Pay special attention to the eligibility of your students when registering them for the particular ensembles. Conductorsubmitted links to YouTube performances, as well as technical instructions of eligibility, and part splits contained in the PowerPoint are also on the website and can be accessed with a provided link.

Pre-registration is now open for the winter AMEA conference. Dr. Tucker Biddlecombe from Vanderbilt, who served as a clinician last year, will serve as the conductor of the AVA Honor Choir. I encourage you to give your students the opportunity to participate in the AVA Honor Choir.

Should you need help filling out a quartet, please communicate with your district chair.

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Micheal Holmes - President, Alabama Bandmasters Association

The Process: Moving Forward

Marches, Sinatra, an Alabama-born clarinet soloist, and “Lincolnshire Posey” were all on the menu, and we all left full. This was definitely taxpayer money well spent.

(stay in step) We all have different perspectives on where we are at varying times throughout the year.

Beginning band members are mastering opening a clarinet case without spilling instrument parts all over the floor. They are learning how to enter the band room, where to put their stuff, how to sit, breathe, and hold an instrument properly. Excitement and enthusiasm levels are high for both students and instructors. Second and third year students are getting back in shape; some preparing for pep rallies or the occasional middle school football game, Veteran’s Day programs, and holiday concerts. They really love those pep rallies. Visit any high school campus for a little ESPN, a variety of “show” music, and you may even have an opportunity to “Stand Up and Get Crunk” (that one always makes me cry). Many of my colleagues have also been working on music for their Fall Concert during band class while “cleaning” the marching band show in the afternoons. This time of year working 40, 50, 60+ hours a week are routine for directors and students alike. Homework, after school practice, part-time jobs, and all of the other activities available keep our students busy from breakfast to bedtime.

Both student and teacher love the band experience. That’s why we keep coming back for more.

My high school diploma is a vocational diploma with an emphasis in carpentry. But that didn’t matter. I so loved my experience in band that a couple of months before graduation I knew I wasn’t ready for it to end. So, to whom did I go for direction? My band directors, Johnny Jacobs and Michial Mayhall. They made a call and by the middle of the next week, I was auditioning for a scholarship with Dr. Jimmy Simpson who was then band director at The University of North Alabama. The rest is history. You mean the world to your students. If you work as hard as they do and are honest and fair with them, they will never let you down.

If things aren’t always working out as planned, take a look in the mirror. It’s usually on us and our students are counting on us to right the ship when needed. And we will because we are band directors, and that is our “Super Power.”

What a great month September has been in Alabama.

Two “President’s Own” performances on school campuses at Florence and Homewood. Thanks to the band staffs (should that be staves?) at both schools for hosting. I had the pleasure of attending the concert at Homewood High School the night before I completed this article. Those Marines did not disappoint.

From Mark Foster, Jazz Chair...

Please check the ABA website for audition requirements and registration information for the 2016 All-State Jazz Bands. We will have three high school bands again this year (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) and one middle school band.

We had 177 students audition for the bands last year, and I would like to see this number grow substantially this year. Please encourage your students to audition for the band.

Students perform a recorded audition on CD, which consists of two jazz standards (including some improvisation), an etude, and several scales. They should be able to improvise with just a few scales, so please don’t let your students get intimidated by the improv component. Remember to allow enough preparation time to get recordings completed and mailed by November 6, 2015.

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“The President’s Own” Marine Band performs at Homewood High School

This issue of Ala Breve will be filled with schedules, biographies, registration forms, and all manner of information needed to prepare you for the AMEA In-Service Conference in January, 2016. Please make every effort to attend. As you read this issue, you will become better informed of all that is offered in the way of clinics, business meetings, and performances. ABA will have numerous performances and clinics to present. Renew your NAfME membership now if you have not done so. Please do not wait until the AMEA Conference in January to renew as this creates delays in the on-site registration and pre-registration pick-up process.

Check the AMEA/ABA website regularly.

You will find needed forms, All-State Band audition requirements and etudes, Cumulative Music list, ABA Directory, District and State Calendar, and other useful and needed information.

Check the abafest.com site weekly for announcements and calendar updates. Your ABA state officers and district officers will be using this site to keep you informed as well as have you register for events such as All-State and MPA. We are just getting started. I hope to see you at Midwest and AMEA. Keep it going for your students and DON’T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!

October/November 2015

COLLEGE of FINE ARTS

DEPARTMENT of MUSIC COLLEGE of FINE ARTS

DEPARTMENT of MUSIC AUDITION DATES: NOV. 14, 2015 JAN. 30, 2016 MARCH 12, 2016

For more information, visit www.montevallo.edu/music

AUDITION DATES: NOV. 14, 2015 JAN. 30, 2016 MARCH 12, 2016

For more information, visit www.montevallo.edu/music

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Sarah Schrader - President, Alabama Orchestra Association Why do we need to make connections with others in our own area of expertise? Is it to form friendships, have someone to call on for a favor or help land a job? All of the above and more! Everyone knows this, so why am I writing about connections today? I want to show you how being active in AMEA and your smaller branch, AOA (or any others for that matter) can be a great way to make connections and help you accomplish your goals.

I recently moved from Auburn, where I was VERY involved in music education in the community and music at church to Baldwin County. We moved because my husband accepted a new job in the area. My family has strong ties to this area and it is THE BEACH, so we were excited to move, but it was hard for me to give up all that I did in Auburn, especially the teaching. I wanted to get involved in my new community teaching, but didn’t know exactly how to do that.

When thinking about how to get started, I remembered that I met and spoke many times to the director of the Baldwin County Youth Orchestras, Leroy Hughes, at AMEA Conferences. Luckily for me, he felt it important to take advantage of the AMEA conference offered to our members, so I met him and now I have a small connection to my new area. I then google searched the youth orchestra and found his contact e-mail to send him a note that I would be moving to

the area and oh yeah, do you remember me?

He did, and agreed to meet with me to help me figure out how I can start fitting in to my new community. It just so turned out that his organization received a grant to provide instruments and teachers for afterschool

Connections and

AMEA

programs in elementary schools around Baldwin County this year. He was looking for teachers, and here I was ready to get involved. The timing worked out perfectly. I am now teaching two string classes at a local school and loving being in the classroom again. I know this doesn’t seem like much, but I only wanted to teach a little bit (which is a blessing that music education allows us), so I could focus more time and energy on raising my precious 2 year old boy.

Without this connection I made through AMEA conferences I wouldn’t have been awarded the opportunity to be a part of something so amazing in Baldwin County.

Thank you Mr. Hughes and other AMEA members for supporting our organization and making connections count!

members at our conference are not just to help with gaining employment, but also for friendships, favors, and help. I have been blessed to know so many people who are willing to help AOA when we are promoting activities, need advice, for friendships, and favors! My connections have been great this year in helping with favors needed to make our All State Orchestra Festival great! We rely on many people to help out with judging and sectionals to provide the best experience for the youth of Alabama and for your help I am very grateful. AMEA conferences are a breath of fresh air away from students. It is the best place to come and catch up with old college friends, colleagues, and meet new members. I am always so refreshed and energized to return to teaching after a conference. It is one of the highlights of my year!

I encourage each of you to attend the annual AMEA conference and if you know someone who hasn’t attended in a while or ever, bring them along. It is so important for us to make those connections that are vital to making our lives whole as music educators.

For AOA, this year is one you do not want to miss. We will have the opportunity to meet world renowned composer Soon Hee Newbold! I hope to make connections with all of you at our AMEA conference in January!

Connections you make with other AMEA

AOA Upcoming Events 1.

All State Audition Results Posted:

2.

Deadline for All-State Scholarship Applications December 1, 2015

3.

All State Festival Registration Deadline:

December 1, 2015

4.

AMEA Conference:

January 20-23, 2016

5.

All-State Festival:

February 11-14, 2016

6.

AOA Music Performance Assessment:

April 22-23, 2016

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November 16, 2015

October/November 2015

2016 Alabama All State Orchestra Conductors Festival Orchestra Peter Bay became Music Director and Conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 1998.

He is also Music Director of the Hot Springs Music Festival in Arkansas, and Conductor of the Big Sky Festival Orchestra in Montana.

Maestro Bay has appeared with seventy different orchestras including the National, Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, Syracuse, Tucson, Virginia, West Virginia, Colorado, Hawaii, Jacksonville, Richmond, Sarasota, Alabama, Arkansas, Canton, Eugene, Fort Worth, Springfield, Chattanooga, Bochum (Germany), Carinthian (Austria), Lithuanian National, and Ecuador National Symphonies, the Minnesota and Algarve (Portugal) Orchestras, the Louisiana, Buffalo, Rhode Island, Tulsa, Fort Wayne, Reno and Las Vegas Philharmonics, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eastman (Argento’s Postcard from Morocco) and Aspen (Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe) Opera Theaters, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center. Summer music festival appearances have included Aspen (CO), Music in the Mountains (CO), Grant Park and Ravinia (IL), Round Top (TX), OK Mozart (OK) and Skaneateles (NY).

Peter is the primary conductor for the ASO’s performances with Ballet Austin. He made his Austin Lyric Opera debut in January 2002 with André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire, conducted Verdi’s La Traviata in November 2002, Puccini’s Turandot in November 2003, and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in April 2005.

Other positions held by Mr. Bay have included Music Director of the Erie Philharmonic, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival (CO), Britt Festival Orchestra (OR), and four different conducting posts with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony in Virginia. Bay and the Austin Symphony Orchestra have released a CD of Edward Burlingame Hill’s music on the Bridge label, and with the Richmond Symphony he recorded the US premiere performance of Britten’s The Sword in the Stone for Opus One Records. Voices, featuring the percussion ensemble NEXUS and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, is on the Nexus label. ala breve

A native of Washington, DC, Mr. Bay is a graduate of the University of Maryland and the Peabody Institute of Music. In 1994, he was one of two conductors selected to participate in the Leonard Bernstein American Conductors Program. He was also the first prize winner of the 1980 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Young Conductors Competition and a prize winner of the 1987 Leopold Stokowski Competition sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra in New York. In July 2012 he appeared in Solo Symphony, a choreographic work created for him by Allison Orr of Forklift Danceworks.

He is the conductor of Hanan Townshend’s score to the motion picture The Vessel released in 2015.

Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education, and Florida Music Director. Dr. Pope has served on the Florida Orchestra Association’s Executive Board and been a leader in the American String Teachers Association by serving as the President of the Florida State University ASTA chapter and on the Tennessee Board of Directors. Dr. Pope received the Distinguished Music Educator Award (2015) from the Yale Symposium for Music in Schools and was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Music Educator Award (2009) for the state of Tennessee.

Peter is married to soprano Mela Sarajane Dailey and they have a son, Colin.

Kirsten Marshall, Director of the Orchestral Program and violin instructor, is on the faculty of Ithaca (NY) Talent Education (ITE), as well as part time lecturer in violin performance at Ithaca College. Ms. Marshall received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) with majors in violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy. Ms. Marshall also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Case Western Reserve University, with an emphasis in strings. Her conducting studies were with David Einfeldt (Hartt School of Music, Connecticut), Carl Topilow and Louis Lane (CIM). She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society.

Sinfonia Orchestra David A. Pope is Director of Orchestras at Elyria High School and Northwood Middle School near Cleveland, Ohio. In addition, he serves as the conductor of the Camerata Orchestra at Case Western Reserve University. Previously, Dr. Pope directed orchestras at Manatee High School (FL) and in the Maryville City Schools (TN). He also served as the Associate Conductor of the Sarasota Youth Orchestras, the Executive Director of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras, an instructor for the VanderCook College of Music, and on the orchestral librarian staffs at the Aspen Summer Music Festival and Spoleto Music Festival USA. Dr. Pope received his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, master’s degree from the University of South Carolina, and Ph.D. in Music Education from Florida State University. Currently, Dr. Pope serves as a senior conductor and co-director of Florida State University’s Summer String Orchestra Camp. As an active adjudicator and clinician, he has conducted numerous all-state orchestras, regional honor orchestras, and served as a guest clinician for various orchestra programs throughout the United States.

Dr. Pope has presented string pedagogy clinics and his research at state, regional, and national conferences. His research has also been published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, String Research Journal, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education,

Consort String Orchestra

Ms. Marshall conducted the 2014, 2012 and 1998 Suzuki Youth Orchestra of the Americas at the biennial Suzuki Association conference in Chicago, Illinois, as well as conducting the faculty orchestras for the piano soloist in both the 2008 and 2010 national conferences. An avid supporter of contemporary music, Ms. Marshall conducted and produced two premiere string orchestra pieces on a CD released by ITE (Bach to the Future). She is an active performer in the Ithaca area and is a member (David and Lesli Sagan chair) of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Ithaca’s professional ensemble. In 2003, she cocommissioned and premiered a new sonata for violin and piano by Robert Paterson.

Additionally, she composes for string orchestras. Ms. Marshall is frequently sought after as a clinician specializing in youth orchestras across the United States and Canada. Her high-energy style blends humor and passion, engaging both players and audience in riveting performances.

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Cliff Huckabee - President, Elementary/General Division As I type this message, we are just weeks away from our tenth annual Elementary Music Festival and our annual fall workshop on October 9th and 10th in Birmingham. I am excited that so many of you are bringing your students to participate in this wonderful festival. We also welcome our new festival directors, Ben & Kristina Sisco. They have done a fabulous job organizing and promoting our festival. We have several new schools participating, and it is going to be a great weekend for our students and teachers.

Our festival will include two great clinicians, Mrs. Tiffany English and Mrs. Andrea Coleman. I am excited to hear the two fabulous children’s choirs perform on Friday evening at beautiful Wright Center on the campus of Samford University. We thank Samford University for their support and generosity in making this festival possible. We also thank Dr. Moya Nordlund for her partnership with us. She has retired from Samford but has continued to work with us to coordinate this year’s festival. Mrs. Tiffany English will also present the following day at our Saturday fall workshop at Gwin Elementary School in Hoover. It will be a fabulous weekend to celebrate elementary music education!

If I don’t get to see you at the fall workshop,

I hope I will see you at our January conference. The 2016 AMEA Conference will be held in Montgomery again this year, and this is a conference you will not want to miss. Pre-registration is now open at www.alabamamea.org and you can reserve your hotel room at the Renaissance or Embassy Suites as well. Our conference this year is going to have a wide range of sessions that will include something for everyone.

We welcome Denise Gagne from “Theme & Variations” to Alabama as one of our main clinicians. She will present several sessions on Thursday and Friday along with a special fun evening folk dance session on Thursday night. She was with us many years back in Tuscaloosa, and I use many of her resources in my own classroom. We also welcome Roger Sams from “Music is Elementary” as our second main clinician. He will be presenting throughout the conference and will also have an evening fun session on Friday night. Both Roger Sams and Denise Gagne will have booths in our exhibit hall bringing more elementary music resources to our exhibits.

We will also hear from several of our own elementary division teachers including Tiffani Stricklin, Kelly Hollingsworth, and Jeanette Shorey. We will have two elementary choral sessions following the two keynote presentations on Thursday and Friday mornings with the Boaz Intermediate Honor

Choir, under the direction of Miriam Richey, performing for us on Thursday; and The Kitty Stone Elementary Singers, under the direction of Lisa Gillespie and Cheryl Wight, performing on Friday. Other sessions will be presented by Quaver Music, ChordBuddy, and many more. This will be one of our best conferences yet! I want you to be a part of the action so get pre-registered today!

If you are not receiving emails from the Elementary Division, I would love to add you to our email list. Just send me an email and I will add you to our email list: elementaryamea@gmail.com I look forward to seeing you and learning together at our upcoming events.

Respectfully Submitted, Cliff Huckabee Upcoming Events NAfME 2015 National In-Service Conference Nashville, Tennessee October 25-28, 2015 AOSA 2015 Professional Development Conference San Diego, California November 11-14, 2015 AMEA 2016 In-Service Conference Montgomery, Alabama January 21-23, 2016

AMEA Presidents - Past to Present 1946 Yale H. Ellis

1970 Jerry Bobo

1992 Dianne Johnson

1948 Walter A. Mason

1972 Frances P. Moss

1994 James K. Simpson

1950 Vernon Skoog

1974 George Hammett

1996 Johnnie Vinson

1952 John J. Hoover

1975 Frances P. Moss

1998 Michael Meeks

1954 Lamar Triplett

1976 S. J. Allen

2000 John McAphee, Jr.

1956 Carleton K. Butler

1978 W. Frank McArthur, Jr.

2002 Tony Pike

1958 Mort Glosser

1980 Paul Hall

2004 Becky Rodgers

1960 Wilbur Hinton

1982 Lacey Powell, Jr.

2006 John Baker

1962 Lacey Powell, Jr.

1984 Johnny Jacobs

2008 Pat Stegall

1964 G. Truman Welch

1986 Merilyn Jones

2010 Steve McLendon

1966 Jerry Countryman

1988 Ronald D. Hooten

2012 Sara Womack

1968 Floyd C. McClure

1990 Ken Williams

2014 Carl Hancock

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October/November 2015

Offering undergraduate and graduate programs in music education, performance, composition, and music and worship

Audition and Interview Weekends for Prospective Music and Theatre Majors November 13–14, 2015 February 5–6, 2016 February 26–27, 2016 Forms and additional information are available at www.samford.edu/arts

Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Employer.

Produced by Samford Office of Marketing and Communication

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Campus Connections...

News and Happenings from Alabama’s Colleges and Universities Colleges and universities are encouraged to submit newsworthy material and announcements for publication in Ala Breve faculty. We offer exciting opportunities for Department of Music at Samford. To celebrate, Alabama State University performance and music education majors, as well as the Division of Music has a spectacular lineup of for students majoring in other fields who wish to events, including a November 17 concert featuring Recent Student Activities participate in classes and ensembles.

The our combined choirs and orchestra presenting the Ezra Joshua Smith, a senior BA voice major, placed department strives to achieve and sustain excellent Mozart Requiem. In addition, the Division of Music third in the collegiate division at the Gulf Coast standards of performance, creativity, pedagogy, will host world-renowned artists through the Davis Steinway Society Piano & Voice Awards Festival research and scholarship in music. Many of our Architects Guest Artist Series. This series will with the premier Takács held on September 12, 2015 on the campus of the talented faculty members have achieved national begin recognition for their accomplishments. We Quartet on September 29 in Brock Recital Hall, University of Mobile. appreciate the opportunity offered here by AMEA followed by the Arianna String Quartet with Israeli pianist Einav Yarden on October 29. Surrounding Joycelyn Bradford, a senior BA violin major, and to share information with you. these concerts are recitals by Samford faculty Corelia Davis, a junior BA/BME piano major, were Demondrae Thurman selected as a violin/piano duo for the Music We are delighted to announce that Dr. Michael members Mountain Festival held on August 20-24, 2015 in Pendowski has been appointed Assistant Professor (euphonium), Brian Viliunas (clarinet), Brad Lakeville, Connecticut. The weeklong workshop of Saxophone and Jazz. He holds the Doctor of Diamond (tenor), Ryan Beach (trumpet), and featured coaching sessions led by members of the Music Arts degree in Jazz Studies and Jeffrey Flaniken (violin) with Angela Flaniken Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of (viola) and Don Sanders (piano). Interspersed Harlem String Quartet.

Music and will continue his outstanding work with between the Davis Architect Series and faculty our jazz ensembles and saxophone students. Dr. recitals are concerts featuring Samford’s A Cappella ASU Around the Globe Nikki Gross joins our faculty as Assistant Director Choir, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Dr. Doug Bristol, professor of theory, had of Athletic Bands. She holds degrees from the various chamber ensembles.

Impetuous Encounter for sopranino saxophone and University of West Virginia and the Doctor of brass quartet, performed at the World Saxophone Music Arts degree in conducting from the Off the stage, Samford’s music faculty is engaged in Congress in Strasbourg, France on July 10, 2015. University of South Carolina. We are thrilled to an extensive curricular project that will include a Members of the brass faculty at ASU, including Dr. have these two outstanding faculty members in the revision of all music degrees. The curricular revision is part of a larger project within the School Carly Johnson (trumpet), Dr. Brenda Luchsinger Department of Music. of the Arts to bring students from all artistic (horn), Dr. Doug Bristol (trombone) and Dr. Jeremy Crawford (tuba) traveled to Strasbourg for At Auburn we provide a nurturing atmosphere that disciplines together in an innovative, creative, provides opportunities for individual attention and entrepreneurial arts core from the freshman to the French premiere. regular performance for students. Our department senior years. Finally, this fall the Division of Music Dr. Adonis Gonzalez Matos, professor of piano, is growing and the quality of students continues to welcomed its first cohort of students into the served as adjudicator and clinician at the Lyceum improve. Encourage your students who are Master of Music degree with a concentration in Mozartiano de la Habana Festival Y Concurso de interested in Music or Music Education degrees to Voice Performance. This new degree complements Piano Musicalia 2015. Gonzalez also recently schedule an audition through our website at: existing graduate programs in church music, music . . ⁄ . Audition dates are: Feb. 13 and 20, education, and piano performance and pedagogy. appeared as soloist with the Orquesta Sinfonica 2016 and visits to our campus can be arranged any Nacional at the Sala Avellaneda del Teatro Nacional For a full listing of all recitals, concerts, and other in Havana, Cuba on a nationally televised time. events through the Division of Music at Samford performance of the Prokofiev third piano We will hold our annual Middle School Honor University, visit arts.samford.edu/ concerto.

Band on February 4-6, 2016 and the High School music.

2016 ASU Honor Band & Honor Choir Festival Honor Band on February 11-13, 2016 with an option for honor band participants to audition as The John M. Long School of Music The 2016 High School Honor Festival for grades 9- music or music education majors on Thursday, Feb. Troy University 12 will be held on February 26-28, 2016. The 11. Find information at: http://band.auburn.edu/ annual event features a weekend of rehearsals and event/honor_bands/index.htm.

We are grateful to AMEA for providing this clinics, culminating in a grand finale concert given Please contact the Department of Music at 334- opportunity to share information with our music by festival participants. The festival also serves as 844-4165 or by email to music@auburn.edu if you colleagues and music students across the state. a scholarship audition opportunity for graduating have questions about our degree programs or seniors. Online application forms will be available offerings.

Special Anniversaries soon at www.alasu.edu/music.

Recent Alumni Activities LeBarron McWhorter (BME, ’06) was one of six conductors selected to participate in the 2015 National Conducting Symposium sponsored by the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” Held on July 20-24, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia, the symposium featured guest clinician Dr. Jack Stamp.

Additional information about the Department of Music may be found at www.alasu.edu/ music Auburn University The Department of Music at Auburn University is thriving and can boast of outstanding and active 20

War Eagle!

Samford University The Division of Music at Samford University, housed within the School of the Arts, began the academic year with the School of the Arts Student Gala and the Division of Music Faculty Gala. These two events have come to be favorites among students, faculty, and the broader Birmingham community.

These programs showcased the work of students and faculty, respectively, and inaugurated an academic year full of music activity by students and faculty as well as distinguished guest artists.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the

Our School of Music is celebrating two landmark anniversaries this year: The 50th anniversary of the “Sound of the South” marching band and the 75th anniversary of the Troy University Band program.

We look forward to continuing to build on this tradition of excellence.

New Steinway Artist Concert Series During the 2015 Spring semester, Troy University celebrated two significant artistic milestones: the John M. Long School of Music became an AllSteinway School; and, Dr. Hui-Ting Yang, Assistant Professor of Piano, was awarded the designation of Steinway Artist. In recognition of these two October/November 2015

major accomplishments, the School of Music is launching a new Steinway Artist Concert Series to showcase musical excellence at the highest level.

New Faculty Professor John (Jeff) Lee has joined our School of Music faculty. Specializing in audio sound design & concert production, Professor Lee’s responsibilities include teaching upper division audio techniques, mixing, mastering, recording studio techniques, & live concert production skills. Professor Lee is one of the original creators of the Tony and Emmy Award winning show Blast!, and has served as the Music Director for Mason Entertainment Group (creators of Blast!, Shockwave, CyberJam, M.I.X, & various other projects).

The University of Alabama The University of Alabama School of Music is proud to announce the completion of one major construction project and the beginning of another.

The newly renovated and redesigned Butler practice field (the classroom for the university’s famed “Million Dollar Band”) was opened in August 2015, affording the marching band a stateof-the-art environment in which to rehearse.

The John M. Long School of Music will host an Alumni Reception at the 2016 AMEA In-Service Conference. All alumni are invited to join us on Thursday, January 21, 2016 from 5:45-6:45 p.m. in Riverview 2 at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.

Immediately following the conclusion of that project, work began on a new 26,000 ft. addition to the existing Moody Music complex. The new addition will house two new rehearsal spaces (one large and one medium-sized), new faculty offices, student locker room and storage facilities, common spaces and additional conference room and classroom facilities. Although primarily dedicated to the university band program, this new addition to the existing facility will serve the entire School of Music at large. Completion is slated for July 2016 and we anticipate full use of the facility by fall semester 2016. This will give us a much-needed increase in space to match our growing numbers and evolving program needs.

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.

In addition to new and enhanced facilities, we are very proud to announce the appointment of eight new additions to our faculty. They are: Jacob

New AMEA Reception

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Adams, viola; Jeremy Crawford, tuba/euphonium; Kevin Chance, piano; Edisher Savitski, piano; Amir Zaheri, composition; Rob Alley, jazz studies; Joshua Mailman, music theory, and Benjamin Crofut, string bass. We are very pleased to have these new faculty members joining the dynamic and professionally engaged faculty already active in Tuscaloosa.

Our faculty remain highly engaged as performers and researchers in every aspect of music study and application across a comprehensive spectrum. This year will see over 250 public concerts along with many more presentations, symposiums, workshops and clinics. I encourage you to investigate all that is happening at the University of Alabama School of Music by contacting any of our faculty members or investigating our website: music.ua.edu.

We look forward to the opportunity to share additional news with you in the future as we continue to grow in every capacity and realize the completion of these exciting projects.

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Pat Stegall, AMEA Treasurer/Registrar and new teachers. If you would like to serve as a volunteer in our campaign, please complete the survey by following the link: http://tinyurl.com/ameavolunteer

The AMEA is working on a collaborative membership drive with NAfME HQ for the next few months and we would love to have your help. Our goal is to increase membership by 5% by February 1st. The campaign will have a direct mail and email marketing component.

As a current member, you know well the benefits of membership and would be an excellent resource in helping us achieve this goal. We have recently made a “Call for Volunteers” and have a terrific group of volunteers ready to begin the work of growing our membership. It is not too late to volunteer!

Your specific involvement will be to supplement the mail and email campaign by directly contacting a selection of non-members

Once we have finalized our volunteers, you will be contacted with the next step in the process and be guided and trained on the marketing messaging and calling/emailing scripts. At this time, if you know of anyone who should be a member of AMEA/NAfME, and is not currently a member, forward their contact information to me at pstegall@mscs.k12.al.us .

Volunteers are the lifeblood of AMEA and thank you for your consideration. I look forward to the success in this campaign and I hope you will be part of our volunteers!

Remind your colleagues to join, include the new music teachers, invite the inactive music teachers and be involved as a mentor to young music teachers.

Renew your membership now at www.nafme.org.

Membership in NAfME is required for participation in state MEA sponsored events

Remind your colleagues to join, include the new music teachers, invite the inactive music teachers and be involved as a mentor to the young music teachers. like the AMEA Conference, the Elementary Division Fall Conference, and the All-state and Musical Performance Assessments. Joining NAfME secures your membership in AMEA and in your division.

Register now for the 2016 AMEA conference online at www.alabamamea.org. You will find it is easy and it will save you time and money.

Reunite with friends and colleagues from all over the state in January. Rejuvenate your energy and renew your enthusiasm for the rest of the school year!

Jane Kuehne, AMEA Research Chair

ALABAMA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CALL FOR RESEARCH ABSTRACTS 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.

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SUBMIT PROPOSAL HERE: http://amea-research.org Conference Days and Location. The AMEA conference will be Thursday, January 21, 2016 – Saturday, January 23, 2016 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery, Alabama.

See http://www.alabamamea.org for more information.

Poster Session Day and Time. The poster session will be on Friday afternoon. Check the conference page of the AMEA website for more information about the schedule.

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 Monday, November 16, 2015 for full consideration.

Process for Review & Notification. All abstracts will be peer-reviewed and authors will be notified of acceptance by email on Monday, December 7, 2015. 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 by 48 inches. Presenters are expected to bring 15-20 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.

October/November 2015

AMEA 2016 Clinicians All-State Middle School Jazz Band Clinician

Mr. David Allinder will be directing the middle school jazz band. Mr. Allinder is the band director at Shades Valley High School in Birmingham where his symphonic, marching, and jazz bands have received statewide and national acclaim. Mr. Allinder was previously the band director at Gresham Middle School in Birmingham where he had a tremendously successful program. He is an active bass player throughout the Birmingham area. He holds a bachelors and masters degree from the University of Alabama. David was a 2009 district finalist for state teacher of the year. He is a member of the Phi Beta Mu honorary band fraternity and the National Band Association. David currently resides in McCalla, Alabama with his wife Jennifer and their children, Tanner and Mackenzie.

Brian Balmages is an active composer, conductor, producer, and performer. His fresh compositional ideas have resulted in a high demand for his wind, brass, and orchestral music throughout the world. He received his bachelor’s degree in music from James Madison University and his master’s degree from the University of Miami in Florida. Mr. Balmages’ compositions have been performed worldwide at conferences including the College Band Directors National and Regional Conferences, the Midwest Clinic, the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference, the International Trombone Festival, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference.. His music has been performed by members of leading orchestras including the St. Louis Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, and others. He has also had world premieres in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and performances at the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Day Parade and abroad. Currently, he is Director of Instrumental Publications for The FJH Music Company Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He resides in Baltimore with his wife, Lisa and their sons, Jacob and Collin.

Dr. Jeffrey Benson is currently Director of Choral Activities at San José State University in San José, California. Previously, Dr. Benson served as Director of Choral Activities and Fine Arts Department Chair at H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, Virginia.

The Washington Post hails his choirs for singing “with an exquisite blend, subtlety of phrasing, confident musicianship and fully supported tone…that would be the envy of some professional ensembles." Benson received his Masters degree and his Doctorate in Choral Conducting/Music Education from The Florida State University and his Bachelors degree in Music Education from New York University.

Alabama Honor Choir Clinician Tucker Biddlecombe is associate professor and director of choral activities at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, where he serves as conductor of the Vanderbilt Chorale and Symphonic Choir, and teaches courses in choral conducting. In addition, he serves as director of Blair's five-year bachelor of music/teacher education degree (Ma5) program offered in conjunction with the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt. Biddlecombe holds a Ph.D. in music education and M.Mus. in choral conducting from Florida State University, and a B.Mus. in vocal performance and music education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. He is a native of Buffalo, N.Y., and resides in Nashville with his wife, Mary Biddlecombe, who is artistic director of the Blair Children’s Chorus program.

George R. Boulden holds the rank of Associate Professor of Music and is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Kentucky, where he serves as the conductor of the Symphony Band. Additionally, he teaches conducting, music technology, and supervises student teachers. Previously, he taught for nine years in the public schools of South Carolina and Florida, and was the recipient of the ASBDA-Stanbury Award as the outstanding young band director in Florida -and- the Southeastern region of the United States. In 2011, George was selected as the Kentucky Music Educators Association College/University Teacher of the Year. In February of 2014 George received the Outstanding Bandmaster Award from the Psi Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, international bandmasters fraternity.

Active as an adjudicator for Bands of America, Drum Corps International, and Drum Corps Japan, George has also served as a clinician and guest conductor throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan. George also serves as editor of the Bluegrass Music News, the official journal of the Kentucky Music Educators Association. George resides in Richmond with his wife, Shelly, daughters, Jenna and Julianna, and sons, Bob and Jonah.

All-State Show Choir Choreographer Kye Brackett is a native Floridian who, via Los Angeles, is currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, his self-proclaimed "City of Dreams". Throughout his 30 year career his many talents have taken his life into many areas of the entertainment field. As a singer/dancer Kye has been in Broadway, LA and West End productions of Five Guys Named Moe (for which he garnered a NAACP Image Award), Dreamgirls and Rent as well as the internationally acclaimed command performance for the Queen of England called, “Hey, Mr. Producer”. As a choreographer Kye has choreographed for The Miss America Pageant, Walt Disney World, The Muppets, and Holland America Cruise Lines. He also choreographed and starred in the musical revue “Could It Be Magic”, the Barry Manilow Songbook which played at The Mercury Theater in Chicago. Recently Kye toured with Manilow in his “Final Farewell” tour in which he served as both background vocalist and staging director. ala breve

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Joe Brennan is the director of the string program at Haverford Middle and High Schools, located in suburban Philadelphia; a position he has held for the past 29 years. He directs five orchestras at the secondary level and teaches general music at the Middle School. In addition to his teaching duties, Joe is the Music Department Co-Chair for the School District of Haverford Township. While at Haverford, Joe has brought many string chamber ensembles and orchestras to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) annual state convention. In 2006, Joe was recognized by PMEA with the Citation of Excellence Award. The Haverford High School Orchestra has participated in a “Side-by-Side” rehearsal and performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as having represented the State of Pennsylvania by performing in America’s 400th Anniversary, a national event, with President Bush in attendance, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in the US, namely Jamestown. Joe lives in Hainesport, New Jersey with his wife and children and enjoys doing many DIY homeowner projects. Since being a kidney donor, Joe, has been an advocate for organ donor awareness.

Jon Bubbett is in his 34th year of teaching, having served as band director at Thompson High School since 1993. The Thompson Wind Ensemble performed for the AMEA In-Service Conference in 2014 and the National Concert Band Festival in 2015.

Bubbett is a five-time recipient of the NBA Citation of Excellence Award. The Thompson Wind Ensemble was awarded the NBA Programs of Excellence “Blue Ribbon” Award for 2014. Bubbett is the recipient of the Phi Beta Mu, Rho Chapter 2015 “Bandmaster of the Year” Award. He has served as panelist for both AMEA In-Service Conference and Midwest Clinic.

Dr. Frank Buck served as a band director, principal and central office administrator during a career in education spanning almost 30 years. He was band director at Goodwyn Jr. High school and Pizitz Middle School. Both programs were recognized as "Band of the Month" in the United States by Bandribbons, Inc. Frank has been named to Who's Who in American Education, Outstanding Young Men of America, and has numerous honors in the field of music education, including the National Band Association Citation of Excellence. He holds degrees in music education and flute performance from Jacksonville State University, a Masters in music education from the University of Alabama, Educational Specialist degree from the University of Montevallo, and Doctorate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Currently, Frank provides sessions all over North America on organization and social media techniques made easy for music educators.

Gene Butler is in his 6th year as Director of Bands at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, AL. Mr. Butler received his Bachelor of Music Education and Masters of Science in Music Education degrees from Troy University. Under his leadership the Trinity Band Program has grown from 39 students to over 80 students. At Trinity, Mr. Butler teaches 5th Grade Beginning Band, Middle School Beginning Band, Middle School Concert Band, Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Music Technologies. Mr. Butler currently serves as the Vice-Chairman for ABA District VI and was awarded the Outstanding Young Music Educator of the Year for 2015 from AMEA.

Randall Coleman is currently the Associate Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alabama where he serves as the conductor of the Alabama Symphonic Band, the Associate Conductor of the Alabama Wind Ensemble, and the CoDirector of the Million Dollar Band. He also teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and wind band literature classes.

Additionally, Professor Coleman serves as Conductor and Artistic Director of the Alabama Winds, an all-adult community wind band based in Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to his appointment to the faculty at the University of Alabama, Mr. Coleman enjoyed a successful 25-year career as a high school band director and supervisor in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education at Jacksonville State University (AL), and the Masters of Music Education degree from Georgia State University (GA). Professor Coleman has served as a guest conductor of the Sabina Wind Orchestra in Rieti, Italy, and has presented a Rehearsal Lab clinic session at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. He has conducted All State and Regional Bands across the country, and has conducted the University of Alabama Million Dollar Band in performances at the Southeastern Conference Football Championships, and in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, where the Crimson Tide won the 2009, 2011 and 2012 BCS National Championship Games.

All-State Silver Jazz Band Clinician Dr. Chip Crotts, a world-class jazz trumpet player, is the director of jazz studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia where he directs the jazz ensemble and assists with the marching band. He has worked with numerous groups (including several top 12 drum and bugle corps) and professional musicians throughout his career. Dr. Crotts holds degrees from East Carolina University, Penn State University and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin.

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Jim Cude serves as Band/Fine Arts Director of Whitesburg High School in Whitesburg, Texas. His bands have consistently received the UIL Sweepstakes award and have advanced to the State Marching Contest in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2013. The band was a finalist in 2004 and 2013. In 2013 they were named the Class 2A State Marching Band Champions. Mr. Cude is active as a clinician and adjudicator both in Texas and in Oklahoma. He previously served as a member of the Executive Board as the 3A representative to the ATSSB and on the State Board of TMEA as Region 2 President. He is currently serving as President-Elect of the Association of Texas Small School Bands. He is a member of TMEA, ATSSB, TMAA and Phi Beta Mu.

Dr. Ellary Draper is Assistant Professor of Music Therapy at The University of Alabama. Dr. Draper has worked as a music therapist with a variety of ages and populations and as an elementary general music teacher. Currently she serves as the Chair of Multicultural and Special Education Committee for the Alabama Music Educators Association. Her research is published in the Journal of Music Therapy, Journal of Research in Music Education, General Music Today, and Ala Breve. She holds degrees in music education and music therapy from Westminster Choir College, Florida State University, and The University of Texas at Austin.

Beth A. Fabrizio holds a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music in Clarinet Performance and a Masters of Music in Conducting, Education and Performance from Ithaca College. She has studied conducting with Rodney Winther and Dr. Donald Hunsberger and Clarinet with Michael Webster, Richard Waller, Stanley Hasty, William Osseck, Carmine Campione and performed in master classes with Richard Stoltzman. Ms. Fabrizio maintains a private clarinet studio with numerous students pursuing careers in music education, therapy, recording and performance. She herself performs as the principal clarinetist and personnel manager with The Greater Rochester Music Educators Wind Ensemble, and former Eb clarinet with The Perinton Concert Band. Beth is a freelance performer with operas, orchestras and musicals. Ms. Fabrizio is an active artist/ clinician for The D'adarrio Corporation.

Denise Gagné is a music specialist with 35 years of experience teaching band, choir and classroom music from pre-school to university levels. She has degrees in music and education, as well as Level 3 training in both Kodály and Orff. Her choirs and bands have won many awards at Music Festivals and have performed for local and national sporting events, on national radio and even for the Queen.

She has been a workshop presenter in every Canadian province and territory and more than 43 states. She presents regularly for Orff and Kodály chapters, music educators conferences and preschool and kindergarten conferences in Canada, the USA, Asia, Europe and Australia! Denise is currently the managing editor of Themes & Variations.

Dr. Denise A. Gainey is Associate Professor of Clarinet and Instrumental Music Education and Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A Backun Artist/ Clinican, Gainey is the Secretary of the International Clarinet Association, and is an active clinician and recitalist throughout the United States. Gainey has compiled and edited a collection of clarinet solos, Solos for Clarinet, published by Carl Fischer in 200. She received the BME from Florida State University, the MM in Clarinet Performance from The University of North Texas, and the DMA in Clarinet from The University of Kentucky.

Andrew Gekoskie is The Music Director of the fully professional Winchester Orchestra and its new music ensemble The Orchestra X Project. With over 35 years of experience as a performing pianist and 27 years as a conductor, Gekoskie has conducted throughout the U.S. and has been recognized by colleagues, performers, international organizations, and leading professionals. Making his Carnegie Hall conducting debut in 2003, Gekoskie has conducted performances in many major venues in the U.S. and Europe. Other achievements include: Guest on National Public Radio's Desert Island Disks, published and featured in Music Industry Magazines, recognized with national awards including the Citation of Excellence, producer of professional and educational concerts with guest artists the Hartt Symphony Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the University of Michigan Symphony Band, the Dennis DiBlasio Quartet, the Chris Vadala Quartet, and the Hartt Wind Symphony. A Pennsylvania native, Gekoskie is the founder and former Music Director of the Lehigh Valley Youth Wind Orchestra and former Assistant Conductor of the Sparta Symphony Orchestra in New Jersey. He has served as the Artistic Director, Resident Conductor, and Music Director for Campus International Music Festivals, held Artistic Director positions in Pennsylvania and Texas, and regularly guest conducts orchestras, and wind orchestras.

Dr. John Ginocchio is the Director of Bands and Music Program Coordinator at Southwest Minnesota State University where he directs all the bands and teaches conducting and instrumental music education courses. Dr. Ginocchio holds Doctor of Arts and Master of Music degrees from Ball State University and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Indiana University. Prior to accepting the position at SMSU, he was a doctoral assistant director in the band department at Ball State University, and before that he was the Director of Instrumental Music for the Adams Central Community Schools in Monroe, Indiana, a position he held for ten years. ala breve

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Otto Gross is a cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music with a degree in Music Education. He has taught General Music, Band, Chorus, Jazz Band, Percussion and private lessons in Massachusetts, Maryland and Tennessee. He has performed with artists including Bobby McFerrin & The Marsalis Brothers. Otto has toured internationally with EMI artists as a music director, pianist, bassist and drummer. Otto is currently a Training Representative and songwriter for QuaverMusic.com and has a passion to see children excited to learn about music!

Alabama All-State Show Choir Clinician Paul Gulsvig taught vocal music for 33 years, and retired in 2006 from Onalaska High School in Onalaska, WI, where he taught for 28 of those 33 years. Paul’s desire to positively inspire all teachers and their students led him into a retirement career that he refers to as More Than Music. This career includes serving as retreat presenter, show doctor, motivational speaker, as well as conducting leadership and in-service workshops for school districts. He has assisted a wide variety of schools, including elementary, middle and high schools, college and graduate programs. Paul also serves as a show choir adjudicator and clinician, as well as All-State and Honor Choir clinician. His varied expertise and encouraging love of students and teachers has taken him to at least 30 states, including Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, California, as well as his home state of Wisconsin. He is most proud of his three children who have college degrees in music, two of which are choral conductors. In his spare time you will find Paul on the golf course, working out at the fitness center, or spending time with his grand twins, Hailey and Riley and their baby sister, Lily.

Timothy Heath is a doctoral student in music education at The University of Alabama. He is graduate teaching assistant for the university bands and assists with undergraduate music education courses. He has taught in North Carolina at Spring Creek High School, EE Smith Middle School, and adjunct at the University of Mount Olive. Timothy holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Dr. Edward C. “Ted” Hoffman, III, is Assistant Professor of Music and Head of Music Education at the University of Montevallo, where he coordinates the undergraduate music education programs, teaches graduate coursework in the Master of Education program, directs tuba/euphonium studies, administers the summer Young Musicians’ Camp, and is faculty advisor to the University of Montevallo chapter of NAfME-Collegiate. He is a member of the Executive Governing Board of the Alabama Music Educators’ Association, State Advisor for AL-NAfME Collegiate, Chair of the Alabama Teacher Education Committee, and serves as the Alabama representative to the National Board of the NAfME Society for Music Education.

Dr. Kelly Hollingsworth currently serves as the music specialist at Auburn Early Education Center and is in her sixteenth year teaching elementary music. She has also been an adjunct instructor at Southern Union State Community College and Troy University-Phenix City.

Years after completing her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mobile, Kelly earned her M.Ed. and Ph.D. from Auburn University.

Her research interests include music literacy, early childhood music education, and teacher efficacy. She has presented posters of her research at AMEA. A longtime member of AMEA, Kelly has served as the hospitality chair and District V co-chair for the elementary/general division. Kelly has been Teacher of the Year at three Auburn City elementary schools, was the 2013-2014 Auburn City Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year, and a sweet sixteen finalist for the 2013-2014 Alabama Teacher of the Year.

All-State Bronze Jazz Band Clinician Mr. Bryan Hooten, a graduate of Vestavia Hills High School in Birmingham, is director of bands at Collegiate High School in Richmond, Virginia. Previously on the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University, Bryan taught the Jazz Ensemble II, jazz trombone, and theory. Mr. Hooten is a member of the nationally acclaimed group, No BS Brass Band, and he maintains an active schedule as a professional trombonist in Richmond, Virginia. He holds degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Gene Inglis, a graduate of Jacksonville State University, has completed his 42nd year teaching and his 12th year as Director of Bands at Saks High School in Anniston, Alabama. He retired as Director of Bands for Rome City Schools June 30, 2003, completing his 11th year at Rome High School, which was created in 1992. Prior to that, he was director for 12 years at West Rome High School and 6 years at West Rome Junior High School. His first position was at Scottsboro Junior High School in Scottsboro, Alabama. Gene received the national award; the “Legion of Honor” presented by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation and the National Band Association, and was recognized at the Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago, IL, December 2002. Inglis received the “Citation of Excellence” presented by the National Band Association in 2007 and was listed as the Alabama recipient for the “50 Directors Making a Difference” in Band and Orchestra Magazine. Gene is married to the former Shenley Back of Gadsden, Alabama. They have three children, Tony, Allison Brown, & Gena Inglis Nix; and four grandchildren, Taylor and Emma Nix, T.J. Brown, and Claire Inglis.

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For 29 years, Boston Brass has set out to establish a one-of-a-kind musical experience. From exciting classical arrangements, to burning jazz standards, and the best of the original brass quintet repertoire, Boston Brass treats audiences to a unique brand of entertainment, which captivates all ages. The ensemble's lively repartee, touched with humor and personality, attempts to bridge the ocean of classical formality to delight audiences in an evening of great music and boisterous fun. The philosophy of Boston Brass is to provide audiences with a wide selection of musical styles in unique arrangements, provided in a friendly and fun atmosphere.

AMEA 2016 Featured Performers and Speakers

Bo sto n Br a ss

Through over 100 performances each year, the members of Boston Brass play to audiences at concerts, educational venues and jazz festivals. In addition to solo performances, Boston Brass regularly performs with orchestras, bands, organ, jazz bands and a variety of other ensembles. They have performed in 49 states and 30 countries and have conducted master classes around the world including sessions and residencies at the Eastman School of Music, The Julliard School, Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Peabody Conservatory of Music, University of North Texas, Royal Academy of Music in London, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory at the National University of Singapore and Mahidol University in Bangkok.

Dr. Maribeth Yoder-White has taught choral and general music education in Pre-K through university settings at public and private institutions. She has a distinguished record as a choral clinician and has conducted state and regional elementary, middle, and high school honors choruses throughout the country. The North Carolina American Choral Directors Association awarded Yoder-White the Lara Hoggard Award for distinguished service in choral music in North Carolina. An active educational consultant, Yoder-White presents professional development for teachers through workshops, demonstration lessons, and arts-integrated curriculum design. Dr. Yoder-White is a recognized Orff-Schulwerk specialist who teaches Orff-Schulwerk teacher education courses and presents professional development sessions for school districts and at state, regional, national, and international conferences. Dr. Yoder-White has served in leadership with many professional organizations including serving as President of the Southern Division of the National Association for Music Education, President of the North Carolina Music Educators Association, and President of the North Carolina American Choral Directors Association.

Christopher Woodside returned to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in August of 2010 to assume the position of Assistant Executive Director heading the association’s Center for Advocacy and Constituency Engagement. In his current capacity, Christopher manages NAfME’s advocacy staff, directs, controls and oversees all issues with relation to the development and implementation of the association’s large-scale advocacy and public affairs agendas, serves as NAfME’s primary lobbying presence on Capitol Hill, and facilitates music education’s newest collaborative advocacy venture: The Music Education Policy Roundtable. Previously, Christopher served as the Policy Coordinator for The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, in his first tenure with MENC, as the Director of Government Relations and Outreach, and as a Legislative aide to Representative Chris Van Hollen from Maryland’s 8th district. Christopher received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Miami University.

Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser began his teaching career at Northern Michigan University. He then moved to the University of Missouri, and from there to New Mexico State University. During that time, Tim developed highly acclaimed groups in both instrumental and vocal music. In 1981, Tim created Attitude Concepts for Today, Inc., an organization designed to manage the many requests for teacher inservice workshops, student leadership seminars, and convention speaking engagements focusing on the area of effective leadership training. After thirty-plus years of clinic presentations, some three million students have experienced one of his popular sessions. Tim presently serves as Vice President of Education for Conn-Selmer, Inc. He is a nationally recognized voice touting the importance of arts education for every child. His books, produced by G.I.A. Publications, Inc., continue to be bestsellers in the educational community. He is also co-author of popular band method, Essential Elements, as well as the Senior Educational Consultant for Hal Leonard, Inc. Tim is also the Senior Educational Advisor for Music for All, and NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants). He holds degrees from Ball State University and the University of Alabama. He is presently the Chair of the National Association for Music Education Music Honor Society (Tri-M).

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Stuart Ivey is serving in his second year as Director of Bands at Huntsville High School. Mr. Ivey was born and raised in Huntsville and is a graduate of Grissom High School. He received a Bachelor of Music Education from Auburn University and a Master of Music in Trombone Performance from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Mr. Ivey began his teaching career as the Associate Director of Bands at Baldwin County High School in Bay Minette, AL, where he also taught 7th and 8th grade. He also served as Director of Bands at Vinemont High School and Middle School for one year, where he taught grades 6-12. Throughout his teaching tenure, Mr. Ivey's bands have received consistent Superior ratings in both marching and concert settings. Mr. Ivey has been involved with many other teaching opportunities, including the Macy's Great American Marching Band, Auburn Marching Leadership Camp, and Camp Fasola, a shape note singing camp for all ages. He has also taught private lessons on all brass instruments as well as drum major lessons. Stuart and his wife, Courtney, reside in Madison, AL, and are expecting their first child in August!

Gail Kopetz joined the music department at Mississippi State University in 2014 where she directs the Women’s Chorale, supervises student teachers, and teaches piano. Prior to joining the faculty at MSU, Mrs. Kopetz directed the Women’s Chorus at Capital University and served as Choral Director and Music Coordinator at Columbus School for Girls (OH). Mrs. Kopetz holds a Bachelor in Music Education from The Ohio State University, a Master of Music from The University of Utah, Orff-Schulwerk certification (I- post Level III), and administrative licensure. She has served on the AOSA board of trustees, has been a Levels instructor, has spent many years teaching music K-12 in both pubic and private institutions, and provided both undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation instruction at the following institutions: Furman University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah. She has been active as a presenter and clinician with professional invitations from many organizations including: OMEA, UMEA, OAIS, Midwest Kodály Conference, and AOSA. Anna Kozlowski has worked in the Educator Preparation section of the Alabama State Department of Education since 2006 and leads the effort to revise the program review process. She has also served on review teams for the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP).

Dr. Jane M. Kuehne, Associate Professor of Music Education at Auburn University, teaches undergraduate and graduate music education courses, coordinates/supervises labs and internships, supervises graduate research, and is academic advisor for undergraduate and graduate music education students. She earned bachelors and masters degrees from the UT San Antonio, where she was named Outstanding Alumna in music in 2009, and a Ph.D. from FSU. In 2008, she established the Beethoven & Me project, for which she received the 2010 Robby D. Gunstream Award from the College Music Society. Her main research interests are sight-singing and teaching music with at-risk/disadvantaged students. Dr. Kuehne’s research and writing has been published in Journal of Research in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Southern Music Education Journal, Journal of Technology in Music Learning, Ala Breve, Mississippi Music News, New Jersey Tempo, and others. Current research projects include analysis of undergraduate music education students' attitudes when teaching at-risk high school students for which she currently has a paper under review.

Mildred Lanier received her Music and Business education in the United States and Europe. She holds a B.A. degree from Samford University, a Masters Degree in Music from The University of Oklahoma, and a Masters in Public and Private Management from Birmingham-Southern College. She has studied at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, and the E.M. Lyon Business School in Lyon, France. Because of her education, Ms. Lanier has been blessed with many wonderful opportunities to use her education and her talents. As an Instructor at Jefferson State Community College, Ms. Lanier has taught 8 years in the Business and Information Systems Department and was honored in 2010 by the Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System with the Alabama Community College System Award of Excellence. Because of her broad academic credentials and degrees, Ms. Lanier was recently selected to become the full-time Music Instructor for the Shelby-Hoover. She continues to teach Management and Marketing in the Business Department. Chosen by her peers, she is the newly elected member of the Planning Council for the Shelby-Hoover campus for Jefferson State.

Dr. Marvin E. Latimer, Jr. is Associate Professor of Choral Music Education, Chair of the Music Education Department, and Assistant Director of the School of Music at the University of Alabama. He has published research in numerous journals and is a frequent presenter at state, national, and international music conferences and symposia. Dr. Latimer is President of the Alabama Choral Directors Association and Chair of the Organizational History Subcommittee of the ACDA Research and Publications Committee.

Andy Meadows is the Arts Education Specialist in the Instructional Services division under the Office of Teaching and Learning at the Alabama State Department of Education. This position includes the responsibility for coordinating and implementing fine arts education programs and curriculum in all disciplines as well as staff duties and responsibilities. He is a native of Alabama where he received his undergraduate degree at Huntingdon College and his Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Alabama. He has served as a visual arts educator and fines arts administrator for the past 20 years. Andy has exhibited his work in national and international shows and his work has been collected by museums and private collectors. ala breve

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Soon Hee Newbold was born in Seoul, Korea and adopted as an infant by the Newbold family. She spent her childhood, along with two sisters, in Frederick, Maryland. Soon Hee began playing piano at age five and violin at age seven. As a soloist and in professional orchestras throughout the world, Ms. Newbold has appeared in venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, Disney World, Aspen, and Tanglewood and in countries like Scotland, England, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Ms. Newbold received her Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University where she concentrated on film scoring, orchestration, and audio production. As an actress, Soon Hee expanded her experiences to film and television. She got her first break in the film, “The Waterboy,” starring Adam Sandler, and first television role in the family comedy, “Camp Tanglefoot.” Sadly, Ms. Newbold’s mother was diagnosed with Huntington's disease, a terminal, devastating genetic neurological illness for which there is little treatment and no cure. Soon Hee wrote the popular song “Endless Dreams,” and dedicated it to those affected by Huntington’s to spread awareness and hope. Published through the FJH Music Company, Soon Hee’s compositions can be heard around the world in film, orchestras, and other performing groups. Outside of work, Ms. Newbold enjoys martial arts and weapons training and has black belts in Taekwondo, Hapkido, and Kigumdo.

Caroline Nordlund is a lecturer at Samford University where she teaches string methods, instrumental pedagogy, and plays in the Samford University Faculty String Quartet. She is also Coordinator of Strings of the Samford University Music Academy. Caroline teaches violin at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and serves as the President for the Alabama chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Caroline earned a Master of Music in violin performance and pedagogy from Northwestern University as a student of Gerardo Ribeiro. At Northwestern, she was awarded the Richard and Helen Thomas Fellowship while a graduate assistant to Stacia Spencer and Dr. James Kjelland. Caroline is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, American String Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association. Originally from South Carolina, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Music in violin performance.

Bruce Pearson grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota. He has taught at the elementary, junior high, high school and college levels for over 40 years. In December of 1998, Dr. Pearson was awarded the prestigious Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor in recognition of his outstanding contributions to music education. In 2007, he was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni award at St. Cloud State University. Also in 2007, he was recognized as the first Patron for the Maryborough Conference in Queensland, Australia. Dr. Pearson continues to serve as a guest lecturer, clinician, and conductor in addition to his work as a composer, arranger, and author.

Scott L. Phillips is Associate Professor of Music Technology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He frequently makes scholarly presentations, leads panels and reading academic papers at top music, education, and technology conferences. His book Beyond Sound: The College and Career Guide in Music Technology was released in 2013 and has sold around the world. He is a former middle school and high school music teacher, and is often called upon by major music technology companies to serve as a trainer, clinician, and consultant in schools, churches, theaters, and recording studios.

David Pryor has been teaching for 26 years. He is a graduate of Loyola University. He has taught in Louisiana, Missouri and Alabama.

He is Director of Instrumental Music/ Music Department Chairman at Faith Academy in Mobile. He is on Staff of Mobile Singing Children. He is a member of ABA, AMEA, NAfMe, NBA, AISBA and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He has served as ABA District 7 Chairman and is presently District 7 Vice-Chairman. He was awarded the “Citation of Honor” in 2005 and in 2015 from the NBA and awarded Faith Academy “Teacher of the Year” in 1998. He was honored by the “Fiesta-val” Invitational Music Festival in Atlanta, GA with the “Award of Distinction” in April 2013.

Phillip Riggs is currently a music instructor at the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham, NC. Phillip is a recipient of the Exceptional Contribution in Outreach Award presented each year by the University Of North Carolina Board Of Governors for his work with music education programs throughout North Carolina. Prior to joining the NCSSM faculty, he was the first band director and fine arts chair at Ronald Reagan High School in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System. Before assuming that position, Mr. Riggs taught in Davidson County for sixteen years. Twelve of those years were with the Ledford Bands. During his tenure, the Ledford Middle and High School Bands and High School Choirs under his direction received numerous Superior Ratings at the state concert festival (MPA). He received his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University and his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Mr. Riggs is a Past President of the North Carolina Band Directors Association.

Roger Sams retired from the music classroom in 2013 after 31 years of teaching music in public and private schools. He has served as adjunct faculty, teaching methods courses and supervising student teachers at Cleveland State University and has been on the faculty in teacher education programs at the University of St. Thomas, Cleveland State University, Akron University, the University of Montana, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and other venues throughout the US. Roger is a regular presenter at state, regional, and national conferences, has served on the AOSA National Board of Trustees, and has worked with teachers in Canada, China, Indonesia and India.

He currently serves as Director of Publications and Music Education Consultant at Music is Elementary (www.MusicIsElementary.com). Trained in Gestalt therapy, Roger is interested in the power of choice in the artistic process, teaching, and life. He is the co-author of “Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Classroom” with Beth Ann Hepburn.

He has published works for children’s choirs in the “Crooked River Choral Project” series and a collection of rounds and partner songs entitled, “A Round My Heart.”

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Jeanette Shorey has been a general music teacher and choir director for 17 years. She has also directed the Florida Singing Sons. Jeanette currently teaches at Oak Mountain Intermediate School and Shelby Elementary School. Jeanette earned her undergraduate degree at The University of Florida and has also earned a Masters degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Literacy. Jeanette is a National Board Certified teacher and integrates literacy skills into every lesson.

Charles G. “Skip” Snead serves as Director of the Music School and Professor of Horn at the University of Alabama. He has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber musician and is a founding member of the widely acclaimed TransAtlantic Horn Quartet. He has solo recordings available on the Centaur and MSR Classics Labels, and serves on the Board of Advisors for The International Horn Competition of America. He also serves as an on-site accreditation evaluator for NASM. He has performed with many orchestras throughout his career and has been principal horn in the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra for 27 years.

All-State Gold Jazz Band Clinician Mike Steinel is a jazz trumpeter, pianist, composer and arranger. He is presently Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas where he teaches jazz improvisation, Jazz Artist in Residence at Bethel College and was on the faculty of Northern Illinois University. Internationally recognized as a jazz educator Mike is the author of Building a Jazz Vocabulary and Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble both published by Hal Leonard Music Corporation. Mike is an active clinician and guest artist and has performed throughout the US, Canada and in Europe. He has performed as soloist at the MENC and IAJE national conventions and at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. His playing experience includes work with Clark Terry, Don Ellis, Bill Evans, Jerry Bergonzi and recordings with the Chicago Jazz Quintet and the Frank Mantooth Big Band. Honors received include an Illinois Arts Council Chairman's Grant and a jazz fellowship grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Steinel has served as Co-Chair of the Jazz Advisory Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts and holds a BME degree from Emporia State University and a MME degree from the University Daniel Stevens currently serves at the University of North Alabama as an Associate Professor of Music / Conductor of the Shoals Symphony Orchestra, and Director of the Peery Center for Orchestral Studies. His roles include conductor and artistic director of the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and teacher of applied violin/viola. As a conductor, he has been the guest clinician/adjudicator for the Kansas Music Educators Association Large Ensemble and Solo & Ensemble contests, at the Northeast Oklahoma All-District Honors Orchestra, and the Tulsa Metro Honors Orchestra. He had served on the faculty of Southwestern College (Winfield, KS) for eight years as the Mazie Barnet Kilmer Chair for String Education and conductor of the South Kansas Symphony. He has also served as Visiting Professor at the University of Tulsa as conductor of the University Orchestra. Daniel is regularly invited to clinic/present at universities, recently including the Georgia Institute of Technology, Florida Southern College, Northern Arizona University, the University of Tulsa, and Idaho State University. Daniel wishes to thank Anton Krutz, Misha Krutz, and KC Strings Violin Shop for their generous support of sponsorship. Daniel’s violin and viola are premiere custom instruments made by Anton Krutz and family.

Gary Stith has authored numerous articles and penned chapters in The Drum and Percussion Cookbook published by Meredith, the Conductors Anthology published by The Instrumentalist, and served as Contributing Editor for a recent compilation entitled Classic Beginning Solos for the Complete Percussionist published by Kendor. He is active percussion adjudicator and has played with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra and the Columbus Symphony. He is currently Professor/Conductor Emeritus and former Coordinator of Music Education at the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton College in Houghton, NY, where he was the recipient of the 2010-11 Excellence in Teaching Award. Gary is also the author of Score & Rehearsal Preparation: A Realistic Approach for Instrumental Conductors published

by Meredith Music Publication.

Tiffani Stricklin has taught elementary music for 13 years at Greenwood Elementary and Minor Community Schools in Jefferson County, Alabama. She graduated in 2002 from the University of Montevallo with a Bachelor’s of Music Education. In 2015, she graduated with a Master’s of English as a Second Language from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher. She has served in many positions on the board of the Alabama Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. She is currently a District Chairperson for the Elementary Division of the Alabama Music Educators Association.

Dr. Matthew D. Talbert is currently Assistant Professor of Music Education/Music at Berea College, in Berea, KY, where his duties include overseeing the Music Education program, directing the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble, and teaching applied lessons. Prior to his appointment at Berea, Talbert was a band director in the public schools of North Carolina. Dr. Talbert is a member of NAfME, the Kentucky Music Educators Association, the National Band Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda. Dr. Talbert earned Music Education degrees from Appalachian State University, and a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of South Carolina. ala breve

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AMEA 2016 Clinicians Becky Rodgers Warren is currently an associate band director at Mandan Middle School. Her duties include recruiting for beginning band, coordinating the 6th grade band program, and director of the Marching Braves. Mrs. Warren's clinic presentations include AMEA, NDMEA, SDMEA, and Midwest. She served two terms on the Board of the ABA and was President-elect. She served as President of AMEA and founded FAME. She is a member of NAfME, NBA, and Phi Beta Mu-having served a two year term as the President of the North Dakota Chapter. She has also served on the Board of NDMEA.

Ben Watson has been employed for the Dale County Board Of Education for the past six years. He currently teaches general music kindergarten through sixth grade. At the High school level he is in his second year of teaching guitar. Mr. Watson is 1987 graduate of Susan Moore High School in Blount County Alabama 15 miles north of Oneonta which is 45 miles north of Birmingham. He received his bachelor’s degree (1994) and Masters of Music Education (2001) from Jacksonville State University. Mr. Watson has served as a Music Educator for seventeen years and currently resides in Enterprise, AL, and has been married to his high school sweetheart Shelia Wilemon Watson for over 28 years.

Conrad Weber lives in Bratt, Florida with his wife, Leslie, and their three children. He studied piano performance at the University of West Florida, and completed his Master’s Degree with Eugene Pridonoff at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. During college, he vowed he would never get into music education, and years later in 2008 he began his teaching career in Atmore, AL, where he was hired to start a piano lab. He re-started the choir program several years later, and continues teaching at Escambia County Middle and High Schools in Atmore with 140 students in the choir program.

Dr. Susan Williams, soprano, is Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Alabama. In March 2015, she traveled to Havana, Cuba to teach and research at the Instituto Superior de Arte. In December and January of 2014-15, she traveled to Kolkata, India to perform concerts at the Oberoi Grand Ballroom, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the U.S. Consulate, Kolkata. She is a RYT 200 certified yoga instructor, and her scholarly interests include using body movement systems and the use of virtual anatomy to enhance student learning in the studio. Dr. Williams received her DMA from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Joshua Wine is currently the Director of Bands at Auburn Junior High School in Auburn, AL, where he directs and oversees three concert bands, percussion ensemble, jazz band, music study club, and teaches music appreciation. Furthermore, Mr. Wine assists with instruction of the marching band at Auburn High School. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Wine was recently appointed Director of the Summer Band Camps at Auburn University sponsored by the National Band Association. A native of Wetumpka, Mr. Wine attended Troy University in Troy, Alabama, where he served as a section leader and drum major for the renowned “Sound of the South” Marching Band. While at Troy, Mr. Wine studied conducting with Dr. Mark Walker, trumpet with Dr. James Zingara and Dr. Mike Huff, and Voice with Dr. Diane Orlofsky and Albert R. Lee.

Dr. Anne C. Witt is a Music Education faculty member at the University of Alabama. She taught middle school and high school orchestra for fourteen years in Austin, Texas, and played cello in the Austin Symphony. In 2005, she founded the string program in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. Dr. Witt is known for “student tested” presentations for teachers, and her book A Rhythm a Week is widely used by orchestra and band directors. Leadership roles include being President of the American String Teachers Association and President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association. She earned degrees at the University of Alabama and the University of Texas.

Dr. James Zingara is currently Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where his responsibilities include applied trumpet and brass methods, brass ensembles, performing with the UAB Faculty Brass Quintet and coordinating the annual UAB Brass Symposium. He has performed in 34 states as well as England, Latvia, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Singapore and China. From 1989-1996 he served as principal cornet/trumpet soloist with the US Air Force Heritage of America Band.

Dr. Zingara currently represents Conn-Selmer as a Bach Trumpet Artist and also serves as a trumpet faculty member at Blue Lake International Fine Arts Camp.

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October/November 2015

AMEA 2016 Performing Groups The Alabama Wind Ensemble is a select group of the finest wind players and percussionists from within the University Band Program and the School of music. The ensemble has been invited to perform at prestigious events such as the College Band Directors National Association Convention, the Southern Division of the Music Educators’ National Conference and the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference. The Alabama Wind Ensemble has commissioned and premiered works by noted composers such as Donald Grantham, Nigel Clarke, and Richard Saucedo.

The Auburn Junior High Mixed Choir is comprised of students from the three mixed choirs of the AJHS choral program. These students have been a part of recent AMEA lobby group performances and regularly participate in the Fall Choral Festival in Dothan, Alabama All-State Chorus and various state and national choral assessments. All AJHS choral students set goals to earn superior scores and top three placements in all choral ventures – having recently earned first in division at the Fall Choral Festival, superiors with distinction at state choral performance assessments, and caption awards such as best vocals. This year, these students will produce their triennial “Merry Madrigals.”

The Boaz Intermediate School Honor Choir was formed in 2006. It is an auditioned group of fourth and fifth grade students which rehearse once a week after school. This choir presents an annual Christmas and Spring Concert as well as performs at various local events throughout the school year. They have performed in conjunction with the Gerhart Chamber Music Festival since 2007. The Honor Choir performed at the 2012 AMEA Conference. The group currently has 100 members and is under the direction of Miriam Richey.

The Birmingham Seven (B7) is a straight-ahead jazz septet (four horns and three rhythm) patterned after the small groups of the hard-bop era led by Chris Kozak and co-led by Daniel Western. Comprised of some of the finest and most sought after jazz performers in the region as well as current faculty and alumni of the University of Alabama, their live repertoire consists of transcriptions and adaptations from iconic recordings by artists such as Duke Ellington, Oliver Nelson, Gigi Gryce, Sun Ra, and Lee Morgan as well as original arrangements and compositions by Chris Kozak, Daniel Western, Tom Robinson, and Tom Wolfe. While following the trajectory and tradition of hard bop ensembles, there is an air of uniqueness in the flexibility of the performers to improvise in a variety of styles. The B7 has a familial quality as the personnel has remained unchanged since its inception in 2006 and that is evident in their live and recorded performances.

The Crimson Jazz Quaret is a Professional Contemporary Jazz Quartet featuring the Jazz Studies Faculty from the University of Alabama and was formed in 2005. They are Professor of Jazz Studies Tom Wolfe on Guitar, Professor of Saxophone/Woodwind Area Coordintor/ Jazz Studies Dr. Jonathan Noffsinger on Saxophones, Professor and Director of Jazz Studies Christopher Kozak on Double and Electric Bass, and Instructor of Drum Set/Jazz Studies Mark Lanter on Drum Set. The repertoire of the group ranges from traditional Jazz Standards to more contemporary arrangemenst of popular music as well as original compositions. They have been featured nationally and internationally at Jazz festivals in the Southeast and around the world. They are currently in the studio recording their sophomore effort to be released in Spring of 2016.

The Faith Academy Choral Program is a member of the AVA and the AISA. With Elementary, Junior, Senior, and Chamber Choirs, the Choral Program has a total number of 127 members. In 2015, 27 members of the Junior and Senior Concert Choir participated in the Alabama All-State Choir. All choirs received superior ratings at AISA with the Senior Concert Choir and Chamber Singers receiving superior ratings at the AVA State Choral Performance Assessment as well as the Fiesta-Val Invitational Festival in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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AMEA 2016 Performing Groups The Symphonic Band II from Grissom High School is made up of students enrolled in grades 9 12. About 60% of the band is 9th and 10th graders. They are selected to be a member by audition and meet every day for 50 minutes. They have two after school rehearsals during concert season for 2 hours each. The band presents four concerts a year at the school; a Fall Concert, a Christmas Concert, a Symphonic Band Camp Concert, and a Spring Concert. This ensemble consistently performs grade 5 and some grade 6 literature. In 1994, the Symphonic Band II was selected by audition as one of fifteen bands to perform at the 3rd Annual Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Chicago, Illinois. Grissom was the first high school to have 2 bands invited to perform at this prestigious festival.

The band recently participated in the Dixie Classic National Adjudicators Invitational Festival in Chattanooga, TN. Bands are invited to this festival based upon their previous years of superior ratings at their state’s MPA. This year the band received all superior ratings and were awarded the only flute and trumpet soloist awards of the day. The percussion section received the only outstanding percussion section award of the day. The Symphonic Band II has rarely received less than an overall superior rating in any adjudication. In recent years at the state’s Music Performance Assessment the band has received superior ratings with distinction. It is an honor to have been selected to perform at the 2016 Alabama Music Educators Association’s Conference!

James Clemens High School opened in August of 2012. In its first year, the JCHS Marching Band fielded 87 members, earning superior ratings at all marching competitions as well as Best in Class Band and Best in Class Percussion awards. The following Spring, the Symphonic Band earned Superiors with Distinction at State Music Performance Assessment, performing an A class program. The Symphonic Band also competed in Atlanta, GA, receiving a superior rating, outstanding brass, and outstanding woodwind awards. In its second year, the band grew to almost 130 members in the marching band, and was able to divide into a Wind Ensemble and Concert Band in the spring of 2014. Performing a class A program, the Wind Ensemble received Superiors with Distinction, and was the only band in the Madison City School system to earn this rating. In the fall of 2014, the marching band grew to almost 160 members and continued its reputation of superior ratings and Best in Class Awards. In the spring of 2015, the band performed a class AA program, receiving straight superior ratings, and once again was the only band program in the system to do so. The Wind Ensemble also competed in St. Louis, MO and received a superior rating and the Outstanding Instrumental award, given to the highest scoring instrumental ensemble at the event, regardless of class. The James Clemens High School Wind Ensemble strives to “Be the Example” in all areas. From programming quality literature to performing that literature with excellence, the ensemble’s goal is to be a standard bearer for music education.

The Kitty Stone Singers elementary choir, under the direction of Lisa Gillespie and Cheryl Wight, consists of fourth through sixth grade students who meet once a week after school.

The ensemble has been a fixture in the Jacksonville City School system throughout the school’s history. The choir maintains a membership enrollment of 60-80 singers yearly. The Kitty Stone Singers perform in a variety of community events including the Jacksonville State University Honor Choir Festival, the annual Lighting of the Jacksonville Christmas Tree and the JSU David L. Walters Department of Music holiday program. The choir enjoys performing both traditional repertoire as well as show choir style musicals.

The Jacket Singers are McAdory Middle School’s top female choral students. This group represents their school at various functions, including concerts, fine arts galas, pep rallies, festivals, and various community events. The Jacket Singers routinely receive superior ratings on stage and in sight-reading at adjudicated performance assessments, earning the Alabama Vocal Association’s Distinguished Musicianship Award in 2015.

Founded in 1977, Mobile’s Singing Children (“MSC”) has been the premier youth chorus on the northern Gulf Coast. Performing choral music of the highest quality drives our children and teens toward excellence in song, spirit and studies. Organized into four age and skill appropriate ensembles, MSC provides opportunities for a diverse group of dedicated music students. Headquartered in Mobile Al, students are drawn to the program from many locations within a 60-mile radius. “MSC” performs regularly with Mobile Opera and Mobile Symphony Orchestra. Over its 39 year history, MSC has performed in hundreds of venues including the White House, Governor’s mansion, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and appeared on National Public Radio’s “From the Top”. Our performances for the 2015 -16 season include Veterans Day with Mobile Pops Band, Governor’s mansion, Annual Christmas Concert at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, and a spring performance with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. We are honored to be a part of the 2016 AMEA Conference.

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October/November 2015

AMEA 2016 Performing Groups The Oak Mountain Wind Ensemble is made up of fifty-nine ninth through twelfth grade students at Oak Mountain High School. Membership in the band is determined by individual audition. Since the school’s inception, the ensemble has continued to push the boundaries of high school musicianship by performing literature in the advanced realm of the wind band repertoire.

Students in this ensemble regularly pursue roles in the Alabama All-State Bands and Orchestras.

From 1999 to 2012, the ensemble was under the direction of Jim Duren. Now, under the direction of Kevin Ownby, the OMHS Wind Ensemble has continued a tradition of excellence by never receiving a score less than superior at any adjudicated competition or assessment. Recent accomplishments include, performing at the 2014 CBDNA Southern Division Conference in Jacksonville Florida, 2014 GNAI Honor Band Recipient, and a 2015 performance in New York’s Carnegie Hall.

The Oak Mountain Middle School Advanced Symphonic Band is the premiere ensemble for the Oak Mountain Middle School band program. This is an auditioned group of 7th and 8th graders. The Advanced Symphonic band performs at pep rallies, home football games, assemblies, the Fall Concert, the Holiday Concert, the PreMPA concert, MPA, and the Spring Concert. This group consistently receives Superior ratings at the state and national level. Advanced Symphonic Band students are strongly urged to participate in the Solo and Ensemble festival, various honor bands and to audition for the Alabama Middle School All-State Band.

Oak Park Middle School Choir, UNITY, is under the direction of Stacy Owens, who has been teaching for twenty years. Unity is an auditioned group, which meets daily and participates in Alabama All-State Chorus, State Choral Performance Assessment, as well as concerts during both semesters. The Oak Park Choral program has four choirs: Beginning Girls’ Choir, Treble Choir, Phoenix, and Unity. Each of the various choral groups is consistently awarded superior ratings in the assessment process.

The Randolph Upper School Concert Choir is the non-auditioned, elective choral ensemble of Randolph School’s Upper Division (grades 9-12). Since 2011, the Upper School Concert Choir has grown from an enrollment of 16 singers to 35 at the conclusion of the 2014-2015 school year. Visibility in the greater Huntsville community has increased with such initiatives as concert collaborations with the choirs of the University of Alabama Huntsville in 2013, and the Huntsville Youth Orchestra in 2015. Singers in the Randolph Upper School Concert Choir are routinely accepted into the Madison County Honor Choir Festival, the Alabama Honor Choir, and the Alabama All-State Choir Festival. Since 2011—the ensemble’s first participation in many years—the Randolph Upper School Concert Choir has garnered 2 overall Excellent and 2 overall Superior ratings (including Superior ratings, every year, in Sight-Reading) at State Choral Performance Assessment.

Since their founding in the fall of 2008, the Randolph School Middle School Percussion Ensembles have been a staple of the instrumental music program. This program serves to enrich the student experience in band through the performance of chamber ensemble literature. The ensemble consists of three groups- the 6th Grade Percussion Ensemble, the Middle School Percussion Ensemble, and the MS Honors Ensemble. These ensembles regularly perform at campus concerts and assemblies. In addition, this ensemble has had numerous showings at the North Alabama Percussion Ensemble Festival.

The Shoals Symphony at UNA is a partnership organization under the auspices of the University of North Alabama and supported by the Shoals Symphony Association. The Association is funded by the generosity of individual and corporate sponsors, contributions by alumni and friends, grants, and ticket sales. The Symphony encompasses the perfect balance of UNA faculty and rising students (majors and non-majors), as well as area professional musicians.

Dedicated, enthusiastic musicians are selected by open audition. The Shoals Symphony at UNA began as a group of local players wanting to make music together. It has grown and evolved into a semi-professional regional orchestra and is recognized as such by the Alabama State Council on the Arts. We invite you to enjoy this year’s performances as we welcome Dr. Daniel Stevens to the podium for the Symphony’s 33rd season. ala breve

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AMEA 2016 Performing Groups UAB Concert Choir is the select choral ensemble at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Most recently, the choir competed in the 2014 Interkultur 8th World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia, winning a gold and two silver medals in three categories (Youth Mixed, Musica sacra with accompaniment, and Spiritual). The choir’s first CD project, “Unceasing Love,” is available at digital outlets including iTunes and Amazon, and via the department’s online store. Additional activities include a World Premiere performance of Glenn McClure’s Voices of Freedom, a work commemorating the anniversaries of the Civil Rights movement and the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 2013, and K. Lee Scott’s Gloria for MorningStar Publications in 2012. The choir tours annually, and has given concerts in Philadelphia, PA, Knoxville, TN, Greenville, SC, and Virginia Beach, VA, and at the AMEA In-Service Conference in 2012. The choir has built a strong reputation of choral excellence, and has performed at past conferences of the American Choral Directors Association(ACDA), and in international choral competitions, including the Fleischman International Trophy Competition in Cork, Ireland and the 34th annual Florlilege Vocal de Tours in Tours, France.

UNA Chamber Choir - An elite group of singers, this ensemble appears on and off campus at events such as the Renaissance Faire in Florence, on tour with the UNA Collegiate Singers, in collaboration with other groups such as the UAH Concert Choir and Huntsville Youth Orchestra, and as part of the Alabama ACDA Collegiate Choirs Festival. In the spring of 2009, they had the privilege of representing the University of North Alabama on the Department of Music & Theatre’s first international tour to Italy. Since then, the group toured to Costa Rica in the spring of 2011 and Ireland in spring 2013 as part of UNA’s Study Abroad program; they completed a second tour to Italy in the spring of 2015. They have been featured performers at the AMEA conference in 2006 and 2013.

UNA Vocal Jazz Ensemble - A small group chosen from among the members of the UNA Collegiate Singers, this ensemble explores the uniquely American idiom of jazz as well as pop and world music, often arranged by its members. They have been featured at the W.C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, at the Panoply Festival of the Arts in Huntsville, on tour with the Collegiate Singers, and regularly at special UNA events.

The percussion ensemble at The University of North Alabama is dedicated to exciting performances of both new and historic repertoire for percussion ensemble. Consisting of both percussion majors and non-majors, the UNA percussion program features 3 percussion ensembles annually: The Percussion Group, Percussion Ensemble and Percussion Orchestra. Each of these groups vary in size to cover a wide range of repertoire as well as to provide performing opportunities to as many percussion students as possible at UNA. Members of the percussion ensembles are also active as performers in the 2013 Percussive Arts Society Drumline Battle winning Pride of Dixie Drumline, The Shoals Symphony at UNA, The UNA Studio Jazz Band, UNA Wind Ensemble and UNA Concert Band. The UNA Percussion Group is a smaller group selected by audition annually. This group specializes in the highest level of chamber works for percussion ensemble, as well as commissioning new repertoire as well. The Percussion Group has recently been selected to perform at the 2015 NAfME National Conference and the 2016 AMEA State Convention.

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An educational festival for elementary, middle, and high school students in band, choir, and orchestra 2016 dates: April 22-23, April 29-30, May 6-7 2017 dates: April 21-22, April 28-29, May 5-6

www.SMMFestival.com or call:1-855-766-3008

October/November 2015

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October/November 2015

2016 Conference Schedule Wednesday, January 20, 2016

5:00-7:00 PM

AMEA Governing Board Meeting - Renaissance, Riverview 2

5:30 - 6:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Registration - Exhibit Hall C

6:00-9:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B

7:15-9:30 PM

ABA Governing Board Meeting - Renaissance, Riverview 1

7:15-9:30 PM

AOA Governing Board Meeting - Renaissance, Riverview 3

7:15-9:30 PM

AVA Governing Board Meeting - Renaissance, Riverview 4

7:15-9:30 PM

Collegiate Division Governing Board Meeting - Renaissance, Riverview Boardroom

7:45-8:45 AM

AMEA Leadership Breakfast - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Keep Calm and Lead On: Celebrating Excellence and Serving Featured Speaker: Maribeth Yoder-White - President, Southern Division NAfME

8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Conference Registration - Renaissance Registration Booth

9:00-9:30 AM

Alabama Honor Choir Registration - Exhibit Hall A

9:00-9:50 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 5 What to Expect When Expecting a Lab or Intern Student - Jane Kuehne, Clinician

9:00-9:50 AM

AVA Reading Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Jeffrey Benson, Clinician

9:00-9:50 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Finding Notes Among the Notes: Being the Catalyst for Cross-Curricular Teaching and Integration of Music in Your School. Joshua Wine, Clinician

9:00-9:50 AM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Ostinati, Descants, and Other Musical Marvels - Roger Sams, Clinician

9:00-9:50 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Riverview 3 Picking the Perfect Piece for Your Concert - Soon Hee Newbold, Clinician

9:00-9:50 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom B Essential Elements - Tim Lautzenheiser, Clinician

9:00-11:00 AM

Alabama Honor Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall A

9:00 AM-12:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B

9:00 AM-4:00 PM

FAME - Riverview 1

10:00 AM

Grand Opening of the Exhibits - Renaissance, Exhibit Hall C - Open until 5:00 PM Featured Performance by the Birmingham Seven

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

AMEA General Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Choosing Excellence is Easy: Maintaining it is the Key to Success - Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, Keynote Boaz Intermediate School Honor Choir - Miriam Richey, Conductor

12:00-1:00 PM

AMEA Past President’s Luncheon - Renaissance, Riverview 2

12:00-1:00 PM

HED Luncheon - Renaissance, Riverview 4

1:00-2:00 PM

AVA Performance Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Randolph School Concert Choir - Christopher M. Walters, Conductor Oak Park Middle School Unity - Stacy Owens, Conductor

Thursday, January 21, 2016

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Thursday, January 21, 2016 1:00-2:00 PM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Rhythm Instrument Fun - Denise Gagne, Clinician

1:00-2:00 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD A Successful First 5 Years in the Classroom - Gene Butler, Clinician

1:00-2:00 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Riverview 3 We All Perform On the Same Stage - Improving the Ensemble Skills Of Your Secondary String Players Joseph Brennan, Clinician

1:00-2:00 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Music Teacher Educator Roundtable - Ted Hoffman, Moderator

1:15-2:00 PM

ABA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Grissom High School Symphonic Band II - Theo Vernon, Conductor

1:30-5:30 PM

Alabama Honor Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall A

1:45-2:45 PM

All-State Jazz Bands Registration/Check-In - Renaissance, Montgomery 7

2:00-5:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B

2:15-3:15 PM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Listening Fun with Scarves, Tennis Balls and More! - Denise Gagne, Clinician

2:15-3:15 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom B The Proof is in the Process: Concert Band 101 - Randall Coleman, Clinician

2:15-3:15 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD The Frenzied Instrumental Conductor's Guide to Score Preparation - Gary Stith, Clinician

2:15-3:15 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Movement to Make Your Choir Come Alive - Jeffrey Benson, Clinician

2:15-3:15 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E The Musician/Performer As A Sole Proprietor - Mildred Lanier, Clinician

3:00-5:00 PM

All-State Jazz Bands Rehearsal Gold Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Bronze Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 6

3:30-4:20 PM

AOA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Shoals Symphony at UNA - Daniel Stevens, Conductor

3:30-4:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Sight-Singing: You Can Teach Them To Read - Jane Kuehne, Clinician

3:30-4:20 PM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Stories That Sing - Integrating Literacy Skills into the Music Classroom - Jeanette Shorey, Clinician

3:30-4:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Sound Use of Space: Ensemble Seating - John Ginocchio, Clinician

3:30-4:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom B Building Success in the Small School (or any sized school) Band Program Jon Bubbettt, Gene Inglis, Jim Cude, Clinicians

3:30-4:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD iPad and iPhone Apps for Music Education - Scott Phillips, Clinician

4:30-5:30 PM

HED Recital - Renaissance, Ballroom A

4:30-5:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Maximizing the Potential of Your Middle and High School Horn Players, Do's and Dont's Charles G "Skip" Snead, Clinician

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Silver Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 1 Middle School Band - Renaissance, Riverview 7

October/November 2015

Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:30-5:30 PM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Ukulele and Guitar in the Elementary Music Classroom - Denise Gagne, Clinician

4:30-5:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 5 Programming with Passion - Jeffrey Benson, Clinician

4:30-5:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Shut the Front Door: Recruitment and Retention for Beginning Band Rebecca (Becky) Rodgers Warren, Clinician Sponsored by Gadsden Music Company and Burns Travel.

4:30-5:30 PM

AOA Reading Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Soon Hee Newbold, Clinician Sponsored by JW Pepper. Bring your instruments!

5:45-6:45 PM

Troy University School of Music Alumni Reception - Renaissance, Riverview 2

5:45-6:45 PM

HED Reception - Renaissance, Riverview 4

7:00-9:00 PM

All-State Jazz Bands Rehearsal Gold Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Bronze Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 6

7:00-9:30 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B

7:30-8:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Sensational Singing Games and Folk Dances for K-6 Classrooms - Denise Gagne, Clinician

7:30-8:15 PM

ABA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center James Clemens High School Wind Ensemble - Keith Anderson, Conductor

7:30-9:30 PM

AVA Performance Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Mobile’s Singing Children - Susan Hoitt, Conductor Faith Academy Senior Concert Choir - Amanda Goins, Conductor Auburn Junior HS Mixed Choir - Teresa Rhyne, Conductor McAdory Middle School Jacket Singers - Ben Cook, Conductor

7:30-10:00 PM

Alabama Honor Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall A

8:30-9:30 PM

Featured Performance - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Boston Brass

Silver Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 1 Middle School Band - Renaissance, Riverview 7

Friday, January 22, 2016

7:30 AM-1:00 PM

Conference Registration - Renaissance Registration Booth

8:00-9:00 AM

ABA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Randolph School Middle School Percussion Ensemble - Andrew Kruspe, Conductor University of North Alabama Percussion Group - Tracy Wiggins, Conductor

8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD The Singing Voice – Our Primary Instrument - Roger Sams, Clinician

8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Classroom Management 201: Handling Minor Confrontations with Skill and Confidence Anne C. Witt, Clinician

8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 5 Making Music Together: Teaching Strategies for Inclusive Music Classrooms - Ellary Draper, Clinician

8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Technology for the Modern Choir Director - Scott L. Phillips, Clinician

8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Exhibits Open - Exhibit Hall C

9:00-11:30 AM

Alabama Honor Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall A

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Friday, January 22, 2016 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

All-State Jazz Bands Rehearsal Gold Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Bronze Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 6

9:00 AM-12:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 5 Vocal Warmups and Energizers - Denise Gagne, Clinician

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Branding Made Easy: Using Social Media to Promote Your Program - Frank Buck, Clinician

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD HED Discussion Panel 2016: The Breakdown Between the Higher Ed Classroom and First Year Teacher Experiences - James Zingara, Moderator

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Riverview 3 The Publishing Process: How it Works and How to Submit - Soon Hee Newbold, Clinician

9:15-10:15 AM

AVA General Meeting - Renaissance, Ballroom A

9:15-10:15 AM

ABA General Meeting - Renaissance, Ballroom B

10:30-11:45 AM

General Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center AMEA Awards Think Beyond the Bubbles - Chris Woodside, Keynote Kitty Stone Singers - Lisa Gillespie and Cheryl Wight, Conductors

11:45 AM-1:00 PM

Collegiate Luncheon - Embassy Suites

11:45 AM-1:00 PM

Phi Beta Mu Luncheon - Renaissance, Ballroom CD

12:00-1:00 PM

ACDA Luncheon - Renaissance, Riverview 2

1:00-3:00 PM

HED Research Poster Session - Exhibit Hall Lobby

1:15-2:15 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Riverview 3 Bow Games and Twinkle and Solfege, Oh My! - Caroline Nordlund, Clinician

1:15-2:15 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A The Singer's Body: Addressing Common Tensions Through Virtual Anatomy - Susan Williams, Clinician

1:30-3:30 PM

Alabama Honor Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall A

1:30-4:30 PM

All-State Jazz Bands Rehearsal Gold Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Bronze Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 6

2:00-5:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B

2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom B NO MORE LIMITATIONS! Composing and Choosing Band Music Regardless of Level Brian Balmages, Clinician

2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Inspire Excellence in Your Young Band: Achieve the Most in Every Lesson - Bruce Pearson, Clinician

2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Why am I Singing this Song? Choosing Repertoire for Developing Choristers - Marvin E. Latimer Jr., Clinician

2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites New Teachers, Veteran Teachers: We All Have a Role in the Mentoring Process Matthew Talbert & Phillip Riggs, Clinicians

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Silver Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 1 Middle School Band - Renaissance, Riverview 7

Silver Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 1 Middle School Band - Renaissance, Riverview 7

October/November 2015

Friday, January 22, 2016 2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Ten Lessons In Jazz Improvisation - Mike Steinel, Clinician

2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 5 Teaching Can Be Fun Again with Quaver! - Otto Gross, Clinician

2:30-3:20 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Music and Language Learners - Tiffani Stricklin, Clinician

3:30-4:15 PM

ABA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Oak Mountain Middle School Advanced Symphonic Band - Heather Holmes, Conductor

3:30-4:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Bridging Cultural and Racial Divides to Start a Choir Program from Scratch: The Ups and Downs of One Teacher's Story - Conrad Weber, Clinician

3:30-4:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Montgomery 5 Using Social Media in the Applied Studio - Denise Gainey, Clinician

3:30-4:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Teaching Guitar is Easy and Fun with ChordBuddy - Ben Watson, Clinician

3:30-4:30 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Creating an Interactive Notebook in General Music Classes - Kelly Hollingsworth, Clinician

3:30-4:20 PM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Survival Strategies: Thriving in your First Year at a New School - Stuart Ivey, Clinician

3:30-4:20 PM

AOA General Meeting - Renaissance, Riverview 3

4:30-5:30 PM

General Session - Renaissance, Ballroom B Rewired: The Incredible Benefits of Getting Back to Basics....... Maybe it's Time for Your Band!

Boston Brass, Clinicians

6:20-6:45 PM

Alabama Honor Choir Dress Rehearsal - Montgomery Performing Arts Center

6:30-8:00 PM

All-State Jazz Bands Rehearsal Gold Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Bronze Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 6

7:00 PM

All-State Show Choir Rehearsal - Exhibit Hall B (if determined necessary)

7:00-8:00 PM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Play Parties Plus! - Roger Sams, Clinician

7:00-9:00 PM

ABA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center Oak Mountain High School Wind Ensemble -Kevin Ownby and Travis Bender, Conductors Alabama Wind Ensemble - Ken Ozzello, Conductor

7:30-9:00 PM

AVA Performance Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A University of North Alabama Chamber Choir and Vocal Jazz Ensemble - Ian Loeppky, Conductor UAB Concert Choir - Brian Kittredge, Conductor Alabama Honor Choir, Tucker Biddlecombe, Clinician

9:30-11:00 PM

President’s Reception - Renaissance, Ballroom B Featured Entertainment by the Crimson Jazz Faculty Quartet

Silver Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 1 Middle School Band - Renaissance, Riverview 7

Saturday, January 23, 2016 7:30-8:45 AM

All-State Show Choir Dress Rehearsal - Montgomery Performing Arts Center

8:00-9:00 AM

AVA Executive Board Meeting - Renaissance, Ballroom A

8:00-9:00 AM

ABA General Meeting - Renaissance, Ballroom B

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Saturday, January 23, 2016 8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Injury Prevention for the String Studio - Daniel Stevens, Clinician

8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD The Music Education Majors TOP TEN: What You Need To Do NOW Before You Start Your First Job George R. Boulden, Clinician

8:00-9:00 AM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Hand Drums, Rhythm Sticks and other Untuned Percussion - Roger Sams, Clinician

9:00-10:00 AM

All-State Jazz Bands Rehearsal Gold Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 7 Bronze Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 6

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom B Teaching in a Rural Setting-Keys to Success! - Timothy Heath, Clinician

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom E Perform Internationally: A Comprehensive Talk about Touring and Performing Internationally Andrew Gekoskie, Clinician

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom A Upgrading Your Ensemble by Strengthening the Clarinet Section - Beth Fabrizio, Clinician

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Got Strings? - David Pryor, Clinician

9:15-10:00 AM

AVA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center All-State Show Choir

9:15-10:15 AM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Exploring to Knowing: Defining the Path to Music Literacy through Orff Schulwerk - Gail Kopetz, Clinician

10:30-11:30 AM

Interest Session - Embassy Suites Improvisation in the General Music Classroom - Roger Sams , Clinician

10:30-11:30 AM

Lightning Round Session - Renaissance, Ballroom CD Ready? Set? Go! You have six minutes and 40 seconds to share your brilliant idea or vision for music education!

Carl Hancock, Moderator

10:30 AM-12:00 PM

ABA Performance Session - Montgomery Performing Arts Center All-State Jazz Bands

1:00-3:00 PM

AMEA Governing Board Meeting

Silver Band - Renaissance, Montgomery 1 Middle School Band - Renaissance, Riverview 7

AMEA Governing Board Meeting Minutes August 1, 2015 Embassy Suites Hotel, Montgomery, Alabama

Secretary, Carla Gallahan. The minutes were amended and a motion was made to approve the minutes as amended (Smith, Womack). Passed.

The AMEA Governing Board met at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Montgomery, AL on August 1, 2015. The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m.

by AMEA President Carl Hancock. Board members present at the meeting: Carl Hancock, Sara Womack, Susan Smith, Garry Taylor, Carla Gallahan, Michael Holmes, Sarah Schrader, Carl Davis, Ted Hoffman, Pat Stegall, Becky Lightfoot, Doug Fariss, Cliff Huckabee, Phil Wilson, Becky Halliday, Frank Buck, Andy Meadows, and Thad Walker. Guests included Mai Yamane, Allie Glover, and Mildred Lanier.

Officer, Representatives, and Division Reports may be viewed online by visiting our website, www.alabamamea.org

The minutes of the June 8, 2015 meeting of the AMEA Governing Board were read by Recording 44

Committee Reports Teacher Education – discussed the addition of a roundtable discussion at the 2016 AMEA conference on specific music education areas of interest.

Historian – 2016 will mark the 70th Anniversary of AMEA . Frank Buck discussed some ideas for promoting this anniversary and requested the Board to consider additional ideas.

Membership – Pat Stegall, Chair, is working with

NAfME to increase our AMEA membership by 5% by the end of the 2016 Conference. He is seeking volunteers to assist with the membership drive.

Breakout Session – the Board participated in Breakout Sessions on the following topics: • “Ideas for increasing membership: incentives, volunteers, reason to return, targets?

• Ways to celebrate our 70th: conference, Ala Breve, website, activities • Lightning round: names of rising stars, have something to share, unique” The Board reconvened to discuss the ideas shared in the Breakout Session.

Unfinished Business Job Position Description - Garry Taylor created a list of responsibilities included in the position of October/November 2015

AMEA Executive Director highlighting areas that could be the responsibility of an Assistant Executive Director.

This information was discussed by the Board. A motion was made to create the position of AMEA Assistant Executive Director and request Garry Taylor continue to develop the job description (Womack, Huckabee).

Passed.

Conference Planning – Garry Taylor presented and discussed a draft of the 2016 Conference schedule.

A review of the schedule and discussion occurred.

The Board addressed planning issues involving the 2016 AMEA conference including the 70th Anniversary, sponsored clinics, the Boston Brass performance, FJH and Brian Balmages addressing the Young Composers, FAME student participants attending entire Conference, the inclusion of Lightning Round Sessions, and creating a location for members, performers, etc. to pose for a picture with the AMEA sign.

Special Session of the AMEA Governing Board August 29, 2015 Sheraton Hotel, Birmingham, Alabama The AMEA Governing Board met at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham, AL on August 29, 2015. The meeting was called to order at 11:20 a.m. by AMEA President Carl Hancock. Board members present at the meeting: Carl Hancock, Sara Womack, Susan Smith, Garry Taylor, Carla Gallahan, Michael Holmes, Pat Stegall, Sam Nordlund, Cliff Huckabee, Harry McAfee and Jim Zingara.

Present via conference call: Sarah Schrader, Ted Hoffman, Becky Lightfoot.

Old Business: MOTION 1: A motion was made to accept Box5

Music Education Day at the Capitol – the date for this event will be decided upon in November.

Once the date has been set, information will be available in the Ala Breve. The 70th Anniversary will be incorporated in this event.

Website Redesign Update – the Board discussed having a new website design for AMEA that will allow Division use as well. President Hancock has been communicating with Cogent Path on this topic. A motion was made for the Board to accept the proposal from Cogent Path for AMEA website redesign and for President Hancock to continue negotiation of an AMEA logo (Womack, Schrader). Passed.

New Business AMEA Award nomination materials were distributed and reviewed. These awards will be presented at the 2016 Conference.

Media as the recording company for the 2016 AMEA Conference (Womack, McAfee). Failed.

MOTION 2: A motion was made to move the AMEA Conference to the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center for the 2018-19 Conferences (Womack, Holmes). Passed New Business: 2016 AMEA Hall of Fame - The Board reviewed and voted upon nominees.

The Board conducted a preliminary discussion on the topic of “cross – division participation” within the AMEA Divisions.

Two motions were madeto revise the AMEA Contsitution. (See below).

Announcements: • AMEA Tri-M Music Honor Society Alabama Coordinator needed by Sept. 1.

• Southern Division NAfME Leadership meeting 9/13/15 – 9/14/15 in Atlanta, GA. • NAfME In-Service Conference in Nashville, TN. October 25-28, 2015.

Pre-conference • AMEA Board Meetings: 1/20/16 at 5:00 p.m., post-conference 1/23/16 at 1:00 p.m.

• Ala Breve Column Deadlines: 9/15 of October 2015, 1/15 for February 2016, 4/15 for may 2016.

The AMEA Governing Board meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Dr. Carla Gallahan, AMEA Recording Secretary

Announcements: • Southern Division NAfME Leadership meeting 9/13/15 – 9/14/15 in Atlanta, GA. • NAfME In-Service Conference in Nashville, TN. October 25-28, 2015.

• AMEA Board Meetings: Pre-conference 1/20/16 at 5:00 p.m., post-conference 1/23/16 at 1:00 p.m.

• Ala Breve Column Deadlines: 9/15 of October 2015, 1/15 for February 2016, 4/15 for May 2016.

The AMEA Governing Board meeting was adjourned at 12:13 p.m. (Homes, Zingara).

Respectfully submitted, Dr. Carla Gallahan, AMEA Recording Secretary

Motions to Revise the AMEA Constitution (to be voted on at the 2016 AMEA Conference) Motion 2:

Motion 1: Article 4, Section 3 - Currently Reads Governing Board. The Governing Board shall be composed of the President, Past-President, President-Elect.

Recording Secretary, Treasurer/Registrar, the Collegiate Faculty Advisor, and the President or Chairperson of each of the Divisions. Ex-officio members shall be the Music Consultants of the State Department of Education, the Editor of Ala Breve Magazine, the Executive Director of the AMEA, the Industry Member Representative, the AAAE Representative, the State Collegiate President, and the Executive Director of the Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals, who shall serve in a non-voting capacity. Additional ex-officio, non-voting members of the governing board may be appointed and serve at the discretion of the Governing Board.

Advisory members shall be the Presidents-Elect of each of the Divisions and shall serve in a nonvoting capacity. ala breve

Article 4, Section 3 - Change to Read: Governing Board. The Governing Board shall be composed of the President, Past-President, PresidentElect, Recording Secretary, Treasurer/Registrar, the Collegiate Faculty Advisor, and the President or Chairperson of each of the Divisions.

Ex-officio members shall be the Arts Education Specialist of the Alabama State Department of Education, the Editor of Ala Breve Magazine, the Executive Director of the AMEA, the Industry Member Representative, and the State Collegiate President, who shall serve in a non-voting capacity.

Additional ex-officio, non-voting members of the governing board may be appointed and serve at the discretion of the Governing Board.

Advisory members shall be the Presidents-Elect and/or Vice-Presidents of each of the Divisions and shall serve in a non-voting capacity.

Add to Article1, Duties of the Officers, Section 7 Assistant Executive Director. It shall be the duty of the Assistant Executive Director to aide and assist the AMEA Governing Board in planning professional development programs for the association and assist the Executive Director in implementing those plans. He/she will serve as the AMEA liaison to the State Department of Education and maintain the AMEA Constitution, Bylaws, and Executive Handbook in cooperation with the President and Executive Director.

He/She will assume the duties of the Executive Director in the case of disability or absence of the Executive Director. He/she shall maintain membership in AMEA and perform such other duties as may be required by the Constitution and By-Laws, the Governing Board, and the Executive Director.

45

Educating Those Ears!

by Nate Buonviri

Editor’s Note: This article appears as one of a series written especially for Ala Breve by experts in the field of music education.

When I describe my research in aural skills pedagogy to friends and colleagues outside of music, I tell them it entails training students’ ears for better musicianship. They often reply “Well, isn’t that basically everything in music education?” with a surprised look.

“Well…yes…” I respond, knowing that all too often the ears ironically get crowded out of curriculum by other musical topics. The purpose of this article is to explore the role of the ears in the wider school curriculum and specifically in music curriculum, and to highlight ways music teachers can help students create and maintain focus on their aural skills while they grow as musicians.

Ears in the School Curriculum Consider for a moment some of the courses students take in high school: geometry, English, biology, physical education, world history, art appreciation, chemistry, and algebra, for example. None of these courses typically contains much emphasis on students’ ears.

Students may be hearing instructions from the teacher or listening to audio as they watch a video demonstration, but they are not focusing on their ears as the fascinating natural tools they have been given, or maximizing the potential that lies within them.

Foreign language courses can provide students with specific focus on nuance and variety of sound by virtue of spoken communication that does not match the native tongue. Unfortunately, many schools require only two years of these courses, and students begin them relatively late in life. Furthermore, foreign language courses in high school often are taught and learned mostly visually; students might read from a book, memorize a chart of endings for verb conjugations, study the order of words for sentence structure, and compose phrases, sentences, and short stories. All these activities can be accomplished without the ears! Quality pronunciation and acute attention to aural nuance frequently take a backseat.

Among all the classes listed above, students have ample time to exercise their visual and kinesthetic faculties. For example, math classes incorporate formulas, shapes, and graphs, and history classes offer charts, maps, and timelines, all of which students study in visual layout.

Chemistry entails measuring, pouring, and mixing, and physical education introduces stretching, exertion, and body control, all of which students study kinesthetically. Music classes can, and should, provide students the opportunity to explore their aural capabilities in special ways, an opportunity not afforded them by most of the rest of the curriculum.

The example courses above are typical of high school curriculum, but elementary and middle school classes offer much of the same. A broad look at classes at these levels also reveals heavy 46

emphasis on visual activities and learning tools, some emphasis on kinesthetic activities and tools, and relatively little emphasis on aural activities and tools. Note, for example, that elementary and middle schools tend not to offer even the basic requirement classes in foreign language that high schools offer. Therefore, special attention to developing students’ aural skills may be even more important at these educational levels; music teachers can help.

Ears in Music Curriculum Putting out a call for stronger advocacy for music programs in our nations’ schools is not the focus of this article; I would be “preaching to the choir.” We all know that more and better music programs would benefit our students. I will instead put forth a call to music teachers who already have at least some classes in place.

Please do not neglect those ears while teaching music! We have a responsibility in our classes to prompt students to use their ears in ways they do not use them during the rest of the day.

Not all K-12 students will go on to become professional musicians but all of them can benefit from getting a real glimpse into what musicians actually do. What musicians actually do is use their ears to create, perform, understand, and enjoy a very special art. Some would say this is a biased opinion, but one cannot fairly judge a statement to be biased until one has tried it. Thoroughly. This is the problem.

Students who do not have the opportunity to really flex and exercise their ears in exciting ways can never fully understand as adults why it would be important for the next generation of students to have that same opportunity. To repeat and clarify my call: for those of us lucky enough to be teaching music classes, and who understand the unique beauty of an aural art, we need to make the most of the opportunity to help students focus on developing their ears in special ways.

You may be thinking “Aren’t we already doing that?” You probably are, to a certain extent. My aim in this article is to prompt you to review how you approach students in daily music activities; considering how to develop their aural skills in a way that takes into account the lack of focus on those skills across the general curriculum.

Many of our advocacy efforts tend to focus on how music relates so well to other subjects, supporting at the very least better standardized test scores and at best a more integrated curriculum with interdisciplinary flair. The problem is that many of these connections involve material apart from the ears. For example, transfers from music to mathematics might involve understanding metric structure with its corresponding beats, divisions, and subdivisions. This can be, and all too often is, understood without the ears; it can be explained with a chart. Transfers from music to world

history might involve particular connections between composers and authors, or compositions and world events. Again, these are helpful for students, but can be studied without hearing a note. The important question is not “What are we teaching, and what connections are students making?” but “How are we teaching it, and how are students making those connections?”

Examining Your Approach If we wish to highlight the ears more in music class, the best place to start may be in the activities we are already doing. I present here some representative applications and accompanying examples. I hope they will serve to spark your imagination about similar activities you may currently offer and to illustrate how just a bit of adjustment can produce a dramatic change.

Since I alluded to a couple of interdisciplinary connections already, we will begin with those. In many cases, the easiest and most effective way to exercise students’ ears is simply to reverse a given learning sequence. Take the example of a chart showing the division of a whole note into two halves, and the two halves into four quarters, and so forth. The summary information is already laid out. I would suggest that our job is to help students arrive at that information through their ears rather than presenting the chart and explaining it away. For instance, can students listen to a short piece without any visual aid, find the pulse, discover the number of pulses in a cycle, determine whether the pulse is breaking down into twos or threes, and determine how each of those divisions is further broken down? Can they do that several more times with contrasting examples? All of these steps require them to discover musical math through their ears, not from a chart. Once the aural work is finished, the chart serves simply as a reminder.

The second example I mentioned previously was helping students make connections between music and world history. These connections help them understand chronological developments both in music and in the world in general prompting them to reinforce knowledge in both fields reciprocally. If we push them to do this with their ears, we help them develop a part of their mind that otherwise would idle. Instead of mapping events on a timeline or showing images or videos illustrating a composer’s life and world events, we can approach the summary information through sound. Helping students arrive at realizations through gradual aural steps can make all the difference.

For example, can students listen to recordings of Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and Duke Ellington’s big band and draw comparisons in the sounds, textures, and form, followed by educated guesses and resultant discussion about October/November 2015

the musical influences, surrounding events, and available resources that made these musics what they are? Many teachers could easily tackle these topics on the spot, and could present students with an accurate and compelling description within just a couple of minutes, but the process of helping students discover these concepts through sound is what really matters.

Many times the difference lies simply in when students hear the music in relationship to the spoken or written knowledge. Give them a chance to hear for themselves before anyone, including you, tells them what’s what! Consider, from both the math and world history examples how convenient and efficient it may be to “teach” concepts in a directed fashion, and how lasting and powerful it can be for students to learn concepts in an active, aural way instead.

Let’s explore one more example: performing ensembles. Most ensemble directors would agree that “good ears” generally help students play and sing better. We must ask ourselves, constantly, whether we are helping students to develop “good ears” or simply giving them what they need to make momentary progress. Do we tell our clarinetists they are cheating the fourth beat or help them discover and determine it themselves? Do we instruct our sopranos to simply “Wait for my cue; it will be crystal clear” or help them aurally understand the preceding material on which their entrance is based? Do we tune the drums for our young timpanists or take the time to teach them the skills they need to do it themselves? How about violinists?

Guitarists?

In a recent meeting of my Percussion Methods course, I mentioned in passing that performing musicians all know that we don’t look up at the conductor all the time, and sometimes relatively rarely. My colleague, a fabulous choral conductor, happened to be in the room observing my class that day. The students all giggled and looked in his direction a bit apprehensively. I followed with “Yes, your director is in the room today, but he knows it’s true. If he expected that you would take every bit of musical information only from his gestures, your choir would be in big trouble.”

Emphatic nods all around, including my colleague. We want our musicians to trust their ears and listen to each other; we have to give them the opportunity to develop those skills which will help them grow as independent learners and musicians. Ultimately, those experiences come back to reward our programs as our students gain confidence in their musicianship.

Getting Started Some readers may find these ideas to be fairly new; others may be doing these things regularly already. In all cases, periodic review of the ways you are approaching the materials in your classes and rehearsals is worth the effort. In music, educating the ears should play a key role in organizing and planning those instructional sequences.

The good news is that educating the ears does ala breve

not have to be costly or complicated. In class, shifting the emphasis to students’ ears may require simply encouraging them to use their voices freely or to listen before looking, for example. Establishing and maintaining an environment in which students expect to use their ears differently in your room than they have the rest of the day is crucial. Following are practical tips to help generate this routine. Again, these are simply a couple of specific examples that I hope will spark your own creativity.

Players and Singers Instrumentalists and vocalists may experience very different music educations especially as regards daily training of the ears for musical growth. Many instrumentalists learn to read scales, arpeggios, etudes, solos, and ensemble parts without necessarily hearing internally what they will play prior to executing it. Some of them will cruise through several years of band or orchestra without truly engaging the aural part of the musical performance cycle. A saxophonist can simply push down the right keys and blow a steady stream of air without aurally imagining the pitch, duration, or sound quality desired. A violist can hold down the right fingers and use kinesthetic memory to approximate the position needed to produce the right note, but again perhaps without actually engaging the ears fully in the process. Instrumentalists tend to receive lots of valuable technical and musical information in their training but sometimes they do not combine that information with trained ears.

Many vocal students run exactly the opposite risk. They can use their ears directly to find their way through a passage but may not have understood the context in which it occurred. As an illustration, singers can stumble into rehearsal late and still join right in on the ascending scale warm-up without having any idea what pitches they are singing. In that situation, they too are missing a piece of the musicianship cycle; they have survived the exercise but may not have learned anything lasting to apply to future situations.

The solution to both problems could be rather simple. Teachers can emphasize the missing link for each group. Instrumental students can play their warm-ups and scales according to vocalized examples; they can spend lots of time practicing apart from their written music; and they can improvise within certain parameters appropriate to the repertoire or instructional unit. Singers can ascend and descend through their warm-up patterns with notation of those patterns in hand; they can sight-read rhythmic patterns graduated in difficulty; and they can analyze recorded or spontaneous singing for pitch, rhythm, key, mode, or meter information. The goal is to get each “camp” to understand how the other functions; musicians who have substantial experience in both instrumental and vocal ensembles would attest to the benefits this approach can yield.

The Triplet Consider one more example—likely to be introduced in a general music class, but possibly

a new concept for music students in practically any class: the triplet. You will probably guess from the preceding paragraphs that I would recommend students discover the triplet through their ears first. Of course! That may seem obvious, but take a closer look to review the points presented so far.

The core concept of a triplet is rather simple: dividing something into three instead of two.

Math teachers use side-by-side pie charts, overlaid line graphs, or the ratio 3:2 to illustrate this same concept easily. In an ideal curriculum, they might even help students make connections to music by showing how a pair of eighth notes and an eighth-note triplet look beside each other.

The music teacher’s job, though, is to introduce or reinforce the same concept through the ears.

Students need to hear many triplets in many contexts, decode the information through tapping, patting, clapping, singing, or sketching, and arrive ultimately at the understanding of how triplets function in order to be able to use them to perform other music or create their own. Again, that may sound obvious to many of you, but too often teachers show this musical concept first and then play, sing, or lead some examples of it. Notice the subtle, but incredibly powerful difference. I am recommending that teachers help students to gradually reach concepts through their ears rather than to gradually reach their ears through concepts. This slight shift in approach can change everything.

In Conclusion I hope this article has sparked your interest in the role of students’ ears in your own classrooms. Our students do not have the chance to use their ears in special, sophisticated ways very much in typical school curriculum. We have ample opportunities to help them use and enjoy these amazing natural tools in our music classes and rehearsals. Take a few moments to search your own curriculum for additional ways you can educate those ears!

Nate Buonviri is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has presented research and workshops on aural skills development across the United States and around the world. Buonviri is published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Percussive Notes, The Instrumentalist, and Music Educators Journal.

His book, Building Better Dictation Skills, is available as of August 27th from Rowman & Littlefield. Buonviri is principal percussionist of Utah Festival Opera and drummer for Philadelphia-based Polkadelphia. He recorded two CDs with the Dallas Wind Symphony under the direction of Jerry Junkin and Frederick Fennell.

47

Smartest Thing I Ever Did – Using Smiley Face Stickers

by Matthew H. Spieker

Editor’s Note: This article appears as one of a series written especially for Ala Breve by experts in the field of music education.

Holding students accountable in a middle school music program is an on-going challenge for music educators. In collaboration with another music colleague, in a middle school setting, we developed a communication tool that helped students, parents, and teachers keep track of individualized goals, progress, and achievement. We discovered that small steps—accompanied with positive feedback—contributed to engaged students, satisfied parents, and clear, daily lessons.

Several years ago I was privileged to work with Scott Schlup; he directed the bands and I directed the orchestras. This rewarding work was due, in part, to having a creative colleague who enjoyed the challenge of pursuing new ideas as much as I did. Such an energized environment shaped us both into mature directors and impacted the quality of our instruction.

communication, and an accountability tool for all interested parties. Most importantly, the cards helped students celebrate their accomplishments and plan future work, making them accountable for their music learning.

Cards were collected on Mondays and returned to students on Tuesdays. Progress made during the previous week was recorded in the computer and then marked on the card with a “smiley face” sticker if a student earned full points, or a number of acquired points for lesser achievements. There is something encouraging about filling out a card with these visual reminders of a job well done, and the middle school students seemed motivated by a smiley face.

Figure 1

Pass-Off Cards Among the creative, unique ideas we tried was a smart, practical management tool that helped us implement the curriculum.

Concepts developed in my previous position and refinements added by Scott massaged the idea that eventually became known as a “PassOff ” card, (see Figure 1). In addition to their ability to communicate, hold students accountable and show progress, the cards supported individualized learning plans.

Pass-Off cards were printed onto cardstock using school colors to represent the different ensemble levels. Cardstock was important for two reasons. The heavier paper could withstand repeated handling and use during an entire semester, and it conveyed to students that this was an important document. On the first day of class, Pass-Off cards were presented to the students with their handbook, method book and other materials.

One side of the card included expected firstquarter accomplishments and the other side included second-quarter skills, thus making the Pass-Off card good for an entire semester.

The Pass-Off card became a snapshot of a student’s progress throughout the semester.

The teacher, student, and parent(s) handled the Pass-Off card every week, making it a weekly progress report, an important 48

Becoming a Musician I emphasized to students the importance of acquiring points as a way to accomplish music skills. Everybody started with nothing and the goal was to build up their grade. I often compared this to acquiring musicianship skills.

As musicians, we start the journey with little in terms of talents, but through hard work and dedication we acquire the necessary skills to become accomplished. This adventure does not happen overnight. Nobody is born with great skills, but rather every good musician commits himself or herself to work daily and repetitively on those skills until they become accomplished.

months of hard work, Suzuki felt he made no progress and eventually decided he was without talent. “Without talent, trying so hard, every day – ‘it’s not worth it,’ I told myself. I felt that I had no ability, and wanted to die” (Suzuki, 1983, p.35). Suzuki eventually learned this thinking served as an excuse for avoiding work. He later writes, “Every child can be educated; it is only a matter of the method of education. Anyone can train himself; it is only a question of using the right kind of effort” (p.36). The Pass-Off card served as a tool that helped keep students on track and use the “right kind of effort.”

Practice The first section on the Pass-Off card displayed nine lines for the nine weeks of practice the student was to complete for the quarter (see Figure 2). Students were required to commit a minimum of 30 minutes per weekday and 30 minutes over the weekend resulting in three hours of weekly practice. If a student didn’t accomplish the three hours, then points were awarded incrementally based on how much they practiced. The information letter to the parents asked them to keep a record of their student’s daily practice, and to only give credit for actual daily practice.

Bunching together all three hours of practice on Sunday afternoon defeats the purpose of the critical, daily discipline of practice.

Students earned points based on the total amount of practice for that week and smiley faces were reserved for more than three hours.

Parents had to sign the card every week acknowledging they had seen the card and their child had practiced for that time amount.

Next to the specific week of practice, I asked students to fill in skills I wanted the class to accomplish that week. Sometimes, I would have students identify their own issues such as technique they needed to work on or PassOffs still to be completed. Individualized learning was a buil t-in element of the plan.

Figure 2

As a young man, Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) studied violin in Berlin, Germany. When reminiscing about those early days, he often wrote about his lack of ability. Despite many October/November 2015

Skills The next section on the card, called Pass-Off, reflected skills the student was expected to learn during the quarter (see Figure 3). Listing the basic curriculum elements also kept me on task with my instruction. Young teachers tend to focus on literature with the goal of having good performances, which makes sense, as often that is how a teacher’s success is judged.

Effective teachers have good concerts, but this is the result of thorough teaching of skills rather than repetitive rehearsing of sheet music. Master teachers rehearse skills— especially foundational ones—with a constant, concise, and systematic approach that allows students to transfer those skills to the literature, and they do all of this with an intense sense of urgency (Brand, 1990; Hamann & Gillespie, 2013).

Pass-Off cards were given that name as credit was assigned to the student after he/she showed mastery of a skill. The reward on the card was a smiley face sticker. For many students, this mastery was demonstrated during class when playing that week’s PassOff. For students not demonstrating mastery during class, there were other opportunities to prove themselves. Pass-Off simply meant they needed more practice on the skill. This process provided an opportunity to discuss how musicians learn at different speeds, which we emphasized as normal and expected.

“Test” or “Playing Test” terminology was never used because a test suggests a one-time event of success or failure while the rest of the class marches on. Pass-Off means “keep working and show me you can play it later.”

Before school, lunch, and after school times were often busy, but became valuable one-onone times with students needing extra support to master Pass-Off skills.

performance (theirs or others), reading assignments, etc.

Other Issues Different classes have different needs throughout the semester of which the PassOff card accommodates. My younger students were allowed to play in graduation, but only as an honor given them for hard work throughout the year and if they could play the music. The Pass-Off card reflected a section labeled Graduation Music (see Figure 4). Under this labeling were lines, “Excerpt #1, Excerpt #2,” etc. I didn’t label specific excerpts as different ensemble sections had different difficult passages. If a student didn’t acquire full points, I would make quick remarks about where to focus their attention.

These comments helped focus their practice and reminded me each student’s individual improvement needs. The excerpts section proved useful for regular concerts as well and in some classes was a regular section on the Pass-Off card.

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References Brand, M. (1990). Special focus: The making of a master music teacher. Music Educators Journal, 77(2), 23.

Hamann, D. L., Gillespie, R. (2013). Strategies for teaching strings; Building a successful string and orchestra program. New York: Oxford University Press.

Figure 4 Suzuki, Shinichi. (1986). Nurtured by love: The classic approach to talent education. Van Nuys, Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Chamber music was an important aspect of my program as well. Most of my classes went through a chamber unit in the third quarter, culminating in a performance at Solo and Ensemble. Specific concepts were delineated and assigned a set of points. These concepts included rhythm, intonation, musicality, group grade, and final performance (see Figure 5).

Figure 5

Figure 3

Written Assignments Written assignments were designated on the next section on the card. In my classroom this often meant music theory assignments, usually theory worksheets to be completed throughout the quarter and, naturally, smiley face stickers were put on the card when a student received a grade of an A. Other topics could also occupy this space such as history assignments, reflective writings on

Engagement and Accountability Engagement and accountability are common educational buzzwords. We expect teachers to keep children involved and parents informed.

I agree. A teacher’s responsibility is to be engaging and accountable, but it can be challenging to do this every day. Pass-Off cards do both. The German’s have a saying, “Zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen.”

Translated this means to kill two flies with one swat. Pass-Off cards accomplish exactly that and this is why I feel it was one of the smartest things I ever did. Truthfully, the smiley face stickers only helped.

Information The final section on the Pass-Off card gave information including concert dates, reminders of assignment due dates, extra assignments or practice ideas, etc. I simply labeled it “Comments” (see Figure 6) and used it to be information specific for that student.

When the class size is large this section helps me to remember specific issues for each student.

Figure 6

Matthew H. Spieker has been a music educator who has taught all levels of orchestra and general music in U.S. school districts of South Carolina and Colorado, and internationally at the John F. Kennedy Schule in Berlin, Germany. He now works at the University of Arizona teaching violin, and music education courses and he conducts the Philharmonic Orchestra.

Dr. Spieker guest conducts honor orchestras and lectures at music education conferences through various organizations and events in Arizona, Colorado, South Carolina, and in cities abroad including Brussels, Vienna, Geneva and Beijing.

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AMEADivision Events

2015 - 2016

Alabama Bandmasters Association AMEA In-Service Conference/All-State Jazz Band January 21-23, 2016 - Renaissance Montgomery Hotel at the Convention Center All-State Solo Festival April 13, 2016 - University of South Alabama District I

District II

District III

District IV

District V

District VI

District VII

District VIII

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District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions District Honor Band State MPA I State MPA II Solo and Ensemble Festival Solo and Ensemble Festival District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions State MPA District Honor Band Solo and Ensemble Festival Solo and Ensemble Festival District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions District Honor Band State MPA Solo and Ensemble Festival District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions State MPA (High School) State MPA (Middle School) District Honor Band Solo and Ensemble Festival Solo and Ensemble Festival District Spring Meeting District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions District Honor Band District Spring Meeting State MPA Solo and Ensemble Festival Solo and Ensemble Festival All-State Band Unassigned Auditions All-State Band Auditions District Honor Band State MPA State MPA Solo and Ensemble Festival District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions State MPA Solo and Ensemble Festival Solo and Ensemble Festival District Spring Meeting District Fall Meeting All-State Band Auditions State MPA District Honor Band District Spring Meeting Solo and Ensemble Festival Solo and Ensemble Festival

All-State Band Festival April 14-16, 2016 - Mobile Convention Center Summer In-Service Conference June 22-23, 2016 - Hampton Inn and Suites, Orange Beach

August 24, 2015 January 29-30, 2016 February 12-13, 2016 March 8-9, 2016 March 10-11, 2016 April 2, 2016 May 7, 2016 August 25, 2015 January 16, 2016 February 24-26, 2016 March 11-12, 2016 April 18, 2016 May 2, 2016 August 15, 2015 January 30, 2016 February 19-20, 2016 March 1-3, 2016/March 12, 2016 May 7, 2016 September 21, 2015 January 30, 2016 March 8-10, 2016 March 15-17, 2016 February 26-27, 2016 April 19, 2016 May 7, 2016 May 23, 2016 August 24, 2015 January 30, 2016 February 19-20, 2016 February 20, 2016 February 25-26, 2016 March 15, 2016 April 21, 2016 January 30, 2016 January 30, 2016 February 19-20, 2016 March 8, 2016 March 9-10, 2016 April 28, 2016 August 24, 2015 January 16, 2016 March 9-11, 2016 April 30, 2016 May 7, 2016 May 9, 2016 August 17, 2015 January 9, 2016 March 8- 11, 2016 March 12-13, 2016 March 13, 2016 May 7, 2016 May 14, 2016

James Clemens HS Sparkman HS Huntsville HS Austin HS James Clemens HS Priceville HS Liberty MS Gadsden City HS Albertville HS Gadsden City HS Albertville HS Southside HS Oxford HS Smith Lake Muscle Shoals HS Wallace State Community College UNA/Muscle Shoals High School UNA TBA TBA Hewitt-Trussville HS Homewood HS Homewood HS Homewood MS Bumpus MS TBA Private Residence, email for details Tuscaloosa County HS University of West Alabama Private Residence University of Alabama School of Music Prattville JHS Tuscaloosa County HS St. James School Opelika MS Auburn HS First Baptist Church Montgomery Opelika HS Auburn JHS Murphy HS Davidson HS Baker HS Fairhope HS Faith Academy Daphne HS TBA Troy Elementary School Enterprise HS Enterprise HS Enterprise HS Troy Elementary School Excel HS

October/November 2015

Alabama Vocal Association Fall Workshop: All-State Auditions All-Districts All-Districts All-Districts All-Districts All-Districts All-Districts All-Districts All Districts Honor Choir Screening District I District II District III District IV District V District VI District VII OCS/OA/ME District I District II District III District IV District V District VI District VII SCPA District I District II District III District IV District V District VI District VII S/E District I District II District III District IV District V District VI District VII State Events All-State Show Choir Auditions All-State Show Choir Festival Honor Choir Festival All-State Auditions All-State Festival

September 11, 2015, Montgomery, 1st Baptist Church, Board meeting @ FBC: September 10 Event Date Area Location Friday, 11/13 Cullman St. Bernard Prep Saturday, 11/14 Cullman St. Bernard Prep Sunday, 11/15 Florence Florence HS Monday, 11/16 Gadsden Gadsden City HS Tuesday, 11/17 Gadsden Gadsden City HS Wednesday,11/18 Montgomery FBC Thursday, 11/19 Montgomery FBC Friday, 11/20 Mobile Spring Hill Baptist Event Date Location October 29 Austin High School October 27 Tuscaloosa County HS November 2 Gardendale HS November 2 Alexandrea HS November 17 James Clemens HS October 28 Montgomery Academy October 29 UMS-Wright Event Date Location November 5 Florence HS November 10 Tuscaloosa County HS October 19 Gardendale HS November 5 Alexandria HS November 3 Randolph School November 4 Tallassee HS November 9 U of South AL Event Date Location February 23 1st Baptist/Decatur UNA February 24 March 30 -31 Moody Music Bldg March 21- 23 Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC April 7 Gadsden City HS April 4 – 5 Columbia HS March 18 1st Baptist Tallassee March 15 U of South AL Event Date Location April 7 UNA March 30 – 31 Moody Music Bldg (with SCPA) April 9 Gardendale HS February 25 Jacksonville State U February 8 – 9 Willowbrook Baptist March 18 1st Baptist Tallassee Fall - October 22 U of South AL Spring – March 15 U of South AL Event Date Location October 16, 17, 2015 Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC January 20 – 23, 2016 AMEA Montgomery January 21-22,2016 AMEA Montgomery November 13-20, 2015 Various locations throughout state March 2 – 5, 2016 Samford University

Advance Registration deadline: September 4 6:00 p.m.

Registration Date Absolute Deadline/payment due October 2 October16 October 2 October 16 October 2 October 16 October 2 October 16 October 2 October 16 October 2 October 16 October 2 October 16 October 2 October 16 Reg. Date Absolute deadline/payment due October 1 October 15 September 29 October 13 October 5 October 19 October 5 October 19 October 20 November 3 September 30 October 14 October 1 October 15 Reg. Date Absolute deadline/payment due October 8 October 27 October 13 October 27 September 21 October 5 October 8 October 22 October 6 October 20 October 7 October 21 October 12 October 26 Reg. Date Absolute deadline/payment due January 26 February 9 January 26 February 9 March 2 March 16 February 22 March 2 March 10 March 24 March 7 March 21 February 19 March 4 February 16 March 1 Reg. Date Absolute deadline/payment due March 10 March 24 March 2 March 16 March 12 March 26 January 28 February 11 January 11 January 25 February 19 March 4 September 17 October 1 February 16 March 1 Registraton Due Absolute deadline/check due October 2, 2015 October 9, 2015 December 9, 2015 December 23, 2015 December 9, 2015 December 23, 2015 October 2, 2015 October 16, 2015 January 20, 2016 February 3, 2016

Elementary/General Division October 9, 2015: AMEA Elementary Music Festival, Samford University Tiffany English and Andrea Coleman; Featured Clinicians October 10, 2015: AMEA/ AOSA Fall Joint Workshop, Samford University Tiffany English, workshop clinician November 11-14, 2015: AOSA Professional Development Conference, San Diego, California January 21-23, 2016: AMEA In-Service Conference; Montgomery, Alabama

AMEA Collegiate Division September 27, 2015 - Collegiate Summit - Jacksonville State University January 21 - 23, 2016 AMEA Conference, Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center

Alabama Orchestra Association All State Audition excerpts posted online....................August 10, 2015 Composition Contest Deadline.................................September 1, 2015 All State Audition Registration Deadline...............September 28, 2015 Auditions must be completed by.................................October 11, 2015 Results Posted online................................................November 16, 2015 ala breve

Festival Registration Deadline....................................December 1, 2015 All-State Scholarship Application Deadline.............December 1, 2015 All-State Festival......................................................February 11-14, 2016 AOA Music Performance Assessment.......................April 22-23, 2016

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by James Mick and David Pope

Creating a Positive Solo and Ensemble Experience for Your Students

Editor’s Note: This article appears as one of a series written especially for Ala Breve by experts in the field of music education.

Performing at solo and ensemble festivals can be an overwhelming experience for both students and teachers. While some students are naturally calm and confident when performing for an adjudicator, many others become anxious and disheveled no matter their level of preparation. The one unifying factor, though, is that all students desire a high-level performance that increases selfconfidence and garners positive feedback from adjudicators.

As teachers, we strive to provide tools that help our students succeed. The following suggestions are aimed at closing common gaps in students’ preparation for solo and ensemble festivals. Some tips address specific performance issues while other tips provide broader opportunities for students to hone their performances. If students keep the various goals in mind, they are bound to build stronger performance habit strengths.

Based upon your own students’ talents and needs, you can use these teaching tips individually or in combination to help your students have a successful solo and ensemble experience.

1. Create a “Game” Plan – Just like successful head football coaches in the SEC, students should formulate a “game” plan well in advance of their solo and ensemble event. First, students need to determine how much time they have until the solo and ensemble event. While looking through their calendars, it is important to note potential conflicts that may distract from practice time, such as vacations, sporting events, and concerts.

Secondly, students should schedule a regular practice time in their daily and weekly calendars. By creating a regular practice schedule, students will be able to determine the exact amount of practice time they have to learn and prepare their music. Ensemble members will need to schedule both personal practice time and group rehearsals. It is also important for students to schedule various opportunities to perform their music before the solo and ensemble event. These 52

performances can be for family members, friends, their music class, or even a recital.

Ideas and goals for practice performances will be discussed more in “Step 4: Play Early and Play Often.”

The third and final step in creating a game plan is for students to formulate a conceptual practice plan that identifies shortterm and long-term goals. These goals will make learning the repertoire more manageable by providing markers and indicators of success along the way. To begin the goal-setting process, students should analyze the music and develop a broad understanding of the music’s structure, form, and phrasing. Many times sections repeat or vary slightly from other sections, and by locating these instances students will be able to transfer similar concepts from one section to another. The process of learning to transfer similar concepts will allow students to better utilize their practice time.

Also, by breaking music into separate learning segments, students may be able to avoid feeling overwhelmed by needing to learn an entire piece all at once.

It is important to note that creating a game plan teaches students many valuable skills.

One of the most important skills it teaches students is personal responsibility and accountability. Meeting short- and long-term goals along the way is a different experience than procrastinating. This goal-setting skill can positively impact the level of their performance abilities, but equally as important, if transferred, it can also influence other academic and personal aspects of their lives. Learning this skill now will set students up for success in college.

2. Tempo, Tempo, and More Tempo – “Can we practice with a metronome today?” are words rarely spoken by developing musicians. However, most young students have trouble correctly playing rhythms and doing so with a steady pulse. To build proper rhythmic skills, students need to set a longterm goal tempo for their solo and ensemble performance. This goal tempo can be

written at the top of the music but students should keep in mind it is the final goal to be achieved after much practice.

When initially learning new music, students should learn the correct notes, rhythms, style, and bowings with a metronome set at a slow tempo. How slow? The tempo should be slow enough that students can play the rhythms, notes, style, and bowings of each particular section correctly. Once students can play a passage correctly at a slow tempo, the metronome speed can be increased a few clicks each day. Some passages are more complex than others and will need more practice at slow tempi. While most attention should be focused on these more difficult and temporarily slower passages, it is okay for students to practice other easier passages at faster tempi. Staggering the success of various passages allows students to feel a sense of accomplishment while directing attention to areas still in need of more devotion. It is important for students to keep in mind, though, that most efforts should be delivered to the slowest, most difficult passages. If two or more passages are performed together, then the slowest tempo must be maintained throughout the entire combined passage.

To keep track of progress, students should write daily tempi in their music next to the individual passages. After each particular passage is mastered at a specific tempo, students can cross off that tempo in their music. Conversely, though, if mistakes occur during practice, the marked metronome tempo should be decreased. Students need to understand that reaching their performance tempo with the correct notes, rhythms, style, and bowings takes patience and time.

3. The Truth Machine – As much as most students do not like to listen to themselves, listening to one’s self performing is a necessity if students wish to understand their faults and to improve their performances more quickly. Students should record portions of their practice sessions to identify October/November 2015

and isolate passages that need extra work.

Students should then analyze their recordings to identify errors, specifically according to left or right hands.

Once students are able to ascertain what causes the mistakes in their playing, they can address the mistakes by implementing practice strategies learned in class or from their applied instructor. To keep track of what is successful, students should keep a journal of what techniques helped them learn the difficult passage. For passages that cannot be solved individually, students can return to their instructors with a list of failed strategies and ask for help. Both audio and audio-visual recordings are helpful, and ideally, students should use a mix of both recording techniques when analyzing their playing.

4. Play Early and Play Often – Students should have weekly opportunities to play their repertoire in front of live audiences beginning at least one month prior to the solo and ensemble festival. Having performance opportunities scheduled well in advance will hold students accountable and decrease the likelihood they will procrastinate. Informal performance opportunities can include playing for their school music class, performing for their families and neighbors, playing during a chamber music concert at school or a community outreach concert, or a host of other options.

Most students get nervous the first time they play alone or with a small ensemble in front

of an audience, and providing extra opportunities for your students to perform in front of others will help ease their anxiety.

As the students become more confident as a performer, their nerves will subside and their musicality will be able to shine. Ultimately, a solo or small ensemble performance should feel like an ordinary event in your students’ lives. By removing anxiety and nervousness through multiple performance opportunities – as much as some students may not like them at the time – you will be helping your students have a successful festival experience.

5. Put the Instrument Down – Periodically, students should put down their instruments and practice their performance without anything in their hands. Removing the instrument from the practice process heightens musicians’ awareness and helps them decipher problems. Like yoga, musicians become aware of tiny muscle movements and how those affect their performance. In addition to removing the instrument, it is also important to remove the music from practice sessions. Ideally, music is memorized. However, mental practice of music that may not be completely memorized still allows the brain to soak in the details of the music both deliberately and subconsciously.

Practicing away from both the instrument and music also allows musicians to hear the music in their head and to reinforce their inner voice. Periodic mental practice is a great way to spend time reinforcing musical aspects of a performance in the later stages

of learning a piece. It is also useful earlier in the process when students have limited time between other activities and may not have an instrument with them.

In an ideal world, all students would be able to experience the joy and elation of successfully performing by themselves and in small ensembles. Students who experience this joy will surely seek more opportunities to find pleasure in playing their instruments throughout their lives. The five tips above will help your students have better solo and ensemble festival experiences, but more importantly, they will hopefully help to create lifelong musicians.

Dr. James Mick is an assistant professor of music education at Ithaca College in upstate New York.

He is also music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and president-elect of New York ASTA. He earned degrees from Texas Christian University (BME), Ithaca College (MM), and Florida State University (PhD).

Dr. David Pope is Director of Orchestras with the Elyria City Schools near Cleveland (OH), the conductor of the Camerata Orchestra at Case Western Reserve University, and co-director of the Florida State University String Orchestra Camp. He is a frequent guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States.

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53

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55

AMEA Industry/Institutional Membership AMEA would like to express appreciation to the following partners who have joined AMEA in our efforts to promote music education in Alabama. Please support these industry/institutional members who support you as music educators!

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56

October/November 2015

by Charlene Ryan

Straight Talk for Music Teachers About Performance Anxiety

Editor’s Note: This article appears as one of a series written especially for Ala Breve by experts in the field of music education.

Adults tend to think of young children as fearless – don’t they love to put on a show? While this is true for many children, most early-childhood teachers (and parents) can recall inexplicably mute, crying, back-turning, and staying-with-mom-forthe-entire-show children – at least one in every concert. Music Performance Anxiety, also known as stage-fright, is a common issue among young musicians. In fact, research has shown that many children and adolescents experience anxiety leading up to and during a performance and that it begins as early as the preschool years.

Later in elementary, middle, and high school, performances become more frequent and participation in multiple ensembles is fairly common. And while the overt expressions of stress that young children exhibit are typically kept under wraps, ‘coming down with something’ on concert day is not unheard of. Feeling anxious and worried about making mistakes, forgetting the music, and not performing your very best is actually very common.

Research, up until about 20 years ago, focused almost exclusively on adult musicians – examining the prevalence of anxiety among professional and college-level performers and their struggles to overcome it. Children and teens were usually left out of the conversation. In recent years, however, developing musicians have been the focus of more and more studies which have shed valuable light on the needs and struggles of our young musicians.

Here’s what we have learned so far: Young musicians want to talk about performance anxiety.

Unlike previous generations, today’s students recognize that they are not alone in their experience of anxiety. They want to talk about it, especially with their teachers. And they want their teachers to talk with them in a nonjudgmental, non-dismissive way. Studies have shown that children as young as 12 have already developed their own coping strategies for performance situations. These children have also already experienced teachers who, when asked for advice, tell them not to worry, don’t be stressed, or simply that they’ll be fine. Students are not searching for vague reassurance or platitudes when they bring up nerves. They really do want teachers to listen to their concerns and discuss strategies for performance success.

More practice is not the cure. A poorly-prepared performance is unlikely to go well and a student who is not well prepared is likely to feel anxious.

However, most people – students and professionals alike – who experience performance anxiety are anxious no matter how well they’ve prepared. In ala breve

fact, the definition of performance anxiety frequently cited in the research specifically describes a situation that precludes preparation: “…the experience of persistent, distressful apprehension about and/or actual impairment of performance skills in a public context, to a degree unwarranted given the individual’s musical aptitude, training, and level of preparation.” (Salmon, 1990, p.3) Therefore, advising conscientious students who express concerns about performance anxiety to practice more is not usually an effective way to help them.

On the other hand, practice-performing might indeed be very useful. We often make the mistake of equating learning to play with learning to perform when, in fact, the two are quite distinct, though interrelated, concepts. Practice-performing for a test audience helps to put students in a performance frame-of-mind that allows them to hone their performance chops. They must make a psychological shift from I know how to play my piece to I know how to play my piece under pressure, distraction, and possibility of failure in front of others. The process also helps students to learn whether or not they can get back on track if things go awry. Family and friends are often the most likely candidates for the job of preparatory audience. Music teachers and music peers are also good choices – better, in fact, because they are more threatening to the young musicians’ sense of musical self-esteem. They know music and are more likely to be aware of something amiss, thus making them a worthy adversary for one who is performance-anxious. The fear of being caught-out is much greater when performing for someone in-the-know than for mom or dad or your best non-musician friend.

Practice-performing in the actual performance environment is very valuable - a definite step-up from the practice room or living room in that it familiarizes students with the actual space and setup of the room. For pianists, it also provides an opportunity to get a feel for the instrument.

Acoustical properties will, of course, change from practice-performance in a near-empty hall to performance for a full house, but an initial go in the hall will give students some sense of the sound and feel of the room. Research has shown that students who rehearse in the performance venue experience less anxiety at the actual show than those who do not.

Teachers can have a big impact. We all believe this with regard to our teaching and to the power

that music education can have on our students’ lives. However, in the heat of last-minute details in preparing for a performance we sometimes forget that how we behave at that particular time can also impact – sometimes negatively – upon our students’ experience and enjoyment of the moment. Research has shown that conductors, for example, play an important role in musicians’ experience of anxiety in performance, and can have great influence on musicians in the days and weeks leading up to a performance. Conductors who are disorganized, have weak conducting skills, who call out individuals for criticism, and who make last minute changes are particularly notorious. But the number one faux-pas that a conductor can make is to actually show overt signs of anxiety. Remember the old adage you heard before student-teaching – ‘fake it ‘till you feel it’? – well, bring it back and put on your best poker face to reduce stress in your young performers. If you appear calm and in control, it can pay great dividends for your students.

Student musicians look up to their teachers.

We all know this. I recall sitting in the audience at a high school competition a few years back and being struck by how students in all of the ensembles seemed to simply idolize their music teachers – all different types of music teachers. It was actually quite a remarkable experience to recognize the clear bond that occurs between student musicians and their musician model.

Students want to know about their teacher’s experiences including those involving performance anxiety. They want to know that someone they admire has ‘been there’ and they want to know how the teacher managed it. What works? Help us!

Don’t be afraid to open up and be honest with your students. Learning to play is NOT the same as learning to perform.

And knowing about performance anxiety, for many musicians, is part of learning to perform.

They care what we think. Be careful what you say before and after performances – thoughtless words can have a long-lasting impact. Making last minute changes or reminding students about difficult parts in their pieces right before they go onstage are unlikely to help improve performance but very likely to increase anxiety and rumination about those tricky parts, which almost never bodes well. It takes courage and strength of character to get onstage and perform. Sometimes everything goes great and sometimes it doesn’t – for all levels of musicians.

To do anything less than congratulate students on their performance is to do them a great disservice and undermine their confidence for many performances thereafter.

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Performance anxiety is not genre-specific.

Many of us who were trained in traditional conservatory-type schools tend to think that performance anxiety is a problem primarily experienced by high-level classical musicians. This is categorically untrue. Studies have shown that musicians of all stripes experience anxiety and search for ways to cope with it. Your rock band, jazz band, recorder ensemble, a capella choir, and concert choir kids are all in the same boat and all need your support.

Expectations matter. We always want our students to perform at their best; we want to encourage them and support them and bring out the best in them. Just remember that students who are expected to perform at a high level have been shown to have greater anxiety than those not burdened by those expectations. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place! Simple awareness of this fact for teachers may help them to ease the pressure on and support the performance endeavors and anxious experiences of their highest-performing students.

Boys are girls do not always respond in the same way. Research has shown that females are more consistent and predictable in their response to performance situations. Typically, they worry about impending performances well in advance of them and report greater anxiety and increased physiological response prior to them. However, this does not mean that males are immune. They simply respond differently. In one study of young musicians, many boys reported minimal anticipatory anxiety and maintained normal heart rates even in the minutes before they were about to perform for a large audience. However, they displayed a variety of anxious behaviors (e.g., fidgeting) and, when it actually was their turn to go onstage, had skyrocketing heart rates. (It is interesting to note that the boys who did not display anxious behaviors, but rather stayed completely still, had high heart rates earlier on and ultimately did not perform as well as their fidgeting counterparts.) What does this tell us? While girls may stress about impending performances well in advance, it is less common for boys to ruminate about them, and possibly more detrimental for those who do. Perhaps fidgeting is a coping mechanism to keep the focus off the impending situation. Ultimately, the anxiety still kicks in, to greater and lesser extents, whether students think it is going to or not. It is important for teachers to be aware of this disparity lest they think it is only the girls who need support. It is not.

Middle school is particularly challenging. This is true in every imaginable way, but particularly with regard to performing. We need to remind ourselves of the high level of self-consciousness and vulnerability children experience in this period of development. To put oneself out there, on display, in a performance is a brave endeavor. It should be encouraged and lauded.

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Musical performance can be a wonderful part of student musicians’ lives – bringing the fruit of many hours of practice, effort, and heartfelt musical expression to an audience. And while anxiety may be a common experience, it does not need to be the overriding emotion. Talk to your students; normalize the experience and share your thoughts and expertise with them. The more we can learn and share with the next generation, the better prepared they will be to face performance challenges and to successfully and happily bring their musical offerings to the world for many years to come.

Selected References Boucher, H. & Ryan, C. (2011). Performance stress and the very young musician. Journal of Research in Music Education 58, 329-345.

Fehm, L. & Schmidt, K. (2006). Performance anxiety in gifted adolescent musicians. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 20, 98-109.

Fishbein, M., Middlestadt, S. E., Ottati, V., Straus, S., & Ellis, A. (1988). Medical problems among ICSOM musicians: Overview of a national survey. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 3 (1), 1-8.

Kenny, D. T. & Osborne, M. S. (2006). Music Performance Anxiety: New Insights from Young Musicians. Advances in Cognitive Psychology 2, 103-112.

LeBlanc, A. (1994). A theory of music performance anxiety. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 5 (4), 60-67.

LeBlanc, A., Jin, Y. C., Obert, M. & Siivola, C. (1997).

Effect of audience on music performance anxiety. Journal of Research in Music Education 45, 480-496.

Maroon, M. T. (2003). Potential contributors to performance anxiety among middle school students performing at solo and ensemble contest. Dissertation Abstracts International 64 (2A), 437.

Osborne, M. & Kenny, D. (2008). The role of sensitizing experiences in the experience of music performance anxiety in adolescent musicians. Psychology of Music, 36, 447-462.

Osborne, M. S. & Kenny, D. T. (2005). Development and validation of a music performance anxiety inventory for gifted adolescent musicians. Anxiety Disorders, 19, 725-751.

Osborne, M. S., Kenny, D. T. & Holsomback, R. (2005).

Assessment of Music Performance Anxiety in Late Childhood: A Validation Study of the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents (MPAI-A).

International Journal of Stress Management, 12, 312-330.

Papageorgi, I. (2006). Understanding performance anxiety in the adolescent musician: Approaches to instrumental learning and performance. In M. Baroni, A. R. Addessi, & M. Costa (Eds). Proceedings from the 9th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, Universita di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Rae, G. & McCambridge, K. (2004). Correlates of Performance Anxiety in Practical Music Exams. Psychology of Music 32, 432-439.

Rothlisberger, D. J. (1992). Effects of video modeling preparation on student instrumental audition performance achievement and performance anxiety.

Dissertation Abstracts International 53, 2287A-2288A. Ryan, C. A. (2013, March). The Role of Parents in Young Musicians’ Experience of Music Performance Anxiety. Paper presented at the International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Seattle, WA. Ryan, C. A. (2015, March). The Experience of Performance Anxiety in Young Contemporary Musicians, Tallahassee, FL. Ryan, C. A. (2006). Experience of Musical Performance Anxiety in Elementary School Children.

International Journal of Stress Management 12, 331-342.

Ryan, C. A. (2004). Gender di fferences in children’s experience of musical performance anxiety.

Psychology of Music 32, 89-103.

Ryan, C. A. (1999). Musical performance anxiety : Are junior high band students affected? Opus 41 (1), 8-9.

Ryan, C. A. (1998). Exploring musical performance anxiety in children. Medical Problem of Performing Artists, 13 (3), 83-88.

Ryan, C. A., Andrews, N., & Aharonian, M. (2011, February). Performance Anxiety and PostSecondary Plans of High School Musicians. Paper presented at the International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, Barcelona, Spain.

Ryan, C. A. & Andrews, N. (2009). An investigation into the choral singer’s experience of music performance anxiety. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57, 108-126.

Ryan, C. A., Boucher, H., & Ryan, G. (2009, February).

The Role of Teachers in Children’s Experience of Musical Performance Anxiety. Paper presented at the International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, St. Augustine, FL. Salmon, P. G. (1990). A psychological perspective on musical performance anxiety: a review of the literature. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 5, 2–11.

Charlene Ryan, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Music Education at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. She has published extensively on the performance experiences of young musicians, with a particular focus on the development and experience of performance anxiety in children and youth.

October/November 2015

F

FAME uture

A

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M E usic

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Open to High School Juniors and Seniors Thursday, January 21, 2016 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. Renaissance Montgomery Hotel at the Convention Center Application and $20 registration fee are due postmarked no later than January 8, 2016 Student_____________________________________________________________

Grade ____________________

Nominating Teacher ____________________________________________ NAfME # _________________________ School Name ____________________________________________________________________________________ School Address __________________________________________________________________________________ Teacher Phone ________________________________ Teacher Email ______________________________________ This student participates in (circle all that apply): Band

Chorus

Orchestra

Publicity Waiver I give AMEA permission to take photos of FAME attendees and use the photos for publicity purposes. By this authorization, I understand and agree that no participant shall receive remuneration and that all rights, title and interest to the photos and use of them belongs to AMEA. _________________________________________ Signature of Student

Enclose $20 Registration Fee Make checks payable to AMEA

________________________________________________ Signature of Parent if Student is under 18

The FAME program includes many important topics for students considering a career as a music educator.

This year’s program features a performance by the Boston Brass on Thursday Evening.

NEW! AMEA provides a $1000 scholarship opportunity to a FAME participant who plans to major in music education at an Alabama college or university. Visit www.alabamamea.org for details.

Lunch will be provided by AMEA Mail this application, along with the $20 registration fee, to:

Sara Womack, AMEA Past President 2130 Banberry Drive Hoover, AL 35244 Postmark Deadline: January 8, 2016

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Choral Reviews ⅞ (“Tree of the Lonely Soul”) Antonio Estévez (1916-1988) Text: Spanish, poem by Alberto Torrealba SATTBB; Tenor solo Publisher: Earthsongs This Venezuelan piece is in two distinct sections. The “A” section is very quick and rhythmic and is based on the combined 3/4 and 6/8 meters that are characteristic of a dance called the joropo. In the joropo section, the choir imitates instruments typically used to accompany the dance. The tenors and altos have the rhythm of the cuatro (a small, 4stringed guitar), the sopranos imitated the diatonic harp and the basses provide the guitar bordones. The tenor soloist represents a llanero or “man of the plains” in Venezuela, whose songs are improvised.

The “B” section is very slow, meditative, and lyrical. According to the editor of the Música de Latinoamérica series, María Guinand, “the music depicts the solitude and mystery of the llanos, the high plains of Venezuela. The lively joropo section returns to complete the ABA form.

In addition to being lots of fun to perform, this 3’52” piece will program well and would add an authentic world music element to any program. Translation of the text is as follows: Tree of the lonely soul, Wide opening of the riverside—Now you will be able to say: Here slept Cantaclaro.

With the whistle and the sting of the twisting wind, the dappled and violet dusk quietly entered the corral.

The night, tired mare, shakes her mane and black tail above the riverside; and, in its silence, your ghostly heart is filled with awe.

⅝

⅞

********* (On the Last Day of May)

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936, arr. Robert Sieving) Text: Italian, 16th century anonymous SATB divisi, a cappella, approximately 2’50” Publisher: Heritage Music Press, Prima Cantate series L’ultimo dì di Maggio (On the Last Day of May) is an interesting combination of styles and time periods. Ottorino Resphighi transcribed a balletto (originally written for lute in 1599

by Simone Molinaro) and paired it with an 60

Dr. Diane Orlofsky

anonymous poem from earlier in the 16th century. Robert Sieving then arranged it for SAATTBB voicing. This madrigal keeps the integrity and exuberance of Molinaro’s dance while celebrating the lighthearted sentiments of the text and use of syllables that play with the word Tantandaridondela. From the arranger’s notes: “ . . .this setting is not an attempt to pose as a modern edition of a Renaissance choral work, but rather as a vocal representation of Molinaro’s charming lute piece and of Resphighi’s endearing homage to his musical heritage” (Robert Sieving). The work compliments programs that utilize earlier madrigals (for example, I have programmed Matona, Mia Cara (Lassus) and Si Ch’io Vorrei Morire (Monteverdi) along with this piece for an interesting juxtaposition of chronology and style). Translation of the text is provided below: On the last day of May, a pleasant morning among the freshness of the roses, the lovely maid went walking in the garden, accompanied by twenty damsels, each one in love, gracious, wise and fair.

Tantandaridondela!

Alas! It is also she who has chained my heart, who has stolen it with beauty of her radiant face.

There was a garland of fair jasmine which adorned her hair.

Blithely, she went her way on the first of Whitsuntide.

O happy day, joyful, fair and bright! ********* Fancies 1. Tell Me Where is Fancy Bred? (1’40”) 2. There is a Garden in Her Face (4’00) 3. The Urchins’ Dance (1’48”) 4. Riddle Song (3’40”) 5. Midnight’s Bell (2’10”) 6. The Bellman’s Song (3’30”) John Rutter (1945—-) SATB; full instrumentation includes 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns, percussion (1 player), harp and strings, with instrumentation varying per movement.

Publisher: Oxford University Press First performed in London on June 13, 1971, this 16-minute small masterwork is a true gem!

The cycle of six choral settings is created around whimsical themes and is based on Elizabethan poetry (with one fancy using an anonymous 15th century text). Each song is meant to capture the fleeting ideas, thoughts, musings and daydreams of a poet on a summer’s evening.

Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice.

The character, Bassanio, is reminded by the music that “fancy” is sometimes bred in the heart, sometimes bred in the head and that he should not judge by external appearances.

The poignantly beautiful second movement (“There is a garden in her face”, text by Thomas Campion) was the movement that first “hooked” me and provoked my interest in this work. Metaphors and similes abound as an admirer seeks to compare his lady to the splendors of nature; yet we are never sure the affection is returned. It is an incredibly delicate movement and lives up to Rutter’s signature use of lyric and harmonic elements.

“The Urchins’ Dance” musically and texturally paints a picture of fairies appearing in the night, traveling two by two and three by three. In the “Riddle Song”, the anonymous 15th century text describes the innocence of young love and the struggles to understand the complexities of longing. Rutter allows us to eavesdrop on the sounds that the bellman hears as he goes about his job in “Midnight’s Bell”. We listen to the ting, the howling, the cricket chirps and the cats crying mew as the instrumentation is used to create a haunting atmosphere. The final song of the set (“The Bellman’s Song”) is filled with mysterious, gothic imagery. Sung either by the bass section or baritone solo, the Bellman petitions for sweet slumber for all in the town. “Good day to you” is his final benediction and creates a reflective end to this masterwork.

I have successfully programmed this piece with a smaller instrumental ensemble (piano, flute, clarinet, oboe, horn, percussion) and it complimented my chamber choir well. The work is both challenging and accessible and I highly recommend it! ********* Dr. Diane Orlofsky is Professor of Music and Director of Choirs at Troy University, where she oversees the choral program and teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in music education. She is the conductor of the Troy University Concert Chorale and the Director of the Troy University vocal jazz ensemble, frequency.

The first movement (“Tell me where is fancy bred?”) derives its inspiration from October/November 2015

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