October/November 2020 Ala Breve

AMEA Governing Board 2020-2021

President David Raney Sparkman High School 2616 Jeff Road Harvest, AL 35749 256-837-0331

draney@madison.k12.al.us

Immediate Past President

Greg Gumina

Shades Valley High School 6100 Old Leeds Road Irondale, AL 35210 (205) 956-4638

ggumina85@gmail.com

President, AOA Daniel Stevens University of North Alabama One Harrison Plaza Florence, AL 35631 (256) 765-4708 dstevens1@una.edu

President, AMEA Collegiate Jackson Vaughan jvaugha1@samford.edu

Industry Representative

Becky Lightfoot Arts Music Shop

3030 East Blvd

Montgomery, AL 36116

334/271-2787

beckyl@artsmusicshop com

Executive Director

Editor, Ala Breve Garry Taylor 1600 Manor Dr NE Cullman, AL 35055 (256) 636-2754 executive_director@myamea.org

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

executive_director@bellsouth net

President-Elect

Rob Lyda

Cary Woods Elementary School

715 Sanders Street Auburn, AL 36830 334-663-0898 lydarob@me.com

Recording Secretary

Carla Gallahan

113 Long Hall Troy University Troy, AL 36082 (334) 670-3502 recording_secretary@myamea.org

President, AVA

Randall Fields

Bob Jones High School 650 Hughes Road

Madison, AL 35758 (256) 772-2547

randall.fields.ava@gmail.com

AMEA Collegiate Advisor

Meghan Merciers

University of North Alabama

UNA Box 5040 142 Music Building Florence, AL 35632-0001 256.765.4518 mmerciers@una.edu

Assistant Executive Director

Rusty Logan

2020 Janabrooke Lane

Auburn, AL 36830 (334) 663-1702

rlogan9853@gmail.com

ADVERTISING & COPY DEADLINES

Fall August/September (Back to School) issue: July 15

Winter - October/November (Conference) issue: September 15

Spring - May/June (All-State) issue: January 15

Summer - May/June (Digital Only) issue: April 15

Treasurer/Registrar

Pat Stegall

AMEA Registration PO Box 3385

Muscle Shoals, AL 35661

treasurer_registrar@myamea.org

President, ABA

Terry Ownby

Florence High School

1201 Bradshaw Drive Florence, AL 35630 (256) 768-2200

tsownby@florencek12.org

President, ELEM/GEN

Betty Wilson

Deer Valley Elementary 4990 Ross Bridge Parkway Hoover, AL 35226 (205) 296-3311

bettyboop122372@att.net

President, HED Division

Michael Zelenak

Alabama State University 915 S. Jackson St.

Tullibody Music Hall Room 208 Montgomery, AL 36104 334-604-9187

Alabama Department of Education Arts Education Specialist

Andy Meadows 50 North Ripley Street

Montgomery, Alabama 36104 (334) 694-4768

ameadows@ALSDE.edu

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.

David Raney, AMEA President

Coming Together and Moving Forward

“If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” -

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Over the past several months I have witnessed music educators from across our state overcome unparalleled obstacles to keep programs moving forward. Although the students’ experience may not have been as grandiose as usual, I’m confident to say the experiences provided to the students during these times are just as meaningful.

A highlight of my year came this fall as I once again interacted with my students in person after such long anticipation. Soon after our first meeting, I found myself overwhelmed with joy as I heard the first note performed in person. Seeing the students’ face light up with excitement after making music together again was a sight I will never forget.

Now that we are in the midst of the rigor of in-person instruction, which now includes face masks, bell covers and the constant sanitization of everything, we find there is still much to learn and share. Additionally, we must continue to stay motivated while growing professionally just as we have in the past. For me, attending music conferences is a proven source of inspiration and the 2021 AMEA conference will be no exception.

AMEA Virtual Conference 2021

As we celebrate AMEA’s 75th anniversary, we look back and see that Alabama has enjoyed some of the most successful professional development conferences in the country with exceptional performances, clinicians and fellowship with professionals across our state. Despite the current circumstances, our goal is to continue this tradition with a unique and meaningful experience this January.

Our executive team, which includes Garry Taylor, Rusty Logan and Carl Hancock, has assembled the technical foundation for the conference that will give attendees an exceptional online experience using Map Dynamics and Zoom. Map Dynamics will provide an interface with simple access to all sessions and performances. Since most of us are already Zoom experts, we will use this method to broadcast the sessions and interact with the clinicians.

All divisions have accepted outstanding sessions for this three-day event and preconference bonus sessions will be available in November. We will enjoy outstanding performances from programs across our state that will surely inspire us all.

An important part of our yearly conference is the time we spend with our colleagues as we share ideas and enjoy each other’s company. We will provide a time for networking lounges in each division that will provide roundtable discussions. In addition, we will have a social hour to give you an opportunity to catch up with colleagues.

Vendors are an important part of our conference and need our support as they have supported us over the years. We will provide everyone an opportunity to interact through virtual exhibits. These exhibit times will give opportunity to ask questions and see their latest offerings.

A virtual conference will give us the ability to offer multiple keynote speakers. Dr. Judy Bowers, the Emy-Lou Biedenharn Endowed Chair of Music Education at the University of

“Finally, we will all fly again”

Editors Note: After reading President Raney’s article in this issue, I asked him to send a photo of him flying. I think it’s appropriate.

Louisiana, Monroe, will present her keynote session on Thursday night. In 2014, Dr. Bowers was named the Lowell Mason National Music Education Fellow and inducted into the society by the National Association for Music Education in Washington, DC. Her distinguished choral music career and unique experiences will bring insightful information to us as we look for new ways to engage students.

Friday night, Bob Morrison will present his keynote session that will explore how music education moves beyond 2020 and offer insights on how to plan for the future. Mr. Morrison is the founder of Music for All, was the founding CEO of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, and his advocacy work has earned him both an EMMY and a Peabody Award. He is the founder and CEO of Quadrant Research, the nation’s leading arts education research organization, and his accomplishments and accolades go far beyond the space this article provides. His insightful message will give meaningful information you will not want to miss.

I am extremely proud of the time our Governing Board has put into this year’s conference. The event is full of quality sessions, performances, and nationally recognized presenters. With a reduced price and a convenient schedule, this conference provides a quality experience we should all enjoy and I hope you will take full advantage of this unique opportunity.

Southern Division Meeting

On September 13, I attended the Southern Division Meeting virtually along with Rob Lyda, Greg Gumina, Garry Taylor, and Rusty Logan. During this meeting, we heard from the new NAfME President, Mackie Spradley, the Interim Executive Director, Chris Woodside, and Chief Financial Officer, Chaudlier Moore. Each is new to their position and took time to answer questions and address asks from the states.

NAfME is our national voice and the new leadership is making changes to bring you the most value for your

membership. They have implemented large financial changes that will keep the association strong while providing an abundance of advocacy and research campaigns. If you have not looked at their website lately please take a moment and peruse through the enormous amount of resource material they are providing at http://nafme.org

Moving Forward

Finally, I would like to challenge you to keep moving forward with your music programs. If you are feeling overwhelmed, start with taking one idea, one source of information, or one new idea from the conference and use it to keep moving in a positive direction. You will find a crawl will turn into a walk, then a walk into a run, and finally, we will all fly again.

I’m looking forward to coming together this January and moving forward to a brighter future. Let’s fly together.

- David Raney

Pat Stegall - AMEA Registrar

From the Registrar

Join/Renew/Register!

Check out the AMEA website and register for the 2021 AMEA conference online at www.myamea.org. You will find it is easy and will save you time and money. Reunite with friends and colleagues from all over the state in January through our virtual conference platform. Rejuvenate your energy and renew your enthusiasm for the rest of the school year! I can’t wait to be part of this exciting new way of holding our conference!

When you are joining or renewing

your membership, think of those music teachers in your area that may not be active members, and send them a message inviting them to join! You could send an email with their contact information to me at pstegall@mscs.k12.al.us and I will invite them!

Remember to 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.

Renew your membership now at www.nafme.org . Membership in

NAfME is required for participation in state MEA sponsored events like the AMEA Conference, the Elementary Division Fall Conference, All-state and Musical Performance Assessments. Joining NAfME secures your membership in AMEA and in your division. Renewing your membership annually will help you in achieving the continuing service award at our conference on year 25 and beyond.

I look forward to receiving your completed registrations. They should be postmarked by January 8, 2021 and received by January 14, 2021. “See” you at the conference! PS

PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

AMEA Professional Development Conference

Virtual Conference

January 21-23, 2021

LAST NAME _____________________________

FIRST NAME

NAfME ID#

Please enclose a copy of your card.

Home Address: (City) (State) (Zip)

Email:

Primary Phone:

School Name:

Principal Division:(check only one)

Other Division/s Affiliation:(check all that apply)

Please tell us if you are:

COLLEGIATE

Clinician Conductor of a performing group at the conference Retired Current Member, Clinician, Conductor

Pre-Registration $50.00 (Late Registration $65.00)

Retired Member Registration Complimentary

Collegiate Member (college student)

Pre-Registration $20.00 (Late Registration $35.00)

Non-Member Alabama Music Teacher

Pre-Registration $100.00 (Late Registration $115.00)

TOTAL AMOUNT PAID $ MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO AMEA A fee of $35 will be charged for returned checks No Purchase Orders Accepted. Check or Credit Card Only

To pre-register with a credit card go to www.myamea.org through January 15, 2021

Late registration will be accepted online only with an additional fee until January 19, 2021.

Mailed forms must be postmarked by Jan. 8 and received by January 14, 2021.

Mail form and check to: AMEA Registration, PO Box 3385, Muscle Shoals, AL 35661

Do not send forms or payment to the above address after Jan. 8, 2021 (Postmark Date)! THANK YOU! Your receipt and certificate of attendance will be emailed to you. *****************************************************************************************************************************************

Please do not fill in the information below. This is for AMEA bookkeeping ONLY

Membership verified and payment receipted by:

Virtual Fall Summit

You’re Invited!

ALcNAfME is hosting its annual summit virtually on October 25th from 1:30-4:30! In this article, you will find (hopefully) all the answers to questions that could possibly accompany a virtual summit. Your collegiate executive board has been working hard to solidify all of the details for this event, and we cannot wait to share this experience with you all!

Who? What? When? Where? Why?

Who: We are excited to host four excellent speakers from the state of Alabama as well as a group of new teachers who graduated from Alabama universities in the last year!

Keynote - Mr. Andy Meadows, Alabama Arts Education Specialist

Instrumental - Dr. Pat Stegall, The University of North Alabama

Vocal/Choral - Mr. Randall Fields, Bob Jones High School

Elementary/General - Dr. Rob Lyda, Cary Woods Elementary School

What: Virtual Summit will be a time of professional development. This year we have chosen the theme "Innovate". Through sessions and discussion, we will engage with how music educators are having to innovate in the classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When: October 25th from 1:30pm-4:30pm

Where: https://samford-edu.zoom.us/j/92531437969?pwd=OWlKck1HU1NaSGNNQzMyVzNFaVBVUT0 9

Why: I think we can all admit we're a bit "Zoomed out", but we believe that it is important to continue learning and growing as future music educators during this global pandemic. This will be an exciting time to hear the perspectives of new and veteran educators, and I hope you are excited to put yourselves in their shoes and get a glimpse of what the classroom really looks like!

How: Watch parties! Each university is handling the pandemic a bit differently; therefore, we want to leave how each individual chapter engages with the virtual summit up to you. If you want to tune in individually from the comfort of your home, that's great! If you want to gather as a cNAfME chapter and watch as a group, that's also great!

Keep in mind, if you gather as a chapter please ensure you have a minimum of three computers to make sure your chapter has access to all three of the breakout sessions.

We're So Excited!

We cannot wait to share this virtual experience with you! Please remember these final guidelines as you prepare to attend Virtual Summit:

● Upon entry, please change your name to include your school and the breakout session you wish to attend (i.e. Jackson Vaughan, Samford, Elementary/General).

● Please mute yourself at all times, unless you are engaging with our presenters.

● Please dress professionally (business casual).

● Please ask questions! Summit is no fun if no one engages!

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions by emailing (please do not reply to this email)! We look forward to seeing you virtually soon!

Jackson Vaughan - President, cNAfME Alabama

Randall Fields - President, Alabama Vocal Association

AVA Updates

has been some confusion about AllState repertoire. Check your email on October 3 for a preliminary announcement as to how we plan to proceed with auditions based on the numbers of students who registered to audition.

September 28, 2020

Colleagues:

It was good to see many of you at our virtual Fall Workshop in September. Thank you to Meg Jones, Hilen Wilson, Cameron Weiler, Chris Brown, and all who presented sessions. A special thanks to Jim Schaeffer, our interim webmaster for facilitating the online format for the workshop. At the general membership meeting, we voted on the wording in the AVA Handbook, which we feel clarifies the fact that directors are the experts who should decide the best voice parts for their students regardless of the students’ genders; there were no policy changes. Please visit the website to read the adopted Handbook revisions as well as the minutes of the meeting. Recordings of the sessions will be available on the website through October 11. We expect the newly revised AVA Handbook to be available online soon.

All-State Auditions are November 210. We will invite each registered student to join a Google Classroom through which we can communicate instructions with the student and accept recordings of their auditions. We will also send information to teachers through email. Please refer to the website for the official All-State repertoire lists, as there

The 2021 AMEA Conference will be January 21-23. The conference will be virtual, and to minimize time away from students, will be Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday. This conference promises to be an event you will not want to miss. We will have livestreamed or recorded concerts of exemplary ensembles from our state as well as the live-streamed performance of our All-State Show Choir. Because this conference will be virtual, we have the unique opportunity to offer timely sessions by presenters from not only our state but from around the nation as well. I look forward to seeing you virtually at the conference.

All other spring semester activities are on track to happen as normal. However, your board is evaluating each event, listening to your concerns and recommendations, and considering the safety of our students. We will announce plans for all spring activities by midJanuary. As always, please feel free to reach out to your district chair or me whenever you have a concern or idea that will benefit our students.

Warm Regards,

Randall Fields AVA President

This conference promises to be an event you will not want to miss.

Choral Music Reviews

Ave generosa (Available for SATB, SSAA, and TTBB)

By Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)

Text by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)

Walton Music

Duration: Approximately 4:30

Latin text

Ave, generosa, gloriosa et intacta puella, tu pupilla castitatis, tu materia sanctitatis, que Deo placuit.

English translation (as shown in the score): Hail, girl of a noble house, Shimmering and unpopulated, You pupil in the eye of chastity, You essence of sanctity, Which was pleasing to God.

Composed in 2017 for SSAA voices, this Latin text pays “homage to the mysterious story of Mary.” Gjeilo’s skillful voicing creates a flowing, chant-like quality throughout the composition. The opening section is hauntingly voiced in a minor key. The last section combines the original theme with secondary material set in a major tonality. The rhythms and notes are very readable, but the difficulty seems to lie within the tuning, balancing, and possibly conveying the true spirit of the song with appropriate attention to syllabic stress, phrasing, and dynamics.

by William Powell

Three Madrigals (available for SATB and Two-part, with piano accompaniment)

By Emma Lou Diemer (b.

1927)

Texts from William Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) “Twelfth Night,” “Measure for Measure,” and “Much Ado About Nothing”

Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.

OCTB-5417

Duration: Approximately 4:15

I. “O Mistress mine, where are you roaming?”

II. “Take, O take those lips away”

III. “Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more!”

This tried and true composition by Diemer remains a popular choice for festivals throughout the country as evidenced by the number of times it appears on repertoire lists. While each separate madrigal can stand alone, the combined duration of the three songs is less than five minutes which suggests that the songs might function better as a set. Newer choral teachers who are not familiar with these madrigals will find that the vocal ranges are well-suited for all age groups that sing SATB, especially for developing voices. As well, each voice part is truly enjoyable to sing.

William Powell Director of Choral Activities Auburn University

AMEA Pre-Conference Bonus Sessions

Schedule Coming Soon

Julia DeSerio - Creating Meaningful Lessons: Let Students Guide Your Instruction

Elizabeth Fisher - Expressive Conducting: Using Laban Movement to Inform Gesture

Christopher Johns - Strategies for Teaching Wind Band Intonation

Christopher Loftin - The Personality Puzzle

Mark Malone - Understanding the 2014 National Standards for Music Education

Jason Sulliman - 1100 Days and Counting: What I have Learned from Three Years of Constant Practice

Meghan Merciers, Jason Sulliman, & Gretchen Windt - Smooth Operetta: Building Technique in Aspiring Vocal and Instrumental Musicians Through the Light Opera Canon

Lindsey Underwood - Your Job is Just a Job: A Music Educator’s Guide to Wellness

Sarah Wee - Celebrating the Art Songs of Camille Saint-Sans

Joshua Wine - Bach to the Future: Connecting with Secondary Performers through Historical Musicology

Betty Wilson - President, Elementary/General Division

Life’s Full of Tough Choices

To say that the start of the school year was unusual would be an understatement. Many of you are facing and conquering challenges you’ve never dreamed of. You might be teaching online, in a general education classroom, or in a hybrid model where sometimes synchronous and asynchronous learning occurs at the same time. Again, I am reminded of the seven habits book, I referenced last October, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey. Habits 2 and 3 begin with the end in mind and put first things first. What do we want our students to know at the end of the year and how can we accomplish that in a COVID-19 teaching and learning environment? While we know that some of our traditional teaching methods have been suspended temporarily, there are many ways to accomplish our goals. It’s a good thing that most music teachers are creative because we are all having to think outside the box. (I don’t know who wanted to be in the box in the first place, but that’s a different article.) To attain these learning targets, we must put first things first. This is where the tough choices come in. There’s no way to do it all, every day! Some days that may mean making a lesson plan, or a video of yourself singing a song for your kids or a video of you reading them a book to post in your Google classroom. Other days, putting first things first may mean attending to your family’s needs, making sure that the grass is cut, the laundry washed, the homework checked. Or maybe it’s putting yourself first, taking time to meditate, pray, exercise, or get your nails done. When you feel refreshed, you will be better equipped to handle the daily stresses that accompany this pandemic and the months ahead. Begin with the end in mind and put first things first today.

As many of you already know, our AMEA Choral Festival was cancelled, however, the fall workshop was not. The fall workshop, featuring clinician Jeremy Howard, will be

held online from 9:00-12:00 on October 17th, 2020. I would like to thank AOSA and SHAKE President, Deanna Bell for partnering with us to provide this workshop for free. Members need to preregister to receive a link to the Zoom meeting. Make sure you include the email you would like to use to receive your link to the workshop. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2020AMEAFallWorksh op Jeremy will present a session on Elementary Improvisation. During the session participants will “extract the core tenants of improvisation (framework + choice + time); explore aural, kinesthetic, and visual preparation methods for improvising with movements, vocal explorations, words, instruments, rhythms, and melodies; and foster Kodály’s vision for complete musicianship.” The workshop will be followed by our fall board meetings. This year, the Elementary Division will be nominating officers for the following positions: President-Elect, and Secretary. A nominating committee has been working on securing nominations for these vacancies, but we will also take nominations from the floor. To nominate a person for a position, you must first have their permission and they must agree to serve if elected.

Finally, on January 21-23, 2021, we will host our virtual AMEA Professional Development Conference. Conference planning is well underway. Since we know it might be difficult to find a sub and take time off, the Executive Board has made several adjustments to the schedule that will allow you to stay at work during the day and enjoy sessions in the evening. Please check out the excellent sessions we are planning for you. David Row will be our main clinician. You may know David from his amazing Facebook Live broadcasts, Teachers Pay Teachers page (TPT), and Make Moments Matter webpage. David is an excellent educator and we are thrilled to have him

share virtually in January. We will also have sessions by Dr. Julie Bannerman (University of Montevallo), Toni Garza (Quaver), and various other Alabama music educators. Additionally, you may sign up to share a lesson at the lightning round on Thursday night, or plan to share a book at the Elementary Happy Hour Session (BYOB, Bring Your Own Book) on Saturday. Be sure to renew your NAfME membership as soon as possible to register for these events and to take advantage of all that NAfME and AMEA have to offer this year.

Thank you again, for your hard work, dedication, and continued support of the Elementary/General Division of the AMEA and the children of Alabama.

See you in October, Betty R Wilson, President

Elementary/General Division

Upcoming Dates: Fall Workshop - AMEA/AOSA/SHAKE

Saturday, October 17, from 9-12 Online Format

NAfME National Conference

November 4-8, 2020

In-person conference is cancelled. Visit Nafme.org for upcoming virtual sessions

AMEA Professional Development Conference

January 21-23, 2021

Online Format

Alabama AOSA Spring Workshops (Details TBA)

March 6, 2021: Manju Durairaj, Clinician

March 5, 2022: Jennifer Donovan, Clinician

Sweet Home Alabama Kodály Educators Workshops (Details TBA)

April 2021: Lea Hoppe, Clinician

April 2022: Rachel Gibson Clinician

General Music Reviews

“A Spooky Review”

By Deanna Bell, Music Teacher at Vestavia Hills Elementary East, Adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Hello,

I love to read books and add instruments and songs to the stories. It is one of my favorite ways to connect children’s books to music. Below are some of my October favorites! You can find lesson plans to go with these stories either online or in a music group. The best way to connect with students is to allow them to choose instruments to play for the different sounds and parts. It is so much fun! Below is a photo of my dog as a mystery guest reader from last year. We had a blast! I hope you enjoy these spooky books! Love, Deanna

Kindergarten: The Very Busy Spider, by Eric Carle

1st Grade: Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson

2nd Grade: The Hallo-Wiener, by Dav Pilkey

3rd Grade: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, by Linda Williams

4th Grade: Shake dem Halloween Bones, by W. Nilola-Lisa

5th Grade The Composer is Dead, by Lemony Snicket

Craig Cagle, ABA Jazz Chair

All-State Jazz Band

Colleagues,

Whether you are in person with your students, teaching them remotely using online meetings, or working with them completely virtually, I’m sure we can agree that it is great to be making music in some way. As we forge ahead this school year, giving students the most rewarding experience we can is at the top of our list of goals. The good news that I would like to share with you is that the All State Jazz Band will continue this year as close to normal as it can. Our online audition process remains unchanged. You can access all documents pertaining to auditions on the AMEA website. Scale sheets and etudes are available for download there, and Aebersold play-along instructions are detailed there as well. Be sure to

meet deadlines for registration and payment, which is November 2, and recording submission, which is November 16.

This year, All State Jazz Band will be held on January 22-23, the same weekend as the virtual AMEA Conference. We are excited to offer students the opportunity to work with a terrific panel of clinicians, including Dr. Matt Leder, from Gadsden State Community College, Dr. Tracey Heavner, from The University of South Alabama, Dr. David Phy, from Birmingham Southern College, and Alan Baylock, from The University of North Texas. We are currently working out the details of an in-person festival, with the option to hold All State Jazz Band virtually, if necessary. Rest assured that

if the students who are accepted to the All State Jazz Bands are in person at the festival, every precaution will be taken to ensure that their health is a top priority.

Be sure to check the AMEA website for more information as the schedule, location, and logistics for the event are finalized. Encourage your students to audition. Let them know that the All State Jazz Band Festival is going to be a great experience this year! And, let us know how we can help you and your students throughout the audition process.

Craig Cagle, Chair jcagle@jefcoed.com

Ben Posey, Vice Chair bposey@hoover.k12.al.us

All-State Jazz Band Clinicians

Alan Baylock

David Phy

Tracey Heavner

Matt Leder

Read bios of the all-state jazz band clinicians on page 30

Passion, Pride and Purpose

School, as defined by Webster is “an organization that provides instruction: such as an institution for the teaching of children”. Well, Webster definitely didn’t quite have a definition that would fit everything that has come our way the past three months, but as always, music educators in the state of Alabama met it head-on and climbed every hill and mountain that was thrown at them on a weekly, daily and sometimes hourly basis. We have pulled together resources literally out of thin air at times and found ways to adapt what we do to educate our

students. Music teachers have always seemed to be able to adapt to an everchanging landscape and for that, you are to be commended. I think Walt Disney summed it up best, “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing!” YOU formulated a plan of action and put it in motion. That’s what you’ve done for your students daily and I for one want to say Thank You for all the things that you do that go above and beyond to make sure that your students get the best experience possible.

As we have all said before, this year is going to be different, BUT don’t let different mean that you don’t give the best to your students and that you don’t take the time to recharge yourself professionally. The AMEA conference will have a different look, but there are some great clinics and performances planned for ABA that you won’t want to miss. The committee that selected clinics tried to make sure that we picked clinics that will inspire you and will give you what you need to help you right now. We had some outstanding clinics to choose from and because of the virtual format, we have 5 clinic spaces for this year’s conference. Make sure you take the time to renew your NAFME membership now and then register for the conference!!

The ABA membership approved the recent legislation allowing the ABA board, if needed, to move District Level All-State tryouts, Music Performance Assessment and Solo and Ensemble to virtual formats. We have two committees working right now on the Virtual AllState audition format and a committee working on what a Virtual MPA might

look like if we have a situation like last Spring where schools are shut down, or schools possibly can’t travel. Both of these committees will present a final draft of their work to the ABA board for the board to consider. Our goal is to do everything in our power as a board for all of our events to happen in the second semester. This will just give us options on how these may occur during the pandemic.

At the Virtual AMEA conference, we will have two membership meetings. In the first, we will consider the legislation that was on the docket from the AllState meeting in April. You will find these online and we will email these back out to the membership. Also, the nominating committee is working to bring a slate of officers to you. According to the legislation we passed at AMEA last year, they will bring 2 candidates for each of the following offices: Vice President/President-Elect, Recording Secretary, and Jazz Vice Chairman. We will also take nominations from the floor. If you have someone you would like to nominate for any of these positions, contact any of the committee members - Chairman, Taylor Cash - Albertville High School, David Waters – Muscle Shoals High School, Michelle Gann – Gordo High School, LT Hughes – Robertsdale High School.

Stay strong!! This is your association. Let us all strive to make it better so that we can serve the students and the bands in our state better. We are ABA and together we CAN do great things!!

Terry Ownby- President, Alabama Bandmasters Association

Terry

We have pulled together resources literally out of thin air at times and found ways to adapt what we do to educate our students.

FAME (Future Alabama Music Educators) Scholarship Essay

by Laney Smith

Why I Want To Be a Music Educator

I wholeheartedly believe that music has the power to change the very fabric of the world around us. From simple to complex melodies, lush harmonies, intentional dissonance, and countless other musical devices, the touch of music has the ability to extend further than words alone can. Music is a universal language that can unite people ranging from a high school band program to a group of international students. Whether it is in mourning or happiness, music brings people together in a way that nothing else on this planet can. Music has changed my life, and for that very reason, I wish to extend its magic to generations to come by pursuing a career in music education.

I have had the privilege of being a member of my school’s band for the past seven years (which have absolutely flown by), and throughout the woes and tribulations of middle school and high school, no matter what seemed to be occurring in my life, I have noticed one profound constant: my band director has been a source of joy, keen insight, and the provider of an environment and activity that I truly believe is my home. The two women who have served as my band directors throughout my adolescence have not only thoroughly prepared me for a musical future in the collegiate world, but also instilled within me a great sense of pride towards my school, my peers, and have perfectly displayed the professionalism and sheer dedication that contributes to being a music educator. Their influence has undoubtedly contributed to my desire to pursue a career in music education.

Throughout high school, I have received firsthand experience of the sheer fulfillment of being in an educator’s position (serving as a section leader, band vice president, and eventually band president for two years). Getting the opportunity to interact with and grow close to younger students enlightened me on why I want to be a music educator—

getting to share what I love with other people and witness their journey and growth surrounding that passion. For example, seeing a rookie evolve over the course of several years (growing in personal and musical maturity) into a well-developed adolescent is beyond fulfilling. Seeing their love for music grow because of my influence reminds me exactly why music will be my livelihood—that feeling is something that never grows old, and I will surely never tire of it.

Just like science or math class, access to music classes should be available to all students, regardless of the location of their school and their age. The benefits of music education are absolutely astounding, and I credit my success in other school subjects to the intensive “brain training” that being in band allowed me to experience. It has been statistically proven that students taking music lessons score higher in all academic subjects—this can most definitely be attributed to the brain stimulation experienced when deciphering complex rhythms, recognizing pitches, or performing a challenging piece, to name a few examples. Music education undoubtedly creates teamwork. Whether it’s in a band or choir class, each student is part of a whole—they can’t perform an ensemble piece on their own, and it is crucial that they rely on their fellow classmates to create the final product. Groups of students working together towards a common goal brings them together and has the ability to create lifelong friendships and bonds. Music also creates discipline. Attending band camp, committing to daily practice, or taking extra lessons outside of school responsibilities holds a student accountable and teaches them the importance of hard work and perseverance (especially running a basics block during an Alabama summer!). The presence of music education in the 21st century classroom is absolutely essential.

Music never fails to bring people together.

Whether it’s through a music educators conference, District or All-State Band, or your high school’s band practice, music creates community. Pursuing the greatness of music creates teamwork and forms bonds that last a lifetime (personally, all of my best friends are within my band program, and I have full intent to maintain those friendships for the rest of my life). When I look back on my life, my favorite memories are those when I’m in band. Music creates grit, and it separates the boys from men, so to say. Music is hard, hard work and has instilled within me a fiery spirit that I hope never dies out. I wish to be a music educator because of the enriched community of music that brings people together, the personal fulfillment that comes with enlightening and changing the lives of students, and lastly, because of the tremendous life impact that the music educators I have encountered have made on me—because of their persistent work and dedication, my life has been forever changed and impacted for the good.

Starting this fall, I plan to attend Auburn University in pursuit of a degree in music education with a minor in accounting. I also plan to be a member of the Auburn University Marching Band as well as participate in concert/symphonic ensembles. Regardless of where my career might take me, my passion is in the music world, and I have full intent to persistently pursue that goal. Following college graduation, I plan to embrace the music educator role. Whether that is being a high school director, college director, or any other profession falling under the music educator umbrella, I possess a great passion to be in a position to teach and enlighten students in the area of music. Further into the future, following a music educator role, I have aspirations to work in the field of music technology or music administration.

Editor’s Note: AMEA recently awarded the FAME scholarship to Laney Smith, a 2020 graduate of White Plains High School. Scholarship recipients must have attended the FAME program and plan to major in music education at an Alabama university. Laney plans to major in music education at Auburn University.

FAME

Future Alabama Music Educators

Open to High School Juniors and Seniors

Saturday, January 23, 2021 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. Virtual Sessions

Application and $20 registration fee are due postmarked no later than January 15, 2021

Student_____________________________________________________________ Grade ____________________

Nominating Teacher ____________________________________________ NAfME # _________________________

School Name ____________________________________________________________________________________

School Address __________________________________________________________________________________

Teacher Phone ________________________________ Teacher Email ______________________________________

This student participates in (circle all that apply):

Band Chorus Orchestra Other ____________________

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.

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.myamea.org for details.

Lunch will be provided by AMEA

Mail this application, along with the $20 registration fee, to:

AMEA

1600 Manor Drive NE Cullman, AL 35055

Postmark Deadline: January 15, 2021

Michael Zelenak - President, Higher Education Division

Best Practices in Challenging Times

Back in August, my institution held its annual Faculty Institute as a virtual conference. I had reservations at first, but later found it to be outstanding! The upcoming 2021 AMEA Conference will also be held in a virtual format. Based on my prior experience, I am confident in saying that the 2021 AMEA Conference may be the best conference that you have ever attended!

We’ve included all of the elements that you’ve come to expect at a “first-rate” music conference. There will be two General Sessions with awards and keynote speakers. Our exhibitors will be there and you will be able to interact with them via Networking Lounges. There will be a Research Poster Session and an HED Recital. In addition, there will be a virtual happy hour that we are calling “Cocktails with Colleagues.” But just when it couldn’t get any better, we are hosting six presentations that will enlighten and inspire you. These sessions will focus on best practices in a variety of music education areas. But wait, there is more! For the price of admission, you will also have access to three pre-recorded bonus sessions. Kudo’s to the AMEA governing board. They have certainly covered all of the bases!

There is still time to get involved. Research poster applications are being accepted until Nov. 2. Go to the myamea.org website and click on Dr. Jane Kuene’s box with the title Research Poster Update for details. Applications for the HED Recital will be accepted until Nov. 15. Contact Dr. Carly Johnson at cjjohnson@alasu.edu for more information.

HED Studio Instructor Survey

In mid-September, we sent out an informal survey to 191 studio instructors across Alabama to investigate the impact of the COVID pandemic on college-level music instruction. We received responses from 38 instructors. Some responses were anticipated but others provided interesting

insights into the future of music education. Results indicated that most instructors utilized a combination of virtual and in-person instruction (63.16%) while some taught completely online (26.32%) and others taught completely in-person (26.32%). A majority of instructors used Zoom (68.42%) to interact with their students, a few employed Google Meet (7.89%), and no instructor used Microsoft Teams. Individual instructors reported using programs such as Rock Out Loud; Facetime; Facebook and Zoom; and Cleanfeed. As expected, many instructors incorporated hardware devices such as microphones, mixers, digital to analog converters, and various recording devices into their instruction. The collection of brand names and models, however, was beyond the scope of this investigation. In addition, instructors utilized web-based programs such as YouTube (51.35%), SmartMusic (13.51%), FlipGrid (5.41%), and others like GoReact, OBS, DaVinci Resolve, Cleanfeed, Logic - Final Cut Pro, and Loopback to support their instruction. Some of the more interesting findings may have come from the instructors’ responses to two open-ended questions: “Have any unforeseen benefits come from your virtual instruction? and “What information would you like to share with others about your experience? Responses to the first question organized themselves into four emergent themes (a) Instructional Environment, (b) SelfEvaluation, (c) Attention to Detail, and (d) Learning about Technology. Instructors felt comfortable working from home, noticed that introverted students talked more in the online format, used lesson time more effectively, and dealt with fewer student absences. They also recognized the benefits of having students evaluate their own recorded performances. Students put more effort into their lesson preparation resulting in greater progress. In addition, instructors witnessed an increase in their students’ attention to detail. Vocalists paid more attention to diction while instrumentalists focused on nuances such

as hand position. The instructors themselves acknowledged development in their ability to deliver more concise and effective verbal instruction while the students improved their skills in turning verbal instruction into physical execution. Finally, the pandemic forced instructors and students to learn more about technology. Both found new ways to utilize technology and increased their fluency in a variety of applications. For example, instructors learned to record their instruction, create pedagogical videos, and store PowerPoint presentations for future use. They also learned that guest artists can be included in their lessons easily.

Responses to the second openended question (What information would you like to share with others about your experience?) provided further insight. The instructors came to accept the benefits of online instruction and acknowledged that a combination of virtual and in-person instruction worked better that only online or only in-person lessons. Several took the time to remind us about the importance of remaining positive and flexible in these challenging times.

Keep in mind, the results of this survey are limited to its participants and do not generalize to a larger population. All opinions are my own. These findings, however, provide insight into the changes that are taking place within institutions of higher education across Alabama. Further investigation is warranted.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Eric Perry, a doctoral graduate assistant at the University of Alabama, for his help in constructing and administering the survey. He handled the technological “nuts and bolts” turning my ideas into reality. This survey would not have been possible without his efforts. Additional words of appreciate go out to Dr. Carl Hancock for introducing me to Mr. Perry. Thank you, Carl!

I look forward to seeing everyone at the conference.

EVEN TEACHERS NEED TEACHERS

The Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) gives you access to a wealth of professional development opportunities and resources. YES brings you into a network of like-minded colleagues, experts and professionals who want to share their real-world experiences. You’ll also receive valuable tips on advocacy assistance, program health support and much more. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsAAB

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

MUSIC THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD

CALL FOR RESEARCH POSTER PARTICIPATION

The Alabama Music Educators Association, Higher 1 Education Division invites research poster submissions from all levels of music scholars and practitioners.

Submissions may include completed and in­ 2 progress research studies involving any aspect of music (education, therapy, history, psychology, performance, music in higher education, alternative music, 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 3 Ethics found in the Journal of Research in Music Education

Research presented at other conferences will be 4 considered. However, previously published work will not be accepted.

Interested researchers should submit a detailed 5 abstract of the research project (up to 1000 words) as a Word or PDF document through our online submission website.

Submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST 6

1946 Yale H . Ellis

on Monday, November 2, 2020 for full consideration.

All submissions will be peer reviewed and authors 7 will be notified of acceptance by email during the week of Monday, December 1, 2020. If accepted, authors must register and attend the 8 AMEA conference to present the poster. In the case of multiple­author works, at least one author must register and attend the AMEA Conference to present the poster.

UPDATED: The poster session will be held as a 9 synchronous online lightening round session. Accepted researchers will present a 5­7 minute quick presentation about their research. PowerPoint slides should be sent to the Research Chair no later than 1 week prior to the conference. A virtual research poster website may be created to share ePosters.

Time and Day for the session is scheduled for 10 Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 12 p.m. (central time).

More Information, contact Dr. Jane Kuehne at 11 Auburn University by email at kuehnjm@auburn.edu.

AMEA Presidents - Past to Present

1972 Frances P. Moss

1996 Johnnie Vinson

1948 Walter A . Mason

1950 Vernon Skoog

1952 John J. Hoover

1954 Lamar Triplett

1956 Carleton K . Butler

1958 Mort Glosser

1960 Wilbur Hinton

1962 Lacey Powell , Jr .

1964 G. Truman Welch

1966 Jerry Countryman

1968 Floyd C . McClure

1970 Jerry Bobo

1974 George Hammett

1975 Frances P. Moss

1976 S J Allen

1978 W. Frank McArthur

1980 Paul Hall

1982 Lacey Powell , Jr .

1984 Johnny Jacobs

1986 Merilyn Jones

1988 Ronald D. Hooten

1990 Ken Williams

1992 Dianne Johnson

1994 James K . Simpson

1998 Michael Meeks

2000 John McAphee , Jr .

2002 Tony Pike

2004 Becky Rodgers

2006 John Baker

2008 Pat Stegall

2010 Steve McLendon

2012 Sara Womack

2014 Carl Hancock

2016 Susan Smith

2018 Greg Gumina

2020 David Raney

AMEA Industry/Institutional Membership 2020-21

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!

Arts Music Shop

3030 East Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36116

JW Pepper

9053 Riverside Pkwy, Lithia Springs, GA 30122

Kaleidoscope Adventures

603 South Main Street, Winter Garden, Florida 34787

Madison Band Supply

1604-B Hughes Road, Madison, AL 35758

Marchmaster Inc

P.O. Box 73379, Newnan, GA 30271

Troy University

109 Long Hall, University Ave, Troy, AL 36082

P.O. Box 6852, Gulf Shores, AL 36547

Tips That Click

Some of the Best Teaching Can Happen Before Rehearsal Starts

by Gary Barton – LaPorte, TX

“My band knows that when I step on the podium, class starts.” This is true in most rehearsal rooms. I used this myself, but I never thought of it as the time when my actual class started. This was when my rehearsal started. During the last half of my career, I decided that class should start at the very moment a student enters the room. I know that keeping the instruments silent before rehearsal creates a more orderly atmosphere, but I want to hear productive sounds before I begin rehearsal. I was that student who couldn’t wait to play. To be warmed up before rehearsal is a common expectation in university and professional settings. A university concert band won’t have fifty to ninety minutes of rehearsal each day. While some ensemble warm-up may happen, it will be slowed down if the players are playing their first notes of the day when the conductor begins. For a professional group time is money, and that money is not being paid to the players to warm-up. I have always believed that players should warm-up before rehearsal begins, but to create a culture in your classroom where class starts, including your grading policy, before you start as a group can bring a wealth of benefits.

Lining up outside the door, entering the room silently, refraining from playing until the director begins the ensemble, all are great classroom management techniques. When looking for ways to get an unruly class in order, these are always among the most common suggestions because they work. I view these as training suggestions, but once the students are trained and are meeting your expectations, adjustments can happen. Lining up at the door is only if you cannot supervise your room because of hall duty or any other distraction. We all agree that students should be supervised once they enter the room. My goal is for students to enter the room as quickly as possible with normal to quiet voice levels and to begin practicing as soon as possible.

Students must be taught how to warm-up and every teacher I know does this well. At the same time, students’ knowledge that they should start with long tones is not a guarantee that they will do so. The most advanced students will always do things correctly, but most students will need constant and consistent guidance. Current practice in schools is for the teacher to have objectives listed on the board and administrators will look for them during observations. Music directors have listed a rehearsal order for decades, so that list could begin with the individual pre-rehearsal warm-up/practice objectives. I believe every instrumental class at every level should utilize a book for fundamentals. The following is a suggestion that could be on the board and is not based on any particular book:

Any Fundamentals Book

1

page 4, lines 2 and 7 (long tones)

2

page 7, lines 3 and 4 (articulation)

3 brass: page 8, line 3 (lip slurs); woodwinds: page 10, line 9

page 22, lines 4 and 5 (concert Ab and Db major scales)

4 (Ab thirds) slowly practice a passage in your music that is giving you

5 trouble

The objectives on the board are flexible and will change daily. They are intended to keep the students on track and can be more or much less material depending upon the ability and level of the students.

The teacher has responsibilities during these minutes as well. This is not a time for dealing with fundraising collection, permission slips, or any other paperwork tedium. These are suggestions, but very strong ones:

For At Least Three to Five Minutes After All Students Are Playing

1 and never past the first week in a beginning class. Walk the room and check reeds, random inspection of 2 water key corks, etc. Note hand positions, embouchures, posture, assembly.

Take attendance. I’ve never called role in a band rehearsal

Make the students aware that you are listening to what they 3 are doing and how they are doing it.

Making a portion of your grades a participation grade is an excellent idea. Carry your gradebook or electronic device in your hand as you monitor the room. I have even carried an instrument and played with students during this time. Your modeling proper practice is a powerful tool.

In education, we say that students will meet expectations. This is only true if teachers are tenacious about their expectations. If you train your students to use those few minutes before the tardy bell and then a few minutes after the bell to warm-up, get the fingers moving, make great sounds, when you give the downbeat your group will be mentally and physically ready to make music.

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

In this issue, Tips That Click features a short article that first appeared in the NBA Journal. The author, Gary Barton, is a very experienced teacher in the schools of Texas and a member of Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. He has developed classroom systems that have helped him deal effectively with large numbers of young students (80+) in an efficient manner and with great outcomes. I think many of us have used bits and pieces of his ideas, but I think that his comprehensive system r eally covers all of the bases and in a manner that can be executed efficiently

It is at this time every year that trees turn magnificent shades of color, days grow shorter, cooler weather begins to set in, and education switches from hybrid to face-to-face, to virtual, to in-person, and back to hybrid instruction again. Thankfully, the last example does not happen annually, but neither does a pandemic that has challenged

the core of every music educator in Alabama. I am awed that each of you wake up each day to inspire the students in front of you (with a smile on your face), regardless of the method of delivery. These trials have caused us to face ‘change’ head on – yuck –I shudder at the thought of a ‘change’ to lesson Plan F, the rescheduled upcoming performance, creative instrument tuning through Zoom, or the inevitable principal musician placed in quarantine.

These ‘changes’ have tested our patience and helped us simplify to what is deemed the most notable joy we can discover from an appreciation for music. Instead of fighting the ‘change,’ it is best to embrace what is not in our control, and find new ways to inspire, connect, and communicate. The Alabama Orchestra Association has been in the midst of plenty of ‘change’ lately. While challenging to implement, we are pleased to share a few highlights of ‘change’:

VIRTUAL AUDITIONS: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 All-State Orchestra Auditions are being held virtually this Fall.

AOA WELCOMES 9 NEW DISTRICT CHAIRS: We are excited that our leadership team is growing and evolving!

ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Barbara Harrington begins an integral supporting role to Executive Director Julie Hornstein

ADDITION of an ALL-STATE CHAIR: Leroy Hughes graciously steps into a new defining role

In addition to the exciting announcements above, I want to personally invite you to visit the AOA website at www.alabamaorchestra association.org to preview all of the sweeping changes taking place, and to

NORTHERN DISTRICT

Stuart

engage with an incredible leadership team here to serve you. Let us help you find resources for your ensembles, classrooms, and virtual educational space.

Please take a moment to meet our AOA District Chairs, as they continue to encourage your woodwind, brass, percussion, and string students to submit a virtual 2021 All-State Audition:

SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT

Chin-Mei-Li Montgomery Music Project

EAST CENTRAL DISTRICT

CENTRAL DISTRICT

WEST CENTRAL

Joshua Wine Auburn Junior High School

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT

Felicia

Kristi C. Howze Satsuma High School

SOUTHEAST DISTRICT

Jason

Daniel Stevens- President, Alabama Orchestra Association

Jacob Frank Decatur Youth Symphonies

Tankesley Huntsville High School

Keith LaBenne Gadsden City High School

Jeremy Stovall Jacksonville State University

Kathryn Lamb Samford University Academy of the Arts

Barbara Harrington Samford University

Moisés Molina University of Alabama

Mary Lindsey Bailey University of Alabama

DISTRICT

Lett Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School

Tricia Marotz Tri-State Community Orchestra

Sulliman Troy University

The Alabama Orchestra Association is excited to bring world-renowned educators to Alabama:

AMEA CONFERENCE - January 2021

Dr. Christopher Selby, Featured AOA Clinician – author of Habits of a Successful Orchestra Director, Music Theory for the Successful String Musician, and co-author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician series, published by GIA. He is an active clinician and has presented sessions at two Midwest Clinics, the 2016 NAfME National Conference, five American String Teacher Association (ASTA) National Conferences, and he currently directs the high school orchestras at the School of the Arts in Charleston, SC

ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA COMPOSITION CONTEST WINNER - February 2021

Dr. Christopher Schmitz – Congratulations to Christopher Alan Schmitz for being named Alabama Orchestra Association's Composition Contest 2021 winner. His piece will be premiered by the All-State Festival Orchestra on February 14, 2021 at Moody Music Building in Tuscaloosa. He currently serves as Professor of Music Theory and Composition at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from the University of Texas at Austin.

Important AOA Dates for 2020-2021

Brass,

Thank you for inspiring the next generation of professional musicians, educators, and arts philanthropists. Help your students embrace ‘change,’ remind them that our future is bright, and provide hope that our ensembles will soon be filling auditoriums with beautiful music once again.

Blessings,

Daniel Stevens

Ready, Aim, Improvise!

by Dr. Matt Leder

During these strange times, everyone has been tasked to improvise and create new teaching strategies to comply to CDC guidelines dealing with Covid-19. It is interesting to see how programs are dealing with the current teaching environment. The creativity is exciting and I sincerely believe some of us are finding even better ways to teach. While we are creating new teaching strategies, we have to keep in mind that administrators and curriculum specialists will eventually review our performance. When evaluating our programs, we may refer back to “The National Standards for Music Education”. Did you know that improvisation is listed in these standards? There are several music programs that do not include this music standard in that there is a lack of knowledge or resources to teach improvisation or in most cases, there just isn’t enough time in the day.

I have been writing grants to help our students deal with the current situation and I have had some success. As music directors, we have to keep our eyes open and our ears to the ground for opportunity! Don’t sleep on funds that may become available to your program to help students. Refer to the National Standards of Music Education if needed, talk to your administrators, and help create more opportunities for your students. Perhaps start a jazz ensemble or popular music ensemble?

Improvisation can be intimidating when one first approaches it. So can swimming! Dip your toe in the water and you may find that the water is all right! I am going to present an exercise that I have used for beginning students, college students, and professionals. Please feel free to use this with your students.

I have found that over the years, improvisation can be approached by students of all ages. It is very common that improvisation is not studied or attempted until high school or later. Musicians in New Orleans start at a very early age! While young children in New Orleans grow up with a certain culture, I am still convinced that students can approach improvisation at a very early age; regardless of geographic area. Through my years of giving clinics I have often wondered why some topnotch university jazz programs can sound like professional studio bands, but as soon improvisation is required there is sometimes a very large gap in skill. We can do better!

One of the goals of improvisation is to produce meaningful melodies. In fact, in a conversation with Branford Marsalis, Marsalis stated, “So often universities are so focused on harmony and while that is important…melody is what sells records”! If we are to study melody, let’s look at melodies and their structure. Look at a fake book or real book of

melodies. Another thing to keep in mind…start simple! Often a more simplistic approach reaches a greater audience. This approach is also helpful in stretching out our ideas.

Wynton Marsalis has stated that “you will start with the blues and you will come back to the blues”. The blues and improvisation are an important part of the jazz genre. I will show a way.not necessarily THE way, but a way. There are lots of ways to approach the study of improvisation. Let’s break things down. The traditional blues is 12 bars or measures:

The blues are based upon a vocal tradition and I will show you a formula for your students to create simple melodies. If you are writing a paper, giving a speech, or improvising a solo you will need a topic to base your ideas on. If we were writing a paper on Louis Armstrong, our topic would be Louis Armstrong. If we are improvising a solo, you will need a short musical idea to base your solo on. Keep it simple! This could be 3 notes, it could be a very short phrase. Remember the shorter the phrase is, the easier it will be to

remember! If you played a solo for 5 minutes straight, would you remember the first idea you played? Keep it simple and you might! Great players like John Coltrane could take the simplest of ideas and stretch them out in a lot of creative directions.

Now that you have established your motif or musical idea, what do you do? Try having your student improvise freely using the idea with a play along recording or rhythm section. You may find the solo might lack some structure. It is time to use that formula! Try this: Play your short idea in measure 1 and then leave space! Space is music too and it will be hard for the student to resist the urge, but allow the space to occur. A good pot of gumbo needs to simmer a bit and another thing to keep in mind is that in order for a conversation to take place, there must be space. Too many times the soloist is simply doing their thing and the rhythm section is left to be the blue-collar worker. Try a different approach! Let the rhythm section contribute to the solo. It’s not one person’s solo…it’s the band’s product! Everyone should listen with big ears and work together. Okay, back that formula! Again, play the short motif on measure one and leave space. Repeat the short motif again on measure 5 and leave space again! On measure 9, play something different to sum up the solo. If you think about a blues singer, they will tell a story in their lyric…. state an idea, elaborate on that idea, and then sum it up. Think about this concept as Verse, Verse, Hook! The formula looks something like this:

Motif

approaches that can be taken. Once this goes well, have your students create 10 different motifs to base their solos on. They should be short and unrelated to each other! The only rule is that one idea can’t sound anything like the other. After a few motifs, students may find that their vocabulary is limited. Have them listen to the jazz masters. All of the sudden, CD’s or even a single solo can become an encyclopedia of information! You can expand this exercise to include a 2nd idea on measure 3 and 7 (repeat that 2nd idea on those measures), etc. There are all sorts of directions you could go with this formula. Be creative! I have had my students learn several blues heads or melodies and then create their own melodies using this formula. They have created an “unlisted YouTube video” of their performance and they send me the link. I’m able to view their performance and give back feedback. Students seem to enjoy the opportunity to create and improvise!

VERSE 1 (C) Play short motif and leave space!

VERSE 5 (F) Play short motif again and leave space!

HOOK 9 (G) Play something different to “sum” up

I have found that this formula works well and puts structure to a solo. Again, this is just one way to improvise over the blues. There are certainly many other

10 (F)

(C)

(C)

12(G)

I hope this short lesson helps you and your students. It is simply a way to approach the blues or beginning improvisation. I use some of these concepts with students on more

complex tunes and yes, we do revisit the blues from time to time. Keep your eyes out for opportunity and continue to learn. Education is not a race, it is a marathon and never truly ends. Enjoy the journey! Now, ready…aim…. Improvise! I look forward to seeing you on the band stand, and on the other side of better!

In the spirit of swing, Dr.

Matt Leder

- short musical idea (your topic for the solo)

2021 AMEA Performing Groups

The Enterprise High School Wind Ensemble is an auditioned ensemble under the direction of Sean Weiler. It is one of four concert ensembles at Enterprise High School that make up their marching band. The ensemble has consistently made superior ratings at Music Performance Assessment. The members consist of the 9th through 12th grade students. The ensemble performs regularly for the community serving as an ambassador for the high school. The ensemble has performed at band festivals in Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida receiving superior ratings. The Wind Ensemble was selected to play at the 2009 Alabama Music Educator’s Professional Development Conference in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The Hartselle High School Band is a very integral part of our city and school system. The band students represent our community with class and great pride with their musical achievements throughout the State of Alabama. The Hartselle High School bands motto is “Be a Part of a Winning Tradition”. Whether it is on the competition field, the concert stage, earning numerous music scholarships, or in the academic classroom, students excel with winning achievements. The band keeps spectators in their seats during halftime and has brought the game day pageantry to an all-time high in our city. Immediately following half-time the band moves from the field into the stands for a post halftime performance which always brings the fans to their feet. The marching bands formula for success is very straightforward. Entertain the crowd, never take your audience for granted, and musically perform at the highest level. The Symphonic Band is the premier performing ensemble within the Hartselle Band Program. The symphonic band has earned straight superior ratings for the past 17 years including multiple band of distinction honors. The emphasis of the symphonic band is based on acute attention to fundamentals of music, performing challenging literature, reading multiple compositions throughout the year, and preparing students who want to perform beyond their secondary experience. Students engage in a positive worthy experience along with depths of musical exposure which allows them to be successful beyond their high school years.

The Hewitt-Trussville Middle School Honors Choir is comprised of seventh and eighth grade students who auditioned and were placed in the ensemble. This choir performs challenging literature and sight-reads at an accelerated level. The Honors Choir performed by invitation at the University of Montevallo’s Festival of Voices and has also participated in events throughout the community, including the Bicentennial Celebration and caroling for hospitals and nursing homes. The eighth-graders who comprise the majority of this choir have earned superior ratings at Solo & Ensemble and State Choral Performance Assessments—on stage and in sight-reading—since they were in sixth grade.

The Spain Park High School Treble Voices are the combined treble singers from the three SPHS curricular choirs: Concert Choir, Treble Ensemble, and Rhapsody In Blue show choir. Each ensemble rehearses four hours each week during normal school hours. Rehearsal emphasis is on intermediate to advanced musicianship and sight-singing, vocal production, vocal technique, and ensemble performance. The Spain Park High School Treble Voices have received the Distinguished Musicianship Award in recognition for receiving all Superior Ratings at the Alabama State Choral Performance Assessment for the past ten years. Choirs from Spain Park High School have represented the choral department, school, and community as guest performing choirs at The University of Alabama, Huntingdon College, and The University of Alabama at Birmingham. The Choirs have accepted invitations to participate in the Choirs of America for Top Choirs Festivals at Carnegie Hall in New York City (2017 and 2021) and Anaheim, California (2019) . While the students of the Spain Park High School Choral Department strive for excellence in their musical endeavors, they also apply life lessons and discipline learned through choral singing to their everyday lives. For more information on the Spain Park High School Choral Department, visit spainparkchoir.com.

2021 Conference Featured Speakers & Clinicians

Keynote Speaker: Robert “Bob” Morrison

Robert B. Morrison has a long history as a supporter of music and arts education and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading researchers and advocates for arts education. Mr. Morrison is the founder and CEO of Quadrant Research, the nation’s preeminent arts education data analytics and market research firm. Mr. Morrison’s leadership in research, public policy, and advocacy efforts have led to significant advancements in access to music and arts education programs in America. Mr. Morrison also serves as the Director of Arts Ed NJ, the statewide arts education policy group for New Jersey. Through his work, New Jersey has emerged as the leading state for arts education in the country. Mr. Morrison has a deep body of research and policy work and is recognized as a pioneer in statewide arts education status and condition research. In California, Mr. Morrison’s report The Sound of Silence: The Unprecedented Decline of Music Education in California Public Schools (2004) was one of the catalysts for a $1 billion reinvestment into music and arts education in public schools that was signed into law by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; in New Jersey, Mr. Morrison was the managing partner for the groundbreaking New Jersey Arts Education Census Project, completing the first statewide census for arts education in every school building. Before founding Quadrant Research, Mr. Morrison was the founder of Music for All, one of the nation’s largest and most influential music education organizations where he remains Chairman Emeritus. Mr. Morrison helped develop and then served as the CEO of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, where he created a major national brand responsible for donating more than $25 million of musical instruments to restore more than 1,200 music programs. Mr. Morrison’s advocacy work has earned him both a Prime-Time EMMY and a Peabody Award.

Keynote Speaker: Judy Bowers

Judy Bowers, Professor Emerita in the College of Music at Florida State University, currently lives in Monroe, LA and holds the Beidenharn Chair in Music as choral music education professor at the University of Louisiana, Monroe. At ULM, she led a curriculum revision for undergraduate music education degree programs and established a three summer Master of Music Education program for practicing teachers. Across her career in music teacher preparation, Bowers has taught undergraduate and graduate classes for music education, and she conducted the Women’s Glee Club at FSU, and currently conducts the newly formed Bayou La Belle at ULM. A belief that the teaching/learning process is a collaborative act has led Bowers to create multiple partnerships developed to enrich learning opportunities for university students and make other positive changes for school and community partners: Adopt-A-Choir, a high school/university connection for one concert during one semester; Raa Singers, part of a before-school program pairing university students with urban middle school students for multiple choral and instrumental classes, and, MTC Glee, which structured singing and performing between women within a correctional facility and volunteer FSU students. Bowers contributes to music teacher professional growth through publications, interest sessions, and school in-service, then models these teaching behaviors and strategies when conducting all state and honor choirs in the US, Canada, and Africa. In June 2014, Bowers was named a Lowell Mason National Music Education Fellow and was inducted into this society by the National Association for Music Education in Washington D.C.

All-State Show Choir Vocal Clinician Mark Myers Mark Myers is a nationally renowned choral conductor, music educator and arranger. In his role as Associate Artistic Director, he co-conducts the world renowned mixed-voice ensemble Voice of Chicago, assists with the Dimension ensemble for changing male voices, mentors a faculty of 13 choral music educators working in the In-School and Neighborhood Choir Programs and helps set the artistic and educational vision for the overall organization. Mark began his teaching career as Director of Choral Programs at The Choir Academy of Chicago Children’s Choir, a Chicago Public Schools charter school in the McKinley Park neighborhood focused on choral music education. As a first year teacher, Mark built a successful choral program from the ground up, serving over 200 students from across the city in five different vocal ensembles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, where he was named the Outstanding Music Major, and a Master of Music in Music Education from Northwestern University, where he was the Program Honors recipient in Music Education. He has also worked on the faculty of Showchoir Camps of America for the last 23 years as a pianist, choreographer and vocal director.

All State Show Choir Choreographer Shane Coe

Shane Coe is a freelance choreographer, adjudicator and clinician based in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Teays Valley High School where he was a part of the award winning “Prominent Rendition.” Shane is a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Popular Culture and a minor in music. Shane also studied music education for four years while at BGSU. He currently choreographs for many show choirs across the country and his groups have won many best choreography awards. Shane has also choreographed for collegiate operas, musicals, A Cappella groups and barbershop choruses. He was a member of the BGSU Men’s Chorus as well as a founding member of the Pop – A Cappella group, the HeeBeeBGs. While with the HeeBeeBGs, he helped the group with best choreography at ICCA. In his “free” time, Shane enjoys reading and hanging out with his dog, Wrigley.

2021 All-State Jazz Band Clinicians

Born and raised in a small town in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Alan Baylock has composed music that is performed throughout the world. One of the most respected and sought-after jazz composers and educators in the industry today, he is the director of the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas, and previously served 20 years as Chief Arranger for the USAF Airmen of Note in Washington, D.C. The Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra recorded three critically-acclaimed CDs and performed throughout the United States for 15 years. Baylock graduated from Shenandoah University (BME 1990), where he later became Jazz Composer-in-Residence, and the University of North Texas (MM 1994). Baylock travels extensively as guest conductor and clinician, and has been featured with close to 100 professional, collegiate, high school (all-state and regional) and middle school jazz ensembles. Alan is on faculty at the National Jazz Workshop (NJW) and directed the NJW All-Star Big Band in performances on the East and West Coast. He is an active member of the Jazz Education Network (JEN) where he mentors recipients of the annual Young Composers Award and is a guest clinician for the JENerations Jazz Festival. Thanks to the Nu Psi Chapter, Alan became an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha in 2016, and became an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi (Kappa Epsilon Chapter) in 2017. Baylock lives in Denton, Texas with his wife, cellist Maria Baylock. In his spare time, Alan is an avid table tennis player.

Dr. David Phy joined the Birmingham-Southern College faculty in 2018 as the Director of Bands. He has a Bachelor of Music Education (jazz emphasis) from the University of Louisville, a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Studies from the University of Illinois. He has been published in the International Trombone Journal and is a member of the Alabama Music Education association (AMEA) and the Jazz Education Network (JEN). A trombonist, arranger, composer, and educator his teachers include Jim Pugh, Norman Bolter, Bob Brookmeyer, Gunther Schuller, George Garzone, George Russell, Steve Lacey, John “Chip” Stephens, and Chip McNeil. Prior to moving to Birmingham Dr. Phy taught and performed in the New Orleans area including at the University of New Orleans, Dillard University, and Delgado Community College. Dr. Phy has presented workshops at the Louisiana Music Education Association, served as a clinician and performer at the Jazz Education Network Conferences, and given seminars at numerous universities in Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Dr. Tracy Heavner is an internationally renowned music educator and distinguished performance artist who performs in a variety of genres ranging from classical to jazz. His talents as a saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist are witnessed on stage as a soloist, chamber ensemble and combo member and also within the jazz ensemble and orchestra. His professional achievements off the stage are equally impressive in the areas of education, teaching, performance and scholarship. Dr. Heavner currently serves on the faculty at the University of South Alabama as a professor of saxophone, music education and director of jazz studies. He is a full member of the graduate faculty and area coordinator for all music education courses in the department of music. He is the university supervisor for all instrumental music education student teachers and also serves as the music education liaison to the College of Education. His teaching duties include courses in music education, music education technology, applied woodwinds and jazz studies. In addition, he regularly serves as an adjudicator and clinician in both classical and jazz styles for various music festivals, competitions and masterclasses. Most recently, he served as an adjudicator for the Texas Christian University Jazz Festival and is scheduled to adjudicate the Brandon Jazz Festival in Manitoba, Canada in March. He has also served as the High School All-State Jazz Ensemble Director/Clinician for the states of Alabama, Michigan, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. Furthermore, he is a Fulbright Scholar Training Specialist and has been teaching at the University of South Alabama for the past 25 years.

Dr. Matt Leder is an avid educator and has performed as a guest artist / clinician throughout the United States. Dr. Leder holds a DA in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado, a MM in Jazz Studies from the University of New Orleans, and a BM in Jazz Performance from East Carolina University. While at UNO, Leder was a member of the “Louis Armstrong Quintet”, funded through the Armstrong Foundation. Dr. Leder has studied with Ellis Marsalis, Clyde Kerr, Irvin Mayfield, and many others. He has a passion for the music and culture of New Orleans. Dr. Leder’s dissertation, “Towards An Informed Pedagogy of Modern New Orleans Style”, describes New Orleans style and offers possibilities of adding this syntax of jazz into the modern classroom. Recently, Dr. Leder was invited to be a National Endowment of Humanities Summer Scholar at Tulane University in New Orleans. Dr. Leder has been a professional musician for over 20 years and performs all genres of music. Leder served over eight years as an active duty Navy musician and four years as an Air Force musician. While a member of the armed forces, he performed for five US presidents. Dr. Leder has served as Music Director/Instructor at Gadsden State Community College since August 2014. Prior to this appointment, he was Chair of the Music Department at Northern New Mexico College. It is Dr. Leder’s hope that his students will develop an appreciation of Jazz and perform at the highest level of musical excellence. It is also Dr. Leder’s passion to bring jazz awareness to the community at large.

Dr. Julie Bannerman is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She works with undergraduate and graduate students in music education and coordinates the PreK Music Partnership. She taught general music in diverse early childhood, elementary, and middle school settings, and served in the United States Peace Corps as an education volunteer in Nicaragua (03’-05’). She is published in the Journal of Music Teacher Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, and the Journal of Research in Music Education. Dr. Bannerman regularly presents research and clinical sessions at regional and national conferences.

Matthew Chambless began his teaching career in 2014, and is the Director of Bands at Simmons Middle School. Mr. Chambless has held positions at Chickasaw High School, Holtville Middle School/High School, and Double Springs Middle School/Winston County High School. Bands under the direction of Mr. Chambless have consistently received superior ratings at marching band competitions, and have received superior ratings at the Alabama Music Performance Assessment. In 2019 the Simmons Middle School Honor Band was selected as a guest performance ensemble at The University of Alabama Middle School Honor Band Festival. Mr. Chambless earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from The University of Alabama and holds class B certification in pre K-12 Instrumental Music Education. During his tenure at Alabama Mr. Chambless was an active performer and held positions with the Million Dollar Band, Alabama Wind Ensemble, Alabama Symphonic Band, Huxford Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Jazz Ensemble, Alabama Brass Choir, and the Alabama Trumpet Ensemble where he served as the conductor of the trumpet ensemble in 2013. Mr. Chambless is still an active performer having previously held a position in the Shoals Symphony Orchestra, and is now an active member of the community band Alabama Winds as well as performing at many churches in the Birmingham, AL area. Mr. Chambless enjoys playing tennis, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Mr. Chambless is married to Victoria Chambless who is an outstanding flute player and the Director of Bands at Rudd Middle School. As a native of Hoover, AL and a product of Hoover City Schools Mr. Chambless is thrilled to be teaching in Hoover City Schools, and to be the Director of Bands at Simmons Middle School.

Patrick Darby is currently in his ninth year of teaching. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi. His teaching career started in Montgomery, AL at BTW Magnet High School (2009), and Baldwin Arts & Academics Middle School (2017). His performing ensembles earned superior ratings at MPA and student representation in district and state festivals. Currently, as the director of bands for the Pike Road Schools system, he is building a band program from the ground up. The Patriot Marching Band, Concert Band, and Jazz Band have consistently received Superior ratings at MPA and marching festivals.

Julia DeSerio is the Chorus and Piano Director at Crest Middle School in Shelby, NC. She has presented at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference, been interviewed by Education Today for her work in music education during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was most recently nominated for Beginning Teacher of the Year for Cleveland County Schools. In addition, Julia is an accomplished vocalist, placing 1st in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition at both the state and regional levels. She also completes community service work and additional music education advocacy as Miss Gastonia 2020-2021 through the Miss America Organization, partnering with organizations like the YMCA and Salvation Army to provide arts-based opportunities to at-risk youth. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Gardner-Webb University.

Second Prize Winner of the 2019 Mozart & Tchaikovsky International Conducting Competition, Dr. Thomas Dickey currently serves as the Director of Orchestral Studies at Oklahoma State University, where he conducts the OSU Symphony Orchestra and guides all aspects of the orchestra and graduate orchestral conducting programs. He concurrently serves as Music Director & Conductor of the OSU Youth Orchestra and Community Orchestras. Prior to his appointments in Oklahoma, he was the Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Music Director & Conductor of the Dubuque Symphony Youth Orchestra (IA). A native of Illinois, Dr. Dickey holds degrees from Eastern Illinois University, LSU, and the University of Georgia. He has worked with conductors such as Carl Topilow, Christopher Zimmerman, Daniel Lewis, Gustav Meier, and Diane Wittry, and further studied conducting in numerous workshops and master classes at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, among others.

Ellary Draper is Associate Professor of Music Therapy at The University of Alabama. Dr. Draper has worked as a music therapist and as an elementary general music teacher. Currently she serves as the Chair of the 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, UPDATE: Applications of Research in Music Education, and General Music Today. She holds degrees in music education and music therapy from Westminster Choir College, Florida State University, and The University of Texas at Austin.

AMEA 2021 Clinicians

Jack Eaddy, Jr. is part of the Devmusic Company: Educational Programs Division. Dr. Eaddy earned degrees from UNT, UGA, and FSU. Dr. Eaddy taught for twelve years in Orlando, where he developed a program that was recognized throughout the state for maintaining high standards despite the challenges his students experienced. Dr. Eaddy received the Tom Bishop Award recognizing a director who revitalized a program, making a positive difference. Dr. Eaddy has presented at conferences, including the Midwest Clinic. As a conductor, he participated in the 2018 Army Bands conducting workshop and received 2nd Place for the 2020 American Prize.

William J. Earvin is the Director of Bands at Baker High School (LA). Dr. Earvin earned degrees from CAU, MVSU, and NCU. Dr. Earvin is in his 20th year as music educator and his ensembles are consistently recognized for earning Superior Ratings at Performance Evaluations. Dr. Earvin received Yale School of Music’s “Distinguished Music Educator Award” (2013). While serving as the Vice President of The Devmusic Company, he also serves as a consultant for Music for All, the CMA Foundation, and has presented at numerous conferences including the Midwest Clinic. He is a member of LMEA, NAfME, LMAA, and NBA.

Denise Eaton is a music educator of thirty-four years, twenty-nine at the High School level and five as an adjunct professor at the collegiate level. Choirs under her direction have performed at four TMEA conventions and one SWACDA convention. Chamber choirs under her direction have won the prestigious American Classic Madrigal Festival an unprecedented six times. Denise has been the Choral Editor for Carl Fischer Music Publication, LLC and BriLee Music Company since 2011. An active clinician and conductor, Ms. Eaton spends time in choir rooms throughout the state of Texas as a clinician and has conducted over thirty Texas Region Choirs. On the national level she has conducted regional or All-State choirs in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Known for her innovative teaching styles, Mrs. Eaton has presented over fifty workshops in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa. Denise is proud to be a Past-President of TMEA. Ms. Eaton is the co-author of six sight reading books: SMART (Sight Reading Made Accessible Readable and Teachable), SMART Minor, published by Alliance Music,. Additionally, she has collaborated on InSight Singing, Insight Singing for Fixed DO, STEPS (Steps to Enhance Performance/Reading Skills), and STEPS for Fixed DO all published by Carl Fischer.

Dr. Elizabeth Fisher is a lecturer at the University of Alabama Birmingham and at Samford University where she conducts the Vocal Jazz ensemble, and teaches courses in music education, piano, and music theory. She also serves as the Artistic Director of the Steel City Men’s Chorus in Birmingham, AL. Dr. Fisher’s scholarship focuses on restoring manuscripts of music composed for the for the women of the Ospedali as well as choral music’s engagement with social justice issues. Prior to her time in Alabama, Fisher was associate director of choral activities at University of Minnesota Duluth. Fisher holds degrees from Millikin University, Westminster Choir College, and Michigan State University.

John Lewis Folsom, Jr. (Johnny) has recently retired from 45 years of full time band directing and resides in Columbus, Mississippi. He spent twenty-five years as a successful band director in Alabama, first at Geneva (8 years) and then at TR Miller, Brewton (17 years), and spent 13 years with the prestigious Cairo High School Band in Georgia. He also spent 7 years as the director of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Band in Tifton, Georgia. Folsom now works with the Mississippi State University Music Department as an adjunct supervisor of student teachers. Folsom was a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association and served as chairman for district 2. He is also a past president of the Alabama Bandmasters Association. He was honored by the Troy State University’s music faculty as its 1996 Alumnus of the Year. He has judged numerous marching and concert festivals in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina and regularly serves as an honor band clinician. Mr. Folsom was honored to be selected to the Phi Beta Mu Alabama Bandmasters Hall of Fame and the High School Band Directors National Association Hall of Fame.

Toni Garza graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor’s in Music Education and completed her MBA in Music Business from Southern New Hampshire University. Toni began her teaching career in the Boston Public Schools as a middle school choral and general music teacher and went on to teach elementary music, 4th-grade general education and eventually became an elementary music coach in the Metro Nashville Public Schools. Toni currently serves as an Instructional Coach and Clinician for QuaverMusic, which she describes as her dream job. In this role, she is able to combine her love of teaching and coaching to empower other educators to create a well-rounded and impactful music classroom.

AMEA 2021

Chris Johns is in his third year as the Associate Director of Bands at Walton High School in Marietta, GA. Previously, Mr. Johns was the Director of Bands at Dacula High School, Assistant Band Director at Starr’s Mill High School, and Assistant Band and Orchestra Director at Lanier Middle School. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Columbus State University, a Master of Music Education Degree from the University of Georgia, and is a candidate for an Education Specialist Degree in Music Education from Auburn University. Additionally, he is a former brass technician for the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Johns is a 2020 recipient of the CDBNA Mike Moss Conducting Fellowship.

Dr. Gregory W. LeFils Jr. is a visiting assistant professor of choral music education at Stetson University. His duties include teaching music education classes and supervising student teachers. Dr. LeFils holds a PhD in music education from The Florida State University. Dr. LeFils’ professional experience includes directing two secondary choral music programs in Florida, conducing The Orlando Chorale and The Orlando Chamber Choir, and singing/soloing/guest conducting the Festival Singers of Florida. His research interests include teacher effectiveness, music teacher curriculum and training, and choral history. Dr. LeFils has presented over 20 state and national research and educational clinics throughout the region including the annual conferences of Music Education Associations in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and Florida, as well as other various workshops for music educators in central Florida. His dissertation is entitled The History of the Stetson University Concert Choir. In addition to his roles as researcher and educator, Dr. LeFils maintains an active agenda as a speaker, clinician, and adjudicator across the region.

Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, Ian Loeppky has been Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Alabama since the fall of 2003. He directs the two elite choral ensembles at UNA and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting, world music, and graduate choral literature. In addition, he is the Artistic Director of the Huntsville Community Chorus Association, Artistic Director of KIConcerts biennial Voices United international festival, and is a frequent contributor to the ACDA Choral Journal and Anacrusis. His works are published by Kelman Music Press, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, UNC Jazz Press, and Carl Fischer.

Christopher Loftin holds a Bachelor of Science in Choral Music Education from the University of Alabama and a Master of Education in Choral Music Education from the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. He has served as a middle and high school Choral Director in Chelsea, AL; Elementary Music Specialist in Centerpoint, Alabama; Mathematics Teacher in Murfreesboro, TN; and Mathematics Teacher and high school Choral Director in O’Fallon, MO. Christopher was most recently the Assistant Choir Director at Fort Zumwalt South High School in St. Peters, MO. While at South High School, he was awarded two Educator Innovation Grants for Classroom Learning, was named a district sight singing facilitator, and assisted on the music curriculum writing team. Christopher helped South High achieve school record numbers of All-District and All-State participants and achieve all Exemplary ratings at large group contest for the last four years. Christopher is an active barbershop singer, performer, performance coach, and clinician. He has coached ensembles from the US, Brazil, Canada, and Australia. He is a sought after choral adjudicator, clinician, and festival preparatory consultant. He currently resides in Mountain Brook, Alabama with his wife, MK, and his cat, Leopold.

Dr. Mark Hugh Malone is a veteran music educator with over 46 years of classroom experience in a variety of settings with students of all ages, has been a frequent presenter at the National Association for Music Education National Convention, MS Music Educators State Convention, LMEA, MS Whole Schools Initiative Summer and Winter Institutes, choral clinics for students and conductors, as well as organizer of professional development workshops for teachers. Dr. Malone has experience in elementary and high school music programs, was choral director at Pearl River Community College (MS), Coordinator of Music Education at William Carey University (MS), and is currently Visiting Professor of Music Education at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Marcus Morris remains active across the Southeast as an adjudicator, presenter, performer, and clinician. He has presented multiple clinics at the SCMEA annual conference as well as several district PD conferences. In November of 2019, Marcus presented a featured session at the NAfME Conference in Orlando, Florida. Most recently he has presented at the Connecticut Music Educator’s Conference and the Virginia Music Educator’s Conference. He has conducted honor bands in several states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. Mr. Morris is the 2019 recipient of the South Carolina Music Educator’s Association Mentor Award.

AMEA 2021 Clinicians

Judy Marchman is collaborative researcher in a number of studies with the UHealth Otolaryngology department in studies pertaining to the vocal health and vocal pathologies. She is co-participant/author of the articles, “Prevalence of Vocal Fold Pathologies Among First-Year Singing Students Across Genres” [The Larygoscope, 2019] and “Quantifying subjective and objective measures of singing after different warm-up durations” [Journal of Voice, 2021]. She has been accepted to perform at the OperaWorks Summer and Winter Workshops, the Atlantic Music Festival, the National Association of Teachers of Singing National Conference in Boston, and the National Opera Association Conference in Indianapolis. Performance awards include the Milton Cross Award and the Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award. Dr. Marchman completed her D.M.A in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Miami, her M.M. at Florida State University and B.M. at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and is currently working towards obtaining a master’s degree in counseling.

DaShaun McGee is currently the Fine Arts Coordinator and Director of Bands at Wayne County High School in Jesup, GA where he oversees all aspects of the music programs in Wayne County. DaShaun received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Valdosta State University (2010). He earned his Master’s of Music Degree in Music Performance in Wind Band Conducting at Georgia Southern University (2014). He later returned to Valdosta State and earned his Education Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership (2016). He is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Education at Auburn University. Mr. McGee is an active member of a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) and National Band Association (NBA). He is currently the Vice Chair and the Large Group Performance Evaluations (LGPE) organizer for District 8. Mr. McGee is involved with the following professional organizations: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (2008), Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (2006), and the North America Saxophone Alliance (NASA).

Ryan Murrell Biography Ryan Murrell is in his 10th year of teaching music and is a native of Homewood, AL. He went to Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL to earn his Bachelors Degree in Music Education. In May 2019, he received his Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. While at JSU, he marched trumpet and was Head Drum Major in the Marching Southerners. He has worked in Alabama and Georgia. He has been the Band Director at Calera High School, Baldwin High School (GA), Sylacauga High School, Gadsden City High School, and now at Homewood Middle School.

Dr. Matthew Myers is instructor of choral music education at University of Alabama, where he conducts the University Chorus and Chamber Choir, teaches introduction to listening and graduate choral literature, and supervises student teachers. He taught grades 6-12 choir at The American International School of Muscat in Oman and grades 9-12 choir, AP music theory, and class piano at Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford, IL. He holds a DMA in choral conducting from Louisiana State University, an MM in choral conducting from Northern Arizona University, and a BA in vocal performance and music education from Luther College.

Dr. Eric Posada is a vibrant and diverse conductor, choral educator, and mentor with sixteen years’ experience at the elementary, middle, high school, collegiate, university, community, church, and professional levels. During the 20202021 academic year, Posada will serve as Visiting Professor of Choral Music at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Previous appointments for Posada include Director of Choral Music at Tyler Junior College and Associate Director of Choral Activities at Texas A&M University. A native of McAllen, Texas, Dr. Posada founded the Rio Grande Valley’s first professional chorus, Pasión, and serves as the ensemble’s Artistic Director.

LAUREN RAMEY is a second-year Ph.D. student in choral conducting/music education at Florida State University. At FSU, she serves as assistant conductor of the Women’s Glee Club. Previously, she served as Director of Choirs and AP Music Theory at Ravenwood High School (Brentwood, Tennessee) and as assistant conductor of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra Chorus. In 2018, Ramey was a recipient of the CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Award as well as a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award. Under her direction, the Ravenwood Chamber Choir performed at the 2019 Music For All National Concert Festival and the 2017 and 2019 TNMEA Conferences. Ramey received Bachelor and Master degrees in Choral Music Education from the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University.

David Row loves teaching music to kids! A Nebraska native and Midwesterner at heart, David now lives and teaches in the Kansas City metro area for the DeSoto Unified School District. He holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, completed three levels and a master course in Orff Schulwerk training, and has extensive experience with critical thinking in the arts. David is an active clinician and has presented workshops at state and local conventions across the United States and Canada. On his blog, MakeMomentsMatter.org, David shares ideas about classroom content, management, lesson plans, critical thinking, and more. Search for “Make Moments Matter: A Music Education Podcast!” wherever you download podcasts or catch up with David every week on his “Musical Mondays” LIVE videos on Facebook.

Dr. Christopher Selby is the author of Habits of a Successful Orchestra Director, Music Theory for the Successful String Musician, and co-author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician series, a collection of string method books for middle and upper level orchestras published by GIA. He is an active clinician and conductor, and has presented sessions at two Midwest Clinics, five American String Teacher Association (ASTA) National Conferences, and numerous state conferences across America. Dr. Selby regularly guest conducts Regional and All-State Orchestras, and he currently directs the high school orchestras at the School of the Arts in Charleston, SC. Under his direction, the School of the Arts HS Orchestras performed at the 2019 Midwest Clinic, and they won the 2016 ASTA National Orchestra Festival’s top award of Grand Champion in the competitive public school division. Dr. Selby earned his music education degree from the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut, and a Masters and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees in Orchestral Conducting from the University of South Carolina. He began teaching at the Charleston School of the Arts in 2012, and before that Dr. Selby taught orchestra in traditional elementary, middle and high schools since 1992 He was the Orchestra Coordinator in Richland School District Two from 2001 to 2012, where he taught high school and supervised the district’s orchestra curriculum and instruction. He has held leadership positions on the Council for Orchestral Education in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the ASTA Committee on School Orchestras and Strings. Dr. Selby was the President of the South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) from 2011-2013, and he served two separate terms as the President of the state’s Orchestra Division. He was named the SC ASTA Orchestra Teacher of the Year in 2009. He is a contributing author for Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra, vol. 4 and has written articles for NAfME and in ASTA’s American String Teacher.

Mickey Smith has taught since 2005 in Texas & Louisiana. Over that time he has grown 2 programs over 500% encompassing nearly half of the school population at both respective schools! In addition to playing music & teaching, Mickey also serves educators through his SOUND180 EDUCATORS program & supports organizations that promote music education. Mickey is this year's GRAMMY Music Education Award Winner.

Dr. Morgan Soja is the Director of Music Education at Samford University. She most recently served as the Coordinator of Music Education at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina. She earned her PhD and MM in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her BM in Music Education from Bowling Green State University. She has certificates in Kodaly levels I and II, and GIML Introductions to MLT and Elementary General Music coursework. Soja has served on the Higher Education Board of NCMEA, and is an active participant in the Supporting Beginning Music Teachers area of strategic planning and action of SMTE. She has presented frequently at state and national NAfME conferences.

Dr. Jason Sulliman is Assistant Professor of Trombone at Troy University. He earned his DM in Brass Pedagogy from Indiana University. Dr. Sulliman has given hundreds of clinics that focus on brass pedagogy, kinesiology, motor learning, and cognitive science. He has performed with the Indianapolis Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, the Alabama Symphony, and the Dallas Brass Quintet. Jason was involved with the Tony and Emmy Award-winning Broadway show, “Blast!” as a soloist, conductor, and music manager and over a 15-year period performed over two thousand shows with the company. More information can be found at www.jasonsulliman.com.

Martez Tidwell is the Director of Choral Music, Assistant Director of Bands, and Music director for the Theatre Department at Sylacauga High School in Sylacauga, Alabama. Martez obtained his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Mobile in Mobile, AL. He was a member of the Sounds of Mobile, RamCorps, Symphonic Winds, and Jazz Band at UM. In addition to his duties at Sylacauga High School, He has served as a vocal coach for the Sylacauga Community Playhouse's production of Addam's Family the Musical and assistant director for SCP's production of Steel Magnolias. He also has done vocal and talent coaching for contestants in the Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen pageant circuit!

AMEA 2021 Clinicians

Currently in his 22nd year of teaching in the Bibb County Public Schools (Macon, GA), John Sweat is the director of orchestras and the guitar ensemble at Howard High School. John holds degrees in Violin Performance from the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. In addition to teaching at the high school level, he has served as adjunct faculty for both Wesleyan College and Mercer University. In 2013, John received the inaugural Robert McDuffie Center for Strings Award from the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University. Under his direction, the Howard High School Orchestra program has earned consistent superior ratings from the GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation. John has presented sessions for both orchestra and guitar divisions at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. He also serves as the Fine Arts Department Chair at Howard High School and is the 2019-2020 Howard High Teacher of the Year. He has been a member of several symphony orchestras in Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama, including a 20-year tenure with the Macon Symphony. John serves as the organist for Forsyth United Methodist Church and is married to Jennifer, Head of Middle School at Stratford Academy in Macon. They have three beautiful children – Brian, Amber, and John Mark.

Mrs. Lindsey Underwood is the band director at Northridge Middle School. Throughout her ten years of teaching, she has taught middle and high school band, choir, musical theatre, private voice, and private instrument lessons. She obtained her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Montevallo in 2010 with a focus in trumpet studies but was also an active choir member. Mrs. Underwood currently serves as the Music Director at First United Methodist Church in Montevallo. She still enjoys performing on stage and serving as musical director for local community theatre productions in the Birmingham area. She also plays trumpet in The Alabama Winds, an ensemble that performed at the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic in 2017. She has been invited to serve as a conductor and clinician throughout the state for various band programs and honor bands. She is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, Alabama Music Educators’ Association, Alabama Bandmasters Association, League of Women Band Directors, and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. Aside from her musical endeavors, Lindsey enjoys fitness, the outdoors, reading, and spending time with her husband B.J. and their dogs, Andy and Ollie.

Sadie Wall is in her fifth year teaching and second year at Edgewood Elementary School in Homewood, AL, where she teaches K-5 General Music. Additionally, she conducts Edgewood Choir and hosts a Drum Circle for her fifth graders. She is a member of Alabama Voices and has sung with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Birmingham Voices. Sadie Wall received her B.M. from the University of Montevallo. She holds Kodály certification through the University of Montevallo Kodály Institute and Orff-Schulwerk Level I through Samford University. Ms. Wall is a member of Sweet Home Alabama Kodály Educators and Alabama Orff-Schulwerk Association.

Soprano Sarah Wee is an Assistant Professor of Voice at Troy University where she teaches private lessons, vocal pedagogy, diction, and directs the Opera Workshop. Dr. Wee also enjoys a career singing recital, concert, and operatic literature. Dr. Wee received her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, where she later served as a lecturer in the voice department. She graduated from Webster University with a Bachelor’s Degree in classical voice performance and earned a Master’s Degree in vocal performance from Washington University in St. Louis.

Gretchen Windt, mezzo soprano, has completed apprentice and young artist programs with Sarasota Opera, Sugar Creek Symphony and Song Festival, Utah Symphony & Opera, and Ohio Light Opera. She has performed with Cincinnati Opera, Opera Idaho, Opera Southwest, Chesapeake Chamber Opera, Bowen Park Opera, OperaModa, and DuPage Opera Theatre; favorite roles include Cendrillon, Périchole, Hansel, Cherubino, Dorabella, Third Lady, Orlofsky, Mercedes, Meg Page, Jo March, Angelina, and Rosina. She graduated from University of Utah (D.M.A), University of Cincinnati-CCM (M.M.), and North Park University (B.M.E.). She is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Alabama.

Mr. Joshua Wine Joshua Wine is currently the Director of Bands and Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Auburn Junior High School in Auburn, Alabama, where he conducts and oversees three concert bands, percussion methods class, jazz band, music study club, and teaches music appreciation. Furthermore, Mr. Wine assists with the instruction of the award-winning Auburn High School Marching Band as an Assistant Director. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Wine serves as Assistant Minister of Music/Orchestra Director at Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn, Conductor & Music Director for the East Alabama Community Band, and Director of Summer Band Camps at Auburn University. A native of Wetumpka, Alabama, Mr. Wine earned his degree in Music Education from Troy University, where he served as a section leader and drum major for the renowned “Sound of the South” Marching Band and participated in a myriad of different instrumental and vocal ensembles. Mr. Wine lives in Auburn with his wife Haley, twin sons: Anderson (Andy) and Lincoln (Linc) & daughter Emerson (Emmy)

2021 AMEA Conference Schedule

5:30-5:45 pm

6:00-6:45 pm

Welcome and Opening Remarks

AMEA President David Raney

ABA Interest Session

Make Band THE Thing, Not Just Another Thing

Johnny Folsom, Clinician

Create a viable musical organization that is an integral part of the school and the community.

6:00-6:45 pm

AOA Interest Session

Habits of a Successful Orchestra - Fine Tuning Your String Ensemble

Christopher Selby, Clinician

In this session we examine what causes orchestra intonation problems and introduce skill-building finger pattern studies, fingerboard mapping worksheets, velocity etudes, tuning canons and chord progressions that teachers can incorporate into daily orchestra rehearsals to teach students how to listen and finely tune their notes the way professionals do.

6:00-6:45 pm

AVA Interest Session

Intentional Choral Warmups: Skill Building and Accountability

Eric Posada, Clinician

A rehearsal typically begins with a warm-up that ranges from breathing and vocalizing to stretching and movement. We must ask ourselves: Have our warm-ups grown stale? Can these skills transfer to our choral repertoire? Am I consistently assessing and giving feedback? Through various warm-up exercises, Dr. Posada will identify each targeted skill while diagnosing issues and proposing solutions. This topic is crucial to the development of singers, choirs, and directors. Ironically, it is also a subject that remains a collective mystery. My primary objective is for middle school and high school choral directors to return to their home schools and reinvent their current warm-up routine. Warm-up exercises should be treated akin to repertoire rehearsals via constant assessment, immediate feedback, and effective solutions. Consequently, these exercises will build vocal technique, aural skills, musicianship, and awareness in singers that will transfer to the choral repertoire and rehearsal. To achieve my goal, I will use the convention audience to provide tangible examples of my methodology. I shall use a varied collection of warm-ups from familiar exercises to specific drills that encourage voice building skills, chord tuning, vowel unification, open/closed vowels, dynamic contrast, consonants and enunciation, simple and advanced kinesthetic movements, and stretching.

6:00-6:45 pm

cNAfME & HED Interest Session

Why so Blue?: Issues Related to the Psychological Wellness Among Student Musicians and Performance Artists

Judy Marchman, Clinician

The psychological wellness of the student musician and performer has been given importance only within the last few decades. This presentation will outline several points concerning the psychological wellness of student musicians and performers. Further discussion will include the role of the music instructor (primarily the roles of the applied teacher and the classroom educator) and the instructor's responsibilities regarding the mental or emotional health of a student musician and performer.

6:00-6:45 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Sing Play Think! Critical Thinking for Everyday Learning

David Row, Clinician

Impress your administrator, improve student learning, and gain confidence when you make critical thinking a priority in your classroom. Whether you are playing instruments, singing, dancing, or reading music you can encourage critical thinking with a few basic teaching strategies. This session will cover tactics like effective questioning, wait time, transfer of knowledge, and think alouds. You’ll walk away with resources and ideas to integrate strategic thinking into all your lessons.

7:00-8:00 pm

AMEA General Session

AMEA Business Meeting

Keynote - From Means to Ends: Strengthening Our Professional Voices

Judy Bowers

Thursday, January 21, 2021

8:15-9:00 pm

8:15-9:00 pm

ABA Performance

Enterprise High School Wind Ensemble, Sean Weiler, Conductor

AVA Performance

Hewitt-Trussville Middle School Honors Choir, Ben Cook, Director

Spain Park High School Treble Voices, Jim Schaeffer, Director

8:15-9:00 pm

8:15-9:00 pm

8:15-9:00 pm

HED Recital

AOA Welcome and Virtual Performance

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Mini Lightning Round

Elementary Music teachers and/ or other presenters not featured at the conference will present a “lightning round” style conference session featuring a topic of their choice. Allotted time per person will be 8-10 minutes. Can be prerecorded and submitted to Betty Wilson by January 1.

Friday, January 22, 2021

5:00-5:45 pm

ABA Interest Session

How to Lose a Job in 10 Days: Things You Did Not Realize After College

DaShaun McGee, Clinician

As music educators, we are held to an even higher standard than regular classroom teachers. This session will discuss the things that can get an educator fired from their job. We will cover the known and unknown expectations from administrators, parents, students, and the community.

5:00-5:45 pm

AOA Interest Session

Fast & Efficient Score Study: How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

Thomas Dickey, Clinician

This session will present practical yet systematic, thorough, and accelerated score study and rehearsal preparation strategies. These strategies shall be quite valuable for both beginning and seasoned conductors, from the elementary orchestra level to those conducting collegiate, community, and professional ensembles.

5:00-5:45 pm

HED & cNAfME Interest Session

Success Against the Odds in Title I Schools

Jack Eaddy & Marcus Morris, Clinicians

Creating a successful band program in a Title I School takes perseverance and endurance. These programs often have limited resources, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, a lack of parental and community support, and administration is often focused on different concerns. As directors, your programs can be highly successful despite these barriers. The facilitators will discuss how they have taken struggling programs in Title I Schools and revitalized them into successful programs including developing the individual student, building a program, using creative ideas for resources, and creating a framework of success. These programs may have the odds against them, but they can be transformed with hard work, a focused vision, love, and support of your students. Title I Schools need extra care, and it takes a special director to cultivate and grow these programs.

5:00-5:45 pm

5:00-5:45 pm

ELEM/GENERAL Networking Lounge

AVA Interest Session

Virtual Choir Guide Tracks: Establishing Best Practices Through Field Research

Matthew Myers, Clinician

This session will provide educators glimpses into a variety of approaches to the virtual choir process, particularly on the front end. The session will offer sample instruction sheets to provide to students and will also explore quantitative and qualitative research about the best practices for creating guide tracks, including using individual part tracks, Finale tracks of all voice parts, piano accompaniment tracks, and existing choral performance tracks. Data from student recordings as well as their opinions will suggest the ideal methods for helping them to perform to the best of their ability. The session will also offer software recommendations and editing tips for teachers looking to undertake virtual projects.

6:00-6:45 pm

6:00-6:45 pm

6:00-6:45 pm

6:00-6:45 pm

6:00-6:45 pm

ABA Business Meeting

AOA Networking Lounge

AOA President Daniel Stevens, Host

AVA Networking Lounge

HED Networking Lounge

cNAfME Interest Session

The Road to Recovery: Avoiding Band Director Burnout

Marcus Morris, Clinician

Are the numerous performances, grading, deadlines, budgets, paperwork, protocols, and many other stressors wearing you out? The many necessary parts of the job of a band director require a lot of each of us day in and day out. At the end of the day, what's left of you? This session will help you learn to achieve a better work/life balance while still maintaining a superior program. Avoid band director burnout by taking care of YOU.

6:00-6:45 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Stories That Sing

David Row, Clinician

Children’s books offer endless possibilities. Don’t just read the words on the page – make the story come to life through movement, improvisation, drama, poetry, and song. Reinforce the content you’re learning in your classroom even as you explore literacy concepts and connect with themes from history and culture. Come to this session to hear new stories and explore ideas to revitalize old favorites.

7:00-8:00 pm

AMEA General Interest Session

AMEA Awards

Keynote - So... What Comes Next?

Robert “Bob” Morrison

This session will explore how music education moves beyond the year 2020 and how to plan for the new renaissance for music and arts education just ahead.

8:15-9:00 pm

ABA Performance

Hartselle High School Symphonic Band

Randall Key, Conductor

8:15-9:00 pm

8:15-9:00 pm

8:15-9:00 pm

AVA Performance

All-State Show Choir

HED Recital

AOA Interest Session

Sight-Reading: The Mystery Revealed

John Sweat, Clinician

Friday January 22, 2021

I will share lessons I have learned about teaching my students to become effective sight readers as well as anecdotal evidence I have gained being a sight reading judge for Performance Evaluation. We will share our common stories of success and stress about our own teaching experiences with sight-reading.

8:15-9:00 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Getting to the Heart of Music: Using SEL in the Music Classroom

Toni Garza, Clinician

Every music teacher knows that music elicits emotion. When emotion is introduced, students are engaged. In this session, teachers will understand how to build an intentional community in the music classroom with social and emotional learning using the subject they already know and love: Music. After all, music is a universal language that connects us all.

Saturday, January 23, 2021

8:00-9:45 am

9:00-9:45 am

9:00-9:45 am

9:00-9:45 am

AOA Interest Session

String Masterclass

ABA Business Meeting

cNAfME Exclusive Exhibit Time

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Puppet Power

David Row, Clinician

A puppet might be the most versatile and underrated tool available to the general music teacher. More than just a visual aide, puppets can teach rules and procedures, act out a song's story, teach new concepts, reinforce behavioral expectations, lead vocal exploration, explore musical instruments, and so much more. Don't make the mistake of thinking a puppet is merely a toy or prop. Come to this session to learn about the hundreds of ways to use a puppet in your classroom.

9:00-9:45 am AVA Business Meeting

9:00-9:45 am HED Interest Session

Beyond the Laws: Working with Students with Disabilities

Ellary Draper, Clinician

Given the events of the summer of 2020 along with the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 45th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, there is a sparked renewal in conversations of social justice issues specific to those with disabilities within our culture. It is important for music educators to understand the history of disability rights in the U.S., the implications for teaching, and current policy issues. This session will outline the events that lead to ADA and IDEA being passed, how to apply these laws in their teaching practices, to learn about what the laws do not currently cover, and what disability advocates are asking to be covered in future reauthorizations.

10:00-10:45 am ELEM/GEN Business Meeting

10:00-10:45 am ABA Networking Lounge

10:00-10:45 am AVA Networking Lounge

10:00-10:45 am AOA Exclusive Exhibit Time

10:00-10:45 am HED Networking Lounge

10:00-10:45 am cNAfME Networking Lounge

11:00-11:45 am

11:00-11:45 am

ABA Exclusive Exhibit Time

AVA, HED & cNAfME Interest Session

Cultural Appropriation in the Choral Classroom: Promoting a Culture of Equity and Respect

Ian Loeppky, Clinician

What is my role as a member of multiple and overlapping dominant cultures with respect to incorporating artifacts from other marginalized cultures in my music-making? This session focuses on promoting a healthy choir culture in which all music is respected, embraced, and appreciated.

11:00-11:45 am

11:00-11:45 am

12:00-1:00 pm

12:00-1:00 pm

1:00-1:45 pm

AOA Networking Lounge

ELEM/GEN Networking Lounge

HED/Research Poster Session

Phi Beta Mu Meeting

ABA Interest Session

Having a Comprehensive Pass-off System for Both Rural and Urban School Systems

Matthew Chambless, Clinician

We all want to help students on an individual level. A pass off system in the perfect way to do that! In this session we will explore the different objectives that can be achieved through a comprehensive pass off system, and the platforms available to facilitate your pass off system. Objectives and platforms that will be discussed are both for an urban school system setting and a rural school system setting.

1:00-1:45 pm

AOA Interest Session

Habits of a Successful Orchestra - The Secret is the Right Hand

Christopher Selby, Clinician

In this session we examine the central importance of tone and articulation in superior string performance, and we introduce rhythm teaching activities that address rhythmic bowing, rushing and dragging, how to decipher complex rhythms, and how to use sequential sight reading methods to teach students the literacy skills they need to independently sight read challenging string repertoire.

1:00-1:45 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Spinning Straw Into Gold: Grants, Crowdfunding and Teaching on a Budget

David Row,

Clinician

Do you look into a music vendor catalog and see pipe dreams instead of possibilities? Funding for resources and experiences is out there if you know where to look. Participants will explore various grant opportunities and walk through a typical application process. We will discuss crowdsourced fundraising options, DonorsChoose.org, and talk about how to get the most out of your budget.

1:00-1:45 pm

1:00-1:45 pm

1:00-1:45 pm

AVA Exclusive Exhibit Time

cNAfME Election

HED Interest Session

It Only Takes One Synapse: Bridging the Gap and Meeting the Needs for Young Musicians

Jason Sulliman, Clinician

Scores of young music students grow up in low-income or geographically challenged locations which limits their access to high quality private instruction. If they had an opportunity to regularly hear characteristic tone quality, mature phrasing, etc. demonstrated by a professional musician, those budget and geographic limitations could evaporate. The solution is bridging the gap between competent specialists and young musicians to promote interaction and collaboration while minimizing cost. Fortunately there is a population of musical specialists that are eager to reach out. Young University faculty are constantly

looking for ways to recruit for their program, provide service to their communities, and develop their online presence for professional marketing and branding. Like a synapse, all we need to do is bridge this gap! The Community Play Along Project is a free initiative that connects university music faculty with area schools to provide free instructional videos for students. A page on a website can be used to host videos that are tailor-made or broadly applicable to help young musicians develop a sense of characteristic tone, good practice technique, and phrase. Music faculty can create pages for any school, and students can bookmark the page for free and easy access. Faculty can focus on schools in their region where further collaboration can be encouraged. In this presentation, I will demonstrate the utility of the CPAP with some examples currently hosted on my own website and demonstrate how I use this method for recruitment as well as service to my community (locally, regionally, nationally).

2:30-3:15 pm

AVA Interest Session

Selecting Excellent Repertoire for the Emerging Ensemble

Denise Eaton, Clinician

Attendees will join veteran educator Denise Eaton in exploring the musical criteria essential for choosing excellent repertoire for the emerging choir appropriate for both MS and HS level. A complimentary music packet will be provided.

2:30-3:15 pm

ABA Interest Session

Say Yes to Surviving Years 1-5

Ryan Murrell, Sadie Wall, Patrick Darby, & Martez Tidwell, Clinicians

Educators with a variety of backgrounds/years of experience/music disciplines share what has worked, what hasn’t worked, and best practices to navigate the first few years of teaching. This panel has been comprised of different levels, disciplines, and experiences in able to provide a more well-rounded session. We have a guest speaker: Mr. John Bradley, who not only was a music educator, but he was a school administrator.

2:30-3:15 pm

ELEM/GEN Interest Session

Going Deeper with Multicultural Music in the Elementary General Music Classroom: World Music Pedagogy 101

Julie Bannerman, Clinician

World music ignites the imagination of children and music teachers alike. At the center of World Music Pedagogy is active participation and deep engagement with music and culture. In this session, participants will actively explore the World Music Pedagogy framework and experience its practical steps with examples that can be applied to general music classrooms. Participants will leave this session with resource ideas that will support integrating world music into their classrooms.

2:30-3:15 pm

AOA Interest Sessoin

Music Theory, History, and Creativity for the Successful String Orchestra

Christopher Selby, Clinician

This session promises to help string educators use their limited time to efficiently and dramatically improve student understanding of music literacy, creativity and history of string instruments and music—all of those hard to reach standards that will ultimately help music students become more well-rounded and better performers, creators and consumers of great music.

2:30-3:15 pm

2:30-3:15 pm

HED Exclusive Exhibit Time

cNAfME Interest Session

They Don't Care How Much You Know Until They Know How Much You Care: Building Relationships

Morgan

Soja,

Clinician

John C. Maxwell once said, “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Beginning teachers integrating into new environments can sometimes feel overwhelmed with the intricacies of running a school music program. “I’m working so hard to plan engaging lessons, but am I reaching them? I feel like they’re not plugged in! Do I belong here?” are thoughts I hear from mentees frequently. In this session, we’ll examine how to build and maintain healthy relationships with students, parents, and community, and how those relationships can positively affect all the work you’re doing in the classroom.

3:30-4:15 pm

ABA Interest Session

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! A look at a Balanced Band Diet

Jack Eaddy,

Clinician

A clinic for new and veteran educators: this session seeks to provoke discussion and provide the necessary ingredients for being a great music educator, examine unique experiences of a comprehensive music program regardless of geography or socioeconomic status, share innovative techniques, and consider what’s needed to continue the process of developing yourself professionally as a teaching artist. Participants will leave with a “grocery list” of ideas for immediate implementation.

3:30-4:15 pm

3:30-4:15 pm

AOA Business Meeting

HED Interest Session

Virtual Choir Victory: A Fool-Proof First Project

Lauren Ramey,

Clinician

In this new virtual realm of ensemble teaching, many educators hope to provide their singers with a Virtual Choir experience. In this session, we will lay the foundation for success in creating a fool-proof first project in order to offer a unique chance for community and collaboration within your ensembles. From scores to guide tracks to beginning audio and video editing, this session will provide a step-by-step approach that has been utilized by many school, university, and community choirs.

3:30-4:15 pm

cNAfME Interest Session

From Day One: Easy Habits to Develop Expert Sight-Readers

Jason Sulliman,

Clinician

Notated music is a written language. Cultivating fluency in any written language takes a small number of specific skills, yet the way we teach our beginning music students may overlook some crucial elements needed for long-term success. One of the many challenges with beginner repertoire is that it rarely showcases when these components are absent, which can leave us with success that isn’t scalable (our beginners can read beginner repertoire but struggle when the music gets harder). In this session, I compare conventional music pedagogy with research findings from linguistics and neuroscience to illustrate potential limitations to our methods. I will also offer basic suggestions on ways to slightly change our teaching strategies for better results. The differences are subtle, but significant.

3:30-4:15 pm

3:30-4:15 pm

ELEM/GEN Exclusive Exhibit Time

AVA Interest Session

Teaching for Transfer: Making Every Moment Count

Greg LeFils,

Clinician

Teaching for transfer employs the students in our ensembles as active participants in the learning process. Conductors are too often guilty of taking additional time in new repertoire to re-teach basic ensemble skills, knowledge, and musicianship. By teaching the students to transfer, the students become more responsible for the music-making which allows the conductor more time to explore the music deeper, yielding more musical performances.

4:30-5:30 pm

ABA Happy Hour

4:30-5:30 pm AVA Meet and Greet

4:30-5:30 pm

4:30-5:30 pm

4:30-5:30 pm

4:30-5:30 pm

HED Cocktails with Colleagues

cNAfME Game Night

AOA Symphony Sidecar Social Hour

ELEM/GEN Happy Hour - BYOB: Bring Your Own Book

Bring your favorite books and book lessons to class. These can be new publications or old favorites. Sing a song, bring a prop or share a slide to go with your book. Be prepared to share for 5 minutes or less.

6:00-8:00 pm

ABA Performance

All-State Jazz Bands

AMEA Division Events 2020 - 2021

Alabama Bandmasters Association

Alabama Vocal Association

Elementary/General Division

Alabama Orchestra Association

AMEA Collegiate Division

Focus on the Fundamentals: A Strategy for Bassoon Instruction during COVID-19

Teaching double reed instruments is a challenging task in the best of circumstances. Teaching double reeds in the middle of a pandemic is enough to frustrate even the most resolute of teachers. However, by shifting focus and zeroing in on a few key areas, the isolation of quarantine can be harnessed as a tool to spur individual development. In this article, I will discuss strategies for addressing fundamentals of tone production, developing musicality, and even reed adjustment that can all be put into practice while we remain socially distanced.

While many of these ideas can be used effectively by any wind player, I will focus on my own instrument: the bassoon. In large ensembles, particularly bands, it is rather easy for the young bassoonist to escape notice. We’re generally quieter than the other instruments that share our lines, often only coming into the spotlight when our intonation strays too far from true. With the pandemic limiting the ability of ensembles to play together, now is an excellent opportunity for individuals to focus on fundamentals. If this happens, when the ensemble finally comes back together it is stronger than ever before.

The Daily Routine- Developing Solid Fundamentals

Developing control over the airstream is the most vital part of playing a wind instrument. I divide the physical systems that shape the airstream into four fundamental areas: breathing, abdominal support, voicing, and embouchure. The following is a brief explanation of these four fundamentals:

The Breath consists of two parts: an exhale, and an inhale. The exhale should empty all of the stale air from the lungs, and simultaneously release tension throughout the body. The inhale should completely fill the lungs and simultaneously engage the abdominal muscles.

An inhale can happen either slowly or quickly, depending on the character of the music and how much time there is to breathe. A good inhale has a sound with a natural diminuendo (because the rate of air intake tapers as the lungs fill). A sudden stop to the sound indicates that the breath stopped prematurely. Try it both ways to experience the sensation!

The Abdominal Support controls how quickly air moves into the instrument. Often wind musicians sound good when they play loudly, and bad when they play softly. That’s because playing loudly requires a great quantity of air. Because this is being pushed through a small aperture (like a bassoon reed) it automatically creates a fast airstream. Fast air is what creates a good quality sound.

It is much harder to create a good sound when you’re playing softly, with a smaller quantity of air. This is where the abs come in. By engaging the abs, especially when playing softly, you can increase the air speed, and improve the tone quality.

Try pushing in on your stomach with your right hand while you play the bassoon with your left, can you push against your hand with your abs? Can you feel your obliques and lower back muscles too? All three muscle groups work to support the sound. Ideally, all three of these groups cooperate to create a “pillar of support,” engaging outward without becoming rigid.

The Voicing describes the position of the throat and tongue. These affect how fast the air moves through them, similar to putting your thumb over a garden hose to increase the speed of the water. Here are some ways to find the correct voicing for different notes on the bassoon.

Can you sing middle C above the staff? Try playing that note with the same voicing as when you sang it. This is a great way to find the right voicing for any note on the bassoon, even notes outside of your vocal range! Pretend you can sing a low C, feel

by Conor Bell

just how open you’d have to be to sing that note. Now play a low C with that position.

Try singing a single pitch and gradually change the vowel through uh, oh, ah, ay, ee. How does the timbre of your voice change? Do the same with a single note on the instrument. Generally speaking, lower notes on the instrument should be played with a lower syllable (uh or oh) and higher notes should be played with a higher syllable (ay or ee). The higher the syllable, the higher your tongue is in your mouth, making the air flow faster over it.

Changing the vowel on a troublesome note can help correct its pitch. A sharp note might be brought in tune with a lower syllable, with the opposite being true for a flat note.

The Embouchure affects how the reed vibrates. The lips should cushion the reed, adding supporting pressure to the reed from all sides evenly. This can be imagined as closing a drawstring bag around the reed.

It is a lot easier to apply pressure on the top and bottom of the embouchure than on the sides. Because of that, focus on the sides! Bring in the corners like you’re saying “ooh.”

Regarding the bassoon adage “drop your jaw,” forcing the jaw into an unnaturally low position can actually lead to some health complications (temporomandibular joint dysfunction, or TMJ). Instead, the jaw should be held in a comfortably neutral position with the teeth apart and the muscles relaxed. If it is impossible to play down to pitch from this position, the issue is more likely related to the reed than the performer.

How far to roll your lips in or out depends on how big your lips are. Their placement on the reed will also vary depending on what you’re playing (low notes respond easier with less reed in the mouth, and the high register is more reliable from further on the reed). Be flexible!

These are the four elements that I strive to

keep in the foreground of all of my practice. Developing control and refinement over these will lead to drastic improvements in all bassoonists, across everything they play on the instrument. The following exercises are the medium in which I practice those four elements. I organize these around a “key of the day,” however, younger musicians may benefit from spending longer in a single tonal area, perhaps using a “key of the week.”

The Long Tone 1

This is the most fundamental act of playing a wind instrument. Changing notes, using vibrato, adding articulation, etc. are all layers that are added to this basic long tone.

The goal is to develop control of the air stream and support systems while engaging the abs and releasing tension in other parts of the body. Begin by establishing the habit of giving a full measure to prepare the sound, taking two beats to slowly exhale and release tension, one beat to inhale a full breath, and finally a beat to set the embouchure, abdominals, and air stream with the tongue resting on the reed. Gently release the tongue on beat one to begin the sound.

Try to make the crescendo and diminuendo perfectly even for the entire note. It is helpful to mentally count 1 to 9 then back down to 1 while playing the note. In addition to tracking the beats, this also tracks overall volume, with 1 being the softest dynamic and 9 being the loudest. Strive to make each number in the crescendo match its partner in the diminuendo.

Work with a visual tuner to hold the note in tune at all dynamics. Repeat in all octaves.

just adding a layer of note changes to our long tone. The fundamental aspect of what we are doing does not change, nor should the addition of articulation.

Work with a drone to hear all notes in the context of a key, creating a phrase up to scale degree five and back down to scale degree one. I typically repeat this exercise at three tempos, beginning very slowly ~40 beats per minute, then a medium tempo, and a fast tempo. Repeat in all octaves.

The 1-2-3-4-5-1 Drill 2

Building on the skills developed in the first exercise, this drill adds a layer of slow note changes. Try to keep the airstream and support exactly as they were during the long tone: moving your fingers does not affect them. Crescendo evenly to scale degree 5, then diminuendo over four beats as softly as possible to still make the slur back to scale degree 1.

Work with a visual tuner to hold all notes in tune at all dynamics and work for a steady rate of crescendo and diminuendo. Alternatively, a drone is helpful to reinforce aural tuning and the placement of each note in the context of a key. Repeat in all octaves.

Nine-note Scale 4

This builds on the concept of the five-note scale. Show clear phrasing to the top of the scale and back down, making sure that the articulated version is as smooth as the slurred version.

Work with a drone to hear all notes in the context of a key, creating a phrase up to the top of the scale and back down to scale degree one. Repeat in all octaves.

Five-note Scale 3

Here we begin scale work, beginning with five and nine note scales before attempting the full-range scale. This gives us the opportunity to improve the final version in manageable chunks. Yet again, we are

Continue expanding to two octave scales, full range scales, scales in thirds, and arpeggios.

As has been stated, the primary goal of the daily routine is to develop independence of airstream and support from the fingers, tongue, and vibrato. Of these exercises the first is the most vital. If you only have five minutes to play the bassoon in a day, spend them here.

Listening to Develop Musicality

Learning to phrase musically can be approached in a number of ways, but here I’ll focus on two: listening to recordings of great artists and incorporating singing into individual practice.

One of the greatest advantages music students have today is the incredible catalog of recordings that they have easy access to. Between Spotify and YouTube, recordings can be accessed of the entire classical repertoire by world-class performers—even for such niche instruments as the bassoon!

With attentive listening, students can learn how to shape phrases with gestures both subtle and extreme. While listening to bassoonists, they also are developing their own internal concept of what a bassoon can and should sound like, a sound concept that they can then imitate.

Most pieces that are in the public domain can be accessed for free on imslp.org. An excellent exercise for students is to print off several copies of the first page of a concerto or sonata, then to listen to a variety of recordings and try to notate in as much detail as possible the dynamics, articulations, phrasing, and rubato that each

performer takes.

As a starting place, some of my favorite bassoon recording artists whose CDs are available on Spotify or YouTube are William Ludwig, Bram van Sambeek, Klaus Thunemann, Martin Kuuskman, and Christopher Millard. To expand their own catalog of performers, students can begin by listening to a CD by one of these artists, then choosing their favorite piece, searching for it, and listening to all the different versions of it that have been recorded.

In the previous section I discussed how “voicing” is one of the essential bassoon fundamentals and how to use singing to find the correct position for each note. Singing can also be used as a way to practice shaping a phrase. I have found that young students in particular—even the ones who insist that they cannot sing—instinctively sing more musically than they play the bassoon. Removing all of the challenges of playing the instrument from the equation allows the musician a safe space in which to experiment and sing with nuance—even if they are never anywhere near the correct pitches!

After singing a melody, or segment of a melody a couple of different ways, and finding the desired phrasing, it is time to try replicating it on the bassoon. At that point, it becomes an exercise in deciding if all of the desired musical shapes come through to a listener. To clarify that, the recorder is the student’s best friend. Often students find that what they thought was a well-shaped phrase falls flat when they listen back to it. Here, the analogy of stage actors is helpful. Just as an actor in a play uses makeup to help exaggerate their facial expressions (and make them visible to those in the back of the theater), the musician must exaggerate their dynamics and phrase gestures to make them audible to audience members. This takes practice, and a recorder should frequently be employed to listen back and evaluate. While separate high quality audio recorders are excellent devices, ease of use is an important factor in how frequently a student will use it in practice. With that in mind, many metronome/tuner apps, including Tonal Energy and Tunable, include recorders that can capture a short section, play it back, and then delete the recording, all without leaving the app.

Wrangling the Reed- Basic Reed Adjustment

Because the bassoon lacks the ability to adjust pitch by lengthening or shortening the instrument, the player is entirely dependent on their own ability to interpret the correct pitch and then contort their body into producing it—a well-vibrating reed is a vital first step in this endeavor. In fact, the reed is the real instrument; the bassoon serves as a very expensive amplification device. If the reed does not vibrate properly—either because its old and worn out, new and too stiff, or simply too open or closed—the sounds available to the bassoonist are extremely limited.

Really getting into adjusting reeds requires a lot of discussion, as well as specialized tools. The good news is that the best tool for adjusting bassoon reeds can be commonly found in many homes, is inexpensive, and best of all: if whatever adjustment you undertake makes the reed worse, you can easily put it right back the way it was. That tool is a pair of needle-nose pliers.

Bassoon reeds are typically constructed with three wires (although some daredevils use as many as four wires or as few as two). The first two (with the first wire being the one closest to the blades) can be easily adjusted by a pair of pliers to either open or close the tip or the throat of the reed. The third wire is hidden under the wrapping and shouldn’t be adjusted. Adjusting the first wire primarily affects the tip opening of the reed (although it also affects the throat) and adjusting the second wire primarily affects the throat (although it also affects the tip). The openness of the tip strongly affects the ease and quality of entrances. Meanwhile, the openness of the throat strongly affects how much air is required to sustain sound.

Opening the reed increases resistance and lowers the pitch, this can be achieved by squeezing the first wire from the sides, or the second wire from the top and bottom. These adjustments should only be made on a reed that has been soaked in water for at least a minute.

Closing the reed decreases resistance and raises the pitch, this can be achieved by squeezing the first wire from the top and bottom, or the second wire from the sides.

Finally, note that it is often helpful to open a reed from one wire and close it from the other, because they primarily affect different parts of the reed this can change the way the reed responds in more subtle ways. Generally speaking, the first wire should be roughly ovular in shape, the third wire (under the wrap) is perfectly round, with the second wire somewhere in between.

The best student bassoon reeds are ones that are handmade by a professional. While these are more expensive than machine made (or machine finished) options, they are more reliable. There are many different sources, either from the student’s private teacher, or from an online bassoon-specific retailer such as millermarketingco.com or mmimports.com. Once a student finds reeds that they’re happy with, they should have several in use at any given time, rotating between them so that they wear evenly and have time to recover in between rehearsals.

Final Thoughts

While this is an incredibly challenging time for everyone, including teachers and musicians, it can also be an opportunity to concentrate on individual student improvement. By using this time to focus on the skills that develop best in individual practice, music programs can eventually return to rehearsals with ensembles comprised of more competent, wellrounded musicians than before the pandemic. While a lot of these ideas dig down into the nitty-gritty details of playing the bassoon, but when they all come together the effort is worth it. In the words of David McGill, “music’s effects are magical, but it is not magic to create those effects.”

Conor Bell is the bassoon professor at Auburn University where he teaches music theory and conducts the double reed ensemble in addition to teaching applied bassoon lessons. Conor is currently ABD with a doctorate in bassoon performance from Indiana University and plans to present his lecture recital on David Maslanka’s works for the bassoon this fall. He is principal bassoon of the Owensboro Symphony and also performs with the Elicio Trio and the Aether Reed Quintet. Conor is available to teach digital lessons as well as masterclasses or sectionals in this time.