CMEA Magazine Summer Issue 2021

Summer Issue 2021

SUMMER ISSUE 2021 VOLUME 74 • NUMBER 4

CMEA Magazine Summer Issue 2021

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Grades 5-12

In This Issue 3 President’s Message

by Armalyn De La O, CMEA President

4 CMEA State Council 5 CMEA Mock Interviews, Spring 2021

by Anne Fennell, CMEA President-Elect

8 Global Music and Global Perspective of Music Education

by Dr. Lily Chen Hafteck, CMEA

Global Music Education Representative

9 Umoja Flute Institute

by Zack Pitt-Smith, CMEA Urban Schools Representative

10 Pressing the Reset Button

by Stacy Harris, CMEA Music

by Keith Johnson, CMEA Bay Section President

13 Capitol Section Update

by Patrick Neff, CMEA Capitol Section President-Elect

13 Central Section Update

by Steve McKeithen, CMEA Central

Section President

14 Central Coast Section Update

by Diane Gehling, CMEA Central

Coast Section President

15 North Coast Section Update

by Holly MacDonell, CMEA North Coast Section President

Section President

by Ryan Duckworth, CMEA

Southeastern Section President

18 Southern Border Section Update

by Ryan Rowles, CMEA Southwestern

Section President

21 Ten Tips for a Successful All-State Jazz Ensemble Audition

by Barb Shinaver, CAJ 22 Moving On to a "New Normal" CCDA Update

by Dr. Christopher Peterson, CCDA

President

23 Getting to Know our Fullerton Union High School Tri-M Chapter

by Troy Timble, CMEA Tri-M

Representative

26 Retired Members Report

by Norm Dea, CMEA Retired Members Representative

27 CODA Update 28 Rural Schools: Post Pandemic Hope

by Judi Scharnberg, CMEA Rural

Schools Representative

30 Onward and Upward

by Dr. Dennis Siebenaler, CMEA Collegiate Representative

30 Imagination-Inspired Questions for Music Education

by Dr. Michael Albertson, CMEA

by Todd Filpula, CMEA Northern

17 Southeastern Section Update

Innovations Representative

15 Northern Section Update

Border Section President

19 Southwestern Section Update

Supervisors Representative

12 Bay Section Update

by Dr. Jeff Malecki, CMEA Southern

Ad Index IFC Breezin Thru Theory 29 Nick Rail Music 7 University of Portland 20 Yamaha

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CMEA Magazine is published quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)

by CMEA.

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The Executive Board of CMEA serves as the Editorial Committee. The observations and opinions expressed in any article in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Association.

CMEA does not necessarily endorse any product or service advertised in this magazine.

In This Issue (continued) 31 CBDA Update: Small School Band 32 Summer Edition 2021 General Music K-12

by Emma Joleen Schopler, CMEA General Music K-12 Representative

33 Keep What Worked: Muisc Ed Tech in the Post-COVID Rehearsal

by Jessica Husselstein, CMEA Music Technology Representative

CMEA Past Presidents 2018-2020 2016-2018 2014-2016 2012-2014 2010-2012 2008-2010 2006-2008 2004-2006 2002-2004 2000-2002 1998-2000 1996-1998 1994-1996 1992-1994 1990-1992 1988-1990 1986-1988 1984-1986 1982-1984 1980-1982 1978-1980 1976-1978 1974-1976 1972-1974 1970-1972 1968-1970 1966-1968 1964-1966 1962-1964 1960-1962 1957-1960 1955-1957 1953-1955 1951-1953 1949-1951 1947-1949

John Burn, Cupertino Scott Hedgecock, Fullerton Michael D. Stone, Bakersfield Russ Sperling, San Diego Norman Dea, Walnut Creek Jeff Jenkins, Chula Vista Cheryl Yee Glass, Danville Rob Klevan, Pacific Grove Sam Gronseth, Paradise George DeGraffenreid, Fresno Dennis L. Johnson, Salinas Jay D. Zorn, La Crescenta Don Doyle, Pasadena Bill Adam, Roseville Carolynn Lindeman, Greenbrae L. Leroy Roach, Walnut Creek John L. Larrieu, Portola Vivian M. Hofstetter, Bakersfield David S. Goedecke, Stockton Charles L. Freebern, San Diego Henry Avila, Monterey Mary C. Reed, Elk Grove Marlow Earle, Lakewood Louis Nash, La Crescenta Anthony L. Campagna, Foster City Judd Chew, Sacramento Kenneth D. Owens Keith D. Snyder, Davis Gibson Walters, San Jose Douglas Kidd Joseph W. Landon, Fullerton Harold Youngberg, Oakland Fred Ohlendorf, Long Beach George F. Barr Elwyn Schwartz Clarence Heagy, Fresno

34 Songwriting as Forward Motion through Creating and Composition in Music Teaching and Learning

by Dr. Lisa A. Crawford, CMEA Creating and Composition Representative

35 CMEA Magazine Publication Guidelines 35 NAfME 2021 Virtual Conference 35 Journal of Popular Music Education - Call For Papers

CMEA Hall of Fame Award Recipients Honoring Lifetime Achievement in Music Education

2020 - Stepehn Luchs 2019 - Judi Scharnber, Jeri Webb 2018 - Dr. Lawrence Stoffel, Dean Hickman 2017 - Dr. Edward Harris, Michael Corrigan, James Mazzaferro 2016 - Dr. Robert Halseth, Rosemarie Krovoza, Rick Meyer 2015 - Dale Anderson, Ann Marie Haney, Dr. Thomas Lee 2014 - Jon Christian 2013 - Orrin Cross 2012 - Gayane Korkmazian, 2012; Gerald E. Anderson, 2012; 2011 - David Whitwell 2010 - Nicholas Angiulo, Vincent Gomez 2009 - Kem F. Martinez, Carl W. Schafer, Robert W. Lutt 2008 - Duane Weston 2007 - John Larrieu, Mary Val Marsh, Barbara Cory, Bill Ingram 2006 - Carolynn Lindeman, Joe Foster, Paul Shaghoian 2005 - Frances Benedict, L. Leroy Roach, Silvester McElroy, Jerry Kirkpatrick 2004 - Robert Greenwood, Arthur Huff, Lyle Stubson, Lois Vidt 2003 - John Farr, Thomas Eagan 2002 - Larry Johnson, Mary Louise Reilly 2001 - William Hill, Helynn Manning, Wesley “Colonel” Moore 2000 - Vivian Hoffstetter, F. John Pylman 1999 - Lawrence Sutherland 1998 - Chuck Schroeder 1997 - Dean Semple 1996 - Burl Walter Jr. 1994 - Jerry Moore 1992 - Mike Pappone 1991 - David Goedecke 1987 - Marlowe Earle 1985 - Arthur Dougherty 1983 - William Burke 1981 - Aubrey Penman 1979 - Steve Connolly 1977 - Howard Swan 1975 - Russell Howland

President's Message

by Armalyn De La O

Summer is here!

I

, like many of you, wondered what the summer of 2021 would look, feel, and be like. As California continues to open throughout the summer, we find ourselves able to gather in person with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.

These reunions feel familiar, yet new and different. Also, educators, students, and families speculate about what will be new and different in the coming school year. Since March 2020, we have learned and adapted to changing conditions in our teaching practice; students have experienced school differently as well. As we prepare for the coming 2021-2022 school year, a return to the pre-pandemic version of school is not an option. So, looking ahead, taking the best of what we’ve learned - the new and different - is our quest!

This summer provides us the time to reflect and recognize that our students have been transformed in many ways due to their experiences during this past year. California's new Arts Standards and the new Arts Education Framework can be helpful supports as we prepare for 2021-2022. These two documents, developed

by California Arts educators, can help us frame music learning experiences for all students in new and different ways. Most of us embrace music and music education because of how it makes us feel. We feel a part of something greater than ourselves, thrive on the comradery, and find a sense of acceptance. We long for all students in California to experience the power of music making.

When we look at the faces in our music classrooms this coming fall, do they reflect the diversity of the entire school population, or do we only see the faces of those students that have had opportunities that other students do not? What can we do differently so that our music programs are inclusive and open to all? We say, given the bounty of educational funding, that now is the time to rebuild our music programs. Accordingly, now is the time to make our music classrooms the spaces that reflect the diversity found throughout our schools and communities. Let’s not let this opportunity go to waste.

The music standards call for all students to develop as artistically literate individuals. During 2020, the standard Artistic Process of Creating became a lifeline for many of our music students. They were able to find, in new and different ways, their

creative voice while living and learning sheltered in place during much of the past school year. Also, in new and different ways, the Artistic Process of Performing occurred as students learned to be independent musicians as they practiced. Many discovered new instruments to play or found their singing voice. Students also engaged in the Artistic Process of Responding through selecting, listening, and reacting to all types of music. They engaged in the Artistic Process of Connecting by sharing their own music for a real-world audience beyond the classroom walls using social media platforms, such as Tik-Tok. Similarly, we found ourselves engaged personally in many of these same artistic processes for our own well-being. How can we capitalize on the positive aspects of these learning experiences in the fall? How can we rebuild programs to be inclusive of all types of music, music making, and open for all students?

As we enjoy the rest of the summer, we know this too will come to an end. Before it does, we look forward to and embrace the coming 2021–2022 year as familiar, yet new and different, and full of creative music learning possibilities for ourselves and our students!

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CMEA State Council CMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD CMEA President Armalyn De La O adelao@calmusiced.com CMEA President-Elect Anne Fennell afennell@calmusiced.com CMEA Vice President Chad Zullinger czullinger@calmusiced.com CMEA Secretary Laura Schiavo lschiavo@calmusiced.com CMEA Immediate Past President John Burn jburn@calmusiced.com CMEA OFFICE cmea@calmusiced.com 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 559 587-2632 CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams cmea@calmusiced.com 559 904-2002 CMEA Administrative Assistant Heather Adams hadams@calmusiced.com 559 410-2425 CMEA Legislative Advocate Martha Zaragoza Diaz lobbyist1.mzd@gmail.com SECTION PRESIDENTS CMEA Bay Section President Keith Johnson keith@echsbands.com

CMEA Southern Border Section President Dr. Jeff Malecki jmalecki@sandiego.edu CMEA Southwestern Section President Ryan Rowles aspiro03@gmail.com NAfME OFFICERS NAfME President Mackie V. Spradley 1806 Robert Fulton Drive Reston, VA 22091 800 336-3768 NAfME Western Division President Renee Shane-Boyd COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES CMEA CAJ Representative Gaw Vang Williams gawvang@csus.edu CMEA CASMEC Coordinator/ CMEA Representative on the CBDA Board Francisco Marquez fmarquez123@me.com CMEA CBDA Representative Jeff Detlefsen DetlefsenJ@gmail.com CMEA/CCDA Representative Dr. Chris Peterson cpeterson@fullerton.edu CMEA/CCDA Choral Leadership Academy Coordinator John Sorber johnso@cos.edu CMEA CODA Representative Matthew Mulvaney mulvaneymatthew@gmail.com

CMEA Capitol Section President Patrick Neff patrick.s.neff@gmail.com

CMEA Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator Jeremiah Jacks jeromejacks30@gmail.com

CMEA Central Section President Michael Tackett michaelt@cos.edu

CMEA Advocacy Representative Russ Sperling sperlingruss@gmail.com

CMEA Central Coast Section President Diane Gehling dgehling@santaritaschools.org

CMEA Collegiate Representative Dr. Dennis Siebenaler dsiebenaler@fullerton.edu

CMEA North Coast Section President Chris Cox coxmusic1966@gmail.com

CMEA Collegiate Council Representative Rene Canto-Adams rcantoadams1319@gmail.com

CMEA Northern Section President Todd Filpula tfilpula@chicousd.org

CMEA Creating and Composition Representative Dr. Lisa A.Crawford lisacrawfordmusic@gmail.com

CMEA Southeastern Section President Dr. David Betancourt dbetancourt@cerritos.edu

CMEA CTA Liaison James Benanti jamesbenanti77@gmail.com

CMEA DEIA Representatives Brant Nishida bnishida@srvusd.net Jonathan Raman Jraman85@gmail.com CMEA General Music, TK-12 Representative Emma Joleen Schopler emmajoleen@gmail.com CMEA Global Music Education Representative Dr. Lily Chen-Hafteck lhafteck@ucla.edu CMEA Innovations Representative Dr. Michael Albertson malbertson@geffenacademy.ucla.edu CMEA Membership Chairperson Bruce C. Lengacher blengacher@auhsdschools.org CMEA Mentorship Program Chairperson TBD CMEA Music Supervisors Representative Stacy Harris sharris1@ggusd.us CMEA Music Technology Representative Jessica Husselstein jessicahusselstein@gmail.com CMEA Higher Education and Research Representative Dr. Ruth Brittin rbrittin@pacific.edu CMEA Retired Members Representative Norm Dea normdea@yahoo.com CMEA Rural Schools Representative Judi Scharnberg judimusic@gmail.com CMEA Special Learners Representative TBD CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival Coordinator Jim Kollias jhkollias@gmail.com CMEA State Choral Festival Coordinator Gail Bowers grbowers@sbcglobal.net CMEA State Solo and Ensemble Festival Coordinator Cheryl Yee Glass cglass@srvhs.org CMEA Tri-M Representative Troy Trimble troyatrimble@gmail.com CMEA Urban Schools Representative Zack Pitt-Smith zackpittsmith@gmail.com

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CMEA Magazine

CMEA Mock Interviews, Spring 2021

by Anne Fennell, CMEA President-Elect

In May, CMEA offered free, online mock interviews for aspiring music educators across the state of California. Many thanks to the following individuals who volunteered their time to provide the interviews and review the students’ cover letters and résumés. Read on to learn a few tips, gather insights, and why practicing for a job interview is a valuable opportunity.

Reflections From Our Interviewees

Why was the mock interview valuable to you?

The mock interview was a great preparation for a future job interview. I was asked several questions pertaining to my current experience and what I could bring to a music program. It was a great experience to be able to prepare for this and see how I did on the spot. - Natalie Mendez

Emmerick Doan, CSU Long Beach ‘21 Aspiring Secondary Instrumental Music Educator

Carly Fox, CSU Northridge ‘21 Aspiring Secondary Choral Music Educator

This mock interview helped me to better understand the types of topics I should prepare myself for, as I start my career as an educator. It was a very valuable experience that allowed me to feel more confident about finding a job. - Spencer Hart The mock interview showed me what my strong suits and weak points are, when being interviewed. The interviewer was so helpful in guiding me in the right direction to put me on the most direct path to success! - Carly Fox

Cruz Gonzalez, University Of the Pacific ‘21 Aspiring Secondary Music Educator

Jamie Trinajstich, CSU, Fullerton ‘21 Aspiring Secondary Instrumental Music Educator

Spencer Hart, UCLA ‘21 Aspiring Secondary Instrumental Music Educator

Natalie Mendez, CSU Northridge ‘21 Aspiring Elementary Music Educator

I was able to answer questions that were tailored to music specialists and received feedback immediately. It was constructive to reflect on my responses with the interviewer, and then I was given a chance to rephrase and reinforce with the advice I had received, just like a rehearsal! - Cruz Gonzalez The mock interview was valuable to me because it allowed me to get a feel of what an actual interview will be like. As in music, practicing for an interview is also important, so the more you answer questions aloud to someone, the better you’ll get at understanding how you react, your response time, and how to better prepare for next time. - Emmerick Doan There is always room for more practice when it comes to interviewing. The more practice you receive, the better and more concise your answers become. More importantly, having extra practice improves your comfort and how naturally you answer the question, which will only help in an interview. - Jamie Trinajstich

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What did you learn from the interview?

Insights From Our Interviewers

I got great feedback for the interview responses that worked well and tips on how to better phrase my weaker responses. I also got a general feel for the kind of questions I could expect for future job interviews. - Natalie Mendez From this interview, I learned that there could be a wide range of people who I will be interviewing with that might not have much musical experience. I learned that it is important to be as clear and concise as possible in my responses to each question. - Spencer Hart

Anne Fennell, M.Ed., San Diego Unified School District

Michael Stone, M.Ed., Bakersfield City School District

Brad Van Patten, Ed.D., Irvine Unified School District

Marcheta Williams, Ed.D., Madera Unified School District

I learned to “sprinkle” more specific music education techniques and methods into my interview, such as the Kodály method or Orff Schulwerk. - Carly Fox From the interview, I learned how to make my answers concise so that it best answers the question without rambling too much. I also learned about my own little quirks when it comes to speaking and being the interviewee, which allowed me to be aware of those little “-isms” while practicing on my own. - Emmerick Doan I learned to give a little more than the question asks and to find ways to be my own “tie-breaker”. I also received wonderful advice on how to clean up my résumé. This experience also drastically helped me practice the timing of my responses. - Jamie Trinajstich

What one key trait or aspect are Would you recommend this to other you looking for in a candidate? aspiring music educators and why?

A great musician who wants to do what’s best for each child.

This mock interview will prepare you for a future job interview and will give you great coaching on how to improve your interview skills. - Natalie Mendez This beneficial opportunity is like being in a real job interview without all of the added pressure! I was also able to ask a trustworthy source all of the questions that were boggling my mind.

- Carly Fox This interview helped me prepare for an interview I had scheduled a few days later. You can never practice “too much” for an interview and should always take any opportunity for growth and improvements. - Jamie Trinajstich Always take the opportunity to better your own professional development. Even if you don’t think you’re ready for a mock interview, it will help you to be even better the next time!

- Emmerick Doan

- Dr. Brad Van Patten

I look for individuals who are passionate about teaching children. A key question is ‘Why are you entering the music education profession?’ If you are teaching to positively impact the lives of your students, that will be a crucial trait. If you are only passionate about music, that is not enough. Kids first! - Michael Stone I'm looking for someone who is excited to teach and connect with students and who also wants to give each student the best learning opportunity possible. I also want a candidate who is a lifelong learner who is passionate about making and sharing music.

- Anne Fennell I am looking for a candidate that is not only committed to student learning, but sees themselves as the one responsible for student learning. The candidate should show a passion for student success. If a student is not succeeding, be willing to ask the question, ‘What else can I do and should I do, to ensure their success?’, while not blaming a student’s motivation, background, or family, as a reason for someone’s lack of success. A committed teacher is willing to take on the responsibility of the success of a student. - Dr. Marcheta Williams

Why did you volunteer your time for the mock interviews?

I am passionate about supporting new teachers and helping them become the best possible educator. As a veteran teacher I feel it’s important to support the future of our profession. - Anne Fennell 6

CMEA Magazine

Interviews are difficult for the first-time job seeker and especially during COVID-19. Practicing the interview process, along with clear feedback, really helps the candidate be more at ease and will help them find their ideal job. - Dr. Brad Van Patten Interviewing is stressful for candidates. My hope in participating in the mock interview process was to provide guidance and suggestions to potential candidates as they prepare for the interview process. Knowledge alleviates some of the stress involved in the experience of interviewing. - Michael Stone I am an educator and will always be an educator, no matter what capacity I serve. I believe that helping an up-and-coming educator to develop or prepare for an interview makes the journey easier for them and I feel compelled to support their development.

I want to be involved to provide tips or suggestions and help potential teachers present themselves in the most positive way. - Dr. Marcheta Williams

Be yourself! It is important that you represent yourself authentically. Your interviewer is simply trying to assess what type of teacher and employee you will be. You should view the interview process as your opportunity to interview the prospective employer as well. What will you do to nurture that relationship if hired? Do you see yourself working for this organization? Communication and interpersonal skills are keys to success in any employer-employee relationship. - Michael Stone This is your opportunity to show your best self and how you, at your best, can enhance the organization. In order to do that, be sure to research the organization and the community the organization resides in so that you can determine if that is a good fit for you and how you can fit in and support them. - Dr. Marcheta Williams Practice, practice and practice. Just like a recital, the more you prepare, the better the performance will be. - Dr. Brad Van Patten

If you could give a tip to anyone interviewing, it would be………

Smile, be authentic and passionate, and always research the position, school, and school district prior to the interview. - Anne Fennell

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Summer Issue 2021

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Global Music and Global Perspective of Music Education

by Dr. Lily Chen-Hafteck, CMEA Global Music Education Representative

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives like never before. Among many topics that we have to address now as music educators, the subject of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has emerged as one of the top priorities. The Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the increase of anti-Asian hate crimes due to the origin of the pandemic have raised our attention to the inequalities that the racial minorities of our nation have been facing for centuries. One way that music educators may address such challenges can be through providing the opportunities for students to learn about the music and cultures of the world, and thereby deepening their understanding and appreciation of diverse music and cultures.

At this time of history in America, in which we are facing tremendous pressure to tackle problems relating to racism, there has been some prominent criticism of the term ‘World Music’ in the music industry. Kalia (2019) reported that some of the popular musicians and leaders in the music industry felt that ‘World Music’ is no longer appropriate in labeling the kind of music they produce. The original intention was to allow the music from other cultures to change our world view, and to accept what was once perceived as ‘exotic’ sound into the world of music. Yet the musicians in recent years have cross-pollinated styles so much that the sounds are contemporary rather than ‘exotic’. Moreover, the term ‘World Music’ has created a distance between western and world music by ‘lumping together anything that wasn’t deemed to be from a European or American tradition’. Some artists even called it racist. As a result, the Grammy Awards category of the World Music Album has been changed to Global Music Album (Aswad, 2020). The Recording Academy Board indicated that this is a more inclusive term that represents the diverse communities, symbolizing ‘a departure from the connotations of colonialism, folk, and “non-American” that the former term embodied’. Global Music implies that musical cultures do not have borders. A lot of interconnectedness can be found in Global Music, resulting in a fusion of sounds originating from diverse cultures in modern music (Aswad, 2020).

These intense discussions on ‘World Music’ and ‘Global Music’ in the field of music industry are all very interesting. They are the

results of the critical reflections of musicians in addressing DEI in popular music performance and production, based on the current trend of the market in music business. In music education, we have advocated for the study of music from diverse cultures of the world for many years. The purposes behind studying music of diverse cultures are very different from those behind producing music from world cultures for sale. Therefore, we need to examine these discussions more closely and determine what position we, as music educators, should take that is most appropriate for our profession.

The three main rationales of introducing multicultural music in school have been discussed by Fung (1995). They are the social, musical and global rationales. The social benefit of studying world music includes developing multicultural awareness, understanding and tolerance among the students, both of their own cultures as well as the cultures of the others. Moreover, opportunities to experience music from diverse cultures allows students to explore a broad range of materials rather than being limited to any one particular musical style. This can expand students’ musical knowledge and skills. Furthermore, since music is a phenomenon practiced by people from various cultures, the study of world music can enhance sensitivity to cultures in a global context and develop a global view of music and humanity among students. Therefore, the significance of promoting such a perspective on music and cultures is an important consideration for music educators. Studying multicultural music can help students in achieving it.

Schippers (2009) also expressed the need of shaping music education from a global perspective. He identified four approaches to the study of cultural diversity in music, that ranges from ethnocentrism to global understanding. Monocultural approach uses the dominant culture as the only frame of reference while multicultural approach recognizes different peoples and musics, allowing them to lead separate lives. Intercultural approach involves contacts and exchanges between cultures while transcultural approach provides an in-depth exchange of ideas where different musics and approaches are of equal footing. With an understanding of these four levels of approaching the study of music and cultures, music educators will be able to facilitate student development of a global perspective to learning music. The goal is for students to

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become open-minded and curious about the music and cultures that they may not be familiar with, and be ready to dive in and appreciate the ‘new’ musical and cultural experiences.

If one of the important goals in studying diverse musical cultures is to understand more about the culture, we may want to emphasize on the musical characteristics that are unique to the culture. We may need to introduce students to traditional folklore that tells stories of a culture. Of course, we do not want to exclude modern music through which we may be able to explore how music of a culture evolves through time. In addition, we can find musical elements of particular cultures in the popular music of today.

Global perspective of music education, that is developing a global understanding of musical cultures, can be achieved through learning the uniqueness of each culture and then drawing conclusions on the commonalities of musical practices and experiences across cultures.

In conclusion, ‘Global Music’ seems to be currently the politically correct term that we should use. If it is a term that shows our support to DEI and acknowledges that all musical cultures are of equal footing and much appreciated, this is definitely the way to go. However, music educators need to be aware that each musical culture is unique and should not be generalized by global music. This is unlike the justifications of the popular musicians who want to explore new sounds by creating a fusion of diverse cultural sounds. Music educators need to help students in exploring the beauty in each of the musical cultures and appreciating that uniqueness. Then, the students will become knowledgeable of music globally and eventually achieve global understanding of music and cultures. That is a high goal to aim for, but it is our mission as music educators of the current time.

Umoja Flute Institute

by Zack Pitt-Smith CMEA Urban Schools Representative

References Aswad, J. (2020, November 3). Grammy awards change name of ‘world music’ category to ‘global music’ to address 'connotations of colonialism’. Variety. https://variety.com/2020/music/news/grammyawards-change-world-music-to-global-1234821922/ Fung, C. V. (1995). Rationales for teaching world musics. Music Educators Journal, 82(1), 36-40.

Kalia, A. (2019, July 24). ‘So flawed and problematic’: why the term ‘world music’ is dead. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/ music/2019/jul/24/guardian-world-music-outdated-global Schippers, H. (2009). Facing the music: Shaping music education from a global perspective. New York: Oxford University Press.

Umoja Flute Institute was created to provide community and support for Black flute players of all ages. We are having an awesome opportunity for students aged 12-18 to cocompose with flutists Allison Loggins-Hull from Flutronix.

If you have any Black students who are flute players, I'd love to get in contact with them and get them involved. Membership is $25 for students but we have a lot of money that was donated for scholarships. Feel free to share our website and this flyer with them. Thanks and feel free to reach out with any questions.

ufinstitute.com

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Pressing the Reset Button

by Stacy Harris CMEA Music Supervisors Representative

A

s I write this article in early June, most of us are currently wrapping up our school year. Some are already on break for summer and the rest of us will be there by the time this issue is published. To call these last 15 months difficult would be an understatement. Pre-COVID, most of us experienced difficult years scattered throughout our careers.

Looking in the rear view mirror now, many of us may even laugh a little at what we called “difficult” prior to March of 2020. As we move further and further through the pandemic and watch as things around us begin to shift back closer to what we might label as “normal,” we are wrestling with some challenging questions: • • • •

What does a return to “normal” mean for my program that may have been highly impacted this last year?

What are the barriers to that return?

What about the previous “normal” was not really working in the first place?

What was born out of necessity this last year that can continue to truly benefit students and teachers?

And the most crucial question of all: •

What do my students need moving forward and how will my program meet that need?

As we all wrestle with these questions and more, I’d like to invite us all to take this moment to consider pressing the reset button. The last 15 months have been a practice in adapting at a moment’s notice. As a music supervisor, I have created and recreated the instructional program for our elementary instrumental and general music teachers more times than I can count at this point. In this type of fast-paced, transitional environment, we are creatively and quickly developing solutions to problems of the moment. As soon as each problem is ironed out in this type of environment, it is replaced by a new one. While the work that music educators across the state and nation did this year was incredible, most of our solutions were short-term in an effort to cobble together anything we could for our students in the midst of constant change and extreme limitations.

In this moment of preparing for a “return,” there is an

opportunity to rethink what we do and why we do it lying in front of us that we may not collectively see again in our careers. How much of what you did in your position pre-COVID was done that way because that was the way it had always been done? Who or what was at the center of the decisions about what would be taught, how it would be taught, and why it was taught? Was it the students?

Was it some other stakeholder group? Was it your singular vision for the program? This is a time for us to take a collective breath and slow down for the first time in over a year. It is a time to pause and ask ourselves questions that will allow us to really consider why we do what we do and how we can transform that work to better serve students. If we do not take this opportunity to reflect, I imagine many of us will jump into next school year and quickly be hijacked by the fast-paced environment that school always is and fall back into old, comfortable habits. While those old habits will undoubtedly lead to positive results in many ways, they will also limit our ability to seize this opportunity for transformative change in music education.

Here are a few of the positives that came from this last year and some of the points I will be reflecting on this summer. My goal is to determine how best to not only keep the progress my team and I made in these areas but to purposefully expand on them and consider how they can drive our continued growth as a team.

Technology Literacy for Staff and Opportunities for Students This is obviously one of the easiest positives to call out from the last year. While technology was already being used masterfully in some music classrooms pre-COVID, in other classrooms it was absent. The disparity between our most tech-literate staff members and those that struggled with tech was astonishing. We would never have seen the massive leap in tech literacy amongst teachers that we did this last year without distance learning and, while so much of what we do as music teachers can be done artfully without technology, a new world has been opened up for us in how we can engage students in music-making through technology. We will not only benefit by continuing to use many of the tech resources we embraced out of necessity this year but I am hopeful that we will continue looking for ways to expand opportunities and access to all students as well as our own ideas about what music education

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can be. Some of the questions I am asking as I reflect in this area are: What tech tools benefited teachers in lesson delivery and collaboration that will continue to be useful in person? What tools not only supported student growth through distance learning but expanded the ways that students could interact with and create music as well as their ability to take ownership of their own learning? What tools created opportunities for students to engage in music education who previously may not have had access to a formal music education? These are just some of the questions that will help to guide our planning and our discussions in regards to the role technology will play in our music programs in the future and how we can better serve our students through its use.

with a thriving performance-driven program, students were front and center in instruction. The return of our performance ensembles is going to be a huge benefit to many of our students after the tough year they have been through and the opportunity to make music in-person is going to be healing for all of us. My hope is that, as we see our performing ensembles begin to take the stage again, our students will continue to be center-stage and that their needs and what truly benefits them as musicians and as humans will be at the forefront of every decision we make.

As you pause this summer and consider hitting that reset button, I’d like to close this out with a focus on three of the questions I posed at the beginning of this article:

Collaboration and Resource Sharing

•

Music teachers are most often in positions in which they are “Islands of One.” We become comfortable being the only person on our campus that does what we do. While this can create space for autonomy in how we develop our programs, it can also lead to isolation, overwhelm, and burn-out. In addition, when we are working in isolation, our vision can become myopic and stagnant and it can be difficult to keep our minds open to being life-long learners who continue to grow in our practice. Humans are social creatures. We are meant to work in community to thrive. Easily, the most inspirational thing I have seen over the last year has been the incredible support my teachers have been to each other and the increased level of collaboration amongst our team and across the music community as a whole. Initially, that ability to collaborate more frequently than ever before (thank you, technology) served mostly as a life-line. It allowed us to connect when we were in isolation and to help each other manage the stress of the world at the time. As time has gone on, a real shift has happened in that collaboration that is now focused on strategy and resource sharing, developing common units of instruction, and discussing best practices for either the digital or in-person environment. The forced distance and isolation of COVID has ironically created bonds between teachers who are now closer than they ever were when we were in person, living on our islands.

• •

What about the previous “normal” was not really working in the first place?

What was born out of necessity this last year that can continue to truly benefit students and teachers?

What do my students need moving forward and how will my program meet that need?

As we move toward what will hopefully be a return to at least some level of normalcy this Fall, I hope these questions encourage you to consider what parts of “normal” you might be done with and what possibilities might lie in front of you and your students.

Introducing New Section Presidents Beginning Their Term July 1st

Student-Focused Instruction I am going to paint with a broad brush for a moment. PreCOVID, some of what we have called “music education,” especially at the secondary level, could have accurately been called “rehearsal and performance education.” To borrow a phrase from our CMEA President-Elect, Anne Fennell, “sometimes music ensembles (not all) can be more accurately described as ensembles of compliance rather than of the creativity we tout as a benefit of music education.” With distance learning and the limitations on playing wind instruments and singing in-person, we had to stretch well outside of our comfort zones to create meaningful connections with our students through music. What we began to see as a result of the pandemic sidelining performance opportunities was teachers beginning to look at their roles in a new way. Without the opportunity to make music together in ensembles and for performance to be center-stage, what other ways were available to us to make space for student creativity? Alongside a timely focus on Social Emotional Learning, these adaptations created some wonderfully student-centered environments. Without the stress of the next competition, the massive loads of paperwork, and everything else that goes along

Patrick Neff Capitol Section

Michael Tackett Central Section

Chris Cox

Dr. David Betancourt

North Coast Section

Southeastern Section

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Bay

2021 CMEA Bay Section Award Winners:

Bay Section Update

Jenny Anderson, Gilbert T. Freitas Memorial Award (7+ years) Gary Ortega, Gilbert T. Freitas Memorial Award (less than 7 years) Shelly Durbin, Outstanding Choral Educator Patrick Langham, Outstanding Jazz Educator David Byrd, Outstanding Orchestra Educator Cody Martin, Outstanding Classroom/General Music Educator Chavonta Edington, Beyond the Baton Award Anne Marie Katemopoulos, Outstanding Music Educator Timothy M. Smith, Lifetime Achievement Award

by Keith Johnson

E

ach year CMEA Bay Section honors deserving music educators in the Bay Area. Nominations are made by our membership each year and presented at our annual Winter Conference. This year’s awards ceremony was held virtually on Friday, June 11th and we’d like to share the stories of our award recipients with you in this month’s CMEA Magazine. Award recipients are listed here. Watch the ceremony below.

On behalf of Bay Section, congratulations once again to all of our award recipients!

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Capitol Capitol Section Update

by Patrick Neff

Congratulations to all on completing this school year.

I

am so proud of the music educators of Capitol Section and throughout our state for the perseverance, adaptability, and professionalism displayed over the last year and more.

The close of a school year is a natural time to reflect, and I hope everyone takes a moment to consider all that was accomplished in a year with so many challenges. There remains much work to be done, both in preparation for a return to normalcy as well as continued advocacy efforts. However, this summer is also an opportunity

for our outstanding music educators to take much needed time to recharge, tend to their physical and mental health, and spend quality time with loved ones. We remained strong during the pandemic, and I look forward to us returning even stronger.

Due to COVID, much of Capitol Section’s annual events and traditions needed to be cancelled or modified to a virtual format.

However, we recently held an outdoor, socially-distant awards ceremony, and it was truly wonderful to see the faces of colleagues and honor the extraordinary work of our members. We were unable to hold a ceremony last year, so this event included awards recipients from 2020 and 2021. Listening to the introductions and learning in more detail about the work of each honoree was inspiring, and I am very grateful we had the opportunity to continue that annual tradition in person. I would like to give special recognition to Janet Thorgrimson, our 2021 Nick Angiulo Music Educator of the Year, on her upcoming retirement after decades of exemplary work as an elementary music educator. Janet’s dedication and talent is paired with a commitment to mentorship, and I know she will continue to be a resource to the aspiring music educators of Capitol Section.

Capitol Section also recently completed our election process, and we are excited to have new voices and fresh perspectives joining our team next year. We are grateful to Shawn Spiess, who is terming out this year after excellent work as our High School Choir Representative. Our new board will meet in August and is ready to serve the members of our section and meet the challenges of 202122. We look forward to in-service days, honor events, festivals and more, and will continue being fierce advocates for music education in our region.

Central

so that we do our best to provide events and festivals that best serve our section this coming year. We encourage our members to share with us your thoughts and ideas as we anticipate a return to “normal,” or what is likely to be a “new normal.”

This fall will see changes to our leadership in the Central Section CMEA. I want to thank these very distinguished members of our board for their many years of tireless and tremendous service to our section: Bill Wilkinson - Past President Peggy Biller - Festival Coordinator (South) Walt Crider - Legislative Representative

Central Section Update

by Steve McKeithen

T

he Central Section CMEA has been busy in organizational meetings this spring, planning for a return to a busy 2021-2022 school year. Our membership can expect communication from our county CMEA representatives to gauge the needs and interests of our membership,

Our new leadership is primed and ready to move the Central Section forward, and I am very excited for the impact they will have on our membership and our programs: Michael Tackett - President Elisha Wells - 1st Vice President As I step down from my role as President of Central Section CMEA, I reflect on my time in service and I am truly appreciative of the experiences and relationships that have come from meeting so many dedicated members of CMEA. I look forward to the day

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where our CMEA membership grows to a point where we have all of our educators, teaching at every grade level, involved in membership to create a powerful body that speaks in a unified voice to our representatives and state leadership not only in Sacramento, but in our local communities as well. We particularly need strength in numbers that engages a loud and steady voice of advocacy for music in our schools for us as a profession to move forward from this pandemic. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to engage in membership and advocacy for music in our schools, at every level. Encourage your local district to use their ESSR funds to support music programs and hold them accountable for providing music as a core subject during school, every day. We are all impacted by the aftermath of the pandemic, and it will take all of us engaging in overt-advocacy to move forward.

Central

Coast

Central Coast Section Update

by Diane Gehling

Looking back to move forward.

T

he 2020-2021 school year is now in the books and it was one for the books. If anyone told me that I would be teaching music through a computer I would have laughed and told them that it was impossible. But it was possible and we all did it.

This past year has presented us with a plethora of unique opportunities. As ensemble based classes, we take for granted that our students will be with us each day so that we can guide them, nurture them, teach them the beauty of and the love for music.

As we look back upon the year that was, many of us have found new ways to teach our students and inspire their love of music.

Many programs survived with the use of technology. As educators we learned new skill sets. We found new ways to engage with our students and our fellow colleagues. Facebook pages were created so that educators could help support each other through that trying

As I mentioned in my CBDA article earlier this spring, I hope we all take some time this coming year to check on each other and help others in our profession to navigate the challenges of picking up the pieces from the pandemic. Experienced teachers - we will need your wisdom, advice, and toughness to get through these challenging times. Younger teachers - while this coming year will be different and challenging, you can be successful in this environment.

We all have a unique opportunity to have a tremendous impact on our students, and we should embrace new ideas and experiences that can positively impact our students to make them better musicians and humans.

time. As we move forward let us not forget that we still need each other to thrive. As we move forward let us look back on the new skills we learned and take those skills with us into the future.

But learning new music as a band, orchestra or choir presented many challenges and unfortunately, many programs were decimated.

It was easier to close programs than figure out ways to save them.

Now, many programs are going to have to be rebuilt. Yet like a phoenix they will rise again and we will all be stronger for that. We must look forward to how things can be rather than how things were. We are all going to be challenged to rebuild and reimagine our programs so that they are ready to embrace the 21st Century.

Technology is not going away. It is here to stay. As we move forward let us look back on the skills not only we as educators have learned but that our students have. We can reach out to even more students through the use of technology and use these new ways to inspire and nurture their love of music.

The Central Coast Section is a small section membership-wise, but geographically we stretch approximately 140 miles. Trying to get to meetings has often provided a hardship to many of our southern educators. This past year, with Zoom, teachers and students were able to join us for meetings or for honors rehearsals and festivals.

As we move forward we will not forget to look back on the lessons we learned about how the use of technology made access to our meetings and events easier for everyone. In the future we will be holding many meetings in a hybrid format so that everyone can be a part of the section and distance will no longer be a barrier.

Moving forward let us reflect back on what we have learned from this past year. Are we going to leave everything that we have learned out? Why would we? Many times I felt the “lightbulb go on” this past year while learning or using some type of technology.

These are tools I am eager to keep in my toolbox for the upcoming year.I am excited about the new challenges that lie ahead in the upcoming year. We have faced the storm and we have come through it stronger. I hope you have a relaxing and reflective summer and are able to look back on the past as you move forward into the future.

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North Coast

closure seems so very proper.

Dear Students!

What a wealth of discovery and exploration we've shared in music this year! Because this year was so different from other years, we got to experiment with new ways to make and share music. Maybe you played with Bongo Cat. Maybe you built beats with Typedrummer and Groove Pizza. Maybe you made and shared songs with Chrome Music Lab Song Maker. Thank you for your positivity and sense of adventure this year! I look forward to all the ways music will continue to inspire us!

North Coast Section Update

by Holly MacDonell

Reflecting and Looking Forward

I

f ever there was a fitting statement for our current situation: What a year it has been! The end of the school year is usually a time of reflection, with one eye on the future.

This year’s reflection is just...bigger, and the eye on the future is still focusing.

At one of my sites, teachers were asked to write something to their students for the yearbook. A missive, of sorts, to reflect upon the year. I will share what I wrote to my students, as the feeling of

Northern

-Ms Mac In addition to finishing one of the most daunting/taxing/ demanding school years ever, I’m also finishing my term as CMEA’s North Coast Section President. The North Coast Section is full of supportive, thoughtful, dedicated music educators. We work hard to provide rewarding activities and a rigorous music education to North Coast students.

I can’t say enough good things about being on CMEA’s Board of Directors. Being part of such a dedicated team has reinvigorated my teaching and reinforced the value of, and my place in music education. Service leadership was not something I planned on, but I value my experience and hope to continue on this path. Thank you for your support!

Here in Northern California many of the music programs in our rural communities have suffered disproportionately as a result of Covid. I am aware of at least six openings for music teachers in our most rural areas. The question I asked myself is, “What can I do to help?” One solution is more teachers, so I am doing my part in that effort by taking a student teacher this coming year. I contacted Dr. Michelle McConkey at Chico State to see if there were any candidates looking for placements. As it turns out, there were candidates who put their plans on hold last year due to the pandemic so asked if I could be of help. I was put in contact with Maija Dindzans and decided after our meeting that her story needed to be told.

Northern Section Update

by Todd Filpula

I

cannot find a single adjective to describe this past year! I think one would be hard pressed to keep it under 30! Every day it seemed that things were changing and they were. I was waiting for the sink hole to open up and swallow us all but here we are at the end of 2021 looking at, what I hope to be, a “normal” year in the fall.

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Preparing for the Unknown: A Student Perspective

by Maija Dindzans

I

am a music education student starting my fifth year of education at CSU Chico. This coming fall, I will be enrolled in the single subject credential program where I will start student teaching. I was originally supposed to start the credential program in the fall of 2020, but decided to take a gap year due to the pandemic and the difficulties in finding a student teaching placement. Despite my disappointment in having to put my plans on hold, I am content that I was able to ensure my loved ones’ health and take some time for myself this past year.

With so much uncertainty regarding the future, I found it helpful to focus on tackling one day at a time, rather than worrying

about what could happen. Even something as simple as a mental checklist helped with my motivation, giving me something to work towards from day to day. I also made sure to spend some time doing things I enjoy, such as baking and playing duets with friends in my social bubble. In addition, my weekly highlight was Chico State NAfME’s zoom meetings, where I was able to socialize with my peers and hear from guest speakers. However, once I had the opportunity to get vaccinated, that took a significant load of worry off my shoulders. Although the situation could potentially change, I feel optimistic for the coming school year.

While most of the university classes are online, the credential students are meant to adhere to whatever precautions their placement school puts in effect, whether it be for in person or online instruction. So far, it seems that I will be able to student teach in person at my placement. I am very much looking forward to getting back into the classroom and working with students again, in whatever form that takes. I am also looking forward to my classes at Chico State. Although the credential classes are online, I will hopefully be participating in the clarinet choir, which hasn’t met in over a year. Overall, I am excited to get back to school and continue to learn.

Students and teachers alike have had to adapt over the course of the year. Many of us will be back in person, hopefully with new skills to apply in the classroom. Nothing will be back to “normal,” but we will be one step closer to safely making music together.

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Greetings Southeastern Section Members,

I

Southeastern

t has been my immense honor serving as your section president for the past four years. In this time of transition, I find myself looking back and looking forward.

Remembering and imagining. Hoping to learn from the past to better chart plans for the future. I am confident that our section board, under the capable leadership of Dr. David Betancourt, will continue to strive to serve our membership in tangible and creative ways. And I look forward to continuing to serve our section in new ways. Thank you again for the opportunity. I look forward to seeing you again at future events and conferences. In the meantime, I wish all of you the very best.

Southeastern Section Update

by Ryan Duckworth

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Southern

Border

also has several administrative duties, including coordinating testing and serving as acting principal when needed. Her daughter Rachael was born last July. I was happy to sit down with Laura (LS) and Rachael (RS) recently to hear about how they maneuvered through teaching during the pandemic. I also opened the conversation to the questions Laura thought I should be asking.

JM: Did you give any thought to the school year when planning your family?

RS: [happy little scream]

Southern Border Section Update

by Dr. Jeff Malecki

Things are great at the bottom of the state!

Southern Border Section is proud to bring you a CMEA magazine first! This issue’s article will interview Rachael Grace Schiavo, who at the ripe age of 10 months old, is very likely the youngest CMEA interviewee ever! We also let Rachael’s mom Laura Schiavo, SBS immediate past president and current state CMEA secretary, interject occasionally to give us insight and advice on being a pregnant and new-mom music educator.

LS: My husband always made fun of me because I told him I wanted to plan having a baby around the school year which you really can't do because you never know what will happen. But I also really love my students and I didn't want to miss out on any opportunities with them. Ideally, I wouldn't miss any concerts. So my husband and I had a window, a few months, when we really wanted to get pregnant. Did it work? Yes, my baby was due in July.

But I think that was pure luck more than anything else.

JM: Did the shift to remote learning in March have any extra benefits or drawbacks?

LS: It was actually somewhat of a blessing, because I had high blood pressure towards the end and I probably couldn't have been at school. My doctor told me they would have pulled me out anyways.

And because it was a lot of stress on my body, suddenly it became kind of a blessing in disguise. Of course I was figuring out the crazy transition to online learning with everyone else.

JM: How many months were you pregnant teaching in person?

With the first trimester often being the sickest, how were you?

LS: About four months: November, December, January, February. I think the first trimester is the worst! I always felt terrible, with horrible morning sickness. I was throwing up all the time.

I walk my dog, pull into a parking lot, anywhere… and I’d be throwing up. I really only threw up at school once. An hour before a concert, I was totally throwing up, and I remember being in the bathroom praying to not let me throw up on stage!

JM: Wow, that’s hard! Can I put this in the article?

LS: Doesn't bother me, that's part of the story! It’s a part of it for me and a lot of pregnant women.

RS: [Mumbles] JM: Were your relationships with colleagues, administrators, and students any different?

Laura Schiavo and Rachael Grace Schiavo

Laura has been teaching for thirteen years, currently at the Creative Performing Media Arts Middle School arts magnet in the San Diego Unified School District. Her teaching duties include teaching three levels of orchestra over grades six through eight. She

LS: I feel like everyone was really supportive. I shared my pregnancy early, in confidence, with my administration and my closest friends at school. I think them knowing made it easier, because then if I was struggling one day I could talk to them, or they were there to help me out. My vice principal texted me offering to cover my class whenever I needed it. So they were all really supportive.

My students were great! They were super cute and they were really excited for me. They were all super supportive of me taking time off, and wanted me to spend time with Rachael, understanding this year was different for me. A lot of kids would come by and talk

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to my belly, and some would correct others in class, “Shhh, don’t stress out the baby!” Even the kids who had behavior problems in the past stepped up. Little middle school kids can sometimes act fully grown up!

JM: Was anything different as a new parent when we resumed with fully remote teaching the next fall?

LS: I always made sure either my husband or mom was around. It was tricky, but we planned ahead as much as we could.

Occasionally Rachael would visit and say hi to the kids, who always wanted to see her. I tried to avoid having to take care of her and Zoom at the same time, so I could be really present for my students, and it ended up working out.

RS: [nods in approval] JM: You mentioned wrestling with some feelings of guilt, balancing the jobs of parent and teacher.

LS: Yes. I feel like a lot of moms, whether you're working or stay-at-home, feel so much guilt on one side or the other. Either you’re guilty for staying home and not going back to your job, or you feel guilty not being with your baby all the time. The best advice I read was to allow yourself to be fully present with both jobs.

So when I'm at school, I'm their teacher 100%, and then when I’m at home I'm all mom. It's kind of making sure that I'm not feeling bad about not being the best at either job, but doing the best I can in each moment. I’ve gotten better at just unplugging from work when I’m home.

JM: That’s great. So often music educators seem to be plugged in consistently, “on call” well into the evening…

LS: Yes, it’s good advice for everyone. Being a new mom really forced me to do it. Really, being a new mom has made me a better teacher overall. It brings your understanding of students, and definitely parents, to a different level. Teaching has helped me prepare to be a better mom too, I think.

JM: Are there any other thoughts you want to share?

LS: Sometimes it seems there's a right time to do a certain thing. There's never a right time, it's just not a thing, whatever it is.

You make it work and I wouldn't change anything, because I love my job, I love my students, I love my daughter.

RS: [plays with leaf, signaling boredom with interview and time to wrap it up]

Zoom Link and Dates https://csulb.zoom.us/j/81728785375 June 12 – Decompress: What I Learned During COVID June 26 – Representation/inclusivity in Music Literature July 10 – Digging Deeper: Exploring Our Own Biases July 24 – Ready, Set, Go: What to Consider in Starting Classes this Fall

Southwestern Southwestern Section Update

by Ryan Rowles

A

s we finish the school year, it is amazing to look back and see all that has happened in our respective schools and communities at large. With that in mind, the Southwestern Section is excited to present "Summer Series: Reflection for Meaningful Change." This is a four-part series that provides an opportunity for fellow music educators to come together to interact, collaborate, and learn from one another.

We begin Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 9AM - 11AM with "Decompress: What I Learned About Teaching During Covid." It is free to attend and open to ANYONE, even those who are not current CMEA members.

Fall Virtual Music Educators Conference We are also seeking conference session proposals for the 2021 Fall Virtual Music Educators Conference scheduled for Saturday, September 18, 2021 via Zoom. Those interested may apply to be a conference session presenter by filling out this form: Session Proposal Form All proposals due via the above form by: Friday, July 9, 2021. Those selected to present at the conference will receive complimentary admission to the entire conference. All presenters may attend the conference free of charge. Wishing all music educators across the state a restful summer!!!

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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/educatorsCAMEA2

Ten Tips for a Successful All-State Jazz Ensemble Audition

by Barb Shinaver, California Alliance for Jazz Help guide your students to a successful audition for the All-State Vocal and Big Band Jazz Ensembles The California Alliance for Jazz is here to help all music educators teach the language and performance of jazz to their students. Join CAJ today! https://www.cajazz.org/join 1. Begin preparing for the audition as soon as possible. The materials and instructions are posted NOW on the CAJ website https://www.cajazz.org/honor-groups.

2. Make sure both you and your students know what is expected by thoroughly reading the directions for individual instruments. Rhythm section requirements are fairly independent from the horns. Certain chairs have specialized etudes, such as high school bass trombone or lead trumpet.

3. Encourage your students to listen to many different versions of the standard for the current cycle so they can begin to learn the tune. Jazz standards are best learned by transcribing the melody by ear from a professional recording. Starting in the summer allows for plenty of time to complete this process, and also to research the tune to become familiar with multiple recordings and approaches. While the standard performance of the required tune is acceptable to submit (i.e., Aebersold tracks), listening to how different artists play the melody will positively enhance your student’s approach to the tune.

4. Encourage your students to dive into the chord changes so that their improvisation can communicate their understanding of the harmonic rhythm. Often, it is quite obvious when listening to solos whether the performer truly “knows” the tune. There are many resources online that can show you various approaches on how to learn the melody, know the root motion, spell various patterns over chords, build vocabulary, transcribing professional recordings, or to begin jazz improvisation. Here is an excellent article by Maria Schneider: "How to Improvise When You Lack Confidence."

5. Check in with your student at least monthly to monitor their progress on the etudes and standard. There are many details (articulation, stylistic considerations in rhythm, execution, dynamics, etc.) to demonstrate mastery of the material. Playing with good time and feeling the “space” with good time in the rests are two of the biggest indicators as to whether or not the student is prepared.

6. Make sure your students can perform the chromatic scale in a way that demonstrates proficiency throughout the range of the instrument. Make sure your student takes the scale just as seriously as the rest of the audition material as ultimately it is a reflection on the student’s command of their instrument.

7. Aid your student in discovering multiple approaches to practicing. An excellent technique is for the musician to record themselves throughout the preparation process so that the final recording session is not the first recording of this content.

Determine what the final recording setup might be and produce mock recordings months in advance.

8. Encourage your students to seek feedback from you, but also from private instructors or professionals in your area as well. If your student doesn’t currently take private lessons, it is possible to produce a successful audition recording, but connecting them with someone who will further assist in preparing their audition in a specialized manner may inspire your student to pursue further studies.

9. Schedule your final recording session at least two weeks prior to the December deadline. Murphy’s Law says “Whatever can go wrong, WILL go wrong” and this is especially true in recording sessions.

10. These guidelines and suggestions also apply to All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble auditionees. Be sure to read instructions, begin preparations early, identify the elements needed for your audition and seek help from qualified private voice coaches for frequent feedback.

Please share these suggestions with your students, as ultimately the choice is theirs as to whether or not they will prepare to the level necessary to best set themselves up for success. In my experience, I have found that most students learn the best lessons on preparation when they start early and do more than they normally would have otherwise done. Typically, the results will work out in their favor and in the very least improve their personal musicianship and sense of responsibility in preparing ANYTHING by reading instructions carefully, starting early, revising and seeking guidance on their performance, and following through to a successful completion.

Best of luck to you and your students and we hope to listen to many more submissions this upcoming year!

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Moving On to a "New Normal" CCDA Update

by Christopher Peterson, Ph.D.

President, California Choral Directors Association Professor of Choral Music Education, Cal State Fullerton

A

s I start my two-year term as CCDA President, I am (as I bet you still are) a bit shell-shocked from the past year and a half. We all did our utmost to keep music alive for our students across the state, and I hope you experienced some successes among the challenges. COVID-19 and a world-wide pandemic was the last thing we expected to happen, and it was the worst possible scenario for our benevolent art form. As we begin our transition to a postCOVID world, I want to thank every music teacher in our state for hanging in there and doing their best during this challenging time.

I also want to thank Jeffrey Benson, CCDA Past President, for his steady and inspiring leadership during these isolating, virtual times.

I am excited and optimistic to start a new school year with some semblance of normality, music making in person, and possibilities for new growth and collaborations across our musical disciplines.

The CCDA Board of Directors and staff members remain committed to championing policies and practices of equity that empower diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) in choral music throughout our state. We recently announced our new CCDA Choral Equity Scholarship to benefit BIPOC (Black and Indigenous people of color) and/or underrepresented California choral directors. Additionally, our CCDA DEIA committee has created a social justice resources page on our website that includes recommended articles, repertoire, advocacy, webinars, podcasts, and diversity and social justice music organizations/ensembles in the United States. You can find this page HERE: www.calcda.org/ resources/social-justice/

Last summer we had a surprisingly successful virtual summer event, so this summer we are holding a “CCDA Summer Choral Summit 2.0.” Our headliner will be Dr. Judy Bowers, Professor Emerita in the College of Music at Florida State University. The dates are July 26-27, 2021 and the cost is only $25 for professional educators and it’s FREE for students! Registration is already open, and CCDA / ACDA Membership is not required to participate.

We fully expect to return to our in-person summer ECCO conference in Oakhurst, CA next July 31–August 3, 2022, and we are also working to finalize upcoming honor choir events as well.

Finally, I want to say how excited I am to be leading CCDA for the next two years. As a former CMEA Board member and a thirty-year music educator, I sense an incredible opportunity for positive connection, communication, and cooperation between CCDA and our partner organizations: CMEA, CBDA, CAJ, SCVA, and CODA. We have strong and collaborative leaders in all of these groups, and together we can do amazing things for the students in our state through the power of transformative musical experiences.

As we chart this path to a “new normal,” I want to extend my gratitude to every person reading this for all you do to change lives through music.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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Getting to Know our Fullerton Union High School Tri-M Chapter

by Troy Trimble, CMEA Tri-M Representative

Fullerton Union High School Tri-M Chapter Officers

Troy Trimble Chapter Advisor

Esther Liu President

Elistein Estrada Vice President

L

et me start by acknowledging that in recent CMEA Magazine articles we have been seeing and hearing from Collegiate NAfME Chapters from across California thank you, Anne Fennell, for doing this! After talking with our current CMEA President and President-Elect, we decided that it is now time to do the same for our wonderful Tri-M Chapters across the state. Our Tri-M chapters are lead by the absolute best music students and they are doing so many great things that many of us may not be aware of. It is my goal to have this quarterly highlight to be inspirational and to give other Tri-M chapters ideas on how to move ahead to do the best at their school sites.

I am excited to begin “at home” and present the student officers of chapter #7054 at Fullerton Union High School. Our chapter was established in 2014 after a conversation between former CMEA President Scott Hedgecock and myself about expanding the opportunities for the music students at our high school. Tri-M is such a natural bridge between all the music ensembles and students between the Vocal and Instrumental Music Programs and has really found its identity over the past three years with the great student leaders we have been blessed with. They have really taken on the idea of service and creating opportunities for our students to create and perform music in the community while being good advocates for music in our schools. I could not be a prouder Tri-M advisor, especially after such a trying year!

Meet the Tri-M Chapter #7054 Officers

Chelsea Yun Secretary

Samantha Dennis Treasurer

Isabel Van Wye Historian/Social Media

My name is Esther Liu and I am the President of Tri-M Music Honor Society and a member of the Academy of the Arts (Instrumental Music pathway) at Fullerton Union High School.

I have been playing the oboe for seven wonderful years, and I am currently the principal oboist of the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra and oboist in Fullerton Union High School’s Jazz Ensemble.

My name is Elistein Estrada and I am a part of the Instrumental Music Program at Fullerton Union High School. I play trumpet in the Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, and was Drum Major for the Marching Band.

My name is Chelsea Yun, and I am the Secretary of the Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter #7054, a member of the Academy of the Arts program at Fullerton Union High School (FUHS) focusing on Jazz Studies, the pianist of the Jazz Ensemble at FUHS, and a keyboardist at The Cause Church in Brea. I started playing piano in kindergarten and transitioned out of classical piano and began studying jazz piano in high school; additionally, I’ve been learning about music production since April 2020.

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My name is Samantha Dennis and I am the Treasurer of the Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter #7054. I am a member of the Choral and Vocal Music Program, as well as the Academy of the Arts Vocal pathway. I am currently President of the Choral and Vocal Music Program, a member of Fullerton Union High School’s Vocal Ensemble, as well as a soprano section leader for the group.

Chapter Officer Reflections Why did you decide to participate in music in high school?

As a little girl, I watched my older sister take part in music ensembles in middle and high school. Upon witnessing the fond friendships she made in her symphony and hearing the fluttering sound of her flute and piccolo, I knew that I had to follow in her footsteps and enroll in music classes at school. I needed a way to expand my repertoire of music—so that I was not only studying the solo oboe—and experience the rich challenges of creating music with other musicians. -Esther Liu, President I decided to participate in music having prior experience in elementary and middle school. I enjoyed playing and thought, why not just keep playing? Once I was performing, I knew I made the right choice. -Elistein Estrada, Vice President I decided to participate in music in high school not only because I wanted to continue music after playing in my school’s band from 5th to 8th grade, but also because I was already deeply immersed in the music world for so much of my life with piano and wanted to continue growing as a musician. I thought joining the jazz ensemble would help me to expand my range of musical skill and creativity since I was only playing classical music and playing exactly what was written on the sheet music. -Chelsea Yun, Secretary I joined choir in junior high because I was already involved in some community theater shows and had been taking private voice lessons for some time. I had a desire to enter into choral music and was involved in choir starting in 6th grade. I participated in the Junior High Honor Choir program and decided I wanted to continue to be involved in choir in high school. -Samantha Dennis, Treasurer

What made you want to become a student leader in the Fullerton Union HS Tri-M Chapter?

If you knew that you could make the true emotional impact of music known to both musicians and non-musicians, why wouldn’t you grasp that opportunity? To so many people who have not understood how music uplifts, inspires, and provokes, they regard music as unnecessary. As a student leader, I grasped my chance and demonstrated the power of music to the members and local areas of need. -Esther Liu, President I wanted to be a leader in a club that held much merit across the nation. I’ve heard of the NHS, but this was more my field since it was music related and I felt I had a chance at the board. -Elistein Estrada, Vice President

Specifically in the Fullerton Union HS Tri-M Chapter, I wanted to be a leader because I wanted to have a say in how the club was run. I had a desire to come up with service projects, performance opportunities, and other ways to spread music awareness in our school and community. -Samantha Dennis, Treasurer

Why is the Tri-M Music Honor Society important to you?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 15.4 million students enrolled in high school in fall of 2020. Of those 15.4 million, I can guarantee that there are millions of student musicians, too. Given that Tri-M Music Honor Society is the only national honor society for student musicians in the country, this organization plays a critical role in pushing musicians to realize the significance of merging music and service, while maintaining academic scholarship and judicious character.

Within my own chapter, there is tremendous value in making the “smaller” difference within the club body, so that members will leave high school with a natural and influential yearning to serve the world with their musical talents. -Esther Liu, President This club is important to me because it’s where the most committed and talented people flock to. I knew that if I joined this club I would be surrounded by some top notch people and having a chance to lead them was just an even bigger bonus. Tri-M made me feel like my skills in music aren’t for nothing like some people have told me before. I felt like I was making a difference in my community. -Elistein Estrada, Vice President The Tri-M Music Honor Society is important to me because it allows students who are involved in their school’s choral or instrumental programs to further their love for music in a service aspect. It allows music students to be involved in an honor-level club that challenges them to share their love for music within their school and community in unique ways. -Samantha Dennis, Treasurer

What special events did you take part in that you enjoyed and what skills did you learn from these?

I was in charge of communicating with retirement homes and donors for special video performances that we would send. I learned about networking with other people and using them to try to create a relationship that will last. -Elistein Estrada, Vice President One of my favorite events that I participated in was Music in Our School's Month. Although this is not one specific event, I greatly enjoyed preparing musical trivia and fun facts to share with my peers over the loudspeaker, creating posters to be hung up around campus for students to see, and having one of our old pianos out in the quad during break for anyone to play. These were special moments that our club shared in which the outcome was more students hearing about Tri-M and music as a whole. I loved being able to organize these different events throughout the month and truly sharing our love of music with the student body.

-Samantha Dennis, Treasurer

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How will your work or role in this chapter affect you as you move on to the next stage of life?

Transferring my Tri-M experiences to university, I wish to continue performing at concerts for local businesses and retirement homes, playing in my church’s orchestra at various events, and speaking to government officials about supporting funds for music education. At university, I have the goals of urging an existing orchestra to perform at local primary and secondary schools to promote increased music involvement in future generations. I hope to join similar organizations to Tri-M and exhibit how music is much greater than notes on paper: Through the steady progress of student musicians and strengthening of peer relationships, I hope to showcase music’s capacity to foster a comforting, supportive space for people of all backgrounds. -Esther Liu, President My role in this chapter will affect me as I move onto the next stage of life because it taught me both about how much of an impact music can have on other people as well as developing my leadership skills. -Chelsea Yun, Secretary My work as treasurer will prepare me for college and my future career, as I plan to pursue a degree in accounting. Working with money already has shown me that I enjoy this aspect of a business and I will continue to use the skills I’ve developed as Tri-M Treasurer, such as organization and attention to detail, in the future.

-Samantha Dennis, Treasurer

What are you excited about and most proud of in this year’s work within the chapter?

I am super proud of how well we were able to communicate to our club and being able to create opportunities for them to complete their requirements for the year. -Elistein Estrada, Vice President I am most proud of this year’s consistency despite working through virtual and hybrid learning. Our Tri-M members were still able to complete their service hours and projects, albeit digitally, this year and we were able to host an induction ceremony to honor new, continuing, and graduating members. As a whole, we conducted virtual club meetings, collaborative virtual projects with other chapters, and still spread our love for music even though we could not meet in person to make music together. -Samantha Dennis, Treasurer

What challenges did you deal with within the chapter, given Covid 19, and how did you work around these challenges?

The inability to perform together and host public performances in person. What first appeared as a challenge, however, allowed us officers to realize how much we could accomplish through virtual performances where distance is the least of our worries. Now, we can easily compile videos of student performances (We even

collaborated with Northwood High School’s MUSE Club!) and dedicate a virtual concert to people who need a reminder that there is someone thinking of them even during quarantine, such as the senior citizens in Morningside of Fullerton (Fullerton, CA) and Atria Golden Creek (Irvine, CA). -Esther Liu, President We made it our goal to have this year as forgiving as possible given our circumstances. That said, we also made it our goal to make sure our members wouldn’t have an excuse to not complete their requirements since it is an Honor Society. -Elistein Estrada, Vice President One challenge we dealt with within our chapter this year was finding service project opportunities for our members to complete.

Fortunately, we were able to connect with the retirement homes of Morningside of Fullerton and Northwood High School’s MUSE program (Irvine, CA) on two separate occasions to put together a virtual concert for those in the retirement home and the Atria Golden Creek Senior Center, respectively. -Chelsea Yun, Secretary

What is one goal you’d like to accomplish or did accomplish with this chapter?

Although I will be starting university this fall, I have one goal for the chapter and next year’s officers: to go international. Just think of the many overseas countries we could collaborate with virtually! Even though we may speak different languages, we will still be bound to the universal language of music. After all, music collaborations are like conversations; it will always benefit us to learn more about those who share similar musical sentiments outside of our immediate circle. -Esther Liu, President One goal I would like to accomplish with this chapter is to expand our outreach. I’d love to become an active role in our nearby community in Fullerton so that they know we are actively striving to make a positive impact in our community through music, and eventually reach out to other chapters in the state, and maybe even out of the state! Who knows what we could accomplish! -Chelsea Yun, Secretary

In terms of music, what are you looking forward to, once you graduate with your degree?

After I graduate with my degree, whether or not I decide to stick with music in college, I am looking forward to continuing to promote programs such as Tri-M to highlight the significant impact music can have on a community, as well as encouraging children and students to play music so this spirit behind the drive of Tri-M members across the nation will never die out. -Chelsea Yun, Secretary

----------------------------------------------------------Follow Fullerton Union HS Tri-M Chapter #7054 on Instagram and on Twitter @fuhstri_m.

If you would like to create a Tri-M Chapter at your school or have any questions about running a chapter, e-mail troyatrimble@ gmail.com and visit https://musichonors.com to learn more.

Summer Issue 2021

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Retired Members Report

by Norm Dea, CMEA Retired Members Representative

Greetings Retirees!

W

hat a year and a half it’s been, certainly one that we’ll never forget! This was probably the most challenging time for music education in recent memory. Music is about rehearsing in a group setting, collaborating, listening, watching, adjusting, and performing with passion from the heart. It’s also about socialization. These are difficult things to do through your computer. The worldwide pandemic has been detrimental to music programs and music making. Many teachers have lost a good number of students due to distance learning.

Hopefully, with the new and amazing vaccines readily available, COVID-19 is on the wane, and live in-person music education can resume this August.

As a retiree who is still active, I can empathize with my colleagues working full time in the field, the task they were given, and more times than not, with very limited direction and resources.

I can attest to you the enormous difficulty with this charge. I personally experienced the frustrations of remote teaching this past school year. I was at Saratoga High School this past fall teaching two periods of Orchestra, covering for a colleague for the semester.

I also supervised student teachers and interns through California State University East Bay. I did both these jobs while sitting in front of my iMac computer utilizing apps like Zoom, GoReact, Google Classroom, Upbeat, and many other online tools. Think about it, rehearsing orchestra virtually on Zoom at Saratoga, and observing student teachers and interns teaching on Zoom, while watching them teach their students on Zoom. Doesn’t this sound like something out of the Twilight Zone? I was thinking back over a year ago when this all started, retirement never looked so good.

I saw many teachers during the pandemic generously helping each other and sharing repertoire that works, technology expertise, and generally supporting each other. You take for granted the sheer convenience of in-person teaching, as it literally takes 200% more effort to do the most mundane tasks. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least. There were also teachers who were utterly frustrated with remote teaching, and some of them retired early at the cost of a lower pension. Who can blame them? After this, I’ll

Norm Dea and Camp Director Jim Mazzaferro at Cazadero Music Camp

Dr. Mallory Thompson and Norm Dea at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago

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certainly not take anything for granted anymore as we move on post-COVID. I do want to commend and applaud the amazing efforts of music educators everywhere in keeping their students engaged with innovative content, offering steady encouragement to the students, and working so hard to keep their programs alive with online performances. Music educators are strong, innovative, and resilient. Bravo!

Final Thoughts: To those of you close to retirement but haven’t pulled the trigger, you may have some questions / thoughts. Let me know of some topics you would like to hear about at CASMEC 2022, or here in the CMEA Magazine. CalSTRS? Retirement finances and planning? How to help mentor colleagues? Let me know and we can start a group dialogue. There is a lot to talk about. Have a great summer as we continue to open up society.

Be positive, be kind, be thankful to the scientists and medical community, get vaccinated, and most importantly, stay safe.

Zoom Concert of the Saratoga Stings with Interim Director Norm Dea

Post-COVID And Beyond: It’s my belief that as the 2020-21 school year draws to a close in the hybrid model, and with the future heavily leaning towards the full reopening of school in the fall, how can retirees help? It starts first by knowing what modifications and accommodations will be made to keep teachers and students safe in the rehearsal environment. Will coaches and mentors be allowed back into the classroom as it was pre-pandemic? When these questions are clarified and answered, then we can talk about the role of interested retirees in more detail. I have spoken to a number of retirees, and they say that they probably won’t be going back to subbing or helping with sectionals and such for safety concerns, which I find totally reasonable. But some retirees will continue to want to help.

This all comes down to personal choices and your personal threshold of how you view and address your personal safety. I believe that retirees can continue to make a difference in the post-COVID music education landscape as helpers, clinicians, adjudicators, and mentors. Stay tuned.

T

he California Orchestra Directors Association is committed to increasing opportunities for students across the state. With that objective in mind, a second Junior High School All-State Orchestra will be added to the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC) in 2022!

Adding a second ensemble at the junior high school level will help ensure that more students are able to be recognized for their musicianship and take part in the All-State experience.

Additionally, a committee of educators, including junior high/middle school specialists have worked to select and/or revise the audition excerpts for this age group.

Updated excerpts and audition materials will be available at codaorchestras.org.

Craig Bryant, composer Jan Van der Roost, and Norm Dea on tour in Salzburg, Austria.

Summer Issue 2021

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Rural Schools: Post-Pandemic Hope

by Judi Scharnberg, CMEA Rural Schools Representative First, a story.

T

en years ago, I had a two-year gig at a private International School in Thailand. As I had previously hosted a Thai AFS exchange teacher from an ‘upcountry public high school,’ she invited me to visit her; (coming to Thailand was a total coincidence). I had a 1500-pound shipping allowance so asked her what she needed. She told me the 2000+ students were all learning English, and she had no books and only one dial-up computer in the school library. I brought a set of discarded Third Grade chapter books from the bus barn; exactly what she needed.

The private school elementary library had several boxes of surplus books; The upcountry school sent a van for me, two American colleagues, and three Thai aides, and the back loaded with books plus donated school supplies. The donation ceremony took place outdoors, with all the students kneeling on the wet concrete, and the books carried one by one onto a huge pile.

That afternoon we held an English language ‘boot camp’ as we sang ‘Do A Deer,’ their favorite American song. Of course, no one understood the play on language in the lyrics. Next, we had them make their own BINGO cards, copying the English words in the square of their choice. Two or three students shared pencils as the school did not provide them, yet every word was perfectly spelled, with beautiful handwriting. Shoes always left at the door.

The next day was a school holiday in honor of the current dynasty of kings. The students were required to attend anyway, so they could clean the school to prepare for the ceremony. Since we were honored guests, we sat in chairs holding our hands up in the prayer-like gesture of respect during the speeches. I noticed there was a group of students with band instruments, quietly kneeling on the concrete in the sun. At the end of the two-hour ceremony, they stood and played the King’s Anthem. It’s a slow piece, and played as well as they could, given that every instrument was out of tune, due to the heat.

The band was all boys. I was getting my exercise jumping to conclusions, but chose to just ask my Thai teacher friend why there were no girls. ‘This is a regional high school,’ she replied. Students are bused in from the area on Monday and go home on Friday.

Some stay with families in town, but the band practices after school.

They sleep on the floor of the band room, so it has to be all boys. It would not be proper for girls to do the same.’

In 2021, the point of my story is one of resilience and creative solutions. It is also one that requires my understanding and acceptance of the unique culture and to not impose my biased judgment.

This past year and a half, we as music teachers have had to be resilient and teach our students to be the same. We have come up with a variety of solutions to teaching music online, outdoors, in-person no-touch no-sing classes, to learn new technology and knit together concerts, student compositions, music theory and history. We have shared our stories, questions and accomplishments in forums and chat rooms. Much of this is antithetical to our desire for the ‘people power’ of ensembles so beautifully typical of music education. Sadly, some administrators have pre-emptively given up on music classes and just re-assigned music teachers to other subjects.

In preparation for this article, Chad Zulinger suggested I read a book, Rural Education in the Twenty-First Century, edited by Schaft and Jackson. The introduction was so dry I thought it would selfignite. But the rest of the book, a collection of essays about identity, the effects of distance and poverty, the challenges of transitioning to higher education, and the ways school communities have sought solutions was fascinating. In particular, the section on ‘Identity’ was a disheartening and damning indictment of how students

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and teachers see themselves as a rural education community. This included the idea that much of the curriculum is, or has been made to seem, irrelevant; forcing the students to leave the culture to go to college or remain within the close-knit community where much of the education was not needed.

My mind went back to Thailand. I hosted the head of the Northeast Region of Thai schools in my Northern CA home for two weeks. He asked me to help him record English words and phrases so the HS students could hear a native speaker. English was required for all HS students but most of them felt they would never interact with tourists or leave home. They were indifferent when it came to learning the language. He was trying to figure out how to make it ‘fun.’

The book’s chapter on ‘Poverty and School Achievement’ by Howley and Howley was particularly relevant to rural schools in California. They conclude that the culture of schools in agricultural communities as more cooperative and egalitarian students have a similar socio-economic status and family values. Schools in primarily resource-extraction communities, such as mining and timber, have at least two sets of ‘classes,’ those who do the extraction and those who are managers. The families regard education in very different ways, and that affects self-perception as well as the perception teachers and administrators have of the students. It is a more competitive, more biased, less cooperative environment.

What does this mean for music programs? How can we foster a curriculum that emphasizes the values of cooperation and equality, those concepts that we have always believed are of great benefit to participation in music -making?

The word ‘ensemble’ comes to mind. In order to keep a steady beat ‘in ensemble,’ even the youngest student has to be aware of the tempo of the music and keeping the beat with the group. This requires a developmental leap, giving up a bit of ‘self ’ to make music with others. Being the fastest is not the same as being the best or being the winner; being the slowest is not the same as being a loser.

Orff ensembles are great vehicles for developing these concepts.

How about the importance of full participation in a group? The value of individual and group creativity, and sharing both process and product? Video ‘publishing’ for the small community?

Advocacy to improve bandwidth and access to the internet so online lessons are possible? Every student who would like to play a band, orchestral, recorder or fretted instrument must have access?

Access to a credentialed music teacher?

The last topic has been a long-standing issue where I work: several small elementary schools (under 180 students K-8) have had sporadic music programs or none at all. Next year we will have an experienced, credentialed music teacher that will go to 5 schools, one per day to teach classroom music plus band and chorus. The curriculum and schedule in each school will be similar. There will be one school that will be the coordinating school for salary and benefits and bill the other schools to create a full-time music position.

When it comes to teaching music in rural schools, we must continue to treasure what we give each student. Our work is of particular significance as we emerge from semi-hibernation over these past 18 months.

GET M ORE

! s s e l for

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HARRISON@NICKRAILMUSIC.COM . 800-649-5354

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Summer Issue 2021

29

Onward and Upward

by Dr. Dennis Siebenaler CMEA Collegiate Representative

As the NAfME website “Summer Study Opportunities” states, “Enrich. Prepare. Engage.”

D

o we feel ready for that yet? After the school year we have all experienced, my impulse is to completely withdraw from anything related to school and education, and escape to the beach, mountains, or desert. Or, just read a fun book for pleasure. Burnout is real. There definitely needs to be a time for recovery, relaxation, and recreation. Even in a typical year, I go through a similar feeling as a result of the final stress of each semester. At some point, after feeling somewhat rested and renewed, it’s time to focus on musical and pedagogical experiences that will prepare me/us for the future of music education, however that looks in this coming year. That might mean practicing a forgotten instrument, connecting again with peers (safely), or rethinking our philosophy of music teaching and learning. What are the important lessons that the pandemic taught us about the value of music education, and what it means to our young people? For me, it will be about moving out of isolation, and reconnecting as a community of learners.

I know some of our collegiate students, discouraged and disheartened by the online, virtual learning environment, struggled to make progress or took a break from the path to their teaching credential. That is totally understandable! The return to school in the fall is looking more certain, and so when we feel up to it, we can begin preparing. That may mean recognizing what we lost during this past year, and making a plan to recover what we need to become successful ‘music persons.’

My advice is to be kind to yourself. Give yourself time to recover, and then begin with the things you feel most passionate about, that give you pleasure. That might mean playing/performing music that is fun and enjoyable, listening to music that has brought you pleasure, or discovering something new that was recommended by a friend or teacher. Making music together is what I look forward to most. It will feel like a new beginning, that we can take advantage of. Onward and upward!

Imagination-Inspired Questions For Music Education

by Michael Albertson, Ed.D., CMEA Innovations Representative

I

n the introduction of her text Releasing the Imagination, education philosopher Maxine Greene (1995) writes, “It is simply not enough for us to reproduce the way things are” (p. 1). As I reflect upon the words of my teacher, I wonder how they might apply to music education in the United States, particularly at the secondary level.

As we conclude this challenging academic year, music educators can reconsider the purposes and curricula of our programs. I lean on the term imagination to pose questions that have the possibility of expanding our school music programs to be more accessible and equitable to all learners:

What if my performing ensemble only performed original student music?

What opportunities to share student work exist outside of winter and spring concerts?

How would eliminating auditions change my music program?

How can I create music spaces that include students with a wide range of previous musical experiences?

Can I create meaningful musical spaces without performing ensembles?

I encourage members of CMEA to reflect on these questions, and to expand upon them. They are not easy, and there are no answers that will work for every educator. I conclude with a podcast recommendation that is challenging the way I think about grading and has me asking: How can I create a grading system that allows for students to learn from their mistakes and work at their own pace?

Harvard EdCast: Grading for Equity

References Anderson, J. (Host). (2019, December 11). Grading for equity (No. 348) [Audio podcast episode]. In Harvard EdCast. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ news/19/12/harvard-edcast-grading-equity Greene, M. (1995). Releasing the imagination: Essays on education, the arts, and social change. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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ALL-STATE SMALL SCHOOL BAND WITH INAUGURAL GUEST CONDUCTOR DR. PETER BOONSHAFT

- FOR HIGH SCHOOLS WITH UNDER 1,200 STUDENTS - AUDITIONS OPEN 9/1/21 AND CLOSE 12/1/21 -PERFORMS AT CASMEC 2022 (2/20-2/23) Audition music can be found at https://cbda.org/all-stateensembles/auditions/ . Any questions can be sent to CASMEC All-State Coordinator Ryan Dirlam at rdirlam@cbda.com

Summer Edition 2021 General Music K-12

by Emma Joleen Schopler

CMEA General Music K-12 Representative

H

ello, everyone. I am Virtual Emma. Half human, half machine. I am a human operating a machine through various online platforms with zero physical contact.

My students see me as I choose to decorate my avatar on Bitmoji. I interact by creating digital classrooms using Google Slides for TK 12 to learn music and become lifelong learners. Does this scenario sound familiar? Has the pandemic reshaped the future of learning forever? Have you been teaching in person and don’t know how to teach online? Or have you been a pioneer in the online learning community and helped others navigate the new terrain? What, if any, were your positive classroom takeaways from the 202021 school year? Please share your experiences with me via email: emmaschopler@gmail.com.

Personally, I felt like a bit of a machine this past year with the majority of my teaching online. Looking forward, I am excited to get back into the classroom teaching music with the Chula Vista Elementary School District and as the Program Director of the Early Years and Outreach Programs at the San Diego Children’s Choir.

For all my wonderful colleagues out there, I am excited to share a list of teacher training courses happening this summer. Please read below for links to professional development opportunities.

The Gordon Institute for Music Learning (GIML) is dedicated to advancing the research in music education pioneered by Dr. Edwin E. Gordon. GIML courses are available online and in person.

Sign up here: https://giml.org/pdlc/summer2021/ 1. Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) - Early Childhood Level 1 2. Kent State University (Kent, OH) - Elementary General Music Level 1 3. State University of New York at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY) Elementary General Music Level I and Instrumental Music Level I - Register here.

4. Early Childhood Music Online 5. Elementary General Music Online 6. Instrumental Music Online 7. Piano Pedagogy Online “My best recommendation to music teachers of the next century is to improvise, improvise, improvise! Get rid of notation.

Learn from music learning theory to teach children to make music without the aid of notation or music theory. Follow religiously the process of the way we learn language.”

-Edwin Elias Gordon 1927 – 2015 The American Orff-Schulwerk Association is a professional organization of educators dedicated to the creative music and movement approach developed by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman.

Teacher courses and workshops in California can be found at these chapters:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Sacramento ORFF San Joaquin Valley ORFF Inland Empire of Southern California ORFF Los Angeles ORFF Northern California ORFF Chapter Orange County ORFF San Diego ORFF

“Since the beginning of time, children have not liked to study. They would much rather play, and if you have their interests at heart, you will let them learn while they play; they will find that what they have mastered is child’s play.”

- Carl Orff 1895 - 1982 The Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) promotes Zoltan Kodály’s concept of “Music for Everyone” through the improvement of music education in schools. OAKE chapters in California to contact for courses and workshops are: 1. Los Angeles: Kodaly Association of Southern California 2. Bakersfield: Kodály Music Educators of Central California 3. Oakland: Northern California Association of Kodály Educators “Let us take our children seriously! Everything else follows from this… only the best is good enough for a child.”

- Zoltan Kodály 1882 - 1967 The Dalcroze Society of America is dedicated to promoting the artistic and pedagogical principles of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze through educational workshops, publications, financial and consultative assistance, and the encouragement of local chapters throughout the United States. Teacher training courses can be found at these locations: 1. New York City 2. Denver, CO 3. New York, NY 4. Scarsdale, NY 5. Bethlehem, PA 6. Cambridge, MA 7. Pittsburgh, PA 8. Winchester, MA “Joy arises in the child the moment their faculties are liberated from any restraint, and they become conscious of their control over them, and they decide on the direction in which that control shall be exercised. The joy is the product of a joint sense of emancipation and responsibility.”

- Jaques Dalcroze 1865- 1950

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CMEA Magazine

Keep What Worked: Music Ed Tech in the Post-COVID Rehearsal

by Jessica Husselstein CMEA Music Technology Representative

For all the effort we put into developing lessons for online learning, we certainly want to continue using the materials that worked. As we move back to full class, in-person rehearsals, here are some ideas to put your new digital skills to use.

Save Time • • • •

Check your Student Information System for a way to print bar-codes. Or, create your own! Scan your students in for faster attendance taking.

Use 'down-the-line' assessment sparingly. FlipGrid will still work for playing tests, and you have the option for quickly video-recording your feedback.

Save time grading DOK-1 assessments.

Try TeacherMade.com to design self-grading worksheets.

Take those results to determine where your students need more instruction.

Reinforce Basics • • • •

New information needs to be introduced SEVEN times before it becomes 'basic knowledge.'

Keep those awesome Google Slides for your bell work and rehearsal order. Want to share yours? Drop a link here!

Try PearDeck for interactive slide shows and EdPuzzle for interactive videos that introduce your in-person class routines and procedures.

Try a TikTok video for short visuals that are easily played back over and over ( and over....)

• • •

information. Quizizz.com will send easy-to-read test results!

Boomcards are awesome for note names, solfege, even basic ear training. Find them on TeachersPayTeachers or make your own.

Use Canva.com for all your communications - there's a template for everything. Educator accounts get access to all the content for free!

Use the free event program templates from Adobe Spark and let your students' creativity go wild.

Keep Creativity However you worked it in, having time for composition was definitely one of the highlights of online learning. Keep it up at every level using Chrome Music Lab, Groove Pizza, Soundtrap and BandLab. If you haven't tried Flat for Docs, it's not too late! Use this to add short musical snippets to any google doc or slide. Flat for Education lets you collaborate on musical scores, and works on all devices.

Last, But Not Least...

OK, I know we never want to see another black square or ceiling fan - but our video conferencing software DOES have some lasting uses. Call a friend and have them give a lesson. Do a performance for a local nursing home. Get those college recruiters over for an introduction and a quick clinic.

You did an amazing job this past year and a half. What worked best for you, and how will you continue to use it?

Repetition for Mastery • •

Go paper free for those skills that need constant repetition.

Kahoot is a great way to introduce and practice new

Summer Issue 2021

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Songwriting as Forward Motion through Creating and Composition in Music Teaching and Learning

by Dr. Lisa A. Crawford CMEA Creating and Composition Representative

E

specially as the past year of a pandemic represents, music educators can move through challenge with great skill.

We have turned to each other for support, we have reinforced our students’ progress every day, and we have the summer now to imagine the coming year ahead back in person!

We have learned a lot. Coupled with the cultural encounters of importantly visible social and racial inequities, writing a song with a social justice theme was used as part of my curriculum throughout the past year. What I found was: • Students are overwhelmingly communicative about their feelings and communicated about depression, anger, sadness, and humor • Students, required to present their songs in class, are able to meet the challenge of working with nerves and selfesteem • Students, while more timid at first, become outspoken about their feelings concerning multiple topics and speak comparatively freely by the end of a class through developing a song and performing it Songwriting can be used for all age groups (elementary, secondary, tertiary and elders) and for many purposes, all up to your selection and purposes. I encourage you to implement songwriting in all of your classes. Articles and books are provided in a short reference list. It is my hope that it will influence your interest in songwriting and composing with your students. I also hope you will share your ideas and students’ work with us.

Text written for a social justice song by 7th grader, Lulu GrierKim during 2020:

First things first, Gotta thank my predecessors Fight like warriors of words tryna make this world better Gangster rappers spittin’ ‘bout guns and gangs, blood and beats Vessels for a way to see, new way to be, Ay yo 2pac, The father of activism rap, Influenced by Shakespeare, no fake here, got it in the bag The first black gangster rap activist, Created a new genre for us to dwell in, Basking in pools of words trying their best to describe the world we live in, Y’all fought like generals on the front lines of the fight for representation, The meaning of, the power in your words gives you reincarnation I think of, the wings of Rehabilitation Like rap music heals the wounds this world created Ain’t got no time for waiting, no time for relaxation Bring the peace now, y’all better stop this hatin' I face the world like it’s an ocean The flow, my words, hear me spit in slow motion I try my best to live by the right notions But this twisted racism got me close to implosion I pray everyday hoping love can lead the way I set an example for the next hoping they see how complex it is The rarities, the scarcities of necessity, The remedy for everything is knowing love is everything Take my hand and we’ll walk to the promised land like our ancestors wildest dreams of diversity and peace, I will fight for our battle in these streets till my words reach their peak and the my successor turns to reach My words will carry on past me like a bird upon its wings Diversity and equality are what we need more than anything Cuz there ain’t no end to this thread of the dead till love rises above and conquers the hate like a mighty dove Drop the mic, that’s the only justice I’ve ever heard of © 2020 Lulu Grier-Kim (used with permission)

Resources Baker, F., & Ballantyne, J. (2012). “You've got to accentuate the positive”: Group songwriting to promote a life of enjoyment, engagement and meaning in aging Australians. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 22(1), 7-24. http://doi:10.1080/08098131.2012.678372 Cantor, J. (2006). Fearless innovation— Songwriting for our lives: Inspiring learners with arts-based practices that support creativity. Multicultural Education, 14(2), 57-64.

Hess, J. (2018). Detroit youth speak back: Rewriting deficit perspectives through songwriting. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 216, 7-30. http://doi:10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.216.0007 Viega, M. (2018). A humanistic understanding of the use of digital technology in therapeutic songwriting. Music Therapy Perspective, 36(2), 152-160. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miy014

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CMEA Magazine

Do You Have An Article to Submit?

Check out Research Sessions at the 2021 July Virtual Conference!

CMEA Magazine Publication Guidelines The CMEA Magazine is accepting article submissions for consideration of publication. Whereas the CMEA Magazine is not specifically a research journal, submissions should be based in professional literature. Articles should be written in a straightforward, conversational style that avoids unnecessary jargon, technical language, and excessive reliance on long quotations from other sources.

Articles should address the needs of the music educators who read the magazine and should not have been previously published elsewhere. Authors should avoid personal asides that are not relevant to the primary topic, as well as content that promotes a person, performing group, institution, or product. Submission of a manuscript implies commitment to publish in the CMEA magazine.

Further information/technical requirements can be found here: https://calmusiced.com/ communication/magazine/ publication-guidelines/ Questions/Submissions should be directed to Chad Zullinger: czullinger@calmusiced.com

Choose from three unique session topics at the end of each day.

View the schedule and register: http://bit.ly/ JulyMusicEdConfSchedule #21virtualconference #musiceducators

Journal of Popular Music Education

CALL FOR PAPERS

Music Technology and Popular Music Education The aim of this issue is to examine music technology as it relates to popular music education writ large. A field unto itself, music technology covers an ever-increasing range of practices and products, and intersects with diverse disciplines. This call for submissions purposely avoids defining music technology to allow authors to contribute their own understandings of this ubiquitous label to popular music education.

For more information, please visit: https://www.intellectbooks.com/asset/57015/1/CfP_JPME__Tech_.pdf Summer Issue 2021

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ENJOY

SUMMER

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CMEA Magazine