The News Magazine of the California Music Educators Association Fall2017 Issue Volume71 Number1
Mixolydian hypate hypaton–paramese
Lydian: parhypate hypaton–trite diezeugmenon
Phrygian lichanos hypaton–paranete diezeugmenon
Dorian hypate meson–nete diezeugmenon
Hypolydian parhypate meson–trite hyperbolaion
Hypophrygian lichanos meson–paranete hyperbolaion
Hypodorian mese–nete hyperbolaion or proslambnomenos–mese
POSTMASTER
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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.
CMEA Administrative Office
Mailing Address: 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230
• President’s Message: Ethos byCMEA President Scott Hedgecock3
• CMEA State Choral Festival Coming in 2018 by Nancy Ludwig, CMEA State Choral Festival Chairperson7
• CMEA Stand Up 4 Music Advocacy Day 2018 by Phil Vallejo, CMEA Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator7
• CCDA’s New Mission Statement: Empowering Choral Musicians by Rob Istad, CMEA CCDA Representative9
• CMEA Central Section News by Bill Wilkinson, CMEA Central Section President11
• Activating the Advocate Within Each Music Educator CMEA Membership Drive 2017–201813
• CMEA Leaders Report on the 2017 NAfME National Assembly and Hill Day by Michael D. Stone, CMEA Immediate Past President, John H. Burn, CMEA President-Elect, and Trish Adams, CMEA Executive Administrator14
• Collaboration: Steps for Success by Angela E. Holmes, M.A.Ed., CMEA Special Learners Representative19
• Higher Education Happenings by Dr. Lawrence F. Stoffel21
• Mission Accomplished: CMEA’s New Urban and Rural Representative by Dr. Lawrence F. Stoffel, Special Representative to the CMEA President23
• Music for All: The Music Immersion Experience Program by Samantha Theisen, CMEA General Music Guest Columnist25
• United States Postal Service Form 3526 Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation28
• Advocacy is All About Personal Relationships: Lessons Learned by Michael D. Stone, CMEA Immediate Past President29
• In Memoriam: John Larrieu by Norman Dea, CMEA Past President33
On the Cover – The recent Great American Eclipse brought to mind “The Music of the Spheres,” the idea that the stars and planets as they travel through space make beautiful music together. In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, the young Lorenzo woos his sweetheart with talk of the stars. This music was thought by the Pythagoreans to be produced by the vibration of the celestial spheres. This music was not usually thought to be literally audible, but a harmonic, mathematical or religious concept. These ideas were popular from ancient Greece to the Renaissance and it affords a glimpse of a universe full of meaning. The Greek scales in the Aristoxenian tradition were mixolydian, lydian, phrygian, dorian, hypolydian, hypophrygian, and hypodorian, and were once identified with known planets of the ancient world.
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Photo Illustration by Allen Petrinka
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IPresident’sMessage
by ScottHedgecock CMEAPresident
am so proud of our organization. At our August board of directors meeting we dealt with many issues that we are facing today, and in each instance your board listened, interacted, and made thoughtful and visionary decisions. CMEA has held a strong set of guiding beliefs for nearly seven decades. Those of us who have the current opportunity to serve in leadership are mere stewards of these beliefs; and only for a brief time. But the decisions we make during these moments can
ethos
noun • the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution.
shape the future. Your CMEA leadership has our long game in mind as we do the work of the organization on your behalf.
While many have been in school for nearly two months now, it is the earlier part of a traditional school year. That brings about the need to outline the upcoming year, hold a membership drive, and make sure that everyone is fully aware of all of the opportunities that are available to them personally and for their students. I’d like to highlight a few of the key things that are going on in CMEA and that you will find in more detail within this issue of the CMEA Magazine
In Memoriam
We lost a pioneer of CMEA this past summer. John Larrieu was a true leader and represented the highest level of the volunteer spirit and servitude. Please see our tribute to him to perhaps learn more about this outstanding man.
Membership Drive
CMEA is partnering with NAfME in a membership drive. Did you know that the biggest single source of income for CMEA comes from membership dues? The more members we have, the more we can commit to our mission goals of leadership, advocacy, membership services, and communication. Please see the membership drive article for more information, and remember that you are the single best instrument through which our membership can grow. A personal, one-to-one outreach from you to a colleague is the ultimate tool in bringing more music educators into the
CMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD
CMEA President Scott Hedgecock shedgecock@calmusiced.com 714 626-3984
CMEA President-Elect John Burn jburn@calmusiced.com 408 522-2541
Interim CMEA Vice President Mario Sebastian mariohsebastian11@gmail.com 916 802-7968
CMEA Secretary
Sandra Lewis slewis@calmusiced.com 408 806-5550
CMEA Immediate Past President
Michael D. Stone meuph@att.net 661 631-4810
CMEA OFFICE
cmea@calmusiced.com
2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 559 587-2632
CMEA World Music Representative Dr. Lily Chen-Hafteck lhafteck@ucla.edu 310 825-4668
only all-encompassing music education association in the state.
National Assembly and Hill Day
Our article on the recent NAfME National Assembly and Hill Day will give you the highlights of this annual event. While it is the leadership of CMEA that has the responsibility to attend and participate, any member of the organization can join the California delegation at National Assembly and Hill Day. Consider being part of the advocacy, policy setting, and fun of National Assembly this coming June 27July 1, 2018.
CMEA Welcomes New Leadership
I am proud to announce that Mario Sebastian has been appointed to the position of interim vice president on our executive board. Mario joined us in August and fulfills the term through April, 2018.
CMEA also welcomes the following new state council representatives for this year:
CMEA Urban and Rural Schools Representative Stacy Harris.
CMEA Higher Education Representa-
tive Dr. Larry Stoffel (returning).
CMEA/SU4M Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator Jeremiah Jacks.
CMEA Retired Representative James Mazzaferro.
Leadership begins at our section levels. If you’d like to be more involved, please contact your section president and ask how you can best serve.
State Choral Festival
Our State Choral Festival returns this year and will be held in the beautiful Musco Center at Chapman University, located in Orange, California. The festival will be held on March 8, 2018.
We remain grateful to World Projects, our premiere sponsor of CMEA festivals, and to J.W. Pepper for their sponsorship and belief that our state festivals should provide students with the opportunity to perform in world-class venues.
Upcoming Events
CASMEC 2018 will be held in San José, CA, from February 15–18, 2018. Remember that this has grown into a fourday conference and there are sessions,
meetings, and events you will want to participate in on Thursday, the very first day.
The second annual Casting a Wider Net will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2018, and will again be hosted by Azusa Pacific University. Join us as we continue to shape the face of music education.
The Stand Up 4 Music Advocacy Day will be held on May 17, 2018, in Sacramento, CA. The membership is welcome to attend and participate in this day of advocacy for music education with our elected state officials.
NAfME Western Division Leadership Seminar will be held from June 12–14, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Current and future leaders of CMEA are encouraged to participate.
National Assembly and Hill Day in Washington, D.C., is June 27-July 1, 2018.
Thank you to all for the work that you continue to do in your classrooms and communities. It remains my pleasure to serve as your president.
-LONNIE STOVER, SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC AT SYCAMORE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN CINCINNATI, OHIO
Photo Credit: Rob Davidson
1947–1949
Clarence Heagy Fresno
1949–1951
Elwyn Schwartz
1951–1953
George F. Barr
1953–1955
Fred Ohlendorf Long Beach
1955–1957
Harold Youngberg Oakland
1957–1960
Joseph W. Landon Fullerton
1960–1962
Douglas Kidd
1962–1964
Gibson Walters San José
1964–1966
Keith D. Snyder Davis
1966–1968
Kenneth D. Owens
1968–1970
Judd Chew Sacramento
1970–1972
Anthony L. Campagna Foster City
1972–1974
Louis Nash La Crescenta
1974–1976
Marlow Earle Lakewood
1976–1978
Mary C. Reed Elk Grove
1978–1980
Henry Avila Monterey
1980–1982
Charles L. Freebern San Diego
1982–1984
David S. Goedecke Stockton
1984–1986
Vivian M. Hofstetter Bakersfield
1986–1988
John L. Larrieu Portola
1988–1990
L. Leroy Roach Walnut Creek
1990–1992
Carolynn A. Lindeman Greenbrae
1992–1994
Bill Adam Roseville
1994–1996
Don Doyle Pasadena
1996–1998
Jay D. Zorn La Crescenta
1998–2000
Dennis L. Johnson Salinas
2000–2002
George DeGraffenreid Fresno
2002–2004
Sam Gronseth Paradise
2004–2006
Rob Klevan Pacific Grove
2006–2008
Cheryl Yee Glass Danville
2008–2010
Jeff Jenkins Chula Vista
2010–2012
Norman Dea Walnut Creek
2012–2014
Russ Sperling San Diego
2014–2016
Michael D. Stone Bakersfield
CMEA
Hall of Fame Award Recipients Honoring Lifetime Achievement in Music Education Award
Dr. Michael Corrigan, 2017; Dr. Edward Harris, 2017; James Mazzaferro, 2017; Dr. Robert Halseth, 2016; Rose Marie Krovoza, 2016; Rick Meyer, 2016; Dale Anderson, 2015; Ann Marie Haney, 2015; Dr. Thomas Lee,2015; Jon Christian, 2014; Orrin Cross, 2013; Gerald E. Anderson, 2012; Gayanne Korkmazian, 2012; Dr. David Whitwell, 2011; Nicholas Angiulo, 2010; Vincent Gomez, 2010; Robert W. Lutt, 2009; Kem F. Martinez, 2009; Carl W. Schafer, 2009; Terry Summa, 2008; Duane Weston, 2008; John Larrieu, 2007; Barbara Cory Black, 2007; Bill Ingram, 2007; Mary Val Marsh, 2007; Carolynn A. Lindeman, 2006; Joe Foster, 2006; Paul Shaghoian, 2006; Frances Benedict, 2005; L. Leroy Roach, 2005; Silvester McElroy, 2005; Jerry Kirkpatrick, 2005; Robert Greenwood, 2004; Arthur Huff, 2004; Lyle Stubson, 2004; Lois Vidt, 2004; John Farr, 2003; Thomas Eagan, 2003; Larry Johnson, 2002; Mary Louise Reilly, 2002; William Hill, 2001; Helynn Manning, 2001; Wesley “Colonel” Moore, 2001; Vivian Hoffstetter, 2000; F. John Pylman, 2000;Lawrence Sutherland, 1999; Chuck Schroeder, 1998; Dean Semple, 1997;Burl Walter Jr., 1996; Jerry Moore, 1994; Mike Pappone, 1992; David Goedecke, 1991; Marlowe Earle, 1987; Arthur Dougherty, 1985; William Burke, 1983; Aubrey Penman, 1981;Steve Connolly, 1979;Howard Swan, 1977; Russell Howland, 1975.
CMEAStateChoralFestivaltobeHeldin2018
by Nancy Ludwig
CMEA State Choral Festival Chairperson
CMEA is excited to announce the return of the Choral State Festival for Spring 2018. This event is to be held on Thursday, March 8, at the Musco Center for the Arts on the beautiful campus of Chapman University in Orange, California. Along with premier sponsor World Projects and also J.W. Pepper, the Musco Center
will provide an essential professional element to this prestigious festival. This state festival will showcase superior choral music education from middle schools and high schools represented throughout the state of California. All ensembles will receive ratings and adjudication from world-class choral experts from the field of music education.
If you have a high school or middle school ensemble that achieved a unanimous superior rating from a CMEA or SCVA festival during the Spring 2017 season, that group is eligible to apply.
Application materials are now available at the CMEA website at: http://www.calmusiced.com /index.php/cmea/statefestivals
Be prepared to provide the following documents and materials along with the completed application:
• pleted.
Application filled out and com-
Provide ratings and scoresheets
• from Spring 2017 CMEA or SCVA festivals.
• forming two contrasting selections representative of high quality repertoire.
A recording of the ensemble per-
The deadline to apply is November 1, 2017. All other details regarding pricing, eligibility, and full application requirements are included in the application information.
CMEAStandUp4MusicAdvocacyDay2018
by PhilVallejo
CMEA Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator
CMEA is excited to announce that it will be holding its seventh annual CMEA SU4M (Stand Up 4 Music) Advocacy Day, on Thursday, May 17, 2018, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, CA.
Part of our SU4M Advocacy Day includes a unique performance opportunity! We will be selecting ensembles, who will be given the opportunity to perform on the west steps of our State Capitol building and in the Capitol Rotunda. As a music educator, I look forward to featuring my students in performances that will create memories to last a lifetime. This event is sure to leave a lasting memory in the minds of our student musicians.
CMEA is looking to feature a variety of ensembles that will represent the diversity of California’s school music programs. If you have an orchestra, a vocal ensemble, steel pan bands, wind ensembles, guitar ensembles, mariachi bands, jazz bands or choirs, electronic music ensemble, percussion ensembles or any other unique ensembles, we would love to consider featuring them at SU4M Advocacy Day.
On May 18, 2017, music students had the opportunity to perform for some of California's legislators and staff. Numerous members of the public and other performing ensembles also turned out to celebrate Music Education in California schools. The events culminated in a noon press conference where students performed our National Anthem and other patriotic selections. The event was hailed as a great success. Our legislators responded
positively to the experience and the activities drew crowds from the surrounding areas who where interested in the beautiful sounds and excited by the event. A special thank you to all those who performed:
Chawanakee Academy Guitar Ensemble, directed by Bill Samuelson.
Clovis North High School String Orchestra, directed by Arthur Howansky.
Winston Churchill Middle School Band, directed by Sonia Takanikos-Erickson.
Clovis East High School Percussion Ensemble, directed by Robert Strong.
Deterding and Cowan Elementary School Choirs, directed by George Dozet.
Hanford West High School Jazz Band, directed by Lisa Butts.
If you are interested in applying for this unique performance opportunity, applications can be found on the CMEA website under the State Festivals page or by clicking here: Capitol Performance Application. Please submit applications with a recording of your ensemble to include two selections, one from this current school year and one from the previous year. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact CMEA at cmea@calmusiced.com.
For more information on California Music Education Advocacy please visit www.standup4music.org.
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CCDA’s
New Mission Statement
EmpoweringChoralMusicians
by Rob Istad
CMEA CCDA Representative
California Choral Directors Association has officially become our own 501c3 organization, and has installed our inaugural board of directors. I thank Lou De La Rosa, Lori Marie Rios, Kathleen Preston and the board of directors (past and present) for their fantastic work laying the foundation of our new organization.
Thanks to the efforts of these wonderful people, CCDA has approved bylaws, legal counsel, professional accounting services, localized insurance, and a solid organizational structure. We’ve created a new budgeting process based on the fiscal year, and have implemented a series of checks and balances to make sure we are annually accountable and on track. I commit to maintain our strong financial foundation, and will continue to clarify our financial budgeting procedures to ensure future success and stability.
Our board of directors has spent many hours visioning and working diligently to bring the finest in choral music to our great state. This summer, we collaborated to write CCDA’s first mission statement. I believe that crafting a beautiful mission statement is essential to successful organizational leadership. A shared mission grounds our organizational priorities and stimulates focused strategies to improve and grow. Our mission statement communicates “what we do” and “what sets us apart” from other organizations. It tells us how we will get where we want to be, and guides our shared purpose and primary objectives. A mission deals with the present and leads to the future. Our collaborative exercise instigated very thoughtful conversation, spirited debate, and ultimately brought us all together around a shared dream. Herewith, I am thrilled to reveal CCDA’s first mission statement:
“California Choral Directors’ Association empowers choral musicians to create transformative experiences for California’s diverse communities.”
If you focus on the surface of the statement, it may seem slightly banal. However, when you closely examine its rhetoric, you will see the powerful words we intentionally inserted into the statement: “empowers,” “create,” “transformative,” “diverse,” and “communities.” When viewed in context, the statement begins to take on more significance; especially when you apply the essence to your own life and career. You see, CCDA’s board believes all members of CCDA have a responsibility to empower one another to transcend the boundaries of modern society to
bring truly transformative, endlessly creative, musical experiences to all of California’s communities. This powerful statement emboldens us to think expansively about diversity, and challenges us to create open spaces for all people. The members of your board will strive to do this in every decision we make, every budget line item we approve, and every program we support. We hope that it will also inspire you to do the same.
We are poised to have an incredible year of professional development events, honor choirs, and networking opportunities together. Dr. Jerry Blackstone headlined our annual summer conference at ECCO, and he was fantastically inspiring. We departed his sessions with renewed passion for our students, singers, and our craft. We also hosted superbly attended regional conferences in September headlined by Craig Hella Johnson at CSU Fullerton and Judy Bowers at CSU East Bay. In addition to the headliner sessions, we offered numerous reading sessions focused on a variety of repertoire and resource areas. More programs are planned for the year. I hope you will encourage your students to audition for our life-changing regional honor choir programs this fall, and help them register for the all-state honor choir experience in February. Make plans to attend our CMEA/CCDA state conference at CASMEC in February and the ACDA Western Division Conference in Pasadena in March. Connecting with your colleagues, learning with friends, and experiencing the inspiring performances with others will feed your soul. I promise.
CCDA has strong visioning plans for the future. I will work with our leadership to create a vision statement and a strategic plan to guide the board during my tenure. We will evaluate every program CCDA offers, and will creatively find ways to make them more engaging, successful and affordable for all. We will exercise financial responsibility, and we will guarantee that we use CCDA’s precious resources to their fullest potential. CCDA is on a roll, and we look forward to becoming the finest choral organization of our kind in the nation. California will continue to lead the way. Have a fantastic year.
•
Rob Istad is the president of CCDA, the director of choral studies at CSU Fullerton, and artistic director of the Pacific Chorale.
GreetingsfromtheCentralSection
by Bill Wilkinson CMEA Central Section President
The CMEA Central Section stretches north to south from Mariposa to Mojave, spanning 26,000 square miles in the center of our great state. Our chief commodity is agriculture, but in my opinion the CMEA Central Section boasts some of state’s finest student musicians, music educators and leaders.
We are proud of the Central Section ensembles selected to participate in CMEA functions. The Central High School Wind Ensemble in Fresno, directed by Leonard Ingrande, and the Edison High School Wind Ensemble in Fresno, directed by Robert Madrid, performed at the CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival on May 12th at the UC Davis Mondavi Center. The following ensembles were selected to perform on the state capitol steps for this year’s Stand Up 4 Music Day on May 18th:
• director.
Chawanakee Academy Guitar Ensemble, Bill Samuelson,
• director.
Clovis North High School Orchestra, Arthur Howansky,
Clovis East High School Percussion Ensemble, Robert
• Strong, director, Hanford West High School Jazz Band “A”, Lisa Butts, di-
• rector.
The Clovis North High School Wind Ensemble had an amazing performance at CASMEC 2017. These student musicians, under the direction of David Lesser, are doing tremendous work and their efforts have granted them an invitation to the prestigious Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference this coming December in Chicago. Congratulations to the students and staff of the Clovis North High School Wind Ensemble for this monumental achievement.
The Central Section had a fairly large number of retirees in 2017. These exceptional educators have all poured decades of passion, enthusiasm, energy and heart into the lives of the students they taught. Please join me in congratulating these fine people on a job well done: Roger Bergman, Peggy Biller, Lisa Butts, Heidi Franklin, Ken Gross, Michael Hipp, Jim Kusserow, Arnold Morrison, Sal Panelli, and Sheri Tipton. The Central Section is in the process of individually honoring each of our retirees with a special recognition for an outstanding career in music education. Unfortunately, Central Section and our state lost some tremendous educators and advocates this past year. Burl Walter Jr. was the legendary director at Reedley High
School for 35 years, building the R.H.S.H. Band to 400 members strong. He taught nearly a half century and touched the lives of many. Mr. Walter passed away in early December. The Bakersfield music community lost a great advocate when Dan McGuire passed away in June. Though Mr. McGuire may not have been an educator, he was a strong advocate of music education. Dan McGuire spent the better part of his career as an award-winning sales rep for St. Louis Music Supply and during his retirement he was a strong supporter and board member of Bakersfield Community Concert Association and was also active in leading local music events and organizing concerts. Leroy Westgate passed away in early July. Mr. Westgate taught in Tulare County Schools for 33 years at Exeter High School, Redwood High School and Green Acres and Divisadero Middle Schools in Visalia. Thousands of students learned how to play their instruments and become young musicians under Leroy’s tutelage. We mourn the loss of these fine men and we celebrate the legacy they left behind.
This past spring Central Section held our executive board biannual elections. We are pleased to welcome:
Steve McKeithen, 1st vice president/festivals (presidentelect). Mr. McKeithen is the associate director of bands, director of the Bulldog Marching Band at Cal State University Fresno.
Dr. Leo Sakomoto, 2nd vice president/publications. Dr. Sakomoto is the director of instrumental studies at California State University Bakersfield.
Dr. Tony Mowrer, secretary (incumbent). Dr. Mowrer is coordinator of music education at CSU Fresno.
Lastly, Justin Adams, treasurer (incumbent). Mr. Adams is the director of bands at Monache High School in Porterville.
In addition to our elected members, I’m pleased to welcome Melchor Carrillo, choral representative. He is the director of choral studies, Redwood High School in Visalia. Kathi Hernandez, Tulare/Kings MEA representative. Ms. Hernandez is the music director at St. Aloysius School in Tulare. Dr. Erik Leung, higher education representative. Dr. Leung is an assistant professor of music at Fresno Pacific University. Marco Mellone, Fresno/Madera MEA representative. He is the director of bands, Edison Computech Middle School in Fresno. Rodney Yokota, orchestra representative. Mr. Yokota is the director of orchestral studies, Redwood High School in Visalia.
Rounding out our CMEA Central Section Board are returning board members Kirk Clague, Rob Bentley, Peggy
Biller, David Green, Michael Hipp, Joe Lizama, Dr. Emily Mason, Walt Crider, and Amanda Isaac. These individuals have a reputation of being very dependable, hard-working with a heart for service. Central Section is fortunate to have these people collectively working on its behalf.
A special thank you to the following board members who have completed their terms and are stepping down from our board: Joe Cargill, Leonard Ingrande, Craig Mashler and Destiney Nutt. We are appreciative of their service and wish them the very best in their future endeavors.
Kirk Clague, CMEA Central Section Immediate Past President, mindfully acknowledged that Central Section was overdue for a strategic five-year plan. During the last year of his term as president, Mr. Clague lead us on the journey through the strategic planning process. With the guidance of Michael D. Stone, our Central Section strategic planning committee met to identify areas of strengths, needs and future growth. Through the analysis we identified that Central Section shall focus on these five areas:
Membership Services.
• Organizational Vitality.
• Communication.
• Leadership.
•
• Advocacy.
Our committee had many key takeaways from this session such as the development of our organization’s mission statement of: “Empowering Educators to Inspire All Students Through Music Education.” This statement will be the engine that drives our areas of focus forward through the coming years.
It was also noted that a rebranding of our section was in order. A new logo was developed and approved by our board. This new design is simple, and easily distinguishes who we are. Rob Bentley, Central Section media representative, updated our website. The new site www.cmeacentral.org allows our educators easy and quick access to all things Central Section.
Lastly, as part of the rebranding efforts, the board also approved to have banners made with the new logo to be displayed at all festivals, meetings and CMEA Central Section events.
Our board acknowledges that an area of strength for our section is our ratings festivals. It is what the Central Section excels at and with this section being so geographically extensive, it serves to bring all respective counties together. Our festival efforts broke new ground last year with the addition of two new festivals in Merced
County. A big thank you to Jon Schmid and Michael Vasquez willing to host CMEA band and jazz band festivals; both were very successful first-time events.
Because of the focus on festivals, the areas of band, choral, orchestra and jazz receive great amounts of attention. However, our board acknowledges through our mission statement that we choose to empower educators to inspire all students through music education, not just those that are ensemble members. With that in mind, we truly wish to increase our efforts in the area of general music and begin to reach students in the classroom. Dr. Emily Mason, Central Section ’s newly appointed general music representative, is already working hard to extend our reach. She has developed the Central Section general music webpage linked to our Central Section website. I’m sure this is only the beginning of her efforts to reach the greater population of students. Dr. Mason’s ambitious attitude is indicative of the spirit of our entire board: a group of individuals united to serve the greater good of educators and student musicians.
I am honored to serve with such great people and am so proud of where Central Section is at present and to know that it is headed in a great direction.
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CMEA Membership Drive 2017–2018
by Ryan Clippinger
CMEA Membership Chairperson with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock
CMEA is partnering with NAfME for our 2017–2018 Membership Drive. This team effort will help to ensure that our efforts have a wide reach, to every music educator in the state.
NAfME’s Role
An e-mail was sent out by NAfME (point of contact number one) to all music educators in California who are not current NAfME/CMEA members. This e-mail carried a message from Scott Hedgecock, CMEA President, encouraging them to join us in our vision:
“...to ensure that all students in California have equal access to high quality instruction in Music as part of a well-rounded Education”- CMEA Strategic Plan 2017–2021
The e-mail contained further information about both the national and state organizations, with a strong focus on our advocacy work both in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, CA.
The multi-tiered membership that is received by joining NAfME was also outlined:
• tion (NAfME)
Largest national and world music education associa-
• Sacramento (CMEA)
State Association who actively advocates for you in
• (CMEA’s nine sections)
Local association who offers events in your area
Each music educator, a prospective member, was asked to answer the call of President Hedgecock to “Activate the Advocate” that lies within them. The link to NAfME’s membership application for this drive also offered an option for prospective members to ask for more information or to be contacted.
A follow-up postcard is going out to all prospects (point of contact number two) at this time, reminding them of their opportunity join.
A final e-mail will be sent by NAfME (point of contact number three) that will again be written by President Hedgecock and will explain in greater detail the workings, events, and opportunities that exist within CMEA at both the state and section levels.
CMEA’s
Role
When a prospective member requests more information and/or contact, CMEA is notified and CMEA Membership Chairperson Ryan Clippinger passes the information along to the appropriate section president. The section then contacts the person directly, engages them in dialogue, and hopefully leads the prospective music educator into membership. Follow-up contacts from both the section president, CMEA President Hedgecock, and Membership Chairperson Ryan Clippinger will help to ensure that the inquiry/interest turns into an active membership.
Once the music educator has become a member they will receive a new member packet from NAfME and also from CMEA directly.
While this is a coordinated membership drive from the national level, all CMEA members are reminded: “You are the single best instrument through which our membership can grow,” said CMEA President Hedgecock.
“A personal, one-to-one outreach from you to a colleague is the ultimate tool in bringing more music educators into the only all-encompassing music education association in the state.”
As CMEA grows, so do our abilities to further our vision and to increase our work in our mission goal areas of leadership, advocacy, membership services, and communication.
Be proud of your organization and share it with your colleagues.
NAfME National Leadership Assembly at Tysons Corner, Virginia: June 28–July 1, 2017 and NAfME Hill Day in Washington, D.C.: June 29, 2017
outstanding week of governance, policy, professional development, and advocacy for music education for all.
Photos by John Burn
In the House Majority Leaders’s Office: Trish Adams, Michael D. Stone, and John Burn.
The California Delegation with NAfME President Denese Odegaard at the conclusion of the 2017 National Assembly: Michael D. Stone, Scott Hedgecock, Trish Adams, Denese Odegaard, Anne Fennell, John Burn, and Russ Sperling. Riley Pate, CMEA Collegiate Representative, also joined us for an
CMEA Leaders on the Speaker’s Balcony: Michael D. Stone, John Burn, and Trish Adams.
The 2017 NAfME National Assembly and Hill Day were a great success. Our passionate California Delegation walked more than ten miles over the course of the day as we advocated for music education on Capitol Hill. Our task was simple: push for the full funding of ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), passed by Congress two years ago.
Our delegation visited numerous offices on June 29, 2017. I’m pleased to report that our voices were heard loud and clear. While healthcare reform was front and center while we were in Washington, D.C., we learned that President Trump’s budget did include much of the intended funding for music education as included in the ESSA law, but that some areas were proposed to be reduced or eliminated. While we heard various approaches to the budget, our overall takeaway was that our representatives valued music education and would support fully funding ESSA as Congress intended. We will continue to follow the actions of our elected representatives.
Hill Day was a busy, productive and enjoyable day. We met with staffers from the offices of Congressman Adam Schiff, whose district includes Hollywood; Congressman Ro Khanna, whose district is where I live and teach and includes much of Silicon Valley; Congressman Lou Correa, whose district includes Disneyland; Congresswoman Susan Davis, from San Diego; Congressman and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy from Bakersfield; and Senator Kamala Harris.
CMEA President-Elect John Burn, CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams, and I were together for several visits throughout the day. We took an informal poll of the numerous staff members who we encountered, and learned that only one out of close to thirty individuals had not been a participant in their school music program. What a powerful tool music education is in developing skills that bring success in life.
NAfME’s National Assembly was a great opportunity to hear from music education leaders from across the nation. Music education is under threat in many states, as the trend seems to be limited resources for music and arts education. We are very fortunate to be going through a period of considerable investment in K–12 education here in California as Governor Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula moves towards full funding levels in 2017–2018. Remember that we must all individually advocate for our students. Music education holds vast bipartisan support at our nation’s capital, but we must press lawmakers to show their support through action, and their votes.
Keep on the good work advocating for strong, systematic music education in your schools and communities. We will succeed one advocate at a time. Michael D. Stone – CMEA Immediate Past President, Western Division Representative/National Association for Music Education Council for Music Program Leaders
At each office we expressed the importance of fully funding ESSA, the Every Student Succeeds Act, a law passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and which stresses the importance of a well-rounded education and clearly names music as part of that well-rounded education.
Some discussions were frank and we learned how passing any budget at all will be difficult given the current divisive climate in Washington, D.C. However, we have begun relationships with the people that inform the decision makers, and they have heard, understand, and agree with us that music should be a part of every American child’s well-rounded education.
John H. Burn – CMEA President-Elect, Music Teacher and Tri-M Advisor, Homestead High School in Cupertino, CA.
As the executive administrator of CMEA, I look forward to the NAfME National Assembly each June as a time of learning, networking, and advocating for music education. The 2017 NAfME National Assembly continued to exceed expectations. For me, the National Assembly includes a state executives meeting. This meeting offers a time of professional development in areas of office, event, and business management. I find this time invaluable as I get to discuss and learn about these topics with others who share the same responsibilities and day-to-day challenges of running a state association office. The personal connections made each year at the National Assembly, connections with other state executives, the state elected leaders, and with the NAfME staff, are priceless. These connections provide a vital network of knowledge and support for the CMEA state office staff, so that we can better serve our members I am looking forward to another great year for California music educators and students.
Trish Adams – CMEA Executive Administrator
CMEA Leaders Heading to Capitol Hill: Michael D. Stone, Russ Sperling, John Burn, Scott Hedgecock, Anne Fennell, Trish Adams, Riley Pate.
Keeping music education in our schools has been important to me since I was able to first pick up an instrument. Now, fifteen years later, it has become a passion and calling for me as I finish my bachelor’s degree in music education at California State University, Los Angeles.
In early June, I was fortunate to receive a sponsorship to attend the National Association for Music Education’s Collegiate Advocacy Summit 2017, which took place later that month from June 27–July 1. When I started packing a day before take-off, I had no idea what to expect. I was excited, grateful, and being a California girl, was also extremely nervous at heading across the country on my own. I figured it would be similar to other conferences I had attended where we simply talked about the various ways music programs have benefited students across the country, while also pitching some of those experiences to Congress along the way.
Though that was a part of the story, I could not have been more wrong about the experience I would have in Washington D.C. I quickly met, and befriended, some of the nicest people in my field with whom I felt completely comfortable exploring our nation’s capital.
After these first adventures, we visited the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) headquarters office to brainstorm and learn about ways in which we could advocate in our towns, states, and nation as a whole, and how to get results from it. At this meeting, I met my advocacy idol, Nicole Worzel, who explained in great detail about grassroots advocacy, and how to be a better voice for students. As the advocacy chair for Rhode Island Music Education Association (RIMEA), she was highly knowledgeable about the topic of advocacy. Her strength and skill shone through as she discussed the needs of music programs and students everywhere. Although there were numerous other speak-
ers that day, and we had productive sessions with representatives from other collegiate regions, much of Worzel’s advice now forms the basis of my own goals and spirit as the collegiate advocacy representative for California Music Educators Association.
I am still trying to fully comprehend the excitement I felt on Thursday, Capitol Hill Day. My team of approximately 117 collegiate colleagues, as well as each state’s MEA leadership, went and visited our individual district representatives on Capitol Hill to talk to them about the importance of maintaining music in our schools. The legislative assistants that we spoke with were some of the nicest, and most receptive people I have ever met, regardless of their political views. Most had been in music programs throughout their own schooling, and all supported our reasons for fully funding the appropriate measures of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Some wanted to support our endeavors, but simply did not know much about the act, and this was where we lent our expertise, by giving them all the facts they needed to know. Though it was an incredibly long day, it proved to be an enormous success, and it has forever changed my life.
Ever since that day I took the chance on music in elementary school, I have been fighting to keep the arts a focus in our school system. Nine years ago, I stood with my dad and a small group of friends outside a Riverside Unified School District board meeting to protest plans to cut, or at the least, completely change the music programs in my home district. Every student deserves a quality education filled with opportunities to thrive, and giving them that right to learn music, be involved in something bigger than themselves, build teamwork and leadership skills, celebrate triumphs and deal with defeats, are all goals that can be attained by involvement with the arts. Students need a creative outlet, and it is so easy to forget
that and cancel art programs at the first sign of budgeting issues, due to the contemporary focus on success in core subject areas. It is imperative that we do not let music and art fade away or become the pawn in attaining a balanced budget. My musical family and I are still fighting this battle today, and we even took that fight to Congress itself, just to show them our continuing level of commitment.
I have not met my students yet, and I have no idea of where I will be teaching when I get a full-time position somewhere, but I am nonetheless sure of one thing: I will love each and every single one of those future students, and I will never stop fighting for their right to have access to quality music programs. That is a promise I make to the world right now, and one which I will keep until the very end.
This fall 2017 semester, I will be completing my recital to obtain my bachelor’s degree, and will then continue on to obtain my master’s degree in education with a specialization in U.S. education in a global context and a California teaching credential. My intent is to one day soon be at the helm of a high school instrumental program, and instill in my students the same love of the arts I have right now. My master's will also aid me in my continuing fight to advocate for such programs, and those future students. Advocacy has become a second calling for me, and though I am completing my final year as the collegiate president for the NAfME chapter at CSULA, I would love to continue my advocacy work with CMEA, even after the end of my collegiate studies. In August, I intend to plan clinician events for our CSULA chapter, as well as a California Hill Day to reach out to our state representatives on this issue. I will also be launching a fundraiser campaign to help more CMEA collegiate members get sponsorships to attend the NAfME Hill Day in 2018. This event has changed my life in the best way possible, and I
want to be able to share that advocacy experience with my peers.
For anyone looking to get involved with music education advocacy, I urge them to please stay as informed and knowledgeable as possible about their state and national level funding measures and propositions. If something is worded oddly or does not make sense, research the proposition and get as much information as you can. Attend community or school concerts in your local area, even if you do not have a personal connection with one of the performers. Students feel so fulfilled and validated when they have an audience, and their families generally feed off their positive energy and work harder themselves to make sure these school programs stay available to them. Finally, reach out to your local, state, and federal leaders. Write straightforward letters about why you feel music education is important and should stay in schools, and why appropriate funding is imperative for its future.
Simple resources like sheet music and instruments, are just two of the many things which cost a great deal of money, and we could really use any and all support to make sure students have what they need to function in these programs. Thank you for reading about my journey so far, and my experiences at Hill Day 2017. Though my career is just beginning, I will continue to tirelessly work in every way I can to help ensure music education stays in our schools and remains strong the entire length of my time in this profession, and beyond. Please get involved, and have fun doing so. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions you might have at rileyelizabethpate@gmail.com, and thank you again.
Riley Pate –CMEA Collegiate Advocacy Officer
Earn more than a music degree in the foothills of the Rockies.
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Work with leaders in the field to develop your talents and refine your passions as you experience The College of Music Advantage.
Apply online at colorado.edu/music
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ACollaboration:StepsforSuccess
by AngelaE.Holmes, M.A.Ed.
CMEA Special Learners Representative
nother school year begins. Your student roster(s) will include the names of students who learn in ways that may be slightly, to very different than most of the students in your class. Before school begins or very soon after the year begins, you should receive a list of the names of students that have been identified as special learners. These students may have either an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan. Some students with an IEP may also have a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) or Individualized Intervention Plan (ITP) as well.
When you discover that a student has been identified as a special learner, that very important piece of information immediately places you into a professional relationship with one or more staff members that extends beyond the typical staff relationship. You automatically become part of a professional team that should engage in an ongoing collaboration designed to ensure the success of students that you share in common. This collaborative relationship meets in the middle between the responsibility of the case carrier to implement and monitor the special education plan, and the music teacher’s ability to successfully deliver music curriculum and subsequent skill development of their students who happen to be special learners.
The following is a “to do” list for your special learners as you begin to develop your lesson plans.
Review your list of special learners for the school year.
• Identify the Special Education category and list the case carrier for each one.
Introduce yourself to the case carrier/special education
• teacher and set up a time when you can meet to review the plans of each student that has been assigned to you. (Note: 504 Plans are sometimes monitored by an Administrator)
are not noted in the plan(s) that the case carrier should be aware of that pertains to your instruction. The special educator may be able to assist you either in your classroom or during special education instruction time with useful insight or strategies. You may be able to share a strategy that is helpful to the student in your class that is helpful in the special education classroom, as well.
Conference with the case carrier. In addition to your
• notes, the case carrier or special education teacher, may have important information about the learning or behavioral goals for the student that were not in the IEP notes, such as the student’s family support system. It is also important for the music teacher to become familiar with strategies the special education teacher(s) is using successfully or strategies to avoid with each student.
Contact with the case carrier should be a regular event. It • is better to make time for informal meetings, such as a scheduled lunch, on a regular basis, than to only meet when a student is in crisis.
Information is key. Make an effort to attend the annual
• IEP meeting even when you have not been invited. Not only is it important to gain additional insight about your students, but as the music teacher, there may be an accommodation need that should be added to the IEP that will benefit the student and the instruction required in your class.
Read the IEP/504 plan. Make notes that apply to your in-
• struction. As you read, you may see areas that you may want to clarify as they apply to music instruction. There may be areas of instruction that need to be considered that
There are so many benefits for the student and the teacher if we can make these suggestions a part of our professional behaviors. Not only will the teacher better comprehend the specific needs of every student, but it provides all the educators involved, general and special, to engage in the collegial exchange of pertinent information focused on student achievement, as well as the ability to know that each professional working with each student has a support system they can rely on as the year progresses. Collegial collaboration benefits all educators, but most especially, the student.
HigherEducation Happenings
A Sampling of the Many Music Education Activities Taking Place on our State’s College and University Campuses by Dr.
LawrenceF.Stoffel
The Whizin Center and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Dr. Noreen Green, Artistic Director, presented Jewish Music Encounters in April. Maestra Noreen Green, concertmaster Mark Kashper and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony String Ensemble presented an extraordinary night of music inspired by significant writings and events: A rare performance of Halil by Leonard Bernstein, featuring
• Israeli flautist Itay Lantner (America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship winner).
Only a Book by Sharon Farber, based on the poem of the
• same title: “This People embarked on a long journey and in its hand... only a book. Thanks to this book, we live.”
Vanguard University
The premiere of Canopy of Peace by Russell Steinberg in-
• spired by meditations by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis (z"l), featuring mezzo-soprano Diana Tash. http://www.aju.edu/default.aspx?id=13992
California Lutheran University
Fifteen students from the music department along with Doc Melton and Scarlet Wu, spent two weeks in Germany and Czech Republic in May. Their tour was in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the group not only performed at several churches and monasteries, but was able to follow the footsteps of Martin Luther from birth to the nailing of the 95 Theses on the doors in Wittenberg. Students spent a few days in home stays while in Germany which was a highlight for many. Midway through their time, 65 members from the St. Andrew’s choir joined, making the performances that much more impactful. https://www.vanguard.edu/about/university-news
The California Lutheran University Choir took its annual Spring Choral Concert to three Midwestern states in March. The choir premiered a girl by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang. Based on an anonymous Yiddish text, he wrote the composition in honor of the 90th birthday of Clara Knopfler, a Holocaust survivor from Thousand Oaks, California. Cal Lutheran’s Clara Knopfler Jewish Leadership Scholarship was named in honor of her contributions to Jewish life on campus and peace among all people.
Included in the eclectic program was Statements, a unique a cappella work composed for women’s voices by the Danish modernist minimalist composer Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, who died in 2016. The Kingsmen and Regals Quartets sang close harmony a cappella arrangements. Several vocalists doubled as instrumentalists accompanying the choir on violin, trumpet and percussion. The major work on the program was Gloria by French composer Francis Poulenc.
Wyant Morton, director of choral activities at Cal Lutheran, conducted. The choir is the premier choral ensemble at Cal Lutheran. While dedicated to performing works that represent the university’s Lutheran heritage, it also embraces innovative new music and pieces expressing multicultural perspectives.
https://www.callutheran.edu/news//
Fresno Pacific University
The Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers (CFAMC) will hold its national conference on October 5–7, 2017 at Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, California. Proposals were solicited in four categories: Works intended for traditional concert performance;1 Recorded works (complete, partial or in progress) that could2 be shared and discussed during a Peer Feedback Session; Films with original music in DVD format;3 Panel Discussion Topics.4
Located throughout the United States and abroad, CFAMC members are professional and academic composers (faculty and students), avocational composers, church musicians interested in art music, and other individuals who support the CFAMC mission and want to be involved in our activities. Among these, CFAMC is pleased include a number of Honorary Members, including composer James MacMillan and musician/theologian Jeremy Begbie. http://cfamc.org/conferences
Concordia University Irvine
The Concert Handbells, conducted by Dr. Herb Geisler, was invited by audition to perform a one-hour evening concert at the National Seminar of the Handbell Musicians of America in July, 2017. It was one of seven ensembles performing evening and daytime events, and the only school or university ensemble selected.
This spring, Loyola Marymount’s Department of Music in the College of Communication and Fine Arts began a collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic to benefit underserved music students. In the first visit of what promises to be an expanding level of involvement, music faculty members Ken Aiso, Aaron Smith and Tania Fleischer took string and percussion music students over to the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) participants at HOLA (Heart of Los Angeles), one of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s celebrated after-school music education programs. The group performed a thirty-minute recital for about fifty middle school and high school YOLA students, teachers and staff.
“The goal of performing for the Youth Orchestra was to introduce the LMU Music Program to the students at YOLA at HOLA and begin the process of building a strong relationship with them, in which we can learn how best to support the excellent work they are already doing,” said Dr. Fleischer. “For our students, it gave them an additional performance opportunity in an alternative setting, and in the future, will provide those who are interested in pursuing music education with a valuable and professionalizing experience.”
Located in the Rampart District, YOLA at HOLA serves hundreds of students with intensive after-school orchestral instruction five days a week. The LA Phil and its community partners provide free instruments, intensive music training, and academic support to students from underserved neighborhoods, empowering them to become vital citizens, leaders, and agents of change. Classes include music creativity, singing and solfège, ensemble rehearsals, and an hour of academic tutoring daily.
http://cfanews.lmu.edu/yola-2017/
If you have an item for a future “Higher Education Happenings” column, please e-mail your item (in 200 words or less) to Larry Stoffel at stoffel@csun.edu. Submissions will be included on a first-come/space-available basis. This column contains items received by submission as well as from culling the Internet.
Mission Accomplished
CMEA’sNewUrbanandRuralRepresentative
by Dr. Lawrence F. Stoffel
Special Representative to the CMEA President
We are pleased to announce Scott Hedgecock’s appointment of Stacy Harris to the newly-created CMEA Urban and Rural Representative position on the CMEA Council of Representatives. This appointment is the culminating achievement following a four-year effort to better CMEA’s ability to serve specifically those music educators in California who teach in urban and rural school districts. Here is a summary report of the events leading up to the creation of this new position.
Over the past four years CMEA sponsored sessions at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC) targeted to music educators who teach in urban school districts. The panelists at these well-attended sessions included teachers and administrators from urban school districts throughout California. These elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and visual and performing arts coordinators shared their success stories about vibrant choral, instrumental, and general music programs. These panelists also gave practical and innovative advice to attendees at each of the session’s question-and-answer segments. In all, six sessions were presented:
CASMEC 2014
• CASMEC 2015
Teaching Music in the Urban Setting: Success Stories.
• Music Program Administration, Budgets, and Operations in the Urban School.
Teaching Music in the Urban Setting: Success Stories Session #1:
• Music Curriculum and Instruction in the Urban School.
Teaching Music in the Urban Setting: Success Stories Session #2:
CASMEC 2016
• Choir, Orchestra, Band, and Beyond.
Teaching Music in the Urban Setting: Success Stories Session #1:
• Bolster Your Budget with LCAP and LCFF.
Teaching Music in the Urban Setting: Success Stories Session #2:
CASMEC 2017
Teaching Music in Inner City Los Angeles.
Several teachers and administrators served as panelists at these sessions:
Kristine Alexander (California Arts Project).
• Darnella Davidson (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Robert Eisenhart (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Desiree Fowler (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Yolanda Gardea (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Wilber Ibarra (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Roxanne Jeppesen (Burbank Unified School District)
• Allan Kristensen (Fresno Unified School District)
• Allison McKay (Ventura Unified School District)
• Justin Milota (Bakersfield City School District)
• Linda Mouradian (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Phil Rydeen (Oakland Unified School District)
• Mark Santos (Santa Ana Unified School District)
• Sandy Seufert (California Alliance for Arts Education)
• Lisa Smith (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Michael Stone (Bakersfield City School District)
• Steve Venz (Orange County Department of Education)
• Julie West (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• Anthony White (Los Angeles Unified School District)
• The response from attendees at these initial urban-focused sessions revealed that a significant population within CMEA was seeking professional development specific to their teaching locales. From these CASMEC sessions, it was made clear that:
Students at urban schools are deserving of1 quality, sequential, curriculum-based music instruction, but in many such districts this is not being provided;
Music educators teaching in urban school2 districts contend with added and unique challenges;
Many urban music educators have become3 disenfranchised;
Many urban music educators believe that4 CMEA does not or cannot provide the professional services that urban music teachers and their students are needing; and
Music teachers in rural districts experience5 many of the same sorts of challenges that are found in urban schools.
Simply stated, these CASMEC sessions confirmed that music educators in urban and rural school districts contend with compounded problems and challenges in order to deliver quality music instruction. As CMEA President Scott Hedgecock communicated a year into his term of office: “Urban and rural schools have many unique challenges, and we know that their individual needs are quite diverse from each other. But they have one distinct commonality: they do not share in the privilege of suburban schools.”
At the CMEA State Council meeting on February 11, 2016, a recommendation was made that CMEA address the special needs facing music educators and their students in urban and rural schools. President Hedgecock since stated that the creation of an urban and rural schools representative be added to the CMEA Council of Representatives during his 2016–2018 term.
He has also stated: “The goal is to identify schools that are outside of our traditional music program realm, who have schoolwide challenges that are uniquely different than most suburban schools. It is our goal to reach out to those music educators and let them know that CMEA and NAfME are for them and their unique needs. Being included in our mission and vision statements, we will be living up to those statements as we work to provide greater access for all students to music education programs in California.”
President Hedgecock subsequently asked me to serve in a special assignment to prepare for the creation of this new
state representative position. A plan was implemented to explore how CMEA could best address the needs of urban and rural music educators. Communication with the CMEA membership at large was done primarily through articles in the CMEA Magazine
Three articles/news items were published in consecutive issues of the CMEA Magazine:
“A Call on Behalf of Music Educators
• Teaching in Urban and Rural School Districts” (Summer 2016 issue)
“Seeking CMEA Representation for
• Those Who Teach Music in Urban and Rural School Districts” (Fall 2016 issue)
cerns and challenges that had been expressed by CMEA members over the previous three years at the urban-focused CASMEC sessions.
The three-year exploratory and investigative period culminated with an open meeting at the 2017 CASMEC in San José which allowed anyone the opportunity to share ideas and thoughts about the needs of urban and rural teachers and how CMEA may assist in those efforts. This meeting was attended by twenty teachers and administrators, with equal representation of both urban and rural locales.
“An Invitation” (Conference 2017 issue)
• In order to learn what work is being done in the arena of teaching music in urban schools elsewhere, the president, president-elect, and executive director from each of the fifty other NAfME federated state associations were contacted.
Using a simple survey, they were asked: “Does your state music educators’ organization have an urban school representative, or perhaps a similar type of position? And if so, what are the responsibilities/duties of this position?”
The results from the survey revealed that CMEA is on the forefront in our efforts to create a new urban and rural schools representative position: No other state reported having a specific urban school representative.
In anticipation of CASMEC 2017, a selective bibliography of pertinent publications was assembled. This bibliography was published in the Fall 2016 issue of the CMEA Magazine. These books and articles corroborated the fundamental con-
At this meeting, five CMEA members were nominated for the Urban and Rural Representative position from whom Scott Hedgecock appointed Stacy Harris. Ms. Harris will serve in this new position for the coming 2017–2018 year. (Please see her introductory message below.)
I am grateful to Scott Hedgecock, and CMEA past-presidents Russ Sperling and Michael D. Stone. Their support for urban and rural music students and teachers made possible this new dimension of CMEA’s professional endeavors. I am also grateful to Stacy Harris and her willingness to serve in the new urban and rural representative position.
May all of our efforts –on behalf of urban and rural students –be successful in achieving “our goal to reach out to those music educators and let them know that CMEA and NAfME are for them and their unique needs. Being included in our mission and vision statements, we will be living up to those statements as we work to provide greater access for all students to music education programs in California.”
Stacy Harris CMEA Urban and Rural Representative
“Greetings fellow CMEA members. I am both excited and humbled to have been appointed as the first CMEA Urban and Rural Representative. Addressing the needs of music educators in these settings is a subject near and dear to my heart as I begin my fifteenth year with the Garden Grove Unified School District, a large urban district in Orange County where I currently serve as the coordinator of visual and performing arts.
“I am eager to continue the work that has been started by President Hedgecock and Dr. Stoffel and am thankful for this opportunity to serve our association. By thoughtfully addressing the unique needs of our teachers in urban and rural settings, we can continue to strive for equity and access for all students in California.”
TheMusicImmersionExperienceProgram
In California, where weekly access to music education in public schools is most often the exception rather than the rule, such a thing seems like an impossible dream. And yet, as guest general music
columnist Samantha Theisen writes, there is one California school district where daily instruction in music for all students is being offered. Samantha Theisen is the Music Immersion Experience Program Coordinator at Roosevelt Elementary School in San Gabriel, California. She is responsible for program design, implementation, and maintaining quality.
A music educator of more than twenty years, she also currently serves on the board of CMEA Southwestern Section. She can be reached at Theisen_s@sgusd.k12.ca.us.
Every afternoon, the bell rings for students at Roosevelt Elementary School in San Gabriel, California, signaling the end of the traditional school day and the start of the music program. Depending on which day of the week and grade level, the signal means it’s time to get their instrument, or to line up for choir, or to go to percussion class. Even Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and kinder classes have a daily general music class taught by a specialist. For all 400 students at this public, not-acharter elementary school, every day is music day, the music curriculum is comprehensive, every student is automatically enrolled, and it’s free.
After more than a year of discussion and research (including visiting the Boston Conservatory Lab Charter School in Boston), the Music Immersion Experience (MIE) Program was rolled out in August of 2015 for grades TK through three. The program was created to provide support to students in an effort to close the achievement gap between Roosevelt and higher performing elementary schools in the San Gabriel Unified School district. The impetus for the MIE program came from then superintendent, Dr. David Yoshihara, who was inspired by the positive results of El Sistema programs throughout the country, recently published sci-
Daily Music Instruction
Music for All:
by Samantha Theisen
CMEA General Music Guest Columnist
Third graders in the Roosevelt Elementary MIE program are taught mallet and classroom protocol while being introduced to the Orff xylophones and metallophones.
entific research, and witnessing the impact music study was having on his own children. Through the continued and unwavering support of current Superintendent Dr. John Pappalardo, Principal Cheryl Labanaro Wilson, and the SGUSD Leadership, 2017–2018 will mark the second year of full implementation for grades TK through fifth. The program is funded through LCFF supplemental and concentration funds.
Design and Structure
The MIE program consists of a “fundamental period,” which every student is automatically enrolled in, and an “elective period,” which students in the second through fifth grade can optionally participate in. For the fundamental period, students in TK/K receive daily general music instruction consisting of standards-aligned curriculum that incorporates both Orff and Kodály methodologies. Students in first through third grades study violin three hours per week, and have one hour each of choir and percussion/rhythm class. Students in fourth and fifth grades can choose a woodwind, brass, or string instrument. They receive three small ensemble lessons, one differentiated rotation class, one choir class and one large ensemble class (concert band or orchestra) for a total of six hours of fundamental music instruction per week.
Probably the most unique element of the MIE Program is the full-time position of music Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA). Jennifer Trujillo, a former middle school music director, fulfills this ever evolving position with the goal of providing a link between what the students are learning in music classes with what they study in general education. She does this by collaborating with classroom teachers to create integrated music lessons, and Project Based Learning Units that support student learning in English language arts, mathematics, and social studies, and also by working with the MIE resident artists to maintain a consistent thread of musical/academic concepts throughout all music classes. Mrs. Trujillo also teaches general music to special education students in Roo-
sevelt’s Special Day Class and has seen some remarkable results.
In addition to the fundamental music period, students in the second through fifth grades can choose to participate in Electives which include Emerging Ensembles such as guitar, ukulele, keyboard, show choir, chamber music, dance, hand bell choir, pre-band (recorder), jazz, rock band, and more. New this coming year is mariachi band, which adds an exciting element of diversity to our program.
Roosevelt puts on annual winter and spring concerts, plus an annual “Unity Festival” which features all of our emerging ensembles as well as outside groups in the community. There are many other casual opportunities for student performances throughout the year as well.
There are nineteen resident artists and three assistants currently on the MIE staff. They are assigned to teach classes according to their individual skill set. All have degrees, with over half being a masters or doctorate in music. Some MIE resident artists have single subject music credentials or are pursuing one. Several have completed Orff, Kodály, or Suzuki certification or are working toward completion. Others are highly accomplished career performers with educational backgrounds. The MIE Resident Artists are not independent contractors. All of them work together as a team to develop curriculum and instruction under the guidance of both the MIE coordinator, and music TOSA, both of whom are credentialed, full time music educators. They are evaluated similarly to a classroom teacher, with an adapted rubric.
Results
One of the first signs that the MIE program was having a positive impact on the climate and culture of the school came in the form of a text message sent by a third grade classroom teacher while on the bus with 62 students on a field trip. Her message said the kids had been happily singing songs in unison the entire hour ride there, a highly unusual occurrence. At the end of last year, surveys were given to parents and stu-
dents. 82 percent of the students answered “Very” or “Pretty true” to the statement: “Going to music class has helped me to be more confident.” Seventy-two percent agreed that: “Music classes have increased my desire to come to school this year.” To the statement: “I have seen an improvement in my child’s attitude toward school because of their participation in music,” 81 percent of parents responded affirmatively. Eighty-three percent responded with: “Very,” or “A little true,” to “I have seen an improvement in my child’s self-confidence because of their participation in music.”
And 75 percent of parents agreed to the statement: “I have seen an improvement in my child’s behavior at home because of their participation in music.”
The favorite student quote of the year, as voted on by MIE staff and earned a place on the T-shirt design, came from fourth grade clarinetist Giovanni who said: “Music has helped me to believe in myself.”
These results have so far translated to a 7 percent enrollment increase this year. And last May, Roosevelt Elementary School was honored to receive a “SupportMusic Merit Award” from the NAMM Foundation, in recognition of “Outstanding Support of Music Education.”
The San Gabriel Unified School District is in the process of putting together both the above qualitative and quantitative results to be publicly presented and published in October. Thus far, there has been a significant uptick in attendance rates at Roosevelt Elementary since 2015, and preliminary standardized test score results show overall positive growth.
“Music Makes People”
We all know that making music is a satisfying activity (the kids certainly know this), and scientific studies (Tierney, 2017, Kraus, 2014) show links between music and brain growth. But music teachers must also passionately advocate the virtues of music education. Character building is first and foremost, of course, but there’s also enhanced so-
cial emotional learning, critical thinking, creativity, language acquisition, habitual high achievement, focus and listening, and let’s not leave out the all-important communication skills (VH1: Save the Music, 2015).
Despite all of the evidence of music’s
value to children, many educational leaders still set the bar low for their school’s music programs. It is our challenge as educators and advocates to assist in creating a uniform definition of “quality” and “comprehensive” music education that is aligned with its true potential. It is
through the support and sharing of the results of programs like MIE that provide live demonstration of what is possible, that the bar may be universally raised for all.
For more information about the Music Immersion Experience Program, visit www.musicimmersionexperience.org
• References
Kraus, H. S. (2014). “Engagement in community music classes sparks neuroplasticity and language development in children from disadvantaged backgrounds.” Frontiers in Psychology.
Tierney, W.-S. M. (2017). “Individual differences in rhythmic skills: links with neural consistency and linguistic ability.” Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
VH1: Save the Music. (2015, February 24). “Why Music? Benefits to the Brain.” ttp://www.vh1savethemusic.org/ why-music/benefits-to-the-brain
Matthew Allen, an MIE resident artist, teaches the parts of the violin to his first grade paper orchestra sectional class. They are preparing for a performance, where afterward they will transition to playing actual violins.
The Roosevelt Elementary School fifth grade choir performs during the annual Music Immersion Experience Program Spring Concert on May 24, 2017.
any years ago while serving as CMEA Central Section President, I remember visiting a local school board meeting in my hometown of Bakersfield. I had been invited by the school’s music teacher to speak in opposition to impending cuts to the music program. Our community has two large K–8 school districts, a mega-sized (grades 9–12) high school district with more than twenty high schools, and numerous elementary (grades K–8) districts. The school board meeting where I was invited to speak was that of a small, rural district, with all students at one school site, typical in our county of small farming communities.
I learned from the district’s only music teacher that his job was being eliminated. I let him know that I was happy to come speak to the school board about the value of music education, and communicate how wrong it would be to eliminate such a vital subject in the school curriculum. Surely, I believed, budgets could be reworked to save the music teacher’s position and ensure that music education continued for the students.
music was eliminated. I had failed.
After giving my speech, I learned that I didn’t have a clear picture of the situation in this small community. You see, after I spoke, parents confided in me outside of the meeting hall that the teacher who was losing his job had been struggling, and some even said that losing the music teacher would be better than keeping him. The words were harsh, but heartfelt and honest.
Wow, how I had missed the boat!
Whether or not the teacher in question was effective or not, it was clear to me that he had failed to develop crucial relationships with administrators, parents, and fellow teachers in his community, all of whom are fundamental stakeholders when building and supporting a music program. And, when push came to shove, folks felt it better to eliminate the music program rather than to keep what they perceived to be a poor one. The music teacher in this
“We must build relationships, make plans, take action, and put students at the forefront of all decision making...”
As an enthusiastic, passionate, young, and very idealistic music educator, I prepared a fiery speech which was direct, articulate, filled with research, and nonapologetic towards the elected board members, none of whom I knew. After my heartfelt speech, I was applauded by the small audience of parents, community members, and teachers in attendance. None of the board members seemed to like my speech much, and the superintendent looked a bit dismayed.
As the evening played out, I found that I had much to learn about music education advocacy. First of all, I did not understand that all advocacy is local. Outsiders cannot effectively influence local decision makers since they have no significant relationships in the community. My speech fell on deaf ears that evening as the governing board voted to eliminate the music teacher’s position before the night was over. I was very upset, primarily because I had worked hard to positively impact this situation for children, but had gotten nowhere. When everyone left the school board meeting that evening,
situation clearly had failed to invest in the people in his community by developing positive and dynamic relationships with all stakeholders: the students, parents, colleagues, and community members. Regardless of what I might have said that evening, music education was going to be eliminated for the following year. Relationships matter, and they are significant in keeping music education in our schools.
Reflecting back on this experience I now know that my approach was not the path to competent advocacy. Today I understand that advocates must have strong relationships within their community making it possible to effectively influence decision makers. Advocacy is the responsibility of each individual music educator. Relationships are based upon trust, and trust is a key ingredient in creating change and having influence. Lastly, advocates must have a clear understanding of all the variables in a given situation. I was somewhat blind-sided when I visited that board meeting years ago. I didn’t have a clear picture of the situation.
Flash forward to the spring of 2015. I work professionally as the Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator in Bakersfield’s largest elementary school district, Bakersfield City Schools. I received a phone call from Mr. Justin
Milota, one of our outstanding music teachers in the district.
First, a little about Mr. Milota. He is a lifelong learner, a deeply passionate music educator, and a man who is dedicated to his students and their families. There is no “I” or “me” with Mr. Milota, only “we” or “us.” I first met Justin when he was hired as a first-year teacher at Stiern Middle School about eight years ago. He was a graduate of the outstanding music education preparatory program at UCLA. The music program at Stiern Middle school was floundering back then, and under Mr. Milota’s leadership, it has grown into one of the biggest and most dynamic in Bakersfield. When he started at the school, he was the only music teacher. This fall, Mr. Milota will be one of three music teachers at the school.
How did this happen?
Justin Milota’s effective teaching was only part of the reason for his success in expanding music education at Stiern Middle School. Yes, he is an effective and exemplary teacher. It is always easier to advocate for something that is of high quality. But, when it comes to Mr. Milota’s successes in expanding music education at his school, positive professional relationships are front and center. Let me share a couple of stories.
Relationship #1
Mr. Milota came to me in the spring of 2015 when his program was overflowing with students. His class load was just huge, more than 250. He had felt like he was shortchanging his choir class, due to the fact that it had to be scheduled after school due to an already impacted instrumental music schedule. Additionally, Mr. Milota was primarily an instrumental music teacher. He had started a choir class because there was nobody else available to teach it unless he stepped up to the plate. Mr. Milota believed it was time for a choral specialist to build the vocal music program.
Interestingly, I had been working on the idea of choral music specialist teachers for some time, rather than the paradigm that then existed in the district of one music teacher per school teaching instrumental and choral music. I had even written a memorandum and was waiting for the right time to bring it forward to my boss and the superintendent. Because of our positive working relationship over eight years, and the great work Justin did with our students, I trusted that he was right –this was the time to go and advocate for
the additional choral positions not only at Stiern Middle School, but for all the district junior high and middle schools. By the way, never once did Mr. Milota talk about how things impacted him, only his students. Key to successful advocacy is always putting the students first, and the adults second. This is a must.
Justin was my catalyst in knowing it was the right time to take forward my proposal for choral specialist teachers. I trusted him, and respected him for his vision, which we both shared. A couple days later, I had my opportunity.
The district’s honor concert was on a warm May evening in downtown Bakersfield. For several years the district’s honor choir had been declining in participation and performance quality, primarily due to the district’s elimination of choral music teachers many years earlier. Our instrumental music teachers were doing their best teaching vocal music, but many were self-avowed fish out of water, teaching in an area where they didn’t have strong pedagogical expertise.
Relationship #2
Dr. Robert Arias, our very adept superintendent, walked into the convention center for the concert that evening. As an administrator, I have always operated from that vantage point that there is an unwritten rule that you never bring a problem to the superintendent, especially without a solution. You take it to your boss, then he/she can choose to move the issue forward to the superintendent when/if appropriate. That’s the correct protocol in things of this sort. However, if the superintendent asks you for something, then the door is open. That night I mentioned to Dr. Arias that the district honor choir was the smallest in many years. He asked: “Why is that, Mike?” That question was my chance to have a short conversation about how the district had eliminated choral specialists many years prior, and that our choral students were being taught by instrumental music teachers who lacked the skill and expertise necessary to build a strong choral program. I continued by stating that my number one current priority for the music program was to create itinerant choral music teachers who could serve our children at the junior high and middle school level and correct this situation. I explained that these teacher positions could provide access to many children who are not interested in playing musical instruments, but deeply want a creative outlet in the school curriculum. Dr. Arias said: “Mike, give me
a written analysis of our discussion and provide me with recommendations, by the end of the week.” I indicated that I would. At the same time, Local Control Funding Formula had come to California schools that spring, and our district was about a month away from submitting its plan to the state. This was an opportunity to utilize new funding for music education.
My relationship with Dr. Arias, built over the past three years, provided the opportunity to identify a problem and provide a clear solution. This “ask” could not have happened in the previous three years, before I had developed a professional relationship with the superintendent. It’s important to note that I had never before asked Dr. Arias directly for anything to improve the music program. I had truly waited to ask for something significant. Dr. Arias, I believe, considered this request very thoughtfully since it was framed around serving our children, not adults. And, funding was now available. Timing is everything.
A week later, I had formally proposed creating four new vocal music specialist teacher positions to serve nine schools. It was a sensible, cost-effective plan, and would provide music class access to more than six hundred students in the first year of implementation. I had even done a school-by-school analysis demonstrating that there were adequate numbers of students to fill the newly-expanded choir elective classes. After a thorough review process I answered detailed questions about specific program implementation, created the budget, and addressed minor concerns put forth.
A month later, the board of education approved the district’s LCAP (i.e., Local Control Accountability Plan) which included four new vocal music teacher positions positively impacting student course access to the educational program, one of the state’s eight priorities for the LCAP. Budget was provided for choral risers, pianos, as well as music and other curriculum materials.
My point of sharing this story is that none of this advocacy success story would have been possible if it were not for relationships between people who trusted one another to act in the best interest of students.
Mr. Milota had identified a problem within his school, and the result was a solution that went much further than one classroom. His proposal grew into a larger
plan to provide vocal music specialist teachers to serve all nine junior high and middle schools in the District. The result was that hundreds of our children now receive a new, rigorous choral music program with close to 1,000 students served.
Relationship #3
This past December, Mr. Milota contacted me to ask that I come to the school to join him and his principal, Ms. Julie Short, for a meeting about music scheduling.
Julie Short is a former visual arts teacher, and an experienced principal in our large district of more than 30,000 students. I have always respected Ms. Short, primarily because she has taken the time to develop a trusting, professional relationship with me. I hold her in high regards, and we have mutual respect for one another.
I let Mr. Milota know that I would be happy to attend the meeting, and something was scheduled for the next week.
That afternoon, Principal Short and I
sat down with Mr. Milota as he succinctly outlined a proposal which would provide English Language Learner students (ELL’s) at his school access to an elective period, something that was not currently possible. The oral presentation he did for us was about six minutes long, and included a clear, simple, written outline. His proposal format was outstanding, providing clarity and succinct communication. Throughout the presentation, Ms. Short and I asked questions and offered minor suggestions regarding the proposal. In essence, Mr. Milota proposed adding a zero-period physical education (P.E.) class so that students in the ELL (English Language Learners) Program could have an elective class period. About 150 ELL students who were currently unable to access an elective period would be eligible for elective participation if his plan was adopted. Some of the additional electives created would be taught by teachers already assigned to the school who have credentials that allow them to teach multiple subjects. Project Lead the Way (PLTW), visual arts, and other courses could be offered. The icing on the cake was that the proposal would also require an additional instrumental music teacher, likely a string specialist teacher, who would teach the additional students in the growing instrumental music program. Instrumental music enrollment was estimated to be approximately 400 for 2017–2018, too high
Kern County Music Educators Association (KCMEA) President Amanda Isaac presents Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) music teacher Justin Milota with the KCMEA Outstanding Orchestra Director Award on May 15, 2017 at the BCSD Honor Concert.
for Mr. Milota to handle by himself. So, not only would ELL’s benefit from the plan, but the music program would grow as well with an additional instrumental music teacher position created.
After our meeting, Principal Short and I agreed that Mr. Milota’s plan was solid. We would take the final proposal forward to the district for consideration. There were many potential barriers to making this work, but we were all three committed to giving it a shot, since it was all about providing more students access to music education and other elective classes. That was good for kids.
Who would teach the P.E.? What were the contractual obligations? The plan relied upon a scenario where other students at the school would have only six periods, but the ELL’s and any students in music who wanted to take two electives could take these until all the P.E classes met capacity. These students would receive seven periods. How would students be transported to and from school? The plan evolved into providing an after-school P.E. class, rather than one zero-period, due to transportation scheduling.
By May, Principal Short, Mr. Milota, and I had not gotten any movement on the request for Mr. Milota’s plan. But, we hadn’t gotten a “no” either. In administrative circles, not receiving a response is usually good news. Administrators are busy people, and sometimes delay just means that other pokers are in the fire, and theirs may be hotter than ours. I must add that Principal Short was the true advocate for this plan since it would so wonderfully impact her students. She was a strong advocate for showing all stakeholders that her school needed this new expanded electives model. She met with her boss, other administrators, and school site personnel several times while the plan was being considered.
Finally, shortly before the school year ended in June, some six months after Mr. Milota initially presented his plan, Principal Short got word that the proposal was approved by the superintendent’s cabinet as an innovative, effective way to provide additional access to ELL students, and even expand other electives like music, Project Lead the Way, and visual arts.
Essentially, Principal Short’s professional relationships with Mr. Milota and administrators at the district level made it possible for the plan to be approved. It was a win for our students and was supported by district leaders because of Ms. Short’s
key relationships with decision-makers. What was once a dream just three years earlier, was now reality, with three music teachers serving a student population that previously had but one. Furthermore, all of this good work happened because a single music teacher communicated his vision to administrators at his school site and the district. He clearly communicated the good impact for students, and the end result included providing elective access to virtually all students at a large, urban middle school, where many had previously been denied said access.
None of this success would have been possible without Mr. Milota having positive and deep relationships with his principal, school site faculty, district-office administrators, his students, and the parent community.
Relationships, Kids First
You see, we all make our own bed in which we lie, so to speak. We must not hope for things to happen. Hope is not a strategy. We must do things.
We must build relationships, make plans, take action, and put students at the forefront of all decision making. It can never be about the adults. If we keep our students at the forefront of all decisions, we will find advocates along the way who share in our vision and who will help us fulfill our goals.
I am sure that the model to increase elective class access at Stiern Middle School will be replicated throughout the school district over time. It just makes sense for children.
Conclusion
I want to conclude this article by sharing an observation made a couple of years ago when CMEA brought on lobbyist Lynne Faulks. It was swearing-in day at the California State Capitol, a festive occasion where newly-elected legislators open their offices, and the public moves from office to office giving congratulations and offering support for our elected officials.
Lynne told me that very little business was conducted on this day, but that the format was one of celebration. As we walked through the building, I was fascinated with all the conversations. Lynne seemed to know everybody, or be connected to someone who knew someone. She introduced me to so many folks in the capitol building. That day, Lynne and I were the face of music education, and CMEA. I immediately observed that
Lynne had established meaningful relationships with numerous people at the capitol during her years working as an advocate for various organizations. Specifically, I remember Lynne taking me onto the floor of the state assembly with Rick Simpson, chief adviser to the assembly speaker. Lynne and Rick are good friends, and Lynne had been at Rick’s daughter’s wedding, years earlier. Professionally, Mr. Simpson is an economist, and has had profound impact on the governor’s budget for many years. Rick’s friendship with Lynne over time helped her successfully maneuver the halls of the California State Capitol as she laid the ground work for the CMEA-sponsored bill to instigate the process to create new state standards in the visual and performing arts. Rick and other individuals in the building couldn’t help but support CMEA in its work, because they trusted our advocate, Lynne Faulks. My point is that Lynne successfully modeled good relationships that day we visited Sacramento. It solidified my belief that it’s all about relationships. What goes around comes around. Influence is about trust; trust allows for change. Whether advocating at Stiern Middle School or the California State Capitol, relationships are at the center of success. How are your relationships in your school community? Do you invest time in getting to know the people in your school community? It’s a challenge, as we are all facing deadlines and professional obligation, spinning numerous plates. But, taking the time to build long-term relationships with people will benefit your students over time.
As your CMEA immediate past president, I share this story of advocacy work to inspire each of you to take charge of great ideas for your students. Never think that anything sensible is impossible. I can’t think of a single administrator I work with who entered the field not wanting to change students’ lives. Build relationships, interact with people using the highest level of integrity, and see the good work multiply. And, lastly, plant yourself where you can have significant time to develop meaningful relationships within your school community. Avoid the idea that the grass is greener at the next school yard. You must invest in people, and that takes time. New growth can sprout just about anywhere.
Have a wonderful school year.
Jin memoriam
John Larrieu July 24, 1938 –June 20, 2017
ohn Larrieu was born on July 24, 1938 in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. He’s the second child of seven children, and he attended Elmwood Elementary and High School. He graduated in 1956 and immediately joined the United States Air Force. After boot camp, he was a tuba player in the Fifth United States Air Force Band, and served in Tokyo, Japan.
He began his college education as a pharmacy major at Chaffey College in the Los Angeles area, and after one semester changed his major to music. After two years at Chaffey College, he went on to San José State College during his final two years and studied under legendary band director Dr. Vernon Read, before receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1964 majoring in tuba. He also later earned a master’s degree in humanities from Southern Oregon College in 1970.
His teaching career began in September 1964 in Etna, California and where he taught for six years. After that, he taught for one year at San Lorenzo Valley High School. Then from 1970 through 1998, he taught music (as a one-man music department, band and choir) at Portola Junior and Senior High School in Portola, California. While at Portola, he built a very fine program and was admired and beloved by the students and community.
As a musician, he played the string bass in the Reno Pops Orchestra, was associate conductor, and served as the president of their board of directors. He also played for three years in a country and western band called the Sierra Countrymen.
After retiring from teaching in 1998, he got interested in Portola city politics. He ran for city council on name recognition alone, and won the election. He has served multiple terms as a city councilman and has been mayor several times.
He has been deeply involved with service to our profession, and he is a longtime member, supporter, and friend of CMEA and CBDA, he has served as president of the CMEA Northern Section, and as their festival chairman, and has served with distinction as president of CMEA, and after that as their exhibit coordinator, equipment chairman, and finally as executive director. He has also served as the elected chairman of the National Association of State Managers for the fifty state MEA organizations in NAfME. He has exemplary people skills, the patience of a saint, and the good humor required while serving on the CMEA State Executive Board. No job was too big or too small for him, and he gladly and generously gave of his personal time to the profession.
Music and his students have always come first after family. His father died three days before a music festival. He and his family drove to Palm Springs on a Wednesday to be with relatives. On Thursday, his mother told him to fly back to Reno, stay overnight, rent a car, and go to Truckee for the music festival. He had “good performance times” assigned to his groups that year – one just before and one right after lunch. After the festival, he drives back to Reno and flies back out to Palm Springs that very evening. The funeral was on Saturday. And like the good son that he was, he did just what his mother said. The bands received straight superior ratings that year, but with family on his mind he didn’t remember how the groups sounded. His late father had his own dance band when he was growing up in Wisconsin, so his family, five sisters and one brother, knew the “golden rule of musicians,” and that is... “The Show Must Go On.”
This icon of California music education has been honored time and time again, including the CMEA President’s Award, the CBDA Don Schmeer Friend of Music Award, the CMEA Hall of Fame Award, and was named a Lowell Mason Fellow (the highest national honor possible) by NAf ME. In 2014, John was the recipient of the CBDA Lifetime Achievement Award (Dave Goedecke Award), and the first ever recipient of the CMEA Lifetime Achievement Award. What an incredible man, and we acknowledge his dedicated service for the advancement of music education in California and beyond. It was definitely my honor to serve with him, and we will never forget him.
