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POSTMASTER
CMEA Magazine (ISSN 1099–6710) is published quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) by CMEA.
Mailing Address: 9923 Hirondelle Lane, Tujunga, CA 91042–2605. Periodical postage paid at Tujunga, CA and at additional mailing offices.
Subscription price of $4.00 is included in the CMEA annual dues. Non-member subscription rate is $12.00 per year. Single copies are $3.00
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CMEA Magazine, 9923 Hirondelle Lane, Tujunga, CA 91042–2605
CMEA Magazine
Art Director/Business Manager: Allen Petrinka
Mailing Address: 9923 Hirondelle Lane Tujunga, CA 91042–2605
Voice: 818 353–3356
E-mail: cmeamagazine@dslextreme.com
Rates and advertising information available at: www.calmusiced.com
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
Th e News M agazine of th e California Mu sic E ducators Association
CONTENTS
• President’s Message: CommUNITY byCMEA President Scott Hedgecock3
• California State PTA
Sample Social Media Posts on the Importance of Arts Education6
• create/CA
Declaration of the Rights of Students to Equity in Arts Learning 7
• Vice President’s Message:The Power of Unity by Diana Hollinger, CMEA Vice President9
• CD and the CASMEC Collaboration by Adam R, Wilke, California Band Directors Association President11
• The Good and the Bad When Playing Unison by Bill Ingram13
• Teaching Music Composition by Dr. Lisa A. Crawford, CMEA Creating and Composition Representative15
• Parents as Partners by Angela E. Holmes, M.A.Ed, CMEA Special Learners Representative19
• CASMEC 2017 Research Poster Session by Ruth Brittin, CMEA Research Representative20
• Elementary Music Performance Spotlight by Coralie Prince, CMEA Elementary Representative22
• CASMEC Collegiate Sessions by Dr. Dennis Siebenaler, CMEA Collegiate Representative23
• Summer Wind Conducting Workshops in California by Emily Moss, CMEA Higher Education Representative25
• Higher Education Happenings by Dr. Lawrence F. Stoffel27
• Large Ensemble Festivals Update by Nancy Ludwig and Keith Johnson, CMEA State Festival Chairpersons28
• CMEA State Award Winners CMEA Gala Awards Banquet at CASMEC29
On the Cover – Photos in the sidebar descending: Trombonist in rehearsal with the CASMEC All-State Junior High School Jazz Band; The Living Colors Lab in the BioDesign Studio in The Tech: The Museum of Innovation in San José where visitors can combine different quantities of color-encoding genes and insert them into synthetic DNA to produce new colors. An example of these new colors is at the top of the cover; Violinist in rehearsal with the CASMEC All-State High School Symphony Orchestra; Clarinetists in rehearsal with the CASMEC All-State Junior High School Concert Band; Violinist in rehearsal with the CASMEC All-State High School Symphony Orchestra; The Bella Voce Presentation High School Women’s Choir under the direction of Emilie Bertram in performance at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in downtown San José.
Portraits of instrumentalists by Kirby Fong. Choir photo by Allen Petrinka
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President’sMessage CommUNITY
by ScottHedgecock CMEAPresident
a: agreement in design or plan : union formed by mutual communication of opinion and views.
Concerts are a huge part of our lives. We are involved in more of them in a single year of our work than many people ever attend in their entire lives. Sad, but true. But there is more to the concept of being “in concert,” as the definition above indicates. CMEA works in concert in many ways: within our own organizational structure between our various leadership structures, with outside entities that make many decisions that have strong effects on music education (our advocacy work), and within the greater scope of music education itself in our work between all organizations that sponsor, promote, and exist for the benefit of music and arts education.
CMEA is the lead organization for the Stand Up 4 Music Coalition, uniting a dozen music education organizations in advocacy work. CMEA is part of the CASMEC Advisory Council, a newly formed “in name” organization to help guide the future of our state conference, and CMEA works with many other organizations and entities throughout the state and nationally to promote the value and importance of music education and the making of music by and for all.
Here in California we have a plethora of music and arts education organizations. But we also have numerous other organizations that CMEA works with in various relationships. While this may seem like more of the “administrivia” work of CMEA, I believe that it is important for all members to know just what goes on at the executive level of CMEA and how connected we truly are throughout the state.
CMEA is one of the quartet of organizations which make up the Four Arts Education Organizations Coalition, known as the 4ArtsEdOrgs. The membership of this coalition includes the presidents and president-elects of the California Art Education Association (CAEA), the California
Continued on page five...
CMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD
CMEA President Scott Hedgecock shedgecock@calmusiced.com 714 626-3984
CMEA President-Elect John Burn jburn@calmusiced.com 408 522-2541
CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger dhollinger@calmusiced.com 408 924-4631
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
E-mail: cmea@calmusiced.com 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 559 587-2632
CMEA Urban/Rural Schools Representative Dr. Lawerence F. Stoffel stoffel@csun.edu 818 677-3160
CMEA World Music Representative Dr. Lily Chen-Hafteck lhafteck@ucla.edu 310 825-4668
CMEA State Council
Dance Education Association (CDEA), the California Educational Theater Association (CETA), and CMEA. Together these organizational leaders discuss policy, legislation, and issues that directly relate to our work in Arts Education. The 4ArtsEdOrgs meets monthly via teleconferencing, and also attend numerous other events together. Collaboration is at the core of our work as we know that all of Arts Education needs to bond together within the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) realm. At last year’s SU4M Advocacy Day in Sacramento, the presidents of the other three organizations sat on the dais and spoke during our noontime press conference. Other interactions have occurred between the organizations over the past year and will continue to do so.
maintain connections between California’s arts educators and other experts in arts and culture to increase access to quality arts education and improve the quality of arts education.
CMEA is at the core of that work along with the other three members of the 4ArtsEdOrgs.
CMEA is a member of the policy council and sits on the legislative committee for the California Alliance for Arts Education. CAAE, or the Alliance…“advocates for high quality arts education for all students by providing policy expertise and by mobilizing a statewide network of advocates and allied partners.” Additionally, the Alliance helps to provide a vital link and
CMEA and the PTA
Thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding, CMEA had a presence at the California State PTA Conference in San José on April 28–30, 2017, joining thousands of PTA parent-volunteer advocates and leaders along with educators and community leaders to address education, health and community issues affecting our state’s kids and families.
Another organization that works to bring together many areas of arts education and the arts community is create CA. create CA... “is a coalition of dedicated and innovative leaders who understand that together we have the power to create lasting change for every California student. Our mission is to ensure all students are able to reach their full potential by advancing an education model that promotes creativity and the arts for the 21st century workforce.” They have worked to partner with numerous entities to bring about change, tools, and future directions for arts education including the “Blueprint for Creative Schools,” the initiatives “Creativity at the Core” and the “Arts Education Data Project.”
CMEA also shares a Memo of Understanding with the California Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and is working to find equal connections with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA), Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), and the California School Boards Association (CSBA).
Your CMEA leadership is constantly working throughout the state on your behalf.
It remains, as always, a pleasure to serve as your president.
The California State PTA connects families, schools and communities, reaching millions of families in California through members, local associations and allied agencies. PTA is the nation's largest volunteer child-advocacy association working to improve the education, health and welfare of all children. For more information: www.capta.org.
Declaration of the Rights of All Students to Equity in Arts Learning from CREATE CA
All California students deserve to have access to quality arts education to provide them with the skills they need to succeed in college, career and life. Yet, particular groups of students experience significant barriers to access, participation and success in arts learning that are directly linked to pervasive inequities in our educational system.
Recognizing this, createCA has launched a statewide effort to promote the Declaration of the Rights of All Students to Equity in Arts Learning, which outlines all students’ right to have access to high-quality public arts education, regardless of their background, culture, language or geographic location. (See page seven.) The Declaration highlights that arts learning – which includes dance, music, theatre, and visual and media arts – is an essential part of a comprehensive education for all students. For more information, go to: http://www.createca.net/
Justine Fischer serves as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of California State PTA.
Sample Social Media Posts on Importance of Arts Education
SMARTS Newsletter Promo
The California Music Educators Association is proud to work alongside California State PTA to advocate for quality arts education for all students. California State PTA’s SMARTS Parents for the Arts newsletter raises awareness about the relevance of the arts in increasing academic achievement, building a vibrant, productive society and providing opportunities to share best practices. Take a look at recent issues and be sure to sign up for the newsletter online at http://capta.org/join/join-our-mailing-list/.
Sample Tweets
• We’re proud to partner with #PTA4Kids to advocate for quality arts education for all! #JoinPTA http://capta.org/join/
• Every child deserves quality arts-education programs -- #JoinPTA and RT to show your support!
• We’re members of #PTA4Kids – are you? Join today to support your child, school and community: http://capta.org/join/
• We believe in the value of #PTA4Kids and connecting families, schools and communities. Be sure to #JoinPTA this school year! http://capta.org/join/
• Proud to support @CaliforniaPTA – advocates for our kids, schools and communities! #PTA4Kids
• Parents: Your voice matters in speaking up for arts-education for all students. #JoinPTA and get engaged! #PTA4Kids http://capta.org/join/
Sample Facebook Posts
• We’re proud to work alongside @CaliforniaStatePTA to advocate for a full curriculum that includes the arts. Please join us in this effort by joining your local PTA. http://capta.org/join/
Contact: Michelle Eklund, Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives meklund@capta.org (916) 440-1985 ext. 106 (951) 314-3707 cell
Declaration of the Rights of All Students to Equity in Arts Learning
CREATE CA defines EQUITY in Arts Education* as the right of every student to engage and succeed in powerful, high quality, standards-based arts learning PreK-12. All students from every race, culture, language background, geographic region, and socio-economic level must have the opportunity to fully develop their own artistic, cultural, and linguistic heritage while expanding opportunities to study and explore artistic expressions across different cultures and time periods. *We define arts education to include courses of study and interdisciplinary learning in dance, music, theatre, and visual and media arts, aligned with the State Standards and reflecting the provisions of the California State Education Code.
1. The right to equitable access to PreK-12 free, coherent, and sequential standards-based arts learning that is part of the core curriculum and that provides both integrated and discrete visual and performing arts learning opportunities; and the right to equitable outcomes as a result of this access, without distinction on account of race, culture, language, religion, national origin, geographical location, or legal status.
I have the right to participate and succeed in high-quality courses in all the arts disciplines as part of my basic education, regardless of my background, culture, language or place of residence.
2. The right to special protection for every student’s artistic and aesthetic development. The right to protection from policies and practices that exclude or preclude certain students or populations from equitable access to and success in powerful and coherent arts learning PreK-12.
I have the same right to fully develop my creative potential at every grade level and not be excluded for any reason.
3. The right to arts learning that is culturally and linguistically responsive and relevant, with attention to those populations that have traditionally been excluded or precluded, such as English Learners, students of color, foster youth, homeless youth, students in poverty, migrant students, and special needs students.
I have the right to engage in arts education that reflects, respects and builds on my culture, language and background.
4. The right to arts learning programs in every school, district, and community that are funded and supported with the necessary resources, including qualified administrators, teachers, teaching artists, and other staff, adequate materials, and appropriate facilities to support powerful culturally and linguistically responsive arts learning.
I have the right to receive the resources I need to be successful in my arts studies in dance, music, theatre, media and visual arts, including the proper supplies and facilities, and especially qualified teachers and curriculum that honor all cultures and languages.
5. The right to educators, leaders, and parents/community who are knowledgeable about the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits of arts learning for individual students, families/communities, the nation, and global society.
I have the right to be supported by leaders in my community and school who understand the benefits of an arts education to prepare me for college, career and life.
6. The right to be brought up in school and community environments that value and protect the arts and equity as essential to the full development of every student, and that demonstrate those values/beliefs in their public policies and practices.
I have the right to learn and practice the arts in a positive environment where everyone understands and acts on the knowedge that I am engaging in valuable and important work.
Model School Board Resolution and Communication toolkit available at www.createca.net (Declaration of Student Rights)
Vice President’sMessage
ThePowerofUnity
by Diana Hollinger, CMEAVice President
“The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.” - Felix Mendelssohn
Let me begin by admitting I am a dreamer at heart. I like to think about big ideas, about possibility, and how things can be better. I see what might be in what already exists, and potential celebrated outcomes in apprehensive beginnings. I am happiest when I see people doing their best and succeeding, and I think there is enough success to go around. I don’t think one person succeeds when another fails. As much as we compete in music education, I don’t think that we need to be pitted against each other. I believe we are stronger together, so listen to what I have to say with that frame of reference.
I talk about the power of speaking with one voice, of working together for the sake of California’s children. We in California music education have finally begun to come to the table and work with unity. This is new. There have been attempts, but for the most part each organization has fulfilled a very specific niche, and people have congregated under one or two of these umbrellas. I see the welcome change happening through two major ventures.
First is CASMEC (California All-State Music Education Conference) –glorious and still a little messy, a coalition of most of the major music education associations under one conference umbrella. It brings us all to one place at one time for professional development, honor groups, networking, and more. This is historic in California history because we’ve never managed to do it before. There are lots of reasons we have not managed this before, including geography, and a multitude of needs and visions. The important fact is we have done it. That is something to celebrate, and should be a point of pride for
all of us in California music education.
Second, I point to the Stand Up 4 Music Coalition. With the vision of former CMEA President Russ Sperling and the help of countless others, California music educators are now united in advocacy efforts. We now have our own lobbyist who advocates for us in Sacramento. We meet as a coalition to chart out our needs and “asks,” and we work together strategically to follow those through to fruition. We have our yearly day at the capitol, meeting our representatives, presenting concerts and culminating with a press conference. We have passed a bill to revise our standards to align with new national standards. We are no longer reacting, but leading strategically –for the first time in our history.
I say this very deliberately, because I think it is important to both celebrate what we accomplished, and preserve the gains. CASMEC is young, in it’s infancy, a very loose coalition made up of different organizations with their own histories and needs, and it will take sustained and concerted effort to continue developing and build on what we have already achieved through this event. We need a site big enough to house everyone, central and close to an airport, and with performance venues that can house concerts in choir, band, orchestra, and jazz in appropriate settings. We need space to grow, because there are organizations we have yet to bring in. We need to create an infrastructure, as the requirements of being the fiscal organization puts a strain on the existing structure of CBDA (California Band Directors Association), as it is their original event we joined to create CASMEC. We need to evaluate our actual individual needs and purposes, but do it within the context of the good of California music education as a whole. There must be careful
Members of the All-State Junior High School Symphonic Band in rehearsal at CASMEC 2017. Photo by Kirby Fong.
conversations to evolve this into a lasting signature event. But we are California, and we should lead the country in our efforts. We can do this.
Why does it matter? There is the obvious, as Aesop tells us: “In union there is strength.” Or as J.K. Rowling puts it: “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” We have a louder and stronger voice when we speak together. T.H. White puts it the other way around: “The Destiny of Man is to unite, not to divide. If you keep on dividing you end up as a collection of monkeys throwing nuts at each other out of separate trees.” Laughable, but there is truth to the fact that if we don’t get together in the same space, we tend to pit ourselves against one another. Unity is a strong message to the outside, too. Picture Suzy Kassem’s description: “Unity is a beast in itself. If a wolf sees two little boys playing in the woods on one side, and a big strong man on the other, he will go to the one who stands alone.”
There is more. When we get together, synergy moves us forward. When we pull apart, we become narrower in our focus. We may work harder and duplicate efforts,
sometimes even unwittingly working at cross-purposes. In unity, our work is easier.
A.J. Hodari puts it this way: “If everyone helps to hold up the sky, then one person does not become tired.”
We are not band, orchestra, or choir directors –we are teachers of children. Part of that is to take care of our profession, and we have not tended this garden in the past. Meanwhile, music has seen cuts for many years in many places in California. We do not have equal access for all children. Many of the members of our profession are overwhelmed and feel alone. We have to work together, meet together, make music together, and put value on what happens outside our own spheres of influence.
A unified voice lifts us all up. It also creates an environment of synergy, where new and good things happen. Here are a few small examples I noticed this year. Our music department (San José State University) presented music for band and choir at CASMEC. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but if we were not under one conference umbrella, would it be a session at the band conference or the choir conference? Proba-
bly neither. We’ve also added several strands: special learners, urban and rural teaching, and the classroom teacher event JAM! These are all possible because we have the signature event of CASMEC. We are only beginning to discover what we might do. We have so much yet to accomplish.
This is my plea to all of you –find ways to continue to work together and speak as a unified voice. We will all be pleasantly surprised at the things we accomplish together, and the hard things will get easier over time, if we don’t give up now. Cherish and preserve what we have accomplished. CASMEC will need to be nurtured to continue to develop, evolve, and grow. Leaders must be held accountable. Stand Up 4 Music has many accomplishments in a short time, but this, too, will require care to continue. Begin thinking of California as a leader in music education; look for ways to make this happen. Break out of your silos. It will be worth your time and effort. As Aristotle puts it: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Or as Mendelssohn said, “The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.”
CBDAandtheCASMECCollaboration
by Adam R. Wilke California Band Directors Association President
As we all look back at the last year, I am really excited by what I have seen in the field of music education. CASMEC 2017 was an awesome experience, and I hope that all of you were able to experience it firsthand. Hearing the high quality of performances, from Pacific Mambo Orchestra, to the all-state ensembles, to the choirs in cathedral, was truly inspiring.
There are many people to thank that were responsible for the success of CASMEC 2017. I especially want to thank Phil Vallejo for coordinating all aspects of the conference side of things and Jeff Detlefsen for coordinating all aspects of the honor ensembles. These two gentlemen work harder behind the scenes than most people realize and deserve our admiration. I also want to recognize the hard work of Willard Lacro for coordinating all the sessions for CBDA, Meryl Wamhoff for coordinating the exhibit hall, and Danielle Collins for creating all the publications. These are all huge jobs performed by full-time band directors. I also want to thank the representatives from CMEA, CAJ, CODA, and ACDA for all they do. CASMEC cannot function without the collective work of everyone.
The board of CBDA will now begin to move forward and start working to make CASMEC 2018 an epic experience. The board of CBDA is committed to promoting and developing band programs through the all-state honor bands and the California All-State Music Education Conference. We are excited to continue partnering with our fellow music organizations for the betterment of music education in California.
As we look beyond 2018, CBDA is committed to keeping this collaboration together. We are in the process of looking for a location that suits all the needs of CASMEC that is more fiscally viable than San José has been. I know this has been an issue met with great anxiety, but one that will make CASMEC stronger as we all move forward together. I truly believe that although many of us teach in different disciplines at different levels, we are stronger together.
As we move into the spring, I find myself inspired and excited to go to work each day to make my program better. I am encouraged by the advocacy work being done in Sacramento and with Stand Up for Music. It is a great time to be a music educator in California. Best wishes to everyone as your school year begins to wrap up.
The CBDA All-State High School Symphonic Band in rehearsal in CASMEC 2017 conducted by Dr. Peter Boonshaft.
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.
‘well-rounded education’ courses, activities and programming in subjects English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, history, geography, computer science, music and technical education, health, physical education, and any other subject, as determined by the state ith the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience
Photo Credit: Rob Davidson Photography
WTheGoodandtheBad WhenPlayingUnison
It can be a blessing; or it can be detrimental to the performance. Musicians need to be cautious when playing.
by Bill Ingram Music Educator, Clinician and Adjudicator
hen music students play unison within their respective sections, it adds a feeling of comfort and easiness. The young musician usually realizes that the harmony is gone, and everybody is playing the same melodic and rhythmic lines that are written in the music. But problems with intonation, and a few other items can arise very easily. The flute section is a group within the ensemble that usually plays more unison than any other instrumental section. And since this happens so much, most of the time they seem to pretty much hear themselves more often and make adjustments as needed and to play in-tune. Of course, the director makes that happen by periodically tuning the section when he or she hears the need.
The saxophone and trumpet sections seem to be where I hear most problems in concert and jazz band unison passages. In some cases, trumpets seem to play louder when unison comes about. And why, I’m not sure, but it’s unfortunately happening. I just attended a jazz band festival where there were many groups participating, but a few doing exactly what I stated above. When the trumpets do this, intonation problems set in. Trumpets need to realize that they are the loudest instrument in the band. When they perform forte, and louder during unison measures (and even with softer dynamics at times), there can be a serious out-of-tune problem. If you know that the music
since 1969
you are performing has unison passages, take the extra time and tune, and re-tune those instruments until the group sounds the true blend of being in-tune perfectly within the entire section. It’s such a pleasure when you hear this, almost like just one instrument is playing. So, playing softer, strict tuning, plus everyone playing the same dynamic level during the unison parts in the music will definitely enhance the trumpet section (or any section for that matter). Yes, they all need to use the same articulations. If you hear a student playing with a t-tongue and another performing a legato or slur articulation while playing unison, stop and correct immediately. Listen for this mixture, because it happens more than you think.
With saxophones,playing unison and being in-tune as a group is very tough, especially when their embouchure’s change so much when going from low to high registers (or vice versa). When individual volumes change when playing unison, problems will stand out in the section,that’s why it’s so important to rehearse your group not only on the sound of in-tune unison, but making sure that the dynamic level is the same with all individuals. This is so important. When practicing passages like this with one of your sections, turn your back to the group, place yourself at least six feet away and just listen totally and cautiously to every note and rhythm. You’ll catch things that you wouldn’t hear normally standing directly in front of the group like we all
do most of the time. Listening to your ensemble from different vantage points will always bring a different overall sound to your ears. Even standing totally behind your group and listening. Try this. It will bring more attention to the issue.
Unison is such a pleasant sound to listen to because it usually breaks into a rich harmony immediately after the section performs a series of measures using it. But it needs to be pure, and in-tune to attract the attention that it so deserves. When directors and music teachers always say that you never put two piccolo players side-by-side to perform together when playing unison, remember that other instrumental sections can also have the same problems, it’s just when we have more players, there is somewhat of a cover or hidden quality that emerges. But listen carefully and closely, because little things like intonation, articulation, and different levels of dynamics, are happening when unison is being played. And it should be caught and corrected before your ensemble hits the stage for a performance. We all want to hear unison played cleanly, balanced, correctly articulated and, of course, perfectly intune with such a rich quality that it is a delight to play and listen to. After that accomplishment, your students will sense the beauty and the ability of performing unison as it should be. A remarkable feat that takes some time, but it’s worth every minute that it takes to reach that delightful and great-sounding goal.
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Part One of Four
IInterviews with California High School Music Educators TeachingMusicComposition
by Dr. Lisa A. Crawford CMEA Creating and Composition Representative
n my work as the representative for creating and composition on the state council of California Music Educators Association, music education is considered through the lens of music composition. This article is the first of four parts sharing highlights of interviews with music teachers who have experienced, over time, music composition education they present at the K–12 level. I would like to thank each of the music teachers who spent their valuable time with me in person and on the phone for their deep and honest communication about their composition teaching.
Each teacher in this article was invited to answer the same questions from an interview protocol, developed by the author, about their high school music teaching experiences related to music composition. Part two will share interviews with California music education professors in music teacher education departments who are thinking
Personal Training and Compositional Experience
Students’ Experiences
Evaluation, Creativity, and Gender
about working compositionally with preservice teachers. Part three of this article will compare experiences of middle school music teachers who work compositionally with students grades six through eight. And, part four will look at elementary music teachers who provide K–5 students opportunities to compose.
As part one, this article discusses three interviews conducted with the following California high school music educators:
Anne Fennell is the creative arts department chair at Mission Vista High School in Vista Unified School District and teaches both music composition and steel drum performance ensembles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G 8qcIYkxJ-c). Fennell is also chair of NAfME’s Council for IN-Ovations and in 2015, was a Top Ten Finalist for the Grammy Music Education Award 2016.
Mark Vance, is a composer and music teacher who has developed the
Interview Protocol
Young Composers Project, a community music program in the central part of the state, through Music in the Mountains in Nevada County. Known for presenting professional-level performances, Music in the Mountains has long focused toward music education in the community.
Danielle Collins teaches for the El Monte Union High School District and works with high school students in the areas of ensemble composition, songwriting, sound recording, drum ensembles, and electric string ensemble. (See RHS Panther Sound on YouTube.)
An interview protocol was developed to learn about the teachers themselves, their compositional and teaching experience, unique work they do with students, and the observations they have made about subject matter delivery and students’ responses, challenges, and successes. Through the interview protocol, the questions asked of teacher participants are as follows:
Pearls of Wisdom
1. Did you receive training to work compositionally with K-12 students?
2. Are you an active composer?
3. Have you ever been a working songwriter/composer?
4. Tell me about your history with young composers.
5. What differences do you find in the ages of students you work with?
6. What are your top two experiences in your work with your current musical groups/ensembles?
7. What prep do you find yourself doing to facilitate opportunities to compose?
8. What types of music have you focused on when working compositionally with K–12 students?
9. How do you evaluate process and product with students you work with?
10. Do you consider creativity as you observe K-12 students composing? How do you define creativity?
11. Do you find differences in compositional process or product related to gender?
12. What advice would you give to teachers new to working compositionally in music classrooms and, can you speak to areas such as choral, instrumental, and general music?
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Finally, these teachers were asked if there were any questions they would recommend adding to this interview set. Teachers’ Personal Training and Composing Experience
Music education has long considered the importance of providing opportunities to compose at the K–12 level, however, we are only beginning to find credentialing programs providing active learning in coursework to support this goal (Deemer, 2016; Kaschub & Smith, 2013; Menard & Rosen, 2014; Stringham, 2016). Not one of the music educators in this interview received training in their universities to work compositionally with K–12 students. Discussion of this question considered that, even though composition courses were taken in college, training to work
teachers may be hesitant to work compositionally with students due to lack of preparation. Hickey has also said that children never say “no” to opportunities to compose. These teachers each said the same. While some teachers may wish to use “composers” in their classrooms, it is the opinion of this author that music teachers may wish to “practice” composing in the same way they might their main instrument to develop increased skill.
In responses about their experiences working with young composers in their classrooms, the three music teachers represented here describe limited one-on-one composition lessons but, for the most part, students work in groups.
Collins describes particular composing experiences of her students that have
Vance shared one of his top experiences with students composing in his program, Music and Science Collide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBC 9V558Ld0). The entire class of the Young Composers Project was invited to participate in a science curriculum around water. Students wrote about their experiences and everyone wrote chamber music. Ten students wrote symphonic shorts with footage of the river. Vance says: “We had footage of kids in rafts, kids in labs looking through microscopes… It was cool!”
Evaluation, Creativity, and Gender
Collins discusses challenges with creating deadlines and contracts. Her students create the timelines themselves and identify the number of pieces they will complete as a curriculum map. One challenge
“My students listen to rotations of each other’s compositions and each gives notes about what they heard. They are always close to what I might have said, to grades I might have given. But they know.” - Ann Fennell
with K–12 students compositionally simply did not exist. Encouragement may have been given, but curriculum, management, or strategies were not. Fennell cites her extensive experience with the Orff approach as the impetus for the composing focus she now has in her music classroom. Vance has been and continues to be an active working composer. Yet, while they say they aren’t active composers, Fennell and Collins discuss their classroom activities as inclusive of compositional work. Collins cites “time” as an issue for her for sitting down to write music and says through active listening with her students, she has become a much stronger composer and continues to be a working composer in her high school bands and percussion ensembles. Collins talks about her constant adjustments to technology assignments and lesson plans and says she is learning right alongside her students. Who she looks for? “John Kratus… and old Music Education Journals.”
Students’ Composing Experiences
Hickey (2013) has discussed what preservice teachers can learn from composition research and suggests that music
evolved over time:
“I have had students my entire career in this high school who write music. I have developed programs throughout my time here that come from requests students make. One of my students wanted to write music and have it performed. In lieu of our marching band show that year, we did the Silent Film Show. Students performed to black and white silent films with music I or they selected and some students composed. Now, this same student has twelve to fifteen students on his staff who compose, orchestrate, and perform the music alongside the movies. Sometimes, students are included by invitation; others by their composing style.
“As well, we have a community service program at our school with a requirement of meeting ten hours. A student asked me if he could perform in the community for the ten-hour requirement but wanted to know where he might find the music. I told him it was up to him. Now, my students do this every year. But, that first student is now a full-time composer and finishing a degree in composition. And working.”
is students’ understanding of what peers can and can’t play and she teaches them to talk with each other to learn that information. This past year, with one piece of music, there wasn’t enough time to learn it so it was tabled until spring term. Other problematic situations include older students not apprenticing younger students well enough. However, she says, student composer’s theory placement jumped two or three tiers after their involvement with composition. Collins defines creativity as a moment when someone brings something from their own experiences to paper, computer or not. Collins attends conferences, songwriting seminars, and popular music convenings. She describes talking with other colleagues about what worked this week. What didn’t?
Fennell discusses age differences as developmental, compound, and complex at the high school level. She finds melodic development in this age group with a greater understanding of vertical thinking, less so with younger students. Collins discusses different learner types, and that students may be more mature instrumentalists but cannot follow structure well.
She cites differences between music tech and rock band ensembles as in a completely different realm from the learning needs in traditional ensembles. Non-traditional course students get off-task faster and are less intrinsically motivated, yet after a year become more independent. And, every student is different emotionally. She talks about students in her technology class with ADHD, less formal training, and who may also be English Language Learners (ELL). Vance discusses video production and premiering orchestral works of his students.
Clearly, each of these teachers is responsible for a great deal of preparation time, and have accepted this challenge. Collins remembers changing the name of their Community Service Ensemble to a performance called Parent Appreciation Concert. Students performed and conducted their compositions and she says: “they had the room.” She notes campus recruiting, repertoire students have arranged or written, and rehearsal and conducting processes. Collins knows she is not big on competition and says her students grade themselves. She says: “My top things are not about winning competitions.”
Fennell reports an experience of returning to class from the office halfway through the period and observing students in rehearsal with self-leadership and full ownership of the work at hand. “Here is what we did today,” they say with notes on her desk. Fennell recommends beginning with arranging and helping students to be open to the musical creativity of their peers. If students have an octavo in choir, ask: “How can we open this up? Is there a section you can repeat where you can take solos? Is there a section you might want to do an improv?”
Another suggestion she makes is exploring soundscapes: “Develop willingness to use voice or instruments to explore soundscapes with words and ideas. I think too often we get stuck in the way we were taught but this limits students from becoming creative musicians. I do believe that what students receive in an ensemble is different than becoming a whole musician, becoming who they are, not just as a performer, but how we encourage that in performance ensembles, becoming a whole musician.”
In Vance’s program, his teaching is intended to support the necessity of hearing your composition performed. He worries about the amount of time students have for preparation and would like more time for understanding instruments students are writing with. Vance has found limited understanding for some students with masterworks, also finds gaps in students’ abilities, and mediocre performing and sight-reading skills with some students.
For Fennell, she doesn’t identify for students what genres to work with and says that projects depend on them. Students select the type of music they most appreciate. Sometimes her students, interested in heavy rock, find themselves composing classical music. Sometimes she requests, in Composition Levels 1 and 2, that students work on a 12-bar blues as a beginning project. She describes that they discuss modulation (how are you going to get there?) and that she has spent a lot of time with minimalism. She calls it a beginning technique and uses a piece of art.
Each of the teachers interviewed discuss differences in emotional maturity between gender in their classrooms but none could describe finding difference in compositional process or product related to gender. All of these teachers have more male students than female in their composition classes or nontraditional offerings. Fennell finds this peculiar, and also fascinating as she notices that male students create a more “epic” kind of sound than females. “I don’t know what it is,” says Fennell.
“My students listen to rotations of each others’ compositions and each gives notes about what they heard.” she says. They are always close to what I might have said, to grades I might have given. But they know.”
Pearls of Wisdom
Collins, Vance, and Fennell use a project-based learning system throughout their teaching. Collins uses a rubric to aid in student listening to their compositions. She also asks students to defend their compositions. The questions she provides include: “Why did you choose this instrument? Are you using an ascending or descending line? Have a reason for what you did.” She says she doesn’t have to agree with it, that students need to know their reasons.
Fennell believes there should be music for all students through high school. She describes that her job is to help students find what they already have. Fennell says: “Whether mariachi, composition, being a music critic, instead of getting caught up in AP music theory, understand what are we all doing? What are we doing?”
Through these interviews, the importance of preparation to teach was clear. This author will continue to develop materials that can be used in credentialing processes to assist preservice teachers with gaining comfort and experience with composing.
The examples found in these discussions shine a very bright light on what we are currently doing, and share possibilities. And, this is the point of the subject matter here. Initiative to compose by yourself, to develop beginnings for composing with others, and present increasingly more challenging opportunities to work compositionally with student ensembles, and again initiative, to muddle through until experience gains a greater footing and then, there are no boundaries to the creativity you find through providing opportunities to compose with your students.
• References
Deemer, R. (2016). Reimagining the role of composition in music teacher education. Music Educators Journal, 102(3), 41–45.
Hickey, M. (2013). What preservice teachers can learn from composition research. In M. Kaschub and J. Smith, Composing our future: Preparing music educators to teach composition. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Kaschub M. & Smith, J. (2013). Composing our future: Preparing music educators to teach composition. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Menard, E. & Rosen, R. (2014). Preservice music teacher perceptions of mentoring young composers: An exploratory study. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 25(2), 66–79.
Stringham, D. (2016). Creating compositional community in your classroom. Music Educators Journal, 102(3), 46–52.
AParentsasPartners
by AngelaE.Holmes, M.A.Ed
CMEA Special Learners Representative
t the 2017 CASMEC conference, three mothers whose children are musicians and are special learners, participated in a panel. The goal was to share with the audience their roles as parents in accessing the support needed for their sons to participate in music education. What we learned is that only one of the three young men participated in music programs within the public school system before they graduated at age eighteen. We learned that the two students who did not were not allowed because they were not thought to have the ability or interest. What we learned is that the parents, once they discovered the music talent of their sons, had to become advocates for their children and, ultimately, had to privately develop and fund music programs for their children outside the structure of a school system.
The family is the cornerstone of life for all students. As primary caretakers of their children, parents, as well as all family members, are the primary resource of information and guidance that can be offered to a teacher, especially when that student presents themselves with characteristics of a special learner. The parent is a source of knowledge about the children that can assist the teacher in understanding the difference, for example, between what appears to be inattention in a student who may be on the Spectrum (ASD), and although an individual characteristic that is distinct from other stu-
dents, may be a trait that indicates that their student is being attentive to the task.
The dynamic of parent-professional relationships in the educational system has fluctuated over time. There is no consistent standard that defines how teachers and parents should interact regarding the educational development of the student who is a special learner. An Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) defines annual goals of academic achievement, and many times, behavior, social skills, etc. Most of the time the IEP does not address the music interest of the student or the value of music in the academic program of a special learner. But, before goals can be addressed, educators should examine their attitudes toward parents. As a music educator which of the following questions or statements defines your attitude regarding parent-professional relationships?
Consider whether you view parents and• family members as a hindrance in the education of the special learner?
Do you believe that families should be• passive supporters or active supporters in the students music program? If you see the need for the family to be active supporters, but they are passive, what do you have to do to change them into active supporters?
When you review the dynamic of the• family of the special learner, do you view it as a parent-child dynamic or the student as a member of a family? Do you
consider the support of every family member in the role of family support for the student you are teaching?
Do you adjust/adapt your family-pro-• fessional relationship based on the unique structure of each family?
Examining your professional attitude towards families with special learners can assure that you will be able to develop a positive working partnership with families, and avoid any adversarial positioning in the parent-professional relationship.
When the panel of mothers were asked to tell the audience one thing all teachers should know about their children, one of the moms spoke up. As she spoke, the other two moms nodded their heads in agreement. She said: “Just know that our children learn differently. We can help you in understanding our children. We can show you that our children are interested in learning and especially learning music, but it will look different in each boy. Let us help you understand our children.”
The last comment of the panel was... “Our children are listening to you, they just learn differently.” It is hoped that music educators will take these comments seriously when receiving a special learner into their music programs. Although not present in the classroom, adopt the attitude that parents are very important partners in your classroom. The music they can help you discover in their children may be some of the most profoundly enjoyable moments of your educational careers.
CASMEC2017ResearchPosterSession
Presented by the Research Division of California Music Educators Association by Ruth
Brittin CMEA Research Representative
Our Research Poster Session was a big success. Thank you to all who contributed research papers, dissertations, theses, and class projects. We will be soliciting submissions for next year’s Research Poster Session in the fall. Please spread the word. And now, enjoy seeing all who presented this year.
Alissa Chitwood, University of Southern California Rethinking K–12 Music Programs: Bringing Relevancy Through Inclusive Music Making
Chris Marra, University of Michigan Podium Proficiency: Foundational Components of Effective Conducting Making the Case for Music in Our Schools: The Past, Present, and Future of Music Education Advocacy
David DeAngelis, Eastman School of Music Teaching Beginning Band in Urban High Schools
Dennis Siebenaler, California State University, Fullerton Children’s Choral Rehearsals: Effective or Ineffective?
Florence Fong, San Francisco Christian School
A Comparison of the Physical Exercise and Nutrition Behaviors among College Music Majors
Jessica Vaughan- Marra, University of Michigan Meeting New Teachers Where They Are: Digitally Mediated Distance Mentoring Focused on String Orchestra Content-Specific Support
Constructivism and the Ensemble Classroom: Developing Digital Artists Through the Use of Instructional Technology
John Eros and Katelyn Fiano, California State University, East Bay
Choosing a Career as a String Teacher: What Does Research Tell Us?
The lobby of the San José Convention Center, location of the CASMEC 2017 Research Poster Session.
Phillip Villalobos, University of Colorado Boulder/ Anaheim Elementary School District.
Sharing recent research poster projects.
John Eros, William Harrington, and Jeffrey Miller, California State University, East Bay Integrating Musical Composition into a Secondary Instrumental Techniques Course
Kathleen Janert, University of Southern California
The Self-Determined Music Master Teacher: A Case Study
Phillip Villalobos, University of Colorado Boulder/ Anaheim Elementary School District Music Teachers’ Practice and Perception of Aural Instruction Techniques in Beginning Band
Robert Calonico, University of California, Berkeley
Competitive Jazz Festivals: What Motivates Northern California Instrumental Music Teachers to Participate in Them?
Rudy Cisneros, University of the Pacific Do Practice Logs Benefit College Musicians?
Ruth Brittin, University of the Pacific
Exploring Teaching Approaches to “Brundibar,” A Children’s Opera
Sarah Van Dusen, California State University, Chico
Negotiating Musical Meaning: A Case Study of Multilingual Student Communication Within a Music Composition Class
Scott Jeppesen, University of Southern California
Reconsidering the Focus: Applications For Creativity In the Secondary Music Classroom
Scott Rieker, Ramsey Castaneda, Marco Garcia-Mejia, Sol Jee Park, Irene Apanovitch, and Beatriz Ilari, University of Southern California Expectations vs. Reality: Perceptions of Recent DMA Graduates
Stephanie Kuborssy, University of the Pacific Surveying Parents of Students with Special Needs in Music
Victoria Smith, University of the Pacific
The Influence of Music on Academic Achievement and Student Engagement, with a Focus on Culturally Responsive Multicultural Music Education on Latinx Students
Florence Fong, San Francisco Christian School.
ElementaryMusicPerformanceSpotlight
by Coralie Prince CMEA Elementary Representative
Incredible musical events are taking place in California. There were amazing examples at CASMEC. We are anxious to know what is going on in your district or school. Our project is underway to spotlight performances at the K–6 elementary level: grade levels, special learners, choral, instrumental, unique combinations, and festivals. Please submit information, stories, pictures to CMEA Elementary Representative Coralie Prince at coralie.prince @gmail.com. Some will be included in each magazine and shared online.
Today the spotlight is on the Los Alamitos Unified School District in Southern California:
Elementary Jazz Combo Grades Two Through Five
Tom Mitter began this fantastic group twelve years ago, accepting students with one year of experience
form in two district band concerts, an All-District Jazz Spotlight concert, a regional jazz festival with an adjudicator clinic, community events, and at the end of the year they go on tour and perform at each of the six district elementary schools. Most of these students have gone on to wonderful jazz bands at the secondary levels.
Tom Mitter is a professional reed player, director and educator who has taught at all levels in public and private schools in California, Illinois and Mexico and has numerous private students.
Elementary Combined Chorus at All-District Choral Festival
Grades Four and Five
Every year for more than 32 years the choruses from each elementary school in Los Alamitos USD gather together first in January for a workshop, then in March to perform for the All-District Choral Festival. This year there were more than 400 elementary students in the combined
on their instruments from any of the elementary schools. They learn the basics of jazz, learn to improvise, and to play the blues, standard jazz tunes and styles. Everyone becomes comfortable soloing at this young age, which helps their fluency as they grow. Tom encourages them to communicate their message, talk through their horn and have fun. They per-
chorus. They performed four choral selections, each one directed by one of the elementary music teachers: Sandy Hines from Rossmoor and Weaver Elementary Schools, Suzanne McElderry from Hopkinson and Lee Elementary Schools, Luke Mizuki from Los Alamitos Elementary School, and Topher Von Kohlen from McGaugh Elementary School. They also sing at the beginning and end of the festival in combination with the McAuliffe and Oak Middle Schools, and the Los Alamitos High School Choirs. It was spectacular.
This has become an excellent, soldout event showcasing the talented vocal ensembles throughout the grades. Elementary students see the marvelous opportunities ahead in middle and high school and are excited to become part of them. It began in the high school gymnasium, then became so large it went to two nights, and finally moved to a beautiful 3,500 seat large auditorium. The Los Alamitos School District and community look forward to this annual event.
P.S.: Send stories and pictures for CMEA Elementary Music Spotlight to coralie.prince@gmail.com.
The
Combined Elementary Choruses at the Los Alamitos All District Choral Festival
Photo by Irena Soule
Elementary Jazz Combo
JThe Future of Music Education CASMECCollegiateSessions
by Dr. Dennis Siebenaler
CMEA Collegiate Representative
udging by the number of well-attended sessions for the collegiate track, the 2017 CASMEC was “tuned in” to and provided meaningful gatherings for this significant population of future music educators.
Beginning on Friday morning, Kathleen Janert (a doctoral candidate at USC) shared her research regarding the Music Planning Continuum Framework, which is a more studentcentered, holistic approach to music teaching. We brainstormed alternate ways of presenting material and concepts.
On Saturday morning, novice band teacher Kelly McCarley shared her experience and provided helpful and practical tips for writing the resume and cover letter, and how to effectively prepare for the job interview. Later that morning there was a meeting of those interested in the collegiate council. Student members shared activities and challenges faced by various student NAfME chapters throughout the state. Several VAPA coordinators also attended to show their support of and interest in future music educators.
Saturday afternoon, Mildred Yi (a professor from Vanguard University) worked with student conductors and techniques applicable for the instrumental ensemble. This repeated topic from last year’s conference had an excellent turnout.
In between sessions, Lauren Culley (the CMEA Collegiate Council president) and Tanner Wilson (the CMEA Collegiate Council secretary) did outreach to the various state honors groups, increasing their awareness of opportunities for student members to become active participants in CMEA and NAfME at their school, regional, and state levels. For me personally, it was especially gratifying to connect with these collegiate members, and to witness their enthusiasm and commitment to the future of music education.
Kathleen Janert
Kelly McCarley
Mildred Yi
KICK-START YOUR CAREER WITH
A NAfME MEMBERSHIP
Congratulations! NAfME Collegiate members are eligible to receive up to a 50% DISCOUNT on dues when you become a full active member. This offer is only valid for one year after you graduate. Act now.
Become a member and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure you get the career you want. For as long as you want it. From professional development to networking opportunities, advocacy tools to lesson plans and webinars. And when you join NAfME, you also become a member of your state’s music education association with even more resources at the local level.
Deadline: Offer extends from June 30 of your graduation year until June 30 of the following year. Visit: bit.ly/NAfMEcollegiate
WSummerWindConducting WorkshopsinCalifornia
by Emily Moss
CMEA Higher Education Representative
e are fortunate in our state to have four summer wind conducting workshops at universities in both Northern and Southern California. These workshops provide music educators opportunities to grow as both conductors and teachers during a less hectic time of the year. In addition, they bring outstanding clinicians from across the country to help band directors in our state improve their skills, grow as musicians, and perhaps think differently about their approach to our craft.
Conducting workshops can also provide great opportunities to network with other teachers from California and beyond. Below is additional information for each workshop, their dates, and this year’s guest clinicians. Contact the individual workshop for more information about available spots for conductors or observers.
NorCal Wind Conducting Symposium
Dates: June 18–23, 2017
Guest clinician: Emily Threinen
American River College, Sacramento, proudly announces the NorCal Wind Conducting Symposium, June 18–23, 2017. It is their 22nd summer (3rd at ARC) of offering an intensive workshop in the art of conducting in California’s capital city.
Emily Threinen, director of bands at the University of Minnesota, and Robert Halseth, director of bands emeritus at California State University, Sacramento, are the clinicians. Registration is limited to twenty conducting participants, who will work with a forty-five-piece wind band, and an unlimited number of observers. Additional topics vital to the art of conducting –including score study, movement, rehearsal techniques, and artistic growth – will be discussed.
For more details, repertoire and registration information, contact host Susan Hamre (at Hamres@arc.losrios.edu) or visit us online at Norcalconducting.org.
Sonoma State University Summer Wind Band Conducting Workshop
Dates: June 19–23, 2017
Guest clinician: Gary W. Hill
Sonoma State University announces the 5th Annual Summer Wind Band Conducting Workshop June 19–23, 2017 at the Green Music Center. Sonoma State is located in Rohnert Park, CA, 45 miles north of San Francisco and in the heart of California’s Wine Country.
Gary W. Hill, director of bands at Arizona State University and Andy Collinsworth, director of bands at Sonoma State University, will lead the workshop. Registration is limited to fifteen conducting participants and an unlimited number of observers. All participants will receive ample podium time and one-on-one instructional time
with the clinicians. Additional seminars related to conducting and movement, score study, rehearsal methods and personal growth will be explored.
For more details and registration information please visit our website: http://www.sonoma.edu/music/majors-programs/summer.html.
UCLA Wind Conducting Workshop
Dates: June 25–29, 2017
Guest clinician: Jerry F. Junkin
Designed for wind band teachers of all levels, the five-day UCLA Wind Conducting Workshop includes opportunities to conduct both wind ensemble and chamber music, as well as sessions on score study, programming, rehearsal techniques, and program building. Our goal is to offer a variety of activities that appeal to the dual roles of musician and educator and provide a growth experience for anyone interested in the art of teaching and conducting.
There are twenty-four spots available for conducting participants, awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. All spots in the conducting track have been filled, but there is an unlimited number of spots for non-conducting participants, which is still an outstanding professional growth opportunity and a great way to experience a conducting workshop for the first time.
More information and registration forms are available at http://uclaband.com/bandprogram/conducting/conductingworkshop.
Cal State L.A. Wind Conducting and Teaching Workshop
Dates: July 9–13, 2017
Guest clinicians: Anthony Maiello and Christopher Bianco
The department of music, theatre and dance at Cal State L.A. is proud to announce its 4th Annual Wind Conducting and Teaching Workshop for the summer of 2017. The purpose of the workshop is for band directors at all stages of their careers to develop skills in both conducting and teaching.
Eighteen conducting participants will have the opportunity to conduct the workshop band (of which each participant will play his or her instrument), as well as attend topical discussions dealing with rehearsal techniques, literature and programming ideas, conducting technique and personal musical growth. Our workshop also includes “rehearsal labs” presented by the clinicians and longer sessions on the podium for participants to develop rehearsal skills and strategies. There are also observer participants who do not conduct but participate in all other aspects of the workshop.
For more details, visit our website at www.calstatela.edu/windconducting or email Dr. Emily Moss at emoss2@calstatela.edu.
BE A FORCE FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR CAREER!
This is just the beginning of a new day for music education. We must help states, districts, and schools interpret and implement the new law of the land. There’s a lot more work to do!
Don’t miss this opportunity to join us in Washington, D.C., this June, for mentoring and professional development that will empower you to be the advocate you need to be, for yourself, and for your students. Help lead our next steps in this new era for music education.
ï Go “behind the scenes” as we meet face-to-face with U.S. legislators and their staffs in
ï Enjoy a wonderful evening reception and awards dinner, as you meet and network with NAfME state and national leaders.
ï Participate in leadership and advocacy training that you can take back to share with your chapter and use in your career.
NAfME is the established national voice for music education, and we want YOU to be in Washington, D.C., in June for this exciting event. It’s the chance of a lifetime to carry your passion for music education to Capitol Hill. Reserve your spot today!
Learn more at: hillday.nafme.org
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 Hollywood Reporter has released its third annual list of “The Top 25 Music Schools.” California once again dominated the list with an unmatched inclusion of five schools.
THR reporter Jeff Bond states: “A career in the music industry is not easy. The competition is fierce, talent alone provides no guarantees, and you’re only going to get so many chances to prove yourself. In short, you’re going to need every break you can get. For many, music schools can, at the very least, provide the necessary experience and training to help navigate a particularly cutthroat industry...Choosing the right school, however, is daunting. So whether you want to become one of the world’s best violinists, compose music for the big screen or master the recording studio, THR’s ranking of the top 25 music schools and programs will help narrow the search.”
Listed among Juilliard, Oberlin, Eastman, the Royal College of Music, and the Curtis Institute, are these five celebrated California music programs:
USC Thornton School of Music (#2)
“USC remains the go-to destination for students looking to get into the film music business, with studio recording stages just a traffic jam away. Adjunct instructor Garry Schyman says access to L.A.’s film industry is USC’s biggest advantage: ‘While you have excellent programs elsewhere in the country, they cannot provide that kind of opportunity to meet, talk with and learn from professionals.’”
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (#3)
“The San Francisco Conservatory of Music is one of the West’s oldest conservatories, but it also boasts significant support and inspiration from Silicon Valley. ‘MaryClare Brzytwa is a young dean who has put this all together herself, and I’m just impressed,’ composer Laura Karpman (Paris Can Wait) says of the school’s New Music and Technology Program. ‘She has got a hugely diverse student body.’”
California State University, Northridge (#17)
“Cal State Northridge has a generous acceptance rate of 61 percent and in-state tuition of $8,208, a considerable bargain for the region. The school offers programs in media and film composition, jazz and classical performance, and music industry studies –and students are required to audition.”
California Institute of the Arts (#20)
“Valencia-based CalArts has its own branch of the Herb Alpert School of Music with courses in hip-hop, jazz, pop, voice arts and rock, as well as tonal and atonal music. There’s also Music Technology: Interaction, Intelligence & Design (MTIID), a program designed to prepare students for careers in electronic composition and performance, sound design and synthesis, web/multimedia design and interactive audio. Students perform in more than 250 concerts a year and have opportunities to collaborate with the filmmaking and animation students (Pixar’s John Lasseter and Brad Bird are alumni).”
UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music (#23)
“UCLA’s film department boasts veteran composers Bruce Broughton and Peter Golub as lecturers in composition, but it still is seeking to fill two major positions and find a direction that will position it to compete with USC and other local, Hollywoodfriendly music schools.”
The complete article is found in The Hollywood Reporter from December 2, 2016 (Issue No. 37) and online at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/top-25-music-schools-2016-949274/item/full-s ail-university-25-music-schools-2016-949345.
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.
LargeEnsembleFestivalsUpdate
by NancyLudwigandKeithJohnson CMEA State Festival Chairpersons
Exciting plans are underway for the CMEA Band and Orchestra/Choral Festivals in Spring, 2018. Our future vision includes the possibility of combining both festivals at the same venue within the same day, or over the course of two consecutive days. CMEA is considering also the possibility of alternating locations from year to year. For example in 2018 hosting the festivals in Southern California and then in Northern California in 2019. Coordinators of these festivals are currently working out the logistics of such an enormous undertaking, but when all is said and done it promises to be an event well worth attending. With top quality adjudication in state of the art performance venues as a starting point, both the instrumental and choral festivals plan to build upon this model to create an event your students will remember as a highlight of their music education.
Last year’s inaugural State Choral Festival in Meng Hall at CSU Fullerton was a highly successful event, with seven participating choirs and adjudicators William Hatcher, Charlene Archibeque, and Christopher Peterson.
Participating conductors continue to provide feedback that this festival was valuable to their students’ progress and motivation as performers, and provided them with logical next steps in their learning.
This year the 5th Annual State Band and Orchestra Festival will be held at the Mondavi Center on the campus of UC Davis. 14 groups from across the state including six middle school groups and eight high school groups that applied were accepted into this year’s festival. Our distinguished adjudicator panel incudes Professor Gary Hill from Arizona State University and Dr. Edward C. Harris from San José State University.
Criteria for selection included participating ensembles receiving a Unanimous Superior rating at a CMEA or SCSBOA festival during the spring 2016 festival season and participating directors holding membership in CMEA at both the time of application and festival performance. Ensembles were ranked in their category and overall to determine the final list of groups selected to perform in 2017. We would like to congratulate the following participating ensembles:
Albany High School Wind Ensemble: Craig Bryant, conductor• Central High School Wind Ensemble: Leonard Ingrande, conductor• Davis High School Symphonic Band: Thomas Slabaugh II, conductor• Edison High School Wind Ensemble: Robert Madrid, conductor• El Cerrito High School Wind Ensemble: Keith Johnson, conductor• Homestead High School Wind Ensemble I: John Burn, conductor• Homestead High School Symphony Orchestra: John Burn, conductor• Hopkins Junior High School Wind Ensemble: Greg Conway, conductor• Hopkins Junior High School Advanced Orchestra: Greg Conway, conductor• Pacific Grove Middle School Chamber Orchestra: Barbara Priest, condu
Pacific Grove Middle School Symphonic Band: Barbara Priest, condu
Joaquin Miller School Advanced Band: Nancy Moser, conductor • Southwest High School Chamber Orchestra: Matthew Busse, conductor • Sutter Middle School Advanced Orchestra: Margy Moon, conductor•
It is our intention that by combining these two events into one yearly CMEA event that it will create an even bigger impact on your students, as we celebrate the superior quality music education that is taking place throughout the state of California. So many programs throughout our state are making impressive strides, and we at CMEA want to celebrate all that you do as educators to inspire your students toward the worthy goal of musical excellence. It is important that the state festivals reflect and support what California music educators are doing in
their classrooms. As we begin this process of taking the next steps in developing this event, we welcome your feedback as members of CMEA. Please feel free to contact State Choral Festival Chairperson Nancy Ludwig at nancyludwig6@gmail.com, or State Band and Orchestra Festival Chairperson Keith Johnson at keith@echsbands.com with your comments or ideas regarding this event. Conductors: Look for details in the upcoming Summer 2917 Issue of CMEA Magazine
CMEA 2017 AwardsGala
Friday evening, February 17, 2017
Gordon Biersch Restaurant and Brewery, San José
Opening remarks by CMEA President Scott Hedgecock:
Good evening, and welcome. I am Scott Hedgecock, CMEA President. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Annual CMEA Awards Gala where outstanding individuals are honored for their work supporting CMEA’s vision that all students in California have equal access to high quality music instruction as part of a well-rounded education.
As we begin our awards ceremony, I want to call your attention to the program on your place setting. Award winners will be recognized in this order. As your name is read, please come forward to be recognized. A short narrative will be read about your selection, and then an award will be presented to you. Lastly, a CMEA executive board member will direct you to the side for a photograph that will appear in the CMEA Magazine. Presenting awards tonight will be CMEA President-Elect John Burn, CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger, CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone, and myself.
Before we start, I would like to thank the following people who have worked very hard to make this evening possible: CMEA Secretary Sandra Lewis for her adept work organizing this year’s CMEA Awards Program; CMEA President-Elect John Burn for organizing the venue and meal with Gordon Biersch; CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams for ticket sales and keeping us all together; and my student teacher, Tanner Wilson, from California State University, Fullerton, who has been an immense help in a variety of ways.
Please welcome President-Elect Burn, who will present our first award.
John Burn:
The CMEA Outstanding Administrator Award honors educators who, as school administrators, have contributed powerfully to the support of music education. This year, in recognition of the importance school administrators have on the success of music in our schools, we recognize three individuals.
Our first Outstanding Administrator Award goes to Cindy Marten.
As the superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District, Marten leads the district team and community with a singular focus on student success. She believes that there are no excuses when it comes to providing children with the very best conditions that will enable them to become confident, successful learners who can achieve their dreams. Marten is working with the Board of Education to implement Vision 2020, creating quality schools in every neighborhood throughout the district.
This year, under Cindy Marten's leadership, San Diego Unified School District's Visual and Performing Arts Department budget
quadrupled, allowing the district to buy 900 new musical instruments this year alone, provide new band uniforms for two high schools, create a new music library, and also begin to provide more professional development for music teachers.
Cindy personally spoke at last year's Stand Up 4 Music rally in Sacramento in support of AB 2862, our VAPA standards bill, and she wrote many letters of support as the bill progressed through the legislature.
Cindy intrinsically understands that music is an essential part of every child's education if we are going to fulfill the sacred promise we make to parents and students for a well-rounded education in our public schools.
Congratulations, Cindy Marten.
The first CMEA Outstanding Administrator Award goes to Cindy Marten.
Scott Hedgecock:
Our second Outstanding Administrator Award goes to Dr. Marchèta Williams.
Dr. Marchèta Williams is the director of visual and performing arts for the Madera Unified School District. In the short two-and-a-half years that she has held this position, she has helped to establish vital music classes in Madera. Kindergarten through third grade had classroom music for the first time ever. Teachers and administrators were very pleased after observing what happens in a music education classroom. Students as young as four years old are learning how to make connections with other subjects through music in their homerooms, and they learn how to sing in tune. Before Dr. Williams, Madera had not seen an orchestral instrument in decades. In just a couple of years, four elementary schools have started full string orchestras with: violins, violas, and cellos. Her goal in the next couple of years is to have 100 percent of the elementary schools with string instruments, as well as a high school Symphony Orchestra. Lastly, under her leadership, all of the middle schools in Madera have started a jazz band, including one of the country schools.
A highlight for music education in Madera last year was having Billy Childs work with the middle school and high school jazz bands. Dr. Williams invited Mr. Childs to Madera, and the Grammy award winner accepted. Their students learned vast knowledge from him and were incredibly inspired to follow their musical dreams. In June of 2016, she presented at the ConnSelmer Institute in Indiana, speaking on the growth, development, and district support for music education for students in Madera. Currently, she is meeting with district staff, and community members to develop a three-year strategic plan for music education in the district. Congratulations, Marchèta Williams.
Scott Hedgecock:
CMEA Section Awards are the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a music educator in any given CMEA Section. It’s our pleasure tonight to introduce our Section Award recipients. As our honorees come forward, I ask that their respective section president or president’s designee join them.
Michael D. Stone:
Our third Outstanding Administrator Award goes to Ted Alejandre.
Mr. Alejandre is in his first term as superintendent of schools, San Bernardino County, and has demonstrated outstanding support for music education. He enthusiastically promotes the county-wide program of honor bands, honor orchestras and choral festivals. It is co-sponsored by the County Schools and SBCMEA, serving 2,100 students each year, and he attends all of the three major performances.
In 2016, he inaugurated a countywide Celebration for the Performing Arts with bands, orchestras and choruses comprising most of the groups participating. The celebration is held at the venerable California Theater in San Bernardino. He has directed the county assistant superintendent to develop an initiative to provide for more strings instruction in the schools. In a recent meeting with the president of SBCMEA he announced that he has budgeted $50,000 to support music education and requested that the association make recommendations for its expenditure. He has made it a priority for his office to continue to advocate for music education, and to seek more opportunities for students to perform and grow.
Congratulations, Ted Alejandre.
From the CMEA Bay Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Troy Davis from Aragon High School with Bay Section President Rita Zigas-Brown.
Troy Davis is in his twelfth year of teaching at Aragon High School, where he directs two award-winning jazz ensembles, three concert bands, a jazz combo, and teaches AP music theory. He is also the director of the Oakland Municipal Band, and is the symphonic band director at Hayward La Honda Music Camp. For three consecutive years, the NAMM Foundation has named the music department at Aragon High School as one of the “best communities for music education.” He holds a bachelor of music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, a masters of teaching from Notre Dame de Namur University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate of musical arts in music education from Boston University.
Troy is a firm believer in the potential of music to inspire empathy, mentorship, and community service in and among his students, and he integrates these qualities into his teaching each and every day. He has received the Distinguished Music Educator Award from Yale University, and has been a featured guest speaker at the University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music.
Congratulations, Troy Davis.
The third CMEA Outstanding Administrator Award goes to Ted Alejandre, with CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger.
The second CMEA Outstanding Administrator Award goes to Dr. Marchèta Williams, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn.
The CMEA Bay Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Troy Davis, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn and CMEA Bay Section President Rita Zigas-Brown.
Diana Hollinger:
From the CMEA Capitol Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Jim Mazzaferro from Sheldon High School with Capitol Section President-Elect Santiago Sabado.
Jim Mazzaferro recently retired as the director of instrumental music at Sheldon High School, located in the Elk Grove Unified School District. His teaching assignment included marching band, concert band, symphonic band, string orchestra, two jazz bands, and AP music theory. Mazzaferro is also the conductor of the Cosumnes River College Orchestra, a position he has held since 1999. His 37-year teaching career has included Archbishop Riordan High School (San Francisco), Florin High School, and Sacramento City College. Since 2001, Jim has served as the camp director/artistic director of Cazadero Music Camp, a summer music camp for musicians in grades five through high school.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Mazzaferro attended Lowell High School, playing in the school’s concert band and orchestra. He received his bachelor’s degree in music education from San Francisco State University, and his masters degree in Instrumental Conducting from California State University, Sacramento. Jim is a multiple recipient of “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.” In 2012 Jim was one of eight high school band directors in the country that were named a Bandworld Legion of Honor Laureate by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. In 2013, Jim was recognized by the California Music Educators Association as the recipient of the Byron Hoyt/Don Schmeer Outstanding Music Educator Award. In the 2015–2016 school year, Jim was named ABC NEWS10 (Sacramento) Teacher of the Month, and was honored by the Elk Grove Regional Scholarship Foundation, where a perpetual scholarship has been established in his name for students wishing to pursue a career in music education. Congratulations, Jim Mazzaferro.
The CMEA Central Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Craig Mashler, with Central Section President Kirk Clague and CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger.
Michael D. Stone:
From the CMEA Central Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Craig Mashler from Green Acres Middle School with Central Section President Kirk Clague.
Craig Mashler is in his nineteenth year of teaching at Green Acres Middle School, where his band students are regularly encouraged to become productive citizens. He holds a bachelor of arts in music education and liberal studies from California State University, Fresno, and a master of arts in conducting from Southern Oregon University.
Craig’s ensembles have seen much success, with his jazz band winning the grand sweepstakes at the Music in the Parks festival every year they have gone. In 2008, his students were invited to perform at the Beijing Olympics. He has served as the president of Tulare King County Music Educators Association, and has also served on the CMEA Central Section Board.
Congratulations, Craig Mashler.
The CMEA Central Coast Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Susan Silveira, with Central Coast Section President Christy Latham and CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone.
John Burn: From the CMEA Central Coast Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Susan Silveira from Hollister School District with Central Coast Section President Christy Latham.
Susan resides in Hollister, California and has held the position of music instructor for all eight elementary and middle schools in the Hollister School District for the past 17 years. She regularly instructs between 500 and 800 music students a week. Susan’s career as a music educator includes general music, concert band, jazz band, marching band, choir, traveling band and summer band camps.
She completed her bachelor of music and gained her music teaching credential at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, with her major in music education, piano, and clarinet.
Congratulations, Susan Silveira.
The CMEA Capitol Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Jim Mazzaferro, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock and Capitol Section President-Elect Santiago Sabado.
The CMEA Northern Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Gavin Spencer, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock and Northern Section President Michael Phenicie.
Scott Hedgecock:
From the CMEA North Coast Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Dr. Sarah McClimon from Fortuna High School with North Coast Section President Dan Sedgwick.
Sarah McClimon is the music teacher at Fortuna High School, where she directs two concert bands, a jazz band, marching band, two choirs, and teaches music technology. The music department performs actively in the community, and travels around the state every two years. She also teaches honors components of the auditioned ensembles’ symphonic band and Camarada Singers. She has taught in the secondary education department at Humboldt State University. Sarah enjoys working with North Coast CMEA and Fortuna High School feeder schools to help put on festivals and special events for the wonderful young musicians in the area. She earned a B.Mus. (music education) from St. Olaf College and an M.A. and Ph.D. (ethnomusicology) from University of Hawaii, Manoa. Congratulations, Sarah McClimon.
Diana Hollinger:
From the CMEA Northern Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Gavin Spencer, from Shasta High School with Northern Section President Michael Phenicie.
Gavin Spencer is the choral conductor, musical director and madrigal dinner director at Shasta High School. He conducts five ensembles, including the madrigal singers and a cappella choir. In the 2016 Golden State Choir Competition, which is recognized as California’s most competitive choral competition, Shasta’s A Cappella Choir placed third and the madrigals placed fifth. In addition, all the Shasta High choirs are proud to regularly receive “superior” ratings at choral festivals. Mr. Spencer received his B.S. in music (vocal performance) at Western Oregon University and master of arts in teaching at George Fox University.
Every three years, Gavin travels internationally with his choirs, and has conducted in worldclass venues in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Greece and Costa Rica. In June 2017, they will perform in Rome, Florence and Venice.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Spencer is a ten-year board member of the California Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, where he has served as the Northern California regional representative, high school repertoire and standards chair and his current position as men’s choir repertoire and standards chair.
Congratulations, Gavin Spencer.
The CMEA Southeastern Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Susan Willmering, with Southeastern Section President Armalyn De La O and CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone
John Burn: From the CMEA Southeastern Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Susan Willmering from South Pointe Middle School with Southeastern Section President Armalyn De La O.
Susan Willmering is in her tenth year of teaching at South Pointe Middle School, where she teaches more than 425 students. She strives to provide a well-rounded, in-depth education to all students, regardless of socioeconomic status or prior musical experience, and does so on a daily basis as her ensembles continuously receive high praise at both local and national festivals. The South Pointe Wind Ensemble has travelled to New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Seattle.
In addition, Susan serves as the percussion manager for the SCSBOA High School Honor Bands, and conducts the symphonic band at the Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Program. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from California State University, Fullerton. She was recently voted as this year’s teacher of the tear at South Pointe.
Congratulations, Susan Willmering.
The CMEA North Coast Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Dr. Sarah McClimon, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn and North Coast Section President Dan Sedgwick.
Diana Hollinger:
From the Southern Border Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Russ Sperling from the San Diego Unified School District with Southern Border Section President Marc Dwyer.
Russ Sperling is the director of visual and performing arts for San Diego Unified School District. He is responsible for all components of arts education in the state’s second largest school district. Under his leadership, the SDUSD instrumental music enrollment has increased by 28 percent.
Mr. Sperling recently served three years as visual and performing arts coordinator for the San Diego County Office of Education. He provided consultations and services to the 42 school districts in San Diego County on all facets of arts education, K–12. While at the county, he served as the leader of Arts Empower San Diego, San Diego County’s strategic arts education initiative. He has also served four years as director of visual and performing arts for the Sweetwater Union High School District.
Mr. Sperling currently serves as Western Division president of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). He previously served as president of the California Music Educators Association (CMEA), and as president of the Southern Border Section of CMEA. He is the founding president and now board member of the San Diego Winds, a professional wind ensemble. He is the director of the Grossmont College Concert Band.
Russ Sperling is a true visionary, whose leadership is far reaching and highly effective. Congratulations, Russ Sperling.
John Burn:
From the CMEA Southwestern Section: The Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Philip Ruiz from Diamond Ranch High School with Southwestern Section President Alexander Koops.
Philip Ruiz is the current director of bands at Diamond Ranch High School, in Pomona California, where he teaches jazz, guitar, marching band, wind ensemble, concert band, string orchestra, symphony orchestra and color guard. He has also held the position of department chair for the visual and performing arts department since 2014.
In addition to his teaching duties, he adjudicates for the School Band and Orchestra Association and has presented to the school board on numerous occasions regarding the different concepts and issues surrounding music education. He is currently in his twentieth year of teaching in the secondary classroom, where his groups continue to earn numerous awards in marching contests and superior ratings at both district and state festivals.
Philip earned a bachelor of music degree in music from California Polytechnic University, Pomona and a masters in musicology from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. He is currently attending Claremont Graduate University, where he is completing his doctorate of music with a focus in musicology. He has been honored by Who’s Who Among American Teachers, as Diamond Ranch High School’s Teacher of the Month, and as a nominee for Disney’s Music Educator of the Year.
Congratulations, Philip Ruiz.
The CMEA Elementary Music Specialist Award honors excellence in elementary music instruction. The Elementary Music Specialist Award goes to Jack Erb from the Poway Unified School District.
Jack Erb has had a 32-year career as a music educator in the Poway Unified School District. In this time, he has made a positive impact in the lives of more than 13,000 students. Since 1998, he has also been on faculty at his alma mater, San Diego State University, where he now proudly shares an office with one of his former students.
Jack has earned numerous recognitions as a stellar educator. In 2016, he was one of just 35 faculty members to be voted a “Favorite Faculty Member” at SDSU by residential students. He has received the “Continuing Service Award” from the California Congress for Parents, Teachers, and Students, and has twice been named the CMEA Southern Border Section’s Elementary Instrumental Music Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations, Jack Erb.
The CMEA Southern Border Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Russ Sperling, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock and CMEA Southern Border Section President Marc Dwyer.
Scott Hedgecock:
The CMEA Elementary Music Specialist Award goes to Jack Erb, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn.
The CMEA Southwestern Section Outstanding Music Educator Award goes to Philip Ruiz. Accepting the award on his behalf is CMEA Southwestern Section President Alexander Koops with CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone
The CMEA Peripole General Music Educator Award goes to Katrina Haeger, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock and Dr. Andrew Perry, president of Peripole, Inc.
Diana Hollinger:
The CMEA Peripole General Music Educator Award. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Katrina Haeger with the general music educator award.
Katrina Haeger is a music specialist for the Santa Cruz City Schools, providing a stimulating and standards-aligned music education for students from third grade through middle school. Her music curriculum features rhythm, singing, music theory, movement, solfege, and musical history concepts. Katrina teaches a 4–5 beginning and intermediate band at two elementary schools, as well as an advanced band at a middle school.
Katrina has served as the CMEA General Music Special Representative with the board of directors for the CMEA Central Coast Section, creating and organizing their first “Young Ensemble Showcase.” This is a festival that serves to highlight the diversity of our elementary programs. A graduate of Humboldt State University, Katrina is an EDDY Award Recipient from the Santa Cruz Educational Foundation.
Katrina believes that the purpose of having an excellent music program lies in the pleasure in creating music with others and the growth as an individual by setting goals and achieving them. She feels that when students learn music, they become more connected with their feelings about nature, life, people, our community, and the world.
Congratulations, Katrina Haeger.
The CMEA Middle School Music Specialist Award goes to Zack Pitt-Smith, with CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger.
Michael D. Stone:
The CMEA Middle School Music Specialist Award honors excellence in middle school instrumental and/or choral music instruction. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Zack PittSmith with the middle school music specialist award.
Zack Pitt-Smith is the director of bands and orchestras for Edna Brewer Middle School in the Oakland Unified School District. In his sixteen years as a music teacher, Zack has learned to implement different methods for the varied learning styles of his students. He provides multiple methods for an ensemble to learn a piece of music, ranging from listening to definitive recordings to creating assignments that work on small portions of a repertoire. Zack’s students not only learn how to play a particular piece of music, but also to distill rules and tools they can assimilate for future use.
A graduate of Brown University and San Francisco State University, Zack received the Oakland Teacher of the Year Award in 2013 and has been the general music representative for the CMEA Bay Section since 2015. His twelve years as a CMEA member have given Zack an arena to apply his work for increased equity and outreach into underserved communities.
Congratulations, Zack Pitt-Smith.
John Burn: The CMEA Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award honors excellence in orchestra education and performance. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Gregory Conway, music teacher at Hopkins Junior High School, with the orchestra educator award.
Gregory Conway has spent the past twelve years as the director of instrumental music at Hopkins Junior High School, where he has directed concert band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, full orchestra, and more. His students regularly participate in CMEA band, orchestra, solo/ensemble, and all-state festivals. He has also served as the founder, coordinator, and director of the Fremont Unified School District Summer Music Program, which features two concert bands and two string orchestras.
Gregory attended California State University, Hayward, where he served as president of the collegiate NAfME (then MENC) chapter. He is currently the CMEA Bay Section’s Large Group Festival Coordinator, having also coordinated their solo/ensemble festivals for eight years prior. In 2016, the CMEA Bay Section recognized him with the Gilbert T. Freitas Award for Outstanding Achievement in Instrumental Music Education.
Congratulations, Gregory Conway.
The CMEA Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award goes to Gregory Conway, with CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone.
Scott Hedgecock:
The CMEA Pearson/Scott Foresman/Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award honors excellence in choral education and performance. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Lou De La Rosa with the choral educator award.
Lou De La Rosa has served as the director of choral and vocal studies at West Valley College for the past thirteen years, where he conducts the concert choir and chamber singers, and also teaches music theory, musicianship, music fundamentals, and music appreciation. In 2009 and 2010, the WVC Chamber Singers received unanimous superior ratings in the Napa Choral Classic in California. The WVC Chamber Singers have performed in concert with the San José State University Choraliers, the San Francisco State University Chamber Singers, the Choral Project, and the internationally acclaimed Australian Voices. They have toured Europe in 2006, 2014 and 2016, and performed in Carnegie Hall in 2009. He is a frequent clinician and guest conductor.
Lou is the current president of California ACDA, where he has worked to fully re-integrate ACDA into CASMEC and is leading efforts to become an affiliate organization of ACDA known as the California Choral Directors Association. He has also served as both an area representative and choral representative for the CMEA Bay Section, and served as the President of the Music Association of California Community Colleges.
Lou is the happily married father of three daughters, all of whom were raised as musicians and lifelong fans of the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club.
Congratulations, Lou De La Rosa.
Diana Hollinger:
The CMEA Jazz Educator Award honors excellence in jazz education and performance. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Patrick Langham with the jazz educator award.
Patrick Langham is the interim executive director and director of jazz studies at the Brubeck Institute, where he directs jazz ensembles and teaches courses in jazz history, theory, and improvisation. Previously, he was the director of jazz studies at both the University of the Pacific and the University of South Carolina, Spartanburg, where he notably developed B.A. curriculum for both jazz studies programs. He is currently the president-elect of CAJ, and is in high demand as a performer and clinician.
Congratulations, Patrick Langham.
Michael D. Stone:
The CMEA Byron Holt/Don Schmeer Band Educator Award honors excellence in instrumental education and performance. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Jeri Webb with the band educator award.
For the past fifteen years, Jeri Webb has had the pleasure of being a music educator at Westview High School, where she directs the wind ensemble, symphonic orchestra, marching band, and string orchestra, and teaches AP music theory. In 2016, the CMEA Southern Border Section recognized her as the San Diego County Band Educator of the Year. She has served as the secretary for both the SCSBOA and CMEA South Border Section boards, and has been a featured director of various district honor bands.
Her teaching is inspired everyday by her son, Brian. Brian has Tourette’s syndrome and a host of other diagnoses. When Brian began learning the violin at the age of seven, his healing began. He changed from an out of control angry young boy to a patient, focused philosophical young man. He found joy and a way to focus his energies to create beauty. She credits music for his transformation, and knows that there are many “Brians” out there that would benefit from a music education.
Congratulations, Jeri Webb.
The CMEA Pearson/Scott Foresman/Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award goes to Lou De La Rosa, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn.
The CMEA Jazz Educator Award goes to Patrick Langham, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock.
The CMEA Byron Holt/Don Schmeer Band Educator Award goes to Jeri Webb, with CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger,
Eric Hammer,
Hedgecock.
John Burn:
The CMEA John Swain College/University Educator Award honors excellence in music education at the college/university level. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Dr. Eric Hammer with the college educator award.
Dr. Eric Hammer is completing his twentyfourth year as director of bands and professor of music education at the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music in Stockton, California. At Pacific, Eric currently leads the symphonic wind ensemble and university concert band as well as teaching courses in conducting, score analysis, rehearsal techniques, and band development. He also hosts the nationally recognized Pacific Western Concert Band Festival, advises the Pacific Pep Band, and supervises student teachers. Additionally, Eric conducts the highly acclaimed professional ensemble, the New Hammer Concert Band, while maintaining an active calendar of invited guest conducting, clinics, and adjudication throughout the country.
Dr. Hammer’s background includes an Iowa upbringing, sixteen years of public school teaching experience, and a doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Oregon. He has held many elected leadership roles including that of president of the College Band Directors National Association Western Division and president of the California Music Educators Association Bay Section. Eric is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, California Band Directors Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles.
Dr. Hammer has been honored as the Conservatory’s Most Inspirational Faculty member two times and was the original recipient of Pacific’s Golden Apple Award (2009) as faculty mentor in recognition of his innovative teaching and “relentlessly positive” influence in the lives of his students and the university. Eric lives on a small farm east of Lodi and is married to Patricia Larson Hammer, a college math professor, who was his high school sweetheart and remains his partner in a healthy, joyful lifestyle.
Congratulations, Eric Hammer.
Michael D. Stone:
The CMEA Music Industry Leadership Award honors an organization/individual for outstanding leadership in music education. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Ashli Rulien from J.W. Pepper with the music industry leadership award.
Ashli’s contribution to music education in California has been to service each and every customer with care. All CASMEC reading sessions are collated through her leadership. J.W. Pepper is also appreciative of being awarded all the all-state orders and coordinating through Ashli. She always has a smile on her face and she leads a great team at the J.W. Pepper store in Dublin, California. She also works in conjunction with the CMEA Bay Section. With great attention to detail, she handles ECCO, an ACDA summer week of clinics with no less than thirteen reading sessions. Ashli works with all the reading session chairs that pick very difficult to find repertoire for that conference and creates RS booklets through Pepper’s print services division.
Ashli takes great pride in serving the music education community. Though her background is not in music, she feels the great camaraderie obtained when students experience music education. There isn’t anything like seeing the excitement and pride of the students playing for an honor group in band, choir or orchestra. Ashli loves working with music teachers because they are the most dedicated people (and the most fun).
Congratulations, Ashli Rulien.
Diana Hollinger:
The CMEA Illuminating Culture Award seeks to recognize professionals and programs that integrate the personal and historical cultural perspectives of their students and community through music; it further seeks to recognize programs that use methods that connect student talent while honoring culture and ethnic heritage.
This year, CMEA is pleased to award Eloy Adame with the Illuminating Culture Award.
Eloy Adame has served as the instrumental music teacher and band director for James A. Garfield High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District since 2009. He teaches marching dynamics and the advanced band that jointly make up the Garfield High School Marching Band and Color Guard. Eloy also teaches four beginning guitar classes, concert band, and an Afro-Latin jazz band.
Eloy believes that as educators, we should never stop learning. By developing a wellrounded curriculum, Eloy arms his students with the necessary intellectual tools to face their future endeavors. A graduate of Cal State University Long Beach, Eloy has also been a professional trumpet player for the past twenty years.
Congratulations, Eloy Adame
The CMEA Music Industry Leadership Award goes to Ashli Rulien from J.W. Pepper, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock.
The CMEA John Swain College/University Educator Award goes to Dr.
with CMEA President Scott
The CMEA Illuminating Culture Award goes to Eloy Adame, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn.
John Burn:
The CMEA IN-Ovations Award. IN-ovations works to expand innovative curriculum offerings in music, particularly at the secondary level, to encourage lifelong study and making of music for students, including those not engaged in traditional ensembles and study.
This year, CMEA is pleased to award Anne Fennell with the IN-Ovations award.
Anne Fennell is the creative arts chair and instrumental and music composition teacher at Mission Vista High School in Vista, CA. She holds a bachelor’s in music education, a masters in leadership studies, Orff-Schulwerk certification for Levels I, II, and III, and has additional training and certifications in world music studies, character education, gifted and talented education, and cross-cultural language and academic development. Her experiences include 29 years of teaching K–8 integrated arts and music, leading performance ensembles in civic and professional organizations and national conferences, including the annual NAMM Board of Directors meeting (2013 and 2016), and teaching three levels of both steel drum ensembles and music composition through technology, grades 9–12. Her ensembles have been featured in both InTune Monthly and NAfME’s Teaching Music magazines.
She is a recognized presenter and clinician at professional conferences and workshops at local, regional, and national levels, including ISME, AOSA, the National Parent-Teacher Association, Tennessee Arts Academy, NAfME, and numerous music education conferences throughout the United States. She supported beginning teachers in multiple subjects through the California Beginning Teachers Assessment Program and was also an invited speaker for the U.S. Department of Education’s Research to Best Practice Conference in Washington, D.C. In the fall of 2015, Anne was a keynote speaker at the first China Conference for Music Education in Shanghai, addressing the whole musician, followed by workshops in music composition. In 2016, she was chosen as a Top Ten Finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award. She has received CMEA Southern Border Section’s Innovation in Music Education Award (2016), Illuminating Culture Award (2013), Outstanding Music Educator Award for the CMEA Southern Border Section (2008), and Teacher of the Year in Vista Unified School District. She was a sub-committee music writing team member for the National Core Arts Music Standards and is a 2016–2018 member of the NAfME General Music Education Council and the 2016–2018 Chair for the NAfME IN-ovations Council. Congratulations, Anne Fennell.
Scott Hedgecock:
The CMEA Legislative Award honors an elected official whose advocacy for music education has made a noteworthy difference in supporting music in our schools. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell with the legislative award.
Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell represents the 70th district comprising the Long Beach, Signal Hill, San Pedro, and Catalina Island. Assemblymember O’Donnell reached out to CMEA last spring and asked why we didn’t come back with another VAPA Standards bill and would we like for him to author one at that time. The answer was a fast and eager yes from CMEA, and we co-sponsored the new bill, AB 2862 VAPA Standards Revision, with our colleagues in the California Art Education Association and were joined in support by the California Dance Education Association and the California Educational Theatre Association as authored by Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell.
Assemblymember O’Donnell is a former teacher with more than twenty years experience in the classroom. As a leader dedicated to quality education, his record shows tremendous support in education for students with special needs, tackling the teacher shortage, and for the arts in education. As chair of the Assembly Education Committee, Assemblymember O’Donnell worked to ensure more than $14 billion in additional funds were dedicated to our schools and community colleges in the 2015 Budget and passed legislation to create safer learning environments for LGBTQ students.
CMEA is proud to thank and to honor California State Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell with the CMEA Legislative Leadership Award.
Although Mr. O’Donnell was not able to be with us this evening, arrangements have been made by his office for him to receive this award during the Stand Up 4 Music Advocacy Day in Sacramento on May 18.
Congratulations, Patrick O’Donnell.
The CMEA Aubrey Penman Retired Music Educator Award goes to Bill Adam, with CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger.
Michael D. Stone:
The CMEA Aubrey Penman Retired Music Educator Award honors an individual who has demonstrated continued influence in developing teachers. This year, CMEA is pleased to award Bill Adam with the retired music educator award.
Bill Adam has been a member of CMEA since he started teaching in 1973. Now retired, Bill attributes his professional success to the support of the CMEA. Through the MENC student chapter at CSU Sacramento, Bill was encouraged to attend festivals, honor groups, and conferences. As a CMEA member, Bill Adam worked as a band representative, section president, vice-president, and eventually president of CMEA. This role eventually led him to represent CMEA on the California Arts Project and the California Association for Arts Education, where he was eventually elected the Chair.
For the last eight years, Bill has served as CMEA Capitol Section Treasurer, taking on the organization of the Golden Empire Music Festivals in 2013. He believes that a solid K–12 music program should offer a variety of courses to meet the needs of students at all skill levels, which must be taught by credentialed teachers who have a vast knowledge of performance and music fundamentals.
Congratulations, Bill Adam
The CMEA IN-Ovations Award goes to Anne Fennell, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock.
The CMEA Legislative Award goes to Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell.
Scott Hedgecock:
The CMEA President’s Award honors individuals for their outstanding contributions to the work of CMEA. This year, CMEA is pleased to present three award winners.
First, Lynne Faulks, if she will please come forward.
In 2012, after CMEA had completed the first strategic plan and determined that advocacy was to be one of our top priorities, the leadership went searching for a connection in Sacramento. Then NAfME Executive Director and CEO Michael Butera gave CMEA some leads. After interviewing the candidates, Russ Sperling (then president) and Michael Stone (then president-elect) excitedly reported back that the right person had been found. Her name was Lynne Faulks.
Lynne Faulks owns and operates LF Consulting, in Sacramento, California, a firm specializing in legislative and strategic solutions. Her work is focused in the educational arena. She is the prior manager of legislative relations for the California Teachers Association, where she coordinated the CTA’s legislative programs and directed the lobbying team in Sacramento.
In Sacramento, Ms. Faulks’s reach includes both legislators and regulatory agencies. She also led CTA’s lobbying efforts in Washington D.C. Her educational resume includes being a special education teacher.
Ms. Faulks earned her B.A. in psychology and a teaching credential from UC San Diego. Further studies include a special education credential at San Francisco State University. She has an M.S. in union leadership and administration from the University of Massachusetts and is a graduate of the trade union program from Harvard University.
Shortly after that interview with Russ and Mike, Lynne Faulks began her work with CMEA. Her first year was spent helping us to understand how things work in Sacramento. Being a former teacher, she knew what her students wanted and needed to learn, and more importantly she knew how to be an outstanding teacher. This is one of her most admirable characteristics which she still employs with us today.
Lynne Faulks has taken our fledgling efforts to “advocate” for music education and helped to turn them into a well-oiled and powerful machine that today has both respect and traction in Sacramento. When our first attempt at Legislation in 2015 suffered an untimely political end in the 11th hour she took the time to explain about the process we had succumbed to. When the opportunity to bring back a VAPA Standards bill came around with AB 2862, she was ready to help us on our path to victory. Through the determination, professionalism, and personal moxy of Lynne Faulks we watched as Governor Brown signed not one, but two pieces of arts education legislation into law on September 26, 2016.
Lynne Faulks continues to lead us in the right directions, support us in our decision making, and encourages us. After I reported a recent conversation I had with a legislators office she responded with “as a legislative coach, I do so enjoy watching you blossom.”
The student is a reflection of the teacher. Thank you, Lynne Faulks, for making CMEA’s goals and dreams come true, and I am pleased to present you with the CMEA President’s Award.
Congratulations, Lynne Faulks.
Hedgecock:
Our second President’s Award goes to Phil Vallejo, if he will please come forward.
Phil Vallejo is a Renaissance man. He is a music educator, which we all know is a multiple layering of numerous jobs that require countless hours of effort. He is the true epitome of the spirit of volunteerism, having served all of the organizations within the CASMEC realm as our “buck stops here” CASMEC coordinator. And he is a true family man.
When I first observed Phil working in the CASMEC realm I found it hard to believe that this wasn’t his full-time job. He was negotiating contracts with hotels and performing arts centers, working to pull several “strong” leaders together and build consensus, and at the same time knew exactly how many music stands would be in every room at any given time.
As Phil Vallejo has been doing all of this work, he has also been trying to turn the focus of CASMEC into a unified organization of shared leadership and responsibilities. He repeatedly reminds us that we aren’t making decisions to make it easier for us in the present, but to ensure that the CASMEC opportunity exists for future generations and that it is our responsibility to make the right decisions to allow that, and to guarantee that that happens.
Phil is also a family man that sets an example for everyone. He isn’t afraid to say that family time comes first, and he will quietly let us know when there is a need for him to be “off the grid” for a while. Phil understands and lives the long game in all that he does.
Phil Vallejo, for all that you have done to make CASMEC great, and all that you do to set a shining example to others, I thank you for your service and I am proud to present you with this CMEA President’s Award.
Congratulations, Phil Vallejo.
The first CMEA President’s Award goes to Lynne Faulks, with. CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone
Scott
The second President’s Award goes to Phil Vallejo, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn.
Scott Hedgecock:
Our third President’s Award goes to Dr. Randi Carp. Accepting the award is her husband, Dave Buckeyne.
Dr. Randi Carp is described by former students as a whirlwind, a bundle of energy, your best friend that you both loved and feared at the same time. She was unique, driven, and one of the most genuine people I have ever known.
Dr. Carp, or Randi as she was known to so many, began her teaching career in 1975, initially as a band director. Her tenure at Los Alamitos High School ran from 1992–2008. During this time she developed a monster choral program serving many hundreds of students. She took her choirs internationally to London and China, they were featured at ACDA Conferences, and she continually gave back to the profession with her leadership service.
Randi and I were “hanging out” together at the Western Division ACDA Conference in Las Vegas in the early 2000s and she approached me, well actually told me, that I was going to be in leadership in CMEA through service on her board in the former CMEA Southern Section. I said I would think about it. The next day she introduced me to people she knew as the choral rep for the Southern Section. The following day she casually added “and president-elect for the section” to that title. There was no stopping Randi when she set her mind to something, and so began my leadership journey in our organization.
Randi and her husband, Dave Buckeyne (yes, the legendary “Pepper Dave”), relocated to the East Coast in 2008. We kept in touch across the miles and continued to catch up at various conferences and conventions. She would share with me what was going on with her new choirs, and also how she was being kept alive through the wonders of modern chemistry in her battle with cancer. Being close to that battle myself, we created an even deeper bond between us.
When the election results at CASMEC were first announced in 2014, and posted on Facebook, I received a text almost immediately. It merely said “I knew you would be president one day.” It was from Randi.
Perhaps it is best to remember Randi through the words of others. From a former parent of children in her program: “Dr. Carp was a force of nature, and she unashamedly shared her love of music with countless students and audiences.” From David Mollenkamp, her successor at Los Alamitos: “Her legacy will stand the test of time and will live on through the voices and the lives of all the students and parents she touched.” And from the person who knew her the best and the longest, her mother: “My daughter was a beacon of light. She lived life on her own terms and lived it brilliantly. May she rest in peace.”
It is with deep gratitude and humility that I award, posthumously, the CMEA President’s Award to Dr. Randi Carp, and I am honored to have her husband, Dave Buckeyne, standing next to me to accept it in her memory.
Diana Hollinger:
The CMEA Hall of Fame Award honors a lifetime of extraordinary service and commitment to music education in California. This is CMEA’s highest honor. This year, CMEA is pleased to present three very special award winners.
The first is Dr. Edward Harris.
Dr. Edward C. Harris was appointed director of the school of music and dance and the director of bands at San José State University in 2000. Born and educated in Santa Monica, Dr. Harris received his bachelor of music degree in music education, and master of arts degree in clarinet performance from San Francisco State University. He received his doctor of arts degree in conducting and clarinet performance from the University of Northern Colorado, where he studied under Eugene Corporon.
Before joining the San José faculty, Dr. Harris served in a similar capacity at California State University, Stanislaus, Humboldt State University, and at the University of Wisconsin, Platteville. Preceding these appointments, he served as director of instrumental music at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California from 1971 to 1978.
Dr. Harris maintains an active schedule as guest conductor and lecturer throughout the United States. He has guest conducted honor groups and festivals in more than eight states and has been selected to conduct both the California Community College All-State Honor Band in 1985, and the California All-State Honor Band in 1986, 1996, and 2004. Dr. Harris brings to his position a broad knowledge of both traditional and contemporary wind band literature.
In addition to his university duties, he has served as president for the Western Division of the College Band Directors National Association and has been on the board of directors for the California Band Directors Association and the California Music Educators Association. In 1995, Dr. Harris was honored to receive the “Stairway of the Stars” Award from the City of Santa Monica for distinguished contributions to the arts in California.
Congratulations, Dr. Edward Harris..
The third President’s Award goes to Dr. Randi Carp. Accepting the award is her husband, Dave Buckeyne, with CMEA President Scott Hedgecock.
The first of three CMEA Hall of Fame Award winners is Dr. Edward Harris, with CMEA President-Elect John Burn.
Michael D. Stone:
Our second Hall of Fame Award winner is Dr. Michael Corrigan.
Michael Corrigan has been an instrumental music educator in California for forty-five years. Mr. Corrigan received his bachelor’s degree in music from California State University, Long Beach.
Mr. Corrigan has previously taught at Santa Monica College, Santa Monica High School, Mater Dei High School (twenty-five years), Yosemite High School, Clovis High School, and Aliso Niguel High School. He has also taught at the Manhattan Beach Unified School District as an elementary band teacher. He has produced highly successful marching bands at each of his assignments. His groups have consistently received unanimous superior ratings in local festivals, as well as festivals throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. He was also the founding director of the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble, which is recognized as the first youth wind ensemble in the United States to be sponsored by a professional orchestra.
Mr. Corrigan has served as president of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), and president of the California Band Directors Association (CBDA). He has adjudicated numerous festival and marching band events throughout the United States, and is frequently called to guest conduct select honor groups. His bands and orchestras have received “Unanimous Gold” recognitions at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.
His bands and orchestras have traveled extensively throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. He has received the Legion of Honor Award from the John Philip Sousa National Foundation, the Distinguished Service Award from the California Band Directors Association, Band Educator of the Year from the California Music Educators Association, and is an Honorary Life Member of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association.
Congratulations, Michael Corrigan.
John Burn:
Our last Hall of Fame Award winner is Jim Mazzaferro.
Jim Mazzaferro has a distinguished career as a music educator. Mr. Mazzaferro is highly respected in our profession, and recently retired from a thirty-five year career in the public schools.
James Mazzaferro started his career in San Francisco at Archbishop Riordan High School, where he worked for ten years before moving to Florin High School in the Elk Grove Unified School District for eight years. He was the concert band director at Sacramento City College for four years, and is currently the orchestra director at Consumnes River College. Mazzaferro ended his full-time teaching career as director of instrumental music at Sheldon High School, where he taught concert band, symphonic band, jazz band, and string orchestra, as well as marching band, AP music theory, and guitar. In addition, he is the artistic director/camp director of Cazadero Performing Arts Camp, a position he has held since 2001.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Mazzaferro attended Lowell High School, playing in the school’s concert band and orchestra. He received his bachelor’s degree in music education from San Francisco State University, playing in the symphonic band under the direction of Dr. Edwin C. Kruth, and served as principal bassist in the university symphony under the direction of Lazlo Varga. Mazzaferro received his masters degree in instrumental conducting from California State University, Sacramento, studying conducting under Dr. Robert Halseth. Mazzaferro has also studied conducting with Frederick Fennell, Jack Stamp, Allan McMurray, and Eugene Corporon.
Mazzaferro has dedicated his life to music education. His passion has led him to receive numerous awards and recognitions, including: two-time Teacher of the Year at Archbishop Riordan High School, multiple recipient of “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers,” Elk Grove Unified School District Teacher of the Year, Crystal Apple Award for Outstanding Educator, Elly Award for High School Musical Direction of Bye Bye Birdie, CMEA Byron Hoyt/Don Schmeer Outstanding Band Director Award, and the prestigious Bandworld John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Award. Mazzaferro has also been honored to conduct honor bands and orchestras in both California and Nevada.
Congratulations, Jim Mazzaferro.
Concluding comments by Scott Hedgecock: Tonight has been a spectacular celebration of lives. Let’s congratulate all of our CMEA Award Recipients. This concludes the CMEA Awards Gala. We hope to see you at one of the jazz concerts, and at our all-conference social later this evening. Thank you for attending, we’ll see you next year, and good night.
The second CMEA Hall of Fame Award winner is Dr. Michael Corrigan, with CMEA Vice President Diana Hollinger.
The third CMEA Hall of Fame Award winner is Jim Mazzaferro, with CMEA Immediate Past President Michael D. Stone.
Thanks to The Tech: The Museum of Innovation and its Living Colors Lab in the BioDesign Studio in San José for the synthetic DNA color background images for these award pages. Photos by Allen Petrinka.
