CMEA Magazine (ISSN 1099–6710) is published quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) by CMEA
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On the Cover – Participants in the Stand Up 4 Music California Music Education Advocacy Day at the State Capitol in Sacramento on May 18, 2017 Top Row: California State Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell; CMEA President Scott Hedgecock Second Row: Group Photo Front Row: Scott Mandeville (Tim's Music), Heather Mansell, Yamaha (Corp of America) Joe Lamond (NAMM President and CEO), David Jewell (Yamaha Corp of America), Angela Koregelos (HW Products, Inc.), Back Row: Eric Chun (Creative Music Services) Lauren Partin (Tim's Music), Eric Ebel (NAMM), Justin Emord (Wedgie Picks); CMEA Legislative Advocate Lynne Faulks; horn players of the Hanford West High School Jazz Band “A " Third Row: California State Senator Ben Allen; Heather Mansell (Yamaha Corp of America), David Jewell (Yamaha Corp of America), California State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, Barbara W ight (Taylor Guitars); NAMM President Joe Lamond, CMEA President Scott Hedgecock, California State Assemblymember Frank Bigelow, Scott Mandeville (Tim's Music); Fourth Row: The CMEA/SU4M Executive Team meets in Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon's office with K–12 Consultant Misty Feusahrens, CMEA Advocacy Representative Steve Venz, CMEA President Scott Hedgecock, CMEA Legislative Advocate Lynne Faulks, CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams; NAf ME Western Division President Russ Sperling, CMEA President-Elect John Burn, Grammy Teacher of the Year Keith Hancock, and NAMM President and CEO of NAMM Joe Lamond; California Dance Education Association President Kristin Kusanovich; Bottom Row: The combined Cowan and Deterding Elementary School Choirs
Photos by Brian Baer, Getty Images
WPresident’s Message
Renew
by Scott Hedgecock CMEA President
hat are your plans for this summer? W ill you be travelling? Catching up on home projects? S tudying? W hatever your plans may inc lude, I do hope that you plan to spend time for yourself. And that doesn’t mean private time to study your music We are more than just music educators we are people Human beings Living spirits And we require an occasional renewal of our minds, bodies, and spirits
renew
verb (used with object)
• to make effective for an additional period:
• to restore or replenish
• to revive; reestablish
• to recover (youth, strength, etc )
• to restore to a former state
Q
verb (used without object)
• to begin again; recommence
• to be restored to a former state
uite of ten we become too immersed in what we do as the defining factor to who we are This should be the exact opposite We are unique, individual, creative characters and these attributes should help to define us. W ho we love, where we live, what we enjoy are all factors that enable us to be great teachers; these “ life factors” guide us in our teaching and how we strive to ensure that our students learn life lessons as well musical ones
As you go through your summer months I encourage you take some time to share your adventures with others Telling our stories, and being involved in conversations that have nothing whatsoever to do with being a music teacher can be some of the richest moments we can spend, yet we of ten do so little of it
P lease enjoy the ar tic les in this issue of the magazine, and while I do encourage you to calendar the dates of our major events for the upcoming school year, I also wish you a restful change of pace, time to slow down and take stock, and most of all the chance to renew
I look for ward to the things we will share together in the 2017–2018 school year, and as always I am proud to ser ve as your president, Most sincerely,
CMEA EXECUTIVE B OARD
CMEA President Scott Hedgecock shedgecock@calmusiced com 714 626-3984
CMEA President-Elect John Burn jburn@calmusiced com 408 522-2541
CMEA Vice President Position Open
CMEA Secretary Sandra Lewis slewis@calmusiced com 408 806-5550
CMEA Immediate Past President
Michael D Stone meuph@att net 661 631-4810
CMEA OFFICE
cmea@calmusiced com 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 559 587-2632
CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams cmea@calmusiced com 559 904-2002
CMEA Legislative Advocate
Lynne Faulks consultLF@gmail com
SECTION PRESIDENTS
CMEA Bay Section President Rita Zigas-Brown rzigas.brown@gmail.com 925 944-6840 x8622
CMEA Capitol Section President Joshua Luedtke Jluedtke86@hotmail.com 916 214-5674
CMEA Central Section President Bill W ilkinson bwilksinsoncmea@gmail com 559 816-6141
CMEA Central Coast Section President Christy Latham clatham@sccs.net
CMEA North Coast Section President Holly MacDonell hollymacdonell@gmail.com 707 499-1399
CMEA Northern Section President Michael Phenicie phenicie@frontiernet net 530 458-21561
CMEA Southeastern Section President Ryan Duckworth Ryan Duckworth@cjusd net 909 856-5777
CMEA Southern Border Section President Laura Smith lsmith11@sandi.net 619 246-0092
CMEA Southwestern Section President Dr Alexander Koops akoops@apu edu 626 815-6000 x3583
NAf ME OFFICERS
NAf ME President Denese Odegaard 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 22091 800 336-3768
NAf ME Western Division President Russ Sperling rsperli@cox.net
COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES
CMEA/CCDA Representative Dr Rob Istad robert.istad@gmail.com 562 822-5952
CMEA/CCDA Choral Leadership Academy Coordinator W illow Manspeaker wmanspeaker@stevensonschool org 831 625-8339
CMEA CAJ Representative Barbara Shinaver barbshinaver@gmail.com 559 451-4320
CMEA CASMEC Coordinator/CMEA Representative on the CBDA Board Joseph Cargill cargill joseph@gmail com 559 474-3064
CMEA CBDA Representative Adam W ilke awilke75@sbcglobal net 510 471-2510 x60216
CMEA CODA Representative Donna Harrison harrison.donna3@gmail.com 209 613-8273
CMEA Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator Phil Vallejo philvallejo@gmail com 559) 250-1412
CMEA Advocacy Day Public Relations Coordinator Mario Sebastian msebasti@egusd net
CMEA Advocacy Representative Steve Venz stevenvenz@yahoo com 714 966-4000
Collegiate Council Representative Lauren Culley lrculley@gmail.com 408 440-6931
CMEA Collegiate Representative Dr. Dennis Siebenaler dsiebenaler@fullerton edu 657 278-3510
CMEA Creating and Composition Representative Dr Lisa A Crawford lisacrawfordmusic@gmail com 310 863-6422
CMEA CTA Liaison Nora Allstedt nallstedt@gmail com 559 592-9421
CMEA Elementary Representative Coralie Prince coralie prince@gmail com
CMEA General Music Representative Richard Lawton richard@richardlawtonmusic com 323 654-4401
CMEA Higher Education Representative Position Open
CMEA IN-ovations Representative Anne Fennell annefennell@mac.com 760 310-2392
CMEA Membership Chairperson Ryan Clippinger Ryan Clippinger@kernhigh org 661 854-5561 x70701
CMEA Mentorship Program Chairperson Mark Nicholson mnicholson@sandi.net 858 256-2702
CMEA Music Supervisors Representative Phil Mortensen pmortensen@pylusd org 714 986-7024
CMEA Music Technology Representative Tamara T Thies, Ph D tamara thies@csulb edu
CMEA Research Representative Dr Ruth Brittin rbrittin@pacific edu 209 946-2408
CMEA Retired Members Representative Position Open
CMEA Special Learners Representative Angela Holmes Holmesangie@yahoo com
CMEA Special Projects Representative Russ Sperling rsperli@cox net
CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival Coordinator Keith Johnson keith@echsbands.com 510 231-1437 x26418
CMEA State Choral Festival Coordinator Nancy Ludwig nancyludwig6@gmail com 626 443-6181 x5895
CMEA State Solo and Ensemble Festival Coordinator Cheryl Yee Glass cglass@srvhs org 925 552-3044
CMEA Tri-M Representative Troy Trimble troyatrimble@gmail com 714 626-3975
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 Stand Up 4 Music Advocacy Day
by Phil Vallejo
O• Clovis Nor th High School S tring Orchestra, directed by Ar thur Howansky.
n Thursday, May 18, 2017, CMEA held their annual CMEA S tand Up 4 Music Advocac y Day at the California S tate Capitol in S acramento, CA As a par t of this great day, there were six ensembles that made their way to the Capitol to share the gif t of music with ever yone in attendance I’d like to thank the following ensembles and their directors for taking the time to perform on the west steps of the Capitol Chawanakee Academy Guitar Ensemble, directed by Bill S amuelson.
• W inston Churchill Midd le School Band, directed by S onia Takanikos-Erickson
• Clovis East High School Percussion Ensemble, directed by Rober t S trong
• Deterding and Cowan Elementar y School Choirs, directed by George Doz et
• Hanford West High School Jazz Band, directed by Lisa Butts
• It was an honor to see such high qualit y directors working with their fantastic ensembles. The essence of the day was captured in each of their performances. If you are interested in performing at the 2018 S tand Up 4 Music Advocac y Day, there will be applications available in the fall. P lease check the SU4M web-site at www.standup4music.org for any information regarding this ver y impor tant advocac y group. F inally, if you are interested in volunteering to be a par t of the advocac y day, please e-mail Trish Adams at cmea@calmusiced com Any and all help would be appreciated and ever y little bit helps as we all stand up for music together!
CMEA Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator
Hanford West High School Jazz B and
Chawanakee Academy Guit ar Ensemble
Photos by Brian B aer, Getty Images
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
ICMEA Southeastern Section Collaborations and Transitions
by Armalyn
De La O
CMEA Southeastern Section President
t has been a pleasure to ser ve the CMEA S outheastern S ection as the first elected president of our young section As a new section to the CMEA family, we had the pleasure to host the CMEA S tate S olo and Ensemble Festival for the past two years at CSU S an Bernardino This joint endeavor with the CMEA S outhwestern S ection has provided S outhern California and S outhern Central California outstanding soloists and small ensembles a more geographically accessible location to the CMEA S tate Festival. As a result, the southern festival attendance has doubled in siz e since it star ted in 2015 This year, host location and section transitioned to CMEA S outhwestern S ection. If you have not received information on these festivals or were not aware that your superior-rated students could move on to the state level, please watch for the announcement at one of these festivals in the coming year Both sections are committed to growing the number of students par ticipating each year. As a reminder, to be eligible, a student or small ensemble must have received a superior rating at a CMEA section festival, SCSBOA festival or SCVA festival
In other collaborative effor ts, CMEA S outheastern S ection, the Guitar Foundation of America, and RIMS California Ar ts Project are designing in par tnership a new program for current guitar and emerging guitar educators in our section The new Collaborative Guitar Communit y Conference will launch in the fall providing both student and teacher workshops from novice through accomplished guitarists The conference focuses on deepening music teachers understanding of the NCAS: Harmonizing In-
str ument S tandards, while also providing an oppor tunit y to experience guitar performances and for all levels to participate in a Guitar Collaborative Communit y ensemble Watch for the fall flyer coming soon.
In the fall, the CMEA S outheastern S ection will launch yet another collaboration for our members W hile details and our par tners can’t be announced at this time, it will provide oppor tunities for our members and their students. We are proud of our growing experience in creating collaborative events and programs and our section’s resulting por tfolio that suppor ts music educators and music education
CMEA-SES held elections in late April and will transition board positions star ting July 1, 2017. Ryan D uckwor th, choral educator at Bloomington High School in the Colton Joint Unified School District was elected to ser ve as section president and Ray Llewelyn, elementar y music educator for P lacentia-Yorba Linda USD was elected as section vice president. Here are their visions for the future of our section:
Ryan Duckworth
I am deeply honored and excited to have this oppor tunit y to help lead the CMEA S outheastern S ection for this next term My vision for our section can ultimately be summed up in two words: inc lusion and innovation O ur region has many wonderful associations and organizations that are already ser ving various specific groups of music teachers They each have their strengths that have been honed over the years and
we want to suppor t those groups in their effor ts and programs. Yet it is the CMEA that stands out to represent all music teachers: all levels, all abilities, and all st yles I hope that the S outheastern S ection will become a place where music teachers can all find a voice to suppor t those things that we all have in common and to reach our fellow music educators to share our exper tise and advocate for our profession. This is where innovation becomes so critical and exciting. I want to ask the question: W hat can we do well that no one else is doing? How can we best suppor t those c lasses that fall outside the more traditional band, orchestra and choir programs? W hat about our region’s wor ld music ensembles: mariachi, steel dr um, dr um circ les, rock bands, guitar ensembles, etc. Many of our region’s music teachers are bold ly exploring these less traditional ensembles and we want to consider ways that we can suppor t them W hat about our elementar y general music teachers or itinerant band teachers – what sor t of new programs can we provide for them? Imagine a mobile festival where a c linician
could come to their elementar y sites and provide an outside perspective to our youngest musicians just as they are star ting their journey into ensemble music How can we as music teachers embrace new technologies to enhance our own professional development and our students’ experiences? I want to encourage our section to envision a season where “the sky is the limit ” S urely, we will make some mistakes and have some false star ts. Innovation is never easy ; but I tr uly am excited about the possibilities that lay ahead of us And I encourage you, if you have ideas for new programs, conferences, or festivals, and are willing to step out on the proverbial limb with us, please get in touch with me so we can begin to have these impor tant conversations together
Ray Llewellyn
Many thanks to ever yone that believed in me by voting me in as the newly elected vice president of the CMEA S outheastern S ection As someone who has taught for 25 years at the elementar y, midd le school,
high school and college levels, I believe I bring a unique perspective to this position. I am looking for ward to working with new president, Ryan D uckwor th and the rest of the board, on growing our young section I hope we can continue the great work of the outgoing board members. In my tenure, I hope we are able to focus on ways to grow our membership which inc ludes Orange, Riverside, S an Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties. I believe reaching out to and working with fellow professional music organizations like SCSBOA, SCVA and MTNA, increasing our presence on social media, and reaching out to colleges and universities in our section will help grow our membership I look for ward to our continuing to par ticipate in and grow the CMEA S tate S olo and Ensemble festival that we co-host each year which is open to students receiving a superior rating at a CMEA or CMEA-affiliated festival I also look for ward to working to continue to provide qualit y professional development to the members of the CMEA-SES. O ur future is bright
The Times They Are A’Changin’
by Lou De La Rosa President, California ACDA
About twent y years ago, California ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) was actually two entities: Nor thern California ACDA, and S outhern California ACDA. Af ter years of operating separately, it was determined that uniting the two organizations into one statewide chapter would be in the best interest of California choral directors. And so it has been
For a number of years, California ACDA ran two all-state honor choirs, four regional honor choirs, the summer workshop at ECCO (the Episcopal Conference Center at Oakhurst) and two fall reading sessions, at CSU Hayward (now CSU East Bay) and CSU L ong Beach. However, times have changed.
Today, with a membership of about 1,600 choral directors, California ACDA organiz es four all-state honor choirs, six regional honor choirs, the summer workshop at ECCO, two fall regional conferences (one in the Nor thern California, one in the S outhern California), a new state conference in conjunction with the all-state honor choir performances at the California All-S tate Music Education Conference (CASMEC), and together with CMEA, hosts the Choral L eadership Academy at CASMEC We annually commission a composition for an all-state honor choir on a rotating basis In addition, we subsidiz e student memberships through the S ing Up Membership Drive, and have launched the V ision For The Future Scholarship Fund to assist professionals par ticipate in life-changing choral experiences through the Dr. Char les C. Hir t Scholarship for Professional Development
That is a lot, given the constraints of being a chapter of ACDA, subject to the laws of Oklahoma, a state one-tenth the siz e of California
Therefore, in Januar y 2016 the California ACDA Board of Directors recommended the creation of a nonprofit cor poration which
would be known as the California Choral Directors Association, or CCDA, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, tax-exempt cor poration This directive was made following numerous discussions between the state and national ACDA leadership over the previous year. The entire concept was actually suggested by the ACDA National Office The California Choral Directors Association would supplant the California ACDA chapter and become an affiliate organization of ACDA National, similar to Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska, and Montana
The question regarding the change from chapter to affiliate status was presented to the members of California ACDA for approval last November with the endorsement of the entire board of directors, the national leadership, and seventeen past presidents of California and the Western Division The vote for affiliation passed with an astounding 97 8 percent approval As of July 1, 2017, California ACDA ceased to exist and CCDA took its place
W hat are the benefits of having become our own nonprofit cor poration? F irst, CCDA will be fully in control of its own destiny. This inc ludes managing the V ision for the Future Fund, par tnering with other choral and music education entities, and negotiating various contractual and financial commitments inc luding the all-state honor choirs, and the future of CASMEC
Two years ago, California ACDA created a Reper toire and Resource position (R & R) for Choral Composition, and last year we brought Deke S haron onto the board as the first R and R chair for Contemporar y A Cappella This has been a time of tremendous change, with a for ward-looking board. Under the presidenc y of Dr. Rober t Istad, we look for ward to even more par tnerships and outside-the-box thinking as CCDA works to meet the needs of choral directors across the state
Cowan
Dozet,
Photo by Brian B aer, Getty Images
CMEA State Solo and Ensemble Festival (Southern California) at Azusa Pacific University
May 13, 2017
Celine Chen - West Ranch High School
Deanna Buringrud - California City High School
Emma Kremer - Fullerton Union High School
Leena Sota - Placerita Junior High School
Fullerton Union High School State Festival Participants: Samantha Brackman, Ana Bane, Choral Director and CMEA President Scott Hedgecock, Collaborative Artist Anthony Lopez, Alan Rodriguez, Samuel Derro, Devin Ricklef, Adam Rooney, Emma Kremer (Command Performance), Grace Weatrowski, Janine Lutfi, Timothy Coleman, and Landon Wouters (Ladera Vista Jr High)
Command Performance Concert at Azusa Pacific University: CMEA Southwestern Section President Dr Alexander Koops, CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams, Emma Kremer (voice, Fullerton Union High School), Leena Sota (flute, Placerita Junior High School), Sonya StegelChanen (flute, Wilson Middle School), Deanna Buringrud (flute, California City High School), CMEA President Scott Hedgecock, CMEA Southeastern Section President Armalyn De La O
Sonya Stegel-Chanen - Wilson Middle School Joshua Howard - Thorner Elementary School
Sarah Howard - Highland High School
Michelle Sun - Saugus High School
Photos by Ryan Duckworth
CMEA Magazine
CMEA State Solo and Ensemble Festival (Northern California) at Sacramento State University
May 5– 6, 2017
Anna Mauro - Arcata High School
Katie Cook - Shasta High School
Juan Frausto - Madera South High School
Linda Chen - Williams Flute Studio
Reese Romero and Accompanist Jessica Simpkins - Clayton Valley Charter High School
Patten Academy Ensemble photo: Tava Lawrence - cello, Nathan Huynh - violin; Rachel Harrington - viola, Hannah Villanueva - flute; Marcus Mackey, double bass
Natalie Samuelson - Chawanakee Academy
Jessica Soan - Williams Flute Studio
Photos by Trish Adams
Grayson Roberts - Sequoia Middle School
12, 2017
by
Photos
John Burn
CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival at the Mondavi Center, UC Davis May
Homestead High School Wind Ensemble I
Hopkins Junior High School Advanced Orchestra
El Cerrito High School Wind Ensemble
Sutter Middle School Advanced Orchestra
The Steps to Success for Special Learners
by Angela E Holmes, M.A. Ed CMEA Special Learners Representative
One year ago, an ar tic le describing the activities necessar y for the successful inc lusion of special learners in the music education c lassroom, appeared in the S ummer 2016 Issue of CMEA Magazine In the year since that information was presented, K-12 music educators continue to repor t that they do not know the special learners enrolled in their c lass(es) before school begins Others repor t that they do not receive a list of special learners until two or three months af ter school begins. It appears that there is a need to re-share the information previously presented The recommendations from the previous ar tic le are cr ucial reminders for teachers, to beginning with knowing the categor y designation for the one or more special learners assigned to their c lasses or programs Advance planning is a key factor in preparing instr uction that inc ludes a focus on the strengths of the learner and considers specific accommodations unique to the student In addition, advanced planning helps the teacher avoid behavioral missteps that sometimes sets the tone for the studentteacher-parent relationship
The sooner the teacher can access the special education categor y designation of a student, and have the oppor tunit y to read through the individual education plan (IEP), the better prepared the teacher can be in receiving any child assigned to their c lass with a special need The key issues of relationship building, parent as par tners, instr uctional accommodations, specific emotional and behavioral concerns are ver y impor tant factors in securing a positive teaching-learning relationship between student and teacher. Accessing a list of students who are special learners should happen as soon as possible; ideally before school star ts, and not more than a week af ter the school year begins. If a school or district fails to provide ear ly access to the names of special learners and their designation,
teachers should request it from their administrator or special education chair person
The following is a review of the information and actions a teacher can take in preparing for the school year when they have special learners assigned to their music education program Although the list of recommended items are a repeat, there will be more detail to some items and an addition of other that were inc luded in the previous ar tic le
Preparation
Before school begins, each teacher should receive the
• names of students with their special education categor y listed. If it not provided, it should be requested from an administrator, special education coordinator or office of special education at the district office
Af ter receiving the list, obtain the location of the special
• education file The file may be in a separate confidential file in the main office or may be with the special education case carrier. The case carrier may be the special education teacher for the student, i e RSP or SDC teacher or there may be a central office for special education, usually high school, where all the IEP ’ s are located.
Write the name of the case carrier on the list of students
• Ever y student that is on the list may have a different case carrier.
• learning characteristics have become unfamiliar, review them from a textbook or website source.
Review the categories listed If there is a disabilit y whose
Access the IEP document and read it thoroughly
• If needed, read it a second time, this time taking notes
• In the IEP, look for the following:
• 3 S trengths
3 Present level of academic functioning
3 Goals
3 Interests/hobbies
3 Language level if English language learner
3 Comments: parents/legal guardians, previous teachers, other
3 Classroom/social behavior and attendance record
3 Any comments about music
If a student has a Behavior Inter vention
• P lan (BIP), read through the plan to take note of specific behavior inter vention strategies to be used with the student. W hile reading the IEP, write down any
• questions that can be answered by the special education teacher, parent/legal guardian or psychologist
• the music teacher needs to prepare for an accommodation to the environment, instr uction, use of an instr ument or time in c lass
Make a note of anything that suggests that
cially helpful when the teacher is asked to attend an IEP or if the music teacher is requesting a music accommodation to be added to the IEP
• ous teachers, the case carrier and parent/legal guardian.
Make appointments to speak to any previ-
The first meeting with the parent/legal
• guardian may or may not inc lude the student depending on the maturit y of the student W hen meeting with the parent:
3 Listen to concerns and insights regarding the student
3 Clarify expectations for the music c lassroom.
3 Review the curriculum for the semester/year
3 Agree upon a communication system that is convenient for teacher and home.
needs of each special learner in lesson preparation.
3 Note: be mindful of keeping all student information strictly confidential
After Instruction Begins
• the home
Be consistent with communication with
Consistently apply instr uctional and be-
• havioral accommodations strategies in the c lassroom
• student, home and staff.
Keep a journal for all interactions with the
• Consult with special education personnel
Attend IEP meetings, even if not assigned
• as needed.
Begin an informal file for each special
• learner. Throughout the year, inc lude any notes or student work product that may be impor tant for parent information, grading pur poses and suppor t data for other student accommodations This file is espe-
3 If a behavior program is needed, develop a system that is beneficial to the student and user-friend ly for the adults
3 If student is not at the first meeting, it is necessar y to hold an additional meeting to review all expectations discussed and allow input from the student
3 Consider the specific instr uctional
These recommendations seem to be extra time in the teacher ’ s pre-school year preparation, when in fact, these activities should not be viewed as “extra” but just par t of the basic preparation that is expected for all special learners. It is at least a proactive effor t in ensuring a positive music experience for the student and teacher. U ltimately, focus on what the student can do as you use your skills in helping each student discover and express the music “ within”!
Higher Education Happenings
A Sampling of the Many Music Education Activities Taking Place on our State’s College and University Campuses by Dr Lawrence F Stoffel
California State University, Fresno
A studio production of the children’s Christmas opera, Lucinda y las F lores de la Nochebuena, produced by the Depar tment of Media, Communications, and Journalism’s Fall 120 c lass and directed by professor Candace Egan, has received a 2017 Communicator Award of Distinction. The original opera, by composer Evan Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire, was recorded in a special performance in S tudio A last December and aired on the nonprofit Communit y Media Access Collaborative’s educational channel for Christmas In addition to several area K–12 schools, the four-member Fresno S tate student cast performed live at the Woodward Park Regional Librar y and at the S quare at Campus Pointe The 45-minute production, directed by Dr Anthony Radford, Fresno S tate music professor, is based on a Mexican folktale about the spirit of giving at Christmastime and the use of poinsettias for the holiday
The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive and V isual Ar ts, an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acc laimed media, communications, adver tising, creative and marketing firms https://fresnostatecah com/
University of California Riverside
California State University, San Francisco
S an Francisco S tate School of Music is instituting new course work in Audio for Games. New c lasses will inc lude scoring for games (for music majors) and sound for games (for electronic ar ts majors). These courses will be taught by S teve Horowitz, author of the book The Essential Guide to Game Audio The Theor y and Practice of S ound for Games (Focal Press, 2014) S teve is the co-founder of the Game Audio Institute and has been working to develop and teach game audio curriculum since 2007 He composed the score to the Academy Award-nominated documentar y film S uper S iz e Me and has a Grammy Award in recognition of his production work
SFSU c lasses will focus on the unique challenges of audio design and implementation for games inc luding vir tual and augmented realit y, both ver y different from linear media like film and television S tudents will be given a strong understanding about how game engines work and think about sound. They will also be exposed to the ascetic language of game design and implementation inc luding the use of audio midd leware Future plans inc lude a cer tificate program and a minor in audio for games
S ubmitted by Dr. Cyr us Ginwala
The UC Riverside Music Depar tment ’ s Febr uar y 22nd Wednesday@Noon S eries topic was “Indian Jukebox: Commercial Records of Native American Music, 1894–1950” presented by Josh Garrett-Davis
The first commercial records of Native American music were released in 1895 by the Ber liner Gramophone Company Half a centur y later, Native American entrepreneurs founded two record labels, Tom Tom and American Indian S oundchiefs, c laiming a kind of acetate sovereignt y. Tracing an indigenous discography across this period illuminates the relationships among ethnography, colonialism, capitalism, and cultural sovereignt y as modern Native American people built their place in the twentieth centur y.
Josh Garrett-Davis is an assistant curator at the Autr y Museum of the American West He is a P h D candidate in U S Histor y at Princeton Universit y, finishing a disser tation titled, “Resounding Voices: American Indians and Audio Technolog y, 1890–1970 ” https://music.ucr.edu/news-events/
Fullerton College
The 22nd Annual Piano Ensemble Festival (S aturday, Febr uar y 11) was a one-day event where piano teams of all ages and levels came together and shared in a friend ly competitive environment Festival auditions took place during the day and conc luded with a 7:30 p m concer t in the Campus Theatre at Fuller ton College
The festival is divided into two c lassifications: D uo and D uets, and Ensemble for S ix Hands to S ixteen Hands. W inners were selected from each of the categories, and the winning teams performed at the evening concer t followed by an award ceremony in the Fuller ton College Campus Theatre open to the public http://music fullcoll edu/pianofestival/
Thomas Aquinas College
The Fritz B Burns Foundation of L os Angeles has graciously awarded Thomas Aquinas College one of the largest grants in the College’s 44-year histor y – $8.5 million for the constr uction of a new lecture and concer t building, S t Cecilia Hall
L ocated on the southwest corner of the academic quadrangle, S t Cecilia Hall will host the biweekly events that make up the College’s S t V incent DePaul L ecture and Concer t S eries
“ Thanks to the Foundation, we will soon have a facilit y wor thy of the excellent speakers and musicians that we regular ly bring to campus, ” said Dr. McL ean. “ We look for ward to making the new building a place of welcome, where friends and neighbors can come to experience a key par t of the life of the college ”
Although Thomas Aquinas College’s normal pedagog y is the Discussion Method, through which students take a more active role in their learning, the college “ has always acknowledged the need for lectures to provide a str uctured, exper t guide through complex topics,” said Dr. McL ean. “ We also think it is impor tant to listen to excellent music, and so the lecture and concer t series is a mandator y par t of our curriculum ”
Although the S t Cecilia L ecture and Concer t Hall is not due to open its doors until the fall, it has already hosted its first performance.
https://thomasaquinas edu/about/news-press
University of the Pacific
Fulbright Scholarships went to three Universit y of the Pacific students inc luding Jesse Herche (Class of 2016), a double major in biolog y and violin performance, who will conduct neuroscience research in France to better understand the impact music has on the brain
“My two major advisers, Dr (Marcos) Gridi-Papp and Dr (Ann) Miller, did much more than help me navigate my curriculum,” said Herche. “ They taught and exemplified what it means to pursue excellence in a field ”
His advisers are excited for Herche “Jesse is intelligent, conscientious, and hardworking, and he makes the most of the opportunities that he is given,” said Miller, assistant professor for violin “He has so much to contribute, and it is exciting to see him continue his research as a Fulbright Scholar.”
Gridi-Papp agreed. “Jesse graduated in violin performance and biolog y, but rather than simply adding the majors, he continuously explored the interactions between them through discussions and by conducting scientific research in auditor y neurophysiolog y, ” added Gridi-Papp “He has developed a background that is deep and broad, giving him unique insight into problems in ways that have already impressed his super visors at MIT and National Institutes of Health. Jesse’s preparation illustrates the impor tance of versatilit y in our academic programs ” http://www pacific edu/About-Pacific/Newsroom html
If you have an item for a future “Higher Education Happenings” column, please e-mail your item (in 200 words or less) to Larr y S toffel at stoffel@csun edu S ubmissions will be inc luded on a first-come/space-available basis This column contains items received by submission as well as from culling the Internet
OInterviews with California High School Music Educators
Casting a Wider Net – Defining a Movement
by Dr Lisa A Crawford CMEA Creating and Composition Representative and Casting a Wider Net Committee Member
ne of the reasons we attend music education conferences is to create new, or improved musical wor lds for our students. Perhaps there are other reasons – to network with each other, see old friends and find new ones, discuss the craziness of the wor ld, and compare, with each other, the lives we as music education professionals experience But conferences are impor tant places to develop leadership ideas and skills, understand more about the communit y we work in, learn new things that our peers teach, and to par ticipate in the accolades being given to those in the profession of music teaching and learning W hen defining the phrase “casting a wider net,” several ideas surface One, inc lusion of more students in music programs, is paramount and finding new areas, such as special learners or experiential activit y and creativit y constr ucts such as composing, songwriting, music production, digital apps for music creation, and modern band as par t of music education is another. For this new Casting a W ider Net music education conference in California, these two ideas intersect “Movements” is also a word to c larify We of ten think about this word in political terms as a group of people with shared ideas to be advanced Effectively, this is what Casting a W ider Net wanted to do Through ar tistic movements in music education, these have the potential to re-channel both music teaching and learning W hile some may contend that a new conference does not equal a political movement, I might submit that aspects of Casting a W ider Net are par t of a movement in music education globally L et me tell you how and why
ear ly par t of my life through the sixties and seventies. D uring these decades there were three t ypes of ensembles, band, orchestra, and choir. L earning music, with reper toire selected by the music director, was based on students’ grade level and musical preferences of teachers. D uring the eighties and nineties, for the most par t band, orchestra, and choir programs continued, but with some reduction of education programs in California related to Proposition 13 (http://www kpbs org/ news/2010/mar/26/prop-13s-impact-schools/) But, overall, this music education process, inc luding competitive festivals, has continued throughout the past decades and, is still current in 2017.
Of course music programs and music teacher preparation programs continued and in 1994, MENC (now NAf ME) presented the National S tandards for music education Of all things, these inc luded standards for composition, arranging, and improvisation in K–12 music education Now, more than twent y years later, the National Core Ar ts S tandards (2014) inc lude more focus on creativit y and active learning –asking music educators to teach students toward four areas: creating, presenting/performing/producing, responding, and connecting In this same space of time, new ensembles have evolved Inc lusion of students with special needs and language learners are suppor ted throughout the state in new ways Diversit y has compelled new ensembles, and popular music is considered with greater emphasis.
My dad, Dr Darrell Crawford, a choral director and music super visor in Modesto where I grew up and his great friend and fellow instr umental music teacher, Mr Ear l S mith (who later became the next music super visor), taught music for the
Dr Alexander Koops, CMEA S outhwestern S ection President and the host of Casting a W ider Net at Azusa Pacific Universit y says: “Music programs consisting of wor ld music ensembles, mariachi bands, composition c lasses, modern band, ‘stomp’ ensembles, and commercial st yles groups are each impor tant and of ten directly related to the communit y and cultural background of a par ticular district.”
Mission Vist a High School Steel Drum 2 Ensemble directed by Anne Fennell
Each of these t ypes of ensembles exist throughout California and students and teachers involved in these programs are collaborating through composing, arranging, and improvising S imultaneously, the music industr y is changing, digital devices have taken the focus of most of us, and the Broadway musical Hamilton, with its hip-hop and rap at the core, was just nominated for an extraordinar y number of accolades over the past year. This, in itself, reflects perhaps more than a small change in what is valued through a formal musical focus of Western culture I would like to think, for music teaching and learning, this also reflects the informal, formal, and non-formal movements of making music together in groups as the pur pose and approach for learning music
The Casting a W ider Net committee was selected following a conversation between Russ S perling, (director of VAPA in S an Diego USD, and NAf ME Western Division President) and Anne Fennell, (Grammy-nominated high school music educator) and inc luded Kris Alexander, Lisa Crawford, John F itzgerald, Angela Holmes, and Alexander Koops. This team met weekly to design the conference, develop sponsors, initiate submissions from session presenters, and plan the program. Dr. Rober t D uke agreed to our request to present the keynote address.
April 22, 2017, the inaugural Casting a W ider Net conference was presented at Azusa Pacific Universit y to almost 100 music educators in S outhern California S tudents, teachers and administrators attended oppor tunities to make music together in a dr umming circ le led by John F itzgerald of Remo, ukulele group with Jessica Baron, and to hear the remarkable steel dr um band of the Mission V ista High School S teel Dr um 2 Ensemble directed by Anne Fennell CMEA President Scott Hedgecock and Russ S per ling gave opening remarks and welcomed attendees to Casting a W ider Net
Keynote
Dr Rober t D uke, professor of music and human learning and director for the Center for Music L earning at the Universit y of Texas, presented his keynote address titled “Beautiful.” S omehow the word itself stuck with us throughout the day - reminding us to consider a greater idea of music education through listening to beaut y S topping, and listening S tudents and veteran music educators alike discussed the impor tance of his words throughout the day and in comments in the sur vey following the conference.
Schedule and Presenters
We chose to develop a schedule that was interactive and allowed for longer passing time without a hurried atmosphere. Two session times inc luded the following choices:
Dr Robert Duke presented his keynote address titled “Beautiful ”
A drumming circle led by John Fitzgerald of Remo
Writing Music for Favorite Stories: Themes, Underscoring, and Songs - Dr Lisa Crawford
New Standards: A Wider Net! - Armalyn De La O
D rumming and Stories: A Recipe for P re-K to G rade 2 Success!Melissa Blum
Bridging the Gap: Bringing Informal Learning P ractices into the Classroom - W illow Manspeaker
Teaching the Ten-Week Wheel Class: Method and Materials - Dr John L. W hitener
Engaging and Interactive Ensemble Rehearsals - Anne Fennell, M.Ed.
“Do You Belong Here?” - Julie D ut y and David S tarnes
Sing, Play and Create Using the Ukulele: K–5 Activities - Juanda Marshall and Jessica Baron;
Towards Inclusion: Music for All - Dr Diana Hollinger
Interactive St rings, Thinking Outside the Book - Jesus F lorido
Using Popular Songwriting to Ignite Creativity in Music StudentsDr Scott Jeppesen
Popular Music Education and Modern Band - Scott Burstein
Beat the Odds: Social and Emotional Skill Building Delivered in a Framework of D rumming - Ping Ho;
Deepening Our Understanding of the Chinese Culture through Experiencing the Regional Music of China -Lily Chen-Haf teck, Zhihong Ren and Xiaoning Qin
Facilitated Conversation
Russ S per ling presented a facilitated conversation with questions defining several impor tant elements in thinking about music teaching and learning. S tudents, teachers, and professors of music sat side by side in conversational discussions subjects impor tant to our field.
The following pre-questions to tables of three to eight attendees inc luded:
• they like to learn or be actively involved in music education?
How do you connect with your students to know what and how
W hat t ypes of music education programs do you have, or have you
• seen that inc lude a large percentage of the school population? W hy is that? Describe
How do you begin a new pathway in music education at your
• school, if only a traditional program is in place? How do you address the cultural or mind shif t that might need to take place?
Q uestions for discussion at each table inc luded:
• How do you engage your students in your school?
How do we get the other 80% of students involved in music?
• W hat is it about our programs that need to shif t?
• How do our students learn in this generation and how do we con-
• nect to this in music?
• why?
W hat students might not have a voice or par ticipate in programs,
How do we reach out to underrepresented students?
• W hat cultural barriers can we anticipate from students?
• How mindful am I about inc lusion?
• W hat is the role of the parent in music education?
• W hat resources do I have in my school that suppor t underrepre-
• sented students?
• Industry Sponsors
W hat are the challenges to inc lusion?
Industr y sponsors were generous and also involved in the process
of organizing the experience for attendees. Casting a W ider Net was for tunate to have: CMEA, NAf ME Western Division, Azusa Pacific Universit y, The California Ar ts Project, REMO, J.W. Pepper, S oundTrap, NAMM Foundation, West Music, TI:ME-Technolog y in Music Education, and Kala Brand Music.
The Future of Casting a Wider Net is You
We can’t always know how or why a different tone is set through a new conference such as what occurred for this one My students from the music education program at Cal Poly Pomona were enthusiastic about this conference Music teachers said they would return S ur veys suggested that Casting a W ider Net was more than what was expected by attendees, that it created an atmosphere of inc lusion, and felt wonderful to be in attendance
For all who joined us this first year, we would like to express our thanks and gratitude for a new conference you actually helped to create that suppor ts the movement of twent y-first centur y music education – making music We hope you will submit that proposal to offer a session about the way in which you teach music, that may describe how you inc lude students in a new way, and present the broad diversit y of the students in our state whom you work with in your communit y You might wish to present about how your experiences have suppor ted different student t ypes, or how your musicalit y affects students with special learning needs W hatever your unique topic is, we look for ward to the future of Casting a W ider Net with you As Dr D uke reminded us, focus on “ beautiful ”
Casting a Wider Net Committee 2017 (From top left): Russ Sperling, Lis a A Crawford, Kristine Alex ander, Alex ander Koops, John Fitzgerald, Angela Holmes, and Anne Fennell (in the foreground)
Is the performance and teaching of music still bringing you joy? Is music feeding your soul? Are you communicating inspiration to your students? Do you feel the pressure of competition, of being an award-winning teacher or having your students succeed to the next level? Are you tired of playing and teaching the s ame Level 2 or 3 pieces?
Is it possible to sust ain the joy and inspiration of music while still negotiating through the required competitions, repertoire levels and external challenges of maint aining a successful music studio? I believe the answer is yes And the pathway to “having your cake and eating it” is within our choice.
It’s Time for the Magic Pill.
The subliminal message: “S.A.T.B.”
Remember that!
Is it possible we may have been detoured from a very import ant reason for making music? I invite you to compare your reason for spending $70 to attend a concert of your favorite artist to your reason for attending a class recit al of your students for the advancement to their next level It’s even possible that you could be listening to the s ame Mozart sonat a at both the student and professional concerts
Most of us who put down our hard-
Why We Make Music
by Barry Green
earned money to attend concerts by great artists want something in return for our investment We may be less impressed by the performer’s technique or care how much money they are paid. We want to be inspired, to get excited. We want to have our heart touched by the amazing music and its beautiful performance We may want to be humbled by the beauty we experience. We want to t ake a journey, to fulfill a fant asy I believe what we really want is to feel something Isn’t that why we make music?
Music conveys feelings, and it conveys them so richly that our mood lifts and our bodies respond And if you’re a performer, not only do you want to be moved by the music yourself, you also want to reach out to your audience and communicate with them, too But in teaching music, your teacher also knows how import ant it is for you to get high grades in ex ams, to be one of the players or singers chosen in an audition, to win that scholarship or competition
I’ve noticed there are two opposing approaches to our motivations for making music One seems to have been designed so the audience is watching and listening to the performers, while the other has the musicians communicating content, feeling and expression to the audience I believe we’ll find there’s a big difference
between the quality of the music we make when our aim is to bring attention to ourselves (to win a prize or competition), and when our aim is to, touch, move, channel inspiration to our audience.
Are you a pianist, teacher or a conductor of an orchestra, band, choir or jazz ensemble? Are you the one who decides the program for yourself, your group or your students?
What pieces are you going to perform? Are there obligations, requirements you need to meet in choosing some or all of the music you play? Are your choices determined by music that is written for the purpose of acquiring a technical skill, like a concert etude? If so, are there still some options or “free choices” for you to decide what you like to perform?
The celebrated concert band conductor, friend and colleague Eugene Corporon:
“Music has the potential to empower us, to enrich and change lives – so there should be a convincing and compelling reason for the music we choose to play.”
I hope I can help you expand your options in planning your programs to include some music that you may not have considered – to achieve a different balance between music that expresses feeling as opposed to music that s atisfies or teaches a skill level It is even possible to include music that we are required to play but may perform it with a different purpose – that being to share the mess age of inspiration expressed by the composer.
ties when you finally have the freedom to play whatever music you choose But in the meantime, as I mentioned, you can still choose to have “some of your cake and eat it ” Let’s begin with just four specific suggestions – that have clear potential to share meaningful feelings with your audience
Remember S A T B Here it comes
Look at the illustration Below the yellow brick road you will see how you have to meet the “earthly” challenges you face throughout your life that can be an obst acle to the joy of making music Above the “yellow brick road” however, you have the abil-
Here are some ways of doing that Throughout your career, you will have many challenges and obst acles that will inhibit your ability to choose the kind of music you perform for your students, yourself or ensembles you lead After all, you have to complete college, get certified, get a job, keep your job, support a family and pay the bills while you are wearing the proud badge of being a happy, inspired musician.
Sorry, not so easy If you are a young musician, you will naturally devote many hours to the mastery of your instrument, technique and proficiency – and that effort will include ex aminations, grades, and sometimes competitions. This isn’t going to change
I think you’ll find, though, that you can still fulfill these requirements while playing music that might include some humor or inspire dance movements, or imit ate particular characters or moods Imagine making your teachers, judges or jury smile, as they feel that special energy in your performance – that, in itself could contribute to your success.
Eventually the day will come when you are free of obligations, regulations, recognitions, competitions, and difficult personali-
ity to balance these challenges with “S A T B ” music that can make a difference in your life and the lives of others who hear your music. I invite you to include just one piece of music from this list of four categories (S A T B ) in your future programs You may already be including these kinds of music in your programs, of course – and if so, I’m suggesting you consider programming a little more than you do already The difference is that you are choosing to play music for the expressed purpose of communicating feelings and inspiration to your audience •
Soul Music: Music to reach the soul – music that tugs at the
• heart strings, inspiring, compassionate, loving music, secular or s acred – music that expands consciousness
Awareness Music: Music that brings awareness and healing to
• the world – to the environment, the planet, music of peace, humanity, charity, and social justice
• that tells stories or weaves fant asies. Opera music, theater music, music with narration or programmatic music
•
Transporting Music: Music to transport the audience – music
B ody Music: Music that you feel in your blood – music drawn
from the world’s many cultures: Latin Music, Irish Music, Middle Eastern Music, Folk Music -- music inspired by the voices, movements or rhythms of the world
In my book, The Mastery of Music, I interviewed Dale Clevenger, celebrated retired principal horn player of the Chicago Symphony Dale told me he’d had open-heart surgery for a heart murmur, and when it was all over, he tearfully thanked his surgeon for discovering the problem and then s aving his life He hugged his doctor every time he s aw him. And this is what his doctor s aid:
“Dale, we physicians and surgeons deal with muscle, tissue and bones but what YO U do affects our souls.”
Later in the interview, Dale told me:
“I believe that what we do as musicians is very import ant When we play, we make people happy – sometimes at a very troubled time or in a very troubled world To me, playing music is a very high calling: it is a responsibility – and it’s a s acred trust.”
Let me emphasize those two points:
“Music is a high calling” and “Music is a s acred trust ”
Accepting this s acred trust and responsibility reminds us that we have the opportunity to give something very special to those who listen to our music. By choosing to focus not on technique or approval but on sharing our deep musical feelings with others, we can make it so. You have an opportunity to give something very special to those who listen to your music To communicate feelings and inspiration through S.A.T.B.–Music for the S oul, Awareness, Transpor ting and the B ody
•
B arry Green, currently resides in San Diego, California and has ser ved as principal bassist of the Cincinnati Symphony for 2 8 years As former executive director of the International S ociety of B assists, and currently teaches double bass at the U C Santa Cruz Green has created three new multimedia productions on themes of his inspirational ap-
proach to music making They are called Anna’s Way, From Inspiration to Artistry and Anna’s Gift, the Way of Passion, and Anna’s Promise. These unique hour-long productions are for solo bass, narration with background visuals and per formed in combo version as well as with full concer t band and chamber orchestra
Green is author of three books dealing with the philosophy of music, the mind, body and spirit: The Inner Game of Music (D oubleday, 1 9 8 6), The Mastery of Music, Ten Pathways to True Artistry (Broadway/ D oubleday 2 003) and Bringing Music to Life! (G IA, 2 00 9) Green has also written three bass method books and many solo recordings.
For information on Green’s personal appearances, publications and miniw orkshops please see his website, www innergameofmusic com, e-mail him at barry@innergameofmusic com
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AFulfilling the Promise of Elementary Music Education for All:
In Some Places It Is Already Happening
by Richard Lawton
CMEA General Music Representative
s has of ten been repor ted in this journal, elementar y students in grades 1– 6 in California public schools have a statutor y entitlement to music education. As we also know, public elementar y schools have, by and large, failed to provide anything c lose to universal access The expense of such programs is almost always the reason given, although increasingly a shor tage of qualified teachers and the potential impact of schoolwide music instr uction on the instr uctional time in other curricular areas are also cited.
However, there are places in California where elementar y music is the r ule rather than the exception Public schools in these regions experience the same scarcit y of resources, yet somehow they are beginning to deliver on
proach calls for chor us or orchestra for selected four th and fif th grade students – essentially the same elective music option available for midd le and high school students. Applied music instr uction requiring fine motor skills is not an effective approach for teaching K–3 students, but it does allow one teacher to cover several schools, making it a less expensive option for cost conscious districts Music education for all costs more Therefore, any movement toward universalit y must be accompanied by a change in philosophy, and teachers who specializ e in elementar y music must make the case to districts, administrators, and other teachers
This dynamic is definitely at work in Cap S ection It is not a coincidence that S tephanie Tomicich is also presi-
“For example, in the CMEA Capitol Section, which is comprised of the area around Sacramento, including Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo Counties, universal elementary music education is close to being a reality in several districts ”
the promise of elementar y music education for all, raising the possibilit y that it is vision and the will to act on it, not funding, which is the cr ucial ingredient.
For example, in the CMEA Capitol S ection, which is comprised of the area around S acramento, inc luding Amador, El Dorado, P lacer, S acramento and Yolo Counties, universal elementar y music education is c lose to being a realit y in several districts, according to S tephanie Tomicich, the general music rep for Cap S ection Twin Rivers and Roseville School Districts have added elementar y general music in the last couple of years, whereas S an Juan, L oomis Union, and Western P lacer Unified have had elementar y music for a while The longer established programs are cer tainly an inspiration for the new “ There’s not much myster y about it,” S tephanie repor ts “Parents hear from friends and neighbors, ‘Oh, my child gets this,’ and, of course, they want it for their own children.”
The elementar y music programs in Cap S ection are, to a large extent, general music programs This is in contrast to the elementar y music instr uction in most other par ts of California In most places the dominant instr uctional ap-
dent of the American River Orff Chapter or that other high profile Cap S ection music teachers like Janet Thorngrimson, Cindy Prior Teresi, and George Doz et, who are active in the area as professional development c linicians, (they were also co-presenters at CASMEC 2017), are affiliated with Education Through Music
These national organizations, along with Kodály, differ in their pedagogical approach, but all share an agenda to advance the cause of elementar y music as a joy ful practice and an essential par t of ever y child ’ s education. Teachers who are active in these organizations tend to see themselves as advocates, even missionaries for the cause That kind of passion is compelling
Of course, even teachers with a compelling sense of mission will have trouble making headway without receptive administrators. For tunately, superintendents in several Cap S ection districts have conc luded independently, first, that music education is right for ever y child (as we have said, it is also their right) and then, that providing music education is an appropriate way to spend discretionar y money Moreover, there seems to be a realization that an investment in personnel, as opposed to instr uments or
technolog y, is the best way to make these programs sustainable S o, while parent groups and other interested members of the communit y have focused on raising money for equipment, the districts have focused on hiring teachers.
All this has led to an increase in the number of elementar y and general music specialists in the greater S acramento teaching communit y, and CMEA Capital S ection has looked for ways to suppor t them. It helps that the Cap S ection's executive board has always thought of elementar y and general music as an impor tant par t of their constituenc y Under Brad
Nor th’s and currently S antiago S abado’s leadership, there has been an insistence that professional development for elementar y and general music be a component of the section’s regional conference and elementar y music teachers and students have been invited to par ticipate in S tand Up for Music, and other CMEA sponsored programs As new music teachers enter the system, they find that CMEA Capitol S ection has a place for them and a real understanding of what they do. Consequently, more than a few of them have joined CMEA
Meanwhile, in the CMEA S outhern Border S ection, an area that consists of S an Diego and Imperial Counties, several districts, inc luding the large Chula V ista Elementar y District, have also experienced an expansion of elementar y music education According to Michael Gray, general music rep for CMEA-SBS, the recent growth is a by-product of an effor t by the S an Diego Youth S ymphony to develop an El S istema st yle program called Communit y Opus Initially the aim of Communit y Opus was to provide applied music instr uction to Chula V ista students in upper elementar y grades, but ver y quickly instr uctors supplied by SDYS (inc luding Michael Gray) noticed students were str uggling because they lacked foundational music skills They conc luded that general music instr uction was the appropriate direction for the program to take, par ticular ly as it expanded to lower grades. It is a credit to the administrators of Communit y Opus (which, af ter all, was a program developed by a symphony orchestra) that they allowed the program to evolve in a way that best ser ved their student population
Communit y Opus, which began in 2010, is currently in sixteen Chula V ista schools, and SDYS has par tnered with
both the Chula V ista and the S an Marcos district to develop a V isual and Performing Ar ts S trategic P lan This has, in turn, led to the hiring of a VAPA coordinator in both districts. In conjunction with other communit y groups, the SDYS is also working to enhance the music program in the Cit y Heights section of the S an Diego Unified School District, as well as several independent schools Along the way they have invested some time and energ y into publicizing their accomplishments with parents and with the communit y at large.
One of the impor tant recent developments in the program has been the transfer of responsibilit y for the hiring of instr uctors to the school districts SDYS continues to supply instr uments, but, here again, there is a recognition by all par ties that the hiring of teachers must be the district ’ s responsibilit y, if such a program is to become a permanent par t of the curricular plan
As was the case with Cap S ection, CMEA-SBS has not been directly responsible for this expansion, but they have moved quickly to provide suppor t developing commut y of elementar y generlists The suppor t nc ludes a resource comonent of the CMEASBS website, the development of a PD series featuring presenters from the local Orff and Kodály communit y, and, this summer, Orff L evels training. In adopting a more elementar y-friend ly approach, it has helped that Michael Gray and some of the other activist teachers are also active in the Orff Schulwerk communit y It has also been ver y impor tant that section president Mark D wyer and the rest of the CMEA-SBS board have an appreciation of elementar y music education as something quite different from midd le and high school music ed
Progress such as this can be fragile In the neighboring S an Diego Unified School District, where the music program was touted by NAf ME as one of the best in the countr y as recently as 2014, a budget shor tfall has forced the district to not only abandon plans for expansion but to contemplate the elimination of existing programs. Preser ving and protecting music programs at all levels is an under taking ever y bit as challenging as getting districts
to adopt them in the first place But it also can and should be a primar y focus of state music organizations W ith regard to elementar y music, there are some lessons to be learned from the developments in CMEA Capitol S ection and CMEA S outhern Border S ection, and CMEA should take note:
If the goal is universal elementar y music • education, then general music is a more universally accessible approach than elective band or chor us. This is not to say that elementar y students should not par ticipate in ensembles, but rather, that the instr uctional focus ought to be on developing musical behavior through play ful exploration for its own sake – the younger the child, the more impor tant the experience. We need to make that case not only with school districts but also with members of our own organization, some of whom may not fully appreciate the distinctive qualities of elementar y music
There are chapters of several national or- • ganizations devoted to elementar y and general music here in California, and teachers associated with those groups seem to be especially ar ticulate and effective advocates for elementar y music CMEA should look for ways to collaborate with these groups, even if that means allowing them to take the lead. At the ver y least it will encourage them to think of CMEA as an organization with a place for them The commitment of districts to music ed- • ucation begins with the vision of individual administrators In education in general it is almost never the case that there is “ no money, ” instead there are choices to be made regarding what to spend money on. In places where elementar y music education has come to be seen as essential, elementar y music education is thriving Does this suggest that CMEA should focus at least some of its advocac y effor ts on individual schools and districts? Perhaps. There is reason for optimism The exis- • tence of elementar y music programs in diverse par ts of the state suggests that such programs are possible anywhere Persuading people this is hard work. It cannot take place in a single decisive conversation, but instead needs to be par t of an ongoing effor t where failures as well as successes are to be expected However, given the fact that successes can be measured in more jobs for teachers and more music for children, it is well wor th the effor t.
AThe Every Student Succeeds Act: Opportunities for Music Educator Action
by Lynn M Tuttle Director of Public
and
E)
s we approach the first year of full implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ES SA), what should music educators monitor regarding their school, district and state ES SA work, and what opportunities can they act on within their school, their district, and their state? As with any new law, there are many possibilities and opportunities, but, as is always the case, the devil is in the details. Where to start?
State - Level Implementation
With a new leader for federal education now in place, U S Secret ary of Education Betsy DeVos, we know more about how st ates will engage with ESSA implementation And what we know is that the states can choose what they do and how they do it Given the increased responsibility and flexibility handed to the st ates regarding E S SA, here are some tips on for what is going on at the st ate level, and some ideas about how you can get involved
Know what’s possible Thirteen st ates sent their st ate plans to the U S Department of Education for approval by the April deadline If 1 you are in one of those st ates (see the t able below), review the plan and see what your st ate has already included for music and arts education in your st ate plan. If you reside in Arizona, North Dakot a, or Oregon, you may be aware that those st ates have also submitted as of the May deadline, and NAf M E is reviewing those plans currently for information on where music education is supported in those plans Cont act lynnt@nafme.org for more information. Q Delaware is given an asterisk, for while music and arts education is not directly mentioned in the st ate E S SA plan, the Delaware Department of Education acknowledged the need to address issues raised by the music and arts education community and has committed
As you can see by this t able, many st ates have included music and arts education within their plans, particularly in the areas of account ability and funding under Title IV, Part A (see below for more information on Title IV) Share this information with your district, and thank your st ate education leaders for including music and arts education. If the information isn’t clear, or you have questions, don’t hesit ate to cont act your st ate education department to learn more about how they will support music and arts education via E S SA You can find your st ate’s E S SA page and its plan here: http://www.nafme.org/ advocacy/ E S SA/
St ay in touch with your M EA’s st ate 1 advoc acy leadership and NAf M E policy st aff Working with our Advocacy Leadership Force members in the st ates and sharing information between the st ates, the NAf M E policy st aff are always happy to help connect you into st ate level advocacy and help you share your expertise and advocacy ideas and suggestions You can find your st ate advocacy leaders here: http://www. nafme.org/advocacy/ess a/nafme-advocacy-leadership-force/ We suggest that you connect with your M EA leadership and learn how to get involved with the creation, revision and updates to your st ate’s E S SA plan. And you can reach the NAf M E policy st aff here: http://www.nafme.org/about/st aff/ advocacy-policy/
Ask your st ate to support music edu- 3 c ation via its E S SA plan If you reside in a st ate not listed above, find out where your st ate is in the process of creating its plan for September submission to the U S Department of Education You can begin by sharing the above t able with your st ate education leaders, or with your st ate M EA leadership working to advocate for music education. Are there st ates listed here that your st ate attempts to emulate? Is there ex ample language that you’d like to share? You can find quotes in support of music and arts education from the submitted st ate plans in the NAf M E public policy bulletin here: http://www.nafme.org/music-artsess a-st ate-plans-2017/. Know how your st ate is going to man- 4 age their Title IV, Part A funds For this first year of E S SA implement ation, Congress did not fully fund the new federal
block grant, which can support a wellrounded education, including music. The amount funded is small enough that Congress, for this year only, is allowing st ates to run competitive grants for Title IV funds instead of granting those funds out directly to districts A st ate, for example, could focus the funds for cert ain areas of a well-rounded education or cert ain areas of educational technology, and then create a competitive grant application process where districts would have to compete against each other to receive the limited funds In other words the funds just won’t flow down to your district; your district might need to compete for the funds You need to know what your st ate is planning to do and how it will handle these funds, as it will influence your work at the local level You can reach out to your S EADAE member – the arts education consult ant for your st ate – to find out more. A list of st ate arts education consult ants can be found at www seadae org
District - Level Implementation
Be prepared for Title IV opportunities for 5 music education within your district. E S SA includes a new funding opportunity for music education in Title IV-A, or chapter four–21st Century Schools
This section of the law is greatly revised from prior versions, and includes a block grant, or direct funding to school districts, for supporting a well- rounded education. Because music is listed in the definition of a well-rounded education, music education can be supported by these block grant funds, with two caveats: one, music education needs have been identified through a districtwide needs assessment and two, these local, identified needs are not currently met with st ate and local funding, so would benefit from supplement al, federal funding I encourage you to get involved in the Title IV needs assessment for your school district. And NAf M E has a built-in tool to help you do that – the 2015 Opportunity-to-Learn St andards (OTLs) The OTLs list what resources are needed to carry out a quality music education program – everything from technology to facilities and instruments to student:teacher ratios. You can find the OTLs for your use with your district’s needs assessment for music/Title IV here: http://www nafme org/my-classroom/st andards/
a And underst and if the Title IV opportunity will be a block grant to your district – or something for which you will have to apply As noted above, st ates will have the option this year to compete out the Title IV funds instead of just giving them to your school district
Therefore, you will need to know how your st ate is handling the funds and if you can and should respond with a grant application to the st ate in order to receive supplement al funds from E S SA for music education (and other wellrounded subject areas) for your district
The competitive grants will most likely be available st arting in the fall, so cont act your S EADAE member (www seadae org) to learn more about what your st ate plans to do
Ask for professional development sup- 6 port, which can be funded for music educators under E S SA. Funds from Titles I, I I, and IV of E S SA can support professional development for educators, administrators and other school personnel With the inclusion of music within the well-rounded education definition in the law, music educators are able to have professional development funded by these dollars now, too As is the case with the Title IV funding, professional development funds will be prioritized for areas identified as having needs based on a district-wide needs assessment. So get engaged, and ask to be part of your district’s professional development needs assessment team for E S SA
School - Level Implementation
Underst and how music educ ation 7 c an now be supported under Title I of E S SA if you teach at a Title I School. The language for Title I schools has changed in E S SA to reflect the import ance of a well-rounded education Title I schools come in two varieties – schoolwide Title I schools and t argeted assist ance Title I schools. For the first time under E S SA, schoolwide Title I schools are encouraged to include information on how they provide well-rounded educational opportunities, including music education, to their students in their written Title I schoolwide plan. While this doesn’t necess arily mean Title I funds will support those well-rounded educational opportunities, it’s the first time that schools have been encouraged to include a wider range of curricular offerings beyond the tested subject areas
within their Title I schoolwide plans Also for the first time under E S SA, t argetedassist ance Title I schools can use their supplement al federal Title I dollars to support well-rounded educational opportunities, including music, for their identified students At t argeted- assist ance Title I schools, students receiving support through a Title I program are identified as the most academically atrisk students in their school based on academic achievement indicators, usually the tested subject areas Traditionally, Title I funds in t argeted- assist ance schools have funded supplement al interventions in the tested subject areas.
Under E S SA, well-rounded educational opportunities may also be funded for these identified students
a If you teach at a Title I schoolwide school, ask how music will be included in the 20 17–20 1 8 schoolwide plan as part of a well-rounded educ ation You can even offer to write that section of the plan if that’s ok ay –so that music gets listed and recognized as part of what your school does to support a quality education for all its students. [Note: your administrator may not even know that this is supposed to happen under the new law, so be ready to educate as well as ask ]
b If you teach at a Title I t argetedassist ance school, consider how supplement al music educ ation could support the students identified as academic ally at risk How else could you support them? How would these supports help them with the tested subject areas? Sharing this kind of information with your principal may help you access these dollars, and, more import ant, provide quality supplement al services to these students as they work to thrive in all aspects of their education
c And don’t be shy ab out reminding your administrator at your Title I school that E S SA provides protection from students missing music to receive remediation Like No Child Left Behind (N C LB), E S SA ret ains language in Title I that discourages schools from providing interventions or remediation for students by pulling them out of “the regular classroom.”
Share with your school leadership 8 how music helps parents be engaged with your school A large part of what schools are asked to do that receive E S SA funding is to make cert ain parents are engaged with the school. Music education is a place where this occurs through our performances, our parent volunteers and our parent boosters You
can help your school meet its parent al engagement goal simply by sharing how many parents you reach – or by offering to help the school share information with parents during assemblies, concerts and performances NAf M E has a concert-flyer resource for your use to help parents better underst and E S SA, too You can find the flyer here: http://www.nafme.org/advocacy/5ways-to-support-your-music-program/
Conclusion – and Thank You
While the above list might look daunting, we wouldn’t be able to share this variety of opportunities with you about the new federal education law if you hadn’t done your part with your fellow music education advocates and convinced Congress to include music in E S SA The opportunities listed here are because of the work you undertook over the last decade to speak out about the import ance of music education. To make those opportunities become a reality, work now needs to occur at the st ate, district, and school levels You don’t have to do all of this – pick a place to focus and st art there. And thank you again for making these opportunities possible We look forward to learning what you do with them during this school year
IT’S A NEW ERA
IN EDUCATION
Now more than ever, your voice and expertise as a music educator is critical. NAfME is here to help you make a strong case for music education under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
understand ESSA and take action to ensure implementation includes music at the state level.
At bit.ly/EverythingESSA, you can also receive recognition for professional development valued at one contact hour for watching advocacy webinars.
And in the Grassroots Action Center (bit.ly/NAfMEgrassroots), you can make your voice heard on Capitol Hill. Your Association. Your Profession. Your Voice.
