Summer Issue CMEA Magazine
SUMMER ISSUE 2022 VOLUME 75 • NUMBER 4
20 22
Close the Learning Gaps
For grades 5-12
Specifically designed to support performance programs,
Why Teachers Love It
Breezin’ Thru Theory gets students to the same playing
✔ The scaffolded curriculum = no gaps in learning
level fast. It quickly closes learning gaps and amplifies your students’ mastery of musical concepts, while keeping things fun. And, it frees up valuable class and marking time, so you can do what you love most –
✔ Our unique system motivates students to excel ✔ Robust assignment and tracking tools save time ✔ Builds musicianship & confidence FAST
getting students excited about performing!
Subscribe Now! BreezinThruTheory.com or call 1-855-265-3805
In This Issue 3
President’s Message
17 Southern Border Section Update
6
CMEA State Council
8
Become a Partner With CMEA
by Anne Fennell, CMEA President
by Dr. Bruce Mansfield, Point Loma
Nazarene University
10 Section Updates
18 Difficult and Exciting: Music Educational Imaginings and Futures by Dr. Sarah Minette
11 Bay Section Update
by Sandra Lewis, CMEA Bay Section
President
20 The Truth About Retirement
by Rita Zigas Brown, CMEA Retired
Members Representative
11 Capitol Section Update
by Patrick Neff, CMEA Capitol Section
President
22 CCDA Update 22 DEIA Online Resource Database
12 Central Section Update
24 Music Education Technology: (Re)Discovering Facebook Groups for Music Educators
by Michael Tackett, CMEA Central
Section President
13 Central Coast Section Update
by Holly MacDonnell, CMEA Music
by Samuel Oh, CMEA Central Coast
Technology Representative
Section President
25 Collegiate Council Update
13 Southwestern Section Update
by Andrew Shousha, CMEA Collegiate
by Ryan Rowles, CMEA Southwestern
Council Representative
Section Immediate Past President
26 It’s Okay to Not Know: The Power of Cultural Humility in Teaching Global Music
14 North Coast Section Update by Chris Cox, CMEA North Coast
Section President
by Dr. William J. Coppola, CMEA
14 Northern Section Update
Global Music Representative
by Nora Hunter
28 Thrive and Survive: Lessons from my First Year of Teaching
16 Southeastern Section Update by Dr. David Betancourt, CMEA Southeastern Section President
by Nico Salum
Ad Index IFC
Breezin' Thru Theory
7
Stanislaus State
36
CSU East Bay
5
University of Portland
36
Nick Rail
29
Yamaha
Orchestrate Success in Your Career... JOIN CMEA+. Visit www.nafme.org. CMEA is a federated state association of the National Association for Music Education.
CMEA Magazine is published quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) by CMEA.
CMEA Administrative Office Mailing Address: 2417 N 11th Ave, Hanford, CA 93230
Graphic Designer: Adam Wilke
Office: 559 904–2002 E-mail: cmea@calmusiced.com Website: www.calmusiced.com
Editors: Chad Zullinger and Trish Adams Business Manager: Trish Adams
Rates and advertising information available here: calmusiced.com/communication/magazine/ publication-guidelines
The Executive Board of CMEA serves as the Editorial Committee. The observations and opinions expressed in any article in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Association. CMEA does not necessarily endorse any product or service advertised in this magazine.
In This Issue (continued) 30 Elemental Composition in Ensemble Settings by Tiffany ou Ponticelli, CODA President
33 2023 CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival 34 Mint or Mint Tea?
by Ryan Duckworth, CMEA Mentorship Representative
37 Tri-M Summer Update
by Troy Trimble, CMEA Tri-M Representative
38 Idea Collection and Deveopment for Composing in K-12 Classrooms: Where to Start and How to Keep Going by Dr. Lisa Crawford, CMEA Creating and Composition
Representative
CMEA Past Presidents 2020-2022 2018-2020 2016-2018 2014-2016 2012-2014 2010-2012 2008-2010 2006-2008 2004-2006 2002-2004 2000-2002 1998-2000 1996-1998 1994-1996 1992-1994 1990-1992 1988-1990 1986-1988 1984-1986 1982-1984 1980-1982 1978-1980 1976-1978 1974-1976 1972-1974 1970-1972 1968-1970 1966-1968 1964-1966 1962-1964 1960-1962 1957-1960 1955-1957 1953-1955 1951-1953 1949-1951 1947-1949
Armalyn De la O, San Bernadino John Burn, Cupertino Scott Hedgecock, Fullerton Michael D. Stone, Bakersfield Russ Sperling, San Diego Norman Dea, Walnut Creek Jeff Jenkins, Chula Vista Cheryl Yee Glass, Danville Rob Klevan, Pacific Grove Sam Gronseth, Paradise George DeGraffenreid, Fresno Dennis L. Johnson, Salinas Jay D. Zorn, La Crescenta Don Doyle, Pasadena Bill Adam, Roseville Carolynn Lindeman, Greenbrae L. Leroy Roach, Walnut Creek John L. Larrieu, Portola Vivian M. Hofstetter, Bakersfield David S. Goedecke, Stockton Charles L. Freebern, San Diego Henry Avila, Monterey Mary C. Reed, Elk Grove Marlow Earle, Lakewood Louis Nash, La Crescenta Anthony L. Campagna, Foster City Judd Chew, Sacramento Kenneth D. Owens Keith D. Snyder, Davis Gibson Walters, San Jose Douglas Kidd Joseph W. Landon, Fullerton Harold Youngberg, Oakland Fred Ohlendorf, Long Beach George F. Barr Elwyn Schwartz Clarence Heagy, Fresno
CMEA Hall of Fame Award Recipients Honoring Lifetime Achievement in Music Education
2022 - Marlene Mudge 2020 - Stephen Luchs 2019 - Judi Scharnber, Jeri Webb 2018 - Dr. Lawrence Stoffel, Dean Hickman 2017 - Dr. Edward Harris, Michael Corrigan, James Mazzaferro 2016 - Dr. Robert Halseth, Rosemarie Krovoza, Rick Meyer 2015 - Dale Anderson, Ann Marie Haney, Dr. Thomas Lee 2014 - Jon Christian 2013 - Orrin Cross 2012 - Gayane Korkmazian, 2012; Gerald E. Anderson, 2012; 2011 - David Whitwell 2010 - Nicholas Angiulo, Vincent Gomez 2009 - Kem F. Martinez, Carl W. Schafer, Robert W. Lutt 2008 - Duane Weston 2007 - John Larrieu, Mary Val Marsh, Barbara Cory, Bill Ingram 2006 - Carolynn Lindeman, Joe Foster, Paul Shaghoian 2005 - Frances Benedict, L. Leroy Roach, Silvester McElroy, Jerry Kirkpatrick 2004 - Robert Greenwood, Arthur Huff, Lyle Stubson, Lois Vidt 2003 - John Farr, Thomas Eagan 2002 - Larry Johnson, Mary Louise Reilly 2001 - William Hill, Helynn Manning, Wesley “Colonel” Moore 2000 - Vivian Hoffstetter, F. John Pylman 1999 - Lawrence Sutherland 1998 - Chuck Schroeder 1997 - Dean Semple 1996 - Burl Walter Jr. 1994 - Jerry Moore 1992 - Mike Pappone 1991 - David Goedecke 1987 - Marlowe Earle 1985 - Arthur Dougherty 1983 - William Burke 1981 - Aubrey Penman 1979 - Steve Connolly 1977 - Howard Swan 1975 - Russell Howland
President's Message by Anne Fennell, CMEA President
Happy Summer, Everyone!
From June 22 - 24th, I had the opportunity to attend NAfME’s annual National Assembly in Reston, VA., along with other state presidents, NAfME Leadership, and the Society and Council Chairs. While I had attended this gathering in past years as the Innovations Council Chair, it was wonderful to represent California as a state president where I could connect, share, and learn from others with similar roles, responsibilities, and needs.
provided further guidance in each of the four cornerstones that include: Advocacy, Equity, Professional Learning and Growth, and Music Research and Music Teacher Education. The second day we brainstormed ideas and solutions to support: Pathways To and Through the Profession, Diversifying the Music Curriculum, and Connecting Tri-M and Collegiate Students. With so many topics, we were asked to dig deep and to have challenging conversations, which we did! Our final morning focused on teacher recruitment and retention, a common conversation in every state. I look forward to seeing the outcomes from each of these breakouts and I will provide links and information when these ideas have been collated.
The two and a half days were packed with general and breakout sessions, where we identified and discussed common needs and issues in music education and how they relate to NAfME. Everyone involved focused on solutions to the various needs, while our collective brainstorming provided ideas to move NAfME forward to meet the needs of all members. On the first day, we focused on the NAfME Strategic Plan draft where we reviewed language of the plan’s version and Summer Issue 2022
3
All of these sessions had one common thread: ensuring music education for ALL students. Music Education for All influenced every topic we discussed during our time together and punctuated the closing keynote by our new president, Scott Sheahan. This, and this alone, is key to the survival of music as part of a well-rounded education. Every student should see themselves in and through music, which will directly support the individual development and collective culture of our students/citizens in towns, cities, and states throughout our country. While this movement is just beginning in some states, I am so proud that California is leading the way, guided by our DEIA Policy. As you know, this was created under Armalyn De La O’s presidency and will be a guiding document when the CMEA Executive Board and section presidents begin the process of updating our current strategic plan, on August 6th. This policy will provide the importance of how to ensure music education for ALL students, which directly aligns with NAfME’s goals. The National Assembly provided a space to brainstorm, share ideas, and find solutions for common needs, but there were two moments that truly defined our time together: the live call with the U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, and NAfME’s recognition of the National Association for the Study & Performance of African American Music, or NASPAAM.
And then, NAfME righted a past wrong by recognizing the National Association for the Study & Performance of African American Music. In 1972, during the 23rd Convention of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC/NAfME), 200 Black educators met offsite to protest the lack of representation of Black music and musicians on the conference program. This meeting began the first steps towards creating the non-profit professional organization that is dedicated to promoting, performing, and preserving all facets of African- American music. NASPAAM NAfME apologized for the past history and read this linked resolution aloud. This was profound, moving, and truly a moment that was long past due. It was also SO important to everyone because as we know, we must always apologize to move forward and we must always place our words into action. This combination will help us ensure that everything we think, say, and do is a model of excellence in inclusivity. I hope each of you have time to reflect and rest this summer as well as celebrate all that you accomplished this past school year. If you have a moment, take a look at our DEIA policy so that you can find yourselves, your students, and program goals within these important words. California is leading the way and it takes each of us to help our great state shine! Thank you ALL for your membership in CMEA. Without each of you, we would not have the ability to provide the joy of music for every student in California.
Through Secretary Cardon’s honest words and interaction, it was clear that he understands the real world of teaching. He addressed the key topics and needs of the assembly’s prior discussions and knows the value of music in our students’ lives. Secretary Cardona also invited every music educator to make music relevant for all students, while also addressing both students’ and teachers’ needs. He was on point!
4
CMEA Magazine
Outgoing State Council Members Section Presidents
Todd Filpula, Northern Section Keith Johnson, Bay Section Diane Gehling, Central Coast Section Ryan Rowles, Southwestern Section
Council of Representatives
Brant Nishida, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) Co-Chair Dr. Dennis Siebenaler, Collegiate Representative Emma Joleen Schopler, General Music TK-12 Representative Dr. Lily Chen-Hafteck, Global Music Education Representative Dr. Michael Albertson, Innovations Representative Bruce Lengacher, Membership Chairperson Stacy Harris, Music Supervisors Representative Jessica Husselstein, Music Education through Technology Representative Judith Scharnberg, Rural Schools Representative Norm Dea, Retired Members Representative Cheryl Yee Glass, State Solo and Ensemble Festival Coordinator Gail Bowers, State Choral Festival Coordinator
Thank You For Your Service to Music Education in California!
T U R N I N G TA L E N T I N T O A R T I S T R Y
through mentoring and performance opportunities from day one. With access to small classes, talented professors, quality academics, and the city of Portland, University of Portland’s nationally accredited music program and liberal arts curriculum will prepare students for the future they want. FOR MORE INFORMATION
up.edu/music | upmusic@up.edu 503.943.7228
2022-MUS-244_0002_PFA_7.5x4.5_COLOR_NO DATES_FINAL.indd 1
8/9/21 3:44 PM
CMEA State Council CMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD CMEA President Anne Fennell afennell@calmusiced.com CMEA President-Elect Chad Zullinger czullinger@calmusiced.com CMEA Vice President Tony White twhite@calmusiced.com CMEA Secretary Tiffany Barry tbarry@calmusiced.com CMEA Immediate Past President Armalyn De La O adelao@calmusiced.com CMEA OFFICE cmea@calmusiced.com 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 559 587-2632 CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams cmea@calmusiced.com 559 904-2002 CMEA Administrative Assistant Heather Adams hadams@calmusiced.com 559 410-2425 CMEA Legislative Advocate Martha Zaragoza Diaz lobbyist1.mzd@gmail.com SECTION PRESIDENTS CMEA Bay Section President Sandy Lewis slewis@pausd.org CMEA Capitol Section President Patrick Neff patrick.s.neff@gmail.com CMEA Central Section President Michael Tackett michaelt@cos.edu CMEA Central Coast Section President Sam Oh samuel.oh@salinasuhsd.org CMEA North Coast Section President Chris Cox coxmusic1966@gmail.com CMEA Northern Section President Tanner Johns tjohns@chicousd.net CMEA Southeastern Section President Dr. David Betancourt dbetancourt@cerritos.edu CMEA Southern Border Section President Dr. Jeff Malecki jmalecki@sandiego.edu CMEA Southwestern Section President Tamara Thies Tamara.Thies@csulb.edu
NAfME OFFICERS NAfME President Scott Sheehan 1806 Robert Fulton Drive Reston, VA 22091 800 336-3768 NAfME Western Division President Scott Hedgecock shedgecock@calmusiced.com COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES CMEA CAJ Representative Barb Catlin barbcatlin@gmail.com CMEA CASMEC Coordinator/ CMEA Representative on the CBDA Board Francisco Marquez fmarquez123@me.com CMEA CBDA Representative Jeff Detlefsen DetlefsenJ@gmail.com CMEA/CCDA Representative Dr. Chris Peterson cpeterson@fullerton.edu CMEA/CCDA Choral Leadership Academy Coordinator John Sorber johnso@cos.edu CMEA CODA Representative Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli touponticelli@pausd.org CMEA Advocacy Day Performance Coordinator John Brasier jbrashie@egusd.net
CMEA Higher Ed Music Education Supervisor Representative Dr. Kara Ireland D’Ambrosia Kara.IrelandDAmbrosio@sjsu.edu CMEA Higher Education and Research Representative Megan Foley mfoley@polytechnic.org CMEA Innovations Representative Dr. Michael Albertson malbertson@geffenacademy.ucla.edu CMEA Mentorship Program Chairperson Ryan Duckworth DuckworthMusic@gmail CMEA Music Supervisors Representative Brad Van Patten sharris1@ggusd.us CMEA Music Education through Technology Representative Holly MacDonell hollymacdonell@gmail.com CMEA New Teacher Representative (5 or less years) Nico Salum nicolosalum@gmail.com CMEA Retired Members Representative Rita Zigas-Brown rzigas.brown@gmail.com CMEA Rural Schools Representative Jeremiah Jacks jeromejacks30@gmail.com CMEA Secondary Music, 6-12 Amy Lui amy.lui@polyhigh.org
CMEA Advocacy Representative Russ Sperling sperlingruss@gmail.com
CMEA Social Media Representative Holly MacDonell hollymacdonell@gmail.com
CMEA Collegiate Representative Dr. Diana Hollinger dhollinger2006@yahoo.com
CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival Coordinator (North) John Burn jburn@calmusiced.com
CMEA Collegiate Council Representative Andrew Shousha andrewshousha1230@gmail.com CMEA Creating and Composition Representative Dr. Lisa A.Crawford lisacrawfordmusic@gmail.com CMEA DEIA Representatives Jonathan Raman Jraman85@gmail.com CMEA Diverse Learners Representative Regan Lambert rlambert@emcsd.org CMEA Elementary Music TK-5/6 Representative Sal Rios rioss@gfusd.net CMEA Global Music Education Representative Dr. Will Coppola wcoppola@usc.edu
CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival Coordinator (South) Jim Kollias jhkollias@gmail.com CMEA State Choral Festival Coordinator Stacey Kikkawa stacey.kikkawa@gmail.com CMEA State Solo and Ensemble Festival Coordinator Cheryl Yee Glass cglass@srvhs.org CMEA Tri-M Representative Troy Trimble troyatrimble@gmail.com CMEA Urban Schools Representative Zack Pitt-Smith zackpittsmith@gmail.com
6
CMEA Magazine
Can you share your #joysofmusiced to our members and aspiring music educators in California? Save the Music Foundation, ASTA (the American String Teachers Association) and CMEA are creating a video campaign to highlight the many positive aspects of being a music educator. Would you share your message? See the steps below and thank you for contributing to our positive campaign!
MUSIC. HERE.
Brass Composition Guitar Music Technology Percussion Piano Strings Voice Woodwinds
California State University Stanislaus is in the heart of California’s Central Valley, perfectly situated between the sea and Sierra, big city and countryside.
your Degree.
our department.
• Bachelor of Arts • State-of-the-Art Campus Facilities & Equipment • General Music • Award-Winning Faculty, Students, & Alumni • Music Technology • Nearly 100% Placement for Music Ed. Graduates • Bachelor of Music • Low Student-to-Faculty Ratio • Composition • Scholarships Available • Education: Choral, Instrumental • Performance: Instrumental, Jazz, Piano, Voice
Summer Issue 2022
Learn more about music at California State University, Stanislaus: www.csustan.edu/music
7
Become a Partner Wtih CMEA
Gold Level Sponsors
Gold Partner - Annual Cost: $650 • • • • •
Website listing with logo and web link on corporate sponsorship page of website Exclusive Gold Partner access to CMEA direct sponsored email pricing+ Company name designation with URL link in each CMEA Magazine 25% discount on all CMEA Magazine Advertising Company name and link as gold sponsor on CMEA state festival programs
+see sponsored email marketing options below
Silver Partner - Annual Cost: $400 • • • •
Company name designation with URL link in each CMEA Magazine 15% discount on all CMEA Magazine Advertising Website listing with web link on corporate sponsorship page of website Company name and link as silver sponsor on CMEA state festival programs
Bronze Partner - Annual Cost: $250 • • •
Company name designation with URL link in each CMEA Magazine Website listing with web link on corporate sponsorship page of website Company name and link as bronze sponsor on CMEA state festival programs
+Direct Sponsored Email (Gold Partner Exclusive)
Reach your customers directly! As a Gold Corporate Partner, you can now have exclusive access to our members through CMEA sponsored emails. Each month, CMEA will send up to two (2) sponsored emails on behalf of our Gold Corporate Partners. Corporate Partners may submit content and formatting to CMEA, who will distribute your email to the members of your choice. Contact a staff member today for more information. Availability is limited. All email content is subject to approval by CMEA. Rates excluded from discounts. Sponsored Emails We will send a promotional email to our membership on your behalf. Sponsored emails are only available for our Gold-level Corporate partners. Pricing below is for Gold-level Corporate members; all others will need to factor in the price of a Gold partnership also. Pricing per Email (March - October) • One (1) email to all Full Active Members: $350 • One (1) email to any segment (i.e. band, choral, orchestra, elementary): $250 Pricing per Email (November - February) • One (1) email to all Full Active Members: $500 • One (1) email to any segment (i.e. band, choral, orchestra, elementary): $350 8
CMEA Magazine
Congratulations to Grammy Nominated
String Teachers John Burn,
Homestead High School, Cupertino
Alexis True,
Thomas Downey High School, Modesto
Ryan Gonzales,
James Monroe High School, Los Angeles
Music Supervisors/ Leader Gathering Friday, October 7, 2022 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA For more information, please reach out to Brad Van Patten, CMEA Music Supervisors Representative BradVanPatten@iusd.org
NAfME’s Professional Learning and Partnerships Committee is conducting a Call for Proposals! If you have a great idea for a webinar presentation, submit a proposal to NAfME!
Key Topic Areas: • • •
Support for new teachers Guidance and tangible examples Other pathways and practices/processes in all areas of music education for transforming both curricula and pedagogy to ensure that all students receive a highquality music education, including emerging ensembles (i.e., world and popular music) and digital media
The submission deadline is August 10, 2022.
Submit Your Proposal Here
Summer Issue 2022
9
Section Updates See What's Happening Around the State Northern
North Coast
Capitol
Bay Section
Central Central Coast
Southeastern
Southwestern Southern Border 10 CMEA CMEA Magazine Magazine
Bay Section Update
Sandra Lewis Bay Section President
Greetings from Bay Section
My name is Sandra Lewis and I am the “newly minted” president of Bay Section. I have watched and observed my colleagues, president Keith Johnson, as well as our past-president Bruce Lengacher in their positions of leadership, and I feel so honored to be able to follow in their footsteps. We have many outstanding music educators in our section and I take the Bay Section’s role to support them very seriously. I would like to share an event that highlights how our Area IV reps saved the day by running a festival DESPITE the site host being ill. On a Friday morning in May, I received a text from our Bay Section treasurer who was alerting the executive board that the director at Hughson High School, Katye Maki, was ill and that she had a Band and Orchestra festival scheduled for that day. Our treasurer who lives in Area IV contacted Area Rep. Joey Aguilar along with the site host Katye Maki, and they immediately began to figure out the logistics of how to run the festival and not cancel. Our festival coordinator also was in the loop and willing to go down and assist if necessary. After about twenty minutes of texting and phone conversations, we determined that this festival was going to
Capitol Section Update
Patrick Neff Capitol Section President
CMEA Capitol Section is pleased to report a strong close to the 2021-22 school year. The section held the Golden Empire Music Festival at Sacramento State on May 7th, which featured wonderful performances from area bands, choirs, and orchestras. Thank you to Brad North, our Festival Coordinator, for organizing a great day
happen! Since I had already planned to visit this event, I contacted Joey and Katye and told them that I would also be happy to lend a hand. When I made it to Hughson, I was greeted by the choir director, Brad Thompson, Katye’s colleague, and Joey Aguilar, the band director at Riverbank High School. The choir director gave us both a tour and showed us what rooms had already been set up and designated for warm-up, sight-reading and performance. All the spaces were preset with the correct number of chairs and stands and the traffic flow for the festival had been very thoughtfully planned out. When we went to the festival headquarters in Ms. Maki’s office, all the forms and paperwork had been pre-printed and sorted. Joey and I quickly separated out the different forms and put them at the various adjudication stations. By this time, Katye’s students were arriving to staff the festival and with very little coaching needed we put them into their pre-designated roles. Both Joey and I agreed that her students were outstanding representatives of their school music program: respectful, hard working and able to take initiative. We also acknowledged that because of Katye’s outstanding organization and amazing student helpers, this would be a successful festival. All of the music directors that attended were appreciative that the festival was not canceled and that we had found a way to make it work for the ensembles that attended. For some of the groups, it was the first time they had traveled to perform somewhere in two years. Students and directors were gracious and understanding about the situation and I felt an enormous sense of pride in how Area IV and Bay Section were able to respond to this last-minute challenge. I am so grateful to be a part of CMEA and to have such dedicated music educators in Bay Section. Without Joey Aguilar’s help, Katye Maki’s outstanding commitment to hosting and preparing to host, we might not have had the same outcome for this festival. It is an honor to be on this journey as president and I look forward to meeting many more members of our organization.
of music making. Our Middle School Honor Band took place the following weekend at Cooley Middle School in Roseville. Another thank you to the leadership of guest conductor Santiago Sabado, Director of Athletic Bands at Sacramento State, as well as Stephanie Sugano, our CMEA-CS Middle School Band Representative who hosted and organized the event. Finally, we held our end of year Awards Banquet on June 4th, where we recognized excellence in music education across our section, including the “Nick Anguilo” Music Educator of the Year: Joan Slabaugh of Antelope Crossing Middle School. We are currently in the process of wrapping up our election season, and are aiming to expand our board for next year to include even more representation across our section. Pending membership approval, we are hopeful to approve several new positions. Among them is the DEIA Representative, as Capitol Section is eager to implement the great work done by the state board to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in our organization. In planning for next year, we are excited to return to some events that have been on hold since the beginning of the pandemic. We will be hosting our first live in-service in three years, taking
Summer Issue 2022
11
place at Sacramento State on August 20th. We will also be reinstituting honor choir and honor orchestra after a two-year hiatus. Additionally, we will be expanding the Golden Empire Music Festival to several more dates and venues next Spring, including the return of a Solo & Ensemble festival. CMEA Capitol Section would like to acknowledge Kimberly Foree, who is terming out as our Elementary Representative. The term limits for our board members are designed to ensure fresh faces and new perspectives each year, but it is always tough when someone who has contributed so much moves on. Thank you to Ms. Foree for all your efforts with Capitol Section!
Central Section Update
Michael Tackett Central Section President
Greetings, Colleagues! We made it! By now you have wrapped up your spring semester festivals, concerts, trips, and are getting ready to set the stage for the upcoming school year. I hope this year we have all witnessed how the power of music encourages students to think positive, be determined, and most importantly, believe in themselves. With the tremendous impact COVID has had on music education throughout the world, we should be proud that music teachers managed to skillfully navigate this year with passion, determination, and a willingness to inspire students to rebound through collaboration and creativity. Your commitment to our profession is extraordinary, and the Central Section CMEA Organization could not function without your valued contributions and work ethic. We have persevered with the successful return of in-person events including the CASMEC conference, festivals, marching band competitions, All-State performances, honor groups, and the list goes on. Thank you for the extraordinary efforts of the volunteers, elected leaders, and educators who helped make these events possible. We shape lives beyond the classroom and as challenging as these past two years have been, it has been rejuvenating to see our students inspired and excited to make music together again. Now is the time to reflect, relax, and learn. Many educators have expressed that burn-out is at an all-time high. Set aside time to rest and rejuvenate. Take a vacation, catch up on that favorite tv show, and enjoy family and friends. Summer can also be an exciting time for professional development and learning. Fresno State is offering an Orff and Kodaly Workshop from July 18-22, 2022,
We hope the membership of CMEA has a wonderful summer and takes advantage of the well earned opportunity to reflect and recharge before taking on the next school year. Please remember that CMEA and CMEA Capitol Section are here to serve you, and we are eager to provide the support you need. For more information about CMEA Capitol Section, please visit www.cmea-cs.org.
CSU Bakersfield is hosting a Kodaly Institute from June 27-July 15, 2022, and the CCDA ECCO Conference is from July 31-August 3, 2022. Connect with colleagues and have a blast! I am hoping that whatever your method is for rest and relaxation, you will make a point to find a good balance to your summer. Advocacy continues to be vital as we move forward to the 2022-2023 school year. Have important conversations with your school administrators about what next year may look like. We will continue to look for ways to grow and maintain our programs through the next school year. It is an honor and privilege to serve as President of this organization. I have learned an immense amount, met incredible educators and students, and built valuable relationships with so many of you. I encourage you to volunteer to host an event, serve on the board, run for an elected office, or serve on a committee. These are great ways to connect and to make a positive contribution to our profession. I hope you have a safe, happy, and rejuvenating summer and look forward to seeing you in the Fall!
12
CMEA Magazine
Central Coast Section Update
Samuel Oh Central Coast Section President I am happy to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new President of the CMEA CCS. I have served on the board since 2017, but took a gap year during the 2021-2022 school year for personal family reasons. I am happy to be back and fully energized for the next school year. Short summary about myself, I began teaching at Alisal High School 2015-2016 school year. I teach beginning/intermediate band, advanced band, choir and guitar. In 2017, I joined the board as a member at large and from 2018 to 2020 I chaired the high school honor band event. My goals for the next two years are to bring everything back to normalcy to the best of my ability and to outreach as many music directors within our section to have their school participate and have a voice within the section. For the last two years it has not been easy, but we are getting closer to being back to normal. We hope to have every event
Southwestern Section Update
Ryan Rowles Southwestern Section Immediate Past President I want to take this moment to thank you all for the opportunity to serve as the President of CMEA Southwestern Section. It was interesting to begin and end my term with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as the backdrop. Along the way, I have had the privilege of meeting many wonderful people and outstanding music educators. While I will still have the opportunity to serve as Immediate Past President, I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Tamara Thies as our new President.
happening this coming year. Last school year, we were able to hold all of the honor events, but did not have any of the festival events. Hopefully, this year we will have everything back on track. We want all of our students to have as many opportunities to enjoy and explore the world of music. We want to build lasting memories for them and hopefully inspire future musicians to keep the arts alive. We want to enrich their depth of knowledge in order to grow, fulfill their needs and expose them to a plethora of repertoire to expose their experience to various literatures, techniques and interpretations. Behind the scenes it takes a lot of work to have a successful event. Thank you to all the current and new board members for taking on this challenge, but as a board we are always looking for more volunteers. We are always in need of articles for the Sonata, or help assisting honor or festival events. If you are interested in volunteering or even joining the board, please feel free to contact me at samuel.oh@salinasuhsd.org. If you are interested in joining the board, we will be holding our board retreat sometime in August. Time, place and date are still to be determined. As we are getting back to normalcy, we would like to have all music directors come together for our annual Fall General Meeting and Banquet. It is a great opportunity to know what is happening statewide with music education and what is planned for the school year within our section. As for the banquet, it will be great to see everyone face-to-face again. We should take this opportunity to reset and meet current and new music educators within our section. Time, place and date are still to be determined, but we highly encourage everyone to make an effort to come together and build relationships that will benefit us educationally and socially. We hope to see you there.
I want to thank our SWS Board: Tamara Thies (PresidentElect), Jessica Husselstein (Immediate Past President), Tim Hill (Secretary) and Mary Turner (Treasurer). It has been a joy working with you. Thank you for your service and dedication to our section. While we say so long to Jessica, Mary, and Tim, it is not goodbye. All the best to you in your respective music programs and endeavors. Looking ahead, we will be voting and installing new board members (President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary). There are still plenty of opportunities for members of the section to get involved. From participating as an Area Rep to presenting at our Fall Conference, we look forward to collaborating with the amazing music educators in the Southwestern Section. Be on the lookout for a call for workshop proposals. We are working on bringing back our in-person fall conference after being remote for the past two years. It would be great to have the expertise of our local music educators sharing all that we are doing to bring high quality music education to our students with the Southwestern Section.
Wishing you all a restful and wonderful summer!!!!
Summer Issue 2022
13
North Coast Section Update
Chris Cox North Coast Section President
Happy Summer, Music Educators! I hope the end of the school year went well for all of you. Summer is here and it is time for all of us to review the three R’s: Relaxing, Renewal, and Reflection. Relaxing takes many forms and can be different for all of us. Sleeping in, working in the garden, reading a good book, a hike in the hills, or traveling, do what makes you happy and enjoy your time. Many find that renewal is an important part of being an educator. What are you doing this summer to invigorate your
Finding Our Way in the North State
Nora Hunter Northern Section
Well, we did it - we survived the year.
Whether you are a new music teacher, or a seasoned veteran, I think we can all agree that this past school year was one of the most difficult yet, even including the two previous school years when the pandemic was raging. So, here we are, licking our wounds and reflecting on the difficult year that is now behind us. As music teachers, we often get down in our trenches for the year, hold on tight, and survive on an island within our own positions. As a general music teacher, I am always in awe of a wonderful grade-level team, with their matching outfits on spirit days or Halloween, the collaboration they develop over the school year, but even more importantly, through many
professional life? Is there a book that you have been wanting to read? How about participating in a workshop? Maybe consider playing or singing in a community group. Do you spend time each summer reflecting on the previous school year? Did you accomplish all your educational and musical goals this past school year? Did your choice of music meet your expectations? Reflection can sometimes be the most important part of the summer. I know that I am not alone in saying this was a challenging year… challenging 2+ years, really. Every educator I talked with has commented on the difficulties they experienced in and out of the classroom. Despite the difficulties, there were just as many triumphs and joys. Performing for an in-person audience brought joy to the students, parents, and community. Seeing and hearing students experience an instrument for the first time was so gratifying. I really missed my beginners in the 2020/2021 school year. Making music and seeing how happy my students were once again made me look forward to the start of the next school year.
Enjoy the rest of your summer. Get ready because your students will be here before you know it.
years of teaching side by side. Often as music teachers, we share a similar bond with one another, yet we often lack appropriate collaboration time. Just finishing my 18th year of public school music teaching, I can say that I have had a couple big waves of renewal during my teaching career, and those big waves of renewal often have small pieces of renewal that happen on a continual basis. For our little pocket of the world in Chico, we have so many incredible music educators, with a fantastic teaching college right in town, yet like many more rural places in California, it remains a challenge for us all to find our footing with a solid elementary music education program. Sadly, most schools here in our town do not have full elementary music programs. There are many reasons WHY this has happened: contract language for designated prep time for classroom teachers, and years and years of band-aids with teacher prep time and negotiations, has left the district with a haphazard delivery system of music education. We are working to make this better, to expand our programs, but change is hard, especially during COVID where school districts were adapting and changing every single day. I wholeheartedly believe that they WANT to have a better K-5 music education program, but it is tricky to undo the ways that things have always been. I returned to Chico in the fall of 2018, after 14 years of teaching in Mill Valley, California, where there was a thriving elementary music program. We had lots of collaboration time, teaching spaces, and of course, successful school bonds, and a non-profit that was able to raise a lot of money for music teachers. Was it perfect? Of course not. But, at my former school,
14
CMEA Magazine
my fourth grade students were avid music learners, sight readers, instrumentalists, but most of all, when they came into the music room, they were ready to sing and play! They still loved singing games, and folk dances, and the culture of singing was widespread. There was no expectation that music was a specialized activity where only some kids would participate, but a singing community where music was for everyone, something that was good for ALL of the students. Returning to Chico in 2018, I was faced with a very different situation: 4th grade students who had never had music. It was so hard to get them willing to have fun, to play and take turns, to dance, and find music through the joy of playing. Even being a veteran teacher with loads of tricks up my sleeves, I often felt like a failing cheerleader, faced with kids who just weren’t used to singing and playing together. Yet, at one school, McManus Elementary School, I felt something special with the students there. There was a yearning for something special and something unifying for the school climate. So as I was trying to teach in the cafeteria to all of these tall beginners, their classroom teachers noticed that I was the real deal, that teaching elementary music was not just a stepping stone to a secondary program, but a real elementary music teacher that builds community and sees each and every student on campus. Due to contract language about prep time, I was able to find a window, and an opportunity, to build a full K-5 music program at this school site, rather than a haphazard kindergarten music, and then 4th and 5th grade music. Taking initiative, I met with the principal and made a proposition to him about building a music program. I told him all of the benefits of having a full K-5 music program, the social and emotional benefits, the continuity of seeing students throughout their entire elementary school life, and most importantly, I said, “I can help make this school a better place.” I also said, “By the way, I will also need a teaching space.” Armed with a PowerPoint presentation and my heartfelt passion for teaching music, I spoke at a staff meeting. Most teachers had never been at a school with a K-5 music program, and I convinced them to take a chance on music education, to take a chance on me. I can remember one teacher saying, “Well, we have tried everything else to help the kids’ behavior, so why not?” The school year of 2019-2020, I did it, my second year back in Chico, and I had a full K-5 program at one school site. I was able to secure my own little portable, and I felt like I was on my way. We still had a long way to go at the district level, but I feel like we were making progress. I was going to work on collecting test data at this time, so we could show the change of a music program over a course of 5-10 years, and then 2020 came, and we all know how that went. The following year, I was online the entire year. Even as kids came back to campus for part of the day, they went home and joined Zoom calls with me. As crazy as that all was, I hate to admit that I learned new skills that returned with me to the classroom this fall as we came back in person. There was a bit of renewal within online teaching,which is wild, right? Do I get nervous about making a teaching video anymore? NOPE! Do I have a stockpile of Google Slides and online lessons ready to go? YEP! Did I learn how to navigate Google Classroom, and will I continue to rely on that for my performance groups? YEP! Did I create a full elementary group piano curriculum when we
weren’t teaching traditional band instruments? YEP! As we returned to the classroom in the fall of 2021, we all thought that there couldn’t possibly be a year harder than the previous year, but man, we were wrong. With masks on, we desperately tried to reconnect with students, bring them back into the world of the living after all of the online learning, and we brought back all of the regular school life: 5th graders who hadn’t regularly been on campus since third grade, second graders that hadn’t really finished kindergarten. Everything felt SO HARD. Small changes felt so BIG, the first few fire drills, madness. The first rainy day recess, chaos. Yet, within the madness, this year I decided to start an elementary chorus at my school site. To my knowledge, they have NEVER had an elementary chorus. So much emphasis is placed on bands in this region, chorus is often left by the wayside. Yet, from my previous post where I had an enormous elementary choral program, I knew that it was vital for me to start a chorus. The teachers were also on board, and they agreed that the chorus could be during the school day - a major WIN. And even with masks on, as I started with the third and fourth grade chorus in late September, I could feel their enjoyment, and I could sense during each rehearsal that their confidence was growing and that they would leave each rehearsal humming, and then they would come to their regular music class during the week with a deeper love of music. Ever so slowly, I could feel the renewal happening. Although when you are creating something new and unknown at a school site, it may have been a renewal for me, but for the school climate, it was the birth of something new. I watched kids playing singing games on their own at recess, I listened to kids try and sing in a round on their own with friends. They stop into my music room at recess to talk about music and practice things we are learning in class. And just like any quality elementary music program should do, it takes on a life of its own, permeating through each grade level, woven through families with siblings, sharing and creating together, a climate of good music without the expectation of a fancy performance, or an end goal of competition. Just music making better humans. Within all of this is the work of making better teachers. Without a lot of elementary music programs locally, it is challenging to connect to the university, where there are a lot of secondaryfocused music education students. Finally, I am seeing more music education students take an interest in elementary music. For me, even though my advanced degree should have placed me in a high school band room, I was drawn to the elementary music classroom because I felt like this was the place where you can teach everyone, this is the place where you can bring music to the most people in an enriching way. This spring, my good friend and dynamo music educator, Tanner Johns, who teaches down the street at Bidwell Jr. High school, walked his chorus over on a Tuesday in May, and our groups made music together. We sang for each other, we learned a couple of songs together, and both the middle school’s and my elementary chorus singers were shining. It was lovely. And then, a couple weeks later, was the McManus Elementary Spring Sing, where the entire school gathered outside in the shade near the garden, and there was music. There was singing, and playing, homemade instruments, and bucket drums, the chorus sang, the band played, the principal played bass, and the fourth grade teachers played drums and guitar, and there was a renewal for
Summer Issue 2022
15
all of us. And of course, the beginning of traditions that somehow should have been there all along It was a beautiful day that renewed my spirit. I know that the overall progress of music education may be slower than I would like, but I am able to make the best of each moment with my students, and be an unwavering advocate for myself and music education. The long haul of renewal. Do we have a long way to go? Yes. Do we still need more collaboration time, better teaching spaces, and more professional development? Yes. Renewal is finding a way despite all of that, we keep singing, and bringing the art, beauty, and love of music, every day.
About the Author
Nora Hunter teaches TK-5th Grade music, Chorus, Band, and also teaches Music for Children courses for Chico State.
So here is a short list of ideas to consider as you navigate your time this summer. •
Southeastern Section Update
Dr. David Betancourt, Southeastern Section President
What To Do This Summer?
Many colleagues have now completed their spring activities and have been let loose for the summer. It has been an intense year of rebuilding programs, communities, student confidence and skill, and ourselves. I don’t think I spoke with a single music educator, anywhere, that didn’t grapple with the dichotomy of being so glad to be face-to-face again, while also finding the year full of challenges. Many colleagues have also transitioned right into teaching for the summer or preparing for the next school year. I would like to offer up a thought that many of us have read and talked about, but may have put on the back burner because others need us: Take care of yourself. Take time this summer to take care of yourself. The emotional cost of teaching is one that we willingly pay. It would benefit us to be aware of this cost, and to be proactive in finding ways to recoup and decrease that cost. We all want to give our students, colleagues, partners, children, and community our best selves. Taking care of yourself goes a long way toward being your best self, which can then be shared with others.
Read a book. Even if you are not an avid reader, find something that interests you and take a little time each day to stop what you are doing and read. • Write. Journaling can be very therapeutic. Take the time to purchase a journal you like along with a pen that feels good in your hands. • Learn to play chess, or any other game that requires you to stop, pay attention to the game, and focus on what you are doing in the moment. • Walk. Taking a 30-minute walk each day (or whenever possible) is such a great way to sort ideas out in your head, connect with family, and get some exercise. • Meditate. Take a class if needed • Get away. A couple days with different scenery does wonders for recouping. If traveling overnight is out of the question, put together a short list of day trips to take. There are a ton of free and very low-cost options for day activities. • Plan a staycation. Turn off notifications on all your devices for two days and just veg! Let people know you are not available, and then just do what you want! For some people, cooking is very therapeutic. Others enjoy working on the house uninterrupted. And others might want to experience a Netflix binge! • Take some time to focus on a hobby. Have an end goal, or not, whichever doesn’t cause stress. • Buy a puzzle and set it up to work on a little bit every day. No doubt our CMEA membership could expand this list. Please do! I think it is great to love your work. I love teaching and can’t imagine doing anything else (except maybe be a stand-up comedian). But I think there is something to the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Let’s take care of ourselves so we can be the best versions of ourselves as we take care of others.
16
CMEA Magazine
Southern Border Section Update
Dr. Bruce Mansfield, Director of Bands Point Loma Nazarene University bmansfie@pointloma.edu
Things are great at the bottom of the state! This issue, CMEA-SBS is happy to welcome guest author and new member of Southern Border, Bruce Mansfield, to make an introduction! - Dr. Jeff Malecki, Southern Border Section President I am looking forward to joining the California Music Educator community in my new position as Director of Bands at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity for the last twenty-one years to serve as a conductor and musician in the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, I have been stationed in bands around the world, including: Navy Band Southwest in San Diego, CA; Navy Band Northwest in Silverdale, WA; U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C.; U.S. Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, MD; and Commander Naval Forces Europe/ Allied Forces Band in Naples, Italy. In addition to my military career, I have always made it a priority to be actively engaged in the community as a music educator serving as the director of bands at
Anne Arundel Community College from 2011-2014, conductor of the Poulsbo Community Orchestra from 2014-2018, and trombone professor at Phoenix College from 2018-2021, as well as a guest conductor and clinician for a variety of events. Music is at the core of my family’s daily life. My wife, Lisa, is a middle school band and orchestra teacher in Chula Vista, CA and both of my children are active in their school music programs. As a Navy wife, she has reinvented herself with each new duty station. Her incredible flexibility as a music educator is a daily inspiration. She has taught students in grades K-8 in general music, choir, band, and orchestra throughout the U.S. and Italy for the last twenty years. Watching her adapt to teaching via Zoom and then transitioning back to the classroom made me realize that we are in a completely new world. The students in our classrooms are not only learning music, but basic social skills. The 12 to 18 months that many students spent in isolation and virtual school, often with limited supervision at home, has made our role as music educators even more important than before. As music teachers, our classrooms provide a location of in-person social networking with a unifying idea and goal of making music. We are the front line guiding an entire generation of students to develop interpersonal skills that many of them lost during the excessive screen time. During the summer break, I hope all of you have the opportunity to recharge your batteries and reflect on how important you are to each student you interact with every day. Your classrooms are the highlight of your students’ day. We all love music and it will be the beacon that guides us through these uncharted waters together. It is my goal to engage our statewide music education community as quickly as possible and to be an active part of developing initiatives to help rebuild our programs as we continue through the challenges of the Covid pandemic. Please reach out to assist me in developing a network. We are in this together, and we are stronger for it.
On June 15, 2022, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) welcomed the new 2022–2024 National President, Scott R. Sheehan, as he begins his term.
Watch his message to the membership here Summer Issue 2022
17
Difficult and Exciting: Music Educational Imaginings and Futures by Sarah Minette, Ph.D. As I start writing this article, I am very aware that I am listening to Chika’s “Industry Games” album (specifically “Crown” in my school office with the door wide open for colleagues and students who walk by to hear). While this combination of instances was not intentional, I find the irony palpable—both in the title of the album but also the nature of the music that I am listening to within the institution of music education. This choice of music, within the institution, sets the stage for the article that will invite you to consider the ways in which we are engaging students from all backgrounds in meaningful music making opportunities. In this article I aim to explore and invite you to consider: our own educational journeys and identify the ways in which these journeys have influenced our understanding of education and knowledge, and consider how we might ask #whatif as we think about our students in relation to the curriculum. Stauffer (2017) prompted music educators and music teacher educators to consider the implications of curriculum and how listening to and with students might change the way music education feels: Whose imaginings? Whose futures? I don’t know. What if, instead of imagining a future for undergraduates, we imagined with them? What if, instead of imagining a future for inservice teachers, our colleagues, we imagined with them? What if, instead of imagining a future for preK-12 learners, or any learner anywhere for that matter, we imagined with them? The future is not us. The future is them. (p. 10) Stauffer (2017) explored this idea through the lens of “radical listening” (p. 7) and suggested we listen mindfully, with an intent to understand, rather than with an intent to dismiss or contradict. Pairing this with her musings about whose imaginings and whose futures, I wonder how we are listening to students when making programmatic (whole program, not musical selection program) decisions. Whose voices are present? Whose voices are being silenced or ignored because they may not have the cultural or social capital to be heard? What music is present in music education? Whose
music? How do we view students, either as P-12 learners or adult learners? These questions will be explored throughout this article and I encourage you to consider these questions for yourself and within your department (if you are not a department of one!) as you plan for the upcoming school year.
Music as a cultural lens
My experiences as a “band kid,” as well as being a daughter to music educators, led me to a path of being a band director. I loved it and I still love working with large ensembles. However, as I started my Ph.D. program, I became acutely aware of experiences missing from my own music education that had led to students who had been under my care to miss out on potential meaningful experiences. I realized that I was using my own lens to create a curriculum. I thought that my needs were the same as the needs of the students with whom I worked. I started exploring culturally relevant teaching, which has evolved to culturally sustaining pedagogy, and now we have reached anti-racist pedagogy. The core of this lineage is that students’ experiences matter and should be considered when we are creating curriculum. Music education is not static, nor should it be so. However, there is resistance to exploring and imagining the possibilities of what is and what could be because of our personal journeys through music. I am one of those that resisted change until I became witness to what would prove to be a huge career change. When considering Stauffer’s (2017) questions, “Whose imaginings? Whose futures?” (p. 10), why do we as a profession of educators tend to put our own interests first? Dr. Bettina Love discusses the importance of cultural memory that begins very early on in childhood. In her 2016 keynote address at the Conference for Community Arts Education, she shares how students don’t need to be taught how to engage in a hip-hop cypher —they know because this is embedded into their cultural identity. I’ve included the link to a portion of her talk. While the entire 5:44 clip is worth the watch, the section that I keep watching and sharing with students begins at 3:47 with a toddler, who is just beginning to formulate words, is rapping with an adult. The child is using gibberish words, but has flow and time. This did not come
18
CMEA Magazine
from teaching the child how to engage in this music. This child has embodied the music through early life experiences. Music is a part of this child in body and spirit.
I offer this video as a way to share that students are coming to us full of music from their lives outside of our classrooms. How are we engaging students in their cultural musical memories? I wonder what kind of music education this child will be a part of in their future. Will their teachers acknowledge the rich background this child has been brought up in, even if it was not the background of the teachers? I won’t offer any solutions to my ponderings as I would like to encourage a larger conversation with the profession about how this younger child’s musical futures might be imagined with an eye to their success—whatever that might mean to the child.
Music as a social lens
There is a lot going on in the world and music can be used as a vehicle for navigating the complex conversations that students may have. In my elementary music methods course (at CSU Stanislaus) we explored how we might use children’s books such as “My Shadow is Pink,” “Julián is a Mermaid,” “Sometimes People March,” “The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round,” “Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story,” “The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family,” and “Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” as a way to facilitate conversation and creative music-making. Students created “bookscapes” (a soundtrack for books) to accompany their readings of the books to the class. We discussed the importance of these books to the development of children’s individual and group identities, the importance of representation in the classroom, and how music, along with literature, can facilitate these conversations. We discussed the importance of these conversations and how these books can be the pathway for students’ understanding of difference and commonality. We also discussed the reality that many, if not most, of these books would not be allowed to be read in certain parts of the country because of their “sensitive topics” (re: gender and sexuality topics, Black joy, identity, and protest). Green (2001) wrote about the nature of society and how music educators might bridge the gap between differences and commonalities with our students. While music itself is not a universal language, music is universal in that it exists everywhere. Students (and adults!) might crinkle their noses towards music that is unfamiliar to them, but if we explore where that music comes from, who makes the music, and perhaps why that music is important, a better cultural and social awareness will begin to develop in the classroom.
#whatif
By engaging learners in conversations surrounding society, culture, and how music allows us to navigate differences and commonalities, we have now shifted the focus to the students and their needs, rather than our needs as the teachers. Imagine the possibilities for conversations and creativity if students explored the music and lyrics of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Get Up, Stand Up,” and Marvin Gaye’s concept album “What’s Going On,” and then created their own songs about their thoughts and/ or experiences living in a world where tragedies seem to unfold on a weekly basis. This lesson was explored during my time at South Minneapolis High School, where I taught guitar and sound production. The students and I had deep and intense conversation about their lived experiences in a world where racism, gun violence, environmental justice, the #metoo era and the #mmiw (missing and murdered Indiginous women) crisis are a part of their daily lives. We explored how these conversations have been taking place through music and history, and how they might funnel their experiences into their own music. That kind of music making could be very powerful and empowering to the students, but also the teacher. Our role as educators is constantly shifting and evolving, which makes our practice difficult yet very exciting. As our students become more in tune with the world around them, so too should their experiences in our music classrooms. As we head into summer, pay attention to curiosities about the music in your life and explore new music with the same curiosity as you would with the students who will be entering your classrooms next fall. Imagine and dream big, as the world is full of music that has yet to be learned and shared in music classrooms.
References
Chika (2020). Industry games. [Album]. Warner Records. Green, L. (2001). Music in society and education. In C. Philpott & C. Plummeridge (Eds.), Issues in Music Teaching (pp. 47-59). Taylor and Francis. Love, B. (2016). Cultural memory in youth creativity and hip hop. [Conference presentation]. Conference for Community Arts Education. Stauffer, S. (2017). “Whose imaginings? Whose future?” Closing keynote presented at the Society for Music Teacher Education Conference, Minneapolis, MN. September 7-9.
Abou the Author
Sarah Minette, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at California State University, Stanislaus. Prior to coming to California, she taught public school in Minnesota and served as adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas. Dr. Minette’s research interests include gender and sexuality in music education, access and equity in music education, and secondary general music education. She has published articles in the Journal for Qualitative Research in Music Education and Journal of Popular Music Education. Additionally, Dr. Minette has co-authored chapters in Narratives and Reflections in Music Education:Listening to Voices Seldom Heard and Women’s Bands in America: Performing Music and Gender.
Summer Issue 2022
19
The Truth About
Retirement by Rita Zigas-Brown
CMEA Retired Members Representative
Hello, and happy summer, my friends and colleagues! I am Rita Zigas-Brown, your newly appointed Retired Members Representative. It is wonderful to be involved with CMEA again after years of serving on the Bay Section Board, including my sixyear term as President. I look forward to collaborating with you while we reflect on our careers and brainstorm together on how we might be able to reach out and support those still on the front lines in the classroom. What can I say about retirement? It is fan-freak-in-tas-tic! I always knew that being a teacher had its rewards in so many ways; some more obvious than others, of course, and yes, the profession also carries some baggage, stress, worry and fatigue. However, getting to the finish line is a glorious, glorious feeling, and deliciously rewarding. Let me share my journey to retirement. I feel so very fortunate to have held two full time positions during my thirty-four year career. I started out in Novato (Marin County/Area I) at San Jose Middle School from 1987 to 2005 where I taught three wind bands, a jazz band and a choir. I moved to the east bay in 2005 and taught at Walnut Creek Intermediate School in Walnut Creek (Contra Costa County/Area III) from 2005 to 2021 where I taught four wind bands, a jazz band and a string orchestra. It had been my intention to retire in 2021 since 2016; it was not my intention to retire during COVID. However, after three months of 100% distant learning and providing enrichment materials at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, I was looking forward to being back with my students for the final school year of my career. Alas, the pandemic threw us a curveball and my last year consisted of teaching content on Zoom, then moving into hybrid classes, teaching outside in the parking lot, teaching simultaneously on Zoom and in person, and a year of block scheduling. 2021 was
my target date and I was more than ready! Departing during a pandemic was less than celebratory, but it was my plan, and I was sticking to it. I am extremely fortunate to be married to a music educator who also chose to retire in 2021 after a thirty-four year career, so we get to enjoy retirement together! It is just another perk! We are blessed to have our good health, as well as a youthful and optimistic outlook to our next chapter together.
20
CMEA Magazine
The silver lining to that last year during a pandemic was that I integrated technology that I would have never used; I was successful on many levels, I was proud of myself. The downside to that year was that it was the most exhausting year of my career. I had never, in all my years, ever had to prepare such intense and detailed lesson plans! Wow! If you’re still teaching, you know what I’m talking about! Google Classroom, Google slides, SEL activities; the list just goes on. I survived, and said goodbye. My five-year plan to retire started in 2016 when a colleague was preparing to retire that year. He asked me if I had a plan for my retirement, and at that time I did not. I hadn’t even considered it. Later in the 2016 school year I attended a free retirement seminar at the district office, and the planning began! I made an appointment a few days later with the retirement specialist who lead the seminar, and received a more detailed and specific outline to retirement. I told my husband about my meeting; that was the moment that he decided to investigate his retirement plans as well. This same specialist also soon became our financial advisor, and we are so incredibly thankful for that assistance. I highly recommend that when preparing for retirement you have a professional on your side, guiding you through the process, as it makes everything much less daunting. He helped with necessary communications and paperwork with our district offices, our phone meetings with STRS representatives, and helped with consolidating all of our investment accounts. If you are already retired, preparations for retirement are moot; however, if you are considering retirement, or wondering when you are eligible, I do hope that what I have shared can be of use to you.
Here are just a few examples of the questions I’ve received since retirement: Q: Do you still wake up at 4:30am every day? A: NO, NO, NO! I go to bed later, and I get up later.
Q: Do you miss the job? A: Nope; I only miss the kids. I do not miss the politics or all of the other things that made my job more challenging. I have, however, done some adjudication during the festival season, so this involvement enables my “music creating” itch to be scratched. Q: What do you do with your time? A: Sleep in, do more hiking with my hubby and dog, take in more travel, see friends more often, have lunches with other retirees, go to weekday matinees, and I am a part time dog walker! I’ve built a clientele since the summer of 2018 and since retirement my business has expanded. I now have several regular clients that are scheduled four days a week which has me out for several hours on those days. It’s pretty sweet!
Q: Do I get bored? A: No, as you can see, I stay active, I find things to do. Returning to my statement at the beginning of this article, it is my goal to brainstorm ways to reach out to CMEA’s retired members in an effort to stay connected and maintain a “network.” I look forward to chatting with you and learn what makes retirement so special for you. If you have any ideas regarding collaboration, or you are considering your retirement options, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me via email at rzigas.brown@ gmail.com.
Q: What is the best part of retirement? A: In addition to collecting a well-earned pension, I am experiencing less stress, and less worry, I am more relaxed; every night is Friday, every day is Saturday! Q: Do you still play your instrument? A: Yes, absolutely! I have been playing in the clarinet section of the Contra Costa Wind Symphony since 2014 and in the ten-piece clarinet choir called Clarinet Fusion since 2016, and I plan to continue. Summer Issue 2022
21
2023 All-State Honor Choirs February 16-18, 2023: Fresno, CA Conductors:
Ms. Connie Drosakis, Junior High SATB Dr. Lynnel Joy Jenkins, High School SSAA Dr. Betsy Cook Weber, High School SATB Dr. Jefferson Johnson, High School TTBB
There are three regional high school honor choir events for students in grades 9-12: Coastal, Central, and Southern/SCVA. Each regional event has a TTBB Choir, an SSAA Choir, and an SATB Choir. Singers audition in September/October to become a member of one of the state’s regional honor choirs in November. Students who have participated in a regional high school honor choir and have indicated that they wish to be considered for All-State Honor Choir will have their audition scores assessed for participation in the All-State Honor Choirs. There is one Middle School/Junior High All-State Honor Choir for students in grades 6-9. Auditions for this honor choir are submitted online in November. The All-State Honor Choirs bring together the finest high school singers from the entire state of California to sing at the California All-State Music Education Conference each February.
If you are not sure which region you are in, email the All-State Co-Chairs at honorchoir.allstate.ca@gmail.com.
ELIGIBILITY
Current enrollment in and participation in the choral program at your school or community choral organization is required, and your director must approve your audition application online. Your choral director must be a member of CCDA or SCVA.
DEIA Online Resource Database The Institute for Composer Diversity online database is a resource that supports the study, discovery, and performance of music written by historically excluded composers. This incredible database showcases underrepresented composers with multiple search filters such as various ensembles, grade levels, and durations. The filters also include composer demographics and genre criteria.
To learn more about this resource, please visit: https://www.composerdiversity.com 22
CMEA Magazine
Summer Issue 2022
23
Music Education Technology (Re)Discovering Facebook Groups for Music Educators!
by Holly MacDonell, CMEA Music Education through Technology Representative Navigating what it means to be a 21st Century Educator, new educators and seasoned professionals alike need ideas, inspiration, and sometimes, just need a place to vent. With the shelter in place period a couple of years ago, a lot of educators were thrust into a digital world, full of digital places to meet and exchange ideas. While they might have started prior to the pandemic, they flourished during it and a lot of these groups are still flourishing. Facebook Groups seem to be one of the easiest and most accessible places to get the inspiration you need and the answers to questions you thought no one else had. As you’ll see, these groups can be hyper focused on a single aspect of our discipline, or more generally themed.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mecol
https://www.facebook.com/groups/imachoirdirector
Here are just a few examples of these great resources: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoogleClassroomForMusicTeachers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/209972332689828
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CMEASpecialLearnersResource
https://www.facebook.com/groups/394044357638952
https://www.facebook.com/groups/musicpln
24
CMEA Magazine
Collegiate Council Update by Andrew Shousha CMEA Collegiate Council Representative
Dear Collegiate Music Education students,
Congratulations on the completion of another school year! Your efforts during this historic time are a reflection of your perseverance, and your future students will benefit from your tenacity as a result. As you continue to enjoy your summer, we want to present you with a short end-of-year wrap-up - please read below!
Collegiate Advocacy Summit
From June 23rd to 25th, collegiates from across the country participated in the NAfME Collegiate Advocacy Summit. This event is a great opportunity to engage with the profession at a national level, and one that we hope you will consider attending next year! It is offered virtually, which makes it so much easier to join. Find more information at nafme.org/membership/collegiate/.
Chapter Registration Form
If you are a President or Board Member of your chapter, please take a moment to update your chapter’s contact info using this short form. This will ensure that your information is accurate in our
database, which can then be shared with active chapters to facilitate communication and collaboration between chapters across our state.
Suggestions and Contact
Please keep in touch with the Collegiate Council as you head into next year. Though my term will have ended, the incoming (and continuing) Collegiate Council members can accomplish much more by collaborating with you - yes, YOU! Whether you have an idea, need help reaching out to another chapter, or just want to say hello, reach out at collegiatecouncil@calmusiced.com.
Closing Thoughts
Please remember that we all have a duty to engage with and contribute to our shared profession. This responsibility is not one that should be taken lightly; it is a critical part of what we do. By opening the magazine and reading this paragraph right now, you are already doing just that! Please continue to increase your and your colleagues’ involvement at the local, state, and national level, because we are each others’ strongest assets. I wish all of you the very best, and I hope to see you at CASMEC 2023!
Summer Issue 2022
25
It’s Okay to Not Know: The Power of Cultural Humility in Teaching Global Music by William J. Coppola, Ph.D., CMEA Global Music Representative
Greetings from Southern California!
It’s my privilege to be the newest Global Music Representative for CMEA after Lily Chen-Hafteck’s many years of exceptional service. As my first-ever contribution to the CMEA Magazine, I wanted to share a new concept that’s really made a world of difference (no pun intended!) in my own thinking about world music education. When I was teaching elementary school music in New York City, I made it a priority to feature as much music from around the globe as I possibly could. The trouble was, I sometimes felt debilitated thinking about all the ways I could possibly get it wrong. I feared doing a disservice not only to my students, but to the cultures I was trying to celebrate. As a white, North American music teacher with no formal training beyond classical and jazz music, I knew that most journeys into the world of global music would be as an outsider. And the more I started talking to music teachers across the country, the more I came to realize just how widespread this feeling was in our field. At virtually every workshop I conducted, at least one person would ask me, how do I make sure I don’t inadvertently offend the cultures I’d like to feature in my classroom? The tenets of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) offer us one helpful approach: to decenter ourselves and draw from the wealth of cultural capital that our children (and their families) bring to the classroom (Lind & McKoy, 2016). But what about those music practices with which neither I nor my students were very familiar? Although reflecting the identities and experiences of our students is a crucial part of cultural diversity, it’s not the whole story. Bringing global music into the classroom is also about recognizing the vastness of humanity beyond ourselves. It’s about celebrating the cultural knowledge inside our local classrooms alongside cultural
expressions from the furthest reaches of the globe. Not just local, and not just global, but a truly “glocal” adventure, we might say. But out of fear of misrepresenting the music (or the people whom the music represents), many people shy away from engaging in such experiences, privileging instead their personal “tried-andtrue” selections that become their security blanket over the years. Eventually, “Jambo” implicitly becomes the welcome song from East Africa; “Sakura” becomes the Japanese song for beginner instrumentalists; and “Al Citrón” becomes the passing game that all Mexican children play. When we begin to rely on a select few songs to fulfill our world music goals, we run the risk of unintentionally tokenizing the very cultures we wish to elevate. Is there a lesser of two evils, then, between the risk of tokenism on the one hand and getting it completely wrong on the other? My response to this question has grown into a sort of mantra for me over the years: It’s far better to do something to the best of your ability than to do nothing out of fear of inadequacy. As educators, our fear of doing a disservice to global music obviously comes from the best of intentions. But I also think it’s in no small part connected to the primacy we place on expertise in the classroom. Music education philosopher Randall Allsup (2016) reminds us that experimentation and open-ended experiences are often feared in music classrooms because they take us too far away from the comforts of our own expertise. But as Leah Cohen (2013) writes in her celebrated book I Don’t Know, our fear of getting it wrong “can breed a habit of shirking responsibility and avoiding vulnerability—behaviors that ultimately distance ourselves from the very prizes we crave: true connection with others and integrity within ourselves” (p. 4). When it comes to teaching music over which we can claim no expertise or first-hand experience, I believe a shift in mindset
26
CMEA Magazine
is essential. It’s important for us to develop comfort with our discomforts; to recognize that we will never know it all, never have it all figured out, and never have that guarantee that we won’t make mistakes. And we might find exactly this sentiment in the promising concept of cultural humility. At its core, cultural humility represents a shift in mindset that enables us to view our work with matters of diversity and equity as a lifelong process. It includes three main facets: (1) self-reflection and self-critique, (2) redressing power imbalances, and (3) developing mutually beneficial partnerships with communities (Tervalon & Murray-García, 1998). The second and third dimensions compel us to engage with power and privilege in our work—important matters which readers can further explore in some recent publications (e.g., Coppola & Taylor, 2022; Hess, 2021). But it’s the first facet that’s most directly relevant to this discussion. If we can learn to recognize that our journeys as educators are infinite, we can begin to embrace the limits of our knowledge—not from a standpoint of fear and anxiety, but from a place of curiosity and wonder. When thinking about cultural diversity in the music classroom, there will always be plenty that we don’t (and can’t) know. For example, even if we could learn all that was possible about the rituals, history, and politics of a given culture, we’re quickly reminded that all cultures are interminably fluid and boundless. No culture remains the same forever, nor will every individual express their culture in the same way. There’s also the tendency to equate world music with “timeless” historical traditions that are far removed from the everyday lives of actual people. In fact, I remember one student responding that K-Pop couldn’t possibly be considered world music because it wasn’t “old enough” and didn’t use traditional instruments. At the same time, coming to terms with the limits of our expertise doesn’t give us permission to just haphazardly dive into musical expressions without any concern for integrity. Time and attention to conducting as much research as possible is still crucial so we can learn all we can about the musics we wish to celebrate. At the very least, we need to know if we have permission to perform music from a particular tradition. (For example, some ancestral songs and dances among Native American communities are considered inherited privileges that are inappropriate for others to use.) We also need to know why and by whom the music is performed, as well as for what occasions and in what contexts it might be performed. In many cases, such information can be garnered through publicly available resources, including Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Association for Cultural Equity, and the seven-volume World Music Pedagogy Series, published by Routledge. Beyond these resources (and many others), developing partnerships with community music organizations and/or cultural centers can further help us fill the gaps of our personal knowledge, as can locating local and virtual culture bearers to share their situated expertise. But again, all resources are imperfect. Many provide glimpses into cultural expressions but can’t possibly capture the expansiveness of individualized expressions within those cultures. Nor can they capture the degree to which cultural influences blend, morph, and evolve over time. To me, this all serves to further reinforce the importance of practicing cultural humility in our work. We will never be able to know everything about the countless cultural expressions around the globe. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do all we possibly can to prepare ourselves to make such forays as rich and meaningful as humanly possible. And we do this by questioning
ourselves, self-reflecting on our practices, and openly acknowledging the limitations of our knowledge. In a time where overconfidence seems to be the social currency of our times, being able to admit our limitations can be both empowering and refreshing. When we’re afraid to admit to our students—and to ourselves—that we don’t always have the answers, we not only fail to model vulnerability, but we reinforce an idea of music learning that privileges mastery over exploration. Instead, let’s lean into a culture of saying “I don’t know” as we approach global music from a place of shared exploration. When we do so, we reinforce classrooms as empowering places in which we’re learning with students rather than merely teaching to them.
References
Allsup, R. E. (2016). Remixing the classroom: Toward an open philosophy of music education. Indiana University Press. Cohen, L. H. (2013). I don’t know: In praise of admitting ignorance (except when you shouldn’t). Riverhead Books. Coppola, W. J., & Taylor, D. (2022). Cultural humility in music teacher education: Toward transformative dialogues on power, privilege, and social (in)equity. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, 21(1), 110–141. https://doi.org/10.22176/ act21.1.110 Hess, J. (2021). Cultural competence or the mapping of racialized space: Cartographies of music education. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 227, 7–28. https://doi. org/10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.227.0007 Lind, V. L., & McKoy, C. L. (2016). Culturally responsive teaching in music education: From understanding to application. Routledge. Tervalon, Melanie, and Jann Murray-García. (1998). Cultural humility versus cultural competence: A critical distinction in defining physician training outcomes in multicultural education. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 9(2): 117–25. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2010.0233
Summer Issue 2022
27
Thrive and Survive: Lessons from my First Year of Teaching by Nico Salum Needless to say, the past few years have been one for the books. As we continue to navigate through these crazy times, teacher shortages due to burnout, resignations and retirements, now more than ever we need to focus on retaining and developing new and emerging music teachers that are equipped and resilient enough to tackle modern challenges in music education. While I learned several lessons throughout my first year of teaching, the following were ones that I repeatedly heard from my mentors and friends. These lessons anchored and grounded me in times when I felt like I was barely surviving and times when I genuinely felt like I was thriving. As we continue to rest and reflect on this past year of school, I hope that my reflections can serve as a guide for other new and emerging music teachers.
Give yourself grace.
You will experience some rough times. It happens to even the best teachers. It could be as small as an unsavory interaction with a student during a lesson, a string of rough lessons or rehearsals, up to days or weeks of feeling like nothing is clicking. Don’t let these rough patches convince you that you aren’t enough. Remember that you’re just as human as everybody else around you. Give yourself grace by admitting that it’s okay to not be perfect. Breathe. Forgive and support yourself just as you would your dearest friend.
Think like a beginner.
Reminisce on your many firsts as a student. Your first day in kindergarten, your first time holding an instrument or singing with others, your first performance on a stage. You probably had a lot
of questions, concerns and anxious feelings, many of which other beginners then and now continue to have. You’re a new, emerging teacher. You’re not going to know absolutely everything about the job and that’s okay. Your students, coworkers, and community aren’t expecting you to know all the answers and solutions. Allow yourself to be vulnerable - be teachable, be curious, seek not just answers but also the process of getting to those solutions. Give yourself the freedom of a beginner’s mindset not stubbornly tethered to what we already know.
Don’t put yourself on an island.
Many of us may be departments of one in our school sites and districts. It’s easy to feel isolated and unconnected to those around us. Get to know more than just your administrators. Make meaningful connections with grade-level teachers, custodial staff, office and other support staff. These professional relationships can become unsung foundations to becoming a better music teacher and building a robust music program. Additionally, don’t forget to reconnect and nourish your relationships with people outside of teaching and music. There is a world outside of our careers and spending time with people outside of teaching and music will help you stay fresh mentally.
About the Author
Nico Salum is an elementary music teacher serving Greenfield Union School District in Bakersfield, CA
28
CMEA Magazine
EVEN TEACHERS NEED TEACHERS The Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) gives you access to a wealth of professional development opportunities and resources. YES brings you into a network of like-minded colleagues, experts and professionals who want to share their real-world experiences. You’ll also receive valuable tips on advocacy assistance, program health support and much more. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsCAMEA2
Summer Issue 2022
29
Elemental Composition in Ensemble Settings by Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli, CODA President
The general sentiment after the last two years among ensemble directors is that of exhaustion and depletion. Most California schools were in-person for the 2021-22 school year, and while it was certainly less isolating than teaching on Zoom, it’s certainly still been a year full of challenges. From my post as a middle and high school orchestra director, the shining light throughout the year was being able to play together with immediate gratification, and to once again foster creativity as a group. In my opinion, some of the best parts of ensemble time come from not only rehearsing and performing, but in allowing students to take the lead in creating together. There is also evidence to show that creative music-making may enhance student confidence in their ability to participate meaningfully in music composing, and may increase student motivation and engagement (Hogenes, et al., 2016). Composition can also have implications for student self-expression: “Missing in the formal education of our players are opportunities to create new music that is culturally meaningful and self-reflective” (Allsup, 2003, p. 24). In this article, I humbly offer you some suggestions for integrating group composition in the traditional large ensemble setting. The examples used in this article are from my 7th and 8th grade combined orchestra class. While I teach strings, these concepts can certainly apply to traditional band settings as well. I draw on ideas from Orff-Schulwerk elemental composition structures that I believe can be applied to the large ensemble setting as well.
Composition in Group Settings
As an ensemble director, I am working with dozens of students at a time, with a performance schedule that includes school concerts, tours, and festivals. The majority of our class time is indeed spent on technique development and preparation for performance. However, as part of the “Creating” category of the current National Association for Music Education’s standards, students in secondary ensembles should be able to “compose and improvise ideas for melodies, rhythmic passages, and arrangements for specific purposes that reflect characteristic(s) of music from a variety of historical periods studied in rehearsal” (National Association for Music Education, 2014, p. 1). Researchers studying group composition have found that composition assignments allow for newfound student creativity and ownership of their music education (Wiggins, 1999, Priest, 2006; Hogenes et al., 2016). There are a number of logistic challenges regarding composition in group settings, including space and technology limitations. In the examples for this article, I assigned small chamber ensemble groups that were mixed in musical experience and instrumentation. Students were encouraged to keep their instruments out, and exploration on their instruments was encouraged. One “scribe” per group also had their Chromebook out (our school is 1:1) and was in charge of notating the work session in NoteFlight (in this instance, students had individual accounts through NoteFlight Learn, but there are many cloud-based notation software options available).
30
CMEA Magazine
The limiting of the number of devices is intentional to maximize in-person communication; the role of the scribe can be rotated per session.
Theme and Variations Form
An immediate challenge with student composition is the lack of structure. Teachers may find success in using a more structured compositional style for this kind of creative group assignment. Hopkins (2013) examined composition in middle school orchestra in a case study with two veteran string teachers. In the study, two seventh-grade classrooms at different schools participated in Theme and Variations composing projects. By employing the Theme and Variations framework, students were given appropriate amounts of both scaffolding and freedom. The project in this article was executed with many students composing in the same room, with each group composing their own variations. The small group pieces were then combined into a larger orchestral work to be performed. For this project, the class together examined examples of Theme and Variations forms and made lists of musical properties that could be varied. These reference lists were then applied to the theme of “Simple Gifts.”
Composition Unit Lesson Plan - 7/8th Grade Orchestra Introducing Theme and Variations concept
• •
• •
Introducing Elemental Composition
Class wrote a group variation of Twinkle (teacher inputting on NoteFlight on SmartBoard). •
Elemental Composition - Orff-Schulwerk Principles
While Orff-Schulwerk teaching most often is centered in younger general music classrooms, there are elements of the Orff compositional process that transfer beautifully to the large ensemble. The bordun (bass), harmony, and color part are digestible compositional elements that students can play with. The bordun is usually a repeating pattern of I and V, adapting to the melody with functional harmony. It can be presented in broken, chordal, or arpeggiated style. The harmony in Orff-Schulwerk might be more of an ostinato, moving with stepwise motion. The color part adds texture and color, but is usually sparse and does not serve harmonic function. The below example notates the first four measures of “Simple Gifts” in a common Orff instrument setting.
Students play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (D Major) With stand partner, students brainstorm a list of any possible factors that could be varied (i.e. tempo, time signature, key signature, articulations, etc.) Listen to audio recording of Mozart’s 12 Variations in C Major K. 265 As a class, we discuss what variation techniques were heard, and students added new ideas to their lists
• •
Simple Gifts • Composition Groups •
•
•
Discussion of elemental composition: • Melody – What are we doing to vary it? • Functional Harmony (Bass Line) – Where does the melody lead us? • Harmony – What makes it sound good? Bad? Color Part – Optional for this assignment (some students added percussion) Important Orff Concept: EVERYONE learns EVERY PART! Students played through melody of “Simple Gifts” – notated. In small groups (approximately quartet instrumentation), they decided which specific element they wanted to vary (choosing 1 maximum) Over the course of 4 weeks (30 min/week), each group composed and submitted their variation. The whole class played each variation together. Students performed their compositions at our Winter Concert, and were proud to have their pieces performed next to “REAL composers!”
Students each had their own NoteFlight Learn account that they used for this project. Feel free to get in touch with any questions about classroom technology logistics or NoteFlight! (AUDIO LINK)
Student Composition Examples
Each group submitted their notated variation, and performed their composition for the class. The class then worked together to choose and combine variations to perform as an orchestra in a concert.
Summer Issue 2022
31
Final Thoughts
As we hopefully traverse into a more “normal” school year, I would encourage you to explore more composition, even within the large group ensemble setting. Students seem to have a newfound appreciation for being able to once again perform in ensembles, and this spark can be used to help foster creativity as well. I’m happy to connect on this subject or provide more details on composition projects in group settings - touponticelli@pausd.org. Wishing you all a relaxing summer!
References
Allsup, R.E. (2003). Mutual learning and democratic action in instrumental music education. Journal of Research in Music Education, 51(4), 24-37. https://doi.org/10.2307/3345646 Goodkin, D. (2004). Play, sing and dance: an introduction to Orff Schulwerk. Schott Music Publishers. Hogenes, M., van Oers, B., Diekstra, R.F.W., & Sklad, M. (2016). The effects of music composition as a classroom activity on engagement in music education and academic and music achievement: A quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Music Education, 34(1), 32–48. https://doi. org/10.1177/0255761415584296 Hopkins, M. T. (2013). Factors contributing to teachers’ inclusion of music composition activities in the school orchestra curriculum. String Research Journal, 4(1), 15–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/194849921300100402 Hopkins, M. T. (2015). Collaborative composing in high school string chamber music ensembles. Journal of Research in Music Education, 62(4), 405-424. https://doi. org/10.1177/0022429414555135 National Association for Music Education. (2014). Ensemble music standards. Retrieved from http://www.nafme.org/wp-content/ files/2014/11/2014-Music-Standards-EnsembleStrand.pdf
Additional student composition examples, including some more advanced high school composition examples, are linked here.
Student Feedback
“I improved on my collaborative working skills, and I learned that there are many ways to change and modify a simple piece of music. I also learned how to write the different parts of different instruments to accompany each other.” -8th Grade Student “Going into this project, I had no idea how we would even start to compose a piece of music. I learned that it’s helpful to listen to a melody and change it gradually, then work on bass/harmony lines. I also got better at working with people that I don’t know. -7th Grade Student
Priest, T. (2006). Self-evaluation, creativity, and musical achievement. Psychology of Music, 34(1), 47–61. https://doi. org/10.1177/0305735606059104 Stringham, D. A. (2016). Creating compositional community in your classroom. Music Educators Journal, 102(3), 46–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432115621953 Wiggins, J. H. (1999). Teacher control and creativity: Carefully designed compositional experiences can foster students’ creative processes and augment teachers’ assessment efforts. Music Educators Journal, 85(5), 30-44. https://doi. org/10.2307/3399545
32
CMEA Magazine
2023 CMEA State Band and Orchestra Festival Presented by World Projects Friday, April 28, 2023 ~ Weill Hall, Green Music Center Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
The CMEA State Festival is back! DATE AND LOCATION The California State Band and Orchestra Festival, Presented by World Projects, will be held on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Weill Hall, Green Music Center, on the campus of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, CA. PREREQUISITES Participating groups must have received a Unanimous Superior rating at a CMEA sanctioned festival or have participated in a Comments Only CMEA sanctioned festival during Spring Semester of 2022. CMEA sanctioned festivals include festivals hosted by CMEA Sections, the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), and the Northern California Band Association (NCBA). Participating directors must be members in good standing of CMEA both at the time of application and the festival performance. Applications include a recording of the ensemble performing approximately 15 minutes of music with at least two works that best demonstrate the group’s abilities. All recordings will be uploaded with the online application which was emailed to all members in May and is available on the CMEA website. The due date for the applications was Thursday, June 30, 2022. Directors will be notified of acceptance by September 1, 2023. SELECTION PROCESS In addition to submitting audio files and copies of qualifying adjudication sheets, the application asks for information about your school size and demographics. The intent of this festival is to showcase outstanding band and orchestra ensembles that represent the diversity of our great state.
FUTURE YEARS FESTIVALS The Spring 2024 festival will take place in a world class venue in Southern California, then the festival returns to Weill Hall in Sonoma in Spring 2025. The application for Spring 2024 Festival will be due in June 2023. The application for the 2025 festival will be due in June 2024. FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE ADJUDICATION Each ensemble participating in the California State Band and Orchestra Festival will receive recorded comments from a panel of three prominent adjudicators and receive a 20-minute in-person clinic with one of the adjudicators immediately following the performance. You must provide three original scores for each piece your ensemble will perform. AWARDS/HONORS The competitive aspect of this festival is the selection process. All ensembles that have been selected and perform at the festival will receive an “Outstanding Performance” plaque following their performance. PARTICIPANT FEE The participant fee for 2023 is $475 and is due no later than October 31, 2023.
-
John Burn CMEA State Band & Orchestra Festival Coordinator
Summer Issue 2022
33
Mint or Mint Tea? by Ryan Duckworth, CMEA Mentorship Representative
Greetings, fellow music educators!
My name is Ryan Duckworth, and I will be serving as CMEA’s Mentorship Representative. I just completed my twentieth concert season as the choral director at Bloomington High School in San Bernardino County (Southeastern Section), served as president of the Southeastern Section for four years, and just completed my one year term as immediate past president to support our new leadership team. In these roles, I have seen the hard work needed to develop a mentorship plan, and it will be my privilege and responsibility to take that plan and oversee its implementation over the next year. In the next few months, I will be receiving formal training from NAfME and planning the CMEA Mentorship program which, once competed, will be shared with each section’s membership representative or president with the intent of reaching those members who might benefit from mentor and mentee services. That’s the beauty of the system our state has created. There is an entire network of support to make sure our efforts are successful. As I have started to step into this role for CMEA, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my own experiences, both a mentor and mentee. My first reaction is that the words themselves seem clumsy. I recently interviewed for a mentorship position in my own
district and I remember being asked about my past mentor/mentee experiences. My mind immediately thought, “mint or mint tea experiences?” “Mentor” just is not a word we use in a lot of contexts and honestly “mentee” feels even more awkward for lack of use. I have only had a handful of formal “mentor/mentee” relationships, but have had many people that I consider to be my mentors, and several people that I have mentored in different roles. It all makes me wonder about our profession’s relationship with these concepts. I think for a lot of us, the idea of a mentor carries an almost archetypal quality. If you will forgive my casual obsession with Star Wars, the mentor-type is Yoda: old, wise, distant, and almost mystical. The problem with this view is that very few of us see ourselves in this way. The mentor archetype here is always someone older and wiser than ourselves. But this isn’t a correct view of the mentorship role. The way in which Yoda is truly a mentor is that he is experienced, having known successes as well as failures, and is willing to pass on what he has learned. Many of us may have heard the “10,000-hour rule” which was proposed by Malcom Gladwell in his book “Outliers.” It basically states that it takes thousands of hours, or approximately ten years of deliberate practice, to become an expert in any field. While this is a major generalization, and
34
CMEA Magazine
many skills take more or less time to learn, the point remains valid: You have expertise to offer people less experienced than you much earlier in your career than you might think. The perception of the word “mentee” is even more problematic. We erroneously equate being a mentee with inadequacies. I think this view pervades all of America’s education system and is not unique to the field of music education. Regardless, it is a dangerous perception because it further isolates us in an already isolated profession. As new teachers, or teachers in new circumstances, we are often so scared of appearing inadequate that we resist ever asking for help, relying instead on our “rugged independence” to get us through those first few years. Then, once we have a few years under our belt, we want to maintain an illusion that we “have it all together,” so we compensate (sometimes unhealthfully) and struggle in silence. When you step back from the personal experience and see this with professional distance, it is obvious that these perceptions and behaviors are antithetical to building a true community of learning that we ultimately hope to build. So maybe it is time we reevaluate our relationship with the “mint or mint tea” (mentor/mentee) dynamic. Music is inherently a field that longs for connection: between the performer and the audience; between the conductor and the ensemble; between the sections of an orchestra, band, or choir; between the teacher and the student. Music is rarely, if ever, isolated. So why do we teach so often in isolation? This has been true of my own professional journey. I had been in the classroom, as both an itinerant elementary band teacher and a high school choir teacher, for several years before I connected with other music teachers, first through a county music educator association and later through the CMEA. But for me, making this connection was the missing piece in my professional soul—I needed connection to other teachers. Connection is tied to vulnerability. If you are not familiar with the research and writings of Brené Brown, I would highly recommend taking a look. She has helped me put a vocabulary to many of the issues and ideas I find myself facing as I reflectively
grow as an educator. In her book, “Dare to Lead,” she relates a finding in the Harvard Business Review that employees were experiencing high levels of exhaustion not due to the tempo or rigor of the work they were doing, but because of feeling lonely. Loneliness was literally manifesting itself as people feeling exhausted. If this is true, then this need to build connections is more than just a pedagogical tool, it is integrated into our own professional mental health. So how do we intentionally build meaningful professional connections? I would propose that each one of us needs to purposefully nurture at least three specific professional relationships. • 1st - find someone further along in their career than us; someone who has likely already been through some of the things we’re facing and can offer us advice on what to do and what to avoid. • 2nd - find someone less experienced than ourselves for whom we can give advice and guidance and be a supporter. • 3rd - find someone who is in roughly the same place professionally as you; someone with whom you can commiserate, share, and collaborate on equal terms. I specifically avoided the words “younger” and “older” because age and experience are not synonymous. Plus it is very likely that different aspects of your professional practice are at different levels of experience. You are never too old to learn something new (be a mentee). You are never too young to share what you have learned (be a mentor). And no matter your age, you need someone with whom you can share the journey, laugh at the struggles, and support each other through shared experiences. I look forward to working with and learning from all of you in the years ahead. I will be reaching out to the section presidents to learn and connect as we develop and implement our mentorship plans. If you have questions about or insights into this process, please feel free to reach out to me at DuckworthMusic@gmail. com. Let’s work together to create a supportive network of music educators.
Summer Issue 2022
35
r e i m e r P s California SCHOOL MUSIC DEALER
The California Music Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 California Nonprofit Public Benefit corporation that supports charitable and educational efforts to promote quality music instruction for the children and adults of California.
To donate, or to receive more information, visit:
https://calmusiced.com/cmef/
HELPING YOU IT SAFE
lay P AND GET MORE ! s s e l r o f
CONTACT HARRISON KIRK FOR ALL YOUR SCHOOL BID NEEDS
HARRISON@NICKRAILMUSIC.COM . 800-649-5354
AGOURA HILLS BAKERSFIELD SANTA BARBARA REDLANDS SAN DIEGO VALENCIA CAMARILLO
36
CMEA Magazine
Tri-M® Summer Update by Troy Trimble,
CMEA Tri-M Representative State Chapter of the Year Winner
One of the changes that has come at the national level to Tri-M® has been the implementation of a new process for submissions and evaluations for the chapter of the year awards. Alongside this updated process came the important decision to recognize the top chapter in each state in addition to the national winners and runners up. Some state MEAs have already been doing their own processes for state Tri-M® chapter (as well as some for Collegiate NAfME chapters) for many years, but I am happy to see this opportunity now open for all states. It is just one more step in the direction of equity and inclusion that is guiding NAfME forward. As a member of the NAfME Tri-M® Council of Representatives, I was happy to see these changes implemented and I was saddened when the process was put on hold these past two years due to COVID. I will also add that the evaluation process is still a work in progress after going through it with the council this year, but I believe we are on the right track and will make some changes for next school year. So after a two-year hiatus, I am happy to recognize the Tri-M® Chapter of the Year winner for the state of California:
I wanted to end this summer update by sharing a short testimony from my former Tri-M® chapter president from last year. I took it straight from our Zoom class meeting that day. We were discussing Tri-M® and why it was important for our new students to consider joining. I asked our president, Esther, to share her thoughts about Tri-M® and it was really the greatest pitch you could ever want! I used it again this year when the time came to accept applications from new music students. Please watch and hear directly from the students on why Tri-M® is important and why you should start a chapter at your school if you haven’t done so already! Why Tri-M® is Important to Me
Chapter 7054 at Fullerton Union High School Troy Trimble, advisor
Every chapter is evaluated based on the chapter of the year scholarship submission questions, photos, and videos that are submitted. They are required to answer a series of questions and show evidence of their service projects in action. To avoid a conflict of interest, in the case of a submission by a chapter that has their advisor serving on the national Tri-M council, that chapter’s submission is evaluated by another NAfME representative not from that NAfME division. The winning chapter is awarded a commemorative banner from NAfME that can be hung at their school to memorialize this achievement. Congratulations, Fullerton! To encourage more Tri-M® chapters to submit for next year, I wanted to recognize all the schools that submitted during 2021-22. There is a lot of amazing work being done around our state! • • • • •
Other Helpful Links: • •
Click here to access the Tri-M® Music Honor Society website Click here to renew or start your Tri-M® Chapter
Chapter 6613, Academy for Academic Excellence, Jorge Salazar, advisor. Chapter 7842, Agoura High School, Robert Hackett, advisor. Chapter 3435, Aragon High School, John Chen, advisor. Chapter 4431, Homestead High School, John Burn, advisor. Chapter 5702, Los Alamitos High School, David Moellenkamp, advisor.
Summer Issue 2022
37
Idea Collection and Development for
Composing in K-12 Classrooms: Where to Start and How to Keep Going! by Dr. Lisa Crawford CMEA Creating and Composition Representative Note: In the past we have offered summer workshops for teachers with composition topics for all classroom types. We hope to restart these in Summer 2023. You can always attend our composition-themed sessions each year at CASMEC! Also, please do get involved with our brand new “Composition 2022-2023” blog (Composition 2022-2023 Blog Link). It can be inspirational to learn and share with others on topics of interest in music teaching and learning! As well, I hope you will join us in the fall of 2022 for a monthly meetup via Zoom for discussions about composing in K-16 classrooms! Watch for details coming soon for our first October 2022 meeting. Developing music composition and creative music lesson plans for our music students, no matter grade level or classroom focus, can be simply about making time to do it. For some of us, interest in locating examples of others’ ideas for compositional work may be challenged by the who, where, and when related to research experience and actual subject matter. Toss in a variety of types of standards, not to mention a wide variety of class lengths and, voila! We move on. But what if we don’t move on? Personal focus in music teaching and learning may be one answer for how to go about a literature review for new ideas. I am sure your workspace may resemble my collections of materials, usually found in piles in my classrooms, and certainly found in my studio at home. These piles of studies, standards, and new ideas get moved around frequently and integrated with each other as new ideas occur to me. Sound familiar? Beyond capturing the composing aspect of music teaching for those new to it, I am interested in capturing something that applies to the cultural makeup of my classrooms. This isn’t necessarily the only prospect I use, however. I ask students to introduce their favorite musics, integrate with unfamiliar cultures across the globe for deep dives into how music is different and the same, and present both papers and compositions created in our classes. Here are my ideas for researching culturally relevant ideas
for developing lesson plans for creating and composition in K-12 classrooms: 1.
2.
3.
4.
You have expanded over years (perhaps decades) one cultural area you are particularly drawn to for music teaching. Mine has been the Shasta indigenous culture located in Northern California and Southern Oregon. I add to my Drum Circle Composition capstone project idea every time I complete it with my kids. While it is best to use this project plan with students grades four through six, it can be adjusted for grade levels in either direction. Learn who you appreciate as far as researchers and experts go! The following are in no particular order; I check in with them depending upon their areas of focus: • John Kratus – songwriting and composing • Michelle Kaschub & Janice Pearson Smith – composing in K-8 classrooms • Peter Webster – creativity and musical thinking, technology • Alexander Koops – composing in instrumental ensembles • Lisa Crawford – beginning with composing at any grade level, technology Use either the CMEA or NAfME websites to get you thinking about what is most interesting to you. This will help at any stage of experience. I promise! New composition projects are exciting for both teachers and students! I teach choral arts and work compositionally with students. I teach with world instruments and percussion and work compositionally with students. The more frequently I use a lesson plan, the more interesting it can get. Where might we find no-cost studies and articles? 1) Google Scholar is phenomenal as it produces many PDF documents that we can review at no charge. 2) ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) is
38
CMEA Magazine
5.
6.
also an excellent resource due to their remarkably large database. 3) Go to your favorite university library internet search engines and see what you find. Often a college or university library may give you alum status without a fee. Also look for these upcoming publications: • Kaschub, M., & Smith, J. (anticipated 2023). Experiencing music composition in grades K – 2. National Association for Music Education with R&L Education. • Kaschub, M., & Smith, J. (anticipated 2022). Experiencing music composition in middle school general music. National Association for Music Education with R&L Education. Learn who is teaching at your favorite university. I found a professor specializing in the Shasta indigenous culture at my university. While I was surprised, it was a great reminder that our research should consider most prominently what we don’t yet know by ongoing research. Someone is studying your interests somewhere as their everyday livelihood. Ask the teachers around you, in your CMEA Section, or at conferences you attend what they teach about the specific topic of your new lesson plan for providing opportunities to compose. I considered the Shasta language as a much more important element of a composition project as I progressed with this theme than I did in the beginning.
creative music-making. Practice over time adds a wonderful result to the beginnings of your planning. And, inviting feedback from students about what they appreciate most about a project can be enlightening. I will close with two ideas (Four Notes Four Measures, Four Measures Four Parts, Crawford 2022) that you may wish to integrate into your classroom. You may even wish to expand these two examples at different levels for your students.
2023
Being your own source of inspiration is a great starting point for developing new ideas for developing student process through
CASMEC Clinic Application We are currently accepting applications from individuals interested in giving a Clinic or Presentation at the 2023 California All-State Music Education Conference to be held in Fresno, CA on February 15–19, 2023. For more information click here Or email Willard Lacro with questions. \The
deadline to submit proposals is Monday, August 1, 2022.
Summer Issue 2022
39