CMEA Magazine Winter/CASMEC 2021

Winter Issue

CMEA Magazine WINTER ISSUE 2021 VOLUME 74 • NUMBER 2

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The News Magazine of the California Music Educators Association POSTMASTER CMEA Magazine (ISSN 1099–6710) is published quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) by CMEA. Mailing Address: 2417 N 11th Ave Hanford, CA 93230 Subscription price of $4.00 is included in the CMEA annual dues. Non-member subscription rate is $12.00 per year Single copies are $3.00 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CMEA Magazine, 2417 N 11th Ave, Hanford, CA 93230 CMEA Magazine Graphic Designer Adam Wilke, D.M.A. Editors Chad Zullinger and Trish Adams Business Manager Trish Adams Mailing Address: 2417 N 11th Ave, Hanford, CA 93230 E-mail: cmea@calmusiced.com Rates and advertising information available at: www.calmusiced.com The Executive Board of CMEA serves as the Editorial Committee. The observations and opinions expressed in any article in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Association.

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

CMEA Administrative Office Mailing Address: 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 Office: 559 587–2632 Cell: 559 904–2002 E-mail: cmea@calmusiced.com Website: www.calmusiced.com

# FEATURES

3 President’s Message

by Armalyn De La O, CMEA President

5 The Musician’s Studio CMEA 6 NAfME Collegiate Chapter Highlight

by Anne FenNell, CMEA President-Elect

11 Bay Section Update

by Keith Johnson, CMEA Bay Section President

11 Capitol Section Update

by Patrick Neff, CMEA Capitol Section President-Elect

12 Central Section Update

by Steve McKeithen, CMEA Central

Section President

13 Gifts and Traditions: Central Coast Section Update

by Diane Gehling, CMEA Central Coast

Section President

13 Sel, Yes! North Coast Section Update

by Holly MacDonell, CMEA North Coast

Section President

17 Student Teaching During COVID: Southern Border Section Update

by Dr. Jeff Malecki, CMEA Southern

Border Section President

18 Southwestern Section Update

by Ryan Rowles, CMEA Southwestern

Section President

19 CMEA Virtual Solo and Ensemble Festival 20 CASMEC Sessions Preview 22 Stress Management Techniques for the Music Educator in a Pandemic

by Dr. Karen Koner

28 What if We Did More Than Engage Our Music Students?

by Theresa Hoover

32 General Music Resources K-12

by Emma Joleen Schopler, CMEA General

Muisc TK-12 Representative

36 CMEA Award Winners

15 Northern Section Update

by Todd Filpula, CMEA Northern Section President

15 When a Sprint Becomes a Marathon: Southeastern Section Update

by Ryan Duckworth, CMEA Southeastern

Section President

# RESOURCES

26 CODA 27 Urban Schools 30 Creating and Composing 31 Advocacy 31 Music Supervisors 31 Innovations 35 Collegiate Spotlight 35 CCDA Update

Ad Index BC CASMEC 9 NAMM Foundation 27 Nick Rail Music IFC Quaver Muisc 27 University of Portland 10 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 State Council CMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD CMEA President Armalyn De La O adelao@calmusiced.com CMEA President-Elect Anne Fennell afennell@calmusiced.com CMEA Vice President Chad Zullinger czullinger@calmusiced.com CMEA Secretary Laura Schiavo lschiavo@calmusiced.com CMEA Immediate Past President John Burn jburn@calmusiced.com CMEA OFFICE cmea@calmusiced.com 2417 North 11th Avenue Hanford, CA 93230 559 587-2632 CMEA Executive Administrator Trish Adams cmea@calmusiced.com 559 904-2002 CMEA Administrative Assistant Heather Adams hadams@calmusiced.com 559 410-2425 CMEA Legislative Advocate Martha Zaragoza Diaz lobbyist1.mzd@gmail.com SECTION PRESIDENTS CMEA Bay Section President Keith Johnson keith@echsbands.com

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

CMEA Capitol Section President Taylor Sabado taylor.haugland@gmail.com

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

CMEA Central Section President Steve McKeithen smckeithen@csufresno.edu

CMEA Advocacy Representative Russ Sperling sperlingruss@gmail.com

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

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

CMEA North Coast Section President Holly MacDonell hollymacdonell@gmail.com

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

CMEA Northern Section President Todd Filpula tfilpula@chicousd.org

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

CMEA Southeastern Section President Ryan Duckworth Ryan_Duckworth@cjusd.net

CMEA CTA Liaison James Benanti jamesbenanti77@gmail.com

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

President’s Message Armalyn De La O, CMEA President

The last month of the year brings with it the traditional annual reflection. 2020 has been an extraordinary year of challenges and changes. Looking back on CMEA’s response to the changing conditions music education faced, advocacy was central to CMEA’s work. We’ve been and will continue into 2021 to be proactive and reactive in our advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.

Our 2020 advocacy work focused on three major areas: state budget, AB 5, and COVID guidance. Since March when we went into shelter in place, CMEA has been working to keep music and arts education at the forefront of our state legislators and the California Department of Education in respect to the state budget. Throughout 2020, CMEA monitored the budget process and expressed our concerns corresponding to music education. In the spring, CMEA sent letters to legislators, the California Department of Education, and the State Board of Education calling for their leadership in making equitable decisions when considering pandemic-related budget reductions. You can see these letters on the CMEA website and I encourage you to take a bit of time to read them. (https://calmusiced.com) In 2020, AB 5 continued to prove challenging to CMEA’s ability to contract with consultants for student events. CMEA’s Advocacy Team met with the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee to discuss the issues as lingering troublesome portions of AB 5 were being addressed in AB 2257 (“fix-it bill”) by Legislature. CMEA’s Advocacy Team also met with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’s office to advocate for language changes to be included in AB 2257. CMEA provided testimony at the hearing suggesting language addressing the issue of the use of music consultants.

Our proposed language would have allowed music education consultants to be exempt when providing a service for CMEA’s regional and state festivals. Although we did not prevail in getting changes in language included, we have not given up this effort. We are now investigating if the passing of Proposition 22 will have any impact on AB 5/AB 2257 related to consultants for our student events.

Another challenge came in July with the release of the COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Schools and School-Based

Programs from the Governor’s office. The release of the document on July 17 created a storm of media posts, tweets, and letters expressing concern and outrage over the language of “no band and choir classes.” CMEA activated our members, parents, and other stakeholders to engage through a writing and phone campaign calling for a change in the document’s guidance. Our advocacy in this area continued into late September resulting in a CMEA Advocacy Team meeting with Deputy Superintendent Gregson, California Department of Education (CDE). This meeting opened the door for a meeting with the Assistant Secretary for CA Health and Human Services. We reached out to NAMM to help us engage the support of Dr. James Weaver, Director of Performing Arts with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Dr. Weaver’s current aerosol study work relating to performing arts and COVID was not considered in the writing of the guidance document. At the meeting with the Assistant Secretary of CA Health and Human Services, Dr. Weaver presented the International Coalition of Performing Arts Aerosol Study, Report 2. The Assistant Secretary was eager to see the study’s preliminary results. CMEA’s Advocacy Team presented our concerns with the document. We suggested inclusion of the aerosol study and changes to the guidance language in future guidance documents.

The meeting with the Assistant Secretary led to a meeting in mid-November with two of the leading scientists for the CA Department of Public Health, CDPH. Once again, Dr. Weaver joined our CMEA Advocacy team in presenting the third round of the aerosol results. Not only was this an important meeting to share with CA public health officials, but we also gained a new advocate, as one of the scientists is a musician in a community ensemble. She was not only empathetic to our need for new guidance but understands the frustration of the inconsistent language found in the October 2020 guidance update. CMEA has offered to help as CDPH updates the state guidance documents. We will continue to monitor and engage as necessary as COVID updates take place. When we return to school in 2021, we will keep the health and safety of

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students and teachers as the number one priority.

As the final days of December 2020 come to a close, I wish to thank the Advocacy Team, who meets every Tuesday morning, for tackling urgent, short-term, and long-range issues facing music education. Advocacy takes action; thank you to all of our members who respond to our social media posts. Activism is effective at the local level. I want to express appreciation to our Section Presidents who respond to our “call to action” emails, sometimes overnight, to get the word out and engage our membership. I am filled with gratitude for our CMEA Executive Board who go above and beyond to serve CMEA and California music education. Thank you for your service and dedication. 2020 has reminded us that advocacy for music education, formal and informal, is a daily act of dedication by music educators. I look forward to 2021 with new possibilities on the horizon.

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

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

Enjoy the holidays, stay safe, healthy, and warm throughout December.

See you in 2021, hopefully in real time, not Zoom time!

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

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

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NAfME Collegiate Chapter Highlight Univeristy of the Pacific

Anne Fennell, CMEA President-Elect

University of the Pacific NAfME Collegiate Chapter Officers Dr. Ruth Brittin Chapter Advisor

Getting to Know our University of the Pacific Collegiate NAfME Chapter

Ryan Abdelmalek President (senior, trumpet)

Braydon Ross Vice President

(junior, French horn)

Emily McGann Secretary

(sophomore, clarinet)

Brooke Farrar Treasurer

(sophomore, euphonium & bass trombone)

Shane Ryan Graduate Rep

(graduate student, trumpet)

Caroline Burke-Baker 2nd Year Representative (sophomore, violin)

Ainsley Berryhill 1st Year Representative

(freshman, piano & trumpet)

T

he University of the Pacific Collegiate NAfME chapter (nicknamed UoP NAfME) is a group of energetic, inquisitive undergraduate and masters students who meet regularly, attend CASMEC and CMEA Bay Section conferences, and actively support their university and the larger community. Their ongoing projects, such as the Instrument Petting Zoo project for Stockton Symphony’s community outreach, show creativity and leadership.

Undergraduates are earning a degree and their credential in four years, so this level of involvement in their professional organization is inspiring, for they are BUSY! They take every opportunity to broaden their frame of reference. During COVID-19 they have reached out to teachers, alumni, and students across the region and the nation, sharing their gifts and learning. - Dr. Ruth Brittin, Advisor Read on and learn more about this active collegiate chapter, advised by Dr. Ruth Brittin, Professor of Music Education and Chair of the Department of Music Education at the University of the Pacific, to meet the UoP NAfME Collegiate Members, and be inspired by these active leaders!

Why do you like being on the boards of the UoP NAfME Collegiate Chapter and why did you take on this role?

Being on the Exec Board of the UoP Chapter has been a wonderful way to serve my friends and colleagues within the music education program. The meetings that we plan for our members enhance the learning experiences they receive from our program. After serving two terms as Vice-President, I wanted to step up to help everyone in the chapter enjoy their NAfME experiences to the fullest and provide support to those who seek information or help.

- Ryan Abdelmalek, President

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Serving on UoP NAfME’s Exec Board is a great experience because it allows me to work with other members to create meetings that will be impactful and worthwhile. I enjoy hearing from members on how we can improve, and then working with the other board members to implement those changes. The reason I took on this role is to expand the chapter’s role in the college experience of UoP music education students.

- Braydon Ross, Vice-President I like being on the board because I feel like I am making a difference and I am helping to shape what I feel is important to learn for everyone. I also appreciate learning from my different board members and growing as a person through listening to how they view their roles and what they bring to the table. I decided to take on this role because I like to be involved and I want to be an active learner in my present and future.

- Emily McGann, Secretary I like being on the board because it gives me a chance to be very involved within the activities that NAfME puts on and be able to help students get the best music education experiences with their peers. I love the people I work with on the board and it gives me a chance to get to know not only them, but get to know everyone in our chapter, and how we can improve and keep making the experience better for them.

- Brooke Farrar, Treasurer I like being on the NAfME UoP because it is an opportunity to serve my fellow NAfME/ Music Education colleagues. Through basic communications to leading meeting topics, I can help in whatever is needed for my community. I took this role because I wanted to be a bridge between graduate students and the NAfME chapter. I wanted to make sure that they were updated on what was happening and find ways that we can help or contribute to the chapter. - Shane Ryan, Grad Rep I really enjoy being a part of NAfME and the executive board has been a great experience so far. It is a great way to work with future music educators towards a common goal and that is one of the things that drew me to NAfME in the first place. Music education is extremely important to all of us, and NAfME gives us the opportunity to continually learn and grow from each other as well as a guest brought in about something we all care so much about. - Caroline Burke-Baker, Sophomore Rep My short time on the Chapter board has allowed me to appreciate how much thought and effort goes into meeting plans and the invitations to guest speakers. I took on this role because I want to help ensure that our Chapter is as welcoming and informative as it can be. I hope to be able to contribute more to this group and the planning process in the next semester and the years to come.

- Ainsley Berryhill, 1st Year Rep

What is your greatest hope for the future of music education?

My greatest hope for the future of music education is that we continue to open our students’ eyes to differences in music,

not just the classics of Bach and Beethoven. I hope that we can learn, as well as teach, about the music and composers from all over the world to expand our culture and the very foundation of what music has been thought of for many, many years. Most of all, I hope that music teachers become people to let their students know it’s okay if they like to hear from LGBTQ+ composers, composers of color, female composers, or even the classics if that’s what they like to listen to. I hope that through music, we can teach our students to always search for the music that they like to listen to, even if it’s unconventional.

- Emily McGann, Secretary I hope that music education adapts swiftly to the social issues that have become apparent in the past few years, especially in 2020. We as educators should work to make and teach music in a way that creates open-minded and caring students.

- Braydon Ross, Vice-President My greatest hope for the future of Music Education is that every student, regardless of any walk of life, will be given the opportunity to be a part of music education throughout their schooling. Music education is so crucial and life-changing to many and I hope in the future every student will have the chance to be a part of something as wonderful as music.

- Caroline Burke-Baker, Sophomore Rep My greatest hope for music education is that we start to blend instrumentalists and vocalists so that we can learn from each other more and start seeing different perspectives to better ourselves in our fields. - Brooke Farrar, Treasurer I hope that in the future, there can be more diversity, equity, and inclusion to not just the classroom, but to my curriculum and the occupation in general. Making sure students feel included and cared for is a topic I hope, especially the newer generation of educators, takes a good priority in the profession.

- Ryan Abdelmalek, President

What do you hope to bring to the future of music education?

What I hope to bring for the future of music education is inclusion. I believe that if students have a safe and nurturing learning environment, they will be able to learn and make mistakes freely. This will give students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and become better musicians.

- Shane Ryan, Grad Rep

What are you looking forward to, once you graduate with your music education degree?

I look forward to inspiring the students of tomorrow the way I was inspired by my band directors. I want to show them the beauty and the power of music as well as how it has inspired entire movements. I hope that any student who comes through my classroom, no matter how young or old, will remember to keep listening and keep loving the power of music.

- Emily McGann, Secretary

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I am looking forward to creating great music and facilitating the opportunities, connections, and lessons that it has to offer to students. - Ainsley Berryhill, 1st Year Rep The thing I am looking forward to after getting my music education degree is being able to be in a classroom every day with my students and to see their progress as they learn.

Watching them make connections and understand concepts, just getting to be there for them every day, as they grow!

- Caroline Burke-Baker, Sophomore Rep

How does/will the UoP NAfME Collegiate Chapter help you achieve your goal to become a music educator?

Being a part of UoP’s NAfME chapter allows me to learn things beyond what is taught in curricular coursework. We have many chances to present and teach for our peers (receiving feedback afterward), and we get to hear people present on topics that wouldn’t ordinarily be a part of our collegiate education. These extended learning opportunities will strengthen my foundation as a well-rounded educator as I begin teaching.

- Braydon Ross, Vice-President The Pacific Chapter of NAfME has opened up my eyes through the numerous guest speakers we have. I have learned so much about so many different areas of music, whether its genres (jazz) or instrument families (strings). I really feel like NAfME is helping to prepare me to be the best music educator I can be. Emily McGann, Secretary The UoP NAfME Collegiate Chapter has provided me with regular opportunities to learn about music education topics in more detail and in a context other than the traditional classroom setting. To this end, I might hear about a subgenre of repertoire or a particular type of ensemble from one of my peers, as they recount their firsthand experiences or individual research. The chapter has also provided introductions to alumni and area teachers who I expect will be valuable resources for guidance, mentorship, and encouragement once I transition into my professional career. - Ainsley Berryhill, 1st Year Rep The UoP NAfME Collegiate Chapter helps me achieve my goal to become a music educator by letting me go outside of my comfort zone and focus more on the administrative and planning side of education, as well as letting me learn from so many different speakers and my peers. It lets me see the full range of responsibilities as a music educator.

- Brooke Farrar, Treasurer I can observe not just special guests, but other members of the chapter as they give presentations on topics that are not generally covered by our program curriculum. These presentations help develop the ideas of lesson plans or other presentations that can apply in a classroom or teaching environment. Every student presenter also receives feedback from the chapter about their lesson/presentation so they can continue improving their skills. - Ryan Abdelmalek, President

What is one of the projects you have participated in that has made an impact on you as an aspiring music educator?

Every fall, the Pacific Chapter, along with the Stockton Symphony, provides an “instrument petting zoo” at the Stockton Literacy Day Fair, where students can test run playing different kinds of instruments. This year, with the decision to go virtual, the chapter and symphony collaborated to make videos for students to watch that give a “demo” of the instruments and some ways to recreate the experience at home. Especially from my standpoint of spearheading the project, it felt like we were helping the community continue to love music while still learning from the safety of our homes. It also demonstrates that music can still connect people even when apart.

- Ryan Abdelmalek, President I love the instrument petting zoo. This is a great opportunity for our NAfME chapter to come together and share our passion/ joy for music with children that may never have before.

Watching children try out instruments for the first time is quite an experience, and sometimes you can see a spark showing that they love the instrument and music. Watching that experience from a teacher’s perspective is magical and is something I think of when I think about why I chose this career.

- Shane Ryan, Grad Rep Normally, our Chapter partners with the Stockton Symphony to host the annual “Instrument Petting Zoo” event for children in the area to experience musical instruments. This year’s adapted, virtual version allowed me to get a glimpse of my peers teaching for essentially the first time, given that I have not physically met most of them. Watching their videos was an encouraging chance to witness their talent, energy, and love for music in action! While creating my videos for this project, I was challenged to make percussive instruments accessible to children watching from home by using only recycled containers, craft supplies, and other materials that can be found around the house. - Ainsley Berryhill, 1st Year Rep One of the most impactful projects I’ve done through NAfME was delivering a presentation on contemporary repertoire that was centered around composer representation. In addition to the resources I found and things I learned while preparing for the presentation, input, and anecdotes shared by members during the presentation expanded the conversation greatly. I’m sure everyone came away from that meeting with a desire to continue striving for better representation of underrepresented composers in our future educational programming.

- Braydon Ross, Vice-President

Explain the importance of this chapter during COVID-19 and what this group has provided to either you as a board member or other music education majors.

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The chapter has made a continued effort since the beginning of the semester to stay in weekly contact with their members through Zoom meetings, having guest speakers talk about music education, holding social events for us, giving members a chance to speak on specialized topics of music education that they are most interested in, and providing them a chance to practice lesson planning, presentations, and event planning. It means a lot to members like myself to be able to have those experiences during COVID-19 to keep us positive and not falling into any sort of “slump” we may be experiencing, and it also gives us a chance to adjust our teaching to the online setting if hybrid and online teaching become a thing of the future. - Brooke Farrar, Treasurer This chapter has brought a sense of stability. I look forward to going to the meetings each week and interacting with different music education majors and learning from and alongside them.

It’s nice that amidst all of this chaos, I can still get together and see my peers and friends. - Emily McGann, Secretary The chapter has created a sense of community within our music education students. In these tough times, it is important to have a community that will be there for us when we need it. Also, we are learning new things about COVID-19 and teaching online every day. NAfME is a great place to tell others what we discovered and how we can use it for future fieldwork or jobs in the near future. Shane Ryan, Grad Rep

NAfME has always been a place where music education members can share ideas and just work, and be together, especially during COVID-19. NAfME has become even more important with all of us at home, separated from each other. Not only is this a great place for us to learn from one another and work together on ideas for music education, but to keep us connected with one another. Caroline Burke-Baker, Sophomore Rep -------------------------------Follow the UoP Collegiate NAfME on Facebook

If you would like to create or join a NAfME Collegiate Chapter near you, e-mail collegiate@nafme.org or cmea@calmusiced. com. Scan the QR code or visit https://nafme.org/membership/ collegiate/ to learn more.

Photo Credit: Rob Davidson

Celebrate Your Music Program with National Recognition The NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) award program signifies the ongoing commitment of your community to support music education as a vital part of a well-rounded education for all children.

Be Recognized for Your Commitment and Efforts for All Students During Extraordinary Times!

Apply by January 31, 2021 Recognizes Commitment

Increases Visibility

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Winter Issue 2020

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EVEN TEACHERS NEED TEACHERS The Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) gives you access to a wealth of professional development opportunities and resources. YES brings you into a network of like-minded colleagues, experts and professionals who want to share their real-world experiences. You’ll also receive valuable tips on advocacy assistance, program health support and much more. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsCAMEA2

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Bay Section

Bay Section Update

by Keith Johnson, CMEA Bay Section President

W

e’ve made it through the first half of the school year!

Although we can probably all agree that this has been a challenging semester, it has been amazing to see the work that many of our colleagues have put on display. All of the virtual performances and showcases I have seen so far have been outstanding!

I’m sure many of us are planning

Capitol Section

Capitol Section Update

by Patrick Neff, CMEA Capitol Section President-Elect

I

continue to be proud of the adaptability and commitment displayed by the music educators in CMEA Capitol Section. In a year of challenges, they continue to go above and beyond in serving the needs of our students and communities. I have been inspired by the stories and performance

on attending or have attended some of the online professional development conferences like the Midwest Clinic and CASMEC. I encourage you to check out CMEA Bay Section’s Distance Learning Resource Series. Our Special Representatives have put together an outstanding slate of presenters covering a wide range of topics. Some highlights include: Teaching and Performing Jazz in the Pandemic: An Interview with NEA Jazz Master Jamie Abersold presented by Dr. Robert Calonico; From the Band Hall to the Zoom Call: Digital Motivation in the Large Ensemble presented by Dr. Myra Rhoden; Music Education at Social Emotional Learning: Now More Than Ever presented

by Dr. Scott N. Edgar; Beyond Repertoire: Social Justice and Equity in the Orchestra Classroom presented by Audry Melzer.

These resources are free and available at www.cmeabaysection.org. A huge thanks to Patrick Dandrea, Lauren Diez, Tiffany Ou, Randy Porter, Zack PittSmith, Victoria Schmidt, Greg Miller, and Dr. Kara Ireland D’Ambrosio, the Bay Section Special Representative team that put together this outstanding collection of

videos.

I am happy to report that our first Virtual Solo Festival was a huge success!

The goal of the Bay Section Virtual Solo Festival was to encourage teachers to incorporate solo repertoire and performance into their curriculum this school year, using the Bay Section Virtual Solo and Ensemble Festival as another tool for assessment. We’ve made the festival rubrics available on the Bay Section website at the bottom of the festivals page as a resource for anyone interested.

I’d like to thank all of the directors that submitted over 200 entries for the event.

The festival’s success was due to the hard work of Ken Nakamoto and Katie Starnes, the Bay Section Solo and Ensemble Festival Coordinators. A huge thanks to you both!

This spring Bay Section will be offering more Virtual Solo and Ensemble Festivals, including a jazz component.

More information will be available on the Bay Section website in late January.

products that have been shared, and am pleased to report that music education remains strong in our region.

The advocacy efforts from our section have been the most active I can recall since I became involved with CMEA five years ago. Led by our Advocacy Representative Christopher Tootle, we have been relentless in working to keep policies relating to COVID-19 and school music safe and equitable for all involved. There remains great variety in the teaching situations of our membership, ranging from fulltime live classes on campus to full-time distance learning (with plenty in-between).

We were pleased that the state adjusted policies to allow outdoor rehearsals, and that some of our educators have been able to experience live music making. However, as the weather gets colder and policies continue to change, there are certainly obstacles in our future, both related and unrelated to COVID-19. For example, I am composing this update during a week where we are organizing an action plan to combat potential cuts to music in one of our larger school districts. There have been

several instances in recent memory when advocacy and community engagement were necessary to get music off of the chopping block. We have found ourselves at one of those moments once again, but are optimistic that the voices of our teachers, students, and families will keep music education safe across all of Capitol Section. It is important to stay vigilant, and to remember that the impact of our work is not as evident to others as it is to us.

In January, we will continue a section tradition with our 44th annual High School Honor Band. While the event will be taking place virtually, we still plan to provide meaningful experiences to all participating students. Online rehearsals will combine with masterclasses and leadership clinics with an aim to expand musicianship and personal character for all members in the ensemble. In much the same way our music educators feel about CASMEC, we are hopeful our students will take the things they learn from honor band with them to better themselves, their peers, and their own programs. As

Have a great second half of the school year!

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a section, we also look forward to future events including honor orchestra, honor choir, middle school and elementary school honor band, the Golden Empire Festival, and our annual awards banquet, all taking place later this year.

My personal experience this Fall has been unique. I am part of a team opening a new high school, and my district has transitioned from distance learning early in the school year to our current hybrid schedule. As our hybrid schedule began, there were two weeks when we were on campus but not yet able to play with wind instruments. Once all the band PPE was

acquired and protocols were in place, it was thrilling to hear students play in person for the first time in almost seven months. But with that excitement has also come frustrations, as half my ensembles are logging in via Zoom each day, and our zero period outdoor jazz rehearsals are paired with a daily schlep of equipment to a frigid and dimly lit outdoor eating area. My band director circadian rhythms remain completely thrown off, and like many I yearn for concerts, competitions, football games, and all the other experiences that will remain on hold for the time being.

However, the enthusiasm of my students

has never wavered, and their ability to adapt and keep improving has helped me get through this semester. When realizing that we still have the privilege of making music together, and that students continue to learn, it is easier to remember that through all of this I still have the best job in the world.

I hope everyone remains safe and healthy and I wish you all the best as we continue this school year. To learn more about CMEA Capitol Section, please visit www.cmea-cs.org.

Central Section

Journal of Research in Music Education that takes a deeper dive into the possible link between music achievement and academic achievement in 4th through 8th grade students that is, in a word, stunning.

According to Bergee and Weingarten, as stated in an article found in Psychology Today, the goal of the study was not “to show that learning music will necessarily improve a child’s math or reading scores” but rather “to test the extent to which students’ music achievement scores were related to their reading and math achievement scores.” Bergee and Weingarten designed a study that utilized a number of control factors that have long been associated with student achievement grade level, gender, educational attainment of parents/guardians, free/reduced-price lunch, ethnicity, urbanicity, district achievement, district behavior, available funds, and local revenue. Students also were measured by taking the first two Music Achievement Tests, as well as assessments for reading and math.

What the researchers found was that by eliminating the background influences, a correlation between achievement in the aforementioned academic areas and music was not only a factor, but there was a very strong correlation between the study of music and the effect that music has on academic achievement.

The extension of this exciting research is that there are learning processes that are in common between academic subjects and in music. Further research that has yet to be completed is focused on the chemical

reaction in the brain that may correlate learning with emphasis placed on what our brains are releasing into our system when we are stimulated by the study of music as well as actively participating in music.

A study of that kind might better explain why our students get so excited and seem “amped up” after our music classes.

As we wrap up our fall semester, it is imperative that we are all diligent defenders of Music and the Arts for aesthetic and social reasons. But also making sure that our parent, administrative, and academic partners are aware of studies like this example, demonstrating that music has the potential to positively affect all students in so many ways.

Central Section Update

by Steve McKeithen, CMEA Central Section President

A

s a graduate student at Arizona State University, I was fortunate to study with one of the most brilliant and thoughtprovoking musicians and conductors in Professor Gary Hill. As a component of our musical training, Gary challenged his graduate students to engage in a deeper understanding, and curiosity, regarding the brain and how we as humans are wired for, and predisposed to, music and music making.

Most of us in music education have heard about studies which have long purported a connection between the study of music and academic achievement.

But a new study by researchers at the University of Kansas (Martin Bergee) and the University of Washington (Kevin Weingarten) was recently published in the

Best wishes on a restful and healthy Christmas break!

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CMEA Magazine

Central Coast Section

Gifts and Traditions Central Coast Section Update

by Diane Gehling, CMEA Central Coast Section President

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itting in front of a computer on this beautiful day is not what I wish to be doing, however, I am reminded that we all need to take time to stop, get away from our computers and

North Coast Section

Sel, Yes! North Coast Section Update

by Holly MacDonell, CMEA North Coast Section President

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s the 2020/21 school year continues, so do the struggles and opportunities. And while the dark cloud over our heads seems to be extra dark sometimes, one opportunity/ silver lining is re-discovering that Social Emotional Learning is as important to the growth of the whole child as academic,

do something else. The holidays are here.

Normally this is a busy time of year for us with concerts, festivals, end of the terms and, of course, Holiday Shopping. This year is a very different year. Who would have thought one year ago that in 2020 we would be doing our concerts virtually, if at all? Wondering if and when we’d be back in school either hybrid style or traditionally.

Being with family right now reminds me of the gifts and traditions we have at this time of year. One of the greatest gifts I have ever received was the ability to teach my students music in person. Conversely, one of the greatest gifts I could ask for right now would be to be back in my classroom again with my students, teaching a young clarinetist how to cross the break, a percussionist how to do a single paradiddle, a brass player how not to blast on their instrument or a vocalist how to sing in their head voice While we read this and smile, maybe even chuckle, we know it’s true. I believe that we would all say this is a gift.

Along with gifts, we also have our traditions. Traditions, such as our festivals, creative, and problem solving skills are.

Lately, one might hear SEL mentioned at every level in every subject, and with the possibility for positive outcomes for so many students, it makes sense for all educators to teach SEL overtly.

For the most part, music education has always covertly taught SEL. The fact that creative arts and critical thinking about performance-based work helps to foster the skills needed for social emotional well being is not new to music educators.

Overtly fostering SEL may be something music educators haven’t practiced. I’ve decided to add specific aspects of SEL into my K-8 music lesson planning. And since we’re distance learning through January at least, I’m trying to use activities that work in person and in video conferences, so that students will be familiar with how the activities work no matter what the future brings.

One activity I grabbed from a 4th grade classroom teacher uses Google Slides, but any presentation program would work.

The teacher creates a slide with photos and images (pictures of pets, clip art, pictures of scenery). The images are numbered,

honor ensembles, concerts we delight in hosting every year. Even though we cannot do this as a section in person, we will be doing this virtually. Thanks to our board members and chairs from the Central Coast Sections, we will be having the CCS First Annual Virtual Honors Ensemble Concert.

There will be no formal audition process.

We are focusing on inclusivity. Students included will be based on director’s nominations. The virtual performance will air on Zoom Saturday, March 13, 2021, with the virtual viewing available on YouTube starting on Sunday, March 14, 2021.

Another gift would be for administrators, who in this pandemic are also seeking ways to support us, to encourage us to keep teaching music and to keep it as part of the curriculum. Continue to be safe and to take care of yourselves and one another. Reach out if you need to a friend, a colleague, whomever. We are all here for each other. Have a very Happy Holiday Season!

and there is a question like “How are you feeling today? Type a number and evidence into the chat.” Evidence can be one word or a phrase about why the student feels that way. I’ve made a few of my own slides with pictures of my dogs and some instrument playing animals. I open the chat and let students share with everyone, although some still share just with me. I tend to use this activity at the opening of class. (Check out some of my slides at the end of the article.)

Another way I try to invite students into my ‘classroom’ space is by playing music while students arrive. With my middle school music tech classes, I’ll play a piece I’ve composed with the tools we use (Soundtrap, Chrome Music Lab, Groove Pizza), and try to share new tools I’m still learning how to use (Audacity, a loop pedal, online virtual instruments). When projects get turned in, I can spotlight student samples, anonymously, instead of my own.

Sometimes just sending the Bongo Cat link through the chat and watching students’ faces light up as they discover the cow bell, marimba, and cymbal lights up

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my entire day. My 4th and 5th graders had a blast when we discovered Bongo Cat, and even wanted to share little improvisations with each other. Sometimes the sharing worked, sometimes it didn’t, but I was fostering healthy, creative fun in my ‘classroom,’ not only for my students, but also for me.

I’ll ask for sharing during my 3rd grade recorder class. What I imagine is that

students will share a song they’ve learned on recorder. For instance, one youngster wanted to share Baby Shark, which we’d discovered a couple of weeks previous. A happy surprise happened when another student shared his piano tune. And now, during sharing, we hear music on many instruments, and may even hear about a student’s light-up soccer ball!

Social Emotional Learning, while a

by-product of any strong music education, can still be specifically fostered. There are any number of activities that can be quickly completed, or pondered at length, depending on an educator’s needs. And while it may feel like a ‘nice thing to do’ for our students, best practices require our awareness, and practicing of, student Social Emotional Learning.

Ms. Mac’s SEL Slide Deck:

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CMEA Magazine

Northern Section

Northern Section Update

by Todd Filpula, CMEA Northern Section President

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here is no question this has been an extremely difficult time for all of us, not only in education, but all aspects of our lives.

I took the opportunity recently to have a conversation with some of my band students about Covid-19 and how they were feeling. Each student has been impacted in a very different way. I am not surprised by this as each of them brings a different perspective and a very different set of “baggage.”

Southeastern Section

When a Sprint Becomes a Marathon Southeastern Section Update

by Ryan Duckworth, CMEA Southeastern Section President

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am not a runner and I will likely never run a marathon myself. I

We began this year with remote/ distance learning and moved to a hybrid model on October 19th, 2020. Being the first time we had been in distance learning, the prospect was daunting. We, the teachers, were thrown in with little professional development or training but just as importantly, so were the students!

The first several weeks were spent trying to figure out the platform and deal with issues of technology and access. Needless to say it was very chaotic. Just when we (I) felt we were beginning to settle in, here comes the hybrid model. Now, in addition to technology issues, we were dealing with parent work schedules, and the numerous mitigation strategies to keep everyone safe and healthy. This resulted in several more weeks of chaotic transition. Was there really any education going on?

I asked my students to describe school during Covid-19 in one word. They had no problem coming up with words!

Small (referring to class size), horrible, unengaging, boring, interesting, fast, shorter, stressful, and friendless were a few of the responses. The next question was: What activities do you miss the most?

Again, a wide and differing response.

Basketball, engaging work, eating out,

travel, no masks, school events, concerts, playing my instrument.

I am always amazed by students’ resilience when confronted with adversity, and this gives me hope. There are days when all we have is hope. We are doing our very best to make our way through this challenging chapter of our lives. My students/our students are amazing people!

Having this conversation with my students reminds me of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch (Covid-19) swooped in and stole all the presents (music classes) but we were not to be denied! We continue to meet together (gather around the Christmas tree and sing), share and support one another.

We have since remained in the hybrid model and have again settled into some semblance of routine. However, we are not done yet. The new school board may decide to upend the cart yet again and move to something different.

enjoy walks. I’ve even walked a 5K, but running is just not part of my reality. Still, I have to admit, what we’ve been doing as a profession since March 2020 feels like what I’d imagine running a marathon to be like. My district just announced that we will continue fully online distance teaching through at least spring break. A neighboring district has already decided to extend online teaching to the end of the school year. And some colleges in the area are already discussing continuing online learning through the next fall semester.

What started out as a high-energy sprint of panic-driven creativity has evolved into a much longer proposition. Given the endurance required to maintain the pace we’ve set, it’s time to switch gears. At the beginning it was amazing to watch our profession globally wrestle with the ideas of what we could do. New technologies were developed. New platforms designed.

We learned the ins and outs of using technologies in ways they were never

intended. We designed and shared lessons in a huge variety of content areas.

Honestly, the generosity and creativity of our profession was astounding. But now we need to reframe the conversation and start looking at what we should do. What are the best practices? What is working? What is not? And perhaps most importantly, what does all of this mean for the future?

Many of us believe that we stand at the vanguard of a new era in education; that this crisis has precipitated a longneeded change in the status quo. As a profession we have had to examine both what we teach and how we teach it. Perhaps most importantly, this examination has not occurred from some overarching organizational point of view; it has been a grass-roots movement led by practitioners in the field—by educators considering the nuances of their own students’ demographics, abilities, and resources. It’s this level of innovation and introspection that I hope will be the key to

I hope each and every one of you are healthy! Please take care of yourself as well as your students.

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transformative change in music education beyond our current crisis.

As amazing, exciting, and even a little frightening as transition can be, many of us are feeling more exhausted and anxious than ever before. This is uncharted territory. As the mythical old pirate maps would say of the unknown regions: “Here there be monsters.” We don’t know what to expect because every day literally brings new challenges. In times like these, when I don’t know how to proceed within a certain domain, I often find it useful to look to other areas for lessons and leadership.

Much of my best professional development has been completely unrelated to music, yet the lessons learned applied beautifully to my teaching situations in vibrant ways.

In that spirit, I reached out to my network of peers and asked for people to share their experiences and wisdom from endurance situations such as long-distance running/ cycling, prolonged military campaigns, and other endeavors that require people to push beyond exhaustion to find success.

Jessie, a former student and now rollerderby competitor said, “You really have to learn how to use your body efficiently; how to breathe properly, how to balance and distribute your weight, where to conserve your energy, how to push through the pain.” Are you taking time each day to breathe? How and when do you conserve your energy? And we could talk for days about how important it is to find balance.

Sasha, a friend from band and choir all the way back to elementary school, is now a flute teacher and is married to a high school band director turned ENT resident. They had some interesting perspectives from within the medical community dealing with COVID-19.

“Rely on your routines and establish new ones for your safety. Tell yourself, ‘this is not an emergency’ repeatedly because that’s when you make a mistake and break sterile techniques and the other habits that protect you. Have a routine for when you get home to destress and sanitize.” I like the phrase “rely on your routines.” Something about the familiarity of a routine is comforting in times of transition. What routines have you established already that are useful? What areas of your work could benefit from more routines? Whenever I’m producing a musical theater production

there is always a moment when it feels like nothing is working right. Whenever that happens, my mantra is “trust the process,” and it always seems to pull me through.

The routines and processes I’ve established over a career in music education are in place because they work. I just need to remember to trust them when the geography looks different.

Kathryn, another high school choir friend and now political strategist in Washington, D.C., had tons of insights into long campaigns. Here are some of her suggestions for self-care: “Jettison and simplify to lighten the mental load. Reduce the number of decisions needed. Identify the keystones/cheats: things that unlock a whole lot of happiness/sanity/health with little mental/emotional cost” and “look for easy pick-ups: things that delight you for almost no effort.” In terms of endurance, she offered this cycling advice: “Don’t stop on an uphill. Push through a slump. Just keep [going],” but also “Don’t stop on a downhill. Don’t mess with a streak: if the going is good, milk it. Keep going!” Seriously, be sure to celebrate the successes—and there are many I’m sure.

Don’t stop on a success, but recognize it for what it is, learn from it, and enjoy it. These are the stars in the darkness that can guide us across new horizons.

Peggy, a high school choir friend and outdoor enthusiast who has biked multiple century events said, “Take time to recover.

(Don’t wait for anyone to give it to you.)

Be selfish. Make recovery your highest priority. Chances are [the issue] will still be there after you’ve recovered.” She also adds, “Be proactive. Eat and drink before you are hungry and thirsty. Stretch before your muscles are so sore that you can’t walk.

Make survival your top priority. This might mean that something you once considered a luxury becomes a necessity.” What came to mind as you read that? What are those activities that bring you life and enjoyment? Make sure to schedule space in your life for those things.

Robert, a ceramics teacher, mentor, and Marine Corps veteran said, “what you’re getting at is the psychology of going on in spite of mental and physical exhaustion.

The truth is, many can’t. But training to give your all and still go on is done in the military all the time… It’s amazing

what you can do when you have no other options.” Sometimes we do just have to dig deep within ourselves and find those inner resources. In case no one has told you lately, you’ve got this.

Brent, a close high school friend currently serving in the Navy, agreed. “It is training and more training which in turn leads to consistency and staying focused.”

“Long distance running is somewhat the same; as you train you become more consistent and can run further each day.”

In this I hear the concept of incremental growth. You might be able to do something tomorrow that you cannot do today. Allow yourself time and grace to grow.

One theme did emerge across almost every conversation: teamwork. Even though we are often working in isolation, we do not need to work alone. The past nine months have shown that music educators from around the world are looking for connections with others and technology has made that very possible.

Robert: “Working as a cohesive group you can motivate others as they in turn motivate you.”

Peggy: “Working with people you trust will make your job easier.”

Jessie: “Having a community and support system can be just as essential.”

Brent: “Teamwork plays a vital role in staying positive for each other and we all have the mindset of ‘they would do it for me.’”

Even if you work alone, you do not have to be alone. Reach out to and utilize your own personal and professional networks. As a member of CMEA, you are already connected to three levels of professional networks: your section, the state, and the National Association for Music Education. All three levels offer opportunities for growth, discussion, and connections. As we continue to endure through this period of transition and challenge, your section is full of other music educators who would be happy to connect with you for the improvement of music education across our region. If there’s any way that we can help, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. And who knows, maybe lessons we’re learning right now will be the keys to expanding music education for the next generation.

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CMEA Magazine

Southern Border Section

Student Teaching During COVID Southern Border Section Update

by Dr. Jeff Malecki, CMEA Southern Border Section President

All is well at the bottom of the state!

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he Southern Border Section took part in our Arts Empower Mega Rally (formerly Conference) in mid-October, with much success. The event included two powerful keynotes, representation from all four arts organizations, and videos showing snapshots of our profession. It was almost an afterthought to invite the voice of a student teacher, but after watching a 30-second video, I was floored — like so many of us, I had a fantastic and formative student teaching experience, and still look back at my time in Greenville, Michigan (Go Yellowjackets!), amazed at my growth, energy and several (several) missteps! How on earth does student teaching look during the pandemic? While remote teaching has forced us all to drastically adjust what we do, it is even more epic to think of how this affects our soon-to-be-colleagues in the single most influential semester of their teacher preparation. To understand better, I sat down virtually with other education professors, mentors, and student teachers to hear their thoughts.

Carissa Mattison is in her fifteenth year of teaching, currently at Point Loma

High School. Now a mentor teacher, she recalls her student teaching experience with a master teacher near retirement: “He really gave me a lot of control over many ensembles and let me make my mistakes, then gave me those moments of “What did you do, what will be different next time?” She tries to replicate this with her mentee, Ben Abada, treating classes more like a laboratory, not a museum. Ben was inspired to be a music educator from his experience at Homestead High School, where his band director was CMEA past president John Burn. He began at San Diego State University studying trumpet performance, but after practicum experiences, changed to music education.

He is currently a part of SDSU’s Music Education Fellowship, where undergraduates get to work in San Diego Unified classrooms 6-8 hours per week before credential coursework. Ben balances his hybrid SDSU classes with two fully remote classes at PLHS, assisting with the wind ensemble and chamber ensembles.

There have been many changes to the expectations of student teachers at the state level. Dr. Amanda Roth, Professor at the University of San Diego’s School of Leadership and Educational Studies, points out, “The governor’s executive order allows for teacher candidates to postpone the CalTPA exam to a Clear credential requirement due to the hardships of the pandemic. Teacher candidates seemed mixed on their approach to this flexibility.

Many of them express a desire to complete their requirements and get them “out of the way,” if you will, so that they can move on to become first-year teachers without

the testing hanging over their heads. But others are appreciative of the flexibility, knowing that they’ll still be able to be fully credentialed teachers and ready for the job market even if they can’t complete this testing.”

These changes lead to some advantages in student teaching during a pandemic.

Not only are high-stakes tests more flexible for the teacher candidates, K-12 students also have less stress tied to state tests, college entrance tests (ACT, SAT) no longer required for admittance at several institutions, and of course, no traditional music competitions. Without the ominous marching band “superior” looming, student teachers can teach more, make more of the “mistakes” Carissa mentions, and grow more because of it.

Ben adds that he is not only receiving significant teaching opportunities, but is also taking advantage of a different type of student rapport over Zoom. These interactions provide connections with individual students who may normally get lost in large ensembles, despite being especially talented communicators or composers. From the teacher’s perspective, more robust empathy can be used to connect more personally.

Rachel Preleyko is a student at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is currently student teaching with Grace Morrison and the Grossmont High School choirs, and although she has solid fundamentals in instrumental and choral music, she finds she has “gained an understanding of working with technology online, [including] an online grade book, games, and other ways to reach students.” We all

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share this new opportunity to embrace the capabilities of the “computers in our pockets,” and the younger generation of student teachers can help bridge the technology gap between K-12 students and us older, less “hip” mentors.

Of course, pandemic student teaching also has its disadvantages. Dr. Karen Koner, Coordinator of Music Education at San Diego State University, pinpoints what is probably the biggest concern: “The pedagogy we teach, they need: how to write a lesson plan, how to communicate ideas — but that’s 20% of it. 80% of it comes from the classroom management.

Now they’re learning different classroom management skills, like how to make students turn their cameras on, but that’s not going to apply to when we go back in person.” Ben and Rachel both spoke to missing this part of their teaching, and struggling to keep students engaged over Zoom. Ben also points out, however, as a student and teacher simultaneously, it is important to realize sometimes we all just want our cameras off for a while!

Repertoire is also a concern to both Ben and Rachel. Ben misses the chance to learn repertoire with his ensembles, and develop confidence communicating with

Southwestern Section

Southwestern Section Update

by Ryan Rowles, CMEA Southwestern Section President

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ell, we made it through the first half of the 202021 school year. Just take a moment, a breath, and perhaps a thought of, dare I say, PRIDE, that you did it.

a large class in person. Rachel has had several prior experiences with intermediate repertoire, but noted she had hoped to study more advanced pieces not well suited for virtual ensembles or hybrid teaching.

Carissa also mentioned the lack of informal interactions as a disadvantage.

Outstanding young educators like Ben and Rachel are familiar with professional conferences, but currently miss the introductions, coffees, and other social activities at live events like previous CASMECs. This includes a lack of connection to their current schools — Ben has never met Carissa or his students in person, let alone PLHS’s principals, custodial staff, secretaries, or parents. Every successful educator knows the importance of meaningful connections with the many moving parts of a local music education community.

I concluded my talks by asking everyone for their best advice, both to future student teachers and mentor teachers. Dr. Koner, whose research area includes mindfulness and teacher care, hopes that the positivity we are seeing in things like teacher support and student flexibility are maintained when we transition back to in-person teaching. With

burnout prevalent for the last generation of music teachers, the new emphasis on social-emotional learning may provide an opportunity to change course. Rachel encourages utilizing all available resources, including asking mentor teachers for help and leaning on friends and peers.

Carissa looks at opportunities for mentor teachers, reevaluating themselves as a successful student teacher might: “It’s a gift to go through this again like a novice, and say ‘what is it I would have wanted?’

This includes teaching music, not just band — putting things we may sometimes neglect like the new music standards into practice. Finally, I think Ben gives the most straightforward advice: “Just roll with the punches!” He adds, “You may not get the most traditional student teaching experience, but you can stomach most of it.”

No matter how many years of experience, this summarizes so much of what we have been feeling this year.

With amazing leadership from mentor teachers and professors, and energetic young educators like Ben and Rachel soon becoming our colleagues, the future of music post-COVID is bright!

All of us have in our own way, with our own talents, in our own unique teaching situations, poured ourselves into our students and our communities. One way or another, WE KEPT THE MUSIC PLAYING!!! It was not perfect. It was messy. It was frustrating. It was glitchy (pun completely intended!!!). It was even fun at times, most of the time for me actually, to share music through a screen with the students we dedicate our lives to serving, despite it being different. I miss my ensembles and seeing the students faceto-face, but in this moment, it is important that we allow ourselves to take stock of the impact we are making on our students.

Looking back over the last few months, the Southwestern Section has been busy.

Most notably we hosted our first ever fully virtual music educators conference.

We had outstanding clinicians providing professional development workshops that covered a wide range of topics. There was something for everyone. The day kicked off with a moving and powerful keynote

address by music educator and performing artist Tony White (Beyond the Bell, LAUSD). Despite Zoom burnout, we had a large and enthusiastic turnout, including working professional teachers, as well as future music educators in our collegiate participants.

During the lunch break of the conference, President-Elect Dr. Tamara Thies facilitated a discussion around the topics of inclusion, equity, and cultural responsiveness. The turnout and subsequent discussion has led to the development of future opportunities for music educators to take a deeper dive on these important topics. Dr. Thies will be facilitating further discussion on these topics through a series of four virtual gatherings once a month beginning in January 2021. This is an exciting opportunity for our members to ultimately make a bigger impact on the communities that we serve.

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CMEA Magazine

CMEA Virtual Solo and Ensemble Festival Festival Description

• Festival open to any school solo or ensemble, regardless of size or instrumentation: band, choir, orchestra, jazz, rock/pop band, mariachi, steel drum, hand bells or any instrument or vocal ensemble. All are welcome!

• Audio and video engineering can be done by students, teachers, and/or professionals: You will be asked to explain your recording and editing process in the registration form.

• Any/all styles of music are welcome.

• Multi-tracking and/or using electronic accompaniments are allowed.

• In person, in small cohorts, or at-home distance learning recordings.

• All ensemble entries will receive judges’ comments.

• All solo entries will be provided comments and a rating, if desired. Students who receive a superior rating will be invited to participate in the CMEA State Virtual Solo Festival taking place in April and May. • Entries can be audio only or audio/video submissions.

• Because of the nature of submitting videos, a media release form will need to be signed by each parent/ guardian and collected by the director. We will provide the media release form once you are registered.

Dates and Submission Details:

Submission deadline is March 15, 2021.

Once you are registered, you will be sent specific information for submitting your performance video and music.

Performances will be evaluated by an adjudicator between March 16-31, 2021. Results will be communicated to participants by April 3, 2021.

One entry per form. Electronic payment required.

Contact CMEA, cmea@calmusiced.com, if electronic payment is absolutely not an option.

Registration Fees:

Solo Registration / Active Member: $40.00 per solo Solo Registration / Non-Member: $50.00 per solo Ensemble Registration / Active Member: $80 per ensemble Ensemble Registration / Non-Member: $100 per ensemble

“For the Culture”: Diverse and Inclusive Concert Programming for Secondary Band Dr. Nicholas Bratcher and Dr. Jack Eaddy

From Surviving to Thriving: Staying Successful and Happy in the Music Education Profession Continued Conversations for Empowered California Music Educators Anne Fennell and Armalyn De La O

Core Conducting: Using the Space and Time Between the Ictus A Chart-a-Week: Get Your Band SightReading!

Dr. Dyne Eifertsen

Amplifying Womxn’s Voices in the Reimagined Choral Classroom Dr. Alyssa Cossey

Band Director Hacks: Tips & Tricks for Practical Solutions Rachel J. Maxwell

Beginning Vocal Jazz Ensemble Concepts Gaw Vang Williams

Big Band Charts and Repertoire

Dr. David Betancourt

Anne Fennell

Pierre Long-Tao Tang

Designing an Online Music Course John Mlynczak

Director Role in Ensembles: What is Your True Purpose?

Effective Rehearsal Techniques in a Remote World

Marshaun Hymon

Scott Krijnen

Blended Learning for Classroom Guitar

Embracing the Change: Integrating HipHop Into Arts Education

Bridging the Divide: Improvisation for Recorder and Beginning Band Jennifer Determan-Lewis

Gen Z - Teaching for the Next Unknown

Cross Fertilization of Ensemble Repertoire – A Case for Aspiring Instrumental Conductors to Study Choral Music

Dr. William J. Coppola

Black Voices: The Transformative Power of Choral Music

Darlene Machacon

AJ Gonzales

Anne Fennell

Dr. David Betancourt

Breaking the Cycle of Eurocentric Music Approaches in a Virtual Elementary Music Classroom

From The Closet to the Band Room: A Future Educator’s Outlook on Inclusivity in the Music Room

Creating World Music in Instrumental Music Education: Moving Beyond the Ink

Jeff Jarvis and Patrick Langham

Michael Christiansen

John Burn

Habits of Mind – Social-Emotional & Musical Learning Harnessing the Power of Mirror Neurons in the Choral Rehearsal Dr. Nicole C. Lamartine

Higher Education Swap Meet of Information Dr. Ruth Brittin

Immersed in Jazz History: An Interactive Virtual Jazz History Unit with Ken Burns’ Jazz Series Elliot Polot

Improving Student Recruitment and Retention in School Band, Chorus, and Orchestra Programs

Tony Sauza

David Pope

Engaging Zoom Classes & More Importantly: Applying the Technology to Future Live Streamed Concerts

Incorporating Composition in Your Ensembles: Digital AND Face-to-Face

Andrew A. Hill

Five Easy Steps for a Superior Percussion Section Dr. Jeffrey Barudin

Dr. Alexander Koops

Inside Out: Social Emotional Learning and Elementary Classroom Music Education Dr. Michelle McConkey and Dr. Scott Edgar

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Instruments are for Everyone!: Making Instruments Accessible to Special Learners in Elementary General Music Crystal Pridmore and Lowri Casimiro

Integrating SEL into Music Ensemble Rehearsals Michelle Jamieson

Jam Templates! Creative and Customizable Improvisation Exercises for Your Orchestra Dr. Patti Kilroy

Jazz Angels, Jazz Improv – Instant Middle School Success Barry Cogert

Jazz Performances!

CAJ Board Members

Lessons From a 2nd Year Teacher Raven Luiz Duque Simon

Maintaining Culture Through a Crisis: Keeping Your Students Energized, Engaged and Excited in Uncertain Times Dr. Scott Glysson

Making Music in the Post-COVID 19 World!

Michael D. Stone

Music and Movement – Teaching at a Distance

Anna Santiago Music Through Rhythm: Activities to Enrich PreK-2 Music Classes Rome Hamner and Kristin Block

No Spandex Required: Yoga Stretches for Your Choirs

Teaching Elementary Choir in a Virtual Environment

Melissa Keylock

Richard Lawton

“Ok, but how do we do it?” Practical Justice and Equity Tips for the Music Classroom

Teaching Recorder Online Richard Lawton

Teaching Students to Teach Themselves: Guiding Students to Positive SelfCorrection

Dr. Joshua Palkki and Dr. Tamara Thies

Re-Engaging Music Students After Covid-19

Steve Smith

David Pope

The Band Director’s Repair Kit

Reimagining Music Education in a Post COVID-19 World Part II

Robert Sheldon

Remote Learning Solutions for Big Band Drummers

Armalyn De La O

Scholastic Shuffle – Finding Your Groove in YOUR Town and at YOUR School

Dr. Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen

Speaking Up and Playing Out: How to Advocate for You, Your Students, and Our Program

Dr. Kim Mieder and Mr. Brandon Binder

Dr. Jacqueline Skara and Dr. Rose Sciaroni

Michael Christiansen

Stellar Performances Under Pressure: Preparing Your Orchestra for Adjudication

Vocal Jazz Reading Session

Strategies for a Culturally Responsive Orchestra Classroom

Dr. Lisa A. Crawford

Dr. Michael Fleischmann

Matt Johnson

Kirk Clague

Dr. Lucy Lewis and Mr. John Brannon

The New California Arts Education Framework These Are My People: School Connectedness in Music Education “They Have to Practice Without You Now” Tips for Your Jazz Band Guitarist

Curtis Gaesser and Ian Brekke

Young Composers Symposium CASMEC 2021 Composition Festival

Dr. Tammy Yi

Stuck in the Middle Roger Emerson

“Musicians paint their pictures on silence.” Exploring Our American Composers: Engage Fixed Mindsets About Quality Music Napier-Morales

Teach and Test Articulation with Tech Brian Thompson

Teach Your Students to Compose!

Robert Sheldon

NAfME Collegiate Chapter Meetings: The Importance of Hands-On Learning and Community Outreach Matthew Bowker, Lilly Chavez, Natalie Cucina, and Sierra Smith

CASMEC Virtual Conference February 19-20, 2021 Register Here: http://casmec.org/register-for-casmec/

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Stress Management Techniques for the Music Educator in a Pandemic Karen Koner, Ph.D., San Diego State University

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s our world has shifted into the “new normal” of social distancing, music educators are currently working in the uncharted territories of learning how to teach in an online format. Social media contains numerous videos of music teachers trying to create a meaningful musical experience for their students with Zoom or another digital platform for “ensembles.” However, these videos take a substantial amount of time and for the music teacher who isn’t as “tech savvy,” this can be an almost impossible task. And yet, the administrative, parent, and community pressure to create this type of experience can feel stressful and overwhelming.

This pressure is confounded with worrying about all students having access to internet and other needed materials and trying to plan a musically enriching school year in a time with so many unknown factors lying ahead. Therefore, it is no surprise that every music educator is feeling more and more stressed as the school year continues.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discusses the stress of a pandemic with feelings of isolation from social distancing that can increase stress and anxiety.

The CDC cautions that stress during a pandemic can cause fear, changes in sleep or eating patterns, worsening of chronic or mental health conditions, and an increased use of tobacco and/or alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). When feeling overwhelmed and stressed it is easy to fall into these patterns, however, it is important to try and control our stressors so that when the time comes, we will be ready to emerge back to our face-to-face teaching and lives.

The purpose of this paper is to present the ideas on stress management and present practical application ideas for the stressed music teacher working, living, and surviving in a pandemic.

Protect Your Sleep

Sleep deprivation may contribute to weight gain and obesity (Chaput et al., 2008), increased anxiety and worry (Talbot et al., 2010) and an increase in impulsive behavior (Demos et al., 2016). One way to protect valuable sleep time is to keep a consistent bedtime and nighttime routine.

Setting a phone alarm to start wrapping up the emails and the lesson planning and start to think about sleep can be of great

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assistance, as preparing for sleep is an important tool to getting the appropriate rest needed in a good night’s sleep. A nightly time to climb into bed and prepare for the night ahead is helpful, even if it is just time to read a book or tune in to your favorite reality television show, something to unplug from the teaching day, prior to sleep.

Cultivate Social Support

In our current climate of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, our society overall is feeling isolated in most aspects of our daily lives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). When feelings of isolation happen, think about reaching out to a colleague. Perhaps reach out to a colleague from school who you would typically say hello to, but haven’t seen since the pandemic. For me personally, during this time, I have stayed in good connection with my immediate circle of friends, but as we virtually returned to school this past fall, I realized how much I greatly miss gossiping with the voice professor in the copy room or having my weekly chat with the ethnomusicology professor as he walks past my office to grab his coffee. This school community is an active part a teacher’s daily life, so it is important to keep up those connections.

As a music education community, we are also mourning the loss of our professional development opportunities. Canceling or moving to a virtual format for events such as Orff workshops or state music education conferences has eliminated opportunities for music teachers to get together and share teaching ideas. While professional development sessions are helpful, the informal interactions at these events can be an even more powerful form of professional development (Conway, 2008). More experienced educators, this is also a good opportunity to reach out to younger or newer teachers in the district to assist with questions that they might not feel comfortable asking an administrator, or to swap online teaching ideas or strategies. This is a good opportunity

to connect with a music teaching friend you only see once a year at the state conference, so those informative and important informal interactions stay a part of your professional growth.

Get Physical

Having a moderate exercise regime can reduce effects of harmful stressors and can alleviate symptoms associated with mild to moderate depression (Taylor, Sallis, & Needle, 1985). A helpful trick to starting an exercise practice is to put it on the schedule or calendar as if it were a meeting. A professional music educator would not skip an important meeting at school, so think of this exercise time as an important meeting with yourself. Short exercise breaks can be just as important and effective, as a change in levels of physical activity can increase creative thinking (Main et al., 2018). Main et al. discovered that participants who walked for six minutes (as opposed to sitting) showed an increase in creative thinking. When feeling “stuck” trying to think of creative ways to engage students online, take a fiveminute walk break (e.g., take the dog on a short walk or go get the mail).

Take a Moment in Nature

Another benefit to taking a short walk is to get outside of the house and spend a few moments in nature. Spending time in nature can increase focus and decrease cognitive fatigue (Valtchanov, Barton, & Ellard, 2010). Prior to the pandemic, a typical day for a music educator included built-in nature breaks throughout a school day with recess, parking lot, or bus duty. Even just walking to and from the music building to the parking lot can provide that few moments of a needed nature break. Music educators teaching virtually have currently lost all of these. Like an

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exercise plan, plan a nature break on the calendar for an outside walk, or maybe even enjoying that glass of wine after a long day of virtual teaching, sitting on the back porch and watching the sunset.

Relax Your Muscles

Music education is typically an active profession with walking around a marching band field, or standing on a podium, or folk dancing with a class of elementary general music students. Therefore, the pandemic has also brought on a whole change in physical lifestyle for a music educator, bringing on prolonged sitting time in front of a computer.

Stretching and relaxing the muscles after sitting and teaching virtually for long stretches of time is not only important to alleviate tension caused by stress, but also to take care of the physical self. One idea to work with relaxing the muscles is yoga. Yoga is compatible for all persons, regardless of physical shape; the key is finding the right style of yoga.

As a certified yoga instructor, there are three stretches that I highly recommend to address specific muscles impacted by the prolonged sitting and teaching online: 1) Cat-Cow Pose: flexing of the spine, which can increase spinal flexibility, open the lower back, and overall increase circulation; 2) Figure 4

Pose: opening of the hips, which can improve circulation to the lower back, stimulate digestion, and assist with headaches; and 3) Baby Cobra Pose: performing a slight back bend which can open the chest and shoulders, reduce fatigue, and lengthen the spine (Kirk, Boon, and DiTuro, 2006).

The yoga application Down Dog is free for educators and students through July 2021. It allows you to customize a yoga practice for a time and style that might be right for you. If starting a yoga practice (or continuing one at home), this is a great resource (https://www.downdogapp.com/).

Meditate

Meditation can increase levels of hope and decrease levels of stress (Munoz et al., 2018, 704), people can experience lower rates of anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue (Tang et al., 2007), and can assist with increased concentration and attention (Barbezat & Bush, 2014). Additionally, for musicians, meditation can assist with performance anxiety and calming nerves (Diaz, 2018). When first starting a meditative practice, a few minutes a day of meditation can have a positive impact, even just five minutes a day. When creating a meditation practice, a few things to remember: 1. Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed (e.g.,

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no one knocking on a door, turn off notifications on your phone) 2. Sit or lay down in your most comfortable position, try to avoid any tension in the body 3. Find a time of day that is best for you and try and be consistent (e.g., every night before bed, every morning in the car in the school parking lot before you enter the school building Being new to a meditation practice, it can be difficult to try this alone. There are many applications that can assist with this and to choose from, any of which can be good options.

One option to examine is Calm (https://www.calm.com/). In 2016, Calm launched the Calm School Initiative, which gives a free subscription to all K-12 educators (which is typically approximately $60). Additionally, Calm has partnered with Kasier Healthcare for free subscriptions for Kaiser members during the pandemic.

Try to Eliminate the Stressors

Trying to navigate a music teaching career through a pandemic, eliminating the stressors is not an option; however, there are ideas to reduce exposure to them. One example is stepping away from the phone. Always having a smart phone in hand can cause a lot of distractions, interruptions, and frustrations. One approach to limiting screen and cell phone use is to create a specific time of day to step away from your phone. For example, perhaps setting after school time for yourself to cook dinner, or to work out, or to spend some time with your family with no phone in hand. For the early risers, perhaps get up an hour earlier in the morning to take a walk around the neighborhood away from technology.

Another challenge in trying to eliminate stressors when teaching at home is not having the physical change of a “work” environment and a “home” environment. Without needing to leave work at a specific time to pick up a child from school, or to get to a specific workout class scheduled that day, it is easy to fall into the routine of working longer and later hours. Teaching virtual requires teachers to set up a home office or work space, however it is important to try and limit work to only that space. Try to replicate the separate work and home environment to create this separation.

Concluding Thoughts

When working through the stressful time of a pandemic and virtual instruction, remember to take time to manage stress levels to try and remain healthy and strong for family, friends, and students. Something to remember is music is a proven reducer of stress. As a professional musician and educator, using music to reduce your stress levels does not necessarily mean having a band rehearsal or singing in a professional choir.

Turning on music while cooking dinner, even if it is the new Jonas Brothers album, can be a great stress reducer.

References

Barbezat, D. & Bush, M. (2014). Contemplative practices in higher education: Powerful methods to transform teaching and learning.

San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). “Coronavirus Disease 2020 (Covid-19).” Accessed September 23, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/ Chaput, J., Despres, J. Bouchard, C. and Tremblay, A. (2008). The association between sleep duration and weight gain in adults: A 6-year prospective study from the Quebec family study. Sleep, 31(4), 517 – 523. doi: 10.1093/sleep/31.4.517 Conway, C. M. (2008). Experienced music teacher perceptions of professional development throughout their careers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 7-18. Retreived from https://www.jstor.org/stable/4031942 Demos, K. E., Hart, C. N., Sweet, L. H., Mailoux, K. A., Trautvetter, J., Williams, S. E., Wing, R. R., & McCaffery, J. M. (2016).

Partial sleep deprivation impacts impulsive action but not impulsive decision making. Physiology & Behavior, 164, 214 – 219. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.06.003 Diaz, F. M. (2018). Relationships among meditation, perfectionism, mindfulness, and performance anxiety among collegiate music students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 66(2), 150 – 167. doi: 10.1177/0022429418765447 Farber, B. A. (1991). Crisis in education: Stress and burnout in the American teacher. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Kirk, M., Boon, B. & DiTuro, D. (2006). Hatha yoga illustrated: For greater strength, flexibility, and focus. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Main, K. J., Aghakhani, H.,. Labroo, A. A., & Greidanus, N. A. (2018). Change it up: Inactivity and repetitive activity reduce creative thinking. Journal of Creative Behavior,54, 395-406. doi: 10.1002/jocb.373 Munoz, R. T., Hoppes, S., Hellman, C. M., Brunk, K. L., Bragg, J. E. & Cummins, C. (2016). The effects of mindfulness meditation on hope and stress.” Research on Social Work Practice, 28(6), 696 – 707. doi: 10.1177/1049731516674319 Talbot, L. S., McGlinchey, E. L., Kaplan, K. A., Dahl, R. E., Harvey, A. G. (2010). Sleep deprivation in adolescents and adults: Changes in affect.” Emotion, 10(6), 831 – 841. doi: 10.1037/ a0020138 Tang, Y., Ma, Y., Wang, J., Fan, Y., Feng, S., Lu, Q., Yu, Q., Sui, D. Rothbart, M. K., Fan, M. & Posner, M. I. (2007). Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(43), 17152 – 17156. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0707678104 Taylor, C. B., Sallis, J. F. & Needle, R. (1985). The relation of physical activity and exercise to mental health. Public Health Reports, 100(2), 195 – 202. Retreived from https://www.jstor.org/ stable/20056436 Valtchanov, D., Barton, K. R. & Ellard. C. (2010.). Restorative effects of virtual nature settings. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 13, 503- 512. doi: 10.1089=cyber.2009.0308

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As educators across our state work to meet not only the musical needs of California’s youth, many are also looking to support the social and emotional needs of students.

Use readily available resources from the Collaborative for Social, Academic, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), or go further and explore state level initiatives like SEL/ARTS (which has worked to highlight the intersection between arts education and social emotional learning).

(Click on image to visit site) Arts Education and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Framework is designed to illuminate the intersection between arts education and social-emotional learning to allow for the intentional application of appropriate teaching and learning strategies, with the overarching goal of enhancing Arts Education.

The California Orchestra Directors Association is online.

Stay in touch by following CODA on Instagram and Facebook.

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T U R N I N G TA L E N T I N T O A R T I S T R Y

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Urban Schools In the midst of the current pandemic, one community youth ensemble has continued to engage in musical activism. Oakland Eastside All-Star Ensemble (OEASE) collaborated with Public Enemy 2.0 rapper Jahi to create Freedom of Speech, a jazz/hip-hop fusion addressing police brutality. The students of OEASE wanted to make a statement about the racism they see first-hand as a real and everyday experience.

Additionally, OEASE is starting an instrumental mentorship program that pairs high school musicians with younger beginners. This is coming at a key moment in the pandemic, and is able to supplement (and sometimes serve in lieu of ) struggling elementary and middle school music programs forced to move to distance learning.

by Theresa Hoover

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or many years, engagement in the music room was the goal. We wanted students who were doing music! Singing, playing instruments, and composing. While that is still valid, it’s no longer enough. Too often students disconnect from this type of learning, as it holds little meaning once they’ve left the classroom. What we need instead is for students to be empowered. For empowered students, music is personal, valuable, and relevant. These students have ownership of the music-making process, and as a result, extend their music-making beyond the classroom. They become lifelong musicians. This concept isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. In fact, by focusing on a few key areas, music teachers can work to empower all of their music students!

Voice and Choice

Empowered music students have a voice and a choice. They feel their thoughts and opinions are valued in the music room, and they have frequent opportunities to share their voices. These students have a say in their musical path and can give input on the direction their musical studies will take. Empowered music students also get to make choices in music classes. They can decide what music to interact with and make decisions about how to perform it. Giving students voice and choice in the music room shows they are important parts of the class community and trusted to make good decisions.

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that students can take complete control over. Let them choose the objectives, plan the content, carry out the project, and even complete a self-evaluation at the end! You will be there to guide and assist as needed, but trust that your students are ready for the challenge and ready to take ownership of their learning.

Ask Questions

Are you interested in learning more about going beyond engagement? Check out Pass the Baton: Empowering All Music Students, written by Theresa Hoover and Kathryn Finch.

Music teachers work hard to expose their students to diverse repertoire. Through this, students consume a substantial amount of music. It’s equally important that students create music too. Empowered music students should get to improvise, compose, and experiment, all while working through the creative process of planning, making, revising, and presenting.

Giving students ownership of the music-making process helps them learn that anyone can create music - and everyone should.

Often the teacher asks most questions in the classroom, signaling to students that the answers to those questions are the most important ones to have. However, it’s when students tap into their curiosities and ask their own questions that the magic happens! If students can ask questions - and look for the answers - they take learning into their own hands. These answers are more meaningful and long lasting.

Connect

Technology (and a pandemic) has shown us we don’t have to be in the same room as someone to connect with them.

This is true for our students as well. Technology allows us to connect with and learn from just about anyone. To empower our music students we must connect them to other students, teachers, professionals, and community members. They should understand that we can learn from anyone, and we owe it to ourselves to find outstanding teachers and mentors. In addition, music is meant to be shared! When students connect with others and share their music outside of the classroom, they find more purpose in music-making which helps them take ownership.

Own the Process

Once students feel they have voice and choice, they are creating their own music, they are asking questions, and they are connecting with others outside of the classroom, they are on the way to owning the music-making process! At this point, the role of the teacher changes. The teacher guides the students in their musical journeys and no longer needs to be the driving force in the classroom. Students are excited to make music, and it continues even after they have left the class. These students are musicians.

Where to Start?

Start small! Look for a place in an existing lesson plan where you can make a small shift towards student empowerment. You may have students choose what warmups to do in class, or decide how to show mastery of a new skill. Students could improvise rhythmic or melodic patterns, or create a melody using pitches they have learned. When exploring a new piece of music, have students list their questions and work together to find the answers. Connect the class with a composer or instrument specialist to learn from an outside expert or connect with a buddy class to share your music. Eventually, you’ll be ready to find a project or activity

“All too often the music classroom stifles students with onesize-fits-all curricula and repertoire. In Pass the Baton, authors Kathryn Finch and Theresa Hoover turn that paradigm on its head, offering a vision of music education that empowers students as critical thinkers who exercise voice and choice to question, discover, connect, and play like never before—in and out of the classroom.

Pass the Baton offers readers a comprehensive guide to crafting engaging music lessons that transform students from passive consumers to vibrant creatives. Whether you’re looking to rethink general music or overhaul your ensemble groups, Pass the Baton is chock-full of generative, actionable, and impactful tools. Finch and Hoover have drawn on deep research and years of experience in the music room to provide a guide for all music educators to create a learner-centered environment and give students the opportunity to truly own the creative process.”

Bio

Theresa Hoover is a music educator, speaker, and writer.

She is an advocate for student voice in the music room and works to empower students throughout their musical experiences and help teachers transform their classrooms to become student-centered learning environments.

Theresa is a recognized presenter and clinician for local, regional, and national conferences. She is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and Innovator and frequently works with teachers to maximize technology integration in their music classes. Connect with Theresa on Twitter or Instagram, @ MusicalTheresa, or on her website www.musicaltheresa.com.

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Creating and Composing Suggestions and Ideas

by Dr. Lisa Crawford, CMEA Creating and Composition Representative In-Person or Virtual Environments:

Here are two Creating and Composition ideas from Beginning with Composing (look for my book in 2021!) for students of all musical ensembles and general music.

A. Found Objects Zoom Orchestra/Band/Choir/Student-Teacher Choices using Box Comps: 1. Divide into teacher- or self-selected groups.

2. Teachers provide a Box Comp handout or electronic option as shown for students to compose with.

3. Design your composition by creating a KEY for symbols if using iconic notation. (Specifically communicate with your performers how they can make the sound you have chosen as identified by the symbol).

4. If working with Western notation, consider using pitched rhythm instruments first. Remember you can use “silence.”

5. In breakout rooms or different areas of the classroom, work together to create a piece, rehearse, and perform your composition for class.

B. Research Essay Project: Part I: Using the following three map links, write a short essay about 1) your findings from using these maps and 2) your findings about the Shasta tribe, an indigenous culture of North America: Music Map NativeLand Ancient Earth Map Part II: Research through World Music Pedagogy | Smithsonian Folkways to find music of the Shasta: Shasta-Smithsonian Folkways. You may also research other websites. Write about what you find, when, and where the Shasta lived (past or present), and details that interest you through the NativeLand map. Develop your essay to include all links provided in this project template and look for information that will be thought-provoking to share with your class. Consider other places you might find information about the Shasta and give citations or tell us where you found your information (10 sentences or more).

Part III: Using drums, found objects, and rhythm instruments, create a 6-section drum circle composition. Identify who will “conduct.” Compose six different four- to eight-measure parts that each repeat. Compose an arrangement for Introduction, A, B, A, (B or C), Closing. Consider, through discussion, and choose compositional elements such as dynamics and tempo. Rehearse. Revise. Rehearse. Perform.

CASMEC 2021 Virtual Conference

For CASMEC 2021 Virtual Conference, we invite you to submit compositions for elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels!

Submit compositions to lcrawford@geffenacademy.ucla.edu. We also look forward to receiving videos of arrangements and compositions performed by ensembles in Zoom! Please contact Dr. Crawford if you have questions or need further information.

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Advocacy Resources

Music Supervisors

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CMA Foundation

Our friends at the Country Music Association’s Foundation have been great advocates for music education--have you seen their “It Starts with M.E.” campaign? And now there is a great “We Will” video in which your colleagues will inspire you during this time of COVID. All this, plus webinars and lesson plans--check out the CMA Foundation website. website.

On October 16, music supervisors and leaders from around the state gathered by Zoom for an exciting day of professional learning and sharing.

A highlight of our time together was the Keynote provided by Dr. Scott Edgar, Associate Professor of Music Education at Lake Forest College and author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning.. Dr. Edgar’s presentation provided an Learning overview of SEL instruction in music, what it IS and IS NOT, and the essential elements of professional development in SEL for those looking to lead their staff through this important and timely work. A lasting takeaway from our time together was the reminder of the concept of “needs before notes” and that SEL, done correctly, prepares students (and adults) to be able to respond rather than react. While these concepts are essential to well-being at all times, the needs have never been more clear than they have been this last year.

CMEA is grateful for Dr. Edgar’s time and expertise which certainly started our day of professional learning off on the right foot!

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to a wonderful day of learning together.

Innovations Resources Music educators are educators first. As we went through our teacher education programs, we likely took classes outside of our music departments such as child development and teaching methods. It is important that this expanded understanding of our students and our profession continues once we are teaching music on a daily basis. To be innovative music educators we also need to be aware of the systems of oppression that many of our students face, and then, more importantly, we need to act to make changes to our teaching that work to dismantle these systems. Depending on when and where we attended college, many of us may not have so much as had the opportunity to take a course that considered diverse perspectives.

This does not excuse us from engaging in this work. I am recommending five books by Black authors that influence my work as an educator, even though none of them are explicitly about music.

Caste: The Origins of our Discontents, Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson The New Jim Crow, Crow, by Michelle Alexander Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom, Freedom, by bell hooks Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America, America, by Michael Eric Dyson Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools, Schools, by Monique W. Morris Winter Issue 2020

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General Music Resources K-12 Emma Joleen Schopler, CMEA General Music Rep

Emma Joleen Schopler CMEA General Music Representative

Every teaching moment is special. My first-grade

students mastering Zoom, clicking the “raise hand” emoji to volunteer for a singing solo and using their head voice, this is precious. Learning to differentiate between the singing and head voice can be challenging at any age, but it is a significant achievement worth acknowledging when it is accomplished in a 100% virtual learning environment. I love that the children are involved and participating. Such a feat comes from a Growth Mindset.

Flexibility: My online Zoom lessons for Elementary classes

are 15 minutes, and children receive a weekly asynchronous video. Engaging children in enriching learning experiences that build and support the community are vital for everyone to be healthy. Keeping music alive and well attended, even when the time is reduced, demonstrates an epic breakthrough in comparison to districts that have eliminated music altogether.

Debra Shrader Level 3 Orff Certified, M.Mus Ed, Palos Verdes Unified School District, and Long Beach Unified School District

Urgent: Teaching music is a basic need. It should not be

optional. Districts need to reconsider their commitment to music education. There is so much stress on academics pressuring teachers to get through the basics, we need to be teaching that “music is a basic.” Strong connections are built in music.

Past: In my situation for the last four years, I was at one school and got to see all the kids from TK through to fifth grade. This is where the wonderful connections were made. As a teacher, you get to see children grow and mature over the years. In a virtual setting, the best connections have been with children I’ve already seen for several years.

Pandemic Reality: I now teach at ten different schools - all

DYNAMIX Orff Ensemble, DeKalb County School District directed by Chelsea Laurice Cook.

fifth graders. Every half hour, I’m changing schools. Everyday, I spend six hours in a row on Zoom. Watching kids come and go so quickly. Singing “with” the kids doesn’t work because there is no technology to make this happen. Certainly, I can sing to the kids, but it’s not as satisfying with everyone singing together in person and bad internet connections on Zoom.

Community: I reached out to experienced current and

Connection: We all want connection with the kids and

Inspiration: Be inspired by this phenomenal group,

retired teachers for their input to aid General and Elementary Music - Debra Shrader, Margie Orem, Debbie Burton and Patrick Johnston. Their advice follows.

Gratitude: Thank you for reading. Time is all we have, and I appreciate you.

each other, but what do we do? One of the satisfying things I’ve done with kids is to use Google Classroom, Google Slideshows, Flat Google Music Notation, and Chrome Music Labs (Shared Piano, Songmaker). All the materials are available to students after class. I also get feedback from students every week using Google Forms to survey their interest, ask what they want to learn and change my teaching based on their needs.

Movement: I recommend all teachers get a set of Yoga

Cards. I choose 3 - 4 cards, play music that reflects the cultural heritages of students in my class and we do the movements for 1 minute and 30 seconds. This also helps me as a teacher to be healthy on Zoom all day.

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Sharing: My students love writing melodies and sharing

them with each other on Chrome Music Lab. Students with exceptional piano skills use the “Shared Piano” feature to demonstrate compositions. Piano students have managed to convert their keyboard experience into playing a melody such as “Fur Elise” on the computer keyboard. Others join in with experimental accompaniment. I’ve written out a melody in “Songmaker,” for example, Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony theme, then I invite students to add and “improve upon” Beethoven’s masterpiece. It is such an exciting experience for the kids to share music with each other on Google Classroom.

It might not be ready for performing at Carnegie Hall, however, it is satisfying for the students emotionally and addresses wellbeing. These activities keep students in fifth grade participating in an optional subject and their level of involvement increases. This is a great way to keep kids engaged.

Encourage: I encourage people to find what works with their

situation. The technology is wonderful and there are so many ways to get overwhelmed by all the things people say you should be doing. Just do what you need to do. Make it work for you and your students.

Patrick Johnston Fullerton School District Since I am not having any performances this winter, I finally got the opportunity to do some lessons I have always wanted to do, but never had the chance to do so. I created some Listening Map videos of the Nutcracker from “Share the Music” textbooks by McGraw/MacMillan. I would love to share them with all of you.

Enjoy!

Nutcracker - Overture (Listening Map) Nutcracker - March (Listening Map) Nutcracker - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Listening Map) Nutcracker - Russian Dance/Trepak (Listening Map) Nutcracker - Chinese Dance (Listening Map) Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers (Listening Map)

Margie Orem General Music and Choir Teacher/ Conductor for San Diego Children’s Choir and San Diego Unified School District

Teaching Equation - Time Allotments

Whether in the classroom, outdoors or online, I have found a simple equation for engaging students ages 4-44!

Age = number of minutes of focused instruction Then - change focus or body position Repeat Button You Must Wander:

What this means to me is, if a student is 8 and I’m teaching Button You Must Wander, a lesson might look like this; A. 8 minutes: Beat versus Rhythm 1. Steady Beat • Keep the beat on various body parts • Students keep the beat to the melody first sitting then move to standing while “dooting” (singing the melody on DOO) 2. Discover/Create the Rhythm • Sit down and clap the rhythm while “dooting” • Discover/create the rhythm on the board • Clap and say the Rhythm • Find repeated patterns B. 8 Minutes: Teach abbreviated version of the game * Leave it and go on to other parts of lesson

Next Day/Lesson C. 8 Minutes: Name that Game based on Rhythm, then Discover/Create Melody 1. Tune up the ear - Be My Echo on Do pentatonic 2. Hand sign first line on the stairs then put on board 3. Find repeated melodic patterns D. 8 minutes: Fully Play Game This can be applied to longer chunks of time, teaching one song or game, but keeping the “Teaching Equation” in mind.

Keep them moving and have fun.

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Debbie Burton General Music at San Diego Children’s Choir and San Diego Unified School District, College Professor at Mesa College and Point Loma Nazarene University

Give your Music Lessons some PUNCH

Whether teaching in person or virtually, games should provide opportunities for solos, movement, improvisation and to “Be It.” Of course we want our lessons to be clean and succinct, but we also want them “organic,” to feel natural and not too overproduced.

PUNCHINELLA:

1. Make a standing circle or virtually just stand up 2. Teacher sings the song all the way through pointing out the four verses 3. Teacher demonstrates what the children do for each verse.

• Verse 1 and 4 - clap • Verse 2 - look (make eye glasses) and point (point toward the person who is “it”) • Verse 3 - “do it” 4. Teacher is “it” first and the game begins.

• Verse 1 everyone sings and claps.

• Verse 2 the class looks and points while the teacher, “it” improvises a movement.

• Verse 3 the teacher looks and points and the children do the improvised movement.

• Verse 4 everyone claps and “it” spins around with eyes closed and stops on the word shoe and points to someone else to be “IT.” • The game continues with a new “it.”

This works really well on-line because everyone can see the person who is it and just follows what they are doing. Even if you are not “it” there is something for you to do in this game and it encourages children to be attentive and on screen.

There are many other games like this (Pizza, Pizza, Daddy - O; Little Sally Walker; Everybody Born in January; etc.) where there is a person who is it and makes up the beginning movement and everyone else follows and then another “it” is chosen. Many times the person who is “it” sings alone or plays the drum, recorder or barred instruments after they have been it. You can make individualized assessments by letting “it” unmute and sing solo.

You can use improvisation with words in songs like Ida Red; Pourquoi (Oh, Said the Blackbird); Down By the Bay, etc. where a student gets to sing solo the part of the song that they improvise.

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Congratulations to Zack Pitt-Smith and the Edna Brewer Middle School Jazz Band for their participation in the animated film, Soul, produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.

Collegiate Spotlight

CCDA Update The 2020-2021 All State Honor Choirs are coming up!

The CMEA & Collegiate Council Overview video was recorded from the Fall statewide collegiate meeting in October. It provides collegiates with a basic understanding of CMEA, NAfME, and the Collegiate Council, as well as an introduction to this year’s council membership.

Watch the video HERE

Because of COVID, we will not be conducting an in-person event this year; rather, the students will be logging onto Zoom for two rehearsals with their guest conductors, then uploading their individual videos to be combined into an amazing audio-visual honor choir event. We are so happy that we were able to offer honor choirs for our students this year, and we know our guest conductors (Dr. Judy Bowers, Junior High/9th grade SATB; Mr. Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, TTBB; Dr. Anthony Trecek-King, high school SATB; and Dr. Amanda Quist, SSAA) will give them an incredible experience, even from afar.

The student rehearsal dates are Saturday, January 31st and Saturday, February 13th. The submission deadline for all videos is February 26th, and we expect the performance video will be released by late March.

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CMEA Award Winners The CMEA Awards Gala will be held on Thursday evening, February 18, 2021. As this awards presentation is virtual, please feel free to join us with your favorite beverage at 5:00 PM, and the Gala starts at 5:15 PM. Come enjoy a wonderful evening to honor our state award winners.

You do not need to be registered through CMEA or for the conference to attend the CMEA Awards Gala.

For more information, please contact Trish Adams: cmea@calmusiced.com

CMEA Outstanding Administrator Awards

Rebecca (Becky) Guzman

West Park High School Principal, Roseville Capitol Section

CMEA Elementary School Music Specialist

Vanessa Duckworth

Colton Joint Unified School District, San Bernardino County Southeastern Section

Stacy Robison

Joel Jory

Huntington Beach High School, Special Programs Administrator Southeastern Section

Vandenberg Middle School Principal, Lompoc Southwestern Section

CMEA Middle School Music Specialist Award

CMEA Peripole General Music Educator Award

Stephanie Holmes

Edna Brewer Middle School, Oakland Bay Section

Katri Pitts

Cutten / Ridgewood School District, Eureka North Coast Section

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CMEA Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award

Esmeralda Rocha Lozano Clovis High School, Clovis Central Section

CMEA Byron Hoyt/Don Schmeer Band Educator Award

Amy Villanova

Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego Southern Border Section

CMEA Innovations Award

Jane Brown

Plumas Unified School District, Plumas County Northern Section

CMEA Pearson/Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award

Maritza Borja

Bakersfield City School District, Bakersfield Central Section

CMEA Jon Swain College/ University Music Educator Award

Dr. Emily Moss

California State University Los Angeles Southwestern Section

CMEA Music Industry Leadership Award

Classic 4 Kids

San Diego County Southern Border Section

CMEA Paul Shaghoian Jazz Educator Award

Barb Catlin

Pomona College and the California Institute of Technology Southwestern Section

CMEA Aubrey Penman Retired Music Educator Award

Dr. Emily Lacina

Retired from Long Beach Unified School District Southwestern Section

CMEA Ernest R. Yee Illuminating Culture Award

Brandon Steppe

Founder of David’s Harp Foundation Southern Border Section

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2021 CASMEC Professional Development Sessions

February 19-20, 2021 Register Here:

Bringing CASMEC to the comfort of your home.

http://casmec.org/register-for-casmec/

The 2021 California All-State Music Education Conference has gone virtual. In order to provide the highest quality professional learning experience for music educators across the state, the organizations of CASMEC have decided to prepare an online conference.

We are excited to provide for you all a two-day virtual experience. Sessions from all five collaborative organizations begin Friday, February 19, 2021 at 2pm. Our first day will end with a special Headline performance featuring ​DCappella ​at 7pm! Grab your preferred beverage, find a comfortable seat in your own living room, and join music educators across the state in this exclusive performance.

Saturday, February 20, 2021 sessions begin at 10am and run through 5pm. All sessions will be recorded and made available to conference attendees for a limited time following the conference.

This conference is open to educators across the country and world. ​Join us! ​Registration opens, October 1st​ for just ​$55 ​for organization members. College students and retired members may attend for just $10 while our non-members may join us for $75. We look forward to seeing you all virtually this February!

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