GEORGIA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
N e ws l e t t e r
m ay 2021
"Education is the most powerful weapon which yo u c a n u s e t o c h a n g e t h e w o rl d . "
Nelson Mandela
Inspiring Truth for Teachers
IN THIS ISSUE
may
NAMM BEST COMMUNITIES PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FROM GADOE GMEA CONFERENCE YEAR OF RETIREMENT NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS OPPORTUNITIES
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NEWSLETTER | MAY
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
2021 BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION DISTINCTION FROM THE NAMM FOUNDATION Congratulations to the eight Georgia school districts that are among the Best Communities in the nation for music education. The award program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education.
• Baldwin County School District • Clarke County School District • Cobb County School District • DeKalb County School District • Fulton County Schools • Gwinnett County Public Schools • Henry County Schools • Putnam County Charter School System
MORE INFORMATION
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER |NOVEMBER | DECEMBER | MAY
PROFESSIONAL LEARNIN
Did you know that the Fine Arts Department at the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) offers a wide variety of opportunities for continued professional learning as a Fine Arts educator? Our goal is to provide content-specific professional development for Fine Arts educators across the state of Georgia geared toward a whole-child education for our students. We provide a multitude of FREE, supplemental Fine Arts Instructional Resources (over 3,000+!) for Fine Arts teachers to use as supportive tools in their teaching practice. These resources include curriculum maps, unit plans, lesson plans, lesson materials, presentations, and even some student manipulatives! There are sample resources for remote, blended, and in person teaching and learning! These resources are housed in the Teacher Resource Link (TRL) which can be found in your school district’s Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) platform or directly on our GaDOE Fine Arts Website under Instructional Resources as you scroll down the webpage.
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NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER
NG We offer FREE, content-specific, statewide professional development opportunities through live and pre-recorded webinars, self-paced online courses for music teachers, and an informative infographic on Digital Teaching and Learning in the Arts. Check out our GaDOE Fine Arts Website to register for these webinars. SOME TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THESE WEBINARS INCLUDE: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Bravo Behavior! SEL and Life Skills in the ES Music Classroom It’s a Mystery! Making Mystery Music Lessons Digital Teaching and Learning in Music The Big Picture: Comparing Cultural Pedagogies Instructional Planning for the Music Educator TKES in the Music Classroom Exceptional Children in the Music Classroom Assessment in the Music Classroom Ukulele 101 for the General Music Teacher Using Social Media for Arts Advocacy Educating the Whole Child: Utilizing Title I, II, and IVA to Fund Arts Education
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NEWSLETTER | MAY
VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ON GADOE COMMUNITY Do you oftentimes feel lonely in your school building or district as a Music educator? Do you find it hard to feel supported as a music teacher or have administrators who don’t fully understand our specialized content areas? Do you wish there was a way to seek support, encouragement, and guidance from other music teachers and administrators across the state of Georgia? Do you crave collaboration and connection with other like-minded music teachers? Then we have the perfect place for you! In addition to all of these great opportunities, the Georgia Department of Education has launched a new, innovative platform called GaDOE Community! The goal of this platform is to provide content-specific, virtual professional learning communities (PLCs) for Fine Arts teachers, administrators, and GaDOE staff the opportunity to collaborate, connect, and share thoughts, strategies, resources, and encouragement all on a virtual platform. Georgia Music Teachers can join PLC groups such as Band, Chorus, General Music, Orchestra, and Music Technology. Be sure to check out our introductory video about this new, collaborative platform: GaDOE Community Commercial. Georgia Music teachers can join today for FREE by creating an account using your school district email account. We can’t wait to connect and collaborate with you in the future!
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
YEAR OF RETIREMENT
Darren Johnson Sr . Darren Johnson Sr.
is retiring after 30 year of teaching in Georgia public schools. Mr. Johnson began his teaching career in 1991 in the Terrell County School System in Dawson, Ga. as an Assistant Band Director. He started the general music program at the elementary school and assisted with the administration and operation of the middle and high school band program. In 1992, Mr. Johnson worked as an adjunct faculty member at Georgia Southwestern University in Americas, Ga. where he taught applied percussion and method courses. In 1994, Mr. Johnson became the Band Director at Lincoln County Middle & High School in Lincolnton, Ga. As Director, Mr. Johnson administered a comprehensive band program. The percussion ensembles, marching and concert bands consistently earned superior ratings and grand championships at district, state and national festivals. The band won the grand championship award at a music festival in Freeport Bahamas. In 1998, Mr. Johnson became the Band Director at Dougherty High School in Albany Ga. While at Dougherty High, his bands continued to consistently earn superior ratings at music festivals and events. The Dougherty High Band performed at the 2000 Outback Bowl in Tampa Fl. In 2007, Mr. Johnson became the Band Director at Peach County High School in Fort Valley Ga. At Peach County, his bands has consistently earned superior ratings in marching and symphonic band events throughout the state and abroad. Mr. Johnson had a streak of 23 consecutive years of superior ratings. The Peach County Symphonic Band is the 2009 & 2016 Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors state level winner for Georgia. Lastly, Mr. Johnson received the “Golden Apple Award” in 2015 and was named “Star Teacher” in 2019 at Peach County High School. Mr. Johnson has served as a guest conductor, percussionist, clinician and adjudicator at middle schools, high schools and colleges throughout the state and abroad. In 2006, Mr. Johnson was recognized as a National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teacher. In addition, Mr. Johnson earned the Who’s Who Among American Teachers Award (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005). Mr. Johnson was recognized by the Georgia House of Representatives in 2013 by letter for earning top honors at the Southern Star Music Festival in Panama City Fl. Mr. Johnson’s military experience includes serving in the 530th and the 572nd US Air Guard Bands as a percussionist. Mr. Johnson currently performs as a percussionist with the Wellston Winds Community Band of Warner Robins Ga. Mr. Johnson is a native of Hollandale Ms. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Ed from Miss. Valley State University in Itta Bena Ms. He earned a Master’s Degree from the Univ. of Tennessee Knoxville in Knoxville Tn. Mr. Johnson’s mentors were Mr. Leonard Tramiel, Mr. Jeff Pellaton, Prof. Ricky Burkhead, Dr. A. Wayne Tipps, Dr. Alphonso Sanders, Mr. Jessie Walker, Dr. Carlos Cody and Dr. Robert Lawrence Jr. Mr. Johnson maintains memberships with the Georgia Music Educators Association, Professional Association of Georgia Educators, Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
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NEWSLETTER | MAY
NOTABL Achievements LAUARA ESTES | PUBLISHED Since retiring in 2018 as a band director in Cobb County, Laura Estes has been composing music for young bands. Laura is pleased to announce that in addition to her first published piece “Kvetchers (Surprises in Controversial Time)”, Excelcia Music Publishing is also releasing her next 4 concert band compositions in May 2021: “Wicklow” (3), “Verity March” (2), “S’vivon!” (1.5), and “Cook Strait Crossing” (1). Her music can be found on most streaming services.
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
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ANDREW GEOCARIS | AWARD WINNER Andrew Geocaris was awarded first place in the Lowell Mason House National Competition for Virtual Music Lesson Plans for his lesson titled “1st Grade General Music – Call & Response – Brown Bear, Brown Bear..” The lesson utilizes Eric Carle’s book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?”, vocal performance, SEL strategies, and technology to teach Call and Response music to students. It is published on the Lowell Mason House website (www.lowellmasonhouse.net) along with the other competition winners. The Rocky Mount Roadrunner Virtual Chorus recently completed its third and final virtual choir performance for the year. Students performed “Just Believe” by Pinkzebra, which is a two-part choral arrangement. To create the performance students had to learn and record themselves singing both parts of the song. Over 30 students participated in all three performances of the virtual choir season. Their performance can be viewed on the Rocky Mount Elementary School YouTube Channel (https://youtu.be/ekXQVxmBeGc).
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | DECEMBER | MAY
NOTABLE Achievements KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY | ANNOUNCEMENT Internationally renowned cellist with degrees from Yale and Juilliard joins ArtsKSU leadership. Ivan Pulinkala, dean of the College of the Arts at Kennesaw State University, has named Jesús Castro-Balbi director of the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music, effective July 1. The appointment comes at an exciting time for the Bailey School of Music, the recent recipient of a multi-million dollar gift from the Bobbie Bailey Foundation. Internationally renowned educator and cellist Castro-Balbi has performed in the US, Latin America, Europe and Asia in chamber music and as a soloist with the Aarhus (Denmark), Dallas, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras; the China, Louisiana, and Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestras; the Leipzig Radio Orchestra; and the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru. He has been featured at New York’s Alice Tully Hall, over a dozen times at Carnegie Hall, at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center and at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. To date, he has presented 53 premiere performances of music for cello, the world premiere recording of 19 works, and is the dedicatee of 19 compositions. Notable among these is his recording of the cello concerto Lord of the Air by Jimmy López for Harmonia Mundi with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra led by Miguel Harth-Bedoya. “Dr. Jesús Castro-Balbi is a world-class concert cellist who brings to KSU a profile of international repute,” said Dean Pulinkala. “I look forward to welcoming him to the leadership cabinet of the College of the Arts and working closely with him to advance the Bailey School of Music with a focus on student success, as well as artistic and scholarly excellence.”
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
Over the last 20 years, he has developed a career of artistic and educational leadership nationally and internationally. Most recently, he served as professor and faculty leader at Texas Christian University (TCU), where he strengthened the institution’s value proposition while building a sought-after cello program serving both undergraduate and graduate students. As founding artistic director of the TCU Cellofest and of the Faculty & Friends Chamber Music Series, he raised the profile of the TCU School of Music in both the discipline and in the community, while also performing internationally. Castro-Balbi said, “I am honored and thrilled to join Kennesaw State University at this exciting juncture. KSU’s commitment to student success, innovation, creativity, inclusive excellence, and societal impact is truly inspiring. I look forward to serving the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music at KSU as we celebrate the accomplishments and chart the future of this extraordinary community.” He has guest taught at Beijing’s Central Conservatory, Paris Conservatoire, Leipzig and Stuttgart Hochschule, for the Japan Cello Society, at The Juilliard School, and at the Yale School of Music. Additionally, he has adjudicated at the Lynn Harrell Competition (Dallas), the Sphinx Competition (Michigan), and at the Aiqin Bei (China), Lutoslawski (Poland) and Carlos Prieto (Mexico) international cello competitions. As an American Council on Education Fellow, he developed higher education leadership capacity with senior executives at the University of Miami and at campuses across the nation. At Miami, his focus was on academic innovation, administrative excellence, and strategic plan implementation. Of Peruvian heritage and raised in France, Castro-Balbi graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur at Lyon, Indiana University Bloomington, and the Yale School of Music, and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Juilliard School.
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||NOVEMBER NOVEMBER | MAY
NOTABLE Achievements KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY | GIFT Kennesaw State University has received a $5 million gift from the Bobbie Bailey Foundation to benefit the School of Music in the College of the Arts. This transformative gift, coupled with past philanthropic support from Dr. Bobbie Bailey, Dr. Audrey Morgan and the Bailey Foundation, brings total gifts to KSU of over $11 million. The gift includes $4 million to advance the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Endowed Music Scholarship and $1 million to establish the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Endowed Honors Music Scholarship, which will receive matching funds through an earlier gift to KSU Journey Honors College from John and Rosemary Brown. In recognition of the gift, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved the naming of the School of Music as the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University. “The strong relationship between KSU and the Bailey Foundation continues to grow with this generous gift that will greatly impact student success at Kennesaw State,” said KSU President Pamela Whitten. “Dr. Bailey’s commitment to music, nursing, and athletics at KSU has impacted generations of students. Our School of Music is a vital part of our campus and the greater Atlanta community. The naming of the Bailey School of Music recognizes the excellence that defines the College of the Arts at KSU.”
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
The gift is the largest contribution to the College of the Arts in its history, as well as one of the largest donations from a single organization to Kennesaw State University. The donation will be devoted in full to student scholarships housed within the KSU College of the Arts. Dr. Bobbie Bailey and the Bailey Foundation have a long history of supporting Kennesaw State University, with over 22 donations since 1993. The philanthropy on behalf of the university includes the Dr. Bobbie Bailey and Family Performance Center; the donation of 27 Steinway pianos to the School of Music, designating it as an All-Steinway School; and the Audrey and Jack Morgan Concert Hall, in honor of her sister and brother-in- law. Bailey also provided financial support for KSU athletics, leading to the naming of the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Athletic Complex and Bailey Park, home to the university’s softball team. The Bailey Foundation also established the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Endowed Nursing Scholarship in 2018-2019. “Dr. Bailey appreciated and enjoyed music, and believed in the value of music education. This gift will help us advance her passion and achieve Dr. Bailey’s vision for the creation of a nationally ranked premiere collegiate music program at KSU,” said Ivan Pulinkala, dean of the College. “I am grateful to Dr. Audrey Morgan and the Bailey Foundation for helping us advance our educational and artistic mission, and to COTA founding Dean Joseph D. Meeks who established the School of Music.”
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER ||NOVEMBER NOVEMBER | MAY
NOTABLE Achievements DR. CHANTAE PITTMAN | RECOGNITION Dr. Chantae Pittman recently received recognition from the 357 Education Group. "Dr. Pittman has been dedicated to the choral arts for over a decade. She has led choirs to superior ratings at LGPE and she is a motivator for all her students. She completed her doctorate while maintaining a full-time music program and never once did her students suffer. She is a spokesperson for teacher equity and advancement." Congratulations Dr. Pittman!
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
OPPORTUNITIES GMEA | EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE AWARD The Exemplary Performance Award will be presented to middle and high school bands, choruses, and orchestras that achieve outstanding results in all areas of performance sponsored by the Georgia Music Educators Association. These areas include Large Group Performance Evaluation, Solo and Ensemble Performance Evaluation, All-State, and District Honor events.
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JAZZ ROAD TOURS Designed for emerging and mid-career artists around the entire country, Jazz Road Tours supports small, three- to six-site tours at an array of venue types, often in rural communities and other areas traditionally underserved by the genre. This artist-centric grant program supports awards from $5,000 to $15,000. Applications must be submitted to South Arts at least 60 days prior to the project start date.
WILLIAM P. FOSTER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE The William P. Foster “Award of Excellence” is a national award recognizing quality band programs, teaching excellence, and community impact in historically underserved communities. All Division winners will be recognized at the Midwest Clinic Diversity Reception in December. Nominations for this prestigious award are due on June 15th and are completed through an online process. For more information, please see http://www.musicedalliance.org/award/ . Past winners of this award include a Program of Distinction, Stone Mountain’s Dunaire Elementary School, under the direction of Chelsea Cook.
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER |NOVEMBER | MAY
upcoming events 5/15
GMEA
Board Meeting
DEADLINE
Conference Applications
5/17
DEADLINE
Exemplary Performance Award Application
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NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER | MAY
t a h t ' ti s e of timyear MARCHING BAND COMPETITION S & F EST I VA LS
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