Volume 5, Issue 2 March/April 2011 ISSN 1939-6171 ®
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Christine Ngeo Katzman christine@halftimemag.com (310) 594-0050
Art Director Jana Rade, impact studios
Editorial Assistant Elizabeth Geli
Editorial Interns Jeremy Chen and Lydia Ness
COVER PHOTO Dan Scafidi, courtesy of WGI Sport of the Arts
Contributing Writers Lane Armey, Chris Casteel, Mary Karen Clardy, Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Sara Hodon, Matt Jones, Stephon Moore, Chase Sanborn
Contributing Photographers Jen Bowen Blackwell, Ryan Cain/Marching.com, Philomena Duffy, Chris Langschultz, Dan Scafidi, Sonrisa Photography
Web Developers Mike McCullen and Jeff Grant Integrated Communications
Advisory Board Dr. Arthur C. Bartner, University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band Tony Fox, University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band Anthony L. White, Los Angeles Unified School District Charles F. Whitaker, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism Peter G. Riherd, Entertainment Weekly Steve Goldberg, University of Southern California Marshall School of Business
Chief Technology Officer Joshua Katzman
Logo Designer Timothy Watters, Teruo Artistry Halftime Magazine is published by Muse Media, LLC P.O. Box 428738, Cincinnati, OH 45242 Phone: 310-594-0050 Fax: 310-390-5351 Website: www.halftimemag.com
Subscriptions: Halftime Magazine is published six times per year. In the United States, individual subscription price is $14.95 per year, and group subscription price is $9.95 with a minimum of 10 copies. Cover price is $4.95. Printed by Royle Printing Company in Sun Prairie, Wis. 2
I
’m on a quest to buy a piano and thus embarking on the bigger and more important journey of music education for my kids. As neither my husband nor I are piano virtuosos, buying one is a little overwhelming. I recently read an article that said there are about 12,500 brands of pianos. Not to mention the different model numbers made by each brand. Although we pretty quickly created our short list, there are still many other decisions—new or used, private sale or dealer, and do we go slightly above our desired price point to get a better instrument? Eventually, I know that the most important element is sound and playability. I’ve heard numerous “horror” stories of how kids who start on old klunker pianos give up due to frustration. You can’t make an instrument sound good if the instrument itself doesn’t sound good. And I definitely don’t want that to happen. As you can tell, I’m filled with anxiety. But I think my anxiousness doesn’t involve the actual piano. I really want music to be a source of enjoyment for my children and not a chore. I want them to love
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it, to stick with it, to practice because they want to. And even if piano doesn’t become their primary instrument, it creates a good foundation toward formal music education. Well, I don’t have to tell any of you about the importance of music education. Every word in this magazine by every director and every student is a testament to its value. And I’m sure you feel it in your heart just as much as they do. From its ability to excite a crowd (read about basketball bands in “March Madness,” page 14) to its way of helping us build friendships and create cultural exchanges (read “Spring Fling,” page 26), music has a powerful impact on almost every aspect of our lives. As for me and my kids, we plan to start slow; we’ll tinker around for a few months before getting formal lessons. And hopefully, cross my fingers, performing music will be a big part of their lives for years and years to come. Musically Yours, Christine Ngeo Katzman Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
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