Clackamas Community College The 1905 Southern Oregon University
Oregon Symphony
University of Portland
Northwest Nazarene University
Fliphead
Oregon State University University
THANK YOU TO OMEA’S SUSTAINING MEMBERS
OMEA would like to thank our Sustaining Members who have supported Oregon’s music educators with valuable resources including digital and physical products and services, that have allowed our teachers to provide connection, instruction and creativity for their music students. We are delighted to collaborate with our Sustaining Members who OMEA considers industry leaders in music and education.
SILVER SPONSORS
Beacock Music Beacockmusic.com
SUPPORTING MEMBERS
Bandworld bandworld.org
Chamber Music Northwest cmnw.org
Columbians Drum & Bugal Corps columbiansdrumcorps.com
Conn-Selmer connselmer.com
Linfield University linfield.edu/music
BRONZE SPONSORS
251 Realty wholeheartrealty.com
Cascade School of Music Cascadeschoolofmusic.org
Music Camps at Wallowa Lake wlmusiccamps.org
Northwest Band Camp nwbandcamps.com
Oregon Symphony orsymphony.org
Pacific Lutheran University plu.edu/music
Educational Travel Services etsi.ws
Eugene Symphony Orchestra eugenesymphony.org
JW Pepper jwpepper.com
Metropolitan Youth Symphony playmys.org
Music-ade music-ade.com
Nova Music, International novami.org
Oregon Ambassadors of Music oregonambassadors.com
Oregon Children’s Choir oregonchildrenschoir.org
Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival youthsymphonyfestival.org
Peripole Music peripole.com
Portland Orff-Schulwerk Association portlandorff.org
Quartet Violin Shop quartetviolins.com
Southern Oregon University sou.edu/academics/music
University of Portland college.up.edu/pfa/music
Western Oregon University wou.edu/music
Willamette Valley Music Company wvmc.net
A Joint Statement from the Arts Educati on Alliance: Standing Together for
Arts Education
A Joint Statement from the Arts Educati on Alliance: Standing Together for
Arts Education
As members of the Arts Education Alliance, we are closely monitoring recent policy developments that could impact arts educators and students nationwide. With discussions around the future of the U.S. Depar tment of Education and the many federal granting programs we all rely on, our unified voice is more important than ever. We are committed to working together to protect funding, increase access, and advocate for policies that support arts educators.
As members of the Arts Education Alliance, we are closely monitoring recent policy developments that could impact arts educators and students nationwide. With discussions around the future of the U.S. Depar tment of Education and the many federal granting programs we all rely on, our unified voice is more important than ever. We are committed to working together to protect funding, increase access, and advocate for policies that support arts educators.
Through these unknown times our collective mission and shared efforts remain clear. We are steadfast in our commitment to:
Through these unknown times our collective mission and shared efforts remain clear. We are steadfast in our commitment to:
Ensure every student has access to a high-quality arts education as part of a well-rounded curriculum.
Ensure every student has access to a high-quality arts education as part of a well-rounded curriculum.
Support educators by advocating for the resources, materials, space, and time needed for meaningful learning.
Support educators by advocating for the resources, materials, space, and time needed for meaningful learning.
Champion certified arts educators by urging districts to employ credentialed teachers and providing clear pathways for arts educators to obtain certification in their discipline.
Champion certified arts educators by urging districts to employ credentialed teachers and providing clear pathways for arts educators to obtain certification in their discipline.
We will keep you informed as we navigate these challenges together. In the meantime, we encourage you to stay engaged, connect with your professional association, and raise your voice in support of arts education.
We will keep you informed as we navigate these challenges together. In the meantime, we encourage you to stay engaged, connect with your professional association, and raise your voice in support of arts education.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR...
JJ Sutton OMEA Executive Director
Welcome to the 2025 spring edition of the Oregon Music Educator. As we near the end of the school year, please enjoy the articles contributed by our colleagues; they serve to share a wealth of knowledge, expertise and inspiration. I also encourage you to patron our advertising partners. This publication would not be possible without the generous contributions of our advertisers and sustaining members. We are grateful for the businesses, universities, and organizations who support OMEA and our members.
OMEA elections were held in January, Hannah Abercrombie will join the Executive Board as the 2nd Vice President succeeding Kelly Moore with a term of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027.
Additionally, voting has just concluded this spring for two OMEA Board vacancies. Jessika Smith was re-elected as the OMEA Jazz Chair and Allison Halvorson will be succeeding Val Locke as OMEA’s new Elementary School Music Chair. We also wish to thank Danielle Davey for her years of service as an OMEA Journal editor. This edition of the Oregon Music Educator will be her final as one of the editors. Danielle has been part of the editor team since the 2019 spring journal.
Save the date! As we enter May, 1st Vice President Cole HaoleValenzuela from West Salem High School is already working with Conference Chair Elizabeth Soper preparing for OMEA’s State Conference, January 15 – 18, 2026. All-State Chair Kristi Stingle is doing the same for our honor ensemble students. Please watch for All-State audition material and event information, these will be released soon on OMEA’s website.
Best wishes to each of you as we near the end of the school year. OMEA monthly eblasts will continue through the summer. Before you wrap the school year, start communicating now with your administrators regarding funding for your conference and All-State expenses. Also ensure your NAfME membership is current so that you can register your All-State auditions in the fall. Additionally, please take advantage of registering for the state conference by December 31; the cost is significantly lower when you pre-register!
Finally, congratulations on the completion of the 2024 – 2025 school year! Thank you for your work in and outside of the classroom, thank you for your work as an Oregon Music Educator
Val Locke Gilbert Park Elementary School
Kelly Moore Ridgeview High School
Jessika Smith Parkrose Middle School
Allison Halvorson Joseph Gale Elementary School
YOUR EXECUTIVE BOARD IS LISTENING!
Erika Lockwood OMEA President
Thank you to all who attended a wonderful OMEA Conference in January. I received wonderful feedback in person from many members who were grateful to have a weather-emergencyfree weekend, and so many folks felt seen, heard, and felt a sense of belonging at the event. While we don’t control the weather, I do take pride in making our conference an inclusive and welcoming event for all Oregon music educators!
As I mentioned at the banquet, we are here to serve you. The only way we will know what you need is when you tell us. One way we intentionally ask for feedback is through periodic surveys. Our 2025 Conference Feedback Survey included feedback from 95 respondents at the time of this writing (out of 705 registered attendees). This survey was included in Guidebook and sent out to all members via email in January and February. In an effort to be transparent with the membership, I have summarized several of the top responses here, as well as actions that the board is taking to address some of your concerns.
1. The Good
The top reasons members attend the conference are Professional Development opportunities and Connection and Camaraderie with colleagues. Here are just a few comments from members who shared the value of attending the conference:
“The connections with other educators is something that cannot be overstated. We need to feel camaraderie, validated, and be reminded we do not have to do this job as if we are an island.”
“Hands down, this is the best PD available to music educators in the state. On top of that, reconnecting and sharing ideas with colleagues is invigorating and energizing, particularly at this point in the middle of the school year.”
“The sessions are great and the honor groups are a wonderful experience for their students. Even when sessions don’t spark your interest you can go watch the honor groups rehearse which is a clinic in itself. The networking/social aspect of this event is what keeps me sane for the next few months of the job.”
Several interest sessions received praise from colleagues in the survey. Sessions that particularly resonated with attendees include Cynthia Navarro’s session on “Interrupting Isms: Practical Strategies to Interrupt Racism”, Advocacy Sessions with Laura Arthur, Matt Carlson’s Elementary sessions, and our All State Conductors’ sessions (Darcy Williams was a big hit!)
2. The Challenges
Banquet:
Several concerns arose regarding the structure of the Banquet. Members are embarrassed when we hire a top-notch performer and then the room is very loud because folks want to socialize. We hear you and we agree. Going forward, we plan to have music at the banquet, but a performance that is designed to be the background for a meal and social event. We know that the time for us all to be together is precious and rare, and your
time to socialize and network is important. When it’s time for awards and brief speeches, we’ll be sure to get your attention.
Schedule:
Similarly, folks are disappointed that the keynote session is not better attended. We hear you and we agree. Moving the keynote away from the banquet was the right move, but now our amazing headliners are not getting the attendance they deserve. We will be looking at the schedule to try and find a better spot for this all-conference session.
Lunchtime is too short! Which may be why some folks took off during the keynote… We want more time for our affinity group dine-arounds and the important networking that should be happening.
Perhaps there are too many sessions? Many teachers who teach across music areas are frustrated by the amount of session conflicts. We recognize that too many good sessions is typical for a great professional conference, but we will try to aim for quality over quantity going forward.
Members requested more certification opportunities (we’re looking at you, OBDA and ACDA!), more reading sessions, and more practical advice for teaching beginning/intermediate levels and incorporating skill-building across the board.
Other concerns:
Exhibitors would like more visitors to the booths, especially students! We are brainstorming some creative ways to make that happen.
All State performance locations - some work, some don’t work. We hear you and are actively seeking solutions. There are many factors at play, including budget (even if we can get on the schedule for the Hult again, the cost is extremely prohibitive), equipment needs, location, student safety, etc. We are considering all options, and this will take some time.
It is important to remember that every solution to these issues is imperfect - what solves one problem may cause another, and not everyone will be happy. Running large events like this is challenging, but we will keep working to improve!
3. Join Us!
Your feedback is valuable, not only to us, but to your administrators, school board, and local legislators. Keep speaking up and get involved. Go to your OMEA District meetings, and offer to help run an event. We need more elementary honor choirs in the state - reach out and ask how to get one started!
Keep doing the good work that you do, and remember that your OMEA President has your back. Feel free to reach out and let us know how we can serve you and your students as we “support music educators and advocate for equitable access to a high-quality and comprehensive music education for all students in Oregon”.
REFLECTING ON RESONANCE
Kelly Moore OMEA 2nd Vice President
As I approach the end of my term as 2nd Vice President of OMEA, I reflect deeply on the 2025 conference and my time with the board. The most important things I have learned over the last two years are:
1. Having open and honest discussions and spending time with each other, our friends, and colleagues is one of the most important things we can do in our profession;
2. Listening, reflection, action plans, and responsible implementation are incredible strengths of our board;
3. We have the most inspired, strong, smart, caring, and hard-working educators across the entire state of Oregon.
I am so proud of the work that we have done as a board, but most of all, I am proud of the feedback from all of our
members. Know that we’re listening, we hear you, and we are always striving to be better than yesterday.
Please read President Erika Lockwood’s article that addresses specific feedback and action plans moving forward that include the challenges of the banquet, the schedule of events, sessions, and rehearsals, and exhibitor booths. She also writes about the importance of camaraderie and time together at the conference.
I believe wholeheartedly in the sanctity of our profession. Additionally, I believe that the leadership of OMEA, along with the partnership of all of our members, can do great things together.
RETHINKING CONFERENCE SUCCESS: BEYOND LOGISTICS
Elizabeth Soper OMEA Conference Chair
Each year, the Oregon Music Education Association (OMEA) Conference brings educators together to learn, connect, and grow. The 2025 conference was praised as one of the smoothest in recent years, but true success goes beyond logistics. What makes a conference not just well-run, but truly impactful?
Traditional Success Metrics
Conference success is often measured by attendance, smooth operations, and positive feedback. By these standards, the 2025 event was a success. However, these factors alone don’t capture the lasting impact on educators and their work.
The Challenge of Abundant Content
A frequent concern was the difficulty of choosing between overlapping high-quality sessions. While this presents challenges, it also signals a wealth of valuable content. Should scheduling be adjusted, or is this an inherent feature of a robust professional development event?
Measuring Long-Term Impact
Beyond the weekend, we must ask:
• Did educators leave with ideas to implement?
• Were they inspired to explore new methods and technologies?
• Did they build connections that extend beyond the conference?
While these outcomes are harder to quantify, post-conference surveys and follow-ups can provide insight.
Fostering Engagement
A successful conference isn’t just about attendance but active participation. Indicators of engagement include:
• Increased first-time presenter applications.
• Participation in discussions and networking.
• Use of the new session nomination form to shape future conferences.
Looking Ahead
OMEA continuously refines the conference experience through feedback and data analysis. Moving forward, we must consider how to measure success beyond logistics and ensure the event leaves a lasting impact in classrooms and communities.
A truly successful conference strengthens
and inspires our music education community. We encourage educators to stay engaged—whether by submitting session ideas, presenting, or providing feedback. The conference’s success reflects its participants. Together, we can build an event that not only informs but also empowers, ensuring that each year leaves a deeper, more meaningful imprint on our profession.
ALL-STATE CHAIR UPDATE
Kristi Stingle OMEA All-State Chair
OMEA All-State 2025 had a record number of students audition, with 238 schools represented in January. A huge thank you to the managers, conductors, the OMEA Board and All-State logistics team, chaperones, collegiate volunteers, teachers, and the staff of the hotels, rehearsal, dining, and performance venues to help make 2025 a success!
We look forward to hosting the following All-State ensembles during the conference in Eugene from January 15-18, 2026
OMEA All-State 2026 planning is well underway with adjustments being considered, which include the following:
• The performance venue for the choral ensembles is bursting at the seams, for both ensemble and the audience, and needs to be addressed.
• We heard your feedback and are looking to see if we can adjust concert times to not run so late in the evening, as it creates late night travel, or additional costs.
• Processes have been put in place so we won’t have another shirt printing error situation again (thanks for your patience and help with that this year!).
• Elementary Choir will continue to be a one-day event in 2026.
• Please feel free to reach out to me with questions or recommendations - the OMEA All-State chair email address is allstatechair@oregonmea.org
May 1, 2025:
The OMEA website will detail the updated audition materials and All-State timeline, along with information about each ensemble.
Why audition for All-State?
The experience of being in All-State ensemble gives students the opportunity to work with a nationally-known guest
conductor in an intense and musically-immersed environment. Creating music together at a high level is exhilarating, and lifelong friendships may be forged during the event.
Some students may not be sure if they want to audition for AllState. Please let them know of the benefits of preparing and performing an audition, and encourage them to go through the process. It is an important educational experience, no matter the result. In Oregon, several educators (both school and private teachers) have put together video demonstrations of audition materials, which are wonderful resources for our students all across the state.
Here are the benefits of music auditions:
• Setting a goal and committing to working towards it with your best effort
• Recognizing that excellence comes with hard work and is not just a result of “talent”
• Time management - audition preparation is a process and must be paced over the time leading to the audition recording date. “Cramming” right before the audition doesn’t work.
• Learning to present your best self under pressure and competition
• Coping with adversity - not everyone who auditions is accepted - even if the performance is excellent
Educators, please make sure you and your students read through the audition materials and requirements carefully. Please view the OMEA Policies and Procedures by logging in on our website. Happy practicing and preparing, and thank you for encouraging your students to go through the process!
OREGON MUSIC EDUCATORS: UNITE!
Cole Haole-Valenzuela OMEA 1st Vice President
We did it! We had a close-to-normal-as-possible conference since we came back from lock downs. Much less ice, more togetherness, all the same location and lingering memories from past conferences. Admittedly, the biggest reason why I would come to the OMEA state conferences was to see friends again and to hang out. I would attend some sessions, the banquet, and concert hours, but the main objective of this weekend was to create connections with folks I knew and with new colleagues. The connection sessions look different for everyone. If you know me, you may know what my kind of connection looks like - and it involves reception tickets.
It was not until Jeremy Zander, our past-past president, approached me about being nominated to become President of OMEA that I started thinking about OMEA as an organization. While serving on the OMEA District 4 board as the choral chair and chair, I understood the inner workings of organizing, running, and delegating duties for professional development, solo and ensemble, choir festivals, and reading sessions. However, I had not considered that I am one of fifteen districts that is a part of OMEA - we are a small slice of something larger.
After being elected, my initial thought was “What did I just agree to do?” I spent the entire day wondering if this was actually what I should be doing and if I truly earned the right to serve as president of OMEA. It took reflection and conversations with people I was close with to come to the conclusion that if people elected me to this position, there must be a reason, and if I did not know the reason myself, it is up to me to discover why I am where I am right now.
The past eight months have been overwhelming at times, but the word that would best describe my experience is comforting. Our OMEA executive board members are patient, kind, and passionate about how they can better the professional lives of our friends and colleagues. I never felt isolated or alone while I was learning the ins and outs of being in OMEA leadership. While I felt anxious to share thoughts and ideas (with no fault of my colleagues), I was always welcomed with encouragement from the board.
NOW! This is all to say that YOU can be a part of something incredible! Being a part of OMEA has many different facets: getting involved with an All-State Ensemble, submitting a session to present at the conference, submitting your ensemble to perform at a concert hour, bringing your students to experience a different conductor, running for an elected position on the OMEA board, serving in district chair positions, asking an ensemble manager if you can grab them coffee, the list goes on. We should always question how we are being served and can always seek out ways to serve. Being a part of something that is out of the ordinary day-to-day is FUN.
As we begin to plan for next year’s OMEA state conference A Universal Language, I sincerely hope you take time to think
about how you can be a part of our state’s music education association. You matter. People want to hear and learn from you, your experiences, and your students. Now is the time to think about “How can I serve our membership?” by thinking of what you do in your classroom that makes you think “This works!” or bringing a performing ensemble to the state conference. You may have thought all of the thoughts that I described earlier in this article. You will not fully understand or process these thoughts until you dive in and take a chance to discover why you are where you are right now. If you have a friend that you believe needs a little encouragement, then you are now able to nominate them to lead a session! You are a part of music education in Oregon - now is the time to share with your colleagues and serve our state with your contributions. You can start by viewing the application process at oregonmea.org/conference/conference-sessionperformance-application. For now - take it easy, folks!
INSPIRING YOUNG MUSICIANS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL
Ben Lawson OMEA Past President
Music education is more than teaching notes and rhythms—it is about inspiring students to explore their potential, develop confidence, and embrace the joy of artistic expression. As educators, we have the unique opportunity to motivate young musicians to strive for excellence while fostering a lifelong love for music. Here are key strategies for inspiring students to do their best in music education.
1. Cultivate Passion and Purpose
Students are more likely to invest in their musical growth when they understand the deeper meaning behind their work. Connect musical studies to their personal interests, cultural backgrounds, and aspirations. Show them how music is a powerful tool for storytelling, self-expression, and connection.
2. Set High but Achievable Expectations
Excellence thrives in an environment where high standards are balanced with support. Challenge students with clear,
Where Passion meets Purpose
$1.2 million
attainable goals that push them just beyond their comfort zones. Encourage persistence and effort, making success a journey rather than a single achievement.
3. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Perfection
Recognizing effort and improvement is just as important as celebrating final performances. Provide regular, constructive feedback and highlight individual and ensemble growth. Small wins build confidence and motivate students to continue working hard.
4. Lead by Example
Passionate educators inspire passionate students. Share your own love for music, model perseverance, and demonstrate the discipline needed to excel. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and encourage students to push themselves beyond their perceived limits.
5. Foster a Growth Mindset
Teach students that talent is developed through effort and practice. When faced with challenges, encourage them to see obstacles as learning opportunities rather than failures. Promote resilience by emphasizing that every great musician has faced setbacks and learned from them.
6. Create a Supportive and Inclusive Environment
A classroom culture that values respect, encouragement, and teamwork inspires students to give their best. Build a community where students feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from one another. The best performances come from musicians who trust and uplift each other.
7. Provide Opportunities for Leadership and Ownership
Empower students by giving them leadership roles, such as section leaders, peer mentors, or conductors for small ensembles. When students take ownership of their learning, they are more motivated to rise to the occasion and inspire their peers.
8. Connect Music to Real-World Experiences
Expose students to live performances, guest artists, and community outreach opportunities. Seeing real-world applications of their hard work reinforces the value of their dedication and shows them that music can be a lifelong pursuit.
Inspiring students to do their best in music requires more than just technical instruction—it demands passion, encouragement, and a deep belief in their potential. By setting high expectations within a nurturing environment, educators can help young musicians unlock their full capabilities, developing not only their skills but also a lifelong love for the art of music.
Finding Hope in Current Times: A GUIDE FOR OREGON’S MUSIC EDUCATORS
Laura Arthur OMEA Public Policy Chair
With anti-education decisions being made at the federal level, the landscape of public education in the United States feels like it is shifting at an alarming rate. For many educators, particularly those in music education, this can contribute to feelings of teaching being a constant uphill battle. With funding concerns, shifting policies, and ideological debates shaping the national conversation, it is easy to feel discouraged. However, hope is not lost. Music educators in Oregon have powerful tools at their disposal to advocate for their programs, inspire their students, and engage with decision-makers to create a brighter future for the arts in our schools.
The Power of Hope in Music Education
Music education has always been, and will continue to be, a source of resilience, creativity, and community. Even in the face of adversity, the work you do as music educators transforms lives and fosters a sense of belonging for your students. Holding onto that purpose can help sustain hope during difficult times. By focusing on what can be controlled— building robust programs, fostering student enthusiasm, and connecting with the community—music educators can navigate challenges with optimism and determination.
Easy and Attainable Steps for Advocacy
While it may seem daunting to engage with educational decision makers, there are simple and impactful ways to make a difference. Here are a few steps any Oregon music educator can take to advocate for music education:
1. Stay Informed
Keeping up with state and local education policy helps educators anticipate changes and advocate proactively. Follow the Oregon Department of Education, the Oregon Legislatures, and local school board updates to stay current on relevant issues. You can track bills in both the Oregon House and Senate Education Committees to see what issues are being raised and discussed here in Oregon.
2. Build Relationships with Decision-Makers
Policymakers and school board members are more likely to support music education when they have a personal connection to it. Attend school board meetings, introduce yourself to district administrators, and invite local leaders to music performances at your school. Most of the decisions that directly impact your classroom are made at the state level, and your Oregon elected officials are eager to hear from their constituents (that’s you!) about what matters to them.
3. Engage Your Community
Parents, students, and community members can be powerful allies in advocating for music programs. Encourage parents to speak at school board meetings, share success stories, and organize community events that highlight the impact of music education. When speaking to captive audiences at your performances, strive to be authentic, vulnerable, and honest about your own experiences as both a young musician and now a music educator – this can set the stage for building a local advocacy network.
The absolute best way to advocate is to have a quality program that is woven into the fabric of your school community, and proactively engaging with that community (including parents, admin, colleagues in your district, or through OMEA) can help keep your program front and center when decisions are made.
4. Tell Your Story
Personal stories resonate with decision-makers, and a politician does not have to be a musician to see that what you do positively impacts the lives of your students. Share compelling narratives about how music education has transformed students’ lives through letters, social media, or public testimonies. Or better yet, have students themselves tell their own stories about how participating in music impacts their lives in positive ways.
5. Take Small, Consistent Actions
Advocacy doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though getting started can often feel like an incredibly daunting task. A single email/concert invitation to a school board member, a conversation with a local legislator, or a parent letter campaign can create meaningful change over time. Find one, small, doable thing that you know you can actually get done and hold yourself accountable for completing it. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good!
Looking Ahead with Optimism
Despite the challenges facing public education, Oregon’s music educators are resilient and resourceful. By taking small, consistent steps toward advocacy and engagement, educators can help ensure that music remains a vital part of every child’s education. Remember, hope is not passive—it is something we build through action, community, and a shared commitment to the power of music education.
Let’s continue to stand together, support one another, and work toward a future where every student in Oregon has access to high-quality music education. Your voice matters, and your work is making a difference every single day in the lives of your students. OMEA and NAfME are here to support you and your students – please don’t hesitate to reach out!
David Paul Doerksen, 91, a lifelong music educator and Oregonian, passed away peacefully in Albany on December 20, 2024. Born on February 2, 1933, in Salem to Ben and Sarah Doerksen (Friesen), he was the oldest of three children. He is survived by Sandra, his beloved wife of 54 years; his children Debora, Kathryn, and Paul (Renée) from a previous marriage; his grandchildren Bryce (Jaclyn), Gabriel, and Mackenzie; and his brother James (Marjorie) and sister JoAnne (Rick).
David grew up in Salem and graduated from high school at Salem Academy, where he excelled in extracurricular football, basketball, and baseball and served as student body president. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Willamette University in 1956, his Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California in 1969, and his Doctor of Musical Arts (Music Education) degree from the University of Oregon in 1972.
At the beginning of his career, David taught music in Joseph Public Schools before being drafted into the Army. While stationed in Kansas, he played trumpet in the US Army Band and local dance bands. Following his honorary military discharge, David resumed teaching in Oregon at McMinnville Junior High School. He returned to Salem to work at WiltseyWeathers Music while completing his Master’s degree. His doctoral studies included nine months of lectures and classes in Germany, and concerts and travels across Europe with a cohort of students and their spouses. David and Sandra experienced this time in Germany together as newlyweds. For his dissertation, David developed “Tempus 1,” a portable
device designed to provide electronic rhythmic instruction in the classroom. Upon completion of his postgraduate education, he served as Supervisor of Music for the SalemKeizer School District, and during this period he co-founded the Salem Concert Band. In 1983 David joined the School of Music faculty at the University of Oregon, where he taught undergraduate and graduate classes in music education and supervised graduate students in teacher training and the dissertation process.
In 1992, David was presented with the Oregon Music Educators Appreciation Award and cited specifically for his work in music teacher evaluation. He developed job descriptions for music teachers while working as a music administrator, and his Qualifying Exams for Student Teaching were used at the University of Oregon for many years. His book, A Guide to Evaluating Teachers of Music Performance Groups, was published in 1990. Other honors include the Northwest Music Educator of the Year Award in 1990 from the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the 1989 Alumni Citation Award from Willamette University. He retired from teaching in 1999.
David continued to pursue his many interests in music, travel, reading, history, and genealogy during his retirement. In 1999, he visited Ukraine on a guided tour, visiting over 60 of his family’s ancestral Mennonite villages. He and Sandra traveled many times overseas, including to St. Petersburg and Istanbul. Closer to home they explored the historical Oregon Trail, the Oregon Coast, and drove to California for vocal and piano recitals and to New Mexico for the Santa Fe Opera. At home in Eugene, he and Sandra were long-time attendees of the Prefontaine Classic and Olympic Track and Field trials at Hayward Field, as well as the Oregon Bach Festival from its earliest days.
David was a reliable hitter and catcher on his senior league softball team, and he was equally happy at the keyboard picking apart a Bach fugue. He was a constant reader and in recent years carefully curated a list of 100 books on religion, while keeping up with bestselling titles on history, economics, politics, and English usage. House guests learned to expect an occasional spelling or geography test, along with a slice of his wonderful homemade apple pie and a perfect cup of coffee. Gifted with an expansive, curious, and incisive intellect, he shared countless discoveries–books, recipes, and CDs–with friends and family. Together, David and Sandra offered hospitality to friends and family and were known for their warmth and generosity.
David’s marriage to Sandra was a deeply loving and devoted partnership that blessed their family, friends, and colleagues. He loved her unconditionally. David spent his final years with Sandra at Mennonite Village in Albany and his family is grateful for the skilled and compassionate care given to him by the staff.
In lieu of flowers, donations in David’s memory can be made to the Mennonite Central Committee: Ukraine Crisis Response (MCC.org/donate).
From Danny Hunt:
He went above and beyond to support his students as they started their teaching careers, volunteering in their schools to assist with getting beginners started. He made a point of connecting with his students through beautiful music— performing works on the piano with us and playing amazing recordings for us. He served us dinner in his home and made incredible coffee and homemade desserts.
From Shira Fadeley, favorite Dr. Doerksen quote:
What if I told you kids are like dogs? They don’t hear what you say, they hear whether you mean it or not.
From Todd Zimbelman:
Upon hearing about my father’s unexpected death in 1991 and knowing that I was planning to go back home for a year instead of completing my teaching certification year, he pulled other School of Music faculty together and created a scholarship for me, which freed me up from having to work so I could both be with my mother when I needed to be, and I could complete the certification year as originally planned. He would always go beyond what was expected to help his students. He pushed us to excel in everything we did. He maintained very high standards for us but also had a kind (and humorous) disposition when he needed to show that side of himself. He was simply one of the most profound music education professors I had the pleasure to learn from during my undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Oregon.
From Andy Nelson:
He had a gift of building our confidence while demanding more of ourselves.
From Karen Bohart:
Dr. Doerksen was VERY influential to me and my career. In my senior year at U of O, I took Secondary Choral Methods and he was the instructor. It was a small class. I believe there were 6 in the class. He connected with all of us. He and I immediately made the connection that his son Paul at that time was my younger brother’s Band Director at Lakota Jr. High School in Federal Way Washington. I had thought I would specialize in Elementary Music Education until I took this course. Dave taught us so much from choral warm-ups to choosing appropriate literature. The large idea at the time that he talked a lot about and that strongly resonated with me was teaching musicianship through choral performance. I was going to graduate that Spring from U of O but wasn’t ready to begin teaching. He urged me to go get my Masters in Music Education. It was Dr Doerksen who recommended the University of Colorado/Boulder and introduced me to professors he knew there, Janet Montgomery and Lawrence Kaptein. He paved the way for my continued education.
From Bill Boldon:
He taught us all how to expect more from ourselves. How to expect excellence from our students. Most importantly how to teach our students to expect more from themselves and those around them.
From Kimberley McConnell:
It is an honor to write about Dr. David Doerksen. His influence on my life and teaching career was substantial. Likely, he was the person who impacted my career the most. I met Dr. Doerksen while I was a music major at the University of Oregon. He began teaching there near the time I began attending. I was somewhat aimless, I knew I wanted to major in music, but wasn’t sure I wanted to teach. I was in Dr. Doerksen’s music education classes. I thoroughly enjoyed his teaching. One of the best, most memorable, and valuable aspects of his teaching was that he had real-life experience to add to the required methods and music education content. He taught me the most important things are to develop relationships with everyone: students, custodians, staff, administrators, and parents, and TEACH THE STUDENTS TO SING!! To this day, I keep these two things as the foundation of my teaching. Dr. Doerksen taught us how to be successful in teaching and just as importantly, successful in life. He gave me advice when I was a student, and later, after I began teaching, he continued to take my calls and mentor me with his wisdom. I have been blessed to have experienced many wonderful moments and successes as a choir teacher. I don’t know that would be the case without my teacher, professor, my mentor, my friend, Dr. David Doerksen. If I could impact just one person half as much as Dr. Doerksen impacted me, it would be one of my greatest accomplishments. It was a privilege and an honor to know and learn from such a great man.
JOB GOTCHA DOWN? Addressing Stress and Burnout in Music Teachers
Deb Confredo NAfME President
In January, I was scheduled to join OMEA at your conference. But the universe had other ideas…the creeping crud forced me to stay put at home. At the Northwest conference, I caught up with the Oregon team, sharing that I had been asked to write an article for the Oregon Music Educator on my impressions of the OMEA conference - I had nothing!! The topic was revised for me to share my thoughts regarding our occupational hazard: stress and burnout. Fitting, really. We are stalwart and dedicated, giving 1000% every day. That dedication and service, at a time when we are being asked to do more with less, can be harmful. Let’s focus on what burnout is and how we can strategize to remain upbeat, positive, and energized.
What Is It?
When we chose to be music teachers, we knew that it came with great expectations, often extending us beyond the “regular” school day. We knew it because we lived it during our own days as music students. We saw how hardworking our music teachers were: before-school extra practices, after-school and evening rehearsals, night performances, weekend festivals, etc. As kids, it meant spending more time with our friends doing what we loved. Now, as teachers, we see how demands of the profession impact us. To be our best for our students, we must be our best for ourselves. When stress is elevated, morale wanes and we face burnout; we suffer, our students suffer, and our families suffer.
According to the National Education Association (NEA), burnout among teachers is a “…temporary condition in which an educator has exhausted the personal and professional resources necessary to do the job” (Walker, 2021). When we experience this, a cascade of other fallout is possible. Understanding symptoms and probable causes of stress and burnout can help us engage in self-care. Stress is part of life; how we handle it is crucial.
Recognizing Stress and Burnout
There are multiple signs of stress and burnout. You might experience one or more in your daily life. Honestly take stock of how you feel. Through recognition of these signs, it’s possible to regain health. This list isn’t exhaustive but representative.
• Exhaustion (physical and/or emotional)
• Fitful sleep or disruption of sleep patterns
• Considering yourself ineffective
• Pessimism (irritability, hopelessness, apathy)
• Depression (persistent state that can include anxiety or anger)
• Cynicism (can include loss of enjoyment and feeling isolated)
• Negative attitudes towards the job (often concurrent with lessened enthusiasm, shattered passion, and plunging sense of self-worth)
Stress and burnout can also manifest physically: headaches, muscle tension, loss of appetite, stomach ache, dizziness, shortness of breath, and a weakened immune system that can contribute to other physical illnesses. Burnout is real among music teachers. We’d be wise to pay attention to what our bodies and minds are telling us.
What Contributes to Stress and Burnout
You’re rolling your eyes right now, yeah? You’re saying “C’mon, Deb? What causes it?? Have you never been a music teacher?!” Yes, I have (for 45 years!) and it’s important to state the obvious so we’re all on the same page. The list of culprits augmenting stress in music teaching is long.
• Performance Pressures: Music teachers work in the public spotlight far more than other teachers with our work on full public display, subjecting us to scrutiny. All educators are periodically evaluated, but music teachers’ work even more so.
• Work Overload: Since our return from COVID, there has been a calculable decrease in numbers of prospective music educators and attrition from many practicing teachers, yet the work remains the same. That burden can fall to music teachers who already have full plates.
• Lack of Financial Resources: Trying to do your best on a shoestring budget can help you tap your creative side, but greater financial resources would help. Lack of funds for instruments, music, classroom consumables, or even a new colleague can be stress-inducing. In the extreme, when finances are called into question, even the existence of our jobs might be in jeopardy.
• Lack of Human Resources: How many students do you see in a week? Do you need another colleague? Maybe you are an itinerant who would benefit from an additional teacher to service multiple schools. Similarly, staff shortages often result in us having to “cover” during times when we would previously have had planning time.
• Isolation: Feelings of isolation can be personal and professional, and often affects teachers in small, rural, or geographically distanced schools. If you are in a small town, social choices might be limited. Likewise, you can feel isolation as the only music teacher in a school, having no one in your building who understands the importance of music education.
• Tough Teaching Circumstances: You may be in a place where music teaching is difficult for any number of reasons. Maybe you are an early career teacher with not much experience in such situations, or perhaps you have yet learned how to navigate these difficulties.
• Constant Need to Advocate: We have needed to advocate and educate on the critical benefits of music education to our communities, friends, family, school boards, administrators, and state legislators for over a century. Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to do that. But we do…constantly.
• Long Hours: Our jobs are not 9-to-5ers, spanning beyond morning to afternoon bells, with many of us arriving well before the school day starts and leaving long after quitting time. We return at night for rehearsals and performance. Weekends are committed to our student’s events and activities. Very long hours, indeed.
• Feeling Undervalued: The sense of lack of support by other teachers, administration, and community can be
overwhelming and debilitating. It can lead to burnout and sometimes results in professional attrition.
• Professional Development: Save for your state music conference, professional development in your district might not seem very applicable. Trying to constantly make music applications to what you learn through PD can be exhausting, contributing to feeling undervalued.
So Now What?
We focused on how to recognize stress and burnout as well as put a finger on a few of the many stress-producing factors. So, how can we move forward?
While the term “self-care” can be considered a “buzz word du jour,” let’s think about what it means and how to apply it. You are the main protector of you. Here is how you can be good to you.
• Exercise: Most research suggests that even small amounts of low impact exercise can benefit mental and physical wellbeing. Find something you like and try to develop a habit, even if it’s only a few minutes a day. Lots of things count: gardening, house cleaning, dancing, walking, hiking, yoga, playing a musical instrument (what?????)…you get the idea!
• Stay Healthy: Mindfulness (e.g., yoga, meditation, daily devotions, journaling) can be helpful. Eating well is also important. Prioritize your health including the diet. Finally, hydrate. Water is nourishing; keep a water bottle nearby.
• Organization: Organizing provides a sense of control when many things are outside of your control. Maybe clear your desk, the cabinet under your bathroom sink, your car, or your laundry room. Keep these areas organized to provide some stability when other things in life swirl around you.
• Joyfulness in the Job: As you take stock of things that induce stress and burnout, observe the good things. For each con, find a pro. Your list will be robust. Keep and refer to it often, especially when feeling low.
• Talk it Out and Build a Support System: We all fall along a continuum when it comes to this. Though it might be uncomfortable to share with someone else, give it a try. You might be surprised when empathy is shared with you. This can help dissipate isolation feelings as you remember that you are not alone. Identify folks you can talk to as part of a support system.
• Actively Engage in the Community of Music Teachers: Music teachers are a GREAT community of friends. Turn to colleagues in OMEA and NAfME for support. By being actively engaged, you turn your focus on others. Sometimes that is just the ticket. Give it a shot (and OMEA will thank you for it).
• Stuff Outside of the Job: For most of us, the sun DOES rise and set in music education. But your experiences outside of the job make you interesting and vivid. Find something that speaks to you. What will make you happy that can stand alongside what you love (music teaching!)? Reading? Woodworking? Software development? Cooking and baking? Painting? Find what might spin your spurs and give it a shot.
• Achievable Personal and Professional Goals: It’s great to have lofty goals, but if we are experiencing stress or burnout, the presence of large goals can make us feel like a failure if we have not attained them. Pare it down, giving ourselves a fighting chance by developing smaller and, therefore, more
attainable goals. Each achievement is one positive and positives can accumulate.
• Work is Work and Home is Home: Keep it that way (make home your sanctuary)!
• Learn to Say No: We sometimes think that if we say no, that thing will never come our way again or folks might be upset with us. Neither is true. Learning to say no is a difficult yet important skill. We can’t do it all. Prioritize what makes you the happiest in your job all the way down to things that you loathe. What can you take off your list? What can you say no to?
• Give Yourself Grace: Each of us is a fallible human being. We all make mistakes, and we are not superhuman! It’s okay that we fail and to acknowledge that we have weaknesses. Give yourself the same grace you would give to a struggling student, for example. Treat you with the kindness that we treat others.
Stress and burnout are real and we have the power to ease our own burdens. Remember the joy in what we do, remember why your “why”, remember that you are important. Take care of you. We need you!
For further reading, try some of these references:
Betz, A. (2024, October 25). Teacher burnout: Warning signs and prevention tips. Education Corner®. Retrieved March 1, 2025, from https://www.educationcorner.com/teacherburnout/
Hamann, D. L. (1990). Burnout: How to spot it, how to avoid it. Music Educators Journal, 77(2), 30-33. DOI: 10.2307/3397813
Hamann, D. L., & Gordon, D. G. (2000). Burnout: An occupational hazard. Music Educators Journal, 87(3), 34-39. DOI: 10.2307/3399661
Hanson, J. (2021). Research-to-resource: Confronting and overcoming music teacher burnout. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 40(1), 5-9. DOI: 10.1177/87551233211019999
Nápoles, J. (2022). Burnout: A review of the literature. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 40(2), 19-26. DOI: 10.1177/87551233211037669
Napoles, J. (2022). What research tells us about burnout. Teaching Music, 29(4), 48+.
Paetz, A. M. (2024). A mixed methods exploration of perfectionism, stress, and burnout among preK–12 music educators in the United States (Order No. 31358097). Available from ProQuest One Academic; ProQuest One Literature. (3065202125). http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/ view?acc_num=case1712146095389321
Stern, A., & Cox, J. (1993). Teacher burnout: The dull reality. Music Educators Journal, 80(3), 33-36. DOI: 10.2307/3398672
Walker, T. (202, November 12). Getting serious about teacher burnout. neaToday. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/ all-news-articles/getting-serious-about-teacherburnout#:~:text=Burnout%20is%20often%20a%20 more%20temporary%20condition%20in%20which%20 an%20educator%20has%20exhausted%20the%20 personal%20and%20professional%20resources%20 necessary%20to%20to%20the%20job
It is bittersweet to say this in writing, but this will be my last missive to you all as your NAfME-NW President. My two years in this chair have been exciting! I have had a lot of wild adventures in traveling to get out to see many of you at your state conferences. Lost luggage and no clothes or personal items, ice storms, lightning, bitter cold, delayed flights, weird chance encounters in airports and lots of super early wake-up calls for departures come to the top of my mind. I will have great stories to tell and exaggerate upon as the years grow longer. Fantastic performances, insightful clinicians, excited students, enthusiastic collegiate members, and excellent hospitality from hosts are definitely highlights of the last two years.
But the biggest thing I am taking away from serving you all is how wonderful the NW cadre of teachers truly are. Every day, you bust your rumps to make the world a better place by molding kids to be better humans through the power and majesty of music education. I can’t think of a more devoted and hardworking profession than those of us in this field. Yes, there are other jobs that might be more dangerous and risky. But I would argue that brave firefighters would gladly run into a burning building before they would take on a classroom of thirty 4th graders with recorders in their hands. Or try to make any sort of progress with a classroom of 70 middle schoolers possessing deadly wind, brass and string instruments. Or dive into “The Upside Down” and work with 20 freshman boys that can’t match pitch and are going through voice changes every 2 minutes. We plan rigorous adjudication and performance events with the precision and accuracy of Army Generals for hundreds, sometimes 1000’s of students, and we call them “Festivals”. Most people would call them “War Exercises” or “Tactical Maneuvers”.
But we do it because we love kids, we love teaching, and we love Music. And it IS incredibly rewarding. It might be the hug from that one kid who gets nervous at the elementary program, or it might be seeing a student of yours get a principal chair or solo in an Honor Ensemble. And as your career lengthens, it is seeing students become teachers and peers--following in your footsteps because of the inspiration you shared with them long ago.
The sense of passing along the teachings and learnings one acquires in this profession is strong. Almost every clinic or workshop you go to, you hear the very knowledgeable clinician say, “I learned this trick from so-and-so, and I stole this idea from what’s-her-name”. We gladly give away the stuff we have learned for basically free, all of the time, because we care so much about keeping the torch lit for the next generation. That’s why I volunteered to serve as your NW President—I wanted to help the next generation of teachers because I had been so blessed to have good mentors, programs, societies and Associations to guide me in my career path up to this point. It has sort of been a “pay it forward” mentality.
But I’ve come to realize that it is more than that.
“We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own” Ben Sweetland
I have definitely brightened my own path by serving in leadership in our profession. The difference in hardly ever saying “No” and instead asking “How Can I Help?” has made a huge difference in my life. I hope many more of you will hold up your own torches and brighten the pathways in your neck of the woods. Because you never know where the path will take you.
“Success is not a destination, but a journey” Ben Sweetland
I’m glad my journey took me to meet so many of you in person, and maybe some of you in the printed word. It has been the privilege of my life to hold this position and represent you all, and we will be in great hands with Joe Dyvig taking over the reins as our Northwest Division President moving forward for our region, and Chad Rose coming on board as the President-Elect.
Continue to be Noble and Wholesome. Do good things and be well. And I hope to see you down the trail with your own torch soon. A TWO-WEEK MUSIC & ARTS SUMMER CAMP WITH A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES AT WILLAMETTE UNIVERISTY IN SALEM, OREGON
Before I get into the core of this article, I have some thank you’s to dish out. First of all, a huge thanks to my co-author, Darcie Locke, for trusting me to give this presentation at OMEA without her. I hope she’ll be available to come with me next time! I also want to extend a thank you to those of you who made it to my session at our OMEA conference! It was comforting to see such a large group of people acknowledge gaps in their practice and be willing to learn in such a public space. Making students (especially students of color) feel safe in the classroom is one of my biggest passions.
A month has gone by since my session in January. I want the opportunity to check in and make sure yall have the support you need to successfully interrupt isms happening in your classroom. The biggest support we have is each other.
Typically I’d do this follow up as a live and in-person session. We would all be in predetermined groups and in those groups everyone would have an elbow partner. This is different, but just go with me on this. I’d like you all to either take some time and journal (yes, actual writing or typing, please) through the following questions.
• Have you had to use these skills in your classroom?
• How did it feel for you?
• What do you think the impact was on your classroom community?
• Is there anything you’d like to bring to a colleague (or me) for input?
Once you are done journaling, I want you to reflect on your responses. If you have a colleague you can do this in person/ phone/email with even better! If you’d like a partner, feel free to email me!
• What stood out to you?
• Did anything surprise you? If so, what and why?
Interrupting ISMS is a living presentation. Darcie and I are always taking feedback and changing things as times change. As you are using these tools, please also continue to reflect! What works for one building, may not work for another. Feel free to make this process your own so that it works for you and your classroom. If you or your school is looking for a way to further anti bias and antiracist work in your community, I HIGHLY recommend Start Here, Start Now by Liz Kleinrock . Liz does a great job of starting at the very beginning and incorporating not just staff learning, but student learning as well. I cannot recommend this book enough. Now more than ever, we must start protecting our communities.
Again, thank you for being willing to do this work alongside me. I am always willing to chat or debrief with you! You can email me at: navarro16@gresham.k12.or.us. I hope to bring this session back next year with my co-author Darcie. We have a vision for a two-part session that will include a workshop for participants to bring their own scenarios in for us to discuss as a group.
INSPIRATION,
REFLECTION, AND ACCESS THROUGH THE NAFME EQUITY RESOURCE CENTER
Amanda Sarles OMEA DEI Co-Chair
As music educators we should applaud the recent release of NAfME’s Equity Resource Center. Especially in today’s political climate, it is important to have this type of resource to help us in our pursuits of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in music teaching practices.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are words that represent a mindset that is being challenged right now. Programs and initiatives that include statements emphasizing the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion are under intense scrutiny. Some amazing programs are losing funding, simply for pursuing these seemingly laudable goals. As an equity minded music educator in a public school, the current pulse of ending DEI initiative concerns me. Being surrounded by people with diverse experiences both enriches our daily lives and brings into focus the unique qualities that make us who we are. Equity is how we treat each other. Inclusion is how we make people feel that they belong. Together, these three principles create a community of belonging.
What teachers bring to their classrooms is influenced by their own school experiences. Understandings of culture have been shaped by our own cultural identity and compared to other cultures around us. If there are no different cultures within our proximity, then it is more difficult to learn about and understand people who are different from us. As teachers encounter students of cultures that are new to us, it is important to understand how we can create a community of belonging through culturally responsive music programs. Relying solely on our own school experiences as background knowledge for creating a culturally responsive music classroom could create unintended negative consequences. The responsibility to learn more about building a culturally inclusive music program is in our professional ethos.
I was taught in my public elementary school that our nation was a melting pot; that Americans came from all over the world with many different languages, customs, cultures, and traditions. People moved to America in order to find a land where they were free to express their individual beliefs and cultures in a country where one would not be prosecuted for believing differently from what everyone else believes. The danger of the melting pot metaphor is that it can be taken to require the abandonment of one’s first culture to assimilate into a new culture, in a similar way to fondue ingredients melting together to create one big pot of savory goodness with no real recognizable, individual ingredients. The problem with this theory is that in order to melt together, individuals must leave behind their customs and traditions in order to adhere to the new culture. What is lost? Our uniqueness, our cultural customs and traditions, our diversity. Therefore, this understanding of who we are needs to change as the population is changing.
This nation’s population is growing more diverse. Between fall of 2012 and fall of 2022, the Hispanic public school population
increased by 5% and the White population decreased by 7% (National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2024). This data indicates an increase of students of color in public schools. In her book, Music As A Vehicle: A Practical Guide to Implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching in Today’s Music Classroom, Ashley Cuthbertson encourages music educators to “see diversity as a positive asset” (Cuthbertson, 2024, p. 55). As I look in my classroom and see a growing population of diversity, I am grateful for this shift in mindset. Having students who bring new perspectives and represent cultural diversity is an asset. Seeing books on the library shelves that represent multiple cultural identities is a strength. Singing music in languages other than English is a gift to the singers and the audience. I am not attempting to melt down a student’s culture to create a cheesy goo of a music class, but rather embrace the song traditions, rhythmic patterns, and express movement of another’s culture to guide our collective understanding of the connections between music, society, culture, and history.
Lessons on equity have often been explained through the difference between equity and equality. Equality is everyone getting the same thing without assessing actual need. Equity is assessing need and offering everyone what they need. Gholdy Muhammad, author and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, defines equity beyond this simplistic ideal. She explains, “Equity is teaching and learning that is centered on justice, liberation, truth, and freedom, and is free of bias and favoritism” (Muhammad, 2023, p. 33). Equity is the cornerstone of education. Without equity, children get left behind and are told by their music teachers that they’re not musicians. In a music class without equity, children hear that they cannot sing, learn to read music, or play an instrument. I’ve yet to meet a music teacher who would believe that there are children in their school who cannot be musicians, learn how to sing, or learn to play an instrument, whether the kazoo or the bassoon. Music educators continue to express an unshakeable belief that all students can be musicians and express themselves musically.
Equity in music education is offering a one-to-one lesson for a student who needs extra instruction over a blanket extra practice requirement for all. For many music educators, this is just good practice; moreover, this is equity embedded into our teaching practices. Equity in music education is advocating that all students in an elementary school deserve access to music education taught by a qualified music educator. Students in grade-level classes deserve access to music classes just as much as students in an elementary, multi-grade life skills class. Equity in music classroom structure is giving the most wiggly student a large 9-foot area in the back of the music room to safely move around, while the rest of the students are able to learn and move in their 3-foot spots. If they aren’t allowed to move while making music in music class, then where do they ever get to move? Equity is paramount to music education.
Inclusion is historically one of the newest mindsets in music education. Read through the history of the Music Educators National Conference, the early access to singing schools, and listen to the stories told by our students’ caregivers and evidence of exclusion abounds in music education’s history. Music educators today are still faced with the repercussions of past belief systems that not all students belonged in music. We serve students whose parents and grandparents had a much different approach to music education. Grandparents of my students have shared with me that they were told to stand in the back of their choir, open their mouths, and pretend to sing. They were told that the choir would be best with their silence. Parents have conveyed to me the instrument that they always wanted to play in their high school band, but their parents couldn’t afford the instrument rental or the lessons. These are not the fables of music education, it is our lived history. To be at a place in music education’s history where the profession values inclusion is the continuous improvement mindset we need.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) has been aware of the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in music education, and in recent years has taken the necessary steps to bring these mindsets to the forefront of the music education conversation. In the later months of 2024, NAfME launched a new resource on its website called: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging: NAfME Equity Resource Center. This new resource for music educators has been created and compiled by the NAfME Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access and Belonging (DEIAB). This Resource Center stands to be the central location for DEIAB resources and information on culturally responsive, equity-minded music education. Here is a look at some areas of the Equity Resource Center that are essential for evidence and research-based practices that will enhance teaching practices and reflect the “why” of our work.
NAfME is committed to ensuring that every individual is represented and supported in the pursuit of music education. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) reflects a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of music to bridge divides and foster community (NAfME Equity Resource Center Prologue, 2024).
The contents of the Equity Resource Center are organized in the following categories: introduction and prologue, frequently asked questions, personal stories, SAGE DEIAB virtual collection, NAfME DEIAB resources, and what we believe (NAfME Equity Resource Center Prologue, 2024). Each category links the learner to a new page of information with guidance on navigating links embedded within the page. The introduction and prologue category offers music educators a commitment statement to Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility and Belonging work.
As the national conversation is questioning the integrity of diversity, equity, and inclusion work, NAfME has provided music educators with a statement of commitment for its members. Music educators need not question and wonder if our professional organization will bend to the changing currents. We have an organization that is committed to the work of representing and supporting all individuals in music education. This statement of inclusion is modeled in music classrooms,
band rooms, choir rooms, and orchestra rooms all over the nation. My first understanding of how to be an inclusive music teacher came through the teaching practices of my high school band director.
Mr. Randy Rhody, former DeKalb County High School Band Director, inspired me to become a music teacher. My understanding of how impactful a music teacher could be came through his leadership in the 1990s in rural Smithville, Tennessee. In my high school marching band, there were two students with Down Syndrome. They both had strong social skills, a cheerful disposition, and a positive outlook toward any challenge we faced as a marching band. When Mr. Rhody started to push the tempo, we all struggled to keep our feet in line with each other. These two students would ask for help during our water breaks because they were so dedicated to getting it right. I remember their section leaders going over the footwork with them any time they asked for help. Their commitment to getting it right was supported with extra attention, one-on-one assistance, and the scaffolding of multi-step maneuvers.
Our band director modeled to the band that working as a team is what it takes to succeed. The thought of excluding someone from the marching band just didn’t exist in our vernacular or our philosophy. We won the Tennessee State Marching Band Championship, Small Division in my freshman year. As I prepared to be a sophomore, Mr. Rhody encouraged me to audition to be the field commander. I had never considered it nor saw myself as a leader. Sophomores weren’t drum majors, that was a position for rising seniors. His encouragement changed my life’s trajectory by encouraging me to strive for a leadership position that I never would have sought and accomplished. Reflecting on this, I am so grateful for Mr. Rhody’s example of encouragement and equity-minded leadership. His commitment to everyone belonging in music continues to guide my teaching practices every day.
NAfME is committed to defining, developing, and promoting resources and frameworks that expand equitable access to music education. This equity work will not only support diverse curricula, repertoire, and musical opportunities, but will also provide a lens through which to examine policies, procedures, and practices. Equity in music education is the keystone of NAfME’s 2022 Strategic Plan (National Association for Music Education (NAfME), 2024).
Through the NAfME Equity Resource Center, there is access to SAGE DEIAB Virtual Resources and NAfME DEIAB Resources. This is a bank of access to professional, peer-reviewed journal articles, webinars, and personal stories. In an article accessed through the resource center, I learned that researchers have studied that music teachers are especially vulnerable to burnout (Hanson, 2021). Cited sources for music teacher burnout include: low administrative support, poor working conditions, lack of support, lack of recognition by school leaders, burdensome workloads, class scheduling conflicts, and lack of agency or decision-making power (Hanson, 2021). Reading this article and learning more about the specific experiences that can lead music teachers to burnout was eye-opening and gave me a sense of connection to the greater music education society.
I recognize daily the extra tasks and responsibilities that come with creating a high-quality music education program on your own and attempting to stay relevant in a culturally responsive
world. I am the only elementary music teacher in my school district. The nearest school with an elementary music teacher is over 60 miles away and even though we connect through our OMEA district meetings, it is not the same as my building colleagues who work on grade-level teams, share student learning goals and curriculums, and take notes for one another in staff meetings. Being the only is lonely. Growing professionally in a location where there are no other professionals of your specialty is burdensome. While I have felt the strain unique to my position, I never imagined the challenges of the music teacher profession could specifically lead to a state of burnout. I am so grateful for access to this article to have learned how to be prepared to notice burnout in my professional and personal efficacy. I am so thankful to NAfME for including access to learning resources as a priority to our profession.
Access to effective equity training includes diverse voices and experiences that can provide a holistic understanding of challenges faced by different groups. In my school district, professional development days are focused on curriculum adoptions and new curriculum training, safety and evacuation drills, and collaborative work in grade-level teams which are all collectively valuable. For me this means, I get to learn by myself in my classroom. Where do I go to learn? The NAfME Professional Learning Webinars. While this section is technically hosted outside of the Equity Resource Center, several resources listed in the Center are webinars on the NAfME Professional Learning Webinars site. Access to these webinars is an invaluable resource to all music educators of all school settings. It is like having access to professional conference learning at the convenience of your own schedule and learning preferences.
NAfME has provided music educators access to resources that can help foster a learning environment of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Creating a sense of belonging is a much bigger endeavor than just teaching a child how to sing or how to play an instrument. Creating a sense of belonging means creating opportunities for that student to feel that the music relies on them and is more successful with them. Moreover, creating a sense of belonging while being culturally responsive means the music doesn’t just include them, but it represents them authentically. Creating this learning environment requires the access that NAfME has created in the Equity Resource Center. The Equity Resource Center is our key to professional learning opportunities that support our continuing efforts to make Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging actionable in the music education profession (National Association for Music Education (NAfME), 2024).
References
Cuthbertson, A. (2024). Music as a Vehicle: A Practical Guide to Implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching in Today’s Music Classrooms. A. Cuthbertson Consulting.
Hanson, J. (2021). Research-to-Resource: Confronting and Overcoming Music Teacher Burnout. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 40 (1), 5-9. https://doi. org/10.1177/87551233211019999
Muhammad, G. (2023). Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching and Learning Scholastic Incorporated.
National Association for Music Education (NAfME). (2024). Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging: NAfME Equity Resource Center. Equity Resource Center Introduction and Prologue. https://nafme.org/diversityequity-inclusion-access-belonging-deiab/
National Association for Music Education (NAfME). (2024). Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging: NAfME Equity Resource Center. What We Believe. https://nafme. org/diversity-equity-inclusion-access-belongingdeiab/#believe
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (2024).
Condition of Education - Racial/Ethnic Enrollment in Public Schools. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/ indicator/cge/racial-ethnic-enrollment
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esperanza spalding
5-time Grammy winner performs with MYS Symphony Orchestra & Jazz!
June 17, 7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
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New work by esperanza spalding, commissioned by MYS, orchestrated by Edmar Colón.
Plus other works by esperanza spalding, Wayne Shorter, Florence Price, and James P. Johnson.
for the 2025-26 season!
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OREGON BAND NEWS
Jennifer Bell OMEA Band Chair
We are finally entering the festival season. I am excited to hear your hard work and well-prepared performances. As you move forward with your preparations I want to again bring your attention to the changes in our sight reading procedures and rubric that will be used at the State Championships this year. We have asked all festival coordinators to use the rubric for the sight reading portion of their festival. I encourage all directors to practice the procedures and follow the guidelines while you prepare for sight reading at the State Championships.
OSAA Sight Reading changes:
Please refer to the Oregon Band Directors Association website under the resources tab for the Sight Reading Rubric and Form
• The OSAA will be using the Sight-Reading pilot Evaluation Form and Rubric at the 2025 State Championships for both Band and Orchestra. All qualifying events that include sight-reading in their format are encouraged to use the pilot forms.
• At the request of OBDA, OSAA approved the following changes to the Band/Orchestra Handbook
° OSAA Band/Orchestra Handbook Section 6.8.3. (Changes in red)
The adjudicator shall read or explain the following statement to the group: “I will tell you when to open the envelope containing your music. Once each musician has music on their stand you will have seven minutes for your director to talk you through this selection. Your director may not sing, clap or communicate the rhythms in any way to you, however the director may request that you finger the notes and/ or sing them back and/or clap rhythms. Your director may snap, tap, clap or conduct tempo You may not play your instrument at any time during this seven-minute period; any student playing an instrument.
° OSAA Band/Orchestra Handbook Section 6.8.4: (Changes in red)
The adjudicator shall ask if there are any questions. When questions have been answered, they shall instruct the group to remove the music from the envelopes. Once each musician has appropriate sheet music on their stand, the seven-minute period shall begin. During the seven minutes, the director will receive a two-minute warning and a thirtyseconds warning. At the end of the sevenminute period, the adjudicator shall explain the following information to the group:
“While the group is sight-reading the music, the director may call rehearsal marks, clap, tap, sing with the ensemble etc., but an ensemble doing so will not score as high in the related caption as one that can communicate through conducting gestures alone. An ensemble may stop and restart but will receive a lower caption score for doing so.”
It is important to note that should a director need to give verbal cues to their ensemble during the Sight-Reading performance it would be reflected in the “Response to Conductor” caption only. The emphasis should always be on the ensemble’s musical performance. Some ensembles may need that verbal cue to perform at their best. Remember that your decisions on the podium can affect the quality of your sight-reading performance. I recommend always practicing sight-reading with your ensembles the same way you will perform in a sight-reading room so both you and your students are more comfortable and confident.
The Sight-Reading changes reflect the proposals that were approved by OBDA membership in order to add clarity and consistency to the sight-reading adjudication process and to better support the use of the pilot rubric and evaluation form.
Required Literature:
The Oregon Band Director Association has extended “playing down a level” for required literature to qualify for the state contest. This also includes the sight-reading room. Please verify that your music fits the requirements and if you need to request approval for new music that you do this as soon as possible.
• These following difficulty levels are one level lower than the normal requirements on the OBDA Required Literature List (2024-2025) Updated August 2024
• If you find music that is not on the list that you are wanting to perform you must submit your request to the OBDA through the OBDA Pre-Approval Literature List Submissions Form found under the resources tab on the OBDA website. The request will be reviewed by the Literature Committee and you will be notified of your approval or denial.
Please reach out to the OBDA Mentorship Committee if you are needing help in any way. There are directors at all levels that are willing and able to help. If you are looking for feedback, you might consider a clinic with one of our trained adjudicators or retired band directors. Good luck to you and your students in your 2025 festival season.
The Scariest Part of The Game: THE OSAA SIGHT-READING ROOM
Kathy Briggs OMEA Choir Chair
I have brought my choir to the OSAA State Choir competition nearly every year since I started teaching in Oregon and I will level with you—the sight-reading room has never been a pleasant experience. I teach literacy and sight reading in my choirs. We spend around 10 minutes of every rehearsal sight reading. We label all the solfeggio pitches in our music. We sight read our rhythms on a neutral syllable and layer in solfeggio when starting new literature. We play “name that tune” with solfeggio. Students have weekly Sight-Reading Factory assignments for each grade level. My students can sightread at novice-to-advanced high school levels, are absolutely adequate as a whole, and have demonstrable skill growth year to year in choir. Yet, our OSAA sight reading room experience is still annually unpleasant.
When we prepare for the sight-reading room I do my best to keep a positive attitude, let my students know that as long as they try their best it is okay to make mistakes (though our scoring system will penalize them if they do), and that we still love each other and we love choir regardless of how events play out in the sight-reading room. Regardless, it usually goes something like this: We finish singing our contest set, adrenaline rushing from a pinnacle performance while simultaneously perplexed at how weird we sounded on the LaSells Stewart Center Stage. Do we have time to embrace the exuberant applause from the crowd at the end of our set? No. We are too nervous about quickly exiting the stage before our strict 20-minutes run out, so we hastily take a bow and scurry off. Still catching our breath, we quickly rearrange ourselves from our mixed-voice formation into sections with a feigned calm demeanor in a crowded lobby hallway. Then we silently and apprehensively enter the sight-reading room. We have always had kind adjudicators who have warmly greeted us and tried to calm my students’ and my nerves. I am always grateful for their friendly efforts to make the experience as painless as possible. They read the prescribed script, the timer starts, and we nervously proceed—the students anxious about making mistakes in singing, and me nervous about hurriedly studying the exercises, best guiding my students, and above all worried about making a mistake—me, the teacher—that will cost my students points. This process is intensely nerve-wracking for me, and I am an experienced teacher.
This is our state’s own version of a standardized test for music, a system that we, for reasons not completely clear to me, created for ourselves decades ago. Like standardized testing, it neither aligns with how I want to teach musical literacy, nor does it match my pedagogical philosophy of why I teach musical literacy. Now, while I am not a native Oregonian, I have been teaching in our state long enough and been involved with OMEA and ACDA long enough to know why we have the rules we do. If you wonder why the rules are the way they are, I guarantee you there has been a well-thought-out reason, and possibly a surprising story for what caused a rule to be implemented. The good news is that improvements and change are being made, one step at a time, with thoughtfulness and with your
feedback. We all owe ACDA past-president Karen Bohart a great deal of gratitude for her persistent work with OSAA and with sight reading room adjudicators, especially Kerry Burtis, to clarify and improve the process as it currently stands. They are both excellent examples of teachers who, instead of simply complaining about the process, have put in the hard work and time to make actual change. I am grateful for their service to our profession and for our students. There are still future changes being discussed, such as specific parameters for the level/rigor of rhythmic and melodic skills that may be presented so that we all know what to expect and can more effectively “teach to the test.” There are also discussions regarding options for alternate voicings such as SSAB or SAAB for ensembles without SATB divisi. Change is slow when done with care. Know that it is teachers like you—full-time teachers—who are volunteering their time to improve this process and work with OSAA to make improvements for all of us and our students.
The sight-reading room experience isn’t perfect, but for now it is the game that we play. A game. This is what I try to implore to my students—it is a game that we play. Over the years I have had medium-skilled choirs do surprisingly well and some of my smartest, most confident choirs make humiliating errors in the rhythm or unison exercises. There have been years during the awkward, “hidden out of sight” two-minute study time I found my brain suddenly freaking out about what key, major or minor, an exercise was even though I know very well that two flats with an F# accidental is G harmonic minor. The number of times I have looked over the exercises and thought to myself, “You have got to be kidding. Well, whatever. Here we go.” is plentiful. We have practiced the procedures and read the script so we know what to expect. My students sit tall, they are eager to sight-read, they are ready to establish tonality and follow my cues, they want to do well… and then we leave the room demoralized. Do I have smart, skilled, hard-working, students? Yes. Am I a smart and capable music educator? Yes. So are you and your students. We are working to improve this experience so that choirs that work on literacy and sight-reading don’t leave discouraged. It should be a challenging yet attainable educational experience.
Choir is about collaboration, community, harmony, and acceptance in a world that is sorely lacking these things. We don’t teach sight-reading to win a contest or attain a score. We teach sight-reading to give our students the skills they need to keep music in their lives. Keep your focus on your beloved students gaining confidence in their skills, the joy created by the music you make together, and the concerts you perform for the people who love you, and less focused on a score from a judge or how you “rank” compared to schools with vastly different resources and challenges. I fully empathize that this can be hard when we play this competitive game. But since we are playing the game, please read the updates to this year’s sight-reading room procedures so you and your students best know what to expect and how to prepare. You can find them on the OSAA website:
https://www.osaa.org/ > Activities > Spring > Choir > OSAA Choir Handbook > Section 6.8 Sight Reading Room Procedures (pgs.12-14 of the document). Wording that has been changed from previous years is indicated by bold italic lettering
If you have questions about sight-reading room rules or contest in general, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your leadership:
• Danielle Warner, ACDA President dwarner@georgefox.edu
• Anna Rikli, OSAA/ACDA Liaison anna_rikli@beaverton.k12.or.us
Along with OSAA Choir page, there are also valuable resources on the ACDA website https://www.oregonacda.com/resources
I wish you all the best on the journey toward your winter and spring concerts, your musicals, and your graduation performances. These are the experiences and memories that matter, and these are why you and your students love choir.
Thinking Beyond D, G, & C CLASSROOM BASS TEACHING
Mac Mayer OMEA Middle School All-State Orchestra Manager
Among the greatest challenges facing string educators is the task of keeping every student engaged and on task. In a heterogeneous string classroom this can be especially challenging as critical new material is often introduced to one particular instrument at a time. Master teachers introduce new material to specific instruments while simultaneously keeping other instruments within the ensemble engaged in review and mastery of previously learned skills.
The question I entertain here is, “How do teachers introduce intermediate-level notes and scales, such as those used with cello extension fingerings, to beginning-level bassists?”
When introducing beginning-level string students to intermediate scale and finger patterns, bass students in particular should first review and master the fundamentals of a proper left hand shape. This is because intermediatelevel scales such as A Major, F Major, B-flat Major and E-flat Major all contain altered notes and new positions for bassists, requiring students to transfer previously learned skills- finger placement and hand shape- to new notes, often on thicker strings and in previously unexplored positions.
Here’s what to look for:
Left hand shape for bass players requires mastery of a small number of key points:
1. Placement of the thumb on the back of the neck, between the 1st and 2nd fingers, and with the thumb tip pointed towards the players left ear.
2. A strong and consistently placed 1st finger that also points towards the player’s left ear.
3. A consistently spaced and acknowledged half-step between the 1st and 2nd fingers, and the 2nd and 4th fingers.
All success and failure in regards to intonation, tone, fingerboard knowledge, and physical fatigue is born from these three indicators.
Thumb Placement:
Thumb placement, here, requires a bit more discussion. Many young players instinctively wrap their thumb around the back and side of the neck. This creates a hand shape reminiscent of grasping a baseball bat. This “club” shape occasionally provides young students the strength needed in the beginning stages of playing, and can therefore become accepted by both the student and teacher. Teachers should remain observant of young bassists and redirect incorrect “club” shaped hands, even if an accurate pitch is achieved, to an appropriate left hand shape. Teachers must insist that the thumb be placed naturally in the center of the neck, between the 1st and 2nd
fingers. The thumb should point towards the player’s left ear, not in a “thumbs up” direction. Pointing the thumb towards the ear and between the 1st and 2nd fingers also results in the student raising their left elbow to the appropriate height and angle1, which helps to eliminate an elbow that points straight down, or worse, rests on the bouts or neck block of the instrument. Proper thumb placement will also encourage an arched 1st finger, similar to the arch required for proper violin or viola playing. Proper thumb placement, in combination with an arched 1st finger will create a “C shape” in the left hand and will result in the student’s hand avoiding contact with the neck of the instrument as well as creating an unbroken line from the back of the student’s hand through the tip of their elbow. This shape has the benefits of strength, consistency, and flexibility.
There are a variety of teaching aides to help students visualize and physically feel the location of proper thumb placement. A teacher can mark a small point with a pen on the student’s thumb pad, indicating which part of the thumb should contact the neck. A small sticker can provide a visual and tactile reminder of where a student should place their thumb. These aides are excellent reminders for students but are never a substitute for vigilant observation and correction from teachers.
First Finger Placement:
The 1st finger should contact the string slightly toward the pad of the finger. This is somewhat different from violin and viola placement, which requires the tip of the finger to engage the string. Encourage consistent arching of the 1st finger to avoid “ski slope” shapes in the fingers. Because bass strings are larger, a greater amount of strength is required to hold the string in place. With proper thumb placement, the 1st finger should point towards the ear of the player and should result in a stronger hand shape that allows the student greater success in holding the string securely in place.
A tremendous amount of ear training is required in bass players, like all string players, to develop consistency in the first finger. Make sure they repeatedly audiate and sing the intended pitch. Multiple repetitions on all four strings are also necessary for students to develop strength and comfort in knowing where their 1st finger should be placed on the instrument. Finger tapes are useful visual and tactile reminders for young students. Marking the 4th finger is also encouraged. Using the same color of tape for 1st and 4th finger allows young players to see the boundaries of First position. By calling attention to the boundaries of First position, the teacher begins to build the framework necessary to teach notes such as C# on the A string and G# on the E string that will be used in intermediate repertoire and scales.
1 The left elbow will fall roughly 5-7 inches below the left hand when in First position. The left shoulder should remain open to the chest of the player.
Half-Step Spacing:
After a consistent 1st finger has been achieved with proper thumb placement, young bass players must learn the proper half-step spacing between 1st and 2nd fingers. The reason for this is to ensure a strong and secure addition of the 4th finger and to help students correctly play intermediate notes in both First and Half positions. If the thumb is properly spaced between the 1st and 2nd fingers on the back of the neck, students can easily make the wide stretch required of this half-step. The 1st and 2nd fingers should point towards the ear and cheekbone of the player. This is only possible when the thumb is also pointed towards the player and is not easily achieved when the thumb is pointed towards the ceiling. When the 2nd finger is placed, the student should consciously roll (supinate) their wrist towards the floor. This supination of the ulna (i.e., the outermost bone of the wrist and forearm) towards the floor is critical when adding 4th finger.
There are several physical markers that a teacher can draw a student’s attention to in order to help develop a strong and well-spaced half-step between 1st and 2nd finger. The 1st finger should be at about the student’s eyebrow and the 2nd finger should be alongside their nostril, on their cheek. By placing the thumb tip into the ear, a student can roughly approximate the location and shape of their hand! Another trick is that the half-step between 1st and 2nd finger is roughly the same width as a Pops Rosin container! Place the Pops Rosin container between the 1st and 2nd fingers while students are assuming the left hand shape away from or on the instrument.
The half-step spacing between the 1st and 2nd fingers may be the most important, and most overlooked, aspect of teaching a strong left hand foundation for bass players. This spacing is critical to providing a strong physical foundation that allows players to confidently keep notes in tune as well as teaching young players to visualize the relationships between positions and notes on the bass. D Major is most often the first tetrachord (D, E, F-sharp, G) pattern introduced in heterogeneous classroom settings.
There are many benefits to using this tetrachord pattern for violins, violas and cellos, including the placement of a half-step in the finger pattern of all instruments except bass. This half-step pattern allows other instruments in the class to see and feel the difference between whole and half-steps; however the introduction of this pattern forces bass players to go from a 1st finger (E) to a 4th finger (F-sharp) without accounting for the correct placement of the halfstep pitch in between, i.e., F-natural.
After securing a wide half-step between 1st and 2nd fingers, with ulnar supination, a strong and consistent 1st finger, pointed towards the player’s ear, and the thumb placed between the 1st and 2nd fingers on the back of the neck, also pointing towards the player’s ear, the player can easily and securely place their 3rd and 4th fingers. The distance between the 2nd and 4th fingers is also a half-step and is roughly the same as the distance between the 1st and 2nd fingers. The addition of the 3rd finger makes this half-step feel smaller and students will often try to put an equal amount of space between all four fingers. It is vital that the teacher insist on a wide spread between the 1st and 2nd fingers and somewhat of a “smoosh” of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers. After adding the 4th finger, students should supinate the ulna slightly (turn
the bottom bone of their wrist and forearm towards the floor). This causes the contact point between the 4th finger and the string to be at the far side of the fingertip.
Students may want to lift their 1st finger off the instrument when setting the 4th finger; however, it is very important that they leave the 1st finger in place to maintain a proper hand shape, establish appropriate distances between fingers, and to have all notes available. Multiple repetitions of F to F-sharp will help strengthen the fingers and secure a proper half-step between the 2nd and 4th fingers. When the student places their 1st finger at their eyebrow, their 2nd alongside their nostril and the thumb tip of their ear, their 4th finger should reach the corner of their mouth! This creates a fairly accurate hand shape and approximation of half-steps between 1st and 2nd and 2nd and 4th fingers. When a student can demonstrate mastery of the three points of a proper hand shape, the transfer of this knowledge to intermediate notes becomes relatively simple.
Intermediate notes
For the purpose of this article, intermediate notes refer to altered notes required to play scales most often associated with the second book of classroom method series. These scales include: A Major, F Major, B-flat Major and E-flat Major, as well as continued use and review of D Major, G Major and C Major. The notes most often associated with these scales are C-sharp and G-sharp in First position, F, B-flat, E-flat, and A-flat/G-sharp in Half position.
Hand Shape Transfer
Once a correct hand shape has been established, bass students are able to play intermediate notes in First position with no additional teaching. C-sharp on the A string and G-sharp on the E string use all of the same thumb, 1st, 2nd, and 4th finger placement cues as F-sharp on the D string and B on the G string. Bass players become an asset to classroom teachers as they are able to provide a strong and accurate foundation pitch for cellos as they learn these notes in extended positions as well as for violins and violas playing these notes with a “high” 3rd finger.
Intermediate notes in Half Position
It is important for the teacher to call the student’s attention to the common notes shared between two positions. In the case of Half position, any note played with the 1st or 2nd finger in First position can also be played in Half position. By asking a student to “replace” one finger for another (1st finger with a 2nd finger, 2nd finger with a 4th finger), the student can maintain their correct hand shape in the new position. The teacher should make an emphasis that students visualize the point on the instrument where a pitch is located and that this point can be accessed with a variety of different fingers.
Bass players should shift to Half position for intermediate scales such as F major and B-flat Major. This means that the thumb will shift towards the scroll and maintain its placement between the 1st and 2nd fingers. This is different from the extension or “pivot” being used by cellos. Although bassists can and do pivot (reach up or down for a half-step without moving the thumb) this technique is often used for single
notes and not in place of shifting to a constant position such as Half position. The emphasis on a wide half-step between 1st and 2nd fingers is critical to achieving accurate intonation in Half position for both 1st and 4th fingers. Ulnar supination is also extremely important to ensure accurate intonation and quality tone for notes played with the 4th finger.
G String Notes
The student will replace 1st finger A in First position with 2nd finger A in Half position. This shift will also replace 2nd finger B-flat with a 4th finger and will make the note A-flat/G-sharp available.
D String Notes
The student will replace 1st finger E in First position with 2nd finger E in Half position. This shift will also replace 2nd finger F with a 4th finger and will make the note E-flat/D-sharp available.
A String Notes
The student will replace 1st finger B in First position with 2nd finger B in Half position. This shift will also replace 2nd finger C with a 4th finger and will make the note B-flat/A-sharp available.
E String Notes
The student will replace 1st finger F-sharp in First position with 2nd finger F-sharp in Half position. This shift will also replace 2nd finger G with a 4th finger and will make the note F-natural available.
Conclusion
By teaching and reviewing the fundamental components of an effective left hand shape to beginning bass players, students can transfer their skills to a variety of notes and positions of increasing difficulty. Teachers who methodically and systematically empower young players with specific elements of proper playing technique can create confident and knowledgeable bassists that can provide a strong foundation for their orchestras. The skills required to play intermediate notes and scales are the same skills required to play introductory notes and scales. If students are set-up with a proper left hand shape early in their development, they should be able to transfer this information with relative ease. This transfer allows the heterogeneous orchestra teacher to comfortably introduce new concepts to cellos, violas and violins while keeping their bassist engaged and successfully contributing to the positive growth of the ensemble.
WHAT IS MUSIC TECHNOLOGY?
Jason Rodgers OMEA Secondary General Music Chair
Music Technology is a fun, accessible, and culturally inclusive approach to music-making that centers student interest and socially current styles and trends in music and media. But what is going on in these classes, and who is teaching them? If the technology side of music making is new or intimidating to you, I hope this article can help you get up to speed, and maybe encourage you to consider teaching it yourself.
Technology moves fast!
I feel fortunate that I had an early exposure to music technology. When I started my bachelor’s at Lewis & Clark College in 1994, the Electronic Music program, taught by Joseph Waters, was just in its second year. As modest as the lab seemed at the time (there were only 3 computer stations, the lab was open 24 hours, and we had to reserve time around the clock to work on projects), it was remarkable considering that digital studio software had only been available for use on personal computers since 1990, and was quite expensive. I blanch now at the thought that each station, with all its peripherals, could have conservatively cost $12,000 to $14,000. You could buy a nice Honda Civic for that much!
Computing power is always sprinting forward in leaps and bounds, and simpler and lower-cost (or free) software like GarageBand began to be offered in the mid-2000s for the amateur and aspiring producer. At the same time, online communities around YouTube propelled the DIY “bedroom” producer phenomenon with opportunities to share work, learn, and be inspired by others. Though there are examples of Music Technology programs at the high school level dating back to the early 90s, the real breakthrough for education came in the late 2010s with web-based options like Soundtrap, accessible to elementary-age students. The pandemic further compelled companies to improve features and accessibility, as demand exploded. It is reasonable to say that kids today have the opportunity to produce music on their phone, tablet, or laptop with tools that outperform professional studios of their parents’ generation.
What approach to take?
NThough I would have limited experience with music production software since my college days, the pandemic brought the necessity of making music with technology to the forefront when my middle school band and choir classes just weren’t going to work through Zoom (you can read my article “My Pandemic Epiphany” in the Fall 2024 edition to get the whole story). After doing a bit of research, I found that there are four (+1) directions that teachers tend to take, either purely or in some combination.
1: Technology-enabled composition
Similar to traditional composition education, this approach to Music Technology uses music production software and/or notation software (RIP Finale) instead of manuscript paper and focuses on pop styles and techniques. Barb Freedman’s book Teaching Music Through Composition: A Curriculum Using Technology1 is a good resource for this approach. Freedman is one of those rare cases who has taught high school music technology since the late 90s in Connecticut (taking over a program that had been thriving since the mid-80s!). Her book lays out a comprehensive curriculum, from starting with loops and building drum beats to developing chord progressions and melodies. This approach would feel most comfortable to those with a background in composition and a strong theory and keyboarding foundation. Depending on how one structures this class, interest and participation could be high among the general student population (with no instrumental or music reading prerequisites), or limited only to those already participating in the traditional ensembles.
2: Audio Engineering
In the music recording industry, an engineer is someone who serves as a bridge between the artist and the technology. In the secondary classroom, students learn about live sound support and recording for music and theatre. These programs likely employ industry-standard Pro Tools software, and possibly other performance-supporting platforms, like QLab for theatre sound and Eos for lighting. This approach is light on music theory, but heavy on sound theory and using audio gear to capture it (e.g., what microphone do I use, where do I put it, how do I connect it to the system, and how do I get the best sound?), and more involved with responding to sound situations, rather than its creation. Those who teach Audio Engineering may be coming to education from the music industry sector and are well-versed in the complexities of software and live sound setup. As there are typically no music skill prerequisites, this course can appeal to a wide audience. In Portland, Bruce McCleave’s Sound Engineering program2 at Ida B. Wells High School, and Branic Howard’s Audio Engineering program 3 at Grant High School, are good examples of this approach.
3: Music Production
While the role of producer in the music recording industry has traditionally referred to someone who helps steer the aesthetic ship and serves as a liaison between the artist and label, the modern DIY definition encompasses all the roles of the creative process, including the artist, songwriter, producer, and engineer (and media, marketing, sales…). In this approach, the goal is to make pop, rock, and hip-hop music (i.e., “commercial music”) in the way that pop, rock, and
1 Freedman, B. (2013). Teaching music through composition: A curriculum using technology. Oxford University Press.
hip-hop producers make it. Ethan Hein and Will Kuhn’s book Electronic Music School: A Contemporary Approach to Teaching Musical Creativity4 outlines this approach. Hein teaches music education, technology, theory, and songwriting at NYU, and Kuhn teaches high school music technology and media in Ohio. They describe their philosophy as an “art class for music,” where students are encouraged to make the music they want to listen to. I like to think of this approach as a structured course to teach the concepts and skills that a curious DIY “bedroom producer” would be searching for informally in YouTube tutorials. Music theory is taught as needed, in a sound-before-symbol manner, with heavy use of loops and samples to teach big-picture structural music concepts (top-down rather than bottom-up). Teachers with a singer-songwriter/pop/beat-making background will feel comfortable in this format. As this approach is often intentionally aimed at the non-traditional music student (those dabbling outside the typical school curricula), this course appeals to a broad spectrum of personalities. This is the approach that I take.
4: Music Business
This path is like a business class that analyzes the music industry, with an inside look into how music is made and distributed. Of the four approaches, this one might be the most rare, and likely only appearing in Career and Technical Education programs. My friend Amy Lui at John H. Francis Polytechnic High School5 in the LA Unified School District is doing this well. In its pure form, no music making or theory is taught, but Lui includes both music business and music production in her curriculum, which brings in a wide variety of students.
+1: Modern Band
The other new-ish program to find its way into schools is Modern Band, where students learn to play rock and pop music on guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, and vocals. Some teachers choose to teach this more like a traditional rehearsing and performing ensemble, while others incorporate elements of songwriting and production (creating and recording the music they play). The nonprofit organization Music Will 6 has resources and curriculum available to help teachers get started. Like other Music Technology approaches, Modern Band attracts students who don’t find themselves represented in the traditional school music offerings. Teachers with experience in popular music styles and instruments will find a natural fit in this mode of music instruction. Andrew Thompson leads an exemplary program at Aloha High School in Beaverton that encourages students to play instruments, form bands, and express themselves through songwriting (be on the lookout for an article from Andrew in the Fall 2025 edition).
What’s happening in a Music Technology classroom?
If you are a general music or ensemble teacher, you know that our classrooms look, operate, and sound unlike
any other classroom in the school. How does the Music Technology classroom compare? Overall, the traditional music classroom requires the teacher to be “on” nearly all of the time, sometimes exerting a great deal of will to steer the group in the needed direction, because almost everyone is almost always participating in coordinated work for the duration of the class. The room is typically set up in an arc, “all eyes on me,” with the teacher leading. In the Music Technology classroom, work is much more individualized, and students are located at 1:1 lab-style computer stations that fit the room. While the teacher will be “on” during direct class instruction, they are mostly “available” to roam, answer questions, check work, and help. When a band director friend recently started a new position that includes Music Technology, they commented to me, “Wow, I feel like I have so much time. I just set them to work, and it’s so quiet!” Yes, a well-functioning Music Technology classroom is often silent! Who is taking these classes? If there is a lingering worry in your mind that Music Technology would be a flashy option that could drain or poach numbers from your ensembles, that is not my experience. A Music Technology program will be “in addition to,” not “instead of,” your already established programs. According to research by David Williams (2012)7, as many as 80% of middle and high school students nationwide do not participate in traditional school performance ensembles, so there are plenty of kids to go around. These “non-traditional music students” come to our classes with a wide range of backgrounds, some with no musical experience, others having left their school programs, and some who have a musical life completely independent of the school music program. Students in this demographic:
• may or may not play an instrument (if so, likely pop/rock instruments like guitar, bass, drums, or sing/rap);
• may or may not be able to read music notation (or tablature);
• are possibly considered under-/un-motivated academically or have discipline problems.
• (I would add to this list students who have disabilitiesphysical, cognitive, or learning - that may have limited or excluded their music participation in elementary or middle school.)
In my 5 years of teaching Music Technology at the middle and high school levels, 3 of which while also teaching band and choir, I can say that there was little overlap with the personalities and needs found in the traditional ensembles. Music Technology tends to attract students who prefer individual work, and/or don’t want to perform, and/or don’t find interest/representation in the traditional ensemble repertoire. Williams calls them “the other 80%,” and they are the target audience. While you might find some students straddling both worlds, it is unlikely that you will see numbers leaving your ensembles in droves.
4 Kuhn, W., & Hein, E. (2021). Electronic music school: A contemporary approach to teaching musical creativity. Oxford University Press.
5 https://www.polyhighmusictech.org/
6 https://musicwill.org/
7 Williams, D.B. (2012). Journal of Music Technology and Education 4(2): 131-147. DOI
What’s a DAW?
A Digital Audio Workstation - sometimes referred to as a “dee ay double-you,” or just pronounced as “dah” - is any audio production software that can record and edit sound in multitrack format, and is the centerpiece of the Music Technology classroom. There are many products to choose from today, and while each has its strengths and devotees, DAWs tend to all have a similar user interface (UI) which includes a left-toright scrolling timeline grid divided into beats and measures, tracks that stack from top to bottom, controls for adjusting individual track volume and panning (the panorama of the audio stereo field), a suite of virtual instrument sounds and effects, and basic editing tools (copy, paste, cut, etc.). Available DAWs can be placed in two general categories:
• Simple/beginner: Audacity, Bandlab, GarageBand, Soundtrap, and YuStudio.
• Complex/advanced: Ableton Live, Cubase, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Reaper, and Reason.
Further categorizations useful to the educator include:
• Audacity, Bandlab, and Reaper are free; all others require a purchase or subscription.
• Bandlab, Soundtrap, and YuStudio are web-based applications; all others require a download.
• Audacity, Bandlab, Soundtrap, YuStudio, Ableton Live, Cubase, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Reaper, and Reason can be run on iOS and Windows/Linux devices; GarageBand and Logic Pro are iOS only (and often come preloaded on Apple products).
• Most of the simple/beginner DAWs have relatively intuitive user interfaces and are accessible to elementary age children; DAWs on the complex/advanced list can be taught to students of any age, but with a lot of scaffolding necessary (and some experience in the simple/beginner DAWs is very helpful).
The modern view of the DAW is that it is not just a receptacle for sound, but rather an instrument in and of itself. In other words, the DAW isn’t just where music goes to be recorded after it has been written, but is a tool where music can be ideated, developed, (even performed!) and completed. A large percentage of the music being created today, particularly in the pop music world, is being produced almost entirely “in the box.” To that end, another acronym has recently been coined: the Electronic Digital Instrument (EDI). In 2019, Berklee announced 8 the inclusion of the EDI as a principal instrument for incoming students, describing it as a system consisting of a computing device (laptop) equipped with music software (a DAW) and performance controllers (MIDI keyboard, grid, pedals, etc.). Other schools are gradually following suit.
Wrapping our heads around different outcomes
“I was trained in classical performance? Where do I start?” Regardless of the approach we take, we will need to learn a new “instrument.” Once you have chosen a DAW that fits your school’s needs (a topic for another article), you will need to spend some time getting to know it. Take a class, find YouTube tutorials, and dive in: get familiar with the UI and the menus and tools, get comfortable making music with it (of any kind), and learn the pedagogy of instruction (including troubleshooting). Whether you will teach a standalone Music Technology class, or use technology with your traditional ensembles, be serious and intentional about the use of technology. Especially since the pandemic, apps have been used as filler to engage students for a little while, and then discarded or abandoned when that need is passed. Don’t treat your DAW like that!
Once we get comfortable in our DAW, we will need to wrap our heads around the fact that digital music production has some goals and outcomes that are different from traditional performance: specifically, performance is not always the goal! In a pure performance situation, considerations include:
• I must select or create music within my skill set.
° What voice and/or instrument(s) will I be using?
° Am I performing alone or with others?
• I must practice and prepare for the performance.
° What is the venue, and who is the audience?
° Will I be using a microphone (possibly the only technology consideration)?
With the use of technology, a hybrid production/performance is possible. Considerations include some of the same as pure performance, plus:
• How will technology be used?
° How much of the music will be performed (in realtime)?
° How much of the music must be prepared (as backing tracks)?
° How will I (and any other performers) rehearse this?
° How will my technology connect with the venue’s sound system?
If the music created will be produced with no intention of performance, the end goals are very different:
• What is the intended distribution method or medium?
° Venue (as the main focus, or part of a larger performance/presentation)?
° Frequency spectrum (throbbing bass for the club, muted trebles for placement behind a voice-over)?
° LUFS target (a sound file’s exported loudness level)?
Just like in a performance-driven program, though, music is meant to be heard: the teacher will need to work with students and the school community to find places and times for hybrid and non-performance music to be showcased and celebrated.
But wait, there’s more
In the performance world, musicians typically specialize in one instrument or voice (sometimes more). I have the following diagram blown up as a poster in my classroom. Music producers and hybrid performers have a variety of methods, skills, and devices available to them to interact with the music. Any and all along this spectrum are okay, and encouraging an asset- and growth mindset in the Music Technology classroom creates an inclusive and creative environment where music-making is accessible to all.
Does this mean that we, as teachers, need to know how to do these things, too? Yep! And do we also need to know how to assess all of this? Right, again! I would especially encourage you to start where you are least comfortable. For example, if you’re going to be using loops and samples in your curriculum, use them yourself, have fun, and get over any biases around “cheating” with premade material.
Oh, and speaking of “cheating”... if you have hang-ups about using loops and samples, buckle your seatbelt: when you let students into a digital studio, it means they have access to the whole Pandora’s box of audio tools, some of which are considered blasphemous in traditional performance settings. Basic effects like reverb and distortion may be broadly accepted, but more powerful performance-enhancing tools like rhythmic quantization and pitch correction (aka, AutoTune) can draw harsh criticism. We need to be okay with students wanting to use these tools - because that’s what their musical idols in the real-world music ecosystem useand learn how to use and teach them effectively ourselves.
Wrap-up
Just like learning to teach any class, it’s going to take some time to get familiar with your DAW of choice, understand how you want to teach concepts and skills and find or create a curriculum. Here are some closing tips:
• Find a community, and reach out for help and collaboration. Ask around in your local network: you might be surprised who has a background or hidden talents in audio technology. On social media, Facebook has the I Teach Music Technology!9 group, and I have recently started a new group called Oregon Music Tech Teachers10
• Choose a Digital Audio Workstation that works best for your situation, but try to stay “DAW agnostic”: balance teaching the DAW and teaching about DAWs. There will be specific features and workflows found in your DAW of choice, but there are common UI features, tools, skills, and concepts found across all platforms.
• You need to know what you’re doing, but you don’t have to be perfect. Get comfortable in your DAW, develop some skills making music, and learn with your students. Music Technology has a lot of room for personal choice, aesthetic, and artistic direction, so there’s less concern about knowing how to demonstrate and assess perfect posture, finger position, embouchure, bow technique, vowel production, etc.
• Ask your students what music they listen to, put on your musicologist hat, and go check it out. Aside from absorbing the general vibe, listen without judgment so you can pay attention to the production techniques used and try to understand how the producer puts their sonic fingerprint on the music. Your students will appreciate it when you include their music in your curriculum.
• Keep an open mind, and have fun learning something new!
• Following that last bullet: “something new” moves at the pace of technological innovation. I’ve tried to present information here that is current and can stand for at least a few years, but it’s hard to know what the future holds, especially as AI is concerned. If you choose to teach Music Technology or include some elements in your traditional ensembles, know that you are now a “technology” teacher and you will need to keep up with the state of the art.
• Regardless of how music is made, our ultimate goal should be to inspire and guide students to explore the vast world of music and connect with a practice that fosters lifelong learning and growth beyond school.
Special thanks to Carolyn Talarr for the review and editing suggestions!
JAZZ IT UP: Creative Approaches to Teaching Jazz in Elementary Music
Kim Buguier Music Specialist, L.B. Williams Elementary School
Article published as it appeared in the January 2025 edition of Teaching Music.
Prepare now for Jazz Appreciation Month in April with these ideas.
Introducing jazz into elementary music can be really engaging for our students but a little intimidating if you don’t know where to start. Jazz has a long, rich history, and its complex rhythms and improvisational nature offer endless possibilities for learning and fun. Here are some ideas to include jazz in elementary music with listening, movement, literature, and instruments to make it easy to sprinkle into your existing lessons and engaging to learn.
Listen and Move to Jazz Elements
Listening to age-appropriate and engaging jazz music is one of the best ways to foster appreciation for the genre. In my classroom we like to start with mindfulness, where students enter the room and have a couple of minutes to themselves to sit and listen to the music. This time helps students to settle in and get ready for our time together.
As students listen, guide them to identify key elements of jazz. Focus on features like rhythm, improvisation, and swing. You can introduce basic terminology, like syncopation, scat singing, and call and response, in simple terms:
• Swing: Explain that swing refers to the unique rhythm that makes jazz music feel bouncy or danceable. Use scarf movements to help put a visual to this.
• Improvisation: Share that improvisation means making up the music as you go along, a hallmark of jazz that makes each performance unique.
• Scat Singing: Define as when singers use nonsense syllables to create melodies and rhythms. Use examples of Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong scatting and encourage students to make up their own sounds.
One of my students’ favorites is watching Ella Fitzgerald sing “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” They are mesmerized by the black and white video. Afterward, we turn the video off and use the audio to create body movements to add to the song. On occasion we’ve been known to grab scarves as well.
Incorporating dance and movement activities into your lesson plan is a great way to help students internalize the rhythms and feel of jazz music. Grab your scarves, ribbons, or parachute and move to the music. Start with a song like Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” or a slower piece like Louis Armstrong’s rendition of “What a Wonderful World.” Teach movement to 5/4 time with the tune “Take Five”; search online for an effective bean bag passing movement game to go along with it.
Teach your students some basic dance moves. The basic steps to popular swing era dances like the Charleston or Lindy Hop are fairly easy. Even if you’re not a professional dancer, simple moves like stepping to the beat or swaying can help students feel the music in their bodies.
Engage students in interactive listening by playing a jazz track and asking students to clap along with the beat or raise their hands when they hear a solo instrument. You could also play a guess-the-instrument game, where students identify instruments used in a jazz solo. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra has a curated Jazz for Kids playlist of children’s music.
Introduce Jazz through Stories and Visuals
Numerous books provide fun, engaging ways to introduce students to the world of jazz through vibrant illustrations and simple narratives. Two of my students’ favorites are When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat by Muriel Harris Weinstein and This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt.
After reading the picture book autobiography Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews, I have students watch a video of him playing professionally when he was their age, and a video of him playing now as an adult. Students are then given a 3-D printed trombone mouthpiece to experiment playing on and learn more about low brass instruments.
After one Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that featured Trombone Shorty, my first and second grade students excitedly came back from break to proclaim they saw him and were able to tell their parents about him. They played air trombone for weeks after this.
I use books like The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub, Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Christopher Raschka, and Flying Jazz Kitten by Sharon Burch to introduce scat singing. Play a background jazz track and have students take turns scatting over the top. I put a list on the board of vocal sounds like bop, do-wop, beep, boom, scoop, scat, and shoo. My students help curate the words.
In addition to books, use visual aids such as photos and videos of jazz performances. Show students iconic images of jazz musicians playing in small clubs or large concert halls. Let them see the instruments and feel the energy of live jazz performances. Incorporating visuals helps students connect emotionally with the music, making it more relatable and interesting.
Encourage Jazz Improvisation
Improvisation is one of the defining characteristics of jazz music. While the concept may seem advanced for elementary students, it can be introduced in simple ways. Encourage students to experiment with their own musical ideas, whether through vocalization, body percussion, or playing classroom instruments.
Using pitched percussion and notes from the pentatonic scale, let students take turns improvising a short phrase with a jazz backing track. It can be as simple as two different notes or as complex as the whole scale, depending on your students.
Call and response boosts improvisation skills and develops a sense of timing and rhythm. You might sing, scat, or play a short phrase and ask the students to respond by improvising a different phrase to introduce the idea of musical conversation, a central concept in jazz. Give students the freedom to make mistakes and be creative, as improvisation is all about exploration.
Embracing jazz in the elementary classroom opens a world of creativity and connection. Jazz can be used to teach many concepts, bolster musical independence and performance, and encourage students to take musical chances.
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INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC EDUCATION AND ITS INTERSECTION WITH GENERAL MUSIC: A
Wholistic Look at Elementary Music Instruction
Elizabeth Ojeda-Petito Doctoral Candidate, Teachers College, Columbia University
Article published as it appeared in the March 2025 edition of New York’s School Music News.
Our degrees may all read “K-12 Music,” but as music educators, we know better. We specialize in college both by age and discipline – instrumental music (band or orchestra intensive), or choral/ general music. We work hard, take our required classes, and (quicker than we know!) we are out in the real world, ready to educate the next generation of musical minds.
Except that for elementary educators especially, we learn that the instrumental-exclusive jobs of the past don’t exist like they used to. The reasons vary (program growth that accelerates beyond staffing, building or school restructuring, the time or resources allotted for music, etc.), but whatever the case may be, the elementary music world finds itself to be a smorgasbord of responsibility. More often than not, teachers looking for exclusively elementary instrumental jobs find themselves in the position of being asked to teach general music in some capacity.
In the roles I’ve held so far in my teaching career (almost a decade in two districts, four schools), this has proven true again and again. I specialized in instrumental music (orchestral) in my undergraduate study, but have taught general music in every position I’ve held. In fact, my current position is about two-thirds general music and about one-third instrumental. And here’s the thing: I love it.
Music education in the real world
If you had asked me, right out of college, whether I would ever consider a position like the one I hold now, I would have probably had a different answer for you. It was presented to me when I was in school as though instrumental education was the “serious” music education, and general music was a filler, a place to put everyone once a week while teachers took lunch. This was an easy sell at the time; my pursuing a degree in music was owed to my devotion to the instrumental education I had received. In the past seven years as an educator, however, I have come to realize that this generally held attitude is actually the opposite of reality.
Here’s what they don’t tell you in college: elementary schools live and die by the schedule. Since elementary students operate at a building-level schedule, not an individual-level schedule, being a part of the building-level schedule is integral not only to your necessity as an educator, but also to your face time, relationship building time, and music-making experience with students.
You know what is part of the building schedule? General music. You know what isn’t? Instrumental music. If you’re lucky, there will be some kind of assigned “period” of instruction for
instrumental music (sometimes before or after school), or even pull out lessons, but the act of designating schedules for an entire instrumental program’s worth of students around the building (i.e., lunches, recess, mandated gym times, resourcing like speech, OT, PT), is an incredible task. Even then, instrumental music at the elementary level (since it can only operate when students are removed from primary instruction), becomes secondary to instruction. General music, however, is primary instruction.
The silver lining
This might be sounding on the gloomy side by now, and like elementary instrumental instruction is doomed to the same kind of importance as threelegged desks and last year’s binder clips, but, here is my argument: the strength of your instrumental program is directly proportional to the strength of your general music program. And if you teach both, you control both. You are the culture creator, the interest maker, the touchstone and spark for the kid who doesn’t know he’s a violist/trombonist/ insert -ist here yet; the more students you teach, the more students you reach.
That isn’t as easy as it sounds, I know. Especially when music education students receive such intensively specific training, the initial reaction to being asked to teach something you don’t feel like an expert at is, naturally, fear. Not one teacher alive, however, has ever gone it alone. There are so many incredible resources available online, and even more right in front of you, like your former cooperating teachers and professors. Asking them questions like, “What on earth do you teach the first week?,” “What are your favorite games?,” “Do you have a routine you feel successful in for classroom management?,”as well as scouring TeachersPayTeachers, Facebook groups, YouTube, etc., is a fantastic way to grow, and you begin to see how quickly those things meld with your personal styles and preferences of teaching.
The most common counterargument that I hear from instrumental music teachers to this philosophy, is that the time you spend as a general music instructor detracts from the amount of time you are capable of teaching instrumental lessons. I agree with the semantics of this argument, but not the intent, and I’ll use my own personal example as evidence
I arrived at the instrumental program I teach now to 30 total students in the fourth and fifth grades combined. With some restructuring, I now hold the primary responsibility for the building’s general music and all of the orchestra program. In the two years I have been teaching in this combination and the students have learned to love my musical and educational presence, the program has more than tripled (almost quadru - pled) to 110 students.
My lesson groups are still under 12 students and the concerts are a celebra - tion of their excellence - not a showcase for what happens when you don’t “have enough time.” Time is what you make of it, and I take care to use every opportunity. I spend no lesson time convincing stu - dents to love music or the foundational elements of musicianship. I’ve done that already in general music. Instead, we pick up our instruments and we play.
As a conclusion to my argument, I say may our worst problem be that we have so many students to educate that we are bursting at the seams with in - strumentalists. I can’t think of a world in which that isn’t the problem we deserve to have. The energy, dedication, and pas - sion that it takes to do both general and instrumental music well, to become an expert in your areas of non-expertise, is hard, but that isn’t in question. I tell my students as often as I tell myself: you can do hard things.
North Bend Public Library
Shore Acres State Park OIMB Boathouse
Mingus Park — Marshfield High School Auditorium
Southwestern Oregon Community College Sprague Community Theater, Bandon
Musical Connections Across the Landscape
FROM THE POTTERS WHEEL
Melissa Jmaeff OMEA Small Schools Chair
I recently joined a local arts collective and have been learning how to throw pottery at a studio in town. I attended some classes and now throw a few days a week, if I can squeeze it in. I’ve learned about clays and glazes and raku firing and where to buy supplies and what types of supplies I need for my particular interest. It wasn’t for a lack of things to do that I decided to invest some time and energy into this hobby; I decided to join the studio as a way to relieve stress and so far it’s been great! Making art in this way is new to me and it’s been incredibly enjoyable. What I didn’t bargain for, however, was the wonderful community that I would discover there. While pottery has been so much fun to learn, it’s the other potters that have been the real gift.
This year’s conference felt a little like my pottery class. I registered for the event as I do every year, to ensure that my All-State students get to attend, to learn from our wonderful presenters, to facilitate a few sessions myself, and to basically glean some new ideas and information from the conference in order to improve my practice. Of course, it’s always nice to catch up with colleagues at the conference but for me, the conference has always been about learning new things. This year, much like my experiences at the ceramics studio, was not exactly what I was expecting.
From our first small schools session through the rest of the weekend, it felt a bit like a reunion. Familiar faces and new friends alike, we spent lots of time talking and laughing. We generated new ideas and when those got silly or thin or entirely abstract, just like working with clay, we tossed them in the reclaim pile, mixed ‘em up and started again. Small schools folks never cease to amaze me when it comes to their creative problem solving skills, their senses of humor, their grit and determination to do their job well, and their dedication to their students and to their schools. Of course, there are plenty of things to commiserate about, but it’s often the most trying of situations that make everyone laugh the hardest. It’s seeing and being seen that makes one feel a part of something, a community. This year’s conference was very much a community experience and one that I will look back on with fondness.
As has been discussed many times in educational research, a sense of isolation is one of the most difficult aspects of teaching in rural and small schools. Finding, joining, and/or creating a community of folks based on shared experiences and common values is an incredibly powerful experience, one that can fuel not only one’s career but one’s day-to-day as well. Understandably, our jobs can be so all-consuming that it may feel like we don’t have enough time to prioritize one more thing. But even that feeling is shared by many, many people.
Sometimes community is as simple as finding those folks and having a good laugh about it.
This year’s conference was one of my favorite conferences. I learned so much from the sessions that I attended. I heard some wonderful performances, enjoyed a great reading session, and came away with many ideas to incorporate into my teaching. What I wasn’t expecting to take away with me was a renewed sense of community and along with it, joy. In the same way that I expect my All-State kids to bring lessons back to school with them, I also expect to continue to pursue that sense of community and to do what I can to help facilitate and create it in my own world. I hope that you will consider doing the same.
THE ROLE OF COMPETITION IN JAZZ ENSEMBLE: Pros,
Cons, and Alternative Approaches
Jessika Smith OMEA Jazz Chair
I grew up in Eastern Washington, in a large school district, but with a pretty small music program, especially in my high school years. I remember going to jazz festivals and seeing other schools perform and being blown away by how good they were. I remember seeing them receive trophies and “best section” awards and being jealous that that would never be me, or my school. I remember meeting some “west side” jazz students who were in prestigious programs via MySpace (yes, I’m getting old), and being mesmerized when I learned about Essentially Ellington and when I heard about the All-American High School Grammy Jazz Band. I think as a student who was just getting pretty serious about learning and performing jazz music, I was equally impressed with the insanely high caliber of these competing ensembles/students and I was hungry for competition because of its validation that you’re either “good” or “not good”.
Competition is a language that most people are fluent in. Sports, points-based grading, reality-TV, spelling bees, political elections, film contests, talent shows, the step-tracker on your fit bit or apple watch are all things that motivate and prove prowess. School administrators speak this language, and when you come home with a “Jazz Champion” Trophy, they support you and they understand the weight of being a “winner”. I find myself wishing again, many years later, that I could bring home a jazz trophy for my high school trophy cabinet. I have to admit that personally bringing home a couple of composition contest “wins” has been exhilarating. Meeting the other people who were on those winning composition lists in real life years later has been a pretty awesome way to network and make connections as an adult.
I did my undergrad at Eastern Washington University under the mentorship of Rob Tapper, and I remember him being pretty adamant about jazz not being a competition. He’d host workshop days with high schools who would collaborate with guest artists, attend clinics, instrument-specific workshops, then culminate in a shared concert. It was a great recruiting tool for him, and honestly a really “good-vibes” day for everyone. Obviously, kids would compare themselves with the other groups (and I’m sure the directors did too), but there weren’t any trophies. Even the jazz festival Rob put on every November was “non-competitive”, though the clinicians would choose superior sections/soloists to be featured in the evening concert with the university band and the guest artists. Being rewarded for hard work is a good thing, but it’s not always about the trophy.
When I moved to Oregon in 2012, I was surprised and a little disturbed to hear about how competitive things can be for school music ensembles down here. I’d never attended a highly competitive festival before, and my first time at one (as an adjudicator) was both thrilling and a little sad. Kids and directors have been working their butts off all year to play a 22 minute set of highly prepared music just to get a numerical score and be ranked on a list against other schools. Yes, they’d
also get a 10-15 minute clinic with me after their performance (as long as they didn’t play 4 tunes and use up all the feedback time), but it really felt rushed, and like I wasn’t doing much good as the guest educator who was working with them.
Last weekend I was a guest clinician at the Reno Jazz Orchestra’s “Jazz in the Schools” festival. This is a non-competitive festival, and it’s grant and donor funded, so schools don’t have to pay to attend- they just have to get there. I got to work with 5 bands that day- three middle schools, one high school, and the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra 2, which was a combination of MS and HS kids. The festival is an opportunity to run their festival sets and get solid feedback and practice before competition season. The other awesome thing about this model is that they had multiple concert hours that didn’t have any scheduling conflicts with other performances and clinics that the student groups could attend. It was awesome to be a featured soloist with the all-femme jazz ensemble, Sapphire, at one of those concert hours. Representation matters, and I think I changed some girl’s thoughts about themselves that day by being up there, doing my thing, with a bunch of other high-caliber female musicians. The concert hour aside, this festival felt like I was making a difference. I got to work with each group for at least 30 minutes, and we had time to dig a little deeper- both with fundamentals, and with other groups, on philosophical discussions about why we play jazz in the first place. It filled my jazz educator cup, and I didn’t have to give out trophies or rankings.
As a director, I still find myself falling into the trap of competition because it feels like a validation for the hard work I do each day. My students respond greatly to the idea of competition, but are luke-warm with the educational festival model. The problem there is that they’re playing for a score…not for the love of the art form itself. As an adjudicator, I can hear the difference between a group that has been fine-tuning the same Ellington chart all year so that they can go to state, and the group that genuinely has fun playing because the highest pressure gig they have all year is the swing dance fundraiser in the Spring…and there’s cake at one of those events! I mention to my kids often that in the “real world” we’re not pitted against each other, and honestly if they approach performance art with this sort of competitive mindset, they’re not going to be very popular professionally.
I suppose my plea with this article is to perhaps redirect any of you who also fall victim to the temptations of winning a “Jazz Champion” trophy and forget about the whole reason we do this, and the reason kids might choose to play jazz as adults, and why they will hopefully choose to be supportive audiences in the future. Connecting with each other, communicating at a primal level through music and having fun is pricelessand doesn’t always come with a trophy. I’ve been asking my students at school and the other students I get the pleasure of working with at festivals lately: “why do you like music?” I get a smattering of answers along the lines of “it’s fun”, and
“playing an instrument is cool”- then I share that I like music because it makes me feel good. I love playing music with other people because then we all feel good. Last weekend I worked with a really fabulous high school group in Reno and asked them the same questions- they were tight with each other, sounded really good, and were having fun together. The next conversation with them went a little differently. “Ok, so if we’re all having a blast up here- communicating, jamming, grooving, celebrating all the practice and listening you’ve done- what’s the point? Is it just about us up here on the stage?” The kids hadn’t really thought about how the audience is really important. “Who is going to be paying you to play gigs someday? Who is going to fund your crowdsourced debut album?” Probably the folks who were in the audience, and connecting with those peoplethe ones off the stage- is invaluable. I’m sure they recognize the prowess of a super-tight, dialed-in ensemble that wins trophies, but one with some heart and joy and accessibility will be much more enjoyable to listen to, and they might make the audience feel good too. This competition season, remember to have fun, and enjoy this life-changing thing we get to do with students each day. It’s hard sometimes to remember to value yourself and the direct impact you make with kids and families and communities without a score or a ranking, but if you’re teaching the joy of music through actually experiencing joy with your students, you really are making a terrific impact on the world at large.
MEET OUR COLLEGIATE BOARD MEMBERS
Mari Schay OMEA SMTE/CNAfME Advisor Chair
Our current music education majors – our future colleagues –are curious and passionate. One of you lit a spark for them and they are excited to keep it burning for the next generation. I have said it before and I’ll say it again (and again and again): the future is bright for music education in Oregon.
The OMEA Board has traditionally had a collegiate member but this position has not been filled for several years. When the applications went out this year, we had two particularly strong candidates and rather than choose one, we chose them both.
Meet Iris Erickson and Ellie Auvinen, our new Collegiate OMEA Board members.
Iris is a second year choral track music education major at Portland State who grew up in Sweet Home. In her application, she wrote, “This role aligns perfectly with my passion for music education, leadership, and community building. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of collegiate CNAfME chapters in Oregon while supporting the broader mission of music education.” Iris hopes to take her passion and experience to a rural school district because she knows how important it is for all kids to have an opportunity to participate in a quality music education.
Ellie is a third year choral music education major at University of Oregon who attended McNary High School. She told us, “I find immense fulfillment in helping people and being a voice for others, and I think that is a muscle I could flex in this environment. I also want to learn everything I can about all aspects of music education; I am interested in the logistics, the behind-the-scenes, and all of the facets of teaching music that do not get explicitly taught in undergraduate programs.”
This spring, Ellie will represent Oregon at Hill Day in Washington, DC. (Iris will go the following year.)
Iris and Ellie are working together to create more opportunities for future music educators to connect and collaborate across universities. By the time you read this article, they will have hosted at least one statewide CNAfME Zoom meeting that will allow students from each university to share what is working well at their school as well as to break out into smaller
groups to get to know each other. I often tell my students that they will be colleagues for the next thirty years and the connections they build now will help them for their whole career. Iris and Ellie are not only modeling that connection, but bringing it to all of their future colleagues.
How can you help keep this fire burning bright?
• Give your current students leadership opportunities so they see a career as a music teacher as a viable pathway.
• Invite students at your local community college or university into your school to run sectionals or chamber groups so they gain valuable experience long before they student teach.
• Welcome music education majors for practicums and student teaching. We need the best in-service teachers to step up and guide their future colleagues.
• Connect with pre-service teachers who attend conferences, workshops, and symposiums.
• Mentor new teachers. There is so much to this job. An experienced colleague can be a lifeline.
Do you have other ideas? Let me know at mschay@pdx.edu
Ellie Auvinen, University of Oregon
Iris Erickson, Portland State University
Introduction:
FROM STRAIN TO STRENGTH: How Cognitive-Behavioral
Therapy Transformed My Relationship with My Voice
Ellie Auvinen OMEA CNAfME Co-Representative
The voice as an instrument is inherently complex and multifaceted. It is inseparable from the body and connected to one’s social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Students cannot store their voices in a case or take a weekend off from using it, because it is carried with them throughout their lives. The voice is intertwined with a person’s interactions with others, and is an important aspect of one’s identity.
Just as the voice is a uniquely personal instrument, so is its maintenance, damage, and repair. One cannot drop their voice off at a shop to get fixed over the weekend or trade in their voice for a shiny new one if it gets damaged. It can be inspiring to consider how much the voice changes and how it grows with people, it can also be daunting to consider that the one they are born with is the only one that they get. People spend their entire lives with the same instrument and therefore must spend the time and effort repairing any harm they cause.
Music teachers are often well informed on how to spot signs of vocal damage and direct students to health professionals. However, a conversation less discussed is how to help a student continue their journey with music after the physical damage has healed, because many students are left with trauma that extends past the boundaries of physical. The personal nature of a vocal injury can impact an individual’s sense of self and lead to various issues such as severe anxiety and extremely negative self-talk in the music classroom. However, just as there are methods to help students heal vocal injuries, there are methods to help students heal their psychological relationship with their voice.
In this article, I will be discussing my own experience with vocal trauma, how I implemented psychotherapeutic techniques into my own physical and emotional recovery, and how music educators can apply these techniques in class with all of their students– not just those recovering from injuries of their own.
My experience with vocal nodules:
My journey with my voice has been long and tough, but so rewarding in retrospect. It has also helped me find several key areas in my music education that I wanted to continue to focus on in school: the psychological aspects of music education and social-emotional learning through music. It started in my first semester of college, a professor pointed out a very large and persistent gap in my phonation and after some further analysis, it became clear that I was potentially up against an injury. This professor insisted that I go see an otolaryngologist, which led to two separate laryngeal scopings, which led to me receiving images of two small callus-like growths in the middle of my vocal cords—vocal nodules.
I had the fortunate situation of being surrounded by supportive professors who directed me to a qualified speech therapist, who I saw weekly for six months. I had the privilege of immediately launching into productive sessions that taught
me tools to improve my physical health and lessen my nodules. Over the course of these sessions, I experienced a drastic shift in my speaking habits and physical wellbeing and after another visit to an otolaryngologist, I was deemed completely healthy and fit to begin singing again.
However, this wonderful progress halted when I began applying my new speech therapy tactics to singing. It was not because I was physically incapable of phonating (my voice felt quite healthy), but because I could not handle the newfound stress and self-criticism I faced surrounding my voice. The act of singing now brought immense stress; I worried that if I could injure myself once, it would surely happen again. I feared that my injury was a sign that I was not meant to be a singer and that my ailments were all my fault. Most of all, I felt inferior, and less-than, especially in comparison to my peers. My colleagues were giving recitals and being asked to perform around the community, and I could barely navigate my way through a short art song. While I knew it was irrational, I was still scared, angry, and upset with my voice. I was scared that I would fail, scared that I would let down my professors and doctors, scared that I just was not good enough. This fear bled into many lessons, in which I would be so stressed I would have full-blown anxiety attacks in the middle of them. This was cause for alarm for my professor, who recommended me to a different specialist this time: a cognitive-behavioral therapist.
My time in therapy completely changed my relationship with my voice and helped me find joy in singing again. I spent four months attending weekly sessions focused on cognitivebehavioral therapy practices and with the guidance of my therapist, applied them practically in my voice lessons. By the end of the school year, I not only could make it through my voice lessons without an anxiety attack, but I looked forward to them. I understood I would never have a “perfect” voice lesson because that did not exist– perfection in music is unattainable and antithetical to an authentic musical experience. I cherished the chance to be imperfect and make mistakes in my lessons because I knew I could grow as a singer and person because of them. This complete change in attitude and mindset was not only crucial to my continuation in my degree, but crucial to the betterment of my mental health in such an important time in my life. It did not happen by accident or by ignoring problems, however. It happened through the scientifically researched, tested, and proven strategies of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What is cognitive-behavioral therapy?
To understand the reasons cognitive-behavioral therapy worked for me in my situation, it helps to understand the strategy more broadly. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, often referred to as CBT, is a therapeutic technique utilized by therapists to teach patients transferrable skills and analyze their own thoughts and behaviors. It aims to address and target maladaptive thoughts, or persistent patterns of thought that are often intrusive, negatively biased, or untrue views of the actual situation around someone. Through reshaping
negative or unhelpful mental processes, a patient can learn to observe their view of outside stimuli as their personal experience and not a concrete, scientific scope.
CBT also emphasizes the patient having an active role in their wellness and completing work outside of therapeutic sessions with this goal in mind. According to Baylor University professors Jeffrey Cully and Andra Teten, “The process of CBT skill acquisition is collaborative. Skill acquisition and homework assignments are what set CBT apart from “talk therapies.” You should use session time to teach skills to address the presenting problem and not simply to discuss the issue with the patient or offer advice” (2008). The goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy is to get patients to do more than talk through traumas and difficult subjects but discover and practice responses to encountering these traumatic items in real life.
Why CBT—Singers as athletes:
In my initial session with my therapist, I explained my dilemma regarding my feelings of inadequacy after my injury and how it would cause frequent and overwhelming anxiety attacks. She explained that my case was similar to several that she had worked on before, with the only difference being that these tendencies had shown up in athletes with sports injuries. In further research of cognitive-behavioral therapy, this comparison stuck with me and informed much of my own practice of CBT strategies. This is because there are dozens of current, well-researched studies regarding the psychological side of sports injuries, but very few studies looking into the same for singers.
For example, in a systematic review across sixteen published studies, Sophie Xin Yang, Siyu Cheng, Diana Linyi Su, researchers at Burns and Trauma, discovered that athletes most commonly experience symptoms of acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after substantial injuries that affected their ability to perform to their previous skill in their sport (2022). The most commonly recorded symptoms were marked avoidance of traumatic material (categorized by thoughts of it), increased generalized anxiety, and heightened arousal displayed in instances such as sleep problems or poor concentration.
Using studies such as these, it is clear to see the correlation between physical traumas and psychological ones. To further demonstrate the correlation, many definitions of athletes also encompass singers. As per Oxford Reference, an athlete is defined as: “A person who has undertaken training or exercises to become proficient in physical activities” (2025). Vocalists undertake intense training with the goal of excelling at the physical activity of singing, which by default, includes them under the definition of athletes. While physical activity may utilize different muscles than many are used to considering, such as the small and intricate external and internal muscles of the larynx, this continuous working out of muscles with the goal of physical proficiency most certainly qualifies as athletics.
Additionally, the injuries of more traditional athletes and singers align quite well. Repetitive strain injuries, a common sports injury, is “damage to your muscles, tendons or nerves caused by repetitive motions and constant use” (Cleveland Health Clinic, 2022). Vocal nodules fall under this definition, as they are caused by constant, improper use of specific
muscles. While using studies from sports medicine to support strategies for music teachers may seem unconventional, the correlations are highly apparent. The intersections of psychological and physical health in vocalists is a discussion that has begun to take mainstream focus, with books such as Renée Fleming’s Music and the Mind (2024) taking scientificallysupported stances on the importance of emotional wellness for peak musical performance. While this focus on mental health for musicians is exciting, it has not reached the psychotherapy research community quite yet, and there is still very limited data on the intersection of therapeutic strategies and the mental health of musicians.
Sports injuries and CBT:
Due to the surplus of data regarding cognitive-behavioral therapy and athletes with sports injuries in comparison to the lesser amount with specific singers with injuries, many key studies that informed my strategies used athletes as their demographic. While there are certainly differences in the environment and conditions of the specific injuries and resulting traumas, these studies provide key information about potential options for therapeutic strategies in a related field.
For example, a literature review conducted by Sonali Watson, a student at Azusa Pacific University, examined the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy practices with athletes suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a sports injury (2018). Watson found that across studies, participants in cognitive-behavioral therapy experienced a decrease in previous symptoms of PTSD and ASD such as frequent intrusive thoughts, heightened psychological arousal, and avoidant tendencies in regard to their sport. In these studies, CBT strategies that taught athletes how to identify their maladaptive thoughts and associated behaviors and reshape them into more helpful and positive psychological patterns showed significant results. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helped many athletes get back to experiencing their sport in the psychological state of health they operated in before their injury, and singers can be no different.
Strategies for teachers:
CBT techniques worked for many athletes and for my own voice lessons, but how can it work in a classroom setting? The beauty of cognitive-behavioral therapy is that it is meant to be adapted and utilized in different ways; the nature of therapeutic techniques is that they are malleable for the patient’s individual needs. In a classroom, an instructor does not have patients, but instead a group of students going through a sea of emotions. Some students may have vocal injuries and be receiving treatment, some may have vocal injuries that they have no idea about, and some will be completely vocally healthy. However, cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques are meant to adapt to the person using them; there will always be ways a teacher can employ them in a classroom. While I have tried out many strategies using CBT techniques, I have found three that have worked the most effectively for me. Hopefully, at least one also resonates with you as an educator.
Observations versus opinions:
One principle of cognitive-behavioral therapy that I learned from my therapist and took to my voice instructor was the strategy of analyzing thought processes and distinguishing
concrete observations from personal opinions. In its overview of CBT, the American Psychology Association emphasizes the importance of evaluating the functional context of behavior by distinguishing between what one tangibly observes and how someone reacts to these observations. “Does the person confuse evaluations of events and objects with the actual events and objects?” The journal asks. “[Are they] preoccupied with the past or anticipated future possibilities? [Are they] able to be fully in the present moment and respond as effectively as possible to what is occurring?” (2016).
In a vocal setting, this can be approached in many contexts, both solo and in ensembles. An instructor can notice a grimace that students make or a disgruntled murmur that runs through an ensemble after they finish singing a phrase. They can then ask students what thoughts are going through their minds and how they viewed that performance. If students respond with concrete, negative answers such as “I sounded bad” or indicate it through other negative self-talk, instructors are there to challenge that notion and instead suggest that it is a personal opinion that does not have an objective, factual basis.
Reiterating time and time again to students that a “bad sound” is not scientific and is simply a subjective opinion is crucial because an instructor can begin to restructure how a singer views their negative thought processes. When students’ negative psychological patterns are challenged enough to be deemed unhelpful, restructuring can begin to happen surrounding these negative patterns. Instructors can then begin to show students how to self-evaluate in a manner removed from unnecessary criticism and address trouble spots in music from a more curious, not critical, perspective.
This reframing of behavior can be especially beneficial for adolescents going through a wide array of voice changes through puberty. In the sea of constant change and uncertainty for this group of kids, encouragement of neutrality and curiosity regarding the human voice can be inspiring and validating for students who may feel stressed and out-ofcontrol. This can help students ease anxieties regarding the social act of singing and assist in healthy tone production through a lessening of physical tension.
Goal-setting:
Another principle of cognitive-behavioral therapy that I took from my therapist to my voice instructor was a focus on setting and working toward specific goals. In the words of Baylor University professors Jeffrey Cully and Andra Teten, “Goal setting is the process of collaboratively identifying specific therapeutic outcomes for treatment. Goals must be observable, measurable, achievable, and related to cognitive or behavioral changes relevant to the patient’s presenting problem. Goals are tied to specific skills to be addressed in treatment” (2008). The focus of goal-setting in CBT is to both give clients a way to view their progress and change in a more objective manner, and to streamline one’s focus to specific aspects of their psychological treatment.
In my own experience, I had two goals that I set for my voice lessons: To provide three compliments to myself at the end of every voice lesson and to continue singing when I personally believe my voice did not sound good, even when I really did mess up. These goals were observable to myself and my instructor, measurable, easy to make note of, and achievable
in each lesson. While I did not always continue through tough spots in my music and I could not always come up with three aspects of my performance I enjoyed, I knew that I could achieve these goals at least some of the time and work towards more consistent success.
While goal-setting is already a large part of some classrooms as it aligns quite well with K-12 curriculum standards and Backward Design principles, establishing individual and positive goals with students can be equally impactful in the classroom. For some students, these goals may be as simple as “I will sing through a full piece of music without stopping” or “I will perform onstage with the rest of the choir at the next concert.” Regardless of the specificity and time frame of the goal, the act of establishing an achievable “next step” and having an authoritative figure check up occasionally on this goal may help students navigate more stress in a music classroom with greater ease.
Goal-setting also helps you celebrate your students! While it can be overwhelming to try to compliment every member of an ensemble and track it throughout the year, it can be much easier to applaud a student when their goals are outlined for you. Taking note of these student goals and highlighting when students succeed on their own terms can be highly rewarding for both the ensemble members, and you as a director.
Improvisation as active coping:
A final principle of cognitive-behavioral therapy that I utilized in voice lessons was the strategy of active coping through improvisatory exercises. Active coping is a strategy that encourages individuals to deal with difficult situations in a controlled environment; it negates the avoidant tendencies of passive coping and advocates for individuals to take an active role in addressing and managing their stressors. In the act of facing stressful, negative stimuli head-on in a safe and structured setting, individuals can restructure their relationship with it and begin to view it in a more neutral context.
Musical improvisation in the context of active coping is meant to target acute stress surrounding a fear of messing up or performing poorly. By definition, improvisation is the spontaneous creation of music suited to the surrounding musical context and therefore, depending on the context, might not have “correct” notes. In removing prior preparation, one can begin to view singing in a more neutral context, and not necessarily from a “good” or “bad” lens.
In my experience, this act of musical improvisation was crucial in reshaping my cognitive view of singing and the voice generally. A large mental block for me after my injury was deep anxiety surrounding making mistakes; because of my injury, I believed that when something did not sound “good” to my ear, I was actively harming myself. The belief was irrational and was thoroughly unpacked in the addressing of my opinions against my observations, but addressing its lack of foundation in factual evidence did not stop it from appearing in my lessons and halting my singing. When lessons would begin to spiral and I would experience maladaptive thoughts, improvisation would often be a way to pull me out of an emotional cloud of negativity. My instructor would give me a couple of vowels to include in an exercise and begin randomly tonicizing different keys at a speed too quick for me to second-guess myself. This
exercise did not allow me the time to hyperscrutinize myself or second-guess my work and I simply had to sing whatever came to mind. Nothing I did was wrong—just different.
I firmly believe musical improvisation is a trick to redirect negative thought patterns in an ensemble or lesson, especially in situations where a group is feeding on each other’s fear and negative energy. When a group is succumbing to negative groupthink ideologies, consider putting a pause on repertoire and instead let them phonate without the thought of singing. Maybe play a slow, simple chord progression in F minor and instruct them to sing any notes using “Zee” and “Zah” or something similar. Allowing students the freedom to sing anything they desire without the fear of messing up or being wrong can be just the thing students need to regulate their stress, both in music and more broadly.
Final thoughts:
The voice is a beautiful and wonderfully personal instrument; it is permanently intertwined with a singer’s life both inside and outside of music. However, vocal injuries intertwine themselves with a person outside of music as well and in order to address them, music teachers may have to expand their teaching principles beyond the considerations of the music. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a deeply complex therapeutic practice that is utilized by trained therapists, but many of its concepts are simple enough for a music educator to apply in their classroom, for students recovering from vocal trauma and healthy students alike. CBT in the classroom also has benefits that extend past students recovering from injury, because sometimes students need a little assistance rewiring their negative thought patterns generally. Being a student is hard enough, but being a student and performing for others (in the literal and metaphorical sense) adds to the struggle. Sharing these simple strategies with students may just help them get out of their own heads and into the act of making music.
I leave you with this: Provide your students with vocal trauma that extra support, because it can make the difference between them returning to music or not. I would not still be pursuing my degree in music education without the unwavering support
of my mentors (Thank you, Dr. Marchetti, Dr. Brunkan, Dr. Phillips, and Dr. Landreth!) and would not have been able to overcome this adversity without the techniques I learned in therapy. As someone who was a kid not long ago, I can speak from experience to say how much these kids look up to you and value your support. So help them out and support their growth, including the growth that is nonmusical. Through your support, they will do more than just grow– they will blossom!
Cully, J. A., & Teten, A. L. (2008). A therapist’s guide to brief cognitive behavioral therapy. Department of Veterans Affairs. https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/ therapists_guide_to_brief_cbtmanual.pdf
Farmer, R. F., & Chapman, A. L. (2016). Overview. In Behavioral interventions in cognitive behavior therapy: Practical guidance for putting theory into action (2nd ed.). (pp. 3–20). American Psychology Association. https://doi. org/10.1037/14691-001
Oxford University Press. (2024). Athlete. Oxford Reference. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/ authority.20110803095431536
Watson, S. (2018). Psychological Reactions Post-athletic Injury: A Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy Approach. (Order No. 10931361). ProQuest Dissertation & Theses Global. https://uoregon.idm.oclc. org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertationstheses/psychological-reactions-post-athletic-injury/ docview/2135795481/se-2
Yang, S. X., Cheng, S., & Su, D. L. (2022). Sports injury and stressor-related disorder in competitive athletes: a systematic review and a new framework. Burns & Trauma, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/burnst/tkac017
OREGON MUSIC HALL OF FAME SCHOLARSHIPS
J. Michael Kearsey Board Member, Oregon Music Hall of Fame
The Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) is a nonprofit organization created to help preserve Oregon’s unique, music heritage, to recognize and promote the legacy of exceptional musicians, while helping to preserve and enrich musical education programs in Oregon. The OMHOF has created a yearly scholarship program for high school seniors who will go on to study music at the college level. Applications are reviewed in February and winners are notified in March and announced to the public at an event honoring them in July along with the announcement of each year’s Hall of Fame inductees. Over the years the scholarships have grown to five $2500 scholarships plus one for teaching applicants and one for women in music scholarship. Past winners have gone on to attend many different colleges and universities. Many have gone on to successful professional careers, teaching positions as well as music business endeavors.
This year, the OMHOF is proud to present seven $2500 scholarships to students from a variety of Oregon towns and cities:
• Luke D’Silva, violist from Westview High School in Portland.
• Finneus O’Brien, Marimba and Pianist from Glencoe High School in Hillsboro.
• Samuel Hardy, Clarinet and Saxophonist from Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis.
• Bastion Sorenson, French Horn and Baritone Vocalist from Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis.
• Emmet Murch on Piano and Violinist from Philomath High School in Philomath.
Two new categories were added in 2023 and this year’s winners are:
• Alexa Cornejo, Double Bass (Jazz) and Vocalist from Willamette High School in Eugene is the recipient of the Women in Music Scholarship
• William Boldon, trombone and cellist from Grants Pass High School in Grants Pass is the recipient of the Music Teacher Scholarship
Along with these programs, the OMHOF is responsible for hundreds of educational events with Aaron Meyer, noted violinist and composer, bringing these dynamic performances to the most rural areas of Oregon where music programs are scarce. In these past years, when educational prospects have been severely affected by COVID-19, the OMHOF Scholarship Program offers a sense of hope for high school graduates to move forward in their music pursuits and help the musical culture of Oregon to grow as well.
MHCC’s Music Program
REMEMBERING KEVIN MCGILLIVRAY
Allison McGillivray A-OH Media
Kevin McGillivray, band director in Medford (‘66-’69), Bend (‘69-’77), and McMinnville (‘77-’83), passed away February 20, 2025. Kevin was born and raised in McMinnville, where he was an eager student and mentee of John McManus. He served in the OMEA as Band Chair (‘73-’76) and 2nd Vice President (‘76-’78).
He earned his BS and MS at the University of Oregon, then was immediately hired in Medford to teach junior high band and assist at the high school. In Medford, band director Irv Myrick taught Kevin how to run a large program with annual trips to San Francisco, while orchestra teacher Elmer Ayers taught Kevin the finer points of homebrewing. Kevin put those trip-planning skills to work at his subsequent posts in Bend, McMinnville, and in American schools in Germany--but he preferred his beer brewed by professionals.
In 1983, Kevin signed up for a two-year adventure as a band director with the Department of Defense Dependents Schools and moved with his wife Sandy and their three children to Fulda, Germany, to teach on a small Army post about 15 miles from the East German border. While the music program and facilities were vastly different from what he’d enjoyed in Oregon schools, Kevin saw the challenges as opportunities, not obstacles. The unique experience of living in Europe and supporting an ever-revolving roster of students from US Army families was compelling, and the original two-year plan turned into a 21-year overseas career.
When the East-West German border opened in 1989, Kevin made a beeline for Eisenach, the tiny East German town where Johann Sebastian Bach was born. And in 1990, as Germany navigated the delicate nuances of reunifying its people, Kevin boldly loaded his American band and choir students into buses for an exchange with music students in Leipzig, providing them all with a once-in-a-lifetime experience to dispel their own Cold War prejudices, make music and share homes with one another.
Kevin loved new technology, and he pioneered the digital music program in the DOD schools overseas, offering the district’s first Computer Music class in 1990.
Eventually, the US Army closed its Fulda outpost and Kevin’s teaching career took a new trajectory into technology, when he became one of the very first Educational Technologists in the Department of Defense school system, training his colleagues how to integrate computers into their curricula. When he
retired, he had been the first-ever Director of Educational Technology in DODEA for three years.
A gifted and dedicated horn player, Kevin always made time to perform with fellow professionals, from the early days of the Britt Festival Orchestra to German ensembles in Gothic cathedrals and ornate castles.
Kevin and his wife returned to Oregon in 2004 to be close to their kids and grandkids. Kevin leapt at the opportunity to return to the classroom one more time as a volunteer for his own grandson’s Jackson Middle School band director, Kristen Brown.
Kevin was an educator to his core, persistent but gentle in his encouragement and endlessly optimistic about the potential of his students. Many of his students went on to become professional musicians, and even better, music teachers themselves. His legacy lives on through them, and in the students and budding musicians that they nurture themselves. Donations in Kevin’s memory can be made to the University of Oregon School of Music scholarship fund.
PREPARING YOUR MUSIC CLASSROOM FOR THE SUMMER: A Guide
for Music Educators
Bill Humbert Director of Bands, Glendale Community College
As the school year draws to a close, music educators face a unique set of tasks that go beyond final exams, playing or singing evaluations, and packing up the classroom. While the end of the year often brings relief, it’s also a time to reflect, wrap up, and prepare for the summer months ahead. Ensuring that your music classroom is properly cleaned, organized, and ready for the next academic year can make the school start up less chaotic and even a bit easier. Here’s a guide to help you end the school year on a high note and set the stage for a smooth transition into the summer.
1. Reflect and Celebrate Your Achievements
Before diving into the physical tasks of packing up, take a moment to reflect on the successes and challenges of the past year. Celebrate your students’ growth, performances, and milestones—whether it was a successful concert, a student’s new found love for an instrument, or your ability to adapt to new teaching methods. A positive reflection not only boosts morale but also provides valuable insights for next year’s plans.
Consider creating a memory board or a digital slideshow to highlight key moments that you can share with your students. This can be a rewarding way to say goodbye to the school year and leave your students with a sense of accomplishment.
2. Clean and Maintain Your Instruments
The summer break is the time to give your classroom instruments a little TLC. Begin by inspecting each instrument for any damage or wear and tear. Whether it’s a scratched violin, a missing flute pad, or a loose or damaged drumhead, this is the perfect time to schedule repairs or order parts before the next school year begins.
For instruments that need regular cleaning—like brass and woodwinds—be sure to wipe them down and properly store them. You can create a cleaning checklist for your students to follow in future years, encouraging them to maintain their instruments year-round. In addition to individual instruments, check larger equipment like pianos, larger percussion instruments, and electronic devices (such as microphones, amplifiers, or speakers). Clean, recalibrate, and organize these tools so they’re ready to go in the fall.
3. Purge and Organize Your Sheet Music Library
Oh yes…the music library. Music educators accumulate a large amount of sheet music, extra scores, copies and originals over the years—some of it you may never use again. Now is the time to sift through your library and make it leaner and more efficient. Take inventory of your music collection, discarding any that are outdated, damaged, or no longer relevant to your current teaching goals. It may be helpful for you to organize a database of your library by genre, grade level, instrument or voice type.
4. Tidy Up the Classroom
A clean and organized classroom helps you start the next school year with a sense of calm and control. Remove any unnecessary clutter, such as broken supplies or unused props. Tighten up those music stands so they do not wobble, dust, sweep, and vacuum the floors, and sanitize commonly touched surfaces. Don’t forget to clean out storage areas, such as closets, cabinets, and storage lockers which tend to accumulate forgotten odds and ends.
Label storage bins for easy access to essential materials, and consider using color-coding to make finding items a breeze. If possible, take inventory of any supplies that need replenishing, such as music stands, mallets, or pencils.
5. Take Inventory and Order Supplies
Summer is a good time to review your classroom inventory. Take stock of all your materials, sheet music, textbooks, cleaning supplies, instruments, etc. Make a list of what needs to be replaced or restocked. Some schools have a summer budget for classroom supplies (you should check this out at your school), so it’s important to get your orders in early.
If your school doesn’t provide a budget for equipment or materials, this might also be an opportunity to begin fundraising or seeking donations for any big-ticket items that could enhance your program.
6. Prepare for Summer Professional Development
The summer months can be a time for growth and learning. Many music educators use this time to engage in professional development activities such as attending workshops, taking online courses, or joining music educator networks. Look into opportunities that can help you stay inspired and develop new teaching strategies for the coming year.
You could also attend conferences or musical events to network with other educators and learn from industry professionals. Consider learning a new instrument, take lessons, explore different musical genres, or stay updated on the latest music education technologies.
7. Set Goals for the Upcoming Year
While the summer is often a time for relaxation, it’s also a great opportunity to set long-term goals for the next academic year. Whether it’s refining your curriculum, introducing new technology in your teaching, or focusing on a particular area like improvisation or music theory, having a clear vision will set you up for success.
Consider discussing your goals with colleagues or mentors to get feedback and guidance. And don’t forget to take into account your students’ needs and interests. Summer is a good time to plan activities, concerts, or collaborations that will engage and inspire them when school resumes.
8. Self-Care and Reflection
Teaching music can be an emotionally and physically taxing profession, so the summer break is also an opportunity for music educators to focus on self-care. Take time to relax, recharge, and pursue personal interests outside of teaching. Enjoying hobbies unrelated to music or simply spending time with family and friends can help prevent burnout and keep your passion for teaching alive.
Reflection is also an important part of self-care. Take the time to journal about what went well during the year, what could be improved, and how you can better serve your students in the future. Use this time for growth, both professionally and personally.
Conclusion
As a music educator, the end of the school year is a time for both reflection and preparation. By taking the necessary steps to clean, organize, and prepare for the summer months, you’ll ensure that you return to a well-maintained classroom and a fresh mindset in the fall. Remember to celebrate the progress you and your students have made, take care of yourself, and get ready to inspire the next generation of musicians when school resumes. Enjoy your well-deserved summer break, and come back ready to make even more beautiful music in the new school year!
• Kinderkonzerts (K-2nd grade)
• Young People’s Concerts (3rd-8th grade)
• Link Up (3rd-5th grade)
• Prelude Performances at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
• Rehearsal Visits to the Oregon Symphony
• Coachings, Masterclasses, Guest Artist Visits
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Kendra Taylor, PhD in Music Education Director of Choral Music Education, Western Oregon University
I loved my time at the University of Oregon. The School of Music and Dance felt like home, and I’m grateful for the relationships I built there. Now, as Director of Choral Music Education at WOU, I share the skills I learned at UO with the next generation.
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Trevor Thompson, MME in Music Education Director of Bands, Joseph Lane Middle School
Mrs. Amanda Sarles, MME in Music Education K-5 Music Teacher, Siuslaw Elementary School
I chose UO’s School of Music and Dance for its diverse Music Education Faculty. After teaching K-12, I returned to gain pedagogical expertise. The equity-focused faculty across Music Education and Dance helped me achieve my professional goals and prepared me for the global classroom.
Cameron Siegal, PhD in Music Education
PreK–5 Music Educator,
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The UO Ph.D. in Music Education prepared me to excel in music education research, significantly improving my teaching across all levels. The faculty were supportive, accessible, and caring. I highly recommend the program. Go Ducks!
The Music Education Department at the University of Oregon was key in my growth as an educator. I learned important lessons in musicianship, student care, and organization, with strong support from the faculty. Their guidance has been invaluable in job placement and building connections. “
