2023 NBA Winter Journal

FEATURING

Reimagining Work-Life Balance, Part II, pg. 41

The National Band Association acknowledges and embraces that our organization is strengthened by diversity. We welcome all peoples, inclusive of their culture, economic status, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, and abilities. The NBA is committed to including all voices in our organization and invites everyone to join us in the advancement of our mission and educational purposes.

Educational Purposes OF THE NATIONAL BAND ASSOCIATION

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Randall Coleman, President

Col. Jason Fettig, President-Elect

Matt Temple, Vice-President

Rebecca Phillips, Immediate Past President

Scott Tobias, Executive Secretary-Treasurer

PROJECT AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Al & Gladys Wright Distinguished Legacy Award, Rebecca Phillips

Alfred Young Band Composition Contest, Audrey Murphy Kunka

AWAPA Commission, David Gregory

Citations & Awards, Heath Nails

Constitution & By-Laws, Col. Jason Fettig

Corporate Relations, Gary Smith

Foster Project NBA Representative, Wolson Gustama

Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors Board of Electors, Thomas Fraschillo

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Awareness, Ingrid Larragoity & Elizabeth Peterson

Marching Band Committee, Adam Dalton & Bobby Lambert

Merrill Jones Composition Contest, Paul Popiel

National Programs of Excellence, Myra Rhoden

NBA Foundation, Susan Creasap

Nominating Committee, Rebecca Phillips

Research Grants, Brian Silvey

Selective Music List – Concert, Arris Golden

Selective Music List - Jazz, Steve Shanley

Selective Music List – Marches, Col. Don Schofield

William D. Revelli Composition Contest, Matthew McCutchen

Young Composer Jazz Composition Contest, Richard Stichler

Young Composer Mentor Project, Frank Ticheli

Young Conductor Mentor Project, Linda R. Moorhouse

NBA Journal Editor, Matthew D. Talbert

NBA Journal Layout & Design, Nash P. McCutchen

To promote the excellence of band performance throughout the world

To encourage the composition and performance of quality band music at all levels

To assist directors at all levels of experience to identify areas of mutual concern

To promote pride and continued enthusiasm among band directors

To encourage quality students to pursue careers in music

To promote a spirit of cooperation and continued dialogue among directors, performers, the music industry, and all other band support organizations at all levels

Articles presented in the NBA Journal represent views, opinions, ideas and research by the authors and are selected for their general interest to the NBA members. Authors’ views do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Band Association, nor does their publication constitute an endorsement by the National Band Association.

Idon’t know that I have ever read a quote that holds more truths than this simple sentence. The “unexpected”… as I think back over various stages of my life, the unexpected events tend to have a tremendous and lasting impact on me. Sometimes happy, and sometimes sad ... those seminal happenings have proven to be the memories that are the most meaningful. In the spring of 2021, I, like most of you, was thankful that we had turned a corner with the pandemic. We were able to think about returning to some resemblance of a normal school year. There was so much excitement from my students and fellow faculty members to be making music together again! I had started thinking about when I would retire…when I would be able to be okay with not being in front of my ensemble on a regular basis and not be surrounded by the energy of young musicians. I began to reminisce about the many amazing opportunities I was able to be a part of during my time at the University of Alabama with our marching band and with our concert ensembles.

In late March, I answered a very “unexpected” call and a fast and furious couple of weeks ensued… and before I could catch my breath, I

was house hunting in Chattanooga, Tennessee, rehearsing a different fight song in a much different environment, and working to create a new and vibrant future for the music students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. This “unexpected” change has proven to be one of the most astonishing changes in my life. It is an absolute joy to work with the students at UTC as they grow and mature as student musicians. To be on the journey of growth and improvement with the UTC Marching Mocs has been such an honor. In only a few short rehearsals into the new semester, the UTC Wind Ensemble is changing…at an “unexpected” rate. The improvement after every single rehearsal is remarkable. I never “expected” to have the honor of being on the faculty at UTC and to have the opportunity, one more time, to help students create something very special from the ground up. This is a very special place, and I am so fortunate to be a small part of the journey for this special group of students. I say this to remind everyone that, many times, those unexpected turns in our life, both personal and professional, can be something extraordinary. When we are faced with unexpected opportunities, I encourage you to stay positive and enjoy the ride. You never know what lies just around the next corner.

Continued on next page

RANDALL COLEMAN

“It’s the unexpected that changes our lives”

... unexpected events tend to have a tremendous and lasting impact on me ... those seminal happenings have proven to be the memories that are the most meaningful.

President’s Message, Randall Coleman, cont.

I would like to take a moment to express my thanks and gratitude to my amazing friends and colleagues on the NBA Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The Board of Directors met during the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and I am always so impressed with the work that these educators accomplish each year for the NBA. I am very proud of the accomplishments of the Board on behalf of all our NBA members. There are so many projects underway with our various committees and project chairs and so many goals have already been accomplished. The members of the Executive Committee are some of the most dedicated educators I have ever worked with, and it is my honor to serve NBA alongside you all. Our new NBA Executive Secretary, Dr. Scott Tobias, did an outstanding job organizing all the details at Midwest, and he and I eventually figured out how to set up the NBA display booth! Our annual General Membership meeting took place in front of a standing room only crowd in our meeting room. Honoring many NBA members, ensembles and icons is one of the most gratifying things that our organization does. Congratulations to all our award winners, competition contest winners, and Programs of Excellence winners. The various winners are listed elsewhere in the issue of the NBA Journal. Please take a moment to read and reflect on these very special programs and people!

The winter and spring seasons, for most of us, mean honor bands,

concerts, all-state bands, and auditions. I always smile when I hear someone ask a band director “now that marching season is over, what do you do?” Most of us are probably equally as busy during this time of the year as we are in the fall. Here’s hoping all your concerts, festivals and plans exceed your expectations this winter, and that your students enjoy both individual and ensemble success as you move through the semester.

It was wonderful to see so many of you in Chicago and I hope everyone has FINALLY made it home! Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance to you or your program. Never forget that you provide your students with many of their “unexpected” changes that will be a meaningful part of their memory for a lifetime, and it’s always the changes we don’t plan for that often change us the most.

Randall Coleman President The National Band Association

Never forget that you provide your students with many of their “unexpected” changes that will be a meaningful part of their memory for a lifetime, and it’s always the changes we don’t plan for that often change us the most.

As we embark on a new year of opportunities, I can’t help but reflect on the joys and challenges of 2022. The process of “getting back” what changed during COVID has been both frustrating and illuminating. On the one hand, the true value and impact of what we do in leading, participating in and supporting bands has arguably never been more apparent. On the other hand--for our teachers especially--the weight of twoplus years of rewriting curriculum, revamping artistic goals, and losing precious ground with students’ development continues to echo in band rooms all across the country. There is no way to wipe away those challenges, so we shouldn’t pretend that we can; rather, what we can do is focus on doggedly building forward, and doing everything possible to remind ourselves--and those many of us are charged to inspire-- why we continue to persevere in this opportunity to make music together.

In the Marine Band, we felt the effects of this first full year getting back from COVID shutdowns in a bit of a different way. In our role for the national community, we felt called to collectively push forward, carefully, but with determination in the face of these challenges. Our mission was to rekindle the spirit of music-making in every way possible, which I hope has served as a model and encouragement for others. As military bands

finally went back out on the road across the United States and, for us, also venturing to Europe this past summer, I was keenly focused on who would show up again to hear live performance. I have to admit that I was very nervous that we had perhaps all unwillfully entered a new era where it would no longer be a priority for many to leave the house to hear a concert, and that the opportunities to share live music would be forever diminished. But what we found quashed that fear. We encountered people in every community, from every background, who could not wait to interact with us. We found people who came back because music is an absolutely essential vehicle for connection between humans. The people who returned also brought a palpable appreciation for sharing those experiences that felt somewhat different than before—first and foremost, it felt as though it was filled with gratitude.

So, I left 2022 also filled with gratitude, and feeling like I have a new charge. There is a window here and now for us all to access a new level of creativity and vigor in celebrating our profession and lighting a fire in the next generation of musicians and music-lovers. This is the moment that the community of the NBA was made for: to create new experiences for each of us; to recognize excellent achievement and motivate each other to take a new step in our own development; to foster an

... what we can do is focus on doggedly building forward, and doing everything possible to remind ourselves –and those many of us are charged to inspire – why we continue to persevere in this opportunity to make music together.

President-Elect’s Message, Jason K. Fettig, cont.

environment where we are eager to share ideas and inspire each other, and to lift up and mentor those who will carry the flag for our special community after us. These are some of the areas in which today’s NBA focuses its energy and its resources, and we will continue to receive creative ideas from all corners of our nation and our collective. I have so enjoyed the conversation we have had thus far about the kinds of activities, advocacy and projects that matter and I look forward to the continued dialogue in this fresh and exciting new year of possibilities for the National Band Association.

In the Marine Corps, we frequently say to each other “Semper Fidelis”— always faithful. If there ever was a time for us to embody this ethos toward our chosen creative life in bands, this is the moment!

Jason K. Fettig President-Elect National Band Association

There is a window here and now for us all to access a new level of creativity and vigor in celebrating our profession and lighting a fire in the next generation of musicians and music-lovers.

Greetings one and all! Admittedly, I am writing this not long after the New Year, so my mind is still thinking about resolutions for the year ahead. I have been crafting New Year’s Resolutions for at least two decades now. They are largely the same from year to year, like limiting caffeine, exercising more, and watching my diet. One that is particularly meaningful for me this year is trying to be a more mindful, fully present person. We will see how well I have stuck to my resolutions by the time this is published!

Here is the issue at hand: Years of working hard have made me an excellent planner. So much so, that my mind is constantly racing ahead to the next thing that needs to be accomplished. I have noticed in the last several years that I sometimes struggle to let my mind unwind and simply enjoy the moment. Sound familiar? I’m sure we have all experienced that feeling in a meeting when you are thinking about all the other things that you need to get done … or in a particularly bad meeting, thinking about how your time could be better spent. I do not want to feel like my job is one ongoing meeting, where I am never fully present with the people around me. The best strategy I have learned is to notice when I start doing this and to shut it down immediately.

The same conundrum can exist

on the podium. It is all too easy to become fixated on the things that could be going better (future), rather than acknowledging the things that already are (present). The book that introduced me to the concept of being fully present as a conductor was The Creative Director: Alternative Rehearsal Techniques, or simply A.R.T., by Past President Edward Lisk. There is good reason why Mr. Lisk’s approach to teaching music is featured in multiple volumes of Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Great pedagogy is great pedagogy, period. I discovered his book, A.R.T., after teaching for ten years, and the timing was perfect for me. In particular, I highly recommend reading (or re-reading) Chapter 7 where he describes the importance of turning off our critical ears in performances. As conductors, we need to shift from a reactionary mode to a performance mode, where we can appreciate an ensemble’s joint artistic achievement in real time.

Another component of mindfulness is making sure we are aware of others’ needs. We must take the time to listen closely to what others are saying and feeling. One of my mother’s favorite quotes was from To Kill a Mockingbird, when Atticus Finch says, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from [their] point of view... until you climb into [their] skin and walk around in it.” To that

the NBA ... (IDEA) committee created a Welcome Statement ... that acknowledges how vital it is to hear and consider every NBA member’s voice. Our inspiration was drawn from the ever-growing use of “safe classroom” statements that many schools have developed.

Vice-President’s Message, Matt Temple, cont.

end, the NBA Inclusion-DiversityEquity-Awareness (IDEA) committee created a Welcome Statement this past fall that acknowledges how vital it is to hear and consider every NBA member’s voice. Our inspiration was drawn from the ever-growing use of “safe classroom” statements that many schools have developed.

I am pleased to report that the NBA Board of Directors has approved our use of the Welcome Statement, which reads as follows:

“The National Band Association acknowledges and embraces that our organization is strengthened by diversity. We welcome all peoples, inclusive of their culture, economic status, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, and abilities. The NBA is committed to including all voices in our organization and invites everyone to join us in the advancement of our mission and educational purposes.”

In conjunction with our new

Welcome Statement, the IDEA committee helped revise the Educational Purposes for our organization. The revisions were approved by the NBA Board of Directors when they met at the Midwest Clinic and will be submitted for a vote by the general membership this spring. Both the Welcome Statement and newly revised Educational Purposes represent a wholly positive step forward for our organization. I believe they demonstrate the NBA’s commitment to being mindful of the many ways in which we can support all members.

Remember, the National Band Association is for everyone! And as always, we are here to serve you.

Matt Temple Vice President National Band Association

LEND YOUR VOICE

We welcome and encourage members to submit articles for inclusion in future editions of the NBA Journal. Peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed articles are accepted. Please note the following deadlines for submission:

Winter Edition (February)

Spring Edition (May)

Summer Edition (August)

Fall Edition (November)

October

Please submit your article in Word document format to NBA Journal Editor Matthew Talbert at talbertm@ohio.edu

For guidance on how to submit a peer-reviewed article, please see page 85. Articles are published at the discretion of the editor and may appear in a later journal edition.

As conductors, we need to shift from a reactionary mode to a performance mode, where we can appreciate an ensemble’s joint artistic achievement in real time.

Greetings! By the time we all receive the NBA Winter Journal, we will be in the thick of preparation for important performances by our organizations. Whether it be secondary schools preparing for festival or music performance assessment, community bands and their winter concerts, collegiate ensembles and recruiting events, or military bands touring across the nation and performing for eager audiences, the months of February through May are filled with wonderful opportunities to create musical memories for performers and audiences.

Questions often arise regarding program design (literature selected for a performance and the order in which pieces are performed) that will be both educationally sound for the performers while meaningful for our audiences, and how we prepare our ensembles to successfully communicate the composers’ intent to audiences in our performances. The thoughts below are not exhaustive and barely scratch the surface, however these basic thoughts are in the back of my mind when programming and preparing performances for my ensembles:

I. PROGRAMING APPROPRIATE LITERATURE

A. Know the level of the ensemble and the selected work.

1. What are the weaknesses

and strengths in the ensemble?

2. Does the music challenge the performers without demoralizing them?

3. Does the ensemble have appropriate instrumentation for the work?

4. What are the exposed parts/ solos in the work?

5. What range is required in each part?

6. What are the technical demands of the work?

B. Establish a literature plan based on the goals for the ensemble (see goals below)

1. Choose literature that will be “stepping stones” towards more advanced literature.

• Melody

• Harmony

• Rhythm

• Meter

• Tempo

• Texture

• Orchestration

2. Program a variety of music for our ensembles.

• Genres (forms)

• Musical Periods (styles)

• Regions (geographical)

• Occasions (historical)

• Diverse composers

• Remember the saying… something old (standard warhorses), something new (commissions), something borrowed (worthy transcriptions), something

REBECCA PHILLIPS

Questions often arise regarding program design ... that will be both educationally sound for the performers while meaningful for our audiences, and how we prepare our ensembles to successfully communicate the composers’ intent ...

IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Immediate Past-President’s Message, Rebecca Phillips, cont.

• Dynamic Control

• Rhythm

• Intonation

• Chorales

• Phrasing

• Scales

• Keys and Modes

• Sight-reading

• Listening

• Singing

blue[s] (electronics, Third Stream)

C. Know the purpose/details of the performance.

1. Who is the audience? (parents, recruits, community members, educated musicians, etc.)

2. What is the purpose of the concert? (festival, convention, end-of-the year, etc.)

3. Example of a high school concert season plan:

• October Concert (fundamental building block for the year)

• December Concert (recruiting)

• February Concert (prefestival evaluation)

• May Concert (lighter due to outside distractions)

II. PREPARING THE ENSEMBLE TO COMMUNICATE SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH PERFORMANCE

A. Fundamentals are the key to success – these are just a few

• Breath Support

• Long Tones

• Lip Slurs (brass)

• Articulation/rudiments

B. Establish goals for our ensembles.

• Daily

• Weekly

• Monthly

• Semester

• Yearly

• Multi-year

C. Encourage playing opportunities in addition to full-ensemble performances to increase individual skill building and encourage musical independence.

1. Private or group lessons

2. Solos and small ensembles (assign students to non-conducted quartets, quintets, or sextets)

3. Chamber groups (seven to sixteen players)

4. Take time to program select small ensembles and chamber groups on concerts

5. District/All-State audition preparation

D. Provide the space for musicians to perform in other ensembles.

1. Collegiate honor bands

2. Summer chamber/concert band camps

3. Local youth orchestras

E. Provide opportunities for musicians to grow their ears by listening to performances by high level ensembles.

1. Other top high school ensembles in the state or region

2. Collegiate ensembles

3. Professional orchestras

4. Touring military bands

5. National and international festivals

The puzzle of programming to meet the needs and goals of our ensembles and audiences is an adventure and one of my favorite activities. Collaborating with musicians in a rehearsal setting to prepare for a performance is truly the most enjoyable part of my musical life. I wish you and your ensembles the very best as you continue your preparation for performances this spring. (Go Band!)

Rebecca Phillips Immediate Past President National Band Association

The puzzle of programming to meet the needs and goals of our ensembles and audiences is an adventure and one of my favorite activities.

NBA MISSION STATEMENT FOR DIRECTORS OF SCHOOL BANDS

by Dr. William Moody | Revised in December 2009

The mission for directors of school bands is understood inherently by those who think of themselves more often as instrumental music teachers rather than simply as band directors. The basic objective of instrumental music education is that students will learn performance skills in order to understand musical language and to experience the joys of recreating music in the expressive medium of their choice. Music education should prepare students also for a fuller understanding and appreciation of the music they will be hearing the rest of their lives regardless of its style or venue. Efforts to address the National Standards for Music Education in band class by including music theory, music history, improvisation, and composition will help the students be better listeners in adulthood and will make better musicians of those who wish to pursue musical careers or practice music as an avocation in adult life.

The National Band Association would like school administrators, teachers, and parents to recognize that students elect to study instrumental music for a variety of reasons, including: as an outlet for creativity, a source of social interaction with like-minded peers, a possible career choice, gratification that comes from recognition by responsive audiences, discipline through study and practice, and service to school and community. The evaluation of instrumental music programs should be grounded in a review of the educationally and aesthetically justifiable objectives that are explicit in this mission statement.

The long-respected model for learning to play a musical instrument based on the role of artist-teacher with a studio of private students applies as well to school bands. Band class must provide these same foundations: a correct concept of characteristic tone quality, development of technique based on a graded course of study, a formal system for counting rhythms, practice in developing good intonation, and the sure goal of playing expressively.

An instrumental music program should offer a broad range of musical experiences: an extensive solo and chamber music repertory that provides subtle opportunities for nuance and other systems of expression; a school jazz ensemble that stresses rhythmic precision, understanding of harmonic progression, and creative improvisation; a concert band, the core of the program, where our musical heritage is transmitted through inspirational compositions by the most creative composers.

Service activities such as marching band are often important to the school and community, and students who participate gain social, educational, and musical values. Because evaluative competition can raise standards and motivate progress, NBA strongly recommends that all bands participate in festivals or contests sponsored by district and state music education associations, especially when a rating rather than a ranking is the goal. However, the integrity of the instructional program can be threatened by a disproportionate emphasis on competitions and service-related performances. Marching band activities that require extra rehearsals and travel time should be scheduled with concern for the many responsibilities that students have in addition to their musical studies, and must never be the focus of the instrumental music program. Excessive demands on students, parents, and community––financial and otherwise––bring about consequences harmful to the essence of the instrumental music program.

History demonstrates that those who cultivate a special intelligence in an area of personal interest make great contributions to the way we live. Efforts by legislators or educators to emphasize one area of study alone stifle the pluralism that has been one of this country's strengths. Rather, schools should provide a broad base of knowledge for students and also encourage development of the special abilities of those who demonstrate the capacity to excel. Instrumental music studies provide a laboratory of artistic and social opportunities for individual development that contributes to the collective good.

The arts provide unique forms of knowledge, present a basic means of communication, and produce lasting works that are the hallmarks of a civilization. President Abraham Lincoln reminded us that education is not for the purpose of learning to earn a living, but for learning what to do with a living after it has been earned. Whether in the arts or other areas of interest, students who are encouraged to develop their talents and interests participate in the continuous regeneration of our democratic ideals.

NBA’S ACADEMY OF WIND AND PERCUSSION ARTS

NBA AT ITS BEST

The National Band Association was founded on September 11, 1960. This new organization was the dream and brain child of Traugott Rohner, the editor and founder of The Instrumentalist magazine. Rohner set up a meeting with two of the most capable leaders among America’s band directors, Dr. Al G. Wright, who was at that time Director of Bands at Purdue University, and John Paynter, Director of Bands at Northwestern University, and these two very able leaders established a new, inclusive band organization which grew into the largest band organization in the world.

Al Wright was the NBA’s first president, and he soon became aware of a need to establish a special, high level award program to recognize excellence and exceptional service to bands. The result of this was the establishment of The Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts (AWAPA). This award was established for the purpose of recognizing those individuals who have made truly significant and outstanding contributions to furthering the excellence of bands and of band music, and it was not to be limited to band directors, but to anyone who’s contributions were determined to be so outstanding that they deserved and warranted honor and recognition.

The nine-inch silver AWAPA figure is designed to be the “Oscar” of the band world. Elections to the academy are made from time to time by the Board of Directors acting upon nominations from the AWAPA Commission. Presentations of AWAPA awards are made at band performances or meetings of national significance. The new recipients of the award are announced at the annual National Band Association Membership Meeting at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago each December, and the honorees from the previous year are invited to attend that meeting for a formal presentation of the award.

If the recipient is not able to be present at that meeting, the award is presented at another prestigious band event where the recipient is properly honored and recognized. The award consists of a silver statuette, a silver medallion, and an engraved certificate. The Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts represents the highest honor which the National Band Association can confer on any individual.

The NBA represents the best there is in a great, proud profession. When we honor our very best, we bring honor on our organization and on our profession. A list of the past recipients of the AWAPA Award is literally a “Who’s Who” list of some of the greatest leaders involved in the band movement during the past six decades. The list includes an international cross section of important individuals representing all aspects of the band world, who have rendered remarkable service to bands.

AWAPA RECIPIENTS LISTED BY DATE AND YEAR OF PRESENTATION

William D. Revelli

November 25, 1961

Karl L. King

November 10, 1962

Harold D. Bachman

January 9, 1965

Glenn Cliffe Bainum

February 21, 1965

Al G. Wright

March 7, 1969

Harry Guggenheim

August 18, 1969

Paul V. Yoder

December 18, 1969

Toshio Akiyama

December 13, 1970

Richard Franko Goldman

July 23, 1971

John Paynter

March 5, 1972

Roger A. Nixon

July 12, 1972

Traugott Rohner

February 11, 1973

Sir Vivian Dunn

March 2, 1973

Jan Molenaar

July 11, 1974

Frederick Fennell

August 3, 1975

Harry Mortimer

August 3, 1975

George S. Howard

December 16, 1976

Mark Hindsley

March 2, 1978

Howard Hanson

December 13, 1978

James Neilson

December 13, 1978

Vaclav Nelhybel

December 13, 1978

Leonard Falcone

December 12, 1979

Alfred Reed

December 12, 1979

Arnald Gabriel

December 16, 1980

Nilo Hovey

December 16, 1980

Trevor Ford

December 16, 1981

Vincent Persichetti

December 16, 1981

Clare Grundman

December 15, 1982

Morton Gould

December 15, 1982

Karel Husa

December 15, 1982

Harry Begian

December 14, 1983

Francis McBeth

December 12, 1984

Normal Dello Joio

December 12, 1984

J. Clifton Williams

December 18, 1984

Frank W. Erickson

December 17, 1986

Neil A. Kjos

December 17, 1986

Merle Evans

December 20, 1986

Hugh E. McMillen

December 17, 1986

Claude T. Smith

December 16, 1987

Warren Benson

December 14, 1988

John Bourgeois

December 14, 1988

Donald Hunsberger

December 19, 1990

Edgar Gangware

December 19, 1991

W J Julian

December 16, 1992

Geoffrey Brand

December 20, 1995

Harvey Phillips

December 21, 1995

Richard Strange

December 20, 1995

L. Howard Nicar, Jr.

October 16, 1996

Kenneth Bloomquist

December 18, 1996

H. Robert Reynolds

December 18, 1996

Elizabeth Ludwig Fennell

December 17, 1997

Arthur Gurwitz

December 17, 1997

Russell Hammond

December 14, 1999

William F. Ludwig

December 14, 1999

John M. Long

December 20, 2001

Raoul Camus

December 19, 2002

Paul Bierley

June 14, 2003

William J. Moody

December 18, 2003

Earl Dunn

December 16, 2004

Victor Zajec

December 16, 2004

James T. Rohner

December 15, 2005

Frank Battisti

December 21, 2006

David Whitwell

December 20, 2007

Frank B. Wickes

December 18, 2008

Ray Cramer

December 17, 2009

James Croft

April 16, 2011

Paula Crider

December 15, 2011

Mark Kelly

December 15, 2011

Bobby Adams

December 19, 2013

Richard Floyd

December 18, 2014

Edward Lisk

December 17, 2015

Linda R. Moorhouse

December 15, 2016

Thomas V. Fraschillo

December 21, 2017

John Whitwell

December 20, 2018

Richard Crain

December 19, 2019

Loras John Schissel

December 15, 2020

Bruce Leek

December 16, 2021

Julie Giroux

December 20, 2022

Frank Ticheli

December 20, 2022

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE NATIONAL BAND ASSOCIATION

Al G. Wright 1960 - 1962

Honorary Life President

John Paynter 1962 - 1966

Honorary Life President

Edward W. Volz 1966 - 1968

William J. Moody 1968 - 1970

George S. Howard 1970 - 1974

F. Earl Dunn 1974 - 1976

William D. Revelli 1976 - 1978

W J Julian 1978 - 1980

Kenneth Bloomquist 1980 - 1982

James Neilson 1982 - 1984

James K. Copenhaver 1984 - 1986

James Croft 1986 - 1988

Frank B. Wickes 1988 - 1990

Edward S. Lisk 1990 - 1992

Robert E. Foster 1992 - 1994

John R. Bourgeois 1994 - 1996

James Keene 1996 - 1998

Thomas Fraschillo 1998 - 2000

Paula Crider 2000 - 2002

David Gregory 2002- 2004

Linda Moorhouse 2004- 2006

Bobby Adams 2006- 2008

Finley Hamilton 2008- 2009

John Culvahouse 2009- 2012

John M. Long 2010 Honorary President

Roy Holder 2012 - 2014

Richard Good 2014 - 2016

Scott Casagrande 2016 - 2018

Scott Tobias 2018 - 2020

Rebecca Phillips 2020 - 2022

PRESIDENT

Randall Coleman

Director of Bands and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, Tennessee

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Col. Jason K. Fettig

Director, United States Marine Band Washington, D.C.

ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL & JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES

VICE-PRESIDENT

Matt Temple Director of Bands New Trier High School Winnetka, Illinois

IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT

Rebecca Phillips

Director of Bands

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, Colorado

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY-TREASURER

Scott Tobias

Director of Bands

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia

APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES

CHIP DE STEFANO

Director of Bands

McCracken Middle School

Skokie, Illinois

TRACY LESLIE

Director of Bands

Del Webb Middle School

Las Vegas, Nevada

TIFFANY HITZ

Director of Bands and Music

Department Chair

Rachel Carson Middle School

Fairfax County, Virginia

MILITARY/PROF. BANDS

LT. COL. DANIEL TOVEN

Commander & Conductor, West Point Band, West Point, NY

COMMUNITY BANDS

MICHAEL

BURCH-PESSES

Director of Bands

Pacific University

Forest Grove, Oregon

MUSIC INDUSTRY

MIKE MILLER

Fred J. Miller Inc. Miamisburg, OH

SUSAN WATERS

Director of Bands

W.H. Oliver Middle School Nashville, Tennessee

HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES

CRAIG AARHUS

Associate Director of Bands Mississippi State University Starkville, Mississippi

BRIAN COVEY

Director of Bands

Lockport Township High School

Lockport, Illinois

JERELL HORTON

Director of Bands

Vestavia Hills

Vestavia Hills, Alabama

AT-LARGE REPRESENTATIVES

Lowell E. Graham, Col, USAF (ret)

Retired, United States Air Force Band Washington, D.C.

MARK HEIDEL

Director of Bands University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa

DIVISION CHAIRS

DIANE KOUTSULIS

Retired Music Educator Las Vegas, Nevada

COL. DON SCHOFIELD Commander and Conductor United States Air Force Band Washington, D.C.

CHAD KAMEI

Director of Bands

Pearl City High School

Honolulu, Hawaii

BOBBY LAMBERT

Director of Bands

Wando High School

Mount Pleasant, SC

COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVE

ARRIS GOLDEN

Associate Director of Bands

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

EASTERN

ANDREW YOZVIAK

Director of Bands West Chester University West Chester, Pennsylvania

SOUTHWESTERN

DUSTIN SEIFERT

Director of Bands

Eastern New Mexico University

Portales, New Mexico

SOUTHERN

COREY SPURLIN

Associate Director of Bands

Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama

WESTERN/ NORTHWESTERN

NATE SEAMONS

Associate Director of Bands, Brigham Young University Provo, Utah

NORTH CENTRAL THAD DRISCOLL

Director of Bands

Cedar Rapids Jefferson High Cedar Rapids, Iowa

WESTERN/ NORTHWESTERN

DAHN PHAM

Director of Bands

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington

INTERNATIONAL HENK SMIT

Education Specialist

Dutch National Institute of Cultural Education and Voluntary Arts

Groningen, Middelstum

The Netherlands, Europe

NBA/WILLIAM D. REVELLI MEMORIAL BAND COMPOSITION CONTEST

1977 Jerome Sorczek – Variations for Band

1978 No Award Given

1979 Harry Bulow – Textures

1980 Byron Tatte – Between Worlds

1981 David Gillingham – Concerto for Bass Trombone and Band

1982 No Award Given

1983 Gregory Youtz – Scherzo for a Bitter Moon

1984 Arthur Gottschalk – Concerto for Wind and Percussion Orchestra

1985 Michael Colgrass – Winds of Nagual

1986 No Award Given

1987 Anthony Iannaccone – Apparitions for Symphonic Band

1988 Martin Mailman – For Precious Friends Hid in Death’s Dateless Nights

1989 Gordon Ring – Concerto for Piano, Winds and Percussion

1990 Paul Epstein – The Adventures of Matinee Concerto, as Broadcast Live from the Late 20th Century, with Notes

1991 Mark Camphouse – To Build a Fire

1992 Ron Nelson – Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H)

1993 James Syler – The Hound of Heaven

1994 Jeffrey Hass – Lost in the Funhouse

1995 Donald Grantham – Bum’s Rush

1996 Walter Mays – Dreamcatcher

1997 Warren Benson – The Drums of Summer

1998 Donald Grantham – Fantasy Variations

1999 Donald Grantham – Southern Harmony

2000 David Kechley – Restless Birds Before the Dark Moon

2001 Joseph Spaniola – Escapade

2002 Dean Roush – Illuminations

2003 (tie) David Dzubay – Ra!

Sam Hazo – Perthshire Majesty

2004 Joseph Turrin – Illuminations for Solo Trombone and Wind Symphony

2005 Philip Sparke – Music of the Spheres

2006 Frank Ticheli – Symphony No. 2

2007 Steven Bryant – Radiant Joy

2008 Steven Bryant – Suite Dreams

2009 John Mackey – Aurora Awakes

2010 Steven Bryant – Ecstatic Waters

2011 (tie) Scott Lindroth – Passage

Kevin Walczyk – Epitaphs Unwritten

2012 Michael Schelle – The End of the World

2013 Oliver Waespi – Audivi Media Nocte

2014 Wayne Oquin – Affirmation

2015 (tie) Paul Dooley – Masks and Machines

John Mackey – Wine-Dark Sea

2016 Philip Sparke – A Colour Symphony

2017 James Stephenson – Symphony No. 2, “Voices”

2018 Wayne Oquin – Song for Silent Voices

2019 Omar Thomas – Come Sunday

2020 Brian Balmages – Love and Light

2021 Frank Ticheli – Lux Perpetua

2022 James David – Flying Jewels

NBA/MERRILL JONES MEMORIAL BAND

COMPOSITION CONTEST

1992 Robert Cronin – A Soldier’s March

1994 David Checketts – Festival de Ladrones (Festival of Thieves)

1996 Robert T. Smith – Panther Fire

1998 No Award Given

1999 Charles Rochester Young – Legends of the Northern Wind

2001 Sam Hazo – Novo Lenio

2003 Jonathan Newman – Moon by Night

2005 Brett Dietz – shards of glass

2007 Ryan Main – The Clash

2009 No Award Given

2010 Jack Hughes – After Rain

2012 Jess Turner – Exultant Heart

2014 David Faleris – Of Chivalry and Honor

2016 Joshua Hummel – Fanfare for the Appalachians, I-77

2018 James M. David – With Soul Serene

2020 Tom Davoren – A Midwestern Suite

2021 No Award Given

2022 Isabella Morrill – Voyage of the Northern Lights

NBA YOUNG COMPOSERS JAZZ COMPOSITION CONTEST

2011 Susame Watanabe – Duodecim

2012 Brendon McMullin – Sal y Pimienta

2013 David von Kampen – Hodie Christus Natus Est

2014 Sean Nelson – Every Possible History of the Universe

2015 Jessika Smith – Cyan Thread

2016 Cassio Vianna – April Song

2017 No Award Given

2018 Matt Horanzy – Init 1

2019 Jorge Machain – Por Ahora (For Now)

2020 Postponed due to Covid-19

2021 No Award Given

2022 Clint Bleil – It Matters

NBA ALFRED MUSIC YOUNG BAND COMPOSITION CONTEST

2012 Clifton Jones – Rondo Picoso

2014 Erika Svanoe – The Haunted Carousel

2016 Haley Woodrow – And it Begins

2018 Andrew Perkins – Gradients

2020 Brooke Pierson – The Lighthouse Keeps Watch

2021 No Award Given

2022 Steven J. Pyter – PROXIMA

NBA Awards Winners, cont.

NBA HALL OF FAME OF DISTINGUISHED CONDUCTORS — INSTALLATION DATES

Col. Harold Bachman

Mr. Glenn C. Bainum Cmdr.

Charles Brendler

Capt. Howard Bronson

Mr. Herbert L. Clarke

Mr. Patrick Conway

Dr. Henry Fillmore

Mr. Patrick Gilmore

Mr. Edwin F. Goldman

Dr. Austin A. Harding

Mr. Karl L. King

Col. Sam Loboda

Mr. A. R. McAllister

Mr. Arthur Pryor

Capt. William H. Santelmann

Dr. Frank Simon

Mr. John Philip Sousa

Mr. Dale C. Harris

Dr. James Neilson

Dr. William D. Revelli

Col. George S. Howard

Dr. Merle Evans

Dr. Mark Hindsley

Mr. Charleton Stewart

Mr. Ernest Williams

Dr. Leonard Falcone

Dr. D. O. Wiley

Mr. Raymond Dvorak

Mr. Nilo Hovey

Dr. Al G. Wright

Dr. Frederick C. Ebbs

Dr. Frederick Fennell

Dr. Robert Hawkins

Lt. Col. William F. Santelmann

Dr. Paul Yoder

Col. Arnald Gabriel

Dr. Harry Begian

Dr. W J Julian

Dr. Frank (Francesco)

Nicolo Mancini

Dr. John M. Long

Mr. William P. Foster

Mrs. Gladys Stone Wright

Col. John Bourgeois

Mr. Kenneth Bloomquist

Dr. James Croft

Col. Hal Gibson

Mr. Robert E. Foster

Mr. Edward S. Lisk

Dr. Donald E. McGinnis

Mr. Ray E. Cramer

Dr. William J. Moody

Mr. Frank B. Wickes

Dr. Bobby Adams

Dr. Paula Crider

Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo

Mr. John Paynter

Mr. Robert D. Jorgensen

Dr. Richard E. Strange

Dr. David Gregory

Mr. Michael Nakasone

Lowell E. Graham, Col, USAF (ret)

Mr. Joseph Hermann

Mr. Don Wilcox

Mr. Dennis Zeisler (posthumously)

NBA Awards Winners, cont.

2022 NBA HALL OF FAME OF DISTINGUISHED CONDUCTORS DENNIS ZEISLER

It is a great pleasure to announce that Dennis Zeisler, Professor Emeritus & Director of Bands Emeritus at Old Dominion University, has been elected to the National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors. A public announcement was made at the National Band Association General Membership meeting at the 2022 Midwest Clinic.

For 39 years (1979-2018), Dennis Zeisler served as the Director of Bands, Professor of Clarinet and Saxophone, and Professor of Conducting, Wind Literature and

Pedagogy at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. During his tenure at Old Dominion, his bands made multiple recordings and performed several times at the Virginia Music Educators Association State Conference as well as appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.

He was the founder and conductor of the Virginia Wind Symphony, a professional wind ensemble established in 1994. The VWS performed at two American Bandmaster Association Conventions (2004, 2011) as well as three

performances at the prestigious Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic (2004, 2012, 2017). The John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the Sudler Silver Scroll Award to Dennis and the VWS in 2011.

In 1998, Dennis was the National Band Association State Chair for Virginia and was also elected for membership to the American Bandmasters Association and later served as its 77th president (20142015). In 1999, he was selected as the Virginia Music Educator of the Year and received the Phi Mu Alpha Orpheus Award. He received the National Band Association Mentor Award in 2004, and in 2010 he was awarded a “University Professorship” for excellence in teaching by Old Dominion University. Upon his retirement in 2018, Kappa Kappa Psi presented him with the Distinguished Service to Music Award.

In 1994, 2004, 2014, 2017 he received Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association, and in 2020, the Association of Concert Bands voted him the Outstanding Conductor. In 2022, the Alpha Chi Phi Beta Mu Chapter established the “Career Achievement Award”, and presented it posthumously to the Zeisler family.

Continued on page 22

Michigan Band, under the direction of Dr. Revelli from 1967–1972

NBA Hall of Fame, cont.

From here forward, it will be awarded as the Phi Beta Mu “Dennis J. Zeisler” Career Achievement Award.

Professor Zeisler’s musical pedigree was impressive. For four years, Dennis was the principal clarinetist of the famed University of Michigan Symphony Band under the direction of William D. Revelli.

He was the solo clarinetist of the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, and solo clarinetist of the Detroit Concert Band conducted by Leonard B. Smith. Zeisler had his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall in May of 1974 and performed at three International Clarinet Society Conferences. His list of orchestral performances included: principal clarinetist of the American Youth Orchestra, Frederick Fennell Conductor, the Virginia Symphony, the Roanoke Symphony, and the Virginia Beach Pops, to name a few. He performed on both clarinet and saxophone with many big names such as: Tony Bennett, Rita Moreno, Steve and Eydie Gorme and many others. He was clarinet soloist and conductor of numerous high school, college and university bands. Some other guestconducting experiences include the Dallas Wind Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, Symphoncity, Tidewater Winds, several All-State Bands, and multiple European tour performances with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Bands. He was the founder and conductor of the Colburn Adult Wind Symphony in Los Angeles,

CA. Zeisler was elected the founding conductor of the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia Wind Ensemble. He took great pride in conducting most of the premiere U.S. military bands.

His career included tremendous leadership in his profession. He served as the chair of the Department of Music at ODU for many years during a time when the department experienced many significant changes including securing a very large monetary gift from the Ludwig Diehn estate. He was the President of the Southern Division of CBDNA from 1993-1995 and hosted one of their annual conventions. He served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Schools of Music, the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the National Band Association, and the American Bandmasters Association, and most recently served on the Board of Directors for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. In addition to teaching conducting at ODU, Dennis was active in the mentoring and training of many young military conductors. He trained Army, Navy and Marine Band Officers at the graduate level. He also mentored and trained both Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers at the Army School of Music.

“Every moment in your presence was beautiful, artistic, inspirational and consequential.”

“I didn’t know Mr. Zeisler very long, but his impact on me was great.”

“Dennis Zeisler was a masterful bandmaster who gave me opportunities I would not have received elsewhere. His care and guidance went well beyond music and I am grateful for his role in my life.”

“I took lessons from Dennis starting in high school, then continued learning from him for the rest of my life. His musicianship has inspired my musical career over the last 30 years, and I am deeply indebted to him for who I am as a musician.”

“His firm-but-incredibly-warm attention to the person I was, not just the student I was, gave both the space for growth and the guidance to become the person I am today.”

Perhaps his greatest legacy is his students his students who he mentored with affection, honesty, and great skill. Some of their comments include the following:

His induction will take place at the Hall of Fame located at Troy University in 2024.

JULIE GIROUX & FRANK TICHELI TO BE INDUCTED INTO NBA’S ACADEMY OF WIND AND PERCUSSION ARTS

During the recent NBA General Membership meeting at the 2022 Midwest Clinic, it was announced that Julie Giroux and Frank Ticheli will be the 2023 recipients of the National Band Association Academy of Wind and Percussive Arts award. Both will be formally recognized at the NBA General

Membership meeting during the 2023 Midwest Clinic. The Academy of Wind and Percussive Arts (AWAPA) award was established for the purpose of recognizing those individuals who have made truly significant and outstanding contributions to furthering the excellence of bands and of band music. It is not limited to band directors, but to anyone whose

contributions are determined to be so outstanding that they deserve and warrant honor and recognition. The nine inch silver “AWAPA” figure is designed to be the “Oscar” of the band world. The NBA extends congratulations to both Julie Giroux and Frank Ticheli.

JULIE GIROUX

Julie Ann Giroux was born in Fairhaven, Massachusetts on December 12, 1961. She graduated from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA in 1984. She started playing piano at 3 years of age and began composing at the age of 8 and has been composing ever since. Her first published work for concert band, published by Southern Music Company was composed at age 13.

Julie began composing commercially in 1984. She was hired by Oscar winning composer Bill Conti as an orchestrator, her first project with Conti being “North & South” the mini-series. With over 100 film, television and video game credits, Giroux collaborated with dozens of film composers, producers, and celebrities including Samuel Goldwyn, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood,

JULIE GIROUX

NBA's Academy of Wind and Percussive Arts, cont.

Madonna, Liza Minnelli, Celene Dion, Paula Abdul, Michael Jackson, Paul Newman, Harry Connick Jr. and many others. Projects she has worked on have been nominated for Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Golden Globe awards. She has won individual Emmy Awards in the field of “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Direction”. When She won her first Emmy Award, she was the first woman and the youngest person to ever win that award. She has won it three times.

Giroux has also published a large category of classical works with emphasis on original compositions for Wind Band which are published by Musica Propria and distributed internationally. She is greatly sought after as a composer and recently completing her 5th Symphony “Sun, Rain & Wind” which premiered in June, 2018. Her music has been recorded and reviewed internationally receiving top reviews and her music has been performed at major music festivals the world over.

Giroux has been a true force in a male dominated field and has accrued many previously male only awards. She is a member of ASCAP, The Film Musicians Fund, Kappa Kappa PSI, Tau Beta Sigma and a member of the American Bandmasters Association. She is a recipient of the Distinguished Service to Music Medal Award, Emmy Awards and was the first female composer inducted into the American Bandmasters Association in 2009.

FRANK TICHELI

Frank Ticheli’s music has been described as being “optimistic and thoughtful” (Los Angeles Times), “lean and muscular” (The New York Times), “brilliantly effective” (Miami Herald) and “powerful, deeply felt, crafted with impressive flair and an ear for striking instrumental colors” (South Florida Sun-Sentinel). Ticheli (b. 1958) joined the faculty of the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music in 1991, where he is Professor of Composition. From 1991 to 1998, Ticheli was Composer in Residence of the Pacific Symphony.

Ticheli’s orchestral works have received considerable recognition in the U.S. and Europe. Orchestral performances have come from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Dallas Symphony, American Composers Orchestra, the radio orchestras of Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Saarbruecken and Austria and the orchestras of Austin, Bridgeport, Charlotte, Colorado, Haddonfield, Harrisburg, Hong Kong, Jacksonville, Lansing, Long Island, Louisville, Lubbock, Memphis, Nashville, Omaha, Phoenix,

FRANK TICHELI

Portland, Richmond, San Antonio, San Jose, Wichita Falls and others.

Ticheli’s flute concerto received its world premiere at the National Flute Association Convention in Minneapolis, with the composer conducting and Thornton colleague Jim Walker as soloist. In February 2018, Ticheli’s third symphony, The Shore, received its East Coast premiere at New York’s Carnegie Hall by NYChoral Society and Orchestra.

Ticheli is well-known for his works for concert band, many of which have become standards in the repertoire. In addition to composing, he has appeared as guest conductor of his music at Carnegie Hall, at many American universities and music festivals and in cities throughout the world, including Schladming (Austria), Beijing and Shanghai, London and Manchester, Singapore, Rome, Sydney and numerous cities in Japan.

He is the recipient of a 2012 Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, his third award from that prestigious organization. His Symphony No. 2 was named winner of the 2006 NBA/ William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest. Other awards include the Walter Beeler Memorial Prize and first prize awards in the Texas Sesquicentennial Orchestral Composition Competition, Britten-onthe-Bay Choral Composition Contest and Virginia CBDNA Symposium for New Band Music.

Ticheli was awarded national honorary membership to Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, “bestowed to individuals who have significantly contributed to the cause of music in America,” and the A. Austin Harding Award by the American School Band Directors Association, “given to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the school band movement in America.” At USC, he has received the Virginia Ramo Award for excellence in teaching, and the Dean’s Award for Professional Achievement.

Ticheli received his doctoral and master’s degrees in composition from The University of Michigan. His works are published by Manhattan Beach, Southern, Hinshaw and Encore Music and are recorded on the labels of Albany, Chandos, Clarion, Klavier, Koch International, Mark and Naxos.

2022 NBA AWARDS REPORT

NBA's Academy of Wind and Percussive Arts, cont.

CLINT BLEIL’S IT MATTERS

WINS THE 2022 NBA YOUNG COMPOSERS

JAZZ COMPOSITION CONTEST

Clint Bleil is a composer and saxophonist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has degrees in Music Education and Saxophone Performance from Slippery Rock University, where he studied under Jason Kush, and recently received his masters degree in Studio Jazz Writing from the University of Miami, where he studied composition under Gary Lindsay, John Daversa, and Carlos Rafael Rivera. Clint is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Washington & Jefferson College, where he teaches multiple lessons and classes as well as leads the Jazz and Wind Ensembles. He also offers private woodwind lessons throughout the Pittsburgh area. He regularly performs in the Pittsburgh area with his quartet that focuses on modern jazz arrangements and compositions, as well as a funk/fusion group that he co-leads with his brother.

It Matters was performed by the United States Air Force Airmen of Note, directed by Master Sgt. Lucas Brandon, at the 2022 Midwest Clinic.

For additional information, visit ClintBleilMusic.com Congratulations to Clint!

*The NBA would like to thank the University of Florida Bands for their sponsorship of this contest.

STEVEN J. PYTER'S PROXIMA B WINS THE 2022 NBA'S YOUNG BAND COMPOSITION CONTEST

Where in the galaxy, other than Earth, could human life survive?

Proxima B may be the answer to this cosmic question. The planet orbits the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, which is the closest star to our Sun. First discovered in 2016, NASA says, “The exoplanet is at a distance from its star that allows temperatures mild enough for liquid water to pool on its surface.”

Journey over four light years to the twin star system of Alpha Centauri in this adventurous new piece for the developing concert band! Hear and feel the excitement and danger of traveling beyond our solar system to Proxima B in this sci-fi inspired, cinematic-style concert work that is sure to capture the imagination of performers and audiences alike!

Steven Pyter is a music educator, composer, and arranger from the Chicago area. Throughout his career, he has taught a variety of instrumental, vocal, and general music classes at the high school level.

Steven received his Bachelor of Music degree from Northern Illinois University (DeKalb) and his Master of Music

Education Degree with teacher certification from VanderCook College of Music (Chicago, IL). His compositions and arrangements are available internationally and have been performed at concerts and festivals throughout the United States, including the Midwest Clinic Band and Orchestra Conference. He has published concert works through Alfred, C. Alan, FJH, Grand Mesa, and Wingert-Jones.

For more information, please visit SpyterMusic.com .

ISABELLA PIRITTA MORRILL'S VOYAGE OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS WINS THE 2022 NBA/MERRILL JONES MEMORIAL BAND COMPOSITION CONTEST

In 2022, Voyage of the Northern Lights, written by Isabella Piritta Morrill, was commissioned by director Danielle Armstrong and the Chief Umtuch Middle School Band in Battle Ground, Washington.

The musical narrative presented

comes from an old folk tale told in Scandinavia. The tale explains that the beautiful, awe-inspiring northern lights are actually carrying fallen soldiers and Vikings up to heaven. Other versions of this folklore explained that the lights were their final exhales and farewells before entering the afterlife.

To musically tell this tale, the composer, who has deep, familial roots in Finland, utilized modes, six-note scales, and progressions that possess the feel of a Scandinavian folk tune. The first section represents a burial hymn to those that have passed, as family members say their last goodbyes with somber hearts. The piece quickly progresses into a flurrying, colorful dance of the northern lights as they appear to sweep away the fallen into a new life. There is a mixing of themes as the fallen understand that they too must let go of their loved ones still on earth. Musical motion continues throughout as a signal of the ever-shifting shapes and contours of the northern lights. The composer at one point shifts into a waltz that carries over themes from the hymn as a picture of the fallen reuniting with those they love in heaven. The piece ends with a restatement of the beginning theme as a new day begins to override the voyage of the lights, and those remaining on earth must continue to live life, carrying the memory of the night of the northern lights.

Voyage of the Northern Lights is an exciting piece that acts as a tribute to the beauty of nature, the composer’s heritage, and to the continued

dedication of music teachers and students that make pieces like this possible.

Isabella Piritta Morrill was born and raised in the small town of Warrenton, Oregon. She has been playing music for as long as she can remember, going from piano, to the drum kit, to the French horn, and more. She plays twelve instruments, but her true love is composing. She is currently studying composition with Dr. Kevin Walczyk on scholarship at Western Oregon University, and past composition mentors include Dr. Dana Reason and Isabella’s father.

She received first place in the OMEA composition contest and was also commissioned to take part in the 2020 Newport Composers’ Symposium. Her premiere piece Hymn to the Rain was performed by the Columbia River Symphony in which she also plays French horn. She has placed in the top ten category for the OMEA solo competition on French horn. She performs with the North Coast Symphonic Band and the Astoria Nutcracker. Isabella can be found regularly playing piano, guitar, and singing at her local church as well as playing piano at local restaurants. In addition to composing

for orchestras and wind bands, she is a singer/songwriter who has played with indie groups across Oregon.

When not composing or performing, Isabella loves to travel, read, and write. One of her favorite memories is having served as the captain of a debate team that placed in the top 64 teams in an international competition. She can also be found spending time with her family, and being outdoors, exploring the beaches of the Northwest.

NBA/Merrill Jones Memorial Band Composition Contest, cont.

PROFESSOR MARCELLUS BROWN & MR. MICHAEL NAKASONE RECEIVE THE 2022 AL & GLADYS WRIGHT DISTINGUISHED LEGACY AWARD

The National Band Association is pleased to announce that Professor Marcellus Brown and Mr. Michael Nakasone are the 2022 recipients of the Al and Gladys Wright Distinguished Legacy Award. This award is presented for

MARCELLUS BROWN

Professor Brown is the Director of Bands at Boise State University and conducts the University Symphonic Winds and the Treasure Valley Concert Band. He teaches instrumental conducting and serves as the Director of the Boise State University Summer Chamber Music Camp. Under his direction the University Symphonic Winds has been recognized as one of the outstanding large wind ensembles in the Northwest. They have presented concerts at numerous Idaho State Music Educators Conferences, the Western/Northwestern College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Regional Conference and the 2011 CBDNA National Conference held in Seattle, Washington. The Treasure Valley Concert Band has performed at the Western International Band Clinic and the All-Northwest Music Educators Conference. In March of 2015 the University Symphonic Winds was invited to perform at the

lifetime achievement rather than for a single contribution, no matter how monumental. Nominees must have a minimum of 30 years of distinguished service to the profession, supporting the mission and goals of the National Band Association, which include the promotion of the concert band

81 st Annual American Bandmasters Association National Convention.

During the past five years this

and concert band music, teaching, mentorship, scholarship, and service to the band profession.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Professor Brown and Mr. Nakasone!

ensemble has commissioned and premiered four new works for wind band.

MARCELLUS BROWN

Continued on next page

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Brown holds a Masters of Music Degree in Trumpet Performance and Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the University of Michigan where he took conducting classes with Elizabeth Green. He has done doctoral work at the University of Illinois where he studied conducting with Harry Begian, Professor Emeritus of Bands.

Mr. Brown has done extensive work as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States and has been a guest conductor and presenter at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. He has been recognized for his work and dedication as an educator at Boise State University as the recipient of the 2002 Excellence In Teaching Award presented by the LDS Student Association, the 2002 Faculty/Staff Larry G. Selland Humanitarian Award presented by the University Women’s Center and one of ten honored faculty to receive the 2003 & 2012 Top Ten Student Scholar Awards.

In 2006 Mr. Brown was elected into the American Bandmasters Association. He has served as President of the College Band Directors National Association Northwestern Division (2007-2009). In 2008 he was elected to a twoyear term to serve on the board of the National Band Association. Currently Mr. Brown is serving on the selection panel for the National Band Association William D. Revelli Composition Contest.

MICHAEL NAKASONE

Nakasone retired in 2004 after a distinguished 36-year career in the public schools of Hawaii. During this time, Mr. Nakasone served as band director at Wahiawa Intermediate School, Mililani High School, and Pearl City High School.

At the time of his retirement, Mr. Nakasone was serving as Director of the Pearl City High School Performing Arts Learning Center. Bands under his direction have performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade, and the Ginza Parade in Tokyo. In 1992, the Pearl City High School Band was

Additionally, Mr. Nakasone has been recognized as Hawaii State Teacher (1996) of the Year and a recipient of the John Phillip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor (1995). He is also an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association.

In 2005, Mr. Nakasone was appointed bandmaster of the Royal Hawaiian Band. That same year, Mr. Nakasone received the Hawaii Music Award for Lifetime Achievement.

a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Flag of Honor.

MICHAEL NAKASONE

Al & Gladys Wright Distinguished Legacy Award, cont.

"So long as the human spirit thrives on this planet, music in some living form will accompany and sustain it ..." –Aaron

Be part of the world’s largest professional organization for bands, dedicated to promoting the musical and educational significance of bands and the attainment of a high level of excellence for bands and band music.

The NBA is open to anyone and everyone interested in bands and stands ready to serve all members of our thriving musical community.

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JOIN OR RENEW TODAY

PROFESSOR MARK CAMPHOUSE & DR. LINDA R. MOORHOUSE, RECEIVE THE 2022 NBA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

MARK CAMPHOUSE

In the year 2000, Professor Mark Camphouse began a new program in

partnership with the National Band Association designed to recognize and provide guidance to young composers. This program would come to be known as the National Band Association Young Composers Mentor Project. During the twenty-two years since, Professor Camphouse has provided continued guidance as the program has grown and developed, adding a conductor component administered for many years by Paula Crider. Composers who have served as mentors over the years include Frank Ticheli, David Gillingham, Donald Grantham, David Maslanka, Timothy Mahr, and others. The many

young composers who were selected to participate in the program since its inception include Kathryn Salfelder, Michael Markowski, Viet Cuong, and Jess Turner.

Early last year, Professor Camphouse announced that the 2022 YCCMP would be his last, culminating twenty-two years of distinguished service to the National Band Association. In recognition of his significant contributions to the National Band Association, and to the profession, the NBA is pleased to present the NBA Distinguished Service Award to Mark Camphouse.

Dr. Linda R. Moorhouse has served the National Band Association in multiple roles during her distinguished career. She is a past President, former Executive Secretary, and held the position of editor of the National Band Association Journal from 2009-2020. She has served as a Conductor Mentor for the NBA Young Composer/Conductor Mentor Project, a project which now emphasizes the importance of the composer and conductor interaction. The NBA has recognized Dr. Moorhouse with multiple awards, including the NBA Citation of Excellence and election to

the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts (AWAPA).

In recognition of her significant contributions to the National Band Association, and to the profession, the NBA is pleased to present the NBA Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Linda R. Moorhouse.

LINDA R. MOORHOUSE

JAMES DAVID’S FLYING JEWELS WINS THE NBA’S 2022 WILLIAM D. REVELLI MEMORIAL BAND COMPOSITION CONTEST

BY MATTHEW MCCUTCHEN

Awelcome sign that our profession continues its march towards full recuperation from the damage done by the Coronavirus pandemic could be found in the fact that there were 95 entries in this year’s William D. Revelli Composition Contest. These included pieces ranging from promising high school students to those from some of the best-known and most widely performed composers in the profession. Following an exhaustive screening process, I am pleased to announce that Flying Jewels by James David is the winning selection of the forty-sixth annual contest.

James David is an internationally recognized composer who serves as professor of music composition at Colorado State University. Although he composes for a wide variety of solo instruments and ensembles, he has become particularly well-known for his works for wind band. His band pieces have been performed by some of the most prominent professional and university ensembles including the U.S. Air Force Band, the U.S. Army Field Band, the Dallas Winds, the Showa Wind Symphony

(Japan), and the North Texas Wind Symphony. His compositions have been presented at more than sixty national and international conferences throughout North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia including the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the American Bandmasters Association Convention, the College Band Directors National Association Conferences, seven International Clarinet Fests, the International Horn Symposium, the World Saxophone Congress, the International Trombone Festival, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Commissions include projects for Joseph Alessi (New York Philharmonic), John Bruce Yeh (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Zachary Shemon (Prism Quartet), the Aries Trombone Quartet, BlueShift Percussion Quartet, the National Band Association, and the Atlantic Coast Conference Band Directors Association.

Dr. David has been surrounded by band music for his entire life. His father, Joe A. David III, was a renowned high school band director and professor of music education in

South Georgia.

This lineage can be heard in his music through the strong influence of jazz and other Southern traditional music mixed with contemporary idioms. He started learning music as a trombonist in the sixth grade and, encouraged by his band director, also made his first attempts at composing. New worlds of music opened for him in high school when he began piano lessons and started singing in choirs, and a love for classical works and the Southern Gospel tradition were fostered. David was also influenced by his older brothers who studied jazz in college. These formative experiences all worked together to impact his composing style and musicianship. During his undergraduate studies at the University of Georgia, David was able to study jazz composition and arranging with the legendary Sammy Nestico, who affected his approach to everything from voiceleading, to orchestration, to pacing and form. David was also fortunate to play trombone in the American Wind Symphony Orchestra where he experienced the excitement of collaborating with composers and conductors. Their conductor, Robert

NBA/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest, Matt McCutchen, Boudreau, commissioned hundreds of works and offered insight into the minds of some of the 20th and 21st centuries’ most impactful wind composers. During his doctoral studies at The Florida State University, he was commissioned to write his first piece for band for the historic Leon High School Band in Tallahassee, Florida. The experience of working with these dedicated student musicians and their outstanding teacher encouraged him to continue writing for band and collaborating with conductors as often as possible.

American Bandmasters Association Convention and offered David a potential commission on the spot. Unfortunately, it took more than two years before the work was completed due to the many challenges of the pandemic. Flying Jewels was part of the “Hope Arises” project and Col. Schofield’s only request was to write joyous and emotional music that would feel appropriate as the musical world slowly came back to life in 2021. Dr. David writes:

Flying Jewels was commissioned by US Air Force Concert Band, Col. Don Schofield, Conductor and Commander. Colonel Schofield heard the Colorado State University Wind Ensemble perform David’s Ghost of the Old Year at the 2019

“Flying Jewels” is a symphonic poem for wind ensemble that attempts to capture the joyous and hopeful spirit of a famous essay by the late author Brian Doyle. The title refers to how Europeans described hummingbirds when first encountering them in North America. Doyle’s essay muses on how intensely and passionately these tiny birds live their lives, with their hearts beating “ten times a second.” He also considers the blue whale’s giant heart, which beats as little as eight times a minute and can be heard from miles away. Ultimately, the essay asserts the connection that all people and creatures share; we all have one heart that carries us through life’s struggles, victories, and simple pleasures. My composition deals with the themes of Doyle’s essay by depicting the heart rhythms of different creatures through various metric/tempo modulations

and relationships. First is the hummingbird, flitting about with bright flourishes from woodwinds and metallic percussion at superhuman speeds. A reptile’s three-chambered heart is heard next with nods to the triple-meter dances of the Caribbean. At the center of the work is the human heart, which is a simple tune that slowly builds to a cadence at the heart rate of a blue whale: four giant chords that resound under the ocean depths. Finally, the work recapitulates each idea while gaining speed to combine all the tempi in an exuberant and ecstatic finale.

Original essay published here: theamericanscholar.org/joyasvolardores/

Matthew McCutchen is the Director of Bands at the University of South Florida. He is also the founder and conductor of the Bay Area Youth (BAY) Winds and the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Florida Wind Band. He is the chair of the National Band Association’s William D. Revelli Band Composition Contest, is on the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Selection Committee and is a member of the American Bandmasters Association.

Flying Jewels is scored for standard wind band instrumentation with optional English Horn, second oboe, contrabassoon, contrabass clarinet, and harp. Five percussionists are required to cover the parts (27 total instruments) and, as with most of David’s music, their input is crucial to the success of the piece. A competent pianist is also required as this voice is featured prominently in the middle section of the piece.

The work is 10 ½ minutes long and is in an “arch rondo” form in that it uses elements from Bartók’s arch forms and traditional sonata rondo. The recapitulation uses the “quodlibet” technique heard famously in the final movement of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The piece has subtle references to classic US Air Force commissions by Claude T. Smith, Philip Sparke, and David Holsinger that careful listeners might recognize. While it was written for a premier military ensemble, it is accessible to many high school and collegiate ensembles as long as conductors are aware of the following challenges.

1. All upper woodwinds must be comfortable playing rapid (quarter = 162) 16th note passages. These are especially prominent at the beginning and ending sections when David is portraying flying hummingbirds. Flight of the Bumblebee is a good reference point, although in this piece the passages are spread among the woodwinds, so

breathing is not an issue.

2. In general there are few range concerns, although flutes and first clarinets must be comfortable in their lower altissimo registers, and first trumpets need a high C. Writing idiomatically for wind instruments is one of Dr. David’s greatest strengths.

3. Stylistic playing through accurate articulation interpretation is crucial throughout the piece, nowhere more so than in the B (reptile heart) section that is in compound triple meter. Here the groove is in low voices and percussion and, if that never sets, the piece will not work.

4. The C (human heart) section features short, poignant solos in harp (cued in piano), French horn (cued in alto sax), and bassoon (cued in euphonium), and a lovely duo featuring solo oboe and English horn (cued in clarinet and alto saxophone).

5. The four percussion parts (besides timpani) were created specifically to accommodate social distancing requirements for the original recording. Using one or two additional players to cover some percussion instruments can facilitate performances.

Flying Jewels was premiered by the US Air Force Concert Band and a beautifully produced performance can be seen on Youtube by searching

“Flying Jewels: US Air Force Concert Band.” There is also a brand-new recording by the North Texas Wind Symphony conducted by Eugene Corporon on the GIA Windworks album Respair. The piece is available for purchase from Murphy Music Press. Ensembles that program the work will be profoundly rewarded. Full information on all his wind band works visit www.jamesmdavid.com.

The remaining finalists for the 2022 contest are listed below. Each of these are interesting and compelling pieces well-deserving of many performances and academic study. There are videos on Youtube of most of them, and you will note that the difficulty ranges from works written for a middle school ensemble, to one composed for The President’s Own United States Marine Band.

Dope – Katahj Copley

Dream of Ember, Dream of Star – David Biedenbender

Kung Fu – Shuying Li

Learning to Stay – Christina George Meaning in the Echoes – Kevin Poelking

Press On – Jessica Meyer

Spanish Dances – Luis Serrano Alarcon

I have been on this committee, in practically every role imaginable, for many years. It is difficult to remember a time that we have received this quality or quantity of entries. It is clear that wind band music continues to experiment, grow, and thrive.

NBA/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest, Matt McCutchen, cont.

2022 DR. WILLIAM P. FOSTER PROJECT AWARDS

PROJECT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

EASTERN DIVISION

Meredith Lord

Burncoat High School, Worcester, MA

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Dexter Bailey

Creekside High School, Fairburn, Georgia

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

Osmond Fisher

Central High School, Kansas City, MO

NORTH CENTRAL DIVISION

Roosevelt Griffin

Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School, Harvey, IL (At Time of Nomination)

NORTHWESTERN DIVISION

Peter Briggs

Lincoln High School, Tacoma, Washington

WESTERN DIVISION

Sarah Tochiki

Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Lihue, HI

PROJECT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

ARVIDA MIDDLE SCHOOL

David Gonzalez, Director of Bands Miami, FL

BARBER MIDDLE SCHOOL

Robert Grogan, Director of Bands Acworth, GA

DRUID HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Today Milford, Director of Bands Decatur, GA

2022 NBA PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE BLUE RIBBON AWARD

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Hagerty High School

Brad Kuperman and Brian Kuperman, Directors (Oviedo, FL)

Leon High School

Lee Commander and Curtis Newson, Directors (Tallahassee, FL)

Walton High School

John Palmer and Chris Johns, Directors (Marietta, GA)

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION

Artie Henry Middle School

Robert T. Herrings, Katherine Norris, and Aaron Sanchez, Directors (Cedar Park, TX)

WESTERN DIVISION

Rancho High School

Clinton Williams and Andrew Smouse, Directors (Las Vegas, NV)

USM STAGE NAMED IN HONOR OF FORMER DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Alumni and friends of The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) came together to ensure the inspirational efforts of longtime faculty member Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo will be recognized with the naming of the Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo Stage inside the Mannoni Performing Arts Center on USM’s Hattiesburg campus.

The fundraising effort began in January 2022 and was completed in July, totaling more than $109.5 thousand contributed by 192 University alumni, faculty, staff and friends, many of whom were former colleagues and students of Fraschillo. While the stage will be named in Fraschillo’s honor, all funds raised established an endowed scholarship for band students at USM.

“It was my privilege to be in school with Tom as an undergraduate at USM, and it has been my honor to be his friend and colleague and to share our professional lives for more than a half century,” said Dr. David Gregory, a significant donor to the effort and champion for this initiative. “It is so fitting that Tom’s legacy of greatness be honored though the naming of this stage.

Appropriately, and in keeping with the significance of this dedication, so much of his magnificent artistry was created and presented on a performance stage.”

A reception and unveiling was held in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 19 for project donors, School of Music alumni and USM band alumni.

“I couldn’t be more excited and honored to be part of the process to name our stage in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center for the inimitable Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo,” said Dr. Colin McKenzie, director of the School of Music at USM. “As a giant in the profession of wind-band conducting, he devoted his career to transforming the lives of students through his work at the high school and collegiate levels in the state of Mississippi.”

A native of Clarksdale, Miss., Fraschillo is a 1968 graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi and served his alma mater as Director of Bands for 28 years. His Meridian High School Band was recognized nationally through

an invitation to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago – an honor only two other bands from Mississippi had ever received.

While under Fraschillo’s leadership, the USM band program became a national model for musical and

artistic excellence and received acclaim throughout America and Europe. His scholarly and leadership talents brought international recognition to Southern Miss.

“The naming of the stage in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center is a significant event in the history of our School of Music,” McKenzie said. “I am proud that the legacy of our School and the legacy of Dr. Fraschillo are forever intertwined and will be showcased for all to see.”

During his career, he served as President of the Southern Division of the College Band Directors National Association, the President of the National Band Association, the President of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA), Executive Secretary of the ABA, was elected to the National Band Association's "Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors," and is the 2022 recipient of the Phi Beta Mu "Outstanding Bandmaster Award.” A dominant factor in the role and

direction of the band movement in America for nearly 50 years, Fraschillo's influence will continue to guide teachers and students for generations to come.

USM Stage to be Named ..., Hayley Taylor, cont.

Fraschillo now resides in Big Canoe, Ga. with his wife Cecilia.

Thomas Fraschillo & David Gregory at the unveiling reception in November 2022.

REIMAGINING WORK-LIFE BALANCE, PART II

BY MATTHEW MCCUTCHEN

This is a follow up to an article that Dr. Amy Acklin (Associate Director of Bands, University of Louisville) published in the Summer 2022 edition of this journal. The two of us, along with our tremendously patient spouses, have given four presentations on work-life balance over the past three years, culminating in a session at the 2022 Midwest Convention. Putting these presentations together was a labor of love for the four of us as it gave us the opportunity to examine the efforts we make in our own lives and find ways that we can help guide our students through this complex issue.

OVERVIEW

The Acklins and McCutchens met in 2006 when Amy and I began our doctoral studies at Florida State University. Before going to graduate school, we both taught middle and high school, and much of what we know about this subject is due to missteps that we made during those tremendously formative years. By diving further into this topic, we were not looking for ways to cut down on the number of hours our jobs require

but rather to suggest ways to make the time we spend working more rewarding and productive.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

For our presentations Amy undertook the bulk of the role of gathering data from the research on music teacher turnover, attrition, and burnout which, in a nutshell, show that A) attrition and burnout are serious challenges the profession is facing, B) there are many things about being a band director that drive people away, but statistically speaking, the actual teaching aspects are not the problem, and C) (the silver lining) - burnout is avoidable with work-life balance strategies. For example, Shaw & Fitzpatrick found that teachers who choose to be PROACTIVE with worklife balance strategies have:

1. Purposeful structure of work demands

2. A supportive partner

3. Passion for both work and home

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Our next step was to look at ways that some private-sector companies are approaching the subject of worklife integration. Our intent is not to convince people to leave their teaching job to work for Google, but

rather to see if any of the ways that large companies are approaching this topic might be adaptable for us. The idea is that happier workers make better workers. Also, happier workers tend to stay in their jobs, thus reducing the costliness of continuously training a new workforce.

Many companies are examining their policies, environments, schedules, and expectations. They believe their success hinges on attracting and keeping the most talented individuals in their fields. Here are a few examples of company policies and how they can practically be integrated in a teaching environment:

Matthew McCutchen is the Director of Bands at the University of South Florida. He is also the founder and conductor of the Bay Area Youth (BAY) Winds and the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Florida Wind Band. He is the chair of the National Band Association’s William D. Revelli Band Composition Contest, is on the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Selection Committee and is a member of the American Bandmasters Association.

Reimagining Work-Life Balance, Part II, Matt McCutchen, cont.

Private Sector – Dublin Goes Dark

Google’s Dublin office asked people to drop off their devices at the front desk before going home for the night. "Googlers reported blissful, stressless evenings"

Implications for Teachers

In order to manage work-life boundaries, we must be intentional about our phones. You might not be able to leave your electronic devices at work, but you can set a personal goal for turning them off at a specific time each evening - or at least not having them on during dinners with family and friends.

Private Sector – Flexible Scheduling

Many companies are allowing and even encouraging Flexible Scheduling, meaning their employees are no longer tied to a clock, but are allowed to get their work done whenever and wherever best works for them.

Implications for Teachers

While your school hours are likely not flexible, your before and after school hours are. Do not feel guilty for not scheduling a sectional / rehearsal / meeting every day. In fact, pick one day of the week and intentionally schedule nothing, even when you want to. That’s your time.

Private Sector – Trust

Trust employees rather than micromanaging.

Implications for Teachers

Do you trust your students? Do they know that? Do you allow them to make decisions about repertoires,

rehearsal schedules, or ensemble policies? Do you teach your student leaders to lead and then give them the space to do so? There is a wonderful quote that has floated through our profession for years –“Only do what only you can do”. That could change your life.

Private Sector – Encouragement

Encourage employees to grow and improve.

Implications for Teachers

Before you got into teaching it is very likely that you loved aspects of music making that now take a backseat to the responsibilities before you. What if you tried to get back to the level of curiosity you had as a student? How many concerts have you attended this year that you didn’t have to? When was the last time you listened to music solely for pleasure with no email, Facebook, TikTok, or other distraction going on? Who have you invited into your classroom to listen to your ensemble? When was the last time you practiced your instrument purely for fun?

Private Sector – Health and Wellness

Encourage employees to eat healthily and exercise. Not only does this save on health insurance, but companies believe that a healthier workforce is a happier, more productive workforce.

Implications for Teachers

Every single one of us knows we should be doing this, but day after

day it gets put off. Start small, take a walk when you come home for work, or get up half an hour earlier in the morning to exercise if you know you’ll be too tired after school. Plan your meals the night before rather than stopping for fast food so often. If you do not take care of yourself, you will not be able to maintain the pace your job requires.

Private Sector – Fewer meetings!

I read that when Jeff Bezos was running Amazon he held as few meetings as possible and tried to only meet with as many people as he could feed with two pizzas.

Implications for Teachers

Do you really have to have booster meetings the first Tuesday of every month? Why? Because your predecessor did it that way? Have fewer meetings, plan them better and people will appreciate the better use of their time.

MY INSPIRATION

When I started my career teaching middle school in rural Georgia, I was the typical young band director who spent every possible moment working, and when I wasn’t working I was thinking or talking about the job. A few years in, I recognized (or more likely, my wife told me) that this wasn’t sustainable in the long run, so I started looking for ways to adjust. When I went to Virginia Commonwealth University for my master’s degree it made a big impression on me to watch

Terry Austin finish his classes then immediately leave for the day to make dinner for his family. A year or two into my stint of teaching high school in Virginia, I attended a session at VMEA in which Frederick Fennell, his wife Betty, and Ray and Molly Cramer talked about how they had been able to balance their professional and personal lives for so long. I specifically remember Mr. Cramer talking about circling weekends on the calendar that would be set aside for family events, no matter what professional opportunities might pop up and hearing him talk about finishing marching rehearsals at Indiana University, going home for dinner and family time, and then going back to the office to work all night once the kids had gone to sleep. Watching these giants in the field talk about the necessity of turning down opportunities, setting dates aside specifically for family time, and having hobbies and interests beyond work was tremendously important to me as a young director. I walked out thinking “I may never be able to conduct like Ray Cramer, but if he thinks taking a daily walk with his wife is important, that, at least, is something I can do”.

That day I started looking for ways to spend more time at home and was pleasantly surprised to find that many of those decision in turn helped me become a better teacher.

GET OUT OF THE OFFICE

1. Schedule fewer after-school rehearsals. It was amazing how much better my band got once I stopped doing their practicing for them.

2. Pick music that you can teach during your class time. Everybody – including me – got better when I picked the correct literature.

3. Respect your family’s time. When it is time to go home, go home. I don’t know how many times I either stayed late for unnecessary reasons, or walked out of my room on time, only to get caught up in a conversation in the parking lot for 45 minutes. Both were extremely disrespectful of my wife who was waiting for me to be home when I said I would (this was pre-cell phones.)

4. Value your spouse’s/partner’s/ children’s jobs and activities as much as you want them to value yours. Ask about their day, then listen to their reply. Go to as many elementary school flag football practices as you can.

5. Invite your family into your work, and your work into your family. It is tremendously important that your students see how important your home life and family is to you. When I left my high school teaching job, the thing the parents mentioned the most was how much they appreciated their students getting to see a strong marriage.

I had no idea that’s what we were doing but have never forgotten that that’s what they saw.

OTHER THOUGHTS

As I mentioned earlier, I was happy to let Amy do most of the research for our presentation but starting to feeling a bit guilty about it last summer, I ordered a handful of work-life balance books and set out to see if their advice lined up with our experiences. Two spoke to me, and from them I picked up several helpful tidbits, including:

Lead With Balance by Donnie

Hutchinson.

“Leading a balanced life is important for your students too – not just you.”

“Parkinson’s Law – ‘Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.’ ” (Give people 8 hours to complete a task, they’ll do it in 8. Give them 10, they’ll do It in 10).

“More hours worked does not mean more output. More output means more output.”

“Preach often, and when necessary, use words.” (popularly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi).

Off Balance – Matthew Kelly

“The term work-life balance diminished our ability to make the case that work can be a richly rewarding part of a person’s life.”

“You do not have two lives – one

Reimagining Work-Life Balance, Part II, Matt McCutchen, cont.

Reimagining Work-Life Balance, Part II, Matt McCutchen, cont.

personal and one professional – you have one life with personal and professional aspects.”

“People don’t really want balance, they want satisfaction. This requires a strategy, daily attention, selfawareness, and discipline.”

“Excellence requires sacrifice.”

CONCLUSION

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to finding balance between your personal and professional life. Instead, this is an ebb and flow that you must constantly monitor and adjust. One of the lies that the worklife balance conversations propagated is the idea that working long, hard

hours is bad. The truth is that working really hard at different times of our lives is very good for us. Therefore, the goal is to find what works for you, your family, and your students; it doesn’t matter if that is not what works for others. If your life seems consistently out of balance, it is up to you to take a hard look at your priorities and make some life-changing decisions. It isn’t always easy - but can be tremendously rewarding.

REFERENCES

Fitzpatrick, K.R. (2013).

Motherhood and the high school band director: A case study. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 196, 7-23.

Hancock, C. B. (2009).

National estimates of retention, migration,

and attrition: A multiyear comparison of music and nonmusic teacher. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57(2), 92-107.

Hutchinson, D. (2016)

Lead with balance: How to master work-life balance in an imbalanced culture. Advantage Publishing

Kelly, M. (2015)

Off balance: Getting beyond the work-life balance myth to personal and professional satisfaction.

Beacon Publishing

Shaw, R.D. (2014).

The work-life balance of competitive marching band teachers: A multiple case study. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 200, 63-80.

ADDING VALUE TO MUSIC EDUCATION: PRACTICAL TIPS FOR MAXIMIZING STUDENT POTENTIAL AND ENABLING FUTURE SUCCESS

BY HELEN ADAMS

Every band director wants a great band, but what does this really mean? Is it an accomplished ensemble? Is it recognition for your program amongst your peers? Is it musical accolades for individual students in your program? What if directors could encompass an even broader scope of defining a great band as a place where every student maximizes his/her potential for future success. If we turn out great individual performers and award-winning bands, yet our students cannot follow through on future career success, then what have we ultimately accomplished? We should bring an even higher level of value to what we do as band directors by focusing beyond the next concert or the next performance evaluation. My goal in this article is to share strategies I have come to understand during my 30+ years of teaching that can directly impact the future success of band students and ultimately the future success of band programs.

Can music or band really influence a student’s potential? Finding research

that shows a strong correlation between music education and academic success is easy, but how does music education correlate to success in a larger societal context?

Let’s look at it from an employer’s perspective. What do employers look for when hiring? Daniel Goleman in his book “Working With Emotional Intelligence” offers the following list of desirable personal traits:

• Listening and speaking skills

• Adaptability and creative responses to setbacks and obstacles

• Personal management, confidence, motivation to work toward a goal, pride in accomplishments

• Cooperativeness and teamwork, skills at negotiating disagreements

• A desire to make a contribution, and individual leadership potential

Employers say that these traits are becoming harder to find in potential employees. Goleman attributes this

deficit to the fact that in education we are often so worried about improving a child’s intellect that we overlook developing characteristics that fall in the “emotional intelligence” area such as initiative, empathy, adaptability, and persuasiveness. As children develop higher IQ’s, their emotional intelligence is on the decline. Goleman’s research shows that “On average, children are growing

Helen Adams is a retired band director from Jackson County Schools in Jefferson, GA. She earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Berry College and Master of Education and Educational Specialist degrees from the University of Georgia. Adams holds professional memberships in the Georgia Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, Sigma Alpha Iota Professional Fraternity, Alpha Chi National Honor Society, and Phi Beta Mu International Honorary Bandmasters Fraternity. Mrs. Adams continues to serve as an adjudicator and clinician throughout Georgia, and currently resides in Chennault, GA.

PERSPECTIVE

Adding Value to Music Education ..., Helen Adams, cont.

more lonely and depressed, more angry and unruly, more nervous and prone to worry, more impulsive and aggressive.”

Goleman’s employers that were polled also stated that:

• Half the people who work for them lack the motivation to continue learning and improving on the job

• Four in ten are not able to work cooperatively with fellow employees

• Many young people lack the ability to take constructive criticism which is designed to improve their job performance

• Only 19% of those applying for entry-level jobs have strong selfdiscipline in their work habits

The skills that employers are seeking directly relate to the skills that directors help band students develop. For example:

• Self-motivation to continually strengthen technique is expected

• Playing in a large ensemble enables and strengthens cooperative skills

• Directors use constructive criticism daily that students must absorb for selfimprovement

• The self-discipline of practice is a core component of band However, participation in band can help develop even greater life skills that will influence a student’s potential for future success. Directors can bring

a higher level of value or merit to band directing by focusing on these broader skills.

As we begin to consider these additional skills, I would like to propose that the key is not necessarily in the word “success,” but in the word “potential.” The dictionary defines it as having power/existing in the possibility/capable of developing. Let us look at several ways we can be a daily influence on students’ potential success beyond music using the word “potential” as a guide.

TO BEGIN WITH, THE LETTER “P” REMINDS US OF PEOPLE.

Directors who treat everyone with respect carry a great deal of influence. How one treats others often impacts how one is treated (the golden rule). Learning to get along and establishing positive habits is an important goal for band students. There are a variety of personalities within each band class. Helping students learn that they do not have to like everyone they interact with, but that they should be kind to everyone is important. Encouraging and prodding one another to reach a personal best is key to a groups’ success. The business world speaks in terms of commodities; people are the key commodity to most successes. By helping your students build strong “people” skills you are adding to their potential success as well as strengthening your overall program through each persons’ individual growth.

THE LETTER “O” REMINDS US TO REMEMBER ONESELF.

The potential of student success requires a significant personal investment on a director’s part, and a level of acceptance from students. The great motivational speaker Les Brown would tell you that even when you open your mouth to speak, you are making an impact. Our choice of words and how we share them can be encouraging or discouraging. For example, I will always remember the student teacher who had been working with our program for several weeks. He sincerely asked, “when do you yell at the students.” We explained there is never a reason to raise your voice to students. Directors’ influential nature can help students develop their own self-awareness which can be accomplished without raising one’s voice. Providing a program where students can learn who they are, what they can do, and what they can share with others should be every director’s goal.

THE LETTER “T” POINTS TO TODAY.

What we do today changes tomorrow. It is easy to procrastinate, but learning self-motivation is one way to battle against procrastination. What is self-motivation? It is looking at something that is hard to do or accomplish and taking the small steady steps required to get there without giving up. For example, consider a new piece of music. We have our students sightread and struggle to play through the selection,

but after disciplined study and practice we can enjoy a successful performance. Another famous saying of Les Brown’s sums it up nicely. “If you do what is easy today, your life will be hard. If you have the selfmotivation to do what is hard today, your life will be easier in the future.” Practicing and preparing music to have a wonderful performance in band is a great rehearsal for what one will do to be successful in life. Reminding students that today is the best time to start preparations for any goal they wish to achieve should be a daily routine. Future potential starts today.

THE LETTER “E” STANDS FOR ENCOURAGEMENT.

Directors should strive to establish a climate within their programs that cheers the success of others. Helping others meet their goals can bring satisfaction, but celebrating these accomplishments together builds team spirit. I am not saying that one should diminish their own individual success so others can feel a sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, our country (and especially the educational community) seems to be overly concerned about the gap that is opening between high achievers and average students. What I am saying is that one should work hard to reach the highest goal possible but try to bring others along with you by offering assistance and encouragement. There is nothing wrong with being willing to do the things today that others will not do so that tomorrow you will have

the things that others will not have. Working toward a goal often goes at different paces for different people, but band can encourage students to apply themselves wholeheartedly at their own pace, assisting, and encouraging others so they can enjoy the successes as an individual first and within a team second.

“N” NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR POTENTIAL OR THE POTENTIAL OF OTHERS.

Band can help students learn how to strive for success even if under constant challenge. A few summers ago, I met a member of The Cadets drum and bugle corps who, even though he had macular degeneration which creates extreme tunnel vision, was able to march tenors with the corps. He could not see to read the small print of the music, so he had to memorize his music by ear very quickly and he depended on the repetitions of marching rehearsals to learn the drill. Imagine looking through small fuzzy pinholes and having to go out on a strange practice field every day and perform in a different stadium every night. What a great example for others on how to meet life’s challenges! Enduring stressful situations and going beyond one’s comfort zone can strengthen one’s resolve to push through hard tasks. What if the corps directors had overlooked this person’s potential and focused on his limitations instead? The group would have missed out on the strong work ethic and drive for success that this person was able to

contribute to the group. By helping students see available possibilities and creating safe opportunities for them to practice reaching those possibilities, directors can help develop strong individuals and stronger band programs.

“T” TURN A NEGATIVE INTO A POSITIVE.

There are many things that impact one’s life and how one acts and reacts determines the potential for a positive or negative outcome. A person’s attitude is often the first defense against the unexpected. Directors often deal with an unexpected turn of events caused by such things as weather, broken equipment, sick performers, or missing music. How they react when the unexpected happens can make a big difference for the band. Directors should brainstorm ways to replace, repair, and substitute for a more positive solution. Most directors try to keep a well-stocked repair kit to help the band avoid performance mishaps; however, directors should strive to stockpile a variety of tools to help turn negative situations into positive experiences. Often the tools needed are not a physical tool, but a relationship tool. The solution to your negative situation may lie with any of the following people: a school bookkeeper/secretary, a local business owner, a parent, a colleague, a student, a retired teacher, a bus driver, or a county shop employee. The key is to take time to build relationships. Having working relationships with a

Adding Value to Music Education ..., Helen Adams, cont.

variety of people expands the toolbox. Helping students learn that the unexpected negative turn of events can often be put right with a positive approach and problem-solving skills is another way to impact their potential for future success. Be an example for students when it comes to turning negatives into positives.

“I” PURSUE INTEGRITY AND INNER STRENGTH.

What is integrity? Why is it valued? Why is it needed? Without sounding too simplistic, I will try to answer these questions using author Daniel Goleman’s approach. Integrity is having people believe you are trustworthy. Integrity is having a real openness to others about one’s feelings, beliefs, and actions. Integrity also means that one tries to live up to one’s own values. At a very basic level, integrity hinges on impulse control that keeps us from acting in ways that we might regret later. Impulsive actions can be kept in check through self-control. The self-control to be genuine with others is another way to demonstrate one’s integrity. Most directors teach self-control every day in band class. If you don’t believe me, try giving instruments to fifty beginners and then tell them they cannot make a sound until the class rehearses together. Having students with self-control is a necessity for a strong band. Ultimately, having integrity means having the selfcontrol to do the right thing. If band programs produce great individual performers and award-winning

ensembles but students cannot demonstrate integrity to do the right thing, then directors are not focused on the broader skill set. Building the inner strength to live one’s life with integrity can be a continuous challenge. Directors can help students develop their inner strength to meet this challenge which will carry over to meeting challenges in life.

“A” IS ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE.

Whether we understand all the complexities of human interaction or not, one thing is true: people in groups inevitably catch feelings from one another. This viewpoint is discussed in the book Primal Leadership: learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence. The authors, Daniel Goleman; Richard Boyatzis; and Annie McKee, state that researchers have seen again and again how emotions spread between people. What does this mean to the individual? It means they must choose each day whether their attitude will be contagious with antagonism and hostility or with optimism and inspiration. At the end of each day, maybe it would be helpful to reflect on the words of that ancient knight charged with protecting the Holy Grail in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Which statement would you prefer the knight make about your daily attitude – the infamous “He chose poorly” or the words the knight uttered to Harrison Ford --“You chose wisely”? Your attitude belongs completely and solely to you and luckily the choice of personal attitude is not a permanent choice. It is a

choice one gets to make and remake every minute of every day. Directors should choose their attitude wisely and help band students learn to do the same.

THE LAST LETTER “L” REMINDS US OF LEADERSHIP.

Good leaders listen and learn and are not afraid to love themselves and others. In Goleman’s research on leadership styles, he found that “nice guys do finish first.” In studies of US Navy squadron leaders and their emotional tone, it was found that superior leaders knew how to blend a take charge, purposeful, assertive, rigid style with a warmer, friendlier, more cooperative, gentler people-oriented style. Contrastingly, the average squadron leaders tended to be more authoritarian and controlling, more domineering and tough minded, more aloof, and selfcentered, and needed to show they were right more often. Band offers many opportunities for students to improve their leadership skills, and it is an ideal place for students to see how leadership has a ripple down effect. Leaders who listen and show empathy in their personal interactions have a more positive affect than those who are harsher, more disapproving, distant, irritable, legalistic, and unbending. Ultimately, anyone who is sincere and not self-serving in their actions has the potential to be a successful leader. As a director, one should constantly self-reflect on personal leadership style and strive to

Adding Value to Music Education ..., Helen Adams, cont.

build the best leadership qualities in students.

To summarize, we each have the potential to make a difference. Let the word “potential” be an acronym for the broader skills directors should focus on to make a difference in the lives of their students that ultimately help strengthen band programs. Remember that band is more than the sum of its parts. The synergy of band creates a wonderful vehicle that can allow directors to influence a student’s potential for success that continues long after their years in the band room. Serving as a band director provides the means to enhance students’ lives with more than music performance skills. With the right focus, directors have the means to impact students’ future success in life.

Simple but powerful lessons drawn from “potential”:

P How we treat people often impacts how we are treated

O Oneself - who you are, what you do, and how you share with others is important

T What we do today changes tomorrow

E Encourage one another

N Never give up on your potential or the potential of others

T Turn a negative into a positive

I Integrity and inner strength are positive traits

A Choose to have a positive attitude

L Good leaders listen and learn

Adding Value to Music Education ..., Helen Adams, cont.

A HIKER’S GUIDE TO SCORE STUDY BY BRANDEN STEINMETZ

Imade a promise to myself several years ago that if I ever had to move and relocate, I would leave feeling as if I’d soaked up what the previous location had to offer. Living in Colorado for nearly four years, I’ve taken advantage of the stunningly gorgeous scenery the state has to offer. I took up hiking and began climbing to the tops of mountains, through wilderness areas, and around incredible wildlife. With each journey, I’ve started to make notes about the relationships between hiking and score study (though the concepts could be transferred to almost any process-oriented endeavor).

WHAT IS MY WHY?

The first question I ask myself when I set off on a hike is: “What is my why?” I could be sleeping in a warm bed but instead, I’m setting off on a trail before sunrise. Ultimately, my “why” almost always ends up being driven by curiosity. Perhaps there is a new view from a mountain that I will earn, or wildflowers that I haven’t encountered! The same is true when I begin my score study process. I am incredibly curious about what my students might be able to achieve, what the notes on a page could sound like if performed properly, and what kinds of humanity can be developed between me and my students during the

process of rehearsing for a concert. That is what motivates me to begin the journey. The students depend on me to put them in a position to succeed. That is all the spark I need to take the first step into studying a score – which is usually the most difficult step.

“IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START, START SOMEWHERE”

This quote has jumpstarted me many times in my life. Too often, we are waiting for something or someone to tell us to begin. As a hiker (and as an educator), I can’t wait for someone else to give me instruction. I must take the initiative to set out on the path. One of the common phrases I hear from students is: “I feel like I just don’t know what I don’t know.” To that I say: “What an opportunity!” The feeling of knowing you might not know everything is uncomfortable. It creates anxiety that we may not be “perfect” at something. Imagine if the great inventors decided not to pursue ideas simply because they didn’t think they knew everything yet! The reality is, you must take the recognition of not knowing and use that to discover things along the way. The first thing I do before setting out on a hike or before studying a score is to make sure I have proper equipment. For me, I need a ruler, a dark pencil, a red pen/marker, and a metronome. If I

have those things within arm’s reach, I know I’m equipped to at least begin the process. I also think about things that I can control. For example, I may not be an expert in the field of music theory, but I do know enough to start analyzing what music is in front of me. I know I won’t get it all perfect and accurate, but I trust that I’ve at least worked enough to try.

FIRE. AIM. READY.

After I have my necessary tools and equipment and give myself a little pep talk that I’m capable of at least attempting this journey, I start. I embrace that fear and anxiety that I might fail and harness it to drive my curiosities. I find that the bigger the hike, the earlier I need to start. Likewise, the bigger the piece, the sooner

Branden Steinmetz is Assistant Director of Bands and Instructor of Music at the University of Colorado. He is an active as a conductor, educator, and composer. He holds a DMA in Wind Conducting from Michigan State University, a Master of Music degree in percussion performance from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.

I need to begin the study process. At this point in the process, I’m not necessarily concerned with the end result. I simply allow myself to take in everything that I see and observe. This is usually the time to stay, relatively speaking, on the general path and not stray too far while I’m trying to uncover some of the foundation of the music. I try to identify form first because I find that it gives me the strongest base for knowing the score. I look for patterns – harmonic, melodic, rhythmic – to help me see how a piece is scaffolded. And like on a hike, I try to identify places where I or my ensemble may struggle. What ultimately ends up happening is I find myself starting to ask questions about the music. “Why is this phrase 5 measures instead of 4?” “How did the composer end up in this key after starting in that key?” Before I know it, I no longer even think about reaching the destination. The more questions I answer, the more questions I have.

DISCOVERING UNKNOWNS

At this point in my journey, I start to realize that I’m starting to find those things I didn’t know. If I would have started the process with the mindset of: “We have to play this in 6 weeks, so we need to align this rhythm and make sure that transition is perfect, so the judges hear…” I would have missed SO MUCH SCENERY! Staying open and allowing myself to go down the metaphorical rabbit hole of asking questions lets me take in beauty that I would have otherwise missed. Around

this time, the destination starts to be visible. That can be both motivating and intimidating. I tell my students that “the end is closer than it feels, but further away than it looks.” This is true in music, hiking, life etc… The intimidating part of that feeling is that you feel like you haven’t answered (or asked for that matter) all the questions yet. When you start to feel like that, I encourage you to look behind you and see how far you’ve come. Think about to when you first opened the score and knew NOTHING! Now, look in front of you and just keep going. The process itself is kind of cyclical in that you must continuously be OK with the idea that you may not know everything, but you trust that you have quite a lot to offer to the music, your students, and yourself.

ENJOY IT

That whole process can (and ideally should) be done before your first rehearsal with your students. I find that the more I’ve embraced that process of learning and asking questions, the more I’m able to enjoy the rehearsal process, and ultimately the performance. More importantly, my students have a more rewarding experience because I am more able to guide them, challenge them, and put them in a position where they feel successful and part of the process.

after I’ve finished. You may find that you can’t climb the tallest mountain or learn the most challenging piece of music right away. THAT’S OK! You can take this process and continue to build your skills and capacity to learn new music. If you’re someone who has never or rarely studied a score, start small. Maybe you choose one piece this year that you are going to make it a goal to know inside and out. Your students WILL benefit from you taking the challenge. It becomes more rewarding the more you do it, so take that first step!

Score study (and hiking!) is not always an easy process. It can be difficult and tiring, but I’ve never once regretted doing something difficult

CONNECTIONS: STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS IN THE SECONDARY MUSIC CLASSROOM.

BY ANDREW SALZMAN

A student in their first year of high school entered the band room anxiously, clearly stressed about something. I noticed this and asked what was bothering her. She was worried about the band performance at the upcoming basketball game and her conflict with a shift at work. She was afraid that being late to the game because of work would cause an issue. We discussed it, I told her I appreciated her letting me know, and I reassured her that being late to the game because of work was okay. I then reminded her that if there was anything about our class that she worried about again, she could let me know early on, so we could work through it so it did not feel like such a big deal.

Perceived conflicts such as the one illustrated above have become commonplace in my day-to-day teaching, and I view helping students through these situations as a requisite part of my position as a high school band director. A positive relationship with a teacher can be even more important than the content in which the teacher instructs the student. Terms for building relationships with students vary in the research and practitioner literature (e.g., mentorship, apprenticeship), but the core principles are similar. Shields (2001) wrote, “A specific component of mentoring is caring, one of the

strategies of effective teachers” (p. 275). Wentzel (2009) posited that teachers who strive for student relationships that provide a feeling of caring, safety, and trust are often an indicator of an effective teacher. Most recently, Martin and Collie (2019) espoused that students reporting a more significant number of positive relationships with teachers were more apt to be more engaged in school.

STRATEGY 1 - KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER

Students generally do not learn well from teachers they do not respect. While it is understandable that not every student will enjoy all their teachers, it is still essential that

teachers strive to build a mutually respectful relationship with them. Students in my teaching context often base whether or not they like a teacher on first impressions, some of which are terribly misguided. However, in such situations, student opinions appear to change once they learn about a teacher and the principles for which they stand.

With the power of first impressions in mind, I have started using a straightforward approach to help students learn a little about me from the beginning and to lay groundwork

Andrew Salzman is in his tenth year of teaching, currently serving as Director of Bands and Fine Arts Coordinator at Rawlins High School, Rawlins, WY. He teaches all bands, percussion ensemble, music appreciation, rock and roll studies, and oversees all activities in the auditorium.

Mr. Salzman holds memberships in the National Association of Music Education, Wyoming Music Educators Association, serving as Secretary, and the National Band Association. He is the 2021 Music Educator of the Year given by WMEA, and also a 2019, 2021, and 2022 recipient of the Crystal Apple award given by graduating seniors for impact on their education.

for me to learn about them. I begin every semester with a short visual presentation about myself, including where I was born and raised, a little about my family, where I went (and am going) to college, and some things I like. I then have them fill out a note card that, in the end, acts as a flash card of sorts for me in case I have not had a student in class before. On this note card, students put their name, a nickname if they go by a shortened version, pronouns if they wish, what the student feels their “superpower” is (i.e., something they are good at), and what their “thing” is (i.e., what they identify with). Finally, I ask that they contribute something they want me to know about them.

This activity generates many different responses, some novel and others surprisingly insightful. Students may choose to divulge that they struggle to speak in front of the class or do not perform well on tests. I even had a student I had previously taught as an elementary student, now a freshman, choose to divulge that I was still their favorite teacher, which was a much-needed boost during a hard day of public-school teaching. In sum, this approach is a very unobtrusive way to open communication between students and me. It allows them to be vulnerable and communicate something personal passively. This passive approach then allows communication to evolve into organic conversations, such as the opening vignette of this article. Learning about one another

Connections: Strategies for Building Positive Relationships ..., Andrew Salzman, cont.

begins building a solid and positive relationship with students. It is necessary to go further and, at times, work alongside them to establish a connection.

STRATEGY 2 - WORK ALONGSIDE STUDENTS

In my time teaching at the high school level, I have noticed a trend in the most significant teacherstudent relationships I have. These relationships are not necessarily the result of lengthy time spent in the classroom or even the outcome of my tireless effort to get to know the student or vice versa. The trend I notice comes from the time spent working alongside the students in community work, particularly hard and thankless community work.

For example, we spend a portion of any given year fundraising to cover the costs of band shirts, marching shoes, other apparel, and basic travel costs to our performances. My students and I have the opportunity to work the concession stand at our county fair. Operating this concession stand is not a simple endeavor, nor is it for the faint of heart. Students sign up for time slots to work, and the organizers write a check to our program, but in each student’s name. The students who have worked this fundraiser from their freshman year on are hard work personified. They have learned skills, such as dealing with the general public, that are immediately applicable in any context.

Importantly, I work in the concession stand during this time alongside my students. There is nothing like working the sandwich station next to a student (who can make sandwiches twice as fast as you) and getting yelled at to work faster or get out of the way. One might bristle at the thought of being yelled at by a teenager, but in this situation, we are colleagues. Students never forget these experiences. In these moments, in the middle of the stress of getting behind in orders, the strongest bonds form. Students get to see their teacher in a different way, however brief, as a colleague. Doing the work alongside one another opens up a new level of respect and stronger relationships among all. This bond translates back into the classroom. While it is crucial that the line between teacher and student is reestablished and reinforced after a community work experience, the working relationship in the classroom becomes stronger. In the end, a more durable and meaningful group emerges. The motivation to work with someone who has worked hard alongside them is a powerful and sometimes overlooked strategy. While getting to know each other and working alongside one another are integral components of solid relationship building, they do not fully provide a feeling of genuine caring.

STRATEGY 3 - INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR LIVES

Many of our students in music classes are involved in extracurricular

Connections: Strategies for Building Positive Relationships ..., Andrew Salzman, cont. activities, be they school-sponsored or community offerings. I keep a calendar containing when my students participate in sporting events, and then I make a concerted effort to attend. Often, such events need an extra adult for tasks such as running the clock, taking tickets, or even announcing players. I know very little about the game of soccer, but I often walk out to the stadium in the spring after school to sit in the press box, help fill the needed jobs, and watch the games. I get to see students in my program, students I teach in a non-performing class, students I have previously had, and students I have not had the opportunity to teach. I see them struggle and succeed, and I get to talk to them about it when I encounter them next in the hallway or class. Students notice when you miss events they expect you to attend, but they notice even more when you attend events at which they do not expect to see you.

you describe something from their game or event, and their face lights up when they realize you were there. The excitement in their body language and how they talk to you about it makes it completely worth the time spent. During these moments of connection, the students develop the feeling of genuine care from their teacher.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Striving to build positive relationships with students is imperative while teaching. Students are more likely to be engaged and succeed in school when they have more positive interactions and better relationships with their teachers. Teachers and students learning about one another, working alongside each other, and genuinely showing students care through an interest in their lives are all essential parts of a positive school relationship.

Attending students’ extracurricular events can be time-consuming and require sacrifice. However, it can also be some of the best time you can spend regarding the relationships you can build with students. Being present in their lives puts you into a different category of how they view you. Putting in the extra effort to invest in what students are involved in helps to solidify that you care about them and their interests. Some of the most rewarding conversations I have had with students are when

Sometimes these actions do not seem incredibly impactful to a teacher, and maybe they are imperceptible during a busy day . However, to the students, they are monumental. Above I tell of a young lady who came to me with concern. In the moment and years that followed, it was a small thing to me, and I was doing my job. However, to her, it was a significant interaction that impacted the rest of her high school experience. I would not know it until years later, after she graduated and was on stage in front of our entire school district as valedictorian, awarding a teacher

who most impacted her education with a crystal apple. As she was telling the story, I was trying to guess which teacher she was referring to as the story was unfamiliar to me. She explained how the discussion with the teacher helped her anxiety and the offer of continued support when needed shaped her high school experience and impacted how she did in school. To my confusion, the teacher she awarded the apple to was me. When I spoke to her later, embarrassed for not remembering, she said it was okay. That conversation probably did not seem like a massive moment to me, but to her, it provided a sense of security and a safe place to go for help. This past year I was humbled to receive this award again from a student who recounted the “good mornings” I offered them every morning. The student noted, “now, that may not seem like much, but over the years, I have noticed it is the small things that matter. From small things like a high five to other small things like asking if I am okay on days where I was trying to hide that I am not.”

I extend these two personal stories not to boast but to illustrate the impact of positive teacher-student relationships. These students felt a safe, caring connection with a teacher that shaped their school experience for the better. The more we as teachers can build these relationships with our students, the more good we can do for them. The better they hopefully do in school

and the finer they become as human beings. Education is a challenging field; however, making a concerted effort to build meaningful and positive relationships with students will create a better atmosphere for you and your students.

REFERENCES

Martin, A. J., & Collie, R. J. (2019). Teacher-student relationships and students' engagement in high school: Does the number of negative and positive relationships with teachers matter? Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(5), 861–876. doi.org/10.1037/edu0000317

Shields, C. (2001). Music education and mentoring as intervention for at-risk urban adolescents: Their self-perceptions, opinions, and attitudes. Journal of Research in Music Education, 49(3), 273–286. doi.org/10.2307/3345712

Wentzel, K. R., & Wigfield, A. (2009). Handbook of motivation at school. Routledge.

Connections: Strategies for Building Positive Relationships ..., Andrew Salzman, cont.

ARE YOU PROGRAMMING NOTES? YOU SHOULD, AND HERE'S WHY.

BY TRAVIS J. WELLER

Many directors speak at concerts in between pieces. In these brief moments, they educate the audience, build a culture of appreciation for the music being performed and the ensemble performing it, and advocate for their music program. The ability to speak with purpose and passion at a concert regarding the repertoire is in direct proportion to how well one has studied and prepared the work for performance. All verbal comments should grow organically from the relationship that a director and their ensemble forge with the repertoire.

Some directors elect to include written notes in their concert program. In a similar fashion to the verbal comments, written program notes can also provide perspective and enrich the concert experience for the audience. However, not all directors elect to provide written notes in concert programs.

In the late fall of 2019, I invited band directors to participate in a survey. The invitation was made available through several different social medial platforms, and I am thankful to several professional

band organizations who shared the invitation (Phi Beta Mu, The National Band Association). The purpose of the survey was to learn about their use of program notes. While higher participation is always desirable, I am delighted that 100 directors responded. I am thankful for the perspective these directors lent to this discussion. It is obvious that individual teaching context, schedule, resources, and personal preference all factor into the decision on how best to provide program notes (either written or verbal). The results below provide interesting perspective to consider.

• This group of directors averaged 17.5 years of teaching, and 24% identified as female while 76% of the directors identified as male.

• 67% of the respondent directors taught at more than one grade level, including 20% who taught all facets of their band program (elementary through high school).

• 85% of the respondent directors taught more than one ensemble in their daily teaching.

• On average, this group of directors gave 4 concert performances per year.

• 37% of the directors reported using printed program notes.

• 87% of the directors reported using verbal program notes during the concert.

• 39% of the directors provided program notes that were prepared by students in the program.

• 29% utilized program notes that were researched by students.

• Directors who engaged students in the preparation of program notes cited it being an effective writing assignment for all students. Some directors (14) indicated that it is a way for a student to remain engaged in the event of a physical injury or an instrument problem that keeps from participating in the time leading up to the concert.

• Several directors who engaged students in the preparation of program notes also indicated they did review and edit student

Travis J. Weller (tweller@messiah.edu) serves as assistant chair of the Music Department at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he oversees the music education program and directs the Symphonic Winds. He also teaches courses in the graduate program in conducting. He has written music for concert bands and wind ensembles at all levels and those pieces are available through numerous publishers.

work prior to using it for a concert or printed program.

• 29% of the directors had students in the band deliver the program notes during the concert.

• Directors who taught only one ensemble were twice as likely to prepare written program notes to be printed in the concert program than directors who taught more than one ensemble.

• This group of directors were asked why they did or did not provide written program notes. Directors who did not provide program notes in the concert program frequently commented that the printing cost, space in the program, time necessary to prepare notes, and concert venue being too dark to read the notes were primary reasons to not include notes.

• Directors who did provide program notes in the concert program stated that it gave the audience more of a connection to the work, kept their own comments brief, and provided a way to enrich the experience for the audience. A few directors admitted to having some anxiety over public speaking and utilized notes in lieu of addressing the audience.

has moved them forward in the band program curriculum. Additionally, directors can also highlight other areas in which the study of a piece has enhanced the experience for the students including, but not limited to:

• personal growth from studying the piece (both director and student)

• the relevance of the work to modern learning and society

• the history of a piece and its significance for study

• how the work celebrates part of culture or history

• the deep centered emotional impact of the work

• how the piece properly reflects the life of a person or group of people.

Any of the reasons that a director selects a piece of repertoire can be brought to the attention of the audience to develop their appreciation for the ensemble, the music, the rehearsal process, and the artistry of the group and individuals. Repertoire is the vehicle to realize the goals of the band program curriculum, and program notes provide a way for the audience to better understand that process.

most important facet of the work. In addition to the Teaching Music through Performance in Band series from GIA, there are useful textbooks and websites from which composer and composition information can be accessed. Consider these examples:

• Norman Smith’s Program Notes for Band

• The Wind Repertory Project founded by Nikk Pilato

• The Foothills Symphonic Winds Program Notes Index

• The Palatine Concert Band Program Note Index

Written and verbal program notes offer directors the opportunity to share what students have learned from the repertoire and how that

Program notes can be constructed from a variety of sources including the score, composer websites, music history textbooks, and analysis projects and articles in scholarly journals. Program notes need not be long, but they should highlight the

Directors can infuse personal experiences and narratives that that are part of the musical journey into their program notes. For many directors, a singular piece of music could have left a profound impact on their decision to enter the music education profession. If they revisit such a work with their students, sharing that part of their journey with students and the audience is a valuable reflection. As many directors are a musical role model within the community in which they teach, this personal perspective provides a deeper view of the reciprocal relationship in the medium. As the director and ensemble work on the music, the music works upon the director and ensemble.

The emphasis on writing in school curriculums continues to be at the center of school reform movements. By utilizing this opportunity, students

Are You Programming Notes ..., Travis J. Weller, cont.

can develop program notes to share either in the written program or verbally at the concert. There are obvious benefits of engaging students in researching and providing additional background on a piece. In addition to giving them opportunity to do research on a subject in which they have a vested interest, students can also be assessed on their ability to conduct ethical research, develop articulate writing skills, and learn basic citation skills in a specific style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago). Research projects of this kind are a unique type of assessment that affords students a way to demonstrate their intelligence in music other than a playing examination or scale test.

These activities also provide directors a way to collaborate with other faculty members in their English and Language Arts Departments. A writing assignment for a student in band that culminates in a program note for a piece in the repertoire could include:

• A Short biography, background of the composer, or influences upon the creation of the piece. (e.g., Encourage your students to reach out to the ones who are living!)

• A description of the important features, form, or style of the work (e.g., What are the important aspects that contribute to the style of Softly Speaks the Night by Carol Brittin Chambers?)

• Students could be asked a series

of questions including how elements of music in the piece influence their perspective. (e.g., How does Anne McGinty’s choice of mode in The Red Balloon impact the emotion of the piece?)

• The significance of the work to the band repertoire. (e.g., Why should bands play 1st Suite in Eb for Military Band by Gustav Holst?)

• A practical view on the work to make it more relatable to the audience. (e.g., Why is it important to study spirituals like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot set by Stephen Rouse?)

Written program notes communicate important aspects of the work to the audience prior to the audience hearing a piece. The audience’s reception to a new or unfamiliar musical experience will be better with effective use of program notes. As an audience member waits for the start of the concert their anticipation can build as they review written notes in the program. Aural program notes are effective in helping the audience gain further insight into the artistic and pedagogical reasons for the repertoire that being performed. While students have a longer period in which to assimilate and identify the artistic and pedagogical reasons a piece was studied and performed, audiences have only the window of the concert performance to arrive at

the same conclusion. Directors may want to consider guiding the ears of the audience by identifying themes, demonstrating a concept within the work, or identifying unique sounds present in the sound canvas. Several examples are listed here:

• Playing an octatonic scale and a short section of the theme to model the melodic language found in Unraveling by Andrew Boysen, Jr.

• Playing a short section at a slower tempo to help the audience understand a musical suspension found in Suspended Animation by Patrick Burns.

• Demonstrating the extramusical effects found in The Cave You Fear by Michael Markowski

• Playing some of the connected themes and chord progressions from each of the movements of The Incidental Suite by Claude T. Smith

The concerns expressed by some band directors who responded to this survey are legitimate and understandable given the many responsibilities music educator might have. Still, there are solutions for providing notes that will not necessarily increase the burden or cost of printed programs. The use of a QR Code that audience members can scan could provide the audience with additional written notes not included in the program. Engaging students

in the research process can also ease the responsibility on the director to prepare program notes by themselves.

I fully acknowledge that written program notes may take extra time to properly prepare. If we choose to involve students in that process (and I encourage directors to do so), it might require additional patience, planning, and perspective. However, I believe that it is vital for our profession to embrace this opportunity so that we can build in our audience a genuine respect and interest for the repertoire we study and perform. While our bands play many right notes, writing some additional notes will help our audience and communities appreciate the students, our ensembles, and the music even more.

Are You Programming Notes ..., Travis J. Weller, cont.

THE MYTH OF COMPOSER AND PUBLISHER WEALTH

BY GARY BARTON

Ireceive royalties from the sales of one book for which I wrote one chapter. I have received one-time fees for several magazine articles that I’ve written. These are the only payments I have ever received from a publishing company. While I have helped and supported many friends who are composers and publishers, I have never received money for any of my work. I say this with hope that it will be clear that I don’t have any personal reason to discuss where your print music dollars go and who benefits from this part of your budget.

When I began teaching in 1977, there was very little concern about what was legal or illegal regarding copyright. Technology has made this a significant issue in today’s world. I feel safe in saying that every school has professional quality copying machines and the ability to scan print materials. I’m embarrassed to admit that I broke copyright law frequently during my teaching career as the ability to copy became easier. This continues on a daily basis in schools because teachers have listened to incorrect information from others and honestly believe that what they are doing is allowed. My goal in this article is not to educate teachers on copyright law

but rather to provide information on how the cover price of a piece of music is divided by the producer. For information on copyright law, I have discovered a small book that I recommend highly:

COPYRIGHT HANDBOOK for Music Educators and Directors, by Pam Phillips and Andrew Surmani Alfred Music, 2017; US $19.99; 72 pages, ISBN 1-4706-3598-4

I posed the same questions to a small publisher and to one of our largest publishing houses. Their responses were identical and they both said that some of the facts and numbers mentioned may vary in some situations, but the numbers and scenarios you will read are the industry standard. I only researched band and string music, so you may want to do your own research to find out if choral music follows similar guidelines.

THE COMPOSER RECEIVES TEN PER CENT OF THE COVER PRICE

Ten per cent is the industry standard royalty. Composers often don’t realize this when they are first selected for publication. Based upon the range of most sets of parts at sixty to one hundred dollars, a composer must have either a very

popular piece that sells many copies or many titles that sell on a modest level, or both, in order to realize a large royalty check.

SHEET MUSIC RETAILERS KEEP FIFTY PER CENT OF THE COVER PRICE

While some of the large retailers collect exactly fifty percent and some collect just a little less, the average discount to the dealer who buys from the publisher in order to fill your orders is still fifty percent. While this number is surprising at first, consider that the large retailer markets and advertises the music, hires employees who fill orders on a daily basis, and maintain large offices with the ability to warehouse hundreds of

Continued on next page

Gary Barton retired from the La Porte, Texas Independent School District after thirty-seven years of teaching in five states. He received the Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Louisiana-Monroe and the Master of Science in Education from Indiana University. A Past President of the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association and Past 2nd VicePresident of the National Band Association, he has written for numerous publications and has done clinics and presentations in sixteen states. He may be reached at bartonglp@gmail.com.

sets of sheet music. When you go to a large convention, The Midwest Clinic comes to mind, and you see the massive exhibit space containing thousands of music titles for sale and perusal, consider that the actual space costs thousands of dollars and each employee who is working the space has transportation, food, hotel, and salary expenses.

THE PUBLISHER KEEPS FORTY PER CENT OF THE COVER PRICE

Most people think the publisher keeps a much larger percentage of the sales of the music. While this is possible with the ease of ordering directly from the publisher due to technology and access to publishers’ websites, most sheet music sales to schools and universities still involve a retailer who fills orders.

So, the publisher has expenses, some required and some by choice:

1. Office rent or renovated home office, both with space to warehouse music and with personnel and equipment needed to maintain the daily operation of a business.

2. Printing of all materials including advertising materials and the actual sheet music.

3. Website design and maintenance.

4. Typesetting, engraving, and part extraction. Composers submit scores. Scores must be formatted to create a professional appearance

and individual parts must be created. Consider approximately two hundred dollars for a brief grade one piece and three thousand dollars for a more advanced, lengthier piece.

5. Graphic artist who may be employed to create unique covers to each piece of music.

6. Copyright fees paid to the Library of Congress for each piece of music. This fee is in excess of fifty dollars per title.

7. Recordings used to promote and model the music. The most expensive scenario would be professional musicians in a studio setting with professional engineers. A smaller publisher may be able to use a university band, but a professional recording engineer who has invested in very expensive equipment will still be needed.

8. Exhibiting at state and national conventions. A state convention may charge five hundred dollars for a booth space while a large national convention may charge in excess of one thousand dollars per space. Consider the cost of transporting the booth materials and expenses for the people who must work at the booth as well.

I emphasize that these numbers and factors are approximate, but they are a good realization of the actual costs of producing sheet music and the actual profits that the producers

may receive. It is my hope that all of us will do research to find out what is truly legal regarding copyright law. I paraphrase a question that we all need to ask ourselves before we reproduce music in any way, “Does this action deprive anyone of income?”

The Myth of Composer and Publisher Wealth, Gary Barton, cont.

WHAT WOULD I DO IF I WEREN’T AFRAID?

BY DAVID GREGORY

This article is an updated version of one published in a 2004 NBA Journal.

Those eight simple words taken from the pages of the intriguing little 1998 book by Spencer Johnson entitled “Who Moved My Cheese?” seem innocuous enough. In fact, with their lack of pretentiousness and their blunt honesty, they seem almost childlike. But they became much more for this writer.

Several years ago I discovered the book from which this phrase is taken and, like so many others, enjoyed reading the short fable. In fact, discussion of the principles presented in the story became quite fashionable in educational and business settings around the country. It was as if people were being reminded of something long ago learned but also long ago stored away or forgotten. For me, the book was interesting and entertaining, except for one critical section. There was not a great deal of preparation for the “what if” section that caught my attention and held it so firmly. Just as all of us probably have done at some point in our lives, I too had wondered what would have happened over the years if

circumstances, not major things… just some minor things here and there, were different, or if I had taken a different course of action. And like practically everyone else, I soon ceased those musings and got on with my life as I was then living it. Then somehow my cheese got moved.

I am certain that circumstances and situations at the time were primary factors, but when I read that simple question, really read it, I began to think about aspects of my life, both personal and professional, in a completely different light. The adjusted perspective from which I viewed issues, and my subsequent actions on those issues, allowed me to accomplish more and to be encumbered less by “things that didn’t count” in the grand scheme.

One thing in particular that surfaced in my professional life was the realization that “if I weren’t afraid,” I would approach differently some of the issues that gather so much of our attention and use so much of our artistic energy. I would not “be afraid” to speak (and sometimes act) more confidently and honestly on behalf of others. I would, if the occasion arose, not be afraid to be a voice for those in our profession who

Dr. David Gregory, Founder and Conductor Emeritus of the Georgia Wind Symphony, is former Director of Bands/Coordinator of Music Education at Reinhardt University (Ret.) and Conductor Emeritus of Tara Winds Community Band. He has conducted elementary, junior high, high school, community college, university, and professional bands during his career. He is a Past President of the National Band Association and served eight years as Advisor to the Executive Committee of that organization. Maintaining a regular schedule of appearances, Dr. Gregory has received invitations to appear throughout the United States and abroad. He has conducted allstate bands throughout America, and his band activities have taken him across the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and the European continent where he appeared as guest conductor of La Banda dell’Esercito of Rome, Italy (2x), the Associazione Musicale “G. Verdi” Band of Aci S. Antonio, Sicily, the Federazione Bande Siciliane of Santa Maria di Licodia, Sicily, the Lucania Orchestra di Fiati of Matera, Italy, La Banda di Sant’Oreste (Rome), La Banda di Commune Triuggio, and five times with La Banda di Sacrofano in Rome. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and served as a member of the Board of Directors for that organization. In February of 2020, Gregory was inducted into the National Band Association’s “Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors” and was named as a “Midwest Legend” for 2021.

did not have a forum through which they could speak, and I would attempt to act on behalf of those who could not do so for themselves. In short, as I find myself at the end of a career so much richer and more rewarding than I ever had imagined (and maybe because of the little book mentioned above), I am “less afraid” than before to speak for our profession and our professionals.

So, “if I weren’t afraid,” I would say things to my profession I believe need saying … things we know to be true, but things not very often spoken. As the sage once said, “Knowing the answer is easy; saying it out loud is the hard part.” I would say things to our young professionals in hopes of helping them in their careers, and I would say to those "almost off the stage” some of the things we need to hear as reminders of our obligations to those who follow us and as a tribute to those who taught us and whom we have followed.

“If I weren’t afraid,” I would remind us all that we are in this profession to serve those we are privileged to teach, not the reverse. Those who serve their students well are the ones who pass along a love for the beauty of music and music making. They are the ones who find their greatest rewards in the successes shared with students and in the fact that those students have grown and their lives changed for the better because of association with the teacher. I would

say to those who take for granted the privilege of working with and sharing music with young people, you are missing the essence of your work. Our students are more significant than our personal preferences, because the future of our profession rests with those we teach. Those of us who teach must remember that unless we teach our students well and honestly, our profession soon will reflect that lack of integrity. We must remind ourselves that the future of our art form is more important than our individual professional reputations. I believe it is more important to see successes through our students than in our printed resumes.

“If I weren’t afraid,” I would remind us all that well-rounded band programs are the only ones that realistically have a chance of surviving in these times of budget and staff cutbacks. Programs that invest too much money and time and resources in one dimension of the program and ignore other important musical and educational components, no matter which area is over emphasized, can do more harm than good in the long run.

"If I weren't afraid," I would urge our music education teacher preparation programs to make every effort to send out graduates who are good musicians with solid backgrounds in pedagogy, conducting, teaching techniques, and traditional as well as contemporary band literature. It is inconceivable that one graduating from a university with a

degree in Literature would not be well grounded in William Shakespeare, John Milton, Ernest Hemmingway, James Joyce, Langston Hughes, Dante, Maya Angelou, John Steinbeck, Robert Frost, James Baldwin and others of historic impact. Why should we not expect comparable preparation for the future band directors of our profession? When we take paths of least resistance and build illfounded programs and send young professionals into the business without sufficient preparation, are we not in our own way taking part in the Emperor’s New Clothes Syndrome? I would say that… “if I weren’t afraid.”

“If I weren’t afraid,” I would speak publicly more often about the fact that so much “not good” music is finding its way into our band repertoire by means of shallow advertising and promotion strategies. The fact that music is recorded, published and promoted to the public, or if an individual composer does the same via social media, does not constitute grounds for qualification as good music. The music publishers and industry members are doing what they are supposed to be doing: making available to our teachers a variety of compositions from which we are to choose our performance and instructional selections. It is incumbent upon us as trained professionals to make good decisions and upon our teacher preparation institutions to train young teachers properly in a wide and sound

What Would I Do if I Weren't Afraid?, David Gregory, cont.

What Would I Do if I Weren't Afraid?, David Gregory, cont.

background of ensemble literature. I believe we are allowing far too much substandard literature and literature that is the most recent product of a “composer du jour” to be accepted unchallenged into our programs. And I believe that, through the programming of their work, we too many times reward composers who have not developed the skills and crafts of composition and musical content. If we do not set standards of quality with our choices of music, how can we expect our students to do differently in their work?

“If I weren’t afraid,” I would challenge openly and quickly all who cast aspersion on our profession. I would not stand idly by and allow those inside, and outside, this business to classify it as a second-rate option for a career, nor would I look the other way by accepting compromised excuses for unacceptable work and allow this noble profession to be relegated to that of “just a job.” I would speak more strongly, now that I am in my “finale years,” that those in this profession who belittle it and blame it for failures in their own lives should leave it and take their frustrations elsewhere. Their students do not deserve such prejudices. Those young people who choose music should be given every opportunity to explore its magic, not to experience their teacher’s dissatisfactions in life.

“If I weren’t afraid,” I would spend more time and energy helping those

new to our profession and those about to enter it. I would commit more of myself to this art form that has given to me so many times over what I have put into it. I would make certain our next generation of music makers knows there are those who will do for them and work with them and speak for them in order to help them become successes in their work with students. There is much I should give back to this profession, and I would attempt to do more, “if I weren’t afraid.”

"If I weren't afraid," I would say the following to those who continually flood social media with self-serving and sell-aggrandizing pictures and narratives: posting videos of you conducting an ensemble does not make you a great conductor; posting your invitations to serve as a clinician or adjudicator does not make you a great teacher; posting your personal recognitions, self-promoting information, and seemingly neverending supply of personal pictures does not make you a good person. These shallow public displays of selfhonoring can send unusually harmful and misleading messages to others in our profession...especially those who are easily influenced by the implied importance of this modern-day form of narcissism...narcissism on a scale probably never before witnessed in the history of our civilization. These admirable and truly meaningful goals mentioned above are attained through dedicated and intentional

devotion to one's students, their musical and personal well-being, and one's commitment to the value and significance of our art form and its impact on our society. I would say these things..."If I weren't afraid."

Finally, “if I weren’t afraid,” I would make every effort to let those who are important to me know it. I would not “be afraid” to tell others how much I value their friendship and how much I appreciate the fact that they place confidence in me, both musically and personally. I would spend less time and energy around those who are inherently negative individuals and who find only bad things in others. With many more years behind me than in front of me, I believe it to be of even greater necessity that I speak honestly to those who have helped shape my life and to be “less afraid” to address appropriately those who insist on leading negative lives. I would thank those who helped me and those who help our profession, and I would tell them that I am better because they came into my life and shared music with me. They were and are the people who helped me find exceptional things and to realize that, in a very real sense, music rescued me.

As I reflect upon my years…my career, I cannot help but think of the thousands of people and events that encompassed those years. I am sincerely appreciative of and indebted to those who helped and

encouraged me, helped by accepting and by questioning decisions I made and actions I took. Each played a necessary role and both were important. I am reminded that I am a product of all I have experienced, the events and activities that gave me artistic forums, those peers and mentors who left indelible prints on my life and career, and, most of all, the thousands of students I had the honor of serving through the creating and sharing of the compelling beauty of music

I would say these things, and many more, should I be given an opportunity, and “if I weren’t afraid.” Don’t wait…it goes by in a blink.

/NationalBandAssociation

OR SCAN BELOW

THE WIND BAND CONTRIBUTIONS OF GUY M. DUKER

BY MATT SMITH

ABSTRACT

Guy Duker was an American conductor, transcriber, and music educator who taught in the public schools of Illinois and served on the faculty of the University of Illinois. He is best remembered for his work as a transcriber, including works by Respighi, Schmitt, and Stravinksy.

Guy Duker was an American conductor, transcriber, and music educator. He began his career as a band director and music supervisor in the public schools of Illinois, where he worked for fourteen years. In 1953 Duker joined the faculty of the University of Illinois and worked alongside legendary figures Mark Hindsley and Harry Begian. He retired as the associate director of bands at Illinois in 1978.

Duker is known for his transcriptions of orchestral repertoire for the wind band, many of which are still performed. He provided an important adaptation of Florent Schmitt’s Dionysiaques for the modern wind band, and his transcription of Ottorino Respighi’s The Pines of Rome has been performed and recorded by numerous ensembles. Additional transcriptions of works by Hindemith, Stravinsky, and Bernstein are among

his other contributions to the repertoire.

BIOGRAPHY

Guy Maxwell Duker was born in 1916 in Goshen, Indiana. His father, Chancey Duker, was a teacher and eventually served as superintendent of schools in McHenry, Illinois. Upon graduation from high school in McHenry, Guy attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana as a music education major. He was first a member of one of the regimental bands under the direction of Mark Hindsley, and in his senior year he was principal trombone in the Concert Band under A. A. Harding. At that time, there was not a lot of formal training in music education. Rather, most of his musical coursework focused on applied lessons, ensembles, theory, history, and education classes were taught outside of the music school.

After graduating with high honors from Illinois in the spring of 1938, Duker accepted his first teaching position in Highland, Illinois. He taught in Highland for three years, during which time his band participated in the National Music Contest.

Duker left Highland to accept a position as music instructor for University High School in Urbana, Illinois, a school that was funded by the University of Illinois. At the same time, he worked on his master’s degree and taught applied trombone at the University of Illinois. That spring, Duker received his master’s degree in music education. His master’s thesis was titled “A Method for the Trombone, Based Upon the Unit Approach to the Reading of Rhythms, Scales, and Chords.”

By his own account, Duker’s tenure at University High School did not go well (Duker, 1997). He left after one year, and moved to Alton, Illinois and took a job with the Owens-Illinois Glass Company during the 1942-

Matt Smith is the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Kansas, where he conducts the Symphonic Band and Marching Jayhawks, and serves as Scholarship Coordinator for the School of Music.. Prior positions have included Indiana University, Iowa State University, Baylor University and the University of Michigan.

43 school year. His first job was to inspect the boxes that the company manufactured to store and ship glass products, and he was soon promoted to position as box builder. While Duker felt that he could eventually hold a leadership position in the company, he accepted an offer to take over the music program in the Alton schools beginning in the fall of 1943.

Duker spent ten years in the Alton schools, starting as director of bands, and later, supervisor of music. At one point during Duker’s tenure in Alton, his band traveled on a concert tour and performed at the University of Illinois. Duker asked his former director, Mark Hindsley, to guest conduct the band in a transcription of Borodin’s Overture to Prince Igor

Hindsley had succeeded A.A. Harding as interim director of bands at Illinois in the fall of 1948 and was officially named the director of bands in 1950. In 1953, Hindsley asked Duker if he would accept a position with the Illinois band program. Duker recollected that the initial financial offer was the same amount as his salary in Alton, $6000 dollars. The offer was eventually increased, but Duker said that the increase was offset by the cost of living in ChampaignUrbana (ibid).

by Everett Kisinger. The regimental bands played for military ceremonies, athletic events, and concerts. Members from all three bands comprised the football band that was known as the Marching Illini.

Duker was hired as “assistant to the director of bands;” the position was largely administrative in nature and included oversight of the library and property for the Illinois band program. In addition, he taught advanced courses in instrumental music education and conducted the

Summer Band. Duker did not have an ensemble of his own during the academic year.

Concert bands were not active during the fall semester during this era due to the marching band. Duker often served as a guest conductor during the spring semester, however, and took over the leadership of the concert band in the semesters when Hindsley was on sabbatical. In 1965, Duker’s title was changed to Assistant Director of Bands.

At the time, the structure of the bands at Illinois included the Concert Band, conducted by Hindsley, and two regimental bands, conducted

The Wind Band Contributions of Guy M Duker, cont.

GUY DUKER – Early Years

The Wind Band Contributions of Guy M Duker, cont.

In 1970, Harry Begian succeeded Mark Hindsley as director of bands at Illinois. During Begian’s tenure the concert bands were re-structured. The “regimental band” name was removed, and the program eventually expanded to five concert bands, some of which were active in the fall semester. In 1971, Duker was promoted to full professor of music, and in 1976, Duker’s title was changed to associate director of bands.

Duker retired from the University of Illinois in the spring of 1978 after 25 years of service. He continued his work with transcriptions throughout his retirement. Guy Duker passed away in 1998 at the age of 81.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROFESSION

Duker was a member of the College Band Directors National Association and served in multiple capacities, including chair of the research committee, division president, secretary-treasurer, national vice president, and from 1969-1971 served as national president of the association. During his tenure, he oversaw the annual CBDNA conference held at the University of Texas in Austin in January 1971.

Duker also wrote a few short articles that were published in the Music Educators Journal. In the first article, “So It’s Too High, Is It!” (Duker,

1967) Duker shares the inspiration that he experienced while observing a class of physically disabled students sing The Star-Spangled Banner that took place while a music supervisor in Alton. He also wrote “MENC’s Associated Organizations,” an article for that introduced CBDNA to the Music Educators National Conference (Duker, 1971). Duker listed CBDNA’s Declaration of Principles and summarized the contributions of its various committees on research, instrumentation, repertoire, and other endeavors.

In 1975, Duker authored “Ear Training for Winds,” a manual produced by the Peterson ElectroMusical Products company. This was a

Continued on next page

method for band directors that taught how to incorporate the Petersen Tuner in educational instruction for bands.

TRANSCRIPTIONS

The University of Illinois has a rich history of band transcriptions. A.A. Harding, the first director of bands, was a prolific transcriber, known to have scored over 150 orchestral works for concert band. Mark Hindsley continued the tradition of scoring orchestral works for concert band with over 75 transcriptions to his credit. The Hindsley transcriptions continued to be performed with great frequency under later directors Harry Begian and James Keene. Guy Duker followed in the footsteps of A.A. Harding and Mark Hindsley, and one of his earliest transcriptions would prove to be his most successful.

Mark Hindsley was scheduled to be on sabbatical from his responsibilities as director of bands in the spring semester of 1959. Duker knew that taking over the full-time conducting responsibilities of the band was going to be a tall task, and that he needed to do something that would be impressive during that semester. He decided to prepare a transcription of Ottorino Respighi’s The Pines of Rome.

Composed in 1924, The Pines of Rome was transcribed for Italian band by Antonio D’Ella two years later.

A.A. Harding scored it for the Illinois Concert Band in 1929 and performed it frequently. However, Harding was

known to have used a wide variety of instruments at that time, so Duker knew that a new version that would suit the current instrumentation of the Illinois Concert Band would be required.

The premiere was a success. However, efforts to publish the piece were ridden with issues of permissions, royalties, preparation of a clean manuscript and parts, and other factors. It took approximately 15 years for the transcription to become available on a rental basis. Its positive reception among collegiate and high school bands enabled the transcription to eventually become available for purchase.

In 1970 Duker was approached by the publisher Belwin Mills regarding Carl Orff’s Entrata, which is a setting of William Byrd’s music that Orff scored for orchestra and organ situated in multiple choirs. Duker was asked to create a transcription for a German band, with the ability to perform the work outdoors. The transcription was intended to be played during a ceremony for the opening of the Rhein-Main-Danube Canal, a major engineering project in Germany. The transcription would require Orff’s approval.

The transcription proved to be a challenge, as the orchestral version was scored for five orchestral choirs and organ, and some attempts required a score page with up to 60

staves. There were challenges in agreement about instrumentation and the ability to perform the work outside, and eventually the publisher wanted a second version that would utilize a traditional concert band arrangement. In the end, it does not appear that this second version was completed, nor had the original transcription been performed. Though a recording of the orchestral version exists, the scope of the work proves to provide challenges in performance. The band transcription that Duker created was deemed unpublishable.

In 1978, Duker was approached by European American Music Distributors Corporation about the creation of a transcription for Orff’s Catulli Carmina, a cantata by Orff written during the Second World War. The desired transcription would be for wind band only, without the use of vocalists.

Duker received a score to the original work in November, and by March had completed the transcription. He received word that Orff’s publisher showed the score of Duker’s transcription to Orff, and shared the following:

“Orff at once recognized the handiwork of the professional and was very greatly impressed. He gives his consent herewith and is already looking forward to its speedy conclusion.” (Sturm, 1979).

The work was premiered by the Illinois Symphonic Band in November

The Wind Band Contributions of Guy M Duker, cont.

1979. Though Harry Begian was supposed to conduct the work, Thomas Harris, assistant director of bands, conducted the premiere due to Begian’s illness.

Duker was proud of his work and thought that it could be the biggest band piece of the year. He encouraged the publisher to heavily promote it. However, a recording was not available to be placed on a record, which limited the promotion of the work. It is likely that there have been few, if any, performances since the

premiere.

During the correspondence on the Catulli Carmina, the representative from European American Music hinted at another major project they would like to discuss with Duker. It was eventually revealed that this would be a transcription of The Firebird Suite. The work was premiered in November of 1991 by Harry Begian.

Duker sent a copy of a recording to Igor’s son, Soulima, who responded: “I enjoyed listening to your band arrangement of the Firebird

Suite. It sounds quite natural in this arrangement, a sure indicator that is very well scored.” (Stravinksy, 1986). Soulima was on the piano faculty at Illinois 1950-1978, and Soulima and Guy were colleagues for 25 years.

One of Duker’s last transcriptions was made at the request by James Keene, director of bands at Illinois. The University of Illinois

Symphonic Band I premiered Dmitri Shostakovich’s Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Songs at the American Bandmasters Association Conference in 1990 held at the University of Illinois.

DIONYSIAQUES

Over the last 40 years Dionysiaques has earned its status as one of the masterpieces of the standard wind band repertoire. Composed by Florent Schmitt in 1914, it is a work that separates itself from other band music of its time due to its creative construction and scoring, particularly for its time. While much of the information on Dionysiaques is available elsewhere, the question as to why it had not entered the standard repertoire sooner remained unanswered. It was Guy Duker who created the adaptation that was performed by contemporary concert bands for many years.

Duker was introduced to Dionysiaques through an early recording made by the French Guard Republican Band in 1920s. Duker

The Wind Band Contributions of Guy M Duker, cont.

GUY DUKER – Later Years

was immediately intrigued by the work. As it turns out, the Illinois band library had a score and parts to the original version of Dionysiaques, and there were markings in the score made by A.A. Harding. Duker speculated that Harding had at least read through the work with his band, if not performed it. A recent search of concert programs revealed that Harding had indeed performed the work. It is unknown if Harding was able to utilize the exact instrumentation as scored by Schmitt. The original version was scored for a variety of instruments available to the Guard Republican Band at the time, including sarrusophone, bass saxophone, bugles, and alto horns. This, along with the difficulty of the work and its limited availability to American bands, may explain why the piece took so long to enter the standard repertoire.

Duker re-scored the work for symphonic band and premiered the new version in 1975 with the Illinois Concert Band. Duker considered the work an adaptation as opposed to a transcription. He again encountered difficulties with a publisher, in this case Durand, which limited performances of the piece. Eventually it became available for rental, and by February 1979, the work had been performed by 5 other university programs.

Eventually, Dionysiaques grew in its appeal to wind band conductors,

and continues to be performed and recording with regular frequency. In 2011 a new edition by Felix Hauswirth was published and revisited the scoring issues of the original version. While the Hauswirth edition is currently the only permissible performance version of Dionysiaques, the wind band community owes a debt of gratitude to Duker for making the work available to the modern concert band in its format from 1975 to 2011.

LEGACY

Guy Duker’s legacy extended beyond his teaching and transcriptions. Guy Duker had two sons, John and Paul Duker, who both served as band directors in the Illinois schools. Paul later went on to serve as a public-school administrator in Quincy, Illinois, and contributed an article to The Instrumentalist Magazine, titled “Advice from an Administrator” (Duker, 1991). Paul also founded the Quincy Concert Band in 1982. Duker also had two grandsons, Doug, and Mark. Mark is a high school band director in Naperville, Illinois and has many of Guy’s manuscripts in his possession.

Of special importance to the traditions of the University of Illinois, Guy Duker wrote the lyrics to the Illinois March, composed by Edwin Franko Goldman. Upon completion of the march, a contest was held to select lyrics for the trio section. Over 20 submissions were received, and Duker’s set of lyrics was selected

as the winner. The march is still performed and sung by the Marching Illini as they march to the stadium for each home football game.

The University of Illinois has two awards in Guy Duker’s name. The Guy Duker Instrumental Music Education award is presented each spring to a graduating senior in music education, and the Illinois Bands have a Symphonic Band award in Duker’s name as well.

In looking at Guy Duker’s output, it cannot be understated how ambitious his endeavors were. He took on some imposing works. In looking at his larger output, there is a wide range of compositions and composers. In examining the letters that are stored in the University of Illinois archives, one is reminded of the correspondence and negotiation that is required to secure permissions and royalties for published works. Guy Duker could produce a major transcription in a matter of a few months, but the formal agreements of permissions, royalties, and printing often took years to resolve.

In a letter to European American Music, Duker noted that he would not have chosen to do the Orffs, Firebird, or Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler on his own (Duker, 1979). His inspiration was often spurred when listening to the classical radio station in ChampaignUrbana. Among his output, the transcription of the Trumpet Concerto

The Wind Band Contributions of Guy M Duker, cont.

The

Wind Band Contributions of Guy M Duker, cont.

by

Alexander

Arutiunian

and The Pines of Rome remain his most frequently performed and recorded. However, it was the transcription of Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1 for which he was most proud. He continued to be inspired and have ideas for projects for the rest of his years.

REFERENCES

Duker, G. (August 31, 1979).

[Letter from Guy Duker to George Sturm, 1979]. Retrieved from The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, Guy M Duker Papers, Series 3, Box 3. University of Illiniois.

Duker, G. (1971, December).

MENC’s Associated Organizations. Music Educators Journal, 58 (4), 61.

Duker, G. (October 31, 1997).

Personal Reflections. [Audio recording].

Duker, G. (1967, October). So It’s Too High, Is It! Music Educators Journal, 54 (2), 64.

Duker, P. (1991, August).

Advice from an Administrator. The Instrumentalist, 46 (1), 43-44.

Stravinsky, S. (December 19, 1986).

[Letter from Soulima Stravinsky to Guy Duker, 1986]. Retrieved from The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, Guy M Duker Papers, Series 3, Box 3. University of Illinois.

Sturm, G. (March 28, 1979).

[Letter from George Sturm to Guy Duker, 1979]. Retrieved from The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, Guy M Duker Papers, Series 3, Box 3. University of Illinois.

2022 COMMUNITY BANDS REPORT

BY MICHAEL BURCH-PESSES

s I write this report for 2022, community bands nationwide have enjoyed a vigorous (and highly invigorating) return to their usual activities, given that many restrictions surrounding the COVID pandemic have been relaxed. Rehearsal venues that closed down due to the virus, including schools, churches, and other public spaces again became available to eager community bands.

A

Canada, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. The Association is a good barometer of what happened in the past year to community bands and their members:

Halloween concerts, Veteran’s Day concerts, and performances with a wide variety of themes were performed throughout the fall, and audiences eager to hear live music again returned to those venues in force. Band members themselves breathed a great sigh of relief, just to see old friends and bandmates again after nearly a two-year hiatus. Some are still wearing masks and washing their hands at every turn, but the outlook appears to be very bright.

THE ASSOCIATION OF CONCERT BANDS – CELEBRATING ITS 45TH YEAR

The Association of Concert Bands (ACB) is the largest organization dedicated to community bands, with member bands in Canada, companies in Germany, Ireland and Spain, and individual members in Australia,

• Last year at this time the ACB had 589 member bands, which grew to 615 in 2022. 2023 will begin with 624 member bands, a clear reflection of resurgence following the pandemic. ACB also offers individual memberships: Those memberships numbered 1217 in 2021, and grew to 1312 in 2022.

• Corporate memberships in 2021 numbered 22, and now number 21. Several of the larger publishers/distributors who previously were members let their membership lapse during the pandemic, when music purchases dropped drastically, and have not yet rejoined; but the Association anticipates they eventually will renew their membership now that bands are ordering music at the previous rate again.

• The Association continued their virtual “ACB Connects!” series, with sessions on how to create virtual performances, and a look into how some bands returned to rehearsing and performing. (acbands.org/

Michael Burch-Pesses is Distinguished Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, and teaches courses in conducting and music education. He enjoyed a distinguished career as a bandmaster in the United States Navy before arriving at Pacific University. During his Navy career he served as Leader of the Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland, Assistant Leader of the Navy Band in Washington, DC, and Director of the Commodores, the Navy's official jazz ensemble. Dr. Burch-Pesses also is the Conductor of the award-winning Oregon Symphonic Band, Oregon's premier community band. In 2006 the band performed at the Midwest Clinic, and in 2007 the John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the band the Sudler Silver Scroll, recognizing them as one of the outstanding community bands in the nation. He is the author of “Canadian Band Music: A Qualitative Guide to Canadian Composers and Their Works for Band,” and is a regular contributor to the “Teaching Music Through Performance in Band” series. He also is a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician.

PEDAGOGY

acbconnects)

• This year’s winner of ACB’s Young Composers Composition Contest is Dakota Pederson. His winning composition “Granite” will be premiered at the ACB convention in Orlando in May, 2023. The next submission period will open in August 2023 and close in June 2024, with the winner announced in November 2024 and the work premiered in 2025.

• The Association is busily planning their 2023 convention in Orlando, Florida, May 17-20.

The American Prize is a national competition designed to recognize the very best in the performing arts in the United States. Congratulations to the community bands honored by The American Prize:

Winner - The Plainville Wind Ensemble from Avon, CT; Ken Bagley, conductor

Second Place – Woodlands Concert Band from Spring, TX; Paul Warosello, conductor

Third Place – Montgomery County Concert Band from Lansdale, PA; Charles N. Neidhardt, conductor

Congratulations as well to the community bands that were accepted to perform at the 2022 Midwest Clinic:

• The Brooklyn Wind Symphony from Brooklyn, NY; Jeff W. Ball, conductor

• The Spring ISD Alumni Band from Conroe, TX; Trent Cooper, conductor

THE NEW HORIZONS INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ASSOCIATION – CELEBRATING ITS 31ST YEAR

The New Horizons International Music Association (NHIMA) provides music-making opportunities for adults, including those with no musical experience, and those who were active in school music programs but have been inactive for a long period.

Founded in 1991 by Roy Ernst, a professor at the Eastman School of Music, NHIMA represents more than 230 New Horizons bands, orchestras, choral groups throughout the USA, Canada, Ireland and Australia. In 2022, New Horizons bands enjoyed the same revitalization as ACB bands:

• The Association offered a 50% off “Back to Band” sale for one-year and three-year memberships, which was highly successful. Membership in NHIMA increased to 1500 members thanks to the sale, the easing of pandemic restrictions, and an online presence on Facebook, YouTube, and Dropbox.

• The association’s live band camps in Lake Chautauqua, OH and Mt. Tremblant, Quebec, Canada, which were cancelled in 2021, returned in 2022 and

were very successful. Two camps are planned for 2023.

• Last year’s very popular virtual professional development programs were continued as well, including “Making Music with Disabilities,” “Klezmer Music,” “Sounds of the Jazz Age,” “How Does This Instrument Work,” and many more.

National Public Radio produced a very positive report on community bands, saying “Community bands are back after being battered by the pandemic.” Interviews with members and conductors of several community bands placed emphasis on the dedication of community band members and the reasons they have continued to perform on their instruments decades after their school days were over. Camaraderie, a feeling of belonging, keeping cognitive skills sharp, and the desire to entertain their audiences were cited among the many reasons for continuing to play. The production is at npr.org/2022/09/08/1121400371/ community-bands-are-back-afterbeing-battered-by-the-pandemic.

I’m delighted that my 2022 report has so many positive things to showcase. I’ve always felt that community bands are the direct result of music education, and a strong community band presence is an encouraging sign for all music educators. My hope is that next year’s report will have even better news.

Community Bands Report, Michael Burch-Pesses, cont.

NBA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

THE MIDWEST CLINIC – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

MARRIOTT MARQUIS – MCCORMICK PLACE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2022

11:30 AM – 1:20 PM

PRESIDENT RANDALL COLEMAN, PRESIDING

President Randall Coleman called the meeting to order at 11:30 AM.

MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Randall Coleman, Jason Fettig (PresidentElect), Matt Temple (Vice-President), Rebecca Phillips (Immediate Past President), and Scott Tobias (Executive Secretary-Treasurer).

MEETING AGENDAS: President Coleman reviewed the agendas for the next day’s NBA Board of Directors Meeting, Division and State Chairs Meeting, and General Membership Meeting to ensure that all needed topics were included for discussion.

NBA MEMBERSHIP PINS: President Coleman led a discussion about options for a possible new membership pin design. It was decided that Executive Secretary Scott Tobias would gather information on vendors and design options and would report back to the committee at the next executive committee meeting to be held in February.

NEW BUSINESS

NBA JOURNAL: President-Elect Jason Fettig asked about the possibility of offering a digital version of the NBA Journal to members in place of the printed version. This new option could save on printing costs and also present the Journal in a format becoming more frequently used by other organizations and publications. A discussion of pros and cons ensued. It was decided that Executive Secretary Scott Tobias would explore options that might allow for members to indicate their preference of receiving a print version or digital version of the Journal. Additional discussion is to take place at the next executive committee meeting.

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF DISTINCTION:

President Coleman announced the creation of a new award named the NBA Presidential Medal of Distinction to be awarded to outstanding members of the National Band Association. The executive committee discussed the exact wording for the award, the criteria

for recipients, and the process for selection of recipients. The approved wording will read:

Your professional service as a member of the National Band Association and your pursuit of musical performances of distinction serve as a model for others. Your record of dedication to our profession is one of which you may be justifiably proud, and your commitment to excellence is evident by the quality of your actions and integrity of your intent.

The selection criteria and process will be finalized in the coming months and posted on the NBA website.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 PM.

NBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

THE MIDWEST CLINIC – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS HYATT REGENCY A BALLROOM

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM PRESIDENT RANDALL COLEMAN, PRESIDING

President Randall Coleman called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM and asked everyone to introduce themselves.

MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:

Diane Koutsoulis (At-Large Representative), Mike Miller (Music Industry Representative), Don Schofield (At-Large Representative), Michael Burch-Pesses (Community Band Representative), Lowell E. Graham, Col, USAF (ret) (At-Large Representative), Alex Kaminsky (Student Member Chair), David Gregory (AWAPA Chair), Tracy Leslie (Elementary/Middle/Junior High School Representative), Dan Toven (Military Bands Representative), Corey Spurlin (Southern Division Chair), Craig Aarhus (At-Large Representative), Wolson Gustama (Foster Project Representative), Danh Pham (Western/Northwestern Division Co-Chair), Nate Seamons (Western/Northwestern Division Co-Chair), Susan Creasap (NBA Foundation), Andrew Yozviak (Eastern Division Chair), Tiffany Hitz (Elementary/Middle/Junior High School Representative), Arris Golden (College/University Representative), Thad Driskell (North Central Division Chair), Adam Dalton (Marching Band

Chair), Jerell Horton (High School Representative), Bobby Lambert (High School Representative), Amanda Siegert (Student Representative), Susan Waters (Elementary/Middle/ Junior High School Representative), Audrey Murphy (Alfred Young Band Composition Contest Chair), Chad Kamei (High School Representative), Myra Rhoden (Programs of Excellence Chair), Randall Coleman (President), Jason Fettig (President-Elect), Matt Temple (Vice-President), Rebecca Phillips (Immediate Past President), and Scott Tobias (Executive SecretaryTreasurer).

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: Scott Tobias reported that membership was at 2435 members as of December 15. This marked the sixth straight year that membership in the association has increased. See the full report in the NBA Journal

FINANCIAL REPORT: Scott Tobias reported as of November 30 there is a balance of $63,667.56 in the NBA bank account. This balance included a part of the Midwest Clinic 2022 expenses. A full financial report may be found in the NBA Journal.

NBA FOUNDATION: Susan Creasap reported that the current balance in the Foundation account is $53,764.00. This amount is down due to the current economy and market trends. Money in the account has been moved to a more conservative portfolio until the economy begins to stabilize.

NBA YOUNG COMPOSER JAZZ COMPOSITION CONTEST: President Coleman announced that this year’s winner is It Matters by Clint Bliel. The piece will be performed by the United States Air Force Airmen of Note on their concert tonight. President Coleman thanked the University of Florida Bands for their sponsorship of this contest and for providing a $1,000 prize for the winner.

NBA/ALFRED YOUNG COMPOSITION CONTEST: Audrey Murphy reported that 23 entries were received for this year’s contest. She thanked the committee for their work in selecting a winner. Chris Bernotas and Alfred Music were also thanked for their continued sponsorship of this contest. This year’s winner is PROXIMA B by Steven Pyter.

NBA MERRILL JONES COMPOSITION

CONTEST: President Coleman reported that the Merrill Jones Composition Contest selection committee was meeting at the same as the Board of Directors meeting. Contest chair Paul Popiel sent word that the number of entries were up this year. A winner will be announced at this afternoon’s General Membership meeting.

NBA WILLIAM D. REVELLI

COMPOSITION CONTEST: President Coleman presented a report on behalf of contest chair Matt McCutchen. This year saw the highest number of applicants in contest history with 95 entries. The winner will be announced at the General Membership meeting this afternoon.

DIVISION AND STATE REPORTS: The Board heard brief Division reports from Andrew Yozviak (upcoming band symposium with US Coast Guard Band), Thad Driskell (monthly Zoom meetings, successful CBDNA-NBA joint division conference), Corey Spurlin (multiple symposia and workshops, successful CBDNA-NBA joint division conference), and Nate Seamons and Danh Pham (student leadership, professional development, mentoring). President Coleman presented a report on behalf of Dustin Seifert (focus on membership growth). President Coleman and President-Elect Fettig thanked the Division Chairs for their work this year. See the full report of Division

and State activity on the NBA website at nationalbandassociation.org/ history-archives.

COMMUNITY BANDS: Michael Burch-Pesses reported that thanks to the easing of pandemic restrictions over the past year, community bands are returning. The Association of Concert Bands reported 589 member bands last year and 624 this year. Congratulations were offered to the two adult/community bands performing at this year’s Midwest Clinic – the Brooklyn Wind Symphony and the Spring ISD Alumni Band. See the full Community Bands report in the NBA Journal.

CORPORATE RELATIONS: President Coleman reported that Gary Smith is working on re-establishing corporate members and sponsors who took a break from their involvement during COVID. To assist in this effort, the Executive Committee approved the lowering of dues for Corporate Members to $250 for the upcoming year.

WILLIAM P. FOSTER

PROJECT:

Wolson Gustama reported that six individuals had been selected as division recipients of the Foster Community Development Award. These individuals were chosen from 75 nominees. These recipients, along with the schools receiving the Foster Project Award of Excellence, will be recognized at this afternoon’s NBA General Membership meeting

and at tonight’s Midwest Clinic Diversity Reception. They will also be recognized later in the week at the CBDNA Forum.

IDEA (INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND AWARENESS)

COMMITTEE: Matt Temple reported on two primary projects undertaken by the committee this year. The first was the development of a welcoming statement for the association which reads:

“The National Band Association acknowledges and embraces that our organization is strengthened by diversity. We welcome all peoples, inclusive of their culture, economic status, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, and abilities. The NBA is committed to including all voices in our organization and invites everyone to join us in the advancement of our mission and education purposes.”

This statement was approved by the Executive Committee and will be added to the website and other documents. The second project was proposed revisions to the NBA’s educational purposes. These revisions will be discussed later in the meeting under New Business.

MILITARY-PROFESSIONAL BANDS: Daniel Toven shared the good news that the premier military bands have resumed touring. The United States Marine Band recently toured Eastern Europe. The United States Navy Band

NBA Board of Directors Meeting, cont.

NBA Board of Directors Meeting, cont.

traveled to Oslo, Norway. The United States Army Field Band performed in Scotland at the Edinburgh Tattoo. Additional good news is that there are no planned cuts to funding for the military band programs, and leaders are currently working on reversing previous cuts. During the past year, the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” celebrated their 100th anniversary, and the Army Blues jazz band celebrated 50 years. In 2023, the United States Marine Band “The President’s Own” will celebrate their 225th anniversary.

MUSIC RESEARCH: President Coleman reported on behalf of Brian Silvey who was unable to attend. The committee received one grant proposal which was approved by the Executive Committee to receive $500. One research article in currently under review for potential inclusion in the NBA Journal.

MUSIC INDUSTRY: Mike Miller stated that the past three years have been interesting and challenging for the music industry; however, things are starting to look up again. Supply chain issues continue to impact companies, but progress is being made. With steady improvement, companies seem to be positive that 2023 will see significant returns back to normalcy.

SELECTIVE MUSIC LIST – CONCERT:

Arris Golden reported that a committee slightly larger than in the

past has been formed to accommodate broader perspectives from all levels. A first meeting is scheduled for January.

SELECTIVE

MUSIC

LIST –

MARCHES:

Don Schofield reported that the committee will be working on coordinating efforts to match selection criteria between the concert list and the march list for greater consistency.

MARCHING BANDS: Adam Dalton and Bobby Lambert reported that the NBA has offered support to a recently distributed philosophical statement regarding the limiting of electronics and amplification use in marching bands. This statement was based on a DCI proposal submitted by Carolina Crown. Looking ahead, the committee is working to set goals for ways in which the NBA can assist directors with marching band activities, e.g. articles, resources, video tutorials, etc. Plans are underway to expand the committee to include a broad range of directors and styles of marching band.

NBA STUDENT GROUPS: Alex Kaminsky and Jason Fettig reported ongoing work to update guidelines for student groups and/or chapters. Part of the updates involve clarifying language and ensuring all legal issues are covered. The ultimate goal of the formation of student groups is to encourage young music education majors to join the NBA while in college with the hope they will remain

members once in the profession. Alex Kaminsky introduced VanderCook College of Music student Amanda Siegert who President Coleman has appointed as the new Student Representative on the NBA Board of Directors.

YOUNG CONDUCTOR/COMPOSER

MENTOR PROJECT: President Coleman read a report from Linda Moorhouse on the very successful 2022 YCCMP which took place in June in Washington, D.C. The NBA would like to thank Colonel Don Schofield and the United States Air Force Band for serving as hosts for the event. The next YCCMP will take place in 2024 and will once again be hosted by the United States Air Force Band. It was announced that Mark Camphouse has decided to step down from his role as coordinator of the composer portion of YCCMP. For 2024, Frank Ticheli has agreed to assume that role.

“NEED A MENTOR” PROJECT: Susan Creasap reminded the Board that a link exists on the NBA website for individuals to either request a mentor or to offer to serve as a mentor. The number of requests being received has decreased in recent years. This appears to be due to a transition to a more local level with increased mentoring options existing within the Divisions.

NBA AWARDS: President Randall Coleman reported on behalf of Awards Chair Heath Nails. During the past

year, the NBA presented 132 Citations of Excellence, 111 Certificates of Merit for Marching Excellence, 4 Outstanding Jazz Educator Awards, 37 Outstanding Jazz Student Awards, 18 Band Booster Awards, and 99 Outstanding Band Musician Awards.

PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE BLUE

RIBBON AWARD: Myra Rhoden reported that Division Recipients had been named and announced. They are, from the Southern Division: Hagerty High School (Oviedo, Florida), Brad Kuperman and Brian Kuperman, directors; Walton High School (Marietta, Georgia), John Palmer and Chris Johns, directors; Leon High School (Tallahassee, Florida), Lee Commander and Curtis Newson, directors; from the Southwestern Division: Artie Henry Middle School (Cedar Park, Texas), Robert T. Herrings, Katherine Norris, and Aaron Sanchez, directors; and from the Western Division: Rancho High School (Las Vegas, Nevada), Clinton Williams and Andrew Smouse, directors. The schools receiving the National Award will be announced later in the day at the NBA General Membership Meeting.

AL & GLADYS WRIGHT

DISTINGUISHED LEGACY AWARD: Rebecca Phillips reported that two individuals have been selected for the award this year. They will be announced later in the day at the NBA General Membership Meeting.

HALL OF FAME OF DISTINGUISHED CONDUCTORS: President Coleman reported on behalf of Tom Fraschillo. The formal induction of the three most recently elected members to the Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors will take place on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at Troy University. An announcement will be made this afternoon at the NBA General Membership Meeting regarding the newest elected member(s) to the Hall of Fame.

AWAPA COMMISSION: David Gregory reported that Bruce Leek (elected in 2021) will not be able to join us for this year’s NBA General Membership Meeting to receive his award. Thank you to Lowell E. Graham, Col, USAF (ret) who recently presented the award statue to Bruce at his home on behalf of the NBA. David Gregory will announce the 2022 recipient(s) later this afternoon at the NBA General Membership Meeting.

reported that work continues on a new design for the NBA membership pin. It is hoped that the pin will be ready before the 2023 Midwest Clinic.

PROJECT GRANTS AND BOOTH

REQUESTS: Matt Temple reported that eight project grant requests were received this year, and all were funded. Four booth requests were received and have been approved. New materials are being developed for inclusion in the booth.

NEW BUSINESS

OLD BUSINESS

D-DAY ALL-AMERICAN BAND: Matt Temple reminded the Board that the NBA will be providing $20,000 in financial aid to students participating in the inaugural event scheduled to take place in the summer of 2023. NBA members will be serving as staff for this project which is being coordinated by Historic Programs and led by Colonel Tim Holtan.

NEW PIN DESIGN: President Coleman

NBA JOURNAL: President Coleman thanked Matt Talbert and Nash McCutchen for their work on the NBA Journal. All Board members were encouraged to contribute articles for publication. President Coleman informed the Board that the Executive Committee was discussing the possibility of offering an option for members to choose to receive the NBA Journal in either a print or digital format. More information would be shared in the near future. Additionally, the Division and State Reports that have traditionally appeared in the Winter edition of the NBA Journal will now be available on the website instead.

NBA CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT: President Coleman informed the Board that the Executive Committee had approved the proposed changes to the NBA’s Educational Purposes as presented by the IDEA Committee.

NBA Board of Directors Meeting, cont.

NBA Board of Directors Meeting, cont.

These proposed changes had previously been sent to the Board by President-Elect Jason Fettig. The floor was opened for discussion. Hearing none, a motion was made and seconded to adopt the proposed changes. The motion passed unanimously and will now be brought to the membership for a vote of approval this spring. The proposed educational purposes would read:

• To promote and empower band performances throughout the world

• To encourage and promote the commissioning and performance of new wind band music

• To provide inclusive and authentic professional development opportunities and

resources for everyone

• To acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of bands, educators, performers, and band support organizations

• To promote pride, commitment, and enthusiasm among band directors and performers

• To encourage lifelong involvement in music and to support interested students in pursuing musical careers

• To promote an inclusive community among directors, performers, the music industry, and all other band support organizations

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF DISTINCTION:

President Coleman announced the creation of a new award named the NBA Presidential

Medal of Distinction to be awarded to outstanding members of the National Band Association. The Executive Committee has approved the following wording for the award: Your professional service as a member of the National Band Association and your pursuit of musical performances of distinction serve as a model for others. Your record of dedication to our profession is one of which you may be justifiably proud, and your commitment to excellence is evident by the quality of your actions and integrity of your intent.

The selection criteria and process will be finalized in the coming months and posted on the NBA website.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:27 AM.

NBA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

THE MIDWEST CLINIC – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MCCORMICK PLACE – CLARK CC22

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2022 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PRESIDENT RANDALL COLEMAN, PRESIDING

President Randall Coleman called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM and invited Todd Rogers from Bob Rogers Travels to the podium to make brief remarks. President Coleman then introduced the past presidents in attendance.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: Scott Tobias reported that membership was at 2435 members as of December 15. This marked the sixth straight year that membership in the association has increased.

FINANCIAL REPORT: Scott Tobias reported as of November 30 there is a balance of $63,667.56 in the NBA bank account and there is $53,764.00 in the NBA Foundation.

YOUNG CONDUCTOR/COMPOSER

MENTOR PROJECT: President Coleman read a report from Linda Moorhouse on the very successful 2022 YCCMP which took place in June in Washington, D.C. Colonel Don Schofield and the United States Air Force Band were thanked for serving as hosts for the event. The next YCCMP will take place in 2024 and will once again be hosted by the United States Air Force Band. President Coleman announced that

Mark Camphouse has decided to step down from his role as coordinator of the composer portion of YCCMP. For 2024, Frank Ticheli has agreed to assume that role.

NBA YOUNG COMPOSER JAZZ COMPOSITION CONTEST: President Coleman announced that this year’s winner is It Matters by Clint Bliel. The winning composition will be performed by the United States Air Force Airmen of Note on their concert at the Midwest Clinic. President Coleman thanked the University of Florida Bands for their sponsorship of this contest.

NBA/ALFRED YOUNG COMPOSITION

CONTEST: Audrey Murphy reported that 23 entries were received for the 2022 contest. Murphy thanked Chris Bernotas and Alfred Music for their continued sponsorship of this contest. The 2022 winner is PROXIMA B by Steven Pyter.

NBA MERRILL JONES COMPOSITION CONTEST: On behalf of contest chair Paul Popiel, President Coleman announced that the 2022 winner of the Merrill Jones Composition Contest is Isabella Morrill for her composition Voyage of the Northern Lights

NBA WILLIAM D. REVELLI COMPOSITION CONTEST: On behalf of contest chair Matt McCutchen, Scott Tobias reported that 95 entries were received for the 2022 contest, the highest number in contest history. The 2022 winner is Flying Jewels by James David, a work commissioned by the United States Air Force Band and inspired by a famous essay by the late author Brian Doyle.

NBA CITATIONS OF EXCELLENCE: Matt Temple announced that NBA Citations of Excellence were being presented to those directors whose ensembles were performing at the 2022 Midwest Clinic.

PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE BLUE RIBBON AWARD: Myra Rhoden recognized the Division recipients for 2022: Southern Division - Hagerty High School (Oviedo, Florida), Brad Kuperman and Brian Kuperman, directors; Walton High School (Marietta, Georgia), John Palmer and Chris Johns, directors; Leon High School (Tallahassee, Florida), Lee Commander and Curtis Newson, directors; Southwestern DivisionArtie Henry Middle School (Cedar

Park, Texas), Robert T. Herrings, Katherine Norris, and Aaron Sanchez, directors; and Western DivisionRancho High School (Las Vegas, Nevada), Clinton Williams and Andrew Smouse, directors.

Rhoden then announced the National recipients for this year: Artie Henry Middle School (Cedar Park, Texas), Robert T. Herrings, Katherine Norris, and Aaron Sanchez, directors; and Rancho High School (Las Vegas, Nevada), Clinton Williams and Andrew Smouse, directors.

NBA UPDATES: Jason Fettig announced that eight project grant requests were received this year, and all were funded. Members were encouraged to consider applying for future grants.

WILLIAM P. FOSTER PROJECT:

Wolson Gustama recognized the six individuals who had been selected as Division recipients of the Foster Community Development Award: Meredith Lord, Burncoat High School, Worcester, Massachusetts (Eastern Division); Dexter Bailey, Creekside High School, Fairburn, Georgia (Southern Division); Osmond Fisher, Central High School, Kansas City, Missouri (Southwestern Division); Roosevelt Griffin, Gwendolyn

Brooks Middle School, Harvey, Illinois (North Central Division);

Peter Briggs, Lincoln High School, Tacoma, Washington (Northwestern Division); and Sarah Tochiki, Chiefess

Kamakahelei Middle School, Lihue,

Hawaii (Western Division).

Gustama also announced this year’s recipients of the Dr. William P. Foster Project Award of Excellence: Arvida Middle School (Miami, FL), David Gonzalez, director; Barber Middle School (Acworth, GA), Robert Grogan, director; and Druid Hills Middle School (Decatur, GA), Today Milford, director.

NBA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

AWARD: President Coleman and Jason Fettig presented the NBA Distinguished Service Award to Mark Camphouse in recognition of his years of service as founder and coordinator of the Young Conductor/Composer Mentor Project. Coleman and Fettig also presented the NBA Distinguished Service Award to Linda Moorhouse in recognition of her years of service as Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the NBA.

AL & GLADYS WRIGHT

DISTINGUISHED LEGACY AWARD: Committee chair Rebecca Phillips announced that two individuals had been selected for the award this year. Committee members Susan Creasap and Diane Koutsulis announced the first recipient is Marcellus Brown. Committee members Terry Austin and Chadwick Kamei announced the second recipient is Michael Nakasone. Both recipients will be presented with the award at a future date in 2023.

AWAPA COMMISSION: David Gregory reported that Bruce Leek (elected in

2021) was not able to attend this year’s NBA General Membership Meeting to receive his award. Lowell E. Graham, Col, USAF (ret) was thanked for presenting the award statue to Bruce at his home on behalf of the NBA. Graham and Gregory announced that the persons elected to the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts for the year 2022 are Julie Giroux and Frank Ticheli. Giroux and Ticheli will be presented with the AWAPA materials at the 2023 NBA General Membership Meeting during the Midwest Clinic.

HALL OF FAME OF DISTINGUISHED CONDUCTORS: Thomas Fraschillo announced that the formal induction of the three most recently elected members to the Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors will take place on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at Troy University. These inductees are Lowell E. Graham, Col, USAF (ret), Joseph Hermann, and Don Wilcox. Fraschillo then invited Terry Austin to the podium to announce the newest elected member to the Hall of Fame. Austin announced that Dennis Zeisler will be inducted (posthumously) to the Hall of Fame of Distinguished Conductors in 2025.

FINAL REMARKS: President Coleman thanked the membership for the positive work being done on behalf of the National Band Association and invited everyone to stay for a reception sponsored by Bob Rogers Travel.

Meeting adjourned at 5:05 PM.

NBA General Membership Meeting, cont.

2022 NBA MEMBERSHIP REPORT

NBA FINANCIAL REPORT 2021–2022

HOW TO SUBMIT PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH ARTICLES TO THE NBA JOURNAL

BY MATTHEW TALBERT

The difference between a peer- reviewed research article and the articles traditionally published in the NBA Journal is best described as a difference in the vetting process and source material. To have an article appear as “peer-reviewed” in the NBA Journal means recognized researchers and scholars in the field of music/music education will read, evaluate, and then recommend whether or not an article should be published, revised or rejected. This process is widely recognized as an indicator of quality scholarship in a particular discipline or field. Other names for these types of articles are “scholarly” or “refereed.”

A traditional NBA Journal article is most often written from the perspective of the author’s unique experiences in life, music, and/ or the profession. These articles are of extraordinary value, as they often present a number of ideas that have been effective for the author and may also be effective for the reader. A research article is most often written as a continuation of ideas presented in previous articles, with the motivation drawn from

combining the findings of those previous articles and the author’s own experiences, experiments, or observations. In building the article in this way, the validity of the information is heightened beyond the traditional article. These articles are also of extraordinary value as they may also impact the way the reader approaches the subject material in a potentially more generalizable way. When incorporating the peerreview process, the an author’s article now has a final layer of review (for accuracy) utilizing other experts within the same subject matter.

Dr. Russell Gavin, former chair of NBA’s Research (and Editorial) committees, shares his thoughts on the layout and value of these types of articles:

A number of peer-reviewed research articles may read like other articles found in the NBA Journal, with the author outlining their thoughts on a subject while using citations to support the premise of the issue being discussed. Other research

articles will take on a bit more of a scientific approach. These articles begin with a review of literature summarizing the research on the topic that already exists, while simultaneously presenting the reader with the rationale driving the current article. A method section follows, describing what actually happened in the research, then a results and analysis section(s) describing what the researcher found, if anything. The article closes with a discussion of the findings and how they may relate to the world. The article concludes with a list of references from which the author drew

The Traditional Research Layout and Value of the Research Article

Matthew Talbert is Associate Professor of Music Education at Ohio University. Joining the faculty in the fall of 2016, his responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, with additional teaching responsibilities in the Patton College of Education.

Talbert earned a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of South Carolina (2012), a Master of Music in Music Education from Appalachian State University (2005), and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Appalachian State University (2004).

How to Submit Peer-Reviewed Research to the NBA Journal, Matthew Talbert, cont.

information and ideas.

If you are inexperienced at reading research articles, you may want to read the discussion section first. This part of the article will explain how the information found in the rest of the article may impact you and others in the article subject community. Oftentimes this is the place where practical ideas will be most clearly expressed; however, taking in the entire article will always give a much clearer view of what the author was attempting to express.

As mentioned above, an ideal research article is adding to the research that came before it. This continuation and growth of knowledge is one of the defining characteristics of this kind of inquiry. At the end of the article, the reader is left with information that is not only new to them, but simultaneously new to the world. This level of investigation is of paramount importance in all areas of music and education, and the NBA is proud to present this new avenue for such exploration and thought.

Guidelines for Submission of PeerReview Research Articles

A. Submission Method: Manuscripts should be submitted as Microsoft Word attachments via

email to the Editorial Committee Chair: Matthew Talbert at talbertm@ohio.edu.

B. Length: The manuscript should not exceed 25 pages and should include an abstract of 100-150 words in length on a separate page. We encourage the submission of short form articles (4-10 pages) as well as full-length articles.

C. Cover Page: To ensure anonymity in the review process, the manuscript should contain no clues as to the author’s institutional affiliation or identity. Author’s name(s), address, institution affiliations, and pertinent information should be listed on a separate cover page at the beginning of the submission. The cover page should also include up to five keywords/phrases that describe the contents of the manuscript.

D. Style Guide: Manuscripts should conform to one of the following style manuals:

(1) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition, 2019),

(2) The Chicago Manual of Style(17th edition, 2017), or

(3) A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (K. L. Turabian, 9th edition, revised by Wayne C.

Booth, Gregory Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, and the University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff, 2018).

Note: Authors may not combine and/or mix styles within a single manuscript

E. Tables and Figures: Tables and figures may be included with the manuscript, however, these must be publishable in black and white. It is the author’s responsibility to make sure any tables/figures are checked for accuracy before submission. Additionally, if any copyrighted materials are submitted, it is the author’s responsibility to provide documentation allowing the reproduction of these materials.

F. Ethical Requirements: It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that no copyright issues have been violated by the submission, including images, charts, etc. Manuscripts already published in other journals can be submitted for consideration in the NBA Journal providing the author has permission to do so.

Questions about submitting a peerreviewed article? Email Research Chair Brian Silvey at SILVEYBA@MISSOURI.EDU.

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