May 2014 Southwestern Musician

MAY 2014

20014 2014 Baylor Flute Seminar June 8-14

High School Band and Orchestra Camp Band Grades 9-12/Orchestra Grades 10-12 June 15-21

Middle School Band and Orchestra Camp Grades 7-9 June 22-28

Summer Piano Institute June 22-28

All-State Choral Music Camp July 8-12

Summer Organ Institute July 13-19

9 FEATURES

MAY 2014 VOLUME 82 — ISSUE 9 On the cover: Mills Chaiken, a senior at McKinney North HS, performs with the 2014 All-State Jazz Ensemble II. Photo by Karen Cross.

COLUMNS

13

Band Notes ............................................................ 18

by Andy Sealy Orchestra Notes ...............................................26

by Craig Needham Vocal Notes ............................................................30

by Dinah Menger

Rebuilding a struggling music program is no small feat, but it can be done. If you’re in this situation or will be next year, consider these philosophies and strategies as you strive for success.

BY NICK LUGGERIO

24

Fostering Well-Rounded Musicians Do you teach students who do it all? While including them in your program can present challenges, supporting their other interests ZLOO EHQHĂ€W WKHP DQG XOWLPDWHO\ \RXU PXVLF SURJUDP

BY JOSH KING

28

Technology Works for Me: Soundboard App By using a low-cost app on your iPad, you can increase your mobility in the classroom and improve your dynamic instruction.

BY BRANDON PEDIGO

37

TMEA Distinguished Administrator Spotlight

38

Making the Right Decision

President’s Notes .............................................. 5

by Janwin Overstreet-Goode Executive Director’s Notes..................10

by Robert Floyd

It’s Time to Rebuild

TMEA offers members the opportunity to recognize outstanding school administrators for their support. Learn how to nominate yours and read about recent recipients of this distinction.

Now is the time to begin helping next year’s seniors as they explore their college options and decide where to apply. Equip them with the right questions to ask to help them discover which LQVWLWXWLRQ RIIHUV WKH EHVW ÀW IRU WKHP

BY TOD FISH AND SCOTT LAGRAFF

47

CEDFA Summit XV /HDUQ PRUH DERXW KRZ WKH ÀIWHHQWK 7H[DV )LQH $UWV 6XPPLW ZLOO offer you the resources needed to implement the revised Fine Arts TEKS that are in effect with the 2014–2015 school year.

UPDATES Attend Your Spring Region Meeting ..............................................................2 Congratulations Four-Year All-State Musicians ...........................................7

Elementary Notes ...........................................41

by Colleen Riddle College Notes ......................................................49

by Michele Henry

2015 Convention Proposals Due June 1 .....................................................9 Renew Your TMEA Membership Now ........................................................ 21

Southwestern Musician | May 2014

1

Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd UĂ R\G@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 101 Fax: 512-451-9213

Attend Your Spring Region Meeting

Managing Editor: Karen Cross

kcross@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107 Fax: 512-451-9213

TMEA Executive Board President: Janwin Overstreet-Goode MRYHUVWUHHW JRRGH#ÀVGN QHW 1406 Frontier Lane, Friendswood, 77546 281-482-3413 x 150/Fax: 281-996-2523 – Friendswood HS

President-Elect: Keith Dye keith.dye@ttu.edu 6607 Norwood Avenue, Lubbock, 79413 806-742-2270 x 231 – Texas Tech University

Past-President: Joe Weir joseph.weir@humble.k12.tx.us 19627 Firesign Drive, Humble, 77346 281-641-7606 – Atascocita HS

Band Vice-President: Andy Sealy sealya@lisd.net 4207 Plano Parkway, Carrollton, 75010 469-948-3011 – Hebron HS

Orchestra Vice-President: Craig Needham Craig.Needham@richardson.k12.tx.us 1600 E Spring Valley Road, Richardson, 75081 469-593-7028 – Berkner HS

Vocal Vice-President: Dinah Menger d.menger@sbcglobal.net 1305 Westcrest Drive, Arlington, 76013 817-891-1095 – Baylor Univ

Elementary Vice-President: Colleen Riddle criddle@aldine.k12.tx.us 319 E North Hill Drive, Spring, 77373 281-985-6107 – M.O. Campbell Ed Center

College Vice-President: Michele Henry michele_henry@baylor.edu 1 Bear Place Unit 97408, Waco, 76798 254-644-0150 – Baylor University

TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | UĂ R\G@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Tesa Harding | tesa@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Laura Kocian | lkocian@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman | adenman@tmea.org

70($ 2IÀFH Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 | Toll-Free: 888-318-TMEA | Fax: 512-451-9213 Website: www.tmea.org 2IÀFH +RXUV Monday–Friday, 8:30 A.M.–4:30 P.M.

Get involved and stay informed by attending your Region meeting.

Region

1

Date

Time

Location

May 17

10 a.m.,

Amarillo HS Cafeteria

9:30 a.m. food

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

May 17 May 17 May 16 April 27 April 26 April 26 May 3

10 a.m.

10 a.m.

5 p.m.

2 p.m.

10 a.m.

1 p.m.

10 a.m.,

Decatur HS Lake Highlands HS Mt. Pleasant HS Lamar HS Permian HS Stephenville HS Midway HS

9:30 a.m. food

9 10 11 12 13 14

April 26 May 5 May 17 May 4 May 4 May 17

9 a.m.

6:30 p.m.

12 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

2 p.m.

10 a.m.,

Conroe HS Lamar Univ.

Holmes HS Canyon HS, New Braunfels George Ranch HS, LCISD Del Mar College

9:30 a.m. coffee

15 16

April 27 2 p.m.

May 5 5 p.m.,

Edinburg HS Post HS

4 p.m. Str. Cmt.

17 18

May 17 9:30 a.m.

April 26 10 a.m.,

Clear Springs HS Anderson HS

9:30 a.m. food

19 20 21 22

May 3 May 10 May 10 May 17

10 a.m.

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

12 p.m.

San Jacinto College North Greiner MS, Dallas Jacksonville HS, Band Hall UTEP Recital Hall

11:00 a.m. UIL mtg

23

May 10

9 a.m.

Cinco Ranch HS

8:30 a.m., food

24 25 26 27 28

May 17 May 31 April 29 May 17 May 17

10 a.m.

10 a.m.

6 p.m.

9 a.m.,

Newman Smith HS Plano East SH Vista Ridge HS

8:30 a.m. food

Cypress Ranch HS, tentative

10 a.m.

Harlingen HS

Southwestern Musician (ISSN 0162-380X) (USPS 508-340) is published monthly except March, June, and July by Texas Music Educators Association, 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754.

6XEVFULSWLRQ UDWHV 2QH <HDU ² 6LQJOH FRSLHV 3HULRGLFDO SRVWDJH SDLG DW $XVWLQ 7; DQG DGGLWLRQDO PDLOLQJ RIĂ&#x20AC;FHV 32670$67(5 6HQG DGGUHVV FKDQJHV WR 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ 3 2 %R[ Austin, TX 78714-0465. Southwestern Musician was founded in 1915 by A.L. Harper. Renamed in 1934 and published by Dr. Clyde Jay Garrett. Published 1941â&#x20AC;&#x201C;47 by Dr. Stella Owsley. Incorporated in 1948 as National by Harlan-Bell Publishers, Inc. Published 1947â&#x20AC;&#x201C;54 by Dr. H. Grady Harlan. Purchased in 1954 by D.O. Wiley. Texas Music Educator was founded in 1936 by Richard J. Dunn and given to the Texas Music (GXFDWRUV $VVRFLDWLRQ ZKRVH RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDO SXEOLFDWLRQ LW KDV EHHQ VLQFH ,Q WKH WZR PDJD]LQHV ZHUH PHUJHG XVLQJ WKH QDPH 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ FRPELQHG ZLWK WKH 7H[DV 0XVLF (GXFDWRU XQGHU WKH editorship of D.O. Wiley, who continued to serve as editor until his retirement in 1963. At that time ownership of both magazines was assumed by TMEA. In August 2004 the TMEA Executive Board changed the name of the publication to Southwestern Musician.

2

Southwestern Musician | May 2014

Summer Music 2014

Dear Valued TMEA Member: The TMEA Executive Board and staff members thank you for your membership in TMEA, and we look forward to serving you next school year!

Most importantly, we thank you for your daily devotion to the growth and development of the more than 5 million Texas schoolchildren. Your passion for music and your commitment to excellence is the foundation upon which students develop a love of music that lasts a lifetime.

We appreciate you and hope the summer brings the relaxation and restoration needed to help you continue your important work.

Sincerely, Janwin, Keith, Joe, Andy, Craig, Dinah, Colleen & Michele Bob, Frank, Kay, Tesa, Susan, Laura, Andrew, Karen & Rita

4

Southwestern Musician | May 2014

We’re listening. Are you?

B Y

J A N W I N

O V E R S T R E E T - G O O D E

O

ver the past few years, the TMEA membership has requested that the Executive and State Boards address the needs of specific populations across the state—specifically, small-school choirs and jazz ensembles. In response to those needs, we added an invited high school jazz band and a second auditioned All-State Jazz Ensemble. With the 2015 convention, we will introduce an additional 112-member All-State choir for students in 1A–4A schools (based on the new school alignment) as a two-year pilot. The Executive Board will evaluate the addition after the 2016 convention.

The Board will also begin a study for realignment of Areas and Regions.

In light of the new UIL classifications, and the fact that it has been 10 years since the last realignment, it is time. We are listening to your concerns and will attempt to address them as we study the implications of geographic considerations, equity in the audition process, and the changing demographics in the state.

In addition, at the request of Region divisional leadership, the TMEA Executive Board is initiating expanded Region training prior to this July’s TBA/ TODA/TCDA conventions in San Antonio. Its purpose will not only be to provide more detailed preparation for the newly elected Region officers to carry out their responsibilities but also for the Executive Board to receive input and ideas from the Region leadership.

We’re listening—are you? Are your students? In my classroom, I am often

PRESIDENT’S NOTES IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May—Online TMEA membership renewal available.

May 1—Texas Music Scholar application materials postmark deadline.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

July 27–30—TBA/TCDA/TODA conventions in San Antonio.

February 11–14, 2015—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Take the opportunity to become involved in topics of importance to you. Your input is valued and important. After all, you are TMEA. Southwestern Musician | May 2014

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For more information:

www.tlu.edu/sma

amazed (and annoyed) at how frequently students will ask questions about a topic I just finished discussing. What I find even more frustrating are parents who will ask questions in the same fashion. On a recent choir trip, I offered parents instructions for the day, and then answered questions about what I had just told them— repeating the exact information I had just covered.

What is causing this lack of focus? Is it a byproduct of new technology and the increase in the use of personal devices such as smartphones and tablets? Is the shortened attention span caused by shorter television shows interrupted by myriad commercials? Perhaps it’s the effect of social media such as Facebook or Twitter, which allows us only 140 characters to communicate our point. What can we do to overcome this attention-span deficit in our students, parents, and colleagues?

Our school’s drill team instructors have taught the dancers to respond with “thank you” any time they are given an instruction. The drama department has taken that one step further, and the students respond with “thank you, ten” if, for example, they are given a ten-minute break. Their responses always echo the given instruction. When sharing important information, I tell my students to look at me and often ask them to repeat some portion of that instruction to me.

Any trick or method you can create to encourage better listening will be beneficial to your rehearsals and meetings, and to your sanity as a music educator.

Once you can get your students and parents to listen, the next step is to get them to read. I was very excited to have a new and easier way of communicating with parents and students with the advent of email years ago. I would send weekly or biweekly emails covering a variety of topics, including calendar events and payment deadlines. This is still an effective means of communicating with parents. However, in recent years, I have discovered that students don’t read email on a regular basis. They are much more text-oriented.

Remind 101 is a free app that has become my solution to this dilemma.

Students must join your group (which you can set up as individual classes or an entire music program). You can then send brief, pertinent texts as needed. The students cannot respond to you, and you

do not have access to individual student phone numbers. The word remind has now become a noun in our vocabulary, as in, “Ms. Goode, would you send a remind to us about our trip payment?” And, since their phones are never far away, and they instantly check text messages, this has been a great new tool for communication.

As you begin using a service like Remind 101 or social media outlets to communicate with your students, read “What You Should Know Before You Post” in the August 2013 issue available at www.tmea.org/emagazine. You’ll find several good tips on electronic communications and how to build policies to help guide your use of it.

Please be sure you are listening to, and reading, any communication from TMEA, whether it is from your Region divisional chair, Region President, or from the TMEA office or Executive Board. Frequently, we request input from the membership on various topics, and sometimes the requests are met with no response. Take the opportunity to become

involved in topics of importance to you.

Do not assume that someone else will take care of it for you. Your input is valued and important. After all, you are TMEA. Submit a 2015 Convention Proposal June 1 is the deadline to submit an online proposal to present a clinic, product showcase, or music showcase during the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention (go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals).

Following this year’s convention, attendees offered feedback on the topics they want to see covered. Know that the Executive Board will consider this feedback when selecting clinics for the 2015 convention. See page 9 for more information, and if you or someone you know has had particular success in a topic listed, take the time to apply so you can share that knowledge. The quality of clinics and performances offered at our convention is the foundation of its success. Think about how you or a colleague can be part of that continuous improvement.

Congratulations Four-Year All-State Musicians The following students were mistakenly omitted from last month’s listing of four-year All-State musicians. Our apologies for this oversight and our congratulations for this incredible accomplishment go to these incredible students, their families, and teachers.

Philharmonic Orchestra Yi-Yang (Alan) Chen, Clear Lake HS, Violin Eric Ho, Clear Lake HS, Violin Chanse Morris, Dobie HS, B-flat Clarinet Jorge Rodriguez, Veterans Memorial HS, Tenor Trombone Jennifer Um, Clements HS, Violin

Be a TMEA Clinician!

Many successful clinics are offered by TMEA members like you. Submit a proposal now to share your expertise February 11–14 at the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

Learn more on page 9 and at www.tmea.org/clinicproposals Southwestern Musician | May 2014

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Begin your music education career at one of Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outstanding two-year colleges.

success.

The sound of

Blinn College - Brenham, Texas J. Hal & Allyne Machat Music Facility Our outstanding and diverse music faculty make teaching their top priority, enabling students to expand their musical horizons.

Jill Stewart ..................... Assistant Fine Arts Chair, Aural Music and Clarinet Harry D. Blake ........... Director of Bands Dr. Sarah Burke ......... Assistant Director of Bands and Percussion John Dujka .................... Music Theory and Piano Dr. Craig Garrett ..... Jazz Ensemble, Trumpet, and General Music Brian Klekar .................. Assistant Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone, and General Music Marie McElroy ............ Flute John McCroskey ....... Trombone Larry Campbell ......... Euphonium/Tuba Todd Quinlan .............. Percussion and General Music, Music Literature Felipe Vera ..................... Horn Steven Winter ............ Horn and Trumpet Karen Blake ................. Color Guard and Woodwinds Robert McElroy ........ Accompanist Eric Miller ....................... Music Theory, Music Appreciation, and Oboe and Bassoon

Director of Choral Studies,Voice, and Aural Music Vicki Wehmeyer ....... Voice, General Music and Piano Lauren Shelton .......... Voice John Vavroch ................ Voice Cheryl Amelang ........ Accompanist Dr. Joel Plaag

...............

For more information call 979-830-4262 or 830-4652 or visit our website at:

ZZZ EOLQQ HGX Ă&#x20AC;QHDUWV

2015 TMEA Convention Clinic & Showcase Proposals: Due June 1 W W W.TME A.ORG/CONVENTIONPROPOSALS

PROPOSAL TYPES CLINICS AND P RODUCT SHOWCASES: The 2015 TMEA Clinic/ Convention will feature approximately 300 clinics for current and future music educators—over 70 of these will focus on technology integration as part of the 2015 TI:ME Music Technology National Conference.

MUSIC SHOWCASES: Thursday through Saturday, 25 small music groups will perform on the two Music Showcase stages in the open areas of the convention center.

HOW DO I SUBMIT? Before you go online to complete a proposal: • Think it through. Create a thorough summary of what you will present and how. Do this in a separate application and save it. The better information you can provide about the value of your topics and how you will present them, the more informed the reviewers can be in their evaluation.

High Priority Topics Convention attendees have said they want to attend clinics on the following topics (in priority order). The Executive Board will review clinic proposals with this feedback in mind: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Teaching methods Rehearsal techniques Technology integration Classroom management Repertoire selection Instrument methods Recruiting/Retention Urban/Rural challenges & solutions Conducting techniques Advocacy/Administrative support Special needs instruction

• Obtain the information you’ll need. Ask co-clinicians for their TMEA IDs. Using their ID in the online submission will make your submission faster and more accurate.

• Understand the submission terms. Review the details on the initial pages before starting the online entry. You must agree to all terms when you submit.

TECHNOLOGY CLINICS With the TI:ME Music Technology National Conference hosted during our convention, there will be a special focus on clinics that offer technology integration solutions attendees can use to improve their instructional delivery. If you have solutions to share, apply by June 1!

Southwestern Musician | May 2014

9

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May—Online TMEA membership renewal available.

May 1—Texas Music Scholar application materials postmark deadline.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

July 27–30—TBA/TCDA/TODA Conventions in San Antonio.

February 11–14, 2015—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

10 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

HB 5 implementation complexities B Y

R O B E R T

F L O Y D

A

s I wrote the HB 5 update for the April issue of SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN, I kept telling myself that this would be the last mention of HB 5 implementation suggestions and clarifications. Yet each day I get a call or email from a member requesting additional clarification to help them navigate the new process.

On March 26 I attended an all-day hearing at the capitol as the House Public Education Committee listened to testimony from TEA staff, administrators, parents, and business leaders who shared information on how the implementation was progressing and concerns that may already need to be addressed in the 2015 legislative session.

The members of the committee asked insightful questions about the process and inquired about what pitfalls those in the field were experiencing. Questions centered around the effectiveness of such a fast-track implementation, adequate education and counseling for parents to help them understand the graduation pathways, a district’s capability to provide multiple endorsements, communication with higher education, mobility concerns for students who move around the state, and the community and student engagement accountability component. The reality is that implementation of such a massive education reform bill is very complex, and it will take time for all players—from superintendents to counselors to parents to students—to fully grasp its content and impact. Listed below are a few areas I believe fine arts educators must continue to address.

While a speech course is no longer required for graduation, a student must demonstrate proficiency in certain specific communication skills as defined

The reality is that implementation of such a massive education reform bill is very complex, and it will take time for all players to fully grasp its content and impact.

in TAC 74.11(a)(3) by delivering clear verbal messages; choosing effective nonverbal behaviors; listening for desired results; applying valid critical-thinking and problem-solving processes; and identifying, analyzing, developing, and evaluating communication skills needed for professional and social success in interpersonal situations, group interactions, and personal and professional presentations.

I believe these requirements are addressed by participation in a music ensemble, and I would encourage you to draft a document for your district with specific examples that demonstrate how you could meet these requirements in your classroom. Certainly paired with ELA, social studies, and languages other than English, collectively each skill listed above would be acquired.

I encourage you to ensure the music classroom is not overlooked in this discussion. The intent of the legislature and the State Board of Education (SBOE) was that a speech course graduation requirement would not be in law or rule. However, if your district has already decided to require communications applications or some other speech course, this is a moot point, yet minimally it offers you an opportunity to speak to yet another side benefit in music ensemble participation.

You are likely aware that the arts and humanities endorsement allows a student to substitute another arts and humanities course for the fourth required credit of science. Unfortunately, many school districts are initially requiring every student to sign up for the distinguished level of achievement, which does require a fourth science and Algebra II credit. So, in effect, the flexibility created by HB 5 is being negated by local districts. However, the outcome may not be quite as prescriptive as it sounds.

If your district has implemented such a requirement, the reality is that the fourth science course more than likely will be taken during the senior year, after the student has chosen a preferred career path and even received early acceptance to college. Should that student pursuing the arts and humanities endorsement, then, have the flexibility to take another arts and humanities course, as allowed in law, instead of taking physics, for example?

Legal counsel at TEA has indicated that local districts do have the authority to initially require students to pursue the

distinguished level of achievement, but several years down the road would a district acquiesce to HB 5 flexibility? Only time will tell.

One of the last changes made by the SBOE in the TAC Chapter 74 rules was adding language to allow more flexibility in the STEM endorsement. In effect, students may mix and match three additional credits in STEM subject areas beyond Algebra II that are a coherent sequence of courses as determined by the local district.

Thus, students who wish to take STEM courses in which they have an interest

still have the flexibility to participate in a music ensemble throughout high school.

Finally, I encourage you to go to the HB 5 Implementation Resources link from the www.tmea.org homepage. New information has been added, including two FAQ documents from TEA. There is valuable information included here, and those responses that might directly impact fine arts have been highlighted.

As always, call me at the TMEA office if you have a question for which you cannot find the answer. I will make every effort to help you.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 11

UNT College of Music Summer Workshops 2014 10th Annual Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program Jeff Bradetich May 30-June 6 Flute! Pre-College Camp Session I Mary Karen Clardy June 6-8

Flute! Pre-College Camp Session II Mary Karen Clardy June 27-29

Vocal Pedagogy Workshop Stephen Austin June 20-21

Texas High School All-State Choir Camp Alan McClung July 9-12

Drum Major and Student Leadership Camp Nick Williams June 19-22

27th Annual Bradetich Double Bass Masterclass Jeff Bradetich June 9-13 Flute! Fundamentals for Teachers Mary Karen Clardy June 9-13 Lynn Seaton Jazz Double Bass Workshop Lynn Seaton June 9-13 Conductors Collegium Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Dennis Fisher, H. Robert Reynolds June 9-20 14th Annual Beginner and Intermediate Double Bass Camp Jeff Bradetich June 11-13 String Orchestra Day Camp (Grades 5-12) June 16-20

UNT Keyboard Percussion Workshop Christopher Deane June 16-20

Flute! Repertoire and Performance Masterclass Mary Karen Clardy June 20-22 UNT Summer String Institute Felix Olschofka, Julia Bushkova, Philip Lewis, Gary Levinson, Susan Dubois, Daphne Gerling, Ellen Rose, Elizabeth Morrow, Nikola Ruzevic, Eugene Osadchy June 20-28 Vocal Jazz Workshop Jennifer Barnes, Rosana Eckert, Gary Eckert, Greg Jasperce, Michael Palma June 22-27

Jazz Combo Workshop Stefan Karlsson, Mike Steinel, Brad Leali, Rodney Booth, Lynn Seaton, Fred Hamilton, Steve Wiest, Ed Soph and more.

July 13-18 Middle School/Jr. High Honor Choir Camp Alan McClung July 16-19 Mariachi Summer Camp Donna Emmanuel July 23-26 Piano & Organ Wellness Sheila Paige July 25-Aug. 2 Alexander Technique Phyllis Richmond August 2-3

ClarEssentials High School Clarinet Workshop Kimberly Cole Luevano, Daryl Coad, Deborah Fabian, John Scott June 25-28

Marching Percussion Camp Mark Ford, Paul Rennick June 16-19

For additional information contact: 940-565-2791, music.information@unt.edu

www.music.unt.edu

It’s Time to Rebuild A

s they finish up another school year, thousands of directors across the state have already started planning what they can do to top this year’s success.

Others, however, look to the future feeling dejected, as they haven’t been able to get a struggling program off the ground or have accepted a job knowing it will be an uphill battle just to keep the program alive.

Like restoring an old house that’s deteriorated from years of neglect or that was built on a faulty foundation, trying to rebuild a struggling music program takes intense dedication and devotion.

Yet it’s important to realize that it can be done. Programs that were once falling apart are now some of the finest in our state. And if it’s worked for others, it can work for you. I joined a struggling program, and along the way, discovered that specific values and strategies were central to rebuilding and strengthening the program for long-term success.

ADMINISTRATOR SUPPORT You must understand your administrators’ true intentions.

They have most likely always wanted to have a good music program and were simply unaware of how to support that. So you need to be willing to ask them some hard questions: Will you be willing to support my policies? Will the district financially support improving the instruments, music library, facilities, etc.? What will your response be if a disgruntled parent calls? What do you expect from the music program?

It is our obligation to educate administrators about why something is failing. We have to help them realize that many times the easy answer may solve an immediate problem but can also set a precedent that will degrade the program in the long term.

STUDENT BUY-IN Before the school year ends (or directly after, if that’s not possible), meet with students in the program so they can get to know you better and look forward to the fall with a renewed sense of

by Nick Luggerio

energy. Find out what they want from the program. When I did this, I heard that they felt embarrassed by their performances and instead wanted to be proud. They also explained that they wanted to get along better. Knowing this, I focused on helping them understand that pride comes from working hard and setting high standards, and that in the end, they would feel like a family.

Before the group meets at the end of summer, host a leadership retreat where students and you can speak honestly, and professionally, about where they are and what the group will need to do to improve. You might have to convince them that absence of success has nothing to do with outside influences. Instead, it is a product of poor preparation, a lack of focus on fundamentals, and absence of self-discipline. Show videos to your leaders and listen to recordings of high quality ensembles and ensembles that need improvement (don’t involve the names of programs—simply focus on the performances). When we did this, I was able to begin incorporating vocabulary of specific musical ideas and descriptions that we would all eventually use in our communications.

If you run a highly structured, intense program and you demand maximum effort, you also must make things fun.

During summer marching band, we had water-balloon fights, races, hula-hoop Olympics, theme days, section competitions, and a lock-in. When you achieve this balance, even the hard work will become fun!

During the year, work with your students to help them begin to realize that everything they do either helps the ensemble or hurts the ensemble. In the middle of rehearsal, if two trumpet players are talking, I stop rehearsal and very calmly say, “Band, two trumpet players are talking during our rehearsal. Is that going to help us or hurt us?” This simple reminder has become very effective.

WHAT EVERYONE WANTS I believe every person wants three things: to belong, to try, and to succeed.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 13

Don’t tie goals to specific ratings, but rather measurable improvement. These goals might not be flashy or exciting, but they are necessary for long-term improvement.

Belonging. To respond to this need, we created a logo, a new name, and a motto that could be lived in their everyday lives.

We created a new identity, and at first we said this is who we will become. After a few years it evolved into this is who we are. Now we say this is what we stand for.

Trying. It is imperative to create an environment where failure is an accepted part of learning. When I initially asked who had played a wrong note, students were afraid to admit it. Once they understood they wouldn’t be demeaned and that this was a place where they could fix their mistakes, they no longer feared being honest. Now when I ask, it’s customary for several to raise their hands knowing that they won’t be chastised.

Succeeding. We love to feel success, and once we do, we want more. I am a true believer that we should define our measures of success. That raises the question “How do you define success in an under-

14 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

achieving program?” Successes can be as small as breathing together or entering together. And it is critical that you point out and celebrate every success they have, no matter how small.

EXPECTATIONS Students must understand that you expect the same standard of behavior, rehearsal demeanor, musical fundamentals, pride, and dedication from every member in the program, regardless of their section or chair placement. We now have four concert bands and each performs using the same standards with different levels of music. The sub-nonvarsity group is expected to make the same quality sounds as the varsity even though the musical techniques and demands vary.

We don’t move students with behavior problems to the fourth band as a punishment. If they can’t behave in one class, they shouldn’t be in the program at all.

Likewise, there is no scale jail or lizard band as some might “affectionately” call lower bands. It might take time if you are in a situation where different expectations were applied to the various groups, but the musical improvement those students will experience will definitely be worth it.

GOAL SETTING In the first few years of rebuilding, be sure to set realistic goals based on your students’ abilities. We set goals regarding rehearsal attendance, musical improvement, and the number of participants at solo & ensemble contest. Don’t tie goals to specific ratings, but rather measurable improvement. These goals might not be flashy or exciting, but they are necessary for long-term success. The students and parents will see and hear improvements that create momentum throughout the year.

CONTESTS/COMPETITIONS Instead of attending numerous contests where students are unsuccessful, invite a clinician in for a Saturday morning session. Build it up as a performance, and have the clinician write a comment sheet

WANDA L. BASS SCHOOL OF MUSIC

ns o i t i d au p i h s r a l o h c t. ls s . a t e n n u o i e q t i e m r d u ru n t a o s r p n i u u o e e bl ey l a l u i d Privat a e v h a c s o t te i s b e w r u o t i Vis TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION:

www.okcu.edu/music ocuauditions@okcu.edu

405.208.5980

and record comments. Then have the clinician walk the ensemble through what they saw and heard. It’s often more effective for students when a “judge” offers them live feedback rather than simply receiving a published rating.

It’s also effective to involve your ensemble in noncompetitive performance opportunities. Showcase your group at a local organization’s fundraiser or meeting. These short performances offer wonderful opportunities for your group to develop maturity in public performance and the pride that comes with representing your school in the community.

When you do attend a rated contest, be careful to point out that ratings are only one measure of success. My high school band director, Linda Tiner, used to tell us all the time, “The ratings are three people’s opinions based on one performance on one day.” I try to get my students to understand that we can’t control the judges’ opinions, but we can control our preparation.

members. Our recruiting plan includes the following:

RECRUITING Obviously, one key to your long-term success will be effectively recruiting and retaining students. Part of that success can come from establishing an effective vertical alignment of the music program. In addition to the earlier points that will all support retention of good students in your program, you can plan multiple opportunities to promote participation by future

• The eighth graders perform in the stands with the high school band at the last home football game.

• All elementary students attend the high school Christmas and spring concerts where we introduce the instruments.

• We evaluate every fifth grader and invite them to be part of the program (we don’t test, because tests can be failed).

• Our boosters advertise in the local newspaper during fifth-grade instrument evaluations to keep parents and the community informed.

• Our middle school band performs a recruiting concert for fifth-grade students.

• The high school band hosts our sixth grade solo & ensemble contest, where our section leaders are judges.

• Every other year, the seventh and eighth graders perform on the field with the high school band for our “Patriotic Extravaganza” show.

• The high school band hosts a middle school solo & ensemble contest.

• The high school section leaders work with the middle school students auditioning for All-Region during the “Middle School All-Region Blitz.”

GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF REBUILDING Honesty. Be honest in every situation.

If a student plays poorly, tell them. If a parent, booster, or student acts inappropriately, address it. If an administrative decision was detrimental to the program, explain the effect to the administrator. While your responses shouldn’t be destructive, they must be direct.

Clear and concise communication.

Clearly state your expectations, policies, and goals. Be forthcoming in what you want to do, why, and how (including what every person’s role is in achieving those goals). Keep your campus and district administrators in the loop each step of the way. Send detailed weekly emails to keep parents informed.

Constant feedback. Keep students apprised of their progress and strike a balance between celebrating successes and correcting failures. One method we use is self-evaluation, using a rating of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. For example, after the ensemble breathes, starts a note, holds a note, or plays a phrase, I ask them to rate themselves. Initially, they gave themselves a very high rating, so I gently shifted their standard higher. I explained why I wouldn’t have given such a high rating, and while they weren’t thrilled with that realization at first, they started to understand and became more realistic in their self-critique.

Music versus athletics. Work to create an environment where music and athletics can coexist equally. Students need to be able to participate in both activities, so you will need to work directly with coaches to make decisions together regarding splitting rehearsal and practice times. Once the schedule for those students is worked out, ensure the students and their parents understand this agreement.

Consistency. Above all, being consistent may be the most important element of the rebuilding process. You must be consistent in your rationale and expectations for every student, section, performing group, parent, teacher, and administrator.

When it’s clear what you expect, students respond better, make better decisions, perform better and ultimately, everyone will be more comfortable supporting you and your program.

Nick Luggerio is Director of Bands and Director of Fine Arts in Huntsville ISD.

16 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

BAND NOTES IN MEMORIAM GEORGE NELSON June 12, 1928–February 9, 2014 M AX LYON February 12, 1950–February 20, 2014 A NTHONY F. SEPOLIO SR. April 16, 1921–April 7, 2014

IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May 1—Texas Music Scholar application materials postmark deadline.

May 15—Pat McNallen scholarship application deadline (application available at www.tmea.org/mcnallen).

May 15—Invited high school jazz ensemble application postmark deadline.

May–June—Renew your TMEA membership.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 15—Deadline for Region Honor Band winners to be postmarked to Area Audition Chair.

June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

June 30—Deadline for Area Honor Band winners to be postmarked to State Band Chair.

July 27–30—TBA convention in San Antonio. $XJXVW ³Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters.

February 11–14, 2015—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

18 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

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A N D Y

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ven with the majority of our contest season behind us and the end of the school year on the horizon, do you still find yourself careening wildly from task to task in an ever-increasing frenzy? I certainly do. I find myself desperately trying to make administrative ends meet, though with little success. There are festival performances, end-of-year trips, banquets, various auditions, instrument testing and placement, calendar meetings, stray professional development credits to earn, bills to pay, spring concerts, parent orientations, graduation, and for some of us, marching band preparations.

This last month of school is complete chaos for everyone, and all these events, and countless others in the school as a whole, have to run their course.

We all share the joy and frustration of simultaneously bringing one school year to a successful conclusion, while evaluating the relative instructional and musical progress of our programs and planning improvements, time lines, and facilities for the next school year. All of these tasks must indeed be completed, and like it or not, one day the students will stop showing up for a while during what you might still call summer vacation despite the fact that your work plate likely remains quite full.

We all understand the need to finish out the year strongly, and we all try hard to plan that yearlong calendar of programs, concerts, contests, clinics, and more for the next year in a responsible, proactive fashion. What often escapes

The musical choices we make and the supplemental events we choose to create for our students become the building blocks that help keep our programs relevant and valuable.

me is taking sufficient time to weigh the value of our program’s activities as units of instruction and to solicit actionable feedback from our band program’s stakeholders—fellow staff members, fine arts colleagues, administrators, parents, and most importantly, our students.

Most of us engage in some form of cause-and-effect analysis on the musical merits of concerts or contest performances via audio or video platforms. And, most of us, at the very least, do some simple soul-searching about the success of our program’s activities in general. Those very concerts and activities really act to drive the majority of our program’s curriculum.

The musical choices we make and the supplemental events we choose to create for our students become the building blocks that help keep our programs rel-

evant and valuable.

Checking for mastery can be enlightening and discouraging. After recently completing a musical selection of some importance and historical significance I asked my students some questions regarding the piece. This activity quickly deteriorated into what sounded like an installment of “Jay Walking” from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I was shocked and disheartened when student after student fumbled for answers. We’d passed the test of notes and rhythms but fell short in the bigger picture of mastery and context. What about that chamber music recital or that dessert concert? What did the students retain from those events, and more importantly for future planning, what was the intended takeaway for the students? What was our learning goal for the activity? Sometimes

we do a good job planning and executing an activity but fail to prepare the students for mastery.

As teachers we’re accustomed to giving feedback, not receiving it. We should make greater efforts to seek out feedback from the stakeholders in our programs.

Each of these groups looks at our program through a different set of lenses.

And, while not everyone will approach an activity or musical event from the same starting point, it’s important to know what they took away from what you prescribed for the program.

Each year, I ask our student officer candidates a couple of basic questions that we work very hard to address: “What do you consider to be the core values of our band program?’’ and “What should our program be doing in the future that we are

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not currently doing?” Just reading or listening to the students’ responses to these questions provides a different perspective on what they value and what they’re really taking away from participating. The next step for us is to engage our parents and administrators in this conversation.

Soliciting feedback can take a variety of forms, from a post-event debriefing with the staff, to online surveys, open forums with student officers, or frank discussions with the boosters or with a discontented parent. Take time to ask why the fundraiser was so successful and how to make it

even better. Ask what made marching season rewarding. Feedback should speak to purpose and should be ongoing—not just reserved for the end of the year. Valuable feedback should be actionable, tangible, and should speak directly to your goals.

It is essential to the growth and development of our programs as it not only helps focus instruction but also helps clarify the desired outcomes. Actively pursuing this level of feedback will help refine and prioritize that endless to-do list and make for a more meaningful plan for the upcoming year.

Submit a 2015 Convention Proposal June 1 is the deadline to submit an online proposal to present a clinic, product showcase, or music showcase during the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention (go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals).

Some of our best clinics are offered by TMEA members like you, so don’t hesitate to apply! Following this year’s convention, attendees offered feedback on the topics they want to see covered. Know that the Executive Board will consider this feedback when selecting clinics for the 2015 convention. See page 9 for more details.

If you have expertise to share in one of these areas, be sure to apply by the June 1 deadline (or encourage colleagues you know who have much to offer in one or more areas). The quality of clinics offered at our convention is the foundation of its success. Think about how you or a colleague can be part of that continuous improvement.

Invited High School Jazz Ensemble Applications May 15 is the postmark deadline for applications and CDs to perform at the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention as the invited high school jazz ensemble. Go to www.tmea.org/jazzapplication to read the rules and download an application.

Area Honor Band Competition Area Honor Band competition will take place at three Area listening centers around the state. Each judging panel will judge the same classification for all Areas at that listening center. The dates, locations, contest chair, and host information can be found in the Honor Band competition rules posted on the TMEA website found under the Band Division menu.

Some updates have been made to previously posted information, so return there for the latest details.

TBA Convention/Clinic Be sure to complete your registration and hotel reservation to attend the TBA Convention/Clinic in San Antonio July 27–30, 2014. During this valuable summer learning opportunity, attend the state round of Honor Band competition to hear recordings of our top programs from around the state.

20 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

Renew Your TMEA Membership Now All TMEA 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2014 memberships expire June 30. Also, if covered, liability insurance expires August 20.

Renew now to ensure you receive the benefits of your TMEA membership for the entire year.

Thank you for your membership in TMEA. Our association continues to be the largest state music educators association in the country, and for that we are justly proud. The strength of TMEA, however, is not only in its size but in the quality of its membership. The strength of music programs in our schools is rooted in the dedication of its teachers, all united in a mission to provide the best music education for all Texas schoolchildren.

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Southwestern Musician | May 2014 21

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Highlights

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Brian Balmages

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• FJH New Method Book Reading Session & Clinics featuring Brian Balmages, Director of Instrumental Publications for The FJH Music Company Inc. His music for winds, brass, and orchestra has been performed throughout the world, and his commissions incorporate groups from elementary to professional ensembles including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Miami Symphony Orchestra.

• Clinics featuring Barry Green, author of Inner Games of Music. An orchestral and solo double bass player and teacher, Green was the principal bassist for the Cincinnati Symphony. Green will give a special presentation of Anna’s Way: From Inspiration to Artistry, a

• • •

•

•

musical and visual journey of a young bass prodigy and her rediscovery of the joy of music.

Honor Orchestra with Craig Needham TODA HS Day featuring Charlotte Moellering – PM Session Other clinicians include Julie Blackstock, Jay Dunahoo, Steve Greenfield, Jose Flores, Bryanna Porter, Debra Scott, and Michael Stringer Faculty from Baylor University will present a clinic featuring Michael Alexander, Eka Gogichashvili, Steven Heyde, Sandor Ostlund and Kathryn Steely Don’t Miss Fiesta Welcome and the Annual TODA BBQ

Combined Exhibit Hall

53rd Annual Convention

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in the

• Elementary Honor Choir with Doreen Rao • Worship Service premiering work of Dan Forrest • Austin Handbell Ensemble featuring Bob Avant Dan Forrest • Ken Davis Chorale Concert with Ken Davis • San Antonio Chamber Choir with Scott MacPherson • 40-plus Workshops, Reading Sessions, and Performances

Exhibitor Booths

Why Choral and Orchestra Directors Should Attend 2014 Convention • New Teacher Academy: Classroom Management; Student Motivation; Communicating with your Principal; Dealing with Parents, and more; • High School Student Leadership Day with Jeremy Spicer and Connie Sanchez presenting techniques and team building activities for future music educators. Members welcome.

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July 27–30

• Canadian Brass • Air Force Band of the West – Captain Rafael Toro-Quinones, conductor • Austin Symphonic Band – Richard Floyd, conductor • Plano Community Band – Tommy Guilbert, conductor • Phi Beta Mu Band and 323rd Army Band Reading Sessions

Middle School Clinics

Gary Garner

• Hill Country 6th Grade Band – Cheryl Floyd • Kealing Middle School Band – UIL Picks: Mark Gurgel and Richard Floyd; Pedagogy – Robert Herrings • Mansfield Wind Symphony – Music of William Owens and Brian Balmages conducted by the composers • Beginner Band Clinics – Flute-Helen Blackburn; Clarinet-Tye Ann Payne; Trumpet-Gary Wurtz; Horn-David Brandon; Euphonium/ Tuba-Matthew Mireles; Percussion-J D Guzman • Additional clinics and panels focused on developing your middle school band

High School Clinics

• • • • • •

• Marching Clinics – Johnson HS Band, Colorguard, and Drumline (North East ISD) Jarret Lipman • Forsan High School Band Marching and Concert Band Clinics – Jim Rhodes Tom Bennett Ensemble Basics with Johnson and Reagan HS Bands Spring HS Ensembles – Gabe Musella and Jason Smith Kingsville Mariachi Del Rey – Rolando Molina Lake Highlands HS – Jeff Bradford Jazz Clinics – Trinity HS – Mario Casanova Technology Clinics

Academy for New Band, Choir, and Orchestra Directors Sunday, July 27, 8:30 am to 6 pm First Year Band Directors register for the Academy ($85) and attend the TBA Convention FREE

TBA Student Day and Booster Training Monday, July 28

Fostering Well-Rounded Musicians

by Josh King

I

t seems that many in our society thrive on competition, and, in part, this drive to make even the best better has resulted in advancements throughout music education. While true, this competitive focus can also result in students being required to choose between music and another of their passions.

It might appear beneficial to have students in your program who are involved only in music, yet students who participate in multiple programs can be equally, if not more, valuable.

The Small-School Reality Competition certainly still abounds in small schools. But the reality on these campuses is that students involved in one program are almost always involved in others. If they weren’t, the school couldn’t have a band program, a volleyball team, an FFA chapter, a one-act play, and much more. Small-school students are used to dividing their time between the various groups in which they have an interest. It’s then up to the teachers and sponsors of these programs to collaborate and overcome the challenges inherent in an environment where students do it all.

Benefits of Increased Participation Central to the role of music educator is supporting lifelong learners. Our job extends outside the classroom where we help students reap several benefits fostered by their participation in a class that includes an extracurricular component. Such programs: • Encourage peer interaction. Research indicates that extracurricular participation provides previously marginalized students with access to a more elite stratum of the student population and exposes them to peers with better attitudes toward school.

• Promote cooperation. Participation fosters collaboration and a more cooperative spirit and can therefore motivate students to stay in school.

• Foster positive student-adult relationships. Research supports 24 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

the notion that high-quality activities build relationships between students and the competent, responsive adults who supervise such activities. This benefit extends well beyond participation in your program, and for some students, could affect the rest of their adult relationships.

• Provide structure and challenge. Effective programs are highly organized and encourage increasingly complex skill development for participants. Students develop responsibility when they have to function within a group that imposes these high demands.

• Connect students to school. Participating in a program with extracurricular components connects students more deeply to the school, faculty, peer groups, and school values. It has also been found that adolescents who participated in structured activities supervised by positive adult role models are more likely to make a personal investment in their schooling that might, in turn, motivate them to excel academically.

Life Outside the Music Room It’s not surprising that students who participate in music programs as well as extracurricular activities have better grades, self-esteem, and time management skills. As music educators, we often wear blinders that prevent us from seeing the benefits of activities not linked to a music program. Music participation offers a great foundation in the areas of social development, emotional expression, school pride, and problem solving, and it helps students develop numerous positive traits that help them become successful members of society. But music is not the only area that produces such positive results: Honor and civic organizations usually do not conflict with music program schedules or goals, so having students involved with these groups can offer a great way to increase your program’s community involvement. Many of these organizations incor-

porate community service hours as part of their membership requirements. Having these students develop community outreach via your music program can place your program in a positive light. Some possible ideas where your program could develop its community outreach include: holiday toy drives, canned food drives, and offering small ensembles to perform at community functions.

Athletics are often viewed as having a negative impact on music programs. The truth is there are many correlations between music and athletics. Both can provide healthy examples of teamwork, responsibility, and a sense of family. Athletes can also be an asset to the marching band because of their increased stamina!

Agriculture groups such as FFA and 4-H can sometimes come into conflict with music programs. The important thing to remember is that many of their activities are seasonal and may only create a minor inconvenience. Students in these organizations can prove especially helpful when you need a podium or marching band tower built or when you program a piece requiring some unique percussion equipment.

Communicating with Students, Sponsors, and Administrators To support students who can benefit from the complete system, we first have to open lines of communication with sponsors and coaches from other activities. Making the first contact can sometimes be difficult; however, your program will benefit greatly from positive relationships developed with the sponsors of other activities.

Never pass up the opportunity to say hello to colleagues and administrators. Even outside the school environment, showing that you care enough to greet them can make others more interested in your organization. When students witness these interactions, it paints a more positive picture of you and can create a better band environment.

As soon as festivals, invitational contests, and UIL music events have been announced, place them on a preliminary calendar for the next school year. It is also important to include events such as summer preparation camps, trips, and any other days where students might miss school. Present the calendar to administrators for approval prior to school dismissing for the summer and ask that each faculty member receive a copy. Indicate which dates are flexible and which aren’t. This will allow other sponsors and your administration to see your dedication to the program and could cause you less frustration later on.

It is important to know when to stand your ground and when to be flexible. Having a preapproved calendar aides in this; however, there will always be that important last-minute event. The best course of action is to always be in positive communication with the leaders of the activities. Let them understand that UIL dates are preset and nonnegotiable. It also helps to request that certain dates be kept clear due to final preparations prior to a contest. Conversely, understand that you may have to be flexible if another UIL sanctioned event gets scheduled on top of an important rehearsal or festival, even if you were on the calendar first.

Show interest in students’ other activities with your praise, attendance, and financial support. Students are often excited when they see their music teacher outside of the classroom. To quote a student, “You become almost human!” There are several easy ways to accomplish this:

• Give praise during class for a job well done in other activities. Let your choir know you are proud that your second chair alto advanced in UIL academics competition. Tell the basketball team you’re excited for their win against the big rival.

• Show up at other events. Go to school plays, volleyball games, livestock shows, or any other event in which your music students are involved. If you don’t think you have the time, go visit an afterschool practice. The students and their sponsor will be glad to see you, and your level of commitment might find itself returned to your program in the future.

• Participate in fundraisers. This does not mean to give all your money to the FFA meat sale, but even a five-dollar donation can show your students that you care.

Using Proactive Conflict Management In an environment that requires compromise as you seek the best solutions to support your students and your program, conflict will certainly arise. In a conflict management seminar led by Dr. Eric Cupp, I learned some effective rules that can help when collaborating with colleagues, students, parents, and administrators: • Be honest. Not only do you need to be honest with the student, other sponsors, and parents, it is important to be honest with yourself.

• Be in control. The easiest way to be in control is to stay calm.

Remember that when handled correctly, conflict can produce solutions and an improved situation.

• Be well-timed. It is perfectly acceptable to set a concrete time to deal with the conflict at hand—not when surrounded by others. The best way to remove yourself from the situation is to say “I can see how upset you are. I want to work through this with you and I believe we can. When would you like to meet to discuss this?”

• Be positive. Remove the terms always, never, you, and but from your vocabulary as they tend to turn conversations negative.

• Be forgiving. Believe that the person’s intent was not to attack you, but to inform you. Many times students may bring news that negatively affects your program, but remember that they did not have a hand in scheduling or creating protocol.

• Be willing to change. If what you’re doing doesn’t work, try something else. This is the most difficult part for many of us because we believe that what we do works. Why should I change? When students see their teachers compromise, evolve, and change willingly, those student may be more likely to try new ways of doing things in the future.

While it is our duty as music teachers to guide our students down an appropriate musical path, it is also important that we understand and respect the significance of their other activities and passions. We can use music and our craft as educators not only to benefit our programs, but also to encourage the development of successful, well-rounded students.

Josh King is the Carlisle HS Band Director.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 25

ORCHESTRA NOTES IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May 1—HS Full, JH/MS Full, and JH/MS String Honor Orchestra Part A online submission deadline.

May 1—Texas Music Scholar application materials postmark deadline.

May–June—Renew your TMEA membership.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 1—Postmark deadline for HS and JH/MS Full, and JH/MS String Honor Orchestra CDs and other entry materials.

June 21–22—First round of Honor Orchestra judging (HS and MS/JH Full, MS/JH String).

June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

July 27–30—TODA Convention in San Antonio. $XJXVW ³Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters.

6HSWHPEHU —HS String Honor Orchestra online entries due.

26 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

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ave you ever had a school year end exactly as expected? Neither have I. Part of the adventure in ending a school year are the revelations that seem to accompany each day. You may discover some students aren’t signed up for your class next year or you learn about that cellist you were counting on who is moving to another district. There is drama over job changes with colleagues, administrators, or maybe even with you.

Auditions and assigning class placement turns everyone’s world upside down.

It’s easy to feel disappointed or upset by the daily changes because of how they affect our programs. Like a plane on its final descent, we’re on an emotionally downward slope to the end of our year, and the turbulence that occurs often rocks our picture-perfect landing into summer.

We need to remember that many of the ups and downs that accompany the end of the year are out of our control. Whether a student is moving away or a principal is making schedule changes we believe will hurt our program, we can’t control the circumstance. What we can control, however, is our response to these challenges. By learning to invest energy only in the things we can control, we’ll avoid wasting time on problems we can never solve.

When problems arise, we get to choose how we respond to the negative factors. We all probably know people who constantly complain about their jobs.

These unhappy people have a fixated focus on the negative aspects of what they do. Regardless of our situation, it’s important to remember there are no perfect teaching positions. We can be as happy or as miserable as we choose to be in our current job. How we respond to external circumstances will affect our happiness in our job and that can have a lasting effect on our long-term effectiveness as an educator.

Whether you are dealing with challenges at the end of the year or another time, having a plan will help you cope. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do to affect the outcome of an issue. If the answer is no, determine not to

It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there’s nothing you can do about them, and why worry about things you don’t control? The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized. —Wayne Dyer

invest emotional energy in the problem, and move on. Don’t allow that which you can’t control paralyze your positive plans of moving forward. Focus on what you can control and let the other factors drop to the bottom of the list.

The end of the year is here. Will you be ready for the challenges and changes that are certain to come? Get ready to let go of those areas outside of your control and move on!

TODA Convention One of the areas you can control is your professional development. While summer break nears, we can remain committed to continuous learning. With that in mind, I hope to see you in San Antonio this July 27–30 for another exciting TODA convention. This is a wonderful opportunity for professional development and valuable networking with orchestra directors from across the state.

As you might have experienced last year, the TODA, TBA, and TCDA conventions will again be held concurrently to provide you greater educational and concert opportunities and to offer a more exciting and full exhibit hall. TMEA will be exhibiting at this convention and we will be hosting our state Honor Orchestra listening sessions for HS Full, MS/JH Full, and MS/JH String Honor Orchestras. Make time to include this in your schedule to hear great performances of quality literature.

2015 Convention Proposals June 1 is the deadline to submit an online proposal to present a clinic, product showcase, or music showcase during the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention (go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals).

As you have likely experienced at our conventions, some of our best clinics and performances are led by Texas music educators—like you! Take a moment and consider how you could offer your expertise during our 2015 convention, and if you know others who you believe would be effective clinicians, encourage them to apply as well.

When the Executive Board selects clinics to create their programs for the 2015 convention, we will be considering two years’ worth of attendee feedback identifying the most important clinic topics. See page 9 for more details.

If you have expertise to share in one of these areas, be sure to apply by the June 1 deadline (or encourage colleagues you know who have much to offer in one or more areas). The following are the identified topics in priority order: teaching methods, rehearsal techniques, technology integration, classroom management, repertoire selection, instrument methods, recruiting/retention, urban/rural challenges, conducting techniques, advocacy/ administrative support, and special needs instruction.

To apply, go to www.tmea.org / clinicproposals.

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Southwestern Musician | May 2014 27

Technology Works for Me: Soundboard App

by Brandon Pedigo

I

have a fairly unique opportunity to spend most of my day teaching Music Theory and Advanced Placement Music Theory. I also have the luxury of teaching in a MIDI lab with iMac computers. Workstations, however, sometimes become more of a distraction than a useful teaching tool. What is essential in most music education situations is the ability to actively monitor students and interact with them. Using an iPad offers me that needed mobility.

I often utilize an iPad to play audio files for my students.

With a Bluetooth audio receiver connected to my sound system, I can play audio through my classroom speakers while walking around the classroom. There are multiple Bluetooth audio receiver options—I use one produced by Belkin (currently $39).

For many lessons, I prepare audio clips in advance. When I teach the sound of a cadential six-four moving to dominant then tonic at a perfect authentic cadence, I like to line up Johann Sebastian Bach next to Randy Newman. When I teach the sound of a major IV shifting to a minor iv, I like to compare Ludwig van Beethoven with Ricky Martin. While creating several playlists in the iPad’s Music app can suffice, I have found it more efficient and effective to use the Soundboard app from Ambrosia Software, Inc. from my iPad. Soundboard is not a free app (currently $19), but after comparing it to other highly rated soundboard apps, I believe it’s worth the expense. I began searching for a soundboard app because I found the basic Music app to be cumbersome for teaching.

Among other features, I could not find a way to simply have the iPad play a file, stop at the end of that recording, and have the next recording cued up and ready to go. At best, I could save each

file to a new playlist and spend time and effort constantly switching between playlists.

The Soundboard app solved the problem for me. Each page (playlist) can store 32 audio clips with single-touch access to each clip. In the current version of the software, you can store up to 64 pages of clips. Once the clip finishes, playback stops and the iPad is ready to play the next clip you select. The settings of the app can be configured to allow playback of only one clip at a time, to interrupt a clip in favor of another, or to play multiple clips simultaneously, possibly demonstrating how two independent musical lines can be played simultaneously to create harmony. Each file has its own independent volume control, allowing the user to balance the volume between all files before the lesson is presented, or to make adjustments dynamically that are then saved for presentations in later classes.

There is also a ducking feature built in to the app. If you need to say something about the recording to your class, you can tap the ducking button to reduce the volume of the audio without stopping the playback. Once your observation has been stated, you simply tap the ducking button again to resume full-volume playback.

Teaching concepts of same/similar/different is often easier when utilizing visual media because we have the ability to put two items near one another and see them both almost simultaneously, frequently alternating glances at each. I believe that music is often taught from the printed page for this reason: it is easy to compare measure 8 with measure 16 when the notes are frozen in time on the page. But music, as we know, is an aural art. It is more difficult to compare measure 8 with measure 16 aurally when the notes are moving with time and there are fifteen seconds of other aural events in between. I use the Soundboard app to close that gap by being able to more quickly “glance” back and forth aurally at two musically similar events that are normally separated by musical contrast and time.

A word of caution—while this app has been a great help and a time-saver to me in the classroom, it did take time outside of class to learn. Editing audio with software like Audacity (free software through which you could create sound clips to play through Soundboard) is not difficult but can be intimidating if you have never done it before. If in doubt, have your students help you. You could even assign a project where students have to go find their own musical examples and bring in edited clips. At best, your students have learned, and you have new material for next year.

Brandon Pedigo teaches AP Music Theory at Plano East Senior HS.

28 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

Graduate Studies in Music Education Summer 2014

Join your colleagues! Enhance your teaching!

Texas Tech offers an innovative summer Masters in Music Education, providing two-week intensive classes followed by projects due in August.

Classes offered live or via video-conferencing. Ph.D. available.

music.ttu.edu

Intensive Music Education Courses as Brief as 2 Weeks (plus online components) For more information, visit www.music.ttu.edu, or contact: Dr. Michael Stoune, Director, Graduate Studies

michael.stoune@ttu.edu

(806) 834-5160

Dr. Janice Killian, Chair, Music Education

janice.killian@ttu.edu

(806) 834-2010

VOCAL NOTES IN MEMORIAM JIMMIE R AY HENDERSON November 16, 1931–February 27, 2014

IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May 1—Texas Music Scholar nomination materials postmark deadline.

May 1—Postmark deadline for 2015 TMEA Convention Performing Choir application and CD. May–June—Renew your TMEA membership online.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

July 27–30—TCDA Convention in San Antonio.

August 1—Deadline for waivers to the audition process to be received at TMEA headquarters.

February 11–14, 2015—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.

30 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

I have had singing B Y

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et’s talk about choral music and its place in the lives of our current students, future students, and, hopefully, our former students. Like the plethora of community choral groups created in the 19th century, there seems to be a resurgence of awareness and interest in this practice. Are we fostering the need for continued choral involvement in the hearts of our singers? How many in your choirs pursue futures in the field of music? How many of the singers that leave your vital middle school programs continue participating in high school choir? For those who are about to graduate from high school, how many will audition to sing in a college or community choral group? Of the thousands you’ve taught throughout the years, who is still singing in some capacity? Our graduates are integral to the future of choral and fine arts. It’s easy to stay involved in these kinds of communities when they are the place to be in school. It becomes a real challenge when life gets in the way.

As music educators, we know that continued involvement in a choral ensemble eases the stressors of real life. Entering college life is daunting, but that can be eased considerably by continued singing in an ensemble that provides identity and accountability. As for our former students who are now adults, pleasure and pride come together on those Monday evenings after a long workday when we shed the responsibilities of our 9-to-5 world and feed the artistic hunger that our former choir directors helped spark. Singing in a community choir can

Singing in a community choir can be such an enriching activity. These groups provide a source of friendship, accomplishment, and recognition that doesn’t always occur in a regular work day.

Funds Left in This Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Budget?

Renew your TMEA membership now to avoid the rush at the beginning of school and the fall audition deadlines. See page 21 for details.

www.tmea.org/renew

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be such an enriching activity and can last as long as we can hold an octavo in our hands. These groups provide a source of friendship, accomplishment, and recognition that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always occur in a regular workday. Another great place for continued singing is in church choirs. Many of our current students enjoy this activity, but do they continue after they graduate?

One of the issues common among students who join a choir in their new educational setting is that they expect it to be the same as it was in their previous school. How can we prepare students for the changes they will experience and encourage them to stay with it? First of all, we need to understand that most students feel this way, and we must work to create a healthy bridge for new singers to walk across and into new choir programs.

A great first-day exercise is to have them write a brief paragraph about their choral connection and experience. If a paragraph is too daunting, answering some guided questions about their previous experiences and expectations might be easier. This will give you insight and help you include aspects that will draw in our new students and make them feel at home. Inviting new students to your choir room before school starts, providing a late summer choir camp for incoming singers, having social events, and getting them on your choirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communication strand helps them feel connected before they have even started school.

As over-worked as middle school and high school choir directors are, attending the choir programs of your feeders or visiting their rehearsals helps those singers know you and begins that connection. I understand that this can be a challenge since you already arrive and leave your own jobs in the dark, but the benefits are huge. If your schools have alumni groups, start an alumni choir that sings together each time they have a reunion. The high

Be a TMEA Clinician!

Submit a proposal now to share your expertise at the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention. www.tmea.org/clinicproposals

school where I taught for 18 years has a strong alumni association and the choir, made up of 18- to 80-year-olds, is so moving.

My graduation gift to our seniors was membership in our alumni association to encourage them to come back and sing in the alumni choir. If your area has a strong community chorus, invite that director to work with your singers and take your choirs to their concerts. Better yet, maybe you can garner an invitation to join forces for combined performances. As an example, Arlington has a wonderful community chorus, led by Randy Jordan. Each season he invites area elementary, middle school, and high school choirs to sing with the chorus. This becomes a highlight of the year and strengthens the bond between community and school. When your seniors leave your choir, send your community choir director a list of their names and contact information.

Do some research and find out what is happening to your great singers once they leave your choir room. Are they in another choir room singing their hearts out? Are they involved in music in any way? If not, I bet a call from you might change their mind.

May is here. You are so close. Finish strong!

Addition of an All-State Choir In 2014–2015, TMEA will implement a two-year pilot of an additional The Piano Curriculum Series

112-member All-State choir for students in 1A–4A schools (based on the new school alignment). The existing AllState choir audition process will remain the same and can include students from 1A–6A schools.

Your Region Chairs have the outline for implementing this process, are reviewing it, and will explain the process in detail at your spring Region meetings. Region Chairs will receive training this summer on the procedures for this new ensemble.

As 1A–4A directors prepare students for summer choir camps, there are some choices to make. Your students will need to decide which track they want to pursue. If you teach in a 1A–4A school (based on new alignment), you might have some students who pursue the 1A–4A track while others pursue the existing 1A–6A track. Some students may continue in this existing path based on their past successes.

The changes could result in the following (depending on how your Region implements this additional path): • There may be more singers in your Region Choir (size of each Region Choir is a Region decision).

• Area auditions will be modified (but not longer) according to your Area’s decision as to which judging panel configuration they will implement.

• There will be two lists of singers at each round (those who advance through the existing All-State

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process, and those who advance in the new 1A–4A process).

Please keep in mind that change requires patience and cooperation. In an effort to recognize the needs and valid concerns of many of our colleagues in small schools, TMEA continues to seek competitive opportunities for all of our singers. Also note that this is a pilot program that the Executive Board will evaluate after the 2016 convention to determine its future.

2015 Convention Proposals June 1 is the deadline to submit an online proposal to present a clinic, product showcase, or music showcase during the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention (go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals).

Sharing ideas with one another is the way we all stay connected and vital. You are masters at what you do, and if you have students in your choir rooms loving what they are doing, you have something to share with us!

When the Executive Board selects clinics to create their programs for the 2015 convention, we will be considering two years’ worth of attendee feedback identifying the most important clinic topics. If you have expertise to share in one of these areas, be sure to apply by the June 1 deadline (or encourage colleagues you know who have much to offer in one or more areas). The following are the identified topics in priority order: teaching methods, rehearsal techniques, technology integration, classroom management, repertoire selection, instrument methods, recruiting/ retention, urban/rural challenges, conducting techniques, advocacy/administrative support, and special needs instruction. For more details, see page 9, and go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals to apply.

Give Back Also consider volunteering during the summer and winter conventions. Your help is needed and it is truly inspiring being part of the behind-the-scenes action and witness the machine at work.

Choirs Represent Texas Congratulations to our friends and colleagues who represented Texas at SWACDA in March. The excellence in choirs and clinics continues the grand tradition for which Texas is known. Kudos go to you and to your singers!

34 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

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Functional Vocal Training for 21st Century CCM Styles June 12 - 13, 2014 F E AT U R I N G

Jeannette LoVetri, Guest Voice Instructor This two-day vocal pedagogy workshop focuses on the basics of vocal technique required for performing contemporary commercial music styles. LoVetri, a classical lyric soprano, will demonstrate how to teach belting and musical theater technique.

Her methodology, based on vocal science and vocal hygiene, is grounded in more than 40 years of teaching experience working with all levels of singers from beginners to international celebrities.

Summer Seminar Flute Pedagogy June 23 - 24, 2014 WITH TEXAS WOMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S UNIVERSITY FACULTY, DR. PAMELA YOUNGBLOOD AND SPECIAL GUEST

Sarah Jackson, Piccolo, Los Angeles Philharmonic This two-day seminar includes masterclasses and pedagogy sessions with Sarah Jackson, who has held the position of Piccolo for the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2003. This seminar concludes with 0V -DFNVRQ LQ VROR UHFLWDO DQG ZLWK WKH VHPLQDU Ă XWH FKRLU LQ D JDOD concert Tuesday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Registration information and details are available at www.twu.edu/music or call 940-898-2500.

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tmea distinguished a dm inistr ator spotlight The TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award program is intended to recognize school administrators whose support has been critical to the many music program successes in schools across our state. In this Administrator Spotlight, we are featuring some of our latest recipients of this distinction as a reminder that TMEA continues to offer this recognition opportunity. To nominate your administrator, go to www.tmea.org/adminaward.

Tye Rogers, Principal Plainview High School, Plainview ISD Nominated by Walter Wright I knew our new principal was going to be different the first time he came to our choir class in September 2011. In my previous 27 years, the only time we saw a principal was for an evaluation or if there were problems. When Tye Rogers showed up the first week of school, naturally I wondered if there was a problem, but I just kept teaching. When I stopped, he introduced himself to the choir and then asked, “Would you mind if I stepped up on the risers and sang along with the basses?” I gleefully pointed to the top row and he joined them in singing the bass part a cappella!

It was not unusual for him to pop in, even for just 10 minutes, to listen to the choir rehearse. For the first time in my career, my principal was at all our concerts, often sitting in the front row. In these three short years, Tye Rogers has become a true friend of our choir program. He believes in what we are doing for students through their participation in choir. He is our advocate, our supporter, our cheerleader, and our academic leader.

Kimberly Kelley, Principal Miller Intermediate School, Pasadena ISD Nominated by Charlie Herrera My principal, Kimberly Kelley, has been a great supporter of our school’s music department. She has always been very generous with getting us the instruments, uniforms, and other materials we need. This year the band needed a new marimba, and she found money in the budget so we could purchase one for our students to further their learning. Mrs. Kelley allows us to attend our high school UIL contest and pays for our substitutes for those day. I have been teaching for 21 years and she has been the greatest and most supportive principal with whom I’ve ever worked.

Stuart Bird, Superintendent Troup ISD Nominated by Neil Smith In the past, we struggled to gain support from administrators, and our band directors were assigned to ISS classes for half of their day, leaving only a half day to work as a director. This changed when Stuart Bird became our superintendent. He worked previously as a band director and then principal, so he sees the whole picture. With his band directing roots, he clinics bands and judges marching, concert, and sightreading contests throughout our state and surrounding borders. He is well-

respected and his former schools remember him very fondly. Mr. Bird has turned our school around. Now, all organizations are important. He freely clinics all of our bands and does a wonderful job. Teachers admire and treasure our time with him. I know no other person in his position who works harder than he does to promote our school. He is a true people person and we love him!

Laur a Flynn, Interim Principal Corbell Elementary School, Frisco ISD Nominated by Christine Schettler Principal Laura Flynn has been extremely supportive of the music department at Corbell Elementary. I wanted to integrate more technology into the music classroom this year, so I asked for a classroom iTouch. Mrs. Flynn asked me how many I would request for the perfect classroom, and the next morning, I had seven iTouches solely assigned to the music classroom. She constantly participates in and is supportive of our music department.

Along with this support, Mrs. Flynn is the most positive, uplifting person I have ever met. If there is a behavior problem or a teacher needs her, Mrs. Flynn will drop whatever she is doing and makes the students her priority. She sets very high standards for all the faculty and students. Finally, Mrs. Flynn has continuously shown this level of support even as she was asked to transition from assistant principal to interim principal midyear and has maintained the responsibilities of both positions.

Gene Tomas, Principal Foster High School, Lamar ISD Nominated by Jimmie Exline Principal Tomas has worked in our district for almost 40 years and his support of our program is unwavering. As we advanced to state wind ensemble and marching contests, he worked to change the policy and obtain funds to allow for travel, overnight stay, and meals for the students. He traveled with us and helped with obtaining practice facilities for rehearsals before these important events. He and his staff have worked to propose a policy change that would allow band students to participate for credit only, not GPA. This is crucial for our high achieving students to remain in band. This proposal has made it to our executive cabinet at central office. He also assists in providing tutoring opportunities for students who are struggling academically. He encourages me to push the students musically and demand that they achieve at the highest level. In 25 years of teaching, I have seen no other administrator as passionate about helping students and teachers achieve their dreams as Gene Tomas.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 37

Making the Right Decision

by Tod Fish and Scott LaGraff Editor’s Note: While some of this content is focused on prospective college students who will study voice, the concepts and approach very much apply to all disciplines. Simply rephrase some questions to be more appropriate given your students’ areas of interest.

W

hile graduating seniors have already paid their enrollment deposits to their colleges of choice, next year’s seniors are starting to look seriously at where to apply. They’ll research online and visit institutions this summer to help find the best fit for their future. If you have aspiring music educators in your program, you’ll want to support them as they navigate this crucial next step.

Because much attention is focused on schools that specialize in performance, your students may find it challenging to be fully informed about available music education programs. Just as in athletics, the schools that attract stars destined for big professional careers grab the headlines, but what about programs that teach the stars’ teachers? Because these schools are often in the shadows, students aspiring to study music education become responsible for finding the answers themselves. To do that, it is critical to ask the right questions before selecting a program.

Drawing on our combined experience as teachers of teachers (one in music education, the other in applied voice), we have created a list of questions future choir directors should ask themselves and the programs to which they apply, along with some reasons why we think these questions are important. Take time to review this information with your students who are considering a career in music education; it could be one of the most valuable conversations you have as you help support their futures.

tant, with whom you are comfortable. Some larger, well-known schools often focus on performance and graduate studies. While these programs are impressive and worthy of respect, it’s worthwhile to extend your search to other institutions as well. A better question to ask would be, “What is the school’s placement rate for choir directors?” (see the last question in the article for more on this).

Should I attend the school that offers me the most money? In this era of financial uncertainty, it is understandable that students (and parents!) want to get the most bang for their education buck, and scholarships are an important part of this. But scholarship offers can be deceiving; it’s more important to look at the bottom line and ask yourself which school offers the best value.

Let’s assume that School X and School Y have equally strong music education programs. School X costs $30,000/year and offers you a $15,000/year scholarship. School Y, on the other hand, offers you only $2,000/year, but their annual cost is $10,000. On the surface, it may look like School X is making the better offer, but you’re still on the hook for $15,000/year as opposed to $8,000/ year. No doubt, it is flattering to receive a large scholarship offer, but failing to look deeper can leave you in greater debt. No one enters the music field expecting to get rich, so if you can get an equivalent education from School Y for less money than you’d spend at School X, you would be wise to do so.

Questions to Ask Yourself How important is a school’s name and size? This is not nearly as important as the faculty members with whom you’ll be studying. As these professors will help you develop the skills and offer experiences you will use throughout your career, it is imperative to find mentors who are strong teachers and, just as impor-

Questions to Ask Colleges Will I study voice with a member of the voice faculty? Many schools, especially those with a large graduate program, will have music education majors study with graduate students. It is important to remember that most graduate students will have had less teaching experience than full-time faculty members. Also, most

38 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

graduate programs are 2–3 years long, while most undergradume how much he regretted that he did not have to study diction ate programs take 4–5 years to complete. You could potentially at the college he attended. He had a lot of catching up to do. As begin your studies with one graduate student, get a new grad you evaluate your options, be sure to consider whether you will student voice teacher for the next two years, and then switch study this important subject. into a faculty studio for your senior year, just as you’re preparing Will I study vocal pedagogy? There is a lot more to directing a your senior recital. These circumstances can make it difficult to choir than knowing how to conduct. You will have to fix vocal develop continuity in study. Remember, you are studying to be problems, both in the ensemble setting and working with soloists, a voice professional. Your applied voice teacher will be a major as well as teach your choirs about important concepts like supcontributor to your musical life; it is in your best interest to find port and resonance. Therefore, the more you learn about how the an experienced one. voice works, the better prepared you will be for your career. Find out which schools will make this part of your course of study.

What kind of performing opportunities will I have? Many future choir directors also enjoy performing on stage as soloists.

What is the school’s placement rate for its music education gradIf this is important to you, it would be a good idea to ask about the uates? If a program has a high placement rate (some will be very opportunities that will be available to you at a prospective school. close to 100%), it must be doing something right. The music In most large programs, solos and roles in the opera or musical world is a small one; if a program puts out a lesser product (i.e. its will be given to graduate students and performance majors, leavgraduates), word gets around. Conversely, if a school is known for ing few opportunities for music education majors. training successful directors, their graduates will be more likely While you may not desire a career as an opera singer or to be to be hired. There is nothing inappropriate about asking a college on Broadway, what you learn while performing one of these roles representative to discuss with you how successful its graduates can be valuable in your growth and confidence, and it can offer are at finding jobs in music education. you added insight and experience if your future job includes putThis is a very exciting time for young students who are pasting on musicals. There are also many wonderful solos in choral sionate about music education. If you’re a music teacher of an music, of course. Additionally, some schools do not require music aspiring music educator, do your part to help guide them through education students to perform a senior recital. Preparing a senior this process to help them choose where to focus their application recital can provide a valuable experience that will translate well to time and dollars. If you’re a music student, gather as much inforreadying your future students for their solo performances. mation as possible to make the most informed decisions about If solo performance is important to you, be sure to ask about the this important step in your future.

opportunities for and requirements of music education majors.

Who will teach me how to conduct? You may assume that your Tod Fish is the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Stephen F. Austin State University and previously spent 13 university choir director will be your primary conducting teacher, years directing high school and middle school choirs in Texas. but that may not be the case. At some schools, all music education Scott LaGraff is an Associate Professor of Voice at Stephen F. students attend a single conducting class for vocal and instruAustin State University, where he teaches applied voice, lyric mental conducting. In other situations, students may be taught diction, and opera workshop. conducting by a graduate student. If you plan to spend your career conducting, seek out the best teacher you can find. By asking up front how and with whom you will study conducting, you won’t be surprised after you arrive.

Will I study diction? Your knowledge of the rules, and especially the execution of lyric diction, will help the overall quality of your ensemble. You will be equipped The TCU School of Music is pleased to announce the appointment of to teach proper pronunciation as well as to address ensemble issues that may be directly related to the language. In addition, the better your knowledge of diction, the more Professor of Violin confident you will feel tackling a wider variety of repertoire.

This knowledge will also help you prepare to support students in the solo & ensemble String Faculty process, as those without voice teachers will likely come to you for assistance. If you’ve Misha Galaganov, viola Chip Christ, guitar Michael Shih, orchestral studies/violin Thomas Burchill, jazz guitar thoroughly studied diction, you’ll be preJesús Castro-Balbi, cello Kyp Green, jazz bass pared. The more you can experience during Yuan Xiong Lu, double bass Amanda Musser, string music education your undergraduate studies, the better off Laura Logan, harp you’ll be, because it takes time to master the skills of transcription and pronunciation. I www.music.tcu.edu recently spoke with the director of a very large high school choral program who told

Dr. Elisabeth Adkins

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 39

Master of Music in Kodály Pedagogy and Kodály Certification Summer Program 21st Consecutive Summer July 7–23, 2014 Levels I, II, III Workshop Cost: $350 For more information, contact: Lisa Roebuck, Registration Assistant lisa_roebuck@roundrockisd.org or Patricia Moreno, Program Director patricia.h.moreno@austinisd.org

This course offers an expertly researched, thorough and practical sound-to-symbol approach to transforming curriculum goals into tangible, achievable musical objectives and effective lesson plans. Kodály at Texas State aims to enable music instructors to initiate their students into the many dimensions of musicianship that are common in both the aural/oral and written music traditions, such as: t Students as Performers: Performing music through singing, movement, playing Orff instruments and recorders in the music classroom t Students as Critical Thinkers t Students as Creative Human Beings t Students as Informed Audience Members t Students as Stewards of their Cultural Heritage REASONS TO ATTEND: Affordable; OAKE-endorsed; study with leading international experts; children’s choir; 90 hours CPE credit; dorms available FEATURING: Solfège, Conducting and Pedagogy Faculty: Dr. Philip Tacka and Dr. Michael Houlahan, authors of Kodály Today and From Sound to Symbol (Oxford University Press) Materials Faculty: Ms. Gabriela Montoya-Stier, author of El Patio de Mi Casa (GIA Publications) This comprehensive course is a valuable tool for all in-service and pre-service music educators, graduate students and choral directors.

music.txstate.edu/prospectivestudents/Kodaly.html Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

Music and physical activity B Y

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ay is here at last! This is the perfect month to review all of the highlights of the school year with each of your elementary grade levels. Ask your students to tell you what their favorite songs, games, dances, listening selections, and Orff activities were this year. Chances are that musical activities combined with movement will be at the top of their lists.

Last month, I discussed how integral movement is in teaching elementary music and how several clinicians at our convention offered us valuable information on how to increase the effectiveness of our lessons by incorporating movement. I’m sure you’ve experienced the excitement students show when their lessons include movement. While their interest might be solely on how fun it is, we all know it’s also helping them learn.

Since physical activity defined as movement is so strongly emphasized in our elementary music lessons, I did some research to uncover just how many physical education TEKS we can satisfy in our daily elementary music lessons. Just as we often highlight how music instruction can support other academic TEKS, it’s important to take the opportunity to communicate how participation in our classes also helps us meet various P.E. TEKS. Some schools have even increased their music class contact minutes because they’ve been able to demonstrate how participation in that class helps students meet the weekly 135-minute physical activity requirement.

Listed below are current P.E. TEKS that I believe could be met in the

Just as we often highlight how music instruction can support other academic TEKS, it’s important to take the opportunity to communicate how participation in our classes also helps us meet various P.E. TEKS.

ELEMENTARY NOTES IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May–June—Renew your TMEA membership online.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 15—Postmark deadline for 2015 TMEA Convention Performing Group application and CD or DVD. June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

July 27–30—TCDA Convention in San Antonio.

February 11–14, 2015—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 41

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elementary music classroom by grade level.

Kindergarten (K.1) Movement. The student demonstrates competency in fundamental movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms. The student is expected to: a. travel in different ways in a large group without bumping into others or falling; b. demonstrate clear contrasts between slow and fast movement when traveling; c. demonstrate non-locomotor (axial) movements such as bend and stretch.

(K.2) Movement. The student applies movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills.

The student is expected to: a. identify selected body parts such as head, back, chest, waist, hips, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, legs, knees, ankles, feet, and toes.

(K.6) Social development. The student applies movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills. The student is expected to: b. demonstrate the ability to play within boundaries during games and activities.

(K.7) Social development. The student develops positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others in physical activity settings. The student is expected to: a. follow rules, procedures, and safe practices; b. work in a group setting in cooperation with others; c. share space and equipment with others.

First Grade (1.1) Movement. The student demonstrates competency in fundamental movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms. The student is expected to:

a. demonstrate an awareness of personal and general space while moving at different directions and levels such as high, medium, and low; b. clap in time to a simple rhythmic beat; c. create and imitate movement in response to selected rhythms.

(1.6) Social development. The student understands basic components such as strategies and rules of structured physical activities including, but not limited to, games, sports, dance, and gymnastics.

The student is expected to: a. demonstrate starting and stopping signals; b. explain boundaries and rules for simple games.

(1.7) Social development. The student develops positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others in physical activity settings. The student is expected to: a. follow directions and apply safe movement practices;

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Southwestern Musician | May 2014 43

b. interact, cooperate, and respect others; c. resolve conflicts in socially acceptable ways such as talking and asking the teacher for help.

Second Grade (2.1) Movement. The student demonstrates competency in fundamental movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms. The student is expected to: j. demonstrate the ability to mirror a partner; k. walk in time to a 4/4 underlying beat;

l. perform rhythmical sequences such as simple folk, creative, and ribbon routines.

a. identify goals to be accomplished during simple games such as not getting tagged;

(2.2) Movement. The student applies movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills.

The student is expected to:

b. identify strategies in simple games and activities such as dodging to avoid being tagged.

Third Grade (3.1) Movement. The student demonstrates competency in fundamental movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms. The student is expected to:

a. recognize that attention to the feeling of movement is important in motor skill development.

(2.6) Social development. The student understands basic components such as strategies and rules of structured physical activities including, but not limited to, games, sports, dance, and gymnastics.

The student is expected to:

a. travel forward, sideways, and backward and change direction quickly and safely in dynamic situations; h. clap echoes in a variety of one measure rhythmical patterns;

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i. demonstrate various step patterns and combinations of movement in repeatable sequences.

(3.6) Social development. The student understands basic components such as strategies and rules of structured physical activities including, but not limited

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to, games, sports, dance, and gymnastics.

The student is expected to: a. identify components of games that can be modified to make the games and participants more successful; b. explain the importance of basic rules in games and activities.

(3.7) Social development. The student develops positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others in physical activity settings. The student is expected to: c. accept and respect differences and similarities in physical abilities of self and others.

Fourth Grade (4.1) Movement. The student demonstrates competency in fundamental movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms. The student is expected to: h. create a movement sequence with a beginning, middle, and end; i. perform basic folk dance steps such as grapevine, schottische, and step-together-step.

(4.7) Social development. The student develops positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others in physical activity settings. The student is expected to:

social skills needed to work independently and with others in physical activity settings. The student is expected to: a. follow rules, procedures, and etiquette; b. use sportsmanship skills for settling disagreements in socially acceptable ways such as remaining calm, identifying the problem, listening to others, generating solutions, or choosing a solution that is acceptable to all.

Please look over the list above and include the P.E. TEKS and minutes that are covered in your daily music lesson plans. As mentioned earlier, you might take the opportunity to ensure your administrators are aware that elementary students can meet a portion of their required weekly P.E. TEKS instructional minutes in music class.

Apply to Perform at the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention Please seriously consider submitting an application and CD or DVD for your choir or instrumental ensemble to perform at the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

We will continue to have categories for auditioned choirs, non-auditioned school choirs, district or city honor choirs as well as instrumental and Orff ensembles.

The selection committee will be listening for choirs that perform with lovely head

voices, proper diction, and excellent pitch matching. Instrumental ensembles should have outstanding technique, appropriate tempos, and accurate rhythms. The deadline to apply is June 15. For more information and to apply, go to www.tmea.org/ elementaryapplication.

2015 Convention Proposals Due June 1 is the deadline to submit an online proposal to present a clinic, product showcase, or music showcase during the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention (go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals). See page 9 for more details.

As you may have read in TMEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March email newsletter, when the Executive Board selects clinics to create their programs for the 2015 convention, we will be considering two yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; worth of attendee feedback identifying the most important clinic topics. If you have expertise to share in one of these areas, be sure to apply by the June 1 deadline (or encourage colleagues you know who have much to offer in one or more areas). The following are the identified topics in priority order: teaching methods, rehearsal techniques, technology integration, classroom management, repertoire selection, instrument methods, recruiting /retention, urban/rural challenges, conducting techniques, advocacy/administrative support, and special needs instruction. To apply go to www.tmea.org/clinicproposals.

a. follow rules, procedures, and etiquette; b. respond to winning and losing with dignity and understanding; c. work independently and stay on task.

Fifth Grade (5.1) Movement. The student demonstrates competency in movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms. The student is expected to: c. demonstrate attention to form, power, accuracy, and followthrough in performing movement skills; h. demonstrate the ability to contrast a partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movement; i. perform selected folk dances.

(5.7) Social development. The student develops positive self-management and Southwestern Musician | May 2014 45

D

uring the fifteenth annual Texas Fine Arts Summit on Thursday–Friday, June 12–13, the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) will present a variety of resources for music educators who anticipate challenges in implementing the newly revised Fine Arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) beginning with the 2015–2016 school year.

This year’s Summit, Reaching for New Heights through the Fine Arts TEKS, will be held at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Austin.

While this Summit will continue to focus on the new standards, participants will not be starting from scratch as they connect to the new TEKS. “We are looking at the new standards through the lenses of interdisciplinary learning, 21st-century skills, and technology,” CEDFA Executive Director Kris Andrews said.

“Teachers will focus on revising lessons that have been working in their classrooms, as well as adding new content to help students meet challenges.” Participants at this year’s conference will gain hands-on experience and learn how to adapt any lesson to the new student learning standards.

Most of the Summit presenters are fine arts educators who served on the Fine Arts TEKS review/revision committees and created the new standards, so participants will engage directly with these leaders who are most knowledgeable about the revisions. Some programs may face significant changes to curricular materials based on these new TEKS. TMEA Administrative Director Kay Vanlandingham explained: “There have been substantial changes to the Music TEKS, at each level. It is important to remember that the music teachers in the classroom are responsible for knowing what they are required by law to teach and making sure they deliver that content in a meaningful, measureable way. Our experienced educators cannot simply recycle old lesson plans and expect to meet these new TEKS. Every teacher or district will to have to tweak their curriculum to stay in compliance with state law. This Summit is just as important for our expert music educators as it is for our most recent college graduates.”

One of the hallmarks of the Summit is the emphasis on sharing knowledge. The Summit is the only major venue in Texas that brings together educators from each of the four fine arts

content areas of music, art, dance, and theatre. All Summit participants leave with an arsenal of materials, ideas, and techniques to share with other music educators at their home campuses and school districts. Summit XV music presenters are: • Lauren Bain: teacher at Carl Schurz Elementary School (New Braunfels ISD) and Vice-President of the Kodály Educators of Texas; • Mark Gurgel: band director at Kealing MS (Austin ISD); • Gabriela Montoya-Stier: music specialist with Northside ISD in San Antonio; and • Mackie Spradley: Coordinator of Secondary Choral and General Music Studies for Dallas ISD. Additionally, CEDFA is pleased to announce Turk Pipkin as the keynote speaker for the Summit’s opening session. Pipkin is a native Texan who is an actor, comedian, movie director, and author of eight books, including two well-received novels.

The closing session will feature very talented student performers from Northside ISD. The Summit will also include administrator workshops and other special activities and events. In addition, CEDFA will hold pre-summit sessions on Thursday morning, June 12, to provide participants with in-depth knowledge on specific topics of interest.

On Saturday, June 14, post-summit sessions offer training on the Arts and Digital Literacy initiative. These post-summit sessions are hosted by the University of Texas College of Fine Arts and are presented on the UT campus from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. CEDFA leaders look forward to serving music educators at this year’s Summit by providing relevant strategies, effective resources, and engaging learning experiences to enhance music education in Texas schools though the implementation of the new Fine Arts TEKS. Online registration for the Fine Arts Summit is available at www.cedfa.org. Discounts are available until May 20 for early registration, and school districts that send several teachers also receive discounts. Music educators are encouraged to sign up now as sessions will fill quickly.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 47

Texas Lutheran University School of Music

BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN ALL-LEVEL MUSIC EDUCATION

SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS Scholarships are available for both music and non-music majors.

These awards are intended to provide recognition for scholarship and talent in the study of music.

For specific qualifications for each award, visit www.tlu.edu/music, or scan the QR code at the bottom right with your smartphone.

Da capo Award in Music Up to full tuition per year Jones Fine Arts Award for Music Majors Up to $4,000 per year Performance Awards for Non-Majors Up to $2,000 per year

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Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music

SCHOOL OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT HEADS Douglas R. Boyer Director, School of Music and Director of Choral Activities dboyer@tlu.edu 830.372.6869 or 800.771.8521 Beth Bronk Director of Bands bbronk@tlu.edu Shaaron Conoly Director of Vocal Studies sconoly@tlu.edu Eric Daub Director of Piano Studies edaub@tlu.edu Eliza Thomason Director of Strings ethomason@tlu.edu

Beginnings, not endings B Y

M I C H E L E

H E N R Y

C

ommencement. We’re done. It’s over. Summer’s here.

Let’s try that again. Commencement. A beginning. Let’s commence.

So often, we think of graduation as the end. And for teachers, in a way, this is true. We are not the ones commencing after all. The school year is finished, and many of us won’t start over again until next fall. But as college faculty, we are in the unique position of regarding commencement a bit differently. For when our students graduate, they are beginning their careers as music educators. Our relationship with them isn’t over. In fact it may become stronger as a result. They are now colleagues—they’re one of us. The dynamic of the relationship has shifted to something more equal, and perhaps more rewarding.

Sure, we will likely still serve as mentors, in some capacity. But we must respect that our former students will be the experts in their classrooms, about their students, and their schools. And that is a wonderful transformation to observe!

In our seminar course at Baylor University that goes along with student teaching, we intentionally refer to our student teachers as colleagues. Not students, but colleagues. And we mean it. We love initiating them into the club. But other than this change of mindset (on our part, and theirs), what can we do to help them transition into the profession and to shift our relationship with them to a more collegial one?

With very few exceptions, we will want to continue that relationship, but it cannot remain static.

Our graduates are now colleagues—they’re one of us. The dynamic of the relationship has shifted to something more equal, and perhaps more rewarding.

COLLEGE NOTES IMPORTANT DATES May—Attend your spring Region meeting (see page 2 for details).

May—Online TMEA membership renewal available.

June 1—Deadline to submit proposals online for the 2015 TMEA convention (see page 9 for details).

June 30—All TMEA memberships expire.

October 10—College Division Fall Conference in Austin.

October 15—Call for papers for the 2015 TMEA Clinic/Convention Research Poster Session.

February 11–14, 2015—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.

Southwestern Musician | May 2014 49

Think of them as colleagues—and tell them so.

Give permission to use your first name.

Unless I know they are headed to grad school immediately, I encourage my former students to drop the Dr. and call me Michele.

Keep in touch. I ask them to send me an email and let me know their new contact information once they have been hired at a school, and to send me an update every once in a while to let me know how it’s going.

Continue to be a mentor. If you are in the area, visit their school, or grab a cup of coffee with them. Take an interest in what they are doing professionally. I recently went to New York City for non–schoolrelated reasons. While I was there, I still visited with three of our alums. I had breakfast with one who is writing her thesis for a master’s degree in theater therapy; I heard one sing at the Met in a Russian opera; and I visited with one who was the assistant musical director and keyboardist for an off-Broadway production. While none of them are currently teaching in a school, they were each thrilled I had taken

50 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

the time (and in some cases, made a significant investment) to see them and find out what they had accomplished since commencing.

Seek their expertise. These new colleagues will soon develop an expertise that we might not have. In a reciprocal relationship, we learn as well as teach. In the case of the former student who is now ensconced in the musical theater world, he volunteered to come to campus when he is back in Texas and share his knowledge with our current students. They may not be headed to the Great White Way but more than likely will be involved in a school musical production in some capacity.

Consider them a resource. Bring them back to campus to talk about the first years of teaching. Ask them to serve as section leaders and in other positions in summer camps and other programs sponsored by their alma mater. Talk to them about student teacher placement in their area.

Find out what unique ideas and events are going on in their schools you might want to share with current students.

Keep them updated. Our universities

want to maintain good relationships with our alumni for a variety of reasons: future recruiting sources, potential student teacher placement, positive PR, and of course, fundraising through alumni giving.

TMEA’s Role So, how can TMEA help in these efforts? Keeping track of and contacting alumni is possible through the member database. When we join or renew our membership, we are asked to identify where we went to school. This information is available to Institutional members by emailing Frank Coachman at fcoachman@tmea.org. Keeping in contact is also facilitated through TMEA events, such as Region meetings, and of course, the annual convention. The Friday evening alumni reunions during the convention are a wonderful way to continue these relationships. TMEA also provides a means for assisting new teachers in their transition into the profession.

The TMEA Mentoring Network is an important way for TMEA to help nurture new teachers, especially those who may

2014 SUMMER MUSIC CAMP

SERIES

Texas Summer Flute Symposium Sunday, June 8th – Friday, June 13th Julee Kim Walker, Professor of Flute, Texas A&M University-Commerce Bonita Boyd – Eastman School of Music Demarre Gill – Dallas Symphony Orchestra Conor Nelson – Bowling Green State University Elizabeth McNutt – Contemporary Music Specialist

Leadership, Drum Major & Colorguard Camp Sunday, June 15th – Thursday, June 19th Frank Troyka, Director of Bands, Berkner High School

All State Choir Camp Wednesday, July 16th – Saturday, July 19th Dr. Randall Hooper, Director of Vocal Activities, Texas A&M University-Commerce Natalie Walker – Highland Park High School Bethany Stroud – Lovejoy High School Joshua McGuire – Sachse High School Ryan Forkner – North Mesquite High School

Blast of Brass Sunday, July 7th – Saturday, July 13th Tim Andersen – Dallas Wind Symphony Dr. Daniel Kelly – Texas A&M University-Commerce Mike Morrow – Dallas Opera Orchestra Jimmy Clark – Dallas Opera Orchestra Jason Wallace – Dallas Wind Symphony

A Memb Member of The TTexas A&M University M Uni niversity SSystem em Log on too www.tamuc.edu/music www. w.tamuuc.edu du/mu for m more in information nform rmattion

not have other means of mentoring in their schools or in their districts. Encourage your graduates to take advantage of this program. The Mentoring Network can be accessed at www.tmea.org/mentor.

With a little effort, and a slight change of mindset, we can grow our family of music education into a bigger, happier family. Now, let summer commence.

Looking Ahead Propose a clinic: Clinic and music showcase proposals for the 2015 TMEA convention may be entered until June 1 at www.tmea.org/clinicproposals.

Please consider submitting a proposal on a topic of professional development for college faculty or college students. See page 9 for more information about the

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? Like the content in this issue, many of our best feature articles are written by TMEA members like you.

Perhaps you have developed an effective teaching method, discovered a new technology that helps make your work more efficient, or have been successful in building administrator and community support. Whatever your areas of success, SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN provides a venue for sharing your ideas with your colleagues around the state.

For magazine submission guidelines, go to www.tmea.org/magazine.

52 Southwestern Musician | May 2014

topics that attendees have rated as most important. The Executive Board will consider that information when selecting clinics for the 2015 convention.

Renew your membership. Membership renewal for the 2014–2015 school year opens in early May. In addition to renewing your membership, encourage continuing college students to renew their memberships now as well. Many of our college students do not join or renew until arriving in San Antonio for convention.

By joining at the beginning of the school year, they have access to a full year’s worth of member benefits (this is especially true for those students who will student teach and can benefit from liability insurance).

Attend your Region meeting. Even if there is not a lot of College Division business occurring at the Region meeting, your presence will be noticed and appreciated.

Attend your specific discipline division’s breakout meeting and take an interest in their business. This is also the time for Region officer elections. Consider running for your Region’s College Division Chair. See page 2 for the schedule of meetings.

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