Your rehearsal time is precious, and every minute counts. But when students hit a roadblock in their understanding — like struggling with rhythms or key signatures — it can slow everything down. Our new feature, Theory On The Go, is designed to keep the momentum going. With access to Breezin’ Thru Theory’s vast resources, you can instantly pinpoint clear explanations, drills or games, create targeted assignments or easily access the full curriculum to build a lesson plan in seconds. Whether it’s for in-the-moment teaching or to support repertoire learning, Theory On The Go is your new go-to tool, because music theory should never slow you down.
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16 Changing Lives Through Inclusive Music Education
by jessica olson, amy rogers , and tiffany huebner
This transformative high school class connects students through music learning, fostering inclusivity, personal growth, and meaningful friendships.
26 T-TESS Insights for Music Educators by
dr ..estelle murr
Learn how music educators can effectively engage with T-TESS as it was intended, improving your efficacy, your ensembles, and your relationship with administrators.
42 Share the Joy of Learning Through Discovery
by angela leonhardt
Empower your students as they develop their creativity and musical independence through hands-on collaboration and discovery.
From the Editor
It looks like we made it! Well, almost. As we present the final issue in Volume 93 of Southwestern Musician, I want to offer my appreciation to our members for their invaluable contributions. Your pedagogical and inspirational content has been the backbone of this collection of magazines, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
Our member survey data consistently indicates that information from classroom music educators is what teachers seek the most. Each Southwestern Musician issue contains contributions from members who are willing to share their knowledge, insights, and pedagogy to help foster high-quality music education across the state. In this volume alone, we have featured ideas from over 140 TMEA members. Their contributions range from a single answer submitted for a music teacher Q&A installment, as you’ll find in this issue, to long-form feature articles, and more. Like the clinics presented during our annual convention and presenters in our online learning courses, we value every opportunity to share the ideas and experiences of Texas music teachers.
The feature articles in this issue focus on providing a music classroom that supports differentiated experiences, using T-TESS as a tool for professional growth, and empowering elementary students to achieve independence. The popular divisional Q&A articles share insights from teachers in the classroom. Additional answers to this month’s questions are at www.tmea.org/q&a.
As the 89th Legislative Session nears its conclusion, TMEA News offers updates on activities at the capitol, as well as other association information. Columns by our Vice-Presidents provide divisional details and share some actions from the most recent Executive Board meeting.
Support for TMEA comes from so many valuable partners! Throughout the eight issues of this volume of Southwestern Musician, you have seen advertisements from higher education institutions, music companies, and partners in our mission. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and support in bringing you the best music education periodical possible.
As we close the book on this school year, take time to reflect on the positive impact you have on your students. Your talent and passion for music education have inspired their growth and development. Regardless of the level, your investment in your students will stay with them forever. Bravo! Take some time away and get ready—the next book is going to be even better!
Joe Muñoz E xecutive Director jmunoz@tmea.org
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Muñoz
Managing Editor: K aren Cross
Advertising Manager: Zachary Gersch
TMEA Executive Board
President: Shane Goforth, North Shore Senior HS president@tmea.org / 713-516-7158
President-Elect: Jennifer Martin, Fort Worth ISD presidentelect@tmea.org / 817-814-2640
Immediate Past-President: Jesse Cannon II, Fort Worth ISD pastpresident@tmea.org / 817-814-2635
Band Vice-President: Mike Howard, Leander ISD bandvp@tmea.org / 512-570-0161
TMEA values the opportunity to publish a magazine that informs members of association news, offers them sound pedagogical concepts, and results in an archival record of our history. Our sincere gratitude goes to the following companies and institutions that advertised with us in one or more of the issues in Volume 93, making this resource possible.
THANK YOU, ADVERTISERS!
Abilene Christian Univ
Abilene Philharmonic
Amarillo Symphony
Austin Chamber Music Center
Austin College
Bard College Conservatory of Music
Baylor Univ
Blast of Brass
Blinn College
Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps, Inc.
Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Boston Univ Tanglewood Institute
Breezin’ Thru Inc.
Buddy Roger’s Music/Willis Music
Butler Trombones
Central Michigan Univ
Clark W. Fobes
CommonTime Pathways
Creative Costuming & Designs
Dallas Baptist Univ
Del Mar College
Delgado Guitars
East Texas A&M Univ
East Texas Baptist Univ
Echelon Music Press
Embrace Strings
Forrests Music, Inc.
Foundation for Music Education
Furman Univ
Hamilton’s Theatrical Supply
Hardin-Simmons Univ
Hawkins Mutes
HDL Promos LLC
Ithaca College
JodyJazz/Chedeville/Rousseau
Loyola Univ New Orleans
LungTrainers, LLC
Main Event
Mark Hughes Trumpet Mutes
Merlin Patterson
Mighty Music Publishing
Music Duo
Music Is Elementary
N-Tune Music and Sound
Northwestern State Univ
Note-Able Travel Experiences
Oklahoma City Univ
Oxford University Press
Parma Recordings
Peripole Music
Plano Symphony Orchestra
Purdue Univ
QuaverEd
RBC Publications
Rhythm Band Instruments, LLC
Sam Houston State Univ
SARAHTIM Music Publishing
Schmitt Music
Schreiner Univ
Southeast Missouri State Univ
Southern Methodist Univ
St. Mary’s Univ
Stephen F. Austin State Univ
Texas A&M Univ/Corpus Christi
Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras
TBA/TCDA/TODA
Texas Christian Univ
Texas Horn Trader
Texas Jazz Educators Association
Texas Lutheran Univ
Texas State Univ
Texas Tech Univ
Texas Wesleyan Univ
Texas Woman’s Univ
The ARTS Educational Tours
The Breakdown Camp
The Mute Caddy
The Tuba Exchange
Trinity Univ
Tyler Junior College
U.S. Marine Music
Univ of Houston
Univ of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Univ of North Texas
UT/Arlington
UT/Austin
UT/El Paso
UT/Permian Basin
UT/San Antonio
UT/Tyler
Wenger Corp.
West Music
West Texas A&M Univ
What the Heck Press
William Carey Univ
TMEA NEWS
A Time for Reflection and Growth
By Joe Muñoz
TMEA’s commitment to fostering high-quality music education is actualized in the services it provides to its members, in activities for student growth and participation, and in creating an environment of continued professional learning. As the school year ends, this is a time to invest and recognize others for their contributions to you and your students. It is also a time to set a plan to share your expertise and knowledge with other educators and to reflect on what you and your program need to take it to the next level. In this spirit of reflection and collaboration, let us embrace the opportunity to uplift one another and inspire the next generation of musicians, ensuring that our commitment to excellence in music education continues to flourish.
DISTINGUISHED ADMINISTRATOR AWARD
As the school year concludes, it is a good time to reflect on others who help you and your students have a successful year. The TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award recognizes exceptional school administrators who have provided avenues for student or educator success. Go to www.tmea.org/adminaward to learn more and submit a nomination.
BAND AND ORCHESTRA PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
One of my most impactful interactions with a music educator occurred after an Honor ensemble concert. The member shared how impressive the performance was and how they were inspired and depressed by the experience. I understood the inspired comment, as the group was so musical, and the level of literature performed challenged what most educators might think would be possible with young students—but depressed? They explained they were depressed because they would never have a group that could be featured at TMEA because of the resource limitations of their community and school.
The Invited Program Spotlight opportunity was developed, in part, to respond to reactions like that educator’s. These sessions are not just a showcase but a rich learning opportunity for all involved in music education. They provide an avenue for diverse programs across the state to showcase the outstanding and innovative teaching happening in every school and community. These band and orchestra sessions at our annual convention introduce rehearsal techniques, program structures, and music pedagogy. The Invited Program Spotlight is a powerful example of the depth of high-quality educators, students, and experiences in Texas, and it is a source of excitement and eagerness for those who wish to learn and grow as educators.
The Band and Orchestra sections of the TMEA website offer details about applying for an Invited Spotlight session. I encourage you to learn more about how you can participate in this transformative
experience that can significantly contribute to your personal and professional growth as an educator.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
On June 2, the 89th Legislature’s regular session ends. TMEA and the Texas Arts Education Campaign have worked to protect sequential pathways and student access to experience the benefits of arts education in our schools. As I write this update in April, the fine arts funding allotment is part of the House of Representatives Public Education Finance bill. When this bill moves to the Texas Senate, we will be engaged in meeting with legislative offices to advocate for the funding support of all fine arts programs.
Additionally, we are supporting teacher pay raise legislation and working to protect middle school and junior high school elective opportunities.
This summer, watch for emails from TMEA News, as I will update you on the outcome of the session there.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
TMEA memberships for this school year end on June 30. By renewing your membership for 2025–2026 now, you’re taking a proactive step to ensure your membership is in good standing before the busy start of the new school year in August. This early renewal will give you peace of mind and a sense of preparedness. Go to www.tmea.org/renew to learn more and renew.
When you renew your membership, you can also elect to add liability insurance. This insurance is not merely a small investment; it’s a crucial step in ensuring you have support when needed. In the changing landscape of public education, I encourage you to consider investments that can provide protection when needed, giving you a greater sense of security.
ONLINE LEARNING
As this volume of Southwestern Musician concludes, you can extend your learning through new courses on the TMEA Online Learning platform. Since its inception last October, TMEA members have earned over 200 hours of CPE credit learning from master educators across our state.
The new Online Learning course submission portal will be open June 1 through July 1. We encourage members to submit courses that can help teachers with practical classroom techniques, classroom management strategies, or other content to support student engagement and achievement in music education. Learn more at www.tmea.org/online-learning. 0
To the Music Educators of Texas:
Your dedication, passion, and hard work do not go unnoticed.
You shape not just musicians but individuals, instilling discipline, creativity, and a lifelong love of music. Your impact goes beyond the notes—we carry the lessons you teach into every aspect of our lives. Thank you for your commitment to excellence, for pushing us to be our best, and for creating spaces where music can truly thrive. Texas music education is as strong as it is because of you.
2025 All-State musician answer to:
“What do you want to tell Texas music educators about their work?”
TMEA PRESIDENT SHANE GOFORTH
In this unique moment in our history, we must ask ourselves if we are telling our story in a way that resonates with today’s leaders and educational priorities.
Are We Telling a Compelling Story?
Iattended a social event recently where I found myself standing in a conversation circle with a professor and a program coordinator of a major medical school. After learning that I was a music educator, the program coordinator remarked that they love having musicians in medical school. I said that while I knew why I thought that was a good thing, I was very interested in why she thought so.
The professor, also a brain surgeon, spoke up first, saying that when you have someone poking around in your brain, you want that person to be a perfectionist, and musicians are perfectionists by nature. He continued, explaining how musicians function with a vision and focus that allows them to execute their plan with precision, while remaining flexible enough to adapt to the unique challenges of live performance. When the performance concludes, they stand and take a bow, hopefully pleased but likely a little disappointed, already thinking about the preparation and practice needed to improve. He concluded by stating that we need doctors who expect perfection from themselves and always want to improve while delivering standing-ovation outcomes for their patients.
As we continued to talk, the subject turned to the ways that music, and more specifically participation in a large ensemble, prepares you to be successful not only as a physician but in any field. The
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
check www.tmea .org for updates
May—Attend your spring Region meeting (tmea.org/regionmeeting).
May 1—TMEA 2025–2026 membership year opens. Renew your membership early!
May 1— Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.
May 1–June 1—2026 Clinic/Convention proposals accepted online.
June 30—All 2024–2025 TMEA memberships expire.
July 24–26—TBA, TCDA, TODA conventions in San Antonio.
MARIACHI at TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY
EARN YOUR DEGREE WITH A MARIACHI FOCUS
Pursue a Bachelor of Music in Music Education –Mariachi track, preparing you for a career in teaching and performance.
JOIN ONE OF OUR MARIACHI ENSEMBLES
The Mariachi Alas and Mariachi Itzá are open to all students, regardless of major. Experience the rich traditions of mariachi while honing your musical skills.
MARIACHI SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE
We’re investing in the future of mariachi music! Scholarships are available for student performers.
same concepts continued to find their way into the discussion. Creativity, perseverance, collaboration, critical-thinking, and self-assessment soon became our talking points. A call to dinner brought a halt to our discourse, but as I ruminated on our conversation, I realized that we had discussed a rather extensive list of what corporate America refers to as essential soft skills and that those skills are a central focus of any music education.
There is a growing amount of research that shows that while hard skills are required to create opportunities to enter a field, it is the soft skills that make employees successful in their chosen profession. In a recent report, job services provider ZipRecruiter stated that 93% of employers were seeking the soft skills of communication, time management, teamwork, creativity, and resilience as essential qualities in future employees.
At the 2024 Future of Fine Arts Education Forum, the educators, administrators, and stakeholders in attendance created an index of soft skills deemed essential by our corporate partners. All are initiated and
nurtured in our music programs. The following is a sampling of that index:
• Creativity
• Focus
• Responsibility
• Perseverance
• Dependability
• Time management
• Communication
• Cultural understanding
• Collaboration
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Self-assessment
• Self-correction
• Ability to receive and grow from constructive criticism
As just one example, a student who has participated in a musical ensemble setting understands the value of dedication, collaboration, compromise, and shared responsibility. They have learned how to build relationships, receive critique, adjust
their performance accordingly, and persist through challenges—whether that means perfecting a difficult solo passage, learning how to support a melodic phrase, or tutoring a section member to ensure ensemble excellence. These experiences mirror the demands of the professional world, where success depends on the ability to adapt, refine, and perform under pressure.
Thus, in the current educational landscape of College and Career Readiness standards, CTE requirements, and funding battles, how are you advocating for your program? Is it from the perspective of softskills development and the knowledge that a music education can significantly contribute to our students’ success in careers outside the arts? If we want music education to thrive in Texas, we need to illustrate the power and effectiveness of our content, instruction, and student outcomes to an ever-changing constituency.
To effectively advocate for music education in the development of college- and careerready skills, I would suggest you consider the following:
CAPITALIZE ON RESEARCH DATA
You don’t need to commit to a graduatelevel literature review to reveal the significant amount of research and resulting data available on the growing desire for soft skills in future employees and the development of those skills through involvement in music education. Just a quick internet search will yield results such as a 2023 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers that found the top attributes employers seek in candidates are problem-solving skills, the ability to work in a team, a strong work ethic, and communication skills. You will also easily find peer-reviewed scholarly articles like “The Development of Soft Skills through Music Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review” in the Journal of Educational Sciences to bolster your advocacy.
HIGHLIGHT ALUMNI SUCCESS STORIES
I am currently working on a project collecting video testimonials from distinguished alumni who are highly successful in fields other than music. It will highlight how their participation in school music programs has contributed to their professional success. From a community where 88% of the student body is economically disadvantaged, our alumni include a growing group of leading physicians, judges, medical microbiologists, engineers, national nonprofit leaders, and more, all who will readily expound on the significant impact music education has had on their lives and careers. I’m sure you have a list of equally wonderful and accomplished former students who love and value their musical experiences. I encourage you to document their stories and utilize them to communicate with educational leaders and stakeholders in a way that your voice alone cannot.
ENGAGING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS
Music teachers have the privilege of being very visible in our communities. Work to add performances for a variety of audiences and interest groups and then utilize those opportunities to educate your community about the essential job skills your students learn and develop in your program every day. Chambers of commerce, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, school boards, etc. are full of community and business leaders and are always looking for groups to perform at their meetings
and functions. Not only will these types of performances give you the opportunity to educate a broader audience, but they will also allow you to develop important relationships with key community members who may have a strong influence on future educational and funding decisions.
The question is no longer whether music education helps prepare students for professional and career success, because there is a mountain of anecdotal and analytical evidence to prove that it does. The challenge then is to ensure that this message is clearly communicated to our community, administrative, and legislative stakeholders who influence and make decisions regarding educational funding and policy. By growing the conversation from one of artistic merit and cultural growth to one that includes college and career readiness and essential skill development, music educators can have an ever-growing voice in a continually evolving educational landscape.
Music education is not just about excellence in performance. It is also about the dedication, persistence, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity that not only creates great concerts but also trains students to be successful in their personal lives and professional endeavors. In this unique moment in our history, we must ask ourselves if we are telling our story in a
way that resonates with today’s leaders and educational priorities.
As you close your school year and host your final performances, I encourage you to utilize those opportunities to highlight to everyone who will listen the unique opportunities that music education provides and the great things that happen in your classroom every day.
MAINTAIN YOUR MEMBERSHIP
While you focus on your advocacy efforts at the local level, be assured that TMEA leaders are advocating on your behalf with state policy makers. This is one of the many benefits of being in an association that boasts more than 20,000 members. Our voice is stronger when we can carry the influence of such a large member base, so I encourage you to renew your membership and encourage others to do the same.
While all TMEA memberships for this school year expire at the end of June, you can already renew your membership and purchase liability insurance for the next school year. Take this item off your fall to-do list and be sure to find out if any budget dollars remain this year that could be utilized for this purpose. 0
Shane Goforth is Director of Bands at North Shore Senior HS in Galena Park ISD. president@tmea.org
TMEA Membership
July 24-26, 2025 • Combined Exhibit Hall Be a part of
• Elementary Honor Choir - sponsored in part by HEB
• MS/JH All-State Choir - sponsored in part by HEB
• Reading Sessions curated and conducted by TCDA Members
• 16 Publisher Reading Sessions
• Worship Service in the beautiful First Presbyterian Church PERFORMING GROUPS:
• un/heard, Carlos Cordero
• Voices of Houston, Christopher Carter
• Alegría Women’s Chorus, Jo Scurlock-Dillard AGAIN THIS YEAR!
Video Performances from a wide variety of choirs from across the state.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERSHIP DAYS:
July 7 - Houston
July 11 - El Paso
July 25 - San Antonio @ Convention
July 29 - DFW
July 29 - Georgetown
August 1 - Plainview
August 16 - Abilene
HEADLINERS:
CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS:
• 30+ Clinics including topics on success strategies, culturally responsive teaching, pedagogy, assessment strategies, Mariachi, beginning orchestra, navigating new surroundings, jazz improvisation and much more
• 8 Reading Sessions including Full Orchestra
• 2 Invited Ensembles
• Celebrations and Awards Event
DON’T MISS!
• Thursday Welcome party with an “Instrumental Open Mic” Night
• Friday Fiesta and Silent Auction with even MORE fabulous items
• Featured luncheon for Retired Directors
• Young Directors Coffee
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERSHIP DAYS: August 2, 2025
• HOUSTON - Kinder HSPVA
•SAN ANTONIO - Churchill HS
•LUBBOCK - Lubbock-Cooper HS
•DFW - Newman Smith HS
June 15 deadline to order printed TCDA reading packets. Register by July 1 to receive the early DISCOUNT. Book your hotel online now for best choices.
Dr. B. E. Boykin Georgia Institute of Technology
MS/JH All-State Conductor
Dr. Amanda Quist Western Michigan University Headliner Sessions
Fred Meads LA Children’s Chorus Elementary Honor Choir Conductor
Dr. Heather Lofdahl
Assistant Professor, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH Music Director, Newark-Granville Youth Symphony
Mr. Bruce Walker
Associate Professor, Columbia Basin College, Pasco, WA Music Director, Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra
Music Conventions
San Antonio, Texas
TBA Welcome BBQ
Wed, July 23, 6 - 9pm
Families invited too!
65+ CLINICS
Register for the 78th Annual Convention/Clinic: texasbandmasters.org
Early Bird Discount through June 15. Onsite registration July 23, 3-6:00 pm.
TBA Academy for New Band Directors
Thurs, July 24, 7:30 - 5pm
For first-year band directors. Attendees receive CPE credit plus TBA Active Membership and convention entrance for FREE
TBA Student
Summit
Sat, July 26 8am - 5:30pm
Strategic Booster Institute
Sat, July 26, 8:00am - 5pm
Complete list of clinics on TBA website (over 30 additional clinics designed for ALL DIRECTORS)
• Marching Bootcamp Series: #1 Making the Invisible Visible: How to teach Field Reading - Brent Biskup, Reid Atkinson; #2 Culture, Clarity, and Consistency: The Keys to Great Field Instruction - Kendall Santos, Reid Atkinson; #3 Tower Tactics: Maximizing Your Impact from AboveReid Atkinson, William Veenstra
• A Deep Dive into Bridgeland Percussion - Joel McAda, Chris Nguyen & Bridgeland Percussion
• Basic Movement and Visual Production - Michael Rosales
• Building Blocks: Every Season Matters - Katherine VanDoren
• Color Guard 101 through the Band Director’s LensesAlyson Baker & Wakeland Guard
• Empowering Non-Varsity Bands for Long-Term SuccessStephen Lisko, Mark Schroeder
• Strategies and Techniques of the 2024 State Military Marching Band Champions - Chris Clifton, Weston Fisher, George Little, Jacob Ramos
• TAME Mariachi Clinics
• Use of Electronics in Marching Band & What is Effect?Richard Saucedo
Jazz Clinics:
• “Time to Open that Door” - Yes, Jazz Ensemble EveryoneRonnie Rios and Harlingen HS South Jazz
• A Conversation With Doreen Ketchens - with Spring ISD Alumni Jazz Band
• Jazz For The Common Man 2.0 - Roland Sandoval
U.S. Air Force Band of the West
Major Justin W. Lewis, Commander and Conductor Boston Brass
JERRY JUNKIN 2025 Featured Clinician
CAROL BRITTIN CHAMBERS 2025 Featured Composer
BAND DIVISION
MIKE HOWARD, STATE VICE-PRESIDENT
As band directors, we spend our days teaching kids how to be creative, work hard, and express themselves. If you keep this at the root of your daily mission, it’s impossible not to love the job.
How Could Anyone Not Love Band?
Writing a regular column for Southwestern Musician is one of my favorite opportunities within my service on the TMEA Executive Board. It comes with excitement, apprehension, and sometimes writer’s block. I started writing this month’s article four times, each time heading in a direction that I did not love. Finally, it came to me! I just want to write about band—why I love it, why you should love it, why our administration should love it, and, most importantly, why we should teach our students to love it!
Admittedly, I probably won’t offer something that you don’t already know. It’s also impossible to completely encapsulate the fantastic experience of music education in 800 words. Yet, as we all deal with the noise that seems amplified by the hectic month of May, I’d like to embrace my inner band kid and celebrate our craft. I encourage you to do the same!
WHY I LOVE IT
I could write a lengthy laundry list of the ways that music education has impacted my life. I grew up as a band director’s kid, played in band through high school and college, and then spent 20 years as a band director. I wouldn’t change any of it. Reflecting on where it all started,
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
check www.tmea .org for updates
May—Attend your spring Region meeting (tmea.org/regionmeeting).
May 1—TMEA 2025–2026 membership year opens. Renew your membership early!
May 1— Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.
May 1— Program Spotlight application Part 1 due.
May 1–June 1—2026 Clinic/Convention proposals accepted online.
June 1— Program Spotlight application Parts 2 & 3 due.
June 1 —Invited MS/HS Jazz and HS Percussion application deadline.
June 30—All 2024–2025 TMEA memberships expire.
July 24–26—TBA convention in San Antonio.
it’s clear that the trajectory of my career in this business began with what music did for me as an adolescent. As a middle and high school student, I was not the most outgoing person. Meeting new people, speaking in public, and expressing my feelings were just a few of the things that caused me major anxiety. Music quickly became my outlet. When I was behind a marimba (or a drum set for that matter), my anxiety drifted away. I felt completely free, expressive, and artistic. I had all the apprehensions that many experience in school, but in band, those quickly eroded, and I learned self-expression, confidence, and hard work.
Being a band kid shaped me into who I am now. To be clear—winning band contests and besting other programs, along with other stressors that we as band directors sometimes impose on ourselves, were not the heart of my experience. I loved my expressive outlet and having friends who I could be my true self around. I loved being a band kid.
WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IT
I’ve often said that band kids (and any
music education students for that matter) are going to change the world. We must remind ourselves that while we’d love to be developing future band directors, our real charge is developing future leaders. Great leaders know how to be creative, work hard, and express themselves. Sound familiar?
As band directors, we spend our days teaching kids how to be creative, work hard, and express themselves. If you keep this at the root of your mission, it’s impossible not to love the job. Sometimes the noise of competitive stress, comparison, and education challenges—often outside our control—will cause us to lose sight of why we love the job. At some point, we all decided to be band kids for a living. Don’t forget to embrace your inner band kid.
WHY OUR ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD LOVE IT
Student engagement, hands-on learning, real-time differentiation, constant informal assessment, and adaptive teaching methods are all signs of an impactful classroom setting. These are all common experiences in band halls across our state. As
Music Department
band directors, we are constantly adapting instruction based on the skill level and learning style of our students. It’s in our music teacher DNA. Ensuring that our administrators see the teaching that happens in our band halls is imperative. You can facilitate this simply through an invitation to observe a rehearsal. Don’t wait for them to stumble upon the amazing things you’re doing—be proactive.
Often, the only program component that administrators experience is public performance. It is so beneficial for administrators to witness the depth of teaching required in our band halls. We are in an important time of advocacy within arts education and we need campus and district-level administrators to see the benefit of our programs.
Once they see it in action, they will love it. Make it happen!
WHY WE SHOULD TEACH OUR KIDS TO LOVE IT
There are kids in band and then there are band kids. And they are not the same. Kids in band may come to your class each
Band • Pep Band Drum and Bugle Corps
Choir • Orchestra Song Keepers Private Lessons
day and may be successful participants in your program, but band kids love it. The band hall is their happy place. They have found their crowd, have found a passion for music, and are willing to put in the work. To be clear, finding a passion for music may not mean they are all amazing musicians. Any student can be a band kid. Our goal is to teach them a love for music and each other, while instilling a value of hard work.
I’d suggest setting a program goal of having as many band kids in your program as possible. We must consistently ask ourselves why students love the band program and what will help them love it more. Be cautious not to allow your individual professional aspirations factor into the answer. Keep your focus on the students and your inner kid—the one who dreamed of becoming a band kid whey they grew up.
As mentioned earlier, when discovering my angle for this column, I realized that a simple reflection on the impact of band programs may be just what the doctor ordered this time of year.
It’s May, and we are sprinting to the finish line of the 2024–2025 school year, balancing multiple tasks and challenges. Please take an opportunity to stop, smile, and breathe as you reflect on your own band journey. If you do, I’m confident you will come to the same wondering that I have: How could anyone not love band?
INVITED PERCUSSION AND JAZZ ENSEMBLES
Online performance applications are open for your middle school jazz band, high school jazz band, or high school percussion ensemble for the 2026 TMEA Clinic/ Convention. Go to www.tmea.org/band to find more information about each and to apply. The submission deadline is June 1.
2026 CONVENTION PROPOSALS
I hope you will consider contributing to the 2026 convention by submitting a clinic proposal. Proposals are accepted online May 1–June 1. Take time to ensure you submit a thorough and detailed proposal to guarantee reviewers can easily discern exactly what an attendee will walk away knowing. As you review the details on clinic submissions at www.tmea.org/ proposals, know that attendees from our division indicated that the following are the topics of highest interest:
• Rehearsal techniques
• Instrument methods
• Recruiting/retention
• Teaching methods
• Repertoire selection
• Classroom management
• Small school strategies
• Advocacy/administrative support
• Conducting techniques
• Title I school strategies
INVITED PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
We are excited to continue the Invited Program Spotlight clinics for the 2026 convention. Those who submitted applications by the May 1 deadline should be sure to upload all materials by the June 1 submission deadline.
HONOR BAND
Thanks to all who have entered the Honor Band competition. Be sure you are aware of all remaining deadlines, Honor Band rules, and financial procedures. Best of luck to all participants!
TMEA POLICY UPDATES
At our March meeting, the Executive Board made some policy changes, including a few related to auditions. Be sure to attend your Region meeting and review the Eligibility Requirements (found at www.tmea.org/eligibility) and the audition process and division appendices (available from the audition entry pages) to ensure you are current in your understanding of the policies that affect your students’ participation.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Before your summer break gets underway, take this opportunity to renew your TMEA membership for next school year so you aren’t rushing to do so when it’s time to enter students to auditions. Renew now and purchase the liability insurance coverage that TMEA offers as a benefit of membership for only $30/year. Go to www.tmea.org/renew.
SPRING REGION MEETING
Region meetings are continuing to be held throughout the month of May. Attendance at these meetings is important and your Region needs to hear your voice as they adjust policies and procedures and finalize calendars. Go to www.tmea.org/ regionmeeting for schedule details.
Have a wonderful summer break! I hope to see you in San Antonio for the TBA Clinic/ Convention, July 24–26! 0
Mike Howard is the Director of Fine Arts, Music, and Performing Arts at Leander ISD.
bandvp@tmea.org
BAND
Q&A Question?
What is one successful method you have utilized to develop your students’ awareness of intonation?
• At the start of rehearsal, once each student is settled, they start humming a concert F (with no drone). This signals others that it’s time to focus and it builds their internal sense of pitch. Once all students are humming, we open to singing, and then we play to match the note. Having an inner sense of higher and lower, even for just one note, is critical in building awareness for all the notes they will play. By starting in this way, every rehearsal begins with musical sounds and student leadership. —Jo Ann Champion, Hutto MS
• My warmup method combines articulations with focusing on concert F. Going no faster than 106 BPM, we progress from whole notes to eighth notes, working on accurate starts and stops along with unifying note lengths. At the end we use F around the room, some days with the metronome and some without. This final exercise helps students focus on characteristic tone quality, uniformity of volume, and tuning. —Adam Charles Lara, Diamond Hill Jarvis HS
• First, I have students play a concert pitch (F, A, B-flat) with Tonal Energy projected on the board. Then they play the same pitch with their eyes closed, listening across the band for any waves or to hear the ensemble well blended, with overall intonation. —Jonathon Cruz, Zan Wesley Holmes MS
• We incorporate singing and daily tuner use starting in beginner band. Before playing, they sing note names on pitch while fingering or while counting rhythms on music, scales, and chorales to internalize pitch relationships. This strengthens pitch accuracy and blend before transferring to instruments. We also emphasize chord tuning by teaching students alternate fingerings, marking a downward arrow on thirds, and adjusting each note in a chord. —Kelby Koch, Kranz JH
• While it takes time, work to improve tone quality through good posture, carriage, breathing, equipment, embouchure, calm/full breathing, quality air, singing, and listening to models of good tone. Beyond that, teach appropriate horn length (slides, middle, barrel, headjoint, neck) and tuning tendencies of the instrument. Hum, sing, and play daily. Do interval studies, scales, Remington exercises, and sightsinging. Make it fun! Use a digital piano, drones, tuners, and free tuning game apps. Play professional recordings and ask questions. Raise levels of awareness and higher-level thinking. Teach them the best tuning notes in a good order to tune and use the clip-on tuners if you can. —Kevin Knight, Crosby ISD
• Teaching beginners, I play a drone note on the Harmony Director and play in tune on an instrument. Then, I purposefully play flat and ask if they hear the waves in sound. Then, I play in tune again to see if they hear the difference. I also ask them to close their eyes and raise their hands when I am in tune, first playing sharp and then in tune. Students use tuners and microphone pickups, as well as tuner caddies. This is a daily reminder that they can and should use their tuner as a personal help device while developing their ears.
—Katie
Lewis, Maus Middle
School
• One effective method I’ve used is encouraging them to close their eyes and visualize the pitch contours or the “musical notes” of speech. This helps students focus on the rise and fall of intonation, not the words themselves. By visualizing the tone as a note or melody, they can better understand how intonation influences the meaning and emotion behind speech. This method also fosters a more intuitive grasp of speech patterns, allowing students to develop a natural and fluid understanding of intonation. —Cody Knott, Eastland HS
• The first step is to direct students’ attention to their tone and that of the section. We have tone contests in which each student in a section plays one long tone and the band votes on the best tone in that section. Then, the section members work to match the winning tone. We then discuss what elements contribute to a great tone. Once the tone is focused, intonation is naturally better and is easier to adjust. —Anonymous
• An often-overlooked solution is teaching brass students how to properly set their valve slides. Many will play an open or first position note beautifully in tune only to struggle as they add valves or attachments. Once they have completed their “wheel alignment” with their slide settings, it is much easier to direct their listening for interference patterns and to nimbly adjust pitch. —Jason Tucker, Mattei MS
• With daily breathing exercises, we emphasize the connection between breathing with resonance and playing with resonance. We transition to unison F, followed by passing the note around the room so students listen to themselves and those around them. Then we do long tone exercises with a drone pitch reference. I alternate between days with a singular pitch compared to the drone and days of attention to studying the intervals. We move to slurs and flexibility exercises to build the ability to physically adjust pitch and play scales to hear in key signatures. Finally, we continue this work as we work on repertoire. —Cameron Green, Gainesville HS 0
Changing Lives Through Inclusive Music Education
By Jessica Olson, Amy Rogers, and Tiffany Huebner
An autistic student writes well-formed music notes on the marker board for a class to play back. A nonverbal high schooler performs sign language to a popular movie tune in front of the student body. A student with significant physical disabilities plays the Boomwhackers in time within an ensemble. An introverted high school senior develops public speaking skills while teaching a lesson about jazz. A junior realizes their interest in becoming a special education teacher. Students who don’t typically fit in on campus are greeted with hugs and celebrity-style welcomes. This is the daily experience in our Music Partners class.
Music Partners is a two-semester, for-credit course offered at Central HS in San Angelo ISD. Students receiving special education services are partnered with other high school students in an interactive music education class, taught by a certified music educator and board-certified music therapist. This course satisfies the fine arts credit required for graduation.
Beyond satisfying the course requirements for graduation, Music Partners often helps students find a new path they may not have considered pursuing after high school. Bethany Haire, a 2023 graduate of Central HS and two-year member of the Music Partners class says, “Music Partners was the perfect introduction into the field of helping people with special needs, and I’m so grateful I
got to learn and have fun in that class. I now work at a facility for adults with special needs and I wouldn’t have this passion without Music Partners!”
Some students have not only realized a passion for helping others with special needs but also discovered that while they are helping students with special needs, those students are making a difference in their lives as well. Zeila Cano, a current CHS senior had this to say: “Music Partners isn’t just an elective to me. It’s a program where I learned how to help others and give my love for music to my special-needs friends. This class has shown me how little things can make a big impact and difference for students just by giving them my attention and effort. I will always be happy to know that these kids will have memories we were able to make that they can cherish forever!”
We have seen the way this class impacts students on campus during passing periods or at games. When they see each other, they say hello or give a fist bump. It is so meaningful for the students with special needs to be acknowledged by their general education peers. One example of this inclusion happened last year. A Music Partners student was a member of the school dance team, the TexAnns. She choreographed a dance for some of the partners and members of the dance team to be performed at the spring show. I had several parents tell me how much it meant to them to
Leadership, Drum Major & Color Guard Camp
SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15–18
East Texas A&M University
Frank Troyka
Leadership Camp, Conn Selmer Institute
Willie Veenstra
Drum Major Camp, Bridgeland High School, Bluecoats DCI
Daniel Riley
Color Guard Camp, Bowie High School & Santa Clara Vanguard DCI
Marching Band Director Symposium
SUNDAY-TUESDAY, JUNE 15–17
East Texas A&M University
Reagan Brumley
Walnut Grove High School
Garth Gundersen
East Texas A&M University
BLAST OF BRASS Chamber Music Camp
SUNDAY-FRIDAY, JUNE 22-27
East Texas A&M University
Caleb Hudson (Trumpet)
Achilles Liarmakopoulos (Trombone)
Ahmed Alom (Piano)
Reese Farnell (Horn)
Dallas Symphony / Atlanta Symphony
Texas Summer Flute Symposium
TUESDAY-FRIDAY, JUNE 10–13
East Texas A&M University-Dallas Campus
Dr. Julee Kim Walker
East Texas A&M University
Leone Buyse
Rice University (retired)
Dr. Conor Nelson University of Wisconsin-Madison
Helen Blackburn
The Dallas Opera
Percussion Director Symposium
MONDAY-TUESDAY, JUNE 9-10
East Texas A&M University-Dallas Campus AND
MONDAY-TUESDAY, JULY 7-8
Houston Edition-Bridgeland High School
Dr. Brian Zator
East Texas A&M University
Jeff Ausdemore
East Texas A&M University, Blue Knights DCI
2025 SUMMER MUSIC CAMP SERIES
No matter the struggles or differences you have, Mrs. Olson is always able to help you learn about all kinds of music and to put a smile on your face. Being able to help these friends makes a difference in their lives and my life too! —Lauren Wood, CHS
have their child included in such a meaningful way. They felt seen and celebrated. Music Partners helps foster an environment where all students are included and accepted.
COURSE STRUCTURE
Central HS offers two sections of Music Partners, which meet in the choir room. The course objectives were set using input from high school special education teachers, elementary and high school music educators, a music therapist, and district fine arts personnel. High school music TEKS and their prerequisite skills were also used to create the course’s curriculum.
The music therapist plans and implements a live lesson once per week. They modify instruments and curriculum to help best meet the needs of students, create visuals to be projected on the classroom screen via teacher iPad sharing, and include ideas, videos, content, songs, and strategies. The music educator/classroom teacher instructs the students for the remaining four classes of the week, repeating songs and strategies and practicing the concepts presented. The music educator is responsible for attendance and grades.
Currently, the Music Partners program content is divided into four quarters. The first quarter focuses on rhythm; primary instruments utilized in class are the drum pads with drumsticks, bucket drums, circle drums, and other percussion instruments. The second quarter focuses on melody and harmony, with the introduction and instruction of the music staff and note reading. In this quarter, we use keyboards, Boomwhackers, and color-
coordinating visuals most often (MusicGo-Rounds). The third quarter addresses vocal and singing skills, using solfège and Kodály hand signs, as well as sign language to offer an adapted method of participation for nonverbal students.
The final quarter of the course focuses on pulling all the concepts together. We study instruments and instrument families and collaborate with the band and orchestra teachers to have instrument demonstrations for the class. With assistance, Music Partner students can play as many instruments as they wish. These visits are a true course highlight. To finish out the year, we study at least five music genres, discussing their distinctive sounds and instruments, well-known composers, and core characteristics. We listen to and play along with a variety of songs from the genre of the week. Students enjoy selecting songs from the genre of the week to play along with, dance to, or sing with, karaoke style.
In the spring, typically near the end of the third quarter or just prior to spring break, the combined Music Partners classes perform a sampling of songs and skills addressed in class for parents, peers, and staff. Students at the school now look forward to this performance, and other organizations and classes have become involved to assist on performance day. The performance skills, confidence, excitement, and pride the students display in their accomplishments is truly evident and irreplaceable.
GRADING MUSIC PARTNERS
Each quarter, the partners receive a major grade from assisting with teaching the
class in a small project. During the rhythm focus quarter, students create and notate a rhythm. Then, they teach the rest of the class to play that rhythm. In the second quarter, partners compose a melody, notate on either treble or bass clef correctly, and again present it for the rest of the class to play together. The third quarter major grade is helping set up, rehearse, clean up, and lead during the performance.
The final quarter assignment is to teach a 5–10-minute lesson on a genre. Students select songs from the assigned genre to play instruments with and another song to choreograph movement or dance to (parachute, ribbon wands, or body percussion are top favorites). They also create a slide presentation with information and visuals to accompany their lesson. Each assignment offers the partners an opportunity to create a short lesson, song, or example and help teach it to the class. This allows partners to develop their own creative style and share it with the students in the class.
MUSIC PARTNERS BENEFITS ALL
This diverse, live music-making Music Partners course allows students with a variety of physical and cognitive disabilities to learn from, engage in, and enjoy an age- and skill- appropriate music environment, alongside their same-age peers. All enrolled students are consistently developing new musical and social skills, laughing and dancing together with enjoyment. Each year’s group of partners is diverse, and this helps foster genuine connections and friendships that develop throughout the year. 0
Jessica Olson is a certified music educator at Central HS. She teaches Music Partners and English and has experience teaching students with a wide range of disabilities.
Board Certified Music
Therapist Amy Rogers owns and operates Sing Your Way Home: Music Therapy Services, LLC.
Tiffany Huebner is the Director of Advanced Academics and Fine Arts at San Angelo ISD.
Junior
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.
SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION DATE:
Sunday, May 18, 2025 1 - 3 p.m.
Individual audition dates may be requested if necessary.
For specific qualifications for each award, visit www.tlu.edu/music-scholarships.
TLU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
School of Music
2025 SUMMER MUSIC TCU School of Music
Camps & Workshops
TEXAS CHAMBER MUSIC INSTITUTE • MAY 30-JUNE 8
JULIETTE HERLIN, LIZ LEE AND MICHAEL BUKHMAN
TCU BAND CAMPS • JUNE 8-12 BOBBY FRANCIS, BRIAN YOUNGBLOOD
PERCUSSION CAMP • JUNE 17&18 BRIAN WEST, JEFF HODGE
FLUTE WORKSHOP • JUNE 24&25 SHAUNA THOMPSON
CLARINET WORKSHOP • JUNE 24&25 COREY MACKEY
SAXOPHONE WORKSHOP • JUNE 26&27, ALLEN CORDINGLEY
HARP WORKSHOP • JUNE 30-JULY 2 KELA WALTON
ALL-STATE CHOIR CAMP • JULY 13-19 CHRISTOPHER ASPAAS, MARLA RINGEL FOR REGISTRATION INFO, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.MUSIC.TCU.EDU/SMI.ASP
ORCHESTRA
What is one activity or strategy that helps keep students engaged through the end of the school year?
• After our spring concert, seventh and eighth graders complete a solo composition project. Over three weeks, they work independently with checkpoints to ensure they follow guidelines. During class, they choose whether to focus on their composition or prepare for their end-of-year audition and playing test. Students enjoy showcasing their notation skills, and I offer extra credit for those who perform their solo for the class.
Olivia Sears, Watkins MS
• I teach students about basic chord voicing, the structure of 12-bar blues, and basic improvisation using pentascales. In small groups, students choose a 12-bar blues backing track from YouTube and use the chord structure of their chosen track to create a groove (following specific rules I provide) and a melody. They have multiple class periods to put this together. At the end of the project, everyone gets to perform during “open mic night” at our Blues Club. Each student is required to play one rotation of the groove and the melody, and at least two members must perform an improvisation section. —Heather Gonzalez, John Jay HS
• Scheduling our spring concert one week before final exams keeps us focused until the end. Additionally, we teach music theory through the year, and after spring break we shift to music appreciation. On a two-year rotation, I teach everything from Baroque and Before, to Jazz/Blues, to pop music of the ’50s and ’60s, and beyond. We cover the basics and listen to examples in class. Being on a block schedule, I fit these lessons into the last 20 minutes of class after working on spring concert music. —Michelle Hanlon, Guyer HS
• Students thrive when they have content-wise teachers invested in their personal and musical growth. For example, you can offer students an exam packet or audition music appropriate for their growth, allowing them guided choices for being evaluated, with an opportunity to be in a higher-performing ensemble based on their preparation. Ensure they have the tools (e.g., instructional videos on concepts in the packet) and observe how they use them, considering end-of-year fatigue. It can be a good indicator of their interest and commitment.
—Brandon Berens, Faubion MS
• I like to schedule a concert as late as logistically possible. The later the concert, the more engagement and effective instruction time I get. When all the other subjects are winding down after the STAAR test, we can be ramping up for a final show.
—Chris DeArmond, Pease MS
• We hold a concerto competition in which our seniors audition with the potential of performing with our top full orchestra on the spring concert. This keeps them engaged through the end of the school year. Our underclassmen are also energized with the notion that it could be them performing on that stage in the future.
—Brigido Beau Garza, Midland ISD
• Two activities run concurrently after our spring concert: auditions for next year and chamber music performances. Students remain engaged daily as they work toward one or both goals. Audition music is self-selected, allowing individuals to take ownership of their musical growth and showcase their strengths. Chamber music is a collaborative effort of the groups formed within their class periods, fostering teamwork and musical camaraderie. —Gary Keller, Byron Nelson HS
• Friday rehearsals are student-led. The first time it happened, it was unplanned, but students kept requesting it. I’ve found that students have become far more invested in the rehearsal and more confident in their approach to learning their instrument and music. —Ed Chapman, Aldrich/Fruzen MS
• I usually end the school year with a fun concert, such as pop songs through decades, TV theme songs, superhero themes, or film scores, all arranged for string orchestra. This time of year also offers the opportunity to collaborate with another department, such as on performing a piece with dancers or a masterwork concert with our choir department. —Ricky Pringle McCallum HS
• Students participate in a Sightreading Throwdown, using Sightreading Factory and a tournament bracket for each class. Using a site on their Chromebooks, students vote for the winner of each sightreading matchup. While I ultimately select the winner, voting keeps students engaged when it’s not their turn. The champion is awarded a plastic trophy and toy crown. With a double-elimination bracket, this usually takes two full classes. Students are already asking when this year’s throwdown will start! —Michelle Bell, Worthington MS
• It is a tradition for our first fall performance to be a themed concert. In late spring, students vote on the theme, and sometimes before summer break, I provide some of the music. This seems to get the students excited about thinking ahead to the next year. —Angela Harvey, Crownover MS 0
ORCHESTRA DIVISION
SABRINA BEHRENS, STATE VICE-PRESIDENT
If
you learn how to rephrase what winning looks like, you’ll boost your mood and confidence as well as that of your students.
Celebrate Your Wins
Perhaps this year’s UIL evaluation didn’t quite go the way you expected. Or your formal evaluation by your administrator felt like a total flop. If something like that has gotten you down, I hope you can step back from it and continue to look for opportunities to celebrate the small wins. They will help us not lose sight of what’s truly important and know that things really are okay. Remember the student in the back of the second violin section who finally took his instrument home over the weekend. The viola student you have been working with all year finally understands the difference between F-sharp and F-natural. The bass players remembered to put their end pins in before putting their instruments up without any reminders. Each of these is a win!
As musicians and teachers, we are naturally hard on ourselves. We can hyper-focus on anything that doesn’t go according to plan or that doesn’t turn out as we’d hoped. And it seems more prevalent for us because this mindset often drives a lot of what we do every day—we listen for what’s not working and then we tune it, align it, and balance it. We must also remember to let the students know what they are doing right and what is going well. They want to celebrate their wins, no matter how small. And we as teachers need to do the same.
When you change your mindset to focus on the wins, no matter
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
.org for updates
May—Attend your spring Region meeting (tmea.org/regionmeeting).
May 1—TMEA 2025–2026 membership year opens. Renew your membership early!
May 1— Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.
May 1— Program Spotlight application Part 1 due.
May 1— Honor Orchestra Part A deadline (except HS String).
May 1–June 1—2026 Clinic/Convention proposals accepted online.
June 1— Program Spotlight application Parts 2 & 3 due.
June 1— Honor Orchestra Parts B&C and recording deadline (except HS String).
June 1— Invited HS Mariachi application deadline.
June 21–22— Honor Orchestra adjudication at Bridgeland HS, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.
June 30—All 2024–2025 TMEA memberships expire.
July 24–26—TODA convention in San Antonio.
how small they seem, you begin to flip the script in your head about what success looks like to you and for your program. More importantly, you begin to flip the script for your students about what success is. Have your students celebrate the small wins, even the non-orchestra ones. I love it when a student comes into the classroom, smiling from ear to ear as they tell me they got an A on their math test or that their soccer team won the big game last night against the rival school. When I get to celebrate those moments with them, it allows me to make meaningful, personal connections with the students. And in my opinion, that is at the heart of what we do as music educators.
Remember, winning may not look like a shelf full of trophies, straight 1s on the UIL rubric, or a record number of students selected for All-State. If you learn how to rephrase what winning looks like, you’ll boost your mood and confidence as well as that of your students. We can all foster a sense of accomplishment and build momentum, especially at the end of the year as we head into the summer.
As you’ll read in many scientific reports, celebrating small wins activates the reward center of our brain. This releases dopamine—the feel-good neurotransmitter—and can reinforce positive behavior, something we want from all our students! Think of these small victories as a form of
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• Primary Emphasis in Music Education OR Worship Ministry
• 51 credit hour degree with the potential to transfer up to 9 hours from the Masters
positive behavioral intervention. We can flip the script on our daily tasks by creating a Ta-Da list rather than a To-Do list. Turning in required paperwork so your students can go on a trip or posting the audition music is something we get to do, not have to do. Mindset is everything. Then, celebrate the completion of the task. I know I get a great amount of satisfaction when I check things off my To-Do/Ta-Da list. Each of those is a win!
How can you celebrate these wins? Write them down. Perhaps create a Win Wall and encourage students to share their wins on a sticky note. Another idea is to start your class by sharing one of your wins then encouraging others to share their wins too. This creates a culture of celebration. Don’t forget about physical rewards. It never ceases to amaze me when I see the smile across a high school student’s face when I reward their win with something as simple as a sticker.
Other ways to celebrate your wins or help your students celebrate their wins include watching a funny video during the last 1–2 minutes of class, playing your favorite piece of music while singing and dancing along,
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sharing high-fives, practicing gratitude, or even enjoying a moment of silence.
I hope you can offer yourself some muchneeded downtime once the school year wraps up. And remember, keep celebrating those wins. A positive, winning mindset will lead to greater satisfaction in everything we do. As author and podcaster Marie Forleo says, “Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.”
TMEA POLICY UPDATES
At our March meeting, the Executive Board made some policy changes, including a few related to auditions. Be sure to attend your Region meeting and review the Eligibility Requirements (found at www.tmea.org/eligibility) and the audition process and division appendices (available from the audition entry pages) to ensure you are current in your understanding of the policies that affect your students’ participation.
ATTEND YOUR REGION MEETINGS
Some spring Region meetings are still to come in May. Region Chairs will have important information to share with you, and many Region decisions are made at the spring meeting. I hope you’ll find a way to get involved and connected and serve in your Region. You’ll develop deeper relationships with colleagues, have a wider professional network, and learn and grow in new ways. For the schedule, go to www.tmea.org/regionmeeting.
CLINIC PROPOSALS NOW OPEN
The online proposal pages will be available May 1–June 1 to submit clinic and music showcase proposals. The TMEA membership would like to celebrate your win by seeing your clinic proposal come to life at the 2026 TMEA Clinic/Convention! Some of the topics that Orchestra Division convention attendees ranked as most important to them include rehearsal techniques, instrument methods, teaching methods, repertoire selection, and recruiting and retention. We cannot wait to see what proposals for clinics are in store for 2026! Help support others in our profession by encouraging colleagues who you want to learn more from to submit proposals.
HONOR AND INVITED ENSEMBLES
Our Honor Orchestra (MS Full and String and HS Full), Invited Program Spotlight (MS and HS), and Invited Mariachi
Ensemble applications are in process. Applying for these opportunities is a win for anyone who participates, and we will all celebrate with those who advance to be featured during our convention. We want to feature and highlight outstanding performance as well as exemplary and innovative teaching in the state of Texas. Make sure you get your applications in so your ensemble can be considered. For access to each, go to www.tmea.org/orchestra.
ALL-STATE ETUDES
It would not be the last month of school if we weren’t looking forward to next year’s All-State etudes. Please make sure you have the correct edition of the etude books and check the TMEA webpage for updates and errata postings. Thanks go to everyone who helped in the selection of this year’s etudes. I deeply appreciate their hard work in choosing high-quality literature for our students to learn.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Ensure your TMEA membership remains current by renewing it now. Active teaching members can renew now for only $65 and purchase the liability insurance coverage that TMEA offers as a benefit of membership for only $30/year. Go to www.tmea.org/renew.
TODA CONVENTION
I hope to see you this July in San Antonio for the TODA convention! After you rest this summer, get recharged for the new year by learning from amazing teachers and finding new music to program. Go to www.todaweb.org/convention for more information and to register. 0
Sabrina Behrens is the Director of Orchestras at Travis HS in Fort Bend ISD. orchestravp@tmea.org
2026 Invited High School Mariachi Ensemble Applications Due June 1
T-TESS Insights for Music Educators
By Dr. Estelle Murr
Does the mere mention of T-TESS make you want to run and hide? If you focus only on formal observations rather than recognizing the continuous, reflective nature of the model, it can be especially easy to fear the process. As you read on and consider the entirety of this process, begin by keeping in mind what T-TESS stands for: Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System.
As this academic year winds down, May is a valuable time for you to reflect on your personal and professional growth and begin shaping meaningful goals for the future. With the year’s events and experiences fresh in your mind, you can identify strengths and areas for improvement and make a list of things you wish you knew and want to learn. Thinking now about how you want to grow, before the demands of summer or the hectic start of a new school year, can heighten the effectiveness of both goal-setting and planning, taking the edge off the start of next school year.
GOAL SETTING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (GSPD)
The GSPD is designed for teachers, not their administrators. While it may feel like a hoop to jump through at the start of each year, May is the ideal time to proactively begin this work. By reflecting on the year’s successes and challenges now, educators can develop well-informed, strategic goals rather than rushing through the process at the beginning of the next school year. Thoughtfully crafted GSPDs allow music educators to identify areas for growth, select meaningful professional development opportunities, and set a foundation for continued improvement.
When completing part one (Data Analysis and Goal Setting), music educators often struggle with identifying relevant data. The data analysis component has two key areas: student assessment data and professional growth data. The chief takeaway is that this data is not being used to set student goals for improvement; this data is driving ideas for teacher improvement that can increase efficacy, broaden the knowledge base, improve practice, and ultimately increase student achievement. When music teachers improve their craft, students benefit! That said, it can be difficult to
complete the GSPD worksheet without knowing what data to list or how to articulate it in ways appraisers will understand.
Data used to identify student assessment: “Curriculum-correlated assessment data” can include any teacher- or third-party-designed music aptitude tests. “Teacher-designed assessments” can include daily or discrete visual and aural assessments in addition to formal assessments. This includes chair tests, passoffs, tests for vocal range or fach, program auditions, and more. To satisfy “Cumulative student performance/classroom data,” teachers can utilize their concert and contest reviews and ratings as a form of student data to guide their goal setting.
Data used to identify professional growth: While this is not an exhaustive list, the following are examples of data regularly collected or received in music classrooms and performances. “Formal evaluation results” are derived from the previous year’s T-TESS score or other summative evaluation from your appraiser that guide areas for improvement. “Supervisor, colleague and/or peer feedback” can include feedback from appraisers in a walkthrough, from faculty in PLCs, and UIL ratings/commentary (adjudicators are peers). For “Analysis of the learning environment practices and expertise,” teachers can use their self-evaluation of conducting and rehearsal techniques to guide their professional growth.
The T-TESS Cycle begins with the Goal-Setting and Professional Development (GSPD) plan, moves through the three-part evaluation cycle, and concludes with the annual summative conference.
SETTING GOALS FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
The data is used to set two or three goals for professional growth. Teachers decide what they want to achieve and the correlating T-TESS dimension for each goal (there are 16 dimensions to choose
from). Then teachers list two or three actions that will help them accomplish a goal. Actions vary based on the goal but can be anything a teacher does to improve their craft, such as reading a book or journal article, attending a seminar or other professional development, observing a master teacher, taking one of TMEA’s online courses, listening to music new to the PML, or serving on a Region committee. There is no limit to the number of actions educators can take to improve, so don’t feel boxed into traditional forms of professional development. This is an opportunity to customize learning activities of interest you believe will help you improve.
Next is to select a targeted completion date, which will vary based on the goal. Is the goal short- or long-term? Does the goal depend on an event? Teachers will set more than one goal, and they do not need the same targeted completion date. Appraisers should be consulted for any target date that is later than April 1 since data collection would not be analyzed prior to the summative conference.
The final piece is the evidence of goal attainment. How will the teacher know their goal has been met? Measurable goals are best. How will the teacher track whether their efforts impacted instructional practices and student achievement? Description of data collection or assessments is acceptable.
SUBMITTING YOUR GSPD
Teachers must submit their GSPD plan to their appraiser within the first six weeks of school annually. When appraisers review GSPDs from their teachers, they gain insight into the teachers’ professional and personal goals, as well as their needs and aspirations for training. This process also provides an opportunity to begin building a meaningful relationship.
Music educators who take the time to craft thoughtful GSPDs set themselves up for success, not only through the actions they have planned but also through being vulnerable and sharing their journey with their appraiser. This motivates appraisers to invest in teacher growth by providing assistance, support, and encouragement along the way. Regardless of whether the appraiser understands music, they have tools at their disposal to assist teachers as they improve. Appraisers may not be able to subdivide a rhythmic passage, but they can remove many of the roadblocks teachers face during the school year. Music teachers concerned with their appraiser’s lack of musical content knowledge can use their GSPD to educate their appraiser about their teaching practices, bridging gaps so that their work is not as foreign to the appraiser.
GOAL REFLECTION
Part two of the T-TESS process is completed prior to the summative conference at the end of the year. Teachers should be prepared to discuss all facets of their journey, along with reflective responses to their selected measures of goal attainment. This should lead to discussions about the following year’s goals. Quality GSPDs get easier every year because they build upon the previous year or are preselected during the prior summative conference. Teachers should not need to reinvent the wheel. If the wheel of growth never stops moving, teachers simply modify and adjust to meet their ongoing personal and professional needs.
The GSPD process happens every year whether a teacher is required to have a formal observation or not. T-TESS starts with the GSPD, because this creates the lens from which walkthroughs, observations, and conferences are viewed and framed. When appraisers have a thorough understanding of what and how a teacher wants to learn and grow, the entire year and process becomes a customized support system.
THE EVALUATION CYCLE
The T-TESS evaluation cycle has three parts: (1) Pre-Conference, (2) Observation, and (3) Post-Conference. Preparing for and actively participating in the pre-conference is integral for music educators. The purpose of the preconference is for the teacher and appraiser to discuss the upcoming observation lesson with a focus on the planning domain. During formal observations, appraisers are focused predominantly on Domains 2 and 3; what teachers provide and articulate in the pre-conference is the best opportunity to ensure quantitative evidence for Domain 1. The pre-conference is also a music teacher’s forum to translate their music lesson into language any appraiser will understand fully.
What should students know and be able to do by the end of the lesson? Introduce musical terminology that will be used and explain the subtlety/nuance of musicality relative to the TEKS. What will the teacher and students be doing to show progress toward mastery of objectives? Explain rehearsal techniques, purpose and utilization of a tuner or metronome, how and why the lesson includes listening down the line, the need for repetition, etc. Include information about the lesson, the class, and the students.
When music teachers thoroughly prepare for their pre-conference and have quality discussions with their appraiser about their (1.1) standards and alignment, (1.2) data and assessment, (1.3) knowledge of students, and (1.4) activities, the observation itself is a breeze and simply a reflection of what they do every day. Preconferences should not be burdens or boxes being checked, rather opportunities to bring appraisers into the world of music. This is a private audience with school administration to advocate for music and let them see behind the curtain.
Following the formal observation, the post-conference provides teachers an opportunity to reflect on the execution of their lesson and receive support, guidance, and constructive feedback from their appraiser. Teachers’ goals from the GSPD should be considered and guide discussions and feedback. It is important to remember that T-TESS was designed to be a teacher support system and not a pass/fail tool to simply find faults. The postconference is intended to be an authentic and valuable dialogue between teacher and appraiser. If the GSPD and pre-conference are thorough and insightful, there will already be a relationship in place that is rooted in honesty, collaboration, perpetual growth, and receptiveness to two-way communication that includes constructive feedback.
Go to www.tmea.org/gspd or scan the code to access the T-TESS webpage and download a Goal Setting and PD Plan template from the Goal-Setting section.
USING T-TESS FOR IMPACT
Many music educators struggle building relationships with their administrators. The T-TESS model can provide opportunities for teacher growth, assisted by appraisers, and encourage relationship-building. Quality relationships rooted in a growth mindset go far beyond T-TESS, benefitting teachers’ personal and professional growth and the advancement of music classrooms at all grade levels.
The efforts music educators put into the areas of goal setting, professional development, lesson planning, and focusing on instruction (including data analysis) lead to more productive rehearsals and classes. The better teachers get, the better students will perform. When teachers fully participate and use T-TESS the way it was intended, their efficacy will improve, their students and ensembles will improve, and they will have a stronger relationship with their administrators. Music educators will get out of T-TESS what they put into it, and it can be a powerful tool for growth. 0
Dr. Estelle Murr is the Director of Fine Arts for Cleburne ISD and is a certified T-TESS appraiser.
Preparing for a Pre-Conference
Submit your lesson plan to your appraiser prior to the pre-conference so they have time to review.
About the Lesson
• How does this lesson relate to your TEKS?
• How does this lesson fall within scope & sequence?
• What data led you to plan this lesson?
• What knowledge of your students led you to plan this lesson?
• Why did you select these specific activities to master this lesson’s objective?
• The majority of your Domain 1 score is a result of this pre-conference.
Is there anything about this class or environment that is different from the norm (e.g., beginner clarinet, ECSE music, MS third band, HS wind symphony)?
• Where is this class chronologically, relative to your performance calendar?
• What challenges does the environment cause?
• Describe the types of informal aural assessments that will occur in this specific environment.
About the Students
Do any students in this class have specific needs or challenges?
• Tell your appraiser how many of these students have an IEP and give examples of how you have met their specific needs.
• Highlight your SDI and what special tools or assistive technology you may use. (Include special seating arrangements, music enlargements, tuners, drones, oversized sticks, etc.)
• Be proactive!
VOCAL DIVISION
JENNIFER GALLAGHER, STATE VICE-PRESIDENT
In Memoriam
Carolyn Lou Stover 1937–2025
Other people hold no real power over you, unless you give it to
them.
—Mel Robbins
The Let Them Theory
Ilove to read! I will read just about anything—from cheesy vampire romance to historical fiction to nonfiction on how to become a better person. I enjoy physical books, books on my Kindle, and audiobooks. I recently finished The Let Them Theory, a New York Times Best Seller by author, speaker, and podcaster Mel Robbins. I found it to be relatable, humorous, and quite applicable in my work as a music educator.
At first glance, the premise of her book is simple, so much so that I almost didn’t start it. Robbins focuses on our problem of giving power to others to dictate our moods, thoughts, and actions. When we instead allow others to have their opinions and stop trying to control them, our lives will be freer and happier. We simply need to let them
This was a powerful mindset shift for me, as I have spent much time worrying about what others thought about me or over-thinking how I was perceived in the spaces I have occupied. This can also be a common pitfall for many musicians, since we are raised to listen to the feedback and opinions of others, and those opinions are often used to rate us and our students!
I still remember the moment during my second year of teaching when my husband found me on the floor of our closet, crying as I stressed
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
check www.tmea .org for updates
May—Attend your spring Region meeting (tmea.org/regionmeeting).
May 1—TMEA 2025–2026 membership year opens. Renew your membership early!
May 1— Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.
May 1— MS/HS Invited Choir application deadline.
May 1–June 1—2026 Clinic/Convention proposals accepted online.
June 30—All 2024–2025 TMEA memberships expire.
July 24–26—TCDA convention in San Antonio.
CHOIR CAMP
JULY 9-12, 2025
LEARN THE TEXAS LARGE SCHOOL
ALL-STATE MUSIC
East Texas A&M University
Formerly, Texas A&M University-Commerce
EARLY REGISTRATION $300 DEADLINE MAY 1
LATE REGISTRATION $350 AFTER MAY 1
GROUP REGISTRATION $230 GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE, DEADLINE JUNE 15
COMMUTER & DIRECTORS $230 ALL-STATE MEMBER $99
out about whether my choir’s performance was worthy of earning a superior rating. As a young teacher, the idea that someone else might find my work to be unworthy was simply debilitating to me—so much so that I couldn’t zoom out and focus on the feedback or help. All I could see was judgment.
Another example from my early career days was when I received the type of parent email I dreaded. This parent claimed I was not providing enough musical experiences for his sixth-grade child. I can still remember my elevated heart rate, my red face, my angry tears, and my indignation. Rather than letting the parent have their opinion, my immediate response was an angered reaction, wanting to set the record straight.
As Robbins points out, “When people do things that rattle us, we usually waste energy trying to control them.” She also reminds us that we need to give people the freedom to speak negative thoughts about us. We cannot control what others think, so in the face of that negativity, we let them while we detach from that negativity and focus more on our own heart and choices.
Especially as an educator, it has become crucial for me to understand what warrants a response and what does not require my energy. Putting Robbins’s ideas into practice, now if a parent conveys something that upsets me, while I cannot be immune to being hurt, I work on the one thing I can control—my reaction. In these moments, I do my best to take a pause and employ the 5×5 rule—I consider whether this issue will matter in 5 years, and if it won’t, I don’t spend more than 5 minutes stressing out about it. Once I have moved through my initial strong emotions, I can step back and seek to understand and respond to the issue in the same way I would want a teacher to respond to me if I had a concern about my child.
In The Let Them Theory, Robbins offers eight key areas where we can stop comparing ourselves to others and free ourselves from the constraints of how we are perceived. In our profession, freeing ourselves from comparison is both difficult and essential.
• Recognize Situations
• Practice Acceptance
• Set Boundaries
• Focus on Your Own Actions
• Embrace the Unknown
• “Let Them” and “Let Me”
• Don’t Expect Too Much from Others
• Don’t Obsess Over Things You Can’t Control
While I focused here mostly on the let them concept, Robbins explains that we must follow up that idea with its paired response of let me. We choose our reactions and focus our energy on those things we can control.
It can be so easy to allow ourselves to hyper-focus on something like the latest requirement from administration that takes time away from teaching or a negative email from a colleague or parent. But we must remember that other people hold no real sway over you, unless you give it to them! I was inspired and changed by this mindset, and while I don’t always get it right, I am actively working on it. Our reactions to outside influences are the one thing we can control, and this is a powerful tool we can also give our students by modeling it for them.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Renew your TMEA membership now, as all memberships from this school year expire on June 30. When you renew, purchase the liability insurance coverage that TMEA offers as a benefit of membership for only $30/year. Go to www.tmea.org/renew.
REGION MEETINGS
Our spring Region meetings are essential gatherings of the membership, and I hope you have yours marked on your calendar (or attended, for those held in April). These meetings are relevant to you and your students. To review the schedule for the month of May, go to www.tmea.org/ regionmeeting.
CONVENTION PROPOSALS
ACCEPTED THROUGH JUNE 1
If you haven’t yet, take time to learn more about the proposal and review process at www.tmea.org/proposals. Online proposals for clinics and music showcases will be accepted May 1 through June 1.
Attendees consistently prioritize clinics that are presented by educators who are teaching the same grade levels and in the same types of schools as theirs. As the number of our proposals continues to grow, be intentional and thorough in your submission to ensure reviewers can easily discern exactly what an attendee will walk away having learned.
It is only when we have many well-detailed proposals on a variety of topics that we are able to build the best possible program for choral educators at every level. It’s also
important that we encourage each other— if you know an educator whose clinic you would attend, let them know and encourage them to propose a clinic.
Keep in mind that the following are the top ten topics that survey responders from the Vocal Division said they want to see covered in next year’s clinics:
• Rehearsal techniques
• Repertoire selection
• Recruiting & retention
• Teaching methods
• Classroom management
• Conducting techniques
• Inclusion, diversity, equity & access
• Mental health & wellness
• Technology integration
• Music theory
ALL-STATE AUDITION MATERIALS
The beginning of May brings the release of the All-State audition material (go to www.tmea.org/vocal/audition-material). Please utilize the additional resources, online reference recordings, and publisher information found on the website. Please send questions or any discrepancies via email to me at vocalvp@tmea.org.
TMEA POLICY UPDATES
At our March meeting, the Executive Board made some policy changes, including a few related to auditions. Be sure to attend your Region meeting and review the Eligibility Requirements (found at www.tmea.org/eligibility) and the audition process and division appendices (available from the audition entry pages) to ensure you are current in your understanding of the policies that affect your students’ participation.
TCDA SUMMER CONVENTION
I hope to see you in late July at the annual Texas Choral Directors Association summer convention, July 24–26, in San Antonio. Make plans to attend inspirational professional development sessions, visit the exhibits, and enjoy conversation and collaboration with your colleagues from across the state! 0
Jennifer Gallagher is the Choir Director at Shadow Creek HS in Alvin ISD. vocalvp@tmea.org
VOCAL
What is a method you have used for selecting or training incoming choir leadership?
• We always have the outgoing president and one other senior officer serve in an advisory role on a panel to choose the incoming president. They sit in on all interviews (which we do a week or so before the rest of the officer interviews). Once we select the incoming president, that student participates on the interview panel for the rest of the officers, helping us make decisions on selecting the team. We find this gives them more student ownership and results in a core team the president can lead effectively. —Christopher Fiorini, Bridgeland HS
• I teach in a small school program and have found that observing students usually reveals natural leaders. In a 12-person choir, I sometimes have only one strong leader per section, and the other members naturally follow them, especially for sightreading. After those leaders are established, I determine where they need support and partner them with other members to help secure their confidence. (If they are stronger in rhythmic accuracy, I might put them next to someone who has a solid ear for intervals so they can work together.)
—Anonymous
• I routinely assign section leadership throughout the choir to make sure that many students have a chance to lead. At the end of the year, we ask for student nominations for leadership roles for the coming year. Many who are nominated grow in confidence and become stronger leaders and contributors regardless of the election outcome. In this way, I ensure that I always have elected leaders who students will follow and musical leaders who can benefit those around them through their example. —Robert Draper, Frisco ISD
• I prefer to have our appointed section leaders (eighth graders I call the Choir Council Leaders) work with the upcoming class section leaders. This not only builds a strong bond within all the choirs but also helps mentor our future Choir Council Leaders (seventh graders). By the time those students take over, they are aware of the expectations. Council Leaders help in many aspects of our organization, from uniforms to fundraisers, socials, and repertoire selection for certain concerts. —Leticia Laura Perez, BL Garza MS
• Current leaders write a “will” for next year’s leaders. This includes information on what went well for the year, what they wish they could’ve done better, and how to deal with the director (me). It makes it feel more like it’s the students’ leadership instead of just me dictating things. —Sean Rodriguez, Southwest Legacy HS
• I have utilized student-run elections, where nominated candidates need some prior leadership experience (e.g., student council, officer in another school or community group, or captain of a sports team). The nominating individuals and the nominees make statements on why they believe the candidates are good choices for a student leadership position. Then a secret ballot is conducted. Once selected, I conduct a series of meetings with the leadership team to explain my expectations and responsibilities of their roles. Then we meet regularly (once monthly) and I provide feedback as they continue to grow into their roles. —Jeffrey Tilley, Reed MS
• In our program, candidates campaign for approximately two weeks. After the campaign period, the program votes. This has been an effective system for building ownership and pride in our program. The kids look forward to campaigning, and they love coming up with running mates and ideas to run on. —Da’On Boulanger-Chatman, Lakeview Centennial HS
• What has worked well for us is a combination of formal leadership training, hands-on mentorship, and peer selection. I send students to the TCDA Leadership Day at our local university during the summer, and I encourage them to attend local leadership conferences. We also have a strong student council that organizes leadership workshops and provides guidance on how to recruit and connect with younger students (6th–8th grades). In late April, current students vote for next year’s leadership team. This allows the newly elected leaders to learn from the outgoing leadership the entire month of May. —Anonymous
• Depending on the group, I either let the choir nominate and vote on their leaders or I select them myself. Each process has worked well since I began teaching. I find that the best process depends on the group. Training also depends on the role. Some can learn their tasks during class while others, such as the president, uniform clerk, and section leaders, meet with me outside of class. —Jon P. Starling, The Brook Hill School
• One selection method we use is having interested candidates complete a two-part application: an online form where they answer questions about the position they seek and a video submission in which they answer a series of questions (e.g., about strengths and areas for improvement). The process is similar to a job interview. A group of choir directors from our cluster meets to review the applications and recommend the best candidate for each position. —Linda Holkup, Stephen F. Austin HS
ELEMENTARY DIVISION
LAUREN SUMMA, STATE VICE-PRESIDENT
Being bored is a precious thing, a state of mind we should pursue. Once boredom sets in, our minds begin to wander, looking for something exciting, something interesting to land on. And that’s where creativity arises. —Peter Bregman
The Beauty of Boredom
Ilove mornings in May. While the school year may be coming to a close, my priority is keeping students engaged through our very last class. I achieve this by transforming my classroom environment each week. I stay after school, making my classroom into a campground, creating visuals and manipulatives for blacklight week, or driving to my friends’ campuses to borrow drums so I can facilitate drum circles in each class. Students walk past my open classroom doors in the morning and their excitement is contagious!
Surprises are fun, but at the end of the school year, too much change can also spell trouble. So, while we perform them in a novel environment, our musical routines and practices remain the same. When the classroom becomes a campground, kindergartners still perform their daily music routines. Camp songs and ukulele skills seem brand new for older students when they’re performed in the middle of an artificial tree forest. And there is nothing quite like bringing back some spooky songs and stories from October, shared by the light of a projected campfire.
Does this type of classroom preparation take a lot of time and energy? Absolutely! But that doesn’t mean that I am exhausted by the task. Throughout my years of teaching, I have found I am much happier
May—Attend your spring Region meeting (tmea.org/regionmeeting).
May 1—TMEA 2025–2026 membership year opens. Renew your membership early!
June 15— Invited Elementary Ensemble application deadline.
May 1–June 1—2026 Clinic/Convention proposals accepted online.
June 30—All 2024–2025 TMEA memberships expire.
July 24–26—TCDA convention in San Antonio.
when I creatively engage students instead of relying on strict consequences for offtask behavior.
Expressing myself creatively—both in ideas and implementation—feeds my energy level. Creativity is essential to me in my daily life, and I’ve worked to build habits that allow me to stay creative in my teaching. Daydreaming plays an essential role.
Taking time to daydream is how I wind down from the constant alertness required in an elementary school classroom. Resting
from constant action gives my brain time to explore possibilities instead of completing whatever task is at hand. I regularly prioritize stopping, being still, and actively choosing to do nothing. While that doesn’t fit society’s idea of being productive, it’s how I fight burnout and fatigue. When I feel good mentally, I am better at my job.
In her book How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, Jenny Odell says doing nothing is more about reorienting than retreating. Instead of hiding from the things that cause us anxiety, we can inter-
act with the world
Shifting my attention away from constant productivity and toward prioritized quietude has improved my well-being—I feel like I’m a better person for it. While I still have stretches of time where I am overly busy or solely focused on work tasks, I always come back to stasis—an environment designed to be calm, quiet, and conducive to restoration. Odell says, “Our very idea of productivity is premised on the idea of producing something new, whereas we do not tend to see maintenance and care as productive in the same way.”
And what do we get when we do nothing? If we’re lucky, we get bored.
This May marks the end of my 26th year of teaching. Throughout those years, an important lesson I’ve learned is that getting bored is the most important and valuable thing I can do during school breaks.
I suspect that most elementary music teachers are like me in that you find it difficult to stop working over school breaks. When school is out, I tend to fill my schedule with tasks I previously set aside. Deep cleaning, yard work, organization, and other tasks immediately become my priorities. Without a regular daily schedule, I spend my time jumping from one project to another, thinking I’m making the most of that time.
But when I allow myself to fall into boredom, my mind wanders away from lists and lands on possibilities. The emphasis on potential erases anxiety. Nothing motivates me more than the prospect of returning to school upbeat and with an eye out for promising prospects. That’s why I’m looking forward to the summer with nothing at the top of my to-do list!
I hope that during your summer break you have the opportunity to slow down and experience some creativity-inducing boredom!
ATTEND YOUR SPRING REGION MEETING
Want to get involved with TMEA? Attend your spring Region meeting! While a few were held in April, several remain this month. Your Elementary Region Chair will have information on how you can volunteer at our convention and more. This division chair is the perfect person to talk to about questions and concerns you have
about TMEA policy and procedure. They are in this position to serve as a liaison between your Region membership, the State Board, and Executive Board. Your questions and feedback are important. Go to www.tmea.org/regionmeeting for the schedule.
2026 CLINIC/CONVENTION PROPOSALS
Session proposals for the 2026 convention are now being accepted. Do you know someone who is inspiring in the classroom or who motivates you to be a better educator? Encourage them to apply!
Consider pedagogical practice as well as implementation when crafting your ideas for a submission. For clinics hosted by the Elementary Division, session proposals addressing the following topics will be prioritized (our division’s attendees indicate they are the most important):
• Teaching Methods
• Classroom Management
• Special Needs Instruction
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access
• Technology Integration
• Rehearsal Techniques
• Instrument Methods
• Repertoire Selection
• Mental Health & Wellness
• Music Theory
Go to www.tmea.org/proposals to learn more about the application process.
APPLY TO PERFORM AT THE 2026 CONVENTION
It’s also application time for those who want to be considered for an invitation to perform during the 2026 Clinic/ Convention. I know many may have what ifs in your head about submitting. Here are some answers to common questions:
What if my recorded performance is not perfect? The Invited Ensemble selection panel isn’t seeking perfection. This committee is chosen to select groups that best fit the needs of our division and the focus of the convention. Your ensemble might be exactly what they are looking for!
What if my group doesn’t get selected? Many groups that perform weren’t selected
the first time they applied. Perhaps you can consider your first submission a learning opportunity about the process. Practice this year by recording your ensemble and sending it in. Submissions are confidential, so you’re free to keep it a secret!
What if my group does get selected? While preparing an ensemble to perform at the TMEA convention isn’t simple, there are many teachers who have done it well and are ready to serve as mentors and consultants during your Invited Ensemble year.
SUMMER CONVENTION
At the end of July—after you’ve had the opportunity for boredom—I hope to see you July 24–26 in San Antonio for the TCDA Convention. This is a wonderful opportunity to get reenergized for another year and to connect with colleagues from across the state. For more information, go to www.tcda.net/convention. 0
Lauren Summa is an Elementary Music Teacher at Melba Passmore Elementary in Alvin ISD. elementaryvp@tmea.org
Apply to Present or Perform at the 2026 TMEA Clinic/Convention
May 1–June 1: Submit a proposal to present a clinic during the convention. Attendees prefer to learn from fellow music educators who teach the same grade levels and in schools like theirs, so apply now (or encourage a colleague to do so). Go to tmea.org/proposals.
May 1–June 15: Apply for your elementary choir or ensemble to perform a concert during the convention. Go to tmea.org/elementary
Learning fresh, creative ideas from my peers motivates me every year to tap into my own creativity. Being inspired by them is very uplifting and it motivates me to go home and try new things. —2025 survey comment
June 7-8 TXST Alumni Choir
June 8-13 TXST Band Camp
June 15-21 TXST String Camp
June 22-27 TXST Percussion Marching Arts Camp
June 24-July 6 Texas State International Piano Festival in Seoul, South Korea
June 29-July 2 TXST Choir Camp (large school and small school camps)
July 16-19 TXST/Conspirare Choral Conducting Symposium
ELEMENTARY
What is a good go-to activity you use if a lesson doesn’t fill the time or if you need to pivot?
• I love using folk dancing as a bonus activity to fill in extra time or give as a class reward. My go-to dances are usually short instrumental ones where they can focus on the movement and form, such as Seven Jumps, Chimes of Dunkirk, and Sasha. —Traci Patterson, Juan Seguin Elementary
• I do a version of freeze dance—I play the piano, and when I stop, they freeze. I have them suggest songs for me to play, and sometimes I’ll play a certain way (e.g., fast/slow, loud/ soft) and tell them to match their movements to my playing. I might also give them a specific movement to do instead of dancing. —Nicole Pagliai, Canyon Creek Elementary
• If I have extra time or need the kids to burn off some of their energy, out comes the stretchy band! I use it to work on form, steady beat, folk dance basics, and more, while the kids get their wiggles out! I can use most songs or genres, and most activities can be made up on the fly!
—Kelsey Helton, Silbernagel Elementary
• I often pull an activity from the previous grade level, and I always over-plan for kindergarten, so I usually don’t get to everything on the list for them. If we do finish, then I use a previous song or game that they already know.
—David Rowland, Schultz Elementary
• If I am working on a melodic element, I have a similar song that addresses that element. If I am in a certain melodic sequence, preferably with a game, I may pivot to add a speech/ instrument/body percussion then segue back to the melodic focus. If I am working on a game but need to pivot, I may modify or move to a similar body movement. While on an instrument focus, such as recorder, I have different note patterns, warmups, duet/trio work, and song material to address my objective and the individual/small group learning need.
—Stacy Redding, Lowery Road Elementary
• I give each student an animal sticker and we play a call-andresponse circle game:
All: Walkin’ through the jungle, what do we see?
Solo: I see a [sticker animal name] looking at me!
—Chelsea McDaniel, Pine Forest Elementary
• If a younger class is ready to go but the teacher hasn’t arrived, I end with a fun guessing game based on the folk song “Mary Wore Her Red Dress.” In our version, the lyrics are “Who wore their [color] [clothing item] all day long?” Students try to guess who I’m singing about, and once they figure it out, we sing a verse about that student, and then they choose the next
color and clothing combo for the class to guess. It’s simple and keeps everyone engaged in a musical way! —Anonymous
• My go-to activity is “Poison,” either with pitch or rhythm. I pick a “poison” pattern and have the class repeat it. It could be ta-ta-titi-ta for first grade. I tell them they must repeat the pattern I clap (or sing) unless it’s the poison pattern. Students are standing and must sit down if they respond after the poison pattern. They love it, get super competitive, and are training their ears. —Mia Morey, Beasley Elementary
• I use easy rhythmic and melodic dictation concepts that aid the students’ ear training. I call out words with multiple syllables and have students clap the syllables, relating those syllables to rhythms. Then we take those same words, put them into complete sentences, and use them in a melody that I write on the board. —Anthony McBeth, Varnett Public School–Southwest
• Each student gets a rhythm card, and they practice their rhythm. Standing in a circle, with the rhythm cards on the floor in front of them, I turn on music of any genre—classical, hip hop, movie soundtracks, pop—anything with a strong beat and a moderate tempo. I count us off, we clap our rhythm once or twice, and then everyone steps to the left. I allow a little practice time for their new rhythm, and we repeat. As we rotate, the practice time shrinks and the sightreading challenge increases. —Emily Greer, Jackson Elementary
• I have used pass-the-ball-around-the-room as a quick activity because it keeps kids focused and I can tie it back to working on the steady beat and collaboration.
—Kassidy Montán, Frisco ISD
• I let the students select a book from the baskets (ageappropriate) to sing or develop a musical concept from.
Gradi G. Evans, Geneva School of Boerne
• If young learners need to wiggle, we stop and do an activity with free movement around the room, engaging their brains and bodies. If they need to wind down before going back for a reading lesson, I sing for them while playing my dulcimer, either a lullaby or a call-and-response song.
—Julie Boettiger, Fort Bend ISD
• I save song games for the end of the lesson. I usually give the students a choice between two—a newer game or a triedand-true favorite. A few that my students love are “Doggie, Doggie,” “The Grizzly Bear Song,” and “We Are Dancing in The Forest.” —Anonymous 0
Share the Joy of Learning Through Discovery
By Angela Leonhardt
As you enter the music room, you’re greeted by a variety of instruments scattered about and the lively chatter of students engaged in animated discussions. Your attention is drawn to one group, where a student enthusiastically proposes, “It’s almost there, but let’s add this to the end—I think it will be better,” before demonstrating on one of the instruments. After hearing the short melodic idea, others in the group agree and exchange spirited high-fives. Excitedly, they signal the teacher to come listen to their new composition. To an outsider passing by, this might appear chaotic, but what’s truly happening is a dynamic process of learning through doing.
One of the founding members of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Arnold E. Burkart, said, “It’s not what you tell students about music that counts, it’s what you have them do with it.”
As music teachers who plan lessons and programs throughout the school year, it’s easy for us to be the one engaged in the doing while we work to explain concepts to our students. What if, instead, we focused on empowering our students to be more independent in developing their understanding and skills?
Project-based learning is one way we can help our students move toward independent mastery, through problem-solving, engagement with authentic tasks, active participation, and interaction that increases student agency. When they have agency, students
are afforded the capacity to initiate and carry out their own musical ideas.
Considering this idea of agency brings back memories of my early educational psychology classes when I learned about Jerome Bruner, whose research revealed that students know best what they discover for themselves. He encouraged educators to have students engage with objects around them to construct knowledge based on previous experiences. And while that doesn’t negate the value of memorization of concepts or performance of music directly from a score, it does encourage us to expand our students’ experiences to include discovery and creativity, through activities such as composition and improvisation.
IMPLEMENTING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
The idea of project-based learning activities might raise concerns about classroom management, limited time, or even a lack of experience in guiding students through a longer project. While those are valid concerns, I believe you will find that empowering student agency is beneficial enough to invest in overcoming the challenges. What I offer here is a summary of a process I utilize and a sample project. I hope it might encourage deeper exploration of the possibilities that come with project-based learning in your classroom. When I design a project for my students, I start with the goal or
musical concept I want them to interact with. The musical concept is the foundation. It could be a rhythmic, melodic, or movement concept. From here, I outline the steps or the scaffolding my students will need to reach the goal. I work backward to break the steps into manageable pieces for each classroom session (these projects typically do not take up an entire class period). For 2–6 weeks, depending on the project’s scope, we may work on the project for 20–25 minutes in a 50-minute class period.
FRUIT COMPOSITION PROJECT
My goal with this project is to have students manipulate and practice sixteenth-note patterns. We have previously labeled these patterns, decoded them in song material, and read them through rhythmic exercises. As a mode for differentiation for more advanced students who may need an extra challenge, I often have them perform their created rhythmic patterns in canon.
Some years, this project has been strictly rhythmic, with students performing on hand drums, Tubano drums, or other unpitched percussion instruments. In other years, with students at a different place or level in their musical journey, we took the rhythmic patterns a step further by transferring them to melodic notation via Orff instruments.
After students create their rhythmic patterns, they are given the option to set their instruments in C, G, F, or D pentatonic scales with a focus on a do-based or la-based tone set. While utilizing a pentatonic scale isn’t essential, I have found that student composers are often more successful when they have a limited pitch set. The increased level of skill needed for the melodic concept
to be layered on top of the rhythmic concept is another area of differentiation.
Goal: Students create a musical composition based on known fruits. Students will be able to perform their compositions with accurate rhythms. Optional: Students will be able to perform their composition in canon with a partner.
Project Outline:
Day 1
• Read Fruit Bowl by Mark Hoffman.
• Explore/manipulate fruit rhythms as a class:
• Students take turns creating a four-beat rhythmic pattern at the board, followed by the class saying the pattern.
• Longer patterns are created until the A B sections are all filled in.
• Transfer rhythmic fruit patterns to body percussion (snap, pat, clap, stomp) to reinforce the feel of the pattern.
• Optional: Divide class in half and perform in canon. As a class, decide if it should be a 2-beat or 4-beat canon.
Day 2
• As a class, review fruit rhythms from the previous period.
• Transfer these rhythms to hand drums, Tubano drums, or other unpitched percussion instruments.
Day 3
• Review fruit rhythms from the last class. Pass out the project sheet to each group (for a sample project sheet, go to www.tmea.org/leonhardt2025)
• In partner groups, students create their own rhythmic fruit pattern. While I have students do this writing on their devices, it could just as easily be done on paper.
• Partner groups should be able to clap and say their pattern before they get their instruments.
• Groups practice performing their new composition.
• Optional prompts: Can you perform it in canon? Will it be a 2-beat or 4-beat canon?
• Student groups perform for the class.
Extensions of this activity could include decoding the fruit rhythms or playing another group’s composition. If a group is moving quickly and is able, ask them to add movement to their performance: How can you make it look interesting to watch as well as listen to? Other guiding questions to ask the group as they are working include: How will you start? Is someone going to count you off? Do you have some introductory music before your composition starts? If students use small handheld unpitched percussion, encourage them to think about body facing or volume levels as they perform.
PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS
While it can be noisy in a classroom where students are working on these projects, that doesn’t mean it is an out-of-control classroom. You will begin to discover the difference between on-task and off-task noise as you do more project-based learning in your classroom. That said, there are times when you may need to take a sound break. In those moments, have students talk through their piece or go through the motions without playing their instruments. You may also find it helpful to have headphones available for students who are more sensitive to sound.
Projects like these can take extra time, but I have found that the opportunity for students to create their own music and take ownership of their learning has outweighed that concern. Students often talk and engage in ways they wouldn’t if we followed a lecture-style model for practicing various concepts.
Project-based learning is one way we can help our students move toward independent mastery, through problem-solving, engagement with authentic tasks, active participation, and interaction that increases student agency.
Students work in groups on an assignment to compose original compositions based on their names.
It also helps to finish each larger project with a reflection time. Ask students what worked well, what they liked most about the project, and what they would do differently. I have found students to be willing to offer their honest feedback, and their responses have helped me refine the process each time.
While you might hesitate to plan a project-based learning activity with your students, I encourage you to start small and give it a try—perhaps take some time this summer to consider what could be effective for your classroom. Initially, I struggled to find the right balance between being the teacher who acts as a facilitator and guide for my students and the teacher who simply delivers knowledge to them. However, through practice and experience, I’ve developed an approach that works well in my classroom. I now take great joy in watching my students learn as they discover through doing. 0
Angela Leonhardt teaches at Hidden Forest Elementary (North East ISD) in San Antonio. She also teaches Orff Schulwerk Pedagogy courses through AOSA.
REFERENCE
Burkart, A. (2004) Process as Content in Orff Schulwerk, The Orff Echo, Summer 2004
COLLEGE
What advice would you give graduating students who are preparing over the summer for their first job in music education?
• First, celebrate and relax! Taking time to recharge is paramount to a successful first year of teaching. After that, think through how you want your classroom to function. Once you have your ideal scenario, decide one thing you want to focus on for the year. You can grow from there by focusing on one thing to change or enhance each year. Build networks on campus with all staff and faculty. Visit other classrooms at least once a grading period. This will give you perspective and help build rapport with other faculty members. This career is not for the faint of heart but it is completely worth every bit of struggle. —Whitney Crowley, Concordia University
• Review materials from the previous instructor. Study lesson plans, warmups, and systems left behind to maintain continuity and build on a solid foundation. Foster relationships with your new team to set a positive tone. Attending conferences and seminars as professional development is key, so speak with head directors to learn about school support for these. Network with other local directors for support. Prioritize self-care as this first year will be hectic. Take time to rest and recharge to be at your best for your students. —Brian Zator, East Texas A&M University
• Do as much as possible before the year starts to set up your classroom and plan units and lessons. Being hyperprepared will serve you well in your first year of teaching and in every following year. —Lynette Vincent, East Texas Baptist University
• For those going into elementary education, devise a clear and inclusive system for your lesson plans that includes Bloom’s taxonomy and leads to student learning outcomes. Principals will often expect this from you. For middle school, find out which methods books are being used and what the required completion levels and due dates are for your school. Also, carefully review UIL requirements for the appropriate classification of your school’s size and program. For high school band, you need to be comfortable in various marching styles and prepare yourself physically for the long days of band camps. —Jamie Moyer, Texas A&M International University
• Dedicate the summer to mastering classroom management strategies, enhancing communication skills, and establishing positive relationships with students. Furthermore, networking with colleagues, attending professional development workshops, and preparing lesson plans and materials ahead of time are essential. Above all, remain flexible and open to learning. —Victor M. Martinez Jr., Texas Southmost College
• Go through the PML and familiarize yourself with the literature that your level of ensemble will be expected to perform in contest season. Watch YouTube recordings, from both publishers and school groups to get a realistic idea of what these pieces will sound like. Build a list of at least 10 favorite selections and try one on your first fall concert. This can help you see where your group is and plan the rest of your year.
—Peter C. Jagdeo, Lone Star College–Creekside Center
• Know who to ask if you don’t know the solution to a problem. Whether it is other district directors, your mentor network, or your peers teaching across the state, someone you know probably has a solution to the very problem you are facing. Asking for help is not an admission of weakness; it is a sign of awareness and resourcefulness. The best teachers you know asked for guidance to help them achieve their success.
—Tim Pallone, Lamar University
• During the summer, review what you have been taught in music classes and apply this knowledge when planning your lessons. This will create an enjoyable experience for all. Students will excel because of the excitement and motivation that music produces in the classroom. My advice is for the teacher to enjoy the experience, and this joy will filter down to the students. —Mark W. Phillips, Prairie View A&M University
• I recommend four steps: Research your school’s curriculum, program’s supports, resources and inventory, and evaluation process. Get to know all the people (students, peers, parents and administrators) involved with your program and the culture that surrounds them. Plan your lessons/rehearsals early so you’re ready to go when new teacher training starts. Be aware of and avoid common new-teacher pitfalls (like the “apple cart turnover” and the “savior complex”).
—Eric Branscome, East Texas A&M University
• While it is inarguably advisable for graduating students to review their class notes, build and maintain a professional network, and continue the inquisitive habits of the mind developed during undergraduate studies, the most beneficial focus is to strive to be the kind of person your students will want to emulate. Aligning your attitudes, affirmations, and actions before assuming your first position will provide the best foundation for professional success.
—Richard K. Fiese, Howard Payne University 0
TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY’S
JUNE 22 - JUNE 27, 2025
MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL BANDS
ACHIEVEMENT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR MORE DETAILS, EVENT UPDATES, AND TO REGISTER, VISIT TLU.EDU/SMA
COLLEGE DIVISION
CARTER BIGGERS, STATE VICE-PRESIDENT
As you prepare your classroom for the first day of school, know that we couldn’t be more excited for you and for the students fortunate enough to have you as their teacher.
Dearest Graduate,
In this final month of the spring semester, our days are driven by a myriad of deadlines, tasks, and events. While this compression of activity can be stressful, this month also brings great joy and hopefulness marked by the graduation of our undergraduate and graduate music students. So, this month, I’m pleased to focus my column on a message to our graduates:
It is with immense pride and joy that I consider your achievements as you cross the threshold from student to professional music educator. On behalf of the full College Division membership, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations on completing your degree. This milestone represents years of dedication and countless hours of practice, lesson planning, conducting, and performing—all in preparation for the remarkable journey that lies ahead.
You are now joining the ranks of music educators—a community of passionate individuals who believe in the transformative power of music. You are no longer our student; you are our colleague, our peer, and our partner in this noble profession.
Music education is, without doubt, one of the greatest professions in the world. Where else can you witness the spark of discovery when a student plays their first note? Where else can you experience the
check www.tmea .org for updates
May—Attend your spring Region meeting (tmea.org/regionmeeting).
May 1—TMEA 2025–2026 membership year opens. Renew your membership early!
May 1–June 1—2026 Clinic/Convention proposals accepted online.
June 30—All 2024–2025 TMEA memberships expire.
July 24–26—TBA, TODA, TCDA conventions in San Antonio.
October 3— College Division Fall Conference in Austin.
collective power of an ensemble when they finally achieve that perfect balance and blend? Where else can you help shape not just musicians but also thoughtful, disciplined, and creative human beings? The privilege of guiding young minds through the language of music is one that few professions can match.
As you embark on this new chapter, I want to acknowledge that the path ahead will not always be smooth. The challenges facing music educators in Texas today are real and significant. You will encounter administrative hurdles, budget constraints, and the ongoing battle to maintain music’s place in an increasingly crowded curriculum. Some days, you’ll question whether you’re making a difference as you balance grading, planning, rehearsals, performances, competitions, and the myriad other responsibilities that come with the territory.
There will be students who test your patience, parents who challenge your methods, and moments of self-doubt that make you question your chosen path. The first year can especially feel overwhelming as you establish your classroom culture
and teaching identity. The weight of planning programs and performances, parent meetings, UIL preparations, student auditions, and more can sometimes feel insurmountable.
Know this: these challenges are not obstacles to your success. They are woven into the very fabric of it. Each difficult conversation, each administrative challenge, and each student breakthrough that follows weeks of struggle are the moments that will define your career and remind you why you chose this path. And you will never face these challenges alone.
Today, as you transition from student to colleague, I want to emphasize that your relationship with your professors is not ending—it’s evolving. Our faculty doors remain open to you. Whether you need advice on repertoire selection, strategies for classroom management, guidance on navigating school politics, or simply a sympathetic ear after a difficult day, we are here for you.
The Texas music education community is exceptionally supportive. Reach out to fellow directors in your district, enroll in the TMEA Mentoring Network, and never
hesitate to ask questions. The most successful educators are those who recognize that learning never stops, and that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Remember that the impact of your work will often remain invisible to you. Years from now, students will recall how you made them feel, how you believed in them when they didn’t believe in themselves, how you pushed them toward excellence they didn’t know they could achieve. Most of your students won’t become professional musicians, but all of them will carry the lessons of discipline, collaboration, expressivity, and perseverance that you impart through music.
In your hands lies the future of music education in Texas—a state with a proud tradition of excellence in this field. Your fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and boundless enthusiasm are exactly what our profession needs. Trust your training, but don’t be afraid to forge your own path and find your unique voice as an educator.
As you prepare your classroom for the first day of school, know that we couldn’t be more excited for you and for the students fortunate enough to have you as
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■ Study Abroad opportunities
SUMMER CAMPS 2025
UTEP Percussion Camp
Featuring Colin McNutt and Thom Hannum
June 16th-19th
Colorguard Camp
June 16th-19th
Drum Major Camp
June 17th-19th
All State Choir Camp
July 7th-10th
TCDA Student Leadership Day
July 11th
their teacher. The journey ahead will be challenging, rewarding, exhausting, and exhilarating—often all in the same day— but it will never be mundane. It will always be worthwhile.
Welcome to the greatest profession in the world!
REGION MEETINGS
As another academic term concludes, I encourage you to attend your upcoming Region meeting. Although much of our business in the College Division is completed at the committee level, this is a great opportunity to connect with other collegiate music educators in your area to discuss the pertinent issues of the day. While several Regions will have already met, if yours is still to come, you should make the effort to attend. In addition to meeting with your other division colleagues, it is also a time to reconnect with the other educators in the Region and to see how we can better serve them through our division. Not only do we serve our universities and students, but as the institutions that produce future music educators, we also serve the local communities we are in and beyond. Go to www.tmea.org/regionmeeting to review the schedule.
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
As we transition into summer, remember that your current TMEA membership will expire on June 30. Take advantage of this slower time of year and renew now for next school year. Your membership in TMEA
is vital to the continued success of our organization and it ensures your access to the many benefits it provides. From professional development, research grants, opportunities to publish and present your research, and advocacy for our programs, the value of these benefits of your membership is immeasurable. To renew now, go to www.tmea.org/renew.
When renewing your membership, please consider making a first-time, continued, or increased donation to the TMEA scholarship program. Not only does this program benefit high school seniors, but it also supports our current university students. There are awards for undergraduate and graduate students as well as student teachers. Information regarding the scholarship application process for next year will be available this fall.
Additionally, I highly encourage you to consider purchasing the liability insurance that TMEA offers for the low annual price of $30. This insurance coverage protects you as an educator and is well worth the expense. Many other educational organizations offer similar coverage but at a significantly higher cost to you.
If you haven’t purchased it before, now is a great time to consider adding this to your portfolio. This is also a great time to encourage your student teachers to carry this coverage. For more information about eligibility and coverage, go to www.tmea.org/liability.
CLINIC AND MUSIC SHOWCASE PROPOSALS
Proposals for the 2026 TMEA Clinic/ Convention are being accepted online May 1–June 1. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or first-time presenter, I hope you will consider submitting to present at next year’s convention. The opportunity to share our research, pedagogy, and practices is critical to the continued growth of our profession. The review and selection process will begin immediately following the close of the submission window and selected presenters will be notified in midAugust. The breadth of topics we welcome are as diverse as our population. For a list of most-requested topics from members in our division, see my column in the April issue or go to www.tmea.org/proposals. Your commitment to the betterment of our field through the sharing of your knowledge and experience is highly valued.
In addition to the clinic proposal process, the Music Showcase program is a wonderful opportunity for college faculty and students to be featured during the convention. These showcases take place at four venues throughout the convention center and are another way that TMEA works to feature the results of high-quality music education in our state. Learn more and apply at www.tmea.org/musicshowcase. 0
Carter Biggers, DMA, is Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at Texas Woman’s University. collegevp@tmea.org
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