September 2011 | Southwestern Musician

SEPTEMBER 2011

S ept em b er 2 011 Volu me 8 0, No. 2

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32

features 15

Music Matters: Repertoire Selection

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Four music educators offer their views on selecting repertoire in this first article in a series on teaching methods.

cyndie lowry

13 columns President’s Notes.................................................... 7

by Ross Boothman Executive Director’s Notes...................... 11

by Robert Floyd Band Notes................................................................... 17

by Chuck Young Orchestra Notes.....................................................29

by Lisa McCutchan Vocal Notes..................................................................36

by Janwin Overstreet-Goode Elementary Notes...............................................42

by Michele Hobizal College Notes........................................................... 46

by Richard Fiese

22

Efficient & Effective Save time and keep students engaged by incorporating technology in music instruction. by asa burk

By focusing on proven rehearsal strategies, you can mold your mariachi into a successful ensemble. by john lopez

,

michelle

quintero, and bobby lopez

by betty pierce, sue ewing, margaret jordan, and

Mastering Mariachi

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A World of Possibilities Project Share offers teachers and students access to a world of information and communities without borders.

updates

Renew Your Membership................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Vienna Boys Choir: 2012 President’s Concert............................................................................................................................. 4 Learn from the Best at the 2012 TMEA Clinic/Convention......................................................................................13 Honor Band Finalists and Winners.................................................................................................................................................... 20 Honor Orchestra Finalists and Winners....................................................................................................................................... 30 TBA/TCDA/TODA Convention Images......................................................................................................................................... 39 Thank You, Scholarship Donors...................................................................................................45 Call for Papers.................................................................................................................................50 On the cover: Taylor Wright from Waxahachie HS rehearses with the 2011 All-State 4A Symphonic Band. Photo by Karen Kneten.

Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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

Managing Editor: Karen Kneten kkneten@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107 Fax: 512-451-9213

TMEA Executive Board President: Ross Boothman rboothman@lumberton.k12.tx.us 8285 Ginger Lane, Lumberton, 77657 409-923-7858/Fax: 409-923-7819 – Lumberton HS

President-Elect: John Gillian john.gillian@ectorcountyisd.org 3624 Loma Drive, Odessa, 79762 432-413-2266/Fax: 432-334-7174 – Ector County ISD

Past-President: Denise Eaton dreaton59@gmail.com 20423 Cannaberry Way, Spring, 77388 832-452-8345 – Sam Houston State University

Band Vice-President: Chuck Young cyoung@g-pisd.org 1911 Oak Ridge Drive, Portland, 78374 361-815-8482/Fax: 361-777-4272 – Gregory-Portland HS

Orchestra Vice-President: Lisa McCutchan

Renew Your Membership All TMEA memberships " # $% If covered, " & '% Renew now to

continue supporting the future of Texas music education.

Just choose Membership Renew from the Join TMEA homepage Renew

!

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lisamccutchan@sbcglobal.net 17426 Emerald Canyon Drive, San Antonio, 78232 210-397-4759/Fax: 210-695-4804 – O’Connor HS

Vocal Vice-President: Janwin Overstreet-Goode joverstreet-goode@fisdk12.net 1406 Frontier Lane, Friendswood, 77546 281-482-3413 x 150/Fax: 281-996-2523 – Friendswood HS

Elementary Vice-President: Michele Hobizal sallyhobizal@katyisd.org 11003 Bergamo Drive, Richmond 77406 281-234-0050/Fax: 281-644-1690 – WoodCreek Elementary

College Vice-President: Richard Fiese rfiese@hbu.edu 17415 Pikes Peek Court, Tomball, 77377 281-649-3228/Fax: 281-649-3313 – Houston Baptist University

TMEA Staff

TMEA Office

Vienna Boys Choir 2012 TMEA President’s Concert

P.M. Lila Cockrell Theater, San Antonio www.tmea.org/convention

photos by Lukas Beck

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

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 | Toll-Free: 888-318-TMEA | Fax: 512-451-9213 Website: www.tmea.org Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 A.M.–4:30 P.M. Southwestern Musician (ISSN 0162-380X) (USPS 508-340) is published monthly except March, June, and July by Texas Music Educators Association, 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754.

Subscription rates: One Year – $20; Single copies $3.00.

Periodical postage paid at Austin, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Southwestern Musician, P.O. Box 140465, Austin, TX 78714-0465.

Southwestern Musician was founded in 1915 by A.L. Harper. Renamed in 1934 and published by Dr. Clyde Jay Garrett. Published 1941–47 by Dr. Stella Owsley. Incorporated in 1948 as National by Harlan-Bell Publishers, Inc. Published 1947–54 by Dr. H. Grady Harlan. Purchased in 1954 by D.O. Wiley. Texas Music Educator was founded in 1936 by Richard J. Dunn and given to the Texas Music Educators Association, whose official publication it has been since 1938. In 1954, the two magazines were merged using the name Southwestern Musician combined with the Texas Music Educator under the editorship of D.O. Wiley, who continued to serve as editor until his retirement in 1963. At that time ownership of both magazines was assumed by TMEA. In August 2004 the TMEA Executive Board changed the name of the publication to Southwestern Musician.

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Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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In the photo - First UTSA Drum Majors Analucia Moras, Alana Urbano and Sydney Corbin.

The UTSA Marching Band takes the field September 3, 2011 in the Alamodome.

We Are UTSA

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facebook.com/UTSAMusic (210) 458-4354 http://music.utsa.edu

The University of Texas at San Antonio Department of Music

he following quote from Sir Walter Davies is printed each summer on our state Honor Band and Honor Orchestra competition programs, and I think it could apply to every division of TMEA in some way: “Competition . . . Not to defeat an opponent or to win a prize, but to pace one another on the road to excellence.”

We are fortunate that we get to teach in Texas. Our level of achievement in music education is considered by many to be the best in the country. There are many reasons for this lofty position, and TMEA, ATSSB, UIL, TBA, TCDA, TODA, TMAA, and TMAC all are a part of the equation. Those who taught before us and set such high standards are also a big piece of the puzzle.

Competition can be a driving force in the pursuit of excellence. But, competition can also be a double-edged sword. We all

T

by Ross Boothman

President’sNotes

In pursuit of excellence

want our groups to do well. Seeing our students’ reactions to the announcement of a first division or being named bestin-class at a festival are great moments that we will always remember. How do we react though when the results are less than that? Do we use it as a teachable moment or do we act like it’s the end of the world? Do we recognize our students’ efforts when they worked to the best of their ability and simply came up short? If we don’t, we should.

There are no guarantees in music competitions. We may believe our group has given their best performance and that it is worthy of the highest recognition.

The judges, however, may believe otherwise. If the contest is run properly and according to the rules, we should accept the results. Nothing is gained by a lessthan-professional attitude when results are below our expectation.

As we begin this new school year, I hope we can all make a commitment to continue down the road to excellence with integrity.

Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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There are also times when our groups simply don’t perform to their potential.

They may have worked to the best of their ability in rehearsals leading to the performance and the performance just wasn’t as good as the best rehearsal. How do we react in moments like these? Do we blame the kids? Blame ourselves? Or do we use the situation as a learning opportunity for the group and ourselves?

Competition can bring out the best in us, but unfortunately it can also bring out the worst. It seems that every year I hear or read comments about programs that violate the eight-hour rule or groups that violate the spirit of the rules in our honor band competition. What is to be gained by not following the rules? What kind of example does that set for our students? We owe it to ourselves and to our students to set the best example possible in every way. Breaking the rules or even trying to bend them to win is not something our students should have to experience. Ultimately, it’s about them, the music they make, and the experiences we provide them in our programs. As we begin this new school year, I hope we can

all make a commitment to continue down the road to excellence with integrity.

My best to you and your students as our year gets started.

2012 Clinic/Convention Update I am pleased to announce that we have two great speakers for our general sessions who will most certainly be incredible additions to our always extraordinary event!

Former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be our keynote speaker for our first general session. Huckabee is a strong advocate for music education. In 2007 he was presented with the Music for Life Award by the National Association of Music Merchants for his commitment to music education. He is an avid musician and is bass player in his rock ’n’ roll band Capitol Offense.

Our speaker for the second general session is Carl St. Clair, who will also be conducting our All-State Symphony Orchestra. St. Clair just finished his twenty-first season as conductor of the Pacific Symphony in Santa Ana,

California. Due in large part to his leadership, the Pacific Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 40 years.

With these guest speakers and the incredible offerings from our featured clinicians (highlighted in the VicePresidents’ columns), the 2012 TMEA Clinic/Convention will be packed with amazing educational opportunities that you just can’t miss! Start working now to garner support from your administrators to attend. If your school district has reduced professional development or travel funding, you might look to outside sources to fund your attendance.

Go to www.tmea.org/convention to print an attendee brochure that you can use to demonstrate the value of this event.

The convention webpage includes links to other print, audio, and video promotional material that you can use to help make your case to attend.

Now is the time to get that support going as member housing reservations open on October 4, and, as always, you can expect the good deals and nearby hotels to fill up quickly!

RBC MUSIC COMPANY INCORPORATED

Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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s n o i t i d u A p i h usic s r a l Y o T fM h I o c l S S oo h 2 c 1 S VER

0 ass 2 B .

L 1 a 1 Y d n T 0 a I 2 W C A M OK

O H LA

November 18-19 February 3-4 March 9-10 To schedule an audition:

www.okcu.edu/music musicadmissions@okcu.edu

405.208.5980

I N U

BACHELOR OF MUSIC Performance

Instrumental, Vocal, Music Theater, Piano, Organ

Composition Education Church Music Music Business

BACHELOR OF ARTS Music Music/Pre-Medicine Music/Pre-Law

MASTER OF MUSIC Composition Conducting Orchestral, Choral, Wind

Music Theater Opera Performance Performance Instrumental, Vocal, Piano, Organ

Vocal Coaching

n these most difficult and challenging times in school finance, many fine arts programs across the state have been asked to do more with less. Cuts in operational and capital outlay budgets are commonplace, and many teachers have to deliver instruction with virtually no funds to support their efforts.

Given these trying times, I am pleased to announce that TMEA has recently been awarded a $1 million Fine Arts Instructional Support Program grant to assist high-quality and successful TEKSbased fine arts programs experiencing critical budget reductions.

These dollars were appropriated by the legislature to assist in addressing dropout prevention and college and career readiness initiatives. Our thanks go to Commissioner of Education Robert Scott and TEA staff for recognizing the role the arts play in addressing these high priority concerns in public education.

I will not attempt to address any grant implementation details yet as the process is in its infancy, but I do want to make you aware of the forthcoming opportunity to apply. A tentative schedule is to develop the sub-grant application by September 1, formally announce the

I

opening of the application process shortly thereafter, and accept applications for the first round of distribution between the announcement and October 15. A second and third round will follow as funds allow.

The following stipulations, as defined in the project guidelines by TEA, will be a part of the process:

fine arts programs may apply (defined as grades 6–12 music, art, theatre, and dance [more than one program from a campus may apply]).

budget reductions for the 2011–2012 school year.

ment, not supplant, funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this grant.

"

#

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supplemental instructional materials and items, including teacher training resources, instruments, equipment, general supplies, and sheet music.

by Robert Floyd

Executive Director’sNotes

Grant funds may bring relief

%

# of high quality.

TMEA has been awarded a $1 million Fine Arts Instructional Support Program grant to assist middle and high school fine arts programs experiencing critical budget reductions.

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 11

Our goal is to keep the application process as simple as possible while gathering the information required by the grant guidelines. While it was certainly not our intent to exclude elementary programs, the source of the grant funding dictates that the dollars be for secondary use only.

We will formally announce the availability of the grant through the TMEA website, social networking, emails, and a letter to your superintendent. School districts may be asked to prioritize their submissions before submitting to TMEA. Thanks to Tom Waggoner As a part of the thirty-seven percent cut in the Texas Education Agency budget by the legislature during the 81st legislative session, over 200 employees at the agency lost their positions. Unfortunately, among those released was Tom Waggoner, TEA Fine Arts Director for the past eleven years. If you’ve had the opportunity to work with Tom, you know that his job loss had nothing to do with the quality of his work. The final round of cuts was based solely on the numbers required to reach the threshold defined by the legislative budget. Also know that TEA did not single out fine arts in this final round of job eliminations. The directors of languages other than English, health and physical education, technology applications, mathematics, science, English language arts, and social studies also lost their jobs. It is our hope than in better times the fine arts

12 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

position will be restored.

Currently, there is no one in the TEA curriculum department with a working knowledge of fine arts. If you have questions related to interpretation of statute or state board rule, you are welcome to email or call me. I will be happy to assist you as best I can and, should you need it, will share with you the name and phone number of a curriculum staff member assigned to answer fine arts related questions moving forward.

Tom has been an invaluable resource for all of us these past eleven years. I spoke with Tom and relied on him for information several times a week. I will miss that opportunity. His years of experience in public and higher education and his service as Austin ISD fine arts director gave him a wealth of institutional knowledge of our discipline that will not be easily replaced, if that opportunity ultimately presents itself. His history of active involvement in the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) has been key in keeping that organization viable and solvent at a time when the centers in all other academic subjects faded as state funding disappeared.

Tom will be missed, and we thank him for his eleven years of unselfish service to the fine arts teachers and students as our state fine arts director. We are confident that Tom will continue to serve arts education in Texas in some capacity as new doors open for him.

2012 TMEA

CLINIC/CONVENTION ) H E U X D U \ ² ‡ 6 D Q $ Q W R Q L R

October 4: TMEA Housing Reservation System Opens December 31: Fax/Mail Pre-registration Ends January 12: Online Pre-registration Ends

LEARN FROM THE BEST With over 200 clinics led by expert music educators, you will walk away from the TMEA convention equipped with new insight, information, and techniques that will improve your instruction the day you return to the classroom. The 2012 TMEA Featured Clinicians will offer 33 especially exciting clinics covering a myriad of topics. Learn more about them in this issue’s Vice-Presidents’ columns.

BAND Charles Menghini VanderCook College of Music President ELEMENTARY Artie Almeida Bear Lake Elementary (Fla.) Music Educator

ORCHESTRA Kirt Mosier Lee’s Summit West HS Director of Orchestras/University of Missouri at Kansas City Adjunct Professor ELEMENTARY Brent Gault National Orff and Kodåly Clinician

COLLEGE John Benham Author, National Music Education Advocate

VOCAL Patrick Freer Georgia State University Associate Professor of Choral Music Education COLLEGE Steve Morrison University of Washington Associate Professor and Chair of Music Education

w w w. t m e a . o r g /c o n v e n t i o n Southwestern Musician | September 2011 13

University of North Texas

AUDITIONS College of Music Saturday, January 28, 2012 Friday, February 3, 2012 (Graduate Percussion, Piano, Voice, and String Auditions ONLY)

Saturday, February 4, 2012 Saturday, February 25, 2012 Saturday, January 14, 2012 - Chicago, IL Saturday, January 14, 2012 - Santa Barbara, CA

REPERTOIRE SELECTION

S

electing the appropriate repertoire for an ensemble to support effective study and meaningful performance is one of the most important jobs of a music educator.

We asked four music educators (middle school band, orchestra, and choir directors and an elementary music specialist) to offer their approach and method for evaluating repertoire. This article is the first installment in a series on teaching methods that will run throughout this school year. The topics featured were identified as important by members who responded to a recent magazine survey. We hope this series provides you practical information that you can implement immediately in your programs.

How do you approach selecting repertoire that will be effective for developing your students’ musical skills?

Betty Pierce, Grisham MS Band (Round Rock ISD): For many years, I was very conservative in selecting music for my band.

Many times, I did not want to stretch their limits fearing they would not be successful in performing more difficult pieces. As a young teacher, I was told to “always feature the weakest section in the band� to bring the level of that section up with the rest of the group. I have found this to be a very valuable lesson and I still adhere to it. As I have matured, I tend to put a greater emphasis on the value of the overall piece to see if it will help the students grow as musicians. I am fairly aggressive in music selection because I want music that will help students develop great technique and musicianship. There are so many pieces available that are effective teaching pieces for bands of all levels, and we are very fortunate that composers are writing good music for groups of varying levels.

Sue Ewing, Haggard MS Orchestra (Plano ISD): How I organize literature in our library has saved time and helps in appropriate music selection. I sort pieces by level and appropriate time of year (e.g., #1 is for first-semester beginners, #2 is for midyear beginners, #3 is for end-of-year beginners, #4 is for first semester intermediate, etc.). I try to have the pieces reflect the new techniques being studied in the method book, new finger patterns, time signatures, bow styles, shifting, vibrato. I think about the strengths and weaknesses of each particular group and consider what will bring them success and enjoyment, how to keep

the strong sections motivated or highlighted, and how to support and strengthen weaker sections.

Margaret Jordan, Bondy Intermediate Choir (Pasadena ISD): Before selecting repertoire, you must know where your students are musically and where you would like for them to be after the performance. Avoid selecting songs simply because you like them; however, finding songs that appeal to the choir is important. Every song should broaden the choir’s musical skills and be interesting to the singers, the audience, and you. When perusing new repertoire, use the Henry Leck technique of marking important concepts, such as minor key and dotted-eighth patterns on the cover so that you can quickly identify songs that incorporate concepts you wish to teach. Keep a file of these marked single copies of the songs that are in your library and those you brought back from conventions.

Cyndie Lowry, Mitchell Elementary (Conroe ISD): I look for music that is appropriate in range for elementary choirs. For upper elementary, look for music that does not go higher than G above the staff and not lower than A below the staff. For lower elementary choirs, the range should be a little narrower. Look for melodic lines that do not have large leaps in intervals. Folksongs are great to use because they are music of the people designed to be sung easily. Begin with unison pieces that will help your choirs develop a beautiful, natural blend and then move to easier, twopart arrangements. Look for arrangements that have two strong melodic lines that can be taught easily; the two parts can then be sung together in a round. As their ears develop through singing in rounds, you can move on to two-part music with actual soprano and alto parts.

What do you look for when evaluating the quality of a composition relative to its musical and artistic merit, and how

BP: In my current position, I look for pieces that are more thinly scored so that the students have the opportunity for more exposed playing. I believe they progress faster in this situation. I also tend to avoid “formula pieces� and look for music by composers I respect, based on pieces that I have performed in the past. I also like to play a variety of music exposing my students Southwestern Musician | September 2011 15

to the music from different countries and cultures. This is something I have found the students really enjoy and get excited about.

SE: For middle school students I try to have all instruments featured—I believe this is vital in building that pride and love for playing in each student. I will not use a piece with a “boring bass part.� I really try to keep that section engaged and push them to shift and build techniques they will need in high school literature. If I have a weak section, I look at music that has doubling (e.g., if the second violins are weak, choose music that doubles that part with violas). I also look at the overall program with these questions in mind: Is there a good flow between pieces? Are varied techniques and styles being taught?

Does this music fit the personality of this group? I play through and edit every part before giving it to the students.

MJ: To find quality literature, first look at the ranges for each part. If the song does not fit your singers, don’t use it.

Then sing through each part to determine if the voice leading makes sense. Don’t judge a song simply by the soprano part.

Altos, tenors, and basses deserve satisfying vocal lines, too. Look for interesting and accessible rhythms. Check to see if the harmony parts change when words or sections are repeated because this could affect ease of memorization. Introduce a cappella singing before UIL season. Be

sure to read through the text to see if the words are appropriate or if they will be difficult to learn. Foreign language is fun, but students can be overwhelmed by singing too many foreign language songs in a concert. Remember to include songs composed before 1900. There are wonderful pieces from other historical eras on the UIL Prescribed Music List. Don’t limit your students to a diet of only contemporary composers.

CL: I look for well-known, established composers. I stay away from any kind of show tune or Broadway style songs. I believe children of elementary age should be introduced to music that is simple in form, but is also fun to sing. Folksongs that are tastefully arranged are great for developing correct vocal production, teaching new intervals, inner hearing, and part singing. Music in round form will develop ear training that will lead to the ability to sing in two or three parts. Using simple arrangements of masterworks will open up a child’s world to classical music.

evaluate?

BP: For several years, I have encouraged my students to look at the PML, find recordings, and take an active part in exploring the literature we perform.

This is a great way to get them to buy into the overall process and gain a certain amount of ownership in prepara-

tion. I spend countless hours listening to CDs and finding recordings online when deciding on music to perform. There are so many good recordings available that we can use in making decisions on repertoire. Attending concerts and listening to other bands across the state is also a great way to explore new music. We have many knowledgeable people in our field who we can use as resources in finding good music to play.

SE: TODA and TMEA conventions offer great opportunities for hearing and looking at new music. Go to the honor group concerts to hear great pieces and browse the music in the booths. As a cellist, I usually play violin at music reading clinics—this helps me get a broader view of the strong and weak points of a piece. Discuss pieces with your fellow teachers. This is where I hear about many new gems. I look and listen to mailings sent out and listen to music online for ideas. I have developed a large library over the years, and sometimes I find an “oldie but goodie� just going through my files.

MJ: Finding great repertoire is an ongoing task. Attending reading sessions helps build your single copy file. Visit stores and listen to publishers’ CDs and look at websites. Keep copies of concert programs to investigate interesting songs later. Ask experienced teachers what their favorite songs are. Don’t forget to take the time to play through every song in your library! Discovering some gems from the past will help stretch your sheet music budget, too.

CL: I typically look for new music for my choir by going to concerts, listening to children’s choir CDs, looking online, and reading through publishers’ magazines.

By attending elementary invited choir concerts at the TMEA and TCDA conventions, I gain access to many exciting new pieces. I keep all the programs and highlight music with which I was especially impressed.

Thanks go to our contributors for taking time to offer their ideas and experience. If you have follow-up questions, you can email them at the following addresses: Betty Pierce (Betty_Pierce@roundrockisd.org) Sue Ewing (sue.ewing@pisd.edu) Margaret Jordan (mjordan@pasadenaisd.org) Cyndie Lowry (clowry@conroeisd.net)

16 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

t the start of the 2011 school year, I am reminded of the goals we achieved over the course of the past year. I am also reminded of those we didn’t. While it might seem unusual, all of our goals are not necessarily band related. When we set goals for our band, we also include goals for the students to help them achieve success in their lives outside of band. Don’t get me wrong though, we always remain focused on our long-term goal of being the best band program we can be.

When setting goals, it is important to set a time schedule for achieving them, particularly for those that require the band to surpass multiple steps before the goal will be accomplished. This schedule will help your students stay focused on what is required daily to meet each goal and will help you track the band’s progress.

Establishing weekly goals can be especially effective since they are short-term, are easy to monitor, and can offer the stu-

A

by Chuck Young

BandNotes

What are your goals?

dents a frequent sense of accomplishment.

When I think about the goals we didn’t meet last year, I find myself making a list of the reasons why. Analyzing unmet goals can help you set better-defined and more realistic goals for the future—goals that are time-specific and measurable.

I hope that through action and perseverance, the goals you set for yourself and your band will lead to a breakthrough year!

Texas Bandmasters Association Convention/Clinic Thanks go to Don Haynes and the TBA Board for yet another wonderful convention and many great clinics. We are especially grateful for the opportunity to use their time and facilities to host our state Honor Band competition and our All-State audition music clinics. This cooperation is the cornerstone on which we build the greatness of Texas band programs.

Establishing weekly goals can be especially effective since they are short-term, are easy to monitor, and can offer the students a frequent sense of accomplishment.

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 17

2012 Clinic/Convention Update I hope you have our convention dates marked on your calendar (February 8–11) and that you are planning to attend. You will experience an extraordinary opportunity for professional development and inspiration!

I am excited to announce that the Band Division featured clinician will be Charlie Menghini from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. When you attend the convention in February, be sure to attend his sessions as he will present clinics to help you become a better teacher and director.

Charles Menghini Featured Clinician Prior to his 2004 appointment as VanderCook College of Music President,

Charles Menghini served as Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Director of Bands. He began his teaching at VanderCook in 1994. His teaching has included conducting, organization and administration, curriculum and supervision, brass methods, and rehearsal techniques.

Menghini brought with his appointment to VanderCook 18 years of successful high school band experience in Missouri and Kansas. Bands under his direction received consistent Division I ratings in regional, state, and national music festivals, performed at various state music educator conventions, and performed in the Tournament of Roses Parade, Orange Bowl Parade, Bands of America International Festival, and the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in

Calgary, Alberta.

Menghini attended Northern Michigan University and the University of Missouri/Columbia where he earned his bachelor of science degree in music education. He also holds a master’s degree

SCHOOL OF MUSIC Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Performance Bachelor of Arts in Music

SCHOOL OF MUSIC FACULT Y Douglas R. Boyer Beth Bronk Shaaron Conoly Eric Daub

Director, School of Music Director of Choral Activities Director of Bands Director of Vocal Studies Director of Piano Studies Director of Strings

Adam Bedell, Percussion Jennifer Bernard, Oboe Carol Chambers, Trumpet & Music Education Jeanne Gnecco, Flute Janet Grohovac, Guitar Sarunas Jankauskas, Clarinet Laurie Jenschke, Voice & General Music Dustin Jessop, Saxophone & Jazz Band Elizabeth Lee, Cello

830.372.6869 or 800.771.8521 dboyer@tlu.edu bbronk@tlu.edu sconoly@tlu.edu edaub@tlu.edu ethomason@tlu.edu

Deborah Mayes, Choral Accompanist Carla McElhaney, Accompanist & Piano Gayle Morris, University Organist & Organ Keith Robinson, Music Education & Tuba Jill Rodriguez, Horn & General Music Mark Rogers, Bassoon Brenda Sansig, Trombone, Euphonium & Tuba Robert Warren, Piano & Music History

SCHOL ARSHIPS visit www.tlu.edu/music.

Da capo Award in Music Up to full tuition per year

Audition and interview will take place on campus during the Pacesetter event on Feb. 27, 2012.

Jones Fine Performance Arts Award for Awards for Music Majors Non-Majors

Up to $4,000 per year Up to $2,000 per year Auditions will take place Feb. 26, 2012 2-4 p.m.; March 24, 2012 10 a.m.-noon; April 21, 2012 10 a.m.-noon.

TEXAS LU THERAN UNIVERSIT Y R 1000 WEST COURT STREET R SEGUIN, TEXAS 78155

18 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

in education from the University of Missouri/Kansas City and a doctorate of arts from the University of Missouri/ Kansas City Conservatory of Music.

Menghini has written for professional journals and magazines including The Instrumentalist, where he serves as a contributing editor. He is also co-author of Essential Elements 2000 Band Method published by the Hal Leonard Corporation.

Menghini has conducted all-state ensembles in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Georgia, South Carolina, Nebraska, and New York and frequently serves as a clinician and adjudicator in the U.S. and in many other countries around the world.

Honor Band Congratulations to our 2011–2012 Honor Bands, finalists, and their directors (listed on this page). We look forward to hearing our Honor Bands in concert at our convention in February.

Important Dates September—Renew your TMEA membership and register for the convention online.

September—Renew your liability insurance (policies expired August 20).

October 4—TMEA convention housing reservation system available online.

October 27—Deadline to receive All-State Jazz audition CDs in TMEA office.

November 12–13 —All-State Jazz CD judging.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/ fax pre-registration deadline.

January 7, 2012—Area Band and Vocal auditions.

January 12, 2012—TMEA convention online pre-registration deadline.

February 8–11, 2012—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Honor Band Finalists & Winners Class 2C Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors Coppell MS North/Coppell ............................................................Joel Ashbrook Clark MS/Frisco............................................................................. Benjamin Katz North Oaks MS/Birdville ...................................................................Tony Smith Coppell MS East/Coppell ...................................................................Jason Brents Arbor Creek MS/Lewisville ............................................................Marty Nelson North Ridge MS/Birdville ................................................................ James Smith Jackson MS/North East ................................................................ Kim Rosenberg

Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors Westbrook MS/Clear Creek ........................................................... Rick Brockway Fort Settlement MS/Fort Bend ............................................... Greg Countryman Howard MS/Mansfield ........................................................... Nathaniel Neugent Aledo MS/Aledo ...........................................................................Ryan Johnstone Cook MS/Cypress-Fairbanks ............................................................Michael Dick Rice MS/Plano .................................................................................. Jason Tucker York JH/Conroe ........................................................... Amanda Brodie Pritchard

Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors Queen City HS/Queen City.......................................................... Chris Brannan Krum HS/Krum ............................................................................... Carol Turner New Diana HS/New Diana ............................................................ George Little Howe HS/Howe .........................................................................Angela Cavender Cisco HS/Cisco ............................................................................ Jennifer Webber Crane HS/Crane ................................................................................ Daniel Todd Winona HS/Winona .......................................................................Jerry Whorton

Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors Waxahachie HS/Waxahachie ..................................................Richard Armstrong Southwest HS/Fort Worth .................................................................Stacey Dunn Liberty HS/Frisco .............................................................................Alyson Keller Cedar Park HS/Leander ...................................................................Steve Wessels Dripping Springs HS/Dripping Springs ....................................... Keith Lancaster Pearce HS/Richardson .................................................................. Gregory Hames Wylie HS/Wylie ..................................................................................Todd Dixon

Class 3C

Class 2A

Class 4A

e! t Da 2 e th 201 11 e v – Sa MEA ry 8 T ua br e F 20 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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1) install SmartMusic on a classroom computer; 2) add a projector to display SmartMusic onto a screen, whiteboard, or interactive whiteboard; 3) plug the computer’s sound into a sound system for the room; 4) have students purchase SmartMusic for home use; 5) add a SmartMusic workstation to each music classroom; and 6) add SmartMusic workstations to each practice room.

22 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

by Asa Burk

hrough vast develMost of the examples opments in techgiven here assume that, at a Save time and keep your students nology, educators minimum, there is a comhave been given puter with SmartMusic in engaged in learning by incorporating tools that enable us to the classroom connected teach more, reach further, to a projector and that stutechnology in your music instruction. and enrich more deeply. In dents have access to a comtoday’s strained economic puter with SmartMusic for climate we are frequently individual practice. being asked to do more with less. “Necessity is the mother of invention” is now truer Presenting Lessons than ever. I have been using SmartMusic and Finale in the classThe interactive nature of SmartMusic helps capture students’ room for over 13 years. Since the humble beginnings of printing focus. For example, before class begins, select a rhythm from the an exercise or warm-up sheet on a dot matrix printer and using exercise feature in SmartMusic and display it on a whiteboard. two or three solo accompaniments, several solutions have evolved As students enter, direct their attention to the rhythm. Teach the that make life much easier. same way you would with paper, but with SmartMusic, you disFor those unfamiliar with SmartMusic, it is interactive music play the “interactive paper” at the front of the room and will have software for band, orchestra, and voice. There are six basic feaaccess to additional layers of interaction and feedback. tures of the program: Method books, Exercises, Solos, Repertoire With music on a screen, you know everyone is looking at the (concert band, orchestra, and jazz ensemble), Jazz Improvisation, correct measure, and you don’t have to contend with forgotten and MP3 files. These features can be used in the music classroom music or students hiding behind stands. SmartMusic will count in three primary ways: as a presentation tool, in the student pracoff to begin the line and students can follow the cursor that tice environment, and for assessment. guides them to the correct beat. By following the cursor with the There are certainly myriad software and hardware options sound, students get a visual and aural presentation on counting available. I hope that learning how I have used SmartMusic will a new rhythm. As you repeat the line to reinforce the concept, reveal how technology solutions can be implemented to help you remove the cursor and sound leaving only the metronome clicks. achieve greater success in the music classroom. With fewer classes When students are ready to be assessed on the concept, they and less time in class, the time we see our students must be used can play or clap the rhythm into the computer microphone. efficiently.

SmartMusic will assess their performance and provide visual feedback. Correct notes are green, incorrect notes are red, and Getting Started unplayed notes are black. Students can listen to a recording of You can begin simply with an entry-level setup of SmartMusic their performance and match it up with the green, red, and black software installed on your computer with speakers for playback and a microphone for input. The sky is the limit as you determine how much to expand and integrate. The following are the most common and beneficial ways to implement the program, listed in priority order:

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faculty‌ Violinist Annie Chalex Boyle is internationally recognized as a chamber musician, soloist, and teacher. Chalex Boyle is currently a visiting assistant professor of violin at Texas Tech University, as well as the artistic director of the Chamber Music Institute at the Quartz Mountain Music Festival. As a founding member of Quartet-à -tête Piano Quartet, she has performed in venues across the country. She is a former member of the Harrington and Southwest String Quartets, having performed in national and international venues. Chalex Boyle received the bachelor of music degree from the University of Southern California (cum laude) and the master of music degree from the Juilliard School.

As visiting assistant professor, David Forrest teaches graduate and undergraduate theory and aural skills courses. Dr. Forrest holds a doctor of philosophy in music theory, the master of music in choral conducting, and a bachelor of music in music education, all from Texas Tech. His work has been published in Music Theory Spectrum and Oxford Bibliographies Online. Forrest has presented over a dozen teaching and learning workshops and authored several online white papers for Texas Tech’s Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center. Forrest directs the music program at Forrest Heights United Methodist Church and serves as associate director for Canticum Novum.

Benjamin Lorenzo serves as visiting assistant professor of bands at Texas Tech University, where his responsibilities include conducting the Symphonic Band, teaching undergraduate conducting, and assisting with the “Goin’ Band from Raiderland.� Lorenzo is a candidate for the doctor of musical arts degree in conducting at The University of Texas at Austin, and holds additional degrees from the University of

Texas and Florida International University. Before graduate study, he taught in the public schools of Florida and Texas.

Notable guest-conducting engagements include the West Point Band, the Latin American Wind Orchestra, and the Municipal Band of Manizales in Colombia. He holds professional memberships in the College Band Directors National Association, Texas Music Educators Association, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and Conductors Guild.

Tracy Patterson holds the bachelor of arts degree in saxophone performance from Northeastern State University, the master of music degree in jazz studies from the University of Central Oklahoma, and is a candidate for the doctor of musical arts degree in saxophone performance from Texas Tech University. Patterson is currently the lecturer in jazz history at Texas Tech University where he directs Jazz Ensemble II, teaches jazz history, and other jazz related courses. Patterson has performed or recorded with The Temptations, Natalie Cole, Linda Eder, The Edmond Jazz Orchestra, The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, and The Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

Eric Rieger, visiting assistant professor of voice, enjoys an impressive European singing career, which has led him to the opera companies of ZĂźrich, Luzern, Basel (Switzerland), Trier, Regensburg, Kaiserslautern, Bremerhaven, OsnabrĂźck, Nordhausen, Konstanz (Germany), Novara (Italy), as well as Zomeropera Alden Biesen (Belgium), Citizens Theatre (Scotland), and Everyman Palace Theatre (Ireland).

In concert, he has appeared with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Basel Sinfonietta, St. John’s Orchestra (London), Luxembourg “Les Musiciens�

Orchestra, Trier Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Monteverdi Festival (Italy), Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, and the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam). As a teacher, he has served on the faculty of Nazareth College. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

! " # $ % # #$ & % # #$ ' &

notes, and their score is displayed as a percentage. With this clear feedback, many students will practice to improve their score. It also will help you be more precise in your verbal feedback.

interactive features and feedback—cursor, sound, metronome clicks, tempo adjustment, assessment, etc. The difference here is that the accompaniment is a real recording.

Teaching New Music The method book feature supports teaching a new line of music in a more interesting and robust way. Open a method book and select a line to play. Begin by following the same steps from the rhythm example above. Use the cursor, sound, and metronome features to explain the notes and rhythms, and slow down or speed up the tempo as necessary. Each method book line includes an accompaniment to offer students a musical framework to help develop pitch, rhythm, pulse, tone, etc. Once notes and rhythms are reinforced, add the accompaniment and remove the metronome clicks. As students master the line, they are essentially performing 4–8 measure solos. SmartMusic can assess the performances and provide feedback as in the previous section.

Student Assignments Sending, receiving, and organizing student assignments are tasks that can be streamlined with SmartMusic. You can send your students assignments on the music and have them complete them before you rehearse a piece in class. Each piece of music in the repertoire library comes with pre-made assignments that cover the essential parts unique to each instrument. After completing an assignment, students will know how to play their parts and how they fit in with the ensemble. When students sit down for the first rehearsal with that knowledge, you can begin working on music and ensemble sounds much sooner.

The process for sending an assignment takes only a few minutes. Open a piece, select a pre-made assignment, select options to customize (tempo, cursor, metronome, accompaniment, etc.), select the students to receive it, and send. Students can open the assignment on a SmartMusic computer at home or in a practice room. They will see the instructions, due date, and the performance settings will be preset. While students can set practice options for a slower tempo, metronome clicks, hearing the solo line, and can practice as many times as they want, they can submit the assignment using only your established performance settings.

Being able to focus and guide student practice outside of class comes in handy, especially on non-block days, holidays, snow days, inservice days, testing days—the list goes on.

Repertoire Library The SmartMusic repertoire library includes nearly 3,000 concert band, orchestra, and jazz band titles with all parts for all instruments. The accompaniment is an MP3 recording of a real performance, not MIDI-generated sounds. When a student can play one of the Holst suites with the Air Force Band accompanying them, not only can they learn the notes and rhythms, they develop skills for matching tone, timbre, and ensemble blend.

A basic approach would be to begin with the same format as the rhythm and method book above. You have access to the same

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Grading Assignments When your students complete an assignment, they will submit it to you. You will receive the completed assignments in a gradebook format. This is a really good way to keep things organized. When you open your gradebook and click on a completed student assignment, you will see the date completed and the score. Also included is a screenshot of the correct and incorrect notes and a recording of the student’s performance. You can enter comments to the student and can adjust the grade.

You have the option to accept or reassign the assignment or email the parents the assignment. While much of the SmartMusic feedback is automated, this is the opportunity for the teacher to give feedback and have the final say.

Regardless of the solutions you implement, using technology to present material in a more robust manner will engage students, enable them to retain more information longer, and ultimately help them become better musicians.

Asa Burk is Director of Bands at Cross Timbers MS in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD.

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ver the years, I have watched how people in our society communicate with each other. During the early ’80s when I first started teaching at Eisenhower MS in North East ISD, I would walk into the band, choir, art, or drama room to ask a question. May I borrow a music stand? Would you like to be part of our fine arts night? Do you have an artist who could design our program? I actually saw adults throughout the day. I received real answers to questions or concerns I might have throughout my teaching day. In fact, I remember in those days having fewer misunderstandings and less conflict.

People looked each other in the eye and had real conversations. I also remember interaction and laughter between the disciplines—people were more connected.

Life was good. Then, I received my first computer.

Word processing was great! You could make a mistake and not have to worry about where to find your White-Out.

O

by Lisa McCutchan

OrchestraNotes

Communication

Then came email, and I was in heaven!

You no longer had to worry about playing phone tag. And it seemed that people answered email faster than they returned phone calls. Now we text, we “talk” on Facebook, we Tweet. I often go a full school day now without ever seeing a band director, a choir director, a drama director. Life doesn’t seem as good.

I must admit that I am guilty of this very change in communication style. I recently began reflecting on this communication evolution (or could it be regression?). Words in emails can easily be misinterpreted. Using an exclamation point can lead to an assumption about your mood, typing a word in uppercase can compel someone to believe you are outraged, the list goes on. But the bottom line is that with remote communication, we lose the opportunity to listen, to gauge how our message is being received by observing nonverbal behavior. We lose the opportunity to truly connect with the other person.

With remote communication, we lose the opportunity to truly connect with the other person.

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 29

As we begin this new school year, where many of us might be relying even more on our colleagues as we are called to do less with more, I believe it’s time to think seriously about how we communicate with each other. For me, I’m resolving to do less texting, less emailing, and less Facebooking. I look forward to having more live conversations that are positive and that don’t lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. As I think about connecting more meaningfully through personal communication, I’m reminded of the following lyrics from a popular Barbra Streisand song: “People, people who need people are the luckiest people in the world…”

2012 Clinic/Convention Update I encourage you to make plans now to attend the 2012 convention. The Orchestra Division has an exciting line up to make this year’s convention quite memorable! Our featured clinician, Kirt Mosier, will be presenting sessions on motivational techniques, repertoire, and rehearsal strategies (from sightreading a piece to peak performance preparation). In his four sessions, two will be targeted for middle school and two for high school. Mosier will present with two demo groups from San Antonio: Hector Garcia MS Honor Orchestra (Northside ISD) and Reagan HS Chamber Orchestra (North East ISD).

Kirt Mosier Featured Clinician Kirt Mosier is in his twenty-sixth year of teaching. He is currently teaching for the Lee’s Summit R–7 School District in Missouri and is the director of orchestras at Lee’s Summit West HS. Mosier is also an adjunct professor at the University of 30 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

Honor Orchestra Finalists & Winners High School Full Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6

School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors Plano SH/Plano ................ Brian Coatney, Jeremy Kondrat, and Stefanie Hayes Clements HS/Fort Bend ...............................Ginger Wolfe and Daniel Galloway Klein Collins HS/Klein .............................................Carlos Lara and Kirk Jones Flower Mound HS/Lewisville.................................. Ann Smith and Rob Myers Martin HS/Arlington .................................... Michael Stringer and Gordan Hart Austin HS/Fort Bend ..Carolyn Vandiver, Courtenay Vandiver, Dustin Winson

Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6

School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors Beckendorff JH/Katy ..................................... Matthew Porter and Susan Steber Grisham MS/Round Rock .......................................................... Michael Chisum Lanier MS/Houston .................................... Laurette McDonald and Ali Jackson Kealing MS/Austin ............................................................................David Jarrott Robinson MS/Plano ...Mary Havenstrite, Kim Hernandez, and Ross Patterson McMeans JH/Katy....................................Amy Williams and George Liverman

Middle School/Junior High Full

Middle School/Junior High String Rank–School/ISD ................................................................................. Directors 1 Sartartia MS/Fort Bend ........................................................................Ann Victor 2 Rice MS/Plano ................................................................................... Barbara Fox 3 Beckendorff JH/Katy ...................................................................Matthew Porter 4 McMeans JH/Katy......................................................................... Amy Williams 5 Fowler MS/Frisco .............................................................................Karina Flores 6 Johnston MS/Houston .......................................................................... Jose Rocha

The High School String Honor Orchestra finalists and winners will be included in the January issue.

Missouri/Kansas City where he teaches arranging for music education and master’s degree candidates. He was previously an adjunct professor at Baker University where he taught music history. Mosier holds a bachelor of music education and a master of music degree in composition from the University of Missouri/Kansas City.

During his teaching career, Mosier’s groups have consistently received the highest honor ratings and have performed throughout the U.S. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and composer with over 60 published works for orchestra. In 1993, Mosier’s piece “Baltic Dance” won the National School Orchestra Association Composition Contest. That same year, he was commissioned by the Missouri chapter of ASTA to write an all-state orchestra piece called “Revelation.”

Mosier is a sought-after clinician and has conducted clinics and honor groups throughout the U.S., including all-state and region groups in Montana,

Tennessee, Texas, Kansas, and Missouri.

He is currently directing the Digital Media Technology Center of Excellence for the Lee’s Summit R–7 School District.

All-State Etude Errata and More Keep looking on the TMEA website for all current errata pertaining to All-State excerpts. Please take time to serve TMEA and your orchestra division. There are so many jobs out there from judging to organizing (you can find a volunteer form on the TMEA website under the Orchestra Division menu). I thoroughly enjoy serving TMEA and its members, and I hope you’ll join me this year in the same!

Honor Orchestra Congratulations go to the 2011–2012 MS/JH String, MS/JH Full, and HS Full Honor Orchestra winners and finalists (listed above). We look forward to the performances of our winners at the 2012 convention. High School String Honor Orchestra winners and finalists will be

determined on October 22 and will be listed in the January issue.

Important Dates September—Renew your TMEA membership and register for the convention.

September—Renew your liability insurance (policies expired August 20).

September 1—Final date All-State errata submissions are accepted.

September 15—HS String Honor Orchestra online entries due.

October 4—Convention housing reservation system available online.

October 15—Postmark deadline for HS String Honor Orchestra CDs and other entry materials.

October 22—HS String Honor Orchestra judging.

October 29—All-State orchestra CD recording date.

November 12–13—All-State orchestra CD recording judging.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/ fax pre-registration deadline.

January 12, 2012—TMEA convention online pre-registration deadline.

February 8–11, 2012—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 31

Mastering Mariachi

by John Lopez, with contributions from Michelle Quintero & Bobby Lopez s mariachi ensembles achieve higher levels of precision, execution, and popularity, the need for directors with effective rehearsal techniques also rises.

Conveniently, many of the same preparation and rehearsal approaches used for decades by band, choir, and orchestra (with slight modifications) can be applied in mariachi rehearsals. In our work leading a mariachi ensemble, we have found success through the following strategies.

A

Selecting Repertoire Selecting appropriate music is without a doubt a most important factor to consider. Poorly chosen repertoire can lead to setting unattainable goals, fostering improper technique, and lowering an ensembleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confidence. When selecting mariachi music, ask these questions: >

% tal abilities of the ensemble?

Not having come from the mariachi world myself, I found that I needed to immerse myself in the field of mariachi to become the director of this ensemble. I followed four simple guidelines: seek out people who know more and ask questions, listen to as much mariachi as you can, watch other directors rehearse, and trust your own musicianship, because when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all said and done, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all music. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;John Lopez

32 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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without being unattainable? >

% # ties of the ensemble? > X # % specific vocalists? @

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the rehearsal time frame?

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selection even though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one part of the whole concert?

Also consider offering your ensemble a balanced program that covers multiple mariachi styles, features a specific section, and possibly includes an instrumental selection. Before making final decisions on music, be sure to consider the vocalists. While obviously significant, it is often overlooked. Select music that is

in an appropriate key and range for good vocal health. Selections should also parallel well with a singerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s color and timbre.

Creating a Rehearsal Schedule After selecting music, we create a rehearsal schedule and consider many factors, such as performance dates, repertoire, song introductions, memory playoffs, staging, and final performance details. Scheduling with these factors in mind helps us meet our final musical and visual goals. While changes in a schedule like this are inevitable, a schedule that works even 90% of the time will yield much success.

Song Introduction Before you begin working on a song, offer students a brief review about it to improve their understanding, interpretation, and performance (this step can also be given as a homework assignment). This introduction should answer the following questions: Who is the composer? Which artist(s) made the song famous? What is the style? What is the subject matter of the lyrics? While this step might seem to take away time from rehearsal, the knowledge gained from it can make the rest of rehearsal more effective.

Vocal Considerations The mariachi voice is often unintentionally treated as a secondary concern.

The style requires a strong belting sound approach that results in a full-bodied, round, and warm tone. In performance, mariachi instrumentalists must be sensitive to volume for the vocalist to be heard.

Successful singing requires meaningful interpretation, appropriate timing for breathing, proper breath flow, clear diction using the International Phonetic

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Alphabet, and a true understanding of the literature. The musical statements involved necessitate conviction in theatrics and acting along with heavy to moderate flows of the chest voice appropriately placed in the vocal apparatus.

Just as other vocalists should, mariachi singers should train under a reputable voice teacher. They can provide healthy vocal information on the breathing cycle and process, warmups and vocalization, aid with style within the technique, and help with theory fundamentals and interpretation of folksong literature from leading composers of the mariachi genre.

Full Ensemble Rehearsal Techniques Having attended many mariachi rehearsals conducted by a variety of directors, I have noticed a slight disconnect between a traditional rehearsal approach and the more contemporary methods used by band, choir, and orchestra. While I have seen success with both approaches, it is my hope that mariachi directors will take a few of these ideas and methods to create a balance that works for them and their students.

Rehearsal Outline Constructing a rehearsal outline and sharing it with students before each rehearsal is a great way to stay on track and accomplish your goals. My college band director would post his rehearsal outlines for the week on Monday. I remember stopping at the bulletin board to see what would be rehearsed and noting the passages I needed to practice beforehand. This was a great use of a rehearsal outline because it encouraged students to be prepared. The following are some suggestions for constructing a rehearsal outline for mariachi: _ X % # @%

#

vidually go through the music (this can be done as homework), then as a section, and finally as a full group. `

\

\ connect them together to form the bigger picture. `

% % % { mariachi ensembles spend too much time in full ensemble runs of a piece. While this is the eventual goal, the time spent on the passages students can already play could be used for more detailed work or for starting another piece of music.

Modeling The importance of this canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be stressed enough. If you are able to play all the mariachi instruments for modeling purposes, you have a valuable skill. This, however, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean the rest of us canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t teach mariachi. There are many ways to model for your students, such as using video and audio recordings, clinicians, and taking them to watch other groups, festivals, and concerts.

Rehearsal Framing Quickly recognizing and assessing errors made during rehearsal allows for more rehearsal time to cover music, and a quicker pace keeps students engaged. Once an error has been detected and diagnosed, creating a rehearsal frame that targets the error is needed. You may need to de-contextualize the material (e.g., using a slower tempo, playing a rhythm on only one note, or playing pitches on whole notes) and then begin to recontextualize the section. When in a rehearsal frame, also consider 34 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

the following to keep the pace brisk and students engaged: + X

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unemotional manner.

Using a Metronome A significantly underused technology in mariachi rehearsals is the metronome. As it is for all ensemble types, the metronome is a critical tool that supports successful mariachi rehearsals.

Metronome usage can help support an efficient sense of rehearsal pace. For example, when the metronome starts, the downbeat of the phrase begins after six clicks (in triple meter) or eight clicks (in duple meter). This can keep students aware and engaged in the rehearsal. When they hear that first click, they know to begin preparing to play their downbeat.

In addition to keeping the full ensemble in tempo, the metronome can help students and teachers set practice goals. While the student may not initially be able to play a passage at performance tempo, they could begin at a slower tempo and work up to the assigned goal. Gauging this process presents the teacher with an assessment opportunity and insight for future assignments and goals.

When a mariachi melody section plays without the armonia (rhythm), it is often difficult to have a clear sense of time, especially when playing syncopated rhythms. Rehearsing with a metronome will allow the melody sections to align with an external source, other than the rhythm section. This can help them understand how their part fits within the time signature and other melodic lines and to discover the relationship therein.

Rehearsing to Perform Mariachi rehearsals must also cover the transition from music reading and rehearsing to memorization and performance. When our mariachi ensemble reads new music, they are seated, and they rehearse seated until they pass the memorization mark on a given piece. Then they stand. This physical change emphasizes a higher level of presentation. With staging and other performance details, we begin to polish the song for a performance. While this seems simple, I have seen many rehearsals where the students either always sit or always stand throughout rehearsals. We have found that students respond well to this specific physical change to get into the proper performance mindset.

In many ways, most of our thoughts about mariachi rehearsals arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t unique to this genreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they are proven rehearsal techniques that work in any ensemble setting. While some mariachi directors prefer to set mariachi apart from other ensemble types, we believe that it is in the similarities where we can all benefitâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;by employing proven techniques that will make our ensembles perform better and mold our students into better musicians.

John Lopez, assisted by Michelle Quintero and Bobby Lopez, instructs the Texas State Mariachi Nueva GeneraciĂłn, a class within the music schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multicultural music area. Established in 1997, the mariachi ensemble regularly wins top awards at mariachi festivals.

[WZTLH VYN

by Janwin Overstreet-Goode

VocalNotes

Sightreading starts now usic educators are responsible not only for preparing students to perform but also to become lifelong musicians. One of the most effective ways to achieve that is to give our students a strong sightreading foundation.

Sightreading is not something we can throw at our students just prior to UIL contest every year. Sightreading should be part of our everyday routine from the beginning of the school year. Choirs that sightread every day will, in the long run, produce singers who are stronger musicians with the ability to make faster progress when learning new pieces.

Regardless of the sightreading method you preferâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;fixed Do, moveable Do, or numbersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;use it consistently and daily.

You should also practice the sightreading routine you will use at UIL contest with your students. The following are some suggestions to consider in your sightreading process:

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in both your choir room and the sightreading contest room as space allows. This will allow the students to hear themselves and the others in their section, especially on the first read-through.

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same section in sightreading that they sing on stage; put strong readers in each section, and move them around as needed, even in the sightreading room. (I have moved really good sightreaders to different sections between the first and second readings when I felt the need.) &

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same arrangement in which they were on stage. Experiment to find the best setup and then practice sightreading in that arrangement. &

the choir; this will not only help the choir stay together but will help with tuning and balance. Perhaps create exercises that train the students to extend their circle of listening until they can hear across the choir successfully. _

beyond do-mi-sol-mi-do to the extremes that soprano/tenor (high) and alto/bass (low) will have to sing.

Play the tonic triad in the tempo you want to use for the first reading. This is just one more way to establish your tempo for the choir.

Choirs that sightread every day will, in the long run, produce singers who are stronger musicians with the ability to make faster progress when learning new pieces.

36 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

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while chanting; also, avoid having the entire choir chant at about the same pitch. Instead, have students chant at different pitch levels by section to help you hear staggered entrances, rhythmic variety, etc.

comes from years of trial and error. The following are some marvelous directions I have heard directors use over the years in UIL Sightreading Contests.

Audiation Phrases:

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almost always best. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t start fastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; you will regret it later. Try to leave time to establish the performance tempo during the first study period.

Good directors have wonderful ways of communicating with their choirs in sightreading. They use expressions that quickly give directions to the group with the least amount of time wasted; this

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needs to be together.

There are also some things not to do in the sightreading room. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too late to

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teach at this point; if they don’t know the process or your terminology, now is not the time to instruct your students. Be careful how you speak to your students; if you convey nervousness or unease, your students will become nervous and uneasy. It is not appropriate to yell or get angry with your students—that will only create tension (and makes the judges uncomfortable).

If you have a plan and a process in mind, and practice it daily, your experiences at contest and throughout the year will be positive and productive. Whatever

you do, do it daily, and do it consistently.

2012 Clinic/Convention Update It’s time to begin looking toward the great opportunities you’ll have at our convention, February 8–11, 2012. We will have 25 Vocal Division clinics (including sessions on sightreading). Our featured clinician, Patrick K. Freer, will present four outstanding sessions on keeping boys engaged in choir, working with the changing male voice, selecting quality repertoire, and developing choral skills through improvisation.

TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY BANDS putting you in the driver’s seat of your music experiences

Fall 2011 Concerts

Spring 2012 Festivals

October 4 Jazz Ensemble II October 6 Jazz Ensemble I October 9 Wind Ensemble November 21 Percussion Ensemble December 1 Jazz Ensembles I & II December 5 Wind Ensemble Multimedia Concert

February 17 Percussion Festival March 24 50th Anniversary of the Tarleton Jazz Festival March 29-30 Invitational Band Festival Composer-In-Residence Frank Ticheli (a pre-UIL / ATSSB Concert & Sight Reading adjudicated festival)

all concerts & festivals are located on the Stephenville campus at the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center

for more information: band@tarleton.edu 38 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

Patrick K. Freer Featured Clinician Patrick K. Freer is Associate Professor of Choral Music Education at Georgia State University, where he conducts the GSU Men’s Chorus. He holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and Teachers College, Columbia University.

Freer is a frequent guest conductor for all-state choruses and has made over 85 presentations in 34 states and ten countries. His international work has included seminars and conducting masterclasses at the Rotterdam Conservatory, the Gehrels Muziededucatie, Aristotle University, the University of Alcalá de Henares, and the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua.

Freer is Academic Editor and Chair of the Editorial Board for Music Educators Journal. Publications include Getting Started with Middle School Chorus (named Outstanding Academic Title by Choice) and the critically acclaimed DVD series Success for Adolescent Singers. His current research includes interviews with boys in many different countries about their experience as singers in school music programs.

Important Dates September—Renew your TMEA membership and register for the convention.

September—Renew your liability insurance (policies expired August 20).

October 4—Convention housing online.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/ fax pre-registration deadline.

January 7—Area Band and Vocal auditions.

January 12, 2012—TMEA convention online pre-registration deadline.

February 8–11, 2012—TMEA Clinic/ Convention.

TBA/TCDA/TODA Conventions July 24â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30, 2011

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 39

$ :25/' 2) 3266,%,/,7,(6 Project Share offers access to a world of information and communities without borders.

T

he Texas Education Agency recently announced a new initiative, Project Share, to develop and deliver highquality professional development and instructional strategies in an engaging online learning environment.

Project Share is a portal through which teachers and students can communicate, collaborate, and access digital content.

How It Works Project Share, www.projectsharetexas.org, provides access to Epsilen and to Texas Education at iTunes U. Epsilen is an online platform with global networking, learning management tools, and ePortfolios designed to engage today’s learners and promote interaction. The Epsilen platform combines a suite of tools with a common interface to build and disseminate professional development, to develop and deliver online content, and to expand student assessment and academic networking through ePortfolios.

Texas Education at iTunes U provides free multimedia content to educators, students, and parents in Texas and around the world. Teachers access professional development and support materials and students access information to assist in understanding concepts and with additional research on a subject area.

The Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) has posted several recordings and documents on fine arts curriculum and instruction that you can access on Texas Education at iTunes U. Project Share also provides access to numerous content repositories, including the New York Times Knowledge Network with resources dating back to 1851.

Who Is Behind Project Share?

Project Share is a partnership among TEA, Epsilen, The New York Times Knowledge Network, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and Apple Computer. TEA is partnering with the 20 Regional Education Service Centers (ESC) to implement Project Share.

40 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

Who Can Use Project Share?

Teachers can use Project Share to join professional learning communities, participate in professional development courses, explore content repositories, and use online instructional materials. The Project Share online community provides support, collaboration, and resources from across the state. Given the vast size of Texas, it is exciting to realize that all teachers—even those from Texas’s smallest, most remote districts—can become valuable members of an online community.

TMEA Elementary Vice-President Michele Hobizal has created a TMEA Elementary Music Teachers group on Project Share and has already posted resources for those who join it.

Students can use Project Share’s ePortfolio (currently in its pilot phase) as a digital record of scholarly work and extracurricular accomplishments. It can be used as an academic and personal record that students can share as they transition from K–12 education into college and career. ePortfolios can include samples of traditional work such as research papers, essays, and publications, but may also include multimedia pieces such as video and audio of academic presentations, artistic performances, and athletic events.

School districts and campuses can use Project Share for numerous activities, such as creating groups, sharing information, collaborating on lesson plan creation, developing teacher portfolios, providing training on multiple topics, creating online courses, and accessing digital resources that can be used in the classroom.

Learn More To learn more about how to establish a Project Share account, contact your school district’s technology administrator or your Regional ESC Project Share contact.

Visit the Project Share website for a project overview, video tutorials, and much more to help you get started. You can email your questions to projectshare@tea.state.tx.us.

INSTITUTE Welcome to the SoundTree Institute!

The SoundTree Institute is the perfect solution for music educators who are looking for training on how to incorporate the latest techology into their teaching.

Taking advantage of the latest online teaching and collaborative technologies, the SoundTree Institute provides members with a convenient, engaging, and effective environment for learning.

The Soundtree Institute offers: 路 Online Courses

路 METOS Conference

路 Live Webinars

路 Lesson Plans & More!

The SoundTree Institute Gives Back To School A Whole New Meaning

For more information & to sign up visit:

soundtree

institute .com

by Michele Hobizal

ElementaryNotes

Variety is a necessity t the beginning of each new school year, I get the theme song from Welcome Back, Kotter stuck in my head (yes, I’m really showing my age!). For those too young to remember, in this 1970s television series, Gabe Kotter returns to his alma mater, Buchanan High, to teach a group of remedial students known as the Sweathogs. He sees the potential in these unruly students and works to change their lives for the better. How many of you decided to teach music to pass on your love of music and change the lives of your students? How do we accomplish that? As you begin this new year, consider the following ideas.

A

Objectives Your school district has created a curriculum guide with objectives either for the year or by the grading weeks, and each district’s setup is different. If you have questions or concerns, talk to another teacher in your district. If you are the lone music teacher in your town, contact neighboring district teachers or voice your concerns and questions on our Project Share group: TMEA Elementary Music Teachers. Your district’s objectives were created from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. For more information about the TEKS check out the Center for Educator Development in Fine

Arts website (www.cedfa.org). The idea of teaching whatever you want whenever you want is not practical. Our main goal is not just to teach songs around a particular season or holiday. Our main goal should be to educate our students to become well-informed, lifelong patrons of the arts.

Lesson Plans This is a biggie! You should create whatever lesson plan format works for you, but be sure that you include enough information for you or a substitute to follow. List your objectives, the activities, and resources needed. Variety is a necessity in a workable plan. Some teachers are very extensive in what they write for activities while others simply use a few keywords. For those who are new to elementary music, I recommend writing extensive plans to help you think through the process.

Most teachers will start their lessons with a greeting or warm-up song, and some include actual body warm-ups.

Vocal warm-ups are a good way to begin.

Physical Education starts with exercises, so why not us too? I offered my favorite warm-up in the August issue (using the Hoberman Sphere for breathing practice).

What is your favorite warm-up for a particular grade level? This could be a great forum discussion topic for Project Share.

Since I do not get to see the students daily

Music is what feelings sound like.

—Unknown 42 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

as they are on a five- or six-day rotation, next on my list is usually a review song.

Lessons should also include a rhythm activity, melodic activity, and movement.

Again, variety is a necessity. I tell my kids that I love to teach music because I cannot sit still!

Resources Items in this topic are endless! (This could be another great forum discussion for our Project Share group.) Here are two to start the process: Music for Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;American Edition and An American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Musical Literacy.

Creating your music library will take time. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget about your state adopted textbooks. The publishers have loaded the textbooks with pedagogical information, activities, sequencing, and extended curriculum. Take advantage of these resources! Try not to teach the same way or use the same activities year after year. Once again, variety is a necessity! Of course you will have your favorite songs and activities the students will be expecting every year, but they will also be looking forward to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new. Math

teachers have to give the same test and teach the same wayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thank goodness we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to do that in music! Collecting resources does not have to break your budget. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget all those great ideas you have received from attending the TMEA conventions, region workshops, and on Project Share.

2012 Clinic/Convention Update Speaking of our convention, you simply must be there! Make plans now to attendâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it is going to be fantastic! The clinic sessions are diverse and dynamic.

You will walk away with loads of ideas, songs, and activities. Get ready to be inspired and educated by our Elementary Featured Clinicians who will offer incredible sessions on a host of topics such as listening and movement-based lessons; incorporating childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literature; teaching rhythm, melody, harmony, form, phrasing, and meter; and more.

Artie Almeida Featured Clinician Artie Almeida is the music specialist at Bear Lake Elementary school in Orlando Fla., where she teaches 1,150 Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;5 stu-

dents. Her dynamic performing groups have performed for MENC, AOSA, and on NBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Today.

Almeida was chosen as Florida Music Educator of the Year, and was also selected as an International Educator 2006 by the Cambridge England Biographical Society.

She was a Teacher of the Year at the school level six times and was recently chosen as a University of Central Florida College of Education Alumni of the Decade.

In addition to her public school teaching

t Intensive professional training with a superb liberal arts educationâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;in a city of historic Southern charm

t Internationally recognized faculty and

uniquely personal student/teacher ratioâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; a hallmark of the Blair community

t New, state-of-the-art classrooms, studios,

and performance hallsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;a new dimension in the learning experience

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY A U D I T I O N D AT E S 2 0 1 1 / 2 0 1 2 For more information:

Dwayne Sagen Assistant Dean of Admissions Blair School of Music Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37212-3499 PHONE: (615) 322-6181 WEB: blair.vanderbilt.edu E-MAIL: Dwayne.P.Sagen@vanderbilt.edu

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t Degree programs offered in instrumental and vocal performance, composition/theory, and musical artsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;and a five-year Bachelor of Music/Master of Education program

t Ranked as one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top twenty universities

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 43

duties, Almeida is an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida, teaches applied saxophone lessons, and performs on historical winds with the early music ensemble Ars Antiqua.

Brent Gault Featured Clinician Brent Gault has taught elementary and early childhood music courses in Texas, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. He specializes in elementary general music education, early childhood music education, and Kodály-inspired

methodology. Gault also has training in both the Orff and Dalcroze approaches to music education.

He has presented sessions and research at conferences of the American OrffSchulwerk Association, the Dalcroze Society of America, the International Kodály Society, the International Society for Music Education, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, and MENC. In addition, he has served as a presenter and guest lecturer for colleges and music education organizations in the U.S., Canada, and China.

From theory to performance, it all sounds better from here.

At Trinity University, you can explore the rich and abundant opportunities available at a nationally ranked university located in the vibrant and culturally rich city of San Antonio. Our faculty are committed to the education of undergraduate musicians.

• • • •

Generous music and academic scholarships New state-of-the-art facilities Individualized attention and small classes Excellent performance opportunities

• Bachelor of Music in Performance and Composition • Bachelor of Music in Music Education A nationally recognized five-year program leading to the Master of Arts in Teaching, including a full year of student teaching internship

• Bachelor of Arts in Music

44 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

For more information:

Articles by Gault have been published in various music education periodicals, including Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Journal of Research in Music Education, Music Educators Journal, General Music Today, Kodály Envoy, Orff Echo, and American Dalcroze Journal.

In addition to his duties with the music education department at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Gault serves as the program director for the Indiana University Children’s Choir, where he conducts the Allegro Choir. He is a past-president of the Organization of American Kodály Educators.

Join Our Project Share Group Have you requested to join our Project Share group? Check with your school district for your user name (should be your school email address) and password.

Search GROUPS on the left side of your portfolio for the TMEA Elementary Music Teachers group. Just request to join and give me a day or two to accept your request. Check out the forum discussions, blogs, calendar, wiki, and more!

www.trinity.edu/music or call 210-999-8212.

Important Dates September—Renew your TMEA membership and register for the convention online.

September—Renew your liability insurance (policies expired August 20).

October 4—Convention housing reservation system opens.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/ fax pre-registration deadline.

January 12, 2012—TMEA convention online pre-registration deadline.

February 8–11, 2012—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

Thank You, Scholarship Donors Amanda Abbott Bross Mark Alewine Mary Ann Anderson Timothy Bryan Andrade Emily L. Andrews Will Armour Thomas C. Bainbridge Nicolas Michael Barnett David Barr Elizabeth Becker Cherie Bell Dr. Hazel Ruth Bell Marjorie Bentley II Robin Bernhard Anna Bills Randy Chris Bloodworth Freda A. Breed Christie Brown Clint Brown Reagan Allan Brumley Lori Bryson Dr. Kristen Bugos Mark V. Buley Bruce A. Burchard Jena Irene Burkholder David L. Cain Robin Carrington Nancy Caston Marian Lea Cates Richard L. Colodney Carol A. Colvin Denise Condie

Galen Cook Margaret Alice Cooper Patrick Corbett Nicholas Costilla Abby Crawford Nathan E. Dame Lev Daneman Susan G. Daniell Laura L. Davis Porfirio Diaz III Jeff Downey Ayndrea L. Drain Martha Mortensen Dudgeon Eugenie Edmonds Mary H. Edwards Sue Delker Ewing Todd Felty Linda L. Ferris Cathy A. Fishburn Sue Fletcher Mark D Frank Phillis Frank Eun-Mee Garza Brian Gibbs John Gillian Diana Gilliland Karen A Gordy Jack Green William O. Haehnel III Mary Margaret Haraden Beverly Harrison Gordon Hart

Judy Hart Robert F. Hastings Douglas E. Herrington David Ivins Hill Mary Lynn Hokett Robyn D. Hollimon Dr. Ron Hufstader Jeff Ingham David Itkin Jeff Jahnke Diane Brooke Joyce David T. Kastor Teresa Colleen Kile Clinton Lee Kimmel Vicke King Marjorie Mason Kirsch Chris Kosterman Carole Beth Krueger Dave Lane LuAnn Lane David H. Large Dr. James Lee Angela Leonhardt Bruce Edward Limuel Hope Sanders Louviere Susan M Malone Sherry L. Marshall Jacqueline Martinez Leann E. McClain Kirsten McCormick Caia Kent McCullar Laura L. McGregor

June 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 15, 2011

Dudley Duncan McMahan Dr. Carol McNabb Goodwin Leslie Carol Meadows Penelope J. Meitz Corey Tyler Metcalf Dr. Eileen Meyer Russell Daisy A. Miller Craig Moody Charles A. Moon Bill A. Nave Kathy C. Newhouse David Odegaard Judy Olson Kay W. Owens Carol Parnell Lindy Perez Dr. Jane E. Perkyns Camille Sharon Phillips Natalie K. Phillips Christine Joann Pivovar Ronald Lee Poarch Sherylynn Gail Porter Andy Pruyn Carol L. Pyle Alexandria E. Ramos Tracey Ann Redus Erick Rios Becky J. Ritz James David Robertson Rodney R. Rooker Margaret Rose Andrew M. Russell

Dr. John C. Schmidt Bingiee Shiu Zachary L Sims Russell B. Smith Travis R. Smith Tyler Robert Smolovik Jordan Stern Karoletha Stone James J. Strahan Robert J. Straka Cynthia Ann Stroble Cross James K. Taylor Norma Ella Taylor David Tenerelli Melanie L. Thomson Darla McBryde Turner Thomas Lloyd Turpin Jen Tyler Jeffrey Mark Van Hal Paul Vanderpool Cynthia G. Vega Ricardo A. Vilardell Wesley Walker Marisa Bannworth Wester Brad White JoAn Elaine White Jon R. Whitelock Steven Michael Wilkinson Gary L. Wood Jean Carole Wood Lu Ann Yoast Karen Ann Young Dr. R. Jan Zubeck

Texas Uniforms & Accessories for Marching & Concert Performances Toll Free: 1-800-816-BAND (2263) www.marchmaster.com Your Area JIMMIE MELINDER Cell: 713-898-6437 Fax: 832-202-2795 Email: jimmie@marchmaster.com or jmelinder@earthlink.net

Representative www.fruhauf.com Southwestern Musician | September 2011 45

by Richard Fiese

CollegeNotes

Beyond survival skills

t is often noted that there can be no growth without pain, so with all of the pain our profession has experienced recently, surely there must be some corresponding evidence of growth. There are indeed countless signs of growth in classrooms throughout our state despite widespread fiscal contractions. Teachers and students demonstrate a special vibrancy and vitality that is present uniquely in the teaching and learning setting where creativity is our subject matter.

We in the college and university setting are truly blessed among teachers as we are daily greeted by the growth of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wisdom, maturity, and expertise as they transition from student to teacher.

However, as we study their expressions these days, we can see a convergence of hopeful wonder and cautious trepidation.

As such we must recognize that our purpose is to provide these pre-professionals the ability to sustain growth during uncertain and rapidly changing circum-

I

stances. Our college students and recent graduates are the most precious treasures of our profession, and we must guard and nurture their passion for teaching music to children. We must provide them a balanced curriculum through which they can develop the practical skills and experiences that will enable them to create sustainable careers beyond the first few years of service.

The challenge of providing our students the requisite knowledge and skills is admittedly complex in terms of instructional time limitations, credithour restrictions, and educational cost increases. Each semester we wrestle with the legitimate struggle of balancing breadth versus depth, theory versus application, and pedagogy versus program management within our respective coursework. We are frequently frustrated by the recognition that the best we can do is to provide our students with basic classroom survival skills. This frustration is further compounded by the fact

We should work together to find creative ways for students to gain a fully-orbed understanding of the professional life of a musician-educator. Through this they will be better prepared for a future that holds promise for them and for their students.

46 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

Music at TCU

that much of the genuinely essential is not reflected in the certification testing by which our programs are assessed.

Nevertheless, we should work together to find creative ways for students to gain a fully-orbed understanding of the professional life of a musician-educator.

Through this, they will be better prepared for a future that holds promise for them and for their students. This includes grasping a myriad of mundane, even “earthy” issues, such as developing effective student schedules, speaking influentially with administrators, learning how to be effective advocates, understanding school finance and budgets, being familiar with successful fundraising strategies, building parental support, building alliances with music merchants, and honing professional communication skills.

This does not always translate to another three-credit course in a bloated curriculum. Many of us incorporate much of this content within existing coursework and employ the resources of our association present on the TMEA website to broaden our students’ experiences. Others use student music education organizations as an opportunity to augment curricular con-

tent through guest speakers, special focus sessions, and other planned initiatives.

The mechanism by which we provide this information to our students is not as important as ensuring our students have it and gain actual experience with developing practical solutions to these issues. We cannot simply assume that this content can be learned on the job or leave it to the responsibility of a mentor, no matter how valuable both of these can be during the first years of teaching. This is particularly true as we endeavor to face a future positively where the only certainty is change.

TMEA leadership is aware of these issues and we are responding in part through the programming we are presenting during the 2012 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

2012 Clinic/Convention Update The 2012 TMEA Clinic/Convention promises to provide the most comprehensive and innovative experiences available for professional development for ourselves and our students—a program that reflects a balance of topics both cerebral and serviceable. As an example of the programming, the two featured clinicians for the College Division are Steven Morrison

Who says teaching the Bible is only for preachers?

DEGREE PROGRAMS

Bachelor’s Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with a concentration in music

Bachelor of Arts in Music with concentrations in performance, composition and worship

Master’s Master of Music Master of Arts in Worship Master of Arts in Church Music

Doctoral

and John Benham, who represent the diversity of content among the presentations that will have immediate and longlasting benefits to members.

While recognizing that higher education travel budget restrictions are omnipresent across our state, our convention remains the most impressive and influential opportunity to share and experience the very best that our profession has to offer. Plan now to pre-register and participate fully in all that we have come to expect from our convention.

Dr. John Benham Featured Clinician Dr. John Benham is author of Music Advocacy: Moving from Survival to Vision.

His area of expertise is saving and restoring music programs in the face of budget cuts. With over 30 years as a music educator and 6 years on a school board, his personal knowledge and experience provide him a unique understanding to help teachers go before a school board and administration with language they understand. His methods are responsible for saving over $72 million in budgetary cuts to music programs, leading to the

Preach the Word.

Reach the World,

Through Music.

Music is a powerful teacher. At Southwestern, we understand and have developed a Master of Music degree that’s just as focused on theology as it is on music. Since 1915, our School of Church Music has prepared students at the highest level to showcase the Word of God, whether they’re leading an orchestra or a local congregation.

What’s more, students wanting jobs while they study typically find a place of service within months. Southwestern graduates are in high demand with more than 600 requests for music ministers annually.

For more information call 1.800.SWBTS.01 or to apply online, visit www.swbts.edu/churchmusic.

Doctor of Philosophy in Church Music Doctor of Musical Arts

Southwestern Musician | September 2011 49

Association presented him with the National Advocacy Award.

In addition to his formal presentations, Benham will be available for face-to-face opportunities for members to discuss practical solutions to individual situations where financial challenges exist.

This additional occasion to interact with him will be an incredible service for our members.

restoration of over 2,000 teaching positions and the continuation of music programs for over 500,000 students.

In addition to his work as consultant, he has been featured as a speaker at conferences throughout North America. He is a member of the ACDA and ASTA advocacy committees and the MENC Task Force on advocacy.

His successes in saving school music programs have been documented in Music Educators Journal, Music, Inc., Wind Instrument Retailer, and The Instrumentalist.

Benham is the recipient of the state and national Distinguished Service Award by the Minnesota Music Educators Association in 1994, and the Music Educators National Conference in 1998.

In 2003 he was elected to the inaugural class as a Lowell Mason Fellow by MENC for his efforts in music advocacy.

In 2010 the American String Teachers

Steven Morrison Featured Clinician Steven Morrison is Associate Professor and Chair of Music Education at the University of Washington. An instrumental music specialist, Morrison teaches courses in music education, classroom management, and research methodology and conducts the UW Symphonic Band.

He has taught at the elementary, junior high, and senior high levels in Wisconsin,

Call for Papers The College Division Research Committee invites submissions from members in all TMEA divisions, including college students. Selected authors will present their research at an informal session in which interested music teachers can learn about the research and discuss applications to music teaching.

Prepare an abstract of approximately 750 words that provides a concise yet thorough summary of the research, and paste it directly into the body of an email to Amy Simmons, Research Poster Session Organizer and Presider. At the top of the message, include the project title, author(s), institutional affiliations (of all), and the principal author’s email address, mailing address, and phone number.

Each selected presenter will prepare a 40" × 40" poster that describes the research and will provide abstracts for interested individuals attending the poster session.

Submission Deadline: October 15, 2011

Submit to: Amy L. Simmons, PhD, TMEA Research Committee at amy.simmons@txstate.edu 50 Southwestern Musician | September 2011

Michigan, and Louisiana and has conducted and arranged for bands, orchestras, and chamber groups throughout the U.S. Morrison is Director of the Laboratory for Music Cognition, Culture and Learning, investigating neurological responses to music listening, perceptual and performance aspects of pitchmatching and intonation, and use of expressive gesture and modeling in ensemble teaching. His research also includes music preference and the variability of musical responses across diverse cultural contexts.

Morrison’s articles have appeared in Music Educators Journal, Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, Music Perception, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education, Southwestern Musician, Recorder: Ontario Music Educators Association Journal, College Music Society Newsletter, and Southern Folklore. Along with colleague Steven M. Demorest, his research into music and brain function has appeared in Neuroimage, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Progress in Brain Research, and The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Morrison will present sessions about the interaction between conducting gesture and the ways that we experience music, his recent research on how students in a musically and culturally diverse society process musical meaning, specific strategies for developing students’ problem-solving skills in the ensemble setting, and his insight regarding planning for a career in higher education.

Important Dates September—Renew your TMEA membership and register for the convention online.

September—Renew your liability insurance (policies expired August 20).

October 4—Convention housing reservation system available online.

October 15—Call for Papers.

December 31—TMEA convention mail/ fax pre-registration deadline.

January 12, 2012—TMEA convention online pre-registration deadline.

February 8–11, 2012—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.

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