February 2017 Southwestern Musician

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FEBRUARY2017 8 5

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I S S U E

contents

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features

V O L U M E

columns

Distinguished Administrator Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . 18 TMEA continues to provide members the opportunity to recognize RXWVWDQGLQJ VFKRRO DGPLQLVWUDWRUV IRU WKHLU VXSSRUW 5HDG DERXW ÀYH administrators who have received this distinction.

Ten Tips for Mariachi Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Whether you have a well-developed program or are just thinking about creating one, learn some important strategies to help ensure success of your mariachi program.

BY CURTIS TREDWAY

T-TESS and the Fine Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 /HDUQ PRUH DERXW 7 7(66 DQG KRZ ÀQH DUWV HGXFDWRUV FDQ SUHSDUH WR be actively involved in this system.

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BY LINDA JOHNSON

Characteristics of an Enduring Program . . . . . . . . . . 54 Despite constant change, some attributes remain central to good teaching and have a lasting impact on every student.

BY SALLY SCHOT T

President’s Notes ............................................. 6

Harnessing the Power of Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

by Dinah Menger

Executive Director’s Notes.................12

Gain strategies for fostering the ideas of growth mindset and grit to encourage your students to work toward their musical goals.

by Robert Floyd

BY VIRGINIA DAVIS AND DIANE PERSELLIN

Band Notes ............................................................27

by Joe Muñoz

Orchestra Notes ..............................................42

by Penny Meitz

Vocal Notes ...........................................................62 Elementary Notes .......................................... 74

by Juli Salzman

College Notes .....................................................81

by Si Millican

updates

by Robert Horton Creating your Convention CPE Record, Parking & Shuttle.................... 2 2017 TMEA Clinic/Convention: What to Know Before You Go ............. 4 2017 TMEA President’s Concert: The Real Group ................................ 9 2017 TMEA General Sessions ..............................................................13 Product Showcases in the Exhibit Hall .................................................41 2017 TMEA Keynote Speakers .............................................................48

Cover design by Ben White.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

Managing Editor: Karen Cross

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

TMEA Executive Board President: Dinah Menger d.menger@sbcglobal.net 1305 Westcrest Drive, Arlington, 76013 817-891-1095 – Fort Worth ISD

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

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

Band Vice-President: Joe Muùoz munozj@pearlandisd.org 3775 South Main Street, Pearland, 77581 281-997-3219 – Pearland HS

Orchestra Vice-President: Penny Meitz pjmeitz@mac.com 5407 Coral Gables Drive, Houston, 77069 281-468-2593 – St. John’s School

Vocal Vice-President: Robert Horton rhorton@conroeisd.net 3205 West Davis Street, Conroe, 77304-2039 936-709-1200 – The Woodlands HS

Elementary Vice-President: Juli Salzman julis@angletonisd.net 625 Milton Street, Angleton, 77515 (281) 660-4776 – Northside Elementary

College Vice-President: Si Millican si.millican@utsa.edu One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, 78249 210-458-5334 – UT/San Antonio

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

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

Creating Your Convention CPE Record TMEA members have numerous opportunities to receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours. TMEA provides an online method for creating your CPE record after the convention. Follow these steps now to prepare to complete your CPE record upon returning home from the convention.

1. Now: Create a personal schedule online. • Go to www.tmea.org/convention • Go to the Schedules page and click on Personal Schedule • Log in with your username and password

2. At the convention: Make note of workshops you attend to completion.

3. When you return home: Update your online personal schedule to confirm the workshops you attended, print your CPE form, and submit it to your school district.

Active membership and convention registration/ attendance is required for CPE credit to be granted.

www.tmea.org/convention $10 Daily Convention Parking Alamodome Lots B–C + Free Shuttle Service Thursday–Saturday The City of San Antonio is offering attendees $10 daily parking at the Alamodome Lots B–C. TMEA will provide free shuttle service from Lot B to the convention center. You can also use the walkway from north of the Alamodome under I-37 to the center.

Thursday: 7:30 A.M.–10:00 P.M. Friday: 7:30 A.M.–9:30 P.M. Saturday: 8:00 A.M.–10:00 P.M. DETAILS AT: WWW.TMEA.ORG/CONVENTION

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

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

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Southwestern Musician | February 2017

The University of Texas at El Paso

Department of

Offering degrees in:

Music Education Commercial Music

Music Performance Graduate Studies

Theory and Composition

Scholarship Auditions:

February 18 and 20, 2017

Dr. Lowell E. Graham, Director of Orchestral Activities Congratulations to Zuill Baliey on his recent performances of Michael Daugherty’s “Tales of Hemingway” with the Detroit Symphony

Steve Wilson, D.M.A. Chair, Department of Music

915-747-5606

Dr. Bradley Genevro, Director of Bands

/utepmusic

Schedule Your Audition at music.utep.edu

TMEA CLINIC/CONVENTION February 8–11, 2017 • San Antonio • Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

www.tmea.org/convention

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO REGISTRATION HOURS Wednesday: 1:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Friday: 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30 a.m.– 2:00 p.m.

REGISTRATION FEES • • •

Active music educators: $80 Retired music educators: $20 College student member: $0 (included in $25 membership)

• •

Out-of-state attendees: Badge replacements:

$130 $10 each

Badge Pickup Enter Convention Registration from the Main Lobby of the convention center.

• PAID REGISTRATION: You can still register online. If you have paid for registration, go to the Paid line. Scan your barcode (on an email from TMEA as well as on your receipt email) or look up your record and print your badge.

• ON-SITE REGISTRATION: If you haven’t registered when you get to the line, enter the On-site Registration line.

Complete registration and payment to obtain your badge.

President’s Concert Tickets Tickets (prepaid and for purchase) are available Wednesday, 1–7 P.M, at the Information Booth in Convention Registration.

After that, go to the Lila Cockrell Theater Lobby. The concert is Wednesday at 8 P.M. and features Sweden’s a cappella sensation The Real Group.

Payment Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, personal or school check (checks will be run same day), and official, signed purchase orders for the correct amount are accepted.

Split payments cannot include a credit card.

Family Members Registered attendee family member badge: $10 each Children under 12 are free (family cannot also be a music educator, music minister, musician, or college music student).

Badges purchased online are provided when you pick up your convention badge. You can also purchase family badges when you complete on-site registration, or later at the visitors booth.

$10 Daily Parking + Free Shuttle Park for $10 each day at the Alamodome Lots B–C. TMEA provides free shuttle service Thursday–Saturday from Lot B. These lots do not include security, so don’t leave behind any valuables. If you prefer to walk, the walkway from the north side of the Alamodome under I-37 to the convention center is open. Check the convention webpage Directions and Parking section for more information.

Online Schedule & Convention App From www.tmea.org/convention, you can create a personal schedule, retrieve it for editing, and print it. This is also the first step in creating your CPE record. You can also download the TMEA 2017 convention app for the schedule, maps, and much more! Go to your app store and search for TMEA 2017.

FEBRUARY 8–11: THE BEST MUSIC EDUCATORS CONVENTION! 4

Southwestern Musician | February 2017

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

B Y

D I N A H

M E N G E R

Passing the torch

A

s I come to the end of my term as President of this incredible organization, I am filled with a sense of contentment. The future of TMEA continues to shine brightly and will be in the best of hands with our President-Elect. There is an increase in student involvement in our All-State processes, the number of university music education majors is increasing, our “final frontier” of urban and rural members have a voice in our organization, our voice at the capitol remains strong, TFME groups are growing, scholarship funds continue to benefit applicants, and the staff and Executive Board members continue to work tirelessly and exhaust every possible way to better the organization and support all members.

For many of us, leadership develops by simply being at the right place at the right time or often because no one else would volunteer. We learned to lead by being courageous enough to make public mistakes and to dare to be vulnerable to grow ourselves and our programs or Regions. As a new generation of music educators enters the scene, it is so important for the “old dogs” to groom and support them as they rise to the challenge of leadership. New ideas, energy, and passion are always needed, and those of us who have been in the game for a long time must have the humility and sense to showcase upand-comers—this will be our legacy to our organization.

As John Buchan, former governor general of Canada and Scottish novelist,

In a sense, we serve as the elders of our music tribe. Our experiences and the lessons learned are our stories to pass on.

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Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

March 6—Arts Education Day at the Capitol.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

April–June—Submit proposals online for the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

May 5—TMEA membership year opens for online and mail/fax submission.

A CHRIST-CENTERED EXPERIENCE ETBU is a life-changing experience in a Christ-centered community.

Through the integration of biblical faith and academic learning, you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You will be challenged by our committed Christian faculty and staff to pursue God in all aspects of your life. As a graduate of ETBU, you will be prepared to stand as a pillar of influence in your calling for God’s glory.

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES Concert Choir Musical Theatre Women’s Choir Opera Workshop Jazz Band

Guitar Ensemble Percussion Ensemble Brass & Woodwind Choirs Handbell Choir Men’s Choir

Worship Ensembles Vocal Ensembles Symphonic Band Marching Band

stated, “The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.” It is so gratifying to step aside and help someone else discover their strengths and abilities, to validate their talents and character, to gently guide them as they find their way.

Just like scouts looking for the next football hero, we must constantly search for the next generation of leaders for music education. By encouraging our young teachers to put themselves out there and volunteer, we are honing them for roles of leadership. “Leaders aren’t born; they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.” This quote by famous head coach Vince Lombardi is so true.

Seek out energetic teachers, encourage them, mentor them, and promote them to everyone you know!

In my new role in school administration, I have been given the opportunity to see how the puzzle pieces fit together.

Interviewing and hiring new graduates, watching and mentoring these new teachers in their first classroom, lifting them up in disappointment and frustration, and celebrating their successes is, in

CONTACT OUR CHRISTIAN SCHOLARS FOR MORE INFORMATION: Band Program: Choral Program: Instrumental Studies: Music Education: Piano Studies: Vocal Studies: Worship Studies:

Mark Crim, mcrim@etbu.edu Dr. Justin Hodges, jhodges@etbu.edu Dr. Douglas Lockard, dlockard@etbu.edu Dr. Kristen Bugos, kbugos@etbu.edu Dr. Randall Sulton, rsulton@etbu.edu Dr. Virginia Lile Boaz, vboaz@etbu.edu Dr. Thomas R. Webster, twebster@etbu.edu

Attend Your Region Meeting FRIDAY, FEB 10 5:15 PM

Contact us at music@etbu.edu or www.etbu.edu/music Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.

Psalm 95:1-2 8

Southwestern Musician | February 2017

Be involved in the future of your association.

Locations are in the convention schedule.

Attend the 2017 TMEA President’s Concert Featuring:

Wednesday, February 8 at 8 p.m.

Lila Cockrell Theater • $10 tickets Get your tickets at the Information Booth in the Registration Area. After 7 p.m., go to the theater.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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itself, a beautiful legacy. These new music educators were influenced by the profound experiences they had as students.

One of you, dear readers, took the time to mentor and encourage a young, uncertain student to pursue a grand life as a music teacher. Stay in touch with your former students who are now your colleagues and continue your mentorship. Not only does this help them, but it also keeps all of us who may be a bit frayed and worn aware of current challenges and expectations that we may not have faced. I always loved family reunions where my elders would tell great stories of our family’s past and would also listen raptly to me. I was part of something historical and I felt validated. In a sense, we serve as the elders of our music tribe. Our experiences and the lessons learned are our stories to pass on.

Listening to our young teachers is our gift to them. May we listen louder than we sing to our next generation of trail blazers and music makers.

TMEA Clinic/Convention Update The TMEA convention is days away. I would like to highlight two of the many exciting opportunities to be experienced.

Take time, if at all possible, to seek out and get to know some new faces at the convention. Many times we travel to San Antonio only to hang out with the same colleagues we see on a regular basis. I challenge you to expand your circle to include those who are newer to this crazy life and to leave the convention with new contacts and mentorship possibilities. Let’s continue to grow our own music phenoms!

President’s Concert The President’s Concert will feature the incredible professional vocal group The Real Group. Formed in 1984 by students at the Swedish Royal College of Music, the ensemble is still going strong with new members and a slate of international awards. In the beginning days of contemporary a cappella (before it was cool), The Real Group blazed a trail for groups wanting to experiment with this genre. Their delightful arrangements are performed by a cappella groups worldwide, many written by producer and tenor member Anders Endenroth. They are passionate about the singing art and enjoy sharing their philosophy and techniques with universities and fellow singers around the world. This will be their

first time performing for TMEA members and it is sure to be a thrilling evening of vocal perfection!

Urban Music Education Roundtables Based on the book Urban Music Education: A Practical Guide for Teachers, TMEA is hosting an opportunity for you to discuss issues specifically relating to the challenges and great opportunities that more and more of our teachers are facing on a daily basis. Author Kate R. Fitzpatrick will be the presenter in two of the four roundtable conversations led by members of the Summer Urban Music Education Dialogue. Look for these sessions in the convention schedule and lend your voice and expertise to fellow music educators. It is important to share our stories of teaching challenges and successes

with each other to fortify our strength as teachers in today’s rapidly changing demographic.

In closing, I would like to offer a huge thanks to those who passed the torch and allowed me to grow as a choir director, leader, human, and artist. Thankfully, there are too many names in this rich and rewarding life I have been given to mention here, but I hope I have shown the gratitude each so richly deserves and, in giving of my time and talent, I have made them proud along the way. Music education is a sacred quest, and our efforts to mold beautiful, strong students who believe in themselves and their voices are the legacy we leave on this earth. May each of you continue to believe in what you do with a renewed sense of purpose and passion. You are heroes.

805-338-4170 / www.ccriddles.com P.O. Box 363, Newbury Park, CA 91319

Innovative, Versatile, Fun, and Challenging Study Cards Practice Tests Workbooks

New Mexico State University

Department of Music There’s a place for you ...a place to shine ...a place to succeed

Come discover your place with us Ingrid Larragoity-Martin Interim Director of Bands ilarrago@nmsu.edu 575-646-2304

www.music.nmsu.edu music@nmsu.edu 575-646-2421 Southwestern Musician | February 2017 11

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

B Y

R O B E R T

F L O Y D

Varying the convention experience

F

or those of us who have attended the convention for many years, we tend to fall into the same pattern of where we stay, where we eat, where we meet friends for a beverage, what concerts we attend, and even the number of nights we stay. We all are creatures of habit, falling into a comfort zone of some kind, and we tend to follow it year after year. If this describes you, then I challenge you to break out of your usual ritual this year and take in at least one event that may fall outside your normal attendance pattern.

First and foremost, with over 10,000 active members at the convention and only 1,800–2,200 in attendance at each of the general sessions each year, it is safe to say that many members have never attended one of these sessions. I would encourage you, then, to place at least one if not both on your schedule. The Executive Board spends months securing dynamic, quality keynote speakers for these events, and this year is no exception. On Thursday morning Bob Morrison will present a stirring and inspirational message entitled Our Founding Fathers’ Dreams: What They Mean for the Future of Music Education.

Packed with audio and video throughout, his presentation will entertain and inspire you and validate the role of the arts in the history of our country. On Friday morning, Eric Booth will return to TMEA after 11 years to share his passion for the importance and impact of arts education in the lives of children not just in this country but around the world. I am sure he will enhance his message by sharing stories of his travels around the globe observing El Sistema programs as part of research for his new book on this topic. I had the opportunity to hear both Bob and Eric speak at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago in December, and trust me on this one—you will not want to miss either of

I challenge you to break out of your usual ritual this year and take in at least one event that may fall outside your normal attendance pattern.

12 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention.

March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

March 6—Arts Education Day at the Capitol.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

April–June—Submit proposals online for the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

May 5—TMEA membership year opens for online and mail/fax submission.

2017 TMEA General Sessions Be an active TMEA member and attend!

Thursday & Friday • 8:30 a.m. • Lila Cockrell Theater FIRST GENERAL SESSION

SECOND GENERAL SESSION

Thursday, February 9, 8:30 a.m.

Lila Cockrell Theater • President-Elect Nominations Close • TMEA Scholarships Presentation

Friday, February 10, 8:30 a.m.

Lila Cockrell Theater • President-Elect Announcement • All-State Combined Ensemble

Keynote Address

by Bob Morrison Our Founding Fathers' Dreams: What They Mean for the Future BOB of Music Education MORRISON

Keynote Address

by Eric Booth Changing Lives: Music Education Dedicated to ERIC What Matters Most BOOTH

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 13

them. As an active TMEA member, it is also important to be present for the minimal yet important business included and to honor our scholarship winners, hear our All-State students perform, and recognize our departing Board members. I hope to see you there.

Here are some other suggestions for events to attend that you may not have considered in the past: President’s Concert: This event has always been viewed as a gift from the Executive Board to the membership. A $10 ticket to hear The Real Group is truly a bargain. It will be an entertaining evening, no matter your teaching division.

College Fair: Whether a college student or a teacher wishing to pursue graduate study, there will be over 120 college and university booths for you to visit in the exhibit hall.

Job Fair: This is primarily for college students who will be seeking employment next fall.

Region meetings: As an active member, it is your responsibility to be a part of the decision-making in your Region.

Make it a point to be there.

Divisional meetings: Again, it is important as a member to be involved (in some cases this will include electing your next divisional Vice-President). Some will also include a short keynote that will be informational and inspirational.

Music Showcases: Review the schedule to find those mini-performances you definitely want to hear. These ensembles have spent many hours preparing for their convention performances, and they all deserve an appreciative audience.

Product Showcases: Don’t overlook these opportunities. For the first time, these alternating showcases of new products will be located within the exhibit hall.

Don’t forget to check out these options and perhaps build one or two into your schedule.

College reunions: Our colleges and universities go to great expense and commit significant time to provide such opportunities. Go connect with faculty and alumni.

Protected exhibit time: Head to the exhibit hall during this time for your division and share your thanks for the support of the sustaining members. You will find your division’s time noted in the convention schedule.

All-State rehearsals and concerts: If you have never observed an All-State rehearsal, it is worth the cost of attending the convention in and of itself. The concerts are equally inspiring. Make it a point to stay and hear our amazing students perform, and consider attending one in a division in which you do not teach.

Networking: A national study recently revealed that the #1 reason members attend professional conferences is no longer for professional development and education but for networking. While visiting with friends is always something we look forward to at the convention, I encourage you to plan to do so if you have not exerted that effort in the past. It is a great opportunity to not just catch up about family and personal lives, but also to share teaching strategies on a topic that is of a common interest. I can recall being a young teacher sitting up half the night talking shop in a hotel room. That may be the extreme, but networking with successful veteran teachers is a learning opportunity that is a valuable fringe benefit of attending.

Additional meetings: Consider attending a meeting of another professional organization with which you are

affiliated, such as ATSSB, Phi Beta Mu, TMEC, Orff and Kodály, Texas Jazz Educators Association, or Mu Omicron.

Finally, I would encourage you to attend at least one clinic, workshop, or concert that is not representative of your division, recognizing the amazing leadership and student talent across the music curriculum. It is a key component of professional growth to learn from those who teach in areas other than where we spend most of our classroom time. And remember that clinics that cut across all divisions are hosted by the College Division. Make sure you give those sessions a serious look.

The Executive Board and staff have striven to produce for you a convention that will be inspirational and motivational and send you home a better teacher. We hope to you soon in San Antonio!

2015–2016 Audit Our constitution requires the executive director to provide for and order an annual audit of TMEA accounts by a duly qualified accountant. The 2016 audit of the association by Allman & Associates, Inc. is now available online at www.tmea.org/about.

Lenten Meditations Our Director ƌ͘ ƌŝĐ WŽƐĂĚĂ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƌƟƐƟĐ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ĂŶĚ ŽŶĚƵĐƚŽƌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌĂnjŽƐ sĂůůĞLJ ŚŽƌĂůĞ ĂŶĚ ƐĞƌǀĞƐ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ŽĨ DƵƐŝĐ Ăƚ ^ƚ͘ :ŽƐĞƉŚ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ŚƵƌĐŚ ŝŶ ƌLJĂŶ͘ &ƌŽŵ ϮϬϭϯͲϮϬϭϲ͕ ŚĞ ŚĞůĚ ƚŚĞ ƟƚůĞ ŽĨ ƐƐŝƐƚĂŶƚ ŝƌĞĐƚŽƌ ŽĨ ŚŽƌĂů ĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ Ăƚ dĞdžĂƐ ΘD hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ has successfully taught middle school ĂŶĚ ŚŝŐŚ ƐĐŚŽŽů ĐŚŽŝƌ ŝŶ dĞdžĂƐ͘

As we begin the forty days and forty nights of Lent, come begin the journey Ăƚ ŽƵƌ ͞>ĞŶƚĞŶ DĞĚŝƚĂƟŽŶƐ͟ ŽīĞƌŝŶŐ͘ dŚĞ ĐŽŶĐĞƌƚ ǁŝůů ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞ :ŽŚŶ ZƵƩĞƌ͛Ɛ Requiem with soprano soloist Jeannie Barrick and her crystal clear soprano ƚŽŶĞƐ͘ ZŽƵŶĚŝŶŐ ŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ǁŝůů ďĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƌĞŇĞĐƟǀĞ ƉŝĞĐĞƐ ďLJ DŽnjĂƌƚ͕ ĂƐĂůƐ͕ ^ƚĂŝŶĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ DĂƌƟŶ

:ĞĂŶŶŝĞ >ŽǀĞƩ ĂƌƌŝĐŬ ƐĞƌǀĞƐ ŽŶ the music theory faculty at Texas dĞĐŚ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ǁŚĞƌĞ ƐŚĞ ƚĞĂĐŚĞƐ dŚĞ ƌĂnjŽƐ sĂůůĞLJ ŚŽƌĂůĞ ŝƐ Ă ϭϬϬн undergraduate and graduate courses ŵŝdžĞĚͲǀŽŝĐĞ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌ ĐŚŽƌƵƐ ƐĞƌǀŝŶŐ ŝŶ ŵƵƐŝĐ ƚŚĞŽƌLJ ĂŶĚ ĂƵƌĂů ƐŬŝůůƐ͘ ƚŚĞ ƌLJĂŶͲ ŽůůĞŐĞ ^ƚĂƟŽŶ ĂƌĞĂ͘ KƵƌ Saturday, March 4, 2017, 7pm ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ Ă ĐƌŽƐƐͲƐĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ First Presbyterian Church ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ Ăůů ĂƌĞ ĐŽŵŵŝƩĞĚ ƚŽ 1100 Carter Creek Pkwy, Bryan, TX ĞdžĐĞůůĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ĐŚŽƌĂů ŵƵƐŝĐ ŽĨ Ăůů ƚLJƉĞƐ͘

Who We Are

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Southwestern Musician | February 2017 15

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tmea distinguished a dm inistr ator spotlight The TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award program recognizes school administrators whose support has been critical to the music program successes in schools across our state. TMEA has recognized over 200 deserving administrators through this program. When TMEA honors an administrator with this designation, the nominating TMEA member is sent a certificate to present their administrator. To nominate your administrator, go to www.tmea.org/adminaward.

Rosemary Reed, Principal Melba Passmore ES, Alvin ISD Nominated by Lauren Summa Rosemary Reed is a steadfast supporter of arts education. As other campuses shorten class time for art and music, Ms. Reed has extended our meeting times and diminished extra duties to make our jobs easier. She actively seeks out opportunities for Passmore ES performing groups to perform on a districtwide stage. Her support during on- and off-campus performances goes above and beyond that of other administrators.

In addition to her support of our performing groups, Ms. Reed understands that music teachers have specialized duties inherent in their jobs. She consistently creates opportunities for me to work with other music teachers, music programs, and campus and district administrators. Her support of me as lead elementary music teacher not only benefits the Passmore Elementary campus but also benefits all of the elementary music students in Alvin ISD. Thank you for this opportunity to recognize Ms. Reed for her interest and actions in strengthening arts education for Alvin ISD students. Her efforts are greatly appreciated here, and I know recognition from TMEA will mean the world to her. Thank you for taking the time to support outstanding Texas administrators.

Dr. William Summerhill, Head of School Ascension Academy, Amarillo Nominated by Kellie Bartley The music department at Ascension Academy is pleased to nominate our Head of School for this award. Dr. Summerhill is known in the community of Amarillo as an avid supporter of the arts. He is involved in several local arts organizations and sings in his church choir. This remarkable leader is passionate about the role music plays in the lives of our students. When he took the helm at Ascension Academy, there was a small choir, an orchestra program, but no band. I was approached in the spring of 2013 about the idea of teaching a class of wind instruments as the seed for developing a band. Our administrator was so steadfast in the desire to form a band that he made several accommodations to the master schedule to fit in this new class at the only time I could be on campus. We began with nine students. After doubling the 18 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

size of the band and adding a second section for advanced players, Dr. Summerhill knew it was time for us to play at pep rallies. I shared the news that we had no percussionist at the time—and what’s a pep rally without drummers? Well, this did not deter his plans. He picked up a pair of sticks and worked up a beat on a donated electric drumset, and played with us at the first pep rally!

Because of his love for band, we have also added a private lesson program and a percussion component, and we now play at all pep rallies and Veteran’s Day programs. We’ve successfully competed in spring competitions, placed students in middle and high school Region Bands, and now we are proud to perform annually as a full orchestra for Christmas programs and spring graduation. Dr. Summerhill is so passionate about the wind ensemble that he is our official substitute, directing the students in my absence.

Dr. Debr a Crosby, Superintendent Ford HS, Quinlan ISD Nominated by Martin Filip It is my honor and privilege to nominate Dr. Debra Crosby for the TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award. I have worked with Dr. Crosby for 12 years on multiple levels. I can tell you firsthand that she supports and values the fine arts. Dr. Crosby makes it a point to be involved in our programs and attend performances. She is often seen at programs of all levels and types— elementary, middle school, and high school; band, choir, and theater. She even participated on stage last year in our performance of Grease. It takes a lot of commitment and time to attend so many performances, and we are grateful for her dedication and support of our students and programs with her presence.

Dr. Crosby takes an interest in what we are doing and the accomplishments we have on and off the stage and football field.

She helps celebrate our successes both publicly and personally.

When accomplishments are earned by a group, she sends personalized, handwritten notes to the participating students and directors congratulating them. These are not form letters printed from computer and signed; they have meaning and personal attention is given to each of them. In addition to the personalized celebrations, she ensures district resources are utilized to help promote the students’ successes throughout the community.

Dr. Crosby is often seen around the district and community

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with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She loves our community, school district, and most importantly our students.

Every decision she makes is driven by what is best for our students. This is shown in her never-ending support of the fine arts and the growth she has nurtured through support of budgeting, increased staffing, facility additions, renovated facilities, new equipment, uniforms, instruments, an equipment truck, and current technology. Several years ago we received a grant to help us purchase a grand piano for our performing arts center at W.H. Ford HS. Dr. Crosby was instrumental in securing additional funding to allow for the purchase. She takes every request from the fine arts programs seriously and either immediately approves the request or gathers more evidence to support the request so it can be approved. She does not discount our requests, the programs, or students.

Dr. Crosby is a dedicated supporter of the fine arts and what

nominate your school administr ator Go to www.tmea.org/adminaward to nominate your administrator for this distinction.

we have to offer. She believes the fine arts educate the whole student and allow for growth academically, musically, and individually. It is such a pleasure to work with her and we all value her as a leader, mentor, and supporter of the fine arts and our students.

We are blessed to have such a fine superintendent who values the arts at the helm of the Quinlan ISD. Scott Davis, Principal Deepwater JH, Deer Park ISD Nominated by Shannon Duckett & Sandra Borrego Scott Davis has been the principal at Deepwater JH (a Title I school in Deer Park ISD) for the past seven years. He is a great supporter of the music department. He has implemented changes to the school’s fine arts department schedule so that every sixth grader could have an opportunity to enlist in either band or choir (we do not have orchestra at our school). He attends every concert without fail and drives us to UIL contests. He is devoted to ensuring all Deepwater JH students succeed in everything they do; however, he takes a particular interest in our school’s music programs.

In addition to attending each concert, Mr. Davis also provides some inspiring closing words at the end of the concert and often tells the audience about how he believes in fine arts and how it helps students excel in all academics. His presence at our school’s concerts as well as other district concerts has been noticed by many of our music colleagues. He truly aspires to see that all students succeed and is very proud of them and their hard work.

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Gary Owens, Director, Levelland MS Band, Levelland, TX “From my first use of RB in 2011, sightreading was much easier for our kids.

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RB starts every class, and we are very pleased with the results.”

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 21

He is especially interested in the development and growth of a men’s choir. We have already begun to recruit members for it, resulting in growth in membership as well as progress in music education. I highly recommend Scott Davis for your consideration of a Distinguished Administrator award. This would mean a great deal to him as well as to our school, music department, and students.

Brent McDonald, Principal Woodcreek MS, Humble ISD Nominated by Heather Davis When you think of a person who inspires his teachers and students to be great, you think of Brent McDonald. When you think of someone you can go to with any issue or concern, you think of Mr. McDonald. When you think of a principal who supports all areas of his school to the fullest, especially music, you think of Mr. McDonald. I’m fortunate to work with him each day at Woodcreek MS, and he is hands down the most inspiring and

hard-working person I’ve ever worked for. Not only is he always prepared and making sure we are prepared, but he also takes the time to connect with the teachers and students to the fullest.

There isn’t a week that goes by that he’s not talking with me in the hallway, stopping by the room, or asking about his son who is in our sixth-grade beginning orchestra this year.

He will say that he’s “not a music person,” but he will also tell you that he’ll do anything you need to make sure you’re successful. When Mr. McDonald learned the athletics department in our district was making a change to the eighth-grade girls’ athletics schedule, he emailed me to let me know that it would affect our top chamber orchestra if the change went through. For someone who takes the placement of our classes extremely seriously, this meant a lot. I’m humbled that he would take the time to make sure the music department was aware and able to think in advance to make any changes necessary. When you think of presenting Distinguished Administrator awards, please consider Brent McDonald.

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22 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Admissions and Scholarship

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AUDITION DATES February 18 February 25 March 4 ONLY

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B Y

J O E

BAND NOTES

M U Ñ O Z

Music scholars

E

February 1—Honor Band entry system opens.

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

February 9, 5:15 p.m.—Band Division business meeting at the convention.

February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention.

March 1—Honor Band online entry deadline for classes 2C, 3C, 3A, and 5A. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

March 6—Arts Education Day at the Capitol.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

April–June—Submit proposals online for the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

May 5—TMEA membership year opens for online and mail/fax submission.

ach year at this time, the cooler air (at least cooler than September) has always given me great anticipation for the TMEA Clinic/Convention. The crispness in the air matches my excitement to see old friends and gain new perspectives.

In a few days it will again be time to make the trip to San Antonio to come together as an association to celebrate music and the people who create and teach it. Students across the state are putting the final touches on performances that will inspire us all to seek a new level of understanding of our profession. They also allow us to marvel at the level of musicianship that can be achieved with dedicated leadership. I hope these students and their directors take time to value the experience. I know that we will show our appreciation for the talent and hard work they will showcase in their performances. Our myriad of clinics can provide teachers at every level of experience with new information and different ways to approach challenges we encounter.

How we use new information or different ways to approach challenges can have a lasting effect on our programs. Changing your perspective equips you with new ways to tackle a persistent issue. For example, we often encounter issues with student scheduling. It is important to find ways to communicate with administrators about the importance of music in the schools and how student participation in our program correlates to the school’s overall success. Don’t take it for granted that everyone believes in the correlation

How we use new information or different ways to approach challenges can have a lasting effect on our programs. Changing your perspective equips you with new ways to tackle a persistent issue.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 27

between music study and higher overall academic achievement. Look at how your students did on the STARR or EOC exams last year. Promote your students’ academic successes to draw the attention of your campus leaders. Be ready to introduce data that shows your administrators how many of your students scored well above the standard on those exams.

Stressing student achievement outside your program can help others understand that what your program offers extends well beyond the band room or performance stage. It can also show the decision

makers on your campus that you have the ability to see the big picture and be an active leader on the campus to promote your program through student academic success.

Another way to promote your students’ success is to submit those who qualify for the Texas Music Scholar Award. This award is presented to students in high school music programs who exemplify attributes of meritorious performance in the areas of scholarship, musicianship, and citizenship. The Texas Music Scholar Award entry system will open on March 1,

and you can submit students until May 1.

You can find the qualification criteria and access the student submission system on the TMEA website under the Programs menu. Make sure you share with your administration the list of students who are achieving musically and academically.

Promoting the overall academic success of your students can set the groundwork for the future validity of your program.

TMEA Clinic/Convention Updates The annual Band Division Business Meeting is Thursday, February 9, at 5:15 P.M. in CC Stars at Night Ballroom.

This meeting is vital to the continued success of the Band Division, so be sure you are in attendance. We will have a brief keynote from our TMEA Band Division Featured Clinician, Allan McMurray.

Also, at the Band Division Business meeting Dr. Brad Kent, Director of UIL Music Activities, will provide some timesensitive UIL updates and release PML substitution request decisions.

Remember that you can create a personalized convention schedule online.

Once completed, this schedule helps members create their CPE documentation and allows quick and easy search for concerts and clinics. The personalized convention schedule will also allow access to clinic handouts provided to TMEA by the clinicians. If you purchase access, you can also download clinic audio files through the personal schedule after the convention. In addition, TMEA offers a convention app for your personal device.

Download it to your smartphone or tablet from your app store (it’s free and found by searching for TMEA 2017). See you in a couple of weeks!

Honor Band New for 2017 is that all recordings will be submitted online. Please check the TMEA website for file specifications for your submissions. The Honor Band entry system will be open for entries on February 1, and the entry deadline is March 1. This year’s Honor Band process will select 2C, 3C, 3A, and 5A Honor Bands to perform at the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention. More information regarding dates, sites, judges, and chairs will be posted later at www.tmea.org.

28 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

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Douglas R. Boyer Director, School of Music and Director of Choral Activities dboyer@tlu.edu 830-372-6869 or 800-771-8521

Elizabeth Lee Asst. Professor, Cello Patricia Lee Asst. Professor, Piano Wei Chen Lin Asst. Professor, Piano

Beth Bronk Director of Bands bbronk@tlu.edu

Deborah Mayes Accompanist

Shaaron Conoly Director of Vocal Studies sconoly@tlu.edu

Daniel Scott McDonald Instructor, Saxophone & Jazz Band

Eric Daub Director of Piano Studies edaub@tlu.edu

Carla McElhaney Asst. Professor, Collaborative Pianist

Eliza Jeffords Director of Strings ejeffords@tlu.edu

David Milburn Instructor, Double Bass

FACULTY Mark Ackerman Instructor, Oboe

Ilan Morgenstern Instructor, Low Brass Joseph Palmer Asst. Professor, Guitar

Adam Bedell Instructor, Percussion

Keith Robinson Instructor, Tuba & Music Education

Mary Ellen Cavitt Asst. Professor, Horn

Jill Rodriguez Instructor, General Music

Carol Chambers Instructor, Music Education

Robert Mark Rogers Asst. Professor, Bassoon

Ashley Cooper Instructor, Violin

Eric Siu Asst. Professor, Violin

Joseph Cooper Asst. Professor, Trumpet

Robert Warren Asst. Professor, Piano, General Music & Music History

Paula Corley Instructor, Clarinet

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Ten Tips for Mariachi Instructors

by Curtis Tredway trum, much of the mariachi genre is based on a tradition of folk ot that long ago, I was asked to take over the mariachi music, so the repertoire should represent this literature well. It is program at the University of Texas at El Paso. While important that we pay tribute to the origins of our ensemble. At I have had a long career as a high school and colthe other end of the spectrum, mariachi music often embraces lege band director, I had no experience with mariacompositions from the ’70s–’90s and beyond. These newer pieces chi music whatsoever, and I don’t speak Spanish (with the posallow our body of literature to continue to grow. Performing sible exception of a few phrases learned from my students that selections from across the spectrum will help improve student are likely unfit for publication). Despite that background, I have and audience engagement. really enjoyed this new experience, and have grown both as a musician and an educator in the proDo Your Homework: For each tune, listen to numerous recordings— cess. I teach exceptional students who Mariachi music offers a great old and modern recordings, small and help me select repertoire and who frequently correct my Spanish pronunciaopportunity to expose students large groups, etc. You can find many mariachi recordings on the Internet. tion. The program has grown rapidly, to social, political, geographical, Listening to a variety of settings and and we were even able to perform at interpretations will help you expand the 2016 TMEA Clinic/Convention. and cultural influences that the artistic depth of your ensemble.

Having learned while doing, I offer shape artistic expression.

Pay special attention to patterns played the following tips for anyone who is in by the armonía (guitar, vihuela, and the early phases of or considering startguitarrón). These patterns are important characteristics of various ing a mariachi program in their school. These have been integral mariachi styles and genres. in my work helping our mariachi develop.

Write It Down: As a folk-based genre, mariachi music has a Expand Your Repertoire: Sometimes mariachi ensembles fall into the trap of playing the same tunes over and over. Within long aural/oral tradition. Much of the music isn’t written down (or is only in rough sketch), and the music is often learned through the genre there are several musical styles, such as sones, rancheras, rote teaching. This approach can often introduce subtle (or not so ballads, boleros, huapangos, polkas, and marches. Also, some nonsubtle) changes into the tunes. It also makes it difficult to reteach traditional styles, such as pop and rock songs, have worked their the tune to the next generation of performers. As music educators, way into the mariachi literature. The mariachi program should written arrangements can be used to develop note-reading skills contain selections representing numerous styles. which, in turn, facilitates learning new selections.

Something Old, Something New: At one end of the spec-

N

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 33

Be Prepared to Make Edits: Numerous mariachi arrangements are based on interpretations by particular artists. Some selections are transcriptions of specific recordings. These arrangements/ transcriptions are often written by avid amateurs or semiprofessionals. As such, they may contain errors in pitch, rhythm, or standard notation practices. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to make edits or corrections.

Everybody Sings, Everybody Plays: Many musicians tend to think of themselves as either instrumentalists or vocalists. Mariachi ensembles require members

to be both. Encouraging everyone in the ensemble to sing is a great way to develop musicianship and add variety to the performance. Many mariachi tunes call for group singing, usually in two- or threepart harmony. Songs that call for vocal soloists can generate additional excitement by having different members sing each verse or having these soloists also harmonize on choruses or other appropriate spots.

Perform a Show, Not Just a Concert: Careful attention to staging, performance attitude, choreography, flow, and audience

interaction can be the difference between an acceptable performance and a memorable event. A strong performance is both an aural and a visual experience.

Maintain Rehearsal Standards: Mariachi has a long tradition of amateur participation. Sometimes this is interpreted as accepting poor intonation or tone production. We should insist on the best musicianship our students can produce.

This means performing with characteristic instrumental tone and proper vocal production that is compatible with the mariachi style. Intonation, balance, blend, phrasing, articulations, and diction are just as important in mariachi as in any other ensemble.

Teach Beyond the Notes: Mariachi music offers a great opportunity to expose students to social, political, geographical, and cultural influences that shape artistic expression. Too often students perform selections without any exposure to these elements. Make sure your students have a strong understanding of forces and events that influenced the development of many of the songs and traditions. Further, the genre has its own giants of composition and performance who should be studied.

Go beyond the notes.

Ask For Help: Mariachi ensembles require pedagogical knowledge that is seldom part of traditional music education training. In addition to teaching nonWestern European instruments such as the guitarrĂłn and the vihuela, instructors must be able to address issues related to bowed strings, fretted strings, brass winds, and vocal production. Further, the genre often calls for performance practices that are not always notated. It is rare that an instructor has a thorough background in each of these areas. Seek out those who have experience in these areas. The best instructors are the ones who improve their knowledge by capitalizing on the strengths of others.

As you work to start or improve a mariachi program at your school, I hope these ideas that have helped me along the way will also help you build a successful program through which your students can experience this rich cultural and musical tradition.

Curtis Tredway teaches music education undergraduate and graduate classes at UT/El Paso and directs Mariachi Los Mineros.

34 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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by Linda Johnson egardless of the subject matter they teach, nearly every about instructional practice. All educators are encouraged to be educator spends time designing a plan for learning proactive in sharing periodic updates with their appraiser about based on content standards and knowledge of student reflections on practice and progress toward goals. need. This is then used to guide and adjust instruction For fine arts educators, these conversations, both formal and to maximize learning for every student. informal, are especially important opportunities to help appraisIn a very basic way, these universal activities shared by all ers better understand what learning looks and sounds like in their teachers form the core of the four Texas Teacher Evaluation and classroom (the â&#x20AC;&#x153;look-forsâ&#x20AC;?). In these conversations, educators Support System (T-TESS) domains: planning, instruction, learnshould also provide an overview of how their classroom/rehearsal ing environment, and professional practices and responsibilities. procedures contribute to an effective and efficient learning enviSo although some descriptors on the T-TESS rubric may include ronment by proactively minimizing disengagement and confuaspects that require clarification for specialized settings, such sion (Dimension 2.4). Furthermore, these conversations also as the fine arts, T-TESS is allow them to give insight to applicable for the appraisal appraisers about how arts of all educators who plan The fine arts naturally provide many educators check for student and provide instruction. and moniopportunities to connect with real-world understanding When thinking about tor for student mastery in a what clarification may be experiences and learning from other fine arts setting. All teachneeded to apply T-TESS strive for student masdisciplines such as science, math, history, ers in a variety of instructional tery, but appraisers may need settings, it is important to some assistance to underand language arts. recognize that the process stand how fine arts teachers was created by Texas educado this in their classrooms. tors to be a system focused on providing feedback and support To prepare for sharing information with an appraiser, the that contributes to growth and development for all educators.

T-TESS Triangle can be a useful tool to help educators think As part of connecting feedback to educator development, the more intentionally about specific aspects of their instructional T-TESS process seeks to encourage dialogue between teachers process. By providing this information prior to an observation, and campus leaders to allow both to further develop insight into fine arts educators can help appraisers gain meaningful insights good instructional practices. since some of the instructional decisions you make while planWhile the conferences embedded throughout the T-TESS ning and delivering a lesson may not be obvious to the appraiser process serve as the most structured opportunities for appraiser/ during an observation. The observation post-conference provides appraisee dialogue, a key goal is to spark ongoing conversations another important opportunity to provide appraisers additional

R

36 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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By seeking an expanded understanding of students’ skills it allows fine arts teachers to provide more nuanced differentiation and to more accurately recognize and celebrate students’ accomplishments. insight into the impact of the strategies implemented and any adjustments made in response to the informal student data gathered during the lesson.

The first layer of the T-TESS Triangle asks educators to think about the foundational questions of: What am I going to teach?, How am I going to teach it?, and How will I assess student learning? Moving beyond those familiar questions, the second layer of the triangle connects the content to the process and context of instruction by asking: • What should students know and be able to do as a result of this instruction?

• What curriculum standards are addressed?

• How will this be taught to address individual needs and interests?

• Which instructional strategies will I choose to maximize impact on student learning and why?

• How will I connect this learning to prior or other learning in a way that makes sense to students and is relevant and useful?

The third layer of the triangle asks educators to take their thinking even further regarding what the teacher and students will do to show progress toward mastery and how the teacher will know that students have mastered the objective(s).

Taken together, thinking through the layers of the T-TESS Triangle can help fine arts educators demonstrate the connection between their work and the dimension descriptors.

For example, being able to explain how content is taught to address individual needs or how instructional strategies were chosen to maximize impact on learning for all students speaks to how arts educators differentiate instruction in a group setting (Dimension 2.4). For example, in a choir class, the teacher may select a certain piece for students to learn because it will help strengthen an essential skill for some learners. Similarly, in orchestra, instructional strategies may include sectionals or

small ensembles as strategies to address individual needs. In some situations, using a rotational approach to section seating rather than competing for chairs helps ensure all students have an opportunity to develop both section leader and section member skills and understanding.

When teachers think about how they will connect the current learning to prior or other learning it also provides an opportunity to demonstrate how they integrate learning from other disciplines and real-world experiences (Dimension 2.2). The fine arts naturally provide many opportunities to connect with real-world experiences and learning from other disciplines such as science, math, history, and language arts. Fine arts students can study the science of sound or color, the math of visual perspectives, the history surrounding the development of works of art, musical instruments, or various dance techniques, and the parallels between fine arts and aspects of language arts, such as narrative progression, identifying themes, or the process of polishing writing much like musicians polish pieces for performance, and more. This not only deepens students’ understanding of the fine arts but also creates opportunities for higherlevel thinking and questioning. One way to do this is to ask students to imagine how a change in one of these elements might impact the art, such as: “If ___ had never been invented what would be the impact on ___?”

Essential to all aspects of the process is awareness of students’ proficiencies, not only in fine arts classes but also overall. Knowing students’ skill sets in other areas, such as an aptitude for logical and linear thought in math, or verbal/linguistic abilities in ELA, can deepen an arts

educator’s knowledge of their students and yield insight into selecting instructional strategies that resonate with learners and, ultimately, increase mastery of fine arts concepts. Arts educators often get to see a unique side of students that other teachers may not experience. By seeking an expanded understanding of students’ skills, fine arts teachers can provide more nuanced differentiation and more accurately recognize and celebrate students’ accomplishments.

Another area for consideration is how fine arts teachers create opportunities for and encourage students to ask questions and use critical-thinking skills to provide feedback. Technology solutions can open additional avenues for this in ways that merge seamlessly with the flow of class and provide immediate feedback.

But even without technology, incorporating opportunities for students to practice critical analysis while giving feedback increases higher-level thinking and student engagement.

Through the fine arts, teachers can also provide students with experience in working toward a challenging goal both individually and collectively (Dimension 2.1). This is a skill that can benefit students in many settings, from students who may be struggling or feeling overwhelmed in another subject to students who are positioned to take more ownership of their learning process. This experience also embodies the philosophy of T-TESS —that we are all learners and we are all working to grow and improve.

As the well-known adage goes, to truly know something one must be able to teach it. Through T-TESS, fine arts teachers have an opportunity to help others better understand the incredible work they do and as a result become even better at their craft.

Linda Johnson, a former orchestra teacher and school principal, helps to oversee the T-TESS process at the Texas Education Agency. She can be reached at linda.johnson@tea.texas.gov.

LEARN MORE The T-TESS Teacher Handbook and many other resources are available at www.teachfortexas.org Southwestern Musician | February 2017 39

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ORCHESTRA NOTES

B Y

P E N N Y

M E I T Z

Fostering commitment

W

hile recently cleaning out an old file, I ran across an article I wrote in 1999 for a Selmer publication that featured ideas and approaches to string pedagogy. At that time, I was active on a masters swim team, H 2 Ouston Swims, and the ideas in the article were drawn from my experiences and observations of being on an athletic team for the first time in my life and of being one of the least experienced and least proficient swimmers on that team. Although I have not been active in swimming for several years, the parallels between teaching orchestra and swim practice still resonate strongly. More recently, I’ve had similar experiences as a beginning ballroom dance student.

My experiences in both dance and swimming have made me think a lot about why orchestra students stick with an activity they may not be particularly good at or committed to the work it takes for steady improvement. In the classroom, that awareness helps me remember to reach out to those students in my ensembles who aren’t the most proficient players and to look for ways to keep them progressing on their instrument. Of course we can usually count on our stars—our very best players—to stay in our ensembles. It is easy for most of us to stick with something we do well. It also seems easier for teachers to focus the most on these dedicated players. After all, what would our programs be without them? But what keeps the others coming back to

Put yourself in the place of your students who are working hard to learn and do something that may not come naturally.

42 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

February 9, 5:15 p.m.—Orchestra Division business meeting at the convention.

February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention.

March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

March 6—Arts Education Day at the Capitol.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

April–June—Submit proposals online for the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

May 5—TMEA membership year opens for online and mail/fax submission.

orchestra year after year, and why do some of our students finally become so discouraged that they quit? My experience as a beginner in activities new to me and in which I didn’t quickly excel has helped me think more about this. It has helped me focus more on improving the playing of all students, not just the ones who know they want to play better, and on making everyone feel like a necessary member of the orchestra.

The Language of Orchestra The first few weeks I worked out with H 2 Ouston Swims were not just a challenge to my fitness and swimming skills.

I had to learn a whole new vocabulary and etiquette just to know what was expected of me. Among these ideas were how to share a lane and what to do when the person behind you swims faster than you do.

In orchestra we have protocol for sharing a stand, playing divisi parts, turning pages, and other aspects of performing.

I’ve encountered the same concept in the dance lessons my husband and I have taken—learning names of dances, moves, and steps that sometimes don’t seem to have a reference to anything I’ve encountered previously.

Written music has its own vocabulary, with much of the terminology in Italian.

For teachers, this language has been such a part of our lives that it’s easy to forget what it was like when we first began playing our instrument or the first time we played in an orchestra. Keep a music dictionary handy, and when unfamiliar terms are encountered in a piece of music, give the dictionary to a student to look up the words. As a learner, I remember new ideas better when I read or experience

them, as opposed to just hearing it from the teacher. Remember what it is like to learn and develop a new skill. Put yourself in the place of your students who are working hard to learn and do something that may not come naturally.

Breakdown of Technique One rehearsal approach I’ve been reminded of when struggling to learn and master a new skill is the importance of separating the skill into a series of smaller components. The first time the swim coach instructed the team to do a drill swimming the butterfly, I panicked. I had no idea how to even try! His approach was to start with an element of the stroke just to give me a place to start, and then to add to and refine that beginning. I still can’t do a decent butterfly stroke, but the coach’s patience and ability to work with

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me from where I started was an important reminder of this critical element of teaching.

Use your creativity to break each technique into the smallest units. Scale practice can involve all of the following skills: notes, intonation, shifting, bow distribution, style, tone production, and fluency (tempo). Spend an ample amount of time isolating each of these smaller components, working slowly and in the smallest units. For example, when teaching a three-octave scale, considerably more time is spent on the highest octave than on the easier portions. Have students begin on the tonic of the third octave, repeating only the first two notes a prescribed number of times. This reinforces the sound of the first interval and the finger spacing or the shift.

After refining intonation on do and re, have the orchestra do the same drill with re and mi, mi and fa, etc. Upon reaching the top of the octave, the notes are put together and the octave is played in its entirety. More drills on specific shifts and intervals will be done in the following days. You can use this approach to drill both ascending and descending the scale.

Peer Coaching During swim practice, swimmers chose a lane based on how fast or slow we swam. Our coach would often ask us to pair up with a swimmer from a different lane for a drill. Swimmers would take turns working on a particular skill with one person swimming and the other watching and giving feedback. As teachers, we know that it helps to verbalize ideas and makes participants think about how they execute a particular skill in order to analyze and explain it to someone else. Pair students up when working on a technical skill. Ask one student of each pair to play a specific passage while the other watches, listens, and analyzes.

Ask the observer to give specific feedback to their partner before the students trade roles. Experiment with this approach to work on bow distribution or style, hand placement in shifting, or tone production.

Although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s usually easiest to have students pair with their stand partner, working with someone from another section can remind them of the similarities of technique on all string instruments and the value of continued work on perfecting basic skills, regardless of instrument or

level of advancement.

An extension of peer coaching is involving students from within the ranks to demonstrate an element of a particular technique. Watch for a student who is doing an especially good job with a concept you are working on and ask them to demonstrate for the class. Look for someone who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always stand out, and be sure the class applauds their success.

Reverse Psychology One morning in swim practice, the coach asked us to swim the first 25 yards watching the opposite wall of the pool and the next 25 yards looking at the bottom of the pool. Keeping oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head down is an important element of balance in the water.

Later that morning, I noticed several of my students being lazy about holding their instruments up. In a moment inspired by my experience in the pool that morning, I asked everyone to point their scrolls to the base of their music stands and play the scale we were using for warm-up. Then we played the same scale holding instruments correctly. The dramatic difference in sound surprised everyone, teaching an important lesson.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 47

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48 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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Variety Is the Spice of Rehearsal In the first few months of attending swim practice, I noticed that while our workouts were based on the same structure, specific drills were rarely repeated.

I looked forward to finding out each morning what we would do that day.

While maintaining a consistent orchestra rehearsal structure is an important element of discipline and control, varying the activities within this structure will help keep you and your students from getting into a rut. Have several different warm-ups that each reinforce one or two elements of technique and choose the one that strengthens one of the objectives of that day’s rehearsal. The most obvious example of this is choosing a scale in the same key as a piece that is presenting intonation problems.

Think of ways to help students focus on what they are doing, even when playing the most mundane routine. If secondfinger intonation is inconsistent, have them count the number of times in a passage that note is out of tune. Then have them repeat the passage, challenging the students to reduce the number of outof-tune notes. The next step might be to increase the tempo without increasing the intonation issues.

Trying and Learning New Skills Learning a new or difficult skill is a challenge for everyone. How many times

have we heard, “I can’t play in third position,” or “My way is easier for me. I can’t do that your way.” Being a beginner at swimming and more recently at ballroom dancing has reminded me what it is like to try to learn something difficult. By applying what I’ve learned as a beginner in new activities, I’ve learned to appreciate the problems of young musicians as they tackle new skills, and to begin from where they are and build on what they’ve already learned.

TMEA Clinic/Convention Update As we think about learning new skills, I hope you are looking forward to gaining a new perspective and new strategies during your attendance at our convention in just a few days. I’m sure this year will once again prove to be an amazing opportunity for bettering ourselves in our craft and gaining motivation to take us through the rest of the school year. If you haven’t already, be sure to complete an online personal schedule at www.tmea.org/2017schedule, as it’s your first step in creating your CPE record after you return from the convention. And while at the convention, you’ll want to take advantage of the convention app. To download the TMEA convention app, go to your app store and search on TMEA 2017. The app will contain the full schedule, maps, exhibitor information, and much more.

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by Sally Schott y grandmothers taught in one-room schoolhouses in the early 1900s, and my mother taught a total of 44 years, so teaching is in my blood. Like them, I have witnessed huge changes in society and advances in technology during my lifetime. Despite this, I feel an equal kinship with those teachers of the past and with the student teachers I supervise today. There is a wonderful continuity to good teaching that transcends time and place and subject matter.

Expanding the discussion of what constitutes good teaching to one that defines the essential components of an ideal choral program is an interesting challenge. What key elements apply to all performancebased classes? What do students remember long after they have left their music classroom? What did they experience that had a lasting impact? With this in mind, I posted a request on our choir alum Facebook page the day I was invited to submit this article. Within 24 hours, these answers to “What are the hallmarks of an ideal choral program?” were posted: One which aggressively pursues a wide variety of challenging music across genres, cultures, and time frames. There is emphasis on attention to detail and high artistic standards that still make it approachable and fun for all participants. —Craig Stephens, Class of ’84

M

54 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

One which doesn’t take itself too seriously!

There is passionate pursuit of excellence in both life and music. —Robin Anderson, Class of ’97 It starts with the director—the “Commander in Chief.” I am inspired when singing for choral directors who have passion, enthusiasm, selfdiscipline, who take time to educate, have the ability to maintain control, are patient, committed to excellence, provide constructive criticism, praise good performance, are great team builders, and like to have fun! —Danny Dickson, Class of ’75 A choir is a safe place for kids to express the deepest impulses of their hearts and simultaneously impact their world one soul at a time with their untarnished emotions. —Anna Beth Brownlee Choate, Class of ’91 Acceptance of nothing less than excellence, pushing/guiding us beyond what we believed was possible, making music personal through relationships with composers such as Dede Duson. —Linda Benner, Class of ’81 Led by a knowledgeable choral director with a deep love of content and a strong work ethic; one who cares about their students and is thoughtful and sincere. —Eileen MillerGuinon, Class of ’93 Family! —Brandie Gwaltney, Class of ’90 High standards, musical literacy, a place where everyone really works as one. The opportunity to learn life skills, how to listen to others,

and how to work to get all to a certain level so we as a whole succeed. —Myra Villarreal Yeretsky, Class of ’86 An ideal choral program has a director who requires nothing less than perfection, whose passion for music is contagious, and who inspires greatness in even the most unlikely of students.

—Amy Higginbotham Burke, Class of ’93 A good choral program is inclusive of all students regardless of their vocal aptitude, gives them the tools to develop a working technical knowledge of music, and allows students to use other assets such as dancing, acting, technical, and administrative skills to contribute to performances. —Christy Tremont Ankrom, Class of ’97 I learned that the higher the level and standards of the group performance, the more individual effort and practice was needed. I am so grateful for having a choir director who believed in my potential and never let me slide by on less than my full effort. —Lynn Brown, Class of ’88 Service to community, standard of excellence, commitment, and camaraderie—all that athletics offers, but with the added benefit of artistic expression. —Mary Jo Bjornas Dall, Class of ’81 Teamwork and work ethic—and the occasional pass to go check out the acoustics at Casa Ole. —Teresa Plotts, Class of ’93 Drilling music theory gave me a life. Period.

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• Steadfast, tenacious, persistent, diligent, resolute

Our minds were opened to the magic of musical elements. I fell in love with it all. It’s what causes goose bumps. —Hollie Hewitt, Class of ’80 In my chosen vocation, I seek personal formation through musical excellence, meaning ful worship, exercising hope, requiring best effort in preparation and presentation, and requiring understanding of teamwork. It means having a safe place to express oneself, a place to make mistakes and grow, a place to be accepted as you are and make friends, a place to lead and be led.

When I wonder if what I do matters, I remember how my choral directors have impacted my life, and I am assured what I strive to do does matter. —Tim Lyles, Class of ’92 What can we glean from these reflections? First is the significant role of the teacher. Examine the following list. To what degree do these qualities describe your own choral directors? Your colleagues? Yourself?

• Nurturing, strengthening, supportive, encouraging, inspiring Think of those teachers in the oneroom schoolhouses. Imagine how critical it was to possess these attributes when facing the challenge of concurrently teaching multiple grade levels. The first step in refining and developing these essential qualities is to acknowledge their importance. Today, one of the best places to see a demonstration of these characteristics is a master teacher’s elementary music classroom. Secondary teachers could benefit greatly from knowing more about what transpires in well-taught elementary classes. It can be magical!

The choir alums’ responses describe what they valued most, including:

• Perceptive, alert, aware, empathetic, insightful

• Immersion in something larger than themselves

• Passionate, fervent, zealous, dynamic, energized

• Setting and working toward goals, both group and personal

• Effective, realistic, capable, efficient, knowledgeable

• Viewing challenges as an opportunity

• Commitment to standards of excellence

to do something well and achieve success • Expanding knowledge and developing new skills • Functioning as an integral part of an interdependent group • Connecting with the depth and breadth of musical expression Based on 39 years of teaching plus 12 years of observing and consulting in countless classrooms, I believe this list is quite relevant to today’s students. While we’re always tempted to chase after something that is bright, shiny, and new, these core components have stood the test of time and offer a solid foundation for a model choral program.

Often new teachers are shocked as they come to realize teaching music to large groups of students requires quite a different skill set—being an outstanding university student does not necessarily transfer to being equally outstanding in the classroom. At some point, new teachers discover that the pursuit of excellence as an educator will be a lifelong quest.

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56 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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Having an exemplary choral program can become elusive for experienced teachers who are often worn down by the accumulated stress of trying to accomplish their goals. Being unappreciated and misunderstood by those in charge is a key factor, as is pressure both from without and within. Comparisons to other programs that operate under different conditions and often with greater resources are prime factors. Honestly, being uncertain about oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals for the program or adopting goals that are inappropriate for the students one has is also significant and can certainly lead to burnout.

The following are some strategies for establishing and maintaining a program that is fulfilling to both teachers and students. Such a program seeks to transcend limitations of facilities, budget, staffing, and scheduling, and puts all students on a steady path to achieve greatness within the context of their abilities and circumstances.

Priorities for Ourselves, Our Community, and Our Students Base decisions on your personal philosophy of music education. A calendar of

activities is a direct reflection of this, so proceed with that awareness when planning the year. Broadway musical or major work? Show choir, vocal jazz, or madrigal group? Formal concerts, pop shows, community performances? Competition or collaboration? Priorities should be firmly rooted in essential beliefs about what should be offered to the students in the program.

Know the territory: learn about the culture of the school, the mission of the district as it relates to fine arts, and the perception of the community. Use that as the foundation for shaping the program. Approach the selection of activities as an opportunity to build bridges of understanding and offer valid and satisfying performance opportunities for your students. Communicate with students, administration, faculty, staff, and parents to foster productive relationships, build support, and create a positive image for the department.

Encourage students to approach every activity with a sense of purpose. It is as simple as explaining what is to be done, why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being done, and how to do it well, with a clear description of the benefits of

satisfactorily completing the task. Within this purposeful approach, build a foundation of care, concern, and respect for each and every student. Avoid favoritism and assuming the role of buddy or confidant.

If a situation warrants, refer a student in need to the appropriate professional.

Assess the status of the program on a regular basis. Seek feedback from students, colleagues, administrators, and boosters to use in making informed decisions about what is working and what needs to be modified. Remember that students appreciate their opinions and their time being valued. Out of consideration for studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; other obligations and pursuits, resist the temptation to over-schedule.

Design a program that constantly serves the best interests of your students and that is also compatible with established priorities in the school district and community.

Our Pedagogy Set attainable goals that offer opportunities for every student to experience tangible growth in skills and understanding.

Structure teaching so that each student is challenged, encouraged to improve, and consistently recognized for their efforts.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 59

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Facilitate a team approach to musical problem-solving through peer-tutoring, student-led sectionals, and other collaborative activities.

Provide the tools to accomplish those goals by engaging in sequential teaching.

Base your planning on thorough, careful score study so that each class session addresses a portion of the precise skills and understanding each piece requires and offers an orderly path to mastery.

Deconstruct the score and introduce melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic challenges separately to accelerate the development of these distinct skills. Plan for transfer so that previously acquired skills can be applied to new literature.

Prepare for each class in order to multitask, focusing on delivery of instruction while simultaneously assessing the students’ responses. Familiarity with the material is the key to modifying pacing according to the result of the ongoing assessment. Creative repetition is a necessary part of rehearsal, but needless repeats are a sure way to dampen students’ energy and enthusiasm. Shape the rehearsal based on your diagnosis of what needs to be corrected, reviewed, and reinforced.

Utilize pedagogy that reinforces how successful rehearsals go beyond mastering the repertoire by affirming the importance of rigorously seeking constant improvement as musicians. Instill the importance of consistent effort and active involvement. Dialogue with students about their response to the music. Engage them in problem-solving to deepen their involvement in the rehearsal process. Give students ownership and elevate their level of thought and engagement by valuing their musical ideas.

Make students accountable by frequent, valid assessments of their development of skills and understanding.

Connect to the elements of performance by testing the following: melodic patterns, rhythmic patterns, hand signing, excerpts of repertoire, score marking, identifying expressive markings in the score, and melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation. Be imaginative by utilizing individual, group, and competitive

Stay Updated!

tmea.org/convention

team assessments to reinforce learning.

Our Repertoire Selection Be systematic about teaching music literacy. Formulate short-term and longterm plans for skill development. Be diligent about finding the most appropriate published materials for each choir, supplement with your custom drills tailored to their needs or related to the repertoire.

Consistently address auditory and kinesthetic learning as well as singing at sight.

Select repertoire according to each choir’s strengths and weaknesses.

Matching songs that offer the best possibilities for learning and growth, enjoyment and inspiration, and attainable challenges is the secret to productive rehearsals, engaged students, and successful performances. While colleagues can recommend their personal favorites, only you have the information needed to select the most suitable literature. Unfortunately, there is no app for this. Spending the time it takes to find the most appropriate songs for each performing group and occasion is absolutely essential.

Keep the opportunity to have deep, meaningful musical experiences in rehearsal or performance as a high priority. Select texts carefully and be mindful of how the composer set them. Cast aside poorly crafted compositions. Choose quality repertoire at the appropriate level of difficulty with potential for the type of connection that enables singers to respond

expressively and share the essence of the piece with those who listen.

Our Reward As we consider the reflections of these former students and our own unique experiences as music educators, it’s important to remember the extent of our influence and responsibility. And, while it can be overwhelming to comprehend all that we do, we must stay focused on and motivated by why we do it.

Despite the slings and arrows often tossed at educators, teaching remains a time-honored profession with enduring qualities and opportunities to make indelible impressions on young lives. Teaching music offers unique chances to nurture, encourage, inform, and inspire, often in ways difficult to express in words.

Nonetheless, what happens in a music class is real—the benefits are reflected in the lives of our students.

Acknowledge the importance of personal fulfillment, both for yourself and for your students. Believe in the value of the choral experience, and let it show.

Striving for excellence will always be its own reward.

Sally Schott, who taught choral music for 39 years, is a university supervisor of student teachers, publisher of music education materials, and consultant. Schott is also a TMEA Past State Vocal Chair and Past-President.

New Mexico State University

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Come discover your place with us Dr. Frank “Pancho” Romero Director of Jazz Ensembles pancho@nmsu.edu 575-646-2304

www.music.nmsu.edu music@nmsu.edu 575-646-2421 Southwestern Musician | February 2017 61

VOCAL NOTES

B Y

R O B E R T

H O R T O N

The most important things

A

s I reflected on two years of serving you as State Vocal Chair, I went back and reread my first column. There were some ideas in that article that have definitely guided my time on the TMEA Executive Board. Although I was familiar with the work this office entails, nothing compares to the lived experience since February 2015.

This office has four major components: (1) selecting and working with four conductors each year to choose AllState concert repertoire and, from that concert repertoire, determining the audition repertoire; (2) working with 33 Region Chairs and 8 Area Chairs to oversee and facilitate the All-State audition process by which we select singers for four choirs; (3) planning and organizing a convention that includes selecting meaningful professional development and selecting invited performing choirs; and (4) functioning as an effective member of the Executive Board to develop and uphold TMEA policy across all divisions.

I must admit that, like my predecessors in this office, and like my successors will, I had some very definite ideas about the All-State process concerning conductors and literature. I quickly discovered the multifaceted nature of this amazing process and was reminded that nothing is simple. One of my desired conductors could not commit for 2016, so we penciled him in for 2017. When he could not do 2017, I had to again seek another conductor.

We are all committed to developing solutions with integrity, excellence, and remembering that our function is service to students through music.

62 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

February 9, 5:15 p.m.—Vocal Division business meeting at the convention.

February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention.

March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

March 6—Arts Education Day at the Capitol.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

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Both times, this happened with about one week to make the change. What I discovered through selecting the conductors is that they all view working with the Texas All-State Choirs as a career goal! I also know that the culminating experience of working with a conductor should be the pinnacle of the process. I would be remiss if I did not thank our amazing AllState Choir Organizers and their chosen Section Leaders who also ensure that the four days of the TMEA convention are an outstanding experience for the students.

The need to adapt was not limited to conductors. Each year, the All-State repertoire for the four choirs encompasses about 30 titles. In a few cases, publishers were unwilling or unable to print titles, and the conductors and I had to make changes. One year, this happened the day before the deadline. The responsibility to select music that is worthy of the audition process, that is artistically satisfying for students and teachers, and that provides opportunity for pedagogy is daunting.

Having experienced the countless hours invested by students and teachers in the music, it was my paramount concern to

64 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

get it as right as I could.

One of the true joys of the past two years has been to seek ways to improve and further refine the Small School AllState Mixed Choir. In some ways, it is difficult to believe that this is our third one.

This All-State track has given thousands of students a new opportunity to strive for personal musical excellence. The challenges have been numerous, including how best to audition students in this track and how best to incorporate this experience in 33 new Regions and 8 Areas, while honoring the established Texas All-State standards. I have loved the challenges and am 100% committed to this experience.

Did I also mention the numerous calls and emails about changes in the audition process based on realignment and apportionment? In virtually every case, our colleaguesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; concerns have centered around how to ensure the best possible experience for their students. Texas is a diverse state, and that diversity certainly extends to the identifying characteristics of every TMEA Region and Area. Although there is no one best answer for all the challenges, I know that we are all committed

to developing these solutions with integrity and excellence, remembering that our function is service to students through music.

We are all passionate about attending the TMEA convention. Have you ever had to explain to a principal, another administrator, or fellow teacher about why you should go to the convention? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so hard to describe how much this convention experience means to each of us.

I know that this passion is shared by the hundreds of colleagues who volunteer to run the concert venues, organize and facilitate every clinic, move equipment for the concerts, and serve as guides, registration volunteers, and door monitors. The spirit of service that is shared by the core group of people who have worked with me the past two years is humbling and inspiring. I will thank them personally at the Vocal Division business meeting during the convention. I will forever owe them a debt of gratitude.

I have loved the opportunity to be your Vocal Chair. Even though there have been some pretty big bumps in the road, some unhappy individuals, many really

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late nights and early mornings, and lots of growth on my part, that’s not what I remember most about serving in this office. The journey has been defined by interaction. In some ways, I wish now that I had kept track of how many phone calls I made and received, and I know that the email total was in the thousands. I would not want these statistics so that I could highlight my workload. Instead, I would want them so that I could illustrate the constant human interaction that comes with being elected to this office. I believe in servant leadership, and being available to those you serve and lead is a fundamental guiding part of my personal philosophy.

Simply stated, we work with people and for people. As simple as this little statement sounds, I have tried to live it as a guiding principle. The opportunity to work with and for people reminds me that no phone call, email, or interaction is a bother. I have often been surprised when contacted by a colleague who apologized for bothering me. I hope that I have always conveyed that interaction is not a bother—it’s what I was elected to do! I always have seen this modeled by the other Executive Board members with whom I have been privileged to work.

The TMEA office staff is so clear about their mission to serve our organization of teachers and their students—this servant attitude permeates all that they do. They are amazing!

Final Thoughts The opportunity to serve would not have been possible without the support of my wife and family. Between us, we have conducted six invited concerts and attended four All-State concerts in which our children were singing. I am blessed that we share music, and that we have all been deeply and positively affected

by TMEA. My coworkers and superiors have been so supportive of the work that serving as a TMEA officer requires, and they have expressed that they know the high level of influence that TMEA has on music and students in Texas.

The hundreds of volunteers who assist TMEA are our lifeblood. I can never express enough gratitude to you, my colleagues, for the privilege and delight to serve you through this office. If I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me. It is an honor to serve you, my

colleagues. I have been happy to be on the journey with you.

TMEA Clinic/Convention Update I look forward to seeing you in just a few days at our amazing annual convention! Be sure to read the important information on page 4 about completing the registration process to pick up your badge. If you have any questions about the event, go to www.tmea.org/convention.

It’s time to make your online personal schedule and to download the convention

app! Search for TMEA 2017 in your app store to download it. As you create your personal schedule, be sure to attend as many Vocal Division events as possible, including our Division Business Meeting on Thursday at 5:15 P.M., where you will elect the next Vocal Division VicePresident. Also, be sure to attend our two General Sessions on Thursday and Friday at 8:30 A.M. in Lila Cockrell Theater. Our keynote speakers for this convention are incredible! Don’t miss them!

New Mexico State University

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www.music.nmsu.edu music@nmsu.edu 575-646-2421 Southwestern Musician | February 2017 67

HARNESSING THE POWER OF FAILURE IN YOUR MUSIC CLASSROOM

Grit, Growth Mindset & Greatness

by Virginia Davis and Diane Persellin o pain, no gain. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. These and other similar phrases represent attitudes most teachers hope will inspire their students. Surrounded by walls adorned with such inspirational quotes, we music teachers walk a fine line between identifying students’ musical mistakes and encouraging them to keep trying. We may wonder during this process why some students seem to crumble under criticism while others never quit, despite constant difficulty. What can we do to encourage students to learn from their mistakes? What roles do talent and hard work play in the music learning process? And what is the relationship between struggle, failure, and learning that lasts?

Carol Dweck has some ideas that may help answer these questions. A psychologist who pioneered a concept called Growth Mindset (2006), Dweck identified ways of thinking about our intelligence and ability to succeed. Fixed mindset, according to Dweck, is a belief that our abilities are set in stone. We may be musically talented or not, for example, or intelligent or unintelligent. If we believe in a fixed ability, there may be little point in trying harder, as we do not believe we can improve enough to make any difference. People who believe they simply can’t sing are unlikely to enroll in voice lessons or join a choir, not wishing to embarrass themselves among more talented musicians and preferring to invest their time in an activity in which they feel more talented. By contrast, growth mindset refers to a belief that our abilities are mutable and can be improved with effort. People who hold a growth mindset about intelligence may believe that they can actually become smarter by studying and challenging themselves to learn material they find difficult. A growth mindset, says Dweck, creates a passion for learning unhindered by fear of making mistakes: mistakes are simply another learning opportunity (2006). As Ken Robinson, speaker and educator said, “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original” (2006).

Related to this growth mindset is the concept of grit, described

by Angela Duckworth (2016) as an attitude of perseverance through difficulty to reach a goal. She claims that what matters the most is sticking with things and working daily to get better at them. In her research she has found that talent is overrated in our society and that grit is the best indicator of success. In her

N

68 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

popular TED Talk, she defined grit as a “passion and perseverance for very long-term goals” (2013). People who have grit tend to have four common qualities: interest, practice, purpose, and hope. And unlike natural talent, Duckworth says grit can be taught. She encourages educators to let students experience some setbacks to learn how to overcome them. Music students may initially struggle with a challenging passage, but perseverance and stick-to-itiveness with some encouragement can go a long way to achievement.

GROWTH MINDSET AND GRIT IN THE CLASSROOM In the music classroom, we can use the ideas of growth mindset and grit to encourage our students to work toward their musical goals. Many aspects of music learning require this can-do attitude, from producing a good sound with your voice or instrument to playing complex patterns of notes and rhythms and blending with others. Music study, according to Dweck (2006), is actually an excellent opportunity for students to develop a growth mindset by witnessing firsthand how practice and rehearsal can lead to satisfying musical results. Students don’t always see the big picture of how a series of small successes lead to a significant goal, but a teacher can help students become aware of this process. By involving students in musical problem-solving and encouraging students to learn from mistakes instead of giving up, we can give our students the gift of grit. To encourage growth mindset and grit in your classroom, consider the following: Watch your language. When giving feedback to students, encourage the small victories along the way rather than praising the eventual successful result. Students who are frequently told they are “smart,” or “talented,” may believe these things are innate or intrinsic, rather than being achieved through hard work. Students who believe they are successful in music because of talent (fixed mindset) may worry when they make mistakes or encounter difficulty—what happened to my talent? These students may even start to avoid risk to keep from destroying the illusion of talent they’ve come to rely on.

Instead, teachers can praise effort. Point out how hard your students worked for the outcome they got on that tricky fingering pattern, syncopated rhythm, or new Orff accompaniment. Reward successive approximations by showing students

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how far they’ve come. When the going gets tough, remind students that they’ve successfully faced challenges before, and that the feeling of something being difficult means they are growing as musicians. Students have their own unique challenges, whether solo-singing a small phrase in a singing game, holding a tempo steady without rushing, or coordinating those hand signs with their solfège. It’s important for them to realize that everyone makes mistakes, everyone struggles, and that even the most famous and successful musicians got there through sheer tenacity and hard work.

Let them struggle. Before jumping in to fix things yourself, encourage students to strategize, help each other, and find their own solutions. We learn by working through problems, testing ideas through trial and error. Not only will you help them realize that most musical problems are not as big as they first appeared, but you’ll also empower them to tackle their problems even outside of your classroom. Suggest that they use their fingering chart to review that recorder note, or let students practice in pairs and take turns “playing teacher.” Rather than wait-

ing until that next rehearsal or lesson to have you fix their problem, students can use strategies you’ve taught them, such as breaking down difficult passages into smaller segments. By allowing students to become more musically independent, you show them that you believe in them and their ability to succeed, and students will learn to trust themselves. Students may surprise you—and themselves—by how quickly and creatively they can find solutions!

Teach reflective practice. Ref lective practice—the act of pausing, thinking, considering, or brainstorming between attempts at a skill—is essential to making lasting improvements. As you rehearse your groups, instead of just saying “Let’s do it again,” model reflective practice by making your thought processes audible: “What happened with the intonation there?” or “How can we fix that tricky rhythm pattern?” or “How can we hear the melody on the glockenspiels?” When you ask students to practice independently or in small groups, make sure they are armed with appropriate reflective practice strategies. One way to encourage reflection is to insert more pauses, or thinking time,

into the learning process. Information processing time varies in people, and children need more processing time than adults (Droit-Volet, Meck & Penne, 2007). According to Rowe (1987) allowing pauses of 3–5 seconds between your question and the student’s answer can lead to more correct, more complex answers.

Increasing wait time, which allows learners to fully process the question and formulate appropriate answers, has been shown to be beneficial to teachers as well.

Teachers who increased the use of mindful pauses in the learning process were found to use more varied questioning strategies and ask more challenging follow-up questions (Casteel & Stahl, 1973; Rowe, 1972; Stahl, 1994; Tobin, 1987). Speedy recall isn’t always necessary, so consider ways to insert “think time” into your questioning process and allow students to consider more creative options. For the student, take time to consider the teacher’s question. Audiate that phrase you just played.

Evaluate the success of a new strategy you just tried. These techniques can pay off in deeper, more meaningful learning.

Introduce desirable difficulty. Requiring students to work harder can lead to

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70 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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greater and deeper learning. Although this struggle, dubbed a desirable difficulty (Bjork, 1994), may at first be frustrating to learner and teacher alike, ultimately it can improve long-term retention. This happens because, similar to being given longer thinking time, students must mentally search for and retrieve information or make inferences based on previous knowledge. This retrieval process is vital for long-term retention. Our students, of course, are gratified when it seems they are learning new skills and information easily. As teachers, we understandably want learning to come quickly for students and may choose the method that produces immediate results. However, when “instructors facilitate learning by making it easier, it may increase shortterm performance, but it may decrease long-term retention” (Bye, 2011).

Instead, teachers can insert challenges into the learning process to give students the opportunity to engage in hypothesistesting, to develop and evaluate learning strategies, and ultimately to self-regulate their learning (Schwartz, 2016). This is an excellent opportunity to allow students to work in teams on group compositions or to use informal music learning strategies to play popular tunes on classroom instruments. People are more likely to develop grit for activities they find valuable, so lessons that involve students in meaningful music-making are key.

As we move forward in a school year filled with classes, rehearsals, and concerts, consider how the concepts of grit and growth mindset can strengthen your teaching. Students who are taught to trust their abilities, solve their own problems, and keep going when the going gets tough are more likely to grow to be successful, independent musicians. A quote attributed to Winston Churchill reminds us that “success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” We believe this is right: the ability to accept and learn from difficulty can give students the key to success.

Get the 2017 Convention App! Go to your app store and search for TMEA 2017.

REFERENCES Bjork, R. A. (1994). Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings.

In J. Metcalfe & A. Shimamura (Eds.), Metacognition: Knowing about knowing (pp. 185–205). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Bye, J. (2011, May 5). Desirable difficulties in the classroom [Web log post]. Psychology Today. Retrieved from www.psychologytoday.com/ blog /all-about-addiction /2 01105/ desirable-difficulties-in-the-classroom Casteel, J. D., & Stahl, R. J. (1973).

The social science observation record: Theoretical construct and pilot studies. PK Yonge Laboratory School, College of Education, University of Florida.

Droit-Volet, S., Meck, W. H., & Penney, T. B. (2007). Sensory modality and time perception in children and adults.

Behavioural Processes, 74(2), 244–250.

Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. New York: Scribner.

Duckworth, A. (2013 May). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance [Video file]. Retrieved from www.ted.com/ speakers/angela_lee_duckworth Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballentine Books.

Robinson, K. (2006 June). Do schools kill creativity? [Video file]. Retrieved from w w w.ted.com /talk s/ ken_ robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity/ transcript?language=en Rowe, M. B. (1972). Wait-Time and Rewards as Instructional Variables: Their Influence on Language, Logic, and Fate Control.

Rowe, M. B. (1987). Wait time: Slowing down may be a way of speeding up.

American Educator: The Professional Journal of the American Federation of Teachers, 11(1), 38.

Schwartz, K. (19 April 2016). How ‘productive failure’ in math class helps make lessons stick.

Retrieved from w w2.kqed.org / mindshift/2016/04/19/how-productivefailure-for-students-can-help-lessons-stick Stahl, R. J. (1994). ED370885 1994-05-00 Using” Think-Time” and” Wait-Time” Skillfully in the Classroom. ERIC Digest.

Tobin, K. (1987). The role of wait time in higher cognitive level learning. Review of educational research, 57(1), 69–95.

Virginia Davis is an associate professor of music education in the School of Music at UT/Rio Grande Valley. Diane Persellin is a professor of music education at Trinity University. They are presenting a clinic at the 2017 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

New Mexico State University

Department of Music There’s a place for you ...a place to shine ...a place to succeed

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Simón Gollo sgollo@nmsu.edu 575-646-2421

www.music.nmsu.edu music@nmsu.edu 575-646-2421 Southwestern Musician | February 2017 73

ELEMENTARY NOTES

B Y

J U L I

S A L Z M A N

Constructivism in the music classroom

R

esearch has shown that children are more engaged when they are a part of creating their own learning environment (Bond, 2013).

Although practices that involve the teaching principles of Carl Orff, Zoltán Kodály, and others encourage children to be creative, the role of the teacher and parents varies and each has room to grow when it comes to letting the students guide the instructional process.

One of the most frustrating experiences I’ve had in the past couple of years was a full-school project where students were to invent instruments in their classrooms. It was an eye-opening experience as teachers became exasperated and told me their students couldn’t do it. In fact, most of the teachers admitted they got together as a group and created the plans for the instruments themselves rather than follow the steps in the lesson plans. Their inability to trust the process of failure and growth cost the students the chance to grow with the experience and held them back educationally.

There are two forms of constructivism: cognitive and social. Cognitive constructionism is based on cognitive thinking and social collaboration (Scott, 2012). Both models allow children to have ownership of their learning path and give personal meaning to their musical learning. They begin with the students’ existing knowledge base and expand on that according to the new direction the students are going.

In the general music classroom, constructivism should not replace current

The purpose of constructivism is to build on prior knowledge and strive to make new music as a community of budding musicians.

74 Southwestern Musician | February 2017

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

February 9, 5:15 p.m.—Elementary Division business meeting at the convention.

February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention.

March 6—Arts Education Day at the Capitol.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

April–June—Submit proposals online for the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

May 5—TMEA membership year opens for online and mail/fax submission.

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methodologies. Instead, it should influence a cultural environment where students ask questions and use what they have learned via the traditional methods of learning. Then they should take the lessons even further through self-exploration, discovery, and reflection (Scott, 2012). According to Scott, there are four steps a teacher should take to instill constructive traits in their classroom:

life and will have a greater stake in the results. The K-W-L strategy of What do I know?, What do I want to know?, and What did I learn? is a good starting point for constructivism. In the meantime, the teacher will help the students in listening to each

other, clarifying their thoughts, and setting realistic expectations. The opinions of each person must be respected and valued for each member of the classroom to into the process (Peterson, 2004).

In the final lessons, the students plan

1) Recognize that each of your students brings a unique musical background to your classroom in addition to what you have taught them.

2) Appreciate the strength of student collaboration in creating new musical knowledge.

3) Be comfortable stepping back from your role as the proprietor of all musical knowledge and allow the students to discover on their own. (You will still need to be there for guidance and redirection.)

4) Be prepared for the unknown. As students open their minds to true creativity and discovery, the direction may not be exactly what the teacher foresees.

To make this clearer, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consider a sample unit: Families of Instruments. In the planning phase, the teacher will set up opportunities for the students to explore various instruments from each family.

This may include recordings, diagrams, videos, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences. The related TEKS would then be identified and the unit lessons may be created. In the first lessons, the students will learn about the different families and classify the instruments, building on their previous knowledge.

Subsequent lessons will offer the opportunity for constructive components to kick in. After exploring the various instruments, what additional questions do the students have? How would they like to expand their knowledge? Would they like to learn to play some of the instruments? Are there other instruments they would like to know more about (e.g., world instruments)? Would they like to create their own instruments? This is where the teacher becomes the listener and facilitator. By opening up the learning possibilities and letting the students take the reigns, the students can assume ownership in a manner similar to real

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Southwestern Musician | February 2017 77

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what will take place and what materials will be needed (within a budget or working with what is already available).

Students carry out their plans and then finally conduct an evaluation and reflection on what they have learned, perhaps deciding at the end on a new way to further their knowledge.

There are many outlets for constructivism in your classroom. Consider letting the students make podcasts of their musical journeys (Bolden, 2013), make a book of original songs, compose and produce their own CDs. The possibilities are endless. No matter which direction your classroom takes, remember, the purpose of constructivism is to build on prior knowledge and strive to make new music as a community of budding musicians.

References Bolden, B. (2013). Learner-Created Podcasts: Students’ Stories with Music.

Music Educators Journal, 100(1), 75–80.

Bond, V. L. (2013). Follow and Facilitate: What Music Educators Can Learn from the Reggio Emilia Approach. General Music Today, 27(1), 24–28.

López-Íñiguez, G. and Pozo, J. (2014). The Influence of Teachers’ Conceptions on Their Students’ Learning: Children’s Understanding of Sheet Music. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 84(2), 311–328.

Peterson, B. (2004). Strengthening the Educational Value of the Elementary Musical [Computer file]. General Music Today, 18(1), 12–19.

Scott, S. J. (2012). Constructivist Perspectives for Developing and Implementing Lesson Plans in General Music. General Music Today, 25(2), 24–30.

TMEA Clinic/Convention Updates Have you recruited a new member of the Elementary Division to attend our convention? If so, stop by the Elementary Office (CC 215) to introduce them and claim your “Recruiter” ribbon for your name badge.

Come to the Elementary Business Meeting on Thursday evening. In addition to the election of our new division Vice-President, we will enjoy a perfor-

mance by Fara Bango from Katy ISD and, as always, have lots of door prizes to give away.

This year, there are many more reasons to extend your convention experience through Saturday. There are 16 Elementary Division clinics led by outstanding presenters from 8 A .M. to 1:30 P.M., with four clinics running concurrently during each clinic hour. Be sure to add these sessions via the online personal schedule and the convention app, which you can download from your app store by searching for TMEA 2017.

As this is my final column, I would like to thank each of you for your confidence in allowing me to serve you these past two years. The opportunity has been one of the best experiences of my life. Thanks go to all of our many sponsors who support us continually and help us realize our dreams of inspiring tomorrow’s musicians. Through the many newfound friends I have made, my life has truly been blessed, and I could not be more proud of the elementary music teachers of the great state of Texas.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 79

UNT College of Music Summer Workshops 2017 15th Annual Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program

17th Annual Beginners and Intermediate Bass Camps

17th Annual Lynn Seaton Jazz Double Bass Workshop

Drum Major and Student Leadership Camp

May 26 – June 2 Jeff Bradetich, Director

June 12 – 16 Lynn Seaton, Director

String Orchestra Day Camp June 12 – 16 Elizabeth Chappell, Director

UNT Keyboard Percussion Symposium June 12 – 16 Christopher Deane and Brian Zator, Directors

UNT Marching Percussion Camp June 12 – 15 Paul Rennick, Director

June 20 – 24 Gudrun Raschen, Director

June 22 – 25 Nicholas Williams, Director

ClarEssentials High School Clarinet Workshop June 28 – July 1 Kimberly Cole Luevano, Director

All–State Choir Camp July 5 – 8 Alan McClung, Director

Jazz Combo Workshop July 10 – 15 Michael Steinel, Director

Conductors Collegium

Middle School/Junior High Honor Choir Camp

Vocal Jazz Educator Seminar

UNT Summer String Institute (2 sessions)

Vocal Pedagogy Workshop

Mariachi Summer Camp

Flute! Repertoire and Performance

Summer Harp Masterclass

June 12 – 23 Eugene Migliaro Corporon and Dennis Fisher, Directors

June 15 – 17 Jennifer Barnes, Director

June 16 – 17 Stephen F. Austin, Director

June 16 – 18 Mary Karen Clardy, Director

July 12 – 15 Alan McClung, Director

July 16 – 30 Felix Olschofka and Daphne Gerling, Directors

July 9 – 22 Donna Emmanuel, Director

August 5 Jaymee Haefner, Director

Vocal Jazz Workshop June 18 – 23 Jennifer Barnes, Director

www.music.unt.edu

For information contact Anne Oncken: 940–565–4092, Anne.Oncken@unt.edu

B Y

S I

COLLEGE NOTES

M I L L I C A N

Teaching humanity through music performance

T

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

February 9, 5:15 p.m.—College Division business meeting at the convention.

February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention.

March 15—Deadline to nominate students for the Collegiate Music Educator award.

April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting.

April–June—Submit proposals online for the 2018 TMEA Clinic/Convention.

May 5—TMEA membership year opens for online and mail/fax submission.

wenty years ago, a team of dedicated music educators launched a project that began with Teaching Music Through Performance in Band and has expanded to include volumes written for band, choir, and orchestra teachers. The series is centered on the concept that music teachers should consider not only the development of individual and ensemble technical skills but also the important academic part of their work that includes teaching about music. In his introduction to the first volume in the series, Larry Blocher writes that “directors and/or conductors in schools at all levels should be first and foremost music teachers.” The premise is that the most effective and memorable musical experiences come from a comprehensive approach in which students learn about music while creating great musical performances—hence the Teaching Music Through Performance title common to the books in the series.

As we enter the heart of the spring concert season, school music communities—particularly at the secondary level—will be hard at work preparing for festivals, concerts, and UIL Concert and Sightreading evaluations.

Throughout this process, directors and their students will be engaging in a lot of note-fixing, tuning, balancing, and drill to improve precision and accuracy in their performances. This process, in many cases, leads to some of the best musical products on the planet, and students and directors can be justifiably proud of their musical and technical accomplishments.

In addition to producing quality musical performances, the best teachers at every level use their music classrooms to facilitate students’ growth as healthy and productive members of society.

Southwestern Musician | February 2017 81

Intensive Music Education Courses as Brief as Two Weeks (plus online components)

June 6 to July 8 Introduction to Applications in Music Technology: MUED 5342.D | Dr. Keith Dye | Distance Only (asynchronous) (O)

June 5 to June 16 Advanced Woodwind Methods: Performance Techniques & Pedagogical Approaches: MUED 5344.003 | Dr. Jacqueline Henninger | 8am–12pm (L) Topics in Orchestral Music Education: School Orchestra Literature: MUED 5327.001 | Dr. Blair Williams | 8am–12pm (L) Teaching Musicianship: Sight-singing, Aural Skills, and Fundamentals in the Choral Rehearsal: MUED 5325.001 | Dr. Carolyn Cruse | 8am–12pm (L/V) Low String Methods for the String Educator: MUED 5344.001 | Dr. Blair Williams | 1pm–5pm (L) Band Conducting Methods: MUAP 5310.001 | Dr. Eric Allen | 1pm–5pm (L) Teaching Music in Urban Settings: Meeting the Needs of Culturally Diverse Learners: MUED 5344.002 | Dr. Jacqueline Henninger | 1pm–5pm (L/V)

June 19 to June 30 Music for Students with Exceptionalities: MUSI 5306.D | Dr. Janice Killian | Distance Only (asynchronous) (O) Foundations of Music Education: MUED 5340.001 | Dr. Keith Dye | 8am–12pm (L/V) Styles in Wind Literature of the 19th & 20th Centuries: MUTH 5305.001 | Dr. Peter Martens | 8am–12pm (L/V) Topics in Band Music Education: Band Repertoire & Trends: MUED 5326.001 | Dr. Eric Allen | 1pm–5pm (L/V) Learning & Music: MUED 5332.001 | Dr. Janice Killian | 1pm–5pm (L/V)

July 6 to July 19 Graduate Theory Review with AP Primer: MUTH 5300.001 | Dr. Peter Fischer | 8am–12pm (L) Adolescent Voice Development & Pedagogy: MUED 5344.004 | Dr. Carolyn Cruse | 8am–12pm (L) Tests & Measurements: MUED 5333.001 | Dr. Janice Killian | 1pm–5pm (L/V)

July 11 to August 11 Special Topics: Contemporary Issues in Music Education in Texas: MUSI 7000.D | Dr. Keith Dye | Distance Only (asynchronous) (O) Graduate History Review: MUHL 5300.D | Dr. Stacey Jocoy | Distance Only (asynchronous) (O) Classroom & Rehearsal Behavior Management: MUED 5344.D | Dr. Janice Killian | Distance Only (asynchronous) (O) Advanced Applications of Technology in Music Education: MUSI 5343.D | Dr. Keith Dye | Distance Only (asynchronous) (O) L = Live | O = Online only | V = Video conference

For more information, please visit music.ttu.edu, or contact: Dr. Michael Stoune Director of Graduate Studies michael.stoune@ttu.edu (806) 834-5160

Dr. Janice Killian Chair of Music Education janice.killian@ttu.edu (806) 834-2010

Emily Gifford School of Music Graduate Admissions emily.gifford@ttu.edu (806) 834-5076

During this spring festival and evaluation season, it’s often easy for musiceducation students to be distracted by the emphasis on these technical issues and lose track of the big picture. By this, I mean two things. First, great teachers attend to these important performance elements so their students can more clearly communicate something in the music to their audiences. As former UIL Music Director Richard Floyd points out in his book The Artistry of Teaching and Making Music, “a composer does not begin the creative process hearing faulty intonation, blurred rhythms, and wrong notes.” Certainly technically flawed performances keep us from serving as an advocate for the composer. Floyd goes on to write, “We must remain mindful of the why of our professional lives—in other words, the art and substance of what we do. It is the teaching, sharing, and making of music for all the right reasons that truly matters.”

This leads me to my second bigpicture element often missed by our music-education students as they visit schools. In addition to producing quality musical performances, the best teachers at every level use their music classrooms to facilitate students’ growth as healthy and productive members of society. What really brought this into sharp focus for me was my experience as an observer at the Urban Music Summer Dialogue (read more in the “Extreme Teaching” series in the September and October issues of SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN). I was encouraged and energized by the stories and wisdom that this group shared over our two days together, and I am totally convinced that we could solve most of the problems in the world if we could just clone those 16 teachers in attendance!

One of the primary factors that kept resurfacing during the Urban Music Summer Dialogue was that these teachers devote significant time and energy to help their students develop social skills that allow them to be successful not only in music class but also in other school settings and in the greater community.

The best music teachers create safe, supportive micro-societies in which students can learn valuable social and academic skills such as self-awareness, respect, empathy, independence, creativity, passion, self-control, and a feeling of being part of something greater than one’s

self. In this way—to borrow the phrase from the GIA Publications series—they are indeed teaching humanity through performance in music.

The most effective band, orchestra, vocal, and elementary music classes are rich with examples of this kind of connection between teachers, the music, and the students, and we need to help our preservice teachers recognize this “forest” of art, beauty, passion, and inspiration that is often hidden within the “trees” of the rehearsal.

TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award Congratulations to the inaugural recipients of the new TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award. It was gratifying to see several faculty promoting this award through social media. Award recipients received a letter from TMEA, a certificate, and regalia cords to wear at their graduation.

You can submit nominations for spring and summer graduates online through March 15 at tmea.org/collegiateaward. On that page you can also view a listing of the first-ever recipients of this recognition.

Convention Highlights I hope you are as excited as I am about the upcoming TMEA Clinic/Convention this month. Congratulations to the 26 college and university ensembles that have been selected to play at feature concerts and in musical showcase performances!

Make plans to catch the presentations by our two College Division featured clinicians. Barbara Freedman from Greenwhich HS (Conn.) will present four sessions related to teaching music with technology, and Colleen Conway (Univ of Michigan) will present sessions on mentoring first-year teachers, advice for cooperating teachers and supervisors working with student teachers, the micropolitics at work in school, and the hidden curriculum teachers sometimes communicate to their students. You can learn more about these featured clinicians at www.tmea.org/convention.

I also want to highlight several events at the convention that might be of interest to college faculty and students. Our College Division business meeting will be Thursday, 5:15–6:00 P.M., in CC 301.

In this meeting, we will review and vote on the minutes from our College Division

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Fall Conference as printed in the January SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN and get updates on the latest College Division business from our various committees.

The research poster session will be held in a new location this year—the lobby of the Stars at Night Ballroom, overlooking the new main entrance to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. This location will be closer to other College Division events and will be a beautiful, spacious area to display the research activities of our members.

Invite your alumni to check the schedule for the location of the college reunions that will be held on Friday 9:30–11:30 P.M. Remind your graduating students to check out the Job Fair beginning at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, this year held in Bridge Hall.

Congratulations to our invited collegiate performing groups who will be offering concerts and music showcases: Concerts

• Texas Tech Univ Symphonic Wind Ensemble

• Texas Tech Univ Flute Choir

• Univ of Houston Moores School Concert Chorale

• Univ of North Texas Trumpet Ensemble

• UT/Arlington Wind Symphony

• UT/Arlington Percussion Ensemble

• UT/Austin Jazz Orchestra

• UT/Rio Grande Valley Clarinet Symphony

• UT/San Antonio Orchestra Musical Showcases

• Texas Tech Univ Tango Orchestra

• UT/Rio Grande Valley Flute & Guitar Duo

• Baylor and Texas Tech Universities Combined Trombone Choir

• UT/Rio Grande Valley Rio Bravo Percussion Ensemble

• McMurry Univ Trumpet Ensemble

• UT/Rio Grande Valley Tuba/ Euphonium Ensemble

• Sam Houston State Univ Bearkat Bassoons • Tarleton State Univ Percussion Ensemble • Texas A&M/Commerce Flute Choir • Texas A&M/Corpus Christi Trumpet Ensemble • Texas A&M/International Mariachi Internacional

• Abilene Christian Univ Wind Ensemble

• Texas A&M/International Percussion Ensemble

• Dallas Baptist Univ Chorale

• Texas A&M/Kingsville Horn Ensemble

• West Texas A&M Univ Faculty Brass Quintet • West Texas A&M Univ Horn Choir That’s just a taste of what’s to come in just a few days. Review the complete schedule online at tmea.org/2017schedule or by downloading the convention app.

Go to your app store and search for TMEA 2017. See you in San Antonio!

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