October 2020 Southwestern Musician

SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN

OCTOBER 2020

OCTOBER 2020

Contents VOLUME 89 ■ ISSUE 3 ■ OCTOBER 2020

Features Bringing Chamber Music to the Large Ensemble . . . . 16 Utilizing a chamber approach with large ensembles can yield a myriad of benefits . Learn several methods for achieving a chamber experience . [g a r y l e w i s]

We Can Change the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 When music educators learn about and lift up all students and work together for actionable change, we will change the world . [a n d r e jac ks o n]

Unicorn Singing and Underwater Painting . . . . . . . . . 40 By using imagery, you can help your choral students more quickly experience success individually and as an ensemble . [j a n w i n o v e r s t r e e t- g o o d e]

The Practically Perfect Music Classroom . . . . . . . . . 48 When students enter every music class with eager anticipation, never wanting to leave, they are starting their lifetime love of music . [c o l l e e n r i d d l e a n d s h e l l e y h a r r i n gto n]

48 Columns President’s Notes . . . . . . . . . 5 [br i a n

With the response to the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, information printed in this issue is subject to change. For the latest updates, visit www.tmea.org and other relevant websites.

c o at n e y]

Executive Director’s Notes . .10 [r o b er t

f loy d]

Band Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 [da n a

Updates

p r a d e r va n d]

Orchestra Notes . . . . . . . . . 32 [m ic h a el

s t r i n g er]

TMEA Scholarship Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Teaching Resources Repository . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Attend the 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 You’re One Share Away from Music Education Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . 43

Vocal Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 [j e d

r ag s da l e]

Elementary Notes . . . . . . . . 44

[a b i g a i l

h aw es]

College Notes . . . . . . . . . . . 54

on the cover

Gabriel Fedak, now a senior at Booker T . Washington HSPVA in Dallas, prepares for the 2020 All-State Orchestra seating audition . Photo by Paul Denman .

[pau l

s i k es]

Southwestern Musician | October 2020

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

Managing Editor: Karen Cross kcross@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107

TMEA Executive Board President: Brian Coatney

Brian.Coatney@wylieisd.net 2550 West FM 544, Wylie, 75098 972-429-3111 – Wylie ISD

President-Elect: John Carroll

john.carroll@ectorcountyisd.org 1800 East 42nd Street, Odessa, 79762 432-553-2780 – Permian HS

Past-President: Joe Muñoz

munozj@pearlandisd.org 3775 South Main Street, Pearland, 77581 281-997-3219 – Pearland HS

Band Vice-President: Dana Pradervand

pradervandd@yahoo.com 8226 Lakeshore Villa Drive, Humble, 77346 713-743-3627 – University of Houston

Orchestra Vice-President: Michael Stringer

mstringe@aisd.net 1200 West Arkansas Lane (Annex 1), Arlington, 76013 682-867-7662 – Arlington ISD

TMEA Offers Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships To be eligible, complete all application requirements by November 1.

TMEA is pleased to offer several scholarships each year for undergraduate and graduate study.

www.tmea.org/scholarships Graduating Senior Scholarships • Bill Cormack Scholarship: $3,000/year for up to five years.

• Past-Presidents Memorial Scholarship: $2,500/year for up to five years.

• Past-Presidents Scholarship: $2,500/year for up to five years.

• Executive Board Scholarship: $2,500/year for up to five years.

• One-year scholarships: $2,500 for one year only.

One-Year Undergraduate Scholarships • TMEA awards one-year, $2,500 scholarships to current undergraduate students enrolled in a music degree program at a Texas college or university leading to teacher certification.

Vocal Vice-President: Jed Ragsdale

jedragsdale@tomballisd.net 19100 Northpointe Ridge Lane, Tomball, 77377 281-357-3230, ext. 1106 – Memorial HS

Elementary Vice-President: Abigail Hawes

abigail.hawes@cfisd.net 13734 Lakewood Forest Drive, Houston, 77070 281-370-4040 – Moore Elementary

College Vice-President: Paul Sikes

plsikes@txwes.edu 8554 Kensington Court, North Richland Hills, 76182 817-531-4971 – Texas Wesleyan University

One-Semester Student-Teacher Scholarships • TMEA awards one-semester, $2,500 scholarships to current college student members scheduled to student-teach within the two semesters following the application.

One-Year Graduate Study Scholarships • Awarded to graduate students for one year only and range from $1,250 to $2,500.

TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | rfloyd@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Zachary Gersch | zgersch@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Cristin Gaffney | cgaffney@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman-Tidline | adenman@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org

TMEA Office Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 Website: www.tmea.org Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (remotely via email)

Go to www.tmea.org/scholarships

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

Subscription rates: One Year – $20; Single copies $3.00. Periodical postage paid at Austin, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Southwestern Musician, P.O. Box 140465, Austin, TX 78714-0465. Southwestern Musician was founded in 1915 by A.L. Harper. Renamed in 1934 and published by Dr. Clyde Jay Garrett. Published 1941–47 by Dr. Stella Owsley.

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

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Southwestern Musician | October 2020

Teaching Resources Repository Searchfor theresourcesyouneed Filtertonarrowthereturnof results Recommendresourcesforinclusion

TMEA built this repository to help you locate meaningful resources for delivering instruction in remote and blended environments. The webpage is available now, but we will continue expanding the resources. Help your colleagues by recommending resources for inclusion.

W W W.T M E A . OR G/R E S OUR C E S Southwestern Musician | October 2020

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B Y

B R I A N

C O A T N E Y

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

Fundamental five

I

moved to a new district this year and was excited to learn that for lesson planning they believe in using The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction authored by Sean Cain and Mike Laird. I remember being inspired when I first learned about these fundamental steps many years ago, so I was thankful to see them in practice. I had been getting stuck on how to approach teaching remote learners, so I embraced these five fundamentals to help me create effective lesson plans. While some have been more effective than others, I am more at ease knowing I have a more structured way of approaching lessons for remote learners. I hope reading about them might offer you a new way to look at your lesson planning in these unusual times.

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—2021 TMEA Clinic/ Convention held virtually.

Frame the Lesson The first fundamental is framing the lesson from beginning to end. You should start the lesson with a daily learning objective and end the lesson with a closing question. The daily learning objective must be written in studentfriendly language, and it works well if you begin with “Today we will . . .” This statement should be simple and direct so students (and you) have a clear focus for the class. An objective I recently used to teach my beginners how to read music was “We will learn and understand how music is notated.” This objective needs to be placed in the classroom where students can see the written objective and product. I created a Google Slide presentation with this objective as a header on every slide. I shared my screen and presented the slide show so the remote students could see it. I discussed the objective at the beginning of the class and explained that by the end of the class, they would be able to recognize and create a staff, their instrument’s clef, measures, bar lines, quarter notes,

When we recognize and reinforce the behaviors we want to see, we can mold student behavior that leads to a successful and engaging classroom.

Southwestern Musician | October 2020

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and a time signature. Be mindful that the objective is specific enough to clarify the goal and reasonable to complete in one daily lesson or class.

The closing of the lesson provides concrete proof to the student and teacher that the lesson objective was met. It is typically a question, product, or task written in a student-friendly language, using the words “I will.” In my example, the task was “I will draw a staff with my instrument’s clef, a time signature, and one measure of quarter notes.” I utilized the Nearpod Chrome extension for students to create this specific example of a staff.

For the closing to be effective, it must be completed by every student, realizing it is a final check for understanding. It should not be a test or quiz. I was surprised to see that some students did not understand how to properly draw quarter notes. I knew I needed to revisit this task to ensure all students understood the objective. By doing this, you are likely to increase the opportunity for a student to retain important learning.

Work in the Power Zone This fundamental is recognizing and

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Southwestern Musician | October 2020

understanding the power of the teacher’s body position in the classroom as it distinctly correlates to the student success.

When students are live, working in the power zone allows teachers to monitor understanding, answer questions, address problem behavior immediately, manage transitions, maximize student learning, communicate with all students, and promote equitable learning for all students. For us, this power position would mean getting off the podium and walking around the class. I have always found I experience more effective rehearsals when I walk around the class and hear individual students performing.

Working in the power zone becomes substantially more difficult in a virtual setting. I have learned you can achieve many of these goals if you have two monitors.

One monitor is for the class and the other is for any presentations or applications you need to run during the class. I make sure to put the class on the largest monitor so that I can fit as many students as possible in the grid. An incredibly wise mentor once told me that every time you let students do something in your class, you give them permission to do it again. It is important to

establish clear rules and etiquette for your virtual learners and then follow through with enforcing them. I never thought I would have to tell a student to get out of bed and sit in a chair for class!

Frequent, Small-Group Purposeful Talk This fundamental should be teacherdriven discussion and done every 10–15 minutes at the completion of a major instructional concept. It works best if the groups consist of 2–4 students. Planting seed questions will ensure the critical connections are made to the content. In a live situation, this could easily be done by having students talk with their stand partners, their sections, or the people around them. One of my recent lesson plans was having high school students identify and recognize the difference between Baroque era and Classical era music. We listened to a Bach composition followed by a Mozart composition. I had the students talk with their neighbor about the difference they heard regarding instrumentation and style.

It is important that teachers remain in the power zone throughout the group

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conversations. This allows us to be in the best position to ensure students are staying on task, participating, making accurate connections, and clearing up misunderstandings. Again, this proves more difficult in a virtual setting. If you can utilize breakout rooms, it can be effective. If not, one idea is to create a Google Doc where the students enter their thoughts and observations. Share the Google Doc on the screen so students can see all the comments. This could lead to more structured and fruitful conversation.

Recognize & Reinforce This fundamental is broken into two types of recognition: academic and social/ behavioral. As educators, we readily recognize those students who earn the best grades are high achievers. However, we often miss the opportunity to recognize those who are making progress toward achieving personal academic goals. For example, we consistently recognize our students who make a Region or All-State ensemble, but we rarely recognize the student who has finally achieved playing a major scale with right notes and intonation. If we give recognition to students at all academic levels, we can motivate them to continue to pursue academic success.

For social and behavioral recognition, we must focus on personalization and specificity. Personalization means the teacher addresses specific groups of students or an individual student. Specificity means the teacher clearly states the behavior or action that deserved the recognition. When we recognize and reinforce the behaviors we want to see, we can mold student behavior that leads to a successful and engaging classroom. You will see a positive change, academically and behaviorally, when you look for opportunities to recognize and reinforce.

Write Critically The last fundamental is purposeful and intentional writing. I’m sure our English teacher colleagues would love us if we used this fundamental on a more frequent basis.

Writing critically is used for the purposes of dissecting, clarifying, organizing, connecting, and expanding concepts. I know this to be true from writing articles for this magazine. I have a much better understanding of concepts I have written about and have been able to effectively institute them in my classroom.

I don’t think it’s feasible to have students write critically for every lesson or objective we teach. However, having the students complete weekly writing prompts about objectives they learned throughout the week is reasonable and beneficial. I created a Google Form I assign on Friday that is due Monday. It has questions about objectives taught during the week to check for understanding. The form also repeats some questions weekly: What is one thing you have learned in orchestra this week?

Is there anything you did not understand?

What is one goal you want to accomplish in orchestra by next Friday? What steps will you take to accomplish this goal? Mostly, how are you doing? Reading these weekly submissions, I gain incredible insights. I have a better understanding of students’ learning, what they want to learn, and most importantly how they are doing.

I know we are all still being challenged as we discover new and better ways to teach students virtually. Hopefully by now, you are settling into a workable routine. I was grateful the district I work for decided to invite students back to campus for faceto-face teaching. My heart and soul were filled with joy when the room was once SA M

H OUSTON

STATE

again filled with music. I realize this isn’t possible in every district or music classroom, so keep pushing through these challenging times. This is temporary and we will get through it together.

Virtual TMEA Clinic/Convention As I write about the creative solutions we’ve all been challenged to provide, I can assure you the TMEA Board and staff members also now face similar challenges and opportunities as we work to deliver the most effective virtual convention possible!

As I wrote in my email to members at the end of August, we will sorely miss being together in San Antonio. Like so much else, having to make this change only intensifies our disappointment in what the pandemic has required of us all. However, just like all educators have for their students, we must rise to the challenge for TMEA members. We are committed to bringing you content you can’t do without and connections that are meaningful and inspiring. Be sure to read Executive Director Robert Floyd’s column for more about this decision, and as always, please visit www.tmea.org/convention for the latest information and to register.

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Southwestern Musician | October 2020

9

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

B Y

R O B E R T

F L O Y D

A difficult decision

I

n a month when we are usually seeking more hotel rooms to contract for our annual event, we’re instead working with presenters and technology providers to ensure the 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention becomes a must-attend virtual event. The long walks through crowded hallways that we used to complain about are now something of our dreams (and something I’m confident will return).

As we must do in so many areas of our lives lately, instead of focusing on the opportunities lost, we must shift to envisioning the possibilities. Even virtually, our convention will continue to support your daily work, ignite your passion, and rejuvenate you for the remainder of the school year and beyond. I look forward to sharing some of the incredible opportunities we are currently pursuing (I’m hoping that by the time you receive this, we will have already communicated some via email and our website).

When we announced the change in our event venue to virtual, we knew there would be many unanswered questions. To that end, I want to share with you more details about that decision and about how we will be moving forward with this amazing convention. As always, you can visit www.tmea.org/ convention for the latest updates on the event.

As other associations began moving their summer and fall education

The decision has been made, and now the Board and staff are committed to providing the most dynamic, knock-it-out-of-the-park virtual experience that can be produced!

10 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—2021 TMEA Clinic/ Convention held virtually.

conferences online, it became clear that we needed to explore alternative formats for our convention. The health and safety of our members, their students, families, and the TMEA staff was our top concern. That priority and the review of current facts drove our Executive Board’s final decision to host our convention as a virtual event in 2021. That decision came via a unanimous vote during an August 31 Executive Board meeting that followed a briefing to the State Board.

In addition to our top priority of health and safety, the following were some of the triggers for that decision:

• At the center’s now entrance-only doors, every attendee’s temperature would be taken by a scanner. Each day you arrived with an acceptable temperature for entry, you would receive a sticker for that day permitting you to be in the center. The number of attendees who could enter in a certain time frame each morning would be severely limited.

• With their safety protocols in place as dictated by the governor’s office and local city and county government, the convention center could not promise an occupancy allowance of more than 38% capacity.

• Meeting social distancing requirements for All-State rehearsals would be impossible in any available meeting space. The greatest challenge would be 225 All-State choir students singing in a meeting room 8–10 hours a day.

• Meeting room occupancy would be limited according to CDC social distancing recommendations, and rooms would have to be cleared for sanitation between clinics, thus reducing the number of sessions and attendance allowed.

• Student ensembles performing at and attending the conference and then returning home raises a concern about the potential spread of the virus (the same concern holding true for any attendee).

• Housing 1,800 All-State students plus chaperons in hotel rooms (where we combine students from different communities and school districts) would be unworkable and potentially unsafe.

• Managing the crowds in Lila Cockrell Theatre, which typically turn over every 1.5 hours, would be impossible as would be maintaining social distancing and having time for required sterilization. The number of performances and attendees at each would be significantly limited.

• Many school districts are not allowing travel for any professional development or CPE training this school year.

• Some districts are not allowing student travel during this school year.

• With the reduction in attendees, and the likelihood that many exhibitors would not travel across the nation or world to exhibit, a significant financial loss would be probable.

• Preparation time for an in-person or virtual convention is significant.

Waiting any longer to decide would not have allowed for adequate planning and work to support the best possible event.

• This decision must be based on today’s facts and requirements, not on future projections. Today’s facts support a

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Southwestern Musician | October 2020 11

decision not to bring tens of thousands of students, teachers, exhibitors, and convention staff to one location for an event.

All-State One of the most treasured experiences of our conventions through the years has been the All-State experience. It is a component of our convention that the Board has spent extensive time discussing, hoping to devise a way to continue offering students such a life-changing opportunity.

At press time that effort is ongoing, and once a decision is made, we will communicate it with our members.

Future of Events In a recent discussion with the Director of Sales and Marketing for Visit San Antonio, he shared that leaders in the meeting industry do not believe large conventions can return until the third or

fourth quarter of 2021 at the earliest. So, the Executive Board clearly made the right decision to go virtual with our meeting based on latest industry recommendations, research, and the governor’s safety policies.

Cost of Registration Several questions have been raised about the fee for our event. We are not changing our already-low event fee. The fees paid by attendees are an important part of providing our event. However, to keep fees low for our teacher members over the past several years, we have not calculated our fees based on the revenue needed—attendee fees don’t cover the costs needed to host our event, virtually or in person. Our convention fee is $60 for active members. I don’t know of any other music educators convention with as low a fee, and the Board has decided to maintain that same low cost for the 2021 event.

2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention clinics • performances • exhibits • connections W W W.T M E A .O R G /C O N V E N T I O N

One thing to note, however, is that when you register for this virtual event, it means you will have continued access to sessions after the event date. You also have admittance to all performances at no additional charge (including our President’s Concert by VOCES8, which was previously $10/ticket).

None of our Board members wanted theirs to be the first Board in over 90 years to cancel our face-to-face convention, but you elect officers to make these difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions for the association. You trust them to lead with the best interests and safety of the membership at heart. The decision has been made, and now the Board and staff are committed to providing the most dynamic, knock-it-out-of-the-park virtual experience that can be produced!

I encourage you to register and be a part of this first-time virtual convention in the history of TMEA, exploring the unique opportunities a virtual event offers, reimagining our convention, and thinking big! We look forward to soon announcing more details and amazing opportunities that will be part of this special event. 0

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WIND BAND

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 MARK OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS! CommeNded WiNNers

NatioNal WiNNers Class A

Class A

Four Points MS Wind Ensemble..................... Jessica Lee Gonzales.........................Austin, TX

Bee Cave MS Honors Band .......................... Greg Demoore ...................................Austin, TX

Harpool MS Symphonic Band ...................... Bryan Stone .................................... Lantana, TX

Smith MS Wind Ensemble.............................. Matthew Hiller ............................. Cleburne, TX

Indian Springs MS Band ................................ David Puckett...................................... Keller, TX

Sycamore Springs MS Wind Ensemble ........ Jana Galloway...................................Austin, TX

Smithfield MS Honors Band........................... Joshua Schechter ....... North Richland Hills, TX

Class AA Class AA

Cain MS Honors Band ................................... Trevor Ousey .................................Rockwall, TX

Diane Gorzycki MS Honors Band ................ Nicholas Tieh .....................................Austin, TX

Flour Bluff JH Honors Band ............................ David Burnett........................ Corpus Christi, TX

Henry MS Honors Band................................. Robert T. Herrings, III ................Cedar Park, TX

Norman JH School Honor Band ................... Gerardo Loya ................................Kaufman, TX

Tex Hill MS Honors Band ............................... Kim Rosenberg ........................San Antonio, TX

Otto MS Wind Ensemble ............................... John Vanhook ..................................... Plano, TX

Hudson Bend MS Honors Band .................... Ryan O’Donoghue ............................Austin, TX

Pearson Ranch MS Honors Band .................. Anne Leo & David Eickbusch ............Austin, TX

Walsh MS Honor Band .................................. Jennifer Bergeron .....................Round Rock, TX

Trinity Springs Wind Ensemble ...................... Dean Surface .............................Fort Worth, TX

West Ridge MS Wind Ensemble ................... Allana Tate .........................................Austin, TX

Class AAAA Class AAAA

Kaufman HS Wind Ensemble................................Mario Morales .................................... Kaufman, TX

Booker T. Washington HSPVA ..............................Larry Schnitzer ..........................................Dallas, TX

Class AAAAA Class AAAAA

Timberview HS Wind Symphony .................. Eric Mullins ................................... Arlington, TX

Midlothian HS Wind Ensemble ............................Larry Doran .......................................Midlothian, TX Tuscaloosa County HS Wind Ensemble..............Mike Guzman ...................................Northport, AL

Class AAAAAA Lake Travis HS Wind Ensemble ..................... Richard Hicks......................................Austin, TX

Class AAAAAA

Rancho HS Wind Ensemble ........................... Clinton L. Williams .................... Las Vegas, NV

Keller HS Wind Ensemble ..............................................Mark McGahey ................................................Keller, TX Lockport Township HS Wind Symphony ...................Brian Covey.....................................................Lockport, IL

New Music Division

Vandegrift HS Wind Ensemble .....................................Mike Howard .....................................................Austin, TX

Harpool MS Symphonic Band ...................... Bryan Stone .................................... Lantana, TX

New Music Division

Richardson HS Wind Symphony ................... Jesus Marquez .......................... Richardson, TX

Pflugerville MS Wind Ensemble .................... Sara Robison ............................. Pflugerville, TX Rancho HS Wind Ensemble ........................... Clinton L. Williams .................... Las Vegas, NV

ORCHESTRA

Special thanks to adjudicators Jason Fettig, Rodney Dorsey, Alex Kaminsky, and Gary Hill.

CommeNded WiNNers

NatioNal WiNNers High School Full Orchestra

High School Full Orchestra

McKinney HS Symphony Orchestra ............. Jeff Harvick ..................................McKinney, TX

Allen HS Symphony Orchestra ...................... David DeVoto ...................................... Allen, TX

Seven Lakes HS Symphony Orchestra .......... Desiree Overree, John Mays, Sean Carlton.... Katy, TX

Stephen F. Austin HS Symphony Orchestra .. Ann Victor, Zoran Jasmak ....... Sugar Land, TX

Westwood Symphony Orchestra .................. Joshua Thompson, Thomas Turpin .....Austin, TX

James E. Taylor HS Symphony Orchestra ..... Clint Capshaw, Mike Ary & Tiffany Webb .... Katy, TX

High School String Orchestra

High School String Orchestra

L.D. Bell Symphony Orchestra ....................... Allison L. King ...................................... Hurst, TX

Allen HS Chamber Orchestra ........................ David DeVoto ...................................... Allen, TX

Dulles HS Honors String Orchestra ............... Michael Isadore, Angela Yip .. Sugar Land, TX

Plano East Senior HS Chamber Orchestra ... Ann G. Smith ...................................... Plano, TX

McKinney Boyd Honors Consortium Orchestra ... Michael Link ................................McKinney, TX

Walton HS Chamber Orchestra .................... Perry Holbrook ............................ Marietta, GA

Stephen F. Austin Camerata Orchestra ......... Ann Victor, Zoran Jasmak ....... Sugar Land, TX James E. Taylor HS Chamber Orchestra ....... Clinton Capshaw ................................. Katy, TX

Middle School Full Orchestra Garcia MS Full Orchestra .....Frances Weberpal, Nicole Elias, Giovanni Fuentes, Joel Chavarria ........ Sugar Land, TX

Middle School Full Orchestra Dulles MS Symphony Orchestra ................... Sally Kirk & Edward Odeh...... Sugar Land, TX

Middle School String Orchestra Central JH Chamber Orchestra ..................... Tara Truex ...........................................Euless, TX

Middle School String Orchestra

Ereckson Chamber Orchestra ........................ Joanna DeVoto, Rachel Boone .......... Allen, TX

Austin Academy Honors Orchestra ............... Jane Samford ................................ Garland, TX

Kleb Chamber Orchestra ............................... Dawn Herron....................................... Klein, TX

Canyon Vista MS Honors Orchestra............. Ragan Whatley ..................................Austin, TX

Woodcreek MS Chamber Orchestra............ Heather Davis, Pedro Funes, Justin Fulfer.......Houston, TX

Curtis MS Chamber Orchestra ...................... Amanda Su.......................................... Allen, TX Pearson Ranch MS Honors Orchestra .......... Colleen Whatley ................................Austin, TX

Special thanks to adjudicators Anthony Maiello and Jeffery Meyer.

The 2020 Mark of excellence had 145 enTries, and has now received enTries froM 38 sTaTes. More inforMaTion is available aT www.foundaTionforMusiceducaTion.org/Mark-of-excellence rick YanceY, Managing direcTor rick@foundaTionforMusiceducaTion.org

CHORAL JAZZ

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 MARK OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS! High School Jazz Ensemble

NatioNal WiNNers

Denton HS Lab Band 1 ......................................................................................................... Jesse Woolery .............................................................................................................................Denton, TX

Middle School Jazz Ensemble Vela Jazz 1 ............................................................................................................................. Erika R. Uribe.......................................................................................................................... Harlingen, TX

High School Jazz Ensemble

CommeNded WiNNers

H.B. Plant HS Jazz Band ....................................................................................................... Brian P. Dell................................................................................................................................... Tampa, FL Waltrip HS Jazz Ensemble #1 .............................................................................................. Jesse Espinosa ...........................................................................................................................Houston, TX

Special thanks to adjudicator Drew Zaremba.

High School Mixed Choir

NatioNal WiNNers

Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy Singers ........................................................................... Joel Duarte & Candice Maughan ..................................................................................Grand Prairie, TX Round Rock Dragon Chorale ................................................................................................ Jamieson McCaffity ...........................................................................................................Round Rock, TX

High School Open Class Aledo HS Treble Choir .......................................................................................................... Karen Paul......................................................................................................................................Aledo, TX Permian HS Cantus ................................................................................................................ Kenneth Sieloff ...........................................................................................................................Odessa, TX

Middle School Treble Choir Pearland JH West Varsity Treble Choir ................................................................................ Virginia Blasczyk ......................................................................................................................Pearland, TX Rice MS Acapella Treble Choir ............................................................................................ Chelsea Farmer ............................................................................................................................. Plano, TX

Middle School Open Class Rice MS Tenor Bass Choir ..................................................................................................... Chelsea Farmer ............................................................................................................................. Plano, TX Trinity Springs MS Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir ........................................................................ Clinton Hardy ........................................................................................................................Fort Worth, TX

High School Mixed Choir

CommeNded WiNNers

Flower Mound HS Jaguar Chorale ...................................................................................... Mark Rohwer..................................................................................................................Flower Mound, TX Stony Point HS Chamber Choir ............................................................................................ Randy M. Preston ................................................................................................................Round Rock, TX

High School Open Class Round Rock Muse .................................................................................................................. Jamieson McCaffity ............................................................................................................Round Rock, TX

Middle School Treble Choir Forestwood MS Bel Canto .................................................................................................... Megan Wisdom .............................................................................................................Flower Mound, TX Kleb Intermediate Chamber Choir ....................................................................................... Kelly McDonald ...........................................................................................................................Spring, TX Trinity Springs MS Varsity Treble Choir ................................................................................ Clinton Hardy ................................................................................................................................ Keller, TX

Middle School Open Class Trinity Springs MS Varsity Mixed Choir ............................................................................... Clinton Hardy ........................................................................................................................Fort Worth, TX

PERCUSSION

Special thanks to adjudicator Dianne Brumley.

High School Percussion Ensemble

NatioNal WiNNers

Winston Churchill HS Percussion Ensemble......................................................................... Colton Bean........................................................................................................................San Antonio, TX

Middle School Percussion Ensemble Friendswood JH Percussion Ensemble.................................................................................. Jason Abbott......................................................................................................................Friendswood, TX

High School Percussion Ensemble

CommeNded WiNNers

Lovejoy HS Percussion Ensemble.......................................................................................... Nathan Lewis..................................................................................................................................Lucas, TX

High School Percussion Ensemble Bammel MS Percussion Ensemble ........................................................................................ Cam Simpson ............................................................................................................................Houston, TX

Special thanks to adjudicator Casey Cangelosi.

The 2020 Mark of excellence had 145 enTries, and has now received enTries froM 38 sTaTes. More inforMaTion is available aT www.foundaTionforMusiceducaTion.org/Mark-of-excellence rick YanceY, Managing direcTor rick@foundaTionforMusiceducaTion.org

Bringing Chamber Music to the Large Ensemble

BY G A RY LE WIS

G

iven the pandemic through which we are living, and the resulting restrictions placed on our music programs, there is a good chance that chamber music is playing a greater role in your curriculum. However, even in the best of times chamber music should be recognized for how it benefits our students. And while the inclusion of chamber music on a large scale can be challenging (limited personnel for coaching, limited facilities, scheduling challenges, etc.), we can take a chamber music approach to the large, conducted ensemble. Chamber music yields many benefits, including: • Increased awareness and communication • Ownership and understanding of the score and the process of bringing music to life • Better listening and analytical skills • Better leadership and negotiating skills • A more subtle and intimate setting for music-making So, how can we enhance a large ensemble experience to better teach the above skills in that setting?

Near the end of his life, world-renowned conductor Claudio Abbado (London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, La Scala, and more) was lauded by the musicians with whom he worked. The following is from a 2007 New York Times article entitled “Not Just Another Pickup Band,” in which musicians praised him for allowing them the freedom to play: Reiner Wehle, the co-principal clarinetist and Sabine Meyer’s husband, said Mr. Abbado forces people to listen to one another and does not seek to “organize perfection” like other conductors. Laticia Honda-Rosenberg, a violinist and conservatory professor with a growing solo career, searched for explanations for the orchestra’s success, settling as usual on Mr. Abbado.

Then she added, “At the end, it’s chamber music.”

It is true these musicians are among the finest in the world.

16 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

However, our students need the same freedom and encouragement to become more aware, collaborative musicians, like the ones these professional musicians so greatly appreciated. I remember Alan Shinn, my colleague at Texas Tech University, saying our goal as music educators was to “put ourselves out of business.” In other words, our over-arching goal should be to equip our students with the skills necessary to transcend our programs, to succeed without us, and to be able to access, understand, and appreciate great music for a lifetime.

So, how can we make our rehearsals yield many of the same benefits as a chamber music experience? As the musicians quoted in the above article implied, our approach to conducting and teaching can either facilitate this kind of heightened awareness and collaboration between musicians or make it exceedingly difficult, organized perfection. Consider the following ideas that have helped me as I’ve aspired to give musicians more responsibility.

Don’t Conduct I’ve often said the best way to become a better conductor is to not conduct. When we realize we are rarely needed to keep the beat (assuming we’ve equipped musicians with the necessary skills), we will be freed to address the many musical opportunities beyond the beat. Additionally, if we coach the ensemble without beating time—teaching them where to listen, how to interact, how to lead and connect—they will grow much more quickly than by following a conductor. Individually and collectively, they are developing the skills to be independent, aware musicians. Once this kind of synergy is in place, everything will elevate. The musicians are better connected to each other, and, once we resume conducting, we are empowered to give them something beyond the beat— something that informs the music and inspires the musicians.

Listen Listening is the most difficult aspect of conducting to develop.

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Many of us spend a lifetime striving to hear more of what is going on in the ensemble, and with greater clarity. We can address only what we hear. When we are busy conducting, especially if we are noisily conducting the beat, we hear less. The more we move, the less we hear. I call it podium deafness.

We’ve all experienced how much less we hear when we conduct compared to when we stand in the corner of the room, listening with a score in our hands.

Herein is another benefit of coaching, not

conducting. Start the group and then step off the podium to listen and watch. Better yet, enlist musicians to start the group.

Teaching students how to move and lead is one of the greatest skills we can impart to them. By the way, their movement (breath) and physical leadership should continue once we step back onto the podium.

Breathe The breath is the lifeblood of musicmaking. This seems obvious, but often we don’t connect with it or use it to our best

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advantage. Even string, percussion, and keyboard musicians must breathe together to connect with each other. Ever notice how cymbal crashes often happen early compared to the rest of the group? Instead of saying “you’re early,” say “breathe with me for that crash.” It be more connected, and it will usually be a better sound.

The best string and piano soloists with whom I have been privileged to work use their breath effectively to prepare and to initiate the sound, as well as to lead the ensemble. We are fortunate to have the Takács Quartet in residence in the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder. I marvel at how they use breath so organically and musically in their performance. Likewise, the breath is critical to conducting. It is, in my opinion, the most underutilized tool in conducting.

Every gesture we make should be driven by and connected to our breath. Not only at the start, but also with every preparation and gesture that follows throughout the work. After all, conducting, when you boil it down to its essence, is just a series of preparations—the first one being the most difficult.

Don’t Follow—Collaborate I have long admired the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the way its musicians interact with one another, making it chamber music. The way they move and breathe together is amazing to watch.

I once asked Fergus McWilliam, one of the orchestra’s longtime horn players, about it. He mentioned several things like connecting visually with one another, playing to (and with) one another across the orchestra, and knowing with whom they are playing (knowing the score). When I asked him about their interactions with the conductor he said, “We don’t follow the conductor, we pay attention to them.”

Are we offering the musicians we conduct something worthy of their attention? Or are we simply beating time, imploring them to follow me.

When you follow something, you are inherently behind. We should ask musicians to collaborate, not only with us, but also with each other. A completely different and better kind of synergy results from this collaborative approach. Leadership must happen in every section of the ensemble, not just from the podium. As Benjamin Zander puts it, “Lead from your chair.”

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Share the Score I remember as a young brass player being encouraged to bring a score to rehearsal. Without it, I wouldn’t know with whom I was playing or the role I was playing within the ensemble. Just as good chamber musicians always have a score for reference, with modern technology we can share the score in real time with the musicians. I always try to project the score in full rehearsals. It is the best teaching tool I have found to help direct the ears of the musicians and to make each aware of their role in the group. It brings to light the secrets of the score for all to share. Just as the conductor’s sphere of awareness must encompass the entire group, so should the musicians’.

Having discovered the clues in the score, musicians can begin to listen on a much more sophisticated level for several elements: color (which leads to better pitch and intonation), balance and orchestration (knowing your role); ensemble (rhythm and articulation); harmony (which helps not only pitch, but also stresses/releases, phrasing, and overall pacing); and line and continuity (all music is going to or away from somewhere). Using an app like forScore, digital scores can be easily downloaded and paper scores can be scanned for projection during rehearsal.

cipal double bass player, I stay connected and the group has a better chance to stick together. Of course, the technique is much easier to see in string and percussion musicians than in wind players. However, simply looking directly at a section or individual helps us hear them more clearly. You can sense their breath, see their fingers, connect with how they move. Once back on the podium, our ability to look at the group greatly depends on our knowledge of the score. We must be able to watch the group if we ask them to watch us.

Trust Finally, this all depends on trust. Many of our habits as conductors are born out of a fundamental lack of trust. We often don’t trust the musicians to stay together, not to rush, etc., so we try to compensate by conducting only the beat, doing it forcefully, adding subdivisions or backbeats, thereby minimizing the responsibility of the musicians. In his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey reframes the word responsibility as “response-ability,” the ability to respond.

If a conductor constantly hovers, taking

all responsibility for the beat, tempo, and more, we will restrict our students’ progress and the effectiveness of our conducting and music-making.

While I have mentioned professional ensembles and musicians frequently here, I have witnessed many effective teachers accomplish these same concepts with students at every age. If we program appropriately and help students develop the necessary skills and responsibility, the musicians and the music-making will dramatically improve. It won’t happen immediately, and as with any skill there will be struggles. However, by avoiding the temptation to jump in and “help” through our conducting, the result and student growth will be worth the struggle.

Let’s bring these chamber music concepts into our rehearsals so our students will benefit even more from the experience!

0 Gary Lewis is the Director of Orchestral Studies and the Bob and Judy Charles Professor of Conducting in the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder . He is also the 2021 Band Division Featured Clinician .

Hear with Your Eyes It is true that we hear with more clarity that which we can see (you can read about this phenomenon in a Psychology Today article, linked from www.tmea.org/seeinghearing). Of course, it is vital in chamber music for the musicians to connect visually with one another. It follows that we should absolutely expect the same in our large ensembles. Occasionally I will ask musicians to establish eye contact with others in the ensemble. You can even create games and have some fun with it!

As conductors, stepping off the podium and getting our eyes off the score significantly enhances our ability to see/hear what is going on. We soon learn that we can see why the ensemble is not together or the style and articulation is not unified.

When I need to connect better with the orchestra, I watch the bows of the double basses or the sticks of the timpanist. There is a spot in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker that is notoriously difficult to align. I have found that when performing that passage, if I focus on the right hand of the prinSouthwestern Musician | October 2020 21

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Southwestern Musician | October 2020 23

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B Y

D A N A

BAND NOTES

P R A D E R V A N D

In Memoriam Carlos X. Arredondo April 13, 1956–September 11, 2020

The evolution of a mentor

H

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 9—Area Band and Vocal auditions.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—TMEA Clinic/Convention held virtually.

aving a mentor or being a mentor is an essential element in the development of one’s career.

Every first-year teacher is encouraged to seek the mentorship of a veteran teacher. Every school district and professional organization has a mentoring program. TMEA is no exception, offering a wonderful mentoring network of music educators to all active members (www. tmea.org/mentor). There is, however, a misconception that you need a mentor only in the early years of your teaching career and that they have a shelf life of effective influence.

The truth is that mentoring relationships evolve—they adapt throughout our lives and careers. A true mentor relationship is a joint venture that takes time to develop and must be managed and nurtured. This relationship will take on many different roles depending on what stage the protégé is in. In the beginning, you might have identified your mentor as an icon in the business.

This was a larger-than-life person who inspired you to be a band director— someone who was a role model to you and exemplified the kind of teacher

A true mentor relationship is a joint venture that takes time to develop and must be managed and nurtured.

Southwestern Musician | October 2020 25

you wanted to be. Next, you finally asked them for guidance and help. You welcomed them into your band hall to clinic or judge and they became a mentor in the traditional sense, providing you with the tools and tricks of the trade to help you become a better teacher. But the longer you taught and the more knowledge you gained, your mentor often took on the role of a colleague—someone to collaborate with on shared ideas and experiences and stand on stage alongside you. And finally, it is the hope that your mentor becomes a lifelong friend. Mentors will be the ones applauding the loudest at one of your performances because they understand the power of music in your life and those of your students.

At its highest level, mentorship is about being good people and surrounding ourselves with good people who are commit-

ted to helping us become fuller versions of ourselves. I am fortunate to have three outstanding mentors I admire greatly, from whom I’ve learned extensively, and with whom I’ve shared many wonderful experiences. James Sudduth, Director of Bands at Texas Tech University, taught me how to look at a score, analyze it, interpret it, and pull the music from its pages. Fred Hardin, Director of Bands at Monterey HS, taught me the importance of learning to teach the instruments and how to manage and run a successful band program. Eddie Green, Director of Bands at University of Houston, revolutionized my teaching by introducing me to a studentcentered methodology that is rooted in fundamentals.

I encourage you to pause and truly consider the people whom you identify as mentors and how that relationship has

evolved throughout your teaching experience. Think about the lessons you have learned from them—the many ways they have influenced your teaching philosophy and the wonderful experiences you have shared with them. Take the time to send them a note and let them know how grateful you are for their commitment to you and their confidence in you. Finally, pay it forward. Strive to be that person, that mentor, for someone else.

Region Band Chairs I hope you will join me in thanking our Region Band Chairs for their leadership and hard work. They have been instrumental in communicating with you and helping to ensure that our members in the Band Division are kept informed.

Audition season is beginning this month and Band Chairs are working diligently to

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make sure our recorded audition process runs smoothly. It truly takes a multitude of people to run the TMEA Band Division and our Region Chairs are doing a wonderful job.

Audition Season The virtual audition process is underway this month, beginning with our jazz auditions. Our thanks go to Alex Parker for facilitating the jazz auditions and to many others involved in administering and adjudicating them.

We want to assure all members and students that the TMEA Executive Board is working to provide a meaningful 2021 AllState experience. That has been one of the Board’s primary discussions as we deliberated about moving to a virtual convention.

The lessons learned and skills developed by students who participate in the process are vitally important to their development as student musicians. We hope you will continue to encourage your students to participate in this invaluable process, and we thank you for tackling the inherent challenges and supporting the changes to this important program.

TMEA Band Division Connection Meetings TMEA and the Band Division plan to continue offering Connections events.

These meetings have served as a wonderful forum for our directors to gather information, share ideas, and engage in camaraderie. Go to www.tmea.org/connections to view previous events and download supporting documents. If you have any suggestions for relevant and timely topics, please email me at bandvp@tmea.org.

My hope is to offer one event later this semester.

Texas Future Music Educators Like each of us who need mentors to help us succeed in our work, our students who are interested in this profession can experience a form of mentoring through membership in a TFME chapter.

With the opportunities we have now in virtual spaces, you could connect them with some amazing music educators, including representatives from universities who could help them understand how to best prepare to enter a college music education program.

Go to www.tmea.org/tfme for more details, or contact Kay Vanlandingham

at kvanlandingham@tmea.org with your questions.

ensure this resource continues to grow and be even more beneficial moving forward.

Online Resources Have you visited www.tmea.org/ resources to look for helpful online materials? Check it out! If you’ve been using any online resources in your distanced instruction that you have found particularly helpful, submit them for review and inclusion. This is such a simple and effective way we can help each other! TMEA created this webpage in response to members’ requests, and each of us can help

TMEA Scholarships Do you teach students who plan to enroll in a music degree program leading to Texas teacher certification with music as the primary teaching field? If so, encourage them to apply for a TMEA scholarship (more details on page 2).

The scholarship portal is open until November 1 at 4:30 p.m. For more information and to begin an application, go to www.tmea.org/scholarships.

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WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD by andre jackson

As a teacher, I purposefully invest in my students.

I want to know them before I teach them.

As a male teacher, I demonstrate the duality of being strong and independent and nurturing and vulnerable.

As a Black male teacher, I support a new generation of students in becoming open, willing, and brave, while understanding the obstacles they may encounter.

W

hen I look at the students of color whom I teach—Black students, Hispanic students, and students of Asian descent—I wonder whether they’ve experienced the conversations of my childhood. Did they get a pep talk like Ruby Bridges must have received the morning of November 14, 1960, when the National Guard arrived at her home to escort her to school? During the turbulent desegregation of New Orleans schools, Ruby became the first Black student to attend William Franz Elementary School. For many, the story ends there, with her walk to the entrance of the school. What we must also remember is that following her brave arrival, Ruby sat in the principal’s office all day. Not being educated, not being nurtured. Imagine that.

While it’s 60 years later, as a teacher, I must ask myself what Ruby needed, what I needed as a Black boy in this country, and what my music students need from me now.

Our Youngest Learners

I went to my first day of school excited, with a smile on my face.

I rarely met a smile in return. At that age, I wasn’t aware I would be the first Black kid my classmates would encounter or what that 28 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

would mean. The boys in my class who didn’t look like me often went unpunished after bullying me, but if I ever defended myself, I was quickly sent to a dark broom closet—the ISS of my day.

February was the one month when I learned about or saw anyone of influence who was Black. Yet I formed an uncomfortable anticipation of February. It was guaranteed that I would be stared at and asked questions about the very thing I was trying to learn myself. None of the posters displayed in classrooms and hallways pictured anyone resembling me, nor did the heroes in any of the stories we read. I didn’t set out to be different, but I was made to feel different.

Elementary educators teach students who are five years old, sometimes younger. In these formative years, teachers have not only an incredible opportunity but also a responsibility to provide students with a well-rounded experience. From visual aids to SEL integrations, through our interactions and language, our students are learning from us. When they move through middle and high school, some challenges increase, but so do the opportunities.

There are endless ways to be more inclusive and supportive of our students.

Be Inclusive

Embrace students of color, especially at the elementary level.

Recognize them, their history, their culture, and the beauty that comes with it all. The elementary classroom is often their first window into the real world. What we teach and expose students to at this age has a significant impact on the rest of their lives. How we love our students is how they will grow to love themselves.

Just like educators who want to be included and respected, our students are bound to want and should have access to the same inclusion and respect. That begins with our personal classroom philosophies, which we weave into our classroom cultures.

From classroom culture, it spreads into our classroom design and setup, to the various ways we learn to celebrate and sing “Happy Birthday,” and to our programming of concerts and festivals.

Inclusion can be achieved through our section leader and officer selections, our booster clubs, our musicals, our posted solfège signs. When our students look around the room and participate in activities, do they all feel included?

Invest in Our Students

We constantly ask our students to invest in our content and programs—how often do we invest in them? As we navigate this historic school year, let’s be the generation of educators who not only seek to know our students beyond the rehearsal but also take the next step.

We can start by talking with our students about their lives beyond our rehearsals. What are they facing? How are they processing the experience of living in the time of a pandemic?

Different backgrounds will influence various ways of processing.

Create a space that teaches them how to have healthy and vulnerable discussions with each other about issues they face outside the classroom. This will take practice and it is always okay to ask for help.

By investing in our students, we allow them to voice their expectations for us as their teacher and we create a shared classroom culture in which they grow to assume accountability. We should be willing to learn and grow with our students and ask questions in ways that aren’t harmful or dismissive. To invest in our students is to recognize that ours is not the only lived experience—students arrive to the same classroom, but they came from different homes, traditions, lifestyles, and types of love or a lack thereof.

Consider the Music We Teach and Program

Celebrating Black culture and history should require more than one month, and it shouldn’t be delivered in the form of a program closer! I was a high school sophomore when my choir director Judi Welch selected “I’m Gonna Sing Till the Spirit Moves in My Heart”

by Moses Hogan for our UIL contest a capella piece. Mrs. Welch didn’t just assign solos; she required we learn them with an understanding of the text, context, history, and rich culture behind the notes on the page. She didn’t program the piece as an energetic closer. She programmed it because of where her students were on their journeys—she programmed that song for me.

I’ll never forget the pride I felt sharing that solo, because my director chose to learn about and invest in me. Mrs. Welch’s choice altered the trajectory of my life—it fueled my passion for my voice and a love for my history, my culture. The music we teach, listen to, and consume has power, and as educators, we give it purpose.

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We have an incredible opportunity to send these students out into the school—into the world—being more informed, more respectful, and more encouraging of each other.

In music we have limitless opportunities to teach history and culture.

Throughout the school year are numerous celebrations, customs, and traditions.

Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Native Heritage Month, Asian and Pacific-Island Heritage Month, and more. It would be overwhelming and nearly impossible to program a concert for each. So, we can instead vary our programs across the years.

We should learn the practices observed by our students and bring awareness to them in our classrooms. We can support multicultural respect through lessons, studentled discussions, concerts, class performances, and schoolwide presentations and in newsletter articles. To truly see our students is to acknowledge their histories and celebrate all that they represent.

Create a Safe Space

As music educators we know our music room is often the safest place for student expression and risk-taking. Students are most comfortable and open to change when they are in our community. I recognize this and use my room as a tool and space for growth. I initially started each

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class with student-led news called “Tell Me Something Good.” This quickly evolved to “Tell Me Something on Your Heart.” In these first five minutes of class, students can share anything on their hearts. As the year goes by, sharing gets deeper and more vulnerable. This sharing has led to laughter and tears from both my tenor-bass and treble choir members. Students not only begin to trust each other but also learn to listen first.

We have an incredible opportunity to send these students out into the school— into the world—being more informed, more respectful, and more encouraging of each other. It’s okay if we read the room and realize our planned rehearsal must wait because the students in front of us need something different.

Support Future Leaders

Music educators have many opportunities to foster leadership in students—from distributing music to being section leaders and more. How do we check ourselves to ensure we are being equitable in calling on students to lead? Are we implicitly biased in our selection? These are the questions we might need to repeatedly ask ourselves

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to ensure we support the development of all students.

One way to remove implicit bias from our leadership choices is to ask for an outside perspective on our selections.

Remember, community requires collaboration. Have partly or fully blind auditions for solos, office chairs, section leaders, etc.

Invite people to serve on the panels who are from various backgrounds and connections with the students. Ensure audition requirements are accessible for all students.

Spend time in team building and bonding from the beginning. This is where we can really build up our students and ensembles. To play and sing together requires a level of vulnerability that cannot be accessed through rehearsal alone.

Get them out of the classroom and explore who they are as humans.

Our students are experiencing the effects of a global pandemic and the most significant civil rights movement since the days of Ruby Bridges. Students look to us for guidance. They will model what they see us do as we move through this school year. We aren’t just building the leaders of our classrooms, we are building the world leaders of tomorrow.

Make a Difference

When I was a sophomore in high school, I was taught by my first Black educator.

I immediately gravitated to her because I felt an instant connection. It was then that I realized Black people could teach, too, and that I could teach what I was really good at. Today, I see that same light-bulb moment when Black students enter my middle school classroom. Representation matters! Our students must envision themselves succeeding before they will dare to dream and create goals for themselves. If you’re not an educator of color, invite us into your classroom to work with your students. Take opportunities to show students diversity at all levels of leadership to expand their perspectives on their community.

When we make the choice to continually learn about and lift up all students and when educators join hands in this community of actionable change, students like young Ruby can have a radically different experience and future. We can and will change the world.

0 Andre Jackson is the Choir Director at Marble Falls Middle School.

ORCHESTRA NOTES

B Y

M I C H A E L

S T R I N G E R

You are enough!

I

continue to be amazed by the strength, determination, and talent of Texas educators! Sitting in my home office writing this column, I just witnessed my son (now a high school freshman) smiling from ear to ear as he walked out of the room where he completes his virtual learning. He could not wait to tell us about the awesome orchestra class he just finished. His excitement came from participating in an activity on Zoom where students were separated into breakout rooms. They were able to play a simple duet together—he felt like he was playing in an orchestra again! For those of you who are experienced with teenage boys, you know that his eagerness to share his excitement with his parents meant this was a truly powerful moment for him.

Keep Going As I have visited with teachers who are restricted to virtual instruction only or have been charged to teach face-to-face while also teaching virtually, I have heard much angst and frustration in their voices. This way of teaching remains foreign—different from everything we learned and have experienced for most of our careers. It is easy to lose hope, lose connection, and lose sight of the difference you are making.

As soon as my son shared his excitement, I sent his orchestra director a short text of thanks for helping brighten his week, hoping it might give her

Our greatest mission and our gift to our students is to help them understand how music is connected and integral to society.

32 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—TMEA Clinic/Convention held virtually.

a moment to pause and know that all her work is making a difference in the lives of her students. In this environment that requires us to create new solutions based on ever-changing requirements, it can be easy to lose sight of the difference you are making. Our courses are so much more than music. They give our students a place (even virtually) to belong, a creative outlet, and, often, a family.

The connections you are building with your students change their lives for the better. You give them a space in which they can create and enjoy beauty in the world.

If you sense you are reaching the end of your rope, please remind yourself that you have made a positive difference in many lives and that you are continuing to do just that, even if you feel like you’re struggling.

If you haven’t yet, I would suggest reading “Caring for Others While Caring for Ourselves,” published in our September issue (available online at www.tmea.org/ emagazine). Author Nathan Langfitt was a Texas music educator and now works as a licensed professional counselor. He offers several helpful strategies and reminders like this: “I hope you can remember that you are doing your best, just as your stu-

34 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

dents and colleagues are. In the same way that you would never criticize one of your students for struggling in this moment, I hope you can provide the same compassion to yourself.” I think this is such a great reminder for each of us these days.

Keep Learning In this new normal, we are all out of our comfort zones. What we know about orchestral education has been disrupted and we are all having to learn how to teach in a different environment. The best way for us to continue improving is to keep learning! Every time I have the good fortune to join with other music educators and learn what they have tried, what they have modified, and how they have improved, I remember that learning from one another is one of our most powerful tools.

All my most successful instructional methods were borrowed from another educator. Our colleagues’ free sharing of tips and ideas that help us become better educators are what makes education such a special profession. I have never known anyone to hold a great instructional method back from other educators because it gave their program an advantage. We

have always been in this together, and we will continue to be in this together. When you find yourself in need of ideas, remember there are many other educators who are ready to share their wealth of knowledge with you. Some of the most powerful conversations have occurred when I have spoken openly about my failures and then received a small tweak to my method that converted that failure to success.

Keep Inspiring Above all, keep working to inspire young musicians. Continue to look for ways to connect with your students and for methods to help them know they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Orchestral music has a power and purpose in society, one that has been around for many generations. Music is everlasting. It’s outlasted pandemics of our past and it will outlast COVID-19!

Our greatest mission and our gift to our students is to help them understand how music is connected and integral to society. Teach your students how music has survived, teach them how musicians create beautiful art in the midst of pain and suffering, and most of all teach them that

music has the power to heal. One of my most powerful assignments has been to ask students to go an entire weekend without hearing any music. I instructed them not to practice and do their best not to hear any music at all for the entire weekend.

Students reported back how difficult the assignment was and how they found music all around them. Even one student who avoided everything all weekend reported that he was successful from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening and then the ice cream truck came down the street playing its jingle. Music is a part of our lives in more ways than we realize; inspire your students to find new ways to make and enjoy music.

Above all, remember that you are doing your best for your students and know that each of us is making mistakes along the way. Mistakes help us learn and make us human. I firmly believe our students support us in our success and failure, and they learn how to improve by watching how we respond and improve. You are enough for your program and your students. You are changing their lives for the better. From this parent to you, thank you for helping our children grow!

TMEA Clinic/Convention Update With our email announcements and social media updates, I’m sure you’ve learned that our 2021 convention will be held as a virtual event. While I know the power of a face-to-face convention, I learned through our summer TODA convention that attending a virtual event can have just as much value. I have enjoyed returning to the convention website to view great clinics that I missed during the event and to be reminded of the valuable ideas I gained from those I attended.

Know that the TMEA Board is planning an event that will exceed all our expectations and will allow you to interact with colleagues, friends, and clinicians in meaningful ways. While I was scrolling through Facebook the other day, I saw a post from a band director colleague who was revealing their marching show to their students and at the end was “Different does not mean worse.” While our annual event will look different from before, I can assure you that it will be just as relevant and important!

If you haven’t yet registered for the TMEA Clinic/Convention, I encourage you to do that now. To learn more about

this valuable and affordable opportunity, go to www.tmea.org/convention.

Auditions Special thanks go to our TMEA Orchestra Region Chairs as well as the middle school and mariachi coordinators for supporting and helping us facilitate the move to virtual auditions this fall. This has been an arduous task for all involved and these folks have already participated in hours of meetings to begin the work of selecting students for our Region and All-State ensembles. I want to encourage you to keep your students working toward the goal of being named to one of these ensembles.

The journey and musical leaps our students take from learning the repertoire alone is worth their time and effort. I was so encouraged by an Instagram post from one of our string players who, after learning that the TMEA Convention would go virtual, commented, “I’ll still practice and audition . . . Think I’m gonna just work on the harmonic section for a while while really getting these intervals right.” This is just one example illustrating how students have been taught that the journey is the most important part. I am glad that TMEA has found a way to continue to offer our students a way to grow and mature musically even in a virtual setting.

TFME Chapters This is an excellent time to begin a Texas Future Music Educators chapter!

Whether you’re meeting in person or virtually, you can offer students interested in a music education career meaningful information and guidance to help them prepare. Consider how easily you could get your chapter connected with multiple university representatives to speak with them about preparing.

For more information, go to www.tmea. org/tfme or email Kay Vanlandingham at kvanlandingham@tmea.org.

0

Online Resources As you’ve been in this mode of creating new strategies and teaching your string students in a vastly different way, you’ve likely utilized some online resources that have helped you deliver education and grow your program remotely. Submit the online resources you’ve relied on to the TMEA Resource Repository webpage: www.tmea.org/resources.

TMEA Scholarships Be sure to encourage your students who will enroll in a music degree program leading to Texas teacher certification with music as the primary teaching field to apply for a TMEA scholarship. The scholarship portal is open until November 1 at 4:30 p.m. Selecting from last year’s applicants, TMEA awarded $225,000 in scholarships. For more information and to begin an application, go to www.tmea.org/ scholarships.

Southwestern Musician | October 2020 35

VOCAL NOTES

B Y

J E D

R A G S D A L E

Building leaders

I

t has all started. One way or another, you have begun your school year. Through the uncertainty, discomfort, fear, and stress you are here. While your situation might not be ideal, keep in mind you are still your students’ vocal development instructor. While we must be facilitators of their social emotional learning, we must still help them develop their instruments, whether via a face-toface or virtual learning environment.

What strategies and tools have you used to help them with vocal technique?

Are you modeling in person or with video demonstrations? Do you utilize recorded masterclasses with your students who are online, as well as those learning face-to-face? After recently finding Renée Fleming’s Guildhall masterclass video series online, I realized it’s taken a pandemic for me to explore YouTube for useful content that extends beyond a concert recording or pop song karaoke track. There are so many resources available at no cost that can supplement what we already use, enhancing our lessons and enabling us to help our students take their learning to the next level.

We must make sure that our students continue to utilize proper breath support, vowel placement, and vowel manipulation throughout the register; prepare the onset; keep the palate lifted; and understand what all of this and more means. Assume nothing. Many of you have found out that you are starting over. Students have not been singing properly for six months! Atrophy is real in every part of the anatomy, including the voice. Be sure you are using everything you can to display the best execution of proper singing, and do not neglect warmups.

I firmly believe this development is what we are to do as we prepare students for the future. These are future team leaders, problem solvers, risk takers, and choir directors.

36 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 9—Area Vocal and Band auditions.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—TMEA Clinic/Convention held virtually.

While you can find online videos of vocal warmups, I encourage you to record yourself demonstrating them so students know how you want them to sound and how to properly execute those warmups.

You can also have one or more of your advanced students record their warmup demonstrations. For many years, I’ve had various students lead warmups (after walking them through it for about six weeks).

In the beginning, always explain the purpose of each warmup, shortening the explanation with each day. Switch to asking different students the purpose of each warmup as you go, until one day, ask who would like to lead a particular warmup.

Usually several hands will go up. Over the next several weeks, lead some exercises and pick students to lead others. Gauge who is comfortable in front of their peers, who truly understands the exercise they lead, and, quite frankly, who sounds the best at it. Over time, every exercise has a designated leader and an alternate for when the leader is absent. If both are absent, someone usually steps up to the task.

This opportunity provides ownership and student-facilitated learning, which administrators love and which benefits

the students. The students start to become directors of that warmup, and when teaching in person, you’ll have that opportunity to walk around and listen to students and offer suggestions, likely on posture or making sure they lift that soft palate. Take this practice a step further by developing sightreading directors. Try to use as many students as possible to lead sightreading exercises, because it’s the most daunting task for the students, whether leading or reading.

Give as many students as possible the opportunity to lead, knowing there will be many times when you’ll need to throw them a life preserver—you are the expert and they still need you! Crucially, never force anyone to lead. Encourage them to try, knowing you will always teach students who would usually rather live in a cave without the light of day than be in front of their peers.

A few years ago, I learned a great idea from another director: ask on my student information questionnaire whether the student would like to lead a warmup. I also added a question to learn who likes to be praised publicly or privately. These questions reveal much about your students.

They also help how you approach students who are new to your program or to you as their director.

Student leadership has proven beneficial when I am unavailable for the day, whatever the reason. I can be assured that at least half the rehearsal will be productive, with proper warmups and well-executed sightreading being accomplished. When I know I’m going to be out, I’ll ask two of our best sightreading leaders to each lead an excerpt of repertoire, and I give them a detailed plan. I touch base with my class representatives to see how rehearsal went for the day, and they usually offer a solid and honest report.

Substitute teachers love subbing for my classes and often leave glowing notes. Don’t get me wrong. Some days do go horribly when I’m away, especially with a beginner choir. It takes time throughout the fall semester to dedicate to this training. It also takes patience and much dialogue between you and your students. I firmly believe this development is what we are to do as we prepare students for the future. These are future team leaders, problem solvers, risk takers, and choir directors. This practice has become especially helpful when I’ve

Southwestern Musician | October 2020 37

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been out for days to judge UIL contest or to attend our TMEA Clinic/Convention.

Speaking of our annual event, as you know, our convention is going to look a bit different this year. Don’t be disappointed!

By making this decision now, we can begin preparing the best virtual Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention that is humanly and virtually possible! We are going to make this work, just as you are making virtual teaching work in all of your classrooms. We are all in!

We want to push our event to amazing heights, and not just with a national market, but with a global reach! Many educators from around the world have at the minimum heard of TMEA, but with travel costs haven’t had a chance to experience our annual event. This is an opportunity to let our light shine across the world, inviting many into our great state of Texas, and showing them we are more that J.R. Ewing or longhorn cattlemen wearing big hats.

We are artistic, creative, innovative, and we support exceptional music-making at every level.

While we don’t have the answer for how, as of this print deadline, we are working to ensure our invited groups and All-State

students have meaningful goals to work toward! We know how vital this is to their education and to developing many other skills that will serve them in their futures.

Together, Texas music educators are going to soar! Let’s support one another as we take flight. Keep working and keep pushing onward and upward!

Convention Registration If you haven’t yet, go to www.tmea. org/register to register now! Remember to invite your colleagues, knowing you can easily extend that encouragement to vocal educators around the world who can attend without the significant travel cost.

Texas Future Music Educators Teaching students to become leaders in your choir, as I mentioned above, is also a natural goal of any TFME chapter. If you haven’t created one yet, ask your student leaders if they’d like to do so. The purpose is to support those students with an interest in becoming music educators. With the opportunities we have now virtually, you could connect them with amazing music educators, including representatives from universities who could help them under-

stand how to best prepare to enter a college music education program.

Go to www.tmea.org/tfme for more details, or contact Kay Vanlandingham at kvanlandingham@tmea.org with your questions.

Online Resources Like the Renée Fleming masterclass video resource I mentioned, if you have been utilizing effective online tools during your distanced or hybrid learning, please submit them to www.tmea.org/resources.

TMEA built this webpage to help teachers find the information they need in support of their remote instruction, and to make it truly robust, we need you to share the resources you have found are most helpful.

TMEA Scholarships The TMEA scholarship portal is open until November 1 at 4:30 p.m. Encourage your students who plan to enter a music education degree program to learn more and begin an application at www.tmea. org/scholarships.

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by Janwin Overstreet-Goode

B

eing professionals in our trade, choral music educators must have a set of tools (some might say a bag of tricks) at our disposal. We are diagnosticians who must think on our feet and have quick fixes at the ready to help our students experience success every day.

By using imagery, vocal and choral techniques can be more easily explained to choir members, especially younger, less experienced singers. The following are areas that all choral educators work to improve and examples of imagery I’ve found useful when working through them.

Breathing, Breath Control, and Breath Management Good breath control and management is critical for a singer’s success. The following concepts can be useful in teaching breathing techniques.

Breathe in using the form of the first sung vowel shape. If the first word is ocean, form an oh shape and breathe in through that shape. If singing exsultate, form an eh shape and breathe through that space. Singers can also take a surprise breath (ah) as if they had seen something amazing or walked into their surprise birthday party. With this example, singers have to be cautioned not to make too much noise while taking this breath.

To create a good oo shape, have singers imagine sipping air through a straw. To help them with this exercise, have them use paper straws and literally sip the air through a straw.

When working on breath control and management for longer phrases, have them sing the alphabet on one breath; do this several times, slowing the tempo each time. Time them and challenge them to increase the time on each iteration.

40 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

To work on low breathing, have the singers hold an index finger in front of their face and “blow out the candle.” How many candles can they blow out on one breath? Again, challenge them to increase the number on each iteration.

Another trick that works with longer phrases is to use lip trills— this can help them keep the air spinning and flowing and will help create an energized tone.

Vowels Beautiful, matched vowels are the basis for beautiful singing. In addition to breathing in the first vowel shape, the following tricks can be beneficial.

To create more space inside the mouth, encourage singers to think of yawning, or imagine an umbrella inside their mouth. For taller vowel shapes, ask them to sing north and south rather than east and west. This is easy to demonstrate with your hand, and can be a quick, nonverbal reminder for the singers.

Another way to create tall vowels is to use the facelift. Singers can put the backs of their hands on their cheekbones, fingers down as they sing. This encourages taller vowels and has the added benefit of creating a sound channel for the singer.

When the range of a selection gets higher for singers, they may need to modify vowels, especially if the song is written above the staff (sopranos and tenors). Oo and ee become particularly difficult, and should be modified to oh and eh, and sometimes ah.

Quick reminder phrases you can use during rehearsal include “space in the face,” “more space,” and “think British.” Be creative— you have to find something that works for your singers!

Diction/Articulation While vowels create the beauty in the music, consonants create the meaning. One of the most critical aspects in diction and articulation are the final consonants. A missing final consonant can change a word completely, often giving it an unintended meaning.

Try using the jackhammer method. Have the singers repeat (sing) the ending consonant five times; reduce that to three, then two, then one. The final consonant will become audible and crisp.

This is particularly useful for voiced ending consonants b, d, g, v, z.

Another tool is to flick the consonant off your fingertip on the release. Singers can physically do this action while practicing the ending consonants, and the director can conduct this in performance. This is useful for the unvoiced consonants p, t, k, f, s.

The most dangerous ending consonant is s. If you aren’t careful, you will be host to a roomful of hissing snakes. I have found that sharing the following story is effective when teaching how to sing words ending in s: How many of you know what an iron is, have seen an iron, or maybe even used an iron? My grandmother (and maybe your grandmother or great-grandmother) didn’t have a fancy iron, so to determine if the iron was hot enough to use, she would lick the end of her finger and touch it to the base of the iron. If the iron was hot, the saliva on her finger would sizzle—the saliva acted as a barrier and kept her finger from burning because she would touch the iron very quickly. That sizzle is as long as a final ‘s’ should sound.”

At this point, have the singers hold up one hand as the iron, and quickly tap it with a finger from the other hand to create the

Don’t Just Play.

PERFORM AT YOUR HIGHEST LEVEL.

sizzle. Then have the singers hold their finger on the hot iron a little longer. At that point, you can talk about the consequences (burned finger, trip to the emergency room, etc.). Quickly tapping your finger to the palm of the other hand is an effective nonverbal gesture you can use in rehearsal to remind singers to use a short ending s.

If your repertoire includes melismatic passages, the articulation can be problematic. An easy solution is to have a portion of the choir add a d to each note in the melisma: Glo-do-do-do-ri-a.

A few word combinations can be problematic such as don’t you and won’t you. Many singers tend to “chew” these words, sounding like a sneeze: “don-choo,” “won-choo.” Remind them that sneezing is not allowed.

Tone/Focus To get a forward focus to the tone, try unicorn singing. Have the singers imagine a unicorn horn growing from their forehead; ask them to sing through the horn. You will be amazed at the difference in their tone! You can also help them achieve forward focus by asking them to sing from or through their front teeth.

Another helpful image is to ask singers to imagine a lighthouse beam and imitate a sound in that space. Next, have them narrow the focus to that of a flashlight, and finally to a laser beam. These exercises will focus the breath, change the shape of the mouth and the vowel production, and create a more focused tone.

If you are seeking to achieve a particular color in the sound, try using a descriptor like chocolate, velvet, midnight blue. Find an image that will encourage your singers to give you that color you want—use your imagination!

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For instant maturity in your choir’s sound, have them first sing as they imagine fifth graders would sound (or any grade below that of your singers). Gradually have them “sing older,” like a ninth-grader, college student, and a 35-year-old opera singer. You, and they, will find a sound that is comfortable, not forced, and definitely more mature.

Using sirens and singing in falsetto are two good methods for increasing singers’ upper range, and they have the added advantage of strengthening their lower notes as well.

Intonation Singing in tune can be challenging.

If singers tend to be under-pitch, offer a staircase image. As you ascend, you must lift your foot higher than the next step to safely land on it. Similarly, when singing an ascending passage, you must think higher than the next pitch to land on top of the note. When descending a staircase, gravity does most of the work; singers should think about taking smaller steps in descending passages—otherwise, they end up at the bottom too soon!

For ascending intervals, singers can imagine using a trampoline to get to the higher pitch. Again, they need to land on the pitch, rather than be reaching for it. A basketball analogy also works here, using a hook shot or jump shot to make the goal.

The ball goes up and over for the score.

A most effective tool for sopranos (or altos, or tenors) for singing uncomfortably high notes is to imagine biting an apple.

This allows the front teeth to be visible, which works to free to the sound.

Another image to use if singers are under-pitch is to have them tune a virtual guitar; you can have them tune their voices as if turning the peg. An added bonus to this method is that the singers’ eyebrows will raise, creating a taller face and more open sound. (They’ll likely notice you raising your eyebrows when they sing flat— another useful nonverbal cue!)

When singing in solfège, fa is invariably flat. While using hand-signs, have the singers sweep, or pull, fa in an upward direction. This is an automatic fix to that low half-step from mi to fa.

Style, Musicianship, and Phrasing My favorite analogy to use to improve legato singing is underwater painting. This is a combination of two images: painting

42 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

fence pickets (long sweeping motions) and pulling your arm through water in a swimming pool. While they sing the legato phrase, have singers sweep their arms in long strokes as if they were painting underwater. The kinesthetic connection often improves this style.

To create a light, detached staccato, use popcorn for your analogy; imagine the kernels bursting in the bag in the microwave.

For graceful phrase endings, singers should pet the puppy as opposed to slap the puppy. A quick demonstration is often all it takes to get that point across.

To connect phrases from one section to another, singers can imagine they are passing off the baton in a relay—if they stop the sound too soon, they’ll drop the baton, creating space in the sound. If they carry over into the other section, they’ll hold the baton too long. Doing either will lose the race.

Compare singing stressed–unstressed syllables to touching a bruise. It hurts if you press on a bruise, and when you release, it feels so much better. For stressed syllables, press on the bruise; for unstressed, release the pressure. For example, when singing gloria, press on glo and release on ria.

A good analogy for singing a crescendo can be flowers blooming. Demonstrate them growing out of the ground. For decrescendo, use a decreasing number countdown (8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) to achieve an even diminuendo.

Ultimately, your singers need to be trained to sing what they see through your conducting gestures—dynamics, diction (cutoffs and releases), phrasing, breaths, accents, and attacks.

With creativity and imagination, you and your choirs can achieve artistry through imagery in your choral presenta0 tion.

Janwin Overstreet-Goode worked as a high school choral director for 36 years and served as a TMEA President. She is now a secondary choral music consultant and Coordinator of Student Teaching and Certification at the University of Houston.

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NOW IT ’ S YOUR T UR N! +Share on Social Media + Email to Your Community +Download &Show at Any Event + Embed on Your Website W W W. T M E A . OR G/I T S TA R T S WI T HM US I C Southwestern Musician | October 2020 43

ELEMENTARY NOTES

B Y

A B I G A I L

H A W E S

In Memoriam Mary Gohary August 6, 1938– August 13, 2020

Lollipop moments

W

e all have cycles we fall into when it comes to lesson planning. Certain activities and games often surface around the same time each year. For me, late October undoubtedly means it’s time to bring out the candy.

And no, this candy isn’t meant for the students or even for eventual trick-or-treaters (or me). No, this candy is 100% calorie-free and exists in one place only: as pixels on a computer screen. While originally a text-based, dry-erase-board activity, the year our school purchased SMART Boards, this rhythmic practice lesson morphed into an interactive whiteboard activity, complete with pictures of candy representing different note durations. Using these images, students would drag and drop candy into various combinations to create original rhythmic patterns.

I’m not sure how or when I started doing this activity with the students, but I do know that even now, I can hear their enthusiastic chants of “Butterfinger, Blow-Pop, Blow-Pop, NERDS!” I rarely have taught students—even on a Friday afternoon—who didn’t buy in to this simple, rhythmic practice activity. As time allowed, we chanted and clapped, rewrote and rearranged to fit in someone else’s favorite type of candy.

Around here, however, we don’t look backward for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious . . . and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

—Walt Disney 44 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—TMEA Clinic/Convention, held virtually.

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PERCUSSION

We derived the rhythmic notation, transferred to body percussion, and even threw in an ostinato for fun.

Want to add a repeat sign? You got it.

Hey, let’s read it backward!

What if this side of the room reads the first line, and the other takes the second?

The possibilities were endless. Candy, it would seem, is just one of those things that holds universal appeal.

In fact, it’s that universal appeal that plays an integral role in the story Drew Dudley tells to introduce the concept of the “Lollipop Moment,” a moment where

46 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

someone, either through their words or actions, fundamentally changes someone’s life for the better.

With almost five million views since its 2010 TEDx Toronto debut, this six-minute video begins with Dudley recounting the story of an incoming college freshman on her first day, waiting in line for registration and feeling very uncertain.

She had made up her mind to go back home. But then she had a brief interaction with Dudley, who was handing out lollipops to students in line, and her mind was completely changed. Fast-forward four years, and the student, upon hearing Dudley would be leaving the university, made it a point to find him and personally share how instrumental that moment was in shaping the course of her life.

One thing worth noting is that Dudley confesses to having no recollection of his exchange that day. Imagine that—being the catalyst for such a profound and lasting impact on someone else’s life, and not realizing it until years later when they came back to thank you. Indeed, I believe these interactions are happening all around us, many times without our being aware of them or of effects they will have on our lives and the lives of others.

How extraordinary would it be if we started to raise awareness of our power to bring about these positive changes in the lives of others and acknowledge the efforts of those who are doing the same for us?

Reflecting on the past year—or just back to March when the pandemic resulted in school closures—can you pinpoint a time when someone handed you a proverbial lollipop? Perhaps it was when you were near rock bottom, ready to give up.

Is there someone, or a group even, who continues to supply you with a steady stream of mini-lollipop moments? Does someone come to mind right now who you believe might need such an uplifting moment? Or, even more importantly, is there someone in your past who may be unaware of their positive influence on your life? Why not find a way to reach out and share your gratitude?

And think about it—there is a wide variety of lollipops from which to choose!

What you offer might just be one of those tiny Dum Dums lollipops I remember getting anytime my mom took us through the drive-through bank. Perhaps it’s a jumbo, rainbow-swirl lollipop you might find in a candy store. Like real lollipops that come

in many sizes, varieties, and flavors, no two lollipop moments will be alike.

Maybe you can relate strongly with the college freshman in line in Dudley’s story.

The level of uncertainty surrounding all things COVID-19 has many of us doubting whether we’re really prepared for all that’s being asked of us. And surely there are times when you aren’t even aware that you have played the part of Dudley to others.

I think it’s safe to say we are living through a season where we could all use a few more lollipops. So, moving forward, no matter which role you find yourself in, know that even the smallest Dum Dums– sized gesture can make a significant and lasting impact on someone’s life. Why not stock up on a few bags and keep your eyes and ears open for those opportunities?

Convention Updates As you have likely read, this convention will be held as a virtual event. Change, while uncomfortable at times, is something we all must embrace in times of duress, and this is certainly one of those times.

Of course, we’d all prefer this to be a time when we could safely meet in person, surrounded by thousands of colleagues who share our passion. Given the complexity of our event, we had to make this decision last month, so now we turn our focus to making this the most incredible virtual music educators convention of our time!

This change offers unique opportunities to connect with individuals who might not otherwise be able to attend our event in San Antonio. We might not be together, but we will be connected with each other and with amazing master educators and musicians!

Share Your Resources Just like we need to share Lollipop Moments, we should offer what we have learned and put to use during this time of distanced instruction. Do you often use specific websites or applications in your lesson planning or delivery? Have you read an online article that’s made a difference in your teaching or connection with your students? What online resources have you found especially helpful? Submit links to those resources at www.tmea.org/ resources. And while you’re there, search for resources other educators have submitted. Let’s help each other along this journey! After all, we’re all in this together. 0

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THE PRACTICALLY PERFECT

Music Classroom by

col l een

riddl e

a nd

shel l e y

h a rrington

W

e have always felt honored to teach elementary music. In a single school year, we experience the joy of sharing music with 500–1,200 students! We see smiles and moments of excitement in every class.

We teach many of our students for six consecutive years, and our students remember us fondly for the rest of their lives. We witness tremendous growth in students and enable them to develop a love of music for a lifetime. Is there a better job?

Have you ever thought of yourselves as the superheroes of your school? Do administrators and other staff members realize that you work with all types of schedules and class sizes and you teach every student in the school? You teach students of: • all academic abilities, • all learning abilities, • all physical abilities, • all types of personalities, • all types of home life, • and most importantly, from homerooms that are run using a variety of classroom management styles.

Every music teacher shares these challenges, and every music teacher works through them to ensure their students have the best school experience in their classroom.

What Is Our Purpose?

We believe there is ample time in secondary grades for students to learn how to properly draw a treble clef or perfectly transcribe 48 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

melodic dictation. Our purpose as elementary music specialists is to instill in students a lifetime love and enjoyment of music.

Students need to enter every music class with eager anticipation, never wanting to leave (even on Zoom).

Our students should experience and make music during all their time with us. This important pedagogical strategy is how the neurons in their awesome brains start expanding and developing.

Musical brain development in younger years does not come from laboring over theory lessons. It comes from actively performing and internalizing musical activities.

Where Do We Begin?

The beginning starts with you. Quality teaching and good classroom management is initially established with your mindset. To enable a positive mindset, either virtually or in person, you must first take the best care of yourself. Now more than ever, you must ask yourself some questions before assuming your role as music teacher/world changer: • Are you moving your body every day? And we mean moving it for you, not just for your students.

• Are you fueling your body with good nutrition?

• Are you getting enough sleep?

• Are you drinking enough water? (realizing bathroom breaks are a rarity!)

• Are you checking in with yourself to know what you need to lower stress, recharge, and find the fun in what you do?

2021 AUDITIONS Admission and scholarships/assistantships available H October 24 H November 14 H February 6 H March 6

music.txstate.edu Texas State University, to the extent not in conflict with federal or state law, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

If your glass is empty, you will have nothing to pour into your students. While this is such a basic concept, it’s one that many of us ignore as we focus completely on what we believe is required to support our students.

It may seem like an impossible charge to put yourself first, but for our students and our long-term health, we must find a way.

Begin with one thing and focus on that for a few weeks or a few months. You can’t transform your life by changing everything at once. Take a breath and give yourself some grace.

As you begin to take a deeper look at regularly caring for yourself, ensure you also have the tools to self-regulate and manage your classroom well.

• Take a few deep breaths before each class enters the room.

Close your eyes and pause for 30 seconds.

• Make note of what you need to address later based on the previous meeting of this class, but begin by focusing on the hearts, minds, and faces of those who have come to enjoy making music with you.

• Most students will sense and often feed off your stress. This can lead to class misbehavior. To help prevent that, play music that will relax you or take your mind off any frustrations during transitions.

What You Do Makes All the Difference!

If you have an organized, attractive, and inviting learning space, students will automatically respect you. To organize your supplies, use vertical space as much as possible. This will enable you to

use more floor space for students (even more important during this time of required distancing). Move pianos, instruments, your desk, tables, and all other supplies to the extreme perimeter of the room. Do what it takes to give your students as much movement and learning space as possible.

Know each of your classes—and we don’t just mean their names. What time of day do they attend? Have they been testing all day? Did they arrive after lunch or recess? What type of activity do they need to begin this lesson? Do they need a high-energy or calming beginning activity? As students enter the class have music playing, either exciting or calming, and have them sit at their assigned spots while patting the beat and reading the directions on the screen. Immediately begin with an opening activity that will set the tone for the entire lesson.

Keep classroom expectations (rules) positive. Quickly review these expectations during each class. Here is a rhyme that Rhona Brink composed that is positive, thorough, to the point, and fun for students, reinforced with motions: Follow Directions (snapping fingers to the beat) Raise Your Hand to Speak (raising hands) Sit Correctly in Your Space (patting the beat on their laps) Be Kind to Everyone (crossing arms over their chests) As they become familiar with the behavior rhyme, students can perform it in canon form. Younger students can perform the motions without the words. This works well if students are waiting to enter stage for a performance or anytime you need extra behavioral encouragement.

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Your goal should be to provide a positive musical experience for all students.

Master Management Skills You should be as much an expert in classroom management as you are in your vocal or instrumental abilities. Develop your management skills and then take on that role whenever you are in a teaching position. When you walk into the cafeteria, library, or anywhere in the school, remain in a respectful, teacher mode.

Build Relationships You can have a PhD in education and be super-organized, but none of that will matter unless your students understand that you care about them. Consistency is your most valuable tool in building relationships. Students gain a feeling of safety and security when they witness you being fair and consistent. They learn to trust you.

Teach the routines, practice the procedures (be sure to have them), have students go back and do them again, and reinforce with praise and fun music-making. Teachers who are consistent are simply more successful with gaining student cooperation.

Consider these tools for consistency: • Use students’ names: even if you teach 1,000 children, prioritize learning their names (use a seating chart or name tags every day of the year if necessary). Using a student’s name is a powerful way to show them that they are seen and valued— the first step in gaining their cooperation and participation.

• Teach expectations: instead of just having rules listed on a chart, think through procedures that will maximize time for fun music-making, limit interruptions, and reduce conflict as your students are active in your classroom, or in a Zoom meeting. Explain procedures in as few steps as possible and then practice. If you want them all to mute and unmute only when they are sharing, teach them the procedure and then practice it. Repeat the practice until they have internalized it.

If you want them to play a circle game with social distancing, teach them the procedure and then practice. The key is the practicing and consistency. Students can be successful only if they understand your expectations and know what to expect from you when they either meet expectations or don’t.

• Avoid abstract instructions: don’t just tell students to make a circle. Abstract instructions are difficult for young students to visualize. Use sit spots in a circle, but if you don’t have those, ask them to make a pizza: Raise your hand if you’re the pizza crust. Now, raise your hand if you’re the pepperoni. Stand up, pizza crust, take a step back. Fill in the space, pepperonis!

• Teach students the words to use when playing games. When choosing partners (a practice that’s likely on hold), teach them the procedure. They should ask, “Will you be my partner?” while holding out their hands. When asked, they must always answer yes, unless they already have a partner, and then they are taught to answer, “I’ll be your partner next time.” Like all procedures, have them practice before playing the game.

• Look for and develop student leaders. Teach what character and leadership look like in your classroom. Recognize leader52 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

ship, assign jobs, and empower students who want responsibility. Find jobs that might appeal to those who wouldn’t typically take on responsibility.

Structure Lessons As you build your lessons, make sure to change activities based on student age. With five-year olds, change activities every five minutes even if you use the same song. Just add movement or instruments. Your goal should be to provide a positive musical experience for all students.

Lesson plans should be detailed, yet flexible. Here is a simple planning outline that can help you make every teachable minute count in your lessons.

• Musical activity: 2–3 minutes • Greeting and solfège warmup: 2–3 minutes • Rhythm warmup: 3 minutes • Familiar song and game • New song • Listening with a purpose • Closure Plan for Success!

Giving young students opportunities for instant success is critical. Meet them at their current ability levels and then develop skills.

• Experiencing and making music should be the center of everything you do (active listening, audiation, singing with movement, instruments, and more).

• Teach movement and instrument skills in mirror image.

With choreography, for example, start with your left hand so students will start with their right.

• Help students discover patterns and the form in every song or listening piece.

• Teach in small steps or chunks and build on what they already know. Keep this balanced so it does not become focused on practicing to perfection.

• Preteach expectations every time.

Every day is a new day! Erase all of today’s misbehaviors at the end of the day. Give students who need a reset that chance to redeem themselves. Keep an eye on them and ask if they are ready to return to the activity.

End Well Plan a meaningful ending to your lesson. Students should always leave having just experienced a positive and successful musical moment. Continue to build relationships with your students daily (attend the science fair, carnival, etc.).

Create a way for students to feel great when they leave your room. They should always be excited for the next music lesson! 0 Colleen Riddle is the retired performing arts director for Aldine ISD and a former TMEA Elementary Division VicePresident. Shelley Harrington is a music specialist at Haude Elementary in Klein ISD.

School of Music COME COME BE BE A A PART PART OF OF

OKLAHOMA’S FIRST TEACHER’S COLLEGE ––––––––––– A LEGEND IN OKLAHOMA MUSIC EDUCATION

UCO SCHOOL OF MUSIC AUDITION DAYS

All Divisions (except Musical Theatre) On Campus Dates: Jan. 30, 2021 • Feb. 20, 2021 • March 6, 2021

Musical Theatre - Video Submission Dates: Sept. 21, 2020 • Oct. 19, 2020 • Nov. 16, 2020 • Dec. 7, 2020 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS:

B.M. in Vocal Performance

B.M. in Instrumental Performance (Piano, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, Strings)

B.M. in Jazz Performance

B.M. in Musical Theatre

B.M.Ed in Music Education (Instrumental Music, Vocal Music)

B.A. in Music

B.A. in Arts Administration

To schedule an audition:

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M.M. in Collaborative Piano

M.M. in Composition

M.M. in Conducting (Vocal, Instrumental)

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Multiple Woodwinds)

M.M. in Music Education (Vocal, Instrumental)

(online option)

M.M. in Musical Theatre

M.M. in Jazz Studies (Performance, Music Production)

M.M. in Pedagogy (Vocal, Piano)

music.uco.edu/auditions or call 405-974-3754

COLLEGE NOTES

B Y

P A U L

S I K E S

Managing our stress

A

s college music professors and students, we are used to working hard. Our typical day includes preparing for class, attending class, attending meetings, going to concerts, and counseling our colleagues. This constant on-the-go lifestyle works pretty well for most of us. We love what we do, and often it really doesn’t feel like work at all. The acts of making music, listening to music, teaching music, and talking about music with like-minded people is a joy. We also have regular periods of rest we can rely on.

Colleagues can often be heard saying “I can make it to spring break” or “just three more weeks until Christmas.”

This year, however, has been different. The American Psychological Association (APA) conducts an annual Stress in America survey. It’s no surprise that this year most of the stressors have to do with living and working during a pandemic. The pandemic has brought a host of challenges that we have had to overcome. With each challenge we surmount, it seems there is another right behind it.

With the move to virtual work, regular work hours don’t seem to exist.

Instead, we have a sort of always-at-work existence. This has led to a great deal of stress. While short-term stress isn’t usually detrimental, it can cause physical and emotional problems if it develops into long-term and constant stress. To help you manage stress, I offer the following suggestions I picked up from the APA, the Mayo Clinic, and from Sharon Melnick, a business psychologist and author of Success Under Stress.

Spend time reflecting on the positive aspects of your life. It is easy to focus on the negative to the point it feels overwhelming.

54 Southwestern Musician | October 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

October—Renew your membership and register for the convention.

October 15—College Division Call for Papers online submission deadline.

October 16—College Division Fall Conference held online.

November 1—Deadline for Collegiate Music Educator Award nominations.

November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline.

December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline.

Dates TBD—TMEA Clinic/Convention, held virtually.

Identify Your Stressors Work to identify what exactly is leading to your stress. Keep a journal for a week or two and write down your actions and the situations you find yourself in. Note the environment, the people you were with, and the circumstances involved. Also make note of your thoughts, your feelings, and your level of stress. After a couple of weeks, look for patterns to determine which situations, environments, or people tend to trigger more stress for you.

Take Control of Your Actions Stress is often triggered by circumstances out of our control (think global pandemic). One way to relieve this stress is to focus on those things you can control.

If you find that certain situations tend to trigger your stress, work to avoid or limit your exposure to them. If you cannot limit your exposure, then work to manage the effect the situation has on you. Take deep breaths, relax your jaw, and pause for a moment before reacting. Work to control the situation. For example, if your stress is caused by not getting everything completed, then you may need to focus more on how you are scheduling your time or responding to requests for your help.

Establish Boundaries Especially in the time of virtual work, it is important to be able to get away by setting boundaries for when you are working and when you are not. Start by setting a schedule for each day where you clearly delineate the times when you will work and when you won’t. Also, when you are at work, set priorities for what is most important. In your daily schedule, make sure you set aside a significant amount of time for those priorities, and strive to avoid interruptions such as checking your email, answering calls, or talking with others during that time. Also, set aside a break time throughout your day. Just as we don’t expect our students to practice eight hours straight, don’t expect to work at full speed for the entire day. Instead, work in 1–2-hour sessions with a break to walk, stretch, or to do a different activity.

This will help maintain your physical and mental health during the day.

Use Healthy Coping Mechanisms Stressful situations can be made worse if you also feel down or are emotionally upset. Work to reduce stress by changing

your reaction to it, using healthy coping mechanisms. These include exercise, yoga, meditation, eating healthy, and getting enough rest. These actions are known to reduce heart rate, balance blood sugar, reverse weight gain, slow your breathing, and trigger a myriad of other benefits.

Also spend time reflecting on the positive aspects of your life. It is easy to focus on the negative to the point it feels overwhelming. By spending some time focusing on the positive, it helps you keep problems in perspective. For more on this topic, be sure to read “Caring for Others While

THE

UNIVERSITY

Caring for Ourselves” in the September issue available online at www.tmea.org/ emagazine.

Spend Time Away and Recharge Spend time each week in activities that are specifically there to help you recharge.

This might be working outside, reading a novel, or doing a hobby. I suggest making music just for fun by singing, learning a new instrument, or picking up one you haven’t played in a while. Tap into that pure enjoyment in music you experienced as a kid.

OF

NEW

CO L L E G E O F F I N E A R TS DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

MEXICO

Scholarship Auditions

LIVE AUDITIONS AT UNM FEBRUARY 15 AND FEBRUARY 20, 2021 LIVE STREAM AND VIDEO AUDITIONS ALSO ACCEPTED! TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION OR VIRTUAL AUDITION PLEASE CONTACT MICHELLE MORRISON MMORRISON@UNM.EDU 505-277-8998 For general scholarship questions please contact: Dr. Michael Hix, Associate Chair Department of Music mhix@unm.edu Additional scholarships are available in Jazz Studies: Glenn Kostur gkostur@unm.edu Music Education: George Nicholson gnicholson@unm.edu

MUSIC.UNM.EDU

Southwestern Musician | October 2020 55

Get Support As I said in my September column, you are not alone. It is important to remember that and to seek out the counsel of trusted friends and advisors. When you are feeling significant stress, go to those people and 1. Publication Title

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talk with them about how you feel. They can provide advice and guidance or simply listen and be a sounding board to help you figure out the best way to proceed. If you find your stress is turning into something more serious, or if you are having trouble relieving your stress, talk to a professional.

Just as we would send our students to a professional to learn an instrument, we can sometimes use the services of a professional to help us get where we need to be.

Same as above 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor (Do not leave blank) Publisher (Name and complete mailing address)

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P.O. Box 140465, Austin, Travis, TX 78714-0465

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15. Extent and Nature of Circulation (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies) b. Paid Circulation (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution aboverun) nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies) a. (By TotalMail Number of Copies (Net press and Outside Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, paid (3) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include the Mail) (1) Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS® distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies)

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by Other Classes ofStated Mail Through the USPS Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions on PS Form 3541 (Include paid Circulation (4) (2) (e.g., First-Class Mail®) distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies) (By Mail and c. Outside Total Paid Distribution of 15bOutside (1), (2), the (3),Mails and (4)] Paid[Sum Distribution Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, (3) the Mail) Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS® d. Free or (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541 Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS Nominal (4) (e.g., First-Class Mail®) Rate Distribution (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 (By Mail c. and Total Paid Distribution [Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)] Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS Outside (3) (e.g., First-Class Mail) the Mail) d. Free or (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541 Nominal (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means) Rate Distribution (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 (By Mail e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)) and Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS Outside (3) (e.g., First-Class Mail) the Mail)

f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means)

0 17,200

0 16,720

56 17,108

55 16,635

0 0

0 0

17,164 56

16,690 55

0 0 0

0 0 0

17,164 0 0 0 0 0 0

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17,200 17,164

16,720 16,690

g. Copies not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4 (page #3)) e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)) h. Total (Sum of 15f and g) f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) i. Percent Paid divided by 15f times 100) g. (15c Copies not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4 (page #3))

100% 36

100% 30

* If you are claiming electronic copies, go to line 16 on page 3. If you are not claiming electronic copies, skip to line 17 on page 3. h. Total (Sum of 15f and g)

17,200

16,720

100%

100%

i. Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100)

* If you are claiming electronic copies, go to line 16 on page 3. If you are not claiming electronic copies, skip to line 17 on page 3.

PS Form 3526, July 2014 (Page 2 of 4)

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Publications)

16. Electronic Copy Circulation

a. Paid Electronic Copies PS Form 3526, July 2014 (Page 2 of 4)

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Publications)

16. Electronic Copy Circulation b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) a. Paid Electronic Copies d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c  100) b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a)

I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are paid above a nominal price. c. Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c  100) If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed

Publication not required.

I certify thatOctober 50% of all 2020 my distributed copies in the ________________________ issue of this(electronic publication.and print) are paid above a nominal price.

18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership

Date

Floyd, Editor If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required.Robert Will be printed

September 22, Publication not required.

2020

October 2020 in the ________________________ issue of this publication.

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form 18.who Signature and Title Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Dateand/or civil sanctions or omits material orof information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) (including civil penalties).

Robert Floyd, Editor

September 22, 2020

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

PS Form 3526, July 2014 (Page 3 of 4)

PRIVACY NOTICE: See our privacy policy on www.usps.com.

56 Southwestern Musician | October 2020 PS Form 3526, July 2014 (Page 3 of 4)

PRIVACY NOTICE: See our privacy policy on www.usps.com.

Convention 2021 As you know, the TMEA Executive Board has decided to move the 2021 convention to a virtual setting. This was an extremely difficult decision as was not made lightly or in haste. The Board discussed all the potential options and scenarios and concluded that this was the best decision for our membership and students. At the forefront of all deliberations was the safety and wellbeing of our members, our students, their families, and their communities.

Having made this decision early in the fall, we can create a special event for our members and students. Some of our regular programming such as clinics, the poster session, and performances will continue in a revised format. Others will have to be adjusted significantly to meet the limitations inherent in a virtual convention. However, there will also be opportunities to create new and inspiring programming that would not be possible with a face-to-face convention alone. The entire Board is committed to making this convention a special event where you can learn, recharge, and be inspired!

TMEA Connections The College Division will continue hosting Connections meetings throughout the 2020–2021 school year. Each of these meetings will be conducted via Zoom and registration information will be available for each meeting at www.tmea.org/ connections. In addition to the College Division, other divisions will continue to host Connections meetings. You may attend any Connections meeting in which you are interested, but you must be a member to attend, so be sure your membership is current (www.tmea.org/renew).

Fall Conference This year’s College Division Fall Conference will be held virtually, via

Zoom, on Friday, October 16. An invitation will be emailed to all College Division members as we get closer to the meeting.

In addition to our regular business, we will also receive important updates from policy makers and TMEA staff who work daily on behalf of music education in our state.

If you have recommendations for topics to discuss, please let me know. You can email me at collegevp@tmea.org.

Collegiate Music Educator Award You can nominate your elite music education graduates through the TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award (November 1 is the fall graduate deadline).

One active TMEA member who is a member of the institution’s music education faculty may nominate that institution’s students online. By nominating a student, the faculty member confirms the student meets all qualifications, as listed on the TMEA website. A student may be nominated only once, during their graduation semester. For a list of qualifications and to nominate students, visit www.tmea.org/ collegiateaward.

Call for Research Poster Presentation The Research Committee is pleased to announce the call for proposals for presentations at the TMEA Clinic/Convention Research Poster Session. The committee invites submissions from members in all TMEA divisions, including college students. Selected authors will present their research in our virtual poster session. Submissions must be received by October 15. Visit www.tmea.org/papers to submit a proposal.

For questions, please contact Amy Simmons, Chair of the Research Committee, at asimmons@ austin.utexas.edu.

0 References The American Psychological Association, COVID-19 Information and Resources, https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19 The Mayo Clinic, Stress Management Basics, https://www.mayoclinic.org/ healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/ basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495 Melnick, S. (2013). Success Under Stress.

New York, NY: American Management Association.

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