FromTheEditor
FLORIDA MUSIC SUPERVISION ASSOCIATION
Lindsey R. Williams, PhD, President
Gregory Springer, PhD Editor in Chief Florida Music Director
Want to contribute a feature article to Florida Music Director?
semester is in the books, and we’ve
understand. When you think about it,
W
ing environment with hopeful persever-
our students as we help them develop as
recipient of the Music Educators
e invite you to submit a fea-
A
all navigated our quasi-new teach-
ance. Now we can look forward to return-
ing to an in-person FMEA Professional
Development Conference where together we can learn, laugh, and connect in a way that has been absent for too long. As you
peruse the conference sessions and prepare to take on a new semester of success-
es and challenges, may I be so bold as to offer a bit of advice? When you’re connect-
ing with colleagues, when you’re engaged in a session, or when you’re listening to a
concert that provides the spark of motivation you need—approach these opportu-
« First, listen to understand. « What is your colleague trying to share? « What is the clinician’s perspective? « What is the composer trying to convey? « Seek out the moments that resonate nities with the following mindset:
with you.
Too often, I, for one, fall into the trap
of listening simply for “my turn” rather
than engaging my whole attention to the conversation or experience. We have
so much to gain by simply listening to
ture article to be considered for
publication in Florida Music Director.
this is exactly what we are trying to teach
Florida Music Director is a previous
independent musicians. We use the term
National
listen frequently; perhaps we can all take
Conference
Award
for
Excellence. It is the official publica-
time to recalibrate our operational use of
tion of the Florida Music Education
this term and provide more specificity by
Association, the largest unit in the
extending it to “Listen for …” or “Listen
11-state NAfME Southern Division
to the … .” This simple clarification may
and one of the largest MEAs in the
provide students with additional clues
nation. Florida Music Director contains
to focus their listening such that they are
articles of interest to music educa-
actively and purposefully doing so. In a
tors of all levels—from kindergar-
solo setting, there are so many variables
ten through college. It is published
that need attention that it can become a
eight times annually and distributed
massive exercise in self-awareness. In an
to more than 5,000 music teachers,
ensemble setting, we have the added task
district music supervisors, and other
of identifying how or if our sonic expres-
subscribers.
sions fit within those happening simulta-
Please
consider
sharing
your
neously around us. In a clinic session, we
knowledge with other music educa-
we can make transfers to our own teach-
mitting it for consideration. You can
listen for both content and intent such that
tors by writing an article and sub-
ing environments. When experiencing a
view our submission guidelines for
performance, watch the conductor for her
authors at FMEA.org/FMD. As FMEA
communication with her students rather
members, you can view the current
than critiquing her ictus or questioning
issue and past issues of Florida Music
her conducting gestures. Listen for the
Director at FMEA.org/FMD.
heart of the message, then listen some
If you have any questions about
more.
submissions, please contact me at
I look forward to hearing many of you
dgspringer@fsu.edu.
in Tampa at FMEA 2022!
December 2021
37
