CBDA Bulletin Spring/Summer 2023

Volume: 64 • Issue: 2

CALIFORNIA BAND DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CBDA is a nonprofit association consisting of band directors from all levels of music education. CBDA provides the AllState Jr. and High School honor groups for students and a state convention each February for directors. Join or renew CBDA membership here.

The CBDA Bulletin is the official publication of the California Band Directors Association, Inc. Published three times a year: Spring, Fall, and Winter.

Subscription price is included in the CBDA annual dues. The opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent an official position of the Association. CBDA does not necessarily endorse any product or service advertised in this magazine. Access emails at cbda.org

Dan Bryan President

Ryan Dirlam CASMEC Coordinator

Trish Adams Executive Administrator

Patrick Dandrea Secretary

Amy Villanova CBDA Ensemble Host

Katie Gilchrist All-State Coordinator

Susan Willmering Vice President

Ashley Shine-Dirlam Treasurer

Jeanne Christensen President Elect

Cathy Olinger SCSBOA Rep

Daniel Greenberg Member at Large

Michael Tackett Exhibit Host

Ashley Crow CBDA Logistics Coordinator

Yasmine Brackens Student Host

Dr. Kaitlin Bove DEIA Rep

Jazareth Valencia NCBA Rep

Casson Scowcroft NCBCDA Rep

David Green Director of Communications

Jeff Detlefsen Past President

Katie Carbajal CBDA Logistics Coordinator

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

It’s happening for CBDA and CASMEC, too. As we celebrated (and are still paying the bills on) our time in Fresno, the CASMEC team was (and still is) diligently working on our new home in Sacramento. For CBDA’s part, I recently spent the weekend in our Capitol going through the convention center, hotels, rehearsal spaces, and sampling the restaurants (for research, of course). I’ll be returning soon with Jeff and Jeanne to do more work on sites before our June CASMEC and CBDA meetings. I want to make sure I understand every aspect of our new city in an effort to make sure that this first year is the best possible experience for our membership in what I hope will be our home for many years to come.

To Endings…and Beginnings

As we wrap up another school year with most things returning to “normal,” I think many of us find ourselves back in our traditional May routines: final concerts, festivals, and graduations. It’s good to be back in this place – as I said to a colleague recently, “we are almost there, but not quite there.” Meaning, it feels like things look like they did before March of 2020, but just missing a few pieces: one more tuba player, that second oboe player, a French Horn player who can find the right partial, etc.

While we look to the end of this year, I know many of us are already working on next year: concert programming, marching band shows, and new methods for beginners (I’m in the middle of writing one) to start. For many of us, Prop 28 is changing the landscape of the next few years as the money slowly rolls itself out. Our districts are hiring, expanding programs, and offering new opportunities for both teachers and students. My district (Stanislaus Union) has made a phenomenal commitment to our music programs by hiring three new teachers, expanding classroom music, and broadening the scope of our orchestra program. I’m finishing this year, and already planning well into the next school year. Endings and beginnings. As a teacher, they often happen simultaneously.

As I wandered downtown and midtown Sacramento last weekend exploring the area, I kept getting swept into the “feel” of the city. Around every corner was a new restaurant, “hang”, or interesting shop to look into. The hotels have restaurants and great meeting spaces (read: “bars”). The convention center feels world class, and the areas where you students will be are well lit and safe.

Our ending: Fresno. Thank you for being a great place for us to learn and grow. Thank you for being partners with us as we went from CBDA to CASMEC. As a Fresno State Grad (c/o ’96), I’m proud that our city and my alma mater were so accommodating all those years.

Our beginning: Sacramento. I’m looking forward to many years in this great city. From the membership, I ask two things: first, be patient with us this first year as we learn how to run a conference here; second, enjoy the heck out of it, and bring all of your friends.

As you work on your endings and beginnings, take a well-earned summer break. I’ll check back in this fall-- and will probably run into you at a marching band show at some point

Dan Bryan President, California Band Directors Association

13th Annual California All-State Music

It Was Great To See

The CASMEC coalition, including the California Alliance for Jazz (CAJ), California Band Directors Association (CBDA), California Choral Directors Association (CCDA), California Music Educators Association (CMEA), and California Orchestra Directors Association (CODA) hopes the 2023 CASMEC conference provided our educators with the opportunity to celebrate music education in California.

This year nearly 1,500 music educators from across our state and country enjoyed our annual conference again! We hosted 118 sessions covering a range of topics that will help educators continue to navigate out of the pandemic and the impacts it has and is still having on our students and communities. Once again, conference attendees had the pleasure of listening to several outstanding performances featuring some of the best ensembles from across the state. These performances were quite impressive and left concert goers impressed and reenergized with their beautiful music. It is a true testament to the dedication and passion that we as music educators espouse, to see our students achieve so much in such a short amount of time from returning back to in-person learning. Attendees also got to enjoy our first ever CASMEC Kick-Off with plenty of food, drinks, entertainment, and awards presentations from all five organizations. A special thank you to Molly Peters and Trish Adams for their hard work in making this new tradition a success, and I can’t wait to see what it develops into in Sacramento.

Thank you to CASMEC Logistics Coordinator, Barb Shinaver, Assistant CASMEC Logistics Coordinator, John Sandler, CBDA Logistics Coordinator, Joseph Cargill and the other team members from all of our collaborative organizations that worked hard to plan and execute our sessions. Many hours were dedicated before, during and still now after the conference to ensure an inspirational experience for our attendees. Thank you all for your work to

CASMEC Reflections

Ryan Dirlam

CASMEC Coordinator Director of Bands, Matilda Torres High School

provide the highest quality professional learning opportunity for music educators across the state. A big thank you goes out to Joseph Cargill for his years of service to CBDA and the CASMEC Conference as a whole as he leaves the Board this year; we are so grateful for his work, insight, and dedication to music education!

Thank you also to our CASMEC All-State Coordinator, Danielle Cavazos and Student Host Yasmine Brackens Dani, Yasmine and their teams spent countless hours preparing for our students to ensure their All-State experience was a safe and amazing one. Utilizing 17 hotels was not a task that anyone wanted, but Watching our students rehearse and perform together was so inspirational and rewarding. The annual All-State Ensembles allow educators to assess, enhance, and adapt their curriculum, not just for this school year, but for years to come. I hope you all had the opportunity to observe some of these incredible music educators in their rehearsals with our students and witness their exceptional performances and moving World Premieres throughout the weekend.

Finally, a huge thank you and congratulations to the one and only Trish Adams. Thanks isn’t enough to account for all of the guidance she provides for educators, students, and parents alike. She is truly the backbone of this conference and makes California’s Music Education scene that much brighter. Thank you, Trish.

We look forward to welcoming you and your students to Sacramento 1/31-2/4 in 2024 for the next California AllState Music Education Conference. As always, thank you for all that you do for our students, schools, and communities across the state. Good luck with your remaining weeks of classes. Have a wonderful and restful summer!

All-State Reflections

Expanding the All State Experience.

When we sat down to begin planning CASMEC last year, we had many exciting prospects to consider. First, this would be our last conference in Fresno and so we already had an eye to the future on planning the behind the scenes work in Sacramento. Secondly, we were extremely excited to finally have our Golden State Band make its debut performance. This ensemble featured students from Title I and small California high schools, and was conducted by Dr. Peter Boonshaft. Bringing this ensemble to life was no small feat, and we couldn’t have done this without our CBDA Small-Schools Band committee. This groundbreaking ensemble provided so many more students with access to an enriching All-State experience.

I would love to thank our 2023 All State Ensemble Hosts (Susie Martone & Angelina Fitzhugh - CCDA, Brant NishidaCODA, Paul Herrera - CAJ, Katie Gilchrist - CBDA, Galen Lemmon - Percussion Coordinator). Because of their tireless hard work, we were able to provide a smooth All State experience, with a focus on our students. I would also like to give a special thanks to our Student Host - Yasmine Brackens-Alexander and her team, and Ryan Dirlam - CASMEC Coordinator, for making this last year in Fresno happen, all while planning our conference move to Sacramento. We are also so grateful for all of the hard work of the ensemble managers who helped conductors plan smooth rehearsals and lay the groundwork for our All-State musicians to have a rewarding and engaging experience. This CASMEC would not have happened without your dedication and hard work!

Looking ahead to Sacramento, we are excited for new beginnings for our conference. We are looking forward to having our rehearsals more centrally located to the conference, so attendees can see the incredible work the conductors and students are accomplishing in rehearsal. We are also excited to welcome our panel of guest conductors in 2024, and look forward to their work with the students. Most importantly, we are looking forward to providing another All-State experience for our outstanding, young musicians.

I thank everyone for their support in navigating our last year in Fresno, and we hope you are as excited as we are to move forward to Sacramento and a fresh start for CASMEC.

Finally, a huge thank you and congratulations to the one and only Trish Adams. Thanks isn’t enough to account for all of the guidance she provides for educators, students, and parents alike. She is truly the backbone of this conference and makes California’s Music Education scene that much brighter. Thank you, Trish.

We look forward to welcoming you and your students to Sacramento 1/31-2/4 in 2024 for the next California All-State Music Education Conference. As always, thank you for all that you do for our students, schools, and communities across the state. Good luck with your remaining weeks of classes. Have a wonderful and restful summer!

Katie Gilchrist

All-State Coordinator

Amy Villanova

CBDA Ensemble Host

Mrs. Villanova teaches Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra and the IM Conservatory. She has been teaching at CCA since 2004. She has a Masters of Music Education degree from the USC Thornton School of Music, received her teaching credential from SDSU and her Bachelor of Arts in Music (Music Education and Flute Performance) from UCLA. She is on the board of the San Diego Winds and is active within the SCSBOA and CMEA communities.

New Board Members

Katie Carbajal

CBDA Logistics Coordinator

Katie Carbajal is entering her 7th year teaching in Escalon Unified School District. She is the Choral Director for both El Portal Middle School and Escalon High School choirs, as well as Director of Student Activities at the High School. Katie is a Modesto, CA native, spending years involved in the music programs at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Modesto High School, Modesto Performing Arts, Modesto Youth Symphony, Stanislaus County Honor Choir, Stockton Civic Theatre, and “Ovation!” choral programs. She studied voice, oboe, and piano performance during her childhood. Katie graduated in 2017 from the University of the Pacific Music Conservatory in Stockton, CA with her Bachelors of Music in Music Education with a Choral Concentration.

Ashley Crow

CBDA Logistics Coordinator

Ashley Crow is the Director of Instrumental Music at Escalon High School teaching Jazz Band, Concert Band, String Orchestra, Guitar, and 20th Century Music. Prior to Escalon High School, Ms. Crow was student teaching at Joseph Gregori High School in Modesto under the director of Dan Bryan. Ms. Crow holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University Stanislaus. She studied French Horn participating in Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and Jazz Band at Stanislaus State. Ms. Crow graduated from Grace Davis High School in Modesto participating in Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Winter Drumline. She had the honor of representing Modesto City School by participating in the Olympic Orchestra in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Cathy Olinger

SCSBOA Representative

Cathy Olinger received her Bachelor of Music degree with Graduate work at California State University, Long Beach. She has taught all levels of instrumental and choral music. As the founding Director of Instrumental Music program at Tesoro High School in the Capistrano Unified School District, she developed a comprehensive Music Department with over 500 students enrolled in the music department. In 2015, Tesoro High School was recognized as a GRAMMY Signature School for its consistent level of excellence in all facets of its music program, making it one of only five high school programs nationwide to receive the award.

Mrs. Olinger has served as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout California. She was honored to conduct the All Southern California Middle School (SCSBOA) Honor Orchestra Conductor in 1999 and 2015 and is currently serving as a Vice President on the board of directors for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association—one of the largest regional music organization in California.

She has been recognized as an Educator of the Year for the California League of High Schools, a recipient of the Irene Schoepfle Award for distinguished contributions in Orange County Music Education, and the Encore Award for outstanding achievement in Music Education. Most recently, she received the SCSBOA Honorary Life Membership.

Currently, Mrs. Olinger works at CSULB in the music education department as a student teacher supervisor and instructor for instrument methods classes.

From working with the finest ensembles on the west coast to one-on-one coaching in the classroom, Mrs. Olinger sets high standards for achievement and musical excellence. She is a passionate advocate of music education who provides opportunity for students to develop an appreciation of music with the skills and discipline necessary for achieving musical success throughout a lifetime of experiences.

John Burn

2023 CASMEC Medal of Honor

California Music Educators Association and California Band Directors Association is proud to present our collective 2023 CASMEC Medal of Honor Award to John Burn, an individual who has been serving music students in California since 1989.

Mr. Burn is truly a servant leader across multiple organizations, which has ensured strong relationships and collaborations to further music education in the state of California for all students and educators. He is always in service to our students and organizations in and out of their classroom, usually while also serving in an executive office in one of the state organizations.

As an educator, Mr. Burn is an anchor at Homestead High School, and is known for his award-winning ensembles at state festivals, as well as participation in both the Rose Parade and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He is clearly seen and known as an exemplary educator, as well as leader. Mr. Burn has been recognized by his peers both in our community and statewide. Additionally, he is requested as an adjudicator, speaker, and conductor throughout out the western U.S and has conducted numerous honor ensembles for orchestra, band, and jazz, having expertise in all.

Mr. Burn was instrumental in the creation of CASMEC. With his leadership and guidance we recently celebrated 12 years together with one of the best state conferences in the nation. As president at the time of CASMEC’s creation, Mr. Burn worked tirelessly with the various organizations to create a fair and successful marriage. In fact, he is also the one who gave our great conference it’s name. The “California All-State Music Educators Conference” or as we all like to call it CASMEC.

His ability to bring fellow educators together under one umbrella has provided CASEMEC and it’s partner organizations the ability to grow and expand year after year. We are happy to present John Burn in the 2023 CASMEC Medal of nHonor.

Award Winners

Vince Keenan

Don Schmeer Friend of Music Award

The CBDA Don Schmeer FRIEND OF MUSIC AWARD is an annual recognition bestowed on an individual or organization who has demonstrated a history of promoting band music education in California. Recipients of this award have gone above and beyond a common calling to serve the fine art of music in the name of increasing, supporting, and spreading the love and joy of music to students in scholastic areas. Past recipients include music education advocates, industry professionals, university educators, music lobbyists, and others. This year’s award winner, Vince Keenan, is no stranger to CASMEC and CBDA.

While not a stranger, most people don’t necessarily see Mr. Keenan around at CASMEC. He has been involved nearly 30 years and has always been willing to help band directors with their audio and video needs. Our CBDA publications often offer resources to directors and Mr. Keenan took the time to write an article about sound reinforcement.

Mr. Keenan’s wife, Christine Keenan, said that he even helped band directors make the scary transition of cassette tape auditions to CDs. Speaking of recording, our recipient has worked year after year recording our all state concerts. Upon our return to Fresno, Mr. Keenan noticed a need for CASMEC and took it upon himself to suggest a role for production manager, for the Saroyan hall. Whether on stage, in recordings, or working virtually online, Vince Keenan has dedicated his life to supporting music education and live performances. CBDA will always be grateful that he has been a part of our conference.

Ali Gilroy-Golden Distinguished Service Award

Steve Acciani

Dave Goedecke Lifetime Achievement Award

The We have the distinct honor of presenting the CBDA Distinguished Service Award to Ali Gilroy-Golden. It is a wellknown fact that it takes many villages to make CASMEC and CBDA work. For over 35 years, CBDA has been recognizing individuals that have gone above and beyond with their work for Band Directors and Music Education in California. Award recipients have included people such as Lisa Butts, Michael Stone and last year’s honoree, Mike Gangemi. As a former CASMEC Coordinator, Ali Gilroy-Golden fits right into this distinguished list.

Ms. Gilroy-Golden has given an immeasurable amount of time and energy to our music community in addition to her role as a music educator in the Valley. At the county and state level, Ms. Gilroy-Golden has demonstrated attentive leadership in many capacities. In the past 6 years alone, Ms. Gilroy-Golden worked as Lead Chaperone, Student Host, and CASMEC Coordinator. She helped lead the conference in one of the most difficult time periods in our history during the virtual conference and coming back to a very intense logistical nightmare of coming back in person with Covid mitigations.

Ms. Gilroy-Golden is one of the most dependable people with only the best of intentions in every suggestion she has. Her work is often unseen but we all know VERY well the amount of work that goes into planning such an intricate conference. She is always the first one to arrive for every meeting and function and always the last one to leave. Constantly asking people what more she can do, whether it’s moving equipment, grabbing lunch, or buying all of Costco, she is the epitome of doing what needs to be done for the good of the conference.

The Dave Goedecke Lifetime Achievement Award honors a California band director who has exhibited a lifetime of achievement in music education at the state level. Imagine a selfless teacher that inspires all students daily to be great humans, pushes them musically to grow further than anyone imagined, always knows what their students are going through personally and is there to offer advice, plus constantly makes anyone in their presence laugh while putting HOURS of tireless work in to make sure everyone around him achieves greatness. This is Steve Acciani, the Instrumental Music Director at Diamond Bar High School.

Mr. Acciani has dedicated his life to his students and our music community. He started South Pointe Middle School in 1989 with 17 students in his band, which he can still name them all, and what became of them. Through the years South Pointe’s program grew to over 500 students just in band! Mr. Acciani had always valued the honor groups, so he started pushing South Pointe to participate in AllSouthern and eventually All-State Honor Bands. At one point, the honor groups were so popular on the campus that over 100 students were recorded. Mr. Acciani makes life changing connections with each of his students. He never gives up on them and always has a way of getting them to open up as humans and play greater as musicians.

After 17 years at South Pointe, Steve moved over to Diamond Bar HS. On getting to Diamond Bar, against everyone’s advice, he decided to change the program to fit the community. He changed the marching band to be optional and to do away with competitive field shows. He developed a winning parade band that has taken sweepstakes at our SCSBOA finals in Southern California numerous times. He decided Diamond Bar needed to start a music academy to serve our top end students. Years later, the Diamond Bar Performing Arts Academy has become a staple of the school which holds weekly classes in chamber music, conducting, music theory, music history and aural skills. Countless academy students go on to win big awards and scholarships for their profound musical talents.

Along with the academy, his Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra soared to new heights tackling works such as Masklanka’s Symphony No 4 and Symphony Fantastic. None of this would have been possible had he not personalized the program to fit the Diamond Bar community.

One of his main lines he says to his students is “you are standing on the shoulders of giants, what is your legacy going to be?” For so many of us Steve Acciani is our giant whose shoulders we stand on and his legacy is vast and one of a kind.

CBDA is thrilled to present the 2023 Distinguished Service Award Recipient to Ali Gilroy-Golden.

President’s List

4, 5, and 6 Year Members

4-Year Members

Cecilia Anderson, Homestead High School, French Horn

Orion Arroyo, Valley Christian High School, Bb Bass Clarinet

Kayla Bak, Newbury Park High School, Bb Clarinet

Dhruva Balan, Lynbrook High School, Bassoon

Lucas Blietz, Westlake High School, Percussion

Tanmayee Chalamalasetti, Amador Valley High School, Bari Sax

Thomas Chang, Los Altos High School, French Horn

Pranjal Chatterjee, Lynbrook High School, Trombone

Kerry Chen, Castro Valley High School, Percussion

Valerie Chen, West Ranch High School, Violin

Christina Cheng, Lynbrook High School, Percussion

Hannah Cho, Orange County School of the Arts, Oboe

Casey Coutin, Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Trumpet

Eleonora de Cal, Dougherty Valley High School, Flute

Nathan Dishon, University High School Irvine, Cello

Yousef Fayed, University High School (Fresno), French Horn

Qiaolun Gao, Lynbrook High School, Percussion

Kenneth Gong, Diamond Bar High School, Trombone

Jayden Ham, Saratoga High School, Bb Clarinet

Changhyeon Hong, Diamond Bar High School, Tenor Saxophone

Joshua Howard, Highland High School, French Horn

Andrew Hwang, Henry M. Gunn High School, Viola

Davis Iimura, Homestead High School, French Horn

Jonathan John, Santa Fe Christian School, Percussion

Tane Kim, Orange County School of the Arts, Cello

Ben Kreinces, Newbury Park High School, Tuba

David Kwon, Newbury Park High School, Bb Clarinet

Alexander Lee, Irvington High School, Percussion

Andrew Lee, Troy High School, Bb Clarinet

Hannah Lee, La Serna High School, Bb Clarinet

Royce Lee, Henry M. Gunn High School, Trumpet

Marshall Lin, San Luis Obispo High School, Trumpet

Brayden Louie, Irvington High School, Percussion

Aiden Mathew, Dougherty Valley High School, French Horn

Connor McKeown, Santa Monica High School, Bb Clarinet

Fernando Medina, Hanford West High School, Trumpet

Sarah Moeller, Santa Monica High School, Double Bass

Daniela Munguia, Helms Middle School, Cello

Jessica O’Brien, West Ranch High School, Flute

Obinnaya Okezie, Stockdale High School, Bari Sax

David (Minjun) Paik, University High School, Violin

Zane Panizza, James Logan High School, French Horn

Tammy Pao, Diamond Bar High School, Piccolo

Daniel Perlmutter, Calabasas High School, Bassoon

Noah Plank, Patrick Henry High School, Percussion

Nathan Puopolo, Clovis West High School, Bass

Carolyn Pyun, Saratoga High School, Violin

Addison Ragsdale, Ventura High School, Bb Clarinet

Cameron Rhees, Diamond Bar High School, French Horn

Karlin Rhees, Diamond Bar High School, French Horn

Serena Rinehart, Thousand Oaks High School, Trumpet

Andres Rodriguez, Scripps Ranch High School, French Horn

Carson Ruhnke, Santiago High School, Trombone

Liana Sheridan, Fremont High School, Bb Bass Clarinet

Nolan Smith, Amador Valley High School, Bassoon

Sarah Son, Davis Senior High School, Violin

Joshua Tang, Santa Monica High School, Bb Bass Clarinet

Tejas Tirthapura, Saratoga High School, Viola

Rohan Venkatesan, Homestead High School, Euphonium

Alejandro Villalobos, Lincoln High School, Tuba

Angela Wang, Diamond Bar High School, Flute

Evelyn Wang, Prospect High School, Flute

William Wang, Palo Alto High School, Percussion

Cindy Xu, Valley Christian High School, Viola

David Zhao, Santa Monica High School, Alto Saxophone

Henry Zhao, Mission San Jose High School, Piccolo

Corey Zhong, Diamond Bar High School, Bb Clarinet

Vivian Zhu, Vista del Lago High School, Cello

5-Year Members

York Bourgeois, Francis Parker School, Trumpet

Sophia Brown, Clovis High School, French Horn

Jayden Chao, Portola High School, Viola

Bryson Chen, Fremont High School, Trumpet

Rowan Crass, Edison Highschool, Violin

Huai Guan, Homestead High School, Trombone

Kyle Hwang, Portola High School, Cello

Edward Kim, Diamond Bar High School, Tenor Saxophone

ian kim, Diamond bar High School, Bb Clarinet

Eleanor Koo, Lynbrook High School, Bb Clarinet

Elizabeth Lau, University Preparatory Academy, Bb Clarinet

Daniel Lee, Troy High School, Bb Clarinet

Dyne Lee, Saratoga High School, Bb Clarinet

Mason Miazga, Diamond Bar High School, Tuba

Nathan Mun, Westview High, Bb Clarinet

Alison Okuno, Saratoga High, Trumpet

Zachary Piesner, Calabasas High School, Bassoon

Cooper Randeen, Santiago High School, Trombone

Nicholas Raney, Oak Park High School, French Horn

Kenneth Rhee, Northwood High School, Bb Clarinet

David Rich, Mountain View High School, Trumpet

Matilda Rowlands, Ventura HS, Double Bass

Ryan Titapiwatanakun, University High School, Violin

Jocelyn Tsai, University High School, Violin

Hannah Webb, Oaks Christian, Bb Clarinet

Julian Wilsen, Carlmont High School, French Horn

Jason Yang, Clovis North High School, Viola

Isaac Yoon, Portola, Bb Clarinet

6-Year Members

Ryan Dai, Irvington High School, Bb Clarinet

Owen Farkas, Thousand Oaks High School, Tuba

Sean He, Palo Alto Senior High School, Bb Clarinet

Bowen Hu, Saint Francis High School, Percussion

Katherine Lin, Mission San Jose High School, Violin

Austin Miranda, Upland High School, Trumpet

Diego Ortiz, Patterson High School, Bb Clarinet

Andrew Shin, Dougherty Valley High School, Violin

I Am Enough

by Marie Douglas

Social Justice Consortium

CBDA was proud to premiere the latest social justice consortium piece at CASMEC in February.

The powerful messages portrayed through the work of Marie Douglas was beautifully performed by our California All-State High School Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. Gary P. Gilory.

I Am Enough is now available for purchase at Murphy Music Press

Be on the lookout for information about our next social justice consortium for this upcoming year.

NCBA Update

Hello from the Northern California Band Association! As we conclude with the festival and concert season, I hope everyone is coming to a strong end to their school year. As an organization, NCBA is continuously evolving its practices to better serve the students of Northern California. Our goal is to provide consistency in adjudication at every competition and festival that will support students and their directors.

This past January, we held a successful All Northern Honor Band weekend for high school and middle school students alongside our All Northern Honor Jazz Band. We want to extend our appreciation to the University of the Pacific and their amazing faculty for being such gracious hosts. To our conductors, Dr. John Zarco, Louise Jacob, and Dr. Aaron Lington, thank you for providing a weekend full of wonderful experiences for our students through music. Looking ahead to 2024, we are back at UOP the weekend of January 18th-21st with conductors Jack Stamp, Charlie Rodda, and Curtis Gaesser. We invite all members to send in auditions to participate in this great opportunity!

NCBA provides three festivals for middle and high school band, jazz, and orchestra ensembles in April and May. We want to thank our judges that spent the day adjudicating bands, and providing feedback for our students through the performance and sightreading portions. Inderkum, Pittsburg, and Del Mar high schools were tremendous hosts this spring, we look forward to returning to these sites in 2024! If you will be returning next year or are interested in a spring festival, please visit our website for registration information.

Lastly, NCBA provides our members with many performance opportunities in the fall and winter seasons. For the fall, many of our great events will be back with the addition of the Delta Band Review (Antioch, CA) on October 7th and the Liberty Band Review (Brentwood, CA) the following weekend. Following our 13 fall competitions, championships are hosted by Rodriguez and Lincoln High School (Stockton). NCBA will continue to host several winter percussion, guard, and solo drum major competitions culminating in a two day championship event at Rodriguez High School.

I want to thank every board member and director who volunteered their time for NCBA this past school year. We are committed to providing the best performance opportunities thanks to our hosts, judges, and parent volunteers. I invite our members to our June general session meetingon Saturday, June 3rd, at Inderkum High School. Our fall clinic and judges training will take place Saturday, August 26th, at Irvington High School. Band directors and instructors are encouraged to attend both events! We are thankful to be a part of CBDA and will continue to work together to provide the best opportunities for students in our state.

Jazareth Valencia

Northern California Band Association Representative

NCBCDA Update

News from the Northstate!!

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Northern California Band and Choir Directors Association (NorCal for short ) encompasses all the territory from highways 50 and 80 all the way north to the Oregon border. We provide an opportunity for students from many rural and small schools from northern communities to experience high quality honor ensembles. What makes our honor groups unique is that we rotate between 3 of the largest Universities in the Northstate. CSU Chico, CSU Sonoma and CSU Cal Poly Humboldt.

February 2023 brought the NorCal Honor weekend back to Sonoma State for our first in-person event in 2 years. Like most school groups, we were laid low by COVID - going virtual in 2021 and bypassing 2022 altogether.

This year we jumped back into the game at Sonoma State and had the hometown team making things run smoothly. Dr. Andy Collinsworth and Dr. Jenny Bent lead the Concert Band and Concert Choir respectively. Both ensembles were larger than they had been in MANY yearsa deliberate way to get NorCal back into the minds of band directors and students in a big way. Our newest ensembles were back as well, honor Jazz Band lead by Dave Eshelman and the honor Jazz Choir, directed by Kerry Marsh. All the parts came together smoothly for an excellent concert in the gorgeous Weill Hall.

Next year, NorCal heads north to Arcata where Humboldt State University, which recently joined the ranks of Cal-Poly institutions, will play host again. Much like everyone else, the shift of CASMEC to earlier weekends these next few years will affect NorCal’s dates. For 2024, NorCal will be held January 17-20th at Cal Poly Humboldt. There have been some changes in the ranks of those in charge of NCBCDA due to career redirections (all of them for the better).

Daniel Sedewick of Del Norte High School has stepped in as President as our former president, Ryan Heimlich moved on to Butte Community College. Matthew Bringedahl will fill Dan’s president-elect-shaped shoes. Kris Harper, Bobby Rodgers and Casson Scowcroft have also stepped away to explore different career options. We welcome Tom Slabaugh, Abigail West, Chrissy Sleigh and Audrey McCombs to the board to fill various positions.

We are very excited by the changes coming to CBDA, CASMEC and our own organization in the next few years. Finally, please don’t worry- NCBCDA will not be adding any more letters to our Acronym. At least not THIS year.

Cheers friends!

Casson Scowcroft

Northern California Band and Choir Directors Association Representative Director of Bands, Pleasant Valley High School

SCSBOA Update

Spring concerts, end-of-the-year activities, and the closing out of another school year has taken place. Summer is here! It is a time to recharge, take a vacation, and relax. No one understands how much we invest in our students each year. It is physically and emotionally taxing, but at the end of the day, we all know it is worth everything. We make a difference. That’s what teaching is all about.

As I head into the end of the school year (I’m not out until the middle of June), I am holding incoming band student and parent meetings where I have the new students register. This helps me plan out my fall semester which includes charting for the marching band. From there, I have our final “concert and cookout.” It’s a concert where people can bring beach/lawn chairs and listen to the entire band program while grabbing a hamburger or two. Awards night rounds out the closure for our year and it is a special night to celebrate our graduating seniors.

Speaking of seniors, or 8th graders, or anyone moving on, this is the time to help students transition into what comes next. I hold meetings with just the seniors every other month in the school year. We talk at a closed lunch time gathering where they can let me know what is happening, what they need, and just be able to talk. The final meeting is coming up with my group. I will fight back tears. This is the class that came to school as 9th graders and didn’t have the opportunity to complete their first year in person. They hung on for their 10th grade year online and finally returned back to school last year as 11th graders. I have had several tell me they wish they had one more year. I told them they will always be stronger for making it through a period in time we never anticipated and hope to never go through again. They are resilient. That is a huge life lesson in itself to not quit.

As you relax and unwind, be sure to make a few lists along the way. My lists this summer will include checking my email once a day (please don’t “boo” me), listening to concert literature and writing down the pieces I think will work with my groups, and planning out fundraisers.

I wish you well from Southern California. My term as SCSBOA President is coming to a close on June 30th, but I am honored to be the CBDA President-Elect. I hope to see many of you along the journey of this next school year. Until then, enjoy your summer!

Jeanne Christensen

CBDA President Elect

Past President, Southern California Band and Orchestra Directors Association

CODA has had a great year of music making, and appreciates continued partnership with CBDA. As spring turns toward summer, and graduation looms nearer, CODA invites you to take a look at opportunities for the 2023-2024 school year.

CODA December Honor Orchestras

Stanford University - Dec 1-2, 2023

CODA is thrilled to bring the statewide CODA December Honor Orchestras to Stanford University on Dec 1-2, 2023. This event will feature a Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Paul Phillips, and a String Orchestra, conducted by maestra Molly Turner. Students selected to join the ensemble will have the opportunity to perform in the beautiful Bing Concert Hall on Stanford University’s campus. Look out for audition scales and excerpts, which will be available on the CODA website Monday, May 22. The deadline for CODA December Honor Orchestra auditions will be October 9th, 2023.

CASMEC 2024

Conference Location and Date

As announced in February, CASMEC 2024 will take place on January 31-February 4, 2024, in Sacramento! We are looking forward to the new opportunities the change in location will bring us. Please do note that because the conference dates are earlier than previous years, the deadline for applications (clinic, performance, and all-state) are also shifted forward.

CODA Update

CODA President touponticelli@pausd.org

Performance Applications

Applications to perform at CASMEC 2024 are now live! CODA would love to encourage orchestras from across the state to apply - high school, middle school, full orchestra, string orchestra, and beyond. Please see the online application for details on how to apply, or reach out with any application questions! The deadline to submit a performance application is July 15, 2023 at midnight.

Clinic Applications

Applications to present at clinic at CASMEC 2024 are also now live. CODA aims to showcase a wide-ranging slate of presenters and topics, across the spectrum of orchestral education. We invite our members to consider submitting a session proposal. The deadline to submit a performance application is July 15, 2023 at midnight.

All-State Auditions

Important! Please note that the deadline to audition for All State ensembles at CASMEC 2024 will be November 1, 2023. Please do make a note of this change, so as to best support your students in their application process. Audition excerpts will be posted on the CODA website Monday, May 22.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions. CODA aims to promote school orchestras in California by providing quality honor orchestra experiences for school orchestra students, and we look forward to a great year in 2023-2024. Wishing you a strong finish to this school year, and a happy summer!

Tiffany Ou-Ponticelli

Greetings from The California Orchestra Directors Association.

A Call to Revisit Your Primary Instrument

by David Green CBDA Director of Communications

Regardless of how long you have worked in music education, you have probably heard (or said yourself) something to the effect of, “Yea, I used to be good at (insert instrument here) but now I just have band director chops.” In the unlikely event you are unfamiliar with “band director chops,” it is the situation where, because of the extremely taxing demands band directors have placed on themselves by their jobs, the director no longer has the time or will to practice their primary instrument anymore. It is not hard to understand the reasons why this occurs. Whether it is after school rehearsals, booster meetings, score study, trip planning, pep bands, or a myriad of other issues, the responsibilities placed on a band director are often all consuming. To complicate things further, a band director in today’s day and age is most often not “just” a band director but might have additional teaching requirements such as choir, orchestra, music appreciation, or a host of other ensembles. Package up all of these duties and combine them with any/all familial obligations that a director has at home, and it is easy to see why a director’s primary instrument falls at the wayside.

Despite these challenges, I would encourage band directors of all ages and experience levels to be intentional about not abandoning their instrument altogether. While it might seem like a distant memory (depending on what point you are at in your career), the reality is that the majority of band directors got into the field because they fell in love with playing an

instrument. Most everyone in this field has a story about the first time they tried their instrument, how they picked their instrument, or the moment where they truly fell in love with their instrument. Then consider all the work band directors did to get their degrees while in college!

Between the lessons, juries, recitals, and ensemble performances, it is sad that so many directors neglect the instrument that jump started their career in the first place.

Despite these challenges, I think that it is prudent (and possible!) that band directors find the time to intentionally play their instrument for a variety of reasons that will benefit both them and their ensembles. Consider the reasons below:

Your Students Will Appreciate It

If we (rightly) expect our students to practice and to grow on their instruments, it seems only fair that we would do the same thing on our own. The act of experiencing the difficulties and breakthroughs that come with practicing are a great reminder to ourselves of what our students are going through. This also provides us an opportunity to share those experiences with our students as a way of encouragement. Students appreciate it when they feel that their teachers are “on the journey” with them.

You Will Remember Things That Will Help Your Ensemble

Playing an instrument well requires executing a seemingly ending amount of small details well in order to create a great sound, yet it is easy to forget some of these when you have not visited your instrument in a while. Revisiting your instrument can very much make an impact on how you teach your students because you will relearn and re-remember things that can directly impact your teaching.

Your Personal Musicianship Matters

We owe it to ourselves to be the best version of ourselves for our students in regards to building relationships, maintaining a welcoming environment, and a host of other responsibilities. Included in that list should be personal musicianship. We know that the best teachers are the ones who are take the approach of being a lifelong learner; I would contend that continued growth on a primary musical instrument is as much a part of that as anything.

Maintain/Rediscover Your Love Of Music

Being a band director is a challenging profession that can take a lot out of someone personally. Multiple articles and conference sessions have addressed the fact that band directors (and music teachers all together) face a high level of burnout. In the midst of all the administrative job responsibilities a music director has, carving out time to rekindle your love for playing your instrument can help you maintain perspective of why you entered this career path to begin with.

Even though there are multiple benefits for keeping up with your instrument, the reality remains that it is still difficult to find time, energy, and motivation to practice. Consider the following strategies in regards to your practice schedule:

• Schedule A Specific Time/Place To Practice: Just as someone who works out sets aside time to either run or go to the gym, be intentional with scheduling when you are going to practice.

• Focus On A Specific Goal To Practice For : Is there a small ensemble you can join or create? A large ensemble that you can join or try out for? Do you have repertoire you learn or relearn for a performance? Just as our students have to practice for specific performances, having a goal to maintain or prepare for can help us find a cause for our practice.

• Utilize Electronic Resources To Help: Whether it is accompaniment tracks that can be downloaded or an online platform like SmartMusic, utilizing electronic resources can make practicing more enjoyable (especially if you don’t have access to a large ensemble to play with).

• Be Kind To Yourself: You are going to go through periods where you simply can’t pick up the instrument as much as you want. That’s okay! Remember, something is always better than nothing, so if you fall out of habit, jump back in. Do what is reasonable for your schedule and your mental well being. Remember, this should be fulfilling, not just another obligation.

Final Thoughts

We all have heard the expression, “Just because someone can play well doesn’t mean they can teach well.” While that’s true, it’s important to remember that playing an instrument is much more than the music one produces. Countless articles have been written over the years about all of the great non-musical benefits playing an instrument has on our students; how much better than will we be for them as their teachers if we do the same? At the end of the day, all we can ask of our students is to give their best effort and try to provide an environment that fosters their love of music. As we continue as an industry to do the best we can for our students, consider practicing your instrument as a strategy for accomplishing that task.

Seventeen years, ago as a college freshman, I was asked to volunteer for an event that was referred to as “CBDA” with the All-State honor bands. As a Junior High Chaperone, little did I know how this organization would change my life. From Chaperone, to Head Chaperone, to Junior High Host, All-State Host, CASMEC Coordinator and finally President, the journey has been long, and in no way easy. From dealing with locked hotel rooms when kids sleep through phone calls and alarms, to moving 100+ JHS kids at 3:00am from a hotel in disarray, nothing surprises me anymore.

I have been extremely honored and privileged to serve this organization as President over the last three years, through a tough transition, pandemic, and the growing pains of a large conference. I know that some of the new directions were not popular, but we always acted in the best interst of our All-State Students and Directors in California.

Watching the Social Impact Consortium continue to grow, and seeing the music from the past being played in performances throughout the world has been inspiring. Kevin Day’s Requiem for the Unarmed is already getting its debut in Carnegie Hall just over a year after the premiere. Knowing CBDA is getting tough conversations initiated in our band rooms is humbling. If our consortium makes space for these conversations and the performance of socially relevant music to change just one life, all of the work will have been worth it. I cannot wait to see how this portfolio will expand in the coming years.

February’s phenomenal performance of the High School Golden State Band was awe-inspiring. The opportunities given to students who may have otherwise not been able to perform made this performance even more powerful. In spite of the struggles of finding a

From the Past President

structure that works, and launching in a time where schools are rebuilding, they were spectacular.

While at times I feel limited with the opportunities in my regular 9-5 (more like 7am-11pm) position, CBDA has provided me the opportunity to grow as a professional, network with amazing conductors, teachers, and performers, and meet some of my biggest inspirations and mentors. I have loved interacting with so many in our profession and especially those outside of my expertise. Serving alongside the presidents of CODA, CAJ, CCDA, and CMEA has been amazing, and the relationships I’ve made with people in those other organizations have been second to none. It is so amazing to see systems and procedures we brainstormed and put into place years ago continue to adapt and be used to serve our All-State students and colleagues.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say that absolutely none of this would even have been a possibility without the support of my amazing better half. Mary has picked up the slack when I am away for weeks at a time, done bedtimes alone as I’m on the 4th Zoom call of the week planning out the upcoming All-State or big project for CBDA, and far more.

While slightly relieved of the stress load lifting, I am also extremely humbled and a bit sad to be on my way off of this board and leadership position. I look forward to spending the next two years as Immediate Past President helping to encourage new board members to continue the traditions of greatness, look for ways to grow and change, and continue our amazing goal of supporting band directors and their students in California.

Thank you California Band Directors Association,

Jeff Detlefsen

CBDA Past President

All-State Auditions

California currently offers the opportunity to audition and participate in 16 All-State ensembles.

Collaboratively, CBDA, CODA, and CAJ offer a junior high (Grades 7-8) All-State Honor String Orchestra, two junior high (Grades 7-8) All-State Honor Bands, a junior high (Grades 7-8) All-State Jazz Band, 4 high school (Grades 9-12) All-State Honor Bands, a high school (Grades 9-12) All-State Jazz Band, a high school (grades 9-12) All-State Honor String Orchestra, and a high school (Grades 9-12) All-State Honor Full Orchestra. CAJ also offers a high school (Grades 9-12) All-State Jazz Choir. CCDA offers four All-State Choirs. All of these ensembles will rehearse and perform at the California All-State Music Education Conference in January, 2024.

https://cbda.org/all-state-ensembles/auditions/

2024 Scales are posted here:

High School Scales

Junior High School Scales

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