2023-2024 Georgia Music News | Fall Issue

FA L L I S S U E

How Barbershop Can Invigorate Your Choral Program​​​​​ Katie Beth Fowler and Christopher Elsey

Georgia State University Singers Mesmerize Istanbul Kaylee Bramlett

The Sunshine File Corin T. Overland

Building a Community with Tri-M Michael Brown and Mirna Dinovic

ASS O C I AT I O N

NEWS

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ON

THE

MOVE

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BUDGET

VOLUME 84 | NUMBER 1 | FALL 2023

In This Issue

GMEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Neil Ruby

District Chairs 1 - Hank Carter 2 - Dominique Lane 3 - Kenneth Boykin, Jr. 4 - Monica L. Fogg 5 - Angela Reynolds 6 - Quinn Kearse 7 - Michael Elzey 8 - Christopher Duke 9 - Raymond Thomas 10 - Tayler Norwood 11 - Jeremy Williams 12 - Andy Esserwein 13 - David Metrio 14 - Nicholas Golding

Immediate Past President Dr. Matt Koperniak Vice-President for Performance Evaluation Events Sara Grimes Vice-President for All State Events Jay Davis Past Presidents’ Council Representative Dr. Richard Bell

How Barbershop Can Invigorate Your Choral Program

By Katie Beth Fowler and Christopher Elsey

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Executive Director D. Alan Fowler

Editor, Georgia Music News Victoria Enloe

Band Division Chair Chris Shumick

For the complete list of Board Members please visit:

Choral Division Chair Michelle Austin College Division Chair Dr. Josh Byrd Elementary Division Chair Letricia Henson

THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS

Orchestra Division Chair Krissi Davis

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Advertising/Exhibitors Cindy Reed

ADVERTISER INDEX

Building a Community with Tri-M

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GMEA Staff Dr. Bernadette Scruggs Laura Webb Megan Williams Aleta Womack

Michael Brown & Mirna Dinovic

The Sunshine File Corin T. Overland

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GSU Singers in Istanbul

Kaylee Bramlett

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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PAGE 5 GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY INSIDE COVER GEORGIA TECH SCHOOL OF MUSIC PAGE 23

PHANTOM FIREWORKS PAGE 13 UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA MUSIC DIVISION PAGE 19

TO ADVERTISE

APPLY TODAY WWW.GMEA.ORG/ADVERTISE

© Copyright 2023 by the Georgia Music Educators Association All pieces reproduced in this issue are under prior copyright of the creators and publisher by the contractual arrangements. Nothing shown may be reproduced in any form without obtaining the permission of the publisher and any other person or company who may have copyright ownership.

S P R I N G 2023 | G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S

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Association News The

President Speaks

Neil Ruby

Stephen Covey’s second habit in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is to “Begin with the End in Mind.” Covey challenges us to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of our direction and destinations. The start of a new school year gives all of us a chance to simply begin, to start fresh and anew. Whether it’s teaching a new concept, an upcoming concert, or goals for the end of the school year, our beginning steps are influenced by ending goals and serve as a great reminder for us to make each day count. Goal-oriented instruction can be a powerful tool in our classrooms; goals help us focus on the future and keep up with our progress along the way. That being said, I encourage you not to focus so much on the end goals that we lose sight of our most important reason for teaching: our students, and their most important goal: their futures!

Students are faced with so many challenges today, and the fact is, you and your programs are the only reason why some of your students will show up and stay in school.

Last year in my school system, the Chair of the Board of Education gave us a powerful challenge to “Be the one.”

This has stuck with me and is a great reminder to all of us just how influential a music educator can be. I want to encourage you and your programs to be the one who makes a student feel like they matter. Be the one who reaches out to a struggling student or colleague to offer a hand or words of encouragement. Be the one who is a leader in your school and community. Be the one who gives students a reason to be excited about coming to school. And be the one who gives someone a chance.

Author and motivational speaker, Ryan Leak, says that we can all think back to the people who took a chance

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on us and ultimately helped get us where we are today.

For me as a music educator, it started with Lisa Lang and Mike Sewell from Pickerington, Ohio (Go Buckeyes!), who gave me my successful start in band. It was Kenny Beard and Don McSwain at Fayette County Junior and High Schools who pushed me to be better than I thought I could be. It was Dr. Norman Padgett who took the extra time with me and taught me more about being a band director than I ever could have learned in a classroom.

And it was Scott Cowart who hired me at Central-Carroll HS and also in my current position as the Fine Arts Coordinator in Carroll County. Each of these people took a chance on me, never gave up on me, and inspired me.

Take some time to think about the people on your list who took a chance on you, and then be the one who does the same for your students.

The theme of our 2024 In-Service Conference is “Their Future is our Mission.” Our future-focused vision commitment is not just for the students we teach but for all of our GMEA members, as well. More details about the conference will be included in the winter issue of Georgia Music News. We hope to see you in Athens!

We are very blessed to have one of the largest and strongest MEAs in the country and are so thankful to each and every one of our members for your support of our organization and music education in Georgia! Please reach out if I can do anything to support you or your district.

Best wishes for a wonderful school year!

Don’t Call It a Conducting Workshop: An Open Rehearsal and Interactive Conducting Lab for Instrumental Music Educators

Please join us Friday of the Inservice Conference for "Don't Call it a Conducting Workshop". We will begin with an open rehearsal and discussion of John Mackey’s Sheltering Sky by Robert J. Ambrose with members of the Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Topics to be discussed during the rehearsal will include specific rehearsal techniques, pedagogy, and interpretation.

The session will then shift to a conducting lab featuring the GMEA Instrumental Conducting Fellows and focused on rehearsal technique and conducting gesture. The lab will be highly interactive with instruction guided to all attendees. Audience members will learn as much as those on the podium!

Applications are due by November 1; results will be sent out by November 15.

APPLY NOW

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Association News From The

Executive Director D. Alan Fowler

Greetings again from GMEA HQ East.

Now that we are well into this second year of my service as Executive Director, I thought you might appreciate a few observations. As I have made clear for 15 months, every single day is a learning experience and there is no end in sight to that learning. Most days have included opportunities to assist members and staff, and I continue to enjoy each encounter.

While I spend a lot of time at the computer, I do love each time I can step away and actually visit members and schools in person.

If you made it out to the Fall District Meetings, or have reviewed the follow-up email Neil sent to everyone, you heard about our amazing office staff, and I can attest to the fact they are all doing great work for you (and for me). At the fall meetings, you heard that with the addition of Laura Webb and Megan Williams last spring, we revised the workload and job responsibilities for Bernadette and Aleta, and now the first thing listed under each staff member’s duties and responsibilities is “Member Support.” That is important to all of us and we are truly glad to help. I want to thank the staff members, including Cindy Reed, for embracing that approach. Cindy manages our conference exhibitors, as well as All-State program and Georgia Music News advertising. Please send potential new vendors and sponsors her direction.

It was a goal of mine to revamp the newsletter and I am proud that we have delivered on that initiative. Please continue to send Megan Williams newsletter worthy items. Our hope is that each month the newsletter will hit your email with timely reminders, as well as tidbits of information that will inspire teachers as you continue to deliver on the mission of advancing music education across our great state. Megan is doing a nice job of putting together the News of Note each month, but I know she would love pictures and input from you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to her.

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Along those same lines, please consider contributing material for inclusion in the Georgia Music News. Tori Enloe does a terrific job in her role as editor of the GMN, and with the many wonderful musical things going on throughout Georgia, we would love to hear from you. One thing Tori and I have discussed is bringing back to the GMN the section noting job changes, hirings, and retirements. Look for the submission JotForm to look a little different later this fall.

Finally, I want to address the budget. In case you missed what was said throughout last year and at the fall meetings, entering the 2023-24 fiscal year, we were in a tough place with regard to the budget. As you will see in this edition of the magazine, we ended the last fiscal year in much better shape than we have experienced since well before the pandemic.

There are several reasons as to why and the two primary reasons are: 1. A return to near pre-pandemic participation numbers. Thank you for participating and encouraging students to participate in our events. And 2. Three sources of non-sustainable revenue, the greatest of which was $94,000 that came to us in the form of the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Please know I am carefully watching our budget numbers and we are continuing to save wherever we can while striving to offer the highest quality events and services to our members as is possible.

Thank you again for being a part of the wonderful world of music education. I sure am glad I joined the band in the fifth grade and continue to get make music all these years later. Best wishes on a terrific year!

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATORS: Student Field Trips $10 Educator Tickets

aso.org/ educationcommunity

Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra 50th Anniversary

Talent Development Program 30th Anniversary Family Concerts S P R I N G 2023 | G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S

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Division News Band

Chris Shumick As we embark into a new school year, I’d like to take a moment to extend my warm wishes for an incredible fall semester, one filled with successes and positive experiences for all our students across the state. Whether you're just starting your teaching journey or you're a seasoned veteran, as music educators, we share an appreciation for the lifelong benefits that stem from a comprehensive music education and the profound positive influence that students gain from being a part of our school band programs.

Here’s to a great 2023-2024!

As you are likely aware, in the Band Division we are in the second year of three adopting new etudes for our All-State Band and Orchestra auditions. The etudes were selected and edited by a committee of professionals on each instrument and received multiple rounds of review and adjustments before being published on the GMEA website. Please know that we will make any necessary adjustments and refinements as needed at the conclusion of this year’s audition process before they enter permanent rotation in future years. If you have any feedback you’d like to share, please email me and I will add your comments to the list we are compiling for the committee to review in the spring.

Speaking of All-State, I am excited to share with you the conductors for the All-State Bands during my two-year term as Chair for the Division. Unique to these two years, the All-State Bands will be conducted by well-respected music educators who have and continue to make a lasting impact on music education here in the State of Georgia: 2024 All-State Middle School Band: Dr. Matt Koperniak Coordinator of Performing Arts, Fulton County Schools All-State Middle School Band: Mrs. Audrey Murphy Director of Bands, East Cobb Middle School All-State Concert Band: Mr. James Seda, Director of Bands, Southwest DeKalb High School

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All-State Concert Band: Dr. Scott Stewart, Conductor, Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony All-State Symphonic Band: Dr. Jackie Hartenberger, Associate Director of Bands, University of Georgia All-State Symphonic Band: Dr. David Kehler, Director of Bands, Kennesaw State University 2025 All-State Middle School Band: Mr. Travis Downs, Director of Bands, North Gwinnett Middle School All-State Middle School Band: Mrs. Sheila Smith, Director of Bands (retired), South Central Middle School All-State Concert Band: Dr. Josh Byrd Director of Bands, University of West Georgia All-State Concert Band: Dr. Robert Dunham Director of Bands (retired), Georgia Southern University All-State Symphonic Band: Dr. Robert Ambrose Director of Bands, Georgia State University All-State Symphonic Band: Dr. Nicholas Williams Director of Bands, University of Georgia Lastly, over the course of the past two years, during my tenure as Chair-Elect, I have had the privilege of gaining deeper insights into the remarkable level of volunteerism that underpins the operations of the Band Division, and the entire GMEA organization. My profound gratitude to everyone whose tireless work behind the scenes allows our many District and State-level events to run so smoothly.

The unwavering dedication exhibited by our community of music educators here in Georgia is a testament to the overarching theme of this year's In-Service Conference: "Their Future is Our Mission."

Choral

Michelle Austin Choral Colleagues, I am constantly inspired and motivated by the work you do in your programs. I freely admit that many of the techniques and tricks I use with my own students have been borrowed or adapted from my GMEA colleagues. I hope you will take time this year to visit other choral classrooms and see your colleagues at work. I know we are all busy; but in my opinion, watching another chorus teacher rehearse is one of the best forms of professional development.

Speaking of professional development - Have you registered for In-Service Conference? Whether this is your first year of teaching or your thirtieth, there are sessions on the schedule that will inspire and offer tools to utilize in your classroom. To give you a sampling: we will have sessions on rehearsal techniques and classroom management, teaching sight reading and getting your students excited about it, assessments and grading, teaching your students to take more ownership of their musical learning, and a few crowd-favorite reading sessions. We also have outstanding middle school, high school, collegiate, and professional choirs slated to perform. ISC is not just about attending sessions and concerts, though. It is also a great opportunity to socialize and have community with your choral colleagues. If you have not registered, I highly encourage you to do so.

I hope you will get your students involved in the various choral events hosted by GMEA. You can access information about audition and event dates on the GMEA website. Make sure you do not miss registration and payment deadlines.

2024 All-State Clinicians All-State Reading Chorus (9th-12th Grades) Eric Nelson All-State Chorus Jeanne Wohlgamuth (Middle Treble) Daniel Gutierrez (Middle Tenor/Bass - NEW CHOIR!) Sophia Papoulis (Middle Mixed) Christopher Aspaas (9/10 Mixed) Sharon Paul (Senior Treble) Jeffrey Ames (Senior Tenor/Bass) Jason Max Ferdinand (11/12 Mixed) Sixth Grade Statewide Honor Chorus Emily Williams Burch and Kim Ahrens Solo and Ensemble and Large Group Performance Evaluation Speak with your District Choral Chair to learn more.

Best wishes to all of you on a wonderful school year! I look forward to seeing you at GMEA events.

Orchestra Krissi Davis

I hope everyone’s year is off to a productive start! As we start off the year, please take a moment to look at the handbook for updates, and make sure your GMEA membership is current.

New for This Year. Middle school orchestras are now required to sight read at LGPE. This change is in line with the band and choral divisions. While this is now a requirement, middle schools may still elect to sight read for a rating or comments only.

2024 All-State Conductors

Middle School - Ann Victor and LaSaundra Booth 9/10 String Orchestra - Julie Blackstock

11/12 String Orchestra - Tamara Dworetz 9/10 Full Orchestra - Doug Droste 11/12 Full Orchestra - Jeff Grogan

ISC Conference. I am especially excited for our performance line up at the 2024 ISC Conference! If you haven’t been to the In-Service conference in a few years, please join us in 2024!

This year, we have ensembles representing every performance level. They are: Dodgen Middle Chamber Orchestra

North Gwinnett Middle 8th Grade Orchestra Chattahoochee High Chamber Orchestra

North Atlanta High Philharmonic Orchestra Northview High School Chamber Orchestra

Columbus State University Schwob Philharmonic Orchestra Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra

Continuing the work of expanding orchestra performance opportunities at the In-Service Conference, the North Atlanta High Philharmonic Orchestra has the distinct honor of introducing our new performance venue, the UGA Chapel. This venue is perfect for showcasing the state’s outstanding smaller ensembles! If you have an outstanding chamber ensemble (1824 students), I STRONGLY encourage you to apply to perform at the 2025 conference. Chattahoochee High Chamber Orchestra will be the featured ensemble for the performance clinic, which started last year, with David Eccles as this year’s clinician.

I am excited and humbled to be of service to the orchestra division for the next two years. Do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns at orchestra@gmea.org. I look forward to seeing you at orchestra events throughout the year!

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Division News Elementary Letricia Henson

Greetings! Welcome to a Stellar Year of Music Making! My name is Letricia Henson, and I am the Elementary Chair for 2023-2025. It is a pleasure to serve in this capacity and work with thousands of outstanding elementary music teachers across our great state. As a native of Georgia, I am honored to welcome elementary music teachers to join in on a fantastic year of activities and professional learning through GMEA. There are so many ways to get involved during the 2023-2024 school year. Registration for the Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus is September 25th November 1st in Opus. I am excited to announce our two outstanding clinicians for Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus February 9-10, 2024, at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center in Jonesboro, Georgia. We will witness the artistry of St. Louis, Missouri, conductor Dr. Jordan Cox, who is the Associate Dean and Director of Choral Activities at Missouri Baptist University. Also, we have the extraordinary Dr. Kay Pace, GMEA member, Retired Choral Lead Teacher from Clayton County Public Schools, former Head of Vocal/Choral Department at Martha Ellen Stillwell School of the Arts, and namesake of the Kay Pace Elementary School of the Arts in Clayton County.

GMEA elementary music teachers will register students for the Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus (SEHC) through Opus.

Participants will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

A maximum of 5 students per school may be registered. When the maximum of 500 students has been met, registration will close, even if the deadline has not been reached. Directors will have an opportunity to name two alternates on their application at the initial time of registration. Those registered as alternates will only be permitted to participate if one of the initial students registered cannot attend the SEHC event. No alternates can be named after the initial registration process. To be eligible to participate, a student’s name must be on the original registration. Students not listed on the registration will not be allowed to participate. Teachers will not be allowed to change the original list of students’ names submitted. Teachers with students participating must teach at the school listed on the application.

Selected students must attend all rehearsals and the concert for Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus February 9th-10th.

Additionally, start preparing for the Annual In-Service Conference from January 25th-27th in Athens, Georgia at The Classic Center. We will have Andy Beck of Alfred Music, Franklin Willis, and numerous clinicians from our great state of Georgia. Please prepare to support our four elementary performing ensembles from Cobb and Clayton Counties on Thursday and 8

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Friday nights of the conference from 7pm – 8pm in the Classic Center.

In closing, please bookmark our GMEA website, where you will find complete information on our programs and activities. Also, join the social media accounts to connect with other teachers across our state. On Facebook we are under the name GMEA Elementary Music and on X formerly known as Twitter under the name @GMEAElementary. Elementary Music Teachers are many students’ first introduction to musical discovery. We are the foundation for music education and the start to our students becoming life-long music innovators and supporters of all musical art forms in their lives. Please know you have supporters in the GMEA organization from our Executive Director Alan Fowler, President Neil Ruby, amazing GMEA Staff, and all of the hardworking Elementary Council members.

Stay the course and always feel welcome to reach out to me at elementary@gmea.org.

College Josh Byrd

First off, I hope that your year is off to a great start!

It is an honor to serve as your College Division Chair for the next two years, and it is my hope that we can build on the momentum created by Chester Phillips, who did such a fantastic job shaping and changing our division to broaden its role within GMEA. We will continue the annual conference conducting workshop he established and look to provide more opportunities like this to interact with all our members, including working alongside Annalisa Chang and the CNAfME Division to strengthen outreach from both areas.

With so many colleges and universities across the state, I know that there are dozens of professional learning opportunities open to the public each year. We are currently working with the Executive Board on a calendar submission system in order for you to let all GMEA members know about opportunities to attend the masterclasses, lectures, roundtable discussions, and guest artist events that you hold on your campuses. Any GMEA College Division member will be able to submit information for events that they are personally hosting or managing; be on the lookout for more information soon! It is our goal for the teachers in your area to be able to see what’s going on in a centralized location.

In the meantime, please reach out to your colleagues and encourage them to sign up or renew their GMEA membership.

If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas that you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Music Technology

Imagine this is your music class. Are we handing out the instruments, stating the “name of the game,”and expecting a success? As educators and directors, we must clearly explain each step of the process, and that effort is even more important when we are new to the game. Your division chairs are here to help!

Music Technology programs continue to grow and appear from the North Georgia Mountains to the Brunswick coast and everywhere in between! As more music educators are exploring this growing content area, GMEA is working to identify these teachers and developing new programs and resources to support them. If you are teaching any music technology courses, please take a moment to complete the survey linked HERE. If you know any teacher who is teaching music technology courses but is not a member of GMEA, please forward the link to them. We would like to know who they are!

We have wonderful guitar performances scheduled for the 2024 GMEA In-Service Conference, and professional development opportunities can be arranged as needed.

We look forward to seeing who wins your ‘game’!

Heath Jones

The GMEA Music Technology Student Showcase returns for the 5th year in 2024. The link for submissions can be found in OPUS. Student work must be submitted by a member of GMEA. The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 3. Detailed information about the showcase can be found on the GMEA website under the ‘Areas’ tab or by clicking HERE. Because of the outstanding teaching going on and the robust growth in the music technology programs in our state, Georgia is garnering a lot of attention from the music business and production industry. We are currently working with Dolby Labs, MusicFirst, Soundtrap, Focusrite, Tweed Recording, Soul Asylum Studio, and others to develop new programs and resources for GMEA’s teachers. We hope to premier some of these collaborations at our conference in January so, if you haven’t made plans to attend, do it now! It’s going to be awesome!!

Guitar

Caryn Volk My name is Caryn Volk, and I am proud to serve as your Guitar Chair. Throughout the state, we are seeing an increase of both technique and performance guitar classes, and improved support for alternative music classes at the secondary level.

Directors are often concerned about taking on a new or different subject area. It sometimes feels like you are handed a deck of cards, and told your whole group is going to play a rousing game of Skeetle. Only problem? You have no idea what that is! Some in your group think they know, and they try to explain it to everyone else. No one knows the rules, the process, or how to win.

Historian

Matt Koperniak

As the seasons change, music educators across Georgia continue the important work of instilling knowledge, skills, and a love for music in the next generation of students. While we focus on the future, we follow in the footsteps of the music teachers that have come before us.

The history our association is important, not just to mark milestones, but to allow the lessons of the past to guide our future. I am grateful to President Neil Ruby for this appointment as GMEA Historian. Upcoming goals for this position include: • Update the history at the beginning of the GMEA Handbook (currently 1923-2001).

• Initiate long-term project to identify and digitize key artifacts in the GMEA archives at Georgia College and make them available to the membership on the GMEA website.

• Develop archival process for digital records from recent years (current archives end at 2012) • Contribute to long-term planning for upcoming centennial milestones, including All-State Chorus (2031), Solo & Ensemble (2035), All-State Band (2037), Large Group Performance Evaluation – originally Festival (2037), and All-State Orchestra (2038).

Our state has both a complicated and rich musical history, and our association is no different. I look forward to highlighting parts of our history in future issues of the Georgia Music News, on the GMEA website, and more.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to share ideas, artifacts, or information. Ultimately, the history of GMEA consists of the daily, tireless work of music educators across our state. Thank you to each of you for continuing to make history as we move forward into the future.

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Division News Research

Rebecca Atkins First and foremost, I would like to thank Martin Norgaard for his many years of service as GMEA Research Chair. Through Martin’s leadership, the researchers in this state have a place and format in which they can share their findings. The presentations are now in the format of the national/international research conferences (25 minutes with time for questions) and the poster session is held in the lobby where more colleagues have the opportunity to read and discuss these projects. GMEA research sessions are a fabulous space for graduate students to share their research and get practice in presenting. The deadlines for research and poster presentations was September 15th. Those applications will be anonymously reviewed by a panel of researchers and information about acceptance will be sent out mid-October.

GMEA is very interested in the recruitment and retention of future music educators. Here is an update on the study Martin wrote about in the spring edition of Georgia Music News. A team of researchers from several universities (Kimberly Maugans, Rebecca Atkins, Martin Norgaard, Alison Farley, and Laura Stambaugh) analyzed data from a survey completed by members of the 202122 All-State Ensembles. 401 high school students (208 female) stated their intentions toward a music education career (Yes = 106, Maybe – 189, No = 106) and wrote the reasons they were considering or not considering becoming a music educator. We analyzed their open-ended responses through a constant/comparative process where several themes emerged. Of the students who answered “Yes” and “Maybe,” the top two reasons for considering the career were For the Art Itself, and Teaching and Leading.

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One student explained they want, “To share the love of music and watch other musicians grow.” Additionally, the “Yes” and “Maybe” participants wrote about what experiences contributed to their interest in becoming a music educator. Educator Influence was the top code in these responses (n = 70). One student shared, “I have had several directors who have inspired me to be the best person I can be.” For the Art Itself (n = 52) and attending School Music Activities (n = 39) such as GMEA events, honors programs, etc. were the next highest frequency of codes in the statements.

All participants (Yes, Maybe, and No) were asked to share any reasons keeping them from considering music education careers. Statements about the Career Itself (negative) were coded 156 times. Participants’ statements (mostly those who answered Maybe or No), listed Other Interests (n = 71) and Not Interested (n = 35). Training Concerns (n = 21) and a lack of Confidence in Skill (n = 27) were also mentioned by the participants as reasons keeping them from becoming a music educator. Based on these data and previous research (Guan et al., 2023, Rickels, et al., 2019, Robinson et al., 2019, 2021), the influence of the teacher plays a large role in students’ interest in becoming a music educator. The music teacher has control over the activities to attend, the repertoire to play/sing, and the number of opportunities they provide for students to lead.

Knowing the students and engaging them in the process gives students a chance to build confidence in musicianship and passion in the art. Likewise, speaking about the positive aspects of the career of teaching music more often than the negative may focus students on the intrinsic motivation needed for success and help build up the future of this profession.

I look forward to serving as the GMEA research chair and hope to continue connecting research to practice. Join us for the research sessions on Friday, January 27, 2023 at GMEA. Have a super semester! See you in Athens!

Where Are They Now? Have you or a colleague recently entered the music education profession, changed schools, received a promotion, or embarked upon retirement?

Georgia Music News wants to celebrate you! Don’t miss the opportunity to have your news shared in this new recurring column.

To have your job change featured in this section, submit your information HERE.

Zoya Andrews - Banneker High School Kyle Bickwit - Band Director - Dove Creek Middle School Kreg Biffle - Rising Starr Middle School Christian Bigliani - Cambridge High School Lydia Clark - Temple High School Valerie Clark-Lee - Huntington Middle School Tori Enloe - Buford Middle School Jesse Gilbert - North Springs High School Gillian Graeme - Hopewell Middle School Getty Goodwin - Creekside High School Shala Jenkins – City View Elementary School Chelsea Johnson – Teasley Elementary School Nicholas Johnson – McClure Middle School Juli Deraney Malcom - Indian Creek Middle School Abigail McMichen - Warner Robins Middle School Roxanne Mungin – Betty Gray Middle School Alex Nguyen - Band Director - Berrien County High School Kristen Passmore - River Trail Middle School Carley Patch - Fannin County Middle School Jeremiah Robinson - Ridgeview Middle School Katie Sanders - George Walton Academy Bill Scruggs - The Westminster Schools Dr. Joel Singleton - Choral Director - Monroe Area High School Ericka Stack – Pickett’s Mill Elementary School Artis Staton - McEachern High School Christina Vehar – Cheatham Hills Elementary School Carlton Williams – Midtown High School Jennifer Williams - Cartersville High School Dr. Sara Womack – Supervisor of Choral and General Music, Dance, Theatre - Cobb County Dr. Joseph Woodruff – Director of Advanced Learning and Design - Cobb County Brittny Woods – Choral Director - Marietta High School Dr. Dominique Petite - Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at Kennesaw State University Dr. Brandon Meeks - Assistant Professor of Bands, Associate Director of Bands, and Director of the Marching Owls - Kennesaw State university Dr. Daniel Lee - Lecturer of Bands, Assistant Director of Bands. Dr. Lee is the assistant director of the Marching Owls - Kennesaw State University

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Retired Reflections Jay Wucher You Really Have to Work at Retirement I am closing in on twenty years of “Retirement” from the Fulton County School System. That time, however, is only one chapter in my book. I am sure you have thought the same about your time and commitment to music education and contemplated what your next chapters hold. You have now moved on from retired to refocused, redirected, and repurposed. As I look back and look forward, I have come to understand that there is no such thing as a perfect retirement or anything even close to that. There are no guarantees of health, happiness, prosperity, or general physical and emotional well-being. It is, in a nutshell, what we make of it and no more. In this column, I hope to share some of the hills and valleys I have experienced so far in hopes that you may become more successful in your own journey.

Retirement, at the very least, is a process, not an event.

It is what we choose to make it as well as ever-evolving. There is no rulebook. There are, however, so many resources and guides available to us to aid in the transition and path of a successful retirement. In preparing this article, I went to the web to research some of the recommendations in the literature to help me make sense of the journey and to provide some guidance.

There is an overwhelming amount of information out there. I will only touch on a few I found to be particularly relevant. If you find anything of value, then it will have been worth my time to write this and your time to read it. If this only encourages you to do your own research, it will have been worth it as well.

So, in no specific order, here goes: Get yourself organized and develop a routine. Just as we found this to be imperative as music educators, as former or recovering music educators, it just as important. Rather than planning lessons, studying scores for performance classes, or gathering the materials and resources needed for non-performing classes, take the time to look at your day, your week, or your month, and decide what you want to do. Even more important, decide what you don’t want to do. You gave so much time and effort to others and it is now time to focus on yourself by prioritizing the experiences in which you engage. I clearly remember that when I first started in my position as music coordinator, my 12

G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S | S P R I N G 2023

predecessor and mentor, Joe Kirschner, told me that your day will often be determined by your first phone call (no emails back then). Now as a retiree, the way I start my day is usually of my choosing. Whether getting ready for commitments I have made for the day, or by making a commitment to myself to enjoy the quiet time that I earned at this stage of my life, the choice is mine.

There is not a right or a wrong.

Engage in activities that challenge your mind and your body. This suggestion also involves a vision of where you are and where you want to go. Whether completing a crossword puzzle, taking a walk in the neighborhood or on the treadmill, joining a session at the gym or enjoying an individual or group game of some type, keep your mind and body active. This habit takes some real time and effort to develop.

Just prior to my retirement, my wife and I decided we wanted to have a getaway on the water. We stayed in a secondhand camper at Lake Chatuge and my plan for this trip was to go fishing as much as I could. Over the past years, our lakeshore getaway has evolved into a permanent residence on the shore of Lake Sinclair. While the idea of living on the water remained constant, the idea of fishing just never really took off.

Instead, I developed a love for playing golf. Moving to this new area has also opened doors for other activities in the Milledgeville community. Regardless, trying to stay mentally and physically fit becomes even more significant as you grow older.

Take care of your health. Make regular checkups with health professionals a priority. We have all experienced the loss of friends and family members due simply to the fact that they were not diagnosed in time to save their lives. The pandemic became a reason (or an excuse) not to get regular checkups. While there are no guarantees about continued good health, the more we focus on prevention, the better the chances we have of enjoying our lives to the fullest. Since my retirement, I have experienced two life-threatening events. Both were caught in time, treated successfully, and should not have any residual effects. Had I either ignored these events or chosen not to take the advice of the physicians, someone else would be writing this column.

Focus on who and what makes you happy and fulfilled. In our working years, following this advice was hit or miss at best. Our professional lives were often dictated by others who may or may not have had our best interests at heart. Regardless of how much love, devotion, and dedication we gave to our students and our fellow colleagues, what we got in return may or may not have been reciprocal. In retirement, we get to make the choices. My personal happiness starts at home with my wife and life partner of almost forty years, Susan, with whom I have shared every high and low point together. My children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren are a source of pride as I watch them grow and continue to be an important part of my life. My two loving collies, Skye and Laddie, always give me more than I could hope to ever give back. My part time job with the Baldwin County School District also gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment as I am still able to make a difference in the lives of teachers and their students. My volunteer work with the Milledgeville Rotary Club helps me to give back as well as creating an environment for social interaction with others who value giving more than getting. I have also dropped out of other civic organizations where I just didn’t experience a good fit. In short, don’t waste time or energy with those that don’t appreciate and support you. Create your own happiness rather than only being a part of what makes others happy.

Write it down. My main reason for highlighting the accomplishments of retired music educators in previous columns was to celebrate and appreciate their accomplishments. When I think about my own life, I regret that I don’t have more of a verbal or written history of my own family. A few years a dear friend of ours put together a genealogical book that traced my family back for several generations. It is a treasure to have, yet I still regret not having more. In an effort to further explore my family’s history, my wife and I recently traveled to Europe to visit countries from which my grandparents emigrated at the turn of the twentieth century. It is hard to put into words the emotion that ran through me knowing I was near to the lands of my ancestors who left in Eastern Europe to escape hardship, religious persecution, and poverty. My own parents used to tell their own stories of growing up.

Oh, how I wish I had written them down. I have made a commitment to begin writing down my own history, both personal and professional, so that my children and their offspring will have a better sense of who I was and how I got there. I hope you might consider the same thing.

As you read this article, please be reminded that the legacy you have created should always be valued, remembered, and celebrated, not just by others, but by you, as well. As a military veteran I always appreciate it when someone says, “Thank you for your service.” To you, as a veteran of music education, I say the same to you.

S P R I N G 2023 | G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S

13

Association News GEORGIA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

BOARD MEETING MINUTES Marriott Courtyard Hotel - McDonough, GA May 20, 2023 1. The meeting was called to order by President Matt Koperniak at 10:00 AM.

2. The following members were present: Dr. Matt Koperniak, President, Neil Ruby, President-Elect, Dion Muldrow, Vice President for Performance Evaluations, Sarah Ball, Vice President for All-State Events, Frank Folds, Past Presidents’ Council Representative, Alan Fowler, Executive Director, Travis Downs, Band Division Chair, Scott Martin, Choral Division Chair, Dr. Chester Phillips, College Division Chair, Amie Schaff, Elementary Division Chair, Stephen Lawrence-Carroll, Orchestra Division Chair, Hank Carter, District One Chair, Dominique Lane, District Two Chair, Kenneth Boykin, Jr., District Three Chair, Monica Fogg, District Four Chair, Angela Reynolds, District Five Chair, Michael Elzey, District Seven Chair, Christopher Duke, District Eight Chair, Raymond Thomas, District Nine Chair, Tayler Norwood, District Ten Chair, Jeremy Williams, District Eleven Chair, Andy Esserwein, District Twelve Chair, David Metrio, District Thirteen Chair, Nicholas Golding, District Fourteen Chair, Dr. Annalisa Chang, CNAfME Chair, Victoria Enloe, Editor, Georgia Music News, Dr. Gregory Denson, Member-at-Large, Barry Morgan, Member-atLarge, and Amy Dees, Georgia School Boards Association.

3. A quorum having been established, Dr. Koperniak reviewed the voting procedure before introducing guests present for the meeting.

4. The following guests were present: Catherine Keyser, District Fine Arts Coordinators, Jay Davis, VP for All-State-elect, Michelle Levesque, Choral Chairelect, Krissi Davis, Orchestra Chair-elect, Letricia Henson, Elementary Chairelect, and GMEA staff members: Laura Webb, Bernadette Scruggs, Aleta Womack, and Megan Williams.

5. ACTION ITEMS The following proposals were brought by Travis Downs on behalf of the Band Division.

•Change the required minimum passing percussion score in all three areas (Snare, Timpani, and Keyboard) at the district level (first-round) auditions.

GMEA Handbook (p. 13) - proposed change indicated in blue: 4. Percussion- minimum passing score of 240 with no individual score being less than 80 in all three areas (Snare Drum, Timpani, and Keyboard Percussion)

The motion was adopted by a vote of 25-1.

1. High school split D/M choirs are required to include an a cappella selection, and 2. High school split D/M choirs are required to sightread at the D level.

Appropriate repertoire may be included on both the M and D lists so that those pieces are accessible to both middle and high school groups. Choirs will be adjudicated regarding expression, tone, etc., based on their grade level (middle or high school). High school choirs performing music on the D list will be adjudicated with more rigor than a middle school choir performing the same repertoire, which is cross listed on the M list.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

•Proposal to allow boys with changing/changed voices to sing down the octave at LGPE. GMEA Handbook (p. 53) - proposed addition in blue: Middle School/High School choirs with few boys with changing/changed voices may allow these boys to sing soprano/part 1 or alto/part 2 down the octave. The director must inform the head judge no later than 2 weeks prior to the LGPE event.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

• Proposal to change All-State sight-reading parameters for vocal ranges.

Changes can be seen in the charts on pages 23-24 of the GMEA Handbook.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

•Proposal to shift All-State second audition make-ups to the district level.

GMEA Handbook (p. 22) - proposed addition in blue: Second Round make-up auditions will be held no later than the Tuesday after the scheduled 2nd audition and will be administered on the district level by the district organizer at their convenience.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

The proposal was not adopted by a vote of 0-26.

The following proposals were brought by Scott Martin on behalf of the ChoruDivision.

The following proposals were brought by College Division Chair-elect Dr. Josh Byrd, representing current College Chair Dr. Chester Phillips.

• Proposal to amend the GMEA Constitution & Bylaws to allow voting in multiple Division Chair elections.

GMEA Constitution (Article VII - Elections, Appointments, and Terms of Office) - proposed deletions: B. Division Elections: 1. The Chair-elect of each division shall be elected in odd years by the members of the separate divisions respectively. The election shall be conducted electronically during the month of January. Voting shall be open for a period of fourteen days and must be completed in time for the results of the election to be announced at the General Session of the In-Service Conference. The procedures shall be the same as for the election of President-Elect and the Vice Presidents. Members may vote in one division election of their choosing only.

The proposal was not adopted by a vote of 5-18.

•Proposal to add Marching Band requirement to Exemplary Performance Award criteria.

GMEA Handbook (p. 76) - proposed addition indicated in blue: To submit an application for the award, an ensemble must participate in all GMEA sponsored events: Large Group Performance Evaluation, Solo and Ensemble Performance Evaluation, All-State, and District Honor Band, Chorus, or Orchestra. High school bands with marching band must participate in at least one GMEA Approved Marching Band contest.

•Proposal to allow High School choirs to perform a split D/M program at LGPE.

GMEA Handbook (p. 53) - proposed addition in blue: High School choirs may perform a spit D/M program with the following stipulations: 14

G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S | S P R I N G 2023

•Proposal to amend the GMEA Constitution & Bylaws to add “College-at-Large” to each of the Division Councils

GMEA Constitution (Article VI – State Government) – proposed addition in blue: E. Each Division shall have a council that is strictly advisory in nature and shall have no legislative authority. The makeup of these councils shall be as follows: 7. One member-at-large representing the College Division will be appointed by the Division Chair to serve for the duration of the term of that Division Chair Following considerable discussion, Andy Esserwein moved to amend the proposal by replacing the word “will" with “may.” Vice President Dion Muldrow seconded the motion to amend the proposal. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

The amended proposal was approved by a vote of 22-2. The proposal to amend the Constitution will now go to vote of the membership in January 2024.

A proposal was brought by Amie Schaff on behalf of the Elementary Division.

•Proposal to allow directors to name alternates during registration only.

GMEA Handbook (p. 34) - proposed addition in blue: GMEA members will register students for the Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus through Opus. Participants will be accepted on a first-come, firstserved basis. A maximum of 5 students per school may be registered. When the maximum of 500 students has been met, registration will close, even if the deadline has not been reached. Directors will have an opportunity to name two alternates on their application at the initial time of registration. Those registered as alternates will only be permitted to participate if one of the initial students registered cannot attend the SEHC event. No alternates can be named after the initial registration process in order to expedite the formation of the choruses and the teaching of the music.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

The following proposals were brought by Stephen Lawrence-Carroll on behalf of the Orchestra Division.

•Proposal to require sight-reading for middle school orchestras at LGPE

(same as Band & Choral Divisions)

GMEA Handbook (p. 49) - proposed deletion: Sight-reading is optional for elementary ensembles and middle school orchestras.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 22-1.

•Proposal to assign a performance time of 45 seconds to the All-State Sight-Reading portion of District & State Auditions.

GMEA Handbook (p. 30 & 32) - proposed additions in blue: District Auditions: Sight-reading: There will be only one sight-reading selection at District Audition. This selection will be of a Lyrical/Technical nature. Students will have 45 seconds to perform the sight-reading, which will begin immediately after the 30-second study period.

Statewide Auditions: Students will sight-read two selections, one Lyrical and one Technical. Each panel will be provided four copies of the sight-reading material; one for each adjudicator, one for the monitor, and one for the student. Students will have 45 seconds to perform the sight-reading, which will begin immediately after the 30-second study period.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 25-0.

Dr. Gregory Denson presented a joint proposal on behalf of Multi-Cultural Awareness Chair Brittney Boykin.

•Proposal to require All-State Chorus region audition process behind a

screen (same as Band & Orchestra state level auditions).

GMEA Handbook (p. 21) - proposed addition in blue: A system of a screen and student identification numbers will be utilized so that the identity of the auditioning student is not known to the adjudicators. The rationale is to help remove all doubts as to preferential treatment, and to maintain student anonymity. All students will audition in their designated time slot unless prior permission has been arranged by the Organizer to change the time. In addition to the adjudicators in the audition room, a monitor will be available to give directions, set tempos, and handle all communication with the student. There will be no communication between the student and the adjudicators.

Following considerable discussion, Choral Chair Scott Martin moved to table the proposal and refer to the Choral Council. Andy Esserwein seconded the motion.

The motion to table was approved 26-0.

Vice President Dion Muldrow presented a proposal from the Executive Committee.

•Revise the handbook to allow applications for LGPE Head Adjudicators.

GMEA Handbook (p. 40) - proposed revision in blue: 1. Head Adjudicators will be selected from among Georgia teachers who meet the specified criteria. Those persons selected for the program will receive training in GMEA specific event policies and procedures prior to having their names added to the list. Individuals meeting the minimum requirements for head adjudicators may apply for this position. The Performance Evaluation Adjudication Committee for each Division will evaluate applications and make recommendations to the Division Chair. The Division Chair will make recommendations to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will make the final decision regarding all Head Adjudicator applications.

The proposal was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

President Koperniak introduced the proposed 2023-2024 Statewide Calendar.

The calendar was adopted by a vote of 26-0.

6. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. All-State 7/8 Tenor-Bass Choir pilot for 2023-2024 B. Elementary Festival pilot program workflow 2023-2025 C. All-State 11/12 Percussion Ensemble pilot recap in 2022-2023 D. Conference Programming E. Music Educator of the Year award program F. Governance 1. Required committees for divisions 2. Ineligible LGPE adjudicators who have left teaching 7. INFORMATION ITEMS A. Executive Director Alan Fowler presented a financial report. Mr. Fowler spoke about the figures and information on the GMEA Spring Budget Financial Update, and then he directed those in attendance to the five additional reports included – The Budget vs. Actuals Report for FY’23, the All-State Balance Sheet, the LGPE Balance Sheet, the Office Expenses breakdown, and the Profit and Loss as a % of Total Income Report. He made note of $120,000+ of non-sustainable income, noted on the update and reports. He also noted the need to rebuild GMEA’s Operational Reserves and to begin paying back the SBA loan taken out by the association in 2020.

B. President Matt Koperniak detailed the FY24 Fee Structure, explaining that the Executive Committee approved a budget that includes an increase in member dues for increased sustainability. He also noted that other fee increases were considered, but the only other change was a $5 increase in the All-State Chorus acceptance fee, from $20 to $25, due to rising event costs. This increase aligns the ASC acceptance fee with those of All-State Band & Orchestra. President-elect Neil Ruby also commented on the fact sustainability is an important goal.

8. Reports, either written or spoken, were presented. Of note, Past Presidents’ Council Representative Frank Folds spoke of having been on the Executive Committee for 12 of the past 14 years and what an honor it has been to serve.

Member-at Large, Barry Morgan, spoke about an initiative he is pursuing to have a music education license plate enacted by the General Assembly. Amy Dees, representing the Georgia School Boards Association, spoke of the importance of music education and her continued support as an ally.

9. There was no new business to come before the Board of Directors.

10. President Koperniak and President-elect Ruby presented certificates, lapel pins, and an official GMEA quarter-zip to departing board members. Special mention was made of the extended service of Travis Downs and the lengthy service record of Frank Folds. Neil Ruby then presented soon-to-be Past-President Matt Koperniak with a Peach-shaped Frabel glass and the official Past-President’s lapel pin.

11. The meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m.

S P R I N G 2023 | G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S

15

Georgia Music Educators Associat Fiscal Year '23 Budget vs. Actuals: FY23 P&L and the F July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

Georgia Music Educators Association For additional information about the budget, please refer to the Fall Updates, wh Fiscal Year '23 Budget vs. Actuals: FY23 P&L and the FY '24 Approved Budget July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

NUE

Actual

Budget

For additional information about the budget, please refer to the Fall Updates, $ which were94,972.06 emailed out on August 29th. tegorized Revenue: ERTC Funds

mbership Dues REVENUE rest revenue Uncategorized Revenue: ERTC Funds Membership Dues ded Outstanding Checks Interest revenue n GMEA Voided event Registrations Outstanding Checks yalties Non GMEA event Registrations Royalties que andPlaque Medal revenue and Medal revenue Georgia Music revenue News revenue orgia Music News Total Non-program Revenue Non-program Revenue Development Revenue lopmentAll-State Revenue Band ASB program ads State Band All-State Jazz Ensemble B program ads All-State Chorus State Jazz Ensemble ASC program ads State Chorus All-State Sight Reading Chorus Statewide C program ads Elementary Honor Chorus Statewide 6th GHC State Sight Reading Chorus All-State Orch tewide Elementary ASO program adsHonor Chorus All-State Booth Sales tewide 6th GHC Total All-State Revenue State Orch Total ISC Revenue O program ads LGPE Band revenue LGPE Choral State Booth Salesrevenue LGPE Orchestra revenue All-State Revenue Total LGPE Revenue ISC Revenue S&E BAND REVENUE PE BandS&E revenue JAZZ REVENUE S&E STRINGS REVENUE PE Choral revenue Total S&E Revenue PE Orchestra revenue Total Income LGPEGross Revenue Profit E BAND REVENUE E JAZZ REVENUE E STRINGS REVENUE S&E Revenue ncome Profit

SES

16

G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S | S P R I N G 2023

oll Expenses

Actual $

94,972.06 63350.00 70.05 26056.17 5700.00 2249.20 62245.67 6005.01

$

165,676.10

$

2,836.21

$ $ $

63350.00 54240.00 % of Budget FY24 Budget 245.44 94,972.06 70.05 9110.00 108850.00 26056.17 117% 15107.00 -175.39 29% 200.00 5700.00 172% 3900.00 10949.17 1800.00 5500.00 2249.20 146% 2906.32 -657.12 77% 3000.00 62245.67 124% 50122.25 12123.42 50000.00 3095.01 5000.00 6005.01 206% 2910.00 36,245.09 128% $ 172,550.00 165,676.10 $ 129,431.01 2,836.21 $ 2,500.00 2,836.21 126% 58483.00 287500.00 2928.33 2500.00 287115.00 1564% 228632.00 3565.00 150% 10000.00 3128.33 200.00 23688.00 116% 179000.00 10650.00 543% 7085.00 2213.33 2500.00 169542.00 91% 145854.00 -885.00 10000.00 7030.00 17500.00 2713.33 177% 500.00 -985.00 94% 17500.00 9470.00 98% 10355.00 -1021.00 59500.00 16170.00 1459% 9140.00 3193.34 2500.00 1500.00 124% 6200.00 15470.00 16455.00 99,710.00 121% $ 594,700.00 57964.00 58985.00 55,985.75 120% $ 354,500.00 3428.34 121% 235.00 33817.75 195000.00 25382.14 155000.00 7700.00 120% 6200.00 8792.29 114% 70000.00 583,351.00 $ 483,641.00 67,992.18 119% $ 420,000.00 336,291.45 $136% 280,305.70 10519.00 39000.00 196180.75 162363.00 455.00 110% 5000.00 1315.00 115% 10000.00 152617.50 127235.36 12,450.00 129% $ 55,000.00 69792.29 61000.00 370,191.29 129% $ 1,599,250.00 418,590.54 $129% 350,598.36 370,191.29 39426.00 28907.00 370,191.29 5040.00 4585.00 10073.00 8758.00 55,637.00 $ 43,187.00 1,657,354.36 $ 1,287,163.07 1,657,354.36 $ 1,287,163.07

$

1,657,354.36

$

259,639.13

$

Budget

Over Budget $

54240.00 245.44 15107.00 3900.00 2906.32 50122.25 2910.00 $

287115.00

129,431.01

$ $ $ $ 228632.00

3128.33

200.00

10650.00

7085.00

169542.00

145854.00

2713.33

500.00

9470.00

10355.00

16170.00

9140.00

15470.00

16455.00

57964.00

58985.00

3428.34

235.00

7700.00

6200.00

$

583,351.00

$

483,641.00

$

$

336,291.45

$

280,305.70

$

196180.75

162363.00

152617.50

127235.36

39426.00

$ $ $ 28907.00

5040.00

4585.00

69792.29 $

418,590.54

61000.00

$

10073.00 $

55,637.00

350,598.36

8758.00 $

43,187.00

$

$ 1,657,354.36 $ 1,287,163.07 $ $ 1,657,354.36 $ 1,287,163.07$ $ $

1,657,354.36

$

1,287,163.07

1

$

$

Actual

1,287,163.07

Budget

303,329.60

tion FY '24 Approved Budget

hich were emailed out on August 29th. % of Budget

FY24 Budget

7

94,972.06 9110.00 117% EXPENSES -175.39 29% Payroll Expenses $ Awards Expense $ 10949.17 172% Business Expense $ 1800.00 146% Small Business Administration Loan Payments $ -657.12 77% Advocacy $ 12123.42 124% Sales Tax $ Scholarships 3095.01 206% Development Expense $ $ 36,245.09 128% $ Executive Director Travel $ $ Board/Executive 2,836.21 $ $ Committee/Division Council expense summary National Assembly Travel $ 58483.00 126% Plaque and Medal Expense $ 2928.33 1564% GMN Expense Summary $ 3565.00 150% Miscelaneous All-State Expense (Clinician Plaques and Deposits) 23688.00 116% All-State Band All-State Jazz 2213.33 Ensemble 543% All-State Chorus -885.00 91% All-State Reading Chorus 7030.00 177% Statewide Elementary HC 6th Grade Statewide HC -985.00 94% All-State Orchestra -1021.00 98% All-State Expense Summary $ 3193.34 1459% ISC Expense Summary $ LGPE Band expense summary 1500.00 124% LGPE Choral expense summary $ 99,710.00 121% $ LGPE Orch expense summary $ LGPE Expenses 55,985.75 120% $ $ 33817.75 121% S&E Band expense summary S&E Jazz Ensemble expense summary 25382.14 120% S&E Strings expense summary 8792.29 114% S&E Vocal expense summary $ Total S&E LGPE 67,992.18 119% $ $ Expenses Total Expenses10519.00 $ 136% Net Operating Income $ 455.00 110% 1315.00 115% $ 12,450.00 129% $ $ 370,191.29 129% $ $ 370,191.29 129%

7

$

0 4 0 0 2 5 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 6 0

0 0 0

$

Over Budget

$

370,191.29

over Budget

(43,690.47)

% of Budget

86% $

108850.00 Budget 259,639.13 200.00 $ 303,329.60

Actual

over Budget

% of Budget

FY24 Budget

$

(43,690.47)

86% $

$

(228.47)

82% $

1,500.00

5500.00 $ 3000.002,000.00 $ 5,032.51 $ 50000.00 3,314.23 $ 3,000.00 $ 5000.00 1,790.48 $ 172,550.00 1,904.41 $ 3,000.00 $ 2,500.00 9,690.01 $ 6,100.00 $ 4,854.60 $ 287500.00 43,236.82 $ 48,000.00 $ 2500.00 5,932.50 $ 5,450.00 $ 10000.00 1531.60 179000.0097825.00 98431.03 5857.00 2500.00 5350.00 130177.95 103300.00 10000.00 8550.00 10287.30 17500.0019450.00 25066.57 25815.68 17500.0020300.00 64003.61 59500.0070000.00 361,170.74 $ 324,775.00 $ 2500.00 283,344.68 $ 289,100.00 $ 160069.71 6200.00146750.00 81990.57 594,700.00 66500.00 51650.20 51500.00 354,500.00 293,710.48 $ 264,750.00 $ 195000.0022855.00 19165.64 3915.90 155000.00 2500.00 5504.29 70000.00 4600.00 1034.87 1100.00 420,000.00 40,075.76 $ 39,255.00 $ 1,430,761.79 $ 1,379,090.63 $ 39000.00 226,592.57 $ (91,927.56) $ 5000.00 10000.00 55,000.00 1,599,250.00

11,070.88

111% $

130,258.98

1,071.53 108,301.91

$ $

1,300.00 97,231.03

7,692.00

FY24 Budget

262,666.00

$

262,666.00

7,692.00

$

26,692.00

3,032.51

252% $

10,000.00

314.23

110% $

4,000.00

$

10,000.00

1,790.48

$

5,000.00

(1,095.59)

63% $

3,500.00

3,590.01

159% $

12,000.00

4,854.60

$

5,000.00

(4,763.18)

90% $

30,000.00

482.50

109% $

9,650.00

101%

106700.00

1531.60 606.03

4550.00

507.00

109%

8130.00

26877.95

126%

140800.00

1737.30

120%

12150.00

5616.57

129%

23750.00

5515.68

127%

24250.00

-5996.39

91%

74000.00

36,395.74

111% $

394,330.00

(5,755.32)

98% $

319,110.00 162250.00

13319.71

109%

15490.57

123%

83150.00

150.20

100%

53220.00

28,960.48

111% $

298,620.00

-3689.36

84%

23275.00

1415.90

157%

3060.00

904.29

120%

5580.00

-65.13

94%

820.76

102% $

33,135.00

51,671.16

104% $

1,555,461.98

318,520.13

$

43,788.02

1220.00

2 S P R I N G 2023 | G E O R G I A M U S I C N E W S

17

How Barbershop Can Invigorate Your Choral Program

By Katie Beth Fowler and Christopher Elsey

“Barbershop is one of the most effective things you can do in your classroom to teach your kids to become more independent singers,” said Dr. Kimberly Watters. Dr. Watters is uniquely qualified to discuss the impact of barbershop singing in the classroom, as she is the 2023 Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS)/NAfME Music Educator of the Year. She was presented with the award in February by Steve Scott, Music Education Specialist for BHS. As a 36-year teacher, she knew in 9th grade she wanted to be a high school chorus teacher and has spent her career giving back to Gordon County. While she could have retired six years ago, she says she continues to find all the same rewards in helping kids find their voice, encouraging them to find their self-esteem, and bringing joy to their lives, which brings joy to her life.

Dr. Watters currently teaches at Gordon Central High School and has been using barbershop singing as a complement to her choral program since around 2006. She gives credit to Jim Moore, who was the youth coordinator for the Atlanta Vocal Project at the time. He walked up to her acapella team and asked, “Do you guys barbershop?” The story goes that they replied, “Do you mean like to go to a barbershop?” Kim realized he was talking about four-part singing, but she had not previously done much of this with students. From there, Jim Moore invited the boys to summer camp; they fell in love with it, and Kim realized this was something they could do for the rest of their lives.

Barbershop singing helps build more independent singers and also gives students a way to stay connected to singing long after high school. “GMEA does a fabulous job of building a foundation for learning and special opportunities like All-State and All-State Reading Chorus and LGPE, but when they graduate

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high school, they expect the kids to go out into the world and find their place. Barbershop is a place they can find that,” said Dr. Watters in a recent interview. When her students graduate from high school, they may not necessarily have another music teacher as part of their lives. They have to become independent and mature musicians for themselves. Barbershop gives them the skills needed to “grow up” and elevate their singing while also giving them a fun way to experiment with music they love.

Incorporating barbershop singing and techniques in the classroom will be the focus of Dr. Watters’ GMEA session on Friday morning of the In-Service Conference. One of the methods Dr. Watters uses as part of their warm-up exercises is “Tag Tuesday.” She has found the use of barbershop teaches her students how to listen and tune better, as it requires focus to be able to maintain your own part amongst a group of three other individual parts. Tags have proven to be a simple way to get started with that tuning and can also build confidence with the instant success that can come from singing simple tags. She enjoys it when students download an app like goodtags on their phones and start learning tags on their own time for fun. Once they get further into the school year, she allows the students to choose what tags they will sing and has them lead them on their own. It takes some time each fall for students to discover their favorite tags, but they began “Tag Tuesday” this school year by singing the well-known “Unreachable Star.”

She also tries to incorporate a barbershop song into every concert program because so many of her students do sing and enjoy barbershop. Everyone might not like the barbershop genre, but Kim has found there is something in barbershop that benefits everyone. While people may assume barbershop is only for male students, she has encouraged female students to sing barbershop since BHS started allowing girls to participate in their competitions. She says sometimes you do have to adjust the key, but the altos often get excited because they finally get to have the melody. While chorus teachers might be familiar with girls “running the show” in a typical high school program, Dr. Watters has seen the boys become more confident and proud of their abilities thanks to barbershop. “It has really led the boys to step up in the choral program and develop their skills.” In fact, Dr. Watters’ doctoral studies focused on using barbershop methods to enhance knowledge and improve male enrollment in chorus

programs. She saw about a 23% increase in male enrollment the year she did the project.

Dr. Watters is also the director of Georgia Spirit, which is an 18-and-under mixed-voice barbershop chorus sponsored by local Barbershop Harmony Chapters. She has found barbershop singing to be infectious, as the kids can come to Georgia Spirit, learn, and then take it back to their programs. She also encourages 8th graders to compete on the team. as it is a great first introduction to high school and a good recruitment tool as well.

She can relate to choral programs that are not able to compete because they do not have as many as four boys who can hold their parts. This was her experience many years ago, before she started teaching barbershop and incorporating people from the barbershop community, like Lars Grevstad, who co-led Georgia Spirit with Kim until this year.

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Music, and particularly barbershop, can take students all over the world. Kim herself was able to travel to Europe twice as an elementary chorus student and has taken groups to Europe about a dozen times. Fundraising is a large part of these experiences, but she says the extra work is worth it to give the students opportunities to see new things as well as to appreciate where they come from. Most years, she takes students to barbershop competitions around the country. Georgia Spirit will be competing at the International Mid-Winter Barbershop Competition in New York two weeks before they perform at GMEA. She says she never worries about introducing her students to barbershop musicians. They can learn by looking up to some of the winners and the quartets they hear every year. Something her students have observed and loved about the Mid-Winter Contest is the many generations present: “They are challenged and inspired by the young ones, and they are loved and encouraged by the old ones.”

BHS is always willing to share materials and help foster growth in students, and has offered to help support Dr. Watters in her GMEA presentation. The educational arm of BHS is important, as they recognize the importance of investing in youth and work to introduce younger generations to barbershop singing.

They offer camps, like Harmony Explosion, all around the country to allow students to “be (part of) an event that builds confidence, teamwork, and leadership through performance, and encourages students to ‘Sing for Life’” (Harmony Explosion, 2020). Dr. Watters says, “The kids talk about the energy and the applause from the [barbershop] audience. There’s never an audience that responds like that.” They have found it to be such a unique experience that they get to take back to their regular lives.

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Dr. Watters is excited for barbershop to continue reaching the corners of music education and knows there are still many questions surrounding its use in the classroom. She will be going more in-depth into some of the common misconceptions about using barbershop in the classroom while showcasing some of her students in her GMEA session. In response to the question of why to use barbershop in class, Dr. Watters summarizes: “It doesn’t need to take over your classroom, but it is one component and one nutrient you can add to your classroom that will give you something that excites the kids, empowers them, and motivates them to want more.”

TRANSFORMING LIVES

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Building a Community with Tri-M Community is a key to getting students involved in service and leadership.

By Michael Brown and Mirna Dinovic NAfME describes Tri-M as, “a world of opportunities for students who have already shown themselves to be academically capable and musically gifted. Through performance and community service, they’ll develop confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, and a host of other leadership skills sure to serve them well in school and beyond.”

Recent research in the Chronicle of Philanthropy and a 2005 AmeriCorps study underscores that teenagers are more inclined to participate in community service when their peers are involved. Such involvement leads to a stronger sense of community, improved academic performance, and reduced engagement in risky behaviors. Sometimes getting kids involved is the hardest part. It is important to dispel misconceptions surrounding "kids these days" as being lazy, stuck in their phones, and uninterested in getting involved. Instead, we must recognize that students are often willing but untrained, unmentored, and hesitant to step forward.

One of our band parents dropped some wisdom on us earlier this week. He said, “number one, kids have a hard time stepping out – they don’t want to stand out too much. Secondly, our kids have not had the opportunity to be mentored properly because of the COVID shutdown. These two things are related.” Our solution to this dilemma has been Tri-M Music Honor Society with its framework for service and leadership.

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At North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, Georgia, we have found success in building a Tri-M organization around community that includes the whole music department. This is not just a band thing; this is not just a chorus thing; this is not just an orchestra thing. This is an organization that crosses our traditional classroom boundaries. It unites us in our mission to celebrate our musical passions, serve our neighbors, and bring music to the world.

Let’s take a look at what goes into building a successful Tri-M chapter.

The Recruitment Process In the fall, we speak to our music classes about the opportunities available through Tri-M. We emphasize the value that community service can have when applying to college. We highlight that Tri-M can help students to develop leadership skills. We talk to them about the opportunities to perform and serve the community in a visible way. Finally, (let’s face it, these are kids) we dangle the rewards of graduation regalia, banquet recognition, and other fun stuff like parties, snacks, and the general enjoyment of being together.

Once we have students interested, we invite them to apply for Tri-M membership using a simple online form. We evaluate applicants based on three criteria: participation in a music ensemble, strong grades in past music classes, and leader-

ship potential. Qualified students are invited to an induction ceremony, complete with officer introductions, a presentation outlining Tri-M's expectations, and most importantly, cake! By hand picking students and personally inviting them to the induction, we are offering the students the honor of joining this exclusive organization and a supportive community of their peers.

It is also important to communicate all of this to parents. Parents can be instrumental in encouraging their children to participate in Tri-M. They know the value of service and honor organizations when it comes time to apply to college. We send emails to parents with a brief explanation of Tri-M and an invitation to our induction ceremony.

Community One of the keys to building community is communication. We use the BAND app for everything. BAND is like Facebook, Instagram, and GroupMe all rolled into one.

If you haven’t used it before, we recommend spending some time getting to know the app. It has been invaluable for our program.

We ask parents to join the app so they can see the awesome things their kids are doing. It serves to advertise our value

to parents and ensures their support. Finally, the BAND app is a safe, transparent way for us to keep in touch with our students.

We like to delegate much of the communication and planning to our officers. We find that they are more invested when they are the source of communication and planning, and it also encourages their peers to follow the officers’ lead. This is the spark that has encouraged our students to become more self-reliant in planning and organization. This level of trust can be difficult for teachers, so it is important to hand over student responsibility in a measured, gradual way. The reward of all of this is an organization that is almost entirely student-run. As teachers, we get a break from having to micromanage every little thing, which is a reward unto itself.

Beyond the usual announcements, calendar, and other details that make up typical communication, we also tap into the power of pictures and video. Students use the app to post pictures from meetings, performances, community service, and other Tri-M activities.

This serves to document our service and advertise Tri-M to our community. In addition, we have found that pictures and video do more to build a sense of community than anything else.

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One of our biggest activities is the North Springs Arts Festival in May. This is an all-day festival showcasing the visual, performing, and literary arts of our cluster schools and the local community. Students sign up for various jobs from performing to organizing to set up and take down. We like to identify one or two officers to spearhead this event. We delegate as much as possible to these officers who then organize and communicate with their peers. For example, an officer may select a responsible student to schedule the day’s performances in the various venues. They’ll appoint a group of students to make signs. They will appoint a stage crew for the theater. We want these officers to experience lessons in leadership, organization, and project planning.

Recognition After a year of service, the students deserve to be recognized for their hard work. We finish the year with a banquet where we recognize each student who has completed their hours, and we present qualified seniors with a graduate stole and cord.

We also recognize outstanding contributions from those who go above and beyond.

Again, we do this because the students deserve the recognition. However, it also allows us to show off for our parents and other stakeholders. We get to brag about our accomplishments and demonstrate the importance of the music community in the lives of our students.

Tri-M is Valuable

Activities Service and performance activities are the focus of what we do. Each student must complete twenty hours of volunteer service in a year to get credit for Tri-M. We track these hours through a simple online form that the students can submit each time they earn hours.

To earn these hours, we try to have a variety of activities available for students. For example, we post a sign-up before every concert where students can volunteer to set up chairs and stands on stage. We have music room work days where students clean and organize. We have community performances with small ensembles. We have mentorship programs with our feeder schools.

Michael Brown is the Director of Bands at North Springs High School in Sandy Springs, Georgia. He is graduate of Valdosta State University with a degree in Music Education.

His primary instrument is saxophone and he grew up in the Atlanta area participating in school bands, district and All-State bands, and community ensembles. He played professionally for a short time before he moved to a Fulton County teaching position. Mr. Brown believes that through the study of the arts, students develop a variety of forms of intelligence and cognitive abilities that lead students down the path of discovery, self awareness, and talents that will influence the rest of their lives.

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We hope this motivates you to start a chapter of your own or inspires your work in an existing chapter. We believe you will find, as we did, that Tri-M is a catalyst for an exciting, shared musical and service experience, one that is a safe place for students to grow into independent, well-rounded musicians.

For more information on starting or renewing a chapter, visit NAfME.org/Tri-M. There you will find the forms, payment amounts, and contact information to help get you started. Another great resource is the Chapter Setup Guide with tips, templates, and other helpful tools to make your chapter great. Finally, don’t go it alone! Recruit your music colleagues to share the responsibility. After all, Tri-M is about building a community.

Mirna Dinovic is the orchestra teacher at North Springs, head of the strings department at Atlanta Music Academy, and a private violin and viola instructor in Atlanta area. She received her undergraduate degree in Serbia, her master in music at Georgia State, and her DMA in conducting from the University of Georgia. Mirna performed with the Radio Television of Serbia Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2002. Prior to teaching at North Springs, Dr. Dinovic worked at Berry College where she conducted the symphony orchestra, coached chamber music ensembles, and taught conducting, violin, viola, music appreciation.

// standard headers #include <limits> // project headers #include “MUSI6106Config.h”

Bachelors, Masters, #include “ErrorDef.h” and PhD Degree #include “Util.h” #include “RingBuffer.h” Programs in Music #include “CombFilterIf.h” Technology #include “CombFilter.h” We’re training the next generation of scientists CCombFilterBase::CCombFilterBase( int iMaxDelayInFrames, int iNumChannels ) : m_ppCRingBuffer(0), and engineers who will transform the ways we m_iNumChannels(iNumChannels) { think about music, understand music, make music, and share music.

assert(iMaxDelayInFrames > 0); assert(iNumChannels > 0);

Our students cultivate their musicianship while

for (int i = 0; i < CCombFilterIf::kNumFilterParams; i++)

learning engineering, computing, psychology, and { m_afParam[i] = 0.F; design skills.

} m_aafParamRange[CCombFilterIf::kParamGain][0] = std::numeric_limits<float>::lowest(); = develop std::numeric_limits<float>::max(); Ourm_aafParamRange[CCombFilterIf::kParamGain][1] programs are tailor made for students who want to m_aafParamRange[CCombFilterIf::kParamDelay][0] = 0; both their artistic and technical sides. m_aafParamRange[CCombFilterIf::kParamDelay][1] = static_cast<float>(iMaxDelayInFrames);

}

We Design the Future of Music m_ppCRingBuffer = new CRingBuffer<float>*[m_iNumChannels]; for (int c = 0; c < m_iNumChannels; c++) m_ppCRingBuffer[c] = new CRingBuffer<float>(iMaxDelayInFrames);

CCombFilterBase::~CCombFilterBase() Music Performance Ensembles for All Georgia Tech Students { if (m_ppCRingBuffer) Our{ ensembles unite students from every major at Georgia Tech. for (int c = 0; c < m_iNumChannels; c++) delete m_ppCRingBuffer[c]; } Marching Band and Pep Band Chamber Choir delete [] m_ppCRingBuffer; Rock & Pop Ensemble Chorale }

Percussion Ensemble Concert Band Error_t CCombFilterBase::resetInstance() Symphonic Band Concert Orchestra { Symphony Orchestra Glee Club for (int c = 0; c < m_iNumChannels; c++) Treble Choir Jazz { Ensembles and Combos } }

m_ppCRingBuffer[c]->reset (); m_ppCRingBuffer[c]->setWriteIdx(CUtil::float2int<int>(m_afParam[CCombFilterIf::kParamDela

return Error_t::kNoError;

Interested in learning more?

Visit music.gatech.edu

Error_t CCombFilterBase::setParam( CCombFilterIf::FilterParam_t eParam, float fParamValue ) { if (!isInParamRange(eParam, fParamValue)) return Error_t::kFunctionInvalidArgsError; // special actions for special parameters if (eParam == CCombFilterIf::kParamDelay) {

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The Sunshine File

By NAfME Member Corin T. Overland, Academic Editor of Music Educators Journal This article, first published in the December 2020 issue of Music Educators Journal, is reprinted with permission of the National Association for Music Education (www.nafme.org)

“Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”—Stephen Schwartz, “For Good,” from the Broadway musical Wicked (2003) “You’re going to need a sunshine file,” I say.

“A what?” The class of preservice undergraduate teachers I am lecturing to are confused by the new term. I’m not surprised.

Veteran teachers will likely know what I’m talking about or even have sunshine files of their own (although perhaps called by a different name). However, these young folks are still early in their studies and haven’t experienced some of the harder realities of being an educator yet. For them, teaching means standing on a podium and conducting through beloved pieces in front of eager, bright-eyed, perfectly behaved students. Any challenges are minimal. The school is perfect, the parents are supportive, and the music is flawless. I admire their enthusiasm.

“A sunshine file,” I repeat, handing out a plain, manilla envelope to each of them. “It’s a collection of all the thank-you cards, gifts, trinkets, or notes from students or parents telling you how you have affected their lives.” I pull out a cardboard box that holds my own to demonstrate—it is a hodgepodge of pictures, scrapbooks, homemade bracelets, concert programs, unused coffee mugs, and other paraphernalia I’ve collected over the years, meaningless to anyone other than myself and the person who sent it.

“Keep this close by when you start teaching,” I say, “and any time you get a gift or note, put it in your file, and hang on to it.”

“Why?” they ask.

“Because,” I say, “as a teacher, sometimes you will have days that are just awful. Nothing will go right, your students will be mad at you, and you will wonder why in the world you ever went into this profession. On days like this, when you want to just quit, you take out your sunshine file and go through it to remind yourself that what you are doing actually made a difference for someone.”

Given that anywhere between 19 and 30 percent of new teachers leave the profession in the first five years of their careers,1 my hope is that taking the time to preserve these tokens will help my class persevere through the difficult first few years of their professional lives. I have no data to support that theory, but I always hope.

Of course, I’m certain no one will be surprised to read yet

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another inspirational column about how teachers change lives.

It is, of course, true, but still a well-worn aphorism—practically cliché at this point. I’d like to shift the focus, however. While many of these stories focus on the immediate effects teachers have on their own students, we tend to forget about the ripple of secondary and multigenerational effects our interactions have in the world. As an example, I’m certain many of my peers and colleagues have had students come back to them years later and say, “I am a teacher now because of you.” It is the longevity of our actions that I want to highlight. Our students go into the world and pass on the information and ideals we give to them as musicians, activists, and teachers in their own rights.

The cycle repeats, extending into wider social circles and into future generations.

“Our students go into the world and pass on the information and ideals we give to them as musicians, activists, and teachers in their own rights.”

The longitudinal and generational effect that a single teacher can have is an underappreciated metric but an important one.

Research on general classroom subjects suggests that the effects of a good teacher can be seen in achievement tests up to five years after the student leaves the classroom. Sadly, the same downstream effect can be seen for ineffective teachers—one year of poor teaching can correlate with lower achievement scores several years later, an effect that cannot be made up even if the student has exemplary teachers from that point onward.2 Now, these studies were limited to documenting teacher prowess and student achievement in standardized subjects, like math, but for music teachers, any possible persistence effect of good teaching is just as important to understand given that we frequently have the same students in our classes for many years. There may even be a compounding or multiplicative effect on achievement that comes from having the same excellent teacher several years in a row.

In an era of coronavirus, I cannot help but think of this in epidemiological terms, which might be described as the R0 (pronounced “R-nought”) of a teacher. For a virus, the R0 is a numerical value used to indicate the number of new cases expected to arise from contact with a single, infected individual.

An R0 of eighteen means that one person is estimated to pass the disease to eighteen other people. I hope I will be forgiven for using the analogy, but the virulence of good teaching is a compelling image, especially in music. Consider those moments when the lessons or experiences you have given to your students are transferred to others: postconcert celebrations where students rush into the hallways singing their favorite song or when they bring a friend to your after-school guitar club just to talk about Stevie Ray Vaughan. Good music teaching does not just convey information. It doesn’t even just make good music.

It spreads. It infects. It passes your joy, interest, curiosity, and creativity to—and through—students, who in turn pass it to theirs, who in turn pass it to theirs.

“Good music teaching does not just convey information. . .

It spreads. It infects. It passes your joy, interest, curiosity, and creativity to—and through—students . . .”

based on a discussion you hosted and still have no conscious knowledge that it was you who put them on that path. It is possible, maybe even likely, to reach the end of a career and never really understand how many people you were important to, how many lives you shaped, and how many generations were made better by your being there. That’s what your sunshine file is for. It is a reminder of your influence and your potential.

To take the virus analogy one step further, consider that the effects of a teacher are often transmitted asymptomatically. In other words, we are not always aware of the effects we have on people. I recall a prior student of mine who came to visit years after she had graduated. Like so many other high schoolers, she had had difficulty negotiating the typical trials of adolescence and came by to thank me for what she described only as “what I said to her after class.” To this day, I have no earthly idea what she was talking about. Any conversations she and I had were completely unremarkable from my perspective, and I have no memory of what words of advice or comfort I might have offered. I can only hope they were reasonable. Had she not stopped by to share, I might never have known what she felt. Students can be inscrutable. It takes a very special type of courage and faith to go to work every day with them, never really knowing for sure if you’re getting through.

As you read this, we will be entering what will likely be another very unusual holiday season for music teachers. I suspect most of you have already made contingency plans for concerts, performances, and classroom projects in response to the new normal, in whatever form that might be at the time of publication. I invite you to keep this idea of longevity and persistence in mind as you read the articles in this [December 2020] issue and as we enter the holiday season and the new year.

I invite you to reflect on those for whom you may have been a catalyst for change, even if both you and they are unaware of your presence in their lives. Perhaps it may be time to revisit, add to, or even start your own sunshine file. No matter what adjustments you might be making to your teaching practices, I think it is safe to assume that the ripple effects from your tireless work this season will be felt and appreciated by your students, and then their students, and in many generations to come.

About the author: Dr. Corin Overland is Associate Professor of Professional Practice at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he teaches courses in choral music education and choral conducting. He received a Ph.D. in music education from Temple University, and an MM in choral conducting from the University of Missouri—Kansas City Conservatory of Music and has over fifteen years of experience as a practicing music teacher in a variety of public and private school settings.

Overland is frequently in demand for his work with early adolescent choral ensembles and has conducted AllState and festival choruses in Minnesota, Maryland, Colorado, Kansas, Hawaii, Oregon, Delaware, South Carolina, and Florida. He is a member of the GRAMMY Recording Academy (Professional Division) and has choral compositions in print with Alliance and Santa Barbara Music Publishing.

Photo by Wade Caldwell. This column is dedicated in loving memory to my perpetually fabulous wife who touched countless lives. Dr. Karen Kennedy (1970–2020)

Despite our best efforts, we sometimes have limited control over our learning outcomes. We can spend hours crafting the perfect lesson or concert program, yet the thing they remember years later is the time you let them borrow a pencil when they needed it. You can have students demonstrate perfect recall of a concept you introduced or profoundly shift their viewpoint

Overland’s research interests focus on economic and labor issues pertaining to arts education, teacher evaluation, and for-profit rock music schools. His research and scholarship on these and other topics appear in the Journal of Research in Historical Music Education, the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, College Music Symposium, Contributions to Music Education, and the Music Educators Journal. He has authored chapters appearing in Contemporary Research in Music Education: Learning Across the Lifespan (Routledge) and the 2016 International Yearbook on Research in Arts Education (Waxmann Verlag). He is a content consultant for the State of Florida’s Performing Fine Arts Assessment music teacher evaluation system, and a peer reviewer for NAfME, AERA, and the International Yearbook on Arts Education (INRAE). He is the current Chair and Academic Editor of the Music Educators Journal and has served on the Editorial Board since 2014.

Notes 1. Leib Sutcher, Linda Darling-Hammond, and Desiree Carver-Thomas, A Coming Crisis in Teaching? Teacher Supply, Demand, and Shortages in the U.S.(Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute, 2016), accessed September 15, 2020,https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/coming-crisis-teaching-brief.

2. Daniel McCaffrey, J. R. Lockwood, Daniel M. Koretz, and Laura S. Hamilton, Evaluating Value-Added Models for Teacher Accountability(Santa Monica, CA: The RAND Corporation, 2003), 36.

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Georgia State University Singers Mesme

with Unforgettable Performances at the 2023 World Symposi

By Kaylee Bramlett, Georgia State University School of Music

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erize Istanbul

ium of Choral Music

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In a dazzling display of vocal harmony and musical brilliance, the Georgia State University Singers embarked on an extraordinary journey to Istanbul, Turkey, to perform at the prestigious 2023 World Symposium of Choral Music this past April.

The World Symposium of Choral Music, or WSCM for short, is a highly anticipated event that brings together the finest choirs and choral leaders for performances, seminars, workshops, exhibitions and reading sessions.

In addition to the symposium, the event included a choir festival of 80 concerts given by international and national choirs in a multitude of venues, 2/11 which took place simultaneously, going on all day and concluded with Gala concerts. This year, Istanbul had the honor of hosting the symposium and the Georgia State University Singers were selected to represent the United States.

Led by their renowned conductor, Dr. Deanna Joseph, the University Singers embarked on their journey across the globe. For months, the choir members dedicated countless hours to refining their repertoire and perfecting their vocal techniques. As the day of their first performance finally arrived, the ensemble took to the stage at the magnificent AKM Türk Telekom Opera Hall performing their program titled “From Torment to Triumph.” The repertoire included the premiere of the piece, “Istanbul’u Dinliyorum”, commissioned for the group by the WSCM and written by Özkan Manav who was present at the performance.

A Silence Haunts Me, sets the stage for the emotional journey from torment to triumph, as elucidated in the program featuring poignant and stylistically diverse pieces. Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw’s “Her beacon-hand beckons” from her multi-movement

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cantata To the Hands, follows with original text inspired by the Emma Lazarus’ 1883 sonnet “The New Colossus” which is mounted on the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The evocative text and recitative-like musical setting remind us of the high ideals of our country’s founding as well as the sobering realization that they remain out of reach to so many. The earnest urgency of Stephen Foster’s Hard Times Come Again No More offers the final plea for relief. Shawn Kirchner’s setting of a traditional African American Spiritual, arranged with gospel influences, offers a jubilant picture of a symbolic city of perfection that is arguably the most familiar genre to our local, Atlanta-based audiences and offers rousing affirmation of the theme of triumph from despair – whether it be through determination, community activism, or religious faith.” Program notes by Dr. Deanna Joseph. (view full program) Their second performance took place on April 27th and was held in the Grand Pera hall. The program, titled “Toward a New Day” featured two soloists, Prof. Tania Maxwell Clements (violin) and undergraduate clarinetist, Jack Lloyd.

“Toward a New Day juxtaposes musical styles (German baroque, American ShapeNote, modern western classical, Southern Hymnody, blues, and a jazz-inspired spiritual arrangement) indiscriminately, while offering meditation on a textual/poetic through-line on themes celebrating the renewal of Time’s cyclical passage and offering hope in the new and unknown. The musical styles represent the cultural backgrounds and professional musical pursuits of Georgia State University’s student singers. As an urban university in the heart of Atlanta, our students reflect the cultural diversity of

both the Old and New American South. Atlanta is the home to important historic and current civil rights initiatives and is the cultural hub in which the many styles of music associated with America’s historic Deep South co-mingle with thriving popular music idioms and the study and performance Western Classical Music. Our goal as an ensemble is to both celebrate and blur the stylistic boundaries of musical genre in our singing, in a broader effort to explore and highlight themes of our common humanity with our audiences through the performance of choral music. Like our country’s motto as seen on the dollar bill, “e pluribus unum”, so our choir and our repertoire seeks to simultaneously relish both our unity and commonality, and our personal and cultural individuality.” Program notes by Dr. Deanna Joseph. (view full program) Dr. Joseph, beaming with pride, expressed her delight at the choir’s achievement. “Performing as one of ten invited choirs from across the globe at the International Federation for Choral Music’s World Symposium on Choral Music in Istanbul, Turkey was a great honor for the GSU University Singers. The conference was particularly poignant as it was the first world gathering of the choral community since the Covid-19 pandemic and it followed such devastation from the earthquakes in Turkey earlier this year. The students and audiences were moved by the singing and we had an experience that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.” Dr. Jennifer Sengin, who had the pleasure of joining the group in Turkey, added, “I’m so proud of the students and how well they sang at both concerts! It was truly an honor for GSU to be accepted to attend such a prestigious event!”

Following their mesmerizing performances at the 2023 World Symposium of Choral Music, the future of the University Singers and the choral area at Georgia State is filled with promise and excitement. As the ensemble returns to Atlanta, they eagerly anticipate what lies ahead.

Building on their achievements, the University Singers have recently released their highly anticipated third full album, titled “Requiem,” under the masterful direction of Dr. Joseph.

For an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse of the trip, led by graduate conducting student Rontray Miller, make sure to check out the School of Music’s Instagram highlight titled “23 WSCM.” About the Ensemble: The international award-winning Georgia State University Singers is the School of Music’s premier vocal ensemble. Selected by competitive audition, the choir represents the diverse population of Georgia State. In May of 2017, the University Singers won first place in the renowned Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition during a tour of Austria and Germany. In May of 2013, the University Singers competed in La Florilège Vocal de Tours where they placed second overall in the mixed choir category.

To learn more about the choral area at Georgia State, visit https://music.gsu.edu/choir

Furthermore, amidst the resounding success of the University Singers’ performances at the 2023 WSCM, one individual stood out as a rising star in the field of choral conducting. José Alberto Azurdia Lamadrid, a graduate choral conducting student, received a prestigious invitation to participate in the highly competitive conducting masterclass held as part of the conference. Renowned conductor Ragnar Rasmussen led the masterclass, providing an unparalleled opportunity for José to refine his craft under the guidance of a maestro.

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