Association News

From The Executive Director

D. Alan Fowler

It has been the craziest year of my life. Last spring, I was planning for the 2022-23 school year and a move from the old Eastside into a brand-new building. Plans were being made for The Pride of Eastside Marching Band to march in the National Cherry Blossom parade in April, 2023, and I was looking forward to what I imagined would be several more years teaching, since my youngest daughter is a member of the Class of 2030. But I also applied last April for the job I now hold.

In my interview last May, I was asked how I envisioned the job and essentially what I would do in the role. There were several other questions and I felt good about all of them, but that particular question called on me to share my vision. I told the committee members that given the opportunity, I would get out there and meet people and see students across the state. There is no way I could just sit in my home office on the computer all the time. It was and is important to me to know what is going on in the music classrooms of Georgia and for our members to know who I am and that I care about them.

The next week, Matt Koperniak reached out and asked if I could be available for a video chat. I realized at that moment, my life and the direction things were headed was about to change. In fact, as I sit here typing this, the Eastside Band is preparing to leave for Washington and I am looking forward to attending the South Georgia Region Band event next weekend. When Matt and I talked and he offered me the job, he told me that the committee felt strongly that I should get out there and see people, just as I outlined in my interview. And I have done exactly that.

Last June, I had the privilege to play tuba in Warner Robins with the Wellston Winds at a rehearsal and then their July 2nd concert. In August, I visited Waycross to speak at the District Eight fall meeting, and the next day I visited Hahira Middle School and was able to contribute to Emily-Ann Nguyen’s classes that morning. After meeting and visiting with folks in Hahira, I stopped by to visit District Two Chairperson Dominique Lane at Crisp County High School. On my way back to what I like to call HQ East, I even stopped in Jackson to watch a marching rehearsal.

Throughout the fall, whenever I was able to get away from the office, I made a point to call on GMEA members. I visited with members in District Ten and District Nine, and was treated to a tour of the Piedmont College music building. Among some of my other stops were Union Grove Middle School, Lawrenceville Elementary School, and Berkmar Middle School, where I played bass with Abby Jones’ eighth grade orchestra class.

Sarah Grant welcomed me to an event at the Woodruff Arts Center and I attended a special day at the Rialto Center where the phenomenal Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performed for hundreds of Atlanta Public School elementary students. Later in the fall, at the invitation of Brandon Soloff, I attended a special Community Veterans Day breakfast at North Gwinnett HS. While there, I enjoyed breakfast with Georgia Teacher of the Year and GMEA member Michael Kobito, as we watched students from all of North Gwinnett’s Fine Arts programs perform.

There have been times throughout the year when I have needed to meet with a variety of folks around the state, and in each case, I have done my best to stop and visit with members along my route. Many times, I have been able to sit in on rehearsals and witness the fine teaching going on in music classrooms around Georgia. In January, I needed to pick something up in Kennesaw, which I coordinated with a chance to drive to northwest Georgia to see Boston Brass in concert with Tracy Wright’s band In Ringgold.

Following our In-Service Conference and All-State events, I planned a mini-tour of LGPE events. What a great time I had visiting Columbus, where I met Josh Milam and got to rehearse his band at Columbus High School before visiting Columbus First Baptist Church, where I heard several fine choirs and got to chat with the adjudicators during their lunch. Later that same week, I headed to Buford to see my daughter’s college roommate conduct the Wesleyan Wind Ensemble on stage before stopping to hear choirs in Lawrenceville and then orchestras in Grayson on my way back to HQ East. The next week, I enjoyed attending chorus LGPE in District Two at Cairo High School, and while there, I joked with John Scanling that it was nice to leave Cairo without having lost a football game!

My home base in south Georgia was the home of some friends in Albany, which allowed for one of the neatest experiences yet. At the Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus event back in February, while assisting Elementary Chair-elect Letricia Henson setting up chairs in the Athena Ballrooms, I met Anita Moody. Ms. Moody teaches at Sherwood Acres Elementary in Albany, and I told her of my plan to visit schools in that part of the state. She told me to look her up when I got to town. Before my visit south, I emailed her that I planned to be in Albany for an entire day and asked if I could observe her and some others teach. To say that Dougherty County School rolled out the red carpet for me would be an understatement! Anita and Westover HS Band Director Roy Eaddy took me on a tour of six schools throughout Albany, where I met members and principals and got to see some terrific teaching. Later that afternoon, after having experienced an incredible day, I traveled to Savannah to hear choirs sing at the District One chorus LGPE, where on that Friday I found myself impressed by both the choirs and the organization. Before making the drive back to Covington, I found myself visiting with the North Gwinnett HS Orchestra when I bumped into them on a street in Savannah.

Finally, on Tuesday, March 28th, I drove to Augusta, where I attended the District 10 orchestra LGPE event before ending my day (and mini-tour) at Greenbrier High School listening to the final performances at the District 10 chorus LGPE event.

My trip to east Georgia meant that I had seen students either rehearse or perform in all of our 14 GMEA districts during the course of the year, thus delivering on one of my more ambitious firstyear goals. In every case, I was met with enthusiasm and kindness. At a couple of LGPE sites, I found myself singing bass in the back of the sight-reading room. In closing, the challenges this first year as Executive Director have been great, but so has been the experience. We have roughly 3,000 members and my purpose, and that of our staff, is to serve them all. Our association’s mission continues to be: “To promote the advancement of music education in Georgia.” I truly do take that mission seriously and am proud of what it means to be a part of that mission, alongside each and every one of you.

Keep up the great work!