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US Army Field Band & Soldiers Chorus To Perform at February Conference
The Official Magazine of the New Jersey Music Educators Association a federated state association of National Association for Music Education
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Volume 68, No. 2
http://www.njmea.org
FEATURES 24
All-State Choral Conductor Selection, by Kathleen Spadafino
26
Is Your Program The Best Kept Secret In Your School?, by Ron Kearns
28
Three Online Tools For Music Education, by Andrew Lesser
30
Now Is The Time For Music Learning Theory Using Learning Theory To Teach “Reading Notes” On The Recorder, by Joel Perry
34
Using Journals In Your Ensemble Rehearsal, by Dan Halpern
36
The Ukulele In The General Music Classroom Part I – Ukulele 101, by Thomas Amoriello and Matthew S. Ablan
42
Music Education In Crisis, by Joseph Pergola
44
Teaching The Art Of The Shift In Orchestra Class, by Thomas Tatton
50
Band Articulation: Think About The Bowing, by William L. Berz
53 New Jersey State Music Conference, by Marie Malara 62
Marie Malara Named Master Music Teacher, by Kathleen Spadafino
63
Debunking Myths: Integrating Music History And Literature Into The General Music Classroom, by April Stephens
71
NJ NAfME Collegiate: From “Can I?” To “CANI”, by Mary Onopchenko ATTENTION MEMBERS: Please go to nafme.org to record email and address changes. TEMPO Editor - Thomas A. Mosher 80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701 Phone/Fax: 732-367-7195 e-mail: tmosher@njmea.org Deadlines: October Issue - August 1 January Issue - November 1 March Issue - January 15 May Issue - March 15 All members should send address changes to: mbrserv@nafme.org or NAfME, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive Reston, VA 22091 Printed by: Kutztown Publishing Co., Inc. 1-800-523-8211 kpc@kutztownpbl.com
The New Jersey Music Educators Association is a state unit of the National Association for Music Education and an affiliate of the New Jersey Education Association. It is a nonprofit membership organization. TEMPO (ISSN 0040-3016) is published four times during the school year: October, January, March and May. It is the official publication of the New Jersey Music Educators Association. The subscription rate for non-members is $20.00 per year. The subscription for members is included in the annual dues. A copy of dues receipts (Subscriptions) is retained by the NJMEA Treasurer. Inquiries regarding advertising rate, closing dates, and the publication of original articles should be sent to the Editor. Volume 68, No. 2, JANUARY 2014 TEMPO Editor - Thomas A. Mosher, 80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701 Periodicals Postage Paid at Lakewood, NJ 08701 and additional entries POSTMASTER: Please forward address changes to: NAfME 1806 Robert Fulton Drive Reston, VA 20191
JANUARY 2014 DEPARTMENTS AND NJMEA BUSINESS
Advertisers Index & Web Addresses.......87 Board of Directors.................................84 Division Chair News.......................... 6-22 Editorial Policy & Advertising Rates......86 From The Editor......................................4 In Memoriam........................................83 Past-Presidents.......................................86 President’s Message.............................. 2-3 Resource Personnel................................85 Round the Regions.......................... 78-82 FORMS AND APPLICATIONS See NJMEA.ORG
“Files and Documents” for downloadable copies of all forms & applications
Conference Pre-Registration Form......... 61 NJ Honors Jazz Choir Auditions.......66-67 Master Music Teacher Award.................68 Guitar Festival Ensemble Performance...69 Guitar Festival Master Class ..................70 School Administrator Award.................. 72 Distinguished Service Award.................. 73 Outstanding School Board Award..........74 MS Concert Band Festival..................... 76 MS Choral Festival................................77 NAfME Membership............................. 88 2014 NAfME Music Research & Teacher Education National Conference April 10-12, 2014 St. Louis, Missouri 2014 NAfME NATIONAL CONFERENCE October 26-29, 2014 Nashville, TN NJMEA CONFERENCE February 20 - 22, 2014 East Brunswick, NJ
president’s
message
JOSEPH JACOBS 609-335-6429 JJacobs@Veccnj.org Website: http://www.njmea.org
Music Makes Us!
John Leahey (Millburn High School), Jeffrey Lesser (East Brunswick Public Schools), Dennis Argul (Elizabeth Public Schools), Denis Mullins (Rutherford Public Schools), and Ken Veit (Ramsey Public Schools) for volunteering their time and skills as dedicated music administrators. I would like to mention that these administrators were surprised and dismayed with the amount of misinformation circulating throughout the state regarding SGO’s. Many music teachers have been told by their principals that their SGO’s are to be about reading and writing, not music. State regulations implicitly say that SGO’s must be applied to the content area standard.
The NAfME National In-Service Conference that was held in Nashville in October was a wonderful learning experience for attendees. The plethora of informative sessions was complimented with a wide range of outstanding performances from Tennessee High Schools and Collegiate ensembles. NJMEA Past President Joe Akinskas presented an excellent session titled “The End Is The Beginning-The Science Of Reverse Design”. Our keynotes speakers were very inspiring especially Nashville’s Mayor Karl Dean and Council Member Ronnie Stein. New Jersey was represented by 59 music students who participated in the 2013 All National Ensembles. Their performances on October 30th were amazing. The quality of musicianship of the symphonic band, jazz band, chorus, and orchestra was superior. Nashville is a wonderful city where music literally abounds at almost every corner. I recommend that you make plans to attend the 2014 National In-Service from October 26th to October 29, 2014 in Nashville where their slogan is “Music Makes Us”. How appropriate!
NJMEA 1st Annual Guitar Festival NJMEA will be sponsoring our 1st Annual Guitar Festival on Saturday, April 5th at Wall Township High School. Tom Amoriello, our NJMEA Board of Directors Guitar Education Chair, and Keith Calmes (Wall Township HS) are coordinating this festival. This event will include workshops and musical performances by the Montclair University Guitar Ensemble and by guitar virtuoso Tali Roth. We are expecting over 100 participants. I encourage our NJMEA guitar teachers to participate and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity for students and instructors. Registration forms are available on our web site and in this issue of Tempo.
Student Growth Objectives The number one topic and concern for public school music educators these past months has been Student Growth Objectives (SGO’s). Our colleagues from the NJ Music Administrators Association offered three SGO Walk-In sessions for NJMEA members in September. This initiative was lead by Nick Santoro, our NJMEA Board of Directors Advocacy Chair. Six music administrators offered their expertise in these very well attended sessions that were offered at Paramus High School, Millburn High School, and Lenape High School. Special thanks to Lisa Vartanian (Paramus Public Schools), TEMPO
NJ Music Students Excel At the NAfME National In-Service Conference two NJ students were selected to perform their original compositions. I had the pleasure to enjoy the music of Calvin Lu (Marlboro Middle School) and Nicholas McConnell (Princeton High School) at the Young Composers 2
JANUARY 2014
Stephen Bishop, Jack Rowland, Mike Saias, Kathy Mosher, Duane Trowbridge, Hillary Colton, Bill Yerkes, Chris Janney, and the 20 chaperones who volunteered their time and talent. You are all a credit to our profession.
Concert in Nashville. Both of these young musicians presented outstanding performances of their inspiring compositions. Congratulations to their music teachers, Felicia Ruffman (Marlboro Middle School) and David Gorman (Montgomery Lower Middle School) for the success of their students.
NJMEA February Conference On January 4 Edward Griffin will be performing in the 2014 U.S. Army All American Marching Band in San Antonio for the Army All-American Bowl halftime show. This band is comprised of 125 of the nation’s finest young marching band musicians. Edward plays baritone horn in the Toms River High School North Band directed by George Powers. th
Marie Malara is planning an exciting conference for NJMEA members. We will be adding a String Academy to our February conference this year. This academy will include workshops and performing venues for our string and orchestra teachers. It will complement our already successful wind band, marching band, jazz, elementary, technology, vocal, and collegiate academies. The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus will perform at the Friday evening concert. Please plan to attend this outstanding three-day professional development opportunity. I guarantee that you will be inspired.
NJEA Convention The annual NJEA Convention held in Atlantic City offered music educators a wealth of professional opportunities. Nancy Clasen was able to meet the needs of all music teachers by offering a wide variety of workshop sessions and meetings. Presenters included NJMEA Board Members, Tom Amoriello and Rick Dammers. Other outstanding NJMEA presenters included Hillary Colton, David Dempsey, Betsy Maliszewski, Mimi Butler, Christine Sezer, Sharyn Fisher, and Amanda Newell. The highlight of the convention was the musical performances provided by the NJ All-State Orchestra, Chorus, Jazz Band, and the Honors Jazz Choir. The caliber of musicianship displayed by our students was outstanding! Justin Binek (Jazz Choir), David Dempsey (Jazz Band), Art McKenzie (Chorus), and Gemma New (Orchestra) are to be commended for providing our students with a musical experience that they will remember the rest of their lives. The production manager for these musical events was NJMEA Board Member Joe Cantaffa. Our NJMEA Procedures Chairs Kathy Spadafino and Susan Meuse did a wonderful job meeting the needs of our chorus and orchestra. Dave May led the team that was responsible for the success of our jazz band and jazz choir. It is amazing to see the number of dedicated teachers who worked behind the scene to make this a rewarding and memorable experience for our students. It is truly a team effort! Special thanks to Bill McDevitt, David Westawski, Debbie Sfraga, Mike Kallimanis, Susan Belly, Judy Verrilli, Brian Height, Earl Phillips, JANUARY 2014
Student Involvement In September, NAfME requested information regarding student involvement in NJMEA sponsored activities including All State Ensembles and Festivals. The NJMEA performance chairs were asked to submit the number of students who performed and auditioned for their respective ensembles and festivals. The total number of students who auditioned for 2012-2013 NJMEA sponsored activities was 3,328. The number of students who performed in one of our ensembles or festivals in 2012-2013 was 2,373. It is inspiring to see how many young lives are affected by our organization. It is imperative that we as music educators and advocates continue to spread the word of the importance and the impact that music has in our schools, communities, and lives of our students. Thanks to all of our New Jersey music educators for all that you do for our students. You do make a difference!
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Editor’s Message
Thomas A. Mosher 732-367-7195 tmosher@njmea.org Website: http://www.njmea.org
The NJMEA State Music Conference
M
arie Malara is once again putting together an outstanding music conference for all of our members. She already has more than 123 sessions, 14 performing groups and 13 meetings scheduled and that was only at the end of October. There will be many more by February. In addition, there will be the All-State Women’s Chorus, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble concerts at NJPAC. This conference is the third largest music educator association conference in the USA and presents the finest clinicians available. The performances will be presented by some of the best university and high school ensembles in New Jersey. It does not matter whether you graduated from college in the past year or forty years ago. Something new can be learned at this conference which will make your teaching easier and more enjoyable. Have you ever attended a region meeting? All four regions will hold a general meeting which you may attend. Here is a chance to attend one of these meetings, meet the people who are in charge of your region, and learn what your region is doing for you and how you can help your region. Are you a retired music educator? Attend the New Jersey Retired Music Educators meeting and see how it is possible to continue to be part of music education while you are retired. Thursday will present seven academies. The academies are special interest sessions including TEMPO
string, wind band, marching band, jazz, elementary, technology, and vocal. A collegiate academy will be held on Saturday for all of our college music students. The exhibits will open late Thursday afternoon and continue into the evening. There will be concerts presented this night by the Intercollegiate Concert and Jazz Bands. The general sessions begin on Friday with a General Session being held at the annual luncheon. The much awaited first raffle will be held at this time. The United States Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus will be our featured entertainment on Friday evening and a complimentary ticket is included with every registration (if requested). We have had the Band and Chorus perform several years ago, and they are one of the best in the world. This is a performance you do not want to miss. The conference continues on Saturday and is held at the same time as the collegiate academy. Sessions for teaching members will end in time for everyone to be able to attend the All-State concerts at NJPAC. If you have never been to NJPAC before, this is an opportunity you do not want to miss. The facility is fantastic; one of the finest in the country and the All-State performances are always outstanding. It is extremely easy to get to NJPAC (directions are included in the conference book) and parking is readily available next to the building. We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
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TEMPO
& News From Our Division Chairs President Elect William McDevitt 856-794-6800 x2539 billnjmea@aol.com
Random Thoughts The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. William Arthur Ward To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. Winston Churchill
I write this edition of “Random Thoughts” on Veteran’s Day 2013 – after attending the NJEA Convention in Atlantic City and Cavalcade of Bands Championships in Hershey, PA. It may be the exhaustion that sets in after the final competition of the year, or the melancholy that begins to set in as another season ends, but I have recently found myself reminiscing about the past and how much change has happened through my career. Last week, I had the opportunity to walk into the main hall of Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. I met the current organist for the world’s largest organ and heard a little about the restoration of the instrument that is currently under way. I looked out into the hall and was reminded that this area used to be the exhibit hall for the convention. I drove into West Hall, next to the main hall, to drop off programs for the evening’s All-State Concert, and was reminded how the more “commercial” exhibits were housed there. These areas have seen better days. West Hall is not really used for anything these days. The main hall was recently revived and hosted the Miss America Pageant. I remember attending all of the music sessions when they were in Caesars Hotel and the Jazz concert in a room in Boardwalk Hall. I also remember when the All-State Chorus risers were on the stage of the Adrian Phillips Ballroom and the students were housed further down the Boardwalk in hotels that no longer exist. So many changes in the last 30+ years. When we were preparing to leave the stadium in Hershey, PA after Cavalcade Championships, I watched a massive 18-wheeler equipment truck leaving the lot and was sent back to my time in my high school’s marching band. We carried our own instruments on our buses (school buses!). There was no need to set equipment on the field because we marched on and off with the equipment that we used. There was no need for extension cords or battery packs to power numerous electronic instruments or amplification systems. Everything was acoustic! I’m starting to wonder if maybe we should divide marching band into groups based on factors other than size. Maybe it should be by the number of staff members, or maybe by the amount of money budgeted for uniforms or props. What if we divided groups up by the number of students that study privately, or by schools that offer individual or group lessons and those that do not. So many changes in the last 30+ years. Today, we played in the park for Veteran’s Day ceremonies. I always enjoy this performance because the students are very appreciated for such a small gesture on their part. Unfortunately, the amount of people attending the event has diminished over the years. Sure, there are years where national pride soars and the numbers spike, but then it returns to even less attendees. So many changes in the last 30+ years. I am not an opponent of change. In fact, I welcome change that inspires growth. I can’t understand change for the sake of change. As I get older, I can see the difference much more clearly. I’m hoping that it is a wisdom that comes with age and not just continued on page 8 me becoming a curmudgeon. Someone please tell me if I am! TEMPO
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& News From Our Division Chairs Administration Ronald P. Dolce 732-574-0846 rdolce561@aol.com
Happy New Year from the members of the New Jersey Music Administrators Association. We hope that you had a break from school activities and were able to celebrate the winter season with family and friends. It is hard to believe that the school year is almost half complete and we are moving on to our spring concerts and musicals. With the evaluation of both teachers and students on our minds this past year the NJMAA has been busy producing workshops that will help our members effectively evaluate their teaching staff as well as helping the teaching staff set guidelines for evaluating their students. We have held two workshops since the beginning of this school year. The first held in October entitled, “Assessment in Music Education Continued-Where are We with SGO’s”. This workshop was facilitated by Tom Weber from the Egg Harbor Township School District and Peter Griffin from the Hopewell Valley School District. This was a round table discussion and each member was able to share with the membership how they were going about helping the teachers develop their SGO’S for this year. The second workshop held in December, “Assessments in the Cloud”, was facilitated by Linda King from the Westfield Public Schools and teachers from her district. In this workshop her teachers are able to evaluate their students by the use of technology in the classroom. Our general membership meetings have had an outstanding turnout. We have had many new members attend this year and are happy to see that in many districts music administration positions are being maintained even when a retirement occurs. In February, at the New Jersey Music Educators Association Conference, the music administrators will continue to present pertinent workshops for the new teachers as well as veterans. In addition to the workshops, the NJMAA will continue to hold its “Annual Welcome Breakfast” at 8:30 am on Friday, February 21, 2014. All supervisors are invited to the breakfast to meet their colleagues and a brief discussion on matters of the day. The NJMAA meetings are held at the Rutgers Club on the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University. The meetings begin at 9:00 with a hospitality breakfast at 8:30 am. If you have not joined as yet, it is not too late. Check our website at www. njmaa.org for further information. NJMAA continues to reach out to the Supervisors, Program Directors, Administrators (e.g. Principals, Assistant Principals and Department Chairs) Directors and Coordinators of music to become active members of the association. Sharing knowledge and experiences strengthens the state of our arts programs. Coming together gives us an opportunity to better understand issues, concerns and the diversity of the arts programs in our state. Come join us and become a member.
continued on page 10
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Sunday, January 19 Saturday, February 8 Sunday, March 2
For more information, visit
ROWAN.EDU/MUSIC
BACHELOR OF MUSIC PROGRAMS
• Composition
• Education
• Jazz Studies
• Liberal Studies
• Performance
MASTER OF MUSIC PROGRAMS
• Composition
• Conducting
• Jazz Studies
• Performance
& News From Our Division Chairs Band Performance Al Bazzel 856-358-2054 fenwayfollwer5@comcast.net
The NJ Band Procedures Committee would like to congratulate the two ensembles selected to perform at the 2014 NJMEA Conference as part of the Wind Band Academy: Mahwah High School Symphonic Band, Jeffrey Bittner, director, and West Orange High School Wind Ensemble, Lewis Kelly, director. The newly formed NJMEA/NJBA Wind Band Academy Selection Committee is comprised of members of the New Jersey Band Association and the NJMEA Band Procedures Committee. We would like to thank the following committee members for their time and diligent work with the selection process: Mindy Scheierman, chair; Al Bazzel, Thomas Connors, Gregory Mulford, and John Pastin. Beginning in 2015 any ensemble interested in performing at the conference will need to complete an application and submit a live recording for the selection committee. Applications and more detailed information will be released later this spring. The 75th Anniversary All-State Band Concert is quickly approaching. Professor Richard Clary, Director of Advanced Wind Studies at Florida State University will conduct the wind ensemble and Patrick Dunnigan, Director of Bands and Marching Chiefs will conduct the symphonic band. The symphonic band will premier the commission for the 75th anniversary concert composed by Dana Wilson, Professor of Theory, History and Composition at Ithaca College. Wilson will present several clinics at the conference, including a session with the All-State Symphonic Band at Rutgers to discuss the commission. We look forward to seeing you at the rehearsals and concert at NJPAC. Auditions for the 2014 All-State Bands will take place on Saturday, January 18th, at JP Stevens High School. We would like to thank our hosts, Andrew DeNicola and John Zazzali, and our auditions chair, Peter Bauer from Columbia High School. These gentlemen spend many hours working behind the scenes to ensure a successful audition day. The first rehearsal /audition snow date for the All-State Bands will take place on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at South Brunswick High School from 5:00-9:00pm. If there is snow on the audition day and auditions occur on January 30th. the rehearsal will then be held on Thursday, February 6, also at South Brunswick High School. A special thank you to Mark Kraft for hosting at South Brunswick. Any solo suggestions must be submitted to Bruce Yurko, Solo Chair, or any region representatives. The recommendation must include a copy of the solo, the solo it should replace, and rationale for the change. The region representatives for the committee are: Region I - Lewis Kelly, Gregory Mulford, Mindy Scheierman; Region II- Jules Haran, Mark Kraft, Brian Toth; Region III- Deb Knisely, Phil Senseney and a representative to be named. Finally, the committee would like to thank outgoing members Ed Cook and John Stanz for their many years of service to the New Jersey Band Procedures Committee. We wish them well.
continued on page 12
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the college of new jersey
& News From Our Division Chairs Choral Festivals
Donna Marie Berchtold 609-476-6241 x1013 berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.org
61st Annual Jr. High-Middle School Chorus Festival Plans are underway for the 61st Annual Jr. High-Middle School Chorus Festivals. These festivals are sponsored by NJMEA; they continue to spotlight choruses from throughout the state of New Jersey. The Festivals will be held at two separate locations. The first event (South Site) will take place at Rowan University on April 9, 2014. The deadline for applications is March 3, 2014. The second event (North Site) will be held at Rutgers University on May 28, 2014. The deadline for applications is April 21, 2014. The time of each event is 9:30 – 1:30 PM. The application forms can be found on line at www.njmea.org, and they can also be found at the back of the January edition of TEMPO magazine. A maximum of ten (10) registrations will be accepted at each site. Each participating group will receive written evaluations by the adjudicators and a plaque from NJMEA which recognizes the commitment to, and involvement in music by the school, its chorus, and director. Choral Directors seeking to have their choruses perform and receive adjudication should consider registering for one of the two festivals.
Choral Performance Kathleen Spadafino 732-214-1044 kspadEB@aol.com
Congratulations to our All-State Mixed Chorus students after their truly magical concerts in Atlantic City and NJPAC! The meticulous and inspired direction of conductor Art McKenzie, supported by a brilliant accompaniment by Anthony Rafaniello, made this experience unforgettable for all students involved. The entire experience was this successful only because of the tireless work of our team: Joe Cantaffa, our coordinator, smoothed out problems effortlessly and kept everything on schedule. Mike Saias, his assistant, appeared to be everywhere as he kept us all supplied with whatever was needed at the moment. Chorus managers Sue Belly and Judy Verrilli cheerfully kept all students on task and on time. continued on page 14 TEMPO 12
JANUARY 2014
Will. Power.
Pursue Your Music Career Undergraduate Programs Music (B.A.) Popular Music (B.A.) Classical Performance (B.M.) Jazz Studies (B.M.) Jazz/Classical Performance (B.M.) Music Education (B.M.) Music Management (B.M.) Sound Engineering Arts (B.M.)
Graduate Programs Jazz Studies (M.M.) Music Education (M.M.) Online and On-Campus Classes Music Management (M.M.)
2013-2014 Auditions On-Campus Auditions for Classical Degree Programs and B.A. Music Placement Tests January 31; February 14; February 28; March 14; April 4, 2014 Recorded Auditions Deadline
(Jazz and Popular Music Degrees only)
February 1, 2014
Wayne, New Jersey 973.720.2315 • wpunj.edu/music musicadmissions@wpunj.edu 973.720.3466
JANUARY 2014
facebook.com/WPUMusicDept 13 TEMPO twitter.com/WPUMusicDept
& News From Our Division Chairs Jack Rowland handled the huge job of housing all Mixed Chorus and Orchestra students with ease and grace. Transportation director David Westawski was extremely efficient and got all buses on the road Friday night in record time! Chaperones were on time and attentive to help keep track of over 350 chorus members at each rehearsal and meal. A very special Thank You to Bill Yerkes, who worked many, many hours implementing our new attendance system! I must also thank all the members of my Choral Procedures Committee, who ran the Governor’s Award auditions, attended an open committee meeting, held a reading session at the convention, as well as attending all rehearsals and concerts. They work very, very hard for all of you and your students to make All-State Chorus the outstanding musical experience it is. We also have a lot of fun, and welcome all of you directors – newbies too – to join us. Next time! This year’s All-State Chorus journey is not yet over. Our All-State Women’s Chorus will be performing at NJPAC for the NJMEA convention Saturday, February 22, 2014. We are very excited to have Deanna Joseph from Georgia State University as our conductor. Lucille Kincaid will accompany. The girls have made great progress in their rehearsals so far, and we are eagerly awaiting a wonderful performance! Please join us at the convention and the concert. I hope that you have been checking our activities at www.njmea.org for all information concerning All-State and Region Chorus. The 2014 All-State Chorus Audition Bulletin will be available for you to print out for your students by mid January. Please read carefully and be aware of deadlines! If it is your turn to judge – once every four years – clear your calendar for these dates: April 5th and April 12th. All-State Chorus is a great experience for your students to work with top directors, meet other students who love singing as much as they do, and learn challenging repertoire. Every year I hear from our singers that this experience has changed their lives! It is such a privilege to take part in this process. Please join us this year! If you have any questions about auditions, please email me at KSpadEB@aol.com.
Classroom Music/Band Festivals Nancy Clasen nancydidi@hotmail.com 973-766-5343
2013 State Marching Band Ratings Festival “A True Celebration of Music In Motion”
The 12th annual N.J.M.E.A. State Marching Band Ratings Festival held at Wayne Hills High School on October 20th and according to festival coordinator Matthew J. Paterno it was, “A true celebration of music in motion!” There was a wonderful variety of show concepts and styles with each band allowing their individual strengths to shine. Bands came early to watch each other perform and the large crowd enthusiastically supported all of the students’ performances. The weather was beautiful, at least until the last 20 minutes, and the atmosphere was energetic and exciting. Sixteen Bands performed and represented these schools: Lakeland, Emerson, Kearny, Glen Ridge, Ramapo, Belleville, Livingston, Whippany Park, Morristown, Wayne Valley, Midland Park, Indian Hills, Passaic Valley, Bergenfield, Randolph and Wayne Hills High Schools. Each band received quality feedback from our team of “Evaluators”, many of whom are involved in our NJMEA Marching Band Academy each year at the convention. Bands also received a rating of Bronze, Silver or Gold and awards for the most outstanding musical contribution and most outstanding visual contribution to their show. continued on page 16
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& News From Our Division Chairs
A special thank you to our evaluators, who worked hard to provide quality and educationally supportive suggestions to the performing ensembles. The band members, directors and spectators deserve to be proud of both their individual performances and the manner in which they supported each other. Mark your calendars for next year’s festival on Saturday, October 17th, 2014. Sign-ups for the festival begin March 1st, 2014. Please contact Matt Paterno at mpaterno@wayneschools.com a.s.a.p. after March 1st as space is limited and performance spots fill up quickly! Seeking all Presenters! If you are interested in presenting a session at next year’s NJEA Conference or if you are a Central or Southern New Jersey Band Director and are interested in hosting a NJMEA Marching Band Festival, please contact me. Last but not least I am looking for input regarding workshops which any general / classroom music teachers might be interested in attending.
Guitar Education Thomas Amoriello tom@tomamoriello.com 908-342-7795
Exciting news has arrived for guitar educators and their students here in the Garden State. At the September 10, 2013 NJMEA Executive Board meeting, a proposal was approved for the NJMEA to sponsor the first ever NJMEA Guitar Festival. This event will take place at Wall High School in Wall, NJ, with Keith Calmes as the festival director. Our featured performer for this event is Tali Roth, concert artist and director of The Juilliard Pre-College guitar area. Roth will give a masterclass and concert. Other features of this festival will include a concert by outstanding area high school student Joseph Douglass; John Bogan (Cleveland Institute of Music); the Montclair University Guitar Ensemble; a lecture-recital on the Harp Guitar by an expert in the field Mark Farley; and a guitar ensemble showcase recital. I will also host an education roundtable. Details about master class audition requirements and ensemble showcase participation can be found on the registration form in this issue of TEMPO. It is important for music educators to help spread the word. Your participation only strengthens and justifies the guitar’s place within the NJMEA. If you do not get your students and ensembles to participate and attend, these events will not exist. I would like to thank Joe Jacobs and the NJMEA Board for recognizing the guitar as a vital part of music education. I would like to close by bringing attention to a Guitar Educators roundtable that will be held at the February NJMEA Conference. This will give guitar educators a chance to voice their opinion in a public forum on the direction of the guitar in our state. The Topic will be: “What Would A NJ All-State Guitar Ensemble or a NJ Honors Guitar Ensemble Look Like?”
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JANUARY 2014
& News From Our Division Chairs Opera Festival
Stevie Rawlings 201-261-7800 x3069 srawlings@paramus.k12.nj.us
The 65th Annual NJMEA Opera Festival auditions were held October 25th at Paramus High School. Adjudicators Wendy White and John Hancock returned this year to once again lend their years of experience from the Metropolitan Opera and international opera houses to the judging process. Students performed arias, duets or choruses from a variety of operas. Happily, the number of students who auditioned increased from last year along with the level of vocal ability. Sixteen soloists, one duet and one large ensemble received scores high enough to earn performance invitations for the Opera Festival concert which took place November 16. The concert was the culmination of a full day of master classes, clinics and rehearsals with visiting guest artists. Fourteen high schools were represented by young singers who performed three opera choruses: “Va, pensiero,” from Nabucco by Verdi; “The Humming Chorus,” from Madame Butterfly by Puccini; and “Brindisi,” from La Traviata, also by Verdi. Thank you to the participating students and their teacher/sponsors for the dedicated preparation necessary for these auditions. Further congratulations go to the following students with the designated citations: • Highest Overall Score: Gina Ruzhansky, Paramus HS - C. Scripps Beebee Scholarship Award • Highest Scoring Male: Christian Davakis, River Dell Reg. HS - Governor’s Award • Highest Scoring Female: Gina Ruzhansky, Paramus HS - Governor’s Award • Second Highest Scorer: Sarah Korath, River Dell Reg. HS - Governor’s Award • Highest Scoring Small Ensemble: Duet of Valery Berenshtein, Pascack Valley Reg. HS and Gina Ruzhansky, Paramus HS – The Madame Paunova Small Ensemble Award • Highest Scoring Large Ensemble: The Prem1ers, Paramus HS, The Francesca Kubian-Geidel Large Ensemble Award • Honorable Mention: Katherine Collins, Pascack Valley Reg. HS; Victoria Policht, Northern Highlands Reg. HS; and Jack Lindberg, Morristown-Beard School. Be sure to check the May issue of TEMPO for the 2014 All-State Opera Festival application and dates!
Orchestra Performance Susan Meuse 732-613-6890 susanmeuse@gmail.com
Congratulations to the 2013 All-State Orchestra and Mixed Chorus for two great concerts in November! After not being able to perform last year, it was wonderful to finally hear these two groups. I hope that many of you had a chance to come to one of the concerts! The Orchestra Procedures Committee would like to congratulate all of the students involved in the All-State Orchestra. We would also like to thank all of the people who worked very hard to make both concerts possible. First, we must thank Maestro Gemma New who stepped in this fall to work with these talented students. Her enthusiastic rehearsals and energetic conducting were inspirational to watch. continued on page 20
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JANUARY 2014
Control your mie class with an iPad ®
Yamaha Music in Education (MIE) is a technology-based general music program with a unique and engaging method, a special two-student keyboard, and now a new iPad app that gives teachers total control of instruments and learning materials from anywhere in the room. The iPad also gives teachers instant access to MIE textbooks and other course materials, making the job of teaching far more fun and effective. The app works with the MIE3 system as well as some older configurations. For more information about MIE, visit 4wrd.it/mienjt7 or scan the code below. Or, email miesales@yamaha.com today if you have questions about the iPad app’s compatibility with your current MIE classroom system. ©2014 Yamaha Corporation of America. All rights reserved. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
JANUARY 2014
19 TEMPO
& News From Our Division Chairs
A huge thank you goes to our two managers, Michael Kallimanis and Laura Kearney, and our Percussion Coordinator, Chris Janney. Without their hard work, the rehearsals and performances would not have been a success. We would also like to thank our Production Manager Joe Cantaffa and Production Assistant Michael Saias who made everything happen! Thanks to all of the sectional coaches, rehearsal hosts, and chaperones for helping the students have a positive All-State experience. And finally, a big thank you to Housing Coordinator Jack Rowland and Transportation Coordinator David Westawski who organized everything needed to get all of the students to Atlantic City. The next orchestra event will be the All-State Orchestra auditions on Saturday, March 15th. At this time the Procedures Committee will be meeting to discuss future conductors, solos, and scale requirements. At the last March meeting, the committee voted to change the high school scale requirements, so be sure to look for that in the March issue of TEMPO.
Retired Music Educators Beverly Robinovitz 732-271-4245 beviewgr@aol.com
A “Meet and Greet” Open House was held at my home on October 2, 2013, to add and encourage membership to NJRMEA. I am pleased to announce our Executive Committee for 2013-2014: Beverly Robinovitz - President; Kathy Spadafino - President Elect/Secretary; Christine Sezer - Past President; Bill Shoppell - Treasurer; Paul Oster Dorian Parreott, and Carl Wilhjelm. We welcome new board members – Frank Hughes, Diane Wions, and Ronald Dolce. Do you know an NJMEA Music Educator who is truly an outstanding teacher? Help recognize this person by nominating him/her for the 2015 Master Music Teacher Award. Please note that the paperwork for the nomination of Master Music Teacher can be found on the NJMEA website and appears again in this issue of TEMPO magazine. The deadline is March 15, 2014. Please be prompt and send all your paperwork and recommendations to Kathy Spadafino. Her address appears on the nomination form. Our next General Meeting will take place at the February State Conference on Friday, February 21st at 10:15 am at the Brunswick Hilton and Towers on Route 18 in East Brunswick. Michael Spadafino, husband of Kathy, will be our guest speaker. I encourage you to sign up for the conference and join us for the continued friendship, fellowship, and education of the mind. It’s a great way to stay involved and keep in touch. The end of the year General Membership Meeting will be held on May 14th at 10:15 am in Ocean Grove. Please note that this is a change of date. We are currently looking for a guest speaker for this meeting. Please send your suggestions to me. Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season, a Happy New Year, and an easy winter. Ah, retirement…
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JANUARY 2014
& News From Our Division Chairs Summer Workshop Joe Akinskas JoeA_NJMEA@comcast.net Summer Workshop Coordinator
Summer Workshop VII
I am pleased to announce that Summer Workshop VII will take place on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, on the campus of The College of New Jersey. Session Ideas & Presenters needed: At the conclusion of the previous six workshops, participants were asked to respond to an online program survey. The workshop committee utilizes the timely responses as the basis for development of the next event. The survey results are attached below for everyone’s review, and to serve as a basis for generating the Workshop VII agenda. Our early deliberations are focused on presenting extended-concentrated sessions in all areas. If you are interested in developing a session, please complete and return the presenter request form, via email, to njmeasummerworkshop@comcast.net or JoeA_NJMEA@comcast.net, on or before April 1, 2014. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank last year’s presenters who truly exemplify the high level of talent we are fortunate to have in New Jersey, and are willing to share their talents and techniques with our statewide constituency. Take a minute to access our website, www.njmeasummerworkshop.com, to scan the pictures which reflect an enjoyable and productive day. We look forward to another beneficial day for all in attendance. Think summer! In what respect(s) was the workshop most productive for you? • ORFF Applications and Activities, J. Stamper and Shawna Longo’s Revitalizing General Music and SGO Triage, were so helpful to me. These presentations “charged” me and gave me much food and ideas for thought. • The sessions offered new activities and lesson ideas; I liked that they were “hands on” and not just lectures as well. • This workshop helps me connect with others in my field. Many of us in smaller districts are isolated and not understood well by colleagues and administrators. It helps us to see ourselves as part of a greater music education community, with similar goals and with dignity. • The smaller size allows more time to communicate with presenters directly, ask questions and participate. • Each session addressed a particular concern I have for the coming year: SGOs, elementary general music, middle school choral and technology. I feel like I have some new “tools” to start the year successfully. • I am assigned to a different school this fall. I was not given the levels I would be teaching, so going to different strands gave me fresh ideas to use no matter what I am assigned to do. • The SGO discussion was productive during this workshop and I also collected some new ideas and repertoire for the general music class. The ability to network and interact with other music colleagues within the state was the most productive thing for me; it left me feeling revitalized for the new school year. • As an elementary general music teacher, I found that the elementary choral sessions and Orff sessions were very useful. As someone with a background in instrumental band, who teaches woodwind and brass private lessons, I also found the “Brass playing for non-brass players” very helpful. My ambition is to be a band director, so I found that the summer workshop was very easy to “strand hop” and get many ideas in all aspects of music education. • All topics were relevant in supporting my transition back into the music classroom after eight years in administration. continued on page 22
JANUARY 2014
21 TEMPO
& News From Our Division Chairs In your opinion, what area(s) of information is/are needed? • Curriculum Development; Connecting Standards to CORE Curriculum in General Music and Performing Ensembles. • Orff and Kodaly for music education • Elementary band/string music reading sessions • I think that the variety of topics was really great. In the future, Dalcroze, Kodaly, Music Together, and Gordon pedagogies would be great to exhibit in the General Music strand. I appreciate the Orff method of teaching, but I also value all of the other pedagogies. • I would like a session to learn how different districts schedule music classes and ensembles. My principal looks for me to have ideas of how to work music successfully into the schedule, so I could use a survey of how it works in many different situations. • More info on music education advocacy. (Statistical and timely information) • It seems that the workshops are either technology (ex. Music First) or non-technology (ex. Orff ). We need Workshop Presenters to integrate technology with non-technology materials. • We need more workshops that deal with curricular areas and the scope of the new evaluation formulas that affect music specialists. These kinds of workshops are very scarce during the February meetings. Having In-State people like the two supervisors who ran the workshop is also very helpful. • How about some band repertoire sessions (not just method books)? • Technology for choral music • Areas in general music that are between grades 4-6. A lot of elementary sessions at workshops tend to focus on the younger grades, whereas the middle school sessions tend to focus on concepts/activities geared toward 7th and 8th grade. • As a follow up to the SGO overview, perhaps a workshop can be scheduled in August for participants to share their SGO experiences from this school year.
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Many titles are now available as ebooks!
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JANUARY 2014
IndIana unIVersItY OF PennsYLVanIa
dePartMent OF MusIC 3 undergraduate degrees: BA General Music BFA Music Performance BS Music Education
2 graduate degrees:
MA Music Education (low-residency!) MA Music Performance 23 full-time faculty/artists 25 ensembles Please visit our website at www.iup.edu/music or follow us on FaceBook or Twitter!
Bachelor of Arts in Music Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Double Major Bachelor of Music Education Bachelor of Music in Performance For Open House and Audition dates, go to: www.gettysburg.edu/sunderman
www.gettysburg.edu/sunderman
JANUARY 2014
23 TEMPO
NJ All-State Choral Conductor Selection Why Haven’t You Applied? by Kathleen Spadafino kspadEB@aol.com
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t happens every year…You have students who audition for Region I, Region II, South Jersey Chorus or New Jersey All-State Chorus. You attend auditions to fulfill your responsibility to the organization. You have students accepted and then you fulfill a second responsibility to the organization at a rehearsal or at the concert. On the day of the final performance, you find yourself sitting in the concert hall, listening attentively to the program and your thoughts start to drift… “What would I program if I were chosen as conductor? I’ll bet a group this size would really kick with that spiritual I did in college…Working with the orchestra would also be a terrific experience in a concert closer.”
Well, what are you waiting for? Why haven’t you applied for consideration as one of the region chorus conductors or the New Jersey All-State Chorus conductor? Can’t be because you do not have programmable literature; you give at least two in-school concerts each year. Can’t be because you do not know how to conduct; you did get a degree in music education and took at least one conducting course, didn’t you? Well then, is it the feeling that “you are not good enough”…haven’t had enough years experience? …aren’t in the mysterious (and really, non-existent) “Inner Circle” of those whom you think are “always chosen”? This article is being written to dispel all rumors. If you have read this far, you are strongly encouraged to gather your audition materials together for submission to be a future conductor! If you have region or
All-State memories from high school, you know the rush you received from that performance, from making new friends-in-music throughout the state, from working on literature that only a large ensemble could sing. It is now time to pay it forward! In speaking with colleagues regarding this process, it was not surprising to hear comments regarding their decisions to “wait” to apply as the next conductor of these ensembles. Reasons…(really excuses…) are plentiful. Opportunities to share your talents as a New Jersey All-State or region chorus guest conductor however, are rare and should be part of your professional resume! Here are the details for submitting materials for guest conducting the 2015 NJ All-State Mixed or Women’s Choir:
CONDUCTOR SELECTION: NJ ALL STATE MIXED AND WOMEN’S CHOIRS Who is eligible?
Current NAfME members in good standing. New Jersey Choral Educators
What is required?
Submit a DVD of your Choral Conducting not to exceed 12 minutes or Three Selections (Please include a list of these selections). A Proposed Mixed Chorus*/Women’s Choir program not to exceed 30 minutes of music, your resumé and a letter of intent which states why you feel you are the best candidate for this position. (*Find Past NJ All State MIXED Chorus programs at www.rhschoirs.net )
Where do I send my materials? Judy Verrilli, Selection Committee Chairperson 524 Cricket Lane Woodbridge NJ 07095 Togethernharmony@aol.com What is the due date?
March 31, 2014– FOR ALL-STATE MIXED CHORUS OR 2015 ALL-STATE WOMEN’S CHORUS
Anything postmarked after this date will be returned to sender.
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JANUARY 2014
Bucknell
Bachelor of Music in:
expressive performance creative improvisation discovery and invention cultural and historical analysis
Performance Composition Music Education
Bachelor of Arts FULL-TIME FACULTY
Paul Botelho | Composition, Music Theory Bethany Collier | Ethnomusicology, Gamelan Ensemble Kimberly Councill | Music Education Barry Hannigan | Piano William Kenny | Department Chair, Horn, Symphonic Band Barry Long | Jazz Studies, Jazz Band Christopher Para | Violin and Viola, Orchestra Catherine Fowler Payn | Voice, Bucknell Opera Company William Payn | Choral Studies, Rooke Chapel Choir Annie Randall | Musicology Sezi Seskir | Piano and 22 Artist Affiliate Faculty BucknellUniversityDepartmentOfMusic
www.bucknell.edu/music
What happens next? A panel representing past All State and Region Conductors, retirees and members of our State Executive Boards will review the submitted materials. The rubric scoring criteria is found on the bottom of the application. NO DISCUSSION is shared about any of the materials submitted. This process is designed to insure a fair and equitable treatment of all materials received. Once the videos have been reviewed, all additional paperwork is read and assessed. All rubrics are collected, scores tallied and the lowest score wins. We use the same numeric scoring system as in the NJ All-State Chorus auditions. The Chairperson does not participate in the scoring, but acts to organize the packets, give process direction to the committee members and provides the results to the Choral Procedures Committee. The Chairperson does not share any information regarding the materials submitted and the panel is requested to keep their reviews confidential. To date, this system has worked with great success.
@BucknellMusic
A WORD ABOUT THE MATERIALS YOU SUBMIT… Please use your best judgment when submitting materials for consideration. Do NOT include CD’s. No DVD, no consideration. Remember that we are looking for a conductor, so it does not work to your advantage if your video does not include considerable evidence TEMPO_AD_AUG_1.indd 1 8/1/13 of 4:18 PM your conducting! Please submit a video with no more than THREE varied selections; no more than 12 minutes in length. You must submit the following required selections: • Mixed Chorus: Flower of Beauty – John Clements – v.2 “I know she walks in the evening down by the riverside….” to the end. • Women’s Chorus: River in Judea – arr. John Leavitt – v.3 “May the time not be too distant…..” to the end. OR…. I Am Not Yours – David Childs – last 3 pages, “O plunge me deep in love….” to the end. • Second piece - from your school repertoire, your school group. • Third piece – your choice – any ensemble. (Region, County, Honors) • The required piece and the second piece MUST be your school ensemble. • Your conducting must be visible throughout the recording. • If you wish to be considered as the Mixed Chorus conductor, your 3 pieces should demonstrate Mixed Chorus repertoire. • If you wish to be considered as the Women’s Chorus conductor, your 3 pieces should demonstrate Women’s Chorus repertoire. Please TYPE all materials – letter of intent, program and resume. Handwritten materials will not be considered.
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25 TEMPO
Is Your Program The Best Kept Secret In Your School? by Ron Kearns Author of “Quick Reference For Band Directors” dcsax@aol.com
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f you visit most schools and ask who the quarterback for the football team is chances are most people could give you the name and the personal stats for the player. Ask them who the Drum Major of the band is and chances are they may not know. Is it because one is more important than the other or is it because of the publicity one gets and the lack of publicity the other gets? The answer to this, sadly, is that music programs in most schools do not actively publicize individual or group achievements as much as they should. The football quarterback and the Drum Major perform in front of the same number of people for a football game but more attention is given the quarterback from the athletic department than the Drum Major from the music department. So, what can you do to publicize your program and receive recognition for your accomplishments? The best way to get a quick start is to use existing media in your school. Use the school’s newspaper, newsletters, web page, parents’ listserv, etc. Of course, if you have your own web page you can control the dissemination of information and the amount of coverage your group gets. If you have your own web page, social media accounts and printed newsletters, they give you an opportunity to profile individual members. You can also profile each of your groups and their achievements. Using existing school resources Most schools now have a web page designed to give the school community access to school information. These sites generally give each department and opportunity to design and control their input. If you use these pages wisely you can have a permanent place for individual
achievements such as All District Band, All State Band and festival/competition results. During your initial meetings with parents, establish a publicity committee whose responsibility it is to input and update information for this page. You can even have a space reserved to profile your student leaders so that your Drum Major and section leaders can be listed with pictures for easy recognition. If there is a hard copy newsletter you should reserve a space to list achievements, furnish dates for upcoming events, and profile student achievements that are current with the dates of publication (September dates and achievements in a September newsletter, etc.). Designing your own PR Network With today’s technology, there are many ways to let students in your school, your feeder schools and the school community know about your achievements, individual or group. The best way is a newsletter. Whether you use low tech newsletters that are printed and distributed by hand; eNewsletters on the band’s web page; notes or articles posted on social networks or video broadcasts, you should make sure that word about what you and your students are doing gets noticed. Public Relations (PR) is a major help for projecting a positive image for your program and making your program a place where students want to be and want to stay once they’re there. Using social media has to be done carefully and you must be aware of any restrictions regarding its use and student privacy issues. When done within guidelines, social media gives your program the greatest reach and gives you the opportunity to post achievements in “real time.” No matter how large or small the achievements, people need to know what kinds of things your group is doing.
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Sometimes excellence and success can be taken for granted and you may assume that everyone knows about how well your group is doing but that is not necessarily the case. Sometimes your students don’t share how well things are going even with their parents. A good newsletter can help start the dialogue you want taking place about your program. The bottom line is, don’t assume that because you’re successful people will take notice. It is your responsibility to make sure that what you and your students have achieved gets attention. Don’t just limit yourself to festival and competition outcomes or whether or not students are selected for honors groups. Acknowledge your students who try out for those groups whether they make them or not. List the students who participate in Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Acknowledge your students who attend leadership camps or workshops. Highlight student soloists on concerts and performances. Acknowledging student achievements and accomplishments is one of the best ways of recruiting and retaining students. Low tech ways include posting pictures on the band room walls or in a trophy case in the hall somewhere in the school. However you choose to do it, make sure your students get acknowledged for the hours of work they put into your program. Your colleagues will be more likely to support your program once they find out how much work you and your students put in. Your administration will be more likely to support your program once they get positive feedback from the community. Don’t be the best kept secret in your school and school community.
& JANUARY 2014
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27 TEMPO
Three Online Tools For Music Education by Andrew Lesser Burlington City Public Schools andrew.lesser@yahoo.com
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s effective music educators, we are always searching for new and innovative methods to reach our professional goals. Whether it is finding quality materials for our classes, lessons that inspire our students, or fun activities with built-in assessment tools, online resources have the potential to provide these resources while contributing to the development of 21st century skills. What follows is a brief list of some online tools for use within and beyond the classroom that can assist in building individual music programs at any level. Brainpop www.brainpop.com This website, though catered mostly to younger students below the high school level, is a comprehensive series of animated videos that include subjects such as math, social studies, language arts, music and culture, and other topics. Musical selections include short biographies on more classically based figures such as W.A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven to modern artists including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Yo-Yo Ma. Each biography includes a brief quiz to formally assess students at the teacher’s discretion. The website can be implemented as individual, team, or whole-class learning based. The content is based on the Common Core Standards, and does not require any additional software installations. Though access of the site requires a subscription, several videos are accessible at no charge. A oneyear subscription for up to three users is $205.00, while access for an entire school costs $1495.00. The website can then be linked to the school server and accessed by any student or teacher at any time. Brainpop is excellent for lessons that center on composer profiles, instrument study, or a
unit on musical style. I have found the site to be particularly effective, especially in its assessment qualities following the conclusion of each video. Donors Choose www.donorschoose.org Donors Choose provides an innovative method to acquire materials for free that would normally be obtained by spending budgetary money or fundraising. The site consists of teachers who create and advertise projects for which others can contribute money. Sources of funds can come from any source, public or private, in which projects with the most marketable material for students and classroom get noticed by outside parties. To create a project, the user must answer a series of questions that describe the project, including the materials desired and how it will benefit the students of the program. First-time users can only request materials totaling equal to or less than $200, but with continued usage, that amount can grow with each successful project. Materials can be requested from an online catalog which consists of mostly school supply companies. Woodwind and Brasswind is currently available through the catalog for those wishing to acquire musical instruments or supplies. If a project is successful, it is the user’s responsibility to provide materials to Donors Choose, including an official “thank you” letter to all the project contributors, a brief essay on how the project has benefited the students, and individual student “thank you” letters that are sent in a pre-paid envelope. I have had quite a bit of success on this site with numerous projects, including the acquisition of two electronic keyboards, a set a ten hand drums and mallets, and a set of Boomwhackers which I currently use in my general music classroom.
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Teachers Pay Teachers www.teacherspayteachers.com Teachers Pay Teachers is a comprehensive site that allows teachers of every subject and grade level to sell and/or purchase lesson plans, curriculum materials, handouts, and many other resources for the classroom. The use of the site is free, though a premium package is available for an additional cost. For teachers who wish to sell materials, there is a simple upload form for all electronic submissions and the ability to set your own price. A user-friendly guide is also available to assist with the process. For every material sold, the user gets to keep 80% of the selling price, though the premium package allows the user to keep all of the earnings in exchange for an annual fee. There is also a request page that allows teachers to advertise or request specific materials from the general user community. When selling materials, the user creates a homepage, known as a “dashboard”, which advertises the teacher’s materials and provides additional information such as a biography and professional information. I have found the site to be very useful in both acquiring and selling materials; my dashboard address is http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/ Andrew-Lesser for those who would like a closer look at an individual profile site. Feel free to contact me at the information provided above, or visit my website at www.andrewlessermusic.com if you have any questions or anything you’d like to share. I look forward to hearing from you!
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JANUARY 2014
MUSIC EDUCATION AT WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE
No other school compares to Westminster Choir College’s focused and collaborative approach to musical excellence. Guided by a world-class faculty, our students work together to prepare for the challenges of professional performance and successful careers.
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JANUARY 2014 08.01.13_NJME_Ad.indd 1
29 TEMPO 7/31/13 7:07 PM
Now Is The Time For Music Learning Theory Using Learning Theory To Teach “Reading Notes” On The Recorder by Joel Perry Redwood School West Orange, NJ joeljperry@gmail.com
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hat does it mean to read music? We as musicians and music teachers know that to read music means more than decoding a symbol and finding a fingering on an instrument. We know that music reading implies reading with understanding. That is, looking at the notes, and hearing the sound in our heads as we play them on our instruments. We know how important it is to teach not only the “note names” but how to understand tonality. Our students need to be able to “think critically” in music. If our students can sing, play, improvise, read, write and compose music, then they are truly demonstrating a deep understanding of music. In short they need to “audiate” tonality and tonal patterns. If we, as music educators understand the basic principles of Music Learning Theory then the teaching of tonal audiation can be a wonderful, fun and creative process for the teacher and student! It is a lot of fun to be able to make music together! Below is just one way that it might be done. Understanding the elements of Tonality (Whole) Songs in major and minor tonalities as well as mixolydian and Dorian tonalities should be part of an on going repertoire for the student to perform and listen to, as well as audiate. These songs should be part of the student’s repertoire. The student should be able to sing the resting tone or tonic to a number of songs in various tonalities as well as know how to sing the songs as well as perform them on an instrument. This would be part of the classroom activities, or the main part of the performing group rehearsal. This is the “whole” part. Some of these songs can be taught by rote or by “echo/playing” phrases on instruments. Notation can be used as well. Learning Sequence Activities (Part) It is recommended that the “Learning Sequence” part of the lesson be at the beginning of the lesson and last for about 5 – 10 minutes. The “Sequence” consists of a content sequence (in this case tonal content) and a skill learning sequence. It is the interaction of these two areas that create the forward motion of learning. If the class meets two times a week for thirty minutes each time, it might be best to alternate content every week or so. That is, one week tonal, the next week rhythm, etc. It is important to change tonalities for comparison and building understanding. One week use major, the next week minor and so on. The tonal content is divided up into patterns (see examples) for each tonality. The skill learning sequence is divided into Discrimination learning and Inference learning. Discrimination learning is teacher centered. The teacher models or demonstrates and the students respond. It is “rote” learning. Inference Learning is student centered. The student generalizes and comes up with new information. The teacher can only set up a situation where this can happen. They can ask a question. It is student centered. The student must do the heavy
lifting. The teacher cannot teach inference learning, but can provide a situation for the student to make inferences. The same skill level can exist in both categories. The order of instruction is sequential. One can “bridge” over from the Discrimination side to the Inference side and then back again to enrich learning and increase understanding. This is also valuable in assessing understanding. (*Foot note #1) The Skill Learning sequence is: Discrimination Learning Aural/Oral. Verbal Association. Partial synthesis. Symbolic Association (Reading –Writing). Composite Synthesis. Inference Learning Generalization (Aural/Oral –Verbal – Symbolic) (Reading, Writing). Creativity/Improvisation (Aural/Oral, Symbolic, Reading and Writing). Theoretical Understanding (Aural/Oral, Verbal, Symbolic) Reading and Writing. It is from the interaction of the skill learning sequence and the content sequence that long –range goals and sequential objectives can be developed and taught and assessed. This is specifically how curriculum can be developed. Benchmark assessments can be directly derived from the rhythm content. Here is just one way out of many that this can be achieved. Comprehensive Goal A. Students will demonstrate the ability to perform on recorder, read, write, and create using the following tonal patterns: major tonal patterns (see example 1) Major Tonal Patterns
Example 1
Treble Solo
3
Tr. Solo
9
Tr. Solo
Tr. Solo
Tr. Solo
Do
re
mi
mi fa Tonic Patterns
sol
6
Tr. Solo
Each measure is a pattern. Alternate between Tonic and Dominant Patterns.
Do
sol
sol
Do
mi
12
Dominant Patterns
15
sol
ti
4
7
fa
re
re
fa
mi
re
sol
fa
mi
Do 10
sol
Do
mi
sol
mi
re
fa
sol
Do
2
13
16
fa
re
ti
5
8
Do
Do
ti
Do
Do 11
mi
sol
sol
Do
14
17
sol
fa
re
ti
mi
sol
re
Comprehensive Goal B. Students will demonstrate the ability to perform on recorder, read, write, and create using the following minor tonal patterns. (See example 2) Using a schedule of a class having music two times a week, for thirty minutes, each sequential objective (one a week) would be studied at the beginning of each period. Stay on each objective for two classes. The first class would be in a “teaching mode”. The
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JANUARY 2014 Copyright © 2013 J.Perry
Minor Tonal Patterns Each measure is a pattern. Alternate between Tonic and Dominant Patterns. Example 2
Treble Solo
Tonic Pattern La
do
La
do
sol
La
La
Dominant Pattern
9
ti
ti
10
re
ti
3
mi
6
La
Tr. Solo
Tonic Pattern
La
5
Tr. Solo
2
do
do
re
La
do
ti
Tonic Pattern
do
8
Dominant Pattern
mi
mi
7
4
Tonic Pattern
La
mi
Dominant Pattern
mi
mi
ti
11 Dominant Pattern
ti
ti
LA
re
mi
second class can be done in the “practice” mode and/or in the “evaluation mode”. All of the below activities should be done with the large group, small groups and individual students. This will aid and enhance audiation as well as assessment. Please note: Throughout this article a movable “Do” with a La based minor is used. Therefore Do is the tonic in major and La is the tonic in minor. Sequential objectives 1. Aural/Oral – Major. The teacher sings on “loo” the “ major tonality tune up” such as: Do re mi fa sol la sol mi Do ti Do, or performs a chord pattern such as I V7 I on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality (see example 3). Students echo/sing or play tonal patterns tonic and dominant (see example 1) (The pattern Copyright © 2013 J Perry vocabulary at the aural/oral level will be probably be more patterns than at the symbolic level.) Be sure to instruct the students to take a preparatory breath before singing the answer. Research indicates that this aids audiation. Teacher Sings and/or Plays to outline major tonality Example 3
Treble Solo
G
loo Do
loo re
loo mi
C
loo fa
loo sol
loo la
G
loo sol
loo mi
loo Do
D7
G
loo ti
loo Do
2. Aural/Oral – Minor. The teacher sings on “loo” “minor tonality tune up” such as: La ti do re mi fa mi do La si La, or performs a chord pattern such as i V7 i on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality (see example 4). Students echo/sing or play minor tonal patterns step wise and tonic and dominant. (See example 2). (The pattern vocabulary at the Aural/Oral level should be more patterns than at the symbolic level.) Be sure to instruct the students to take a preparatory breath before singing the answer. Research indicates that this aids audiation. Teacher Sings and/or Plays to outline minor tonality Example 4
Treble Solo
E mi
loo La
loo ti
loo do
loo re
loo mi
Ami loo fa
Emi loo mi
loo do
loo LA
B7
E
loo si
loo LA
3. Aural/Oral Inference/Creativity/Improvisation – Major. The teacher sings on ‘loo’ the “ major tonality tune up” such as Do re mi fa sol la sol mi Do ti Do, or performs a chord pattern such as I V7 I, (example 3) on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality. JANUARY 2014
Playing a “Simon says” game, the teacher sings or plays a pattern and the students play it back. Students take turns being “Simon”. (A variation of this exercise or game to be used at a more advanced stage would be for the teacher to play a “question “ pattern (on the Dominant) and individual students to “answer” on the tonic. The class or a small group can also answer together.) 4. Aural/Oral Inference/Creativity/Improvisation – Minor. The teacher sings on loo “ minor tonality tune up” such as: La ti do re mi fa mi do La si La, or performs a chord pattern such as i V7 i (example 4) on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality. Singing on “bum” or playing on instruments. Playing a “Simon says” game, the teacher plays a pattern and the students play it back. Students take turns being “Simon”. (A variation of this exercise or game to be used at a more advanced stage would be for the teacher to play a “question” pattern (on the Dominant) and individual students to “answer” on the tonic. The class or a small group can also answer together. 5. Verbal Association – Major. At this level students echo/sing using solfeggio syllables and play major patterns. The teacher says: “We will now echo some major tonic patterns”. The teacher begins by singing in solfeggio the “ major tonality tune up” such as: Do mi sol mi Do ti Do, or performs a chord pattern such as I V7 I (example 3) on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality. Then Tonic, scale and Dominant patterns are echoed. Be sure to instruct the students to take a preparatory breath before singing the answer. Research indicates that this aids audiation. New patterns are introduced in subsequent weeks as new notes are learned. (See example 1) I have written the solfeggio syllables under the notes. This is for teacher reference only. Solfeggio syllables are not written for the student except to show where “do” is. It is used verbally only. At this stage of the sequence notation for the student is not used. 6. Verbal Association – Minor – At this level students echo/ sing using solfeggio syllables and play minor tonal patterns. The teacher sings using solfeggio syllables a “minor tune up” such as la ti do re mi do la si la, or performs a chord pattern such as I V7 I (example 4) on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality. Tonic, scale and Dominant patterns are echoed. It is crucial at this level for the teacher to say:” We will now echo some minor tonal patterns “. In subsequent weeks, as new notes are introduced, patterns using these notes are echoed (See example 2). I have written the solfeggio syllables under the notes. This is for teacher reference only. The solfeggio syllables are not written for the student except to show where “do” is. It is used verbally only. In fact, this stage of the sequence notation for the student is not used. 7. Verbal Association – Major – Inference/Creativity/ Improvisation – the students are instructed that they will be improvising major patterns in this game. The teacher sings using solfeggio syllables “ major tonality tune up” such as: Do re mi fa sol la sol mi Do ti Do, (example 3) or performs a chord pattern such as I V7 I on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality. The teacher makes up a major tonic pattern by performing it on the recorder. Instruct the students to echo the pattern on “loo”. (Always indicate a “breathing pause” to aid in audiation). Instruct the students to sing the pattern using solfeggio. (Example # 1) Instruct the student to play the pattern on instruments. (If the student uses an incorrect verbal association, simply correct it, matter of fact like, in the echo). Now it is the student’s turn to be “Simon” and make up a pattern! By improvising patterns students are generalizing, using “critical thinking” in music! It also lets the teacher know if they are ready to read these patterns. A variation of this exercise or game would be for the teacher to play a “question” pattern (on the Dominant) and individual students to “answer” on the tonic. The class or a small group can also answer together. 31 TEMPO
8. Verbal Association – Minor – Inference/Creativity/Improvisation – the students are instructed that they will be improvising minor patterns in this game. The teacher sings, using solfeggio syllables the “minor tonality tune up” such as La ti do re mi fa mi do La si La, (example 4) or performs a chord pattern such as: i V7 i on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality. The teacher makes up a minor tonic pattern by performing it on the recorder. Instruct the students to echo the pattern on “loo”. (Always indicate a “breathing pause” to aid in audiation). Instruct the students to sing the pattern using solfeggio. (Example 4) Instruct the student to play the pattern on instruments. (If the student uses an incorrect verbal association or simply correct it, matter of fact like, in the echo). Now it is the student’s turn to “be Simon” and make up a pattern. By improvising patterns students are generalizing, using “critical thinking” in music! It also lets the teacher know if they are ready to read these patterns. A variation of this exercise or game would be for the teacher to play a “question” pattern (on the Dominant) and individual students to “answer” on the tonic. The class or a small group can also answer together. 9. Partial Synthesis – Major – Tonic – (Generalization, Creativity/Improvisation). For this level the teacher announces: “Today we will improvise using our Tonic major patterns. For example, if I play: (teacher plays a dominant pattern such as sol ti re) you would play (teacher plays mi –sol –Do). A few examples need to be given until students understand. Students can “answer” individually or in small groups of 2 or 3. 10. Partial Synthesis –Minor – Tonic – (Generalization, creativity/Improvisation). For this level the teacher announces: “Today we will improvise using our Tonic minor patterns. For example, if I play: (teacher plays a dominant pattern such as si ti re) you would play (teacher plays do – mi – La). A few examples need to be given until students understand. Students can “answer” individually or in small groups of 2 or 3. 11. Partial Synthesis – assessment mode – the teacher sings or plays a group of familiar patterns on a neutral syllable. Students may echo. The teacher asks if it is Major or Minor. Repeat for a few phrases. In this mode you are determining if, indeed, the students have achieved the partial synthesis level for these patterns. (Please note that each of these objectives is designed to be implemented every other week, for five – 10 minutes a day, at the
beginning of class. This is assuming the class meets two times a week for thirty minutes each meeting. (During the alternate weeks the same process would be implemented using tonal content.) In addition during the rest of the period classroom activities should occur that are part of Music Learning Theory. It is at this point that the student is finally ready to “read the notes!” 12. Symbolic Association – Discrimination, Major – Reading – At this level of discrimination learning, the students echo sing/and play from notation major tonal patterns they have already audiated (see example 1) at the aural/oral, verbal association, and partial synthesis level. Notice that the vocabulary is less at this level than at previous levels. Of course vocabulary can be added later. Some patterns may also be “inferred” in the future as well! 13. Symbolic Association – Discrimination Learning, Minor – reading – At this level of discrimination learning, the students echo sing/and play from notation minor patterns they have already audiated (see example 2) at the aural/oral, verbal association, and partial synthesis level. Notice that the vocabulary is less at this level than at previous levels. Of course vocabulary can be added later. Some patterns may also be “inferred” in the future as well! 14. Symbolic Association – Generalization – Major –Familiar and some unfamiliar patterns. The student is shown major tonal patterns and told that the tonality is major (example 1) Remember not to write in the solfeggio letters. They are also told on what line or space “doh is”. The teacher begins by singing in solfeggio the “major tonality tune up” such as: Do re mi fa sol la sol mi do ti Do, or performs a chord pattern such as I V7 I on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality (example 3) The student then sings with solfeggio syllables or a neutral syllable and/or performs them on an instrument. 15. Symbolic Association – Generalization – Minor –Familiar and some unfamiliar patterns. The student is shown minor tonal patterns and told that the tonality is minor (example 2). Remember not to write in the solfeggio letters. The teacher shows where “do” is on the staff. The teacher begins by singing in solfeggio the “ minor tonality tune up” such as la ti do re mi fa mi do la si la, or performs a chord pattern such as: i V7 i on a piano or guitar to outline the tonality (example 4). The student then sings the patterns with
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solfeggio syllables or a neutral syllable and/ or performs them on an instrument. 16. Composite Synthesis – Major/ Minor tonality, – At this level the student is presented with notation of familiar rhythm patterns in either familiar or unfamiliar order. The student is not told what the tonality is. The student will be able to infer what the tonality is and sing/or play the tonal patterns with or without syllables and/ or perform the patterns on an instrument. The best way to understand how all of this is accomplished is to see it in action. Reading about it is crucial as well. The combination of reading the “theory” and seeing it implemented will clarify the process. There are as many ways to implement the theory, as there are teachers! While this process is lengthy and involved for the teacher, it is fun and creative because the teacher gets to change, devise, revise and create. There are literally thousands of possibilities. For the student it is highly enabling. It facilitates audiation. Audiaiton allows for generalization and critical thinking taking place in music. The student is equipped to understand, read, write, improvise and compose music. If you wish to learn more I highly recommend looking at the web site: GIML. org. Please join the NJ chapter of GIML to become more involved with Music Learning Theory in NJ. Anyone wishing to join the New Jersey chapter of GIML please go to the website GIML.org and join the National organization. Be sure to click on “none” for Chapter Affiliation as the NJ Chapter is new and is not currently listed. This way the organization will know by your address that you wish to be part of the NJ Chapter. After doing So please e –mail: jperry@woboe.org or joeljperry@comcast.net. Please email me if you have any questions or concerns regarding MLT. *Foot note 1 – p. 113, The Ways Children Learn Music, by Eric Bluestine, Gia Publications, Chicago, 2000
& JANUARY 2014
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33 TEMPO
Using Journals In Your Ensemble Rehearsal
Improving Performance and Making Broader Connections by Dan Halpern Verona Schools, Verona, NJ dhalpern@veronaschools.org
A
s music teachers we all hope our students will have the ability to find meaning in various types of music throughout their lives. Making meaning can involve performance, however for most adults it means listening and interpreting. In performance-based school music programs, the majority of time is focused on developing performing skills, but very little time is spent developing reception skills (i.e. listening, critiquing, analyzing, etc.). Music journals are a powerful tool that can allow ensemble directors to incorporate a variety of elements into their rehearsals to address music reception, while improving aspects of performance. They are flexible enough to adapt to almost any situation, and are also useful as a means of assessing student progress. What Are Music Journals? A music journal is a notebook that students bring to each music rehearsal to record a daily entry. The daily entry can be a rhythmic dictation, a short written response to a music-related question, or anything related to the music being learned. Journal entries can take as little as two minutes, or the entire rehearsal period. Originally, my colleague, Dan Berz and I devised journals as a means to organize “Do Now” activities completed by our 7th and 8th grade students when they entered the classroom. These mostly consisted of simple rhythms for which students would write in the counts. Other times there would be a leading question for students to answer that accompanied a listening example. As the journals became incorporated into rehearsal, it became clear how useful they were for accomplishing larger goals. They can be used as a tool for students to reflect on their performance, and to develop listening skills. Journals are collected periodically for the teacher to read and respond, pro-
viding additional opportunities to assess and communicate with students. Journals For Teaching Rhythm Rhythmic journal entries are typically the shortest type. They take the least amount of class time, and are the quickest for the teacher to assess. When we first began using journals in 7th grade band class, my colleague and I began the school year with simple 2to 4-measure patterns consisting of quarter and eighth note rhythms. Students would copy the rhythms and write in the counting below using the “1 e + a” system. Afterward, they would chant and clap the rhythms, and then play them on their instruments. We also incorporated rhythms taken from the music we performed. Within a few weeks students adopted the routine and were able to successfully transcribe and perform the rhythms in a few minutes. Over the course of the school year students’ rhythmic abilities improved dramatically. Before long they were easily succeeding at performing syncopated 8th and 16th rhythms. To challenge students we gave them 2-part rhythms to perform as duets, and even had students compose their own rhythms. By the end of the year there was a marked increase in students’ rhythmic accuracy and sight-reading ability. Journals For Self-Reflection Journals can be a powerful tool for students to assess their own performance, and to communicate with teachers. In addition to rhythm “do-now’s,” my colleague and I would post reflection questions for students to answer as class began. Questions were designed to focus students on a particular aspect of the group’s performance or their own playing. This also gave students the opportunity to share their views on the music we
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performed, which provided useful feedback for choosing repertoire and running effective rehearsals. Sample reflection questions:
• What is your favorite (or least favorite) piece of music that we are playing? Why do you like (or dislike) that piece? • List three spots in our music that you play very well, and three spots that need improvement. How can we improve those sections? • What section of our music have we improved the most? How did we make that improvement happen? • List your musical strengths (i.e. tone, rhythmic ability, articulation, dynamics, range, etc.). What would you most like to improve about how you play your instrument? • If you were running tomorrow’s rehearsal, what is the first section of music you would work on? Why? These types of questions have a dramatic effect in focusing students on both shortand long-term goals. Soliciting their feedback and using it in class will increase their sense of ownership of the ensemble, and empower them to guide their own learning. Consider the difference between the traditional means of running rehearsal, in which the conductor dictates what and how everything is done (“I said to play forte at measure 33!”), and one in which students’ views are incorporated (“Mary suggested starting at measure 33 to work on dynamics”). Journals For Teaching Broader Musical Concepts Music journals are particularly useful for helping students grasp musical concepts beyond those learned through performance. JANUARY 2014
When we began to use journals, one goal my colleague and I had was to introduce students to a variety of music to which they likely hadn’t been exposed. We chose repertoire that related to different musical genres, and used that as a launching point to discuss various composers and musical styles. Since listening examples were related to the music we performed, students were more receptive as they listened, and were able to make strong connections to what they heard. For example, we listened to various pieces by Hungarian composer, Béla Bartók, while we worked on Timothy Broege’s Bartók Variations (Grade 2, Grand Mesa Music Publishers). In another class we played three different recordings of a short excerpt from a symphony and had students compare and contrast the three performances. Not only did they learn to listen critically, but they also developed a better understanding of characteristic performance practices. Sample listening/critiquing questions:
• How is this music similar to or different from the music we are currently performing? • Listen for your instrument (or voice). What do you like about their performance? What would you change? Why? • Listen to the recording and critique the performers’ dynamics (or any particular performance element you wish to be the focus). What did you like? What would you change? Why? • For a tone poem: Were you able to follow the “story” in the music? What musical elements made the story clear to you? • How did the composer create a feeling of excitement (or calm, tension, suspense, joy, etc.)? When guiding students through these questions you may need to review the elements of music and focus your students’ attention on a specific one. Remember that listening is a skill, and being able to perceive various elements in a complex piece of music takes time and patience. Consider repeating listening examples several times over the course of a few weeks to give students a chance to build on their first impressions. Students will also benefit from focusing their studies on one genre or composer at a time. By listening to a several examples from one composer or genre over an extended period, JANUARY 2014
students will be able to make stronger connections and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Other Options For Using Journals By now it is clear that journals can be used to teach almost anything. In addition to the aforementioned ideas, they can be used to teach basic music theory, history, terminology, and a variety of other concepts. Journals can be tailored to work within the parameters of any program, and to suit the needs of specific students. Here are some other considerations: • Journals are an excellent platform for introducing new concepts and teaching rhythm. For example, one might start class with a rhythm containing four eighth notes, and then replace the first three with a dotted quarter note to show how the new rhythm is counted. • Reading and responding to students’ journals can be time-consuming. Incorporating more rhythm exercises and short written responses will speed the process, however, having them write longer reflections and taking the time to respond to them will make the experience more meaningful. • Journals provide an alternative means of assessing students’ growth. For those who struggle with performance, journals are a great way to demonstrate understanding of musical concepts. • It is important to incorporate journals into every class in order for students to fully embrace using them as a routine. On days when more time is needed to work on music, a shorter rhythm or a quick written response will suffice. • Consider a regular journal collection schedule (i.e. every Thursday). For large classes, collecting them on different days for various groups makes reading and responding easier. For example, one might collect woodwinds on Mondays, and brass and percussion on Thursdays. • If and how they are graded is a personal choice. In general,
experience has shown that focusing attention on grades will distract from the main goal of learning. Journals work best when they are primarily used as a learning tool, and as a means to communicate with students. • Journals can be used as part of the fulfillment of Student Growth Objective requirements, and to meet Common Core Standards. While using journals takes some time and creates extra work, the benefits clearly outweigh the costs. Most music students who participate in performance-based programs will not pursue careers in music. Many will stop performing altogether once they graduate high school. Therefore, the experiences provided in these programs must incorporate learning that goes beyond performance. We must be willing to sacrifice a small part of rehearsal time to instill a deeper sense of the value of music in our students. In that regard, incorporating journals as part of a daily rehearsal routine will open students to endless possibilities. Please contact Dan Halpern with any comments or questions, or to share thoughts on how to incorporate journals into your music program. dhalpern@veronaschools.org
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The Ukulele In The General Music Classroom Part I – Ukulele 101 By Thomas Amoriello Flemington Raritan School District tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us Matthew S. Ablan Elementary Music Educator Charlotte, NC
A
loha! If images of palm trees, grass skirts and white sands come to mind when you hear the high-pitched strumming of the ukulele, you are not alone! As music educators we constantly look for new ways to reach our students, and the ukulele may offer yet another option. If Orff instruments, Boomwhackers and recorders have dominated the “hands on” portion of your general music curriculum, then consider this an invitation to use the ukulele to enhance your classroom. The “uke” is an instrument that is fun, inexpensive, portable and extremely popular. For music educators it has the added bonus of also being easy to manage and teach. Moreover, it can serve as a gateway to other plucked string instruments such as the guitar, electric bass, mandolin, and banjo. Developed in the 1880’s, much of the ukulele’s history is told from the Hawaiian perspective, but in fact it was introduced to the islands by Portuguese immigrants. This tiny folk instrument is originally from the Madeira Islands off the coast of Portugal and first became popular in the US after the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco. It was there that the Hawaiian contingent featured a guitar and ukulele ensemble which caught on with PPIE visitors. It then found its way into popular culture via Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the time who wrote Hawaiian themed music - from there going international, even becoming a hit in such faraway places as Japan! The instrument became so popular in 1920 that Christian Frederick Martin III (from the Martin Guitar Company of Nazareth, Pennsylvania) estimates that the company turned out nearly twice as many ukuleles as guitars during that time period. Helping to fuel the ukulele craze in the 1920s and ‘30s was Roy Smeck (1900-1994), who was billed as the “Wizard of the Strings” because of his virtuosity on guitar, banjo and especially the ukulele. Roy was a consummate artist who performed at FDR’S inaugural ball in 1932, the coronation review of George VI, and later on the Ed Sullivan and Jack Paar television shows. His numerous recordings, method books, arrangements and invention of the “Vita-Uke” marketed by the Harmony string instrument company make him an indelible part of ukulele history. From the 1940s-‘60s the ukulele was a mainstay as millions were sold, but the mass popularity the instrument once enjoyed was on the decline. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the ukulele was again in the spotlight, spurred on by the famous rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” by Isreal “Iz” Kawiwo’ole (1959-1997); the song is #2 of all-time iTunes downloads and found in the soundtrack to countless films. Recently, the ukulele has seen a full-blown rise in popularity witnessed by its use in hit songs like “Hey Soul Sister” by the Cali-
fornia-based rock band Train or even jumping genres into progressive heavy metal in the song “Pretelethal” by Coheed and Cambria. Now more than ever there are a number of ukulele virtuosi, the most well-known probably being Jake Shimabukuro (the Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele), who has made a name for himself through grandiose arrangements of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Additionally, the late John King (1953-2009) became well-known for his scholarly research and creative transcriptions of J.S. Bach and the famous Carol of the Bells for the instrument. Today one must only search “ukulele” on YouTube to produce literally millions of posted videos to confirm that “ukulelemania” has indeed gripped the world once again! Currently, there are a number of companies who produce quality student level instruments and beyond. Moreover, depending on the manufacturer, ukuleles can be purchased individually or as bundles.
Various Ukulele Manufacturers Kamaka Lanikai Mahalo Makala
Ohana Ovation Pono Rogue
There are four types of ukuleles: Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone (pictured below smallest to largest) of which the most commonly used are the Soprano and the Concert. Other variants also exist in uke design such as the banjo-uke, resonator-uke, electric uku-
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lele as well as the novelty “fluke” (flying “V” shaped ukulele). If you would like a more in-depth look at the types of ukulele and their tonal qualities, the Austin, Texas based music company Austin Bazaar has produced a “Beginner’s Guide to Ukulele” video which is available on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4oxVDmizjM). The ukulele has four strings whose standard tuning is: 1st - A, nd 2 - E, 3rd - C and 4th - G; oddly enough the 4th string - “G” is tuned higher than the second and third strings. There are also string manufacturers that offer a “lower fourth string option” – it is a thicker string and would be tuned an octave lower.
If one is acquainted with the parts of the guitar, then the ukulele will be familiar territory as the names are the same. Take a look at the diagram below. Like other plucked string instruments, the ukulele utilizes both standard music notation and tablature. Most commonly referred to as “tab”, tablature is a notational system which can be traced back to the Renaissance and uses numbers or letters to indicate fret position and lines to denote strings. Today common practice dictates that the lowest line of the “tab staff ” represents the lowest string; the top line represents the highest; and the use of numbers is used to indicate fret position.
Moreover, Tab comes in two forms (as seen in the diagrams above and below): (1) as a stand-alone notational system – where numbers indicate string/frets to be fingered and rhythms are attached to the numbers. (2) used in conjunction with standard notation - the actual notes and rhythms are viewed in standard notation, but “finger placement” is viewed in Tab. JANUARY 2014
We hope that this first installment of Ukulele in the General Music Classroom has provided readers with a general working knowledge of the instrument and its history. Like any instrument, the ukulele can be as simple or complex as one chooses, but it is recommended to be introduced as one to be cared for and respected, rather than a novelty so students remain actively engaged. Keep in mind that with the ukulele, students can pluck melodies or strum chords; and for music educators the “how-to” of these basic skills are all that are necessary for a lesson plan or unit. My Personal Classroom Uke Story & More by Tom Amoriello This may come across as a bit romanticized or overly embellished, but the truth is I became interested in the ukulele during a vacation to Hawaii about ten years ago. The “time-share” at which I was staying offered free ukulele lessons by the poolside and even provided an instrument for those attending to use. Though I enjoyed the lesson with the “hired entertainment” my guitar skills easily transitioned to the ukulele and made playing a simple matter. I was so charmed by the instrument that within a few hours I had purchased my own instrument - a pineapple shape, to pay homage to my Hawaiian vacation! Within weeks I was purchasing various method books and ukes of different sizes and shapes, and was even engaging in the occasional duet with my brother-in-law who plays accordion. I soon found that what I liked most about this instrument was that it brought a smile to the faces of those who listened to me. Sometime later, I came across a newspaper article about an instructor teaching ukulele classes for nursing home residents in San Diego, CA. After reading the article I envisioned incorporating a ukulele unit as part of my school music program, and knew the addition would be exciting for my students. During the last five years, I gradually ordered 5 concert ukes each year until I had enough for a full class (sharing in the meantime). My classroom is equipped with spruce top Lanikai concert ukuleles (Model No. S-C). I prefer this size and brand because I feel that the concert uke has better intonation and they stay in tune a little better than the soprano sizes I have encountered; perhaps this is the result of the high quality tuning machines Lanikai puts on their concert ukes. Moreover, I believe the quality of this brand related to the price is a wise choice. Furthermore, the baritone size is also an option but pricing and popularity have dissuaded my decision. In order for my students to receive the most benefit from studying the ukulele, I teach a unit on the instrument. As part of the unit a typical lesson plan may include the historical background, recorded samples and working from a method book. The method book I have chosen is Ukulele Book 1 by Lil’ Rev, published by Hal Leonard. However, given my penchant to mix things up I will try Everybody’s 37 TEMPO
Ukulele Method by “Ukulele Mike”Lynch and Philip Groeber published by FJH Music in the coming school year. It is my personal opinion that the Lynch/Groeber method has a better song selection including more patriotic, celebration and holiday songs using the “4-string” tablature and is more “kid friendly.” Additionally, the use of chord diagrams with finger numbers is also consistent throughout the method. Note: ukulele chord diagram use will be explained in Part II of this article. Regarding instrument performance and care, I have students use their fingers to play ukuleles and not guitar picks as I believe it will cut down on string breakage and carved indentation on the instruments from fidgety youngsters. In conclusion, the instrument itself has been visible as an advocate for the music department especially on my school’s spirit day named “Luau Day” to celebrate Polynesian culture. My next project will be to include the instrument in some way during a winter and spring school concert accompanying either the chorus or the guitar ensemble. As educators we look to inspire lifelong learning in our areas of expertise, the ukulele though not complex can bring joy to many of our citizens. Mahalo! Thomas Amoriello is currently teaching General Music/Guitar Class & Chorus at Reading Fleming Intermediate School in Hunterdon County. He is a graduate of Rowan University and Shenandoah Conservatory and has presented guitar workshops for various music organizations including the NJMEA, Guitar Foundation of America and Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society. He is proud to endorse The Guitar Wheel, D’Addario Strings and Guitar Picks by Steve Clayton, Inc. You can learn more about Tom by visiting www.tomamoriello.com Matthew S. Ablan is an elementary music educator in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a graduate of SUNY Stony Brook and The Cleveland Institute of Music as well as holding a Masters in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University. Ablan’s list of teaching credentials include having served as adjunct instructor of classical guitar studies at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and maintaining a successful private guitar studio for close to two decades. Most recently he was a guest lecturer at the 2012 Guitar Foundation of America International Festival and Competition in Charleston, SC and is the author/founder of The Guitar Teaching Blog. For more information about Matthew please visit: www. matthewablan.com
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Music Education In Crisis by Joseph Pergola, Retired National Education Company Director of Education and Arts Development jtpergola@optonline.net
T
hese are trying times for music educators across the nation. Our state and local governments are suffering from severe financial shortfalls which have resulted in severe budget cuts. The brunt of these budget cuts are falling on public service institutions particularly our public schools. In some cases funding cuts are endangering the very existence of music education programs in our schools. The largest source of funding for public schools comes from property taxes. In the current recession people find themselves in financial crisis. People are not buying homes and in too many cases, they are abandoning or losing their homes to foreclosure. In this type of fiscal environment, state and local governments do not collect the revenue necessary to properly fund local public schools. The unfortunate reality is this: state and federal money to schools continues to decrease; yet the cost of operating schools continues to rise. Sad but True:
If a school does not recognize the value of music education, the risk of music suffering serious budget cuts is heightened. Too often school leaders and parents lack a true understanding of the importance of music education in a child’s development. Music education provides private and public benefits. Private Benefits: • Enriches the quality of children’s lives • Promotes cultural awareness • Creates social bonds • Makes schools better places to learn • Promotes pride of accomplishment Public Benefits: • Promotes responsibility • Raises student achievement
• Develops self-discipline • Develops greater tolerance • Provides constructive entertainment In the current state of economic recession, public schools are losing a significant portion of their funding. This forces school districts to make serious choices about program funding. A loss in funding too often translates into less money to support elective courses in music. Program cuts of this nature are usually accompanied by lay-offs and job cuts. It’s sad but true that students attending wealthier school districts have a greater opportunity for a well rounded balanced education then lower income school districts. Recent legislation with it’s obsessive focus on testing in reading and math has disqualified some students from participation in elective music programs and has left little time in an already overcrowded school day for music. According to The National Assessment of Educational Programs in the Arts, student exposure to the arts education in schools has steadily declined since 1997. It is not uncommon today to see the elimination of elementary instrumental programs, district wide string orchestra programs, grade level choruses and theory classes. It is estimated that a majority of Fine Arts Departments in public schools have adopted funding and/or program cuts since 2010. Everything except core academic subjects is starting to be considered a perk. In spite of all the concern and outrage over increasing taxes and proposed program cuts, public response has not stopped the erosion of music education programs. We as music educators have miscalculated public response. There has been no universal public outcry about defunding music education. We must not mistake concern and sympathy for advocacy.
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Result:
Whenever school budgets need to be cut music programs and music teachers are the first to go! Question:
Why is it so difficult for so many individuals in decision- making positions to understand the importance of maintaining a strong music program? The answer is simple! We must face the fact that we collectively and as individuals, have not done a good enough job communicating the value of music education for our children’s future and for our nation. We have not effectively communicated and convinced the academic world, society in general, the people who control the levers of influence and the people who make the critical decisions regarding educational funding for the arts. Lessons from the Past:
Unfortunately, the facts show that we have learned little from past problems. Although educational music associations have unveiled broad based advocacy plans, most are nothing more than glorified public relations programs placed in the hands of an organized leadership as opposed to an inspired grass-roots movement emphasizing prevention. Music educators must learn to be proactive. Too often we don’t see the threat to music education until it’s to late! Too many school boards believe that cutting or eliminating music programs will ease budget restraints with little or no detrimental effect on students. It is the responsibility of every music education advocate to be able to effectively dispute this claim. Whenever program or funding cuts are made to music programs, school boards always claim that the arts are not being unfairly targeted. They will site cuts to other programs beside music. But the truth is JANUARY 2014
that cut backs in the arts have never been proportionately fair when compared to cut backs in other programs. Example: *(based on a 5 period teacher load of 5 teaching periods @ 25 students per class). If a school with one thousand students proposes cuts equalling one teacher in each subject area, they can easily make the case for fairness. But in reality, cutting one math teacher when every student must take math means one of eight math teachers will be eliminated or 12.5% of math staff.* But one music teacher in a typical school with a band, orchestra, chorus and classroom music teacher results in one of five music teachers eliminated or 20% of the staff. I ask, is that fairness? The time to act is now! You can’t afford to wait. It takes years to build a quality music program, but it only takes minutes for an uneducated school board and a subservient administration to destroy a quality comprehensive program. Once an education program is lost, it rarely if ever returns. We must remind everyone that the cost of education is far less than the cost of ignorance. Joseph Pergola is the retired Director of Fine Arts from the William Floyd School District on Eastern Long Island, New York. A graduate of the New York College of Music, he received his undergraduate degree and teacher certification from Dowling College, a Masters Degree from SUNY Stony Brook and his Administrative Degree from C.W. Post University. During his tenure at William Floyd, he taught elementary, middle school and high school band. His performance ensembles received the highest rating at New York State Ensemble Adjudication for 21 consecutive years. After being named Director of Fine Arts, the William Floyd Music Department was named a MENC Model Music Program. The New York State Theater Association and the National Theater Association also named Pergola, Administrator of Year. He serves as a member of the New York State Council of School Music Administrators and a member of the Advisory Board of the New York State Band Directors Association. Pergola is a published author with four (4) books to his credit and serves as a frequent clinician at MENC / NAfME Conferences throughout the United States. He currently works for the National Education Service Company as Director of Education and Arts Dvelopment and is a member of the adjunct faculty at C.W.Post / Long Island Universi
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Teaching The Art Of The Shift In Orchestra Class by Thomas Tatton Retired String Specialist ttatton43@gmail.com Reprinted from News Magazine of California MEA
T
he ability to shift and play in positions can catapult a beginning orchestra program, almost immediately, into an intermediate ensemble by that simple skill alone. The ability to shift extends the range on each string including the upper string which then broadens the available repertoire. It often eliminates awkward string crossings and/ or fingerings; avoids objectionable open strings or long notes on weak fingers; facilitates vibrato; and provides multiple opportunities for expressivity. Now, we need to teach shifting to thirty or forty youngsters all at the same time. Perhaps we want to provide guidance for better accuracy, smoothness and expressive qualities for our more advanced high school students. Even for a native string player this might seem a daunting task. The following are graduated tips and suggestions for motivated teachers who understand the possibilities and efficacy for an orchestra program which is engaged in the art of the shift. When do we start to teach shifting? The answer is: almost immediately. That is, when we first teach and insist upon acceptFingers, relaxed and curved, above the strings
able posture with our beginning students including a well set up left hand position. Checking left hand position for future success includes making sure the forearm is connected to the base of the palm in a relative straight line. For upper strings the elbow goes under the instrument; for the lower instruments the elbow points away from the instrument. For upper strings the thumb is placed on the neck of the instrument in a relaxed convex curve opposite the 1st and 2nd fingers. For lower strings, the thumb is centered in a relaxed convex curve under the neck opposing the 2nd and 3rd fingers. The final test of a well-positioned left hand is when the fingers are relaxed and curved, they fall on a middle string in a relative straight line.
The Rolland Shuttle
When teachers insist on appropriate posture they make the future shift possible. When they don’t insist, they make the future shift much more difficult! Youthful players often express four objections or difficulties in shifting:
1. the thumb seems jammed into the neck, 2. a feeling of sticky fingers on the fingerboard, 3. a heaviness in the arm and hand, and the 4th issue, which can be remedied early, is the fact that the floor does not support the violin and viola as it does with cello and string bass. The upper strings might be aided in the exercises below by bracing the scroll against a wall – being careful to place a cloth, pad or sponge between the scroll and the wall. The solutions for successful shifting are both mental and physical. A. The Rolland Shuttle is an early shifting exercise, but also an integral, efficacious exercise for every string class. Place the four fingers on a middle string in low position and tap four times; slide the whole hand up, including the thumb, to a middle position and tap four times; slide the whole hand up to a higher position, tap four times. Repeat as desired. Paul Rolland (Footnote 1) and Loretta McNulty (Footnote 2) and others recommend the use of the 8va harmonic – a positive variant! The “Shuttle” exercise can be effectively used in warm-up beginning with the first days of instruction through the most advanced orchestra program.
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The Rolland Shuttle
B. Place a small piece of toilet paper, tissue or small cloth between the finger and the fingerboard then simply slide up and down on a middle string. Youthful students somehow find this exercise entertaining, yet, like the “Shuttle,” this movement shapes the left hand, correctly places the elbow, moves the hand as a unit, and frees the “sticky” feeling.
C. Left hand thumb games are always in order. A small piece of sponge placed between the thumb and neck can help younger students get the idea of a “soft thumb.” Tapping and rubbing the side of the neck are early exercises quickly done, often overlooked, yet essential to future development. More advanced students can play a phrase or line of music taking the thumb completely off the neck of the instrument. The student soon finds a relaxed, more natural, thumb position that releases the tension in both the thumb and left hand. D. Mental pictures are always important for youngsters. Try this: pretend that you are in a swimming pool shoulder deep in water – relax the arms. They will float to the surface. That is how you want the arms to feel when set up correctly. I used what I called the “Flab Technique” for some time. Without an instrument, I demonstrated flipping the relaxed flab on both my forearm and upper arm and told my students that is how you want your arms to feel – not clenched or tight. This worked for a while until one young fourth grader said with plaintive eyes, “But JANUARY 2014
Tom, I don’t have any flab.” You may have your own visuals – something to do with Jell-O or perhaps with Neil Armstrong and weightless space; but whatever story you concoct, it is important pedagogically to give youngsters something they can visualize. E. Students from second year through high school can learn a scale on one string beginning on the first finger or using first finger alone. Or, try Au Clair de la Lune, Mary Had A Little Lamb or some other simple linear melody on one string and first finger only. Make sure students keep all their fingers lined up with the string. F. Play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in each key going up the fingerboard chromatically or in the key of the literature placed in
front of the students. It is a pattern, so have them figure out the fingering starting on an open string, and then starting on first finger. The basses may need some assistance with fingering – see below. G. I used The Blob for a number of years in string orchestra warm ups. One reader asked: “Did you use The Blob during the entire school year?” Well, yes, certainly not every day. I did vary it. I inserted slurs; played it in rhythms (a particularly difficult ensemble rhythm or even cross rhythms in our selected repertoire); used different bowings including Martelé, Marcato,
Spiccato, Staccato, as well as simple Détaché; and bow placement including Sul ponticello and Sul tasto. Variation was key to have students buy into the repetition. (The Blob can be downloaded at https://sites.google.com/a/dslextreme.com/cmeamagazine/ 45 TEMPO
Overall, the most important factor in students learning to shift is the persistence of the teacher in working on this technique and finding ways to keep it fresh and fun. More expressive shifting possibilities will be presented in a later article including portamento; shifting with the finger on the string; or shifting with the finger in the new position for different effects. Perhaps with some suggested shifting practice techniques included as well. References 1. Basic Principles of Violin Playing, Paul Rolland. Music Educators National Conference, 1959. P. 23.
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2. Setting the Stage for Shifting, Loretta JW McNulty. Lecture given at the California All-State Music Education Conference, 23 February 2013. Loretta teaches in the Lafayette and Mt. Diablo school districts. Bay Section CMEA Outstanding Orchestra Director for 2013, she earned her Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music from Indiana University.
Tom Tatton is a retired string specialist with the Lincoln Unified School District in Stockton, California. His previous positions include Associate Professor of String Education, Music History, Violist in Residence and Director of Orchestras at both Whittier College and the University of the Pacific. His monograph on public school string teaching, “Connecting the Dots,” was published in 2003. He is currently active as a clinician and adjudicator as well as making appearances at school in-service training conferences. He is also the previous CMEA Orchestra Representative. E-mail him at ttatton43@ gmail.com
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Band Articulation: Think About The Bowing By William L. Berz Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey wberz@rci.rutgers.edu
A
rticulation is one of many elements of interpretation in the band. It shapes the general form and musical character of the piece. Articulation is also a major factor in achieving clarity in the band. For example, certain notes may need to be played shorter to achieve ensemble clarity in a resonant setting. Unfortunately, articulation markings are sometimes quite vague. Many are interpreted differently in concert bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles. A symbol may mean one thing for a band and something entirely different for an orchestra. Wind players are often told to imitate the voice when playing. This is especially appropriate when the music is lyrical. Singers connect all of the notes to form beautiful phrases. And importantly, they breathe in the correct places. Bands do need to breathe in order to form phrases; to do otherwise is not musical. String playing can also inform wind and percussion players since so many composers of the past often thought in terms of string bowing even when writing for winds. Noted string educator Elizabeth A. H. Green lists two primary rules that govern choice of bow direction. Axiom No. 1. Bow窶電irection (down-bow or up-bow) is the foundation of correct musical and rhythmic accent Axiom No. 2. Bowing is chosen窶ヲfor the purpose of causing the bow to arrive at such a place in its present stroke that the next note, or group of notes, may be easily and correctly played.1 The first axiom deals with the placement of up bows and down bows. In any meter, some of the beats receive more emphasis than do others. For example in 4/4 time in the classical canon, the first beat receives the greatest natural emphasis; the third beat receives the next greatest. Beats two and four are generally lighter. In terms of bowing, beats one and three will therefore be played down bow and beats two and four will be up bow (see Figure 1). String players will alter bowing to bring out the natural character of meter, emphasis, accent, and other musical elements.
Figure 1. Down bows and up bows to emphasize the influence of meter
The second axiom refers to the number of notes played in each stroke of the bow. A slur is used to indicate if multiple notes are to be played with the same bow.
Figure 2. Basic bowing
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Each example in Figure 2 shows the same five-note pattern played in distinctly different ways. In the first (A), all of the notes are taken with separate strokes, obviously alternating between down and up. The second part (B) requires two notes to be played in each bow. Finally, the third (C) uses one bow per measure. The number of notes taken for each stroke will be influenced by any number of factors, tempo perhaps the most practical. For example, in Figure 2C, the bowing might be impossible if the tempo was very slow and the dynamic loud; the bow would have to move too slowly to produce adequate sound.
Figure 3. Different Articulations
The basic style of articulation can be varied with string instruments differently than with winds. In each of the examples in Figure 3, each bow stroke accounts for two beats; in terms of bow direction, each example is played in the exact same manner. In Figure 3A, each bow is continuous without any stopping. Different styles are expected in Figures 3B and 3C even though the same amount of bow is used. With the staccato markings, the bow would separate more than it would with the tenuto. Again, it is the style that changes not the actual pattern of ups-and-downs. All of these would produce a different sound than if each note was played with a separate bow. Because of the issues described above, articulation can be more subjective in orchestras than it is in bands. Many band musicians see that playing exactly what is on the page is the primary goal. This is true for articulation as well as for notes and rhythm. This is not the case for strings where players and conductors will alter the printed parts to make them more playable or more musical. I was very fortunate earlier in my career to be the Assistant Conductor of two professional orchestras in New York: the Jupiter Symphony and the Naumburg Orchestra. The membership of both orchestras included some of the best free lance musicians in the city. The conductor made the bowing decisions; he was well trained in this skill and made wise choices. However, sometimes the string players would disagree with his bowing decisions, and I observed that they often disagreed with one another. It was very subjective. Especially with certain musical styles, performers on wind instruments might consider how string players would decide on a particular bowing. The opening of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto might be a good example. The Reginald Kell edition is shown in Figure 4. There are several practical problems that can be seen. The most immediate is the articulation found in the third measure; the staccato notes under the slur have no real meaning to a clarinetist (more on this below). To a string player, this would mean to play all six notes with one bow, and to separate each from it neighbor. The bowing following Kell’s articulation is shown in Figure 5, although it is fair to say that a violinist would probably alter what is given in the original, especially in the last two measures.
Figure 4. Mozart Concerto for Clarinet, movement 3, mm. 64 (Reginald Kell edition)
Figure 5. Concerto for Clarinet, possible string bowing
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There is another practical issue facing some clarinetists in playing this famous concerto: the ability to tongue the passage with ease and clarity. If we consider that string players might well change the bowing, then winds can certainly alter the articulation as well. This certainly would not alter the overall style of the music. Rapid tonguing can be difficult for some younger players. Figure 6 shows one possibility for the articulation that might be considered for this famous opening. Most of this passage is slurred (played under one bow). The last two notes of the first sextuplet in each measure of the figure are tongued; obviously there are many other alternatives depending on the skill of the player and the desired musical outcome.
Figure 6. Concerto for Clarinet, possible clarinet bowing (articulation)
The articulation seen in the third measure is more problematic. In the printed version (Figure 4), the notes are slurred but with dots. This marking has no real clear interpretation in wind playing. Performers must do their best to show the connection of a single bow while still showing a separation between each note. The marking shown in figure 6 approximates this view—long but separate. A slight crescendo could be added to help show the connection of line. The last movement of Holst’s Second Suite in F is an example of somewhat unclear wind articulation in band music (see Figure 7). The well-known “Dargason” melody serves as the primary source material for the movement. The original tune accompanies a very old English country dance.2
Figure 7. “Dargason” from Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst, fourth movement (Fennell edition) with bowings added
In every other measure, there are pairs of repeated notes under a slur. A string player would know automatically to take both notes in the same bow but they would be separated. The bowing works out very well—two bows per measure each with the same duration: one beat. Here again the articulation can be confusing for a wind player. Like the Mozart Concerto example above, the two notes played by the saxophone in the opening need to be separated with some degree of connection. Coda Part of the magic of music is rooted in interpretation. There are countless ways that music can be subtly altered to show musical structure and artistic direction. Articulation is just one of many ways that this can be accomplished. Students and teachers alike can explore different approaches to bring greater creativity to their performances. Endnotes 1. Elizabeth A. H. Green. Orchestral Bowings and Routines. 2nd ed. Ann Arbor, MI: Ann Arbor Publishers, 1957, p. 7. 2. There is a wonderful YouTube video of this dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDRIIpOBiU4
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JANUARY 2014
NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION STATE CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 20-22, 2014 HILTON HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER THREE TOWER CENTER BOULEVARD EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ
NJMEA CONFERENCE HOTEL ROOM RATES Room rate is based upon hotel availability until all blocked rooms have been taken.
-- Don’t wait until the last minute -The room rate is $139.00 and will expire on January 31, 2014 Hilton Hotel and Conference Center Threee Tower Center Blvd East Brunswick, NJ 08816 732-828-2000
CONFERENCE SESSION OFFERINGS Listed are the workshops scheduled to be presented throughout the conference as of October 28, 2013. They are in no particular order and additions will be made on the NJMEA website. The final schedule of events including: workshop day, time, room and hotel assignments will be available on the website as of February 1, 2014. www.njmea.org
NJMEA ACADEMIES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 The Thursday Academies are an excellent opportunity to learn from world reknown clinicians. Due to the success of last year’s Academies we will be adding a string component to the current offerings. The Elementary Classroom, Technology, Wind Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, String and Choral Academies will present methods and materials which will inspire you to get back in the classroom and do great things!
JANUARY 2014
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The Concert Band The Concert Band is the oldest and largest of the Field Band’s four performing components. This elite 65-member instrumental ensemble, founded in 1946, has performed in all 50 states and 25 foreign countries for audiences totaling more than 100 million. Tours have taken the band throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, the Far East, and India. The group appears in a wide variety of settings, from worldfamous concert halls, such as the Berlin Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall, to state fairgrounds and high school gymnasiums. The Concert Band regularly travels and performs with the Soldiers’ Chorus, together presenting a powerful and diverse program of Colonel Timothy J. Holtan Conductor marches, overtures, popular music, patriotic selections, and instrumental and vocal solos. The organization has also performed joint concerts with many of the nation’s leading orchestras, including the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In addition to formal programs, the Concert Band has participated in numerous presidential inaugural parades and supported many diplomatic missions overseas. Regardless of the venue, the pageantry and professionalism of the band’s performance is sure to be entertaining and emotional for all audiences, instilling pride in our American heritage.
The Soldier’s Chorus The Soldiers’ Chorus is the vocal complement of The United States Army Field Band of Washington, DC. The 29-member mixed choral ensemble travels throughout the nation and abroad, performing as a separate component and in joint concerts with the Concert Band as the “Musical Ambassadors of the Army.” The chorus is currently conducted by Major Dwayne S. Milburn and has performed in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, India, the Far East, and throughout Europe. The musical backgrounds of Soldiers’ Chorus personnel range from opera and musical theatre to music education and vocal coaching; this diversity provides unique programming flexibility. In addition to presenting selections from the vast choral repertoire, Soldiers’ Chorus performances often include the music of Broadway, opera, barbershop quartet, and Americana. This versatility has earned the Soldiers’ Chorus an international reputation for presenting musical S. Milburn excellence and inspiring patriotism. Critics have acclaimed recent appearances with the Boston Pops, the Major Dwayne Conductor Cincinnati Pops, and the Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Nashville, and National Symphony Orchestras. Other notable performances include four world fairs, American Choral Directors Association conferences, music educator conventions, Kennedy Center Honors Programs, the 750th anniversary of Berlin, and the rededication of the Statue of Liberty. The Soldiers’ Chorus has also been honored to participate in the state funerals of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford as a part of The Armed Forces Chorus.
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JANUARY 2014
Teaching Music: Is Counting To Four The Heart Of It? Clinician: Joseph Akinskas, Past-President of NJMEA & NJMAA. Sponsored by NJMAA. Guitar Ensemble Workshop Clinician: Thomas Amoriello, NJMEA Board of Directors. Making The Best Of Your “Pull Out” Lessons Clinician: Shelley Axelson, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ. Bad Habits Be Gone! Clinician: Shelley Axelson, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ. This Is For You: The Alexander Technique For Musicians And Music Educators Clinician: Judy Barnett, Washington Township High School, Sewell, NJ. CELEBRATE AND SING! A Reading Session For Mixed Choirs Clinician: Andy Beck, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music. MY MUSIC: Chart Toppers And Classics For Choirs Clinician: Andy Beck, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music. Here Comes Treble! A “Sing And Learn” Session Clinician: Andy Beck, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music. Acquiring The Basic Aural Skills Of The Audio Engineer Clinician: Adam Patrick Bell, Cali School of Music, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ. Creating A Choral Community Through A Community Chorus Clinicians: Steven Bell, Teaneck High School, Teaneck, NJ; Hillary Colton, Hunterdon Centeral Regional High School, Flemington, NJ. Let’s Play The Tuning Note! Ideas And Concepts To Improve Tone, Tuning And Technique For Your Band Clinician: Chris Bernatos, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music. Back To Basics – Help Your Band Sound Better! Clinician: Chris Bernatos, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music.
JANUARY 2014
New Music Reading Session Clinician: Chris Bernatos, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music. That Funky Drumming Clinician: Bob Bloom, Master Teaching Artist. Sponsored by: Remo, Inc. How We Teach Is As Important As What We Teach: 20 Ways To Energize Your Rehearsals Clinician: Peter Loel Boonshaft, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY. Sponsored by Alfred Music. Unleashing The Power Of Sound Innovations™: The Revolutionary New Band And String Method Clinicians: Peter Loel Boonshaft, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, Chris Bernotas, Alfred Music. Sponsored by Alfred Music. Innovative Uses Of Technology In The Orchestra Rehearsal Clinician: Joseph Brennan, Haverford High School & Middle School, Havertown, PA. We All Perform On The Same Stage – Improving The Ensemble Skills Of Your Secondary String Players Clinician: Joseph Brennan, Haverford High School and Middle School, Haverford, PA. Body Mapping: Enhancing Musical Performance Through Somatic Pedagogy Clinician: Heather J. Buchanan, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ. Sponsored by: NJ-ACDA. iPads In The Elementary Music Classroom: Apps And Integration Clinician: Amy M. Burns, Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ. Help! PreK Music Classes Were Just Added To My Schedule! Clinician: Amy M. Burns, Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ. NJMEA Young Composers Composition Competition Critique Clinician: Patrick Burns, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ. Mastering MY Music: Creating And Re-Creating With Digital Audio Workstations Clinician: Janet Cape, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ.
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Cost Effective Ways To Bring Music Education To Your School Clinician: Michael Christiansen, Consonus Music Institute, Salt Lake City, UT. Sponsored by Consonus Music. Turning Drummers Into Percussionists Clinician: Chris Colaneri, Berkeley Heights Public Schools, Berkeley Heights, NJ. Sponsored by Adventure Percussion, Falls Music. Drum Circle Concepts For The General Music Classroom Clinician: Chris Colaneri, Berkeley Heights Public Schools, Berkeley Heights, NJ. Sponsored by Adventure Percussion, Falls Music. Elementary And Middle School Band...Where Creation And Re-Creation Meet In Harmony! Clinician: Deborah Confredo, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Sponsored by FJH Music. Hands, Hearts, Minds: Engaging All Of It In Band! Clinician: Deborah Confredo, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Sponsored by FJH Music. Straight A’s For The Developing Musician: Assessment, Accountability, And Achievement! Clinician: Deborah Confredo, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Sponsored by FJH Music. Spurring Progress While Honoring Tradition: Music Education, Forward March! Clinician: Deborah Confredo, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Thoughts On Life And Score Study: Panel Discussion Panelists: Tom Connors, Kean University; John Pastin, Rowan University; J. Craig Davis, William Paterson University; and David Vickerman, The College of New Jersey. New Music (Gr. 1-3) For Elementary And Middle School Bands Clinician: Tom Connors, Kean University, Union, NJ. Assisted by: NJBA Intercollegiate Wind Ensemble Releasing The Potential Of The Young Orchestra Clinician: Sandra Dackow, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. Sponsored by TEMPO Press. Assisted by: Churchill Middle School String Orchestra.
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Hands-on Conducting Workshop For Music Educators Clinician: Sandra Dackow, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. Around The World With Young Strings - A Curriculum For The 21st Century Clinician: Sandra Dackow, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. Sponsored by Alfred Music. Google Docs For The Music Educator Clinician: Rick Dammers, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ. Improve Your Band By Performing Chamber Music Clinician: J. Craig Davis, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. What Students Of Color Can Tell Us About Music Teaching Clinician: Lisa DeLorenzo & MSU Students, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ. Assisted by: Montclair State University Students. So You’re Allergic To Your Instrument? Clinicians: Grace Demerath & Erika St. Denis, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY. New Music Reading Session Clinicians: Marc DeNicuolo & Eric Mazurkiewicz, Edison High School, Edison, NJ. Assisted by: Edison High School Wind Ensemble. How To Get Your 4th And 5th Grade Percussion Section Up And Running Clinician: Justin Derman, Berkeley Heights Schools, Berkeley Heights, NJ. Accessories – A Percussionist’s Bread & Butter Clinician: SGM Bill Elliott, U.S. Army Field Band Redesigning Professional Development Using The IEP As A Model For Professional Growth Clinician: Dominick Ferrara, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. An American Rhapsody Clinician: Loren C. Fortna, Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, NJ. Music Performance Anxiety (MPA): Know It, Change It, Use It! Clinician: Loren C. Fortna, Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, NJ. Music Educator: The Proven Leader Clinician: Robert Frampton, NJMEA Past-President, President - NAfME Eastern Division. JANUARY 2014
Software For The Elementary Music Classroom Clinician: Jim Frankel, MusicFirst. Sponsored by MusicFirst. Software For The Middle School Music Program Clinician: Jim Frankel, MusicFirst. Sponsored by MusicFirst. Teaching & Learning In The Cloud With MusicFirst Clinician: Jim Frankel, MusicFirst. Sponsored by MusicFirst. Software For The High School Music Program Clinician: Jim Frankel, MusicFirst. Sponsored by MusicFirst. 26 Tips For Quick And Easy Instrument Repairs Clinician: Bob Frushour, Music & Arts. Sponsored by Music & Arts. Rhythm - Cut The Learning Curve 50% To 90%! Clinician: Kevin Fuhrman, Fuhrman Music Academy, Minneapolis, MN. Sponsored by Fuhrman Music. Ring On! Using Handbells And Choirchime® Instruments In The K-12 Music Classroom Clinician: Amelia Garbisch, Doctoral Student, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. I Can’t Afford Handbells…Can I? Grant Writing And Fundraising Strategies For Purchasing Handbells And Choirchime® Instruments Without Breaking The Budget. Clinician: Amelia Garbisch, Doctoral Student, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Overcoming Auto-Pilot: Effective Warm-Up Strategies To Teach Secondary Choral Music Clinician: Amelia Garbisch, Doctoral Student, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Note Reading For Beginner Strings And Beyond Clinician: Eugenia Goldman, Montgomery Township School District, Skillman, NJ. Graduate School: Why? What? When? How? Clinician: David Goss, Doctoral Student, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Pedagogy As Part Of Score Study Clinician: David Goss, Doctoral Student, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
JANUARY 2014
Music Student To Music Teacher: Nail Down That Job! Successful Strategies For Interview Success Clinicians: Peter J. Griffin, Hopewell Valley Regional School District, Pennington, NJ; Robert Pispecky, Edison School District, Edison, NJ. Sponsored by NJMAA. Showtime! Performance In The Elementary Music Classroom Clinician: Robert J. Hamm, Rumson Country Day School, Rumson, NJ. MusicFirst: Live Interactive Session With Soundation4Education Clinician: Robin Hodson, MusicFirst. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. Live Interactive Session With Cloud Based Software – Come And Choose Your Software Clinician: Robin Hodson, MusicFirst. Sponsored by MusicFirst. Scanning Sheet Music Clinician: Tom Johnson, MakeMusic, Inc. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. Top Five Finale Time-Savers For Band, Choir And Orchestra Directors Clinician: Tom Johnson, MakeMusic, Inc. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. What’s New in Finale 2014 Clinician: Tom Johnson, MakeMusic, Inc. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. Exploring Classroom Music Through Keyboards Clinician: Judy Kagel, Monmouth Academy of Musical Arts, Morganville, NJ. Sponsored by JBK Music Publishing Company. Explore The New SmartMusic: Rubrics, State Standards And iPad Clinician: Leigh Kallestad, SmartMusic Education Manager, MakeMusic, Inc. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. SmartMusic On iPad: Student Assignments Clinician: Leigh Kallestad, SmartMusic Education Manager, MakeMusic, Inc. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. SmartMusic For The Middle And High School Director: Panel Discussion Clinician: Leigh Kallestad, SmartMusic Education Manager, MakeMusic, Inc. Sponsored by MakeMusic, Inc. 57 TEMPO
GarageBand For i Devices For Beginners Clinician: Rachel Klott, Freehold Borough School District, Freehold, NJ. iBand! Clinician: Rachel Klott, Freehold Borough School District, Freehold, NJ. Making Each Minute Count – If I Don’t Have The Time To Teach It Right, How Will I Ever Find The Time To Teach It Over? Clinician: Cheryl Lavender, Hal Leonard Corporation. Sponsored by Hal Leonard Corporation. Calling All World Brothers And Sisters Clinician: Cheryl Lavender, Hal Leonard Corporation. Sponsored by Hal Leonard Corporation. ROUND The World: Teaching Harmony With Multicultural Rounds And Canons Clinician: Cheryl Lavender, Hal Leonard Corporation. Sponsored by Hal Leonard Corporation. Students As Independent Agents: Encouraging Musical Ownership In Students During The Rehearsal Process Clinician: John P. Leonard, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ. Noteflight Classroom For Newbies Clinician: Marjorie LoPresti, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ. Navigating The Music Technology Smorgasbord Clinician: Marjorie LoPresti, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ. Garageband On Mac For Beginners Clinician: Marjorie LoPresti, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ. Interdisciplinary Music Technology Projects Clinician: Shawna Longo, Hopatcong Middle School, Hopatcong, NJ. Blues Arrangements For General Music Gr. 4-8 Clinician: Sherry Luchette, Delphi Academy of Los Angeles, Lakeview Terrace, CA. Sponsored by Peripole, Inc. & J.W. Pepper. Jazz Improvisation & Activities For K-8 Classroom Clinician: Sherry Luchette, Delphi Academy of Los Angeles, Lakeview Terrace, CA. Sponsored by Peripole, Inc. & J.W. Pepper.
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The Interactive Jazz Story For K-6 Clinician: Sherry Luchette, Delphi Academy of Los Angeles, Lakeview Terrace, CA. Sponsored by Peripole, Inc. & J.W. Pepper. Recruiting For Retention: Building & Maintaining Your Multi-Level String Program Clinician: Betsy Maliszewski, West Orange Public Schools, West Orange, NJ. Lean On Me: How You Can Help Your Students Decide If The Music & Entertainment Business Is For Them Clinicians: Stephen Marcone & David Philip, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. Top 10: Incorporating 10 Minutes A Week Of Music & Entertainment Business Focus Into Your Common Core Music Programs Clinicians: Stephen Marcone & David Philip, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. Choro, Samba And Bossa Nova: An Overview Of The Development Of Samba To The “New Beat” in 1950. Clinician: Abelita Brandao Mateus, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. The Instrumental Music Teacher’s Survival Guide To SGO’s Clinicians: Colleen McDonald, Cranford Public Schools, Cranford, NJ, Pamela L. Turowski, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Survivor: The First Year Clinicians: Eric McLaughlin, G.Harold Antrim Elementary School, Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ, Rachel Klott, Freehold Borough School District, Freehold, NJ. I Wish They Taught Me THAT! For New Teachers Clinician: Meghan McNamara, Carmel, NY. Little Cool Music School: Activity Songs For Early Childhood Clinician: Bob Messano, Guitar Bob’s Music, Lake Hiawatha, NJ. The Soldiers’ Chorus Of The U.S. Army Field Band Clinician: Major Dwayne Milburn, Officer in Charge. O Passo: Musicianship And Musical Learning With The Body Clinician: Thomas Mullaney, Quibbletown Middle School, Piscataway, NJ. Sponsored by: O.P.U.S. (O Passo in the United States) These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: Resources For Your Early Elementary Music Classroom Clinician: Amanda Clarfield Newell, ManalapanEnglishtown Regional Schools, Taylor Mills School, Freehold, NJ. JANUARY 2014
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things: Resources For Your Upper Elementary Music Classroom Clinician: Amanda Clarfield Newell, ManalapanEnglishtown Regional Schools, Taylor Mills School, Freehold, NJ.
Creating That “Perfect Concert Program” Clinician: Michael Semancik, Morris Knolls High School, Rockaway, NJ.
The South Podunk High School Marching Band Staff Meeting Clinician: Matthew J. Paterno, Wayne Hills High School, Wayne, NJ.
Engaging Boys In The Middle School And High School Choral Program: Getting The Into Your Room - Tips, Tricks, And Techniques Clinicians: Jennifer Sengin, East Brunswick HS, East Brunswick, NJ and Lisa Lepore, Crossroads MS South, Monmouth Junction, NJ.
Transitioning From Music Student To Music Teacher Clinician: Robert Pispecky, Edison School District, Edison, NJ. Sponsored by NJMAA.
Teaching Large-Scale Classical Pieces In Your General Music Class Clinician: Marissa Silverman, John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ.
Laying The Groundwork To Success: The Creative Artistry Of Rudimental Drumming Clinician: Danny Raymond, Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL. Sponsored by Pearl Drums, Remo Drum Heads, Zildjian Cymbals, & Vic Firth.
Total Percussion Jam Clinician: Yale Snyder, Monroe Township Public Schools, Monroe Township, NJ. Sponsored by Adventure Percussion, Hakuna Matata Group Tours, LLC.
Renaissance Performance Practice For The High School Choral Musician Clinician: Matthew Robertson, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, MD. Assisted by: The Thirteen Chamber Choir. Quaver’s Beyond Marvelous Curriculum: The New Benchmark In K-5 Music Curriculum Clinician: Greg Roman, QuaverMusic.com Sponsored by QuaverMusic.com Voice 360 Clinician: Jerry Rubino, Hal Leonard Corporation. Sponsored by Hal Leonard Corporation. Voices Of Distinction – Building A Choral Program With Quality Literature Clinician: Jerry Rubino, Hal Leonard Corporation. Sponsored by Hal Leonard Corporation. Change Gonna Come: Integrating Music And Social Studies To Teach Civil Rights And Responsibilities Clinicians: Lyn Schraer-Joiner, Kean University, Union, NJ; Georgiann H. Toole, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV. Comprehensive Teaching In The Rehearsal Hall: Compose Or Decompose? Clinician: Daniel Schultz, JP Case Middle School, Flemington, NJ.
JANUARY 2014
Alms For The Reedy Or Why Humans Have Pinkies: Advanced Techniques For The Non-Clarinet Player Clinician: Richard Summers, Pequannock Township Public Schools, Pompton Plains, NJ. Meeting The Needs Of The All-Inclusive Elementary Chorus Clinicians: Helene Tassone, Anne Connolly Potter, Consoné Academy, Hamilton, MA. Rehearsing With Integrity: Purpose, Source, Spirit, And Language Clinician: Christopher B. Thomas, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ. Sponsored by NJ-ACDA. Assisted by: Rowan University Concert Choir. Time Is Precious: Maximizing Ensemble Rehearsal Effectiveness Clinicians: Christopher B. Thomas, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ; David Martynuik, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA. Assessing With Technology Clinicians: Brent Geyer & Christina Toulios, Westfield Public Schools, Westfield, NJ. Building A Better Brass Section Clinicians: The U.S. Army Field Band Brass Quintet Everything You Wanted To Know About Color Guard.... And Then Some... Clinician: Ralph Venezia, Kissimmee, FL. Sponsored by High Note Music Festivals & The Music Shop.
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Story Boarding: A Way To Coordinate Show Design. Clinician: Ralph Venezia, Kissimmee, FL. Sponsored by High Note Music Festivals & The Music Shop.
Morris Knolls High School Chorale Director: Michael Semancik, Morris Knolls High School, Rockaway, NJ.
Improvising To Learn Clinician: Michael Patrick Wall, East Brook Middle School, Paramus, NJ.
NJ Band Association Intercollegiate Wind Ensemble Directors: Thomas Connors, Kean University, David Vickerman, The College of New Jersey, Thomas McCauley, Montclair State University.
“Is It December Yet?”: (Children’s Favorite Musical Activities For The Holidays) Clinician: Lisa Wichman, Kinnelon School District, Kinnelon, NJ.
Ridgewood Concert Band Director: Christian Wilhjelm, Ridgewood, NJ.
Meet Composer Dana Wilson Clinician: Dana Wilson
Rowan University Wind Ensemble Director: Bruce Yurko, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
Don’t Let Them Fall Through The Cracks: Offering Independent Study Options For Theory And Keyboard Clinician: James Wynne, Jefferson Township High School, Oak Ridge, NJ.
Rutgers University Wind Ensemble Director: Kraig Williams, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
Producing And Directing A Madrigal Dinner: A Guidebook To How It Is Done! Clinician: James Wynne, Jefferson Township High School, Oak Ridge, NJ. Building Technique And Ensemble Skills Through Improvisation Clinician: Craig Yaremko, Holdrum Middle School, River Vale, NJ.
South Brunswick High School Chamber Orchestra Director: Arvin Gopal, South Brunswick High School, South Brunswick, NJ. Thrive Academy Choir Director: Katherine Brodhead, Thrive Academy, Newark, NJ. West Orange High School Wind Ensemble Director: Lewis C. Kelly, West Orange High School, West Orange, NJ.
Percussion Pedagogy For The Non-Percussionist Clinician: Domenico E. Zarro, Dumont, NJ. Sponsored by NJ Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.
William Annin Middle School Chamber Orchestra Director: Brian McGowan, William Annin Middle School, Basking Ridge, NJ.
Teaching Techniques For The Elementary Snare Drum Student Clinician: Domenico E. Zarro, Dumont, NJ.
The William Paterson University Bassoon Ensemble Director: Robert D. Gray, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ.
Performing Groups Highland Voices Director: Thomas Paster, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, NJ. Mahwah High School Symphonic Band Director: Jeffrey C. Bittner, Mahwah High School, Mahwah, NJ. Mission: O Passo-ble Director: Thomas Mullaney, Quibbletown Middle School, Piscataway, NJ. Montville Percussion Ensemble Directors: Jim Bogert, Joe Bergen, Montville Township High School, Montville, NJ.
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Meetings All State Band Procedures Meeting All State Choral Procedures Meeting Central Jersey Music Educators Meeting Collegiate Chapters Meeting Guitar Educators Meeting NJ-ACDA Meeting NJ Music Administrators Meeting NJ Percussion Educators/NJ Percussive Arts Society Meeting NJMEA State Board of Directors Meeting North Jersey School Music Association Meeting Retired Music Educators Meeting South Jersey Band And Orchestra Directors Assoc. Meeting South Jersey Choral Directors Association Meeting
JANUARY 2014
NJMEA Music Conference Pre-Registration Form A list of those who are registered for the conference will be posted weekly at njmea.org To register by credit card, please go to njmea.org and click the link on the home page.
February 20-22, 2014 * One form per registrant * Pre-registration deadline: February 8, 2014
Name: Name for Badge First Name or Nickname ONLY (One Word) Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Email Address: Home Phone #: School District Name: Are you an NAfME member? NAfME members must attach a copy of their NAfME Card showing ID # and Expiration Date. q Yes (Must expire Feb 2014 or later) q No (If NAfME membership expires earlier than Feb. 2014, you must renew before registering).
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
GO TO NJMEA.ORG AND CLICK THE LINK TO REGISTER BY CREDIT CARD. ONLY CHECKS, MADE PAYABLE TO NJMEA WILL BE ACCEPTED WITH THIS FORM. PURCHASE ORDERS RECEIVED AND ACCOMPANIED BY A COPY OF THIS FORM WILL BE SIGNED AND RETURNED FOR PAYMENT. PURCHASE ORDER PAYMENT MUST BE MADE BY APRIL 1, 2014. * * * * Send All Checks & Purchase Orders To: * * * * NJMEA, 1806 Hwy 35, Suite 201, Oakhurst, NJ 07755 (DO NOT SEND SIGNATURE REQUIRED) Questions: kathleen.mosher1@gmail.com or 732-367-7194 THE FULL CONFERENCE INCLUDES ONE ACADEMY BEING OFFERED ON THURSDAY AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE; ALL OF FRIDAY AND SATURDAY; PLUS ONE (1) CONCERT TICKET PLEASE CHECK ONE (1) ACADEMY FROM THE LIST BELOW THE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION (Please note: lunch will be on your own on Thursday)
Category (PLEASE CHECK ONLY ONE) Pre-Register On-Site Amount Due
❑ Full Conference ❑ Full Conference (1st time music teacher who was a Collegiate member last year) ❑ Family Member* = Non-Music Teacher (FM Requires separate form) ❑ Full Conference - Retired NAfME Member ❑ Full Conference - Retired NAfME Member Family Member* (RMS Requires separate form) ❑ Full Conference - Non-Member - (Does not include NAfME Membership) ❑ Full Conference - Collegiate NAfME Member (Includes Collegiate Academy & Lunch on Saturday)
$150.00
$160.00
____________
$100.00
$110.00
___________
$150.00
$160.00
____________
$30.00
$40.00
____________
$30.00
$40.00
____________
$350.00
$350.00
____________
$50.00
$60.00
____________
PLEASE CHECK THE ACADEMY YOU WISH TO ATTEND ON THURSDAY (NO CHARGE) You may attend academies other than the one you check, but we need to know the main selections IF YOU ARE NOT ATTENDING AN ACADEMY ON THURSDAY, PLEASE CHECK “NONE”
❑ Choral Academy ❑ Jazz Academy
❑ ❑
Wind Band Academy Marching Band Academy
❑ ❑
Technology Academy Elementary Academy
❑ Strings Academy ❑ NONE
❑ Luncheon Ticket (Required to Attend Ballroom Friday Lunch)
$35.00
$____________
Extra Concert Ticket may be obtained at the conference registration desk.
❑ I will attend Friday Concert (US Army Field Band & Sodier’s Chorus)
TOTAL
$____________
❑ I will not attend Friday Evening Concert
Friday Evening Concert: (1 concert ticket is included with all Friday/Saturday conference registrations if checked above) Tickets will be issued to the first 750 requests. If the “will attend” box is unchecked, no ticket will be provided. Additional tickets may be obtained at the registration desk on Friday February 21, 2014. JANUARY 2014 61 TEMPO
Marie Malara Named Master Music Teacher by Kathleen Spadafino NJRMEA President-Elect kspadeb@aol.com
M
arie Malara has been a teacher in the Sayreville Public Schools for the past 36 years. A 1977 graduate of Kean College (Kean University), Marie began teaching at Maple Avenue School, Newark, NJ, as an elementary classroom specialist. Soon after, she began a long and fulfilling career in
Sayreville as a Junior High School General Music teacher and Choir Director. During her tenure, Malara also served as the High School Choral Director directing four choirs and the school musical. During these six years, her choirs received superior ratings and many of her students earned membership into the Region, All-State and Eastern Division MENC choirs. In 1993, Marie decided to return “home” to the Middle School where she currently directs the 7th and 8th grade Choir, teaches General Music, 8th Grade Dramatic Arts and team teaches the Advanced Band. She has been on the field as Assistant Marching Band Director and is currently the Producing Director of the Middle School Musical. Malara is most proud of her many students who have gone on to become colleagues, sharing her love of music with their students. Marie has been actively involved in NJMEA and CJMEA since 1983 serving on the NJMEA State Board of Directors as Region Representative, MS/JH Choral Festival Chairperson, Elementary Choral Chairperson and as State Conference Manager. She conducted the Region II Intermediate
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Chorus in 1985 and received the Governor’s Award for Distinguished Service in the Arts in 2002, and the NJMEA Distinguished Service Award in 2012. In addition, Marie continues to perform as a freelance musician. She has been a member of the Plays in the Park Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, American Repertory Ballet Orchestra, Edison Symphony Orchestra, and NJ Repertory Ballet Orchestra and has performed with Clay Aiken, Lee Ann Rimes, Anne Jillian, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Irish Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall, NYC. Whether behind the baton or playing in the pit she enjoys sharing her love of musical theatre with theatre companies in the Central Jersey area. Occasionally, Marie enjoys a quiet evening at home with her husband of 25 years, Bill. She is the proud mom of two children, “Dr.” Jonathan, a Pharm. D Resident at RWJUH in New Brunswick and Elizabeth, a sophomore Business Management/Broadcast Journalism Major in the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University. &
JANUARY 2014
Debunking Myths:
Integrating Music History And Literature Into The General Music Classroom Using The Eight Music Elements by April Stephens Campbellsville University, Kentucky astephens@campbellsville.edu Reprinted from Bluegrass Music News
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have two strong passions in regards to music education: 1) Elementary General Music and 2) Music History. Now, you may think these two passions might not overlap, but in fact it is the opposite. In my experience as an elementary music teacher, I found that students had the ability to learn about music history and literature and to enjoy these lessons. I believe there are three myths that deter some elementary music teachers from integrating music history into their music curriculum. Integrating music history within a music lesson does not have to be a daunting task. It can be as simple as varying the classroom listening selections used. For example, when teaching triple meter to your third grade class, go to your local library to locate CDs from several different music periods (e.g. Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz or Aaron Copland’s “Saturday Night Waltz” from Rodeo). Simply share with the students the time period for which each work is associated and you have already started the integration process in your music classroom! Myth 1: “There isn’t enough time.” Most teachers are limited in their amount of weekly instruction time, and it is understandable that time remains a concern for teachers to present their required curriculum. In a study by Byo (1999), music teachers rated the nine National Standards for Music Education in seven categories: 1) interest, 2) sense of responsibility, 3) ability, 4) teacher’s training, 5) perception of available time, 6) conjunction, and 7) resources. Each participant used a rating scale of 1 to 5 (l=strongly agree and 5= strongly disagree). In the category of history/ culture (Standard 9), the mean rating of the teachers’ interest was 1.27. The ability to teach this content was slightly lower at 1.49, and the perception of available time JANUARY 2014
to teach this content was 2.44. The mean for resources was 2.23. This study indicates some teachers’ hesitation to integrate music history within their curriculum due to lack of time and resources. Many teachers feel that music history is its own stand-alone lesson and time constraints do not allow a long music history lesson. As mentioned previously, music history can be taught simultaneously with other musical concepts. Leave behind the mindset that a music history lesson has to be a long, fact-filled, “boring” lesson. Integrate music history into your everyday music lessons quickly and with minimal time. Myth 2: “There are too many other important musical concepts I must teach.” It is true the National Standards provide teachers an abounding list of concepts to teach (NAfME). It is important to remember that music history is included in that list of nine standards. Music history provides students the context in which to perform. Without that historical context, a performer might not interpret correctly the musical style. Ferguson’s (2004) article entitled, “Putting It Together: Integrating Jazz Education in the Elementary General Classroom,” discusses the fact that many secondary schools have a jazz education program but enrollment in such programs remains low. She suggests the integration of jazz education into the elementary general music classroom might increase later interest in secondary jazz programs. Building a strong foundation in music history will prove profitable as students begin the study of instruments or voice. Another important purpose for integrating music history concepts into the general elementary music class is to show where music “has been” to better understand “where it is going.”
Myth 3: “Students will be bored with a music history lesson.” In my experiences as an elementary music teacher, I have found this incorrect. In my second year of teaching, I chose to showcase a composer each month. Throughout the month, I provided short facts about the composer’s life and music and played a variety of listening examples from their oeuvre. Students responded positively to this concept. These lessons fit well in a 5-10 minute time frame. I found the students eager to hear the new fact of the day and the amount of knowledge they retained was exceptional. For example, play Mozart’s Symphony No. 1 in Eb Major, K. 16, movement 3, Presto as students enter the classroom. Once students are seated, initiate a brief discussion about the music heard. Ask questions such as, “What instruments did you hear?” “Describe the mood of the music,” or “Was the music fast or slow?” After a brief, 2-3 minute discussion introduce the fact of the day, Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was eight years old. At this point, enter into a light-hearted discussion about Mozart being a musical prodigy. Engage students with questions such as, “Can you imagine writing a symphony at your age?” or “Has anyone ever written a song? How long did it take? Did you find it easy or difficult?” Within a few minutes, you’ve completed your mini-lesson for the day. At the end of the month, include an assessment for students. A written assessment might include multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank questions about the composer or replay one of the listening examples and ask students questions about the piece (instrumentation, dynamics, tempo, etc.) The remainder of this article will provide ideas for integrating music history into your elementary general music classroom using eight musical concepts includ-
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ing rhythm, pitch, tempo, form, dynamics, tone color, texture, and style in a way that is fun for your students, interesting to you, and full of historical knowledge. Rhythm. Rhythm is a concept music teachers address constantly. We start with steady beat in kindergarten (or earlier) and continue to build skill levels. Jazz music is a great way to integrate music history within a rhythm lesson. For example, when teaching the syncopated rhythm of an eighth note, quarter note, eighth note, choose two of your favorite jazz pieces that employ this rhythm. Notate the rhythms on the board, play the piece and have the students raise their hand or stand each time they hear the rhythm. Students will be actively listening for the rhythm, moving up and down, and enjoying the music. They are being exposed to a genre of music they might not have opportunity to hear outside of your class. Two of my favorites are Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” and Barbara Sutton Curtis’ piano arrangement of “Love You Madly.” Pitch. Folk music is an equal part of music history. Each time you introduce a new folk song, talk about the words and the story it tells before singing. Your students will be learning to sing while connecting to the stories behind each song! Tempo. When teaching first graders about fast (allegro), slow (adagio), and medium (andante) tempos, be creative in your listening selections. Branch out and use genres not as common in students’ everyday listening. After listening to an example of each tempo, test the students’ knowledge by playing several examples of songs with varying tempos. Reggae is a great example for andante. I suggest Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” Salsa and Latin music can offer great examples for allegro. For adagio, try some slow movements of symphonies or other Classical works. Please note that you can also find fast movements of Classical works and interchange the genres. If desired, you can make it into a movement game. Have the students move to the steady beat of the song and play excerpts from different examples. Assess each student’s ability to change their movement to match the varying tempos. Make connections to the genre and its cultural and/or historical
background. You are expanding students’ repertoire of musical literature while teaching them about tempo.
not in folk music?” The students are using critical thinking skills and analyzing timbre as well as describing various music genres.
Form. When teaching AB form, use the opportunity to incorporate popular music from your students’ current playlists. Have students bring their favorite song (pending approval of its appropriateness) then listen to the songs and analyze the form. The students will remain active listeners as they are listening to their own music and this experience provides you with the opportunity to teach them how to listen more critically. The students will also appreciate that you value their opinions of music as well. They may also be interested to know what popular music sounded like 20, 50, 100 or even 200 years ago giving you an opportunity to share some early jazz or classical music in class.
Texture. There are three basic musical textures: monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic. When looking for examples of monophonic texture, Gregorian chant is a great place to start. Chinese and Hindu music is also often monophonic in texture. For most students, these will be new music genres and very clear examples of monophony. Choral music and hymns are great resources for homophonic texture. Polyphonic music can be more challenging for students to hear. Most music written before 1600 is polyphonic in nature. Bach’s Ich rufzu Dir, Herrjesu Crist is an example of three-voiced polyphony. Please note that in order to understand polyphony, students will need to hear the same example several times due to the number of independent melodies happening simultaneously. Guide your students’ listening by directing them to one voice at a time. For older students, create a listening map with the melodic contour of each voice. Listen to the excerpt three times, each time following a different voice. Keep it interesting for students by pointing out and notating rhythmic or melodic motives then challenge them to identify those motives in each listening or make copies for students and have them work in groups of three, each following a different voice.
Dynamics. Listen to Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony. Tell them the story of a sleeping cat and the mouse that is trying to sneak around the cat without waking it up. Choose one student to be the sleeping cat while the other children become mice. Remind them to be very quiet during the soft sections of the song. When the “surprise” comes the cat is startled awake but quickly returns to its slumber when the music becomes soft again. When the cat jumps, the mice duck down and hide in order to remain “hidden.” This is merely one example of using Classical music to illustrate dynamics. Tone Color. Take this opportunity to introduce opera into your students’ lives. Take an opera duet, trio or quartet (one of my favorites is the quartet from Rigoletto, “Un Di, Se Ben Rammentomi”) and provide a brief synopsis of the opera. Play your example and have the students describe the various voice timbres they hear. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss the various vocal timbres that exist. On another day, have students practice this new listening skill by playing various examples from other genres (pop, folk, jazz, etc.). Discuss the types of voices (and instruments) used and how the various tone colors fit with each song. Ask questions such as, “Why wouldn’t we hear the operatic soprano in this Jazz piece?” or “Why do singers scat in Jazz but
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Style. Think about the different styles you wish to teach. Try to branch out to unfamiliar genres such as reggae, bluegrass, World music, as well as the familiar opera, symphony, and various periods of music (Baroque, Classical, 20th Century). It is important to place as many different sounds as possible into your students’ ears. You will expand their style preferences as well as find many teaching opportunities within each genre. For example, combine a music styles lesson with a tone color lesson. Have the students listen to several examples from various genres. Divide the students into small groups assigning each group one or two listening examples and have them write down all the instruments they hear. Next, have them present their findings to the class. Take this opportunity to present any unfamiliar instruments used to the class. Students will begin to associate what JANUARY 2014
instruments typically fit with various styles of music. Integrating music history within your curriculum may be easier than you previously thought. In fact, you may already be doing many of these activities. A quick music history lesson can be as easy as simply informing the students of what they are hearing and how old (or new) the date of the piece. Use a variety of genres, textures, and timbres in your listening examples and challenge students to identify specific aspects of the music to keep them engaged while listening. You will find students will be very interested in composers, their lives, and their music especially if you, the teacher, are excited. April Stephens serves as Assistant Professor of Music Education at Campbellsville University. She can be reached at astephens@campbellsville.edu References Abril, Carlos R. (2006). Music That Represents Culture: Selecting Music With Integrity. Music Educators Journal, 93(1), 38-45. Bach, J.S. (2002). Ich ruf zu Dir, Herrjesu Christ, BWV 639 [Recorded by Christopher Herrick]. On Bach: Complete Organ Music [AAC Audio File]. Hyperion. Byo, Susan J. (1999). Classroom Teachers’ and Music Specialists’ Perceived Ability to Implement the National Standards for Music Education. Journal of Research in Music Education, 47(2), 111-123. Copland, Aaron. (1999). What to Listen for in Music. New York: New American Library. Ellington, Duke. (1999). Love You Madly [Recorded by Barbara Sutton Curtis]. On Old Fashioned Love [AAC Audio File]. Sackville. Ferguson, Laura. (2004). Putting It Together: Integrating Jazz Education in the Elementary General Music Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 90(3), 28-33. Haydn, Joseph. (2004). Symphony No. 94 in G Major, “Surprise”: II. Andante [Recorded by Leonard Bernstein and Wiener Philharmoniker]. On Bernstein: Haydn [AAC Audio File]. Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon GmbH. JANUARY 2014
Joplin, Scott (2003). The Entertainer. On The Entertainer: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls [AAC Audio File]. Shout Factory. Marley, Bob. (2004). Three Little Birds. On The Best of Bob Marley and the Wallers [AAC Audio File]. Music International B.V. MENC. (n.d.). The National Standards for Music Education. Retrieved February 6, 2011 from http://www. menc.org/ resources/view/national-standards-formusic-education.
Verdi, Giuseppe. (1998). Un Di, Se Ben Rammentomi [Recorded by Cheryl Studer, James Levine, Luciano Pavarotti, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Vladimir Chernov]. On Verdi: Rigoletto [AAC Audio File]. Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon GmbH.
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2014 NAfME Music Research & Teacher Education National Conference This conference is designed for the needs of the higher education and research communities. It will provide a forum for music education researchers (SRME or SRME-SRIGs), music teacher educators (SMTE), music program leaders/music administrators/curriculum specialists (CMPL), and all interested NAfME members to consider current research and pedagogical innovations that will shape the future of the profession. Don’t miss the keynote speaker, Daniel Levitin, at the Conference opening on April 10, 2014. He is an award-winning scientist, musician, and record producer and is the author of the number one best seller This Is Your Brain on Music, which was published in nineteen languages and spent more than one year on the New York Times best seller list. His newest book, The World in Six Songs, topped the bestseller lists in its first week of release. Plan ahead and save the date! April 10–12, 2014, St. Louis, Missouri. http://musiced.nafme.org/events
Music Education • Orchestrating Success
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THE 2014 NEW JERSEY HONORS JAZZ CHOIR AUDITION REQUIREMENTS The application can be accessed and filled out on the njaje website: www.njaje.org New Jersey Honors Jazz Choir Audition Date: Monday, May 5, 2014 IMPORTANT DATES FOR REGIONAL JAZZ CHOIRS Audition Date: Rehearsals: Concert:
Monday, March 17 4:00 - Monday, March 24 & April 7 4:00 - Fri. & Sat. April 11 & 12 10:00 - Sunday, April 13
7:00 PM 8:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:00 PM
VOCAL AUDITION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL 2014 AUDITIONS 1. Sing high and low major scales and a chromatic scale: Use the syllable “ah”, quarter note at m.m.=80. Descend first on low scale Soprano High Scale G Low Scale A Chromatic F-C Alto High Scale Eb Low Scale F Chromatic C-G Tenor High Scale Ab Low Scale C Chromatic F-C Bass High Scale Eb Low Scale F Chromatic C-G 2. Sing back a variety of pitches given on tape using the syllable “ah”: 3. Sing back three short 4 to 6 note rhythmic melody given on tape, using the syllable “bah”, re-articulated on each note. 4. Sing the following melody, unaccompanied. Change the key to suit your vocal range.
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5. Blues Scat. You will sing a scat over an accompanimental track (provided - see website for track). You have three choices: 1. Create your own scat entirely. 2. Use the one provided below with your own embellishments. 3. Use the one provided below. You may use any syllables you wish. The track will be available in F (written key), Eb or G ONLY. Please specify which key you want at your audition.
From: SCAT, Vocal Improvisation Techniques ©1996 Bob Stoloff Gerard and Sarzin Publishing Co.
It shall be the purpose of this organization to: make available to members opportunities for professional development; acStart a Collegiate Chapter? of the quaintWhy students with the privilegesNAfME and responsibilities music education profession; all members with the opMembership can helpprovide your students succeed. portunity to become acquainted with leaders in the music edMembership in the Start a Chapter ucation profession National Associationthrough for Music participation in programs, demonEducation provides: strations, discussions, workshops, andToday! performances planned by this chapter, the state music educators association, and the • Professional credibility • Network of students and National Association foreducators Music Education;assist the school in • Tools & Resources various• projects throughout the year; and provide the opporProfessional development tunity to have contact with Collegiate members from other • Leadership opportunities schools. • the professionalmusiced.nafme.org/collegiate interests of members involved in the local, state, division, and national levels; the music industry’s role in support of music education; and the knowledge and JANUARY 2014
sic edu-
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practices of the professional mu
Master Music Teacher Award To be eligible for consideration, the nominee must: A. have completed a minimum of ten years of music teaching in the schools of New Jersey (public, parochial, private or collegiate). B. be actively teaching and a member of NJMEA-NAfME for at least ten years. C. display teaching excellence, as the only other major criterion used in the selection process. Deadline: March 15th: Nominee: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: __________________________________________
State: ______________________ Zip: _________________
Telephone: _____________________________________ E-mail address: _____________________________________________ Teaching position: _________________________________________________________________________________________ School Name: __________________________________________ Street Address: ______________________________________ City: __________________________________________
Zip: ________________ County: ______________________
Superintendent: ____________________________
Telephone: __________________ E-mail address: ________________
Principal: _________________________________
Telephone: __________________ E-mail address: ________________
Supervisor: ________________________________
Telephone: __________________ E-mail address: _________________
Nominator: _______________________________
Telephone: __________________ E-mail address: _________________
Please include with this form: 1. Academic background including degrees and certificates held. 2. Experience in the field of music including previous positions held, honors, and recognitions. 3. A minimum of two letters of reference supporting the candidacy 4. Additional supporting materials, including programs. photos, tapes, discs, public recognition, etc. 5. The candidate’s teaching schedule, including number of students in each class, total enrollment in the school, specific periods and times, and detailed directions to the school. Please check the website at: http://www.njmea.org/MasterMusicTeachers.pdf to see who has received this award in the past. Mail this application, together with accompanying documents to: Kathleen Spadafino Master Music Teacher Committee 1 Ashgrove Court East Brunswick, NJ 08816
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2014 NJMEA Guitar Festival Elementary, Junior High & High School Ensemble Performance Application Form The NJMEA Guitar Festival will take place Saturday, April 5, 2014 from 10:00 - 3:00 pm. This festival provides a unique opportunity for guitar students grades 6 - 12 in your program to perform guitar literature, receive a critique, and attend a concert, clinic and workshop. An ensemble selection from any time period is acceptable. (To be considered for the master class students must audition and use the Master Class Application Form.) The term “ensemble� is used to designate any group other than a solo, e.g., duet, trio, and so on. Though students are encouraged to do so, a student may attend only the concerts, clinics and workshops for the day of the Festival and does not have to perform a solo or an ensemble selection, and therefore does not have to audition for the ensemble showcase. Directors, please prepare your students for the guitar selections as time is limited on the festival day. Concert dress is semi-formal, your choice. Participation Fee is $10.00 per student in the groups or attending separately. Each group or attending student must fill out an application. Directors, send all applications with ONE check payable to the NJMEA and enclose a copy of your current NAfME (formerly MENC) membership card postmarked by Saturday, March 31, 2014 to Keith Calmes, Guitar Festival Director, Wall High School, PO Box 1199, Wall, NJ 07719. Be sure to bring your music and footstool!
Please Print Legibly Using Ball Point Pen Only Director Name: ____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
First Last
Member: (Circle all that apply) NAfME GFA ASTA SAA School Address: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ________ _______
Street
City
State Zip
Director Phone: (H) (________)________________ (W) (________)________________ (C) (________)______________________ Director Email: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Guitar Ensemble Selection: ______________________________________ ________________________________________________
Title Composer
Checklist: 1) Postmark deadline for all materials is Wednesday, March 31, 2014. 2) Mail applications, CDs & $10 per student (funds will be returned if not chosen to perform), and copy of NAfME card to:
2014 NJMEA Guitar Festival Keith Calmes Wall High School PO Box 1199 Wall, NJ 07719
After March 31st, applications will not be accepted. Sponsoring directors must be present from 10:00 am until the end of the concert on the festival day to assist with events. More info, e-mail only - kcalmes@wall.k12.nj.us. Phone for emergencies on April 5th only: 732-688-3861. * All students must perform on a nylon string classical guitar (no steel string acoustic or electric guitars) AMOUNT ENCLOSED: ($10.00 x # of students attending) $_______________________ (one check only please) CONTRACT ENDORSEMENTS: I am aware that I must attend the entire Festival, Saturday, April 5, 2014. DIRECTOR SIGNATURE: _______________________________________________________ DATE: ___________________________________ Please list the names of all students in your ensemble (or single non-performance student) attending:
______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ JANUARY 2014 69 TEMPO
2014 NJMEA Guitar Festival Elementary, Junior High & High School Master Class Audition Application Form The NJMEA Guitar Festival will take place Saturday, April 5, 2014 from 10:00 - 3:00 pm. This festival provides a unique opportunity for guitar students grades 6 - 12 in your program to perform guitar literature, receive a critique, and attend a concert, clinic and workshop. A solo selection from any time period is acceptable. To be considered for the master class students must audition. Those accepted to perform on the Festival day will be e-mailed by the festival director to directors. Directors, please prepare your students for the guitar solos as time is limited on the festival day. Concert dress is semi-formal, your choice. Participation Fee is $50.00 per student. Each participating student must fill out an application. Directors, send all applications with ONE check payable to the NJMEA and enclose a copy of your current NAfME (formerly MENC) membership card postmarked by Saturday, March 31, 2014 to Keith Calmes, Guitar Festival Director, Wall High School, PO Box 1199, Wall, NJ 07719. Be sure to bring your music and footstool!
Please Print Legibly Using Ball Point Pen Only Student Name: ________________________________________ ______________________________________________ _________
First
Last Grade
Address: __________________________________________ __________________________________ ________ ________________
Street
City
State Zip
Director Name: ____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
First Last
Member: (Circle all that apply) NAfME GFA ASTA SAA School Address: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ________ _______
Street
City
State Zip
Director Phone: (H) (________)________________ (W) (________)________________ (C) (________)______________________ Director Email: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Guitar Solo Selection: ______________________________________ ________________________________________________
Title Composer
Checklist: 1) Postmark deadline for all materials is Monday, March 3, 2014. 2) Mail applications, CDs & $50 (funds will be returned if not chosen), and copy of NAfME card to:
2014 NJMEA Guitar Festival Master Class Keith Calmes Wall High School PO Box 1199 Wall, NJ 07719
After March 31st, applications will not be accepted. Sponsoring directors must be present from 10:00 am until the end of the concert on the festival day to assist with events. More info, e-mail only - kcalmes@wall.k12.nj.us. Phone for emergencies on April 5th only: 732-688-3861. * All students must perform on a nylon string classical guitar (no steel string acoustic or electric guitars) Students are to include one etude of choice by either Matteo Carcassi, Fernando Sor or Leo Brouwer and also a classical guitar solo of free choice on the recording . Students are to include C, G and A melodic minor scales from Diatonic Major and Minor Scales by Andres Segovia (published by Columbia Music) as well as the set audition piece (The Toy) on the following page: CONTRACT ENDORSEMENTS: I am aware that I must attend the entire Festival, Saturday, April 5, 2014. STUDENT SIGNATURE: _______________________________________________________ DATE: ____________________________________ As parent/guardian, I give permission for my child to apply to the 2014 NJMEA Guitar Festival. I understand that the NJMEA does not assume responsibility for illness or accident. I further attest that I will assist my child with obligations related to this activity.
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New Jersey NAfME Collegiate From “Can I?” to “CANI” by Mary Onopchenko CNAfME-NJ President onopch81@students.rowan.edu
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t was the day after returning from my summer family vacation in California that I was summoned to a customer service meeting for the company that owns my summer boardwalk job. I was by no means enthusiastic about going, nor was I thinking I was going to learn much. I was wrong. One thing has stuck with me from that meeting, as I began the school year, as the Collegiate president along with being president of Rowan’s NAfME chapter: four simple letters all in a row:“CANI”. The acronym stands for “Constant and Never ending Improvement”. The business that I work for on the boardwalk seems to thrive on this approach, which is credited to the motivational speaker, Anthony “Tony” Robbins, so I have decided to adopt this theory to NAfME.
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I am ecstatic to get started with my presidency, approaching my promotion as a time of celebration and growth. We are a group of talented, youthful, intelligent individuals, and I plan on taking NAfME collegiate a step farther by not making it just an executive board but a group as a whole. I want to work together, putting it simply. We have chapters all throughout our great state that work so hard and accomplish so many fantastic things throughout the year. Instead of hearing all of those great things just at the February convention, the board and I want to keep a constant flow of communication between all of the chapters in our state. We have so much to learn from each other, and I believe we can grow as a whole and individually, simply through communicating. From there- why not take all of those individual ideas and do something as a whole? As music education stu-
dents we can sometimes see each other as our biggest form of competition; but in the same light we are going through this together and should grow in our knowledge and experiences in that light, so everyone can try and reach their full potential. So as this year continues, when you are faced with a task I encourage you to not ask yourself “can I really do this?” but to put “CANI” into full effect. I know the board and myself can not wait to start the strive for constant and never ending improvement with collegiate NAfME, and I mean it wholeheartedly when I say that we look forward to working with all the collegiate members this year!
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School Administrator Award Awards and presentations are made annually to outstanding school principals and/or superintendents who demonstrate support for and commitment to high-quality arts education programs in their schools. The influence of such administrators is a major factor in improving music education in school systems across the state. One elementary school principal, one secondary school principal and one school district superintendent may be selected to receive this award. Individuals holding titles as assistant principal and assistant or associate superintendent also qualify. Administrators receiving awards will be notified by NJMEA and a presentation honoring them will take place at the Membership Luncheon at the February NJMEA State Conference.
C. The administrator must be an active advocate for arts education in the school and community. D. A financial commitment to music programs must be demonstrated in the school or school district. E. The administrator must show strong leadership, good school management, and good rapport with teachers, parents, students, and other school administrators.
Nominators must submit the following for each administrator: 1. Completed School Administrator Nomination form verified and signed by the nominator. 2. Resume of nominated administrator. 3. Two letters of support, including one from the music education faculty in the administrator’s school or district. 4. A picture of the administrator suitable for publicity purposes. 5. Name and address of the administrator’s local newspaper, television and radio station where applicable. 6. Additional support materials such as press clippings if available.
Selection by the NJMEA committee will be based on the following criteria:
A. The school or school district under the administrator’s supervision must have an exemplary music program, with a majority of the music staff holding NJMEA membership. B. The administrator must have served in the administrative position in the same school or district for no less than three years.
Application must be postmarked by October 15th School District _________________________________________________________ Send the form, photograph, and support materials to: Selection (check one) Elementary Principal __________ NJMEA, William McDevitt Secondary Principal __________ 443 Whitman Lane Williamstown, NJ 08094 Superintendent __________ Nominee’s Name ____________________________________
Title
_____________________________________________
School ____________________________________________
Telephone ____________________________________________
School Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please answer the following questions on a separate sheet in support of your selection. This form must be signed by the nominator and the administrator nominated and must be accompanied by a resume, two letters of support (one from a member of the music faculty), a publicity photo, and a list of local media and their addresses. 1. How long has the school or school district been under the administrator’s supervision? 2. Describe some of the features of the school or district under the administrator’s leadership that demonstrate how the music program is exemplary. Please include in your description answers to the following: a. Describe the music curriculum offerings and time allotment for students. b. How have music programs in the school/district been expanded or improved as a result of the administrator’s efforts? c. Have students or programs in the school or district won awards for achievement or recognition in the arts? 3. How has the administrator been an active advocate for music and arts education in the school and community? 4. How has this administrator demonstrated financial commitment to music programs in his or her school/district? 5. Give examples of the administrator’s strong leadership, good school management, and good rapport with teachers, parents and students. 6. Add any other information that supports selection of this administrator.
Nominator’s Signature ______________________________________
Date ____________________________________
Administrator’s Signature ____________________________________ Date ____________________________________
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Distinguished Service Awards The NJMEA Board of Directors has initiated a Distinguished Service Award for those members who have honored themselves with faithful service to music education in public, private, and parochial schools of New Jersey. Past and present members of the NJMEA Board of Directors are also eligible for the DSA since they have dedicated much time and effort toward State projects related to music education. The third and fourth DSA categories include individuals and organizations outside the field of Professional Music Education and NAfME officers on both the National and Regional level. The final decision on DSA recipients will be made at the November meeting of the NJMEA Board of Directors. The criteria below should be carefully read and studied to insure maximum consideration by the DSA Committee.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION Any member, person or group who has not previously Eligibility: Recipients Can Be Nominated from any one received the award. of these categories
1. Members who have accumulated a total of 25 years in the service of Music Education. Eighty percent of the years must represent full time service in the schools of New Jersey. The member does not have to be currently active as a teacher. 2. Members who have ten years of meritorious service and outstanding leadership in Music Education as a member of the NJMEA State Board of Directors. It is not necessary to have accumulated these years in a continuous sequence.
3. Individuals and organizations outside the field of Professional Music Education in recognition of their service to Music Education. 4.
National and Regional NAfME elected officials who have initiated programs and projects that have benefited our state members and Music Education on a national and regional level.
Nominations: The nomination plus required data must be submitted by an NJMEA member. The nomination is then endorsed by the DSA Committee and presented for acceptance to the NJMEA Board. However, the NJMEA Board may recommend or authorize the award if no nomination forms have been received from the membership by the DSA Committee. This board authorization must receive a 70% majority vote of the board membership. Number:
DSA Committee discretion (to be decided annually)
Presentation: To the recipients by the NJMEA President or his or her designee at a mutually agreeable occasion such as the annual state workshop/conference, region meetings, region concerts or festivals, local concerts, and retirement affairs.
ESSENTIAL DATA The Following Information MUST Be Included: Nominee’s Name: ___________________________________
Title/Position: __________________________________________________
Telephone: ________________________________________
Home Address: # & Street _________________________________________
City/Town: ________________________________________
State & Zip: ____________________________________________________
Application must be postmarked by October 15th Please provide the following information on separate sheets in the listed sequence. 1. This application 2. Name, address, phone and affiliation of nominee or group. 3. Name, address, phone of nominator. 4. Attach a vita for the nominee or group that is as complete as possible. 5. Summarize the achievements, contributions, or service on which the proposed award would be based. Include any evidence that the nominee or group would be receptive to such an award. Please send two copies of these materials to: NJMEA, William McDevitt 443 Whitman Lane Williamstown, NJ 08094
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Outstanding School Board Award The New Jersey Music Educators Association seeks nominees for the Outstanding School Board Award. NJMEA presents an award to a local school board at the Membership Luncheon during the February NJMEA State Conference. This award acknowledges and awards outstanding school boards who exemplify superior support and commitment for quality music programs throughout all the grades of the school district. Selection by the NJMEA committee is based on the following criteria: A local school board must demonstrate the following: A. A significant contribution in support of the development of the district music program. This should include superior programs of sequential, curriculum-based music education. B. Advocacy for music education within the school district. C. Financial support commensurate to support a superior music education program of general, choral and instrumental music. D. Willingness to accept the award if it is bestowed and to participate in publicizing it. Nomination: 1. Completed nomination form. 2. A statement from the School Board President or other officer of the school board in which a rationale is put forth for accepting consideration of the nomination. 3. A statement of support from the district superintendent which describes the district music education programs to be considered as evidence of achievement in music education. 4. A letter of support from two or more of the music teachers. 5. A letter of support from two local citizens, public officials or parents. 6. A black and white photograph of the school board suitable for publicity purposes including a list of their names as they are in the picture and the number of years they have served on the board.
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JANUARY 2014
Outstanding School Board Award This form should be completed by the local school district and the nominator. Name of school district ______________________________________________________ School district address
______________________________________________________
School district telephone number _______________________________________________
Please answer the following questions in support of your nomination. Use a separate sheet. 1. How long have the members of the school board served? (Give names and length of service.) How long is a single term? 2. Describe how the board has contributed to the development of music education within the school district. 3. Describe any exemplary music programs in the school district that have been developed and implemented under this board’s direction. 4. Have students or programs in the school district won awards for achievement or recognition in music? 5. How have members of the school board been active advocates for music and arts education? 6. Please add any other information that supports your nomination. Signatures:
Superintendent of Schools _______________________________
Date
_____________________
School Board Chairperson _______________________________ Date _____________________ District Music Coordinator _______________________________ Date _____________________ Nominator _______________________________ Date _____________________ Send the form, photograph, and support materials to: NJMEA, William McDevitt 443 Whitman Lane Williamstown, NJ 08094 Recommendations must be postmarked by October 15th
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2014 NJMEA MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL APPLICATION Please Print Clearly – (as it should appear in program and on plaque)
Name of Performing Group:
Director’s Name:
School Name: School Address: School Phone: (
Town: )
Zip:
(Ext:
) School Fax: (
)
E-mail Address: Home Address:
Home Phone: (
Number of Performing Students:
)
Grade Level(s) (circle) 5 6 7 8 9
Rehearsal Schedule (length, time of day, rehearsals/week)______________________________________________
Your Program: Title Composer/Arranger Warm-up Selection:
1st Adjudicated Selection:
2nd Adjudicated Selection:
Date and Site Selected: (Please indicate 1st and 2nd choices)
(
) Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at Rowan University, Glassboro
(
) Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at Summit Middle School, Summit
We can arrive by:
We must depart no later than:
Each band will have a 20 minute warm-up time prior to their performance. Stage time will be approximately 30 minutes including set-up, performance and exit. Performance selections are of the director’s choice. Clinicians’ recorded and written critiques will be made available; in addition, clinicians will speak with band members following the performances as time allows. A participation plaque will be awarded to each band. Ratings will be given upon request. You may bring your own lunches. All bands are encouraged to listen to the other ensembles perform. Mutual respect for all performances is absolutely necessary. Non-refundable application fee: $125.00 per performing ensemble. NO cash or purchase orders, please. A CHECK payable to NJMEA must accompany the application. Include a copy of your NAfME Card (showing date). Application deadline: Friday March 28, 2014 (or when space has been filled) More information will be mailed upon receipt of your application. Return all applications to: James Chwalyk, Jr. 39 Newark Avenue Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Your NAfME card here:
Please direct any questions to: James Chwalyk, Festival Coordinator: james_chwalyk@lyndhurst.k12.nj.us
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JANUARY 2014
The 61st Annual Junior High/Middle School Choral Festival Application Form
School Name:
School Phone:
School Address:
City:
Director’s Name :
Zip: Home Phone :
Home Address: City:
State:
Zip:
Email: NAfME Membership #:
Expiration Date:
Name of performing group: Voicing: Number of rehearsals per week:
(during school:
Number of singers: Please check the appropriate category below: (evening):
(before school):
(after school):
Will participate at Rowan University, (South Site) April 9, 2014: 9:30 - 1:30 pm: Will participate at Rutgers University, (North Site) May 28, 2014: 9:30 - 1:30 pm: We can arrive at:
We must depart no later than: Proposed Program (Time limit: Not to exceed 10-12 minutes, no more than 3 titles) THIS SECTION MUST BE COMPLETED AT THIS TIME! Please Print or Type Legibly
Selection (Maximum of 3)
Complete Name of Composer/Arranger
Voicing
1. 2. 3. (If any of the above titles are folk songs, please indcate country or region of origin) FEE: $125.00 per group (non-refundable) FESTIVAL DATES: (Limited to the 1st TEN (10) Groups on each date) DEADLINES: Monday, March 3, 2014 for Rowan University Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Monday, April 21, 2014 for Rutgers University South Site: Rowan University TIME: 9:30 - 1:30 pm SEND TO: Donna Marie Berchtold, Registrar William Davies Middle School Wednesday, May 28, 2014 1876 Dennis Foreman Drive North Site: Rutgers University Mays Landing, NJ 08330 TIME: 9:30 - 1:30 pm EMAIL: berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.org FESTIVAL HOST: Donna Marie F. Berchtold
berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.org Other information including directions and schedules will be mailed.
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ALL INCOMPLETE FORMS WILL BE RETURNED! MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO NJMEA (Do not send cash) CHECKS MUST ACCOMPANY ALL REGISTRATION FORMS Purchase Orders Are NOT Accepted BE SURE TO INCLUDE A PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR NAfME CARD
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Ro
ns
T h e Re g d io un
CJMEA
Central Jersey Music Educators Association cjmea.org
H
appy New Year! I hope to see everyone at our General Membership Meeting during the NJMEA Convention in East Brunswick. This is the only General Membership Meeting we hold all year and it is an opportunity to meet other members and get updates on what CJMEA is doing and where it is headed. It would be great to see everyone there! As we head into the second half of the school year I want to thank all of you who have helped (and continue to help) to make our Region events the wonderful experiences they are for our students. As you read the reports below please recognize the many hours of time spent by the members of the Executive Board and those who have volunteered to host, manage, chaperone, etc. Without the efforts of these people our concerts and festivals could not happen. Lastly, please consider getting involved with the Region. If you have any interest in getting involved on any level, please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the board. We always need people to manage ensembles and host rehearsals and concerts. We rely on many of the same people and schools each year and while we are appreciative of their
help, there is a need to spread the responsibilities to more CJMEA members and schools to ensure our programs can continue in the future. Jeff Santoro - President president@cjmea.org Brian Toth - High School Band hsband@cjmea.org Welcome back from your break. I hope you’re ready for the excitement of the next few months as you prepare for your concerts, festivals, musicals, and trips. Many thanks go out to Andy and John and all the parents at JP Stevens for their hard working as hosts of our region auditions. Thank you also to Kawika Kahalehoe for running the string portion of our auditions. Please put January 12th on your calendar for the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Concert. Our guest conductors this year are Kraig Alan Williams from Rutgers University and Edward Gattsek from Freehold Twp. High School. Once again, the concert is at Montgomery HS starting at 3pm. Admission is free with your current NAfME membership card. It’s not too late to apply for a performance at the 2014 CJMEA Concert Band Festival. Applications are due in mid-February and can be found on cjmea.org. The festival is at South Brunswick High School on March 17-19th. Hillary Colton & Jeffrey Woodwort High School Chorus hschorus@cjmea.org The CJMEA Region II Choral Division is so proud of the choirs we produce. Ed Maclary from the University of Maryland and Amanda Quist from Westminster Choir College gave our students a high level, collegiate choral experience that they will never forget. Thank you Doctors. Barbara Retzko once again served with Hillary Colton as the Audition Managers. Our Choral Managers again were Judy Virrilli and Sue Belly, both of Woodbridge Township Schools. These ladies have been our HS Chorus Managers for many years. This is their final year
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of managing. Thank you so much for the many years of service to CJMEA and to NJMEA. Our rehearsal and concert hosts were Karen Gorzynski of Somerville High School; Sister Dolores Margaret of Immaculata High School; and Jennifer Alagna and Adam Good of Monroe Township HS. We are always looking for new volunteers. We are so grateful to have the same managers and hosts each year but next year we will need a new manager for the Women’s Choir. Why not step up and join in the fun? Kawika Kahalehoe High School Orchestra hsorchestra@cjmea.org I hope your year is going well and your groups are ready for their winter concerts. The big announcement I have for you is in regards to the conductor for region orchestra. This year the conductor for region orchestra will be Major Jason Fettig, Assistant Conductor of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, and Conductor of “The President’s Own” Chamber Orchestra. I am so pleased to have a conductor of this caliber from whom our students will learn. Additionally, Maj. Fettig’s military background brings an element to the region experience that most students are not exposed to, which will help enrich their experience greatly. Major Fettig’s music selection is as impressive as his resume. The concert this year will include the Overture to Colas Breugnon by Kabalevsky and Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo by Copland. If you are free on the day of the concert we would love to see you there. Thanks and good luck with the rest of your year. Seth Davis - Intermediate Band K8band@cjmea.org First of all, I’d just like to introduce myself. My name is Seth Davis and I’m the new CJMEA Intermediate Band Chair. I am originally from Randolph, New Jersey and I graduated in 2012 from Indiana University in Bloomington. Right after finishing at IU I took the job as wind ensemble director at Hightstown High School, and JANUARY 2014
it feels great to be back in Jersey and exploring another area of the state! Just a heads up: Intermediate Region Band Auditions are coming up on Saturday, January 25th. By this time, your students who are planning to audition have already turned in their registration forms and are hopefully working hard with their final preparations. (Late applications are to be post-marked by Early January. For questions about On-Site Registration, please write Seth Davis at k8band@cjmea.org). This year we will be seating two ensembles – a symphonic band and wind ensemble. William Berz, from Rutgers University will be working with the Wind Ensemble and Ron Heller, director at Montgomery Township Upper Middle School will be working with the symphonic band. They’ve prepared very exciting programs for your students! Elementary band directors should start thinking about Elementary Honors Band. The event will be held in Rahway on April 12th. Three bands representing all experience levels from 4th-6th grade will gather to rehearse and perform on this one Saturday. Prior to the big day, students will receive music in the mail so they can practice and prepare. It is an excellent way to challenge your advanced students, so stop by the CJMEA website and consider filling out an application. Questions about the event can be directed to Seth Davis at k8band@cjmea.org. The Elementary & Intermediate Band Festival will be held over four dates in April and May. Bring your young ensemble to Monroe or Freehold for an experience which includes a performance opportunity, adjudication, a brief clinic with the judges, and the chance to hear other ensembles from the area. Continue to check the CJMEA website for more information and the application. We invite you to get involved: come to a rehearsal, run a sectional, usher at a concert. There are many ways to enhance your professional experience and benefit your students by becoming more involved with CJMEA! Remember, you only get out of CJMEA what you put into it, and if we work together, then we can provide some really high-quality experiences for our students! JANUARY 2014
Nina Schmetterer - Intermediate Chorus k8chorus@cjmea.org The Treble Honors Choir is for students in grades 4 through 6, and will take place on May 3rd. Teachers will be able to nominate outstanding students to take part in this group. Please check the website as information will be available shortly. The CJMEA Intermediate Choir is off to a great start. Special thanks go to Sue Belly for hosting the auditions at Avenel Middle School. Please keep current with audition sites and rehearsal information on the CJMEA website. The concert will take place on Sunday, March 9th at 5:00 pm. Please come and support your students! Penny Martin-Intermediate Orchestra k8orchestra@cjmea.org Thanks to everyone for volunteering to be rehearsal hosts for our Symphonic and String Orchestras. CJMEA is grateful for the sacrifice of time and facilities that you all have made. Chris Finnegan and Susan Meuse are working hard to hone in on the many talents of our Region students this season. I can’t wait to hear their wonderful performances this March. I hope to see all of you there on March 10th and 17th at Monroe Middle School. Yale Snyder - Percussion percussion@cjmea.org I hope everyone is well and having a great school year thus far. There are plenty of great things happening involving percussion around the state. For the fourth straight year, Chris Colaneri led Holiday Percussion, a group consisting of students from elementary school through college playing holiday music at shopping malls through the state. This continues to be a huge success as it gives students the chance to show off their “total” percussion skills by performing popular holiday music and really brings together a percussion community of all ages. Bravo Chris! Our region percussion ensembles continue to grow successfully. We had our sixth High School Region II Percussion Ensemble concert at Montgomery
High School on January 5th. Thanks to New York City percussion virtuoso Andrew Beall for being a fabulous mentor and conductor this year. Our Intermediate Percussion Ensemble, now in its seventh year, will have its performance in March with our Band and Wind Ensemble. I am very excited to have Greg Gianniscoli from New Jersey City University as this year’s guest conductor. For the fifth straight year, Region II was represented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in Indianapolis, Indiana in November. If you are interested in hosting a rehearsal for our Intermediate Percussion Ensemble, please reach out to me ASAP. If anyone has any questions about anything going on in percussion in our region, please always feel free to email me. I look forward to seeing everyone at our region concerts!
NJSMA
North Jersey School Music Association njsma.com
I
hope this finds you all well and having enjoyed a successful (albeit very busy) fall season of marching band, football games, concerts, and other activities with all of your students. It was nice to have a “normal” season without any major weather to contend with where we were able to focus on the most important thing we do: making great music with our students. I was speaking recently with one of my music parent volunteers and we were remarking how in school music we seem to flow seamlessly from one “season” to another. The end of fall marks the end of a busy marching band season for many of us, while the transition to winter heralds concerts, jazz ensemble, chamber music, and honors ensembles. When you step back and look at the wealth of opportunities we provide to our students, both in our own programs and through the region and state, you can’t help but be amazed at just how much great music making surrounds us. January brings honor ensemble season,
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and our division chairs are working tirelessly with audition chairs, managers, rehearsal and concert hosts, and many other volunteers to bring some of the finest musical experiences to our region. Our goal is to help every program in North Jersey by providing your students a chance to hone their own individual skills by preparing professional-level solo repertoire; by having a positive and intensive audition process; and by bringing together some of the finest school musicians in our honor ensembles under the direction of the finest conductors in their respective fields. As many of us do, I can remember back to my own experiences in honor ensembles and how inspiring it was to be in those groups with such outstanding conductors. I will never forget my experience with the late Walter Chestnut and the musical passion and intensity he brought to every rehearsal and our final concert. This was a pivotal moment for me, and I hope that through all of our efforts we are able to bring the same rewarding experiences to all of the students in our region and throughout New Jersey. As we begin our busiest time of the year, I need to thank all of our board members and region volunteers for their tireless work throughout the year thus far. Their task is enormous, and we are all the benefactors of their love of what they do and the professionalism with which they approach their work. We are happy to partner with all of the North Jersey school music programs and their directors as we continue to provide the finest musical experiences to our students. As one season ends, others begin with much fanfare and flourish, and I wish all the members of the NJSMA the very best for your winter season of exciting new ensembles, great concerts and performances, and honor ensembles, all of which celebrate the outstanding musicianship of our students. While all of this is happening, I encourage all of the NJSMA members to take a moment to step back and enjoy the fruits of your work, and spend some time with loved ones, good friends, and anyone else special to you in your life. This is a great time to be living, working, and teaching in North Jersey, and I wish you all nothing but the best as we continue through this school year. Please visit our website (www. NJSMA.com) for updated information, application, forms, audition requirements
and anything else concerning our Region. As always, please contact me or any one of the board members if we can assist you in any way. Peter Bauer NJSMA President Orchestra Division Nate Lienhard and Michael Holak Orchestra Division Co-Chairs The Region 1 Orchestra Division is excited to announce the events for 2013-14! Our guest conductor for the high school orchestra will be Peter Brye, director of the Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra and assistant principal cellist with the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Kim Chiesa, string teacher in the Randolph Township School District, returns with a few years of managing experience to once again handle this important role. Our guest conductor for junior high school orchestra will be Penny Martin, orchestra teacher in the Edison Public School District and a familiar face among the Region and All-State ensembles, most recently as conductor of the All-State Intermediate String Orchestra in 2011. Larisa Skinner from the Passaic school district will again be managing our Junior High School students. The high school concert will take place on Sunday, February 9th, 2014 at Sparta High School. The junior high school concert will be Sunday, March 9th, 2014 at West Essex Middle School. The Region 1 Orchestra Division follows the scale and solo repertoire requirements of the All-State Orchestra. Please check the region or state website for further details. All accepted region orchestra string members will receive their concert music prior to the first rehearsal. A string reseating audition on the concert repertoire will take place during the second rehearsal. Solo scores from the initial audition will be combined with the reseating scores to determine the final orchestra seating. For anyone who is looking to become more involved with Region 1, we’re always looking for site hosts for concerts, rehearsals and festivals as well as sectional coaches for strings, winds and percussion. Let us know if you’re interested in conducting or managing an ensemble as well. We’re always happy to meet new faces in the region!
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Band Division Matthew Spatz and Gregory Mulford Band Division Co-Chairs The high school auditions will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2014 with a snow date of Sunday, January 5, 2014, at Paramus High School. We would like to thank Mark Donellan and Paramus High School for hosting auditions and the band division audition chair, Jeff Brown from Bergenfield High School. The High School Region Band Concert will be held at Randolph High School on January 26, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. Bradley Genevro, Director of Bands at Messiah College, will be conducting the wind ensemble and William Stowman, chair of the Music Department at Messiah College, will be conducting the symphonic band. The Junior High School auditions will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2014. The junior high school battery percussion audition will continue to combine the snare and traps requirements. There are new scale requirements on the website for the junior high school students. In addition there is a junior high school timpani study that will be in place of the previous “rolls” portion of the timpani audition. Please print off copies for you and your students. Our Fourth Annual NJSMA Chamber Ensemble Concert will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at a location to be announced. The concert will consist of the region’s top high school band students performing chamber literature. Please check the website for further details as they become available. The annual NJSMA high school concert band festival will be held on March 25 at Verona HS, March 26 at Pascack Hills HS (day) and Hanover Park HS (evening), and March 27 at West Essex HS (day) and Randolph HS (evening). The junior high school band festival will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2014 at Randolph Middle School and Westwood Regional Jr/ Sr High School. Please check the NJSMA website for details and performance applications. The NJSMA Elementary Honors Band Festival will be on Saturday, May 3, 2014, at a site to be announced. For 2014 there will be a change from the previous years. Only sixth graders from NorthJersey who have been nominated by their directors will be JANUARY 2014
eligible to participate. Rehearsals will take place during the morning and the ensembles will present a concert in the afternoon. The festival will be a one-day event and the sponsoring teacher must be in attendance the day of the festival. This is a wonderful opportunity to feature young musicians as they grow and develop in their musical experiences. All student nominations will take place electronically. Please check the NJSMA website for details. Directors who would like to suggest a new high school or junior high school solo for future auditions are encouraged to do so. The process for having a new solo considered is to contact the band chairs and provide a copy of the music for them. Your suggestion will be submitted to a committee for review (NJ Band Procedures Committee for high school solos) and added to the list if deemed appropriate. Region I Band Procedures Representatives: Lewis Kelly, Gregory Mulford and Mindy Scheierman. Choral Division Irene Lahr and Austin Vallies Choral Division Co-Chairs The Choral Division is pleased to announce the conductors for the 2014 High School Region Honor Choirs. Cynthia Powell of the Melodia Women’s Choir will conduct the Women’s Chorus and Mike Semancik, director of choirs at Morris Knolls High School, will conduct the Mixed Chorus. This concert will be taking place on January 25th. Former NJSMA member Shawn Michael Condon will be travelling from Finland to conduct the Junior High School Treble Ensemble. At the time of this writing, we are in the final stages of securing a conductor for our Junior High School Mixed Chorus. High school honor choir auditions will take place Saturday, January 4, 2014, at Paramus HS. The junior high school honor choir auditions will take place Saturday, February 1, 2014, at Clifton HS. All audition materials are available on the NJSMA website, www.NJSMA.com. Thank you to Michelle Digaetano and Deana Larsen for kindly volunteering to be our audition managers again this year! High school choral evening rehearsals as well as the High School concert will be held at Morris Knolls High School. The all day rehearsal is tentatively scheduled to take JANUARY 2014
place at Morris Plains High School. The junior high school evening rehearsals will be at Memorial MS in Fair Lawn, where George Glock has been hosting for several years. We are grateful to him and the district of Fair Lawn for volunteering their time and hospitality. At this time, we do not have a site for the all-day rehearsal, dress rehearsal, or concert (Feb 28th, March 1st, and 2nd). We also do not have managers for the Junior Region Chorus. If we do not have a site host for these dates, or managers, by January 4, unfortunately, we will not be able to run our Junior High School Honor Choirs. Our annual high school choral festival ran November 27th through the 29th. Thank you to Steve Bell, our festival coordinator and host at Teaneck High School; Doug Heyburn, West Milford High School; and Barbara Klemp, Chatham HS, for graciously hosting. We will never turn down your help or suggestions. If you are interested in hosting an event or managing an ensemble or even taking a spot on the board, please email Irene Lahr or Austin Vallies at ilahr@ NJSMA.com and avallies@NJSMA.com. We would hate to see events canceled due to the lack of volunteers for these groups. We look forward to your participation.
SJBODA
South Jersey Band And Orchestra Directors Association sjboda.org
S
JBODA will bring in the New Year with two very exciting concerts. On Sunday, January 5th we will present our Orchestra and String Ensemble concert at Rowan University. This is the 60th anniversary concert for the Orchestra which will be conducted by Michael Gagliardo. The Junior High String Ensemble will be conducted by Susan Meuse (Hammarskjold MS). The manager for the Orchestra will be Deb Knisely (Cinnaminson HS) and the managers for the String Ensemble have not been announced at this time. The following Sunday, January 12th the Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band conducted by Darryl Bott (Rutgers University) and Andrew Seigel (William Davies MS) respectively, will perform in the 68th anniversary concert at Rowan University. The managers for the Wind Ensemble are Jessica Sanford (Toms
River HS East) and Lisa Simone (Hooper Ave. Elementary) and the managers for the Symphonic Band are Steve Carey (Pitman HS) and Jon Grill (Toms River HS North). These concerts would not be possible without the commitment and dedication of our colleagues. Deb Knisely (Cinnaminson HS) and Phil Senseney (Southern Regional Schools) did an outstanding job in providing our students with a positive audition experience. Gail Posey and John Stanz provided an excellent facility for our students, parents, and membership at the auditions which were held at Eastern Regional HS. We would also like to acknowledge our string coordinator, Glenn Motson (Gloucester City HS) and our percussion equipment manager, Christopher Janney (Haddonfield HS). The first rehearsal for these ensembles was held at Cinnaminson HS and hosted by Deb Knisely. Deb did a wonderful job in meeting the needs of our students. The young musicians also benefited from the efforts of Nichole DelNero (Toms River HS South) our Senior High Band Coordinator. The Junior High Band auditions will take place on Saturday, January 25th at Southern Regional Middle School. Jennifer Hodgson, Andrew Wright, and Phil Senseney will be our hosts. Audition information is available on our website. Tony Scardino (Indian Mills MS) and Joe Jacobs (Ventnor MS) are the Junior High audition chairs. Glenn Motson (Gloucester City HS) is our Junior High Band Coordinator. The rehearsals will take place at Mainland Regional HS with Keith Hodgson as our host. Mark Kadetsky will be our concert host; Keith Hodgson will host the rehearsals at Mainland Regional HS. The conductors for the 37th Annual Junior High Band Concerts are Calvin Spencer (Monongahela MS) and Curt Mount (Delanco Twp. Schools), the managers will be Jay Dorfman (Delran MS) and Stephanie Strouse (Oak Valley ES). The 7th annual Chamber Ensemble Concert will take place on Thursday, February 13th. Keith Hodgson (Mainland Regional HS) is our Chamber Ensemble Coordinator and concert host. The Mainland TRI-M Music Honor Society Chapter will also be our host for this event. Debbie Krauss (Retired/Private Teacher) will coach the flute quartet. The coaches for the Chamber Ensembles are Debbie Krauss (Retired/Private Teacher) - Flute Quartet; Mark Synder (Rowan University) – Woodwind Quintet; David Seals (Attales MS) – Brass Ensemble; Timothy Powell (Rowan University) – Saxo-
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phone Quartet; Marc Spatz (Atlantic City Schools) – Percussion Ensemble; and Jennifer Hodgson (Southern Regional HS) – Clarinet Choir. Registration forms for our 20th annual Concert Band Festival are available on the SJBODA website. The festival, coordinated by Mike Armstrong (Deptford Township HS), will take place on Monday, March 17th and Tuesday, March 18th at Rowan University. Rick Dammers and the Rowan CNAfME will host this event. The 22nd annual Elementary Honors Band Festival will take place on Saturday, May 3rd at Absegami HS. Jonathan Porco will be our host. Our coordinators are Christine Macaulay (Cherry Hill Schools), David Fox (Thomas E. Bowe School), and Bill Trimble (Wenonah ES). Registration forms are available on the website. The SJBODA Winter Meeting will take place on Friday, January 10th at 10:00 am at Rowan University. All members are encouraged to attend. Please continue to check the website, maintained by Scott McCarron (Delsea Regional HS), for the latest SJBODA updates. The SJBODA phone number is 609-457-0590.
2014
LOCAL PARKS: Six FLAgS gREAt AdvENtuRE May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 June 6 dORNEy PARK
May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 June 6 HERSHEyPARK
May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 June 6
RyE PLAyLANd May 16, 23, 30
Performance in the Park
Joseph Jacobs Secretary, SJBODA
SJCDA
South Jersey Choral Directors Association sjcda.net
The South Jersey Choral Directors Association carried out their annual region auditions on Saturday, November 16th, at Woodstown High School. The conductors have chosen their ensembles and rehearsals will be underway in December. The annual SJCDA Choral Festival will take place on January 25th and 26th at Eastern Regional High School. Many of our students participated in the All State concert in Atlantic City, and we are quite proud of our own Art McKenzie who had the honor of conducting this year’s chorus. In addition, the concert was presented in memory of Dick Smith, a long time teacher, mentor and friend of the South Jersey Choral Directors.
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JANUARY 2014
This column salutes the lives and careers of recently departed colleagues. It is the way NJMEA and NJRMEA can express appreciation for the work that they have done and the lives that they have touched. We mourn their passing and salute their contributions, which are the basis for music education in the state of New Jersey.
Brian T. Daniel Brian T. Daniel, 45, of Sandusky, passed away early Sunday morning, October 6, 2013, in the Stein Hospice Care Center, Sandusky, after a lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis. Born on May 20, 1968, in Sandusky, the son of William Edward and Phyllis Regina (Will) Daniel. Brian was a 1986 graduate of Washington Township High School, in Sewell, NJ and he later graduated in 1992 from Glassboro State College, in Glassboro, NJ with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Music Education. He was a music teacher for a few years, in the Woodbury Public Schools (formerly the Woodbury Education Association) of Woodbury, NJ. Brian enjoyed reading, computers and was an avid Cleveland sports fan.
College High School in Montclair and received her B.A. from Kalamazoo College. Patricia was a music educator for the Newark public schools.
Deirdre R. Berry Maislin Deirdre R. Berry Maislin, 53, passed away on Friday, August 9, 2013. Born in Hinsdale, IL, she resided in Scotch Plains for fifteen years before moving to Bridgewater thirty four years ago. Berry Maislin worked as a music teacher for the South Bound Brook Board of Education for twenty years, retiring in 2007. Deirdre enjoyed playing the piano and giving lessons. She loved the Yankees, was an avid reader, and loved to study genealogy. She also enjoyed spending quality time with her family, especially her grandsons.
Regina Kowalski Dansker Regina Kowalski Dansker, 87, entered into eternal rest on Monday, Aug. 19, 2013. Born in Jersey City, N.J., to the late Marion and Kamila Kowalski, Regina was a lifelong resident of Harrison. She graduated from Harrison High School, Montclair State College (1952), and the Juilliard School of Music (1947). Over the years, Regina sang at many services held in churches and temples. Besides having a beautiful soprano voice, Regina also played the piano and violin. For over 30 years, she taught vocal and instrumental music in the Chatham school district, where she was affectionately known as “Miss K”. Regina was a kind, generous person who loved animals and donated to many charities.
Patricia Brown Fitz-Roy Patricia Brown Fitz-Roy, 63, of Clifton, N.J., passed away on Nov. 5, 2013. Born in Iowa City, Iowa, Patricia grew up in Montclair, N.J; she raised her family in Glen Ridge and then settled in Clifton late in life. She graduated from
JANUARY 2014
Donald B. Norton, Sr. Donald B. Norton, Sr., Ed.D, 95, a retired Professor of Music at Glassboro State College, now Rowan University, passed away peacefully of natural causes on Friday, Oct. 25, in Duluth, GA. Music was Norton’s passion. It served as both his recreation and his occupation for his entire life. He was an accomplished violin and viola soloist who also played and taught clarinet. He played all string instruments and taught himself to play the piano. He was a Glassboro, NJ resident and Professor of Music at Glassboro State College from 1961 until retirement in 1983, when he was presented Professor Emeritus status. He additionally played professionally in many symphony orchestras, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Kalamazoo (MI) Symphony Orchestra and others during his lifetime. He taught hundreds of students, ranging in age from 10 to 75 years, with private music lessons. Many of his students have gone on to teach or play professionally. He additionally served as a consultant for the International Music Company and traveled Europe
for several years evaluating violins and violas. Born July 3, 1918 in Ludington, Michigan, on the shore of Lake Michigan, Norton attended Ludington Public Schools and graduated from Ludington High School in 1936. He earned his Bachelors of Science (B.S.) in History and Music from Western Michigan University in 1940 and his Masters of Science (M.S.) in Music from the University of Maryland in 1952. He was awarded his Doctorate in Education (Ed.D), as well as a Professional Diploma in Music Education from Columbia University - Teachers College, New York, New York in 1954 and 1955, respectively. Enlistment in World War II caused interruption to his graduate education.
Joanne Salvitti Joanne Salvitti, age 71, of Toms River, formerly of Philadelphia, PA, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, at the home of her sister, Carole, surrounded by loving family. A graduate of Immaculata College in PA, Joanne was a first seat cellist for the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and cellist with the Multi-Generational Orchestra, Toms River. Prior to her recent retirement, Joanne was a band director at Goetz Middle School in Jackson for the past 25 years. This is where she found her second family and instilled her love of music into the lives of thousands of students. Earlier, she was a music teacher for the Catholic Schools in Philadelphia for 23 years. Joanne was totally devoted to her family; her love and generosity were never ending. Joanne’s love of music, family, and friends will always be remembered. She will be missed by her family and many friends with whom she enjoyed partying, playing canasta, laughing, and coffee.
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83 TEMPO
NJMEA 2013-2014 Board of Directors Executive Board
Appointed Members
President, Joseph Jacobs Ventnor Middle School jjacobs@veccnj.org 609-335-6429
Administration Ronald Dolce Retired rdolce561@aol.com 732-574-0846
Corporate/Industry Ron Beaudoin rbeau1959@gmail.com 301-662-2010
Past-President, Keith Hodgson Mainland Regional HS keithhodgson1@mac.com 609-317-0906
Advocacy Nick Santoro Retired nb1331@quixnet.net 732-246-7223
Early Childhood Music Ed. Amy Burns Far Hills Country Day School aburns@fhcds.org 973-493-5797
President-Elect, William McDevitt Vineland High School billnjmea@aol.com 856-794-6800 x2539
Band Festivals/Classroom Music Nancy Clasen Thomas Jefferson Middle School nancydidi@hotmail.com 973-766-5343
Guitar Tom Amoriello Flemington Raritan Schools tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us 908-284-7650
Executive Secretary-Treasurer Deborah Sfraga Ocean Township Schools debnjmea@aol.com 732-686-1316
Band Performance Albert Bazzel Winslow Twp. Middle School fenwayfollower5@comcast.net 856-358-2054
Music Teacher Education Al Holcomb Rider University aholcomb@rider.edu 609-921-7100 x8104
Communications (TEMPO/Web) Thomas A. Mosher, Retired tmosher@njmea.org 732-367-7195
Choral Festivals Donna Marie Berchtold William Davies Middle School berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.org 609-476-6241 x1013
Opera Festival Stevie Rawlings Paramus High School srawlings@paramus.k12.nj.us 201-261-7800 x3069
Chorus Performance Kathy Spadafino, Retired kspadeb@aol.com 732-214-1044
Orchestra Festivals/Performance Susan Meuse Hammarskjold Middle School susanmeuse@gmail.com 732-613-6890
Chorus/Orchestra/Jazz Joseph Cantaffa Howell High School jcantaffahhs@hotmail.com 732-919-2131
Retired Music Educators Beverly Robinovitz Retired beviewgr@aol.com 732-271-4245
Region Executive Members
NJSMA President, Peter Bauer Columbia High School pbauer@somsd.k12.nj.us 973-762-5600 x1183 CJMEA President, Jeff Santoro Allentown High School santorj@ufrsd.net 732-259-7292 x1422 SJCDA President, Bill Yerkes West Deptford High School wyerkes@wdeptford.k12.nj.us 856-848-6110 x2220 SJBODA President, Ben Fong Reeds Road Elementary School fongb@gtps.k12.nj.us 609-365-1892
Collegiate Chapters/Technology Rick Dammers Rowan University dammers@rowan.edu 856-256-4557 Conferences Marie Malara Sayreville Middle School malara97@aol.com 732-525-5290 x2370
TEMPO 84
JANUARY 2014
NJMEA RESOURCE PERSONNEL Area of Responsibility Name Email Address Administrative Matters..........................................................Joseph Jacobs................................................................ jjacobs@veccnj.org All-State Band Coordinator................................................Donna Cardaneo............................................................ dcardaneo@aol.com All-State Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz Coordinator.....................Joseph Cantaffa................................................... jcantaffahhs@hotmail.com Association Business............................................................ Deborah Sfraga.............................................................. debnjmea@aol.com Band Procedures Chair.........................................................Matthew Spatz................................................matthew.spatz@millburn.org Choral Procedures Chair................................................... Kathleen Spadafino..............................................................kspadeb@aol.com Composition Contest.........................................................Robert Frampton....................................................rtframpton@comcast.net Jazz Procedures Chair............................................................. David May.....................................philadelphiaflyersorganist@gmail.com Marching Band Festival Chair.............................................. Nancy Clasen....................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com Membership........................................................................ Deborah Sfraga.............................................................. debnjmea@aol.com Middle/Junior High Band Festival.....................................James Chwalyk, Jr...............................................murphysoutlaw@gmail.com Middle/Junior High Choral Festival..............................Donna Marie Berchtold ................................. berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.org Music In Our Schools Month................................................. Amy Burns....................................................................aburns@fhcds.org NJMEA Historian.................................................................Nick Santoro..............................................................nb1331@quixnet.net NJMEA State Conference Exhibits Chair............................. Nancy Clasen....................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com NJMEA State Conference Committee.................................. Ron Beaudoin......................................................... rbeau1959@gmail.com NJMEA State Conference Manager.......................................Marie Malara................................................................malara97@aol.com NJMEA/ACDA Honors Choir.............................................. Carol Beadle................................................. carol.dory.beadle@gmail.com NJMEA Summer Conference..............................................Joseph Akinskas.................................................... joea_njmea@comcast.net November Convention – NJEA............................................ Nancy Clasen....................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com Opera Festival Chair............................................................ Stevie Rawlings...............................................srawlings@paramus.k12.nj.us Orchestra Procedures Chair................................................... Susan Meuse......................................................... susanmeuse@gmail.com Research............................................................................. Frank Abrahams............................................................abrahams@rider.edu Students with Special Needs................................................ Maureen Butler........................................................... mbutler@mtlakes.org Supervisor of Performing Groups......................................... Keith Hodgson.................................................... keithhodgson1@mac.com Tri-M...................................................................................... Gail Posey..................................................................... gposey@eccrsd.us REPRESENTATIVES/LIAISONS TO AFFILIATED, ASSOCIATED AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS NJ American Choral Directors Association............................ Carol Beadle................................................ carol.dory.beadle@gmail.com Governor’s Award for Arts Education................................... Stevie Rawlings ............................................. srawlings@paramus.k12.nj.us NJ Association for Jazz Education........................................... David May.................................... philadelphiaflyersorganist@gmail.com NAfME.................................................................................Joseph Jacobs................................................................jjacobs@veccnj.org NJ Music Administrators Association......................................Ron Dolce................................................................. rdolce561@aol.com NJ Retired Music Educators Association........................... Beverly Robinovitz............................................................beviewgr@aol.com NJ TI:ME............................................................................ Rick Dammers.......................................................... dammers@rowan.edu Percussive Arts Society..........................................................Chris Colaneri.......................................................... ccvibes@hotmail.com
COMMUNICATION SERVICES/PUBLIC RELATIONS Executive Secretary-Treasurer............................................... Deborah Sfraga............................................................. debnjmea@aol.com Editor - TEMPO Magazine.............................................. Thomas A. Mosher..........................................................tmosher@njmea.org Web Master (njmea.org)................................................... Thomas A. Mosher..........................................................tmosher@njmea.org
JANUARY 2014
85 TEMPO
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NJMEA Past Presidents 1924 - 1926 1926 - 1930 1930 - 1930 - 1931 1931 - 1933 1933 - 1935 1935 - 1936 1936 - 1938 1938 - 1939 1939 - 1941 1941 - 1942 1942 - 1944 1944 - 1945 1945 - 1947 1947 - 1949 1949 - 1951
Josephine Duke R.W. Laslett Smith Jay W. Fay Wilbert B. Hitchner Thomas Wilson John H. Jaquish Clifford Demarest Mable E. Bray Paul H. Oliver K. Elizabeth Ingles Arthur E. Ward John T. Nicholson Frances Allan-Allen Philip Gordon Violet Johnson Samuel W. Peck
1951 - 1953 - 1955 - 1957 - 1959 - 1961 - 1963 - 1965 - 1967 - 1969 - 1971 - 1973 - 1975 - 1977 - 1979 - 1981 -
1953 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983
Janet G. Gleason Henry Zimmerman Agnes B. Gordown Leroy B. Lenox Elizabeth R. Wood Harold A. Brown E. Brock Griffith Robert C. Heath Edward Brown Rudolph Kreutzer Charles Wertman Stephen M. Clarke Herman L. Dash Buddy S. Ajalat Alyn J. Heim Robert Marince
TEMPO 86
1983 - 1985 1985 - 1987 1987 - 1989 1989 - 1991 1991 - 1993 1993 - 1995 1995 - 1997 1997 - 1999 1999 - 2001 2001 - 2003 2003 - 2005 2005 - 2007 2007 - 2009 2009 - 2011 2011 - 2013
Anthony Guerere Joan Policastro Joseph Mello Dorian Parreott David S. Jones Anthony Guerere Sharon Strack Chic Hansen Joseph Mello Nicholas Santoro Frank Phillips Joseph Akinskas Robert Frampton William McDevitt Keith Hodgson
JANUARY 2014
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Gettysburg College, Sunderman Conservatory High Note Music Festivals Indiana University of Pennsylvania Ithaca College Mason Gross School of the Arts Ext. Div. Messiah College Music and Arts Center
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