The Official Magazine of the New Jersey Music Educators Association MARCH 2016
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 70, No. 3
http://www.njmea.org
MARCH 2016
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS AND NJMEA BUSINESS
20 Getting Schooled In The Feierabend Fundamentals, Missy Strong 26 JamHub Provides 2nd & 3rd Grade Students With Opportunities To Create And Improvise On iPad Instruments At Young Composers Night, Daniel Beal 32 Getting Your Rhythm Section To Swing, Ronald E. Kearns 34 Teaching Today, Joseph Pergola 36 What Instruments Should Be In A Band?, William L. Berz 40 Celebrate Music In Our Schools Month®, Amy Burns 42 A Modern Exploration Of Gender Stereotypes In The Selection Of Muic Teacher Applicants, Andrew Lesser 46 Empowering The Musician In Your Classroom, Thomas Amoriello & Mathhew S. Ablan 52 Effective Practicing With G.F.R., Dan Halpern
Advertisers Index & Web Addresses.......63 Board of Directors.................................60 Division Chair News.......................... 6-18 Editorial Policy & Advertising Rates......62 From The Editor......................................4 In Memoriam.................................. 58-59 Past-Presidents.......................................62 President’s Message.............................. 2-3 Resource Personnel................................61 Round the Regions.......................... 54-57
FORMS AND APPLICATIONS See NJMEA.ORG
“Forms and Documents” for downloadable copies of all forms & applications
NAfME Membership............................. 64
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: 732-367-7194 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 70, No. 3, MARCH 2016 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
National In-Service Conference November 10-13, 2016 Grapevine, Texas NAfME Biennial Eastern Division Conference April 5-8, 2017 Atlantic City, NJ
president’s
message
WILLIAM McDEVITT 856-794-6800 x2539 billnjmea@aol.com Website: http://www.njmea.org
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t the time of this writing, I am sitting at home watching the snow fall during the “Blizzard of 2016”. Twenty years ago, I was doing the same thing, but it was when the South Jersey Orchestra Concert was supposed to be happening. I learned a long time ago that there are certain things that you cannot control, one of which is the weather. As a marching band director, this concept is difficult to understand, but I take a deep breath and make decisions based on the information that is available at the time. This happened with our All-State Band Auditions, as you will see below. Also, at the time of this writing, we are quickly approaching our annual NJMEA Conference and our February All-State activities. These events come at a perfect time to revitalize our minds for that push to the end of the year. We eagerly anticipate the annual Music in Our Schools Month and the activities that occur in each of our schools to celebrate the fact that music has been taught in public schools since Lowell Mason introduced the subject in Boston in 1838! We are also preparing to host the 2017 Eastern Division Conference and All-EastTEMPO
ern Ensembles. There is so much happening that it is difficult to know where to begin. FEBRUARY CONFERENCE I would like to thank Marie Malara and her staff for putting together another excellent conference. Over the years, Marie and her committee have noticed the trends and changed to fit those trends. The planning for next year’s conference always begins on the last evening of the current year’s conference. After the All-State concert, a dozen people get together and discuss what problems were encountered and what worked flawlessly and begin to map out the plans for the next year. Thanks go out to Debbie Sfraga and Nancy Clasen for their work putting together the exhibits. I would also like to thank Debbie for her work registering this year’s attendees. By now, everyone knows that we have implemented a new registration process. Registrations for everything will now go through NAfME. At the time of this writing, we are expecting a slight learning curve at the check-in desk at the conference, but it will become a procedure that we will follow for the future. 2
I would also like to thank Tom Mosher for preparing the conference booklet. This smaller booklet along with Guidebook, is bringing our NJMEA Conference up-to-date. There are so many people that come together to make the conference a success. I truly appreciate the work of every volunteer on this project. FEBRUARY ALL-STATE Despite some weather-related changes, 2016 All-State Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Treble Chorus was another successful February endeavor. Under the leadership of Band Performance Chair Al Bazzel and Choral Performance Chair Kathy Spadafino, nearly 400 students rehearsed at Rutgers University and performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. Once again, the weekend experience was well coordinated by Donna Cardaneo, who scheduled housing, buses, meals and rehearsals. I would like to thank both committees for making sure that the students had both an educationally and musically rewarding experience. It’s also important to thank the music teachers that prepared the students, participated in auditions and rehearsals, and chaperoned the students in New Brunswick. MARCH 2016
As I alluded to earlier, sometimes the weather alters our plans. With the “Blizzard of 2016” an imminent threat, the All-State Band Committee made the decision to postpone auditions. While some people think that this is a simple decision, there are many facets to the decision. The simple answer is to make the decision in the best interest of the students, parents, and teachers. The difficult aspect is where and when to hold the auditions and how to coordinate a program, that normally has 4 weeks to prepare, in two weeks. Over the past few years, this committee has had to make changes in their normal routine and always produced excellent ensembles. EASTERN DIVISION CONFERENCE Plans are well under way for the 2017 Eastern Division Conference in Atlantic City. NAfME The Broader conference will Minded Print Ad 7 x 4.875’’ trim (built with 1/8’’ bleed) be held from April 5th through April
8th. Because we are hosting, this will replace our normal February Conference. While we are continuing the planning process, you can keep updated by visiting the website www. menc-eastern.org often. It will be updated as we continue to plan. Marie Malara will be our Conference Chair, Keith Hodgson will be our Band/Orchestra/Chorus/Jazz Coordinator, Debbie Sfraga will be our Conference Manager, and Nancy Clasen will be our Exhibits Chair. I have every confidence in the world with these chairs and know that it is going to be an amazing conference.
ed eucation. Visit the NAfME website for update on how this legislation can be used to help your situation: http://www.nafme.org/wp-content/ files/2015/11/ESSA-Implementation-and-Music-Education-Opportunities-Abound-FINAL.pdf We are currently in the process of revising the NJCCCS. There are 7 excellent representatives from our membership on the committee. As information is released, we will be notifying our membership.
Until the next issue, keep warm, keep the snow shovel close by and look forward to Spring Break!
ADVOCACY Since our last publication, the US Congress has passed, and President Obama has signed the “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA). This legislation replaces “No Child Left Behind”. By now, everyone has been informed that Music is listed as a stand-alone subject in a well-round-
Bill McDevitt
join the broader minded movement. ™
It’s time for everyone to start thinking beyond the bubbles.™ We know music helps educate the whole student. But now we need you to help us spread the word. The true mission of education lies in shaping the students behind the scores, and “bubble tests” can measure only so much. Visit broaderminded.com now to get started. – Learn what to say and how to share it – Watch the broader minded video – Share your own story – Join the broader minded movement and receive advocacy updates – Order broader minded resources 800-336-3768 www.nafme.org
MARCH 2016
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Editor’s Message Thomas A. Mosher 732-367-7195 tmosher@njmea.org Website: http://www.njmea.org
Thank You To Our TEMPO Contributors
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Magazine is one of the best Music Educator Journals in the country thanks to the many people who contribute their efforts to our magazine. Amy Burns has secured two new authors for this issue: Missy Strong & Daniel Beal. They are helping to continue our efforts to provide more helpful information to our elementary music teachers. We have “outsiders” such as Joseph Pergola and Ronald E. Kearns who have been assisting me by providing excellent, timely articles to use as needed. The articles which Bill Berz from Rutgers University has been providing for many years concerning band, and those by Tom McCauley from Montclair State University have been extremely educational. There are several talented NJMEA Board members who have been writing as well. Nick Santoro has been writing or providing articles on “Music Advocacy” and keeps us informed with articles in TEMPO Express. Amy Burns writes many well informed articles about “Early Childhood Music” and Maureen Butles writes about “Special Learners”: two areas in which we are sorely in need of more information. Marj LoPresti is new to our board and is keeping us up-to-date with her articles about “Music Technology.” Tom Amoriello is another board member who is trying very hard to educate us all about using guitars in the classroom. This is also an area of music education which has not been properly addressed in the past, and Tom is quickly taking the reins concerning that subject. If I start naming all of our contributors, I am sure to miss someone, but please read all of the articles we print and be sure to send your thoughts to those who are makTEMPO
ing the effort to write. Without them, TEMPO could not exist. Do you have something to say? Then don’t be afraid to write down your thoughts and email them to me. All of you are well educated music teachers who are bound to be “expert” in some area or have thoughts about how to do something well. The tendency is to say “I am not a good writer.” What you really mean is that you do not write often, but you do write lesson plans and many other things as required in your school. You just need time to sit down and think about what to say and then do it! For more information, go our website (njmea.org) and look for the Submission Guidelines under the TEMPO pull-down menu. We will fix any spelling or grammatical errors.
SAVE THE DATE
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MARCH 2016
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs Administration Ronald P. Dolce 732-574-0846 rdolce561@aol.com
By the time that you read this article spring will be just around the corner and the weather will be getting warmer. Most of our districts will be preparing for their spring concerts and travel plans to various festivals and competitions. The members of the New Jersey Music Administrators Association’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors continue to prepare for the upcoming workshops for its members. We have had three workshops so far with varied subjects including arts and the common core, recruitment and retention and interviewing techniques. Our most recent was held on February 5, 2016. The workshop, “Building a Dream Team: Interviewing Techniques”, was presented by Peter Griffin, Supervisor of Music for the Hopewell Valley School District. The workshop presented a positive practice for selecting the best candidate for your posted position. This workshop also gave our members an opportunity to share with others how they interview candidates for positons in their school district. In February, several members of the NJMAA presented at the annual NJMEA Conference at the Hilton Hotel on East Brunswick. The workshops were designed to help the administrator, new teachers and music education students from our colleges. Joe Akinskas, adjunct professor from Cumberland County College and Rowan University presented a workshop entitled, “Teacher Preparation- The Collaboration” and also facilitated the NJMAA Collegiate Academy Wrap Roundtable. Peter Griffin, Music Supervisor from the Hopewell Valley School District presented, “Nail Down that Job! Strategies for Interview Success”. Robert Pispecky, Supervisor of Music from the Edison Public Schools presented, “Transitioning from Music Student to Music Teacher”. Dennis Argul, Supervisor of Music from the Elizabeth Public Schools with Marissa Silverman from Montclair State University, presented, “ Building, Creating and Sustaining Community for Urban Music Education”. Our presentations have always been well received and we are happy to continue to contribute to the Collegiate Academy at the conference. On Friday, February 19th at 8:30 a.m., The NJMAA held their Annual Welcome Breakfast hosted by our President, Robert Pispecky from the Edison Public Schools and President- Elect, Thomas Weber Supervisor of Music from the Egg Harbor School District. This is an informal breakfast that allows the members to meet and greet. This year, our guess speaker was Jim Frankel from Music First. A brief presentation was made as a prelude to our June meeting. Our next general membership meeting will be on Friday, April 8th at the Rutgers Club on the campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. with hospitality at 8:30 a.m. The topic of the meeting is “College Connection.” The facilitator is Joe Akinskas. The NJMAA continues to reach out to music supervisors, program directors and administrators that are responsible for the music education of the students in their district. Pass along to them our website, njmaa.org so that they can become familiar with us and perhaps become a member of the association. continued on page 8
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs Band Performance Al Bazzel 856-358-2054 fenwayfollwer5@comcast.net
Congratulations to all involved with this year’s All State Band process, culminating with the concert at NJPAC on Saturday, February 21st. Special thanks to our conductors, Allan McMurray and Matthew Roeder, the entire band procedures committee, coordinators, managers, hosts, and band directors throughout the state. Your students did a wonderful job! Please note the 2016-17 solo list will be published in the May 2016 issue of TEMPO. On behalf of the entire committee, I hope you have a successful spring performance season at your respective schools.
Choral Performance Kathleen Spadafino 732-214-1044 kspadEB@aol.com
Now you’re in the hardest part of the year, but hang on! Soon the musical, the trip, the spring concert and the All-State auditions will be over and you can look forward to summer. But not yet! I want to thank you for taking the time to keep up with Choral activities in New Jersey. I also want to thank you for the time you took in coaching a senior for their college auditions, helping a newly aware young singer realize their great gift, and for making that school musical a triumph for all involved. Many pats on the back and “bravos” for you! I saw many of you at the NJMEA convention in February. It was great sharing ideas and celebrating our colleagues who presented and performed. We also had a great time at the Eastern ACDA convention in Boston. Those performances were amazing! If you’re not already a member, check the NJ ACDA chapter at: www.njacda.com. Speaking of great performances, our All-State Treble Chorus performed brilliantly, conducted with great energy by Michael Semancik. Many thanks to our dedicated managers, Joe Cantaffa and Jennifer Alagna; plus all the chaperones who worked together to make this experience fun and musically uplifting. Also thanks to Donna Cardaneo, who expertly organized our housing, meals and transportation. It’s time to start thinking about next year. Your Choral Procedures Committee is hard at work preparing for this year’s auditions on April 9th and April 16th. Please keep checking our website and your emails for ALL information and updates. Please practice with the tonal memory examples shared on the website. You will be hearing soon from our audition chairs, Michael Schmidt and Cheryl Breitzman to confirm your registration information and audition times. If you have any questions, email me at KSpadEB@aol.com. There are no stupid questions!! I cannot stress enough the importance of having even one of your students participate in All-State Chorus! They will bring a whole new level of excellence to every part of your program. Bravo to all of you for your incredible work ethic, and I look forward to seeing you at auditions!
continued on page 10
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs Early Childhood Education Amy Burns 973-493-5797 aburns@fhcds.org
I hope that you all enjoyed the recent NJMEA conference this past February. One of the reasons I love attending our state conference is because it rejuvenates me. I adore listening to and learning from other music educators and seeing how they are enhancing their teaching techniques in their elementary and early childhood music classrooms. That is why I am so passionate about having webinars for elementary music educators to easily access at any time of the day, from the convenience of their classroom or their own home. For the months of September and October, I gave a webinar about the “10 Organizational Apps for Elementary Music Educators.” For the months of November and December, Jenny Amaya from MusicFirst (musicfirst.com) gave a webinar about their elementary cloud-based music programs. For the months of January and February, Catie Dwinal from Quaver Music (www.quavermusic.com) gave a webinar about their curriculum. In addition, Daniel Beal, elementary music educator from Lawrenceville Elementary School, gave a webinar about iPads and Jamhub. This month, elementary educators can access a webinar about Silver Burdett’s program: “Online Learning Exchange™ Interactive Music” powered by Silver Burdett. There are more webinars coming, so please keep an eye out for announcements on the NJMEA Facebook page and TEMPO Express. If you would like access to a previous webinar, please contact me. Finally, in the January TEMPO article titled, “Amazing Day at the NJSMA’s John Feierabend Workshop,” John’s name was misspelled in the title and in the article. When I wrote the article, I worked diligently at making sure to spell his name correctly and had one of the organizers of the event proof it for me. However, during the process of publishing, I did not cross check the spelling of his name and I take responsibility for the errors. My deepest apologies to John Feierabend, as he is a great music educator and his publications are exceptional and staples to those who teach music.
Guitar Education Thomas Amoriello tom@tomamoriello.com 908-342-7795
Please spread the word and mark your calendars for April 16, 2016 as this will be the NJMEA Guitar Festival at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ which will feature the chosen students as well as featured guest artist for performance and master class with the Atlantic Guitar Quartet. We need to have student and teacher participation on many levels. Please consider volunteering your time to help as an adjudicator, sectional coach, and other festival duties. Otherwise this will be unsuccessful! Please feel free to share any classroom guitar news with tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us
continued on page 12
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs Guitar Events for March/April Sunday, March 13, 2016 - 3:00 pm Settlement Music School, 416 Queen St. (free parking) General: $25; Student/Senior: $15; Member:$10 Over the last decade, guitarist Emma Rush has established herself as one of Canada’s top classical guitarists. Emma Rush is based in Hamilton where she is on the faculty at Mohawk College and Redeemer University College. She performs throughout North America and Europe and appears regularly as a performer and teacher at international music festivals (Iserlohn, Acadia, Great Lakes). In 2011 she was a top prize winner at the Columbus State International Guitar Competition and the Great Lakes International Guitar Com-petition. Her much anticipated debut album, Folklórica, was re-leased in the summer of 2014. Emma Rush is the founder and artistic director of the “Guitar Hamilton” concert series and the “Hamilton International Guitar Festival.”
Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society Festival FULL DAY FESTIVAL Sunday, April 10, 2016 10:00 - 7:00 pm Settlement Music School, 416 Queen St. A full day of events including over 100 student recitals, PCGS competition finals, professional workshops, vendor fair, Antigoni Goni master class, PCGS Orchestra recital, and PCGS 2015 competition winner recital, Alec Holcomb.
NJ Association For Jazz Education Mike Anzuini 609-631-4150 x3412 manzuini.njaje@gmail.com
As we turn our calendar to Spring, NJAJE is busy hosting our annual State Jazz Band Festival. During the second week of March, 48 High School Jazz Bands participate in the weeklong preliminary round of the State Festival. They perform over 5 nights at various schools around the state. Thanks go out to Liberty Middle School, Steinert High School, Cherokee High School, Bridgewater Raritan High School and Jackson Liberty High School for hosting a night of prelims! After the results of the preliminary round are calculated, the top 9 Bands in each division will perform in the Final round on Saturday April 30th. A special thank you to our Membership Chair/Festival Coordinator Jeffrey Lesser for organizing this statewide event. NJAJE is also sponsoring Jazz Combo Clinics once again! If you have a small jazz group (10 members or less) you can request a clinic with a Jazz Educator from one of the NJ Colleges/Universities local to your area. Don’t miss out on this fabulous opportunity for your students Information can be found on our website www.njaje.org As always, we are here as your resource for Jazz Education! Feel free to contact any of our Board Members if you have any questions. Keep on Swingin’! continued on page 14
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The College of New Jersey M U S I C The Department of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music as well as a collegiate member of NAfME, the National Association for Music Education. Kiplinger’s ranks TCNJ as the #1 Best Value Public College in New Jersey in 2015 and U.S. News & World Report ranks TCNJ as the Best Public College in the “Regional Universities-North” category for 2015-16.
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs Orchestra Performance Susan Meuse 732-613-6890 susanmeuse@gmail.com
It’s March, so we are once again preparing for the All Sate Orchestra auditions. They will be held on Saturday, March 19th at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North. Both the high school (ASO) and Intermediate (ASIO) auditions will be taking place at this time. New this year is the NJ Honors Chamber Orchestra (HCO). It is a second high school ensemble made up of string players who are not in ASO. It will take place during the spring, so seniors may audition for this ensemble. I look forward to seeing everyone at March auditions! Recently we had our 2nd NJMEA Orchestra Festivals. The middle school festival took place on Friday, January 22nd, and the high school festival took place on Friday, February 5th. Both events were small, but successful. I would like to thank Sandra Dackow and Sal Scarpa for adjudicating these events and doing a great job working with the young musicians. It would be great to see even more schools participate next year, so please let me know if you are interested! February was also the String Academy at the February Conference. Thank you to everyone who participated and made it a success. It would not have happened without the hard work of Betsy Maliszewski and Marie Malara! At the end of April, the ASIO will begin rehearsing. As I write this, we are in the process of finalizing the conductor and program. Look for more information in the May issue of TEMPO!
Retired Music Educators Kathleen Spadafino 732-214-1044 kspadEB@aol.com
Congratulations to our two 2016 Master Music Teachers: Amy Burns (Far Hills Country Day School) and Lisa Lepore (Crossroads South Middle School). Our Master Music Teacher Award committee observed these fine teachers last spring. They were presented with their awards at the NJMEA conference in February. Do you know an NJMEA Music Educator who is truly an outstanding teacher? Help recognize this person by nominating them for the 2017 Master Music Teacher Award. Please note that the application form for this nomination can be found in the January issue of TEMPO and also on the njmea website. The deadline is March 15th, so there still is a little bit of time to get your nomination in! Our General Membership meeting took place at the NJMEA conference on Friday, February 19th. It was great to see so many of you as we continue to share our friendships and our experiences of how we stay involved in our profession! Our end of the year General Membership meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 11th at 10:15 a.m., place TBA. I will be sending out a reminder in April, or you can email me for any further information. That includes YOU – anyone who joined our ranks in the middle of the year! Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2016. Yay, retirement! continued on page 16
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs Special Learners Maureen Butler 973-299-0166 mbutler@mlschools.org
There were wonderful discussions about the special learners at the February convention. It’s inspirational and motivating to see how music teachers throughout our state are seeking ways to include students with disabilities in their classes – while juggling all the other demands of their jobs! As we know, this can be a challenging but highly rewarding endeavor. Looking ahead to the NJMEA Summer Session, which will be held at TCNJ on Tuesday, August 2nd, the schedule of workshops is currently being planned. If you have any ideas for special education topics that you’d like to see addressed, please send them to me. Also, if you have questions or concerns about the students you now teach, you can reach me by email at the above address.
Summer Workshop Joe Akinskas JoeA_NJMEA@comcast.net Summer Workshop Coordinator
Summer Workshop IX I am pleased to announce that Summer Workshop IX will take place on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, from 8:00-5:30 pm. All activities will take place in the Music Building on the College of New Jersey campus in Ewing. Below you will find our session topic roster at this early stage of planning. All sessions are designed to be interactive, in a relaxed summer setting, so come prepared to utilize your voice, instrument, I-devices, and musical skills, in activities designed to be brought back to your classroom. Presenters needed: Although we are well on our way regarding sessions, we are still open to proposals from the membership. Please complete and return the presenter request form on the Summer workshop homepage, or via email to: njmeasummerworkshop@comcast.net or akinskas@rowan.edu , on or before April 4, 2016. We look forward to another enjoyable and productive day for all in attendance. Periodic updates on program development will be forthcoming in TEMPO Express postings and on our website at the conference tab on the TEMPO homepage.
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THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION
News From Our Division Chairs NJMEA Summer Workshop IX Tuesday, August 2, 2016 The College of New Jersey 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Proposed Workshop Sessions
Exploring performance literature for elementary and middle school band.
CLASSROOM MUSIC: Guitar class for the non-guitarist Approaches/techniques/strategies for teaching middle school general music - hands on lessons (beat box, trash can drumming) Technology...developing units of instruction/lessons The “Modern” HS Music Classroom - interesting electives/topics outside of performing ensembles and AP theory Effective ways to teach Music Theory (include technology options) Bucket drumming 101 Exploring instructional pedagogies and practical applications Drum circle INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Technique sessions for the non-stringist-brassist-woodwind-istpercussion-istchoral-ist….every-ist! Chamber music in the string classroom The challenges of adding winds to a string orchestra String Program Repertoire: How to Spot What Works Technology For String Instruction Elementary instrumental reading session, Recruiting and retraining low brass players
TECHNOLOGY: Technology Sandbox…Play All Day Chromebooks in the Music Classroom Live Sound Basic Basic Audio Recording Exploring ‘Music First’ Creativity in The Secondary General Music Classroom Elementary Classroom Tech Mic-ing the chorus, How to record your rehearsals, setting up and basing audio equipment for performances Exploring multi level apps for the music classroom Assessment Apps-Assessing with Edmoto, Plickers, Prezi Music Apps for ‘Google Classroom’ SPECIAL TOPICS: Managing the Non Musical aspects of your job I Don’t Have A Music Supervisor Instrument Repair: What Not To Do A Cookie For Your Thoughts A Full day of Collegial Networking and Camaraderie in summer garb! ** Choral and Special Ed sessions under development
Technology
Marjorie LoPresti 732-613-6969 marjorielopresti@gmail.com
Thank you to all of the amazing presenters at the NJMEA Workshop. Please be sure to check the virtual music tech sandbox. Special thanks to Rachel Michel and Shawna Longo for maintaining this resource. The link is at www.njmea.org/classroom/technology/ Do you teach with technology? Please share your expertise by volunteering to lead a session at the NJMEA Summer Workshop! You don’t have to know everything about a topic to present a session. Share what you do in your classes that works with your students. The Summer Workshop has a really relaxed, supportive environment for presenters as well as attendees. If your students compose and arrange with technology, plan to attend the 6th Annual NJ Student Music Tech Expo. This studentcentered event features exhibits of adjudicated student works, as well as hands-on workshops and performances. Mark your calendar now: Expo North will be held on Monday, May 16, 2016 at Rutgers, and the Expo South will be on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at Rowan. Registration will open March 1st. More information is available at http://www.njmea.org/classroom/technology/ or at https://sites.google.com/site/ njtimeexpo. TEMPO 18
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Getting Schooled In The Feierabend Fundamentals Missy Strong Mount Laurel Township Schools strongfamily6@gmail.com
“I
have no idea what I’m doing!” This is the unfortunate cry of many a new general music teacher. I know it was a lament of mine as I embarked on my own teaching career 21 years ago. While I’d love to think differently, I fear that there are still many teachers who enter their first job with the same sense of confusion. As a result of my undergraduate work, I had a solid performance foundation, a love for kids, a minimal understanding of a couple of the major music education pedagogies, and several fun activities that I had picked up during student teaching. What I did not have, though, was an overarching philosophy and set of practical, specific musical goals for my students, nor a timeline for rolling these things out during the school year. As I started teaching and soon after entered graduate studies, I began to have more of a sense of the things my students should be learning. I slowly began to develop my own philosophy for how children processed music. Yet I still longed for excellent, engaging, and systematic ideas for teaching music in my classroom every day in a way that was based on early musical development. I not only wanted someone to confirm the ways children should be taught music, I wanted to see excellent pedagogy in action. Enter John Feierabend When I learned about Feierabend’s “30-year plan” for children, I was sold. At its most simple, Feierabend wants all students to be tuneful, beatful, and
artful. This means that as our students grow into adulthood, they are able to sing Happy Birthday in tune, move competently to the beat to Take Me Out to the Ballgame played during the 7th inning of a ball game, and feel the hushed wonder of bonding with their own children while singing a lullaby to them. To help music teachers guide their students to this point, Feierabend created two overarching curricula: “First Steps in Music”, to help young students become tuneful, beatful, and artful; and his notational literacy program for older students who have achieved musical readiness, “Conversational Solfege”. It was very quickly evident to me that his curriculum for preschool and early elementary, “First Steps in Music: Preschool and Beyond,” met all the criteria for best practices in music education. At the foundation of the program is an excellent, research-based philosophy. It is developmentally-appropriate, uses rich, authentic repertoire, is sequentially laid out, and is extremely engaging. To be honest, though, the thing that put it over the top for me back then was the fact that if I wanted to, I could utilize the 3 years of detailed lesson plans that are laid out in the back of the book! Very young children on the road to literacy readiness are exposed to a tremendous amount of aural input in their earliest years. They hear the adults in their environment talking, mumbling, shouting, exclaiming, whispering-- you name it! The stage immediately following this exposure to spoken language is characterized by the child’s attempts to approximate the sounds they’ve heard in
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as conversational a manner as possible. This ability to converse verbally is refined until the child eventually embarks on formal instruction in reading and writing as they enter their school years. Musical acquisition follows along very similar lines. Musically speaking, the musical environment of a baby/toddler should take the form of the heavilyinflected baby talk, songs, and chants of their primary care-givers. Unfortunately music teachers at the elementary level find that the overwhelming majority of incoming Pre-K and Kindergarten students are greatly lagging behind in their musical development. This is most often a result of a sparse musical home environment. Sadly, most young children are not experiencing rich musical environments in their early years. Instead of students who can sing in tune, move to the beat, and connect with the expressive level of music, the music teacher is confronted with students who are deficient in any or all three categories. The music teacher must then remediate so that when students are ready to start formal instruction in notational literacy, they have a solid musical foundation. In other words, they must be tuneful, beatful, and artful before they can fully embark on their journey to read and write notation. Through his First Steps curriculum, Feierabend seeks to foster this musical readiness, as well as an appreciation of great music and wonder at the expressive piece of music. The curriculum is comprised of authentic repertoire from folk music and was based on the vast MARCH 2016
John J. Cali School of Music
Degrees: Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Arts Master of Arts Artist’s Diploma Performer’s Certificate
Each lesson in the First Steps approach is based on what Feierabend has termed the “Musical Workout”. This is an 8-part process that takes the class from start to finish and is comprised of these 8 parts (taken from the “First Steps in Music: Preschool and Beyond” teachers manual, p. 11): 1. Pitch Exploration (the vocal warm-up) 2. Song Fragments (consisting of Echo and Call-and-Response songs) 3. Simple Songs 4. Arioso (child-created tunes) 5. Songtales 6. Movement Warm Ups (movement exploration) 7. Movement for Form and Expression 8. Movement with the Beat
If you look closely, you may be able to discern which parts of the workout fit well under either the tuneful, beatful, and/or artPrograms: ful categories. The tuneful portion consists of Pitch Exploration, Song Fragments, Arioso, and Music Education Simple Songs. Pitch Exploration is always one Performance that my own students look forward to doing, since it often involves any number of fun toys Jazz Studies or manipulatives to help them engage their Music Therapy head voice in preparation for the singing they Theory/Composition will do in class. It is usually just a minute or two long and could be echoing a slide whistle, or following a flowing ribbon or a tossed bean montclair.edu/music bag as they stretch their vocal folds before heading into the Song Fragment portion of class. During the Song Fragments and Simple Song parts of the workout, it is imperative to make sure that we are always singing for the students as opposed to singing with them. This is one of the first and most challenging things I learned from Feierabend, and it has made a world of difference in my instruction. I am now able to hear exactly what my Email: musauditions@montclair.edu students are able and not able to sing so that I can adjust my teaching accordingly. One wealth of research regarding singing and movement of young added benefit is that training my youngest children. It was also based on Feierabend’s own extensive expestudents to truly listen (not hum or partially sing along as I sing rience working with young children. And although that alone something for them) has sharpened their ability to focus. I have would have been enough, it was also influenced by his work seen the benefit of this as they move into the older grades and with many of the music education undergraduate and graduare able to audiate very easily. ate students whom he mentored during his time at the Hartt Arioso is a unique and wonderful part of the “First Steps” School of Music and around the world, where his curricular music lesson. Children are eventually asked to create original approach and materials have been used for years. tunes and lyrics during Arioso, building up to this over time. The ability for children to do this, Feierabend says, represents MARCH 2016
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Music without
bounds. Bucknell Music Students had Amazing Opportunities in 2015. Music Education Research in Australia Studying Music in Bali with the Gamelan Working Closely with Artists on a World Class Jazz Series Debuting the Electro-Acoustic Ensemble World Premiere by the Bucknell Opera Theater
So Can You. bachelor of arts with concentrations in: Performance | Contemporary Composition | Critical/Cultural bachelor of music in: Music Education | Vocal
Performance
BucknellUniversityDepartmentOfMusic
the highest form of musical thinking. This is why Arioso is such a vital piece of the Musical Workout puzzle. Again considering the language acquisition parallels, we hope that once our children have amassed a very large array of vocabulary words, they are able to create multiple interesting sentences. In Arioso, the teacher may start by first modeling what it is to create original tunes. Eventually, she will “dialogue” musically with the students individually on humming or neutral syllables, then move on to students creating original tunes for words that are already familiar to them, like nursery rhymes. The crowning point, and certainly one of the most artful components of a First Steps lesson, is when students are able to freely create both tune and text in a given context such as delivering a pretend weather forecast, or singing with their friend about all the different things they did over a break.
2015_TEMPO_AD_AUG_1.indd 1
Studies
@BucknellMusic
bucknell.edu/music
As children head toward the final part of the Musical Workout7/30/15 they3:22 arePM in the more purposefully beatful portion of their experience. During these final parts children will do fingerplays, action songs and circle games to represent form and expression in music. A highlight for many practitioners is the time where they move expressively with their students to outstanding classical music that comes from either of Feierabend’s amazing “Move It!” DVDs. These DVDs were done in conjunction with Peggy Lyman, a former dancer with the Martha Graham dance company. Students may follow along with the DVDs themselves during a class, or teachers can learn the dances and then lead their students through the movements before moving on to the Beat Motion portions of the lesson. Though it is officially listed in the middle of the workout, many teachers
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choose to end their lessons with the Songtale portion of the workout. While there are several magical moments throughout any given First Steps lesson, the Songtale time is one of the most enchanting of them all. As with a parent reading a book aloud to a child, music teachers use this part of the lesson to sing for the students using wonderful songs that are often accompanied by beautiful picture books. Closing the lesson this way provides a necessary breath and “cool down” after all the music making that has just taken place, and has the added benefit of demonstrating how much we care for our students. The hope is that these students, one day tuneful, beatful, and artful themselves, will be sitting down with their own children and grandchildren singing them a story! If I haven’t yet completely convinced you about how wonderful “First Steps in Music” is for your youngest students, I hope I’ve at least whet your appetite to find out more. If you have any questions, please look at the homepage for the Feierabend Association for Music Education at http://www.feierabendmusic.org, or at http://www.giamusic.com/music_education/johnfeierabend-main.cfm where you can also peruse many of Feierabend’s materials. You can also join the conversation at our bustling Facebook page, Feierabend Fundamentals. I would greatly encourage you to take a course or workshop with Feierabend himself, or with one of FAME’s fantastic Endorsed Teacher Trainers. These courses run primarily during the Spring and Summer and can be found on the FAME website. I hope you will join me next time as I look into Feierabend’s notational literacy program, “Conversational Solfege!”
&
MARCH 2016
The Caroline L. Guarini Department of
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Jamhub Provides 2nd & 3rd Grade Students With Opportunities To Create And Improvise Music On iPad Instruments At Young Composers Night Daniel Beal Lawrenceville Elementry School dbeal@ltps.org
W
hen I started working at Lawrenceville Elementary School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, it was important to me from day one that I would give my students numerous opportunities to discover their musical individualities. In my opinion, the best way for students to make this discovery is through the creation of their own music and through improvisation. Each student has their own unique musical voice and music teachers have an obligation to help them to discover that voice. One event that I have created that has best demonstrated the results of this process is “Young Composers Night”. I have already had two of these events at my school, and at these events, the students premiere pieces of music they created on an iPad and they also improvise along with their piece on an iPad instrument of their choice. In addition, students break into several iPad bands and take turns improvising on iPad instruments in live performance. How did my students get to a point where they were capable, knowledgeable, and confident enough to create and improvise music on an iPad instrument in a public performance? I can answer that question in one word: Jamhub Jamhub In The Music Classroom Using a Jamhub is an excellent way to make music making on iPads a shared experience. Up to seven students can plug an iPad and headphones into the Jamhub and be in complete control of whom and what they hear at all times. No longer does one have to switch headphones with someone else to hear what they are doing on their iPad. No longer does a group of students need to plug into a splitter so that they can all hear the music coming out of one iPad.
Finally, no longer does a group of people
are both important life skills to be learned, and the Jamhub provides them with these opportunities. Here is a short video that features the executive director of LTEF, Ivy Cohen, explaining why they funded, “Jammin’ with Jamhub” and other grants that are similar to it. https://goo.gl/AXAw4I The Process Leading Up To “Young Composers Night”
need to crowd around an iPad speaker hoping to hear everything clearly. A Jamhub allows all of the amazing music making apps on iPads to be heard in studio quality sound and it allows students to collaborate with one another seamlessly and without distraction or inconvenience. Also, by using a headset with a microphone (such as the Audio Technica BPHS1), teachers can easily communicate with one student or all students plugged into a Jamhub without any sort of hindrance or distraction. I am incredibly fortunate to have an education fund in my school district called the Lawrence Township Education Fund (LTEF), which funded a grant that I wrote, titled, “Jammin’ with Jamhub”. Their funding helped me to purchase six iPads that would belong to the music room and be “attached” to a Jamhub on a daily basis. For me, justifying the grant was simple because there are so many amazing opportunities that using iPads with a Jamhub provides for students. Students listening to each other and collaborating with one another
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In order to prepare my students for “Young Composers Night,” I needed to have several composition and improvisation lessons with them. When students are creating music on iPads, students will arrange/ record/create music using the GarageBand app. By using the microphone on my headset, I am able to check in with each student and give him/her feedback on his/her composition. I encourage the students to work on their own music; however, I also encourage the students to check in on one another by turning up the volume knob that corresponds to a particular student. This usually leads to students communicating with one another and sharing thoughts and opinions on each other’s songs. Oftentimes, a student will make changes to his/her song because he/she received feedback from another student that they found helpful or beneficial. A typical scenario would start off with one student saying, “Do you want to listen to my music?”, and then one or more students at the Jamhub table would turn up the knob of that student requesting feedback. Once they begin to hear the music, the conversation and collaboration begin. At the same time, the teacher can listen in with his/her headphones and offer advice using the microphone on the headset. It has been such a pleasure for me to MARCH 2016
observe how my students’ songs change and grow over time, to see how much pride they have in their compositions, and to see how students influence each other’s musical decisions. Once students have completed their compositions, I always have each person share his/her piece with everyone plugged into the Jamhub. This is a great opportunity to teach young students how to give feedback, whether it be positive or constructive criticism. When teaching my students about improvisation, I tell them we are going to have a “Jam Session”. I instruct each student to choose an instrument that they like, usually from GarageBand or ThumbJam, and I help them choose the right key and scale that will fit the background music I am going to play for them. One of the nice things about GarageBand and ThumbJam is that you can set the instrument into “scale mode”, meaning that each note on the screen will fit perfectly into a specific key and/or scale. This is a way to make any student feel successful since this setup does not require anyone to be taking private music lessons or have an advanced music theory background. No matter what note they play, it will fit the music well. They can focus more on the creativity and playing what sounds best to them without any fear of playing a wrong note. Before the jam session begins, I always remind my students that they need to use their musical manners and only play when they are instructed to play. Although everyone could play and be heard all at once, at the elementary level, this can sometimes lead to cacophony. During these jam sessions, I usually allow one person to improvise at a time, unless the group is well skilled, in which I will have two students improvise at a time. I provide the background music and I tell everyone whose turn it is. Usually, each student will get to improvise for 8-16 measures, and other times much shorter. To keep things exciting, I do not give students a heads up as to who is next, which keeps them on the edge of their seat as they wait for their turn. Students also have opportunities to improvise alone along with their solo compositions. During these sessions, one student improvises on an iPad instrument with his/her solo composition, while the other students observe the playing (watching the fingers) and listen to it all in their headphones.
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“Young Composers Night” Once the students have completed their compositions, and have had a sufficient amount of practice with improvisation, they are ready for “Young Composers Night”! At this event, each student gets to share a piece of music he/she has created in front of a live audience. “Young Composers Night” is not a passive listening experience for the audience; rather, it is an engaging and exciting experience! Each student improvises along with his/her solo piece on an iPad instrument of his/her choice. Each student gets to experience the satisfaction of hearing an audience applaud a piece of music that he/she can call their own. In addition to these solo performances, all of the “Young Composers Night” participants break into “bands” and they have a live jam session that is not too different from a big band jazz performance. Each student takes turns improvising along to background music that is coming through the speakers. After each student finishes soloing, the crowd cheers wildly just before the next student begins. During the “Young Composers Night”, the Jamhub is still being used with one difference: the Jamhub is being run through a speaker system. And rather than using a mixer to adjust volumes, the teacher is using a Jamhub Solemix Remote to adjust all the volume levels accordingly during live performance. The Jamhub is not just for the classroom. It is excellent for live performances as well!
JAMHUB SOLEMIX REMOTE “Young Composers Night” is an example of students sharing their artistic individualities. Students at this event are presenting music that represents their musical thoughts, opinions, and preferences. Each
composition at this event comes 100% from each student, and not the teacher. I offer very little guidance in the compositional process and I leave all the decision making up to them. The improvisation that comes from each student is a pure form of his/her personal musical expression. I offer some generic tips on improvisation, but I try not to get in the way of letting them listen to themselves and deciding what sounds best to them. It is my hope that “Young Composers Night” has provided my students with an experience that has helped them grow in confidence not only as musicians, but also as people. In addition, I hope that I have set them on the journey of discovering who they are as musical individuals. Additional Notes Teachers can buy a Jamhub Bedroom (up to 5 people), Jamhub Greenroom (up to 7 people), or a Jamhub Tour Bus (up to 7 people and can do live stereo recording) for their classroom. www. Jamhub.com Information about the headphones I referred to can be found here: http:// goo.gl/lpi6Ox To see some examples of Jamhub being used in my classroom, use this link: https://goo.gl/UygzD9 This link will take you to a 5 part mini-documentary created by the Jamhub company to display how I am using Jamhub at my school. To see a sixty minute webinar that I created to going over all the aspects of using a Jamhub with students, use this link: https://goo.gl/Hbjxaw To see “Young Composers Night” June 2015, click here: https://goo.gl/zkHii3 To see “Young Composers Night” Nov 2015, click here: https://goo.gl/ Y0kV5A If you have any questions about iPad apps, Jamhub, or “Young Composers Night”, email me anytime at dbeal@ ltps.org Daniel Beal has been teaching in the music classroom for over nine years now, and he is currently teaching Pre-K to 3rd grade at Lawrenceville Elementary School in the Lawrence Township Public Schools district. He is particularly interested in the integration of music technology into the music curriculum and loves to use composition and improvisation with his students to help them discover their musical individuality. You can follow Dan on
Twitter at @LESMusicMan
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Getting Your Rhythm Section To Swing Ronald E. Kearns Vandoren Performing Artist Conn-Selmer Performing Artist dcsax@aol.com
O
ne of the most important things a jazz instructor can do to have a successful jazz ensemble or combo is to help them understand the concept of swinging. The first step in this process is to provide audio and video recordings of model groups. The second thing is to help each player understand the function of their instrument and their responsibilities as players. YouTube has a wealth of videos of live performances and entire albums to listen to and watch. If you are near an area where there are professional jazz performers, invite them to your school or go out to one of their live performances. If you get to be around these professionals, arrange for your students to ask them about how they view their function in the group. There’s nothing like one on one contact for your students to learn firsthand. With technology, you can arrange Skype or FaceTime interactions. Whatever you do, make listening the first step. Let’s explore the function of each instrument in the rhythm section. My model rhythm section for large jazz ensembles comes from the Count Basie Orchestra. The players in this great group defined what swing was to be. They include William “Count” Basie (piano), Freddie Green (guitar), Walter Page (bass) and Jo Jones (drums). Each of these players had a style that has been imitated and refined over the years.
Bass It is the function of the bass to keep the time. One of the problems young jazz groups have is for the drummer to attempt to be the time keeper. This usually creates a “vertical feel” with accents on one and three. For a jazz group to swing the strong beats have to be on two and four. This gives a linear feel that doesn’t start over every time you get to a bar line. Walter Page achieved this by playing lines where the strong notes fell on two and four. Think of playing a major scale starting on the seventh degree. If seven is on beat one, leading to eight means the resolution from seven to eight leads you from a weak note (demanding resolution) to a strong note (the resolution). Now all of the accents shift and two and four are the notes of resolution or strong beats. You feel constant motion in a horizontal line rather than a vertical line with accents on one and three. This is the foundation of the swing feel but it can’t stand alone. Drum Set The function of the drum set is to complement the bass and give emphasis on two and four. Jo Jones did
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this with the hihat (sock cymbal) by clapping the cymbals on two and four. He also used patterns on the ride cymbal to play eighth notes with emphasis on the second eighth note in a two-eighth note pattern. Years later Kenny Clarke developed a pattern he and others called “spang a lang” because that’s how the pattern sounds (two eighth notes followed by a quarter note). One of the first things I do with young drummers is to remove the bass drum pedal. Drummers playing the bass drum on one and three negates all that the bass is doing. The bass drum will be used for kicks and accents that will add emphasis to horn lines that have nothing to do with swinging. Once the drummer listens to recordings he/she learns to use hits on the snare drum for added emphasis and to push the swing feel forward. Piano Count Basie used a pattern known as “comping” short for complementing. Besides providing the chord progressions the piano accentuates the “back beat” which comes on two and four. MARCH 2016
Together with the bass and drums, the piano creates a strong swing feel which “leans” on the weak beats. Defying the classical music feel of one and three and comping on the second eighth note on two and four there is tension developed. This tension helps to reinforce beats two and four as the target beats. Guitar
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May 6, 13, 20, 27 June 3, 10
LAKE COMPOUNCE
May 26, 27 Freddie June 1, 2, 3 Green created Performance in the Park a style of playDORNEY PARK ing that has May 6, 13, 20, 27 borne his name June 2, 3, 9, 10 over the years. The “Freddie Green Style” is a way of playing chords on each quarter note in a measure. Most young players find this to be very difficult. One, because they have to rapidly change chords; two, because the rest of the rhythm section sounds like they are accenting on two and four. I always had my students practice it slowly and then I would have them play along with Freddie. If you have a device or software that will slow the Non-Competitive and Motivational music down without altering the key, use it. I would use a metronome at • High School • Middle School a slow tempo and have my guitarists • Elementary School play one chord per beat. Once you’ve given each player • Band • Choir • Orchestra • Jazz Band • Show Choir their purpose and responsibility, it’s Performance in the Morning, Fun in the Afternoon now time to teach them to function See our complete brochure on the web at: as a single unit. There are two ways www.highnotefestivals.com • 877-239-3007 to achieve this. First, have them listen to recordings again but this time focusing on the rhythm section as a Ad 4.5x7_rev.indd 3:56 PM you’re1 satisfied that your said, “It don’t mean a thing 10/25/15 if it ain’t whole with each instrument complet- HN2016_NJ Once students understand the concept of got that swing.” ing the puzzle. Second, what I conswinging, be sure to select music that sider the most important thing, have Ron Kearns is the author of Quick gives them the opportunity to put them play together. Encourage them Reference for Band Directors and is their newly acquired skills to good to listen carefully to one another and a Vandoren Performing Artist and a use. Songs like Groove Merchant have get a “feel” for how they can “fill in good arrangements for young bands Selmer of Paris Performing Artist. the blanks.” The more mileage they that mirror the arrangements played can get by playing together, the more by Basie. Swinging is an attitude as natural they will begin to feel. & well as a style. As Duke Ellington
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Teaching Today Joseph Pergola William Floyd School District, Eastern Long Island, Retired jtpergola@optonline.net
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hroughout history, public education has often been the focus of national discussion. Today, teachers and teaching are the target of every pundit, politician and self-proclaimed expert. If you follow the noise, you will hear teachers blamed for everything from failing schools to bankrupting state budgets. Yes, it’s true that too many children in too many school districts fail. But let’s not lose sight of the improvements we have made with a quickly changing student demographic for whom English is a second language and for children growing up in homes where parents have little or no formal education. Most teachers still lack the financial, scientific and technological resources necessary to maximize instruction and improve their effectiveness. We are responsible for preparing students for the twenty-first century without the resources or common tools of the modern work world. The Future Of Teaching The world of public education and the future of teaching has changed dramatically over the last decade. The economy, new technology and changing demographics are three important factors that have changed the face of education and the way teachers teach.To insure student learning, teachers today must possess a combination of unique human and pedagogical skills. The Human Factor Education needs teachers who see teaching as a career calling to which they are prepared and ready to pursue as their life long work. All teachers must demonstrate real pleasure in teaching. Their subject area should be a true source of joy which they desire to share with students. A love for children and a concern for their intellectual development as well as their emotional and physical well-being is a critical characteristic
necessary for success. Outstanding teachers understand the importance of maintaining excellence in teaching and learning. “It’s All About Relationships” Building trusting relationships with students is crucial to successful social interactions with your students. Effective teachers have developed an important set of unique social skills that allow them to successfully interact with their students. Chief among these skills is: 1. An understanding that words and actions affect students 2. The discipline to censor their comments and use tact 3. The ability to be flexible 4. The ability to read facial expressions 5. The means to modulate student anxiety 6. The ability to change student behavior 7. The capacity for empathy Pedagogy It has always been expected that teachers know their subject matter well enough to transfer their knowledge to their students. Today, teachers need to be experts in their field. Not only must they know the history of their subject, but they must understand the full scope and sequence of the curriculum and all the latest research that effects their subject area. Teachers need to master two types of knowledge: Content Knowledge which is a deep knowledge of the subject to be taught, the applicable theories, principles and ideas of a specific discipline. Curricular Knowledge which involves the scope and sequence of concepts as well as the forms and means for communicating content. • How will your students learn the subject matter? • What new skills and knowledge should your students develop?
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• How will you help your students gain literacy? • How will your students use their learning? • How will you enable your students to enjoy their learning experiences? • How will your students learn to inquire and discover new information? • How will your student self-assess their learning? The Economy The economic conditions of the first quarter of the twenty-first century have created trying times for public education. The economic recession has caused serious tax shortfalls resulting in lower state aid to public education. Since taxes and state aid are the backbone of educational funding, schools have had to make severe budget cuts to compensate for this significant lose of funding. Such conditions have translated into program reductions, program elimination and fewer teaching positions. Demographics Today, many students speak different languages and have different cultural traditions. More than half of the foreign born children in the United States are Hispanic and speak Spanish as their native language. Although trends in immigration and birth rates predict no single racial or ethnic group will make up a majority of the population in the very near future, the Hispanic population is growing faster than all the other racial and ethnic groups combined. Being prepared to address the changing cultural face of today’s students requires a new approach to teaching; an approach that focuses on the following questions about diversity, culture, language and differentiation. Ask yourself: • Do you hold a positive view of diversity? • Are you very familiar with the cultures
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of the students in your classroom? • Can you understand and speak their native language? • Are the principals of “Differentiated Instruction” applied? Technology Today, teachers need to make the integration of technology into their curriculum a priority. Students expect to have and use technology in their classrooms. They are part of the new digital and informational age. Teachers who incorporate various forms of technology in their instruction have more motivated students. When technology is effectively implemented in the classroom, it makes significant difference in the level of student learning. Technology allows students to become active participants in the learning process. The following are essential technology skills a teacher should understand and be able to use in the teaching / learning process: 1. Internet Search and Research 2. Email 3. Word Processing 4. Databases 5. Presentation Tools 6. Grade Books
7. Productivity Apps 8. Social Media Additional Technology Skills Every Teacher Should Possess: 1. Edit Digital Audio 2. Use Video Content 3. Use Social Networking 4. Compile Digital Portfolios 5. Curate Web Content 6. Use Digital Assessment 7. Use Mobile Devices 8. Employ Graphic Organizers 9. Use File Sharing Conclusion Although teachers today continue to be faced with lower wages than other occupations requiring the same or less formal education, individuals motivated to teach today must commit to developing a unique set of skills while exhibiting the best of human qualities; the desire to give, to contribute and to make a difference. If the definition of a “hero” is a person of distinguished courage and ability who displays self-sacrifice for the good of humanity, then teachers today are truly society’s heroes.
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. Shortly after being named Director of Fine Arts at Willaim Floyd, the music department was named a MENC Model Music Program. Both the New York State Theater Association and the National Theater Association named Pergola, Arts Administrator of Year. He currently works for the National Education Service Company as Director of Education and Arts Development and is a member of the adjunct faculty at C.W.Post, Long Island University. Joseph Pergola is a published author with numerous books and articles to his credit, serves as a frequent clinician at NAfME Conferences throughout the United States and is a frequent contributor to TEMPO Magazine.
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What Instruments Should Be In A Band? William L. Berz Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey wberz@rci.rutgers.edu
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ands have had a long history of inconsistent instrumentation. For well over two centuries, band directors have struggled to define what instruments should be included. In an article that I wrote for TEMPO in May of 2014 (“What is the Band Sound of the Future?”), I suggested that concert bands were starting to change their instrumentation. Certain instruments, notably horns, bassoons, and trombones were beginning to disappear in a great many high school and college bands. Simply put, young students were not choosing to play those instruments. In the article, I suggested that some composers and arrangers were beginning to assume that bands in the present and future would not feature a complete and traditional instrumentation. Instead, they are writing for a band that might feature several soprano voices along with alto, tenor, and bass lines assigned to groups of instruments. The article seemed to resonate a little and was reprinted in several other state music magazines. If my theory is true, then maybe changes in band instrumentation are being made now. If so, teachers need to consider what music should be played in order for students to gain general musical insight. Is Band Instrumentation Standard? Wind bands have changed their instrumentation dramatically over the past. This is due in part because of the relatively recent development of many wind and percussion instruments. After all, the valve was not developed until the early nineteenth century; some percussion instruments were invented yesterday! The modern large concert band had its birth during the French Revolution in
the late 1700s and early 1800s. The bands prior to that time where generally small and often featured the oboe as the most important soprano instrument. The newly conceived French bands featured the clarinet as the main soprano instrument partly because the oboe had been considered to be an instrument of the recently deposed king. Also, many of these bands played outdoors for public ceremonies; this required larger groups. Eventually brass instruments replaced woodwinds so that the ensembles could be better heard outdoors. It was for this purpose that Adolphe Sax developed the saxhorn family of brass instruments. Even in the United States, the brass band became extremely popular. The traditional band of the Civil War featured brass and percussion. One of the earliest college bands in America was the all-brass band at Indiana University. As the nineteenth century progressed, woodwinds again found an important place in the band. Probably the most important leader with this was Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (1829-1892). After hearing some of Europe’s finest bands, which included more woodwinds, he added them to his band. It became the finest band in the United States and proved to be a model for the Sousa Band. Gilmore, Sousa, and other leaders experimented with adding or subtracting different instruments to their band. The person who many consider to be the founder of the college-band movement, A. A. Harding (1880-1958) made major experiments with instrumentation. At the University of Illinois he increased the number of players—especially woodwinds, and tried including new and sometimes exotic instruments into the band. They included oboe d’amore, Heckelphone, E-flat flute, A-flat flute, a family of sarrusophones,
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ophilicleide, octavin, antoniophone, cornophone, along with alto and bass trumpets. He expanded the clarinet family to include the full range from E-flat to contrabass with as many as 30 B-flat sopranos. For over 20 years, he included at least one cellist. There were multiple players on each part in most sections and the membership could exceed 100 players. After this period of unbridled experimentation, many bandleaders called for standardizing the band’s instrumentation. High school bands in contests of the 1920s were penalized for not having specified instrumentation. This idea reached its zenith during the early 1960s when the leadership of the College Band Directors National Association called for a standardized instrumentation for bands. The idea never caught on in part because of Frederick Fennell’s founding of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Fennell called for a flexible instrumentation following what composers specified in the score. It was this idea that has been adopted by many elite collegiate ensembles. What Is A 21St Century Band? Bands—be they wind ensembles, wind orchestras, concert bands, symphony bands, symphonic winds, or any other label—can consist of almost any combination of wind and percussion instruments. However, much of the music that has been composed for the band has been intended for a grouping of instruments that roughly parallels that of the Sousa Band from the turn of the 20th century. It is that basic instrumentation for which composers like Grainger, Persichetti, Schuman, Dello Joio, Gould, Hanson, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Milhaud, Chance, Schoenberg, and many others conceived music for the band. Ideally, if school MARCH 2016
bands are to study and perform this style of music, the groups should have something approaching this instrumentation. We obviously do not live in an ideal world; bands may well not have a complete traditional instrumentation. Conductors should feel free to make alterations when certain instruments are not available. However, instrument substitution can only go so far. If classic literature for band is to be performed as part of the core curriculum, then the band’s instrumentation should at least approximate the composer’s intentions. If the Holst Suite in E-flat is to be studied, then the band should have something of a traditional instrumentation including tubas and euphoniums; an electric bass is not a good substitute at the beginning of the piece. A more radical choice would be to abandon the traditional band. Instead, teachers might lead whatever instruments happen to be in an ensemble and adapt music to fit the instrumentation that exists. The literature could be in a great many musical styles, not limited to traditional band repertoire. Certain styles of music, including classical, do not require traditional band instrumentation to be valid. As has been done many times in the past, what constitutes a band can be redefined. Directors might change the nature of the band to align with current cultural ideals. No longer would instrumentation be such a challenge because most any configuration might work. Obviously, this would be a dramatic change for the profession. Vertical Curriculum Assuming that traditional bands will continue in the schools, the instrumentation problem must be addressed. In the past, band teachers often spoke of a feeder program assuming that elementary and middle school teachers were solely responsible for instrumentation. The term implies that there is only one direction of communication: elementary to high school. This would seem to place the high school band as the only real goal for the instrumental music program. This is not correct since the development of students at each level is important. Instrumentation is everyone’s problem.
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A vertical concept implies that there is communication between the three levels— elementary, middle, and high schools— recognizing that each level is important in its own way, and that everyone must work together. By working collaboratively, all students and all programs will prosper. If each level works autonomously, all will suffer. It would seem that all instrumental teachers would all benefit by making sure that the curriculum is consistent and united. Finding New Solutions To Old Problems Instrumentation was a challenge even in the distant past when I was a school band director. The problem is much more complex now. American culture is different and nature of education has changed dramatically. This is a time of high stakes testing and significant accountability measures. It is abundantly clear that it is difficult to persuade students to play certain instruments, particularly double reeds, horns, euphoniums, and trombones. Many of these
instruments are not part of any popular culture. Also, they tend to be more expensive than instruments like the flute and trumpet. If schools are to continue to include traditional concert and marching bands in their curriculum, administrators and teachers might develop concrete plans to address the problem of promoting the less popular instruments. Everyone must work together and consider what instruments should be encouraged at the elementary school and how teachers at the middle and high schools will make adjustments. While having a large number of students in band is important, instrumentation must be a vital consideration as well. Otherwise instrumental music teachers must consider the possibility that the instrumentation and repertoire of the band must change to meet current conditions.
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Celebrate Music In Our Schools Month® Ideas For Early Childhood
And Elementary Music Classes Amy Burns Far Hills Country Day School aburns@fhcds.org
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arch is the official month designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®). This event first occurred as a statewide celebration in 1973. From there, it grew to become a day, then a week, and now a month-long celebration. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education and to remind everyone that schools are where all children should have access to music. In 1985, NAfME started “The World’s Largest Concert” as a highlight for MIOSM. This concert is a sing-along that has reached an estimated six million students, educators, and supporters of music. In 2012, the concert became known as the “Concert for Music in Our School’s Month.” This concert would probably have already taken place by the time this article is published. However, there are other ways to celebrate MIOSM. Here are a few ideas that I have used and some that I discovered by reading posts from numerous music educators through social media.
The CD cover will have “Music In Our Schools Month” on the label. This will help the parents reinforce the songs by playing the CD (or uploading it to their streaming service) in the car or around the house. It reminds the parents how music can have so many positive effects on their children from soothing their crying, to lulling them to sleep, to them becoming tuneful, to so much more. In the same respect, one can text the parents a MIOSM text that includes links to websites that have recordings of songs, links to information about MIOSM, links to music books, links to children’s song books, and links to wonderful recordings that the parents could purchase to play for their children from classical to contemporary. Since MIOSM is about music advocacy, I always tell those in my music education workshops that if there is a way that music educators can get their music classrooms onto the parents’ smartphones, then the advocacy for music education will quickly follow.
Early Childhood
Bulletin Boards: The first place to begin is to update your current bulletin board (if you are on a cart, then a bulletin board within the school) with a MIOSM theme. This theme could include any of the following: Students’ and teachers’ favorite songs, student compositions, students’ and teachers’ favorite composers, students’ drawings to music, students’ and teachers’ reflections on what music means to them, a survey from the teachers that shows their musical backgrounds
At the beginning of each month, I teach a “Parent and Me” music class at my school for the younger siblings who are not old enough to enter the PreK program yet and for those young children in the community. This class is for children ages six months to three years. During the month of March, I am going to give the parents a CD of the songs (public domain) and lullabies that we have been singing in class.
Elementary
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from instrumental to dance to vocal, and so much more. The possibilities are endless. Getting Teachers Involved: Expanding from the bulletin board idea, ask teachers to participate in MIOSM. Have them post a music note on their classroom door to show support for music in the schools. I adored an idea I read where a music educator asked the teachers to hang a poster in support of MIOSM and if they did this for the entire month, they would receive a small prize. Sing-Alongs: If you could not participate in the Concert for Music in Our School’s Month, then there could be the option to hold a school assembly singalong to raise awareness of MIOSM. This sing-along could have a variety of songs from patriotic, to folk, to previous concert songs, to pop songs, to anything you think that your students would enjoy singing. In addition, open up the sing-along to invite the local community into the school to enjoy it as well. You can turn the sing-along into a wonderful concert event where between the songs, you continuously talk about music in our schools. I do this at the beMARCH 2016
ginning of each school year for the students in grades kindergarten through five and it is a great success. I sing and play piano, while my good friend accompanies me on the drums. However, if you prefer not to play live, make a playlist of the songs and have the audience sing along with the recordings. In addition, make a
Bring Your Parent to Music Class: Every winter, I invite the parents (or relatives) of my students in grades PreK through one to come to music class and experience the class with their child. During this class, we sing, perform movement activities, perform on classroom instruments, read music, and experience crosscurricular connections. I have been doing this since 2007 and the parents look forward to this event every year. School’s Sound System: Play music over the school’s sound system every morning during MIOSM. Prizes: Through the school’s communication system, whether it be a website, email, or placing a display by the front door of the school, create a musical trivia game where the students, teachers, and parents can answer questions to win small prizes. Cross-Curricular Connections To MIOSM
simple powerpoint for the lyrics so that they all can see them and sing along with them. Performances: If you cannot invite your community or parents into your classroom for an informance, then record your class performing a musical activity. This could vary from performing an Orff arrangement on Orff instruments, to performing a recorder piece, to performing a movement activity, to the students singing as they accompany themselves on ukuleles. If it is possible, post the recording (audio or video) on the school’s website or email or text the parents a link where they can view the video or audio recording. Community: Along with the singalong listed above, survey the teachers and community to research their musical backgrounds. Invite them to join in on a musical activity by singing along with the students or accompanying/playing along with their instruments.
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Reading: One of my favorite activities from one of the Orff workshops I attended, was reading, moving to, acting out, and performing on instruments to Robert Munsch’s book, Mortimer. Writing: Have your students write a poem about music and use GarageBand, SoundTrap, Soundation4Education, or Incredibox.com to create and accompaniment for the poem. Give the students guidelines so the poem stays more on the serious side, and video the students creating and performing the musical poem. Art: Create a coloring sheet about MIOSM and music advocacy for young students to color and take home.
sic in our schools. Therefore, pick the month that best works for your curriculum and promote it. Where Can We Get More Ideas? There are numerous places to find ideas for MIOSM. Here are a few: NAfME website: http://www.nafme. org/programs/miosm/music-inour-schools-month-miosm/miosmactivity-ideas/ Facebook Music Teachers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ musicpln Facebook I’m a General Music Teacher Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/generalmusic/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ Publishers have given out free resources during MIOSM Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www. teacherspayteachers.com/ Though every month is MIOSM, it is wonderful to see our national organization promote this month and to bring awareness to music advocacy. To learn more about MIOSM, please check out NAfME’s official website: http:// www.nafme.org/programs/miosm Amy M. Burns is an elementary music educator, clinician, author, and musician. She currently works at Far Hills Country Day School (http://www.fhcds.org) in Far Hills, NJ teaching PreK through Grade 3 general music, grade 5 instrumental music, and grades 4-8 instrumental band. Resources Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM). (n.d.). Retrieved January 14, 2016, from http://www.nafme.org/programs/miosm/
What About Spring Break Or Testing? For many private schools, spring break occurs during the month of March. For many public schools, standardized tests occur during this month as well. Though March is the official MIOSM, truly any month can be dedicated to mu-
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A Modern Exploration Of Gender Stereotypes In The Selection of Music Teacher Applicants Andrew Lesser Burlington City Public Schools andrew.lesser@yahoo.com
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ex stereotyping in the professional workplace continues to be a nationally significant issue, particularly in the field of music education (Abeles & Porter, 1978; Lamb, 2010). While administrators’ individual perceptions of what constitutes an effective candidate for a music teaching position remains ambiguous, the sex of the applicant may result in an unethical, though perhaps unintentional bias. Studies previously conducted by Cohen and Bunker (1975) and Kopetz (1980) were based on the hypothesis that sex is a substantial factor in administrators’ decisions regarding the hiring of potential candidates. The present study seeks to partially replicate Kopetz’s research by determining if a modern context demonstrates any changes in sex stereotyping when evaluating applicants for an elementary or secondary instrumental music position. Literature Review Research concerning sex stereotyping in the hiring of corporate workers has been conducted by scholars for several decades. Though Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act legally prevents all potential employment discrimination based on sex, gender, race or religion, the act of employers favoring certain applicants based on these factors remains present in the modern day workplace. Cohen and Bunker (1975) revealed that although eleven years had passed since the enacting of Title VII, only 32% of female “white collar” workers were employed in managerial occupations, demonstrating the perception among employers that women professionals are “less suitable than males” for high-level positions that are considered too demanding (567). Cohen and Bunker’s experiment consisted of providing 150 male job recruiters from two large southeastern universities (n = 68; n = 82) with fabricated materials concerning a male or female applicant. The position sought was either a “male oriented” personnel technician or a “female-oriented” editorial assistant, in which the application blanks were varied by sex (566). Results showed that while the individual quality of the applicant’s sex was not a definitive factor in the hiring process, a combination of sex and the position variables constituted a significant bias toward females in the editorial assistant position, while males were favored heavily by recruiters in the personnel technician position. This study contributes evidence that “sex discrimination may occur at the very initial stages of the job selection process” (570). Cohen and Bunker’s work was referenced by Kopetz (1980) in his application of sex stereotyping in the workplace to music educa-
tion. Though Kopetz acknowledged that most administrators differ as to what characterizes an effective teacher, a trend emerges as to the relationship between the sex of the teacher and the specific grade level where that teacher is employed (3). In regards to music teachers, 83% of all secondary instrumental teachers are male, while 80% of female music teachers are employed at the elementary level (3). As hypothesized by Kopetz, this may also be due to the stereotype of “male” or “female” oriented instruments, such as the trumpet or clarinet (male) as opposed to the oboe or violin (female). Kopetz developed four fictitious sets of biographical information in combination with an application form designed for a secondary instrumental music teacher. This position involved responsibilities including directing a concert band, jazz ensemble, marching band and orchestra. Two of the four applications were designed with the names of a male applicant, with the other two originating from a female applicant. Each of the resumes were codified into sets which provided a different combination of sex, instrument (clarinet, trumpet, violin, and oboe) and the applicant’s institution of study (music performance-based or music education-based). Two hundred respondents, including superintendents, principals and supervisors participated in the study. While results did not show a significant difference between both sex and instrumental preference, males were generally preferred over females by evaluators to receive a formal interview. In addition, the “male” oriented instruments of trumpet and clarinet were also slightly preferred over the “female” violin and oboe. Kopetz thus concluded that “being a male is a clear advantage in obtaining an interview for an instrumental music position” while females may have a better chance of being interviewed if their instrumental choices were either trumpet or clarinet (65). Kopetz also theorized that since most administrators do not have specific knowledge of music content, they are more likely to focus on other criteria such as sex, preferred instrument or institution of study (75). While it cannot be proven that sex stereotyping directly influenced the participants in their selections, this research contributes to the evidence that gender bias is active in all forms of job fields, and that music education in particular adds specific variables that are unique in the work force. Methodology To replicate Kopetz’s study, four resumes of applicants were created with fictitious backgrounds, including a clearly defined male
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or female name, institute of study, primary instrument and relevant work experience. The resumes were organized into four sets of packets, which rotated the name of each applicant with the background information. The resume sets were circulated to various administrative professionals, including both within and outside of a musicspecific position. The primary experimental variable in this case was the sex of the applicant, with additional experimental variables including the instrument, institute of study and work experience. The final experimental variable was the job description. In this study, two separate packets were circulated with differing job applications; an elementary instrumental music teacher and a high school instrumental teacher. The author’s research team was instructed to focus on researching the high school position, while additional teams were assigned the elementary position. The high school position’s responsibilities were clearly defined in the packet; job duties included directing the marching band, orchestra and concert band, in addition to managing the music budget, participating in local and state music functions, maintaining community relations through a booster club and music programs at lower grade levels. The dependant variable was the rankings of the applicant by each evaluator. Each evaluator was required to complete a Likert scale of ten choices, ranging from 1 (“not likely”) to 10 (“very likely”) of the evaluator’s likelihood of inviting the candidate for a formal interview. In addition, the participant was asked to choose one of the four applicants based on the initial impression of the resume as to which candidate they would most likely hire. Finally, specific background information was requested from the participant, including college major/profession, age and sex. The author chose eight administrators, all of which had no professional background in music training or supervision. The administrators included one superintendent, four school principals, two vice-principals, and one curriculum supervisor. The administrators represented schools in both the elementary and secondary levels. Totals were then calculated and tabulated individually (elementary or secondary) and collectively. In total, 143 questionnaires were completed and submitted representing both applications for the elementary and high school positions. Results Table 1 illustrates the individual ratings of each position in regards to the sex of the applicant. As notated in the table, the mean difference between the elementary instrumental music teacher and the high school instrumental music teacher positions did not represent a statistical significance as calculated by an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). However, resumes with female names were clearly evaluated by participants as more likely to be granted a formal interview as opposed to resumes with male names. This is present in both the elementary and high school positions with an ANOVA of 4.10, p < .05. The variance between the different levels of the positions represents an ANOVA of .266, p > .05. Resumes with female names were significantly favored in both positions regardless of the level of the position.
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Table 1: Mean (Average) Resume Rating by Level of the Position and Sex of the Candidate. High School Instrumental Teacher
Rating
Male
7.30
Female
7.71
Total
7.51
Elementary Instrumental Teacher Male
7.31
Female
7.89
Total
7.51
Total for both levels Male
7.27
Female
7.76
Similarly to the Kopetz study, each candidate’s resume contained a primary instrument that was interchanged with the applicant’s names on each set of packets. Although a gender role was not previously assigned to any specific instrument, there was a statistically significant relationship between the pairings of instruments with the sex of the applicant (ANOVA Instrument by Sex F = 2.83, p < .05). This is evident in Table 2, in which female flute players are significantly preferred to male flutists. Female trombonists were also rated significantly higher than male trombonists. Trumpet and clarinet players in regards to sex did not display a significant variance. For both levels combined, however, there was a not a specific instrumental grouping that advantaged a particular candidate. Table 2: Mean (Average) Resume Rating by Instrument Played by the Candidate and Sex of the Candidate Instrument
Male
Female
Total
Trombone
6.99
7.90
7.38
Clarinet
7.79
7.56
7.68
Flute
6.77
8.18
7.57
Trumpet
7.49
7.75
7.5
Total
7.27
7.75
7.51
Table 3 illustrates the combination of the instrument played by the candidate and the level of the specific position. Depending on the level of the position, candidates that played certain instruments were favored over other candidates, regardless of sex. Flutists were the highest ranked in the elementary position, while they placed the lowest in the high school position. Clarinetists, by contrast, were the lowest ranked in the elementary position, though they were the highest ranked in the high school position.
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Table 3: Mean (Average) Resume Rating by Level of the Position and Instrument Played by the Candidate Instrument
Elementary
High School
Total
Trombone
7.04
7.49
7.38
Clarinet
6.82
7.93
7.67
Flute
8.61
7.25
7.57
Trumpet
7.57
7.38
7.43
Total
7.50
7.51
7.50
There was not a significant difference between the ratings of resumes by instrument (ANOVA Instrument F =.85, p > .05), although a statistically significant difference existed between instruments and the level of the position (ANOVA Instrument by Level F = 4..56, p < .05). Once again, this difference does not take into account the sex of the applicant.
sex stereotyping in the present has potentially become less biased and more equitable in the field of music education. The applicant’s instrument of choice also did not seem to provide a definitive conclusion when compared to sex or the level of the position. While female flutists at the elementary level were the highest ranked, it is not enough evidence to produce a definitive correlation between these variables and evaluator preference. A factor that should be explored further in future studies is the work experience and professional background notated on the resume. The work experience accounts for the majority of the information on the resume, and could be the most significant aspect in evaluators’ decisions. These results may have also been influenced by the fact that there are more female administrators working in school systems than there were in 1981. Out of the eight subjects the author utilized, four were male and four were female. Kopetz did not state the percentage of male to female ratio in his study, nor was the ratio of male to female evaluators given for the total of the 143 subjects. Focusing on this data in future studies may possibly reveal a correlation between the results and the individual sex of the evaluator.
Discussion The implications of this study share many factors with Kopetz’s research; however, several differences were noted during the experiment. First, letters of recommendation were included in the application packets created by Kopetz, while the present study only included the resumes of each individual applicant. Kopetz states that “letters of reference are very important for inexperienced teachers” (20), therefore future researchers may wish to include this aspect in subsequent studies. Additionally, Kopetz placed an emphasis on the applicant’s institution in his hypothesis, stating that recruiters would rank students from a music-education school differently as opposed to a performance-oriented school (9). Four fictitious schools were created for each resumé, two for a performance-based music institution and two emphasizing a curriculum in music education. In the present study, the names of real universities were used, each representing large state-level institutions. All four candidates possessed a degree of Bachelor of Music Education from these universities. It is unlikely that the applicant’s university portrayed a significant factor in evaluators’ decisions in their rankings. As stated, each university is characterized as a traditional state-level four year institution located in a similar region in the U.S. Furthermore, it is also unlikely that the majority of the evaluators possess the specific knowledge as to which schools have a greater prestige in music education training. Future studies may wish to focus on only using subjects with training and experience in music supervision to ascertain if the applicant’s university is a significant factor in the ranking process. Kopetz’s results place males as receiving a higher percentage of favorable rankings in all four of the application sets (57). Females had a weaker chance of being ranked first, but their percentages improved when the application noted their choice of instrument were the “male” characterized trumpet or clarinet. In the present study, females were given preferences in both the elementary and secondary music positions, although the difference in variance was much smaller than the gap between the male and female applicants in Kopetz’s research. However, this new data contributes evidence that
Conclusion Much has changed in the thirty-four years since Kopetz’s research in the field of gender studies and sex stereotyping. This partial replication of Kopetz’s original study suggests that sex stereotyping has become less biased against women and that administrators are more sensitized to promoting equality in the workplace. However, future research must be continued in all fields of industry to properly gauge how far American society has progressed in this issue. While this study does not prove that the proverbial “glass ceiling” has been wholly eliminated, it does provide some evidence that it has significantly thinned over time. References Abeles, H. F., & Porter, S. Y. (1978). The sex-stereotyping of musical instruments. Journal of Research in Music Education, 26, 65-75. Anyon, J. (2009). Theory and educational research: Toward critical social explanation. New York: Routledge. Cohen, S., & Bunker, K. (1975). Subtle effects of sex role stereotypes on recruiters’ hiring decisions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60(5), 566-572. Kopetz, B. E. (1981). The effect of selected characteristics of first-time applicants for instrumental music positions on teacher employment decisions (Doctoral dissertation). Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Lamb, R. (2010). Music as sociocultural phenomenon: Interactions with music education. In Abeles, H. & Custodero, L. (Eds.), Critical issues in music education: Contemporary Theory and Practice (p. 23-38). Oxford University Press, USA. Sensoy, Ö., & DiAngelo, R. (2012). Is everyone really equal? New York: Teachers College Press. Tarnowski, S. (1993). Gender bias and musical instrument preference. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 26(5), 14-21.
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Visit Us Online at www.lvc.edu/music
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs Lebanon Valley College’s music programs feature student-centered curricula and individualized attention. The programs emphasize sensitive and critical listening skills, composing and performing, and the role of music throughout history and in contemporary society. • 4 Undergraduate Degree Programs: B.S. in Music Education, B.M. in Audio & Music Production, B.A. in Music Business, and B.A. in Music (various concentrations available)
• The Master of Music Education (MME) Program enables scholars to learn new ideas and technologies that can be immediately applied in their classrooms. • Visiting Faculty in Music: S. Alex Ruthmann, associate professor of music education and music technology at NYU Steinhardt, will visit campus to teach a class the week of June 20–24, 2016.
• Students have the opportunity to gain field experience as a freshman in the program and gain hands-on experience using the newest technology available. • Multiple performance spaces, four recording studios, technologically advanced classrooms, and a music technology center • Opportunities to perform in approximately 20 music ensembles and experience more than 75 performances and master classes a year • Competitive tuition rates • Lebanon Valley College is nationally recognized for its music program and successful graduates; a success achieved through strong student-faculty relationships, personal faculty attention, and premier academics.
• The LVC MME Program is organized to enable learning from fellow music educators who share personal classroom adventures and resolutions, which often leads to networking that lasts a lifetime. • The MME program can be completed in two years. Online courses are offered during the fall and spring semesters, and one- to two-week courses are offered during the summer. Students can earn college credits and ACT 48 credits. • Undergraduate and graduate degree programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Visit us online at www.lvc.edu/music, call 717-867-6275 or 1-877-877-0423, or email music@lvc.edu to learn how to get started toward your degree. Lebanon Valley College® 101 North College Avenue, Annville, PA 17003-1400
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Empowering The Musician In Your Classroom Thomas Amoriello & Mathhew S. Ablan tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us matthewablan.com that’s not a word, it is now) software - I wish every musician was born with it. The reason I included this in the seminar is due to decades of playing with musicians from all levels who fail to learn tunes properly, and ultimately I find it frustrating to play with them. They may get close or claim the proverbial “just fake it”, but for me it’s not good enough. “Transcribe!” is the tool that removes virtually all excuses from “not hearing it properly”. That segment is also integrated into a segment of how the brain learns and how it memorizes. I’ve learned a lot about the subject and it’s dramatically changed how I learn, so my time spent is more efficient than in the past. That segment goes into all aspects of learning, not just music.
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ou may not know the name, but you probably know the hair! In the 1980’s and 90’s Jennifer Batten came to prominence as the touring guitarist for none other than Michael Jackson and in the late 90’s/2000’s was one quarter of guitar legend Jeff Beck’s band. Since that time she has worn many hats including player, performer, teacher, author and clinician. In recent years films such as Twenty Feet from Stardom, The Wrecking Crew, Muscle Shoals and Standing in the Shadows of Motown have shined the spotlight on backup musicians (or “hired guns” as they are commonly referred to) who are finally getting the respect and credit that they deserve for providing the soundtrack of our lives. Although, like many of the musicians featured in these films Jennifer Batten may not be a “household name” she is a highly respected musician to those “in the know”. This past summer Batten hosted a new seminar entitled SelfEmpowerment for the Modern Musician which she developed to offer valuable information to the professional, amateur and aspiring musician alike - the authors of this article separately attended the workshop in Charlotte, NC and King of Prussia, PA. We thought an interview with an artist of her caliber would be a wonderful coda to our January 2015 TEMPO article Mo’ Money: Entrepreneurship for the Classroom Musician where we discussed strategies and concepts for earning income outside of the classroom. Enjoy! What Inspired Your New Seminar Self-Empowerment For The Modern Musician Experience? The inspiration came from a number of different places. For instance, I do a segment on software called “Transcribe!” which is a looper, slow downer, pitch changer, EQ-able, and karaoke-able (if
In A Nutshell, How Would You Describe “Self-Empowerment For The Modern Musician” To Our Readers? Honestly it’s a holistic approach to being a musician. I didn’t use that specific term in advertising because it could easily get confused with a goofy new age thing. But in saying holistic I mean all aspects of being a creative human including self-confidence, brain science, digital age multi income streams, travel, creativity enhancing tools and habits, plus a section on “fuel” which to me is not only creating an awareness of what foods can either break you down or build you up but controlling negative vs positive mental input as well.
It wasn’t until we became empowered via the internet to take charge of our own destinies… that I took a big interest in taking the reins.
How Did Some Of Ideas You Are Talking About In Your Seminar Searching Come About? I’ve been on a path to research all those elements for myself for many years plus some of it is just what I’ve lived through and learned. I find pretty consistently that people I speak with around the world are very unaware of the modern tools available to them. Plus the internet is so overwhelming it’s difficult to filter out the worthless and the valuable without wasting a lot of time. So in a sense I become the filter and share the best of what I’ve learned and morph it with my own experience.
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For Example, “Affiliate Programs” – Did Someone Tell You About That, Did You Come Across It On Your Own Or Were You Approached By A Company? I learned about it from a killer podcast I recommend in my seminar called “Smart Passive Income”. Each episode is an interview with an entrepreneur. I heard an episode explaining affiliate programs and within 2 days discovered that the “Transcribe” software company offers an affiliate program. So I put their code in my web store and get almost 1/3 of any sale that happens from someone discovering it from my site. That company is more generous than most I must add. A company like Amazon doesn’t need your help so you get 3%.
which she obviously puts effort into, to all aspects of her creative musical output. Fans know she’ll look wild, have deep lyrics, and creative music as well as being on the cutting edge of technology. It’s all part of her brand that makes her stand out. Did You Have A “Music Business Mentor” When You Were Coming Up? No, that side was always a mystery and there were always middle men like A&R guys at record companies before wide spread internet use. They were like big road blocks to progress; beyond them were the purse strings, you needed to get into a good studio and get in debt to the record company. It was not a pretty or hopeful sight for most. It wasn’t until we became empowered via the internet to take charge of our own destinies combined with repeated management failures, that I took a big interest in taking the reigns. How “Hands-On” Are You In The Business Of Your Career Today As Opposed To When You Were The Side-Player With Michael Jackson Or Jeff Beck?
During Your Workshop You Discuss “Branding”, How Important Is Image To A Career In The Music Industry? It’s extremely important. Anyone on the planet with internet access can now have music distribution, a store, and make videos with free software and smart phone cameras if they choose to learn how. So there are so many people out there doing it that it takes something special and thoughtful and creative to actually grab someone’s attention for more than the average attention span of 7 seconds. If a great player puts out a video with crap lighting and sound and someone that’s average has a beautiful looking presentation, guess who will get the most viewers? The presentation is part of the brand way beyond content. A great example of a great brand is Imogen Heap. Her creativity seeps through all aspects, from how she dresses MARCH 2016
I’ve had “run ins” with four or five different ‘managers’ in my career during the MJ/Beck days, and they all turned out to be psycho liars so I refrain these days. I once asked John Jorgenson who managed him and he said he is self-managed. That was a little confirmation that maybe that’s the best way to go. And NOW he has a manager! He must have found someone special. I have to admit that for me it’s really nerve racking that someone else is speaking and making deals on my behalf. It can be a bit of a shock if your minds are not in alignment. When word got back to me of things that were said by various “managers,” I flipped a few times. I remember I told a guy who got involved just prior to the Jeff Beck gig that basically I’d play with Jeff for a cup of coffee. He turned around and told Jeff ’s manager what I was used to making and expected Michael Jackson pay. Michael charged a lot per seat and could fill 50k continuously. That could have lost me the gig. It’s much easier these days now that anyone can contact me via the internet. When people say “I didn’t know how to reach you”, I just want to say “Was your Google finger broken!?” That
excuse doesn’t even exist anymore. So 99% of my gigs and sessions are sorted out on line whether via Facebook or just clicking “Contact” on my batten.com site. I’ve done sessions for people all over the planet from the comfort of my home. So to answer your question, I do it all. For last summer’s tour, it was more than full time for 6 months, creating content and doing logistics. Taking it all on yourself is not for the faint hearted. It’s all encompassing, but at least I know exactly what’s being done and there are no surprises of something that’s been neglected. I guess the best case scenario would be to be in complete alignment with a manager who has significant contacts and isn’t a rip off. I don’t know if that exists. When You Speak To Young Musicians Do You Believe They Are Prepared For The Current Climate Of The Music Business? (Meaning, Being More DYI In The Business Aspect Of Music – Websites, Branding, Recording, Etc). No, they’re not prepared unless they’re open to learning. There is a lot of information on line but it’s confusing and a lot of it is predatory. If you have to pay a lot of money to “get your music heard”, you’ve found yourself a predator. I don’t think there’s any shortcut to getting out there unless you get launched into the 1% with significant investment money. There’s a small % that go viral on Youtube, which can often be a temporary launch. There’s a lot more work to go into continuing the attention so you really need a solid foundation and a vision. Young musicians need to focus 90% on the music and growing in artistry and 10% on their branding. Branding isn’t something I think the young need to stress about. Instead, they should just be open to sending creativity into those thoughts. There is a certain amount of time I think you just need to focus on developing your craft. 10,000 hours is the common belief in ‘mastering’ anything. In the beginning it’s going to morph 1000 times before you find an original voice. I think the whole “American Idol” mentality of instant fame from obscurity is dangerous on a person’s phyche. Most of the top 10’s have been forgotten by now. If you don’t grow into your career organically and learn and become strong in the process there’s a good
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chance you’ll be eaten up and spit out by the industry before you even realize what happened. Michael Jackson’s manager Frank Dileo once said he could make anybody a star. The real challenge was to keep them there. When I speak about branding in my seminar it’s with a big focus on creativity and quality. To me, that’s important. To a record company, there’s a good chance you’ll lose your voice and choices and be placed into the closest mold they think will sell. If red jelly beans are selling, that’s what you’ll be. Sheryl Crow was headed that way, along the Paula Abdul path until she pulled the breaks. Obviously opting for authenticity and a slower path worked out for her. How Important Is The Audition Process Or A Promo Package To A Career? As far as auditions, you need to know how to be calm (which can be dealt with via visualization) and bring the goods, i.e. put in the work and then let go of the result. If you do the work and do your best then you win whether they pick you or not. In the 80’s more people were chosen for looks than skill so some of those decisions are just out of your hands. For myself, I took 3 or so days off when I had the chance to audition for MJ so I could focus on the music and nail it as well as I could. For Jeff Beck, I forced an audition on myself. He was going on the strength of my CD’s and was good to go, but I booked myself to his house to play the entire Guitar Shop record for him and got a guitar synth to cover past keyboard parts. It just showed him I’d do the work. Give the leader a reason to believe in you; CD’s and demos only get you in the door to possibility; live is another beast altogether. As for a promo package, I think you need it because it makes you look like you have your stuff together. I know amazing players that don’t have anything together: web site, promo kit, CD, or even a Facebook page. They have to rely on word of mouth for work and it’s limiting. For my PPK (powerpresskit.com), I put together a comp of my last CD rather than expecting anyone to listen to whole songs. The average attention span these days is 7 seconds. It’s hard to wrap your head around but people need to be wowed immediately. I’ve seen Beck listen to CD’s and not last more than 10 bars. If there’s nothing fresh there,
he’s done. It’s also a bit of a statement as to who you are and how you want to present yourself to the public, from music to photos to videos. The text really needs to be looked at as well, a page full of misspellings and bad grammar kind of makes you look like a dumb***; with so many random smart phone videos out there, taking control within a website, Youtube channel or press kit is the only control you have over what people see of you. You Worked With Some Legendary Musicians In The Industry, Tell Us About The “Work Ethic” Of Band Leaders And Producers With Whom You Have Worked. MJ was the best. He was like the Energizer Bunny and had limitless energy during “BAD” tour rehearsals. He expected the same from all of us and the end product showed it. It was a tight show we put enormous hours into. To date it was the most intense rehearsals I’ve ever done. I think the best video of that time was the one released a couple years back of “BAD 25.” MJ was at his peak then. Jeff Beck also rehearses a lot, especially with a new band, but it’s a different animal altogether when it’s a show based on improv. I always wanted another week of rehearsal with him, in part to get more repetitions in with choosing patches between guitar and synth. I had some pretty intense footwork. His rehearsals were more relaxed than MJ’s though. In part because it was such a smaller show. There were just the 4 of us on stage. No dancers, singers, or special effects. As far as producers, Michael Sembello was the only one I’ve worked with to any great extent. I disagreed with 90% of his decisions and think the best thing he did for me was to teach me about the auto punch (ed., a recording process that involves predefined start and stop points), I’ve been on my own ever since. A producer can upgrade your product for sure, especially if there’s a band involved that can’t agree on anything. The producer can take the pressure off of everyone by making final decisions. You Have Been On The Cover Of The Most Important Guitar Magazine (“Guitar Player”). When Something As Monumental As That Happens In Your Life, What Is The Immediate Impact Felt? Any Specific Incidents?
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I actually tried to get them to wait until my debut CD was done, but they didn’t. They were taking advantage of the heat from just having finished the “BAD Tour.” It was a mental adjustment for me since I had been a reader for a long time. I’d fantasized being in it but to be launched to the cover was a test of any insecurities residing in me. I was proud but I knew it would tick off other guitar players I’d been hanging around, and it did. Jealousy is a whole other thing to get used to and you find out who your true friends are. It happened after the tour was over though, so I at least had being in that band for 1 ½ years and loads of interviews previous to the Guitar Player one to get used to being at a different level. Many High Profile Musicians Often Neglect Their Healthy Lifestyles Due To Pressure, Tight Scheduling, What Are Some “Quick Remedies” That Serve You In A Pinch When You Are Under The Gun? I can’t say it’s easy by any stretch, but you need to make your dietary needs known when you’re touring which may mean to at least learn a little of the language of the country you’re in if needed. There are simple apps for all of them. I often stay in a certain Italian hotel. Typically they only serve espresso and a pile of gluten for breakfast. So I learned the word for eggs. I recently heard that Ella Fitzgerald blamed her diabetes on a career on the road. Food consciousness wasn’t anywhere near what it is now when she was touring as a young woman, but it’s all about choices these days comMARCH 2016
bined with effort. I actually went gluten free for one of my Italian tours but it does take a lot of effort. Italians are perfectly happy to eat bread and pastries for breakfast, pizza for lunch and pasta for dinner. When you’re at home it means planning ahead. Juicing for instance is something that’s not difficult to take with you when you’re on the run. Plus you can make up a ton at a time to stock up. Technology Is Important Specifically To Your Career As A Musician, Any Advice For Young Musicians Looking To Be Successful? Always keep an open mind to learning. Lynda.com is one of many learning sites that are very reasonably priced to keep you up with empowering apps. It’s important to anyone who wants a career in music to have many branches of abilities to offer in order to stay afloat. Drummers than can program are going to be a lot more valuable than ones that can’t. What Are Your Thoughts On Guitar Education And How This Relates To Your Career As A Musician (Multiple Income Streams)? Guitar is just the instrument that allows your musical expression. Being able to play to a certain level is just step one. Being able to play in a band is a whole other skill which takes time. Skills like being able to read and write and record music are not imperative but make you stronger and more employable, so why not dig into it all? Everything you learn empowers you even more. I’ve made money from a dozen skills beyond just playing which really helps in dry spells. It’s also good to constantly be changing it up in the creative arts. I spent 6 months in Cirque Du Soleil’s “Zumanity” show. I loved it the first 3 months as it was all new but I couldn’t wait to leave by the end. Cirque shows go 10 times a week with the same music. Even this last summer, I did around 50 clinics, seminars, and concerts across the USA. If I was only doing one event it wouldn’t be as good as mixing it up.
Any further plans for “Self-Empowerment for the Modern Musician” seminar after this current tour such as a DVD edition? I have a million thoughts to expand it which includes doing a streamed seminar this winter at some point. I’m still researching how to make it happen but the info will be posted on my site as soon as I nail it down. There will also be a book and DVD at some point. I was so glad to be able to tour it last summer and get feedback from people. It gave me a lot to think about in creating the next chapter and refining what I did already. Thomas Amoriello is currently teaching guitar at Reading Fleming Intermediate School and Hunterdon Academy of Arts in Flemington, NJ. 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 the author of the children’s picture book, A Journey To Guitarland With Maestro Armadillo to be published by Black Rose Writing in April 2016. You can follow Tom on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/armadilloguitar. 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
How Have The Changes In The Music Industry Over The Last Decade Affected You, If At All? I’m much less likely to spend my own money to record another record when people can get it for free. In fact I currently have zero motivation and have moved my focus to education and live playing. If or when I start to record again, I’ll release a tune at a time instead of waiting until I have an hour of material. It’s much more manageable financially and psychologically. But I now understand that the money comes from sponsorship just like free TV, so my thoughts have moved toward developing a Youtube channel, writing books, collecting email addresses like any other business out there. Plus you have to offer some goods for free in order to get people into your zone and coming back. Music is already free so you have to come up with another product. I heard a statement that I really resonate with. If you want to make a million dollars, help a million people. I’m in giving back mode and am more focused on what I’ve learned to date to share than solely trying to get attention for my music.
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SUMMERTERM 2016 THE HARTT SCHOOL MUSIC • DANCE • THEATRE
EXCITING NEW WORKSHOPS FOR 2016 Expanding Musicianship: Being Musical Inside and Outside of School Dan Isbell Music Video Production Gabe Herman Transforming Your Choir through Diction Edward Bolkovac Guitar Basics for the Music Teacher Christopher Ladd String Refresher: Basic Techniques and Their Relationship to LongTerm Success Teri Einfeldt and Carlynn Savot Starting Summer 2017, Orff-Schulwerk Certification
SESSION 1: JUNE 27–JULY 1 An Introduction to Orff-Schulwerk Penny Mahoney Hartt Baroque Orchestra Seminar Emlyn Ngai Brass Refresher Matt Aubin Introduction to Music Recording Justin Kurtz Gordon’s Music Learning Theory Ken Trapp Piano Tuning I and II Kenneth Lawhorn Guitar Basics for the Music Teacher Christopher Ladd—NEW! SESSION 2: JULY 5–8 Technologies in the Music Classroom Miriam Schreiber and Leslie Cohen Music Production, Pro Tools I Gabe Herman
Percussion Know-How for Music Educators Ben Toth
Diverse Learners in the Music Classroom Heather Wagner
Blending Pedagogy: Incorporating General Music Methods in Children’s Choir Vanessa Bond
String Refresher: Basic Techniques and Their Relationship to LongTerm Success—NEW! Teri Einfeldt and Carlynn Savot
SESSION 3: JULY 11– 15
SESSION 5: JULY 25–29
Folk Instrument Performance Jeff Rhone
World Percussion and Drum Set Survey for Music Educators Ben Toth
Transforming Your Choir through Diction Edward Bolkovac—NEW!
Woodwind Refresher Dan Higgins
Rhythmic Workout for Music Educators Rogerio Boccato
Band Instrument Maintenance for Wind Educators Glen Grigel
Hartt Guitar Festival Christopher Ladd, Richard Provost, Scott Tennant
The Music and Literacy Connection Dee Hansen Teaching Children How to Create and Conduct Music Glen Adsit and Michael Colgrass
Music Video Production Gabe Herman—NEW!
SESSIONS 4–5: JULY 18–29
Expanding Musicianship: Being Musical Inside and Outside of School Dan Isbell—NEW!
The Hartt Choral Conducting Institute Edward Bolkovac and Stuart Younse The Hartt Kodály Certification Program John Feierabend, Jeff Rhone, Edward Bolkovac, Gabor Viragh
SESSION 4: JULY 18–22 Instrumental Conducting Clinic Glen Adsit and Edward Cumming
THE FEIERABEND ASSOCIATION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION (FAME)
Rehearsing the Secondary Jazz Ensemble: Technique and Repertoire Haig Shahverdian
First Steps in Music John Feierabend
Jump-Start Your Choir Edward Bolkovac and Stuart Younse
Conversational Solfege Advanced John Feierabend
Around the World in Song and Dance Lillie Feierabend Body Mapping for Music Educators Kay Hooper
Conversational Solfege Beginning John Feierabend
SUMMERS ONLY MASTER OF MUSIC EDUCATION Earn your MMusEd during the summer. Choose an emphasis in Pedagogy, Kodály, or Instrumental or Vocal Conducting and complete 37–42 credits in just three summers!
hartford.edu/hartt/summerterm
TEMPO 50 Dr. Warren Haston, Director, Hartt Summerterm
haston@hartford.edu
860.768.5526
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
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Effective Practicing With G.F.R. Dan Halpern Vernona Schools, Verona, NJ dhalpern@veronaschools.org
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uccess in playing a musical instrument is predicated on effective practicing. Often the content of a music lesson is different from what students will do when practicing at home. Most teachers are able to help young students understand the “what” and “why” of practicing, but communicating the “how” can be challenging. In some cases students spend significant time practicing, but make little or no progress. In the worst scenario, students who are not reflective are simply reinforcing bad habits when they practice. A straightforward approach can help these students. It is called G.F.R: Goals, Feedback, Repetition. How G.F.R. Works In a typical instrumental lesson, teachers often guide students in developing technical and musical goals. Teachers then provide feedback relating to how the students have met those goals, and encourage them to do repetition at home. Since the teacher is not at home with the student when she is practicing, the student must be able to set her own goals and give herself feedback. Guidelines provided in lessons, such as “play exercise #7,” or “practice measures 20-32” are potentially too vague to be useful to students without the help of a trained ear. G.F.R. works because students understand the process of effective practicing, and are able to set their own specific goals and provide their own feedback. The basics of G.F.R. are: 1. The student sets a specific goal for the selection she is practicing. 2. She then asks herself feedback questions to determine her success. 3. Based on the result, she does another repetition starting with a specific goal. The rest of this article outlines details of how to introduce this approach to students. Goals When a student is practicing she needs to know more than just what to do; she needs to know how it should be done. In lessons the teacher should guide the student in thinking about
what criteria constitute a successful performance. Rather than saying “Play a C Major scale,” one might say “play a C Major scale with good posture, correct hand position, good tone, clear articulation or correct bowing, and good intonation.” To avoid overwhelming students, have them create a checklist for the particular exercise or passage. In this case a checklist might look like this: C Major Scale Goals • Posture • Hand Position • Tone Quality • Articulation/Bowing • Intonation
This checklist implies that several repetitions will be required to ensure that each goal has been met. Goals should be tailored to suit the specific needs of each student. For a student who needs to focus on a particular skill such as embouchure or bow grip, this goal might take precedence. To ensure that each goal has been met, the goals are then translated into feedback questions. Feedback
Using feedback to improve performance is the very essence of what practicing is about. This is often where young players struggle the most, due largely to a lack of awareness of how to direct their attention when practicing. Helping them develop the skill of self-reflection will improve the effectiveness of their practicing. A simple way to do this is to take each goal and convert it to a question. The questions should reinforce positive habits, and will usually begin with “Did I.” For example, “Did I make my best sound while playing a C Major scale?” Each student should have a set of feedback questions established before working on a selection. Here is an example:
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C Major Scale Goals • Posture • Hand Position • Tone Quality • Articulation/Bowing • Intonation
Feedback • Did I have good posture? • Did I use correct hand position? • Did I make my best sound? (air, embouchure, etc.) • Did I use the correct bowing? • Did I play in tune?
Using very specific questions will help students who struggle. For example, “Did I make my best sound” might be rephrased, “Did I use good air and correct embouchure to make a beautiful sound?” Instead of asking, “Did I play the correct articulation,” one might ask, “Did I correctly play the slurtwo, tongue-two pattern?” Repetition Repetition serves two main purposes: to ensure that goals are met, and to develop habits of good performance. It is important to emphasize to students that habits are constantly being formed, both good and bad. Focused repetition will lead to the development of positive habits. Fundamental aspects of playing, such as posture and hand position, will become automated so attention can be directed elsewhere. Each repetition should focus on achieving one or two specific goals. Before each repetition the student should know what feedback question she is going to ask herself at the end. If the answer is positive then she should do it again the same way, or move on to the next goal. If the answer is negative then the next repetition should involve an adjustment. Knowing how much repetition is necessary is also crucial. Some students have a clear sense of when the material is mastered. Others need concrete parameters to guide them or when to move on. Some examples are: • Three good repetitions in-a-row • 4 out of 5 good repetitions • 5 total correct repetitions
Using G.F.R. G.F.R. works for students because all three steps are clear and simple. When presenting G.F.R. to students it is useful to write the letters on the board and refer to each step of the process. Students need to understand how each part of the process is interrelated. When students are engaged in setting goals and generating feedback questions they will take greater ownership over the process and will use it more effectively. As students continue to use this approach, they should generate standard checklists and feedback questions that can be applied to new material. Rather than starting from scratch with new music the student will select goals and feedback questions from existing lists. Selecting the appropriate procedure will encourage students to think critically about the music they are learning, and foster a deeper understanding. G.F.R. is also a useful tool for helping students who struggle when practicing on their own. Reviewing each step of the process can help students identify why their practicing is not effective, and guide them to improve. Rather than asking, “did you work on this?” a teacher might ask, “what sort of feedback did you give yourself?” or “did you ask yourself a question about articulation?” This type of guidance focuses students on specifically what they need to do when practicing. They are also more likely to practice when they have a clear sense of what to do and how to do it. Once the basic principles of effective practicing are introduced, the process will be eventually become integrated into how students approach learning music. Using the language of G.F.R. in lessons and rehearsals will further encourage students to be mindful of their own progress. When students experience the success that comes from effective practicing they will be more motivated to continue their efforts. For more please visit www.danhalpernmusic.com
C Major Scale Goals • Posture • Hand Position • Tone Quality • Articulation/Bowing • Intonation
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Feedback • Did I have good posture? • Did I use correct hand position? • Did I make my best sound? (air, embouchure, etc.) • Did I use the correct bowing? • Did I play in tune?
Repetition Yes -Repeat #1 -Repeat #2 -Move on No -Repeat with adjustment
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months, the federal government passed legislation making music and art equal in importance to the subjects traditionally known as the academic core. Additionally, the state of NJ passed legislation that requires equality between the weighting of grades in arts courses with the other academic core courses. These types of things do not happen without significant work from many people who have made it their mission to advocate for the arts. Our thanks to everyone who contributed to these efforts.
CJMEA
Central Jersey Music Educators Association cjmea.org
I
â&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to thank the many people who made our High School concert season go smoothly. From our Division Chairs to our managers, site hosts and conductors, these volunteers have dedicated themselves to providing high quality musical experiences for our students. Also, for the first time, CJMEA has created a scholarship program for students that have participated in our region ensembles for all 4 years. We will be awarding three scholarships, each in the amount of $1,000. We are excited to review the application materials and will be making our decisions in the spring. This month will feature our Intermediate ensemble concerts. Many of you have sent students to participate and we hope to see you at the concerts. Please also be aware of our many festivals and honors ensemble days that will be taking place in the next few months. Information about all of these events can be found on our website. This is an exciting time for music education. In the past couple of
I wish you all a successful Spring season and as always, please visit our website for information and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter! Adam Warshafsky - President awarshafsky@cjmea.org Brian Toth-High School Band hsband@cjmea.org The CJMEA Region Bands enjoyed a wonderful concert weekend on January 15th-17th with Andrew Yozviak from Westchester University and M. Gregory Martin also from Westchester University on the podium. Many thanks go out to our managers, Chris Vitale and Mike Anzuini as well as our hosts at Montgomery High School, Adam Warshafsky, Kawika Kahalehoe, and Michael Brennan. We also had another successful concert with our Symphonic Band Invitational of Central New Jersey, which was organized by Paul Caruso, conducted by Thomas McCauley from Montclair State University. Thank you to the Sayreville Public Schools for their support of this event We are looking forward to the upcoming CJMEA concert band festival in March! Our schedule is full of wonderful ensembles from across central New Jersey. Thank you to all
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those directors who are sending their ensembles to this wonderful event. Seth Davis-Intermediate Band k8band@cjmea.org By the time you read this, the Intermediate Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble will be hard at work with Jeffrey Smith and Michelle Lindner, respectively. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to offer a special thank you to the directors and administrators at Community Middle School, Crossroads North Middle School, Branchburg Middle School and Steinert High School for teaming up to host the auditions, rehearsals and concert. Thank you to all who are participating this year by sponsoring students, helping them through the audition and rehearsal processes, and attending the concert. Special thanks Jennifer Tobin and Sarah Benkert, our two ensemble managers, and to those who volunteered their time to host rehearsals, run sectionals and usher at the concert! Managing an ensemble and hosting a rehearsal or concert are great ways to get involved, meet other directors, and support the students in CJMEA. Please contact Seth Davis if you are interested in either of these for the future, or for the current concert coming up. Preparations for the Elementary Honors Band are under way. Directors have recommended students by filling out the application (always posted on www.cjmea.org) and accepted students were placed into an ensemble. Music is currently being organized and will be distributed soon. Please help your students to practice their music as soon as you receive it. Also make sure they are prepared with a folding music stand and all the necessary accessories for their instrument (reeds, valve oil, etc.) for the day of the event. The rehearsal and concert will be held on April 16th. MARCH 2016
Coming soon will be information about the CJMEA Elementary & Intermediate Band and Orchestra Festival, which will be held on April 13th and 14th at Neptune High School and also May 12th and 13th at Freehold Township High School. For more information on dates or locations or to download registration forms, please visit www.cjmea.org. Heather Mount-Intermediate Chorus k8chorus@cjmea.org This spring season will bring many exciting concerts! We are working hard with our Intermediate Choirs. SSA Choir will be conducted by Brian Schkeeper and SSAB Choir will conducted by Kale Thompson. A big thank you goes to the teachers who are hosting rehearsals in February and March: William Alzaher (Green Brook); Daniel King (Lawton C Johnson Summit); Kathy Reid (Churchill); and Shannon Maddolin (South Plainfield) and to our two outstanding managers: Shannon Maddolin (South Plainfield) and Rebakah Hamilton (Edison). Thank you to all the intermediate teachers for helping at each rehearsal. We wouldn’t be able to do this without you! The Treble Honors Choir will have a concert at the end of May at Edison High School. Check the website for more information. If you are interested in getting involved or more involved with any of the K-8 activities next year, please email me. Some fun activities you can volunteer for are: the Intermediate Choir, the Treble Honor Choir, K-8 General Music Workshops, and the Intermediate Choir Festival. We are looking for rehearsal hosts, and conductors. Thank you.
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Penny Martin-Intermediate Orchestra k8orchestra@cjmea.org Greetings from the Intermediate Orchestra Chair. We are having a successful Region Orchestra season. I would like to thank everyone who stepped up to volunteer to make it all happen, including my fellow conductor, Arvin Gopal, as well as our managers, Susan Meuse and Dan Martinho. It has been such a pleasure conducting the Chamber ensemble and seeing the String Orchestra in action and I can't wait for the concert on Saturday, March 5th at the Neptune High School PAC. Thank you to the Neptune school district for providing this wonderful facility. The New Jersey Youth Orchestra facility in New Providence was used for our rehearsals this year and I would like to thank the teachers and administrators at these schools for inviting the CJMEA Intermediate Orchestras to use their buildings. I would like to be prepared in advance for next year’s region rehearsals, so if anyone would like to host a rehearsal for any of the orchestra ensembles, please let me know right away. It’s a great opportunity to fundraise for your group by holding a baked goods/snack sale. Also, if you are interested in putting your name in the hat to conduct, please consider managing so you have the opportunity to work with the ensemble ahead of time. Have a wonderful Spring Concert Season! I would like to wish all students auditioning for the All-State Intermediate Orchestra to break a leg! Yale Snyder-Percussion percussion@cjmea.org I hope everyone is having a fantastic 2016 and that all Winter Concerts went well! I want to commend everyone involved with our Region HS
Percussion Ensemble this year. It was truly the finest concert the group has ever had in it's 8 plus year existence! Our concert at Montgomery HS on January 10th with the orchestra was amazing. I have never been so proud as a percussion educator to have such a legendary figure in the percussion world such as Jonathan Haas, timpani virtuoso and NYU professor of percussion as our guest conductor. Our students had an amazing weekend of music making and learned such valuable life lessons from Haas of what it takes to be a percussionist on a professional level. Watching the growth of the students in 48 hours was simply a joy from start to finish. The program of music was extremely difficult including a movement from renowned composer Eric Ewazen's "Palace of Nine Perfections" which may have been the most challenging piece the group has ever taken on. I also want to thank my colleagues involved with the HS orchestra for allowing us to utilize some of the brass section to perform Frank Zappa's "Regyptian Strut" with the percussion ensemble. A big thank you goes out to Tom O'Hara for managing the group. Bravo to all of our fabulous percussion students! I am looking forward to our Intermediate Percussion Ensemble. We are thrilled to have Peter Saleh of the Exit 9 percussion group and director of the Rutgers Youth Percussion Ensemble as our guest conductor. Our concert will be with the intermediate chorus on March 13th at Monroe Township HS. I hope to see you all there. If anyone has any questions or is looking to get involved please email me at percussion@cjmea.org.
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NJSMA
North Jersey School Music Association njsma.com
Gregory Mulford and Lewis Kelly Band Division Co-Chairs Congratulations to all students who successfully auditioned for the NJSMA region bands and to all the directors that helped with auditions, rehearsals and concerts. NJSMA would not be able to provide these wonderful opportunities for students without the support and encouragement from their sponsoring directors. The Junior High School Concert will be March 6, 2016 at Northern Valley Demarest High School. Jeffrey Conrad, band director at Eisenhower Middle School, will conduct the Intermediate Band, and the Junior Band will be under the direction of Mark Donellan, band director at Paramus High School. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s High School Region Concert Band Festival will be held April 5-7. Hosts include Morristown, West Essex, Hanover Park, Mt. Olive and West Orange High Schools. The Junior High School Concert Band Festival will be held April 21 at West Essex High School and Westwood Jr./ Sr. High School. Thank you to all our hosts and all participating ensembles. Special thanks to our festival coordinators John Maiello, Pete Bauer and James Lawrence. The fifth annual NJSMA Elementary Band Festival will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at South Orange Middle School. Sixth graders from north jersey that have been nominated by their directors will rehearse and perform a concert in a one-day festival. Bands will be conducted by Don Van Teyens, Ringwood Public
Schools, and Jeanette Basilicato, Anthony Wayne Middle School. Special thanks to our festival coordinator Jennifer Wise and librarians Dan Halpern and Brian Michalowski. Please check www.njsma.com for updated and detailed information. Lisa Wichman NJSMA Elementary Chairperson The NJSMA Elementary Music Division is hosting an Elementary Choral Celebration at Drew University on Tuesday, May 31. Elementary Choirs from schools in Region 1 are invited to participate. Our guest clinicians are Jason Bishop and Deborah Mello. More details can be found on the NJSMA webpage. In addition, plans are underway for our 2nd Annual Columbus Day Professional Day. Please check back on the NJSMA Elementary page for information.
SJBODA
South Jersey Band And Orchestra Directors Association sjboda.org
T
he past few months have been very exciting and rewarding for the members of SJBODA. On January 10th our Senior High School Orchestra and Junior High String Ensemble performed at Rowan University and the following week our Senior High Wind Ensemble and Senior High Symphonic Band performed at the same venue. Their music was beautiful and the result of the many excellent music teachers and programs throughout our region. The conductors for these concerts were Paul Bryan (Curtis Institute of Music), Tim Schwarz (Rowan University), Tom McCauley (Montclair University) and Scott Visco (Point
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Pleasant Borough HS). The coordinators for these performances were Mark Kadetsky (Fernwood Avenue MS) and Nichole DelNero (Toms River HS South). The managers of the Orchestra and the String Ensemble were Amanda Lakits (Hamilton Township Schools), Don Wittenwiler (Charter Tech HS) and Marlee Ernst (Chelsea Heights School). The managers of the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band were Matt Holmberg (Lacey Township HS), Nicole Baldelli (Mill Pond School), Lisa Simone (Hopper Avenue Elementary), and Carlye Waniak (Dawes Avenue School). Our hosts for these concerts were Sal Scarpa and Rick Dammers. The equipment manager for both of these events was Karyn Park (Williamstown MS). Congratulations to Sara Corson (A. P. Schalick HS) who received the 2016 SJBODA orchestra scholarship and Luke Bakanas (Shawnee HS) who was the recipient of the band scholarship. We wish these students and all of our seniors continued success in their future endeavors. Our 9th Annual Chamber Ensemble Concert took place on February 10th and was hosted by Keith Hodgson and the Mainland TRI-M Music Honor Society Chapter. The ensemble coaches were Brass: Ben Fong, (Reeds Road ES), Percussion: Vince Gattinella (Resonance School), Sax: Jon Porco (Absegami HS), Woodwind: Joe Brausam (Mill Pond ES), Clarinet: Amanda Latkits (Hamilton Township Schools), Flute: Roberta Beckler (Egg Harbor Township School District, retired) and Tuba/Euphonium: Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keefe (Smithville ES). This event was coordinated by Keith Hodgson (Mainland Regional HS). Once again our Junior High Band auditions, held at Southern Regional Middle School, were a successful MARCH 2016
event. The efforts of Tony Scardino (Indian Mills MS) and Joe Jacobs (Ventnor MS), our Junior High Auditions Chairs, were greatly appreciated by teachers and students. With the assistance of Phil Senseney (Southern Regional School District, retired) and Deb Knisely (Cinnaminson HS) they provided a positive experience for all involved. These auditions were hosted by Andrew Wright, Jennifer Hodgson and the Southern Regional TRI-M Music Honor Society Chapter. Glenn Motson (Gloucester City Jr/Sr HS) is doing a wonderful job in assisting the conductors and students as the Junior High Band Coordinator. The conductors for the 39th Annual All South Jersey Junior High School Band concert are Ken Rafter (Fairfield Township Schools) and Lori Ludewig (Oaklyn Public School). The managers for this event will be Scott McCarron (Delsea Regional HS) and Lori Ludlum (Oaklyn Public School, retired). The rehearsals were hosted by Keith Hodgson at Mainland Regional High School and the concert will take place on February 29th at Lower Cape May Regional HS. John Dreshen and Bethany Wiberg will host this event. The 23rd Annual SJBODA Concert Band Festival will take place on Tuesday, March 8th and Wednesday, March 9th at Rowan University. Our festival coordinators are Mike Armstrong (Deptford HS) and Jon Porco (Absegami HS). Rick Dammers (Rowan University) will host this event. The 24th Annual Elementary Honors Band Festival will take place on Saturday April 23rd at Absegami HS. Jon Porto will be our host. Mike Daly (Pleasantville School District), Beth Rohaly (R. M. Bacon ES), and Amy Bliss (Rowan University) are the conductors for this festival. Our coordinators will be Sue Moore (Mansion MARCH 2016
Avenue School) and Bill Trimble (Wenonah ES). The SJBODA Inaugural Elementary String Festival will take place on Saturday, April 30th at Cinnaminson HS. Jayne Weiner (Evesham Township School District) will conduct and her managers will be Ashley Rothkopf (Evesham Township School District) and Mary Jo Zahradnik (Washington Township School District, retired) Ian Miller (Thomas E. Bowe School) will coordinate this event and Deb Knisely (Cinnaminson HS) will be our host. The SJBODA Spring Breakfast meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 1st at 9:00 a.m. at “Seven Star Diner.” Please contact Patrick O’Keefe at 609-457-0590 or patrickaokeefe@ gmail.com if you plan to attend. Please continue to check the Web site, maintained by Keith Hodgson and Derek Rohaly (Mainland Regional HS), for the latest SJBODA updates. Joseph Jacobs Secretary, SJBODA
SJCDA
South Jersey Choral Directors Association sjcda.net
T
he South Jersey Choral Directors’ Association held their annual concerts at Eastern High School on January 30th and 31st. Despite losing a rehearsal to the blizzard of 2016, both choirs sounded beautiful and gave fabulous performances. Conductors David Taylor, of Northern Burlington and Sarah Mickle, of Clayton, led their groups, of almost 200 singers each, and ended with a rousing performance of Let Everything That Hath Breath. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s festi-
val, from audition day to performance day; managers, hosts, teachers, as well as the Board of Directors and Festival Coordinator, Hope Knight. After the final performance, conductors, retirees and other honored guests gathered together for a wonderful meal and celebration at “Viana’s Italian Bistro” in Voorhees. We look ahead now to our Elementary Chorus Festival, to be held on March 5th at the Investors Bank Performing Arts Center in Washington Twp. Students from 4th, 5th and 6th grades will come together for one performance, led by invited guest Conductor , Past-President of SJCDA, William Yerkes of West Deptford High School. Thank you to all participating directors who have worked diligently with their students to assist them in the learning of the music. I look forward to a wonderful performance! Directors are reminded to attend our Spring Breakfast General Membership Meeting, to be held again at the “Crowne Plaza” in Cherry Hill on April 15th. Professional Development will be offered, as well as an opportunity to discuss the continued improvement of the organization and its events. Please consider attending and socialize with your colleagues, as we make the push to the end of another successful school year together! Nancy Dickinson, SJCDA President ndickinson@wtps.org www.sjcda.net
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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.
Laurel Ruth Chamberlin Crowley
Esther M. Harris Linden
Laurel Ruth Chamberlin Crowley passed away on November 16, 2015 in her home surrounded by her loving family. Laurie, as she preferred to be called, led a life devoted to love, service and compassion to friends and family. Born September 3, 1928 in Syracuse, New York, Laurie was the first of three children born to John Reading Chamberlin, Jr. and Ruth Hazel Doman of Elbridge, New York. She was a 1950 graduate of Syracuse University College of Fine Arts, earning her degree in music. Musically gifted, Laurie played trumpet, piano and a number of other musical instruments. Her first employment was as a music teacher in the Union County, New Jersey public school system. Laurie married Noel Chase Crowley of Rhinebeck, New York on June 27, 1953 in the Elbridge Community Church. The couple lived first in Rhinebeck and then in Charlottesville, Virginia, until her husband, with the support she provided through various employments, graduated from the University of Virginia Law School.
Esther M. Harris Linden, music teacher, who organized programs for veterans, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, at University Hospital in Newark, N.J. Harris was a music teacher for the Linden Board of Education for 38 years, retiring in 2011. She was a member of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association and was very dedicated to our veterans, organizing music programs on veterans’ holidays.
Darienne T. Franks Darienne T. Franks died December 13. She was born in Washington, DC and had been a resident of Bridgewater since 1988. She retired in 1998 after more than 30 years as a music teacher for Washington School in East Orange. She later opened the “Dari Franks Voice Studio” in Bridgewater, teaching private voice lessons until 2013. A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate of SUNY, Potsdam, NY, and a member of the Immaculate Conception Church, Somerville, she belonged to the choir and served as a Eucharistic Minister.
Grace D. Larsen Grace D. Larsen, age 96 of Whitehouse Station, NJ, died Saturday, January 2, 2016 at her home. Born in Bridgewater Twp., NJ, she was the daughter of the late J. VanNest and Florence DuMont. Grace resided in Bridgewater Twp. for many years before moving to Whitehouse Station in 1995. She was a music teacher for Bridgewater Twp. Schools for 27 years before retiring in 1966. Along with her late husband, she was an extremely active member of the North Branch Reformed Church, playing the organ for services for many years. She was a member of the Raritan Valley Grange and the Daughters of the American Revolution, Whitehouse Chapter.
Bonnie Laub Bonnie Laub, age 63 of Wyckoff, died peacefully at her home on Thursday, October 29, 2015 with her husband Ed by her side. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Bonnie lived in Wyckoff for the past 41 years. Bonnie was an accomplished professional musician and teacher, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the Westminster Choir College in 1974. Bonnie was a 1970 graduate of Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale. Throughout her professional career, Bonnie performed internationally with the world-famous Westminster Choir and as a member of the Riverside Church
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Choir in New York City. Bonnie was the soprano soloist for many years at the Wyckoff Reformed Church, as well as a featured soloist at many churches across the Tri-State area. She served as director of The Wyckoff Reformed Church Nursery School music program for over a decade, and a music teacher at Washington Elementary School in Wyckoff. Additionally, she established and was the director of The Wyckoff Reformed Church Handbell Choir, and the director of the Riverside Church Handbell Choir as well. Bonnie also developed an allwomen A Cappella group, Sirène. She also taught privately out of her home studio.
Jerry Nowak Gerald Chester Nowak, the prolific arranger/composer, author and music educator better known as Jerry Nowak, 79, died on Dec. 14, 2015, following a protracted illness. Jerry achieved an international following as an arranger, composer, conductor and teacher, known especially for his innovations in the techniques and teaching of conducting and phrasing. With his brother, Henry Nowak, he co-authored two innovative college textbooks published by Carl Fischer: Conducting the Music, Not the Musicians, and The Art of Expressive Playing, the latter being the first comprehensive textbook on expressive performance. His writing career began in the early 1970s as an arranger for Paul Simon’s publishing company, “Charing Cross Music.” Over a 40-year period, he went on to contribute over 1,100 arrangements and compositions for publishers in the U.S. and abroad, making him one of the most widely published musicians of his generation. He arranged vocal and instrumental works in a broad range of styles for both youth and professional ensembles, including concert band, marching band, chamber winds, and jazz band. Through his arrangements, teachings and books, he influenced thousands of amateur and professional musicians, conductors, and music teachers around the globe. Born in Detroit, MI, and raised in Trenton, NJ, he achieved his bachelor of science in music and master of music composition from the College of New Jersey, formerly Trenton State College. Early in his career, Jerry worked as a woodwind player and session singer in New York and Philadelphia. He was a fixture on the Dixieland jazz scene in the 1950s and 1960s, and played with a diverse range of singers and groups, including “Big Bands,” jazz ensembles, and national pop and R&B groups, including Stevie Wonder, among many others. He also toured with Burt Bacharach and was a founding member of the Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet and New Jersey Saxophone Quartet. Jerry was a co-founder and the music director of the Delaware Valley Wind SymphoMARCH 2016
ny and appeared as a guest conductor with the Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, and numerous professional, college and high school ensembles across the U.S. Jerry started his teaching career at Hunterdon Central High School in Flemington, NJ, where he taught from 1959 to 1969. Thereafter, he taught at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, PA, until 2005, when he retired as professor emeritus of music. He traveled extensively as a clinician and adjudicator, and taught graduate level courses at colleges throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Jerry also served as an adjunct professor at the College of New Jersey and taught at The University of the Arts on the campus of Villanova University for 20 years. In 2014, he completed his 30th consecutive season of teaching at the Jerry Nowak Summer Conducting School in Sydney, at the invitation of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association in New South Wales. He also taught at the summer school of Melbourne Youth Music for 26 seasons.
Tatyana G. Shestakova Tatyana G. Shestakova 56, died December 1, 2015. Tatyana was born in Russia and formerly of Highland Park before moving to Somerset in 2009. She graduated with a BA degree from the University of Russia and St. Petersburg Music College. She was employed as a kindergarten music teacher by the Morganville Board of Education for 40 years.
Dorothy S. Underhill Dorothy S. Underhill, age 86, of Ware Presbyterian Village, Oxford, PA, passed away on Wednesday, December 23, 2015. She was the wife of the late Charles A. Underhill who died in 1996. Dorothy was a member of Penningtonville Presbyterian Church, Atglen where she sang in the choir. Previously she was a member for over 50 years and former elder at Manasquan Presbyterian Church in Manasquan, NJ. While she was at Manasquan she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and Bible School, and founded and directed the women’s handbell choir. Dorothy received her Bachelor’s of Education Degree from Temple University. She was a music teacher in the public school system retiring from Brielle Elementary School in 1992. While living at Ware Presbyterian Village, she served on the Welcoming Committee and played in the Choir Chime Group. &
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NJMEA 2015-2016 Board of Directors Executive Board
Appointed Members Administration Ronald Dolce Retired rdolce561@aol.com 732-574-0846
Corporate/Industry Ron Beaudoin rbeau1959@gmail.com 301-662-2010
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, Jeff Santoro W. Windsor-Plainsboro District jsantoro@njmea.org 609-716-5000 x5262
Band Festivals/Classroom Music Nancy Clasen Thomas Jefferson Middle School nancydidi@hotmail.com 973-766-5343
NJ Association For Jazz Ed. Mike Anzuini Steinert High School manzuini.njaje@gmail.com 609-631-4150 x3412
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
Communications (TEMPO/Web) Thomas A. Mosher, Retired tmosher@njmea.org 732-367-7195
Choral/Opera Festivals Donna Marie Berchtold William Davies Middle School berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.org 609-476-6241 x1013
Orchestra Festivals/Performance Susan Meuse Hammarskjold Middle School susanmeuse@gmail.com 732-613-6890
Chorus Performance/NJRMEA Kathy Spadafino, Retired kspadeb@aol.com 732-214-1044
Special Learners Maureen Butler Lake Drive School mbutler@mlschools.org 973-299-0166
Chorus/Orchestra/Jazz Joseph Cantaffa Howell High School jcantaffahhs@hotmail.com 732-919-2131
Technology Marjorie LoPresti East Brunswick High School mlopresti@ebnet.org 732-613-6969
President, William McDevitt Vineland High School billnjmea@aol.com 856-794-6800 x2539
Past-President, Joseph Jacobs
Ventnor Middle School jjacobs@veccnj.org 609-335-6429
Region Executive Members
NJSMA President, Russ Batsch Madison High School batschr@madisonpublicschools.org 973-593-3117 ext 7190 CJMEA President, Adam Warshafsky Montgomery Twp. School District awarshafsky@mtsd.us 609-466-7602 x6203 SJCDA President, Nancy Dickinson Bunker Hill Middle School ndickinson@wtps.org 856-881-7007 x5136 SJBODA President, Patrick O’Keefe Smithville School o’keefep@gtps.k12.nj.us 609-748-1250 X4661
Guitar Tom Amoriello Flemington Raritan Schools tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us 908-284-7650
Collegiate/Research/Higher Ed. Rick Dammers Rowan University dammers@rowan.edu 856-256-4557 Conferences Marie Malara Sayreville Middle School malara97@aol.com 732-525-5290 x2370
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NJMEA RESOURCE PERSONNEL Area of Responsibility
Name
Email Address
Administrative Matters......................................................William McDevitt.............................................................billnjmea@aol.com 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......................................................... Michael Anzuini................................................. manzuini.njaje@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............................................. james.chwalyk.jr@gmail.com Middle/Junior High Choral Festival..............................Donna Marie Berchtold ................................. berchtoldd@hamiltonschools.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......................................................... Michael Kallimanis........................................... MrKOrchAuditions@aol.com Orchestra Procedures Chair................................................... Susan Meuse......................................................... susanmeuse@gmail.com Research.............................................................................. Rick Dammers..........................................................Dammers@rowan.edu Students with Special Needs................................................ Maureen Butler........................................................mbutler@mlschools.org Supervisor of Performing Groups...........................................Joseph Jacobs................................................................ jjacobs@veccnj.org Tri-M................................................................................William McDevitt.............................................................billnjmea@aol.com 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.....................................Joseph Jacobs................................................................jjacobs@veccnj.org NJ Association for Jazz Education....................................... Michael Anzuini.................................................manzuini.njaje@gmail.com NAfME.............................................................................William McDevitt............................................................ billnjmea@aol.com NJ Music Administrators Association..................................Robert Pispecky..................................... Robert.Pispecky@edison.k12.nj.us NJ Retired Music Educators Association........................... Kathleen Spadafino............................................................. kspadeb@aol.com NJ TI:ME............................................................................ Rick Dammers.......................................................... dammers@rowan.edu Percussive Arts Society........................................................ Domenico Zarro.....................................................DEZarro@optonline.net
COMMUNICATION SERVICES/PUBLIC RELATIONS Executive Secretary-Treasurer............................................... Deborah Sfraga....................................................... debnjmea1@gmail.com Editor - TEMPO Magazine.............................................. Thomas A. Mosher..........................................................tmosher@njmea.org Web Master (njmea.org)................................................... Thomas A. Mosher..........................................................tmosher@njmea.org
MARCH 2016
61 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 62
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 2013 - 2015
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 Joseph Jacobs
MARCH 2016
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Hartt School of Music, Dance, & Theatre Hartwick College High Note Music Festivals Lebanon Valley College Mason Gross School of the Arts Ext. Div. Messiah College Montclair State University, Cali School of Music Music & Arts Music in the Parks NJ City University Dept. Music, Dance & Theatre Performing Arts Consultants Rowan University Russo Music Center Rutgers: The State University The College of New Jersey, Music Dept. Umass Amherst Department of Music & Dance Vivace Productions William Paterson University Yamaha Music Corp.
MARCH 2016
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hartford.edu/hartt/summerterm
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hartwick.edu
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highnotefestivals.com
33
lvc.edu/music
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masongross.rutgers.edu/extension
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9
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7
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29
masongross.rutgers.edu
11
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17
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63 TEMPO
NEW Yamaha Intermediate Flutes The Yamaha line of Intermediate flutes has been updated to surpass the evolving needs of student flutists. Featuring an industry-leading pointed key arm design and a complete review and update to many aspects of the production process, the 300 and 400 series Intermediate flutes emphasize the Yamaha consistency and quality that keeps these flutes strong and singing for youn g flutists. • The keys of the new Intermediate flutes have been redesigned with the pointed key arm style which is vertically integrated from Professional and Handmade flutes • Mechanical redesigns and material changes result in increased resistance to corrosion and longer playing life for the instrument • Pad cup structures now feature the same style and thickness as the Professional and Handmade line , for a more precise seal and increased durability • The 300 series flute body is nickel-silver with a sterling silver headjoint, while the 400 series is completely sterling silver. Both styles help retain a clean polished look and a rich singing sound. • All intermediate flutes now come with a French-style case and a durable, E-style case cover
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