SBO March 2013 by SBO School Band & Orchestra

March 2013 • $5.00

Stephen Massey of Foxborough (Mass.) High School

Developing a ‘Culture of Musical Excellence’ Report: 2013

Best Tools for Schools Awards

Expand your program with alternative ensembles Commentary: ¡Mariachi!

Most

29%

Some

57%

A few

10%

Survey: Summer Music Camps

Trends in Impact:

How many of your instrumental music students attend independent music workshops or camps over the summer (other than a pre-fall band camp)?

Most

29%

Some

57%

A few

10%

None

impacts of a summer music camp. The students in-

Yet, there are many obstacles that stand in the way of reaping these benefits. Camps can be far away or expensive, and even for those kids that may have the means to attend them, there are many other summertime activities that are also vying for students’ attention. So just how do these camps and workshops – which are so chock full off potential benefits – impact school music programs? This latest survey put that question out to SBO readers. While 67 percent of respondents indicate that “a few” or “none” of their students attend music camps and workshops, more than half noted that the impact on their programs was “significant.” A more positive perspective on the following data would be that 90 percent of respondents had at least “a few” students attend, so perhaps having even a couple of students stay involved over the summer can serve to raise the standard for the rest of the school music program all year long? Read on and draw your own conclusions on the latest trends in summer music camps and workshops. 20

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

“Scholarships make it possible for more than a few to attend summer music camps.” Simon Austin 21% More students attend camps than a few years ago Burroughs High School Ridgecrest, Calif.

46%

More students attend camps than a few years ago

46%

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

33%

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

49%

Finances

24%

Scheduling

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

“Most of my students cannot afford summer study, simply Most attend camps a few years ago 4% Fewer want a33% break fromstudents study, or go tothan summer school.” Denise Kuehner 29% Some Clay High School South Bend, Ind. 57% A few

Some Investment in the activity

21%

Leadership

57%

in school district, it’s almost impossible for most of our skills Significant 8%ourSocial 51% kids to even think about a summer music camp.” Micheal Carbone 37% Moderate Johnson City Central School District 7% Minimal Johnson City, N.Y.

21% 5%

None More students attend camps than a few years ago

13%

Lack of interest

Lack of nearby options

19%

9% 21% 5%

Kids need a break, too More students attend camps than a few years ago

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

7%forFinances 49% “Costs even short duration camps have increased dramatically over None the last decade. It becomes more difficult 5% Scheduling 24% to interest students and parents in spending the amount of Lack ofto interest money 13% necessary attend a music camp.” David Bean 9% Lack of nearby options Morrison High School Morrison, Ill. 5% Kids need a break, too

Leadership Technique

Social skills

A few

10% None Technique 19%“For our population, which has a 61 percent poverty rate

None Finances

46%

Investment in the activity

21% 19%

Lack of nearby options

Most Musicianship Kids need a break, too

22%

10% 49%

33%

Musicianship

22%

Lack of interest

9% 4% 5% 29%

30%

“There are a ton of other options in the summer. Time is valuable. Also, kids [and parents] see price tags that scare 46% The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago them. I know there are grants and assistance, but that comes after the fact. The big dollar figures seem to make the camps 33% Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago 30% for theMusicianship ‘haves’ and exclude the ‘have-nots.’” George Dragoo 22% Investment in the activity Stevens High School 21% Leadership Rapid City, S.D.

Over the past few years, how has the number of stuScheduling dents from school attending summer music camps 24% your changed?

30%

What are the most common reasons more students don’t attend summer workshops and music camps?

13%

Summer Camps and the School Music Program o one can deny the potential

None

21%

30%

Musicianship

22%

Investment in the activity

21%

Leadership

19%

Technique

Social skills

49%

Technique Finances

“It’s not yet in the community’s ‘culture’ to attend summer music camps.” 24% skills Scheduling 8% Social James Hamontree 13% Lack of interest West Point Elementary School Surprise, Ariz. 9% Lack of nearby options

Kids need a break, too

How would you gauge the impact that summer camps and workshops – and the students that attend them – have on your music program?

Minimal

“Most camp costs have gone up, making it harder for people to afford. Coupled with the many activities students now have in the summer, it is very hard to convince students that going to workshops or camps is a worthwhile activity and worth the Significant 51%cost.” Jan Hare 37% Moderate Delphos St. John’s Delphos, Ohio Minimal

None

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

Minimal

None

“Those students that make the commitment to attend a summer camp eventually become our section leaders because of their dedication to wanting to improve their musicianship.” Dennis Eggerling Sergeant Bluff-Luton High School Sergeant Bluff, Iowa School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

READ SBO on the iPad!

Guest Editorial:

Knights of the Rock Table

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March 2013

20 Steve Massey

“

When I talk to young music teachers, I always tell them that they should take pride in what they do because they are a part of a very noble profession.

Survey: Summer Music Camps

Contents

Trends in Impact:

o one can deny the potential impacts of a summer music camp. The students in-

volved have the opportunity to spend time on their instruments in a focused and supportive environment, and their respective school programs benefit

Report

from both the students’ technical and musicianship advancements, as well

12 From the Trenches

20 20

SBO presents the winners of the fourth annual Best Tools for Schools from the 2013 Winter NAMM Show.

Readers weigh in on the impact that summer music camps have on their school music programs, as well as the latest trends in music camps and workshops.

24 UpClose: Steve Massey Steve Massey is the music director at Foxborough (Mass.) High School, home to jazz and concert groups of national renown. In this interview, Massey chats with SBO about instilling a culture of musical excellence and strategies for involving more students with music.

34 Guest Editorial: Knights of the Rock Table Joel Carle of Windsor (N.Y.) High School shares the exploits of the recently instituted “Knights of the Rock Table” alternative ensemble, met with great enthusiasm by the WHS student body.

38 Commentary: ¡Mariachi! Ruben Newell of Denison High School in Iowa details the process he recently went through to create a Mariachi program within his high school music department.

42 Technology: New From NAMM 2

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

33%

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

Finances

Scheduling

13%

Lack of interest

10%

None

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

None Finances

Lack of interest

Best Elementary

Lack of nearby options

21% 5%

Kids need a break,Student too More students attend camps than a few years ago

46%

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

33%

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

Teaching Tool Loog Guitar

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

30%

Musicianship

22%

Investment in the activity

21%

Leadership

19%

Technique

Social skills

What are the most common reasons more students don’t attend summer workshops and music camps?

24%

9% Lack of nearby options 4% Most 30% Musicianship 5% Kids need a break, too 29% inSome the activity 22% Investment 57% A few 21% Leadership

10% None Technique 19%“For our population, which has a 61 percent poverty rate in school district, it’s almost impossible for most of our skills Significant 8%ourSocial 51% kids to even think about a summer music camp.” Micheal Carbone 37% Moderate Johnson City Central School District 7% Minimal Johnson City, N.Y.

21% 5%

None More students attend camps than a few years ago

30%

Musicianship

22%

Investment in the activity

21%

Leadership

19%

Technique

Social skills

19%

49%

Technique Finances

Best

Best Alternative Ensemble Tool The Rock House Method Distributed by Hal Leonard

Best Practice Tool PractizPal

“It’s not yet inIntermediate the community’s ‘culture’ to attend summer music camps.” 24% skills Scheduling Student 8% Social Teaching Tool James Hamontree interest 13% Lack ofRhythm Workshop West Point Elementary School Alfred Music of nearby options Publishing Surprise, Ariz. 9% Lack

Kids need a break, too

How would you gauge the impact that summer camps and workshops – and the students that attend them – have on your music program?

Minimal

unassembled. It’s a fun project “Most camp costs have gone up, making it harder for peoputting it together, and once ple to afford. Coupled with the assembled, themany Loog activities Guitar’s students now have in the summer,unique it is very hard to convince design enables easy students that going to workshops or camps is a worthwhile activity and learning. worth the www.loogguitars.com Significant 51%cost.”

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

46%

49%

13%

While there are certainly countless tools, instruments, software, and accessories that are directly relevant to the music education community, finding those products amidst the at-times overwhelming throngs of people and cacophony of sounds in the convention center hallways can be a daunting task. And yet, that is precisely what educators at the NAMM Show did, with their efforts culminating in the 2013 Best Tools for Schools presentation, which took place on Sunday, January 27th at the NAMM Idea Center on the convention floor. Armed with a specially-made ballot featuring an array of categories such as“ Best Elementary Student Teaching Tool” and “Best Marching Band Tool,” educators at the show sifted through the countless products in the exhibit halls in search of the instruments, accessories, software, method books, and other tools best suited for school and classroom use. Once the ballots were tallied, Theresa Chen of Opus Music Education and Dr. Janine Reviere of Cal Poly Pomona presented the following 2013 Best Tools for Schools from the NAMM Show.

20 Survey: Summer Music Camps

More students attend camps than a few years ago

A few

Over the past few years, how has the number of stuScheduling dents from school attending summer music camps 24% your changed?

With over 90,000 attendees annually and thousands of exhibiting companies and brands, the NAMM Show is an incredible display of the latest and greatest innovations in the music products industry. Taking place each January in Anaheim, California, this international trade show is the premier opportunity for music industry manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers to meet face-to-face, map out the coming year’s inventory, and learn about new products. Strictly an industry event – it is closed to the public – the NAMM Show has recently opened its doors to music educators, who represent a key link in the chain of the music industry: all of those classrooms full of music students represent the next generation of performers, advocates, innovators, and consumers in the music world.

16 Report: Best Tools for Schools

”

21%

Some

10% 49%

Best Tools for Schools

None

Most

46%

SBO Presents:

A few

such experiences foster.

Some

57%

“Scholarships make it possible for more than a few to attend summer music camps.” Simon Austin 21% More students attend camps than a few years ago Burroughs High School Ridgecrest, Calif.

as the enthusiasm for the activity that

Most

57% 10%

29%

Summer Camps and the School Music Program

Features

Bob Morrison highlights the symbiotic relationship between music education and the music products industry.

How many of your instrumental music students attend independent music workshops or camps over the summer (other than a pre-fall band camp)?

29%

37%

Moderate

Minimal

None

Jan Hare Delphos St. John’s Delphos, Ohio

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

Minimal

None

This book and CD set by Sally K. Albrecht includes

Designed for educators who may not specialize in teaching the rock/pop genre, this series of method books presents basic techniques for guitar, bass, piano, and ukulele, along with a wide array of accompanying online resources. www.rockhousemethod.com

“Those students thatofmake the commitment to attend a available. It includes a built-in flip 100 pages fully reproducible, summer campeasy-to-follow eventually rhythm becomeexercises our section leaders be-stand that can also clip cause of their in dedication to time wanting to improve their musi- onto a music stand. a variety of signatures. cianship.” www.practizpal.com www.alfred.com Dennis Eggerling Sergeant Bluff-Luton High School Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

Best Beginning Student Teaching Tool Nuvo Flute, Clarineo, and Recorder Nuvo Musical Instruments

These affordable, lightweight, durable plastic flutes, clarineos, and recorders are fully submersible and washable, available in bright colors, and have a surprisingly full sound www.nuvo-instrumental.com

Best Jazz Tool saXholder JazzLab

School Teaching Band and Orchestra • March 2013 21 Best Best Student Assessment Tool Incentive/Reward Chromatik Alfred’s Music Playing Cards: Classical Composers Alfred Music Publishing

This cloud resource can be used for uploading sheet music, tablature, and lead sheets as well as annotation, making audio recordings of passages, and sharing all of this with a group (or a teacher) via the Web on a computer or mobile devices. www.chromatik.com

Each suit in this 52-card deck of playing cards features a different era of classical music, with each card displaying facts of a particular composer within that genre – the higher the card, the more famous the composer. Four joker cards provide background on the four periods of music covered: Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic. www.alfred.com

This foldable sax holder hooks onto the shoulders instead of around the neck, relieving pressure on the back and neck. The design allows for enhanced freedom of movement of the sax independent of the player’s body, and when folded, it can be stored in the bell of the horn. www.jazzlab.com

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Columns 4

Perspective

53 Playing Tip

Headlines

54 Classifieds

46 New Products

56 Ad Index

Cover photo by Paula Bishop, Foxborough, Mass. March 2013 • $5.00

Get Your FREE SBO iPad edition at the App Store

Steven Massey of Foxborough (Mass.) High School

Developing a ‘Culture of Musical Excellence’ Report: 2013 Best Tools for Schools Awards

Expand your program with alternative ensembles Commentary: ¡Mariachi!

21%

o one can deny the potential impacts of a summer music camp. The students in-

How many of your instrumental music students attend independent music workshops or camps over the summer (other than a pre-fall band camp)?

4% 29% 57% 10%

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

9% 21% 5%

A few

30%

None

More students attend camps than a few years ago

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

21%

57%

21% 5%

Investment in the activity Leadership

Moderate

Musicianship Investment in the activity Leadership Technique

Social skills

A few

None More students attend camps than a few years ago

30%

Musicianship

22%

Investment in the activity

21%

Leadership

19%

Technique

Social skills

21%

49% Finances 19%“It’Technique s not yet in the community’s ‘culture’ to attend summer

Significant

21%

Lack of interest Lack of nearby options

Some Investment in the activity

22%

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

51% 37%

19%

Scheduling

9% 4% 5% 29%

Most Musicianship Kids need a break, too

Leadership

10% None Technique 19%“For our population, which has a 61 percent poverty rate

after the fact. The big dollar figures seem to make the camps 33% Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago 30% for theMusicianship ‘haves’ and exclude the ‘have-nots.’”

Lack of interest

Lack of nearby options Kids need a break, too More students attend camps than a few years ago

46% 33%

22%

Finances

13% 30%

None Finances

Over the past few years, how has the number of stuScheduling dents from school attending summer music camps 24% your changed?

13%

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

24%

A few

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

10% 49%

46%

49% Some

22%

46%

33%

What are the most common reasons more students don’t attend summer workshops and music camps?

Most

None

“Scholarships make it possible for more than a few to attend summer music camps.” Simon Austin 21% More students attend camps than a few years ago Burroughs High School Ridgecrest, Calif.

Guest Editorial:

Some

57% 10%

Trends in Impact:

Summer Camps and the School Music Program

Knights of the Rock Table

Most

29%

Survey: Summer Music Camps

music camps.” 24% skills Scheduling 8% Social

13%

Lack of interest

George Dragoo Stevens High School Rapid City, S.D.

James Hamontree West Point Elementary School Surprise, Ariz.

Lack of nearby options

Kids need a break, too

How would you gauge the impact that summer camps and workshops – and the students that attend them – have on your music program?

Minimal

None

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

Minimal

None

READ SBO on the iPad!

SB&O School Band and Orchestra® (ISSN 1098-3694) is published monthly by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310, publisher of Musical Merchandise Review, Choral Director, Music Parents America and JAZZed. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: one year $24; two years $40. Rates outside U.S.A. available upon request. Single issues $5 each. February Resource Guide $15. Periodical-Rate Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER/SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to School Band and Orchestra, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competition. Copyright © 2013 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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Perspective

Breaking the Mold Many forms of new music pass through phases where they go from radical rule breaking to cautious acceptance to full integration to standard. There are numerous stories of great composers and musicians encountering serious rejection by the established musical community for being too outside the accepted norm of their era. This also goes for almost all genres of music, including classical, jazz, rock, hip-hop, and many others. Great music educators like David Baker, the “dean” of jazz education in the United States, had to endure harsh rejection for teaching jazz early in his career. Yet, jazz programs at the college level have grown from nearly zero in the early 1960s to today where they’re included in the large majority of colleges that teach music. At the high school level, jazz is very well established, and now some schools are even beginning to dip their toes into the rock and roll genre. This month’s guest editorial by Joel Carle provides an intriguing look into establishing a program that brings musically-inclined students, who perhaps wouldn’t be interested in the traditional school music ensembles, into the school music program. Rock and roll, which came into being nearly 60 years ago, is finally gaining ground within the school music curriculum. No doubt, some rock music is simply unacceptable in the school music setting due to its graphic lyrics. However, this is no different than film studies “Rock has become a where certain films are not accepted into the course highly regarded form work either. Rock has become a highly regarded form within within the American the American culture and society, and perhaps has culture and society, and reached the point where it is acceptable to be studied perhaps has reached on a broad scale. One of the premiere music colleges the point where it is in the world, the Berklee College of Music in Boston, acceptable to be studied adapted to popular musical styles long ago, and has on a broad scale.” turned out well-trained musicians in this genre. Other colleges have also followed Berklee’s lead in this area. A side benefit is that many students who may come into the school with a strong interest in rock will be exposed to other forms and may shift their interests to expand their horizons. Carle’s program appears to be expanding due to these new programs, as there is much crossing over once the students are involved. Other directors that we’ve featured in SBO over the years use a variety of different forms of music to attract new students, whether it is Mariachi, World Music, Polka bands, early music, recorder ensembles, or so many other interesting styles. There’s certainly a learning curve for educators, but it’s great that we can broaden the musical horizons for students, as well as for ourselves…

Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Join the conversation on:

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

March 2013 • Volume 16, Number 3 GROUP PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHER Richard E. Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Matt Parish mparish@symphonypublishing.com Art PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Advertising ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com ADVERTISING SALES Matt King mking@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED SALES Steven Hemingway shemingway@symphonypublishing.com Business CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com

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PRESIDENT Lee Zapis lzapis@symphonypublishing.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Rich Bongorno rbongorno@symphonypublishing.com Corporate Headquarters 26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300 Westlake, Ohio 44145 (440) 871-1300 www.symphonypublishing.com Publishing, Sales, & Editorial Office 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1 Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310 FAX (781) 453-9389 1-800-964-5150 www.sbomagazine.com

Member 2013

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Morrie Backun has been on the leading edge of clarinet design for years, and his collaboration with Antigua has resulted in a clarinet that stands up to today’s demands and will meet tomorrow’s expectations. “This clarinet is what happens when you bring together two of the most sophisticated manufacturing facilities in the world and a mutual desire to make the best product possible.” –Morrie Backun

Peter Ponzol has been designing saxophones for more than three decades. Very few people have Peter’s understanding of the design principles of the instrument, and the Antigua Pro-One saxophone is the ultimate expression of his concepts. “This collaboration finally gets a lifetime of ideas out of my head and into reality.” –Peter Ponzol

Headlines National PSA Campaign Reminds All People to Drop the Excuses and ‘Just Play’ Music

Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation Announce New ‘Music Educator Award’

On the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in February, a trio of stars announced that the Grammy Foundation and The Recording Academy are partnering to present their first-ever Music Educator Award to recognize music educators for their contributions to our musical landscape and their positive influence on their students’ musical experiences. President and CEO of the Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation Neil Portnow was joined by Grammy Foundation Honorary Board Chair Ryan Seacrest and multi-Grammy-winning artist Justin Timberlake. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers from kindergarten through college, in public and private schools. Anyone can nominate a teacher - students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans and administrators - and teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers will be notified and invited to fill out an application. One winner will be selected from 10 finalists each year to be recognized for their remarkable impact on their students’ lives. The first award will be presented during Grammy Week 2014. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the Grammy Awards, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium. The honorariums provided to the winners are made possible by a grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund. This new partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund expands their financial support of Grammy Foundation music Education initiatives.

www.grammy.org/grammy-foundation

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

NAMM Foundation’s year-round initiatives designed to create more active music makers, including scientific research on the benefits of making music, publicizing musical success stories from everyday music makers, and inspiring ways in which music makes people’s lives better. www.nammfoundation.org

At the close of this winter’s NAMM Show yet, the National Association of Music Merchants’ NAMM Foundation unveiled its new public service announcement campaign, “Just Play.” The spot will air this spring in a multi-media, national campaign that will include ads for television, radio, billboards, bus shelters, airports, malls and anywhere one can hear, think about or play music. “I believe that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who play music and those who wish they did,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. “This PSA is designed for the latter.” “Just Play” encourages people of every age to let go of the excuses that keep them from learning to play a musical instrument, be it age, time, ability or access, and just play music. A Gallup Poll revealed that 85 percent of Americans who do not play a musical instrument wish that they did. The television spot for the campaign, “Twinkle” opens with a child’s one-fingered version of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and builds as people of all ages join together, layering on different interpretations of the classic. Showcasing the accessibility of and ease with which one can learn to play music, the spot ends with a compelling imperative to just play. The “Just Play” campaign underscores NAMM and

Midwest Clinic Recognizes Col. Arnald D. Gabriel

The Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference has given unprecedented special recognition to

Cortland, N.Y. native Col. Arnald D. Gabriel. During a concert this past December by the United States Air Force Band at the 65th annual Midwest Clinic in Chicago, a glass sculpture was presented to Gabriel to express special appreciation for his unique achievements and leadership in the music profession. In 1973, Col. Gabriel had already received

three maraderie. These are the Confidence. Character. Ca fidence con e Th rming Arts program. tenets of the Disney Perfo uired to req r of stages. The characte to perform on the grandest ential ess And the camaraderie that’s perfect your chosen craft. part And when your group takes to come together as a team. in a ts program– whether that’s in a Disney Performing Ar lls they ski the are p or festival– these performance or a worksho ive lus exc ne, becoming part of an will learn, sharpen and refi e this shared once-in-a-lifetim group of artists bonded by The Arts. means to earn your Ears For experience. This is what it ir Ears for has what it takes to earn the up gro r you nk thi you if So 095. planner or call 1-866-715-4 the Arts, contact your travel

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Headlines

Fawson Named Interim Brass Chair at Berklee

Christine Fawson, an in-demand trumpet player, vocalist, and Berklee Assistant Professor, has been named interim Chair of the college’s Brass Department for the Spring 2013 semester. Fawson’s appointment makes her the first female Brass Chair at Berklee and one of only a few women in this position at any college. Fawson, a 2002 graduate, is among a recent crop of standout female players from the college, including Ingrid Jensen, Karen Harris, and Robin Amie. Fawson teaches Singing for Brass Players, a class she designed, in addition to ensembles and private lessons. “The best thing I’m giving them is real world experience,” she says. “I love it because I have a lot to teach them: how to rehearse, how to run a band, communication, writing charts.”

Carnegie Hall recently announced that a $10 million major gift from Judith and Burton Resnick will provide important support toward its Studio Towers Renovation Project, a comprehensive undertaking that will create new inspirational spaces for music education on the building’s existing upper floors while also fully refurbishing the venue’s backstage areas. The project, scheduled to be completed and opened in 2014, will be transformational for Carnegie Hall, creating new facilities designed to make great music accessible to as many people as possible. The 61,000-square foot Judith B. and Burton P. Resnick Education Wing— newly-named in recognition of this gift and the Resnick family’s longtime support of Carnegie Hall—will include

new ensemble rooms, practice rooms, and teaching studios atop the landmark building as well as a state-of-the-art home for Carnegie Hall’s Archives. www.carnegiehall.org

www.midwestclinic.org

Carnegie Hall Receives $10 Million Gift Toward Renovation Project

Tama Marching Percussion Announces Partnership with Horn Maker Kanstul

Not long after Tama’s 2011 entry into the marching percussion market, the drum builder has announced that it is expanding its offerings to include a new line of marching brass horns built by Kanstul Musical Instruments. The link to Kanstul was drum master Tom Float, who in collaboration with visionary Tama leader Ken Hoshino, developed Tama Marching Percussion’s innovative drum products. Knowing both Kanstul and Hoshino, Float saw the strong potential in an introduction, based on their similarities. Both Ken Hoshino and Zig Kanstul had developed reputations for being as strong a guiding force on the shop floor as they are in the conference room. Located in Anaheim, California, one mile east of Disneyland, Kanstul launched Kanstul Musical Instruments in 1981.

www.tamamarching.com

the Midwest Clinic’s highest award, the Medal of Honor, recognizing his distinguished service to music and education, and his influence on the development of bands and orchestras. Col. Gabriel’s 21-year tenure at the highest point of military music, Commander of The United States Air Force Band of Washington, D.C., was the longest in that organization’s history. His military service began as an army infantryman in World War II, and as a conductor, he has thrilled audiences in all 50 states and over 50 countries.

www.berklee.edu

ONLINE SURVEY Will you (or did you) attend your State Music Educators’ Association conference this year?

For the latest news and content, follow SBO on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sbomagazine 8

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Yes

49%

51%

Visit www.sbomagazine.com and let your voice be heard in the current online poll – results to be published in the next issue of SBO.

Letters Dear Eliahu Sussman, editor of SBO I hope this finds you enjoying the President’s holiday weekend... and probably working on another outstanding issue of SBO magazine! You are to be commended for compiling such a wealth of interesting and meaningful articles on music education topics. I have been sharing your topics with my music staff at our monthly department meeting. I look forward opening up my email and reading another bi-monthly SBO [newsletter], and, of course, the digital version of SBO magazine. It has become a more useful resource than any other periodical I receive. Please pass on this email with my thanks to your staff – obviously visionary people who inspire in others success and personal growth in the trenches of band, orchestra, and music technology instruction. Congratulations and bravos for all of your dedication and service to our profession. Paul K. Fox Performing Arts Curriculum Leader Upper St. Clair School District Pittsburgh, Pa.

LET US PUT THE JODYJAZZ IN YOUR SAX SECTION

I found the time to pick up the January ‘13 issue of SBO today and found myself reading it cover to cover. Being a public school and youth orchestra director I often find that many of the articles don’t speak to my area. However, that was definitely not the case with this issue. The articles about the string programs in the Poughkeepsie, N.Y. area were especially appreciated. They give a wonderful vision or blueprint on how to move forward in this difficult time for our orchestra programs and music programs. Although the ideas that were presented were not new, it was great to read about an area where they have been applied so comprehensively and successfully. Thank you for bringing this program to my attention – uplifting! I will be following up with more reading about the Handmans’ example of how to “grow the culture” and I will spread the word to colleagues, administrators and our youth orchestra’s board of directors. Keep up the good work. Tom Breton String Instructor Orchestral Director Downingtown Area School District Downingtown/West Chester, Pa.

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School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Whether you love SBO magazine or hate it, we want to hear from you! Share your feedback with editor Eliahu Sussman via email: esussman@symphonypublishing.com.

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From the Trenches

What Have You Done for ME Lately? (Music Education)

By Bob Morrison

uring the days leading up to the 2013 Grammy Awards in early February, I found myself involved in a curious and somewhat frustrating debate on a music education

group on LinkedIn regarding this question: What has the Music Industry done for music education?

The implications of this statement were clear: 1. The music industry has made boatloads of money as a result of the fruits of music education. 2. They have not done nearly enough to support music education in or schools. Also implied in this statement is the idea that, “If only the music industry would do more to support music education, then the field would be in a much stronger state.” Needless to say this got my dander up… just little bit. To address item number one, the simple answer is yes, the music industry has made a lot of money from a wide variety of aspects of music. So have the chemical and pharmaceutical companies in science. So have all the architecture firms from math. So have all of the history firms (oh wait, there is no history industry). The point is we live in a capitalistic society. The object of the free enterprise system is to make money. There is nothing wrong with this! The more important question is: Does any of that money ever get reinvested to support the underlying educational structure? Let’s review some of the facts to see if the music industry has done anything to “invest” in music education.

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Fact Number One: Music and Arts Education in the United States are designated a core subject in federal law as a direct result of the music industry. You can quibble all you want about how much money is spent and weather or not the industry has done enough, but this is one fact that cannot be denied. If it were not for the efforts of the music industry at the time (NAMM, The Recording Academy, the American Music Conference) in partnership with the National Association for Music Education (or as it was affectionately known at the time, MENC) the list of core subjects for federal education policy would be English, Math, Science, History, and Geography. These were the subjects proposed as part of President George Herbert Walker Bush’s America 2000 education program. Without the spirited offense lead by this coalition of organizations and the grass roots network underneath them, we would have a caste system today of courses that are core and those that are non-core. Music and the arts were destined for the latter. The Goals 2000 Education Act codified the arts as a core subject. A recent study released by Dr. Kenneth Elpus documented the impact of music and the arts being designated a “core subject.” The findings are important: (Paul) Lehman (1993) argued that the net effect of Goals 2000 would be to “secure a firm position” for music and the arts in the nation’s public schools; the empirical data analyzed here suggest that Lehman’s prediction was correct: more schools required more arts coursework of their students in the post-Goals 2000 era than did schools prior to the enactment of the law. So if the music industry didn’t do anything ever again, this single critical act of courage has done more to ensure that students have access to music and arts education then any other. The facts are what they are. But the industry has done so much more than just this single act of valor.

Love it or hate it there is no denying the impact that research of the role music plays on human development has played a critical role in influencing the debate about music education. Critical funding for the most important research in this area has been spearheaded by the music industry (NAMM, NARAS, Remo, Yamaha, and many others). Music and Brain Development, Music and Wellness, Music Therapy… the list is extensive and could fill a year’s worth of issues in SBO. Facts Three through 1256: The Music Industry is responsible in whole or in part for: • The National Commission of Music Education • Passage of the Goals 2000 Educate America Act • The Report “Growing Up Complete” • Support of the Development of the National Standards for Arts Education • The National Coalition for Music Education • The National Music Education Summit • Best Communities for Music Education • Mr. Holland’s Opus film promotion • Music of the Heart film promotion

• Shari Lewis’s PBS Series, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza • Sesame Street embracing music as a central theme of the show • Elmo on Capitol Hill • Elaborate floats in the Tournament of Roses and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade • Funding for hundreds of organizations doing important work from Technology in Music Education (TI:ME) through the documentation of the cost of a quality music program • Little Kids Rock • Lobbying for Music Education in Congress • Development of State Coalitions for Music Education • Advocacy tools and resources for use in local communities • Documenting the implementation of the National Standards for Arts Education • Music Education featured on the Grammy Awards broadcast • Media campaigns encouraging articles promoting the positive impact of music education • The Grammy Honor Jazz Band • Grammy Camp • VH1 Save The Music (responsible for the restoration of nearly 2,000

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Fact Number Two: Research on the impact of music on a variety of societal benefits came about in large part because of the music industry.

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school programs for almost 2 million students) Music for All The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Music Education featured at the White House Corporate Battle of the Bands “Best Ad Campaigns Featuring Music” Awards Fighting for Title 1 funding to be used to support music and arts education Advocating for more federal investment in research SchoolJam USA competitions NAfME National Conferences Funding that supports every single state music education association through exhibit fees, booth spaces, and industry membership

And this is what I came up within five minutes from memory while on an airplane over the Midwestern United States! And recently we have seen: • The SupportMusic Coalition celebrate its 10-year Anniversary as the primary advocacy force for music education (and all of the arts for that matter). What has been accomplished by this effort is historic and worth a full review in its own right! • And last but by no means least, Grammy president Neil Portnow, Ryan Seacrest, and Justin Timberlake joined together on the Grammy Awards taking valuable global airtime to announce the creation of the special Grammy Award for Music Educator of the year (see “Headlines” on page 6). Did they do it

because they had to? Is there some great new profit opportunity by giving this award? No! They did it because the industry is made of people who have been directly impacted by music education, have found a way to turn their passion into a career, and are looking for new and innovative ways to give back. So, to answer the original question, what has the music industry done? Plenty! And I would argue that the music industry has done more to support music education than any other industry has done to support any other core subject area. Period. Where is the “Save The Science Foundation?” How about “World Languages for All?” Where are the publishing houses out front fighting for literacy? Where is the funding to actually document whether or not more time devoted to testing will lead to improved schools? (And I would argue it doesn’t since you can’t fatten a pig by weighing it all the time.) No industry segment has done more and no other industry has come close to the depth and breadth of support offered to a subject area than the music industry. If you think music education has it bad go check in with your geography or world language peers. Heck even amongst the other artistic disciplines, the support for the music education community is envied by them all. So this is what the music industry has done (through the investment of time, energy, people and hundreds of millions of dollars) and continues to do. So now I ask this question:

What have you done to advocate for music education? Anything? My guess is that if, collectively, us music educators spent as much time proactively advocating for our programs as we do complaining about our plight, we would be in much better shape. Strong vibrant music education programs, at all grade levels, have great educators providing wonderful instruction supported by the promotion and advocacy of music education in the school and across the community. As I have said in this space many times before. Music education advocacy is not something you only d; it is something that you are. So ask yourself, “What have I done lately to support music education in my own school?” Then go out and do one thing right now to make a difference. If you need some ideas to get you started, visit supportmusic.com (cofounded and sponsored by the music industry association, NAMM). Oh and while you’re at it, give your music retailer a hug. They helped make a lot of this possible. Robert B. Morrison is the founder of Quadrant Arts Education Research, an arts education research and intelligence organization. In addition to other related pursuits in the field of arts education advocacy, Mr. Morrison has helped create, found, and run Music for All, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, and, along with Richard Dreyfuss and the late Michael Kaman, the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. He may be reached directly at bobm@artsedresearch.org.

For the latest news and content, follow SBO on Facebook:

Call 877-346-0951 or visit ChopSaver.com for your FREE sample! 14

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

www.facebook.com/sbomagazine

Report SBO Presents:

Best Tools for Schools

Best Elementary Student Teaching Tool Loog Guitar

This three-string guitar comes unassembled. It’s a fun project putting it together, and once assembled, the Loog Guitar’s unique design enables easy learning. www.loogguitars.com

With over 90,000 attendees annually and thousands of exhibiting companies and brands, the NAMM Show offers an incredible display of the latest and greatest innovations in the music products industry. Taking place each January in Anaheim, California, this international trade show is the premier opportunity for music industry manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and retailers to meet face-to-face, map out the coming year’s inventory, and learn about new products. Strictly an industry event – it is closed to the public – the NAMM Show has recently opened its doors to music educators, who represent a key link in the chain of the music industry: all of those classrooms full of music students represent the next generation of performers, advocates, innovators, and consumers in the music world. While there are certainly countless tools, instruments, software, and accessories that are directly relevant to the music education community, finding those products amidst the at-times overwhelming throngs of people and cacophony of sounds in the convention center hallways can be a daunting task. And yet, that is precisely what educators at the NAMM Show did, with their efforts culminating in the 2013 Best Tools for Schools presentation, which took place on Sunday, January 27th at the NAMM Idea Center on the convention floor. Armed with a specially-made ballot featuring an array of categories such as“ Best Elementary Student Teaching Tool” and “Best Marching Band Tool,” educators at the show sifted through the countless products in the exhibit halls in search of the instruments, accessories, software, method books, and other tools best suited for school and classroom use. Once the ballots were tallied, Theresa Chen of Opus Music Education and Dr. Janine Riveire of Cal Poly Pomona presented the following 2013 Best Tools for Schools from the NAMM Show. 16

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Best Beginning Student Teaching Tool Nuvo Flute, Clarineo, and Recorder Nuvo Musical Instruments

Best Intermediate Student Teaching Tool Rhythm Workshop Alfred Music Publishing

This book and CD set by Sally K. Albrecht includes 100 pages of fully reproducible, easy-to-follow rhythm exercises in a variety of time signatures. www.alfred.com

Best Teaching Assessment Tool Chromatik

Best Practice Tool PractizPal

This portable practice journal is a dedicated device that features a metronome, A440 tuner, timer (with fireworks when the programmed practice time is achieved), and comes in bright colors with multiple skins available. It includes a built-in flip stand that can also clip onto a music stand. www.practizpal.com

Best Student Incentive/Reward Alfred’s Music Playing Cards: Classical Composers Alfred Music Publishing

Best Alternative Ensemble Tool The Rock House Method Distributed by Hal Leonard

Best Jazz Tool saXholder JazzLab

Best New Technology Tool Zooba Flex Advanced Music Products, Inc

Best Marching Band Tool YCL-450NM Duet+ Intermediate Clarinet Yamaha

Honorable mention Essential Elements interactive from Hal Leonard Corporation

Best Tools for Schools

This brand new clarinet from Yamaha features a typical wood-crafted exterior, but also has a stabilizing ABS resin injection-molded upper joint inner bore, which drastically reduces the chance of cracking in the upper joint and allows for greater consistency in sound production, especially in variable temperatures and humidity. usa.yamaha.com

This universal holder for iPad or tablet has a suction cup and a snake neck. It is also available for a music stand with a clamp. www.zooba-usa.com

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School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

The traditional sax harness transfers the whole weight of the instrument to the neck. By the time many performers complain of chronic neck pain, there may even be damage to the cervical spine. saXholder is a new, patented three-point support system. The whole weight of the sax is transferred onto the two padded shoulder handles with assistance from the abdominal rest. www.jazzlab.com

YCL-450NM Duet+ Clarinet An injection-molded inner bore in the upper joint gives this clarinet the durability to withstand the rigors of school use. Now featuring an industry-leading 10-year warranty against cracking in all Duet+ Upper Joints.

Survey: Summer Music Camps

Trends in Impact:

Summer Camps and the School Music Program

o one can deny the potential impacts of a summer music camp. The students in-

volved have the opportunity to spend time on their instruments in a focused and supportive environment, and their respective school programs benefit from both the students’ technical and musicianship advancements, as well as the enthusiasm for the activity that such experiences foster. Yet, there are many obstacles that stand in the way of reaping these benefits. Camps can be far away or expensive, and even for those kids that may have the means to attend them, there are many other summertime activities that are also vying for students’ attention. So just how do these camps and workshops – which are so chock full off potential benefits – impact school music programs? This latest survey put that question out to SBO readers. While 67 percent of respondents indicate that “a few” or “none” of their students attend music camps and workshops, more than half noted that the impact on their programs was “significant.” A more positive perspective on the following data would be that 90 percent of respondents had at least “a few” students attend, so perhaps having even a couple of students stay involved over the summer can serve to raise the standard for the rest of the school music program all year long? Read on and draw your own conclusions on the latest trends in summer music camps and workshops.

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

How many of your instrumental music students attend independent music workshops or camps over the summer (other than a pre-fall band camp)?

46%

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

33%

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

What are the most common reasons more students don’t attend summer workshops and music camps?

49%

Finances

Most

Scheduling

29%

24%

Some

Lack of interest

57%

13%

A few

10%

None

“Scholarships make it possible for more than a few to attend summer music camps.” Simon Austin 21% More students attend camps than a few years ago Burroughs High School Ridgecrest, Calif.

46%

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

9% Lack of nearby options 4% Most 30% Musicianship 5% Kids need a break, too 29% inSome the activity 22% Investment 57% A few 21% Leadership

21% 5%

None More students attend camps than a few years ago

10% 49%

None Finances

13%

Lack of interest

Lack of nearby options

19%

Over the past few years, how has the number of stuScheduling dents from school attending summer music camps 24% your changed?

9% 21% 5%

Kids need a break, too More students attend camps than a few years ago

46%

The same amount of students attend camps as a few years ago

33%

Fewer students attend camps than a few years ago

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

49%

Technique Finances

Kids need a break, too

How would you gauge the impact that summer camps and workshops – and the students that attend them – have on your music program?

Minimal

None

51%

Significant

37%

Moderate

Minimal

None

30% 22% 21% 19% 8%

“Depends on the student and camp experience. Most of the kids come back having an excellent experience. I have had those for whom it really changed their drive to get better for the best.” Daryl Jessen Dakota Valley High School North Sioux City, S.D. “The skills gleaned from these camps are invaluable to my entire band program! I wish we could send many more to camp each summer.” George Edwin Smith Gustine High School Gustine, Calif. Which areas are most directly impacted?

30%

Musicianship

22%

Investment in the activity

21%

Leadership

19%

Technique

Social skills

“Those who participate in summer music camps sharpen their skills while having the opportunity to work with excellent faculty and improve their musicianship, awareness, and perception. My participation over the years, both as a student and a conductor has had a powerful impact on my musicianship and knowledge of music and music making.” John Stanley Ross Appalachian State University Boone, N.C. “It is learning for learning sake! No grades and no performance pressures – just an opportunity to make music with their friends.” Skip Quinn Briarcrest Christian Middle School Eads, Tenn. “Traditionally, they tend to be more prepared, dedicated, and advanced than those that do not attend camps or play in a community group.” Sharon Gunder Cottage Grove Elementary Cottage Grove, Minn. Additional thoughts on summer music camps and workshops?

w years ago

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“So many have closed down since attendance has dropped. I used to teach at a great one, but it has ceased to exist. Many more did before this one went under. Year round school will be the final bell for camps.” Terry R. Rush Lincoln Southwest High School Lincoln, Neb.

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teach music? Then find out more about a valuable scholarship offer from The John Philips Sousa Foundation and Jupiter Band Instruments. Go to their websites to find out more information. If you come across You’ll be glad you did! headlines or breaking Sousafoundation.net Jupitermusic.com news that you want to share, e-mail editor Eliahu Sussman at

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Steve Massey of Foxborough (Mass.) High School Developing a

‘Culture of

Musical Excellence’

he Foxborough (Mass.) High School music program, led by director Stephen Massey, features nationally renowned jazz and concert groups that have performed at some of the most venerable concert halls in the country. In spite of significant competitive success, Massey describes his program not as festival-driven, but curriculum-driven, crediting his students’ achievements to the philosophy that thorough and consistent instruction are the best avenues for performance preparation.

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

By Eliahu Sussman P h o t o s b y Pa u l a B i s h o p

Of the 840 students in Foxboro ugh High School, some 250 participate in music classes, in large part because of the diverse array of musical opportunities, which include an impressive complement of instrumental and choral ensembles. While having more than 25 percent of the student body in the music program is a tremendous accomplishment by most standards, Massey’s current goals are focused on finding ways to engage the other 75 percent of students in

the high school, guided by the understanding that surely many of those students must also have an interest in music, latent though it may be. In this recent conversation with SBO, Steve Massey discusses his approach to teaching across a wide spectrum of musical styles, the role of non-performance music classes in the curriculum, and best practices for nurturing a “culture of musical excellence” and long term success in what he calls a “very noble profession.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we are actually attempting to do is develop a culture of musical excellence, and, in a way, educate a whole community to understand, appreciate, and support that.â&#x20AC;?

School Band & Orchestra: How do you go about preparing your students for the experience of being in ensembles that travel, compete, and have fairly rigorous performance schedules? Steve Massey: We have been involved both with the jazz bands and the concert bands in various festival programs for decades. In the jazz world, we’ve done the MAJE and state and regional festivals here for over 30 years, the Essentially Ellington festival in New York City, the Charles Mingus combo festival, and so on. And with the concert band, we do the same with the MICCA festival for band and orchestra and we also do a tour every year, which has an adjudicated festival component. But I don’t think any of those things are goals of the program. The goals of the performing groups are performance-based within our own program. Our concerts here are as important to us as any of those other events, and the festivals are really an extension of that. In other words, this is not a festival-based program; it’s a curriculum-based program trying to teach the elements that each genre demands. In the case of jazz, that includes improvisation, styles, tradition, and jazz history. So, for example, in the top jazz band we’re going to study anywhere from 50 to 60 pieces of music each year. We’re going to look at high-level arrangements and work on the history of jazz through that – everything from 1930s Benny Carter and Duke Ellington arrangements through more contemporary

Massey conducts the FHS 2013 Winterfest concert.

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current arrangers today. We are going to learn as much as we can about all of the styles, about the standard repertoire, and certainly about improvisation within those elements. That’s the focus of the curriculum. The students work hard, we have some great private teachers, and there are some summer camp programs that support it, so we’ve been fortunate enough to go to various festivals and be recognized for outstanding achievement. But I don’t think it’s ever been festival-driven; it’s curriculum-driven and the festivals are an outgrowth of that. I’m convinced that this is the correct way to build a program. We’re going to a festival in a few weeks and I can’t honestly tell you what we’re going to play there. But we have at least 25 or 30 pieces that we can choose from. So rather than working towards that contest, we’re working towards the curriculum that leads us to the contest. We also do a recording every year, usually in January, and that recording session is very much about concept-based learn-

ing and assessment. From that session we’ve been able to produce the material that we send out as an audition tape to, for example, the Essentially Ellington festival. But we’re going to do a recording whether we’re invited to a festival or not – it’s just a part of our process. SBO: You teach a number of distinct musical idioms. Do you tailor your teaching style depending on the ensemble and material you’re working with? SM: I don’t think so. Good ensemble playing is good ensemble playing. The concepts that we work on in terms of ensemble playing are really identical – breathing, articulating, phrasing, listening, and so on. The styles vary, but the styles also vary even within those idioms, and we have certain adjustments that we have to make stylistically depending on each song. The most significant thing about the jazz band is the need to cultivate and develop a rhythm section, which is distinctly unique

from anything you’re doing in concert band. That’s an area that, candidly, is a weakness in many high school jazz ensembles. The rhythm sections are often the weakest section of the group. And that’s because what they’re trying to do is the hardest: they’re trying to improvise all of the time, and they have to have a lot of knowledge, a lot of skill, and a lot of technique to be able to do that convincingly in the various idioms that they’re trying to play. So I spend a lot of time with the rhythm section and rhythm section players trying to develop that. We start that in the middle school, but that is an issue. SBO: Have you picked up any tips on how to make sure that the rhythm section isn’t a problem by the time it comes to the advanced high school groups? SM: There really aren’t any tricks; it just takes a lot of time. The pianist, bassist, and guitarist have to learn a lot about chord and chord theory and they

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

have to develop techniques through sectional work – and through private study, as well – to achieve characteristic voicings and comping techniques. Steve Houghton, the acclaimed jazz drummer who teaches at the University of Indiana, used our rhythm section and band to teach a series of videos on working with a rhythm section. [The videos, produced by Vic Firth, are online at: vicfirth.com/education/jazzrhythm-section101.php] SBO: Speaking of instructional videos and the influx of resources available online, how useful are those materials for you? SM: It’s fantastic. Kids can type in “Sonny Rollins” and see tons of performances in a way that they never could before. They have immediate access to some of the great musicians in all genres that have ever lived. It’s a tremendous resource that many of us are just beginning to learn how to use. The kids are pretty active with YouTube and other sources. Many people in the music industry have extensive videos available in all areas of music where you can see some of the greatest musicians in the world perform and give clinics and workshops. SBO: Is it something you integrate into your teaching?

concerts for 30 years. They do an excellent job because they have some people who have been involved for a number of years, including television professionals who happen to live in the area, so our work has been on video display – initially in the town here, and now on YouTube – for quite a long time. I don’t see that it’s been anything but positive for our kids. I suppose it could be a negative that you lose control over what might be sent out, but I’m not going to worry about that. The quality of our work is significant enough that even if there’s a concert with some mistakes in it, that’s just how concerts go. It’s worked out great for us. I’ve been shocked with the number of people that I’ve run into around the country who are familiar with our work through YouTube. It’s happened to me on more than a few occasions where someone has come up to me out of the blue at a conference or something and said that they have been watching our concerts on YouTube. It comes as a shock to someone of my age – I just don’t think in those terms – but it’s actually happening that way. And our local music parents website gets hits from all over the world. That, too, comes as kind of a shock to me. It just shows how through the Internet, music has opened up on a worldwide basis. And how can that not be good?

SM: Yes, I’m trying to. Maybe not into a formal way, where I’m giving out specific video assignments, although we have done that on occasion. Even in the area of concert band and orchestra, there are great videos that make it possible to see and hear music that we’re studying. Obviously, there are a whole bunch of different levels of performance on the Internet, but a discerning listener can find great recordings to emulate. All of our teachers here do a lot with YouTube, in particular.

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Location: 120 South St, Foxborough, Mass. On the Web: foxborough.k12.ma.us/fhs/ departments/music.htm Students in school: 840 Students in music program: 250 Music department head: Steven Massey

2012-13 Performing Ensembles: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Concert Band Marching Band Jazz Lab Band Wind Ensemble Jazz Ensemble Percussion Ensemble Symphonic Winds Concert Choir Jazz Choir A Cappella Choir Flute Choir Clarinet Choir Brass Choir Chamber Singers Symphony Orchestra String Orchestra

Scan this image with a smart phone to view a performance of Foxborough High School’s jazz ensemble.

For more videos of Foxborough High School music, follow “FHSmusic432” on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/FHSmusic432.

SBO: Has the influx of technology been challenging to deal with in any particular ways? SM: We haven’t had any problems. We have a very active local cable access group that has been filming our

Foxborough High School Music Program At a Glance

The FHS Marching Band on Thanksgiving Day, 2012.

SBO: Your program is now well established and the recipient of community and administrative support. What are your thoughts on the process of reaching that point in today’s educational environment? SM: I think it’s a challenge, but I suspect it’s always been a challenge. It almost always comes down to the skill set of the teacher and the commitment that the teacher has to developing the program. There are obstacles that vary from town to town: sometimes they’re budgetary, sometimes they’re political, and sometimes it’s about scheduling. But what we are actually attempting

The FHS concert band at Symphony Hall, Boston, Mass.

to do is develop a culture of musical excellence, and, in a way, educate a whole community to understand, appreciate, and support that. So by its very nature, that’s a long-term project. Nobody’s going to be able to do that in a couple of years. You have to invest long

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

“It almost always comes down to the skill set of the teacher and the commitment that the teacher has to developing the program.”

term in a community because it’s really your second or even third-generation students who are going to spread this culture of excellence that you’re trying to develop in a broader way. I sometimes talk to college students at seminars about teaching and learning, and one thing I try to encourage them to understand is that they’re prob-

ably going to have to invest a lot of time in a program to build it to the level that they want it to get to. They’re not going to be able to just change a culture immediately, to create a culture of excellence out of nothing. In a way that’s kind of daunting and maybe discouraging because I think in some other professions – and maybe in some other disciplines – excellence is mandated by standard testing, community values, or whatever it may be. When you’re hired into a domain where excellence is already mandated, you’re kind of brought along by the system.

In music, it’s different. A wise old music educator once told me, “One of the greatest problems we have is that nobody really cares about music education. And one of the greatest benefits we have is that nobody really cares about music education!” This means that we can, in fact, build programs the way we think they should be because nobody is necessarily going to fight against that. Now that’s a simplistic statement, but I think there’s some truth to it. In a way, it gives us a certain freedom to create the sort of excellence that we want to create, that we believe in, and that may not be possible in all disciplines.

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School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

in other words, non-performanceensemble classes. This is something that is almost mandated by MMEA and MENC, organizations that have long been encouraging music departments to reach out beyond band, chorus, and orchestra into curricula that can attract more students. That’s something we’re trying to do a better job with. SBO: When thinking about adding courses like those you’ve mentioned, how do you approach potential conflicts with teachers of other disciplines?

The FHS jazz ensemble.

SBO: With all of that in mind, what do you see as the future for your own program? SM: We are consciously trying to create programs and reach out to students who are not currently involved in our music program. We’re currently servicing about 25 percent of the student body with music, which is a great percentage on a national level. But we’ve decided that we want to try to reach everyone, and we’re going to try to develop programs that will ultimately do that. It’s a challenge and there will be a wide variety of types of programs, but that is something that we – the music faculty – believe in. SBO: Surely of that 75 percent of students who aren’t in your performing ensembles, there are many kids that have an interest in music.

SM: It’s hard to say how it will evolve. It could be displacement of other courses or it could mean more of a paradigm shift into more interdisciplinary types of offerings in general. In that model, perhaps schools don’t function in such disciplinebased, divided curricula as they currently are, and there is more crossover as students study subjects that may interrelate: music and history or music and science or music and literature. Realistically, that’s one way to deepen the curriculum in many disciplines: by trying to expand the ways in which they might integrate

together. Now that might have logistical issues connected to it, but still, it is certainly worth thinking about. We already tend to do that to a larger extent with younger children. We tend to not teach in as many boxes. We tend to teach the whole child and interrelate songs and poems and connect many of the disciplines. As kids get older – in public middle schools and high schools – for decades now, if not longer, we have started to isolate disciplines, because it is a little easier to teach that way. But in the long run, what do we really want our kids to experience? And how can we find ways for them all to experience it in a meaningful way? This is a profound question that I think effects everyone. I don’t have any simple answers. SBO: So you’re saying, for example, that an English teacher might include a section on relevant Latin rhythms or percussion when teaching Latin American literature? SM: That might alleviate the displacement – the idea that, “My classes are going to beat out your classes and therefore your faculty is going to be cut.” That’s not how we’re thinking

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SBO: So what can you do to reach them and service that interest? SM: Part of it comes from trying to reach them through courses like Beginning Guitar and Music Technology – there’s a wide-ranging interest in technology among students anyway – and we’re trying to expand,

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School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

about this, nor is it how we want to be thinking about this. We want to be thinking about this in terms of what the students’ needs are. My feeling is that we need to find courses for them so that they can have some profound musical experiences in their high school career without having to learn to play the violin, which might be a ten-year process. So we don’t want to eliminate performing ensembles, especially successful ones; we want to expand the

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

other things we’re doing. SBO: Do you have any other thoughts you’d like to share on achieving success as a music educator? SM: When I talk to young music teachers, I always tell them that they should take pride in what they do, because they are a part of a very noble profession: teaching music to children. I can’t imagine a more noble profession than that. Sometimes

in the day-to-day life in education, with the obstacles that come up – budgetary or otherwise – I do think that music teachers can get discouraged. The retention rates of young teachers imply that. So the first thing is to encourage teachers to be proud of what they do and to realize that it’s really important work. The other element is to not be afraid to commit time, energy, and effort over a longer period of time to build the kind of culture of musical excellence that they believe should exist. Sometimes young teachers get discouraged because it doesn’t happen fast enough. I know in many other professions, people tend to change jobs at a very rapid rate nowadays, and that’s something that maybe didn’t happen decades ago. But in this profession, it takes so much time to build programs of excellence in music, to build community support, and to develop tradition – which is what you’re really doing – that young teachers have to be patient in trying to make that happen. I also strongly recommend that music teachers reach out to their music teaching peers in the area and their peers in other teaching disciplines in the school to see what they can do to foster this curriculum that they want to develop. Sometimes young music teachers are waiting for some principal to say, “Here’s the program, and here’s how it’s going to be funded, and here’s how it’s going to work.” But you’re going to have to build what you want and it’s going to take time to do that. And I encourage young teachers to be patient about that, because it is a slow process. I’ve seen this culture evolve here over 30 years and get deeper and deeper in terms of the quality of the student work, the quality of the teaching, the quality of the community support, and the quality of administrative and parental support. That persistence and that effort has paid itself back to us many times over here, but there isn’t a simpler answer to it.

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Guest Editorial: Alternative Ensembles

Knights of the Rock Table:

Tapping Into Our Creative Side to Meet New Challenges By Joel Carle

ith new challenges such as anti-bullying standards and the Common Core push facing music educators, I

have found that it is time to get creative! By evolving my practices and programs in ways that would have been considered ludicrous even 10 years ago, I am finding ways to increase ensemble enrollment while incorporating new common core and antibullying standards. An important step to increasing student participation is being open to the musical tastes of the students. During my own high school experience as a student, I would play percussion with the high school band, but I was also in a variety of rock bands on the side. There always seemed to be a divide between “school music” and “home music,” the music I listened to and played at home was completely different from the music I performed at school. As I advanced through my college career, I began to ask myself why teachers only taught limited types of music. There had to be other valid avenues to be explored. My mind began formulating plans on how I could manage running an ensemble, lessons, and theory, among other courses, while offering more options to students. Since there are finite hours in the school day, it seemed as though an afterschool group would be necessary to accomplish the feat. However for the program to be successful students would have to show a keen interest. While it is easy for musically trained teachers to sit back and scoff at lesser forms of music, it is important for us to realize that value can be found outside of our own comfort zones. One of the first steps that I took in the direction of presenting more currently popular music led to the creation of a rock music program called “The Knights of the Rock Table.”

The Knights of the Rock Table Prior to the start of this program, students would come up to me asking about a place to practice with their bands 34

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Windsor Central High School’s Knights of the Rock Table in action.

or to tell me how they really wanted to learn to play guitar, drums, and so on. Having a background in performing with various bands, I started to work with the students on these instruments during their (and my) lunchtimes. As the number of students grew larger and larger, I needed to expand to an afterschool time slot where we would have more than just a mere 20 or so minutes to work. As a result “The Knights of the Rock Table” was born. The program, named after our very own Windsor Black Knights, started as a twicea-week afterschool club where students could learn “social” instruments and form small rock ensembles. Students were taught through group lessons and guided ensemble practice.

The Knights of the Rock Table post-concert. Joel Carle

As students achieved a certain level of success, my colleagues and I began to serve more as guides, promoters, and band members than as teachers. Students responded positively to this format. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take very long for students with little school music experience to take interest and start coming out of the woodwork.

The Knights of the Rock Table program is currently in its third year of existence. Student and teachers perform side by side. Many of the teachers who help with the club actually teach nonmusic curricula. Students get to know their teachers outside the classroom and enjoy a mutual interest in music. Quite frequently members of the group

perform at various school functions and the popularity of our annual rock show has increased drastically. It is not uncommon for the rock show to have one of the highest parent attendance rates. Furthermore, I am constantly contacted to provide bands for local school and community events.

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

Funding A common concern in creating a group similar to this is the cost. While our administration was gracious enough to provide some initial equipment, we had to find a way to support the group: the participating teachers volunteer their time and our performances act as fundraisers. The students are happy to have a chance to perform and be able to keep The Knights of the Rock Table going. One of our biggest sources of

income is our annual rock show. Tickets are sold for the event and we run concessions, raffles, and giveaways throughout the performance. This is the only event where almost every student in the program performs. When bands perform in the community at local venues, donations are made to the club. As a result, we now provide for ourselves 100 percent. We are able to get new instruments, make repairs, and purchase miscellaneous items like sticks and

strings. When contacted, I ask that a donation be made to the club.

A Safe Haven for Students As the program increased in popularity, it acted as a gateway of sorts to get students interested in having a deeper understanding of music. Enrollment in Music Theory Class skyrocketed and concert band member numbers steadily increased, too. As a result, the music suite in our high school has become a social Mecca for all sorts of students. Everyone is welcome and negativity is not permitted. This directly correlates with the new anti-bullying standards. The music suite often houses many walks of life from the common high school scene. We have our athletes, gamers, classical musicians, pop musicians, and everything in between, hanging out and enjoying their high school experience. Since the music suite has become a haven safe from ridicule for students looking for a “place,” students want to be part of this social force. To further the positive atmosphere

“The brute force approach of limiting students to our world is causing many potential musicians to avoid joining the high school music program.” and bring music education to their level, I have begun utilizing current social networking sites such as Facebook. On the music suite page, the music education and discussion continues well outside the hours of the school day and continues building the bonds between the students. On this site I serve more as a monitor, only to make sure that the content remains appropriate, while the sense of community deepens. Many students want to be in the safe environment of the music suite as much as possible. Consequently, whether that was their initial intent or not, they are signing up to participate in ensembles. These students are proud to be musicians and proud to be different. Due to the work of my colleagues and myself, the high school band has gone from roughly 30 students to over 70! 36

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Addressing the ‘Common Core Push’

Successfully increasing music student enrollment is only part of the new challenges facing music educators. Recently, the Common Core push of teaching English and math skills has created added stress. Incorporation of these elements requires some ingenuity on our part. Naturally, math seems far easier to incorporate into our established curriculums. Rhythmic figures, intervals, and time signatures all effortlessly relate to mathematics. Unfortunately English can be much harder for the music educator to fit into the curriculum. While ensembles may not be the ideal arena for writing essays, there are other opportunities. This year I am piloting a course entitled “Pop Music and Society.” This course essentially forms a bridge between all of the previous topics and the English common core. In Pop Music duate programs make it possible. and Society, students are in charge of leading the entire class as an ensemble. Students choose the music, assign/ write parts, and ensure that every student is prepared for our in-class performance. Any type of popular music can be chosen. There could easily be country music one week and rap the next. This in turn has students listening to music that they would not normally be exposed to. Besides the performance aspect, we also have a content aspect. The students analyze lyrics, create document-based essays using articles from magazines, create opinion essays, and discuss sociological and psychological implications of music based on high-level text.

Creative Solutions Take Time With so many teachers looking for ways to improve programs, it is time to think outside of the box. I have found my new approach successful with the students. These ideas may not be the solution to all of your program’s troubles and challenges, but hopefully they provide some motivation to try something new. We are artists: being creative is what we do! One thing is for sure, the brute force approach of limiting students to our world is causing many potential musicians to avoid joining the high school music program. You may be surprised to find that, as the creative

ball gets rolling, you may enjoy your career more and more. My only disclaimer is that to do these things well takes time. When contemplating the pros and cons of trying some of these options, remember why we are here: to create good music and good people.

sor Central High School, in Windsor New York. He also performs and teaches privately in the Binghamton, New York area. Prior to working at Windsor, Joel has taught as an adjunct professor at SUNY Fredonia and elementary general music at Fredonia Central School District. While working at Fredonia, he directed the New Horizons jazz band for senior citizens, ran an after school music program at the Boys and Girls Club, and led a music technology program. Joel has also been a presenter at the NYSSMA Conference in Rochester, New York.

Joel Carle has had music education experience with almost every age group. He is currently the high school instrumental music instructor at the Wind-

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School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Commentary: Mariachi

¡Mariachi! By Ruben Newell

f you pull out a yearbook from the 1960s and look up the band section, what will you see? A marching band, a concert band, small groups, and maybe a stage band? Take out a yearbook from the 1980s and you will probably see the same thing, except the stage band has likely changed its name to “jazz band.” What about your 2011-2012 yearbook? Still a marching band, a concert band, and jazz band? That’s how the yearbooks look at Denison High School. The problem is that while the students have changed dramatically in Denison over the last 50 years, the instrumental music program has been made of the same three major components: concert band, marching band, jazz band. When the 2012-2013 yearbook comes out, something will have changed. There will be marching band, concert band, jazz band, and mariachi. What do you know about mariachi? Maybe I should ask that in a different way: what do you think you know about mariachi? If you are like I was two years ago, you think you know what mariachi is. If you are also like I was two years ago, you

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

are probably wrong. Over the last two years, I have learned that I didn’t know anything about mariachi. I learned that mariachi is a very passionate genre of music. I learned that the musicians that make up these mariachis are outstanding musicians with a wealth of knowledge about theory and technique. I learned that the top musicians in mariachi are almost all classically trained, and some hold degrees in composition or performance from major schools of music. I also learned that there was a population of our student body with a cultural connection to mariachi that I was not fully serving. Denison, Iowa has changed considerably over the last 20 years. If you look up the 2010 census, you will find that Denison has a population of 8,300, and was one of the few rural Iowa cities to grow in population from 2000. That growth is centered around the 40 percent of our community that is of Hispanic decent. They are the families having more kids, which is why our school district of 2,200 students is 57 percent Hispanic. Our high school is around 775 students, and about half are Hispanic. I know that Denison’s story is similar to the story of many towns in Iowa. The increasing diversity in

our student body is what makes our school special, but also provides challenges when planning curriculum and deciding what extra-curricular activities should be offered. When I first saw the ethnic breakdown of our district, the first thing I thought was, “Are we engaging as much of our student body as possible in music?” Thanks to a very strong middle school band program, directed by Patti Bekkerus, the instrumental music program in Denison serves a large portion of our student body. In fact, while the percentage of Hispanic students has risen in Denison, the instrumental music program involvement has not declined. It was not a question of if we could involve more students in music – rather could we involve more students deeper in music.

Discovery In the fall of 2010, it came to my attention that there were a growing number of mariachi programs in the southern and western United States. The more I looked into them, the more I wanted one here in Denison. For six months, I looked up school districts on-line and contacted directors from around the country, but came to find that there were no school mariachi programs in Iowa. I knew I wanted to start a mariachi at DHS, but without a contact or colleague nearby to consult with, the outlook looked grim. Then, I received my 2011 Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference magazine. There, staring me in the face, was a session on starting a mariachi program. That day in May at IBA changed the course of the instrumental music program in Denison. West Music, out of Coralville, had brought in Marcia Neel from Las Vegas to talk to us about what mariachi is and where we could go to get some training. That training was in June in Las Vegas, and West Music, along with Yamaha and Wenger, were offering some financial assistance to an Iowa director who wanted to start a program at their school. I left the clinic, found Patti and said, “We’re going to Vegas this summer.” We lined up a meeting with our superintendent as soon as we possibly could the next week and I braced myself to tell our

boss that we wanted to go to Las Vegas and learn how to start an entirely new program at Denison. Our superintendent, Michael Pardun, was enthusiastic about the idea. He committed to sending us to Vegas for a week and buying the instruments we needed to get our mariachi program started in the fall of 2011. We had a meeting with our building principals, and it was all given a green light. Just like that, in the span of a couple months, we went from a dead end to a new program. Patti and I spent a week in Jocelyn Moran and Jessica Cantu sing “De Colores” at the March, 2012 debut of Mariachi Picoso. Las Vegas in late June, 2011, meeting some outstanding music educators and learning how rate classes, twice a week for 30 minto play new instruments (as well as a utes. Out of the guitar class, we chose much-needed refresher from our coltwo students who were excelling to lege string methods class). We learned make the switch to vihuela (a smaller, about the history of mariachi and five string guitar) and guitarron (the worked with other band and orchestra bass instrument of the mariachi). Evendirectors who were also trying to start tually, the flutes and trumpets were mariachi programs in their schools. added to the guitar class. During that week, our vision for a maSince we were using the eighthriachi program was clarified and we grade band members for our first maristarted forming our plan for getting achi, we did not need to start trumpets our program off the ground. When we or flutes. For the guitars and violins, returned to Denison, we had another we used the Simplemente Mariachi meeting with our superintendent, and beginner method. When the violins

“Some of the most rewarding educational experiences I have had have come over the last two years as a part of our mariachi program.” the following week, all of our new instruments were ordered.

Implementation In September, we decided to start our first mariachi group with members of the eighth-grade band. We took a period to give the eighth-grade band a presentation about mariachi, followed by a short survey from each student concerning their interest in being in this type of ensemble. We had to limit the number of students based on the number of instruments we had. By the middle of September, violin and guitar lessons had started. For a few months, the violins and guitars learned in sepa-

reached lesson 16, they had the tools to play though the first full arrangement, “De Colores.” At that point the entire mariachi was put together to start rehearsing for our first performance. The group rehearsed twice a week for 30 minutes. By winter break, Denison Middle School had its first mariachi, and they had a name: Mariachi Picoso. The students picked it out themselves, because “picoso” means spicy, and they thought they were pretty spicy. Their debut performance was in late March, and Mariachi Picoso performed three songs. One of them featured a member’s father as a vocalist. The performance went well, School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Mariachi Picoso (March, 2012).

and it was well received by the community. That first performance brought us some attention, including from a journalist in Des Moines, who came out to DMS to interview us and a few students. The result was an article in numerous papers across Iowa about what appeared to be Iowa’s first school mariachi program. Thanks to that coverage, we spent the rest of the 2011-2012 school year learning three more songs out of the Libro Acompanante book series in preparation for two performances in Des Moines that June at educator conferences. Later in June, Patti and I returned to Las Vegas to get level two training and brought back plans for expansion of our mariachi program into the high school.

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Today, as I write this, Denison Community Schools has two mariachis – one at the middle school and one at the high school. It involves about 50 students: a number that is limited by the number of instruments the school owns. The school has purchased three vihuelas, two guitarrones, fifteen guitars, and fifteen violins. We also have trumpet and flute players in both groups, as well as a few violin and guitar players who own their own instruments. Our middle school group is made up of a new batch of eighthgrade band members, and have just started violin and guitar classes. Our high school group, which is primarily made up of our first group of eighthgraders from last year, has chosen a name: Mariachi Reyes del Oeste (“kings of the west”). Since our school mascot is the monarchs and we are in western Iowa, the name seemed to fit! Mariachi Reyes del Oeste just finished presenting at the IMEA (Iowa Music Educator Association) conference this past November, thanks to Robin Walenta at West Music and Marcia Neel from Music Ed Consultants in Las Vegas. They had the chance to perform with Maestro Jose Hernandez, who is one of the most well-known mariachi leaders/musicians/composers/arrangers in the world. Maestro Hernandez also worked with the mariachi students – an emotional, musical experience that those students will never forget.

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

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As you look at your band program in your school, ask yourself if you are reaching the students with the same three major components that have been around for generations. If you are, then great, but maybe there’s something else out there that could enhance the music education of your students. Maybe a mariachi program doesn’t fit your school’s population. Is there something else that would fit better? For Denison, it was mariachi, and I know there are directors out there reading this that think a mariachi program would fit into their school, too. If so, give Patti or I a call and we will tell you all about how we got the courage to follow through with this program, and you can, too. In spring of 2011, when Marcia Neel told me to stop worrying about it and just do it, she said that it would be a great addition to the band program and that it would be well-received by everyone. She was right. If you can’t tell, I am excited about our mariachi program. Some of the most rewarding educational experiences I have had have come over the last two years as a part of our mariachi program. Is it scary starting something new? Yes – but it is so rewarding. Have I questioned if we were doing the right thing? At the beginning I did, but I clearly remember the day when those doubts were put to rest. Right after we got the first group together for the first time after sectional rehearsals, I had them get out a piece called “Duermense.” About two measures into the song, one of the violin players stopped, perked up and said, “My mom used to sing this to me at bed time.” At that moment, I knew we had something special – we had found a way to connect our instrumental music program more intimately with a large part of our student body. We had made a personal connection with them through music. In the end, that’s what really matters.

Patti Bekkerus and Ruben Newell are the band directors for Denison Community Schools. Mr. Newell is in his 13th year teaching instrumental music, including 4 years in Denison. His current teaching duties include the Denison High School Concert Band, two jazz bands, pep band, the Monarch Marching Band, mariachi, and all 9-12 lessons. He is currently the webmaster of the Southwest Iowa Bandmasters Association. Mrs. Bekkerus has been teaching instrumental music for 26 years, including 19 years in Denison. Her current teaching duties include 6th grade band, 7th grade band, 8th grade band, DMS Jazz Band, Middle School Marching Band, mariachi and 6-8 lessons. She is currently the middle school honor band

chair for southwest Iowa, as well as Past-President of the Southwest Iowa Bandmasters Association. Visit Denison’s mariachi program online at www. MonarchBand.org, and on Facebook: www.facebook. com/mariachiReyesDelOeste/.

A version of this article first appeared in the Fall 2013 edition of The Iowa Bandmaster, Vol. 71, No. 2.

Natalie - Future band director

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Grow

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Ruben Newell, Eric Ramirez, and Patti Bekkerus. School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Technology: New from NAMM

What’s New In Music Technology: A Report from NAMM 2013

By Mike Klinger

t was snowing here in Carson, Washington when I left for NAMM 2013, the annual music products tradeshow that took place in Anaheim, California from January 24-27. I thought I could get

away from the foul weather but arrived to unseasonable rain, thunder and lightning, and, believe it or not, snow in the Golden State. None-

theless, the NAMM convention offered comfort inside and a few new and exciting things in music technology coming your way for 2013.

iPad Software Apps The Apple iPad™ is definitely turning into a music making device, and a lot of companies are offering some great new products for it. Thinkmusictechnology is coming up with a music notation app that will recognize music hand writing via a stylus, input using the on screen piano, or hook up a midi controller and just play it in. The product is being created by a start-up company of four musicians and tech savvy people, and is scheduled to be released fall of 2013 and will cost $29.99. Make sure to watch the videos on their website at www.thinkmusictechnology.com. MakeMusic™ is bringing out SmartMusic for the iPad in the spring of 2013. Offering much of the functionality found in the desktop version of SmartMusic, the upcoming app includes quality practice tools, assessment and accompaniment features as well as access to the entire content library with a SmartMusic subscription. Chromatik is a free web platform with everything you need to practice, perform, and teach music. It is available for iPad and web. It allows the teacher to share music with students, make assessments, and have everything synced in the Cloud. 42

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

Upload your own sheet music or workbooks for free into the Cloud or purchase music through their store. When I saw it at NAMM, my first impression was a free SmartMusic. For more information go to www.chromatik.com.

iPad Hardware IK Multimedia™ has just about everything you will need as far as iPad music hardware, goes.. Their new iRig Keys $99 is the first ultra-slim and highly portable universal MIDI controller keyboard for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Mac/ PC. iRig KEYS connects directly to the iOS device 30-pin dock connector or the USB port on your Mac/PC. The iRig mic ($59) is the first handheld, qual-

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ity condenser microphone for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Of course if you have your own mic, then go with the iRig Pre $39 which allows you to connect your XLR mic directly into the iPad and includes phantom power. Apogee™ is a definite step up in

quality and has some wonderful hardware for the iPad ranging in price from $199-$799. The Duet ($595) is a 2x2 audio interface, headphone amp, and midi interface. The Apogee Mic ($199) is a USB Condenser Microphone with Cardioid Pickup Pattern, Adjustable Input Level, and Monitoring LED.

Notable Keyboards I am very excited about the new MAudio™ Axiom Air keyboard line coming in at $99, $299, $399, and $499 for the Mini, 25, 49, 61 note models. As a controller it is massively equipped with knobs, sliders, pads and switches to control the included Pro Tools Express ($49 value) and Ignite software

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

that ships with the 25, 49, and 61 keyboard. I was really impressed with Ignite as it provides a refreshingly original and musician-centric way to quickly capture, combine, and arrange your musical ideas.

dent) that I was really impressed with. This software is designed for those who just want to play in without a metronome with a midi keyboard and get great results. It amazes me how the software can interpret your key, your time signature, your phrasing, your quantization, and artistic intent without ever having to set things up ahead of time. Just click and play and Score Cleaner will dictate your score with amazing accuracy. You can also save as XML to bring into Finale or Sibelius.

Korg’s new MS20 mini ($599) made the show for me. For those of you “old school” synth players, this thing is a blast. In a nutshell it is an analog synthesizer featuring the original circuitry from 1978 with 2VCO / 2VCA / 2VCF / 2EG / 1LFO structure. Much fun!

The Garritan Ultimate Collection ($449) contains a collection of six Garritan Sound Sets Including Instant Orchestra, Jazz & Big Band 3, World Instruments, Personal Orchestra 4, Classic Pipe Organs, Concert & Marching Band 2 – RTAS, VST, AU (Mac/PC).

Notable Software

Digital Audio

Ilio™

introduced a new notation product called Score Cleaner ($99 teacher/$69 stu-

Steinberg™ introduced the new UR 22 USB 2.0 audio interface ($149). This portable two-in/two-out device with 24-bit/192 kHz resolution is the

Audio/MIDI Interface With Digital I/O and ships with both Pro Tools Express and Ignite software. The MTrack Quad ($249) is a four-channel USB Audio/MIDI Interface and ships with both Pro Tools Express and Ignite software. perfect choice for mobile musicians, touring DJs and everyone in between. Acoustica™ and MXL Microphones have teamed up to create Mixcraft 6 Vocal Studio ($169), a streamlined software and hardware package that turns any PC into a powerful and easy-to-use recording studio. Packed with proquality effects, authentic virtual instruments, thousands of audio loops and sound effects, and a high-end versatile USB recording microphone, Mixcraft 6 Vocal Studio provides musicians with everything they need to create professional mixes with ease. Roland™ introduced the new STUDIO-CAPTURE ($999) high-performance USB 2.0 audio interface for studio and mobile production. With

Blue Mic™ introduced the all-new Nessie ($99) the first adaptive USB mic. Nessie is plug-and-play compatible via USB with both PC and Mac with driverless installation. For mobile recording, you can connect to iPad using Apple’s camera adapters (30-pin to USB or Lighting to USB), sold separately.

The HK Lucas Nano 300 portable PA system ($699) blew me away. At only 22 pounds, 230 watts, and a frequency response of 44-20khz, this powerhouse has the quality of much larger systems, making it perfect for the music classroom. Just watch the video at goo.gl/QKtJU.

Summer Workshops I will be offering a variety of face-toface and online workshops this summer to include: Pro Tools 10, Sibelius 7, Teaching Music Using Technology in the Classroom, iPADs in the Music Classroom 101, Music Technology Projects, and of course Private Study. Go to www.midiworkshop.com for more info. Mike Klinger is the owner of Synthesis Midi Workshop, Inc., which specializes in music technology educational sales and training. www.midiworkshop. com (800) 248-9699.

16 audio inputs, 12 premium-grade mic preamps (a first for a compact USB audio interface) and 10 audio outputs, the STUDIO-CAPTURE provides extensive connection capabilities for professional production needs – and will fit easily into a travel bag. You also get 24-bit/192 kHz audio quality, comprehensive frontpanel metering, XLR monitor outputs with dedicated level control, dual headphone outputs, rock-solid drivers with VS STREAMING technology, and much more. M-Audio introduced three new audio interfaces. The M-Track ($99) is a simple two-channel Portable USB Audio/MIDI Interface and ships with Ignite software. The M-Track Plus ($149) is a two-channel Portable USB School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

New Products Young People’s Classics Series from Hal Leonard

Leonard Bernstein® Young People’s Classics™ is a series of educational publications for the music classroom from Hal Leonard. The purpose of the series is to feature essential selections from the Leonard Bernstein recorded library with education units of study built around them, and to present the Artful Learning™ methodology in a general format that is practical for direct use in any music setting. The Artful Learning model, developed by Leonard Bernstein, stimulates and deepens academic learning through the arts and allows students to use the arts as a springboard to other content areas. The first release in this series – Aaron Copland: The Music of an Uncommon Man – features lessons and activities based on the works of Copland, and serves as a general music resource for young people of all ages, but especially for middle school grades 5-9. Part I introduces students to some of Copland’s most popular works, including “Fanfare for the Common Man,” and his ballets “Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring and Rodeo,” while Part II presents an in-depth study of “Rodeo,” specifically “Hoe-Down,” based on the Artful Learning transformative learning system developed by Leonard Bernstein. Components available include a Teacher Book/Enhanced CD, full-color Student Book five-Paks and the Bernstein Century – Copland CD, featuring Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic. The Enhanced CD that is included in the Teacher Book contains supporting materials, audio folk song recordings and student handouts for duplication. A Classroom Kit is also available, containing one Teacher Book/Enhanced CD, 20 Student Books and the Bernstein Century – Copland CD. www.halleonard.com

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

The Dauverné Solo Collection for Trumpet from Carl Fischer

Transcribed and edited by Ronnie Ingle, Associate Professor of Music at the University of North Dakota, these solos are among the very first ever written for the valved trumpet, culled from Collection de VI Solos pour la Trompette Chromatique by François Dauverné. The collection comes with a CD that contains piano accompaniments as MP3 files and printable PDFs, as well as printable PDFs of Trumpet in C parts. François Georges Auguste Dauverné was the first trumpet teacher at the famed Paris Conservatory and maintained that post for thirty-five years. This collection of six solos was originally composed for solo trumpet and chamber orchestra. Ingle has meticulously transcribed and edited these groundbreaking works for solo trumpet, and has made available here for the first time a modern edition for solo trumpet and piano. www.carlfischer.com

InSight Singing: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Reading Music InSight Singing: A Multi-Sensory Approach to Reading Music provides a systematic process for improving sightsinging skills, integration of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles in reading music, and overall musicianship. The learning strategies which accompany the melodies presented in this text incorporate all senses through multisensory learning. These ideas give direction to the learner and the teacher in developing the necessary musical skills and confidence to sight-sing in a manner which includes musical accuracy while encouraging good vocal technique. Using this type of consistent, thoughtful organization of concepts, students can learn to be secure in their abilities as music readers, as well as becoming “insightful singers.” The authors have a total of more than 100 years of teaching experience, ranging from elementary to college level. Each of these outstanding music educators is a frequent presenter at state and regional conferences and school district staff development sessions. www.carlfischer.com

New Products Psychology and Musicianship from Meredith Music

In Psychology and Musicianship, University of Nebraska senior professor of psychology Robert Woody presents seven components for musicianship – listening, studying, practicing, teaching, arranging, composing, and performing music. He offers a research-based explanation of how essentially everyone can and should cultivate his or her potential for musicianship. Emphasis is placed on using music for improved social relationships, self-concept development, and physical and mental health by way of music maximizing the potential of the brain.

www.meredithmusic.com

A New Work on Tuning from Meredith Music

Meredith’s A New Work on Tuning is a complete intonation resource for band directors. The book contains a variety of tools an educator needs to approach fine-tuning intonation with their ensemble. Users will learn the origin of our pitch tuning standard, understand when to apply either equal tempered or just tempered tuning, calculate the proper harmonic ratios for fine-tuning chords, identify the best tuning notes for each instrument, properly tune brass sliders, discover over 70 “tuning truths and myths,” and be introduced to 14 steps for tuning chords. The book includes intonation charts for tracking personal progress, along with extensively researched colorcoded fingering charts for every instrument providing pitch tendencies and suggestions for alternate fingerings.

features of the TRB-802 include a 0.460” bore, Monel pistons with patented MicroLok® adjustable valve guides, and the option of a standard or reverse tuning slide. All TRB-802 models are available in raw brass, lacquer, or silver finish. www.sonarewinds.com

Sax Dakota XG Series

The new Dakota XG Type Alto and Tenor saxophones are available in two custom metalics: Hand Rubber Antique Bronze throughout or Matte Black Body with Silver Plate Bell/Bow/Neck contrasted with 18K Gold keys/key cups/key guards and trim. The XG Sax Dakota series is designed to bring users optimum intonation, reliable mechanical action and great sound quality. The horns’ ergonomically shaped keys, key arms, and spatulas are just the beginning of the instruments features. Also included are oversized graduated bells (5.32” alto, 6.26” tenor), double key arms where needed, 77% copper content brass alloy, fast taper neck design, solid stainless steel key rods, low profile key cups and pads, and tempered oxide springs. www.saxdakota.com

Vandoren Juno Reeds for Beginners

Designed by Vandoren and produced in their factory in the south of France, the Juno reed is the first student reed Vandoren has made in its 105 year history. Juno is designed specifically for beginning students and come in half-strengths from 1 ½ to 3, they are available in boxes of ten for clarinet

www.meredithmusic.com

Sonaré Brass Pro Trumpet

The TRB-802 is the latest pro trumpet from Sonaré Brass. Extensive play testing and evaluation of different bell tapers, weights, and materials resulted in the development of this extremely versatile new horn. One of the most distinctive elements of the 802 is its one-piece, hand-hammered lightweight bell constructed of rose brass. The rose brass material coupled with a lightweight design has become increasingly popular amongst professionals for its timbre and flexibility. Additional

School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

and alto sax or in three-packs for clarinet, alto sax and tenor sax. Pricing is comparable to other student reeds. Juno will be sold through a network of school music dealers. www.junoreeds.com

New Products BG Franck Bichon Cool Strap

The BG Cool Neck Strap provides support and comfort while alleviating neck perspiration. This unique strap absorbs and evaporates perspiration efficiently through the double foam. The

temperature. The lighter hood assembly allows for a standard 2” gooseneck and the light can operate on input voltage as low as five volts, enabling it to be pow-

ered off of a USB port. Other features include a built-in full-range dimmer and a variety of gooseneck lengths. www.littlite.com

Voco-Pro EventPro-II

The EventPro-II is for schools, entertainment coordinators, and rental companies includes a new FA-500 Feather Amp, a 500W RMS ultra light-

Cool Neck Straps are appropriate for any level of musician. www.bgfranckbichon.com

Littlite Anser Series Task Lights

Quality Instruments

The new Anser series of high performance task lights from Littlite feature a powerful LED that rivals the company’s halogen products in output and color

That Your School and Students Can Afford

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Hunter Music Instruments

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New Products weight Class D amplifier; and two VX-30s, our dual 15” rolling speaker cabinets. The 15” woofers are made by Eminence. The system is capable of producing crisp and clear sound for indoor events, as well as rich, low bass tones that will carry for outdoor events. The Feather Amp has a front-mounted 1/8” stereo audio input for connecting a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

is available in Blue and Red. The Jiggs pBone is available in 7 color varieties: Orange (new), Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, White and Purple. Both versions are sold with a bag and strap. www.conn-selmer.com

Core-Lite Industries “Silent Podium”

www.vocopro.com

ful working range they can develop quickly. The pBone mini was designed with young lips in mind and is smaller than any other modern trombone mouthpiece. It is versatile with any small shank mouthpiece as well, so it is easily added to any jazz instrument collection. The pBone mini has seven full positions and a great first octave. It

Conn-Selmer pBone Mini

The pBone Mini is a fully functioning, plastic, pitched-in-Eb trombone and a fun, cost effective introduction to the world of alto trombones. This light and durable instrument with its special mouthpiece encourages young players due to the great sound and use-

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School Band and Orchestra • March 2013

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Submit your PLAYING TIP online at www.sbomagazine.com or e-mail it to editor Eliahu Sussman at esussman@symphonypublishing.com. Winning entries will be published in School Band and Orchestra Magazine and contributor will receive a prize gift compliments of EPN Travel Services, Inc.

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Antigua Winds, Inc.

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