School Band and Orchestra Magazine by SBO School Band & Orchestra

May 2012 • $5.00

Dr. Marion Roberts

Reaching People Through Music for Over 40 Years

Roundtable: Purchasing Uniforms Tech: Distance Learning

Report: El Sistema

El Sistema

in the United States Foothold found, but governing body still undefined

usic

education

programs

modeled after El Sistema, the Venezuelan movement

of social empowerment through classical music, continue to multiply and flourish in the United States. Affiliated with major orchestras, universities, schools, and arts and cultural centers from Florida to Maine and Southern California to Alaska, there are now more than 50 individual programs that share a mission of improving communities through the rigorous teaching of children and young people to play orchestral music. While most reports on this exciting and widely heralded movement in the United States indicate a rapid-fire expansion, the future of an umbrella organization or national governing body for El Sistema-inspired programs in this country is still unclear.

A student from Baltimore’s ORCHKids. Photo by Bill Denison. 10

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MAY 2012

32 Dr. Marion Roberts

“ ” It’s about keeping kids in my class, and teaching them to love music.

46%

Location/Venue

26%

Noted adjudicators

15%

Extracurricular/non-musical activities

Festival size (number of participants)

Prestige

Competitive

18%

Survey: Festivals

What are the most important criteria when selecting a band/orchestra festival to attend?

Festivals

Contents Features

12 UpFront Q&A: TI:ME’s Mike Lawson

28%

Judges’ feedback

Festival size (number of participants)

20%

The experience of watching peer ensembles

Location/Venue

20%

Camaraderie within the music program

Noted adjudicators

19%

The experience of performing in a unique venue

28%

Roundtable: Uniforms18% 28% 20% 20% 19%

We attend both Judges’ feedback types of festival

Competitive

Non Competitive

54% of watching peer ensembles The experience 28% Camaraderie within the music program The experience of performing in a unique venue

9% Ratings 28% “Both have feedback value. I have attended excellent Judges’

competitive and non-competitive events. It is the 2% placement 20%Competitive critique, clinicians, and concertspeer thatensembles make the The experience of watching

in a music festival is typically one of the primary highlights of the

19%

year. When else do music students have the opportunity to show

40 38

This recent SBO educator survey uncorks the latest trends on these events – what directors are looking for when selecting a festival, tips on performance, another chapter in the old competitive versus non-competitive debate, and much more.

Five educators who have recently acquired new band uniforms weigh in on the finer points of the purchasing process.

26 Commentary: Personality Traits SBO contributor Vic Vallo delves into the personality traits of the music educator/educator.

32 Upclose: Dr. Marion Roberts In this recent SBO interview, Dr. Marion Roberts, now in his fifth decade in education, reflects on his philosophy of impacting as many students as possible at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas.

40 Survey: Festivals SBO readers share their thoughts on the latest trends in school music festivals.

46 Technology: Distance Learning John Kuzmich presents an array of classes and workshops for music educators looking for a jumpstart on incorporating technology into the curriculum and classroom.

9% 2% 2%

Fargo South High Fargo, N.D.

The experience of performing in a unique venue

9% “The best festivals get student musicians toRatings gether to share. Competition is okay, but it would never my reason for taking my band or indi2% beCompetitive placement vidual students to a festival. Note: That has not 2% been my position. A decade ago my band always Other was one of the most competition-oriented in my state. A series of extremely successful competitions led me to realize that the benefits to the students were transient compared to when they got

28% I prefer to program easier music that can be played flawlessly.

Ratings Competitive placement Other

Santee, Calif. Raymond Thomas: We also save money through the boosters. When I

What are the latest trends that you’ve got to noticed this school, there wasn’t much in in the music festivals your groups theattend? way of savings. However, we were

able to save five, six, or seven thousand dollars each year, and put that money “I am certainly seeing more festivals add a clinaway. By the time we got to the point ic component. This has been a healthy developwhere we really needed new uniforms, ment.” we were able to go out and get them. Patrick J. Kearney That system works. hile uniforms are an integral part of the pageantry of I have also taught at schools where School Band and Orchestra • May 2012 39 the marching band, they can also be a major headache the Board of Education bought the uniforms, which is a very different situafor band directors. The immense cost alone makes unition. Now I’m in a district that has five high schools, so there’s just no funding form purchases something that must be planned with great care and for uniforms. I also worked at another consideration, and factors like design, durability, and maintenance school that had to take out a loan to purchase uniforms. Every school that only serve to further complicate the planning and buying process. I’ve worked at has been a little bit different. I think the plan of saving In order to uncover potentially helpful tips on funding and executing a permoney is the best way to go because formance apparel purchase, SBO reached out to five music educators who have then you’re ready to make the purchase recently acquired new band uniforms for their programs. when you need to.

the Band Uniform Purchase

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

72%

I prefer to challenge my students, even if that means they don’t perform as well.

“We are so busy in our own little musical world at school that we sometimes lose focus on the bigger picture – sharing our music with others. It’s important to be able to hear other groups and get feedback28% from respected professionals, and to I prefer to doing in our program.” share what we’re program easier Marianne Ball music that can 72% La Salle Joe High Bartell: School We just purchased be played brand new uniforms this year. When I prefer to Union Gap, Wash. flawlessly. we decided to make this purchase a challenge students, of bands years ago, we started to set “Band festivals my tend to attract couple the best even if that means aside money from various fundraisers in our area. they It’s great for our kids to hear these don’t perform into a uniform account. We were able ensembles.” 28% as well. to raise funds quickly because we David M.the Miller I prefer to a running Valleyhost Middle School event in our city that program easier brings in a great amount of revenue. Apple Valley, Minn. music that can 72% Administration was not involved since be played I prefer to it is our own booster group that made flawlessly. “I want my students to reflect on what the challenge the purchase, plus our administration judges told us, accept my thestudents, rating we received, and, doesn’t to get involved with those most of all, watch theif that other groups and like support even means types of decisions. They allow me, the their performances.” they don’t perform to have creative freedom over as well. director, Kurt Stalmann theHigh design of the new uniform. Santana School

Unraveling event worthwhile.” 2% 20%Other John Syverson Camaraderie within the music program

members of other school ensembles?

Funding

Susie Marin: Prior to committing to the purchase of new uniforms, a series of meetings were held first at the school site with our principal and then at the district with the assistant superintendant of business services. Since our district supplies half the money for the purchase of new uniforms, we had to have approval at that level before we began our fundraising campaign. Because of the financial difficulties many California schools are facing, we had to plan two years in advance so the money could be put into the district’s budget. In our case, money was raised and then donated to the district for the purchase of the uniforms. So the district is responsible for the contract and payments. The uniforms become the property of the district, not the boosters. Normally we are allotted new uniforms every seven years, but this is dependant on the boosters’ ability to put forth half the costs of the new uniforms. We waited 10 years since our last uniform purchase this time around due to the economy and financial difficulties. The boosters set up an aggressive fundraising program to raise our half of the funds for the uniforms. Some of the fundraisers included working concessions at the Rose Bowl, a menudo cook off, a silent auction, car washes, and a letter writing campaign for donations. The challenge was to raise funds for the uniforms while also raising funds for our operational budget. The boosters had to submit our half of the funds in full before the contact would be signed and the order placed with

uniform company. We have committed to putting money into a savings account every year until our next purchase to help keep us on schedule and to make the whole process less stressful. Marla Weber: The school pays for all of our uniforms. It’s a fixed cost, just like football uniforms and everything else.

The Purchase What is the typical process you go through when choosing a design and selecting a manufacturer/supplier? Marla Weber: We are fortunate to have a uniform manufacturer here in our town, and we like to keep our business local so we go with them. Our staff works with their designers. Our main concern is getting the most uniform for our buck. We try to push for three different looking uniforms coming from one main outfit. So, for example, we have a breast plate that can be worn one way for one look, reversed for a second look, and removed for a third. ShawnMcAnear: We are fortunate to have a great working relationship with the uniform company we use. In our opinion, they are the leading designer of marching band uniforms in the country. With that said, over the last two cycles, they were the only company that we discussed our design ideas with. Upon getting district approval to proceed, we will meet with a designer from the company to dis-

How do you go about financing uniform purchases?

“The biggest aide in choosing a design is actually going to regular band competitions.”

16 Roundtable: Uniforms

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

What are the most important takeaways from the festivals your students attend?

We attend both types of festival

Mike Lawson, the executive director of TI:ME, proposes ways to use technology to bring more students into the school music program.

Extracurricular/non-musical activities

Non Competitive Do you prefer the festivals your groups attend to be: 54%

back from professional adjudicators, and bond with each other and

Glidden-Ralston Glidden, Iowa

Noted adjudicators

“When musical. The 15% I plan a trip, the focus isactivities trip is justExtracurricular/non-musical an excuse to give the students a novel learning However, the destination has 9%experience. Competitive Festival of participants) to be appealing tosize the(number students.” 18% Salvatore Terrasi 4% Prestige Shorewood High School Shorewood, Wis.

off the fruits of a year’s worth of labor to a peer audience, receive feed-

28%

Location/Venue

15%

26%

Dean Lamp Non Competitive

26%

4% Prestige 46%

n the microcosm of an instrumental music program, participation

types of festival

54%

46%

Trending:

together to share.” We attend both

Shawn McAnear: In Cy-Fair ISD, the school district sets the process and the amount of the purchase. We are free to seek out whatever uniform design we wish from any company. The central administration will use past uniform expenses to craft a budget amount and either approve the expense as bid or ask us to remove items to lower the expense. We have been fortunate through two cycles to have our uniform approved without any changes from a finance standpoint. The school district supports this purchase as a capital outlay expense and is on a cycle of every ten years. With ten high schools in the district, basically one complete set of uniforms is purchased each year. We are fortunate that our band parent organization is not responsible for funding this expense, as outfitting our 250 member band was roughly $98,000.

Shawn McAnear Cypress Falls High School Houston, Texas

Joe Bartell, Brea Olinda High School Brea, Calif.

Raymond Thomas North Forsyth High School Band Cumming, Ga.

Susie Marin Azusa High School Azusa, Calif.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Marla Weber Eisenhower Instrumental Music Goddard, Kan.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Columns 4

Perspective

61 Playing Tip

Headlines

62 Classifieds

52 New Products

64 Ad Index

Cover photo by Sharon Fate, Fairway, Kan. Report: El Sistema

El Sistema

Get Your FREE SBO iPad edition at the App Store

in the United States Foothold found, but governing body still undefined

usic

education

programs

modeled after El Sistema, the Venezuelan movement

A student from Baltimore’s ORCHKids. Photo by Bill Denison. 10

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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 © 2012 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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Perspective

Music Memory A few years ago, there was a huge publicity campaign when it was (mis-)reported that students listening to Mozart prior to taking standardized tests would show a marked improvement in their exam scores. The idea that passively listening to music would actually make a person “smarter,” while a nice thought, has been largely refuted. Conversely, there has been far more evidence to support the benefits of learning to play a musical instrument, especially with respect to jazz improvisation. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered while having musicians improvise within a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) machine (that’s got to be some trick!), “When you’re telling your own musical story, you’re shutting down impulses that might impede the flow of novel ideas.” Basically, the brain creates the connections that allow greater freedom of expression – another benefit of playing music. Going one step further, however, there is now evidence that suggests that passive musical listening may indeed actually have significant benefits to the brain. We’ve all had the experience of hearing “There is now evidence a tune that brought us back to a specific place and time, immediately giving us a vision in our mind that suggests that of surroundings, people, and perhaps events. It’s passive musical listening a powerful feeling, it’s extremely personal, and it’s may indeed actually mostly related to music that we have grown up have significant with. Evidently, the neurological pathways in our benefits to the brain.” brains become almost “hard wired” when we listen to music, and music elicits a powerful response in people, even those suffering debilitating mental conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. A recent documentary, Alive Inside, suggests, “Even though Alzheimer’s and various forms of dementia will ravage many parts of the brain, long-term memory of music from when one was young very often remains. So if you tap that, you really get that kind of awakening response. It’s pretty exciting to see.” Dan Cohen, the author of Alive Inside, took an unusual approach to his studies, and rather than simply playing music for all of the patients in his test groups, he developed a plan to “create personalized iPod playlists.” The idea was that certain people react to “their” music in much more significant ways. After all, some folks would rather hear Duke Ellington or Ella Fitzgerald, while others may prefer a variety of other artists. Obviously, the cost to implement a personalized plan for these patients is costly. Cohen has attempted to take advantage of the rapidly changing technology and get folks to donate old iPods and MP3 players that can then be utilized in nursing homes and care facilities to help elderly patients. As musicians and educators, it is certainly another positive benefit to music making, and we should all consider going to a local retirement or nursing home to perform for a very appreciative audience. If you have the opportunity, take a look at this important documentary that adds even more evidence of the power of music.

May 2012 • Volume 15, Number 5 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 CLASSIFIED SALES Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com Business CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Headlines Music Education In Public Schools Gets A Passing Grade

The U.S. Department of Education recently issued a rather hopeful report titled, “Arts Education In Public Elementary and Secondary Schools, 1999-2000 and 200910,” in which it found music education to be almost universally available in American public schools. “In the 2009-10 school year, music education was almost universally available in the nation’s public elementary schools, with 94% of schools offering instruction that was designated specifically for music,” the report states. “Music instruction was available in almost all public secondary schools,” with the actual number given at 91%. Furthermore, the number doesn’t seem to have changed over the past decade. Teachers, surveyed by the report gave less positive answers. Elementary school music specialists rated the support for their teaching “somewhat or very inadequate” in a variety of areas: funding (40%), facilities (27%), materials, equipment, tools and instruments (23%), instructional time in the arts (28%) and the number of arts specialists (36%).

Find the full report at nces.ed.gov.

U-MASS Adds New Marching Band Headquarters

The University of Massachusetts (Amherst) recently unveiled its new marching band headquarters, the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building. The building’s opening marks the first time the band has had its own building since it moved from its old home in the Old Chapel in 1997. The building is named after the band’s famed professor, who led the group for 33 years. Parks passed away in 2010. The building can easily accommodate rehearsals and performances for the 300-piece band, along with a space for the percussion section as well as smaller group practice rooms. U-Mass funded the new building with $4.5 million from the school and $1.3 million from private donations.

Find the Minuteman Marching Band at www.umass.edu/band.

Kennedy Center Honors Band Director John M. Long with Sondheim Award

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has named Dr. John M. Long, director of bands emeritus at Troy University, as one of 10 winners of the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards. Seventeen of Dr. Long’s former students from Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery and Troy University submitted letters of nomination. Each recipient receives a $10,000 cash award. The Sondheim Award marks the second major honor for Long this month. Earlier in March, he was named an Honorary Life Member of the American Bandmasters Association, one of only two living bandmasters to hold this distinction.

Visit www.kennedy-center.org.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

“This is a state of the art clarinet showing 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

Antigua is proud to announce the launch of the Antigua-Backun wood-body clarinet. The creation of this instrument has been a joint project between Antigua Winds and renowned woodwind designer, Morrie Backun.

ANTIGUA-BACKUN Bb SOPRANO CLARINET CL3230N - Features Nickel Plated Keys CL3230S - Features Silver Plated Keys

Starting with premium grade grenadilla wood aged in controlled settings, these clarinet bodies are turned, bored and machined to exacting tolerances in the Backun Musical Services facility in Vancouver, Canada. The skilled technicians at Backun use the most advanced machinery to shape the bodies, bells and barrels before moving into careful hand-finishing work and final inspection. The finished clarinet bodies then travel to Antigua’s state of the art facility where precision manufacturing technology is used to produce the keys. Morrie’s ongoing training is evident in the care given to hand fitting posts, rings, rods, keys and springs, ensuring that each Antigua-Backun clarinet performs optimally. This clarinet will stand up to today’s demands and meet tomorrow’s expectations.

For complete information and to find an Antigua dealer near you visit www.antiguabackun.com

Headlines 2012 Best Communities for Music Ed Announced

The NAMM Foundation has announced the results of its 13th annual Best Communities for Music Education(BCME) survey, which acknowledges schools and districts across the U.S. for their commitment and support for music education as part of the core curriculum. In all, 176 communities were recognized in an announcement in anticipation of NAMM’s National Wanna Play Music Week, (May 7-13). The announcement of the 2012 Best Communities for Music Education campaign comes during a crucial time as school districts nationwide finalize budgets. The Best Community designation is a distinction worthy of pride, but is also a call to action for local music education advocates to help preserve and potentially expand access to their current music education programs. Each school receiving the “Best Communities” designation scored in the 80th percentile or higher in the survey’s grading process.

The complete Best Communities for Music Education roster can be viewed at www.nammfoundation.org.

NAMM Foundation and White House Form New Arts Initiative

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Presidential appointed artists Chuck Close, Yo-Yo Ma, and Damian Woetzel will join many others to work with schools in eight states as part of a new initiative called the Turnaround Arts initiative lead by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The program was developed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and the White House Domestic Policy Council. The Turnaround Arts initiative being launched in Washington, D.C. will work to turn around low-performing schools with strategies that expand access to comprehensive music and arts education as part of the core curriculum. The program is designed to narrow the achievement gap and increase student engagement through the arts. Working in some of the nation’s lowest-performing elementary and middle schools, this program will test the hypothesis that high-quality and integrated arts education boosts academic achievement, motivates student learning, and improves school culture in the context of overall school reform.

Oregon Metro Youth Symphony Awarded $100k Grant

Portland, Oregon’s Metropolitan Youth Symphony (MYS) has been awarded a $100,000 grant over two years from Meyer Memorial Trust in support of music education and performance for youth. MYS is extremely grateful to the Meyer Memorial Trust for their belief in and support of its mission to develop young musicians. The grant follows right on the heels of the announcement of new Music Director Andrés Lopera, who will join the organization in July. A farewell concert for Maestro Lajos Balogh is set for the season finale on June 10.

To learn more about the MYS, visit www.playmys.org.

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

CORRECTION In the Best Tools for Schools report that appeared in the March 2012 issue of SBO, the description of the Rovner Versa-X Ligature Educator Sample Pack erroneously mentioned mouthpieces. The Rovner Versa-X Ligature Educator Sample Pack contains ligatures, not mouthpieces.

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Headlines

ONLINE SURVEY None Only a few About half Most Almost all

45% 14% 9% 19% 13%

Letters How many of your instrumental music students have their own smart phones?

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.

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Dear Rick, I enjoyed very much your article in the March issue of SBO. I also grew up in a high school and town band that played the great classics. I am now the conductor of the Naperville Municipal Band (my 47th year) and our summer crowds are anywhere from 1,500 to 6,000 each week. I was exposed to Raymond, Oberon, Morning, Noon & Night, Light Cavelry, Poet & Peasant, William Tell, La Gazza Ladre, and many others. When I started on my master’s degree and was in an advanced conducting class, we were working on Zampa. The instructor asked how many in the class had even heard this overture and I, along with about five others, raised our hands. When I told them of all the Overtures and classic band compositions I had played, he told the class that I had the best education of any in the class. I program at least one of the classic overtures on every concert along marches, and that brings me to my next gripe - many college bands and a lot of high school bands don’t play marches, which are the voice of the band! Sousa, King, Fillmore, Richards, Jewell, and many more have written some great marches that need to be played. Enough preaching, I really enjoyed your article! Thanks for your efforts. Ron Keller Naperville Municipal Band Naperville, Ill. www.napervilleband.org

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Q&A

Upfron t

Mike Lawson

TI:ME is on

Your Side

t the forefront of the movement to revolutionize music instruction is the Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME). A non-profit organization that boasts a tagline of, “Helping music teachers integrate technology since 1995,” TI:ME maintains an impressive array of resources for

educators including workshops, conventions, and online forums. Mike Lawson has been affiliated with TI:ME since it was founded and currently serves as the organization’s executive director. In this recent conversation with SBO, Lawson speaks about how technology can help music teachers engage a new generation of music students. School Band & Orchestra: What areas of music instruction have benefitted the most from technological innovation? Mike Lawson: Because of the longstanding history of MIDI and notation, music theory was really the first implementation of technology in the music classroom. Those go hand in hand with being able to interactively and visually teach theory. Instead of handwriting notes on mimeographed paper, you can place notes, hear them, see them, and play them. And this is throughout all grade levels – there are educators using technology to teach basic theory to elementary school kids up through college. SBO: Aside from the historical angle, does that also jibe with your own interactions with educators? ML: The biggest opportunity I’m seeing today is how technology is being used to draw interest from non-traditional music students. TI:ME came around originally because there was a decline in traditional music program enrollment: marching band, chorus, and so on. With declines in enrollment come cuts in funding. If students aren’t interested in something, it won’t get funding. TI:ME recognized early on that when you offer non-traditional courses – guitar lessons, recording software, and so on – there where often waiting lists for kids to take the classes, and with waiting lists comes more interest from administrators to fund the programs. What’s happening now is that we have some really pioneering, innovative teachers who are using everything from Garage Band on an iPad to full on work stations set 12

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

up with keyboard audio interfaces and a variety of applications. There’s really no limit on the brands and flavors of software that people are using. SBO: What do you see as the biggest hurdles for educators to integrate new tools into their teaching? ML: The biggest challenge is not pedagogy or finding resources, it’s selling their administrators on modernizing the centuries-old methods of teaching music. We have a lot of ex-

ML: I would recommend two things. First, they should join TI:ME. I say that now more emphatically than ever because we have reinvented who we are this year in terms of what we offer our members and the ability of our members to network with other educators. There is no easier way to solve some of these problems than through discussion with people who have been through it. A teacher might come onto our system and say, “I’m kind of new to all of this. Where should I start?”

“We’re not here to teach technology, we’re here to teach music.” cited teachers who want to integrate technology in the classroom, but it’s the funding to set up the equipment – even the basic workstations – that can be most challenging and frustrating for educators. SBO: With so many different types of tools out there, where do you draw the line between technology that is necessary to keep up with modern times versus luxury items? ML: We could have that discussion on math, as well. It was fine to teach math with an abacus for years and years – they didn’t even have pocket calculators not that long ago. Now, everyone is required to purchase an $80 graphing calculator. I think it comes down to, frankly, some personal priorities and affinities for the arts within administrations. There are some public school programs that have much more emphasis on things like sports or other pet projects by administrators. The administrators who favor music and offering their students the best possible learning environment are the ones who step up to the plate and help the teachers solve the problem of getting more kids interested in the arts and in learning music. At the end of the day, our goal is not to teach technology, but to teach music – and to use the latest technology to do it. SBO: Along those lines, what would you recommend for educators who may not be early technology adapters?

Other educators will join the discussion, either in public or in private, explaining options. So that’s a good place to start. We offer courses around the country, and we also have some events that could be very helpful. The events move every year, and our National Conference is an excellent place to learn. This year it’s going to be in Texas alongside the TMEA show. It’s basically going to be three-and-a-half or four days of training. Then, a month later, we’re doing the same thing in Ohio, for people that might not be able to get to the Texas show. Networking with peers is the best first step anyone can take, and TI:ME provides a great place to make that happen, with people who are actually doing this. Many of our members are already using this stuff in the classroom. Most of them have already implemented some kind of program. I also can’t recommend YouTube enough, and there are some wonderful Facebook groups that educators can get involved with. SBO: Do you see a dramatic generational gap in terms of which educators are adapting the latest teaching tools? ML: Part of what’s going on here is a changing of the guard that is slowly starting to happen. There are a lot of band directors moving towards retirement. The older band directors are the ones who are least likely to adapt. School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Many of the newer ones coming in are already familiar with some of the more widespread music software, but they still haven’t spent a ton of time doing audio production or recording. Those educators could still benefit from some training on a basic understanding of the physics of sound and how to explain that to kids. The bottom line is that TI:ME wants to help teachers figure out how to solve these problems.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

SBO: What problems are you referring to that technology can really address? ML: I knew from the age of eight or nine that I was going to be a musician. From the day I got my first guitar, I knew that this was what I wanted to do with my life. My musical education opportunities in public schools growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s were extremely limited. Any aspirations outside of marching band and choir

were highly discouraged by the music educators of that era – in my school, at least. I took music classes in spite of that, because I had a desire to learn. I know that there are a world of students out there who would be life-long music lovers if they were able to have some hands-on technology in front of them that could help make sense of complicated musical processes. These days, kids are into all different kinds of music, and you have to hit them where they live. The electronic tools, software, controllers, all of these things ignite the spark and get them interested. A certain percentage of those sparks are going to turn into raging fires. I see technology in music education as a means to igniting that spark and start a fire in some of these kids that will burn inside them for the rest of their lives. So what if they’re initial interest is making beats or loops or dropping samples? Get them interested, give them some gratification, let them see some progress in what interests them, and it will grow from there. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m down on traditional band directors, because I’m not; they play an important role and truly music can be taught without any technology. I would just encourage people to not discount new ways of doing things, to not look at new tools as toys or cheats to learning music just because we had to learn the hard way when they were growing up. We don’t know who we’re teaching, what the kids in our classes are going to go on and do. There is that opportunity now to reach a whole new level of students and interest them in music. You never know if another little Miles Davis is sitting there and drawing inspiration from being able to put something together, someone who might decide, “You know, instead of dropping that trumpet sample down, I’d like to learn to play it myself.” That’s what we’re hoping to ignite. TI:ME wants to be here to support interest in music and adapting technology to teach music with. Again, we’re not here to teach technology, we’re here to teach music and let technology aid in that.

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Roundtable: Uniforms

Unraveling

the Band Uniform Purchase

hile uniforms are an integral part of the pageantry of the marching band, they can also be a major headache for band directors. The immense cost alone makes uni-

form purchases something that must be planned with great care and consideration, and factors like design, durability, and maintenance only serve to further complicate the planning and buying process. In order to uncover potentially helpful tips on funding and executing a performance apparel purchase, SBO reached out to five music educators who have recently acquired new band uniforms for their programs.

Funding How do you go about financing uniform purchases?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The biggest aid in choosing a design is actually going to regular band competitions.â&#x20AC;?

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ May 2012

Joe Bartell: We just purchased brand new uniforms this year. When we decided to make this purchase a couple of years ago, we started to set aside money from various fundraisers into a uniform account. We were able to raise the funds quickly because we host a running event in our city that brings in a great amount of revenue. Administration was not involved since it is our own booster group that made the purchase, plus our administration doesn’t like to get involved with those types of decisions. They allow me, the director, to have creative freedom over the design of the new uniform. Raymond Thomas: We also save money through the boosters. When I got to this school, there wasn’t much in the way of savings. However, we were able to save five, six, or seven thousand dollars each year, and put that money away. By the time we got to the point where we really needed new uniforms, we were able to go out and get them. That system works. I have also taught at schools where the Board of Education bought the uniforms, which is a very different situation. Now I’m in a district that has five high schools, so there’s just no funding for uniforms. I also worked at another school that had to take out a loan to purchase uniforms. Every school that I’ve worked at has been a little bit different. I think the plan of saving money is the best way to go because then you’re ready to make the purchase when you need to.

Shawn McAnear Cypress Falls High School Houston, Texas

Joe Bartell, Brea Olinda High School Brea, Calif.

Raymond Thomas North Forsyth High School Cumming, Ga.

We have committed to putting money into a savings account every year until our next purchase to help keep us on schedule and to make the whole process less stressful. Marla Weber: The school pays for all of our uniforms. It’s a fixed cost, just like football uniforms and everything else.

The Purchase What is the typical process you go through when choosing a design and selecting a manufacturer/supplier? Marla Weber: We are fortunate to have a uniform manufacturer here in our town, and we like to keep our business local so we go with them. Our staff works with their designers. Our main concern is getting the most uniform for our buck. We try to push for three different looking uniforms coming from one main outfit. So, for example, we have a breast plate that can be worn one way for one look, reversed for a second look, and removed for a third. Shawn McAnear: We are fortunate to have a great working relationship with the uniform company we use. In our opinion, they are the leading designer of marching band uniforms in the country. With that said, over the last two cycles, they were the only company that we discussed our design ideas with. Upon getting district approval to proceed, we will meet with a designer from the company to discuss our likes/ dislikes and our vision for the uniform.

Susie Marin Azusa High School Azusa, Calif.

Marla Weber Eisenhower Instrumental Music Goddard, Kan.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

On The Good Foot: The Footwear Purchase

Susie Marin: Shoes are purchased every year by the students. We do a shoe fitting, the students place their order with me, and I do a mass order. Next year I plan to take advantage of what some of the supply companies are setting up, where students go online to place their order and pay by credit card, and the shoes are delivered to the school in one mass order. This will save me from running around and trying to collect the money individually from each student. We changed footwear this year because we wanted a more athletic shoe – something more supportive and designed for field marching. We don’t do many parades so we wanted a shoe that was flexible with a beveled heel and arch support. Marla Weber: We have always gone with the same type of marching shoe. This is my 30th year of teaching and I’ve found that they’re the most stable, so we have gone with them for the past 20 years. Color depends on the pants. When we had red and white pants, it was difficult to do anything other than white shoes. However, with the white shoes, it’s easier for the judges to notice anyone who’s out of step – it just shows off. White pants and white shoes are great, but I’m now at a school that has black as one of our colors, so we now have black shoes and black pants. Shawn McAnear: Shoes are a separate item for us and the students pay for them themselves. We look for something that is comfortable and durable – a shoe that can last for the four years of high school if need be. Price is lower on the list of priorities as this is hopefully a purchase that will last for a few seasons. Joe Bartell: Shoes are not provided in the uniform budget. We ask students to purchase those on their own. If we run into a problem where a family is experiencing some financial difficulties, then we usually have a couple old pairs lying around, or one of our parents provides a kind donation to purchase the shoes for that student. I don’t really have too much of a desire for the footwear decision to be anything other than if I like how it looks. I know there are many designs out there that promise to do this, that, and the other. In my opinion, as long as they look good, are affordable, will physically stand the test of a marching season, and are comfortable for the kids, then that is what we go with. Raymond Thomas: Our students also purchase their own footwear. We’ve gone through three different types of footwear since I’ve been here. When I was talking to one of the designers about our new uniforms, he actually sold me on our current footwear. He talked through the different models and designs out there, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each shoe. We tried out a few different kinds, and ended up with one that the kids really liked. So in the process of researching uniforms, we found the footwear. Whenever we find something that kids will like better or that will help us perform better on the field, we tend to transition.

From there, they will do a sketch and the process begins. Because we are very picky, we went through three redesigns of the uniform to find the one that fit our group. This took place over several weeks until we had a uniform that everyone was excited about having for the next ten years. While the initial designs were great, given that we keep them for ten years, we have to stay a little more traditional as to not have a dated look down the road. Susie Marin: I started researching designs first by picking out uniforms I liked. I would go to shows or watch DCI and Bands of America and see colors, coat designs, and shakos that I liked. I would then ask colleagues who designed their uniforms, what they liked about their uniforms, how expensive they were, what the care was like, and so on. I then narrowed down my manufacturer choices and visited booths at my state conference and at Midwest. I made appointments with designers and sales representatives to

“Whenever we find something that kids will like better or that will help us perform better on the field, we tend to transition.” see fabrics and care options first hand. It was important to me when choosing a manufacturer that the design be cutting edge, use modern fabrics, the cut of the uniform be more athletic and free moving, I want options for machine washing parts of the uniform, and that the company be well established. Price was somewhat of a concern, but getting what I wanted in the uniform was the big issue. Reliable delivery was very important. I wanted to get what I requested and match the sample I had received. I didn’t want any surprises on delivery; I wanted to make sure colors in the

sample were the same as the delivered product. The company we went with did a great job of showing me options; they designed many uniforms to my requests. They let me know my construction and accessories options, as well (plumes, special fabrics, buttons, et cetera). They were great through our manufacturing process. They gave us realistic delivery dates and even in the touchy delivery stage they gave me weekly updates. They were in constant contact during our final completion and delivery. Joe Bartell: I would have to say the biggest aspect that was considered was the price. We wanted to get a uniform that was durable, would stand the test of time, but was of good quality. I submitted requests to a couple different uniform manufacturers, met with their sales reps, and ultimately decided on who we went with because they could provide the design options we wanted with the price we were able to spend. The biggest aid

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

in choosing a design is actually going to regular band competitions. While we are waiting around for awards or while we are unloading/loading the trailer I am always checking out the other uniforms. You develop a taste for what you like and what you don’t. I brought those ideas to the table, met with the rep from the uniform company, and with a little creative guidance from the professionals, we were able to come up with a product that I, and all the invested parties, loved.

Raymond Thomas: I spoke with all my colleagues who had recently bought uniforms or who had a uniform that they were happy with. I asked them who they have bought uniforms from. I looked at the styles that were being produced that we liked, and then I spoke with every company about quality, design, how the uniform is produced, and the kinds of options they offered in terms of materials and every other thing. Once we started sorting through

the companies in that sense, we narrowed it down to two companies and started talking to representatives about specific designs. From there, we evaluated the designs we got back and looked into each company’s customer service. When we contacted these companies, some of them came to our school and brought a bunch of product to show us. Other companies weren’t that interested in doing that. Customer service comes to play in anything but it really came into play at that stage in the process.

Tips Do you have any advice for teachers who may not have experience with this process? Marla Weber: Find someone who is really knowledgeable in the area of uniforms and has been in the business for a long time. Sit down with them before you start the process, and ask as many questions on what you should be looking for. One of the main things is to always look into the future. Over the years, colors don’t stay the same, so if you see your band growing at any point in the near future, it’s best to get more than you need because matching colors – with fabrics and dyes – might be a problem when you try to order more.

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Joe Bartell: The biggest advice I can offer is to look around and really figure out what is out there that you like and don’t like. I would also suggest going into the design meeting with an open mind. When I created our uniforms, I had in my head exactly what I thought the new uniforms would look like. After talking to the rep and listening to his input, I realized that some of the aspects I wanted wouldn’t look good in person, were too expensive, couldn’t actually be made how I had envisioned it, or were just bad design. These reps really know what they are doing, and if you let them help you in the process, work with them and maybe compromise on some of what you thought were “must haves,” then you will come out of the process with a really good looking uniform. The other bit of advice that I would share with teachers is that they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. Call around and

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

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2/28/12 11:50:45 AM

talk to other directors, exchange emails with the uniform reps, and get some input on the design of the uniform. Just because you solicit input doesn’t mean you have to take it. But, you never know who might suggest something that turns out to be an amazing idea. After all, you are going to have to live with these uniforms for many years, so you want to make sure that it is something you are happy with, and something that will make your band look great! Susie Marin: When designing a uniform, get input from students, parents, and faculty. Present people with multiple drawings and take a vote of which design they like best. Ask questions what they like and dislike about the designs. Have a sample or multiple samples made. Have kids wear them and don’t be afraid to make changes! You can save money in a new uniform by using a stock shako and pants and put your money into a nice coat and plumes. Ask your sales rep for money saving ideas, like do you really need new shako boxes or plume cases? Can these items be

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

bought second hand? Also look into selling your old uniforms to bring in a little extra cash. Shawn McAnear: Find a company that you are comfortable working with. We have had a relationship with the company we use since 1999. This is key to being happy with the design and the overall uniform. In addition, do not settle for a design that is not what you want just because it may be the designer’s vision. Utilize their expertise along with your vision to design a uniform you are excited about for many years to come. Raymond Thomas: Start early – I would suggest a year and a half out from when you want to buy. Also, order early. If you want your uniforms on a particular date, order at least six months in advance. Uniform companies will tell you that, too, but they’re right. It is really important to feel comfortable with the representatives of the uniform company. The reps need to be there not only when you’re buying, but also

afterwards to take care of anything you might need. That actually ruled out a few companies that we were considering – we heard that they had really poor customer service after the uniforms had arrived. That can be problematic, especially if the uniform quality is an issue. Right now, if I called my rep today and told him that I had a problem, he would take care of that today. I know that about him. We had to do some fill-ins; as soon as I called, the process started right away, and we got our fill-ins no problem. Also consider the “extras.” Some companies will take you to their plant, other companies will send a designer or manager to your school, and others will set up a meeting with one of their major designers. Take advantage of any of that, if you can. When we sat down with some of the big designers from companies, not only did that help me in other areas, it was a true education for me. Even if you don’t go with a particular company, they might help teach you about something you may want to do in the future – maybe haven’t even considered yet.

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Commentary: Personality TRAITS

The Traits of a Successful Conductor-Educator By Victor Vallo Jr.

oday’s school band, orchestra, and choir directors are really con-

ductor-educators simultaneously

who perform

must the

roles of leader, musician, and pedagogue. There are a number of personality traits that facilitate this feat, both on and off the podium. These personal, musical, and pedagogical qualities and skills help the music teacher reach his or her musical and educational goals. This article will discuss such traits by first focusing on their theoretical importance and then examining their practical importance to the successful music conductor-educator. There are a number of books and articles that tell us of the variety of traits considered important to becoming an effective music teacher. In an article written in 1989, Joy Lawrence noted that successful music directors often display certain qualities that help them achieve their goals and that these qualities can be grouped into three general categories: personal qualities, musical 26

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

knowledge and skills, and effective teaching techniques. References to such traits are also mentioned by other authors who were more specific in their research and found that self-confidence, sense of humor, sincerity, human understanding, restraint, moral character and friendliness were helpful for the music teacher and conductor. Ward Woodbury found that leadership behaviors were also important to have for a conductor-educator, while yet another author stated that the music director is expected to lead and combine the skills of a musicologist, instrumentalist, community organizer, and psychologist to accomplish his goal of leading an ensemble to communicate musically. The effects of conductor behaviors on students was the subject of a study by Cornelia Yarbrough, who discovered that when an ensemble director’s noticeable behavior in a rehearsal is dynamic, it can positively affect the students’ performance and attitude. She also found that the students preferred to be taught by the high magnitude conductor and were more attentive to the high magnitude conductor as compared to the low magnitude conductor. Other studies have been done on traits in relation to teaching and conducting music, finding that it was important to have the ability to use effective rehearsal techniques, good verbal communication, and a sound knowledge of psychology in leading successful rehearsals. Throughout the various books and articles on teaching and conducting, many traits were found that included certain personal, musical, and pedagogical traits and skills needed by today’s conductor-educator to be successful, both on and off

PERSONAL TRAITS: enthusiasm, assertiveness, commanding presence, friendliness, human understanding, integrity, organizational ability, self-confidence, self-discipline. MUSICAL TRAITS: aural skills, baton technique, expressive gestures, knowledge of music history, knowledge of musical styles, musical modeling skills, personal musicianship, and knowledge of musical instruments. PEDAGOGICAL TRAITS: application of rehearsal methods, communication ability, having goals and objectives, knowledge of psychology, knowledge of assessment/evaluation, mastery of subject matter, having a philosophy of education, being a role model, and use of resources.

the podium. Here is a summary of some 27 common traits that were commonly and consistently mentioned in these studies, articles, and books: While many sources allude to the theoretical importance of having and demonstrating various personal, musical, and pedagogical traits for teaching and conducting, it was decided to compare theory with practice to see if there was a correlation of importance. Information on the practical importance of these various traits by school ensemble directors was gathered through an opinion survey sent to a random sample of current ensemble directors who are middle school and high school band and orchestra directors in several states in the United States. These ensemble directors were asked to rate 27 traits on a standardized scale with “5” rated as the highest in importance and “1” rated as the lowest in importance. Here is what was found from these surveyed school band and orchestra directors. Hopefully, this will be of practical value to today’s music teachers. The results show that many, if not all, of the personal, musical, and pedagogical traits were considered important by these surveyed ensemble directors (Table 1). The traits rated the highest were enthusiasm, aural skills, communication ability, self-confidence, assertiveness, and mastery of subject matter. Among the lowest rated traits were expressive gestures, knowledge of music history and music theory, philosophy of education and knowledge of psychology. Asked to list separately what the ensemble directors considered the two most important traits, these teachers consistently mentioned enthusiasm and human understanding. This appears to hint that the directors’ perceptions and beliefs that the personal traits are considered to be of the most practical and important in successful teaching and conducting. It is also interesting to note that these surveyed ensemble directors rated the

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

three categories in different degrees of importance as well (Table 2). It was found that the three categories of traits were ranked in importance as follows: Personal Traits: Pedagogical Traits: Musical Traits:

1st Importance 2nd Importance 3rd Importance

Mean: 4.547 Mean: 4.347 Mean: 4.218

The information from this survey also suggests that all three categories of traits (personal, musical, and pedagogical) are considered essential in both the articles and books as well as by the school ensemble directors themselves, but in varying degrees of importance. Interestingly, both the articles and the results of the survey seem to indicate that the personal traits are considered the music conductor-educator’s strongest asset with enthusiasm being the highest and most valued overall trait. This may imply that the personal qualities provide a foundation for the teacher’s personal and interpersonal skills which enable him/her to earn the student’s respect and attention. When students hold a positive view of their teacher as personable, the classroom environment can and generally does become more conducive to teaching and learning. In addition, if would seem helpful for music teachers to also know that having a demonstrable balance of both musical and pedagogical qualities would enable their students to hopefully see and realize that their ensemble director has such skillbased traits and is willing to demonstrate these traits for their educational success. Sometimes students need to know that their ensemble director can both “talk the

But what does all of this mean? The results suggest first of all that ensemble directors believe that whoever possesses and demonstrates a blend of certain personal, musical, and pedagogical traits can be a successful conductor-educator in the music classroom/rehearsal hall. That being said, the results may also suggest for ensemble directors to be aware of and focus more on developing one’s personal qualities in working with students, faculty, and staff. A proper balance of all three sets of qualities could help ensemble directors to provide better and more meaningful and memorable musical experiences for all of their students. After all is said and done, here are

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talk” and “walk the walk,” which can only lead to students’ increased willingness to learn and growing respect for the music teacher.

also some practical and hopefully helpful implications and things to think about from all of this: 1) Because of the relatively high importance of the personal qualities as found in the articles and books and as deemed by the surveyed music teachers, there should be a conscious effort by music teachers to concentrate on and demonstrate these personal traits by continuing to work on personal and interpersonal skills in promoting healthy working relationships with students, parents, and administration, both on and off the podium. 2) Because enthusiasm was rated highest by the conductor-educators, there is an implication that the

TABLE 1

music teacher’s subjective qualities (such as personality) are deemed most valuable and practical to have and demonstrate in teaching and conducting. 3) Because expressive gestures was rated among the lowest in importance, ensemble directors should consider teaching their students about what these gestures can and do mean on the podium. Another suggestion is possibly using expressive gestures more often so that their students will be able to recognize and respond to them more quickly and interactively in rehearsals and performances. An article by Corey Francis, “Expressive Conducting,” highlights this point and is worth reading.

4) With an extensive number of these 27 traits being derived from articles and books, it is apparent that a number of these traits can overlap. The resulting implication is that these traits can be separated into three distinct categories, be interrelated, and can be used all at the same time in teaching and conducting school bands, orchestras and choirs. In summary, through a balanced blend of personal, musical, and pedagogical traits, conductor-educators – and all music teachers, for that matter – should have and demonstrate a variety of traits, qualities, and skills with which to guide students to their own learning. By the same token, with better prepared teacher/role

Overall Ranking of Importance of Traits By Surveyed Music Teachers

Trait

Mean

Enthusiasm Aural Skills Integrity Communication Ability Self-Confidence Assertiveness Mastery of Subject Matter Human Understanding Goals and Objectives Appl. of Rehearsal Methods Personal Musicianship Understanding Instruments Self-Discipline Organizational Ability Commanding Presence Role & Performance Model Knowledge of Musical Style Musical Modeling Skills Friendliness Baton Technique Knowledge of Eval. Methods Utilization of Resources Philosophy of Education Knowledge of Music Theory Expressive Gestures Knowledge of Music History Knowledge of Psychology

4.813 4.788 4.744 4.725 4.631 4.625 4.563 4.566 4.513 4.506 4.500 4.469 4.456 4.438 4.400 4.369 4.356 4.325 4.263 4.175 4.131 4.113 3.891 3.894 3.800 3.656 3.594

Standard Deviation .422 .425 .505 .488 .610 .580 .600 .601 .663 .633 .644 .726 .717 .733 .771 .774 .772 .789 .789 .829 .817 .861 .974 .962 .917 .997 .992

Ranking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

models, students will be better prepared for the real world and to hopefully become better people. Students often remember not only how well their ensembles played, but also well they were treated as people. As the saying goes, “People only care about how much you know when they know how much you care!” Let us all continue to do our best in teaching

TABLE 2

music to today’s music students while realizing that whom we are teaching today may become tomorrow’s conductor-educators! Dr. Victor Vallo Jr. is a professor of Music and the chair of the Department of Music at Georgia College & State University (GCSU). Dr. Vallo has been conductor and guest conductor for a number of orchestras and bands around the

country, including the Immaculata Wind Symphony, Anderson Symphony Orchestra (SC), Arkansas Festival Orchestra, Alabama All-State Orchestra, and South Carolina All-State Orchestra. Currently, Dr. Vallo is the music director/conductor of the Oconee Regional Symphony Orchestra.

Ratings and Rankings By Category of the Importance of Traits by Surveyed Music Teachers

Trait

Mean

Personal Traits: Assertiveness Commanding Presence Enthusiasm Friendliness Human Understanding Integrity Organizational Ability Self-Confidence Self-Discipline OVERALL RATING/RANKING

4.625 4.400 4.813 4.263 4.556 4.744 4.438 4.631 4.456 4.547

.580 .771 .422 .789 .601 .505 .733 .610 .717 .636

6 15 1 19 8 3 14 5 13 (1st)

Musical Traits: Aural Skills Baton Technique Expressive Gestures Knowledge: Music History Knowledge: Music Theory Knowledge: Musical Styles Musical Modeling Skills Personal Musicianship Understanding Instruments OVERALL RATING/RANKING

4.788 4.175 3.800 3.656 3.894 4.356 4.325 4.500 4.469 4.218

.425 .829 .917 997 .962 .772 .789 .644 .726 .785

2 20 25 26 24 17 18 11 12 (3rd)

Pedagogical Traits: Application of Rehearsal Meth. Communication Ability Goals & Objectives Knowledge of Psychology Knowledge of Evaluation Meth. Mastery of Subject Matter Philosophy of Education Role & Performance Utilization of Resources OVERALL RATING/RANKING

4.506 4.725 4.513 3.594 4.131 4.563 3.981 4.369 4.113 4.277

.633 .488 .633 .992 .817 .600 .974 .774 .861 .759

10 4 9 27 21 7 23 16 22 (2nd)

GRAND TOTAL RATINGS:

4.347 .727

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Standard Deviation

Ranking

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SBO|UpClose Dr. Marion Roberts

Reaching People Through Music for

Over 40 Years

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ May 2012

By Eliahu Sussman

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ May 2012

t hetherehighis

school level, virtually unlimited variety within the marching arts. Some bands strive for perfection, while other bands simply play to entertain. Innovation and ambition must often be balanced with accessibility and constraints of time and funding. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Marion Roberts has performed in drum corps, presided over the Kansas Bandmasters Association, directed the Baker University March-

ing Band and even chaired their music department, among a slew of other notable posts and honors. However, now in his 27th year at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, Kansas and 42nd year as a fulltime educator, Dr. Roberts is simply trying to reach as many students as possible. In this recent conversation with SBO, Dr. Roberts reflects on the challenges of maximizing student participation in his music program and navigating bureaucracy in today’s schools. School Band & Orchestra: Would you tell me a little bit about your current program? Marion Roberts: This is my 27th year here. When we opened the school, it was the second school in the district. We initially had 54 band students. We grew to about 200 students, and they opened another high school. Then we grew to 300 students, and they opened another high school. Now our enrollment is pretty steady between 180 and 200 students in the band program. There are 1,500 students in the school itself, and there are now five schools in the Blue Valley District. We have three concert bands: a symphonic band, a concert band, and a ninth grade band. We also have a nonauditioned jazz ensemble and two pep bands that are divided evenly between the three concert bands, so all of the students are participating in the extracurricular activities. We march two marching bands. One is just the upperclassmen, grades 10-12, and then we march a second band that also includes the freshmen. They do two completely different shows. Because the ninth graders are in the school, I feel like they need to be a part of the whole program, so we incorporate them two mornings a week for a half hour, and then one evening a week for an hour, just teaching them the fundamentals of drill. We go to marching festivals every year so they have the opportunity to be involved in the evaluation process, all the home football games, and a parade so all of

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

the kids have the opportunity to experience that. SBO: Is participation in the marching band voluntary or required? MR: It’s part of the academics and a part of our curriculum. The first quarter is marching band. If a student chooses not to be in marching band, they can’t be in the symphonic band. If they’re a senior and they have a direct conflict with a required course that’s only offered at that time, then we’ll allow them to be in the symphonic band if they earn it through audition. But if they just choose not to do it, then they can only be in the concert band second semester. SBO: But it is curricular, so students are getting course credit. MR: Oh, yeah! It’s during the school day. We’ve wrestled with that over and over again because we know that some of the finest programs in the country have it before or after school, but that wouldn’t work for our kids. I think we had 30 kids who were cross country runners; we had 30 or 40 kids who are debaters; we have kids on every one of the varsity teams, and if you do it outside of school, you’re running up against those other schedules. I try to keep the kids a part of our program throughout their high school career in any way I can. It’s difficult, now that the sports are starting to be more and more intense – 12 months out of the year and practice before and after school – but the parents seem to be very appreciative that we allow the kids to be a part of the music program. They know that most of the kids are not going to go on and be professional athletes. SBO: With your ensembles all meeting during the school day, do you face challenges scheduling against other academic areas? MR: Not at all! In fact, we had one Presidential Scholar in band last year and another one in band this year. We have 10 kids that were National Merit finalists in the band. The gifted program at our school loves us because our kids have a chance to use a different part of their brain. It’s that whole

“music makes you smarter” thing. They really have bought into the fact that our kids are well rounded. Part of that is that we are flexible. We have kids that are missing school – and band – to be on a robotics team that travels. We have kids that are entered in science competitions. And we just say, “Great!” Just like any other team, we wish them well. But we’ve kept them involved with the program. We’ve been very fortunate – knock on wood. Music is an integral part of the curriculum at all five high schools in the district. I know it just sounds like propaganda, but the kids who are enrolled in instrumental music do indeed succeed at a greater level than those who do not. We haven’t had to sell people on that; they have bought into it on their own. At the University of Kansas medical school, there is a band, an orchestra, and a choir because so many med school students performed in the band, orchestra, and choir when they were in high school or as undergraduates. Parents understand, and they’re

probably our greatest support. They feel very strongly about our kids being a part of our family. They know that teachers and the other students here care about their children. It’s a very diverse group. Within our band program, we have national merit kids and kids who are trying to figure out how to put their horns together. We’re not one of the big go-tocontest bands. We try to not take up every weekend because, between all of their other events, the kids might have an opportunity to stay with our program. They don’t have to make a choice between us and another activity and we’ve had pretty good luck keeping kids involved for those reasons. SBO: Is it more that you don’t think that festivals and competitions are an integral part of the high school music experience or are you simply prioritizing in a different direction? MR: Prioritizing in a different direction. I spent nine years marching with

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

drum corps – I love drum corps. And I think for my kids who want to do that, that’s where they should go. But my personal feeling is that we’re becoming coaches with instruments, and that part of our program then becomes, “We have to succeed by beating somebody else.” While competition is a part of our lives, my philosophy has always been that the kids should be competing against themselves, doing better than they did yesterday, and just continuing to improve. We don’t march as well as some of the other bands in our district. They’re fine band programs and they’re well rounded. They’re also half our size. We always have first division ratings at festivals, but that hasn’t been the reason we’ve ever gone. I wrestle with it more than anyone else. The parents like it because they compare the schedule we have to other schools, and say, “I’m glad my son or daughter can also do other things.” I wrestle with it as a band director, thinking, “Shouldn’t we be going to contests every week so that we can put ourselves up against our peer groups?” The administration at this school, along with the students, has said, “No, please don’t; we really like it the way it is.” We’re part of the fabric of the school. And I’m not throwing stones at people who do those things. Like I said earlier, I have swimmers that are here at five o’clock in the morning. If we start putting in two-hour practices, I’m going to lose many of my students. I know some people will say, “Well, people have to make choices.” But my thought is, “they don’t have to make a choice to make music.” It’s about keeping kids in my class and teaching them to love music. Later in life, I want them to be a part of our educated audiences. SBO: What is your approach to how you run the marching bands at Blue Valley North? MR: What’s happened over the years is that, increasingly, people have been doing shows that are designed to be observed by other marching bands, and not necessarily by the public. We’ve tried to maintain that entertainment factor. Our major goal, honestly, is to entertain crowds at our football games. If we took that away, people 36

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

could care less if we had a marching band. While we’re doing that, we also want the kids to raise their expectations and performance level, and that’s why we do at least two marching festivals every year. Every time we take the field, I tell my students that they’re competing against themselves, and also with the audiences. When we go to the evaluative festivals, we are realistic enough to not take them to some of the Bands of America festivals, because we won’t do well there. We haven’t spent the time to perfect the idiosyncrasies and micro-movements that it takes to be successful in that arena. But we are competitive in that we have done well and are

“I know some people will say, ‘Well, people have to make choices.’ But my thought is, ‘They don’t have to make a choice to make music.’”

Blue Valley North High School Band

At a Glance

Location: 12200 Lamar Avenue, Overland Park, Ks. On the Web: www.bluevalleyk12.org/bvn/band Students in School: 1,550 Students in Instrumental Music: 280 Band Director: Dr. Marion Roberts Ensembles: 2 Marching Bands 3 Concert Bands 2 Pep Bands Jazz Ensemble

typically rated well, and our scores in the music are always rated as highly or better than anyone else’s. SBO: How do you balance the latest trends in marching band without becoming too esoteric or specialized? MR: I worry about that a lot. We don’t do a lot of the new movements. Last year we purchased new uniforms, and many bands now are going with 14” or 15” plumes, and offset – things that will make it look unusual. Well, we have a traditional cadet-style uniform that has been modified over the years to keep it contemporary with current lines. We try to do shows that are really popular and current. We’ve done a couple Gary Gilmore shows, and people have really enjoyed them. But I have trouble justifying the expense of the music rather than concert instruments, concert music – budgetary concerns enter the process, too. Our students have to pay to be a member of the band program. They pay $100 as freshmen, and $200 to be in the upperclassmen band. Some of the other schools

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in our area charge $1,000 to be in the band. Then you get the problem of parents saying, “We can’t afford that.” However, people don’t call us and say, “I can’t afford to be in band, I’m sorry. We’re going to take biology this semester”; they just don’t appear anymore. So we’ve fought really hard to keep our cost at a minimum. For the kind of program that I operate, I just can’t see the worth of the expense for going to contest every week, building props, commissioning the music to be arranged specifically for them, coming up with the design, and so on. SBO: Do you have any advice for other directors as far as handling budgets and finances? MR: The paper work, the rules, and the expectations are a brave new world for teachers just entering the field. There are great student teachers that come through here, and there is no way that they have any kind of experience with the red tape that we all have to deal with. Each school is different in that regard. Around here, administrators ask all new

teachers, “Do you want anything you say to appear on the front page of the Kansas City Star tomorrow morning?” The budget should be handled the same way. It is a business. As much as we’d like to think that this is our chance to help young people – and that part is true – it’s also a business. Because of the amount of money that we’re dealing with and the liabilities that we incur by doing what we do with travel and everything else, we really need to have a checklist of all the loose ends. It’s hard to expect the universities to teach everything. I got my masters in education and my doctorate in performance because I wanted to be able to play in both courts of the old battle of practicing the craft versus studying the craft. We need to add a component to that on promoting the program. The best advice is to meet the bookkeeper in the school and ask some questions. Our new teachers get a pamphlet on dealing with the budget and meeting the district’s expectations. Like any job, you learn more in your first year doing it than you ever did in college. Don’t be afraid to ask ques-

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

tions. As I tell my students, if you don’t know the answer to something, don’t assume that you’re the only person who doesn’t know. We’re lucky to have a really hardnosed bookkeeper who scares the bejesus out of me. And now I’ve learned that she’s just keeping me out of jail. So to answer your question, ask questions and don’t surprise anybody: make sure your bookkeeper and principal know what you’re doing. Leave a paper trail.

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SBO: As you see it, what’s the role of the music program in schools these days? MR: I think it’s to teach students about the history, the styles, the great composers, why the music was written, how it makes you feel, and what it was intended to do. Basically, it’s to try to help students understand the intrinsic value of music, what makes it so special, and how kids can connect with the music in their own lives. We have kids who don’t succeed at very many other things, but they do

succeed at music. And we have kids that succeed at everything, and they also succeed at music. It’s a part of being human that music is important to us. We get caught up with, “Here’s how you hold your lips,” and “Here’s how you hold your horn,” but for the kids, it’s all about the satisfaction of producing something. They are the ones who are making the sound. SBO: What are the most important lessons that you’ve learned over the course of your many years as an educator? MR: That the kids are so smart. Every one of these kids has so many amazing talents. It’s just fun to watch them grow up, to watch them develop from being like turnips to being people. They’re all delightful. I haven’t had one kid that I can say, “I wish I hadn’t had that kid.” Really. They all contribute something to my life, too. They’re just really fun to be around. And it’s fun to have them make music. When they feel the music, that’s when it gets really fun.

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Boy, there have been lots of lessons. You’re going to get beat up some. I’ve done so many things wrong over the years that sometimes I feel fortunate to have a job. But you learn how to dodge bullets and if you’re trying to do a good job and your intent really is to help the kids, you’ll get a lot of support. One of the lessons is that you’re not going to please everybody all the time. That’s a hard lesson, because a lot of us are pleasers. The other lesson is to continually learn. I learned so many things here that I never thought I would ever want to learn. The accounting principles we talked about, and how to deal with so many different varieties of people. It’s wonderful to be in a culture here where we have large Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, and Catholic communities, and everyone gets along. It’s fun to watch these people work together. If the world could work together as well as these people do, it would be magical.

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Bringing out the best in US

Survey: Festivals

Trending:

Festivals

n the microcosm of an instrumental music program, participation in a music festival is typically one of the primary highlights of the year. When else do music students have the opportunity to show

off the fruits of a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of labor to a peer audience, receive feed-

back from professional adjudicators, and bond with each other and members of other school ensembles? This recent SBO educator survey uncorks the latest trends on these events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; what directors are looking for when selecting a festival, tips on performance, another chapter in the old competitive versus non-competitive debate, and much more.

School Band and Orchestra â&#x20AC;˘ May 2012

Competitive

18% What are the most important criteria when selecting a band/orchestra festival to attend?

46%

Location/Venue

26%

Noted adjudicators

15%

Extracurricular/non-musical activities

Festival size (number of participants)

Judges’ feedback

Location/Venue

20%

The experience of watching peer ensembles

Noted adjudicators

20%

Camaraderie within the music program

19%

The experience of performing in a unique venue

15% Extracurricular/non-musical “When I plan a trip, the focus isactivities musical. The trip is just an excuse to give the students a novel 9%experience. learning destination has Festival size However, (number ofthe participants) Competitive to be appealing to the students.” 4% 18% Salvatore Terrasi Prestige Shorewood High School Shorewood, Wis. We attend both types of festival

Non Competitive Do you prefer the festivals your groups attend to be: 54%

28%

Competitive

18%

28%

We attend both types of festival Judges’ feedback

20%

28% The experience of watching peer ensembles

20%

Camaraderie within the music program

19%

The experience of performing in a unique venue

Non Competitive

54%

“Both have value. I have attended excellent 9%28% Ratings Judges’ feedback

competitive and non-competitive events. It is the critique, clinicians, and concerts that make the 2% 20% The placement experience of watching peer ensembles eventCompetitive worthwhile.” John Syverson 2%20% Other Camaraderie within the music program Fargo South High Fargo, N.D.

19%

What are the most important takeaways from the festivals your students attend?

28%

4% 46% Prestige 26%

students were transient compared to when they got togetherWetoattend share.” both Dean Lamp types of festival Non Competitive Glidden-Ralston 54% 28% Glidden, Iowa

The experience of performing in a unique venue

“The best festivals get student musicians to9% gether toRatings share. Competition is okay, but it would never be my reason for taking my band or indi2% students Competitive vidual to aplacement festival. Note: That has not always been my position. A decade ago my band 2% was one Other of the most competition-oriented in my state. A series of extremely successful competitions led me to realize that the benefits to the

9% 2% 2%

Ratings Competitive placement Other

“We are so busy in our own little musical world at school that we sometimes lose focus on the bigger picture – sharing our music with others. It’s impor28% tant to be able to hear other groups and get feedback I prefer to from respected professionals, and to share what we’re program easier doing in our program.” music that can 72% Marianne Ball be played I prefer to La Salle High School flawlessly. challenge Union Gap, Wash.

my students, even if that means “Band festivals tend to attract the best bands in our they don’t perform 28% area. It’s great for our kids to as hear well. these ensembles.” I prefer to David M. Miller program easier Valley Middle School music that can Apple Valley, Minn. 72% be played I prefer to flawlessly. “I want my students to reflect on what the judges told challenge my students, us, accept the rating we received, and, most of all, watch if that means the other groups andeven support their performances.” they don’t perform Kurt Stalmann as well.

Santana High School Santee, Calif.

What are the latest trends that you’ve noticed in the music festivals your groups attend?

“I am certainly seeing more festivals add a clinic component. This has been a healthy development.” Patrick J. Kearney Johnston High School Johnston, Iowa. School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

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46% We invite your Band/Orchestra to perform at Location/Venue CARNEGIE HALL as part of our annual 26% Noted adjudicators concert series on April 16, 2013

Opportunity for 15%Middle Extracurricular/non-musical activities schools on May 17, 2013. A 9% Festival professional clinic followed size (number of participants) by an evening group concert 4% Marching Bands participate in at Molloy College.Prestige the St. Patrickʼs Day Parade Please contact us for more details

FOUR WINDS TOURS & TRAVEL TOLL FREE: 1-800-896-3858 WEBSITE: WWW.FOURWINDSTOURS.COM Competitive

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We attend both types of festival

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“I am noticing that there are more independent festivals being run at schools and universities rather than just having the state music educators groups sponsored festival.” David Lesser Clovis North Educational Center Fresno, Calif. “Festivals seem to be allowing more time for bands to mingle. A definite positive!” John Stetler Elida High School Elida, Ohio “Band (directors) are too concerned about the level of music they are performing, even if it does not fit their ensemble. Just because you’ve always performed ‘level 6’ in the past does not mean it will always fit your group. Second to that is the value placed on trophies. The takeaways should be, ‘How did your students feel about the performance?’ And, ‘Did it move the listener?’” Michael Walsh Alpharetta High School Alpharetta, Ga. In a festival setting, how do you balance challenging your students with demanding repertoire versus selecting music you know they can perform really well?

Non Competitive

28%

Judges’ feedback

20%

The experience of watching peer ensembles

20%

Camaraderie within the music program

19%

The experience of performing in a unique venue

All Together Now! 9%

I prefer to program easier music that can be played flawlessly.

Ratings

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“This is a very fine balance. Overprogramming is the vanity of high school directors. I challenge my students with music that should be achievable within their instrumentation and potential.” James Quirion Cypress High School Cypress, Calif.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

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72%

I prefer to challenge my students, even if that means they don’t perform as well.

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“I think it is important to play music that your kids can play flawlessly at a contest. I push the kids with harder literature at their other concerts through out the year.” Hugh Grubbs Graham Junior High School Graham, Texas

Do you have any special tricks or tips for preparing students for a festival performance?

“I try to get the dimensions of the stage, then set my band hall to match.” Cynthia Mixon Kelly Lane Middle School Pflugerville, Texas

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“‘Repetition is the mother of skill.’ We will spend a lot of time in sectionals, lessons and good old wood-shedding the pieces so as to address all the concerns and challenges of the pieces we select.” D. Thomas Busch Pulaski High School Pulaski, Wis. “The day before our ensembles participate in an away festival we schedule a two-hour rehearsal/clinic conducted by music staff of a university in the area of the festival. After the clinic, we tour the campus and eat real college food. For some of my students, it is their first time on a college campus. A university director telling my students the same things that I have been saying for months really gets them ready for the festival.” John Mueller Incline Middle School Incline Village, Nev. “I do a substantial amount of recording-playback so the students can acts as the Adjudicator as well as the Performer, with total objectivity as the goal. In addition, I’ll often record an excerpt and play it back for the students, immediately followed by a second playback of the same excerpt as performed by a college or professional ensemble. I have also invented an objective self-and-peer evaluation program that I’ve used for the past decade; it allows students to use an easyto-understand rubric to assess their own performance. In addition, I use a lot of ‘randomness’ techniques within the daily rehearsals (for example, I’ll say, ‘Now let’s hear the same passage but only the 2nd and 3rd chair players should perform; now only the Freshmen & Sophomore class; now only the females,’ and so on).” Robin Linaberry Maine-Endwell High School Endwell, N.Y. Get Your FREE SBO iPad edition at the App Store

Report: El Sistema

El Sistema

in the United States Foothold found, but governing body still undefined

usic

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

programs

jor orchestras, universities, schools, and arts and cultural centers from Florida to Maine and Southern California to Alaska, there are now more than 50 individual programs that share a mission of improving communities through the rigorous teaching of children and young people to play orchestral music. While most reports on this exciting and widely heralded movement in the United States indicate a rapid-fire expansion, the future of an umbrella organization or national governing body for El Sistema-inspired programs in this country is still unclear.

A student from Baltimore’s ORCHKids. Photo by Bill Denison. 10

School Band and Orchestra • Janaury 2012

Roundtable(report).indd 10

education

modeled after El Sistema, the Venezuelan movement

of social empowerment through classical music, continue to multiply and flourish in the United States. Affiliated with ma-

1/5/12 3:04 PM

Technology: Distance Learning

Music Technology Courses & Workshops By John Kuzmich, Jr.

echnology is changing how we deliver education. However, getting up to speed on the innovative opportunities that come with new software and hardware can be helped by an occasional jumpstart. At the end of this column is a link to a listing of over 130 online workshops and course

offerings that cover every aspect of music technology education. While traditional travel and housing expenses have been eliminated, you’ll need four things to participate: a fast internet connection (broad-

band or higher); a Pentium 4 computer or a Mac (with 4 GBs of RAM); a microphone connected to the computer; and access to videoconferencing software for the interactive classes. GoToMeeting and WebEX are popular examples of videoconferencing software that work well over broadband internet connections without special hardware requirements. Skype also offers multipoint conferencing. Webcams are usually optional, although many laptops now include built in cameras. Distance-learning instruction comes in two styles of delivery: synchronous and asynchronous. Asynchronous classes offer pre-recorded lectures and demonstrations, while synchronous is live, real-time interactive streaming over the Internet. Some asynchronous workshops offer live chat sessions so students can interact occasionally with the teacher; these are called “blended learning.” Blended learning may also have prerecorded material presented after the live chatroom transmissions. Three model approaches for distancelearning featured here are: lynda.com, berkleemusic.com, and IUPUI. Lynda. com offers well over 50 asynchronous courses for quick and easy training on a monthly subscription basis. Berkleemusic.com offers blended learning instruction. IUPUI offers both asynchronous and synchronous instruction.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Three Models of Distance-Learning Instruction Lynda.com Technically, lynda.com is not distance learning. Rather, it’s an online resource for anyone who wants to learn software, technology, business, or creative skills without academic pressure. With a lynda. com subscription, members receive access to the entire library of video tutorials in nine different content areas: 3D/Animation, Business, Design, Developer, Home Computing, Photography, Video, Web/ Interactive, and, perhaps most useful for our purposes, Audio. This helpful structure has been in place since 2002 when Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin began posting training videos online at www. lynda.com. With over one million individual, corporate, academic, and government subscribers, lynda.com was recently ranked the 13th fastest-growing, privately-held education company in the U.S. by Inc. magazine. Schools are partnering with lynda.com so students and teachers can stay on top of ever-evolving technology. Lynda.com currently offers 50 courses

that focus on teaching digital audio tools and skills, such as mixing, mastering, music production, recording, and scoring and composition. For example, there are courses in audio software such as Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Garage Band, Soundbooth, Finale, Reason, Sibelius, and Soundtrack ProTools. They also offer courses to learn skills surrounding these digital tools, such as Digital Audio Principles, Foundations of Audio, and Audio Mixing Bootcamp. Courses vary in length. For example, Pro Tools 10 is a nine-hour course and iTunes Essential Training is a four-and-ahalf-hour course. However, each course is divided into bite-sized sections so students can learn at their own pace. There is no homework (or grades) associated with the video tutorials. Students either need to own the software or have access to it. Since all of the courses are video courses, the faster the Internet connection, the better. Their service requires up to 440 KB/s per individual user. With self-directed asynchronous learning, you go at your own pace and direct your own learning path.

There is no need to send large data files. All of the lynda.com courses are available online. Lynda.com is always publishing new courses for further learning, and are often the first to offer training when new software versions are released on Mac, PC, mobile, and tablet technology. There are no deadlines for completing any courses all of which are available for a monthly subscription fee. This approach allows the flexibility to be able to watch a course from beginning to end, watch numerous courses in one session, or watch specific videos that cover particular skills and topics. Linda.com also provides 24/7 access to the library from a Mac, PC, smart phone, or tablet. Berkleemusic.com Berkleemusic.com was launched in 2002 and now offers 150+ courses and certificate programs. The purpose of berkleemusic.com is to provide avenues for learning music technology instruction either for recertification or academic expertise. Music technology changes so fast that it is essential that there be avenues for such

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study, and the variety and wealth/depth of instruction at Berklee is incredible. A maximum of 20 students per class allows for more personal interaction between students and teacher. For larger classes, Berklee offers multiple sections of a course to keep that ratio. Out of the 150 courses, there are many areas of music technology with which to engage. The music production area, for example, has between 30 and 35 courses. There are professional certificate programs, such as their most popular course of study, music production and technology, which is a collection of 12 different courses. In music production, there are about 30 courses and 20 certificates that give students more than 50 options of study. Because of the number of courses offered, students can become very proficient in what’s being taught. There are abundant courses for entry, intermediate, and advanced levels: four or five ProTools courses and advanced mixing and mastering techniques ranging from Music 101 to 301. Professional students have taken courses while on tour, including musicians from groups like

Sugarland and the Dave Matthews Band. Every course is 12 weeks long and available on Mac and PC. Berklee doesn’t offer any short-term courses. Within every course, there is a one-hour chat interaction on a weekly basis. The live chat uses WebEx to coordinate all students in the class. The teacher uses video, audio, and screen-sharing to answer questions and may add additional information to the course in the weekly chat session. For the rest of the instruction, the student does the work privately in an asynchronous mode. Generally, five hours of outside home is required for every hour of on-line instruction each week (chat, assignments, and quizzes). Students generally own their own software, but Berklee has partnered with companies directly to provide educational discounts for such programs as ProTools, Aberton Live, Logic, Sonar, and Cubase. They also use freeware, like a. Every course has hardware and software requirements, but Internet speed requirements are not that specific. Webcams are not required, but some teachers may request them.

IUPUI Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) has a long history of innovative leadership in music technology offerings at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and IUPUI is currently developing a doctorate program in music technology. Some undergraduate courseware is transmitted over public television, while others are delivered asynchronously over the Internet. Most graduate degree courses are transmitted synchronously with a few courses utilizing podcasts or recorded video. IUPUI offers 10 online courses, plus elective courses for the masters degree in Music Technology and 10 courses for the masters degree in Music Therapy program. All elective courses and three of the music technology core courses are available to students who are not enrolled in a degree. These include: Music Website Development, Using Flash, Using ProTools, Using Finale, Sound Design, Teaching at a Distance, Teaching with Social Media, and the yearly International Music Technology Conference and

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Workshop. The average course has 42 hours of instruction for students. There is a designated time limit which conforms to university deadlines for completion of campus courses, usually a day or two after the final exam period. The faster the Internet connection the better, but students can use DSL at 768k or cable internet connections at 1.4 Mbps. All graduate courses have access to a live chat during class through Adobe Connect Pro and Oncourse. Students may also videoconference through Connect Pro during class and can Skype or iChat with an instructor or chat online outside of class meetings. The music department uses Tandberg’s H.323 MOVI system for high-end videoconferencing. Students do not need a webcam for any class. The department’s courseware is Mac and PC compatible. IUPUI runs their annual International Music Technology Conference and Workshop during the third week of June. This year it will be held June 20-23, 2012. It is videostreamed live with on-campus students present.

School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Closing Comments There are so many ways to access the latest learning in music technology. Examine the directory for a myriad of topics via both on-site and distant-learning. Hopefully, you will find what meets your needs and incorporate technology skills in your teaching. Also, check out the web supplement at: www.kuzmich.com/ musictech12.html for late submissions. You might also consider earning a professional music technology certificate offered by TI:ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators), which has workshops taught by their certified instructors from coast to coast. The April 2009 and 2010 issues of SBO magazine will give you good look at TI:ME and its advantages for music educators. Many of their workshops are listed in this directory. I invite you to peruse this directory of music technology classes for opportunities in professional growth and career development. On-campus instruction is represented coast-to-coast. Distance learning is everywhere. This is a rich resource for both summer study and year-round learning.

Dr. John Kuzmich Jr. is a veteran music educator, jazz educator and music technologist with more than 41 years of public school teaching experience. He is a TI:ME-certified training instructor and has a Ph.D. in comprehensive musicianship. As a freelance author, Dr. Kuzmich has more than 400 articles and five text books published. As a clinician, Dr. Kuzmich frequently participates in workshops throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and South America. For more information, visit www.kuzmich.com.

To view the music tech workshop directory, scan this image with your smart phone or visit sbomagazine.com.

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Tycoon Percussion recently introduced its newest Supremo Select (Chiseled Orange) Series for 2012. Catered to the novice and amateur player, these competitively priced products are constructed of high-quality sustainably harvested Siam Oak wood and feature a new, innovative design of Tycoon’s signature handcrafted texture. The Supremo Select Series is available in Congas (10” + 11” with double stand available with Randall May AIRLift™ technology), Bongos (7” + 8.5”), and Djembes (10” and 12” Traditional African Roped Cajon). Hand carved Hardwood body with Beech wood front plate.

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ScoreCleaner Plug and Play Notation

ScoreCleaner provides a quick and easy tool for noting music as it’s played. After opening the software, users simply connect their MIDi instrument to the computer device and start playing. The piece they’ve played is notated in the “listening window.” Double click on it and ScoreCleaner converts it into notation, automatically detecting time signature, key, tempo, polyphony, smallest note value, and much more. This on-the-fly ability makes it possible to produce instantly playable sheet music during in a rehearsal or during a music lesson. Notation can be saved in MusicXML or MIDI format and imported into a user’s preferred editing program. Arranging voices in ScoreCleaner is designed to be very simple, using the progam’s “Overdub” function to add voices to the basic notation. Score-

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Alfred Music Publishing American Way Marketing LLC Antigua Winds, Inc. J.J. Babbitt Co. Inc. Band Today LLC Bari Woodwinds Beret’s Publications Bob Rogers Travel Brightspark Inc Burkart-Phelan Carnegie Hall Cascio Interstate Music Company Charms Office Assistant Colonial Williamsburg DeMoulin EPN Travel Services Festivals of Music Festivals of Music Four Winds Travel & Tour Full Compass Gateway Shoes Gator Cases Good for the Goose Products GraceNotes, LLC Hunter Music Instrument Inc. Jarvis Industries Inc. KIconcerts Krispy Kreme Donut Corp. Fred J. Miller Pearl Corp. Performing Arts Consultants Peterson Strobe Tuners Pocket Songs/Music Minus One Rada Mfg. Co. Rivar’s Row-Loff Productions Dan Ryder Field Drills Dan Ryder Field Drills SKB Corp. Stanbury Uniforms Stormworks Super-Sensitive Musical String Co. The Synthesis MIDI Workshop The Tuba Exchange, Inc. Up-Front Footwear Inc. Vic Firth Company Vic Firth Company Woodwind & Brasswind Avedis Zildjian Co.

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School Band and Orchestra • May 2012

Save The Date!

Jazz Education Network 4th Annual Conference Networking the jazz arts community... local to global!

Atlanta, Georgia January 2-5, 2013 The Jazz Education Network

is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences. For complete membership information/beneďŹ ts please visit us at: