SBO October 2009

OCTOBER 2009 $5.00

Piping Up In Normal, Illinois Report: Music Community Success Story Survey: Print Music

Contents 18

12

October 2009

Features 12

UPFRONT Q&A: SUSAN WEBER NYSSMA president Susan Weber gives some assurance that all is well with school music programs across the state of New York.

18

HEALTH: LIP CARE Dan Gosling, professional trumpeter and founder of Chop Savers lip balm, presents tips on caring for lips.

22

UPCLOSE: LISA PRESTON Lisa Preston, band director of Normal Community West High School, in Normal Ill., chats with SBO about her blossoming music program.

34

REPORT: MUSIC COMMUNITY SUCCESS STORY With a new performing arts center in the works, this profile of Richmond, Kentucky shows a thriving music community that is providing fantastic opportunities for music students.

38

SURVEY: PRINT MUSIC SBO readers share their thoughts on finding and buying repertoire.

42

TECHNOLOGY: ADMIN APPLICATIONS John Kuzmich highlights applications that can assist with the mundane, non-musical tasks every music teacher must contend with.

22

Columns 4 6 45

Perspective Headlines New Products

46 47 48

Playing Tip Classifieds Ad Index

Cover photo by Daniel Keefe, Bloomington, Ill. 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 © 2009 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.

2 School Band and Orchestra October 2009

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Perspective

An Inside Look

®

October 2009 Volume 12, Number 10

GROUP PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com

T

he flute has always been a favorite choice among young students just starting out in music. Its ethereal and beautiful quality of sound, its compact size, the glint of its silver, and its ease of transport make it one of the most often chosen instruments. This month’s SBO UpClose focus on Lisa Preston provides insight into a teacher who has capitalized on her admiration for the flute and how she has incorporated it into her thriving music program at Normal Community West High School in Normal, Illinois.

The flute choir offers flautists (or flute players, as a famous musician once noted, “I’m not a flautist, because I don’t play the flaute!”) a great opportunity to be heard without being overpowered by the brass, percussion, and other woodwinds. Preston also takes advantage of the portability of the flute to bring her flute ensemble to a local cancer center and other hospitals where people can benefit from the dulcet tones of her group.

Not only does she offer a flute choir and a clarinet choir, but her program has all students involved in numerous other small ensembles “The flute choir as she believes that “everyone should have some sort of chamber experience.” offers flautists a Stepping onto the brass side of this edition of SBO, great opportunity trumpeter Dan Gosling makes an important case for helpto be heard without ing one maintain their brass chops while minimizing the being overpowered chance for damage. He takes an in-depth look at the mechanics of the lips and embouchure, and how, just like by the brass, an athlete, you need to listen to your muscles. Today’s percussion, and athletes “alternate their workouts in a pattern of stress other woodwinds.” followed by recovery. If we don’t include recovery, …our bodies will force us to rest by breaking down.” This especially means learning to know when a musician should give their lips the rest that is needed so they don’t become overstressed and cause greater, or sometimes permanent damage.

This month’s edition of SBO also provides an insightful look into the synergistic relationship between a public school system’s music program, a state college, and the local arts community, and how these can work effectively to build a stronger music and arts education program. This story, A Profile of an Arts-Supporting Community: Richmond, Kentucky, shows an extraordinary effort between local government, high school administrators, and how they have interacted to help produce a vibrant educational, professional, and collegiate music community. I believe that you’ll find these intriguing articles a wonderful source of exciting ideas, so read on!

PUBLISHER Richard E. Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com Editorial Staff

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christian Wissmuller

cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com

EDITOR Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Denyce Neilson dneilson@symphonypublishing.com Art Staff

PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill

lguptill@symphonypublishing.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Advertising Staff

ADVERTISING SALES Iris Fox

ifox@symphonypublishing.com

CLASSIFIED SALES Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com Business Staff

CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com WEBMASTER Sanford Kearns skearns@symphonypublishing.com Symphony Publishing, LLC

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

www.sbomagazine.com

Member 2009

Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com

4 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

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Keepin’ HeadLines BU School of Music Appoints New Director

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obert K. Dodson will serve as the new director of the School of Music in the Boston University College of Fine Arts. Dodson comes to Boston University from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he was director of the Division of Music in the Meadows School of the Arts.

As director of the BU School of Music, Dodson will oversee a resident undergraduate and graduate student body of 500, online graduate programs in music education, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, a summer program for high school musicians.

To learn more, visit www.bu.edu.

U.S. Marine Band Prepares for Concert Tour

T

he U.S. Marine Band began two weeks of rehearsals dedicated to preparing for its National Concert Tour in October. The band’s first concert was slated for 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3 at Everett Civic Auditorium in Everett, Wash., and will perform 29 concerts in 31 days throughout Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, and southern Nevada. The tour will conclude at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2 at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on the campus of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

Tour concerts will include music by John Philip Sousa, John Williams, Sergei Prokofiev, Gustav Holst, Hector Berlioz, Aaron Copland, Frank Ticheli, Paul Hindemith, and Dmitri Shostakovich. The concerts are free, but tickets are required.

For concert and ticket information, visit www.marineband.usmc.mil.

Jazz Documentary Drums Up Support for High School Music Programs

V

Official Sponsor of

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irgil Films & Entertainment has announced the release of the documentary film, CHOPS, directed by Bruce Broder, which follows T.J., Owen and other high school jazz students from around the country as they prepare for and perform in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. In partnership with B-Side Entertainment and Jazz at Lincoln Center, the film is being offered nationwide as a resource to bring awareness to the importance of arts education, as a fundraising tool for school arts and music programs, and as an educational platform for teachers.

CHOPS will be screened at schools and theaters this fall leading up to and through the DVD release date of October 6th. A special educational edition complete with lesson plans will be made available later in the year.

Educators are encouraged to book their own screenings of CHOPS in their school as a way to fundraise for arts education programs. As a part of this program, screening hosts may charge whatever admission they like and keep 100 percent of the proceeds.

To find out more, visit www.chopsthemovie.com.

HeadLines Michelle Obama Leads Pittsburgh Arts Tour As world leaders converged in Pittsburgh, Pa. for the G-20 summit, arts advocate and First Lady Michelle Obama entertained their spouses by taking them on a cultural tour of the city. The visit included a stop at a performing arts school, the Pittsburgh Creative & Performing Arts, which serves over 800 full-time students studying instrumental and vocal music, dance, acting, writing, and other creative arts. Michelle Obama’s group peeked into classrooms and observed students preparing rehearsals, before being entertained by a special performance from the students, along with some established stars, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma, country superstar Trisha Yearwood, and singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. The tour also included visits to a local farm owned by Teresa Heinz Kerry and to the Andy Warhol Museum.

(Source: AP)

8 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

Registration Open for Shure’s Recording Competition

O

pen to university and college students nationwide, the registration for Shure’s sixth annual “Fantastic Scholastic” recording competition will remain open until October 19, 2009. A random drawing, on or about October 20, 2009, will determine the ten competing schools, each of which will receive a standardized “mic locker” from Shure that must be used to complete every recording project submitted.

Competing teams from each school are required to record and mix an original piece of music. Their submission will be judged by a panel of industry professionals who will evaluate the recordings based upon their overall fidelity, clarity, sonic balance, and creativity in selection and placement of the microphones.

More information can be found at www.shure.com/contest.

Secretary Duncan on the Record

U

.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan held a recent town hall forum in Sacramento, Calif. In response to a question from a community member about promoting arts in schools, Duncan said, “It’s always the arts that get cut when money gets tight, (but) it’s often band, choir, musicals, being on a sports team, being on a debate team that keep children in school. We cannot afford to narrow the curriculum, and (teaching the arts) is one the best underutilized strategies for keeping children in school.”

(Source: Sacramento Press)

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HeadLines Valley Head Students Form Volunteer Band After Cuts

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alley Head High School, in Valley Head, Alabama has lost its music department to budget cuts. There are currently no music classes being offered to the approximately 250 students in grades 7-12; yet, a small group of students are taking matters into their own hands. For the 2009-2010 school year, 13 students and a band director have formed a band on their own, to support the school’s football team and keep music at the school alive. As a purely volunteer effort, they rehearse outside of the school day, and the students will not receive any school credit for their time. The director receives a small stipend from a booster organization, and the band receives a share of the proceeds from concession sales at the football games. While their status as a volunteer band severely restricts the events in which they can participate, their hope is to simply keep music at the school going so that administrators might opt to hire a new band director next year.

(Source: times-journal.com)

Online Survey Results Do you receive help with your ensembles from student teachers who are studying music ed at local colleges and universities?

41% 14% 45%

I ha

Yes, I do Not yet, but I plan to No, I don’t

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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AMM president and CEO Joe Lamond recently appeared on “Huckabee,” a weekly FOX News and commentary program hosted by former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, to launch the Wanna Play Fund, which seeks public donations to support programs and activities that strengthen music education in schools and provide opportunities for people of all ages to learn to play music. The launch also featured students from Jersey City, N.J., who have started playing music in a program that was restored with instrument donations from NAMM’s partner organization, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which will assist the NAMM Foundation and the Wanna Play Fund with future instrument donations to schools.

For more information about the Wanna Play Fund or to contribute to it, visit www.nammfoundation.org or e-mail info@nammfoundation.org.

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• All instrumental and choral performances will be held Friday at a local High School auditorium.

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SBOUpfrontQ&A: NYSSMA’s Susan Weber

New York, New York

A

ccording to the 2008 census estimates, New York is home to just under 20 million people, making it the third-most populous state in the U.S. New York City alone, with more than a million elementary and high school students, has more schoolchildren than eight other U.S. states combined. Between the dense populations of New York City and the rural out-

reaches of many of the Upstate regions, there is considerable diversity in schools and school music programs, to say the least.

While it’s hard to imagine that any one person would have a firm grasp on everything that’s happening in music programs across such a broad-ranging state, Susan Weber, president of the New York State School Music Association, has her finger on the pulse of New York’s music programs as much as anyone. SBO recently caught up with Weber, who insists that, in spite of nation-wide economic turmoil, her state is doing just fine.

Susan Webber

School Band and Orchestra: The past year has been extremely tumultuous for many areas of the United States. How are music programs holding up across New York?

Susan Weber: This year, we expected to see a lot of cutbacks, but

12 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

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we didn’t end up seeing as many as we were expecting. People lost positions, but mostly it was from retiring teachers who were not replaced. So, while positions were cut, it was minimal, and, in a sense, some of those cuts probably would have been made anyway. It’s almost like the economy gave administrators the opportunity to trim back staffing in programs that probably benefited from the adjustments anyway.

SBO: Like a clearing of the underbrush?

SW: In a sense. We keep hearing that fewer teachers will be allowed to go to conferences, but we in NYSSMA have not felt that yet. Our numbers are still up. We do our conferences in December, and last year, even though we had already heard about some of the cutbacks, people had already been approved to attend our conference, and we had our biggest attendance year ever. From what

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SBO: Was there anything that your organization was doing to potentially soften the blow of economic hardship on music programs in New York?

SW: On our executive council, which is comprised of representatives from all over the state, we spent a lot of time discussing economic issues and finding out what problems we might see, and trying to give people helpful hints. We expanded our advocacy page on our Web site so that people would have resources to go to. However, at the state level, we have a very strong policy to discourage fighting for funding with other programs within the same district. If cuts are made they should be equal across the board and not

“It’s so important to remind everyone that we teach so many things other than just how to play music.�

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SBO: While everyone has access to advice on the NYSSMA Web site, is there anything in particular that you think that educators everywhere should really be keying in on?

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SW: We have to remember that music, from all levels, whether it’s performance-based or classroom-based, reaches students in a whole different way from most other subjects. We reach students that nobody else reaches. I’ve always had a few students who only come to school because of their music classes.

That’s an important thing to keep in mind. Music programs are expensive, there’s no question about it, but they’re important to the well-rounded student, and they’re critical to the many students who gravitate towards us.

The big idea in publicity these days is that students who do well in music will do well in math. Well why is that? Is it that music makes them better mathematicians? Maybe. Does math make students better musicians? Maybe. Or is it that there are certain parts of the brain

that work well in one subject and will work well in the other? Music stimulates that part of the brain.

Music educators are also among the only ones that give the chance for creativity and building a community.

By playing in a performing group, you are a part of a team. As much as I hate to relate music to sports, for many students, music is their sport in that it’s their place where they can be a part of a team, where they can get together with their friends and feel comfortable, and escape from other problems. I have students that walk into a cafeteria and don’t want to participate with other kids, but they do want to be with their music friends. They hang out together, but when they hang out, they practice, and work together, because they are within their comfort zone.

It’s so important to remind everyone that we teach so many things other than just how to play music.

We teach social skills, which naturally come along with being a part of a music ensemble – supporting each other, playing for the whole, working together – all of these skills are a part of every little thing that we do. We don’t just teach how to read notes; there’s the overall effect of being a part of a music group.

SBO: Are there any specific initiatives that the NYSSMA is hoping to implement going forward to really spread that message?

SW: We’re in the midst of putting together an instructional DVD that we’ll be handing out at our conference. This is a part of a grant that we put in for about four years ago, and we are having top classes demonstrate how to teach specific things in every field of school music programs, including band, chorus, orchestra, middle school, high school, general music, electronic music, et cetera.

We’ve recorded these DVDs with a professional company, and we’ll give them to everyone who comes to our conference. They’ll also be sent to every school district in New York State, basically giving teachers extra help.

These DVDs can very easily be used for advocacy purposes, as well. It’s our way of reaching out, especially to 16 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

those teachers who might be the only music educator in the community, and who might not know where to turn to ask questions or get support, to find out a different way of doing something, or how to reach a specific group of students. This DVD is in its final stages right now, and it will be ready in time for our winter conference.

SBO: In many schools, music teachers have to fight for their programs in a way that teachers of other subjects don’t. How do you feel that battle for legitimacy is going in New York these days?

capitol. We bring our performing groups – all-state vocal and instrumental jazz ensembles – perform, and talk to everybody. We don’t necessarily lobby, but we go, visit, and look for support. We don’t ask for specific things, other than for people to remember that we’re around and that they don’t forget about us. People know us because of that, because this event has been an every-year occur-

rence for a number of years. That’s made a very big impact, because they know we’re around.

SBO: Any other thoughts for music educators around the country?

SW: Schools can’t exist without music, and if we remember that, and keep enforcing that within our students and our programs, we’ll keep our programs strong.

SW: I think our music programs have proven themselves, and I think that NYSSMA being a strong organization has helped that. We’re not necessarily fighting every step of the way anymore. I think we have a lot of topnotch groups, and a lot of districts are beginning to learn the wonderful boon to PR that performing groups bring to a community. A lot of schools have, for example, had a school concert on the day of budget votes, because the kids’ performance will bring the parents out to vote. In addition to supporting us for what we do, administrators are beginning to understand that we can also help in other areas.

SBO: Is there anything that you’re seeing on the national stage that you wish was happening in New York, or the opposite, that your state is doing and you wish everyone else would do, too?

SW: MENC, the national organization for music education, is doing a lot more in advocacy, which is a good thing. In general, New York needs less help than other states, but that’s okay.

We’re a large enough state and a large enough organization that we can do more than some of the smaller states.

I see that when the Eastern Division states meet. There are states that don’t have the money or number of people to do things on their own, so MENC is there to help them, and all of the stuff they do on advocacy, on putting it out there, is very important. We do our own thing, and one thing we do that makes a big impact is something called the “NYSSMA Day” in Albany.

Once a year, we advocate at our state School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 17

SBOHealth: Lip Care

Saving Your Chops

BY DAN GOSLING

T

hrough both my 25 years as a professional trumpet player and in my consultations with other experts during the

creation of the ChopSaver lip balm, I have learned a great deal about the lips and lip maintenance. Much of what I have learned came through simple trial and error. My hope is to help you avoid some of those errors.

For starters, let’s take a crash course in anatomy. Our lips and the muscles that make up our embouchure are a complex arrangement of muscle and tissue. The skin covering our lips is much thinner than the skin covering the rest of our body – which is why your lips are red and very sensitive.

It’s also why they’re capable of creating beautiful sounds when buzzed properly.

In the same way you don’t need to be a mechanic to drive a car, you don’t need to know a lot more about how the lips function in order to play well.

But knowing how to care for your lips and avoid accidents can help you play longer and with

18 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

less discomfort. After all, “lip care” isn’t something you should think about only after you play or when you have a problem, any more than auto maintenance is something you should think about only after a long trip or a crash.

Be a Musical Athlete A successful athlete is keenly aware of everything he or she does, from eating well and getting enough rest to following a training regimen that builds without destroying muscle tissue. As brass players, we should think of our lips, embouchure, and body in the same way. For our purposes, let’s use a long distance runner (an athlete that focuses on endurance and efficiency as opposed to brute strength) as our model.

Taking care of your lips should include good practice and playing habits.

Basic concepts like good posture and always taking a full, relaxed breath are important, but easy to forget. Think of your lips as sails on a boat – they both work better with a nice, full supply of wind.

While we certainly can’t expect our lips and embouchure to get stronger by babying them, they can be severely damaged by overuse and abuse. Forgot the old mantra of “No pain, no gain.”

Today’s athletes alternate their workouts in a pattern of “Stress” followed by “Recovery.” If we don’t include Recovery (or adequate resting) in any sort of physical activity, our bodies will force us to rest by breaking down. Pain and discomfort are how our body talks to us and a smart musician/athlete learns to listens.

Generally speaking, muscles swell up when used, and the lips are no exception.

However, there is a difference between being “a little sore and puffy” and sharp pain. If you are a little sore and fatigued after playing, your body is saying, “You should stop soon and take it easy during your next practice session.” True pain means “Stop immediately and step away from the horn as soon as possible!”

How to Create More Good Days Here is another way to illustrate the stress/recovery concept. Let’s say you’ve had a really good day. Maybe you’ve finally nailed the high lick in a piece you’ve

been working on. The temptation is to do it many times just to make sure you’ve got it and, after all, it’s fun. But you need to resist that temptation. Play the lick a few times, but do not pound on it over and over.

Why? Because, to achieve that new plateau, you have just experienced a peak moment (stress), and peak moments should always be followed by a valley (recovery). That’s the way your body works. So, you can either fight Mother Nature or work with her. (She always wins, by the way.) Have the discipline to take it a little easy the next day. And then the following day, your patience will be rewarded by being fresh and strong, and having an even better day. Trust me on this. If I had understood this concept as a young player, I would have avoided a lot of frustration.

Think about that distance runner. He considers the stress/recovery model as a process of creating waves and learning how to ride them to success. He’ll taper off his training before a big event, essentially creating a wave in reverse (recovery before stress). You can do this, too: if you have a hard performance on a Saturday (stress), plan ahead by tapering off a bit in the days leading up to it (recovery).

You’ll generate a wave or peak when you really need to be at your best. Remember: range and power come from efficiency, not brute strength. Efficient chops feel responsive and fresh, not sore and beat up.

People often say, “Rest as much as you play.” This is generally good advice, but it doesn’t necessarily mean play an hour, rest an hour, play an hour, rest an hour, all day long. Here’s how I interpret that advice: let’s say you have an hour to practice. Warm up (flap your lips, maybe buzz on the mouthpiece and play a few scales or a simple tune you like) for five minutes. Then rest for at least two or three minutes. Then work on some fundamentals like scales and lip slurs for 10 minutes or so. Rest for 10 minutes. Finally, spend a good 30 minutes working on the music you currently are learning (school music, a solo, or etudes). But be sure to take the horn off the chops every now and then during those 30 minutes.

You can even set a timer to help you maintain your discipline. If you only have one hour a day, then you can rest until

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the next day knowing you have used your time well. If you are really trying to build some strength and endurance, try to establish two practice sessions seven to eight hours apart.

Now that you have some practice discipline established, I urge you again to apply the stress/recovery model. A “hard” day or practice session should ideally be followed by a lighter one. Here is where you have to become your own best coach. Keep in mind that what is hard for one person might be very easy

for another. Don’t compare yourself to your peers, just stay on your own path to success and you’ll be fine. Everyone develops at different rates.

Help in an Emergency Of course, life doesn’t always unfold this neatly and sometimes we over-do it for a variety of reasons. In those cases, use the same therapeutic techniques that athletic trainers prescribe for abused muscle tissue, such as alternating cold (to

reduce swelling) and heat (to promote blood flow). An ice cube can be applied much in the same way you would suck on a Popsicle. For heat, soak a wash cloth in warm water and gently press on to your lips and face. Just a few minutes at a time with either procedure is adequate and will stimulate healing. Also, use your hands and fingers to massage the face and lip muscles (yes, ChopSaver does work well for this!), keeping in mind that an embouchure is formed with the muscles of the jaw, chin, cheeks, and neck, not just the lips and corners.

This is especially helpful if you are playing outdoors in cold weather. Very soft playing at the end of a practice session is a great way to bring overblown chops back into focus, just like slow jogging helps an athlete cool down after a workout. In extreme cases, an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin or ibuprofen can be used. Always follow label instructions when using any sort of medication, even something as common as aspirin.

Hopefully, these tips will help you create a disciplined, goal-oriented approach to your practice and help you spend more time making great music and less time complaining about sore, tired chops.

Dan Gosling has degrees in Trumpet Performance from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University and has performed in every genre available to a modern day player, including symphonic, opera, ballet, jazz, chamber music, solo recitals and studio recording.

Dan has served as principal trumpet of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and has done extensive work with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras, the Louisville Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

In the summer of 2004, Dan created the formula for ChopSaver lip care, an all-natural combination of herbs and natural oils and butters. To learn more and to contact Dan, visit www.chopsaver.com.

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UpClose: Lisa Preston

Piping Up in Normal, Illinois 22 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

By Eliahu Sussman School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 23

Normal Community West High School, in Normal, Illinois, has a very well developed music program.

There is a competitive marching band, which was named class 4A state champion in 2008, and the top group of the school’s four concert bands travels and plays at festivals.

There’s also a wind ensemble, pep band, musical pit orchestra, color guard, winter guard, and two jazz bands. While countless schools are gasping for funding, this program is flourishing. While none of this is particularly unusual, per se – it sounds like any one of many fine programs around the country, right?

– a chat with the program’s director, Lisa Preston, proves that Normal West has quite a scene going on.

Lisa Preston was tasked with developing the music department when Normal Community West High School first opened its doors 15 years ago, and her goal was a simple one: to provide every student the opportunity to participate Heritage Festival of Gold, Chicago 2008.

24 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

in music education. Perhaps this ideal, too, isn’t exactly unique – saying it is would be a discredit to the plethora of other great music educators – but that doesn’t make Lisa’s mission any less noble. Speaking with her, it becomes clear that she hasn’t spent her time just dreaming about some lofty goal; it has taken years of tireless work to create an environment in which music is positively thriving, at every level, in ensembles large and small. Perhaps the music department at Normal West High School isn’t the most atypical program around, but it certainly is a great example of what a little vision, a little luck, and an awful lot of hard work can bring about.

In a recent conversation with SBO, Lisa recalls her introduction into the world of music and educa-

tion, shares why the flute choir is one of her busiest ensembles when it comes to playing out in the community, and makes a passionate plea for an increased role of the arts in our schools.

School Band & Orchestra: Would you talk about your early experiences learning music?

Lisa Preston: I started playing the piano in first grade. I was the youngest of three girls, and both of my sisters took piano lessons.

My mom wouldn’t let me play, so I would sit at the piano and play my sisters’ lessons by ear. Soon, my mom figured out that I was better than they were even though I hadn’t had lessons yet, so she decided that she might as well sign me up.

I switched over to flute in the fifth

“I wanted to create a program that would allow every student a chance at music education, no matter what their interest was.”

grade, when I started playing with the school band.

SBO: Did you know you were going to be a teacher early on?

LP: I knew ever since I was in first grade that I was a musician. I tried a lot of other things in high school: I was a cheerleader, and I dabbled with a bunch of different activities, but I was truly a musician and I realized that I needed to share that somehow. When I was studying Music Education as an undergrad at Northern Illinois University, I knew that I would be involved in music, but it took some time to realize that my interest really was in the teaching aspect of it.

I grew up with Scott McCormick, who is the CEO of Bands of America and Music for All. We sat next to each other in seventh-grade study hall. We became very good friends all through high school, and I went to many great events. Later on, I even worked at some of the Bands of America events, so I was able to see many great directors interact with their students; I think that’s what decided it for me.

Seeing that interaction at summer camps, regional competitions, and grand nationals – the directors working with their students – was just phenomenal. I’d seen that part of myself in me since I was young, I just had to take the leap.

education was Normal Community West High School the right field at a Glance for me. After my Location: 501 North Parkside Road, Normal, Illinois master’s, I went On the Web: www.normalwestbands.org ahead and got Student Population: 1,800 my first teaching Students in Music Department: 400 job, which was School Mascot: Wildcats at Danville High School in Danville, Illinois.

Danville had a fairly similar proin all of those areas – well rounded gram to the one I’m in now. There – with many opportunities for stuwas a volunteer marching band, a dents to play in chamber groups, in jazz program, and three concert addition to the wind ensembles and bands. We were fairly competitive marching band. I was there for four

SBO: You went to Northern Illinois University, and then what?

LP: Well, I looked pretty young when I graduated, and I had decided that I wanted to teach high school, only no one wanted to hand their competitive marching band to someone that looked like she was 12 years old. [laughs] I ended up working for Bands of America for two years. Then I got a phone call from Gary Green, who told me that there was an assistantship opening at the University of Connecticut. (He’s at the University of Miami now.) So I returned to school and got my master’s studying with Gary Green, and that was the turning point. He was a great mentor and teacher, just an amazing human being, and it really made me realize that music School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 25

years, and then I ended up moving to Normal Community High School, which is the sister school of the one I’m at now. At that point, there was only one high school in Normal. When the schools split, I was offered the job at Normal West, and I’ve been here since it started.

SBO: So you had the opportunity to start the program at the new school from scratch?

LP: Yes, I was able to create a new program. It was really interesting.

In retrospect, there are some things that I could have done differently, but it was a brand new program, with a brand new image and new ideas.

SBO: What was your initial goal on the outset?

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LP: I wanted to create a program that would allow every student a chance at music education, no matter what his or her interest was. I find that sometimes high school

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music pigeonholes people so that they only get to play in band or classical music, and I really wanted our program to grow in every area. So if marching band was one student’s thing, I wanted to have a program that would make him or her be successful and feel good about that; if students were really into jazz, then there would be a jazz band that would be successful and make them feel good about that; and the same for chamber players, wind players and so on – we just wanted to give every student an opportunity. We started small, so we weren’t always able to do everything that we’ve wanted to, but in the past 15 years, we’ve allowed our students a lot of different opportunities to pursue the kinds of music that they find interesting.

SBO: Has that ideal of making the department accessible to every student changed in the past 15 odd years?

LP: What’s changed for me, as a music educator, is that I’ve realized that you can’t be great at all of those things. I do employ people to help me. I’m sandwiched between three major universities: the University of Illinois, Illinois State University, and Illinois Wesleyan University. For example, when it comes to the jazz idiom, well, I’m a flautist and jazz isn’t my thing. So I hired doctorial students from the University of Illinois who are jazz majors to come over and run my jazz program. That way, the students get the best of the jazz world. I implemented the program and I help it along, but I don’t teach jazz. Yet, I am able to make sure that my students get the absolute best jazz education that we can find for them. It’s the same with marching band. As I got older, I decided to let the younger people who are right out of drum corps come over and be on my staff. They run a good portion of it, and they’re fresh and ex-

cited to do it. So that old ideal that you have when you’re young, that you have to do everything and you

can do it all, eventually you realize that that might not be possible as your program grows.

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School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 27

big trips over the years. For example, we flew all of the kids down to Arizona to perform at the Fiesta Bowl a couple of years back. We also participate in Bands of America events – the regionals, grand nationals, and other similar activities.

SBO: Obviously, you’re okay with combining competition and music?

LP: That’s interesting because only my marching band competes.

My wind ensemble and the other inside groups are non-competitive.

We simply don’t go anywhere where we’d be ranked against another ensemble. Philosophically, I just don’t believe in it. Would they have ranked Picasso against Monet?

SBO: Let’s talk about your marching band for a moment. You mentioned that it’s purely extracurricular?

LP: The marching band rehearses after school and on the weekends. We find that it is a great venue for teaching. It’s the students’ choice to participate and they enjoy it, so really it’s just a group of people working hard together that all want to be there.

SBO: And this is a competitive group?

LP: We compete throughout the state of Illinois, as well as in Missouri and Indiana. We’ve also done a few

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“We find more and more that we are struggling and fighting for our cause, when arts simply should be a part of everyone’s life.”

I just want our students to have a better appreciation of all of the arts. Really, I look at some of the best coaches. The ones who achieve the most success are the ones who believe in doing your personal best and working together as a group. Even though our marching band competes, we really strive to play the best music we can, put on the best show we can, and hopefully the audience will enjoy us, and the rest of it is neither here nor there for us. We rarely let our kids look at recaps and we don’t really talk about numbers. We’d rather just talk about how the show went, how we can perform better, what we can do better musically – and that carries over to our indoor groups. We look for performances for our concert ensembles that are worthy. For example, my Wind Ensemble is playing in Disney Hall in Los Angeles next summer, and we’ve played in Carnegie Hall in New York. Those events are ones that lend themselves to great music, a great hall, and a great audience, elements that are what musicians are really meant to be looking for.

SBO: They present a great opportunity for the students, as well, I’m sure.

LP: Oh, a great experience. To stand on those great stages and perform is just life altering for the students.

SBO: How are your indoor ensembles organized?

LP: We have four concert bands: the top one is the Wind Ensemble, and the other groups are Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, and Concert Winds. We don’t name them anything like “Freshmen Band” because we think those distinctions can be a little demeaning.

SBO: I see, but they are still divided by age and ability, right?

LP: It’s broken up by skill level

in the top three, and the overflow of freshmen goes into the Concert Winds.

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SBO: Placement is by audition?

LP: Yes, we have auditions every six months. I sit in a room with each student, and they play excerpts and scales. That way I can monitor everybody’s progress and I feel really strongly that I hear everyone. I know of other programs that have outside people come in and judge auditions, but being the one who has to monitor their progress and give out grades, I feel very strongly that I need to hear them at least every six months to see how they’ve progressed. And if they haven’t made progress, then I haven’t done my job, so I’ll need to find help in the form of a tutor or a private teacher for them.

We’re so fortunate to be sandwiched between three universities that have graduate students, undergrads, and even professors who offer lessons. Depending on a student’s money situation, he or she could study with a full-fledged professor or with an undergrad, which is much cheaper but still allows students to have private study. I would say that probably 90 percent of my Wind Ensemble studies privately.

SBO: Has that percentage fluctuated in the past year or so, since the economy has hit some hard times?

LP: Interestingly, it hasn’t. And our students are continuing to buy step-up and professional horns, too.

They are also able to go on the Los Angeles trip. I think that they find that this is so important in their life that they somehow make room for that, and their parents feel the same way. I’m very blessed that our program hasn’t been affected much at all.

SBO: Very fortunate, indeed.

And you also have a number of smaller ensembles, such as the clarinet choir and flute choir.

How did those come about?

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LP: We believe that everyone should have some sort of chamber experience. We break all four bands into small ensembles, give them the music, and have university students come in and coach. Every student actually becomes a part of a chamber ensemble for the solo and chamber event; it’s part of the class. We coach them during class time, so for the younger students who may not

have made the time commitment or aren’t ready to jump in with both feet, their only responsibility is to show up and play in their group.

As for the flute choir, well, I’m a flautist, and of course there’s that special bond with other people who play your instrument. I use them for a lot of community events, especially during the holiday season. I think we did 12 gigs last year in the

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course of two weeks.

SBO: Why is that group so busy, exactly?

LP: Flute holiday music is gorgeous, so that’s part of it. We use that group when we reach out to the community. We went and played at the cancer center, we played at the hospital, we played at a lot of the retirement homes – performing for people that can’t easily make it out to enjoy music. The flute choir is really mobile, as it’s easy to bring those students to different venues.

We can just grab our stands and our flutes and go stand anywhere.

SBO: Right, you don’t have to lug around tubas or drum sets.

LP: Exactly. Even with jazz, it’s hard to do that sometimes because of space limitations. With the flute choir, sometimes we’ll just take five or six flutes, because that’s all that’s needed, and sometimes we’ll take all 25 of them, depending on who needs us and what we’re doing.

As for the clarinet choir, the junior high school band director is a clarinetist, and she started that program. As she became more and more busy, we decided to select a firstchair clarinetist from the high school Wind Ensemble to actually run the group. So they select the music, and they get to be the teacher. We find that that does enormous good for anyone that wants to be a music education major, because they’ll have the opportunity to have a hands-on approach to teaching. We think it’s amazing to be able to offer that experience in high school.

SBO: Do you recruit for these groups?

LP: Again, I’ve been very fortunate. We are a unit district, which means that our elementary, junior high, and high schools are all part of the same district, and the communication between teachers is remarkable. I can simply run over to those who are recruiting the fifth graders and say, “We are really limited on flutes,” and they’ll go out and encourage students to pick up whatever it is we need to balance

instrumentation. So I’ve got great balance, for the most part. Not that it’s perfect, but most of the instruments are fairly well represented – other than double reeds, like the bassoon, which are a little bit more expensive.

SBO: If you look at most 14year-olds’ iPods, they’re likely to have a lot of pop music, rock and roll, hip hop, and that sort of thing. How do you approach the challenge of introducing standard classical repertoire to your students?

LP: It is a challenge, because for many people classical music requires a kind of intellectual appreciation that only happens as we grow as musicians. Early on, I’ll be honest, we don’t try to “dummy down� our music, but we use technology to help introduce it into their lives. We all have SmartBoards now, and we put up Web pages of every song that we’re playing so the students can go onto YouTube, or they can “tweet� about it or whatever they need to do. We try to enter into their world and allow our music to seep in. A lot of kids will go in and say, “Oh, I saw this on YouTube!� It might be classical rendition of what we’re playing, so I’ll make it a “pick of the week� on our Web page and all of the students will go home and watch at it.

If you allow yourself to take your genre and put it in their world, they will buy into it. To a certain extent, they think, “Hey, I saw it on YouTube, it must be good – even if it is classical!� That’s just how kids function. Until we realized that, we were trying to update what we do to stay in touch with what they were into.

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SBO: Considering the incessant changes in social media, how do you keep up with your students?

LP: It is hugely challenging, especially the older you get in your career, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been teaching over 20 years. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m fortunate to have my assistant director, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in his mid20s and is very much a part of the digital generation. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very Websavvy and Internet-savvy, and so long as you have an open mind, you can pick up on these things. It School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 31

really helps to have some support.

We’ve also done a lot of training in our district to allow us to be able to start to get into students’ world and function in it – and use all of the new technology as teaching tools. I think it’s very important.

Technology has opened up so many different avenues. Students can watch almost any symphony orchestra on YouTube, when in the

Introducing

past we wouldn’t have had access to those performances. In the past, we would have had to buy the DVD or try to hook up a video, and now we can just say, “Go home and look up this link on your computer” and they can all watch the Berlin Philharmonic – that’s amazing. It simply allows us to bring the whole world, and all of its musical contributions, into our world. It is amazing.

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SBO: To date, is there any one particular accomplishment or moment that you are most proud of?

LP: Probably our performance in Carnegie Hall, because that was a landmark moment for the program.

Our performance next summer in the Disney Hall, which is the silver building in Los Angeles that Frank Gehry designed, will be another landmark for us. When we bring these kids from the middle of Illinois not just to these great halls, but to great cities like New York and Los Angeles, it brings so many opportunities to these students. In fact, after the New York trip, many of our students went on to go to school in New York, or live there, and I’m hoping that the trip to Los Angeles will expose kids from our town to that side of the country.

It broadens their world, and that’s amazing.

SBO: Although you mentioned that you weren’t feeling many direct effects of the economic downturn, are you concerned about funding down the road?

LP: Money will always be an issue, and it’s not just the economy.

There are a lot of restrictions being placed on the arts, as I see programs around us being cut, and arts being thought of as less important and not a part of the core curriculum.

We find more and more that we are struggling and fighting for our cause, when arts simply should be a part of everyone’s life.

As a cultured society, we need to have some access to the arts, and not just through the Internet. Students have to live, breathe, and create arts in order for a certain part of them to come alive – whether you believe that’s in their mind or their soul. If we remove that element from our children, we will end up with an adult society that we won’t recognize anymore, one that is missing some of our humanity, some of our culture, and some of our basic communication skills.

All of that will be impaired in our children if we don’t find a way to continue doing what we do as teachers of the arts.

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SBOReport:

Music Community Success Story

Profile of an Arts-Supporting Community: Richmond, Kentucky

BY MARC C. WHITT

O

ne cannot escape the barrage of news headlines reporting that nearly everywhere, states, communities and public school systems are feeling the wrath

from the harshest economic storm to hit the nation since the Great Depression.

Faced with shrinking revenues and higher operational costs, many public school systems have resorted to reducing or eliminating their band or orchestra programs while countless state and local arts councils and professional performing arts organizations are walking a financial high wire just to survive.

Although faced with many of the same economic hurdles as the rest of America, a Kentucky community of 30,000 believes its educational and financial commitment and support of the performing arts will have lasting economic, educational, and cultural benefits long after the current national recession is gone.

Nestled between the famed Bluegrass horse country and the rugged Southern Appalachian foothills, the city of Richmond, an emerging micropolitan area just 30 miles south of Lexington, is quickly becoming recognized across and beyond Kentucky as a performing arts-friendly community to arts enthusiasts, performers, business and civic leaders, government officials, educators and college-bound students.

Home to Madison Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two largest employers, Eastern Kentucky University and the Madison County Schools System, Richmond is decidedly positioning itself to become one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up-and-coming performing arts hubs thanks to the now-under-construction Center for the Performing Arts on the EKU campus. In addition, the dramatic rate of growth in the band programs at Madison Central High School (Richmond) and Madison Southern High 34 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

Community leaders gather in front of the construction site for the Center for Performing Arts at Eastern Kentucky University.

Brent Barton, director of bands at Madison Central High School.

School (15 minutes south of Richmond in Berea), and their feeder middle school programs have resulted in the system’s administrative and board leadership providing much-needed support for new and expanded facilities and equipment.

The Center for the Performing Arts at Eastern Kentucky University Touted to become one of the largest performing arts centers in a multi-state region, the nearly $30 million, 93,000square-foot Center for the Performing Arts at Eastern Kentucky University is physical proof of what can result when state and local governments and higher education collaborate, according to EKU president Dr. Doug Whitlock.

The Center will house a 2,000-seat “Broadway-capable, Broadway-quality” theater, with a “fly system” and a 60-foot x 24-foot stage proscenium. The facility will also include a configurable “black-box theater” with seating up to 250. A large lobby will enable events in conjunction with shows.

“This will be a key linchpin for what we are trying to do for our students, Kentucky, and the region,” said Whitlock.

“There is no greater embodiment of the creative and human spirit than the performing and fine arts. Although there are some excellent performing arts venues across Kentucky and our region, this facility will be second to none.”

Partners for the Center include the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Madison County, the cities of Richmond and Berea, and EKU. Their collective financial support for the facility along with the creation of a 13-member board of directors are the fruits of a collaboration Whitlock and other community leaders point to with pride.

State representative Harry Moberly, who, along with a group of community leaders conceived the project and its economic impact on the region in 2000, states, “There is no other project like it in Kentucky. The Center for the Performing Arts is a direct result of state, county, city and university leaders dreaming and working together to provide the initial funding this performing arts gem will require for success. This partnership is easily one of, if not the best, collaborative effort I have ever witnessed.”

Berea mayor Steve Connelly notes, “Much has been said about the collaborative spirit of this project, and I agree.

Like a choir, it takes many voices to form a stronger, more effective ensemble. It’s very rare when you find two municipalities like Berea and Richmond working side-by-side with their county government and a major public university on a project like this. I believe this says much about the uniqueness of our county’s spirit.”

“Community support is absolutely vital…”

Recently recognized nationally as an arts-supporting school system, the Madison County Schools has long maintained its support of the performing and visual arts despite whatever the national economic landscape might be. Led

by Superintendent Tommy Floyd, the district has more than 10,000, which in addition to the two high schools includes

three middle schools in Richmond and one in Berea, with plans for construction of a second.

At the six schools, more than 500 students are part of the band program – and according to Floyd, more growth in the county’s bands will keep the band directors, band boosters organizations, board of education and central office staff planning and preparing for what appears to be a bright future.

“In the Madison County Schools it can be said we have a tradition of supporting the performing and visual arts,” says Floyd. “Long before I arrived as superintendent my two immediate predecessors demonstrated the same commitment.

“In the Madison County Schools, we try to make wellinformed decisions since we believe every student counts. It is imperative to the well-being of each student’s academic School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 35

achievement that they be exposed to or participate in a performing or visual arts program from the time they enter kindergarten until they cross the stage when they graduate from high school.

“Research clearly shows what happens to a student’s academic success when they have had such exposure and involvement in the performing arts, whether it is in band, choir, or theatre.

We must always provide students with opportunities where they can express themselves.”

Floyd and the Madison County Board of Education have been instrumental in providing significant financial support for new or expanded marching and concert band facilities, particularly for the Madison Central and Madison Southern high school band programs.

“We provide adequate, high quality academic and performance spaces for students K-12,” said Floyd. “During the past few years, we have invested $11 million for a new performing arts wing at Madison Central plus a com-

mitment to expand practice facilities for both Madison Central and Madison Southern’s marching bands.”

H. Brent Barton, band director at Madison Central since 1994 and the Richmond Chamber of Commerce’s 2009 Educator of the Year, has witnessed this growth first hand. “When I first went to Madison Central we had exactly 49 musicians – including the field commander – and 20 members of the color guard. Moreover, I was the only band director at Madison Central and Clark-Moores Middle School, one of the two feeder schools.

Barton continues, “Today, a direct comparison is difficult because the structure of the program is so much different. Starting with marching band, we presently have 82 wind players, 23 percussion, three field commanders and 24 color guard members. Those numbers aren’t exactly representative, however, because we now have two concert band classes, an instrumental musicianship class, a percussion techniques class and a color guard class

Practical Advice, Tips & Methods for Band & Orchestra Directors Seeking to Foster Community Support

By H. Brent Barton Director of Bands Madison Central High School Richmond, Kentucky There are many things band and orchestra directors can do to foster support within their communities, as well as mistakes to avoid: 1. Put your program in the community as much as time and energy will allow. Often, the band or orchestra director will put on two concerts a year and then complain because no one except parents attends.

2. Publicize the success and positive achievements of your band or orchestra, and the student members of those organizations, as often and loudly as possible through every medium possible.

3. Include individual student success as a vital part of publicizing your program to groups such as the Board of Education or Chamber of Commerce. Most directors are quick to point out the successes of their respective programs, but sometimes overlook student achievement within their programs.

4. Be specific with requests for financial and other support. Explain in specific and plain terminology what you need and why you need it.

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5. Try as often as possible to see your program from the vantage point of the school and community leadership. Due to the encompassing nature of our work, this perspective is difficult, if not impossible; however, most of our communities see our programs differently than we do.

6. When you ask for resources, be prepared to give something in return. If you’re asking for new uniform donations, provide free passes to the annual benefit concert followed up with a public acknowledgment of supporting groups.

that meet within the context of the school day.”

Madison Central also supports a concert band and a wind ensemble, which, for the second time since 2007, has been invited as one of 16 bands in the nation to perform at the Bands of America “2010 National Concert Band Festival” in Indianapolis.

“Community support is absolutely vital in the development of an excellent band program,” said Barton. “If the community is home to an outstanding university like we have with Eastern Kentucky University and its music department, then the opportunities for mutual support and growth are limitless.”

Barton also expresses his appreciation to Floyd and members of the board of education. “Superintendent Floyd has only been in his position for a couple of years, but in that time has already authorized a new rehearsal facility for both Madison Central and Madison Southern’s bands, which are currently under construction,” Barton said. “I’ve talked with him extensively and his energy and concern to see that all of our students get every possible resource is awe-inspiring.”

Rob James, chair of EKU’s Department of Music, a NASM-accredited program, agrees. “A university and its music program can be a foundation upon which the type of community is built.

Universities not only tend to elevate the general level of prosperity of a community, but tend to bring both a teaching and student population that’s more supportive of the arts than the population in general.

“Eastern has a valued relationship with the City of Richmond and the Madison County Schools as both have been unswerving in their devotion, commitment and financial support of the performing arts. In fact, many of the band students who graduated from both of Madison County’s high schools continue their music education and involvement at Eastern. So we are the direct beneficiaries of the local school system’s commitment to the arts and are most thankful.”

Community support for the performing arts extends, too, through the efforts of the Richmond Area Arts Council, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“The Council has presented arts performances and events to thousands of citizens in the region and has benefited hundreds of children through its arts education programming and after-school programs,” said Jan Tunnell, a founding member and first president of RAAC. “We believe we have helped raise the awareness of the importance of the arts in the community and that our work has made Richmond a better place to live and work.”

What’s Next?

With the support and expansion of the performing arts in Richmond and Madison County, continued growth, opportunities, and preparation are essential, says EKU’s Whitlock, who also serves on the Madison County Board of Education as well as on the Richmond Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

“We want to be adequately prepared for the growth, economic and cultural impact the performing arts will continue to have on our community, Eastern Kentucky University and throughout our public school district,” explains Whitlock. “Just imagine the thrill students will have when they are first exposed to Broadway productions or to great symphony orchestras – all presented in our community!

“Already the Center for the Performing Arts is breeding ideas for other performing arts organizations such as a new community band for the city of Richmond that will be comprised of local business people, teachers, and high school and university students.

“The band programs at our school system’s middle schools and high schools are exploding with growth and interest so we must be prepared to meet their facility and equipment needs.

“I may be a bit biased, but it’s pretty clear to me and those of us who live here that we’re very blessed.”

Marc C. Whitt serves as associate vice president for Public Relations & Marketing at Eastern Kentucky University, a comprehensive, public university of nearly 16,000 students.

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SBOSurvey: Print Music

In Print T

here are many factors to consider when selecting and purchasing music for school

ensembles.

As if finding in-

teresting music with the right

How much money do you have to spend on music this year?

0-$100

6% 16%

$100-$500

43%

$500-$1,500

21%

$1,500-$2,500 $2,500+

14%

difficulty level and instrumentation weren’t enough to think about, there are also different forms of media to consider – paper, CDs, digital files – and, of course, the specter of shrinking budgets doesn’t

“Our district provides no money for sheet music. All of out music budget is supplied by the Music Boosters.”

John Mueller Incline Middle School Incline Village, Nev. “My budget is $3,200.00 and I plan to spend about $500 on printed music (concert band, jazz band, solos, and ensembles).”

Madeline Elmhirst, Robbinsdale Middle School, Robbinsdale, Minn.

make the process any easier.

With those concerns in mind, this SBO reader survey takes stock of print music trends, educator purchasing habits, and even a few gripes about music publishers.

Which of the following do you purchase?

Standard printed sheet music Downloadable sheet music Sheet music on CD or other digital media

38 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

10% 4%

86%

For which genres do you plan to buy new music?

22%

Concert Band

19%

JAzz Band/Ensemble

13% 11%

Marching Band Chamber Music

8%

Holiday/Religious

6%

Rock

6% 5%

Broadway/Musical Symphonic Orchestra Other

3%

What is the best source for finding new music?

Recommendation from Colleagues/Associates/Friends

24%

Online Resources

24% 21% 20%

Print Catalogues Conferences/Conventions Music Publisher Sales Rep Other

“More serious music is being written at appropriate levels for smaller bands. Not every band has 250 members and can play grade 4.5-5 music.”

Ben Harper Humboldt High School Humboldt, Iowa “I’ve noticed some publishers are catering to smaller bands with limited instrumentation by creating music with more doubled parts (or alternate doublings). While there has been an increase over the last couple of years in the availability of music for smaller bands, I still feel there is a limited amount of such music available.”

Dennis J. Brooks Council Grove High School Council Grove, Kan.

7%

Pop

Mel Byron Waterford-Halfmoon High School Waterford, N.Y.

2% 9%

“I buy most of my music after listening to sample recordings sent by music publishers.”

John Dzubay Stewartville Middle School Stewartville, Minn.

What are the best new trends in music publishing?

“I’ve seen more serious composers writing for the educational market and more of the historically famous masterworks are receiving educational treatment.”

Tim Mika Summer Creek High School Houston, Texas “The ‘download and print’ option in publishing has been a good addition, but it can sometimes be a headache to get parts to look the way you want them to.”

David Bean Morrison High School Morrison, Ill.

Is there anything you think publishers should be doing differently?

“Downloadable sheet music is fantastic. The ability to discover a new work and then have it in front of your band that same day is a wonderful tool.”

Larry Petersen Huron High School Huron, South Dakota

“Pre-numbered measures. With today’s computer programs, there is no excuse for selling music without measure numbers on scores and parts.”

John R. Black Dan F. Long Middle School Carrollton, Texas

“I find that the new music is much easier to read and there seem to be fewer mistakes in the arrangements (missing parts, printing errors, et cetera).”

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sic assessment is one way music programs can qualify for stimulus dollars.”

Simon Austin Burroughs High School Ridgecrest, Calif.

“Publishers should allow photocopying for the sake of preserving what you have already purchased. Junior high students are not very careful with their things and many pieces of music are too large to fit in a standard notebook or binder, making them easier to damage.”

Sarah Carpenter Turlock Jr. High Turlock, Calif.

“Yes, stop taking things out of print so quickly. If it is good enough to publish it should be good enough to keep around a while. At least parts should be available.”

Chris DeMarco Cuyahoga Falls City Schools Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Additional thoughts on print music?

“It is difficult to abide by copyright laws because it is so difficult to get individual parts from publishers. If you are missing one part, you, oftentimes, have to order the entire set just to be able to get that one part.”

Salvatore Terrasi Shorewood High School Shorewood, Wis. “Given that budgets are shrinking and that the price of printed music as well as instruments, repair and transportation are increasing, my budget will soon be unable to afford to purchase more than one or two copies of new music per year.

It will be interesting to see the overall impact of the economy on these publishing companies this year.”

John New Mattacheese Middle School West Yarmouth, Mass.

“The overall quality of music has seemed like it is diminishing. The pieces seem either more ‘pop’ flavored (here today gone tomorrow), or they sound a lot alike.”

Dale Sellers Donegal High School Mount Joy, Pa. 40 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

Are Moving In. Don’t Be Left Out In The Cold This Winter.

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SBOTechnology: Admin Applications

Juggling the Many Hats of a Music Educator

BY JOHN KUZMICH, JR.

I

n 2003, the NCTAF (National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future) reported that the nation’s widely publicized and often-lamented teacher shortages are, in fact, symptoms resulting from a teacher retention crisis in the United States. Beginning teachers had an attrition rate of over 46 percent for their first five years. And American schools lose about the same number of teachers as they hire each year. Music educators can be particularly vulnerable to burnout because of the many different “hats” we must wear in a given day. These proverbial hats can tax the energy of even the most enthusiastic teachers. It isn’t because we are teaching too much, of course, but because there are just too many things to do. The solution is to find ways to reduce the outside factors, allowing us teachers to simply teach music. Technology can be a critical aid, as music office software applications can relieve pressure with quick and efficient administrative applications.

42 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

In his book My Many Hats: Juggling the diverse demands of a music teacher published by Heritage Music Press, 2005, Richard Weymuth summarizes the many roles of a music educator: 1. The Hat of a Ringmaster: managing your classroom and your time.

2. The Hat of a Leader: setting the direction and tone of your classroom.

3. The Hat of a Scholar: learning when “just the facts” are just fine, and when they aren’t.

4. The Hat of a Disciplinarian: the Three Cs: Caring, Consistency and Control.

5. The Hat of an Eagle: mastering your eagle eye by establishing standards of excellence that will build your program successful over time and effort.

6. The Hat of a Crab: attitude is everything; without it; failure, fatigue and burn-out can result sooner than later.

7. The Hat of a Juggler: balancing a complicated and demanding class schedule 8. The Hat of a Banker: fund raising and budgeting.

9. The Hat of an Artistic Director: uniforms and musicals and bulletin boards, oh my!

10. The Hat of a Lobster: establishing the proper decorum with your students with expectations that can be managed by technology enhancements.

11. The Hat of a Pirate: finding a job you will treasure.

12. The Hat of a Bear: learning to “grin and bear it” in difficulty situations 13. The Hat of a Peacock: having and creating pride in your program.

14. The Hat of Applause: rewarding and recognizing yourself and your students.

15. The Hat of a Flamingo: sticking out your neck and flapping your wings by providing assessment data that your students are mastering the instruction.

Music Admin Applications There are two different types of music office applications: desktopbased and Web-based applications.

The advantage of desktop software is all that data can be stored on your computer without accessing the Internet. Some products can be networked for school district use so that data can be shared, such as libraries and inventories. However, with these products, you must back up your data on a regular basis – fortunately, good backup applications are abundantly available in today’s market at a minimal cost. For Mac backup reviews, do a Web search for “Mac OS X Online Backup Service Reviews.” Flash drives are ultra-convenient for storing program data and sharing it with other computers.

Web-based applications do not require any software installation or technical support, since the programs are run and upgraded from a server.

In the past 10 years, there has been a major shift from “hard disk” software, which runs on your computer, to “online” software, which runs on a server and is accessed on the Web. For music teachers with large performing groups and multiple productions, this can allow students and parents to access important information, such as schedules and calendars, from home.

Desktop-Based Music Office Applications RCI Software publishes nine products, each optimized for a particular kind of musical sphere: band, choir, orchestra, performer, percussionist, church, singer, organist, and recording. They now have a tenth program, Small Schools Music Library, designed for managing band, choral, and orchestra programs. It tracks performances, creates program notes, catalogues composers and keeps track of equipment and music loans. The program’s screens keep things very user-friendly.

Theo Johnson, the director of bands at North Monterey Union High School in Salinas, California, believes today’s music educator must be computer-liter-

ate. “If you don’t have a computer now, get one and use it,” he says. “Without it, you will be left behind. The better the computer, the better you can manage your music program.”

He continues, “The need for technology in the music classroom is greater now for music notation, sound reinforcement, Internet questions, music, and equipment ordering, and classroom management data programs. I cannot think how I could have survived the last 35 or so years of my career as a high school band director without the use of a computer and the technology that goes with it.”

Johnson gives credit to the music classroom management program designed by Chuck Riden (RCI Software Riden Consulting, Inc.). He says, “This is a wonderful data program designed for all our music classes. It has general information like an address book, calendar data, music library data, finances, uniforms, seating, compatible gradebook programs, and a great new bar scanning attendance program, plus much more. You probably will need to use that data in ways you may never have thought possible.”

In 2005, Johnson confronted a reallife nightmare. “I went through one of the greatest horrors a high school band director could face,” he says. “The travel agents for our tour to China were arrested for misuse of collected tour funds. We stood to possibly lose over $100,000. I was sure it is the end of my career. The California State Attorney Generals Office spent hours going through my records, and I finally asked them if I was in trouble. Their response was, ‘Heavens, no! You just happen to have some of the best kept records we have on this case.’ They used my RCI Finance program to build their case and to help us resolve our problem. Fortunately, that same travel agent had been contributing to a state fund that protected us from these kinds of problems and we got all our money back. We had a great trip to China.”

Master Music Manager by MusicManager is another comprehensive, customizable music administration database software program. Modules include: music library, membership, personal directory (contacts and calendar),

audio and video recordings, music inventory, equipment, instruments, robes, uniforms and other wardrobe items, personal address book, accounts general ledger, fund raising, word processor, planning calendar and more. This product lets you plan and organize your daily classroom activities, including concerts, performances, and various events.

Web-Based Music Office Applications I last wrote about Charms Office Assistant, a Web-based music office management product, in 2001 and since then, the number of schools using it world-wide has quintupled, including 45 percent of all secondary music teachers in Texas. Charms has added at least 100 new features to the program and it now has a complete financial management center, parent communication portal with telephone messaging, text messaging, inventory control center, uniform management center, and much more. Charms helps manage the classroom through an easyto-use interface that includes drag and drop seating charts and event-based attendance functions. It can be used to manage time by providing “helper” logins, so that parents, student aides, librarians, and booster treasurers can have limited access to specific parts of the program – all at the same time. The more teachers can delegate administrative busywork, the more time they have to work with students. Charms’ motto is “Harmony from Chaos.”

Charms also provides a built-in recording studio free to every student.

School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 43

The student can record their chair tests, sight-reading assignments, scales, and more, and instantly upload them for the teacher to evaluate. Where some recorded assessment systems provide a stark “right note, wrong note” method, Charms gives the teacher the opportunity to grade the recorded assignment with a little more flexibility.

John Washburn of St. James High School in Murrles Inlet, South Carolina has been very pleased with Charms software’s abilities for tracking individual student accounts and large group trip to Washington, D.C. Mr. Washburn says, “We were concerned as to how we would track student funds, but the system has helped so much. I am also very grateful for the student database.

It makes communications a breeze.”

Charms makes it easy to access parent communication logs, so teachers can record phone conversations with parents and keep them on record for several years.

Should a meeting with administration become necessary, the teacher can filter the conversations on topic, keyword, or by

student. Charms also provides a “Progress Log” so educators can record significant milestones for the student, such as all-region, all-state, good auditions.

A second Web-based application is now available, uTutti’s Music Teacher’s Office (www.ututti.com). This program allows users to manage student information, parent communication, grades, inventory, fees, budgets, fundraisers, calendars, email, and more. It offers a simple, easy-to-use interface that was created specifically for music teachers.

Each account is given its own public Web site within the uTutti domain that allows parents and students to keep upto-date on the latest calendar events and other information. I like that the program provides a central, online portal for those who don’t want to bother with creating their own sites. Another attribute is that each account is given 50MB of free storage space to upload documents and audio files. Both students and parents can view these files online when they log in to their personal account. And best of all, students can

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listen to audio files, including SmartMusic files, of exercises and pieces currently being played in class to help them practice more effectively.

If you already have your own Web site, you don’t need to link back to uTutti to allow your students and parents to view your public information. Create “widgets,” which display certain elements of your uTutti information on your own site. This can be done by configuring your widget, then copying the code onto your Web site.

The current widgets available include a calendar and event list.

Still Not Sure of Which Product Is Best For You? Product demos can be downloaded from each manufacturer’s Web site, giving you the ability to sit in the driver’s seat before ever making a purchase. With Charms, you can have a fully functional trial account for 60 days to test. While prices and product features will vary, you do have choices between desktop and Web-based applications. Regardless of your preferences, these programs should be able to noticeably improve how productive you are in your daily responsibilities and successfully juggle the many different” hats” you wear as the music educator.

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:MEcertified training instructor and has a Ph.D. in comprehensive musicianship. As a freelance author, Dr. Kuzmich has more than 400 articles and five textbooks 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.

NewProducts Sonaré Adds Special “K” Flute Headjoint

All Sonaré flutes come standard with a handmade, Powell Signature headjoint made of sterling silver. Effective immediately all Sonaré models from the SF501 through the SF705 will be available with the same Signature headjoint, but with a rose gold plated lip plate and crown. This headjoint with gold plated lip plate and crown was previously available only on the Sonaré 707 model. The rose gold alloy used to plate this lip plate and crown is approximately 16K.

Anthem models. The euphonium case includes molded-in bumpers with four oversized rubber feet for impact protection and two injection molded, rubber over-molded cushion grip handles for comfortable transport. SKB’s patented glass reinforced nylon trigger release latches with a TSA lock enables the user to safely lock the case and still have it inspected by airline security personnel. The interior features lined foam to hold the instrument securely.

The 1SKB-375 Euphonium case is covered by SKB’s lifetime warranty.

Sabian’s X-Plosion Splash

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SONiVOX’s latest batch of DVI products (Downloadable Virtual Instruments), for both MAC and PC platforms, includes Ensemble Strings and Brass taken from SONiVOX’s flagship product, Sonic Implants Symphonic Collection, as well as African and Afro-Cuban percussion instruments taken from SONiVOX’s collections.

All DVIs come equipped with their own virtual instrument engine complete with a selection of FX by SONiVOX and iZotope, including Chorus, Delay, Reverb, Amp Simulator, and EQ, as well as filter and envelope controls section, enabling the user easy sculpting of sounds.

All SONiVOX DVIs are compatible with both MAC and PC environments as a standalone instrument, as well as a plug-in within any VST, AU, or RTAS host.

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Euphonium Case from SKB

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Rovner Products Star Series of saxophone and clarinet ligatures are said to offer accurate intonation and are suitable for both beginning and advanced students. This new line of ligatures is available at a lower cost.

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Sabian’s 11inch X-Plosion Splash is a scaled down version of the AAX XPlosion Crash. Extra thin and available in brilliant finish, this model - with its AAX Dynamic Focus offers drummers and percussionists of all styles a splash that can be played by hand or stick.

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We have helped groups like yours raise funds since 1948. The key to our success is “products that sell themselves!” Your group will be selling useful items that people want and need at manufacture direct prices. These top quality, Made in the USA items include Rada Cutlery, Soy Wax Candles, Recipes Books, and Stoneware. Working with the manufacture ensures that your customers will receive and incredible value for the merchandise they purchase while supporting your cause! Call 800-311-9691 or email money @radamfg.com today to receive you FREE Fund Raising Packet so you can get started! www.radamfg.com

STANDS, PODIUMS, FOLIOS, & MORE @ DISCOUNT PRICES! FREE MUSIC EQUIPMENT CATALOG

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The NPS8210 Melody Chair

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SPECIAL SALE PAGES ON OUR WEBSITE CONTACT US FOR CATALOG INFORMATION

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IMPRINTED FOLDERS ~ STAGING ~ FILING BOXES/ SUPPLIES ~ MUSIC STANDS & ACCESSORIES ~ PIANO BENCHES, COVERS & LIGHTS ~ COMPUTER MUSIC PROGRAMS ~ PODIUMS, MALLET MOVERS, BAND WAGONS ~ CONDUCTOR’S STOOLS & CHAIRS ~ COMPUTER SOFTWARE

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Call Maureen 1-800-964-5150 ext. 34 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com

School Band and Orchestra, October 2009 47

Classifi Classifieds eds

www.SBOmagazine.com www.SBOmagazine.com

MERCHANDISE

PRINT MUSIC

REPAIR TOOLS .

For 60 years we have providedmusical instrument repair tools to technicians and musicians around the world.

We have a wide selection of pads and other supplies in addition to our repair tools.

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PUBLICATIONS MEWZKL PUBLICATIONS

“New Things For School Strings” www.mewzkl.com 410-841-6288 Request our sample CD!

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AdIndex COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

PAGE #

COMPANY NAME

E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS

PAGE #

America Longxing Inc.

www.huntermusical.com

26

KMC Music, Inc

www.kamanmusic.com

20

American Way Marketing LLC

info@americanwaymktg.com

26

LP Music Group

www.lpmusic.com

14

J.J. Babbitt Co. Inc.

www.jjbabbitt.com

30

Manhasset Specialty Co.

www.manhasset-specialty.com

Band Shoppe

www.bandshoppe.com

Meredith Music Publications

www.meredithmusic.com

Bari Woodwinds

www.bariwoodwinds.com

19

Bob Rogers Travel

www.bobrogerstravel.com

6

Cannonball Music Instruments

www.cannonballmusic.com

16

New Horizons Tour & Travel

www.nhtt.com

5

Cascio Interstate Music Company

www.interstatemusic.com

31

Pearl Corp.

www.pearldrum.com

3

Charms Music Software

www.charmsmusic. com

43

Performing Arts Consultants

www.usafest.org

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

www.csogroupsales.org

36

Peterson Strobe Tuners

www.petersontuners.com

Disney Magic Music Days

www.magicmusicdays.com

Pro-Mark Corp.

www.promark.com

10

EPN Travel Services

www.epntravel.com

Pygraphics-Pyware

www.pyware.com

41

Festivals of Music

www.educationalprograms.com cov2-1

Rovner Products

www.rovnerproducts.com

31

Fiesta-Val

www.fiestaval.com

11

Sheet Music Plus

www.sheetmusicplus.com

31

Four Winds Travel & Tour

www.FourWindsTours.com

28

Super-Sensitive Musical String Co.

www.cavanaughcompany.com

29

Freed International Inc.

www.freedmusic.com

40

Vandoren

www.dansr.com

27

Hawaiian Music Festivals

www.himusicfest.com

45

Vandoren

www.dansr.com

32

International Schools Services

www.iss.edu

44

Vento Music

www.wwbw.com

17

Intropa Tours

www.intropa.com

37

Vic Firth, Inc.

www.VicFirth.com

15

Jody Jazz

www.JodyJazz.com

25

48 School Band and Orchestra, October 2009

9

7 cov4

40 cov 3

Midwest National Band Clinic

www.midwestclinic.org

33

Music Festivals Inc.

www.musicfestivals.com

21

13 8

NEW DIRECTOR RESOURCES Cirone’s Pocket Dictionary of Foreign Musical Terms

compiled and edited by Anthony J. Cirone This handy guide features: more than 4,000 foreign musical terms; terms in Italian, French and German; more than 160 musical examples; and comprehensive sections for percussion and strings.

00317185................................ $9.95

A Composer’s Insight, Volume 4

A Guide to the Top 100 Works in Grades IV, V, VI GREAT MUSIC FOR WIND BAND

by Chad Nicholson The ultimate tool in concert planning and programming benefiting both entry-level and experienced conductors by compiling all of the information needed for reliable music selection.

00317190.............................. $19.99

Majoring in Music

ALL THE STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW

edited by Timothy Salzman This is the fourth in a series on major contemporary composers and their works for wind band. Included in this volume are rare, “behind-the-notes” perspectives acquired from personal interviews with each composer.

by Rich Holly Highlights the major components for survival and success during the formative years in a college, university or conservatory and provides examples and strategies to greatly assist the student musician.

00317188.............................. $14.99

00317194.............................. $39.99

Marching Bands and Drumlines

Teaching Music with Promise

SECRETS OF SUCCESS FROM THE BEST OF THE BEST

by Paul Buyer This extraordinary study takes you onto the practice field, inside the meeting room, and into the stadium.

The leaders of eight outstanding organizations reveal their strategies for success.

00317189.............................. $19.95

Performance-Study Guides of Essential Works for Band

edited by Kenneth L. Neidig A truly outstanding collection of timeless essays on basic repertory for band. These clear interpretations are based on careful research, rehearsals, and years of high-level performances.

00317187.............................. $19.95

by Peter Loel Boonshaft Filled with motivational anecdotes, quotations, and ideas on how to improve your teaching, this is a mustread treasure trove for students, music educators, and administrators.

00317191.............................. $24.99

Teaching Instrumental Music DEVELOPING THE COMPLETE BAND PROGRAM

by Shelley Jagow A unique resource for both novice and experienced band directors, gathering effective teaching tools from the best in the field. Includes chapters on: curriculum, motivation, program organization and administrative leadership, and much more.

00317167 Book.................... $34.95 00317177 DVD-ROM ........... $14.95

ALSO NEW FROM MEREDITH MUSIC PUBLICATIONS

The Drum and Percussion Cookbook

The Logic of It All

Mallets for Drummers

edited by Rick Mattingly

by Anthony J. Cirone and Joe Sinai

by Lynn Glassock

CREATIVE RECIPES FOR AND TEACHERS

PLAYERS

00317183................$24.95

PROFESSIONAL SECRETS APPLYING IMAGINATION TO PERCUSSION TECHNIQUES

00317181................$24.95

A RHYTHMIC APPROACH TO LEARNING MELODIC PERCUSSION

Book/CD Pack 00317184 ...............$19.95

Music of Musser’s International Marimba Symphony Orchestra

On Musical Interpretation in Percussion Performance

by Clair Omar Musser/ ed. Will Rapp

by Anthony J. Cirone

VOLUME 1

Score and Parts 00317192 ...............$34.99

A STUDY OF NOTATION AND MUSICIANSHIP

00317186 ...............$14.95

ORDER TODAY! See your local music dealer or go to for 10 years and counting!

www.halleonard.com for a list of dealers in your area