JANUARY 2014
59 FEATURES
JANUARY 2014 VOLUME 82 — ISSUE 6
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President’s Notes .............................................. 5 by Joe Weir Executive Director’s Notes.................. 17 by Robert Floyd Band Notes .............................................................23 by Ronnie Rios
Before you vote, learn about the candidates for TMEA President-Elect and Band and College Division Vice-President.
State Board Set to Adopt Graduation Plan Rules This month the State Board of Education is expected to adopt the new graduation rules. Learn how your students will be affected DQG ZKDW 70($ OHDGHUV DUH GRLQJ WR HQVXUH à H[LELOLW\ IRU DOO ÀQH arts students. BY ROBERT FLOYD
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On the cover: Mitchell Intermediate School Chorale (Conroe ISD) performs during the 2013 TMEA Clinic/Convention. Photo by Paul Denman.
COLUMNS
2014–2015 TMEA Executive Board Candidates
Technology Works for Me: Online Storage :LWK D IHZ VLPSOH VWHSV \RX FDQ EHJLQ VWRULQJ \RXU ÀOHV RQOLQH WR DFFHVV DQ\ZKHUH DQG WR DOORZ ÀOH VKDULQJ ZLWK \RXU FROOHDJXHV IRU easy project collaboration and more. BY CHAD DEMPSEY
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Administrator Spotlight
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Improvisation in Early Elementary General Music
Read stories about school administrators across the state whom TMEA has recently recognized for their outstanding support of music education.
When you begin with a clear solid structure and break down the task to manageable parts, your elementary students can learn to improvise. BY ROGER SAMS
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The Big Picture Step back, adjust your perspective, and consider the totality of what it means to offer quality music education experiences to today’s students. BY RICHARD FIESE
Orchestra Notes ...............................................36 by Craig Needham Vocal Notes ............................................................47 by Dinah Menger Elementary Notes ...........................................65 by Colleen Riddle College Notes ......................................................79 by Keith Dye
UPDATES Creating Your Convention CPE Record ........................................................2 2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention: Deadlines Are Approaching ......................4 HS String Honor Orchestra Results ........................................................... 41 College Division Fall Conference Images .................................................. 83 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
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Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd UĂ R\G@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 101 Fax: 512-451-9213
Managing Editor: Karen Cross
kcross@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107 Fax: 512-451-9213
Creating Your Convention CPE Record
TMEA Executive Board President: Joe Weir joseph.weir@humble.k12.tx.us 19627 Firesign Drive, Humble, 77346 281-641-7606 – Atascocita HS
President-Elect: Janwin Overstreet-Goode MRYHUVWUHHW JRRGH#ÀVGN QHW 1406 Frontier Lane, Friendswood, 77546 281-482-3413 x 150/Fax: 281-996-2523 – Friendswood HS
Past-President: John Gillian john.gillian@ectorcountyisd.org 3624 Loma Drive, Odessa, 79762 432-413-2266 – Ector County ISD
Band Vice-President: Ronnie Rios ronnierios@yahoo.com 22343 Paloma Blanca Court, Harlingen, 78550 956-427-3600 x 1080 – Harlingen HS
Orchestra Vice-President: Craig Needham Craig.Needham@richardson.k12.tx.us 1600 E Spring Valley Rd, Richardson, 75081-5351 469-593-7028 – Berkner HS
Vocal Vice-President: Dinah Menger d.menger@sbcglobal.net 1305 Westcrest, Arlington, 76013 817-891-1095 – Baylor Univ
Elementary Vice-President: Colleen Riddle criddle@aldine.k12.tx.us 319 E. North Hill Dr., Spring, 77373 281-985-6107 – M.O. Campbell Ed Center
TMEA members attending our convention have numerous opportunities to receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours. TMEA provides an online method for creating your CPE record after the convention. Follow these steps now so that you will be prepared to return from convention and complete your record.
1. Now: Create a personal schedule online. • Go to www.tmea.org/convention • Click on the Personal Schedule link • Enter your TMEA member ID and password
College Vice-President: Keith Dye keith.dye@ttu.edu 6607 Norwood Avenue, Lubbock, 79413 806-742-2270 x 231 – Texas Tech University
TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | UĂ R\G@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Tesa Harding | tesa@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Laura Kocian | lkocian@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman | adenman@tmea.org
2. During the convention: Make note of workshops you attend to completion. Active membership, convention registration, and attendance is required for CPE credit to be granted.
3. When you return home: Update your online personal schedule to confirm the workshops you attended, print your CPE form, and submit it to your school district.
70($ 2IÀFH Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 | Toll-Free: 888-318-TMEA | Fax: 512-451-9213 Website: www.tmea.org 2IÀFH +RXUV Monday–Friday, 8:30 A.M.–4:30 P.M.
www.tmea.org/convention
Southwestern Musician (ISSN 0162-380X) (USPS 508-340) is published monthly except March, June, and July by Texas Music Educators Association, 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754. 6XEVFULSWLRQ UDWHV 2QH <HDU ² 6LQJOH FRSLHV 3HULRGLFDO SRVWDJH SDLG DW $XVWLQ 7; DQG DGGLWLRQDO PDLOLQJ RIĂ&#x20AC;FHV 32670$67(5 6HQG DGGUHVV FKDQJHV WR 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ 3 2 %R[ Austin, TX 78714-0465. Southwestern Musician was founded in 1915 by A.L. Harper. Renamed in 1934 and published by Dr. Clyde Jay Garrett. Published 1941â&#x20AC;&#x201C;47 by Dr. Stella Owsley. Incorporated in 1948 as National by Harlan-Bell Publishers, Inc. Published 1947â&#x20AC;&#x201C;54 by Dr. H. Grady Harlan. Purchased in 1954 by D.O. Wiley. Texas Music Educator was founded in 1936 by Richard J. Dunn and given to the Texas Music (GXFDWRUV $VVRFLDWLRQ ZKRVH RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDO SXEOLFDWLRQ LW KDV EHHQ VLQFH ,Q WKH WZR PDJD]LQHV ZHUH PHUJHG XVLQJ WKH QDPH 6RXWKZHVWHUQ 0XVLFLDQ FRPELQHG ZLWK WKH 7H[DV 0XVLF (GXFDWRU XQGHU WKH editorship of D.O. Wiley, who continued to serve as editor until his retirement in 1963. At that time ownership of both magazines was assumed by TMEA. In August 2004 the TMEA Executive Board changed the name of the publication to Southwestern Musician.
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Southwestern Musician | January 2014
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Yamaha Music in Education (MIE) is a technology-based general music program with a unique and engaging method, a special two-student keyboard, and now a new iPad app that gives teachers total control of instruments and learning materials from anywhere in the room. The iPad also gives teachers instant access to MIE textbooks and other course materials, making the job of teaching far more fun and effective. The app works with the MIE3 system as well as some older configurations. For more information about MIE, visit 4wrd.it/mieswm10 or scan the code below. Or, email miesales@yamaha.com today if you have questions about the iPad app’s compatibility with your current MIE classroom system. ©2014 Yamaha Corporation of America. All rights reserved. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
TMEA CLINIC/CONVENTION Including the TI:ME Music Technology National Conference FEBRUARY 12–15, 2014 • SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Convention Deadlines Are Approaching! JAN 22 • Deadline to cancel a hotel reservation without penalty • Online preregistration deadline JAN 23 • Deadline to prepurchase tickets to The 5 Browns concert Hotel Reservation Deadlines
Preregistration Deadline
January 22: Final day to make a discounted hotel reservation. January 22 is also the final day to cancel a hotel reservation without being assessed a $50 penalty. There will be no waivers for this penalty. January 29: Final day to use the housing reservation system to change an existing reservation. After that, contact the hotel itself. (It is best to wait several days to contact hotels as there is a delay in their receiving our block of hotel reservation information.)
Preregister online on or before January 23. If you cannot preregister, you can register on-site at a higher fee.
Preregistration Fees • Active music educators: $50 • Retired music educators: $15 • College student members: Included in $20 membership dues • Wednesday TI:ME Preconference: $50
TI:ME Music Technology Preconference: Wednesday Make your organizational and instructional worlds more efficient and effective by incorporating a myriad of technology solutions. You don’t have to be tech savvy to attend this one-day preconference that offers a concentration of clinics about incorporating technology in music education at all levels. For a separate $50 registration fee, you can choose from 30 technology clinics. Register when you preregister for the TMEA convention or on-site (no POs on-site).
W W W . T M E A . O R G / C O N V E N T I O N 4
Southwestern Musician | January 2014
A matter of perspective B Y
J O E
W E I R
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s teachers, we daily put things into perspective or share our perspective with students, parents, and administrators. On that same note, we sometimes refer to students and parents as not having a sense of perspective on a particular issue. I have found that my strength in perspective is directly related to my ability to see and work with the big picture in every circumstance. In his book The Noticer, Andy Andrews tells the story of a gentleman named Jones who travels about meeting with and talking to people who are dealing with crisis situations. In each case, he shares the positive perspective of an outsider looking in on their situations. In one of the stories, he tells the listener that: “Many of life’s treasures remain hidden from us simply because we never search for them. Often we do not ask the proper questions that might lead us to the answer to all our challenges.” As music educators, we have the power and opportunity to open our students’ minds to life’s treasures through music every day and year after year! We must teach and encourage them to ask the questions that lead to those hidden treasures. In this new year, I encourage you to journal your aha moments. Save notes and emails of praise. Hold on to those things that make it all worthwhile and seem to put our mission into perspective. Then, when you feel like you are not making a difference, pull out your journal and read. Last October, I was fortunate enough to come across the following Facebook post of a friend and colleague. She wrote, “So my 60-hour work week couldn’t have ended better . . . The sweetest boy who hasn’t matched pitch in two years
Every student with whom you make educational deposits will reap dividends for the future of what we all hold so dear!
PRESIDENT’S NOTES IMPORTANT DATES January 13–14—Directors enter All-State student & director/chaperon housing requests online. January 22—Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline. January 23—Deadline to preorder tickets to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. January 29—Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation. February 12–15—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.
Southwestern Musician | January 2014
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Summer Music 2014 TCU Percussion Workshop June 12 & 13 Brian West, director New! - TCU Flute Workshop June 12 & 13 Shauna Thompson, director TCU Saxophone Workshop June 16 & 17 Joe Eckert, director TCU Harp Workshop June 18 - 20 Laura Logan, director TCU Band Camp June 22 - 26 Bobby R. Francis, director TCU Clarinet Workshop June 30 & July 1 Gary Whitman, director TCU All-State Choir Camps Purple Camp, July 13 - 16 White Camp, July 16 - 19 Sheri Neill, director Dennis Shrock, conductor For registration materials, please visit our website at www.music.tcu.edu/smi.asp or contact the TCU School of Music at 817-257-7341
of choir finally made the connection and sang his Region cut beautifully! So excited for him that I was moved to tears.” For some reason, this spoke to me, and I chose to write it down. For me, this reflection had master teacher written all over it! Isn’t this always the case? Some of the most positive and reliable students we teach will inevitably be the weakest musically. From here, our job truly becomes a matter of perspective: give up or work harder. Think about it. This is a junior high boy who hasn’t matched pitch in two years. Shouldn’t the director have given up a long time ago? Some teachers would have looked at this as a negative situation and done just that. By most standards, this could have been dismissed as a schedule change with one fewer singer to deal with. Instead, she not only allowed him to stay in choir, but she encouraged him to try
2 ND ANNUAL February 8, 2014
out for Region. The result became a young man who overcame the hurdle of finding his singing voice and who will very possibly participate in and remain a supporter of the arts for the rest of his life. Her two years of devotion to his cause will continue to offer a great return for music education in the future. Consider your teaching career a huge savings account for the future of music and music education. Every student with whom you make educational deposits will reap dividends for the future of what we all hold so dear! One of those students will
one day serve on a school board. Another will become a principal. Others still will run for office and serve on a committee that directly affects arts funding. All of those students will become productive citizens who are supportive advocates for the arts in their communities. Your daily sacrifice therefore becomes an investment in our future. As we move into 2014 and beyond, I urge you to continue growing your student savings account while guiding your programs with a clearer view of the big picture and a keener sense of perspective.
Are you preregistered? Did you reserve housing? Have you bought President’s Concert tickets? W W W.T ME A .OR G / C O N V E N T IO N
BRASS DAY
Featuring guest artists:
And Tarleton faculty: A
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
WIFF RUDD Trumpet Baylor University
BRIAN WALKER B Trumpet T
8 a.m.
Registration
9 a.m.
Warmup Classes with Tarleton Faculty
10 a.m.
Morning Brass Ensemble Performances
11 a.m.
Masterclasses with Guest Artists
2 p.m.
Tarleton and Guest Faculty Showcases
GREG HUSTIS French Horn Dallas Symphony and Southern Methodist Unviersity
JEREMY MOELLER Trombone Lyric Opera of Chicago
EDWARD JONES Tuba Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
KIM HAGELSTEIN Horn
JONATHAN GILL Low Brass
3:30 p.m. Q&A Session with Tarleton Faculty and Guest Artists 5 p.m.
Evening Concert with Guest Artists
www.tarleton.edu/band/camps/brass-day2014.html
Register before Jan. 1 to receive the Early Bird rate of $20 for an All-Day Pass. (After Jan. 1, All-Day Passes are $25) Separate tickets to the evening concert at 5 p.m. can be purchased at the door for $15. (All-Day Pass includes a ticket to the evening concert)
Southwestern Musician | January 2014
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Executive Board Candidates Election of the TMEA President-Elect will be at the Second General Session, Friday, February 14, 8 A.M., in Lila Cockrell Theater. The Band Vice-President will be elected at the Band Division Business Meeting, Thursday, February 13, 5:15 P.M., in Ballroom B. The College Vice-President will be elected at the College Division Business Meeting, Thursday, February 13, 5:15 P.M., in CC 213.
Candidates for President-Elect: Keith Dye and Ronnie Rios Keith Dye
Present Position: Associate Professor of Music Education, Texas Tech Univ School of Music (2005–present). Previous Position: Department Chair and Director of Bands, Texas Lutheran Univ (1997–2005); Director of Bands, Fine Arts Department Chair, Jackson MS, San Antonio NEISD (1991– 1998); Director of Bands, Lubbock HS (1989–1991); Director of Bands, Evans JH, Lubbock ISD (1985– 1989); Director of Bands, Sioux City, Iowa Community Schools (1979–1985). Education: Doctorate of education in teaching college music, Columbia Univ Teachers College (2007); master of arts, West Texas State Univ (1985), bachelor of music education, Morningside College (1979). TMEA Offices and Positions Held: College Division VicePresident (2011–present); Region 12 Band Chair (1993–1997); Region 12 MS Honor Band Audition Organizer (1992–1997); Region 16 JH Honor Band Organizer (1987–1989). Other Offices and Positions Held: Band Clinician (1986– present); Orchestra Director, First Baptist Church Lubbock (2006– 2010); Coordinating Director, TTU Band and Orchestra Camp (2007–2013); Founder and Director, TTU MS Band Academy (2006–2013); TTU Assistant Director of Bands (2005–2012); Executive Director, Foundation for Music Education (2007– 2008); Founder and Director Texas Lutheran Univ Summer Music Academy (1998–2004); Performing Artist and Educational Consultant for C.G. Conn (1999–present); Mid-Texas Symphony Director of Education (1999–2001); Instructional Consultant for various Texas school districts (2000–present). Professional Affiliations: TMEA, TBA, TMAA, Phi Beta Mu, CBDNA, NBA, NAfME, CMS, TI:ME, SMTE, SMRE. Honors/Accomplishments: TTU Service Learning Fellow (2012); TTU Teaching Academy (2011); TTU New Faculty Award (2009); Journal Publications (JRME, JMTE, Instrumentalist, etc.) (2006–present); Presentation, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic (2013); Presentation, Engagement Scholarship Consortium (2013); Presentations, Society for Music Teacher Education Symposium (2007–13); Presentations, NAfME Research Conference, (2012); Presentations, TMEA Convention, (2006–2011); Presentations, CMS National Conference (2007–2008); TLU Symphonic Winds, TMEA 8
Southwestern Musician | January 2014
Invited Performance (2003); UIL Band C&SR and Festival Adjudication (1987–present); Baenziger Professorship, TLU (2000–05); TLU Student Body Professor of the Year (1999, 2002); UIL Sweepstakes (1986–1998); Outstanding Band/Jazz Band Various Festivals (1986–1998); NEISD Jackson MS, Teacher of the Year (1993); BBB TMEA Honor Band Finalist (1989); SCCS Woodrow Wilson JH Teacher of the Year (1981). Personal Information: Wife: Heidi (Principal, Hutchinson MS, LISD). Children: Christopher (Visiting Professor of Music Education, Jacobs School of Music Indiana University); Molly (Band Director, Mason ISD); Keaton (Sophomore, Texas Tech Univ). Two grandsons. Proud “family” of over 300 former college students currently teaching music in Texas. Statement: I am honored beyond words to have the opportunity to be considered for this office. As an individual in a position to work regularly with music educators, soon-to-be music educators, and music education organizations alike from around the country, I can truly say I have the utmost respect for both TMEA the organization and the TMEA membership, the greatest collection of music educators in the world. We all owe TMEA an immeasurable debt of gratitude for everything the organization does to advocate for our causes and pursuits year in and year out. My specific goals for a TMEA that I can assist in leading would include the following: • Look to not only maintain, but deepen the formal recognition and designation of music as part of the fine arts in the essential curriculum of every child; • Re-establish and strengthen initiatives to define parameters of appropriate designated music instructional time for Texas elementary-age children; • Create even greater opportunities to publicly celebrate the outstanding achievement we reach in our schools, communities and beyond; • Investigate additional means to identify, assist, and mentor more efficiently and effectively young music educators in Texas; • Amplify efforts to educate local administrators and Absentee Voting: Members unable to attend the convention may request in writing a President-Elect absentee ballot from the TMEA office (attn: Kay Vanlandingham). Requests must be postmarked on or before January 14, 2014. Ballots must be postmarked no later than February 5.
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community leaders to the importance of the work done by their music educators, the invaluable benefits reaped by each community’s students, and the cultural nourishment our programs provide;
Ronnie Rios
Present Position: Director of Bands, Harlingen HS (1996 to present). Previous Position: Band Director, • Continue to enhance and enable the edification of each Kingsville ISD. individual TMEA division in understanding the unique Education: Bachelor of music educhallenges and opportunities each division holds. This will cation (summa cum laude) Texas A&M result in even greater respect and cooperation throughout the Univ-Kingsville; master of music educaorganization as we continue to prepare for the possibilities tion, Texas A&M Univ-Kingsville. the future will hold. TMEA Offices Held: State Band I believe my career and life experiences have positioned me Chair; Region 28 President; Region 28 Band Chair; Region 14, 15 in a very distinct way to assume the duties associated with this & 28 Jazz Chair; Region 15 East Zone Band Vice-Chair; Region important position. I knew from an early age I wanted to be a 14 & 15 All-Academic Band Chair; State Band Division Sectional music educator and now have the opportunity to bring to others Teacher; convention registration volunteer; convention presider; what music brought to my life. The significance of my dreams convention clinician and monitor; convention Election Committee; of being a public school band director and the powerful impact Region Band Clinician; Region Jazz Band Clinician; Region Band of my music education mentors still influence my work today in Organizer for MS & HS; Region & Area Honor Band Chair; preparing teachers to follow in our footsteps. My varied experiRegion, Area, and State Honor Band Adjudicator. ences help me to empathize with the diverse challenges expeOther Offices: IAJE-Texas Past Executive Director; IAJErienced by all our membership and to sincerely appreciate the Texas Past-President; TJEA Past-President; TMAA Committee on educational successes we achieve on so many levels, in so many Standards of Adjudication and Performance Practices (elected offiways, near and far, big and small, each and every day as Texas cer and appointed officer); TMAA Marching Band Vice-President; music educators. TBA Region 28 Representative; UIL Music Advisory Committee Band Chair; UIL, BOA, DCI adjudicator; marching band adjudicator for Regional/State Events in Texas, California, Utah, Arizona, Indiana, Georgia, and Kentucky; ATSSB Region Band and Jazz Band Clinician. Professional Affiliations: TMEA, TBA, TMAA, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Alpha Chi Honorary Fraternity, PTSA. Honors/Accomplishments: High school bands have performed at TMEA, TBA, Midwest in Chicago, IAJE, Session with Wynton Marsalis, TMEA State Honor Band Contest, UIL State Marching Band Contest; TBA Exemplary HS Band of the Year; Phi Beta Mu Young Bandmaster of the Year; Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; Teacher of the Year Harlingen CISD; Distinguished esponsive, eed friendly, easonably priced! Citizen of the Year Award Harlingen Jaycees. Personal Information: Born and raised in Alice, Texas; daughter—Crystal Amber; TMEA educators go to my website for a began teaching 6th grade students afterschool team-sports and had paper route at age 13. Statement: I am extremely proud and honored to accept the nomination for President-Elect of TMEA and am ready to Visit booth 1910 at TMEA and pick up a FREE “Debut” serve our tremendous organization. Growing clarinet or sax mouthpiece. I will also have my full line of up in a small town with incredible financial mouthpieces and custom clarinet barrels for trial and sale. challenges all through adolescence, I was able to grow something inside of me that still drives me today—ambition. I had a burning We will also have our new PILGERSTORFER and desire to always do as great as I could with my LEUTHNER clarinet reeds for sale at a 10% discount! small corner of the world. Serving our organization, serving our school, church, community, etc. can bring lifelong leadership skills and absolutely make us better in our everyday lives. To be a leader of anything is a privilege and should never be taken for granted! In the
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10 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
Book of Mark, it states, “To be great, be the servant.” I am extremely humbled to have an opportunity to serve. Having great organizational skills, being fair to all, and having an open door policy will be my platform. I strongly believe that as the Band Division Vice-President the last two years, I have a better appreciation and respect of where the focus should always be: the children of Texas. I respectfully ask for your vote and support at the upcoming TMEA convention in February in San Antonio. Thank you for reading, and please exercise your right to vote and decision making within our organization.
Candidates for Band Vice-President Rodney Bennett & Andy Sealy Rodney Bennett
Present Position: Director of Bands, Olney HS, Olney ISD (2008–present). Previous Positions: Director of Bands, Palacios HS, Palacios ISD (2005– 2008); Director of Bands, Munday HS, Munday ISD (1983–2005). Education: Bachelor of music education, Midwestern State Univ (1982); bachelor of music performance, Midwestern State Univ; master of music education, Eastern New Mexico Univ (1998). TMEA Offices and Positions Held: Region 2 Band Chair
(1994–2005, 2008–2010, 2012– 2014); Area A Honor Band Chair (2002, 2004); TMEA Clinic Presider (1995); TMEA Clinic Presenter (1994). Other Offices and Positions Held: Phi Beta Mu International Board of Directors (2010–present); Phi Beta Mu Alpha Chapter Outstanding Contributor Committee Chair (2012– present); ATSSB State Board Class A Representative (1994–1996, 2000– 2002); Clinician, Midwest Clinic (2000, 2004); Director, Maskat Shrine Temple Oil Bowl Band (2000–present). Professional Affiliations: TMEA, ATSSB, Phi Beta Mu, TMAA, ASBDA, NBA, Tri-M Music Honor Society (Faculty Life Member), Kappa Kappa Psi (Life Member) Honors/Accomplishments: John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Recipient (2013); Nominee UIL Sponsor Award (2007, 2013); TMEA Class A State Honor Band (1994, 2000); TMEA Leadership and Achievement Award (1994, 2000); NBA Citation of Excellence (1994, 2000); TMEA Graduate Scholarship Recipient (1996); Co-Citizen of the Year, Munday, Texas (1993); UIL State Marching Band Contest finalist (1987– 1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2013). Personal: Married to wife Marilyn (also a band director) for 33 years with one son, Ronnie (lead minister at One Life Community Church) in Wichita Falls. He is married to wife Ashley and have three children—Emma, Jude, and Ezra. Former member of the United States Marine Corps, member of the American Legion, and an avid railroad enthusiast. Statement: I humbly accept the nomination for TMEA State Band Division Chair. It has been an honor and privilege to serve the band directors of Texas in various positions in TMEA, UIL,
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Southwestern Musician | January 2014 11
Dr. Mark Morton Double Bass Professor Texas Tech University School of Music Dr. Mark Morton is one of a very few bassists in the Unites States that can accurately claim equal measure of experience as: • A principal in a major symphony orchestra • An internationally-recognized double bass soloist • A leading and innovative teacher He plays and teaches both the French and German bows and is an accomplished pianist, often accompanying his students in lessons and recital. Dr. Morton earned the undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Juilliard School in New York, being the first bassist in history to earn the Artist Diploma, Bachelor, Master and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees - all from Juilliard.
music.ttu.edu
A dynamic, collaborative community of artists, scholars and teachers Mark Morton is one of more than 55 internationally-recognized artists, educators and researchers at the Texas Tech School of Music. We have performing specialists on all band and orchestral instruments, piano, voice, organ, harp and guitar, as well as specialists in conducting, composition, piano pedagogy, electronic music, music education, musicology, world musics, and music theory.
2014 Audition Dates Saturday, January 18 | Sunday, January 19 | Saturday, February 22| Sunday, February 23 | Saturday, March 1
and ATSSB. These experiences have provided a unique perspective of challenges faced by directors of the very smallest school bands to the trials encountered by the highest-populated schools of Texas. Although there may be differences in each respective program, we all share the common goal of wanting to provide the best instrumental music education possible to our students. TMEA offers to members a wonderful network of individuals with a unified vision of helping students and educators be the best they can be. My wish is to continue, and further, the work initiated and carried forth by the many predecessors of great foresight to make Texas the best state for music education.
Andy Sealy
Present Position: Director of Bands, Hebron HS (2003–present). Previous Positions: Director of Bands, Randall HS, Amarillo (1998– 2003); Director of Bands, Monterey HS, Lubbock (1995–1998); MS Band Director and HS Assistant Band Director, Monahans (1988–1995); MS Band Director and HS Assistant Band Director, Iraan (1987–1988). Education: Texas Tech Univ (1987). TMEA Offices and Positions Held: TMEA Region 24 Band Chair (2011–present); TMEA Region 1 President (2000– 2003); TMEA Region 16 Jazz Chair (1996–1998); Stage Manager for TMEA Annual Convention/Clinic (2008–2010); TMEA All-
State Band Organizer (2003 and 2005), TMEA Area Honor Band Chair (2010–2012); TMEA Honor Band Revision Committee (2012–2013); TMEA All-State Band/Orchestra Audition Judge (2000–present); All-State Band Sectional Coach, TMEA Honor Band Judging Panel (2011–2013). Professional Affiliations: TMEA, TBA, TMAA, Phi Beta Mu, ICA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Honors/Accomplishments: TMEA 5A Honor Band-Wind Symphony (2010–2011); UIL State Marching Contest (2003, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012-Silver Medalist); Midwest Clinic-Wind Symphony (2010); Midwest Clinic-Clarinet Choir (2009); Sudler Flag of Honor-Wind Symphony (2012); Sudler Shield-Marching Band (2010); National Winner-National Wind Band Mark of Excellence-Wind Symphony (2008–2012); Texas Administrator’s School Alliance Midwinter Conference on Education-Wind Symphony (2012); Consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards; Bands of America Regional and Super Regional Finalist; UIL MAC (2008–2011); Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; Presser Fellow, clinician at TMEA, TBA, Midwest Clinic; Active Adjudicator, Conductor, and Clinician. Personal Information: Happily married to Karen for 18 years. Karen is an administrator in the Division of Learning and Teaching for the Lewisville ISD. Karen and Andy reside in Frisco. Statement: I am honored and humbled to be nominated for the office of TMEA Band Division Vice-President. My thanks go to those who offered such generous support and encouragement at the Region level and beyond. I have served TMEA in some capacity for many years. I
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Southwestern Musician | January 2014 13
have grown exponentially both personally and professionally as a result of those opportunities for service and leadership. The opportunities afforded me by TMEA have allowed me to witness firsthand some of the challenges facing our organization now and in the future. I will work in a collegial spirit with the other members of the TMEA Executive Board as we continue to address the role and scope of fine arts education in the larger context of legislative, funding, and alignment pressures. I will be an eager and responsive listener to divisional concerns. I will seek to enlist outstanding music educators and role models for our students for our annual convention. And, I’ll continue to strengthen and refine our internal procedures and guidelines. My hope is to be not only a strong advocate for music education in general, but more importantly a good steward of our Band Division and its membership. I am proud of TMEA and I look forward to the opportunity to give something back to our students, parents, and fellow educators. I hope I can earn your support and trust. Thank you for your consideration as you cast your vote for the next TMEA Band Division Vice-President.
Candidate for College Vice-President Dan Keast
Present Position: Associate Professor and Chair of Music at University of Texas of the Permian Basin (2004–present). Previous Positions: Director of Bands (Wakefield, Neb.); Brass and Percussion Instructor (Smithton MS in Columbia, Mo.); Clinical Associate (College of Education at the Univ of Missouri-Columbia); Assistant Director of Marching Mizzou (Univ of Missouri-Columbia). Education: Bachelor of music education, Morningside College (Sioux City, Iowa); master of curriculum and instruction in music, Univ of Missouri-Columbia; PhD in curriculum and instruction with a cognate in administration of higher education, Univ of Missouri-Columbia. TMEA Offices and Other Positions Held: Research Committee (2004–present); Region VI College Chair (2008– present); Elections Committee (2011, 2012); Contributing Editor for Texas Music Education Research (2012, 2013). Personal Information: Keast graduated from Oakland HS in Iowa with a broad range of musical experiences ranging from over 100 honor bands and solos to a European tour at the age of 16. He attended Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, to receive a BME. He was Director of Bands at Wakefield Public School in Wakefield, Nebraska, where he taught 5–12 instrumental music. Under his direction, the program grew from 95 students to over 200 students by adding a jazz band, six chamber ensembles, commissioning “From Seed to Harvest” from David Moore, receiving $15,000 in grants to supplement the bands’
14 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
budget, and sponsored 500+ solos and small ensembles at state contests and festivals. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia to pursue his MEd in Curriculum and Instruction. During this time, he worked with several performing ensembles such as the 300 piece Marching Mizzou, the Symphonic Band, the Wind Ensemble, and the Missouri Tuba Ensemble. The participation or coaching of these ensembles included an appearance of Marching Mizzou in George W. Bush’s 2001 inaugural parade and a performance of the MU Wind Ensemble at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Upon completion of his MEd he was invited to continue his studies at MU. In the three years while working towards his PhD, he taught beginning low brass and percussion in the Columbia Public Schools; Basic Music Skills for the MU School of Music; Inquiry in Curriculum and Pedagogy I and II, Summer Immersion, Music for Children, guest lectured on several occasions for faculty in MU’s College of Education; and he was an active clinician and private applied low brass and clarinet teacher. He finished his dissertation—The Implementation of Constructivist Techniques into an Online Activity for Graduate Music Education Students—to complete his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Keast was recruited by UTPB to restart the music program in the fall of 2004. He is a diamond-certified online educator by the University of Texas System, an Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Department, has written many grants netting over a million dollars of funding for Music@UTPB, and reviews grants for the US Department of Labor and HP Catalyst Programs. Keast is an avid supporter of the arts by serving as a member on the Board of Directors for the West Texas Jazz Society. As a music education researcher, his research interests include creating dynamic teaching and interaction methods in online music learning environments. He has twelve publications including book chapters, peer-reviewed research journal articles, invited columns, and serves as a contributing editor for Texas Music Education Research, World Journal of Education, and Journal of Curriculum and Teaching. Statement: Faculty and students in higher education are feeling the effects of decreased government support with smaller budgets and not enough scholarships for a growing student body. The spike in student loans over the past decade has been exponential; driven by tuition hikes and decreasing state/federal aid. Universities and students are equally desperate for a solution to the funding crisis, but few budgetary changes occurred in the recent legislative session. We need to educate college-bound students, and their parents, about scholarship opportunities, financial incentives for taxes, the federal Pell grant, and the multitude of new careers within the field of music. As the College Chair for Region VI, I have been active in sharing information about scholarship deadlines, FAFSA, college application information, and speaking at several schools for career day. Music educators can be a resource for students by sharing accurate and timely information from TMEA about affording a college education. The College Division Vice-President is well placed for coordinating the transition of musicians from high school to college, and from college to the workforce.
A U D I T I O N D AT E S S A T U R D AY
F R I D AY
January 25, 2014
February 28, 2014
F R I D AY
February 7, 2014 ( V O I C E O N LY )
S A T U R D AY
February 8, 2014 ( V O I C E O N LY )
( V O I C E O N LY )
S A T U R D AY
March 1, 2014 Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Baylor University School of Music /NE "EAR 0LACE s 7ACO 48 www.baylor.edu/music and click on â&#x20AC;&#x153;For Prospective Studentsâ&#x20AC;? s -USIC?!DMIT BAYLOR EDU
9:30 p.m., Friday, February 14. Dessert reception for Baylor alumni and friends, Rio Grande Ballroom of the Hyatt-Regency Hotel. Join us as we honor $R 7ILL -AY UPON the completion of his 14-year tenure as Dean of the School of Music.
Constitution to be revised B Y
R O B E R T
F L O Y D
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t the First General Session of the 2014 convention the membership will consider adopting revisions to the TMEA constitution. These revisions were triggered by an item placed in the agenda box at a previous convention asking the Executive Board to explore options to allow electronic voting for TMEA state offices. Since election procedures are clearly defined in the current constitution, electronic voting for President-Elect or any other office would not be allowable without constitutional revision. To be very clear, this change would not mandate electronic elections for any office but simply allow such a process. It will be the role of the Executive and State Boards to continue such study and make that determination at a future date. This, however, would be the first step. Electronic voting has been discussed during several board meetings and also through dialogue with other nonprofit associations as well as with a licensed parliamentarian. There are issues that will need continued study. In any state election, should members be required to attend the convention to participate? How important is it for members to hear the support speeches as a prerequisite to voting? How reliable would the required technology be to hold such an election? What happens if there is a technical glitch or inaccessible Internet? How would we deal with runoffs in any electronic election? It must be made clear that the charge by the Board to the constitutional review committee was to simply craft language that would allow electronic voting for President-Elect only. One model under study has the election opening online on Thursday morning after the first general session and concluding that evening. This model could allow members who do not attend the convention to participate in the election during that same time frame.
The charge by the Board to the constitutional review committee was to simply craft language that would allow electronic voting for PresidentElect only.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES IMPORTANT DATES January 13–14, 2014—Directors enter AllState student & director/chaperon housing requests online. January 22—Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline. January 23—Deadline to preorder tickets to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. January 29—Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation. February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.
Southwestern Musician | January 2014 17
WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Create, Inspire, Grow AUDITION DATES: NOVEMBER 2, 2013 AND MARCH 29, 2014 MAKE AN APPOINTMENT 1-806-291-1074 OR BERRYJ@WBU.EDU WWW.WBU.EDU/MUSIC Wayland School of Music Faculty Conducting & Ensembles Hyung Chae: International Choir, Praise Ensemble Lab Debra Buford: Wayland Singers, Choral Performance Lab Timothy S. Kelley: Symphonic Wind Ensemble Anthony King: Pioneer Marching Band Joseph Vandiver: Jazz Ensemble, Pep Band Boyce Wyrick: Chamber Orchestra
Vocal Studies Kimberly Brown Samuel Brown Brian Kuhnert
Keyboard Gary Belshaw Richard Fountain Jennie Hsu
Virtual Campus Douglas Brown Jennifer Brown Tammie Burger
Theory, History & Composition Gary Belshaw Sandra Mosteller Scott Strovas Ann Stutes
Music Education Debra Buford Timothy S. Kelley
Instrumental Faculty Pat Brown: guitar .LPEHUO\ +XGVRQ Ă&#x20AC;XWH Timothy S. Kelley: low brass Anthony King: percussion Sandra Mosteller: clarinet, sax Michael Newton: cello Joseph Vandiver: high brass Boyce Wyrick: bass Kevin Young: tuba
The School of Music at Wayland Baptist University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
While early discussion has included consideration of electronic elections for divisional Vice-Presidents as well, such elections truly present a different set of challenges since Vice-Presidents are elected statewide but in most instances serve a specific population of our membership (band, orchestra, vocal, elementary, college). Such accommodations are not included in these recommended changes. Other proposed constitutional revisions are mostly cleanup and clarification of language rather than changes in policy. One section is simply clarification of how the agenda box functions to allow members to submit business for the consideration of the general membership. A draft of the revisions will be posted on the TMEA website on January 15. President-Elect voting at the 2014 convention will occur during the Second General Session. All elections in February will be conducted by paper ballot as in the past, as defined in the current constitution. Convention Housing As many of you have experienced, convention housing has been very tight this year. We will make every effort to acquire more rooms as needed, but the closest rooms we have been able to add have been in the Market Square area, about a tenblock distance from the center. The trolley, however, does run past these hotels and drops off very close to the convention center for a very affordable fare. Cab fares are reasonable as well. Remember that any changes to your reservation may be made until January 29 through the online reservations system accessed at www.tmea .org/convention. After January 29 changes must go directly to the hotel. We advise that you wait a few days before contacting the hotel directly, as they may not obtain their TMEA reservation information for a few days after January 29. If you have been unsuccessful obtaining housing, I suggest you continue to visit the website on a daily basis since cancellations in any property will immediately be reflected in the reservation system. In particular, after All-State auditions and housing are complete around January 15, cancellations do appear as chaperons are relocated to the property in which their All-State students are housed and previous reservations are released. Finally, any reservations canceled after January 22 are subject to a $50 penalty, so make every
effort to make such cancellations prior to that date. Audio Files One of the most affordable benefits of our TMEA convention is the capability to download recordings of clinics after you return home. We continually get the comment, “Why do you schedule all the good clinics at the same time?” The beauty of TMEA is that there is something for everyone whose interests and needs vary; thus, it is difficult to determine which clinics should not conf lict. Ordering
audio recordings prior to the convention is one way to double or triple your takeaway pedagogically and allow you to benefit from more of the conference offerings. (Audio recordings are available to attendees only and are not eligible for CPE credit.) Also, in most cases handouts are available as well through our website. While I have seen such sets of recordings offered as an option at other education meetings for up to $200, your Executive Board makes this available for only $10. Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Dallas Baptist University produces quality musicians who become servant leaders in various areas of performance, music education, worship leadership, and the music and entertainment industry.
With state-of-the-art performing and recording spaces, Dallas Baptist offers students a superb education with a Christcentered focus and personalized attention from deeply committed Christian faculty.
AVAILABLE DEGREES
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Church Music, Piano Performance, Vocal Performance, or Theory/Composition
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January 25, 2014 February 8, 2014 (Winter Patriot Preview)
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March 29, 2014 (Spring Patriot Preview)
The Dallas Baptist University Department of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
ZZZ GEX HGX Southwestern Musician | January 2014 19
State Board Set to Adopt Graduation Plan Rules by Robert Floyd
A
t its November 21 meeting, the State Board of Education passed on first reading rules governing the implementation of the new foundation high school program as defined by HB 5. The Board’s action was preceded by a long day of public input that included over 80 testifiers and 14 hours of discussion by the Board as they amended their September draft rules in preparation for Friday’s official vote. The Legislature charged the State Board in law with writing the rules for implementation of the new graduation plans by school districts and also gave them the latitude to define requirements in each of the five endorsements available to students. Below are highlights of the plan as of the first reading passage: • Every student will take a foundation core of 22 credits that will include one credit of fine arts and five electives. • Every student entering ninth grade will select an endorsement that will require 26 credits—an additional math and science course and two additional electives beyond the 22-credit foundation plan. • Algebra II will be required only in the STEM endorsement. • Speech is no longer a state graduation requirement. Local districts, however, may continue to require it. • The arts and humanities endorsement does not require both world history and world geography, but only one of the two. English IV is not a required course in the arts and humanities endorsement. Instead, students may choose from a list of courses that will meet the fourth ELA graduation requirement. These are both changes from the September draft rules that were initiated by TMEA and other education associations. • With the permission of the parent, a student pursuing the arts and humanities endorsement may substitute another course for the fourth science credit requirement. It is still unclear if students who choose this option can earn the distinguished level of achievement on their transcript and diploma if they complete Algebra II and meet the other endorsement requirements. • For the coherent sequence of courses in the arts and humanities endorsement, students may select from any state approved fine arts courses. That sequence may be four credits of music. Certainly this language reflects maximum flexibility for our students. We will be charged with making sure any sequence is creditable and supports a student’s professional graduation plan. In addition, the following rule was added: “A school district may determine a coherent sequence of courses for an endorsement area, provided that prerequisites in TAC Chapters 110–118, 126, 127, and 130 of this title are followed.” Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Association of School
Boards, and TMEA supported this language, and it was adopted. This language will provide maximum flexibility for your local district. We will see how it is defined as rule interpretation moves forward. • Students pursuing the multidisciplinary endorsement may include fine arts courses to meet the four credits of advanced courses necessary to earn this endorsement. Defining these advanced courses will be a local district decision. Hopefully, explanations and examples of implementation from TEA will support the inclusion of higher level fine arts courses in this advanced category. • The physical activity credit option to include dance, musical theatre, show choir, and other possible TEKS- and skillbased courses to meet the P.E. graduation requirement has been added to rule. Such courses must meet the requirement for 100 minutes of moderate to rigorous physical activity per five-day school week. However, students would not be able to earn two credits (e.g., one for P.E. and one for musical theatre) in the same class. This is different from marching band, which is an activity, and thus during the same semester a student may earn P.E. credit for marching band participation as well as fine arts credit for the TEKS-based band class. The new rules have now been posted for public comment on the Texas Register. You may access them at www.tmea.org/ smlink/graduationrules. A final tweaking and passage by the Board will occur the last week in January, and there will definitely be changes. We will communicate via the website and will email any further concerns we discover and will ask that you respond appropriately by following the instructions given or contacting your State Board member. I encourage you to stay involved at your district level as local decisions are made defining endorsement requirements, and in particular, defining courses that may meet the coherent sequences in each endorsement. Working with and communicating with your students and their parents as to how continued involvement in music can be achieved regardless of endorsement will be critical. There is the potential for much misinformation as the new foundation high school program is initiated. I remain optimistic about the final outcome of the new implementation rules. Virtually all our recommended changes were embedded in the TASA and TASB recommended considerations for change, and Board members were very supportive of protecting fine arts opportunities. No matter the endorsement, we believe students will have more flexibility than they currently have in the recommended program to study the arts four years and graduate with the distinguished designation. Southwestern Musician | January 2014 21
Is it time to phone a friend? B Y
R O N N I E
BAND NOTES
R I O S
E
ach New Year offers an opportunity for a fresh start. Here is one to consider: It’s funny how the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? that once swept the nation with fascination can be compared to the life and times of a band director. Even at the peak of helplessness, we can find our way by phoning a friend or mentor or checking with the audience. First, let me recommend the most valuable form of giving your program a checkup: phone a friend. Our colleagues, friends, and mentors are gladly willing to assist. And many times, a phone call is all it takes. But often, we just want that fresh set of eyes or ears on our group. When our phone-a-friend people know we’re trying to make our program better, they won’t request a big check to come be our band doctor. They know we are desperately seeking their help to get better, and because of that they are always willing to give 100%. This you can count on! Next, checking with the audience for us is checking our resources. Everything from how to assemble a bassoon, to how to teach saxophone embouchure, to how to align sixteenth notes can be found online. Our resources are limitless. All we have to do is search, and there it is. Like in the game show, our choice is to either trust or not trust the information we find. When contestants sit in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? hot seat, things are tense and fast-paced, maybe just like our band worlds. Being confident about the information we receive will better help us move our programs in the direction of success. Just remember, the difference between what is real and what is the game show is that we have an infinite amount of lifelines to our band hall.
IMPORTANT DATES January 11—Area Band and Vocal auditions. January 13–14—Directors enter All-State student & director/chaperon housing requests online. January 22—Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline. January 23—Deadline to preorder tickets to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. January 29—Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation. February 12–15—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. March 1—Honor Band entry deadline for classes 1C, 1A, 3A, 5A.
Our colleagues, friends or mentors are gladly willing to assist. And many times, a phone call is all it takes. Southwestern Musician | January 2014 23
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Stephen F. Austin State University Wind Ensemble
The core of all success is based on leadership, and leadership is based on vision. Anyone a bit short on vision can always get assistance from someone willing to share it. Fortunately, band directors everywhere are hard-wired to share their knowledge in meaningful ways. Our convention next month will certainly prove this. I hope to see you there. 2014 Clinic/Convention Update If you haven’t already, be sure to preregister online at the lower registration fee by January 23. For information about the convention, go to www.tmea.org/ convention. The online convention schedule is now available at www.tmea.org/ convention. Members can save and edit a personal schedule, and anyone can now search this schedule to see what our convention has to offer. Take time now to work out a schedule that allows you to take advantage of the most opportunities to attend performances, clinics, and to get the best bargains in the exhibit halls! In November, we featured our four honor bands that will perform during our upcoming convention. If you don’t have your copy, go to www.tmea.org/ emagazine. This month, learn about our invited high school jazz ensemble and university performing groups, and be sure to include their performances in your convention schedule.
Stephen F. Austin State University Wind Ensemble Fred J. Allen, Director Stephen F. Austin State University, located in Nacogdoches, offers a wide array of degrees but also provides students with individual attention. The SFA School of Music maintains teacher training as its focus, placing several students each year into the profession of music education. This will be the Wind Ensemble’s 10th appearance at a TMEA convention.
The band performed in 1973, 1976, 1980, and 1986 under the direction of Melvin B. Montgomery, the director of bands emeritus, and under the baton of John Whitwell in 1990; Fred J. Allen conducted the group in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. In addition to the direction of Allen, director of bands, SFA students are under the direction of David W. Campo, associate director of bands and director of the Lumberjack Marching Band, and Tamey Anglley, assistant director of bands.
Southwestern Musician | January 2014 25
The SFA Wind Ensemble performs the core repertoire of the band, newly composed works, pieces featuring guest artists, and chamber music for winds. The group also plays some of the finest orchestral transcriptions for band. The Wind Ensemble also meets the needs of students in the music education curriculum, using the literature to demonstrate teaching techniques. There are three other concert bands at SFA: the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, and University Band. The Lumberjack Marching Band and the Roarin’ Buzzsaws Basketball Band perform for athletic events. The School of Music also offers the Orchestra of the Pines, two jazz ensembles, and several chamber groups for instrumentalists. Texas Christian University Wind Symphony Bobby R. Francis, Director The Texas Christian University Wind Symphony has established itself as one of the premier collegiate wind bands in America. The Wind Symphony regularly performs the best in wind band literature, from the Renaissance masters to the most
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recent prize-winning composers. The group schedules frequent appearances by guest composers, soloists, and conductors. Recent guests include Michael Colgrass, David Maslanka, John Mackey, Frank Ticheli, James Keene, Gary Green, Tim Reynish, Ray Lichtenwalter, John Whitwell, Christopher Tucker, Eric Rombach-Kendall, Mark Fonder, Jay Gephart, and the American Brass Quintet. The Wind Symphony, under the direction of Bobby R. Francis, has a distinguished reputation for critically acclaimed performances and a dedication to commissioning new and exciting works. The Wind Symphony frequently hosts visiting composers in rehearsal and performance, providing important interaction during the creative process. This year David Maslanka and Frank Ticheli will return as guests. The Wind Symphony performed at the TMEA and CBDNA conventions in 2007, the 2008 American Bandmasters Association convention, several performances at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, and Carnegie Hall in 2011. The group has released two CDs, “Testament, Music for a Time of Trial” and “Regenesis, Music of Renewal.” Graduates of the Wind Symphony have
gone on to hold positions in professional symphony orchestras, military bands, and recording studios, in addition to those serving as noted teachers and conductors. University of Texas at El Paso Symphonic Winds Ron Hufstader, Director The Symphonic Winds is the premier concert band in the music department at the University of Texas at El Paso. The Symphonic Winds performs a wide variety of literature for the wind band, including transcriptions and works from the standard and contemporary wind repertoire. The ensemble performs six concerts each year and frequently tours the southwest U.S. The group has been active in the commissioning of new works for wind band and has premiered works by composers, including Jack Stamp, Takafumi Maki, Joseph Packales, Dominic Dousa, and William Owens. The ensemble has been invited to perform for the TMEA and College Band Directors National Association conventions. The Symphonic Winds has released eight CDs on the Mark Records label featuring the music of David Holsinger, Roger Cichy, Frank Ticheli, Julie Giroux, Andrew Boysen, Jr., David Gillingham,
Since 1990, the Texas Music Office in the Governor’s Office has provided Texans of all ages with accurate, unbiased information about our state’s music industry. The TMO’s website, EnjoyTexasMusic.com, lists more than 18,000 Texas music business contacts, as well as many helpful teaching aids and a complete descirption of the 145 Texas colleges offering music and music business degrees. The TMO: Your resource for teaching the business behind the notes.
Texas Music Office, Office of the Governor P.O. Box 13246, Austin, TX 78711 (512) 463-6666 music@governor.state.tx.us EnjoyTexasMusic.com 26 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
Texas Christian University Wind Symphony
and James Barnes. A ninth CD featuring the music of Robert Jager will be released in early 2014. The ensemble is conducted by Dr. Ron Hufstader. This will be the ensemble’s fourth appearance at a TMEA convention. University of Texas at Austin Wind Ensemble Jerry Junkin, Director The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Jerry Junkin, has firmly established itself as one of America’s truly elite wind bands. Through its seven campus performances per year, or its appearances at such prestigious venues as the conventions of the College Band Directors National Association (five times), TMEA (six previous appearances), and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the Wind Ensemble has been praised for its “exhilarating color,” “truly profound music-making,” and “remarkable virtuosity.” About their release, Bells for Stokowski, on the Reference label, the New York Times said “the skilled and enthusiastic playing of the young performers leaps off the
disc. . . They make a glorious noise.” The same publication listed Bells for Stokowski as one of the best Classical CDs of 2004 and Absolute Sound Magazine awarded it a prestigious “Golden Ear” award. Their recording of John Corigliano’s Circus Maximus became the world’s first 5.1 BluRay release in 2007. The Wind Ensemble made its European debut in 1991, and its Carnegie Hall debut in February of 1998. Following a return in 2005, the ensemble embarked on a 17-day European tour. The group made its California debut in 2007 at the Festival del Sole in Napa Valley. The Wind Ensemble maintains a relationship with IMG Artists, and in May of 2014 will depart on a 24-day tour around the world, performing in Honolulu, Nagoya, Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Shezhen, Beijing, and Helsinki. This year’s TMEA convention performance will feature the world premiere of John Mackey’s Symphony No. 1. Carroll HS Jazz Orchestra David Lown, Director Carroll ISD has had a tradition of
high-quality jazz education since the early 1970s. Through the support of district administrators and faculty, Carroll Senior HS continues to have a vibrant jazz program, with three curricular jazz bands that meet year-round. The Carroll Jazz Orchestra performs regularly in the DFW area and has won first place in local DFW jazz festivals numerous times. The band was a finalist at the prestigious Essentially Ellington competition in New York in 2007, where it won the Outstanding Woodwinds Award. It was an Ellington finalist again in 2010, where it received the Outstanding Brass Award. The Jazz Orchestra performs with guest artists every year, and makes an annual recording in a professional recording studio. Graduates of the program have gone on to study jazz at some of the premier schools in the U.S., including University of North Texas, University of Southern California, and Berklee School of Music. The jazz program at Carroll HS is led by director David Lown.
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University of Texas at Austin Wind Ensemble
Carroll HS Jazz Orchestra Southwestern Musician | January 2014 29
Artists believe in Yamaha. “I have been performing on the Yamaha Silent Bass for over 10 years and love everything about it...the sound, the touch, the feel and the compactness of the bass, which makes it convenient for travel. It produces the sound of a ‘high end’ acoustic bass but it is actually more even from top to bottom. I have always treasured my relationship with Yamaha. The company is totally dedicated to music education and to their artists.”
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Audition Dates January 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 26, 2014 March 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2, 2014 (see website for details)
Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Arts Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
Music Department Faculty Jason Hoogerhyde, Department Chair
Conducting & Ensembles
Music Literature
Lois Ferrari, Orchestra & Wind Ensemble David Guidi, Jazz Ensemble Kenny Sheppard, Chorale & Southwestern Singers
J. Michael Cooper, Margarett Root Brown Chair in Fine Arts
Strings Keyboard Vincent Lam, piano David Polley, organ Pamela Rossman, piano Kiyoshi Tamagawa, piano David Utterback, piano Robert Warren, piano
David Asbury, guitar Delaine Leonard, harp Steve Kostelnik, guitar Eri Lee Lam, violin Jessica Gilliam-Valls, double bass Tim Washecka, viola Hai Zheng, violoncello
Music Education
Theory & Composition
Lois Ferrari Kenny Sheppard
Jason Hoogerhyde Eileen Meyer Russell Kiyoshi Tamagawa
Voice & Opera Theatre Bruce Cain Kenny Sheppard Nicholas Simpson Dana Zenobi
Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion Anna Carney, clarinet Patrick Creel, horn Susan Douglas, oboe David Guidi, saxophone Adrienne Inglis, flute Kyle Koronka, trumpet Erin Martysz, percussion Eric Stone Miller, bassoon Eileen Meyer Russell, low brass
1001 E. University Ave Georgetown, Texas 78626 (512) 863-1504 music@southwestern.edu www.southwestern.edu/sarofim/music
Technology Works for Me: Online Storage
by Chad Dempsey
A
s a music educator at any level and in any discipline, you likely maintain numerous computer files to support your various classes and ensembles, not to mention all of the files for your personal use. Does locating a file you quickly saved to your computer desktop sometimes feel like you’re playing the memory game? Have you found yourself wishing you had access to a file that you have on your work computer while you’re elsewhere? If so, there are free and simple online file storage solutions that can help you become better organized and more efficient in your work and personal life. Multiple online file storage options are available and easy to research with just a simple Internet search on the topic. Using an online file storage system can make your life easier at the office, feeder campus, and home. The best aspect of online storage is that your files can be accessed on the road. I began using Dropbox after learning about it a few years ago at a CEDFA pre-Summit Conference. It has simplified the organization of our band program, my private business, and some of my personal items. Dropbox is an online file sharing and storage app that has free and paid levels (the free version allows storage of 2 GB of data). 32 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
As a high school head band director and assistant fine arts director (for a district with four high schools) and with a personal business as a drill designer, using online file storage has been incredibly helpful. Files that need to be shared with colleagues, staff, design team, and administrators are stored in this shared space. I believe Dropbox is simple to use, even if you haven’t had much experience with computer technology. Getting Started Go to www.dropbox.com and sign up for an account. It’s a simple process that requires minimal time. Once you have created an account, you should download the Dropbox application to your computer to simplify access. You won’t even need to visit the website if you download the application. How the Folders Work Create a new folder within your Dropbox and label it. Save any type of file in Dropbox (located in your home folder, which is the folder named after your computer login). This file now belongs in that folder and can be accessed from anywhere! You can go to any computer or device with Internet access, log in to the dropbox.com website, and click on the
folder. Your file will be there. • Cool Thing #1: It’s the same file anywhere you access it. • Cool Thing #2: You can edit the document from any computer. Yes—when you return to your computer where you first saved this file, it will be updated. (Important note: when you remove a file saved via Dropbox from any computer or device, it will no longer be accessible on any computer or device. This deletes the file completely given it is stored online.) How Do You Share? This is Cool Thing #3 about online storage: You can share a folder with anyone. All they need is an email account (preferably one they check occasionally). When you click on the Share folder at the top of Dropbox, you can either start a new folder or share an existing folder. (If you’d like to test this out, you can share to my email C.Dempsey@ecisd.us). Type in the email address you would like to send the file to and click Send. Once your email is received and the recipient agrees to share, they will have access to the folder and files. Their access is limited to the folders you choose to share with them. They cannot access your entire Dropbox folder.
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How to Use Online Storage for Your Program This technology can be valuable for any music organization (and truly by anyone who saves files and might ever need them anywhere other than their primary computer). The following are several ways we have utilized Dropbox in our band program: • Concert Programs: One person creates a concert program file on a computer at school and places it in a shared “Concert Program” folder.
All directors have access to insert and edit the works and ensure the all-important student roster has all names spelled correctly. • Fall Show: We create this folder for all marching show-related files: original MP3 files, drafts of designer music arrangements, original part PDFs, MP3 files of arrangements, and other show-related documents. • Fall Show–Designers: We create this folder to be shared with music designers, drill writers, and guard
designers. Our design staff is located throughout Texas. When files are updated by anyone on design staff, all others receive a notice of a change and immediately have the adjusted file. The old dilemma of not knowing where the current version of a file is can be eliminated. • Campus Fine Arts Combined Performance: Theater director and production director share the Production Sheet and Program. • District Band Curriculum: The band curriculum (6–12) is shared on Dropbox for directors at all schools. • District Curriculum Assessment Program: All documents created between assessment writers (three high school directors, curriculum assessment supervisor, and fine arts director) are saved, shared, and updated from four locations in our district. Using a Mobile Device This is Cool Thing #4: If you have a smartphone or tablet, you simply need to download the Dropbox app, log in on a WiFi network, and you’re ready to go. On a recent band trip to California, our visual designer called with show questions. I used my iPhone to retrieve the program notes and my iPad to view the music PDF, and we had a discussion about our show—all while I was traveling on a bus. Photos Can Be Stored, Too! If you have downloaded the Dropbox app, you can plug in your portable device and upload your photos to your account. You can access photos anywhere and easily share them over social media or with others via email. While I’m no technology wiz, I am a teacher who wants to try to keep up with my students’ technology skills. Dropbox has become a center of organization for all components of our band program, and I’m sure that it or another online storage application could be just as helpful for you as you work to store and share information in your program. Feel free to email at C.Dempsey@ ecisd.us to share ideas or ask questions. Chad Dempsey is Head Band Director at Edinburg North HS.
34 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
WANDA L. BASS SCHOOL OF MUSIC
8 & 7 y r a u r b 8 Fe & 7 h c r a M TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION:
www.okcu.edu/music ocumauditions@okcu.edu
405.208.5980
ORCHESTRA NOTES
It’s time to assess our division B Y
IMPORTANT DATES January 13–14—Directors enter All-State student & director/chaperon housing requests online. January 22—Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline. January 23—Deadline to preorder tickets to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. January 29—Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation. February 12–15—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.
C R A I G
T
N E E D H A M
he end of a semester is a prime opportunity to assess where you are in your program. How have things gone since the beginning of school? What has been successful? What is the vision for future improvement and growth? As I approach one year on the TMEA Executive Board, having experienced many of the big duties in my job description, I find myself taking inventory of our division’s activities. Serving on this Board in this capacity has been a tremendous experience that has given me greater insight into our auditions, competitions, and procedures. The following are a few thoughts and observations. Cell Phones in Audition Rooms You might be surprised at the number of Region-level complaints I received this year pertaining to directors (not students) improperly using cell phones during auditions. Complaints ranged from directors who texted or were on social media during a student performance to one director who actually recorded an audition. With the saturation of these devices, cell phone etiquette is certainly a hot topic. Even though a phone can serve perfectly as a calculator for tabulating scores, there are too many of us who fall prey to the temptations of using all the other cool features on our phones. This is a serious problem when judging. The technology exists to tabulate and transmit auditions scores using a smartphone or tablet; however, we need to have rules governing their use. This is a topic I will discuss with Region Chairs and the Executive Board to determine how to address this issue.
Just as this is an opportune time for each of us to assess our programs, it is the right time to review the workings of our division to ensure a successful future. 36 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
TCU Director of Chorale Studies, Dennis Shrock conducts the TCU Concert Chorale in Fort Worthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Stephen Presbyterian Church
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Honor Orchestra Judging It’s been a decade since the current Honor Orchestra rules were adopted, and I believe it is time to review them again. Under Michael Alexander’s term as Orchestra Vice-President, I was on the committee that studied and implemented the current rules of shorter first-round CDs and a tiered number of finalists based on entry numbers. The issue then, and one that still remains, is judge fatigue during round one. While the shorter CD somewhat effectively addressed this problem, the high school string contest
has grown to the point where the first round is nearly unmanageable for sound judging. Our most recent High School String Honor Orchestra contest had 34 entries, and with a maximum of 15 minutes for a first-round CD, the judging stretched beyond ten hours. In addition, there were six entries with only one tune, making it challenging for judges to determine the quality of a group on varied literature. Many of those with a single tune on the first CD were playing major pieces of literature that spanned nearly the entire 15
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minutes, but there was still no opportunity for the judges to hear programmatic contrast. I listened to every CD as it was played, and I believe our judges did an outstanding job of advancing groups to the finals, but they admitted it was on the verge of being too much. With the explosive growth in new programs around the state, we could easily see this contest increase to over 40 entries in the next few years. Continuing to shorten the first round CD is not the answer. I believe it is time to seriously examine a two-Area system for any Honor Orchestra contest with over 25 entries. While our division has resisted exploring anything resembling an Area system, I believe such a system would provide a contest with more accurate results and give us the ability to have the full program played in both rounds. I also want to get ahead of the growth trend before we find ourselves unprepared for a contest too large to fairly judge in one day by one judging panel. I will be convening a committee to look at our Honor Orchestra procedures and hope to have a proposal ready to review during the Orchestra Division meeting at the TMEA Clinic/Convention. All-State Recordings Our new system of in-room monitors and immediately verified CDs resulted in dramatically fewer CD errors at our All-State judging this year. Out of over 600 CDs, we had only three that did not play, and they were from the same room. We determined the error was on our end with the CD player in that particular room. The Region Chairs did an outstanding job of implementing the new recording procedures. Now that the new rule to have one minute between tracks is being broadly enforced, the question of what is allowed during that minute has arisen. The rule states, “No more than one minute is allowed between each cut for the student to change their music, check tempo, and collect their thoughts.” Does this mean a student can play during the one minute or not? The language is vague, and when I meet with the Region Chairs during the convention next month for our business meeting, we will take up this issue to clarify the language. All-State Violin Judging How do you effectively judge 350 violin CDs in the first round? This is a question
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our division has been grappling with for many years. To make it possible, we have shortened cuts, added multiple violin
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W W W.T ME A . O R G / CONVENTION
panels, and experimented with zones in an effort to give our students who enter the contest our very best. While the zoned contest gave us the shortest judging day, there was unease because not every judge was hearing every student. A committee was formed two years ago and the decision was made to go from zones back to multiple panels hearing every student. We currently have three violin panels collectively hearing four cuts in round one. Two of the panels hear one longer cut and the third panel hears two shorter cuts; each panel hears every student. The shorter cuts this year were 30 seconds in length. On paper it appeared this panel would judge about the same amount of time as the other single cut panels. The reality, however, was quite different. The extra time to change tracks, time before each student starts to play on each track, and wide variations in student tempi made a one-minute CD last more than twice the amount intended. Having watched this process for two years from the tabulation office, it’s clear our current system forces the violin panel with two cuts into an unreasonable 12–14 hour judging day. If we made the cuts any
shorter there would not be enough substance for the judges to make an accurate assessment. I’m not proposing a solution here, but I do believe we need to modify how we conduct the first round for violins to make the judging more manageable. The current process for every other instrument is efficient and fair. It’s the sheer volume of violin CDs that creates a judging problem in round one, and once again, it needs to be addressed. Offer Your Suggestions If you have suggestions regarding any of the issues raised here, I encourage you to voice them to your Region Chair or me. I will be discussing these issues with the Region Chairs and forming committees to assist in all decisions. I also encourage you to attend the Orchestra Division dusiness meeting during our convention on Thursday, February 13, at 5:15 P.M. in Room 206. When you attend, you’ll also have the pleasure of hearing a performance by the Interlochen Arts Academy string ensemble. Please take a moment to properly thank your Region Chair. They spend countless hours organizing all of our Region-level
Lamar University 2014 Music Auditions Saturday: December 7, 2013 • March 1, 2014 • April 26, 2014
Contact Scott Deppe
to schedule your audition. scott.deppe@lamar.edu For more information, Contact Lamar University Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music
P.O. Box 10044 Beaumont, TX 77710 (409) 880-8144
www.lamar.edu/music 40 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
Clear Lake HS Chamber Orchestra
events and deal with more issues than you can imagine. They are the lifeblood of our organization! In addition to thanking the Region Chairs, thanks go to our audition chairs and hosts. Seeing so many talented people help with our events reminds me of how great it is to teach orchestra in Texas—I couldn’t imagine doing this anywhere else! 2014 Clinic/Convention Update If you haven’t already, take a moment to preregister before the January 23 deadline so you can save money and have a badge waiting for you when you arrive. Go to www.tmea.org/convention to learn more and preregister. The online convention schedule is now available there as well. Members can save and edit a personal schedule, and anyone can search this
schedule to see what our convention has to offer. On Wednesday, this year’s President’s Concert will feature a performance by The 5 Browns. At $10 a ticket, this is an amazing opportunity to take in a world-class piano quintet at a fraction of the price you would pay at any of their other concerts. Before the concert sells out, buy your tickets at www.tmea.org/ presidentsconcert. This will definitely be a concert you won’t forget! As you consider all the opportunities that await you at the convention, I am pleased to present our HS String Honor Orchestra. Our other Honor Orchestras were featured in our November issue that you can find online at www.tmea.org/ emagazine. Congratulations go to all of our HS String Honor Orchestra finalists
HS Honor String Orchestra Results Congratulations to the following orchestras and their directors for this outstanding accomplishment: Rank
School
ISD
Director
1
Clear Lake HS
Clear Creek
Bryan Buffaloe
2
Plano SH
Plano
Brian Coatney
3
Clements HS
Fort Bend
Ginger Wolfe
4
Plano West SH
Plano
Jo Wallace-Abbie
5
Martin HS
Arlington
Michael Stringer
6
Flower Mound HS
Lewisville
Ann Smith
7
Seven Lakes HS Sinfonia
Katy
Desiree Overree
8
Bellaire HS
Houston
Laurette McDonald
9
Seven Lakes HS Cambiata
Katy
Desiree Overree
10
Johnson HS
North East
Karen George
and their directors. HS String Honor Orchestra Clear Lake HS Chamber Orchestra Bryan Buffaloe & Kevin Black, Directors The orchestra program at Clear Lake HS in Clear Creek ISD consists of over 240 string students placed in one of six performing ensembles that meet on a daily basis under the direction of Bryan Buffaloe and Kevin Black. The “Lake” orchestra program has consistently produced numerous All-Region and AllState performers and is awarded UIL Sweepstakes awards with all orchestras each year. Clear Lake has been recognized several times as a Grammy Signature School by the Grammy Foundation and has received national recognition for the school’s academic excellence. The Chamber Orchestra consists of elite musicians within the orchestra program chosen through a rigorous audition process. The Chamber Orchestra has performed for events such as the Chinese New Year World Global Gala sponsored by New Tang Dynasty Television and the National Band and Orchestra Invitational held in Carnegie Hall, has premiered at the Circle of Honor Festival in Chicago at Symphony Hall, and has been named Overall Outstanding Ensemble at the Festival Disney Honors several times. This year will mark Clear Lake HS orchestra’s fourth appearance at a TMEA convention, having been named the State Honor Full Orchestra in 1991 under the direction of James Kidwell and in 2011 and 2013 under the direction of Bryan Buffaloe and Kevin Black. Most recently the orchestra won the prestigious National Orchestra Cup at Alice Tully Hall in New York City. Southwestern Musician | January 2014 41
JANUARY 23: Ticket prepurc hase deadline!
THE 5 BROWNS 2014 TMEA President’s Concert Wednesday • February 12 8 p.m., Lila Cockrell Theater
Purchase your $10 tickets before this extraordinary event sells out!
www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert
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audition dates for 2014 February 8 | February 22 | March 1 Robert Tucker, Ph.D. | Dean, College of Fine Arts School of Music | (325) 670-1426 | 877-GO-HSUTX | HSU Box 16230 | Abilene, TX 79698-6230 | www.hsutx.edu/cofa
42 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
tmea distinguished a dm inistr ator spotlight The TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award program recognizes school administrators whose support has been critical to the music program successes in schools across our state. TMEA has recognized over 100 deserving administrators through this program. When TMEA honors an administrator with this designation, the nominating TMEA member is sent a certificate to present their administrator. To nominate your administrator, go to www.tmea.org/adminaward.
Veronica Arteaga, Principal Passmore Elementary School, Northside ISD Nominated by Ruth Aguirre Dr. Arteaga has consistently supported the music program at Passmore Elementary. She has designated four mornings a week for the strings classes to be able to meet uninterrupted for the duration of the school year. In addition, the choir has one afternoon a week scheduled for rehearsal, and she makes it a point to place it on the weekly calendar so that all teachers are aware of our activities. Dr. Arteaga graciously stepped up and allocated the transportation cost for fourth- and fifth-grade students to be able to attend a Young People’s Concert performance by the San Antonio Symphony. What is most impressive is her consideration for the limited time the students have for music class. She schedules school events so that they do not interfere with the time in which students attend music class. I am very thankful to have such an encouraging and positive administrator who values music and proves it every day with her support. Kenny Austin, Superintendent Friona ISD Nominated by Allison Johnston Our superintendent is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever met. He goes out of his way to ensure all of our programs are operating at their best. He is a former coach, but he does not look only at athletics when designating funds or support. Anytime I have gone to him with a request, he has worked diligently to get me what I need. When our numbers started climbing, he found more money for our operating budget. He has made sure the band and choir programs have the materials and instruments we need to operate at our best. He is in attendance at almost every concert by every music program in the district. He is present on our campuses regularly, and he visits our classrooms often because he genuinely wants to see what is going on in the classrooms. He’s gone to bat for us with the school board when we have a request that goes beyond our operating budgets. In an era where fine arts are being cut at every turn, Mr. Austin is finding ways to help us not only survive but also to thrive. He will do whatever it takes to help us find the resources and tools to facilitate that success.
Nominate Your Administrator W W W.T M E A . O R G /A D M I N A W A R D
Collin Clark, Superintendent Cameron ISD Nominated by Steven Moss Mr. Clark is incredibly supportive of our band program and is the primary reason one-third of the high school students are enrolled in band. He understands the importance of the intrinsic value of fine arts in the education of the whole child. It is difficult to fund a program of our size in a small school, yet Mr. Clark seems to work behind the scenes to ensure all students have quality supplies and instruction. He initiated budget comparisons with other schools and communicated those results to our board of trustees to educate them on the importance of fine arts funding. I believe Mr. Clark is at the forefront of how to appropriately support the fine arts in small schools. He is an avid follower of Dan Pink and encourages all administrators to read and implement Mr. Pink’s philosophies. Mr. Clark is the model administrator who embodies what we as Texas music educators work to instill in the children we teach every day. Meaningful creation at the deepest levels we can penetrate is his aim. Rick McDaniel, Principal McKinney Boyd HS, McKinney ISD Nominated by Michael Link Rick McDaniel has always been a great principal, but now as I am about to work under his supervision and guidance for my internship to be an administrator, I realize that he isn’t just great, but truly outstanding. Mr. McDaniel attends our band, choir, and orchestra concerts on a consistent basis. He often publicly recognizes music programs in our school. At the department chair meeting following our fall concert, his opening statement was to congratulate me on our outstanding orchestra performance. This is not something he does just for orchestra but for all music organizations. Even though we all have experienced cutbacks in past years, with music programs growing, he still made it priority with his staff additions to make sure we were covered. Our orchestra numbers have steadily grown, and when I discovered last January that we would have 190 string students, I went to Mr. McDaniel with a request for more staffing. I had a thoroughly prepared proposal that I really didn’t need. Before I could get two sentences out, he interrupted with, “I already have this covered.” And, indeed he did have it covered. With huge support of Roy Renzenbrink, our Administrator for Fine Arts, and Principal McDaniel, the Boyd Orchestra now has a full-time assistant in place. Southwestern Musician | January 2014 43
Julie Miller, Principal departments at Randall HS. He has traveled with the choir on Austin MS, Irving ISD every trip we have taken and never fails to roll up his sleeves Nominated by Jamie Cabot and sponsor a group of 8–10 students, usually the “active” As a former band member and the daughter of an accomgroup of the trip. I don’t believe I have been turned down for plished band director, Julie Miller grew up with an appreciation any equipment request or schedule change I have presented for music education. Mrs. Miller believes that music programs Mr. Williams. He is a music educator’s dream administrator. are especially important for our students at Austin MS because He believes in the philosophy of well-rounded students who they provide life changing experiences that they may never have experience many different activities while in high school. Mr. due to their low socioeconomic background. During state assessWilliams knows the benefits of keeping students focused on ment season, she allowed our band to miss a portion of the school the goals of academics and outside activities. He is highly orgaday so they could participate in a clinic with composer John nized and keeps an eye on all of the activities of our departMackey. Without hesitation, Mrs. Miller granted permission and ment and encourages our students to strive for excellence in all stated that “our students may not remember taking their state they do. reading assessment, but they will remember getting to work with John Mackey for the rest of their lives.” In a time when our Bocal Majority Bassoon Camp and Operation O.B.O.E. students have numerous electives opportunities, she educates students and parents Double-Reed Camps for All Levels about the benefits of continued involvement in a music program. She has shown her support to our programs by attending concerts, participating in our faculty band 2014 Locations: performance, celebrating our success Austin Directors: Lake Travis schoolwide, accommodating our schedJennifer Auerbach Dallas uling issues, and providing appropriate Jesse Woolery Ft. Worth Sally Bohls Rockwall staffing. Mrs. Miller always includes a Houston (South) fine arts staff member on school commitSam Houston State U Lubbock tees and leadership teams to ensure we San Antonio have a voice and ownership in our school. World-class faculty * Reed-making * Chamber Music San Angelo She has repeatedly proven that she supBrownsville Colorado Springs ports our music programs and has played Virginia Check out our UNLV camp January 18-20th! an important role in our success. Northern California Sissy Lowe, Principal McCowan MS, Desoto ISD Nominated by Sharon Hittle Mrs. Lowe is a key reason the McCowan band program is so successful. She understands how music plays a crucial role in our students’ lives and academic success. Our district is involved in an I STEAM Program to integrate music into other academics instead of the converse— this is a huge leap forward! Mrs. Lowe gives us time for collaboration and input. She allows my assistant and me to run the program as we deem fit. We are able to plan trips, concerts, and other activities—always approved without hesitation from her. Mrs. Lowe stands behind us, and stands up for us no matter the case. Steve Williams, Principal Randall HS, Canyon ISD Nominated by Marcus Bradford Mr. Williams has been an ardent supporter of the band, choir, and theater
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Intermission, curtain up, Act II B Y
D I N A H
M E N G E R
H
appy New Year valiant choir crusaders! Do you realize that, at midnight on December 31, people in many countries are singing—the same song? For the same reason? How incredible is that? Our profession truly is the tie that binds. As others ring in the new and reflect on the outgoing year, we are smack dab in the middle of ours. You have now completed Act I, and I hope that your intermission was restful and filled with—nothing! You’ve directed fall and winter concerts, many of you have helped students prepare for All-Region and All-State auditions, and much more. In any worthy theatrical production, Act II must build to a great end filled with intrigue, thickening plots, heroes and villains immerging, loves and losses experienced—all the things that keep an audience on the edge of their seats. We must bring this intensity to our choral rehearsals as well. Regardless of how Act I ended, the real clincher for holding an audience in rapt attention is what they experience in Act II. What will you do differently? How will you raise the curtain of Act II in your classroom procedures, practices, and performances? Here are some Act II tips and tricks for rehearsals and for student interest that seem to work and keep the students engaged in the learning process and coming back for more: • Assign a student as the referee and give them a whistle (select a student who has seemed disengaged). Break up your lesson plan into 10-minute segments and give a copy of this lesson plan to the ref. At the 10-minute marks, the ref blows the whistle and you immediately go to the next rehearsal frame on the list. It makes rehearsals fly by and keeps everyone focused.
VOCAL NOTES IN MEMORIAM A NDY JEFF INGHAM June 19, 1940–November 27, 2013
IMPORTANT DATES January 11—Area auditions. January 13–14—Directors enter All-State student & director/chaperon housing requests online. January 22—Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline.
• Conduct several mock UIL sightreading room scenarios. The students enter, get their sightreading octavos, go through the six minutes of instruction time and then, when time is called, assign them new voice parts! This works especially well for varsity choir students who have become
January 23—Deadline to preorder tickets to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert.
Make sure you have a plan, know how the story will end, and set about creating a wonderful second semester for your choristers.
February 12–15—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.
January 29—Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation.
Southwestern Musician | January 2014 47
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slightly jaded by the typical process. Alternatively, at the last minute I have students scramble to different singing positions to strengthen their individual sightreading ability and to encourage better listening skills. Once they develop more confidence, they love the challenge. To keep your singers on their toes, games and tests of ability keep them guessing. They won’t get bored. • Have dinners or other social time with your colleagues where each brings recordings of some great new choral group or repertoire they have discovered. Share with each other. Discussing something you have never heard before or sharing a great work is how we keep each other thriving.
and shown at your choir banquet, recruiting events, and more. Many of you have great ideas for keeping the momentum and interest piqued during your Act II. Make sure you have a plan, know how the story will end, and set about creating a wonderful second semester for your choristers. 2014 Clinic/Convention Update The TMEA Clinic/Convention is upon us. Being a member of TMEA is so beneficial on so many levels but the
highlight is making the annual pilgrimage to San Antonio and being surrounded by creative, like-minded people. Listening to concerts, learning from clinicians, or simply sitting and people-watching (one of my favorite things to do) can be so rejuvenating. Be sure to preregister by January 23 to take advantage of the lower fee and to have your badge waiting for you when you arrive. For registration details and much more, go to www.tmea.org/convention. The online convention schedule is now
• Ask for input while you are preparing for concerts and contest. Asking for help does not show weakness or give away your secrets. It offers your students different ideas and teaches them to work with different people. It allows you the opportunity to step back and listen. Also, watch band and orchestra preparations of their UIL repertoire. Do they have methods that might work for your singers? • Feature your singers in solo opportunities as often as you can! (Coffee house gatherings, talent shows, inclass surprise shows, pop shows, etc.) I will never forget watching the audience react to a jaw-dropping jazz song performed by an otherwise quiet, shy, lonely girl! The students leapt to their feet in awe when she finished. Instant superstar! • Trophies or not, throw a post-UIL contest social event such as a dance, lock-in, or movie night. Celebrate the victory of hard work by caring students. • No matter how successful the entire year was, students will remember the final days of class. Make those days enjoyable. Plan now before Act II comes to a close so that you can accomplish your goals. One such goal could be letting each class make a memory video of their choir. They can begin this project now. This gives them the entire second semester to collect pictures and record their own activities. These videos can be edited Southwestern Musician | January 2014 49
available there as well. Members can save and edit a personal schedule, and anyone can search this schedule to see what our convention has to offer. Take time now to work out a schedule that allows you to take advantage of the most opportunities to attend performances and clinics and to get the best bargains in the exhibit halls! If you’ll be in San Antonio on Wednesday, be sure to go to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns. At $10 a ticket, this is an amazing opportunity to take in a world-class piano quintet at a fraction of the price you would pay at
any of their other concerts. Before the concert sells out, go to www.tmea.org/ presidentsconcert to buy your tickets. This will definitely be a concert you won’t forget! For those of you who sang with Charlene Archibeque in the 1984 AllState Mixed Choir, look for emails or social media blasts from Amy Allibon, host of a reunion with Charlene. Visit with Charlene and catch up on your last 30 years! In the November issue, we featured some of our invited choirs (you can
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50 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
find this issue online at www.tmea.org/ emagazine). This month we feature the remainder of our selected choirs. They are working diligently in preparation for their performances at convention, and I hope you add their performances to your convention calendar. Baylor University A Cappella Choir Alan Raines, Director The Baylor A Cappella Choir is honored to perform at the 2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention. The members consist of vocal performance and music education majors selected from over 400 singers in the Baylor School of Music. These choristers lead an intense and highly active performance schedule. In May of 2014, the Baylor A Cappella Choir will record the Duruf lé Requiem in Paris at St. Etienne du Mont—Duruf lé’s church. Isabelle Demers, Baylor colleague and organ professor, will accompany the choir. It will be the first time an American choir has had this honor. Alan Raines is the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and Chair of the Ensemble Division at Baylor University. A frequent clinician, Raines has guest conducted all-state and honor choirs, professional and community choruses, and given presentations in over 35 states. A recipient of the MM and DMA degrees in choral conducting at UCLA, Raines served as the assistant conductor of the Angeles Chorale while a student of Donald Neuen. Prior appointments include Georgia State University and Stetson University. Raines’s choirs have performed throughout the U.S. and Europe and have received invitations to perform for conventions of TMEA, ACDA, NAf ME (formerly Music Educators National Conference) and the National Collegiate Choral Organization. Birdville HS Chorale Amy Allibon and Jonathan Pilgrim, Directors Birdville HS opened in 1999 as one of three high schools in the Birdville ISD. In this 4A school of 1,900 students, the Singing Hawks boasts 200 students, who form nine ensembles, five competing choirs for UIL competition, and two show choirs. Forty students study voice privately, and an average of 30 students participate in the All-State Choir audition process. The BHS Chorale has earned
速
The OU School of Music has been an Institutional Member of the NASM since 1931. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.
consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards and last year was named Grand Champion Reserve at Festival di Voce at Dallas Baptist University. This is the Choraleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second appearance at a TMEA convention, having performed in 2006 under the direction of Robert Stovall. Students in the BHS Chorale are highly motivated and diverse in their pursuits. Members of Chorale also represent varsity football, varsity basketball, varsity volleyball, National Honor Society, International Thespian Society, Rawkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hawks, soccer, and varsity golf and are the top 10% of their class. Amy Allibon has been teaching secondary choral music for 25 years in Texas. This marks her fifth year as the head director at Birdville HS. This is Jonathan Pilgrimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first year of teaching. A four-year AllState singer from Garland HS, he holds a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in music education from Baylor University and has completed his first year of his masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in choral conducting. Craig MS Concert Boys Choir Wendy Weeks, Director Craig MS is a 1,000-student campus serving sixth through eighth graders in Abilene ISD. Since Craig MS opened in 2007, the Concert Boys Choir has consistently earned Sweepstakes awards at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest. They consist primarily of seventh- and eighth-grade boys, although a select number of sixth graders are invited to perform with the choir at contest each year. Choir members are visible in many activities on our campus including student council, pre-AP classes, athletics, and band and orchestra. The choir is well-represented in TMEA Region Honor Choirs and at Solo and Ensemble Contest. Both current and past choir members have been named as Carson Scholars and have been recognized through the Duke Talent Identification Program. A music educator of 19 years, Wendy Weeks is in her third year as Craig MS Choral Director, having previously taught at the elementary and high school levels. She is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and received her KodĂĄly certification through the West Texas KodĂĄly Initiative at Texas Tech University. She currently serves as Region 16 South Zone MS Coordinator.
Homer Hanna HS Varsity Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir Gene Holkup, Willie Morales, & Selina Charles, Directors Opened in 1967, Homer Hanna HS is known for excellence and rigorous academic standards and is in Brownsville ISD. The school serves a student body of nearly 3,000 and is a TEA Recognized campus. Hannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choral program has over 225 singers in nine choirs. The students challenge themselves through competition with an emphasis on building vocal technique, musicianship, and leadership skills. The Varsity Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir performed at
the 2012 SWACDA Convention. Choir members excel at TMEA and UIL events, earning Sweepstakes awards as well as outstanding performance, best-in-class, and best-in-festival awards. The Hanna Varsity Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir is honored to be the first high school choir from Brownsville ISD to perform at a TMEA convention. This group rehearses together entirely outside of the school day and is made up of the Chorale Men and the JV Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir and includes students in grades 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 from all organizations and activities. The Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir is directed by
The Institute for Music Research at
the University of Texas at San Antonio proudly announces the formation of
The Donald Hodges Lecture Series
inaugural lecture
Donald A. Hodges serves as Covington Distinguished Professor of Music Education (2003-2013) and is currently Professor of Music Education and Director of the Music Research Institute (MRI) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Hodgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; prolific writings include books and more than 140 book chapters, papers, and multimedia programs in music education and music psychology. His biographical sketch is in the New Grove Dictionary of American Music. A current vita and copies of many of his papers can be accessed at http://sites.google.com/site/donaldahodges/.
February, 24th 2014 at 7:30 pm Free Admission
Music Recital Hall University of Texas San Antonio One UTSA Circle San Antonio, TX 78249 Southwestern Musician | January 2014 53
Baylor University A Cappella Choir
Birdville HS Chorale
Craig MS Concert Boys Choir 54 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
Homer Hanna HS Varsity Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir
Vines HS Chorale Women
University of Texas at Arlington A Cappella Choir Southwestern Musician | January 2014 55
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Gene Holkup, who has taught 25 years, the last seven at Hanna. Holkup earned degrees from the University of North Dakota (BM) and Sam Houston State University (MM). Hanna HS is very fortunate to have such fine musicians and teachers on staff, including Assistant Choral Directors Willie Morales, Selina Charles, and Accompanist Robert Cruhm. Vines HS Chorale Women Chris Ahrens, Director Vines HS is a ninth- and tenth-grade campus serving 1,113 students within Plano ISD. Students in PISD receive excellent music instruction starting in elementary school, and the secondary fine arts programs directly benefit from the vertical curriculum and teaming. The Chorale Women is one of four performing ensembles in a program of 130 students. The 38 young women in this ensemble are also members of the Mixed Chorale and are highly involved in other activities on- and off-campus. Vines HS Choirs have earned consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards, competing as 5A non-varsity and sub-non-varsity ensembles and have earned many awards including best-in-
class and best-overall at other festivals. Chris Ahrens is currently in his ninth year of teaching, the last five of which have been at Vines HS. He received his bachelor of music education and master of music in choral conducting degrees from Texas Christian University where he studied under Ron Shirey and Dr. Sheri Neill. Last year, Ahrens was named Vines HS Teacher of the Year and went on to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award from Plano ISD. Ahrens currently serves as the Region 25 Vocal Division Chair, and he is an active clinician and adjudicator throughout the state. Ahrens also serves as the Youth Choir Director and Tenor Section Leader at Transfiguration Episcopal Church in Dallas.
array of challenging choral literature from the Renaissance to the present, the A Cappella Choir presents several concerts each year, tours annually in Texas, and periodically presents major works with orchestra. The A Cappella Choir was the first university choir to perform at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas in 2011 and was invited to form the chorus for the 2012 Dallas Symphony Orchestra series featuring the music of film composer Michael Giacchino. Under KenastonFrench’s direction the choir has performed outreach concerts around the DFW metroplex. In 2013 the choir released its first CD, “The Road Home,” which may be found on iTunes and Spotify. The majority of students in the choir are music majors with concentrations in vocal performance, choral music education, and music media/business. A Cappella Choir members are active in the region’s artistic community, holding positions in professional choirs such as Orpheus Chamber Singers, as section leaders in area church choirs, and in Dallas and Ft. Worth Opera choruses.
University of Texas at Arlington A Cappella Choir Karen Kenaston-French, Director The A Cappella Choir, under the direction of UT Arlington Director of Choral Activities Karen Kenaston-French, is the premier choral ensemble of the university. A Cappella Choir members are selected through a university-wide competitive audition each fall. Performing a diverse
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Southwestern Musician | January 2014 57
Improvisation in Early Elementary General Music
by Roger Sams
T
patterns of their own. he standards indicate that Integrate improvisation with the you should be teaching song literature and learning that improvisation but you occurs in your classroom daily. In donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a clue how to first grade, we always begin with sol start! Relax. The process doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have and mi, quarter note and two eighth to be that difficult. As with the cultinotes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cobbler, Cobblerâ&#x20AC;? is a typivation of any skill, the key is to break cal early first grade song. the task down into sequential learnOnce the students can read the ing steps. You know how to do that! rhythm and the sol-mi melody, you The first key to nurturing improcould add the steady beat accomvisers in your classroom is to start paniment on bass xylophone and/ at the beginningâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;rhythm comes or bass metallophone. Reading and before pitch. Small chunks, such as singing a simple sol-mi melody and 2-beat rhythmic building blocks or accompanying it with a steady beat 4-beat motives come before 8-beat The key to teaching improvisation are appropriate goals for early first phrases. Body percussion is the perfect instrument for working with to elementary students is to start grade. add some improvisation to rhythm. Clapping, patting, snapat the beginning with clear, solid theLetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning process. Divide the class ping, and stamping offer a variety of structures. in half. Half of the students learn to timbres that engage the whole body in music-making. play the following pattern on glockI suggest beginning every music enspiel or other barred instrument. class with 4-beat body percussion echo patterns, led by the If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have barred instruments, have them sing the pattern with the text, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe.â&#x20AC;? teacher. Four sets of 4-beat echo patterns create a 32-beat chorus, a standard form in our culture. After a few weeks of teacher led rhythm patterns, students will be ready to improvise 4-beat
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Once the glockenspiel players can play their motive, proceed through the following steps with the teacher first modeling each step of the process and then the students improvising, playing rhythm sticks or wood blocks. 1. Fill in the four beats of rest with four quarter notes.
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2. Fill in with four pairs of eighth notes.
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3. Improvise for four beats, using a mixture of quarter notes and eighth notes. 4. If the students are ready, add quarter rest to their choices. Southwestern Musician | January 2014 59
Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been through the process, put the improvisation together as a B section with the song in ABA form. Trade groups so that the barred instrument players have an opportunity to improvise on rhythm sticks and vice versa. You can use this B section structure as a model for creating 4-beat rhythmic improvisation activities with many of the songs you teach. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pease Porridge Hotâ&#x20AC;? uses a sol-mi-do tone set.
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Cobbler,â&#x20AC;? except the 4-beat question motive is spoken, rather than played.
Once the students have become competent at improvising 4-beat rhythm patterns, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to work with melody. You can do this with sol-mi, sol-mi-la, sol-mi-do, and do-re-mi melodies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Closet Key,â&#x20AC;? is a do-re-mi song/game that is very popular with elementary music students. They learn the song by rote while playing the game in a seated circle.
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The contrasting B Section is designed for 4-beat rhythmic improvisation. Work through the same process as with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cobbler,
One student, the guesser, leaves the circle and covers their eyes. The closet key is given to one student in the circle who promptly hides it (in a pocket, under a leg, etc.). The guesser comes back and walks around the circle as everyone sings the
Southwestern Musician | January 2014 61
song. Students sing softly when the guesser is far away from the closet key. They crescendo as the guesser gets closer to the closet key. At the end of the song the guesser guesses who is hiding the closet key and another student becomes the new guesser. Use the following improvisational structure for do-re-mi 4-beat improvisations on barred instruments. Students sing the 4-beat question and then improvise their do-re-mi instrumental answers. As always, the teacher provides a model and the students imitate that model as they grow their skills.
Once the students have mastered improvising 4-beat patterns, they are ready for 8-beat improvisation. Remember that rhythmic work comes before melodic work. Once they have mastered two- and three-pitch improvisations, students are ready to work with the pentatonic tone set (do-re-mi-sol-la). The following song, composed to a traditional rhyme, provides a playful structure for rhythmic, and then melodic improvisation in 8-beat phrases.
Giving your students the gift of improvisation opens up a whole world of music-making. The joys of spontaneous music-making are well worth any failures along the way.
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â&#x20AC;˘ Teacher plays eight steady beats on guiro or other percussion instrument following each sung phrase. Students travel like ducks and geese. â&#x20AC;˘ Teacher models how to improvise 8-beat patterns during those breaks, using quarter notes, two eighth notes, and quarter rest. â&#x20AC;˘ Students improvise (clapping first, then quacking like ducks/ geese) while traveling. â&#x20AC;˘ Consider student rhythmic improvisation on guiro. â&#x20AC;˘ When students are successful with the rhythmic improvisation, consider vocal or barred instrument improvisation using sol-mi, then sol-mi-la. First do sol-fa with hand signs and then switch to â&#x20AC;&#x153;quack,â&#x20AC;? if you are improvising with the singing voice. If your students are developmentally ready, consider improvisation on do-re-mi or the full pentatonic tone set. Once the students are capable of improvising 8-beat phrases with the pentatonic tone set, gradually increase the rhythmic and 62 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
melodic vocabulary used in the song material and the improvisations. Select high-quality songs that provide simple, yet inspiring models for improvisation. As shown through the songs and steps outlined above, the key to teaching improvisation to elementary students is to start at the beginning with clear, solid structures. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask too much too soon. Mastery at every step indicates that the students are ready for more. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t move forward until your students demonstrate that they are ready for a more challenging activity. Giving your students the gift of improvisation opens up a whole world of music-making. The joys of spontaneous musicmaking are well worth any failures along the way. And yes, there will be failures. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t learn and grow without failing. Make your classroom a place where taking risks and failing are important steps in the learning process. And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to have fun! Ready. Set. Improvise! After 31 years in the music classroom, Roger Sams retired; he continues to work as a frequent conference presenter and is a Music Education Specialist at Music Is Elementary. Sams will present at the 2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention as an Elementary Division Featured Clinician.
This article is based on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Structures for Improvisation in Early Elementary General Musicâ&#x20AC;? published in the October/November 2013 issue of Triad, the Ohio Music Educators Association journal and is printed here with their permission. For more developmentally appropriate structures for improvisation and composition in an extensive collection of sequenced curricular materials, consider Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Classroom by Roger Sams and Beth Ann Hepburn. Thanks to Kathy Petree, Music Teacher at White Rock Elementary (Richardson ISD), for submitting the image of Caroline Ilti featured on the first page. Photo by Delene Ephraim.
IS COMING TO TMEA!
Stop by our booth (2213-2314) to find a huge selection of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literature, general music, Orff instruments, percussion, puppets, recorders and more! West Music is proud to provide Orff and percussion instruments for all clinics in ballroom C3 once again! Use of the TMEA logo and name does not imply TMEA endorsement or sponsorship of this company or product.
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ow exciting it is to begin a year looking forward to all the new opportunities ahead! As music teachers, we love to share this excitement with our students. In every music class I begin my lessons with a monthly rhyme. It is a quick, effective warm-up for rhythm reading and reinforcing steady beat. I add clapping patterns and motions to add interest. The rhyme also provides gradelevel spelling skills correlation while emphasizing highlights that the month will bring. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poem is from the Aldine ISD elementary music curriculum. Feel free to add your schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special events to the poem using similar meter. The January rhyme goes like this: J-A-N-U-A-R-Y January, January, Parties, fireworks Everything is new! Might see a snowball heading right at you! 2014 Clinic/Convention Update Speaking of upcoming opportunities, we have an incredible one just around the corner next month at the TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonioâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;perhaps we should create our own convention rhyme! If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already, take a moment to preregister before the January 23 deadline so you can save money and have a badge waiting for you when you arrive. Learn more and preregister at www.tmea.org/convention. The online convention schedule is now available there as well. Members can save and edit a personal schedule, and anyone can search this schedule to see what our convention has to offer. Take time now to
ELEMENTARY NOTES IMPORTANT DATES January 22â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23â&#x20AC;&#x201D;TMEA convention online preregistration deadline. January 23â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Deadline to preorder tickets to the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. January 29â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation. February 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15â&#x20AC;&#x201D;TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio.
As we anticipate the many opportunities this new \HDU KROGV OHW¡V Ă&#x20AC;QG QHZ DQG H[FLWLQJ ZD\V WR share the joy of music with our students. Southwestern Musician | January 2014 65
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will feature a performance by The 5 Browns. At $10 a ticket, this is an amazing opportunity to take in a world-class piano quintet at a fraction of the price you would pay at any of their other concerts. Before the concert sells out, go to www.tmea.org/ presidentsconcert to purchase your tickets. This will definitely be a concert you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget! As you consider all the opportunities that await you at the convention, I am pleased to present five of our 2014 TMEA performing groups. Three of our performing groups were featured in the November 2013 issue that you can find online at www.tmea.org/emagazine. Be sure to attend and support the concerts of our eight elementary performing groups at the 2014 TMEA convention, and make a resolution to enter your choral or instrumental performing group by June 15 to have a chance to perform at the 2015 TMEA convention. %UHQWĂ&#x20AC;HOG 6LQJHUV %HQ 7RUUHV 'LUHFWRU Brentfield Elementary is an Exemplary Blue Ribbon Campus in Richardson ISD and serves over 600 students in grades Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;6. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to prepare independent learners who will become productive citizens and leaders of tomorrow. The Brentfield Singers is an afterschool auditioned choir consisting of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders and was formed in the 2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013 school year. The choir meets weekly for one-hour rehearsals after school as well as a 20-minute weekly morning sectional. The Brentfield Singers is excited and honored to be invited to perform at the 2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention. Ben Torres is in his second year as the Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;6 music specialist at Brentfield Elementary. This is his 10th year in Richardson ISD. Torres attended West Texas A&M University in Canyon and completed his Orff-Schulwerk training at Southern Methodist University. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the North Texas Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. &KLOGUHQ¡V &KRLU RI 7H[DV 9LFWRU -RKQVRQ 'LUHFWRU The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir of Texas (CCT) is a select treble choir of students in fifth and sixth grades at the Fort Worth
68 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
Degree Programs Bachelor of Arts in Music Bachelor of Music in Performance Bachelor of Music (teacher certification)
Performance Opportunities A Cappella Chorus Big Purple Marching Band Concert Band Jazz Combos Jazz Ensemble Opera Percussion Ensemble Steel Drum Band Symphony Orchestra University Chorale Wind Ensemble
Audition Dates Saturday, November 23 Saturday, February 15 Friday-Saturday, February 28 - March 1 Friday/Saturday, April 4-5
Contact Us acu.edu/music 325-674-2199 music@acu.edu 130341-0913
University of North Texas
College of Music
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University of North Texas Campus Saturday, January 25, 2014 Friday, January 31, 2014
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Saturday, February 1, 2014 Saturday, February 22, 2014
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Friday, January 17, 2014 (Chicago) Saturday, January 18, 2014 (Los Angeles)
music.unt.edu
Academy of Fine Arts. This choir meets daily for an hour and focuses on developing vocal, music reading, and theory skills. Members are selected by audition. They are expected to show disciplined and polished performance skills and to fulfill choir responsibilities in a committed and professional manner. The primary mission of the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir of Texas is to be a training choir for potential future members of the Singing Girls of Texas and the Texas Boys Choir. CCT has performed in many venues, including the Gaylord Hotel Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, Texas Charter School Convention, and the TMEA convention in 2010. This group has annually received best-in-class awards at the Sandy Lake Music Festival and first-division ratings at the Pride of Texas Music Festival. 5D\IRUG +RQRU &KRLU &KDQFH *LOOHWW 'LUHFWRU Rayford Intermediate School, which opened in 2010, is now in its fourth academic year. Part of Aldine ISD, Rayford offers students a variety of fine arts opportunities including choir, dance, art, band, and general music. The Rayford Honor Choir consists of 70 fifth and sixth graders selected
by audition. The choir has won â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most Outstanding Choral Performanceâ&#x20AC;? the last three years at the Aldine Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music Festival, which attracts choirs from around the Houston area. Chance Gillett is the founder of the Rayford Honor Choir program. Gillett is a graduate of Sam Houston State University and recently received his masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in curriculum and instruction. Last summer, as a member of Palmer Episcopal Church Choir, Gillett sang at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. 0F.DP\ 2UII (QVHPEOH %LOO\ )HUJXVRQ 'LUHFWRU The McKamy Orff Ensemble is an auditioned group of third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students from McKamy Elementary in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. Students meet twice weekly after school for a 45-minute rehearsal. This is McKamyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second invitation to perform at a TMEA convention. The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performances are based on the philosophy of Carl Orffâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;music should be taught through singing, saying, dancing, and playing. Billy Ferguson holds a BFA from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is in his 13th year as music specialist at
McKamy Elementary and 27th year as a Texas public school educator. During his 27-year career he has been honored as Teacher of the Year three times. He is an active clinician, having presented at the local, state, and national levels and is currently the President of the North Texas Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. '/9 2UII (QVHPEOH 5R\ 7UHYLQR 'LUHFWRU The DLV Orff Ensemble is a fourthand fifth-grade auditioned group that performs in the De la ViĂąa Elementary School in Edinburg CISD and in the surrounding community. Formed in 2006, the ensemble is under the direction of founder Roy Trevino. The ensemble rehearses during regularly scheduled music class and twice weekly after school. Students learn the basics of mallet techniques, instrument playing, score reading, improvisation, and how to play in an ensemble setting. Rhythmic speech, singing, movement, and imagination are additional elements in the ensembleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music. The students are also members of the school choir, and both groups are usually combined for concerts and community performances.
2014 TMEA Clinic/Convention February 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15 â&#x20AC;˘ Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center â&#x20AC;˘ San Antonio
Our Clinic/Convention Is for Elementary Music Teachers! Over 40 clinics for elementary teachers Inspiring elementary music performances Nationally recognized featured clinicians The latest teaching supplies & more Over 2,000 elementary teachers attend
www.tmea.org/convention Southwestern Musician | January 2014 71
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Southwestern Musician | January 2014 73
THE
BIG
PICTURE
by Richard Fiese
W
hen facing the immediacy of our individual circumstances, it is often difficult to maintain an accurate outlook beyond the next emergency or deadline. We are often so caught up in the detail of every leaf that we lose sight of the forest. Nevertheless, we can better ascertain where we are, where we are going, and how best to arrive at our goals when we establish a sense of the big picture. To better view and evaluate one’s situation, it is often necessary to change one’s perspective. This requires some psychological distance from our imminent situation and often an alteration in our point of view. In our case, this could mean examining the totality of music education, rather than discrete levels of instruction or areas of expertise. When we do so, certain fundamental issues reveal themselves and should afford us the opportunity to reflect on and influence our daily practice as educators of musicians.
The primary issue is that it is not music, but an education in, with, for, and by music for which we must be better advocates. The general public, the education community, and most decisionmakers believe that music is a something of value, even if others do not view music education as important as do we who teach it. We need to be much more effective at advancing arguments for the music instruction of all students and not merely those who may be pursuing one of the many occupations in the music field. As such, we must be more effective communicators about the virtues of music study for all. While the music education profession and its various professional associations have long articulated that every child should receive an education in music, we often do so more as a dogmatic assertion rather than as a substantive and acceptably verifiable argument or apologia. We must clearly articulate the distinction between passive involvement and active engagement with music while maintainBetter Communicators of the Truth ing that these differing musical roles should be related through If we were absolutely honest with ourselves, most of us would sequential and stratified instruction provided by qualified sperecognize that some areas in the curriculum and some activicialists. In other words, we must be clear about what it means ties within a school setting have greater to be educated musically, how that priority than the study of music. This is Our young musicians need relates to living a life enriched through not to imply that music is less critical for music, and what is necessary to ensure not feel insecure about that schools provide this instruction in a the development of well-educated citithe music that they make meaningful and effective way. We should zenry than other educational elements. It is, however, meant to remind us that and enjoy, nor should they always remain as contributing members while music is central to how we make an active ensemble where we perform become isolated from or of a living and, hopefully, how we live our our role with excellence, while remainintimidated by traditional ing sensitive to both balance and blend lives, there is more to life than music. Consequently, we must understand our musical expression of among the various voices represented— place within the total spectrum of what we should never dominate the color of perpetual value. constitutes an education. the dialogue. 74 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
FOR HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIANS GRADES 9-12 JUNE 22-26, 2014
We invite all high school students who love to sing and who have a desire to advance their technique to join us for the All State Choir Camp at Hardin-Simmons University. Campers will learn ALL of the All-State music, performing a portion during the end of the week concert.
Tuition & Fees
Non-refundable Registration Fee (applies towards tuition) - $50 Dorm Residents, Including Meals - $325 Day Campers, Including Meals - $275 Late Registration (after June 4) - $350 A $100 discount applies for past All-State singers
Register online at www.choircamp.hsutx.edu Or call
(325) 670-1415
For more information contact Dr. Clell Wright | School of Music and Fine Arts | Hardin-Simmons University, Box 16230, Abilene, TX 79698 | choircamp@hsutx.edu
CONDUCTORS Dr. Clell Wright HSU Director of Choral of Choral Activities Dr. Dee Romines - HSU Associate Professor of Choral Music Education CLINICIANS Tara Sikon - Carrolton Creekview High School Natalie Walker - Highland Park High School Aaron Hawley - Permian High School John Tucker - Stephenville High School
HSU VOICE FACULTY Dr. Lynnette Chambers Dr. Jaynne Middleton Dr. Chris Hollingsworth Dr. Melody Rich
It Is Not Just an EC–5 Priority The identification and preparation of highly gifted musicians should never avert teachers’ attention from developing general musical competence and artistic discernment in all students. While many perceive this role as limited to elementary music experiences, we should not assume this is achieved in its totality within the elementary school general music classroom. If we are to successfully connect students to music in ways that achieve general musical competence, it must be a thread that connects instruction through every level. Music is elemental to being human, but we often fail to ensure the instruction we provide endows all students with more than simply an intellectual understanding of this reality. They should all benefit from a genuine experience with real music that connects them with that music experientially, intellectually, emotionally, viscerally, and spiritually. Don’t Dilute Substance with Popular Culture for Sake of Appeal We should never uncritically embrace elements of popular culture, facile expres-
sion, or political currency that dilute students’ development of profound acumen. It is through encounters with the beauty of great music that students’ emotional experience is enhanced and artistic understanding increased. We must remain current but should avoid being trendy in the process. Regardless of their age, our students are capable of substantive artistic expression and legitimate artistic creativity. Given this, they should be provided an education that not only does that but also enables them to carry these attributes forward into adulthood to lead musical lives irrespective of their profession. This does not, however, mean that we are not to remain contemporary and relevant in our instruction. We must, rather, be discerning and discriminating given the limited resource of time we have with the students in our care so that we provide them with the very best of music and music learning. Retaining a strong affinity for and affiliation with great and relevant music that transcends time, while at the same time recognizing that students’ interests are often dominated by other influences, is one of the more difficult
challenges for any music educator. Our young musicians need not feel insecure about the music that they make and enjoy, nor should they become isolated from or intimidated by traditional musical expression of perpetual value. The artificial boundaries among genres and styles of music are increasingly porous and our curriculum needs to be sensitive and responsive to this. Leave the Dance with the One Who Brought You Educational reformation at the national level has often proved to disrupt the meaningful experiences that occur within the context provided by a teacher, a learner, and the content. Therefore, we must do all that we can to preserve the music education system that has brought us this far. That does not mean our system is incapable of improvement or reform, but our decentralized education system, which depends on local control and local expertise, reflects local diversity, and reacts to local dynamics, echoes the very best of American ideals and a truly American spirit. It has also proved to be highly effective in terms of providing an education
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We must never allow ourselves to become servants of the educational system, never restricted by focusing on the process rather than individual music competence, and never substituting political engagement for artistic substance. in music. While state and national professional associations have provided broad statements of purpose, overarching standards and general objectives for virtually every level of our profession, it is through the initiative and creativity of individual teachers that real innovation and excellence actually occurs. A national curriculum with national regulation enforced by a centralized bureaucracy would be a most stifling and disastrous influence to our educational system. Local control that allows independent teachers to meet the needs of their students is the basis of the educational landscape that has provided us with the quality music education programs that our students experience and through which they grow. Changing the Length of the Dipstick Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Alter the Amount of Oil in the Car If something is important enough to be taught, it is important enough to make certain it is actually learned. Assessment is central to confirming what is happening in the classroom and to providing reliable data for enhancing the instructional process. However, we need to ensure that assessment does not impede or diminish the actual experiential content of music, interfere with creativity, or diminish innovation among students or teachers. A new test, or new distribution calculation, cannot on its own reform education, raise performance, or enhance learning. That simply is not within the valid application of any assessment, and we need to guard against any such reductional perspective. Likewise, we can be distracted by how music instruction is delivered (class time, facilities, equipment, materials, etc.) because these things are rather facile to measure and are so integrally related to funding and budget. These very reasonable and justifiable concerns can easily become the focus of our attention instead of the achievement of individual musical
independence and artistic creativity. Too often we attribute poor performance to circumstances and equipment, yet there are far too many examples of excellent music teaching and learning occurring in less-than-optimal situations to be mere exceptions to the rule. Education is far too complex and complicated an interaction to be remedied merely by throwing more money at the institution. Improving the quality of teacher education, altering budget structures to enhance instruction rather than upper-level administration, freeing teachers to teach real content and students to learn substantive knowledge and skills, raising achievement expectations, rewarding excellence and innovation that has genuine valueâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;these are what contribute to truly moving education forward. We Should Remain Political Without Becoming Politicians Teachers and parents often share a sense of political impotence wrought from a feeling of isolation and remoteness. We understand the education system is affected by the acts of various elected and appointed bodies, but we can feel as if these legislative and regulative bodies are distant, detached, and deterministic. However, the reality is that the issues of funding, policy legislation, governmental agency proceedings, and professional and legal compliance have important and often long-lasting effects on what we do and how we do it. We must not allow ourselves to be constantly frustrated by reacting to changes that shape our reality. We must be informed of and actively involved with
how these decisions are made. We must be players, not spectators, in the political arena. Nevertheless, we must also remain vigilant in our concentration on the content and context of music instruction and avoid being distracted by those entities with whom we seek to form partnerships or receive financial support for the achievement of our instructional mission and goals. Music and music learning must remain at the core of all we do, and everything else should serve only an accompanying role. Power, especially political power, can be very seductive and almost any funding source is attractive at first blush. Both of these elements are important for the future of music in education, but they should never avert us from our primary mission to offer a complete education that includes music as a central structural pillar. We need to focus more on what students learn that leads them to demonstrate genuine knowledge and skills in music rather than how these results are achieved. We must never allow ourselves to become servants of the educational system, never restricted by focusing on the process rather than individual music competence, and never substituting political engagement for artistic substance. The Road Map Perspective Like a road map, the big picture that provides us with a fairly global perspective does not and cannot account for every obstacle, hazard, or individual circumstance one may encounter along the path. It does, however, provide us with the point of departure, the potential path, and clear vision of the destination. By recognizing, considering, and responding to the big picture we are, as a profession, more likely to arrive at our intended destination than if we focus all of our attention on each individual step along the way. Richard Fiese is Professor in Music Education at Houston Baptist University
Southwestern Musician | January 2014 77
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Perspective: Fall Conference, 2013
COLLEGE NOTES
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he term that keeps coming to mind as I reflect on the assembly and resulting discussions of the College Division Fall Conference is perspective. As defined in the New Oxford American Dictionary, perspective is “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view—true understanding of the relative importance of things; a sense of proportion.” Notably, I wonder how much different my personal perspectives would be if not for the chance to engage with others at an organizational level. How unintentionally shortsighted might I be in my representation of my professional responsibilities if not for these experiences? In many regards perspective may be one of the greatest assets any of us, as music educators, receives from TMEA membership. TMEA, time and time again, provides opportunities for individual change in the way we examine what we think, say, and do. Whether it’s from what we read in SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN or what we hear and experience at our larger organizational functions, TMEA, to some degree or another, affects our personal perspective on our professional dispositions. With that said, a tremendous thank-you goes to all in attendance this past
IMPORTANT DATES January 22—Deadline to cancel a convention hotel reservation without penalty. January 23—TMEA convention online preregistration deadline. January 23—Deadline to preorder tickets to the President’s Concert featuring The 5 Browns, www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. January 29—Final day to use the TMEA online reservation system to update a hotel reservation. February 12–15, 2014—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio.
In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long WDNHQ IRU JUDQWHG Ȥ%HUWUDQG 5XVVHOO Southwestern Musician | January 2014 79
Begin your music education career at one of Texas’ outstanding two-year colleges.
BLINN COLLEGE CONTEST DATES Solo & Ensemble - Feb. 28 Jazz Festival - March 6 Concert Bands - March 26-28 Concert Choir - March 28
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Blinn College - Brenham, Texas J. Hal & Allyne Machat Music Facility Our outstanding and diverse music faculty make teaching their top priority, enabling students to expand their musical horizons. Jill Stewart ..................... Assistant Fine Arts Chair, Aural Music and Clarinet Harry D. Blake ........... Director of Bands Dr. Sarah Burke ......... Assistant Director of Bands and Percussion John Dujka .................... Music Theory and Piano Dr. Craig Garrett ..... Jazz Ensemble, Trumpet, and General Music Brian Klekar .................. Assistant Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone, and General Music Marie McElroy ............ Flute John McCroskey ....... Trombone Larry Campbell ......... Euphonium/Tuba Todd Quinlan .............. Percussion and General Music, Music Literature Felipe Vera ..................... Horn Steven Winter ............ Horn and Trumpet Karen Blake ................. Color Guard and Woodwinds Robert McElroy ........ Accompanist Eric Miller ....................... Music Theory, Music Appreciation, and Oboe and Bassoon
Director of Choral Studies,Voice, and Aural Music Vicki Wehmeyer ....... Voice, General Music and Piano Lauren Shelton .......... Voice John Vavroch ................ Voice Cheryl Amelang ........ Accompanist Dr. Joel Plaag
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October at the 2013 College Division Fall Conference. It’s certainly challenging for any college faculty to attend this event, especially those who lead performing groups. The presence of everyone in attendance greatly enhanced the discussions of the day. Again, the theme of the conference was “Perspectives,” and in keeping with that theme, brief presentations representing various elements of music education in our state were followed by open discussion. What follows is the agenda from the day: • TMEA Organizational Update: Robert Floyd, TMEA Executive Director • Local Perspectives: John Gillian, TMEA Past-President; Craig Needham, TMEA Orchestra Division; Kerry Taylor, TMEA Past-President • Policy Perspectives: Robert Henry, TMEA/TAMS Legislative Liaison • Broader Perspectives: SMTE and National Issues, Jan Killian, JMTE Editor
• Mentoring Initiative Update: Kay Vanlandingham, TMEA Administrative Director • Student Evaluation Instrument Update: Frank Coachman, TMEA Deputy Director Many thanks go to all those presenting and leading discussion; you contributed to a truly informative and thoughtprovoking day. I highly encourage all College Division members to consider attending future fall conferences. It is a valuable and edifying use of time leading to a more formidable understanding of the complexity of many of the issues affecting our professional lives. And finally, I issue a challenge to all TMEA members. At the upcoming 2014 convention seek to broaden your perspective by finding opportunities to be exposed to new and varying ideas. Intentionally look across divisions for presentations and performances that might influence your frame of mind in a different and unexpected manner. Let’s hope a renewed sense of a “true understanding of the relative importance of things” will be waiting for all of us this February in San Antonio.
“If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.” —Henry Miller Help Our Division Grow Do you know colleagues who haven’t yet joined TMEA? If so, invite them to join our association and attend the 2014 Clinic/Convention. While convention attendance is certainly a motivator for membership, the benefits of membership extend well beyond. It’s important that the College Division continue to have a voice in TMEA business, and the more members we have, the stronger our voice can be. Refer these colleagues to the TMEA website where they can learn more about the benefits of membership and remind them that their membership helps support this association that is constantly working to protect the opportunities for all music educators and music students in Texas. 2014 Clinic/Convention Update If you haven’t already, be sure to preregister by January 23 to take advantage of the lower registration fee. Go to
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Southwestern Musician | January 2014 81
College Fall Conference October 11, 2013 tmea headquarters
making connections seeking solutions
Southwestern Musician | January 2014 83
SP O
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Brass Faculty Dr. Charles Gavin Horn
Dr. J. D. Salas Tuba & Euphonium
Dr. Deb Scott Trombone
Dr. Gary Wurtz
www.tmea.org/convention to learn more and preregister. The online convention schedule is now available as well. Members can save and edit a personal schedule, and anyone can search this schedule to see what our convention has to offer. Take time now to work out a schedule that allows you to take advantage of the most opportunities to attend performances and clinics and to get the best bargains in the exhibit halls! College Division Business Meeting and Poster Session Update This year’s business meeting will be held Thursday at 5:15 P.M. in room CC 213. There are no other sessions scheduled at this time so that you’ll have the opportunity to attend. Our meeting will feature a keynote address by Dr. Benon Kigozi, President of the Pan-African Society for Musical Arts Education. Indeed, this will be an occasion to hear a truly different perspective from our own! Our much anticipated Poster Session will be held in the same fantastic location as last year’s—just outside room CC 214, listed in the program as “CC Parkview” as it has an incredible view of the Tower of the Americas and Hemisfair Park. This was a wonderful, open location for colleagues to
An internationally acclaimed quintet of sibling pianists, The 5 Browns will perform individually and in ensembles.
“Building your future in music”
www.music.sfasu.edu
. 936.468.4602
84 Southwestern Musician | January 2014
TI:ME Technology Preconference Be sure to take advantage of the fullday concentration of music education technology clinics during the Wednesday TI:ME Preconference (available for a separate $50 registration fee). Clinics on technology will continue to be presented through Saturday for all convention attendees. The preconference is a special offering bringing together the leaders in application of new technologies in music education. Consider traveling to San Antonio a day early to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity (and remember to include Wednesday night in your hotel reservation!).
2014 TMEA PRESIDENT’S CONCERT THE 5 BROWNS
Trumpet
Information on Admission Graduate Teaching Assistantships On-Line and On-Campus Graduate Programs
meet and discuss their research. Be sure to make this part of your schedule. As I hope you read about in the December issue, the President’s Concert will feature a performance by The 5 Browns. At $10 a ticket, this is an amazing opportunity to take in a world-class piano quintet at a fraction of the price you would pay at any of their other concerts. Before the concert sells out, buy your tickets at www.tmea.org/presidentsconcert. This will definitely be a concert you won’t forget!
“One family, five pianos, and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years…” —New York Post
Wednesday, February 12 8 P.M. • Lila Cockrell Theater $10 General Admission (purchase when you preregister)
MISSION: Sharing the language of the heart through musicianship, fellowship, relationship and leadership.
“The Message of the Heart” TEXAS YOUTH CHORALE AUDITION DATES February 8 & 22, 2014
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TMEA 2014 February 12-15, 2014 Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center San Antonio, TX
Rhythm Band Instruments, proudly sponsoring these clinicians in CC Ballroom C3 Bradley Bonner Thursday, 2/13 at 10:00 Playing instruments in the primary grades PreK - 2nd.
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