February 2019 Southwestern Musician by Texas Music Educators Association

FEBRUARY 2019

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Contents VO LU M E 87 ɵ I S S U E 7 ɵ F E B R UA RY 2019

Features Attend the 2019 TMEA General Sessions . . . . . . . . . . 10 Learn about the exciting keynote speakers who will offer their inspiring messages about music education during TMEA’s two general sessions.

Distinguished Administrator Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 TMEA continues to provide its members the opportunity to recognize outstanding school administrators for their support. Read about administrators who have recently received this distinction.

Adaptive Teaching for Music Students on the Autism Spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 With a focus on classroom environment and teaching strategies, students on the spectrum can thrive and enjoy a fulfilling musical experience. [J A S O N B E R G M A N A N D O L I V I A F U N K H O U S E R]

Developing Healthy Tone: Prescribe, Describe, Ascribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Columns

Consider this three-part approach to vocal technique designed to help you support singers of all ages in developing healthy tone. [S A N DY H I N K L E Y]

President’s Notes . . . . . . . . . 5

Centers-Based Learning in Preschool. . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Centers can help young students build skills of cooperation and communication and foster musical ownership all while allowing them to play. [B E T H B E R R I D G E A N D K E L LY LY N C H]

[R O B ER T

Executive Director’s Notes . .18 [R O B ER T

F LOY D]

Band Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 [J O H N

Updates

H OR TO N]

CA R R O L L]

Orchestra Notes . . . . . . . . . 49 [B R I A N

C O AT N E Y]

Creating Your Convention CPE Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Vocal Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Discounted Convention Parking & Free Shuttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

[DER R ICK

2019 TMEA Clinic/Convention: Know Before You Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Elementary Notes. . . . . . . . 72 [CA S E Y

B R O O K I N S]

M ED L I N]

2019 TMEA Clinic/Convention: Get the Convention App . . . . . . . . . . . 22

College Notes . . . . . . . . . . . 78

on the cover

TMEA Immediate Past-President Andy Sealy, President Robert Horton, and President-Elect Joe Muñoz. Cover design by Ben White.

[V I C K I

BAKER]

Southwestern Musician | February 2019

Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd

Creating Your Convention CPE Record

UĂ R\G@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 101

Managing Editor: Karen Cross

kcross@tmea.org 512-452-0710, ext. 107

President: Robert Horton

TMEA members have numerous opportunities to receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours. TMEA provides an online method IRU FUHDWLQJ \RXU &3( UHFRUG DIWHU WKH FRQYHQWLRQ )ROORZ WKHVH VWHSV now to prepare to complete your CPE record upon returning home.

rhorton@conroeisd.net :HVW 'DYLV 6WUHHW &RQURH Â˛ 7KH :RRGODQGV +6

1. Now: Create a personal schedule online.

TMEA Executive Board

President-Elect: Joe MuĂąoz 0XQR]M#SHDUODQGLVG RUJ 3775 South Main Street, Pearland, 77581 281-997-3219 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pearland HS

Past-President: Andy Sealy sealya@lisd.net 4207 Plano Parkway, Carrollton, 75010 469-948-3011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hebron HS

Band Vice-President: John Carroll John.Carroll@ectorcountyisd.org 1800 East 42nd Street, Odessa, 79762 432-456-2285 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Permian HS

Orchestra Vice-President: Brian Coatney brian.coatney@pisd.edu 1313 Mossvine Drive, Plano, 75023 469-752-9396 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plano Senior HS

Vocal Vice-President: Derrick Brookins PDMRUVFDOH #JPDLO FRP :LPEOHGRQ 'ULYH $OOHQ 214-450-7464

Elementary Vice-President: Casey Medlin casey.medlin@fortbendisd.com 6DQG\ 6HD 5RDG 5RVHQEHUJ Â˛ %UD]RV %HQG (OHPHQWDU\

Â&#x2021; *R WR ZZZ WPHD RUJ VFKHGXOH Â&#x2021; *R WR WKH 6FKHGXOHV SDJH DQG FOLFN RQ 3HUVRQDO Schedule â&#x20AC;˘ Log in with your username and password

2. At the convention: Make note of workshops you attend to completion. 3. When you return home: Update your online schedule to confirm the workshops you attended to completion, and print your CPE form. Submit one copy to your school district and keep one for your records. $FWLYH PHPEHUVKLS DQG FRQYHQWLRQ UHJLVWUDWLRQ attendance is required for CPE credit to be granted.

www.tmea.org/convention

College Vice-President: Vicki Baker 9%DNHU#WZX HGX 3 2 %R[ 'HQWRQ Â˛ 7H[DV :RPDQÂˇV 8QLYHUVLW\

TMEA Staff Executive Director: 5REHUW )OR\G | UĂ R\G@tmea.org Deputy Director: )UDQN &RDFKPDQ | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org

$10 Daily Convention Parking Alamodome Lot B + Free Shuttle Service Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Saturday

Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Tesa Harding | tesa@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: &ULVWLQ *DIIQH\ | cgaffney@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman | adenman@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: 5LWD (OOLQJHU | rellinger@tmea.org

70($ 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH Mailing Address: 3 2 %R[ $XVWLQ 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 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH +RXUV 0RQGD\Â˛)ULGD\ A.M.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4:30 P.M.

The City of San Antonio is offering attendees $10 daily parking at the Alamodome Lot B (entry by 5 p.m.). TMEA will provide free shuttle service from Lot B to the convention center. You can also use the walkway from the north side of the Alamodome under I-37 to the center. Thursday: 7:30 A.M.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9:30 P.M. Friday: 7:30 A.M.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9:30 P.M. Saturday: 7:30 A.M.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10:00 P.M. DETAILS AT: WWW.TMEA.ORG/CONVENTION

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Southwestern Musician | February 2019

Music Scholarship Auditions January 26 March 2, March 23 April 27 Entrance Only Bachelor of Music in Performance )HJOLSVY VM 4\ZPJ ^P[O ;LHJOLY *LY[PÄJH[PVU Bachelor of Arts in Music Bachelor of Arts with a Music Industry Emphasis music.tamucc.edu ~ Click on “Auditions” Plus the new Islander Chamber Music Scholarship Program with Full Tuition Scholarships for

Islander W nds

ICHTENSTEIN STRING

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Contact mary.thornton@tamucc.edu for details.

For more information or to schedule an audition, call 361-825-5523 or email dino.mulic@tamucc.edu

2019 TMEA Clinic/Convention February 13–16 • Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center • San Antonio

Know Before You Go REGISTRATION HOURS Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday:

1:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

REGISTRATION FEES • Active music educators: $80 • Retired music educators: $20 • College student member: $0

Payment Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, personal or school check (checks will be run same day), and official, signed purchase orders for the correct amount are accepted. Split payments cannot include a credit card.

Family Members Registered attendee family member badge: $10 each, children under 12 are free (family cannot be a music educator, music minister, musician, or college music student). Badges purchased online are provided when you pick up your convention badge. You can also purchase family badges when you complete onsite registration or later at the visitors booth.

(included in $25 membership)

• Out-of-state attendees: $130 • Badge replacements: $10 each

Badge Pickup Location Enter from the North Lobby of the convention center through doors to Hall 1, near the main entrance that faces Market Street. • PREPAID BADGE PICKUP: You can still register online. If your registration is paid, go to the Prepaid line (as you enter the hall, on your left). Scan your registration barcode (emailed the week before) or look up your record by name. Your badge will print at the kiosk. Continue forward to pick up other materials and exit. • ONSITE REGISTRATION: If you haven’t registered when you get to the convention center, go to the Onsite Registration line (in the back of the hall on the right). Complete registration and payment to obtain your badge. • TECHNOLOGY PRECONFERENCE: Go directly to the Grand Hyatt fourth floor to get your badge. This is a separate $50 registration (no POs). Checks must be made to TI:ME. 4

Southwestern Musician | February 2019

President’s Concert Tickets Prepaid tickets are available to pick up Wednesday, 1–7 p.m., at the Information Booth in Convention Registration. After that, go to the Lila Cockrell Theater Lobby. This Wednesday, 8 p.m. concert features THE PIANO GUYS.

$10 Daily Parking + Free Shuttle Thursday–Saturday, park for $10 daily at the Alamodome Lot B (entry before 5 p.m.). TMEA provides free shuttle service from Lot B. You can also use the walkway from the north side of the Alamodome under I-37 to the convention center.

Online Schedule & Convention App From www.tmea.org/2019schedule, you can create a personal schedule. This is also the first step in creating your CPE record. To get the 2019 convention app, download Guidebook from your app store and search for TMEA 2019.

B Y

R O B E R T

H O R T O N

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

State of the association

February 13–16—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio. February 14, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Division business meetings at the convention. February 15, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens. April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting. April–June 1—Submit proposals online for the 2020 TMEA Clinic/ Convention. May 1—Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.

s my time serving as TMEA President ends, I want to share my view of the state of our association. As we approach our Centennial anniversary, I believe we are stronger than ever. When you consider the countless businesses and organizations that have come and gone during the past 99 years, it’s clear we are healthy and vital. How can I make this claim? Our membership numbers are the highest ever. Our convention attendance continues to grow. Our financial resources are in the best shape ever, and in just the past two years we have awarded over $1 million in grants and scholarships to teachers and students. Every year, people from around the world attend our annual convention. These facts and figures and many others make me very proud of what we have accomplished through TMEA. Having been elected to the Executive Board has truly broadened my perspective. I’ve learned more about Band and Orchestra Division auditions, and I now know why the Elementary Division loves its annual business meeting! I have been overwhelmed and impressed by the scholarly and practical approach to teaching by our College Division. I have witnessed workers in the Vocal Division sacrificing family time and their entire conventions to ensure a wonderful experience for their colleagues and students. This year, over 72,000 students began the competitive process to become a Texas All-State member. The rigor and excellence of our audition process is consistently high. This enormous undertaking is conducted in 33 TMEA Regions, Small School Choir Regions, and ATSSB Regions for band students in 1A–4A schools. The fact that it is almost exclusively executed by volunteers is overwhelming! I continue to be amazed by the stellar quality of the All-State performances.

Music is personal and is best done in community with each other. Southwestern Musician | February 2019

The pervasive sentiment that each conductor expresses is that there is no place like Texas for music education. They are right! Even with the successes we have experienced in our first 99 years, we have had significant changes in my two years as Vocal Vice-President and in my President track. Our All-State Small School Mixed Choir has come into its own in the four years of its existence. We have realigned the SSC Region and Area configurations to more accurately reflect the population of these important groups of students and teachers. As a result, the Small School Choir audition process now exists as a separate entity from the Large School process. The ideas of realignment and apportionment have been applied to the Band and Vocal audition processes so that the All-State groups are more accurately represented from our enormous and diverse state. We have continued to focus our association’s efforts on urban music education. Our ongoing dialogues have given insight into the excellence that can be afforded to all students in Texas through superior instruction in music education. Over the past year we have begun plan-

ning for our TMEA Centennial. This amazing process has helped us to focus on what we hold as our core values while we focus on our needs to grow and change for future generations. But, most importantly, it has reminded us of the power of music to change lives. Music is personal and is best done in community with each other. In February, we will again assemble our community for our convention. The President’s concert will be presented by THE PIANO GUYS, who have over 6.4 million subscribers to their YouTube channel. Their salute to Texas music education will no doubt be spectacular. Imagine my surprise when I found out the nephew of cellist Stephen Sharp Nelson is a strings student in my school district! So they have a personal connection to the power of our work as Texas music educators. Our Second General Session will feature the performance by our combined All-State groups and a keynote by John Kao. John’s background synthesizes his success as a musician, innovator, and business professor and his work in medicine. His message will inspire and provoke us to think about the future of music education. You

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Southwestern Musician | February 2019

can learn more about our General Session speakers on page 10. Our convention is always highlighted by excellence in performance. We will have two full days of concerts by honor and invited performing groups in the Band, Orchestra, Vocal, and Elementary Divisions. On Saturday, February 16, AllState ensemble performances will motivate and inspire us. We will present over 300 professional development sessions for all levels and all divisions. There is no finer single professional development opportunity in the United States! We will also meet to elect our next generation of leaders. These dedicated individuals have chosen to serve our association and their colleagues. In February 2015, I attended the postconvention Executive Board meeting. On that Sunday, having just finished a rewarding and exhausting two-year term as Vocal Vice-President, much of the information was a blur. I distinctly remember two things. First, Karen Cross, our communications manager, said words of welcome, and her kind and gracious spirit was evident as she spoke. Her message was also very clear: our first magazine column was due the following week! The second thing I remember was what President Joe Weir said as he was attending his final board meeting, “Remember the mission: To promote excellence in music education.” His encouragement to us was that we never lose sight of what TMEA stands for and strives to accomplish: to promote excellence in music education. When I think about the impact TMEA has made on thousands of lives each year, I am even more humbled that I am concluding my year of service as President and my fourth of five years on the Executive Board. I have had the privilege of serving with some amazing leaders. Our Executive Director, Robert Floyd, has been a constant source of wisdom and guidance for TMEA and our Executive Board for the past 25 years. His leadership and service have been an example to me and thousands of music educators. Thanks also go the Executive Board members with whom I served and all other TMEA members who have served our association throughout our state. Your service to TMEA has inspired me, and we are better because of your leadership.

FREE TMEA MUSIC RESOURCES! Request Your Free Band, Orchestra, Choir and Elementary/Classroom Music Packets from All Things Musical!

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To Request Your FREE TMEA MUSIC RESOURCES: Email your Name, School, Music Area(s) You Teach and Shipping Address to: Email: allthingsmusical@aol.com If you’d like extra music packets for your colleagues, ask for additional packets in your request. Shipped free of charge

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TCU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Summer Music 2019 TCU Yamaha “Sounds of Summer” Percussion Camp June 7&8 Brian West, director TCU Clarinet Workshop June 10&11 Gary Whitman, director TCU Band Camp June 17-20, High School Session June 21&22, Middle School Session Bobby R. Francis, director TCU Flute Workshop June 24&25 Shauna Thompson, director TCU Saxophone Workshop June 26&27 Joe Eckert, director TCU Harp Workshop July 10-12 Laura Brandenburg, director TCU All-State Choir Camps Purple Camp, July 14-17 White Camp, July 17-20 Sheri Neill, director Christopher Aspaas, conductor TCU String Workshop July 22-24 Elisabeth Adkins, director

To register, please visit our website at www.music.tcu.edu/smi.asp or contact TCU Extended Education at 817-257-7132.

ATTEND THE 2019 GENERAL SESSIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 8:15 AM • LILA COCKRELL THEATER

n this age of innovation, it’s no coincidence that our 2019 TMEA General Session keynote presenters are all innovators looking for the next way to reinvent their craft. Starting with Thursday’s First General Session, you’ll hear from Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson of THE PIANO GUYS. These seemingly ordinary guys transformed themselves into extraordinary performers who have stunned the world with their amazing videos and innovative approaches to musicality and videography. Their creative pursuits are anchored in their mission of producing music videos that inspire, uplift, and make the world a better place. Attend this session to enjoy a performance by these incredible musicians and entertainers and to hear how music teachers influenced them and are the reason they enjoy their success today. At Friday’s Second General Session, you’ll hear from John Kao, whom The Economist dubbed a “serial innovator.” John’s inspiring and motivating messages are founded in his incredible depth of experience, including Harvard Business School professor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, musician, psychiatrist, and Tony-nominated producer. John will offer a compelling message about how music and music-learning are heading for dramatic transformation.

FIRST GENERAL SESSION Thursday, February 14, 8:15 a.m. Music Teachers Are the Difference Makers Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson Learn how music teachers lit a spark in Steven Sharp Nelson and Jon Schmidt that would ultimately catch fire and spread into more than 1.6 billion views of their content. They’ll share how their music teachers influenced them as well as what they wished they had learned in those early days in the music classroom. 10 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

Jon Schmidt was born to German immigrant parents, and they gave him the gift of an early education in music. Classical training fell on the fertile ground of his natural talents for music and hard work. Jon began composing as early as age 11, started teaching piano lessons when most people were getting driver’s licenses, and began a successful solo career in his early twenties. Jon worried about the viability of a career in music—that perhaps his family would think sheet music doesn’t taste good with ranch dressing, so in college he studied English with plans to get an MBA. People kept pestering him to play piano for them, so he risked renting a large concert hall and presented himself to the public. His audience loved him, and he never returned to his English and business plans. Fortunately, his wife, Michelle, and their five children have never had to eat sheet music—even as a side dish. Jon’s 20-year solo career has included many albums, performances, and awards. In a little southern Utah town called Saint George, a piano store called “The Piano Guys” lured Schmidt in with their lair of beautiful pianos. Shortly thereafter, he began collaborating with store owner Paul Anderson, friend Steven Sharp Nelson, and Al van der Beek to create spectacular piano-cello video content. Their goal is very humble—to inspire the world. Jon contributes not just the on-screen piano talent. He loves to throw out all his ideas, and he isn’t afraid to edit and revise until he has a refined and high-quality product. He finds his fire for the journey in seeing joy in the people who hear great music. He is thrilled to reach a wider audience through his work with THE PIANO GUYS.

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S AT T Y L E R

music auditions 2018-2019

instrumental March 1 March 8 March 30 April 5 voice March 7 March 29 April 5

Talent awards for music majors and non-majors. Register for your audition date online today!

UTTYLER.EDU/MUSIC

THIS IS THE HOUSE INNOVATION BUILT. Moores School of Music Audition Dates Saturday, March 2, 2019 Sunday, March 3, 2019

music.uh.edu

Welcome to the Powerhouse.

Steven Sharp Nelson is an award-winning, Billboard-charting YouTube rock star (in a cellist sort of way). His passion for music is palpable. His music invites people in— people from all walks of life and musical tastes. He has inspired millions through his music, awakening a newfound love for the cello and classical music, rekindling a forgotten passion, or simply by showing how to smile and enjoy life more fully. Steven plays many instruments and combines multiple elements from them, most notably guitar and percussion, into an innovative and revolutionary way of playing the cello. He is broadly considered a pioneer in exploring the versatility of the instrument. In addition to his cello prowess he is an award-winning composer, arranger, and entertainer. He has toured the globe performing his works. In 2011, Steven joined THE PIANO GUYS and now enjoys confusing everyone who wonders why a cellist is called a “piano guy.” Whenever he goes to an airport and checks in with his multiple cello cases he inevitably is asked, “Hey, what band are you in?” (Cue the awkward silence.) Despite this perplexity, Steven couldn’t be happier using his gifts to write music and produce videos with THE PIANO GUYS. Nearly every sound you hear as you listen to TPG’s music was created by a wood, carbon fiber, steel, or electric cello—often modified from its typical state or tuning. To date, he has invented

dozens of cello textures that were never before heard—the sound of a trombone or an oboe, a Chinese fiddle, an Indian sitar, a saxophone, a kick drum, a snare drum, a timpani. Steven has spent countless hours creating sounds that are familiar but completely unique—and all with a signature cello-continuity. Most importantly, Steven subscribes to Johann Sebastian Bach’s mantra: music is for the Glory of God and for the enlivening of the soul. He also believes that, as Beethoven once said, “Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks, and invents.” His performances are an incomparable mix of soaring melodies, infectious rhythm, and laughter. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and insists that no musician should.

SECOND GENERAL SESSION Friday, February 15, 8:15 a.m. Innovating the Future of Music Education: The Crucial Role of Teachers John Kao From John Kao: We live in a time in which the need and the opportunity to innovate the teaching of music have never been greater. A tidal wave of new technology enables a new toolbox for educators. At the same time, they shape new patterns of music creation and consumption. As a result, music and music learning are heading for dramatic transformation. Music teachers make music learning happen. Their role as innovators, their advocacy of new learning models, and their

I D Y L L W I L D A R T S S U M M E R P R O G R A M

2019 Classical, Jazz, and Vocal Music Programs

embrace of new technologies will shape the future of music education. This presentation will describe the technological advances that are disrupting all parts of education. It will clarify the how of innovation and how teachers can embrace the role of innovator and education change agent. It will show how music teachers can innovate their value proposition to achieve desired outcomes. Dubbed “Mr. Creativity” and a “serial innovator” by The Economist, John Kao is a thought leader, practitioner, and activist who has played a leading role in the fields of innovation and business creativity for over 30 years. His knowledge is eclectic and blends the perspectives of a former Harvard Business School professor, best-selling author, serial entrepreneur, musician, master facilitator, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and Tony-nominated producer of film and stage. He is a trusted advisor to leaders of companies, startups, and nations who are in the hot seat to deliver meaningful innovation strategies and action agendas. John’s engagement with music began at age five, when he began piano studies. In 1969, he toured and recorded with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. He authored the best-seller Jamming:

14 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

The Art and Discipline of Business Creativity, which explores what leaders can learn from jazz musicians. Currently he serves on the board of SF Jazz and on the advisory board of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Berklee School of Music. In 2014, Yamaha Music Corporation named John their first “innovation artist.” He has given “innovation concerts,” in which he demonstrates the principles of innovation using music, to audiences as diverse as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Google headquarters, the College Music Society, and the World Innovation Forum. As a Harvard Business School professor (1982–1996), John created acclaimed MBA and executive education courses on innovation and entrepreneurship. John’s work also reflects an ongoing engagement with advanced, disruptive technologies. His advisory and venture development activity has embraced fields as diverse as blockchain credentialing for education, AI, and big data models for microbiome research and ocean surveillance, immersive gaming, collaboration technology, and more. John was a producer on sex, lies, and videotape (Palme d’Or, Cannes) and Mr. Baseball (Universal Studios), and was nominated for a Tony Award for producing Golden Child on Broadway. John’s education includes BA and MD degrees from Yale, a residency at the McLean Division of Massachusetts General Hospital, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His work has received coverage in such media as The New York Times, The Economist, CNN, and The Colbert Report.

middle school band session I JUNE 9-15

high SCHOOL harp JUNE 9-14

middle/high school orchestra (gr. 7-10) JUNE 9-15

middle school saxophone academy JUNE 10-14

high school jazz combo JUNE 16-21

MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND SESSION II JUNE 16-22

REGISTRATION BEGINS JANUARY 22 www.LONGHORNMUSICCAMP.ORG

HIGH SCHOOL BAND/ HONORS WIND ENSEMBLE JUNE 23-29

mariachi JUNE 30-JULY 3

HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR JUNE 30-JULY 3

LEARN + INSPIRE + LEAD

www.YamahaSupportED.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

B Y

R O B E R T

F L O Y D

No Pass No Play rule change

opefully by the time you read this column TEA Commissioner Mike Morath’s rule addendum to allow students ineligible under current No Pass No Play rules to participate in UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation will be formally adopted. The evolution of this No Pass No Play rule change has been ongoing for five years and has involved dialogue with UIL leadership, TEA Curriculum Department, TEA legal counsel, and the Commissioner of Education. The formal approval will be announced by UIL, and their staff will have ownership of its implementation. As soon as it is adopted, UIL will release a Q&A document to clarify questions that may surface in this first year. Since UIL is not allowed to lobby for change in either Texas Education Code law or Texas Administrative Code rule, TMEA leadership took the lead in this endeavor. Given that, I would like to explain the key reasons and rationale for pursuing this change. UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation (UIL C&SR) is the only UIL event, including all academics and athletics, for which no winner is declared and no advancement to another level of competition occurs (as there is in UIL Marching Contest and UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest). UIL C&SR truly evaluates TEKS-based teaching and learning in the classroom. It is the

This change supports the position that music is a curricular, academic discipline as defined in state law. 18 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

culmination of a teaching unit for which meaningful input is received from a panel of experienced evaluators. Simply put, UIL C&SR evaluation is not a competition, and this new rule applies only to this singular music event. We all know participation in our ensembles may be the only reason many students come to school, and the fact they may struggle in math should not prevent them from participation in the evaluation of their music ensemble. Also, current No Pass No Play policy penalizes those in the ensemble who are passing all courses by

having to participate in UIL without key players who are missing due to grades. Ensembles most impacted are those in small schools as well as third and fourth ensembles in urban settings. Numerous ensembles statewide drop out of UIL participation every year due to the loss of players who have failing grades, and all student participants suffer from losing the opportunity to participate in this valuable evaluation. It’s clear there are many reasons a student may fail a class. Sometimes it’s not as simple as the student not turning in home-

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20 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

work or meeting academic class requirements because of spending too much time in extracurricular activities. However, this was the rationale for the No Pass No Play policy being passed into law in the early 1970s, and the potential loss of evaluation of the curricular music class got caught in the backwash of that law change. Most importantly, this new rule supports local control. If they so choose, school districts, campuses, and teachers may continue to enforce a policy requiring a student to pass all courses to participate in UIL C&SR, just like districts may now require students to pass all honors and AP courses even though current law allows certain advanced and honors courses to be waived. Just as in current practice, you are not required in law or rule to take every passing student to UIL events unless those students have met the requirements you have established for participation. Such examples could include attending sectionals, turning in required recordings for evaluation, and overall class participation. Students should earn that right to participate based on your criteria and that of your local administration. This new rule is not meant to be a part of a state teacher evaluation system for music because every music educator does not have the opportunity to take an ensemble to UIL C&SR. Certainly, poor performance at UIL over several years may reflect on a teacher’s evaluation, but that practice has been in place for many years. Being able to take all students to UIL C&SR should provide a teacher a better opportunity to have their ensemble perform at an excellent or superior level. On November 9, this rule change was released for public comment for 30 days as required by law for any such policy modification. The public comment received was overwhelmingly positive. It is our hope this rule change will be finalized before your UIL entry form is submitted this semester, but this final adoption can come only from TEA, according to their timetable. Finally, this change supports the position that music is a curricular, academic discipline as defined in state law rather than simply categorizing every facet of music participation as an extracurricular activity. Hopefully, this rule will enhance the opportunity for you to demonstrate successful TEKS-based teaching and learning in your classroom.

TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS Scholarships are available for both music and non-music majors. These awards are intended to provide recognition for scholarship and talent in the study of music. For speciﬁc qualiﬁcations for each award, visit

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SCHOOL OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT HEADS

Wei Chen Bruce Lin

Douglas R. Boyer

Deborah Mayes

Director, School of Music and Director of Choral Activities dboyer@tlu.edu 830-372-6869 or 800-771-8521

Choral Accompanist

Beth Bronk

Asst. Professor, Collaborative Pianist

Director of Bands bbronk@tlu.edu

Saturday, March 23, 2019 | 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 13, 2019 | 1-3 p.m. Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 1-3 p.m.

Eric Daub Director of Piano Studies edaub@tlu.edu

Carla McElhaney

Kurt Moede Instructor, Horn

Keith Robinson Instructor, Tuba & Music Education

Jill Rodriguez

Director of Strings ejeffords@tlu.edu

Instructor, General Music

Robert Mark Rogers

FACULTY

Asst. Professor, Bassoon

Mark Ackerman

Shaunna Shandro

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Adam Bedell Instructor, Percussion

Carol Chambers Instructor, Music Education

Paula Corley

Eric Siu Asst. Professor, Violin

Sophie Verhaeghe Instructor, Violin

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22 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

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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 250 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.

Jaime Alvarez-Calderon, Principal Church Hill MS, Comal ISD Nominated by Melissa Lacy, Karen Helsley, Rachel Pruitt, Fredy Solis There is a lot to be said about an administrator who has the ability to create a culture of encouragement, positivity, and inclusiveness. Mr. Alvarez-Calderon has managed to achieve this at CHMS. As a member of his team, I look forward to being a part of something great every day. He will always put a smile on your face, whether it’s while passing your classroom with dance music playing from his cart for the whole hallway to hear, helping you with setup/teardown at your concerts, or being genuine in his intent to support and help the music programs. As a former band director, he understands the details pertinent to running a school music program. Using this musical background, he makes sure our programs have what we need, many times anticipating a need before it is even identified! He is a constant presence at Church Hill MS fine arts events, letting our staff, students, and parents see the value he places in our programs and his belief in the importance of the arts in the student experience. He is an encourager of our students, cheering them on and rooting for them in their various performances. His visible presence and support of not only our fine arts programs but also our entire campus are much appreciated by all our staff!

Nominate your outstanding administrator for a TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award. Through this recognition program, TMEA has the opportunity at the state level to thank these individuals for their dedication and support. At the local level, this offers you another opportunity to share your success story with the community. Nominate your campus or district upper-level school administrator by completing an online nomination.

www.tmea.org/adminaward 24 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

Amy Dorris, Principal Palo Duro HS, Amarillo ISD Nominated by Lindsay Shupp & Joe Babcock Three years ago, our principal, Amy Dorris, charged us with growing a high-quality music program and pledged to support our efforts. She has always provided the usual backing a good principal provides, with her presence and encouragement. But as our program has grown, both in size and quality, she has stepped up in an exceptional way. Last contest season, after she observed sightreading contest, one judge pulled her aside and commented on how well our concertmaster played and how the instrument he was playing seriously limited his development. Ms. Dorris immediately instructed us to order him the instrument he needed, to be purchased out of her discretionary funds. She then expanded that by asking us to document our needs for other instruments to better support all students. With that, we recently had $20,000 worth of high-quality violins, violas, and cellos delivered, with her pledge to purchase more. Furthermore, she has been very attentive to our needs for increasing rehearsal and storage space with our growing program. Early last fall, our music department decided to stage a huge combined concert at our local concert hall. We wanted every band, choir, and orchestra student on stage at the same time in a collaborative effort. Ms. Dorris excitedly embraced the idea and committed to fund the cost of the concert hall. She saw it as a tremendous opportunity for our students and their parents and believed we should host it without admission and invite the entire community. And as always, her parting words were, “Let me know what I can do to help.” While we definitely don’t get everything we want, we always get a welcoming and sincere hearing of our needs and, as illustrated here, support that is truly above and beyond. Daniel Gur any, Principal Riverside HS, Ysleta ISD Nominated by Jason Lauturner Mr. Gurany is very supportive of the Riverside HS fine arts programs and has encouraged the fine arts teachers to continue to learn and improve teaching practices. He has provided funding

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for staff to attend the TMEA Clinic/Convention and other conventions for the theater, visual, and performing arts staff. As an instructional leader, he leads by example. Mr. Gurany has also inspired the band staff in our learning community to host and organize events that will encourage students to continue to learn music, including the Riverside HS Young Band Festival, Middle School Band Night, and joint concerts that feature all disciplines and all levels of instruction, from elementary through high school. Mr. Gurany also encouraged me to be the organizer for the 2018 TMEA All-Region Band, allowing me the time and resources to carry out the duties of this position. Mr. Gurany always speaks about the fine arts as helping students become well-rounded. He has helped us purchase new instruments as well as fund our guard program (the first principal in my 22 years of teaching to do that). As I went through the UT/ El Paso Academic Administration master’s program over the past two years, Mr. Gurany served as my mentor. I truly appreciate his insight and professionalism. He is a tremendous asset to the Riverside Learning Community who encourages and recognizes our students for their musical achievements. Anik a Horgan, Principal de Zavala MS, Irving ISD Nominated by Jillian Attan-Castro Anika Horgan is not only a fantastic leader but also an advocate for her teachers. We often find this support lacking in the fine arts world, but not on our campus.

At de Zavala, we are not just encouraged but compelled to have our students achieve above and beyond. Ms. Horgan works to provide us the resources we need to create the best environment for our students, as well as ensuring students aren’t pulled out of our classes for remediation. I am blessed to be on a campus with a principal this involved but who still allows us to be creative in how and what we teach. Not only does she encourage us inside the classroom and on our campus, but also in our pursuit of higher knowledge. She allows us days to observe teachers in our district, as well as to attend professional development such as the TMEA convention. She wants us to be better, and she gives us the tools to do so. I know that if I ever have a concern, she will go to bat to make sure I have everything I need to create a safe and successful environment for our students. She celebrates our successes and picks us up with encouragement if we fail. Ronald Schultze, Principal JP Elder MS, Fort Worth ISD Nominated by Laura DeCutler Ronald Schultze has worked tirelessly to support fine arts at JP Elder MS. He attends many of the events in all the fine arts, including concerts and performances off campus, over weekends, and on holidays. He has even participated as a special guest performer. He has consistently supported our scheduling, ensuring students are placed in the appropriate classes based on their ability rather than wherever their academic schedule allows. He has even required counselors to schedule the students’ fine arts class first

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and then work in their other classes around that. Under his leadership, the music department has greatly increased in size, both in number of students enrolled and number of teachers. The choir program has increased to 450+ now with three directors. JP Elder MS has been blessed to have Mr. Schultze as principal for the last three years. He has created a wonderful climate of support and acceptance for the fine arts. Elizabeth Yeager, School Board President Wichita Falls ISD Nominated by Kelly Strenski

was instrumental in fundraising for the Wichita Falls HS band to travel to Florida to participate in the Gator Bowl as well as to purchase a new band truck. As a band parent of eight years, Ms. Yeager served on the executive board of the Wichita Falls HS Band Boosters for that time. She was one of the band’s greatest assets—she was always there to work on behalf of the students, whether it be serving hot dogs, helping size kids for uniforms, or doing the many unsung jobs required to help make a band successful. Her role as school board member, however, has been where she has made the most impact. While Ms. Yeager has served Wichita Falls ISD, there have been many positive changes. During her time with WFISD the fine arts have flourished, reaching a new level of success and support. Yet, while her work has benefited fine arts, her influence hasn’t been limited to our programs. She has taken this position very seriously, educating herself as much as possible in the immeasurable number of educational policies, procedures, and laws. Seeing the large margin with which she won her reelection, it’s clear our community wants a smart and compassionate person like Ms. Yeager on our school board, and fine arts education is one of the major beneficiaries of that.

I first met Ms. Yeager when I taught her younger child in middle school. At the time, I was looking for a flutist to accompany my middle school choir. Ms. Yeager, an accomplished flutist, graciously agreed. While getting to know her better over subsequent years, I’ve found her to be a staunch supporter of the arts in our community. Before she was a school board trustee, Ms. Yeager served on the board of several organizations that promoted the arts. She has long been a supporter of the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, where she has 2019 dates: 2020 dates: served as a director since 1997. She is the April 12 April 3 past chair of the City of Wichita Falls Arts April 26 April 7 Commission, served as Vice-President of April 24 May 3 the WFISD Foundation, and was a founding director of the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts Visit www.SMMFestival.com or call 1-855-766-3008 and Culture. During that time, Ms. Yeager

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Southwestern Musician | February 2019 29

BAND NOTES

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What do we look for in a clinic?

hen I reminisce about past TMEA Clinic/ Conventions, I consider the types of clinics I have attended. I do the same thing when thinking about the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention. Before I attend, I strongly consider all available clinics to ensure I get the most out of the event. There are so many wonderful clinicians in our state and only so many time slots at any given conference. I tell myself to be sure to take in a variety of topics and to branch out. We all love those clinics that, by their very title and clinician, we know will be invaluable. I can’t get enough of those. They are the clinics we arrive early for to be sure we have a seat up front. They might range from the concept of the art of teaching musicianship, to the idea of more descriptive conducting, to concepts for reaching out to students on a deeper level through our repertoire choices. They are often presented by the leaders of our profession, the ones who set the standards for so many others, the ones to whom we owe gratitude for raising our profession to its current level. Our thanks go to these wonderful and inspiring maestros. We are indebted to them. There is another classification of clinics I believe is so valuable, and that is the clinic that deals with very specific pedagogical issues. Who wouldn’t want to know how to better teach oboe to the beginner, middle schooler, and the high school musician? Who wouldn’t want to gain an insight into how better

The importance and inspirational power of our clinics and concerts cannot be overstated. I hope you will take advantage of everything our convention has to offer. 30 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

February 13–16—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio. February 14, 5:15 p.m.—Band Division Business Meeting. February 15, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens. March 1—Honor Band entry deadline for classes 2C, 3C, 3A, 5A. April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting. April–June 1—Submit proposals online for the 2020 TMEA Clinic/ Convention. May 1—Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.

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to choose mallets for your percussionists? I know I treasure every time I get to go to one of these types of clinics. I want to be sure I understand what new concepts other teachers are using when teaching brass. I don’t want to miss the latest in flute pedagogy and what new things are happening in the clarinet world. I am grateful to the clinicians who are bringing us this type of information. I am grateful when I hear about a new way to teach rhythms to students in our second and third bands at the high school level. Our thanks go to the clinicians who bring us these types of pedagogical clinics. I also appreciate what I call, for lack of a better term, the administrative clinic, such as the opportunity to learn how to schedule students in a band class when there are so many other classes begging for their attention. When I taught in smaller schools, I was grateful to be able to attend clinics describing the everyday trials and rewards of teaching in a small school. I want to have a better grasp on the proper interactions with administrators and booster clubs. I was fortunate to learn how to fend for myself in rural areas. We have so many people in Texas with this type of knowledge, and I always consider myself fortunate to be able to glean from their clinics. Speaking of clinics, I hope you will be attending our 2019 Clinic/Convention in San Antonio in just a few days (it’s not too late to decide to attend!). We have 44 Band Division clinics. There are also many crossover clinics available—those that were originally created through another TMEA Division but that have great value for band directors as well. I respectfully encourage you to seek out these clinics. I realize it’s physically impossible to attend each one, but I believe we have a wealth of information just waiting to be delivered to any audience. Additionally, we have one middle school and three high school Honor Band concerts, four invited university band concerts, one invited university jazz band concert, as well as both the invited high school and middle school jazz band concerts (and a host of music showcases throughout the convention center). Also, this year we have a special concert by our band colleagues from Japan. And of course, we can’t fail to mention our All-State ensembles, made up of our own students. The importance and inspirational power of our clinics and con-

certs cannot be overstated. I hope you will take advantage of everything our convention has to offer. It is a one-of-a-kind experience in the United States. I have been attending since 1978 and still look forward to it as much now as when I first started. TMEA Clinic/Convention Updates The annual Band Division business meeting is Thursday, February 14, at 5:15 p.m., in Stars at Night Ballroom 1–2 on the third floor of the convention center. This meeting is important to the success of the Band Division, and we will enjoy a keynote address by our TMEA Featured Clinician Craig Kirchhoff. Also, Brad Kent, Director of UIL Music Activities, will provide some important UIL updates and information. Remember that you can create a personalized convention schedule online and it allows quick and easy access to information regarding concerts and clinics. Once completed, this schedule is the first step in creating your CPE documentation after the convention. Additionally, TMEA offers a convention app for your personal device. Download the Guidebook app to your device from your app store. Then search

for the TMEA 2019 guide (available the first week of February). Technology Clinic Location Alert If you’ve attended technology clinics in recent years, know that all technology clinics, including the Wednesday one-day preconference, will be held in the Grand Hyatt on the fourth floor. The Grand Hyatt is next door to the convention center. There is no internal connection, so you must exit the convention center to enter the Grand Hyatt. If you are attending Wednesday’s preconference (separate $50 registration), go directly to the Grand Hyatt to complete registration there (you don’t need your TMEA badge to attend). In addition to the preconference, over 40 technology clinics will be presented Thursday–Saturday, most of which apply to band directors. Remember to look through these clinic opportunities in the schedule. Invited Jazz Ensembles The TMEA Band Division is proud to invite a high school and a middle school jazz ensemble to perform for our membership. Please read the following about these two very talented groups and

Southwestern Musician | February 2019 33

McMath MS Tiger Jazz Band

The Waxahachie HS cluster includes eight elementary schools and three junior high band programs under the leadership of head directors David Ingram, Courtney Davis, and Laura Seale. The Waxahachie Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Rich Armstrong, is an award-winning ensemble committed to the performance of jazz. Perhaps the hardest working musicians on campus, the jazz orchestra members perform for a variety of functions, including concerts, community and school ceremonies, jazz festivals, and fundraising galas.

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make plans to support them with your attendance at their concerts. McMath MS Tiger Jazz Band Denton ISD The McMath Tiger Jazz Band was founded in 2009 by Travis Harris. This ensemble is made up of musicians ranging from twelve to fourteen years old and performs music from a variety of jazz styles. These musicians show maturity, expertise, and class well beyond their years. All students in the ensemble are also part of the McMath band program, and numerous students double on big band instruments to be a part of the Tiger Jazz Band. The practice and dedication exhibited by these students is reflected by the many accolades they have received over the years, including two Mark of Excellence National Awards and one Commended Award, among many other honors throughout its 10 years of music-making. The jazz band is directed by Travis Harris, who is also the Director of Bands, primarily overseeing the Honors Band and

Tiger Jazz Band. He is assisted by Kelsey Gaskill, Associate Director, who oversees the Symphonic Band and Beginner Band. Much of the band’s success is attributed to the generous clinicians and writers who have taken the time to work with these musicians, nurturing their talent. Several of these clinicians will take part in the TMEA convention performance, including Bruce Bohnstengel (alto sax), A.J. Flores (percussion), Brad Leali (alto sax), Sarah Roberts (tenor sax), and James Simmons (clarinet). Included in the band’s “Texas Raised” program are commissioned pieces such as works by Tyler Mire, Travis Harris (arrangement by Micah Bell), and a world premiere written by Alan Baylock. Waxahachie HS Jazz Orchestra Waxahachie ISD The Waxahachie band family consists of 230 students, grades 9–12, and includes the Spirit of Waxahachie Marching Band, three concert bands, two jazz ensembles, percussion ensemble, and two color guards.

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Southwestern Musician | February 2019 35

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The Waxahachie Jazz Orchestra performance at the TMEA convention will feature guest artists James Davis, jazz trumpeter, and Micaiah Armstrong, vocalist, both Waxahachie Jazz alumni. The high school band program, under the direction of Rich Armstrong, Justin Bell, Paul Jaso, and Reggie Cook, has enjoyed success in concert and marching band environments. The Waxahachie Wind Ensemble was the TMEA 4A and 5A Honor Band in 2012 and 2018 and has been recognized four times as a National Wind Band Winner. The Spirit of Waxahachie Indian Band has been recognized as a class and grand champion at numerous contests, a finalist and class champion at Bands of America Regionals, and a consistent finalist at UIL State Marching Contest since 2009, including a 5A bronze medal finish in 2017 and an appearance in the 6A finals in 2018. Honor Band Update The Honor Band entry system will be open for entries on February 1, and the entry deadline is March 1. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Honor Band process will select 2C, 3C, 3A, and 5A Honor Bands to perform at the 2020 TMEA Clinic/Convention. You have likely received updates from your Region Band Chair about this process. As time progresses, there will also be more information online regarding the Area Honor Band process and Listening Centers during the summer. Texas Music Scholar Award Are you a high school director who participates in the Texas Music Scholar Award? If not, I encourage you to consider doing so. This award program designates students in high school music programs who demonstrate qualities of outstanding performance in the areas of scholarship, musicianship, and citizenship. The entry system opens on March 1 and the deadline for submission of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names is May 1. You can read more about it at www.tmea.org/programs/tms. It rewards students who deserve rewarding. The Texas Music Scholar students receive a certificate, patch, and letter from TMEA signed by Executive Director Robert Floyd.

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Graduate Courses

Intensive Music Education Courses as Brief as Two Weeks (plus online components)

June 4 to July 5 Introduction to Applications in Music Technology: MUSI 5342 • Dr. Keith Dye (O) Classroom & Rehearsal Behavior Management: MUED 5344 • Dr. Janice Killian (O) Applied Music Literature: Choral Conducting MM: MUAP 5302 • Dr. Alan Zabriskie • M-F 1pm-3pm (L) Conducting Techniques and Analysis I: Choral Conducting MM: MUAP 5306 • Dr. Alan Zabriskie • M-F 3pm-5pm (L) Choral Ensemble: Choral Conducting MM: MUEN 5101 • Dr. Carolyn Cruse • T&Th 6pm-8pm (L)

June 3 to June 14 Teaching Music in Urban Settings: Meeting the Needs of Culturally Diverse Learners: MUED 5344 • Dr. Jacqueline Henninger • 8am-12pm (L,V) Band Conducting Methods: MUAP 5310 • Dr. Eric Allen • 1pm-5pm (L) Foundations of Music Education: MUED 5340 • Dr. Jacqueline Henninger • 1pm-5pm (L,V)

June 17 to June 28 Choral Directors Workshop (during All-State Choir Camp - June 24-29): MUSI 7000 • Dr. Carolyn Cruse • 8am-12pm (L) Band Rehearsals: Strategies to Maximize Student Engagement and Development: MUSI 7000 • Dr. Keith Dye • 8am-12pm (L,V) Graduate Theory Review with AP Primer: MUTH 5300 • Dr. Peter Fischer • 1pm-5pm (L) Learning & Music: MUED 5332 • Dr. Janice Killian • 1pm-5pm (L,V)

July 8 to July 19 Vocal Choral Pedagogy: Voice-Building in the Choral Rehearsal: MUED 5325 • Dr. Carolyn Cruse • 8am-12pm (L,V) Styles in Wind Literature of the 19th & 20th Centuries: MUTH 5305 • Dr. Peter Martens • 8am-12pm (L,V) Tests & Measurements: MUED 5333 • Dr. Janice Killian • 1pm-5pm (L,V)

July 9 to August 9 Advanced Applications of Technology in Music Education: MUSI 5343 • Dr. Keith Dye (O) Topics in Orchestral Music Education: Rehearsal Strategies for the MS and HS School Orchestra: MUED 5327 • Dr. Blair Williams (O) Graduate Music History Review: MUHL 5300 • Dr. Stacey Jocoy (O)

O = online • L = live • V = video conference

TTU Summer-Only Options

• Master’s

in Music Education in Music Education (Distance) • MM in Choral Conducting • Master’s

Early enrollment encouraged for anticipated summer scholarship eligibility.

SUMMER 2019 Performance Camps

MARIACHI CAMP

June 11-14, 2019

June 25-29, 2019

ALL-STATE CHOIR CAMP

July 7-13, 2019

BAND & ORCHESTRA CAMP

Adaptive Teaching for Music Students

on the Autism Spectrum By Jason Bergman and Olivia Funkhouser

uring their careers, most teachers will interact with multiple students who are on the autism spectrum. Teaching these students can be incredibly rewarding, and in the right classroom environment, these students can thrive and enjoy a fulfilling musical experience. Young musicians with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will bring unique gifts and strengths to the classroom; however, they will also likely require a different pedagogical approach to accommodate their unique learning style. With the right tools and knowledge, teachers can help them be successful.

Improving Communication Social and communication difficulties are among the most prominent traits of ASD. It’s important to understand that students with ASD often take language literally, without accounting for other cues you offer. Thus, it’s best to avoid sarcasm, metaphors, and analogies when communicating with these students. Instead of saying, “Play this as if you were a ballerina dancer leaping gracefully,” it would be more effective to say, “Play this passage lighter and more separated, with softer accents and articulations.” When addressing intonation, the phrase, “That was flatter than a stack of pancakes” wouldn’t make much sense to a student with ASD. It’s best to say, “That note was flat.” The direct approach will lead to improved communication and better understanding. Students who have more severe communication difficulties might need extra time to respond to questions. If the student is not able to communicate verbally, it can be useful to create a poster that shows images of actions. I’ve used BoardMaker software to create a checkered poster of actions including covering ears, listening, and signaling that a child wants or needs something. These posters can include pictures of instruments, steps in classroom procedures, or musical symbols and terminology.

A nonverbal student with ASD can point to a picture on the poster to show what they want to communicate. While BoardMaker is common in elementary school classrooms, a version could be adapted for older students as well. For example, a teacher checking for comprehension could ask, “Which instrument can you hear playing a countermelody?” The student with ASD could point to the picture of the correct instrument. These posters can be customized to fit any classroom needs (see an example image below). Body Language Additionally, students on the spectrum sometimes struggle to comprehend body language and facial expression as a means of communication. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect the student to pick up on your mood or state of mind just by reading your face or posture. Instead, you should verbally communicate to the student

Instrument/sound choice board (to be used with a communication board) Southwestern Musician | February 2019 41

exactly how you feel. Students with ASD may not use facial expressions or body language to communicate their feelings, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safest simply to ask. Also, it may take students with ASD longer to respond, so give additional time to answer questions or perform. Remember that this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a sign of a developmental or other mental disability, but simply a part of their processing the information. Waiting not only shows respect and an understanding of their needs, but also will lead to less frustration and improved mutual understanding.

Heightened Sensitivity Students with ASD tend to be highly sensitive to their surroundings. This sensitivity is different for every person, but it may include a combination of sensitivity to sound, light, touch, taste, or smell. Their reactions to these stimuli can often prevent them from learning effectively. For example, students with heightened sensitivities to sound will likely have difficulty retaining instruction given in rehearsal if they are distracted by overwhelming sounds. This can be especially true in a band setting where brass and percussion instruments are often played at a high decibel level. Encourage them to wear earplugs that dampen sound while retaining clarity. If your student sits in front of a louder instrument, consider allowing them to move where it is quieter. Likewise, students with light sensitivity may be distracted by fluorescent lighting, so for these students, you could use lamps with soft lighting in your office. Make it a priority to understand the sensitivities unique to each student. To ensure students with ASD experience an optimal learning environment, be open-minded about altering the setup of your room, the physical ensemble arrangement, and other aspects of the musical environment. Handling Meltdowns When a student with ASD has become overstimulated, a meltdown might ensue. A student with ASD who is having a meltdown might rock back and forth, cry, become angry, shake, or become nonresponsive. Any or some of these behaviors might be present. To help prevent this, create a signal the student can use to communicate that they need to take a break from an overstimulating activity. The student can use the signal when they are beginning to sense the onset of a meltdown, and the teacher will know what is happening and can react appropriately. A student getting overwhelmed could raise two fingers as a signal to show they need to step outside or sit out of the activity for a couple of minutes to decompress. The instructor should accommodate this request to help the student regain control. This is extremely important, because once a meltdown starts, it can become impossible for the student to return and fully participate in classroom activities. Students who are allowed to take short breaks will be able to participate in more learning activities than

42 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

those who are required to stay until they have a meltdown. Be Visual Students on the spectrum tend to be strong visual learners and respond well to lists and visual organizers. Verbal instructions, however, are hard to remember. As much as possible, strive to accompany verbal instructions with a set of written directions. Multistep processes such as sightreading, cleaning instruments, or practice routines should be broken down and numbered in list format. This is helpful because students with ASD may have a hard time processing information quickly, so having a written list allows them to read over the information several times. When teaching a beginner clarinetist to assemble their instrument for the first time, include a numbered list of steps with pictures of the instrument at each step in the process. Visual organizers can be incredibly useful in teaching abstract concepts such as tone quality or articulations. The illustration below could be used to help a student better understand different ways to produce sound on a brass instrument. The first example illustrates starting notes with slow air and then increasing air, creating a waah sound on each note. The second illustrates a teardrop of sound, where a student starts with lots of air and then lets the sound die away. The third

Articulation 1: Slow air that increases

Articulation 2: Lots of air that dies away

Articulation 3: Consistent fast air

AUDITION DATES

Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors. S AT U R D AY

F R I D AY

S AT U R D AY

(BRASS, KEYBOARD, PERCUSSION, VOICE, WOODWINDS)

(BRASS, PIANO, PERCUSSION, STRINGS, VOICE, WOODWINDS)

February 9, 2019

March 1, 2019

March 2, 2019

B AY L O R S C H O O L O F M U S I C

B AY L O R P R E S E N TAT I O N S / P E R F O R M A N C E S AT T M E A 2 019 Thursday, February 14 JEFFREY POWERS

BAYLOR TROMBONE JAZZ CONSORT

8-9:30 a.m., CC 213

Directors: Alex Parker and Brent Phillips 4-4:30 p.m., CC Exhibit Hall

Horn Sectional for the All-State Symphony Orchestra

Music Showcase Performance

Friday, February 15

Saturday, February 16

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY JAZZ ENSEMBLE

BRENT PHILLIPS

Alex Parker, Director

Guest soloist with Cypress Springs High School Trombone Choir Directors: Larry Brown and Ted Sonnier 12-12:30 p.m., CC West Lobby Music Showcase Performance

In concert with guest trumpeter Sean Jones

6:30-7:30 p.m., CC Stars at Night Ballroom 3-4

B AY L O R A L U M N I R E C E P T I O N

Friday, February 15, 9:30 p.m. Rio Grande Ballroom of the Hyatt-Regency

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Baylor University School of Music One Bear Place #97408 • Waco, TX 76798-7408 baylor.edu/music and click on “For Prospective Students” 254.710.7681 • Music_Admit@baylor.edu

example represents a student who uses consistent fast air throughout the duration of the note. These visual guides can help students understand the type of articulation desired by the teacher. Create Routines Students on the autism spectrum often work best and are more focused when they can adhere to strict rules and routines. This is because some of these students have a hard time with “executive functioning,” which refers to the ability to plan, prioritize, and organize. Detailed schedules and procedures help students with executive functioning deficits stay organized. Whenever possible, establish consistent routines for your classroom or studio. For example, it is helpful for a student to develop a specific practice routine broken up into time slots. The student could practice his scales for 5 minutes, then Region etude 1 for 10 minutes, then Region etude 2 for 10 minutes, and so on. Another routine to create would be to have private lessons structured the same every week, so that the lesson begins and ends at the same time on the same day each week and contains the same order of events (e.g., warm-up, scales, etudes, excerpts, and then solo repertoire). A similar approach could be utilized in larger ensemble rehearsals. Practice calendars also help students with ASD organize their time. Practice calendars are visual aids that help students remember when and how to practice each day of the week. The more the student with ASD knows what to expect, the more easily they will participate in their lessons or band class. If you need to reschedule a lesson or class, ensure the student knows about the change far in advance so they can prepare. Make rules and grading policies explicitly clear in the syllabus so that nothing can be left to interpretation. Any rule that is not literally and precisely defined may not be fully understood by the student. Lastminute changes and unclear instructions can cause a great deal of anxiety for the student and teacher. Even minor shifts, such as having an orchestra rehearsal in a different room, rearranging the seating, or a broken air conditioner can cause a student significant distress when the change occurs without warning.

Be a Social Mentor It is not enough to teach our students how to play their instruments. To help a student with autism have a successful career, it may be necessary to teach them social skills. Often, students on the spectrum are challenged to make friends and professional connections. It is appropriate to help them learn how to initiate social interactions so they can learn to network. Some students with autism socialize well because they have practiced these skills, but others will need more help. For students who struggle socially, you might need to teach how to introduce themselves to guest artists and clinicians, how to ask appropriate questions in conversation, and how to be reciprocal so they don’t only monologue about their special interests. This will help them build trust with colleagues and peers. Additionally, the student may be unaware of how their comments affect others. Occasionally, the student with ASD might correct you or ask personal questions in class. It is okay to show them which types of questions are appropriate to ask their teachers and help them understand that, in general, they shouldn’t correct their teachers publicly. Mentoring is critical to helping a student on the spectrum succeed in the present and future. Each student with ASD is different, so these concepts might not be effective in every situation; however, they should enable more successful communication

and instruction. Approached with knowledge, genuine concern, and care, most students on the spectrum can thrive in the music classroom. Adapting one’s teaching for those goals will be extremely rewarding and beneficial to the teacher, student, and others in the classroom. Jason Bergman is Associate Professor of Trumpet at Brigham Young University, and Olivia Funkhouser is a master’s candidate in trumpet performance at the University of North Texas.

Southwestern Musician | February 2019 45

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NAME __________________________________________ ADDRESS ______________________________________ CITY ___________________ STATE _____ ZIP _______ COUNTRY ___________________

Texas A&M University-Kingsville Department of Music

2019 Audition Dates January 26 • February 23 • March 2 • April 6

Substantial Scholarships Available

New Music Building Opening Fall 2019

Bachelor of Music Degrees Concentrations: Music Education Performance Performance with emphasis in Piano Pedagogy Performance with emphasis in Jazz Studies

Master of Music Degrees Concentrations: Instrumental Music Education Vocal Music Education Elementary Music Education Vocal Performance Instrumental Performance

To schedule an audition or for more information, contact: 361-593-2803 Email: Paul.Hageman@tamuk.edu or visit www.tamuk.edu/music

TCU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

If music is your passion, TCU is your school.

TCU Symphony Orchestra performs at TMEA on Friday, February 15 at 6:30pm

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR YOU At TCU, you can receive both music and academic scholarships that make attendance more affordable. NORDAN SCHOLARSHIP The NORDAN Scholarship* is an exclusive award, open to entering freshmen vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers of superior talent, who have chosen to major in music. NORDAN winners receive a four-year, FULL TUITION AWARD. NORDAN Live Auditions are held on January 19, 2019 by special invitation. More information is available online at www.music.tcu.edu. AUDITION DATES FOR SPRING 2019 February 9, 2019, February 23, 2019, and March 2, 2019

Visit our TMEA College Fair Booth

GRADUATE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TCU offers Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in different disciplines. Graduate Assistantships are available.

*Prescreening Video Audition required

www.music.tcu.edu

CF1

B Y

B R I A N

C O A T N E Y

ORCHESTRA NOTES

Growth and opportunity

s I thought about writing this last column as Orchestra Division Vice-President, I was pleased to consider the growth in our division and the positive changes that have come along with that growth. And while we should revel in the fact that our Orchestra Division is in a great place, we should always continue examining our policies and procedures to ensure we are meeting the needs of our ever-changing students and profession. As we move forward, and especially as we gather at our annual convention in just a few days, consider the following Orchestra Division practices that should always be under review and evaluation for the benefit of students around our state.

February 13–16—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio. February 14, 5:15 p.m.—Orchestra Division Business Meeting. February 15, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens. April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting. April–June 1—Submit proposals online for the 2020 TMEA Clinic/ Convention. May 1—Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.

Audition Material There is ongoing discussion about the difficulty and amount of audition material we should impose on students. Some believe we need to maintain the difficulty of the etudes so that we can distinguish the best players in the state. Others, however, believe we should reduce the amount of audition material. It seems that more students, especially seniors, are choosing not to audition for All-State because of the time required to properly prepare audition material. One suggestion proffered is to reduce the number of orchestral excerpts, but perhaps students instead could learn portions of two etudes instead of one entire etude. One criticism I have often heard is that the etudes do not have

As we look to the future of our division and to the growth of orchestra programs around our state, I hope we will continue to seek ways to support that growth by the opportunities TMEA provides. Southwestern Musician | February 2019 49

h t i w

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enough variety. It may be worthy to revisit the tradition of selecting one lyrical etude and one technical etude. Another ongoing discussion is when we should release the etudes and excerpts. Some believe the etudes are being released too early. Several private instructors have explained that they feel held hostage by the five-month focus on these etudes. We could consider releasing prescribed cuts of two etudes along with four orchestral excerpts in July. If we maintain the difficulty of the etudes and reduce the overall amount of audition material, then students may be able to properly prepare for the audition with less stress and frustration. Audition Process The Orchestra Region Chairs and I had an in-depth conversation last summer about the definition of an All-State orchestra. Is it an orchestra featuring the best of the best in the state or the best players with equal representation from across the state? Currently, our All-State strings are the best-of-the-best musicians from across the state and are consistently densely populated by students from Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

In the past, many have been adamantly opposed to the Orchestra Division moving to an Area system. One argument against the Area system is that there aren’t enough string programs across the state to be able to replicate the Area system used by the Band and Vocal Divisions. However, there are now more outstanding orchestra programs in less populated, rural areas of the state, and so the question becomes whether we are serving our string students in those rural areas as well as we can. After conversations with colleagues across the state, I was finally able to consider the Area system idea with a more open mind after realizing we could use our current recording process within an Area system. We could devise a process in which the recordings are divided into Areas with seats allocated to each Area based on the number of students auditioning on the All-State track. It’s certainly worthy of continued dialogue within our division. A challenge of this system would be ensuring that every Region is uniform in the way they conduct their auditions on the All-State track. Currently there are many differences in the way Region auditions are held and how students are

selected to record. This has resulted in not having reliably consistent data from across the state to allow us to properly allocate seats by Areas in each All-State Orchestra. Thanks go to previous State Chairs who have done a good job unifying the way we record auditions. Perhaps we are in a position now to establish a standardized process for how each Region conducts AllState path auditions. Recording quality has also become a significant issue. Over the past two years, several judges commented to me that the quality of recordings affected students’ placement. We also had equipment malfunctions and upload errors. While we can dictate recording requirements, we cannot prescribe the exact equipment being used, and we cannot contract a single recording engineer to record every student. As orchestra programs around the state have grown, perhaps the only way to control or regulate these issues is by moving to live auditions. I believe the Orchestra Division is ready for some type of Area system similar to how our Band and Vocal Divisions function. It will require a lot more dialogue as well as open minds from the division’s

Southwestern Musician | February 2019 51

members. Moving to an Area system in the Orchestra Division would make TMEA policies and procedures more consistent across divisions. Honor Orchestra I recently had a conversation with a director in Houston who asked when they could start preparing for High School String Honor Orchestra since their school year began later than most districts. The answer was whenever they choose. You can give students the music before the end of the current year so that they can practice over the summer. Technically, you can start working on music for middle school Honor Orchestra competitions and the high school full orchestra competition in August. The Band Division recently established a rule declaring December 1 as the first date on which you can begin Honor Band submission preparations. Perhaps the Orchestra Division could consider establishing similar rules. Too many programs have subjected their students to the same program for an unreasonable amount of time. If students can’t play a program with a reasonable amount of rehearsal, then they shouldn’t be playing that program. While I am inspired by what orchestras across the state can perform, we must always consider whether there is sound educational benefit in what is required to prepare any performance. I also believe there are programs in our state that could

and should be featured at our convention but that aren’t able to compete against programs with significantly more resources. As we look to the future of our division and to the growth of orchestra programs around our state, I hope we will continue to seek ways to support that growth by the opportunities TMEA provides to individual students and ensembles.

always be change, and that is okay. Change is good as long as we embrace it with the expectation that everything will be better because of it. If you ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you I am not great with words. So I would like to conclude with a simple statement. Thank you for trusting me and allowing me to be a small part of this amazing association.

Volunteer Writing my final column as Orchestra Division Chair is most definitely bittersweet. I cannot begin to thank everyone who has helped me be my best and encouraged me when I needed it most. The only reason I was able to complete the tasks associated with this job was that I had an amazing support system and colleagues who eagerly volunteered their time and expertise. Our division and TMEA are strong because of our members. We have brilliant educators and a TMEA staff who make ours the best music educators association in the country! I encourage you to get involved with TMEA by volunteering your time and expertise. Volunteer to serve on committees or make yourself vulnerable by stepping into a leadership position. All the good that came from my leadership experiences has far outweighed the time and sacrifices. Serving as Vice-President has truly been an honor and privilege. I am proud of the progress we have made as a division and I am excited about our future. There will

TMEA Clinic/Convention Update If you haven’t registered, it’s not too late! We want you to join us for another year of the best learning opportunities, musical inspiration, and networking with thousands of active educators who will be there! Go to www.tmea.org/registration for fee information and to register online. Before you head to San Antonio, know that there are changes to expect! TMEA General Sessions While I would always encourage attendance at our TMEA General Sessions, know that each offers incredible opportunities for you. Go to page 10 to learn more about the speakers. Thursday’s First General Session will include a keynote address and performance by Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson of THE PIANO GUYS. Friday’s Second General Session includes a performance by members of the All-State Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Mixed Choir. Each session begins at 8:15 a.m. in Lila Cockrell Theater. Get the TMEA 2019 Guide The 2019 app will be available at the beginning of February. To get the 2019 convention app, download Guidebook from your app store. Within the Guidebook app, search for TMEA 2019 to download it to your device. If you opted in to have your TMEA online personal schedule transferred, you will need to sign in using that same email address that you identified for your personal schedule transfer. You can create and edit your personal schedule, find locations of any event, look up exhibitors, and interact with other attendees.

Orchestra Division BUSINESS MEETING Feb. 14 • 5:15 PM / CC 214 CD 52 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

BAND, CHOIR, & ORCHESTRA | JUNE 23-28, 2019 MULTIPLE ELECTIVES & PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES COMMUTER OR OVERNIGHT CAMP MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL BANDS PRIVATE LESSONS AVAILABLE OPTIONAL SCHLITTERBAHN EVENING ACTIVITY ACHIEVEMENT- BASED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO REGISTER, VISIT TLU.EDU/SMA

PERFORMANCE PA S S I O N PRIDE

ADMISSION & SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION DATES: FEBRUARY 23, 2019 MARCH 9, 2019 MARCH 16, 2019

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S DEGREES IN MUSIC EMPHASIZING MUSIC EDUCATION OR PERFORMANCE Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors. Additional dates upon request.

tamuc.edu/music

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The A&M-Commerce Chorale is honored to be invited to perform at the TMEA convention! Please join us on February 14th at 8:00 pm in the Hemisfair Ballroom.

DEVELOPING HEALTHY TONE prescribe Â describe Â ascribe By Sandy Hinkley

eflecting on my first year of teaching, I remember the realization that producing a beautiful choral sound was not nearly as easy as I thought it would be. While I had gained much knowledge from choral conductors and voice teachers, I was just not sure how to begin. I was certain, however, that I needed a plan—a specific approach to vocal technique that would allow me to support singers in developing healthy tone. Consequently, I set out to develop my own methodology. While it may not be the definitive approach, I have found it effective with singers of all ages. I hope you can apply these concepts to support success with your groups as well. Domain I: Prescribe Use prescriptive language and hands-on demonstrations to teach healthy singing. This domain is based on five concepts, the precursor of which is establishing mental focus, physical relaxation, and aligned posture. 1. Phonation in the appropriate register: Teaching students to find their singing voice is often overlooked. Less experienced singers tend to produce sound in their speaking voice and therefore use the incorrect register. In simplest terms, finding the appropriate singing register means accessing the correct set of muscles. For female singers, this means the head voice and for male singers, the falsetto (high) and chest/modal (low) register. While male singers can develop a middle mixed register, this involves the coordination of two sets of muscles—something that usually happens only after years of instruction. In the beginning stages, singers should

focus on what the correct register feels like so they can develop that muscle memory. Introductory Exercises: • Place a hand on your chest and say “hello” several times, flipping between registers; ask singers to imitate. Extend into longer phrases at varied pitch levels. • Model a familiar children’s song in the incorrect register. Model it again in the correct register, telling singers you are using a different set of muscles. Ask singers to imitate this process with a hand on their chests to feel the difference. Repeat this daily with other well-known songs, until the appropriate register can be immediately accessed. This step may appear as an oversimplification of the pitchmatching process for adolescent singers. While this complexity is fully acknowledged and is a separate discussion altogether, success in pitch-matching should first involve accessing the appropriate vocal register(s). 2. Onset of Sound: Once singers can produce sound in the appropriate register, it is important they consistently do so without tension. Help them discern between a glottal onset and freely produced sound. To describe the three points of glottal production, I use the analogy of a triangle: inhalation, vocal fold closure, and phonation. Conversely, I use a circle to describe sound that moves smoothly from inhalation into phonation. To reinforce this, I often incorporate circular gestures during warm-ups. Southwestern Musician | February 2019 55

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Introductory Exercises: • Breathe in, hold your breath/close the vocal folds, and sing with a glottal onset; repeat without the glottal. Ask singers to imitate this process, so they can discriminate between the two types of onset, and then have them describe what they feel so they understand the importance of singing by sensation. • Choose any vocal warm-up that begins on a vowel and have students sing the initial pitch two additional times. When reiterating the first pitch, ask singers to focus on releasing tension, so that the vocalise itself is the healthiest sound possible. 3. Moving Air: A common habit of developing singers is inefficient air support, even after learning to take a singer’s breath. Under-singing is common and becomes consequential when learning to match pitch. Teaching singers to move their air is critical, as it shows them how air speed is related to pitch/intonation. Introductory Exercises: • Slow-moving glissandi starting at the top of a singer’s range and moving to the bottom on the vowel ee [i], focusing on consistent air pressure throughout; • Lip trills on a familiar song (be careful to avoid jaw, lip, or tongue tension); • Singing the alphabet on a unison pitch as many times as possible; • Count-singing on a unison pitch, perfect fifth, or major triad up to 20, 30, 40, etc. (each progression requires more efficient use of air to sustain accurate intonation). 4. Establishing and maintaining space: Healthy singing also involves the establishment of inner and outer space. This space adds warmth to the sound, opens the vocal tract, and allows resonance. I find outer space to be easier to teach, since opening the mouth and releasing the jaw is easily visualized. Conversely, soft palate lift cannot be seen and is a conscious action that singers must learn to initiate and control. Introductory Exercises: • Ask singers to drag their tongues from the front to the back of their mouths to feel the division between the hard and soft palate; have them snort and

yawn to feel the soft palate move and lift.

with hands on their faces—ask singers to nod when they feel vibrations.

• Pinch your nose, sing an ee [i] vowel, and model both a lowered and raised soft palate sound. Then ask students to imitate, taking note that when the soft palate is dropped, the sound will be nasal even with a correct vowel on the outside (an excellent self-monitoring exercise).

• Ask singers to sing with a hand on their chests to distinguish between the resonance in different registers (helps female singers self-monitor to stay out of chest register).

• Pinch your nose and sing the children’s song “Are You Sleeping?,” alternating each phrase between a dropped and raised soft palate. Have singers imitate, and once successful, do it without pinching their noses.

• Ask students to sing the word zing, close to and sustain the ng, and then open to an ee [i] vowel. Discuss where vibrations are felt and work to move the sensations into a lifted soft palate space.

• To reinforce the difference in sensations, sing warm-up exercises with a dropped then raised soft palate at each pitch level. Students will often be surprised they can sing with properly formed outside vowels, regardless of the palate position. This realization is also important for beginning teachers, who might use unifying vowel shapes as the default way to correct all tone issues. Vocal issues that are heard but not seen are more often the problem, thus the need to help singers develop muscle memory. 5. Feeling and developing resonance: Resonance is one of the most difficult concepts for singers to understand because it cannot be visualized. As singers do not always accurately hear their own voices, I have found success in teaching singers to first feel sympathetic vibrations. Introductory Exercises: • Short glissandi from mid to low range

• Exercises on a hum, an n, or an ng allow singers to feel resonance in different places.

Once vibrations are felt, singers can begin to shift resonance to a high, spacious, and forward position. A consistently lifted soft palate is key to this development. To help singers understand where resonance should be, I use the diagram below. While this doesn’t represent the subtleties in vocal production, it does provide a basic visual for understanding. Offering this image, and frequently modeling the four quadrants, is a cornerstone of this step. Domain II: Describe Use vocal modeling to describe sound. As a choral educator whose primary instrument is piano, I was initially uncomfortable singing in front of my students. Once I moved past this, I discovered modeling to be a very effective strategy (I find modeling with minimal vibrato and greater intensity results in singers producing a fuller sound with more accurate pitch). Relatedly, modeling with confidence seems to inspire

Quadrant 2: Covered resonance; muffled or breathy sound

Quadrant 1: High, spacious, and forward resonance; open and free sound

Quadrant 3: Incorrect vocal register; belted, pushed, or “in the throat”

Quadrant 4: Nasal or “pop like” sound; collapsed space with dropped soft palate Southwestern Musician | February 2019 57

discover issues that need to be frequently addressed. In these cases, it is helpful to have a wide variety of responses ready— comments that are most effective when reinforced with a visual or aural model. Here is an example of what a portion of the toolbox might look like:

The art of singing is so complex that we can always learn something new to help us in the pursuit of choral excellence. singers to be comfortable with their own instruments. On a more nuanced level, modeling allows me to demonstrate more complex concepts, such as vowel formation and tone color. Researchers maintain that modeling is more effective than verbal instruction in teaching performance-based skills and discrimination skills. I find these premises true and that modeling provides an immediate aural image for singers. Through years of experimenting, I have learned to create a bank of sounds with my voice. This is extremely useful when I need to model a

sound or demonstrate an unhealthy sound they are producing. In hearing examples and non-examples, singers also come to understand they can produce both good and bad sounds. Once singers become responsive to both types of models, I present subtle gradations between them— nuances that encourage critical listening and help them hear distinctions in vocal production. Domain III: Ascribe This domain relates to how informal feedback is delivered. Many of us have been known to fall into the habit of providing feedback in the form of the result (e.g., “Tenors, you’re flat!”). This often produces inconsistent results, as singers are too inexperienced to know how to correct the issue. I find it more effective to determine (ascribe) the physical causes of the sound and then use prescriptive language to ask singers to make physical adjustments. In diagnosing vocal issues, visual scanning and active listening are equally important. For beginning teachers, I recommend creating a pedagogy toolbox to help give immediate and concise feedback. As you learn your choir’s habits, you may

ACC Department of Music

The Pathway to

Prescriptive Feedback:

Slouched posture . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjust your alignment (shoulders back, head straight, etc.). Stagnant air . . . . . . . . . Move your air faster; increase your air speed. Lack of outer/ inner space . . . . . . . . . Release the jaw; lift the soft palate. Tension. . . . . . . . . . . . . Relax the tongue, jaw, and/or throat. Incorrect vowel . . . . . . Use a lower/higher tongue position and shape your lips this way. Although there are now more layers to my pedagogy, this three-part methodology still serves as the foundation of what I do. I am constantly adding to my toolbox by attending professional clinics, observing choral rehearsals, or sitting in on voice lessons. I have conversations and ask questions; I encourage my students to do the same. The art of singing is so complex that we can always learn something new to help us in the pursuit of choral excellence. Sandy Hinkley is the Coordinator of Music Education and Associate Director of Choral Activities at Sam Houston State University.

Passion

Resources Dickey, Marc. (1992). A review of research on modeling in music teaching and learning. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 113, 27–40.

Vocal & Instrumental

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Jordan, James. (2005). Evoking sound: Choral warm-up method, procedures, planning and core vocal exercises. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, Inc.

www.AlvinCollege.edu/Music

Miller, R. (1996). On the art of singing. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.

For more information, contact: Dr. Kevin Moody, 281.756.3587 or kmoody@alvincollege.edu EOI

58 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

Flat-Singing Potential Causes:

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VOCAL NOTES

B Y

D E R R I C K

B R O O K I N S

Enter the arena

he close of my term as TMEA State Vocal Chair brings me to a place of great reflection. I’m filled with deep gratitude and pride for the many outstanding choral directors across our state. The past two years have given me the opportunity to travel and visit with choral programs throughout Texas—both large and small school choirs. I’ve had the chance to clinic, teach, and visit with smaller and starting choirs as well as with large, thriving choral programs. The common denominator of all these incredible choral programs is the hard-working, dedicated, creative music educator. These teachers are the roots that support the growth of so many successful choral students around our state. I’m extremely honored to be your colleague. It is the dedicated, creative choral musicians—the educators—who are willing to first meet the students where they are, and then begin the hard work of propelling them forward into the light of success. Great teachers have an uncanny ability to make an imprint deep within a student that goes beyond the teaching of book knowledge. In fact, great teachers leave their mark so profoundly that their ideas reappear in your consciousness when you least expect them and often when you need them most. Great teachers not only teach you the facts, but they also influence your very center. The irony of studying with these leaders is that, at the time, you have no idea what a profound influence they are having on your being. Thinking about this reminds me of the following excerpt from President Theodore Roosevelt’s April 1919 speech

The common denominator of all these incredible choral programs is the hardworking, dedicated, creative music educator. 60 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

February 13–16—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio. February 14, 5:15 p.m.—Vocal Division Business Meeting. February 15, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens. April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting. April–June 1—Submit proposals online for the 2020 TMEA Clinic/ Convention. May 1—Deadline to nominate students for a Texas Music Scholar award.

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entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizenship in a Republicâ&#x20AC;? that has changed my life: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great

enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. I think of this quote with respect to my teaching colleagues, especially those who have bravely taken up the mantle and volunteered to help our organization. I think of those who offer to host an audi-

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62 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

tion, work the tab room, serve as a runner, label audition sheets, make copies, judge, and much more. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned in life that there will always be those who wait to see if anyone else will act, and there are others who, for whatever reasons they may have, choose to enter the arena now. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend our lives waiting until weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re perfect or bulletproof before we enter the arena. If we wait, we will ultimately sacrifice relationships and miss opportunities to serve. Each time you step in front of a class, ready to pour your knowledge into others, you are vulnerable. You are open and exposed, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at that moment that everyone can tell if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re real or not. It takes courage to become a champion in the classroom each day. Trust me, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m well aware that not every day is a champion day. There will always be days when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing well just to press beyond your personal feelings (emotional and physical) to get out of bed, get dressed, and face another day of guiding students to a deeper musical expression. And, of course, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always that one special student in your rehearsalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the one who is never absent. If we believe that music is a lesson in vulnerability and self-expression, then it should follow that we must have a self to express. Before we can conduct and evoke artistry from singers, we must spend time understanding and accepting who we are. We must learn how to trust ourselves. Most musicians, however, entrench themselves in self-doubt. They focus on the why and how of music instead of the who. We become frustrated and angered at ourselves, almost unknowingly. Conductors, music educators, and performers must all spend considerable time on the journey that will deepen their understanding of self and the human spirit. An important part of this journey for any music educator is to feed the spirit with time surrounded by others who share your passion. And that takes me to the exciting times that lie just ahead in our

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annual TMEA Clinic/Convention. I look forward to meeting you in San Antonio and getting filled with inspiration and motivation from our amazing clinicians and performers! TMEA Clinic/Convention Update If you haven’t registered, it’s not too late! Go to www.tmea.org/registration for fee information and to register online. Before you head to San Antonio, know that there are changes to expect! Vocal Division Location Alert Most Vocal Division clinics will be in the convention center in room CC 217 on the south side of the center. (When the exhibit hall is open, the most direct route from the North Lobby is through the exhibit hall to the escalators in the back and up to the second floor.) There are a few exceptions to this clinic location. Four clinics will be in the Grand Hyatt second floor Lone Star Ballroom, and one will be in the convention center’s third-floor Stars at Night Ballroom. All concerts by our Invited Performing Choirs will be in the convention center Hemisfair Ballroom (on the third floor, south side of the center).

Attend the One-Day Technology Preconference Preconference registration is $50. It can be paid when you register for the TMEA Clinic/Convention (by February 5) or onsite at the TI:ME registration counter in the Grand Hyatt.

February 13 • Grand Hyatt Fourth Floor

Get the TMEA 2019 Guide The 2019 app will be available at the beginning of February. To get the 2019 convention app, download Guidebook from your app store. Within the Guidebook app, search for TMEA 2019 to download it to your device. If you opted in to have your TMEA online personal schedule transferred, you will need to sign in using that same email address that you identified for your personal schedule transfer. You can create and edit your personal schedule, find locations of any event, look up exhibitors, and interact with other attendees. Technology Sessions All technology clinics, including the Wednesday technology preconference, will be on the fourth floor of the Grand Hyatt. If you are attending this preconference, go directly to this location (you don’t need your TMEA badge to get your preconference badge, which requires a separate $50 registration). If you can’t attend Wednesday, be sure to look through the full schedule at all technology clinics—there are many more being presented Thursday–Saturday than in previous years. Southwestern Musician | February 2019 65

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Centers-Based Learning in Preschool

By Beth Berridge & Kelly Lynch

s more schools add preK classes, even the most experienced teachers can find it challenging to meet this age group’s musical development needs within their existing curriculum. If you teach preK students for 40–50-minute classes, this challenge can be especially daunting. In our years teaching preK, we have found that incorporating centers within traditional whole-group lessons can answer this challenge. More importantly, centers offer these young students the opportunity to build skills of cooperation and communication and foster musical ownership, all while allowing them to play! As professor of early childhood studies Kristen M. Kemple observes, “Play is central to early childhood education, and it is a primary vehicle for musical growth. When early childhood teachers recognize the playful nature of children’s musical activity, music education may look more like familiar territory. Young children engage in music as an exploratory activity, one that is interactive, social, creative, and joyful” (Kemple et al. 31). Standards for PreK Music Education The Music TEKS that teachers are required to fulfill begin at the kindergarten level. However, the Texas Education Agency created preK guidelines (updated in 2015) to align preK programs with those TEKS and to help teachers make decisions about curriculum content in all subject areas, including fine arts. The guidelines provide examples of child behaviors and instructional strategies. One instructional strategy suggests that students should explore musical instruments. Who says this needs to be done in wholegroup instruction? Another instructional strategy simply says to provide opportunities for musical exploration. The complete preK guidelines are linked from www.tmea.org/preKguidelines.

Why Centers? When we first began planning lessons for our preK classes, we used the lesson plan format provided in First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond by John Feierabend. While it provides an excellent structure, it wasn’t designed to support 40–50-minute lessons. For several years, we stretched the lesson design to fill the time, but planning was difficult, and class pacing and student engagement were challenging. We have found a solution to this challenge in centers-based learning. A nice side benefit to implementing centers is that the peer teaching and leadership development found in centers aligns with the new Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) rubric, which encourages more student-centered actions and fewer teacher-centered actions. Getting Started When you start thinking through how to implement centers, it can seem daunting, but don’t let that dissuade you. With several years of experimentation, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider: Lesson Structure: If you teach 45-minute classes, you can split the time between whole-group instruction and centers. Begin with a 20-minute whole-group lesson followed by a 5-minute transition time during which you give the students instructions for centers. Students spend a total of 15 minutes at three or four stations (3–4 minutes each), followed by 1 minute of cleanup and transition time. Conclude the lesson with a song to calm the students and bring your lesson to a satisfying musical closing. For classes of 30 minutes or less, consider alternating between lessons of wholegroup instruction and lessons dedicated to centers. Southwestern Musician | February 2019 67

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Planning: Review your yearly plan to determine when you will introduce centers. Before students can be successful in independent, centers-based activities, classroom procedures must be fully established, and students must be familiar with the repertoire they will use. Once students experience independent activities multiple times during whole-group instruction, they can experience them in centers. This may require several weeks of modeling. Groups of four or five students are ideal and can be assigned any number of ways. Modeling: In addition to modeling activities, you must model how to transition, how to safely use the materials, what the voice/instrument level should be, how to use the technology (tablet or CD player), and how to clean up the centers. In the lessons leading up to the start of centers, walk students through the process. It’s also important to model the types of conversations students may have at the centers (manners, helpful words, sharing). Organization: Consider whether students need room for movement, if one center’s sound level will interfere with another, and how you will store the materials. Centers can remain set up around

Centers in Action Incorporating centers allows me to create an environment in which students can organically differentiate their own learning experience. They give students of all stages in skill development the opportunity to interact with learning material in a play-based, creative environment. Centers also provide a low-pressure opportunity for peer teaching and leadership development. I love walking past a center and hearing my students say things to each other like, “What if we try it like this?”, “That was almost right, try again!” or “Can you help me with this, please?” —Mandy Algate, Lubbock ISD Music Specialist the perimeter of the room to ease your preparation for other grade levels. Older students will learn to work around them. To simplify the organization, consider choosing four or five general topics, such as a Listening Center, an Instrument Center, a Pitch Exploration Center, and a Song Sequencing Center. You can easily plan and interchange your center activities. If you see more than 25 students at a time, include two for each center topic (e.g., two Instrument Centers with the same activity). Your role during centers could be to float between each to monitor student engagement; you could also create a Teacher Center, which would provide you the opportunity to differentiate instruction based on the needs of the group.

Creative Center Ideas This is your opportunity to be creative. For the Listening Center, you could provide students with a playlist of known songs. While listening, students can place picture icons to match the songs. If they have time, students can then point to the pictures (left to right) as they listen to the playlist again. In the Instrument Center, students can play a variety of classroom instruments (e.g., hand drum, tambourine, triangle, sand blocks) while singing a known song. Students can match the instrument with its name on a card. Students can interact in many ways with the name of the instrument and its letters. The Pitch Exploration Center allows

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students to explore their voices. Any warm-up activities used during wholegroup instruction can be used here. This could include pathway cards, puppets, yarn, or scarves. The Song Sequencing Center allows students to listen to longer songs with multiple verses and sequence the story with pictures. Some of our favorite songs for sequencing are “Had a Little Rooster,” “Over in the Meadow,” and “There Was a Man and He Was Mad.” The possibilities are endless! Pay attention to what your students enjoy doing in

whole-group instruction and give them an opportunity to try it in small groups, remembering that each activity should last only three to four minutes. The students’ excitement and love for centers is sure to overshadow any doubts you may have about trying them. Students who first experience these center activities in preK will continue to ask for them year after year! Kelly Lynch is the music specialist and orchestra director at Bean Elementary in Lubbock ISD and Beth Berridge is

Principal at Wheelock Elementary in Lubbock and Education Director of the West Texas Children’s Chorus. Resources Feierabend, John. First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond: The Curriculum. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2006. Kemple, Kristen M., et al. “Music Play: Creating Centers for Musical Play and Exploration.” Young Children, vol. 59, no. 4, July 2004, pp. 30–37.

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ELEMENTARY NOTES

B Y

C A S E Y

M E D L I N

You are still a musician

or years, I have neglected my own musicianship. I spent most of my time planning lessons, arranging music for my performing groups, creating manipulatives, writing grants, and generally amassing a hoard of instruments. What I didn’t do was seek out ways to continue my own musicianship. All my skills were decaying and my love for creating music was a distant memory. Then, last summer, I took the first level of my Kodály training. My music theory and ear training were badly in need of a tuneup. With all the hybrid riser choreography/conducting I had been employing, I definitely needed a reminder of the power of good conducting. It was refreshing to sing again with a group of musicians. While the Kodály classes were a good reminder of where I had left off upon graduating college, it was really the Modern Band Summit last summer that pushed me past my comfort zone. Prior to attending, I hadn’t experienced success with guitars or ukuleles, had never played a drum set, and certainly never got up to sing in front of strangers. Within a week, I had checked all of those off my “Never Have I” list. I was shown the proper ways to hold each instrument, how to set them

I was practicing during my planning time and realized how lucky I am to be able to sit down and play during work. I doubt many other teachers have that ability! 72 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

February 13–16—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio. February 14, 5:15 p.m.—Elementary Division Business Meeting. February 15, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention. April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting. April–June 1—Submit proposals online for the 2020 TMEA Clinic/ Convention.

up, how to play them, and how to simplify parts that were too hard. With the guidance of my fellow attendees and the staff, I finally felt like I was released from the strict rules of my formal musical training and was able to create. No one was judging

my complete ignorance and all ideas were welcome. It was terrifying, but in that terror, I grew exponentially. I now own a ukulele, an acoustic guitar, and an electric guitar. Even though I’m still learning, I have been able to add a

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Elementary Division: Thursday: 12:30–2:30 p.m.

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74 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

A Fond Farewell Sadly, this is my last column as Elementary Division Vice-President. It has been quite an adventure! Upon accepting the position, I knew it would be a lot of work, but I never imagined how much I would learn about myself and how much I would grow as an educator and a leader. I am forever in debt to the wonderful people with whom I sat on the Executive Board as

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few new things to my lessons. A year ago, I would never have accompanied my students on the guitar while they were playing a singing game. Now they look forward to my playing while they sing, and they are less likely to get bored halfway through the game. I’m also planning to have a small ukulele/guitar ensemble this spring! The other day I was practicing during my planning time and realized how lucky I am to be able to sit down and play during work. I doubt many other teachers have that ability! Overall, if you find yourself in a rut, pick up a new instrument, form a band, or join a local band/symphony/choir. I had become such a teacher that I forgot what it was like to be a musician.

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well as the miracle workers of the TMEA staff! My thanks go to each of them. I would also like to thank all the people who helped me, and thus our Division, along the way. Past Elementary VicePresidents were always willing to answer my phone calls and lend an ear. Our division assistants did a phenomenal job of acting in my stead when I was unavailable. I truly never felt alone and I can never thank you all enough. I hope that if you have any thoughts about increasing your service to our association and to music education for all students, you will consider running for a TMEA office. TMEA functions so well because of the many teachers who are willing to invest a little more time helping run the business of all 33 Regions and at the state level.

will elect a new Elementary Division VicePresident. As always, our wonderful sponsors have donated some amazing door prizes. Will you win big this year? Saturday Sessions and More Door Prizes! Plan to stick around through Saturday afternoon. Our two invited clinicians, Tracy King and Jerry Kerlin, will each give two additional sessions. To wrap up our convention, the Elementary Division will be hosting a Sendoff. Come to chat with experts in the elementary music field,

say goodbye to friends, and get a second chance to win a door prize! Get the TMEA 2019 Guide The 2019 app will be available at the beginning of February. To get the 2019 convention app, download Guidebook from your app store. Within Guidebook, search for TMEA 2019 to download it to your device. If you opted in to have your TMEA online personal schedule transferred, you will need to sign in using that same email address that you identified for your personal schedule transfer.

TMEA Clinic/Convention Updates If you haven’t registered, it’s not too late! We want you to join us for another year of the best learning opportunities, musical inspiration, and networking with the over 2,400 elementary educators who will be there! Go to www.tmea.org/registration for fee information and to register online. Before you head to San Antonio, know that there are big changes to expect! • All Elementary Division clinics will be held in the second- and fourthfloor ballrooms of the Grand Hyatt (next door to the convention center). • All Elementary Division concerts will be held on the third floor of the convention center in the Hemisfair Ballroom (where Elementary Division clinics used to be held). Plan to attend the Elementary Division business meeting on Thursday, February 14, 5:15–6:30 p.m. This year we

Elementary Division BUSINESS MEETING Feb. 14 • 5:15 PM / CC 217 DIVISION SEND OFF Feb. 16 • 2:00 PM Grand Hyatt Lone Star ABC

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Fall 2018: One-on-One Auditions Spring 2019: Jan. 26 & Feb. 23, 2019 (Majors & Non-Majors) March 30, 2019 (Non-Majors Only)

southwestern.edu/music

Southwestern Musician | February 2019 77

COLLEGE NOTES

B Y

V I C K I

B A K E R

Critical thinking— what are your thoughts?

pon receiving proof of conception, many parents already begin to seek ways to promote their child’s cognitive development. Products bearing the labels of Baby Einstein and Baby Mozart fill the nursery, as parents take those important first steps to develop their child’s mind. Fast-forward 18 years, as these same children leave the bastions of their brain development and begin their college education. It’s the first day of Introduction to Music Education class, and the beginning of this instructional journey goes something like this: Professor: Why do you think it is important to take an introductory course in your major during your first semester of college? Students: [silence] Professor: Why do you introduce yourself when you first meet someone? Student: So they know your name? Professor: Since you were all participants in music education when you were in high school, why do you think we need a course to introduce you to music education? Students: [silence] Professor: What content do you think we will be covering in this course? Student: Music education? Professor: [emits huge sigh] Let’s look at your syllabus.

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it. —Henry Ford 78 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

February 13–16—TMEA Clinic/ Convention in San Antonio. February 14, 5:15 p.m.—College Division Business Meeting. February 15, 5:15 p.m.—Attend your Region meeting at the convention. March 15—Deadline to submit collegiate music educator award nominations for spring/summer graduates. April/May—Attend your spring Region meeting. April–June 1—Submit proposals online for the 2020 TMEA Clinic/ Convention.

4. When I was a doctoral student and was required to take two philosophy courses—History of Aesthetics and Contemporary Aesthetics.

Any teacher who has attempted to engage their students in critical thinking activities and received silence and blank stares in response knows the frustration that arises from the above scenario. As music education faculty, we are tasked with training our students to become reflective practitioners who lead their classes with methodologies grounded in inquiry-based instruction. If our college students have not developed the ability to think critically, how are they to teach their future students to do so? Who is responsible for training students higher-order thinking skills? Middle school teachers? High school teachers? Parents? As I think back over my life, I can readily point to four periods of time when intense demands were made on my critical thinking skills:

In each situation, I was required to explore depths of my mind I did not normally access, yet I was able to do so successfully because I was taught to think critically from an early age. Several weeks ago, our minister made a simple yet profound statement: “I like to think.” I can genuinely say that I enjoy engaging my brain in creative activity. That is what drew me to teaching as a profession. As an educator, you are called upon to use your critical thinking in many ways, from creating lesson plans, to selecting repertoire, to problem-solving. When things go poorly, you ask, “What was I thinking?” Ironically, the answer is that you clearly were not thinking.

1. When I competed on the debate team for four years in high school.

Inside the Classroom The Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) was implemented in the 2016–2017 school year. When I received training for using the appraisal system for student-teaching observations, I noticed the emphasis on critical thinking

2. When my son began to talk and got stuck on an endless loop of “Why?” 3. When I was an undergraduate student and my professor assigned us to write an essay on the topic, “What is the nature and value of music?”

and inquiry-based instruction. Domain 1: Planning 1.4 Activities: The intern teacher plans engaging, flexible lessons that encourage higher-order thinking, persistence and achievement. 1.4.1: Questions encourage all students to engage in complex, higher order thinking. Domain 2: Instruction 2.2.5: Provides opportunities for students to use different types of thinking (e.g. analytical, practical, creative & research-based). 2.3.1: Uses probing questions to clarify, elaborate learning. 2.3.3: Asks remember, understand and apply level questions focusing on lesson objective and provoking questions. During my first observation using the T-TESS instrument, I tracked the number and types of questions the student teacher asked (we’ll call her Amy). As it turned out, it was not difficult to compile the list, because it contained only one entry: “Where did I tell you to breathe at the top of page 4?” When I met with Amy at the conclusion of the class, I asked her to reflect on her teaching experience. In

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80 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

For repertoire, application, and additional information please visit

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AUDITIONS

Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors.

FALL 2019 ENTRANCE OPTIONS Saturday, Mar. 2: Scholarship Audition Day – Brownsville Saturday, Mar. 9: Scholarship Audition Day – Edinburg Saturday, Mar. 23: Scholarship Audition Day – Edinburg Saturday, Mar. 30: Scholarship Audition Day – Brownsville

TMEA 2019 PRESENTATIONS THURSDAY, 6:30-7:30 PM Tech Resources for AP Music Theory, College Prep, and TExES Clinician: Dr. Rachel Mitchell, UTRGV • Location: Grand Hyatt Republic B

FRIDAY, 1:00-2:00 PM Performance Anxiety 101: Keys to Success Clinicians: Dr. Jared Broussard, UTRGV; Dr. Scott Roeder • Location: CC 303

FRIDAY, 1:00-2:00 PM Using Technology to Enhance Assessment of Choral Singers Clinician: Dr. Sean Taylor, UTRGV • Location: Grand Hyatt Crockett CD

SATURDAY, 8:00-9:00 AM Texas Guitar Directors Association Summit Clinician: Dr. Michael Quantz, UTRGV • Location: Grand Hyatt Republic C

SATURDAY, 9:30-10:30 AM Modeling Strategies for Effective and Efﬁcient Teaching Clinician: Dr. Kristina Weimer, UTRGV • Location: CC 303

School of Music

For more information, visit

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our preconference, I had reminded her to ask questions requiring critical thinking, rather than simply telling the students what to do. As that detail slowly crept back into her consciousness, Amy turned red and responded, “I didn’t ask any questions.” I assured her that she did ask one, but that did not seem to appease her anxiety. Trying to teach by example, I asked her what she could do to ensure that she included all types of questions in future teaching experience. She suggested that she could script them in her lesson plan. I enthusiastically agreed with that solution, since that was what I had taught her to do in her methods classes. Two weeks later, when I did Amy’s second observation, her lesson plan and presentation were filled with higher-order thinking questions. The students required to use a higher level of cognition, and Amy was less stressed because she was allowing the students to take ownership for their learning, rather than taking full responsibility for every minute of instruction. My experience with Amy, along with other preservice teachers, alerted me to the need to place a greater emphasis on modeling teaching that utilizes critical-

thinking techniques. If there is validity to the axiom “We teach the way we were taught,” then it is our responsibility to provide our students with an instructional model that includes higher-order thinking. To that end, a practice I have instituted in my teaching methods courses is providing students with a sample lesson plan on musical artistry, scripted with critical-thinking questions. I then teach the lesson, placing parenthetical pauses throughout for explanation of the purpose of the nature of inquiry being used. They, in turn, are required to develop a lesson plan on musical artistry and teach it to the class. Rather than telling the students where to place the breath marks, they ask them to read the text and identify the phrase, then justify their decision. They ask the students how dynamics are used to underscore the meaning. They continue

to do the same with the articulations and other musical markings. As an extension of that assignment, students are required to script criticalthinking questions in every lesson plan as a reminder to incorporate them during instruction. My goal is that inquiry and higher-order thinking will eventually become a natural part of their teaching methodology. Outside the Classroom Another aspect of higher-order thinking is problem-solving. When students come to me seeking advice, I typically dispense wisdom and send them on their way with words of encouragement. This past fall, when one of my students came to me in tears and close to a complete meltdown because she had a conflict between two events, I suddenly realized that I was

College Division Events Poster Session: Thursday, Feb. 14 • 3:45 PM/Stars at Night Lobby Business Meeting: Thursday, Feb. 14 • 5:15 PM / CC 304 College Reunions: Friday, Feb. 15 • 9:30 PM/Various Locations

CarnegieMellonMusic @CMUmusic

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T CarnegieMellonMusic

Southwestern Musician | February 2019 83

doing many of my students a huge disservice. I pictured the crying student seated across from me two years hence, a certified teacher in a local school district, trying to counsel a student who has a conflict with her concert and a volleyball game. She was ill-prepared to deal with such a situation. I was not only enabling her to persist in overreacting, but also wasn’t teaching her to be a problem solver. This provided the impetus for instituting a new policy. Whenever I receive an email from a student regarding a minor problem, I send a reply telling her to find

three possible solutions and to document the pros and cons of each. Then we meet, and I guide her in choosing the best option. If appropriate, I ask her how she would respond if her own student approached her with a similar situation. Role reversal is particularly effective with juniors and seniors because they are close enough to the reality of becoming a certified teacher that they can see the value in shifting roles from student to teacher. Learning the skill of problem-solving prior to graduation can have numerous benefits for music educators. If an issue

Choral Department 2 0 19 T E X AS STAT E U N I V E RSI T Y

CHOIR CAMP

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July 8-11, 2019

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Perform in the state-of-the-art Artist-in-Residence

Performing Arts Center.

Lynn Brinckmeyer, Ph.D.

Camp sectionals, rehearsals and electives will feature the award-winning Texas State University faculty and staff.

Director of Choral Music Education

Jonathan Babcock, D.M.A.

Associate Director of Choral Activities

Craig Aamot, M.M.

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Podium time with all four large ensembles Two candidates accepted each year Highly competitive scholarships and assistantships Option for summers only (limited enrollment)

For more program information and camp registration, visit choirs.music.txstate.edu Texas State University, to the extent not in conflict with federal or state law, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512.245.3830 at least 72 hours in advance of the event. Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

84 Southwestern Musician | February 2019

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arises that you must present to your principal, it is wise to walk into the meeting with a solution, because you are more likely to get a quick and positive resolution. You will share students with other programs, and if you come up with an equitable compromise, the other faculty member is more likely to be agreeable. If you have insufficient funds for an activity you have scheduled, you may have to come up with some creative ideas for raising money quickly. As the trainers of future music educators, we can empower our students with skills not only to be critical thinkers but also to train future generations of students to use higher-order thinking in the music classroom and in every facet of their lives. As Voltaire put it, “No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” Clinic/Convention Update If you haven’t yet registered, it’s still not too late! You can continue to register online before arriving at the convention center so you can go through the quick paid registration lines. Go to www.tmea.org/registration for pricing and to register. The 2019 app will be available at the beginning of February. To get the 2019 convention app, download Guidebook from your app store. Within the Guidebook app, search for TMEA 2019 to download it to your device. If you opted in to have your TMEA online personal schedule transferred, you will need to sign in using that same email address that you identified for your personal schedule transfer. You can create and edit your personal schedule, find locations of any event, look up exhibitors, and interact with other attendees. This year, all technology clinics, including the Wednesday one-day technology preconference, will be held in the Grand Hyatt on the fourth floor. The Grand Hyatt is next door to the convention center. There is no internal connection, so you must exit the convention center to enter the Grand Hyatt. If you are attending Wednesday’s preconference (separate $50 registration), go directly to the Grand Hyatt to complete registration on the fourth floor (you don’t need your TMEA badge to attend). In addition to the preconference, over 40 technology clinics will be presented Thursday–Saturday, covering a myriad of music education technology topics.

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