February 2022 Southwestern Musician by Texas Music Educators Association

FEBRUARY 2022

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 90 ■ ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 2022

FEATURES Q&A for Music Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 by tmea members

Learn about colleagues’ proven strategies for recruitment, differentiation in instruction, and activities that foster program community-building.

Student Leadership: A Driving Force for Your Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 by mik e h owa r d

When you develop student leaders effectively, you can decrease your workload and increase student ownership and engagement.

Increase Efficiency with Google Forms . . . . . . . . 42 by marianne condit white

Improve your workflow and provide students individualized instruction and feedback with Google Forms.

English Learners in the Elementary Music Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 b y j u l i s s a y. c h a pa

Learn practical strategies you can employ to help your English Learners have a successful musical experience in your classroom.

Distinguished Administrator Spotlight . . . . . . . . 64 TMEA provides members the opportunity to recognize outstanding school administrators for their support. Read about five administrators who recently received this distinction.

14 COLUMNS President John Carroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Executive Director Robert Floyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Band Vice-President Dana Pradervand . . . . . . . . . . 27 Orchestra Vice-President Ann G . Smith . . . . . . . . . . 36 Vocal Vice-President Jesse Cannon II . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Elementary Vice-President Katherine Johns . . . . .58

UPDATES

College Vice-President Paul Sikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Creating Your Convention CPE Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 TMEA Clinic/Convention: Know Before You Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2021–2022 TMEA Executive Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

ON THE COVER: Yuin-Lin Huang and Selena Bihon, now tenth graders at Allen HS, perform with the Curtis MS Symphony Orchestra during the 2020 TMEA Clinic/Convention. Photo by Karen Cross.

Southwestern Musician | February 2022

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF TEXAS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Editor-in-Chief: Robert Floyd

rfloyd@tmea.org | 512-452-0710, ext. 101

Managing Editor: Karen Cross

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

TMEA Executive Board President: John Carroll, Permian HS

Creating Your Convention CPE Record Almost every clinic and concert qualifies for continuing professional education credit (CPE). CPE credit is available only to TMEA Active members, Honorary Life members, and out-of-state attendees who register and attend the convention. College Student and Retired members will not have access to create CPE records.

john.carroll@ectorcountyisd.org | 432-553-2780 1800 East 42nd Street, Odessa, 79762

President-Elect: Michael Stringer, Irving ISD

presidentelect@tmea.org | 972-600-5088 3511 Lake Champlain Drive, Arlington, 76016

Past-President: Brian Coatney, Wylie ISD

Brian.Coatney@wylieisd.net | 972-429-3111 2550 West FM 544, Wylie, 75098

Band Vice-President: Dana Pradervand, University of Houston pradervandd@yahoo.com | 713-743-3627 8226 Lakeshore Villa Drive, Humble, 77346

Orchestra Vice-President: Ann G. Smith, Plano East Senior HS ann.smith@pisd.edu | 469-752-9237 3000 Los Rios Boulevard, Plano, 75074

Vocal Vice-President: Jesse Cannon II, Duncanville HS

vocalvp@tmea.org | 972-708-3764 900 West Camp Wisdom Road, Duncanville, 75116

Elementary Vice-President: Katherine Johns, Floresville South Elementary kjohns@fisd.us | 281-370-4040 116 Oaklawn Drive, Floresville, 78114

College Vice-President: Paul Sikes, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD paul.sikes@gcisd.net | 817-251-5637 8554 Kensington Court, North Richland Hills, 76182

TMEA Staff Executive Director: Robert Floyd | rfloyd@tmea.org Deputy Director: Frank Coachman | fcoachman@tmea.org Administrative Director: Kay Vanlandingham | kvanlandingham@tmea.org Advertising/Exhibits Manager: Zachary Gersch | zgersch@tmea.org Membership Manager: Susan Daugherty | susand@tmea.org Communications Manager: Karen Cross | kcross@tmea.org Financial Manager: Cristin Gaffney | cgaffney@tmea.org Information Technologist: Andrew Denman-Tidline | adenman@tmea.org Administrative Assistant: Rita Ellinger | rellinger@tmea.org

TMEA Office

TMEA provides an online method for creating your CPE record after the convention. Follow these steps so that you will be prepared to return from the convention and complete your record.

1. During the convention: Keep track of all sessions that you attend to completion. Active membership, convention registration, and attendance is required for CPE credit to be granted.

2. When you return home: Go to tmea.org/cpe to access your record and claim the sessions you attended and print your CPE form. Submit one to your school district and keep a copy for your records.

www.tmea.org/convention

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Website: www.tmea.org | Phone: 512-452-0710 Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a .m.– 4:30 p.m. Southwestern Musician (ISSN 0162-380X) (USPS 508-340) is published monthly except March, June, and July by Texas Music Educators Association, 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, TX 78754. Subscription rates: One Year – $20; Single copies $3.00. Periodical postage paid at Austin, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Southwestern Musician, P.O. Box 140465, Austin, TX 78714-0465. Southwestern Musician was founded in 1915 by A.L. Harper. Renamed in 1934 and published by Dr. Clyde Jay Garrett. Published 1941–47 by Dr. Stella Owsley. Incorporated in 1948 as National by Harlan-Bell Publishers, Inc. Published 1947–54 by Dr. H. Grady Harlan. Purchased in 1954 by D.O. Wiley. Texas Music Educator was founded in 1936 by Richard J. Dunn and given to the Texas Music Educators Association, whose official publication it has been since 1938. In 1954, the two magazines were merged using the name Southwestern Musician combined with the Texas Music Educator under the editorship of D.O. Wiley, who continued to serve as editor until his retirement in 1963. At that time ownership of both magazines was assumed by TMEA. In August 2004 the TMEA Executive Board changed the name of the publication to Southwestern Musician.

Southwestern Musician | February 2022

2022 TMEA Clinic/Convention February 9–12 • Henry B. González 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 members: $0 (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 into 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, directly in front). 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 arrive, go to the Onsite Registration line (as you enter the hall, to your left). Complete registration and payment (cash, check, or credit card) to obtain your badge. • TECHNOLOGY PRECONFERENCE: Go directly to the second floor of the convention center (south side) to the foyer of CC 214 to get your badge. This is a separate $50 registration (no POs). Checks must be made to TI:ME (do not combine with a TMEA registration check).

Onsite Payment Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, or personal or school check (checks will be run same day) are accepted for onsite registration. Split payments cannot include a credit card.

Family Badges Registered attendee family member badges are $15 each; children under 12 are free (family badges cannot be used by 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.

Free President’s Concert! This concert on Thursday at 8 p.m. features the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band. To attend this free concert, go directly to Lila Cockrell Theatre (no tickets will be issued). Doors will open at approximately 7:30 p.m.

$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 Go to www.tmea.org/2022schedule to create an online schedule. To get the 2022 convention app, download Guidebook from your app store and search for TMEA2022. Southwestern Musician | February 2022

TMEA President JOHN CARROLL

This Year and Onto the Future Music educators took a hard hit since March 2020, but through our fortitude, we are back with even a greater desire to make our world better for our students and for our fellow citizens.

hen I was blessed to be elected to the TMEA Executive Board as Band Vice-President in 2018, I was told by then President-Elect Joe Muñoz that this experience would change my life. I believed him on a theoretical level, but I had no way of knowing, emotionally, what he meant. As I pen my final column as TMEA President, I feel compelled to thank you from the depths of my being for allowing me to serve you the past four years as a member of the TMEA Executive Board, and I am fortunate to have one more year to serve as Immediate PastPresident. My friend Joe was indeed correct. The experience of serving you has changed me, and while I believed in music education and the Texas music educator community prior to 2018, I am surely more aware of the importance of what we do. I’m also more appreciative of how dedicated Texas music educators are. Finally, I am more mindful of what wonderful students we have in Texas—students from all socioeconomic levels and home life situations who contribute so much to the music classroom. I don’t like to speak in hyperbole, but I honestly believe that what we do serves society for generations. The people with whom I have served on the TMEA Board since 2018 have been quintessential leaders for their divisions and for the members of TMEA overall. From them, I have learned much more about the unique issues for each of TMEA’s divisions, as well as the issues facing different facets of our overall profession in Texas. I will remain indebted

Southwestern Musician | February 2022

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

February—Renew your membership and register for the convention. February 9–12—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. February 10, 8:15 a.m.—TMEA First General Session. February 10, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Division business meetings at the convention. February 10, 8 p.m.—TMEA President’s Concert: Jazz Ambassadors (free). February 11, 8:15 a.m.—TMEA Second General Session. February 11, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Region meetings at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

SPOTLIGHT ON

Music Education WELCOME NEW FACULTY

Margaret Brown String Pedagogy

David Dunham Brass/Woodwind Pedagogy

Jolene Webster Choral/Vocal Pedagogy

DEGREE PROGRAMS Bachelor of Music in Music Education Master of Music in Music Education Coming Soon: Master of Music in Music Education completely online option

WHY UTA? • • • • •

Curriculum addresses current trends in the classroom Quality and depth of ensemble experiences Highly qualified faculty with real teaching experience Heart of Dallas-Fort Worth location Hands-on experience in quality public schools

uta.edu/music

Jeff King Instrumental Ensemble Pedagogy

to these wonderful educators and leaders. I would be so remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the TMEA staff. The ways in which they watch out for Texas music education every day cannot be overstated. These include the operation of all levels of auditions and the daily monitoring of our state legislature, Texas Education Agency, and State Board of Education to keep alert for upcoming issues that could either benefit or harm fine arts education. Have you ever wondered why our membership dues have not gone up in years? We can thank the wise financial stewardship of the staff and Board for that. I could go on forever. Why do we have such smoothly operating auditions? That’s because of the foresight of past Vice-Presidents and the technological skills of the staff. The daily operation of TMEA is managed by the staff in ways that none of us can fully appreciate, and this includes the operation of the annual Clinic/Convention. The main focus this year, stretching back to February 2021, has been to make sure teachers and students are being served in a way that best revitalizes programs. As I type this, we are not out of the pandemic yet. In fact, shows are being put on hold in major entertainment areas such as New York City and Chicago. Yet the strength of our teachers and students and their families helps us serve in a way that is proving to revive our programs. Notice I said teachers and our students. Those two groups make up quite a formidable team—

a team on which I am proud to be a member, and I trust you feel the same. TMEA has always been fortunate to work hand in hand with the University Interscholastic League, and we are all grateful for what UIL has done in keeping events on an even keel. This has been a huge contribution to our goals. Months ago, we committed to a system of Region/Area/State live auditions for our band and vocal secondary students, and the combined in-person and recorded auditions process for our orchestra, jazz band, and mariachi students. This was not easy to expedite, but through the work of our performance division Vice-Presidents and the grassroots leadership in our 33 Regions, this did indeed take place. We also committed early to an inperson Clinic/Convention for February 2022. We have not wavered from the philosophy that music education is best when in person, and this includes our event in San Antonio. As of this writing, VicePresidents and staff members are hard at work on making this the best convention ever. Yes, there are a few things that will look a little different at this convention, but the important thing is that it is in person once again, with renewed in-person camaraderie, clinics, and perhaps most importantly, young people meeting in person. I strongly encourage you to attend at least one more student performance than what you might have otherwise attended. Demonstrate to those young people on

CPE CREDIT Every performance and almost every clinic featured during the 2022 Clinic/Convention is eligible for continuing professional education credit. After the convention, you will complete your CPE credit record online. 6

Southwestern Musician | February 2022

stage that we, as their collective group of teachers, do appreciate them, and that without them, all the pedagogy we possess in our toolbox is meaningless. Let’s give them big, enthusiastic audiences for their performances. Please plan on attending the Clinic/ Convention for more professional development. It’s not too late to make your plans, and if you have not done so, you can still register online or onsite in San Antonio. The staff has made onsite registration a simple process. You don’t want to miss this amazing back-in-person conference. It will be very special indeed! What does the future hold for us? What will our teachers in the next decade and beyond say about us? Will they be thanking us for putting all students first, whether those are students of an All-State level, a TMEA convention performance quality, or who simply love music and their music teachers? Will the teachers in the coming years appreciate our desire to serve our communities and the growth of our students as they became leaders of those same communities? As we proceed through this journey for the rest of this school year, and the upcoming years, let’s make certain that our goals focus on meeting the needs of the students we teach through music. The upcoming convention will bring with it the election of the PresidentElect, as well as the elections for the next Band Division and College Division Vice-Presidents. The Executive Board is in a constant state of renewal, with new ideas and new leadership. Our current President-Elect, Michael Stringer, will become President immediately following our event in San Antonio, and I could not be more optimistic about the thought of his leadership. Music educators took a hard hit since March 2020, but through our fortitude, we are back with even a greater desire to make our world better for our students and for our fellow citizens. I hope to see you in San Antonio. You don’t want to miss it! 0

Music Scholarship

& Entrance Auditions March

February

2022

Areas of Study: Bachelor of Art in Liberal Studies Concentrations in: Theatre Bachelor of Music

2022

Concentrations in: Instrumental Performance Music Education Instrumental

All Instruments & Voices

Vocal Piano Performance Vocal Performance Performing Ensembles: Marching Band Jazz Ensemble Symphonic Band

ALL AUDITION DAYS BEGIN AT 1 P.M. FOR DETAILS OR TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION:

TEXT AUDITION TO

337-350-3022

Chamber Singers Concert Chorale Percussion Ensemble Chamber Ensemble Wind Symphony McNeese Theatre Bayou Players

McNeese State University

W.A. & Dorothy Hanna Department of Performing Arts Box 92175, Lake Charles, LA 70609 | 337-475-5028 | www.mcneese.edu/performingarts Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .ai

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .ai

McNeese Performing Arts

TMEA Executive Director ROBERT FLOYD

Who Will Teach? Do your part to ensure the future generation of music students in our schools have the same quality of instruction and life-changing experiences you have provided for your students throughout your career.

ust before meeting the printing deadline for this column, I was catching up on reading and picked up the November 2021 issue of Kappan, the highly respected publication of Phi Delta Kappa International. The title splashed across the front cover, the one I used for this column, certainly got my attention. This issue centered on changes in the teaching profession because of the pandemic, but the focus without question was on the teacher short-

age and its causes. According to Editor Rafael Heller, many public schools faced teacher shortages long before the pandemic, and if COVID-19 vanished tomorrow, they could continue to struggle with this long-simmering problem. In 2015 the Department of Education estimated that overall, 8% of teachers leave the profession every year, but that attrition is significantly higher among teachers with 25 or more years of experience, teachers in their first few years, and teachers in high poverty and majority minority districts. The upshot is that school districts have no choice but to hire students just out of preparation programs. Education researchers Christopher Redding and Tuan D. Nguyen, in their Kappan article about the newest teachers in our teaching force noted that three decades ago, first-year teachers made up 3% of all public school teachers in the United States. By 2017, that group of novices had grown to represent 7% of the teaching force. To halt the pattern of novices replacing near novices, Redding and Nguyen argue that we must learn much more about these teachers’ backgrounds, their teaching assignments, and the specific challenges they face to provide the support that

Southwestern Musician | February 2022

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

School of Music

TCU School of Music

2022 SUMMER MUSIC

Camps & Workshops* TCU VOCAL ARTS CAMP • MAY 20-22 COREY TRAHAN, JAMES RODRIGUEZ PERCUSSION CAMP • JUNE 8&9 BRIAN WEST SAXOPHONE WORKSHOP • TBA JOE ECKERT TCU BAND CAMPS • JUNE 12-18 BOBBY FRANCIS FLUTE WORKSHOP • JUNE 20&21 SHAUNA THOMPSON HARP WORKSHOP • JUNE 22-24 MALLORY MCHENRY ALL-STATE CHOIR CAMP • JULY 10-16 SHERI NEILL, CHRISTOPHER ASPAAS CLARINET WORKSHOP • JULY 18&19 COREY MACKEY STAR WARS AND THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS • JULY 18-21 PAUL CORTESE

FOR REGISTRATION INFO*, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.MUSIC.TCU.EDU/SMI.ASP *ALL EVENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

can help them make it through the earliest and most critical stage of their career. This teacher shortage and churning turnover is not limited to teachers of foundation subjects. The crisis is real in fine arts as well, and certainly includes music. The fine arts director of a large district in the Houston area recently told me he had ten vacancies at mid-semester with no candidates. Many of the teachers in the fine arts area in that district are covering split classes daily, with even office staff doing the same. Sadly, those leaving the district were veteran, high-quality teachers. I have participated in enough TMAC meetings to recognize this is a statewide problem. This shortage will only get worse unless we can determine a way to stop this trend. We know we have a problem for which there is no quick fix. So, what can we do as an association and as a profession to address it? Certainly, providing a strong mentoring network can help prepare young teachers to be successful. For that to happen, we first must convince new teach-

ers they need coaching and guidance. One of the frustrations through the years of elevating the success of the TMEA Mentoring Network has been getting new teachers to enroll. Also, in the November 2021 Kappan, Rafael Heller interviews Amaya Garcia, who explains that we must invest in growyour-own (GYO) programs that help local communities identify their needs and cultivate local talent to fill those positions. As a GYO expert, Garcia states we need to steer high school and college students into teaching in our own communities. As music educators, our students follow us into the profession initially not so much because of continual encouragement from us but because of the experience they had. But we must then encourage those students to stay the course to reap the personal rewards of touching students’ lives through music, especially with public education being under siege and so much discouragement about joining the teaching profession.

Who should we encourage to join our profession expecting to have a high percentage of success? Teresa Preston, managing editor of Kappan, wrote a compelling article in the November issue entitled “Who Should Teach?” She found a 1921 Phi Delta Kappa survey that revealed why high school students were not pursuing careers in education. It is not surprising that many of those responses are still the same one hundred years later—salaries are too low, the profession is not well-respected, and those in the profession do not present themselves as positive role models. She shared in the article what qualities successful teachers possess over the past hundred years and how those opinions have varied. In 1932, while the intelligent generally were supposed to be the best teachers, there was no correlation between intelligence and teaching success; in 1956, a high moral sense and a feeling of mission were determined the keys to success; in 1969, it was found there was no single best or worst kind of teacher because there was

Get the Convention App! Save your schedule • Get reminders • Find events pinned to maps Locate exhibitors • Take notes you can export • Find local discounts 1. Download Guidebook from your app store 2. Search for TMEA2022 3. Start using the app!

10 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

THIS IS YOUR MOMENT Instrumental Auditions November 19, 2021 February 5, 2022 March 5, 2022

Vocal Auditions November 19, 2021 February 19, 2022

March 26, 2022 April 9, 2022

March 5, 2022 April 2, 2022

Auditions are available in person, virtual livestream or video submission. acu.edu/music • 325-674-2199 • music@acu.edu

Degree Programs Bachelor of Arts in Music Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance Bachelor of Music (teacher certification)

Performance Opportunities A Cappella Chorus Big Purple Colorguard / Acuity Winterguard Big Purple Marching Band Concert Band Gospel Choir Jazz Combos Jazz Ensemble Opera Orchestra Percussion Ensemble Steel Drum Band University Chorale Wind Ensemble 220001-0122

no one type of student. The good teacher is able to influence both student feelings and achievement in a positive way. In 1989, the issue of teacher training came under scrutiny, with many determining that ineffective teacher preparation programs kept well-qualified prospective teachers out of the profession. The optimum teacher training program continues to be debated, as is the most effective teacher certification program. Many of you are aware that Texas is piloting a new certification program, edTPA, that may soon be adopted. TMEA members have testified on edTPA, pointing out the concerns of such a plan, everything from its cost that could discourage prospective marginalized students from even pursuing a teaching degree to having out-of-state judges determine through video our fate to be certified to teach within Texas. In a recent conversation with Scott Edgar, our convention’s Second General Session keynote speaker, he shared how fast teachers went from being regarded as heroes for teaching remotely for a full year to suddenly being terrible. How quickly the culture has changed as much of the public has become more concerned about whether students should wear a mask than about teaching and learning in the classroom. And when student learning has faltered, the perception is that it is not the circumstance but the teacher who is at fault. So how bad is the teacher shortage? In

the short term, starting the second semester without a band, choir, or orchestra specialist is deeply concerning. Many teachers resigned in December due to the lack of respect for the teaching profession, the COVID-19 backlash, and the stress level it had created in their lives. The unknown is how many others are just hanging on to complete the year, resulting in an escalated crisis in August. In addition, students who might be considering the teaching profession see their veteran, highly successful director resign and then have doubts about whether this is a profession they want to join. This could create a decline in enrollment in higher education teacher training programs this fall and a significant drop in first-year teachers entering the classroom four years from now. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. This ultimately requires a culture shift in society about how teachers are regarded, respected, valued, and compensated, and that will take time. I live in a neighborhood where the community expects and demands quality teachers, but when their sons or daughters express an interest in teaching, many are quick to guide them down a different career path. In the end, however, I am encouraged by our new generation of young people who value doing something with their lives that is not measured by a large paycheck and corporate title. For example,

Be Part of the Solution You can help address this teacher shortage by establishing a Texas Future Music Educators (TFME) chapter on your campus or in your district this semester. TFME chapters support students in high school who, minimally, have some interest in a music education career. Invite all students, and especially encourage student leaders and those who have the personality and it factor to serve as a kid magnet for recruiting and retention efforts. Some of the best music educators were not necessarily All-Staters or the top players in their programs. They were students who believed in a philosophy anchored in music-making and a passion for service. 12 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

The Executive Board is currently exploring ways to increase the role TMEA can play in assisting TFME chapter sponsors to make the project a successful venture, including thoughts on meeting programs and agendas. Active TFME members receive a free Southwestern Musician magazine subscription, and sponsors can apply for grants for their members to attend the TMEA convention. The Board welcomes any suggestions you have to help us assist you in making your chapter both vibrant and effective. Go to www.tmea.org/tfme for further information, or if you have any questions, email Kay Vanlandingham at kvanlandingham@tmea.org.

one was the daughter of a family friend, a national merit scholar in high school and Presidential Scholar graduate of University of Texas. She was on a path to do brain research but is now teaching biology in a large central Texas high school and loving it. Another friend’s child with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford was committed to a profession in neuroscience. However, she too got hijacked by a passion for serving young people and is now also teaching biology in a majority minority high school in Austin. I could cite other examples of similar students who chose music education rather than computer science or pursuing a law degree. I also recently heard from one of our TMEA scholarship reviewers who commented that compared with years past, they noticed a greater emphasis on the love of helping others in this year’s applications. The young people I have encountered and observed entering our music education profession today are bright, intelligent, and dedicated, and we must support, encourage, and share with them all the reasons we got into this profession. I hope we can rise above the last 22 months of frustration and challenges. Remember the good times prepandemic, and share those stories with your students and those new to the profession. There is a subtle one-word difference in the Kappan theme, “Who Will Teach?,” and one of the featured articles in that issue, “Who Should Teach?,” but the difference is monumental. Again, we have young, quality teachers in our profession today. We simply need more of them and must support them in a way that helps them survive the challenges all teachers continue to face. The music industry, higher education, our current teachers, and TMAC must unite in this effort. Do your part to ensure the future generation of music students in our schools have the same quality of instruction and life-changing experiences you have provided for your students throughout your career. Such a commitment represents our responsibility and contribution as music 0 educators to our future society.

2021–2022 TMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD TMEA Board members dedicate countless hours deliberating the business of our association, supporting our members, and guiding programs that foster the pursuit of musical excellence by students at every level. This year, just like in their roles as music educators, their work on the TMEA Board has been met with numerous challenges demanding sound leadership. We thank each Board member for their dedication to ensuring every student experiences the joy of music-making that leads to a lifelong love of music. We hope you join us in gratitude for our past officers who shaped our association and for these current Board members who continue their legacy of leadership.

President John Carroll

Past-President Brian Coatney

President-Elect Michael Stringer

Division Vice-Presidents

Band Dana Pradervand

Orchestra Ann G. Smith

Vocal Jesse Cannon II

Elementary Katherine Johns

College Paul Sikes

Thank you for your service!

Southwestern Musician | February 2022 13

Thanks go to TMEA members who offered responses to the following questions. Go to www.tmea.org/q&a to view additional answers to these and other questions or to suggest a question for a future issue.

What are your most effective recruitment strategies that have resulted in program growth?

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Play at local community events and elementary school tours. We must remember that we are only one part of these kids’ lives. We have expectations that we never abandon, but we don’t expect to be anyone’s top priority. We do what we can to support them and shouldn’t make them feel terrible if they have to make a tough choice of time allocation—sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, but this is a long game. We have several non-mandatory performances that consistently have 90% of the band attend. Don’t get upset over the 10 students who don’t show. Be thankful for the 90 who did. Love first.—Ray Ridens, Quanah ISD Be present! Kids will want to be around people who are there in the moment. Be honest and genuine. That way the students are comfortable with how you communicate and are less surprised or don’t feel betrayed because they didn’t know what they were getting into.—Sauileoge To’afa, Caddo Mills ISD Prepare parents with as much information as possible about expectations, program and rehearsal schedules, and any required fees. The parents will support their kids staying because they knew ahead of time what to expect. Most of my students are bussed in, so I try to allow some time in music class to work on choir pieces because I know some of them just can’t stay after school. Allowing this kind of a participation grew my numbers before COVID. I will have

14 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

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to start rebuilding next year when some restrictions are lifted.—Laney M. Lopez, Salinas Elementary (Donna ISD) Excellence is attractive. An excellent program will attract the kind of kids you want in your program. Raise the public profile of your choir by singing for community events, ball games, parties, etc. When asked, do everything you can to make those events a priority. That’s what I’ve done, and it’s paying off.—Karen Fincher, Ridgeview MS It was easier for me because I taught K through 12, so I could recruit from their first days in school through their last. Other kids would come to our shows and see what fun choir was and they would ask if they could join. I told them to come and let me hear them sing, and I would place them in a choir. The program continues to grow each year. I am new to the program and will be working directly with our feeder programs to integrate our advanced players into school visits and coaching.—Dan Mays, Oak Ridge HS I start teaching kindergarten students at least one simple song a month with dance moves and prepare them to memorize. I do that same song from kinder in the first grade. I start whole grade-level programs in second and third grades. By fourth, I stop programs and give the students the option of afterschool choir. After five years of this method, choir grew from 20 students to 43, and that is just from the fall. I give students who didn’t sign up in the fall another chance to do so in the spring. My choir then starts participating in the pyramid concerts with the middle school choir. This helps them know what to expect when joining choir, and they get to know the choir director even before they get to secondary.—Maria Nelson, Benbrook Elementary

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Keep a positive attitude! Be visible at the schools that feed your program. Every year just before kids fill out choice sheets, we bus the fifth grade to the high school for a concert (we start beginners in 6th grade). The band plays their spring concert material and I spend time talking about each instrument.—Ron Williams, Linden Kildare HS Our middle school visits elementary campuses each year to recruit for the next level. For elementary recruitment, orchestra faculty created a video of kids playing at all levels from each school and describing advantages to joining the program in the sixth grade. High school directors visit middle schools regularly to work with the students. Directors build a rapport with the students, and the students learn how the director teaches and get to know their personality.—Angela Pendleton, Williams MS (Rockwall ISD)

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Near peer performances always strike a chord!—James Keltner, Myra Green MS Perform often and in front of the school as much as possible! Students love to feel important and seen.—Zoe Vande Kieft, Parish Episcopal School I try to keep my focus on positives and encouraging phrases. I am honest and real. It is not flattery or fluff. Students, like adults, enjoy being around people who make them feel loved, appreciated, and needed. I have found that if you keep this atmosphere going, they tend to stick with band. They also like to feel accomplished, so success helps in recruiting. My most effective strategy is to have the high school band play for the beginner students the day we recruit. The students

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get to see and hear the individual instruments as well. Standing in the hallways during transitions is my best recruiting tool. I make a point to speak to all students. I greet them and ask how they are and how their days are going. I learn as many names as possible, and I call kids by name whenever I can. Regardless of the day or time, I always work to smile and greet those kids in the hallway—even as I’m disciplining kids for running, phones, etc. I quickly get to know most of the kids in the school. It is awesome!—Leslie Hooe, Palestine JH The best way to get kids into your program is to have kids from your program perform for the feeder groups. Send out emails to your parent community before concerts and invite the extended family as well as friends. The next thing is to make your concerts fun! That means pick music that is enjoyable by the audience. If you are going to play Baroque music (and I love Baroque music) consider that it might not be as entertaining for the audience. Limit “highbrow” selections on each concert to one per group. Remember that while you may love a certain era of music, be it Renaissance or 20th century, your performance must attract your audience base.—Barbara Fox, Retired We focus on the recruiting energy on K–fifth-grade siblings of current orchestra students. Younger siblings make great future orchestra members because they are naturally invested in the program by absorbing the music and orchestra culture from their older sibling. To encourage them to join, we invite them to sit on stage with the performing orchestra during our winter and springs concerts. We once invited them to dress as

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Southwestern Musician | February 2022 17

their favorite Disney characters and had them walk a fashion show during a Disney medley. When we play at their elementary school tours, we invite some to conduct different pieces, sit next to their sibling on stage, or simply stand and share who they are related to. Every year we host a family recital and invite current orchestra students to perform with their siblings.—Sally Kirk, Dulles MS

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What differentiation tactics do you use to encourage students who are excelling and to support those who are behind?

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I modify all expectations. I rewrite parts for both ends of the ability spectrum. I pass out extra stuff for the excelling students to challenge and motivate as well as more suitable extra stuff for the students who are developing a little more slowly to find successes. Our band hall and auditorium are right next to each other. So we split the band into advanced and regular. It’s easy to move up and down between the bands without schedule changes since they are right next to each other. We always have each band working on music in common so they can play together, but of course have more challenging music for the “stage” band. The “band hall” band (less advanced) are much happier and engaged when things are slowed down for them. Behavior issues pretty much disappear.—Ray Ridens, Quanah ISD

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Much of our differentiation is done outside class. We make sure superstar students always work on things that will keep them moving forward. We start by giving them some music that is slightly harder than what we are working on in class and ask them to work on it outside of class. We give them opportunities a couple of times a week to show off what they have learned, and as they progress in those showoffs we give them harder music. With our lower-achieving students we utilize our students who are superstars for peer tutoring during class. So many times our students are able to put things into words that reach their peers so much easier than we are, especially if we reach a level of discouragement that makes us less patient. —Michelle King, Beckville ISD In class, I’ve been known to divide and conquer. I divide students into smaller groups so that I can give different levels of instruction. We get really creative with the space, too. It isn’t uncommon to see my students working in closets, storage spaces, the hallway, the music library, etc., so that we can accommodate all of the different groups and levels of need.—Leslie Hooe, Palestine JH I have extra fun music for advisory period each day. Kids can come in and practice. This music encourages them to play even when it’s not required. Whenever their mind is on music, they improve. I try to make it a fun and relaxing place. Mid-semester students started making their own ensembles for advisory. Kids of all levels joined together and they helped each other. Those who read at a higher level worked with others who struggle with the music. —Angela Pendleton, Williams MS (Rockwall ISD)

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Pay special attention during staff development sessions pertaining to special education and accommodations. Mark your grade sheets with coded notes for children with special needs in any subject, not just performing arts. It takes a little extra work; however, you will be more observant to check for understanding, learn about accommodation options, and assist as needed. Incorporate as many leadership opportunities in your music classroom as possible.—Mary Neeley Stevens, Retired Peer tutoring is a very effective tool. It allows the high achievers to utilize their abilities and encourages students who need help.—James Keltner, Myra Green MS I’m a big fan of “choose your own adventure” reps in which students have the option to play the rep as written or lay out and name and finger the rep. Giving them the option to take a step back and get the fundamentals right has been really helpful in my beginner and advanced classes.—Zoe Vande Kieft, Parish Episcopal School Students who are excelling can be placed in between students who are either struggling or are younger so the more experienced can be tone models for them. We utilize band pals similarly. Any time there are note or rhythm issues, time can be given for the higher-level players to assist. This not only helps encourage students who don’t play at the same level as their peers, but also builds future leaders for the bands going into high school by giving them teaching opportunities at a young age.

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When I see a kid is excelling I make a point to encourage them to the next step up. Now that you can sing that melody, work on this counter melody or ostinato. I make a point to remind students that in music, no one is a master—we are all still learning and there is always something to aspire to. For those who are behind and need support, I give them something that fits in with what we are doing but is less difficult until they push through. My goal is to make them feel included and successful so they can grow.—Laney M. Lopez, Salinas Elementary (Donna ISD) When we do small group work, I have several levels at each station or center. The students can choose the level at which they feel they can be successful. I offer easy, medium, and challenge levels. They are working on the same main idea or type of activity but it’s geared for the different types of learners. For our Christmas program, each of the grade levels could pick different levels on their program activities. Our third graders are doing a rhythm stick routine with a section for them to do an easy flipping pattern, a medium flip pattern, or a challenging flip pattern. Our fourth graders are doing a cup routine with the same options in the middle of the song.—Nicole Mustoe, Landergin Elementary

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What great ideas do you have for social events that promote community-building within your programs?

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Host events and invite vendors—local family-owned businesses that would be allowed to advertise and sell products. Admission is paid to the booster program to reserve a spot. This could also include your music store, with the opportunity to have an instrument petting zoo for fifth graders. Play for practically anyone who asks—nursing homes, service organizations, someone’s birthday, etc. Provide plenty of solos for playing at churches. Be willing to march in another town’s parade; smaller communities with no band program are very thankful. Look at things from a parent’s perspective—what do they want for their kid? Create a kindhearted culture that respects the hard job of being a waiter or anyone else who’s having to serve your band.—Ray Ridens, Quanah ISD Fill the Band Trailer: During the holiday season, if you have a band trailer or truck, use this as a way to collect toys. These will go to organizations that help those in need.—Sauileoge To’afa, Caddo Mills ISD Growing up in band I always enjoyed socials in the band hall—playing games and eating snacks. But in my own program I want my students to serve others as a group. The humility and teamwork necessary to pull off a service project is a great learning experience for students, and the friendships they make working side by side to help someone else are

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often deeper and more meaningful.—Zoe Vande Kieft, Parish Episcopal School I have always had a fun seasonal party after school with choir or music memory students. I provide a small gift, students bring a snack to share, and we play games, sing YouTube karaoke, and just have fun! We share pictures and of course we take time to sing our favorite musical piece from our performances up to that time. One of my favorite activities is community caroling. I take a group of choir or music students to carol at venues in the community. We go to adult day cares, nursing homes, banks, city hall, central office, and even around our own campus. Many times the students get small gifts from the places we visit, and they just love meeting different people and getting out of the school setting.—Laney M. Lopez, Salinas Elementary (Donna ISD) I like celebrating the students with birthday cakes. I invite the parents to celebrate with their child for an afterschool snack and we play wind ensemble music.—Maria Chadwell, Young Mens Leadership Academy I think the most important thing we can do with our groups is promote a positive social atmosphere in our classroom. Way more important than trips to the water park, ice cream socials, or movie nights is what we do with the children each and every day. No other social activity can compare to making music with your friends!—Rick Brockway, League City MS We do various shows that help build community, such as “Dining with Disney.” Several weeks before the show, students and I go to elementary and work car line. We also do a Hard

But wait— there’s more! Go to www.tmea.org/q&a to read even more responses to these questions. Each month, TMEA emails members when there are new questions to answer.

Submit a Question

Go to www.tmea.org/q&a and submit questions for consideration for a future issue. 22 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

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Luck Choir Café show in spring when we feature the music of a certain decade. The community looks forward to these events each year. While it’s a huge ordeal, a lock-in is totally worthwhile. We rent out a huge pizza place with a giant arcade, and spend all night there eating pizza, playing games, going a bit bonkers in the wee hours. At the end of the year, students mention it as the favorite thing they did all year!—Karen Fincher, Ridgeview MS The important thing is that any event is well planned and the student leadership takes ownership. Otherwise, it’s just another thing on your to-do list. I also think it’s important to have events throughout the year—something for Halloween, a cookie exchange in December, etc. You build community all year long!—Mark Rohwer, Flower Mound HS Student talent shows are fun with surprising results. I am always amazed at the individual talents of our students. My school coordinates teacher sponsors to rehearse the talent show participants. Teachers work with individual students or small groups, coaching them toward the performance. This ensures the song material is appropriate for a school setting and builds community among the faculty, students, and their families. —Mary Neeley Stevens, Retired Turn uniform distribution into a social event. Directors or uniform officers are stationed to assign uniforms, and after students get their uniform, they can get snacks, play games, and hang out with their classmates! —Caitlyn Durkee, Lockhart HS

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We have a social program that includes a mandatory teambuilding social at the beginning of the year. We also host one optional social each month. In the spring we have an orchestra breakfast, a park social in the spring, and an orchestra banquet in May. The banquet is also mandatory. We have increased the orchestra swag and give students lapel pins and stickers of the current year’s orchestra shirt design. I love seeing our swag on cases, backpacks, phones, and more. It helps showcase our organization.—Michael Isadore, Dulles HS We have a First Friday Social every month. Student officers are assigned a month and plan it with a theme in mind (holidays or something creative) and choir members sign up to bring snacks. We do one team-building exercise and then fun games. Then there are the snacks! Inevitably they’ll start to sing their contest or concert music and a rehearsal ensues with the students leading. We have invited other arts department students over to participate with us. It’s a tradition now, and they look forward to these events. The Friendsgiving meal, Halloween, and the May the Fourth events are the most loved.—Fernando Fernandez Jr., Flour Bluff HS We’ve done bowling parties each year where kids get to form their own teams. Students make new friends in a casual environment. Orchestra does an in-school scavenger hunt and potluck lunch at the beginning of the year. Kids get to know the building and its interesting features. We have kids take pictures of the items on the list, and there are some creative opportunities that give extra points if done.—Angela Pendleton, Williams MS (Rockwall ISD) 0

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TMEA Band Vice-President

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Ready to Celebrate Music Together When we come together in San Antonio for our 2022 Clinic/Convention, let’s celebrate the incredible work, creativity, innovation, and resilience that has been demonstrated by every music educator, especially throughout the past two years!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

February—Renew your membership and register for the convention. February 9–12—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Band Division business meeting at the convention. February 11, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Region meetings at the convention. March 1—Honor Band online entry deadline. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

e are just days away from gathering in San Antonio for the 2022 TMEA Clinic/Convention and I, for one, am so excited to see everyone, get inspired by our colleagues presenting clinics, and be impressed by all the performances! This is my final column as Band Division Vice-President and to say that it has been a wild ride is an understatement. We have all been through such an unprecedented event in our lives, and we persevered through the challenges because we are professionals, empathetic adults, and most importantly, educators. I am in awe of the incredible work, creativity, innovation, and resilience that has been demonstrated by every music educator. My wish is that we will all celebrate that in San Antonio at the TMEA Clinic/Convention. The 2022 TMEA Clinic/Convention is going to be fantastic, and that is the result of countless hours of organization and planning put in by the Executive Board, the incredible staff of TMEA, and the many volunteers who have graciously offered their time and expertise. The Executive Board has been so thoughtful and intentional in their programming of this convention. There truly is something for everyone. The TMEA staff in Austin are the unsung heroes of this organization. They devote so many hours to the planning of every detail of the convention and much more. You may never notice everything that has taken months to plan, but your convention experiences would certainly be affected if not for the staff’s tireless work. Please take a moment at the convention to go to the registration area and thank our staff (or go to www.tmea.org/ about/contact to send an email). They are incredible people who are as

Southwestern Musician | February 2022 27

passionate about TMEA and our convention experience as we are. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all the volunteers who have given their time in service to the Band Division. Thanks go to Region and Area Chairs, audition committees, Invited Ensemble selection committee, Clinic Proposal Committee, the state band and jazz audition chairs, the audition etude selection committee, the invited process development committee, all the adjudicators for the band, orchestra, and jazz auditions, ensemble organizers, clinic presiders, section rehearsal coaches, and office and registration volunteers. It truly takes a village, so if you have not had an opportunity to serve or volunteer, please consider it. It will change you and make you a better educator. Finally, it has been one of my greatest pleasures serving as Band Division Vice-President and representing the band

directors in this state and I am grateful for the opportunity. On behalf of the TMEA Executive Board and staff, we are looking forward to presenting the 2022 TMEA Clinic/Convention and Celebrating Music Together! See you in San Antonio. Clinic/Convention Update The annual Band Division business meeting is Thursday, February 10, at 5:15 p.m. in the Stars at Night Ballroom. This meeting is important to the success of the Band Division. Election of the next Band Division Vice-President will take place. Additionally, information will be given regarding the progress of the Invited Process Development Committee as well as important Honor Band updates. Brad Kent, Director of UIL Music Activities, will provide some important UIL information. If you haven’t already registered, you can continue to do so online. By registering before you arrive at the convention

Attend the Band Division Business Meeting February 10, 5:15 p.m. • Stars at Night Ballroom 1–2 Get updated on association business and vote for the next TMEA Band Vice-President.

Attend Your TMEA Region Meeting

center, you can go through a more expedited line to obtain your badge and convention materials. In addition, you may want to download the Guidebook app and get the TMEA2022 app before you arrive in San Antonio. You will not want to miss the official kickoff of our convention at the First General Session. Celebrating Music Together will feature our wonderful Texas students and educators. You will be inspired! Lastly, be sure to put into your schedule the four clinics by Band Division Featured Clinician, Brian Balmages. His topics are going to be inspirational and relatable to middle school and high school directors. You will not want to miss them! Honor Band Update The Honor Band selection process resumes this year for the 2C, 1A/2A(combined), 4A, and 6A classifications. In 2019 a committee of middle school, high school, and college band directors was formed to evaluate the Honor Band process and procedure. There were several recommendations to the process made and these changes have been adopted and are in effect for the 2022–2023 year. Please go to www.tmea.org/honorband to get the specific details on the new revisions. Most notable are the following:

Find your Region meeting location in the app and the printed convention program.

1. New policy regarding program submission time limits. Middle school is not to exceed 25 minutes of music, and high school submissions not to exceed 35 minutes of music.

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2. Removal of the UIL Concert Evaluation as a mandatory recording date. Directors may now choose four recording dates that best fit each program’s testing, UIL, and concert schedules.

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3. Change to the adjudication process as well as the number of bands per classification that may advance from the Region to Area level and from the Area to State level. What did not change is the deadline for Honor Band submission. You must register your ensemble and complete all necessary forms by March 1, 2022, to enter. Be sure to attend our Band Division business meeting, where we will discuss the changes to this process. 0

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STUDENT LEADERSHIP

A Driving Force for Your Program

by Mike Howard

t is amazing what a group of students can do when given the right platform and tools! As one of our cornerstones at Vandegrift High School, we utilize students extensively in all aspects of the band program. From logistical to teaching needs to problem-solving and systems improvements, putting ownership in the students’ hands doesn’t just decrease workload for the band staff. This student ownership creates ultimate buy-in to the vision and goals of the program and can make the student experience considerably more rewarding. The entire process—from leadership selection to training to implementation—can spur simultaneous growth in your students and your program. As you consider how you might increase student involvement, learn more about our journey through leadership growth and implementation within the model we use. I hope it can spark conversation with your staff on your own leadership processes. Make the Leadership Selection Process Meaningful The selection process is not just a means to accurately choose a leadership team for your program. It is an opportunity for student growth. The first step is to make auditioning for the leadership team the cool thing to do in your program. This can happen through a social media push and effective and timely communication and by constant word of mouth with students throughout the program. The more students who audition, the more who will benefit from the process. With a concerted effort, we’ve seen more students involved in the audition process each year. Once you have a group of students (hopefully a large group) on board for the audition–selection process, it’s time to ensure that the process is meaningful. We need to ask ourselves how we want these students to grow through participation in this process. The

30 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

beginning of the selection process provides a great platform to do a training that consists of general leadership concepts, résumé creation, and most importantly, instruction on how to teach and give feedback to their peers. The peer instruction component is one of the most valuable and important skill sets we want students to experience in our process. Through the training and selection process, students will gain the same types of skill sets they will use after high school: writing a résumé, interviewing, submitting a timely application, selecting references, teaching their peers, and demonstrating individual performance abilities. While this process can be intensive to administer, it has substantial student benefit! It also gives the band staff several data points to utilize in the very important decision of who will be on the leadership team driving your program. Define Roles & Responsibilities The next step involves band staff creating clear roles and responsibilities for each leadership position. This is the step in which I have seen the process stall for many programs, including my own. The only way to set up a system of accountability is for each person on the team to understand what they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to do it. The staff must take time to create clear job responsibilities to share with the leadership team. These job responsibilities must involve time-oriented and measurable goals so that student leaders and staff can hold all accountable. Over the years, different variables have changed job responsibilities within our leadership team (e.g., program size, presence of social media, virtual instruction, and electronic distribution of music). It is important for the staff to reevaluate leadership responsibilities annually so the team stays current and efficient within the changing needs of our programs.

You must realize they will not always be successful and that, at times, you will have to watch them fail. Just as we have experienced as teachers, the students will learn as much from their failures as they do their successes. Let the Training Begin! An introductory training for your leadership team is a crucial step in the process. This training will serve three purposes. First, it will begin the process of creating strong bonds and relationships within the team. As we have experienced at Vandegrift HS, relationships are the foundation upon which leadership and influence are built. Second, it will provide specifics regarding each role so that students have a clear understanding of their responsibility on the team. Third, the students will have an opportunity to gain insight on leadership concepts and continue their work with peer instruction. Regarding leadership concepts, there are several great clinicians and companies around the state that can provide this for

32 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

your program. We have utilized the SASI Leadership model for our introduction of leadership concepts and curriculum. Regarding peer instruction, you must provide opportunities for your students to gain practice giving peer instruction prior to them putting it into action. These practice sessions, or teaching labs as we call them, increase productivity of peerinstruction substantially once you begin your summer rehearsals. It is important to note that this training is only introductory. We should be cautious not to believe that the training is complete once the season starts. As my friend Jeremy Spicer at SASI would say, “Leadership is a skill, and as such, requires constant and consistent training.” At this point, it is important to schedule

regular leadership meetings at times that don’t cause a strain on the students, staff, or program. This may require you to cut out some rehearsal time, but it is worth it! These regular meetings will allow the staff a continuation of leadership concept development as well as an opportunity to provide logistical information to the students so they are all on the same page. Step Back and Let Them Work Once a system for your leadership team is rolled out and you have a consistent training process established, you’ll face one of the hardest steps: getting out of their way and letting them work. The only way to make a student feel ownership is to give them ownership. They know what their job is and when to do it, and they are in a training process. It is time for you to step back and watch them to offer feedback, not to do their job for them. You must realize they will not always be successful and that, at times, you will have to watch them fail. Just as we have experienced as teachers, the students will learn as much from their failures as they do their successes. As a band staff, it is crucial that you give

feedback on the effectiveness of whatever role or responsibility is being carried out. Let’s say that the job of your leadership team in a marching rehearsal is to do a 15-minute teaching breakout session on forward marching technique. They have practiced, been given a timeline, and have created a plan. It is so easy for us as directors to step in and redirect or take over these 15-minute sessions. Instead, make the band staff’s sole responsibility to watch the student leaders teach, not the students marching. The band staff’s only focus in providing feedback will be to the level of peer instruction that is happening, not to the marchers themselves. Again, the staff will have to step back and let the students work, knowing that they may fail at times. Let them fail, give them information on how to improve, and let them try it again! Open Your Door and Let the Students Help You As the year continues, it is important to develop a relationship with your leadership teams that allows a level of comfort in giving feedback on systems and processes within your organization. While students

34 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

may need training on how to provide this feedback in an appropriate and professional way, soliciting student feedback on the band program is a valuable way to keeping the program student-centered. We start this process in our leadership audition process by having every auditionee provide a detailed response to this question: “What would you like to improve in the VHS Band and how would you help facilitate that improvement?” Whatever your method, gaining student feedback about your program is one of the most difficult yet most valuable things you can do. A band staff that is closed to student perspective can quickly become out of touch with the constantly changing needs of today’s young adults. Let Your Leaders Help You! It still feels appropriate to address the elephant in the room: pandemic recovery. Programs around the state still struggle with varying degrees of retention, skill-set gaps, and fragmented program culture in great part due to the time in which our students experienced an isolated learning environment and other effects of the pandemic.

I strongly encourage everyone to utilize student leaders to boost program retention, morale, and culture by focusing heavily on relationships. Whether it be a buddy/mentor system where each leader is assigned a band member to check in with, or the organization of section social events, it is important that we utilize student leaders to rebuild connections and relationships within our organization. As a band staff, you may have to be more active in facilitating ideas to promote the building of connections and relationships, but be sure to get your leadership team involved in the process. Remember, they need specifics—what to do and when to do it. This relationship building starts now! Empower your students to drive the culture and running of your program. With all aspects of your organization, if a student leader can do it, a student leader should do it. 0 Mike Howard is the Director of Bands at Vandegrift High School in Leander ISD.

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.

SCHOLARSHIP AUDITION DATES: Saturday, February 19, 2022 | 1-3 p.m. Saturday, March 26, 2022 | 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, 2022 | 1-3 p.m.

SCHOOL OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT HEADS

Elizabeth Lee Asst. Professor, Cello

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

Ingram Lee, IV Instructor, Trombone & Euphonium

Beth Bronk Director of Bands bbronk@tlu.edu

For specific qualifications for each award, visit

www.tlu.edu/music-scholarships. BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN ALL-LEVEL MUSIC EDUCATION BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN PERFORMANCE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN MUSIC

Scott McDonald Instructor, Saxophone & Jazz Band Carla McElhaney Asst. Professor, General Music

Eric Daub Director of Piano Studies edaub@tlu.edu Liliana Guerrero Director of Vocal Studies lguerrero@tlu.edu Eliza Jeffords Director of Strings ejeffords@tlu.edu

David Milburn Instructor, Double Bass Nicole Narboni Asst. Professor, Piano Sung-Eun Park Asst. Professor, Collaborative Pianist Carlos Quesada Asst. Professor, Collaborative Pianist

FACULTY Michele Aichele Asst. Professor, Music History Adam Bedell Instructor, Percussion

Individual audition dates may be requested if necessary.

Deborah Mayes Choral Accompanist

Carol Chambers Instructor, Music Education

Keith Robinson Instructor, Tuba & Music Education Jill Rodriguez Instructor, General Music Mikio Sasaki Instructor, Trumpet

Eric Siu William Hayter Asst. Professor, Violin Asst. Professor, Clarinet Shareen Vader Sean Holmes Instructor, Piano Asst. Professor, Horn Yvonne Vasquez Hilary Janysek Instructor, Mariachi Asst. Professor, Flute & Music Sophie Verhaeghe History Instructor, Violin Michael Keplinger Ryan Wilkins Instructor, Guitar Instructor, Bassoon

www.tlu.edu/music

TMEA Orchestra Vice-President ANN G. SMITH

Lessons Learned in Competition When competition is handled appropriately, the winners and losers become better people.

hile I sit here composing this column, thoughts of UIL Concert and Sightreading hover in the back of my mind—specifically, how over the past several years, it’s moved from a contest to an evaluation. This shift has contributed to a reframing of my approach and my perception about the purpose of participating in it. I have moved from winning a sweepstakes award for all ensembles to being more focused on the process of teaching correct principles and techniques through high-quality performances for all students. This was a move from a competitive process to a learning process. Thinking about that led me to wonder about the impact of 20+ years of a competitive approach on my students. While we can’t live in the what ifs, I often wonder if I could have provided a better orchestra experience if my approach had been less driven by competition? Many believe that competition plays an important role in the education process. It is difficult to find aspects of education that don’t have an element of competition associated with them. More educational institutions are questioning the role of competition and the impact it has on students’ overall learning process. What are the positive and negative effects of competition for our students and what is our responsibility to our students when balancing those effects? What are the Benefits of Competition? Competition can spur the pursuit of excellence. We witness the increased pursuit of excellence in many of our students as they work toward admission to the universities of their choice. Students will take advanced classes and work hard in them to gain acceptance into prestigious universities. Their pursuit of excellence is motivated by their desire

36 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

February—Renew your membership and register for the convention. February 9–12—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Orchestra Division business meeting at the convention. February 11, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Region meetings at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

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Classical Guitar Camp June 14-16, 2022

Email Music@delmar.edu for details

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A wide variety of scholarships are available. Contact Todd Ehle at tehle@delmar.edu for more information. Department of Music • Del Mar College • 101 Baldwin Blvd. • Corpus Christi, TX 78404 • (361) 698-1211

for admission. We notice an increased level of musical excellence when we observe the TMEA Honor competitions and the UIL State Marching Contest. There is no denying that through these competitions the level of musical excellence has surged in Texas. We also see musicians motivated to work hard to develop the skills necessary to earn positions in prestigious performing ensembles. Competition also provides motivation. Students across Texas work hard to keep grades at acceptable levels to ensure their ability to participate in extracurricular activities. Being the star quarterback on the football team comes with academic expectations. Those academic expecta-

tions provide an external motivator for acceptable grades. I think most of us have experienced a talented student working hard to keep their grades up so they can participate in an extracurricular activity. This external motivation is a benefit of a competitive environment. It is also through healthy competition that students can learn to handle loss or disappointment. This is an important life skill that can and should be learned through healthy competition. There will be times in the professional world when one will be disappointed or experience a level of loss. Someone’s first experience with loss or disappointment shouldn’t happen as an adult in the professional world.

Attend the Orchestra Division Business Meeting February 10, 5:15 p.m. • CC 214CD Get updated on association business and be part of the future of our division.

Attend Your TMEA Region Meeting February 11, 5:15 p.m. • Various Locations Find your Region meeting location in the app and the printed convention program.

When competition is handled appropriately, the winners and losers become better people. Winners can become kinder and more empathetic. Losers can learn to behave gracefully and not allow a loss to damage their long-term self-esteem. The benefits of competition aren’t limited to what is mentioned above; these are what I believe to be the most prominent and universal benefits. The Negative Side We should be aware of the negative effects of competition, as they can be more harmful than the benefits are helpful. Competition can lead to imbalance. Pressure to succeed can force a person or organization to have too narrow a focus. Our competitive nature can cause us to become centered excessively on the “win” over the process. If our focus on winning prevents us from considering anything else, the negative effects of that competition are too great. This imbalance is often referred to in education as “teaching to the test.” How many times do we hear that teaching to the test is a bad educational

This new arrangement by Michael J. Miller is designed to be performed as a stand-alone version for concert band or it may be utilized as an accompaniment for the new SATB choral setting by Russell Robinson. If you’re looking for a combined performance work including band, orchestra and chorus you can add the string orchestra arrangement also by Michael J. Miller and use them all together to provide a rousing closer for any concert event. SATB Choral Arr. By Russell Robinson- $2.45 per copy String Orchestra Arr. By Michael J. Miller -Set C - $50.00 Jazz Ensemble with Vocal Arr. By Charlie Hill - $68.00

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Music at Blinn College

Degree and non-degree programs in instrumental and vocal music are available on the Brenham Campus. Schedule an individual appointment or attend an audition. Auditions are available on:

February 5, 2022 February 26, 2022 March 19, 2022 April 2, 2022

April 23, 2022 May 14, 2022

Scholarship awards are available! www.blinn.edu/music

To schedule an audition, scan the QR code below.

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approach? I recall a conversation I had with a friend whose child was involved in a performing arts program. She shared with me how neglected her child felt because they were not in the top performing ensemble. Her child felt the priority of the program was the top ensemble’s performance; other ensembles were a secondary thought. This was a perceived imbalance because of the top ensemble’s focus on competition. Another negative side effect of competition is that for many students a loss or lack of ability to compete can lead to negative self-worth. I have witnessed this many times over the years when a performer believes they can’t measure up to others participating in the competition. This lack of self-worth in those students who perceive they can’t measure up is defeating. This feeling of being defeated is destructive and something no student should experience. If a student loses the ability to see their value, it becomes impossible for them to learn from the competition or performance. Learning from a performance or competition is the goal for everyone, and a student can’t learn if they don’t value their abilities. Our Responsibility As leaders of our programs, we are responsible for managing competition. We must understand its positive and negative effects and the role it should play in our programs to ensure it is approached in a healthy way. How do we keep competition healthy in our programs? The first thing we need to be aware of is that not every student in our program should compete at an elite level. Don’t let the primary focus be an elite performance or competition. Teachers and students need to celebrate the successes of their peers as well. We need to have conversations with our students to help them evaluate their performance and to help them see their successes and recognize aspects of learning. These conversations can be difficult because of the disappointment involved. It can also be difficult for students to acknowledge success and areas for learning. The most important thing we can do to manage the competitive aspect of our programs is to focus on the musical success of each ensemble and musician. No matter what level of music a group performs, striving for the highest musical performance is most important. No matter your philosophy regarding

competition, it is something each of us has a responsibility to manage. Be aware of the positive and negative aspects of competition and work to acknowledge the successes of all students. Teach your students to recognize all aspects of success and that celebrating isn’t limited to who or what is perceived to be the best. Honor Orchestra Update In 2020 TMEA suspended the Honor Orchestra competition because of COVID-19’s impact on the learning and performance of ensembles across the state. The Invited Orchestra process was created. It was welcomed and provided an opportunity to highlight exceptional teaching outside the “competition bubble” during the unprecedented times in education. I am excited to make two announcements that take effect this spring. The first is the return of TMEA Honor Orchestra Competition for Middle School String and Full Orchestras and High School Full Orchestras. The return of High School String Honor Orchestra will be in the fall of 2022. The second announcement is the formation of a committee of middle school and high school orchestra directors to study and examine all aspects related to the possible development of an Invited Orchestra process for the future. Both the Honor Orchestra competition and the Invited Orchestra process can

serve the Orchestra Division well and contribute to the growth of music education for all. TMEA Convention Update If you haven’t registered for the convention, it is not too late. Go to www.tmea.org/ register for information on how to do so before you come to the convention center to make picking up your badge a breeze! I hope to see you at our 2022 TMEA Clinic/Convention with the amazing clinics and performances by our Invited Ensembles that we’ll all experience in person! So much preparation has gone into these performances. Don’t miss out on these incredible concerts and the excitement and energy they will bring to this year’s convention. There are a wide variety of sessions scheduled with great opportunities for learning and growth for everyone. As we get closer to convention, I become more excited to attend the clinics by our Featured Clinician Margaret Selby. You do not want to miss her presentations. Make sure you introduce yourself and help her feel welcome with our Texas hospitality! Please be sure to attend the Orchestra Division business meeting on Thursday. We will have the privilege of listening to the winner of the TexASTA Concerto Competition and learn about any updates within the division. 0

Southwestern Musician | February 2022 41

Increase Efficiency with Google Forms

By Marianne Condit White

oogle Forms is a free, efficient, and user-friendly tool many music educators find valuable. Once you are familiar with it, you’ll find that it can offer you opportunities to make your workflow more efficient and help you provide students individualized instruction and feedback. The Possibilities Google Forms is a data collection tool in survey/quiz form. If you’ve never used it, don’t fear! You don’t have to be a tech expert to use it, and it’s incredibly customizable. Once you learn how to use its features, you can get creative with Forms to gain precisely what you need from them. With one click, whatever data (answers) you receive via your form can easily be populated in a Google Sheet (spreadsheet). This spreadsheet integration makes frequent administrative tasks such as collecting T-shirt orders or parental contact information more straightforward. With conditional questions in Forms, you can customize even further. For example, while all students complete a program T-shirt order, only jazz students choose from an additional section in the form to enter their jazz T-shirt size. In addition to data collection, Forms is a powerful student assessment tool that can be used formally and informally. There are varied types of questions available. Notably, it is easy to add a graphic to a question for identification or other purpose (e.g., a musical symbol). Questions can be programmed to direct students to the next part of the quiz or assignment based on their answers. For example, students who submit an incorrect answer can be sent to a tutorial video or graphic reminder before trying the question again. Students who submit a correct answer see the next section in the assignment. Google Forms Quizzes can even be set to autograde so that you have one less thing to do. 42 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

The Basics To start, go to forms.google.com. To create a new form, choose a premade template or start with a blank form by clicking the [+] at the top left of the page. Once you begin, adding questions is simple, using the floating vertical toolbar on the right side of your form. The icons on this vertical toolbar allow you to add a question, import questions from other forms, add titles throughout (excellent for directions), add images, add a YouTube video, and add a section (essential for conditional answers). Best Practice: Make your first question an identifier. Even when you are using email collection in your form, I recommend asking for Name every time. While the email requirement (found in settings) is helpful, it can hinder those without a Google account, potentially like some parents and guardians. Asking for a Name or some other identifier ensures you always know with whom your responses correspond. Use the toggle at the bottom right of each question to designate whether an answer is required. If a response is required, respondents will not be allowed to turn in the form until they have completed the required portions (like the identifier question!). Explore different types of questions you can include so that you utilize the best one for the situation. A dropdown menu or checkbox question can be beneficial. If you have data in a spreadsheet that you want to utilize as choices (like student names), you can copy and paste the list into your form to be the preset answers. The settings menu in Forms is found at the top of the form next to “Responses.” In Settings, you can do things like enable email collection, customize the message people will receive upon submission, and create quizzes. Additionally, next to the “Send” button at the top right are icons to use add-ons (puzzle piece), to customize the color scheme and fonts (paint palette), and to preview what the form will look like to respondents (eyeball). When

EVEN TEACHERS NEED TEACHERS As an educator, one of the most impactful ways to improve is by educating yourself. That’s why the Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) helps music teachers access professional development opportunities, music teacher resources, program health support, advocacy assistance and more. YES brings you a network of like-minded teachers, experts and professionals, who want to help you achieve your goals. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsSWM

you’re ready to collect information via this form, click the “Send” button. You will be prompted to send it via an email or copy a link for the form. Google Classroom Bonus: If you create a Quiz assignment in Google Classroom, it will automatically link your form to the Classroom Assignment, so you won’t need to do anything more! If you want to add a collaborator to your form, click the three vertical dots to the right of the “Send” button and then select “Add Collaborators.” Remember that collaborators, depending on the permission you designate, can add, edit, or delete anything in your form. Carefully decide if you should send a copy of your form instead of adding collaborators. View the responses to your form in the “Responses” tab. Here, you can toggle on or off the option to accept responses from the form. You can also view all responses in summary form, by the individual response, or the question-by-question responses. More straightforward still is clicking the small, green Sheet icon at the top right to create a Google Sheet with the collected data. The ability to link to a spreadsheet is one of the best features of Google Forms! Streamline Your Workflow Connecting Forms to Google Sheets has been discussed, but the connection can be made from Sheets to Forms as well. In a Google Sheet, you can click “Insert” and then “Form” to create a form that will send its data to a new tab in your current Sheet. This is helpful for things like trip spreadsheets: you might have tabs for your trip roster and room list, and then add a tab for your student check-in form or T-shirt order form. You could also use this feature in a roster spreadsheet where you have a “master

roster” tab, tabs for individual class rosters, a tab with a form for restroom signin/out, and a form-connected attendance tab. This helps keep relevant data in the same spreadsheet. If you create your form and later decide you want to add its data to a tab in an existing spreadsheet (or if you’d like to change where the data goes), you can easily adjust this from the “Responses” menu in your form. Next to the green Sheets icon, click on the three vertical dots and choose “Select Response Destination.” You can designate which file the response data populates. Forms don’t always need to be sent to other people. You can make a form just for you to complete that inputs data to a spreadsheet. This is great for entering trip payment records, grading students with a rubric, or keeping a parent contact log. When you make a form that serves only you, create the questions on the form in the order in which you want them to appear on the spreadsheet. Using multiple-choice, dropdown menu options, or checkbox questions on a form can make your data entry much faster than if you were to type directly into a spreadsheet. Something important to note about the relationship between Forms and Sheets is that you need to connect them only once and any future responses will be recorded. Individualize Instruction With a thoughtfully assembled form utilizing conditional answers, students will see only specific questions and information you want them to see, without having to create separate Forms for each student group. An easy example is a noteidentification activity: 1. After creating the identifier (name) question, add a question where the student will choose the clef they read,

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10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Enjoy the best opportunity for hands-on comparison of products and make connections with representatives from all aspects of the music industry. 44 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

adding appropriate multiple-choice or dropdown answer choices. 2. Create new sections (click the last icon on the vertical menu on the right) that will correspond to each of the clef answers and add questions for each clef to its section. 3. After setting up each section and its questions, return to the clef question and click the three vertical dots at the bottom right of that frame and choose “Go to section based on answer.” Next to each answer choice, you can then direct the form to take respondents to the corresponding section in the form. 4. At the bottom of each section, you can also direct where respondents will go when they complete that section—to the next section, to some other section (e.g., to skip the other clef sections), or to submit the form. While this last feature allows respondents to complete only sections that apply to them, all answers will still populate in the same Sheet. When using conditional answers on Quizzes, make sure you manually review the scores. Forms Quizzes will automatically score zero points to the questions in sections that students did not visit. Conditional answers can be helpful review tools as well. On any multiplechoice or dropdown answer question, you can use “Go to section based on answer” and set all of the incorrect answers to go to a “Review” section. In this review section, you could add an instructional video, document, or another tool for students to view and from that section, choose to direct them back to the Quiz to the question they got incorrect. As you might imagine, the possibilities are endless and allow you to automate student feedback and assistance for concrete topics. Get creative! From purely administrative tasks to real-time interaction with students, Google Forms offers many opportunities that can help us in our work. Have fun exploring! 0 Marianne Condit White is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and the Director of Bands at Bernard Harris MS in North East ISD in San Antonio.

School of Music

2022 Horned Frog

ALL-STATE CHOIR CAMP

DR. SHERI NEILL DIRECTOR • DR. CHRISTOPHER ASPAAS CONDUCTOR

SESSIONS JULY 10-13, 2022

JULY 13-16, 2022

SECTION LEADERS CHRIS AHRENS NORTH MCKINNEY HIGH SCHOOL MICHAEL DEAN TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL KAY OWENS MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL MARK ROHWER FLOWER MOUND HIGH SCHOOL CHERYL WILSON JANASAK GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL (RETIRED)

FOR REGISTRATION INFO*, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.CHOIRCAMP.TCU.EDU *ALL EVENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Find us on facebook @TCUChoirCamp

Changing Lives. Not Checking Boxes. Your students possess both skill and passion. They thrive in an environment of high expectations and even higher commitment to artistic and personal growth. The Sarofim School of Fine Arts offers these students a tailored, hands-on approach, with award-winning faculty and a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1. S C H O L A R S H I P AU D I T I O N D E A L I N E S & DAT E S

Audition application deadline January 7 Audition dates by inviation only February 19 & 20, March 5 Minors & Non-Major Ensemble Participants: March 5 & April 3 Virtual Audition Options Majors:

southwestern.edu/music

TMEA Vocal Vice-President JESSE CANNON II

Widening the Lens of Success For many, success has traditionally meant earning a UIL Sweepstakes award, but is this singular pursuit of achievement actually holding us back?

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

February—Renew your membership and register for the convention. February 9–12—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. February 10, 5:15 p.m.—Vocal Division business meeting at the convention. February 11, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Region meetings at the convention. March 1—Texas Music Scholar online application opens.

e have made it through the fall semester, enjoyed the holidays, and are greeting the new year. The journey to this point has been met by challenges and adjustments in our classrooms. As we prepare for the spring semester, we can look forward to the 2022 TMEA Clinic/Convention, filled with great ideas from amazing educators’ presentations and concerts that will fuel us to finish the year strong. In many classrooms, we feel the pressure to return to business as usual, but doing so can be detrimental to our students and programs. For many, success has traditionally meant earning a UIL Sweepstakes award, but is this singular pursuit of achievement actually holding us back? Success can be measured through a multitude of outcomes that promote both our students and our programs. I’m pleased to share the perspectives of six directors from across the state about their experiences in redefining what program success looks like. Thanks to these outstanding educators for their transparency in sharing insights from the year thus far. How Have You Redefined Program Success? In some ways this school year has felt like a “normal” pre-COVID year. As in years past, my program has hosted socials and presented live concerts/performances, and we have had so much needed face-to-face interaction with students and their families. Regarding learning outcomes and musical skill-building, I have slightly modified certain expectations and become more creative with lesson planning and delivery than in prepandemic years. I have observed, however, that my students have consistently demonstrated a sincere desire for learning and making

March 1—Invited Choir application opens. Southwestern Musician | February 2022 47

music this year. They are quenching a thirst for consistency, ensemble singing, and inperson interaction. This year I am choosing to measure success in my classroom by student engagement and their perception of a nurturing environment where they are encouraged to be confident and grow as humans and musicians. By this standard, we are very successful. Eunice Marrero, Wilson MS, Plano ISD This year, I have encountered many hurdles when it comes to our choir. In a regular year, we would have already taught our students how to sightread in three keys all while completing four-measure phrases. We would also be pushing through more difficult music with each group. This year, the goal is to teach students how to be a part of choir—learning how to count on one another and learning where their parts fit into a song. The goal is to teach them that sightreading will become easier with practice. We are teaching them how to work together as a whole. We have been speaking with them a lot about their interpretations of the music and how they can better express that through their performance, and we’ve worked quite a bit on discipline. They have been stuck at home

for so long, they try to push the boundaries. I heard many people complain that teaching online was rough. I have to say that this is the roughest year. My team and I worked so hard to build up our program and the discipline each student needs to be successful musically and in life. Now we must make sure to always address behavior, procedures, etc., when that was previously understood in our program. I believe success for our program will be students learning to be musical on their own before directors ask that of them—to understand that they must be focused to perfect their craft. Tammie Polanco, Stillman MS, Brownsville ISD This school year has definitely had its fair share of challenges, but the one thing that has helped my students be successful in and out of my class is building meaningful relationships where students feel ownership and know they are valued. I find that meeting students where they are and celebrating every single success has increased their motivation and performance. Karla Sosa, Campbell MS, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD This school year has presented several victories, challenges, and opportu-

nities. I’ve been given the assignment of starting two new choral programs at different schools, while in the middle of a pandemic. This year, success has been more about appreciating the small victories, understanding how music unites and teaches us how to be human, and identifying the areas of opportunities musically and interpersonally. As a music educator, this year has taught me to keep expectations high and achievable, be reflective in my teaching style (include student perspectives in the process—after all, we are creating meaningful experiences with them as the centralized focus), and be human and vulnerable. I strive to make authentic connections with students and allow them to see that I am human as well. I must first model and establish the choral culture and climate through demonstration. I’ve learned to connect with my students so they know I’m invested in them as people, and not just talent in the ensemble I lead. They do not care about how much I know until they know how much I care. Orlando Williams, Wright JH & Randle HS, Lamar Consolidated ISD

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48 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

MAKING SOUNDWAVES

ON THE ISLAND

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI

DEGREES IN MUSIC Bachelor of Arts in Music Bachelor of Music Performance Bachelor of Music with Teacher Certification Bachelor of Arts with a Music Industry Emphasis Music Minor

AUDITIONS

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November 6, 2021 January 22, 2022 February 19, 2022 March 19, 2022 April 9, 2022

FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE!

For more information Text “music” to 361.454.5959 Call 361.825.5523 Email music@tamucc.edu

A U D I T I O N D AT E S Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors. F R I DAY

February 4, 2022

S AT U R D AY

February 19, 2022 (VIRTUAL)

BAYLOR SCHOOL OF MUSIC 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 02 2 Wednesday - Saturday, February 9-12

Saturday, February 12

LYNNE GACKLE

ERIC WILSON

Conductor, Texas Two-Year Collegiate All-State Choir (Performance on Saturday, February 12)

Conductor, Texas Community College Band Directors Association All-State Symphonic Band 7 – 7:50 p.m., CC Hemisfair Ballroom 1-2

Friday, February 11 WIFF RUDD “Side by Side: Building an Effective Community in the Studio” 4 – 5 p.m., CC 303

ERIC WILSON AND ISAIAH ODAJIMA “Promoting Peak Performance: A Conductor’s Tune-Up” 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., CC 221

LYNNE GACKLE Conductor, Texas Two-Year Collegiate All-State Choir 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., CC Stars at Night Ballroom

Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors. Please access video archives of our performances here:

Visit the School of Music booth during exhibit hours and College Night!

For more information, visit baylor.edu/music or email Music_Admit@baylor.edu

FACEBOOK baylormusic

twitter @baylor_music

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This year has felt like a large reboot. My students are not only relearning solfège but also socialization. It has been a joy to see them come together, affirm and encourage one another, establish a solid choir culture on campus, and grow as both musicians and decent humans. Chad Lott, Skyline HS, Dallas ISD Coming off a year with so many COVID restrictions, I really was unsure of what my choirs would look like when the school year started. My numbers were down significantly last year, so I am in a rebuilding process. I have a very young choir this year—primarily freshmen and sophomores. These students spent all last year singing with masks on, performing via recording, and generally trying to do their best to keep up. At the same time, many of them also tried to disappear behind their masks. When we were able to come back together and start a semi-normal year last fall, it was a challenge to say the least. We have worked to rebuild the sense of community that was often lost behind the masks and we are finally starting to come together as a choir family. I can see the desire in them to create music, and

the joy shared by all after our concerts in December was electric! We take small steps every day as we work toward a goal of becoming better musicians. As we look ahead to UIL season, of course, we all want to come home with that Sweepstakes trophy, but that isn’t what is most important. I tell my students that if we are growing and trying each day to get a little better than the day before then we are successful. As long as they give their best effort and can walk off the stage feeling proud of what they have done, that is success in my book. Kara Cowart, Bay City HS, Bay City ISD Clinic/Convention Update It’s not too late to register online if you want to save time when you arrive in San Antonio. Go to www.tmea.org/register to complete that step. By the time you read this, the convention app will likely be available for download as well (download Guidebook to your device and get the TMEA2022 guide). Take time early to create a schedule for yourself to ensure you take advantage of as many clinics, performances, and exhibits as possible!

Vocal Division Business Meeting Be sure to join colleagues from our division for our annual business meeting at the convention on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. in CC 217. This meeting will offer you the opportunity to receive updates regarding Small School Mixed Choir, hear from ACDA MS representative Clinton Hardy, and play an active role in the organization by staying informed. I hope you’ll join me for the meeting. Invited Performing Choirs It’s not too early to begin thinking about submitting your ensembles for the 2023 convention. The Invited Choir entry system will be open for entries on March 1, and the entry deadline is May 1. For more information, go to www.tmea.org/invitedchoirs. Texas Music Scholars The Texas Music Scholar Award designates students in high school music programs who exemplify attributes of meritorious performance in the areas of scholarship, musicianship, and citizenship. The entry system opens March 1 and closes May 1. Go to www.tmea.org/tms. 0

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Southwestern Musician | February 2022 51

English Learners in the Elementary Music Classroom By Julissa Y. Chapa

hen I walked into music class for the first time over 30 years ago, I did not speak English. I followed my peers into a colorful classroom and watched hesitantly as my homeroom teacher left and a new, unfamiliar teacher began to sing. I secretly loved music, but I couldn’t communicate with my teacher. She couldn’t understand me, and I didn’t know how to sing her songs. I simply sat down, observed, and imitated. In Texas we now have many specialized programs for English Learners (ELs), including English as a Second Language (ESL), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Limited English Proficiency (LEP), Dual Language (DL), and Bilingual Education. Still, when students walk into music class, their experiences often mirror mine. Most music educators today are white monolingual English speakers (Elpus, 2015), and they rarely receive training on how to teach ELs in the music classroom. While we cannot control what languages our students speak, we can control how we help them. So, what can we do to support our ELs? Focusing on How We Teach The first step is to acknowledge that ELs are a unique group whose needs should guide our teaching. ELs experience music learning differently from other students in the same community and school. It is important to find out about these learners’ attitudes toward music class and the degree to which language barriers hinder their enjoyment of music in class. Many teachers feel overwhelmed, thinking they may need to become multilingual and change what they teach. In reality, it should change how we teach. For example, my students are largely Spanish-speaking ELs, and I am fluent in Spanish, but the stipulations of my school’s bilingual and dual-language programs specify I teach music vocabulary and concept development in English. So instead of teaching my core music content in Spanish, I supplement my lessons with strate52 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

gies that help minimize hurdles with language development and help my students with their musical and creative development. Consider the following practical strategies when teaching ELs: Sing in Their Native Language One of the most important things we can do to help ELs is to sing in their native language. Language and music are both intricate processes that require concentration, retention, and motor abilities (Besson, 2011). Singing in a native language eliminates one of the two complex items, allowing the singer to focus on the task of singing rather than processing language. As an elementary teacher, I would rather my students pronounce all the words in a song incorrectly but sing the melody perfectly in tune. For many students, words command their immediate attention so they may opt to concentrate on them rather than focus on singing correct pitches, singing in the correct octave, or utilizing their head voice. It takes time to find authentic repertoire for the languages represented in our classrooms, but if students can shift their attention from their language limitations to their musical abilities, the time will prove to be well-spent. Restructure the Rote Process Many teachers have a collection of singing games in English that are excellent for concept development. To help expose students to songs in English with an increased chance for success, consider adapting the long-established rote process when teaching new repertoire to ELs. Teachers should provide students with song translations in their language, especially words important to the narrative of the song. Song visuals can also help students give songs meaning. Remember, if words have no meaning, there is no point of reference for sentence structure or word context. Students would simply echo random nonsense syllables and try to memorize their order, limiting their ability to internalize a song

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and its musical elements. To achieve comprehension, teachers may have to separate language from the melody so students can process each individually. The new process would add steps to the routine and look like this: 1. Sing the entire song for students. 2. Break up the words and offer a translation, using words or visuals. 3. Teach the song by rote as a chant first. 4. Teach the melody separately by rote on neutral syllables. 5. Follow the process as you would with any song. Rethink the Repertoire To select repertoire that will help students’ language development, teachers can learn some of the nuances of their students’ native language. Languages have different qualities that make them look and sound unique. For example, Spanish has only five pure vowels, five diphthongs, and no contractions. There are several consonant blends in English that do not exist in Spanish (sh, th, sl, sm, scr, spr, str, sk, wr, –ps, –ts). These will be new sounds to a Spanish-speaking EL. While we cannot altogether avoid all language differences, a song with too many unknown elements will be difficult for young students to pronounce. Additionally, archaic language, tongue twisters, and songs with excessive words or quick tempi may further create linguistic hurdles for students. These hurdles increase their discomfort in singing and therefore limit a song’s pedagogical function. It may be tempting to just translate songs to simplify repertoire we already know, use, and love. Unfortunately, we cannot force songs into another language’s

syntax. Spanish is a syllable-timed language; English is a stress-timed language. Sometimes translations are successful, but more often they sound coerced and rob the song of the natural rhythm flow of its original language. Instead, search for songs in any language that may be easier to pronounce for your ELs based on their native language. Consider Language Development When sequencing material for students, teachers must realize that students go through Stages of Second Language Acquisition (Krashen and Terrel, 1983). During the first stage, Pre-production, children may be unable or apprehensive to communicate verbally, especially if the teacher is a monolingual English-speaker. Students may not talk but will use body language, so it is imperative to pay attention to their actions and read their facial expressions. Many students in my prekindergarten and kindergarten bilingual classes are in this stage because this is their first experience outside their homes, where they speak only in their native language. During this silent stage, teachers modeling singing and language is crucial. Therefore, I do not expect or require these students to sing complete songs. If they are hesitant to speak, how much more hesitant will they be to sing? I do not forbid students from singing; I simply allow them to abstain. I concentrate the first months of instruction on repertoire with vocal exploration, sound responses, syllabic tonal patterns, nonsense syllables, and pitch experimentation. I also include action songs in both Spanish and English so children can begin to build up the movement vocabulary used throughout the elementary years.

During the Early Production stage, students are comfortable using several key words. For classes with students in this stage, I sing songs with short phrases and utilize song books as visual aids. Later, students can comfortably produce simple sentences during the Speech Emergence stage. I then include many songs with echoes and sections of call and response. This allows students to freely develop their singing voices through imitation and repetition. Students in the final two stages, Intermediate Fluency and Advanced

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Fluency, are conversationally fluent and usually require only minor modifications in teaching. Still, I continue to make connections between languages through songs with common topics. My older students are often in the later stages of language development simply because they have participated in the ESL program for a longer period of time. Nonetheless, an influx of new monolingual ELs or recent immigrants in the class can change the linguistic dynamic. In those cases, I make further modifications to my teaching.

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we necessarily qualified to do so. However, it is our responsibility to ensure our students are learning to be musical, which sometimes entails more than simply teaching music. Taking the First Steps There are always variations and exceptions to these strategies and how they work in every classroom. Remember, you do not have to change your entire repertoire and yearly plan. Inject these strategies into lessons as you become more comfortable and learn which songs and activities work better for your journey. Often, fear of misrepresenting a language or culture can make teachers hesitant to venture outside the known. I recommend teachers respectfully research music and culture to include music outside the Western canon in their programs as authentically as possible—be bold enough to try. As a starting point, learn songs from students and start a multilingual song collection using their input. Be genuine in your presentation and in your sincerity of purpose. ELs will understand how uncomfortable it feels to speak and sing in a different language and will extend grace because they endure that feeling every day. Ultimately, your students will remember and appreciate your efforts to demonstrate they deserve a place and voice in your classroom and in the field of music. 0 Julissa Y. Chapa is an elementary music specialist at Garfield Elementary in Pasadena ISD. References Besson, C. (2011). Transfer of training between music and speech: Common processing, attention, and memory. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 94. https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00094. Elpus, K. (2015). Music teacher licensure candidates in the United States: A demographic profile and analysis of licensure examination scores. Journal of Research in Music Education, 63(3), 314–335. Krashen, S. D., & Terrell, T. D. (1983). The natural approach: Language acquisition in the classroom. Pergamon Press.

56 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

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My TMEA Experience There is something about the wealth of knowledge, experience, and variety of teaching techniques that TMEA provides in a four-day period that cannot be overlooked.

graduated from New Braunfels HS in 1992. In high school, I was in band and choir, but I didn’t know much about TMEA except that it was a huge honor to get selected to perform at their convention. So, I was surprised in my first year as a music major at Stephen F. Austin State University when everyone made the long trip, about seven hours, to attend the TMEA convention. I went along so I could go to the exhibits and because I wanted to be with all my music friends. It wasn’t until after I graduated in December 1996 that I really understood the value of the TMEA convention. Graduating in December and trying to find a job is a special challenge in education. I graduated with an all-level music education degree, not exactly certain which direction I wanted to go. I thought I wanted to be a choir director—maybe. I was fortunate to receive two job offers that would begin in January—a high school choir job north of Houston and an elementary job in Queen City. I took the elementary job because I honestly believed it would be easier. Once you’re able to stop laughing about my naiveté, please continue reading to learn what really happened. Queen City Elementary was a small community school in far northeast Texas. At this pre-kindergarten through fourth grade campus, I taught two classes at a time for 60 minutes every other day and on Fridays for 30 minutes. My debut as an elementary music educator wasn’t what I would have hoped, as I found myself quite unprepared for the job. While at Stephen F. Austin, my elementary education was interrupted when our professor became ill. In this new job, I was following a teacher who was retiring after 30 years. The room was huge. It was equipped with

58 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

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numerous instruments I had no idea how to use. Fortunately, I worked with a paraprofessional who was my savior on many occasions as I grew into this job. When TMEA convention rolled around, I hadn’t preregistered, so just showed up

60 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

with others in our school district vehicle. After registering, I sat down with my pen, looking at this huge book of sessions and descriptions trying to figure out where I needed to go first. I meandered through the massive building looking for the ball-

rooms on the third floor—they were huge and filled with people. So many people! And they all seemed to know each other. I got a handout at the door and observed my first session. I was amazed. Is this what people did with elementary music? I remember attending every session by the Orff headliner that year. I returned home with everything she presented and tried to recreate it myself. Although I was not as successful as the presenter, what I learned transformed my teaching. I began my journey of becoming fully trained to be the elementary music teacher I still strive to be today. I am sure others have similar experiences. Today, universities prepare elementary teachers in far superior ways than my experience 25 years ago. But, even today, there is something about the wealth of knowledge, experience, and variety of teaching techniques that TMEA provides in a four-day period that cannot be overlooked. I am fortunate to have attended every TMEA convention except one in my 25-year teaching career. I know there are districts that have a rotation for elementary music teachers to attend every other

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year. If you are a teacher in one of those districts, I hope you find a way to attend this year. It is going to be amazing! TMEA Clinic/Convention Update It seems that every Elementary VicePresident has worked to bring something they believe is important to the convention during their term. I have two things I would like to bring to your attention about the upcoming convention. First, one of my favorite memories of TMEA’s convention was folk dancing in a large ballroom. That memory, however, is also of a room so crowded that the movement we were there for wasn’t always possible. To address that, this year we are combining two ballrooms on Thursday evening, following the Elementary Division business meeting for this purpose. You should have plenty of opportunity to get your folk dancing groove on with Joshua Block in the session “World Folk Dance Frolic” sponsored by West Music, and you’ll move freely on the fourth floor with Michele Hobizal in the session “Creating Meaningful Movement

Opportunities” sponsored by Quaver. With each floor’s ballrooms combined, it should create more space for free movement. It did mean I had to remove two sessions to combine the ballrooms, so I look forward to your feedback following the convention on whether you found this to be a good idea. My second change has to do with visiting the exhibits. With the size of our event and space constraints in the convention center, Elementary Division sessions are in the Grand Hyatt. While some have expressed frustration about this location, this continues to be our best option. For me, being in the Grand Hyatt reduced my motivation to visit the exhibit hall—there simply wasn’t adequate time. On Thursday afternoon, there are three elementary choir concerts in the Hemisfair Ballroom, with the final one

ending at 3:40 p.m. Between that time and our 5:15 p.m. Elementary Division business meeting, there are no other Elementary Division sessions scheduled. This should allow you time to peruse the exhibits. Like the room change for folk dancing, this change results in a reduction of sessions, so I again look forward to your feedback after you experience this schedule. As mentioned, I value your feedback and especially look forward to receiving it during and after the convention. It’s important that I understand your experience. Please stop by the Elementary Division office (Grand Hyatt fourth floor, Republic A), complete a feedback card, respond to TMEA’s post-convention survey, or send me an email. Thank you for taking time to help us continue to improve this annual event that means so much to us all! I look forward to seeing you soon! 0

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W W W.T M E A . O R G / C O N V E N T I O N Southwestern Musician | February 2022 63

tmea distinguished administr 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 300 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.

Erik a Montana, Principal Friona HS/Friona ISD Nominated by: Chris Rackley, Friona HS Ms. Montana has been very supportive of the band program for years, and in short, she is our biggest fan. She has gone out of her way to let our students know what a positive impact the band has on the school community. I have heard her tell kids to watch the crowd’s reaction at football games and explain to them how much the Veterans Day concert means to our veterans. She interacts with students as they enter a rehearsal, telling them what they are doing is “making an impact in the school” or that they are “representing Friona proudly.” This has made a huge difference on student retention in the band program. She has also been our biggest community promoter. She is the one pushing to get our kids recognition. She is quick to post accomplishments of All-Region, Area, and Solo and Ensemble. She gets the kids in the local paper, on websites, and on Facebook and even makes sure the kids get recognized in front of the school board. She has an amazing ability to know what students and parents will enjoy, and I rely on her for programming feedback. Though she is very busy, she always attends band performances and contests, encouraging the students regardless of the outcome. HD Chambers, Superintendent Alief ISD Nominated by: Renferd Joseph, Alief ISD Superintendent HD Chambers has played a very important role, ensuring that the Alief ISD fine arts department has the tools, support, and funding needed to create a positive impact on our students’ lives. Mr. Chambers restructured the fine arts department and created a Director of Fine Arts position. He wants fine arts to play a more active role in our students’ education and has been an avid supporter of the music programs across the district. He attends many of our events and has included a new position (Assistant Director of Fine Arts) to ensure we have the needed administrative support. This school year Mr. Chambers was 64 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

instrumental at ensuring the fine arts department was included in the November bond proposition that passed. With the passage of Proposition A, the fine arts department will receive $7.2 million to purchase new musical instruments and equipment for our programs. Mr. Chambers is a servant leader—one who keeps it real and believes that every child can be successful, and I am pleased to recommend him for this distinguished recognition. Justin Newman, Principal Evans MS, Lubbock ISD Nominated by: Rose Trapp, Evans MS Because I am a second-year band director, Justin Newman is the only administrator I have ever worked with. Having heard scary stories from friends and colleagues, I know that as a fine arts teacher, he may be the best principal I’ll get the pleasure to work with. Mr. Newman visits our office regularly, checking to ensure all is going well, and he works hard to get us what we need at our Title I school. Last year, he changed multiple events and assemblies to make sure that the top orchestra and band were unaffected and could have rehearsal as scheduled. He has a great relationship not only with our programs but also the high school programs. He works with us to make sure that the fine arts programs in the school he leads are flourishing and healthy. Evans MS is the only middle school in Lubbock ISD that utilizes the option of full orchestra at UIL. It works here because we work as a group with our administration to make sure that our students have the best opportunities and want to continue being a part of music into high school. Mr. Newman also works with our counselors and makes sure we get as many students to choose band as we possibly can. He ensures students with accommodations and special services have what they need to be successful not only in the regular classroom but also in their fine arts classes. He knows that for many students, the reason they want to come to school is to go to their band, choir, or orchestra class. He supports us with all decisions we make and is a great principal to have!

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Jennifer Klaerner, Principal North Oaks MS, Birdville ISD Nominated by: Kelli Bahner, North Oaks MS Dr. Klaerner believes deeply that students thrive when they are involved in fine arts—especially our students at North Oaks. Many of our students battle monstrous and undeserved challenges outside our doors, and her main priority is ensuring they want to come to school, knowing that they are safe, engaged, and loved. She knows our students and not just by name; she learns what’s important to them so she can connect with them. Dr. K is deeply passionate, and she is sincere and approachable. Perhaps above all else, she shares a spirit that is genuine and kind. Dr. Klaerner values our programs and continually shows support in ways that are not only helpful to the students but also incredibly supportive of the teachers. It is no surprise that scheduling often wreaks havoc on fine arts programs, with educators constantly jumping over hurdles to advocate and fight for sufficient time with their students. Dr. Klaerner creates a master schedule that allows our students to experience multiple fine arts classes at every grade level and that allows our music programs to maintain consistency in planning and security in enrollment. Another battle that many music educators face lies with the school’s culture and the importance placed on testing. While Dr. K is competitive and does love celebrating trophies, titles, and high test scores, that isn’t the foundation of our culture at North Oaks that she embodies. She doesn’t sacrifice our students’ (or teachers’) well-being for the sake of a higher test score. Connecting with our students, allowing them opportunities to grow, and then celebrating their victories is at the root of our school’s culture. We understand those victories often come in the small things—a timid student bravely auditioning for a part in our musical, a struggling student singing on pitch for the first time, an introverted student seeing their work displayed in the front office, or a challenging student making the top band. Dr. Klaerner celebrates all those victories. Our students benefit from Dr. Klaerner’s leadership, guidance, and care, and so do I. Just as she does for them, she allows me the space to feel, question, learn, and grow, and I am grateful for her. For all the ways she supports our students, our teachers, and our fine arts programs, she deserves this recognition!

Br andon Harris, Principal Borger MS, Borger ISD Nominated by: Holly Johnston, Borger MS Brandon Harris is an exceptional leader and advocate for our music programs at Borger ISD. I am blown away by the amount of support our music programs receive under his leadership. Not only does he publicly support and celebrate our music programs, but Mr. Harris also does what he can behind the scenes to make sure we have the finances and scheduling needed to be successful. Mr. Harris has told me all year, “You are the expert in your field. You tell me what you need to be successful, and I will do my job to help make it happen.” I discussed changes to the master schedule with him and in a week the changes were slated for the upcoming school year. I met Mr. Harris over the summer, and he constantly offered to help in any way he could to make sure we were successful. He doesn’t just lead with words—he leads through his actions. He came by regularly to check on me, helped me move risers, and made sure I was taken care of. We discussed budget needs and he said, “Give me a number and I will do the rest. You don’t need to justify it—just tell me what you need.” I sent him a number and he went to the school board and got $6,000 added to my budget. Throughout the year, Mr. Harris was one of the first to promote our music programs to the school and community. He made sure we were celebrated over the announcements and on our social media accounts. When our choirs and band went to UIL, Mr. Harris sent us off with announcements of encouragement and greeted us with announcements celebrating our success. He met us after we got off the bus to make sure we got pictures to share with the community. He made our successes an important celebration with staff and students alike. Everybody knew that our music programs were a big deal, because Mr. Harris made sure of it. Not only does he celebrate our students, but he also celebrates us as directors. He makes sure the school board and community know how hard we work and how successful we are. Every program needs someone like Brandon Harris on their team. I am grateful for his leadership and advocacy for our music programs at Borger Middle School and in Borger ISD. 0

Nominate Your Outstanding Administr ator for a TMEA Distinguished Administr ator 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 66 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

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TMEA College Vice-President PAUL SIKES

It’s Time to Celebrate! Like any great celebration, many people work to make it happen. The TMEA Clinic/ Convention works because so many people volunteer their time and talents for the good of the organization all year, not just during those four days in February.

t’s time to celebrate! After two long years, we are about to have our next in-person TMEA convention. I hope you, like me, are excited about the opportunity to gather as a community of professionals, colleagues, and friends to learn and discuss that one thing that brings us all together— music education. This will be my 30th consecutive year attending TMEA conventions, yet I am just as excited about it as I was my first! Like any great celebration, many people work to make it happen. The TMEA Clinic/Convention works because so many people volunteer their time and talents for the good of the organization all year, not just during those four days in February. Without them, we just could not do the amazing things we do. And so, I want to thank these people for their efforts to make TMEA the best music organization in the world and for helping me over the last two years in my role as Vice-President of our division. TMEA Members Our members are amazing! You have chosen to make a career out of helping others. You work to help your students be the best they can be through music while enriching students’ lives and the lives of their communities by sharing the wonderful and profound joy that comes with making and sharing music. Our members are in the business of making the world a better place, and I thank you for all you do to better those around you. In many ways, the convention is a celebration of you and the amazing work you do every day.

68 Southwestern Musician | February 2022

MARK YOUR CALENDAR check www.tmea .org for updates

February—Renew your membership and register for the convention. February 9–12—TMEA Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. February 10, 5:15 p.m.—College Division business meeting at the convention. February 11, 5:15 p.m.—TMEA Region meetings at the convention. March 15—Collegiate Music Educator Award nomination deadline.

TMEA Volunteers Our convention simply could not happen without the thousands of hours that our volunteers give to TMEA. These are active, retired, and college student members who serve as clinicians, presiders, stagehands, registration personnel, gofers, and any number of other roles to help make sure the convention runs smoothly. In addition to those who work at the convention, an even larger number of people have volunteered their time during the past year leading to the convention. These include committee chairs and members,

Region officers, adjudicators, and a host of others. These volunteers have servant hearts and give of their time freely. If you will be serving as a volunteer at the upcoming convention or at any time in the past, thank you for serving TMEA. The College Division Specifically, the College Division has amazing people in it. I feel so fortunate to be a part of this group and to have had the honor of serving as your Vice-President. Many of you I knew before, but many more I have met as a result of this position. I count

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myself as blessed to leave the position with more friends than when I started. You are dedicated professionals who have chosen to help your students become outstanding music educators. At the same time, you work constantly to advance our knowledge of music, how it interacts and connects with people and communities, and how to improve our profession through your innovative and timely research. A special thanks go to those who have made yourselves available as volunteers. The division thrives only because you have been willing to serve, and I could not have done my job without your help. Past College Division Vice-Presidents I have relied heavily on those who served before me in the College Division. Some of the first calls I made were to individuals who have served as prior Vice-Presidents of our division. Their support, guidance, and counsel have been invaluable as I reviewed ideas with them, learned about what has been done in the past, and discovered what has worked and why. Thank you for your willingness to share and your continued leadership in TMEA. TMEA Staff The staff members at TMEA are remarkable. Each person on staff is an expert at their job and works long hours to ensure that TMEA is successful at meeting its mission. Whether it is lobbying state leadership, developing new and more efficient ways to host auditions, putting together the convention, or staying on top of me to get my columns in, the staff are professionals who are passionate about our mission. Thank you for your leadership, dedication, and work and for helping us all be better educators. TMEA Executive Board Being on the Executive Board of TMEA has been one of the great honors of my professional career. One of the main reasons is because of the people with whom I served. Over the last two years, the Board responded to the demands of the pandemic. This meant scrapping much of our traditional operations and developing novel ways to continue to meet the needs of our members and students. To say this was challenging would be an understatement. But in these times, I saw a group of individuals who care deeply about the

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students and professionals in Texas come together and work long hours to move things forward. I have been inspired by their thoughtfulness, ability to reach consensus, and love they have for this organization. Convention Preview If you haven’t yet, be sure to build your online convention schedule. The mobile app will be available February 1 using Guidebook. On your device, get the TMEA2022 guide (be sure to use the same Guidebook login that you used online to create your schedule and it will download to your device). The app allows you to add events to your schedule, set alarms and reminders, find event locations and exhibitors, and much more. When you arrive, be sure to pick up your badge and convention program, which includes the schedule and more details, such as our Invited Ensemble repertoire, opportunities for audition dates and scholarships from many universities, and more. While you are building your schedule, I hope you will plan to attend the sessions by our Featured Clinicians, Dr. Constance McKoy and Dr. Judy Willis. Each clini-

cian will have two clinics on Thursday and Friday. There are also hundreds of other clinicians who have put together wonderful presentations that will educate and inspire you. As always, one of the highlights of the College Division will be our research poster session. This will be on Thursday from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the CC Stars at Night Lobby. The poster session will bring together researchers from around the country and give you an opportunity to talk with them and learn more. Immediately after the poster session, we will go to our College Division business meeting. At this meeting, members will get the latest updates from TMEA and discuss topics important to our membership. Most importantly, we will be electing our division’s next Vice-President. This is an important event because this person will be charged with leading TMEA as we hopefully move out of the pandemic and face new opportunities and challenges created over the past two years. Please be there, as your voice is important to our division and to TMEA. On Friday, we host our annual College Night. This is where students can visit our

Attend the College Division Business Meeting Thursday, February 10, 5:15 p.m. • CC 220 Get updated on association business and vote for the next TMEA College Division Vice-President.

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college exhibitors and learn about your programs. The event begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. This great event highlights for students the wonderful opportunities your schools have to offer. In addition to these events, there are over 275 workshops by nationally recognized clinicians for band, orchestra, vocal, elementary, and college educators and students. A portion of these clinics specifically address music education technology. We will also host more than 100 performances by the state’s finest elementary through college musicians. If you have not registered yet, you may still do so online. While they have increased, convention registration fees are still remarkably low at $80 for active members and free for college students with current memberships. You may renew your membership and register at www.tmea.org/renew. Get it done before you arrive to simplify your badge pickup. I look forward to seeing you there! Research Proposal Grants TMEA has commissioned a yearly research grant, up to $1,200 per study, open to Texas music education researchers for the purpose of advancing knowledge in the area of music education. Applicants must be qualified and willing to complete the proposed study in the defined time and be members of TMEA for the duration of the research project. Grant proposals will be accepted throughout the year. For more information and to apply, visit www.tmea.org/college/grant-proposals. Collegiate Music Educator Award It is time to recognize your elite music education graduates through the TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Award. The deadline to submit names for those graduating this spring is March 15. Recipients should represent the finest and most dedicated pre-service music teachers on your campus. One active TMEA member who is a part of the institution’s music education faculty may nominate that institution’s students online. By nominating a student, the faculty member confirms the student meets all qualifications as listed on the TMEA website. A student may be nominated only once during their graduation semester. For a list of qualifications and to nominate students go to www.tmea.org/ collegiateaward. 0

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