November 2020 Southwestern Musician by Texas Music Educators Association

SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN

NOVEMBER 2020

Contents VOLUME 89 ■ ISSUE 4 ■ NOVEMBER 2020

Features State Candidates Support Fine Arts Education . . . . . . 13 Learn how candidates for the Texas Legislature and State Board of Education responded to our survey about fine arts education. [r o b e r t f loy d]

From Stonemason to Sculptor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 After we finish laying the musical bricks, we can focus on refining the nuance, clarity, and artistry of our work. [g e r r y m i l l e r]

Characteristics of an Efficient Rehearsal . . . . . . . . . . 28 With an intentional approach to our rehearsal structure and strategies, we can encourage and guide our students to achieve musical success and build a foundation for lifelong musicianship. [k a r e l b u t z]

Happy, Not Satisfied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 We can find contentment in our professional and personal lives when we simultaneously feel a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for improvement. [da n iel m or r i s o n]

Celebrating Diversity in the Music Classroom . . . . . . 48 Through music education, we can honor and teach the cultures of our students and of those not represented in our classrooms. [r e n é b oy er]

Columns President’s Notes . . . . . . . . . 5 [br i a n

c o at n e y]

Executive Director’s Notes . . .8 [r o b er t

With the response to the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, information printed in this issue is subject to change. For the latest updates, visit www.tmea.org and other relevant websites.

f loy d]

Band Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 [da n a

p r a d e r va n d]

Orchestra Notes . . . . . . . . . 22

Updates 2021 TMEA Invited Performing Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 You’re One Share Away from Music Education Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . 31 Attend the 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

[m ic h a el

s t r i n g er]

Vocal Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 [j e d

r ag s da l e]

Elementary Notes . . . . . . . . 44 [a b i g a i l

h aw es]

College Notes . . . . . . . . . . . 54

on the cover

Ezra Rodriguez, then a senior from Taft HS in San Antonio (accepted to the Texas State University Jazz Studies program), rehearses with the 2020 All-State Jazz Ensemble I. Photo by Karen Cross.

[pau l

s i k es]

Southwestern Musician | November 2020

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

November 1 Deadline to Apply for a TMEA Scholarship

President: Brian Coatney

TMEA offers several scholarships each year for undergraduate and graduate study. To help ensure we can offer these scholarships in this more financially challenging year, donate now at www.tmea.org/donate.

President-Elect: John Carroll

www.tmea.org/scholarships

TMEA Executive Board Brian.Coatney@wylieisd.net 2550 West FM 544, Wylie, 75098 972-429-3111 – Wylie ISD john.carroll@ectorcountyisd.org 1800 East 42nd Street, Odessa, 79762 432-553-2780 – Permian HS

Past-President: Joe Muñoz

munozj@pearlandisd.org 3775 South Main Street, Pearland, 77581 281-997-3219 – Pearland HS

Band Vice-President: Dana Pradervand

pradervandd@yahoo.com 8226 Lakeshore Villa Drive, Humble, 77346 713-743-3627 – University of Houston

Orchestra Vice-President: Michael Stringer

mstringe@aisd.net 1200 West Arkansas Lane (Annex 1), Arlington, 76013 682-867-7662 – Arlington ISD

Graduating Senior Scholarships • Bill Cormack Scholarship: $3,000/year for up to five years. • Past-Presidents Memorial Scholarship: $2,500/year for up to five years. • Past-Presidents Scholarship: $2,500/year for up to five years. • Executive Board Scholarship: $2,500/year for up to five years. • One-year scholarships: $2,500 for one year only. One-Year Undergraduate Scholarships • TMEA awards one-year, $2,500 scholarships to current undergraduate students enrolled in a music degree program at a Texas college or university leading to teacher certification.

Vocal Vice-President: Jed Ragsdale

jedragsdale@tomballisd.net 19100 Northpointe Ridge Lane, Tomball, 77377 281-357-3230, ext. 1106 – Memorial HS

Elementary Vice-President: Abigail Hawes

abigail.hawes@cfisd.net 13734 Lakewood Forest Drive, Houston, 77070 281-370-4040 – Moore Elementary

College Vice-President: Paul Sikes

plsikes@txwes.edu 8554 Kensington Court, North Richland Hills, 76182 817-531-4971 – Texas Wesleyan University

One-Semester Student-Teacher Scholarships • TMEA awards one-semester, $2,500 scholarships to current college student members scheduled to student-teach within the two semesters following the application. One-Year Graduate Study Scholarships • Awarded to graduate students for one year only and range from $1,250 to $2,500.

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 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140465, Austin, 78714-0465 Physical Address: 7900 Centre Park Drive, Austin, 78754 Phone: 512-452-0710 Website: www.tmea.org Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (remotely via email)

Go to www.tmea.org/scholarships

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 P ublishers, 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 | November 2020

We are grateful for everything you do to help your students experience the joy of music-making for a lifetime.

Southwestern Musician | November 2020

We cultivate artists. Find out what we have to offer.

At UTSA, we know that artistry requires boldness and curiosity bolstered by a supportive community of faculty and peers.

Auditions Nov 21, 2020 Jan 30, 2021 Feb 20, 2021 May 1, 2021

B Y

B R I A N

C O A T N E Y

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

Daring greatly

check www.tmea .org for updates

November—Renew your membership and register for the convention. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention, held virtually.

ongratulations on creatively navigating the start of the school year and the many transitions you have faced. Hopefully you have found a functional routine and have settled into your ever-changing teaching environment. Even though we are living through turbulent times, it is important to remind ourselves of all we have to be grateful for. I am thankful to be employed and finding ways to create and teach music despite the obstacles in front of me. I am thankful for my friends and family who are healthy and surviving a pandemic. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve on the TMEA Executive Board and be part of a team working to find solutions to complicated issues and projects. When we decided to host a virtual convention, I quickly recognized I would have to garner significant courage to enter the arena of planning such an event. This revelation reminded me of a TED Talk featuring Brené Brown speaking about “Daring Greatly.” She discusses why some people choose to face challenges while others choose to avoid them. I am sure that now more than ever, you have been faced with obstacles, so I hope some of the following suggestions will encourage and motivate you to keep fighting the good fight. Brown’s first step to daring greatly is understanding the human desire to be connected. She explains connection is why we are here—it gives us purpose and meaning. I can relate to this as I often feel disconnected from my students whenever I feel like I am an ineffective teacher. On the contrary, I feel most connected to my students when I am effectively delivering my lesson plans and the students are engaged. This loss of connection has been especially difficult this year while trying to teach students remotely, without the benefit of a face-to-face connection. I believe losing this connection is one of the reasons

Practice gratitude and joy through these current times of uncertainty and discourse. Finally, believe you are enough. Southwestern Musician | November 2020

I have been so frustrated and have felt uncomfortable. Brown proceeds to explain that the one thing that can completely unravel connection is shame, which as she states is “a fear of disconnection.” In other words, shame is us feeling unworthy of connection because people see our flaws. Underneath this shame is the thought of “I am not good enough.” I know for a fact I am not as effective a teacher when teaching students remotely. These feelings and thoughts were difficult to deal with because I consider myself an experienced and effective teacher. I must learn how to recognize this shame and push past it to enable better connections with online students and therefore be a more effective teacher. I encourage you to give yourself the benefit of the doubt and realize you won’t have the same type of connections you normally do, but it is possible to still build them. Brown goes on to explain that the thing that underpins shame is “excruciating vulnerability.” We have to allow ourselves to really be seen in order for connection to happen. Through six years of research, Brown learned that people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe they are worthy of love and belonging. This extends to people who struggle with connection, as they do not believe they are worthy of connection. I found myself getting so frustrated with technology and not being able to be an effective teacher that I felt I wasn’t worthy of connecting

NEW DESTINATION SPRING BREAK – 10 Day New Zealand or Australia

SUMMER TOUR North Island or South Island RAZZLE DAZZLE ’EM CHRISTCHURCH NEW Music Festival New Zealand 4 – 10 July 2022 www.greattourexperiences.com.au email Charmaine at greattourexperiences@outlook.com Or call Sydney, Australia +61 02 47330 638 “Making arrangements is our Business.”

Southwestern Musician | November 2020

with my students. In essence, I was giving up because I believed my technology struggles made me look incompetent. Once I started becoming more familiar with the technology and found my routine, I started to have a better connection with the students. I also found it helpful to show the students I could be vulnerable in front of them by laughing at myself about being incompetent in that area. They were more than understanding, and I was able to build new connections with them by showing my vulnerability. Brown further discovered that people who carried this worthiness of connection exhibited three traits. They had the courage to be imperfect. They can tell their whole story of who they are with their whole heart. They had compassion to be kind to themselves first so they could be kind to others. In other words, they had connection because they were willing to let go of who they thought they should be and accepted who they were. Lastly, they fully embraced vulnerability. They believed what made them vulnerable made them beautiful. They didn’t talk about vulnerability being comfortable or excruciating. They only talked about how vulnerability was necessary. Brown concludes her talk by explaining that vulnerability is the core of shame and fear, but it is also the birthplace of joy, creativity, love, and belonging. We often try to numb vulnerability as a defense mechanism, but we have to realize that we cannot selectively numb emotion. If we numb vulnerability, then we also numb joy and happiness. So how do we continue pushing past this vulnerability of teaching in new environments? First, we must allow ourselves to not just be seen, but vulnerably seen. Practice gratitude and joy through these current times of uncertainty and discourse. Finally, believe you are enough. Some teaching days will be better than others. On a day that ends in disappointment, trust that you will be better tomorrow. I encourage you to feel your upcoming frustrations and disappointments, but fight the urge to give up. Join me in continuing to be vulnerable, creative, and courageous as we problem-solve our way through the rest of the year.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Update This standing committee has met several times, and we are excited about the forthcoming projects and ideas. After our first meeting, we identified that the committee would focus on two discussion topics: creating recommendations for the TMEA Mentoring Network and developing a diversity, equity, and inclusion education program that could be delivered to the membership. The goal of each subcommittee is to find ways we can encourage and help more minority students who want to pursue this prestigious profession. At the mentoring subcommittee’s first meeting, we had the privilege of hearing each person’s story. We repeatedly learned about how one or two mentors played a significant role in their path to becoming a music educator. Subcommittee members have discussed how important this program is and are seeking ways to identify and recruit more educators of color to join as mentors. Currently, the Mentoring Network focuses on first-year teachers and teachers new to Texas. The subcommittee will be offering recommendations to the Executive Board for ways in which the program could be expanded to offer mentorship for an individual, from the time they show interest in the profession to the day when they become a mentor themselves. The education subcommittee has been charged with developing curriculum for members to educate themselves about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Once the curriculum is developed, they will work on deliverables for the membership, including adding diversity, equity, and inclusion content to the TMEA resources repository for use by TMEA members in their classrooms. We are also working on sequential TMEA Connections events that will lead to clinics offered during our 2021 virtual convention (register at www.tmea.org/register). All these conversations support the goal of delivering information and resources to TMEA members that can help us build better connections with our students. As our classrooms become more diverse, we must do whatever we can to build stronger connections with all students. Be on the lookout for an announcement of the first DEI Connections event. All are welcome, and it will be an event you will not want to miss! 0

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

B Y

R O B E R T

F L O Y D

Invest in our future

uring a break at a 1992 Executive Board meeting, then President-Elect Will May told Executive Director Bill Cormack that TMEA needed to encourage future college and university music education majors by providing scholarship funds. May suggested they meet with Bill Everitt, the president of one of TMEA’s largest exhibitors, Brook Mays Music Co., and ask him to endow a scholarship. They met, and Mr. Everitt rather emphatically said no. Cormack and May sat silently—a rarity for either—and then Mr. Everitt continued, “But I can tell you how to make the money.” That conversation led to our trademarking the TMEA name and logo and marketing their use to our vendors. May recently shared this story with me and said, “Our modest vision for one or two endowed scholarships has grown into something very special.” While true, I think it’s certainly an understatement. Of all the programs created and implemented by the TMEA leadership, the scholarship program must rest close to, if not at, the top of the list. From that discussion came the creation of the royalty program, where companies pay a percentage of their revenue from the sale of TMEA merchandise to us for the development of a scholarship endowment. After two years, TMEA had

With your help, we can come together in these challenging times and ensure our Board remains able to award valuable scholarships this year to future music educators. 8

Southwestern Musician | November 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

enough money to give its first scholarship, appropriately named after Mr. Cormack, and it was a five-year scholarship valued at $10,000. Fast forward to this past year, when TMEA awarded $225,000 in scholarships to 74 students at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Since our first scholarship was announced, 2,851 Texas students have applied, and TMEA has awarded almost $2.6 million in scholarship funds to 985 students. Despite those impressive numbers, it’s hard to know or truly appreciate the impact this program has had on its recipients, so I asked a few for their reactions. Bennett Parsons was a 2007 TMEA PastPresident Memorial scholarship recipient. He now serves as Director of Bands at Victory Lakes MS (Clear Creek ISD) and shared, “As an immigrant, I knew paying for college would be difficult. The TMEA scholarship eased that burden and helped transform my life in the process.” Graduate scholarship recipient Michael Alexander (Associate Professor of Music

Education at Baylor and former TMEA Vice-President) recalled, “I received a TMEA graduate student scholarship back in 1999. I was newly married, had three kids, and was working full time as a school orchestra director and youth symphony conductor to make ends meet. The TMEA scholarship arrived during the most expensive and difficult semester of my doctoral program and provided the added boost of money and confidence needed to finish my DMA.” TMEA Past-President Denise Eaton (Choral Consultant and Choral Editor, Carl Fischer & BriLee Music) said, “I was both honored and thankful to receive a scholarship when pursuing my master’s degree. I have always donated to the TMEA scholarship fund because of its variety of offerings, and the most recent addition of support for student teachers is wonderful!” The credit for the success of this program goes first and foremost to our sustaining members who have chosen to be a part of our royalty program. In the five

fiscal years (July 1–June 30) preceding this past year, annual royalty payments to the scholarship fund averaged $128,570. In our 2019–2020 year, with the business impact of COVID-19, those contributions dropped to $77,300. For the current 2020– 2021 fiscal year, with no live Region events this fall and no in-person convention, we expect that number to take another significant drop, perhaps close to zero. The other major contributions to the fund come from TMEA members. For years, members have faithfully contributed to the scholarship fund when they join or renew their membership. Your contributions, whether just a few dollars or significantly more, represent a valuable and lasting part of this essential program. This year, in addition to the collective annual earnings from our endowment that we would typically reinvest, the Executive Board hopes your donations can help make up for our expected royalty payment shortfall. With your help, we can come together

WITH YOUR HELP Today’s Music Students Become Tomorrow’s Music Educators

Make a Difference. Donate Today. W W W.T M E A .O R G/D O N AT E 100% of your contribution directly supports the TMEA Scholarship Fund (donations are not used to cover administrative costs).

Southwestern Musician | November 2020

If each member gave just $15, we could fund the program in full this year and not have to touch our endowment.

RhythmBee oﬀers ﬂexibility Plus — Free student access

Paula Smolik, Howell MS, Victoria, TX “We have used RB for five years! Our band students have developed a stronger internal beat, better rhythm reading, and have learned to follow the conductor. Highly recommended!”

$100

(virus recovery price)

Band Bundle Choral Bundle Orchestra Bundle Elementary Music

in these challenging times and ensure our Board remains able to award valuable scholarships this year to future music educators. You can contribute to the scholarship fund at any time by going to www. tmea.org/donate. If each member gave just $15, we could fund the program in full this year and not have to touch our endowment. Every penny of money earmarked for scholarships goes straight to the fund. No dollars are taken to cover the in-house costs of managing the program. Please go now and make your contribution. It is an investment for our future. We Must All Vote Due to the pandemic, by all measures the 87th legislative session will be one unlike any ever experienced by lawmakers, staffs, and those of us who regularly visit the capitol, striving to impact legislation to support a cause in which we believe. Rumors are flying, but there is a good chance that access to the capitol will be quite restricted. Thus, attending committee hearings and visiting legislative offices may be very limited. Opportunities to influence new legislation through capitol lobbying could be minimized, and as a result, it will be more important than ever for your senator and representative to hear from you as we move through the session, but even beginning now. By the time you receive this magazine the general election will be just days away. It is not too late for you to do your homework to see how supportive your

candidates are of music and arts education in the schools. Read about candidates’ responses to a recent fine arts education survey on page 13. Then visit www. tmea.org/2020candidates to see whether your candidates, especially for the Texas House, completed it. Then reach out to them to discuss the rationale behind their response(s). If they did not return the survey, you can give them the opportunity to share their thoughts directly with you. For whoever wins the election, hopefully our survey will have put our issues on their radar. If we can visit their capitol office, even on a limited basis during the session, they will remember they have constituents back home with similar concerns. Shortly after the election, we plan to launch the most concerted effort ever to have newly elected legislators sign up for the Fine Arts Education Caucus. Stay tuned for instructions from us on how you can easily help us in that process. Many savvy political strategists say a realistic goal for this most unique session will be to simply not lose ground, and that may be sage advice. Sometimes the best tactic is to play defense throughout the session. Another strategy, however, is to push forward aggressively with legislation that may be difficult to pass but that can protect us from not losing ground. We are currently in the discussion phase of making that strategy determination. Meanwhile, read our candidate survey results, do your homework in your district, and cast your vote in an informed way. 0

Mac, Windows, Chromebook

orders@rhythmbee.com 903-725-3304 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention • Online • February 2021 W W W. T M E A . O R G / C O N V E N T I O N 10 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

LEARN IT

From faculty who are recognized as world renowned music leaders and innovators

Beyond our traditional programs in composition, jazz and performance studies, your graduating high school students can also explore our music studies degree which allows coursework flexibility and double major opportunities in other academic areas.

music.uno.edu

LIVE IT

New Orleans is a cultural mecca, that has become the standard for reinvention

BE IT

At The University of New Orleans, students become masters by working with masters

MUSIC

School of Music

If music is your passion,

TCU is your school.

Scholarship Opportunities Available For You NORDAN Scholarship instrumentalists, and composers of superior talent, who have chosen to major in music. NORDAN winners receive a four-year, FULL TUITION AWARD.

NORDAN Live Auditions are by special invitation. January 16, 2021 - Nordan Scholarship* *Prescreening Video Audition Required

More information is available online at www.music.tcu.edu.

AUDITION DATES FOR SPRING 2021 January 30 // February 6 // February 27 November 1, 2020 - Application Deadline for early action consideration. Graduate Programs Available For You disciplines. Graduate Assistantships are available.

MUSIC.TCU.EDU/ADMISSIONS

State Candidates Support Fine Arts Education by Robert Floyd

he majority of candidates for Texas House, Senate, and State Board of Education who responded to a recent survey distributed by TMEA said they believe that fine arts education improves student performance in other academic areas, lowers dropout rates, and prepares students for college and the workforce. Additionally, most oppose the removal of students from their fine arts classes to study other subjects or participate in STAAR test remediation. This is the sixth time we have surveyed state-level candidates, and responses have consistently revealed they believe in the value of fine arts education. Similar to the surveys we distributed before the previous five state elections, this survey, distributed in late September, was intended to raise candidates’ awareness of fine arts education and remind them of the broad constituency who support fine arts education for all schoolchildren. This questionnaire allowed us to communicate important information while ensuring the candidate or their staff members dedicated additional time to considering their opinions and responses.

Candidates Respond While many candidates are generally cautious about completing surveys, fearful their responses could somehow be used against them, 30% of the candidates have responded to date. Receiving candidate responses is a positive indication of their concern about our issues. Regardless of the response rate, sending a survey raises their awareness of a constituency that cares about fine arts education issues. Survey responses can also help you as you prepare to advocate with your elected officials for fine arts education during the 87th session. Detailed Results Go to www.tmea.org/2020candidates to review your candidates’ answers to this survey. You can use their responses (or possible lack of response) as an opportunity to communicate directly with them. Thank them for responding and offer to provide them your firsthand experiences as a fine arts educator. Encourage your colleagues and parent groups to review the data and contact their candidates or elected officials to discuss their responses. Please read the Executive Director’s Notes on page 8 for additional information. 0

Fine arts instruction helps improve student performance in other academic courses. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

94.6%

1.1%

3.2%

Fine arts participation reduces dropout rates. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

94.7%

0.0%

4.3%

1.0%

Participation in fine arts courses is especially important now to support students’ social emotional learning. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

94.7%

3.2%

2.1%

Fine arts study helps prepare students for college. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

93.6%

2.1%

3.2%

1.1%

Creativity fostered through a fine arts education is valued by employers. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

84.0%

5.3%

5.4%

Students should be removed from fine arts classes for STAAR preparation and remediation. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

4.3%

86.1%

4.3%

5.3%

Candidate is willing to participate in a legislative fine arts education caucus. Yes

Undecided

Want More Info

78.7%

3.2%

4.3%

13.8%

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 13

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, November 14, 2020 | 1-3 p.m. Saturday, February 20, 2021 | 1-3 p.m. Saturday, March 27, 2021 | 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 17, 2021 | 1-3 p.m. Individual audition dates may be requested if necessary. For specific qualifications for each award, visit

www.tlu.edu/music-scholarships.

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

Deborah Mayes Accompanist

Beth Bronk Director of Bands bbronk@tlu.edu

Carla McElhaney Asst. Professor, General Music David Milburn Instructor, Double Bass

Shaaron Conoly Director of Vocal Studies sconoly@tlu.edu Eric Daub Director of Piano Studies edaub@tlu.edu Liliana Guerrero Asst. Professor, Voice lguerrero@tlu.edu Eliza Jeffords Director of Strings ejeffords@tlu.edu

Kurt Moede Instructor, Horn Nicole Narboni Asst. Professor, Piano Sung-Eun Park Asst. Professor, Collaborative Pianist Carlos Quesada Asst. Professor, Collaborative Pianist Keith Robinson Instructor, Tuba & Music Education Jill Rodriguez Instructor, General Music Mikio Sasaki Instructor, Trumpet

FACULTY Mark Ackerman Instructor, Oboe Michele Aichele Asst. Professor, Music History Adam Bedell Instructor, Percussion Carol Chambers Instructor, Music Education Paula Corley Instructor, Clarinet Gilbert Garza Asst. Professor, Saxophone

BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN ALL-LEVEL MUSIC EDUCATION BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN PERFORMANCE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN MUSIC

Scott McDonald Instructor, Saxophone & Jazz Band

Chad Ibison Asst. Professor, Guitar Hilary Janysek Asst. Professor, Flute & Music History

Eric Siu Asst. Professor, Violin Bryce Turner Instructor, Percussion Shareen Vader Instructor, Piano Sophie Verhaeghe Instructor, Violin Steven Vogel Instructor, Trombone & Euphonium Ryan Wilkins Instructor, Bassoon Simeng Wu Asst. Professor, Piano

www.tlu.edu/music

B Y

D A N A

BAND NOTES

P R A D E R V A N D

In Memoriam Steven Wilkinson June 27, 1962–April 11, 2020 Philip Black April 4, 1991–September 21, 2020

Day 2: messy and magical

check www.tmea .org for updates

November—Renew your membership and register for the convention. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline. January 9—Area Band and Vocal auditions. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention, held virtually.

ne of the things I most enjoy doing is listening to a great podcast—I listen to a wide variety of them. Some are informative, others are pure entertainment, but my favorite podcasts are the ones that are thought-provoking. Most recently I was listening to the Unlocking Us series by Brené Brown, and the particular episode was titled “Brené on Day 2.” In this episode, Brown describes the three significant points or parts to any event, project, or process. She uses the analogy of a three-day conference to demonstrate her theory. On Day 1 of the conference, everyone is excited, motivated, and energized by the start of something new. Then the newness of it all wears off and you settle into a routine where often the business of the conference occurs. Brown labels this Day 2. She explains that Day 2 is often the most difficult and challenging point of the conference. This is where the real work gets done, and it is messy! On Day 2, the excitement of Day 1 is long gone, yet we are too far into the work to turn back, but still far from achieving our goals and celebrating our successes at the end of the conference—Day 3.

While we may feel uncomfortable, let’s quit trying to make up for lost time or to reach for a new normal. Instead, let’s reach for something better! Southwestern Musician | November 2020 15

I believe this is the perfect description of where we are in the school year. On September 16, I stepped onto the podium for the first time in six months, and I gave a downbeat to my in-person ensemble. The band hall was gridded to ensure players sat at the recommended distance, we all had on masks, instrument bells were covered, brass players had pet pads at their feet, and wipes and hand sanitizer were plentiful. Despite these unusual conditions, the first note that sounded was one of the best things I have ever heard. While it might not have been tonally centered, perfectly

balanced, or timely executed, it was live! Day 1 of rehearsals had finally begun. I hope you have shared or will soon share a similar experience of seeing your students for the first time and I hope these first few months have brought with them the excitement of starting a new year, regardless of how uncharacteristic it has been. It is November, and we have gotten over the hurdle of beginning the school year in whatever format we have been allowed. We have all settled into a routine and rhythm of instruction, and to be honest, things may not be getting easier. Our frustration and stress levels are probably at an all-time high, and our anxiety is growing with the realization that while the semester is coming to an end, there is still another semester to come. This is the perfect description of Brown’s Day 2. We are in it, and it definitely is messy! In this podcast, Brown continues to explain that we cannot ignore this point in time nor are there any shortcuts around it. This stage is simply a necessary part of any process. She does, however, help us not become discouraged by further explaining that while Day 2 is messy and uncomfortable, it is the very place where all the magic happens. She supports this idea by pointing to research that suggests that “if learning is not uncomfortable, we are not really learning. It is this discomfort that gives us the most light.” And according to Brown it is this discomfort that allows the magic to happen. We can apply this thought process directly to where we are now in the school year. While we may feel uncomfortable, let’s quit trying to make up for lost time or to reach for a new normal. Instead, let us reach for something better! Use this time of being in Day 2’s discomfort to try something completely different. Take a break from your standard routine, think differently, and get messy with some different activities like the following: • Ask your students to bring a favorite recording of music to class and devote the period just to listening and discussing great music. • Set up a social event where you and your students attend one of the many

16 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

virtual symphony concerts being presented. • Contact a university to see if they have any chamber ensembles that could stream a performance. • Devote some class time to a discussion on why you joined band or why you love band. You might be surprised by the answers! For your own professional growth, go to the TMEA website and take in one of the many Connections events that we have hosted. Find some great resources (and contribute those you already use) in our online resources repository at www.tmea. org/resources. Look forward to attending the TMEA virtual convention that will be an unbelievable experience (to register, go to www.tmea.org/register). Embrace the messiness of Day 2! Let it remind you that what you are doing is essential, how you are doing it is amazing, and why you are doing it is sitting in front of you in person or online. We are in Day 2, and the magic is happening! 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention The TMEA Executive Board and staff are so excited about the incredible opportunities that will be offered to our members at the 2021 Clinic/Convention held virtually. It is our mission to create an unprecedented convention experience that you will not want to miss. We are preparing a schedule of events presented by some of the best educators and musicians in the world. Please make plans now to attend! You can register today at www.tmea.org/ register. Invited Groups While our convention is going to be held virtually, we will continue to be inspired by performances from wonderful band programs from across our state. Special thanks go to all directors who submitted applications this year, and our congratulations go to our invited performing bands. See page 26 for a list of the exciting lineup of all ensembles that will offer their best to us during our event in February. Look for more information about our invited bands and their programs in future issues. 0

From StonemaSon to Sculptor by Gerry Miller

APPROACHING ENSEMBLE STYLE, BALANCE, AND BLEND WITH INTENTIONALITY AND IMAGINATION

s we continue our journey into the strangest year of musicmaking many of us will encounter, most directors are just beginning to enjoy ensemble music-making for the first time in many months. Throughout the longest summer ever, you likely thought about the first piece of music you wanted to read with the students when they returned to the rehearsal hall. You’ve imagined how the highly anticipated public performance of that work will live in the hearts and minds of your students and communities for years to come. Regardless of where our ensembles are in the rehearsal process thus far, we should all begin to consider how we help our students return to performance settings achieving a greater sense of style, balance, and blend. What I aim to offer here is a guide through the process we all know too well as the middle time—the block of rehearsals after we have finished laying the musical bricks and after the students have begun approaching mastery with regard to ensemble tone and pitch. They have learned the notes and rhythms, established performance tempi, discussed the overarching dynamic structures, and aligned the articulation and style markings. It is at this crucial point that the frame of our sonic structure is complete. We can now begin to find nuance, clarity, and artistry in both the interior and the exterior of the intended masterpiece we’ve worked so diligently to construct.

ZOOMING IN ON THE MICRO

In the middle stage between bricklaying and sculpting, I have always found it useful to return to the micro aspects of our craft with the ensemble. We begin by discussing the anatomy of a note inside a particular work. The exercise can help refocus students 18 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

on the priorities of the melodic and harmonic motion. I begin by asking simple questions and diagramming clear shapes for our performers. I might ask a student to come to the board and diagram four consecutive accented quarter notes in the style of Karl King’s The Melody Shop. Our guiding questions focus on the note anatomy. How do the notes start? What should the middle sound like? How do the notes end or transition? For a march like The Melody Shop, we might posit that the notes have a slight lift to the front, and a taper to the back, not quite touching the next beat, but perhaps sustaining for 7/8ths value, allowing a sliver of silence between each tone. Or perhaps, if we are performing the Chaconne from Holst’s First Suite, we might assemble four consecutive quarter notes quite differently from the King, with more gravity to the front of each note, a resonant tone through the center, and a longing quality at the end, reaching and stretching to the next pitch. While it would be impractical to diagram and define every measure and figure, I have found this process greatly increases the level of care with which student-performers treat their parts. The musicians begin to realize that their sonic contributions are not merely bricks in a wall but individualized artistic offerings all resulting in a greater whole, creating a sense of space that is both detailed and opulent. In Francis McBeth’s sentinel text Effective Performance of Band Music, he offers “Solution II,” a chapter focusing on the thorough investigation of interpretation. Halfway through the chapter, he pauses to ask composers exactly what they are advocating for when they add an accent, a marcato, or a tenuto to an individual note. The ensuing pages are thought-provoking and worthy of review. For example, with regard to tenuto, composer Frank Erickson

Having valuable discussions about the micro aspects of a work can help inform the bricklayers exactly how each brick is intended to be set, turned, or carved, but talking about the macro delves into the architecture inherent to the work. wrote, “full value . . . minimum space between each note,” and Vaclav Nehlybel stated, “the whole duration is required.” On staccato, Frederick Fennell said, “brevity and detachment . . . dry but resonant,” and Clarence Sawhill added, “only as short as the music requires.” I enjoy engaging in dialogue with students about their specific definitions for each of these style and articulation indicators, inquiring how a marking alters the front, middle, and back of each pitch, and how, when changing articulations from note to note, a composer assigns an individual responsibility to each performer for the audience to acknowledge and appreciate when exploring the interior of the full ensemble sound.

MEASURING THE MICRO

When discussing note shape, we’ve begun to ask students to assess their accuracy with screenshot tests using the Tonal Energy app. We offer a visual example of four staccato quarter notes played on a trumpet, and then ask them to submit a

Adler Bassoons F. Lorée Oboes Fox Oboes & Bassoons Fox/Renard Oboes & Bassoons Yamaha Oboes

screenshot of their performance through Tonal Energy’s Analysis window, aiming to craft four equally shaped and stylized quarter notes that are identical to our exemplar. This is an exercise to consider before the students return to a full ensemble setting.

EXPANDING TO THE MACRO

Once upon a time, many of us were asked to diagram sentences in our English classes. I always enjoyed the challenge of trying to ascertain the role of each word in a sentence and how the author had used the word order to guide the reader into seeing the intended path. When beginning to determine the arc and flow of a musical phrase, the same care should be taken. We often invite students to the board to diagram a unison phrase—perhaps an ending phrase leading into the stinger in a march, or, to use our example from earlier, the opening melody of the Chaconne from Holst. When we begin to deconstruct the work into parts, with both melodic and accom-

Oboe & Bassoon Rentals Oboe & Bassoon Reeds Reed Making Tools Reed Making Supplies Books & Music Accessories

www.forrestsmusic.com www.facebook.com/forrestsmusic 1849 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94703 800-322-6263 510-845-7178 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Pacific Time Weekdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time Saturday 20 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

panimental lines, the shapes of the phrase should play off each other in their interactions. And when adding a countermelody, there are even more opportunities for lines to weave and entwine, creating a sonic tapestry that skillfully combines the composer’s intent with the artistry and nuance of the performers in the ensemble and their conductor. William Faulkner wrote, “A writer needs three things: experience, observation, and imagination.” As ensemble conductors, we often draw upon our experiences to inform our decisions about how a piece of repertoire should be perceived by our audiences: its aesthetic. We observe great ensembles to better refine our palate. But the last phase—our imagination or that of our student-performers—is an area I believe we too seldom access. Having valuable discussions about the micro aspects of a work can help inform the bricklayers exactly how each brick is intended to be set, turned, or carved, but talking about the macro delves into the architecture inherent to the work. We can, in viewing the greater whole, empower our students to learn their role inside the ensemble from phrase to phrase. We often equate this to acting on stage. One actor cannot spend the entirety of the production at the front-center of the stage, never yielding to others. Rather, a good actor knows when a part is made to resonate and boom through the hall and when a role is intended to diminish. And being smaller is no less distinct than the grandest moments. Finding the opportunity to exchange ideas with our student-performers about nuance and detail can lead to performances that are full of vibrant traces.

MENTORSHIP IN THE PROCESS Inviting a mentor into your rehearsals is always valuable, especially when working through this middle stage. In today’s digital age, you may find that mentors are even more able to help. You can simply make a recording on a Friday, share it with them, and get their comments over the weekend. Even with virtual mentors, our programs can grow exponentially! Whether teaching in person or virtually, I hope you will invest in yourself and your students by engaging in this time-honored practice.

FINDING BALANCE

Once we have a good sense of the micro and the macro, we move into the highest tier of the middle stage as we begin to confront balance and the problems therein. Establishing and codifying a balance paradigm with our student-performers is paramount to success, in concert halls and sightreading rooms alike. We have long held the belief that, when a composer proffers two-part writing, we should aim for a 70/30 blend of melody and accompaniment. This means that the melody is over twice the volume of the accompaniment at any given point, interjectory material aside. When composers expand to three-part writing, our paradigm leads us to a 50/30/20 mix where the melody occupies 50% of the sonic space, the countermelody fills an additional 30%, and the accompaniment is willingly upstaged with only 20% of the hall left to fill. Understandably, not every ensemble conductor will agree with these estimations, but establishing a point of initiation will serve bands well when exceptions are necessary.

MEASURING THE MACRO

All these percentages and ratios can easily be measured with a decibel app from the conductor’s podium. This technique is especially useful in facilities with lower ceilings and challenging acoustics. We often begin with the melody, having them perform a few measures. From there, we may measure their sound to be 90 dB on average over the course of the phrase. We will then turn to the accompaniment. Because decibels, as a unit of measure, function logarithmically, +10 dB is equivalent to double the volume level. With the converse being true, we can then aim for our accompaniment to be closer to 80 dB. Once the performers achieve this, we then combine the two parts and hear the resulting balance. From this point, we can choose to continue to manipulate the overall shape and how the melody and accompaniment interact over the breadth and depth of the phrase. Additionally, in monitoring the micro and the macro, we can ask each performer to adjust their sound to meet a certain decibel expectation by going down the line and matching either the principal chair

or perhaps the section average. Based on science rather than emotion, these subtle adjustments ensure a more cohesive and blended sound, along with an intentionally formed tonality for the voice part.

ROUNDING OUT THE MIDDLE

In beginning with the micro, then progressing to the macro, and finishing with a study of balance and blend, we can ensure that our audiences fully appreciate the brilliance of the composer, coupled with the observations, experiences, and imaginations of our student-performers and their conductors. When we review our recordings after the concert, we will likely find a level of sophistication and nuance that is highly organized and elegant. 0 Gerry Miller is the Coordinator of Fine Arts for Coppell ISD and serves as the Director of Bands at Coppell HS and the Director of Instrumental Music for the Coppell ISD. You can get more information on note shape, diagramming phrases, and refining balance and blend at www.coppellband.com/ tmea.

Review scores and listen to MP3s of all of our new products for 2020 In case the pandemic caused you to miss reviewing our 2019 new products you can also review them online Our 2020 Concert Bands include: American Curtain Time - Arranged by Charles Booker Battle Of The Titans - By Dennis Eveland Black Horse Troop - Sousa - Edited by Charles Booker Canon Noel - By Nathan Hervey Celebration For Winds and Percussion - By Dennis Eveland Convivial - By Dennis Eveland Island Dreams - By Charlie Hill On The Mall - Goldman - Edited by Charles Booker Race Before Us - By Philip Loewen Soliloquy (Trumpet & Winds) - By Jim Colonna Walk In The Park - By Dennis Eveland

Our 2020 Jazz Ensembles include: Angels We Have Heard On High - Arranged by Philip Loewen Fascinating Rhythm - Arranged by Charles Booker Groovisimo - By Michele Fernandez ‘Na Proxima Vida - By Michele Fernandez Phat Burger Boogaloo - By Charlie Hill

Please check out our new jazz curriculum: Jazz Zone…The Beginning at www.jazzzoneonline.com

Raise A Ruckus - Arranged by Anthony Susi Til We Meet Again - By Anthony Susi What’ll I Do - Berlin - Arranged by Charles Booker

Texas based music publishing. Supporting Texas Music Education. Focused on publishing the music you need. Visit us at www.printmusicsource.com Print Music Source / P.O. Box 817 / Seguin, Texas 78156 / Phone: (210)485-7791 / Email: printmusicsource@gmail.com Southwestern Musician | November 2020 21

ORCHESTRA NOTES

B Y

M I C H A E L

S T R I N G E R

Keep doing the hard things

hen discussions first began this summer on how to reopen our schools, I kept saying, “This is going to be the hardest thing any of us has ever done.” Now, a few months into the school year, I realize my initial thoughts on reopening were spot on. This has truly been the most difficult season of my career. Every aspect of what a school is supposed to be has been reinvented. The once innocuous routines—like students walking into the room, unpacking, and getting ready for class—have been completely transformed. Now those routines come with required strict protocols and constant monitoring from the teacher. As we move through this challenging and bizarre school year, there are many more times when we will be called upon to do the hard things, and we will do them for our students, our school, our community, and ourselves. For Our Students One of the first phrases I use in all my new teacher trainings is, “Always make every decision in the best interest of the students, not what is easiest for the adults.” Throughout my career, this statement has challenged me along the way. I often have wished I could just simply make decisions that were easy for me and the students, but sometimes I have found it simply does not work

While the students might not say so now, in years to come they will learn to appreciate the effort that was required to give them a great experience this year. 22 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

WHAT STARTS HERE CHANGES THE WORLD

AND THE WORLD IS LISTENING

Application Deadline December 1 m u s i c . u t ex a s .e d u /a p p l y

that way. In the end, I have always realized that decisions that benefit the students are not always easy but are always worth the extra work. In this most challenging school year, remember that your students appreciate your extra work that will make their orchestral experience the best it can possibly be despite the circumstances. During our September TMEA Connections event, I was awed to hear our panelists describe the extra work they were contributing to ensure online students had an equal experience in orchestra to their in-person peers. It was obvious

that so much extra time, effort, and work was required to give students such a great classroom environment where each group felt they were a vital part of the orchestra program. While the students might not say so now, in years to come they will learn to appreciate the effort that was required to give them a great experience this year. For Our Schools In my early years of teaching, I wanted to be that teacher who went virtually unnoticed in the school. I had little interest in participating on committees, chaperoning non-orchestra-related events, or lending a helpful hand around campus when needs arose. After a while, I found that many faculty members, staff, and even some of the administrators didn’t realize there was an orchestra program on campus. After some frustrating moments of people asking me how the band did on Friday night, I realized that if my program was going to be recognized on campus, I needed to become involved in the culture of the school. I began volunteering for committees, serving when the administration asked for help, and attending every game I could attend. I was even able to enthusiastically answer the band question in the break room one Monday morning! We must advocate for our programs, and the best way to do that is to be a part of the solution for your school. Don’t shy away from serving on committees that will help make decisions. You might just land on the one that will decide important changes to the school day and find yourself able to represent your program in those decisions while being part of the solution for your campus. This year, more than ever, your campus needs you to volunteer to be at games to monitor students, at the door to check temperatures, and on com-

mittees that will help find solutions to the most complicated problems any of us have ever had to solve. Your program will gain more recognition on the campus when you participate in this way. For Your Community As usual, I am in awe of what is being done in programs around us during these uncertain times. One of the high school programs in our district began rehearsals outside, socially distanced, on one of their orchestra parent’s land, under a tent provided by the family! The parent told our town mayor about these students who were traveling out of their way just to make music, and our mayor has now asked the students to play for a huge city event in early October (a socially distanced performance, of course). While any other year this would be a simple request and an easy task to accomplish, it now comes with more logistical issues than could have ever been imagined. Transporting equipment, COVID protocols, and transportation are just a few of the roadblocks in the way of any performance. I have been so proud of the orchestra staff who have answered every challenge with an enthusiastic “Let’s do it,” allowing their students to feel the excitement of live performance again. While ensemble performance is one of the most challenging aspects of this year, remember that your students need to feel the excitement of making music in a performance situation again. With our springtime concerts and events being so abruptly canceled, students are longing for performance again. Do your best to make a performance happen, even if it is offered to an empty auditorium with a live-streamed audience. Your students will love the feeling of performing again, your

2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention • Online • February 2021 W W W. T M E A . O R G / C O N V E N T I O N

24 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

community of supporters will join in on the stream, and students will love reading the comments of appreciation from their supporters. While this may be one of the most difficult things you plan this fall, it will be worth your effort. For Yourself Finally, remember that you must do the hardest thing for yourself and take time away from work. A few weeks ago, a teacher texted me at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday, asking questions about work. I responded with the answer and quickly followed with “It’s 8:30 on Friday night—stop working!” These days, the line between business and personal hours has become very blurry. We have always known our jobs require more than our contract hours, but it is so important to make yourself stop and do something that has nothing to do with work. Find time to enjoy a movie, eat a nice dinner, or read a good book. We cannot make the hard decisions that are in the best interests of our students if we are always at the end of our ropes. Work will always be there, and sometimes the best (and hardest) decision you can make for your students is to take some time

away and recharge. If you get some muchneeded rest, you will be a better version of yourself the next time you stand in front of your students, and I am sure they will notice the difference. As we continue along this strange year, I encourage you to face the hard things. Whether for your students, school, community, or yourself, continue to fight the good fight and never shy away when others say it can’t be done. Music is the most precious and wonderful contribution to our world, and it deserves to continue to be made, shared, and loved. TMEA Auditions Thanks go to so many who dedicated their time, energy, and passion to ensure our students could experience a valuable audition process. Continuing to offer students opportunities to work toward musical excellence is crucial, and TMEA is pleased that we were able to work through the challenges and offer a recorded audition opportunity. Invited Groups While our convention is going to be held virtually, we will continue to be

Don’t Just Play. PERFORM AT YOUR HIGHEST LEVEL.

inspired by performances from wonderful orchestral programs from across our state. Special thanks go to all directors who submitted applications this year, and our congratulations go to our invited performing orchestras and mariachi. See page 26 for a list of the exciting lineup of all ensembles that will offer their best to us during our event in February. Look for more information about our invited orchestras and mariachi and their programs in future issues. TMEA Clinic/Convention Update I hope you have registered for TMEA’s 2021 Clinic/Convention that will be held virtually in February. If not, go to www.tmea.org/register and check that off your list today! This is an event you will not want to miss! The Executive Board and staff are working tirelessly to provide you a convention like you have never experienced, while continuing to ensure you enjoy all the things you have come to expect from our annual event. I sincerely hope you will join us and help make this a TMEA convention we will always remember! 0

Take your musicianship to new levels through the continuous study of theory, practice, and performance.

REMOTE AUDITIONS Saturday, December 12, 2020 Saturday, January 30, 2021 Saturday, February 6, 2021 Saturday, February 13, 2021 Application Deadline: December 1 Apply at ithaca.edu/music/admission.

VIRTUAL INFO SESSIONS Learn more about the School of Music from the comfort of your home! Live sessions offered multiple times each week.  ithaca.edu/music | music@ithaca.edu

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 25

2021 TMEA Invited Performing Groups Congratulations to the following ensembles and their directors for their selection as our 2021 TMEA Invited Performing Groups! It is with great excitement that we look forward to their performances during our 2021 Clinic/Convention, held virtually in February. Join us in congratulating these directors and their student musicians on this honor.

BAND

VOCAL

Brazoswood HS Jazz Ensemble | DJ Eisenhart

Andrews HS A Cappella Choir | Michael Matlock

Canyon Ridge MS Band | Amy Allison

Arlington HS Colt Chorale Varsity Men | Mason Barlow

Central JH Band | Christine Cumberledge

Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy MS Tenor-Bass Choir | Jason Forte

ORCHESTRA Allen HS Symphony Orchestra | David DeVoto, Matt Cross, Philip Obado J.T. Hutchinson MS Orchestra | Catherine Olivier McAllen HS Mariachi Oro | Alex Treviño

Canyon Ridge MS Tenor-Bass Choir | Courtney Kelly Coronado HS Tenor-Bass Chorale | Catherine Stevenson Harlingen HS Treble Choir | Ginger Wheelock Houston MS Varsity Treble Choir | Rashaad Calaham Pershing MS Women’s Chorale | Marcus Jauregui Robert Vela HS Chorale | Kenneth Rivens Spring Branch Memorial HS Varsity Treble Choir | Lawrence Johnson University of Texas at El Paso Chorale | Elisa Wilson Baylor University A Capella Choir | Brian Schmidt

ELEMENTARY Horn Elementary School Cardinal Choir | Phillip Sammons

McCallum HS Chamber Orchestra | Ricky Pringle

Keller ISD 5th & 6th Grade Honor Choir | Stephen Hawthorne-Hill, Theresa Pritchard, Sarah Reyes

Midway MS Chamber Orchestra | Bruce Benson

Pomona Elementary School Pirate Choir | Emma Bassett

Reagan HS Chamber Orchestra | Sixto Elizondo

Western Plateau Elementary School Rockin’ Roadrunners | Mary Ferguson

Sartartia MS Honors Orchestra | Sophia Hsieh

26 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

Vastly different.

Vast opportunities. 11 fields of study | over 26 ensembles | 100% passion Find Out More:

@ttuschoolofmusic

Characteristics of an Efficient Rehearsal

By Karel Butz

chieving musical success is an involved process that entails a mindful, repetitive, and trial-and-error style of practicing. A teacher who persists in guiding, modeling, and reviewing the steps toward achieving technical and musical mastery will experience more student success, both in short- and long-term capacities. During rehearsal, young musicians participate by trying the concepts presented by their director several times to build proper technique. Just as a young child learns to ride a bicycle by doing (and failing) rather than simply talking about it, so too must we allow our students to experience the rigor of actively participating in learning for musical success to occur. Four Main Characteristics of an Effective Rehearsal Mindful and effective rehearsing encompasses four main characteristics: • a purpose for rehearsal. Directors approach every minute of rehearsal by focusing on concepts they would target if this were the one rehearsal they had to strengthen and positively transform students’ musical abilities. • a main idea for students to take away from the lesson and to improve on during their at-home practice. The main idea could be dynamics, fingering, pitch, blend, rhythmic clarity, shifting, or more. • practice strategies that will help students quickly improve. Students can determine a practice method most beneficial to establishing correct playing habits. • noticeable performance progress among the ensemble— audible and visual evidence of improved student performance skills.

28 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

Rehearsal: Feel, Hear, See During rehearsals, it is imperative that we allow young musicians the opportunity to feel how to practice, meaning how the body functions when correctly executing a right- and left-hand technique. They should hear how to practice through awareness of what constitutes accurate pitch, phrasing, dynamics, tone quality, and more. They should see how to practice through bow uniformity, finger placement, physical gestures while performing, or eye contact across the ensemble. As always, it remains important to introduce new materials and ideas by associating them with students’ previous musical knowledge. For example, students can connect their learning of martelé with hooked staccato bowing because the feeling (the physical sensation of stopping the bow and continuing in the same direction), hearing (space between the bow strokes), and seeing (all bows are moving at the same speed and to the same location) all share similar technical qualities. Rehearsal Design: Environment, Structure, Skill Set When designing instructional time, I find it helpful to categorize what each rehearsal will look like, considering the environment, structure, and skill set covered during instructional time. Environment: A well-organized and clean physical space (whether in person or that students see online) conveys that as their director you desire at least the same amount of organization from your students with regard to practice, behavior, and meeting classroom expectations. Structure: To provide a functional classroom structure, we must implement procedures that ensure effective rehearsals can occur. This stems from establishing high behavioral expectations among students as well as consistently enforcing classroom norms. In addition, structure refers to the sequence of lesson activities that will serve as a model for how students should practice at home. As I write this article during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am

able to teach 25% of orchestra students in person while the remaining 75% are learning remotely via asynchronous instruction—I have not met with them in real time (virtually or in person). Therefore, I sequence my in-person and asynchronous assignments as follows, with the intention of instilling positive, independent practice habits in all students: 1. Tune. 2. Long tones. Beautiful sounds result from correct physical and instrument setup. 3. Scales. Practice with a drone and metronome, focusing on a core sound and centered pitch. 4. Review at turtle speed. Practice the most difficult passages at a deliberately slow tempo. 5. Etudes and repertoire. Isolate the difficulties.

opportunity to make a positive impact on increasing students’ performance skills. This segues into what I believe are three essential components for an effective classroom rehearsal. They must be motivating, inspiring, and developing the students’ musical skills. Motivating rehearsals ignite students’ desire to practice concepts at home because the rehearsal encourages and guides them to want to achieve musical success. Inspiring rehearsals influence students’ interest to excel technically and musically, as demonstrated by their technical

THE

UNIVERSITY

and mental readiness to dig more deeply into a piece and receive even more detailed instruction at subsequent rehearsals. Lastly, rehearsals must develop musicianship, which encompasses aspects of strong string technique, aural skills, music theory and history, and ensemble skills—rhythmic alignment, cuing, body movement, bow uniformity, and ensemble blend. By reflecting on whether my rehearsals are motivating, inspiring, and developing musicianship, I am better able to gauge how the instructional strengths or deficiencies in my teaching strategies are affecting

NEW

CO L L E G E O F F I N E A R TS DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

MEXICO

Scholarship Auditions

6. Play through the piece. How you practice is how you perform. Play through a piece or large chunk to develop the mental and physical stamina necessary for a fluent performance. 7. Play something fun! Play a piece or song by ear, improvise, compose, or play chamber music with friends (if remote, they could use an app to record individually and create a small ensemble recording). 8. Cool down. Stretch to prevent injury. 9. Reflect. Did you accomplish your goals? How can you improve in your next practice session? 10. Clean and protect your instrument. Skill Set: Choosing a main idea for each rehearsal can be a valuable way to help students organize their daily practice routine. A skill set requires students to critically think about what technical performance aspects are necessary for achieving a musical result. I incorporate the Gestalt approach, which simply means to start with the main idea (the what) that I want my students to be able to do before breaking down the sum of the parts (the how) to reach the main goal. Rehearsals: Motivating, Inspiring, and Developing? I approach each rehearsal by asking myself what musical aspect I would concentrate on most if I had only one

LIVE AUDITIONS AT UNM FEBRUARY 15 AND FEBRUARY 20, 2021 LIVE STREAM AND VIDEO AUDITIONS ALSO ACCEPTED! TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION OR VIRTUAL AUDITION PLEASE CONTACT MICHELLE MORRISON MMORRISON@UNM.EDU 505-277-8998 For general scholarship questions please contact: Dr. Michael Hix, Associate Chair Department of Music mhix@unm.edu Additional scholarships are available in Jazz Studies: Glenn Kostur gkostur@unm.edu Music Education: George Nicholson gnicholson@unm.edu

MUSIC.UNM.EDU

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 29

the rehearsal atmosphere. For example, if I notice lack of motivation to practice among students, perhaps I am not challenging them enough musically or perhaps I need to improve on my ability to communicate pedagogical information in a clearer and more succinct fashion that resonates well with students. In short, musical achievement in the orchestra correlates with the type of classroom environment, support, and instructional strategies that strengthen individual and ensemble performance. Four Pillars of Practice Influenced by my Indiana University violin professor Mimi Zweig (author of StringPedagogy.com), the “Four Pillars of Practice” serve as a useful method for determining how best to approach any new piece of music by isolating one aspect of string playing at a time. Focusing on these four can create stronger sightreading musicians and better ensemble accuracy: • Bow. What type of bowing articulations will be used? Are there any bow lifts? What are the dynamics? • Fingers. What is the key signature and corresponding fingering patterns?

Is any shifting involved? Are there any accidentals or unusual extensions? • Form. What is the overall form of the piece? ABA? Ternary? Through-composed? • Practice. This refers to the isolation of difficulties. What passages deserve more mindful awareness and better detailed practice? Deeper-Level Questioning We should take every opportunity to ask students questions that require them to critically think about a performance skill. Instead of asking “Are we going to play well today?” we could go deeper by asking “What are three specific ways we can create a beautiful tone on our instruments?” Now students must think about the procedures involved with producing a beautiful tone quality relative to their physical posture, instrument position, lefthand movement, and bow distribution. The following three questions can be helpful when incorporating deeper-level questioning into the rehearsal: 1. What is the result I want for students?

What does the ensemble need to accomplish to perform the piece better technically and at a higher musical level? 2. What do students already know that will allow them to arrive with an answer to the inquiry? Do students possess the background knowledge and technical skills necessary to communicate, discuss, and perform the desired result with musical success? 3. How will students fix the problem? What are the procedures and technical exercises that will be necessary for the students to achieve musical success? By asking deeper-level questions, we can help students develop the thought processes necessary for independently solving musical problems—a critical skill that will be part of their foundation for lifelong musicianship. 0 Karel Butz is the Orchestra Director at Jordan HS and the author of Achieving Musical Success in the String Classroom (Oxford University Press, 2019).

Department of Music

PURSUE YOUR PASSION AUDITION DATES See website for in-person audition dates Scholarships Available

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES BM Education BM Performance BMA BA Music

ENSEMBLE OPPORTUNITIES Choir & Opera Band Orchestra Jazz Chamber Percussion Piano

DEADLINE FOR ALL MATERIALS February 1, 2021 Department of Music 30 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

(208) 496-4950 • music@byui.edu • http://www.byui.edu/music

You’reOneShareAwayfrom EffectiveMusicEducationAdvocacy Music Makes Me Happy

Music Helps Us Believe in Ourselves

Music Education Changes Lives

Music Prepares Us for Success

TMEAproduced eight compelling videos that offer personal accounts about the power of music education in our lives. Music Class: A Safe Place to Grow

Music Brings People Together

Music Connects Us

Downloadable versions with Spanish subtitles

Music Makes Me the Best Version of Me

NOW IT ’ S YOUR T UR N! +Share on Social Media + Email to Your Community +Download &Show at Any Event + Embed on Your Website W W W. T M E A . OR G/I T S TA R T S WI T HM US I C Southwestern Musician | November 2020 31

VOCAL NOTES

B Y

J E D

R A G S D A L E

Time to pivot

leigh bells ring, are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening! About a month ago, we pretty much decided to toss everything and pivot—a word now more common than we’d wish. “In case we need to pivot to virtual,” “When we pivot to hybrid.” When the time comes, we’ll likely put this word to rest, as well as synchronous and asynchronous, among others. What we decided to pivot to is holiday music. The moment I told some of my choirs this was our new direction, there weren’t just sighs of relief, but cheers. It was the first time I had seen a glimpse of joy on students’ faces since February’s pop show—their last public performance. Even the first day back in the brick-andmortar school building wasn’t joyous. It was filled with apprehension and uncertainty. Would everything shut down in a few days or weeks? Did we make the right decision to return? Stress has, indeed, been ever present in everything we’ve done, professionally and personally, since those days in March when the world, as we knew it, changed. We’ve heard statements like “We must remain flexible,” “The situation is very fluid,” and “Be prepared to pivot.” I know I took a deep breath as I heard these repeatedly when ending the last school year, throughout the summer, and before beginning this one. As we started the year, I tried to make everything as normal as I could, and the stress was overwhelming. It simply was not going to be normal. Teaching students face to face while doing everything we could to teach or at least reach our students who were learning remotely was quite the challenge. I then

As educators, even though we are experienced in our fields, we must remember that we also have great and untapped potential. 32 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

November—Renew your membership and register for the convention. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline. January 9—Area Vocal and Band auditions. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention, held virtually.

realized I wasn’t using the right approach. I wasn’t trying to return to normal for the sake of the students. I was trying to return to what I knew as normal. But with ten-minute passing periods, chairs six feet apart, and not much in the room beyond a piano and a projector, it was anything but normal. The rehearsal routine was totally different. I realized we must take flexibility to a new level. We really did have to pivot. So we shifted gears. Instead of racing ahead with repertoire for a concert that wouldn’t take place, we decided to be more thorough in building a solid choral foundation. We shored up the infrastructure and made repairs from the past six months’ worth of storms. We began preparations for another possible storm season while working on fun, high-quality repertoire with familiar themes and melodies, and the students are better for it. They are better musicians, have a stronger grasp of fundamental music theory, are confident music readers, and are having fun singing. It’s been a shift in our program and our mindset. In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, author Carol S. Dweck, PhD, offers that there are two types of mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.

“The fixed mindset creates an urgency to prove ourselves over and over.” The growth mindset develops a “passion to stretch ourselves and stick to it, even when it’s not going well. . . It allows us to thrive during the most challenging times in our lives.” We often strive to instill in our students and own children that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. They have such great and untapped potential. As educators, even though we are experienced in our fields, we must remember that we also have great and untapped potential. We can accomplish more or at least do things differently. The question is, do you want to set your mind to accomplish it? Often, the answer is that we simply don’t have the energy, time, or desire to try. We choose to stick to what we know. If you find yourself unable to shake off the stress, or are at a professional or personal low point, consider your mindset. Are you focusing on what you haven’t accomplished or can’t seem to accomplish in this moment? If so, you must switch your focus to determine how you can make the situation better or at least workable by unleashing your great and untapped potential. The second semester is upon us,

and it’s still filled with uncertainty. Stress is wasted energy that can continue to diminish our remaining strength. Imagine if you instead invested that energy in exploring a different methodology or strategy or in learning how to use new tools, including various online programs and platforms. It could open your world, inspire you, or at least make some things a little easier. There are certain digital educational platforms that have been difficult to use, to say it mildly. But if you don’t give up when it gets difficult, you will find that at least some parts can be used to your advantage. You just need to shift your mindset. With determination, dedication, and desire you can accomplish anything! How badly do you want it? That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It’s not just our students to whom that should be asked. The teacher can also accomplish anything. I urge you to be the example. Show your students a growth mindset in action, and learn yet another life lesson from your pivot. TMEA Clinic/Convention I’m sure you know by now about TMEA’s pivot to a virtual event to allow

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 33

MUSIC THAT INSPIRES THE COUNTRY, SERVICE THAT PROTECTS IT.

Musician Enlistment Option Program. There are few truly great career options; serving as a Marine Corps Musician is one of them. If you have what it takes to become both a Marine and a Marine musician, you will play at some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most honored events. Precision, discipline and honor will be represented in every note you play. And as a Marine, you will distinguish yourself from the rest. Contact the Music Placement Director at 214.693.3524 or Gerald.Ebo@marines.usmc.mil. Learn more at Marines.com/Music

us to continue to offer our annual convention. Be assured that the Executive Board and staff are determined and dedicated to delivering the best virtual music educators convention ever! We are most definitely working with a growth mindset to ensure you benefit from incredible clinics, engaging exhibits, and inspiring concerts from our amazing performing groups! If you haven’t already, be sure to register for the convention at www.tmea.org/convention.

Invited Groups While our convention is going to be held virtually, we will continue to be inspired by performances from wonderful choral programs from across our state. Special thanks go to all directors who submitted applications this year, and our congratulations go to our invited performing choirs. See page 26 for a list of the exciting lineup of all ensembles that will offer their best to us during our event in February. Look for

more information about our invited choirs and their repertoire in future issues. President’s Concert Speaking of inspiring performances, know that this year, our President’s Concert will feature VOCES8 and be presented at no additional charge to registered attendees. What an amazing opportunity we’ll have to listen to this extraordinary professional chorus! 0

TMEA 2021 President’s Concert This extraordinary performance will be presented during the 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention at no additional charge to convention registrants.

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 35

2021

WWW.TMEA.ORG/CONVENTION 36 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

Attend the 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention Register for our virtual event today! • Clinics by master educators • Inspiring performances • Connections with colleagues • The best deals from exhibitors

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 37

HAPPY,

NOT SATISFIED creating and maintaining a positive program culture

By Daniel Morrison

uman nature guides us to yearn for purpose in our pursuits, both personally and professionally. Whether you play a sport, run a business, or lead a band, orchestra, or choir program, the desire for success, fulfillment, and happiness is the same. The question is, how do we establish a culture that fulfills these human desires, for ourselves as teachers as well as for our students? The answers to this esoteric question are plentiful, but through my tenure as director of bands at Ronald Reagan HS in San Antonio, I have found that a specific mindset and approach to each rehearsal, school day, competitive season, school year, and beyond fosters a culture of positivity, success, and fulfillment for students and staff alike. That mindset—the mantra of our program and our entire organization—is to be happy, but not satisfied. Happy, not satisfied goes beyond just a catch phrase or mantra though. It truly is a way of life. It can be described as finding joy and contentment in all areas of our personal and professional lives through the process of growth, development, and improvement. With this mindset, each night we go to sleep feeling proud of the effort we put forth and the growth we experienced that day, while simultaneously looking forward to the opportunity to seek improvement the next. It requires us to accept the fact that there is no end. Embracing the infinite nature of this concept takes practice, but it is incredibly liberating once our minds allow us to surrender to it. Consider Thomas Jefferson’s guiding notion for our nation as an example of this concept. In the Declaration of Independence, he wrote that among our inalienable rights are “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Notice the third item on the list is active, not passive.

38 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

Jefferson understood that happiness is not a destination. It is a state of being that requires constant attention and action. Hence, there is no end. Finally, happy, not satisfied is the antithesis of the I’ll be happy once I . . . mindset—a rabbit hole many of us are guilty of traveling down. “I’ll be happy once the orchestra gets superior ratings,” “I’ll be happy once the marching band makes finals at this competition,” and so on. It’s not just directors who adopt this mental approach; students do as well. This can quickly lead to a toxic environment filled with resentment, stagnation, and frustration. Students will align their priorities with their leader’s. If we want our students to feel a sense of purpose within our programs, we must build a cultural foundation that prioritizes our focus on the process. This won’t be accomplished by dwelling on goals often outside their control or by obsessing over competition. It can, however, be achieved through a purposeful approach to each day that prioritizes positivity, growth, productivity, and mindfulness. DEEMPHASIZE COMPETITIVE RESULTS Competition is inherently part of a music educator’s career in some form. It may look drastically different depending on the grade level, location, or program type, but there will inevitably be some type of competitive element involved in our jobs. Competition can bring out the best in students and directors. It can also bring out our worst if we aren’t diligent in our approach as leaders. Consider these important points about competition I believe are worthy of emphasis: • We do not ultimately have control over competitive results.

2021 AUDITIONS Admission and scholarships/assistantships available H October 24 H November 14 H February 6 H March 6

music.txstate.edu Texas State University, to the extent not in conflict with federal or state law, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus.

Directors and students can work to put themselves in as favorable a position as possible to succeed competitively, but ultimately someone else’s opinion decides the group’s fate. • Competition represents a very small percentage of what happens within a program. Even an exceedingly active marching band program that competes every weekend in the fall will spend less than 1% of its time actively competing. • Human nature leads us to desire a positive outcome at a competitive event. If we are there, we want to succeed. I implore you to work to deemphasize the importance of the competitive outcome with your students. As I mentioned, students will harbor an innate desire to succeed competitively no matter what we say. Thus, we don’t need to add fuel to the fire by discussing desired competitive outcomes with them. Doing so can quickly lead to stress and anxiety for students and staff, and it can also create resentment within your program if (when) a result is less than desirable.

In many instances, bands, orchestras, and choirs spend months preparing music for a contest. If a competitive goal dominates the mindset for those in the program, and that goal isn’t achieved, students may begin to believe they wasted all that time. They might wonder if any of it was worth it, and some may even decide to leave the organization. If nothing else, a sense of negativity tends to permeate the program. To avoid these undesired outcomes, I suggest having frequent discussions about your program’s priorities, what success means to you, and how you would like your students to approach the process. I look at achievements as byproducts of the process. If your students focus on what they can control—how much they practice, how well they rehearse, their attention to detail, their mindset regarding musicianship, their meaningful connection with an audience—you can have greater control over the impact of competitive results, no matter where the chips may fall. This approach to competition is crucial to developing the happy, not satisfied mindset and ultimately fostering a culture of positivity and excellence within your program.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Majors • Minors • NON-MAJORS Continue your music at a college that is as smart as you are . . . whether you intend to major in music or not. Our ensembles are open to all students by audition. SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS

All AC music scholarship auditions are now accepted by YouTube video For more information, visit us at austincollege.edu/music or call (903) 813-2251

Austin College

MUSIC Choir Band Orchestra

40 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

EXUDE POSITIVITY One of the most important pillars of a successful music program is student investment. Many things will improve when students view their band, orchestra, or choir not just as a class but as a significant and meaningful part of their lives. Program recruitment, retention, quality of music-making, and enjoyment of the experience will all exist at a higher frequency. While there are many contributing factors in developing invested students, a culture of positivity certainly tops the list. Students will not fully buy in to an organization unless it makes them feel better about themselves and gives them a sense of purpose and meaning. It would be nearly impossible for a student to have that experience in a program that harbors overwhelming negativity. The path to positivity can either flow freely or be obstructed by the director’s daily approach. Since student dispositions will likely mirror that of their leader, it is our duty as their teacher to rise to the challenge of creating a positive atmosphere for our students even on, or especially on, the days when it does not come naturally or easily for us. Just as we would expect our students to push through at a rehearsal on a bad day, we must hold ourselves to this standard. On days marked by adversity and in times when we feel overwhelmed, we cannot waiver. We must remain impenetrably positive. When students can rely on us to be a shining light in their day or even in their life, this idea of investment becomes very real. Ultimately, when our programs are filled with invested students, the potential for excellence in music-making skyrockets. ESTABLISH ROUTINES Developing and improving routines is essential for a happy, not satisfied lifestyle and mindset. Implementing meaningful processes leads to more efficiency, less confusion, and fewer disciplinary issues. It sets the foundation for significant improvement from individuals and the program as a whole. While I could write an entire article about specific routines within my band program, I will take a more general approach to the topic here. Routines can be incorporated into almost every facet of what we do as music educators. From the way students enter our classrooms to how they load buses, store cases during rehearsal, approach

EVEN TEACHERS NEED TEACHERS The Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) gives you access to a wealth of professional development opportunities and resources. YES brings you into a network of like-minded colleagues, experts and professionals who want to share their real-world experiences. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also receive valuable tips on advocacy assistance, program health support and much more. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsSWM2

individual practice, and beyond, routines help establish expectations without requiring lengthy explanations. This is not to say that we should approach music-making purely based on routines. However, these routines will allow us to focus on the most important aspects of what we do: fostering creativity, developing intellectual and emotional intelligence, and connecting deeply with others, all through musicmaking at the highest level possible. Furthermore, improving, streamlining, and adapting routines based on the needs of the program is where the happy, not satisfied approach becomes important. If we open our minds to constant growth, our routines will improve, and our programs can continue to flourish. FOCUS ON PERSONAL WELLNESS I have found that to truly develop a culture of positivity and excellence within our programs, we must also live by the happy,

not satisfied mindset in our personal lives. Although I was guilty of focusing only on goals and not relishing in the process professionally, where I struggled the most was in my personal life. I did the opposite of what I described above. When I think back on earlier years in my career, I barely remember most days. They were a haze of stress and anxiety because I was focused solely on making finals or getting a superior rating. Now I realize that this was not only unpleasant for my personal life but also less effective for my career. When I became better at living my life happy, not satisfied, competitive success and career milestones occurred more often. This is a perfect example of how achievements are byproducts of the process. I started to emphasize personal wellness and growth through proper nutrition, exercise, reading habits, and more. This change has made me clearer mentally,

2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention

and that allows me to be a better teacher and a better leader. I finally realized I did not need to put myself last to put my students first. In fact, my students were not getting the best from me expressly because I wasn’t prioritizing my own well-being. Once I made myself a priority, my teaching improved, the connections I made with students were so much more meaningful, and the culture of the program shifted toward positivity. I approach personal wellness with the happy, not satisfied mindset, continually seeking growth and improvement through pillars of mental and physical health while finding peace, joy, and contentment through these efforts. Ultimately, I took happy, not satisfied and applied it to me, and that trickled into my career and students. I have never felt more fulfilled in my life, and the culture of our band has never been healthier or more positive. 0 Daniel Morrison is the Director of Bands at Ronald Reagan HS in San Antonio. Learn more about these concepts at HappyNotSatisfied.com.

W W W.TM E A .O R G /CO N V E NTI O N

Music scholarships available to non-music majors ■ Faculty who focus on undergraduates

think. perform. explore.

■ 16 ensembles, with national and international ensemble touring opportunities ■ Degrees in music education, performance, and composition ■ Master of Arts in Teaching, a 5th year program with a full year of student teaching and 100% job placement (25 consecutive years) ■ Located in culturally vibrant San Antonio ■ Study Abroad opportunities

trinity.edu/music The Trinity University Music Department is recognized as an ALL-STEINWAY SCHOOL by Steinway and Sons, for its commitment to excellence

42 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS SUMMERS-ONLY MASTER OF MUSIC EDUCATION 3-Summer program Build professional relationships Practical for the working teacher Go beyond in-service development Learn from UNT faculty Renowned guest instructors Band, choir and orchestra tracks June 7th to July 15th, 2021 Apply now BEYOND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MUSICED.MUSIC.UNT.EDU | JESSICA.NAPOLES@UNT.EDU

ELEMENTARY NOTES

B Y

A B I G A I L

H A W E S

Masked musings

t’s November—do my kindergartners really know me? Sometimes I wonder. It had been a particularly warm afternoon as I finished my duty at the bus line. I grabbed a bottle of water on my way to the cafeteria to help monitor the remaining kinder and first-grade car riders as they sat at their tables, awaiting the call to come to the front. As many of you know, few things compare to the feeling of removing the mask you’ve worn since lunch. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, letting the mask hang precariously and unceremoniously from my left ear while taking that first sip of water. I’d only exchanged a few words with the teacher beside me when I noticed them. A small group of kindergarten students sitting at a nearby table were excitedly pointing and gesturing in our direction. Confused, I looked at my colleague, behind me, and then back at the table of students. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary (save the stacks of unused desks being stored on the stage behind me), I walked a little closer to their table and overheard one saying, “She looks different!” Putting two and two together, I deduced the source of their sudden excitement. They were seeing my face—in its entirety—for the first time since the start of the school year.

check www.tmea .org for updates

November—Renew your membership and register for the convention. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline.

Masked and all, face to face or virtually, on a cart or in our rooms, we are out there, sharing music with our students. 44 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention, held virtually.

BAY L OR U N I V E R SIT Y SCHOOL OF MUSIC

VISIT Email our professors to schedule a sample lesson or virtual visit. Contact information available at baylor.edu/music/directory

AUDITION PROCESS 1. Complete the Baylor University application at baylor.edu/gobaylor 2. Complete and submit the School of Music application and your video recorded audition at app.getacceptd.com/baylormusic Subscribe to our newsletter or receive School of Music concert information and updates at baylor.edu/music/subscribe

For more information, visit baylor.edu/music Email Mary Sage at Mary_Sage@baylor.edu or Music_Admit@baylor.edu ďż˝ baylormusic

twitter @baylor_music

ďż˝ @baylormusic

Baylor University admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

She looks different. Of course, I did— in their eyes, at least. While in class, they had become familiar with only the top quarter of my face. Now they were seeing it all, and, notably, in its post-outdoor-dismissal-duty glory! Perhaps for them, it was the pandemic equivalent of running into your teacher at the grocery store. Instead of realizing teachers do get to leave the school and buy food, they were acknowledging that, yes, I really do have a face under this mask! I don’t know about you, but I’ve certainly felt the absence of whole, complete

46 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

faces at school—it’s really been an adjustment. Teaching music during this pandemic has presented more than its fair share of challenges, but somehow this one feels particularly poignant. A quick online search revealed I’m not alone in this—those in the service and hospitality industries are also feeling the absence of, well, complete faces. So many of our simple, daily interactions with those around us are informed by visible facial expressions. A quick smile in the hallway, a wide-mouthed gasp of surprise, or even the puffed-cheek “bubbles in your mouth” cue used by so many of us at the elementary level—none of these nonverbal cues work very well when your mouth is covered by a 7 × 3 rectangle of fabric. Oh, and let’s not forget about The Look. You know the one I’m talking about— the one reserved for the times when you’re hoping to silently communicate your disappointment with a student’s choices from 6, 12, or maybe even 18 feet away? Tell me, how do you give the teacher look while masked? Just last week, I found myself fighting the urge to pull my mask down as I walked over to privately redirect a student, afraid they might not

understand the seriousness of my request without the facial expression that typically accompanies it. (I’m happy to report this ended up being unnecessary.) Sure, the mask may get in the way of the infamous teacher look, but on the flip side, it also proves to be a hindrance to its opposite: smiling. And quite honestly, I believe it is the absence of those smiles that hits the hardest. Having been someone who derives special joy from those first few weeks of kindergarten music—where everything is new to them—I really felt like I was missing out. Teaching and singing to 20 sets of eyes just wasn’t the same. But then, the class would erupt in peals of laughter at something and suddenly I’d realize there was no cause for alarm. The joy was alive and well—just masked. Looking for ways to keep the sense of joy active and somehow visible in our classes despite this year’s never-ending masquerade ball, I introduced my classes to a term I recently read about: smizing. Coined by Tyra Banks during her time on the television show America’s Next Top Model, smizing is simply the act of smil-

ing with your eyes. Banks encouraged contestants on the show to bring life to their eyes and, in turn, become more effective and memorable models. And in this time where masking is needed and necessary, this technique is making an impact on much more than just the modeling world. Masked and all, face to face or virtually, on a cart or in our rooms, we are out there, sharing music with our students. Even if we can’t see the smiles behind the masks, and even if they haven’t quite perfected the art of smizing, don’t think for a moment that we can’t keep that spirit of joy alive— in ourselves and in our students. So, go find a mirror, and get to practicing. Give smizing a try and share the idea with your students and coworkers. While not exactly the original saying, it’s still true that the eyes have it! Clinic/Convention Updates Thank you for your continued feedback and participation in this planning process as the TMEA Board and staff continue to work toward developing a program for our first ever virtual TMEA Clinic/ Convention. Your input concerning dates, times, and clinic topics, as well as your willingness to participate as a presenter or performing ensemble director, will only help ensure the success of our annual event! Stay tuned—we look forward to sharing more details about February’s opportunities very soon! As always, visit www.tmea.org/convention for the most updated information. Invited Groups While our convention is going to be held virtually, we will continue to be inspired by performances from incredible elementary choirs and instrumental groups from across our state. Special thanks go to all members who submitted applications during this unusual year, and our congratulations go to our invited performing groups. See page 26 for a list of the exciting lineup of all ensembles that

WWW.TMEA.ORG/RESOURCES

will offer their best to us during our event in February. Look for more information about our invited elementary choirs and instrumental groups and their programs in future issues. Resources Available Have you checked out the resources available on the TMEA website lately? Our newly-designed resources webpage not only has a fresh, new look—it also contains a veritable treasure trove of resources. Visit www.tmea.org/resources to search the online collection or recommend a resource

SAM

HOUSTON

STATE

you have already found helpful so that others can benefit from it. TMEA Mentoring Network Each year, TMEA pairs new music educators with experienced mentors through the Mentoring Network. This incredible resource wouldn’t be possible without two groups of people—the dedicated professionals willing to share their time and talents as mentors, and the new music educators looking to enhance their craft. Want to get involved? Go to www.tmea. org/mentor and enroll today. 0

UNIVERSITY

S C H O O L

O F

M U S I C

NOV EMBER 14, 2 02 0

VOICE & ALL IN STRUMENTS (with the exception of guitar, percussion, & piano)

JANUARY 3 0, 2021

V OICE & ALL I N STRUME N TS (with the exception of guitar, percussion, & piano)

FEBRU ARY 20 , 20 21

V O ICE & ALL I N STRUMEN TS (with the exception of guitar)

MARC H 6 , 20 21

VOICE & ALL I N STRUMENTS (with the exception of harp)

APRIL 12 , 2 021

V OICE ON LY (not for scholarship consideration)

2021 AUDITIONS

Searchfor theresourcesyouneed

936-294-1360 1751 Ave. I, Suite 225 Huntsville, TX 77340

Filtertonarrowthereturnof results

shsu.edu/music

F o r m o r e info r m atio n vis it

Recommendresourcesforinclusion Southwestern Musician | November 2020 47

C E L E B R AT I N G D I V E R S I T Y

in the music classroom BY RENÉ BOYER

or more than two centuries, traditional Western European music has been the foundation on which teachers have built music programs throughout the United States. However, in recent decades, shifts in demographics and growth in the respect for other cultures have motivated teachers to enhance traditional pedagogies and materials with teaching methods designed to address the growing musical needs of a diverse group of learners. At Fort Bend ISD, you’d probably find one of the most diverse groups of students in the state of Texas. With a 75,000-student population, this school district southwest of Houston is the most diverse among the state’s traditional, non-charter school districts. The makeup of its student population is a nearly balanced share of the nation’s four major ethnic groups—white (16%), Black (27%), Hispanic (27%), and Asian (26%). This district is a true microcosm of the changing demographics of Texas’s student population comprising more than 5.3 million. Cultural Diversity and Our Standards Many of today’s music classrooms are characterized by cultural diversity that demands an inclusive and comprehensive approach to how teachers teach, along with recognition of how children learn. In inner-city schools, for example, serving racial and language minority students requires a greater obligation by the teacher to ensure that classroom pedagogies and lessons result in a culturally meaningful learning experience for every student. Although many music educators support a position regarding inclusion of a more diverse curriculum, some agree yet limit what that means to exclude genres of pop, hip-hop, rock, and others. I believe, however, that good music should include whatever is meaningful to the learner. In fact, whatever it takes to engage a child in a meaningful musical experience should be the primary focus of any music educator. 48 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

Sharing Cultures in the Music Classroom Sharing important cultural events through music-making is a wonderful way to acknowledge diversity among students and bridge cultural gaps. We have a deep wealth of traditions to teach and celebrate, from the traditional Greek dance Tsamiko, to African-American spirituals, Native American round dances, and conjunto and mariachi music, to name just a few. Every child enters the classroom with a cultural background to be valued. When teachers discover, recognize, and honor differences in students, they can more easily plan for a more culturally inclusive music program. Teaching Elements of Music Teaching basic elements of music (melody, rhythm, form, timbre, harmony, texture, dynamics, and tempo) and providing musical experiences and activities to reinforce those elements are essential to any music program. In fact, it is the teacher’s choice of musical literature and activities chosen to reinforce these elements that make or break our students’ willingness to participate in the program. As a music educator and clinician, working with children and teachers in diverse settings, I have observed teachers who struggle to teach children from different backgrounds and cultures, because they use repertoire that isn’t interesting or meaningful to their students to teach basic music elements. Teachers with students from diverse backgrounds should select musical examples that not only reinforce the learning of a specific concept but also acknowledge the diversity of students involved in learning the concept. For example, if a majority of students relate to songs from The Lion King, then that’s where a teacher can begin. Familiarity of songs not only facilitates the teaching of musical concepts but also enhances most students’ willingness to participate in the learning process. In Latin America, La Mar (The Sea) and Arroz

PERFORMANCE PA S S I O N PRIDE A Member of the Texas A&M University System

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S DEGREES IN MUSIC EMPHASIZING MUSIC EDUCATION OR PERFORMANCE tamuc.edu/music | 903-886-5303

2021 Admission & Scholarship Audition Dates: February 20 February 27 March 13 March 20 Auditions are required of all entering and transferring music majors. Alternative video auditions upon request.

@TAMUCMusic

@TAMUCBands

@TAMUCChoirs

con Leche (Rice with Milk) are two popular lullabies young children enjoy listening to and singing. For teachers, these two songs are perfect for reinforcing the concept of an anacrusis, or pickup note. Songs, instrumental pieces, and accompaniments that contain interesting rhythms are important to children because that’s what they hear and experience in their world. Unquestionably, appropriate examples of rap and hip-hop can be used to reinforce the element of rhythm, especially the concept of syncopation. Teachers can take advantage of these popular styles of music by encouraging students to create their own rap and hiphop compositions and accompaniments, thus giving students opportunities to learn the elements of music in an enjoyable and productive way. These types of activities— composing rap and hip-hop within set guidelines to realize specific objectives— will also help students understand why it is important to read and write music. Shabooya is a composition defined by its powerful syncopation and rap-like B section. It is an exciting song, best performed in a circle with students taking turns inserting their names during the B section (see the music on this page). Percussion and movement can be added. After engaging students in its performance and analyzing specific musical concepts contained within Shabooya, students should be encouraged to create their own hip-hop compositions. A plethora of songs, instrumental pieces, and listening examples that reflect culturally diverse communities and reinforce the learning of basic elements and their concepts are readily accessible through many music publishers. Sometimes, however, depending on the students, teachers may need to seek alternative sources for literature. In short, to be successful in helping all students attain academic and musical excellence, teachers must approach content in ways that will reflect an understanding and sensitivity to those they teach. Let’s consider other examples of how to incorporate diversity in the music classroom. Considerations for Song Selections Patriotic Songs: It is important to include patriotic music in the classroom because these songs can help promote unity. It is important to mention that 50 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

La Mar

Arroz con Leche

Shabooya

My name is , I’m as happy as can be; ’Cause I’ve got my rhythm and my music with me. I can sing it, I can clap it, I can move to it too, Just come along with me and I will show you what to do.

many of America’s historically patriotic songs are controversial for a variety of reasons. I wrote “United We Stand” as a contemporary tribute to unity in our country. When we teach any music, including patriotic music, we must be aware of its history and use the teaching of the music as an avenue to enlighten our students about our country’s past. The Power of Lyrics: Through song lyrics, most children learn about the environment in which they live. They learn their ABCs. They learn about farm and zoo animals, colors, modes of transportation, and seasons. They also learn about the importance of respecting one another, acknowledging one another’s differences in positive ways, and the importance of being sensitive toward others. The list goes on and on. Lyrics to songs affect us all. One of my favorite songs I have used when teaching in diverse classroom settings is “We Want to Sing” by Roger Emerson. This song has

powerful and meaningful lyrics set to an equally beautiful contemporary pop-like tune that appeals to most children. We want to sing. We want to tell the world. We want them to know that they are loved, With our music, we can make this world a better place for everyone. Singing, moving, and listening to songs similar to “We Want to Sing,” as well as other selected pop, rock, or country songs, are important to many children. These genres of music enhance socialization and communication within diverse cultures and serve as a common bond when language is a barrier. Therefore, we can be encouraged to find appropriate examples of popular music and add them to students’ existing repertoire. Sometimes popular tunes can be played on instruments

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

TRUTH IN GREAT MUSIC Learn more about auditions, programs, and scholarships at music.byu.edu or 801-422-2660.

like recorders, barred instruments, melody bells, keyboards, guitars, and digital devices. Playing pop tunes on instruments is especially recommended for teachers who are less comfortable teaching songs in languages other than English but who may wish to include music from other cultures in their curriculum. Considerations for Instrumental Music The Drum Circle: Most children enjoy drumming. Adding unpitched percussion (if available) like claves, maracas, güiros, cowbells, and tambourines allows teachers to sweep students into a circle of music-making, where communication and togetherness is unparalleled. The formation of students into a drum circle provides opportunities for them to keep a steady beat, explore a variety of percussion sounds, accurately play patterns of rhythms, and maintain a specific rhythmic pattern without deviation. Improvisation can also be incorporated as a key element. The Nigerian drumming song Jingo Ba can be used to spark students’ participation in a drum circle. Begin by singing the song. While singing, establish the basic beat by patting or clapping it along with the song. Once a beat has been established, a student leader can replace the teacher to create and assign other rhythmic patterns or ostinati that can be layered on top of the beat. (See the example at the top of the page.) All directions to players should be given using nonverbal cues. The leader can choose to invite individuals or small groups to improvise. Clearly, a student leader’s success lies in their ability to offer equal opportunity among all players in the drum circle. Ukuleles: The ukulele is one of the most portable instruments around. During a time in which distancing is crucial, a stringed instrument, like the ukulele, can be easily used to teach the basic elements of music to children from varying cultures. Alternative Instruments: Children love to play instruments, but they are not always readily available. Orff instruments, guitars, and recorders make wonderful additions to the classroom but can be cost prohibitive. In these cases, alternative instruments should be considered. For example, I use boxes from the school cafeteria for drums and cut dowel rods for rhythm sticks. Maracas can be easily

Jingo Ba Nigerian Drumming Song

Rhythmic/Ostinato Pattern Examples

assembled in the classroom or at home by putting seeds, rice, beans, or loose beads inside a plastic bottle or other container. Keys tied by fish line to a rod, or clay flowerpots secured with a knotted rope inside and then dangled, produce melodious sounds that can be used instead of wind chimes or bell trees. Garden hoses can be cut into segments and used as pitched instruments. A mouthpiece for a hose can be found for less than $10 online, and a funnel can be found in a dollar store. Thin nylon filament or guitar strings can be placed over a hole in a box, secured on either end, to produce pitches. Instruments made by children and used in performances can be mesmerizing and bring a music classroom alive with joy and excitement. Such activities also promote self-esteem as well as respect and admiration for all participants involved in the process. Resourcefulness In today’s classroom, teachers are challenged to do more with less, despite larger class sizes and the commitment to support our diverse student population. To ensure the greatest program success, teachers should ask for support from the administration, community, and parents. For example, parents can share a favorite lullaby or children’s song, teach a stick, rope, or hand-clapping game learned from their childhood, or introduce and perform on a special instrument. Folk dances, including Asian fan dances, might be on the request list. Folk tales, with accompanying props, might be dramatized with the help

of a parent or other supporter. By engaging our students’ families, we underscore our commitment to understanding and celebrating all cultures. As music educators, we have incredibly rich resources through which we can honor and teach the cultures of our students and of those not represented in our classrooms. We can better select song repertoire, instrumental pieces, and other musical activities, with a dedicated purpose to engage all students in a positive and worthwhile musical experience. We must forge ahead in a positive, resourceful, and inclusive way to continue our efforts to provide meaningful and exciting musical experiences for all. 0 René Boyer is a Professor Emeritus of Music Education at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music where she was the Founder, Director and Teacher of Orff Certification Courses for 30 years. She is known, nationally and internationally, for her work in multicultural and urban music education. References Boyer, Rene, United We Stand (Choral and Sound Trax): Hal Leonard Publishers. Boyer, Rene, Sigame: A Journey Through Latin America Using Rhyme, Rhythm and Song: Beatin’ Path Publications LLC. Emerson, Roger, We Want to Sing, Hal Leonard Corporation Southwestern Musician | November 2020 53

COLLEGE NOTES

B Y

P A U L

S I K E S

Teaching perseverance

n her book Feeling and Form: A Theory of Art, Susanne K. Langer states, “Music is the tonal analog of emotive life.” My understanding of this statement is that we experience form and movement in music similarly to the way in which we experience life. Music, just like life, speeds up and slows down, moves from conflict to resolution, moves from calmness to excitement, and back again. By listening to and studying music, we can experience feelings and emotions like those we experience in life. David J. Elliott takes it a step further in his book Music Matters, stating “Music making is a unique and major source of self-growth, self-knowledge (or constructive knowledge), and flow.” Thus the act of learning and performing music becomes a means by which the practitioner is able to learn about herself, gain knowledge about herself, and experience flow, a type of positive and enjoyable experience (see Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience). For me, each of these ideas accurately reflects my personal experience with

Any musician who has demonstrated outstanding performance clearly possesses grit because to perform at the highest levels, one must pursue a long-term goal with sustained interest and effort over time. 54 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

check www.tmea .org for updates

November—Renew your membership and register for the convention. November 1—Deadline for Collegiate Music Educator Award nominations. November 1—TMEA scholarship online application deadline. December 31—TMEA email/mail/fax convention registration deadline. January 21—TMEA convention online early registration deadline. February 2021—TMEA Clinic/ Convention, held virtually.

music. I have experienced feelings and emotions while both performing and listening to music. I have also learned much about life and myself. I have even had flow experiences while performing music and conducting my ensembles. I say all this because I do believe that music can teach us much about how to live and experience life; music offers many lessons to those who work and are open to learning them. I believe one of the most important lessons learned from studying and practicing music is that of perseverance. The Oxford Dictionary defines perseverance as “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary goes a bit further and applies it to an individual by stating that perseverance is “the quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim despite difficulties.” Researchers continue to study the effects of perseverance in people and how it helps them reach their goals. A popular term for perseverance is grit. Psychologist, researcher, and author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth, defines

grit as “the disposition to pursue longterm goals with sustained interest and effort over time.” Though slightly different, each definition implies that perseverance is a quality or trait that a person has or, implicitly, doesn’t have. This is where music comes in. Music demands perseverance from those who choose to pursue it. Individuals must commit to practice and study for hours a day over the course of weeks, months, and years to reap the full rewards music can offer. There is always a delay in achieving success as a musician because one must first put the work in before the seeds mature and bear fruit. Along the way, there are always difficulties to overcome. Other priorities arise, trying to take away time from practice and study. Frustration can build after a perceived lack of progress or the slow pace of improvement. Sometimes injury, illness, or broken equipment slows progress and delays success. To reach one’s potential, a person must overcome all these difficulties and more. They must show grit. Any musician who has demonstrated outstanding performance clearly possesses grit,

because to perform at the highest levels, one must pursue a long-term goal with sustained interest and effort over time. It is simply impossible to be an outstanding musician without perseverance. Thus, as current and future music educators, one of the most important lessons we can teach our students is perseverance. We do this by incorporating into our lessons, exams, and performances a conversation about how hard work, over time, will lead to success. We connect a student’s hard work to the success they experience or, conversely, tie their lack of work to their struggles. At every turn, teachers must instill in their students the understanding that success is enabled most strongly by how hard and how much they work; it’s not simply a product of innate talent, favoritism, or luck. We must work to develop high self-efficacy in our students so they attribute their successes to their effort and work. This is only the first part of building grit, because knowing hard work leads to success doesn’t always mean students will work hard. In addition, students need to experience that success firsthand. By

Southwestern Musician | November 2020 55

constantly telling students of far-distanced riches, they are likely to become discouraged and elect to do something else with their time—something with more immediate benefits. Instead, music educators should convey short-term goals that lead to long-term goals. In this way, students can experience success on a regular basis, and this will motivate them to continue. Distinguished psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi suggests that we need to stretch just a bit beyond our ability levels to create these types of optimal experiences that will motivate us to continue our work. Bill Dean, former band director at Odessa HS and Texas A&M University and one of my mentors, likes to say, “The other classes teach how to do things; band teaches you how to be someone.” I believe Mr. Dean was right on target. The lessons our students learn through music are lessons they can apply in all parts of their lives. By learning perseverance through music study, our students are better able to apply that trait in their approach to other classes, relationships, and personal goals. I believe this is one of the reasons music students tend to do so well academically, as reflected in our All-State students’ SAT scores. There is also ample anecdotal evidence that musicians succeed in a wide range of careers. Neil Armstrong, Albert Einstein, and Condoleezza Rice all were musicians before they became professionals in their fields. As Angela Duckworth said, grit—holding steadfast to a goal through time—is highly predictive of success. We also need to remember that as professional music educators, we too have learned the lessons of perseverance. We have each spent countless hours studying, practicing, and performing. We have personally experienced challenges and difficulties and have succeeded despite them. I believe these lessons have instilled in us a perseverance to get the job done no matter the obstacles. I believe this because each

day I see music teachers around the state, in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges, pushing through adversity to ensure their students receive the best music education they can provide despite the obstacles before them. This pandemic and subsequent challenges that resulted have shown that perseverance may be the most important lesson music study offers. As we move through the fall and beyond, we will continue to face new challenges. The same is true for our students as they work to stay focused and engaged in their schooling, despite the challenges surrounding them. I know, however, that we all have the disposition to pursue long-term goals with sustained interest and effort over time. We all have grit, perseverance, persistence, or whatever you want to call it. I know this because we have all learned the lessons of music. And so, as you read this, I hope you will be reminded of the lessons you have learned and know that you have it in you to persevere. I hope you will also constantly remind your students of the rewards that await them if they simply push forward and work hard. While today’s challenges are great, so are the opportunities to teach our students. There will be a time when the challenges ease. When that time comes, we will all have a better understanding of ourselves and a quiet pride knowing that we persevered. I suspect we will all recognize the emotions in music more, be moved by music more, and be thankful that we had music in our lives to teach us so much. College Division Fall Conference Thank you to all who attended this year’s virtual fall conference. The minutes for this event will be published in the December Southwestern Musician. While I missed seeing everyone in person, I am thankful we had the ability to meet and share ideas. I love coming together as a division because I am reminded of the wonderful people who make up the College Division. It is truly an honor to work with

so many intelligent and capable individuals. I encourage you to continue communicating and working with each other. Just because we are apart does not mean we can’t continue to collaborate. Please share ideas or thoughts you have for the division with me at PLSikes@TxWes.edu. TMEA Clinic/Convention If you have not done so, please register for the 2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention that will be held virtually in February. Also, encourage your students to register. Our featured clinicians, David Elliott and Scott Edgar, will be presenting outstanding clinics that promise to be thoughtprovoking. Our members will also present outstanding clinics for both college faculty and students. There will be cutting-edge research presentations as well as excellent performances from ensembles across the state. It will be an outstanding event! If you haven’t yet, go to www.tmea.org/register and register today. TMEA Connections We are continuing to host Connections events throughout the 2020–2021 school year. There are Connections events for both faculty and students. In addition to the College Division, other divisions will continue to host these meetings. You may attend any Connections event you are interested in, but you must be a member to attend. If you have not done so, renew now at www.tmea.org/renew. Collegiate Music Educator Award The deadline to nominate your outstanding music education majors graduating this fall is November 1. Nominations will open again in January for the spring semester. For a list of qualifications, and to nominate students, visit www.tmea.org/ collegiateaward. 0 References Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row; New York. Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. Scribner; New York, NY.

2021 TMEA Clinic/Convention • Online • February 2021 56 Southwestern Musician | November 2020

Elliott, D. (1995). Music Matters, A philosophy of music education. Oxford University Press; Oxford, England. Langer, S. (1953). Feeling and Form: A theory of art. Scribner; New York, NY.

SOUTHWESTERN MUSICIAN

TO PROVIDE A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR STUDENTS For over 35 years youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve counted on MUSIC IN THE PARKS and FESTIVALS OF MUSIC to help you reach your educational goals. The staff of EPN TRAVEL SERVICES and our festival directors, combined with our online event management tools, can now take care of all your travel needs.

CONTACT

888-323-0974 info@epntravel.com epntravel.com

CST 2141850-40

Part of the Educational Programs Network | Festivals, Clinics, Workshops and the Professionals to get you there.

NOVEMBER 2020

THREE ICONIC NAMES COME TOGETHER WITH ONE COMMON GOAL: