MARCH 2012
The Offical Magazine Of The New Jersey Music Educators Association
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Volume 66, No. 3
http://www.njmea.org
FEATURES 18 22 25 26 32 36 42 46 48 51
Musical Policy: Isolationism Or Intervention, by Steve DeLuca See The Music: The Role Of Gestures In Percussion Performance, by Chad Floyd Senior Citizens’ Participation In Music: A New Direction For Research, by Lisa J. Lehmberg Interview With A New Jersey Public School Guitar Educator, by Thomas Amoriello Kids As Composers: Ten Approaches To Composing In The General Music Class, by Bradley L. Green
MARCH 2012 DEPARTMENTS AND NJMEA BUSINESS
Advertisers Index & Web Addresses.......63 Board of Directors.................................60 Division Chair News.......................... 6-14 Editors Message.......................................4 Editorial Policy & Advertising Rates......62 From The Editor......................................4 In Memoriam........................................54 Past-Presidents.......................................62 President’s Message.............................. 2-3 Resource Personnel................................61 Round the Regions.......................... 56-59
Physical Health “Be In Tune With Your Body”, by Andrew Lesser Where Have All The Marches Gone? Here They Are!, by Carolyn Barber Angle & Embouchure: Fundamentals Of Good Clarinet Tone Production, by Michael Walsh You Must Teach Your Students How To Practice, by Patti Fleer Vocal Help For Music Educators: A Logical, Systematic Approach To Vocal Health, by Lin Wallin Schuller, CMVT, MT
TEMPO Editor - Thomas A. Mosher 80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701 Phone/Fax: 732-367-7195 e-mail: tmosher@njmea.org Deadlines: October Issue - August 1 January Issue - November 1 March Issue - January 15 May Issue - March 15 All members should send address changes to: mbrserv@nafme.org or NAfME, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive Reston, VA 22091 Printed by: Kutztown Publishing Co., Inc. 1-800-523-8211 kpc@kutztownpbl.com
The New Jersey Music Educators Association is a state unit of the National Association for Music Education and an affiliate of the New Jersey Education Association. It is a nonprofit membership organization. TEMPO (ISSN 0040-3016) is published four times during the school year: October, January, March and May. It is the official publication of the New Jersey Music Educators Association. The subscription rate for non-members is $20.00 per year. The subscription for members is included in the annual dues. A copy of dues receipts (Subscriptions) is retained by the NJMEA Treasurer. Inquiries regarding advertising rate, closing dates, and the publication of original articles should be sent to the Editor. Volume 66, No. 3, MARCH 2012 TEMPO Editor - Thomas A. Mosher, 80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701 Periodicals Postage Paid at Lakewood, NJ 08701 and additional entries POSTMASTER: Please forward address changes to: NAfME 1806 Robert Fulton Drive Reston, VA 20191
FORMS AND APPLICATIONS See NJMEA.ORG
“Files and Documents” for downloadable copies of all forms
NAfME Application.............................. 64
NJMEA CONFERENCE February 21 - 23, 2013 East Brunswick, NJ NAfME BIENNIAL CONFERENCE March 29-31, 2012 St. Louis, MO NAfME SUMMER LEARNING ACADEMIES June 22-25, 2012 Baltimore, MD
President’s Message KEITH HODGSON 609-317-0906 keithhodgson1@mac.com Website: http://www.njmea.org
Our sincere thanks go to Kathy Mosher, our conference registration chair for her pre-conference preparation. I would especially like to thank Tom Mosher, who works tirelessly for NJMEA keeping tabs on every aspect, event detail, and form for our fine organization. Tom has worked especially hard on the transformation of our new website this past fall. We thank Tom for keeping everyone informed through our Website (www.NJMEA. org) and TEMPO Magazine.
I hope everyone is enjoying their school year. Many of you are probably busy preparing for school musicals and performance festivals and I wish everyone much success in all your musical endeavors. I want to sincerely thank you for all you do for the student musicians of New Jersey! I continue to be very inspired by our student musicians when I attend auditions and Region and AllState concerts. We continually hear from our All-State and Region conductors that the quality of the NJ Honors Ensembles are among the best in the country. We are very proud of our students, our Region organizations, our All-State Band, Chorus and Orchestra procedures committees, and also our fine partnership with NJAJE in sponsoring our Jazz events. However, it all begins with YOU! Thank you and keep up the great work!
This year, we were pleased to offer a new look and new offerings to the Thursday schedule. In addition to the strong Elementary Classroom Music curricula and activities, and Technology Workshops that have been running strong for several years, we added three additional academies for wind band, jazz and the marching idioms expanding our program to a full three-day conference. Thursday evening once again highlighted our fabulous Inter-Collegiate Concert and Jazz Bands.
For me, it has been the best teaching year of my career. It seems like many factors have all lined up at the same time to provide the environment for great learning, great teaching moments, and a fulfilling professional experience: new administration, new colleagues, new school master schedule, facility renovations, a positive budget and most importantly really great students! I enjoy coming to school more than ever and seeing students make music.
I would like to thank our NJMEA Academy Co-Chairs for assisting in the planning and development of these Academies: Wind Band Academy – Tom McCauley and Larry Markiewicz Jazz Academy – Jeffrey Kunkel and David May Marching Academy – Matthew Paterno and Brian Timmons Technology Academy – Rick Dammers and Marjorie LoPresti Elementary Academy – Marie Malara Collegiate Academy – Shannon Chase and Katie Throde
FEBRUARY CONFERENCE I hope you were able to join us for the 2012 NJMEA State Conference! NJMEA has been celebrating our 85th Anniversary this year and we were very excited to unveil many new changes to our conference this year. As always, Marie Malara and her Conference Committee prepared an outstanding line-up of clinics, workshops, presentations and performances. We hosted many fine presenters and clinicians from New Jersey as well as those representing other regions of the country. Thank you Marie and the Conference team for continuing to put together a remarkable event year after year.
Another major addition to our 2012 Conference was the inclusion of the Collegiate Academy. For several years, the state collegiate officers have hosted a one-day conference in February that rotated to different host schools. We invited them to hold their conference this year at the Hilton as a part of the NJMEA Conference running a full day of sessions and collegiate luncheon on Saturday. The Collegiate Academy this year was hosted by Kean University’s NAfME Chapter and their President, Katie Throde. Once again we welcomed back to New Jersey the Dallas Brass for the Friday evening Gala Concert and as always, the grand finale of
The Exhibit Hall was redesigned in a “booth format” and was filled to capacity and we thank our Conference Exhibit Chair Nancy Clasen and Music Industry Liaison, Ron Beaudoin who along with NJMEA Executive Secretary/Treasurer Debbie Sfraga secured a tremendous group of vendors and new exhibitors. Our exhibits were sold out early and we had to turn many away. TEMPO
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As we attend events on the East Coast and throughout the Nation, we are constantly reminded that NJMEA is one of the finest state music educator organizations in the country. We exist to serve you, the members. Please be sure to take time to let me or one of your Board members know how we are doing, and also let us know if you have ideas for future programs or activities. It takes all of us to have a great organization. Thank you for what you do for our students on a daily basis in the classroom and in rehearsals. What an amazing profession we have! How many people get to live their passion every day and instill that love in those that we teach?
every State Conference weekend is the Saturday afternoon concert performance by the All-State Women’s Chorus, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band at NJPAC in Newark. FEBRUARY ALL-STATE The 2012 All-State Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Women’s Chorus was another successful February endeavor. Under the leadership of Band Performance Chair Al Bazzel, Choral Performance Chair Kathy Spadafino and Band Procedures Chair Matthew Spatz, nearly 400 students rehearsed at Rutgers University and performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The weekend experience was coordinated by Donna Cardaneo, who scheduled housing, buses, meals and rehearsals. I would like to thank both committees for making sure that the students had both an educationally and musically rewarding experience.
Continued thanks go to the NJMEA Board of Directors who work tirelessly to bring you a variety of high-quality statewide activities. It is a pleasure working with so many dedicated individuals.
MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH March is National “Music In Our Schools Month”. Be sure to take time to promote and highlight all of the great things you do for your students, your school and your community. There are many suggestions on the NAfME website (www.NAfME.org). Click on the Advocacy link and see the free resources that are available. There are many “inactive” TRI-M chapters in our state. Just a suggestion... how about reactivating your chapter status or starting a new TRI-M Music Honor Society to celebrate music in your school and honor your outstanding music students. You can also start a junior chapter in the middle school.
NAFME Honors the Dedication of it’s 50 year members of New Jersey Congratulations! Patricia H. Bohrs, Cranbury, NJ Dominick J. Ferrara, Bloomfield, NJ Joseph Giardino, Morristown, NJ Winston Hughes, Kendall Park, NJ Margaretta R. KLamb, Ocean City, NJ Frank L. Marrapodi, Watchung, NJ Dorian L. Parreott, Freehold, NJ
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Editor’s Message
Thomas A. Mosher 732-367-7195 tmosher@njmea.org Website: http://www.njmea.org
Navigating The New NJMEA Website
T
he new website has been in place for several months and the reviews from the membership have been excellent. There are many advantages to using this new site over the previous. One advantage is in trying to locate files for download. On the left hand side of the home page is a Quick Link to “Files and Documents.” Clicking on this link provides the viewer with a complete list of every category on the site and every file which may be downloaded from those categories. If you are in doubt as to where to find a particular file to download, go to the Quick Links>Files and Documents and check the various categories where you think that file may reside. Once located, simply click and download. The categegories which are on the site at the present time are listed below. The Conference, Award and NJMEA Document cagtegories have been expanded to illustrate how the files are listed in the document areas. This makes finding anything quick. In addition, you can search by Keyword. Band HS Orchestra Intermediate Orchestra Mixed Chorus Directions Jazz Band Conference Documents 2012 NJMEA State Conference Book (PDF - 10213 KB) Conference Registration Form (PDF - 245 KB) Conference Registration List (XLS - 29 KB) Exhibit Contract (PDF - 118 KB) Exhibit Floor Plan (PDF - 180 KB) Performance Request Form (PDF - 197 KB) Presider Request Form (PDF - 442 KB) Request To Present A Session (PDF - 174 KB) Sessions Scheduled For Conference as of 12/1/11 TEMPO Awards Documents Distinguished Service Form (PDF - 243 KB) Educational Grant Award (PDF - 172 KB) Master Music Teacher Form (PDF - 170 KB) Outstanding School Administrator Form (PDF - 254 KB) Outstanding School Board Form (PDF - 183 KB)
TEMPO
NJMEA Documents Documents College Intern Program Application (PDF - 94 KB) NJMEA Constitution (PDF - 158 KB) NJMEA Handbook (PDF - 321 KB) Master Music Teacher List (PDF - 51 KB) Young Composer Women’s Chorus Festivals Do you want to contact a member of the Board of Directors with a question? Click on Board Members in the left hand panel of the home page and the contact information for every member is listed. I frequently receive questions about events which are taking place in the various regions and usually do not have the answers as they are region specific. There is a link to the regions there as well. Please use those links when you have questions concerning region events and contact those who are in charge of that event.
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he Rowan University, Master of Music program provides intensive experiences in performance, conducting, or composition as well as courses geared to enhance the students’ knowledge and understanding of the literature of their area of specialization, and a greater understanding of music in general. Available specializations include: • • • • •
Composition Guitar Jazz Studies Keyboard: Piano/Organ Orchestral Instruments
• • • •
Voice Orchestral Conducting Vocal Conducting Wind Conducting
Get started as early as Summer 2012! For more information visit www.rowan.edu/cgce/music or call 856-256-4747 MARCH 2012
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& News From Our Division Chairs & President Elect Joe Jacobs 609-487-7900 jjacobs@veccnj.org
Share The Wealth! The battle cry from protestors involved in Occupy Wall Street and many major US cities is “Share the Wealth�. This slogan has been repeated many times on Capitol Hill by our elected politicians as they deal with budgetary issues. Many believe our current economic and unemployment statistics are the results of not sharing the wealth. Of course they are talking about financial wealth but there are others types of prosperity which are enjoyed by music educators. We possess a wealth of musical talent and a love of music that is difficult to comprehend in monetary value. Our musical knowledge is invaluable and our profession is all about sharing. Every day we share our understanding and joy of music with our students. Most music teachers go beyond their official responsibilities and that is what makes our career choice so special. Our school music performances would not be possible unless teachers devoted an extraordinary amount of time and commitment in preparing the students. The concerts always go well but the audience may not be aware of the wealth of talent and dedication that is provided by the music specialist. When attending a region or an all-state concert I am amazed at the amount of music educators who are sharing their wealth by volunteering. The chaperones, managers, conductors, coordinators, committee members and sponsoring teachers are all responsible for creating a memorable musical experience for our students by sharing their time and expertise. The recent NJMEA convention is another example of teachers sharing their talents. Hundreds of presenters, clinicians, presiders, coordinators, and committee members were involved in stimulating their colleagues. Sharing their music, teaching strategies, techniques, knowledge and enthusiasm with their peers makes a difference. Many music educators have been a mentor or a cooperating teacher for a student teacher or a novice teacher. Once again this illustrates the generosity that is apparent in our profession. This one on one relationship can be the foundation for the success of a future music teacher. It is obvious that music educators are sharing the wealth. We motivate our students daily by exposing them to the beauty of music. The music education profession is healthy in New Jersey because of our willingness to do what is necessary for our students to succeed. It is who we are! Thank you all for sharing your wealth.
Opera Festival
Stevie Rawlings 201-261-7800 x3069 srawlings@paramus.k12.nj.us
Over sixty students, teachers and artists received DVDs of the 63d annual NJMEA All-State Opera Festival Concert, thanks to the expertise and kindness of David Kline, videographer/editor for the event and Mike Kallimanis who provided the duplicates. Everyone rejoiced with their New Year’s gift. Paramus High School will once again be hosting the 2012 Opera Festival. While the specific dates are yet to be confirmed, it is never too early to begin working on an aria, duet or ensemble piece to be offered at auditions in October. Outstanding young singers will be selected to perform in November for the festival event. The Opera Festival will again feature the orchestra as an integral part of the opera genre. Three opera chorus selections will be performed by the student participants as highlights for the concert Watch for the Opera Festival Audition Form in the next TEMPO magazine.
continued on page 8
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P e a k P e r f o r m a n c e F E S T I VA L S
201 2! COMING IN
Boston
April 13-14, 2012 | April 20-21, 2012 Highlights
Boston Symphony Boston Duck Tour Fanueil Hall Performance Blue Man Group
Adjudicated performances
Taped and Written Comments
Clinics for all performing ensembles
April 26-29, 2012 | May 12-14, 2012 May 19-21, 2012 Highlights
Dinner/Dance Awards Presentation
Cleveland
1, 2 and 3 night packages Additional performance opportunities Full tour packages available
Cleveland Symphony Cedar Point Amusement Park Rock and Roll Hall of Fame House of Blues
New York City March 24-25, 2012 Highlights
Broadway Shows Broadway Workshops Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Lincoln Center
Williamsburg/ Virginia Beach April 26-29, 2012 Highlights
PERFORMANCE FESTIVALS For a complete music tour package including performance opportunities!
800-220-0165
Colonial Williamsburg / Jamestown Settlement Busch Gardens / Virginia Air & Space Museum Beaches / Broadway at the Beach
Washington, D.C. April 26-29, 2012 Highlights
Monuments and Memorials Smithsonian Institute Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Aquarium
www.peakfestivals.com and info@peakfestivals.com MARCH 2012 72 Saratoga Road
7 Stratford, NJ 08084 | 10850 Bear Island Avenue Orland Park, IL 60467 1720 Kendarbren Drive #722 Jamison, PA 18929
TEMPO
& News From Our Division Chairs & Administration
Ronald P. Dolce - Secretary 732-574-0846 rdolce561@aol.com
Happy New Year from the New Jersey Music Administrators Association. We hope that everyone had a peaceful Winter break after the beginning of a hectic winter concert season. By the time you read this article more than half of the school year will be by us. As some may know by now, we are holding joint meetings this year with the art administrators (aanj). The associations have already held three workshops. Our first in October was an informative workshop, “Supervising the Art Teacher: Effective Evaluation Techniques”. The second workshop held in December was “Music Festivals: Are High Stakes Festivals for You?” and our third workshop, “Music and Art Teachers- Innovative and Replicable Practices” was presented in January at Kean University. Four mini workshops were presented by teachers Kelly Grzesiak and Lisa Clark from the Orange Public Schools, Rosemarie Singalewitch from Colonia High School and Ron Garofalo and Cory Pinto from the Clifton Public Schools. The teachers presented innovative lessons that are efficient and low cost for music and art teachers. Our general membership meetings have had a good turnout of members for the art and music educators. The meetings have given all members an opportunity to discuss with others issues from the workshop topics and other issues of concern. In February, at the NJMEA Conference, the music administrators continued to share their knowledge by presenting several workshops that have proven over the years to be beneficial programs for the veteran teachers as well as the new teachers in the ranks. Several of these workshops included, “The End is the Beginning-The Science of Reverse Planning”, presented by Joe Akinskas retired administrator, “Nail Down that Job: Strategies for Interview Success”, presented by Peter Griffin, Supervisor Hopewell Valley School District and Bob Pispecky, Supervisor Edison Public Schools and “Transitioning from Music Major to Music Teacher: Successful First Year Planning”, presented by Tom Maliszewski, Supervisor Summit Public Schools. In addition, the NJMAA sponsored their annual “Welcome Breakfast” at 8:30 A. M. on Friday, February 24, 2012 hosted by President, Linda King and President Elect Peter Griffin. Many supervisors stopped by the informal breakfast to say hello and visit with their colleagues. The NJMAA general membership meetings are being held this year at a variety of locations. . The meetings begin at 10:00 a. m. and hospitality begins at 9:30 a.m. Our next meeting is April 13th at the Rutgers Club at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The topic of the workshop is “You Tube as an Instructional Resource in the Arts” the presenter is Peggy Valenti, Supervisor Clifton Public Schools. If you have not yet joined the Association, it is not too late. Please check out our new website at www.njmaa.org. for our meeting dates, times, directions and membership application. The association continues to reach out to all supervisors, program directors, building administrators and coordinators of music to become active members in the association. When we come together as an association we create strength in our programs. Coming together gives us a better opportunity to share knowledge and better understand issues in education. Come join us. Check out our new website at www.njmaa.org. and become a member.
Band Performance Al Bazzel 856-358-2054 fenwayfollwer5@comcast.net
Congratulations to all involved with this year’s All State Band, from auditions through the concert weekend. Results from this year’s All State Band auditions will be used for All Eastern consideration. Special thanks to our conductors, Mark Davis Scatterday and Cynthia Johnston-Turner, the entire band procedures committee, coordinators, managers, hosts, and band directors throughout the state. Your students did a wonderful job! Please note the 2012-13 solo list will be posted and published in the May issue. As a reminder, there is still time to join the consortium for the Dana Wilson commission for the 75th anniversary of the New Jersey All State Bands. You definitely want to be a part of this exciting and important work. For more information and consortium form, contact Lew Kelly at lkelly@woboe.org. On behalf of the entire committee, I hope you have a successful spring performance season at your respective schools. continued on page 10 TEMPO
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UNDERGRADUATE MUSIC PROGRAMS: n
Bachelor of Music (Music Edu cation, Classical Performance, Jaz z Studies)
n
Bachelor of Arts in Music
n
Music Minor
MARCH 2012
BE INSPIRED: Study with fac
ulty from the New York Ph ilharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Me tropolitan Opera Orchestra , and New Jersey Symphony.
BE CHALLENGED: Music conservato ry training within New Jersey’s flagship public res earch university. BE ENGAGED: Over 15 performance ensembles with opportunit to perform in New York Cit ies y and abroad. 9
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& News From Our Division Chairs & Choral Performance Kathleen Spadafino 732-613-6969 kspadEB@aol.com
March… too much winter, spring will never get here… no time for relaxation. The musical, the honor choirs, preparing for spring concerts, and working in All-State auditions. Please take a few moments to reflect on the success of that certain college audition, that special improvement in a newly aware young singer, and realize the profound effect we have on so many lives. February and March are also times when some of us take a little break and re-connect with colleagues at the ACDA and NJMEA conventions. Many of us enjoyed the fabulous choirs and sessions at the Eastern ACDA convention in Providence. If you are not yet a member of ACDA, join now! This national organization is just for Choral Directors – US! We also greatly enjoyed our 2012 Women’s All-State Chorus, beautifully conducted by Janet Galvan and accompanied by Lucille Kincaid, at their performance at NJPAC on Saturday, Feb. 25. Our manager Joe Cantaffa once again kept everything running smoothly and all ladies cheerful throughout the rehearsal and performance experience. A big thank you to all chaperones and directors who worked together to make this concert a huge success. Our Choral Procedures Committee is working hard to prepare for this year’s All-State Chorus auditions, which will take place on April 14 (North) and April 21 (South). You should be hearing from our audition chairpersons Barbara Retzko and Cheryl Breitzman to confirm your audition information. Please check our website – www.njmea.org – for all information regarding the audition process. There are many new directors this year, and I cannot stress enough how important it is for your choral program to participate in the All-State Choral experience. When even one of your top students becomes part of the All-State Chorus, they bring a whole new level of excellence to everyone in your program. It is more important than ever to make everyone in your community aware of the quality in your Music Department, and being part of the All-State Chorus is the premier experience for our choral students. Please sign up to judge both weekends - and contact me if you would like to become more involved with the All-State Chorus process: KSpadEB@aol.com
Retired Music Educators Christine Sezer 570-756-2961 drcsezer@gmail.com
Hopefully the worst of the cold winter weather has gone and signs of spring are upon us - we always welcome that! We hope you all enjoyed our excellent NJMEA State Conference. Our General Membership Meeting is always a learning experience and Nick Santoro surley gave a lot of excellent information and a thorough explanation on the status of the arts, in particular the accountability process -the proposed changes that were submitted to the State Board of Education on July 13, 2011 and how these changes threaten arts education. Our mentoring program continues to grow; if you are interested in sharing your experience and expertise, please contact Christine Sezer to have your name added to a mentoring catagory or catagories on our website; email drcsezer@gmail.com phone - (570)756-2729. We are very proud of our Master Music Teacher Joyce Richardson-Melech who received the NJMEA Master Music Teacher Award at the NJMEA State Conference luncheon in February; our sincere congratulations to her for this outstanding achievement! The deadline for submitting a candidiate for a Master Teacher is March 15. The form can be found on the NJMEA website under “forms”. Two new members have joined our Board of Directors - they are Kathy Spadafino and Kathy Mosher replacing Dave Jones and Marion Constable who retired from our Board of Directors after many dedicated years of sharing their expertise, knowledge and giving their time and love of music. We sincerely thank Dave and Marion and wish them well! NAFME Honors the Dedication of its 50 Year Members of New Jersey and they are also retired music educators: Patricia H. Bohrs, Crancontinued on page 12 bury; Dominick J. Farrara, Bloomfield, NJ; Joseph Giardino, Morristown, NJ; Winston Hughes, Kendall TEMPO 10
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& News From Our Division Chairs & Park, NJ; Margaretta R. Klamb, Ocean City, NJ; Frank L. Marrapodi, Watchung, NJ; Dorian L. Parreott, Freehold, NJ. We are especially proud to honor Wiston Hughes and Dorian Parreott as they are member of the NJMEA Retired Music Educators Board of Directors and also Past-Presidents of the NJMEA Retired Music Educators. Our next Executive Board meeting will be March 7, 2012 at the Seville Diner at 12 noon in East Brunswick, NJ. Our next General Membership meeting will be on May 16, 2012 10:15AM at the lovely House -by -the- Sea, located at 14 Ocean Avenue in Ocean Grove. Our gracious hosts will be Sally and Alyn Heim. Come and join us and see some of your colleagues that perhaps you have not seen for awhile. Lunch will follow at a local restaurant. We hope to see you on the 16th of May.
Workshops
Joseph Akinskas NJMEA Workshops Coordinator JoeA_NJMEA@comcast.net
Summer Workshop V I am pleased to announce that Summer Workshop V will take place on Tuesday, August 7, 2012, from 8 am. To 4:30 pm. All activities will take place in the Music Building on the College of New Jersey campus in Ewing. Below you will find our session topic roster confirmed at this early stage. All sessions are designed to be interactive, in a relaxed summer setting, so come prepared to utilize your voice, instrument, I-devices, and musical skills, in activities designed to be brought back to your classroom.
ROWAN UNIVERSITY AUDITION DATES NOVEMBER 5 DECEMBER 4 JANUARY 15 FEBRUARY 12 MARCH 3
DEPARTMENT PICTURE
OF MUSIC YOURSELF HERE
& News From Our Division Chairs & Presenters needed: Although we are well on our way regarding sessions, we are still open to proposals from the membership. Please complete and return the presenter request form, via email, to njmeasummerworkshop@comcast.net or JoeA_NJMEA@comcast.net, on or before March 31, 2012. We look forward to another enjoyable and productive day for all in attendance. Periodic updates on program development will be forthcoming in Tempo Express postings and on our website at www.njmeasummerworkshop.com. NJMEA Summer Workshop V Tuesday, August 7, 2012 The College of New Jersey 8:00 a.m. โ 4:30 p.m. Proposed Workshop Sessions CLASSROOM MUSIC ยง Games and Lessons from the Kodaly Tradition ยง Songwriting in the Elementary and Middle School Classroom ยง M.S. General Music for the 21st Century INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ยง Brass for the Non-Brass Player ยง Woodwinds for the Non-Woodwind Player ยง Strings for the Non-String Player ยง Percussion for the Non-Percussion Player ยง Instrumental Reading Sessions ยง Dealing With Imbalanced Instrumentation VOCAL MUSIC ยง Choral Reading Sessions ยง Opposite Gender Vocal Coaching ยง Vocal Health ยง Warm Ups and Vocalizing SPECIAL EDUCATION ยง Hands-on Activities and Lesson Plans for Special Learners (Multiply Handicapped & Autistic) ยง Round Table Discussions ยง Hands-on Activities and Lesson Plans for Special Learners (ADHD and ED) TECHNOLOGY ยง Teaching With Garage Band and MixCraft ยง iPods and iPads in the Music Classroom-BYO Device ยง An I-Jam Session โ BYO Device SPECIAL TOPICS ยง Copyright: Get All Of Your Questions Answered ยง Body Mapping ยง Instrument Repair Clinic ยง Drum Circle ยง Guitar Workshops continued on page 14
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& News From Our Division Chairs & Orchestra Performance Susan Meuse 908-231-0230 susanmeuse@gmail.com
Next up for orchestra will be the All-State Auditions on Saturday, March 17. The student audition applications are now available on the NJMEA website. Please note that students will not receive hard copies at Region orchestra rehearsals as in past years. Both High School and Intermediate auditions will take place again at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees. During the auditions, the Procedures Committee will be meeting to discuss upcoming events for the orchestras. Please feel free to contact me or any committee member to express your opinions and ideas. Here are the 2012 dates for both orchestras: All-State Intermediate Orchestra Rehearsals: *Saturday, April 21, 2012, 12:30-5:30 PM *Saturday, April 28, 2012, 12:30-5:30 PM (Re-seating auditions) *Saturday, May 5, 2012, 12:30-5:30 PM *Saturday, May 12, 2012, 10:30 AM Concert: *Saturday, May 12, 2012, 3:00 PM ________________________________________________________ All-State Orchestra Rehearsals: *Sunday, June 3, 2012, Full rehearsal, 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM *Saturday, September 15, 2012, String re-seating auditions, 10 AM-12 Noon, Full rehearsal, 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM *Sunday, October 21, 2012, Sectionals for all instruments, 10:00 AM-12 Noon, Full rehearsal, 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM *Wed., Thurs., Fri., November 7-8-9, 2012 at the New Jersey Educators Association Convention in Atlantic City, Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening Concerts: *Friday, November 9, 2012, NJEA Convention, Atlantic City, 8:30 PM *Sunday, November 18, 2012, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark 10:00 AM rehearsal, 3:00 PM concert. The All State Intermediate Orchestra will be conducted this year by Curt Ebersole. Ebersole has taught and administered the instrumental music program at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan since 1982. Ebersole has put together an exciting program for the ASIO! We are looking forward to a great year for both orchestras! TEMPO 14
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SAMUEL BARBER INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC EDUCATORS June 25-August 10, 2012 Innovative courses in music education taught by distinguished leaders in Music Education MUSIC EDUCATION
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
MUE 503-21 Philosophical Foundations in Music Education June 25-29, J. Bryan Burton, West Chester University
MUE 592-31 Introduction to Internet, Multimedia, and Computer Assisted Instruction July 9-13, Marc Jacoby, West Chester University
MUE 528-21 Music in Special Education June 25-29, Angela Guerriero, West Chester University MUE 544-41 Guitar Essentials for the Music Educator July 30 – August 3, Michael Miles, Musician and Composer
MUE 596-31 Multimedia Authoring July 30-August 3, Marc Jacoby, West Chester University ORFF-SCHULWERK METHODOLOGY
MUE 547-41 Choral Music Practicum for Music Educators July 30-August 3, Bradley Olesen, West Chester University
MUE 570-31 Orff-Schulwerk Level I: Basic Musicianship July 23 –August 3, Gloria Fuoco-Lawson, Las Vegas Schools
MUE 548-31 String Essentials for the Music Educator July 23-27, Janet Farrar Royce, Yale University, Cheshire Schools, CT
MUE 571-31 Orff-Schulwerk Level I: Recorder July 23 -August 3, Marie A. Blaney, Englewood Schools
MUE 601-33 Innovations in Elementary Music Education: Conversational Solfege July 9-13, John Feierabend, University of Hartford MUE 679-34 Acronyms and Acoustics: Taking the Mystery out of Special Education Terminology and Instruction in Music Education June 30, Maria Kreiter, West Chester University MUE 691 Research Seminar in Music MUE 692 Research Report MUE 698 Recital Research Available as online courses in Summer I, II, and III Bradley Olesen, West Chester University KODALY METHODOLOGY Mue 560-31 Kodály I: Musicianship Training July 9-20, Janos Horvath, University of Calgary MUE 561-31 Kodály I: Methodology July 9-20, Kristen Albert, West Chester University Sallie Ferrebee, University of Hartford MUE 562-31 Kodály II: Musicianship Training July 9-20, Janos Horvath, University of Calgary MUE 563-31 Kodály II: Methodology July 9-20, Sallie Ferrebee, University of Hartford & Jennifer Irlen, White Plains, New York MUE 564-31 Kodály III: Musicianship Training July 9-20, Janos Horvath, University of Calgary MUE 565-31 Kodály III: Methodology July 9-20, Sallie Ferrebee, University of Hartford Jennifer Irlen, White Plains, New York MUE 567-31 Kodály Folk Song July 23-27, Kristen Albert, West Chester University MUSIC THEORY & COMPOSITION MTC 512-80 Advanced Composition I July 2- August 2, Robert Maggio, West Chester University MUSIC HISTORY & LITERATURE
MUE 572-31 Orff-Schulwerk Level I: Movement July 23 -August 3, Ann L. McFarland, West Chester University MUE 573-31 Orff-Schulwerk LeveI II: Basic Musicianship July 23 -August 3, Marie A. Blaney, Englewood Schools MUE 574-31 Orff-Schulwerk Level II: Recorder July 23 -August 3, Gloria Fuoco-Lawson, Las Vegas Schools MUE 575-31 Orff-Schulwerk Level II: Movement July 23 -August 3, Ann L. McFarland, West Chester University MUE 579-41 Orff-Schulwerk Recorder Ensemble August 6-10, Alejandro Jimenez, Harford Public Schools Retired MUE 580-41 Orff-Schulwerk Recorder Ensemble August 6-10, Alejandro Jimenez, Harford Public Schools Retired MUE 581-41 Orff-Schulwerk Instrumentarium Practium August 6-10, Alejandro Jimenez, Harford Public Schools Retired MUE 582-41 Orff-Schulwerk Final Project July 2- August 2, Ann L. McFarland, West Chester University APPLIED MUSIC AIM 679-31 Jazz Workshop July 16-20, Marc Jacoby, West Chester University AIM 679-33 Percussion Technique July 30- August 3, Christopher Hanning, West Chester University Ralph Sorrentino, West Chester University AIM 679-36 Brass Repair June 25-28, Elizabeth Pfaffle, West Chester University AIM 680-31 Conducting Symposium July 16-20, Jerry Junkin, University of Texas Frank Battisti, New England Conservatory Andrew Yozviak, West Chester University Gregory Martin, West Chester University AIM 679-35 Alexander Technique July 2-August 2, Robert Bedford, West Chester University MWB 537-31 Marching Band Workshop July 24-27, Andrew Yozviak, West Chester University
MHL 501-01 Style, Form, and Genre July 2-20, Ann Hiloski-Fowler, West Chester University John Villella, Associate Dean College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Music West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383 (610) 436-2495 jvillella@wcupa.edu
OCTOBER 2011
J. Bryan Burton, Chair-Music Education Department College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Music West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383 (610) 436-2222 Jburton3@wcupa.edu
Proud to be an All-Steinway School of Music
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Summer Programs for Music Educators pursue your passion for music education. Shenandoah University offers summer programs that will enhance your skills in the field of music teaching and learning. Distinguished artist professors provide focused, individualized attention as you continue your professional development.
> MASTER OF MUSIC EDUCATION June 25 - July 20 Intensive, four-week summer term Fellowship tuition rates Contact: Dr. Jeffrey Marlatt at jmarlatt@su.edu
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OCTOBER 2011
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Musical Policy: Isolationism Or Intervention By Steve DeLuca Maywood Avenue School Maywood, NJ sdeluca@maywoodschools.org
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lacing singular importance on the study of the music of one’s own culture as opposed to basing your study on a broader approach, one which is open to all cultures, could be compared to a country’s foreign policy. The parallels at first may not be apparent, but we are considering two basic approaches, one of isolationism and the other of interventionism. Politically, do we adopt the concepts that our founding fathers recommended when advising us to not become involved in other nations’ entanglements or do we adhere to the imperialism and nationalism of various nations and empires throughout time? It is rather telling that there is nary a superpower that has embraced the former. Musically, the course should also be interventionist. This is not necessarily by design, but is a result of history and its relationship to the innate universal quality of music. In his article Why West is More Than West, Edward Rothstein states, “It is important that the Western classical tradition remain the heart of this country’s musical culture.” He then expounds on his point by offering reasons why this is neither scandalous nor obvious. However, there are some egregious errors in his thinking that need to be addressed. The most glaringly obvious detail Rothstein is forgetting is the simple fact that there is another immensely significant part of Western music. This country has its own musical culture and to ignore that or dismiss it in favor of the Western classical tradition is musically disingenuous, perhaps even dangerous. The blues, jazz, rock and roll, country, funk, rap, and hip-hop are all styles of music created in this country. This is our indigenous music; indeed, jazz is often called America’s classical music. This all speaks to the ideas of multiculturalism that Rothstein also mentions. Perhaps at no other time in history has multiculturalism played such a strong part in a country’s make-up and by extension its music than during 19th and 20th century America. The influx of various peoples – African, Spanish, French, Caribbean, and American Indian – gave rise to the music that has all too often been taken for granted. The Creoles are an actual personification of this phenomenon, also perhaps no where replicated in the world’s history. When compared to the factors involved in the creation of music in America, painting Europe through the development of classical music as a picture of multiculturalism is a bit of revisionist history. Moreover, it is somewhat of a conceit to assume that because we have formalized our study into a discipline given the appellation ethnomusicology, that others lack the discipline to understand various musical cultures. One need only look at Japan’s and Europe’s voracious consumption of jazz or Indian musicians’ collaborations with various rock and jazz artists for proof. America’s musical policy is and has been, from the beginning, one of interventionism.
Rothstein additionally states, “Much of Western music is an elite art that does not require elite birth” and again he is rewriting history. In the modern world, this is certainly true, but through most of the centuries encompassing the development of European classical music, it was necessary to be a member of the aristocracy to even afford the luxury of music. You perhaps could enjoy music if you were a member of the middle class, but it is important to remember how small a percentage of the people this included. A majority of people were concerned about matters such as plague, starvation, and having their heads chopped off for not paying their taxes as opposed to Bach’s latest Mass. Currently, it is possible for everyone to enjoy Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and likewise, if we look at the Japanese instrument, the Shakuhachi, we find an instrument that reached its apex during Japan’s medieval period, when the instrument was almost synonymous with the repentant samurai-turned-Buddhist monk – quite an elite musician indeed. Thing is - the samurai are gone; the shakuhachi is not. All cultures have their isolationist periods. Another aspect to consider is that of “the keeper of the flame,” the idea that a sense of guardianship should exist within a culture. As Richard Shweder states in his article The Gatekeepers, referring to the Maori people of New Zealand, “… Maori rituals, art, legends and history belonged to and were, in some sense or other, owned by the Maori.” It is natural to have a sense of ownership about one’s culture. Certainly we should have such a sense regarding America’s music, but once a music has hit the metaphysical airwaves, it is part of the world. If we accept the definition of music as the conveyance of a person’s or people’s feelings or thoughts through the use of sound, is it possible to own such a thing? Certainly one can lay claim to creating any work of art, but even this at times can be tricky in determining who the absolute creator is. Arguing this point is a matter of semantics. The music exists. And it exists for anyone who seeks it out. Which side of the argument one chooses is irrelevant; there is a musical policy that is inherently interventionist. Conversely, what is there not to like about David Byrne’s explanation of why he “hates” world music?: “It’s a marketing as well as a pseudomusical term – and a name for a bin in the record store signifying stuff that doesn’t belong anywhere else in the store.” It is a wonderful sentiment on the whole glib nature of our current cultural attitudes. We as a people and a nation have become a kind of cultural xenophobe, in no small part due to the harmful nature of our current political discourse. Our cultural attitudes will necessarily reflect our political and social ones. There are ersatz philosophers with their adherents in this country that would have us believe there is not a
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place for multiculturalism in America, somehow ignoring the simple fact that our nation is immutably based on multiculturalism. Ironically, we are a politically interventionist nation while we attempt our version of cultural isolationism. Perhaps our country would be in a better place if we “flip-flopped.” People love to categorize things. It gives us a sense of order. We know where everything goes. Maybe we even like it when we don’t have to think. Unfortunately, music is not that easy. It makes demands on the listener. At least the best music should. After hearing The Beatles’ use of Tin Pan Alley song forms, classical string quartets, and Indian music, is there any doubt that music is interventionist? After hearing Ravi Shankar’s and Zakir Hussein’s applications of Indian ragas and talas with the improvisations of jazz musicians or even the aforementioned Beatles, can there be a doubt that music is interventionist? When the term salsa was coined in New York for a music that was part jazz, part funk, part Puerto Rican, and part Cuban can there be any doubt that music is interventionist? One could espouse a musical and cultural isolationism all day long, but in the global world of today that we are constantly reminded of, one must recognize that music not only must be but is interventionist.
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If you adopt the philosophy of isolationism, than that is what you will be. Isolated. Resources 1. Rothstein, Edward. “Why West Is More Than West.” New York Times (1994): H33. Print. 2. Shweder, Richard A. “The Gatekeepers.” New York Times (2003): B13. Print. 3. Byrne, David. “I Hate World Music.” New York Times (1999): 1, 36. Print.
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Caldwell College
Music
PROFESSIONAL RESIDENT ENSEMBLE • Garden State Opera STUDENT ENSEMBLES • Wind Ensemble • Jazz Ensemble • Choir • Chamber Ensembles • Opera and Music Theatre Workshop
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Certification K-12 Music • Outstanding Liberal Arts Program • Accredited by the Middle States Association • Scholarships for Non-majors and Majors • Professional Concert Series on campus UPCOMING EVENTS General Music Auditions For Scholarships and Entrance into the Program Saturday, March 3, 2012 By Appointment • Alumni Theatre and VIS202 Contact Rebecca Vega for information at 973-618-3446 or Rvega@caldwell.edu Middle School Honor Band Saturday, March 3, 2012 2:00 PM Rehearsal • 7:30 PM concert Contact Rebecca Vega for information at 973-618-3446 Gramercy Brass Orchestra Principals in Concert Sunday, March 25, 2012 4:00 PM • Alumni Theatre Contact Laura Greenwald for ticket information at 973-618-3520 High School Percussion Festival with Mantra Percussion Tuesday, April 3, 2012 4:00-7:00 PM • Student Center Auditorium Mantra Percussion Concert 8:00 PM • Alumni Theatre Contact Laura Greenwald for ticket information at 973-618-3520
120 Bloomfield Avenue Caldwell, NJ 07006 www.caldwell.edu
For more information visit www.caldwell.edu/academics/music
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The place for your next . . . ●
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Pursue a twenty-first century music career as an arranger/composer, performer, educator, or manager
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Perfect your performance skills with private study and performance opportunities
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Work with faculty, guest artists, and alumni at the cutting edge of the profession
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Gain real world experience through professional clubs and department outreach that take our students to places like China, Kentucky, Florida, and New Orleans
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Programs of Study
B.M. in classical or jazz performance, music education, music management, and sound engineering arts B.A. in musical studies
2012 Undergraduate Classical Auditions and Test Dates: March 9, March 30, April 13
New Program: B.A. in popular music
See our website for admission requirements: www.wpunj.edu/coac/departments/music
Summer Programs for Music Teachers: Let William Paterson University help with your next career move. Our M.M. specializations that combine face-to-face and online courses within the music education concentration. Specializations include: • Wind and percussion pedagogy or conducting • String and orchestra pedagogy • General music pedagogy • Self-directed options
MARCH 2012
Turn What’s Possible Into What’s Next
2012 Graduate Classical Audition (Music Education): April 13 See website or contact Professor Timothy Newman, graduate program director, at newmant@wpunj.edu or 973.720.2373
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See The Music: The Role Of Gestures In Percussion Performance By Chad Floyd Campbellsville University, Kentucky
Reprinted from Bluegrass Music News
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successful percussion performance, whether it pertains to solo literature, orchestra, marching hand, concert band, percussion ensemble, or any other musical ensemble, relies on many factors that extend well beyond the notated music from which many performers draw. Although technical mastery of the skills required in a given piece is certainly a prerequisite for a successful final product, the performer must also work to create an avenue for audience engagement in a way that simply reproducing the printed material does not. Truly effective performers of music reveal a portion of their soul through their performance, a feature that captivates audience members and is achieved by an individualized interpretation of the musical directions offered by the printed score. Consider the following techniques percussionists commonly face: a shake roll performed as a crescendo on a tambourine, whole notes performed on a concert bass drum, and a note marked staccato on the marimba. Each of these techniques should be enhanced visually with an associated gesture that enables the listener to perceive the effect intended by the performer. The Importance Of Gestures Percussionists often face several obstacles in conveying fundamental musical elements, such as note durations and articulations, because of specific instrumental limitations. For example, a sixteenth note and a whole note performed on the snare drum literally sound the same when performed. That is, the duration of each note will essentially sound the same length of time. As a result, it is vital that percussionists learn to perform in a way that accurately reflects
the true musical intention. This can be accomplished through a visual representation of the performer’s conceptualization of the music during the performance. When combined with the sound created on the instrument by the performer, the visual stimulus projected toward the audience will allow those present to see the music as opposed to only hearing it. Research examining the role of visual information in the performance and perception of music shows that vision plays a useful role. When performances of music are viewed as entertainment, then most visual information observed by the viewer is considered part of the show. Although very little, if any, acoustical difference is created through the use of gestures, the performer can, in fact, change the way the note is perceived by the audience. Skilled performers can strategically manipulate audience experience in order to achieve a desired result. This transforms the spectator into an active participant and creates an engagement between the performer and audience member throughout the performance.1 See The Music: A Three-Step Process Allowing the audience to see the music through a percussion performance involves three main successive steps. The musician must first physically see the notated music on the score when rehearsing (assuming, of course, the music to be performed is notated). The performer should then conceptualize, or see, how the music would best be represented visually during a performance. The last step takes place during the performance and involves the forward projection of the performer’s embodied music in order to allow the audience to see the music and allow audience engagement.
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1. Physically Seeing The Music
The genesis of this three-step process takes place during the reading of the notated music. The musician must first physically read what the composer has instructed the performer to execute. This involves specific tasks such as informing the percussionist when to strike, what to strike, how hard to strike, and how fast or slow to strike. Other specific instructions to the performer may include stylistic expressions such as legato, staccato, marcato, and tenuto. In addition, instructions are often included regarding the specific type of stick, mallet, or other implement with which to perform. Although these instructions can be detailed and helpful, it only exposes the percussionist to a very shallow part of what should eventually become a much deeper and meaningful experience. A literal rendering of the notated music with little or no personal interpretation from the performer can result in a performance with no musical meaning. In addition to fulfilling the composer’s written instructions on the score, the musician must also consider how the audience will perceive these instructions during the live performance. 2. Conceptualizing The Music
Once the performer has viewed the printed music, another type of visualization should begin—conceptualization. This is necessary in order to rehearse the music in a way that will ensure a satisfactory final product. The performer must begin preparation by drawing upon past experiences similar to what the final performance situation will likely include. For example, typical formal performances will usually include the performer on a stage, the performers instrument, a seated audience, a dimly lit room, etc. MARCH 2012
Although the performer does not remember every detail of each past performance experience, an abstract model can be constructed based on the invariant aspects the repeated encounters have in common.-’ The musician should then strive to rehearse the music with an awareness of how the audience might perceive, or see, the visual representation of the performer’s conceptualization of the music while on stage. For example, because a whole note on the snare drum will essentially sound the same as a 16th note on the same instrument, the musician should consider performing these notes differently depending on the situation. That is, the visual representation of each note should be consistent with the notation in the score. This technique helps percussionists visually sustain a single stroke on their instrument. In general, single strokes performed on most percussion instruments produce relatively short durations. In contrast, wind players have the ability to sustain notes based on the amount of air produced from their bodies, while string plavers have virtually no limitations regarding note durations. The percussionist should conceptualize a visual representation of the particular note in question before rehearsing it. This will help the performer rehearse the conceptualized motion along w ith the necessary motor movements already involved with the particular note. Rehearsing in this manner will help the pertormer embody the work, a significant factor in determining how the audience will see the music. Revealing Note Durations Conceptualization can help percussionists reveal note durations during a live performance through the use of gestures; for example, two successive whole notes performed on a concert bass drum can be inter preted and performed differently. If the whole notes are performed with only the minimal amount of work required to produce the sounds, a motionless moment will occur following the first stroke until the preparation is made for the second stroke. This will result in the audience’s perception of a note duration that is less than four beats. In contrast, if the whole notes are performed by producing full, fluid strokes that visually connect the two successive strokes, the entire note durations will be successfully represented visually, thereby allowing MARCH 2012
the audience to see the entire duration of the whole notes.
Revealing Articulations Another area in which percussionists should conceptualize their music is through the performance of articulations. Although altering the stroke in order to achieve different types of articulations is necessary for proper sound production, the subtle difference in sound can become more effective when coupled with a visual representation of the performer’s conceptualiza tion of a more visually effective stroke. For example, when performing a 16th note marked staccato followed by a quarter rest on the marimba (at a medium tempo), the performer must demonstrate a specific technique that helps to show the shorter note duration. First, the performer must execute a full stroke; redefinition: a full stroke is one in which the stick begins in the up position and returns to the same position at the conclusion of the stroke. This full range of motion visually represents the stroke before and after the attack on the marimba bar. Because the note is to be performed staccato, the entire motion of the stroke should be quick, or with greater velocity than what would normally be required it the note was not marked staccato. This is similar to how a pianist would perform notes marked staccato on the piano. The difference, however, is that the pianist can directly affect the duration of the note by physically pressing down the key for the desired length before releasing. In contrast to the staccato stroke, the percussionist can visually represent a tenuto articulation as well. The percussionist must conceptualize a stroke motion that is slower than the ‘normal’ stroke that is not marked
with a specific articulation. This stroke should visually match the intended qualities that result from tenuto articulations; a smooth and connected motion should result which enables percussionists to visually sustain these notes for their full time value. CREATING SILENT MUSIC Another example of how the execution of a conceptualized stroke can influence the way it is heard is through air drumming. By simply pretending to perform on the instrument by air drumming, a sensation is created that something is happening. This is similar to being indoors and observing a tree move in the wind outside. Although the observer is unable to hear any sound from the tree, an imagined sound of the tree, the rustling of leaves, is present. A logical connection is made by association as the listener understands and anticipates the sound. A marimbist who desires to create the effect of a rolled chord fading away completely may choose to implement the air drumming technique into their performance. This can be accomplished by performing a rolled chord normally with full contact with the bars, before executing a gradual decrescendo until no contact with the bars is being produced. At this time the performer should continue executing the motion of the roll just slightly above the bars in order to prevent physical contact, but close enough to ensure that the listener still hears the music. This is an effective way to achieve the softest dynamic in music, the ‘silent’ dynamic, and helps to illustrate the point that sound is always happening as long as the mind can see it.3 Hand-Held Percussion Conceptualization of proper performance in order to achieve the desired audience perception should not be limited to percussion instruments requiring sticks or mallets. A percussionist performing a shake roll on the tambourine should consider implementing some physical manipulation of the instrument during dynamic swells and fades. A shake roll that is to be performed as a cresendo can be performed by holding the tambourine at waist level, or out of sight to the listener, and then gradually raised to eye level during the course of the cresendo. The same approach may be taken for decrescendos, only in reverse fashion. Other hand-held percussion instruments, such as
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maracas and shakers, can be performed in this manner as well. The physical placement of the instruments corresponds to the meta phorical direction of the dynamic contour, which helps the listener to see the music.
3. PERFORMING THE MUSIC
The third and final step in allowing the audience to see the music takes place during the actual performance. The music can be seen through its embodiment by the performer. By embodying the music through the incorporation of physical movements in order to reflect the performer’s personal conceptualization of the music, the listener will be more apt to see the music unfold. Through embodiment, the performer actively projects themselves forward to the audience, thereby increasing the likelihood that the listeners will project themselves forward and become musically engaged with the performer. Embodiment of the music should be evident through the revelation of
the performer’s own unique interpretation of the music. This interpre tation should come from deep within, thus revealing a portion of the performer’s soul. Percussion Ensembles The process of allowing the audience to see the music can be applied to live percussion ensemble performances. The ensemble that performs their music with the minimal amount of energy required to produce the proper sounds will not be received in the same way as the ensemble that embodies their music and reveals it through physical motion and gesture. The ensemble interested in presenting the music both visually and audibly will define what type of strokes to use and how to execute them in a uniform manner. In addition, the ensemble will communicate regarding their body posture and movements. Although a specific choreographed presentation is not the intention when performing most percussion ensemble literature, a uniform technique with appropri ate body language will help to present an aesthetically pleasing visual representation of most works. For example, the body language from the members of an ensemble performing a quick, aggressive work should look quite different than the ensemble that is performing a ballad that utilizes rolled chords and legato phrasing. Conclusion The combination of physical gestures with the awareness of body language helps the performer to embody the music. This
is a result from initially seeing the notated music, applying a personal interpretation, conceptualizing the music, and finally performing the music with a forward projection. When these processes are combined with the technical skills required for the particular piece, a successful performance can be achieved; one that reveals a portion of the performer’s soul and creates an open avenue for true audience engagement. Although percussionists face several obstacles in conveying fundamental musical elements, the freedom of live performance allows musicians to visually reflect their conceptualization of the music. These opportunities should create open avenues for audience members to not only hear the music, but to fully experience it—to see the music. Notes Schutz, Michael and Michael Kubovy. “Seeing Music: The Percussionists’ Strategic Use of Gesture in Live Performance.” Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Music and Gesture, RXCM, Manchester, UK: 2006. 2 Snyder, Bob. Music and Memory: An Introduction. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 2000. 3 Glennie, Evelyn. “Hearing Essay.” Evelyn Glcnnie Official Website, http://www. evelyn.co.uk/hearing_essay. aspx. Accessed 10/15/09 1
Chad Floyd currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Campbellsville University.
This Holiday Season, Give Thanks, Give Gifts, But Most Importantly...Give a Note! Music education is a powerfully positive part of a child’s life! The leaders of NAfME created Give a Note Foundation to connect everyone who cares about music education and empower them to fight for music education in children’s lives. As a music educator, YOU need to be part of this new call to action. As we approach the season of giving, we ask you to “give a note” about a
musical future and make a donation to support Give a Note Foundation. Please include your donation in the envelope in this magazine or scan the QR code below to go to our giveanote.org donation site. For more information, please visit giveanote.org. Follow us on Twitter @giveanote and ‘like’ us on Facebook Give a Note.
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Senior Citizens’ Participation In Music: A New Direction For Research By Lisa J. Lehmberg University Of Massachusetts, Amherst lehmberg@music.umass.edu
Reprinted from Massachusetts Music News
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f you have listened to or read the news lately, you have probably encountered reports related to aging Baby Boomers, as well as the population shift in the United States that is causing us to have more citizens of retirement age than ever before. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2009), 13% of U.S. citizens were over the age of 65 in 2009, and over 20% are expected to be over the age of 65 by 2050. Additionally, life expectancy in the U.S. is projected to increase from 78.3 years in 2010 to 83.1 years in 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). Accompanying this increase in longev ity is an increased focus on improving the quality of life of senior citizens. Organi zations such as the American Society for Aging and the Gerontological Soci ety of America have begun to organize and host large national conferences focusing on dissemination of new information on agingrelated topics including advo cacy, education, healthcare, policy, new programs and services, and new research findings. A greater number of activities overall, as well as different types of activities, are beginning to be provided for senior citizens by their communities, and especially in retirement communities, extended care facilities, and centers for senior citizens. Within these frameworks, musical opportunities for senior citizens are also expanding. Currently, the body of research on senior citizens’ music participation is limited, with a majority of studies focusing on healthy, older adults in New Horizons or other types of traditional bands, choirs, and orchestras. Results of research to date are mixed, with some studies showing that music participation is beneficial to senior citizens (e.g., Bugos et al., 2007; Coff-man, 2002; Jutras, 2006; Michalos, 2005), and others having inconclusive results or finding that music participation makes no significant difference in their quality of life (e.g., Altman, 1977; Wise et al., 1992). More research across different populations and strata of senior citizens is needed to scientifically pinpoint benefits seniors may receive from MARCH 2012
music participation as well as the relationship of music participation to quality of life, and to determine the types of musical activities that are most beneficial at different stages of older adulthood. My own interest in research on senior citizens’ participation in music began to evolve without my realizing it in 2005 when I began work on my doctoral degree at the University of South Flor ida. In order to make ends meet while I was in school full time, my semi-retired husband accepted the position of music director at a large church in a nearby retirement community. In an effort to help him, I began to volunteer there on weekends as a soprano in the church choir and a flutist and keyboardist in the church’s newly formed praise band. As the youngest musician in the church, my eyes were rapidly and sometimes abruptly opened to the issues and needs of the seniors in this community. I often found these to be disturbing, and marveled at the seniors’ abilities to deemphasize their importance as “just part of life” or part of the aging process. At the same time, I became aware of the important and sometimes critical role music played in their lives, whether they were performers, listeners, or support personnel for musical groups. I enjoyed participating in musical ensembles alongside these senior citizens, and found the stories of their musical histories to be fascinating. Even though I was not researching senior citizens’ involvement in music at that time, I believe that this experience paved the way for the research I conduct today.
Currently, I am collaborating with C. Victor Fung (University of South Florida) to research senior citizens’ participation in music and quality of life. We are examin ing and comparing the perceived quality of life of senior citizen music participants and nonparticipants, and also are looking at music participants’ musical histories and how those relate to current music participation. In addition, we are conducting concurrent case studies of traditional and nontraditional senior citizen music ensembles within the same community, in which we are examining the music learning processes utilized within each group, participants’ musical experiences, and how these interact to benefit group members and help them construct musical meaning. Correspondence concerning this article may be sent to Lisa J. Lehmberg, University of Massachusetts, Department of Music and Dance, Fine Arts Center Rm. 273 East, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst, MA 01003. Email address: lehmberg@ music.umass.edu
National Association for Music Education Announces the Creation of
Touching the Lives of 20 Million Children
Give A Note Foundation was established by the leaders of the National Association for Music Education in order to expand and increase music education opportunities for all children and help them develop skills needed for success in the 21st century.
To make a donation, please visit www.giveanote.org
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Interview With A New Jersey Public School Guitar Educator By Thomas Amoriello Flemington Raritan School District tamoriel@frsd.k12.nj.us
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elcome friends of the guitar for another reading to help you along with your classroom needs. I thought I would try something different for this one and hopefully learn something new myself as we enter the spring and home stretch of this school year. I first met Keith Calmes in the late 1990’s while we were both teaching at the same community arts school in Haddonfield, NJ. Throughout the seasons I would also see him at Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society (www.phillyguitar.org) events and was excited to find out he would also became a public school guitar educator in New Jersey. Calmes was one of the first guitarists in the United States to earn a degree in classical guitar performance from the prestigious Julliard School once they initiated such a program. He also holds degrees from the University of Southern California as well as California State University Northridge. He is currently the guitar instructor at Wall High School in Monmouth County and is active as a soloist and chamber musician. His education lecture that I attended this past June 2011 at the Guitar Foundation of America International Convention & Competition (www. guitarfoundation.org) in Columbus, GA (Columbus State University) “Getting the Job Done: Ensuring the Success of Pre-College Guitarists” was what inspired me to ask Keith to share his knowledge with us in this issue. Welcome Keith! Please tell us about your program at Wall High School? First of all: thanks for asking me to do this, Tom! The guitar program at Wall High School currently consists of 5 beginning guitar classes which cap out at 31 students per class, an intermediate guitar ensemble which students can take for multiple years, and a guitar club (which is actually an ensemble for students who can’t fit guitar ensemble into their schedule). Of course, the groups have many performance opportunities during the year, including our guitar festival, concerts in the winter and spring, and a few other shows in between. We just had German guitarist Norbert Dams visit our area and Norbert asked us to play one of his pieces at the beginning of the show. It was a great opportunity, and the students really brought their “A game”! I also have to say that there are many great non-guitar classes to take for the musically curious at Wall High School: music theory, A.P. music, digital audio, concert band, wind ensemble, jazz band (which is currently a club), musical theater classes, cabaret singing, and a few choirs. It’s truly a diverse program!
What obstacles did you face when you were first hired or started the program? Well, I didn’t start the program. The program was started by Les Hollander, who is still the director of the music program. Roy Gussman and Steve Briant also taught guitar at Wall High School before I came aboard. Steve is now doing a great job as the band director at the middle school, and Roy retired and is now music director of the Monmouth Symphony and doing quite a few gigs around the area on clarinet. When I started teaching at the school I taught three guitar classes and a rock history or music theory class at the high school, then trekked down to the middle school and taught general music. I love teaching different subjects, but developing a more in-depth guitar program was something that I really wanted to pursue. I’m lucky that I’ve had the opportunity to do this at Wall High School. One key to getting established at Wall High School was my mentor, Les Hollander. Les is excellent at reading people, and knew that I had to get comfortable and find my own way to become successful (if I can say that...). At my first teaching job in Baltimore, I had many mentors. Each one of them had a specific prescription for success. It was overload, quite frankly. I think that what might have worked for these mentors or teachers is not what would have worked for me. I also think that Wall is a good fit for me since it is similar to my own high school in central California. Other challenges about starting at Wall High School included moving to the area from Philadelphia and getting more established here, establishing myself as a dedicated and competent employee at the school, obtaining state certification and earning tenure. What would you like to say to the non-guitarist music educator that is about to take the leap and start up a new program? Well, if you’re a non-guitarist music educator, there are quite a few thing that you could do. Guitarists are a very different breed! Guitarists are usually great at chords. That’s our bread and butter. Most of us love to improvise (we have a unique method of learning scale fingerings), and reading is to many of us what kryptonite is to superman. There are also unique challenges in reading in the low register, playing polyphonically and in playing dynamics. The diverse world of tone color on the instrument is also frequently over looked by the non-guitarist. I would suggest taking guitar lessons with a good teacher and networking with guitarists and guitar teachers. Guitar societies are
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also a great way to network (didn’t we first meet at the PCGS Christmas party, Tom?). Go to concerts in the area! There are also many resources available online at little or no cost. Hey, you could even shoot me (or Tom) an email (keithguitarcalmes@yahoo.com); guitarists love to talk shop. It’s truly our passion. If you’re developing a program, I would have to say that you have to think long-term and have to keep envisioning what you want students to achieve by the end of their tenure with you. I frequently think about what a college professor might like to see in my students at their entrance audition. Establishing a guitar club is frequently a good way to tap into student interest with minimal administrative labor. Of course, establishing a program includes collaboration with the administration and proving the merits (and cost-effectiveness, etc.) of your program.
pursuing it. You really have to be dedicated. The payback for the countless hours and monetary investment in music is not monetary. It has to be something deeper that you need to have within your life. You must also have a burning desire to share this deep love of music with others. There will be probably be some very hard years. I read an interview with a member of the Beaux Arts Trio that said most aspiring young musicians realize that there will be some challenging years, but it’s MUCH worse than that. Sorry to say that I would have to agree. I also tell college music students to never stop thinking about the day that they will graduate. What will they do? The moment of graduation is not a magical “parting of the sea” for most music students; it is more often a moment of terrifying realization. I had a moment of epiphany when studying lute and early music during my doctoral studies with James Tyler at USC (one of my real heroes) and watching Soul Train on television. Most people just wanted to “boogie down” to some pop music. How would I ever be able to pay my mounting bills with a lute in my hand? What are the pros and cons of studying classical guitar on the college level?
Keith Calmes - 2009 Photo Do you have any success stories you would like to share about your students, both musical & non-musical? I tend to not dwell on the past, but am usually looking for the next success story. I hope that there are more and more of them as I become a more experienced teacher! It’s great to have some of my students move on to Juilliard Pre-College, Temple University, Berklee, Oberlin, Duquesne and the like. You know that your students are now in able musical hands! It’s also nice to know that an occasional student wins a competition, even though I’m generally opposed to the competitive spirit in artistic pursuits. I’m more interested in knowing that my students value music and have a special place for it in their lives. Many of my students go on to major in a subject outside of music in college, but do rock gigs or enjoy music outside of their normal career paths. What do you tell your talented students who are planning to pursue music or guitar studies in college after they finished with your program? I tend to put on the brakes for most students planning to pursue music in college. They should think long and hard about it before MARCH 2012
The classical guitar is a tremendous instrument. It has enraptured millions of people over the centuries. I got interested in the classical guitar because I wanted to combine my love of classical piano with my passion for folk and rock guitar; and I still feel that this was the right thing for me to do. Hearing Ponce’s La Folia Variations or Bach’s Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro still knocks me out. I just discovered the endearing qualities of the Harp Guitar (with additional bass strings AND treble strings!). It’s just as exciting to me as the first moment that I discovered the classical guitar. Recently discovering the world of rhythms used in South Indian music, Konakol, has also inspired me deeply. The only con I can think of in studying classical guitar is realizing that you are entering into a type of cult. Classical guitar is not in the mainstream. As a classical guitar major, it’s easy to forget that most people want to listen to rock and pop music. Most audiences want to hear popular music, and most of your students will want to learn popular music. I’ve heard many say that learning classical guitar is the best way to learn to play other types of music, since it is the foundation. I’m not sure that I can fully agree with that. All musicians should learn theory and basic musicianship, but if you want to learn to play Heavy Metal (or any other type of music), I would say to go ahead and study that type of music! Every type of music has unique characteristics that need to be mastered. Do you have any networking or advocacy tools that have worked for you promoting your program that could help other educators? Every guitar teacher should be a member of Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and the National Association of Music (formally MENC), as well as become involved in local guitar societies. I’ve also found subscribing to guitar magazines such as Guitar Player Magazine, Acoustic Guitar, Classical Guitar Magazine and Soundboard invaluable. Another important tool on the local level is to network with other teachers, administration and parents. Lastly, read the local pa27 TEMPO
per. You’ll probably learn things about your school district that you wouldn’t learn about elsewhere! Do you have any special projects that you would like to promote? The Wall Guitar Festival occurs every Spring. This year it will be on Saturday April 21st during the daytime hours. Our very special guest will be Maestro Carlos Barbosa-Lima, who will give a master class and concert. Also playing will the Mayes Duo from Rowan University, James Day from TCNJ, and John Arnold (Moravian College) who will present a workshop on Flamenco. Also scheduled to appear is John Arnold’s student, Thomas Pfefer. Pfefer won the Youth Competition of last year’s GFA International Competition. Master Luthier Gary Lee just informed me that he would set up a small repair shop on site, so that he can help people with small repairs. I’ve also been talking to a hand therapist about coming to talk about performance-based hand injuries to us. It’s going to be a special day! What kind of future do you see for guitar programs in our public schools? The guitar’s popularity remains strong. My numbers in the guitar area at Wall High
School have doubled in the last six years. It seems like the popularity of non-Rock music would have diminished interest, but I really don’t see that. It also seems like interest in technology and video games might have diminished involvement in the guitar, but technology has merely become another tool to guitarists and music teachers in general. The guitar is a chameleon and embraces change; have you seen the “robot guitar”? I also do a lot of recitals in NJ, NYC and the Philadelphia area. It would be great to see you at one of these events; come say hello! I’ve been lucky to have new music written for me by some of my favorite composers: Stepan Rak, Maximo Diego Pujol, Chiel Meijering, NJ’s own Tim Broege and many more as it’s worth a listen! Do you have any thoughts about using pop music as a unifying connector in your instruction? The power of using this music is huge. People are motivated by great music that they love. I’ve used pop music in a wide variety of ways: reading the melody, learning chords, studying theory and chord progressions, improvisation and ensemble playing. I’ve also tweaked classical repertoire to put in a solo section. My student get to “rock out” over music by the masters!
Any last thoughts to conclude our interview? Thanks for asking me to do this, and thanks for reading it! Have a great school year! Many sincere best wishes to all... To learn more about Keith and obtain a copy of his latest CD recording “Still Life And Simple Dreams” please visit his website at: www.keithcalmes.com Thomas Amoriello is currently teaching General Music/Guitar Class & Chorus at Reading Fleming Intermediate School in Hunterdon County, NJ. He is a graduate of Rowan University and Shenandoah Conservatory. He was an adjunct guitar instructor at Cumberland County College from 19992005. He has appeared on Classroom Close-up that aired on NJN Public Television and has presented guitar workshops for various music organizations. In addition to the NJMEA, he is a member of the Guitar Foundation of America and the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society. He is proud to endorse The Guitar Wheel, D’Addario Strings and Guitar Picks from Steve Clayton, Inc. You can learn more about Tom by visiting www.tomamoriello.com
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Kids As Composers: Ten Approaches To Composing In The General Music Class By Bradley L. Green Georgia Southern University
Reprinted from Georgia Music News
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he image of a composer is of the creative type at the upright piano, pencil in hand, getting just the right sound on manuscript paper. With Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart as the most famous models, it is no wonder that composing—especially in the general music class—can be sidestepped for something appearing to be a bit more achievable and less time consuming. Even so, music teachers continually discover ways to help students become composers. They are tearing down the boundaries that can exclude composition from music learners at many levels. These music teachers are achieving the kind of music education Paul Hindemith described as “not a special branch of knowledge... to be taught to those gifted or interested enough” but a “logical outgrowth of a healthy and stable system of education.” The standard perception of the process of composition is also changing. Over the past two decades, the computer, along with other recently developed tools, has allowed the craft of composition to be both accessible to and understandable by a larger audience. Countless technologies for recording, arranging, notating, and editing music are available for musicians at skill levels ranging from the elementary school child to the professional musician. Free open-source notation, sequencing, and audio editing software such as Noteflight, Musescore, Linux multimedia software, and Audacity, make creating and manipulating music inexpensive as well. This article identifies ten approaches to teaching composition in the general music classroom. There are many resources for finding composition activities, and some examples are mentioned here. However, the main purpose is not to present activities so much as it is to point out alternative methods. Have you become stuck in one “go-to” approach to exposing your students to composition? Then read on for alternate ways to bring music creation to your classroom, sparking new musical life into the curriculum.
1. Composition as a way to synthesize and apply musical learning.
After students have learned a new musical element, they can compose a piece based on that element as a way to synthesize and apply the new learning. For example, after students learn paired eighth notes, ask them to compose a piece that uses paired eighth notes in different patterns. A sample activity in a first grade classroom learning songs about insects might look like this: a. Ask students to think of an insect word that has one syllable (e.g., fly). Draw the word with a quarter note above it. Then think of an insect word that has two syllables (e.g., spi-der) and draw paired eight notes above it. b. Ask students to combine the quarter and eighth note words into four beats, and draw one example on the board (e.g.,fly, spi-der, spi-der, fly). Ask students to draw three more phrases for a total of four phrases, including both the notation and the words. c. Let students speak the four measures and transfer the rhythm to unpitched rhythm instruments. d. Ask the students to evaluate the composition and refine the composition to satisfaction. 2. Composition as a culmination of improvisation.
At Claxton Elementary in Claxton, Rita Ponder, the music teacher, often asks fifth graders to improvise a melody on the recorder with notes they already know: B, A, G, and E. She invites several students to the large staff rug in the middle of the room. The students improvise several variations and patterns of these notes. After everyone takes their turn at improvising, the students experiment and evaluate the patterns, deciding the ones they like best, and notating them on staff paper. 3. Composition as a basis for the entire curriculum.
Teachers can approach composition as the primary tool in their music classes, mak-
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ing it a medium through which all other music concepts and elements are introduced. Students in these classes compose for the duration of the school year, using composition as a tool to explore and apply learning. Programs such as Composers in the Classrooms and the Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project were designed with composition as the primary component. 4. Composition as a tool for group learning.
Composition is often the product of group work in music classrooms. In schools where cooperative learning groups are the norm, composition is a natural fit. Many teachers value cooperative learning for its strengths: peer-teaching and learner-centered instruction. There are three grouping options: composing individually, composing in a group of two to five students, and composing as an entire class. In a group learning environment, the teacher serves as a guide and support. As with any cooperative learning group, students need structure to complete the task: defined roles for each group member, a musical goal or problem to be solved, a time limit, sound sources or instruments to be used, and clearly stated expectations for the musical product. 5. Composition as a tool for expressing emotion.
Students immediately take ownership of their compositional task when they are asked to represent emotions. Students enjoy sharing feelings through poetry and visual art; composition can be another mode of personal expression. Using musical concepts that students have already learned, ask them to introduce expressive elements such as tempo, tempo changes, dynamics, and phrasing. Play recordings that can be perceived to express a certain emotion. For example, ask students to record an emotion with descriptive words. Then with specified sound sources (e.g., found sounds, barred instruments, rhythm MARCH 2012
instruments), students can identify sounds that represent the descriptive words. These sounds can then be structured and formed into a composition. 6. Composition as a representation of a picture, story, or poem.
Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” or Saint-Saens’ “Carnival of the Animals” are famous examples of compositions promoted by pictures, stories, or poems. Music teachers can come closer to reaching the goal of MENC Standard 8: “Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts” by using famous works from visual arts and literature as prompts for writing music. Many important works of art are available in general music texts, and most school libraries have access to an abundance of these materials through online databases. The use of pictures, stories, or poems as prompts for music composition is usually associated with Orff teaching, but can also be found in Kodaly, Dalcroze, and other music education approaches. There are coundess ways that students can use materials from other artistic disciplines to create. For example, when a certain picture or word appears in a storybook, students might choose an unpitched percussion sound to identify it. The sounds could then be organized into a musical form, evaluated, and performed. 7. Composition to explore elements such as rhythm, melody, harmony, timbre, or expressive elements.
Composition allows students to creatively explore the wide range of possibilities within a single area of music. For the purpose of exploring rhythm, for example, a composition might include combinations of quarter and eighth notes. These two simple rhythms can become interesting when combined with expressive elements like dynamics, phrasing, and tempo changes. Simple melodies and harmonies can be added. The addition of movement to the rhythm composition would add even more interest. The possibilities are endless. 8. Composition to explore musical forms.
As a student progresses through general music, musical forms move from simple to complex. The first musical structures that are explored are same/different phrases, echo, and call/response. Question/answer, song forms, MARCH 2012
cumulative songs, a and b combinations (e.g. aba, aaba, aabb, etc.) coda, repetition, and blues forms are just a few structures to explore through composition. Composing in different forms gives a student a direct experience with musical structures that analysis alone does not provide.
Music creation is arguably the highest order of thinking. It requires synthesis and evaluation of materials… Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to provide a structure, but don’t be too strict about the process. 9. Composition to teach cross curricular themes.
Music teachers are increasingly asked to reinforce other subject areas. Only a portion of music teachers teach music alone; most music teachers work as part of a team with teachers of other subjects. Music composition is especially useful in getting students to organize thoughts into a new framework, which makes it an ideal tool for cross curricular learning. For example, a class might create a melody based on the symbols of the state of Georgia: setting each syllable of the symbols to pitches (e.g., Che-ro-kee rose, peach, brown thrash-er), combining the beats into a four beat motive, varying the motive to make a b motive, and finally combining the motives to form an aaba structure. In another example, students who create a digital photo story to present information on a topic can compose their own background music for these presentations. Web 2.0 tools such as Microsoft’s Photostory or Voicethread (www.voicethread. com), easily guide students through the process of uploading pictures and music to create a final product. 10. Composition to practice and develop skills with standard notation.
The Georgia Performance Standards for music frequently mandate the use of standard notation in the music education environment. Iconic/graphic notation is an intermediate step, but literacy with standard music notation is the goal. Music teachers can use composition in the general music classroom to improve this skill. A number of
tools for developing skill in standard notation exist. Aside from worksheets and manuscript paper, computerized notation, webbased instructional tools, manipulatives, and instructional aids such as Ready to Read Music by Jay Althouse, help students to use standard notation in the compositional process. There are many benefits to using composition as a teaching tool for understanding. Music creation is arguably the highest order of thinking. It requires synthesis and evaluation of materials. The approaches listed above are mutually beneficial. For example, using a poem as a compositional prompt may also be an expression of emotion and a way to practice using standard notation. Perhaps the most important thing to remember about composition in the classroom is: provide a structure, but don’t be too strict regarding the process. As Carl Orff reminds us, “Let the children be their own composers.” References Kaschub, M., Smith,J., et al. (2009). Minds on music: Composition for creative and critical thinking. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education. Sloboda,). A. (2000). Generative processes in music: the psychology of performance, improvisation, and composition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kratus, J., & Wilcox, E. (1994). How do children compose? Teaching Music, 2(3), 38. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Hindemith, P. (1961). A composer’s world, horizons and limitations. Garden City: Doubleday. Bradley Green is on the faculty at Georgia Southern University, where he supervises music student teachers and teaches music education and technology courses.
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University of MassachUsetts aMherst Ba in MUsic BM in Jazz, history, MUsic edUcation, PerforMance & theory/coMPosition MM in collaBorative Piano, coMPosition, condUcting, Jazz coMPosition/arranging, MUsic edUcation, MUsicology, PerforMance & theory Audition Dates • Applicants for Spring and Fall 2012: December 3 • Early action for Fall 2012: February 4 & 18 • Regular applicants for Fall 2012: March 3 • Transfer applicants for Fall 2012: April 14 Classical Strings only: • Tuesday, November 29, 2011 • Wednesday, February 15, 2012 • Saturday, March 3, 2012 • Monday, April 9, 2012 For More Information: cthornley@music.umass.edu • 413-545-6048
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Physical Health “Be In Tune With Your Body” By Andrew Lesser Burlington City Public Schools andrew.lesser@yahoo.com
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egardless of our varied disciplines as music educators, including both our specializations and our grade level of instruction, we all recognize the highest priority in our lives is our fundamental quality of physical health. It goes without saying that without good health, it quickly becomes impossible to perform our daily functions as educators, let alone anything else! We’ve all heard the disturbing statistics of rising cases of obesity in both children and adults, or that obesity is one of the leading causes of heart disease. In addition, we have also been exposed to the wide range of benefits that promoting good physical health can bring, including the dramatic reduction of emotional and mental stress, a higher developed sense of confidence and pride, and an increase in energy and endurance that is essential to our field of music education. But one needs not to be obese, or in any other immediate health danger to recognize the imperative in developing a regiment of proper fitness in our lives. In fact, all educators in positions that require physical work (of which music is a certainty!) should develop a lifestyle that promotes healthy choices and staying in shape. Lifestyle? First, we must understand that promoting good physical health means to look further than the goal of achieving your desired weight, or how many miles you’d like to walk without getting winded. True, short term goals are important for laying out a structured plan, but once those goals are accomplished, then what? For many people who desire to lose weight, they go on a diet. They change their entire eating habits, much to their own chagrin, or even join a gym for a limited time. The problem with this approach is that once that person
accomplishes their desired level of physical health, everything goes right back to the way it was. The previous eating habits resume, the gym membership expires, and then it’s only a matter of time until the weight comes back or more serious health problems emerge. I dislike the term “diet” because it implies a temporary change of lifestyle that will eventually return once the goal has been reached. Instead of continuing the downward spiral back and forth between weight gain and weight loss (which in itself can create serious bodily stress), why don’t we develop the goal to continuously maintain our good health once our short term goals have been reached? Why don’t we develop a lifestyle that keeps the weight off and gives us the energy and endurance to teach to our highest potential? The Fitness Triangle Before I became a music teacher, I managed a New York Sports Club fitness center in Princeton, NJ. Having more than twenty years of experience in the martial arts prior to this, I believed I knew everything there was to know about good health. I had endurance, flexibility, strength, and a confidence that transcended into all my endeavors. But when I accepted the position of a public school music director, I quickly found that my healthy habits were becoming less of a priority as I put all of my energy into creating a successful program for my students. Soon, my stress level was rising, I was gaining weight, and I was spending less and less time focusing on my personal health as I was on my job. It wasn’t until one day where I went to my normal martial arts class and found I did not have the energy to keep up with my own students that I realized my habits needed to change. Fortunately, I remembered my many conversations with the personal trainers of my
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former gym, and their philosophies regarding what I call the “fitness triangle”. The fitness triangle consists of the three primary aspects of staying in shape, which are cardiovascular training, strength training, and dietary habits. Cardiovascular exercises are anything that increases the flow of your circulatory system. Exercises that increase heart rate and cause perspiration can help burn calories, which reduce fat, and increases endurance and breath control. Proper cardiovascular exercise is a leading deterrent against heart disease and circulatory problems. Doing things like taking a long walk, jumping jacks, running, and playing sports that require constant movement such as tennis, basketball, or swimming all enhance the cardiovascular system. Taking aerobics classes, martial arts, or kickboxing are all excellent ways to get your blood pumping and energized. Strength training involves the building of muscle to replace fat, creating stronger, healthier tissue, and lowering blood pressure. It also offsets the normal loss of muscle from aging, and protects against injury by building stronger bones. Other positive benefits from strength training include antidepression, reduced back pain, and lowering the risk for kidney disease, stroke, and cancer. Strength training can be separated into two separate concepts: weight training and resistance training. Training with weights can be as simple as lifting a dumbbell or performing a bench press. There are innumerable exercises for each individual muscle, so if one exercise is too difficult or complicated, don’t get discouraged. The best way to learn how to properly train with weights is to join a local gym and get a tutorial from a personal trainer. Most gyms offer an introductory service for free with a membership. Resistance training is very similar to weight training except that you are contracting against the weight of another obMARCH 2012
ject. That object could be a weight, such as a dumbbell or medicine ball, but it could also be the weight of our own bodies. Pushup, sit-ups, chin-ups, and leg lifts are just a few examples of resistance training that you can do without any extra equipment. Many strength training exercises can also involve cardiovascular concepts, such as increasing your heart rate; thus it is possible to combine both cardiovascular and strength training exercises in one! The final and most important aspect of the fitness triangle is the way we eat. Like putting the right kind of fuel in our cars, it doesn’t matter if we have a Ferrari or a station wagon, it won’t go anywhere unless it has the right fuel. The great thing about the dietary part of the triangle is that it’s simple to understand which foods to choose that are high in vitamins and nutrition. In fact, the dietary aspect of the fitness triangle accounts for about 80% in total importance. Like I said before, you can outfit your car with the best engine, sound system, and accessories, but it won’t go anywhere unless it has a full tank of fuel. Some foods that are high in protein, vitamins, antioxidants, and low in fat and cholesterol include: almonds, vegetables like beans and peas, fat-free dairy products, eggs, turkey, tuna, berries, and whole grain products. This is not to say you have to eliminate things like cheeseburgers, cheesesteaks, desserts, and other good stuff from your diet. It just means that you have to balance these foods with the foods that will help to burn fat and build muscle. Replacing soda with water, for example, is a great start. Bringing a healthy lunch to work instead of hitting the McDonald’s drive through is an excellent way to change to a healthier lifestyle. For more information, I suggest reading up on the latest nutritional tips on the internet, or read The Abs Diet, or The Abs Diet for Women by David Zinczenko. But I Don’t Have The Time! Haven’t we all heard that from at least one student when we ask them how long they’ve practiced in a particular week? And our answer is usually the same: “If you can find the time to spend hours on video games, Facebook, or texting your friends, surely you can spend more time practicing your concert material!” Now granted, the situation is not exactly the same (hopefully!) MARCH 2012
when we consider music educators teaching a variety of subjects and balancing a home, family, and social life all at once. I have had the experience of teaching Choir, Concert Band, Marching Band, Music Theory, Jazz, and running a Music Booster Organization, in addition to finding time to compose, practice my clarinet and saxophone, and having an active social life. And yes, sometimes it can get quite exhausting. However, we need to understand that without prioritizing our own physical health, we risk losing the very thing that allows us to multitask and run at 100% every week. During my time managing the New York Sports Clubs fitness center, I interviewed numerous personal trainers in what they believed was an adequate fitness schedule that would both build muscle, trim fat, and promote good cardiovascular health. They informed me that for the strength training aspect of the fitness triangle, only about 2 hours a week was necessary to maintain one’s current condition, with a 30 minute focus on abdominal muscles. Only 2-3 hours a week were needed for cardiovascular training, which could be easily accomplished by taking a brisk walk for an hour three times a week. As for the diet, again noted as the most important aspect of the fitness triangle, that takes a bit more time to adjust to. David Zinczenko, editor of Men’s Health Magazine and author of “The Abs Diet”, refers to dietary habits as the most important part of a balanced fitness lifestyle, understanding once again that the general definition of “diet” is something temporary that you use to lose weight, in which after you gain the desired results, you start back on your normal eating habits (and the cycle begins anew!). Having the commitment to losing weight and improving your health isn’t something you think about when you stand on the scale and realize “it’s time to go on that diet”. Instead, we should be continuing to maintain our health especially after we have reached our ideal weight. That way, the weight will stay off, we’ll be consistently healthy, and we’ll all feel better physical and mentality.
Biggest Loser”. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with doing any of those things. After all, you really can’t put a price tag on health when it comes to your own. The first step is the same thing we say to students who are just beginning an instrument: just start playing! Get outside and take a walk, get on the internet and research healthy foods, subscribe to a fitness magazine and practice the exercises, play a sport, anything that gets you up and moving. There is a wealth of materials out there that can help point you in the right direction. Joining a gym and scheduling time with an accredited personal trainer is one of the best ways to start getting in shape and learn how to keep yourself there on your own. When it comes down to it, the primary factor for creating healthy habits is our own motivation. Only we can decide what we want to do with the body we’ve been given, and just like an instrument, it will take care of us if we only return the favor. Feel free to contact me about the information provided above, or visit my website at www.andrewlessermusic.com if you have any questions or anything you’d like to share. I look forward to hearing from you! Andrew Lesser is the Director of General and Vocal Music at the Wilbur Watts Intermediate School at the Burlington City School District. He is also a fourth degree black belt and master instructor with MacKenzie’s TaeKwon-Do and Hapkido Institute located in Voorhees, NJ. He has taught band, chorus, jazz, music theory, general music, and marching band in grades K-12 and is also a published composer. In January 2010, he was elected into the Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame for Excellence in Teaching. Visit Andrew Lesser at his website at www.andrewlessermusic.com. Sources: Zinczenko, David. The Abs Diet. Rodale Publications: 2004. Lauren, Mark. You are Your Own Gym. Ballantine Books: 2011
So What Can I Do Right Now? You don’t have to join a gym, hire a personal trainer, nutritionist, or buy tons of DVD’s of Tae-Bo, P90X, or watch “The 37 TEMPO
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Where Have All The Marches Gone? Here They Are! By Carolyn Barber University of Nebraska-Lincoln Reprinted from Nebraska Music Educator
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here have all the marches gone? For some reason, contemporary composers tend to avoid the genre, or at least avoid success in the genre. My theory is that a good march requires at least three catchy tunes, and that’s a tall order. Tune writing is a lost art, so we’ll have to dip into the archives to find some worthy candidates. Marches are often categorized by function: circus marches, ceremonial marches, concert marches, and, for lack of a better term, “marching” marches. There are also football marches, commemorative marches, dancing marches, and national marches. You name it, there’s a march for it. Marches have a long and distinguished his tory. The modern form is descended from the minuet and trio of the eighteenth century. European marches tend to remain closer to that model, whereas American marches adopted the bold strategy of ending in the “wrong” key thanks in large part to the spectacularly gifted John Philip Sousa. Sousa’s marches are numerous and easy to find, and the quality is rock solid no matter your choice. Other “can’t miss” American march icons include Karl King and Henry Fillmore. For those on the hunt for Fillmore marches, remember that he used seven pseudonyms: Harold Bennett for easier works; Al Hayes or Will Huff tor moderately easy works; and Gus Beans, Ray Hall, Harry Hartley, and/or Henrietta Moore for the rest. Many classical composers known primarily for their orchestral music also created the occasional march: Beethoven, Berlioz, Debussy, Delibes, Donizetti, Elgar, Hanson, Hindemith, Holst, Ives, Prokofiev, Rossini, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Wagner, and Walton are just a few. Looking for a
grand march? Look to the giants of opera. Something light, festive, and dance-able? The Strauss family can fill the bill. The golden age of march writing coincided with the flourishing of circuses and professional concert bands in the United States (c. 1880-1930). The bands of this era maintained exhausting performance schedules, and marches were a staple of every program. Consider the fact that a single circus parade in a big city might require sixty or seventy marches! This poses several problems for the modern-day conductor. Marches were written for immediate use, and since the composer was typically the conductor, there was no score, just parts. When there was a score, it was usually “short” or condensed to provide a quick outline simply as a reminder. A related problem concerns the history of music publishing in the United States. Nearly all the original family-run publishing houses have been absorbed by larger companies. These larger companies have since been bought by-even larger companies, that have been bought by still larger companies. Thus Carl Fischer owns Fillmore; Theodore Presser owns Chappell and John Church; C.L. Barnhouse owns K. L. King; Belwin-Mills owns Mills, Piedmont, and Schmitt; and Hal Leonard owns everybody. Okay, I’m joking about that last one (but just barely). Bottom line: the path you follow to locate a march won’t be straight or short. Fortunately there are a few resources that can help. For the older marches, including extensive publishing and bibliographic information, the most useful source remains Norman Smith’s March Music Notes (Program Note Press, 1986). For the most (frequently performed marches, GIA Publications’ Teaching Music Through Per-
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My theory is that a good march requires at least three catch tunes, and tha’s a tall order. forming Marches (2003) includes some useful pedagogical material. For free downloadable audio files of excellent march performances, visit the United States Marine Band website, http://www.marineband.usmc.mil I’m just now listening to their recording of Sousa’s On the Campus (1920, grade 4), and it’s delightful. Here are some more recommendations to whet your appetite. Since 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the Civil War, you might consider programming C.L. Barnhouse’s The Battle of Shiloh. This grade 5 march was composed in 1888 when the memory of the actual battle was still fresh. The march was reissued in 1986 with a full score. Another march that might fit the theme would be Russell Alexander’s The Southerner. Composed in 1908, and reissued with a full score in 1968, this grade 4 composition was dedicated to Alexander’s wife and became his most popular work alongside The Colossus of Columbia (grade 4, 1901/1980). To add some international flair to your programs, consider these classics: Mariano San Miguel’s La Oreja de Oro - The Golden Ear (1966/1984, grade 4); Carl Teike’s Alte Kameraden - Old Comrades (1908/1973, grade 4) and Graf Zeppelin (1912/1980); Julius Fucik’s Florentiner (1906/1980, grade 4) and Entry of the Gladiators - Thunder and Blazes (1901/1906, grade 4); David Delle Cese’s Unglesina - The Little English Girl (1871/2000, grade 4); and Johannes Hanssen’s Valdres (1963, grade 4). For the Anglophiles, consider Kenneth Al-
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ford (aka F.J. Ricketts - not to be confused with the American Harry Alford). Among his most famous marches are Colonel Bogey (1914/1982, grade 4), The Mad Major (1921/1983, grade 4), and The Vanished Army (1918, grade 4). Another Brit is Eric Coates, whose best-known marches are Dam Busters (1954/1956, grade 3), and Knightshridge (1933/1970, grade 4). Some lesser-known, yet musically satisfying, American marches include E.V Cupero’s Honey Boys on Parade (1914/1985, grade 4); W. Paris Chambers’ Chicago Tribune (1892/1984, grade 4), and Boys of the Old Brigade (1901/1981, grade 4); and Jerry Bilik’s Block M (1955, grade 3). Younger bands will enjoy Eric Osterling’s The Nutmeggers (1954, grade 3), and the classic Bandology (1964, grade 3). Finally, a handful of good old-fashioned circus marches: O. R. Farrar’s Bombasto (1895/1953, grade 3); Al Sweet’s Ringling Bros. Grand Entry
...remember that Fillmore used seven pseudonyms: Harold Bennett for easier works, Al Hayes or Will Huff for moderately easy works, and Qus Beans, Ray Hall, Harry Hartley, and/or Henrietta Moore for the rest. (1911/1939, grade 3); and J.C. Heed’s In Storm and Sunshine (1885/1980, grade 4). All are guaranteed to get your toes tapping. About the Author: Carolyn A. Barber (Director of Bands, University of Nebraska - Lincoln) earned a B.M. in horn performance at Northwestern University, an M.M. in horn performance from Yale University, and her D.M. in conducting at Northwestern.
Barber began her career as a lecturer and assistant to the dean of the Northwestern University School of Music. She then served as the director of bands at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Barber also served as the principal horn of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. She has received numerous awards for musical and academic achievement, including the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Distinguished Teaching Award, and two National Band Association Citations of Excellence. Her writing has been published in the Journal of Band Research, and she is a regular contributor to the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band reference series. Comments are welcome and may be directed to cbarber@unlnotes.unl.edu
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Angle & Embouchure: Fundamentals Of Good Clarinet Tone Production By Michael Walsh South Dakota State University Reprinted from South Dakota Musician
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ood equipment does not guarantee great tone. In any clarinet section there can be as many different instruments and mouthpieces as there are players. In order to have a good clarinet section, certain fundamentals of approach should be followed with each player which will help establish a uniform sound. The question that arises is how can one achieve a higher level of quality in a clarinet section with such a variety of instruments, mouthpieces, and reeds. There are many aspects of producing good tone on the clarinet that go beyond equipment. Buying a good mouthpiece and reed are essential, but other elements just as important as the equipment selection tend to be overlooked. The result often times is a poor embouchure and hence a poor tone. Acquiring new and more expensive equipment then becomes a meaningless task. It is important to explain the reason for making a change in position or embouchure. An explanation and a demonstration enable a student to fix these problems more efficiently. When we talk about tone, we always hear the words “roundness of tone”. It is important to make the embouchure just that. The player should visualize an oval shape that emphasizes the corners of the mouth pointed in while keeping a flat chin. If the chin is not flat, a thin, airy sound can occur. Also make sure that the red part of the bottom lip is the only part touching the reed. Students putting their lips around the mouthpiece and then shifting the mouthpiece into place will cause incorrect embouchure. A simple exercise can change these habits. The student should stand with his back against the wall so that back, neck
and head are straight and flat against the wall. Then form the embouchure and bring the instrument up to it. Do not meet the mouthpiece halfway. This is much easier to do when the muscles that are used in clarinet embouchure are strong. This takes practice.
Traditional clarinet method books describe specific angles when holding the clarinet ranging from 30 degrees to 45 degrees. There is an exercise to find the proper angle. When the embouchure and the angle of the instrument are correct, the player has more control of tone and dynamics. The tendency is for students to play with their heads downwards, pushing the clarinet away from the body. The airflow becomes pinched in this situation, closing the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece. This especially affects the clarion register, from B third line to C above the staff. The tone becomes spread and hard to control. In this position the individual will try to force as much air as possible through the instru ment and the dynamic will not change. Students that play in this manner are sometimes told to raise their music stands in hopes that the head will be raised with it. The result is
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that the eyes look more upward instead of the head actually being raised and the clarinet moving closer to the body. On the other hand, holding the instrument too close to the body can also cause control problems. This places too much emphasis on the top lip and the air becomes uncontrolled and more of a “honky” sound versus a tone. The goal is to produce good tone with ease. Traditional clarinet method books describe specific angles when holding the clarinet ranging from 30 degrees to 45 degrees. There is an exercise to find the proper angle. If you give the student a point of reference, such as between the knees, he can set the point every time. It is best to start simply and only use the barrel and mouthpiece of the instrument at the beginning. First, the student should form the embouchure and bring the barrel and mouthpiece to it. Remember: do not meet the mouthpiece halfway. Next, ask the student to raise and lower the end of the barrel so that it is close to the body and then away from the body while playing any note. The change in tone is drastic from narrow angles to wide angles. A narrow angle will produce a spread tone while a wider angle will produce a thin tone. A full round tone occurs along that line of movement when all of the overtones in the sound can be heard and the roundest tone is produced. In my own experience, somewhere around 35 degrees is the most successful angle. The same exercise can be done with the neck and the mouthpiece for bass, alto and contrabass clarinets. When that angle is finally achieved, have the student form the embouchure, bring the instrument up and play the lowest note of the instrument, low E. In the same breath they then MARCH 2012
touch the register key to sound the twelfth higher, or middle B. It is important at this point to make note of the clarinet not having an octave key, but instead a register key. Many players bypass this concept quickly and do not find out until they are much older. It should be taught right away from the beginning, in order to fully understand the instrument. Repeat this exercise in half steps from low E to C below the staff. Students sometimes tighten the embouchure and pinch off the sound when touching the register key so make sure the student stays relaxed. If the students hold out the second note and tapers with a nice diminuendo, their control will become better and they will achieve more color and musicality, which is important to phrasing. Remember that good tone is the result of proper technique. When students practice these concepts on their own, they should do so in front of a mirror. Matching a suitable clarinet, reed, and mouthpiece to each student and including the techniques mentioned above should greatly improve this very important section of your band.
Michael Walsh is Assistant Professor of Clarinet at South Dakota State University. A native of New York, Michael received his bachelor and master’s degreesfrom the University of Miicksville, • (800) ami,NY and11802 his doctorate in 472-6274 clarinet performance and pedagogy from the University of Kansas. d@samashmusic.com
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You Must Teach Your Students How To Practice By Patti Fleer Missouri MEA Orchestra Vice President orchestravp@mmea.net
Reprinted From Missouri School Music Magazine
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racticing is a chore for some and a joy for others. As a kid. 1 was a real “Eloise” when it came to practicing my violin. I liked to watch my favorite TV shows and practice during the commercials. I’m not sure everyone approved. My mom would often give me the option of practicing violin or doing the dishes after dinner. Talk about incentives. I always chose to practice. In the evening while practicing and sitting on the arm of the couch. I would poke my dad’s newspaper that he was engrossed in and say, “Hey. listen to this!” I was sure he wasn’t paying attention. Of course I never practiced the technical exercises, only the repertoire and then only the repertoire that I liked or was easy to play. Hmmm… Luckily I had teachers that followed a progression of repertoire and etudes that fed me a lot of necessary technique. (Kind of like my mom grinding up vegetables and putting them in spaghetti sauces so I wouldn’t know it. Forty years later I am still suspicious of her sauce.) Occasionally my mom would want me to perform on the violin for her friends. I always said “NO.” But then there were
my self-selected impromptu concerts for unsuspecting family friends. These performances always left my mother a little slack jawed. Mothers should be careful what they ask for. Teachers should also be careful what they ask for. When we ask students to practice, we often assume they already know how. Teaching students to practice often takes a back seat to group repertoire rehearsal. Instructions for students to practice need guidelines that are focused on how to structure a practice session and will help a student stay focused as well as self recognize and assess improvement. Some good strategies for practice, no matter what level the technical challenge, include: Slow motion: Practice small sections of difficult passages slowly until everything is correct. Separate hands: Make a challenging part simple by playing only the rhythm with the bow on open strings or only fingering the left hand without the bow. Focused repetition: Choose a reasonable number of repetitions (I like 3 - 5 times) for a short passage. Some students might Official concert date is March 8, 2012 at 1 PM EST, ® like to use charts or some othbut get READY to sing anytime throughout March, Music In Our Schools Month 2012! er type of counting gimmicks The World’s Largest Concert is now... (beads on a string) to keep track. One of my teachers always asked me to start over again if I made a mistake. Variation: Find ways to change a passage being practiced just for fun by changing the bowings or fingerings. Then go back to the original version. Singing: If you can sing it, you can play it. It is imporMore exciting additions and changes to the 2012 Concert include: tant for the listening portion • The 2012 Concert Online of the brain to have a tonal • Songs for Middle and High School students • Songs with choreography, percussion, and Orff instruments image of the sound. (Starting Take advantage of this great free resource provided a good listening library should to you by NAfME and Hal Leonard Corporation! be every musician’s goal.) Check out the free sheet music and audio rehearsal tracks at www.nafme.org/concert! Mental Rehearsal: ViQuestions? Contact Susan Lambert at SusanL@nafme.org or 800-336-3768 ext. 311 sualizing how to practice a
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section of a piece of music is important. The brain must be engaged on the physical aspect of the performing with respect to bowings, lingerings and posture. Record And Assess: For some students it is difficult to remember errors that occurred during a practice session. Recording a performance, lesson or practice session is not only fun, listening to the result can be an eye opener. It encourages students to self assess and critique privately. Lots of variables go into what moti vates students to practice. Students of ten weigh the perceived cost of spending time practicing vs. participating in extracurricular or recreational activities. Peers and family have a tremendous in fluence on whether students have long term performance goals that can motivate them to practice. Providing younger students opportunities to perform with older more advanced students can truly be inspiring. At my school every year we have a joint concert where we invite the eighth graders to perform with our Symphonic Orchestra. The kids and parents love it. For sure, instructional environment impacts student practice. There needs to be a good balance of repertoire requiring new skills and rep ertoire that does not require new skills. Adding repertoire or adding new chal lenges to existing repertoire can help maintain student interest as they prepare for performances. Getting creative has its rewards. Both private and school orchestra teachers need to use instructional time to educate students how to practice every week. Practice that is focused, structured and includes specific strategies will improve performance and motivate students to continue their music studies. They can truly learn to enjoy practicing if they discover that success is a result of their efforts. “It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get.” said Arnold Palmer. If students are encouraged and expected to practice productively, we will all be winners.
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Vocal Help For Music Educators: A Logical, Systematic Approach To Vocal Health By Lin Wallin Schuller, CMVT, MT McClosky Institute of Voice www.mcclosky.org
Reprinted From Massachusetts Music News
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usic educators face incredible demands on their voices every day. Whether they teach general music, chorus, band, or orchestra, the stress on the vocal instrument can lead to fatigue, chronic laryngitis, or pathological problems such as nodules. I would like to offer some concrete information which, when diligently applied, can be of immeasurable assistance to the maintenance of healthy voice production in the most difficult situations. This information is from Your Voice at Its Best by David Blair McClosky. We take our voices for granted. We open our mouths and words spill out with out our taking the time to think about the process involved. It seems simple. The brain sends a signal to the larynx to produce a spoken or sung message. In that process the breath needs to be ready to inhale and exhale in the most natu ral way possible. However, with excessive use and overuse of our vocal instrument, the body will begin to give us “signals” that something is not working correctly. These signals include tiring of the voice, hoarseness, loss of range for singing, and lowering of the speaking range, which may be accompanied by uncomfortable sensations in the area of the throat and neck. The information below is really quite easy to understand, but the retraining of the body positions and reduction of the areas of tension in the face, tongue, jaw, throat, and neck will take time, persistence, and patience. This approach is not always fast, but it is effective and healthy for the voice. Breathe With Proper Posture The most important factor in the health of the vocal instrument is that breathing must be produced in the most efficient way and sound should release on the breath, without effort. In order to achieve healthy breathing in phonation, you should read and practice the following information: MARCH 2012
• Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart. Unlock your knees—they should not be locked or overly bent. • Learn to stand with what is called a pelvic tuck or tilt. You can achieve this by feeling a stretch and tucking the buttocks under, so that the lumbar spine is straighter—reducing the arch in the lower back. • Feel a gentle stretch elongating the upper back and neck. Allow the head to feel its balance upon the very top of the spine. (The top of the spine is approxi mately between your ears.) When you find that point, your head will feel free and light and it will move easily. • Maintaining that position, stretch your arms over your head and feel the rib cage rise. Now, observe the feeling in your abdominal wall as you inhale. You will feel your breath easily entering and leaving your body without effort. • Allow your arms to fall slowly at your sides in a relaxed way while maintaining the position of your rib cage. • Keeping this rib cage position, place one hand on the chest and the other on the abdominal wall between the waist and the navel. As you inhale, feel a relaxed expansion of the abdominal wall as air flows in. There should be no tension in that area upon inhalation and the release of the breath. Be careful not to “over-stuff ” yourself with air. It should feel comfortable and easy throughout the process. • Allow your breath to enter your body by inhaling through your nose with your mouth slightly open. Release the breath with a very gentle breathy sigh. Do this a few times and notice how easily you can produce that sigh. This “easy onset of breath” is the beginning all healthy voice production.
Releasing Vocal Tensions Even as you are learning to use your breath in the most effective manner, tensions may persist in the area of the face, mouth, jaw, throat, and neck areas. These annoying, uncomfortable sensations may have become ingrained over a period of time because of poor vocal habits. The muscles in these areas have been trying to assist you during phonation and they need to be “taught” to release. As they begin to let go, you will feel much more ease in your vocal production. Here is a series of progressive exercises which, when combined with the breathing above, will help your voice to be more comfortable and add to the health and longevity of your voice. Do these exercises below, while seated, and try to keep a relaxed state of mind. 1. Face. With the pads of your fingers, gently massage your face begin ning at the forehead using a small circular motion. Proceed to the area between the eyebrows and 5. then to the temples. The massage should be gentle and relaxing. Next move down to the cheeks and around the lips and chin. Keep these muscle relaxed and go to step 2. 2. Tongue. Let your tongue soften and relax so that it rests on your lower lip. Now stretch your tongue further out of your mouth and downward toward the chin. You may feel a “pulling” at the back of the tongue, which is natural at first. Do this several times until you feel less pull. Allow the tongue to remain “fat” inside the mouth. The tongue must move for articulation, but it can move with 6. ease and articulate clearly. Maintain the feeling of steps 1 and 2. 3. Swallowing Muscles. Put both index fingers together in the center of the area under your chin and swallow. You will feel the downward pressure of the swallowing muscles, which
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can interfere with freedom of vocal ization. Keep your tongue “fat” and relaxed in your mouth and use your thumbs or fingers to massage the area under the chin inside the jaw, using the jawbone as a boundary. Freedom in these muscles, while speaking and singing, allows the larynx to remain in its natural position and this promotes an easy onset of sound. Maintain the feeling of these 3 steps. 4. Jaw (Mandible). Find the hinge of the jaw in front of the ears. This is the Temporo Mandibular Joint (or TMJ). There must be ease of movement in this joint, and the jaw must be able to drop without resistance. Now take the chin between your thumb and forefinger and move it up and down, slowly at first and eventually faster. Jaw muscles are inclined to stiffen involuntarily. However, stay with this process but do not force it. The benefits of this release are consistency of resonating space, easy articulation, and freedom in the vocal tract. Remember the relaxation areas as you proceed to the next step. 5. Larynx. Place your fingers flat against the front of your throat and swallow. You will feel the larynx rise and fall. Place your thumb and fingers on either side of the larynx, where you feel the highest “bump” and very gently move it from side to side. If there is tension in your tongue, it may inhibit this action in which case you should stop and again stretch the tongue. Then, again keeping your tongue “fat and lazy,” move the larynx very gently from side to side. Freedom in this area will allow your voice its full range in singing and speaking. Check the above areas while doing the final step. 6. Neck and Head. Return to finding the point of balance of the head upon the spine. Now let your head “fall” forward and you will feel its weight. With the head in this position very slowly, lead with your chin (like the movement of a door knob) from one shoulder to the other. This will help you stretch the muscles at the back of your neck. Repeat this a few times and then slowly let your head return to the point of balance at the top of the spine.
7. Making Sound. While thinking of your posture and breathing, place your thumb just beneath the chin on the swallowing muscles, as described above. With your tongue relaxed, inhale through your nose with your mouth open, and make a sighing sound. Your thumb may feel a downward pressure on inhalation or while emitting the sigh. Practice doing less work with the tongue, keeping it fat and lazy, and keep trying until you can make sound with no pressure from the tongue. Next, begin to emit an easy sung pitch in a low to mid-range. Choose a pitch that feels comfortable (usually some where around middle C for women and an octave below for men). Check for the same softness under the chin. Again, allow the breath to just flow out freely with no extra “tanking up” of breath or extra muscular action in its release. When you feel these exer cises are being emitted with freedom, you may want to try holding a pitch on a neutral vowel and just letting the lips open and close while maintaining the pitch and checking for freedom. As you begin to gain freedom, remem ber to check for relaxation of the facial muscles, tongue, swallowing muscles inside the jaw bone, jaw release, and muscles surrounding the larynx as well as release of muscle tension in the side and back of the neck. You can now try simple exercises begin ning with single tones on “hah, mah, mah, mah, mah,” being sure to continually check the areas of relaxation and your posture and breath. You should feel a slight “buzzing” sensation in your lips or nose. This will assure you that you are doing it correctly. You may then vary the vowels and try to progress to easy vocal izing on three-tone and five-tone scales. It is critically important not to hurry in your exercises because slow and steady practice will yield more benefits. To benefit the speaking voice, begin with singing. You don’t need to be a singer to do this because these exercises help everyone. On a single tone in a comfortable range, sing “How are you today.” Remember to keep checking breath and relaxation. Sing it several times and then try to speak it in the same approximate range. Then vary the pitches while singing the same phrase. Then
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speak it using a lilting, sing-song voice. At first you may think your voice feels unnatural but when the range is right, the breath is correct, and the relaxation is accomplished, you will be on your way to vocal health and freedom. General Health Hints For Vocal Health • Pay attention to your body posture and breathing. • Breathe out your voice. Release your voice with a sighing sensation using gentle airflow and raising the pitch to eliminate the “cracking” or “frying” sound in your speaking. • Sing every day. Using healthy posture and breathing, sing vocal exercises and a song or two daily. This keeps the vocal muscles in healthy condition. Do not overdo by singing forceful ly, out of your range or for extended periods of time. With time and daily practice your range and vocal endurance as well as quality can improve. • WATER! WATER! WATER! Your body needs to be properly hyd rat ed. Drink the recommended eight glasses of water daily. Caffeine robs your system of moisture. Use a steam vaporizer nightly as you sleep, espe cially in winter. • Get moderate exercise. Include a routine of physical exercise daily. Walking is one of the most effective. • Maintain a proper diet and nutrition. Be sure to take in adequate fuel for the body and avoid too much caffeine and eating just before bedtime or foods that may cause acid reflux. • Avoid excessive throat clearing. Use a gentle hum in medium pitch, up and down, which allows you to move the offending “junk” and swallow. You will find that this will eliminate a lot of irritation to the voice. Watch out for cough drops and lozenges. Menthol gives you the illusion of clearing the nasal passages but it is very drying to mouth and throat. Lozenges containing anesthetic should be used only at bedtime. A mild honey, cherry, or lemon flavor drop, hard candy, or mints will keep the mouth moist. • Here’s a word about nasal spray. Saline solution nasal sprays effectively reduce stuffiness. MARCH 2012
• AVOID preparations, which shrink nasal membranes as they can become habit forming. • REST! A rested body is important for maintaining a healthy voice. Invest in yourself by getting sufficient rest. In this article I can only touch upon the basic information to get you started on your path of healthy voice usage and longevity. With patience and practice you can achieve your vocal goals. Sal Lin Wallin Schuller, CMVT, • MT Lin Wallin Schuller, founding President of the McClosky Institute of Voice, currently serves the Institute as Chair of the Board of Directors and is a master teacher at the Institute for its 120-hour Certification Program and its seminars. She studied with David Blair McClosky at Boston University and completed the graduate course in Voice Therapy at the Boston Conservatory of Music. Schuller was the Supervisor of the Voice Therapy Clinic at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, Mass. for several years. In that capacity she worked with many types of voice disorders, including muscle tension disorders, nodules, polyps, paralysis and paresis, presbyphonia, spasmodic dysphonia, aphonia, and puberphonia. Lin Wallin Schuller, may be reached at www.mcclosky.org, jlschuller@ comcast.net as well as 508-238-2694, and II High Street, South Easton, MA 02375.
NAFME Summer Learning Academies
at Music Education Week 2012 www.nafme.org • Baltimore, MD, June 22-25, 2012
Music Education Week Baltimore, MD • June 22–25, 2012
• Choral • Composition • 21st Century Music • Guitar • Instrumental • Jazz • Music Program Leaders • Music Theory • Musical Theater • Orchestra • Special Learners Professional Development Verification Available
MARCH 2012
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IN MEMORIAM This column salutes the lives and careers of recently departed colleagues. It is the way NJMEA and NJRMEA can express appreciation for the work that they have done and the lives that they have touched. We mourn their passing and salute their contributions, which are the basis for music education in the state of New Jersey. If you know of the passing of any music educator, please contact: Christine Sezer at 570-756-2961or drcsezer@gmail.com
(Please send obituary notices from your local newspaper concerning music teachers from New Jersey who have passed away. It is not possible to keep track of all the newspapers in the state and your help is needed.)
James L. Guter James L. Guter, 72, passed away on December 9, 2011 in Warrenville, IL. Jim was a graduate of Montclair State College (1964) and was the band director at John F. Kennedy High School in Woodbridge during the late 1960’s. He then went on to Franklin High where he was famous for riding a white horse into the football stadium leading the band!
Philip Robert Natoli Philip Robert Natoli, 81, of Charlottesville, passed away Friday, December 30, 2011. Born September 10, 1930, in Lyndhurst, NJ, he was the son of the late Vincent and Sebastiana Campanella Natoli. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Sarah, Rose, and
by his co-workers and students. He and Betty were part-owners and operators of Camp Rondak and Ronwood in Schroon Lake, NY from 1964-1971, where their family spent many happy summers. Upon moving to Charlottesville in 1996, Philip developed a new circle of friends whom he enjoyed. He continued his interests in the hobbies he loved such as music, travel, cooking, and spending precious time with his family. He was always a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many.
Doris. Philip is survived by his wife of 58 years, Betty; son, Peter Natoli, of Tampa, FL; daughter, Sue Mueller and her husband, Bill of Earlysville; two grandchildren whom he cherished, Allison and Joanna Mueller, of Earlysville; and two sisters, Ann Falzarano of Lyndhurst, NJ, and her family, and Josephine Barnett of Pompton Lakes, NJ, and her family. A graduate of Lyndhurst High School, Philip attended Montclair State College where he received a B.A. degree in music in 1953. He earned his Master of Music Education from Columbia University. He was stationed at Fort Eustis, VA while serving in the United States Army, Special Services, from 1953-1955. He was a member of the United States Army Band. After working as an Instrumental Music teacher in Wayne, NJ, Philip moved to Morris County in 1956 where he initiated the music program for Randolph, NJ Township Schools. There he taught, developed and fostered award-winning instrumental and vocal groups. He became Supervisor of Music for Randolph schools and was well-loved
Shadrach Royful Shadrach Royful, 86, of Montclair, N.J., passed Dec. 3, 2011. Royful was a music teacher with the Newark school system until retirement. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Elizabeth Royful; one son, Terry Royful; and many other relatives and friends. He will be deeply missed.
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TEMPO Music Makes the Difference® is a registereD traDeMark of naMM: the national association of Music Merchants. useD by perMission.
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MARCH 2012
Schools that have music programs have significantly higher graduation rates than those without music programs (90.2 percent compared to 72.9 percent). On average, students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math section of the SAT than did students with no music participation. Here are some simple, time-effective ways parents can assist their child’s school music educators:
Tips to Share with
Parents
Parents wield extraordinary influence over local principals, school boards, and other decision makers. Encourage them to become involved in the advocacy process and make a significant difference in the quality of their child’s music education program. MARCH 2012
Access the Status Quo: • Study the ways that music education develops creativity, enhances cooperative learning, instills disciplined work habits, and statistically correlates with gains in standardized test scores. • Speak with your local school board about your desire to have a strong music education for your child. Communicate Effectively • Be in touch with local music teachers on a regular basis. Offer to help out. • Ask yourself why your children need high quality music education. Be able to articulate the answers to teachers, administrators, and other parents. • Take part in your school’s music booster organization. Visit www.nafme.org and search “Power of Music” for more Parent Resources.
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T h e Re g d io un
CJMEA
Central Jersey Music Educators Association cjmea.org
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ll of the concerts are just about completed and they were phenomenal! Kudos to the conductors and the students for providing another year of spectacular performances. Additionally, I would like to thank all of the teachers, managers, and volunteers who have helped to make all of the ensembles a positive experience for all participating students. Furthermore, I would like to give a big thank you to Brian Toth, Barbara Retzko, Hillary Colton, Nina Schmitterer, Meg Spatz, Celeste Zazzali, and Chris Finnegan, the audition chairs who have worked tirelessly in order to ensure that the auditions are well-organized and that they ran smoothly. If you are looking to be more involved with CJMEA, we would love to have you! If you would like to conduct or manage a group or even host a rehearsal, please don’t hesitate to contact any of our division chairs. What’s next, you ask? Festivals! We have tons of performing opportunities for all ensembles. We have many elementary opportunities including the elementary honors days for band, orchestra, and chorus; we have a great intermediate band festival, and an awesome high school band festival. I hope to see you there! High School Band-Brian Toth hsband@cjmea.org The CJMEA Region Bands enjoyed a wonderful concert on January 15th with
Thomas McCauley and Larry Markiewicz on the podium. Many thanks go out to our managers, Steven Rapp and Durand Thomas as well as our hosts at Montgomery High School, Adam Warshafsky and Kawika Kahalehoe. Sectional assistance was provided by Gary Myer and JP Crowley. Next on the docket is the CJMEA Concert Band Festival at South Brunswick High School on March 19-21. Even if you aren’t bringing a group to perform, consider joining us as a spectator for a night of splendid music making. High School Chorus-Hillary Colton hschorus@cjmea.org The CJMEA Region II Choral Division is proud of and thrilled with the choirs we produce. Tom Voorhis from Ridgefield Memorial High School and John Leonard from the College of New Jersey conducted an exciting and challenging program for our students. Our accompanists were Mike Schmidt from Voorhees High School and freelance pianist James Lubrano. Thank you, gentleman. Barbara Retzko once again served with Hillary Colton as the Audition Managers. Our Choral Managers were again Judy Virrilli and Sue Belly, both of Woodbridge Township Schools. These ladies have been our HS Chorus Managers for many years. Thank you so much for your service to CJMEA. Our rehearsal hosts were Karen Gorzynski of Somerville High School, Sister Dolores Margaret of Immaculata High School and John Leonard from The College of New Jersey. Our concert weekend was held at Monroe Township Middle School and hosted by Jennifer Alagna. We are always looking for new volunteers. We are so grateful to have the same managers and hosts every year but I’m sure that they wouldn’t mind letting a new person take over. Could that new person be you? High School OrchestraKawika Kahalehoe hsorchestra@cjmea.org The region orchestra concert on January 8th was a complete success. I want to congratulate all of the students who participated and made this concert so impressive. Additionally, I would like to congratulate Concerto Competition winner Brian Dixon of Bridgewater-Raritan High School for his
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impressive performance of the “Aruntiunian Trumpet Concerto”. Thanks to John Enz, Arvin Gopal, Justin Toomey, Alf Hadinger, and Martha Nowik for helping out with document collection and sectionals, and Jeff and Jennifer Bradbury for managing the groups and leading sectionals. The support that you have given was invaluable and a key component to the success of the concert. Lastly, I would like to thank Jeff Grogan for conducting the ensemble and inspiring musical creativity in all the students involved. His musical expertise and charismatic personality made the student experience better than I could have ever hoped. I wish all our students good luck at allstate auditions and all our directors, good luck with their upcoming performances. Intermediate BandCeleste Zazzali and Meg Spatz K8band@cjmea.org The Intermediate Region Band season got off to a great start with auditions in January. The ensemble responded well to their conductor, Alexander Bocchino, and had several successful rehearsals around the region. Many thanks to the manager, Steve Hannah, for doing a wonderful job and lending his time and talents to the region. Thank you to all of the hosts who graciously opened their facilities to the band: Andrew Veiss from South Plainfield; Jeffrey Smith from Edison; and David Rattner from Monroe. The concert was held at Monroe Township Middle School on March 4th. If you are interested in conducting, managing or hosting in the future, please contact us (k8band@cjmea.com). Preparations for the Elementary Honors Band began in January. Directors recommended students by filling out the application and accepted students were placed into an ensemble. Music is currently being organized and will be distributed soon. Please help your students to practice their music as soon as you receive it. Also make sure they are prepared with a folding music stand and all the necessary accessories for their instrument (reeds, valve oil, etc) for the day of the event. The rehearsal and concert will be held on April 21st. Many thanks in advance to Meagen Spatz and Amara Van Wyk for hosting the event at Rahway Middle School. The Elementary/Middle School Band & Orchestra Festivals are coming up in April and May. Please refer to the webMARCH 2012
site for information and contact Michael Bartlett with questions. Intermediate Chorus-Nina Schmetterer K8chorus@cjmea.org The CJMEA Intermediate Choir had a successful audition on January 7th with students and directors coming from all over the region. Cambiata and baritone voices were added to the choir this year, and many young men came out to audition on those voice parts. Rehearsals ran through February and the concert, conducted by Melissa Malvar-Keylock, will be on Sunday, March 11 at Monroe Twp. Middle School. If you are interested in getting involved with the intermediate choir or have choral/general music questions or comments, please contact Nina Schmetterer at k8chorus@cjmea. org. Intermediate Orchestra-Penny Martin k8orchestra@cjmea.org After a successful Region Orchestra season, I would like to thank everyone who stepped up to volunteer to make it all happen. I also would like to congratulate the students on an excellent performance and wish those students well who are moving on to audition for the All-State Intermediate Orchestra. Best of luck to everyone! I would like to be prepared in advance for next year’s region rehearsals, so if anyone would like to host a rehearsal for any of the orchestra ensembles, please let me know right away. It’s a great opportunity to fundraise for your group by holding a baked goods / snack sale. Have a wonderful Spring Concert Season! Percussion-Gary Mallinson (Yale Snyder) gdmallinson@comcast.net Many exciting things have been happening in Region II Percussion. In December, students from Region II along with music education majors from Rowan University formed a 50 piece percussion ensemble and played a holiday concert at the Woodbridge Mall led by Chris Colaneri. Our high school and intermediate region percussion ensembles have continued to be successful. Yale Snyder had the honor of conducting this year’s High School Percussion Ensemble and he is very proud of all of the students’ dedication and hard work in putting together a great concert at Montgomery High School on January 7th. Our MARCH 2012
Intermediate Percussion Ensemble, now in its 5th year, will perform on March 13th and we are very excited to have Ken Piascik as the conductor. I want to thank everyone that has contributed for all of the continued support of Region II Percussion. Our state is taking giant leaps toward becoming a leader in percussion education because of all of your hard work. I am currently looking for managers and rehearsal sites for next year’s Region High School and Intermediate Percussion Ensembles. If you are interested in managing or hosting a rehearsal please email Yale Snyder at YalePerc@aol.com.
NJSMA
North Jersey School Music Association njsma.com
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ur annual HS Region I auditions took place January 7 at Mahwah HS and approximately 600 students were accepted out of 1400 registered from three divisions (Band/Chorus/Orchestra) and into six large ensembles and five chamber groups. Special thanks to director hosts Jeff Bittner, Band; Lynn Morneweck-Fuld, Chorus; Wendy Campbell, Orchestra; and coordinated by Tim Rausenberger. We are servicing not only a large amount of students, but each one of the ensemble members is an outstanding member of their school music group, or in the case where there is no like ensemble in the school, a music teacher from that school is the sponsor. What a strong statement for supporting music education in our schools. Sponsoring directors are to be thanked for encouraging their students to prepare for the auditions and now, a “Congratulations,” is in order to those who were accepted. Further, a special thank you to Region I Board members who carry the torch to see that these ensembles work and also to the individuals who are on the front lines, such as the managers, the sectional coaches, the chaperones, and of course, the conductors; guests from out of state as well as our very own colleagues (although we are all on the front lines with our students every day!). And that’s only for HS. We did it all over again for Junior HS auditions February 4 at Paramus HS with 1300 registered students and 500 students accepted into five ensembles. Special thanks
to director hosts Mark Donellan, Band; Stevie Rawlings, Chorus; and Judy Wilkes, Orchestra. The numbers are staggering and the quality is superb! This does not even take into account the various ensemble festivals we sponsor and this year in particular, the inaugural Elementary Honors Band Festival. If you are involved in any of these programs, excellent, if not, get involved! Our third annual Region Winter Workshop in Applied Music Technology was well attended on Martin Luther King Day, January 16. This event was the brainchild of our Region Treasurer and former Choral Division Co-Chair, Charles Linnell from Kinnelon HS. One session was on Sibelius and the other was on SmartMusic, which I attended. I must have this program for my students, especially when there are many distractions to keep them from practicing; this interactive program will make them want to practice just for the fun of it! Other upcoming Region activities include: the HS Band Festival culminating with the top rated bands being sent on to the State Gala Concert Band Festival; the HS Magnum Opus Chorale concert; the HS Orchestra Festival; the Junior HS Band, Chorus and Orchestra Festivals; the Elementary Honors Band Festival; and the Elementary Choral Festival. If you have not yet signed up your students or ensemble for any Region events this year, do so or plan on it for next year! Get Involved! Your program, you and your students can only benefit if you are in it! Like the lottery, you have to be in it to win it, but I like our odds better! Orchestra Division Wendy Campbell & Nate Lienhard Orchestra Co-Chairs Congratulations to all students who successfully auditioned for the All-North Jersey HS and Junior HS Orchestras. Special thanks to orchestra audition chair and Region I President, Michael Kallimanis from Waldwick MS. The HS concert took place at Sparta HS and a great big thank you to host Loni Bach; rehearsal host Eric Schaberg, Randolph HS; and orchestra manager Kristen Ciambrone from Frelinghuysen MS, Morristown. The Junior HS Orchestra concert will be March 4th at West Essex MS. Thanks to continued on next page
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host director Alexandre Soares; rehearsal host, Todd Urban from Eisenhower MS in Wyckoff; and orchestra manager, Kim Chiesa, Elementary strings teacher from the Randolph School District, for making this program work. New this year is a junior high school festival which will take place May 9th at Randolph MS, hosted by Sherry Griggs. Our annual high school festival will run on May 24th at Millburn HS with Karen Conrad as our host. If there is room at either site for your ensemble, you may still apply. We need your help! Please volunteer your school as a possible rehearsal site. It’s getting tougher to find adequate facilities with a low, or no cost usage fee. We need a large rehearsal room such as a band/orchestra room, stage or cafeteria for the high school and junior high school orchestras to rehearse. Please contact us with your possibilities! Band Division Matt Spatz, Chair Greg Milford & Tim Rausenberger, Co-Chairs Congratulations to all students who successfully auditioned for the NJSMA HS and Junior HS Region bands and to all the directors that helped with auditions, rehearsals and concerts. NJSMA would not be able to provide these wonderful opportunities for students without the support and encouragement from their sponsoring directors. The NJSMA sponsored its second annual chamber music concert February 29, 2012 at William Paterson University. This concert recognized the outstanding achievements of the North Jersey student musicians through chamber music. The Junior High School concert will be March 25, 2012 at West Morris Central HS, hosted by Margaret Schafer. Veeresh Popat of Randolph will conduct the Intermediate Band, and the Junior Band will be under the direction of Chris Bernotas from Mountain Lakes HS. This year’s High School Region Concert Band Festival will take place March 2729. The Junior High School Concert Band Festival will run on April 19th at two different locations. Good luck to all ensembles and their directors. The first NJSMA Elementary Honors
Band Festival will take place Saturday, May 5, 2012, at Columbia High School, hosted by Peter Bauer, our Region President-Elect. Fifth and Sixth Graders nominated by their directors will rehearse and perform a concert in a one day festival. It will be a great learning and fun day for the selected young musicians! Choral Division Shawn Condon, Chair Viraj Lal and Matt Vanzini, Co-Chairs The annual All-North Jersey HS Chorus concert took place at Secaucus HS, Feb. 11. Congratulations to the accepted students in the Women’s and Mixed choirs. The concert took place in a wonderful venue - Secaucus HS, hosted by Lyle Leeson. Thank you, Lyle and thanks to rehearsal site hosts, Charles Linnell, Kinnelon HS and Barbara Kemp, Chatham HS. It takes many people to come together and pull off concerts like this year after year, so thank you to the many directors who made this concert a success! Forty percent of the students who registered for HS Chorus Auditions also indicated their interest in a new ensemble, the Magnum Opus Chorale, to feature oratorio type works. Student selection for this ensemble will be based on Region audition scores and the rehearsals and concert will take place in April. School sites and directors are still needed to host for this group. The Junior HS concert will take place March 18. As of this writing, no site has been secured. This is a growing concern as we need directors to volunteer to host these events. We know it is more difficult now given the present situation we face in our schools. Please step up and work out a way to assist with rehearsal and/or concert facilities. The Junior HS Choral Festival takes place May 2nd and yet again, no site to date. If there is room for your ensemble, you can still register your group and if possible, save bus fees by hosting at your school! See the details on the Region website. Elementary Band and Choral Division Richard Derbyshire, Chair The Elementary Honors Band Festival takes place Saturday, May 5 at Columbia HS. T-Shirts for all participants! The appli-
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cation deadline has passed but come out to the concert and consider sending your outstanding 5th and 6th Graders next year! The Elementary Choral Festival is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30, 2012. You can still register your ensemble to attend if there are times available. Check the Region I website for details. High school and middle school directors, if your Elementary teachers are not NAfME (formerly MENC) members, then they don’t receive this magazine and will not see this information, so please let them know!
SJBODA
South Jersey Band And Orchestra Directors Association sjboda.org
T
he past few months have been very exciting and rewarding for the members of SJBODA. On January 8th our Senior High School Orchestra and Junior High String Ensemble performed at Rowan University and the following week our Senior High Wind Ensemble and Senior High Symphonic Band performed at the same venue. Their music was beautiful and the result of the many excellent music teachers and programs throughout our region. The conductors for these concerts were André Raphel (Wheeling Symphony Orchestra); Toni Benecchi (Chestnut Ridge MS); Jack Stamp (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and Jennifer Hodgson (Southern Regional HS). The coordinators for these performances were Judy Barnett (Washington Township HS); Mary Jo Zahradnik (Washington Twp. Schools); and Nichole Delnero (Toms River High School South). The managers of the Orchestra and the String Ensemble were Lisa Miller (Pennsville Memorial HS) and Rowan University students Andrea Chieffo, Elyssa Greenberg, Alex Rones, Rhea Fernandes, Megan Cooney and Kate Wyatt. The managers of the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band were: Vinnie Du Beau (Delsea Regional HS); Ken Rafter (Fairfield Township School); Keith Hodgson (Mainland Regional HS); and Jon Grill (Toms River HS North). Our hosts for these concerts were Sal Scarpa, Rick Dammers and John Pastin. The equipment managers for both of these events were Karyn Park (Williamstown MS) and David Britton (Rancocas Valley Regional HS). MARCH 2012
Congratulations to Zach Shen from Eastern Regional HS who received the 2012 SJBODA orchestra scholarship and Victoria Tamburro from Southern Regional High School who was the recipient of the band scholarship. We wish these students and all of our seniors continued success in their future endeavors. Our 5th Annual Chamber Ensemble Concert took place on February 16th and was hosted by Keith Hodgson and the Mainland TRI-M Music Honor Society Chapter. The ensemble coaches were Brass, Jim McAloon (Williamstown HS); Percussion, Scott Visco (Point Pleasant Borough HS); Sax, Mark Allen (University of the Arts); Woodwind, Jesse Argenziano (Hackettstown HS); and String, Marjorie Goldberg (University of the Arts). This event was coordinated by Keith Hodgson (Mainland Regional HS). Once again our Junior High Band auditions, held at Southern Regional Middle School, were a successful event. The efforts of Tony Scardino (Indian Mills MS) and Joe Jacobs (Ventnor MS), our Junior High Auditions Chairs, were greatly appreciated by teachers and students. With the assistance of Phil Senseney (Southern Regional MS), Deb Knisely (Cinnaminson HS), Vinnie Du Beau (Delsea Regional MS), and Chris Adams (Eleanor Rush School) they provided a positive experience for all involved. These auditions were hosted by Jennifer Hodgson and the Southern Regional TRI-M Music Honor Society Chapter. Glenn Motson (Gloucester City HS) did a wonderful job in assisting the conductors and students as the Junior High Band Coordinator. The conductors for the 35th Annual All South Jersey Junior High School Band concert are Joe Akinskas (Cherry Hill School District ret.) and L. Bruce Smith (Home School Director). The rehearsals were hosted by Keith Hodgson at Mainland Regional High School and the concert took place on March 4th at Rowan University. Rick Dammers was our host. The 19th Annual SJBODA Concert Band Festival will took place on Monday, March 5th at Rowan University. Our festival coordinator was Mike Armstrong (Deptford HS) and John Pastin and the Rowan University Wind Ensemble sponsored this event. The 20th annual Elementary Honors Band Festival will take place on Saturday MARCH 2012
May 5th at Absegami HS. Cheryl Breitzman and Ben Fong will be our hosts. This year our festival is being expanded. There will be three bands, which will allow additional young musicians the opportunity to perform in a large Honors Ensemble. Judy Tabit (Lanoke Harbor Elementary School) and Ed Cook (Cinnaminson MS) are two of the conductors. The third conductor will be announced after the deadline for this article. The SJBODA Spring Breakfast meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 30th at 9:00 AM at Seven Star Diner. Please contact John Stanz at 609-457-0590 if you plan to attend. Please continue to check the Web site, maintained by Scott McCarron (Delsea Regional HS), for the latest SJBODA updates. Joseph Jacobs Secretary, SJBODA
The SJCDA Spring Meeting and Professional Development Seminar will be held on Friday, April 13th. Please check our website for the registration information. Any questions regarding SJCDA can be directed to our president, Art McKenzie, at 856-767-8000 x. 3044, or by going through the website, www.sjcda.net.
Questions about your MENC membership?
SJCDA
South Jersey Choral Directors Association sjcda.net
T
he 54th Annual South Jersey Jr./ Sr. Choral Festival was held on January 28th and 29th at Eastern Regional High School. Nancy Cecilio and Michael Doheny did a tremendous job conducting the choruses. Congratulations and thanks go to these fine conductors for an outstanding weekend of choral music that was enjoyed by over 2100 audience members. A reception was held following the Sunday concert at Vitales’ Italian Bistro in Voorhees, and a great time was had by all! In addition to the conductors, the Board of Directors also wishes to thank William Yerkes, Maryann McKenzie, Cheryl Breitzman, and Hope Knight for managing the choruses; Brian Bacon and Harriet D’Alonzo for accompanying the choruses; and Katherine Akinskas for hosting the event. The 2012 South Jersey Elementary Choral Festival enjoyed similar success. The 29th anniversary festival was held on Saturday, March 3rd, at Hess Performing Arts Center in Mays Landing, and was conducted by Paula Gorman. Thanks to all for a terrific concert. The Board also extends thanks to Patty Allen and Shaun Brauer for managing the event and Donna-Marie Berchtold for hosting.
Call 1-800-828-0229 or email mbrserv@menc2.org
Online Professional Development! Got music education questions? Want some expert advice? MENC offers this exciting free benefit to members throughout the school year. MENC members visiting the band, orchestra, chorus, and general music networks can get expert advice in answer to their questions. Our mentors rotate on a monthly basis and respond to your questions every few days. For more information, contact Susan Lambert at susanl@menc.org. Visit www.menc.org/mentors
For today’s students to succeed tomorrow, they need a comprehensive education that includes music taught by exemplary music educators.
59 TEMPO
NJMEA 2011-2012 Board of Directors Executive Board President, Keith Hodgson Mainland Regional HS keithhodgson1@mac.com 609-317-0906
Administration Ronald Dolce Retired rdolce561@aol.com 732-574-0846
Past-President, William McDevitt
Advocacy Nick Santoro Retired nb1331@quixnet.net 732-246-7223
Vineland High School billnjmea@aol.com 856-794-6800 x2539 President-Elect, Joseph Jacobs Ventnor Middle School jjacobs@veccnj.org 609-487-7900 Executive Secretary-Treasurer Deborah Sfraga Ocean Township Schools debnjmea@aol.com 732-686-1316 Communications (TEMPO/Web) Thomas A. Mosher, Retired tmosher@njmea.org 732-367-7195
Appointed Members
Band Festivals/Classroom Music Nancy Clasen Thomas Jefferson Middle School nancydidi@hotmail.com 973-766-5343 Band Performance Albert Bazzel Winslow Twp. Middle School fenwayfollower5@comcast.net 856-358-2054 Choral Festivals Viraj Lal Newark Academy vlal@newarka.edu 973-992-7000 x238
Region Executive Members NJSMA President, Michael Kallimanis Waldwick Middle School mkallimanis@njsma.com 201-370-0423 CJMEA President, Andrew Veiss So. Plainfield Middle School president@cjmea.org 908-754-4620 x378 SJCDA President, Art McKenzie Overbrook High School amckenzie@pinehill.k12.nj.us 856-767-8000 x3044 SJBODA President, John Stanz Eastern Regional High School jstanz@eastern.k12.nj.us 856-784-4441
Corporate Development Robert Schiavinato rschiavinato@aol.com
Higher Education Larry DePasquale Rowan University depasquale@rowan.edu 856-256-4896 Music Industry Ron Beaudoin Music & Arts Center rbeaudoin@musicarts.com 215-620-1484 Opera Festival Stevie Rawlings Paramus High School srawlings@paramus.k12.nj.us 201-261-7800 x3069 Orchestra Festivals/Performance Susan Meuse Hammarskjold Middle School susanmeuse@gmail.com 732-613-6890
Chorus Performance Kathy Spadafino East Brunswick High School kspadeb@aol.com 732-613-6969
Retired Music Educators Christine Sezer Retired drcsezer@gmail.com 570-756-2961
Chorus/Orchestra/Jazz Joseph Cantaffa Howell High School jcantaffahhs@hotmail.com 732-919-2131
Urban Music Initiative Suzanne M. Kane West Side High School skane@nps.k12,nj.us
Collegiate Chapters Shannon Chase Rutgers University schase@rci.rutgers.edu 732-932-1517 Conferences Marie Malara Sayreville Middle School malara97@aol.com 732-525-5290
TEMPO 60
MARCH 2012
NJMEA RESOURCE PERSONNEL Area of Responsibility Name Email Address Administrative Matters......................................................Keith W. Hodgson.....................................................keithhodgson1@mac.com All-State Band Coordinator................................................Donna Cardaneo........................................................... dcardaneo@aol.com All-State Chorus, Orchestra & Jazz Coordinator..................Joseph Cantaffa.................................................. jcantaffahhs@hotmail.com All-State COJ Committee....................................................... Dick Smith.......................................................... njallstatecoj@webtv.net All-State COJ Committee.......................................................Jack Roland......................................................... jrowland41@gmail.com Association Business............................................................ Deborah Sfraga............................................................. debnjmea@aol.com Band Procedures Chair.........................................................Matthew Spatz...............................................matthew.spatz@millburn.org Choral Procedures Chair................................................... Kathleen Spadafino.............................................................kspadeb@aol.com Collegiate Student Volunteer Coordinator.............................Michael Saias............................................................saiasm@hotmail.com Composition Contest.........................................................Robert Frampton...................................................rtframpton@comcast.net Jazz Procedures Chair............................................................. Jeff Kunkel..............................................................drkunk@comcast.net Marching Band Festival Chair.............................................. Nancy Clasen..................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com Membership........................................................................ Deborah Sfraga............................................................. debnjmea@aol.com Middle/Jr. High School Band Festival..................................... Chris Pinto....................................................... cpinto@nburlington.com Middle/Jr. High School Choral Festival............................. Larry De Pasquale..................................................... depasquale@rowan.edu MIOSM............................................................................... Nancy Clasen..................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com NJMEA Historian.................................................................Nick Santoro.............................................................nb1331@quixnet.net NJMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival....................................... Nancy Clasen...................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com NJMEA State Conference Exhibits Chair............................. Nancy Clasen...................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com NJ Society for General Music............................................... Nancy Clasen..................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com NJMEA State Conference Committee.................................. Ron Beaudoin..................................................rbeaudoin@musicarts.com NJMEA State Conference Manager.......................................Marie Malara............................................................. malara97@aol.com NJMEA/ACDA Honor Choirs............................................ Deborah Mello.................................................................dmello@nac.net NJMEA Summer Conference..............................................Joseph Akinskas............................................. JoeA_NJMEA@comcast.net November Convention-NJEA............................................... Nancy Clasen.................................................... nancydidi@hotmail.com Opera Festival Chair............................................................ Stevie Rawlings................................................ stevierawlings@verizon.net Orchestra Procedures Chair................................................... Susan Meuse...................................................... susanmeuse@gmail.com Research.......................................................................Carol Frierson-Campbell....................................friersoncampbellc@wpunj.edu Students with Special Needs................................................ Maureen Butler.........................................................mbutler@mtlakes.org Supervisor of Performing Groups............................................. Joe Jacobs.................................................................jjacobs@veccnj.org Tri-M.................................................................................. Keith Hodgson..................................................keithhodgson1@mac.com REPRESENTATIVES/LIAISONS TO AFFILIATED, ASSOCIATED AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS American Choral Directors Association.................................... Viraj Lal...................................................................vlal@newarka.edu Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Awards for Arts Education................................................................................................................................................... NJ Association for Jazz Education........................................... Jeff Kunkel............................................................ drkunk@comcast.net NAfME............................................................................... Keith Hodgson..................................................keithhodgson1@mac.com Music Industry..................................................................... Ron Beaudoin..................................................rbeaudoin@musicarts.com NJ Music Administrators Association......................................Ron Dolce............................................................... rdolce561@aol.com NJ Retired Music Educators Association.............................. Christine Sezer.......................................................... drcsezer@gmail.com NJ TI:ME............................................................................ Rick Dammers........................................................ dammers@rowan.edu Percussive Arts Society......................................................... Dominic Zarro....................................................DEZarro@optonline.net COMMUNICATION SERVICES/PUBLIC RELATIONS Executive Secretary-Treasurer............................................... Deborah Sfraga........................................................... debnjmea@aol.com Editor - TEMPO Magazine.............................................. Thomas A. Mosher........................................................tmosher@njmea.org Web Master (njmea.org)................................................... Thomas A. Mosher........................................................tmosher@njmea.org MARCH 2012
61 TEMPO
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NJMEA Past Presidents 1924 - 1926 1926 - 1930 1930 - 1930 - 1931 1931 - 1933 1933 - 1935 1935 - 1936 1936 - 1938 1938 - 1939 1939 - 1941 1941 - 1942 1942 - 1944 1944 - 1945 1945 - 1947 1947 - 1949 1949 - 1951
Josephine Duke R.W. Laslett Smith Jay W. Fay Wilbert B. Hitchner Thomas Wilson John H. Jaquish Clifford Demarest Mable E. Bray Paul H. Oliver K. Elizabeth Ingles Arthur E. Ward John T. Nicholson Frances Allan-Allen Philip Gordon Violet Johnson Samuel W. Peck
1951 - 1953 - 1955 - 1957 - 1959 - 1961 - 1963 - 1965 - 1967 - 1969 - 1971 - 1973 - 1975 - 1977 - 1979 - 1981 -
1953 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983
Janet G. Gleason Henry Zimmerman Agnes B. Gordown Leroy B. Lenox Elizabeth R. Wood Harold A. Brown E. Brock Griffith Robert C. Heath Edward Brown Rudolph Kreutzer Charles Wertman Stephen M. Clarke Herman L. Dash Buddy S. Ajalat Alyn J. Heim Robert Marince
TEMPO 62
1983 - 1985 1985 - 1987 1987 - 1989 1989 - 1991 1991 - 1993 1993 - 1995 1995 - 1997 1997 - 1999 1999 - 2001 2001 - 2003 2003 - 2005 2005 - 2007 2007 - 2009 2009 - 2011
Anthony Guerere Joan Policastro Joseph Mello Dorian Parreott David S. Jones Anthony Guerere Sharon Strack Chic Hansen Joseph Mello Nicholas Santoro Frank Phillips Joseph Akinskas Robert Frampton William McDevitt
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