2012 january tempo

The Official Magazine of the New Jersey Music Educators Associationa federated state association of National Association for Music Education

OCTOBER 2011

NJMEA Conference Issue

LOOK NO FURTHERLOOK NO FURTHERHAS ALL YOU NEEDHAS ALL YOU NEED

E D U C A T O R SE D U C A T O R S

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Volume 66, No. 2 http://www.njmea.org JANUARY 2012

18 Building Foundations In Music Education In Urban Settings: The Individual

Professional Development Plan And Effective Music Education Practice, by Suzanne M. Kane 22 Alternative Ensembles For The iPod Generation, by Marjorie LoPresti

24 Influential Guitarists, by Thomas Amoriello

30 Teaching Music To Special Learners: FAQ’s, by Maureen Butler

32 Keeping Your Finger On The Pulse, by William L. Berz

36 NJMEA 2012 Master Music Teacher

37 NJ All-State Women’s Chorus Conductor Needed, by Judy Verilli

42 Make Your Yearly Search For Quality Choral Repertoire A Musical Adventure!, by Tom Voorhis

44 Good Music vs. Bad Music, by Dan Halpern

48 Music Technology: Making Performance The Standard Of Assessment, by Bill Grillo

51-60 New Jersey Music Educators Association State Conference Preview, by Marie Malara

62 Preventing Injury And Pain In Orchestra Rehearsals, by Michael Watson

64 Mom, How Do I Play A G#?, by Marc Whitlock

Advertisers Index & Web Addresses ......79Board of Directors ................................76Division Chair News ......................... 6-16Editors Message ......................................4Editorial Policy & Advertising Rates .....78From The Editor .....................................4In Memoriam ................................. 70-71Past-Presidents ......................................78President’s Message ............................. 2-3Resource Personnel ...............................77Round the Regions ......................... 72-75

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS AND NJMEA BUSINESS

FORMS AND APPLICATIONSSee NJMEA.ORG

“Files and Documents”for downloadable copies of all forms

TEMPO Editor - Thomas A. Mosher80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701

Phone/Fax: 732-367-7195e-mail: [email protected]

Deadlines:October Issue - August 1

January Issue - November 1March Issue - January 15

May Issue - March 15

All members should send address changes to:

[email protected] orNAfME, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive

Reston, VA 22091

Printed by: Kutztown Publishing Co., Inc.1-800-523-8211

[email protected]

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. 2, JANUARY 2012TEMPO Editor - Thomas A. Mosher, 80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701Periodicals Postage Paid at Lakewood, NJ 08701 and additional entries

POSTMASTER: Please forward address changes to:NAfME

1806 Robert Fulton DriveReston, VA 20191

NJMEA CONFERENCEFebruary 23 - 25, 2012

East Brunswick, NJ

NAfME BIENNIAL CONFERENCEMarch 29-31, 2012

St. Louis, MO

NAfME SUMMER LEARNING ACADEMIES

June 22-25, 2012Baltimore, MD

Summer Workshop V Proposals ..............67Jr. High/MS Concert Band Festival .........68Jr. High/MS Choral Festival ....................69NJMEA Conference Application ............57NAfME Application .............................80

TEMPO 2 JANUARY 2012

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012, and the 85th Anniversary of NJMEA!

I certainly hope everyone is having a musically enjoyable and productive school year. For me, this has been the best school year in my teaching career!

NJEA Atlantic City And All-State COJIn November, NJMEA held 12 Professional De-

velopment Sessions at the annual NJEA State Teachers Convention. Once again, the music sessions and clini-cians sponsored by NJMEA were coordinated by Nancy Clasen. The workshops were very well attended and we received many wonderful compliments on the session topics and presenters.

The New Jersey All-State Chorus and Orchestra and the All-State Jazz Band and Honors Jazz Choir rehearsed and performed in the historic Boardwalk Hall and Trump Plaza Theater respectively. These events are among the biggest NJMEA plays host to during the year. The team of over 70 NJMEA volunteers are to be congratulated for another job well done! I would like to especially thank the COJ (Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz) coordinator Joe Cantaffa from Howell HS; the Orchestra Procedures Chair, Su-san Meuse from East Brunswick; the Choral Procedures Chair, Kathy Spadafino, Retired from East Brunswick; and the NJAJE President, Jeff Kunkel from Montclair State University who were the key people in bringing our Atlantic City All-State to fruition. My sincere thanks also goes to each and every person who was involved in giving our students the “Atlantic City All-State experi-ence.” Councilors, nurses, transportation coordinators, bus chaperones, and all of my NJMEA colleagues who

prepared all of our talented musicians to make All-State. Keep up the great work! If you are reading this and would like to get involved next year, we would love to have you join us. I can tell you that it is just as inspiring and moti-vating for teachers as it is for the students. We are always looking for volunteers.

NJPAC - All-StateOne week later, our outstanding All-State Chorus

Orchestra and Jazz performed their “North” concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. This year we were honored to have outstanding conductors to rehearse and conduct our All-State groups.

• Orchestra - Steven Amundson• Chorus - David Fryling• Jazz Ensemble - Mark Gross• Honors Jazz Choir - Justin Binek

In addition to our coordinators mentioned above, I would like to thank our illustrious unsung heros, the en-semble managers.

• Chorus Managers - Susan Belly, Woodbridge; Judi Verrilli, JFK Memorial

• Orchestra Managers - Michael Kallamanis, Waldwick; Laura Kearney, Moorestown

• Jazz Band managers - Brian Height, Overbrook; Honors Jazz Choir manager - Dianna Dorhmann,

Retired

President’s MessageKEITH HODGSON609-317-0906

[email protected]: http://www.njmea.org

JANUARY 2012 3 TEMPO

NJMEA Celebrates 85th Anniversary State Conference!

I hope you are planning to join us in East Brunswick for our State Conference in February. NJMEA is celebrat-ing its 85th Anniversary year in 2012! As I mentioned in the October TEMPO issue, we have so many exciting changes to the 2012 NJMEA State Conference. In ad-dition to the already finely tuned conference program and schedule that we have been enjoying for years under the direction of Conference Chair, Marie Malara, we are pleased to announce the addition of a full Thursday “Academy” day for band directors to run alongside the Elementary and Technology conference strands already successfully in place. In addition, we are bringing the Collegiate CMENC Conference on board to run their sessions under the umbrella of the NJMEA State Con-ference running throughout the day on Saturday, Feb. 25th. I would like to thank all the Academy Co-Chairs that have been working so hard to bring all this together.

• Wind Band Academy - Chaired by Thomas McCauley and Larry Markiewicz

• Jazz Academy - Chaired by David May, Jeff Kunkel and Earl Phillips

• Marching Academy - Chaired by Matthew Paterno and Brian Timmons

• Technology Academy - Chaired by Rick Dammers and Marjorie LoPresti

• Elementary Academy - Chaired by Marie Malara and Nancy Clasen

• Collegiate Academy - Chaired by Shannon Chase, Anna Friars and Katie Thode and the Kean University NAfME Collegiate Chapter

We are also completely overhauling the Exhibits area. We are planning a “booth” style exhibit hall instead of the table top displays of the past. This will solve many issues with our exhibits and we are very excited to see how this will improve our conference. I hope you will plan to attend, visit and support the vendors that have been so loyal to the NJMEA State Conference over many years. The new convention program will be a new full-size layout and format that will be much easier to read and locate your sessions.

Lastly, we are very excited to welcome back to New Jersey once again, The Dallas Brass, who has agreed to perform our Gala Concert on Friday, February 24th.

Please see the Convention insert in this TEMPO issue for many of the offerings planned for the February Con-ference. As you can see, there are a lot of new and excit-ing changes to the NJMEA State Conference. Remem-ber, East Brunswick Hilton will be the place to be in February! I look forward to seeing you there! DON’T MISS IT!

WebsiteBy now I hope you have noticed our improved

NJMEA Website (see page 4). Tom Mosher continues to do a great job at keeping the website up-to-date and full of important information. We have worked to make the site more user-friendly and to make the NJMEA site an interactive tool to advance music education for all and to increase operational efficiencies. Be sure to check it on a regular basis. We continue to utilize the website as the primary form of communication with our membership and with the All-State groups, students and parents as well as every NJMEA sponsored festival and event. We are continually adding and updating on a daily basis. There are plans to add even more useful information and tools in the near future. If you notice anything on the website that does not work properly, outdated informa-tion or suggestions for improvement, please don’t hesi-tate to communicate with me: [email protected]

We hope you are having a wonderful year teaching. Our job is to help you do the best job you can in the classroom and to promote the value of a good quality music education. Let us know how we can be of assis-tance to you and best wishes for a great school year! We hope to see you in February!

Looking AheadSome of the 2012 dates you should have on your cal-

endar:

2012 NJMEA STATE CONFERENCE. February 23-25, 2012.2012 All-State Band and Women’s Chorus Concert,

Feb. 25th (NJPAC)2012 Biennial Music Educators National Conference

March 29-31, St Louis, Missouri2012 All-National Honor Ensembles Concerts

Featured conductors: Daniel Bukvich, David Becker, Sandra Snow, Terrell Stafford. (Washington DC June 2012)

As promised, the njmea.org website has been given a facelift. It has

been redesigned with an empha-sis on making it easier to navigate and to find that for which you are looking.

At the very top of the right hand side of the home page is a link to the sitemap which will give you a visual outline of the entire site. There is a search window to the right of the sitemap in case you cannot see what you want. When you go to any page other than the home page, an NJMEA Home link makes it easier to get back to “start.” The drop down menus are clear and efficient ways to quickly find what you need.

The Quick Links menu will let you: contact Board Members fast; see our Calendar which can be printed and viewed in several for-mats; quickly find files and docu-ments; link to our affiliate mem-bers; and, eventually, give you a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and their answers.

Announcements which are important to bring to your attention will be placed right in the middle of the home page with the necessary links to help you navigate quickly. The Featured section will eventually provide news of items NJMEA or NAfME feels are important.

Please email any suggestions for improvement to me at anytime. NJMEA, TEMPO and NJMEA.ORG all ex-ist to help you. Help us to do so!

The NJMEA Is Redesigned!

Editor’s MessageThomas A. Mosher

[email protected]

Website: http://www.njmea.org



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

Get started as early as Summer 2012! For more information visit www.rowan.edu/cgce/music or call 856-256-4747

• Voice• Orchestral Conducting • Vocal Conducting• Wind Conducting

T

President ElectJoe Jacobs

[email protected]

We are all in this together – alone

This statement lends itself very well to music education. Our performing ensembles are a perfect example of a group activity where ev-eryone plays a vital individual role. Our choirs, orchestras and bands would not reach their potential unless all of the members contributed to meet the ensembles performance goals. A teacher can encourage his/her students to continue their efforts with statements that can motivate. We are all in this together! The reality is that even though every student has a responsibility within the group, they must make the commit-ment to practice their part alone.

The same can be said for music educators. Music teachers are a small segment of a school’s faculty but they play a vital role in the edu-cational process in our schools. We are part of a team that is responsible for educating the entire child. In many districts there are only a few music educators and often only one per building. We are responsible for exposing and inspiring our students to experience the beauty of music in an environment which can sometimes offer challenges to music education.

In past years much emphasis has been placed on state testing. Many school districts in-service programs focus on concepts and strategies for successful state testing results. These workshops and programs do benefit music educators but the emphasis usually seems to be directed to the math and language arts curriculum and instructors. The reason is that these subjects are the nucleus of the state test. The entire school faculty is responsible for improving state test scores. School administrators will rally the faculty by proclaiming “We are all in this together” as they focus their resources and energies on state testing.

Music teachers have similar challenges as other teachers in our schools but we also have a few unique challenges. Finding resources and strategies that can enhance our music programs may be difficult to find in our local schools. Just being able to bounce an idea off a colleague can be difficult because other teachers in your school may not be familiar with music instruction. Sometimes it seems we are all alone and that can be a good thing. There is nothing more enjoyable than conducting an ensemble composed of students who have benefited from your skills as a music specialist. Other times, having a network of colleagues in similar situations can be an invaluable resource.

As music educators we are all in this together and while we instruct our students alone, we should all take advantage of the resources of NJMEA. The upcoming conference is a wonderful opportunity to network and discover new techniques in music education. You are sure to be inspired by the many workshops and musical performances that will take place. The opportunity to review the latest teaching methods and materials will increase your ability to improve your program.

I encourage you to get energized and enjoy some outstanding professional development that is specially designed and geared towards mu-sic educators. For the sake of our students, we are all in this together and alone you can make a difference. I hope to see you at the convention.

Administration Ronald P. Dolce - Secretary

[email protected]

Happy Holidays from the New Jersey Music Administrators Association. We hope that everyone can take a peaceful Winter break after the beginning of a hectic winter concert season. Almost half of the school year is by us and the NJMAA has already held two informative workshops. Our first in October, held in joint session with the Art Administrators of New Jersey, was an informative workshop, “Supervising the Art Teacher: Effective Evaluation Techniques”. This workshop was presented by Joanie Rosen and Joan Conway from the Art Administra-tors of New Jersey and explained efficient and accurate methods of evaluating our fine arts teachers.

continued on page 8

& News From Our Division Chairs &



Our second workshop, “Music Festivals: Are High Stakes Festivals for You?”, was presented on December 2nd, by Peter Griffin from the Hopewell Valley Regional School District. This workshop gave our members an opportunity to discuss the value of the various music festivals and competitions offered to our schools and to experience through a roundtable discussion the various pros and cons of participating in these experiences.

Our general membership meetings have had a good turnout of members so far this year. But as in many areas of education, our member-ship has been affected by retirements and elimination of positions. Our meetings have given all members an opportunity to discuss with others issues from the workshop topics and other issues of concern.

Our meeting schedule has changed this year to accommodate our joint sessions with the art administrators. We will have our next general membership meeting on January 6, 2012 with the art administrators at Kean University. The topic of the meeting will be, “Aesthetic Educa-tion Across the Curriculum: Participation in an Interactive Discussion on Applications and Activities per the New Standards”.

In February, at the NJMEA Conference, the music administrators will continue 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. A new workshop, “Nailing Down that Job”, will be presented by Peter Griffin from the Hopewell Valley Regional School District. This session will help attend-ees with the use of positive strategies during the interviewing process.

In addition, the NJMAA will sponsor their annual “Welcome Breakfast. All supervisors are cordially invited to our informal breakfast at 8:30 A. M. on Friday, February 24, 2011 at the NJMEA Conference and all NJMAA sponsored workshops on February 24th and 25th.

This year, the NJMAA general membership meetings are held at various locations. Please check www.njmaa.org for the dates and loca-tions of the meetings. The meetings begin at 10:00 a.m. and hospitality begins at 9:30 a.m. If you have not yet joined the NJMAA, it is not too late. Please check out our new website for the 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 PerformanceAl Bazzel

856-358-2054 [email protected]

Greetings from the Band division! I hope you are surviving the winter and staying warm. I would like to remind you of some important dates. All-State Band auditions will be held again this year at JP Stevens High School on Saturday, January 21; snow date is Thursday, Febru-ary 2. A very special thank you to Andy DeNicola and John Zazzali for hosting and to Peter Bauer, this year’s audition chair. Any suggestions for All-State solos are to be submitted to Bruce Yurko, Solo Chair, or your region representatives by January 16 - Region I: David Aulenbach, Lewis Kelly, Mindy Scheierman; Region II: Jules Haran, Mark Kraft, Brian Toth; Region III: Ed Cook, Vinnie DeBeau, Deb Knisely. Please include a rationale and sheet music of the recommended solo. These recommendations will be reviewed in committee at the January 21 meet-ing. The first rehearsal of the All-State Bands will be Thursday, February 2 at South Brunswick High School. Special thanks to Mark Kraft and Donna Cardaneo, hosts. All-State Band weekend will be February 23-25, with the culminating concert at NJPAC on Saturday, February 25.

As a reminder, there is still time to join the consortium for the New Jersey All-State Bands’ 75th Anniversary commemorative piece by Dana Wilson. Those individuals and organizations that contribute a minimum of $500.00 will receive a complete copy of the score and parts and performance rights for their ensemble. For more information and consortium form please contact Lewis Kelly at [email protected]. There will be a meeting of the procedures committee during the NJMEA Conference on Friday, February 24. We hope to see you there!


continued on page 10


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Choral FestivalsViraj Lal


I hope that December & January’s performance seasons have been successful for you and your students. Speaking from experience, I know that my students are always excited for the remainder of the school year once the first concert is past them. Since many of the beginning months are spent focusing on building confidence, tone, and modifying and unifying vowels, I can imagine that finding time for an outside performance may have seemed difficult. Now that we are in the new semester and your students are instinctively applying much of what they have been taught about their ensemble technique, you may feel they are ready to benefit from an off-campus choral festival.

I would like to invite all Jr. High/Middle School choral ensembles to participate in the 2012 NJMEA Intermediate Choral Festival. This is an adjudicated festival, not a competition, which provides an opportunity for performances to be critiqued by guest music educators. There are two festival locations to accommodate both north and south Jersey: Rowan University (south site) and Rutgers University (north site). You may choose the day and festival site that is most convenient for you, but act quickly because reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Festival Dates:Wednesday, April 18, 2012South Site: Rowan UniversityTime: 9:30am – 1:30pm

Wednesday, May 16, 2012North Site: Rutgers UniversityTime: 9:30am – 1:30pm

If your choir has not participated in the Intermediate Choral Festival in the past, I encourage you to consider applying for this year. Please refer to the application in this magazine or visit www.NJMEA.org to receive more information about the festival. Application postmark deadlines are Monday, March 19, 2012 for Rowan University and Monday, April 30, 2012 for Rutgers University.

As always, I am happy to assist you with any questions you may have. I wish you the best for a stellar spring semester, and I hope to see you at the Jr. High/Middle School Choral Festival.

Choral PerformanceKathleen Spadafino

[email protected]

As one calendar year blends into another, I hope you have had a little time to relax and reflect on the year so far. You have already performed concerts, prepared students for their Region Chorus auditions, and hopefully attended one of our two concerts for the 2011 All-State Mixed Chorus in November. Both concerts were spectacular, thanks to the energetic and inspired direction of conductor David Fryling of Hofstra University. David was ably assisted by his very competent accompanist, Michael Schmidt of Voorhees HS in North Jersey. Our students’ entire All-State experience was successful because of so many people working tirelessly behind the scenes. Joe Cantaffa was our coordinator, smoothly handling details for the Chorus as well as the All-State Orchestra and the Jazz Band and Choir in Atlantic City. His assistant Michael Saias enabled Joe to be in several places at once, and Michael was invaluable in his ability




BE INSPIRED: Study with faculty from the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and New Jersey Symphony.

BE CHALLENGED: Music conservatory training within New Jersey’s flagship public research university. BE ENGAGED: Over 15 performance ensembles with opportunities to perform in New York City and abroad.

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to know our needs ahead of time. Jack Rowland and Dick Smith once again organized the rooming of over 500 students plus chaperones with grace and flexibility. The new procedures for chaperones were followed and we all felt that students had increased supervision and safety because of it. Our transportation was divided between two people – Anthony Rafaniello of Cranford HS organized the bussing online and by phone, and Michael Saias was the on-site transportation coordinator in Atlantic City. Chorus managers Sue Belly and Judy Verrilli cheerfully kept every one of our 352 students on task and on time. I must also thank all members of our Choral Procedures Committee, who attended meetings, ran solo and Governor’s Award auditions, helped out at reading sessions, and pitched in wherever needed at rehearsals and concerts. They work very, very hard for all of you and your students to make All-State Chorus the outstanding musical experience it is. As organized and well-run as we are, we can always use more help – as chaperones, managers and accompanists. If you are interested, please contact me at [email protected] . If you are a new teacher at the High School level, this is a great way to improve your own choral program - get involved in the All-State Chorus experience!

This year’s All-State Choral journey is not yet over. We still have our Women’s Chorus performance to look forward to on Satur-day, February 25 at NJPAC as part of the NJMEA convention. We are looking forward to hearing our young women perform with Janet Galvan of Ithaca College, accompanied by Lucille Kincaid. The girls made great strides in their rehearsals so far, and we are all eagerly await-ing a wonderful performance! Please join us both at the convention and the concert at NJPAC.

We are already hard at work preparing for the 2012 All-State Chorus auditions. Please check our newly designed website, www.njmea.org , for new audition information. By now Regions Choruses are underway, and you should be looking ahead to the next audition. The 2012 NJ All-State Chorus Audition Bulletin will be available online by mid-January. Please take your time and read carefully – there is a lot of information! If it is your turn to judge – once every four years – clear your calendar for these dates – April 14 and April 21, 2012. Many, many thanks to those of you who volunteer to judge every year! Your students and programs benefit from the knowledge that you gain at every audition, and in the process you change many young singers’ lives. I thank you for all the care and time you take to help our students share the best choral experiences in their young careers !

JazzJeffrey Kunkel973-655-5279

[email protected]

Hope everyone has enjoyed the first part of the academic year while making some great music! Some of New Jersey’s finest jazz students have certainly had an enjoyable fall, as witnessed by the fantastic performances of the All-State Jazz Band and Honors Jazz Choir at both the NJEA Convention held in Atlantic City and at the fantastic NJPAC venue in Newark. Jazz Band students enjoyed working with conductor Mark Gross this year, and made the best of an opportunity to learn with a multiple Grammy award winner (as a member of the Dave Holland Big Band), solo recording artist, and educator. Jazz Choir students were once again privileged to learn from the boundless energy, enthusiasm, and talent of Justin Binek, who is the Vocal Jazz Director at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. I hope you had a chance to hear these fantastic groups!

November brought the annual mini-conference of NJAJE, held as usual at the NJPAC Center for Arts Education, under the skillful coordination of NJAJE Vice-president Jeff Haas from Ridgewood High School. Featured clinicians were Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band Rhythm Section, as well as vocalist Roseanna Vitro. If you would like to join us next year for this excellent annual event, please consider joining NJAJE at www.njaje.org - the event is free to our membership. Next up on the agenda will be the numerous clinicians, the Intercol-legiate Jazz Band, and our annual reading session presented at the NJMEA conference in February. We look forward to an exciting conference, including the inaugural Jazz Academy.

Finally, looking ahead to Spring 2012, we strongly encourage you and your students to participate in the Region I, II, and III Jazz Band Auditions, as well as the Region Jazz Choir Auditions. While attendance at these auditions is very strong, we would like to encourage schools that have not been participating to consider becoming involved, thereby allowing your students the opportunity not only to share in the camaraderie and enjoyment of playing in the region groups, but to qualify for all-state auditions as well.

As always, if there is anything that my colleagues at NJAJE or I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to be in touch – contact info is avail-able for each of us at www.njaje.org. And last but certainly not least, please allow me to extend to each of you the best wishes of the holiday season!



Opera FestivalStevie Rawlings


OPERA FESTIVAL 2011- AN EXPERIENCE!

The NJMEA’s 63rd Annual All-State Opera Festival took place November 5, 2011 at Paramus High School. A very receptive matinee au-dience applauded 57 young singers, 50 string orchestra members, guest vocal artists, guest conductors and operatic composers spanning three centuries. The budding singers accomplished exactly what the mission is for the Opera Festival, “to hear and experience through performance, the operatic art form.”

The festival day began with a vocal master class by guest artist Harry Dworchak, a bass/baritone of national and international renown. The students were delighted with his expertise and honesty. Guest artists Ilya Martinez and Rafael LeBron discussed Zarzuela, the Spanish operetta art form that is the training ground for so many contemporary Hispanic opera singers. Claudette Peterson and David Kline shared details of their workshops in Tolentino, Italy and on Martha’s Vineyard as summer options for the students. Dr. Paul Maramaldi, acting Assis-tant Superintendent of Schools for Paramus, encouraged the students by sharing his love of opera. Guest conductor-teachers rehearsed opera chorus pieces with all solo, ensemble and chorus participants: Christine Micu, Hillsborough HS, worked on “Humming Chorus” from Mad-ama Butterfly by Puccini; Kristopher Zook, Red Bank Regional HS, conducted “Va, pensiero” from Nabucco by Verdi; and as the show closer, “Libiamo” from La Traviata by Verdi, was handled by John Van Glahn, Cresskill HS. Guest artist, Kristine Hart, sang the role of “Violetta” with the opera chorus tenors for the finale. Other participating directors who willingly and expertly managed and served the students were James Schnyderite, Delaware Valley Regional HS; Tess Nielsen, The Ranney School; Steven Bourque, Ridgewood HS; Lisa Smith, River Dell Regional HS; and Carol Andrews Schmiedecke, retired. The Paramus Tri-M Music Honor Society students served as ushers and assistants to the guest artists for the day. The Paramus Music Parents Association were extraordinary in providing hospitality for all involved.

Award winners from the festival were: Evangeline Athanasiou, Red Bank Regional HS, and Trevor Nalepka, Hillsborough HS - Gover-nor’s Award in Arts Education for the Highest Scoring Female and Male soloists; Evangeline Athanasiou, Red Bank Regional HS - C. Scripps Beebee Scholarship for the highest scoring soloist overall; Alexandra Sesenton, Cresskill HS - Special Commendation for the second highest scoring student overall; Gillian Lacey and Brandon Jaico, River Dell Regional HS – The Madame Paunova Small Ensemble Award; and “The Premiers,” Paramus HS – The Francesca P. Kubian-Geidel Large Ensemble Award.

At the performance, the Opera Festival welcomed the addition of the Paramus HS String Orchestra, under the direction of Judy Wil-kes. The group offered “Un bel di vedremo,” from Madama Butterfly by Puccini; “Intermezzo,” from Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni; and “Prelude” to Act I of La Traviata by Puccini. These pieces preceded each of the full chorus performances throughout the concert. Francesca Kubian-Geidel served as the festival accompanist, David Kline as the videographer/stage front manager and Claudette Peterson as the master of ceremonies.

The students were able to hear each other sing opera arias at a high level. The eight hour festival day was filled with inspiration, effort, humor, kindness and wisdom but most of all, with beautiful operatic repertoire performed and experienced by young musicians. A special “thank you” is extended to Mike Kallimanis as the absolute key to the success of both the audition and festival days.

The auditions for the festival took place Friday, October 21, 2011 also at Paramus High School. Gayletha Nichols, director of National Council Auditions for the Metropolitan Opera, and John Hancock, a Metropolitan Opera baritone, served as adjudicators, selecting 18 solo-ists and three finalists to perform in the festival concert out of a potential group of 30 soloists and five ensembles.




Orchestra PerformanceSusan Meuse


This past November was the culmination of the hard work that went into the 2011 All-State Orchestra. The concert was wonderful thanks to conductor Steven Amundson from St. Olaf College. I hope many of you were able to see one of the great performances! In addi-tion to the hard work of the conductor, there were many other people who helped make it happen. Thanks to the sectional coaches Todd Van Beveren, Anna Braun, Joann Manhardt, Corey Schutzer, Brian Toth, and Robert Walliczek. Thanks also to managers Mike Kallimanis and Laura Kearney and Percussion Coordinator Chris Janney. The concert events would not have run so smoothly without the hard work of many other people including Production Coordinator Joe Cantaffa, Housing Coordinators Jack Rowland and Dick Smith, and Transpor-tation Coordinators Anthony Rafaniello and Mike Saias. Also, congratulations and thanks to Kathy Spadafino and the All-State Chorus Staff for working with us to make these concerts a huge success.

The Orchestra Procedures Committee met during the fall to discuss some important things coming up for the All-State Orchestras. We are working on finalizing the solos for the next four years, so expect to see some changes. One major change is that there will be specified editions for each piece. We also discussed the dates for both ASO and ASIO, as well as conductors for ASO for the next three years. Finally, we are always looking for people to host rehearsals for both groups, so if you are interested, please let me know. If you have any questions or concerns about anything, please feel free to contact me or any of the committee members. I’ll see everyone at the auditions on March 17!

Retired Music EducatorsChristine Sezer570-756-2961

[email protected]

We have begun the new year by initiating a Mentoring Program. We, as retired music educators, possess many years of experience, knowl-

edge, and expertise in various areas and catagories of music education. The Mentoring Program gives us the unique opportunity to share all our years of knowledge, talent and experience and offer advice with educators who may seek it -especially the young teachers who often times are at a loss when faced with certain situations or problems they don’t know how to cope with or just need advice or help. There are a variety of catagories listed on our website - if you are interested in being part of the Mentoring Program (and you certainly should be, your expertise and knowledge is really important and very valuable.)

Please contact me with the catagories you would like to mentor - your name, phone number and email will be added to the catorgories listed on our website. Teachers would contact mentors listed on our website and discuss their situations/problems/needs of advice with the mentors. I think we could make a difference in assisting many teachers. Many times experience is the best way to solve unique situations and problems that may arise in the life and times of a music educator - and I’m sure with all our many years of teaching we have all had our share of those “unique situations” that we had to solve with no one to help us or advise us. Please become a part of our Mentoring Program! you may contact me by phone (570)756-2729; (570)756-2961 or email [email protected] to let me know the catagories you would like to mentor- I need your name, phone number and email for our website.

Hopefully we will see you at our General Membership meeting at the NJMEA Conference on Friday February 24, 2012. The meeting is usually 10:15AM -check your conference booklet for exact time and place. Nick Santoro, our NJMEA Advocacy chair has graciously agreed to be our main speaker at our meeting to explain the revisions/impact in our arts education. We will also have our 2012 Master Music Teacher Award presented at the luncheon to Dr. Joyce Richardson-Melech. And as always Marie Malara has planned a GREAT conference -so please don’t miss it!

Other dates to put on your calendar are: Wednesday , March 7, 2012 ,12 noon-Executive Board Meeting, Seville Diner, East Brunswick; and Wednesday May 16, General Membership Meeting,10AM- House -by-the-Sea-Ocean Grove.




OCTOBER 2011 15 TEMPO

WorkshopsJoseph Akinskas

NJMEA Workshops Coordinator [email protected]

Summer Workshop V

I am pleased to announce that Summer Workshop V will take place on Tuesday, August 7, 2012. The location of the workshop will be forthcoming in TEMPO and TEMPO Express postings.

Presenters needed: At the conclusion of the previous four workshops, participants were asked to respond to a program survey developed by NJMEA Past President Bill McDevitt. The workshop committee utilizes the timely responses as the basis for development of the next event. Our early deliberations are focused on presenting extended-concentrated sessions in all areas. If you are interested in developing a session, please complete and return the presenter request form (on page 67), via email, to [email protected] or [email protected], on or before April 1, 2012.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank last year’s presenters who truly exemplify the high level of talent we are fortunate to have in New Jersey, and who are willing to share their talents and techniques with our statewide constituency. Take a minute to access our website, www.njmeasummerworkshop.com, to scan the pictures which reflect an enjoyable and productive day.

We look forward to another enjoyable and productive day for all in attendance. Think summer!


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December 2003, the State Department of Education (NJDOE) adopted the New Jersey Professional Stan-dards that gave clear vision of knowledge and perfor-

mance for teachers and school leaders to support student learning, dispositions and achievement based on the revised Core Curriculum Content Standards. The Professional Standards and Learning Unit provides support for teacher and school leader quality initiatives for Professional Development for Teachers and the work of the Pro-fessional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB); The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) subsidy and support program; and the Highly Qualified Teacher Initiative under NCLB (NJDOE, 2010).

In the first issue of TEMPO (October 2011), an advocacy plan for quality music education for urban students was established restore and sus-tain quality music education programs within our urban areas. The areas of focus- professional de-velopment, curriculum alignment and advocacy (equal and equitable access) are the foundations needed to ensure effective music instructional practices for every classroom.

This can occur when music educators align individual and group professional development plans that utilizes all standards (Core Common Standards, NJ Core Curriculum and National Standards) while providing the aesthetic and ac-ademic components of best practices within the context of music. This approach to planning al-lows for quality professional development (PD) that improves teacher instruction that in turn, promotes student achievement. More specifi-cally, this allows the music teacher to articulate in “ed-talk” within the Professional Learning Com-munities, Professional Development (school and district) and the individual professional develop-ment plan (PDP) the importance of music and of educating of the whole child.

The individual professional development plan (PDP) assists teachers and their supervisors in designing an individual plan that provides for sus-tained professional learning that supports teacher practice and student achievement. The document

creates the framework of a plan that is current with best practices of quality professional development. This document can be used as an advocacy tool for the music educator to receive the PD support and resources to provide quality music instruction that promotes student achievement within their content area. How this is accomplished is by providing a framework that articulates how music core standards align with common core standards.

Every February, we have numerous teachers who are denied access to convention for music educators sponsored by NJMEA-NAfME. This convention offers numerous opportunities to receive comprehensive PDP, through the exploration of a variety of profes-

Building Foundations In Music EducationIn Urban Settings:

The Individual Professional Development Plan (PDP) And

Effective Music Education PracticeBy Suzanne M. Kane, Urban Music Initiative Chair

West Side High School, [email protected]


sional learning in the field of music education. With thoughtful planning and workshop selection, a PDP can be developed to create a positive effect on the teacher’s classroom practices and align with school/district improvement goals. The templates provided will clarify the “how” of developing a particularized PD plan at the school level (Figure 1). This framework can be used to align your areas of need in music professional development that articulate best practices of quality music education and common core standards, both that promote student achievement. (Figure 2).

Bibliography

NJDOE. (2010, January 1). NJDOE. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders: http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/pd/teacher/plft_guidance.pdf

NJDOE. (2010, January 1). Professional Standards and Learning. Retrieved November 12, 2011, from New Jersey State Department of Education: http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/

Professional Standards and Learning- Professional Development for Teachers Initiative. (2010, January 1). Retrieved November 12, 2011, from NJDOE: http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/pd/teacher/

(NJDOE, 2010) Figure 1: Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders

Growth Area(s) andObjectives (Elements)• Music Core Curriculum

Standard• Common Core

Standard

Action Steps For Teacher Follow-up Summary• Action taken:

workshop, training, etc.

• Date

Documentation(Evidence)

To provide more consistent measures of student abilities and improvements and academic performance in Core Subjects

To utilize outside resources and provide students with a more varied learning environment

Attendance of and participation in classes, seminars and conferences beyond those provided by your school district

Provide a documentation of personal/professional reflection to be used to foster professional development.

Figure 2: Sample of an Individual Professional Development Format


Caldwell College

MusicUPCOMING EVENTS

Undergraduate Admissions Open HouseSaturday, February 4, 10:00 a.m., Alumni TheatreBrass Ensemble, Max Morden conductor, 10:30 a.m. College Audition Workshop, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Caldwell Faculty performsRon Pokryska, tubaRebecca Vega, fluteNan Childress Orchard, pianoSaturday, February 11, 8 p.m.Alumni Theatre – Donation Requested

Faculty FavoritesSaturday, February 25, 8 p.m.Alumni Theatre – Ticket RequiredContact Laura Greenwald for tickets and information [email protected] or 973-618-3520.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in MusicCertification K-12 Music• Outstanding Liberal Arts Program • Accredited by the Middle States Association• Scholarships for Non-majors and Majors• Professional Concert Series on campus

SCHOLARSHIP AND ENTRANCE AUDITIONSMarch 3, 2012 By AppointmentFor requirements and other information contact Rebecca Vega at 973-618-3446 or [email protected]

PROFESSIONAL RESIDENT ENSEMBLE • Garden State OperaSTUDENT ENSEMBLES • Wind Ensemble• Jazz Ensemble• Choir• Chamber Ensembles• Opera and Music Theatre Workshop

120 Bloomfield AvenueCaldwell, NJ 07006

www.caldwell.edu

For more information visit www.caldwell.edu/academics/music


The place for your next . . .● Move Pursue a twenty-first century music career as an arranger/composer, performer, educator, or manager

● Performance Perfect your performance skills with private study and performance opportunities

● Mentor Work with faculty, guest artists, and alumni at the cutting edge of the profession

● Opportunity Gain real world experience through professional clubs and department outreach that take our students to places like China, Kentucky, Florida, and New Orleans

● Programs of Study B.M. in classical or jazz performance, music education, music management, and sound engineering arts

B.A. in musical studies

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

2012 Undergraduate Classical Auditions and Test Dates: February 10, February 24,

March 9, March 30, April 13

Exceptional Performers: Audition in February to be eligible for the prestigious

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2012 Graduate Classical Audition (Music Education):

April 13

See website or contact Professor Timothy Newman,

graduate program director, at [email protected] or 973.720.2373

Turn What’s Possible Into What’s Next


Alternative Ensembles For TheiPod Generation

By Marjorie LoPrestiEast Brunswick High School

[email protected]

Reality check: Students use and love hand-held music devices. They seek out musicians you’ve

never heard of on YouTube. They create elaborate playlists and make DJ remixes. Students in your school create original mu-sic at home on computers and upload it to the internet. You probably have never met some of the students.

The challenge: Tap into the musical passion of all of those kids who walk around your school with earbuds hanging from their heads. Draw them into the school music program. Do it with an almost zero budget.

The Current Landscape

Technology has changed the landscape of the music industry. From the recording studio, to concert venues and to consumer electronics, the changes are pervasive. MP3 players, music apps on cell phones, tablets and other portable devices allow everyone to personalize and carry their music library everywhere. A legions of young people have grown up listening only to the music each has personally chosen. John Kratus’s “Music Education at the Tipping Point” document-ed this trend (Music Educators Journal 94, no. 2, Nov. 2007).

As educators, we can harness students’ love of their personal, hand-held music technology for the greater goals of music education. By using the students’ own digi-tal native aptitudes, we can use music tech-nology to serve a number of goals:

• Draw in/recruit students who otherwise might be outside the traditional music program. (visit musiccreativity.org for research and documentation on

engaging the 60-80% of students NOT involved in performing ensembles)

• Better enable special needs students to participate.

• Enable school music to better reflect the diversity of the student population.

• Better meet NAfME’s composition and improvisation standards.

• Supplement where players for traditional instrumentation may be lacking (see David Marowitz’s article in Teaching Music, October 2011)

• Increase the “cool” factor of the school music program.

• Provide positive PR for the music program and school as a whole. (see “How Music Teachers Got Their Groove Back” THE Journal, October 12, 2010)

Sounds like more work, right? If you empower the students, your prep time will be minimal. And the students probably al-ready have much of the ‘gear.’

Alternative Ensemble Model #1Bring What You Have

Belvidere High School’s Trans-Belvederian Ensemble

Directed by Charlie Zetterstrom, this 80-member group hails from a school with a student population of just over 500. A regional high school with four sending dis-tricts, the feeder programs are inconsistent at best. Yet, Belvidere HS boasts a music participation rate of over 50% for all en-sembles. Many students in the program did not play an instrument before they entered high school. The Trans-Belviderian Ensem-ble (TBE) functions mostly on school time during “Instrumental Lab” – the school of-fers four periods a day to serve all as instruc-

tional time for all instrumental ensembles. The full ensemble meets only as an entire group for the dress rehearsal and concerts. The TBE performs at Heritage Festivals an-nually, and achieved a ‘gold’ rating last year.

Belvidere High School’s program is a great model for drawing in students because the philosophy is for students to bring what they have, and to accept and rehab donat-ed instruments at every opportunity. (The school has a fabulous shop department.) Instrumentation includes guitars, percus-sion, keyboard, marimba, chimes, congas, and other assorted instruments as needed (harmonica, didgeridos, ukulele, and even vuvuzuela.) Because of the unusual instru-mentation, their repertoire includes custom arrangements and original compositions. The repertoire the group performs reflects

Lambertville, NJ

Caprio Young Artists Competition

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the students tastes, and students often han-dle arranging tasks. Students often coach one other outside of school. Not everything is always “charted out,” but that is true among professional touring musicians also!

Charlie Zetterstrom [email protected]

link to his school page through www.belvideresd.org

Alternative Ensemble Model #2 Hand-held Electronics

Greenwich High School in Connecti-cut has offered an Electronic Music course for decades. About 3 years ago, music tech-nology educator Barbara Freedman offered her advanced students the opportunity to start an after school ensemble. Her ratio-nale was to give her digital studio musi-cians live performance experience. Their group “Total Kaoss” uses an Alesis drum machine, Korg Kaossilators, Kaoss Pro, and other hand-held instruments. Total Kaoss was featured in a workshop at the TI:ME National Conference at NJMEA in 2010. Barb’s article “When Total Kaoss is Good in the Classroom” is available on soundtree.com. (http://www.soundtree.com/teaching-resources/articles/when-total-kaoss-good-classroom)

In her article, Freedman cites the iBand as an inspiration. A quick search for “iBand” on YouTube will bring over 1400 hits. Many students already own devices that can handle music apps. Your school may already own a mixer, speakers and cables to connect the devices. Students are digital natives – they can and will figure out most of the technology. The music educa-tor in the room needs to help provide guid-ance for making good musical choices and rehearsing effectively. Remember to Barb Freedman’s motto: “Teach music. The tech-nology will follow.” (musicedtech.com)

Alternative Ensemble Model #3 Laptop Plus Peripherals

Lebanon High School in Ohio’s EMG (Electronic Music Group) rocked the 2011 Ohio MEA conference during their lunch time lobby concert to the point that security made them shut down… in front of at least 100 music educators. The group uses Able-ton Live as the core of their sound. Sets are

programmed in advance by students, but require live performers on pad controllers, keyboard controllers, an electronic wind instrument, vocals, and a few traditional in-struments as needed. Director Will Kuhn’s website (willkuhn.wordpress.com) provides a wealth of easy to understand tutorials.

Like the students in Belvidere and Greenwich, the Lebanon EMG members create their own original compositions. Driven by student interest, the group emu-lates Glitch Mob, Deadmau5, Skrillex and Dave Nada. Their use of pad controllers in addition to traditional instruments allows easy entry for students with special needs. Music is charted out using combinations of graphic and traditional notation – whatever best suits the performers. This model pro-vides ample opportunity for the differenti-ated instruction and performance models many school administrations are requiring.

The Take-Away

Not every school can sponsor a dedi-cated electronic or alternative ensemble. But by being open to the possibility of non-traditional instrumentation, particularly to instruments (acoustic and electronic) that students in your school already own, you can:

• Attract and serve a larger percentage of the overall student population

• Supplement gaps in your school’s current instrumentation

• Engage students with diverse experience levels in authentic music creation, improvisation and performance

• Look like a genius to your administration while having your students handle the most of the technology and music arranging details

Marjorie LoPresti teaches piano, music theory, composition and digital recording at East Bruns-wick High School. She is the NJ TI:ME Chapter President and advisor to EBEAP – the East Bruns-wick Electronic/Alternative Performers.


Influential individuals and/or teams in the areas of sports, politics and the arts have pushed men, women and chil-dren to achieve what some believe to be unobtainable goals.

Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle and David Beckham have filled the dreams of thousands of youngsters wanting to attain a higher plateau in their chosen sports just as our founding fathers and political ac-tivists have done for those wanting positions that serve our citizens better. In many ways, musical performers have done the same to inspire the daydreams of the readers of this article. Many NJMEA members have completed some type of music education program or are currently enrolled in one and part of the curriculum requires a music history course or two for graduation. These classes generally focus on the study of the “significant composers” of western music sometimes ignoring jazz as well as non-western styles. In the applied music studio, students focus on the required repertoire that is cho-sen/pre-determined by the instructor with some creative input from the student and it can be understood that equal credence is given to the study of the key interpreters (performers) of their chosen works. How many less musicians would have graced the important concert halls if there were no James Gallway, Yo Yo Ma, Denyce Graves, Buddy Rich, John Coltrane, Itzhak Perlman, Vladimir Horowitz and a list that could fill this entire issue. This particular column will be dedicated to those teachers of guitar classes who had no idea that they would be an instructor in this area as well as to those with lim-ited guitar experience physically or socially. The names that I will provide will consist of famous and lesser known but equally talented performers that your students will be in awe of. These players have used the guitar as a vehicle of expression to encourage millions of others to follow in their footsteps. These unique players excel in dif-ferent areas of performing and will only be divided by style category. The author has chosen these 100 musicians based on their tech-nique, originality, superior tone, interpretations and cultural impact. I have respectfully made an effort to include woman musicians in addition to world musicians. It is recommended that you play an audio or visual sample of each guitarist throughout the year. It is best to choose instrumental recordings to avoid non-school appropriate lyrics or other forms of innuendo. The majority of these samples can be located on iTunes or cdbaby.com as ease of availability was taken into consideration.

Classical Guitar: Andres Segovia, Julian Bream, Sharon Isbin, Christopher Parkening, David Russell, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Jason Vieaux, Manuel Barrueco, Ana Vidovic, Lily Afshar, New-

man & Oltman Guitar Duo, John Williams, Adam Holzman, Mi-chael Chapdelaine, Narciso Yepes, Eliot Fisk, Martha Masters, Pepe Romero, Benjamin Verdery & Kazuhito Yamashita.

Jazz Guitar: Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, George Ben-son, Django Reinhart, Joe Pass, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, John McLaughlin, Stanley Jordan, Al DiMeola, Herb Ellis, Charlie Chris-tian, Eddie Lang, Tal Farlow & Emily Pember.

Blues Guitar: Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Albert King , Freddy King, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Rory Gallagher, Joe Bonamas-sa, Gary Moore, Hound Dog Taylor, Big Bill Broonzy, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robin Trower, Danny Gatton & Roy Buchanan.

Rock Guitar: Chuck Berry, Scotty Moore, Duane Eddy, Jimi Hendrix, Edward Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tom Morello, Jimmy Page, Orianthi, Brian Setzer, Eric Johnson, Mark Knopfler, Rusty Cooley, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, Vinnie Moore, John 5, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, Prince, Marty Friedman, Vernon Reid, Alex Lifeson, Ace Frehley , Neal Schon, Michael Angelo Batio, Rob-ert Fripp & The Edge.

Country Guitar : Don Rich, Brad Paisley, Jerry Reed, Chet Atkins, Willie Nelson, Roy Clark, Pete Anderson, Johnny Hiland, Merle Travis & Vince Gill.

Other: Kaki King, Francis Bebey, Paco De Lucia, Ottmar Li-ebert, Michael Hedges, Dominic Frasca, Frantz Casseus, Les Paul & Andy Summers.

Although this list could be infinite as new talent is recognized each year, this will be a good starting point to get your students even more excited about exploring the guitar.

Thomas Amoriello is currently teaching General Music/Guitar Class at Reading Fleming Intermediate School in Hunterdon County. He is a graduate of Rowan University and Shenandoah Conservatory. He was an adjunct guitar instructor at Cumberland County College from 1999-2005. He has appeared on Classroom Close-up that aired on NJN Public Television and has presented gui-tar workshops for various music organizations. In addition to the NJMEA, he is a member of the Guitar Foundation of America the Philadelphia Classical Gui-tar Society. You can learn more about Tom by visiting www.tomamoriello.com

Influential GuitaristsBy Thomas Amoriello

Flemington Raritan School [email protected]


How do you define cool?

At NJPAC, we believe there’s nothing cooler than jazz education. In our Wells Fargo Jazz for Teens program, students work with professional musicians to develop a deeper understanding of jazz history and technique. From improvised jams to formal performances to recording their own CD, teenage musicians learn to discover their own voice. Encourage your students to join us next semester beginning February 25. To learn more, please call (973) 353-8009.


njcu.edu/mdt

2039 Kennedy Blvd.Jersey City, NJ 07305

Undergraduate Degree Programs

B.A. in Music EducationB.A. in Music TheatreB.A. in Music BusinessB.M. in Classical StudiesB.M. in Jazz Studies

Graduate Degree Programs

M.A. in Music EducationM.A. in Music Performance:Classical Voice, Jazz, or Multiple Woodwinds

Donna Connolly, D.M.A.Co-ChairMusic, Dance and [email protected]

The Department of Music, Dance, and Theatre is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music and a collegiate member of MENC, The National Association for Music Education.

Min Kim, D.M.A.Co-ChairMusic, Dance and [email protected]

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Saturday – April 21, 2012

At Lakeside Performing Arts Center Millville, New Jersey

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To Qualify: Become a Cavalcade member before January, 2012 Perform in at least one CBA sanctioned Jazz Show Divisions will be based on season average score/s

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List of sanctioned CBA Jazz Shows can be found on our web site www.cavalcadeofbands.org


Throughout the state, an in-creasing number of special education students are being

taught in inclusive settings or self-contained rooms in their home district. At state and regional workshops, I’ve spoken with many music teachers who are successfully provid-ing quality music instruction that accom-modates these students’ special needs. I’ve enjoyed the spirit of collegiality I’ve wit-nessed as our colleagues share concerns and advice. Here are some questions that are of-ten asked, with suggestions that I hope are helpful. If you have other issues you’d like addressed in this space, send them to me at [email protected].

Sometimes, students who are assigned one-on-one paraprofessionals come

to music class without one. Isn’t the aide supposed to be with the

student in my class?When students are assigned individual

paraprofessional support, the rationale can be found in their IEP. Take some time to fa-miliarize yourself with the student’s IEP by reading it and/or discussing it with the case manager. The school is legally bound to fol-low the requirements in the document, so find out which are specifically stated. If an aide is supposed to be with the student all day, you may need to advocate for the child to see that it happens.

I’m not really sure what to do with the paraprofessional; he sits in the

back of the room and doesn’t help at all. What should I do?

Your attitude is a defining factor in your relationship with an instructional aide. Respect the fact that he may know a great deal about your student, and can be a valu-

able asset. He can provide background in-formation about the child, can share strate-gies that have worked in other settings, and can keep you up-to-date on new develop-ments in the child’s life.

First determine your own expecta-tions, and then be clear in your directions. Depending on the child, you may want the paraprofessional to “stand by” to redirect or to help stay on task, or you may want him to be more hands-on. Whether you need him to sit next to the student, help the stu-dent practice a rhythm, write notation, or perform a dance move, be sure to ask with kindness and courtesy.

What does the autistic spectrum refer to? Are all autistic students the same?Autistic spectrum disorder, also known

as pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) represents a continuum of developmental delays that range from mild to severe. Typi-cally there are deficits in social interaction and communication, with difficulties form-ing relationships, decoding facial expres-sions, and comprehending social situations. Some students may be quite high functioning and do well in academic settings, while others may need to be in a self-contained classroom. Many fall somewhere in be-tween these two extremes, with combinations of char-acteristics and behaviors.

What behaviors can I expect

from autistic children? Some children with

autism have unusual body postures and limited move-

ments. Repeated bodily movements such as arm waving, swaying and humming can be attempts for the child to self-regulate; that is, their sensory processing systems may be overloaded or under stimulated and they are trying to compensate. Some may be fas-cinated with moving objects, and will ob-sessively and endlessly talk about a specific topic. You may find that some children in-sist that things always be done the same way.

Should I address some of these behaviors?Whether you should address or ignore

these behaviors will vary with each indi-vidual child. Discuss your students with the support staff who work closely with them, such as the special education teacher, the case manager, and occupational and physi-cal therapists.

What strategies can I use with my children with autism?

Incorporate structure as much as possi-ble and design your lessons so that there is a sense of routine. For example, include hello and goodbye songs to help ease the anxiety

Teaching Music To Special Learners: FAQ’sBy Maureen Butler

Lake Drive & Wildwood Elementary Schools, Mountain [email protected]

National Association for Music Education Announces the Creation of

To make a donation, please visit www.giveanote.org

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.


that may accompany transition. Follow the same format each time you meet, and consider a graphic organizer that helps students un-derstand where they are in the lesson. You could easily make a chart with removable pictures that show a progression of activities such as singing, dancing, and playing instruments. Remove each picture as the activity is finished, and children will understand that it will soon be time to leave.

Consult with your school’s occupational or physical therapists to learn the physical limitations of your students, and design lessons that will accommodate them. Determine if children are under- or over-reactive to sensory input, such as sounds, and modify your ac-tivities as needed.

What strategies can I implement to insure that my behaviorally challenged students don’t disrupt the class?

These children need to be treated with the same respect and care that we give to all our students, and yet they can be the most challenging. Care must be taken to create an environment where all students feel safe and able to learn. Most children respond to positive reinforcement, so consider using a reward system. Their incentive may be a goal that the whole class works towards over the course of several weeks, or it may be individually based, where a child receives stickers or tokens for appropriate behaviors. Maintain a positive at-titude that evaluates and encourages good behaviors as you see them, and frequently point out the positive actions of your students. This may seem burdensome at first, but you’ll soon find it becoming part of your own teaching style to say, for example, “Mary is really paying

attention today, good job, Mary!” or “Tommy and Billy are singing with nice quiet voices today, that sounds so nice!”

A word of advice -- avoid making the behaviorally challenged child feel backed into a corner, as it can lead to a stalemate where nothing is quickly resolved. When this happens, it may be wise to offer a choice for the child to make. You may say, for example, “You may sit in a time-out chair, or go up to the principal’s office. Which will you choose?” Taking the responsibility for the consequence gives back a feeling of power that the child may need at that point, and may return him to a place where he can be part of the class.

If you’re struggling to understand your student, plan to meet with your school psychologist or social worker to determine what specific issues may be involved, and if further strategies need to be developed. At no time should you or your students be physically threatened or harmed, so be sure to have a plan in place for the child to be removed from the class if necessary.

CodaIt’s worthwhile for us to remember that students with special

needs are children who are trying to make sense of their lives and their world. It can definitely be challenging to determine how to pro-vide them with meaningful opportunities to learn. But if we accept that responsibility, we’ll be privileged to see these students develop and flourish.

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Achieving rhythmical precision in large ensembles is al-ways a challenge. As some conductors say, “rhythm is the glue that keeps the group together.”

Yet it seems that many band and orchestra teachers do not re-ally teach the basic concepts needed to achieve rhythmic mastery. Students at all levels of instruction—elementary, middle school, and high school—must be taught the skills needed to be successful. Ide-ally, the teachers at all of these different levels should agree on a global system and then teach towards that unified goal.

The basic outline to achieve rhythmic mastery is fairly basic. At the elementary level, students need to be able to maintain a steady pulse and be able to decode rhythms; these activities should be pri-mary goals. Middle and high school teachers continue to emphasize these same large objectives while addressing issues of greater com-plexity. The most significant added challenge would be for the stu-dent to grasp the idea of subdivision.

The physical expression of the pulse is vital for young students, and can be done in any number of ways. Students can clap or tap steady pulses. Echoing rhythms, both without or with the instru-ment, can be effective. However, one of the best approaches is to insist that students tap their foot while playing. While this might not be very practical for strings, it is a great approach for wind players.

Young students are not automatically successful at tapping their foot; some never really master the skill. However, that is not a reason to abandon the approach since it will be invaluable for the majority of students for a number of reasons. First, the physical movement is observable. The teacher can see if the student is able to actually express the pulse. Plus, the physical movement can strongly reinforce the cognitive concept of the beat.

Tapping the foot carries a strong benefit beyond simply keep-ing the pulse. It also provides a framework to understand the later concept of subdivision. The foot tap is comprised of two actions: the down and the resultant up. If a student can do the tap correctly, s/he can automatically subdivide; each down is (oddly enough) the downbeat and each up is the “and” or subdivision (see figure 1).

On the surface, this may seem to be of little value. What dif-ference does it make that students think about the beat or the sub-division? For most beginners, it probably does not matter at first. However, with the system of being able to feel and see the subdivi-sions through the up-and-down motion of the foot, students have the necessary background to proceed with more difficult concepts.

One of the trickier rhythms for elementary students is the dot-ted quarter note. The difficulty results because it is the first time that students must truly subdivide. With eighth notes, they do not really need to subdivide because they can think of the pulse as being twice as fast; the eighth note becomes the beat. I have seen young students begin to actually tap their feet twice as fast instead of keep-ing the pulse. With the up-and-down method, students can see that the dotted-quarter receives a down, up, and down. The remaining up is the last eight of the pattern (see figure 2). Students can see and feel that the dotted-quarter receives 3 eighth notes; it is a “down-up-down” note. This helps both theoretical understands and actual performance.

All of these ideas related to the foot tap as a teaching aid can be further emphasized with the clapping of hands up and down by students and the teacher. Arrows can be drawn on the music to show down beats and up beats. There are a great many related ideas, some of which are discussed by Daniel L. Kohut in his book Instrumental Music Pedagogy (see reference list).

Counting SystemsOne of the most popular methods of teaching the reading of

rhythm is the counting system described above. The use of numbers along with “ands” and other syllables to denote smaller units of the beat can be invaluable. Many instrumental teachers use the syllables, “1-ee-and-da, 2-ee-and-da”. Certainly this is not the only such system. For those teachers who work in schools where the Kodály method is employed, “tas” and “ti-tis” can be used with equal success. For those who follow the Gordon approach, yet other syllables are suggested.

Keeping Your Finger On The PulseBy William L. Berz

Rutgers: The State University of New [email protected]

Figure 2.

Figure 1. Foot taps and notation


Many different rhythmic systems can be used effectively. The real issue is that eventually students must be taught some system to be able to decode rhythms. Only in this way can they possess the tools necessary to read music notation.

In many cases, it is assumed that students have mastered the idea of pulse by the time that they reach high school. Little attention is given to keeping the beat. While the basic idea may be learned, the challenge for students at this level is to internally maintain the pulse and subdivision. How does one do this?

For several reasons, there is a growing use of amplified metro-nomes such as a “Dr. Beat” in high school band rehearsals. One of the reasons is the increased emphasis on marching band competi-tions with the logical adaptation of DCI teaching methods. Another explanation is that a number New Jersey band directors are using approaches advocated by some band directors from Texas, one of which is the use of metronomes in marching and concert band re-hearsals. A third reason is the technology itself. It is possible to pro-gram the machines to follow different meters and tempi for an entire marching band show.

Using a metronome can be very beneficial. After all, most ac-complished players spend a considerable amount of their practice time using one. This helps to foster technical mastery. However continual use, especially in large ensemble rehearsals, hinders the development of internalize pulse in students. What might be a great learning tool becomes a crutch. It essentially eliminates conceptual learning and turns the rehearsal into human programming. The stu-dent keeps the pulse only because of the continual repetition. Does this learning carry over to other music?

Additional strategies must be found to help students to inter-nalize pulse. I observed one high school director lead an exercise where the band would play a short rhythmic pattern on concert B-flat followed by ever-longer rests before again repeating the pat-tern. The director did not conduct and the students were required to maintain silence during the rests without tapping their feet. This was obviously a normal activity for the band as the students were quite good at keeping the pulse. Still, as the silences became longer, they started to falter somewhat because of the difficulty of holding a consistent pulse over time. This kind of exercise forces students to internalize the beat; it is a solid teaching technique.

My colleague at Rutgers, Darryl Bott, has the entire group chant subdivisions in the tempo of the piece or section that is be-ing studied. While this is metronome-like, it is much more effective than simply using the metronome because it requires the students to express the pulse and underlying subdivision in context of the piece being studied. This approach can help players learn to main-tain pulse and subdivision.

As stated above, keeping the beat is not enough for high school students. As Ed Lisk discusses in his Creative Director book (pp. 88-94), players need to internalize subdivisions as well. While I do not agree with his terminology of “hidden pulse” (middle line of figure 3) and “extended hidden pulse” (bottom line of figure 3), Lisk’s ba-sic idea is accurate. To perform complex rhythms correctly, students must be able to internalize ever smaller units of the beat.

Also as written above, one important goal in elementary instru-mental music would be for students to be able to internalize the pulse (top line of figure 3) and begin to understand subdivision (middle line of figure 3). I advocated using the foot tap to help reinforce

these ideas; the down was the pulse and the up was the subdivision. By high school, more complex rhythmic patterns are encountered, which necessitates subdividing in smaller units.

Applying the principles of subdivision is vital to achieve rhyth-mic precision. In the end, it comes down to the students being able to do this on their own. If students are unable to subdivide at mul-tiple levels, a great deal of rote teaching with considerable repetition and imitation must be employed. Two different but related patterns are presented in the top line of figure 4, a long note with a tie fol-lowed by a series of faster notes.

Students should internalize sixteenth notes while playing the top line. In this way, they would release the tie at the appropriate time and then play the eighths in the first measure, and sixteenths in the second. This internalization of the subdivision is key to playing small rhythmic units accurately. It is not a “hidden pulse” or “ex-tended hidden pulse” as Lisk suggests. It is the division of the beat or pulse. If the pulse is that of the eighth or sixteenth, then the tempo is fast or extremely fast. In fact, some jazz players consider that to be the pulse. However in traditional classical music, that is not the case. Students must have a clear understanding of the beat both in theo-retical and practical terms. The next step is to be able to decipher the notation and perform it with accuracy. Thinking the divisions of the beat is central to good performance. If the student-performers can do this well, teachers will be able to keep their finger on the pulse.

ReferencesKohut, D. L. (1996). Instrumental Music Pedagogy: Teaching

Techniques for School Band and Orchestra Directors. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing L. L. C.

Lisk, E. S. (1996). The Creative Director: Intangibles of Musical Performance. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Meredith Music Publications.

Figure 3. Pulse and two layers of subdivision

Figure 4. Written part (top line) with subdivision (bottom)


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Joyce RichardsonNJMEA 2012 Master Music Teacher

Perth Amboy [email protected]

Joyce Richardson-Melech is in her 31st year of teaching general class-

room music in her hometown of Perth Amboy. She has been the 5th grade chorus director of Samuel E. Shull School, Wil-liam C. McGinnis School, and the 3rd and 4th grade chorus director of A. V. Ceres School. She also has been the assistant band director of the Perth Amboy High School Band in charge of woodwinds from 1984 - 1994. Richardson-Melech has also been the musical director of the Perth Amboy High School play from 1989 – 1992, winning outstanding musical director awards from the Division of Community Education at Middlesex County College, Edison, New Jersey for “Grease” in 1989, and “Little Shop of Horrors” in 1990. She was also honored with Best Musical Accompanist for “Little Shop of Horrors” in 1990 presented by the Joseph P. Hayes Drama Festival in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Other plays per-formed at Perth Amboy High School where Richardson-Melech served as music direc-tor were “Hair” in 1991 and “Leader of the Pack” in 1992. As an elementary chorus director, Richardson-Melech has been in-strumental in producing numerous plays, programs, and concerts, including Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, Jungle Book, and Cinderella. Her chorus programs focus on themes such as “Classic American Folk-songs” and “Dance Hits Through the De-cades” and the chorus sings for the annual Holiday Programs. She has led the A. V. Ce-res School 3rd and 4th Grade Chorus in par-ticipation with Kids in Concert sponsored by the Education Law Center of Newark, New

Jersey for three consecutive years in 2009, 2010, and 2011. She has been named A. V. Ceres School’s Teacher of the Year for 2011.

Richardson-Melech is active at the state, national, and international levels as well as at the local level. She is a Fulbright scholar and is the recipient of the prestigious Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Award given by the U. S. Department of Education in 2010. The seminar resulted in a curriculum project that integrates music, language arts, visual arts, and social stud-ies, and is available through the University of Texas website. She was part of a school administration delegation to Russia in 2007 sponsored by People to People. In addition to this, she also was part of music education delegations to South Africa in 2010 and to Brazil in 2011, also sponsored by People to People. Richardson-Melech received the Lois Bailey Glenn Award for Teaching Ex-cellence in 2004 presented by the National Music Foundation. She also received a grant from the American Education Initiative of the National Music Foundation in 2004 for a lesson plan design based on Scott Jo-plin’s Treemonisha Overture and Wall Street Rag employing Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. A children’s book entitled The Peacock of Halfway Tree: a Ca-ribbean Fable was illustrated by Richardson-Melech and published during 2004. An article was published in Sept. /Oct. Tempo Magazine entitled A Matter of Philosophy in Music Education: Reimer’s Aesthetic Experi-ence Compared to Elliot’s Optimal Experience. As a designer of lesson plans, Richardson-Melech has contributed to the Teachers’ Resource Book published by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. She is the recipi-ent of the notable Excellence in Teaching Award given by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005. Richardson-Melech is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in American Education, as well as Marquis Who’s Who in America, and Mar-quis Who’s Who of American Women. She is also listed in International Who’s Who of

Musicians, 2000 and 2000 Outstanding Mu-sicians of the 20th Century, both published by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England.

Richardson-Melech sings with Philo-musica Community Choir in East Brunswick and serves on the Board of Directors as Sec-retary. She is a parishioner and member of the choir of Historical St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Perth Amboy where she occasion-ally sings solos for Sunday services. She has performed as a mezzo-soprano soloist with the United Moravian Church in New York City 1980 – 1981 and the John Hus Mora-vian Church in Brooklyn where she was the mezzo-soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah in 1998. She is a member of the Music Edu-cators National Conference, the New Jersey Music Educators Association, the Central Jersey Music Educators Association, and the American Federation of Teachers. She is a life member of the Perth Amboy NAACP chapter. She holds bachelor and master of music in music education degrees from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and a doctorate of musical arts in music education from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts. Her dissertation is entitled An Analysis of the Listening Prefer-ences of Elementary School Children for West-ern Classical Art Music in the Orchestra Set-ting. Richardson-Melech holds a certificate in supervision in addition to certification as a music teacher. She currently teaches kindergarten through fourth grades at the Herbert N. Richardson 21st Century School in Perth Amboy which is named after her late father, who was a music educator, music supervisor, and principal. Herbert N. Rich-ardson was the first black teacher hired in the city of Perth Amboy in 1949 and was also a member of the Music Educators Na-tional Conference as well as the New Jersey Music Educators Association.

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The New Jersey Choral Conduc-tor Selection Committee is in the process of choosing a con-

ductor for the 2013 Women’s Chorus. Why not make this the year you submit your ap-plication?

Here are the details for submitting materials for Guest Conducting the NJ All-State Women’s Chorus.

A panel representing past All-State and Region Conductors, retirees and members of our State Executive Boards will review the submitted materials. The rubric scoring criteria is found on the bot-tom of the application. NO DISCUSSION is shared about any of the materials sub-mitted. This process is designed to insure a fair and equitable treatment of all mate-rials received.

Once the DVDs have been reviewed, all additional paperwork is read and as-sessed. All rubrics are collected, scores tallied and the lowest score wins. We use

the same numeric scoring system as in the NJ All-State Chorus auditions.

The Chairperson does not participate in the scoring, but acts to organize the packets, give process direction to the com-mittee members and provides the results to the Choral Procedures Committee. The Chairperson does not share any information regarding the materials submitted and the panel is requested to keep their reviews con-fidential. To date, this system has worked with great success.

A Word About The Materials You Submit

Please use your best judgment when submitting materials for consideration. Do NOT include CD’s…we will not listen to them. Remember that we are looking for a Conductor, so it does not work to your ad-vantage if your DVD does not include con-siderable evidence of your conducting! The panel cannot assess your conducting if your

group is filmed from the rear of an audito-rium and all that is seen is your back! Please submit a DVD with no more than FIVE varied selections; no more than 12 minutes in length. You may submit work representa-tive of different ensembles in your school, but NO MORE THAN FIVE selections.

Please TYPE all materials – letter of intent, program and resume. Handwritten materials will not be considered.

Good Luck! We look forward to hear-ing from you.

CONDUCTOR SELECTION: NJ All-State WOMEN’S CHORUSWho is eligible? Current NAfME members in good standing.

New Jersey Choral Educators.

What is required? Submit a DVD of your Choral Conducting not to exceed 12 minutes or FIVE Selections. Please include a list of these selections. Women’s Choir program not to exceed 30 minutes of music, your resume and a letter of intent which states why you feel you are the best candidate for this position. (*Find Past NJ All-State Women’s Chorus programs at www.rhschoirs.net )

Where do I send my materials?

Judy Verrilli, Selection Committee Chairperson524 Cricket LaneWoodbridge NJ [email protected]

What is the due date? March 31, 2012– FOR 2013 ALL-STATE WOMEN’S CHORUS Anything postmarked after this date will be returned to sender.

NJ All-State Women’s ChorusConductor Needed

By Judy VerilliJohn F. Kennedy Memorial High School

[email protected]

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Make Your Yearly Search For QualityChoral Repertoire A Musical Adventure!

By Tom VoorhisRidgefield Memorial High School

[email protected]

Every spring we all start our search for new choral music for the next year. This is a long

process that entails searching for both new and old choral music that will teach vital musical concepts and enrich our students’ lives. Most choral directors receive the new choral releases from the major companies on compact discs or web-site news releases and choose many pieces from those pro-motions for the following year. You may have noticed that many of the releases have many great musical opportunities, but also limit us to what the companies deem to be best sellers for their economic gain. There are many new octavos that are published each year which are educationally accessible and can help grow your program that are published through companies that don’t have large releases that the large companies produce. The following is a compilation of websites, listening opportunities and places to find excellent choral music that is new and old. Some of the websites presented have opportunities to download free music in public domain and new music not pub-lished as of yet. As you search for new music to perform with your performing groups take the opportunity to use the internet to find quality choral music to make your pro-gram even more exciting for your students.

The Larger Publishers And Their Websites

You can find many pieces through the largest companies, especially because they have purchased some of the smaller compa-nies. Even though the larger companies have a large collection of repertoire, their smaller subsidiaries also have many great pieces to choose from. The larger company often just advertises about 50 percent of the smaller

company’s releases. Here are some website opportunities where you can discover even more new choral music.

The website www.halleonard.com you can find music from Hal Leonard, Pa-vane, Walton Music, Transcontinental, G. Schirmer, Boosey and Hawkes, Shawnee Press, and Fred Bock Music, but each of the smaller companies has their own web site. They all have audio samples of the new re-leases they feature and many have an archive of their older pieces. The other websites in-clude:

www.pavanepublishing.comwww.waltonmusic.comwww.shawneepress.comwww.transcontinentalmusic.comwww.schirmer.comwww.boosey.comwww.fredbock.comOn the website www.lorenz.com you

have the opportunity to choose two edu-cational websites include Heritage Music Press and Roger Dean Publishing Compa-ny. They also now distribute Santa Barbara Music Publishing. The latter has a wonder-ful separate website with quality octavos that can be used for all occasions at www.sbmp.com.

The Alfred website (www.alfred.com) has numerous opportunities to listen to new choral music. This website includes the older Warner Brothers, Lawson Gould, and Belwin Music catalog. The Alfred.com web-site has incorporated all of the choices from the past few years.

The Smaller Publishers And Their Websites

Some of the most interesting repertoire you can find comes from smaller choral mu-

sic publishers. Here are a few publishers who have exciting choices which will enrich your program. Many of them have listening and viewing opportunities on their websites.

Earthsongs Music Publishing offers great unique multicultural opportunities for your students. They have a website that has sound bites and some limited previews of their music. You can also buy compact discs and single copies of most of their mu-sic at a discounted price. It is a great per-sonal workshop to listen and view what you have purchased.

Hinshaw Music has many classics and new music opportunities they include many listening opportunities. Many European music composers also are represented in their catalog.

Kjos Music has the Dawson Library as many people know, but did you know they have an extensive Latino Music selection? They also have many listening opportuni-ties and sightreading texts for your choir. They are systematic and have a realistic scope and sequence.

E.C. Schirmer Music has an extensive website. They feature many tried and true choral octavos and extended works and also have many new choral composers that are very respected, such as David Conte, Ste-phen Chatman, Gwenyth Walker and Ste-ven Sametz.

Carl Fischer continues to offer a rep-ertoire that can enhance every choral pro-gram. They feature their own publications and the Brilee catalog which caters to devel-oping choir programs. The website also has opportunities for the practice of individual choir members.

Alliance Choral Music has hundreds of quality choral octavos. The website has many listening opportunities and you can


request new releases sent to you for free. CollaVoce Choral Music has the catalogs of some of the leading new choral music com-posers. GIA Music Publishing offers some great educational and sacred music. Treble Music Publishing produces music exclu-sively for treble choirs. Yelton Rhodes Cho-ral Music has many American and Cana-dian composers that create many pieces for unique situations. Theodore Presser Music has the catalogs of some great composers, but unfortunately they have no listening opportunities.

Here are the websites for the previous choral music publishers:

www.earthsongsmusic.comwww.hinshawmusic.comwww.kjos.comwww.ecs.comwww.carlfischer.comwww.alliancemusic.comwww.collavoce.comwww.giamusic.comwww.trebleclefpress.comwww.yrmusic.comwww.presser.com

The Internet Search For Choral MusicThere are many choral composers who

have their own websites. You can review their music and often see the new octavos they have composed when you visit. Many have videos and even some free downloads of music that the mainstream companies have not yet accepted into publication. There are more websites than you can imag-ine. You should search for them on your fa-vorite search engine. If you are a Facebook user there are daily listening opportunities that will be sent to your news feed if you “like” the pages “Choral Music Sharing Community”, “Choral Music Lovers” and the “The Choir Project.” You will have the opportunity to listen to new and old mu-sic alike by some of the world’s great choirs. There are also groups devoted to collabo-ration and sharing between choral direc-tors that are more local, such as the group, “Bergen County Choral Directors” and it is open to anyone. You also have the opportu-nity to create your own local or worldwide group of colleagues with similar musical in-terests and needs.

In a time of constant reduction of mu-sic budgets there are also places where you can download free music. You should al-ways search for free music online. Almost every choral classic that was written before copyright laws were in place or have com-pleted their time or copyright are available for free! If you search “choral music public domain” you will find many websites for free downloads. The most comprehensive website is “Choral Public Domain Library” or www.cpdl.org.

You can find new music through many different listening opportunities at local school, honors, and university concerts. If you attend concerts always bring a pen to take notes on your program on what may work well for your situation. There are many other outstanding programming op-portunities if you search for them. Whether it is online, at reading sessions or at concerts you have attended, always keep an ear out for compositions that can enrich your pro-gram and students.

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A fundamental goal of music edu-cation is to encourage students to develop meaningful and last-

ing connections to great music. Though few would argue with this premise, actually de-fining greatness can be problematic. Some would argue that musical quality is subjec-tive, and therefore cannot be defined. This view denies the fact that throughout history the creation and enjoyment of music has been shaped by individual and social beliefs about what constitutes good and bad (and everything in between). Teaching according to this belief denies students the opportuni-ty to learn and form their own values on the basis of an informed historical viewpoint. A proper approach recognizes that musical values are relative, but they do exist. Our role as educators is to facilitate an understand-ing of various musical values that will allow our students to form a lifelong connection to music.

Teachers’ musical values play a cen-tral role in the way music is presented to students. Every time we choose music for our students we are making a value judg-ment. There has recently been a great deal of heated discussion over the quality of music being played in today’s school music programs. Stephen Budiansky has led the charge criticizing teachers, composers, and publishers for promoting music of poor quality.1 Many have taken issue with Budi-ansky’s arguments on the grounds that qual-ity is a matter of opinion. We all bring our opinions to bear in one way or another in our teaching. Understanding the nature of how these opinions are formed will ensure that our instruction has a positive effect on students. It is not our place as educators to tell our students what is good or bad, but rather to help them develop the tools to form their own educated opinions.

Where Do Musical Values Come From?Perhaps the greatest problem in dis-

cussing musical quality is that most people feel that quality is an intrinsic property of the music itself. In truth, “quality” is a subjective set of values that listeners proj-ect onto what they hear. As listeners’ views evolve, so do their perceptions of quality. This is where the educator plays the most important role. Several factors influence a person’s views on music, and these factors shape the type of connections s/he will be able to make throughout his/her life.

Musical values are socially and his-torically contingent. In other words, they depend on the time period and culture in which a person lives. They vary across and within cultures, and evolve over time. Many works that are now staples of modern or-chestral repertoire were heavily criticized when they were new. Likewise countless pieces of music in every genre have achieved immense popularity only to later fall into obscurity (or ridicule).2 Were contempo-rary audiences “wrong” about music of their time? They were not necessarily incorrect; their values differed from those of modern audiences. In fact, a hallmark of music that scholars consider to be great is that it some-how challenges listeners to think and hear things differently in a way that shapes their musical values.

A useful way to understand how values are relative is to think of what constitutes “good” music in various genres or time periods. Salsa fans might love the way its rhythms inspire dancing, whereas another listener might enjoy the thought-provok-ing effect of a minimalist composition. Those who love Mozart may appreciate el-ements of classical style, whereas lovers of Bach might delight in his use of counter-point. Each genre bears its own standards

by which individual works are evaluated. It would be absurd to criticize a heavy metal song for not incorporating counterpoint, or thematic development, as these are not elements commonly associated with that genre. It is essential, however, to remember that standards and values are not fixed, but are constantly changing. Also, as current technology has made various types of mu-sic more accessible, the distinctions between genres have become obscured, and as such the standards by which music is evaluated have become more diffuse.

For each stylistic genre, norms exist by which works are categorized and evaluated. When a work deviates from the norm, it is likely that it might be categorized differently, even to the point where it might be labeled as a different genre entirely. While there is no particular right or wrong in judging mu-sical quality, a certain degree of objectivity is achieved by accepting these normative val-ues as criteria for evaluation. In other words, we may not all agree on what constitutes a great piece of music, but norms provide a common ground on which the discussion can occur. No one would criticize Michael Jackson’s Thriller for being a bad salsa tune, but based on the normative values of popu-lar music, it is a great pop tune.

Understanding the relativity of musi-cal values clarifies the difficulty many edu-cators have in presenting music that may seem esoteric to students. How can some-one understand the greatness of Mozart’s music without having some understanding of Classical style? Few uneducated listeners know the difference between a piece in Ba-roque, Classical, or Romantic style, so their sense of appreciation for a specific piece will hardly progress beyond a surface under-standing. “It sounds nice,” or “It’s relaxing,” are typical positive responses, as opposed

Good Music vs. Bad MusicBy Dan Halpern

Verona School [email protected]


to the negative ones: “It’s boring,” or “It all sounds the same.” The same holds true for any genre that is unfamiliar to students, be it the music of another culture, contempo-rary music, etc. Thus an understanding of musical values is in many cases a precondi-tion of being able to meaningfully experi-ence various types of music.

How Do Educators Play A Role In Shaping Values?

Our students come to us with their own set of musical values. While some love heavy metal, others love hip-hop. Few have a deep understanding of how these values were formed, or what characteristics exist in music that contribute to their opinions. We shouldn’t try to change what students think, but rather help them develop an awareness of why they think that way, and what other ways of thinking might lead to more mean-ingful enjoyment of music. The question is not whether certain music is good or not, but rather what makes it so?

First and foremost we need to remem-ber that our job is not to impart our own musical values to our students, nor is it to make our students like the music we like. We should think of our job as facilitat-ing new ways for students to hear music. They don’t have to love all types of music, but they should have an open mind, and an understanding that values are relative. Whether or not they like a particular type of music, they should understand that some people do like it for their own reasons, and that the meaningful enjoyment of music is predicated to some degree on embracing a variety of musical values.

Second, we need to free ourselves from the notion that some music is inher-ently good, and that our task as educators is to lead students to discover its inher-ently “good” qualities. Our task should be to guide students in acquiring the tools to make their own meaning from various kinds of music. We should consider what knowl-edge and understanding students would need to do so. The following questions can serve as a starting point for designing indi-vidual lessons or larger units:

• What elements of music are valued in this particular style/genre/musical period?

• How have these values changed over time?

• How do listeners perceive those elements that are valued?

• How does this music relate to other types of music students currently enjoy?

• How can our learning about this music apply to other areas?

Whether one is teaching an elementary general music class or a high school band,

our broader goal should be to help students begin to answer these types of questions.

These questions are not so easy to an-swer. Try plugging in your favorite Pearl Jam song, Broadway show tune, or a Beethoven symphony. Now think of how a typical Jus-tin Bieber-loving 7th grader would respond to those questions in turn. Again, we should not try to replace her love of Justin Bieber with a love for Beethoven, but rather intro-

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duce her to the notion that judging both on the same criteria will lead to a narrow-minded view, and could prevent the development of deeper meaning. Furthermore, consider how much richer that student’s life will be when she can enjoy both Bieber and Beethoven through a deeper musical understanding.

Choosing Ensemble Repertoire (Budiansky Revisited)

Now we must consider how all this discussion of musical values directly effects what we do every day. If there is no true “good” or “bad” music, but only a set of ever-changing relative values, how do we approach teaching music? We must start by examining what values are reflected in our choices of repertoire, and how they relate to our goal of guiding students in their musical lives.

Stephen Budiansky has criticized music written expressly for educational settings on grounds that it is:

dull, gimmicky, pretentious, bombastic, simplistic, made-for-school music clearly written by fourth-rate commercial hacks. It all sounded alike, it was all formulaic, none of it was remotely art and some of it was scarcely music — and with the sole exception of the “Flintstone’s” theme (if that is indeed an exception) it had no con-nection to any real music or any living musical tradition outside of the closed world of music education.3

Viewing this claim in light of the present discussion, one might object that educational music is a genre unto it-self, reflecting its own set of values. Surely most of the music considered “great” by Budiansky was not written for younger musicians, so music must be created to suit that purpose. It would therefore be easy to dismiss Budiansky’s arguments by simply saying that educators don’t share his musical values. In many ways this is the heart of the issue; our choices as educators reflect our values. One of his main criticisms is that the values reflected in the majority of educational music bear little or no relation to the values reflected in other musical traditions. Furthermore, educators are rarely critical of the music we choose, nor do we assess exactly what values are reflected therein.

Consider what values are reflected by the “made-for-school” music that has been criticized. What makes a piece good “educational” music? Some of the primary qualities educators value – indeed, the selling points for a lot of mu-sic – are accessibility (how easily will students and audiences accept the piece), and technical difficulty. In truth, accessi-bility and technical ease are not enough to justify choice of repertoire. While accessibility might be a meaningful value in popular music, this should not be the case in education. Our goal should be to expose students to a variety of music that makes them think about different values. Unfortunately, many educators avoid choosing music that challenges stu-dents to think in new ways. No good English teacher would choose literature for the sake of accessibility. As music teach-ers we need to embrace what language arts teachers have known for years. Our job is to encourage students to have open minds, to challenge them, not to pander to the need for immediate gratification.

So what should constitute a good piece of educational music? First and foremost, good music should go beyond simply meeting the basic technical needs of younger stu-

dents. It should not be written to fit publishers’ guidelines, or to fill a void in their catalogues. There should be a clear sense of musi-cal expression apparent in the work. Students and teachers should be able to lead meaningful discussions centered on the questions listed above. It should reflect musical values, not practical values (i.e. young students will be able to play it easily). Good educational mu-sic should allow teachers to make clear and meaningful connections to other historical and cultural musical genres.

An example of good educational music is Richard Meyer’s Quintology, for concert band (grade 2). Though not a great piece by classical standards, this piece is a worthy choice since it reflects tradi-tional musical values. Written in Rondo form, the piece is based on a main theme that is developed through rhythmic and tonal transfor-mation, as well as inversion. The fact that it is written in a classical form allows the possibility of making meaningful connections to an

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existing musical tradition, and engaging students with other works in Rondo form. The use of the-matic development (which is frequently absent in other works at this level) also allows students to learn about compositional techniques that composers have used for centuries to make mu-sic meaningful. Although admittedly in some ways Quintology is rather contrived, it provides a possible take-away for students that can lead to more meaningful musical experiences.

Not all educational music needs to reflect traditional classical values. However, an exami-nation of “made-for-school” music shows that much of it reflects shallow, neo-romantic styles that would be considered poor by classical stan-dards. While it might not always be possible for young students to perform respected works of various genres, educational music should reflect some of the values that make other types of mu-sic worthwhile. Before choosing a piece of mu-sic, ask yourself what values are reflected in it. If it is a worthwhile piece of music, what makes it so? By whose standards would the piece be con-sidered good or bad? How will performing this piece potentially lead to other meaningful musi-cal experiences for students?

As directors of ensembles we often focus so much on preparing for performances that we lose sight of our larger responsibilities as educators. We must remember that the music we choose for our students should enable them to make broad-er connections, and we must focus our instruc-tion on making those connections happen. Con-sidering the way values are reflected in music will help guide teachers and students toward greater self-awareness, and will foster more meaningful and lasting musical experiences.

Endnotes1 Readers are strongly encouraged to read Mr.

Budiansky’s articles, which are available on his website: http://budiansky.com/MUSIC.html

2 A glance at Billboard’s Top 100 charts from various years illustrates the difference between how music is currently perceived and how contemporary audiences felt, not to mention the difference between popularity and longevity. Case-in-point: The #5 song on the All-Time Hot 100 list is Macarena.

3 http://www.budiansky.com/MUSIC_files/budiansky%20wasbe%20journal%202009.pdf

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The past couple of years has been very kind to the field of mu-sic technology. Recording at

home has become more affordable, schools are taking music technology electives seri-ously, and student interest has continued to grow to the point where music technol-ogy courses frequently enroll more students than other many other music or non-music electives. With such strong numbers lead-ing the way, it is becoming more important to consider how a student applies music technology knowledge in the same way our band and chorus students apply their knowledge: music performance.

A common practice amongst music technology teachers is to remind students that they are in the course to develop strong music skills through the aid of technology; not the other way around. If this is truly our goal, we need to have students syn-thesize the musical concepts into a perfor-mance of some kind. But to do this, the students need to understand how the musi-cal elements used by instrumentalists are ap-plied to a musician standing behind a com-puter and MIDI controller. Here are some examples and project ideas you can use in your classroom that combine some of the basic music elements into deep, enriching performance experiences:

Dynamics Soft and loud is executed through the

use of controller data in software synthesiz-ers. A composer or live performer may acti-vate different oscillators, run audio through filters, or manipulate the ADSR functions. The methods technology offer in executing dynamics is as vast as how we alter our tech-nique when singing or playing an instru-ment.

Preliminary Activity - If you have not

yet taught students how to assign control-ler data to a particular knob or fader on a MIDI controller, now would be a great time to start. Guide them through the steps on the software interface with a projector and go around the room to be sure each student can perform the task. Pick simple music for them to practice playing and turning the knobs at the same time. Students typi-cally find this to be a really fun activity that shows how the basic concept works.

Project - Have students perform a simple piano piece in pairs (one student per clef ) and have them execute dynam-ics by turning the controller knobs on the keyboard. It may seem very simple, but the outcomes will vary greatly depending on which filters and functions are assigned to each knob. Teach the stu-dents to phrase and interpret the music in an emotional way just like you would a singer or instrumentalist. For a more ad-vanced class, have the students compose an original piece of music for two workstations that uses the same dynamic concept.

Timbre and Tone ColorSound design is now a re-

ality for students of all ages be-cause most patches in Reason, Logic or other DAW’s can be manipulated by simply mov-ing a fader with a mouse. But the musical part is in combin-ing new, original sounds in a way pleasing to the ear. I have always thought it was strange how many people spend their time replicating acoustic in-struments in an electronic me-

dium. Instead, use the tools in a software synthesizer to create sounds 100% unique to the computer and software platform. As a project

Preliminary Activity – If possible, take your students outside or in part of the building that has plenty of space. Stand in a circle and have the students shut their eyes and just focus on the sounds around them. The noise of a heater or buzzing of a fan may help students imagine and create an original sound on the computer. Your students will appreciate the exit from the classroom and possibly be more inclined to go a long with the abstract idea of creating sounds from the imagination.

Project – Find a fairly simple patch on a software synth in your DAW or other mu-

Music Technology: Making Performance The Standard Of Assessment

By Bill GrilloRumson-Fair Haven Regional High School

[email protected]


sic software. Show the students how each filter, oscillator, or plug-in effect alters the color of the original patch. Once, this is done, put your class into groups of three or four and have them read and perform different instrumental parts in a band score. Students will discover how the change in timbre and tone color drastically alters the mood of the original instrumentation. This is a really great way to teach arranging and note reading through experimenting with tone colors.

Rhythm – Samplers and loop-based software have changed the music industry and the way artists approach using rhythm in live per-formance. Students can now assign full loops to single pads or keys on a keyboard, manipulate the loop using real time controller data, layer loops at the touch of a button, or even run synthesizer patches through a sequencer to create melodic ostinatos. Whatever the medium may be, rhythm is the most easily accessible musical element to any musician with a MIDI controller, computer, and/or sampling pad.

Cross Curricular Activity – If you have a percussion ensemble, the combination of electronic rhythm elements and percussion ensemble make for a serious high light in your next concert. Have percussion ensemble students and music technology students team up and compose an original work together. There are many starting points, but consider having the technology student responsible for cuing and manipulat-ing live loops and samples while your percussion ensemble focuses on creating the melodic and har-monic portions (mallet work, melodic concert tom and timpani parts, etc.)

Our music technology curriculums are always going to be at the mercy of new software, hard-ware, and electronic musical instruments. But, teaching music is always going to be about guid-ing students to perform the skills they acquire in the classroom. No matter how you devise the cur-riculum or have students understand the basic ele-ments of music, make sure it is an a way every bit as rich as the experiences given to band, orchestra, and chorus students.

Please contact me to discuss this topic further or ask me a question.

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Pictured (L-R): Donald Hunsberger, Mark Davis Scatterday, and Bruce Yurko at the Eastman School of Music on October 17, 2011, at the premier of Yurko’s “Toccata for Wind Ensemble.” This piece was commissioned by Scatterday and the Eastman Wind Ensemble. M.D. Scatterday will be conducting this year’s All-State Wind Ensemble.

photo by Mindy Scheierman


An enriching educational program to include these special focused teaching areas, plus more to be announced in December:

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NAfME Summer Learning Academies at Music Education Week 2012

NAfME ALL-NATIONAL HONOR ENSEMBLESOutstanding student musicians from throughout the country performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -- Sunday, June 24, 4:00 p.m.Students can apply online at www.opusevent.com beginning October 21, 2011!

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NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATIONSTATE CONFERENCE

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Listed are the workshops scheduled to be presented throughout the conference as of November 1, 2011. They are in no particular order and additions will be made on the NJMEA website.

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NJMEA ACADEMIESTHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

If you teach, the Thursday Academies are an excellent opportunity for you to learn from world reknowned clinicians. This year’s sessions will include movement, Orff/Kodály, choral readings, in the Elementary Academy; varied technology

sessions in the Technology Academy; and jazz, wind band and marching band clinics for school band directors. Clinicians will present useful methods and materials which will inspire you to get back in the classroom and do great things!


Region Meetings – Friday

Do You Have A Vision And Do You Know How To Get There?

Clincian: Pam Phillips, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.Sponsored by Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Copyright: What Can I Do And What Can I NOT Do?Clincian: Pam Phillips, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Sponsored by Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Let’s Talk Recruiting, Retention And SchedulingClincian: Bob Phillips, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.


Do You Hear What I Hear?Clincian: Bob Phillips, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Sponsored by Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. Tone Up Your Orchestra

Clincian: Bob Philips, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.Sponsored by: Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Painless Auditions For Your Band StudentsClincian: Chris Bernotas, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Sponsored by: Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

WE ARE ONE: Texts That Make The DifferenceClincian: Andy Beck, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.


YE SHALL HAVE A SONG: A Reading Session For Mixed Choirs

Clincian: Andy Beck, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.Sponsored by Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

Movement-Enhanced Listening LessonsClincian: Lisa DeLorenzo, John J. Cali School of Music, Upper Montclair, NJ.

Teaching Jazz HistoryClincian: Gary Fienberg, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ.

Band Director’s Resource ManualClincian: Ed Sueta, Rockaway, NJ.

Sponsored by: Ed Sueta Music.

Your School Musical – Without All The Drama!Clincian: Steven Bell, Teaneck High School, Teaneck, NJ.

Transitioning From Music Student To Music TeacherClincian: Robert Pispecky

Sponsored by: NJMAA

Nail Down That Job! Strategies For Interview SuccessClincians: Peter J. Griffin, Hopewell Valley Regional School District, Hopewell, NJ; Robert Pispecky, Edison School District, Edison, NJ.

Sponsored by: NJMAA

Musicians And Hearing Loss: Preventative Measures For The Music Educator

Clincians: Alan Gertner, Carol Goodman, and Lyn E. Schraer-Joiner, Kean University, Union, NJ.

Using Smart Music In Your ClassroomClincian: Robert Grifa, SmartMusic Education Specialist, Make Music, Inc.

Sponsored by Make Music, Inc.

Jazz And Blues In The Elementary Music CurriculumClincian: Joel Perry, Redwood Elementary School, West Orange, NJ.

Sponsored by: NJAJE & LA Bella Guitar Strings.

Building A Strong Saxophone SectionClincian: David Demsey, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ.

Sponsored by: NJAJE

New Music (Gr. 1-3) For Elementary And Middle School Band

Clincian: Thomas Connors, Kean University, Union, NJ.Sponsored by: JW Pepper & Sons.

Freddie The Frog – Teaching Beyond The BooksClincian: Sharon Burch, Music Teacher, Mystic, IA.

Jazz Listening…But To What?Clincian: Jeffrey Kunkel, John J. Cali School of Music, Upper Montclair, NJ.

Sponsored by: NJAJE

Teaching Violin And Viola Vibrato: Three Months To Success

Clincian: Eugenia Goldman, Montgomery Township Schools, Belle Mead, NJ.

Creative Arranging SolutionsClincian: Rob Middleton, Caldwell College, Caldwell, NJ.

Establishing And Running A Steel Pan EnsembleClincian: David Geltch, Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District, Manalapan, NJ.

Glee Choir 101Clincian: Heather Frampton and Laurie Lausi, Cherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill, NJ.

Sponsored by NJ-ACDA.

Scheduled Sessions As Of November 2011


Tried And True: Successful Repertoire For Beginning Level Treble Choirs

Clincian: Melissa Malvar-Keylock, Princeton Girlchoir, Princeton, NJ.


Drumming Up The Fun! Adapting World Music Drumming For Early Childhood

Clincian: Melissa Blum, Vice President, West Music, Coralville, IA.

Sponsored by West Music.

Sound Stories For Early Childhood Using Movement, Drums, & Percussion

Clincian: Melissa Blum, Vice President, West Music, Coralville, IA.

Sponsored by West Music.

Introducing…Beat, Rhythm, and Tempo…To Kids!Clincian: Sharon Burch, Music Teacher, Mystic, IA.

4-Beat Patterns To 12 Bar Blues Fun!Clincian: Sharon Burch, Music Teacher, Mystic, IA.

Behavior Management Strategies For Special LearnersClincian: Maureen Butler, Mountain Lakes School District, Mt. Lakes, NJ.

Teaching Composition In Secondary SchoolClincian: David J. Elliott, New York University, New York, NY.

The Proven LeaderClincian: Robert Frampton, NJMEA Past President, President-Elect NAfME Eastern Division.

NJMEA Young Composers Composition Competition Critique

Clincian: Patrick Burns, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ.

A Complete First-Year String CurriculumClincian: Eugenia Goldman, Montgomery Township Schools, Belle Mead, NJ.

Critical Mistakes To Avoid When Building Or Renovating Your Music Facility

Clincian: Steve Orenshaw, Wenger Corporation, Owatonna, MN.

Sponsored by Wenger Corporation.

Superior Bands In Sixteen Weeks (Directors, Bring Your Instruments!)

Clincian: Quincy C. Hilliard, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA.

Partially sponsored by FJH Music Company, Inc.

Selecting A Soloist And Literature For Your BandClincian: David Goss, Doctoral Teaching Fellow, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Building Better BrassClincian: John Pursell, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA.

Sponsored by Yamaha Music Corporation.

Building Good Tone Quality In Your Beginning And Middle School Band

Clincian: Quincy C. Hilliard, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA.

Partially sponsored by FJH Music Company, Inc.

SURVIVOR: The First Year - The Slim And Trim, Cut The Fat, Straight Ahead Approach For The New Teacher

Clincians: Eric McLaughlin, Pt. Pleasant Beach Public Schools, Pt. Pleasant , NJ; Rachel Klott, Freehold Boro Public Schools, Freehold, NJ.

Effective Strategies To Improve Tone In Your Band’s Flute Section

Clincian: Kathleen A. Melago, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, PA.

Things You Sould Know Before Taking Your Performing Groups On The Road

Clincian: Mike Mazzarisi, Performing Arts Consultants, Brick, NJ.

Sponsored by Performing Arts Consultants.

Recorders – More Than B-A-G! Practical Strategies For Using Recorder Instruction To Enhance Your Music Program, While Making It Fun, Organized And Easy For Both Students And Teachers

Clincian: Rebecca A. Miller, Carroll County Public Schools, MD.

26 Tips For Quick And Easy Instrument RepairsClincian: Bob Frushour, Director of Repairs, Music & Arts, Frederick, MD.

Sponsored by Music & Arts.

The Cross Curricular BandClincian: William J. Trimble, Wenonah School, Wenonah, NJ.

Sponsored by Crusader Band Publications.

Reaching Higher: Tips For Working With MS/Junior High & High School Piccoloists

Clincian: Kathleen A. Melago, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, PA.

Teaching Music Listening As Social JusticeClincian: Marissa Silverman, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ.


It’s Not Tuning, It’s Listening! Making Better Music With Better Ensemble Listening Skills

Clincian: Donald Miller, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX.

Stop, Or I’ll Stay Stop Again!: Classroom Management For The Elementary Music Class – Part 1 & 2

Clincian: Amanda Newell, Taylor Mills School, Manalapan, NJ.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Student Teaching ExperienceClincian: Kathleen A. Melago, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, PA.

Sparking Creativity! Getting Out Of The Lesson Plan RutClincian: Lauren M. Voight, Warren Hills High School, Warren Hills, NJ.


Cross-Curricular Themes And Variations In The Elementary Music Room Using Literacy

Clincian: Amanda Newell and Sharyn Fisher, Taylor Mills School, Manalapan, NJ.

Using Literature In The General Music ClassroomClincian: Elizabeth Pratt Tavit, Bayberry School, Watchung, NJ.

Madrigal Dinners: A Step By Step ApproachClincian: James Wynne, Jefferson Township High School, Jefferson, NJ.

Technique For The Beginning Snare Drum StudentClincian: Domenico E. Zarro, Felician College, Lodi, NJ.

Repertoire Resources In A Changing WorldClincian: Deborah Simpkin King, Schola Cantorum on Hudson, NY, NY.


What’s New For Jazz Ensemble: A Music Reading SessionClincian: Jeffrey Haas, Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, NJ.

Sponsored by NJAAE.

The Five MistakesClincian: Jason Ham, West Point Military Academy Band, West Point, NY.

Sponsored by Yamaha Corporation.

Autism Today Clincian: Jeffrey Huchko, Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit, Monaca, PA.

Efficient PracticingCharles Bumcrot, Kean University, Union, NJ.

Adapting Music Instruction for Students with Special Needs: Grades K-3

Clincian: Angela Guerriero, Tempo! Music Therapy Services, West Chester, PA.

Going Global: Google Earth as a Tool for Teaching World Music

Clincian: Ann Clements, Penn State University, State College, PA.

New Directions for the Male Changing Voice

Clincian: Eileen M. Hower, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA.

Teaching Today’s Native American Music: Blues, Rock, Jazz, Country & More

Clincian: J Bryan Burton, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA.

Incorporating Guitar Into Your School Music ProgramClincian: Thomas Amoriello, Flemington Raritan School District, Flemington, NJ.

Building Wind Player’s Chops – For All AgesClincian: Frank Hughes, Retired, Toms River, NJ.

Keyboard Techinques For Young FingersClincian: Judy Kagel, JBK Publishing Company, Freehold, NJ.

Sponsored by JBK Publishing Company.

Multi-Cultural MusicClincian: Roxanne Skuse, Pearson/Silver Burdett, Rochester, NY.

Sponsored by Silver Burdett.

Cross Training The Choral Voice: Head, Chest, Mix, …What!?!Clincian: Kyle J. Weary, Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, Hagerstown, MD.

The Complete Choral Musician: Teaching Music LiteracyClincian: Kyle J. Weary, Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, Hagerstown, MD.

Improvisation – Connecting The DotsClincian: Rene Mclean, Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT.

Sponsored by RS Berkeley Musical Instruments.

Songwriting SeminarClincian: Joshua Paul Thompson, West Orange, NJ.

Sponsored by RS Berkeley Musical Instruments.


NJMAA Breakfast MeetingHosts: Linda King, Peter Griffin, NJMAA President and President-Elect.

Sponsored by NJMAA.

The End Is The Beginning – The Science Of Reverse Planning

Clincian: Joe Akinskas, Cumberland County College, NJ.Sponsored by NJMAA.

A Band Director’s Guide To Teaching Voice And Conducting Your Choir

Clincian: Sarah Carino, Spotswood High School, Spotswood, NJ.

GOOD SINGING is GOOD SINGING!Clincian: Justin Binek, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA; Diana Dohrman, Retired.

Hands-on Drum ClinicClincian: John Gronert, S.E. Schull School, Perth Amboy, NJ.

Sponsored by Ed Sueta Music.

Rehearsing The Middle School Jazz BandClincian: Ron Heller, Montgomery Upper Middle School, Skillman, NJ.

The Composers Circle: Composition Instruction in Elementary General Music

Clincian: Kerry Filsinger, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.

TEACH ME TO SING: A Guide To Training Young Singers In Six Simple Steps

Clincian: Andy Beck, Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.Sponsored by Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc.

New Music (Gr. 3 – 5) For High School BandClincian: Adam Warshatsky, Montgomery High School, Montgomery, NJ.

Sponsored by JW Pepper and Sons.

Dallas Brass Workshops

Scheduled Concerts/Lobby Concerts As Of November 2011

The Dallas Brass Friday Evening, February 24, 2012

Ballroom - Ticketed Event

Casual HarmonyCherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill, NJ.Heather Frampton, Director.

The Key of SheCherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill, NJ.Heather Frampton, Director.

Immaculata High School Saxophone QuartetImmaculata High School, Somerville, NJ.Frank Amato, Director.

The Atlantic Brass BandEnsemble in Residence, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.Salvatore Scarpa, Music Director.

The Grace Notes Princeton Girlchoir, Princeton, NJ.Melissa Malvar-Keylock, Director.

Rutgers University Wind EnsembleRutgers – The State University, New Brunswick, NJ.Kraig Williams, Director.

Montclair State University Wind SymphonyMontclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ.Thomas McCauley, Director.

Montclair State University Trumpet EnsembleMontclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ.Charles Bumcrot, Director.

Roxbury High School Honors Wind SymphonyRoxbury High School, Succasunna, NJTodd Nichols, Director

John P. Stevens High School Wind EnsembleJohn P. Stevens High School, Edison, NJ.Andrew S. DeNicola, Director

Cantala Women’s ChoirBarbara Ingram School for the Arts, Hagerstown, MDKyle J. Weary, Director

Raritan Valley Symphonic BandSomerset County, NJLarry Markiewicz, Director

The Manala-PansManalapan-Englishtown Public Schools, Manalapan, NJ.David Geltch, Director.

Intercollegiate Jazz BandThursday Evening, Ballroom

Intercollegiate Band ConcertThursday Evening, Ballroom


The internationally acclaimed Dallas Brass will be performing at the NJMEA Convention. Founded in 1983 by Michael Levine, the Dallas Brass has become one of America’s foremost

musical ensembles. The Dallas Brass concert, American Musical Journey, incorporates a full complement of brass and percussion for a musical travelogue through American history. From the time of George Washington to the present day - music will be selected from the masters - Copland, Bernstein, Gershwin, Berlin, John Williams, Sousa; and styles from Dixieland, swing, folk, patriotic, and pop.

According to Levine, “a Dallas Brass concert is intended for the entire family. Our goal is to entertain and enrich by playing great music.” The ensemble includes: Michael Levine (director, trombone), D.J. Barraclough

(trumpet), Gary Halopoff (trumpet), Juan Berrios (french horn, alto horn), Paul Carlson (tuba) and Sergio Carreno (drums/percussion.)

In addition to their solo engagements, the Dallas Brass appears with symphony orchestras nationwide. Symphonic credits include the Cincinnati Pops conducted by Erich Kunzel, New York Pops conducted by Skitch Henderson, and the Philly Pops conducted by Peter Nero. The Dallas Brass has performed at Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and has toured overseas to Europe and the Far East. They have shared the stage with the late Bob Hope, have performed for Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush, have appeared on the CBS “Early Show,” and their music has been used numerous times on the television show, “The Young & The Restless.” The ensemble has released six recordings: “Debut”, “Dallas Brass II”, “A Merry Christmas with Brass”, “Windborne”, “Nutcracker” and “American Musical Journey”.

The Dallas Brass has a strong dedication to working with young musicians. They have published two books of original small ensemble music for middle school and high students on up, called Brass Groove and frequently go into schools to present clinics for band students. Inviting students to join them in concert for a selection has become a Dallas Brass trademark.

www.dallasbrass.com

February 23-25, 2012 * One form per registrant * Pre-registration deadline: February 10, 2012IMPORTANT: Registrations Post Marked After February 10, 2012 WILL BE RETURNED TO THE SENDER

Be Sure To Read The “Procedure For Registration” BEFORE Completing This Form

Name Name for Badge First Name or Nickname ONLY (One Word)

Address City State_____ Zip

Email Address: ________________________________________________________

Home Phone # ( ) School District Name: Are you an NAfME member? NAfME members must attach a copy of their NAfME Card showing ID # and Expiration Date.q Yes (Must be Feb 2012 or later) q No

ONLY CREDIT CARDS OR CHECKS, MADE PAYABLE TO NJMEA WILL BE ACCEPTED. PURCHASE ORDERS RECEIVED AND ACCOMPANIED BY A COPY OF THIS FORM

WILL BE SIGNED AND RETURNED.PURCHASE ORDER PAYMENT MUST BE MADE BY APRIL 2, 2012.

Send All Checks & Purchase Orders To:Kathy Mosher, 80 Jumping Brook Drive, Lakewood, NJ 08701

(DO NOT SEND SIGNATURE REQUIRED)Questions: [email protected] or 732-367-7195

THE FULL CONFERENCE INCLUDES ONE ACADEMY BEING OFFERED ON THURSDAY AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE;ALL OF FRIDAY AND SATURDAY; PLUS ONE (1) CONCERT TICKET

PLEASE CHECK ONE (1) ACADEMY FROM THE LIST BELOW THE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION(Please note: lunch will be on your own on Thursday)

Category (PLEASE CHECK ONLY ONE) Pre-Register Amount Due

❑ Full Conference $150.00 ____________

❑ Family Member (FM Requires separate form) $150.00 ____________

❑ Full Conference - Retired NAfME Member $30.00 ____________

❑ Full Conference - Retired NAfME Member Spouse (RMS Requires separate form) $30.00 ____________

❑ Full Conference - Non-Member - (Does not include NAfME Membership) $270.00 ____________

❑ Full Conference - Collegiate NAfME Member (Includes Collegiate Academy & Lunch on Saturday) $50.00 ____________

PLEASE CHECK THE ACADEMY YOU WISH TO ATTEND ON THURSDAY (NO CHARGE)You may attend academies other than the one you check, but we need to know the main selections

IF YOU ARE NOT ATTENDING AN ACADEMY ON THURSDAY, PLEASE CHECK “NONE”

❑ Jazz Academy ❑ Wind Band Academy ❑ Technology Academy

❑ Marching Band Academy ❑ Elementary Academy ❑ NONE

❑ Luncheon Ticket (Required to Attend Ballroom Friday Lunch) $35.00 $____________ TOTAL $____________

❑ I will attend Friday Evening Dallas Brass Concert (TBA) ❑ I will not attend Friday Evening Concert Friday Evening Concert: (1 concert ticket is included with all Friday/Saturday conference registrations if checked above)

Tickets will be issued to the first 750 requests. If the “will attend” box is unchecked, no ticket will be provided.

NJMEA Music Conference Pre-Registration Form

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES


ELEMENTARY ACADEMY

COLLEGIATE ACADEMYin cooperation with the

NJ State Collegiate NAfME Association

First Annual Collegiate Academy

SAT. FEB 25th

Collegiate Luncheon with

Guest Speaker

Prepare for your first year of teaching now!

Sessions Targeting Your Area of Specialization

(band, choral, strings, jazz, elementary-general)

Professional Development and How to Land Your

First Job!

Leadershipin Music Education

Composing inElementary

School

Play!Dance!Sing!

ElementaryMusic Reading

Session

Sessions withCak Marshall,

Cheryl Lavender,Andy Beck andKerry Filsinger

from Alfred Music

ELEMENTARY ACADEMY!This workshop was created over 15 years ago to enable theelementary classroom music teacher to concentrate on their

specialty. This special day has become so popular that over one fourth of the conference attendees make this

part of their schedule. NJMEA continues tosupport this event with its new name!


WIND BAND ACADEMYin cooperation with the

New Jersey Band Conference

JAZZ ACADEMYin cooperation with the

New Jersey Association of Jazz Education

JP Stevens Wind Ensemble& Roxbury Wind Ensemble

“Back to Back - In Concert”

The Wind Band Academy was created to serve the needs of elementary, middle school, and high

school band directors and will offer clinics and concerts specific to those constituencies.

“Bad Habits Be Gone!”Presenter: Dr. Shelley Axelson

“New Music (Gr. 1-3) for Elementary and Middle School Bands”

Presenter: Dr. Thomas Connors and the NJBA Intercollegiate Band

Sponsored by JW Pepper

“Composers on Composing for Band”Moderator: Bruce Yurko

“Using Smart Music in Your Classroom”Presenter: Smart Music

“A Band Director’s Guide to Teaching Voice and Conducting Your Choir”

Presenter: Sarah Carrino

The New Jersey Band Association Intercollegiate BandThomas Connors, Bruce Yurko, and Daryl Bott, conductors, Jason

Ham, euphonium

The Montclair State University Wind SymphonyThomas McCauley, conductor

The Raritan Valley Symphonic BandLarry Markiewicz, conductor

“New Music (Gr. 3-5) for High School Band”Presenter: Mr. Adam Warshafsky and the Montgomery High School Wind Ensemble

Sponsored by JW Pepper

“Building a Strong Saxophone Section”Presenter: David Demsey

ELEMENTARY JAZZ WORKSHOP!This workshop will present ideas, methods, techniques and songs, and

activities that can be used to sequence the teaching of Jazz and Blues in the elementary vocal or instrumental music curriculum. Improvisation, composition, interdisciplinary teaching, and Music Learning Theory

will also be discussed in relation to teaching Jazz and Blues.

“Sequencing Jazz and Blues in the Elementary Music Classroom”

Presenter: Joel Perry

“Jazz Listening... But to What?”Presenter: Dr. Jeffrey Kunkel

“Creative Arranging Solutions”Presenter: Rob Middleton


MARCHING ACADEMYexpanding NJMEA’s role in the

marching activity

TECHNOLOGY ACADEMYin cooperation with the

New Jersey TIME

Purpose: To help high school band directors to develop a better understanding of the philosophy, composition, training and

performance outlets that are available to help develop and guide their marching programs.

Philosophy

Show Design

Marching Band

Schedule Development

Administrative Needs

Support Organizations

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.”Presenter: Ralph Venezia

“Tips & Tricks for working with Sibelius 7”

Presenter: Robin Hodson, Sound Tree

“Real Life Audio”Presenter: Marjorie LoPresti

“SmartBoards in the Elementary Classroom” Presenter: Amy Burns

“New Tools for Music Educators”Presenter: Jim Frankel, Sound Tree

“Basic Music Technology for the Elementary General

Music Teacher”

Presenter: VJ Manzo

“Music Technology on a Budget”Presenter: Rick Dammers

“Using Finale in Music Education”Presenter: Tom Johnson

“SmartMusic in Your Band, Choir and Orchestra Program”

Presenter: Robert Grifa


March 29-31, 2012 St. Louis, Missouri

2012 Biennial Music Educators

National Conference

Register online at www.nafme.org.

The conference has a special focus on research in music education and on music teacher education. It is aimed at music education researchers, music teacher educators, college students, and PreK–12 teachers interested in the cutting edge research and pedagogical innovations that will shape the future of the profession.

Conference chair Glenn Nierman

www.nafme.org


This past fall, I had two students who were experiencing pain while they played their instru-

ments in class. I took some time in class to describe how students can injure themselves playing. The first reaction of several students was to laugh. They thought it was ridiculous that people could injure themselves playing an instrument. To help the students see how this can happen, I used a point, recently il-lustrated by Janet Horvath that when we play music, we repeat the same motion thousands of times. Injury from playing a string instrument does not come from one large gesture or motion, but from the repeti-tive nature of what we do. One way to illus-trate how repetitive injuries can happen is to have students hold their arms in the air for 60 seconds (without instruments) or have the students repeat the same two or three notes over and over again for 60 seconds. Their arms begin to get tired now compare this to playing for 60 minutes. This made a lot more sense to the students.

Of course, the first things I tell my stu-dents to do to avoid injury is to set up how they play their instruments:

Instrument Balanced

Violinists usually use some form of shoulder rest that is adjusted to fit their body sizes and shapes. I have several differ-ent brands on hand for students to try out in class before they buy them. Personally, I like Kuhn rests because they are adjustable; however, they don’t work for all students. Other brands that help students with ex-tra long necks are Everest and Bon Musica. Some students with shorter necks do better with a sponge or PlayOnAir. For basses and cellos it means adjusting endpins and mak-ing sure the instrument is in proper posi-tion.

Preventing Injury And Pain In Orchestra Rehearsals

By Michael WatsonReprinted from Minnesota’s Interval

Admissions | The Hartt School | University of Hartford | 200 Bloomfield Avenue | West Hartford, CT 06117860.768.4465 | 860.768.4441 (fax) | [email protected]

www.hartford.edu/hartt

Fall 2012 EntranceAudition Dates

December 10January 28 & 29 February 17 & 18

Graduate programs performancemusic educationcompositionmusic theorymusic historySuzuki pedagogyconducting

Undergraduate programs performancemusic educationjazz studiescompositionmusic production and technologymusic and performing arts managementmusic theorymusic historymusic theatreactor trainingdance


Relaxed Bow Hold

Make sure students do not squeeze the bow or stick.Chair Type

I am very fortunate to have Wenger posture chairs in my classroom, Sometimes when it is close to a concert for another en-semble, we need to leave the good chairs on stage and use folding chairs in class. The students can really feel the difference and try to get to class first to get whatever Wenger chairs are left. Having a good chair can help avoid back pain and slouching.Posture

It might seem more comfortable to slouch in the chair, but students notice more back problems and arm problems when they are not properly balancing their weight. Students should be able to stand up at any time when seated. Sometimes we do this two or three times during class to check posture.Stand Height And Placement

I sometimes see students doing indi-vidual practicing with music on their laps or on the floor or table. Having music on stands at the correct height is very impor-tant. Again, it is not just playing like this once, but over and over again for 30 min-utes to an hour that can cause injury.

Another way to help teach students to avoid injury is to provide the proper struc-ture to rehearsal:Warm Up & Stretch

Warming up and stretching during and after rehearsal are important habits to teach students. It is important to have students play long tunes with their bows to warm up their bow arms and use slow scales to warm

up their left hands. One of my favorite re-sources for stretches is Janet Horvath’s Play-ing (Less) Hurt.Take A Break

During rehearsals it is important to find time to stretch and rest muscles. For a violinist, it is important to uncurl the arm when not playing. Setting down the bow can help to rest the bow hand and arm when having break. As a director, it is important to work with individual sections in small chunks and move around the group so that different students are getting time to rest during rehearsal.Stop When It Hurts

In our culture we have heard “No Pain, No Gain” in reference to physical exercise. However, in playing music pain does not leadto gain, but in fact can prevent students from playing correctly or even lead to long term injuries that can end their playing altogether. I tell students to stop playing if they experience pain, and analyze what they might be doing to cause the pain. If students have injuries that impact their playing, I allow them to take a break during class. Students can still mentally practice the music with us and follow along. Many times a student can play for a few minutes, take a break, and then play again later.

Sometimes students are injured do-ing other activities, but find that it im-pacts playing their instruments. This year, a member of the football team and violin-ist in orchestra had an injury from football practice that was irritated when he played, especially when playing full bows. My first advice was to see a doctor who specializes

in muscle injuries, and I also loaned him a copy of Playing (Less) Hurt. He went to the doctor and found he had a rotator cuff in-jury. In Playing (Less) Hurt there is a whole section specializing in rotator cuff injuries that explained what is happening when he plays that can impact the injury. The book also had excellent advice on how to stretch the muscles for this type of injury and how to help get back to playing. During class, he has learned to take breaks when his arm is hurting. He also has learned to practice us-ing left hand only, work on ear training, and do mental practice.

Especially with students who are driven to succeed on their instruments, it is impor-tant to stress setting practice goals and plans to help avoid injury. Setting a timer during practice sessions and balancing less stressful technical work with more intense technical practice can help to keep practice produc-tive, yet not aggravate or create injuries.

Talking with students about the pos-sibility of injuries and how they occur is important. It is also important to take time every day to remind students to take care to avoid injury. Having resources available, such as a variety of shoulder rests, books and articles, and proper chairs, are ways we as teachers can help our students make good choices. We also need to make sure we are modeling good posture and physical health to our students by how we organize rehears-al time and how we demonstrate on instru-ments in front of students.

Here are some examples:

• Designing Effective Rehearsals• Creating a Student Handbook• Developing a Relationship with Administration• Your First Day of Class

Teaching Tips Featured on NAfME’s My Music Class!

Visit nafme.org/lessons to browse tips and add your own.


This scene is all too familiar:

CHILD “Mom, can you help me with my

math?”MOM“Sure thing, sweetiel”

(…an hour later...)CHILD “Dad, can you help me with my his-

tory?”DAD “You got it, sport!”

(later that evening)CHILD “Mom... Dad... can you help me prac-

tice my instrument?”PARENTS“…uhhhh… surrrrrrre… you bet…

(frantically searching on Google)

It is reasonable to assume that many parents have been in this situation without a clue on how to help their child, and doing an internet search will not provide the an-swer. Many parents have asked themselves, “I want to help my child with practicing but I don’t know anything about music and I wasn’t in band. How can I help?”As band directors, it can be difficult and frustrating to explain the practice regimen to parents with no musical background or experience.The disconnection from musical “common ground” seems as large as the Grand Can-yon.

“Practice makes perfect!” We band di-rectors know this is not the case. By learn-ing how to practice smartly and efficiently, students will demonstrate higher rates of

achievement and greater retention of infor-mation.

While time and a regular routine of practicing are important, the quality of their practice time is far more important than the quantity. Twenty or thirty minutes of ef-ficient practice is more productive than an hour of unfocused practice.

The following information can assist band directors in their discussions with par-ents regarding the successful and accountable time and efforts of their child when practic-ing the instrument at home. These steps will also show the child that their parents care about their musical education, that practic-ing is not a pain or burden to others, and that this investment of time and preparation to ensure the child’s success will mean a lot to the child in the long run. If you find the following guide useful, please feel free to re-produce it for your program.

Home Practice Guide For Parents

The Environment of PracticeThis is the first step a parent must take

to ensure a successful practice session.The practice environment should be:

Relaxed and Quiet

Similar to studying any other academic subject, practicing an instrument is a mental process. The practice environment should be as similar to a library as possible, except that your child can make lots of good sounds here.

Correct Temperature

The temperature range of 65-80 degrees is needed for the wind instrument to have the best chance to play in tune, with a temperature of 72 degrees being ideal. There

are times that students have been sent to practice in the garage to avoid disturbing other people in the house. While it is un-derstandable why parents might choose this course of action, it is not in the best inter-est of the child’s opportunity for success. The garage would have to be in the ideal temperature range. Abnormal temperatures can adversely impact the performance of their instrument, could possibly damage the instrument, and can cause the child to dis-like practicing. Also, it may create a poor perception for the child that practicing is a chore and an inconvenience, instead of a labor of love.

Sturdy Chair and Music Stand

It is vital that the child’s practice space allow them to sit or stand in the same posi-tion they do in band class. A sturdy chair is important to help them sit in the correct posture. The child should never have to bend over to read their music, and a practice stand will allow the student to view their music exactly as they do in band class. Wire music stands are available for purchase at any reputable music company in your area.

Use a Mirror

It is imperative that students always check their embouchure to ensure it is be-ing formed correctly, as this concept will be covered in class and illustrations often oc-

Mom, How Do I Play A G#?By Marc Whitlock

Reprinted from Michigan Music Educator

Online Professional Development!Got music education questions? Want some expert advice?

NAfME offers this exciting free benefit to members throughout the school year. NAfME 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.If you would like to be a mentor or

make a recommendation regarding the mentoring website, please contact

Susan Lambert at [email protected].

Visit www.nafme.org/mentors


cur in the beginning of most band method books. A locker mirror or other small mirror on their music stand will work well.

The Sounds of Practice

There are several sounds that you should be hearing when your child is prac-ticing. Students should be practicing music we play in class in an effort to make their performance in class and on stage truly out-standing.

This Is What Parents Should Hear

The beeping of a metronome

For home practice, students should use a metronome 95% of the time. This will help them keep steady tempo.

Counting and Clapping

Counting out rhythms (like learning to read words) and then combining those rhythms with steady tempo will help your child develop motor skills and learn the con-cept of simultaneous responsibilities.

Note naming

Students should be saying the note names out loud while reading the staff lines of our music. This should also be done with a metronome, and ultimately, while fingering or positioning the notes being spoken.

Essential Sounds

Students should be working on their sound with just the mouthpiece, mouthpiece and barrel, or head joint. This sound might be slightly irritating (especially with begin-ners), but it is crucial to their development of correct embouchure and tone quality. They should work for a steady sound that does not waver.

Long Tones

The first sounds a student should make on their assembled instrument should be long and smooth tones. Their tone quality is one of the most important aspects of learn-ing their instrument during the early years. Again, they should work for a steady sound that does not waver. Playing into a tuner with an open and relaxed sound, and keeping the ‘needle” perfectly steady can achieve this.

This Is What Parents Should NOT Hear

Goofing Off

Students sometimes become inquisi-tive about their instrument and try to make

“unique” sounds as a result. They should never make deliberately poor sounds on their instrument. Students should not attempt to play extremely high or fast notes, including “sound effects.”

Just the Music

Students should enjoy practicing and should want to play songs. However, at this point in their musical lives, they should also understand the importance of fundamentals. You should not only hear songs when they practice. Your child should be doing funda-mental exercises along with note naming and rhythm counting.

Silence

Sometimes students try to say they have been practicing note-naming and rhythm counting for their entire practice time, but this should not be the case. Students should play their instrument for at least two thirds of their practice time.

Parent Practice: What You Can Do To Assist Your Child

Make every attempt to ensure you are helping your child practice the correct way, with a good quality instrument, emulating the band program’s philosophy and regimen. All parents can help their child practice by do-ing any or all of the following:

Create a Healthy Environment

Make sure they are practicing in a com-fortable place as described above. Do not allow siblings to distract your child during practice. Also, please do not send them away or outside to practice. Practice should not become a negative experience for your child.

Scheduled Times

Create a regular practice time for your child (preferably when you are home to hear him/her practice). When the habit of practic-ing at the same time every day occurs, your child’s practice routine will solidify.

Performances at Home

Schedule a time every few days for your child to perform music for your family and/or friends. Encourage them to perform mu-sic or other concepts that they are playing in class or in their private lessons. This will al-low them to have performance goals outside of class.

Ask Questions

Have your child explain what his or her plan is for their practice session. Ask them about upcoming playing tests, assigned homework, or other class assignments such as scales, flow studies, or other warm ups. Also, this is an opportunity for the child to teach the parent, which will make your child feel like a million bucks!

Observe Your Child Practice

From time to time, listen to your child practice. Ask them to explain the process that they go through for each part of their practice session. You can also time them on note-naming games, breathing gym games, or rhythm card games. Feel free to mix it up!

If the Band Director requires practice logs/records, please do not”just sign” the practice log/record. Make sure your child is actually doing their homework for band. If you are uncertain, have them play for you on the assigned material for that day with this guide in front of you as a reference. It can empower you both to be successful and their efforts will be rewarding, not just indi-vidually, but to the band as a whole.

The quality of daily home practice time di-rectly impacts their playing level on their instruments. Thank you for supporting your child’s musical goals!

See you at the next concert!

Resources for Parents:National Association of Music Parentshttp://www.amparents.org

SmartMusic Practice Systemwww.smartmusic.com

Study the ways that music education develops creativity, instills disciplined work habits, and statistically correlates with gains in standardized test scores.

Speak with your local school board.

Be in touch with local music teachers on a regular basis. Offer to help out.

Take part in your school’s music booster organization.

The Many Benefits of Music Education— Tips to Share with

Parents

Here are some ways parents can assist their child’s

school music educators:

Visit www.nafme.org and search “Power of Music” for more

Parent Resources.


Student Music Tech-Expo May 18, 2012

9:30 AM – 2:00 PM Montclair State University

psst…Save the date! Show off the cool stuff your students do! (& start your field trip approvals ASAP)

Ø Adjudicated festival recognizing student creativity Ø Categories for Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Ø Composition, Recording and Arranging/Remix categories Ø Demonstrations & Peer sharing Ø Hands-on workshops for students and teachers Ø Student Performances & Jam Sessions Ø More details at www.ti-me.org/NJ Ø Contact: [email protected]

East Brunswick HS 732-613-6969


Name of Performing Group: ________________________________________________________________________________

Director’s Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________

School Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

School Address: _____________________________________ Town: ___________________________ Zip: ________________

School Phone: (_____)________________________________ School Fax: (_____)_____________________________________

Email: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Home Address: _______________________________________________________ Home Phone: (_____)_________________

Number of Performing Students: _____________________________ Grade Level(s) (circle): 5 6 7 8 9

Rehearsal Schedule (length, time of day, rehearsals per week) ________________________________________________________

Your Program Title Composer/Arranger

Warm-up Selection: ________________________________________ ____________________________________________

1st Adjudicated Selection: ____________________________________ ____________________________________________

2nd Adjudicated Selection: ___________________________________ ____________________________________________

Date and Site Selected: ( ) Friday, May 4, 2012 at Freehold Township High School(Please indicate 1st & 2nd choices) ( ) Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at Summit Middle School, Summit ( ) Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Washington Twp. HS, Sewell

We can arrive at: ____________________________ We must depart no later than: ____________________________

Each band will have a 20 minute warm-up time prior to their performance. Stage time will be approximately 30 minutes including set-up, performance and exit. Performance selections are of the director’s choice. Clinicians’ taped and written critiques will be made available; in addition, clinicians will speak with band members following the performances as time allows. A participation plaque will be awarded to each band. Ratings will be given upon request. You may bring your own lunches. All bands are encouraged to listen to other ensembles perform. Mutual respect for all performances is absolutely necessary.

Application fee: $125.00 per performing ensemble (payable to NJMEA). Cash and Purchase Orders are Not Accepted. A CHECK made payable to NJMEA must accompany the application. Include a copy of your NAfME card showing the expiration date.

Application deadline: March 23, 2012 until space has been filled. Your NAfME card here:More information will be mailed after receipt of your application. Return all Applications to: Chris Pinto c/o Northern Burlington Co. Regional Middle School 180 Mansfield Road East Columbus, NJ 08022Questions: [email protected]

2012 JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL APPLICATION

Please Print Clearly


The 59th Annual Junior High/Middle School Choral Festival Application Form

School Name ______________________________________________________________ School Phone: ___________________________

School Address ___________________________________________ City ___________________________________ Zip _____________

Director’s Name ___________________________________________________________________ Home Phone _____________________

Home Address __________________________________________ City ______________________________ State ____ Zip ___________

Email: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NAfME Membership # _________________ Expiration Date_________________________________________________

Name of performing group _________________________________________________________________________________________

Voicing ___________________________________________ Number of singers_________________________________

Number of rehearsals per week ________________ Please check the appropriate category below: (during school _______ (evening) ______ (before school) _______ (after school) ________

Will participate at Rowan University, (South Site) April 18, 2012: 9:30 - 1:30 pm _________________________

Will participate at Rutgers University, (North Site) May 16, 2012: 9:30 - 1:30 pm _________________________

We can arrive at: _____________________________ We must depart no later than: _____________________________________

Proposed Program(Time limit: Not to exceed 10-12 minutes, no more than 3 titles)THIS SECTION MUST BE COMPLETED AT THIS TIME!

Please Print or Type Legibly

Selection (Maximum of 3) Complete Name of Composer/Arranger Voicing

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(If any of the above titles are folk songs, please indcate country or region of origin)

FEE: $125.00 per group (non-refundable) FESTIVAL DATES: (Limited to the 1st TEN (10) Groups on each date)

DEADLINES: Monday, March 19, 2012 for Rowan University Wednesday, April 18, 2012 Monday, April 30, 2012 for Rutgers University South Site: Rowan University TIME: 9:30 am - 1:30 pmSEND TO: Viraj Lal, Registrar Newark Academy Wednesday, May 16, 2012 91 South Orange Avenue North Site: Rutgers University Livingston, NJ 07039 TIME: 9:30 am - 1:30 pm EMAIL: [email protected] FESTIVAL HOST: Larry DePasquale, Rowan University

Other information including directions and schedules will be mailed.

ALL INCOMPLETE FORMS WILL BE RETURNED!MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO NJMEA (Do not send cash)

CHECKS MUST ACCOMPANY ALL REGISTRATION FORMS Purchase Orders Are NOT Accepted

BE SURE TO INCLUDE A PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR NAfME CARD


Ronald “Ron” Bennett

Ronald “Ron” Bennett (1937-2011), beloved band director and music instruc-tor, passed away on Monday, September 5, 2011. Born in Burlington, New Jersey on May 10, 1937, Ron was a lifetime area resi-dent and lived as an adult in the home in which he was raised. Ron dedicated his life to others through his excellent teaching and caring about each and every student. He was able to take a band at any level, even the most elementary, and make the band sound wonderful. Several of his students went on to professional careers in music. Ron kept in touch with a great number of his former students. As a youth, Ron played trombone in the New Jersey All-State Band. He went on to receive his Master of Music Educa-tion degree from Trenton State College, now The College of New Jersey. Ron served as band director for Northern Burlington High School for 25 years, during which time he served as president of the South Jersey Band and Orchestra Directors Asso-ciation from 1969 to 1970. Following his 1985 retirement from Northern Burlington High School, he became known as an out-standing and caring teacher of private music lessons in all instruments in Southampton Twp and Medford, and went on to teach instrumental music at Doane Academy in Burlington for 10 years before fully retir-ing in 2010. Ron left a mark on so many students with his unwavering energy and enthusiasm. An avid musician on trombone and trumpet, Ron performed with various bands in the area as well as directing numer-ous church choirs.

Kevin A. DeFreest

Kevin A. DeFreest, 59, of Randolph, N.J., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011, at Morristown Medical Center, Morris-town, N.J. Kevin was born in Paterson, N.J., and was a resident of Randolph, N.J., since 1990. He lived in Oakland, N.J., for most of his life before moving to Ran-dolph. He worked as an instrumental music teacher at Ramapo Indian Hills Regional Board of Education, Oakland, and retired in 2010 after 34 years. He was a member of the Huguenot Society and the Sons of the American Revolution. He was an avid cy-clist and also played the trumpet for various organizations.

Emma Fontanella

Emma Fontanella, 92, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 at Somerset Medical Center. Born in Bronx, New York, she lived in Madison, N.J., before moving to Arbor Glen in Bridgewater, N.J. 16 years ago. Emma was a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and Columbia Teachers College with a BA and a Masters Degree in Education. She was a Music Teacher in the grade schools of Randolph Township for 25 years retiring in 1981. She was an accom-plished pianist. In later years she formed and directed a Choral Group at Arbor Glen.

C. Dudley Lowden

Lowden, C. Dudley, loving husband, father, friend, musician and teacher, passed

away on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at his home in Sun City, SC. He was born in Ocean City on August 5, 1925, the son of the late Clinton Dudley and Ruth France Lowden, brother to the late composer Rob-ert. Dud began playing the trombone at age 8, receiving formal training at the Julius Hartt College of Music in Hartford, CT,and his Masters from Temple University. His ca-reer as a professional musician spanned sev-en decades, and included some of the great names of music such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Buddy Rich and Kenny Rogers. He was the former Director of Bands at Vil-lanova University, and music teacher in the Cherry Hill area school district for 25 years. A US Army veteran of World War II as-signed to Army and Air Force Bands playing throughout Europe, he was a member of the Sun City Veterans Association.

Elizabeth “Betty” Musacchia

Elizabeth “Betty” Musacchia, age 95, entered into eternal rest at her home on Sept. 5. Betty was born in Lindeneau, N.J., on Sept. 5, 1916, and lived in Perth Am-boy, N.J., and Fords, N.J., before moving to Woodbridge “proper” in 1951. She was the daughter of James H. Farrington and Ve-ronica Simscak Farrington, and the wife of Clarence A. Musacchia, who passed away in 1975. She was an alumnus of Woodbridge High School and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in education from Georgian Court College in 1937 and a Master’s Degree in education from Rutgers University in 1951. Betty’s accomplishments were many. She taught English, Social Studies and music in Iselin School No. 15 for six years and then took a leave of absence in 1943 to enlist in the United States Women’s Army Corps. Af-

IN MEMORIAMThis 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 [email protected]

(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.)


ter completing a six-month course in physi-cal therapy at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and served with the 195th General Field Hospital stationed in Lison, France, near St. Lo until 1945. She received the European Theater of Operations and Good Conduct Medals. She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post No. 4410 of Woodbridge. Betty returned to teach in 1947 and taught English and mathemat-ics at Woodbridge High School until 1956 when she became the vocal music teacher. She retired in 1977. She was a member of the New Jersey and National Education Association, The American Federation of Teachers, and the Music Education Na-tional Conference. She directed many con-certs, school musical plays and community concerts. Betty was a special minister of the Eucharist of St. James Church in Wood-bridge. An accomplished pianist and singer, she was also a former soloist and director of the Adult Choirs of Our Lady of Peace Church in Fords and St. James Church in Woodbridge. Betty belonged to many orga-nizations including the Confraternity of the Altar-Rosary Society of St. James Church, the American Association of Retired Per-sons, the Catholic Daughters of America, and the Woodbridge Township Retired Teachers’ Organization.

Frank J. Wolf

Frank J. Wolf, 82, of Old Bridge, N.J., passed away on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011. Born in Linden, Frank lived in Old Bridge since 1959. He was employed by the Linden Board of Education as a music supervisor and teacher for 35 years (1957 to 1992). He influenced many students to pursue musical careers and was a mentor to music teachers. He received his bachelor of arts degree from The Juilliard School and his master of arts degree from Columbia University. Frank served in the Air Force during the Korean War and was a member of the Air Force Band. He later played professionally with the big band musicians such as the Dorsey Brothers and the Glenn Miller Band. He was active with the Musicians Union 151 AFM.

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I would like to thank all of the members who attended our Gen-eral Membership Meeting in

November as well as the companies who sponsored the event. I hope to see everyone at our second General Membership Meet-ing on Friday at the NJMEA Convention in New Brunswick. The meeting will take place on Friday, February 24 at 11:45 pm in the Tower, 8th Floor. It would be great to see everyone there!

Our Division Chairs are always looking for help. Our ensembles are looking for sites and managers for the upcoming year. Every year I host the Intermediate Auditions and the first rehearsal and it does wonders for my program. I have parents volunteer to sell refreshments and my program makes some money, my students have the opportunity to observe the Region Band and Orchestra rehearsals and they are inspired when they hear the quality of these ensembles. Addi-tionally, my students are excited to volun-teer and gain valuable community service for CCD and Scouts. If you are interested in hosting or volunteering, please don’t hesi-tate to contact me at: [email protected]

It is my main mission to improve com-munication between the Executive Board and the membership. I have been sending out e-mails regarding many Region II items. If you have not seen any of these e-mails, please contact me at [email protected]. Additionally, please take the time to like the

Central Jersey Music Educators Association on Facebook and @TheCJMEA on Twitter.

President-Andrew [email protected]

High School BandThank you to everyone who sent stu-

dents to the Region Band and Orchestra Auditions that happened last month. As al-ways, special thanks go to Andy and John at JP Stevens as well as their team of amazing band parents for hosting us this year. Please consider joining us for the concert on Sun-day, January 15, 2012 at Montgomery High School. The concert begins at 3:00pm. Directors are admitted for free with their NAfME Membership.

High School Band-Brian [email protected]

High School ChorusThe CJMEA Region II Choral Divi-

sion 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. Thank you, Gentleman.

Barbara Retzko once again served with Hillary Colton as the Audition Manag-ers. Our Choral Managers were again Judy Virrilli and Sue Belli 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 and concert hosts were Karen Gorzynski of Somerville High School, Sister Dolores Margaret of Immac-ulata High School and John Leonard from The College Of New Jersey.

We are always looking for new volun-teers. 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 per-son take over. Could that new person be you?

High School Chorus-Hillary [email protected]

High School OrchestraHello everyone and Happy New Year.

I hope your winter break was relaxing and enjoyable. Now that we are all back to school the first event on the CJMEA cal-endar for January is the Region Orchestra festival. The format of region orchestra has

changed to a three consecutive day event, similar to how region band operates, with the first rehearsal beginning at 9:00am on Friday, January 6th. The second rehearsal will take place on Saturday, January 7th at 9:00am, and the festival will culminate with the concert on Sunday, January 8th at 3:00pm. Directors please make sure to go over rehearsal details and policies with your students prior to their arrival. The rehears-als and concert will take place at Montgom-ery High School (Skillman, NJ). Our guest conductor, Jeff Grogan, has planned out an exciting concert program that will be a treat for the students involved and for those in attendance at the performance. If you can make it, please come and show your support for our students on January 8th in what will surely be a wonderful and exciting concert.

Additionally, I would like to thank all those who helped me organize and man-age the event, as well as those who offered priceless advice in my first year a region or-chestra chairperson. Without your help and encouragement I would have been very lost.

Take care and have a great new year. High School Orchestra-Kawika Kahalehoe

[email protected]

Intermediate BandThings are really getting exciting in the

world of Elementary and Middle School Band! By this time, your students who are planning to audition for CJMEA Interme-diate Region Band have already turned in their registration forms and are hopefully working hard preparing their scales and so-los! (Late applications are to be post-marked by January 13, 2012. For questions about On-Site Registration, please write Meg Spatz at [email protected] ) Intermediate Band & Orchestra Auditions are on Satur-day, January, 28 2012.

This year’s Intermediate Region Band conductor, Alex Bocchino from Summit Middle School has a fantastic program planned that your students will love to per-form and learn a lot from! We invite you to get involved…come to a rehearsal, run a sectional, usher at the concert…there are many ways to enhance your professional experience and benefit your students by be-coming more involved with CJMEA!

Upcoming events include: • the Intermediate Region Band &

Orchestra Concert, March 3, 2012

Ro

und The Regions

CJMEACentral Jersey

Music Educators Associationcjmea.org


• the CJMEA Elementary & Intermediate Band Festival,April 18 & 19, and May 17, 2012

• the Elementary Honors Band Festival on April 21, 2012

For more information or to download registration forms, please visit www.cjmea.org.

Intermediate BandCeleste Zazzali and Meg Spatz

[email protected]

Intermediate ChorusCJMEA Region II Intermediate Choir

will be an SSAB choir this year and will be conducted by Melissa Malvar-Keylock. Au-ditions will be held on January 7, 2012 at Avenel Middle School in Woodbridge. The concert will be at Monroe Middle School on March 11, 2012. Please email Nina Schmet-terer with any questions/concerns about in-termediate choral auditions at [email protected].

Intermediate Chorus-Nina [email protected]

Intermediate OrchestraI am happy to work with a great execu-

tive board this year. So far my experience has been a pleasant one and everyone is ex-cited to get things done. I strongly encour-age new volunteers throughout the region to help out in many ways from helping run or host auditions and rehearsals, to conducting and managing. With that said, I’d like to share some of my experiences as manager and conductor both at the Region and All-State levels.

When I was still a “wet behind the ears” student teacher, Gordon Tedeschi scooped me up and had me manage the Region High School Orchestra, honestly to my dismay at first. As a non-strings player teaching strings this was probably the absolute most bene-ficial experience I had ever had. I learned about seating, tuning, and strings technique that are so important to being a competent teacher. These experiences are essential to my effectiveness as a teacher and conductor. I feel that my John Adams Middle School Orchestra in Edison has grown musically as a direct result of the Regions and All-State work that I’ve done. Also, if you asked me ten or twelve years ago whether I could con-duct an Intermediate Regions or All-State group I would say absolutely not, but I suc-cessfully did. I am honored and humbled by

my experience conducting the All-State In-termediate Orchestra last spring. The confi-dence and competency level that managing has gained for me is astounding and I know that it can be for many of you, too

In my fourteen years, I’ve managed or conducted almost yearly except for two pregnancy years. I think it’s time to share some responsibilities, and get some new volunteers. As teachers retire and move on, we need new blood so to speak to help the orchestra program maintain and surpass the level that it has been. Please consider the op-tions you have for volunteering. The same people should not have to step-up year after year. It’s time for a new regime.

Intermediate Orchestra-Penny [email protected]

Percussion EnsemblesRegion II is well into another great year

of percussion activities. The high school and intermediate percussion ensembles will soon be performing, and we are again hoping to sponsor another percussion workshop at the NJMEA Convention in February. CJMEA was represented at this year’s Percussive Arts Society International Convention this No-vember. This is the largest gathering of per-cussionists and percussion teachers in the world. We are looking forward to sharing with our membership news regarding the latest trends in percussion education. If you are interested in either managing or con-ducting one of our region ensembles in the future, please contact me at [email protected].

Percussion-Gary [email protected]

The North Jersey School Music Association programs and ac-tivities are in full swing. Last

month our annual HS Choral Festival took place; our annual HS auditions will take place shortly; Junior High auditions are coming up in the beginning of February, concerts of all different ensembles will be taking place. Hopefully your students pre-pared and auditioned and/or you will be bringing your ensemble to a festival. These are programs designed for you and your and

students. Every year there is a championship sports team in the league, county, section and the state. Most of the students on the team will play in the game if they are on the A squad. Some students on the B squad will see some action as well. However, every student in your ensemble is on the A team and plays all the time! And we have our ver-sions of All-County, All-Area, All-Region and All-State, even all All-Eastern and All-National honors ensembles. These are not titles on paper based on past performance; our kids play and boy do they ever! I had the privilege of co-managing the All-State Orchestra this past November and what an experience it was, for the students and me. I had a bird’s eye view and learned a great deal from watching and listening to the conduc-tor. The amount of music learning taking place was off the charts. We have top-notch conductors lined up for our region ensembles. Stop in and watch a rehearsal. Earn some professional development hours (Check-in with the manager so your time can be documented). Consider conducting in the future. As you can see, the opportuni-ties are there – partake! Please contact me or any board member for further information or if you have any constructive criticisms or concerns. See our website for contact infor-mation by clicking the officer’s link, www.NJSMA.com.

Michael Kallimanis, NJSMA President

Orchestra DivisionGood Luck to all students who will be

auditioning for the All-North Jersey High School Orchestra at the Region auditions, January 7, 2012. We look forward to re-turning to Mahwah High School; last year their music directors, parents and students were so courteous and obliging.

The high school orchestra concert pro-gram will be conducted by Patrick Burns, Director of the Symphony of Winds and Per-cussion at New Jersey City State University and instrumental teacher in the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District. The reper-toire highlights and extols the dramatic and compelling nature of 20th and 21st Century composers: Michael Mahadeen’s Winter Lights; Peter Warlock’s Capriol Suite based on Arbeau’s Orchesoghaphie dance tunes of 1588; Christopher Palmer’s arrangement of William Walton’s Wartime Sketches; and Le-

continued on next page

NJSMANorth Jersey

School Music Associationnjsma.com


roy Anderson’s Home Stretch. This concert will be take place at Sparta High School on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 3:00 PM. We look forward to seeing you!

The Junior HS ensemble will have a spectacular program. The conductor will be Helen Cha-Pyo. Helen is a professional or-ganist and conductor and is music director of the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Helen has put forth a challenging and stimulating program. The selections include Mozart’s Overture to the Magic Flute, Bizet’s Carmen Suite No. 1, Corelli’s Suite for String Orches-tra, and the fourth movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony (Symphony No. 9, opus 95). Come and enjoy the Junior HS concert at West Essex Middle School on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 3:00 PM. You will be glad you did!

Wendy Campbell, Nate Lienhard and Mary Daly, Division Chairs

Band DivisionThe annual high school auditions will

take place Saturday, January 7, 2012 with a snow date of Sunday, January 8, at Mahwah High School. We would like to thank Jef-frey Bittner and Mahwah High School for hosting auditions and to the band audition chair, Jeff Brown from Bergenfield High School.

The All-North Jersey High School Band concert will take place at Randolph High School on January 29, 2012, at 3:00 PM. Dr. Thomas McCauley from Mont-clair University will conduct the wind en-semble and the symphonic band will be un-der the direction of David Aulenbach from Randolph High School.

Paramus is the site of the Junior High School auditions, on Saturday, February 5, 2012, also with a snow date of the next day, February 6, 2012.

The second annual NJSMA Chamber Ensemble Concert will take place Wednes-day, February 29, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Shea Center for Performing Arts at William Paterson University. The concert will consist of the top high school students performing literature for woodwind, saxophone, brass, percussion, and string chamber ensembles.

The annual NJSMA high school con-cert band festival will be on March 27, 2012 at Verona High School, March 28 at Ber-genfield High School and March 29 at Ran-dolph High School. The festival is a great opportunity to have your ensembles receive feedback from scholars in the concert band

field, hear other ensembles from around the region and have the opportunity to qualify for the NJ State Concert Band Gala.

The junior high concert band festival will take place Thursday, April 19, 2012. Please check the website for application in-formation.

The NJSMA will sponsor its first El-ementary Honors Band Festival, May 5, 2012. Fifth and sixth graders from North Jersey who have been nominated by their directors will rehearse during the morn-ing and present a concert in the afternoon. The festival will be a one-day event and the sponsoring teacher must be in attendance on the day of the festival. This is a wonder-ful opportunity to feature young musicians as they grow and develop in their musical experiences. Please check the region website for the application form and more details about this exciting new experience.

Matt Spatz, Greg Mulford and Tim Rausenberger, Band Division Chairs

Choral DivisionThe annual North Jersey High School

auditions will take place Saturday January 7, 2012 at Mahwah HS. We are looking forward to working with the Mahwah Mu-sic Parents and choral director host, Lynn Morneweck-Fuld. The Women’s Choir conductor will be Lisa Graham, Wellesley College and the Mixed Choir will be led by Steve Bell, Teaneck HS. Thank you, Mi-chelle Digaetano, Bloomfield HS, for han-dling audition chair duties.

The High School Choral Festival took place at the end of November over a span of four days and each of the sites was filled to capacity: Nov. 29–Randolph HS, Matt Swiss host; Nov. 30–Teaneck HS, Steve Bell host; Dec. 1-Chatham HS, Barbara Klemp host; Dec. 2–Ramsey HS, Shawn Condon host. Thanks to our clinicians over the four days: Patrick Gardner, Rutgers Univer-sity; Debbie Mello, Seton Hall University; Heather Buchanan, Montclair State Univer-sity; Thomas Juneau, St. Joseph’s University and the Summit Chorale; and Andrew Me-gill, Westminster Choir College.

The Junior High School auditions will take place Saturday, February 5, 2012, at Paramus HS. Deana Larsen returns again as our audition chair.Thanks, Deana, for your many years of service in handling the Junior High auditions.

Shawn Condon, Viraj Lal and Matt Vanzini, Division Chairs

Elementary DivisionPlans are set for the formation of a new

region ensemble! Through the partnership of the Band and Elementary Divisions, The Elementary Honors Band will feature select 5th and 6th Grade students from Region I bands. This one-day rehearsal and concert will take place Saturday, May 5, 2012. The Elementary Choral Festival is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30, 2012. Elementary choral directors are encouraged to use this opportunity to bolster support for your in-dividual music programs. Schools will be given valuable performance feedback from a leading choral adjudicator within a com-fortable festival atmosphere. Locations for both events will be posted shortly on the region website, www.NJSMA.com.

Richard Derbyshire, ElementaryBand and Choral Division Chair

SJBODA will bring in the New Year with two very exciting con-certs. On Sunday, January 8th we

will present our Orchestra and String En-semble concert at Rowan University. This is the 58th anniversary concert for the Or-chestra which will be conducted by André Raphel. The Junior High String Ensemble will be conducted by Toni Benecchi (Chest-nut Ridge MS). The following Sunday, January 15th the Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band conducted by Jack Stamp (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and Jennifer Hodgson (Southern Regional HS) respectively will perform in the 66th anni-versary concert at Rowan University. Vin-nie Du Beau (Delsea Regional HS) and Ken Rafter (Fairfield Township School) will be the managers for the Wind Ensemble. The managers for the Symphonic Band are Keith Hodgson (Mainland Regional HS) and Jon Grill (Toms River HS North).

These concerts would not be possible without the commitment and dedication of our colleagues. Deb Knisely (Cinnamin-son HS), Chris Adams (Rush Intermediate School) and Phil Senseney (Southern Re-gional Schools) did an excellent job in pro-viding our students with a positive audition experience. Our String Coordinators, Judy

SJBODASouth Jersey Band And

Orchestra Directors Associationsjboda.org


Barnett (Washington Township HS) and Mary Jo Zahradnik (Wash-ington Township Schools) also did an excellent job with our string auditions. Gail Posey and John Stanz provided an excellent facility for our students, parents and membership at the auditions which were held at Eastern Regional HS.

The first rehearsal for these ensembles was held at Cinnaminson HS and hosted by Deb Knisely. Deb did a wonderful job in meeting the needs of our students. The young musicians also benefited from the efforts of Nichole DelNero (Toms River HS South) our Senior High Band Coordinator.

The Junior High Band auditions will take place on Saturday, January 28th at Southern Regional Middle School. Audition infor-mation is available on our website. Joe Jacobs (Ventnor MS) and Tony Scardino (Indian Mills MS) are the Junior High audition chairs. Glenn Motson (Gloucester City Schools) is our Junior High Band Coordinator. The concert will take place on March 4th at Row-an University.

The 5th annual Chamber Ensemble Concert will take place on Thursday, February 16th. Keith Hodgson (Mainland Regional HS) is our Chamber Ensemble Coordinator and concert host. The Main-land TRI-M Music Honor Society Chapter will also be our host for this event. Our chamber ensemble coaches are Jim McAloon (Wil-liamstown HS) brass ensemble; Ron Kerber (University of the Arts) saxophone quartet; Majorie Goldberg (University of the Arts) string ensemble; Jessie Argenziano (Hackettstown HS) woodwind quintet and Scott Visco (Point Pleasant Borough HS) percussion ensemble.

Registration forms for our 18th annual Concert Band Festival are available on the SJBODA website. The festival will take place on Monday, March 5th at Rowan University. John Pastin and the Rowan University Wind Ensemble will sponsor this event.

The 18th annual Elementary Honors Band Festival will take place on Saturday 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 musi-cians the opportunity to perform in a large Honors Ensemble. Reg-istration forms will be on the website by the end of January.

The SJBODA Winter Meeting will take place on Friday, Janu-ary 13th at 10:00 AM at Rowan University. All members are encour-aged to attend. Please continue to check the website, maintained by Scott McCarron (Delsea Regional HS), for the latest SJBODA updates. The SJBODA phone number is 609-457-0590.

Joseph JacobsSecretary, SJBODA

The South Jersey Choral Directors Association (SJCDA) Board of Directors has been very active the last few months

preparing for our upcoming festivals and concerts.Our Senior High Chorus conductor, Mike Doheny of Winslow

Township High School, and our Junior High Chorus conductor, Nancy Cecilio of Bunker Hill Middle School, have already begun rehearsing and bringing energy and great ideas to our students - not

to mention a wealth of knowledge and experience. Their diverse and challenging programs can be viewed at our website: www.sjcda.net. We are proud to have them on board!

At this busy time of year, SJCDA has many people to thank for their generous help and support. Kahlil Gunther, of Woodstown High School, once again did an outstanding job hosting our No-vember 19th auditions. Our gracious rehearsal host is Tom Traub of Lenape High School. Katherine Akinskas of Eastern Regional High School will host the Junior/Senior High Festival on January 28 and 29, 2012. Paula Gorman of Woodstown Middle School will con-duct, and Donna Marie Berchtold will host the Elementary Festival on March 4, 2012 at Hess Performing Arts Center in Mays Landing. Thank you so much to our hosts for volunteering their time and their buildings!

The SJCDA Executive Board looks forward to some very busy but exciting and productive months.

Art McKenzie, PresidentSouth Jersey Choral Directors AssociationOverbrook Senior High School

SJCDASouth Jersey

Choral Directors Associationsjcda.net


President, Keith HodgsonMainland Regional [email protected]

Past-President, William McDevittVineland High [email protected] x2539

President-Elect, Joseph JacobsVentnor Middle [email protected]

Executive Secretary-TreasurerDeborah SfragaOcean Township [email protected]

Communications (TEMPO/Web)Thomas A. Mosher, [email protected]

NJSMAPresident, Michael KallimanisWaldwick Middle [email protected] 201-370-0423

CJMEAPresident, Andrew VeissSo. Plainfield Middle [email protected] x378

SJCDAPresident, Art McKenzieOverbrook High [email protected] 856-767-8000 x3044

SJBODAPresident, John StanzEastern Regional High [email protected]

AdministrationRonald [email protected]

AdvocacyNick [email protected]

Band Festivals/Classroom MusicNancy ClasenThomas Jefferson Middle [email protected]

Band PerformanceAlbert BazzelWinslow Twp. Middle [email protected]

Choral FestivalsViraj LalNewark [email protected] x238

Chorus PerformanceKathy SpadafinoEast Brunswick High [email protected]

Chorus/Orchestra/JazzJoseph CantaffaHowell High [email protected]

Collegiate ChaptersShannon ChaseRutgers [email protected]

ConferencesMarie MalaraSayreville Middle [email protected]

Corporate DevelopmentRobert [email protected]

Higher EducationLarry DePasqualeRowan [email protected]

Music IndustryRon BeaudoinMusic & Arts [email protected]

Opera FestivalStevie RawlingsParamus High [email protected] x3069

Orchestra Festivals/PerformanceSusan MeuseHammarskjold Middle [email protected]

Retired Music EducatorsChristine [email protected]

Urban Music InitiativeSuzanne M. KaneWest Side High [email protected],nj.us

NJMEA 2011-2012 Board of Directors

Executive Board Appointed Members

Region Executive Members


NJMEA RESOURCE PERSONNELArea of Responsibility Name Email AddressAdministrative Matters .....................................................Keith W. Hodgson ....................................................keithhodgson1@mac.comAll-State Band Coordinator ...............................................Donna Cardaneo .......................................................... [email protected] Chorus, Orchestra & Jazz Coordinator ................. Joseph Cantaffa ................................................. [email protected] COJ Committee ...................................................... Dick Smith ......................................................... [email protected] COJ Committee ......................................................Jack Roland ........................................................ [email protected] Business ........................................................... Deborah Sfraga ............................................................debnjmea@aol.comBand Procedures Chair ........................................................Matthew Spatz ..............................................matthew.spatz@millburn.orgChoral Procedures Chair .................................................. Kathleen Spadafino ............................................................kspadeb@aol.comCollegiate Student Volunteer Coordinator ............................Michael Saias ...........................................................saiasm@hotmail.com Composition Contest ........................................................Robert Frampton ..................................................rtframpton@comcast.netJazz Procedures Chair ............................................................ Jeff Kunkel .............................................................drkunk@comcast.netMarching Band Festival Chair ............................................. Nancy Clasen .................................................... [email protected] ....................................................................... Deborah Sfraga ............................................................debnjmea@aol.comMiddle/Jr. High School Band Festival .................................... Chris Pinto ...................................................... [email protected]/Jr. High School Choral Festival ............................ Larry De Pasquale .................................................... [email protected] .............................................................................. Nancy Clasen .................................................... [email protected] Historian ................................................................Nick Santoro ............................................................nb1331@quixnet.netNJMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival ...................................... Nancy Clasen ..................................................... [email protected] State Conference Exhibits Chair ............................ Nancy Clasen ..................................................... [email protected] Society for General Music .............................................. Nancy Clasen .................................................... [email protected] State Conference Committee .................................Ron Beaudoin .................................................rbeaudoin@musicarts.comNJMEA State Conference Manager ......................................Marie Malara ............................................................ [email protected]/ACDA Honor Choirs ........................................... Deborah Mello ................................................................dmello@nac.netNJMEA Summer Conference .............................................Joseph Akinskas............................................. [email protected] Convention-NJEA .............................................. Nancy Clasen ................................................... [email protected] Festival Chair ........................................................... Stevie Rawlings ............................................... [email protected] Procedures Chair .................................................. Susan Meuse ..................................................... [email protected] ......................................................................Carol Frierson-Campbell ................................... [email protected] with Special Needs ...............................................Maureen Butler ........................................................mbutler@mtlakes.orgSupervisor of Performing Groups ............................................ Joe Jacobs ................................................................jjacobs@veccnj.orgTri-M.................................................................................. Keith Hodgson .................................................keithhodgson1@mac.com

REPRESENTATIVES/LIAISONSTO AFFILIATED, ASSOCIATED AND RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

American Choral Directors Association ................................... Viraj Lal ..................................................................vlal@newarka.eduGovernor’s Awards for Arts Education ..................................................................................................................................................NJ Association for Jazz Education .......................................... Jeff Kunkel ........................................................... [email protected] .............................................................................. Keith Hodgson .................................................keithhodgson1@mac.comMusic Industry ....................................................................Ron Beaudoin .................................................rbeaudoin@musicarts.comNJ Music Administrators Association .....................................Ron Dolce .............................................................. [email protected] Retired Music Educators Association ............................. Christine Sezer ......................................................... [email protected] TI:ME ........................................................................... Rick Dammers ....................................................... [email protected] Arts Society ........................................................ Dominic Zarro ...................................................DEZarro@optonline.net

COMMUNICATION SERVICES/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Executive Secretary-Treasurer .............................................. Deborah Sfraga .......................................................... [email protected] - TEMPO Magazine ............................................. Thomas A. Mosher .......................................................tmosher@njmea.orgWeb Master (njmea.org) .................................................. Thomas A. Mosher .......................................................tmosher@njmea.org


1924 - 1926 Josephine Duke1926 - 1930 R.W. Laslett Smith1930 - Jay W. Fay1930 - 1931 Wilbert B. Hitchner1931 - 1933 Thomas Wilson1933 - 1935 John H. Jaquish1935 - 1936 Clifford Demarest1936 - 1938 Mable E. Bray1938 - 1939 Paul H. Oliver1939 - 1941 K. Elizabeth Ingles1941 - 1942 Arthur E. Ward1942 - 1944 John T. Nicholson1944 - 1945 Frances Allan-Allen1945 - 1947 Philip Gordon1947 - 1949 Violet Johnson1949 - 1951 Samuel W. Peck

1951 - 1953 Janet G. Gleason1953 - 1955 Henry Zimmerman1955 - 1957 Agnes B. Gordown1957 - 1959 Leroy B. Lenox1959 - 1961 Elizabeth R. Wood1961 - 1963 Harold A. Brown1963 - 1965 E. Brock Griffith1965 - 1967 Robert C. Heath1967 - 1969 Edward Brown1969 - 1971 Rudolph Kreutzer1971 - 1973 Charles Wertman1973 - 1975 Stephen M. Clarke1975 - 1977 Herman L. Dash1977 - 1979 Buddy S. Ajalat1979 - 1981 Alyn J. Heim1981 - 1983 Robert Marince

1983 - 1985 Anthony Guerere1985 - 1987 Joan Policastro1987 - 1989 Joseph Mello1989 - 1991 Dorian Parreott1991 - 1993 David S. Jones1993 - 1995 Anthony Guerere1995 - 1997 Sharon Strack1997 - 1999 Chic Hansen1999 - 2001 Joseph Mello2001 - 2003 Nicholas Santoro2003 - 2005 Frank Phillips2005 - 2007 Joseph Akinskas2007 - 2009 Robert Frampton2009 - 2011 William McDevitt

NJMEA Past Presidents

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