What's up in MENC: Orchestrahttp://www.menc.org/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/KMoGV3qa4CM/menc-legislative-memohttp://www.menc.org/news/view/menc-legislative-memoThe Latest on Music Education Policy from Capitol Hill April 15, 2010 Education Standards: More Than Buzzwords By Rosalind T. Fehr, MENC Managing Editor of News Standards. Standardized tests. Reading standards. Achievement standards. Survey sample standards. Data-analysis standards. State education standards, and now, proposed national education standards. The National Governors' Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers are considering national education standards. Forty-eight states, two territories, and Washington, D.C. have committed to the idea of developing standards—but have not yet agreed to adopt any approved standards. National standards for K-12 math and language arts were released in March for a comment period which has concluded. The final draft is due in May. MENC knows the roots of standards run deep and are more than trendy buzzwords in the world of education. That is why MENC wants the arts considered key before the standards-train begins to pull away from the station. MENC President-Elect Scott C. Shuler was a member of the MENC National Standards for Music Education Task Force, which collaborated on the National Standards for Music Education in 1994. As Shuler explains: "MENC members and leaders identified the need to create new, improved national music standards based on the experience of music teachers who had been using the existing standards in their classrooms as well as emerging research on child development." The MENC National Standards for Music Education Task Force, led by MENC past-president Paul Lehman, polled members, and then issued recommendations for the next generation standards. "The primary obstacle to moving forward was lack of funding—doing quality work on an initiative of this scope requires staff and other resources," Shuler says. Today each state has its own education standards but some have argued for national consistency, particularly in today's mobile society where many students move from one district to another during their school career. As the Arts Education specialist in the Connecticut State Department of Education, Shuler represented his state at the recent Arts Education Partnership meeting in Washington, DC, which featured both the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. In addition to an address about progress in arts education, Duncan replied to a question posed by Shuler: "Should schools that fail to supply a complete core curriculum, including the arts, receive federal funding; and should states that fail to insure a full core curriculum that includes the arts receive Race to the Top funds?" See Duncan's answer After the meeting Shuler said: "Recently the U.S. Dept of Education supported the development of Common Core Standards in English/Language Arts and Mathematics, thereby signaling that this may also be the time to move forward on new Arts standards. "To ensure that music educators play a continuing role in school reform nationwide, MENC is once again taking the lead on music standards. This time our partners include the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE), the Council of Chief State School Officers, and other professional associations. "Together we are developing a plan and—just as important—approaching foundations and other potential sources for funding. As your president-elect, as a state arts specialist, and as a member of the original MENC task force that developed our first set of national standards, I have been attending meetings to help organize this process, and will continue to report to members as the final shape of this initiative emerges." In other words, MENC is on the case. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say, continuing to make a case. For making the arts key. Hot Topics Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Program Interpreting Race to the Top (RttT) Regulations: Implications for Music Education Race to the Top — At $4.35 billion, it's the largest ever federal competitive investment in school reform   For more information, contact advocacy@menc2.org.MENCThu, 15 Apr 2010 16:14:47 -0400http://www.menc.org/news/view/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/WtNKbfW5OPk/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/dr3wPVLYA3c/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/l0pauIs-z3c/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/wbqOKdfZ6SU/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/PUmzidc16Io/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/6D7p1bIvttM/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/SDvmLAB0L3Q/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/BGjPvhTy3L0/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/XoNMxon1rd4/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/8UTFBxWIzp0/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/dEDmKq0kwwU/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/EfiRGwVTErM/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/NqYSSJWGS5Y/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/QGMdWq9Ppmo/menc-legislative-memohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/mmq-88NCTLY/2010-music-education-weekhttp://www.menc.org/events/view/2010-music-education-week Presented by MENC: The National Association for Music Education June 24-29, 2010 Location: Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area Headquarters Hotel: Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA Register by May 28 for a chance to win a Nintendo Wii E-mail, Fax, or Mail (PDF) Phone Call MENC Member Services at 1-800-828-0229 (outside the USA call 703-860-4000) between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm EST using a major credit card. Preliminary Schedule Exhibit, Sponsor, Advertise Prospectus to Exhibit and Sponsor (PDF) Exhibit Contract (PDF) Registration Form—Exhibitor Badges and Tickets (Word) Attendee Contact Mailing List Request Form (PDF) Exhibitor Services Manual (PDF) Sponsorship Opportunities (PDF) Advertise—Contact Bill White at 914-358-1200 x302   For information on bringing student groups, and on the 2010 MENC National Honor Ensembles, visit MENC Events. What exactly is Music Education Week? Music Education Week is a new annual event created by MENC at the direction of the MENC National Executive Board. It is built around a new format, different from that of past national biennial conferences. This format is designed to provide members with opportunities for music education advocacy, intensive professional development, and performances in a destination location on an annual basis, and during the summer instead of the school year. 2009 Video Gallery 2009 Photo Gallery   MENCWed, 14 Apr 2010 16:45:06 -0400http://www.menc.org/events/view/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/EiM6h7Qt0wM/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/_TBQZqO6zrI/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/bTLaYC8Xhhc/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/08S7chLxV6I/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/wGCYR41l1_U/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/pkhnY7LrIso/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/at9QYansfJc/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/34DomIzNKks/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/k_YQGFZLIQ0/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/r7VQ-9R4L0Y/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/QAd--MgHI3U/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/pXy0PkSOva8/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/A0VlCxpocVs/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/osmSaXi0i1Y/2010-music-education-weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/d71viewLM-4/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-upOur Jazz for Strings poll indicated that the majority of strings teachers think incorporating jazz into the curriculum is important, yet most are not programming jazz pieces in their concert season. MENC members Reynard Burns and Janet Farrar-Royce give some insight into some myths and realities for strings teachers when bringing jazz into the classroom. Myths: Teachers feel that they are venturing into uneasy territory and that jazz will become too much of a time commitment both for themselves and the class.   Jazz is not really a “natural” form for strings, and very few good jazz arrangements are written for strings.   Having a student improv over a 12-bar blues chord progression does not seem very realistic.   Realities: When we teach our string students scales and arpeggios, slurs, bowings, etc., it is time consuming and antiseptic. When learning these rudiments, they are memorized in various keys, and in predetermined fingerings, something like memorizing mathematical theorems. These same patterns can be learned in a musical sense when applied to jazz and improvisation. Playing a scale in eighth notes straight or swinging them still reinforces the scale and provides additional alternatives to slurring that can only enhance the results.   The need for a written arrangement is understandable. String instruments can do anything and probably a little more than wind instruments. Double stops provide harmony. Slides into and away from notes are something that even inquisitive beginners experiment with. There are many pieces for strings alone or with optional rhythm section. Search the Web for lists of composers and arrangers for string jazz.   The key is to break it down, think melody-based improv instead of chordal, and make students understand the bass line. Try breaking those 12 bars of improv into three 4-measure phrases, one of which has only one chord, one with two chords (2 measures each) and one with two changes. Burns suggests, “It is possible to create or improvise over 8 bars and still swing. I work within the classical-based 8-bar phrase. All of my originals are in keys that make it easy for strings, and the 8-bar phrase stays within the normal phrase within the AABA form. Using an 8-bar phrase instead of the 12-bar blues may not set well with jazz buffs, but the intent is to work within the comfort zone already in place and add the jazz experience with minimal intimidation.”   “The techniques used by classical and jazz strings complement each other and provide a wider base for students to draw from as they become musicians and understand their instrument,” Burns states. Reynard Burns has presented workshops and clinics for teachers and students on jazz for strings at the ASTA National Conference, for the Long Island Strings Association and NYSCAME as well as for districts around Long Island. For information about other projects and score and audio samples, go to his website, www.freeflightmusic.com or contact him a reyburns@freeflightmusic.com. Janet Farrar-Royce teaches at Dodd Middle School in Cheshire, CT and is the Music Education Lecturer for the Yale Teacher Training Program. She teaches at several university programs every summer, including being the American Fiddling Teacher at Strings Without Boundaries, held every July at the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. -- Nicole Springer. April 13, 2010. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education.MENCTue, 13 Apr 2010 17:04:10 -0400http://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/J5SrD1CmGx0/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/X5LnF9xNQhw/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/9AZV_Z0FkLE/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/QIktZbtcuHo/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/LkpbihwVyWA/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/koh1PF_9A34/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/YrsHkqDZFuM/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/bVziitR2Qp4/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/6More-f1AsE/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/1-F9NiVav2c/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ZPMCbszxyv4/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/GVvTgdCgr4I/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/Ym-q9D88Grw/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/De5kKnqJDfg/jazz-for-strings-poll-follow-uphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/5Jgzt-JfbKk/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://www.menc.org/resources/view/the-recorder-legislative-news-feed4/13/2010 - Duncan and Landesman Address AEP ForumAt the April 9 Arts Education Partnership Forum in Washington, DC, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and National Endowment for the Arts chair Rocco Landesman addressed the participants on the subject of arts education.  Read the full transcript of their speeches here: Secretary DuncanChairman LandesmanIn addition to an address about progress in arts education, Duncan replied to MENC President-Elect Scott C. Shuler’s question, “Should schools that fail to supply a complete core curriculum, including the arts, receive federal funding; and should states that fail to insure a full core curriculum that includes the arts receive Race to the Top funds?”  Hear Secretary Duncan's response.4/6/2010 - Race to the Top Winners Announced and Phase 2 BeginsLast week Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the winners of grants in Phase 1 of the Race to the Top competition: Delaware and Tennessee. Delaware will receive approximately $100 million and Tennessee, approximately $500 million. Applications for Phase 2 are due June 1. Note one change to the rules for Phase 2 -- states’ budgets must be within the ranges that were suggested in their Phase 1 proposal. For more information and to view the applications from Phase 1: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html  3/22/2010 - Spring Concert Advocacy SpeechUse the outline below to address your audience before your upcoming concert(s):“Welcome and thank you for attending our [e.g. spring concert, senior night]. It’s been another fantastic year and with only a few short months left I know we’ll all be sad to see it end.While you enjoy our concert, please don’t forget that in addition to the skill our performers showcase tonight, music education also:[Insert appropriate fact or statistic from the SupportMusic “Make Your Case” database http://www.menc.org/supportmusic_cases]Parents, you see first-hand the many benefits music education provides for your child. You also wield extraordinary influence over principals, school boards and other decision-makers in education. In a time of budget cuts and shortages, your continued support of our program sends the message that music education is an essential component of your child’s education and keeps its status safe in our schools. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to know how to become more involved in advocating for music education.Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the show.”3/16/2010 - ESEA Reauthorization: “A Blueprint for Reform” ReleasedOn Saturday, March 13, the Obama administration, in conjunction with the Department of Education, released their recommendation for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, entitled “A Blueprint for Reform.” The plan focuses on creating college and career-ready students, great teachers and leaders in every schools, equity and opportunity for all students, rewarding excellence and promoting innovation.Arne Duncan will appear in both the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor and the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Wednesday, March 17 to discuss the blueprint.You can find out more information on the Department of Education's web site: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/index.html3/12/2010 - U.S. House and Senate Committees Begin Hearings on ESEA ReauthorizationLast week, March 3, the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor held a hearing in which U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan presented the administration’s education agenda and stressed the importance of swift action by Congress to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Duncan testified:“We have made extraordinary progress in meeting the needs of our schools and communities in the midst of financial crisis and recession, making long-needed reforms in our Federal postsecondary student aid programs, and reawakening the spirit of innovation in our education system from early learning through college. The next step to cement and build on this progress is to complete a fundamental restructuring of ESEA.”The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions also began its hearing process on the reauthorization of ESEA this week, March 9, with a hearing entitled “The Importance of World-Class K-12 Education for Our Economic Success.”The U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor will continue to accept comments on ESEA through March 26, 2010.2/26/2010 - Secretary of Education on Effective Teaching and Learning AwardsIn a meeting of the House Budget Committee on February 25, Education Secretary Arne Duncan opened with the following statement:We also are asking for $1 billion for an Effective Teaching and Learning for a Complete Education authority that would make competitive awards focused on high-need districts to improve instruction in the areas of literacy, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the arts,[emphasis supplied] foreign languages, civics and government, history, geography, economics and financial literacy, and other subjects. We propose these programs in addition to a $2.5 billion Effective Teachers and Leaders formula grant program to States and LEAs, to promote and enhance the teaching profession.In addition, the Secretary was questioned by Chairman John Spratt (D-SC) about arts education being "put on the back-burner" in his FY11 budget request because of the proposed consolidation of programs. Secretary Duncan replied that he hears those concerns about consolidation but that the non-tested subjects were provided an extra $100 million in total funding in his request, that he's certainly heard from around the country about reductions in arts education, and that this funding is meant to address that. Thanks to Gladstone Payton of Americans for the Arts for information in this article. 1/22/2010 - MENC Presents Testimony at ESEA Stakeholders MeetingOn January 20, the U.S. Department of Education hosted an “ESEA Stakeholders Forum.” This meeting was one in a series of such meetings, discussing issues that need to be addressed in the reauthorization of the nation’s primary education law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (known in its latest version as NCLB). The meeting was of special interest, however, because it focused specifically and exclusively on arts education.Jim Shelton, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, ran the meeting. In attendance were Department of Education staff that deal with arts education issues and key staffers of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.MENC presented testimony at the meeting, asking first that the new law avoid the “unintended consequences” that music teachers have lived with from NCLB. Other specific MENC requests were:Retain the definition of “the arts” as a core academic subject.Require that the “report cards” that allow communities to hold their officials accountable for the quality of education in local schools include measures of the status and condition of music and the other arts, along with all core academic subjects.Make a concerted effort on the federal level to gather more comprehensive data on the status of arts education.Where the law calls for committees to give advice on education policy and practice, include teachers of all core academic subjects so that the focus of discussion is not limited to a narrow view of the curriculum.Reauthorize the Arts in Education section of the law. The presence of grants for arts education in this section – and particularly the authorization of funds to develop and disseminate useful information based on those grants – has been quite useful to the field.In considering new legislation that might open the teaching profession to individuals who enter through alternative routes, keep in mind the seriousness of the discipline of music and avoid legislative language that erodes the quality of music education for our children.As more subject specialist teachers become active at the elementary level, certification and testing requirements for elementary teachers should allow teachers who are certified in music and other specialist subjects to be considered highly qualified without passing tests in subjects outside of the subject they teach.Scott C. Shuler, MENC President-Elect, delivering testimony to the meeting. 1/20/2010 - Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination ProgramThe U. S. Department of Education is now running a grants competition for the “Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Program.” Applicants need to notify the Department that they intend to apply by February 16; final applications are due on March 16. Among the eligible applicants are state or local non-profit or governmental arts organizations and institutions of higher education. All applications, however, need to be made with either a state or local education agency (school district). The Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD) Program supports the enhancement, expansion, documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of innovative, cohesive models that are based on research and have demonstrated that they effectively—(1) Integrate standards based arts education into the core elementary and middle school curriculum; (2) strengthen standards based arts instruction in these grades; and (3) improve students’ academic performance, including their skills in creating, performing, and responding to the arts.State Music Educators Associations should consider working with the state schools, or a district within the state, to ask for funding on a project that meets the program criteria.You can read the full announcement of the grant opportunity at http://www.ed.gov/programs/artsedmodel/index.html1/8/2010 - SupportMusic Coalition Live Webcast from the 2010 NAMM ShowTune into a live SupportMusic Coalition webcast on Thursday, January 14, 2010, 11 a.m. PST from NAMM Show with special guests Quincy Jones and Yoko Ono. Advocacy leaders will include:Bob Lynch, CEO, Americans for the ArtsJohn J. Mahlmann, Executive Director, MENCLaurie Schell, Executive Director, California Alliance for Arts EducationMadelyn Bonnot, Executive Director, Quincy Jones ConsortiumJ. Scott Schoeffel, Wood Violins; Dana Point, CA City Council MemberDavid Price, Musical Futures, UKJoin the webcast at www.nammfoundation.org12/23/2009 – MENC Submits Comments on ESEA to Department of EducationMassie RitschDeputy Assistant Secretary for External Affairs and OutreachU.S. Department of EducationDear Massie:On behalf of the 75,000 members of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, I would like to thank you, Secretary Duncan, and the Department of Education for the open process you have initiated for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.We have enjoyed the opportunity to comment at the Stakeholders’ forums at the Johnson Building, and look forward to attending the meeting for arts education stakeholders on January 20, as well as to helping supply whatever information and counsel we can as discussions on this essential legislation move forward. As you work with members of Congress on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, please keep in mind these considerations:The definition of “the arts” as a core academic subject under ESEA, Title IX, Part A, Sec. 9101(11) must be retained. This is essential if music and the other arts are to continue their role, manifest in a growing body of data, as essential components of a school program that prepares students for further study and for work in the 21st century.The current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act wisely requires “report cards” to allow communities to hold their officials accountable for the quality of education in local schools. This accountability should be for the provision of all aspects of a child’s education – including music and the other arts. Where schools now have to report math and reading scores and graduation rates, they should also report basic information on the services to students in the way of music programs. This could be accomplished by amending Title I, Part A, Subpart 1 Basic Program Requirements, Sec. 1111(h) State Plans to require states to collect and report annually comprehensive information about the status and condition of all core academic subjects for which challenging academic standards apply. Such information should include student enrollment, pupil/teacher ratios, amount of instructional time, budget allocation, teacher subject certification, full time equivalent teacher load, or other such measures chosen by the state to be significant in the subject area.More comprehensive, national data is sorely needed on the status of arts education. We would like to see data on arts education collected on an equal footing with data on all core academic subjects in all relevant studies and surveys by the NCES. In particular, as new data systems are built to track both educational resources and student achievement (for example, as specified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), make certain that music, the other arts, and all core academic subjects are part of the data collection mandate. We know that we are not alone in this request: recently the Council of Chief State School Officers adopted a resolution stating, “Chiefs should encourage data collections of school courses, teachers, and numbers of students enrolled. Collections should include the core academic subjects as defined by ESEA as well as physical education, health, and career technology education.” (ESEA defines core academic subjects as English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.)”Where committees or other entities give advice on education policy and practice, teachers of all core academic subjects should be included in the process so that the focus of discussion is not limited to a narrow view of the curriculum. For example, amendments could include alterations to Title I, Part E, Sec. 1501(d)(2)(A)(ii) and Title I, Part I, Sec. 1903(b)(2)(C) to include language regarding committee membership of teachers “representing all core academic subjects.”The Arts in Education section, section 5551, should be reauthorized. The presence of grants for arts education – and particularly the authorization of funds to develop and disseminate useful information based on those grants – has been quite useful to the field.In considering new legislation that might open the teaching profession to individuals who enter through alternative routes, keep in mind the seriousness of the discipline of music and avoid legislative language that erodes the quality of music education for our children.Thank you for your attention to these issues. We hope you will contact us for any help we can give to move this process forward. We can offer advice, information, reports of research that demonstrates the importance of music education, and avenues for communication with the field. We are eager to help in any way that enables students across America to develop and grow through music as a part of a full, balanced education.Sincerely,Michael BlakesleeSenior Deputy Executive DirectorMENC: The National Association for Music Education12/14/2009 - CCSSO Calls for Data Collection in All Core SubjectsThe Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has endorsed the collection of key data in all core subjects as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The recommendation states:“Chiefs should encourage data collections of school courses, teachers, and numbers of students enrolled. Collections should include the core academic subjects as defined by ESEA as well as physical education, health, and career technology education.” (ESEA defines core academic subjects as English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.)Read the full press release from SEADAE here.12/1/2009 - Winter Concert Advocacy SpeechUse the outline below to address your audience:“Welcome and thank you for attending our [e.g. winter concert, holiday program]. It’s been a fantastic year so far and our students are eager to perform tonight.While you enjoy the concert, don’t forget that in addition to the abilities our performers showcase tonight, music education also:[Insert appropriate fact or statistic from the “Make Your Case” database]Parents, you see first-hand the many benefits of music education for your child. You also wield extraordinary influence over principals, school boards and decision makers. In a time of budget cuts and shortages, your continued support of our program sends the message that music education is an essential component of your child’s education and keeps its status safe in our schools. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to know how to become more involved in advocating for music education.Thank you for your support and please enjoy the show.”11/13/2009 - U.S. Department of Education Finalizes Race to the TopOn November 12, the U.S. Department of Education announced the release of the final application for the Race to the Top competition. The $4 billion in Race to the Top funds, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will be rewarded to the applicants who best advance reform around four areas: Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy;Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction;Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; andTurning around our lowest-achieving schools.View the final application for Race to the Top.10/30/2009 - New Report Links High School Graduation Rates to Arts EducationThe Center for Arts Education (CAE) recently released a new study of New York City public schools entitled “Staying in School: Arts Education and New York City High School Graduation Rates” which found high school graduation rates and access to arts education to be closely linked. Based on data from more than 200 high schools over a two-year span, the study found the schools with the highest graduation rates offer the most access and resources to support arts education. Search “High School Graduation Rates” in the SupportMusic “Make Your Case” database to access the report and view highlights of the research.10/19/2009 - MENC Hosts Webinar Featuring Colleagues from CCSSO and AEPOn Tuesday, October 13, MENC hosted a webinar for state leaders featuring officers from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) and our colleagues from the Arts Education Legislative Working Group that tracks legislative action.  The webinar entitled "Federal Policy & State Implementation for State Leaders in Arts Education" covered accessing ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds from the U.S. Department of Education programs Race to the Top (RTTT) and Investing in Innovation (I3).Click here to view the webinar and associated documents.10/2/2009 - U.S. Department of Education Stakeholders Meeting on Reauthorization of ESEAOn September 24 the U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan made remarks at the monthly stakeholders meeting regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and why we can’t wait.“Let us build a law that discourages a narrowing of curriculum and promotes a well-rounded education that draws children into sciences and history, languages and the arts in order to build a society distinguished by both intellectual and economic prowess. Our children must be allowed to develop their unique skills, interests, and talents. Let's give them that opportunity.”MENC Senior Deputy Executive Director Michael Blakeslee was in attendance at the meeting and asked this question of Deputy Secretary Tony Miller:“Are you in favor of, and will you push for, the public reporting of a wider variety of accomplishments of the schools and of students in all the core academic subjects?”Deputy Secretary Tony Miller’s response:“I think, principally, yes… we in education think transparency is very, very important to understand what is the state of learning at the state, district, and school levels, that allow parents and communities to engage effectively… And what we have learned is that there are no single metrics that best capture what is really effective learning.” Read the Department of Education press release, transcript or view video of the session.9/25/2009 - Common Core State Standards Available for CommentThe National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) released the first official public draft of the college- and career-readiness standards in English-language arts and mathematics as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a process being led by governors and chief state school officers in 51 states and territories. These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing, academic college courses and in workforce training programs.The NGA Center and CCSSO are encouraging those interested in the standards to provide feedback, which must be supported by research and evidence, by October 21 at www.corestandards.org.9/15/2009 - Secretary Duncan on the RecordOn September 3, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan held a town hall forum in Sacramento, CA.  In response to a question from a community member about promoting arts in schools, Duncan said:  "It's always the arts that get cut when money gets tight, (but) it's often band, choir, musicals, being on a sports team, being on a debate team that keep children in school.  We cannot afford to narrow the curriculum, and (teaching the arts) is one the best underutilized strategies for keeping children in school."9/3/2009 - Advocacy Letter to Your PrincipalUse the form letter below to send to your principal explaining the use of ESEA Title I funds for music education:Dear Principal [Insert principal’s name here],U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently penned a letter in support of arts education and as a reminder to education administrators that Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I funds may be used to fund arts education in our schools. The Secretary writes,“At this time when you are making critical and far-reaching budget and program decisions for the upcoming school year, I write to bring to your attention the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) defines the arts as a core subject, and the arts play a significant role in children’s development and learning process.“Under ESEA, states and local school districts have the flexibility to support the arts. Title I, Part A of ESEA funds arts education to improve the achievement of disadvantaged students. Funds under Title II of ESEA can be used for professional development of arts teachers as well as for strategic partnerships with cultural, arts and other nonprofit organizations.”I hope you will pursue these funds for music education because, as you may already know [Insert fact about music from the SupportMusic “Make Your Case” database here].Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to the upcoming school year.Sincerely,[Insert your name here]If you would like an electronic copy of this letter to format for your use, please e-mail advocacy@menc2.org.MENCTue, 13 Apr 2010 16:58:53 -0400http://www.menc.org/resources/view/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/XIvaAunVuUY/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/cM6MygxYqRo/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/qE8DNWjp_EM/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/1tPzFsGnWmc/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/EA0_CKMfOn4/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/PCn_6tYBeT0/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/SZMZhpLub5A/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/H55sL3dMaYk/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/fkjXwPkWDyg/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/VAG04v4IY5w/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/bxvFwPFqNfI/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/21f0rHyMZMA/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/pfzIaqCZEEo/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/JBlKMrV9SkE/the-recorder-legislative-news-feedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/yjkisGs4bDQ/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://www.menc.org/news/view/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorMichael A. Butera is New Executive Director of MENC: The National Association for Music Education RESTON, VA (April 9, 2010) – MENC: The National Association for Music Education today announced the appointment of Michael A. Butera, a seasoned association executive and former public school music teacher, as its new executive director. According to Scott C. Shuler, MENC president-elect and co-chair of the MENC Executive Director Search Committee, Butera brings “extensive experience building educator organizations in a number of states; considerable experience as a legislative advocate and registered federal lobbyist; expertise in refining and implementing effective strategic plans; and a fresh perspective and creative ideas regarding how MENC can improve its service to members and state organizations.” “MENC has undergone some major changes over the past few years in governance, conference structure and communication,” said Barbara Geer, MENC’s national president. “Michael Butera is a person who comes to us with vision and detailed new ideas. These characteristics certainly have the potential to raise the bar for our organization in ways that will be beneficial to all of our membership.” “I am looking forward to being a part of the MENC family,” said Butera. “The power and beauty of music is fundamental to a well-rounded education for every student. I celebrate the many accomplishments of MENC and its state affiliates in a time when the challenges are so great. Together our leadership will foster new gains in best practices, research and advocacy. I believe that partnering with the state affiliates, our many constituencies and arts coalitions will bring us to new levels of member engagement from prekindergarten through graduate school.” He added, “While today’s challenges are great, there is no better organization to fight for the cause of music education and educators than MENC.” Michael A. Butera is a former music teacher whose career path led him to numerous leadership roles at the state and national levels. After years of dedicated service to teachers of all subjects, becoming MENC’s executive director marks a return to his roots, working to support music teachers and their young musicians. He has served as the state executive director in three National Education Association state affiliates: Maine, Maryland and Wisconsin. Recently he left NEA’s national office where he served as the Northeast Regional Director, an area covering nine NE state affiliates. Before that assignment, he managed the Western States Government Relations Team which covers all states west of the Mississippi River. He also served in various association positions in NEA affiliates in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Oklahoma. Butera began his career as a public school music teacher in Munhall, Pennsylvania, teaching instrumental music in the entire system and directing high school band. He is a graduate of Duquesne University with a degree in Music Education. His primary instrument was the clarinet, which he studied under Nestor Koval. During his career he has served as President of the National Council of State Education Associations, chaired NEA’s Technology Compact Committee, was Treasurer of the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice and a member of the Board of Directors’ of the Member Benefits Corporation, a for-profit entity of the NEA. Butera has extensive experience in government relations. He served on the Economic Development Transition Team of Maryland Governor Glendening and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland Task Force on School Funding, Accountability and Partnerships. He also served on Wisconsin Governor Doyle’s Job Creation and Economic Development Transition Team. MENC retained a professional executive search firm, Association Strategies, Inc., to assist in the process of determining its first new executive director in more than 27 years. Nearly 100 applicants were initially considered. Candidates were then screened through two telephone interviews, a live interview with the search firm, a live interview with the MENC Executive Director Search Committee, and last, a live interview with the members of MENC’s National Executive Board, who made the final selection. The MENC Executive Director Search Committee was comprised of MENC members representing all MENC divisions and teaching levels, including state presidents and managers. The members were: Scott C. Shuler, Connecticut Department of Education – MENC National President-Elect (co-chair of committee) Paul Lehman, University of Michigan emeritus – MENC National Past President (co-chair of committee) Ron Meers – Immediate Past President, Tennessee Music Educators Association Cristi Miller – President, Oklahoma Music Educators Association Steven Schopp – Executive Director, New York State School Music Association; Past President, NYSSMA and MENC Eastern Division Betty Ellis – Past President, Alaska Music Educators Association and MENC Northwest Division Martha O’Neill – President, MENC Western Division; Past President, Nevada Music Educators Association Pamela Kaul, President, Association Strategies, Inc. (non-voting advisor) James Zaniello, Vice President, Association Strategies, Inc. (non-voting advisor)   The following are comments of members of the search committee and the MENC National Executive Board on the selection of Michael Butera. To read additional comments and view his full biography, visit www.menc.org. “Michael Butera began as a music educator but has made his career in the field of association management, where he has demonstrated a truly impressive array of skills and knowledge that will serve MENC very well in meeting the challenges that lie ahead.” -- Paul Lehman, MENC Past National President; co-chair of search committee   “Michael Butera brings expertise to MENC that will allow us as an organization to take a fresh look at how we can best support music educators and the students we serve.” -- Craig Welle, MENC Southwestern Division President   “Michael Butera brings his vast and varied experience to MENC at a time when we face some new and unique challenges. His strong background in negotiation and problem solving should serve us well.” -- Steven E. Schopp, Executive Director, NYSSMA--New York State School Music Association; MENC search committee member   “Michael Butera is the epitome of ‘thinking outside the box’ -- exploring refreshing strategies that will ensure the success of MENC's mission and goals.” -- Betty Ellis, MENC search committee member   “I found Michael Butera to be direct, yet sensitive to those he spoke with. He is a sincere, intensely interested, thorough individual. I believe he exhibits the qualities necessary to lead MENC and all its members into a full leadership position in the 21st century. His knowledge of MENC is astounding -- he did an incredible amount of research about all our states, for example, and I believe this approach to leadership will benefit all our members. Data collection is another one of his strengths and I know we can all appreciate how this will help him as he begins the difficult task of leading MENC when our country is in this terrible financial crisis.” -- Martha Damon O'Neill, Reno, NV, MENC Western Division President; MENC search committee member   “The three issues that members are most concerned about are areas of strength in our new executive director: the ability to reach out to rank and file members and state leaders; expert, experienced skills with national advocacy imperatives; and the connections to make his voice heard.” -- Jeffrey E. Bush, MENC Western Division President-Elect   “I was impressed that he had researched MENC so thoroughly. He had a very strong grasp of our entire association and the complexities associated with it. He knows teaching and performing music.” -- Lynn Brinckmeyer, MENC Immediate Past National President   “I found Mr. Butera to be very organized, perceptive, and personable. He is a leader with vision and an entrepreneurial spirit!” -- Ron Meers, MENC search committee member   “I was impressed with his experience, knowledge, and understanding of state level associations and their relationships to a strong national office.” -- David Neves, MENC Eastern Division Immediate Past President   “Michael Butera is a ‘detail’ person. His special attention to every aspect of MENC will obviously make him an incredible leader in our organization.” -- Cristi Miller, MENC search committee member   “Mr. Butera is a person whose attention to details, skillful questioning techniques, and political savvy will help MENC realize many objectives in its strategic plan.” -- Glenn Nierman, MENC North Central Division President   Butera is currently working with senior staff and officers to better understand MENC’s structure and national organization. He assumes full-time duties on May 1.   MENC: The National Association for Music Education, among the world's largest arts education organizations, marked its centennial in 2007 as the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. Through membership of more than 75,000 active, retired, and pre-service music teachers, and with 60,000 honor students and supporters, MENC serves millions of students nationwide through activities at all teaching levels, from preschool to graduate school. MENC's mission is to advance music education by encouraging the study and making of music by all. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC's activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education. MENC is located at the National Center for Music Education in Reston, VA.  MENCMon, 12 Apr 2010 11:33:48 -0400http://www.menc.org/news/view/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/gd796HdHntM/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/R3fKqfElPtY/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/mHXLa8EWAL0/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/FAJ6ZMM1bNM/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/rspBmjHthps/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/0PUVEhaw2Bo/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/1exTFin_0u0/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/WU8XC0JGvI0/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/xkZvvO7GpMo/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/sRguwfIcQnU/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/lCM0Oc1QgUM/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/MnUjrEPAuJg/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/96Wpgg-hqxo/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ZaRKAHfWLXA/press-release-menc-announces-new-executive-directorhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/NRxM1VCkozQ/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedAre your string students attached to jazz? April is Jazz Appreciation Month and it could not be a better time to incorporate jazz into the curriculum. Why? The study of jazz not only addresses the National Standard on improvisation but also is a means for teaching a genre that is deeply rooted in America's musical history and that your students deserve to learn. Here are some tips from two MENC members on how to incorporate jazz into your curriculum: Schedule class time each week to let your students improvise. Sight-read jazz arrangements on a regular basis. Listen to jazz recordings and discuss the similarities and differences between jazz and traditional phrasing, rhythms, and performance techniques. Have students research the great jazz artists and styles and give brief reports to the class.   Steven Chetcuti started a Jazz Club, which includes winds, brass, percussion (mallets), vocals, and strings . . . and we're not just talking about the upright bass! For cello players, Chetcuti uses a guitar octave pedal and a cello bridge pickup to bring the instrument down an octave. The group meets after school and students learn tunes and improvisation licks, set up small and large combos, and ultimately perform for school and community events. From violin to viola, from cello to bass, string players are always involved. Dean Sorenson believes that jazz instruction need not displace other important parts of the string and orchestra curriculum. "The technical and listening skills that students must learn in order to play jazz will cross over into any kind of music they play. To come full circle, learning about performing jazz music makes students better overall musicians. What could be more valuable than that?" Sorenson says. April is the month to get your string students attached to jazz. Jazz Appreciation Month Jazz Appreciation Month Lesson Plans Jazz Forum Music Education Week in Washington Jazz Academy MENC member Steven Chetcuti is a music teacher at Somers Middle School in Somers, NY. MENC member Dean Sorenson is Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus. -- Nicole M. Springer, April 6, 2010, © MENC: The National Association for Music EducationMENCTue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:29 -0400http://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/N3KB5v4Phvk/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/f2BKZsX_lx0/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/z9auaDvzYJc/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/vcEWix-OqBw/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/nUKeBDdaeuk/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/AfG1EUmT0Mc/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/klCSZk5CVr0/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/Wev6TCiE4vA/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/QHcVFGl-ocU/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/RyhBhA66VFg/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/Rc4V-vJcULE/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/M-oLFRHMyFc/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/rU5cljo5UZE/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/Bc4avWUxW1k/all-that-jazz-with-strings-attachedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/7LVo8Px258g/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://www.menc.org/resources/view/teaching-music-current-featured-article Gaining Independence: An Interview With Jamey Aebersold One of jazz education’s true pioneers describes how learning to improvise can liberate young musicians. By Brad Howey Jamey Aebersold is an internationally known saxophonist and authority on jazz education and improvisation. His series of jazz play-along book and CD sets are valuable tools for music teachers, and his weeklong summer jazz workshops—now in their thirty-third year at the University of Louisville in Kentucky and thirty-seventh year overall—have had a profound effect on musical communities around the world. His untiring dedication to the belief that anyone can improvise has inspired countless thousands to learn and play jazz. A graduate of Indiana University, Aebersold was awarded an honorary doctorate by his alma mater in 1992 and received the Jazz Midwest Band Clinic’s Medal of Honor in 2004. He recently retired from the music faculty at the University of Louisville, where he headed the jazz studies program that now bears his name. He will be presenting at the Society for Jazz Education academy at MENC’s Music Education Week in Washington, DC, in June 2010. For a video of Aebersold discussing and demonstrating improvisation at MENC’s Music Education Week 2009, visit the Music Education Week Video Gallery. Teaching Music is pleased to offer this exclusive interview in recognition of Jazz Appreciation Month. Mr. Aebersold, how and when did you get started teaching improvisation? Back in the ’50s and ’60s, many of the [school] bands that played weren’t very jazzy because a lot of the arrangements didn’t have any improvisation; they were arrangements being played in a kind of dance-band mode. But things started to change as people began writing arrangements that reflected an understanding of and appreciation for jazz improvisation. Throughout the ’60s, [jazz educator and trombonist] David Baker, [jazz educator and saxophonist] Jerry Coker, and I began publishing things that actually taught you how to improvise. It was a big step, because no one else was doing that yet. We stressed improvisation because, although the big band arrangements were important, we were interested in trying to get everybody to solo, not just the chosen few. Your goal was to take the mystery out of improvisation. Yes. That’s what we have been trying to do. There’s really no mystery to it. You put in the hard work and practice and be conscientious about it, and you’ll see results in a hurry. But I have to say, I never dreamed that at age 70 I would be doing something like this. When I started out I saw myself as a jazz player, not a music educator who has gone on to run a publishing company [Jamey Aebersold Jazz, which now boasts 127 titles in its Play-A-Long series alone—Ed.], the summer jazz workshops, and all of the teaching that those projects entail. I thought that first record [1967’s Play-A-Long Volume 1: How to Play Jazz and Improvise] would be published by the Berklee College of Music, which was already publishing music at the time. But it wasn’t, so I put out [Volume 2:] Nothin’ but Blues. [Jazz educator and pianist] Dan Haerle suggested the ii–V7–I album [Volume 3: The ii-V7–I Progression], and I can still remember saying to him, “Dan, nobody even knows what a ii–V7–I is. Who would buy that?” He said, “Well, if we put it out there, they’ll find out what it is.” So we put it out, and the rest is history. I’m still amazed at how many of the ii–V7–I progression sets we sell in a year’s time. People are exploring that harmonic avenue and they want something to play along with. How do you think your work has changed people’s concept of jazz and of what’s going on up there on stage? Hopefully it’s brought more people into the arena, gotten people off the written page, and gotten them to where they’re trying to play what’s in their head. That’s so important; otherwise you just end up being frustrated and bound to the printed page. This photo and below: Aebersold performs with his regular quartet, including pianist Steve Crews, bassist Tyrone Wheeler, and drummer Jonathan Higgins. So to you, improvisation is about independence? Absolutely. If musicians can solo over tunes and chord progressions, they can begin to have a kind of creative freedom. They’ll begin to buy and listen to recordings, because recordings end up being some of our best teachers. And if they’re educators, they’re going to be better teachers because they can hear and understand what their students are doing. You become a better player, a better teacher, and a better listener. You have personally taught thousands of people to improvise. What’s the hardest part for beginners to overcome? It’s this stupid mystique we have that says that if you’re going to play a jazz solo—just a simple little solo—it’s gotta be perfect. Nowhere else do we try the first time and succeed completely. It’s like going bowling for the first time and expecting every ball to be a strike. We wouldn’t expect anybody to do that, and yet when it comes to taking two choruses on the blues, people freeze up. They know what to do—their fingers are ready, their minds are ready, they’d love to do it, but they’re scared to death because they’re afraid of making a mistake. It’s as if we think that that one wrong note is held forever, and everybody’s gonna hear it. That’s just not the way it is. It dies right out, and it’s gone. You’ve been such a big part of jazz education as we know it today. Where would you like to see it go from here? Well, I’d still like to see more emphasis on improvisation in the educational setting. I realize it’s hard, with so many students in the classroom at a time. But if you teach people how to improvise, they can play music the rest of their lives. When all you teach them is how to play the second tenor part in a big band, they’re not going to directly use that once they leave school unless they’re able to play in a community jazz band—and there aren’t very many community big bands. Imagine if the only time you could use math is if there’s 20 people in the room with you, or if the only time you could write is if you could find 20 other people to write with. This is what’s happening in many of our school music programs. Once you leave school, what do you take with you? You take a valuable experience, but you can’t directly use that experience unless you have some kind of musical outlet. So my emphasis has always been on getting people to improvise, so that when they’re 15, 20, or 50 years old, they can go wherever they want and play music. And teaching students to improvise is really not that difficult. You just tell your band they’re going to play “Mary Had a Little Lamb” in the key of B-flat. Give them their starting note (concert D), and when they ask where the sheet music is, tell them they’re not going to use music. Do that each day—working on nursery rhymes, building their ears and their confidence. And then put on my Volume 24 record [Major & Minor in Every Key] and do B-flat major for five minutes. Tell them to go up the scale and back down once together, and then ask them to take turns playing eight-bar improvised solos. Do that for a week, and you’ll not only introduce your students to improvisation; you’re liable to hook five or six of those students on improvisation for life—actually playing music they enjoy in a way that they can continue long after they’ve left the band room. Summer jazz camps like yours are such a large part of what’s happening in jazz education today. Why have they become so popular? Jazz camps are the only place where these kinds of learning and playing opportunities exist. Where else is someone out of high school or college going to learn how to play in a combo, or take a theory class, or get the kind of instruction a camp can provide? We also get many people who are still enrolled in school coming to camp because the educational system just doesn’t cater to the improviser—it caters to the band player. You’ve had the chance to experience jazz education all around the world. What do you see as a weakness of jazz education in America, and what do you see as our greatest strength? Our greatest weakness has to be that jazz education isn’t emphasizing improvisation enough—we’re not getting enough students improvising. We’ve got band directors who don’t know anything about improvising. If they don’t understand it, how can they teach it to their students? And those students end up teaching other students. It’s a ripple effect. It’s sad that our colleges are turning out music educators who are being asked to teach two things that their college didn’t prepare them to do: 1) how to run a jazz band, and 2) how to improvise. And I just don’t know when it’s going to change. Every college in America that has a music education department needs to feature a jazz pedagogy class. Imagine: 30 or 40 years ago we all thought that within 10 years’ time there wouldn’t be a need for these summer jazz workshops because jazz at the high school level was gonna be so strong that everybody would be doing it there! Boy, were we wrong. One of our strengths lies in the wealth of jazz education materials, whether it’s Jamey Aebersold Jazz or Hal Leonard or Warner Brothers or what have you. Anyone who wants to learn can go out and buy a book and learn. CDs are available everywhere—and in many cases you can even hear things for free. The materials are out there. But as I said, I’m so disappointed to see that our colleges are still not providing these young teachers with the skills they really need to teach. Any final words? My overriding theme is that anyone can improvise, and if you give me five minutes with ’em, I’ll have ’em improvising! Even if they’ve been playing for 60 years, I’ll get ’em improvising. All it takes is a couple of notes, a little background, and a little encouragement—and off we go! Learning to improvise opens up a whole new world for people, and to me, that is very, very gratifying. Brad Howey is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Idaho, an award-winning author, and an active performer. While teaching high school music in Alaska, he founded and directed the Sitka Jazz Festival. --Brad Howey, April 2010, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education. This article originally appeared in the April 2010 issue of Teaching Music magazine.MENCMon, 05 Apr 2010 08:45:20 -0400http://www.menc.org/resources/view/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/PeYF5crhbus/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ptL35y4gRTU/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/FlYBJc4CW5E/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ki2Bdg4f_C8/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/H0oNh-nEizw/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/B7NpsSkelxo/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/WQqQ8bUX_WA/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/yfgeQebMD_I/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/3bXHEzSPWaM/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/8Q14wwrew_w/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/M97-AI6XV-M/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/iLVeCviXwvo/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/pd8w3AQGSak/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/jZRkZ3k6yBY/teaching-music-current-featured-articlehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/k6VaEru7wpg/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://www.menc.org/news/view/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemsThe FCC has announced that all wireless microphones that broadcast in the 700 MHz frequency band (which includes any frequencies between 698 MHz and 806 MHz) must cease operating no later than June 12, 2010. The FCC seeks to prevent unlawful interference with public safety entities and commercial users that operate on the 700 MHz band following completion of the Digital Television transition last June and to prevent your members from receiving interference while using their microphones. Wireless microphones currently operate in a variety of different frequency bands, including many frequencies outside of the 700 MHz band. Only those wireless microphones using the 700 MHz band must cease operating. Some wireless microphones that operate in the 700 MHz band can be successfully retuned to operate in frequencies other than 700 MHz. If the wireless microphone operates only in the 700 MHz frequency band, it will need to be replaced. For more information, including a list of banned microphones, visit FCC -- 700 MHz wireless microphones or call the FCC Consumer Hotline at 1-888-CALL-FCC. --Elizabeth Lasko, March 31, 2010. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education  MENCWed, 31 Mar 2010 14:21:42 -0400http://www.menc.org/news/view/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/kfpd7z8pOfI/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/gfGtuLlcGLs/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/MIGi5s4h6z8/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/aZcz6-5psH0/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/FjfTWfGMEEU/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/xERqiHZ2W0I/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/Fh9aPSLoUG8/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/4DdGy7kcDtY/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/WkQMqjusEIs/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/9LnSSCHFTzg/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/qsBEF3u6Y2c/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/evnsjGPceuk/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/C9LwaUShT4I/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/4O0fK1PxxZ4/fcc-bans-hundreds-of-wireless-microphone-systemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/5M5W_dmwAD4/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-toneTo get your orchestra’s rehearsal off to a good start, it’s advisable to have everyone warm up first. And yet, due to schools’ short class periods and teachers’ long rehearsal to-do lists, warm-up time is often neglected or even nonexistent. Still, those orchestra directors who do make warm-ups a regular part of the rehearsal period have learned an important thing: ensembles that warm up together usually stay together. The time an orchestra devotes to warming up can pay off exponentially for the rest of the rehearsal and for actual performance. “The warm-up is a vehicle for preparing youngsters for the rest of the rehearsal,” says Jim Robinowitz, retired orchestra director for the Arlington Central School District in Poughkeepsie, New York. “Most importantly, it is time spend at the beginning of each rehearsal that I use to get the kids to focus on playing together.” During this key time, string players get their fingers moving and settle into the state of mental concentration needed for rehearsal. According to Robinowitz, the most important feature of the warm-up is that it “sets the tone” for the subsequent rehearsal. A director that takes warming up seriously will demonstrate to the ensemble that players should approach other parts of the rehearsal with the same steadiness of purpose. Warm-ups are also helpful because they establish a regular routine. The resulting sense of structure and predictability in the orchestra classroom can bolster a group’s cohesion. Turn to page 54 or your April 2010 issue of Teaching Music to read the entire article by Cynthia Darling. -- Nicole Springer, March 31, 2010 © MENC: The National Association for Music Education.MENCWed, 31 Mar 2010 13:04:34 -0400http://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/KmCHzNvBl9A/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/fqHZJ0GS4to/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/JnT_L3ls5xc/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/pfx-cghyVcI/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/kVQ3vOxlZMM/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ejmI8kgcWzw/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/xnaacBBsXIM/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ygz4F6Gy6qc/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/SHxkVHUcyr4/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/5zW9qXwdaDU/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/fPE9025tPXo/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/Ea2Mbqhx5dQ/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/9ZhPWVmfnvA/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/UiP60sl-_TY/the-orchestral-warm-up-setting-the-right-tonehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/5Xc1Ez8kOko/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/april-swings-with-jazz-resourcesAmerica’s original art form is celebrated every April in many ways in schools and communities. Here are a few recent resources for you and your students: Smithsonian Jazz, a portal to a large quantity of jazz history, photos, and recordings.   All About Jazz is the University of Denver, Colorado’s premier jazz resource, and contains articles, reviews, and audio and video clips of performances.   The Jazz section of the MENC Web site offers short articles on jazz topics and new ideas to explore.   MENC’s Jazz Forum offers an opportunity to discuss jazz-related topics 24/7.   Musicforpeople.org contains suggested resources and articles on teaching improvisation.   Aebersold.com, the site of jazz educator Jamey Aebersold, offers lists of teaching resources.   Books Jeffrey Agrell, Improv Games for One Player. Michele Caniato, The Jazz Ensemble Companion. Zachary B. Poulter, Teaching Improv in Your Jazz Ensemble: A Complete Guide for Music Educators.  [For this and other MENC books, go to Rowman & Littlefield Education.] Articles Brad Howey, “Gaining Independence: An Interview with Jamey Aebersold,” Teaching Music, April 2010. Adam Perlmutter, “Improv for Everyone,” Teaching Music, April 2010. Mac Randall, “Jazz in the Classroom,” Teaching Music, April 2008 Derek T. Smith, “Development and Validation of a Rating Scale for Wind Jazz Improvisation Performance,” Journal of Research in Music Education, October 2009 Check out MENC’s Society for Jazz Education and My Music Class (a lesson-plan library--MENC ID required to log in). An Internet search will yield even more jazz topics, ideas, and teaching suggestions. Looking Ahead:  Music Education Week in Washington will include a Jazz Academy June 28–29, 2010. --Ella Wilcox and Linda Brown, March 31, 2010, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)  MENCWed, 31 Mar 2010 13:03:45 -0400http://www.menc.org/v/orchestra/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/HeZMtYe49mw/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/JmchInbJOBw/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/b93VLJZuu1I/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/07Ac-6Br7C0/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/b-riLWQcq1A/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/iUPhTJmMLaI/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/BRtaxsUkp94/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/1DyIfxshrwM/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/yFlwDzEzww0/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/kqa6uT7AkcU/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/N4e02QOhjEk/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/vzxUoCGQbwI/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/ZnluRBd9aks/april-swings-with-jazz-resourceshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MencOrchestra/~3/btHQ4Y5PY5U/april-swings-with-jazz-resources