When the world went into lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jayme Hayes tackled online learning with gusto. “I became a content-creating maniac,” she said. “Resources like method books, online theory tools, even YouTube instructional videos were not made for 100% online teaching, and that was the biggest problem I faced at first. I realized I needed to create content that matched my program and me as a teacher. I created practice and assessment tools with Boom Cards, YouTube and Flipgrid for almost every lesson.”

Much of what Hayes learned, experienced and taught during remote and hybrid teaching has now become a central part of her classroom at Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Magnet Middle School. She effectively reaches students at their level of understanding by providing more resources and chances for them to succeed. “I still incorporate online tools like Boom, Flipgrid and YouTube, but they are more spread out throughout the week or quarter,” she says. “We use iPads for composition projects, tuning activities, aural skills activities and listening evaluation. Students are given multiple opportunities to show their level of proficiency as we learn and develop music skills.”

She was so adept at teaching remotely that the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) asked her to speak at its virtual convention. Her presentation focused on how virtual teaching did not have to be any less effective, impactful or educational than in-person teaching. “It was a session about our mindset when it came to teaching online,” Hayes explains. “We were/are still educators who are passionate about our students and music. I refused to allow the screen to remove that from my classroom, and I tried to empower others to do the same. I do not teach music to young people, I teach young people through music. A camera wasn’t going to stop me from doing that.”

How did Hayes find ways for students to make music remotely? “With comic relief mixed in with high expectations, honesty and transparency,” she says.

Each quarter had a theme and everything was planned around that theme. Hayes used poems and children’s books to learn about improvisation, composition, teamwork and performance. “Every day we played with recordings, metronomes, call and response, singing and playing,” she says. “We played interactive games using rhythms and our instruments like charades, Pictionary, Clue and a very creative version of Among Us that I got from the Band Directors Facebook page because there are other teachers who are a lot more creative than me.”

Hayes admits that honesty was the biggest part of the shared creativity with her students. “I told the kids that I was trying my best with these new crazy ideas, and they were eager to try them out,” she says.

Jonathan Helmick’s booming laugh will draw you in — and you’ll be glad that it did because this thoughtful and caring music educator has established a welcoming culture at Slippery Rock University. “Part of establishing that culture is living it,” he says. “I take time to get to know my students and meet their parents and family. I also try to intentionally engineer a culture within the program where current students reach out and connect to first-year members.”

Helmick teaches more than musical skills and knowledge. “It is my responsibility to curate a space where students have the opportunity to grow in the area of their dispositions and embrace vulnerability,” he says. He emphasizes this point by telling his students to “hug the cactus, embrace the vulnerability.“

Helmick explains, “As musicians, we understand how vulnerable it is to make music. Encouraging students to take healthy risks, step into the spotlight and actively own their trajectory and growth always run parallel to the curriculum on paper.”

He also tells students to see music as a game with purpose and to focus on building skills, confidence, independence, self-efficacy that transfers to all facets of their lives.

During the pandemic, Helmick surveyed his students on how to stay connected with each other when they were completely apart. One topic overwhelmingly captured their interest: diversity in the wind band. During the rest of the spring semester, Helmick and his students explored music by diverse composers and music that was connected to themes of diversity.

“When the semester was over, students wrote to me explaining that this unit provided them with the first opportunity to see themselves in much of the music that they listened to and performed,” Helmick says. “This was particularly true for LGBTQ2S+ students.”

Helmick went a step further for the fall 2020 semester and gave the SRU Symphonic Wind Ensemble a special project. “They were to analyze the content of our library to see if the composers in our library proportionally mirrored our ensemble and society,” he says. “The students went so far as to compare the demographics of our music building, campus and country to the composers listed in our library.”

The results of this project are being leveraged to write grants to commission underrepresented composers to write for SRU’s ensemble, “giving our students actionable ways to meaningfully impact equitable programming practices,” Helmick says.

A student in the San Elijo Middle School (SEMS) band described Anastasia Homes as “strict but chill” — and she considers that high praise, indeed. “I have high expectations and standards, but I am always there to encourage the kids, help them through it and try to make light of the mistakes,” she says. “Kids have so much stress these days, music should be a place where they can enjoy being creative and develop skills to a level of their desire. My goal as a music teacher is to teach them about what it is to be a good person through music and give them a lifelong appreciation for the arts.”

Homes has found creative ways to instill music appreciation in her students. She worked with percussion coach Zachary Elliott to start a world music course, an after-school percussion class that meets once a week. In the class, which is supported by an expanded learning opportunities (ELO) grant, students pick out instruments and music to expand on music elements from other parts of the world. “The kids are working on an African piece right now that they plan to perform at a percussion festival later this year,” Homes says. 

Homes saw how well a mentorship program worked for the band at San Marcos High School and worked with the high school band director, Geoff Radant, to develop a step-by-step plan to integrate the mentorship program at the middle school. Homes and her co-director, Shannon McInnis, created outlines for students to follow that included how to first contact their mentee, things they could work on in meetings and just how to break the ice. “High school students mentored our 7th graders, and 8th graders mentored our 6th graders,” she explains. “We tried to pair kids based on personality and instruments. All students volunteered their time and met when it worked for them. It is still a small element in our program, but my hope is that in years to come we can make it something even better. The students involved love meeting with older kids to hang out and improve their playing.”

Homes credits the entire community — administration, fellow teachers, directors throughout the district and parents — for her program’s success. “Our program at SEMS is amazing not just because of one person, but many,” she says. “This is a special place, and I feel lucky every day that I am here, inspiring our musicians to do their best and have fun.”

Amir Jones opens the doors for his students at Thomas W. Harvey High School to experience success. “Some of our students come from challenging socioeconomic situations, but this does not stop them from achieving at top levels and rising to every challenge,” he says. “When a student enters this program, they are given the best opportunity we can offer despite what other obstacles they may experience outside of our program.”

Jones makes this possible by taking a lot of the financial burden away from band families. More than 80% of his students are provided with instruments from the district, and the band fundraises as much as possible to help students travel. “We have a group of alumni that gives back through our booster program to help provide additional lessons and instruction so that students who may have a difficult time getting private lessons still have access,” Jones says.

When Jones started at Harvey High, he approached everything “as if we were a larger, more affluent ensemble,” he explains. “We started to travel yearly, we play music that pushed our limits, we purchased quality equipment, we performed on our local news and participated in as many performances as possible.”

Jones’ emphasis on recruitment and experiences has paid off. “The first time we performed at Large Group Contest, we received a superior rating,” Jones says. “As we continue to move forward, we hope to perform at the state level as well as at professional development conferences.”

To address more advanced players in the band, Jones started an Honors Band, which was “initially a volunteer group that met after school,” Jones says. “Then the Honors Band turned into the Wind Ensemble, and the 35 to 50 students in this ensemble play more difficult music and earn honors credit. My top goal for this band is to help students push themselves musically and play high-quality music at levels they have not experienced before.”

Jones is thankful for his community — from district administrators and parents to his music staff, colleagues and local band directors — for their overwhelming support of the arts. He regularly collaborates will all of them “as we continue to find ways to best serve our students.”

Damon Knepper is described as the “king of calm,” which he says comes from watching his favorite leaders and teachers remain strong in the face of adversity. “Remaining strong doesn’t mean ignoring the problem or brushing it aside, but rather to be the rock for your students so that they have somebody to latch onto in times of crisis,” he explains.

Knepper had to rely on this inner strength when he and his program suffered a tragic lost in April 2021 when his brother, Nicholas, who was a percussion director at Ironwood Ridge High School passed away from complications from epilepsy. “I got through this — the most tragic event I have ever faced — by being authentic and vulnerable with my students,” he says. “During this time of immense grief, I needed them as much as they needed me. If students were sad and wanted to talk, I provided a safe and calm place for them to do so.”

Knepper has been a rock at Ironwood since he completed his student teaching there in spring 2016. During this learning period, he formed relationships with students, parents and other teachers in the department, which made the transition to becoming part of the faculty as a percussion director much easier. He then worked alongside Mark Hodge as associate director bands before taking over the program this year.

“The bands culture was already healthy, but I am a believer in reinventing oneself every so often,” he says. “The biggest changes I made this first year as director of bands was a major rebranding of our music programs with a new logo and push to be more visible in our community because it’s the 20th anniversary of our school. I am only in year one of this process, but it has really reinvigorated my students about being part of something bigger than themselves.”

Knepper has brought a unique creativity to Ironwood. “I arrange and compose much of the perfomed music for my pageantry arts ensembles, including marching band and indoor percussion,” Knepper says. “The collaborative design process is one of my absolute favorite parts of my job!”

Two years ago, the show for the indoor percussion team was based on the life cycle of the agave plant. “The Arizona agave plants’ lifecycle is incredibly beautiful, but sadly, it dies shorty after blooming,” Knepper explains. They performed Bon Iver’s 22 (OVER_s∞∞n), which is about “the fragility of one’s existence and how life could be over at any moment, which resonated with our students and audiences throughout the competitive season,” Knepper says.   

He also is on a constant quest to find new sounds for his students. “I am a huge fan of choosing repertoire that exposes my ensembles to extended techniques on their instruments,” he says. “Bowing metallic instruments, muting/muffling surfaces and running live instruments through filters in DAWs [digital audio workstations] are frequent occurrences in my music classroom. I want to expose my students to 21st century technology and how musicians use these tools to enhance their performances. I want my students to be able to not only record themselves, but manipulate sounds to expand their creative sound palettes as artists.”

Despite many ups and downs health-wise during the last six years, including some that have taken Katie O’Hara LaBrie away from the classroom, she has remained committed to advocating for music education. “Whether I’m mentoring a fellow teacher, Zooming with an orchestra across the country, creating content for a conference presentation, writing music for colleagues or creating guides to learning, I have kept the creative nature and the spirit of music education close at hand, despite my physical setbacks,” she says. “In some ways, having my own physical hurdles has kept me open to others in a unique way. Understanding that you never truly know what’s going on in someone’s day or someone’s life is a valuable lesson that has changed how I approach students and situations over time.”

When the pandemic started, LaBrie’s band director husband was looking for materials to use during distance learning. “I came up with ‘Distance Duets,’ which is a set of five progressive duets from grades 1 to 4,” she explains. “The idea was to let students create ensemble-based music when live ensembles weren’t possible. Students could record and play along with their own recording or share with a friend. I gave these compositions away for free and was excited to see students from elementary through high school using them both during the start of the pandemic and today.”

At the same time, LaBrie wrote “Epic Quest,” which was commissioned by the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education in memory of Larry Ferris, who ran the county’s Instruments for All program. “This is a flexible recruitment piece that goes along with a story, ideal for encouraging new young musicians, with versions written for different ensemble types and levels,” LaBrie says.

Early in LaBrie’s career, she discovered that music students often don’t know how to practice, so she put together strategies to help students achieve “OMGs” (Obtainable Musical Goals). “Over time, I developed a method of practicing that focused on quality over quantity which created vast improvement of students’ understanding of the fundamentals of music as well as marked improvement in our rehearsals,” she says.

She  then worked with her band colleague, Tracy Magwire, to further develop practice strategies with “The Big IDEA” (which stands for Identify, Decide, Execute and Analyze). They created a website of free resources to share with the music community at practicewithpurpose.net. 

“One of the keys to teaching The Big IDEA is to teach the concepts in chunks and provide background knowledge,” LaBrie explains. “Through our resources we ease students into learning how to practice with purpose step by step. One of my big goals as a music educator is to share! Share music, share ideas, share resources.”

Harmony is Tracy Meldrum’s superpower, according to one of her nomination letters. Like “a composer arranging notes to create rhythms, chords and melodies, Tracy wields harmony to create symphonies of great people. She champions her students to harmonize their originality, voices and talents into a dynamic ensemble of unison,” the letter states. 

“It is extremely important to me that we all are accepting of each other above everything else. It’s okay if a couple of people don’t get along, that’s normal; but they MUST respect one another,” Meldrum says. “It is important to me that I am helping to raise good humans who are kind to each other and who realize they are a part of something larger than themselves. I think coming together in music is a wonderful vehicle to help teach all those other life lessons in addition to their musical education.”

Her students have definitely heard and understand her message. This year, Meldrum’s drumline was warming up before a football game, and they invited the other team’s drumline to warm up with them. “I love to see them accepting each other and other bands with open arms and kindness. That’s when I know I’m getting through,” she says.

A tradition for the Verrado High School band is singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” after every performance. Meldrum explains that for their first competitive marching band season, they played several Simon and Garfunkel songs, and that particular ballad conveys a timeless message. “I really wanted a song that would be truly meaningful to the kids no matter what year they were a part of the program, but also one that would hold sentimental value throughout the history of the entire program,” she says. “Now, all alumni and staff can come together and sing, and it is beyond powerful, and so special.”

Meldrum believes that music should not be an elitist program, so she has implemented several ways to offset band costs. In addition to fundraisers where students sell things like chocolate and sponsorships where donors are mentioned in programs or on banners, Meldrum started a “student X” fund. “Sometimes parents will donate a little extra to go where I want it to go, and I will put it into ‘student X,’ so if someone is coming up a little short, I have the means to help them,” she says.

Meldrum has also taken advantage of Arizona’s tax credit program where residents can indicate that they want their tax credit money ($200 for individuals or $400 if filing jointly) to go to their school and even to a specific program and a specific student. She created a form letter that students can slightly edit and send to their family and neighbors. “We have done ‘mailing days’ where I provide envelopes and return envelopes, and students provide stamps and addresses. We stuff envelopes with the letters, proper forms and return envelopes and send them out,” she says. 

As a private piano instructor, Tammy Miller has found a unique way for her students to feel like they are part of a larger musical community. “Each year, I do a studio challenge that each of my students participate in,” Miller says. “I teach an average of 40 students who range in age from 4-78! The yearly studio challenge is an extra special aspect of their experience in my studio, and it increases their excitement toward learning and provides added engagement in their music lessons!”

For this year’s challenge, “Piano Olympics,” students participate in a different Piano Olympic event each month. September was a practice challenge where students were given an individual 30-day practice chart. “If they practiced 30 days, they earned a gold medal that they write their name on and post on my studio wall; 20 to 29 days of practice earned silver, and 10 to 19 days was bronze,” Miller explains.

October was music history where students listened to four different episodes that Miller pre-selected on the Classics for Kids website and completed the activity/quiz. During November, or “Note-vember,” students came up with a new mnemonic device for the lines and spaces on the treble and bass clef. Piano Olympics will continue through May with upcoming events on sight-reading, rhythm, improvisation, technique, etc. “To date, everyone in the studio has participated in every Piano Olympics challenge and earned at least a bronze medal,” Miller proudly proclaims  

In addition to her private piano lessons, Miller serves as the artist faculty representative to the Omaha Conservatory of Music board of directors for the next two academic years. “This role allows me to be a voice for the faculty and give feedback to the board to assist with their strategic planning efforts and improvements or new programs/offerings within the organization,” Miller says. As an artist faculty representative, Miller participates on the Educational Programming and Community Outreach Committees, which allows her to work a little closer with the directors of both committees on how the organization can have a greater impact on students at the conservatory and throughout the Omaha Metro area.

Miller is also the founder and president of the National Composers Orchestra (NCO), the first professional musical ensemble and chamber music series in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and the artistic director and founder of the NCO Chamber Music Series that operates in partnership with St. Paul’s Conservatory of Music. “The goal of the Chamber Music Series is to promote the music of living composers and provide immediate access to high-quality musical performances for the Council Bluffs community and the students at St. Paul’s Conservatory of Music,” Miller says. “In addition to high-quality live performances, students and audience members have the opportunity to meet and talk with guest artists and composers in a post-concert meet and greet.”

Project Music is so much more than just an after-school music program. “We are cultivating change makers through music,” says Executive Director Gabrielle Molina. The program is open to young music students in the Stamford, Connecticut, area and includes free instruments, music instructions, mentorship and opportunities to perform.

“I’m most excited about our newest initiative that we are calling our ‘Learn & Earn Program’ where we train and pay our student leaders to help around Project Music,” Molina says. “These jobs include music librarian, equipment manager, speaker and tour guide for guests, a performance track and so many more. The students have to interview, present a resume, work on a budget for how they will use their money, and learn skills that will be directly translatable to college or a job.”

Prior to being named executive director, Molina was program director and focused on embedding Project Music even further into the community and working alongside other community partners that care about the kids, community development, education and the arts. “Now as executive director, I have to think about our sustainability and future positioning of the organization as we continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our community,” she says.

Currently, Project Music serves more than 100 students, but Molina’s goal is to more than double enrollment to 250+ through growing partnerships in the community. “I really believe that you have to meet students where they are, but with that being said, you have to also show them where they can go, all the possibilities that are open to them if they work and are ready to tackle challenges,” she says.

The approach Molina takes at Project Music is: If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together. “We — and I say we because I don’t do this alone, this truly is a together effort — have engaged more community partners and asked ‘how can we get involved, how can we enroll more students?’ There’s so much great work being done in our community, so it’s really just about finding a way to work together because we all ultimately want to see a better, brighter community and future,” she says.

Molina also founded Teaching Artists International (TAI), a nonprofit whose mission is to “develop global citizen musicians that support music education around the world,” according to its website. TAI partners with music institutions worldwide to provide teaching artists residency opportunities to travel, perform and teach.

Taking a class taught by Justin John Moniz is an experience you won’t soon forget. “I work to create a classroom environment that in many ways parallels that of a theater. I rehearse my lectures, tech my visual aids and spend considerable time working through my pacing and transitions,” he says. “I venture to create interactive, thoughtful and immersive pedagogical experiences, which enable students to take an ‘intermission’ from the outside world in order to discover their truest potential.” 

The vocal pedagogy program at New York University (NYU) — The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development is unique because it explores the “intersection of psychological health, the arts and communication,” Moniz says. “Our work enables us to build bridges and connect people around the globe by way of vocal music and individual expression.”

Moniz started the NYU Steinhardt Vocal Pedagogy Outreach Program to provide a platform for his graduate students to put their theoretical work into practice by working and engaging with disadvantaged communities across the state.

“The mission of the program parallels that of NYU Steinhardt: To advance the education, health and well-being of people and communities around the world. We achieve this by fostering knowledge, creativity and innovation at the crossroads of culture, education and human development,” he explains. “The graduate students in the vocal pedagogy program devised five unique workshops surrounding the themes of vocal efficiency and sustainability, technique versus style and vocal health. Each of the workshops engaged students in various virtual modalities.”

Moniz plans to continue to develop the vocal pedagogy program, and “I hope to broaden our reach by facilitating workshops with a growing number of geographically, culturally and economically disadvantaged communities across New York State,” he says.

Observing the impact of his teaching and mentorship when his students find success in their own teaching, research or performance pursuits “inspires me to be a bigger, bolder and braver lifelong learner myself,” Moniz says. 

Bryant Montalvo was teaching abroad when the COVID-19 pandemic started, and he knew it was time to come home. When the opportunity to begin a new choral program at Central Falls High School presented itself, he couldn’t pass it up — even though his classes would be taught 100% remotely. “Most students who were on my class roster didn’t even know that music was being offered! Because of distance learning, creating traditional music ensembles was not feasible, so I created and developed the current curricula for Music Composition and Music Production classes solely around music technology to give my students an immediate, hands-on learning experience with music,” Montalvo explains.

In Music Composition 1 and 2, students utilize music notation software to build the necessary foundational skills of music literacy. Students create their own melodies and compositions and with the software’s playback capabilities, they can immediately hear what their work sounds like on various instruments.

In Music Production, students learn how to use a digital audio workstation to create their own beats, loops, remixes and original work through solo and collaborative tasks. The class also listens to and analyzes pop, hip-hop and current top-chart songs. “By utilizing the music that is currently streamed into the headphones of my students, the music room becomes a student-led learning environment,” Montalvo says. “I designed this course to be project based, so each student has useful, lifelong skills as well as a digital portfolio of work to share.”

Watch this fun YouTube video that Montalvo made at the end of the last school year where he raps about the new music courses! 

Central Falls is a Title I school where the majority of students are immigrants. Montalvo tells his classes that “in music, it takes everybody. You cannot leave a single person out when creating music, and everyone has to work together,” he says. He builds community among his students by ensuring that everyone learns and uses others’ names in the classroom to ensure that all students feel valued and respected. Montalvo’s students also drive their own learning and select repertoire they want to work on.

Montalvo also uses movement activities and games (which, Montalvo says, aren’t reserved for elementary students). “My high school students love a challenge when they have to work together, such as games that require beat making, keeping time and collaboration,” he says. 

The music program at Central Falls was started thanks to a portion of ESSER funds granted to the school. Montalvo also applied for five grants in the last year — and received all of them. “One of the grants we received was from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and National Association for Music Education (NAfME) to start a new Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter,” Montalvo says. “I am excited to be the first music teacher at Central Falls High School to induct students into this honor society this year at honors night.” 

Cody Newman says his daily calling is empowering students to be in the band program. “It is so important to give away the reins to our young leaders as they will soon be given the reins to determine the direction of their lives and the lives of their future families,” the director of band says. “What more important job do I have than to empower young people to rise to overcome the challenges they will encounter?”

The goal of the band leadership team at Forney High School is to create “a culture of unity through selflessness, positivity and encouragement,” Newman says. “When our students strive to accomplish these things, our music and performance goals are simply byproducts of their true success.”

In 2021, Forney High was in the news because Micah Diffee, a student in a wheelchair, wanted to join the band. “Micah is exceptionally capable and any issues he came across were solved by him and his friend around him,” Newman says. “There is, of course, the feel-good story about Micah, but what was much more important were the day-to-day operations that the rest of the students took part in with him. My hope is that the students who were Micah’s bandmates see people differently in the future. I hope that they won’t focus on perceived disabilities, but rather on the opportunities. It was a daily inspiration watching the students all working together.”

Inspiration and spreading positivity are reverberating themes in Newman’s program. After a great performance, instead of listing off all the accomplishments that the band has had, Newman decided this year to use that time to continue to spread the message that the Forney band directors teach daily. They recite Longfellow’s poem, “The Arrow and the Song,” which is about “the importance of words,” Newman explains. “Some words stick with you and hurt you like the arrow, while other words build you up and are carried in your heart like a song. This message is so important and helpful to the daily operations and culture within our program that I thought, why not continue to spread that message like wildflower seeds at each venue we participate in throughout the fall season.”

Newman knows that he lives a charmed life. “I have been so blessed to have been a part of several incredible teams of directors that molded and shaped me into the teacher I am today. I look at directors I get to work with daily and recognize that I get to do this with them. I look at these students and recognize that I get to do this with them. I look at my young family and beautiful wife and realize that I get to do this with them. The ‘them’ is very important to me.”

If you’re a student at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and have an interest in taiko drumming, just talk to Terry Nguyen! “Even though the UCR Taiko Ensemble is listed as a music ensemble in the Department of Music, anyone can join regardless of their major,” Nguyen says. “There are no audition requirements. Students are not required to have any prior musical experience. If they come to me with an open mind and a willingness to learn, then I will teach them!”

Nguyen is an alumnus of UCR, its Taiko Ensemble and Senryu Taiko (a student taiko drumming group). “I am not too far removed from the time that taiko started in Riverside,” she explains. “I am still in contact with the folks who laid the groundwork for taiko at UCR. It’s crucial to know this history, to have the first-hand experiences and to transmit the knowledge.”

Currently, Nguyen’s main focus is the UCR Taiko Ensemble, which is academic, and TaikoMix, a community-based performing ensemble that educates the public about the history and performance of taiko. “The majority of TaikoMix members are UCR and Senryu Taiko alumni, so it’s fun to have this living history that keeps growing each year,” Nguyen says. “The organizations support one another through sharing resources like taiko equipment and repertoire.”

Nguyen’s taiko class met off campus for nearly three years as she waited for the on-campus facility, The Barn Theater, to be renovated. Then came the pandemic. During the 2020-2021 fall quarter, some instructors were presented with an option of submitting worksite plans to offer in-person classes. The Barn’s renovation and expansion had just been completed that summer, so Nguyen formulated a plan that allowed her taiko class to convene in-person while also livestreaming for a synchronous class. Students who opted to come to class at the Barn complied with the strict sanitization protocols, including wearing masks and distancing themselves from one another. “As one of the first taiko/music ensembles to resume in-person rehearsals, I have shared the worksite plan with a couple of my fellow ensemble directors, as well as other taiko organizations, as they ramped back up to their in-person activities,” Nguyen says.

In addition to promoting taiko drumming, Nguyen finds ways to share Asian and Asian American cultural and traditional arts. “Aside from taiko, which I have been playing for nearly 20 years, I am one of few Tsugaru shamisen (Japanese three-stringed percussive lute) players in Southern California,” she says. “I am the principal shamisen player and artistic director of The Wagaku Collective, an all-traditional instrument ensemble that performs on shakuhachi/shinobue flutes, Tsugaru shamisen, Okinawan sanshin and, of course, taiko.”

See Nguyen’s shamisen (@tsugaruterry) Facebook and Instagram pages. Nguyen also appears as a guest artist with various taiko ensembles and musicians. She studies and researches the history of Japanese traditional instruments (wagakki) and folk music (minyo), which is reflected in her lessons and presentations.  

Tanner Otto admits to being a thief. “Most of my ideas have been ‘borrowed’ from other orchestra teachers,” he says. The idea for the marching orchestra came from his teacher, Brian Cole, whose middle school orchestra played and walked in the fall homecoming parade for years. “As a student I always enjoyed the experience of being in a parade and throwing out candy to those who came to watch. The homecoming parade at Sycamore Community Schools is one of my favorite events of the year. Most people expect to see the marching band in the parade, but seeing the orchestra is a fun surprise! The parade is a great way for us to be visible in the community and for our students to show their school spirit.”

The orchestra director adds that violins and violas walk the parade while cellos and basses sit on a flatbed trailer or in the back of a pickup — see the video of the marching orchestra in action.

Another “borrowed” idea was a concert that featured a glow-in-the-dark rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Otto says, “We started by putting glow-in-the-dark stars on the instruments, then we took it to the next level by buying glow bracelets for each student in our school colors. In the moments before we played ‘Twinkle Twinkle,’ students cracked their bracelets and put them on their bow hands. Once the lights were off, it created a super cool look. I even used a giant glow stick as a baton!”

These out-of-the-box ideas make orchestra fun and engaging for his students. He supplements the method book for his second-year students with pop songs or music from movies or TV shows. “Students love to play music they recognize, and many of them have pedagogical merit,” Otto explains. “For example, ‘Havana’ by Camila Cabello is great for refining the C major finger pattern and off-beat 8th notes. ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ is perfect for forward extensions. Many of these songs can be arranged into different keys, depending on what students are working on.”

Otto adds improvisation, composition and digital music creation into the curriculum. He says, “While improv is something we work on all year, composing and music creation are great units to do after concerts or before breaks. Students really enjoy these projects and I love seeing how creative their final products are.”

Another unique teaching method Otto uses is to have students work with partners to refine their technique. “Working with a peer is less intimidating and makes orchestra more social,” he says. “I find it especially useful when we begin working with the bow. In no time, students begin acting as the teacher, recognizing mistakes and helping their partner.”

Even his classroom setup is forward thinking. “Even before COVID, we sat in a grid with a few feet between each chair,” Otto explains. “Having space between each student really helps with classroom management and gives me the ability to walk around the room and get to every student. I also don’t have a podium or stand at the front of the room and that keeps me from being tied to one spot. I often walk around with my instrument so that I can play along or demonstrate.”

Kenneth Perkins started the Joseph Keels Elementary (JKE) chorus in 2012 — his first year as a music teacher. That year, he had about 12 kids in the choir, and for the winter concert, they performed “a whopping five songs accompanied by me on the piano,” he says. After that first year, Perkins’ music program grew each year until 2020 when COVID hit.

An offshoot of his large chorus was the recorder ensemble that he assembled to play with the singers. Perkins says, “We played fun songs around the neighborhood, traveled to nursing homes, participated in festivals and even went to Carowinds [an amusement park in North Carolina]!”

Fun is a constant element in Perkins’ classroom. “I try to create a fun learning environment that is filled with plenty of movement,” he says. “Children learn by doing and because of that, I believe in having my students do and perform as much as physically possible. Music-making is at its peak level when all children can participate and feel like they are contributing to the process.” 

Even at the elementary level, Perkins actively seeks new and culturally relevant information that he can merge into his lessons. “This allows my lessons to be more fresh and unique,” he says. “In many ways, I give students a choice in the direction that our music lessons can go. They have shown me that they relish these opportunities — which may be as simple as allowing my kindergarten students to choose between playing instruments or playing a game — which encourages me to do even more.”

Outside the classroom, Perkins is just as enthusiastic. “Throughout the school, I try to do as much as I can to spread the joy and beauty of music to both adults and children,” he says. “For adults, I formed a faculty and staff choir and sought voices that were trained and untrained to join. It was a smashing success — the faculty choir performs for several programs throughout the school year.”

He continues, “For the younger grade levels, I am constantly seeking field trips to the ballet or to the local orchestra at the Koger Center. For the older students, I’ve showcased their talents on our acclaimed morning news shows. Students have played the recorder, violin and even sung on air!”

JKE is also involved in the University of South Carolina Strings Project that selects 25 students by lottery and offers them string lessons. Perkins has contributed to selected students for that program as well.

Being a band director is the Pohland family profession. Joel Pohland’s father, Glenn, and his brother, John, are both band directors, and Joel learned from both of them that the key to building a great band program is building relationships beyond the band room. And that is exactly what he has done at Pierz Healy High School.

Pohland has an open-door policy for his students and shows them that they can trust him to be more than their band director. “I am not afraid to share personal stories, trials and exciting adventures in my life, and the students appreciate this so much,” he says. “They want to know that their teachers are human and go through problems just like they do. I hope that by providing them room to express themselves outside of the band room and ask for help outside of music, that students will engage more completely in the band room and have trust in me to guide them to be the best versions of themselves — as musicians and human beings.”

In addition to providing support to his students, Pohland also challenges them musically. He searches for and discovers new music from new composers that push the boundaries of what has normally been done in the band world. “New composers are writing fun techniques such as using paper (as in “Paper Cut” by Alex Shapiro) and so much more that engages students to a new level, which in turn engages our audience,” Pohland says. “I always try to find a central theme to our music, and I think that the students and audiences have really appreciated this because it adds to the overall concert experience.”

One memorable concert was the first performance after the COVID hiatus in the spring of 2021. “The Comeback Concert was incredible,” Pohland says. “There was so much passion and energy from the students — I’ve never seen so much excitement in the band room prior to a performance. It had been over a year since our last live performance, and the students were overjoyed.” 

Pohland appreciates the support his program receives from the administration and community. “Pierz is a really special place to work,” he says. “We have an incredible music team … and together we have created an incredible music program in our community, and the students have a place where they feel like they belong. So many students comment on how the band room is like a second home or an unexpected home — this is the greatest compliment I can receive as a music educator.”

Alec Powell considers himself to be a perfectionist, but he realizes that that can be a problem when teaching middle school students at Mountain Ridge Junior High. But his students are hard workers who constantly push themselves to be better. “They rarely want an easy day, and always surprise me with their tenacity,” he says.

Powell recalls that after a recent concert, he was out sick. He left his students to work in sectionals on some new music. “When I came back, not only had they learned their new music, but they memorized it. They wanted to surprise me with how hard they worked.” 

How does the director of choirs instill this work ethic in his students? “I tell my students that the most important part of my class is becoming better people. I don’t care if they are musicians after they leave my room, but I do want them to leave better,” he says.

Powell understands that the middle school years can be difficult, so he connects with his students through honesty. “I strive to be as authentic as possible and model that same behavior in my classroom,” he says. “I talk about the losses as often as I do the wins. I speak openly about therapy, and how it and music have greatly affected my mental health. I give my students the space to say what and how they are feeling, and I act as a listener, not a fixer.”

During the pandemic, Powell saw the immediate need for a feel-good moment since the winter concert was canceled. “Normally I arrange our final number for the top three ensembles, but there was no way for this to happen. Seeing how other amazing educators were working with their virtual choirs, I decided to give it a go. After arranging/orchestrating the piece, we spent the beginning of November rehearsing and recording outside.” 

Enrollment in his choir classes have increased dramatically. “I wish I had the magic formula for this,” Powell admits. “I think it has to do with class culture. I remember latching on to teachers I connected with, so I share stores about my life and experiences to humanize myself in the eyes of my students.”

Empowering students to lead, embrace new ideas with a positive attitude and actively support one another are the foundations of Benjamin Rogers’ vocal program at Liberty Middle School. “We recently added a ‘Choir Shout-Out Wall’ in our classroom where students can give their peers compliments, and the focus on building community helps rehearsal attitude and retention,” he explains.

Rogers established a Choir Leadership Council for each choir, which has four main roles to help classes run successfully: 1) Directors Assistants typically lead the class through kinesthetic and vocal warmups and literacy activities; they also run choral rehearsals when Rogers is absent. 2) Secretaries take attendance and oversee any organizational aspects of the choral classroom, from numbering scores to collecting them after a concert cycle. 3) Marketing Chairs are the go-tos for fundraising efforts and the group’s social media. 4) Wardens encourage singers to meet classroom expectations and handle any emergencies.

But the biggest change Rogers implemented was creating and getting approval for four voice-based choir tracks — beginning, intermediate and advanced treble, and advanced bass — instead of grade-level choirs. During the prior academic year, the school piloted an advanced mixed choir with a beginning treble and beginning bass choir. “With a strong recruitment initiative, our numbers grew in size to accommodate the four voice-based choirs,” Rogers explains. “Our school has a fantastic counseling team that supports our music program wholeheartedly and forms our master schedule around our ensembles.”

This shift from grade-level to voice-based choirs was done not only at Liberty, but throughout the district, which “means that our community is empowering our arts programs and paving the way for higher achieving music ensembles,” Rogers says. “We are able to differentiate our instruction for the different levels and types of voices in each choir in a more efficient way than when all students are clumped together as part of a grade-level choir.” 

With such innovative changes, it’s no wonder that choir numbers have more than doubled — even in the midst of a pandemic. Rogers has strong, year-round recruitment. “Our choirs record and send ‘virtual letters’ to our feeder schools with our choirs singing, we’ve done choral pen pals, we share our concerts with our feeder schools, and I join our counseling team on visits to the elementary schools,” he says. “After initial registration, I call every incoming 6th-grade family to encourage them to join one of our music programs at Liberty. We also recruit from our current student population with bring-a-friend-to-choir events, and I recruit from teaching a 6th-grade general music class to students who aren’t in a music ensemble.”

In this fast-moving world, it’s rare to encounter someone who thinks things through before acting. But that’s exactly what Mark Stanford does. “I make a conscious effort to take a step back and think about my response, answers and decisions,” he explains. “One way I have done this is by asking for the opinions of others, including students! And I seriously consider everyone’s opinions and suggestions — in fact, this year’s marching band show was entirely selected by the students.”

He took this same approach when he took over the band program at Springfield High School. “Not implementing too many rapid changes was important because each program has its own unique culture and expectations that must be learned and considered before making changes,” he says. “Upon my arrival, the Springfield band program already was headed in a positive direction. Keeping in touch with the former director and talking to colleagues helps me make decisions and changes that improve the program while honoring its legacy and traditions.” 

Recruitment has been a primary focus for Stanford as he grows the band’s enrollment. “We have a district tradition of doing a side-by-side concert with the 8th-grade and high school bands,” he says. “We also have an 8th-grade band night, where 8th graders rehearse and have fun with the high school marching band. I also host several recruitment meetings led by current band members who share their experiences, and we emphasize that students can be involved in band and athletics by working with the district media team to have our athlete/musicians featured on social media.”

With his training on Pro Tools software and music technology instruction during his master’s degree program, Stanford was asked to help set up the new music lab and develop the curriculum for the digital music production class. Along with his colleague, Mike Zubert, Stanford worked with the district to purchase Pro Tools along with desk-mounted microphones and MIDI controllers, which maximized desk space. “The new curriculum gives students the opportunity to learn about concepts of music by creating and producing on industry-standard software,” he says.

On top of band and digital music courses, Stanford teaches a guitar and ukulele elective for which he developed curriculum and content with Zubert.

Amanda Schoolland embraces the traditions of Metlakatla where she teaches. S’malgyak, the native language of the Tsimshian people who live in Metlakatla, is a dying language. “I work with members of the community and school to revive the language by using phrases in class,” Schoolland says. “In addition, we often sing songs in S’malgyak, and a local dance leader has gifted some of his original compositions to the high school band. We perform at least one of his pieces every year and use locally made hand drums decorated with Tsimshian Northwest Formline Art.” 

Music is a big part of Metlakatla culture, “creating a unique history on our isolated Alaskan island,” Schoolland says. “Because of this rich background, families encourage students in any and all musical avenues. When I proposed marching in the Fourth of July and Founder’s Day parades, students were eager to give it a shot. We rehearsed through the month of June and marched in our town celebrations. This was the first marching band in decades!”

The year before Schoolland joined the faculty of Metlakatla High School as the music director, the music department was all but gone. “It has been a wonderful experience to rebuild the program and see it flourish,” she says. “Even after school hours, the band room is often filled with students excited to share their accomplishments and gain more confidence in their musical abilities. My students are gifted artists and interesting, creative individuals that make our music ensembles unique, tightly bonded and uplifting.”  

Schoolland also helped revive the community choir, which used to sing Christmas carols for the holiday celebration in town. “Years prior to my move to Metlakatla saw the group perform sporadically,” she explains. “A piano player who began accompanying the school choir mentioned the community choir, and together we contacted former members and invited new singers. The first year was a small group, but consistency proved to be the key, and the next year was much larger, filled with incredible voices and camaraderie.”  

In her quest to grow the music program, Schoolland lobbied school and district administrations to introduce a strings program when she saw the lack of string ensembles at the elementary and middle school levels. She then sought out grants to secure instruments through the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Colorado Public Radio, as well as through local community donations. “The first year, students participated in beginning orchestra,” she says. “By the second year, we were expanding to two and three ensembles to accommodate the number of students and various skill levels.”

In addition to music, Schoolland also teaches computer science. She keeps organized by using checklists and reminders. “For instance, I choose music selections early so I can study scores and compile sheet music for students well ahead of deadlines,” she explains. “In computer science, students are required to ask others for assistance before referring questions to me, so they are learning and teaching constantly. That leaves me more time to work with individual students on complex coding concepts. I thoroughly enjoy all the different hats I wear, which makes it easy to stay motivated.”  

You’ll experience more than just playing the piano when you take private lessons from Jennifer Stadler. “I work hard to keep lessons interesting for my students (and myself!),” she says. “I maintain a massive library of resources including physical and digital games, educational apps and practice incentives to keep my students motivated throughout the school year.”

Stadler also provides a variety of performance opportunities in her piano studio, and she makes sure to include fun elements. “Students attend regular studio classes where they perform solo and ensemble pieces for a small group of peers,” she says. “They also engage in cup rhythm ensembles, sight-reading relays, digital escape rooms and other fun group activities.”

Her students also participate in two formal recitals ­— one in the winter and one in the spring. “The winter recital always includes a group sing-a-long, which everyone enjoys. During the quarantine, we continued this tradition over Zoom (with extended family, thanks to the online format) and also played holiday trivia,” she says.

The spring recital is different each year, according to Stadler. “One year, students created a storyboard of images that was projected on an overhead screen while they performed,” she says. “Another year, students created green-screen performance videos, where they appeared to be playing in another time or place (e.g., playing ‘Hedwig’s Theme’ inside Hogwarts) using chroma key technology. This multimedia project fostered creativity and musical connection — and the students had a ton of fun doing it.”

Students also participate in events outside of Stadler’s studio like the Central Oklahoma Music Teachers Association (COMTA) Clavinova Ensemble Adventures, a collaborative event where they perform in an orchestra of digital pianos, and the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association (OMTA) Achievement Auditions, a non-competitive adjudicated event where they can earn ribbons, medals and trophies.

With her tech skills, it’s not surprising that Stadler is a member of the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP) Technology Committee, which is responsible for planning all aspects of the preconference technology track. She has presented sessions on  a variety of tech topics, including multimedia and long-distance recital ideas, the role of virtual reality in music performance and education, and green-screen technology.

Brandon Tambellini knows that high school can be a difficult time for students. He tells his students at Blackhawk High School that instead of focusing on “what I can do,” they must focus on “what we can do.” He says, “In every group, every private lesson, at every level, we put our energy into creating music together, and students have found that they have grown together, which has changed the culture of ‘me’ to the culture of ‘we.’ At its core, students join band because they want to make music, but they also create lifelong friendships, establish a positive work ethic and inspire each other to strive for success.”

When the pandemic forced the closure of the school, the band director continued to have his students focus on their ability to make music despite the inability to play together. “Although the world was shifting and changing around us, it did not eliminate our love for the craft,” he says. “My job was to teach music in whatever format possible. When we returned to school, we found that our love for music as a group was deeper, and we were able to give more to the process of learning and performing because of the independent growth of each student during our time apart.”  

The return to school after the shutdown made Tambellini analyze what the district needed from music education, which led him to make a controversial decision — he removed the Blackhawk marching band from the competitive season. “As much as I wanted to put together an impressive competition show, our students and community needed something else,” he explains. “Instead, we focused on a football-style show. At the same time, I still scheduled, rehearsed and treated the group the same as if they were competing. Good music is still good music.”

Another recent change to the music program was adding Jazz Band to the curricular school day. A unique aspect of Blackhawk High School’s schedule is that there are classes during the 30-minute homeroom period. “I decided that a jazz/homeroom class would be an easy way to have rehearsal every day without interfering with after-school activities,” Tambellini says. “My students were excited and felt that making music together would be a great way to start the day. Regardless of the 7:30 a.m. start time, the Jazz Band has doubled in size in one year and continues to grow.”

The Jazz Band recently attended the Winter Lights Festival in Beaver Falls. Even though it was a bone-chilling 20 degrees, the students performed extremely well and “the members of the community complimented them for weeks following the performance,” Tambellini says. “Music educators must teach our students to give back to our community by giving the gift of music. Businesses, nursing homes, charities and other community-sponsored events are continuously looking for ensembles to perform, and the students need to know that their music means something to the community.”

The secret behind the success of Vandergrift High School’s marching band — including being crowned the 2019 Bands of America Grand National Champion — is teamwork. “We have been very fortunate to have an incredible team of educators working side by side at Vandegrift HS over the past eight years,” says Katie VanDoren, the associate director of bands. “Mike Howard [the director of bands] and I have worked together the whole time, and we complement each other well. We haven’t reached our limit yet!”

Not only has the band garnered awards at national competitions, the program has grown in numbers and quality. VanDoren believes that this growth is due to “the incredible work happening at our middle schools, and the profound support we experience from our school and district administration, and our community.”

This support was vital during the pandemic. “This year, after our students finished their last performance, I experienced one of my proudest moments as an educator,” VanDoren says. “For the  seniors and juniors who made it through the COVID years and the sophomores and freshmen who made it through a real year of marching band, it was a feeling of immense pride to watch them finish and be proud of themselves and their journey.”

VanDoren is involved in several other organizations that advocate for music education. She is the assistant brass caption head for Santa Clara Vanguard, a clinician for Music for All and a member of SASI Leadership (a student leadership organization where she works as a facilitator at site-based camps and on the education team for drum major camps). “Managing the different roles I play during the year comes down to having a great support system in my husband and those I work with in each arena,” she explains. “There is definitely a lot of time spent working, but I am fortunate that everyone I surround myself with is also passionate about establishing boundaries for free time and family time.”

VanDoren is a true believer of continuous improvement. “There is always something personally or within any given system that can be better, whether you are looking at efficiency or efficacy,” she says. “Gradual, small improvement over time is what makes the big things happen!”

Instrumental Music Director Armond Walter weaves some of the valuable lessons he learned from his mother — for example, “you define what success looks like” and “it’s not always about winning, rather what you learn or how you grow in the process” — into his classrooms at Meadville Area Middle School and Meadville Area Senior High School. “I tell my students to ‘do your best,’” he says. “While this mostly pertains to auditions and performances, it is something they can use in all other aspects of life. We discuss that there’s always room for growth, and we should be constantly evaluating ourselves to not only be better musicians, but better individuals.”

Walter knows that activities, teachers and peer relationships are some of the strongest incentives for students to come to school and do well. “Music is my avenue to connect with a broad range of students who can feel at home in my classroom because they are comfortable to be themselves without fear of judgment,” he explains.

However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, going to school was not an option. At that time, Walter was the president of the District 2 chapter of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), and he worked with other directors in his area to brainstorm and share ideas following the release of a national performing arts aerosol study and how to minimize the risk of COVID  transmission.

“There was a basic plan created that each director could customize to best fit their program and school district,” Walter says. “While the results of our efforts varied across the area, many schools were able to continue with in-person rehearsals for jazz band, concert band, orchestras and other ensembles. For those who were not able to return to performing right away, we facilitated Zoom meetings to ask questions and discuss what directors could do to keep students engaged.”

While Walter was earning his master’s degree, he was told to advocate for his students because “someone was once an advocate for you or else you wouldn’t be here.” This pay-it-forward approach is something Walter takes to heart. “The achievements we see in our department are not influenced by one person, but many,” he says. “Through band, chorus, orchestra and drama, we work to offer our students a variety of opportunities that they enjoy and take ownership of.”

The Westfield High School band has a hashtag — #BandFamily — that resonates with students, staff and families. According to Director of Bands Chris Vitale, “The key ingredients of #BandFamily at Westfield are kindness, acceptance, respect and support. We are proud that we have students from every walk of life within our school community in the band. Each year, I am amazed and inspired by how accepting our students are of each other no matter what the circumstances.” 

Vitale considers himself lucky not only because of his students and their families, but because he works in a supportive district filled with talented and dedicated music educators, including his co-director, Trevor Sindorf.

To motivate and inspire his students, Vitale maintains a good balance between high standards and positive support for his students. “And I have always tried to be bluntly honest with my students,” he says. “When they do well, I tell them … and when they don’t, I don’t shy away from making that known. They appreciate the honest approach and the sense of accomplishment that they feel when they reach their goals is far greater as a result.”

Every other year, Vitale runs a leadership book club that is open to any student. The club reads Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” over the course of several months and meets before school every few weeks to discuss various topics covered in the book. “I keep things very casual and try to let the students drive the discussions,” Vitale says. “The agenda of the book club is for everyone involved to learn more about themselves, myself included. Each time we run the club I learn from my students, which I find very fulfilling!”

Vitale views high school band as a vehicle to build good humans. “Through music we can teach acceptance, empathy, communication, accountability, time management and teamwork, among other things,” he says. “I tell students that you don’t have to be best friends with everyone in our band, but you do have to learn how to work together and help each other be successful. By helping others, you create a better experience for yourself — a win-win. If I can teach that and foster a love and appreciation for music along the way, then I think I’m doing everything I set out to do as an educator.”

Vitale is also a leader throughout the state and helped start the New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association (NJMBDA). “After the 2019 marching season, directors throughout New Jersey began conversations regarding a need for an organization solely focused on providing an educationally sound marching experience for the bands of our state,” he explains.

The nonprofit NJMBDA had over 70 high school bands join in its first year. “We look forward to growing in 2022 as an organization run by directors focused on providing world-class adjudication at a low price,” Vitale says. “We have a fantastic team of dedicated educators working together to drive the organization forward, including my co-president Erik Lynch [from Verona High School].”

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association in presenting its annual in-service conference.

Pennsylvania’s 1.8 million public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of Pennsylvania as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you!

The Pennsylvania Music Education Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult these past two years have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and we want to express our appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by and say hi to us in the exhibit hall. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum.

If you need help or have additional questions, please feel free to reach out directly to us at Dave Clark or Matt Davis. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the Kansas Music Educators Association in presenting its 2022 Professional Development Conference.

Kansas’ nearly 470,000 public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of Kansas as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you!

The Kansas Music Educators Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult these past two years have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and I want to express my appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by and say hi to me in the exhibit hall. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum.

If you need help or have additional questions, please feel free to reach out directly to me at wkreitz@yamaha.com. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the California All-State Music Educator Conference in presenting its 2022 Convention.

California’s nearly 6.2 million public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of California as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you!

The California All-State Music Educator Conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult these past two years have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and we want to express our appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by the exhibit hall so we can chat, or you can email me at jqueen@yamaha.com with any questions. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone, and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the Texas Music Educators Association in presenting its 2022 Convention.

Texas’ nearly 5.5 million public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of Texas as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you!

The Texas Music Education Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult the past two years have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and we want to express our appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by the exhibit hall so we can chat, or you can email me at cmanners@yamaha.com with any questions. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone, and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

— Chris Manners, District Manager, School Services Division, Yamaha Corporation of America

Thursday, February 10

• 8:15 – 9:45 a.m. – General Session, Baylor Gold Trumpet Ensemble. Wiff Rudd, Director (Lila Cockrell Theater)
• 9:30 – 8:00 a.m. – SFA Clarinet Quartet. Christopher Ayer, Director (CC North Lobby Music Showcase)
• 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Mary Karen Clardy and Daniel Pardo’s clinic “Musical Collaboration Builds Unity from Diversity” (CC 225)
• 12:30 – 1:00 p.m. – Stephen F. Austin State University Percussion Ensemble. Dr. Brad Meyer, Director (CC Bridge Hall Music Showcase)
• 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. – Michael Martin’s clinic “Go Play Outside! The Cavaliers Orchestral Approach to Brass” (CC Stars at Night Ballroom 3-4) 
• 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – All-State Rehearsals: “Techniques and Best Practices”
  • • Kevin Sedatole (Symphonic Band) – CC 007
    • Michael Burritt (Percussion Ensemble 6A) – CC 209
    • Emily Threinen (ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
    • Jeffrey Grogan (Symphony Orchestra) – CC 006
• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – All-State Rehearsals: “Techniques and Best Practices”
  • • Kevin Sedatole (Symphonic Band) – CC 007
    • Michael Burritt (Percussion Ensemble 6A) – CC 209
    • Emily Threinen (ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
    • Jeffrey Grogan (Symphony Orchestra) – CC 006
• 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – All-State Rehearsals: “Techniques and Best Practices”
  • • Kevin Sedatole (Symphonic Band) – CC 007
    • Michael Burritt (Percussion Ensemble 6A) – CC 209
    • Emily Threinen (ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
    • Jeffrey Grogan (Symphony Orchestra) – CC 006

Friday, February 11

• 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Texas A&M University, Kingsville Trumpet Ensemble. Kyle Millsap, Director (CC Bridge Hall Music Showcase)
• 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – All-State Rehearsals: “Techniques and Best Practices”
  • • Kevin Sedatole (Symphonic Band) – CC 007
    • Michael Burritt (Percussion Ensemble 6A) – CC 209
    • Emily Threinen (ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
    • Jeffrey Grogan (Symphony Orchestra) – CC 006
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Percussion Educators Roundtable with Lamar Burkhalter and Jerriald Dillard (CC Stars at Night Ballroom 3-4)
• 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. -ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
  • • Kevin Sedatole (Symphonic Band) – CC 007
    • Michael Burritt (Percussion Ensemble 6A) – CC 209
    • Emily Threinen (ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
    • Jeffrey Grogan (Symphony Orchestra) – CC 006
• 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Kennan Wylie’s clinic “Simple Steps to Successful Beginning Percussion” (CC Stars at Night Ballroom 1-2)
• 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Robert Soto’s clinic Slideology: A Guide to Your Middle School Trombonist
• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – All-State Rehearsals: “Techniques and Best Practices” 
  • • Kevin Sedatole (Symphonic Band) – CC 007
    • Michael Burritt (Percussion Ensemble 6A) – CC 209
    • Emily Threinen (ATSSB Symphonic Band) – Hyatt Regency Ballroom East
    • Jeffrey Grogan (Symphony Orchestra) – CC 006
• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Wiff Rudd’s clinic “Side by Side: Building an Effective Community in the Studio” (CC 303)
• 8:00 – 8:50 p.m. – University of Texas Wind Ensemble. Jerry Junkin, Director (Lila Cockrell Theater)

Saturday, February 12

• 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. – Richard Floyd’s clinic “The Seven Deadly Sins of Music-Making” (CC 221)
• 9:30 – 10:20 a.m. – ATSSB All-State Symphonic Band. Emily Threinen, Director
• 11:15 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. – All-State Percussion Ensembles. Michael Burritt, Director (Lila Cockrell Theater)
• 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. – Texas Tech Trumpet Ensemble. Andrew Stetson, Director (CC Registration Music Showcase)
• 7:00 – 7:50 p.m. – All-State Symphonic Band. Kevin Sedatole, Director (Lila Cockrell Theater)
• 8:30 – 9:20 p.m. – All-State Symphonic Orchestra Jeffrey Grogan, Director (Lila Cockrell Theater)

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the Ohio Music Education Association in presenting its 2022 Convention.

Ohio’s nearly 1.7 million public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of Ohio as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you! 

The Ohio Music Education Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult these past two years have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and we want to express our appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by the exhibit to chat, or you can email me at dclark@yamaha.com with any questions. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone, and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the Utah Music Educators Association in presenting its 2022 Professional Development Conference.

Utah’s nearly 660,000 public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of Utah as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you! 

The Utah Music Education Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult these past two years have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and I want to express my appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by and say hi to me in the exhibit hall. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum.

If you need help or have additional questions, please feel free to reach out directly to me at wkreitz@yamaha.com. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

— Wes Kreitz, District Manager, School Services Division, Yamaha Corporation of America 

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) in presenting its 2022 Conference.

Florida’s nearly 2.7 million public school students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. We applaud how you embrace the pioneering spirit of Florida as you map out innovative and trailblazing ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you!

The Florida Music Education Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult this past year has been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and I want to express my appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by and say hi to me in the exhibit hall. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum.

If you need help or have additional questions, please feel free to reach out directly to me at driccio@yamaha.com. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

— Dino Riccio, District Manager, School Services Division, Yamaha Corporation of America

Yamaha Master Educator Michael Pote, Director of Bands, Carmel High School (Carmel, Indiana)

• Session Title: “Yamaha Harmony Director 101”
• Session Date and Time: Saturday, January 15, Time TBA
• Description: The new Harmony Director HD-300 combines the HD-200’s powerful ear training with dynamic new educational features and a simplified user interface. The addition of a mobile app that can act as a stand-alone tuner as well as a hardware controller makes the new HD-300 a complete package that can not only make a teacher’s job easier but also help their students play “IN TUNE, IN TONE, IN TIME and at the CORRECT VOLUME.”

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome! We are thrilled to join the North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA) in presenting its 2021 Convention.

North Carolina’s approximately 1,450,000 K-12 students are lucky to have access to music programs led by dedicated band, choral and orchestra directors like you. From the Outer Banks to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and every point in between, we applaud how you showcase your Tar Heel pride as you map out innovative ways to engage and educate your students. Thank you!

The North Carolina Music Education Association conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support and professional development. We know how difficult this past year has been as we have navigated through these uncertain times, and we want to express our appreciation and gratitude for everyone involved in making this conference possible. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

Stop by and say hi to me in the exhibit hall. We’ll be showing some new instruments in the booth, including the Harmony Director, the YBS-480 Baritone Saxophone, and the MS-9414 Marching Snare Drum.

If you need help or have additional questions, please feel free to reach out directly to me at afrank@yamaha.com. Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

Have a wonderful conference!

— Adam Frank, District Manager, School Services Division, Yamaha Corporation of America

Yamaha Master Educator: Michael Pote, Director of Bands, Carmel High School (Carmel, Indiana)

• Session Title: “Yamaha Harmony Director 101”
• Session Date and Time: Monday, November 8, 12 – 1 p.m.
• Description: The New Harmony Director HD-300 combines the HD-200’s powerful ear training with dynamic new educational features and a simplified user interface. The addition of a mobile app that can act as a stand-alone tuner as well as a hardware controller makes the new HD-300 a complete package that can not only make a teacher’s job easier but also help their students play “IN TUNE, IN TONE, IN TIME and at the CORRECT VOLUME.”

Through the Yamaha Educator Suite blog site and SupportED magazine, Yamaha reaches thousands of educators with professional development tips, advice and resources. If you have questions or need help finding resources for your program, email us at educators@yamaha.com.

Here is a sampling of our top professional development articles:

• Post Pandemic-Planning Guide
• Celebrating Excellence in Music Education — “40 Under 40”
• 3 Tips to Start a Mariachi Program
• Try this Creative Composition Activity
• The ABCs of Classroom Management
• Quick Start Guide to Dorico
• Funding Resource Roundup
• Tips to Manage Workload and Find Work-Life Balance
• Work with Music Dealers to Enhance Your Program
• Build Diversity in Your Repertoire
• Dealing with Difficult Band Parents
• The Yamaha Master Educator Collective: Learn from Distinguished Teachers

Welcome members of the Texas Music Administrators Conference!

Our team is looking forward to working with you throughout the year and serving your professional needs in any way we can. Ask us about the free resources we have for you when it comes to program planning, advocacy, funding and other teaching and professional development needs.

The Texas Music Administrators Conference gives us an opportunity to connect with all of you and to remind you that Yamaha is your partner in music education, not just through our great instruments and professional audio products but also with resources, support, and professional development. We know how difficult the past year and a half have been as we have navigated through these uncertain times. We want to continue to hear about your programs and learn about you and your specific needs to see how Yamaha can partner with you to help.

You can reach me at cmanners@yamaha.com.

Sign up for the Yamaha Educator newsletter to access advocacy, professional development, information on instruments, resources, partnerships in education and more.

• Teacher In-Service 
• Music Education Tools 
• Professional Development 
• Program Health
• Winds 
• Percussion and Drums 
• Strings 
• Pro Audio 

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) was signed into law on March 11, 2021. This COVID relief bill extends or modifies several provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed in March 2020 and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) that was passed in December 2020.

The new relief bill authorizes $168 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund. The bulk of that funding falls under Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III), which will receive an additional $122 billion on top of the $54 billion (ESSER II) and $13 billion (ESSER I) that was allocated in the previous acts.

ESSER will help meet the needs of Texas public and nonpublic school students. The funds are a one-time program intended to assist with the COVID-19 response and can be used to address learning loss, student health & safety, and provide equity across school districts.

• TEA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Guidance Website
  • Texas Total ESSER Allocations
    • ESSER I: $1,285,886,064 — District Allocations
    • ESSER II: $5,529,552,209
    • ESSER III: $12,418,588,778 — District Allocations
• Release of ESSER III Formula Funds to Texas Public School Systems – Updated April 28, 2021
• TEA ESSER III FAQs that includes information about eligibility, timelines, grant summary, application process, requirements, allowable uses, reporting and funding
• TEA ESSER I and III Entitlements (Note: as of April 29, 2021, ESSER II information has not been posted)
• Texas Education Agency Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund Resource Page

More ESSER Information 

• ESSER Resources from Bob Morrison, Marcia Neel, NAfME and NAMM
• American Rescue Plan Act Fact Sheet, including a comparison of all three ESSER funds
• Use of ESSER Funds, a resource from ArtsEDNJ
• COVID Relief Funding in the Music Classroom, a resource from NAfME
• Educator video examples from the Give a Note Foundation — How to Get ESSER Funds for Your Music Program

Suggested Next Steps 

• Do Your Homework – “Find the Money”
• Download Resources
• Create Your Plan with Educators and Administrators using the ESSER III “Allowable Uses”
• Work with LEA grant personnel to submit a grant application

It is our honor to present GRAMMY© Award-winning composer, conductor, speaker and lyricist Eric Whitacre  as your keynote speaker this year at the Texas Music Administrators Conference.

Learn more about Eric’s new virtual school, The Beautiful Mess: Masterclass in Composition & Creativity, which comprises a dozen video masterclasses. (Eric Whitacre photo by Marc Royce)

There doesn’t seem to be enough superlatives to describe Tyler Swick’s energetic, entertaining and exhilarating teaching style. And accolades from parents and colleagues are just as numerous.  In several of his “40 Under 40” nomination letters, parents called him a “musical magician” and that his “his work ethic knows no bounds when it comes to ensuring he gets a smile out of a few extra kiddos.” Another parent simply stated, “It doesn’t feel like learning when it’s this fun!”

Fun is a big part of Swick’s Orff-based music classes at Ellis Elementary attended by more than 700 students, and his growing YouTube channel, Swick’s Classroom, which has videos of catchy songs that showcase his “cutting-edge creativity and a self-taught knack for audio and video production to create highly entertaining educational material,” according to another nomination letter.

Swick said he started the channel when “I went on paternity leave and wanted my students to continue to receive high-quality Orff xylophone instruction.” The channel now has almost 3,500 subscribers and more than 500,000 total views.

“The songs and videos are vehicles to get my students engaged,” Swick said. “The lesson may be about quarter notes but that’s hidden inside of a song about spending winter on the beach. The Halloween songs really get the students amped up about October. They get so excited to see the Chihuahua that I can sneak in learning about clave rhythms, shaker technique and minor keys!”

Swick writes and records songs quickly. For example, he had the idea for the “12 Days of Google Meets” on a Wednesday night, and it was on YouTube by Friday morning. “When I’m excited about a concept, I’ll skip sleeping to get the project done,” he said. In one month, that particular video has had over 12,000 views.

In May 2020, Swick received the “Heart of Education” award by The Smith Center. He used the $1,000 prize to purchase each Ellis Elementary student a pair of drumsticks, a scarf and a shaker, items that he calls for them to use during his remote learning classes.

“We are very lucky to have Mr. Swick at Ellis Elementary. His kindness, creativity, encouragement and support are wonderful examples for my daughter — and all the students — to follow,” wrote another parent.

Read about how Swick uses YouTube as a teaching tool. 

See what devices and tools Swick uses in his classroom — equipment that you may want to add to your wish list. 

Consider Swick’s fundraising strategies that do not require selling things. 

Don Stinson proves that you can go home again. Stinson is the director of bands at the high school he attended — Joliet Central High School. “I’ve thought about teaching at Joliet Central since I was 14,” he said. “Being only the fifth director in the program’s 110-year history is very daunting, but the students continue to rise to the challenge of honoring our band’s history and innovating for the next generation.”

The school’s demographics have changed since Stinson was a student there 20 years ago. It now serves a 75% low-income area with high mobility. “There may not be as much money in our population as there used to be, but we turn negatives into positives,” said Stinson, who is proud or the diversity and accomplishments of his ensembles.

Stinson has created more music-making opportunities at Joliet Central, including a second jazz ensemble, a guest artist series, a jazz lab experience and an introduction to band class. He also founded and directed the Joliet Young Musicians Mentor Band, a two-week summer program. “I ‘borrowed’ the idea of the mentor band from another school and tweaked it. By the end of the program, junior high students receive some musical instruction and our high schoolers experience some authentic leadership opportunities,” Stinson said.

On top of all of his teaching responsibilities, Stinson has a book, “Teaching Music to Students from Underserved Backgrounds,” coming out. The three key points in Stinson’s book are: 1) Money doesn’t solve all of our problems in education, effective and committed teachers are the key; 2) working to identify and combat implicit bias can help teachers help students and communities; 3) some students from low-income areas may not have the time or place to practice or focus on music outside of school; therefore, we must take the job of structuring our class time with rigor and flow seriously.

Read about how Stinson instituted a “practice-not-required” strategy at Joliet Central High School. 

Learn how Stinson uses his school accountability report card to make his band more representative.

Don Stinson and the Joliet Central High School band will be part of the Midwest Clinic’s 75th anniversary in December 2021. 

Just prior to the pandemic, some of Matt Moore’s percussion students at V.R. Eaton High School were selected as winners of the Percussive Arts Society’s “International Percussion Ensemble Competition.” But instead of preparing to travel to PASIC to perform a showcase concert in the fall, schools around the country shut down and conferences, including PASIC, were either cancelled or moved to a virtual format. (Moore’s students performed at the 2021 event.)

Moore immediately realized that not having live musical performances would have a profound negative effect. “Very early on in the pandemic, I put together a social-distanced marimba choir project to help connect percussionists during a very strange time when we were all suddenly home and without live music,” he said. “I received 111 submissions from percussionists all over the world! Middle school to professional level, including a handful of my EHS kids.” The video of the compilation showcases the talent of all the participants.

Thanks to his technical skills, Moore continues to connect with his percussion students through virtual classes with engaging digital content, and he helps them maintain and improve their musical proficiency. In one of his “40 Under 40” nomination letters, a colleague wrote, “Matt’s professional and approachable demeanor have fostered an environment that students thrive in.”

Already a music educator, composer and arranger, Moore decided to add entrepreneur to his list of jobs. He launched Waveform Percussion with Luke Vogt, his percussion co-teacher at Eaton. They incorporate electronic media into percussion education to create music that’s fun to play. “We hope to engage students in a way that meets them where they are — always an arm’s length away from their phone and earbuds and possibly learning remotely from home,” Moore said. “The music is curriculum based and educationally focused, and it’s flexible enough to be used by students in whichever learning environment they’re in.”

Read about Moore and his percussion ensemble’s the long road to perform at the PASIC.

Imagine being two weeks from opening night of your big spring musical production of “The Little Mermaid” when the entire state goes into lockdown because of the coronavirus. Andrew Gibb-Clark had spent the entire budget on the show and he knew that if his choral program was to continue, he had to have a performance in the fall. He received a list of mitigations from the Illinois Department of Public Health that had to be followed for all school activities, and brainstormed with the production team on how they could do the show. “We landed on a drive-in with students performing live inside, and the audience in their cars across the street, enjoying a drive-in movie style musical,” Gibb-Clark said.

The video feed of the students was projected on a large 11×22-foot screen in the parking lot and sound was transmitted through each car’s radio.

“The show went amazingly well and was well attended by the community,” Gibb-Clark said. “I am extremely proud of what my students were able to accomplish putting the show together in only a week!”

“The Little Mermaid” is just one example of how Gibb-Clark has impacted the choral program at Highland High School, which has grown by 50% under his leadership. In his first year, he added a show choir to Highland’s choir lineup that consisted of a capella, mixed, madrigal and chamber choirs. “The show choir started with student interest,” he said. “I told them that I would do whatever I could to get it started.” That meant meeting with other show choir directors and administrators, doing a lot of research, writing an action plan and presenting it to the school board.  “The school board agreed to provide the funds to purchase the necessary equipment to start the program, which has grown every year — providing another performance opportunity for our students,” Gibb-Clark said.

In one of his “40 Under 40” nomination letters, a colleague wrote,” Mr. Gibb-Clark’s ‘the-show-must-go-on’ attitude shows his unselfish caring toward his students.”

Read about how Gibb-Clark started the show choir at Highland High School.

Harrisburg Academy, a private preschool-12th college preparatory day school, has a long and rich history that dates back to 1784. When Michael Gamon began at the academy in 2012, he wanted to grow the already strong music program. He pushed to make strings an integral part of the academy’s music program, and violin became a required course for elementary school students. Realizing that some students simply weren’t interested in playing the violin, Gamon came up with an incredibly innovative and thoroughly modern way to engage all of his students — he created a role-playing game similar to Dungeons and Dragons!

He converted the curriculum into a series of quests and challenges. The game is called “Novice to Ninja” and encompasses seven books that students explore from year to year. Because this is the first year, only Book 1 has been revealed. “Musical selections became a way to cast spells, and our skillful execution determines our success as a class,” Gamon explained. “Technique and scales have become ways to break spells, solve riddles or gain the necessary skills to increase our power.”

Gamon oversaw the building of set pieces of the game’s land of Vitula (the old Latin word from which violin is thought to have derived) as well as a website. He later introduced miniature figures to the game — all of this added to the action and excitement of the story, which motivates students to be engaged and prepared. “Role-playing games are not about winning — they’re about a communal experience,” Gamon said. “Because solving the challenges is as much about applying the correct information at the correct time as performing well, everyone has something to contribute.”

Not surprisingly, the response from students has been overwhelmingly positive with “students drawing connections between logic, literature, science and music,” Gamon said. “My advanced students have been active mentors to other students because the focus of the game is on the skill of an entire class, not an individual’s success or failure.” 

Read more about how Gamon created the world of Vitula around his violin curriculum. 

Also see how Gamon uses his personal values to help him juggle his workload.

Gompers Junior High’s population is 97% minority and 100% low income. When Christine Adelmann interviewed for her position at Gompers, she expressed an interest in starting a mariachi program. “I believed that it would be well-received by the community and provide our students with a culturally relevant musical experience,” she said.

And she was right! The mariachi program launched in 2019 and was so popular that it was offered virtually to the entire district for the 2020-2021 school year.

“As a white non-Spanish speaking mariachi director, I have relied heavily on Joliet’s Hispanic community to make this experience valuable and as authentic as possible. I have always been very upfront with my students, and I told them that this ensemble was going to be just as much of a learning experience for me as it is for them,” Adelmann said.

Her Spanish-speaking students take the lead when it comes to learning lyrics and pronunciation. “This gives our student leaders a sense of ownership over the ensemble and emphasizes that we are all valuable members of the ensemble with important contributions to make,” she said. “I am humbled and grateful that our kids are always excited to share their knowledge of mariachi and their culture.” 

After the first mariachi performance, the community reaction was overwhelming and heartwarming. Adelmann said, “Knowing that we had created an ensemble that the community valued and could embrace brought me tremendous pride as a music educator.”