OMEA Spring 2013 web.pdf - Oregon Music Education Association

Spring2013OregonMUSICEDUCATORShare the Music pg. 4-7Optimal Experiences pg. 8-9Beginning Band pg. 18-20

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONOSU BandsEmbracing Our Tradition Since 1890Instrumental Music FacultyDr. Christopher Chapman, Director of BandsDr. Brad Townsend, Director of Athletic BandsDr. Robert Brudvig, Director of Percussion StudiesDr. Jason Silveira, Instrumental Music EducationDr. Jill Pauls, fluteFred Korman, oboeAnn Kosanovic-Brown, bassoonCarol Robe, clarinetNathan Boal, saxophoneLawrence Johnson, hornJay Chen, trumpetMichael Bevington, tromboneJáTtik Clark, tuba/euphoniumIsaac Andrew, tubaRichard Meyn, bassRyan Biesack, percussionbands.oregonstate.eduosumb.oregonstate.eduOSU Bands200 Benton HallCorvallis OR 97331bands.oregonstate.edu

Table of ContentsVolume LXV #4April 2013Featured ArticlesMusic Makers............................................................................... 2OMEA Sustaining Members ................................................................. 3Share the Music ............................. David Knapp and Alice-Ann Darrow ......... 4-7Optimal Experiences in the Music Classroom. .. Frank M. Diaz ............................... 8-9Update...................................... Tom Muller .................................. 102014 OMEA Call for Presentation & Performance Recordings ................................ 11Feel the Beat... Drum Circles. ................. Angela Wright ............................... 12Are You Teaching Singers .................... Christopher W. Peterson ..................... 17Beginning Band: The Day the Music Dies ..... Jason Gossett. ............................ 18-20Looking Back, Looking Forward .............. Jane and Jim Howell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Kids as Composers........................... Bradley L. Green .......................... 22-23IV-V-I ........................................ Cak Marshall and Dr. Rafael Hernandez .... 24-25It Always Comes Down to Food .............. Nevin Van Manen ............................ 27Advertiser IndexOregon State University Bands .......... IFCUniversity of Idaho ....................... 3Northwest Band Camps, Inc. .............10Quaver Music. ...........................13Pacific University ........................14Quaver Music. ...........................15Music Camps at Wallowa Lake............16Willamette University ....................17Whitworth University ....................25Portland Youth Philharmonic Association ..26Soundwaves ............................26University of Portland. ...................27Yamaha .................................28Portland State University ............... IBCOregon State University ................ BCOMEA Dates and Deadlines2013-2014OMEA Board Meetings05/18/2013 Full Board - TBA - Check websiteOregon Music Educator JournalEveryone is invited to submit articles for the journal toadmin@oregonmusic.orgFall SubmissionsS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3Deadline-08/15,Scheduled Mailing Date-09/30OSAA State Solo ContestSaturday, May 4, 2013, Lewis and Clark CollegeOMEA Chair- Tom Muller, tom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.usOSAA Solo Administrator- Kyle Stanfield, kyles@osaa.orgOSAA Choir ChampionshipsMay 09-11, 2013, George Fox UniversityMay 09- 2A/1A and 3A ChoirMay 10- 6A ChoirSpringOSAA Choir Championships continuedMay 11- 4A and 5A ChoirOMEA Chair- Matt Strauser, mstrauser@corban.eduOSAA Choir Administrator- Molly Hays, mollyh@osaa.orgOSAA Band/Orchestra ChampionshipsMay 08-11, 2013, Oregon State UniversityMay 08- 3A and 4A BandMay 09- String and Full OrchestraMay 10- 2A/1A and 5A BandMay 11- 6A BandOMEA Chair- Chuck Bolton, tubasat@aol.comBand/Orchestra Administrator- Cindy Simmons, cindys@osaa.org2014 Conference/All-StateJanuary 16 -19, 2014, Eugene, Hilton and Convention CenterSubmissions for presentations and performances are dueJune 30, 2013. Remit to Tom Muller, David Douglas High School,1001 SE 135th Ave Portland, OR 97233 or email the information totom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.us1

Music MakersOMEA Board of ControlOMEA PresidentTina BullOregon State Universitytina.bull@oregonstate.edu541.737.5603 c541.231.7361OMEA President-ElectTom MullerDavid Douglastom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.uss503.261.8386 c503.799.6684OMEA 2nd Vice PresidentGene BurtonHogan Cedars Elementarygburton60@comcast.nets503.665.0148 h503.661.2021OMEA Past PresidentChristopher SilvaDavid Douglas HSchristopher_silva@ddouglas.k12.or.uss503.261.8273 h503.661.1990OMEA TreasurerDavid Beckerdbecker@lclark.edu503.768.7464OMEA Executive DirectorsJim & Jane HowellBoard Advisors/No Votejanejim@oregonmusic.orgw541.962.6262 toll 877.452.6632c541.805.8683District ChairsDistrict 01 ChairNick BudgeGrant HSnbudge@pps.k12.or.uss503.916.5160 c503.481.3449District 02 ChairRob McGlothinSandy HSrobert.mcglothin@ortrail.k12.or.us503.668.8011District 03 ChairTerry DahlgrenSeaside HS/Broadway MSTdahlgren@seaside.k12.or.uss503.738.5586District 04 ChairSteve PhillipsAuburn ElementarySPhil25216@aol.coms541.322.3292District 05 ChairMelissa JacotSummit HSmelissa.jacot@bend.k12.or.uss541.475.7265District 06 ChairMary Ann VidourekGrant Union 1-12therock@centurytel.net541.575.1799District 07 ChairChris SchlievertCoquille HSgrandote743@hotmail.comh503.722.7055District 08 ChairAndrea BrockSouth Medford HSbroccoli_5@q.coms541.842.1493 h541.608.7517District 9 ChairCarl SorensenNyssa MS & HScsorensen@nyssa.k12.or.uss541.382.2287 h208.382.3559District 10 ChairGale GrahamGlide High Schoolgale.graham@glide.k12.or.uss541.496.3521 h541.496.3554District 11 ChairAubrey PetersonCorvallis High SchoolAubrey.Peterson@corvallis.k12.or.uss541.757.5907 c541.659.4681District 12 Co-ChairTim VianThurston High Schooltim.vian@springfield.k12.or.uss541.988.5352District 12 Co-ChairGabe DickensonCascade Middle Schoolgabe.dickinson@bethel.k12.or.usDistrict 13 ChairDavid KaysGladstone high Schoolkaysd@gladstone.k12.or.usDistrict 14 ChairLaura ArthurAthey Creek MSarthurl@wlwv.k12.or.uss503.673.7615 ext.4648District 15 ChairKevin SoonLiberty High School503.593.8202soonk@hsd.k12.or.usArea ChairsAdvocacy ChairFrank PetrikSherwood High Schoolfpetrik@sherwood.k12.or.uss503.825.5575 503.873.2046Band ChairTom MullerDavid Douglastom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.uss503.261.8386 c503.799.6684Business/Sust Memb ChrAl KatoJesuit HSakato98@yahoo.coms503.292.2663 ex. 7040h503.348.8673Choral Chair/ACDA RepEmily MercadoCrescent Valley HSemily.mercado@corvallis.k12.or.us541.757.5828Elem. Music ChairMelinda JordanVern Duncan Elementaryjordanm@nclack.k12.or.uss503.353.3270 c503.516.6782General Music ChairNevin Van ManenAllen Dale Elementarynvanmanen@msn.coms541.474.0917HistorianDavid Beckerdbecker@lclark.edu503.768.7464Orchestra ChairSean WilliamsStephens Middle Schoolsmw428@gmail.com503.910.6053Small Schools ChairSarah BurtonUmatilla HSbutlers@umatillasd.orgSMTE Co-ChairFrank DiazUniversity of Oregonfdiaz@uoregon.eduSMTE Co-ChairJason SilveiraOregon State Universityjason.silveira@oregonstate.eduState Solo Contest ChairTom MullerDavid Douglastom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.uss503.261.8386 c503.799.6684OMEA Recording SecretaryLaura ArthurAthey Creek MSarthurl@wlwv.k12.or.us541.513.7414Special Board Reps/LiaisonsOSAA Band/Orch Contest ChrChuck BoltonRetiredtubasat@aol.comh503.761.0688 c503.341.6214OSAA Band RepJennifer Brooks-MullerDavid Douglas HSJennifer_Muller@ddouglas.k12.or.us503.261.8246OSAA Choral LiaisonMarci TaylorWestview HSMarci_Taylor@beavton.k12.or.us503.259.5218OregonOSAA Choir Contest ChairMatthew StrauserCorban Universitymstrauser@corban.edu503.589.8167MIC RepresentativeCak MarshallPeripolecakmarshall@aol.com800.443.3592CNAfME RepresentativeBrandon NelsonPortland State Universitybrandonnelson01@gmail.comNW NAfME Region PresidentSean AmbroseMusic Coordinator,LCSDambroses@laramie1.org307.771.2105 307.630.71292 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O RAll-StateAll-State Band ManagerJennifer Brooks-MullerDavid Douglas HSJennifer_Muller@ddouglas.k12.or.us503.261.8246All-State Choir ManagerAubrey PetersonCorvallis HSAubrey.Peterson@corvallis.k12.or.usAll-State Orchestra ManagerMark BarnardSt Mary’s Schoolmarkjodi@aol.com;mbarnard@smschool.uss541.773.7877 h937.321.7625All-State MS Band ManagerAnn Mc BrideWest Orient MSmcbride2@gresham.k12.or.us503.432.3047All-State MS Choir Co-ManagerJulie CherryLeslie MSjulieannacherry@gmail.comc543.998.9448All-State MS Choir Co-ManagerAnna RikliStraub MSannarikli@gmail.comc541.556.7563All-State MS Orchestra ManagerBrenda SimmonsHigh Desert MSbsimmons@bend.k12.or.uss541.383.6480 h541.312.8833AS Elementary Choir Co-ManagerJohn HillanLowrie Primary SchoolHillanJ@wlwv.k12.or.us503.673.7700AS Elementary Choir Co-ManagerDonna KaganStafford Elementarykagand@wlwv.k12.or.us503.673.6182All-State Housing ChairMary Ann VidourekGrant Union 1-12therock@centurytel.net541.575.1799All-State Food and TransportBrad TownsendOregon State Universitybtownsend@oregonstate.edus541.737.0544 h591.753.0690All-State Equipment Co-ManagerBrandon HansenRoseburg High Schoolbansheethx@att.net541.440.4167All-State Equipment Co-ManagerMegan Hansenilgsen614@gmail.com503.764.8133All-State Exhibits ManagerAl KatoJesuit HSakato98@yahoo.coms503.292.2663 ex.7040h503.348.8673Publishing and PrintingDesign by InterMountainCommunication & Print Solutions.Cover by Bekki LevienPrinted by Color Press, Walla WallaEditorial Board: Jason Silveira,Oregon State University; FrankDiaz, University of Oregon; JaneHowell and Jim Howell PO Box1235 La Grande, OR 97850 janejim@oregonmusic.org 541.962.6262www.oregonmusic.orgThe Oregon Music Educator is theofficial magazine of the OregonMusic Education Association. Itis published three times a year inearly October, January and April.Submissions are due 8/15, 11/15and 2/15. Submit articles for reviewby the editorial board to OMEA,PO Box 1235, La Grande, OR 97850.For advertising information andto view electronic magazinesvisit our website at http://www.oregonmusic.org/journal.html.For more information contact JaneHowell at admin@oregonmusic.org. Non-member subscriptionsare $30 per year; or $10 per issue.Bulk rate postage paid.The Oregon Music EducationAssociation is a federated stateAssociation of the NationalAssociation for Music Education(NAfME), a voluntary, non-profitorganization representing allphases of music education inschools, college, universities, andteacher education institutions.Active NAfME/OMEA membershipis open to all persons engagedin music teaching or other musiceducational work. Membershiphttp://musiced.nafme.org/join.

Optimal Experiences in the Music Classroom:Promoting Flow through Effective TeachingIt happens every so often. For reasonsdifficult to explain, we reach the end of aclass period with a feeling that somehoweverything “worked.” The evidence iseverywhere, smiling and engaged students,a communal sense of effortless yet intenseprogress towards a meaningful goal, andperhaps a slight disorientation towards time- “Is the class really over already, it seemslike we just started.” Much like amateurathletes or video game aficionados, weshare in the experience of being motivated,not by an outcome in the distant future, butby the moment-to-moment experience ofworking on a task for its own sake. Duringthese instances, we glimpse at somethingfundamental about human motivation –that for many of our most sought after andenjoyable experiences, there is perhaps noneed for an external motivator.For the reflective educator, experiences likethese offer insight into what teaching mightbe like when students are motivated byprocess rather than product. These experiencesof intense engagement, when resulting in apositive emotional state, have been describedas “flow” – “the state in which people are soinvolved in an activity that nothing else seemsto matter, the experience itself is so enjoyablethat people will do it even at great cost for thesheer sake of doing it.” i Activities that promoteflow are those in which individuals feel thattheir skills are in line with the challenges ofthe task, rules for success are clear and explicit,and feedback is plentiful and contingent.In this article, I explore the science of attention,and look to flow as a framework for creatingan environment of positive, highly engaging,and productive music learning environments.EngagementBefore exploring flow, it is helpful tounderstand a little about the science ofattention. Attention is the “engine” that bothignites and fuels psychological engagement.Research in neuroscience points to at least twofunctionally distinct but overlapping systemsof attention/arousal – goal directed andstimulus driven. These systems are designedto activate in response to certain types ofactivities or events, and are crucial catalysts forengagement with our environment. iiIn stimulus driven attention, our arousalsystem activates in response to unexpected ornovel events. For our ancestors, this may havemeant a quick fight or flight reaction to someimpending danger, but in the music classroom,this might be as simple as an unexpectedchange in sequence, pacing, or activity. For goaldirected attention, the process is voluntary,and may be caused through purposeful focusof attention to a particular task. This is theprocess that many of us use when planning alesson, studying a score, or asking a student toattend to a particular element of their musicalperformance. When knowledge of thesesystems is deliberately applied to the creationof an optimal teaching environment, then thepossibility for flow becomes apparent.Skills and ChallengesThe process of encouraging and sustainingengagement begins with careful attention tohow instruction is prepared and delivered. Inthe psychology of flow, this is best accountedfor through the principle of skills versuschallenges. iii When individuals experienceflow, they report a sense of control over thetask they are engaging in. This is due in partto feeling that the demands of an activity arechallenging yet reasonable in comparison totheir skills, and that benchmarks for success areboth explicit and attainable. For the teacher,this suggests a number of considerations,both in terms of selecting content and in howinstructional cycles are delivered.Broadly speaking, content may involveeverything from instructional unitsemphasizing a particular work, concept,or other teachable material, to the specificelements within the larger unit that willserve as a means for focus of attention. ToOregonencourage flow,these units mustbe thoughtfullyconsidered interms of thechallenge theypresent tostudents involved in the instructional process.When the end goal of these units is explicit andunderstood, and when there is a reasonablechance for success, then opportunities forengagement are enhanced, providing afoundation for flow.One can imagine the principle of skills versuschallenges at work during the introductionof a complex motor task, such as learningto perform a musical passage that exceedsan individual’s current level of expertise. Asthe individual wrestles with awkward andunfamiliar fingering patterns, extendedtechniques, or an unfamiliar harmonic ormelodic framework, the brain gathers all itsavailable resources to attend to the task athand. If the individual cannot structure anappropriate temporal goal, say, learning thefingerings for the first two bars, but focuseson a task too difficult to produce some senseof momentum, then their attention systembecomes overwhelmed and motivationceases. When the task is too easy, however,there is not enough complexity to engageattention, resulting in boredom and a lack offorward momentum. If a balance is achieved,though, and the individual perceives that thegoals of a task are challenging but attainable,then it is possible to experience flow.FeedbackResearch on flow highlights the importanceof contingent feedback in establishing anoptimal and enjoyable state of engagement.ivIn educational settings, feedback has beenexamined in respect to teaching cycles(instruction – performance – feedback) andteacher approval/disapproval ratios. Simplyput, it has been demonstrated that students8 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

Frank M. DiazOMEA Co-Chair for the Society for Music Teacher Educationand peers consider teachers who establishclear cycles that include instruction, followedby student performance and then feedback, aseffective. v The frequency of approving versusdisapproving feedback is also important,with evidence suggesting that in general, anoverall 4:1 ratio of approval versus disapprovalseems to yield the best results. viNot surprisingly, studies indicate that studentsparticipating in activities such as largeensembles, chamber music, and collaborativelearning situations report experiences offlow through their participation. vii In each ofthese settings, opportunities for feedback arenumerous and can occur as a function of teacherinstruction, peer responses, and in some cases,student self-initiative from observations oftheir own performance on a task. For effectiveteachers, careful structuring of the feedbackprocess may yield tremendous benefits inrespect to learning and engagement.VariationAlong with selecting appropriate goalsand providing opportunities for feedback,instructors must also consider how theirdelivery might affect engagement, and thusthe possibility for flow. A great deal of researchsupports the idea that engagement results fromthe intensity as well as variety of informationoccuring in an environment, and is closelytied to the ability to learn new information. Inessence, just like tasks might range from tooeasy to too difficult, or from boring to complex,the manner in which they are presented sharea similar polarity. Positive engagement then isnot just a function of what the task itself mightoffer, but of the way in which it is presented.Much like a good storyteller varies pitch, timbre,timing, and other factors of their speech, agood teacher does the same in their mannerof presentation. In fact, despite the admonitionthat an expert understanding of content is themost important part of being a good teacher,some research seems to indicate that whencompared to affect, effectiveness seems to bea function of the latter rather than the former. viiiThis is not to say that high-level understandingand presentation of content is not crucial – infact, the freedom to vary presentation in a wayS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3Springthat would be comfortable would most likelybe impeded by not being comfortable withcontent – but that affect is more importantthan previously thought. So effective teachersare rarely mono-toned and predictable, andunless your students have developed anintrinsic capacity and interest for difficultcontent or tasks, some variation goes a longway in keeping students engaged.Of course, teaching is a process that occursthrough time, and it is likely that cycles ofinstruction, feedback, and content will varythroughout a lesson. When these cycles are“successfully” varied, meaning that there isa general sense that the lesson or teacherhas sustained our attention with carefullysequenced “highs” and “lows,” we describe thisas excellent pacing. The exact proportion orsequence of this variety is currently beyondour ability to measure, at least in relationship tocomplex activities such as teaching or listeningto music, but generally, we are fairly certainthat variety is the key. Thus a good teacher, wellaware that they are aiming for opportunitiesfor success rather than failure, might decide tobuild momentum by introducing relatively easytasks or content at the beginning of a lesson(familiar warm-ups, reviews, etc.), and thenincrease their difficulty through time. Throughcareful observation, the teacher would knowwhen students might be stretched beyondtheir current level of ability and decide tochange a task into one more easily attainable.To discourage disengagement, the teachermight even vary the difficulty and rigor cyclefrom class to class, and encourage students toexpect the unexpected.Play Versus RigorAll activity cannot be play, and one of themost valuable lessons we can teach is thatthe capacity to delay gratification is essentialto success on difficult tasks. Almost anygreat artist, teacher, or other type of expertprofessional will attest to the reality that a greatdeal of work can be monotonous, difficult, andindeed boring. It would be reasonable then, toassume that very few people would engage ina task that offers little to no external rewards(money, teacher or peer praise, status, etc.),unless the process itself becomes rewarding.Through the lens of flow, tasks that are morelikely to lead us to pleasurable states ofengagement would indeed become desirable,encouraging intrinsic rather than extrinsicmotivation for continued involvement.Thus encouraging flow does not mean thateverything needs to be fun all the time, butthat when fun and rigor, complexity and ease,negative and positive – are all finely balancedand varied – engagement is increased, andthis becomes a reward on to itself. Fortunately,this reward results in ancillary benefits interms of motivation, classroom management,life-long learning, process over product, andmany other goals articulated by the musiceducation community.Dr. Frank M. Diaz is on the music education facultyat the University of Oregon. He serves as co-chairfor the Society for Music Teacher Education for theOregon Music Education Association.iMihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychologyof Optimal Experience (New York: Harper andRow, 1990), 4.iiMaurizio Corbetta and Gordon L. Schulman,“Control of Goal-directed and StimulusdrivenAttention in the Brain,” Nature ReviewsNeuroscience 3 (2002): 201.iiiCsikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology ofOptimal Experience.ivFrank M. Diaz and Jason M. Silveira,“Dimensions of flow in academicand social activities among summermusic camp participants,” InternationalJournal of Music Education (2012): 1, doi:10.1177/0255761411434455vCornelia Yarbrough and Harry E. Price,“Sequential Patterns of Instruction in Music,”Journal of Research in Music Education 37(1989): 179-187.viClifford K. Madsen and Cornelia Yarbrough,Competency-Based Music Education (Raleigh,NC: Contemporary, 1980).viiDiaz and Silveira, “Dimensions of flow inacademic and social activities among summermusic camp participants”.viiiKatia Madsen, “The Effect of Accuracy ofInstruction, Teacher Delivery, and StudentAttentiveness on Musicians’ Evaluation ofTeacher Effectiveness,” Journal of Research inMusic Education 51 (2003): 38-50.9

UpdateTom MullerPresident-ElectAs we wrap up the 2013 All-State and All-Northwest Conferences,I would like to personally congratulate all of those involved withthis event. As the new “super-conference” began to presentsome unique challenges, Gene Burton and his team handled these likeprofessionals, looking out for our Oregon students and making surethey had a successful and rewarding experience. Also, a huge thanksand congratulations should be extended to Jim and Jane Howell fortheir tireless efforts at making each year’s conference a success. Asa “behind the scenes” person, I was truly impressed with everyone’sprofessionalism, flexibility, and desire to make sure our students werewell served. I encourage everyone to give all involved your thanks thenext time you see them.The 2014 convention is starting to take shape with most of the usualrehearsal and performance spaces in Eugene already reserved. Manyof the pieces are in place with my Planning Team and I am excited tobuild a conference that will not only give everyone the “mid-year batteryrecharge,” but will also give teachers some useful tools to take back totheir classrooms. As components fall into place, I will be able share someof the names of conductors, clinicians and guest speakers/artists.I would like to encourage the membership to submit ideas for sessions, orto sign up to present or preside over a clinic. We have so many incredibleteachers in Oregon and I would like to showcase their skills and expertise.Please feel free to email session suggestions to me at tom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.us, and make sure to fillout the session application. This is yourconference, and the more ideas I have,the better I can tailor it to fit your needs.The formal deadline for submission is June30th and you can find the application inthis journal. Please also consider havingone of your ensembles perform duringa concert hour. This application is alsoavailable in this issue.Please be aware that some of the audition materials for wind/percussionplayers may be changing. There has been some concern with thisprocess and I am currently working with OBDA members to address thisneed. I am also collaborating with jazz educators to revamp this auditionas well. Materials will be posted prior to the end of the school year sothat students may prepare over the summer.On a separate note, we are also putting the final touches on the StateSolo Championship. The event will once again take place at Lewis andClark College. Students will not need to check in at the informationtable, but may report directly to their performance site. Please doublecheck the rooms, as some have changed from previous years. Also, referto www.osaa.org/solo/ for the last few cutoff dates.Northwest Band Camps, Inc.at Twin RocksEmail: info@nwbandcamps.com • Website: www.nwbandcamps.comCamps include group instruction in Small Ensembles, Jazz Band and Concert Band.All performance groups will be led by experienced Middle School, High School & College directors.FOR STUDENTS ENTERING GRADES 7 — 11Dates for 20131 st Camp - June 16 - 222 nd Camp June 23 - 29For application brochures &more information contact:James Douglas, executive directorNorthwest Band Camps, Inc.1428 NW 13 th St., Corvallis, OR 97330541-757-9746** This year parents can pay on-line with credit cards.For information contact James Douglas at above email address.Oregon10 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

Call for Presentation/Session Proposals2014 OMEA State ConferenceJanuary 17-19, 2014 • Eugene Hilton & Conference CenterNAfME Member submitting proposal ____________________________________________________________________________________Address ____________________________________________________ City ________________________State _______ Zip ___________Office Phone ________________________________________________Home Phone___________________________________________Please Outline the Proposed Session_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Session Topic/Title__________________________________________________________________________________________________Brief Description of Content:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Demonstration or Performance Group Required: [ ] Yes [ ] NoCould the demonstration group be one of the groups invited to perform at the conference? [ ] Yes [ ] NoSuggested Clinicians (include name, address, and school or industry affiliation)_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Would you be willing to preside or organize this session? [ ] Yes [ ] NoNote: All music educators appearing on OMEA programs must be members of NAfME. No honoraria or expenses are paid to music teachers.Send this form by June 30, 2013 to: Tom Muller, David Douglas High School, 1001 SE 135 th Ave Portland, OR 97233 or email the informationto tom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.usCall for Performance Recordings2014 OMEA State ConferenceJanuary 17-19, 2014 • Eugene Hilton & Conference CenterPerson submitting recording__________________________________________________________________________________________NAfME number ____________________________________________________Address ____________________________________________________City ________________________State _______ Zip ___________Office Phone _____________________________________________________ Home Phone _____________________________________Name of Group on tape: _____________________________________________________________________________________________Type of ensemble___________________________________________________________________________________________________Addition information about the ensemble:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Would you be willing to be a demonstration group for a clinician? [ ] Yes [ ] NoIf invited to perform, are there any special performance needs that OMEA needs to be made aware of?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Note: All music educators appearing on OMEA programs must be members of NAfME. No honoraria or expenses are paid to music teachers.Send this form by June 30, 2013 to: Tom Muller, David Douglas High School, 1001 SE 135 th Ave Portland, OR 97233 or email the informationto tom_muller@ddouglas.k12.or.usS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3Spring11

Feel the Beat... Drum CirclesAngela WrightReprinted from the Nebraska Music EducatorHave you ever wondered if there wasa way to get kids involved in musicbeyond just the general music class?In my schools, we have an orchestra pull-outprogram for fifth graders and there are a fewstudents who take private piano lessons.However, the number of kids involved in thesetwo music opportunities is not that large.This year, I discovered a way to provide anadditional opportunity for kids to participatein music...a drum circle!How It BeganA year ago the director of PAWS (PersonalAchievement Workshops) for my district(Kearney Public Schools) asked me if I coulduse 25 djembes in my classroom. Of course, Isaid YES! I was excited to get them in my roomand into the hands of the students. During thefirst quarter, I used the drums a lot. After seeinghow all the kids loved playing them, I decidedthat starting an after school drum circle couldbe the answer to providing additional musicopportunities for the students.Before getting started, criteria for membershipin the group is set and approved by theprincipal. Members are expected to showthat they are “Responsible, Respectful and aWorker” in all aspects of school and during theafter school practices. This includes havinghome work done in the classroom; followingexpectations in all classrooms including art,PE, music, etc., and in other school areas suchas lunchroom, library, and playground. Bothparents and students sign an agreementform. The group meets once a week for anhour. Every session starts by learning a littleinformation about the country from wherethe rhythms originated.Students also learn to say a few phrases in thenative language of that country. The groupthen learns how to play a signature rhythm(which eventually will be played only on the lowdrums), a high drum rhythm, and a percussionrhythm (which eventually will be played only oncowbells and shakers).After all three rhythms arelearned, students learn how to play them all atthe same time, layering in and out.We are fortunate to have dun-duns, djembes,and a variety of Mrican percussion instrumentsin our drum circle. Students rotate after everythree-five minutes so that everyone gets achance to play at least one instrument in eachgroup. Students need to be able to play all threerhythms, as they will be playing all of them atsome point in time each day. They also have tolearn how to play within a small group of likeinstruments, as well as a whole. After studentshave mastered playing several differentrhythms they get to have several performanceopportunities, including playing for the wholeschool at assemblies, on the music programand talent show, at nursing homes, and for thePAC (Parent Advisory Board).Why Start a Drum Circle?There are so many benefits to having adrum circle group, as there is for any musicalperforming group. Students of differentability levels and social circles work together.Lessons in cooperative learning and sharingtake place. Students learn what it means to bepart of a performing group (listening, payingattention to balance, etc.).In addition to these, I have discovered somebenefits that reach beyond the music room.Students are working harder in their classroom,getting homework doneon time, and behavingbetter throughout theentire school because theyknow that they will askedto leave the group if aren’tmeeting expectations. Ihave had more contactwith parents than in theprevious nine years ofteaching at this school. Mystudents are even moreexcited about music andoften bring their parentsby to show them whatthey are learning. It hasbeen a VERY rewardingexperience, for me, thestudents, and our school!OregonSmall or No Budget?Purchasing quality instruments can be pricey.If budgets in your school are tight, considerwriting grants to purchase the instruments.There are many music grant opportunities outthere. Here is a short list of possible grants orGoogle for other sites:NAMM Foundation - http://www.namm.org/initiatives/namm foundation-grantsMr. Holland’s Opus - http:/ /www.mhopus.org/HomeTarget: Company: Arts + Culture inSchools Grants - http:/Isites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentid=WCMP04-031819If you are looking to purchase a large numberof drums, some dealers will provide discounts.Also check into purchasing sets of drums andother Mrican percussion instruments to getgood deals on pricing. Even if you can onlypurchase a few drums and some shakers tostart, kids can easily rotate. Kids don’t mindsharing if they know they will get a chance toplay on a drum!12 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

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Are You Teaching Singers,Christopher W. PetersonFullerton UniversityOr Creating Choral Musicians?Reprinted from California CMEA MagazineAfew years ago while attending a publicschool band and choir concert, I noticeda sentence wedged in between severalothers in the acknowledgements on the backpage of the program. It said “...and many thanksto the singers and musicians in tonight’s concert.”While I understand that the well meaningauthor had the best of intentions in mind, ithit a nerve in me. Why can’t we refer to thesestudents as choral musicians and instrumentalmusicians, or just call them all musicians?Incidentally, I know a choral music educatorwho had hundreds of programs reprinted torectify this kind of colleague-added misnomeron her concert program. Does it really matterwhat we call singers and instrumentalists? Isn’tthis really just a semantic argument anyway?While I agree that what you call student musiciandoesn’t change what they are, I also believethat what they are should affect what you callthem. The reality behind this discussion is thatinstrumentalists are usually taught to read andinterpret a musical score, while singers are all toooften taught primarily by rote; instrumentalistsare expected to develop musical independence,while singers are often allowed to be completelydependent on a teacher, learning tape, orrecording of a performance. At what point doesa student become a musician, regardless ofthe instrument they express their art through?Perhaps what students should be called is tiedmost closely to how they are taught, and whatthey are expected to be able to do.When I was teaching in the public schools ofMaine, I started off by teaching my singers byrote. “Who has the time to teach sight reading?”I thought. With concerts and festivals looming,there seemed to be no time to train choralmusicians. What I came to understand over timewas that I didn’t have enough time not to teachmy singers how to be choral musicians. Whatseemed like a lot of time for little payoff at firstbecame the biggest time saver I could haveasked for. Once I had choral musicians in mychoirs, and not teacher-dependent singers, I hadto start programming more difficult literature asthe musicians began to devour the contentsof their folders. Musical and note-learningheadaches that were my problem before werenow being solved by the musicians, oftenbefore I even knew there was a problem. Whenmusical issues did arise in rehearsal, we nowhad a frame work to identify the problem, put itinto context, andsolve it once andfor all. We alsohad more time toexamine the text,go into detailabout musicaland historical aspects of the piece, and playwith choices of interpretation.In the end, each choral music educator mustdecide what kinds of students they are creating:singers or choral musicians. Singers can developfine ears, great voices, and be very goodperformers. Choral musicians can also be fineperformers with excellent voices and ears, butwith the added qualities of musical knowledge,insight, and independence. If you don’t teachsight reading and musicianship, you can starttoday. Fixed or movable solfege, numbers ornote names... it doesn’t matter how you teachit. Choose a system, create your units, connectthem to your literature, and start leadingyour singers to the independence of a choralmusician. And then when you hear anyone referto your choral musicians merely as singers, youwill have the right to correct them and be proudof your results.A Conservatory ExperienceWithin a Renowned College of Liberal ArtsMusic Scholarships awarded annually to majors and non-majorsSCHOLARSHIP AUDITION DATESAuditions are held in November 2013,January 2014 and February 2014.Check the website for specific dates.SCHEDULE AN AUDITION503-370-6687DEGREE PROGRAMSBA in MusicBM in PerformanceBM in CompositionBM in Music EducationBM in Improvisation in Contemporary PracticeMinor in MusicMinor in Arts, Technology and MultimediaS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3SpringOffice of Admission • willamette.edu/admission • 503-370-6303 • willamette.edu/go/music17

Beginning Band: The Day the Music DiesReprinted from the Bluegrass Music NewsComing from a band director the title of this article may seem abit odd, but it may not be too far from the truth. In the mindsof most of us, distinguished ratings, awards, and high-qualityperformances gauge the success of our programs. While I agree thatthese objectives have a place in music education, seeing our workexclusively in this way does not meet our students’ needs, nor byextension the needs of society. My purpose here is to suggest someideas that will challenge our assumptions regarding instrumental andchoral programs, and what we perceive as successful music educationthrough them. It is not my intent to negate the wonderful musiclearning and performing that occurs in ensemble participation, but toshed some light on the changes that are occurring in the lives of ourstudents. Consider the following situations:Johnny sits down in his beginning band class with his instrument. Hehas learned to make a characteristic sound with a basic articulationtechnique. Today, his class will begin working from the methodbook. However, Johnny struggles with the basics of music reading.Struggling to hide his frustration from Johnny, his director he looksat the ceiling and thinks “Why couldn’t the general music teacherteach them music instead of playing games and singing songs?”Sarah gives her best effort in her choir rehearsal as they are work on“Ave verum corpus.” They concentrate on lengthening the shape oftheir mouths in vowels. She goes home and when asked by her momwhat she learned in choir, replies, “We worked on elongating ourvowels.” The mother, having no real idea what that means, mumbles,and moves on to discussing a recent episode of “Glee.” She and Sarahspend ten minutes discussing the storylines of the show.In the first example, we see a director whose focus is exclusively on eitherthe physical aspect of playing or on the literature being played. The secondexample illustrates the role that music has in the lives of our students, andby extension society. While these examples may seem to have nothingto do with each other, they illustrate the widening gap between whatcomprises large ensemble music education in most middle and highschools and the role that music serves in students’ lives outside of school.When students enter beginning band, orchestra, or choir are wepreparing them for the musical life they are likely to experience oncethey leave our ensembles? Or, is this in reality the first day of the end oftheir music making, a countdown to graduation, when they will “hangit up?” We spend much of our time teaching literacy and literature.We attend so many clinics on “Forgotten Gems,” “Teaching PercussionDoesn’t Have to Hurt,” “Easy Tips for the Changing Male Voice,” and“Double Reeds: NOT Tools of the Devil” that we often lose sight ofproviding an education in music that our students will (not just can) use.The music making we currently prepare them for will be useful only fora few and in most cases (although not all), only the best few. But beforewe look at what needs to be changed, we must first establish somecommon understanding about what programs currently do, and whatstudents do when they leave them. I feel it works best to start at the endof the process and work backwards.WHEN THEY LEAVE SCHOOLA 2008 study completed by the National Endowment for the Arts revealsa trend toward non-participation. A comprehensive survey of more than18,000 adults on various aspects of arts participation, found that arts(and more specifically music) event attendance was down across all agegroups in 2008. While economic conditions likely account for some ofthe effect on music attendance, a closer look at the data will reveal sometelling trends in how adults participate in music. Of particular interest:Attendance at all forms of concerts (jazz, classical, opera, and Latin) hasdeclined since 2002.Attendance at arts events among adults aged 40-54 (traditionally theage group that attends musical performances most often) has droppedby 12-36 %.Attendance correlates with years of formal education. In 2008, 67percent of people with graduate degrees attended at least one artsactivity, compared with only 38 percent of people with some collegeeducation and 19 percent of people with only a high school diploma.The percentage of adults creating, performing, or learning about musichas shown a steady decline from 47% in 1982 to 34% in 2008 (NationalEndowment for the Arts, 2009).In an examination of the choral experience at a high school, Melissa Arasifound that choir students perceived the most significant outcomes ofchoral ensemble participation to be critical thinking and self-confidence.However, participation in these activities was not found to encouragelifelong participation in music (Arasi, 2006). Another research study aboutadult music education interests and experiences found that ensembleparticipation fell considerably after high school (Bowles, 1991).As a united profession of music educators, we cannot be surprisedat this, in as much as we have spent so much of our time promotingmusic education for its extra musical outcomes. So are we producinglife-long musicians through ensemble participation? At least in thisregard, it would appear that the value of participation in our ensemblescan be called into question. When a student looks back on her time inan ensemble and neither recalls specific musical experiences, nor canrecount musical knowledge, we have ultimately failed in our job. Itwould seem that we might be contributing to our own demise.WHILE THEY’RE IN SCHOOLIn a 2007 article in Music Educators Journal titled “Music Education atthe Tipping Point,” John Kratus presented a compelling look at the shiftin how students experience music outside of the classroom. In short,Kratus’s article calls into question the viability of the standard modelfor music instruction in middle and high school. How does a student’sparticipation in band or choir prepare him for musical life beyond theensemble? (For the purposes of this argument, let us agree to ignore theOregon18 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

Jason Gossetttiny percentage of students who choose to pursue a career in music.) Itis up to us as current educators to prepare students for a musical futureof their choosing, for as Dr. Kratus points out, society decides what itvalues. Clearly, concert band music and choir music are not includedamong the kinds of music that society values most highly. Kratusanalyzes the differences between how music is experienced in and outof school in the following chart.IN-SCHOOL MUSICSatisfies curricular goalsLarge-group orientedMakes little use of technology toconnect students to othersPrimarily classicalEmphasizes one-time concerts,requiring the audience to bepresent in a single location at aspecified timeUsually composed by othersMakes limited use of guitar andkeyboard, instead focusing oninstruments that restrict musicalinvolvement after graduationexcept in large ensemblesS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3OUT-OF-SCHOOL MUSICStratifies the user’s personal andemotional goalsIndividualisticMakes use of technology toconnect across distancesPrimarily non-classicalDe-emphasizes formal concertattendance, enabling aperformance to be experiencedone time and distanceOften homemadeMakes wide use of guitar andkeyboard, allowing for a lifetimeof musical involvement alone orwith othersOur students do not experience music the same way we did. Given thesechanges, we must adapt to meet their needs, and in turn the needsof society. The current model of ensemble participation is due to thegrowth of band and choir programs because of a sociological need forrecreational music during and following World War II. Traditional BigBands filled this need. The idea of attending an orchestra concert was adesirable way to spend an evening. Mass media during this time did notcompletely fulfill this need, so ensemble participation thrived. This wasalso evidenced in the growth of marching bands designed to entertainpeople in parades, and thanks to A. A. Harding at the University ofIllinois, during football halftimes. But even this has changed. In everySuper Bowl, the halftime show is performed by pop music celebrities.Even during the NCAA championship football game, little on-air time isgiven to the halftime performances by the bands. Mass media and popculture have replaced the social need for band and choir.It is probably safe to say that most directors believe that the goal oftheir program is to “build lifelong musicianship.” From the heavy focuson literature, it seems that they see the functional objective of “lifelongmusicianship” as “knowledge of ensemble literature.”It is often stated thatthe true measure of musicianship is the ability to sight-read. Spendingseven or eight years in band or choir only to be able to say on graduation,“I can sight-read music” seems a rather narrow goal for music education.When sight-reading or music literacy is the end game of ensembleSpringparticipation we should not be surprised that students do not continueto play and sing after their schooling is over. Sight-reading and musicliteracy must be a part of a musical life that encourages creativityand exploration. There exists an implicit assumption that ensembleparticipation provides students with the knowledge and skills that willenable them to participate successfully in a variety of meaningful musicexperiences in adult life. But many children do not choose to participatein the adult music experiences for which we seem to believe that wehave prepared them.Why should this matter to us as music educators? As core class creditscontinually intrude into elective credits, it is becoming increasinglydifficult for our students to take multiple music classes. In many cases,the band or choir director only teaches her ensemble, perhaps inaddition to humanities, or doubles at the middle school in the sameposition. Currently, it is through participation in our ensembles thatstudents earn their formal music education at the most importantdevelopmental stage for future tastes.SYNTHESISGiven the prevalence of the focus on literature and literacy and theevidence of what society values, we face a dilemma. We have classesthat are popular (the average band or choir class is much larger thanother classes taken at school), and therefore a demand for schools tooffer them. But we do not have a societal edict to continue them. Unlesswe step away from our festivals and look at what is happening, not inour world but the world our students will enter, we will continue to drifttoward irrelevance.What do we do about this? How do we as ensemble directors meet theneeds of society while still preserving an aspect of music that we value?How can we integrate the needs of our students and their musicalsociety into the traditional ensemble curriculum? We could just shift theresponsibility to elementary and middle school music teachers, but weshirk our duty to our students by taking that path. Indeed, it is a sharedresponsibility amongst all music teachers working co operatively withina district. I offer here some suggestions, keeping in mind that eachsituation includes its own unique challenges and opportunities.EMBRACE TECHNOLOGYTechnology is the world of our students: we must embrace it as wedo them. There are easy ways to do this. One is the use of recording.My students will record themselves playing and send it to me forassessment. We will take this even further and use a music samplingprogram to add a drum track or synthesizer effect to their music. Theyenjoy this, and it often strikes a creative chord with them. They willexplore this experience further, and often begin composing their ownmelodies. Through the simple act of recording and the accessibilityof technology, my students are creating music and building a lastingappreciation for music, one that they can carry with them no matterwhat their future may hold.19

Beginning Band: The Day the Music DiesENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL MUSIC MAKINGIf we can guide the music making of the individual student, we can guidequality, and attitudes toward it. We already do this with performance, buton the whole we fail miserably in composing and improvising. Individualmusic making is also a way to embrace popular genres in a way that willenhance our curriculum. The trick is to find a way to make it fit with all of theother curricular obligations of our ensembles. This can be done in some ofthe “down time” that exists after concerts or at the end of semesters. Theseactivities will seem fun to the students because of the creativity involved.TEACH THE “INTERNAL INSTRUMENT”Audiation-the ability to hear and comprehend music when the soundis not present-is the foundation of true music literacy. It is the basis forsight singing, improvisation, close listening, and a host of other musicalbehaviors. The development of this skill will have the most profound effecton a person’s musical future. Most adults probably attribute a decline inmusic reading fluency and diminishing physical skills as reasons for notparticipating in music. Being able to audiate will allow our students tocontinue to participate in music. A student who does not learn to audiateat all stages of development and instruction can never internally “hear” orread music in the same way a proficient reader does text. Whether one islistening, composing, performing, or improvising, audiation is a critical skill.INTEGRATE MUSIC THEORYWhile many directors do this as a part of music literacy, it is necessaryto go deeper into this subject if we are going to empower our studentsto continue in music beyond their school years. Simple instruction ininterval recognition is a great starting point in middle school bands,and paves the way for a deep understanding of chord formation in highschool. Perhaps we might even be able to teach voice leading. Studentsare capable of learning these skills, and it can be done in a way thatcomplements music performance. This level of understanding will onlyimprove ensemble performance, allowing for more deeply-felt “musicalmoments” that will encourage a continuation in music beyond school.Students with a rudimentary understanding of chords are much morelikely to feel confident about writing music of their own.ENCOURAGE SOCIAL PARTICIPATION IN ENSEMBLESIn no other way can a connection to real-world music making be madethan in this “learning as doing.” It is up to us to expose our students toopportunities to make music beyond school walls. Many churches haveorganized orchestras. Even in smaller churches, it will benefit a youngclarinet play to play along with the singing, building transposition“chops” to be sure, but more importantly allowing them to connect theskills they learn in school to a real-world event that carries emotionalsignificance. It goes without saying that vocalists have an easier job withthis, because of the prevalence of church choirs, but otherwise very few“social” singing opportunities exist for them.The expansion of community bands is an encouraging trend. While manyof these are currently limited to adults, they can provide a tremendousopportunity to blend generations. Students perceive that their musicallives can continue, and see examples of this through participation insuch ensembles. They will often enjoy this music making more becauseof the lack of stress associated with school ensembles that are focusedon “getting the rating.” Exposing students to opportunities to make musicthat is not judged is an important step towards true life-long musicianship.IN CONCLUSIONGiven all of the obligations we already have, the prospect of implementingsignificant changes in our approach to our ensemble teaching isintimidating. I fear, however, that we have reached a crossroads, andwhile we want to continue in a familiar direction, society has chosen adifferent one. Change has already started, and has been embraced bymany marching bands. The inclusion of instruments associated withpopular music styles, and contemporary pop songs in both competitiveand non-competitive marching band is on the rise. Show choirs continueto embrace music making in ways that society finds attractive.Does this mean we should do away with ensemble instruction? Quite thecontrary: its importance to schools and students is such that I think weneed to step back and analyze what the goals of participation should be inorder to ensure that it continues to thrive. I love teaching band. I certainlydon’t think it is a waste of time. There are few curricular subjects that allowstudents to work cooperatively toward a common goal the way ensemblesdo, while still being able to meet individual needs and allow individuals toexcel. I feel that it is a vital part of a music education. It is easy, though, for usto develop tunnel vision. With so many festivals and association obligations,it’s easy to lose sight of what should be our ultimate purpose.I think it is important for our future to ask these questions, and examineour purpose. So before next fall when your students come in forbeginning band or choir, ask yourself, “What will my students learn in mycurrent curriculum?” Then ask yourself, “What do I want them to learn?”Are the answers the same? We as music educators are placed in a uniquecircumstance where we can affect our own future more than teachers ofany other subject. Let us seize that opportunity.BIBLIOGRAPHYBowles, C. (1991). Self-Expressed Adult Music Education Interests andMusic Experiences. Journal of Research in Music Education, 39 (3), 191-205.Campbell, P. S., Connell, C., & Beegle, A. (2007). Adolescents’ ExpressedMeanings of Music in and Out of School. Journal of Research in MusicEducation, 55 (3), 220-236.Kratus,J. (2007, November 3). Music Education at the Tipping Point.Music Educators Journal, pp. 42-48.Mantie, R., & Tucker, L. (2008). Closing the Gap: Does music-making haveto stop upon graduation? In ternational Journal of Community Music, 1(2), 217-227.National Endowment for the Arts. (2009). 2008 Survey of PublicParticipation in the Arts. National Endowment for the Arts.The author teaches band at Caldwell County High School. Reach him at jason.gossett@caldwell.kyschools.us.Oregon20 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

Kids as Composers: Ten Approaches to ComposingReprinted from Georgia Music NewsThe image of a composer is of the creative type at the uprightpiano, pencil in hand, getting just the right sound on manuscriptpaper. With Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart as the most famousmodels, it is no wonder that composing-especially in the general musicclass-can be sidestepped for something appearing to be a bit moreachievable and less time consuming.Even so, music teachers continually discover ways to help studentsbecome composers. They are tearing down the boundaries that canexclude composition from music learners at many levels. These musicteachers are achieving the kind of music education Paul Hindemithdescribed as “not a special branch of knowledge... to be taught to thosegifted or interested enough” but a “logical outgrowth of a healthy andstable system of education.”The standard perception of the process of composition is also changing.Over the past two decades, the computer, along with other recentlydeveloped tools, has allowed the craft of composition to be both accessibleto and understandable by a larger audience. Countless technologiesfor recording, arranging, notating, and editing music are available formusicians at skill levels ranging from the elementary school child to theprofessional musician. Free open-source notation, sequencing, and audioediting software such as Noteflight, Musescore, Linux multimedia software,and Audacity, make creating and manipulating music inexpensive as well.This article identifies ten approaches to teaching composition inthe general music classroom. There are many resources for findingcomposition activities, and some examples are mentioned here.However, the main purpose is not to present activities so much as it isto point out alternative methods. Have you become stuck in one “go-to”approach to exposing your students to composition? Then read on foralternate ways to bring music creation to your classroom, sparking newmusical life into the curriculum.Music creation is arguably the highest order of thinking. It requiressynthesis and evaluation of materials... Perhaps the most importantthing to remember is to provide a structure, but don’t be too strictabout the process.1. Composition as a way to synthesize and apply musical learningAfter students have learned a new musical element, they can composea piece based on that element as a way to synthesize and apply the newlearning. For example, after students learn paired eighth notes; ask themto compose a piece that uses paired eighth notes in different patterns.A sample activity in a first grade classroom learning songs about insectsmight look like this:a. Ask students to think of an insect word that has one syllable (e.g.,fly). Draw the word with a quarter note above it. Then think ofan insect word that has two syllables (e.g., spi-der) draw pairedeighth notes above it.b. Ask students to combine the quarter and eighth note words intofour beats, and draw one example on the board (e.g.,fly, spi-der,spi-der, fly). Ask students to draw three more phrases for a total offour phrases, including both the notation and the words.c. Let students speak the four measures and transfer the rhythm tounpitched rhythm instruments.d. Ask the students to evaluate the composition and refine thecomposition to satisfaction.2. Composition as a culmination of improvisationAt Claxton Elementary in Claxton, GA, Rita Ponder, the music teacher,often asks fifth graders to improvise a melody on the recorder withnotes they already know: B, A, G, and E. She invites several students tothe large staff rug in the middle of the room. The students improviseseveral variations and patterns of these notes. After everyone takes theirturn at improvising, the students experiment and evaluate the patterns,deciding the ones they like best, and notating them on staff paper.3. Composition as a basis for the entire curriculumTeachers can approach composition as the primary tool in their musicclasses, making it a medium through which all other music conceptsand elements ate introduced. Students in these classes compose forthe duration of the school year, using composition as a tool to exploreand apply learning. Programs such as Composers in the Classroomsand the Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project were designed withcomposition as the primary component.4. Composition as a tool for group learningComposition is often the product of group work in music classrooms. Inschools where cooperative learning groups are the norm, composition isa natural fit. Many teachers value cooperative learning for its strengths:peer-teaching and learner-centered instruction. There are threegrouping options: composing individually, composing in a group of twoto five students, and composing as an entire class. In a group learningenvironment, the teacher serves as a guide and support.As with any cooperative learning group, students need structure tocomplete the task: defined roles for each group member, a musical goalor problem to be solved, a time limit, sound sources or instruments to beused, and clearly stated expectations for the musical product.5. Composition as a tool for expressing emotionStudents immediately take ownership of their compositional task whenthey are asked to represent emotions. Students enjoy sharing feelingsthrough poetry and visual art; composition can be another mode ofpersonal expression. Using musical concepts that students have alreadylearned, ask them to introduce expressive elements such as tempo,tempo changes, dynamics, and phrasing. Play recordings that can beperceived to express a certain emotion. For example, ask students toOregon22 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

In the General Music ClassBradley L. GreenGeorgia Southern Universityrecord an emotion with descriptive words. Then with specified soundsource (e.g., found sounds, barred instruments, rhythm instruments),students can identify sounds that represent the descriptive words.These sounds can then be structured and formed into a composition.6. Composition as a representation of a picture, story, or poemMussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition’’ or Saint-Saens’ “Carnival of theAnimals” are famous examples of compositions promoted by pictures,stories, or poems. Music teachers can come closer to, reaching the goalof MENC Standard 8: “Understanding relationships between music, theother arts, and disciplines outside the arts” by using famous works fromvisual arts and literature as prompts for writing music. Many importantworks of art are available in general music texts, and most schoollibraries have access to an abundance of these materials through onlinedatabases. The use of pictures, stories, or poems as prompts for musiccomposition is usually associated with Orff teaching, but can also befound in Kodaly, Dalcroze, and other music education approaches.There are countless ways that students can use materials from otherartistic disciplines to create. For example, when a certain picture or wordappears in a storybook, students might choose an unpitched percussionsound to identify it. The sounds could then be organized into a musicalform, evaluated, and performed.7. Composition to explore elements such as rhythm, melody,harmony, timbre, or expressive elementsComposition allows students to creatively explore the wide range ofpossibilities within a single area of music. For the purpose of exploringrhythm, for example, a composition might include combinations ofquarter and eighth notes. These two simple rhythms can becomeinteresting when combined with expressive elements like dynamics,phrasing, and tempo changes. Simple melodies and harmonies can beadded. The addition of movement to the rhythm composition wouldadd even more interest. The possibilities are endless.8. Composition to explore musical formsAs a student progresses through general music, musical forms movefrom simple to complex. The first musical structures that are exploredare same/different phrases, echo, and call/response. Question/answer,song forms cumulative songs, a and b combinations (e.g., aba, aaba,aabb, etc.) coda, repetition, and blues forms are just a few structuresto explore through composition. Composing in different forms gives astudent a direct experience with musical structures that analysis alonedoes not provide.9. Composition to teach cross curricular themesMusic teachers are increasingly asked to reinforce other subject areas.Only a portion of music teachers teach music alone; most musicteachers work as part of a team with teachers of other subjects.Music composition is especially useful in getting students to organizeS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3Springthoughts into a new framework, which makes it an ideal tool for crosscurricular learning. For example, a class might create a melody based onthe symbols of the state of Georgia: setting each syllable of the symbolsto pitches (e.g., Che-ro-kee rose, peach, brown thrash-er), combiningthe beats into a four beat motive, varying the motive to make a bmotive, and finally combining the motives to form an aaba structure. Inanother example, students who create a digital photo story to presentinformation on a topic can compose their own background music forthese presentations. Web 2.0 tools such as Microsoft’s Photostory orVoicethread (www.voicethread. com), easily guide students through theprocess of uploading pictures and music to create a final product.10. Composition to practice and develop skills with standardnotationThe performance standards for music frequently mandate the use ofstandard notation in the music education environment. Iconic/graphicnotation is an intermediate step, but literacy with standard musicnotation is the goal. Music teachers can use composition in the generalmusic classroom to improve this skill. A number of tools for developingskill in standard notation exist. Aside from worksheets and manuscriptpaper, computerized notation, web based instructional tools,manipulatives, and instructional aids such as Ready to Read Music by JayAlthouse, help students to use standard notation in the compositionalprocess.There are many benefits to using composition as a teaching tool forunderstanding. Music creation is arguably the highest order of thinking.It requires synthesis and evaluation of materials. The approacheslisted above are mutually beneficial. For example, using a poem as acompositional prompt may also be an expression of emotion and a wayto practice using standard notation. Perhaps the most important thingto remember about composition in the classroom is: provide a structure,but don’t be too strict regarding the process. As Carl Orff reminds us,“Let the children be their own composers.”ReferencesKaschub, M., & Smith, J. (2009). Minds on music: Composition for creativeand critical thinking. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education.Sloboda, J. A. (2000). Generative processes in music: the psychology ofperformance, improvisation, and composition. Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress.Kratus, J., & Wilcox, E. (1994). How do children compose? Teaching Music,2(3), 38. Retrieved from EBSCOhostHindemith, P. (1961). A composer’s world, horizons and limitations.Garden City: Doubleday.Bradley Green is on the faculty at Georgia Southern University, where hesupervises music student teachers and teaches music education and technologycourses.23

IV-V-IOnce again I’ve been searching for the latest and greatest for ourOregon music teachers. Though quite busy with four sessionsto present, I was intrigued by the product being presentedby Dr. Rafael Hernandez and his wife at the California Music EducatorsAssociation last week in Fresno, California. It was introduced in 2008, butit was brand new to me. So, I asked him to tell you all about his product.IV-V-I (“four – five – one”) is a harmony card game invented and createdby Dr. Rafael Hernandez and published by Music Teacher Tools, a smallcompany based out of Castro Valley, California that is dedicated tocreating unique and original tools for music teachers of all grade levels.It’s difficult to initially describe IV-V-I because one could really neverimagine its creation being something beyond a joke told in the midst ofan 8 AM college music theory course. Indeed, however, Rafael has takenthe seemingly archaic practices of part-writing and arcane knowledgeof functional harmony and has turned it into a card game. Even better,he’s done it in a way that jump-starts the learning process for musictheory by incorporating unique symbols that allow for anyone to play,regardless of musical training.entire game for all players. For example, if Bach is played and a playerhas parallel 5ths in their phrase, they’re hit with an even stiffer penalty.If Shostakovich is played, however, that same parallel 5ths card countsas a bonus for the player (because we all know that the 20th Centurywas one in which all the rules were broken). All of this doesn’t matteruntil the player lays down a cadence card and locks their phrase. Thisrepresents the ultimate goal of IV-V-I. Much in the same way that thosewho know poker and gin rummy begin to learn about and internalizewinning hands, IV-V-I seeks to familiarize players with “winning”harmonic combinations and progressions that often occur in Westernmusic. Furthermore, IV-V-I instills the broader importance of cadencesby getting players to think of cadence strategies ahead of time whilethey build their phrases during their turn. In short, IV-V-I is designedto make learning harmony fun and exciting through gameplay andcompetition.IV-V-I sample cardsThe basic objective ofIV-V-I is to build the bestphrase possible, cadence,and score the most pointsto win. Each player drawsfrom a common deck andfollows the symbols withinthe play window on the cardsin order to lay down harmony cards towards the goal of building aphrase with a cadence. Some of the cards have indicators, which showthat voice-leading cards may be played on the top or bottom of thephrase. The point here is to instill in the player a sense of a soprano lineabove the phrase and a bass line below the phrase. In fact, the scoringsystem in IV-V-I rewards players with more points if they are able to playgood soprano lines and bass lines – just like your 8 AM theory teacherwanted! In addition to these cards, players can play special harmonycards that represent unique moments in a phrase (such as a circle of5ths harmonic sequence). If you remember anything about theory, it’sprobably the sheer amount of red ink on your paper that indicated allthose bad parallel 5ths and octaves. Well, IV-V-I incorporates those partwritingerrors into gameplay by allowing players to block out chordsand chord pairs with parallel 5th and parallel octave cards (amongstother part-writing error cards). Just when you think it couldn’t get anycrazier, composer cards are played in order to alter the rules of theA sample phraseIV-V-I was created over the course of four months in early 2008. As anexperienced software developer, Rafael originally intended IV-V-I to bea computer game with players building phrases and seeing/hearingthe results on-screen. This form of the game was quickly abandonedas it lacked something special that was afforded by in-person gaming.Aside from the apparent and incorporated rules of functional harmony,IV-V-I draws influences in its play mechanics from different, non-musiccard games such as Bohnanza and INWO. A self-professed “composer/teacher/nerd,” it was important to Rafael that IV-V-I be designedto speak specifically and meaningfully to trained musicians whowould understand immediately the nuances and subtleties of IV-V-I’sgameplay. An example of this is a special ability found in the Mozartcomposer card. When discarded, the player may search the discardpile for up to three cards to put into play. This conjuring of the mysteryand lore surrounding Mozart’s death and the act of resurrecting, if youwill, cards from the graveyard is something that provides the kind ofamusing and fun gameplay that musicians feel especially connected to.In Spring 2008, an early prototype of IV-V-I was play tested at FresnoState University with Dr. Kenneth Froelich and some of his students andcolleagues who were taking part in a contemporary music festival. Here,Rafael was looking not only to test the game and its mechanics, but alsoto gauge reaction to the game. The initial response to IV-V-I was disbelief,Oregon24 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

Cak Marshall andDr. Rafael Hernandezexcitement, and immediate want with playerslooking to get their own copy of the gameright away. Students, faculty, and on-lookingmusicians couldn’t believe that such a thingas a harmony card game that incorporateddeep concepts of harmony existed. As well, itwas a bonus that the game provided such aunique and meaningful way to interact withthe rules of functional harmony. Followingother successful play-testing efforts that year,IV-V-I was released in August 2008 and hasbeen steadily selling through word-of-mouth,mentions on social media, and conferenceappearances by Rafael and his wife Rachel(a K-5 music teacher in Northern California).At conferences, attendees are all at firstpuzzled and then thrilled by the possibilityof introducing music theory through gameplay.After almost five years, IV-V-I has foundits way into the hands of players across theworld, with audiences as varied asmiddle-school aged piano studentsand their teachers having IV-V-Iparties, AP music theory teachersand their students, collegiate musicmajors who play high-stakes gameswith their teachers (often beatingthem in the process), and even casualmusicians whose interest in musictheory is piqued when they playand wish to know more about thesymbols on the cards (thereby creating uniqueteachable moments and points of discussionabout harmony). This all said it would be astretch to say that IV-V-I is a simple pick-upand-gogame like Go Fish or Crazy 8s. After all,it does use the rules of functional harmony asits foundation. It is, however, very accessibleand comes with an instruction booklet thatcovers the intricacies of gameplay. In addition,Rafael has also made a series of how-to-playvideos that are posted on YouTube, therebyhelping those who benefit more from seeingthe game explained in real-time, step by step.IV-V-I is published by Music Teacher Tools andis available at http://www.musicteachertools.com. It’s designed for 2-5 players, ages 12 andup.An education of mind and heart• Nationally acclaimed ensembles• International tours• Renowned guest artists• Music scholarships• Areas of study include performance,music education, composition,jazz studies, music ministry andpiano pedagogyWhitworth University • Music Department • Spokane, WA 99251 • 509.777.3280 • e-mail: music@whitworth.eduS P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3Spring25

Our sincere apology for misspellingMelinda Jordan’s name in the tableof contents and on the article itselfin the OMEA 2013 Winter Journal ofthe Oregon Music Educator.Thank You,TEACHERSThe Portland Youth Philharmonic recognizes your hard work andcommitment to tomorrow’s musicians and music lovers. We want tostrengthen our relationship with you by working together to bring evenmore music into the lives of the young musicians in our region.Please visit us at www.portlandyouthphil.org/education to learnmore about our education programs, including Free Children’s Concerts,Free Double Bass Classes, Piano Competition opportunities, low-costpeer mentor music lessons and school visits.We would also like to invite you to take advantage of a specialdiscount for teachers: subscribe to all four concerts and pay thestudent rate (prices start at only $33)! Let us be a musical resource foryou and your students this year. Just call the PYP office at 503.223.5939and we will connect you with the right person to talk to.David Hattner, Conductor and Music DirectorKevin A. Lefohn, Executive DirectorAnn Cockerham, Orchestra ManagerCarol Sindell, Young String Ensemble ConductorLarry Johnson, Conservatory Orchestra and Wind Ensemble ConductorSINCERELY,All Of Us At The Portland Youth Philharmonic Association2013 NAfMENational In-Service ConferenceGaylord Opryland, Nashville, TNOctober 27-30, 2013Oregon26 O R E G O N ∙ M U S I C ∙ E D U C A T O R

It Always Comes Down to FoodNevin Van ManenGeneral Music Chair, OMEAAt least it always does for me. In a recent episode of uncomfortableself evaluation it struck me. If my music room was a source offood, what are my students eating? More importantly, what amI feeding them? Are they getting fast food at the drive-thru or are theygetting Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma’s house? I am afraid that I amguilty of sometimes having a little too much fast food teaching and notenough quality, home-cooked teaching.For me, fast food teaching is quick and easy. That kind of lesson needsvery little thought or planning. They are easy in, easy out and usuallyvery pleasing for the kids. The problem is obvious. Fast food lessons lackany of the critical musical nutrients and fuel that our students need. Itfills the time, and fills their bellies, but it doesn’t really last much beyondthe moment.Grandma’s Thanksgiving is well thought out, carefully planned, andjoyously served. Recipes are researched; ingredients are examined, andif the cranberries don’t work this year new recipes are sought out forMUSIC ATnext year. Thanksgiving Day is a product of many hands, and the table isfull of depth, color and flavor. You leave stuffed but wanting more.So right now I am asking the same question that you probably are askingme too. “When is there time to put that kind of effort into individualclass lessons? Especially when I have tenor eleven classes a day?” My very profoundanswer is…I am not sure.First let me just say that I am not tossing allof my quick and easy lessons. Just like inreal life, fast food as a time and a place. Itis picture day, vision screening, field trips,and pajama day all on the same day. Yup,it might just be a good day for a drive thrulesson. We all have those days.UNIVERSITY OF PORTLANDThe more difficult question is how I can quickly “gourmet up” my currentlessons so that my students get maximum value for the time I havewith them. The solution for me goes something like this. I am lookingfor connections I can make to things outside of the music room. I amtrying to find as many opportunities as I can for my students to expressand be expressive. I am talking to my colleagues about how they teach(borrowing new recipes so to speak). I am going into my day trying tohave clear intentions and purposes. Ultimately, I want my students to beconnoisseurs not just consumers.Bon Appétit!MUSIC @ UNIVERSITY OF PORTLANDLocated only minutes from downtown, the University ofPor t land com bines personal attenti on w ith challengingacade mi cs in our nat i onall y accredited music program .ENSEMBLESUniversity Singers • Wind Symphony • Orchestra •Women’s Chorale • Jazz Ensemble • Vocal and InstrumentalChamber MusicFOR MORE INFORMATIONup.edu/music • UPMusic@up.edu • 503.942.7228INTIMATE CLASSES.INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS.OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLES.S P R I N G ∙ 2 0 1 3Spring27

Breakthe SilenceYamaha Silent Violins have served musicians admirablyfor years. Never complacent, Yamaha has improved the tone,feel and form to meet the specific needs of performing artists.Introducing the Yamaha SV-250 and SV-255 professionalviolins. Designed to thrive in the spotlight of live events, these4- and 5-string instruments feature spruce and maple bodies,direct PA connections and a pickup system enhanced forpremium sound quality. For details, visit the website below,scan the QR code, or play the SV-250/255 out loud ata Yamaha Strings dealer today. www.4wrd.it/sv250ome

Musical Excellenceat the heart of the citythe mission of the Department of music is to provide an excellentforum for the professional training and support of a highly diversestudent body in the areas of performance, conducting, jazz studies,music education and composition. In addition, the departmentprovides general training in music where students study theory,history, literature, pedagogy, composition, improvisation, musictechnology, and ethnomusicology.no other educational institution in the state offers so many culturaland artistic opportunities for young performing musicians.Internationally renowned facultyProfessional degree programsAward winning ensemblesEngaged in the communityConnected to the worldPSU DEPArtmEnt of mUSICP.o. Box 751 • Portland, or 97207-0751toll free: 1.800.547.8887 Ext. 3011Phone: 503.725.3011 • fax: 503.725.8215Email: music@pdx.eduWeb: www.pdx.edu/musicwww.pdx.edu/music

Oregon Music EducatorP.O. Box 1235La Grande, OR 97850SCHOOL OF ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONMusic Educationat Oregon State UniversitySmall class sizesExpert facultyIndividual attentionPractical experienceEstablished in 2000, Oregon State University’s professional music teacher educationprogram has become one of the largest and most successful in the Northwest. Nearlyall of our licensed graduates have found immediate employment and over 90% of ourgraduates demonstrate job retention as teachers, far beyond the national average.School of Artsand CommunicationMusic101 Benton HallCorvallis OR 97331Learn more:oregonstate.edu/cla/music