Tennessee Musician - Vol. 67 No. 4

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

FLIPERENTIATION 

Flipped Classroom + Differentiation 

= Fliperentiation 

by George Ober 

p. 6 

Effective Warm 

Ups For Choirs 

by J.D. Frizzell 

p. 10 

VOLUME 67, NO. 4

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TENNESSEE MUSICIAN TABLE OF CONTENTS | 2015 | VOLUME 67, No. 4 

FLIPERENTIATION - Flipped Classroom 6 

+ Differentiation = Fliperentiation 


Effective Warm Ups For Choirs 10 


The Seduction of the Ear 14 

by Bil Jackson 

Teamwork: The secret to success when 18 

teaching students who learn differently 

by Alice Hammel 

TMEA Board and Council Directory 26 

Advertiser Index 31 

TMEA Back Then 32 

2 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2015 | VOLUME 67, NO. 4

TENNESSEE 

U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E N N E S S E E 

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The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

2014-2016 EDITORIAL AND ADVISORY BOARDS 

* Denotes Chairperson 

West Tennessee 

*Dr. Betty Bedsole 

Professor of Music 

Union University 

Dr. Carol King-Chipman 

Director of Bands & Associate Director of Bands 

Barret’s Chapel K-8 & Bolton High School 

J.D. Frizzell 

Director of Fine Arts 

Briarcrest Christian School 

Ginna Houston 

Elementary Music Specialist 

Bells Elementary School 

Dr. Andrew Palmer 

Orchestra Director & Strings Specialist 

White Station High School 

Middle Tennessee 

Matthew Clark 

Choral Director 

Oakland High School 

Cameron M. Gish 

Director of Bands 

Hillsboro Elementary/Middle School 

Susan Mullen 

Strings Director 

The Webb School 

Sara Panjehpour 


La Vergne Lake Elementary School and Smyrna 

Elementary School 

James W. Story, Jr. 

Professor of Music 

Volunteer State Community College 

East Tennessee 

Sandra B. Kerney 

Choral Director 

Ross N. Robinson Middle School 

James D. Phillips 

Orchestra Director 

Oak Ridge High School 

Kevin Smart 

Assistant Director of Bands 

Fulton High School 

Gerald Jerome Souther 


Woodmore Elementary School 

Tennessee Musician Advisory Board 

Dr. Dru Davison 

Fine Arts Advisor 

Shelby County Schools 

Wincle Sterling 

Arts Instructional Advisor 

Shelby County Schools 

Dr. Nola Jones 

Coordinator of Music 

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools 

Melissa Dufrechou 

Fine Arts Specialist 

Williamson County Schools 

Sarah Cummings 

Professional Development Specialist, Choral Music 

Knox County Schools 

Walter Mencer 

Instrumental Music Specialist 

Knox County Schools 

Tennessee Musician Editorial Staff 

Dr. Catherine M. Wilson 

Senior Associate Editor of Business Affairs 

and Advertising 

Justin T. Scott 

Associate Editor and Bureau Chief 

Laura Boucher 

Associate Style Editor 

Jazmin Johnson 

Associate Director of Social Media and 

Constituent Relations 

Allison Segel 

Pre-Production Editor 

Natalie P. Bingham 

Production Editor 

Slate Group – Rico Vega 

Creative Director 

Slate Group – Ian Spector 

Publisher 

Michael W. Chester 

Editor-in-Chief 

The Tennessee Music Education Association (TMEA) was officially formed in 1945 as 

a voluntary, non-profit organization representing all phases of music 

education at all school levels. The mission of TMEA is to promote the 

advancement of high quality music education for all. Active TMEA 

membership is open to all persons currently teaching music and others 

with a special interest or involvement in music education. Collegiate 

membership and retired memberships are available. Membership 

applications are available on the TMEA web site, www.tnmea.org. 

The Tennessee Musician was founded in 1948 with J. Clark Rhodes 

appointed by the TMEA Board of Control as inaugural editor. Tennessee 

Musician was preceded by an earlier publication, Tennessee Music 

Editors’ Downbeat, which was discontinued by the TMEA Board of 

Control at the spring board meeting, held in Chattanooga, Tennessee 

in 1948. Tennessee Musician is published by Slate Group – Lubbock, 

Texas and is mailed to members four times each year at an annual 

subscription rate of $6.00 (included in dues). Non-member subscription 

rate (includes S&H): $30.00 per school year; single copies: $10.00 

per issue 

Place non-member subscription and single copy orders at TMEA, 129 

Paschal Drive, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128 or e-mail to editor@ 

tnmea.org. 

All editorial materials should be sent to: Michael Chester, Editor-in-Chief (615- 

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Advertising: Information requests and ad orders should be directed to: 

Catherine Wilson, Advertising Manager (402-984-3394) e-mail: admanager@tnmea.org. 

All advertising information is on the TMEA web 

site, www.tnmea.org. 

Deadlines for advertisement orders and editorial materials: 

Issue No. 1 – Deadline: July 31 (in home delivery date September 15); 

Issue No. 2 – Deadline: September 15 (in home delivery date December 

15); Issue No. 3 – Deadline: December 15 (in home delivery date March 

15); Issue No. 4 – Deadline: February 15 (in home delivery date May 15) 

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FLIPERENTIATION 


students’ interests, abilities, and learning 

preferences. 

Differentiated instruction does not 

happen by accident. It requires planning, 

commitment, and acknowledgment 

of the fact that diverse 

abilities, experiences, 

and interests have a tremendous 

impact on student learning. 

FLIPERENTIATION: 

The concept of “Fliperentiation” 

was coined by Joe 

Hirsch, an educator at the 

Akiba Academy in Dallas, Texas. 

He explains that the most 

stubborn part of differentiation 

is trying to synchronize 

the learning of an entire class 

so each student learns at their 

own pace. “Fliperentiation” 

is a pedagogical approach to 

teaching in which direct instruction 

moves from the 

group learning space to the individual 

learning space. “Fliperentiation” 

combines the 

concept of the Flipped Classroom 

with a blended, differentiated 

learning environment. 

FLIPPED CLASSROOM + DIFFERENTIATION = FLIPERENTIATION 

eaching in the 21st Century 

requires a multi-dimensional 

approach to instruction. Fliperentiation 

is an In-Class 

Flipped instructional approach 

to teaching that blends technology 

and differentiation in 

a flipped classroom context. In such a 

flipped and blended environment, technology 

is infused in the classroom to accelerate 

learning. Students utilize existing 

technology to develop their own learning 

at their own pace. Teachers employ varied 

resources for using instructional technology 

to meet individual student learning 

styles in a fliperentiated classroom. 

FLIPPED LEARNING: 

Flipped Learning is a pedagogical approach 

in which direct instruction moves 

from the group learning space to the in- 

dividual learning space. The result is a 

group space transformed into a dynamic, 

interactive learning environment where 

the educator guides students as they engage 

creatively in the subject matter. 

DIFFERENTIATION: 

Differentiated instruction is a teaching 

method that allows teachers to structure 

learning environments that address 

a variety of learning styles, interests, and 

abilities found within a classroom. Differentiated 

instruction is based on the belief 

that students learn best when they make 

connections between the curriculum and 

their diverse interests and experiences. 

Rather than simply “teaching to the middle” 

by providing a single avenue of learning 

for all students in a class, teachers using 

differentiated instruction match tasks, 

activities, and assessments with their 

The “Fliperentiated Classroom” 

operates with two 

(2) main objectives as its 

focus: 

1. Blend learning with 

technology to provide differentiation 

of instruction in order to meet 

the individualized learning needs of 

each student. 

2. Provide opportunities to further 

engage students by allowing them 

to work collaboratively on assignments 

and projects. 

A basic synopsis of the the Flipped 

Classroom Model has students learning 

and studying content online with meaningful 

interactive learning activities, using 

video or screen-casts. They then apply 

that knowledge in the classroom through 

problem-solving and project based assignments. 

In a Flipped Classroom, visuals are 

all done outside the classroom. 

In the Fliperentiation model, students 

have a “flipped interactive video component” 

and/or a specific app embedded in 

the lesson structure to create more opportunities 

for differentiated instruction 

to increase student engagement while 


By transforming traditional 

classroom activities into 

a more digitized setting, 

you free up classroom time 

for individualized student 

instruction, allow students 

to learn at their own pace, 

and allow for individual and 

collaborative learning to take 

place in conjunction with 

ongoing formative assessment. 

fostering collaboration and higher-order 

thinking during classroom activities. 

These videos are not “lecture-based” but 

are supplementary, integrated components 

used for the further understanding, 

refinement and application of information. 

Visuals therefore, are an important 

part of the “Fliperentiated Classroom” 

process. In a “Fliperentiated Classroom”, 

visuals or video/images are embedded 

into classroom lessons as a major component 

of differentiated learning. These 

videos are not “lecture-based”, but supplementary, 

integrated components used 

for multiple instructional purposes. They 

are embedded into classroom lessons as 

an important component of differentiated 

learning. 

Benefits of Instructional Videos: 

1. Differentiates instruction 

2. Increases student engagement 

3. Fosters student collaboration 

4. Promotes higher-order thinking 

5. Demonstrates processes 

6. Displays exemplary student work 

7. Provides reference for home study 

An additional benefit of “Fliperentiation” 

is having more engaged parents. As 

more students utilize technology as a regular 

part of their day, both in school and 

at home, the opportunity for their parents 

to become part of what they are learning 

in school is greatly enhanced. Parents 

want a stronger connection to what their 

child is doing in class and how they are 

performing and they want it in an expedient 

manner. “Fliperentiation” makes this 

possible by communicating with parents 

via websites, grading/assessment apps or 

communication apps. Connecting parents 

to such an individualized classroom environment 

will result in a stronger connection 

to their child’s learning and greater 

support for fliperentiated instruction. 

By transforming traditional classroom 

activities into a more digitized setting, 

you free up classroom time for individualized 

student instruction, allow students to 

learn at their own pace, and allow for individual 

and collaborative learning to take 

place in conjunction with ongoing formative 

assessment. This enables the teacher 

to provide instant feedback to individual 

or groups of students based on their specific 

needs. 

Embedding visuals with interactive 

web-based or iOS/android applications 

allows students to make stronger connections 

with the content they are learning. 

More importantly, this approach is student 

centered with the teacher being a 

facilitator of the process. This allows for 

the student to further develop their own 

learning style while being able to apply 

prior knowledge to future learning. 

Today’s students are expected to gather 

information then interpret, discuss, analyze, 

and evaluate that information both 

independently and collaboratively. “Fliperentiation” 

allows for traditional instructional 

models to be transformed through 

the use of technology while creating a differentiated 

blended learning model that 

encourages student engagement and develops 

the communication and collaborative 

skills required in the 21st century. 

Mr. George Ober serves as chairman of fine arts for the William 

Floyd School District. Mr. Ober has presented numerous workshops 

on classroom music and music technology. He has served as an advisor 

for the implementation of the Music In Our Lives curriculum 

for the New York State Department of Education. Mr. Ober has presented 

numerous clinics at MENC, NYSSMA, NYSBDA and SCMEA 

conferences. He has co-authored many published texts on music education. 

which include “Listen and Learn: A Guide To Aural Development”, 

“My Practice Portfolio” and “Recruitment and Retention” . 

Mr. Ober has also been engaged as a consultant for the National Education 

Service Company. 

Tennessee Music Education Assocation | 7

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EFFECTIVE WARM UPS FOR CHOIRS 


Every warm up routine should 

address the following: 

1. Breathing 

2. Phonation 

3. Articulations 

4. Dynamics 

5. Range Extension 

6. Intonation 

7. Blend and Balance 

I usually place my warm ups in this order, 

placing an attention getter at the front 

and a smooth transition into sightreading, 

theory, or the music to be rehearsed on the 

back end. 

Well-planned and varied warm ups are 

essential to building an a cappella ensemble. 

Directors must be careful not to 

choose the same exercises every day without 

regard to the music to be sung or the 

current strengths and weaknesses of the 

singers. 

My Favorite Attention-Getters: 

SQUASH: 

The director begins by performing a 4 

beat pattern of one kinesthetic gesture. 

This can be clapping, snapping, patting 

your head, etc. The singers are instructed 

to be one movement behind the director 

(i.e. the director starts, then the singers 

start 4 beats thereafter). As the activity 

goes on, the director should increase the 

level of difficulty by increasing the tempo, 

adding concurrent sounds like buzzing, 

sirens, animal noises, etc. Towards the 

end of the exercise, incorporate low, full 

breaths to provide a quick and seamless 

transition into stage 1- breathing. 

Key to success: Start slowly and simply, 

like clapping quarter notes. 

DANCE JAM: 

This is for the groggy, low energy Monday 

or the reward on Friday of a great 

week of rehearsing. The director plays 

an up-tempo song over speakers and begins 

leading a dance. The singers are instructed 

to mirror the director. Then, at 

some point, the director leaves the front 

and gets a volunteer to lead the dancing. 

When a singer is out of ideas or energy, 

she can leave the front and another singer 

must quickly take her place. I usually 

set a countdown rule wherein if someone 

doesn’t replace the leader within 5 seconds, 

the game ends. 

Key to success: Make sure the song is appropriate 

and be ready to quickly transition 

to avoid lack of focus. 

Breathing 

IN FOR FOUR: 

Have the singers place their hands at the bottom of their ribs, touching the 

thumbs to the ribs and the rest of the fingers on the stomach. Starting with a 

low, full diaphragmatic breath, inhale and gradually open up your hands. Exhale, 

pulling hands back towards the body. Then, say “in for four” and breathe 

in for four beats. Then say “Out for four” and exhale with the singers. Repeat 

this process in time without breaks, changing to “out for eight”, “out for twelve”, 

etc. I usually go up to sixteen or twenty. For variety, you can exhale on a hiss. 

Key to success: Model well with your own breathing and keep a steady, moderate 

tempo. 

Phonation 

THE EASY OPEN: 

This warm up is great place to start. It has a three note range, improves unison 

tuning, and develops proper vowel placement. I choose different vowels on 

different days based on the literature I’m teaching. Often, I’ll start with a closed 

hum. In addition, I will have students put a cup shaped hand on the side of their 

face to emulate resonating space. 

Keys to success: Start at a B, C, or C sharp and don’t go up past an initial note of 

A or A sharp. 

THE PLACEMENT HELPER: 

I often find that as I teach private voice lessons, brighter vowels like “Eee” are 

much easier for singers to place in a forward position with a raised soft palate. 

By combining a bright vowel with a closed mouth shape, the focus turns to the 

onset of the vowel each time. The end of the warmup exercise attempt is designed 

to transfer the placement of the brighter vowel to the darker one. 

Key to success: Again, keep the key moderate- start at C sharp and end on F or G. 

Articulation 

THE HOT STOVE: 

This is one of the best warm ups out there in my opinion, because it does so 

much at once. I first saw it in rehearsal with my choral mentor, Dr. Jeff Johnson 

at The University of Kentucky. Start by placing one hand palm up in front of 

you and start to lightly tap it with a finger of your other hand. Say, “Hot stove!” 

as you show the lightness and quickness with which you pull your finger away 

from your hand. Then you alternate to tapping the other hand, switching back 

and forth each time. Then sing this pattern: 


You can then change the articulation to legato by making your hands flat and 

change your alternation of hands to a smooth one. You can even alter the tempo 

and dynamics by going faster or slower and increasing or decreasing the size of 

your gesture. You can also add accents by using a big gesture on one beat followed 

by small gestures immediately after. 

Key to success: Keep a moderate tempo and don’t get too big with your gesture 

size. 

Dynamics 

ONE TO EIGHT: 

Place your hands together like a clap, directly in front of you. Build a chord, 

then start singing 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 as you expand your hands outward. Start at pianissimo 

at 1 and build to fortissimo at 8, then reverse the process. 

Key to success: Make the singers do the kinesthetic gesture, too. 

Range Extension 

THE LIP OR TONGUE TRILL: 

Slide up a perfect 5th and back down on a lip trill or (more advanced) tongue 

trill. Another benefit of this exercise is that it is not easy to do without substantial 

breath support. I’ll often reinforce that support by having use of the 

rib hand open and closed from the “In For Four” warm up. This is also great for 

very quickly warming up your voice. 

Keys to success: Don’t move on to a higher 

number of beats before singers can really 

do well where they currently are. 

These are just some of my warm ups I 

use. I learn new ones all the time and keep 

them written down to provide variety and 

utility in my rehearsals. 

Well-planned and varied warm 

ups are essential to building an 

a cappella ensemble. Directors 

must be careful not to choose 

the same exercises every day 

without regard to the music to 

be sung or the current strengths 

and weaknesses of the singers. 

Key to success: Start in the middle of the range, B or C. 

ZEE YAH: 

This extends the range without letting singers push their voices. 

Key to success: When modeling the exercise, be sure to keep a light tone. 

Intonation and Blend and Balance (These can usually be done together) 

BUILD A CHORD, ANY CHORD: 

Build a major chord that works for your particular voicing. For SATB groups, 

for example, I find that Basses on C sharp, Tenors on G sharp, Altos on C sharp, 

and sopranos on E sharp works well. For TTBB, C sharp for B2, D sharp for B1, 

E sharp for T2, and G sharp for T1. For SSA, C sharp for A, G sharp for S2, and 

E sharp for S1. Sing the chord on any open vowel. I usually begin with a closed 

vowel like “Oo” so singers can hear more easily. Instruct them to hold the 

chord, stagger breathing when necessary, and then point up and have them all 

go up a half step. Once that has tuned, go back down a half step. Then go down 

a half step and back up to the original chord. As your singers get better at this, 

isolate individual sections and move them around by half step. 

Keys to success: Plan where you are going in advance to ensure success (i.e. 

don’t end on a “weird” chord that doesn’t sound “right”). 

HALF STEP OVER COUNTS: 

Point your two index fingers horizontally in front of you at each other. Sing 

a G on “loo”. Then raise one hand up higher, maintaining a horizontal plane 

for your index finger, and sing a G sharp. Then go back down to G and even fingers. 

Have the singers repeat this process. Then, quickly slide your finger up 

and back down, sliding the note you sing from G to G sharp. Then go back down. 

Have singers repeat. As they get better at tuning, increase the difficulty by sliding 

through the half step over 2 beats, then 4 beats, then 6 beats, then 8 beats. 


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THE SEDUCTION OF THE EAR 

T 

HE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF 

CLARINET ARTISTRY IS SOUND. 

People hear a clarinet player’s 

tone first and if this is unpleasant, 

it doesn’t matter if you 

can craft a beautiful phrase or 

demonstrate blazing technique; few will 

listen. The most important arbiter in all 

matters musical is the ear. This discussion 

will focus on three fundamental concepts 

essential in creating a beautiful sound 

in addition to using a good quality reed, 

mouthpiece and instrument: breathing, 

configuration of the oral cavity, and embouchure. 

BREATHING 

Proper inhalation requires knowing 

how to fill your entire lung capacity efficiently. 

As you inhale, strive for full expansion 

in the lower back as well as in 

the abdomen. Place one hand on your 

sternum and the other on your abdomen, 

about belt level. Slowly and steadily draw 

in air, as if inhaling through a straw. Focus 

on expanding your lungs completely in the 

area of your lower hand, then, allow the 

upper hand to expand. 

Exhaling is essentially the reverse 

of inhaling with one important difference. 

Keeping your hands in the previously 

mentioned positions, exhale with 

the same slow and steady straw-like air 

stream but don’t let the lower hand collapse 

inward as you exhale. Imagine pushing 

“down and out” with the abdomen 

while you exhale. The lower hand should 

collapse only at the very end of your exhalation. 

A helpful visualization compares 

“hot” air “ to “cold” air. “Hot” air is produced 

when you exhale condensation on 

your glasses to clean them. 

That “Hahh” has an upper chest feel and 

is an unsupported way to exhale. Correct 

exhalation involves “cold air” which is 

generated in the lower abdomen. Imagine 

trying to blow out a candle, four feet away, 

maintaining a steady, high velocity air 

stream; visualize a “laser beam” stream 

directed at the imaginary candle flame. 

Practice the “cold air” exercise with hands 

placed as previously mentioned. Don’t let 

your abdomen collapse. 

Another exercise involves inhaling 

through a 1” diameter, 6” length piece of 

plastic tubing, available at a hardware 

store. Put the tubing in your mouth and 

inhale. The large diameter of the tubing 

promotes lower abdominal inhalation. 

Another idea is to use the Breath Builder, 

a helpful device easily found on the Internet. 

To close, pushing “down and out” with 

the abdomen creates a denser, supported 

by Bil Jackson 

air stream, the foundation of a beautiful 

sound. Remember, support is the combination 

of density/velocity of the air 

stream with density as the constant and 

velocity as the variable. 

ORAL CAVITY 

Pronounce “low” with the mouth and 

“eh” with the tongue. This is the secret. 

“Low” allows the oral cavity to be open, for 

resonance, and “eh” promotes a relatively 

high tongue position to produce a focused 

and fast air stream. To accomplish this, 

look in a mirror, and say the word “low.” 

Strive for a small perfectly round opening 

in the lips and notice that your chin 

flattens naturally. Without moving your 

lips, say “eh” phonetically. Visualize directing, 

then reflecting, a dense, supported 

air stream off the back of your incisors. 

The combination of the resulting phonic 

should sound like the syllable “Ïch” in 

German. 

I know it’s like patting your head and 

rubbing your tummy, but it is important to 

develop the independence of the oral configurations. 

Forming this combination accomplishes 

two things. First, it speeds up 

the velocity of the air stream, making the 

reed vibrate more, which results in greater 

control. Second, it places the tongue in 

the optimum position for efficient articulation. 

EMBOUCHURE 

The last stop of the air stream 

is the embouchure. Here is how 

to form an embouchure in three 

steps. 

First, stand in front of the mirror 

and try to make a cleft in your 

chin. You can’t really create the 

cleft, but as a result, your chin 

will flatten, the corners of your 

mouth will draw in, and your lower 

lip will slide over your lower 

teeth the proper amount. Take 

care that you don’t thrust your 

chin forward! The lower lip/jaw 

lip combination is the foundation 

of the embouchure. 

Another helpful exercise to reference 

this lower lip/jaw configuration 

is as follows: divide your 

bottom lip into three equal parts. 

With the corners of the mouth 


try to scrunch the middle third of your 

bottom lip with the outermost other two 

thirds. These exercises help to physically 

reference the responsibilities of the corners 

of the mouth and the profile of the 

jaw. 

Second, while maintaining the previous 

configuration slide the mouthpiece 

into your mouth. When it contacts the top 

teeth, stop. This stop point will be contingent 

on the angle at which you hold 

the clarinet and the profile of the ‘beak’ of 

your mouthpiece. It’s important to hold 

the instrument no more than 30 to 40 degrees 

from parallel to your face, assuming 

your orthodontic occlusion is normal. 

Third, draw in the corners of the mouth 

to – and bring the upper lip down against 

– the mouthpiece. A helpful exercise is to 

put a straw in your mouth and try to crush 

it using the corners of the mouth and upper 

lip only, while maintaining a flat chin 

and stable jaw pressure. The sensation 

you create in these muscles is similar in 

feeling to a correct embouchure. It’s important 

to understand that an embouchure 

is a controlled bite. 

Teachers often tell their students, “don’t 

bite.” What they really mean is “don’t bite 

excessively.” It takes some pressure on the 

reed to focus reed vibration optimally. We 

use the sides of the mouth and the upper 

lip to control excess jaw pressure. Remember, 

the function of the embouchure 

is to provide the optimum environment 

for the vibration of the reed. 

Yamaha Performing Artist Bil 

Jackson is Associate Professor of 

Clarinet at the Blair School of Music, 

Vanderbilt University. 

Proper inhalation requires knowing how to fill your entire lung capacity efficiently. 

As you inhale, strive for full expansion in the lower back as well as in the abdomen. 

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OFFERING BACHELOR OF MUSIC DEGREES 

IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 

Instrumental Music Education 

Vocal/Choral Music Education 

Music Theory 

Church Music 

Keyboard, Instrumental, and Vocal Performance 

Music with Electives in an Outside Field 

and the Bachelor of Arts in Music 

High academic and performance standards 

Low student/faculty ratio 

Highly qualified, approachable faculty 

Quality environment for learning 

Substantial scholarships are available to qualified performers 

and scholars who plan to major in music. Full-Tuition 

Scholarship Competition is the last Saturday in January. 

See our website for more details. 

CARSON-NEWMAN MUSIC | C-N Box 72048 | Jefferson City, TN 37760 | (865) 471-3328 | www.cn.edu/music 

Information contact: Dr. Jeremy J. Buckner | jbuckner@cn.edu 

Cumberland University Music 

34 majors, 37 minors, 8 graduate degrees 

in a small campus environment. 

Cumberland University offers the 

B. Mus in Music Education, Music 

Performance, General Music. 

Scholarships Available 

Apply for choral or instrumental 

scholarships by March 31, 2015. 

cumberland.edu/music 

Contact Molly Agee at (615) 547-1331 or magee@cumberland.edu

MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE 

MARYVILLE COLLEGE MUSIC DEPARTMENT 

Degrees and performance opportunities: 

B.A. in Music 

B.M. in Music Education 

B.M. in Vocal Performance 

B.M. in Music Theory/Composition 

Ensembles: Orchestra, Concert Band, Jazz Band, 

Concert Choir, Community Chorus, and 

small a cappella groups 

Music scholarships are available, 

and worth up to full tuition! 

MARYVILLECOLLEGE.EDU 

Contact Ashley Abbott at 

ashley.abbott@maryvillecollege.edu for details.

TEAMWORK: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS WHEN TEACHING STUDENTS WHO LEARN DIFFERENTLY 

by Alice Hammel 

• If possible, contact some students before 

school begins through postcards, 

emails, phone calls, or other forms of 

communication to welcome them to 

your class. 

IN OUR UNDERGRADUATE MU- 

SIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCES, 

we are taught that collaboration 

and teamwork are critical to success. 

We complete group projects, 

participate in sectional rehearsals, 

carpool to events, work together as ensembles 

to create musical experiences 

for others, and join music fraternities, sororities, 

and other groups to share ideas 

and network with others who have similar 

goals. Through these experiences, we 

establish lasting relationships with colleagues 

and mentors that will be with us 

throughout our professional lives. 

Once graduation is over and we begin 

our first teaching jobs, the feeling of collaboration 

and teamwork can fade as district 

and school paperwork, faculty and 

team meetings, and curriculum expectations 

take hold. Planning for classes and 

rehearsals, as well as preparing materials 

and equipment for our students can 

consume more hours than we knew were 

available. The result is that we are not 

always prepared to teach the individual 

students who walk through our classroom 

doors. We begin thinking in terms of grade 

levels or ensemble names rather than the 

needs of each student. 

Many students enrolled in our classes 

and ensembles have specific learning 

needs. These needs are often apparent 

and, by law, we are required to meet them. 

It can become difficult to know how best 

to meet those needs in music. Remembering 

the camaraderie and teamwork prevalent 

in our college preparation days can 

be very helpful as we begin to apply these 

skills to improving our abilities to meet 

the needs of all students. 

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS: 

1. Know your students 

• Talk to your school guidance counselor, 

or administrator about the students 

on your class roll. Find out who 

their teachers are, and if they need 

any special services in their general 

classroom. 

• If possible, get IEP summaries (may 

also be called student profiles or adaptations/modifications 

sheets) on 

all students with special needs in 

your classes, and review behavior 

management plans, curricular adaptation 

suggestions, and whether the 

student participates alone or with a 

shadow or aide. 

• Ask a special education staff member 

to review with you various limiting 

conditions associated with each student 

who has an IEP. They will gladly 

help you understand the alphabet 

soup of special education and will be 

up-to-date on any changes. 

• Identify strong students who will possibly 

be good friends for a special student 

who may need help. The school 

guidance counselor may be able to 

help identify students. 

2. Know your Special Education Faculty 

• Take the time to get to know the special 

education faculty at your school. 

Visit their classrooms and let them 

know that you are ready and willing to 

teach their students. This will help if 

any difficulties occur later. 

• Know which special education teacher 

is primarily responsible for each 

student with special needs in your 

class. One teacher will be responsible 

for seeing that the Individualized Education 

Program (IEP) goals are met. 

This person is sometimes referred to 

as the case manager. 

• Know the specialties of each special 

education teacher. Some are adept 

at brainstorming behavior modifications, 

others are better at curriculum 

adaptations. 

• Invite the special education teachers 

to visit your classroom and offer any 

advice regarding the physical set-up 

of the room. Ask about possible modifications 

to your classroom procedures 

as well. They can be a wealth of 

information. 

• Develop a good working relationship 

with teachers. Let them know that 

you value the inclusion of their students 

in your classroom. 

3. Know your Special Education Staff 

Members 

• Get to know any special education 

para-professionals. If a student has 

an aide in the general classroom, that 

aide may also be in the music classroom 

with the student. 

• Ask questions about specific situations 

or students. The “shadows” or 

aides are with students all day. They 

may have some ideas about how specific 

students learn best. 

• Invite the para-professionals to observe 

your class if they are not going 

to be a part of each class time. Allow 

them to offer suggestions based on 

their experiences. 


4. Know Your Administration 

• Get to know your administration before 

the school year starts. Develop 

a positive working relationship with 

them and let them know how willing 

you are to teach all students in the 

school. 

• Ask about the possibility of attending 

an IEP meeting for a student in your 

class. Let them know that you consider 

this an important part of your 

preparation to teach students with 

special needs. 

• Know the style of your administrators 

regarding behavior and general 

noncompliance by students in classrooms. 

Determine whether any of the 

students in your class are under a different 

set of rules regarding behavior. 

Your knowledge of current laws and 

practice will help here. 

• Make friends with the school secretary, 

custodial staff, librarian/media 

specialist, and all other members of 

the staff. Let them know how happy 

you are to be teaching there and that 

you value all staff members. 

When creating relationships with 

colleagues, I try to notice and share the 

strengths of each team member. Each of 

us can do something better than anyone 

else in our school. Recognizing the gifts 

and affinities of our colleagues assists in 

collegiality, and is also very helpful when a 

specific student has a need and you are in 

search of the school-wide expert for that 

need. It is also helpful to know the musical 

experiences and attitudes of your colleagues. 

What we may perceive to be disinterest 

in our programs may actually be a 

lack of knowledge about our subject area. 

Paraprofessionals, special educators, and 

administrators who did not participate in 

music, or who had negative experiences 

in music, may not know how to assist us. I 

have found that by building relationships 

with them and sharing in their prior musical 

experiences, I am better able to understand 

their viewpoints and engage them 

in increasing their interest in my music 

program. 

Inviting colleagues to take part in concerts 

and field shows can increase their 

ownership in the music program, and can 

also provide more opportunities to see 

students who need extra support. As the 

team is developed and nurtured, all of us 

can take as much pride in the success of 

each individual student as we do in the 

combined efforts of our students and ensembles. 

Who knows? You may find yourself 

immersed in an entirely new community 

reminiscent of ‘the good old days’. 

You’ll Never Walk Alone 

The importance of teamwork and of 

building relationships with peers and colleagues 

is absolutely essential when feeling 

alone in your inclusion practices. This 

premise continues, tangentially, to the 

assistance you seek beyond your circle of 

contemporaries. There are situations that 

necessitate the guidance from a mentor or 

teacher who have the knowledge and experience 

necessary to assist. Before asking 

for assistance, it is important to how 

and when to do so. 

Know how and when to ask for assistance 

• Before asking for outside help, make 

sure you have done everything possible 

to solve the situation yourself. If 

you have already tried several solutions, 

you will be better able to define 

the problem precisely. 

• Begin by asking the instructional 

aide, classroom teacher, or special education 

teacher. They will be able to 

describe their strategies and give you 

some ideas. 

• If these strategies do not work, request 

a conference with the parents 

(or guardians), teachers, (and students 

if practical). Try to create a new 

plan. Make sure the plan has a definite 

beginning and ending date, and 

make a date to meet again if the plan 

is not working. 

• If all efforts continue to fail, ask for 

help from the administration. At this 

point, you will have a lot of information 

gathered and can show that you 

have sought the advice and help of the 

teachers and parents (or guardians) 

of the student. 

• If nothing seems to work, all personnel 

are involved, all accommodations 

are being made, and the student is still 

failing to succeed in the class, then your 

classroom may not be the least restrictive 

environment for that student. You 

do have the right to request a change in 

classroom environment. These changes 

may include coming to class or rehearsal 

with a different group of students, at 

a different time of day, or with a smaller 

number of students. Some students 

need to learn with students who play 

the same instrument, are at the same 

current achievement level, or who understand 

and can support a student 

who learns differently. 

• There are many sources of help available 

to you. Instructional aides, classroom 

teachers, special education 

teachers, site administration, central 

administration, and local agencies are 

all there to help you. 

• Seek outside help whenever necessary 

to secure the best possible classroom 

environment for all students. 

It is not uncommon to feel slightly isolated 

when you are the only teacher in 

your school, or district, who teaches your 

subject. By becoming aware of the many 

persons and organizations ready and willing 

to support you, feelings of isolation 

can turn to those of community. Knowing 

that you are not alone is powerful. On my 

website, there are links to approximately 

forty organizations that support teachers 

and their efforts to include students 

who learn differently in their classrooms. 

The website address is: musicandspecialneeds.org 

I am also absolutely willing to brainstorm, 

provide professional development, 

advocate, and assist in any way. hammela@mac.com 

Facebook: Alice Hammel. 

In closing, Albert Einstein once said: 

“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a 

fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live 

its whole life believing it is stupid.” Let’s 

recognize the unique gifts of every student! 

Reprinted with permission from the Division 

of Education at Conn-Selmer, Inc. 

Dr. Alice Hammel is a widely known 

music educator, author, and clinician. 

Currently she is affiliated with James 

Madison and Virginia Commonwealth 

Universities and has a large private studio 

in Richmond, VA. Dr. Hammel is also 

the Autism Spectrum Disorder Music Intervention 

Specialist for ASSET. She is a 

co-author of Teaching Music to Students 

with Special Needs: A Label-Free Approach 

and Teaching Music to Students 

with Autism, published by Oxford University 

Press. Dr. Hammel serves as the Musicianship 

Teacher for the Kodaly Levels 

Courses at Midwestern State University 

and for the American Kodaly Institute at 

Loyola University. 


music AT UNION UNIVERSITY 

to exalt 

to inspire 

Jackson, Tennessee 

731.661.5345 

uu.edu/music 

EXCELLENCE-DRIVEN CHRIST-CENTERED PEOPLE-FOCUSED FUTURE-DIRECTED

APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY 

*Saturday, December 6, 2014 

Instrumental Areas Only 

*Saturday, January 17, 2015 

All Areas 

*Saturday, January 31, 2015 

All Areas 

AUDITION DATES: 

Saturday, February 14, 2015 

Instrumental Areas Only 

Saturday, February 28, 2015 

Instrumental Areas Only & 

Hayes Young Artist Competition 

($7,500 annual renewable scholarship) 

*To be eligible for the competition, prospective students must audition on these dates. 

music.appstate.edu/prospective-students • 828-262-3020 

THE BRAINS OF A NATIONALLY RANKED 

RESEARCH UNIVERSITY + THE HEART OF 

A SMALL COLLEGE + THE SOUL OF 

GREAT MUSIC. 

Where it all comes together. SIU School of Music. 

Audition Dates: Saturday, Feb. 7, and Monday, Feb. 16 

Can’t make it then? Make an appointment. 

Information is online at music.siu.edu. 

Get “in” on this: Students from 

Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 

Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin 

are eligible for the in-state tuition rate! 

Graduate assistantships available: 

$6,000 stipend + full tuition waiver. 

Contact the instructor in your 

specialty at 618/536-8742.

SUMMER 

SYMPOSIUM 

CULLOWHEE, NC 

2015 

WESTERN 

CAROLINA 

UNIVERSITY 

SUMMER SYMPOSIUM 

June 28 - July 2, 2015 

Don’t miss the chance to have an experience of 

a lifetime at Summer Symposium 2015! 

Spend a week developing new skills, forging new 

relationships, and making memories to last a lifetime, all 

through the incredibly transcendent power of music! 

PICK YOUR EXPERIENCE! 

Outstanding Track Options led by top clinicians from 

across the country! 

Winds – David Enloe 

Drum Major – Bobby Lambert 

Colorguard – Bobby Richardson 

Percussion – Jonathan Duke 

NEW Rock and Record – Bruce Frazier and Damon Sink 

Directors and Instructors – Bob Buckner, Joel Denton, 

Jarrett Lipman, David Starnes, Frank Troyka 

www.prideofthemountains.com

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 

Music 

Music Education 

Performance 

Composition 

D EPARTMENT OF 

Music 

Clarksville, Tenn. 

Master of Music degrees in 

Music Education 

Performance 

The APSU music experience offers 

•Individualized instruction by 

outstanding faculty 

•State-of-the-art facilities 

•Nationally recognized 600-seat 

concert hall 

•Tennessee Center of Excellence for 

the Creative Arts 

•20 vocal and instrumental student 

ensembles 

•Summer graduate program 

•Beautiful campus and friendly 

environment 

Performance scholarships available 

by audition. 

2015 audition dates: 

Jan. 24 

Feb 14 

March 21 

Contact: 

Dr. Douglas R. Rose, chair 

Department of Music 

(931) 221-7808 

rosed@apsu.edu 

APSU Music Department welcomes 

new faculty: 

Kristen Kienkiewicz, horn 

Robert Waugh, trumpet 

Jeffrey Williams, tenor 

Ensembles at APSU: 

Brass Quintet 

Chamber Singers 

Clarinet Choir 

Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble 

Flute Choir 

Governors Own Marching Band 

Governors Singers 

Guitar Ensemble 

Horn Ensemble 

Jazz Collegians 

Jazz Combo 

Opera Workshop 

Orchestra 

Pep Band 

Percussion Ensemble 

Saxophone Quartet 

Trombone Choir 

University Choir 

Wind Ensemble 

www.apsu.edu 

THINK MUSIC -- THINK AUSTIN PEAY

Share your passion for music with the nation’s leaders 

Meet face-to-face with U.S. legislators and their staffs on Capitol Hill 

Receive special leadership training to share with your chapter and use in your career 

Network with NAfME state and national leaders 

Take in the beauty of our nation’s capital, meet new friends and colleagues, and 

come away inspired 

SAVE THE DATE JUNE 24-26, 2015 BE THERE 

http://nafme.org/hillday

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL 2014-2016 

TMEA OFFICERS 2014-2015 

Executive Director: Ron Meers 

129 Paschal Drive 


H 615-890-9308 

C 615-542-5012 

execdirector@tnmea.org 

President: Jeff Phillips 

Hendersonville High School 

123 Cherokee Road 

Hendersonville, TN 37075 

W 615-824-6162 x 31042 

H 615-824-4977 

C 615-957-9008 

jpband@bellsouth.net 

President-Elect: Johnathan Vest 

University of Tennessee at Martin 

16 Mt. Pelia Road / 108 Fine Arts 

Martin, TN 38238 

W 731-881-7482 

C 615-579-8700 

johnathanvest@att.net 

Past President: Dian Eddleman 

University School of Jackson 

232 McClellan Road 

Jackson, TN 38305 

W 731-424-3418 

H 731-424-3418 

C 731-695-8270 

deddleman@usjbruins.org 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

State General Music Chair: 

Charlene Cook 

East Ridge Elementary School 

1014 John Ross Road 

Chattanooga, TN 37412 

H 423-629-4123 

C 423-304-1072 

cookcl@epbfi.com 

State Choral Chair: Jan Johnson 

Signal Mountain Middle/High School 

2650 Sam Powell Trail 

Signal Mountain, TN 37377 

W 423-886-0880 x 336 

C 423-326-8116 

johnson _ j@hcde.org 

State Orchestra Chair: Ben Reagh 

Smyrna High School 

100 Bulldog Drive 

Smyrna, TN 37167 

W 615-893-5815 x 23720 

C 615-519-8086 

reaghb@rcschools.net 

State Band Chair: Debbie Burton 

John Overton High School 

4820 Franklin Road 

Nashville, TN 37220 

W 615-331-8586 

C 615-887-7718 

dlburton98@gmail.com 

State Higher Education Chair: 

Eric Branscome 

Austin Peay State University 

Department of Music 

P.O. Box 4625 

Clarksville, TN 37044 

W 931-221-7811 

H 931-542-2160 

branscomee@apsu.edu 

State Collegiate NAfME Chair: 

Michael Mann 

Union University 

1050 Union University Drive 


W 731-661-5231 

C 615-533-8859 

mmann@uu.edu 

State Educational Technology Chair: 

Lisa Leopold 

Normal Park Museum Magnet 

1219 West Mississippi Avenue 


W 423-209-5914 

C 719-232-7281 

lwleopold@gmail.com 

TMEA COUNCIL 

WTVMEA President: 

Lalania Vaughn 

Tipton - Rosemark Academy 

8696 Rosemark Road 

Millington, TN 38053 

W 901 -829 -4221 x 4307 

H 901-829-2292 

C 901-489-1254 

lvaughn@rebelmail.net 

WTVMEA President Elect: 

Roland Wilson 

Colonial Middle School 

1370 Colonial Road 

Memphis, TN 38128 

W 901-416-5239 

C 901-619-6714 

wilsonrr@scsk12.org 

WTSBOA President: Chris Piecuch 

Overton High School 

1770 Lanier Lane 

Memphis, TN 38117 

W 901-416-2136 

H 901-683-5042 

C 901-831-4854 

chris.piecuch@yahoo.com 

WTSBOA President –Elect: 

Stephen Price 

South Gibson County High School 

1000 Hornet Drive, PO Box 249 

Medina, TN 38355 

W 731-783-0999 

H 731-499-3888 

prices@gcssd.org 

MTGMEA President: 

Ashley Copeland 

Watertown Middle School 

515 West Main Street 

Watertown, TN 37184 

W 615-237-4000 x 1536 

C 615-809-6712 

clarinet35@comcast.net 

MTVA President: 

Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry 

Lascassas Elementary School 

6300 Lascassas Pike 

Lascassas, Tennessee 37085 

W 615-893-0758 

C 615-519-1392 

ayatuzisderryberry@mac.com 

MTVA President Elect: 

Shawn Frazier 

Middle Tennessee Christian School 

100 Middle TN Christian School 

Road, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 

W 615-893-0601 

C 615-962-0499 

presidentelect@mtva.org 

MTSBOA President: Craig Cornish 

Middle Tennessee State University 

PO Box 63, MTSU 


W 615-898-2486 

C 615-962-0321 

craig.cornish@mtsu.edu 

MTSBOA President –Elect: 

David Aydelott 

Franklin High School 

810 Hillsboro Road 

Franklin, TN 37064 

W 615-472-4465 

H 615-220-6964 

C 615-337-2579 

davida@wcs.edu 

ETGMEA President: Teresa L. Ryder 

Farragut Primary School 

509 Campbell Station Road 

Knoxville, TN 37934 

W 865-966-5848 

H 865-692-8837 

C 865-310-5208 

teresa.ryder@knoxschools.org 

ETGMEA President-Elect: 

Margaret Moore 

Lanier & Montvale Elementary 

Schools 

P.O. Box 5082 

Marysville, TN 37802 

C 865-216-5482 

mamcmoore57@aol.com 

ETVA President: Jason Whitson 

Volunteer High School 

1050 Volunteer Street 

Church Hill, TN 37642 

W 423-357-3641 

H 423-571-6596 

C 423-571-6596 

jason.whitson@hck12.net 

ETVA President Elect: 

Kention Dietch 

Farragut High School 

11237 Kingston Pike 

Knoxville, TN 37934 

W 865-966-9775 

C 865-671-7137 

kenton.deitch@knoxschools.org 

ETSBOA President: Lafe Cook 

Dobyns-Bennett High School 

1800 Legion Drive 

Kingsport, TN 37664 

W 423-378-8589 

C 423-502-2279 

lcook@k12k.com 

ETSBOA President –Elect: 

Gary Wilkes 

Chattanooga School 

for the Arts and Sciences 

865 East Third Street 


W 423-209-5837 

C 423-718-4874 

wilkes_ gary@hcde.org 

CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT TEAM 

Conference Chair: 

Brad Turner 

Arlington Community Schools 

5475 Airline Rd. 

Arlington, TN 38002 

H 901-867-1870 

C 901-438-8020 

brad.turner@acsk12.org 

Conference Exhibits Chair: 

Jo Ann Hood 

829 Rocky Mountain Parkway 

Antioch, TN 37013 

H 615-361-1579 

C 615-957-1266 

jhood10105@aol.com 

Conference Registration Chair: 

Mark Garey 

Freedom Middle School 

750 New Highway 96 West 

Franklin, TN 37064 

W 615-472-3544 

H 615-790-8756 

C 615-347-0757 

mgarey86@comcast.net 

Conference Performance Group Chair: 

Randal Box 

Brentwood High School 

5304 Murray Lane 

Brentwood, TN 37027 

W 615-472-4236 

H 615-395-7018 

C 615 567-1081 

ranbox@comcast.net 


All-State Instrumental General Chair: 

Martin D. McFarlane 

Wilson Central High School 

419 Wildcat Way 

Lebanon, TN 37090 

W 615-453-4600 x 3077 

H 931-247-1361 

C 931-247-1361 

mcfarlanem@wcschools.com 

All-State Choral General Chair: 

Brian Russell 

Stewarts Creek High School 

301 Red Hawk Blvd 


W 615-904-6771 

C 615-945-1825 

russellb@rcschools.net 

ENSEMBLE CHAIRS 

Treble Honor Choir Chair: 

Tiffany DePriest 

Madison Creek Elementary 

1040 Madison Creek Road 

Goodlettsville, TN 37072 

W 615-859-4991 x 212 

C 615-308-5364 

bowhead0313@gmail.com 

SATB Ensemble Chair: 

Lia Holland 

Robertson County Schools 

3276 New Chapel Road 

Springfield, TN 37172 

W 615-584-5782 

liahol@comcast.net 

Women’s Chorale Ensemble Chair: 

Amanda Ragan 

Oak Ridge High School 

1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike 

Oak Ridge, TN 37830 

W 865-425-9644 

aragan@ortn.edu 

Men’s Chorus Ensemble Chair: 

John Kimbrough 

Jackson Christian School 

832 Country Club Lane 


W 731-668-8055 

C 931-265-8848 

johnny.kimbrough@jcseagles.org 

9th-10th Grade String Orchestra Chair: Gary Wilkes 

Chattanooga School for the 

Arts and Sciences 

865 East Third Street 


C 423-718-4874 

gwilkes428@gmail.com 

11th-12th Grade Symphonic Orchestra Chair: 

Sandy Morris 

Chattanooga Youth Philharmonic 

Orchestra 

701 Broad Street 


C 423-596-2703 

sandyronmorris@gmail.com 

9th-10th Grade Concert Band Chair: 

J.R. Baker 

White House Heritage High School 

7744 Highway 76 

White House, TN 37188 

W 615-478-7181 

john.baker@rcstn.net 

11th-12th Grade Concert Band: 

Will Sugg 

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Academic Magnet School 

613 17th Avenue North 


W 615-329-8400 

C 615-483-3961 

william.sugg@mnps.org 

All State Jazz Band Chair: 

Bob Chandler 

Franklin Road Academy 

4700 Franklin Road 


W 615-369-4492 

H 615-948-1490 

C 615-948-1490 

chandler@franklinroadacademy.com 

PROJECT CHAIRS 

Tennessee Musician Editor-in-Chief: 

Michael Chester 

Stewarts Creek High School 

301 Red Hawk Parkway 


W 615-904-6771 

C 615-308-6098 

editor@tnmea.org 

Tennessee Musician Advertising Manager: 

Catherine Wilson 

501 Barton Shore Court 

Lebanon, TN 37087 

C 402-984-3394 

admanager@tnmea.org 

Jazz Education Policy Chair: 

Richard Ripani 

Hume-Fogg Academic 

Magnet High School 

700 Broadway 


W (615)291-6300 

rripani@yahoo.com 

Advocacy and Government Relations Chair: 

Joel Denton 

Ooltewah High School 

6123 Mountain View Road 

Ooltewah, TN 37363 

W 423-238-9586 

denton_joel@hcde.org 

Society for Music Teacher Education Chair: 

Jamila McWhirter 

MTSU School of Music 

MTSU Box 47 


W 615-898-5922 

jamila.mcwhirter@mtsu.edu 

Webmaster: 

Lisa Leopold 

Normal Park Museum Magnet 

1219 West Mississippi Avenue 


W 423-209-5914 

C 719-232-7281 

lwleopold@gmail.com 

Tri-M Chair: 

Todd Shipley 

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Academic Magnet School 

613 17th Avenue North 


W 615-329-8400 

todd.shipley@mnps.org 

MIOSM Chair: 

Tiffany DePriest 

Madison Creek Elementary 

1040 Madison Creek Road 

Goodlettsville, TN 37072 

W 615-859-4991 x 212 

C 615-308-5364 

bowhead0313@gmail.com 

Research Chair: 

William Lee 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 

615 McCallie Avenue 


W 423-425-4601 

H 423-425-5269 

william.lee@utc.edu 

Membership Chair: 

Cynthia Wieland 

Bon Lin Middle School 

3862 North Germantown Road 

Bartlett, TN 38133 

W 901-347-1520 

wielandcf@scsk12.org 

Retired Teachers Chair: 

Bobby Jean Frost 

5816 Robert E. Lee Drive 


H 615-665 0470 

C 615-973-1537 

Music Merchants Industry Chair: 

Rick DeJonge 

KHS America 

12020 Eastgate Boulevard 

Mt. Juliet, TN 37122 

W 615-773-9922 

rdejonge@jupitermusic.com 

National Association for Music Education 

Announces the Creation of 

Touching the Lives of 20 Million Children 

Give A Note Foundation was established by the 

leaders of the National Association for Music Education 

in order to expand and increase music education 

opportunities for all children and help them develop 

skills needed for success in the 21st century. 

To make a donation, 

please visit 

www.giveanote.org 


Bachelor of Music • Bachelor of Arts • Master of Music 

Instrumental Performance • Vocal Performance • Theory/Composition • Music Education 

Instrumental 

and Vocal 

Auditions 

Music Performance Grants 

are awarded on the basis of 

audition to Music majors and 

non-Music majors. 

Prospective Music majors will 

audition for admission to the Music 

Department on these dates: 



March 28, 2015 

To schedule an audition: 

www.utc.edu/music/auditions.php 

or call (423) 425-4601 

SCAN WITH 

FOR MORE INFO 

Visit the Music 

Department website 

by scanning the code. 

www.UTC.edu/Music 

BARCODE SCANNER 

UTC is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution. E041054-001-15

Start your life 

in music today! 

Experience 

the Music Within 

Real. Hands-on. Learning. 

Learn from a faculty of world-class performers 

and teachers who truly care about you, in a 

state-of-the-art music facility. Our program 

is designed to help you create a positive, 

diverse, and successful life in music, whether 

it’s in the classroom or on the stage. 

2014-2015 Audition Dates* 

Saturday, January 24, 8:00 am (Honor Band) 

Friday, January 30, 3:00 pm (Honor Choir) 

Monday, February 16, All Day (Junior-Senior Day) 

* Additional dates may be arranged on an individual basis. 

UT Martin Department of Music 

731-881-7402 | MUSIC@UTM.EDU 

WWW.UTM.EDU/MUSIC 

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music

SUMMER ORFF INSTITUTE 

UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS • JULY 6-17, 2015 

Experience your courses in the home of BBQ and the Blues! 

Levels I, II, and III 

Graduate Credit Available 

memphis.edu/music/special/orff_institute.php 

A Tennessee Board of Regents University. An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. 

Schools that have music programs have significantly 

higher graduation rates than those without music 

programs (90.2 percent compared to 72.9 percent). 

On average, students in music performance scored 57 

points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on 

the math section of the SAT than did students with 

no music participation. 

Here are some simple, time-effective ways parents can 

assist their child’s school music educators: 

Tips to Share with 

Parents 

Parents wield extraordinary influence over 

local principals, school boards, and other 

decision makers. Encourage them to 

become involved in the advocacy process and 

make a significant difference in the quality 

of their child’s music education program. 

Access the Status Quo: 

• Study the ways that music education develops creativity, 

enhances cooperative learning, instills disciplined 

work habits, and statistically correlates with gains in 

standardized test scores. 

• Speak with your local school board about your desire 

to have a strong music education for your child. 

Communicate Effectively 

• Be in touch with local music teachers on a regular 

basis. Offer to help out. 

• Ask yourself why your children need high quality 

music education. Be able to articulate the answers 

to teachers, administrators, and other parents. 

• Take part in your school’s music booster organization. 

Visit www.nafme.org for 

more Parent Resources.

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN ADVERTISER INDEX | VOLUME 67, No. 4 

A very special 

thank you to all 

of our advertisers 

who support the 

work of music 

educators at all 

levels in the State 

of Tennessee. 

ADVERTISER 

Appalachian State University 22 

Austin Peay State University 24 

Belmont University 13 

Carson Newman College 16 

Cumberland University 16 

East Tennessee State University 13 

Lee University 

Inside Front Cover 

Maryville College 17 

Middle Tennessee State University 5 

NAMM 1 

QuaverMusic.Com 

Slate Group 

Back Cover 

Inside Back Cover 

Smoky Mountain Music Festival 9 

Southern Illinois University 22 

Tennessee State University 21 

Union University 20 

University of Memphis (Ad 1 of 2) 9 

University of Memphis (Ad 2 of 2) 30 

University of Missouri 29 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 28 

University of Tennessee at Knoxville Bands 3 

University of Tennessee at Knoxville 12 

University of Tennessee at Martin 29 

Western Carolina University 23 

Yamaha 8 


TMEA BACK THEN 

IN THIS ISSUE, TMEA President Taylor 

Hagan’s address focused on the function 

and scope of TMEA. The governance of 

TMEA in 1953 consisted of a 21-member 

State Board of Directors consisting of 

three representatives from each division 

of the state that represented vocal and instrumental 

music education at all levels 

(elementary, secondary, and collegiate). 

The TMEA State Board of Directors also 

comprised three administrative representatives 

from the Elementary and Secondary 

Principals’ Association and Superintendents’ 

Association. 

MTSBOA members wrote letters of objection 

to WSM-TV regarding the lack of 

air time coverage being given to the high 

school bands during halftime show performances 

for broadcasts over radio and television. 

A new editorial board was appointed 

with the central charge of deciding on controversial 

issues regarding publication polices 

of the Tennessee Musician. 

An article from Brother H. Richard 

also appeared, titled, “A Principal Speaks: 

The Value of High School Bands” Richard 

was principal at Christian Brothers in 

Memphis, Tennessee. Ralph Hale was the 

school’s band director. Richard’s article is 

interesting as it presents music education 

advocacy points of the 1950s from an administrator’s 

perspective. 

ETSBOA president Gilbert L. Scarborough, 

wrote an article on the growing 

pains faced by the association as participation 

in ETSBOA sponsored 

activities was at its largest. This 

year also marked the first East 

Tennessee Junior High and 

Senior High School String 

Clinic. 

TMEA printed a roll-call of 

paid member’s names for the calendar 

year of 1953. 

Tennessee Musician Tennessee Musician – May 1953 N. Taylor Hagan, TMEA President 

Floyd H. Rodgers, Editor-In-Chief 

On the front cover: Tennessee All-State Chorus and Band – March 27th, 1953 

• All-State Chorus Conductor – Dr. Wiley Housewright (Florida State University) 

• All-State Band Conductor – Mr. Frederick Fennell (Eastman School of Music) 


Slate Group is a proud print partner 

of Tennessee Musician and other 

state Music Education Associations. 

CONTACT IAN SPECTOR TODAY! 

800.794.5594 | ian@slategroup.com 


Tennessee Music Education Association 

129 Paschal Drive 

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128 

Grades K-8 

The Future of Music Education 

TODAY! 

 

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Tennessee Musician - Vol. 67 No. 4

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