TN Musician Vol. 69 No. 2

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association
Expanding the
Vision of Self:
Why the Arts
Matter
by Linda F. Nathan
p. 16
Music Literacy
Techniques
for Teaching
Successful
Sight-Reading
by Carol King-Chipman
p. 24
VOLUME 69, NO. 2

䴀 唀 匀 䤀 䌀
䄀 䌀 栀 爀 椀 猀 琀 ⴀ 挀 攀 渀 琀 攀 爀 攀 搀 甀 渀 椀 瘀 攀 爀 猀 椀 琀 礀 椀 渀 猀 漀 甀 琀 栀 攀 愀 猀 琀 吀 攀 渀 渀 攀 猀 猀 攀 攀
眀 椀 琀 栀 昀 愀 挀 甀 氀 琀 礀 Ⰰ 挀 甀 爀 爀 椀 挀 甀 氀 甀 洀 Ⰰ 昀 愀 挀 椀 氀 椀 琀 椀 攀 猀 Ⰰ 愀 渀 搀 漀 瀀 瀀 漀 爀 琀 甀 渀 椀 琀 椀 攀 猀
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唀 一 䐀 䔀 刀 䜀 刀 䄀 䐀 唀 䄀 吀 䔀 䐀 䔀 䜀 刀 䔀 䔀 匀
䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䄀 爀 琀 猀 椀 渀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ∠ 䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 䔀 搀 甀 挀 愀 琀 椀 漀 渀 ∠ 䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 椀 渀 倀 攀 爀 昀 漀 爀 洀 愀 渀 挀 攀
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䜀 刀 䄀 䐀 唀 䄀 吀 䔀 䐀 䔀 䜀 刀 䔀 䔀 匀
䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ⴀ 䔀 搀 甀 挀 愀 琀 椀 漀 渀 ∠ 䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ⴀ 倀 攀 爀 昀 漀 爀 洀 愀 渀 挀 攀
䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ⴀ 䌀 漀 渀 搀 甀 挀 琀 椀 渀 最 ∠ 䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䌀 栀 甀 爀 挀 栀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀
䰀 䔀 䔀 唀 一 䤀 嘀 䔀 刀 匀 䤀 吀 夀 ⸀ 攀 搀 甀 ⼀ 洀 甀 猀 椀 挀

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN EDITORIAL STAFF
Michael W. Chester
Managing Editor and Advertising Manager
Justin T. Scott
Associate Editor
Laura Boucher
Associate Style Editor
Jazmin Jordan
Social Media Director
Allison Segel
Pre-Production Editor
Contributing Editors
Matthew Clark
Susan Mullen
Doug Phillips
Carol King-Chipman
Jerome Souther
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TABLE OF CONTENTS | 2017 | VOLUME 69, NO. 2
Prelude – A Message from the Editor 6
Michael Chester
TMEA President’s Message 8
Johnathan Vest, Ed. D.
TMEA - By the Numbers/Verbatim 12
Mathew Clark
FEATURED ARTICLES
Expanding the Vision of Self: Why the Arts Matter 16
Linda F. Nathan
Music Literacy Techniques for Teaching Successful Sight-Reading 24
Carol King-Chipman
Tennessee Musician Advertiser Index 27
TMEA Back Then 28
All editorial materials should be sent to: Michael Chester, Managing
Editor (615-873-0605) E-mail: editor@tnmea.org.
Submit materials by e-mail in Microsoft Word format.
Advertising: Information requests and ad orders should be
directed to: Michael Chester, Managing Editor (615-
873-0605) e-mail: editor@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: August 15 (in home delivery
date October 15); Issue No. 2 – Deadline: October 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)
Tennessee Musician is copyrighted. Reproduction in
any form is illegal without the express permission of
the editor.
SCHOLARSHIP, COMMUNITY, FAITH
MUSIC
Visit WWW.MILLIGAN.EDU/MUSIC for a list of related
majors and audition dates. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Tennessee Musician,
c/o National Association for Music Education
(NAfME), 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA
20191-4348.
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at Lubbock, Texas. ISSN Number 0400-3332; EIN
number 20-3325550

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL
TMEA OFFICERS 2016-2017
TMEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Ron Meers
execdirector@tnmea.org
TMEA PRESIDENT:
Johnathan Vest, Ed. D.
president@tnmea.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TMEA STATE GENERAL MUSIC CHAIR:
Linzie Mullins
genmusicchair@tnmea.org
TMEA STATE CHORAL CHAIR:
Gerald Patton
pattong@rcschools.net
TMEA STATE ORCHESTRA CHAIR:
Michelle Clupper
michelle.clupper@knoxschools.org
TMEA STATE BAND CHAIR:
David Chipman
banddir@bellsouth.net
TMEA STATE HIGHER EDUCATION CHAIR:
Ryan Fisher, Ph. D.
rfisher3@memphis.edu
TMEA COUNCIL
WTGMEA PRESIDENT:
Linzie Mullins
genmusicchair@tnmea.org
WTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Information not received
WTVMEA PRESIDENT:
Lalania Vaughn
lvaughn@rebelmail.net
WTVMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Christopher Davis
davischristophert@gmail.com
WTSBOA PRESIDENT:
Stephen Price
prices@gcssd.org
WTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Ollie Liddell
ollie_liddell@hotmail.com
MTGMEA PRESIDENT:
Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry
derryberrya@rcschools.net
MTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Information not recived
MTVA PRESIDENT:
Michael Choate
choatem@pcsstn.com
TMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Lafe Cook
pres-elect@tnmea.org
2 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2
TMEA PAST-PRESIDENT:
Jeff Phillips, Ed. D.
jeffrey.phillips@sumnerschools.org
TMEA STATE COLLEGIATE NAFME CHAIR:
Jennifer Vannatta-Hall, Ed. D.
jennifer.vannatta-hall@mtsu.edu
TMEA STATE EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY CHAIR:
John Womack
webmaster@tnmea.com
TMEA PUBLICATIONS EDITOR AND
ADVERTISING MANAGER:
Michael Chester
editor@tnmea.org
TMEA PUBLICATIONS ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Justin Scott
justin.scott@tcsedu.net
TMEA ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS CHAIR:
Christopher Dye, Ed. D.
christopher.dye@mtsu.edu
MTSBOA PRESIDENT:
David Aydelott
president@mtsboa.org
MTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Debbie Burton
dlburton98@gmail.com
ETGMEA PRESIDENT:
Margaret Moore
mamcmoore57@aol.com
ETGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT
Marcus Smith
marcus.smith@knoxschools.org
ETVA PRESIDENT:
Kenton Deitch
kenton.deitch@knoxschools.org
ETVA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Stephanie Coker
scoker@acs.ac
ETSBOA PRESIDENT:
Gary Wilkes
gwilkes428@gmail.com
ETSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Alan Hunt
ahunt@bradleyschools.org
CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT TEAM
TMEA CONFERENCE CO-CHAIR:
Brad Turner
brad.turner@acsk-12.org
TMEA CO-CONFERENCE CHAIR:
Paul Waters
paulwaters.tmea@gmail.com
TMEA CONFERENCE EXHIBITS CHAIR:
Jo Ann Hood
jhood10105@aol.com
ALL-STATE MANAGEMENT TEAM
TN ALL-STATE CHORAL GENERAL CHAIR:
Amanda Ragan
aragan@ortn.edu
ENSEMBLE CHAIRS
TREBLE HONOR CHOIR CHAIR:
Tiffany Barton
tntreblechoir@gmail.com
TN ALL-STATE SATB ENSEMBLE CHAIR:
Kim McLemore
kimberly.mclemore@mnps.org
TN ALL-STATE SSAA CHORALE ENSEMBLE CHAIR:
Amanda Short
amandalovellshort@gmail.com
TN ALL-STATE TTBB CHORUS ENSEMBLE CHAIR:
Johnny Kimbrough
johnny.kimbrough@jcseagles.org
TN ALL-STATE 9TH - 10TH GRADE STRING
ORCHESTRA CHAIR:
Andy Smith
andy.smith@sumnerschools.org
PROJECT CHAIRS
TMEA MEMBERSHIP CHAIR:
Position unfulfilled at this time
TMEA GUITAR EDUCATION CHAIR:
Chip Henderson
paul.henderson@mtsu.edu
TMEA JAZZ EDUCATION POLICY CHAIR:
Richard Ripani
richard.ripani@mnps.org
TMEA SOCIETY FOR MUSIC TEACHER
EDUCATION CHAIR:
Dr. Jamila L. McWhirter, Ph. D.
jamila.mcwhirter@mtsu.edu
TMEA MUSIC MERCHANTS
INDUSTRY CHAIR:
Rick DeJonge
rick.dejonge@khsmusic.com
TMEA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CHAIR:
Mark Garey
mgarey86@comcast.net
TMEA CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE
GROUP CHAIR:
John Mears
mearsj@rcschools.net
TMEA CONFERENCE EXHIBITS CHAIR:
Jo Ann Hood
jhood10105@aol.com
TN ALL-STATE INSTRUMENTAL
GENERAL CHAIR:
Martin McFarlane
martin.mcfarlane@tcsedu.net
TN ALL-STATE 11TH - 12TH GRADE SYMPHONIC
ORCHESTRA CHAIR:
Jessica Peck
peck_j@hcde.org
TN ALL-STATE 9TH - 10TH GRADE CONCERT
BAND CHAIR:
J.R. Baker
john.baker@rcstn.net
TN ALL-STATE 11TH - 12TH GRADE CONCERT
BAND CHAIR:
Carter Noblin
noblinc@wcschools.com
TN ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND CHAIR:
Cord Martin
corderyl.martin@gmail.com
TMEA WEBMASTER:
John Womack
webmaster@tnmea.org
TMEA TRI-M CHAIR:
Todd Shipley
todd.shipley@mnps.org
TMEA MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS
MONTH CHAIR:
Tiffany Barton
tntreblechoir@gmail.com
TMEA HISTORY AND ARCHIVES CHAIR:
Position unfulfilled at this time
TMEA RETIRED TEACHERS CHAIR:
Bobby Jean Frost
bjfrost@aol.com

MusicatTech
CHANGE YOUR WORLD.
SCHOLARSHIP
AUDITION DATES:
Friday, January 27, 2017
Friday, February 24, 2017
Friday, March 17, 2017
Cody Hoenie, a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee, is majoring in percussion performance, and studies with Dr. Colin J. Hill. PHOTO BY WARREN LAFEVER.
You have dreams, goals, plans for your future. You want to teach; you
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Complete information
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PO Box 70661
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423-439-4276
4 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

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PRELUDE - A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Michael Chester
Music educators may be faced with some
tough questions as we move forward.
These questions may require us to
completely rethink our philosophical and
ideological views when it comes to music
education in the next decades to come.
I’D LIKE TO START THIS EDITORIAL with
a speculative premise. Do we think that
it’s possible that music educators might
one day be looked at as great healers? I
don’t necessarily mean in the medical
sense of the word, but rather from a holistic
perspective. Maybe this seems like
a far-fetched notion. I ponder this question
because of late, it feels like the world
has completely immersed itself in the fear
of the unknown. On both a personal and
professional level, it seems that the wake
of the current political climate seems almost
unavoidable. The elephant in the
room seems to be the invisible tension of
the unknown. There is no question that we
are on the brink of change. In a world riddled
with the strife of uncertainty, whether
we want to realize it or not, we seem to be
standing on the precipice of a great quickening.
Even if one completely disregards
politics, the confluences of innovation and
technology seem more and more intertwined.
Progress seems to be taking civilization
on quite a remarkable journey. Still
unanswered is the ever looming question
of morality. Where does the idea of morality
fit within the trifecta of progress? As I
contemplate this very notion I am reminded
(rather humorously, I might add) of a
quote from the movie Jurassic Park. The
character of Dr. Ian Malcom, played by
actor Jeff Goldblum, is a mathematician
whose specialization is chaos theory. In
a particular scene Dr. Malcom voices his
ethical objections at the science and technology
of Jurassic Park: “. . . your scientists
were so preoccupied with whether or not
they could that they didn’t stop to think if
they should.” That quote seems rather poignant
in the face of reality as we hail the
new frontiers of today.
As I’ve thought about this more and more,
it seems that music educators may be faced
with some tough questions as we move forward.
These questions may require us to
completely rethink our philosophical and
ideological views when it comes to music
education in the next decades to come.
What will the reality of teaching music in a
public school, private school, college or university
look like?
Before we can begin to answer that question,
let’s take a moment to look around.
Now let’s ask a fundamental question.
Where are we now? The shifting geopolitical
landscape of the world coupled with the
divisiveness of post-election America, will
surely illicit changes that will eventually
seep into our local communities, whether
we like it or not. For me, and honestly, I understand
that change is the only constant.
I don’t think that change bothers me as
much as the uncertainty of the underlying
results and unintended consequences that
we either can’t see or haven’t thought of.
As music educators, how will we change?
Will what we value fundamentally change
or perhaps even be challenged? I often
wonder about the generations of music educators
of the past and how they dealt with
political or social change. How did music
educators deal with the unrest of the civil
rights movements and the war in Vietnam
in the 1960s? Even going back further
in time to the first half of the twentieth
century, how did the music educators of
the time deal with not one, but two world
wars? Perhaps the simplest answer to this
6 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

question is “they just dealt with it.” There
is no doubt that they did just that. History
shows that the capacity of human spirit
can be quite resilient. Music education still
continued through all of the turmoil of the
twentieth century. My question in all of
that is how did music educators adapt?
My guess is that the very nature of what
we do transcends all of the ugliness and
chaos that sometimes oversaturates the
psyche of humankind. Music educators
of the past used the power of their craft to
teach a subject that is universal.
No one can know for certain what the
future may hold. It is the very uncertainty
that can tear the delicate threads of the
social fabric. It is quite possible that now,
more than ever, as society stares into the
face of the unknown, that students need
a music educator in their life. Even today,
as it was in the previous century, music
educators have an uncanny ability to heal.
The healing comes in the form of the communal
bond that students share in the music
classroom. Music educators create a
safe space. This space is an environment
where musical concepts are taught. These
concepts are free from the barriers of politics,
religion, race, socioeconomic status . .
. and the list goes on and on. Music educators
make it possible for students to leave
the troubles and the fears of the outside
world behind, if even for a brief moment.
Music educators are healers then, as they
not only teach the mind, but also teach the
soul. This nurturing has the power to heal
by bringing together and engaging students
from all walks of life. Never forget that we
can teach this generation how to have compassion
and empathy, and how to connect
with the deepest part of our humanity.
If we truly want to leave our mark and
make the world a better place, it must start
in our classrooms and our rehearsal halls.
Now is the time that our students need
their music educators. Our classrooms
and our rehearsal halls become much
more than a place to teach, but rather laboratories
of the human condition. What we
teach now becomes just as important as
how we teach it.
We sometimes take for granted the
transformative power of music. Yet if we
are to aid in the quest of restoring the faith
in the world around us, it will be done in
our classrooms, in our rehearsal halls, in
our concert halls, on the football fields,
and the streets of towns and cities. We truly
have the power to engage with our community
in ways that harken back to earlier
times. Let our communities take comfort
as we showcase the art of our students. Let
the music making of our students heal us
and bring us together.
Let ‘s begin weaving a new tapestry of the
American experience. We have the power to
shape uncertainty into a progressive movement
of enlightenment. Let’s not be paralyzed
by fear. Though there are many things
that are outside of our immediate control,
we do have the power over ourselves to
make the choice and determination to impact
our students in a positive manner.
Michael Chester
Managing Editor
Music Education - General/Vocal/Instrumental k-12
Music Theory • Church Music
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Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition is held in late
January. See our website for more details.
Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City, TN 37760
(865) 471-3328 | music@cn.edu | cn.edu/music
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 7

TMEA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Johnathan Vest, Ed. D.
WE MUST FIND COMMON GROUND
WHEN IT COMES TO POLICIES THAT
AFFECT OUR DISCIPLINE
I
MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
that I would like to focus on advocacy during my term as president.
I am happy to say that we have made strides in this area
already! We have hired Milsap & Gowan, an educational lobbying
firm, to keep us informed of any legislation that could positively
or negatively affect music education. With this partnership, we
participate in a conference call briefing every week, and they are
helping us plan our first ever Tennessee Music Education Association
Hill Day on March 7. Several of our regional associations, as
well as the National Association for Music Merchants (NAMM),
are assisting financially in this effort. At the end of this calendar
year, if we feel pleased with the results of this partnership, then we
will consider renewing the contract for another year.
Because of our increased advocacy efforts, we have added the
position of Advocacy and Government Relations Chair to the
board. Dr. Christopher Dye from Middle Tennessee State University
is serving in this role, and is already hard at work doing a
fantastic job. He is involved in the conference call briefings and
planning of Hill Day. If you haven’t checked his blog, please do; it’s
under the “Advocacy” tab on our TMEA home page, and contains
some great information!
I know that these are tumultuous political times, with many
people disagreeing on which paths our country should take.
Amidst these political disagreements, I feel like we can, no – we
MUST find common ground when it comes to policies that affect
our discipline. This means TMEA may take a stand for or against
something proposed by a politician/representative for whom you
or I may have voted. I think it’s important that we put aside politics
and focus on policies. TMEA will never be in the business of
endorsing a particular party or candidate; however, to be an effective
advocacy organization, we must look at each candidate’s
record on education (particularly arts education) and make our
voices heard in support or opposition to that record.
I know these waters can be tricky, but I’m confident we can
navigate them effectively. I look forward to traveling with you
on this journey!
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL
BAND, CHOIR, AND ORCHESTRA
2017:
April 21-22
April 28-29
May 5-6
2018:
April 20-21
April 27-28
May 4-5
www.SMMFestival.com
or call:1-855-766-3008
8 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

Strategies and Ideas
for Music Educators…
Explore music products and materials that expand learning opportunities
in your music education classroom.
PARTICIPATE IN
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CONNECT WITH
INDUSTRY
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To learn more and purchase your Music Industry Day tickets,
visit namm.org/musicindustryday.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION #NAMM
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 9

Department of Music
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music, whether it’s in the classroom or on the stage.
2016-2017 Audition Dates*
Honor Choir Friday, Jan. 20, 4 p.m.
Honor Band Saturday, Jan 28, 8 a.m.
Junior/Senior Day Monday, Feb. 20, All day
Woodwind Day Saturday, Feb. 25, All day
* Additional dates upon request.
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10 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

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• Music ensembles from
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AUDITION DATES
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
CAREERS IN MUSIC DAY
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
MTSU Box 47
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
615-898-2469
mtsumusic.com
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 11
Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. See our full policy at mtsu.edu/titleix.

BY THE NUMBERS
by Matthew Clark
VERBATIM
“For the artist, the goal of the painting
or musical composition is not to convey
literal truth, but an aspect of a universal
truth that if successful, will continue to
move and to touch people even as contexts,
societies and cultures change.
For the scientist, the goal of a theory is
to convey “truth for now”--to replace
an old truth, while accepting that someday
this theory, too, will be replaced by
a new “truth,” because that is the way
science advances.”
Daniel J. Levitin, This Is Your Brain on Music:
The Science of a Human Obsession
“The inexpressible depth of music, so
easy to understand and yet so inexplicable,
is due to the fact that it reproduces
all the emotions of our innermost
being, but entirely without reality and
remote from its pain...Music expresses
only the quintessence of life and of its
events, never these themselves.”
Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and
the Brain
Internationally-recognized musical pieces tied to the Olympic Games, the next of which
will be held in Pyeongchang during the winter of 2018. Although John Williams deserves
credit for his many contributions to music of the Olympics—most notably, his 1984
Olympic Fanfare and Theme—the most- commonly played selected, Bugler’s Dream,
was composed by Leo Arnaud. The oldest, Greek composer Spyros Samaras’s Olympic
Hymn, was written for the inaugural round of the modern Olympic Games in 1896 and is
still played at the conclusion of each Games.
400,000
Number of fans that will attend DCI events
this summer, according to a Yamaha survey
2.1 MILLION
STUDENTS
DOE study suggests that, based on high student–
teacher ratios, over 2.1 million students in the United
States receive no music education at all, highlighting
the disparity between what a school may offer versus
what students are actually receiving.
Opportunity • Comprehensiveness
Research • Collaboration
Leadership • Responsibility
80
PERCENTAGE
0
percentage of secondary
music teachers who
indicated inadequate time for
individual or collaborative
planning, according to the
same DOE study.
percentage of secondary
music teachers who indicated
a need for more technology
to be used in the study and
creation of music
percentage of elementary
music specialists who
indicated inadequate funding
for their school music
programs
percentage of elementary
music specialists who
indicated inadequate
number of music teachers.
28% indicated inadequate
instructional time.
12 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

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Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 13

14 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

TENNESSEE
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Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 15

EXPANDING THE VISION OF SELF: WHY THE ARTS MATTER
by Linda F. Nathan
In this reflective essay, Linda F. Nathan, the founding headmaster of the
Boston Arts Academy and currently the executive director of Center for
Arts in Education at Boston Arts Academy, shares a story about how one
student, Ronald, expands his vision of self through his engagement with the
arts. In presenting this reflection on Ronald’s experience, Nathan highlights
the power of the arts in helping students define and construct their identity.
16 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

I
FIRST MET RONALD OUTSIDE HIS MIDDLE SCHOOL
principal’s office, where, as an eighth grader, he spent a lot of
time sitting with a huge scowl on his face and his arms folded
defensively against his broad chest. Ronald had been accepted
to Boston Arts Academy, the city’s visual and per forming arts public
high school—as a vocal music student— but his graduating from
middle school was doubtful. He bounced in and out of school because
of suspensions for fighting. It was the “usual” middle school
stuff: defending his or his mother’s reputation against taunts, fighting
because someone looked at you sideways or made a crack about
your sneakers or your neighborhood. And Ronald had a trigger temper.
He had gained a reputation in school as a fighter. Rumor had
it that he was even being recruited by a local gang. His mother or
grandmother would come up to school after suspensions, but they
were tired of his antics. He always fought no matter how many
counselors or teachers or the principal tried to guide him differently.
The principal had named her bench “Ronald’s bench,” given
the amount of time he spent there. Everyone at his school cared
about him but were at a loss as to how to make graduation more
important to him than fighting for his reputation.
In my thirty-five years as a teacher and principal, I have seen
students develop a form of artistic identity that blends their reputation
in school with their reputation outside of school through
the arts. Making creative work as an actor, musician, dancer,
sculptor, or graffiti artist gives students bragging rights and credibility,
both critical to healthy adolescent development. It was this
vision of self that we hoped to instill in students like Ronald.
Early in my career, I ran a theater program for a group of students
who were being drawn into the pushes and pulls of street
life. Their neighborhoods were battered by rising gang violence,
and my students often experienced this violence firsthand. Using
theater games and lots of improvisation, we wrote our own plays
about many of the turbulent issues of urban teen life. We used
various forms of popular culture in our pieces, including rap, top
chart songs, and break dancing. At first, my students’ attendance
was erratic, but when we began to tour our work to other communities,
my students became the experts, answering questions
about race, power, identity development, violence, gender roles.
In “talk backs” after the shows, students began to enjoy their
newfound stardom and expertise. When word got out about our
shows, younger students began asking for autographs even before
a performance. Remixing popular culture into a play that successfully
confronted tough issues gave my students a new kind of power
and credibility.
Over time, my students began to see themselves as real actors
with important contributions to make to the larger society. They
had lived the lives of many of the characters they portrayed; they
could talk genuinely about the struggles they had overcome to
get on that stage, and, on top of it all, they were becoming good
actors. My students were transformed as they realized that audiences
wanted to hear their stories and that their ideas, stories,
and words counted for something. One of my students wanted to
name the troupe The Real Thing because that’s how they came to
see themselves—as actors telling the truth about life.
In 1998 I helped found the Boston Arts Academy, which placed
the arts at the center of the school’s mission. Our intention was
to create an environment where popular culture would not be
relegated to “after school” but, rather, studied as a credible form
of expression and creativity. We wanted a school where knowing
every Mary J. Blige song mattered, where krumping was respected.
Students would connect to great artists who came before them
and be both disciplined and inventive with their interpretations of
great works. Ronald’s stor y is that of a young person who was able
to use his artistic skills as a way to expand his vision of his self. As
Ronald’s principal, I had the good fortune to observe and interact
with Ronald when he stumbled and when he succeeded—both of
which were important to Ronald’s journey. Ultimately, this is a
story of how education can matter.
Ronald made it out of middle school, much to his principal’s delight,
but he was over whelmed when he entered his freshmen year.
The idea of refining his work—both academically and artistically—
was foreign to him. He was used to the quick accolades he received
as a singer, not the pushing, critiquing, and prodding he got from
his new teachers. Furthermore, he quickly found out that credibility
was no longer measured by your ability to win a fight but by your
artistic prowess. If you could hit that high note, sustain that treble,
or come in right on time, people noticed you—in a good way.
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 17

This was not an easy transition to
master, however. Ronald was suspended
early on during his freshman
year for fighting. When he returned
to school, his music teacher,
Mr. Candon, sat him down and explained
that he was impressed with Ronald’s vocal
abilities and wanted him to lead the tenor
section of the school’s Lyric Choir, which is
comprised of ninth and tenth graders, even
to do a short solo in the piece that the chorus
was working on. But the fighting had
to stop. Mr. Candon had also realized that
Ronald did not know how to read music,
that he did everything by ear. As a result,
music theory class frustrated Ronald, and
he often acted up. The two of them made
a pact. Mr. Candon would tutor Ronald
privately in sight-reading if Ronald would
work hard to keep his negative comments
and his fists to himself. The pact worked.
As Ronald became more confident in his
music-reading abilities, his acting out in
class disappeared. He wanted to answer
questions correctly, he wanted to lead
the tenor section, and he wanted to sing
a solo.
One day, after I had obser ved a choir rehearsal,
I caught up with Ronald on his way
down the stairs to lunch. “You know, Mr.
Candon really counts on you in rehearsal,”
I said.
“Yeah,” Ronald smiled ever so slightly,
“I’m the one the other tenors listen to. I know
where to come in and where to breathe. I
watch Mr. Candon really well when he conducts.”
I could tell that Ronald was beginning
to create a different vision of himself as
a credible and trusted member of the chorus
and, therefore, his school community.
Ronald was selected for a prestigious
summer program in music at the end of
his freshmen year, but he could not attend
because he had failed too many academic
courses and had to go to summer school.
He tried to slough off the disappointment
as if he did not really care, but as his peers
got ready to leave for the program, Ronald
asked me if he could put off summer school
for a year so he could attend as well. Even
though he ultimately wasn’t allowed to attend,
I still believe this was a watershed
moment in Ronald’s life. After a rocky
start, he had tasted a little success his first
year in high school. Even though he had not
done well in terms of academic grades, he
had begun to believe that there was something
out there in the world that he cared
about and wanted—being good at music.
He wanted the credibility that being good
at music gave him, and he wanted to be recognized
for his emerging skills.
In his end-of-year review that year—a
meeting in which each student reflects on
his school year with an adviser and a family
member—Ronald promised to make his
teachers proud, especially his music teacher.
I work at my music it makes people feel
things—sorrow and joy and lots of other
emotions, too. It’s much better this way than
fighting. I know that. I can make people see
things and go places with my singing.
I know Mr. Candon selected me to
lead and he gave me a solo at the endof-year
concert and he’ll see that I really
do lead next year! No more fighting.
That’s over. I know that when I
work at my music it makes people feel
things—sorrow and joy and lots of other
emotions, too. It’s much better this
way than fighting. I know that. I can
make people see things and go places
with my singing. And I’m going to do
that and more.
Ronald’s mother did not show for his
review, and during his sophomore and junior
year Ronald experienced more family
difficulties. His mother did not believe
that a major in music would get him anywhere
in life. She insisted that he transfer
to another school, but he refused. He was
thrown out of the house for a time and had
to live with friends and other relatives.
Despite all of his personal challenges,
Ronald kept his focus on his academic and
musical studies.
I felt that Ronald was beginning to articulate
new ways in which he could interact
with and earn the attention of his peers,
and even inspire them. He received positive
accolades from his teachers and applause
from audiences after performances.
As a member, and leader, of the chorus, he
was beginning to see how good it could feel
to be counted on by others. This combination
was a powerful formula that gave him
the grit to continue perfecting his artistic
skills and, eventually, the determination to
improve his academic skills, too.
As he became more proficient as a
singer, his academic teachers also noticed
his changing attitudes toward
classes. He was no longer satisfied with
a D+ or C–, and he often wanted to revise
papers or retake quizzes. The skill of perseverance
and the belief in the power of
refining work that first appeared in his
vocal classes was now showing up in other
areas as well. In a reflective essay he
wrote during his senior year, he acknowledged
this growth:
Throughout my journey here I have
learned plenty. Freshmen year I
lacked ambition as a student. I was
pretty angry still. I was used to being
recognized as a fighter, but when my
music teacher selected me to lead
my section and then the entire choir,
I knew I had to accept my past mistakes
and do better in the future. I
was learning to work with others, and
I liked how that felt. My junior year
I learned that constant revision will
push my life further in ever y direction.
Lastly, my senior year I learned
that I couldn’t always chose my circumstances
but I can choose my attitude.
I want to be someone who does
well and who others can count on—
not just in music but in all things!
18 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

As Ronald prepared for his senior recital—a
capstone experience of his high
school career—he talked about how his
mother, who had never come to see any of
his performances, would show up for this
big event. Ronald’s recital program included
classical pieces in Italian and German
that he had spent hours rehearsing with
his voice teacher, perfecting both his pronunciation
and musical inflections as well
as figuring how to best express the melody
and the lyrics. He also now read music fluently.
Most notably, he learned to commit
to the musical choices he was making in
the pieces. Ronald wrote:
Most students grow up and have opinions
that are extremely biased because
they conformed to the views that they
have been fed by adult educators instead
of being taught to inquire, question,
observe and experience. When I
prepared for my senior recital, I had to
decide what my pieces meant and why
I connected to them. I chose “Come
Raggio di sol” because I love how
rhythmic it is. It grabs at your heart
and is full of emotion and of a love that
you can’t ever have. It is so much easier
for me now that I read music well.
His program also included two other
more popular songs, one R&B (Stevie Wonder)
and the other gospel (Kirk Franklin),
both of which involved working with an
ensemble of singers and instrumentalists.
Ronald was a big fan of Stevie Wonder and
loved the challenge of figuring out how to
say something new with words and music
that audiences have treasured in their original
form for decades. Students appreciated
working with Ronald as the ensemble
leader, since he always listened carefully
and gave good feedback so that ever yone
sounded their best. He also insisted on
students being on time for rehearsal. He
would tell his charges, “Remember, no matter
what else is going on, leave the drama at
the door! If I can do it, you can do it! What
do we say? ‘The show’s got to go on!’”
On the recital evening, Ronald
looked fantastic in his tuxedo and
red cummerbund and matching
handkerchief. (A teacher had taken
him to buy it after Ronald admitted
that his mom did not have the time
or resources to help him.) As the theater
grew more crowded, I looked around for
his mother. It was time for him to begin
and she hadn’t arrived.
One of Ronald’s friends came to get me
out of the audience. “He won’t go on,” India
told me. “He can’t stop crying. He really believed
his mom would come.”
I went backstage and there was Ronald
looking completely despondent in his
now-rumpled tuxedo. I urged him to go onstage.
“Ronald, remember what you always
say to your ensemble: ‘Leave the drama at
the door! The show’s got to go on!’ You have
a big audience waiting for you out there!”
Tears kept streaming down his face as he
repeated, “But she said she’d come . . .”
Finally, another member of the ensemble,
Candace, pulled him up roughly and
said, “Look, we know you are mad and
disappointed, but what about us? You gonna
let us all down? We’ve rehearsed for
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 19

GO WHERE
YOUR PASSION
LEADS YOU
months with you! We bought dresses that match your tux and we
look fresh! We are ready to do this! Come on!” With that admonishment,
something snapped for Ronald, and he lumbered to his
feet with cheers from his friends and took the stage.
His first number was shaky, but he gained confidence as the
program went on. He received a standing ovation at the end of the
recital, and, as a result of his performance as well as his positive
growth as a musician, he won a prestigious scholarship to the Tanglewood
Institute for summer music study.
Long after the clapping subsided, I could still hear Ronald singing
the sweet notes of “Isn’t She Lovely” and see him leading his
musicians through difficult sections. I couldn’t stop grinning. Ronald
had taught me something about persistence even through pain.
I was proud of him.
After the recital, Ronald plunged into his final humanities
course, Art and Aesthetics. The change in attitude about himself
and his relations to others was evident. In his first paper for the
class, he wrote:
I came to Boston Arts Academy thinking I was an artist already.
I could sing and that impressed people on my block.
But I knew nothing about the origins and roots of music. Now,
when I tell people I am an artist, I can discuss and write about
various genres of art and their histor y. I know how to analyze
art nearly professionally! And I know how to write and think
for myself. I’m not afraid of college either. I have come a long
way in these last four years as an artist, scholar and citizen.
I think about all the trouble I gave my principal in middle
school. She would be proud of me now.
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For Ronald, music grew from a middle school interest to a
high school and life passion. Music was the vehicle to help
him see and understand the world and all its complexities,
even the painful parts. It also became a powerful source of
his conception of himself. Music helped him traverse the
different arenas he inhabited—both in and out of school.
The fist-flying angry young man in ninth grade slowly learned
to control his temper and to focus his energy in more productive
ways. The exhausting demands of demonstrating a vision of self
that conflicted with school were replaced with a credibility that
his peers respected and that integrated school into an important
part of Ronald’s life. Even though he almost gave up, in the
end Ronald would not let down his peers and teachers. In a final
reflection, he wrote, “Life continues regardless, and the only aspect
that I can change is how I look at the circumstances that
life gives me.” Ronald cannot easily share the pain he feels at being
abandoned by his mother, or her lack of understanding of his
passion as an emerging opera singer, but he chose to persevere
and fin- ish high school.
He now knows something he didn’t know in middle school—a lot
about music. He can discuss, write, and perform what he knows,
and that gives him a kind of credibility that winning fights in middle
school never accomplished. He can belt out a gospel song like
Kirk Franklin and sing a jazz standard in the style of Joe Williams,
and when he sings an aria and his diaphragm expands like
Pavarotti, girls swoon and young men stamp their feet in appreciation.
He argues about why Stevie Wonder is the best musician ever
and laces his points with evidence and even citations from critical
20 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

theory that he studied in academic classes
at Boston Arts Academy. He understands
that knowing something really well, both
academically and artistically, impresses
his peers and teachers alike.
Ronald graduated proudly with a promise
that he wouldn’t forsake his music. He
has to work full time now to support himself,
given his family situation, but he is
taking a night class at a community college
in order to pursue a degree, and he continues
to compose and sing. When we last
met, Ronald brought me some of the songs
he was working on. With some sadness,
he told me that he wished he’d been able
to go to college full time, “But I’m helping
my mom now.” I looked at him surprised.
“Yeah, we get along better now. I think she
finally understands how important music
is to me.”
Of course, I wish that Ronald had been
able to attend a four-year college and that
his journey through high school had been
less fraught with difficulties and pain,
but I have to believe that he learned more
about resiliency then many young people.
I also recognize that Ronald helped reaffirm
my own convictions about why arts
are so critical in schools. When I fight for
arts inclusion in schools, I think of Ronald’s
experience.
If all students had the chance to perform
or exhibit work that reflects their deep
interests and passions, school would be a
radically different place—one that matters
deeply to young people. If students are
given an opportunity to pursue success
in ways that resonate with their own personal
experiences, school could become a
source that generates credibility outside
of its walls. We need to ensure that the arts
have their rightful place in the landscape of
each of our communities and schools. If we
do so, we can also be confident that more
of our students will use the arts to develop
positive identities and that school can
be a place where strong visions of self can
be made and established. In this way, I am
confident that more young men and women
like Ronald will find that education—
and school—is worth it.
Leave the drama
at the door!
The show’s got
to go on!
Special thanks to Laura Clos for assistance
with this article. This article originally
appeared in the Harvard Educational
Review. Vol. 83 No. 1 pp.47-53. Reprinted with
permission.
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 21

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MUSICAL LITERACY: TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHING SUCCESSFUL SIGHT-READING
You may open the score.
Before performing, you
have six minutes to review
the music with your
students beginning now.
That’s the sight-reading room phrase of which many a band
director’s nightmare is made, and I’ve been there. However,
it doesn’t have to be that way. Teaching our students to be
musically literate through sight-reading year round is the
key. I’ll share some effective sight-reading teaching strategies
that I use daily with my middle and high school students. Then,
we’ll review the sight-reading successful process that all of
my students use at concert festivals. Here’s the rule to which I
always refer: KISS Keep It Simple Stupid. Do keep sight-reading
interesting and engaging for your students and especially
yourself…above all keep your sanity.
Work Backwards
Know how you want your band to sound at checkpoints in the
school year, for example, my middle school points are: October,
December, then March, April & May. I use three objectives:
Tone, Technical Accuracy and Musicality for achievement,
learning and assessment. Write the objectives on the board,
add subcategories under each, and have the students to recite
daily. For example, as subcategories for Tone include: Posture,
Stick-Height (Always Include Percussion!), Air (Speed, Focus),
Tuning, and Balance & Blend. My students have these from
memory and it pays off. Everything in Band World is connected
to one of these objectives. Therefore modeling, rehearsing and
assessing using the three main objectives and sub-objectives (in
kid friendly terms) with your students daily in class is a must.
Work On Rhythms Daily
The metronome is your best friend. Mine is connected
to speakers close to the ensemble, with the metronome on
my conductor’s stand. ALWAYS use the metronome when
rehearsing rhythms! My students affectionately (sarcasm) call
it “Mr. Clicky”. The ensemble should count aloud the rhythms
with the metronome while you write the counts, on the board
under the rhythms, to reinforce understanding. Next, have the
students “sizzle” the rhythms, while in playing position, again
with the metronome. It’s an “sssss” sound like a snake, but
the mouthpieces are not to the lips and the flute head joints
are to the left of their embouchures. Next review the rhythms
by Dr. Carol King-Chipman
by changing tempos, dynamics and style. This is also a golden
opportunity to practice tuning that pesky Concert E (or any
other note) while performing rhythm patterns. Competitions
between the brass, woodwinds & percussion combining any
of the above ideas always entice student interest. Here’s one
of my favorites schemes: In your rehearsal order written on
the board, have a favorite song they like to perform listed last.
Remind the students that when the rhythms are performed
accurately, we get closer to playing their most beloved song.
You can always use a rhythm book of your choice or just have
a two-four-measure rhythm on the board when the students
enter the class. I like to pick a rhythm that is missed more from
concert music and use that as the rhythm of the day or week.
Dotted rhythms are always great, rhythms that change time
signatures, or select rhythmic values we adults perceive as easy
like whole, half and quarter notes.
Always Sight-Read New Concert Music and Practice Sight-Reading
Techniques So They Become Routine
Always sight-read, even in August when your ears are still
bleeding! There are times that my students are sight-reading a
complex piece of music and we “chunk” the sight-reading in to a
few smaller sections – but we always sight-read. It’s always a good
idea to sight-read pieces that allow your students to get a bit out
of their comfort zone. Record your sight-reading sessions often
and play them back for your students, that’s a big dose of reality
sometimes but it pays off in the students’ understanding of the
need for musical literacy. I usually rehearse sight-reading with
my students without the metronome. This makes the learning
experience more real life. This is also less stressful for director
and students. Remember, there are no metronomes in the concert
festival sight-reading room or concert performances. Watching
the stick is a significant student learned behavior always worthy
of practice. Teach your students to look for “surprises” while
sight-reading: accidentals, key-signature changes, and
style/tempo changes. Teach students to identify the last
flat or sharp note in their key signature, and to locate
that in their music. That’s usually the note, which is
missed during sight-reading. Also instruct students
to locate repeated patterns of notes (including
repeated accidentals), rests and rhythms in
their music. I teach students that a rest,
which falls on the count before playing, is a
breath mark. “Breathe the count before you
play” is a significant, simple sight-reading
procedure but often overlooked. My students
identify these specific rests as BYF (Breathe You
Fool). This BYF Technique aids air support during
sight-reading, since tone quality often suffers due
to lack of confidence and nerves.
Performance Time: What do I say to my Students in the
Sight-Reading Room?
The same procedure you’ve practiced numerous times during
in class while sight-reading. Yes, time yourself while giving
instructions. If you’re given 6 or 8 minutes in a concert festival
24 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

sight-reading assessment, then that’s how much time you allow
yourself to teach instructions during class. Here’s the usual
procedure my middle and high school students and I use during
sight-reading:
Time Signature:
• Ask the students to sizzle the downbeats of the beginning time
signature while you conduct a few measures.
• Does the time signature change? Where? Does the beginning
time signature return as in an overture? Tell students to place
their fingers on these places in their music as you indicate
areas of change. Sizzle a few measures of the additional time
signatures too.
Key Signature:
• “Who has three flats in their key signature?” Those concert
pitch students raise their hands. “Find all of the Ab’s in your
music” Repeat this for all instrument groups with the same key
signatures.
• Always have students locate all of the notes, which correspond
with the last flat or sharp in each key signature, in their music.
• Avoid surprises: Have the students locate the sharp or flat
note missing from the key signature. This would be a note
that is commonly used in their performance, for example:
Also & Bari Saxes need to find the F Naturals, French Horns
locate the B Naturals, Concert Pitch Instruments E Naturals
• Does the key signature Change? Have students to place
their fingers on these places in their music as you indicate
areas of change.
Road Map (Repeats):
• The “Road Map” includes all directions for going through the
process in order once you have taught the students all the above
techniques. These include: Repeats, 1st and 2nd Endings, Coda.
• Teacher demonstrates & Sizzle Tempo Changes, Fermatas and
Odd Entrances
• Remind students to breathe the count before they play
Sizzle:
Students sizzle last measures, transitions, soli sections and then
first measures; next, sizzle the entire piece. As the students
are sizzling, you call attention to accidentals, when to breath,
dynamics, etc.
Ask Students if Anyone Needs a Cue:
• This will help them focus on the odd entrances
Ask Students if they Have Questions:
Reteach
Perform – Go Forth and Conquer!!
As you can see, there’s a good amount of instruction that must
occur in the sight-reading room. When you & your students have
practiced this drill together many times throughout the school year,
it becomes second nature. Successful sight-reading is a culmination
of objective driven instruction and assessment, teaching rhythms
daily, and practicing sight-reading year round. Musical literacy is a
lifetime gift that we can help our students achieve.
Special thanks to Deborah W. McCoy for contributions to this article.

music AT UNION UNIVERSITY
to exalt
to inspire
Jackson, Tennessee
731.661.5345
uu.edu/music
DEPARTMENT of MUSIC
EXCELLENCE-DRIVEN CHRIST-CENTERED PEOPLE-FOCUSED FUTURE-DIRECTED

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN ADVERTISER INDEX | VOLUME 69, No. 2
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
Belmont University 20
Carson Newman College 7
East Tennessee State University 3
Lee University
Inside front Cover
Middle Tennessee State University 11
Milligan College 1
NAMM Foundation 9
Slate Group
Outside Back Cover
Smoky Mountain Music Festival 8
Tennessee State University 22
Tennessee Technological University 2
Union University 26
University of Memphis 23
University of Tennessee at Knoxville Bands 15
University of Tennessee at Knoxville School of Music 14
University of Tennessee at Martin 10
Yamaha Corporation of America 13
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 27

TMEA BACK THEN
• In this conference edition of the
Tennessee Musician, three informational
columns appeared in a section titled
“Letters.” In his column, then TMEA
President Solie Fott, encouraged
performing groups to submit recordings
to be selected for performances at the
MENC (now NAfME) Southern Division
Conference. He also encouraged the
membership to attend the annual TMEA
In-Service Conference. With the help of
Joe Giles, Fott took on the additional
responsibility of writing letters to every
superintendent in every Tennessee school
district to solicit for validity and support
of the TMEA In-Service Conference. His
letters asked that music educators be given
adequate release time to attend the TMEA
In-Service Conference for professional
development purposes.
• Then TMEA Executive Secretary-
Treasurer John Bright reported that
TMEA had completed paper work and
received both a state charter and a tax
exemption number. In addition, the TMEA
business files and archives were now
being housed at the Nashville Community
School for the Arts, along with office
space for the organization. Bright also
reported on his recent experience at the
Georgia Music Educators Conference.
He compared the differences between
the Georgia and Tennessee Conferences,
noting that Georgia had a separate All-
State event, which freed music educators
from the burden of chaperoning students
at their conference. He was hopeful that
Tennessee would perhaps one day adopt
that model for future TMEA conferences.
• Joe Giles, then Tennessee State
Department of Education Director of
Arts Education, reported on a committee,
chaired by Charlie Ball, that called for
the formation of goals and directions
for music education in Tennessee. The
“all-star” committee, as Giles described,
included Jack Connell, Kay Schneider,
Earl Hinton, W.J. Julian, Jay Craven,
Nancy Boone, Lynn Jordan, Lulah
Hedgeman, Howard (Zeke) Nicar, and
Charles Clark.
• Ric Best, then ETSBOA President,
gave an update in the instrumental music
column on the Better Schools Program.
At the time of his column, there was a
very low percentage of music teachers in
Tennessee who were achieving Career
Ladder Level II or Level III status.
Best’s column goes on to describe the
inconsistencies of the evaluation system
and possible strategies at addressing the
requirements of the evaluation tool. Those
who were able to achieve Career Ladder
Level II or Level III status were evidently
incentivized monetarily with a bonus
amount of $35,000.00 paid over the course
of five years.
• The TMEA In-Service Conference
was held on April 3-5, 1986 at the Hyatt
Regency in Nashville, Tennessee (now the
Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown).
Ray Bell and Nancy Ferguson served
as conference chairs. Registration for the
TMEA In-Service Conference was $10.00
for pre-registration and $12.00 for on-site
registration. Room accommodations at the
Hyatt Regency Nashville were $52.00 per
night for single occupancy.
THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN (MARCH 1986)
Volume 38, No. 3 – 48 pgs.
Solie Fott, TMEA President
Cynthia R. Curtis, Editor
28 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

IT’S A NEW ERA
IN EDUCATION
What does that mean for you as a music educator?
Music advocates have begun the hard work of ensuring the
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is properly implemented
across the country. With music included as part of a wellrounded
education, now more than ever, your voice and
expertise as a music educator is critical.
NAfME is here to help you make a strong case for music
education under ESSA.
“Everything ESSA”
Visit bit.ly/NCLBends for all the resources you need to understand ESSA and take action to
ensure implementation includes music at the state level. NAfME’s Toolkits include:
• ESSA in Plain English: What It Means for You: Learn more about this historical law and see our
detailed FAQ that features questions asked by music educators just like you.
• ESSA Implementation Toolkit: This thorough resource links your program with admissible
provisions in ESSA so you can make your case for your program where you work.
• NAfME Field Guide to State Lobbying: This document explains the ins and outs of what you
can do to lobby at the state level.
Webinars
At bit.ly/NCLBends, you can receive recognition for professional development valued at one
contact hour for watching these webinars:
• ESSA Passage and Next Steps
• Title IV, Opportunities to Learn, and You!
• Federal Funding Facts
Grassroots Action Center
Right now, you can make your voice heard on Capitol Hill. At bit.ly/NAfMEgrassroots, you can:
• Support music education in federal education policy
• Be involved with the legislative process
• Engage your members of Congress via ready-to-send letters on ESSA funding
Your Association. Your Profession. Your Voice.

Tennessee Music Education Association
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