TN Musician Vol. 70 No. 2

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

What is Your End Game? 

Considering a Process- 

Based Approach to 

Ensemble Education 

by John Oelrich 

p. 16 

Pilot Study: A Survey of 

Tennessee Music 

Educators Concerning 

Loss of Instructional Time 

by Rebecca Turner 

p. 24 

Why and How Leadership 

is Important in Developing 

Music Educators 

by Linzie Mullins 

p. 30 

VOLUME 70, NO. 2

MUSIC 

MUSIC WITH PURPOSE 

A Christ-centered university in southeast 

Tennessee with faculty, curriculum, facilities, 

and opportunities to prepare you for your 

goals as tomorrow’s musician. 

Audition Dates: 

NOV. | JAN. | FEB. | MAR. | APR. 

LEEUNIVERSITY.edu/music

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-Smith 

Pre-Production Editor 

Contributing Editors 

Matthew Clark 

Doug Phillips 

Carol King-Chipman 

Jerome Souther 

PUBLISHED BY SLATE GROUP 

6024 45th Street 

Lubbock, Texas 79407 

(800) 794-5594 office 

(806) 794-1305 fax 

Director of Creative Services 

Rico Vega 

Graphic Design 

Taylor Sutherland 

Account Executive 

Ian Spector 

TABLE OF CONTENTS | 2017 | VOLUME 70, 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 

Matthew Clark 

FEATURED ARTICLES 

What’s Your End Game? Considering a Process-Based 

Approach to Ensemble Education 16 

John Oelrich 

Pilot Study: A Study of Tennessee Music Educators 

Concerning Loss of Instructional Time 24 

Rebecca Turner 

Why and How Leadership is Important in 

Developing Music Educators 30 

Linzie Mullins 

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. 

Tennessee Musician Advertiser Index 39 

TMEA Back Then 40 

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. 

Postmaster: Send address changes to: Tennessee Musician, 

c/o National Association for Music Education 

(NAfME), 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 

20191-4348. 

Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization U.S. Postage Paid 

at Lubbock, Texas. ISSN Number 0400-3332; EIN 

number 20-3325550

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL 

TMEA OFFICERS 2017-2018 

TMEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: 

Ron Meers 

execdirector@tnmea.org 

TMEA PRESIDENT: 


president@tnmea.org 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

TMEA STATE GENERAL MUSIC CHAIR: 


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: 


genmusicchair@tnmea.org 

WTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Frances Miller 

fmiller@millingtonschools.org 

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 

MTVA PRESIDENT: 

Michael Choate 

choatem@pcsstn.com 

MTVA PRESIDENT ELECT: 

Lia Holland 

liaholland@mtcscougars.net 

TMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Lafe Cook 

pres-elect@tnmea.org 

2 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 70, 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: 


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: 

Debbie Burton 

dlburton98@gmail.com 

MTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT: 

Justin Scott 

justin.scott@tcsedu.net 

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: 

Lauren Ramey 

lauren.ramey@wcs.edu 

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, Ph. D. 

richard.ripani@mnps.org 

TMEA SOCIETY FOR MUSIC TEACHER 

EDUCATION CHAIR: 

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 

TN ALL-STATE INSTRUMENTAL 

GENERAL CHAIR: 

Todd Shipley 

allstateinstrumental@tnmea.org 

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: 

Anna Laura Williams 

anna.laura.williams@outlook.com 

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

School 

THE 

of Music 

Scholarship Audition Dates: 

Friday, January 26, 2018 

Friday, February 16, 2018 

Friday, March 16, 2018 

Cody Hoenie, a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee, studies with Dr. Colin J. Hill. PHOTO BY WARREN LAFEVER. 

You have dreams, goals, plans for your future. You want to teach; you want 

to perform; you want to study with a world–class faculty . . . 

• We offer degrees in music education 

(K–12 with instrumental or vocal licensure), 

as well as performance degrees in 

winds, percussion, strings, piano, voice, 

jazz, and music composition. 

• Scholarships are available for both music 

majors and non–music majors. Please visit 

our website to apply. 

Member of 

NASM 

since 1967 

• Hundreds of events each year feature our 

bands, choirs, orchestras, and chamber 

groups as well as student, faculty, and 

guest artist recitals. 

• Call, write, or schedule a campus visit. 

We’d love to meet you and answer your 

questions. Music at Tech—change your 

world! 

WWW.TNTECH.EDU/MUSIC 

Tennessee Tech University 

School of Music 

Box 5045 

Cookeville, TN 38505 

(931) 372–3161 

music@tntech.edu 

TTU is a constituent university of the Tennessee Board of Regents. TTU does 

not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, 

sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status 

as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected 

class. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact equity@ 

tntech.edu. The TTU policy on nondiscrimination can be found at www. 

tntech.edu/aa.

TENNESSEE 

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

2018 MARCHING BAND AUDITION DATES 

Music Majors and Music Minors 

(Woodwind, Brass & Percussion) - February 10 and February 17 

Non Music Majors 

(Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, & Color Guard) - February 24 and March 3 

For more information on how to join The Pride of the Southland Band visit 

our website www.utbands.com or call us at 865-974-5031. 

4 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 70, No. 2 

Connect with UT Bands

Some are born with 

in their souls 

If authenticity had a 

soul, you would find it 

in Memphis. Creativity 

flows through our veins 

This is the kind of city and 

university where original 

people are elevating the art 

of music in unforgettable 

ways. If you were born 

with music in your blood, 

you belong at the UofM. 

DEGREES OFFERED 

B.M., M.M., D.M.A., Ph.D. 

AUDITION DATES 

Dec. 2, 2017 

Feb. 3, 2018 

Feb. 17, 2018 

Feb. 24, 2018 

memphis.edu/music

PRELUDE - A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR 


As music educators, we have all faced moments where our individual 

auditions (whether as a student or as a professional) were good, bad, 

or middle of the road. Our experiences from those moments and what 

we learned about ourselves from those moments have more of an 

impact on our musical instruction then we might realize. 

IS IT JUST ME or is the holiday 

break one of the best gifts ever? 

I’m hoping that all of you are getting 

to spend time with family and 

loved ones and hopefully taking some 

much-needed time off for rest and relaxation 

before we head back to the 

classroom for the spring semester. For 

me, the time is all of those things, as 

well as time to plan and try to measure 

the successes and failures of my teaching 

during the past semester, all with 

the goal of making improvements for 

the next semester. I think one of the 

joys of the season is having that time 

to reflect on the past, present, and the 

future. I don’t mean to get all Dickensian 

on you (Dickensian - an adjective 

relating to or similar to something described 

in the books of the 19th-century 

English writer Charles Dickens) but I 

recently had a moment that had plot 

lines similar to the beloved holiday 

tale A Christmas Carol. 

I decided early on to serve as a volunteer 

for our middle school regional 

band and orchestra auditions. I’m not 

sure why I thought this would be a good 

idea. I don’t even teach middle school, so 

I wasn’t required to be there. I don’t consider 

myself to be overtly altruistic and 

I wasn’t trying to curry any favors with 

anyone. I guess it just seemed like the 

right thing to do, at least at the time. As 

I got closer to the event, I began to dread 

it. I was assigned to be a monitor in the 

clarinet room. I imagined all 215 middle 

school clarinet students in various 

states of emotional unrest. What exactly 

did I get myself into? I had not served 

as a monitor for years and was trying to 

remember all the little things that would 

make the experience pleasant for all. 

The day of the event came, and I 

served with expected diligence. Something 

that I came to dread actually was 

almost a life changing experience. I realized 

that I would be the first and last 

person that students would see during 

their audition. I could totally be cold, 

uncaring, and disinterested or I could 

be friendly and compassionate. I chose 

the latter. The middle school audition 

experience, if positive, can certainly 

set the foundation for future audition 

success in years to come. As I watched 

and listened to each clarinet student 

perform their auditions, some with nervousness, 

some with confidence, some 

who performed at a mediocre level, 

some that were fantastic, and some that 

were down right awful, I could not help 

but think that everything I was seeing 

was shades of the past. As music educators, 

we have all faced moments where 

our individual auditions (whether as a 

student or as a professional) were good, 

bad or middle of the road. Our experiences 

from those moments and what 

we learned about ourselves from those 

moments have more of an impact on 

our musical instruction then we might 

realize. Every individual musical experience 

eventually has a cumulative effect 

on how we instruct students. Every 

success and mistake, every trick in the 

book, and all the things we learned on 

our journey as musicians finds its way 

in our instruction. 

Another part of the day that I experienced 

was watching and interacting 

with the many music educators who 

volunteered to serve in the various 

roles, from registration, monitoring, 

hosting, tabulating, etc. As I walked 

around during my breaks, there were 

so many people who gave unselfishly 

of their time to make sure that the students 

could have a successful educational 

experience. It was like watching 

the scene from A Christmas Carol with 

Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas 

Present witnessing Bob Cratchit and 

his family, who despite their impoverished 

circumstances, were apt to make 

the best of things. In many ways, music 

educators should be able to relate 

to this. We seem to have a keen knack 

(for better or for worse) in making the 

best of any situation, regardless of the 

circumstances. 

As we close out this year and get 

ready for the spring semester 

ahead, I hope that each of you 

realizes that the true impact 

of what you do day-in and day-out 

does make a difference in the lives of 

the students. 

I also hope that you all have an opportunity 

to spend time with family 

and loved ones. Time seems to be a 

scarce commodity these days so make 

it count. I hope that each of you is 

looking forward to 2018 filled with the 

best things yet to come. 


Managing Editor 

6 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 70, No. 2

60TH ANNUAL TMEA CONFERENCE SELECTED PERFORMING ENSEMBLES 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING ENSEMBLES who have been selected to perform at the 60th 

Annual TMEA Conference. Each of these ensembles represents the finest examples of teaching in the State of Tennessee. 

Make plans now to attend these concerts. All concerts will take place at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention 

Center in Presidential Ballroom D. 

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 

1:00 PM: East Tennessee State University 

BucsWorth Men’s Choral 

Alan Stevens, condcutor 

3:00 PM: Stewarts Creek High School Wind Ensemble 

Debbie Burton & Michael Chester, conductors 

5:00 PM: White Station High School Chorale 

Joseph Powell & Daniel Massey, conductors 

7:00 PM: Austin Peay State University Wind Ensemble 

Gregory Wolynec, conductor 

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018 

9:00 AM: Meigs Academic Middle School 

Advanced Strings 

Matthew Taylor, conductor 

11:00 AM: Middle Tennessee State University 

Women’s Choral 

Angela Tipps, conductor 

1:00 PM: Centennial High School Wind Ensemble. 

(TBA Hall of Fame Concert) 

Scott E. Miller, conductor 

9:00 PM: Maryville College Concert Choir 

Stacey Murphy Wilner, conductor 

Belmont’s School of Music is a place where you can fully develop your talent and see how far it can take you. 

To join our creative community and explore your artistry, visit BELMONT.EDU/CREATIVECOMMUNITY. 

AUDITION DATES FOR ADMISSION FALL 2018 

UNDERGRADUATE: 10.28.17 • 11.11.17 • 1.13.18 • 1.27.18 • 2.10.18 

GRADUATE: 11.11.17 • 1.19.18 • 2.9.18 • 2.23.18 

Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 7

TMEA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 


I am very excited to announce that 

TMEA has entered a partnership with 

the Country Music Association (CMA) 

to assist us with our conference this 

year, and hopefully, for years to come. 

GREETINGS, fellow music educators! 

I hope that you have 

enjoyed your holidays and 

time with friends and family 

so far. The winter season is especially 

busy for music educators, and I hope 

you are able to get some much-needed 

rest and rejuvenation. We are all going 

to need it heading into a spring full of 

concerts, contests, performance assessments 

and musicals. The amount 

of time you put into your work to ensure 

your students have an engaging, 

challenging and rewarding experience 

with music is truly astounding. 

I thank you for all you do to make the 

children in our state better musicians, 

and more importantly, better people. 

The TMEA All-State Conference 

will be here before you know it. This 

year, the event will be again held at 

Gaylord Opryland Hotel April 11- 

14, and it promises to be bigger and 

better than ever. I am very excited to 

announce that TMEA has entered a 

partnership with the Country Music 

Association (CMA) to assist us with 

our conference this year, and hopefully, 

for years to come. If you didn’t already 

know, the CMA has been highly 

involved in financially supporting 

music education in Metro Nashville 

Public Schools through the Music 

Makes Us Foundation. CMA is now 

taking this support statewide, and yes, 

even nationwide. It truly believes in 

the mission of TMEA to “promote the 

advancement of high quality music education 

for all.” 

So how does this support manifest 

itself at our conference? CMA has committed 

to help in several ways, notably, 

by offering a “CMA Track” of sessions 

that will be offered to all attendees. 

These sessions may look a little different 

than traditional band, choir, orchestra, 

and general music sessions, 

but will be relevant to your teaching 

and what you do with kids every day. 

CMA is also working to provide a special 

guest speaker for our conference 

general session, so stay tuned! 

In addition to the partnership with 

CMA, we will have many other exciting 

events and opportunities for you 

at the conference. We are especially 

excited about some of our general 

music offerings this year, culminating 

with John Feierabend for the Saturday 

session. Special thanks to our 

State General Music Chair Linzie 

Mullins for helping plan this, and to 

all of our state chairs for their work in 

making sure the sessions are relevant 

and engaging. 

Something new we are providing 

this year is a Justification 

Worksheet/Letter for 

conference attendance. If you 

are having trouble gaining administration 

support for your attendance 

at the conference, this letter will 

emphasize all the benefits you, your 

students and your 

school will receive 

by your attending the 

conference. Please 

look for this letter 

in your email and on 

our Facebook page 

by the first of the year. 

Hopefully, it will help any reticent 

administrators realize the 

value in high-quality professional 

development. 

If you always come to the conference 

every spring, thank you. 

Is there someone you can invite 

to come with you? If you’ve never 

been to a conference before, 

then this is the year to come. 

You won’t want to 

miss it! 


MUSIC AT 

Milligan produces life-long learners and lovers of music, as well as accomplished performers. The program’s 

faculty consists of knowledgeable and experienced musicians who also are dedicated and caring educators 

focused on helping students achieve their musical goals. 

MAJORS 

Music Performance 

Music Business 

music education 

(Instrumental, Vocal) 

Musical Theatre 

fine arts (MUSIC EMPHASIS) 

worship leadership 

MINORS 

music Performance 

Music ministry 

Worship leadership 

ENSEMBLES 

Concert Choir 

Women’s Chorale 

Orchestra 

String Quartet 

Civic Band 

Johnson City Symphony 

Orchestra 

Heritage 

Heard Mentality 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Scholarships are available, regardless of a student’s intended 

major. To schedule an audition, call 423.461.8723, or email 

music@milligan.edu. 

INTRODUCING 

MUSICAL 

THEATRE 

NEW 

MAJOR 

FALL 

2018 

LEARN MORE 

MILLIGAN.EDU/MUSIC 

A TOP COLLEGE & BEST VALUE. 

–U.S. NEWS 



Photo Credit: Rob Davidson 

Get the National Recognition 

Your Music Program Deserves! 

Apply to be designated by 

The NAMM Foundation as a 

Best Community for Music 

Education (BCME) program 

The 2018 BCME Survey 

is open from 

October 17–January 31 

“Being named a BCME was the catalyst for us to gain an 

expanded music education budget, all while increasing 

community visibility and support. It was a wonderful 

recognition of the efforts of our music staff to provide 

the highest quality of music education possible and 

further provided validation of the quality of 

programs we provide for our students.” 

-LONNIE STOVER, SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC AT 

SYCAMORE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IN CINCINNATI, OHIO 

Stay Connected 

Sign up to receive 

The NAMM Foundation monthly 

newsletter to receive updates on 

Talking Up Music Education podcast 

episodes, community events, 

music making opportunities, and 

educational downloads. 

Music Education Days at 

The 2018 NAMM Show 

Music educators are eligible to attend 

The 2018 NAMM Show to participate in 

informative sessions; to experience inspiring 

performances; and to preview the latest 

instruments, products and tools relevant 

to today’s music classrooms. 

Be part of The NAMM Foundation 

The NAMM Foundation provides grants, 

supports research and engages in advocacy 

to support music making across the 

lifespan. Learn how you can be part of 

our mission to ensure access to 

music education for all at 

nammfoundation.org/get-involved. 

VISIT NAMMFOUNDATION.ORG/BCME TO LEARN MORE AND TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY 


BY THE NUMBERS 

ACCESS 

by Matthew Clark 

“Access to quality music instruction is the most important 

issue in music education today. Many children 

cannot afford to pay for music instruction outside of 

the school setting. Music needs to be mandated at least 

twice a week in a dedicated space at the elementary 

level and every secondary student should have the opportunity 

to participate in choral, instrumental, and 

general music.” 

– Colleen M. Conway (University of Michigan) 

“We need to ensure a learner centered music education 

for all students that fosters creative thinking and 

divergent outcomes, such as composing, improvising 

and other forms of sonic exploration and expression 

through traditional and non-traditional approaches to 

music making.” 

– Gena R. Greher (University of Massachusetts, Lowell) 

THE “TALENT” ISSUE 

“Children are natural musicians, as they readily sing, 

dance and play music from the time they are infants. 

People ask me all the time how they can tell if their 

child has musical talent. I assure them that their child 

– indeed every child – has musical ability that can be 

developed into a satisfying and lifelong relationship 

with music. However, as they get older, some children 

begin to get messages from peers, family members, the 

media and (unfortunately) music teachers that they 

may not be very musical – that they don’t have ‘talent.’” 

– Steven M. Demorest (Northwestern University) 

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING IN MUSIC 

“Culturally responsive teaching leverages the brain’s 

memory systems and information processing structures. 

Many diverse students come from oral cultural 

traditions. Each of these cultural groups uses the 

brain’s memory systems for turning inert information 

into useable knowledge.” 

– Zaretta Hammond 

“As a music educator and music teacher educator 

focused on culturally responsive teaching, I believe a 

music classroom is an ideal place to begin. Music is an 

experience found across all cultures, and music classrooms 

are a logical place where difference and respect 

can be recognized, practiced and celebrated.” 

– Jacqueline Kelly-McHale (DePaul University) 

According to a 2011 study of students participating 

in music ensembles by Abril and Elpus, 

66% 

WERE WHITE AND 

MIDDLE -CLASS 

15% 10% 

WERE BLACK 

WERE HISPANIC 

Additionally, Elpus found that 

86% 

OF MUSIC TEACHERS ENTERING 

THE PROFESSION WERE WHITE 

AND MIDDLE-CLASS 

Gender Breakdown of Music Teachers by Grade Level and Area 

Out of over 130,000 teachers surveyed by MTD Research, 

the following table reflects the ratio of men to women music 

teachers compared at different grade levels and by ensemble 

type (band/orchestra vs. choral/general). 

Percentage 

of Men 

Percentage 

of Women 

Elementary 

Band/Orchestra 45 55 

Elementary 

Choir/General Music 21 79 

Middle School 


Middle School 

Choir/General Music 32 68 

High School 


High School 

Choir/General Music 46 54

AUDITION DATES 

Saturday, February 3, 2018 

Friday, February 16, 2018 

Saturday, February 24, 2018 

CAREERS IN MUSIC DAY 

Tuesday, October 24, 2017 

• Competitive 

scholarships available 

• Music ensembles from 

symphony to salsa 

• 200+ music 

events per year 

• 8 undergraduate 

music programs 

• 8 graduate 

music programs 

• Music living/learning 

community on campus 

• 38 full-time and 

45 part-time faculty 

• University Honors 

College courses 

SCHOOL OF MUSIC 

MTSU Box 47 

Murfreesboro, TN 37132 

615-898-2469 

mtsumusic.com 

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

0917-4544 / 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.

music AT UNION UNIVERSITY 

to exalt 

to inspire 

auditions FOR 2018–2019 

01/26, 6:30-9pm | 01/27, 9:30am-12pm | 02/02, 6:30-9pm | 02/03, 9:30am-12pm 

Jackson, Tennessee 

731.661.5345 

uu.edu/music 

DEPARTMENT of MUSIC 

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


WHAT IS YOUR END GAME? 

CONSIDERING A PROCESS-BASED APPROACH TO ENSEMBLE EDUCATION 

by John Oelrich, D.M.A. 


EACH YEAR, WHILE DISCUSSING PHILOSOPHIES of music edu- 

performance under your leadership, what will your students be able 

to demonstrate? What will their takeaways be?” Without fail, they 

cation with my university music majors, I ask the questions, “What 

is your end game? After potentially 7 years (or more) of study and 

list things such as becoming independent, competent, and lifelong learners/performers 

in music; experience and performance of music from a variety 

of idioms, genres, cultures, and historical periods; basic knowledge 

of music theory and history; life skills such as teamwork, leadership, dedication, 

responsibility, and respect; and the skills necessary to develop an 

appreciation for music and the other art forms. Good stuff! 

In order to accomplish those types of goals in an ensemble setting, directors 

need to balance their ensembles’ performance schedules with 

purposeful planning of the curricular content so, through the rehearsal 

process, knowledge, skills, and technique can be acquired that will lead to 

consistently excellent performances as well as independent, lifelong learners 

and performers. 

While this sounds great on paper, the reality is that the performance 

is the typical gauge by which our effectiveness as ensemble directors of 

any age or flavor are evaluated. Students and teachers work toward these 

events for several weeks or months, and they are the time that parents, 

community members, and administrators will see the fruits of the collective 

efforts. 

The performance is often perceived as the most important part of music 

education by students, directors, administrators, and parents. This is certainly 

understandable, as we spend countless hours honing our ensembles’ 

skills to perfect the final products for critique by audiences and adjudicators. 

To these fleeting moments, students, and many directors, often attach 

their self-esteem, pride, and self-worth. The value of the product/performance 

component of music education cannot be disputed. It is during the 

pressure of a performance that the energy and connection to an audience 

can produce true artistry and inspiration previously unachieved. The desire 

of the performers to give their best for their audience can, in the moment, 

spur ensembles to peak and produce amazing results. 

While the performance is an important part of music education, I do not 

believe that it epitomizes the true value of what music educators do. While 

the performance can be an excellent culmination to a unit of study, it is the 

process of preparing for it that has the potential to yield benefits that can 

impact musicians for the rest of their lives. By teaching with craft and purpose, 

students can perform with understanding and consistent excellence. 

If the process is to be one of the products, there are a few things to 

consider. 

First, there is a difference between curriculum and repertoire. Curriculum 

for the performing ensemble includes the acquisition of skills in instrument 

pedagogy, tone, intonation, rhythmic/pulse understanding, technique, 

stylistic knowledge, basic theory and history, as well as ensemble skills and 

awareness, and Bloom’s higher-order thinking skills (application, synthesis, 

analysis, evaluation, creation). Repertoire is the vehicle through which those 

concepts can be applied and reinforced in a real-world artistic situation. We 

often rely on our repertoire to teach these concepts, but relying solely on musical 

works to teach that breadth of knowledge and skills effectively to each 

student is not likely to be successful. 


The old adage, “Give a man a fish 

and he eats for a day. Teach a 

man to fish and he eats for a 

lifetime,” applies to the concept 

of process-based instruction. 

In order to bring purpose to the learning 

process, one must have the tools 

and methodology with which to do it. 

Below are some ways to fill each student’s 

tool box using a few of the core 

musical concepts inherent in ensemble 

music-making. 

TONE 

Characteristic tone quality is paramount 

to successful ensemble performance. 

Knowing the essentials 

of tone production (posture, air, embouchure, 

pedagogy, mouthpieces, 

reeds, instruments, etc.) is a must. 

The most important thing to help 

tone develop is to have a good concept 

of what a characteristic sound 

is for each instrument and then, 

through comparative analysis, apply 

the concepts to each individual 

section and/or student. Listening 

to professionals perform is the best 

way for both students and teachers 

to develop a concept of characteristic 

tone. Professionals playing a 

student’s own instrument is a given, 

but listening to other instruments/ 

ensembles enriches their understanding 

of other timbres and approaches 

to performing. The many 

dimensions of a quality sound can 

be a lot to manage but are essential 

for a great and consistent tone. As a 

brass player teaching pull-out lessons 

to all of my public-school students, 

I quickly realized that there 

was a lot of pedagogy from the other 

instruments, especially woodwinds, 

that I did not know. I filled in the 

gaps in my pedagogical knowledge 

by reading articles and texts but 

learned the most from asking my 

colleagues who were specialists on 

those instruments. Each time little 

Stephanie would come in with 

a mouthful of metal from her latest 

orthodontist appointment, I’d call 

my flutist friend, Kathy, who would 

talk me through how to best help 

her. With the presentation of new 

issues and the resultant research, I 

learned an awful lot about instrument 

pedagogy. 

In addition to having a concept of 

characteristic sound, it is important 

to be able to diagnose and solve 

the common tone-related problems 

students encounter. These commonly 

include tension in the body and/ 

or throat; not inhaling enough air; 

stopping, or capping, the exhalation; 

timing issues with the exhalation 

and articulation; tongue-stopping to 

produce shorter styles; embouchure 

issues, including bunching the chin, 

excess pressure, improper instrument 

angle or mouthpiece position; 

improper hand positions, and reed, 

mouthpiece, or instrument concerns. 

Students do not intend to develop 

these problems. Rather, they are unconscious 

solutions to real-world 

challenges such as long phrases, 

range, and technique. We can assess 

these issues by both listening to and 

watching our students perform. Most 

of these problems are relatively easy 

to teach around when students begin 

playing, but it can take weeks, months, 

or longer later in a student’s life to 

relearn. Some of these problems can 

grow to the point where they produce 

a serious negative effect on a student’s 

health, playing, or even lead them to 

quit the instrument altogether. 

INTONATION 

Consistent intonation is only possible 

with consistent characteristic 

tone. Intonation is one of those concepts 

that is best learned over time. 

I find having students match a reference 

pitch to be more effective in the 

long term than “down the line” tuning 

or individual tuners on stands. Tuning 

is an aural exercise, not a visual one. 

Students must learn what being in and 

out of tune sounds and feels like and 

the tools with which to address any issues. 

Singing the tuning note and asking 

students to hear the pitch in their 

head helps them to internalize the 

pitch and to perceive the difference. 

Getting the tuning note correct is a 

good start, but every note thereafter is 

fair game. Learning the idiosyncrasies 

of the instrument, alternate fingerings, 

While the performance can be an excellent 

culmination to a unit of study, it is the process 

of preparing for it that has the potential to yield 

benefits that can impact musicians for the rest 

of their lives. By teaching with craft and purpose, 

students can perform with understanding and 

consistent excellence. 

and how to lip or adjust pitches in tune 

is essential for all musicians. I often 

say that intonation is a journey, not a 

destination. Like tone, this is a lot of 

information to manage for each instrument 

but is essential for a quality 

product and an independent musician. 


TIME & RHYTHM 

Like tone, students’ 

rhythmic understanding 

and a sense 

of pulse contribute a 

great deal to musical 

independence and ensemble 

performance. 

This starts with generating 

and maintaining 

a steady pulse. There 

are many methods of 

teaching rhythm and 

time, but the one that I 

have used with a great 

deal of success is the 

Ralph Hale System. 

While the slides are 

still available, a more 

modern take on this is Rhythm Rulz, 

created by Beyond the Notes. This 

methodology is a triple win. Students 

pat their foot with a metronome, 

helping to solidify their sense of 

pulse. While speaking the rhythms, 

one slide at a time, using the words 

“down” and “up” to correspond with 

the direction of the foot, they develop 

a rhythmic understanding with 

relation to the pulse. Performing the 

slides in sequence without stopping 

forces students to chunk and read 

ahead, thus improving their reading 

ability. Ultimately, combining the 

down-up methodology with the commonly 

used number system will help 

students learn the standard language 

for defining rhythm. Using this, or 

other methods, at least three times 

per week for 4-5 minutes per time 

can yield excellent results. A curricular-based 

approach to rhythm 

study will level the playing field and 

be more comprehensive than waiting 

to teach the rhythms as they surface 

in your repertoire. If the rhythmic 

concepts are taught consistently and 

well, you’ll rarely have issues with 

dotted quarter notes and syncopation 

and your students will have a 

system with which to analyze and 

execute new rhythms and meters. 

They will also likely be further along 

in their rhythmic comprehension 

than what is required in the typical 

grade’s repertoire. 

BALANCE AND BLEND 

Most directors, including me, use 

a few basic approaches with balance 

and blend that have stood the test of 

time. The pyramid of balance, based 

on the standard SATB voicing, is the 

most common approach in this regard. 

Within any given dynamic, the 

bass voices play 100%, tenors 75%, 

altos 50%, and sopranos 25%. Inside 

of this paradigm, some specific directions 

that work well include “get inside 

of the octave below you”, “if you 

can’t hear your neighbor, you’re playing 

too loudly”, “get inside the sound 

of the conical brass”, “get inside the 

sound of the people next to you”, 

“make your part sound like one”, and 

“if you can’t hear the melody, you’re 

playing too loud.” 

Other considerations regarding balance 

include students having knowledge 

of and understanding their musical 

roles in the ensemble and the 

composition. Do they have the melody 

or the countermelody? Melody or harmony? 

A theatrical parallel is whether 

they have leading roles or supporting 

roles. Students intuitively pick up 

these concepts once you draw attention 

to them and must use constant 

vigilance in their perception of their 

roles, as they often shift in the context 

of a well-written piece. 

Blend requires attention to balance, 

but also attention to what the 

composer intended in the score. 

Many times, composers combine 

specific instruments to produce the 

desired timbre. For example, low 

brass instruments combined with low 

woodwind instruments simulates the 

sound of a low string section. While 

knowledge of the score and careful 

attention to balance and blend are 

necessary to execute these nuances, 

the end product can be stunning. 

THEORY 

Basic music theory and history can 

be taught through the curriculum and 

repertoire. Using the concept of scale 

degrees in your ensemble warm-up 

can open a multitude of possibilities 

including chords, harmony, and intonation. 

One fun exercise to engage 

students in applying this knowledge 

is to have them play the last four digits 

of one of their phone numbers. Zeros 

are a rest and nines are the ninth scale 

degree. A great, all-inclusive curriculum 

to take theory instruction to the 

next level is Music Theory & Reading 

Skills published by Innovative Learning 

Designs LLC . It is plug-and-play, 

designed for use in an ensemble setting, 

and there are curricula for middle 

school and high school levels available. 

HISTORY & REPERTOIRE 

Aside from a course or text, music 

history is best taught through your 

repertoire. Doing this successfully 


equires purposeful 

choices that represent 

the style periods as 

well as enough repertoire 

through the 

course of a student’s 

time in school to be 

exposed to all periods 

and significant composers. 

Mozart, Holst, 

and Grainger would 

be at the top of most 

music educators most 

significant composers 

list but how many of 

our students matriculate 

from our programs 

having studied 

and performed their 

music? A survey by 

Iowa band directors 

Brian Hughes and 

Randall Aitcheson in 

the late 1980s asked 

directors in that state to list composers 

who they felt were significant and 

then to list their repertoire for recent 

years. The results indicated that 

while directors identified significant 

composers to include Holst, Vaughan 

Williams, Grainger and Reed (Russian 

Christmas Music only), they most often 

programmed other, lower-quality, 

literature by popular composers of the 

time. The two main issues with standard 

repertoire for school ensembles 

today are often instrumentation and 

difficulty. If this repertoire is indeed 

standard, then being able to connect 

our students to it should be an important 

part of what we do and should 

guide our recruiting, program design, 

and approach to instruction. 

STYLE 

A concept that is often a bit of a secret 

handshake in ensemble education 

is style, which can be generically 

defined as the articulation, shape, inflection, 

and release of a note or motive. 

Where modeling does not generally 

equate with good retention for 

rhythm, it is one of the best ways to 

teach style to your students. Start by 

consulting recordings of professionals 

and by demonstrating it. Taking it 

a step further, using call and response 

on syllables such as “too/doo” or “tah/ 

dah” that correspond to the specific 

style in question is very effective. Set 

the bar high with regards to the student’s 

level of energy, accuracy, and 

inflection in this process. Accepting 

less than “with feeling” is reinforcing 

mediocrity. Lather, rinse and repeat 

until they meet your bar. For wind 

players, blowing air of the same style 

into their palms followed by a neutral 

pitch on the instrument before applying 

it to the passage in question can 

help younger musicians scaffold back 

to the original excerpt. 

One additional thought regarding 

tone quality and style – all of us have a 

plethora of song lyrics running around 

in our heads. While I have certainly 

never studied the written lyrics to 

Baby Got Back, I can recite more than 

I care to admit simply from hearing 

the tune a few times. Knowing that 

our brains function in this “monkey 

hear, monkey do” fashion, why not use 

that power for good? Make YouTube 

playlists for your students of professionals 

playing their instruments. 

Listen to amazing recordings together 

in rehearsals and guide students 

through what makes it amazing. Perform 

for them yourself and have them 

critique you using the concepts you’ve 

explored. Have them apply concepts 

by writing a review of a performance, 

perhaps even of you performing. 

MUSICALITY 

When your students take responsibility 

for the objective musical components 

listed above, you can spend 

more time being creative with interpretation, 

expression, and musicality. 

Start by discussing the character of 

the works you are preparing and generate 

a list of adjectives and emotions 

to describe each section. This can also 

be a great opportunity for students 

to write a paragraph about how the 

music makes them feel and how they 

connect to it. In rehearsals, engage the 

student’s input in deciding what the 

phrases are, where the high points in 

the phrases and the piece as a whole 

are, and interpreting the markings 

(articulation, dynamics, tempo, etc.) 

based on the style of the music and 

the characters you discussed. A great 

analogy to aid in musical phrasing is 

the sentence, “I love making music.” 


Changing the emphasis in the sentence 

changes its meaning. As the 

conductor, you must make decisions 

about the architecture and direction 

of the piece during your score study 

so students can be guided towards a 

sound musical decision. 

BRINGING IT TOGETHER 

One easy way to start teaching 

with emphasis on the process is to 

give fewer answers and ask more 

questions. As directors, critiquing 

performance is our bread and butter. 

It is a big part of our teaching, but we 

do not have to give the answers so 

immediately or freely. Asking leading 

questions that require students 

to evaluate their own performance, 

diagnose the errors, and synthesize 

solutions will ultimately lead 

to them being aware of and solving 

their own problems. Questions as 

simple as, “what did you hear?”, “how 

was that?”, can open the door. If they 

don’t isolate the things you’re hearing 

or the direction you’re going, use 

more directed and leading questions 

such as, “did we start together?”, 

“are we moving together?”, “were we 

blended?”, “how was our tone?”, “was 

that chord in tune?”, “did you like 

the shape of that phrase?”, “did that 

sound like the style we defined?”, or 

other questions that focus student’s 

ears and perceptions toward the issues 

that you are hearing. 

Rehearsing with a high level of detail 

requires a keen ear on the part 

of the director and student. Gunther 

Schuller stated that there are seven 

different kinds of hearing: harmony, 

pitch and intonation, dynamics, 

timbre, rhythm and articulation, and 

balance and orchestrational aspects. 

Given that most of us have some predispositions 

to what things we listen 

for, it is important to be conscious of 

the others. A great way to expedite this 

process is to record your rehearsals. 

Listening to the recording, free of distractions, 

can help to train your ears to 

hear other things that may be happening 

outside of your primary focus. 

Focusing on the process in this way 

yields results, but takes time. It also 

requires the consideration of other 

factors, including the quantity of your 

performances, the difficulty of your 

repertoire, what your ensemble offerings 

include, traditions in the program, 

and the amount of rehearsal time you 

have. It’s important to zoom out and 

look at the big picture of your program 

and evaluate the learning and performing 

activities with respect to your end 

game. If the performance schedule is 

too dense, the literature too difficult, or 

the learning process not well planned, 

this approach to teaching becomes one 

more thing to do instead of an enjoyable 

journey to your goals. 

On a related note: students don’t 

know what they don’t know. We are 

teaching the future of the art form. If 

students are not exposed to a large buffet 

of opportunities, knowledge, and 

experiences, they won’t know if they 

have a hidden passion, aptitude, or talent. 

My most eye-opening experience 

in this regard was a 7th grade oboist, 

Erin, who came to an after-school jam 

session and blew us all away with her 

ability to play blues – to this day, one 

When your students possess a good set 

of tools and the knowledge of how and 

where to use them, your rehearsals will 

be more productive... 

of the best I’ve ever heard. If Erin had 

never attended that day, she would 

never have known that she had that 

talent. It goes to show that you just 

never know when the next musical 

legend will walk, or is walking, into 

your rehearsal room. More importantly, 

neither do they. 

Purposefully teaching a curriculum 

of musical skills and knowledge 

will teach your students to fish. When 

your students possess a good set of 

tools and the knowledge of how and 

where to use them, your rehearsals 

will be more productive, and you’ll be 

able to spend more time teaching the 

musical, artistic, and emotional content 

because your students won’t need 

you to do the other stuff. Isn’t that one 

of the goals, after all? Again, thinking 

about the end game, students should 

matriculate with solid pedagogy, musical 

independence, basic knowledge 

of music theory and history, and experience 

in performing music from a 

variety of styles (including jazz for all 

students), genres, cultures, and historical 

periods. They should also have the 

higher-order thinking skills necessary 

to self-evaluate and adapt to new situations. 

Considering these as products, 

along with your performances, can 

steer your musicians in the direction 

of consistent short-term and longterm 

success. 

Bibliography 

Schuller, Gunther. The Compleat 

Conductor. New York: Oxford 

University Press, 1997. 

Innovative Learning Designs, s.v. 

“Music Theory & Reading Skills” 

(created by Carolyn Francis), 

http://www.musicreading.com/ 

prods.htm (accessed October 20, 

2017). 

Hughes, Brian. Survey of Band 

Literature. The Instrumentalist, 

1990. v. 45, No. 12 Pages. 60 

Beyond the Notes, s.v. “Rhythm 

Rulz” (created by Dr. J. Stephen 

Moore and Kimberly Sena Moore), 

http://www.beyondthenotes.net, 

(accessed October 20, 2017). 


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PILOT STUDY: 

A SURVEY OF 

TENNESSEE MUSIC 

EDUCATORS 

CONCERNING LOSS OF 

INSTRUCTIONAL TIME 

by Rebecca Turner 

Middle Tennessee State University 

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jamila McWhirter 

ARE YOU A GRADUATE STUDENT 

CONDUCTING ORIGINAL 

RESEARCH OR A K-12 MUSIC 

EDUCATOR CONDUCTING 

ACTION RESEARCH IN YOUR 

CLASSROOM? 

Please consider submitting 

an article of your research to 

be published in the Tennessee 

Musician. In this issue Rebecca 

Turner examines the loss of 

instructional time in music 

Dr. Jamila L. McWhirter 

TMEA Research/SMTE Chair 

OVER THE PAST COUPLE 

YEARS, I have heard more 

and more stories from fellow 

music educators about 

the amount of teaching time 

that they are losing. Some are spending 

hours in other classrooms teaching 

Response to Intervention (RTI), proctoring 

standardized tests, losing time 

to other subjects, or having students 

pulled out of their room for a variety of 

reasons. I talked to one teacher whose 

school has split the classes between 

her and another music teacher. In a 

seven-day rotation, one teacher has 

thirty-three music classes and fifteen 

intervention blocks (these total over 

eleven hours), and the other music 

teacher has thirty-four music classes 

and sixteen intervention blocks 

(twelve hours-worth). Intervention 

blocks are defined as anything from 

leading small groups, one-on-one time 

with students practicing sight words, 

fluency, etc. or simply monitoring students 

to make sure they are on task. As 

teachers, we understand the need to 

flexible. However, when this becomes 

a regular and accepted practice, that 

is problematic for music educators. It 

also begs the question: when do music 

teachers cease to be music teachers 

and begin to be something else 

(interventionists, tutors, etc.)? Time 

with our students is so limited as it is 

that any extra loss of time must be regarded 

as detrimental to their music 

education. Also, this practice sends 

a message to music educators, fellow 

teachers, and our students that our 

subject is not as important or valuable 

as those that are tested. 

What the Literature Says 

According to a literature review, 

many music education programs in 

the country have been eliminated, 

reduced, or lost instructional time to 

make more time for tested subjects 

(Klein, 2007; Abril and Gault 2006; 

Conrad, 2006; Robelen, 2011; West, 

2012; Abril and Bannerman, 2015; 

Klein, 2007). Klein (2007) performed 

a survey that found forty-four percent 

of districts made substantial reductions 

in time allotted to subjects other 

than math and reading. Abril and Gault 

(2006) found that twenty-five percent 

of elementary and secondary schools 

experienced decreases in instruction- 


al time for the arts. Thirty-five percent 

indicated that cuts were forthcoming. 

The reasons for these cuts included 

No Child Left Behind, reduced budgets, 

and time constraints. A survey 

of teachers (Robelen, 2011) found that 

most teachers have seen a decline in 

the amount of time given to non-tested 

subjects. In this survey, a majority 

(90%) said that when a subject is included 

in the state-mandated tests, it 

is taken more seriously. 

Abril and Bannerman (2015) found 

the following: 

Teachers described how the priorities 

in schools have shifted 

toward tested subjects, adversely 

impacting the music program in 

the form of doubled classes (to 

ensure classroom teachers have 

common planning), extended 

duties to teach nonmusic classes, 

and a general attitude that the 

arts are not as important because 

they are not being tested. (p.357) 

Robelen (2011) found that some 

students are missing the opportunity 

to take arts classes at all. One 

teacher said, “Students are taken 

out of their elective classes like 

During the past two 

school years, some music 

teachers (31% during 

2015-2016 year and 35% 

during 2016-2017) have 

been teaching subjects 

other than music. Also, 

many teachers (33%) 

spent more than two hours 

per week teaching other 

subjects during the 2015- 

2016 school year. A slightly 

larger percentage (37%) 

spent more than two hours 

per week teaching other 

subjects during the 2016- 

2017 school year. 

music and art. They are taken out 

of those things so they can take an 

extra class in reading.” A survey by 

Abril and Bannerman (2015) found 

many (38%) of the teachers surveyed 

reported teaching a subject 

other than music during the day. The 

same survey found that scheduling/ 

time was the factor that teachers felt 

impacted their programs negatively 

more than others. One researcher 

(West, 2012) found teachers whose 

programs had been cut back to hire 

reading and math coaches. Another 

teacher had her program trimmed 

to pay for teacher’s aides. Abril and 

Bannerman (2015) also found that 

budget issues were a serious problem 

for many teachers. Vitale (2011), in a 

survey of elementary students, elementary 

music teachers, elementary 

non-music teachers, and parents, 

found that all but the music teachers 

believed music should receive monetary 

support because of its potential 

value to math and science. In 

open-ended comments, the music 

teachers indicated that they would 

accept funding no matter the motive, 

but they were not enthusiastic about 


the reasoning behind it. Though this 

issue seemingly began with No Child 

Left Behind, it did not end after the 

legislation was repealed. In a recent 

article, Zubrzycki (2017) discussed 

how the budget proposed by the 

president recommends eliminating 

funding for the National Endowment 

for the Arts and the National 

Endowment for the Humanities. Not 

only will this eliminate funding for 

programs that are near and dear to 

arts educator’s hearts, but it is also 

a symptom of a general devaluing of 

the arts. 

Zubrzycki (2017) said the following: 

The NEH spent about $13 million 

on K-12 and higher education programs, 

such as summer seminars 

for teachers and the teaching resource 

website EDSITEment!, in 

2016. The NEA awarded $5.8 million 

in direct grants for pre-K-12 

education that year and supported 

local programs and national 

initiatives like the Arts Education 

Partnership, which focuses on research, 

policy, and practice. 

Thus, current research indicates 

that many music educators are losing 

valuable instructional time with students. 

This pilot study corroborates 

many of these points. 

The Survey 

Forty-nine music educators participated 

in this survey, which was hosted 

by Survey Monkey. The survey had 

twenty questions, including questions 

concerning demographics, requirements 

for teaching standards from 

other subjects, time spent in other 

classrooms, students who miss all or 

part of music, students being prevented 

from taking music, and teachers’ reactions. 

The survey contained several 

open-ended questions, which were categorized 

and reported as frequencies 

and percentages. Most of the participants 

(30) teach in Middle Tennessee, 

and the rest are almost evenly distributed 

in West (8) and East (11) Tennessee. 

The majority of the participants (63%) 

teach grades 5-8, many teach kindergarten 

through fourth grade (45%), and 

smaller numbers teach high school and 

pre-kindergarten (33% and 12%, respectively). 

The subjects they teach include 

general music (63%), band (41%), 

and choir (39%). There is a smaller percentage 

(8%) who teach strings or other 

subjects such as music history or music 

theory. The percentages do not add up 

to one hundred percent because many 

of the participants teach more than one 

age group and/or more than one subject. 

The participants of this study are 

widely varied in their years of experience 

as a teacher. The largest groups 

are teachers who have been teaching 

between one and five years (29%), eleven 

and twenty years (25%), and twenty-one 

to thirty years (20%). Smaller 

groups have been teaching thirty-one 

or more years (16%) or six to ten years 

(10%). Most of the teachers (45%) have 

been at their current school between 

one and five years. Fewer teachers 

(27%) have taught at their school between 

six and ten years or more than 

ten years (28%). Although only a quarter 

of them are licensed to teach a subject 

other than music, many of them 

(42%) feel they could effectively teach 

another subject. 

The Results 

During the past two school years, 

some music teachers (31% during 

2015-2016 year and 35% during 2016- 

Do you have students who miss all of your class for academic 

purposes? (Tutoring, AP classes, RTI, etc.) 

40 

30 

20 

10 

If you are a middle or high school teacher, have you had students who 

were prevented from taking your class for academic reason? (Scheduling 

conflicts, AP courses, remediation, college preparatory classes, etc.) 

30 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

YES 

NO 

0 

YES 

NO 

Figure 1: Numbers represent numbers of participants 

who responded each way 

Figure 2: Numbers represent numbers of participants 

who responded each way 

26 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 70, 69, No. 2

2017) have been teaching subjects 

other than music. Also, many teachers 

(33%) spent more than two hours 

per week teaching other subjects 

during the 2015-2016 school year. 

A slightly larger percentage (37%) 

spent more than two hours per week 

teaching other subjects during the 

2016-2017 school year. Almost half of 

the participants (47%) said that they 

are required to incorporate standards 

from other subjects into their music 

classes. Most of those (53%) are either 

required to incorporate Reading/ 

Language Arts or math standards. 

Numerous teachers (45%) have had 

class times shortened due to other 

subjects being added into the rotation 

(technology, social-emotional 

learning, etc.). Of these, a large majority 

(73%) also must incorporate other 

standards into their teaching. In 

fact, teachers whose class times were 

shortened are more likely to also have 

students miss all or part of their class 

(91%) and to have students prevented 

from taking their class at all (68%). 

General music teachers are the least 

likely to have class times shortened 

for this reason (22%). 

Most teachers (77%) have students 

that miss all or part of their class for 

academic reasons like tutoring, AP 

classes, RTI, etc. (See Figure 1) When 

teachers were asked to specify the 

reasons, many (35%) said that it is 

because of tutoring, make-up work, or 

EL services. Several comments (27%) 

stated that students miss all or part of 

their class because of RTI, AP classes, 

or gifted classes. Smaller percentages 

have students miss for reasons like 

testing (11%), guidance/discipline 

issues (10%), and special education 

services/speech (8%). 

One of the most surprising results 

of this survey was the amount of middle 

and high school teachers who have 

students who are prevented from taking 

their class due to academic reasons 

(80%) (See Figure 2). Of the teachers 

who have experienced loss of instructional 

time, many of them (43%) have 

considered either changing schools or 

districts because of it. Several (23%) 

have considered leaving the profession 

or early retirement (26%). 

Discussion 

In this study, I was attempting to 

discover how many music educators 

are experiencing the loss of instructional 

time. A secondary purpose was 

to find out what was causing that loss. 

Though it is difficult to make strong 

assertions based on a pilot study with 

forty-nine participants, these results 

are troubling. The responses show 

that music educators are losing instructional 

time at all grade levels, 

at varying levels of experience, and 

in all three sections of the state. The 

literature review indicated that music 

educators are losing class time to 

“tested” subjects (reading/language 

arts, math, etc.). The responses from 

the survey indicated the same thing. 

Almost half (43%) of the participants 

have had class times shortened to 

make more time for subjects like reading/language 

arts and/or math. Some 

schools have opted to require their 

music educators to include standards 

from these subjects in the music room. 

The Abril and Bannerman (2015) survey 

found that around thirty-eight 

percent of music educators reported 

teaching a subject other than music 

during the school day. This pilot study 

found that thirty-five percent of music 

educators surveyed teach a subject 

other than music during the school 

day. It also corroborated the literature 

review in that it showed teachers are 

having students prevented from taking 

their class at all because of academic 

reasons. One teacher commented, “At 

the fifth/sixth grade level, students 

who must have RTI are not allowed to 

take band/orchestra when it is first offered. 

At the seventh/eighth grade level, 

Spanish B or French B (second half 

of Spanish/French I for high school 

credit) will conflict with either band, 

orchestra, or chorus each year.” So 

not only is this teacher missing some 

beginning band students who need 

extra academic help, but he/she is also 

missing some older students who are 

taking academically advanced courses. 

One of the most disconcerting results 

of the survey is the number of 

Music educators are losing instructional time at 

all grade levels, at varying levels of experience, 

and in all three sections of the state 

participants who are losing instructional 

time in multiple ways. For instance, 

of the twenty-one participants 

who have had class times shortened 

to make time for other subjects (RLA/ 

math, etc.), sixteen of those have also 

had their class times shortened to add 

other subjects into the related arts rotation 

(technology, social-emotional 

learning, etc.). Of those twenty-one, 

seventeen have students who miss all 

or part of their class for academic pullout. 

Sixteen of the twenty-one teach 

middle or high school, and thirteen of 

those have students who cannot take 

their class for academic reasons. It is 

troubling to find that the same music 

educators are losing so much time 

with their students. One could speculate 

that this will be detrimental to 

their programs overall as well as to 

the students’ musical progress and 

proficiency. Twenty-two teachers responded 

that they have had class times 

shortened due to other subjects being 

added into the rotation of related arts 

classes. Of these, twenty also had students 

miss all or part of their class for 

academic reasons. One teacher responded, 

“Many of my students have a 

split schedule. They come to choir two 


days a week, and attend math or reading 

tutoring for the other three days 

per week. Students are also removed 

from my class on a daily basis in order 

to make up work from other subjects 

or to meet with counseling groups. I 

have attempted to accommodate students 

with split schedules, but they 

are falling so far behind in music class 

that it is becoming unreasonable to 

continue the split schedule process.” 

Another surpising result is the disparity 

between the situations of individual 

teachers. As mentioned above, many 

teachers who are losing instructional 

time are losing it in multiple ways. On 

the other hand, there are some teachers 

who have not experienced any loss 

of time. In addition, there are many 

who have only dealt with one of the 

aspects mentioned in the survey (have 

students pulled out of music for academic 

reasons but nothing else, etc.). 

It would be interesting to find out the 

reasons for this and who makes the ultimate 

decision about these issues. 

More research should be done on 

this topic. The numbers for several of 

the responses were strong enough to 

indicate that there may be an extensive 

problem with music educators 

losing instructional time. The five 

minutes taken away here and there 

add up quickly for music teachers, especially 

those who only see their students 

once every five days (or more). 

Administrators may need to be made 

aware of the small amount of time that 

we see our students. Of course they 

already know how often we see our 

students, but when broken down into 

times per year or total minutes of instruction 

per nine weeks that is lost, it 

may make more of an impact. Parents 

could be another source of support, 

especially for middle and high school 

teachers who have students that cannot 

take their class because of academic 

reasons, scheduling, etc. More 

research needs to be done to determine 

if this is a state problem or if it is 

occurring across the nation. It would 

also be interesting to research if/how 

this affects collegiate music programs 

in the coming years. 

References 

Abril, C. R., & Bannerman, J. K. (2015). Perceived 

Factors Impacting School Music Programs: 

The Teacher’s Perspective. Journal of 

Research in Music Education, 62(4), 344-361. 

doi:10.1177/0022429414554430 

Abril, C. R., & Gault, B. M. (2006). The 

State of Music in the Elementary School: A 

Principal’s Perspective. Journal of Research 

in Music Education, 54(1), 6-20. Retrieved 

from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3653452 

Bernhard, H. C. (2016). Investigating burnout 

among elementary and secondary school 

music educators: A replication. Contributions 

to Music Education, 41, 145-156. Retrieved 

from https://ezproxy.mtsu.edu:3443/ 

login?url=http://search.proquest.com/ 

docview/1841004097?accountid=4886 

Conrad, D. (2006). American Music Education: 

A Struggle for Time and Curriculum. Phi 

Kappa Phi Forum, 86(4), 31-34. 

Klein, A. (2007). Survey: Subjects 

Trimmed to Boost Math and Reading. Education 

Week, 26(44), 7-7. 

Major, M. L. (2013). How They Decide: A 

Case Study Examining the Decision-Making 

Process for Keeping or Cutting Music 

in a K–12 Public School District. Journal of 

Research in Music Education, 61(1), 5-25. 

doi:10.1177/0022429412474313 

Robelen, E. W. (2011). Learning Less: Public 

School Teachers Describe a Narrowing 

Curriculum. Education Week, 31(14) 

Vitale, J. L. (2011). Music Makes You 

Smarter: A New Paradigm for Music Education? 

Perceptions and Perspectives from Four 

Groups of Elementary Education Stakeholders. 

Canadian Journal of Education,34(3), 

317-343. 

West, C. (2012). Teaching music in an era 

of high-stakes testing and budget reductions. 

Arts Education Policy Review, (2), 75. 

Zubrzycki, J. (2017). Arts, Humanities, Endowments 

Fear Possible Budget Cuts. Education 

Week,36(20), 10-10. 

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WHY AND HOW LEADERSHIP 

IS IMPORTANT IN DEVELOPING 

MUSIC EDUCATORS 

by Linzie Mullins

DUE TO A SEVERE MUSIC TEACHER SHORTAGE, leadership is needed in music education now more than 

ever. Whether in the classroom inspiring others, presenting superior professional development, sharing 

resources on music advocacy, or creating mentor programs to ensure the retention of teachers, leaders 

are needed to help develop quality music educators. Districts cannot keep music programs afloat if there 

are no music teachers to teach them. In a study completed by C. Madsen and C. Handcock, 34.4% of their 

sample group of music teachers were no longer teaching in the K-college classroom after just six years (Madsen & 

Hancock, 2002). There needs to be a stronger sense of leadership in the K-12 classrooms, collegiate classrooms, 

supervisory personnel, teacher mentors, and professional development opportunities. Without leadership in all of 

these categories, music teachers are not feeling supported and/or capable of staying in the classroom. 

Why or when do students decide 

to become music educators? 

According to a study done by C. 

Madsen and S. Kelly, “Age level 

and influential people were the 

factors having the greatest impact 

on the decision to become a 

music teacher” (Madsen & Kelly, 

2002). Music teachers have 

a large leadership role in their 

classrooms every day. Not only 

are they responsible for performances, 

the education of their 

students, and the day-to-day 

workings of a school, but they 

are also charged with developing 

the next generation of music 

teachers. Madsen and Kelly state: 

“Observing exemplary music educators, 

getting compliments 

from others, an awareness of 

one’s performance ability, realizing 

the powerful effect music has 

on one’s life, and not wanting to 

give up music seem to be major 

factors in making the decision 

to become a teacher” (Madsen & 

Kelly, 2002). According to a similar 

study completed by NAfME, 

high school teachers were ranked 

as the most influential reason 

for a student to become a music 

teacher. “Some high school music 

teachers may not be aware of 

the professional influence they 

have on a young person’s decision 

to pursue music teaching as 

a profession” (Bergee & Demorest, 

2003). Another study completed 

by C. Madsen and C. Hancock 

states: “With the multitude 

of skills to be acquired, it would 

seem that the specific desire and 

‘drive’ to become a music teacher 

must be substantial; and the most 

influential sources of support for 

those interested in pursuing music 

careers are other music teachers” 

(Madsen & Hancock, 2002). 

As a music teacher, it is their job 

to give students opportunities to 

perform and express themselves 

to experience this love for music 

“If your actions inspire 

others to dream more, 

learn more, do more, 

and become more, 

you are a leader” 

– John Quincy Adams 

and instill in them a passion to 

share that with others. It is also 

their role to seek out those who 

may be interested in pursuing 


music as a career and provide different 

ways they can participate in class, 

like teaching or conducting, without 

losing important rehearsal time. “Passion 

for what we do is the most powerful 

tool for motivating all students, 

and it will strike a chord with those 

who see themselves in our shoes” 

(Bergee & Demorest, 2003). Music 

teachers need to take the leadership 

responsibilities of fostering the next 

generation of music teachers. Without 

the proper training and preparedness, 

programs could deflate and/or 

be cut because the importance of the 

programs would not be valid. Music 

teachers are the sole advocates for 

music education, and teacher leaders 

need to step up. 

Those who are pursuing a music 

education degree need to be 

given the leadership and collaboration 

tools, but also other 

tools to lead their classrooms. The 

traditional model for music instruction 

includes a methods course and a 

fundamentals of music course, however, 

some schools are now combining 

these two courses into one. Gauthier 

and McCrary share a quote from Burmeister: 

“one orientation course and 

one methods course hardly prepares 

a teacher for this demanding task.” 

Burmeister also identified several 

qualifications necessary for preparing 

music educators, and among 

these were “a positive attitude toward 

teaching music, the ability to use the 

singing voice accurately, and knowledge 

of basic music notation and 

fundamentals” (Gauthier & McCrary, 

1999). The study concluded that these 

fundamental courses are giving students 

a basic understanding of music 

concepts, but also realized all of the 

concepts that were being left out or 

not reinforced, such as music styles, 

timbre, or solmization. A professor 

in this study stated, “I do not want 

these students thinking that just because 

they have this course they are 

qualified to teach music” (Gauthier & 

McCrary, 1999). What other tools can 

professors give without adding extra 

classes or coursework? Professors can 

lead their students by example and also 

by giving them in-class teaching experiences 

in order to foster positive feelings 

towards teaching. Professors can 

also foster this love for music that they 

have in other students, so they are able 

to pass this on to their future students. 

Collegiate professors are also having 

to take the leadership role of encourager, 

or someone their students 

can confide in. According to a study by 

Russell Gavin, “individuals involved 

with the preparation of future music 

educators have been concerned with 

undergraduate persistence for many 

years” (Gavin, 2012). This study found 

Some high school music teachers may 

not be aware of the professional influence 

they have on a young person’s decision to 

pursue music teaching as a profession 

that it was very common for collegiate 

professors to be counseling students 

who were withdrawing from the music 

education programs. They also found 

that reflecting on these conversations 

with students and their own practices 

is a good way to examine their own 

practices and demands with schoolwork 

to find ways to retain these students. 

Some students have disclosed 

information to their professors about 

how their parents, friends, or other 

family members did not support their 

decision to major in music education. 

In Manny Brand’s article titled 

“The Love of Music is Not Enough,” 

he shares what a student told him: “If 

I major in music, my father won’t pay 

for my college education.” Another 

student reported, “my parents don’t 

want me to teach” (Brand, 2002). How 

are professors supposed to encourage 

and nurture quality educators and 

form leaders in their field without the 

encouragement of their own families? 

It has also been reported that some 

students have approached their high 

school band or choir teachers and 

asked about their career choice and 

then receive a negative response. Even 

through all of these obstacles, these 

students still enroll into music education 

programs seeking to find someone 

to believe in them and/or construct 

them into the leader and teacher they 


long to be. Other than giving these collegiate 

students the tools they need 

in order to lead their own classroom, 

professors also need to “share our 

discovery that music teaching is far 

more than conducting, rehearsal techniques, 

and executing lesson plans. 

Teaching music is cherishing and 

encouraging young people’s talents 

by offering friendship, guidance, and 

even love” (Brand, 2002). All teachers, 

family members, or personnel in these 

situations need to show stronger and 

more positive leadership qualities in 

order to push our future music teachers 

to be the best they can be. 

Once music educators go through the 

complex teacher preparation courses 

and practicums, why would they leave 

the classroom? A study done by C. 

Madsen and C. Handcock showed that 

lack of support and teacher “burn out” 

were main reasons music teachers left 

their jobs early in their career (Madsen 

& Hancock, 2002). Teachers feel 

overloaded and un-supported, so they 

decide to leave the classroom instead 

of find ways to make their situation 

better. How can leaders step up to 

these people and foster their creativity 

and find ways to keep them in the 

classroom? By fostering and encouraging 

leaders within the district and 

by reaching out to find those teachers 

that are struggling and mentor them in 

order for them to have a more successful 

classroom teaching experience. 

Districts with supervisory personnel 

for their fine arts programs should 

be willing to help fund quality professional 

development for all teachers, 

including fine arts. “Local districts 

should help music teachers prepare 

to deliver more varied and inclusive 

programs by providing expert, visionary 

program leaders and relevant professional 

development,” states Scott 

Shuler, the current NAfME president. 

“In district lacking musically expert 

program leadership, teachers will 

need to exert ‘bottom-up’ leadership 

by collaborating to create a compelling 

shared vision, to ‘sell’ that vision 

to their school board, and to implement 

that vision in their schools” 

(Shuler, 2017). Again, evidence states 

that teachers are the heart of leadership 

in music education. These 

teachers need to be provided with the 

proper tools to help further their students’ 

education, but also to seek out 

those to fill their shoes one day in the 

next generation of music teachers. 

Shuler also states, “leadership and 

collaboration are basic skills found in 

the toolkit of every successful music 

educator” (Shuler, 2017). 

Fine Arts Supervisors also play a 

large role in developing quality 

music educators. They need to 

be sure that they are supplying 

their music teachers with the materials 

and resources they need to be successful, 

as well as the training needed 

to use these materials. Professional 

Development within a school is often 

wasted time for a music teacher. Fine 

arts teachers are often sitting through 

meetings that do not pertain to them, 

and then have to look outside of the 


school building for quality professional 

development. According to Kenneth 

Baum and David Krulwich, “Professional 

development sessions should be 

places where school leaders share the 

work of planning those rich, engaging 

activities, contributing their expertize 

to precisely the work teachers do 

every day” (Baum & Krulwich, 2017). 

In Memphis, Tennessee, Wincle Sterling 

often provides the music teachers 

with the resources they need. He 

has not only brought in well-known 

quality presenters, but also got funding 

for all teachers’ memberships to 

the AOSA: American Orff-Schulwerk 

Association and to the local chapter, 

MCAOSA, as well. This will provide 

teachers with four separate four-hour 

workshops with quality presentations 

and resources. He also has a mentor 

program set up so that music teachers 

who are excelling in their schools and/ 

or have high observation and portfolio 

scores will be sent out once a week to 

assist new and struggling teachers in 

the district. This is not only to help 

with retaining these new teachers, 

but also giving the excelling teachers 

an opportunity to lead others. In their 

case study on music mentors, Colleen 

Conway and Al Holcomb shared, 

“Perhaps the opportunity to become 

involved with beginning 

teacher mentoring, induction, 

and assessment 

initiatives can 

be the means 

through which our more experienced 

colleagues can find the room to grow 

without leaving the classroom entirely” 

(Conway & Holcomb, 2008). 

Mr. Sterling is fostering relationships 

with lead teachers in order to ensure 

the success of the music program 

when he retires. He is setting a precedent 

for many supervisors and showing 

that leadership in his role is vital 

in retaining his music teachers and 

fostering lead teachers. But, let’s not 

forget not all of the responsibility falls 

on the supervisors, school personnel, 

national and local organizations, but 

it also falls on the music teachers. The 

district can provide professional development 

for music, but the teacher 

has to take the initiative to get there 

and participate in a way that will grow 

their knowledge. 

Leadership in music education 

can also be found 

in national and local organizations 

that promote 

music advocacy. 

NAfME: National 

Association for Music 

Education has 

started an advocacy 

resource page 

on their website as 

well as participated 

in “Hill Day” 

in Washington, 

D.C. By doing this, 

they have set a 

precedence to support music teachers 

in need by providing strong resources 

and research to protect the music 

programs in the U.S. Local chapters, 

such as TMEA: Tennessee Music Education 

Association, have also added 

an advocacy resource page and went a 

step further to add an Advocacy/Government 

Relations Chair as a board 

member position. But, there are more 

leaders needed. Organizations cannot 

fight every battle for all music educators 

around the country, and they 

cannot help with retention for every 

teacher, either. But, this is a step forward 

by providing excellent resources 

to teachers in the instance that their 

program would be cut or funds were 

being moved around. 

In conclusion, what does leadership 

in developing music educators 

look like? A quality 

music teacher that seeks out 

potential future music teacher 

candidates and nurtures them 

in ways only they can? 

A national or local 

organization that 

provides advocacy 

resources and materials 

in order to 

promote music 

education outside 

of the classrooms 

in order 

to keep music 

in schools? A collegiate 

professor that 


provides music teacher candidates the 

opportunities to peer teach and also 

cultivate their teaching in their practicum 

studies, as well as provides them 

with the proper tools to be successful 

as a music teacher? A fine arts supervisor 

that works diligently to provide 

quality professional development to 

all music teachers in their district? A 

school system that promotes leaders 

within their schools to create a mentor 

program for new or struggling teachers 

in order to increase music teacher 

retention? All of these leadership roles 

are vital in keeping music education in 

the schools and trying to create superior 

music teachers and leaders. 

References 

Baum, K., & Krulwich, D. (2017, May). A New 

Approach to PD- and Growing 

Leaders. Educational Leadership, 74(8), 

62-66. 

Bergee, M., & Demorest, S. (2003). 

Developing Tomorrow’s Music Teachers 

Today. Music 

Educators Journal, 89(4), 17-20. 

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/ 

stable/3399899 

Brand, M. (2002). The Love of Music Is Not 

Enough. Music Educators Journal, 88(5), 

45-53. 

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org. 

libproxy.cbu.edu/stable/3399825 

Conway, C., & Holcomb, A. (2008). 

Perceptions of Experienced Music 

Teachers regarding Their Work as Music 

Mentors. Journal of Research in Music 

Education, 56(1), 55-67. Retrieved from 

http://www.jstor.org.libproxy.cbu.edu/ 

stable/40343712 

Ditmer, Nancy E. “President’s 

Pitch: Professional Development 

Opportunities.” Music Educators 

Journal, vol. 99, no. 4, 2013, pp. 5–5. JSTOR, 

JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43289000. 

Gauthier, D., & McCrary, J. (1999). Music 

Courses for Elementary Education 

Majors: An 

Investigation of Course Content and 

Purpose. Journal of Research in Music 


http://www.jstor.org/stable/3345718 

Gavin, R. (2012). An Exploration of Potential 

Factors Affecting Student Withdrawal 

From an 

Undergraduate Music Education Program. 

Journal of Research in Music 


http://www.jstor.org/stable/41653839 

Madsen, C., & Kelly, S. (2002). First 

Remembrances of Wanting to Become a 

Music 

Teacher. Journal of Research in Music 




Madsen, C., & Hancock, C. (2002). Support 

for Music Education: A Case Study of 

Issues concerning Teacher Retention and 

Attrition. Journal of Research in Music 




Shuler, S. (2011). Music Education for Life: 

Building Inclusive, Effective Twenty-First 

Century 

Music Programs. Music Educators 

Journal, 98(1), 8-13. Retrieved from 


stable/23012625 

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LEARN, PERFORM, PERFECT 

“Maryville College is the perfect 

place for me to grow into 

the music educator 

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Birmingham, Alabama 

Recipient of the 

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Located in the new $47-million Clayton Center for the Arts, the 

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TMEA BACK THEN 

• In his presidential letter, then TMEA 

President Jay Craven discussed the 

new “Music in our Schools Day” as 

a new initiative endorsed by MENC 

(now NAfME). Dr. T. Earl Hinton 

was appointed as the state chairperson 

for this new project. The date was 

set for March 13, 1975. Another part 

of his message focused on increased 

discussion of having TMEA separate 

its convention from that of the Tennessee 

Education Association (TEA). 

Craven appointed then TMEA President-Elect 

Dr. W. J. Julian as chair of 

the committee to explore a future separation 

of the two conventions. 

• The Tennessee All-State Ensemble 

conductors for 1974 were Colonel 

Arnald D. Gabriel, conductor of 

the Tennessee All-State Band, Cloys 

Webb, conductor of the Tennessee 

All-State Choir, and Harry Lantz, 

conductor of the Tennessee All-State 

Orchestra. The Tennessee All-State 

concerts were held in conjunction 

with the conference in Chattanooga, 

Tennessee in April of 1974. 

• Two grade school principals were appointed 

to the TMEA Board of Directors. 

According to the TMEA Constitution 

at the time, two principals were 

to be appointed to serve on the TMEA 

Board. One principal was appointed 

from the elementary school level and 

the other from the secondary level. D. 

Winton Simmons, then principal of 

Wooddale High School in Memphis, 

Tennessee and Donald Jones, then 

principal of Ridgeway Elementary 

School in Memphis, both served in 

their respective capacities. 

• An op-ed student MENC article 

penned by Alice Colville, then a 

graduate student at Memphis State 

University (now the University of 

Memphis) titled “Will Busing Toll 

the Bells for Vocal Music Classes” 

was published in this issue. The article 

noted several concerns about 

the implementation of “busing” from 

several choir directors from across 

the State of Tennessee. Concerns 

ranged from students with no musical 

training being placed in choir classes. 

Other concerns were students who 

were in great choir programs being 

forced to join new schools with choir 

programs that were inferior or all 

together non-existent. The ultimate 

concern was that white students and 

black students could not work together. 

She asserts her opinion that 

while the impact of busing on choir 

programs is not without concern, she 

encouraged choir directors to have an 

inclusive attitude. She cited an example 

of a successfully integrated program 

that achieved high educational 

and performance standards. 

• Candidates for TMEA President-Elect 

included Jack D. Connell, 

Jr., and Larry Volman. At the time, 

Connell served as Supervisor of Instrumental 

Music for the Knoxville 

City Schools and Volman served as 

Director of Bands at Overton High 

School (Memphis). Volman ultimately 

won the vote and would go on to serve 

as TMEA’s 16th elected president. 

THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN (DECEMBER 1973 ) 

Volume 26, No. 2 – 23 pgs. 

Jay M. Craven, TMEA President 

Lawrence P. Cooney, Editor 


To us, every 

moment matters. 

You create the music, we’ll do the rest. 

since 

1981 

we’ve been working 

with directors to create 

incredible student travel 

experiences. 

over 

5,000 

custom trips planned 

to destinations in the 

U.S. and abroad, 

no two alike. 

bobrogerstravel.com Making Moments That Matter Call: (800) 373-1423 

for 35 years

Tennessee Music Education Association 

129 Paschal Drive 

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128 

you work hard at 

sounding good 

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looking 

good 

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TN Musician Vol. 70 No. 2

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