North Carolina Music Educator Journal Summer 2021

N O R T H C A R O L I N A 

MUSIC EDUCATOR 

Making the 

Grade: Getting 

an A in Advocacy 

by James Daugherty 

Social Emotional 

Learning & Music 

Education: 

Now More than Ever 

by Scott N. Edgar 

Rest, Reflect and 

Restore Your Joy 

by Dr. Lori Gray 

Volume 72 Number 1 Summer 2021 

NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 1

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The Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) gives you access to a wealth of professional development 

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valuable tips on advocacy assistance, program health support and much more. Let us help you 

raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsNCME2 

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2 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 1

N O R T H C A R O L I N A 

MUSIC EDUCATOR 

Making music for today and a lifetime. 

UNC WILMINGTON 

NCMEA Board Directory 

NCMEA Executive Director’s Message 

Pat Hall 

NCMEA President’s Message 

Carol Earnhardt 

4 

6 

8 

A special thank you to all our advertisers who 

support music educators and music education in 

North Carolina. 

Brevard College 

28 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDY 

BACHELOR OF MUSIC 

IN MUSIC EDUCATION 

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC 

Check online 

for our 2021-22 

audition dates: 

www.uncw.edu/music 

Thanks, Pat! 

Band Section 

Young Professionals Symposium 

Making the Grade: Getting an A in Advocacy 

James Daugherty 

Elementary Choral Section 

Rest, Reflect and Restore Your Joy 

Dr. Lori Gray 

Middle School Choral Section 

Social Emotional Learning & Music Education: 

Now More than Ever 

Scott N. Edgar 

10 

12 

13 

14 

18 

20 

22 

24 

East Carolina University 

Eastern Music Festival 

Hayes School of Music 

Marriott Winston-Salem 

Mars Hill University 

Meredith College 

NAfME 

UNC Charlotte 

UNC Greensboro 

UNC Pembroke 

UNC Wilmington 

Yamaha 

23 

7 

13 

1 

11 

25 

19, Back Cover 

15 

21 

17 

3, 27 

Inside Front Cover 

BACHELOR OF ARTS 

IN MUSIC 

• PERFORMANCE: 

instrumental 

piano 

vocal 

• GENERAL MUSIC 

• JAZZ STUDIES 

• MUSIC TECHNOLOGY 

• MINORS 

choral music 

general music 

jazz studies 

Higher Education Section 

29 

Editorial: All editorial content should be sent to: Kimberly 

Justen, Editor-in-Chief, at journal_editor@ncmea.net. 

Advertising: Information requests and ad orders should 

be directed to Kimberly Justen, Editor-in-Chief, at 

journal_editor@ncmea.net. 

Changed Schools? New Email Address? 

New Mailing Address? 

Stay in touch with NCMEA/NAfME 

Log in to the NAfME Member Portal and make 

your updates. 

www.nafme.org LOGIN then MEMBER PORTAL 

If you need assistance call NAfME Member 

Services 800-336-3768 

North Carolina Music Educator is copyrighted. Reproduction 

in any form is illegal without the express permission of the 

editor. 

Postmaster: Send address changes to: NC Music Educator, c/o 

NCMEA, 883-C Washington Street, Raleigh, NC 27605. 

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

Texas. ISSN Number 0400-3332 EIN number 

20-3325550 

uncw.edu/music 

for more information: 

910.962.3415 

uncwmus@uncw.edu 

UNCW is an EEO/AA Institution. 

Accommodations for disabilities may be requested by contacting the Disabilities Resource Center 

at 910.962.7555 at least seven days prior to the event. 

2 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance NORTH should CAROLINA be directed MUSIC to titleix@uncw.edu. 

EDUCATOR | 3

Board of Directors 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS 

SECTION CHAIRS 

COMMISSION & COMMITTEE CHAIRS 

President: Carol Earnhardt* 

Forsyth County 

cearnhardt@ncmea.net 

Immediate Past President: Open 

President-Elect: Johnathan Hamiel* 


jhamiel@ncmea.net 

Recording Secretary: 

Ruth Petersen* 

Mecklenburg County 

secretary@ncmea.net 

Member-at-Large: 

Lillie Allmond Harris* 

Guilford County 

member-at-large1@ncmea.net 

Member-at-Large: Quincy Lundy* 



Band: Jamie Bream* 

Scotland County 

band_chair@ncmea.net 

Band Section Delegate: 

Drew Carter* 

band_delegate@ncmea.net 

Collegiate NAfME: Molly Allman* 

Watauga County 

collegiate_president@ncmea.net 

Elementary: Dawn Wilson* 

Beaufort County 

elementary_section@ncmea.net 

High School Choral: 

Roman Brady* 


hschoral_chair@ncmea.net 

Higher Education: 

Jennifer Whitaker* 


higher_education@ncmea.net 

Jazz Education: Kevin Young* 

Buncombe County 

jazz_chair@ncmea.net 

Jazz Section Delegate: 

Ana Bulluck* 

Haywood County 

jazz_delegate@ncmea.net 

Middle School Choral: 

Carla Reid* 

Caldwell County 

mschoral_chair@ncmea.net 

Orchestra: Ryan Ellefsen* 

Orange County 

orchestra_chair@ncmea.net 

Orchestra Section Delegate: 

Corrie Franklin* 

Orange County 

orchestra_delegate@ncmea.net 

Exceptional Children & General 

Music: Rue S. Lee-Holmes 

Sampson County 

exeptionalchildren_generalmusic@ncmea.net 

Conference Chair: Barbara Geer 


conference_chair@ncmea.net 

Asst. Conference Chair: Adam Joiner 


conference_assistant@ncmea.net 

Mentoring: Windy Fullagar 


mentoring_program@ncmea.net 

IVfME: Johnathan Hamiel 



AWARDS, GRANTS 

& SCHOLARSHIP CHAIRS 

Music In Our Schools Month: 

Angela Mangum 

Granville County 

miosm_chair@ncmea.net 

Music Program Leaders: 

Andrew Craft 


music_program_leader@ncmea.net 

Research: Tim Nowak 

Pitt County 

research_chair@ncmea.net 

Retired Membership: Libby Brown 


retired_membership@ncmea.net 

Student Activities: 

Johnathan Hamiel 



STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS 

Teacher Education: Jose Rivera 

Robeson County 

teacher_education@ncmea.net 

Technology Chair: 

Howell “Howie” Ledford 


technology_chair@ncmea.net 

Tri-M: Open 

tri-m@ncmea.net 

Webmaster: Mark Healy 

Wake County 

mhealy@ncmea.net 

Young Professionals: Lisa Qualls 

Randolph County 

young_professionals@ncmea.net 

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS 

DISTRICT PRESIDENTS 

Awards: Lillie Allmond Harris 



Mini Grant: open 

Summer Professional 

Development Grant: Jose Rivera 


teacher_education@ncmea.net 

Scholarships: Quincy Lundy 



Advocacy: James Daugherty 

Davidson County 

jdaugherty@ncmea.net 

Constitution: Maribeth Yoder-White 


constitution_committee@ncmea.net 

Finance: Dave Albert 

Wake County 

parlimentarian@ncmea.net 

Membership: Johnathan Hamiel 



Publications: Kim Justen 

journal_editor@ncmea.net 

Collegiate NAfME Advisor: 

Lisa Runner 

Randolph County 

collegiate_advisor@ncmea.net 

Editor: Kim Justen 

journal_editor@ncmea.net 

Executive Director: Pat Hall 

Wake County 

pathall@ncmea.net 

Historian: Dr. John Henry, Jr. 


historian@ncmea.net 

District 1: Dawn Rockwell* 

Beaufort County 

district1@ncmea.net 

District 2: Jeffrey Danielson* 

Carteret County 


District 3: Tonya Suggs* 

Wake County 


District 4: Tyler Harper* 



District 5: Tonya Allison* 



District 6: Alice Pounders* 

Lincoln County 


District 7: Janet Berry* 

Burke County 


District 8: James Phillips* 

Henderson County 


* Voting Member 

Counties listed reflect the county taught in 

883-C Washington Street 

Raleigh, NC 27605 

919-424-7008 

www.ncmea.net 

Executive Director: Pat Hall 

pathall@ncmea.net 

NCMEA OFFICE 

Communications Manager: 

Mark Healy 

Wake County 

mhealy@ncmea.net 

Music Industry Rep.: Adam Frank 


music_industry_rep@ncmea.net 

Parlimentarian: Dave Albert 

Wake County 

parlimentarian@ncmea.net 

NCDPI Rep.: Brandon Roeder 

Granville County 

brandon.roeder@dpi.nc.gov 

advancing music education by promoting 

the understanding and making of music by all 


Notes from the Executive Director 

Looking Back 

In June 2013, the week before my official start date as NCMEA 

executive director, I attended my first NAfME National 

Assembly in Washington, D.C. It was an incredible first music 

education experience. I felt very welcome by the national music 

education leadership community. I formed great friendships and 

leaned on my fellow executive directors for advice and direction 

as I grew into my position. I do recall when I got back from the 

meeting, someone asked then President Sonja Williams how I did. 

The response was, “she took a lot of notes.” 

My first year as executive director, I followed what I had 

learned from my predecessor, Reta Phifer, about NCMEA finances, 

student-event finances and reporting, conference planning, board 

meeting planning and even how 

to ship MPA plaques. Being 

a non-music educator, the 

nomenclature was way outside 

my box. I was not sure what an 

MPA was. I had to figure out 

the difference between EDBA 

and SCDBA, Orchestra East and 

West, HS Choral East 1 LE and 

MS Choral West 2 SSE, or was it 

SEMPA? What is the difference 

between Honors and All-State 

Ensembles? Oh, one is audition 

and the other allotment. But 

only in North Carolina. It 

seemed in every other state in the country, All-State was the BIG 

audition Festival. Is MPA still a festival? I survived year one. 

My undertaking year two was to consolidate the vast amount 

of paperwork created by board communication, conference, and 

financial reporting. I was introduced to Google Apps by board 

member and technology whiz, Barb Vinal. We transitioned all 

board members to ncmea.net email addresses. We began using the 

Google drive for all NCMEA communications and board meeting 

reports. And we still do today! 

I was finally getting my head around the Sections/Districts/ 

Events and the acronyms that go along with them. The financial 

reporting requirements for the more than 60 student events 

NCMEA holds around the state were a little overwhelming when 

huge envelopes of paper reports hit my desk. Did I mention, we 

also had 60 different bank accounts for each event and as many 

bank statements? 

Pat Hall 

I saw an opportunity to make student event reporting easier for 

the event chairs and easier for me. We consolidated all the banks 

accounts to one bank, eliminating the need to print and mail all 

those statements. At about the same time, we created a new excel 

financial reporting form. I want to thank John Lowe for helping 

create the new financial reporting form with all those macros that 

made everyone’s reporting tasks much easier. 

I also thank all the Section and Student Event chairs who 

worked diligently with me as we consolidated the bank accounts to 

one bank. (You know who you are!) 

Conference! The first conference under my watch was 

2013. Again, I followed the incredibly detailed plans left by 

my predecessor. I hired a 

temporary conference assistant 

to help with registration. 

I worked with a printing 

company to produce 2,000 

program books. I ordered 

on-site registration forms, 

membership forms, name 

badges, badge holders, 

lanyards, certificates, plaques, 

and oh, the ribbons. You know, 

the colored ribbons you stick 

to your name badge. There 

must have been more than 30 

types of ribbons to order. That 

year, per Reta’s advice, we hired a van and a driver to get everything 

to Winston-Salem from Raleigh. 

In the following years, we had the ability to do online 

registration with the help of the NAfME IT Staff. We introduced 

the conference mobile app! By streamlining these procedures, we 

were able to save on all that printing. We still ordered many, many 

ribbons. But, we were able to get all the Conference materials into 

two cars and happily drive to Winston-Salem. 

I want to thank conference chair Barbara Geer, and conference 

co-chairs Libby Brown and Adam Joiner, without whom 

conference would not be as efficiently planned and seamless for 

our attendees. I learned a lot from you guys! And we had a bunch 

of fun! 

Each year, I learned something new, and we tweaked our 

procedures to keep NCMEA moving forward. 

Through incredible board leadership, NCMEA was recognized 

twice on the national level. In 2015, NCMEA was presented the 

Excellence in Membership Award in recognition of impressive 

membership growth, the result of superior leadership and 

volunteer coordination during the NCMEA/NAfME Recruitment 

Campaign. This campaign was led by Richard Holmes and James 

Daugherty. 

In 2017, NCMEA was presented NAfME’s Excellence in 

Advocacy Award. Under James Daugherty’s leadership, NCMEA 

worked hard to influence the state’s ESSA plan. We also became 

engaged in advocating against a provision in the state budget that 

would cause local school districts to lose the flexibility they had 

used for many years to fund elementary music, art, PE, and world 

language teachers because of a mandated class size reduction in 

grades K – 3. 

Also in summer 2017, NCMEA made one huge step in 

increasing our advocacy efforts by entering into an agreement to 

hire a lobbyist. To this day, Ashley Perkinson and her colleague, 

Rachel Beaulieu, have guided NCMEA in identifying legislative 

priorities; actively lobby legislators on behalf of the Association; 

monitoring bills of interest to the Association; and actively 

lobbying against bills of interest or budget provisions that would 

negatively impact music educators. 

One other small project that I am incredibly pleased that was 

approved by the NCMEA Board was the creation of a new logo for 

the association. NCMEA’s 50 th anniversary in 2020 was the catalyst. 

NCMEA communications manager/webmaster, Mark Healy, and 

I worked with our printer’s graphics team to create the new logo 

for the 50 th anniversary, as well as one we could use in future years. 

The new NCMEA logo incorporates a gold color that complements 

NAfME’s logo so we can co-brand music education programs 

and initiatives at the state and national level. We also wanted to 

promote each NCMEA Section as a co-brand of NCMEA. In this 

Journal, you’ll see the new color logos for Band, Choral, Jazz, 

Elementary, Higher Education and Collegiate NCMEA Sections. 

Looking back, some of my favorite memories will be the July 

Leadership meetings; all the board meetings; traveling around 

the state attending concerts and section meetings; of course, 

conference planning and attending NAfME Leadership Assembly 

and Southern Division meetings. 

I want to share my gratitude to the 2012 – 2013 board 

for having the faith in me, a non-music educator, to lead this 

organization. I knew when I accepted this position it would be my 

“end of career” job. It has been my best job! I have never known a 

group of human beings more passionate and dedicated than music 

educators. I cherish the professional relationships and friendships 

I have made with the leaders in this association. It has filled me 

with an incredible sense of belonging. I will continue to support 

NCMEA and music education any way I can in the years to come. 

And finally, I want to thank the current NCMEA Leadership, 

Carol Earnhardt, Johnathan Hamiel and Jazzmone Sutton, for 

leading the search for my successor. They didn’t want to do this. 

You can fully trust their leadership and the input from the entire 

executive search committee in naming my successor! I know you 

will all welcome Susan Heiserman and love her and support her as 

you did with me! 

Celebrating 

60 Years 

of Musical 

Excellence 

June 26-July 31, 2021 

Greensboro, North Carolina 

Tickets on sale NOW! Seating is limited! 

Visit easternmusicfestival.org/calendar 

for program and performer details. 


President’s Message 

I 

love beginnings. I’m writing this article on the first day of 

summer. School is over for the year and weeks of long, restful 

summer days lie ahead. The NAfME National Assembly is this 

week, an event that has started my summer for the past four years. 

National Assembly is a meeting of leaders of MEA’s from across 

the country. I learn so much and am amazed at the scope of our 

organization through a national lens. 

NCMEA has many new beginnings this year. The board met 

this past spring – our first in-person meeting since January 

2020. We covered many topics of concern, including a vote to 

hold the 2021 conference in person at the Benton Convention 

Center November 6 – 9. The virtual conference went well in 2020, 

but the experience was nothing compared to our live annual 

gathering in Winston-Salem. Since then, conference planners 

and section chairs have met multiple times to discuss the effect 

of the changing face of COVID, especially concerning student 

ensembles. We will continue to monitor CDC and NCDHHS 

guidelines over the summer, and should have a solid plan for you 

by the start of the school year. Please support – and be patient 

with – our ensemble coordinators, as they are working diligently 

to make sure students have this opportunity while remaining safe 

during rehearsals. 

Retirement 

A new and exciting beginning for Pat Hall is a very sad ending 

for us all. Pat is retiring. Retirement is a milestone we all look 

forward to. It’s a beginning that is probably the most exciting of 

our entire life. Pat will have the freedom to focus on her family 

and to explore many trails on her bicycle. 

As we all know, Pat has been a longtime advocate for the arts, 

not just in her work with NCMEA. She told me she doesn’t plan 

to stop working, but will use some of her newfound freedom to 

continue supporting and advocating for the arts. She has been a 

genuine treasure for our organization. It has been her leadership 

in the past eight 

years that made 

NCMEA financially 

and organizationally 

strong enough 

to withstand the 

pandemic. She has 

been a model for 

executive directors 

of other MEA’s 

throughout the 

country. But most 

Carol Earnhardt 

of all, she has been a friend to us all. We will all miss her so 

much. Pat, we wish you the best of luck as you step into this new 

beginning! 

Pat will continue in our organization on a contract basis to 

help with the new executive director transition. So, you may 

hear her voice when you call the NCMEA office. And, you will 

definitely see her at the November conference. 

Welcome Our New ED 

Every member of the NCMEA 

board felt that filling the position 

of executive director would require 

an incredible amount of work. 

We had some big shoes to fill! 

Consequently, the board voted to 

hire the firm Armstrong McGuire 

to help us with the search. The 

transition committee met with 

Katie Weeks, from Armstrong 

McGuire, on multiple occasions to 

discuss the strengths and weaknesses of NCMEA, to brainstorm 

the qualities and attributes of the person we would hire as our next 

executive director, and to review the results of a member survey. 

Throughout March and April, she met with many groups: 

NCMEA members, event coordinators, executive directors 

from other MEA’s, conference stakeholders and event staff, our 

lobbyists, Pat, and more. The information gathered from these 

discussions and meetings was used to create a position profile that 

was advertised through multiple email lists, websites, and listservs. 

The committee spent many hours interviewing candidates and 

debating our selection. At a recent board meeting, our nomination 

was approved and we are proud to announce Susan Heiserman 

will serve as our next executive director. 

Heiserman comes to us with many years of experience as 

an executive director of a professional artistic organization. 

Her responsibilities for that organization included program 

management, membership development and communications, 

financial oversight and reporting, strategic planning, and 

organizing a yearly conference for 500+ attendees. She managed 

the budget of the organization and implemented an annual 

sponsorship program that increased their revenue by 20%. In 

addition to her many great attributes as an executive director, 

she holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in collaborative piano 

and coaching from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. 

She has served as an accompanist and vocal coach in Chicago, 

working with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, the 

Midwest Young Artists, and the Botti Opera Showcase. Also in 

Chicago, she served as the artistic and managing director of the 

PianoForte Foundation. 

Heiserman is a long-standing advocate for the arts and 

has attended Arts NC Arts Advocacy Day in Raleigh on many 

occasions to meet with legislators concerning the importance of 

the arts to North Carolina residents. A product of public schools 

who benefited from a quality music education, she is excited 

for the “opportunity to join an organization that promotes an 

understanding and making of music by all.” She and her family 

reside in Cary. Please help me in welcoming Susan to her new 

beginning with NCMEA! 

I would like to thank the transition committee for their tireless 

work in this process. Each of these members truly love our 

organization and worked hard to ensure we hired a candidate who 

would further our mission and vision and provide our members 

a confident source of the abilities needed to ensure the stability of 

NCMEA: 

Lillie Allmond Harris 

Jamie Bream 

Meghan Chinn 

James Daugherty 

Carol Earnhardt, chair 

Johnathan Hamiel 

Ruth Petersen 

Jose Rivera 

Jazzmone Sutton 

Professional Development Conference 

Scholarship 

Do you know anyone who has never attended our Professional 

Development Conference? Help us give them a new beginning 

that will change their professional lives! The Professional 

Development Conference Scholarship is intended to provide grant 

funding to NCMEA members attending the NCMEA Professional 

Development Conference for the first time. Three scholarships will 

be awarded each year. The scholarship funds will cover the cost of 

conference registration and three nights in the conference hotel. 

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is September 15, 2021. 

Please encourage music teachers in your area to start the journey 

today. 

The 2020 – 2021 school year was arguably the toughest year 

I’ve experienced in my career. I am sure you feel the same. We all 

need this summer to reset so we can face new challenges in the 

next school year. Most likely, you are reading this article near the 

beginning of the school year. Over the summer, I hope you’ve 

had time to slow down, reflect, and dream about the possibilities 

the 2021 – 2022 school year holds. Enjoy this new beginning and 

know your students need you more now than ever. I encourage 

you to search for ways to reconnect your students to you, your 

program, and most of all, to their love of music. 

Here’s to new beginnings! 

LIVE & IN PERSON 

NCMEA 

Professional 

Development 

Conference 

November 6 – 9 

Winston-Salem 

200+ clinics 

100 music industry 

representatives in Exhibitor 

Expo 

Networking with colleagues 

CEU Credit 

Online registration opens August 16 


Thanks, Pat, for all you’ve done for us! 

Mars Hill University 

Department of Music 

Welcomes Dr. Hunter Kopczynski 

New Director of Bands 

hunter_kopczynski@mhu.edu 

Mars Hill 

University 

Department of Music 

offers the following degrees: 

Background photo by Rayyu Maldives photographer 

Bachelor of Arts in Music 

Bachelor of Music in 

Music Education 

Bachelor of Music in 

Performance 

Significant scholarship 

opportunities are available! 

www.mhu.edu/music 


Posters.qxp_Color Wheel Poster copy 8/17/18 3:39 PM Page 1 

Band 

Jamie Bream, Chair 

Young Professionals 

Symposium 2021 


MUSIC EDUCATION MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES MUSIC PERFORMANCE 

Program for high school juniors & seniors 

It’s Time... 

to Make Music! 

by Dr. Timothy Altman 

Welcome back! We are all looking forward to making 

more live music with more students and an audience. 

We are looking forward to more normalcy. I 

jokingly put normalcy because I’m a bit sick of that word (like 

unprecedented, new normal… insert vomit emoji). I do want to get 

back to making more music, and I know you do, too. 

To get there, first, we plan. I know you have been planning 

for months and our planning never stops (student leadership, 

performances, travel, personnel, fund raising, etc.). Keep looking 

forward! Take advantage of some things that don’t cost much 

money. The military groups don’t cost any money (but you 

often need to book them way in advance… so do it… long term 

planning). Their chamber groups are very effective because you 

can have them in the middle of the class (perform and then sit in 

sections). Some of us university folks have chamber groups that 

are easier to get out into schools, too (student groups and faculty 

groups). We may not think about coming to your school unless you 

ask (communicate). 

Literature – the right music – is so important. We find great 

pieces for our groups by listening. Go to NCMEA, go to Midwest, 

and go to other places where you will hear a lot of great band 

literature. Of course, so many websites have scores and recordings. 

It won’t all be right for your groups, but it is exciting to find some 

that is perfect. Make sure you don’t just like that piece because it 

sounds cool. That’s not a reason to program it. What can you teach 

with that piece? Remember your audience. Involve them in the 

concert (clapping, singing, whistling, etc.). Challenge your best 

students with some chamber music. 

Communication. We know we must communicate with a bunch 

of different people (students, parents, administrators, and beyond). 

But the communication between band directors is also important. 

We want instrumental music in North Carolina to be the best it 

can be. It doesn’t get that way by all of us being alone on our own 

little island. Tell the Band leadership in the state what you want 

to know more about (none of us will ever know it all… we know 

that). Communicate what things you need. Have you seen a great 

presentation at another conference and want to have that here? Tell 

your leadership. You have some great leadership who want to hear 

from you. Share what you know and what you want to know. 

Goals. What do your students want? What do they need? They 

want what you want: to feel like you are part of a team (part of 

a family). Research has shown we all need connections to feel 

success. Yes, we want musical excellence, too. That can done by 

making students feel like an important part of the team. We know 

some of them might not be at school if it weren’t for your class. 

Show your students your own excitement about music (and their 

improvement… even if it is just a little bit of improvement). 

“It is not about the destination. It is about the journey.” I know 

you have heard that. It’s true. Sometimes it is hard to see the 

improvement when we hear them every day. Learn to celebrate the 

small victories. Tell them how proud you are of their hard work 

(consistent practice). You know hard work is one of the many, 

many things we are teaching them that they will use their entire 

life. 

We are so fortunate this is our “work/job.” Have fun doing it! 

Dr. Timothy M. Altman is director of bands and a professor of 

music, teaching conducting and trumpet, at UNC Pembroke. He taught 

instrumental and general music at the elementary, middle school, high 

school, and university level in Virginia, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and North 

Carolina. 

Altman was a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Malta during spring 2019. 

He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in trumpet performance 

at the University of Kentucky. He also has Music Education degrees 

from Virginia Tech (BA) and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 

(MME). His latest CD “Baroque Music for Two Trumpets, Strings, and 

Harpsichord” is available on iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, and YouTube. 

For: North Carolina high school juniors and seniors 

interested in music as a profession. A maximum of 25 

students will be chosen from applications submitted. 

Purpose: These two days of sessions are specifically 

designed for them. Students will have opportunities to 

discuss and reflect on all aspects of music education as a 

career with college music education majors and professional 

educators. 




MUSIC THERAPY SACRED MUSIC THEORY & COMPOSITION 

MUSIC EDUCATION 

music.appstate.edu | 828.262.3020 

MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES 


MUSIC EDUCATION MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES MUSIC PERFORMANCE music.appstate.edu | 828.262.3020 MUSIC THERAPY 

music.appstate.edu | 828.262.3020 

12 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 13 

MUSIC EDUCATION 

When: November 8 – 9 during the 2021 NCMEA 


Conference 

Cost: $35 (includes one meal) 

Application Criteria (online application opens 

August 16, 2021): 

1. Create a satisfactory resume of their musical activities. 

2. Complete an essay titled “My Musical Aspirations,” 

3. Receive an outstanding recommendation from their 

school music director. 

4. Meet the application deadline. 

Application Deadline: Thursday, September 30 

For more information and the online application form visit: 

https://www.ncmea.net/ncmea-conference/youngprofessionals-symposium/ 

Questions? Email Lisa Qualls. young_professionals@ncmea.net 



music.appstate.edu 

828.262.3020 

M 

music.a

y James Daugherty 

Making the Grade: 

Getting an A for 

Advocacy 

Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash 

Music transforms people and communities. 

People and communities transform music. 

Thinking back to the time I was finishing my bachelor’s 

degree, I recall a general education course containing an 

intriguing method for motivation to be successful. This 

course had many professors teaching it, but there was one who 

designed the course so unit tests were administered in a computer 

lab. That was new for the time, but not the most innovative aspect 

of the course design. 

From the onset of the class, every student knew the number of 

required tests. Students could test anytime they were ready. Tests 

were not tied to a calendar or completion of a certain number of 

lectures. One unique aspect of this particular course was the ability 

of every student to predetermine their final grade from day one. 

This was accomplished by knowing in order to earn an A in the 

course, a certain number of tests had to be taken with a minimum 

pre-established score. To earn a B in the course, a student would 

have several A test grades and a majority of B test grades; however, 

nothing lower than a B. There was only one other option: failure. It 

was an A, a B, or an F. 

The selling point for many students to take the course with this 

professor was that everyone enrolled in the course was, more or 

less, guaranteed a B or even the coveted A if they met the criteria 

measured by the tests in the lab because any test could be taken as 

many times as needed in order to achieve the desired grade. 

Perfectionists and procrastinators alike found a home in this 

course as the professor would allow students up to one incomplete 

for the initial semester for the opportunity to continue their testing 

to either solidly earn their mark of B or A by completing all tests by 

the end of the semester that followed the incomplete. 

When I registered for the course, I remember thinking 

it seemed like a no-brainer, a course that guaranteed an A. 

Considering all options, I eagerly enrolled in the course. 

Time certainly changes opinions. I initially expected, and was 

whole-heartedly on track, to earn an A. However, after taking a few 

tests, one was particularly tough. While I can’t recall how many 

retakes it took, I finally settled for a B in order to move forward. I 

had no plans of taking an incomplete and thought I’d knock these 

tests out quickly so as to not worry about them. Eventually, I got to 

a crossroads and a decision had to be made. 

After having now accepted several B’s along with A’s, I had 

reached the limit of B’s allowed in order to earn an A overall. It was 

a tough decision because I was only finished with a little over half 

the required tests, and I didn’t know how hard they would be in the 

future or how much time they would take. Yielding to the voice of 

compromise, I accepted a B on the current test which meant I now 

had a B in the course and could not make anything less than a B on 

any more tests or risk failure. 

When the work gets tough on the test (no matter what it is or in 

what form it takes), circumstances may tempt us to accept less than 

our best or even accept failure as an option. Difficulty and rigor of 

the task, the true grit of the work, often beg us to settle for less than 

an A. 

Unfortunately, life does not always afford the opportunity to 

know there are only a certain number of tests or challenges, and 

that being successful with a certain number of them will allow us to 

not only pass the moment, but to also achieve that coveted highest 

mark or rating. 

Teaching and learning music during the last year and a half of 

global pandemic has to be one of the biggest tests music education 

ever faced. We didn’t know it was coming and we certainly did not 

know what it would take to pass or how many times we’d have to 

try it again. But, through it all, we have learned uncertainty does 

not equate to defeat. 

We have also learned that, often, our most successful work 

comes through shared social-emotional support and relationships. 

In fact, we probably have more appreciation for the value of human 

connection through music than at any point in our memory. 

We’ve learned that not all tests must be taken alone. Socialemotional 

and relational wellness are significant in supporting 

efforts to achieve an A during life’s tests and in nurturing the 

health of music education. How do we march forward, postpandemic, 

not knowing the number of tests we have ahead that 

will lead us to failure or success – especially after all we’ve already 

passed? And where do we, as musicians, get the social-emotional 

and relationship/networking support we need, to not only be 

successful, but to make an A? 

UNC Charlotte is shaping a new era in music education 

to prepare productive, successful, engaged musical citizens. 

Be part of the transformation. 

@unccarts 

music.uncc.edu 


The path to an A starts with the test of advocacy and embeds 

all aspects of it throughout the journey. Advocacy work is a 

true testament to the health of an association, particularly an 

association such as ours. 

Wikipedia has a unique perspective on advocacy that resonates 

with me. The site shares, “advocacy is an activity by an individual 

or group that aims to influence decisions within political, 

economic, and social institutions.” Influence. 

Merriam-Webster shares that influence is, “the act or power of 

producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct 

exercise of command.” 

This definition lends itself perfectly to what I believe is the 

heart of advocacy currently and for the future. The simple act of 

being a member of an association is absolutely critical, laying the 

foundation to advocate for the cause of the group. 

There are a lot of reasons we’ve joined NCMEA and NAfME. 

For many, joining was not so much in the spirit of advocacy. We 

joined out of necessity: a requirement in order, as an individual 

or for our students, to enjoy the benefits of a 

program or offering, such as participating in a 

conference or student event. Those who view the 

glass half-empty might feel a slight infringement 

that membership is a requirement to receive 

benefits, while others with hall-full glasses see the 

opportunity afforded by the decision to join those 

who are like-minded. 

Often, membership reminds me of the practice 

of tithing from many religious and faith-based 

groups. In these practices a tithe is often viewed as 

ten percent of one’s income, whereas an offering 

is anything above and beyond the tithe. As a side 

thought, I am certainly grateful that membership 

dues for our association are not one-tenth of 

anyone’s income, no matter that level. 

In the April 2014 Forbes article, Why I Tithe – And So Should 

You, author Andrew McNair shares, “One of the mysteries in my 

wealth management practice is the glaring coincidence that a large 

majority of my wealthiest clients are some of the largest givers 

and tithers I have ever met. For those not familiar with tithing, 

it is simply the practice of giving a tenth of your income to your 

church or mission, or to charity. It’s a simple idea but not so easily 

accomplished; only an estimated 5% of Americans actually tithe.” 

That led me to ponder a loose parallel between tithing and 

association membership, particularly NCMEA membership. 

Fortunately, more than 5% of music educators are members! 

In 2014, pre-pandemic, around 56% of NCMEA-eligible music 

educators were members. However, we now see that rate more 

around 36%, a significant drop. It is understandable – and perhaps 

even expected – that membership numbers would fall for all kinds 

of associations during the pandemic due to just how fast and deep 

the world around us changed and what had to be done in order to 

merely survive all that was happening. 

While tithing and membership percentages aren’t quite aligned 

to the thought of work required to achieve an A for advocacy, it 

really isn’t as disconnected as appears. 

The simplest 

thing we can 

do to support 

music education, 

the least act 

of exertion... is 

to simply be a 

member. 

In reviewing the definition of influence from Webster, the 

power of membership to advocacy is crystal clear. The simplest 

thing we can do to support music education, the least act of 

exertion, or the least “direct command” is to simply be a member. 

Being a member, and to that end being a part, is the foundation 

for advocacy work, and it starts with every single music educator 

making the commitment to be a part of the group. A group (or 

association) of people have a much more powerful influence over 

others to champion and support their cause. As such, joining 

together is imperative to passing the advocacy test for our 

profession and making that A grade. 

Unlike in my college class, we don’t have to work alone to earn 

an A in advocacy. It all starts with our membership. Once we 

are a part of the association, we are then able to synthesize and 

capitalize on the strengths and work of so many strong leaders in 

our membership to help us navigate the series of tests we face in 

our profession, while simultaneously building our own leadership 

and advocacy tool kit. 

Sometimes visible and other times behind 

the scenes, there are leaders in NCMEA working 

hard to support music education, not only when 

things seem challenging, but equally when the 

environment is perfect for music in our schools, 

homes, and lives. Advocacy remains equally 

important when there is harmony and support 

for music as well as during a critical threat to 

the livelihood of music. Being an active member 

allows NCMEA to grow advocates through the 

sharing of the good work. Through this work, new 

leaders are cultivated and discovered, and as such, 

advocacy allows for diversification among our 

ranks. 

This June closes the chapter on one school year 

and sets the stage for the beginning of a new year 

with new students, new goals, new opportunities, 

and most likely, new tests along the way. While the luxury of 

knowing how many tests will come our way does not exist, it is 

clear a successful course in music advocacy begins with making 

our commitment to join, or renew our membership, a priority. 

Our membership welcomes perfectionists, procrastinators, and 

anyone in between. There is a place and space here for everyone. 

NCMEA is prepared to do whatever it takes to pass each and 

every test of the pandemic, which may cause concern for music 

education’s place in supporting the whole-child and wholeindividual. 

Having all those in the musical family a part of the 

NCMEA family will build our influence and bring benefits beyond 

measure. 

Failing music education is not an option. Settling for a B – less 

than our best – isn’t an option. Let’s not only pass the advocacy test 

for music education, but make an A! Music deserves the highest 

grade possible. You deserve the best! Renew your membership 

and encourage a non-member to join or rejoin today. Together we 

make the difference. 

The A in music begins with advocacy. 

Faculty who do what they teach. 

Our faculty are highly-credentialed scholars, educators, 

and performers. We invite prospective students to take a 

free lesson with a faculty member and learn more about 

what it's like to be a student at UNCP. 

NC Promise continues! 

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Elementary 

Summer of 2021, waaaaaay better than summer of 2020. 

We all made it through the crazy pandemic school year 

where changes happened on almost a monthly basis. It 

was exhausting. New technology (soooooo much technology!), 

teaching in masks, social distancing, virtual students, minimal 

singing and instrument playing for a little while. More parent 

contacts, online assignment platforms, Zooms/Google Meets, 

Social Emotional Learning. Quarantine, temperature checks, 

disinfectant, lots of attendance forms. No concerts, dances, family 

nights, community performances. The most difficult year for 

veteran teachers, and a strange time for new teachers coming into 

the profession. 

It’s time to recharge our batteries. 

And what happens when you charge something? The battery 

level goes from nearly nothing to 100%. There is a chemical 

reaction within the cell that stores electrical energy, to be used 

later. How long will the charge last? Depends on how much you 

use the energy! My friends, we have abused our batteries this past 

year! What happens when you keep recharging the same battery? 

The energy storage of a battery can be divided into three 

sections known as the available energy that can instantly be 

retrieved, the empty zone that can be refilled, and the unusable 

part that has become inactive as part of use and aging. 

As the unusable portion of the battery grows, the charge time 

shortens because there is less to fill. In most cases, the decrease is 

linear and capacity fade is mostly a function of cycle count and age. 

A deep discharge stresses the battery more than a partial discharge. 

It is therefore better not to discharge the battery fully but charge it 

more often. Lithium- and nickel-based batteries deliver between 

300 and 500 full discharge/charge cycles before the capacity drops 

below 80 percent. 

Specifications of a device are always based on a new battery. 

This is only a snapshot, which cannot be maintained over any 

length of time. As with any shiny new machine, the battery 

will fade and if left unchecked, the reduced runtime can lead to 

battery-related breakdowns. A pack should be replaced when the 

capacity drops to 80 percent; however, the end-of-life threshold 

can vary according to application, user preference and company 

policy. 

As teachers, we really are like batteries. The more we do those 

Dawn Wilson, Chair 

quick weekend recharges, the less capacity we have over time. 

There are many ways in which we can recharge our personal and 

professional batteries, and it is unique to the individual. As music 

teachers, we have ways of quickly recharging as needed when we 

engage in our own personal music making. What we all know, 

however, is that summers ARE needed for recharging. Based on 

the above description, we have used our batteries throughout the 

year and summers are needed for REPLACING batteries. 

I took a quick survey of teachers, and the number one thing 

we do during the summer is: Spending time with family and 

friends. Not surprising, many of us spend time with TEACHER 

friends. Forty-eight percent of us! Other answers repeated often 

include: time outside (beach, hiking/walking, boating, kayaking), 

vacations/travel, SLEEP, reading, video games, TV, and hobbies. 

Everything on the list is predictable, all of these activities 

make perfect sense! We should all be engaging in several of them 

each summer in order to obtain our new batteries for the new 

school year. What is a little curious, however, is an activity that 

was absent from the list this year that I always hear: Professional 

Development. 

Nearly every teacher I know does some type of professional 

development over the summer, even if it is on their own, 

researching ideas for the coming school year. Interesting that not 

one person had that answer this year, and yet…. We all have had 

more training on technology this past year than we have in the past 

10. We have been given so many more tools, we can go into the 

new 2021 – 22 school year well prepared and READY. 

What are all the positives we gained this past pandemic year? 

• Streamlining our teaching of the standards and objectives. 

We’ve learned what is most important, and how we can best 

implement new strategies, provide differentiation. 

• Increased knowledge of sanitizing instruments, air 

exchange/filter rates. 

• Better student/family communication. 

• If we have to meet as a class online, breakout rooms for 

group work and sectionals. 

• Technology Tools: Zoom, Teams, Meets, Google Classroom, 

Schoology, Dojo, Seesaw, Nearpod, Flipgrid, Audacity, and 

on and on. 

• Social skills are important; for students and teachers. 

• Time management. 

• Students learning more life skills at home. 

• The importance of the arts for emotional health. 

And another survey question, What inspires you to keep 

teaching? Ninety-eight percent answered it’s the students. The kids. 

“I love helping students grow in knowledge, and as citizens 

and individuals.” 

“Knowing I make a difference in the lives of so many children.” 

“Teaching is my passion. I don’t know what else that would 

give me this fulfillment.” 

“I love the classroom community I help to build.” 

“It’s a job with purpose.” 

“I love the kids, I love to learn with them. I want to pass a love 

for learning to the next generation.” 

“Building those relationships with ‘bad’ students and helping 

them see their potential and achieve greatness.” 

“Knowing I am working to positively impact my community.” 

“Those ‘aha!’ and light bulb moments.” 

“Seeing kids grow in confidence and skills.” 

“Students that come back later and say thank you.” 

If you have read this far, you have probably nodded in 

agreement a few times, or shaken your head because this is nothing 

it's time 

TO START A 

Tri-M MUSIC 

honor 

SOCIETY CHAPTER 

new. You already know all of this information. And guess what? 

That’s exactly what makes all of us a community, what connects us; 

we have all responded in different ways, had to teach in different 

situations, make choices, and yet… at the core… we are all the 

same. How reassuring to know we are not alone. So when you are 

feeling overwhelmed, reach out to a teacher friend. When you 

need to vent, when you need support, find that teacher bestie from 

work. When you find some new awesome activity you want to 

try next year, or a list of books you want to purchase, new music, 

new instruments… reach out to a teacher friend and let them get 

excited with you. 

Cue music: 

“We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical or 

“You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. “That’s What Friends 

Are For” from the Jungle Book (or if you like the Dionne Warwick 

song better, listen to that one!) “I’ll Be There for You” by the 

Rembrandts. So many to choose from. 

If you haven’t recruited anyone to the many benefits of NCMEA 

membership, please share info about our organization. If you 

haven’t been actively involved in your section, please consider 

sharing your ideas. I urge you to attend the NCMEA Professional 

Development Conference in Winston-Salem, November 6 – 9. 

Go out and get those new batteries! The 2021 – 22 school year 

is going to be a time of rebuilding programs and getting back out 

into the community. I can hardly wait to see and hear about all the 

positive changes across our state. Please stay in touch, and know 

that the elementary board wants your participation and input. 

Strengthen your school’s 

Music. Honor. And Society. 

Starting a Tri-M ® Music Honor 

Society chapter will help show the 

value of your music program to 

the school. It will also benefit your 

students by allowing them to: 

• Build an impressive record for 

college 

• Grow as leaders in music 

• Serve their community 

Ready to start a chapter? 

Visit MusicHonors.com 

® 

Tri-M@nafme.org | 1-800-336-3768 

S 


Rest, Reflect and 

Restore Your 

Joy 

by Dr. Lori Gray 

As we all seek to rest and recover over the summer, winding 

down from a year of teaching and learning through a 

pandemic, we can start to plan for a “new normal” in the 

coming school year. Though our experiences may have differed 

depending on our location and school communities, we all faced 

challenges brought about by COVID-19. 

As a step-parent, a professor, and a university supervisor for 

field experiences in the schools, the most crucial lesson I learned 

this year was to avoid making assumptions about anyone’s situation 

or response to the pandemic. Some people (kids and adults) 

enjoyed the process of learning, teaching, or working from home. 

Other individuals faced mental health issues that came about due 

to the isolation of remaining at home without a true, daily social 

connection. Some families strained to provide food and to ensure 

their children were able to have a reliable Internet connection for 

their classes. Others struggled to keep their jobs or to work during 

the pandemic. 

For teachers, navigating the multiple spaces of remote, hybrid, 

and in-person learning that took place throughout the year was 

challenging and exhausting enough. Our stress was compounded 

by the added uncertainty of students’ additional needs and 

varying levels of access to resources and the Internet throughout 

the year. After such a difficult year of constantly shifting and 

altering plans to face a daunting global pandemic, it will take time 

for students and teachers to fully return to schools and feel safe 

and comfortable once again in our school communities. As we 

hopefully pause this summer to rest, I believe this is the perfect 

time for us to reflect upon and reignite our original desire to be 

music teachers. Why are you passionate about teaching music? In 

what ways do you aim to inspire students through music every day? 

During undergraduate degrees in music education, students are 

asked to consider the type of teacher they want to become. They are 

encouraged to think about the models they experienced through 

their own education and what they hope to model for their future 

students. I begin these important reflection opportunities for 

sophomores in our Foundations of Music Education class, asking 

students to explore what it means to be a K-12 music teacher. As 

they get a bit further in their education, they continue to shape 

Reprinted from the Spring 2021 issue of IMEA Music Notes, with permission from 

the Idaho Music Educators Association. 

their philosophy of teaching music. Students continue to grapple 

with questions including: Why do you value music in your own 

life? Why is music an important part of K-12 education? Why do 

you think it’s important to teach a certain way or to teach certain 

things in music? By the time our students graduate, the hope is 

that each student will have a clear picture of the type of teacher 

they want to become, answers for why they value music and its 

importance in K – 12 education, and an understanding of how to 

approach curriculum and to make decisions about what and how 

to teach in the music classroom. 

I wonder, though, how many of us go back and revisit our 

teaching philosophies, or these types of reflection questions? Do 

you remind yourself from time to time why you got into music 

and into teaching? How often do you reflect upon the ways you 

present content to students and why you present it in a certain 

way? This was an incredibly challenging year that caused us to 

shift the way we approached almost every aspect of our jobs. This 

summer can be a great time to truly reflect upon what we value as 

music teachers, why we do things a certain way, and whether our 

approach in the music classroom is the best we can offer for our 

students, or whether it is time to explore new ways of doing things. 

I have gathered questions from texts, research, and my own 

experiences over the years for reflection activities in music 

education classes. Here are representative questions, some of them 

paraphrased, for you to consider as you reflect deeply upon your 

role as a music teacher (I have also provided the references below): 

• Why did you decide to become a music teacher? 

• Do you think you get along well with people – all kinds of 

people – even those who are different from yourself? 

• Do you like children and young people, even when they don’t 

behave the way you would like them to? 

• What are some of the characteristics of positive and negative 

models of teachers you remember? 

• How did those characteristics of both positive and negative 

models of teachers impact your learning in the classroom? 

• What personal characteristics or musical attributes do you 

possess that you perceive to be useful as a music teacher? 

• What personal characteristics or musical attributes do you 

possess that you perceive to be areas for growth as a music 

teacher, and how do you plan to work on or seek assistance 

for those? 

• What type of teacher do you hope to [be or] become? 

• What type of teacher do you fear becoming? 

• What should students learn about music and what specific 

musical experiences should students encounter? 

• What types of music should students encounter? 

• How should music be taught and how might the music 

content standards inform teachers’ curricular decisions? 

• How will societal and technological changes influence the 

teaching of music? 

• What image do you want to project as a music educator? 

• What image do you want your music program to project to 

others (i.e., what is most important to you in your music 

program)? 

• How would you draw your “ideal image” of a music teacher? 

How would you draw yourself as a music teacher? 

• Think of a metaphor for teaching. You can finish the 

statement “Teaching is like…” or “As a teacher I will be like…” 

I know we all have summer plans and teachers are often 

working on the next project, the next concert, or the next set of 

Audition Dates for 2021–22 

November 20, 2021 

January 29, 2022 

February 12, 2022 

February 26, 2022* 

April 9, 2022 (virtual) 

*priority deadline for scholarship/assistantship consideration 

lessons for the fall. However, I hope you will find a bit of space in 

your summer to take some deep breaths, examine your responses 

to these questions, and revisit why you chose this incredible calling 

that allows you to inspire young people through music. Perhaps 

as you rest and reflect, you will also restore your joy in teaching 

music, and return to school in the fall ready to share that joy with 

your students. 

Dr. Lori Gray is associate professor and director of music education 

at Boise State University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate 

courses in music education and supervises student teachers. She joined 

the Boise State Music faculty in the fall of 2017, after her position as 

associate professor of music education at the University of Montana. 

Prior to her experience in higher education, she taught in public and 

private PreK – 12 schools in Texas, primarily as a general music 

specialist. 

References for Reflection Questions: 

Dolloff, L. A. (1999). Imagining ourselves as teachers: The development of 

teacher identity in music teacher education. Music Education Research, 1(2), 

191-208. 

Dolloff, L. A. (2014). Evoking beliefs about music teaching and learning. 

GEMS (Gender, Education, Music, and Society), the on-line journal of GRIME 

(Gender Research in Music Education), 7(5). 

Erwin, J., Edwards, K., Kerchner, J, & Knight, J. (2003). Prelude to music 

education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 

Hoffer, C. R. (2009). Introduction to Music Education. United States: 

Waveland Press. 

Open House for Prospective Students 

Monday, October 18 and Tuesday, October 19 

High school students and parents are invited to attend music classes 

and rehearsals, as well as meet with music faculty and admissions 

personnel. Online Registration: vpa.uncg.edu/open-house 


Middle School Choral 

Carla Reid, Chair 

Whew! What a year! The 2020 – 2021 school year 

presented many challenges and different situations 

for all educators, but I think music educators were 

significantly challenged by COVID-19. The mitigation strategies 

for singing and playing instruments affected us all and made us 

change everything about the way we do our jobs. Not only were we 

asked to change our methods, but what we teach, what we believe 

in our souls to be important in the lives of our students suddenly 

became dangerous and potentially life-threatening. But, guess 

what? Music is still alive! You all are the most resilient people on 

the planet!!! Together, we have worked through many difficulties 

and created meaningful music education experiences for the 

students. 

As I reflect on the year, I have thought about how different 

the experiences have been for each of us. Some of us have been 

teaching in person all year. Some of us were remote most or all of 

the year. Many went back to school in person with all students in 

“plan A” this spring. In some counties, singing was only permitted 

outside, others could sing inside with masks, social distancing, 

and for 30 minutes at a time. Others were not permitted to sing at 

all. Some were able to present in-person concerts, others created 

virtual choirs. Even though many of our experiences were different, 

I believe we each have five important things in common: 

Change – Everyone experienced change over the past 18 

months. Our daily lives were interrupted; we had to change how 

we lived each day overnight. No more going out to eat, no more 

going to the movies or amusement parks. We had to change how 

we teach. Many of us (myself included) had to go way outside 

our comfort zones to learn new technology in order to provide 

music education for our students. We had to give up annual field 

trips, Honor’s Chorus, All-State Chorus, MPA, and in-person 

Professional Development Conference. We learned new terms like 

“social distancing” and said weird phrases like, “I like your mask!” 

Adaptability – We were told we had to teach our students 

through a computer screen, and we said “okay,” and we did it. They 

said we can’t have live concerts, so we created virtual ones. One 

minute we are teaching in a remote setting and the next minute, 

school officials decided to send the students back to physical 

schools, and once again, we have to adapt. As I write this, things 

I know to be true right now will change before this article is 

published, and yet again, we will adapt. 

Fear – We have experienced fear of the virus, fear of losing 

someone we love, or fear of having life changing effects from it. We 

have felt fear of losing our jobs, fear of losing our livelihoods, fear 

of losing the music that has inspired us. 

Loss – I’m sure each person reading this has experienced a 

sense of loss during the pandemic. Many of us had to help our 

students cope with the loss of a parent or a classmate, or perhaps 

you are experiencing the grief of losing a loved one. We have all 

lost something this year, but we are all in this together. 

Hope – As I am writing this, mask restrictions are being 

lifted, room capacities are being restored to 100%, businesses are 

reopening to “normal” standards, and summer is beginning. Each 

day, more and more people are receiving the vaccine and we are 

hopeful that we are reaching a new sense of normalcy. Things will 

never be the same, but there are good things on the horizon. We 

are planning an in-person Professional Development Conference 

and Honor’s Chorus in November. We are hopeful to restore MPA 

and All-State Chorus in the spring. 

We will never be the same after what we have experienced, but I 

believe we will come through this stronger and better than before. 

Stay strong, get some rest, read a book, try something new this 

summer, and get ready for better days. The best is yet to come! 

Online Master’s Degree 

in Music Education 

East Carolina University® established the online MM in music 

education program in 2004, making it the oldest online music 

education curriculum in North Carolina. 

Master of Music distance education classes are taught by the 

same excellent East Carolina University School of Music faculty 

that teach campus-based students. 

For more information, contact Dr. Jay Juchniewicz, Coordinator 

of Graduate Studies, at juchniewiczj@ecu.edu or 252-328-1251, 

or visit ecu.edu/music. 


Social Emotional 

Learning and 

Music Education: Now 

More than Ever 

by Scott N. Edgar 

I believe everyone will soon come to realize that our arts educators are the secret weapon to 

implementation of Social Emotional Learning in our schools. 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) was around before the 

COVID-19 pandemic and will be around long after. The 

common trauma we are experiencing, however, has put a 

magnifying glass on the need for schools to help students survive 

and thrive when confronted with profound challenges. The 

singular priority of schools as they seek strategies to navigate 

the pandemic is student and staff safety – physically, mentally, 

socially, and emotionally. SEL is a skill-based approach that can 

help achieve that safety by building students’ self-awareness, selfmanagement, 

social-awareness, relationship management, and 

responsible decision-making skills (simplified to the three goals 

of self, others, decisions). Rather than react, SEL enables us to 

respond to challenges. 

Music is inherently emotional: it makes us feel. 

Music is social: it has been a rallying call for humans, always. 

Music teachers 

must capitalize on the 

connections between 

SEL and music because 

our students need it 

and music education 

now more than ever! 

It’s Not Just 

a Byproduct 

– We Must Be 

Intentional 

For SEL to be 

effective in teaching 

students the life 

skills needed to navigate their world after they leave our music 

classroom, it must be embedded into curricular content – for us, it 

must be musical. We must make SEL intentional and meaningful. 

It doesn’t just happen, and we can’t rely on the inherent fertile 

ground and potential that music education provides to teach our 

students these skills. SEL is not another box to check or another 

item to squeeze into our time with students. When done well, 

Musical SEL (MSEL) should feel like great music teaching! If it 

feels like SEL detracts from teaching music, we aren’t doing it 

optimally, nor are we maximizing the true power of music. 

Intentional MSEL can begin with four broad ideas: 

– Dr. Maurice Elias 

• Connection – We need to foster every opportunity for 

students to connect with us, the music, and each other. 

Relationships are essential for meaningful teaching and 

learning to occur. Admittedly, this has become more 

difficult with remote learning and distancing. Two of the 

best ways to build relationships between music educators 

and student musicians are to honor students’ voices and 

give them choices. Give up some control and allow students 

to take ownership and have active roles in the educational 

process. Offer students choice, as simple as whether to 

sing a song first or last today, or as involved as repertoire 

selection and musical decisions that affect performance or 

self-assessment of a musical activity. 

• Repertoire – One of the most important elements of quality 

repertoire is that students can connect with it and become 

motivated by it. Every music teacher remembers that 

performance and the piece that helped spark their interest in 

becoming a music teacher. As we consider music selection 

(at every level), we should always consider how we can 

make it personal for our students. MSEL is only as good as 

the repertoire it is connected to. Music first! 

• Experiences – Students must be given 

the opportunity to do MSEL. This is the 

culmination of connection, repertoire, and 

reflection in a musical experience that allows 

students to explore, create, contribute, choose, 

and encounter music with other students. To 

maximize the effect these experiences can have 

on students, exploring music that interests 

students must be melded with the music we 

see value in teaching. These experiences must 

be intentional and thoughtful and put on the 

same level as we have traditionally placed 

performance. 

• Reflection – To achieve voice and choice and 

to connect students with the music, every 

performance, activity, or objective should have 

a student reflection component. The process 

is just as important as the product and can help unpack 

creativity, self-awareness, self-assessment and can support 

students’ goal-setting. These reflections often result in the 

best responses online, and they give valuable information 

as we continue to design in-person and remote music 

education. While reflection typically follows an activity, 

Students 

often rely on 

music teachers 

and the music 

classroom for 

security, school 

connectedness, 

and support. 

They need us 

now more than 

ever. 

consider peppering reflection throughout the process so 

students can connect and consider the why as they complete 

the what. 

For safety reasons, performance won’t have 

the role it had prior to the pandemic disruption 

for some time. We need to adapt our pedagogical 

approaches to capitalize on other elements of 

music education including creating, responding, 

and connecting. Some music educators might 

view this as lowering the bar. While I am 

confident we will return to focusing on musical 

excellence through performance, for now, we 

must reconceptualize our standards. We cannot 

lower the bar; we need to change the bar and keep 

it high. 

This adaptation – adjusting the how we teach 

music – will allow us to continue to teach music 

at a high level and still reach our students. But it 

will be different. When we give ourselves space 

to prioritize non-performance elements, it makes 

room for essential components of music education including 

creativity, personal connection, and MSEL. 

Reentry into the Music Classroom and How 

MSEL Can Help 

The trauma everyone is feeling as a result of COVID-19 is 


eal. Individual situations greatly impact our ability to respond to 

these profound challenges, including resources, family support, 

and existing SEL competencies; however, many of these are out of 

students’ control. Students have been away from school and their 

friends for five months. Issues of reentry, trust, and mental health 

will be paramount (along with the obvious need for physical 

health precautions). 

Students often rely on music teachers and the music classroom 

for security, school connectedness, and support. They need us now 

more than ever. This doesn’t mean we disregard music and focus 

solely on social and emotional challenges. These conversations can 

be valuable; however, we must remember we are music teachers, 

not licensed counselors. Students gravitate to us because of music; 

we must not forget that. As the school year begins, students 

will need opportunities to regain trust, interacting with people 

and reconnecting and rebuilding relationships, and they will be 

starved for music. It will be our job to meet all those needs. 

SEL skill-building can help with these challenging tasks. Below 

are the three broad goals of SEL (derived from the CASEL, Illinois 

SEL Standards), relevant skill sets, and musical strategies. 

While music classrooms will look, feel, and sound different 

than they did pre-pandemic, with purposeful, thoughtful, and 

realistic instruction focused on the students and MSEL, you can 

facilitate an environment where students can reconnect with the 

space and the people who mean so much to them. 

Advocating Utilizing SEL 

SEL represents a widely accepted construct policy makers at all 

levels value. To effectively make an argument, all elements of SEL 

are needed: 

• Realizing the personal-collective value of music education 

(self-awareness); 

• Understanding how this value will be perceived by 

decision-makers (social-awareness); and, 

• Promoting music education through advocacy (responsible 

decision-making). 

Engaging students in this process not only lends relevance to 

music education’s value but also models/teaches students these 

important skills while forwarding the cause for music education. 

Compelling arguments for music education utilizing SEL are: 

• Purposeful integration of SEL into music education will 

enrich the students’ personal connection to music. 

• The relationship built between teacher and students over 

multiple years of instruction fosters the caring environment 

necessary to help build school connectedness and foster 

empathy. 

• The perseverance needed to dedicate oneself to musical 

excellence fosters resiliency in and out of the music 

classroom. 

• Musical creation fosters self-awareness and allows students 

to develop a greater sense of autonomy and emotional 

vocabulary. 

• The collaborative community developed in the music 

classroom around music-making welcomes discussions and 

an awareness of acceptance and embraces diversity. 

• Musicians learn the necessity of personal goal setting, 

self-assessment, and accountability as they develop high 

standards for musicianship and themselves. 

• Music education provides developmental experiences 

that actively allow students to practice and hone socialemotional 

competencies. 

SEL will be front and center for administrators, and MSEL can 

provide one solution to help our students cope, heal, and move 

forward through music. 

Onward 

We have often been told the only way out is through. This is 

true as we prepare for musical performances, struggle to teach 

a musical concept, 

persist through personal 

musical roadblocks, and 

navigate the profound 

social and emotional 

challenges associated 

with the COVID-19 

pandemic. 

11TH ANNUAL DECEMBER 2 - 4 

onor Band Festival 

UNC WILMINGTON 

Many of our students 

are mourning the loss 

of music education as they know it and are craving the support 

and security they have relied on. Rough, uncomfortable waters lie 

ahead; however, music is a cultural necessity and is fundamental 

to being human. Music education and SEL exposes and deepens 

this for our students. Through our intentional integration of SEL, 

our students will build the social emotional skills to thrive in our 

Dominic Talanca conductor 

uncw director of bands 

Rodney Workman guest conductor 

asheville high school · asheville 

Contact Dominic Talanca 

www.uncw.edu/music 

talancad@uncw.edu 

910.962.3391 

NOMINATIONS DUE OCT. 6, 2021 

SEL Goals Skills Strategies 

Self: 

Develop self-awareness and 

self-management skills to achieve 

school and life success. 

• Identify and recognize emotions 

• Persist 

• Cope 

• Manage stress 

• De-escalate emotions 

• Utilize emoji worksheets for reflection, listening 

exercises, and current mood assessment. 

• Give students opportunities to self-evaluate their 

current emotional state and the time and space to 

recenter (e.g., “I need a break” pass; calm corners; 

anxiety meters). 

Others: 

Use social awareness and 

interpersonal skills to establish 

and maintain positive 

relationships. 

• Cooperate 

• Be empathetic 

• Build relationships 

• Have concern and compassion for others 

• Seek and provide help 

• Collectively develop a soundtrack of meaningful music 

that can be played as students enter class. 

• Develop teams of students willing to help with 

reasonable tasks to keep music classrooms safe 

(following all school, district, and health professional 

guidance and only allow students to do what is 

possible and safe). 

Decisions: 

Demonstrate decision-making 

skills and responsible behaviors in 

personal, school, and community 

contexts. 

• Promote one’s own health 

• Avoid risky behaviors 

• Anticipate consequences 

• Analyze situations 

• Plan realistic and adaptive response strategies 

• Have students inventory and rank music classroom 

activities in terms of risk, their comfort performing 

them, and protocols that could make them feel safer. 

• Create a new mission statement accounting for 

musical, social, and emotional objectives accounting 

for a decreased emphasis on performance. 

www.uncw.edu 

UNCW is an EEO/AA Institution. Accommodations for disabilities may be requested by contacting the Disabilities Resource Center 

at 910.962.7555 at least seven days prior to the event. 

Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance should be directed to titleix@uncw.edu. 


classrooms and beyond. 

Resources for SEL and Specific Strategies 

for Implementing SEL in the Music 

Classroom 

• Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart 

of Teaching Music (and student workbook), by Scott Edgar, 

GIA Publications. 

• Optimism Through the COVID-19 Disruption: Utilizing 

Social Emotional Learning for Reflection and Growth, by 

Scott Edgar, Andrew Morrison, & Bob Morrison. https:// 

sbomagazine.com/6934-optimism-through-the-covid- 

19-disruption-utilizing-social-emotional-learning-forreflection-and-growth.html 

• Music Education and Social Emotional Learning, by Scott 

Edgar, NAfME blog: https://nafme.org/music-educationsocial-emotional-learning/ 

• Music Education and Social Emotional Learning, by Scott 

Edgar and Bob Morrison, NAfME webinar: https:// 

nafme.org/advocacy/quarterly-advocacy-webinars/socialemotional-learning/ 

• Music Education and SEL During COVID-19: Resiliency 

and Empathy Now More Than Ever, by Scott Edgar, NAfME 

webinar: https://nafme.org/my-classroom/nafme-onlineprofessional-learning-community/#Webinar%20Recordings 

Music Matters 

Audition Dates: www.brevard.edu/music 

Information: musicinfo@brevard.edu 

• Advocating for Music Education Utilizing SEL, by Scott 

Edgar and Bob Morrison, NAfME webinar: https://nafme. 

org/my-classroom/nafme-online-professional-learningcommunity/#Webinar%20Recordings 

• Music Education and Social Emotional Learning Facebook 

Page: @MusicSocialEmotionalLearning 

• New Jersey Arts Education and SEL Learning Framework: 

www.selarts.org 

• Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning 

(CASEL): www.casel.org 

Scott N. Edgar is Associate Professor of Music, Department of 

Music chair, and Director of Bands at Lake Forest College. Edgar is 

the author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The 

Heart of Teaching Music, and he delivers clinics internationally on 

the topic. He is a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician and VH1 Save 

the Music Foundation Educational Consultant. He can be reached at 

edgar@lakeforest.edu. 

Reprinted from the August 2020 issue of Southwestern Musician, 

with permission from the Texas Music Educators Association. 

H 

igher Education 

Shortly after the academic year ended, I had the pleasure of 

spending an evening with a few music education students who 

graduated in spring 2020. Even in the midst of the pandemic, 

all of them found employment as music teachers in the North 

Carolina K–12 public schools for the 2020 – 2021 school year. The 

evening was spent reminiscing about our time together in music 

education classes, telling stories of their best and worst teaching 

experiences from the year, discussing the impacts of the pandemic 

as first-year teachers, and sharing their plans for the up-coming 

school year. Regardless of the struggles they faced as new teachers 

during the pandemic, their demeanor throughout the evening was 

one of hope and optimism. 

Towards the end of our time together, I reminded them of 

the NCMEA Professional Development Conference, to be held 

November 6 – 9, 2021. Without hesitation, they all emphatically 

said they were planning to attend and were looking forward to 

physically being among their new music colleagues, something 

that wasn’t possible last year. It was wonderful to see their 

enthusiasm for both teaching music and attending our wonderful 

state conference. 

It is that same enthusiasm that keeps members of our Higher 

Education board focused on bringing meaningful and enriching 

sessions to our constituents at our conference this fall. We chose 

Summer Suggested Reading/Resources 

The Oxford Handbook of Social Justice in Music Education, 

edited by Cathy Benedict, Patrick Schmidt, Gary Spruse, and 

Paul Woodford 

Music, Education, and Diversity: Bridging Cultures and 

Communities by Patricia Shehan Campbell 

Exploring Diasporic Perspectives in Music Education by Ruth 

Iana Gustafson 

Music Education for Social Change: Constructing an Activist 

Music Education by Juliet Hess 

Jennifer Whitaker, Chair 

sessions focused on diversity, equity, equality, and inclusion with 

the hope that the perspectives we gain from these conference 

sessions will positively impact our instruction as music teacher 

educators. Incorporating this knowledge into our teaching is one 

way to push back against inequities and marginalization found in 

all aspects of life including music making. 

We have the ability to make a significant impact by enriching 

our preservice music teachers’ and, in turn, their future students’ 

awareness of and perspectives on diversity-related issues. 

Although some diversity topics may be difficult to broach, doing 

so is paramount to ensuring meaningful musical experiences for 

all humans. I anticipate we will continue our work in this area 

with the same level of enthusiasm and optimism as the first-year 

teachers I was fortunate to engage with previously as a music 

teacher educator. 

We hope you will join us for a tremendous and enlightening 

conference in the fall! In the meantime, if you have an interest in – 

and time for – summer reading, the following books are excellent 

resources to begin examining various aspects of diversity, equity, 

equality, and inclusion (listed alphabetically by first author’s last 

name). Please feel free to share this list and information regarding 

the conference with your colleagues. 

The Politics of Diversity in Music Education, edited by Alexis 

Anja Kallio, Heidi Westerlund, Sidsel Karlsen, Kathryn Marsh, 

and Eva Sæther 

Culturally Responsive Teaching in Music Education: From 

Understanding to Application by Vicki R. Lind and Constance 

McKoy 

Policy and the Political Life of Music Education, edited by 

Patrick Schmidt and Richard Colwell 

Marginalized Voices in Music Education, edited by Brent C. 

Talbot 


883-C Washington Street 

Raleigh, NC 27605 

NAfME 

GRASSROOTS 

ACTION CENTER 

Add Your Voice to the Legislative Process 

On the NAfME Grassroots Action Center page, you can: 

• Support music education in federal education policy 

• Get involved with the legislative process 

• Engage your members of Congress 

Go to bit.ly/NAfMEgrassroots (case-sensitive) and 

take action today. 

NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 30

North Carolina Music Educator Journal Summer 2021

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