NC Music Educator Journal - Conference 2023
NCMEA Music Educator Journal – Prepare for the Professional Development Conference with this October 2023 Conference edition.
NCMEA Music Educator Journal – Prepare for the Professional Development Conference with this October 2023 Conference edition.
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N O R T H C A R O L I N A<br />
MUSIC EDUCATOR<br />
by Angela Ammerman<br />
Volume 74 Number 2 <strong>Conference</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 1
East Carolina University ®<br />
School of <strong>Music</strong> Announces the<br />
Chauncey Scholarship Endowment<br />
PAST PRESIDENTS OF <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA resulted from a merger that occurred in 1970 between two professional organizations: the North Carolina <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> (<strong>NC</strong>MEC) and the North Carolina State <strong>Music</strong> Teachers Association (<strong>NC</strong>SMTA). The list of presidents which follows<br />
represents those who have served since the inception of <strong>NC</strong>MEA.<br />
Apply and Audition for<br />
Scholarship Consideration<br />
ECU is located in Greenville, North Carolina<br />
An equal opportunity/affirmative action university<br />
C.S. 23-0941<br />
Email for more information:<br />
musicadmissions@ecu.edu<br />
Visit us online:<br />
music.ecu.edu<br />
• Saturday, Dec. 2, <strong>2023</strong><br />
• Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024<br />
• Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024<br />
• Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024*<br />
• Saturday, March 16, 2024<br />
*Feb. 17, 2024: Last audition day for<br />
scholarship consideration<br />
1970 – 1971 James R. Hall<br />
1971 – 1973 Hortense N. Reid<br />
1973 – 1975 Homer Haworth<br />
1975 – 1977 William G. Spencer<br />
1977 – 1979 Robert B. Gaskins<br />
1979 – 1981 Billiegene Garner<br />
1981 – 1983 Mary Jane Crawford<br />
1983 – 1985 Ralph B. Shumaker<br />
1985 – 1987 Reta R. Phifer<br />
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS OF <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
David S. Albert<br />
Bob Alexander<br />
Teresa Allred<br />
Katherine Almond<br />
Renee Anders<br />
*Barbara B. Blair<br />
*Louis V. Bean<br />
Treda Berry<br />
Chrystal Bachtel<br />
Lucy M. Banner<br />
*Earl E. Beach<br />
*Julius A. (Sandy) Beam<br />
Edward D. Benson<br />
*Mary Earl Berger<br />
Duane Best<br />
*Maxine Blackwell<br />
Diane Brooks<br />
*Rebecca B. Carnes<br />
*Herbert L. Carter<br />
Elizabeth Chance<br />
*Richard G. Cox<br />
Mary Jane Crawford<br />
Jerry Cribbs<br />
Carol Crocker<br />
*Carl Cronstedt<br />
William S. (Bill) Crowder<br />
James Daugherty<br />
*Joe DiNardo<br />
*Katherine Detmold<br />
*James A. Dillard<br />
James E. Dooley<br />
Carol Earnhardt<br />
*Joe Fields<br />
*Bernard Foy<br />
*Judith Freeman<br />
*Paul B. Fry<br />
Billiegene Garner<br />
Patricia Garren<br />
*Robert B. Gaskins<br />
1987 – 1989 Charles H. Gilchrist<br />
1989 – 1991 Barbara B. Bair<br />
1991 – 1993 John R. Locke<br />
1993 – 1995 Frank E. Williams<br />
1995 – 1997 Barbara L. Geer<br />
1997 – 1999 Fran Page<br />
1999 – 2001 William Crowder<br />
2001 – 2003 Earl Taylor<br />
Barbara Geer<br />
*Charles Gilchrist<br />
*James R. Hall<br />
Dorothy Hampton<br />
*Captain James Harper<br />
*J. Kimball Harriman<br />
Myriam C. Harris<br />
Lawrence Hart<br />
Homer Haworth<br />
*Herbert Hazelman<br />
*Samuel Hill<br />
*Bernard Hirsch<br />
*Arnold E. Hoffman<br />
*Lara Hoggard<br />
*Birdie Holloway<br />
Richard Holmes<br />
Karen Huey<br />
*Charles Isley<br />
*Ruth Jewell<br />
Evelyn Johnson<br />
*Thor Johnson<br />
*Mrs. Eugene Johnston<br />
*Richard E. Keasler<br />
Genevra Kelly<br />
*Doris Kimel<br />
*Robert Klepfer<br />
Barbara Koesjan<br />
John Locke<br />
*C.D. Kutchinski<br />
*Adeline McCall<br />
*L.O. McCollum<br />
*Thane McDonald<br />
Constance L. McKoy<br />
*Harold McNeely<br />
*Florine W. Marren<br />
*Margaret Marsh<br />
Nollie Mitchell<br />
James D. Morgan<br />
*Madeline H. Mullis<br />
2003 – 2005 Maribeth Yoder-White<br />
2005 – 2007 Constance L. McKoy<br />
2007 – 2009 Jerry Cribbs<br />
2009 – 2011 David S. Albert<br />
2011 – 2013 Sonja Z.M.Williams<br />
2013 – 2015 Richard Holmes<br />
2015 – 2017 James Daugherty<br />
2017 – 2019 Jazzmone Sutton<br />
2019 – 2021 Carol Earnhardt<br />
*Gordon Nash<br />
*Josephine Osborne<br />
Fran Page<br />
*Paul Peterson<br />
Reta R. Phifer<br />
Mary E. Phillips<br />
Walter E. Phillips<br />
Walter Plemmer<br />
*Bessie Ray<br />
*Hortense N. Reid<br />
*Blonza Rich<br />
Lee Rigsby<br />
*Edgar Q. Rooker<br />
Tammy Shook<br />
Ralph B. Shumaker<br />
Elaine Sills<br />
*Katherine Siphers<br />
*Earl Slocum<br />
*Richard Southwick<br />
*Zelma G. Spears<br />
*William G. Spencer<br />
*Glen Starnes<br />
Jazzmone Sutton<br />
Earl Taylor<br />
Lue Taylor<br />
Marie Teague<br />
Martha Thomasson<br />
Virginia Tull<br />
*Eula Tuttle<br />
*Walter L. Wehner<br />
Frank E. Williams<br />
Sonja Z.M. Williams<br />
Susan Williams<br />
*Margaret Wilson<br />
*Louise Winstead<br />
*Eva Wiseman<br />
Ruby Woolf<br />
Maribeth Yoder-White<br />
*Deceased<br />
2 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 1
N O R T H C A R O L I N A<br />
MUSIC EDUCATOR<br />
DA<strong>NC</strong>E DESIGN & PRODUCTION DRAMA FILMMAKING MUSIC<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Past Presidents & Honorary Members<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Board Directory<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Executive Director’s Message<br />
Susan Heiserman<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> Info<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA President’s Message<br />
Johnathan Hamiel<br />
HBCU Homecoming<br />
Awards, Grants & Scholarships<br />
Elections<br />
Collegiate Section<br />
<strong>NC</strong> Intercollegiate Honors Band<br />
Elementary Section<br />
Thanks<br />
Listening is the Way: Jazz Language<br />
David E Tyson<br />
Jazz Section<br />
Middle School Choral Section<br />
<strong>NC</strong> American Choral Director’s Luncheon<br />
High School Choral Section<br />
Technology<br />
Band Section<br />
Changed Schools? New Email Address?<br />
New Mailing Address?<br />
Stay in touch with <strong>NC</strong>MEA/NAfME<br />
Log in to the NAfME Member Portal and make<br />
your updates.<br />
www.nafme.org LOGIN then MY ACCOUNT<br />
If you need assistance, call NAfME Member<br />
Services 800-336-3768<br />
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A special thank you to all our advertisers who<br />
support music educators and music education in<br />
North Carolina.<br />
Brevard College<br />
East Carolina University<br />
Hayes School of <strong>Music</strong><br />
Messiah University<br />
Methodist University<br />
NAfME<br />
Songs Children Sing<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Chapel Hill<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Charlotte<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Pembroke<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> School of the Arts<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Wilmington<br />
Western Carolina University<br />
Postmaster: Send address changes to: <strong>NC</strong> <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>, c/o<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA, 883-C Washington Street, Raleigh, <strong>NC</strong> 27605.<br />
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization U.S. Postage Paid at Lubbock,<br />
Texas. ISSN Number 0400-3332 EIN number<br />
20-3325550<br />
Editorial: All editorial content should be sent to: Kimberly<br />
Justen, Editor-in-Chief, at journal_editor@ncmea.net.<br />
Advertising: Information requests and ad orders should<br />
be directed to Kimberly Justen, Editor-in-Chief, at<br />
journal_editor@ncmea.net.<br />
North Carolina <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> is copyrighted. Reproduction<br />
in any form is illegal without the express permission of the<br />
editor.<br />
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Inside Front Cover<br />
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16, Back Cover<br />
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NURTURE YOUR TALENT<br />
WORLD-CLASS FACULTY. AFFORDABLE TUITION. STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES.<br />
U<strong>NC</strong>SA SCHOOL OF MUSIC<br />
SAXTON ROSE<br />
Dean<br />
HIGH SCHOOL UNDERGRADUATE POSTGRADUATE<br />
BRASS FACULTY<br />
DAVID DASH<br />
BRENT HARVEY<br />
JOHN ILIKA<br />
MARIA SERKIN<br />
PIANO FACULTY<br />
ALLISON GAGNON<br />
DMITRI SHTEINBERG<br />
DMITRI VOROBIEV<br />
VOICE FACULTY<br />
JAMES ALLBRITTEN<br />
STEVEN LACOSSE<br />
PHYLLIS PA<strong>NC</strong>ELLA<br />
GLENN SIEBERT<br />
MARILYN TAYLOR<br />
U<strong>NC</strong>SA.EDU/MUSIC<br />
2 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 3
Board of Directors<br />
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS<br />
SECTION CHAIRS<br />
COMMISSION & COMMITTEE CHAIRS<br />
President: Johnathan Hamiel*<br />
Orange County<br />
jhamiel@ncmea.net<br />
Immediate Past President: Carol<br />
Earnhardt*<br />
Forsyth County<br />
cearnhardt@ncmea.net<br />
President-Elect: Catherine Butler*<br />
Guilford County<br />
cbutler@ncmea.net<br />
Recording Secretary:<br />
Carolina Perez*<br />
Durham County<br />
secretary@ncmea.net<br />
Member-at-Large:<br />
Jordan Lee*<br />
Guilford County<br />
member-at-large1@ncmea.net<br />
Member-at-Large: Lorena Schakel*<br />
Stokes County<br />
member-at-large2@ncmea.net<br />
Band: Jim Kirkpatrick*<br />
Burke County<br />
band_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Band Section Delegate:<br />
O’Shae Best*<br />
Mecklenburg County<br />
band_delegate@ncmea.net<br />
Collegiate NAfME: Sabina Blue*<br />
Wayne County<br />
collegiate_president@ncmea.net<br />
Elementary: Joseph Girgenti*<br />
Union County<br />
elementary_section@ncmea.net<br />
High School Choral: Aleisa Baker*<br />
Buncombe County<br />
hschoral_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Higher Education: Jose Rivera*<br />
Robeson County<br />
higher_education@ncmea.net<br />
Jazz Education: Tina Robinett*<br />
Buncombe County<br />
jazz_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Jazz Section Delegate: Luke Meade*<br />
Johnston County<br />
jazz_delegate@ncmea.net<br />
Middle School Choral: Emily Turner*<br />
Wake County<br />
mschoral_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Orchestra: Joseph Walker*<br />
Durham County<br />
orchestra_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Orchestra Section Delegate:<br />
Matthew Holt*<br />
Durham County<br />
orchestra_delegate@ncmea.net<br />
Exceptional Children & General<br />
<strong>Music</strong>: Rue S. Lee-Holmes<br />
Sampson County<br />
exeptionalchildren_generalmusic@ncmea.net<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> Chair: Barbara Geer<br />
Forsyth County<br />
conference_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Asst. <strong>Conference</strong> Chair: Adam Joiner<br />
Forsyth County<br />
conference_assistant@ncmea.net<br />
Mentoring: Carol Earnhardt<br />
Forsyth County<br />
mentoring_program@ncmea.net<br />
<strong>Music</strong> In Our Schools Month:<br />
Tonya Allison & Lindsay Williams<br />
Forsyth and Onslow Counties<br />
miosm_chair1@ncmea.net (Tonya)<br />
miosm_chair2@ncmea.net (Lindsay)<br />
AWARDS, GRANTS<br />
& SCHOLARSHIP CHAIRS<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Program Leaders:<br />
Eugene Mabry<br />
Forsyth County<br />
music_program_leader@ncmea.net<br />
Popular <strong>Music</strong>: Jonathan Kladder<br />
New Hanover County<br />
popular_music@ncmea.net<br />
Research: Tim Nowak<br />
Pitt County<br />
research_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Retired Membership: Libby Brown &<br />
Heidi Sue Ross<br />
Watauga & Wake Counties<br />
retired_membership@ncmea.net<br />
retired_cochair@ncmea.net<br />
Student Activities:<br />
Catherine Butler<br />
Guilford County<br />
cbutler@ncmea.net<br />
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS<br />
Teacher Education: Jose Rivera<br />
Robeson County<br />
teacher_education@ncmea.net<br />
Technology Chair: Howell “Howie”<br />
Ledford & Julian Wilson<br />
Guilford and Gaston Counties<br />
technology_chair@ncmea.net<br />
Tri-M: Riley Paulson<br />
New Hanover County<br />
tri-m@ncmea.net<br />
Young Professionals: Emily AsKew<br />
Davidson County<br />
young_professionals@ncmea.net<br />
Webmaster: Mark Healy<br />
Wake County<br />
mhealy@ncmea.net<br />
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS<br />
District 1: Lisa Murray*<br />
Pitt County<br />
district1@ncmea.net<br />
District 2: Bob Norem*<br />
Pender County<br />
district2@ncmea.net<br />
DISTRICT PRESIDENTS<br />
District 4: Roosevelt Pratt*<br />
Cumberland County<br />
district4@ncmea.net<br />
District 5: Ronald Forsh*<br />
Forsyth County<br />
district5@ncmea.net<br />
District 7: Janet Berry*<br />
Burke County<br />
district7@ncmea.net<br />
District 8: Anna Morris*<br />
Buncombe County<br />
district8@ncmea.net<br />
Awards: Jordan Lee<br />
Guilford County<br />
member-at-large1@ncmea.net<br />
Grants: Jordan Lee & Lorena Schakel<br />
Guilford and Wake Counties<br />
member-at-large1@ncmea.net (Jordan)<br />
member-at-large2@ncmea.net (Lorena)<br />
Scholarships: Lorena Schakel<br />
Wake County<br />
member-at-large2@ncmea.net<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA OFFICE<br />
883-C Washington Street<br />
Raleigh, <strong>NC</strong> 27605<br />
919-424-7008<br />
www.ncmea.net<br />
Executive Director: Susan Heiserman<br />
Wake County<br />
sheiserman@ncmea.net<br />
Advocacy: James Daugherty<br />
Davidson County<br />
jdaugherty@ncmea.net<br />
Constitution: Maribeth Yoder-White<br />
Watauga County<br />
constitution_committee@ncmea.net<br />
Finance: Carol Earnhardt<br />
Forsyth County<br />
cearnhardt@ncmea.net<br />
IVfME: Lillie Allmond Harris &<br />
Tim Nowak<br />
Guilford & Pitt County<br />
ivfme@ncmea.net<br />
Membership: Catherine Butler<br />
Guilford County<br />
cbutler@ncmea.net<br />
Publications: Kim Justen<br />
journal_editor@ncmea.net<br />
Collegiate NAfME Advisor:<br />
Lisa Runner<br />
Watauga County<br />
collegiate_advisor@ncmea.net<br />
Editor: Kim Justen<br />
journal_editor@ncmea.net<br />
Executive Director: Susan Heiserman<br />
Wake County<br />
sheiserman@ncmea.net<br />
Historian: Dr. John Henry, Jr.<br />
Guilford County<br />
historian@ncmea.net<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Industry Rep.: Adam Frank<br />
Mecklenburg County<br />
music_industry_rep@ncmea.net<br />
Parlimentarian: Dave Albert<br />
Wake County<br />
parlimentarian@ncmea.net<br />
District 3: Andrew Childers*<br />
Wilson County<br />
district3@ncmea.net<br />
District 6: Julia Winegardner*<br />
Mecklenburg County<br />
district6@ncmea.net<br />
* Voting Member<br />
Counties listed reflect the county taught in<br />
Communications Manager:<br />
Mark Healy<br />
Wake County<br />
mhealy@ncmea.net<br />
<strong>NC</strong>DPI Rep.: Brandon Roeder<br />
Wake County<br />
brandon.roeder@dpi.nc.gov<br />
advancing music education by promoting<br />
the understanding and making of music by all<br />
4 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 5
Notes from the Executive Director<br />
Susan Heiserman<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> Info<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> To Do List<br />
Harmony can be defined as “the combination of separate<br />
but related parts in a way that uses their similarities to<br />
bring unity.” As music educators, you have the unique<br />
privilege to create harmony not only in music, but in our<br />
communities and in society. Our conference theme is Inspire<br />
Harmony, and we look forward to highlighting and celebrating<br />
the many ways outstanding educators are making connections,<br />
creating harmony, and inspiring students.<br />
The annual <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong><br />
will take place November 4 – 7 at Benton Convention Center. Your<br />
section chairs have been working very hard since spring to plan<br />
sessions, workshops, and performances that are relevant and useful<br />
so you can make the most of your time in Winston-Salem!<br />
Mickey Smith, Jr.<br />
This year’s keynote speaker is Mickey<br />
Smith, Jr. As a seven-time Teacher of the<br />
Year and recipient of the 2020 GRAMMY<br />
<strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> Award, he has inspired both<br />
children and adults alike through his unique<br />
motivational mixture of music and message.<br />
Smith is not only an international keynote<br />
speaker and presenter, but he also continues<br />
to serve as a full-time teacher at The King’s<br />
Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida.<br />
Through his love for music, he blends the roles of educator<br />
and entertainer to create a dynamic experience that entertains,<br />
educates, and elevates everyone to excellence. Smith is dedicated<br />
to helping educators discover their sound. No matter what the<br />
classroom challenge may be, he strives to encourage others to<br />
keep on going. Find out more about his educator-encouragement<br />
album and podcast, See The Sound, and his KEEP ON GOING<br />
tour of keynotes and concerts at mickeysmithjr.com. His See the<br />
Sound keynote will be on Monday, November 6 at 9 a.m. in Salem<br />
Ballroom 2, and he will follow that up at 11 a.m. with an expanded<br />
discussion on tools you can use to build relationships with students<br />
and with your craft.<br />
John Brown Big Band<br />
We are also excited to announce that our conference<br />
headline performers will be the John Brown Big Band, featuring<br />
guest vocalist Nnenna Freelon. The John Brown Big Band is a<br />
professional large jazz ensemble made up of top North<br />
Carolina musicians, specializing in performances of traditional<br />
compositions from the Great American Songbook and today’s<br />
cutting-edge arrangements. The group also performs a wide<br />
range of material covering all eras of jazz repertoire including the<br />
music and arrangements of legends including Frank Sinatra, Ella<br />
Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Count Basie, Thad Jones, Duke Ellington,<br />
Woody Herman and more. They will be joined by Grammynominated<br />
jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon.<br />
Bassist, composer, educator and actor John Brown is a native of<br />
Fayetteville and currently resides in Durham. He is a graduate of<br />
the School of <strong>Music</strong> at U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro and the School of Law at<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Chapel Hill. He has served on the faculties of U<strong>NC</strong> Chapel<br />
Hill, <strong>NC</strong> State University, <strong>NC</strong> Central University and Guilford<br />
College. Brown started teaching at Duke University in January<br />
2001, and currently serves as vice provost for the arts, director of<br />
the jazz program and professor of the practice of music. He has<br />
been performing professionally since his teens, and performed<br />
internationally with artists like Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis,<br />
Delfeayo Marsalis, Elvin Jones, Nnenna Freelon, Cyrus Chestnut,<br />
Diahann Carroll, Rosemary Clooney, Nell Carter, Lou Donaldson,<br />
Slide Hampton, Nicholas Payton, Frank Foster, Larry Coryell,<br />
Cedar Walton, Fred Wesley, Bernard Purdie and Mark Whitfield.<br />
He has performed for President Barack Obama, and at major<br />
national and international venues<br />
and festivals in Asia, Europe and<br />
across North and South America.<br />
Nnenna Freelon<br />
Multi GRAMMY® Award<br />
nominee Nnenna Freelon is known<br />
worldwide as a compelling and<br />
captivating live performer who has<br />
toured with Ray Charles, Ellis Marsalis, Al Jarreau, George Benson,<br />
Earl Klugh, Take 6, and many others. Accolades and awards have<br />
abounded – performances at The White House, headlining the Asia<br />
Pacific Economic Summit for three hundred presidents, premiers<br />
and heads of state, receiving the YWCA of North Carolina’s<br />
inaugural “Legend Award,” and so much more. Educating young<br />
people, both musicians and non-musicians, has propelled her<br />
advocacy. Freelon toured the United States as the national<br />
spokesperson for Partners in Education, and she has been a tireless<br />
advocate and fundraiser for education and arts causes.<br />
The John Brown Big Band, featuring Nnenna Freelon, will<br />
perform on Sunday, November 5 at 8 p.m. in the Stevens Center.<br />
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Visit the <strong>NC</strong>MEA website<br />
for complete details about the conference schedule, speakers, and<br />
exhibitors, and to register online.<br />
Registration & Information Center<br />
Benton Convention Center – Upper Level Lobby<br />
Saturday, November 4<br />
Sunday, November 5<br />
Monday, November 6<br />
Registration Rate<br />
7 a.m. – 5 p.m.<br />
7 a.m. – 5 p.m.<br />
7 a.m. – 1 p.m.<br />
Aug 1 – Oct 14 Oct 15 – Nov 6<br />
Active Member $150 $175<br />
Introductory $75 $85<br />
Collegiate Members $50 $60<br />
Non-member $200 $250<br />
Retired No Fee No Fee<br />
Attendees will be able to track CEU credits on the mobile app.<br />
Pending approval from your school district or LEA, conference<br />
attendance hours may be used for credit toward your license<br />
renewal. Session length 50 min = 1 hr; 80 min = 1.5 hrs.<br />
FUTURE CONFERE<strong>NC</strong>E DATES<br />
November 9 – 12, 2024<br />
November 8 – 11, 2025<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Exhibitor Expo<br />
Benton Convention Center Piedmont Hall<br />
Make sure your <strong>NC</strong>MEA/NAfME membership is up-todate.<br />
We will ask for your membership expiration date at the time<br />
you register.<br />
To check your membership status: visit the NAfME website<br />
(www.nafme.org), log in, and go to My Account. Select<br />
Memberships on the left and you’ll see your paid-through date<br />
listed. You can also renew your membership here if needed!<br />
REGISTER!<br />
If you haven’t already done so, register! Register online before<br />
October 15 for the best price. If you procrastinate, register online<br />
before you arrive; it will save you time standing in line.<br />
Scan the QR code to register:<br />
Get familiar with the “<strong>NC</strong>MEA <strong>Conference</strong>”<br />
dropdown menu at www.ncmea.net.<br />
This is where you will find up-to-date information about the<br />
conference schedule, speakers, exhibitors, hotels, and more. All of<br />
this information will also be uploaded to the conference mobile<br />
app to help you navigate the event on-site.<br />
Remember to book your hotel room by early October<br />
at the Winston-Salem Marriott or Embassy Suites in order to get<br />
our group rate!<br />
Pack your bags and get ready for an inspirational professional<br />
development experience and celebration of music education!<br />
6 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 7<br />
Lower Level<br />
Sunday, November 5<br />
Monday, November 6<br />
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.<br />
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.<br />
Plan a minimum of one hour to visit the Exhibitor Expo<br />
(you’ll probably need more!). You won’t want to pass up making<br />
contacts with music publishers, instrument sellers and makers,<br />
instrument repair experts, tour and travel operators, concert<br />
apparel reps, college and university reps, and more. Don’t forget<br />
to stop by the <strong>NC</strong>MEA booth to see what we’ve got going on!
President’s Message<br />
As the warmth of summer gradually cools, nature begins<br />
to transform, welcoming the arrival of fall. With the crisp<br />
air and changing of the leaves this season is important for<br />
so many reasons. Pumpkin spice lattes are in the air, the football<br />
games and marching band competitions are in full throttle, and<br />
it’s time to register for the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional <strong>Conference</strong>.<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> is happening November 4 – 7 in Winston-Salem.<br />
This year our theme is Inspire Harmony. The call to inspire<br />
harmony is a reminder of our shared responsibility to build a world<br />
through music where unity triumphs over division. It is a summons<br />
to acknowledge our shared humanity, to listen deeply, and to<br />
embrace the power of inspiration. As music educators, we must<br />
be the catalyst for positive change, the advocates of understanding<br />
and the composers of a harmonious world. By nurturing it within<br />
ourselves and extending it to others, we can create a symphony of<br />
compassion, empathy and unity that resonates for generations to<br />
come.<br />
This year is the inaugural year for the<br />
North Carolina Intercollegiate Honors Band<br />
(<strong>NC</strong>IHB). This 80-member ensemble will be<br />
composed of students from North Carolina<br />
colleges and universities. The <strong>NC</strong>IHB<br />
will happen on November 5 and 6 during<br />
conference. During this annual event,<br />
students will have the opportunity to work<br />
with the finest musicians and conductors.<br />
The guest conductor this year will be Dr.<br />
Michael Haithcock from the University of<br />
Michigan. We look forward to seeing you in<br />
Winston-Salem in November.<br />
Another highlight of the <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
conference is the HBCU Homecoming<br />
Reception. The purpose of this event is<br />
to provide a space for our HBCU music<br />
educators to connect, network and reunite<br />
during our conference. Everyone is welcome<br />
from all HBCUs and small colleges. The<br />
date and time for this event is Monday,<br />
November 6, 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Benton Convention Center,<br />
Salem Ballroom 3C.<br />
Elections<br />
The office of the president of <strong>NC</strong>MEA is a valuable and<br />
rewarding position. Individuals who have served in this position<br />
have shown a lifetime commitment to the betterment of the<br />
organization. This position itself is a six year commitment; two<br />
years as president-elect, two years as president and two years as<br />
immediate past president. After that commitment, several of our<br />
presidents have gone on to do other things or retire. Please join<br />
us in celebrating our past presidents of <strong>NC</strong>MEA during our first<br />
of many Past Presidents Panel. This panel will be asked important<br />
questions about their time as president and artifacts they used to<br />
assist the organization in moving forward.<br />
At the end of the conference, I will place<br />
the responsibility of the <strong>NC</strong>MEA presidency<br />
in the capable hands of Catherine Butler. I<br />
have known Catherine since 2006, and she<br />
is a wonderful music educator who shares<br />
a passion for music students and educators.<br />
I am extremely confident in her ability to<br />
lead this organization to amazing heights.<br />
I have no doubt she will be a powerful and<br />
inspirational leader.<br />
District 1 – Lisa Murray<br />
District 2 – Robert Norem<br />
District 3 – Andrew Childers<br />
District 4 – Roosevelt Pratt<br />
District 5 – Ronald Forsh<br />
District 6 – Julia Winegardner<br />
District 7 – Janet Berry<br />
Johnathan Hamiel<br />
At the conference, our membership<br />
has a responsibility to elect a new<br />
president-elect, secretary, and two<br />
member-at-large positions. Take the<br />
opportunity to read the bios of candidates<br />
in the journal to familiarize yourself with<br />
these candidates and vote accordingly in<br />
November.<br />
Current <strong>NC</strong>MEA District Presidents<br />
will also be rotating off their positions.<br />
We ask that you all please attend the<br />
District Meetings on Monday, November<br />
6 at 5 p.m. New district presidents-elect<br />
will be voted upon at these meetings and<br />
the leadership of <strong>NC</strong>MEA will present<br />
important information concerning<br />
advocacy for music education. I want to<br />
thank the outgoing board members for<br />
their service to our organization. Being<br />
a leader can be extremely challenging,<br />
and I feel that the organization is a much<br />
better place due to the contributions of<br />
our District Presidents. Thank you to:<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Editor – Kim Justen<br />
Technology Chair – Howell Ledford<br />
During these past years, it has been my extreme honor to<br />
serve the organization as your president! I would like to thank<br />
the <strong>NC</strong>MEA board of directors and our executive director, Susan<br />
Heiserman, for allowing me to be my true and authentic self,<br />
during my time as president. I will be forever grateful for the<br />
opportunities and memories we have all shared together. We have<br />
laughed together and cried together and over time, you all became<br />
an extended part of my family. I wish you all nothing but the<br />
absolute best in all of your future endeavors.<br />
I am very confident in the bright future that lies ahead for<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA. The road to leadership begins with being willing to<br />
help your fellow music educators. Please remember, instead of<br />
asking what <strong>NC</strong>MEA can do for you, imagine what you can do for<br />
music education! I look forward to seeing you all at conference,<br />
amongst the crowds, as we use our gift of music to Inspire Harmony<br />
together, now and throughout our state.<br />
<strong>Music</strong>ally yours,<br />
Johnathan M. Hamiel<br />
8 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 9
Awards, Grants & Scholarships<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Program Materials and/or Project Grant<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Scholarship Program<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA awards three $2,000 scholarships annually to<br />
music education majors attending North Carolina Colleges and<br />
Universities.<br />
Pat Hall <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> Advocate Award<br />
The Pat Hall <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> Advocate Award recognizes a<br />
person who has demonstrated exceptional visible support and<br />
advocacy for music and the arts in North Carolina.<br />
Jazzmone Sutton currently serves as the<br />
state advocacy engagement manager for<br />
NAfME, having joined their team in July<br />
2021. Prior to that, she was a passionate<br />
North Carolina elementary music educator<br />
and advocate, and served as president of<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA from 2017 – 2019. As an educator,<br />
she strived to make her music room a space<br />
for all students and from various ensembles,<br />
collaborative lessons, and performance experiences, it was evident<br />
that her classroom was a positive learning environment.<br />
As state advocacy engagement manager she, “hopes to<br />
strengthen the connection between our state affiliates, their<br />
members, and educational stakeholders via proactive advocacy<br />
work.” She leans heavily on her experience as an educator to<br />
provide practical and obtainable advocacy strategies for NAfME<br />
members. Her attitude toward her work is superior, and her<br />
desire to learn and grow within the profession is a model for<br />
arts educators of all levels of experience. Sutton’s leadership and<br />
dedication extend far beyond personal goals or means and have<br />
advanced the cause of arts education on the state and national<br />
levels.<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Honor Administrator Award<br />
The <strong>NC</strong>MEA Honor Administrator Award recognizes school<br />
administrators who are exceptionally skillful in their respective<br />
units and are uniquely aware of the cultural arts (particularly<br />
music) as an indispensable part of the school curriculum as<br />
indicated by their personal attitude and philosophy, opportunities<br />
for teacher growth, and financial support for the arts.<br />
Scott Pope, principal of Jack Britt<br />
High School in Cumberland County,<br />
demonstrates unwavering support for<br />
music programs and arts education in<br />
public schools. He aims to challenge the<br />
belief that only state-tested subjects hold<br />
educational value by emphasizing the<br />
importance of arts in student development.<br />
Recognizing how arts programs can keep<br />
students engaged, boost attendance, and improve grades, Pope<br />
advocates for improved access to music and arts education across<br />
all disciplines. He funds arts education generously, ensuring no<br />
student faces financial barriers to participation. His dedication<br />
is evident through his active involvement in school activities and<br />
events, such as personally chaperoning and supporting choir<br />
tours. His commitment stems from his own experience of lacking<br />
opportunities in arts during his school days and wanting his son<br />
to have more extensive options for both athletics and arts. He<br />
manifests his educational philosophy through hands-on actions<br />
and genuine passion for arts education.<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Hall of Fame Award<br />
The <strong>NC</strong>MEA Hall of Fame Award honors those <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
members who have made an extraordinary contribution to<br />
our organization through at least 30 years of membership.<br />
Awardees demonstrate a record of excellence in teaching and/or<br />
administration, a record of betterment to the profession, and of<br />
professional ideals and academic integrity.<br />
Elizabeth Stanley Chance has inspired countless music<br />
students and educators throughout the<br />
years. Her studies began at St. Augustine’s<br />
University where she earned a Bachelor<br />
of Arts in music education. She then<br />
completed additional study at <strong>NC</strong> Central<br />
University.<br />
She taught her first three years at<br />
Parker J. High School in Rocky Mount,<br />
and the next 32 years in the Wake County Public School System.<br />
Being exceptionally talented as an artist was a gift that manifested<br />
through her creative bulletin boards, posters, costumes, scenery,<br />
and even instruments.<br />
With regards to <strong>NC</strong>MEA, Chance was active as a past board<br />
member, chair of the Elementary section, and recipient of the<br />
Honorary Life Membership Award for her outstanding service to<br />
music education in North Carolina. She supported her students’<br />
extracurricular activities, presented lessons for the North Carolina<br />
Symphony teacher workshop, featured middle school talent in<br />
“Evening of the Arts” performances, and mentored many, many<br />
teachers new to the profession.<br />
Her education and experience made her a highly soughtafter<br />
piano teacher, adjudicator, and music coordinator for the<br />
St. Augustine’s Raleigh Alumni Committee meetings. After<br />
retirement from Wake County Public Schools, she transitioned to<br />
teach at two charter schools for the next five years.<br />
In retirement, she stays active with a variety of important<br />
organizations and causes, and continues to be a shining example<br />
of how excellent teachers can inspire others, and better the<br />
profession for generations of students to come.<br />
(left to right) Savannah Bittner, Sarah Downey, Noriko Nagasawa, and<br />
Daniel Trivette<br />
The <strong>Music</strong> Program Materials and/or Project Grant program<br />
is intended to afford music teachers an opportunity to purchase<br />
materials and supplies (including consumables) or to develop<br />
special projects to increase the existing potential for a quality<br />
music education program.<br />
Savannah Bittner, Pleasant Garden Elementary, was awarded<br />
$989.51 to provide the necessary technology, instruments, and<br />
equipment to implement modern band curriculum in grades 2 – 5.<br />
Sarah Downey, Oak View Elementary School, was awarded<br />
$936 to purchase ukuleles and materials to allow students in<br />
grades 3, 4, and 5 to play an instrument consistently without<br />
having to share.<br />
Noriko Nagasawa, Lowrance Middle School, was awarded<br />
$920.18 to purchase two xylophones to provide a wider range of<br />
musical instruments for students with intellectual, learning, and<br />
physical disabilities.<br />
Daniel Trivette, Bethel Middle School, was awarded $750<br />
to purchase materials and supplies to teach students proper<br />
instrument cleaning and maintenance.<br />
Professional Development Grants<br />
The Professional Development Grant is intended to provide<br />
funding to <strong>NC</strong>MEA members seeking to offer professional<br />
development activities specific to music education via an<br />
organized event for several teachers.<br />
Ruth Petersen, on behalf of the Women<br />
Band Directors International, North<br />
Carolina Chapter, was awarded $3,200<br />
to support the <strong>2023</strong> WDBI Summer<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> in Winston-Salem. This fourday<br />
conference addressed the mental,<br />
physical, emotional, and musical needs of<br />
women band directors and their students.<br />
Phillip Riggs was awarded $3,000 to<br />
support two single-day workshops for band<br />
directors called “Revisiting Best Practices in<br />
Instrumental <strong>Music</strong> Education” to provide<br />
a fresh perspective on the fundamentals<br />
of teaching instrumental music in a post-<br />
Covid world.<br />
Barbara Bair Scholarship<br />
The <strong>2023</strong> Barbara Bair Scholarship was<br />
awarded to Apex High School senior Patrick<br />
O’Sullivan to attend Appalachian State<br />
University. O’Sullivan has been singing for as<br />
long as he can remember, and his passion for<br />
music steered him to want to share this joy<br />
with younger students. His choir directors<br />
and music mentors have inspired him and helped<br />
him unlock his potential, and his experience teaching elementary<br />
students through the PEPI program in high school solidified his<br />
desire to foster and inspire younger generations.<br />
Bill McCloud Scholarship<br />
The <strong>2023</strong> Bill McCloud Scholarship was<br />
awarded to Shiloh Waite, a senior at East<br />
Carolina University. Waite has been heavily<br />
inspired by her music teachers and the<br />
leadership opportunities she has been given<br />
through music over the years. She is deeply<br />
committed to affecting children’s lives in a<br />
positive way and believes that music is one<br />
of the classes in schools that has the chance to save lives. She is<br />
looking forward to continuing her own growth and education to<br />
become the best musician and teacher she can be.<br />
Ruth Jewell Scholarship<br />
The <strong>2023</strong> Ruth Jewell Scholarship was<br />
awarded to Hailey Walker, a senior at<br />
Appalachian State University. <strong>Music</strong> has been a<br />
significant part of Walker’s identity throughout<br />
her life – and once she picked up a trombone<br />
in middle school, her interest really took flight<br />
and she reached the decision to become a<br />
music educator. She hopes to develop the same<br />
love for music in younger generations, and aspires to eventually<br />
help prepare future music educators to further pass on her love of<br />
music.<br />
Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong><br />
Scholarship<br />
In 2022, members Laiken Reece and Miranda Higginbotham<br />
each received Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong> scholarships<br />
providing funding assistance for registration and lodging, allowing<br />
them to attend the conference for the first time. This year, they will<br />
host a roundtable discussion to share how they implemented what<br />
they learned last year. Join them on Sunday, November 5, at 9 a.m.<br />
in the Benton South Shober Boardroom.<br />
10 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 11
Elections<br />
University of North Carolina Wilmington<br />
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC<br />
Transforming lives through music<br />
Per Article V, Section 1 of the <strong>NC</strong>MEA bylaws, “The President, the President-Elect, the Recording Secretary and both Members-at-Large<br />
shall be elected by electronic ballot the 2 weeks prior to the close of voting during <strong>Conference</strong> in odd-numbered years. Installation shall be<br />
held in conjunction with the annual <strong>Conference</strong>.” The <strong>NC</strong>MEA nominating committee aspires to present an election ballot of highly qualified<br />
music educators representative of the <strong>NC</strong>MEA membership. The following individuals willingly answered the call to serve as a nominee and<br />
potentially be elected to serve a two-year term on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA board. For this, the nominating committee extends a note of gratitude to the<br />
following nominees. Also, in an effort to have candidates considered only on the basis of their biography and skills, photos have intentionally<br />
been excluded from this article. Bios are presented as submitted, corrected only for misspelling, grammatical errors, or to meet style guidelines.<br />
President-Elect<br />
Tonya Allison<br />
Tonya Allison attributes her passion for music education to her<br />
Yadkin County music teachers; J.P. Vanhoy, Donna Wiles, Tommy<br />
Garner, and Libby Brown. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree<br />
in music education from Campbell University, earned her Master<br />
of Education from AIU Online and is currently pursuing her<br />
Masters in School Administration from Gardner Webb University.<br />
She is a National Board Certified Teacher and holds certificates in<br />
Orff Schulwerk Level I and II, World <strong>Music</strong> Drumming Level I and<br />
II, and AP music theory.<br />
As a member of <strong>NC</strong>MEA, Allison has served twice as District<br />
President and mentored new teachers through the mentoring<br />
program. She is currently treasurer of the Elementary Section<br />
and serves on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA board as co-chair of the MIOSM<br />
committee. She serves in leadership roles for <strong>NC</strong> ACDA and <strong>NC</strong><br />
Delta Kappa Gamma, a society for women educators. She partners<br />
with the Winston Salem Symphony Play <strong>Music</strong> program to teach<br />
violin lessons to 160 students at her school and the <strong>NC</strong> School of<br />
the Arts internship program. She has been a recipient of numerous<br />
grants that have provided new instruments to her classroom and<br />
funds for PD.<br />
She taught K – 12 music appreciation and AP theory with <strong>NC</strong><br />
Virtual Public Schools, band, guitar and chorus, with Hoke County<br />
Schools, the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and Yadkin County<br />
Schools and is currently the music specialist at Ward Elementary<br />
School in the WSFCS District. Her students have been selected<br />
for <strong>NC</strong>MEA Elementary and Middle School Honor Choruses and<br />
she has served as a clinician for several All-County Choruses. As a<br />
member of <strong>NC</strong>MEA and NAfME for over 30 years, she recognizes<br />
how successfully these organizations support music education<br />
and considers it an honor to teach and serve alongside our many<br />
dedicated music educators.<br />
Carolina Perez<br />
Carolina Perez joined the North Carolina School of Science and<br />
Mathematics (Durham) as instructor of music in 2020, teaching<br />
wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and music theory. She enjoys<br />
performing as a cornetist with the Triangle Brass Band and loved<br />
her time performing with the World Adult Wind Orchestra Project<br />
in Schladming, Austria.<br />
She holds a master’s degree in instrumental conducting and a<br />
bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of North<br />
Carolina Greensboro. While studying at U<strong>NC</strong>G, she served as<br />
graduate conductor for the university’s three concert bands, the<br />
graduate chamber ensemble, and the U<strong>NC</strong>G Pep Band, and also<br />
served as a university supervisor for pre-service student teachers.<br />
Prior to her graduate studies, Perez spent six years teaching<br />
in small, rural schools in Union and Randolph counties, where<br />
she led successful concert and marching ensembles at the middle<br />
school and high school levels. She is a <strong>2023</strong> Morehead-Cain Impact<br />
<strong>Educator</strong> and frequently serves as a conductor and adjudicator for<br />
marching and concert band festivals across North Carolina.<br />
As an educator, Perez is passionate about promoting the work<br />
of underrepresented composers, studying and performing music of<br />
diverse cultures, and creating unique performance opportunities<br />
for her students. She serves in leadership positions with the<br />
North Carolina <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s Association and the Central<br />
District Bandmasters Association, and is a member of Women<br />
Band Directors International and the National Band Association.<br />
Outside of music, her interests include traveling, cooking, hiking,<br />
and playing with her rescue dog, Elli.<br />
ENSEMBLES<br />
Band<br />
Chamber <strong>Music</strong><br />
Choir<br />
Digital Controller<br />
Jazz<br />
<strong>Music</strong>al Theatre<br />
Opera Workshop<br />
Orchestra<br />
Pop/Rock<br />
Bachelor of Arts in <strong>Music</strong><br />
General <strong>Music</strong><br />
Jazz Studies<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Technology<br />
Performance:<br />
Instrumental, Piano, Vocal<br />
UNDERGRADUATE STUDY<br />
Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong><br />
in <strong>Music</strong> Education<br />
Instrumental<br />
Piano and Guitar<br />
Vocal<br />
<strong>2023</strong>-24<br />
AUDITION DATES<br />
Saturday, Dec. 9, <strong>2023</strong>*<br />
Friday, Jan. 5, 2024**<br />
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024<br />
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024<br />
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024***<br />
Saturday, March 16, 2024<br />
* Honor Band Festival<br />
** Current Students & Transfers<br />
***Last date for scholarship<br />
consideration<br />
Minors<br />
Choral <strong>Music</strong><br />
General <strong>Music</strong><br />
Jazz Studies<br />
<strong>Music</strong>al Theatre<br />
Popular <strong>Music</strong><br />
910.962.3390 | uncwmus@uncw.edu | uncw.edu/mus<br />
12 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 13
Recording Secretary<br />
Lisa Packer<br />
Lisa Packer, a National Board Certified Teacher, graduated with<br />
a Bachelor of Arts in music education from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro in<br />
1992. She has taught both elementary music and middle school<br />
choral music in Fayetteville for 25 years, where her choral students<br />
have received superior ratings at MPA/festivals. She currently<br />
teaches at Stoney Point Elementary School, where she has taught<br />
for most of her career and has been named Teacher of the Year.<br />
She was selected as the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Elementary <strong>Music</strong> Teacher of the<br />
Year in 2012. Throughout her career, her students have performed<br />
with the Fayetteville Symphony, Cumberland Oratorio Singers and<br />
participated in the <strong>NC</strong> Elementary and Middle School Honors<br />
Choruses. She looks forward to conducting the Cumberland<br />
County Elementary All-County Chorus this school year.<br />
Packer served as a lead middle school choral teacher for<br />
Cumberland County Schools, and a lead elementary music<br />
teacher from 2011 – 2018 where she offered multiple professional<br />
development sessions, as well as participated on the curriculum<br />
team, writing music units for the county. She has served as a<br />
mentor teacher for college students at three local universities.<br />
She has taught Kindermusik and directed either adult, youth or<br />
children’s choirs at Westminster Presbyterian and Haymount<br />
United Methodist Church.<br />
Packer has been a member of <strong>NC</strong>MEA since 1991 and served<br />
on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Elementary Board 2004 – 06. She is certified in<br />
Orff, World Drumming and passionate about teaching music<br />
literacy, not just performance. She has received many grants so<br />
her students have access to programs and materials needed to be<br />
successful learners in music. She enjoys singing in the Cumberland<br />
Choral Arts program under the direction of Dr. Michael Martin, as<br />
well as traveling with her husband and two daughters.<br />
Dr. Cindy Wagoner<br />
Dr. Cindy Wagoner is a professor and department chair of<br />
music education and music therapy for East Carolina University,<br />
specializing in instrumental music instruction and pre-service<br />
music teacher education. Her research presentations focus on<br />
music teacher identity, mentoring new teachers, and teacher<br />
pedagogy with publications appearing in Teaching <strong>Music</strong> Through<br />
Performance in Jazz, Teaching <strong>Music</strong>, Psychology of <strong>Music</strong>, Research<br />
Issues in <strong>Music</strong> Education, <strong>Journal</strong> of <strong>Music</strong> Teacher Education, and<br />
<strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s <strong>Journal</strong>. Her most recent work appears in Teaching<br />
Instrumental <strong>Music</strong>: Contemporary perspectives and pedagogies<br />
with Oxford University Press. She is dedicated to serving the music<br />
education community in her current position at ECU.<br />
Wagoner holds a B.S. and M.S. from Indiana State University,<br />
and spent 27 years in Indiana teaching middle and high school<br />
instrumental music, known for having a large and successful<br />
program across marching, concert, small ensemble, and jazz<br />
events. Graduating from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro with a Ph.D. in music<br />
education in 2011, she moved directly to East Carolina. She was<br />
awarded the ECU Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching in<br />
2019.<br />
Wagoner continues to be active as a researcher, guest conductor,<br />
and adjudicator, traveling extensively across the country and<br />
internationally. She holds membership in Society for <strong>Music</strong><br />
Teacher Education, American Education Researcher Association,<br />
International Society for <strong>Music</strong> Education, NAfME, <strong>NC</strong>MEA, and<br />
ISME where she serves on the editorial board for the International<br />
<strong>Journal</strong> of <strong>Music</strong> Education. Most importantly, she loves time with<br />
her husband, children, and grandson, and a goofy Texas Heeler<br />
named Ryder.<br />
Member-at-Large #1<br />
Michael Henderson<br />
Michael Henderson is in his 18 th year of teaching bands and<br />
chorus. He joined the faculty of Chase Middle School in Forest<br />
City as director of bands and vocal music in 2019. For thirteen<br />
years prior, he held the same role at Chase High School. He holds<br />
a Bachelor’s in <strong>Music</strong> Education from Western Carolina University<br />
(2006) and a Master’s in <strong>Music</strong> Education from East Carolina<br />
University (2012).<br />
His band program was recently awarded a $32,000 Mr.<br />
Holland’s Opus Grant. His ensembles have performed in Chicago,<br />
Washington, D.C., Orlando, and beyond, reflecting his dedication<br />
to diverse and enriching experiences.<br />
An active adjudicator for fall and winter pageantry activities,<br />
Henderson is a driving force in promoting performance excellence.<br />
His roles as Chief Judge for CIPA and WGI circuit certified judge<br />
underscore his expertise.<br />
Beyond teaching, he’s a seasoned visual designer for bands<br />
nationwide. Actively engaged, he’s a member of NAfME, the<br />
W<strong>NC</strong> Band Director’s Association, and the <strong>NC</strong> <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>’s<br />
Association. His accolades include being named Chase Middle<br />
School Teacher of the Year (2022 – <strong>2023</strong>), and Chase High School<br />
Teacher of the Year (2011 – 2012, 2014 – 2015). He earned<br />
recognition as Rutherford County Schools Teacher of the Year<br />
(2014 – 2015) and achieved semifinalist status for the GRAMMY<br />
<strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> Award in 2017.<br />
Amid all this, his proudest role is within his family. He coaches<br />
golf and dances hip hop with his kids. Residing in Forest City, he<br />
shares his life with his wife, Jenn, and their children: Cara, Gavin,<br />
Ellie, and Andy.<br />
Andrew Childers<br />
Andrew Childers is a native of Kings Mountain, who currently<br />
resides in Wilson. He attended Wingate University under the<br />
direction of Dr. Kenney Potter. He has been teaching in North<br />
Carolina public schools for 14 years and is currently the director of<br />
choirs at James B. Hunt High School in Wilson.<br />
Childers is dedicated to global teaching through music with a<br />
belief that all students should have access to music education. His<br />
choirs compete in contests and festivals in North Carolina and<br />
in the surrounding regions. His students have sung in Florida,<br />
Georgia, New York, and Virginia. Under Childers, Hunt High<br />
School has also had the distinct pleasure of being a featured choir<br />
at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City in 2019.<br />
He consistently receives high marks and scores at North<br />
Carolina <strong>Music</strong> Performance Adjudication and national<br />
assessments. Currently, he is the District 3 President of <strong>NC</strong>MEA.<br />
He participates in recruiting and retention of music educators in<br />
uncp.edu/music • music@uncp.edu • 910.521.6230<br />
U<strong>NC</strong>P is one of the most affordable universities in<br />
North Carolina. With <strong>NC</strong> Promise, undergraduate tuition<br />
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Accredited by the National Association of Schools of <strong>Music</strong><br />
This publication is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact the Accessibility Resource Center, Oxendine Administrative Building, Room 110, or call 910.521.6695.<br />
14 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 15
North Carolina and serves on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Board. Childers also is<br />
the arts department chair at Hunt High School and serves on the<br />
school improvement team.<br />
Member-at-Large #2<br />
Demeka Kimpson<br />
Demeka Kimpson is a music educator with over two decades<br />
of experience. She holds a BA in music education from Claflin<br />
University and an MA in education from Winthrop University.<br />
Currently, she is in her 18 th year as the band director at Sedgefield<br />
Middle School in Charlotte. She expanded band involvement from<br />
20 students to encompass 30% annually of the school’s population.<br />
Kimpson’s dedication to music education is evident through her<br />
involvement as her school’s adviser for the TRI-M National <strong>Music</strong><br />
Honor Society and as a member of the CMS Band Professional<br />
Development Cadre and the CMS Superintendent Teacher<br />
Advisory Council.<br />
In 2010, Kimpson reintroduced the elementary school band<br />
program back to the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system<br />
at Park Rd. Montessori Elementary School. Her efforts have<br />
been recognized, including being named the 2021 Charlotte<br />
Mecklenburg Schools Teacher of The Year, 2008 Sedgefield Middle<br />
School Teacher of The Year, and earning the distinction of a 2014<br />
GRAMMY <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> Quarter Finalist.<br />
In addition to teaching middle school band, she has taught<br />
general music in Cabarrus County Schools and was an adjunct<br />
music instructor and choral director at Clinton College in Rock<br />
Hill, S.C. She also maintains a small private woodwind and piano<br />
studio.<br />
it's time<br />
TO START A<br />
Tri-M MUSIC<br />
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SOCIETY CHAPTER<br />
Kimpson is a member of several professional organizations,<br />
including Tau Beta Sigma, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the<br />
National Association for <strong>Music</strong> Education, the North Carolina<br />
<strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s Association, and Women Band Directors<br />
International.<br />
Lemar “LJ” Martin<br />
Lemar “LJ” Martin is a music educator and choral conductor<br />
based in Greensboro. He is the choral director at Wheatmore High<br />
School in Trinity, where he has been since he started teaching.<br />
At Wheatmore, he teaches chorus, music theory, and directs the<br />
musical theater program. Martin is also currently on staff with<br />
Greensboro Youth Chorus, a community based choral group for<br />
school-age children. There, he serves as co-director and conducts<br />
the Concert Choir.<br />
Martin is also on faculty as lead choral music instructor for the<br />
west campus of the <strong>NC</strong> Governor’s School. There, he oversees the<br />
choral program, supervises the rest of the choral music faculty, and<br />
collaborates with the other performing arts instructors to produce<br />
the performance calendar.<br />
Outside of teaching and conducting, Martin is a regularly<br />
performing vocalist and performs across the state with various<br />
ensembles. He is also the director of youth ministries at First<br />
United Methodist Church in Elon. At FUMC, he leads all youth<br />
group activities. Martin graduated from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro where<br />
he received his B.M. in music education and secondarily studied<br />
American Sign Language.<br />
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16 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 17
Collegiate<br />
Sabina Blue, Chair<br />
U<strong>NC</strong>-Chapel Hill<br />
Department of <strong>Music</strong><br />
Your <strong>NC</strong>MEA Collegiate Section has worked hard to select<br />
several interesting sessions for your enjoyment this year!<br />
We’re happy to announce you will have the ability to attend<br />
a multitude of engaging sessions, with topics of great diversity,<br />
which will appeal to the interests of all who attend. We believe the<br />
following sessions should be highlighted as being of particular<br />
interest. For a list of “do not miss” sessions, read ahead!<br />
One of the stand-out sessions being offered this year is<br />
Establishing an Active and Engaged Collegiate NAfME Chapter.<br />
This session is being offered by Professor Jonathan Saeger,<br />
professor of music and choir director at Wayne Community<br />
College in Goldsboro. He will be leading a discussion with a group<br />
of selected panelists regarding the qualities of a healthy collegiate<br />
NAfME chapter. Attendees will have the chance to hear from an<br />
experienced professor and chapter advisor, as well as from peers<br />
which range from current collegiates to recent graduates regarding<br />
their personal experiences with collegiate NAfME, and their tips<br />
on how others can enjoy the same growth and success. If you are<br />
interested in building an even stronger chapter at your college or<br />
university, this session is a MUST SEE!<br />
Another fantastic session being offered by the Collegiate<br />
Section is Let’s Get Reflective- Tips for Success with EdTPA. Dr.<br />
Karen Thomas from Appalachian State University will be delving<br />
into the nitty gritty of an exam which takes precedence in the<br />
minds of music education students everywhere – EdTPA. Though<br />
this exam often strikes fear into the hearts of collegiates, she will<br />
alleviate some of these anxieties by addressing them head on. In<br />
this wonderfully informative 50 minute session, Dr. Thomas, along<br />
with her co-presenters, will provide students with tips, tricks, and<br />
tools to approach the exam with confidence. Whether you’ve yet to<br />
take the test, or are scheduled to retake it in the future, this session<br />
is one that you will NOT want to miss!<br />
Last, but certainly not least, we would like to draw your<br />
attention to New Colleagues and Friends: Our First Year Mentor<br />
Experience. Philip Riggs, an educator at the N.C. School of Math<br />
and Science, along with two co-presenters, will be filling attendees<br />
in on what mentorship can look like, from all angles. Everyone<br />
deserves to glean meaningful information and guidance from their<br />
mentorship experiences. You can learn from the experiences of<br />
others, and make choices that will help you make the most out of<br />
your future mentorships! With student teaching, first year teaching,<br />
and many other educator milestones quickly approaching, this is a<br />
session no collegiate will want to pass on!<br />
Presenters<br />
Ben Jones<br />
Dr. J. Ben Jones is director of bands and assistant professor of<br />
music at Catawba College, where he serves as conductor for the<br />
wind ensemble, director of the marching band and pep band, and<br />
administers the entire Catawba College bands program. Prior<br />
to this appointment, he served as the assistant director of bands<br />
at Elon University, 2020 – 2022, and as interim conductor of the<br />
Duke University Wind Symphony during the fall of 2021. Drs.<br />
Lake and Jones earned Doctor of <strong>Music</strong>al Arts in instrumental<br />
conducting from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro.<br />
Hagan Zoellers<br />
Hagan Zoellers serves as director of bands at Northwood<br />
High School in Pittsboro. He came to Northwood after teaching<br />
and performing as a professional musician in the Midwest. At<br />
Northwood, he directs the wind ensemble, symphonic band,<br />
concert band, the Marching Chargers, the pit orchestra, and the<br />
jazz band. Zoellers completed his studies at the University of<br />
Louisville, the University of Cincinnati College – Conservatory<br />
of <strong>Music</strong>, and The Ohio State University. Before coming to<br />
Northwood, he taught students of all ages privately and as part of<br />
the instructional staff at band programs in Kentucky and Ohio.<br />
He also serves as an arranger and show designer for marching<br />
bands in the Triangle area. He was one of two American oboists<br />
invited in 2015 to perform in Muri, Switzerland as part of the Muri<br />
Masterclasses, and he presented his research on historical practices<br />
of music education in Helsinki at the Sibelius Academy’s 2018<br />
Symposium on <strong>Music</strong> History.<br />
Dr. Cindy Wagoner<br />
Dr. Cindy Wagoner is a professor and department chair of<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Education and <strong>Music</strong> Therapy for East Carolina University,<br />
specializing in instrumental music instruction and pre-service<br />
music teacher education. Her regional and international research<br />
presentations focus on music teacher identity, mentoring new<br />
teachers, and teacher pedagogy. She holds a B.S. and M.S. from<br />
Indiana State University and spent 27 years in Indiana teaching<br />
middle and high school instrumental music. Graduating from<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro with a Ph.D. in music education, she was<br />
honored for her teaching with the Graduate Teaching Assistant<br />
Award in 2009.<br />
18 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 19
U S I C<br />
M<br />
I V I S I O N O F F I N E A R T S<br />
D<br />
Jonathan Saeger<br />
Jonathan Saeger is a professor of music and choir director<br />
at Wayne Community College. He completed his doctoral<br />
coursework in <strong>Music</strong> Education at Kent State University. He also<br />
holds an M.M. in choral conducting from Illinois State University<br />
and a B.M. in music education from Millikin University in Decatur,<br />
Ill. He has been teaching at the collegiate level for seven years<br />
following 12 years of teaching middle school and high school. He<br />
has served as music director at churches in Illinois, New Mexico,<br />
Ohio, and North Carolina.<br />
Tami Draves<br />
Tami Draves is professor of music education at U<strong>NC</strong><br />
Greensboro, where she teaches graduate music education courses<br />
and advises masters and doctoral students. She has a strong<br />
commitment to pre-service and in-service teacher mentoring and<br />
support. As a public school teacher, she taught middle school and<br />
high school band in South Carolina, New Mexico, and Georgia.<br />
Dr. Karen Thomas<br />
Dr. Karen S. Thomas is a visiting assistant professor of<br />
music education in the Hayes School of <strong>Music</strong> at Appalachian<br />
State University. She earned a Ph.D. in music education, postbaccalaureate<br />
certificate in ethnomusicology, M.M. in music<br />
education, and B.A. in music from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro. Prior to<br />
her current position, she served as an adjunct instructor of music<br />
education at Appalachian State University, adjunct faculty in the<br />
music department at Winston-Salem State University, and assistant<br />
professor of general music education at The University of Utah.<br />
Before teaching at the university level, she taught middle school<br />
chorus (one year) and elementary general music (12 years) in<br />
the North Carolina public schools. She taught for nine years as a<br />
clarinet instructor at the <strong>Music</strong> Academy of North Carolina. She<br />
has performed as a clarinetist with the Piedmont Wind Symphony,<br />
and also enjoys playing piano, ukulele, guitar, and mountain<br />
dulcimer.<br />
Ty Matson<br />
Ty Matson graduated from East Carolina University with a<br />
Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> Education in 2018. He is in his fifth year of<br />
teaching as the band director/music teacher at Tarboro High<br />
School. His duties include directing the fall marching band and<br />
spring concert band, as well as teaching music appreciation. He<br />
also performs trombone with the Tar River Swing Band, based in<br />
Rocky Mount.<br />
Philip Riggs<br />
Phillip Riggs, 2016 Grammy <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong> of the Year,<br />
retired after teaching for more than 30 years in North Carolina.<br />
He is a music instructor emeritus at the N.C. School of Science<br />
and Math. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award<br />
and the Exceptional Contribution in Outreach Award presented by<br />
the U<strong>NC</strong> Board of Governors. He currently serves as a conductor<br />
with the World Adult Wind Orchestra Project held in Austria<br />
each summer. He is a co-founder and conductor of the N.C.<br />
Youth Wind Ensemble, and is a past president of <strong>NC</strong>BDA. He<br />
has also served as the Southern Division Representative on the<br />
NAfME Council for Band and the <strong>NC</strong> chair of the National Band<br />
Association.<br />
B R E V A R D<br />
C O L L E G E<br />
Audition Dates:<br />
December 9th, <strong>2023</strong><br />
February 10th, 2024<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.brevard.edu/music or reachout<br />
March 16th, 2024<br />
to us at musicinfo@brevard.edu<br />
20 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 21
Elementary<br />
Joseph Girgenti, Chair<br />
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY<br />
SCHOOL OF MUSIC IS PROUD TO ANNOU<strong>NC</strong>E<br />
The children didn’t speak English and t<br />
Welcome back to another school year! I hope this<br />
message finds you excited and refreshed, ready to<br />
embark on another wonderful journey of inspiring<br />
young minds through the power of music.<br />
Your passion for music and dedication to nurturing the talents<br />
of your students have always been awe-inspiring. This academic<br />
year, as we all return to the familiar rhythm of the school routine,<br />
we look forward to witnessing the magic you create within<br />
the walls of your classrooms and beyond. Your unwavering<br />
commitment to helping students discover their musical potential<br />
has been the key to fostering creativity, building confidence, and<br />
instilling discipline in their lives.<br />
We know that the challenges of the past year might still linger,<br />
but together, we will continue to adapt, innovate, and overcome<br />
any obstacles that come our way. Your ability to find harmony<br />
amidst chaos and to ignite a passion for music has been nothing<br />
short of extraordinary.<br />
As we start this new chapter, remember your impact goes far<br />
beyond the notes and scales. You shape the future by nurturing the<br />
hearts and minds of our young musicians. Your encouragement<br />
and guidance create melodies that resonate within them for a<br />
lifetime.<br />
We are here to support you every step of the way, providing<br />
the resources you need to enrich the musical experience for your<br />
students. Let us work together, with your expertise and dedication<br />
combined, to create a symphony of learning that will inspire<br />
generations to come.<br />
Thank you for being an essential part of our educational<br />
community, and inspiring us with your boundless love for music.<br />
Inspire Harmony <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional<br />
Development <strong>Conference</strong><br />
Inspire Harmony is jam-packed with sessions and clinicians<br />
to inspire you and your teaching. Our board thought long and<br />
hard when picking sessions that met the needs and wants of our<br />
members.<br />
A detailed list will be posted on the conference app, however,<br />
here are some Elementary highlights:<br />
• Three highly-engaging sessions with Kelly Jackson from<br />
Drums Alive, sponsored by West <strong>Music</strong><br />
• Irish Dancing with Dr. Casey Collins, Purdue University Fort<br />
Wayne<br />
• Boomwhacker Fun with Dr. Ran Whitley, Campbell<br />
University & Macie Publishing<br />
• Accessibility and Inclusion with Evelyn Snyder & Brandon<br />
Roeder<br />
• Four amazing student performances, led by teachers from<br />
across our state<br />
• Not your average roundtable event – Most of our presenters<br />
will be in attendance. Bring your questions and get ready to<br />
have a great time!<br />
You do not want to miss the conference this year. We have so<br />
much planned and cannot wait to see you all again!<br />
Our Elementary Honors Chorus continues to<br />
rebuild post-pandemic. Dr. Derrick Fox will be<br />
the clinician this year. We are so excited to have<br />
him and his expertise. Clinic information can be<br />
found on the elementary page of the <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
website.<br />
Our annual Business Meeting at <strong>Conference</strong> will be held on<br />
Sunday, November 5 at 5 p.m. The agenda will be shared on the<br />
conference app prior to the start of the conference. I urge all<br />
attendees to be at the meeting. This is a great opportunity to meet<br />
our board members and learn what we are doing.<br />
We also have some open leadership opportunities:<br />
• Social Media – we would love to have some tech-savvy<br />
educators help us to boost our social media pages. Please reach<br />
out if you are interested in serving in this capacity.<br />
• County Contacts – each of the eight Districts serves multiple<br />
counties and LEAs. We would love at least one main contact<br />
for each of the counties in our state. There is no requirement to<br />
attend meetings, but you are always welcome. Please reach out<br />
to me or your District Rep to be added to the list.<br />
Constitution & Bylaws Revision<br />
The Elementary Section Board & Constitution Committee<br />
have worked diligently to update our governing documents, which<br />
were last revised in 2012. The <strong>NC</strong>MEA Executive Committee has<br />
approved our revisions with no objection or amendment. Most of<br />
WCU SCHOOL OF MUSIC AUDITION DATES<br />
JANUARY 20, 2024 • JANUARY 27, 2024<br />
WCU is a University of North Carolina campus and an Equal Opportunity Institution.<br />
DR. KELARIZ<br />
KESHAVARZ<br />
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR<br />
OF FLUTE<br />
After an extensive national search, Dr. Kelariz Keshavarz<br />
joins the faculty of WCU’s School of <strong>Music</strong> in the fall<br />
<strong>2023</strong> semester. She holds a Doctorate in <strong>Music</strong>al Arts<br />
in Flute Performance from the University of Utah,<br />
with a secondary emphasis in Early <strong>Music</strong> Studies and<br />
Traverso Performance.<br />
She has performed as principal and guest principal<br />
flute with Tehran Symphony, Tehran National<br />
Orchestra, Tehran Philharmonic, Parsian Orchestra,<br />
Nilper Orchestra, Camerata Orchestra, SouthSide<br />
Philharmonic Orchestra, and on the Odyssey Chamber<br />
Series, and has performing around the world in Iran,<br />
Austria, Lebanon, and the United States.<br />
Through commissioning and “Iranian New Waves” she<br />
has championed the rich musical heritage of her native<br />
country. Kelariz has ventured into the realm of electroacoustic<br />
improvisation as a performer-composer. Her<br />
exploration of this genre showcases her versatility as an<br />
artist and willingness to push artistic boundaries.<br />
AUDITION SNOW DAY - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3<br />
SOUNDS OF THE SEASON: Enjoy the music of the holidays on<br />
December 2nd beginning at 3:00pm in the Bardo Arts Center<br />
Performance Hall on WCU’s campus<br />
SO PERCUSSION & CAROLINA SHAW: A guest percussion and<br />
vocal concert in the Coulter building recital hall on WCU’s campus;<br />
Saturday, April 6th beginning at 7:30 pm<br />
22 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 23
the changes are corrected grammar and spelling mistakes. Click<br />
here to see the <strong>2023</strong> Revised Document.<br />
As always, please reach out if you have any questions, concerns,<br />
or ideas!<br />
Sessions<br />
Make Your Orff-Schulwerk Pop<br />
Learn how popular music can be used as a resource with Orff-<br />
Schulwerk activities to benefit student learning in the elementary<br />
music classroom. We will explore how to choose popular music<br />
for use in Orff-Schulwerk activities, how to design Orff-Schulwerk<br />
arrangements with classroom instruments using popular music,<br />
and discuss ideas for incorporating creativity, improvisation, and<br />
composition into Orff-Schulwerk lessons with popular music.<br />
Attendees will engage in performing popular music Orff arrangements<br />
and activities.<br />
Grab Your Uke and Orff We Go<br />
Engage in activities illustrating how the ukulele can be used<br />
as a resource with Orff-Schulwerk activities and can benefit<br />
student learning in the general music classroom. The presenter<br />
will demonstrate activities that utilize the ukulele, both as a music<br />
educator’s resource and as a classroom instrument for music students.<br />
Ideas for ways to incorporate the ukulele into Orff-Schulwerk general<br />
music lessons will be demonstrated and presented. Attendees are<br />
encouraged to bring their ukuleles!<br />
Dr. Karen S. Thomas<br />
Dr. Karen S. Thomas is a visiting assistant professor of music<br />
education at Appalachian State University. She earned a Ph.D. in<br />
music education, Post-Baccalaureate certificate in ethnomusicology,<br />
M.M. in music education, and B.A. in music from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro.<br />
She taught general music in the North Carolina public schools for<br />
13 years. She holds Level 1 certification in music learning theory,<br />
elementary general music, and Orff-Schulwerk certification (Levels<br />
I, II, and III). Thomas was previously an assistant professor of<br />
general music education at the University of Utah, and served as an<br />
adjunct instructor of music at Winston-Salem State University and at<br />
Appalachian State University.<br />
Stomp, Drum, & Dance<br />
Everyone can drum, and everyone can dance! Experience this<br />
unique integration of body and mind while exploring movements,<br />
rhythm, and creative self-expression, with the celebration of music at<br />
its core. The innovative activities presented in this session are based<br />
on lessons and games from the Drums Alive original brain-and-body<br />
drumming fitness program and its Rhythm in Motion module. Learn<br />
how to combine music, movement, and dance to illustrate musical<br />
form, layer instrumental ostinati, demonstrate dynamics, and more!<br />
In addition, discover how to hold space for creativity, honoring the<br />
process of exploration and collaboration as students experience<br />
creative self-expression through movement and music.<br />
interpretation with kinesthetic awareness, neuromuscular skills,<br />
and socialization and wellness activities. Discover how to adapt and<br />
modify music and movement drumming activities and games to<br />
accommodate physiological, emotional, and cognitive needs that<br />
support everyone, regardless of age or ability.<br />
DRUMTASTIC<br />
Experience the joy of drumming and movement while improving<br />
physical, cognitive, and social-emotional health! Using music, stability<br />
balls, and drumsticks, DRUMTASTIC lessons follow a cross-curricular<br />
design that ignites creativity, encourages self-expression, and promotes<br />
active engagement and teamwork. Participate in brain and body games<br />
and activities for all ages and abilities and learn how to integrate<br />
DRUMTASTIC into your classrooms!<br />
Kelly Jackson<br />
Kelly Jackson, a retired music educator from the metro Atlanta<br />
public school system, spent her career teaching general/choral music,<br />
voice, piano, music theory, and musical theater to students ages 4<br />
through 70. She received her B.M. in music education from Furman<br />
University, M.M. in choral conducting from Eastman School of<br />
<strong>Music</strong>, and Ph.D. in music education from Northwestern University.<br />
She maintains qualifications in the fields of ESOL, gifted, elementary<br />
education, and English (6 – 12); holds Level III Orff Schulwerk<br />
certification; and served on the editorial board of the national peerreviewed<br />
journal, The Orff Echo. She is sought after as an accompanist<br />
at the regional and state level; serves as an adjudicator in choral music,<br />
piano, and theater; and has been involved in numerous productions as<br />
a director and performer. She currently resides in Jackson County.<br />
Expanding the Toolbox for Classroom<br />
Management Using a Brain-Based Approach<br />
Teachers need to know content and classroom management<br />
strategies to run a successful elementary general music classroom that<br />
promotes learning, exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Using<br />
the metaphor of content as the train and classroom management as<br />
the tracks, the train will be able to run only as well as the tracks are<br />
properly laid and maintained. Between limited classroom management<br />
strategies provided for teachers and challenging student behaviors,<br />
it’s all too easy to find the best planned lesson with the most engaging<br />
content derailed and the most enthusiastic teacher feeling deflated.<br />
Strengthen the train tracks of classroom management by learning<br />
the basic neuroscience behind common student behaviors, as well as<br />
simple strategies to reduce stress, promote connection, and increase<br />
emotional regulation in the elementary general music classroom.<br />
TRANSFORM. EXPLORE. INSPIRE.<br />
The School of <strong>Music</strong> is pleased to welcome to the faculty:<br />
Prof. Janinah Burnett Visiting Asst. Professor of Voice<br />
Dr. Luke Ellard Visiting Asst. Professor of Clarinet<br />
Prof. Lindsay Kesselman Visiting Asst. Professor of Voice<br />
Dr. Jungho Kim Director of Orchestras and Assoc. Professor<br />
of Conducting<br />
Prof. Emily Milius Visiting Asst. Professor of <strong>Music</strong> Theory<br />
Dr. Courtney Miller Asst. Professor of Oboe<br />
Dr. Stephanie Ycaza Asst. Professor of Tuba and Euphonium<br />
AUDITION DATES FOR <strong>2023</strong>-24<br />
December 2, <strong>2023</strong> February 10, 2024<br />
January 27, 2024 February 24, 2024*<br />
*priority deadline for scholarship/assistantship consideration<br />
DEGREE PROGRAMS<br />
Bachelor of Arts Doctor of <strong>Music</strong>al Arts<br />
Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> Doctor of Philosophy<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Minor<br />
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate<br />
Master of <strong>Music</strong> Post-Masters Certificate<br />
Prof. Janinah Burnett<br />
Visiting Asst. Professor of Voice<br />
Dr. Luke Ellard<br />
Visiting Asst. Professor of Clarinet<br />
Prof. Lindsay Kesselman<br />
Visiting Asst. Professor of Voice<br />
Jen Lerma<br />
Jen Lerma is a licensed clinical social worker and relational<br />
therapist who works in private practice with children and families to<br />
increase connection, improve emotional regulation, and help families<br />
create more meaningful moments together. She frequently collaborates<br />
with teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, pediatricians,<br />
psychologists, psychiatrists, and school counselors to best support<br />
Ability Beats: From Impossible to I’M Possible<br />
children across environments. Upon graduating from Shepherd<br />
Drums Alive Ability Beats’ multi-sensory, all-inclusive, interactive<br />
University with a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> Education, and prior to becoming<br />
program empowers participants with the ability to achieve healthy<br />
a therapist, she was a military musician in the U.S. Navy Band. After<br />
and happy lives through a “No Limitations” social-emotional health<br />
being stationed in Naples, Italy and observing how children from all<br />
and wellness experience. Learn how to foster creativity through<br />
over the world can be moved by music and respond to it more openly<br />
comprehensive brain and body exercises that integrate musical<br />
and freely than adults, she was eager to create a classroom atmosphere<br />
Dr. Jungho Kim<br />
Prof. Emily Milius<br />
Dr. Courtney Miller<br />
Dr. Stephanie Ycaza<br />
Director of Orchestras<br />
Visting Asst. Professor of <strong>Music</strong> Theory Asst. Professor of Oboe<br />
24 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH Asst. CAROLINA Professor MUSIC of Tuba EDUCATOR & Euphonium | 25
where students felt welcomed, acknowledged, and free to express<br />
themselves while experiencing and making music.<br />
Black Boy Joy in the Elementary <strong>Music</strong> Classroom<br />
Joy is vital to the sustainability of authentic engagement. Black<br />
Boy Joy is a framework used to support the engagement and success<br />
of black boys in the music education space. Through interactive and<br />
reflective activities, this session aims to explain the need for the Black<br />
Boy Joy framework and how it can be implemented in the elementary<br />
music classroom.<br />
Jazzmone Sutton<br />
Jazzmone Sutton is the state advocacy engagement manager for<br />
NAfME. She joined the NAfME team in July 2021. Before joining<br />
NAfME, she was a passionate elementary music educator and<br />
advocate based in North Carolina. As an educator, she strove to make<br />
her music room a space for all students. From various ensembles,<br />
collaborative lessons, performance experiences, it was evident<br />
that her classroom was a positive learning environment. She was<br />
also a strong advocate for music education in North Carolina. She<br />
completed her service as the immediate past president of <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
in July 2021. As state advocacy engagement manager, she hopes to<br />
strengthen the connection between our state affiliates, their members,<br />
and educational stakeholders via proactive advocacy work. She leans<br />
heavily on her experience as an educator to provide practical and<br />
obtainable advocacy strategies for NAfME members.<br />
Fun with Stretchy Bands<br />
The stretchy band is an excellent tool for the music room. In this<br />
session, we will play with, and explore different uses of, the stretchy<br />
band in the music room.<br />
Miranda Walker<br />
Miranda Walker attended U<strong>NC</strong> Chapel Hill, where she graduated<br />
in 2009 with a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> and in 2010 with a Master of Arts<br />
in teaching. She began teaching at Level Cross Elementary School in<br />
2011. She has furthered her training in music education by attaining<br />
Orff-Schulwerk certifications Level I – III from Appalachian State<br />
University. She has also served on the board of CCCAOSA as<br />
recording secretary. She performs with the Greensboro Concert Band<br />
playing flute and piccolo.<br />
Let’s Have a Céilí! Traditional Irish Dance for the<br />
Classroom<br />
A céilí is a social gathering in Ireland featuring traditional Irish<br />
music, dance, and storytelling – a vibrant celebration of Irish music<br />
and culture! Participants will explore the background and contexts<br />
for performing traditional dances of Ireland, learn traditional Irish<br />
dance steps for solo jigs and reels, and engage in lively large-scale folk<br />
dances bringing the spirit of the céilí to the session and onward to the<br />
elementary general music classroom.<br />
Connie McKoy<br />
Casey Collins<br />
A native of Fayetteville, Connie McKoy is Marion Stedman<br />
Casey Collins is a clinical assistant professor of music education<br />
Covington Distinguished Professor and director of undergraduate<br />
at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Prior to that, she taught elementary<br />
studies in the school of music at U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro, where she teaches<br />
Aline Shader loved the sound of<br />
general music in North Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science in<br />
undergraduate and graduate music education courses. She holds a<br />
young voices, the smiles on young faces<br />
music education from Elon University, a Master of <strong>Music</strong> in music<br />
B.M. in music education from the Oberlin Conservatory of <strong>Music</strong>,<br />
and the joy that comes from singing together.<br />
education from East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in music<br />
and an M.M. and Ph.D. from U<strong>NC</strong>G. She has 19 years of public school<br />
education from the University of Michigan. Her research centers<br />
teaching experience as a general music teacher, choral director, and<br />
She believed in the power of music to build confidence,<br />
on elementary music educators in high-poverty schools, trauma-<br />
band assistant. Her research, which has been presented nationally<br />
spur imagination, and foster the unity that singing together brings.<br />
26 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 27<br />
informed pedagogy, and positive psychology.<br />
SEL-Focused <strong>Music</strong> Classroom<br />
Social-Emotional Learning is very important in our classrooms.<br />
This session will involve active participation through movement<br />
songs and music games focused on SEL competencies. Becker will<br />
demonstrate songs where we celebrate each student, focusing on<br />
building team work and group success. This is a great session for new<br />
music teachers, collegiate students, and experienced teachers wanting<br />
new material. All of the activities will be singing and movement only,<br />
requiring little to no technology or instruments. Therefore, this will<br />
also be beneficial for those with limited budgets and inventories.<br />
Bruce Becker<br />
Bruce Becker is a 30-year veteran teacher with experience in<br />
orchestra, band, guitar, general music, choir, and musical theater from<br />
kindergarten through twelfth grade. He currently teaches in Charlotte-<br />
Mecklenburg Schools. He previously served as the music teacher at<br />
Weddington Elementary School in Union County, where he taught<br />
K – 5 general music, choir, exceptional children modified music, and<br />
musical theater. He was a new teacher trainer for the National Heritage<br />
Academies from 2014 – 2016, so he already has experience helping<br />
teachers. His current passion is helping other music teachers discover<br />
their strengths and guiding them through best practices.<br />
Stations: To Focus on the Important Things<br />
Stations have been the buzz for a few years now. But successfully<br />
completing stations and figuring out what is important about them<br />
is essential to making sure you and your students can complete them<br />
successfully. And with any luck, they will have fun and surprise you!<br />
Pamela Day<br />
Pamela Day is the music educator at Wintergreen Intermediate<br />
in Pitt County. Previously a music educator in Onslow County, she<br />
spent 15 years teaching elementary music. During this time, she<br />
was awarded Arts Teacher of the Year from Onslow County Schools<br />
(2017), <strong>NC</strong>MEA Elementary <strong>Music</strong> Teacher of the Year (2021), Pitt<br />
County’s Excellence in the East (2021 and 2022), and is included in the<br />
Marquis Who’s Who in America for Elementary Education (2022).<br />
Teaching with Intention: Why Your Instructional<br />
Choices Matter<br />
Teaching music in ways that are meaningful to a wide variety<br />
of students doesn’t just happen by chance. It is a result of making<br />
intentional instructional choices. Through the examples provided in<br />
this interactive session, participants will discover the importance of<br />
prioritizing curricular and instructional choices that are responsive<br />
to students’ ways of musical knowing, which are influenced and<br />
informed by their cultural experiences. Strategies and resources for<br />
teaching music with intention will be provided.<br />
SING A SONG TODAY!<br />
Songs Children Sing is a<br />
FREE ONLINE CATALOG<br />
40+ songs and musicals<br />
for ALL AGES by ALINE SHADER<br />
Full scores, lead sheets, lyric sheets,<br />
full-length recordings and piano-only<br />
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AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD<br />
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and internationally, has focused on cross-cultural competence and<br />
culturally responsive pedagogy in music, and has been published in<br />
top-tier music research journals. In 2017 and 2019, she participated<br />
in the Yale Symposium on <strong>Music</strong> in Schools and contributed to the<br />
2017 symposium document, Declaration on Equity in <strong>Music</strong> for City<br />
Students.<br />
Cultural Relevancy: Incorporating Popular <strong>Music</strong><br />
into the Curriculum<br />
Increase engagement in the classroom, build relationships with<br />
students, and make the learning experience more vigorous and fun for<br />
both the teacher and the student. The students we serve have heard<br />
every rhythm we need to teach them, and this session will explore how<br />
to use this knowledge to put a name and a symbol to the music that is<br />
already in students’ heads. During this session, participants will learn<br />
methods to teacher quarter notes in 4/4, syncopated rhythms, and<br />
everything in between using music students are familiar with. We will<br />
also create compositions in the hip hop/pop genre that can be used<br />
with students to help teach rhythmic notation and pitch recognition.<br />
This session is geared toward elementary and early middle school<br />
music teachers, but can also be used for K – 12.<br />
Preston Kendall<br />
Preston Kendall’s musical journey began at eight when his father<br />
began teaching him to play the trumpet; he hasn’t put his horn down<br />
since. Before becoming an educator, he toured internationally with the<br />
off-Broadway production of DrumLine Live as a trumpeter, but he gets<br />
his real fulfillment from educating the future musicians of the world.<br />
He holds a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro, and a Master<br />
of School Administration from U<strong>NC</strong> Charlotte. He taught for seven<br />
years in Guilford County as an elementary general music teacher and<br />
a middle school choral director. He also served as the lead elementary<br />
music specialist for the district, an equity coach with the office of<br />
equity diversity and inclusion, and a professional development<br />
facilitator for arts integration within the district. He has been teaching<br />
in Charlotte since 2019 at River Oaks Academy, where he is the<br />
elementary music specialist.<br />
Boomwhacker Fun<br />
Do you need some refreshing, fun activities for your classroom?<br />
Interested in using Boomwhackers but don’t know where to start?<br />
This session features classroom games to teach musical concepts<br />
such as rhythm, harmony, form, and ensemble with Boomwhackers.<br />
Boomwhacker literature for concert programs, and how to make<br />
ancillary Boomwhackers will also be presented.<br />
Ran Whitley<br />
Ran Whitley is a professor of music education at Campbell<br />
University, where he holds the Alma Dark Howard Endowed<br />
Chair of <strong>Music</strong>. His course offerings at Campbell include music<br />
theory, elementary music methods, and children’s music ministry.<br />
He earned the D.M. in music ministry from Southeastern Baptist<br />
Theological Seminary, as well as a Ph.D. in music education from<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro. He holds current teacher licensure in N.C. in both<br />
music education and ESL. His Orff training includes Orff Levels I-III<br />
and the Orff Master Class from the University of Memphis. He has<br />
over 40 years of experience in elementary music, including public<br />
school teaching, children’s music ministry, theory/counterpoint<br />
instruction, and teacher education. Some of his publications include<br />
Orff orchestrations, hand-held instrument accompaniments and<br />
Boomwhacker arrangements with Macie Publishing Company. Several<br />
of his recent articles have been featured in The Orff Echo.<br />
Let’s Get Moving: Transitions in the <strong>Music</strong> Room<br />
Whether changing from one activity to the next, or shifting from<br />
instruments to movement, transitions are an opportunity to create<br />
harmony with students and build community. In our time together,<br />
we will move, dance, and reflect on ways to embed meaningful<br />
transitions. Come to this session to learn how to make each moment<br />
in your lessons purposeful and impactful.<br />
Kelly Poquette<br />
Dr. Kelly Poquette is a veteran educator with certifications from<br />
the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and the Feierabend<br />
Association of <strong>Music</strong> Education. She has received accolades at the<br />
district, regional, and state level, including being named the 2021<br />
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Piedmont-Triad Region Teacher of the<br />
Year. Over her career, she has taught all grades PreK – 12 and currently<br />
serves as the K – 5 music educator at the Alamance Virtual School in<br />
the Alamance-Burlington School System in Burlington. In each class,<br />
her students sing, say, dance, play, and create in a tuneful, beautiful,<br />
and artful way.<br />
Accessible and Inclusive <strong>Music</strong> Education for<br />
Neurodivergent Students<br />
All students deserve access to high-quality arts instruction. This<br />
includes the participation of our Exceptional Children (those in<br />
special education) in visual art, dance, theatre, and music programs.<br />
Ensuring all students are included in arts education requires that we<br />
prepare our arts educators and equip them with the tools necessary<br />
to support the needs of their students. Using North Carolina’s<br />
Comprehensive Arts Education Framework, we are excited to share<br />
the ways we provide wrap-around services for students in arts<br />
education, arts integration, and arts exposure. Our session will help<br />
music educators understand why meeting the needs of neurodivergent<br />
students is important, as well as how teachers in the field are<br />
supporting these students. The session includes hands-on interaction<br />
and group music-making with adaptive materials.<br />
Evelyn Snyder<br />
Evelyn Snyder is the music educator at the Bonnie Springer School<br />
on the campus of the Murdoch Development Center in Butner. She<br />
teaches K – 8 general music, as well as 9 – 12 music appreciation,<br />
instrumental ensembles, and private lessons to students with<br />
intellectual and developmental disabilities paired with behavioral<br />
challenges and/or mental illness. She is a member of <strong>NC</strong>MEA,<br />
NAfME, and ASTA. She holds a Master of Education in instructional<br />
technology from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> in<br />
violin performance from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro.<br />
Literacy INHERENT in <strong>Music</strong> Education<br />
Literacy is on the mind of every administrator, but we know that<br />
literacy processes, like listening, viewing, speaking, reading, and<br />
writing are embedded in our classrooms in English language, music<br />
notation, and response. Processes like phonemic awareness (moving<br />
a consonant cluster in the lyrics to the beginning of the next note or<br />
inventing new rhymes to a song lyric), orthography (representing<br />
sound with written symbols), teaching music terminology, and gaining<br />
<strong>Music</strong> at Charlotte<br />
UPTOWN PERFORMA<strong>NC</strong>ES EXCITING GUEST ARTISTS<br />
Charlie Parker at The Jazz Room Composer/Performer Pamela Z<br />
Backstage at the Eagles concert<br />
@clt_coaa<br />
BOLD IDEAS.<br />
BIG CITY.<br />
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS<br />
Carlisle Floyd’s opera, Susannah<br />
Holocaust Remembrance Day Concert<br />
At U<strong>NC</strong> Charlotte, studies go beyond the<br />
university and into Charlotte's creative community.<br />
With bold ideas and broad connections, our talented<br />
faculty, students, and alumni are shaping the civic<br />
imagination of this fast-growing city.<br />
Renowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis<br />
music.charlotte.edu<br />
28 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 29
understanding through listening skills are all transferable between the<br />
music and English classrooms. Come explore the ways that educators<br />
already support literacy without stopping to read a book or write<br />
a musician report. Leave with a plan outlining how to share these<br />
processes with your administrator.<br />
Brandon Roeder<br />
Brandon Roeder is the K – 12 music and theater arts consultant<br />
at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. He is passionate<br />
about increasing the equitable access of quality arts education<br />
for all students, having taught PreK – 5 music and high school<br />
chorus, marching bands and drumlines, a strings program, and arts<br />
integration to rural students in Title I North Carolina schools. He<br />
completed his master’s as a curriculum specialist at Appalachian State<br />
University and now loves to coach both arts leaders and arts educators.<br />
Easy As 1, 2, 3<br />
Teaching rhythm can be challenging, especially at the elementary<br />
level. Every music teacher has their own recipe. I’ve tried many<br />
different counting systems over the years, including: food names<br />
(pepperoni pizza), takadimi, and even the traditional rhythm system<br />
(1&2&). In an attempt to get consistent results, with comprehension<br />
across all grade levels, I now employ a novel counting system that is<br />
simple, efficient, and age appropriate. In this session, I will provide an<br />
interactive, hands-on experience including a rhythm counting system<br />
you can use immediately.<br />
Douglas Rowe<br />
Douglas Rowe resides in Monroe, teaching music at Union and<br />
Marshville Elementary Schools. He is the professor of percussion<br />
at Catawba College in Salisbury. In addition, he is the instructor of<br />
percussion at Union Academy Charter School. As an up and coming<br />
artist, he has made an impact in music education over the last several<br />
years. In addition to being a performer, he has served as an instructor,<br />
arranger, composer, and clinician throughout North Carolina. He<br />
completed his Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> Education at Wingate University and<br />
his Master of <strong>Music</strong> in percussion performance at the U<strong>NC</strong> School of<br />
the Arts. He is a proud artist of Salyers Percussion sticks and mallets<br />
and member of the Black Swamp Percussion <strong>Educator</strong> Network.<br />
Storytelling: Discovery Through Song and<br />
Sounds<br />
Bring to life folk tales in your classroom through the power of<br />
music. This interactive session experiences storytelling by combining<br />
song, improvisation, percussion instruments, and art. Engage all of<br />
your students as each tale unfolds. This session explains the process<br />
and demonstrates an example. Participants are provided tools and<br />
experience to take this into their own classrooms.<br />
Ginger Wyrick<br />
Ginger Wyrick is a conductor, author, clinician, lecturer,<br />
teacher, and performer. As a life-long musician, she is established<br />
professionally in piano, flute, organ, harpsichord, and voice. The<br />
author of numerous books and periodicals on music and curriculum<br />
development, she frequently leads workshops and lectures on music<br />
education, adjudicates competitions, and appears as guest conductor<br />
for honor choirs and festivals. Most recently, she was honored to<br />
conduct the N.C. Western Regional SSAA High School Chorus. She<br />
has performed throughout the United States, across Europe, and in<br />
Africa. As a faculty member at the U<strong>NC</strong> Charlotte, she directs The<br />
Charlotteans Women’s Chorus. She designed and hosted two residency<br />
programs with The Charlotteans and Tohoku University (Japan).<br />
Among her teaching responsibilities, she has taught the elementary<br />
music methods lab choir, an on-campus choral experience for area<br />
third – fifth graders and pre-service music educators.<br />
Connect, Collaborate, Create! Student<br />
Composition using Technology and Arts<br />
Connections<br />
Highlighting successful units implemented with students in<br />
second through fourth grades using technology resources and tools,<br />
both to create and perform compositions or creations. The lessons<br />
were all created and implemented in collaboration with the school<br />
technology facilitator and art teacher to make connections to other<br />
areas of student learning along with the musical standards. We will<br />
focus on practical considerations and processes for ensuring student<br />
success and accessibility and will allow teachers to experience the<br />
same creation process and tools that students use in the units of study.<br />
Software used is free and widely accessible and can be used in many<br />
teaching contexts.<br />
Janae Copeland<br />
Janae Copeland is the music teacher at Meadowlark Elementary<br />
School in Winston-Salem. She has been a music educator for 23 years<br />
in various roles and loves to learn and share in music making with her<br />
students everyday.<br />
Creating Harmony Across Classrooms and <strong>Music</strong><br />
Rooms Through Literacy<br />
Is there a focus on literacy instruction in your building or district?<br />
Heard of the terms Science of Reading and LETRS? Did you know that<br />
your instruction in the band/orchestra/choral/general music room<br />
has direct parallels to literacy instruction? Yes! These are concepts<br />
you are already teaching! For this reason, we must build a common<br />
language around literacy for both music and classroom educators. We<br />
will examine neuroscience, literacy instruction, and direct connections<br />
between literacy in language and music, and how this benefits<br />
our students. This session will utilize music and literacy theory to<br />
identify a common language between music and language literacy<br />
instruction while highlighting work music educators already do in<br />
their classrooms. Finally, we will connect how a common language<br />
for music and language literacy has the potential to increase educator<br />
satisfaction, advance advocacy, and benefit students.<br />
Erin Ellington<br />
Erin Ellington is an adjunct instructor at Appalachian State<br />
University with 18 years of experience as a PreK – 8 music educator<br />
with experience teaching in a variety of settings. Additionally,<br />
Ellington served as clinical educator for pre-service teachers for<br />
Appalachian State University, on the lighthouse team for a Leader<br />
in Me School, and as a framework specialist, developing content<br />
and lessons for arts educators aligned with her district’s teacher<br />
evaluation tool. She is certified in Orff Levels I – III and is interested<br />
in instructional practices that allow students to develop social and<br />
emotional skills while exploring music. She was named the 2020<br />
Watauga County Schools Teacher of the Year and the 2021 Burroughs<br />
Wellcome Fund Northwest Region Teacher of the Year.<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Wishes to Extend Sincere Thanks<br />
It takes numerous wonderful people to plan and present this outstanding professional development conference. This is just a small list<br />
of those who spent many hours planning for November <strong>2023</strong>. We thank all of you!<br />
Barbara L. Geer, Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong> Chair<br />
Adam Joiner, Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong> Co-Chair<br />
Johnathan Hamiel, <strong>NC</strong>MEA President<br />
Susan Heiserman, <strong>NC</strong>MEA Executive Director<br />
Mark Healy, Communications Manager<br />
Kim Justen, <strong>Journal</strong> Editor<br />
<strong>NC</strong>MEA Section and Committee Chairs<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Industry and College & University Exhibitors<br />
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y David E. Tyson<br />
<strong>Music</strong> and Language Learning<br />
<strong>Music</strong> learning theorists such as Dalcroze, Gordon, Kodaly,<br />
Orff, and Suzuki shared the belief that students should learn music<br />
the way they learn language, by listening and developing a strong<br />
aural concept. Each of these educators have suggested that students<br />
first internalize tonal, rhythmic, and harmonic patterns, then<br />
replicate those patterns on their instruments, without the use of<br />
notation. This approach has become known as sound-to-symbol<br />
and its benefits are widely documented in the extant research in<br />
music education.<br />
<strong>Educator</strong>s using the sound-to-symbol approach find that<br />
students begin playing recognizable melodies from the first days<br />
of instruction. Without the limitations of notation, students are<br />
focused on replicating the melodic concepts they have developed<br />
through listening. They might have heard the tune in their home,<br />
while with friends, or simply from a teacher modelling. Once the<br />
melodic idea has been internalized, the students discover ways<br />
to replicate it on their instruments. Without notation, students<br />
can focus on tone production, articulation, tonal and rhythmic<br />
patterns, and aural skills. These musical concepts are often<br />
overlooked when dealing with the issue of notation in early stages.<br />
Researchers have suggested this parallels the process an infant<br />
acquires language:<br />
1. Listening to the speech around them<br />
2. Imitating those sounds (babbling)<br />
3. Speaking single words<br />
4. Speaking complete sentences<br />
5. Reading and writing<br />
Now, consider the traditional model of instrumental music<br />
education and how students learn music in almost the opposite<br />
manner. <strong>Music</strong> students begin learning about notation, reading<br />
before we can even speak. Students then perform (speak) using<br />
the correct musical conventions (grammar), reaching the goal of<br />
modern music education. Unfortunately, students rarely get the<br />
opportunity to babble (improvise and create) and most egregiously,<br />
rarely engage in meaningful listening that is applicable to their<br />
scholastic music-making.<br />
Listening is the Way:<br />
Jazz Language<br />
David Tyson will also be presenting “Jazz Guitar for Beginners” at the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong>.<br />
How Jazz <strong>Music</strong>ians Learn<br />
Forming aural concepts is of particular importance when it<br />
comes to jazz music and improvisation. The great jazz musicians<br />
of the past did not purchase a book to learn to play jazz. They<br />
developed their style by listening to other musicians and imitating<br />
those sounds on their own instrument. Through focused and<br />
active listening, these players developed an understanding of<br />
the rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic conventions of the style.<br />
Listening provided them with a deep understanding of the style<br />
and expressive nature particular to the jazz genre. It is vital to<br />
understand that jazz musicians of the past studied this music<br />
because it was what they enjoyed the most.<br />
My beginning jazz students typically do not listen to jazz for<br />
pleasure, resulting in a lack of an aural concept of the music. This<br />
most often leads to less than authentic performances and the<br />
resulting frustration that the students experience. Modern jazz<br />
notation typically provides an articulation marking for every note.<br />
The composers/arrangers are aware young performers will not have<br />
an aural concept of jazz articulation and do their best to provide<br />
the inflection and expression that is characteristic of the jazz style.<br />
Despite their best efforts, one cannot simply notate jazz style. And<br />
certainly, notation cannot help a young player understand the<br />
culture of jazz and how its rich history shaped the music.<br />
Listening Strategies<br />
The following are a few strategies that have worked in my own<br />
classrooms of all instrumental levels at the middle and high school<br />
levels, and in university situations.<br />
Playlists<br />
Most students listen to music on one of three major streaming<br />
platforms: Apple <strong>Music</strong>, Spotify, and YouTube. I have found it<br />
important to encourage listening through the methods students<br />
are already using. I maintain a variety of public playlists where<br />
students can listen. Consider creating playlists categorized by<br />
instrumentation (big band, combo), individual instruments<br />
(trumpet, guitar, drums), and/or genre (Dixieland, bebop, fusion).<br />
Additionally, I provide playlists of the tunes being performed in the<br />
classroom. Even if a younger group is playing a simplified chart,<br />
they will benefit from hearing a variety of interpretations by the<br />
jazz masters.<br />
Through a steady diet of authentic jazz listening, students will<br />
develop a sense of time, swing rhythm, jazz articulation, style,<br />
etc. They will begin to differentiate between subgenres such as big<br />
band swing, bebop, and fusion. They will process the style of each<br />
instrument and how the sections might work together. And almost<br />
subconsciously, they will learn that rock, Latin, and ballads require<br />
straight eighth notes. If students engage with jazz listening via<br />
playlists, the style of the school ensemble will improve greatly. The<br />
teacher might encourage the students by assigning listening guides.<br />
Perhaps the students identify instrumentation, period, genre, style,<br />
or musicians’ names. Or maybe the teacher gamifies listening<br />
using ClassDojo (for younger students) or a similar app that tracks<br />
listening. The big band could be divided into “houses” like those<br />
in the Harry Potter series. The teacher could give listening quizzes<br />
of some sort and award points to saxes, trombones, trumpets,<br />
and rhythm section. Friendly competitions are great extrinsic<br />
motivators.<br />
Transcribing<br />
If you ask any great musician how to learn improvisation,<br />
they will tell you to transcribe solos by great jazz artists. Once a<br />
player begins active listening, they realize that there are a minimal<br />
number of chord progressions and form used in jazz. The language<br />
of a single 12-bar blues tune will transfer to all 12-bar blues, which<br />
make up a large percentage of jazz music. Jazz musicians do not<br />
necessarily notate transcriptions; they memorize the solo on their<br />
instrument. To accomplish this, they must listen relentlessly to<br />
develop an aural concept of the both the language and the style.<br />
This level of active listening and practice will allow the student to<br />
absorb the language, making it available for improvising on other<br />
tunes.<br />
Play-Alongs<br />
Playing with a metronome is great practice, but I prefer to work<br />
with the free and widely available jazz play-alongs on the major<br />
streaming platforms. I also recommend a paid app, iReal Pro, that<br />
provides chord progressions and play-alongs for literally any tune<br />
imaginable. This app also allows rhythm section players to filter out<br />
their instrument.<br />
The benefits of play-alongs are numerous. I use them in my<br />
own practice routine because I find playing with a real band is<br />
far more enjoyable than the metronome alone. As we all know,<br />
students will practice more when it is fun. Play-alongs also provide<br />
the harmonic material, as well as the time feel, and rhythm section<br />
players can hear the function of the piano, guitar, bass, and drums<br />
as played by professionals before filtering them out (iReal Pro).<br />
Play-alongs offer the student a chance to practice the language they<br />
learn in their transcriptions over other tunes in an enjoyable way.<br />
I hope I have highlighted the need for a robust listening<br />
experience in instrumental music education and jazz. While<br />
jazz was the focus, any music genre requires an aural concept for<br />
authentic performance. <strong>Music</strong> educators must build listening into<br />
their curriculum in ways that students enjoy. Remember, Duke<br />
Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis played jazz because that<br />
was the music they loved. Our job is to cultivate the love of jazz<br />
music in our students.<br />
J Tina<br />
azz<br />
Robinett, Chair<br />
Happy fall and welcome back! I hope you are doing well<br />
and are excited and energized for a new year ahead. The<br />
Jazz Section has been working hard to improve some<br />
audition material for the upcoming year and prepare informative<br />
conference sessions for you.<br />
Many of the new updates to the Jazz audition materials for this<br />
year’s auditions have been posted already, but we are still finalizing<br />
the high school drum set audition materials and information. This<br />
should be posted soon. There are updated high school rhythm<br />
section etudes for There Will Never Be Another You, and Manhattan<br />
Dance Party has been updated in the middle school drumset.<br />
Backing tracks at both the region and state speed should also be<br />
available; all posted at <strong>NC</strong>MEA Jazz.<br />
We also have been working to bring top notch presenters to<br />
the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong>, and to work<br />
with some of the performing groups to provide more working<br />
sessions for teachers to watch them teach and see and hear the<br />
improvement. Some of our sessions include many different<br />
workshops on building and improving your rhythm section, how<br />
to set up your drumset, and more.<br />
We also have sessions on improvisation and jazz repertoire<br />
selection, and how to balance your ensemble to the top lead<br />
players. I would also like to publicly congratulate the following<br />
directors and ensembles for being selected to perform at our<br />
conference: Steven Foster and the Hickory Ridge High School Jazz<br />
Ensemble, Robert Johnston and the Ronald Reagan High School<br />
Jazz Ensemble I, and Patrick Brown and the Jazz Arts All Stars<br />
Combo from Charlotte.<br />
Here is a basic schedule for All-State Jazz auditions and Clinic.<br />
All-State Jazz<br />
• Clinic: April 12 – 13, <strong>NC</strong> State University<br />
• Registration Deadline: February 23<br />
• Video submissions due: March 6<br />
• Judging: March 7 – 11, results by March 12<br />
Thank you all for your love, support, and for teaching jazz<br />
in your schools. I know this will be another great year for jazz<br />
education. If I can do anything for you, please let me know!<br />
I sincerely hope the start to your school year is smooth and<br />
successful.<br />
32 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 33
Middle School Choral<br />
Emily Turner, Chair<br />
of <strong>Music</strong> Education Review. He earned his Ph.D. at Michigan<br />
State University, where he studied music education and choral<br />
conducting. His undergraduate and master’s degrees are from<br />
Vanderbilt University.<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> Performance Choirs<br />
Heritage Middle School – Mindy Cook, director<br />
Children’s Theater & Studio 1, Greensboro Youth Choir, Burlington<br />
Boys Choir, Roanoke Valley Children’s Choir, Alamance String<br />
Ensemble, All-District and All-State Bands, and attend U<strong>NC</strong>G<br />
Summer <strong>Music</strong> Camp.<br />
Aria Westbrook, director<br />
Aria Westbrook is currently in her 18 th year serving as choral<br />
director and general music educator at Hawfields Middle School.<br />
She holds a Bachelor of Science in music education from Elon<br />
University and a Master of <strong>Music</strong> in music education from U<strong>NC</strong><br />
Greensboro. She has been an active member of both NAfME and<br />
the North Carolina <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s Association since 2002. She<br />
has enjoyed leadership roles including Middle School Choral<br />
member at large, Middle School Choral new teacher mentoring<br />
chair, and <strong>NC</strong>MEA executive board secretary.<br />
I<br />
hope your school year got off to a wonderful start! It’s about<br />
this time in the fall when we get nestled into our routines and<br />
begin looking for a few new tools and tricks to bring some<br />
fresh ideas into our rehearsals. <strong>Conference</strong> is almost here and I’m<br />
confident there will be plenty of options to refresh your mind and<br />
refill your toolboxes!<br />
High School Choral chair Aleisa Baker and I have worked<br />
closely together to align and plan our conference sessions,<br />
highlighting the vast similarities of our sections, and offering<br />
sessions that will benefit choral music educators of both middle<br />
and high school levels. For the very few sessions that we don’t have<br />
planned together, we decided to really hone in on those few aspects<br />
of our sections that are different and offer section-specific sessions<br />
with you in mind!<br />
Specifically for our Middle School Choral <strong>Educator</strong>s, we’ll<br />
have two amazing reading sessions from Alfred, led by <strong>NC</strong>’s own<br />
Andy Beck, featuring, 2-Part Choral <strong>Music</strong> (not just for kids)<br />
and Choral Rep for Middle School Voices. Additionally, Choral<br />
executive board member Isaiah Cornelius will be sharing a special<br />
session with the middle school choral community about using<br />
Canva for Visually Inclusive Content.<br />
This conference, Aleisa and I decided to feature sessions that<br />
not only focus on new and best practices for your ensembles, but<br />
also in keeping your health and wellbeing at the forefront. Featured<br />
sessions include: Yoga and Wellness Practices for the <strong>Music</strong><br />
Classroom, Don’t Sabotage Rehearsals by Sacrificing Pedagogy,<br />
Your Voice Matters: Voice Care for <strong>Educator</strong>s, and Alexander<br />
Technique Practices for the Well-Being of All <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s.<br />
We also wanted to highlight meeting the needs of all students<br />
in our ensembles by scheduling: Strategies for Inclusion and<br />
Vocal Wellness for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming<br />
Choir Students, Reaching & Teaching Students with ADHD in<br />
the Ensemble Classroom, (re)sounding Joy: A Paradigm Shift<br />
for DEIA Work in Choral Spaces, and Making <strong>Music</strong> Education<br />
Accessible for the Visually Impaired and Print Disabled.<br />
These aren’t all the sessions that will be offered, but I hope<br />
these titles and the extended blurbs about our sessions in this<br />
journal will ignite your excitement and encourage you to clear your<br />
calendars to attend these incredible sessions! <strong>Conference</strong> is such a<br />
highlight of my year and I look forward to seeing you and learning<br />
along with you this fall!<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Middle School Honors Chorus<br />
The Middle School Honors Chorus will be conducted by<br />
Dr. Stuart Chapman Hill, who serves as the director of music<br />
education at Webster University in St. Louis. He was in our shoes<br />
not too long ago as both a North Carolina resident and middle<br />
school choral director at Northern Guilford Middle School<br />
in Guilford County. Planning this Honors Chorus experience<br />
with Hill has been such a delight! One of his great strengths is<br />
intentional repertoire planning, and each piece has a very specific<br />
and significant place in the overall program, from the composers<br />
and texts to the tempi and instrumentation. I can’t wait for our<br />
students to uncover all the treasures hidden in the repertoire as<br />
they work with him in rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday.<br />
We were able to commission a special piece, composed by Dr.<br />
Stuart Chapman Hill with text by North Carolinian poet and U<strong>NC</strong><br />
Greensboro graduate, Jordan Williams, for this year’s Honors<br />
Chorus. I was beaming when I heard the piece this summer, and I<br />
can’t wait to hear it performed with all those beautiful voices as Hill<br />
intended it to be!<br />
<strong>2023</strong> Middle School Honors Chorus Clinician<br />
Stuart Chapman Hill<br />
Stuart Chapman Hill, Ph.D., is director<br />
of music education and associate professor<br />
of music at Webster University in St.<br />
Louis, where he teaches courses in music<br />
education and songwriting, and conducts<br />
the treble-voice choir, Aurelia. In 2022, he<br />
won Webster’s William T. Kemper Award<br />
for Excellence in Teaching. He also is artistic<br />
director of CHARIS, the St. Louis Women’s<br />
Chorus devoted to celebrating and encouraging<br />
women and the LGBTQIA+ community.<br />
For six summers, he was a choral music instructor at the<br />
Governor’s School of North Carolina. Before moving into higher<br />
education, he taught middle school chorus in Greensboro. Hill is<br />
a choral composer and arranger whose works are published with<br />
Hinshaw, G. Schirmer, and Galaxy <strong>Music</strong>. His scholarship in the<br />
field of music education appears in the <strong>Journal</strong> of Research in <strong>Music</strong><br />
Education, Research Studies in <strong>Music</strong> Education, and the Philosophy<br />
The seventh and eighth grade chorus at Heritage Middle School<br />
is led by Mindy Cook, with co-direction from Karen Searcy and<br />
accompaniment by Barbara Buchanan. The choir consistently<br />
garners superior and excellent ratings at <strong>Music</strong> Performance<br />
Adjudication, <strong>Music</strong> in the Parks, and Carowinds Festival of<br />
<strong>Music</strong>. The students’ musical abilities shine through each year as<br />
they audition for, and are selected to take part in, the N.C. Honors<br />
Chorus, as well as participate in the Wingate Middle School Choral<br />
Celebration.<br />
The chorus displays an impressive range of repertoire, from<br />
Cherokee Hymns to Liberian Folk Songs, with performances<br />
featuring a variety of instruments played by both students and<br />
faculty members. Instruments such as fiddles, xylophones, nonpitched<br />
percussion, ukuleles, tone chimes, and student piano<br />
accompaniment are showcased. They are slated to perform at the<br />
Biltmore House in the Spring of 2024.<br />
Hawfields Middle School<br />
The Hawfields Middle School Advanced Choir is from Mebane,<br />
in Alamance County. Choir members regularly audition for, and<br />
participate in, <strong>NC</strong> Honors Chorus and All-State Choirs. They<br />
receive both superior and excellent ratings at Carowinds, <strong>Music</strong><br />
in the Parks Festivals, and MPA. In <strong>2023</strong>, the Hawfields Advanced<br />
Choir received straight superior ratings at the <strong>Music</strong> in the Parks<br />
Festival and were recipients of the Esprit de Corps award.<br />
The Hawfields Advanced Choir has been a featured concert<br />
choir at Elon University Choral Share, the Biltmore Estate, local<br />
churches, and in collaborative concerts with ABSS band, choral,<br />
and orchestral programs. Members of Hawfields Advanced<br />
Choir also participate in the school’s band, drumline, and world<br />
percussion ensemble programs. They also perform with Alamance<br />
Sessions<br />
Audiation is Everything: Growing Students’ Ears<br />
and Brains in the Choral Rehearsal, presented by<br />
Stuart Chapman Hill<br />
Independent musicianship is one of the main things music<br />
educators hope to help students cultivate. Well after they’ve<br />
graduated, will they be able to sing, play, think, and create on their<br />
own? The foundation of musicianship is audiation, and this session<br />
will help you think about making audiation the north star of your<br />
choral classroom. From warm-ups to music literacy to repertoire<br />
selection to rehearsal technique, how do we help students not only<br />
sing and perform, but truly audiate? Attend this session for new<br />
ways to think about choral musicianship and new ideas to try in<br />
your classroom right away!<br />
Make a Little <strong>Music</strong>: Choral Rep for Middle<br />
School Voices<br />
Looking for choral music that will engage your middle school<br />
singers and is also pedagogically appropriate? Join clinician Andy<br />
Beck in reading through a complimentary packet of new music<br />
designed specifically for developing singers. <strong>Music</strong> in this session<br />
will address your big concerns, like finding music for changing<br />
voices, balancing fun selections with educational repertoire,<br />
motivating students, and more. Come and make a little music with<br />
Alfred <strong>Music</strong>!<br />
Two-Part Choral: Not Just for Kids<br />
Two-part for any age! This session highlights carefully curated<br />
two-part selections that will appeal to everyone from fourthgraders<br />
just beginning their choral journey, to middle schoolers<br />
improving their technique, to high school students ready for review<br />
and refinement. Develop choral tone, reinforce harmony skills,<br />
focus on expressivity and musicality, and set your singers up for<br />
success with new two-part music from Alfred.<br />
Andy Beck<br />
Andy Beck received a bachelor’s in music<br />
education from Ithaca College and a master’s<br />
in music education from Northwest Missouri<br />
State University. He currently is the director<br />
of choral publications at Alfred <strong>Music</strong>. A<br />
prolific composer and arranger, he has over<br />
450 popular choral works, vocal resources,<br />
and children’s musicals currently in print,<br />
34 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 35
including the highly regarded method books: Sing at First Sight,<br />
Foundations in Choral Sight Singing, and Vocalize! 45 Vocal Warm-<br />
Ups That Teach Technique. He is in demand as a guest conductor,<br />
choreographer, adjudicator, and clinician for educators and<br />
students throughout the United States and beyond.<br />
Alexander Technique Practices for the Well-<br />
Being of All <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>s<br />
Our session is inspired by the words of Ram Dass, American<br />
philosopher and author, “The only thing you have to offer another<br />
human being, ever, is your own state of being”. This workshop<br />
focuses on strategies for developing and maintaining a “state of<br />
well-being” so educators are supported and resourced to give their<br />
best to their students. The session will utilize the principles and<br />
concepts developed and known today as the Alexander Technique.<br />
We will center awareness and movement practices for the music<br />
educator that bring about ease and well-being. These practices<br />
will be directly applicable and helpful to students in the classroom<br />
and on stage. The activities will be simultaneously calming,<br />
and energizing; address both body and mind, be regulating for<br />
the nervous system and accessible to all levels of ability. They<br />
are designed to bring about experiences of internal harmony,<br />
coherence, and outward presence to others during our teaching,<br />
rehearsing and performing activities.<br />
Corinne Cassini<br />
Corinne Cassini, B.M., M.M., M-ATI,<br />
a professionally trained cellist (Eastman,<br />
Shepherd School of <strong>Music</strong>, Utrecht<br />
School of the Arts), teaches the Alexander<br />
Technique as a senior lecturer at the Hayes<br />
School of <strong>Music</strong> at Appalachian State<br />
University and privately in Boone since<br />
2012. Following her certification from a<br />
traditional three-year Alexander teacher<br />
training in 2009, she spent two additional<br />
years under the guidance of Tommy Thompson, deepening her<br />
experience and understanding of the Alexander Technique as<br />
applied to performing artists while teaching privately in New York<br />
City and Boston. In 2015, she founded her own training school and<br />
started training Alexander teachers in Boone. She is also passionate<br />
about sharing the Alexander Technique more widely with teachers<br />
and educators so that they, in turn, can infuse their classrooms and<br />
students with the practices passed down from F.M. Alexander since<br />
the 1900s.<br />
Don’t Sabotage Rehearsals by Sacrificing<br />
Pedagogy<br />
Every one of us has stressed about how to cover technique,<br />
sight-reading, theory, etc. and still have time to prepare for<br />
upcoming performances. Learn some ways to incorporate your<br />
performance repertoire and the skills your repertoire requires<br />
in your warm-ups. Don’t sacrifice that time! Supercharge your<br />
rehearsals by focusing on pedagogy.<br />
Sarah Fawn McLamb<br />
Sarah Fawn McLamb is the new K – 12 fine arts teaching<br />
and learning specialist for Johnston County Public Schools.<br />
She made the move to the new position in February 2022, after<br />
over 20 years as a choral director, serving<br />
in<br />
elementary, middle, and high school<br />
positions. Her most recent choral program<br />
was at Corinth Holders High School in<br />
Wendell. Her choral ensembles at CHHS<br />
consistently earned excellent and superior<br />
ratings in performance and sight-reading and<br />
her show choirs won multiple awards in New<br />
York, Atlanta, and at Disney. Previous chair<br />
of the <strong>NC</strong>MEA High School All-State Choral<br />
Festival, she is currently serving as the Educational Activities chair<br />
on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA High School Choral executive board. She received<br />
her Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> from Meredith College, with a concentration<br />
in voice and a secondary in piano. She has been accepted into the<br />
Graduate School at U<strong>NC</strong> Pembroke and will begin working toward<br />
her Masters in School Administration in January.<br />
The Power of Canva: Creating Visually Inclusive<br />
Content<br />
Canva is THE online tool you should be using to create content,<br />
brand your music program, and use to make your life easier and<br />
more aesthetically pleasing. Consider attending this session if<br />
you’d like to take a deeper dive into how to utilize Canva in your<br />
program and learn more about making more visually inclusive<br />
content.<br />
Isaiah Cornelius<br />
Isaiah Cornelius is a native of Salisbury,<br />
where he began his journey as a musician.<br />
He was influenced and inspired by Jan Gore,<br />
who taught at South Rowan High School.<br />
He attended Wingate University where<br />
he earned his bachelor’s in K – 12 music<br />
education. His career began with Gaston<br />
County Schools, where he taught a host<br />
of students over the course of three years;<br />
collaboratively at Cramerton Middle School,<br />
South Point High School, and Highland School of Technology,<br />
officially at W.C. Friday Middle School. In 2020, he accepted a<br />
position at East Rowan High School, where he taught chorus and<br />
theater arts for two years. In 2022, he moved to Cabarrus County<br />
Schools, where he has worked to revitalize the choral program<br />
at J.N. Fries STEM Middle School. In addition to teaching, he is<br />
the director of music at Amity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte,<br />
where he works with the Amity Singers and Amity Ringers.<br />
Your Voice Matters: Voice Care for <strong>Educator</strong>s<br />
Many people, particularly those who use their voices<br />
extensively in their jobs, suffer from voice problems. Because<br />
teaching requires heavy voice use five days a week, with little room<br />
for voice recovery between tasks, teachers are at an especially high<br />
risk for developing a voice disorder. In fact, between fifty and<br />
seventy percent of all teachers will experience a voice problem at<br />
some point during their lifetimes. Such problems, even when mild,<br />
can have a significant impact on students’ ability to comprehend<br />
classroom information. Importantly, teacher’s mental well-being<br />
and work productivity are also negatively impacted. The good news<br />
is that developing a chronic voice problem is preventable. This<br />
PERFORMING ARTS<br />
For program information,<br />
scan the QR Code or visit<br />
methodist.edu/performing-arts<br />
WHERE<br />
MUSIC IS<br />
PERSONAL<br />
While our choirs,<br />
orchestra, and bands are<br />
amazing, the best part of<br />
MU <strong>Music</strong> is our people.<br />
At MU, you’ll have the opportunity to<br />
travel and perform in our community,<br />
state, country, and internationally, but<br />
you don’t have to be a music major to<br />
participate. All students – regardless of<br />
major – are encouraged to experience the<br />
transformative nature of the arts at MU!<br />
Whether you are a future artist, academic,<br />
or athlete who just loves to play, we<br />
welcome you to MU <strong>Music</strong>!<br />
methodist.edu | 910.630.7000<br />
5400 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, <strong>NC</strong> 28311<br />
36 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 37
session will include basic information about how the voice works,<br />
tips to maximize one’s voice during general and classroom use, and<br />
simple strategies to strengthen and maintain the voice.<br />
Kathryn Strickler<br />
Kathryn Strickler, a National Center for Voice and Speechtrained<br />
vocologist and current graduate student in communication<br />
sciences and disorders at Western Carolina University, received her<br />
B.A. in <strong>Music</strong> from Mars Hill College. She taught middle school<br />
music and chorus for fourteen years, predominantly in Buncombe<br />
County Schools. During this time, choirs under her direction<br />
consistently received superior ratings from large choral festivals,<br />
and students regularly participated in state and regional honor<br />
choirs. Her choral experience also includes children’s and adult<br />
church choir/handbells. Prompted by her own voice problems, she<br />
returned to school to learn more about the<br />
voice and its impact on daily living. She has<br />
since received clinical training at the Lion’s<br />
Voice Clinic at the University of Minnesota<br />
and will be training at the Duke Voice Care<br />
Center in Raleigh this spring.<br />
High School Choral<br />
Aleisa Baker, Chair<br />
Monday, November 6th, 11:15 – 12:45 pm<br />
Centenary United Methodist Church -- East Wing Commons<br />
Gather ♥ Dine ♥ Connect<br />
As music educators make their annual pilgrimage to Winston-Salem this November, we gather to break<br />
bread together during the <strong>NC</strong>MEA <strong>Conference</strong>. Since a large majority of <strong>NC</strong> ACDA members are also<br />
members of <strong>NC</strong>MEA, we host a luncheon to connect with one another and invite others to learn about our<br />
organization. Our state chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association is ready to serve you, as we<br />
are YOUR choral resource right here in <strong>NC</strong>.<br />
The majority of <strong>NC</strong> ACDA’s leadership will be on hand at this event to greet our guests and get to know<br />
you better. A highlight of the luncheon – besides the opportunity to visit with each other and meet new<br />
people -- will be to witness the announcement of our next Lara Hoggard Award Recipient, and the third<br />
annual <strong>NC</strong> Choral Impact and Artistry Award.<br />
Even if your conference schedule is tight, one can quickly walk the 1½ blocks from the Benton Convention<br />
Center to the church, and if the weather is bad we will offer FREE Shuttle Service to and from the<br />
Convention Center for 15 minutes prior and after the Luncheon. The newer East Wing meeting space is<br />
CLOSER to the Convention Center, and Steven’s Center is equidistant from the church and convention<br />
center to attend the choral concert immediately after the luncheon. Also, as a perk for non-members to<br />
attend, we are holding a drawing for some free memberships!<br />
We hope you will plan to come -- and invite a friend or colleague to join you! Mrs. Pumpkins will once<br />
again cater food. You can order your lunch online ahead of time for $16 each; lunches are also sold “at<br />
the door” for $20 per person (as space and food are available). All payments are final and there are no<br />
refunds.<br />
Online Registration is open through Wednesday, November 1st; however, we encourage you to join<br />
us and pay at the door in case you forget. Cash, check, or card will be accepted. We hope you will join<br />
us! --Anne Saxon, Luncheon Chair<br />
As the new year starts for many of us, I could not be more<br />
excited to introduce choral music to a new slate of students.<br />
There is something about singing together as an ensemble<br />
for the first time... that intrinsic rush of the harmonies and<br />
alignment of voices is irreplaceable. Then, as the semester wanes<br />
on, the desire to recharge and refuel our engines to finish strong<br />
bubbles to the top.<br />
Personally, that is what the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional Development<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> does for me. While I appreciate the reminder of<br />
things I may have forgotten or have let fall by the wayside, I deeply<br />
value the opportunity to be a lifelong learner and add tools to<br />
my teaching arsenal. And of course, no doubt, the reconnection<br />
and social time spent with friends and colleagues that share my<br />
love of music is a core part of the joyful experience of <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
conference!<br />
This year, I am thrilled to share the many wonderful sessions<br />
being offered for you. The Middle School and High School Choral<br />
Sections have joined forces to present a balanced slate of presenters<br />
that is often applicable to both high school and middle school<br />
choral educators.<br />
The conference kicks off with our top choral students in North<br />
Carolina performing with the N.C. Honors Chorus. This year,<br />
our guest conductor is Dr. Andrew Crane, from Brigham Young<br />
University. He will also present a session alongside Dr. Jami<br />
Rhodes, The Game Changer: Are we missing the obvious? A<br />
frank and radical look at our singers’ vocal technique. You don’t<br />
want to miss this!<br />
In addition, we will cover many topics vital to our professional<br />
growth. You will be able to attend sessions about teacher vocal<br />
health, digital skills specific to the choral classroom, the Alexander<br />
Technique, working inside the ‘<strong>Music</strong>al Gray’, building a gospel<br />
choir from scratch, yoga and wellness practices and new (or newer)<br />
literature for the younger, emerging singers as well as ‘Open Class’<br />
options for High School MPA.<br />
We will also host our annual membership meeting and new<br />
teacher meeting. Don’t forget the training for MPA adjudicators,<br />
both in performance and sightreading. If you were one of the first<br />
groups certified in 2019, it is time to renew your certification!<br />
We are also excited to highlight two high school choirs and<br />
one collegiate choir on Monday afternoon. Please join us to hear<br />
beautiful performances by Colla Voce from Holly Springs High<br />
School, under the direction of Jenny Patchett; Central Cabarras<br />
High School Chamber Choir under the direction of Ethan Price;<br />
and The U<strong>NC</strong> Wilmington Chamber Singers, under the direction<br />
of Dr. Aaron Peisner.<br />
I look forward to seeing each of you November 4 – 7 to grow<br />
our profession of choral music education and to instill the love of<br />
choral music in the next generation!<br />
Guest Conductor<br />
Dr. Andrew Crane<br />
Andrew Crane joined the BYU faculty<br />
in 2015, where his main duties include<br />
conducting the Brigham Young University<br />
Singers and teaching courses in the graduate<br />
conducting curriculum. Previous to this<br />
appointment, he served for four years as<br />
director of choral activities at East Carolina<br />
University, and six years in the same<br />
position at California State University, San<br />
Bernardino. He is also the former choral director at Provo High<br />
School. Choirs under his direction have appeared by invitation at<br />
numerous state, regional, and national conferences.<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> Performance Choirs<br />
Central Cabarrus High School Chamber Choir<br />
The Central Cabarrus High School Chamber Choir is the most<br />
selective choral ensemble that is offered at the school. Comprised<br />
of primarily juniors and seniors, Chamber Choir consistently<br />
receives superior ratings at MPA. The singers are also selected<br />
for N.C. High School Honors Chorus, Mars Hill Choral Festival,<br />
Wingate All-Carolina Select Choir, and participate in the Cabarrus<br />
All-County Chorus Festival annually. The CCHS Chamber Choir<br />
is an integral part of their performing arts community, receiving<br />
regular invitations to sing at county and regional events.<br />
38 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 39
Ethan Price<br />
Ethan L. Price is in his tenth year as<br />
choral director at Central Cabarrus High<br />
School in Concord. He currently serves as<br />
a member-at-large on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA High<br />
School Choral board. He regularly performs<br />
with the Charlotte Master Chorale and<br />
Chamber Singers, and he serves as the music<br />
director at Konnoak Hills Moravian Church in<br />
Winston-Salem. A graduate of Alexander Central High School in<br />
Taylorsville, he holds Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> degrees in music education<br />
and vocal performance from the U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro.<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Wilmington Chamber Singers<br />
The U<strong>NC</strong> Wilmington Chamber Singers is the school’s premier<br />
vocal ensemble, consisting of singers from disciplines across<br />
campus. Recent highlights include performances of major works<br />
such as the Duruflé Requiem, Benjamin Britten’s “Rejoice in the<br />
Lamb,” and the Mozart “Credo” Mass, folk music from the Balkan<br />
and Caucasus regions, and the commission and premiere of Hilary<br />
Purrington’s a cappella choral work, “Look Out for Squalls”. In<br />
March 2022, the school’s choirs established the High School Choir<br />
Invitational, now an annual tradition, showcasing high school<br />
choirs from the Cape Fear region and beyond.<br />
Aaron Peisner<br />
Aaron Peisner is the director of choral<br />
activities at U<strong>NC</strong> Wilmington, where<br />
he conducts the Chamber Singers and<br />
University Chorale, and teaches choral<br />
music education, aural skills, conducting,<br />
and voice. Previously, he served as interim<br />
director of choirs at Goucher College in<br />
Towson, Md. He is the artistic director of the<br />
Cape Fear Chorale, an auditioned community<br />
choir based in Wilmington. He is also the chorus master for<br />
Opera Wilmington, and previously served as chorus master for<br />
the Maryland Opera Studio. A bass-baritone, Peisner is a founding<br />
member of the newly-formed chamber choir, Wilmington Voices.<br />
He sang professionally in the DC-Baltimore area, including as a<br />
staff singer in the Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine. He<br />
serves as co-chair of <strong>NC</strong> ACDA’s All-Collegiate Festival Chorus,<br />
and maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and<br />
clinician. He received his B.A. in music from Wesleyan University,<br />
his M.M. in choral conducting from Yale University, and his<br />
D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Maryland.<br />
Holly Springs High School Colla Voce<br />
Colla Voce is the auditioned advanced ensemble at Holly<br />
Springs High School. It is comprised of eleventh and twelfth<br />
graders. They have established a strong tradition of excellent<br />
choral singing through consistently receiving superior and gold<br />
ratings at state and national choral festivals. They have performed<br />
for two state conferences, at Carnegie Hall and for the London<br />
International Choral Festival. The students are dedicated musicians<br />
who love to sing a variety of choral repertoire. In addition to<br />
participating in many choral festivals and music camps, the<br />
students are involved in sports, student government, dance, theatre<br />
and community service.<br />
Sessions<br />
Working in the <strong>Music</strong>al Gray<br />
When we take a choir to MPA, a festival, or a competition, it is<br />
so easy to worry that if we make a decision to put in a crescendo,<br />
take a ritard, or give more rubato where it isn’t written in on the<br />
music, we will lose points and the adjudicator will lower our score.<br />
However, this session is to demonstrate two major ideas: it is okay<br />
to add more musicality than what is on the page, as long as you<br />
have the background knowledge and reasoning to back up the<br />
choice, and the choices you make may be different than another<br />
director’s choices and different than the choice the adjudicator<br />
would make, but that’s okay too. Better to make a beautiful musical<br />
choice, than do nothing at all. Jenny Patchett will show, with a<br />
demonstration choir and guest conductors, how to accomplish<br />
both of these ideas.<br />
Jenny Patchett<br />
Jenny Patchett, originally from<br />
Charlotte, earned her Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> in<br />
vocal performance and her Master of Arts<br />
in teaching for music education from U<strong>NC</strong><br />
Chapel Hill. She is in her thirteenth year<br />
as choral director of Holly Springs High<br />
School. Prior to that, she taught general<br />
music at Hilburn Drive Elementary School.<br />
She is a member of ACDA and NAfME. Her<br />
choirs have performed for various national and international<br />
competitions and festivals, consistently earning superior ratings.<br />
She also serves on the <strong>NC</strong>MEA High School Choral board as chair<br />
elect. Her philosophy of teaching is to build a community where<br />
students can learn, grow and build strong character, and where<br />
they feel they belong while making beautiful music and developing<br />
the life skill of being kind humans.<br />
Actually Useful Technology & Methods<br />
There are many different technology platforms, tools, and<br />
programs designed to engage technology-saturated students in<br />
the music-learning process and make the job of teaching easier.<br />
This session aims to give teachers the most practical and successful<br />
technology tools for the choral classroom, as well as present<br />
best use methods for each. The tools provided in the session will<br />
help empower not only the teacher in using technology but also<br />
empower the students in the music learning process.<br />
AJ Calpo<br />
AJ Calpo is the chorus director and<br />
piano instructor at Sun Valley High School<br />
and is in his eighth year of teaching. He<br />
serves as technology chair for the <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
High School Choral Section, social media<br />
manager and Young Artist in Residence<br />
coordinator for the Charlotte Master<br />
Chorale, and is a committee member for the<br />
North Carolina ACDA’s Diversity, Equity,<br />
and Inclusion committee. He studied music education at Wingate<br />
University under the direction of Drs. Kenney Potter and Nana<br />
Wolfe-Hill.<br />
(re)sounding Joy: A Paradigm Shift for DEIA<br />
Work in Choral Spaces<br />
Utilizing a trauma-informed approach, this session will address<br />
equity through programming by highlighting repertoire written by<br />
historically excluded composers. Attendees will gain strategies for<br />
reframing or replacing potentially triggering or trauma-centered<br />
music (and other harmful practices in choral spaces) and expand<br />
singers’ awareness and understanding, through repertoire, of other<br />
cultures. While still centering on historically excluded voices, this<br />
session will help participants shift their DEIA practices to create a<br />
more welcoming, safe, and joy-centered choral space.<br />
Alyssa Cossey<br />
Dr. Alyssa J. Cossey (she/her) is a<br />
conductor, singer, educator, and scholar. She<br />
is a contributing author for a new choral<br />
text on women composers (edited by Hilary<br />
Apfelstadt), an inaugural member of the<br />
professional women’s choir, mirabai, a <strong>2023</strong><br />
finalist for the Dale Warland American Prize<br />
in Conducting, and is currently serving as<br />
associate director of choral activities at Coastal<br />
Carolina University. Before relocating to the East Coast, she was<br />
an assistant professor of choral music at the University of Arizona<br />
and prior to that, she taught both middle and high school choir in<br />
Southern California for nearly a decade. Cossey holds a D.M.A.<br />
from Michigan State University, an M.M. from California State<br />
University, Fullerton, and a B.A. from California State Polytechnic<br />
University, Pomona. For additional information or DEI and<br />
classroom resources, please visit www.alyssacossey.com.<br />
Reaching and Teaching Students with ADHD in<br />
the Ensemble Classroom<br />
<strong>Music</strong> educators know the students who enter our classrooms<br />
bring diverse needs and varied skill sets. For some students,<br />
those needs and skill sets allow them to thrive in an ensemble<br />
setting. However, students with ADHD may struggle with the<br />
expectations and unique environment of a school ensemble. Every<br />
individual’s contribution matters in the ensemble setting, and<br />
music educators must be sure they’re reaching each student in<br />
the group. This session debunks myths and outdated information<br />
about ADHD so ensemble directors can identify and apply effective<br />
strategies for helping students with ADHD find success in their<br />
classrooms. From proactive classroom management strategies to<br />
pedagogical techniques, attendees will gain practical strategies for<br />
supporting students with ADHD, and all learners, in navigating the<br />
uniqueness of middle and high school ensemble classrooms.<br />
Becky Marsh<br />
Becky Marsh is the assistant professor of<br />
choral music education at Butler University,<br />
where she teaches introductory and choral<br />
music education courses, ukulele and guitar,<br />
supervises student teachers, and leads<br />
Spectra, the university’s treble choir. In 2020,<br />
she was recognized as Butler’s Outstanding<br />
Professor of the Year in Teaching and<br />
in 2022, was named the Indiana <strong>Music</strong><br />
Education Association’s Outstanding Collegiate <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong>.<br />
She holds the Doctor of Philosophy in music education from<br />
Michigan State University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees<br />
in music education as well as a post-baccalaureate certificate<br />
in music theory from U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro. Prior to working in<br />
higher education, she taught high school choral music in North<br />
Carolina, where she also served as the musical director for a<br />
K – 12 community youth theater. She frequently serves as a choral<br />
clinician and adjudicator, and she is published in state, national,<br />
and international journals. Additionally, she sings and tours as a<br />
member of the professional women’s ensemble, mirabai.<br />
Make A Joyful Noise: Building A Gospel Choir<br />
From Scratch!<br />
At the outset of the 20 th century, gospel music exploded onto<br />
the American musical landscape, becoming one of the defining<br />
genres of American music. Trailblazers such as Thomas A Dorsey<br />
and Mahalia Jackson were at the forefront of this movement, and<br />
helped to pave a way for this unique, full-throated, Holy Ghostfilled<br />
style of singing that proclaimed the Good News! A century<br />
later, we remain transfixed by this style of music and its charismatic<br />
display of emotion, but are often lost on how we can create a<br />
similar experience in our own worlds. This interactive session will<br />
be divided into three parts: history, theory, and practice. Through<br />
an understanding of the history of gospel music, we will explore<br />
the structure of this style as it pertains to choral singing, including<br />
its triadic harmonies, tone quality and color, and effective methods<br />
of instruction.<br />
Dr. Danté Webb<br />
Dr. Danté S. Webb is a charismatic music<br />
educator, conductor, and clinician. He is the<br />
associate director of choral activities and<br />
assistant professor of choral music education<br />
at Wingate University, where he conducts<br />
the Advanced Treble Ensemble and Cantar<br />
(tenor-bass ensemble). He also teaches<br />
undergraduate courses in choral conducting<br />
and music education. Prior to his appointment<br />
at Wingate University, Dr. Webb was associate director of choral<br />
activities at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Miss.,<br />
and choral director at Southwind High School in Memphis, Tenn.<br />
Ensembles under his tutelage have collaborated with Grammy<br />
award winning artists CeCe Winans, Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, and<br />
Le’Andria Johnson and have also performed at state conferences.<br />
He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in music education with a<br />
40 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 41
concentration in choral conducting from Florida State University<br />
and two degrees from The University of Memphis (M.M. and B.M.<br />
in choral music education).<br />
Trans Voices: Strategies for Inclusion and<br />
Vocal Wellness for Transgender and Gender<br />
Nonconforming Choir Students<br />
Learner Outcomes<br />
1. Understanding anatomy and physiology of trans voices.<br />
2. Acquire communication strategies to promote inclusion and<br />
vocal wellness for trans students in the classroom.<br />
3. Identify and overcome classroom barriers to inclusion and<br />
participation for trans students.<br />
Jacob Wright<br />
Jacob Wright, M.M., M.A., CF-SLP is<br />
currently employed at the UAB Voice<br />
Center, specializing in the evaluation<br />
and treatment of voice and upper airway<br />
disorders and gender-affirming voice care.<br />
Holding advanced degrees in singing, he<br />
brings a long performance career in classical<br />
music and musical theatre to his work with<br />
performing voice and gender-affirming voice<br />
care. He has presented at local, regional, and national conventions<br />
in the areas of gender-affirming voice, vocal health for performing<br />
voice, voice and upper airway disorders, and diversity in the<br />
speech and hearing professions. He completed the M.A. in speechlanguage<br />
pathology at the U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro, an M.M. in vocal<br />
performance from the University of Michigan, and the professional<br />
artist certificate at the AJ Fletcher Opera Institute.<br />
Emerging Voices: Repertoire and Techniques for<br />
Developing High School Choirs<br />
Enhance the sound and abilities of beginning to intermediate<br />
high school choirs through thoughtful techniques and repertoire<br />
that will set them up for success. If there is a choir of developing<br />
singers available, the clinician will work with the choir on<br />
predetermined music. The clinician will help the attendees listen<br />
for vocal challenges and how to modify them in an encouraging,<br />
supportive manner. The repertoire chosen will invite opportunities<br />
for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom.<br />
Attendees will receive packets of music that they will be able to<br />
follow along with as the clinician demonstrates techniques to<br />
enhance the choir’s sound and musicianship.<br />
Kenney Potter<br />
After teaching at the middle school,<br />
high school, and university level for thirty<br />
years, Kenney Potter recently transitioned<br />
to a new role in music education as editor<br />
of school and concert music for ECS<br />
Publishing Group. For eighteen years, he<br />
taught choral music and music education<br />
courses at Wingate University, where his<br />
choirs received wide-spread acclaim locally and internationally.<br />
For the past eight years, he has served as conductor and artistic<br />
director of the Charlotte Master Chorale. As a performer, he<br />
has been a featured soloist in Carnegie Hall, and was choir<br />
soloist for the Grammy-winning Oregon Bach Festival choir,<br />
as well as the International Bach Academy, conducted by<br />
Helmuth Rilling. In addition to his work at ECS Publishing and<br />
with the Chorale, he serves as choral conductor at Covenant<br />
Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.<br />
TOP TEN REASONS TO VISIT<br />
THE EXHIBIT HALL<br />
10. Plan your program’s trips<br />
9. Design your spirit wear<br />
8. See new technology in action<br />
7. Connect with college and university music<br />
programs<br />
6. Free samples and swag<br />
5. Try out instruments and equipment<br />
4. Select music literature<br />
3. Pick your fundraisers<br />
2. Make purchases for the school year<br />
1. Visit with colleagues and friends!<br />
Technology<br />
This conference is going to be special for technology. We are<br />
excited to have some outstanding speakers and presenters<br />
for you. Howie is almost giddy as he types these words.<br />
First, we will have Dustin Ragland from Ableton. Ragland is<br />
transitioning from being the brand manager for North America to<br />
being an educational developer for Ableton. His team is working<br />
on developing educational curriculum for classrooms all over the<br />
world. Ableton’s flagship software is called Live. Live is another<br />
instrument that is powerful. This is the same software that Trent<br />
Reznor uses to write with. If you don’t know who Trent Reznor<br />
is, think Nine Inch Nails and the sound tracks for many major<br />
motion pictures. If you want your students to think in phrases, use<br />
this software. This is how it thinks. He is coming to give the basic<br />
lecture, and you can get Live in your classroom for free.<br />
We will have Jelani Harris from South Carolina. He is the head<br />
of the education committee for the Audio Engineering Society<br />
(AES) of the Carolinas. Harris is a Grammy Award nominee with<br />
his work on Gerald Albright’s latest album. He is going to talk to us<br />
about how to make our arrangements sound better. He comes to us<br />
through a partnership with the AES education committee. Harris<br />
serves as a mentor to many students, and has worked with at risk<br />
youth programs. He is a wealth of knowledge. You do not want to<br />
miss this.<br />
Fred Johnson teaches in the music productions and recording<br />
arts program at Elon University. He is a member of the education<br />
committee for AES International. He is presenting a clinic on<br />
what he does at the collegiate level, where he teaches a basic music<br />
production class, and some of his students end up in traditional<br />
music like band, choir, and orchestra from little to no experience<br />
at all. He will show you what he does to make these students<br />
successful.<br />
Scott Casagrande will be giving a clinic on Artistic and<br />
Systemic Motivations to Shorten the Student Learning Curve.<br />
He was the director of bands at John Hersey High School in<br />
Arlington Heights, Ill. He retired in 2021. Casagrande received 22<br />
Citation of Excellence Awards from the National Band Association<br />
and he has been recognized for excellence by President Barack<br />
Obama. He was the 2021 John Paynter Lifetime Achievement<br />
Award recipient for the Chicagoland Outstanding <strong>Music</strong> <strong>Educator</strong><br />
Awards.<br />
Howie Ledford, Chair<br />
Barb Vinal is going to give three great presentations. She is an<br />
instructional coach with Wake County Public Schools, and was an<br />
elementary music teacher for a number of years, as well as the chair<br />
of the music technology committee. I always find her clinics to be<br />
informative and useful.<br />
Finally, our committee and others who submitted for the<br />
Technology Section have come up with some fantastic offerings<br />
of our own. Every time I sit in on a peer’s clinic, I am dazzled and<br />
amazed at the resources we have in North Carolina. I believe I<br />
chair the smartest group of people in <strong>NC</strong>MEA. When you attend<br />
their clinics, you will find out why. Please attend all the clinics by<br />
the following people:<br />
Julian Wilson,<br />
Justin Dickson,<br />
Amber Houk,<br />
Amber Mattatall,<br />
Chad Cygan, and<br />
Howell. D. Ledford, Jr.<br />
We have all aimed to give you clinics that can be used in your<br />
classroom the next day.<br />
On a personal note from Howie, thank you for reading this<br />
over the past seven years. I am rolling off as committee co-chair.<br />
Julian will still be the chair of the <strong>Music</strong> Technology committee. I<br />
appreciate the kind words and thoughts you have given me over the<br />
years. It has been a blast! Thank you to my committee. You have<br />
been a dream.<br />
I look forward to seeing everyone at conference in November.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Howell D. Ledford and Julian Wilson<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Technology Co-Chairs<br />
42 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 43
Band<br />
Greetings, North Carolina Bandmasters! I hope your year<br />
is off to a great start. I was energized by all the great social<br />
media posts by <strong>NC</strong>BA members celebrating the first day<br />
of school. For some of you this is your first year of teaching – a<br />
time to finally lead a program of your own, and for others this<br />
may be your 30 th year, and you’re still expanding your musical and<br />
pedagogical horizons.<br />
One of the great strengths of our profession is that we are<br />
constantly learning and growing, and with that comes a fulfillment<br />
that is like no other. Our newest teachers have a lot of fresh<br />
perspectives to offer and our saged teachers bring tremendous<br />
experience and wisdom to the table. I encourage us to come<br />
together and work to bridge any collaborative gaps that may exist<br />
within our professional community. It is important to recognize<br />
that we each have something to offer and conversely we all have<br />
areas to improve. Some of my favorite professional interactions<br />
have come from the most unexpected people, places and events.<br />
When we keep an open mind and assume people are doing their<br />
best while remaining positive and encouraging, relationships are<br />
strengthened, trust is built, and our best work gets done.<br />
I encourage you to make plans to attend the <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
Professional Development <strong>Conference</strong>, November 4 – 7, in<br />
Winston-Salem. We have an amazing line-up of concerts,<br />
presentations and collaborative opportunities. Highlights include<br />
a three-part series by nationally respected band director and<br />
author, Sally Wagner. She explores tips, suggestions and friendly<br />
advice to inspire you to achieve your full potential and help to<br />
transform the everyday job of teaching into a series of rewarding<br />
and memorable moments. She will share hard-won lessons,<br />
highly creative solutions, and moments of celebration during an<br />
illustrious 40-year career in which she was propelled to national<br />
prominence and received dozens of honors and awards.<br />
We will also host the 2020 Grammy <strong>Educator</strong> Winner, Mickey<br />
Smith, Jr. He will serve as keynote speaker and presenter for<br />
the band section through his motivational mixture of music<br />
and message. He blends the roles of educator and entertainer<br />
to create a dynamic professional development experience that<br />
entertains, educates and elevates everyone to excellence. Concerts<br />
will be presented by The John Brown “Little” Big Band, The<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro Wind Ensemble, Green Level High School,<br />
Cuthbertson Middle School, Ronald W. Reagan High School, and<br />
Jim Kirkpatrick, Chair<br />
Harris Road Middle School, along with the first ever <strong>NC</strong>MEA<br />
Intercollegiate Honor Band, conducted by Michael Haithcock,<br />
retired director of bands at University of Michigan. You will not<br />
want to miss this along with more than 20 other phenomenal<br />
workshop presenters that will provide tremendous insights, ideas,<br />
strategies and inspiration for you.<br />
As always, please feel free to reach out to me or any other<br />
<strong>NC</strong>BA leadership team members. We serve you without<br />
reservation. Have a great year, and I’ll see you at <strong>Conference</strong>!<br />
<strong>Conference</strong> Performance Choirs<br />
Cuthbertson Middle School<br />
Cuthbertson Middle School opened in August 2009, and since<br />
then, the instrumental music program has challenged students to<br />
pursue a musical journey of excellence. Today, the instrumental<br />
music program continues to experience success, as middle school<br />
concert bands have consistently earned superior ratings at local,<br />
district and regional music festivals.<br />
Students participate regularly in All-County Band, District<br />
Honor Band, All-State Honors Band, and Solo and Ensemble<br />
Festival. Students participate in the “Free Melodies” mentor<br />
program. The Honor Band is made up of students in grades 6 – 8<br />
and rehearses twice a week after school.<br />
In 2012 and 2017 the Cuthbertson Middle School eighth<br />
grade band performed at the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Professional Development<br />
<strong>Conference</strong>. In 2014, the band commissioned the piece “Brave<br />
Spirit” from composer Randall Standridge. The eighth grade band<br />
travels annually to perform in Orlando, and in 2015 and 2017 at<br />
the Festival Disney competition. In 2017, the Cuthbertson eighth<br />
grade band was a performing ensemble at UGA Midfest, and in<br />
2019 and 2022 they performed at the <strong>Music</strong> for All Southeastern<br />
Regional Festival. The Cuthbertson bands are also regular<br />
performing groups at the Carowinds <strong>Music</strong> Festival.<br />
Katie Ebert<br />
Katie Ebert is the director of bands at<br />
Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw.<br />
Under her baton, the middle school<br />
program has grown to a current enrollment<br />
of approximately 330 music students. The<br />
Cuthbertson Middle School concert bands<br />
have consistently earned superior ratings at<br />
local, district and regional music festivals<br />
since the school’s opening in 2009.<br />
Ebert is in her 20 th year teaching. A graduate of Lassiter High<br />
School in Marietta, Ga., she holds a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> Education<br />
and a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> Performance from Armstrong Atlantic<br />
State University in Savannah, and a Master of <strong>Music</strong> Education<br />
from Western Carolina University. She is a four time award<br />
recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence<br />
and was recognized as Cuthbertson Middle School’s Teacher of the<br />
Year in 2016 – 2017. She has served as a district representative on<br />
the state MPA committee, currently serves as the South Central<br />
District Solo and Ensemble chair, and as chair for the Union<br />
County Bandmasters Association.<br />
Green Level High School<br />
Composed primarily of juniors and seniors, the wind ensemble<br />
is the most advanced of the curricular ensembles at Green Level<br />
High School. They proudly perform music written by diverse<br />
composers from around the world, representing the diverse<br />
student population that encompasses Green Level High and its<br />
band program.<br />
In its fifth year since the school’s opening, the Green Level<br />
Wind Ensemble has earned superior ratings at MPAs. Numerous<br />
students of the wind ensemble, symphonic band, and concert<br />
band perform in honor bands and other community ensembles<br />
such as the Triangle Youth Philharmonic, Triangle Youth Brass<br />
Band, and the Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble. In the 2022 – <strong>2023</strong><br />
school year, 52 Green Level band students placed into the ECDBA<br />
All-District Band and 13 into the <strong>NC</strong> All-State Honors Band.<br />
With the core mission of developing students into respectful,<br />
professional leaders who strive for excellence, the Green Level<br />
band program has grown exponentially to over 160 students in its<br />
short existence.<br />
Brian Myers<br />
Brian Myers is the past chair of the East Central District<br />
Bandmasters Association. He has served as the director of bands at<br />
Green Level High School since the school opened in 2019. Before<br />
that, he was the director of bands at Green Hope High School.<br />
He completed his undergraduate degree in music education from<br />
East Carolina University in May 2004, and<br />
his Master of <strong>Music</strong> Education from Boston<br />
University in September 2007. In November<br />
2010, he became a National Board Certified<br />
Teacher and renewed his certification in<br />
October 2020.<br />
Myers has conducted the Craven,<br />
Johnston, Lincoln, Onslow, and Randolph<br />
All-County Bands and the Blue Band at the<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Wilmington Honor Band Festival. He has been a conductor<br />
for the U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro and ECU summer music camps. He was<br />
the 2014 – 2015 Green Hope High School Teacher of the Year and<br />
the 2015 Central District Bandmasters’ Association Band Director<br />
of the Year. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award by the<br />
Cary Chamber of Commerce in May 2018.<br />
Harris Road Middle School<br />
The Harris Road Middle School concert bands have<br />
consistently earned superior ratings at local, district, and regional<br />
music festivals. Under Leah Pfeiffer’s baton the band program has<br />
a consistent enrollment of over 300 students.<br />
Leah Pfeiffer<br />
Leah Pfeiffer holds a Bachelor of<br />
Science in music education from Elon<br />
University and is in her 13 th year of teaching<br />
public school. Her ensembles continue<br />
to experience success earning consistent<br />
and consecutive superior ratings with her<br />
separate sixth, seventh, and eighth grade<br />
bands participating in MPAs. In 2017,<br />
she was named the 2017 – 2018 Teacher of the<br />
Year. In 2018, she had the honor of being the recipient of the<br />
ASBDA Edgar Q. Rooker Encore Award. In 2021, Pfeiffer helped<br />
found the <strong>NC</strong> chapter of Women Band Directors International,<br />
serving as vice president, while also becoming a National Board<br />
Certified Teacher. She currently serves as the middle school MPA<br />
representative for the South-Central Bandmasters Association.<br />
Amelia Coger<br />
Amelia Coger is in her third year of<br />
teaching at Harris Road Middle School.<br />
She earned her Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong> in music<br />
education and her Masters of Arts in<br />
teaching from Lenoir-Rhyne University.<br />
She has worked with numerous high school<br />
marching bands in the Charlotte area,<br />
aiding in their design, visual and music<br />
programs. She continues to be a clinician<br />
44 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 45
with local high school bands.<br />
From 2016 – 2019, Coger toured the United States with the<br />
world class drum and bugle corps, Phantom Regiment and Colts.<br />
She performed for thousands of people in various stadiums.<br />
Her primary instrument is trumpet, but she has a passion for all<br />
musical instruments. She continues to play professionally and also<br />
teaches private trumpet lessons.<br />
Reagan High School<br />
The Ronald Wilson Reagan High School band program is a<br />
comprehensive music education program located in Pfafftown.<br />
With over two hundred band students enrolled, the program<br />
enjoys three concert bands and two jazz ensembles scheduled<br />
during the school day as year-long classes. Extra-curricular<br />
offerings include the award-winning “Band of Raiders” marching<br />
band, symphony orchestra, winterguard, and robust small<br />
ensembles.<br />
Notable performances include Chicago Symphony’s Orchestra<br />
Hall (<strong>2023</strong>), Carnegie Hall (2022), <strong>NC</strong>MEA <strong>Conference</strong> (2015,<br />
2018, and 2019), and the London New Years Parade (2014).<br />
The band has earned consistent superior ratings at <strong>NC</strong>BA MPA<br />
events including grade VI/masterwork level music. Students<br />
are consistently well-represented in county, district, state, and<br />
national honors bands and orchestras. Reagan High School has<br />
an enrollment of 2,200 students and has performed in the top one<br />
percent of <strong>NC</strong> schools in end of course test scores since 2018.<br />
Robert Johnston<br />
Robert Johnston is currently in his 19 th year<br />
of teaching and is the director of bands at<br />
Ronald Reagan High School. He is a 2005<br />
graduate of Western Carolina University<br />
and a 2021 graduate of Queens University<br />
of Charlotte. He earned numerous superior<br />
ratings at <strong>NC</strong>BA/<strong>NC</strong>MEA MPA events in<br />
concert band and jazz. His wind ensembles<br />
have earned superior ratings in the grade<br />
VI/masterworks level of music and have performed at Carnegie<br />
Hall and Chicago Symphony Hall.<br />
Other notable performances of his include the 2016 National<br />
Pearl Harbor Parade, 2018 National Independence Day Parade,<br />
the 2022 John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival, and<br />
the North Carolina <strong>Music</strong> Ambassadors performances in Europe<br />
during the summer of <strong>2023</strong>. In the spring of 2021, Johnston<br />
received the Award of Excellence for the Northwest District<br />
Bandmasters Association and in the spring of <strong>2023</strong>, was awarded<br />
the Award of Excellence for the <strong>NC</strong>MEA Western Region Jazz<br />
Section.<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro<br />
Founded in 1938, the U<strong>NC</strong>G bands are among the finest<br />
collegiate band programs in the United States and dedicated to<br />
the performance, study, and cultivation of wind band music of<br />
the highest quality. The U<strong>NC</strong>G wind ensemble is a select concert<br />
band of approximately fifty performers within the U<strong>NC</strong>G School<br />
of <strong>Music</strong> from first-year students through master’s and doctoral<br />
students.<br />
They have enjoyed a distinguished record of performance.<br />
The band has performed across the United States and Europe in<br />
venues that include the <strong>Music</strong> Center at Strathmore, the Kennedy<br />
Center, Lincoln Center, and Dvořák Hall.<br />
The band’s legacy of highly acclaimed recordings includes<br />
nineteen albums released between 1995 and 2015. The band’s<br />
latest recording project, The Centennial Collection, is a celebration<br />
of the U<strong>NC</strong>G School of <strong>Music</strong>’s centennial (1921 – 2021). With<br />
115 tracks totaling 11 hours of music, this new collection includes<br />
material from the U<strong>NC</strong>G wind ensemble’s history that was<br />
previously unavailable in digital form, as well as several recent<br />
recording projects.<br />
Jonathan Caldwell<br />
Jonathan Caldwell is director of bands<br />
and assistant professor of conducting at<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Greensboro, where he conducts<br />
the wind ensemble and symphonic band<br />
and teaches undergraduate and graduate<br />
conducting. Prior to his appointment at<br />
U<strong>NC</strong>G, he held positions at Virginia Tech,<br />
the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point,<br />
and Garner Magnet High School.<br />
His writings have been published in the <strong>Journal</strong> of Band<br />
Research and the Teaching <strong>Music</strong> Through Performance in Band<br />
series. His book, Original Études for the Developing Conductor,<br />
was published in <strong>2023</strong>. He has given presentations for the Midwest<br />
Band and Orchestra Clinic, the College Band Directors National<br />
Association, and music educator conferences in North Carolina<br />
and Virginia.<br />
Caldwell received a Doctor of <strong>Music</strong>al Arts in conducting from<br />
the University of Michigan and a Master of <strong>Music</strong> in instrumental<br />
conducting from the University of Maryland, College Park. He<br />
also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelor of <strong>Music</strong><br />
in performance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel<br />
Hill.<br />
46 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 47<br />
Sessions<br />
Motivation! Your Best Feeder Program from<br />
Pursuit of Excellence: A Band Director’s Guide<br />
to Success, Sally Wagner, retired director of bands,<br />
Eleanor Roosevelt High School<br />
Widely respected band director and author, Sally Wagner,<br />
explores tips, suggestions and friendly advice to inspire you to<br />
achieve your full potential and help to transform the everyday job<br />
of teaching into a series of rewarding and memorable moments.<br />
She will share hard-won lessons, highly creative solutions, and<br />
moments of celebration during an illustrious 40-year career in<br />
which she was propelled to national prominence and received<br />
dozens of honors and awards.<br />
Can We Really Do That in Performance?<br />
(Alterations Ensembles Sometimes Have to<br />
Make to Succeed) from Pursuit of Excellence: A<br />
Band Director’s Guide to Success, Sally Wagner<br />
It’s not really cheating. It’s enhancing the effectiveness of the<br />
performance, which is why one strives for excellence in the first<br />
place. Struggling with missing instruments is an ongoing battle<br />
but it doesn’t need to overthrow the chance for real success. Have<br />
you ever had a year with only one trombone? That year the extra<br />
tenor sax players learned to transpose parts. And did you know<br />
that an extra trumpet player playing a flugelhorn does a pretty<br />
convincing job on a Baritone TC part? This session will explore a<br />
variety of appropriate strategies for adapting when needed.<br />
Nuts and Bolts AND Butterflies from Pursuit of<br />
Excellence: A Band Director’s Guide to Success,<br />
Sally Wagner, and Scott Laird, fine arts chair, North<br />
Carolina School of Science and Mathematics<br />
Teachers often identify as being a “nuts and bolts” instructional<br />
facilitator, or perhaps they are more of a “butterfly” personality<br />
in the classroom. Longtime friends and colleagues, Sally Wagner<br />
and Scott Laird will share how their teaching personalities are<br />
different but can result in remarkable results. We all must work to<br />
expand our approaches, regardless of which teaching style is more<br />
your natural approach. This session will be a fun way to explore<br />
personality differences in the classroom.<br />
Real Time Teaching Techniques, Beginning<br />
Band Edition, Part Two, Jason Robison, director of<br />
bands, Morehead City Middle School<br />
A sequel to last year’s highly successful session by David Stroud<br />
and the Newport Middle School band, this will serve as part two<br />
for demonstrating beginning band instructional methods.<br />
From the Page to the Stage: How to Achieve<br />
Excellence, Katie and Todd Ebert, Cuthbertson<br />
Middle School and High School Bands<br />
This session focuses on the “how-to” of teaching a piece<br />
of music, and we will use Air for Band. Using the MPA stage<br />
assessment rubric, each component will be broken down to<br />
demonstrate a variety of ways to teach these concepts to students<br />
using specific, proven teaching techniques. Attendees will<br />
leave with a variety of strategies to help students gain a better<br />
understanding of how to achieve excellence on the stage.<br />
Time for a Tune-up: Fostering harmony across<br />
the Percussion Section, Dr. Quintin Mallette,<br />
assistant professor of percussion, ECU<br />
Grab a mallet with Quintin Mallette as he discusses strategies<br />
for fostering positive section identity and increased engagement<br />
in your percussion section. Topics will cover a primer on<br />
Posture, Grip, Stroke, and Playing Area (PGSP), tone production,<br />
and articulation across percussion accessories, cymbals and<br />
concert bass drum, as well as score study tips for percussion,<br />
and troubleshooting common problems from the podium using<br />
audience participation to form a lab ensemble.<br />
Conducting Communication: Crafting<br />
Conversation and Fostering Focus Through<br />
Gesture, Dr. Hunter Kopczynski, director of bands,<br />
U<strong>NC</strong> Charlotte<br />
Conducting should be a holistic aspect of our teaching<br />
vocabulary. The most effective and efficient conducting<br />
communicates more than beat, tempo, and style. This session<br />
considers how every aspect of our non-verbal communication<br />
can develop your ensemble’s focus, hone listening, and encourage<br />
quality sound while supporting musical expression. Effective<br />
conducting streamlines the rehearsal process through efficient<br />
delivery of information, engaging listening through musical<br />
dialogue, and creating a rehearsal atmosphere that reflects the<br />
mood of the music. This approach considers gesture and body<br />
language as not only essential in communicating the music, but<br />
also a tool to foster listening through focused attention and even<br />
classroom engagement. Topics include: score study for efficient<br />
and focused rehearsals, focusing listening through gesture,<br />
conducting as classroom engagement, and supporting air and<br />
sound through body carriage.<br />
Harmony in Band Land: Unifying Ensemble<br />
Sound, retired band directors Patricia Hughes Ball<br />
and Robin Gorham<br />
This session will provide an explanation and demonstration<br />
of a system of fundamentals that teach sound production<br />
consistency. Through these fundamentals, students also develop<br />
the strategies to monitor and correct their tone production<br />
mistakes. This system, when employed, creates increased ensemble<br />
clarity in tone and articulation which contributes to superior<br />
musical performance.<br />
Diversifying Your Concert Program – Band New<br />
<strong>Music</strong> Reading Session, Carolina Perez, instructor<br />
of music, <strong>NC</strong>SSM-Durham; Brian Myers director of<br />
bands, Green Level High School; Page Newsome,<br />
Middle Creek High School<br />
Representation matters! It is imperative our students see<br />
themselves represented in the music we study and perform in<br />
our classrooms. This session will explore up to twenty new and<br />
diverse works for concert band (Grades 1 – 5), which are written<br />
by underrepresented composers, including those who identify as<br />
women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+. This session will expose band<br />
directors to quality new works by wind band composers who are<br />
not regularly programmed in efforts to help educators diversify<br />
their concert programs. We will introduce attendees to several<br />
wonderful pieces and composers and also provide resources
for further research on diverse and talented composers who are<br />
writing music today. All attendees are welcome to sit and play<br />
in the ensemble. Bring your concert instrument and come learn<br />
about some amazing new works for concert band!<br />
Ensuring Student Success In Any Setting,<br />
Charlene Outland, director of bands, Newport<br />
Middle School<br />
Motivation is necessary in any successful educational setting.<br />
Students from all backgrounds attend school with different needs<br />
when it comes to motivation. Socioeconomic differences, cultural<br />
differences, and experience variations will impact what is needed<br />
in the classroom to motivate children. My personal experience<br />
comes from 20 years in low socioeconomic settings where I have<br />
established favorable relationships with students that make them<br />
want to work harder. I plan to share what works and possibly give<br />
some practical things that can be implemented in any classroom<br />
setting with success.<br />
Solo Percussion Repertoire for High School<br />
Students, <strong>NC</strong>PAS Chapter<br />
This session will explore solo percussion repertoire for high<br />
school students. Members of the <strong>NC</strong>PAS will discuss and perform<br />
selected repertoire examples, with an emphasis on music suitable<br />
for college music major auditions.<br />
Smaller Band, Now What? Strategies to Have<br />
an Awesome Year, Les Turner, arts supervisor,<br />
Durham Public Schools<br />
No matter why you find yourself with a smaller ensemble, you<br />
still have to provide the best for your students who will only know<br />
the experience you give them. We will discuss how you can still<br />
offer a rewarding experience with smaller or unique instrument<br />
setups. I will offer some opportunities that work well with those<br />
settings and how to adjust larger ensemble experiences to fit a<br />
smaller group. I will share some resources that will help provide<br />
ways to challenge your high flyers, support the growth of all your<br />
learners, and still give the students the band experience that they<br />
crave. We will talk about the challenges that are unique to smaller<br />
band programs and ways to make them work for you and not<br />
against you. Finding pride in your program will be key.<br />
Programming in the Now: Effective Strategies<br />
for Selecting Repertoire in the 21 st Century, Dr.<br />
William Staub, director of bands, ECU<br />
This clinic will explore strategies for effectively programming<br />
for the modern band. The variety and diversity of programs<br />
throughout our country leads us to discuss broad and universal<br />
ideas that can help every director. From when to program more<br />
challenging rep, to how to program more underrepresented<br />
composers, when to choose a flex band arrangement to perform<br />
and knowing how to select difficulty levels of literature. Because<br />
once we feel confident in our programming, we can feel free to<br />
focus on our students’ needs and perhaps even our own musical<br />
fulfillment.<br />
ASBDA Legacy Series, Caleigh Davis, U<strong>NC</strong>G<br />
Graduate Student<br />
ASBDA Legacy Series – Dr. Joseph Thurman Mitchell started<br />
his career in Lenoir as the first band director for the Black schools.<br />
He was the director of the Hillside High School Band, and<br />
was elected president of the <strong>NC</strong> Band and Orchestra Directors<br />
Association. In 1967, he was the director at <strong>NC</strong> Central for four<br />
years before leaving to work on his doctorate. Highlights of the<br />
band include performances at a Baltimore Colts game, Mardi<br />
Gras, and a performance on a televised game.<br />
Making Our Mark – Another Take on<br />
Programming Underrepresented Composers,<br />
Dr. Jack Eaddy, director of athletic bands, Western<br />
Carolina University<br />
The 21 st century has opened our eyes to composers we may<br />
not have traditionally programmed. With this resurgence, we<br />
are experiencing a breakthrough in the wind band medium;<br />
new sounds, colors, and styles are finding their way to our<br />
ensembles and the stage. Band directors are encouraged to<br />
program underrepresented composers, but need ideas on where<br />
to begin. This session is not to learn about checking a box for your<br />
concert, but to help the wind band medium continue to evolve.<br />
Participants will engage in discussions about various composers,<br />
their unique styles, and programming strategies, as well as adding<br />
music to various state lists.<br />
I Can’t Wait to Get to Band!, Jennifer Weddington and<br />
Patrick Watkins, band directors, Alexander Central High<br />
School<br />
We all aspire to build a music program in which the students<br />
feel comfortable expressing themselves... a place where they want<br />
to belong... where they are accepted for who they are. The music<br />
program is this place for students from various backgrounds<br />
and experiences, and it is up to us, as the educators, to ensure<br />
we provide a safe and nurturing environment. We will discuss<br />
how to create a culture that fosters ownership within the<br />
program, allowing students the opportunity to cultivate their<br />
own experience while also contributing to the overall success of<br />
the program. We will discuss the benefits of student leaders in<br />
creating a harmonious classroom or music program, and how to<br />
prepare them for their given role within the ensemble. We strive to<br />
have our music program be the place where students can’t wait to<br />
get to each day.<br />
It Starts With You: Leadership from the Podium!,<br />
Dr. Tim Heath, director of bands, Wake Forest<br />
University and Dr. Jack Eaddy, director of bands,<br />
Western Carolina University<br />
Leadership starts on the podium with the conductor-teacher.<br />
It is essential for both of these educators to continuously grow<br />
as musicians and teachers while providing the best instruction<br />
possible to their students. This session has four parts of<br />
importance. First, the clinicians will share how to choose<br />
appropriate music for your ensemble. They will provide sample<br />
lists of pieces for technical development and options to meet<br />
specific needs. Second, they will share how to provide appropriate<br />
feedback to your ensembles. Third, they will provide ways to<br />
continue to grow as a musician and educator after your degrees<br />
are done. Lastly, they will discuss the importance of a work-life<br />
balance and how it can benefit everyone to be the best version of<br />
themselves.<br />
48 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR | 49
883-C Washington Street<br />
Raleigh, <strong>NC</strong> 27605<br />
NAfME<br />
GRASSROOTS<br />
ACTION CENTER<br />
Add Your Voice to the Legislative Process<br />
On the NAfME Grassroots Action Center page, you can:<br />
• Support music education in federal education policy<br />
• Get involved with the legislative process<br />
• Engage your members of Congress<br />
Go to bit.ly/NAfMEgrassroots (case-sensitive) and<br />
take action today.<br />
50 | NORTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATOR
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