Day: February 5, 2021
AMEA: Serving Lemonade With Infinite Hope
Feb 5 2021
I will always remember 2020 as the year that provided us a new twist to an old saying, when COVID gives you lemons, make lemonade. That is exactly what our executive staff did with this year’s AMEA Conference.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with the outstanding AMEA Executive Board in order to provide an online professional development experience. From the moment we decided to have our conference virtually, everyone jumped on board and started working together to make the event the best possible. I believe our mission was accomplished.
Executive Director and Assistant, Garry Taylor and Rusty Logan did an outstanding job preparing the schedule and providing the software that guided us through the week. Their expertise and organizational skills transferred perfectly to the online medium and gave us easy access to all the sessions.
Our Media Specialist, Dr. Carl B. Hancock, once again worked his magic with social media distribution and constructed an amazing staff that hosted all of our sessions. We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to the University of Alabama for the role they played in providing the facilities and staffing that became the backbone of our conference.
Dr. Rob Lyda, our AMEA President-Elect, served as our virtual expert. He has participated in more online events than all of us combined, which was instrumental in making us aware of the “dos” and “don’ts” in the world of zoom and online presentations.
Past-President, Greg Gumina, came through for the FAME program and provided our future music educators a rich experience with outstanding clinicians that was certain to solidify their desire to enter this great profession.
The AMEA Registrar, Pat Stegall, collected and processed the registrations while assisting with the NAfME memberships.
The Divisions did a great job finding sessions and inspirational performances that would facilitate an online experience. These opportunities demonstrated what can be achieved even in challenging times.
We cannot say enough good things about our sponsors and vendors that participated in our conference. This year has taken a toll on all of us and we must thank those businesses that support music education in our state. Please take a moment and identify those that provided support for our conference and, if possible, patronize their businesses in the same manner they invested in our profession.
Our first keynote speaker provided the most viewed live event of the week. Dr. Judy Bowers provided a message that contained a passionate vision of how we can think out of the box to be an inspiration to others. Her presentation sparked a lot of conversation in the chat room and created a wonderful start for our conference.
I’m especially proud of our awards presentation on Friday night, which will continue to be available on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/yPFO7p6rM5Q
We plan to continue posting videos to recognize and honor our membership, so please consider subscribing to our channel. Go to YouTube and search for “my AMEA” and click “subscribe”.
After our awards presentation, we enjoyed our second keynote speaker, Bob Morrison, from Quadrant Research. He provided us with up-to-date mitigation practices and clearly articulated a powerful message for why music education has been recognized as such an important part of a person’s educational growth.
Most importantly, the greatest contributor to this event was you. The conference would have been nothing if not for the participants. I want to thank everyone that took part in and believed in the value of the 2021 Virtual Conference. The attendance exceeded our expectations and the level of energy everyone brought to the chat rooms and social hours was extremely comforting to us all. Although we all would have preferred to see each other in person, you continue to make the very best out of the situation.
Moving forward, we plan to continue recognizing AMEA’s 75th Anniversary throughout the entire year by exploring the rich history of AMEA through online media and we will celebrate the grand finale at our 2022 Conference, IN PERSON!!!!! Don’t miss it!
As we look forward to the remainder of this year and beyond, I would like to encourage you to continue your fight for music education in your school. You must continue to remind yourself how important your influence is in the lives of your students despite any setbacks you may have experienced.
One person that truly understood setbacks and struggles was Martin Luther King, Jr., which was quoted saying, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” I encourage you to continue looking at music education as a source of infinite hope and possibilities.
All the best,
– David Raney
AMEA Registrar: From the Registrar
Feb 5 2021
From the Registrar
Thanks to our members for following the online registration process. It is great to see so many of you taking advantage of this easy way to register for our conference! I am sure you join me in congratulating the AMEA leadership and AMEA Executive Board for providing us with such a rich virtual conference. Their commitment to providing your divisions with appropriate and timely sessions was awesome! I enjoyed having clinicians from throughout the country presenting our clinics, as well as our own members. AMEA continues to be the supportive, positive force in developing our State’s Music Teachers and I congratulate you for being part of the event! Bravo!!!!
Pat Stegall
PS
COLL: Collegiate Division Updates
Feb 5 2021
The collegiate division of AMEA has had a successful school year. Despite the effects of COVID-19, we were still able to successfully carry out the Collegiate Summit and AMEA Conference.
The 2020 Alabama Collegiate Summit was virtually held in October. The Summit focused on innovation in the music classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hosted various guest speakers, including Andy Meadows, Dr. Pat Stegall, Randy Fields, Dr. Rob Lyda, and a panel of new teachers. We had thirty- five attendees and four faculty advisors from eight different universities across the state, including Samford, Alabama, Troy, North Alabama, Alabama State, Jacksonville State, and Alabama at Birmingham. The event served as a great encouragement in the middle of such a challenging school semester as many students transitioned to online classes.
The 2021 AMEA Conference, held in January, proved tremendously successful for the collegiate division, despite it occurring virtually for the first time. We hosted various sessions in conjunction with other divisions, covering everything from score study to sight-reading to building relationships in the classroom. The collegiate social events – coffee hour and game night – provided a space for students to build long-lasting connections with one another. As the weekend came to a close, elections were held, and the 2021-2022 Collegiate Executive Board is as follows:
President: Emma Tosney, University of Alabama
Vice President/President Elect: Mariah Martin, University of Alabama
Secretary: Hannah Creel, Samford University
Treasurer: John Niiler, University of Alabama
We will continue to update cNAfME chapters with our monthly collegiate newsletter and on our Instagram (@ua_cnafme) page. We are looking forward to another great year!
Emma Tosney, President, cNAfME Alabama
ABA: Updates
Feb 5 2021
As we continue to move forward as ABA, the most important thing to remember is to keep YOUR students and their well-being in mind in every decision you make about your band program. The ABA board has worked tirelessly over the past few months to do everything in their power to aid you during this time and for our events. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if there is anything we can do to help you or your program, or if you have any questions. We are here to serve you.
AMEA Conference Wrap-up
Thank you to everyone who presented outstanding clinics and to the Hartselle High School Symphonic Band – Randall Key, conductor, and the Enterprise High School Wind Ensemble – Sean Weiler, conductor, for their outstanding performances.
Virtual MPA
We have moved the deadline for submissions for approval of a list piece to Joel Henson to March 1. The registration deadline for Virtual MPA is March 12 to Executive Secretary. The submission deadline for materials is April 9.
All-State Festival
Our plan at this moment is to have the All- State event as a live event. If this can’t happen, we will move it to a virtual platform for the students to have an all-state experience for 2021. We will have an All-State event and seat bands for 2021 and students will receive medals for the 2021 event. The board is gathering information for both the in-person event and the virtual event and will make the determination about the event by March 1.
Congratulations to the newly elected ABA officers.
They will take office on June 1. They are President- elect – Lori Hart, Recording Secretary – William Mixon, Jazz Chairman-Elect – Nick McDonald.
Together we will get through this and we will be stronger, but it will take ALL of us moving forward together. Stay Strong! This is your association. Let us all strive to make it better so that we can serve our students and the bands in our state better. We are ABA and together we CAN do great things!!!!!!
UPCOMING ABA DATES
- SUMMER CONFERENCE (JUNE 15-17, 2021) HAMPTON INN, ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA
- ALL-STATE BAND (APRIL 14-17, 2021) ARTHUR R. OUTLAW MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER, MOBILE, AL
- ALL-STATE BAND (APRIL 6-10, 2022) ARTHUR R. OUTLAW MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER, MOBILE, AL
- ALL-STATE BAND (APRIL 27-29 2023) VON BRAUN CENTER-HUNTSVILLE, AL
- ALL-STATE BAND (APRIL 25-27, 2024) VON BRAUN CENTER-HUNTSVILLE, AL
AVA: Updates
Feb 5 2021
Colleagues,
It was great to see and visit with many of you virtually at the AMEA Winter Conference in January. Congratulations to choruses from Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, directed by Ben Cook, and Spain Park High School, directed by Jim Schaeffer for presenting inspiring performances during the conference.
Your AVA Board has approved modifications to our events for spring semester. I appreciate all the work the board has done to make sure students and teachers across the state have the best possible choral experiences in these uncertain times. I also appreciate the emails, messages, and calls from several AVA members offering help, locating venues, and finding creative ways to move forward. I am truly humbled to serve a community of such caring professionals.
All-State
We looked at several venues and dates, and determined that the best option is April 26 and 27 at Von Braun Center in Huntsville. I know this is the same week, but not the same dates as All-State Show Choir, and I apologize for scheduling these events so close together. Our clinicians are Dr. Brady Allred, High School SATB; Dr. Jami Rhodes, High School SSAA; Victor Johnson, Middle School Mixed; and Dr. P. Phillip Shoultz, III, Middle School Treble.
Rehearsal time will be limited with this schedule, but hopefully, even those who are traveling the longest distances will be able to travel without incurring the expense of a hotel. For this year only, there will be no penalty to students who were selected for All-State but do not register. The concert will be live-streamed and we may need to limit the number of people in the audience because of physical distancing requirements. When we get guidelines from the venue, we will send an update to directors.
Students who were selected for TTBB chorus and who want to perform with the SATB chorus will need to submit recordings through Google Classroom. Directors will need to include these students in their SATB registrations. Refund of registration fees will be issued to the school for any TTBB student who registers but does not pass the proficiency. Meg Jones will set up the screening and will send the invitations.
The deadline to register students for All-State was January 27. If you have registered, but have not received conformation/invoice, please reach out to our Webmaster, Jim Schaeffer. Payment is due by March 15 for the exact number of students registered.
There will be a virtual general membership meeting during All-State week.
All-State Show Choir
This event will be April 28-30 at Enterprise High School. The final concert will be live-streamed at 8 PM April 30. Thanks to Cameron Weiler for serving as the All-State Show Choir Coordinator. Our clinicians are Mark Myers and Shane Coe.
OCS/OA/ME
OCS auditions and interviews are usually held the day before All-State and are adjudicated by District Chairs. This year, student resumes and recorded performances are due by March 3. Students will submit these items through Google Classroom. A schedule for virtual interviews will be sent to the students and their directors.
OA auditions and interviews are also usually held the day before All-State and are adjudicated by members of the Executive Board. This year, student resumes and recorded performances are due by March 3. Students will submit these items through Google Classroom. A schedule for virtual interviews will be sent to the students and their directors.
ME interviews are usually held the evening before AMEA conference in January. This year, these interviews will be later in the year. Student resumes are due by March 3. Students will submit these items through Google Classroom. A schedule for virtual interviews will be sent to the students and their directors.
SCPA
SCPA will be virtual this year. Directors may record two selections and submit them through Google Classroom. There will be no sight-reading component this year. Because many schools have restrictions on who may enter their facilities while students are present, recorded accompaniments may be used this year only. Once directors complete registration—with payment, they will be invited to submit their recordings through Google Classroom.
Important dates to know for SCPA 2021:
February 1 Online registration opens
March 4 Deadline for registration with payment
April 15 Deadline for directors to submit recordings for adjudication Solo and Ensemble.
Solo and Ensemble will also be virtual this year. The submission process for this event will be similar to All-State auditions. Recorded accompaniments may be used this year only. Directors will complete registrations for each soloist or ensemble. Once registration (including payment) is complete, students will be invited to submit their recordings through Google Classroom.
To help simplify the calendar, due dates for Solo and Ensemble follow those of SCPA:
February 1 Online registration opens
March 4 Deadline for registration with payment April 15 Deadline to submit recordings
AVA Executive Board Positions Open
Carl Davis has resigned from his position as Executive Secretary. We will certainly miss Carl, but his responsibilities in his new career in the medical field are demanding his time and energies. He has assured us that he will help with the transition of his replacement. Because the responsibilities of this position are so vital to the operation of our organization, and because Meg Jones is already familiar with most of those responsibilities, I have asked her to serve as interim Executive Secretary. Of course, that will leave our Vice President position vacant. I am working on filling that position now. We will post the Executive Secretary and the Webmaster jobs this spring; we need those positions officially filled well in advance of our summer board meeting so both people can attend the meeting.
As always, your board and I welcome your feedback. Please reach out to your district chair or me whenever we can help you meet the needs of your students.
Warm regards,
Randall
AOA: Strength in Numbers
Feb 5 2021
Strength in Numbers
When I research the greatest K-12 institutions in our nation, they are firmly grounded in arts education. Complementary disciplines ensures that every child, each with unique character-traits, is able to explore and strengthen core academic proficiency, transferring arts experiences in human behavior, critical- thinking, creative problem-solving, and human empathy and compassion. In addition, the arts provides an emotional outlet for a discerning number of mental health issues in education, partially driven by a pandemic that is isolating for many students.
Unfortunately, the pandemic has shown that music educators in Alabama may also feel isolated, serving as the only voice for arts education in their school district. The music education field often faces tight annual budgets and course scheduling that effects personnel in otherwise incredible school districts.
It only takes a quick look to our neighbors near Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, or Pensacola, to see that the bright spots in these communities are seen through complementary music disciplines, with thriving choral, band, orchestra, and general music classes in many of their K-12 schools.
I agree that it is difficult to imagine a budget that is stretched thin, allows for the employment of multiple educators, class periods, and instruments. However, the momentum and result of rising student grades, engaged parent boosters, pride of school superintendents, and a K-12 arts program that places your community on the map, causes a cyclical effect that promotes growth and a ROI (return-on- investment) for families moving to your area.
Although the pandemic has caused us all to step back, maybe now is the time to look at our strength in numbers, to promote growth in our music programs, and to explore complementary disciplines that will make everyone advocate for growth for your program.
I am by no means an expert, and every school district has its unique challenges, but I am humbled that in my prior state we kicked off multiple new string programs that led to full-time jobs for graduating music educators (as a beginning string instructor and assistant band director). Don’t let money alone discourage you – grant programs, string educators shared amongst school districts, and self-funded programs are all possible. With hundreds of string students participating in seven youth orchestras in Alabama, there is the desire of parents and students to see their disciplines represented and valued in our schools.
Please know that my door is always open, if you would like to dive into an exploration of a string program in your district. Please feel free to contact me at dstevens1@una.edu.
Thank you for your tireless and relentless work on behalf of our students. We all entered the profession to make a difference in the lives of these beautiful souls, and I am inspired by your commitment to engaging communities with the value of music.
Blessings, Daniel Stevens
Important AOA Updates for 2020-2021
NOTE: The AOA Orchestra Music Performance Assessment will be a virtual-only event, accepting video recordings of all full-orchestra, string-orchestra, guitar, and harp ensembles. Details can be found at alabamaorchestraassociation.org after March 1, 2021.
Orchestra Music Performance Assessment Video Deadline…………………………May 1, 2021
ELEM/GEN: Greatness Lies in You – Conference Review
Feb 5 2021
Wow! Just wow! I was sincerely blown away by our recent virtual AMEA Professional Development Conference. I will admit that coming into the conference during an unprecedented pandemic ridden school year, I had some skepticism and reluctance about spending the weekend on the computer. However, my attitude quickly changed with the very first session. A little later in the evening, keynote speaker, Dr. Judy Bowers reminded us to focus on what we can do instead of all the things we can’t do. She encouraged us to continue to do everything we can, to collaborate with others and to think outside the box to further music education during these unusual circumstances. She said “ The only real power that any of us have for change is personal or professional action.” This can be hard, but we took the first steps! We attended this conference, we learned from others, we collaborated, we expanded our professional learning communities. I know that “greatness lies in you.” One day, our students will tell our story. Let’s help them write the most amazing tale of strength, perseverance, and love.
My time as your Elementary/General Division President is coming to a close. I would like to thank AMEA President, David Raney, Garry Taylor, Dr. Rob Lyda and the entire AMEA Executive board for the extraordinary work that went into the AMEA conference. I would also like to commend Carl Hancock and our elementary division zoom hostess, Adrienne Wiggins, for all of their hard work and support. This year was the 75th anniversary of our Professional Development Conference and it was exceptional. Presenters David Row, Dr. Julie Bannerman, Quaver, and many of our own educators shared their gifts and talents with us. I would also like to thank, Past President, Phil Wilson, and long time, elementary treasurer, Lori Zachary. At the conference, you elected your new incoming leadership team. These officers will be installed in late May and take office June 1st. They are as follows: President: Sarah McLendon, President Elect: Alicia Luttrell, Secretary: Melissa Galanopoulos, Treasurer: Devin Lacy, Festival Director: Melissa McIntyre, and Hospitality: Erica Lutz. Next year, our Professional Development Conference will be back in Birmingham, Alabama in January. I am looking forward to seeing you in person at this wonderful event, but remember, your elementary AMEA division is here year round to help you. Keep us up to date with your teaching and contact information by emailing us at elementayamea@gmail.com. Continue to “sharpen your saw” as an educator by attending some of the workshops and events listed below. Reach out to us anytime through our Elementary AMEA Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Betty R Wilson, President Elementary/General Division
Workshops and Other Professional Development Opportunities
Alabama AOSA Spring Workshop
- March 6, 2021: Manju Durairaj, Clinician
Cost: FREE!
Virtual workshop 9-11 and 12-2
Register at https://site.google.com/view/alabamaaosa
- March 5, 2022 Jennifer Donovan, Clinician
- Orff Levels I, and III Summer of 2021, (date TBA)
Samford University: contact Dr. Soja msoja@samford.edu
Sweet Home Alabama Kodaly Educators Workshop
https://sites.google.com/view/alabamakodaly/home
- Fall (August/Sept) 2021: Lea Hoppe, Clinician
- April 2022: Rachel Gibson, Clinician
- Kodaly Levels I, II, III, July 2021 (date TBA)
University of Montevallo: Contact Becky Haliday ahalliday@montevallo.edu
East Alabama Music Educators
August 28th 2021, Auburn, Alabama
Contact Dr. Rob Lyda for details lydarob@me.com
AMEA Music Festival
October 15, Eastmont Baptist Church
Clinicians: Rhonda Tucker and Jeremy Howard
For details email: ameafestival@gmail.com
AMEA Fall Workshop
October 16, Eastmont Baptist Church TBA
HED: Music Education in Alabama – Alive and Well!
Feb 5 2021
Music Education in Alabama – Alive and Well!
Colleagues, we have faced many challenges this year. I can proudly announce, however, that we are surviving and thriving. The recent 2021 AMEA Conference provides evidence that music education is not only taking place in Alabama, but that music educators are more determined than ever to continue our strong traditions. The number of participants in this conference strongly suggests that we are resilient and have the enthusiasm and dedication needed to overcome any obstacle. Bring on the future!
In the Higher Education Division, there were several conference highlights that are worthy of acknowledgement. This was the first time that the HED hosted two recitals, one held on Thursday and the other on Friday. The performers presented a wide variety of repertoire with an emphasis on underrepresented composers and new music. Next, the “lightning roundtable” session on Saturday was a fast-paced introduction to several important topics. Although each presenter could have easily filled their own 50-minute time slot, the 10-minute limit kept the session moving quickly. Be assured, you will see more sessions using this format in future conferences. In addition, the quality of our individual sessions was remarkable. We have world-class educators working in our field and sharing their ideas at our conference. Finally, I would like to send a “shout-out” to Russell Greene who managed the technical side of the HED sessions. His attention to detail allowed our sessions to unfold flawlessly. Thank you, everyone!
New ideas are appearing on the horizon. One benefit of having open discussion with colleagues is the generation of new ideas. One idea that has risen to the top is a proposed collaboration between the Higher Education and Collegiate divisions in developing a lesson plan competition. The goal of this competition would be to inspire and motivate pre-service teachers to present their lesson plans in an adjudicated forum similar to All-State. After all, teaching is also a performance-based activity. Participants would receive feedback from experts and discuss their plans with peers. Another idea is the development of a mentoring program that would connect novice and veteran educators. Teacher attrition is a major problem in our field and we can work toward changing these trends by supporting new teachers through mentoring programs. I believe both programs have the potential to positively impact our field.
Please encourage other faculty members to join AMEA. Through this organization, all higher education faculty can make connections with Pk-12 educators and attract new students to their programs. These opportunities exist not only for studio instructors and ensemble directors, but also for composition, theory, and history professors. Let’s build the bridges that allow young people to transition from high school into college and onto rewarding professional careers. Participating in this professional organization is an important first step.
