N E W S L E T T E R Fall 2018

National Music Council Honors Jazz Legends Chick Corea and The Manhattan Transfer at 35th Annual American Eagle Awards

The National Music Council honored

jazz legends Chick Corea and The

Manhattan Transfer at the organization’s

35th annual American Eagle Awards on

Thursday, June 28 at the Summer

NAMM Show in Nashville. The honors

are presented each year in recognition

of long-term contributions to American

musical culture and heritage, the

importance of music education and

inspiration for all children, and the need

to protect creators’ rights both locally

and globally.

NMC Director Dr. David Sanders hosted

the event, and praised the honorees for

setting an extraordinary standard for

ongoing contribution to American

musical culture and heritage, and for

serving as mentors and role models to

aspiring jazz artists. The evening

opened with a performance by the

Nashville School of the Arts jazz

ensemble Swing Thing under the

direction of James Satterwhite, who

reminded the audience of why access to

music education for all students is so

vital.

Nashville Singer/Songwriter Dianne

Davidson performed an emotional

musical tribute to The Manhattan

Transfer before presenting TMT

members Janis Siegel, Alan Paul, and

Cheryl Bentyne with the first award.

Davidson was responsible for

introducing late Manhattan Transfer

founder Tim Hauser to Janis Siegel,

forming the iteration of the group that

created their great success and earned

them ten Grammy Awards. Hauser died

in 2014.

Internationally renowned flutist Hubert

Laws presented Chick Corea’s award,

citing Corea’s great contribution to the

art of improvisation and an inspiration to

himself and musicians all over the world.

In accepting the award, Corea

expressed the joy he gets from inspiring

Strengthening the importance of music in our life and culture since 1940

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young musicians, before stepping over

to the piano and performing a solo

rendition of Gershwin’s “Someone to

Watch Over Me.” Corea then surprised

the large audience by calling the up The

Manhattan Transfer and Hubert Laws to

join him for a spontaneous, improvised

rendition of Gershwin’s “Summertime”,

which brought down the house.

The 2018 American Eagle honorees join

a “who’s – who” list of cultural giants

including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy

Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis,

Van Cliburn, Benny Goodman, Lionel

Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton

Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson,

Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark,

Elliott Carter, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel,

Roberta Peters, Odetta, Leonard

Slatkin, Sesame Street, Hard Rock

Café, and VH1’s Save the Music

Foundation. In 2017, the NMC also

recognized the indelible contributions of

songwriter/poet, Patti Smith, country

legend Crystal Gale, and comedian,

musician and actor, Harry Shearer at

the Nashville Summer NAMM Show.

The National Music Council celebrates

these great artists in part to highlight the

importance of the 5 Musical Rights

developed and enumerated in

cooperation with the International Music

Council. These rights are that all

children and adults must have the

freedom and ability to: (1) express

themselves musically; (2) learn musical

language and skills; (3) have access to

musical performances both as

participants and listeners; (4) have

reasonable access to communicate their

musical artistry to the public including

through electronic media, and (5)

receive accurate attribution, earned

recognition and fair remuneration for the

popularity of their musical works.

For photo and video highlights of the

awards, click here.

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NAfME Endorses GAAME Act of 2018Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-

NY) has introduced the Guarantee

Access to Arts and Music Education

(GAAME) Act (H.R. 6137) in the U.S.

House of Representatives. The

legislation, which NAfME and members

of the Music Education Policy

Roundtable have endorsed, seeks to

address that students of color and

students in low-income neighborhoods

do not share the same access to high-

quality music and arts education. If

passed, this legislation would provide

articulating language to encourage

school districts to use their Title I, Part A

funds to improve access to music and

arts education for disadvantaged and

low-income students, taught by certified

music educators.

In recognition of her commitment to

expanding access to music education,

NAfME named Congresswoman

Velázquez the NAfME 2018 Music

Education Champion.

Rep. Nydia Velázquez with NAfME Executive Director and CEO Mike Blakeslee

Music Modernization Act Needs YOUR Help To Get Across Finish Line The Music Modernization Act, a critical

bill that would (among other things)

improve songwriter royalties and provide

legacy artists who recorded music

before 1972 a federal right to be paid by

digital radio services like SiriusXM,

sailed through the U.S. House of

Representatives on a 415-0 vote and

was unanimously approved in May by

the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Smokey Robinson, Darlene Love,

Dionne Warwick, Mary Wilson of the

Supremes, Rosanne Cash and many

others have traveled to Washington, DC

to advocate for this important bill.

Next stop: a full vote in the Senate,

where the bill now enjoys more than 66

cosponsors. Unfortunately, there are still

powerful forces trying to bog down the

bill and keep it from passing, which is

why its proponents need help increasing

the cosponsor count. More cosponsors

is a clear signal to Senate leadership

that this bill has the broad support it

needs to advance and be considered by

the full Senate. There are plenty of

Senators who should be cosponsors of

this bill who have not yet signed on for

one reason or another. Music

community advocates in Washington,

DC and throughout the country are

asking for your help to contact your

Senators and ask them to cosponsor

this crucial piece of legislation, or even

work to get music schools involved in

states where support is needed.

See the ad on last page of this

newsletter, visit here, or contact

jflatow@riaa.com. for more information.

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700+ Leaders To Assemble in Baltimore for 81st Annual Conference for Community Arts Education:

Shaping the National Dialogue on the Impact of Arts Education and Creativity

Registration is now open for the 2018 Conference for Community Arts Education to be held in Baltimore, MD,

November 14-17, 2018. Over 700 arts

education leaders and stakeholders,

representing more than 350 arts and

cultural organizations and cross-sector

agencies from across the U.S., will

convene to gain practical strategies,

share advice, and advance a common

vision: a nation where arts learning is

accessible and embraced as essential

for human development and healthy

communities.

This year’s conference will focus on

leadership development, organizational

sustainability, and the vital role that arts

learning and creative practice play in

achieving racial equity, promoting

healing, and engendering hope.

Visionary and creative change makers

from across the country and throughout

Baltimore will lead dozens of

workshops, roundtables, and special

events, hosted both at the Renaissance

Baltimore Harborplace Hotel and at

community sites throughout the city.

The program is organized into

progressive tracks in Creative Youth

Development, Leadership Development,

Arts in Education, Social Justice,

Human Resources, Nonprofit Growth

and Sustainability, plus a special track

dedicated to highlighting Lessons from

Baltimore. For program details and

registration, please visit

www.communityartsed.org.

The Conference for Community Arts

Education is the leading national

gathering for nonprofit arts education

leaders representing arts and cultural

centers, community arts schools,

preparatory programs, performing arts

companies, youth serving organizations

(e.g., Boys and Girls Clubs of America),

museums, and other agencies.

Some organizations provide classes and

lessons in their own facilities; others

collaborate with senior centers,

hospitals, public schools, and other

agencies to increase access to arts

education. Many do both. This diversity

of backgrounds creates unique

opportunities for delegates to connect

with peers, explore new partnerships,

and grow.

Funders, policy makers, academics,

researchers, and other allies, including

those in non-arts sectors (e.g., youth

development, health, education, etc.),

are also encouraged to attend. Ensuring

that all people enjoy access to quality

arts learning opportunities throughout

their lifespans requires a collective

effort.

To learn more about the National Guild

for Community Arts Education programs

please visit www.nationalguild.org

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SESAC Announces SESAC Scores: The Beck Diversity Project Five-Year Mentorship Program Will Support Underrepresented Composers in Film

(L-R: SESAC’s John Josephson, Christophe Beck and Erin Collins) For media only: https://bit.ly/2kURe7y

(Los Angeles – June 7, 2018) SESAC,

the only Music Rights Organization in

the U.S., announced the launch of

SESAC SCORES: The Beck Diversity Project, a five-year mentorship and

grant program, at its annual Film &

Television Composer Awards, last night,

June 6. The project is designed to make

a meaningful impact on the historically

low number of women and people of

color hired in the film composer

community.

The inaugural project is a collaborative

effort between long-time SESAC

composer Christophe Beck and the

SESAC Film & Television team, led by

SESAC Chairman and CEO John

Josephson and Erin Collins, Vice

President of Film, Television and

Developing Media. The $1 million

commitment, divided over the next five

years, will be used for educational

programming and composer workshops.

“We’re thrilled to embrace a program

that helps foster diversity in the

audiovisual creative community and

which empowers creators to pursue

their passion,” said Josephson.

“Working with Chris to help execute his

vision to provide the needed resources

to underrepresented composers is

exciting for all of us at SESAC and an

important way that we can demonstrate

our commitment to the music

community.”

“Creating opportunities for new

composers to contribute in a meaningful

way to our industry is a passion of mine,

and I’m looking forward to working

alongside SESAC to make this happen,”

says Beck.

In addition, there will also be a national

application process to select individuals

for grants to support films already in

production, which are short on funds, to

enhance and deliver a better score.

Projects considered for the grant

program will be open to any narrative

film and the fund will support composers

from a wide range of musical

backgrounds.

SESAC SCORES: The Beck Diversity

Project will host its first workshop at

SESAC’s Santa Monica office in July.

The weekend programs, led by Beck

and a curated team, will offer a creative

environment and educational support

during a hands-on composing

workshop. Applications for the initial

workshop will be accepted at

www.SesacScores.com. Additional

workshops will be announced

throughout the year.

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Formal applications and a review

process for the grant program, which will

launch later in the year will also be

announced in the coming weeks.

The Film & Television Composer

Awards is SESAC’s annual dinner event

honoring music composers in the

categories of film, network television,

local television, cable television,

advertising, and streaming media.

About Christophe Beck:

Christophe Beck is the award-winning

composer of films such as Frozen, the

Hangover series, Ant-Man, Edge of Tomorrow, Waiting for Superman, Under the Tuscan Sun, and many

others. The Canadian composer began

playing piano at the age of five, studied

music at Yale, and attended the USC

film scoring program under the tutelage

of composers like Jerry Goldsmith. He

started composing in television at the

personal recommendation of Disney

music legend Buddy Baker, and was

soon writing for the hit series Buffy the

Vampire Slayer, earning an Emmy®

Award.

About SESAC Holdings, Inc.: SESAC Holdings is the only U.S.-

based Music Rights Organization that

administers public performance,

mechanical, and other rights. SESAC

Holdings is unique in its ability to offer

singular licenses for the works of its

affiliated writers and publishers that

aggregate both performance and

mechanical rights in order to drive

greater efficiency in licensing for music

users, as well as enhanced value for

music creators and publishers.

MEMBER REPORTS American Guild of Organists EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES: Pipe Organ Encounters (POEs)

and the AGO National

Convention in Kansas City

provided opportunities for

learning and growth for organists

of all ages. More than 100

students participated in POEs

while more than 1,200 organists

attended the Kansas City

convention. Professional

certification in organ playing and

choral conducting was awarded

to 68 individuals. These

educational programs were

supported, in part, by a grant

from the National Endowment for

the Arts.

NATIONAL CONVENTION AWARDS and HONORS: President’s Award Created in 1988 and presented

biennially, the President’s Award

recognizes outstanding

contributions to the art of the

organ in the United States. AGO

President Michael Bedford

presented the award to Julia

Irene Kauffman “in gratitude for

her generous patronage of the

arts and faithful support of the

King of Instruments.” Julia Irene

Kauffman is Chairman and Chief

Executive Officer of the Muriel

McBrien Kauffman Foundation.

The Foundation's mission and

vision focus on support of the

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performing and visual arts in the

Greater Kansas City area.

Edward A. Hansen Leadership Award Created by the AGO National

Council in 1999 to honor the

memory of the Guild’s

distinguished past president, the

prestigious award is presented

biennially to recognize individuals

who have demonstrated

outstanding leadership in the

AGO. This year, the award was

given to Michael

Quimby “in gratitude for his

lifetime of devoted service to the

Guild, his generous and faithful

support of the Regional

Competitions for Young

Organists and Rising Stars, and

his unwavering commitment to

the King of Instruments.” Quimby

is president of Quimby Pipe

Organs Inc. in Warrensburg, Mo.

Distinguished Composer Award Created in 1986, the prestigious

award is presented biennially to

recognize outstanding composers

of organ and choral music in the

U.S. Decker’s commissioned

work, The Seven Last Words and Triumph of Christ for organ, was

given its premier performance

during the convention. Decker is

professor of organ/music theory

at the University of Arizona and

organist of Grace St. Paul’s

Episcopal Church in Tucson.

AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition Presented to Mary Beth Bennett

for her commissioned work, Deep

River for SATB choir and organ

with congregational participation,

the award included a premier

performance during the

convention, a cash prize of

$2,000 and publication, both

provided by the ECS Publishing

Co. Bennett is an adjunct music

faculty member of the University

of Richmond and director of

music ministries at the First

Presbyterian Church of

Gloucester, Va.

AGO/Marilyn Mason Award in Organ Composition Presented to Mark Kurtz for Re-Formations (after Bach), the

award included a premier

performance by the composer

during the convention, a cash

prize of $2,000, and publication

by Hinshaw Music Inc. Kurtz has

been director of music ministries

at the First United Methodist

Church in Omaha, Neb., since

2000.

National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance The competition promotes the

highest level of organ

performance. It serves as a

springboard for emerging young

organists, allowing them to

continue to develop their

performance ability by

participating in the various

demanding stages of this

competition. Established in 1950

and held biennially, the

competition is open to organists

between the ages of 22 and 32.

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Prize winners receive cash

awards and performance

opportunities.

First Prize: AARON TAN (Detroit,

MI)

Second Prize: CAROLINE

ROBINSON (Rochester, NY)

Third Prize: DANIEL CHANG

(Rochester, NY)

Audience Choice Prize: AARON

TAN

National Competition in Organ Improvisation The competition advances the art

of improvisation by recognizing

and rewarding superior

performers in the field. Since

1990, the competition has

motivated and inspired hundreds

of the most talented organists in

America. Today, it is the

preeminent competition in North

America dedicated to preserving

and advancing improvisation at

the organ. It is open to all

regardless of age or country of

citizenship. Prize winners receive

cash awards and performance

opportunities.

First Prize: KALLE TOIVIO

(Brooklyn, NY)

Second Prize: ROBERT

HORTON (Lancaster, PA)

Third Prize: DOUGLAS MURRAY

(Nashville, TN)

Audience Choice Prize: ROBERT

HORTON

Delta Omicron INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FRATERNITY ANNOUNCES TRIENNIAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION FOR MALE VOICE AND PIANO AWARDS: ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND PREMIÈRE AT THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL DELTA OMICRON CONFERENCE

PURPOSE

• To encourage composers

• To give their work public

performances

• To further the cause of

contemporary music

ELIGIBILITY: This competition is open

to COMPOSERS of college age or over.

This is regardless of any music

fraternity affiliation.

MUSIC REQUIREMENTS: The

composition should be for Male Voice

and Piano. The length of time should be

from seven to fifteen minutes.

Manuscripts should be written in ink or

processed, signed with nom de

plume, and free from any marks that

would identify the composer to the

judges.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: To be

eligible, the composition shall not have

been previously commissioned,

published or publicly performed (except

for feedback) prior to the time that

judging is completed in the summer of

2020. To be eligible for the award, the

winner of the competition must wait to

publish her/his work until after the

première performance in July 2021.

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Each entry should be accompanied by

an envelope with the pseudonym written

on the outside. The envelope should

contain the entrant’s name, address,

phone number, email address, and entry

check. This is only for the use of the

Competition Chair and will not be

shared with the judges. If more than one

composition is entered, each entry

should be sent separately and should

abide by the rules set for an entry.

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE

POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN

MARCH 31, 2020. An entry fee of

$25.00 (American) should accompany

each manuscript. Checks should be

made out to Delta Omicron. This fee is

to cover postage, insurance and

handling cost to and from each of the

judges. Please note: once a manuscript

is submitted, there will be no refund of

the entry fee if the entrant chooses to

withdraw from the competition. Entries

will not be returned.

Due care will be used in protecting all

manuscripts received, but each

applicant specifically releases all

persons, judges and Delta Omicron from

any and all claims and damages arising

out of loss or destruction of submitted

composition, however caused.

THREE copies of each manuscript with

CD recordings should be sent in a FLAT

package by first-class mail.

Upon receipt of the entry, the composer

will receive an acknowledgment. Music

should not be spiral bound.

AWARDS: The awards shall be $1,000

and the Première Performance at the

2021 Delta Omicron International

Fraternity's Triennial Conference. The

monetary award is underwritten in part

by the Delta Omicron Foundation,

Inc. The composer is encouraged to

attend the Première Performance of

her/his composition at the 2021

Triennial Conference. All expenses to

the Conference are the responsibility of

the composer.

The decision of the judges will be

FINAL. The prize will be withheld, if in

the opinion of the judges, none of the

compositions submitted is of a caliber

warranting an award.

MISCELLANEOUS: All of the above

rules must be followed, or the

composition will be disqualified.

Address ALL Entries and Inquiries to:

Matthew Neylon, Chair, Composition

Competition, 510 Mount Vernon Hwy

NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328

Email: matthewneylon@gmail.com

Early Music America Every year, Early Music America awards

grants and scholarships to encourage

outreach activities, to help young and

emerging early musicians with their

training, and to recognize achievement

in the field of early music and historical

performance.

In 2018, Early Music America awarded

four Outreach grants to:

• Les Délices, Cleveland, OH: For

its Tenth Anniversary Season

Community Outreach Programs

• S'Cool Sounds, NYC: For

Recorder and percussion

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teaching programs in two NYC

public schools

• Savannah Baroque, Savannah,

GA: For a two-day residency at

the Savannah Classical Academy

• Forgotten Clefs, Bloomington, IN:

For “Shawms and Stories”, a

musical storytelling program for

children aged 3-8 and their

families

EMA awarded Summer Workshop

Scholarships to enable students to

attend the following workshops:

• Early Keyboard Institute,

University of Michigan

• American Bach Soloists

Academy (two students)

• Roman de Fauvel Workshop at

Amherst Early Music Festival

• Evolution of the String Quartet,

Banff Center for Arts and

Creativity

The 2018 Early America Achievement

Awards went to:

• Howard Mayer Brown Award,

for lifetime achievement in the

field of early music: Ross Duffin and Beverly Simmons

• Laurette Goldberg Award, or

lifetime achievement in early

music outreach: The Rose Ensemble

• Thomas Binkley Award, for

outstanding achievement in

performance and scholarship by

the director of a university or

college early music ensemble:

Risa Browder and John Moran

This fall, Early Music America will

launch the inaugural Margriet

Tindemans Early Strings Scholarship,

which will award $25,000 for 2019-20

postgraduate study in an early bowed

stringed instrument.

For more information, visit

www.earlymusicamerica.org.

Music Critics Association The Music Critics Association of North

America collaborated with Music From Japan to hold an educational institute in

Japan in July. Ten music journalists and

two composers from the United States

and Canada took part in the institute,

which featured five concerts in Tokyo

and Fukushima Prefecture, panel

discussions with Japanese composers,

musicians, and musicologists, and other

public events. A theme was MFJ’s

ongoing artistic engagement with the

impact of the March 11, 2011,

earthquake, tsunami and nuclear

disaster that caused radiation leaks at

the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Several pieces performed were

commissioned in response to the

disaster. Photos and more information

can be found here.

In April, the second annual MCANA

Award for Best New Opera went to

composer/librettist David Hertzberg for

The Wake World, premiered by Opera

Philadelphia. The award was presented

at our annual meeting held in

Washington, D.C., in conjunction with

the SHIFT Festival of orchestras. In

February, eight members of the

association participated in an

educational institute with the New World

Symphony in Miami Beach, organized

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around a program of new music that

included the premiere of the revised

Miami in Movements, a multimedia work

by composer Ted Hearne and filmmaker

Jonathan David Kane.

_______________________________

Music Teachers National Association MTNA National Student Competitions Competition applications are now

available online at www.mtna.org. New

this year, Division competitions will be

an online-only video round.

Competitions include Composition,

Brass, Piano, String, Voice, Woodwind

and Chamber Music. Applications are

due Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

2019 MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium The eighth annual MTNA Collegiate

Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium

will be hosted by the James Madison

University chapter in Harrisonburg,

Virginia, January 4–5, 2019. This

meeting of collegiate chapters and their

advisors has been instrumental in

building bridges of research and

communication across the country. Visit

www.mtna.org to learn more. 2019 MTNA National Conference The 2019 MTNA National Conference

will be held March 16–20, 2019, in

Spokane, Washington. Highlights of the

conference include recitals by the

Transcontinental Saxophone Quartet

and pianist Ingrid Fliter. Nearly 2,000

teachers, exhibitors and student

competitors are expected to attend this

event.

Piano Technicians Guild Scholarships The Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) and

Piano Technicians Guild Foundation

offer two scholarships to MTNA certified

members. Any piano teacher who has

earned MTNA Professional Certification

and uses a Registered Piano Technician

(RPT) can apply for one of two

scholarships. For more information, visit

www.mntacertification.org. The deadline

for applications is November 1, 2018.

Find A Teacher Directory All MTNA members can opt into the

national Find a Teacher Directory. This

resource helps you grow your student

prospects while providing a valuable

resource for the public to find a qualified

music teacher. Visit www.mtna.org and

log in to your member account to opt in.

MTNA–Stecher and Horowitz Two Piano Competition The MTNA–Stecher and Horowitz Two

Piano Competition, in its second year,

allows piano duos to compete without

regard to the state or division in which

the live or take lessons. This

competition consists of two rounds. The

first round will be a video round and

submitted online. The finals will take

place at the 2019 MTNA National

Conference. Applications and

recordings will be due January 3, 2019.

For more details, visit www.mtna.org.

Grants Applications Available Applications are now available for the

MTNA FOUNDATION FUND grants.

Collegiate Chapter Enrichment and

Travel Grant applications are due

November 2, 2018. Program

Development, Community Engagement,

Teacher Enrichment and Affiliate

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Enrichment Grants are due May 1,

2019.

National Piano Foundation Scholarships Thanks in part to a generous grant from

the NAMM Foundation, the National

Piano Foundation is offering a limited

number of scholarships from $500–$750

to MTNA-member piano teachers who

are interested in and committed to

learning more about Recreational Music

Making (RMM) and developing an RMM

group lessons program for their studio

and/or their community. These

scholarships are to be used for travel,

lodging, membership and registration

fees, as well as other costs associated

with attending MTNA’s 2019 Pedagogy

Saturday event. The application

deadline is January 25, 2019. For more

information and applications, visit

www.mtna.org.

Not Certified? Check Out the Process! Certification candidates are required to

complete five projects: explanation of

teaching philosophy, analysis of

teaching pieces, video of teaching,

description of teaching environment,

and discussion of business ethics and

studio policies. For information about

the Certification process, visit

www.mtnacertification.org or email

mtnacertification@mtna.org.

MTNA eFestival The MTNA eFestival, an online-only

performance opportunity where you

receive a constructive critique from a

highly qualified evaluator, is now

accepting applications for solo piano,

brass, woodwind, strings, voice,

guitar/mandolin, ukulele, organ,

percussion, harp and chamber music

(maximum six). Musicians can be

beginner through advanced, young or

old, amateur or competitor, studying

with a teacher or independent. The

MTNA eFestival runs year-round with no

deadlines. For more information, email

mtnaefestival@mtna.org or visit

www.mtna.org.

National Association for Music Education

The 2018 NAfME National Conference The NAfME 2018 National Conference

will take place in Dallas, Texas,

November 11-14, 2018. Three two-day

preconference Forums are available for

emerging leaders, music program

leaders, district arts coordinators, and

collegiates. The five Opuses, or learning

tracks, include Amplify: Learning

(Teaching Music as a Well-Rounded

Subject); Amplify: Innovation (Cultivating

Innovative Music- Making); Amplify:

Involvement (Engaging Diversity in

Music-Making and Teaching); Amplify:

Inspiration (Inspiring Students through

Music Creativity); and Amplify:

Technology (Teaching the Tech-Savvy

Generation). Limited sponsorship and

exhibitor opportunities are still available

(contact ashleyw@nafme.org). More

information is available here, or email

marketing@nafme.org to learn more

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about sponsorship options. Follow

#NAfME2018 for updates. The 2018 All-National Honor Ensembles Directors’ Academies The deadline to register for the 2018 All-

National Honor Ensembles (ANHE)

Directors’ Academies is November 9.

These Academies will take place

November 26-27 at Disney’s Coronado

Springs Resort at Walt Disney World,

Orlando, Florida. The Band Directors’

Academy will be led by Paula A. Crider,

the Choral Directors’ Academy will be

led by Victor C. Johnson, and the

Orchestra Directors’ Academy will be

led by Matthew H. Spieker. The

Academies are open to all music

educators. This year’s ANHE guest

conductors are: Dennis Glocke (Concert

Band); Dr. Jean Montés (Symphony

Orchestra); Dr. Amanda Quist (Mixed

Choir); Todd Stoll (Jazz Ensemble); and

new this year, Dr. Michael Quantz will

lead the Guitar Ensemble.

Details: www.nafme.org/anhe.

NAfME Teaching with Primary Sources Curriculum Units Thanks to a generous three-year project

grant from the Library of Congress to

participate in the Teaching with Primary

Sources (TPS) program, NAfME is now

offering free curriculum units for music

educators for the Responding area of

the 2014 Music Standards. Focused on

helping educators connect to the

Library’s digitized archives, and helping

teachers learn how to incorporate

primary sources into the classroom, the

NAfME curriculum units connect to the

Library’s vast resources in music,

including audio, video, still images, and

sheet music files. In 2017, NAfME

introduced the first set of curriculum units for General Music and Choral

educators. On Hill Day 2018, NAfME

introduced two new curriculum units for

Band and Orchestra educators. The

third and final set is currently under

development, which will include

curricular materials for Creating through

Responding, looking at how musicians

are inspired by existing sounds and

music for their own compositions and

music-technology inspired creations.

Learn more at bit.ly/LOCcurriculum. NAfME Academy Enters its Second Year Strong More than 4,200 music educators now

subscribe to NAfME Academy, the

NAfME online professional development

resource. Music educators have earned

more than 5,000 hours in professional

development over the past year. NAfME

Academy now offers 100+ hours in

professional development webinars,

meeting the needs of educators on their

schedule with relevant professional

development. One teacher said: “NAfME

Academy is an easy, affordable way to

access professional development that’s

relevant to my curriculum” (Tonya, 7-

year teacher from North Carolina).

Learn more at bit.ly/NAfMEAcademy.

NAfME Corporate Membership NAfME has various levels of

membership available for corporations

to help you connect to music educators

across the country. Benefits include

discounts on advertising; cobranded

emails to music educators; use of the

NAfME Corporate logo; listing in

NAfME’s corporate directory; discounts

on list rentals; webinar hosting;

exclusive exhibitor and sponsorship

opportunities; and more. To find out

more, contact corporate@nafme.org, or

visit nafme.org/corporate.

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NEW NAfME Career Center NAfME now offers a more robust Career

Center where employers can post job

openings, manage resumes, and set up

email resume alerts. Music educators

can maintain their own career profile,

search open positions, receive career

coaching, and more. Learn more at

careers.nafme.org.

NAfME Advocacy Updates NAfME is also pleased to report that as

of August 28th, 2018, Rep. Velázquez’s

GAAME Act now has a companion bill in

the United States Senate. Senator John

Tester (D-MT), a former music educator,

introduced a version to the upper

chamber. NAfME is thrilled that the

GAAME Act is now bicameral

legislation.

Hill Day 2018 a Major Success

On June 28th, 2018, more than 300

delegates representing Federated Music

Education Association leadership and

Collegiate chapters from across the

nation traveled together to the U.S.

Capitol to meet with elected officials and

their staff. In more than 200

congressional meetings, NAfME

members advocated for key legislation

and funding to support music education.

This year, the NAfME legislative agenda

focused on Every Student Succeeds Act

(ESSA) well-rounded education-focused

appropriations, including:

o Title IV-A, $1.6 billion

o Title I-A, $15.46 billion

o Title II-A, $2.3 billion

The post-meeting surveys completed by

Hill Day delegates reflect broad support

for fully funding these areas, including

79% indicating support for Title IV

funding, and 69% signaling support for

full funding of Title IV, Part A.

The agenda also focused on the

GAAME Act. Hill Day delegations

encouraged members of the House of

Representatives to cosponsor

Congresswoman Velázquez’s bill, and

asked members of the Senate to

consider introducing a companion bill.

Thanks to the efforts of our Hill Day

participants, the GAAME Act’s list of

cosponsors has grown from 37 to 61

cosponsors, which includes bipartisan

support.

Congressional Resolution Commemorates African American Music Appreciation Month This past June, NAfME endorsed a

bicameral, bipartisan resolution that

commemorates the contributions of

African American musicians during

African American Music Appreciation

Month. In the U.S. House of

Representatives, Congressman Gregory

Meeks (D-NY) introduced the resolution

(H.Res.974) along with Congresswoman

Mia Love (R-UT) and 29 additional

cosponsors. On the Senate side,

Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and

Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduced the

companion resolution (S.Res.559) with

seven cosponsors.

The resolution lists a myriad of

influential African American musicians

and their lasting influences on American

music and culture and calls for the

greater access to a sequential and

standards-based music education for

African American students.

In addition to strong support from

NAfME, all 34 members of the Music

Education Policy Roundtable endorsed

the resolution. NAfME and the

Roundtable greatly appreciate the

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opportunity to partner with the

lawmakers who introduced this

resolution, and applaud their leadership

in bringing more awareness to the

systemic problems that still exist in

music education.

Perkins Career and Technical Education Act Passed into Law NAfME is pleased to report the passage

and long overdue reauthorization of the

Carl D. Perkins Vocational and

Technical Education Act (H.R 2353).

The passage is a key victory for music

education as this version of the Perkins

Act includes mention of a well-rounded

education (established by Sec. 8101 of

ESEA). Through enactment of this law,

school districts will need to provide

detailed information on how they plan to

incorporate a well-rounded education

into their career and technical education

plan.

By including the well-rounded education

language in Perkins reauthorization, we

are laying the groundwork for future

recording engineers, music producers,

audio visual technicians, composers and

performers to receive high-quality,

specialized music education. The key is

that their education should go beyond

technical considerations to address

music literacy within public schools,

supported by Perkins funds. Music

technology will play an increasingly

crucial role in the 21st century economy,

and we must commit to providing

access to high-quality technical

programming for students who wish to

use new technologies in creating,

enhancing, performing, and producing

the music we love.

NAMM Best Communities for Music Education: A National Music Education Recognition Program

Celebrating 20 Year of Commitment to Music Education The NAMM Foundation’s Best

Communities for Music Education

(BCME) program is in its 20th year of

honoring schools and districts that

demonstrate a strong commitment to

continuing and growing their music

education programs. The BCME and its

counterpart, the SMMA award recognize

outstanding efforts by teachers,

administrators, students and community

leaders who share in the common goal

to ensure access to music for all

students in the classroom. Submit your

survey starting October 2 at

nammfoundation.org/bcme The 2019 NAMM Show: Registration and Housing Now Open

Mark your calendars and make plans to

attend the 2019 NAMM Show, the global

gathering of the music, sound and event

technology industries, on January 24–

27, 2019 in Southern California. General

attendees - college music educators and

students, music administrators and

educators, nonprofit organizations and

NAMM Foundation partners and

grantees - are encouraged to attend.

Registration and housing is now open.

Learn More

Iconic Jazz Vocalists The Manhattan Transfer Share Musical Origin Stories: During the Talking Up Music

Education podcast, the band shares

their musical origin stories, including the

evolution of the iconic jazz vocal group.

They explore the importance of vocal

training as part of caring for your

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instrument, and the hard work that goes

into maintaining a lifelong musical

career. Subscribe today to listen!

Participate in Make Music Winter on Dec. 21, the Winter Solstice This all-day musical celebration on the

shortest day of the year, brings together

people of all ages, musical abilities and

genres to sin, play, march and dance

their way across streets, parks, plazas

and other public spaces. Contact Aaron

Friedman to connect with organizers in

communities across the country to get

information or ideas to organize your

own Make Music Winter.

_______________________________

National Association of Teachers of Singing

National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) wraps up a successful 55th National Conference at the Tropicana Las Vegas The NATS 55th National Conference

came to a close in June with more than

900 attendees, yet the memories of our

wonderful time together are fresh in our

minds. Guest artists included opera

superstars Stephanie Blythe and

Christine Brewer with collaborative

pianist Craig Terry, Broadway star Alton

Fitzgerald White, voice scientist Johan

Sundberg, and singer and motivational

speaker Mandy Harvey. To share that

joy with the broader music community,

NATS has posted stories, photos, and

videos for your enjoyment on NATS.org,

Facebook @OfficialNATS and

Instagram @OfficialNATS.

NATS Conference Volunteers (from left) Melanie Galloway, Linda Lister, Adonis Abuyen and Cho Hee Hwang

NATS members and friends are coming

away with many valuable experiences

from the Conference and are looking

forward to a grand gathering in Knoxville

in 2020.

NATS honors Marvin Keenze with Lifetime Achievement Award In recognition for his many dedicated

years to the Association, NATS honored

Marvin Keenze with the Lifetime

Achievement Award during the 55th

National Conference in Las Vegas. As

NATS embarks on new international

initiatives in celebration of its 75th

anniversary, it is fitting for Keenze to be

recognized for his founding efforts to

draw NATS into an international realm.

Since 1990 he has been International

Coordinator for NATS and Chairman of

the International Congress of Voice

Teachers (ICVT) and has encouraged

the formation of member associations

and continuing education opportunities

for singing teachers, singers, choral

conductors and voice specialists.

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55th National Conference video sessions now on the NATS Live Learning Center For those who were not able to attend

the NATS 55th National Conference,

video packages and individual session

recordings are now available for

purchase. The NATS Live Learning

Center has been upgraded with new

features including a faster load time,

sleek look, and effortless navigation.

And it’s entirely mobile friendly on all

devices. Try it out and preview all of the

sessions from this year’s conference.

Announcing the 2018 National Student Auditions Winners The final round of the NATS 2018

National Student Auditions (NSA) was

held on Sunday, June 24 during the

NATS 55th National Conference. More

than $35,000 in prizes were awarded to

our winners, who were officially

announced to a standing room audience

of teachers, collaborative pianists,

parents, friends and family members.

The NSA semifinal round was held on

Friday, June 22, at the University of

Nevada, Las Vegas College of Music,

which served as NATS National

Conference host and NSA Competition

sponsor. Nearly 200 of the top young

vocalists from across the United States

and Canada participated in the semifinal

round. The Hall Johnson Spiritual

Competition was also included in this

year’s NSA categories.

Legacy of Korean Art Song wins NATS Poster Paper Session at National Conference The winners of the poster paper

competition at the NATS 55th National

Conference are Moon-Sook Park

(University of Arkansas) and You-Seong

Kim (North Park University), for their

poster "The Legacy of Korean Art Song

Since 1920." Along with a summary of

Korean art song history, representative

Korean art song composers were

presented with a focus on their musical

styles as related to their subject matter.

As a practical guide for singers,

information about Korean lyric diction

was introduced in a summary drawn

from the authors’ recently-published

book, “Korean Art Songs: An Anthology

and Guide for Performance and Study.”

Special thanks to John Nix, poster paper

coordinator, and Nic Perna, who will be

taking over the sessions in Knoxville.

We also thank Cynthia Vaughan, Brian

Manternach, and Matthew Schloneger

for serving as judges.

A Successful NATS Conference, Thanks to Our Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertisers With more than 900 attendees and the

largest number of sessions and concerts

ever offered at a NATS national event,

the support of our sponsors, exhibitors,

and advertisers is what made the 55th

National Conference possible. NATS

depends on our sponsors, advertisers,

and exhibitors to help support the

important work at our conferences.

Without their participation, NATS could

not present the excellent program of

master classes, performances, and

student competitions, in addition to the

College Showcase, Exhibitor

Showcases and other learning

opportunities available.

Click the links below for listings of

companies, organizations, schools, and

universities that partnered with NATS

toward a successful 55th National

Conference.

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

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PROGRAM BOOK ADVERTISERS

EXHIBITORS

COLLEGE SHOWCASE

Welcome new NATS board members! Congratulations to our newly installed

national officers and regional governors

on the National Association of Teachers

of Singing Board of Directors. The

installation of officers took place during

the closing meeting of the NATS 55th

National Conference in Las Vegas.

Newly elected officers include

President-elect Carole Blankenship,

Vice President for Membership Nancy

Bos, and Secretary-Treasurer Jason

Lester. We also congratulate Karen

Brunssen, who was installed as

president. Newly installed regional

governors include Alisa Belflower (West

Central), Ruth Ellis (Cal-Western),

Thomas Hueber (Central), Julie

Krugman (New England), David Mannell

(Great Lakes), Marcía Porter

(Southeastern), and Marieke Schuurs

(Northwestern). Kathleen Otterson

(North Central) was elected to serve a

second term as regional governor.

Linda Snyder (left) passes the gavel to the new president of NATS, Karen Brunssen

2018 NATS Intern Program Review By Alta Marie Boover, NATS Intern -

Class of 2018

It was amazing to spend the week with a

group of “seekers.” Though the master

teachers in this year’s session (Margaret

Cusack, Matt Edwards, Brian Gill, Jan

Prokop, and Arlene Shrut) taught with

conviction, they were also each marked

by the same curiosity and persistent

pursuit of discovery. The openness with

which they interacted with us and with

one another was inspiring. It struck me

much the same as in improv comedy

with the reciprocity concept of “Yes!,

and...” There are things that we know,

there are scientific truths that govern

what we do, and there are boundless

questions which arise and which we

must pursue through scientific research

and through the process of making art.

READ MORE

Education Commission Survey explores NATS membership in all phases of Music Education The NATS Education Commission,

appointed by the NATS Board of

Directors in 2013, conducted a formal

written survey in May 2017 to determine

the depth of interest and involvement of

the NATS membership in all phases of

music education of children in

kindergarten through grade twelve. We

thank the many NATS members for their

participation and appreciate their

contributions. A complete report will be

published in the Fall 2018 issue of the

NATS e-zine Inter Nos.

National Federation of Music Clubs The National Federation of Music Clubs

announces the 2019 Biennial Young

Artist Awards and the 2019 Biennial Ellis

Duo Piano Awards. These competitions

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are for musicians pursuing a

professional concert career.

Young Artist Awards – Categories:

PIANO, STRINGS, MAN’S VOICE,

WOMAN’S VOICE. Age Requirements

for the Young Artist Awards:

Instrumentalist must have reached their

18th birthday but, not their 30

th birthday

by June 1, the year of the audition.

Vocalist must have reached their 25th

birthday, but not their 37th birthday by

June 1, the year of the audition. Awards

in each category are as follows: First

Place $20,000, Second Place $2,000

Third Place $1,000.

Ellis Duo Piano Awards – Age

requirements for the Ellis Duo Piano

Awards: Must have reached their 18th

birthday, but not their 39th birthday by

February 1, 2019. Awards are as

follows: First Place $20,000 (duo team),

Second Place $4,000 (duo team),

$1,000 for the best performance

American Music.

NFMC will also be holding the Biennial

Student/Collegiate Audition Awards in

the following categories: Piano, Organ,

Classical Guitar, Man’s Voice, Woman’s

Voice, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass,

Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion.

Age requirements: 19-25 (by application

date). Awards are as follows: First

Place $3,000 in each category, Second

Place $500 in each category.

NFMC has awarded over $177,000 to

young artists in the past year. Complete

information regarding these awards can

be found at nfmc-music.org under

competitions. Please refer to the NFMC

Competitions and Awards Chart for

complete information.

Sigma Alpha Iota Sigma Alpha Iota International Music

Fraternity held its triennial National

Convention in Scottsdale, AZ July 26-

30, 2018. With 770 attendees, there

were many musical highlights over the

course of the event. The Inter-American

Music Awards concert featured the

winning composition, by Steven Cohen

of New York City, and two pieces

performed with the respective

composer/judges at the piano. Dr.

Richard Crosby presented “Piano

Sonata No. 1, Op. 21” and Bonnie Ruth

Janofsky performed “Expressions.” All

three new works will be published by

C.F. Peters in the IAMA Series.

Ms. Leah Hawkins, soprano, an SAI

alumna member, was presented in

concert on the opening

morning. Audiences have heard her

perform in the Domingo-Cafritz Young

Artist Program at Washington National

Opera, and she will be singing this fall at

the Metropolitan Opera as a member of

the Lindemann Young Artist

Development Program.

The signature SAI Philanthropies

Benefit Concert featured two artists in

concert: SAI National Arts Associate Dr.

Christopher Kachian, guitarist, directs

one of the largest guitar programs in the

USA at the University of St. Thomas in

Minneapolis, and Dr. Thomas

Schonberg, a native of Sweden, has

served as Principal Cellist at the John

Hopkins Symphony Orchestra, the Hartt

Symphony, and presents masterclasses

for advanced students throughout

Europe, the United States and

Asia. The evening’s concert included

Mozart, Bach, Bartok, Armenian Dances

by Vardapet, Venezuelan Waltzes by

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Lauro, Brazilian music by Villa-Lobos,

and American Jazz.

Other concerts featured winners of the

Graduate Performance Awards: Emma

Gierszal on marimba, Brittany Giles on

oboe; Undergraduate Performance

Award winner Melanie Richardson on

piano; and the winner of the SAI Jazz

Performance Award, Naomi Preston,

performing on tenor saxophone with

Michael Braz at the piano.

For more than 100 years, Sigma Alpha

Iota has supported endeavors at The

MacDowell Colony and this convention

marked the culmination of a two-year

pledge to renovate Pan’s Cottage in

Peterborough, NH. Presenting a

masterful lecture on her studies and

compositions was Dr. Andrea Clearfield,

who was a Fellow at The MacDowell

Colony. All are encouraged to explore

her Tibetan inspired music at

www.andreaclearfield.com

Membership in the National Music

Council gives you access to the IMC

Music World News eBulletin, which

presents music news from around the

globe. Emailed to subscribers every two

weeks free of charge, it reaches more

than 70 countries on all five continents.

Music World News is divided into six

sections: Music the artform and artists Music Industry Music Education Policy, Research & Politics Technologies and media The Pointy End

View Issue 07/2018

Click here to subscribe.

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Accountants to the NMC