sam smith - intunemonthly.com · anika nilles takes a versatile approach to her artistry. “as a...

MONTHLY

VOL. 15 • NO. 3 • DEC 2017

A SOFTER TOUCH

THE HISTORY OF NYLON-STRING

GUITARS

TOM PETTY’S “FREE FALLIN’”A ROCK LEGEND REMEMBERED

MINOR SCALESMAKE A MAJOR IMPACT

Two albums into his career, he’s already mastered the art of the sad song

SAM SMITHSAM SMITHSAM SMITH✦ Insights for Music Teachers—by Music Teachers✦ An Overview of This Month’s Lessons for Students✦ Assessment Materials and Lesson Plan Guidance✦ Website and Subscription Information ✦ The Student Edition of In Tune Monthly

THE YOUNG MUSICIAN’S TEXTBOOK

✦ T E AC H E R’ S E D I T I O N ✦

Every Music Student Needs to Get In Tune! To get subscriptionsfor your class, see the back cover

D E C E m b E r 2 0 1 7 ○ V o l . 1 5 , N o . 3

Student subscriptions available at InTuneMonthly.com

I T’s TradITIonal aT The end of The year to look back

on all that’s happened in our world and our lives, but it’s also a

good time to take stock. That’s what New Year’s resolutions are

all about. We look ahead to what might be in the days to come

and attempt to commit to a better future.

In 2017, In Tune became more active in the Association for

Popular Music Education (popularmusiceducation.org), a group

we helped form about a decade ago, in order to bring materials

and curricula covering a broad set of musical subjects into the

classroom of the future. A key activity for this group is to gather its

member educators at a college in summer to compare notes and

share best practices. Over the years, the summer APME conferences

have grown in attendance, and last year’s soirée at UC Denver was

the biggest and best yet.

This coming summer, the APME conference will take place at

Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on June

24-27, and a scouting party has just come back from MTSU in

preparation for the event. APME 2018 is a good place to go for any

educators already incorporating popular music, music technology,

and/or music industry studies in their programs or planning to do so in

the future.

Murfreesboro, we might add, is a stone’s throw from Nashville, the

home of the Summer NAMM (National Association of Music

Merchants) Show on June 28-30—which, not coincidentally, starts the

day after the APME conference ends. In Tune will be there throughout,

so consider making your New Year’s resolution to join us and learn

more about popular music education and the latest in musical

instruments and equipment this summer in Music City USA.

A Look AheadTeachers ordering six or more sets of

In Tune student subscriptions can go to intunemonthly.com/lessonplansfor full lesson plans and videos.

This month, lesson plans are avail-able for the following stories:

Teacher’sediTion

Techniques Students will listen to and play music examples

featuring the harmonic and melodic minor scales.

Modern BandFind a variety of song accompaniment charts for

Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”

Icon—Joan sutherlandResources include video and audio playlists as

well as discussion questions.

nylon-string Guitars More information about these instruments and

the musicians who use them, plus a quiz.

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3I N T u N E m o N T h l y • T E a C h E r E D I T I o N • D E C E m b E r 2 0 1 7

i nt u nemont h ly.com4 D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 • I n T u n e m o n T h l y • T e a c h e r ’ s e D I T I o n

the history of NyLoN-striNg gUitArsTeaching history through a musical instrument is a favorite educational tactic of ours. The story of the nylon-string gui-tar’s development takes us across centuries, continents, and genres, introducing us both to great players (like andrés segovia and João Gilberto) and great craftsmen (like luthier albert augustine and the folks at DuPont who invented nylon in the first place).

CryiNg tiMeWe’ve had sam smith on our list of possible In Tune covers for quite a while, but it was his phenomenal october perfor-mance on Saturday Night Live that prompted us to make the

call now. smith’s like his fellow brit-soul singer adele in at least two important ways: he specializes in conveying deep emotion with a minimum of frills, and he has become spectacularly successful by doing so. Quite rightly, too.

MoDerN BANDThe death of Tom Petty this fall at the age of 66 was a real shock to many, including us. over the subsequent days, we thought about how we wanted to celebrate Petty’s legacy in the magazine. Well, what better way could there be than to encourage young people to play one of his greatest songs? and so we decided to give “Free Fallin’” the modern band treatment; more info and chord charts for the song are available on our website.

…AND MoreIn this month’s subgenre page, we examine why a bunch of english rock bands in the early ’90s were called “shoegazers.” What Do you Do profiles David malekpour, who helps design, build, and equip recording studios around the world. Producer/DJ Jonathan stein could be

called an unusual choice for The Write stuff, but a close look at his method of building beats reveals that it’s really just another kind of composition. as always, our Frontrunner and listening list sections give readers a heads-up on what’s new and noteworthy in the music world. and there’s even more to be found at intunemonthly.com.

The Tao of In Tune

iCoNopera is an acquired taste, we’ll admit, and many people who otherwise consider themselves music lovers never acquire it. however, we suspect that even those who think they loathe opera will be dazzled by the singing of Dame Joan suther-land. our portrait of “la stupenda” emphasizes that, although her talent was evident early on, it took her a long time to find her artistic direction—a point that’s always helpful to make to uncertain or impatient young musicians.

PLAyersGirls are taking up the drums at a growing rate in recent years, and that’s a trend we’d like to encourage. so when our friends at the drum company Tama told us about Germany’s anika nilles, we were interested right away. not only is she an excellent player, but her story could

also be an inspiration to our readers.

iNfLUeNCesWe’re big fans of alternative rocker st. Vincent, and we were struck by how clearly the influence of Prince shines through on much of her latest album. This got us thinking about Prince’s underrecognized debt to Todd rundgren, and rundgren’s surprising love of Gilbert & sullivan. before we knew it, an Influences page was born—and if it introduces even a single reader to “I am the Very model of a modern major-General,” we’ll consider it a job well done.

teChNiQUesThe December edition of Tech-niques is a natural followup to november’s installment, which discussed the seven modes of a major scale. This time we investigate some of the minor-

scale variations that weren’t covered last month. There’s a lot more where this came from; expect to see additional articles on scales, modes, and other musical building blocks in the new year.

intunemonthly.com48 In Tune Monthly • December 2017

Musical Styles Within StylesSUBGENRE

1. My Bloody Valentine put out the critically lauded Loveless in 1991, then didn’t fi nish another album for 22 years. 2. Ride’s 2017 album, Weather Diaries, was its fi rst since 1996. 3. Lush reformed for a 2016 tour after nearly two decades apart. 4. The Verve, led by singer Richard Ashcroft, were early-’90s shoegazers but grew more mainstream on hits like 1997’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony.”

Shoegaze?What Is

In the late 1980s, an odd new type of alternative rock emerged in England. The bands that played it were known for sweeping, droning, effects-laden guitar sounds, and for barely engaging their audiences in live performance. Their lead singers had a kind of anti-charisma, avoiding eye contact with the crowd and mumbling their words. At fi rst it was called “dream pop” because of its lazy, hazy feel, but it earned a more lasting name when journalists commented on the guitarists’ tendency to “shoegaze” or stare solemnly down at their feet while playing—behavior prompted in part by their use of many effects pedals.

The roots of shoegaze can be heard in post-punk bands like Hüsker Dü and pre-punk bands like the Velvet Underground. But shoegazing as we know it really began with the

Shoegaze?Loud guitars, quiet singing, and a keen interest in stage fl oors characterize the bands that defi ned this memorably named rock subgenre. By Kate Koenig

Slowdive’s guitarist Neil Halstead and

bassist Nick Chaplin gaze at their shoes.

( S L O W D I V E ) M A R T Y N G O O D A C R E / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; ( M Y B L O O D Y V A L E N T I N E ) J A S W O O D U K ; ( R I D E ) A N D R E W O G I L V Y P H O T O G R A P H Y ; ( L U S H ) P A U L N A T K I N / W I R E I M A G E ; ( T H E V E R V E ) D A N N Y L E C H A N T E U R .

Irish/English quartet My Bloody Valentine. On its 1988 debut album, Isn’t Anything, melodic but unassuming vocal lines are overwhelmed by waves of distorted, echoing noise. That sound was soon imitated by other English bands, notably Ride, Slowdive, and Lush, and then adopted by American groups such as Blonde Redhead and the Swirlies.

Shoegaze’s time in the spotlight was brief, as it was overshadowed in the ’90s by the grunge of Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam, and the competing Britpop craze sparked by Suede, Blur, and Oasis. But its sound can still be heard today in a variety of acts from Silversun Pickups to Deerhunter. And all of the major original shoegaze bands—My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Lush, and Slowdive—have reunited in recent years to great acc laim.

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IN THE TRADITION of rock drummers (like Rush’s Neil Peart and Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl) who also wear the hats of bandleader and songwriter, Germany’s Anika Nilles takes a versatile approach to her artistry. “As a drummer or musician in general,” she says, “you have to be multifar-ious: a teacher, a composer, a producer, your own brand manager, and so on.”

Nilles’ � rst EP release, Alter Ego in 2014, was followed in 2015 by her � rst worldwide tour—as a clinician (demonstrating drum-ming techniques in an educational context) rather than a concertizer. Her debut album, the 10-song Pikalar, arrived in February 2017, and for next year she’s planning a book, a series of international drum camps,

songs for a new album, and a tour for her pop/rock fusion band Nevell. She also writes for numerous drumming journals and has won polls in DRUM! and Modern Drummer; the latter magazine noted that her playing style incorporates “quintuplets, sextuplets, and various combinations of other odd groupings over straight 4/4 time.”

You could say that Nilles has drumming in her blood. Born in Ascha� enburg, Ger-many, in 1983, she grew up with “a drum set and a rehearsal studio in our basement where my dad [also a drummer] was rehears-ing with his band. I sat there and watched my dad playing. He taught me the first grooves.”

From there, she recalls, “I moved to

di� erent teachers. I started learning drums at a local music school, and then I had some private teachers and was in bands and orches-tras, where I learned a lot about playing with other musicians.” She began composing at age 19 (on guitar) and got her first paying job about nine years ago: “I got hired for a mus ic book i ng agency specializing in big, high-class events. Of course they were looking for a female drummer!”

Setting goals has been key to Nilles’ success. She advises players to think about what type of musician they want to be—specialist, all-around player, traditionalist, teacher—and adjust those goals as desired. “I appreciate drummers who are able to play all styles of music,” she says, “but I also appreciate those who are specialists and still can lead the band through di� erent music styles. In the end it’s all about timing, sound, and feel.”

Speaking of sound, Nilles is quite par-ticular about the sonic impact that her drums and cymbals make. “I love a dry cymbal sound and a punchy, deep-tuned drum sound,” she explains. “I try to hear what a song needs to � gure out a suitable drum sound. In the studio it’s easy because you can change drums, cymbals, and heads for each track. A good live sound should work for all tracks, so I prefer a good mix of dry and brilliant cymbals in di� erent sizes and tune the drum set appropriately.”

Being a musician, she notes, is about more than one’s equipment. “Success for me is to reach people with my craft on the one hand and be emotionally satis� ed with what I’m doing on the other hand.” M

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intunemonthly.comIn Tune Monthly • December 201722

P L AY E R S THE LIVES AND TIMES OF WORKING MUSICIANS BY GEOFF GIORDANO

Anika Nilles

P R O F I L EMAIN CLAIM TO FAME: World-touring drummer, composer, and educator with more than 13 million YouTube views

BACKGROUND: Grew up in a family of drummers (her father, two uncles, and a cousin), left a career in social education to pursue music

EDUCATION: Studied at the Popakademie University of Popular Music and Music Business in Mannheim, Germany

INFLUENCES: Jeff Porcaro, Michael Jackson, Joss Stone, John Mayer, John Scofi eld, Foo Fighters

EQUIPMENT: Meinl cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, Evans drumheads, Tama drums

“In the end it’s all

about timing, sound, and

feel.”

ONE OF THE MOST acclaimed opera singers of the 20th century, Joan Sutherland was known to her adoring fans as La Stupen-da—“the wonderful one.” Over a 40-year career, she astounded audiences with her power, technique, and range, which extended nearly three octaves (from low G to high F in the treble clef). She also led a revival of the bel canto school of Italian opera, for which she is still celebrated today.

Surprisingly, it took years for Sutherland to � nd her niche. She was born in Australia to Scottish parents and began her vocal studies with her mother, who trained her as a mezzo-soprano (the vocal range below soprano). Her transfor-mation into a full-� edged soprano began at age 18, when professional coaches honed in on her upper register. The results were a revelation. Sutherland’s voice was exquisitely clear, and her phrasing—the ability to expressively shape a melody—showed a

passionate connection with the music that deeply a� ected listeners.

It was her husband, conductor and pianist Richard Bonynge, who convinced Sutherland that she had the vocal agility to become a

coloratura soprano. To sing in coloratura means to add “color” to the music with melodic ornamen-tation such as runs, trills, and interval leaps. Suther-land’s technical skill and breath control also made her well-suited to bel canto (Italian for “beau-

tiful singing”). This vocal style—which emphasized the sheer beauty of the voice more than the words being sung—was

popular in Italian opera from the 17th through 19th centuries but died out in the

early 1900s. Sutherland would restore it to its former glory.

Her breakthrough came when she performed the title role in Gaetano Donizetti’s tragic opera Lucia di Lammer-

moor at London’s Covent Garden on February 17, 1959. Suddenly,

a long-forgotten style of singing was back in vogue and Sutherland was its star, returning the neglected operas of Rossini, Bellini, and other bel canto composers to prominence. Even Italy’s infamously � nicky critics were charmed at her 1960 Venice debut, where the prima donna (Italian for “leading lady”) received a 12-minute standing ovation. By the next year, New Yorkers were lining up around the block for the Australian’s � rst performance at the Metropolitan Opera.

Sutherland’s voice, once described as “silvery” and “bell-like,” aged beautifully as she approached her mid-thirties, developing a tone that one critic compared to “molten honey.” Her diction could be imprecise, as she often sacri� ced enunciation of consonants to maintain a � owing line, but her technique remained solid, allowing her to e� ectively tackle highly dramatic roles into her sixties. In 1979, Sutherland was given the honorary title Dame of the British Empire (DBE). She gave her last public performance on New Year’s Eve 1990 in Johann Strauss’ Die Fleder-maus, accompanied by famed singers Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne.

Dame Joan Sutherland spent her late years giving master classes, writing her autobiog-raphy, and gardening at her house in Swit-zerland. Her voice was silenced by heart failure in 2010, but her spirit lives on in the bel canto tradition into which she breathed new life.

intunemonthly.comIn Tune Monthly • December 201718

I C O N GREAT MUSICIANS IN HISTORY BY CHRISTOPHER SCAPELLITI

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Joan Sutherland

WHO: Coloratura soprano, prima donna, Dame of the British EmpireWHAT: An opera singer who led a popular revival of the bel canto singing style WHEN: Born Nov. 7, 1926, in Sydney, Australia; died Oct. 10, 2010, in Vaud, Switzerland

The album Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor 1959 lets you hear

Sutherland in her breakthrough bel canto performance before

a rapturous audience. The two-disc set La Stupenda: The Supreme

Voice of Joan Sutherland is an excellent sampling of her fi nest

recorded moments, from opera to popular song.

“If there is perfection

in singing, this is it.”

—Brazilian soprano Bidú Sayão

T H E T R I L L O F I T A L L

WeLCoMe to DeCeMBer Some issues of In Tune have underlying themes, either intentional or the product of chance. Then there are issues like this one, which don’t seem to have any unifying thread. Except, perhaps, for this: Like all our previous issues, it focuses on men and women who are really good at what they do, in the hope that their example will inspire similar excellence in our readers. And that’s enough for us.

WhAt’s iN this issUe AND Why

teAChiNg With iN tUNe

i nt u nemont h ly.comD E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • I N T U N E M O N T H L Y • T E A C H E R ’ S E D I T I O N 6

Whether straight or tangled, the lines of artistic inspiration traced by In Tune’s Infl uences page can be drawn further in the classroom.

One of the most interesting tasks we have at In Tune Monthly is the constructing of our In� uences column. It begins as a kind of backwards scavenger hunt; we’ll select a current artist (usually someone with a song or album in the charts at the time of selection), then we’ll hunt down three of that artist’s influencers, going further back in history for each one.

Whether we know the background of the featured artist or not, this exercise is likely to yield surprises. A central question that guides our hunt is: Who has the artist—not a fan, not a critic, not a biog-rapher, but the actual artist—named as an in� uence?

from generation to generation, while some are born new, the product of a unique convergence of styles and events. You’ll � nd plenty of both types of artists and genres in these pages, but what we � nd especially intriguing are the lines of in� uence that catch us o� guard. Here are three examples from past issues of In Tune, along with some sug-gestions on how you can make use of them in your classroom.

JANUARY 2017: PRINCE ROYCE TO MANUEL CALDERÓNThe January 2017 edition of In� uences is a perfect illustration of a genre growing

TEACHING WITH IN TUNE

Our natural inclination to categorize individual artists by style can lead us to shortchange them of their individual back-grounds. Rather than assume that each artist must have been influenced by the older members of their genre, it’s worth examining (where it’s possible to do so) the specific in� uences they drew from their parents, teachers, bandmates, travels, and collabora-tions. Artists’ personal circumstances tend to dictate their sound more than the history of the genre to which they appear to belong.

Some artists are eclectic, drawing inspira-tion from a varied mix of sounds, while others take a more linear path through the halls of a genre’s founders and traditionalists. Some genres develop by being passed down

BY KATE KOENIG

UNDER THE INFLUENCES

I N F L U E N C E S CONNECTING MUSICIANS THROUGH TIME P H O T O S : ( P U T H ) T H A D D A E U S M C A D A M S / W I R E I M A G E ,

( J O H N S O N ) E M M E T M A L L O Y , ( H A R P E R ) D A V I D L E F R A N C / G A M M A - R A P H O /G E T T Y I M A G E S , ( T A J M A H A L ) P A U L N A T K I N / G E T T Y I M A G E S

Charlie Puth to Taj Mahal In his teens, Hawaiian native JACK JOHNSON was a professional surfer, but a serious accident at a tournament led him toward a slightly less dangerous career in music. His smooth, laid-back folk-rock songs owe a lot to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and a man who played guitar on his 2001 debut album: Ben Harper.

Although BEN HARPER is a soulful singer and gifted song-

writer, it was his exceptional playing on the Weissenborn lap

steel guitar that fi rst got the attention of American roots

music fans in the late ’80s. One person who noticed Harper’s talent early—and invited him

on his fi rst major tour in 1990—was bluesman Taj Mahal.was bluesman Taj Mahal.

Born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks, Jr. in 1942, TAJ MAHAL grew up in Massachusetts, but his interest in the African and Carib-bean foundations of jazz, blues, and rock have made him a true world musician. This singer, song-writer, and multi-instrumentalist has been crossing genre bounda ries for more than 50 years.

CHARLIE PUTH is a classically trained pianist, but the R&B-fl avored pop he’s become known for doesn’t have a lot to do with Mozart or Chopin. That said, he does play a slick snippet of Rachmaninoff to open the video of his 2016 hit “One Call Away.” Puth studied jazz at the Manhat-tan School of Music and takes inspiration from a wide range of genres, but he’s singled out the “surf rock” stylings of Jack Johnson as a key infl uence.

In Tune Monthly • April 201724 intunemonthly.com

In Tune Monthly is In Tune Monthly is In Tune Monthlythe constructing of our In� uences column. It begins as a kind of backwards scavenger hunt; we’ll select a current artist (usually someone with a song or album in the charts at the time of selection), then we’ll hunt down three of that artist’s influencers, going further back in history for each one.

Whether we know the background of the featured artist or not, this exercise is likely to yield surprises. A central question that guides

intriguing are the lines of in� uence that catch us o� guard. Here are three examples from

, along with some sug-gestions on how you can make use of them

INFLUENCES

With 1962’s “Borracho de Amor,” Dominican native JOSÉ MANUEL CALDERÓN became the fi rst person to record a bachata song. The word “bachata” refers to an informal party in the country and was originally used to put down the genre (much like country music was once called “hillbilly”). In the ’60s, bachata was gritty folk music. Today, thanks to Prince Royce and others, it’s evolved into something more modern-sound-ing—an d far more popular.

With 1962’s “Borracho de Amor,” Dominican JOSÉ MANUEL became the fi rst person to record a bachata song. The word “bachata” refers to an informal party in the country and was originally used to put down the genre (much like country music

I N F L U E N C E S CONNECTING MUSICIANS THROUGH TIME

A major force in Latin pop, PRINCE ROYCE—born Geoffrey Royce Rojas to Dominican par-ents in the New York borough of the Bronx—started making music seriously in his teens. His debut album, released when he was 20, topped the Billboard Latin Albums chart and went double platinum. His fourth and most re-cent album, 2015’s Double Vision, is his fi rst with primarily English lyrics. Royce has frequently cited the group Aventura as a key early infl uence.

Prince Royce to José Manuel Calderón Like Prince Royce, AVENTURA came from the Bronx but had strong connections to the Dominican Republic. Featuring two cousins (Antony Santos and Henry Santos Jeter) and two brothers (Lenny and Mikey Santos), the band captured listeners’ attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s by blending American hip-hop and R&B with the Dominican bachata style made famous by artists like Blas Durán.

BLAS DURÁN’s musical career began in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, but it was his distinctive use of a four-string electric guitar in the mid-’80s that fi rst put the

bachata sound on the international map. Before Durán, the genre had mainly used acoustic instruments, following the example set by José Manuel Calderón.

P H O T O S : ( R O Y C E ) A L E X A N D E R T A M A R G O / G E T T Y I M A G E S ,

( A V E N T U R A ) G A R Y G E R S H O F F / W I R E I M A G E

With 1962’s “Borracho de Amor,” Dominican nativeCALDERÓN

record a bachata song. The word “bachata” refers to an informal party in the country

like country music was once called “hillbilly”). In the

was gritty folk

thanks to Prince Royce and others, it’s evolved into something more modern-sound-ing—an d far more

lyrics. Royce has frequently cited the group Aventura as a key early infl uence.

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through generations, with each one making contributions to further the style. The pro-gression from José Manuel Calderón to Prince Royce highlights a linear development within the same genre of music (bachata) and the same culture (Dominican).

If not for the work of the bachata artists before him, Prince Royce wouldn’t be the artist he is today. José Manuel Calderón made

UNDER THE INFLUENCES


On her breakout fi rst album, Know-It-All, 20-year-old ALESSIA CARA shows a wisdom beyond her years. Songs like “Wild Things,” “Scars to Your Beautiful,” and the Top 5 hit “Here” address emotional topics such as peer pressure and self-esteem, sung over compelling R&B beats. Cara acknowledges that her music has many infl uences, but one of the clearest is that of British singer/songwriter Lianne La Havas.

Alessia Cara to Chaka Khan

CHAKA KHAN fi rst came to attention in the 1970s as the lead singer of the funk band Rufus. Since then, she has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. Khan also has the distinction of being the fi rst major pop artist to include a rapper on one of her songs: 1984’s smash hit “I Feel for You,” featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel.

LIANNE LA HAVAS’ ear-grabbing mixture of soul, jazz, and folk has won her many fans in the last fi ve years, most notably the late Prince, who asked her to sing on his 2014 album Art Offi cial Age. Not surprisingly, she’s a Prince fan, but she says that as a preteen, she made an even stronger connection with the music of Mary J. Blige.

In the 1990s, MARY J. BLIGE became known as “the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” on the back of her mega-selling albums What’s the 411?, My Life, and Share My World. Two decades later, she continues to be one of R&B’s top artists. The telltale combination of smoothness and grit in her singing is reminiscent of one of her key infl uences, Chaka Khan.

P H O T O S : ( C A R A ) A N D R E W L I P O V S K Y / N B C , ( L A H A V A S ) G U S S T E W A R T / W I R E I M A G E , ( B L I G E )

J O H N W . F E R G U S O N / G E T T Y I M A G E S , ( K H A N ) E B E T R O B E R T S / R E D F E R N S

CHAKA KHANattention in the 1970s as the lead singer of the funk band Rufus. Since then, she has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. Khan also has the distinction of being the fi rst major pop artist to include a rapper on one of her songs: 1984’s smash hit “I Feel for You,” featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel.

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“Lost Boy,” the debut single by 21-year-old Canadian singer/songwriter RUTH B., could be the oddest song to make 2016’s pop charts: four minutes of solo piano and voice, with lyrics that refer to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Ruth B.’s sensitive approach to balladry also recalls Adele, another singer who likes to strip her songs down and wear her heart on her sleeve.

RuthB. to Barbra Streisand

Actress, activist, fi lmmaker, and a singer of rare dramatic power, BARBRA STREISAND has been a

cultural force for half a century. She isn’t always thought of as a song-

writer, but with “Evergreen”—which she co-wrote for the 1976 movie A Star Is Born—she became the fi rst

woman to win an Oscar for Best Original Song.

One of the most successful artists of our time, ADELE needs no introduction. Growing up in 1990s England, she gravitated toward music with an emotional edge, reserving a special place in her heart for goth-rockers the Cure, art-pop diva Annie Lennox, and a fi ery, shaven-headed young Irishwoman named Sinéad O’Connor.

Best known for her 1990 hit cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” SINÉAD O’CONNOR combines Celtic music, hip-hop, R&B, and punk rock in a uniquely haunting

style. But for her fi rst major public performance at

age 15 (a teacher’s wedding), she sang a

very different type of song: “Evergreen” by Barbra Streisand.

P H O T O S : ( R U T H B ) S O N I A R E C C H I A / G E T T Y I M A G E S , ( A D E L E ) D A N A E D E L S O N / N B C ,

( O ’ C O N N O R ) F R A N S S C H E L L E K E N S / R E D F E R N S , ( S T R E I S A N D ) C B S V I A G E T T Y I M A G E S

intunemonthly.com22

I N F L U E N C E S CONNECTING MUSICIANS THROUGH TIME P H O T O S : ( U S H E R ) K E V I N M A Z U R / G E T T Y I M A G E S ,

( G A Y E ) D A V I D G A H R / G E T T Y I M A G E S , ( M C P H A T T E R ) M I C H A E L O C H S A R C H I V E / G E T T Y I M A G E S ,

( J O H N S O N ) C H R I S A L B E R T S O N

Usher to Lonnie Johnson MARVIN GAYE was a star performer for the Motown label during the 1960s but made his greatest cultural impact when he sang about American society’s prob-lems on the 1971 album What’s Going On. Gaye deeply admired many other singers, including Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, and Clyde McPhatter.

CLYDE McPHATTER’s high tenor singing was a crucial early ingredient of the

Drifters, the R&B group he founded in 1953. Three years before that, McPhat-

ter made his fi rst waves by winning the Amateur Night contest at New York’s Apollo Theater. The song he chose to sing there was “Tomorrow Night” by

Lonnie Johnson.

Although he became best known as a blues and R&B singer, New Orleans native LONNIE JOHNSON was also a groundbreaking instrumentalist. His guitar work on a series of 1920s recordings had a major infl uence on the develop-ment of jazz, and he was the fi rst noteworthy musi-cian to play an electrically amplifi ed violin.

CLYDE McPHATTER

ter made his fi rst waves by winning the With his eighth album, 2016’s Hard II Love, Usher Raymond IV—USHER for short—continues a hugely successful singing career that began in his early teens. Over the past 20 years, his smooth blending of R&B and mainstream pop has made him one of the best-selling artists in American music history. His popularity and ambition link him to three key infl uences: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye (whom Usher actually portrayed in a TV series called American Dreams).

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through generations, with each one making contributions to further the style. The pro-


On her breakout fi rst album,Know-It-All, 20-year-old ALESSIA CARA shows a wisdom beyond her years. Songs like “Wild Things,” “Scars to Your Beautiful,” and the Top 5 hit “Here” address emotional topics such as peer pressure and self-esteem, sung over compelling R&B beats. Cara acknowledges that her music has many infl uences, but one of the clearest is that of British singer/

Alessia Cara

20


“Lost Boy,” the debut single by 21-year-old Canadian singer/songwriter RUTH B., could be the oddest song to make 2016’s pop charts: four minutes of solo piano and voice, with lyrics

B.’s sensitive approach

who likes to strip her

RuthB. to

22


Usher to Usher to Usher

With his eighth album, 2016’sHard II Love, Usher Raymond IV—USHERfor short—continues a hugely successful singing career that

With 1962’s “Borracho de Amor,” Dominican native JOSÉ MANUEL CALDERÓN became the fi rst person to record a bachata song. The word “bachata” refers to an informal party in the country and was originally used to put down the genre (much like country music was once called “hillbilly”). In the ’60s, bachata was gritty folk music. Today, thanks to Prince Royce and others, it’s evolved into something more modern-sound-ing—an d far more popular.

With 1962’s “Borracho de Amor,” Dominican JOSÉ MANUEL became the fi rst person to record a bachata song. The word “bachata” refers to an informal party in the country and was originally used to put down the genre (much like country music


A major force in Latin pop, PRINCE ROYCE—born Geoffrey Royce Rojas to Dominican par-ents in the New York borough of the Bronx—started making music seriously in his teens. His debut album, released when he was 20, topped the Billboard Latin Albums chart and went double platinum. His fourth and most re-cent album, 2015’s Double Vision, is his fi rst with primarily English lyrics. Royce has frequently cited the group Aventura as a key early infl uence.

Prince Royce to José Manuel Calderón Like Prince Royce, AVENTURA came from the Bronx but had strong connections to the Dominican Republic. Featuring two cousins (Antony Santos and Henry Santos Jeter) and two brothers (Lenny and Mikey Santos), the band captured listeners’ attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s by blending American hip-hop and R&B with the Dominican bachata style made famous by artists like Blas Durán.

BLAS DURÁN’s musical career began in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, but it was his distinctive use of a four-string electric guitar in the mid-’80s that fi rst put the

bachata sound on the international map. Before Durán, the genre had mainly used acoustic instruments, following the example set by José Manuel Calderón.

P H O T O S : ( R O Y C E ) A L E X A N D E R T A M A R G O / G E T T Y I M A G E S ,

( A V E N T U R A ) G A R Y G E R S H O F F / W I R E I M A G E

With 1962’s “Borracho de Amor,” Dominican nativeCALDERÓN

record a bachata song. The word “bachata” refers to an informal party in the country

like country music was once called “hillbilly”). In the

was gritty folk

thanks to Prince Royce and others, it’s evolved into something more modern-sound-ing—an d far more

lyrics. Royce has frequently cited the group Aventura as a key early infl uence.

22

the � rst bachata recordings, giving the genre a respected platform. Blas Durán brought it into the modern era when he became the � rst bachata artist to play electric guitar. Aventura pushed the style further by being the � rst group to sing in English, while also blending bachata with American hip-hop and R&B in� uences.

i nt u nemont h ly.comD e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 • I n T u n e m o n T h l y • T e a c h e r ’ s e D I T I o n 8

before, playing a song by each of the artists in chronological order, but this time ask students to identify connections between smaller ideas in each song rather than their overall sound. What pieces of Robeson’s work would Sainte-Marie have borrowed, or would Nicks have borrowed from Sainte-Marie? Can students imagine how the ripple effect of Robeson’s artistic impact could have shaped an aspect of Bon Iver’s otherworldly sound in the present day?

MAY 2017: LORDE TO BEN E. KINGThe lineup in the May 2017 Influences could leave a lot of readers scratching their heads at first. Listening to the fresh, electronic, often sparse sound of Lorde, it might not be

What’s interesting about this progression is that it shows how a genre developed before the age of globalization. Bachata evolved in the countryside of the Dominican Republic, played by artists whose talents were nurtured within their own culture rather than by the Internet, TV, radio, or international pop. It’s folk music, and it couldn’t have grown into its modern form without being person-ally shared between musicians—that’s how the folk tradition has always worked.

Play your students songs by each of the bachata artists in chronological order and have them listen for common threads. The sequence shouldn’t reveal dramatic changes, but rather building-block contributions from each individual artist.

DECEMBER 2016: BON IVER TO PAUL ROBESONThe sequence of the December 2016 Influ-ences bolsters our earlier point that every artist has personal, at times surprising, tastes. Modern folk act Bon Iver, led by singer/songwriter Justin Vernon, is starkly one-of-a-kind. Vernon’s songs are character-ized by ethereal, celestial-sounding vocals and smatterings of electronics amid ambient folk instruments. On the evidence of the band’s most recent release, 22, A Million, it can be difficult to place them in any category at all, let alone determine their influences—which is why it’s so fascinating to observe those influences on paper.

Unlike Prince Royce, Bon Iver’s sound isn’t one that comes from generations of tradition. The fact that Vernon would name Stevie Nicks as one of his biggest inspirations just goes to show how an individual artist can construct an entirely new sound out of his own personal perceptions of what he’s grown up listening to. (Listen to the Bon Iver single “33 ‘GOD’” and see if you are at any point reminded of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.)

The line from Nicks to Buffy Sainte-Marie is not as surprising, though the connection between Sainte-Marie and Paul Robeson is a bit more so—making another point that artists of different cultural backgrounds can have deep influence on one another that results in strong career parallels. Lead stu-dents through the same type of exercise as

so easy to hear her connection to an old-school R&B artist like Ben E. King. But when you focus on one particular aspect of Lorde’s artistry—the tonal warmth in her voice—that connection becomes a bit clearer.

So how do we get to King from Lorde? You can definitely see how Fiona Apple’s artsy, idiosyncratic songs would influence Lorde, not so much in their sound but in their honest, eclectic approach. Neither is it surprising that Apple, a piano-based singer/songwriter, would be influenced by the distinctive mix of jazz, R&B, and soul con-cocted by Laura Nyro, an earlier piano-based singer/songwriter. And finally, Nyro’s appreciation of Ben E. King was made clear when she covered his “Spanish Harlem” on a 1971 tribute album to her inspirations.

Of course, King doesn’t need a line of influenced artists to be remembered for his work—his 1961 song “Stand by Me” is still relevant in present-day culture, a timeless hit that maintains a regular presence in films and TV. He might not be the first person that comes to mind when listening to Lorde, but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense that Lorde’s modern brand of soul music owes a great debt to singers like King.

Play songs by each of these artists in sequence, while encouraging students to focus especially on the artist’s vocal expres-sion and songwriting vision.

THE NEXT GENERATIONTo take these exercises a step further, have students come up with their own Influences column, choosing a song they like and researching the artists that may have influ-enced the songwriter. Challenge them to identify not just songs that belong to the same genre, but songs that have similar vocal melodies, chord progressions, beats, and other elements. After they’ve chosen a series of artists, ask them to think critically about why they drew the connections they did, and be prepared to articulate why the influ-ence is likely more than just a coincidence. Ultimately, students should understand that the development of an artist’s personal taste can come from unexpected places—and without that personal taste, no one would sound like they do.

TEACHING wITH IN TUNE

PAUL ROBESON was a man of many talents (actor, orator, football player) whose politi-cal beliefs got him in trouble with the U.S. government during the ’40s and ’50s. But he’s best remembered today for his deep bass singing voice, which gave the world the defi nitive version o f “Ol’ Man River,” from the 1927 musical Show Boat.


BON IVER’s hazy, gently meandering alternative folk music has won a pile of industry awards, and the group’s 2016 album 22, A Million reached No. 2 on the Billboard chart. Leader Justin Vernon (pictured) has made no secret of being inspired by female performers, including rock icon Stevie Nicks. He recently called a 1981 clip of Nicks singing her song “Wild Heart” while preparing for a photo shoot “my favorite YouTube video of all time.”

Bon Iver to Paul Robeson As both a core member of Fleetwood Mac and a solo artist, STEVIE NICKS has been creating a mystical mix of rock, folk, and country for more than 40 years. Before achieving world fame in the mid-1970s, though, Nicks sang other people’s songs, mostly the work of folk artists like Bob Dylan, Donovan, and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Born in Canada to Cree parents but later adopted and raised in the U.S., BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE

distinguished herself on the ’60s folk scene with powerful songs addressing the plight of Native

Americans. In her music, her activ-ism, and even her choice of record company (Vanguard), she followed

the path of singer Paul Robeson.

P H O T O S : ( V E R N O N ) K R I S T Y S P A R O W / G E T T Y I M A G E S , ( N I C K S ) M I C K H U T S O N / R E D F E R N S ,

( S A I N T E - M A R I E ) N A T I O N A A L A R C H I E F , ( R O B E S O N ) K E Y S T O N E F E A T U R E S / G E T T Y I M A G E S

for a photo shoot “my favorite YouTube video of all time.”

Americans. In her music, her activ-ism, and even her choice of record company (Vanguard), she followed

today for his deep bass singing voice, which gave the world the defi nitive version o f “Ol’ Man River,” from the 1927 musical Show Boat.

22

As lead singer for the Drift-ers in the 1950s and then as a solo artist in the ’60s, BEN E. KING became an

all-time American R&B giant. His gospel-tinged vocals on

“There Goes My Baby,” “Save the Last

Dance for Me,” “This Magic Moment,” and especially “Stand by Me” made him an early example of what has come to be called soul m usic.

I N F L U E N C E S CONNECTING MUSICIANS THROUGH TIME P H O T O S : ( L O R D E ) E R I K A G O L D R I N G / F I L M M A G I C , ( A P P L E ) S I M O N R I T T E R / G E T T Y I M A G E S ,

( N Y R O ) M I C H A E L O C H S A R C H I V E S / G E T T Y I M A G E S , ( K I N G ) D A V I D R E D F E R N / R E D F E R N S

Lorde to Ben E. KingLike Lorde, FIONA APPLE found fame while she was still in her teens, win-ning a GRAMMY in 1998 for “Criminal,” a track off her fi rst album. Her career has gone in fi ts and starts since then, but her songs have maintained an intimacy and directness that puts her in a line with artists like Aimee Mann, Joni Mitchell, and Laura Nyro.

In the 1960s, LAURA NYRO’s songs became big hits for a variety of other

performers; her own recordings, artier and more ambitious, drew a rabid cult follow-

ing. On her soulful 1971 album Gonna Take a Miracle, she covered songs by 10 acts who’d been particularly inspirational to her, including

“Spanish Harlem” by Ben E. King.

’s songs became big hits for a variety of other


Gonna Take , she covered songs by 10 acts who’d

As lead singer for the Drift-As lead singer for the Drift-ers in the 1950s and then as a solo artist in the ’60s,

became an all-time American R&B giant. His gospel-tinged vocals on



As lead singer for the Drift-As lead singer for the Drift-ers in the 1950s and then as a solo artist in the ’60s, BEN E. KING became an

all-time American R&B giant. His gospel-tinged vocals on



With her 2013 debut single “Royals,” New Zealander LORDE (born Ella Yelich-O’Connor) tasted major world-wide success before she turned 17. Her new album, Melodrama, is due out in June and shows she hasn’t lost her knack for emotion-ally charged electronic pop. You can hear many infl uences in Lorde’s music, but its quirkiness and inten-sity remind us a lot of another preco-cious singer/songwriter, Fiona Apple.

intunemonthly.com

In the 1960s, LAURA NYRObecame big hits for a variety of other


ing. On her soulful 1971 album , she covered songs by 10 acts who’d

been particularly inspirational to her, including “Spanish Harlem” by Ben E. King.

her knack for emotion-ally charged electronic pop. You can hear many infl uences in Lorde’s music, but its

In the 1960s,became big hits for a variety of other


ing. On her soulful 1971 album a Miracle, she covered songs by 10 acts who’d been particularly inspirational to her, including

Lorde’s music, but its quirkiness and inten-sity remind us a lot of another preco-cious singer/songwriter, Fiona Apple.

In Tune Monthly • May 201724

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Let’s face it. Jamming on the drums and crash-ing on a bright and cutting set of cymbals can be tough on the eardrums. While most musicians get used to it and accept the fact that they make a lot of noise, there can be limitations for when and where you can play the drums.

For music educators who teach in small lesson rooms, classrooms or home studios, noise levels may need to be controlled or the les-sons may be limited to certain hours of the day.

Loud noises can lead to ear fatigue or even noise-induced hearing loss.

To help solve the challenge of noise levels, the world’s #1 cymbal company, Zildjian has created a series of low volume cymbals that are up to 80% quieter than traditional cymbals. They are crafted using a specialized hole pattern that delivers the best of both worlds: musical sound and lower volume – all without losing the authentic Zildjian feel.

Larry Rodbell has been teaching drums to students of all ages in Annapolis, Maryland, for the last 20 years, and added Zildjian’s L80 Low Volume cymbals into his home studio in 2016. “It’s been great to be able to talk and play throughout the lesson. In the past, I had

turning down the Cymbal Sounds

The drum educator’s solution to better lessons and healthier hearing

F r o m t h e m a k e r s o F z i l d j i a n c y m b a l s

to shout louder with a lot of stop and go. Now I can get more accomplished in a 30-minute lesson.” Outside of Larry’s home studio, he also teaches drums at a local Music & Arts location, the same studios where he learned to play drums at age 13. Larry feels that the low volume cymbals have helped cut down on the noise levels within rooms that are directly next to other studios.

Additionally, Larry praises the L80 Low Volume cymbals for helping reduce ear fatigue after 5-8 hours a day and over 50+ lessons taught each week. “My ears are more relaxed throughout the day and I see my students be able to put their full energy into their drumming without having the excess volume.”

For the student drummer at home, having cymbals that are up to 80% quieter can allow for more practice time in a day. “Back in the ’90s when I was living with a bunch of guys in a small apartment in Los Angeles, hoping to make it big on the Sunset Strip, I had very little space and could not make any loud noises without disturbing our neighbors. These cymbals would have helped me practice more, play later and longer.”

Reducing the volume of a cymbal or drum set is nothing new, but what separates Zildjian’s L80 Low Volume cymbals from muffle pads, t-shirts, e-drum kits or old rubber inner tubes is the feel. “When I was young, I used to put my own set of towels with holes over the cymbals like a blanket. With these low vol-ume cymbals, they look beautiful, sound great and it’s the closest thing you can get to playing a real Zild-jian cymbal without the volume.”

L80 Low Volume cymbals are designed for practice situations. When playing standard cymbals in perfor-mance, we recommend investing in earplugs. ●

i nt u nemont h ly.com I N T u N e M O N T h L y • T e A c h e R ’ S e d I T I O N • d e c e M B e R 2 0 1 7 9

about larry rodbelllarry is a professional drummer, clinician and educator and has been teaching drums to students of all ages for over 20 years. he has a home studio in annapolis, Md and teaches at a Music & arts in Severna park, Md. larry is also the percussion Coach and percussion ensemble director at Magothy river Middle school in arnold, Md.

Online M.A. in Music Education A Master’s Program Composed for Innovative Music EducatorsWhether you teach music at the elementary, middle or high school level, you inspire your students to create, express and perform. USF’s online M.A. in Music Education can help you infuse new techniques into your craft with a unique curriculum focused on learner-centered pedagogies and non-traditional music genres.

About the ProgramThe Online MA in Music Education Degree Program at USF is an innovative curriculum. The program focuses on learner-centered and informal pedagogical techniques as applied in music, as well as techniques of research. This degree is intended for k-12 music teachers who are interested in broadening the pedagogical possibilities in their classrooms, and reaching new and diverse populations of students with music offerings.

All required coursework is offered via distance learning with the exception of a one week, intensive summer experience on the USF Tampa campus as part of Informal Learning in Music Education I. This alternative calendar class normally begins with online study in late May and progresses to a one week on-campus experience in late June.

For more information, contact Dr David Williams at [email protected]

i nt u nemont h ly.com 11I N T U N E M O N T H L Y • T E A C H E R ’ S E D I T I O N • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Ionce attended a music education conference with 100 business cards in tow. Typical, clumsy me—I dropped them on the � oor in front of colleagues I hoped to impress. I felt ridiculous. Rather than listening, learning, and engaging in meaningful discussions, I kept contemplating the best time to hand someone my card. I wasn’t focused, I didn’t have the best interest of others in mind, and I cer-

tainly wasn’t embracing my uniqueness. By the end of the conference, I realized I hadn’t distributed a single card. Never again have I arrived at such an event with the intent of distributing my own propaganda.

In this technological age, one simple online search will locate the person, pro-gram, or organization that fascinates you. If someone likes, is inspired by, or wants to collaborate with you or your program, they will � nd you. You don’t have to tellthem. Your actions should show them.

T h e r e a r e nu me r ou s resources on how to network and build your personal brand as an educator. But in addition to searching those out, you may also want to consider how you act each day—even when no colleagues are around. Keep the following � ve points in mind.

1) The best form of network-

ing is reputation. Your reputa-tion begins within your class-room. How do you make students feel? Do you inspire them and continue to improve student achievement? Do you prepare diligent lessons and study your scores? Have you found a good balance of praise and critique? Do you greet students at the door, develop a personal connection with them, and explore their fullest potential as musicians? If you aren’t individually identifying with students, the likelihood that you’ll impress colleagues is slim.

From the classroom, your reputation spreads into the rest of your school. It’s there in how well you collaborate, how you show support, how orga-nized and deadline-conscious you are, and how much you participate in non-musical activities. Eventually, through your own enthusiasm, compassion, gratitude, and communications skills, your reputation will become known to the whole community, and that’s not a bad network to have.

2) Be the same person privately and publicly.

Regardless of their age, people understand genuine-ness. Having the best interest of your students at the

forefront of your mind, rather than how something can bene� t you, is the core of education.

What do your colleagues think of you? Don’t be afraid to as k them what they feel are your greatest strengths. But

follow with a question about your limitations, too—musically, organizationally, and communi-catively. Don’t sacri� ce your beliefs or morals for success. Teach how you live.

I once applied for a position that required letters of recommendation to be written on my behalf. I was certain each mentee, colleague, and administra-

Everyday NetworkingForget the Rules and Just Be You

Lori Schwartz Reichl is a music educator and consultant. Gain inspiration from her at makingkey changes.com.

TOOLS FOR EDUCATORSB Y L O R I S C H W A R T Z R E I C H L

K E Y C H A N G E S : R E F R E S H I N G Y O U R M U S I C P R O G R A M

“I don’t believe what you say. I believe what you do.” —ANONYMOUS

Handing out business cards is a good practice, but don’t get obsessed with it.

i nt u nemont h ly.com12

TOOLS FOR EDUCATORS

It made me feel both respected and resourceful. I realized that I have a duty not only to instruct and inspire my stu-dents, but also to educate and motivate my peers.

4) Supporting another’s success will

never dampen yours. The immediate inter-action of social media has led many educa-tors to post their successes and student accomplishments online. I struggle with this and wonder if I should do the same, or “like” every post I read from a colleague who so freely shares. I often do neither, for various reasons—one of them being that I start hearing the voice of my grandmother saying, “Self-praise stinks.” However, others clearly see such posts as a way to network and generate opportunities, and if it’s work-ing for them, then they should continue with it.

Even if this form of communication isn’t your style, not acknowledging what others are doing can send the message that you don’t care. Regardless of whether you “like” or comment on a status, be certain to acknowledge what your colleagues are doing—at some point. Send a personal message, call them, or congratulate them in person. We all � nd satisfaction in receiv-ing praise.

5) If you’re thinking like everyone else,

then you aren’t thinking. If you are fully imitating others (see my column from April 2017), then you won’t have complete con-trol over the results. Be true to who you are. Remain passionate about your students, the music, education, and our profession. Be positive. Don’t complain. Strive to be the best version of yourself each day, both for your own sense of pride and for the bene� t of your program. Others will be drawn to your candor, confidence, and creativity, and in turn this will allow a glowing reputation to manifest itself. Forget the rules. Just be YOU!

An Extraordinary Training Opportunity for Young Instrumentalists

carnegiehall.org/NYO2

Chris Lee

NYO2 is recruiting the most talented students from across the US to expand the pool of young musicians, bringing greater diversity to classical orchestral music.

This program:● runs in conjunction with the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America summer residency● provides participants with opportunities to play alongside talented peers● has world-class faculty for group and individual training● performs on the famed Carnegie Hall stage

Free

Ages 14–17 | Application Due: December 15, 2017

Leadership support for NYO2 is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo.

With additional funding provided by: Ernst & Young LLP

● performs on the famed Carnegie Hall stage

Leadership support for NYO2 is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.Leadership support for NYO2 is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Founder Patron: Beatrice Santo Domingo.

With additional funding provided by: Ernst & Young LLPWith additional funding provided by: Ernst & Young LLP

171001_Teaching Music Magazine_NYO2 Recruitment_FINAL_PRINT_170815.indd 1 8/15/17 10:17 AM

tor that I asked would write about my organizational skills. Although this strength was mentioned, a greater theme emerged. Each reference commented about my pas-sion for teaching and compassion for others, while often using the phrase “caring heart.” I was touched. In attempting to treat each student as family, I hadn’t realized that adults picked up the same feeling from me.

3) Be so good they can’t ignore you. Do your colleagues � nd inspiration in what

you’re doing? Do they call on you for opin-ions, suggestions, and recommendations? Do they ask for guidance regarding their program, recruitment, schedule, or teach-ing style? If so, then you’ve sparked their interest. Take time to mentor them by sharing your thoughts and experiences. In turn, pick the brains of those colleagues you admire and hope to emulate.

I can recall the point in my career when I began receiving such frequent questions.

Strive to be the best version of yourself each day, both for your own sense of pride and for the benefi t of your program.

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 • I n T u n e m o n T h l y • T e a c h e r ’ s e D I T I o n 14

tools for Educators

While the benefits of music as a component of a well-rounded education have long been recognized, a lack of a music edu-cation culture persists in far too many communities across the United States. Despite the resounding evidence avail-able to administrators and policy-makers alike, music is often one of the first

subjects to be cut due to budget constraints or low test scores. But some organizations are doing their best to turn this situation around, and one of the most successful is Education Through Music (ETM), a nonprofit based in New York City.

Since its founding in 1991, ETM has endeavored to foster a culture of music as a core subject in the inner-city schools of New York and Los Angeles. Based on research that indicates cuts in arts funding dispro-portionately affect students in low-income neighbor-hoods, ETM has focused its efforts on those areas. More than 44,000 children in 87 schools have been served by ETM to date. Of those children, 90% qualify for free or reduced lunch; 92% are students of color; 20% have special needs; and 14% are English language learners.

The schools that ETM partners with have little or

A bicoastal nonprofit group is leading the charge for music education in two of America’s biggest cities. By stEvE HollEy

MusicBringing

no access to music education. In consideration of this unfortunate fact, the organization employs a unique model that relies on collaboration between the schools, their students, and the students’ parents. The main method at work here is to use music education as a means of supporting learning in other core subjects—including math, science, and language arts—and improving student outcomes. Music thus becomes a catalyst to increase academic achievement, motivation for school, self-confidence, and skills that can help students thrive in the future.

After identifying a potential partner school, ETM begins all of its partnerships by initiating a conversation with the principal. According to Tim Lemberger, the organization’s director of marketing and com-munications, “We have a non-negotiable that when we launch ETM at a school, every child needs to be served, including those students with special needs. However, the school is our partner; we work with the principal to ensure the program is implemented so that it works with the school’s mission.”

ETM works to ensure sustainability and long-term success for music programs in its partner schools by configuring and supplying new music classrooms; offering a sequential curriculum that meets state and

Back to School

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Education Through Music partner school students get ready to

perform at the 2012 ETM Festival in the Bronx.

Below: ETM partner school students at

work and play.

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national standards; developing band and orchestra ensembles; and evaluating pro-grams regularly. It also assists in the recruit-ment of high-quality, certi� ed music educa-tors. And once those educators have been recruited, ETM lends them continung support, with services that include:

• Tuition reimbursement for graduate school for all teachers

• Year-round professional development• Match ing every music teacher

“The implementation of our program has strengthened over the years,” Lemberger says. “ETM has increased professional devel-opment for teachers, improved the curricu-lum, and re� ned our overall model.”

Despite the support o� ered, challenges remain. One of the greatest is � nding quality teachers. Another is a lack of familiarity with the power of music among principals and administration, which can limit their desire to increase music education opportunities. “If principals haven’t had music education in their lives, they may not see its value,” Lemberger points out. “Principals may want to allocate additional dollars for math and reading to support higher scores, instead of launching a music program.

“One of the ways we’ve grown is by word of mouth,” he continues. “We � nd our school principals learn about the program, then they implement it and experience success in their school, and then they tell other principals about it. Success comes in many forms, including increased attendance, motivation for school, academic achieve-ment, and parent involvement.”

Of the many great teachers who received their start at ETM, one in particular, Melissa Salguero, of P.S. 48 Joseph R. Drake in the Bronx, is now receiving national attention. Her determination to improve the lives of her students through music recently garnered Salguero a spot as one of 25 semi� nalists for the 2018 GRAMMY Music Educator award—her second time as a semi� nalist. When she was placed at P.S. 48 at 2010, the music program had been dormant for almost 50 years. Since then, not only has it thrived, but Salguero has raised over $150,000 for the students through multiple awards and grants. “Education Through Music has been one of the biggest supporters throughout my teaching career,” she says. “From their mentor program to their professional devel-opment training, ETM has had a profound impact on me as an educator.”

One of the advantages of being located in the musical meccas of New York City and Los Angeles is that students have the chance to interact with, and be mentored by, some of the best artists in the world. Some notables who’ve taken part in the program include GRAMMY-winning violinist and

TOOLS FOR EDUCATORS

with a mentor/coach• A centrally located resource lab stocked

with a wide array of music education books, learning materials, lesson plans, keyboard, computers, etc.

• Assistance with equipping new music classrooms and acquiring materials and supplies

• Helping with New York teachers’ transi-tion onto the NYC Dept. of Education payroll and providing support in the � rst years with music teacher salaries

WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY of PENNSYLVANIA

School of Music

Explore a career in music at West Chester University’s School of Music, accredited with the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in the following degree programs:

B.M. Music Education (instrument, keyboard, voice)

B.M. Music Performance (instrument, keyboard, voice, jazz)

B.M. Music TheoryB.M. Music HistoryB.M. Music CompositionB.M. Music with Elective Studies in an Outside Field

M.M. Piano PedagogyM.M. Music History and LiteratureM.M. Music Theory and Composition M.M. Music Education (Research Report, Performance, Orff-Schulwerk, Kodaly Option, Music Technology)

M.M. Music Performance (Instrumental, Instrumental Conducting, Choral Conducting, Vocal, Piano, Organ)

wcupa.edu/music

National Association of Schools of Music

NASM

Performances Live Streamed at

livestream.com/wcupa

Applications and recordings are dueSunday, Jan. 28, 2018.

For further details visit:www.navyband.navy.mil/solo_competition.html

i nt u nemont h ly.comD e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 • I n T u n e m o n T h l y • T e a c h e r ’ s e D I T I o n 18

ETM board member Joshua Bell and four-time GRAMMY-winning country music superstar Keith Urban. ETM has also been featured on the Today show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show and highlighted in The Wash-ington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Vogue, among others.

This increased visibility helps the orga-nization to accomplish the bold task of providing music education for all through a collaborative fundraising effort between the ETM staff, its board of directors, and sup-porting organizations including the CMA Foundation, Steinway and Sons, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

As for what the future holds, ETM

Executive Director Katherine Damkohler says, “Our ultimate goal is to put ourselves out of business. We want to create sustain-able music education programs that are valued by the school communities that they serve. While that may not happen in the next five years, we definitely want to increase our reach and the number of children that we serve. Our mission has remained con-sistent over the years: that every child

Steve Holley is the director of the Commercial Music Program at the Kent Denver School in Englewood, Colo.

"Our mission has remained consistent over the years: that every child deserves quality music education.”

toolS for EducatorS

deserves quality music education.” To learn more about this outstanding

nonprofit, or to apply to be a teacher or partner school, visit ETMonline.org or send an email to [email protected].

START THEFALL ON AHIGH NOTE

Take summer classes and watch your teaching skills

thrive.

Graduate degree, nondegree and workshop rates available.

Apply by April 1.

Choral | Instrumental | Kodály Orff Schulwerk | Piano Pedagogy

World Music

stthomas.edu/music/graduate

EtM partner school choir students sing for an audience.

i nt u nemont h ly.com I n T u n e M o n T h l y • T e a c h e r’ s e d I T I o n • d e c e M b e r 2 0 1 7 19

P o P Q u i z

M a t c h Q u i z

the following quiz questions can be used to test for comprehension or for general reading of this issue of In Tune. (answers are on pg. 3 of the teacher’s Edition.)

Match the name in the left column to the term on the right.

1. For which famous pop singer has Molly Kate Kestner written songs?

a. Taylor SwiftB. Kelly Clarksonc. PinkD. Katy Perry

2. Who’s the principal pianist in the Blue Note All-Stars?

a. Marcus StricklandB. Herbie Hancockc. Lionel LouekeD. Robert Glasper

3. Where is the Louis Armstrong House Museum located?

a. New York CityB. New Orleansc. ChicagoD. Miami

4. What kind of musical pieces did Gilbert & Sullivan write?

a. SymphoniesB. Concertosc. OperettasD. Motets

5. Which of these artists is not considered a “shoegaze” band?

a. RideB. Lushc. My Bloody ValentineD. Nirvana

6. Joan Sutherland’s breakthrough role was in what opera?

a. RigolettoB. Lucia di Lammermoorc. The Phantom of the OperaD. Die Fledermaus

7. Which of these scales sounds different ascending and descending?

a. The harmonic minorB. The natural minor c. The melodic minorD. The jazz minor

8. How many albums did Tom Petty record?

a. 20B. 25c. 15D. 10

9. What were guitar strings made of before steel and nylon?

a. NickelB. Brassc. RubberD. Catgut

10. With which of these songs did Sam Smith experience his first success?

a. “Latch”B. “Stay With Me”c. “I’m Not the Only One”D. “La La La”

N a M E

1. Anika Nilles

2. David Malekpour

3. Aaron Smart

4. Dua Lipa

5. Jonathan Stein

6. George Blood

7. St. Vincent

8. Home Free

9. Portugal. The Man

10. Victor Wooten

c o N N E c t i o N

a. “Feel It Still”

B. The Sing-Off

c. Bass pedals

D. The Great 78 Project

E. Drums

F. “New Rules”

G. Ableton Push

h. Masseduction

i. Recording studios

J. Silverplanes

tools For EDucators

Books For StudentsCOOL JOBS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________Jeffrey Rabhan starts from his own experience to clearly explain career paths in today’s (and tomorrow’s) music business (w/DVD).

JAZZ THEN & NOW $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________A textbook (w/CD) on jazz history and its relationship to today’s jazz.

MUSIC ALIVE!’S PERCUSSION $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________Daniel Glass offers students a comprehensive introduction to drums and percussion (w/CD).

YOUR SOUND ONSTAGE $33.95 x _____ copies = $_________A textbook (w/CD) about gear, mixing live sound, onstage presentation, and more!

MARCHING MUSIC $24.95 x _____ copies = $_________Everything young musicians need to know to get started–and succeed–in marching music.

Lesson Books For TeachersA TEACHER’S GUIDE TO JAZZ THEN & NOW $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________With lessons on jazz history and its relationship to today’s jazz. Companion textbook for students also available! (w/CD)

SOUNDS OF THE CITIES $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Explore the unique sounds and artists of famed cities such as New Orleans, Memphis, Philadelphia, and Chicago (w/CD).

MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD$39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Explore the music and culture of South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, India, China, and more! (w/CD)

EXPLORING THE BLUES $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Topics include: Birth of the Blues, Early Blues Guitarists, Women with the Blues, The Blues Begin to Rock (w/CD).

GREAT COMPOSERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY$39.95 x _____ copies = $_________With lessons about Debussy, Stravinsky, Bernstein, and others (w/CD).

CLASSICAL CONNECTIONS TO U.S. HISTORY $39.95 x _____ copies = $_________Connect history and classical music with lessons on the War of 1812 (Beethoven, Schubert), the Civil War (Liszt, Brahms), and the early 20th century (Holst, Prokofi ev) (w/CD).

In Tune is accepting subscription orders for the 2017-2018 school year, so act now to get The Young Musician’s Textbook for your students. Order today to get eight issues of the magazine that addresses students’ passion for music and helps you give them a well-rounded music education.

MONTHLY

FEBRUARY 2017

VOL.14 • NO.5

FITZ AND THETANTRUMS

“THIS IS WHAT YOU

CAME FOR”HOW TO PLAY THE

CALVIN HARRIS/RIHANNA HIT

YOUR PATH TO MUSIC SCHOOL

THINKING IN CAREER

TERMS

THE IMPROV PLANSTRATEGIES FOR BETTER

SOLOSSOUND IDEASALL ABOUT

RECORDING SOFTWARE

February 2017

$3.99 Vol. 14 • No. 5UPC 8 8 4 0 8 8 5 4 7 5 0 9


✦ Reggae King Bob Marley

✦ The Physics of a Cymbal Crash

✦ Broadway Composer Tim Minchin

✦ Usher, The 1975, the Listening List, and More!

TANTRUMSThe next step in the evolution of a smart pop band

FEBRUARY2017VOL.14 • NO.5

FITZ FITZ

YOUR PATH TO MUSIC SCHOOL

THINKING IN CAREER

TERMS

THE IMPROV PLANSTRATEGIES FOR BETTER

SOLOSSOUND



MONTHLY

VOL.14 • NO.3

DEC2016

SHAWN MENDES

BETTER BY THE DOZENALL ABOUT 12-TONE MUSIC

“UPTOWN FUNK”HOW YOUR BAND CAN PLAY IT

THE HOLE TRUTHTIPS FOR

SAVVY FLUTISTS

December 2016 $3.99 Vol. 14 • No. 3UPC 8 8 4 0 8 8 5 4 7 5 5 4


✦ Rock ’n’ Roll Godmother Rosetta Tharpe ✦ Drum Virtuoso Terry Bozzio✦ The Physics of Bowing a Violin✦ Izzy Bizu, Bon Iver, the Listening List, and More!

MENDESA young troubadour graduates from the Internet to the arena

The In Tune LibraryPresenting a series of books for students and lesson books for teachers from the publishers of In Tune Monthly and Music Alive! magazines. Lesson books feature reproducible articles with lesson plans, activities, and a CD.

Plan Now to Get Your Students !

Order online at intunemonthly.com,

fax this page to 914-741-1136, or mail this page to:

In Tune, 55 Larry’s Lane, Pleasantville, NY 10570

Print MagazinesIncluding one Teacher’s Edition

30+ Subscriptions: $10.95 per subscription*

6-29 Subscriptions: $14.95 per subscription*

1-5 Subscriptions: $21.95 per subscription(no extra charge for tax, shipping, or handling)

Digital Magazines for Computers and Mobile DevicesIncluding one Teacher’s Edition

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6-29 Subscriptions: $14.95 per subscription*

1-5 Subscriptions: $21.95 per subscription(no extra charge for tax)

* Access to online lesson plans and audio and video resources

Fill in to order magazines and/or books

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For more information, call 914-358-1200 x310** If ordering one subscription, please specify student or teacher edition ________

Your students need their own copies of In Tune!

sam smith - intunemonthly.com · anika nilles takes a versatile approach to her artistry. “as a...

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