Spring 2016

OKLAHOMA MUSICVolume 22, #3 SPRING, 2016
NEXT YEAR IS OKMEA’S 75TH CONVENTION!!
2017 ALL–STATE ORGANIZATIONS. HONOR ORGANIZATIONS INFO
Pictures from the 2016 January Convention Inside!!
>
74th
OMEA
Convention

P. 2 OKLAHOMA MUSIC: SPRING, 2016 www.okmea.org
MAY 20-21 // OMTA State Achievement Auditions - Barbara Fast
JUNE 6-9 // Oklahoma Bass Bash - Anthony Stoops
JUNE 6-11 // Instrumental Conducting & Teaching Workshop - William Wakefield & Michael Hancock
JUNE 20 - JULY 1 // Kodály Institute Certification Program - Casey Gerber
JUNE 29-JULY 1 // Oboe Festival - Dan Schwartz
JULY 5-10 // Great Plains Saxophone Workshop - Jonathan Nichol
JULY 10-12 // OCDA Summer Convention - Richard Zielinski
JULY 9, 16, & 23 // Oklahoma Horn Academy - Eldon Matlick
AUGUST 4-7 // William Adam International Trumpet Festival - Karl Sievers
SUMMER 2016 WORKSHOP SERIES
music.ou.edu

OKLAHOMA MUSIC: SPRING, 2016 www.okmea.org P. 3

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• Outstanding Music Education & Performance
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• World-Class Faculty
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CONTENTSOKLAHOMA MUSIC
Spring, 2016
Volume 22, No. 3
An official publication of
the
Oklahoma Music Educators
Association, a federated
state association of
National Association for
Music Education
(formerly MENC)
Spring, 2016
The Fall 2016 issue of OKLAHOMA MUSIC
is published in September. Deadline for all
materials is July 1. Please note that the Asst. Editor
of OKLAHOMA MUSIC is Katie Robertson. Her
photos and editing in this issue are identified by
the initials K.R.
Cover Pictures
Clockwise, from upper left:
President Claussen and President-Elect Dawson award door prizes at the General Session;
“Bones” of the All-OMEA Intercollegiate Band;
All-State Women’s Chorus in Rehearsal;
Past-President/Retired Teachers’ Luncheon
Directory of Advertisers...............................................................................40
Contents
OkMEA President Claussen............................................................................6
OkMEA President–Elect Dawson...................................................................8
OkMEA Past–President Raiber.....................................................................12
Choral VP Potts........................................................................................... 18
Band VP Cassaday........................................................................................20
Orchestra VP Markes................................................................................... 22
Higher Education VP Lamb..........................................................................24
Elementary VP McDonald............................................................................26
All–State Mixed Chorus Chair Bielich..........................................................30
All–State Orchestra Chair Chan...................................................................33
Features.
Quaver Blog Thompson .............................................................................32
Editor: Kitsch May be Catchy, but It’s Still Kitsch........................................46

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
OKLAHOMA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION
Alex Claussen
OMEA President
WOW! What a Time!
Wow, what a time to be a music teacher in our state! On
one hand, we are pushing the envelope more than at any
other time with the number of music programs from ele-
mentary through collegiate levels that are representing
our state on the national and even international stage. On
the other hand, we may be enduring the most challenging
budget climate ever experienced in education.
Our Oklahoma music teachers are achieving excellence
every day in classrooms, auditoriums, gyms, cafeterias,
portable buildings, hallways, and even closets. When many
of our non-music colleagues have dedicated classrooms,
many of us simply must teach where there are children and
have a space. One of my beginner trumpet classes has met
in so many different locations this year that I started taking
“selfies” with what I have called my “traveling trumpet class”
in these different spaces. We have met in the band room,
the band office, the auditorium stage, the hallway, the gym,
and even the girls’ locker room. I have taught previously
in oversized closets, the cafeteria, and even a science
classroom. I try to be creative in my problem solving and
not let those factors, which I cannot control, affect my level
of enthusiasm for my students or the level of instruction I
provide them each day.
As top level music educators, we are creative in many
areas but we must remember to not only be creative in our
daily lesson plans, and within our working conditions, but
also with our funding sources, our advocacy outreach, and
with communicating our needs and our students’ needs to
ALL stakeholders. As twenty–first–century music educators
we must be creative in educating the public concerning
what we do for our students, and the impact it will not only
have on them in their other academic areas, but what mu-
sic does intrinsically for our students.
As I write this, our state is expecting a 1.3–billion dollar
budget shortfall, we have experienced two state revenue
failures within the last four months, and many of us are
facing cutbacks to our funding or worse, losing our music
programs and teaching positions. You may ask how, if on
one hand we are consistently representing Oklahoma in
such a bright musical light nationally and internationally, our
local school officials and communities can fathom shutting
down music in our schools.
First of all, we are truly in a financial crisis, and many of
our districts are being forced to make extremely difficult de-
cisions in order to keep the doors open. Second, as music
teachers, we are inherently some of the busiest folks on
campus. Many music teachers can barely find the time to
stop for a restroom break, much less take the time to work
on local and state level advocacy efforts. Friends, we must
get out of the music room, and let people know what we do
and what we (and our students) need. Consider volunteer-
ing for local non–music organizations. We all know what
we do is important and the kind of daily impact we have
on students’ lives. Insert yourself into other social circles,
where other folks can get to know you and see what you
actually do each day. Consider serving on a committee that
supports local charities, political parties, animal welfare, or
needs within your church. The more people who see you as
someone they can relate to, but also as a passionate music
educator who deeply cares for his students and makes a
difference in their lives, the more what you do becomes an
invaluable resource for your students, school, and commu-
nity.
An aspect of advocacy that I avoided for a long time was
sharing my (our) professional needs with our lawmakers at
the state and federal level. My wife and I used to say, “That
is wonderful how this person or that person is helping us by
contacting Legislators and visiting the Capitol on our behalf.
I sure wish I had more time to do that, too!”
The reality is that we didn’t feel we understood the pro-
cess well enough, and simply didn’t make the time to figure
it out because someone else was doing it for us. I’ve got
Continued on page 10

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OMEA
NAfME
OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Anne Dawson
OMEA President–
Elect
Finish Strong
As I was wracking my brain for an article topic on my morn-
ing run today, my race mantra popped into my head: finish
strong! And there it was, staring me in the face. Those of
you who know me well know that I love to run. For some
reason, I’ve chosen half marathons as my race of choice. I
don’t know why: I’m not built like a runner, rarely have time
to train like I should, and am constantly fighting knee pain.
There’s just something about being able to say that I ran
13.1 miles the weekend before that makes me beam with
pride. Running has infiltrated most aspects of my life. I’ve
even been accused of only taking vacations that include a
race of some sort! Like many runners, I continue to run,
even after knee scopes, ankle issues, and weight gain. I
love getting out there in the early morning hours, when I
can forget about my everyday issues and enjoy the peace
and quiet.
I realized this morning that the milestones of a half mara-
thon are much like the milestones of a school year, and we
are those who run the “race”. In my mind, it goes some-
thing like this:
Pre-race training -- These training runs can be monoto-
nous, but I know that I need to complete them if I am going
to have a successful race and avoid injury -- We attend
summer conventions when perhaps we’d rather be sitting
by the pool sipping a cold iced tea. We spend time at
music stores picking marching band or concert repertoire,
hoping that what we have chosen will work with our new
groups. We prepare ourselves for the eventual onslaught
of students, meetings and paperwork.
Miles 1 -3 – Woohoo! I love running!!! Feel the adrena-
line rush! – Another school year has begun. Boy, are we
excited to get the year started with the new students. We
have so much energy. We’re nervous, but we get right to
work and make sure our students are buying in to what we
are selling! In some classes, it’s like old home week as
students greet each other after a summer apart. Our days
are filled with sight-reading, marching band, football games
and preparation for fall concerts.
Miles 4-7 -- I have to finish this race, but I’m not sure how I
will. I go through periodic lags in energy, but then I come to
a water stop and I’m re-energized, hydrated and ready for
the home stretch -- The newness of the school year is defi-
nitely wearing off, but we know that we have to hold on to
that energy if our students are going to be successful. We
have settled in to our “race pace”, our daily routine, and we
still feel excitement each morning when we see their faces.
By this time, most of us have had at least one concert, and
we’re realizing that the “race” is half over. We have a sud-
den burst of energy that leads us into Winter Break.
Miles 8-10 -- My feet hurt, there are random tears. WHY
am I doing this? – This is the hardest part of the year for
many of us. We’re working on musicals, contest music,
and trying to keep our students motivated despite weather
changes, budget cuts and anxiety about the future. This
is also enrollment time, so we begin worrying about our
numbers for next year.
Miles 11-13 -- I alternate between frustration and elation
that it’s almost over. WAIT! Is that the finish line? Now my
goal is to finish strong. I break into a sprint as the finish
line looms ahead! (And if someone tells you that the finish
is just around the next corner, THEY’RE LYING). The
elation of crossing the finish line is a wonderful feeling! —
We are in the final days of preparation for contests, we’re
fighting senioritis, preparing for trips, interruptions during
the month of EOIs and AP tests, and finally spring concerts
and graduation. And then we cross the finish line, exhaust-
ed but still standing. Perhaps we shed a few tears and look
forward to a rest. But when we wake up the next morning,
we are already looking forward to the next “race”. Finish
Strong! We owe it to ourselves and our students!

On
January 18, 2017,
OkMEA will begin
our 75th Annual
Conference.
Plan for a
Gala Weekend!

an analogy for you: Do you ever get frustrated seeing the
same parent volunteers having to step up each time your
program has a need? Do you ever worry about their getting
burned out? Do you ever wonder why more parents don’t
volunteer to help your program? My friends, it is the same
mentality. Many of our parents would be happy to help
but they don’t feel very comfortable in our world, and see
others taking care of the needs that are present to them. If
they are busy, don’t feel they understand the music world
very well, see others stepping up, and their child is enjoying
herself, they may not see the need to help.
As directors of our music programs, we must not only
direct our students, but also direct our supporters as well.
We need to pay attention to our students’ families to look
for talents or interests they have that could benefit our pro-
gram, and then ask them specifically to help in these areas.
Help your students’ parents realize they are that “someone”
we need. Now, apply this concept to our profession, and
the “war” on public education we are currently facing. Many
of us got into music education to share the love we have
for music, and to inspire young people to become better
human beings through the vehicle of music. The truth is, in
order to get the opportunity to do that, we all have faculty
meetings to attend, daily attendance to submit, emails to
answer, budgets to prepare, transportation requests to sub-
mit, and the list goes on. Communicating with your locally
elected officials should be on the list.
After having visited with all three of our legislators from
my area and visiting the state capitol for an education rally
recently, I firmly believe the vast majority of our officials act
on behalf of what they feel is best and if we do not take a
moment to share with them what we, the Arts education
experts feel is best for our students, where will they get the
information they need to form that opinion?
Please be (politely) vocal with your elected officials about
the needs of your program and of music education as a
whole. Please encourage your parents to get involved. Un-
less your legislators understand how to support you, they
will continue doing what they assume is in your and your
students’ best interests. It is much easier than you realize—
simply call or email your legislators, and share with them
what is important to you. Ask your parents to do the same.
Here is the link quickly and easily to determine who rep-
resents you in the Oklahoma Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives: http://www.oklegislature.gov/findmylegislature.
aspx
When I read or hear again and again how many educators
we are losing, either to other states or from the profession, I
cannot help thinking about all the students whose lives may
be drastically altered because they either will no longer get
the opportunity to experience music or have the quality of
teacher they are losing. Let’s all come together and support
our children in Oklahoma and give them the best experi-
ence we can by what we do in the classroom AND outside!
President Claussen, continued
OMEA
NAfME
OMEA President Alex Claussen addresses the
General Session on Friday of the January Convention
Convention Center SRO crowd at January’s General Session

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Michael Raiber
OMEA Past–President
How on Earth Did WE Get Here?
Well, we are once again facing some very difficult deci-
sions in our schools. A 1.3 billion–dollar budget shortfall will
have its impact on education in Oklahoma over the coming
years. I know for some reading this article, lack of funding
has already had detrimental effects on your school, your
students, perhaps even your career. That is awful! I am
profoundly concerned about our state, as I believe that any
state that fails to provide for its most vulnerable citizens is
woefully misguided. Our children deserve better. I under-
stand the political and financial precursors, some predict-
able and some not, that have contributed to our current
state of affairs. This article is not to debate those issues or
to suggest that I have any solutions—I do not. Before I go
on, I can say that events like this usually occur in cycles
and that we are likely to see improvements in years to
come. I cannot yet articulate how this will occur, but I live in
the solace of past history repeating itself.
While the faith in history often repeating itself helps me
as I speculate about how funding might improve. I must be
honest and confess that this same belief about the recur-
sive nature of history also concerns me when I think of the
position music education is relegated to at times like these.
Case in point—Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deb-
orah Gist recently released what was termed a “series of
very bad alternatives” that the district will be facing due to
the budget shortfall. A number of alternatives are listed and
all have potential devastating impact on teachers, children,
and their families. One alternative particularly caught my
eye. It states,
Reducing or eliminating programs: The district
is looking at the impact of completely eliminating
athletics and fine arts, which would save $2.3
million and $8.1 million respectively. It would
also eliminate two crucial elements of education
and motives for students to say in school.
First, I applaud the district for funding the fine arts at a rate
three times greater than athletics. Not that I believe athlet-
ics should not be funded. I believe that athletic endeavors
have the potential to teach great things to students. My own
daughter is a recipient of such in her life. There is value
there.
What caught my attention is that the fine arts were equat-
ed with athletics, not with physical education. Some may
think this is just splitting hairs, but I believe there is a very
important distinction here and one that we must learn from.
The distinction I see is that physical education is essential
to living a healthy and happy life. Childhood obesity is at an
all time high. Heart disease is rising at exponential rates.
There are more children and adolescents being diagnosed
with major medical issues than ever before in our history.
Most of these issues stem from lack of exercise and poor
diet. There has never been a time when physical education
is more necessary in our schools than now. It is essential!
Athletics are the competitive sports. Often these are select
groups of the “gifted and talented’ athletes” who excel in
specific areas with very specific skills. A great deal of effort
and, in some cases, money is spent to help these students
achieve in their given sport. Not only are there specific
coaches for each athletic endeavor, often these students
have private sessions with trainers and they attend sum-
mer camps or other specialty events to help them improve
their abilities. There is great incentive for these students to
succeed. These incentives come not only in the adulation
of peers, parents, coaches, and communities, but also in
monetary rewards such as athletic scholarships. Again,
nothing is “wrong” with this, but we must be aware of the
differences between “athletics” and “physical education.”

January Convention
Upper left: Chairs Sara and Amy recognized just before the All-State
Children’s Choir performance in January.
Center left: A small segment of the 2016 All-State Children’s Chorus.
Lower left: Multi-year members of the Children’s Choir receive special
medallions.
Upper right: Flutist in performance with the Children’s Chorus.
Above, center: Lyndsay and Sara present the 2016 Children’s Chorus to
the General Assembly.
[Pictures by Katie Robertson, Asst. Editor, Oklahoma Music]

OMEA
NAfME
So, now it is time to look within. I do not have the expertise
nor the space in this article, to address the whole of the fine
arts when discussing this comparison, so I am going to limit
my comments to music education and perhaps even more
specifically to music education in our secondary schools.
Because of the elective nature of secondary music educa-
tion, I believe that is where we need to focus our attention.
Here is the question, “Have we, the secondary music ed-
ucators of this state, approached “music education” in the
same manner as “athletics” in our schools?” The parallels
are frighteningly easy to make. (Take a minute and draw
the lines.) When administrators are forced to make deci-
sions about what is essential for every student’s education,
it is not hard to see that athletics and its equivalents must
be on the table. No matter how much we believe that these
experiences are beneficial for those involved, they are not
essential.
How did we get here? Through honest heartfelt efforts of
trying to do our best for the students in our care, but without
really examining what we are doing and why. I am afraid
we settled for what was easy—easy to measure—easy to
compare—easy to initially buy and sell, but in the end, also
easy to disregard as something extra rather than essential.
I wonder—at a time when one in every five students
suffers from depression and/or anxiety, might high quality
experiences in, with, and through music have some im-
pact? At a time when our world is shrinking, and meaningful
cultural understanding will have direct impact on quality of
life, might high quality music education have some impact?
I wonder why anthropologists have yet to discover a culture
where music has not played a central role in the identity of
its people and yet we do not consider music education as
an essential part of every student’s total education?
How on Earth did WE get here? Are we willing to consider
another approach so we don’t get here again? This is a
great conversation for us as professional music educators
seeking to impact the lives of our students and the world in
which we all live.
Past-President Raiber, continued
Left: The 2016 All-State
Children’s Chorus
in performance on
Friday of Convention
NAfME President Glenn Nierman addresses the Collegiate
OMEA in January
January Conventioneers enjoy a glass of iced tea (??) in the lobby
of the DoubleTree.

Johnson and Johnson in registration lobby of
Convention Center—famous bandage duo.
Shermie Potts, Choral VP, leads the General
Session audience in the National Anthem. [Photo by K.R.]
State Director Jerry Huffer and OMEA President
Alex Claussen at Wednesday night Board meeting
just before January Convention
Dr. Fred Rhodes, Superintendent, Putnam City Schools; and
Tone Flores, 2016 OkMEA Outstanding Young Teacher at
Thursday’s Honors Awards. [Photo by K.R.]
Oklahoma City Symphonic Band
in performance
at one of the Community Honor
Organization concerts., January
convention in Tulsa.
January Convention

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Shermie Potts
Vice–President
Vocal Division
OMEA
NAfME
A Wonderful Year
It has been another wonderful whirlwind of a year in Cho-
ral Music Education in Oklahoma. You have worked hard to
create many opportunities for your students to experience
the fulfillment of diligence in music. As the applause dies
from our ears and moves into our memories, and your
students’ certificates and hardware are relegated to a shelf,
remember to reflect on what went well and what still needs
a little tweak in your teaching. It is easy to breathe a sigh
of relief and take your place by the pool. Just make sure
to take your notes from the year, and give yourself time to
process all of the thoughts that ran thorough your mind at
highway speeds while you were in the process of creating
magic. You will have the time to slow down those thoughts
and use them to make next year even more productive.
I am so proud to be a part of this organization. It flourish-
es because of you, the devoted teachers and colleagues
of Oklahoma. Right now, people are planning your next
favorite professional learning session. Right now, people
are planning for your students to have a weekend of mu-
sic–making that changes them forever. If you want to help,
please contact your chair or division officer and offer you
time. You have great ideas. You are great people. It’s what
makes OkMEA a great organization.
Our All–State Chairs have arranged for amazing con-
ductors for the next two years. Women’s Chorus Chair,
Wes Singleton, will host conductor Janet Galavan. Mixed
Chorus Chair, Steveanne Bielich, will host conductor Gary
Schwartzhoff. For 2018 the Women’s Chorus Chair, Mindy
Dennison, has secured Andre Thomas, and the Mixed Cho-
rus Chair, Diana Carter, has contracted Mack Wilberg. The
All–State Committee works very hard to create life–chang-
ing experiences for your students. They would welcome
your willing assistance. Do not wait to be asked to help,
ask how you can help throughout the year.
Personally, I need help with more great ideas, new con-
cepts, or clinicians for next year’s professional develop-
ment sessions. I have heard from middle school teachers
that we need more appropriate reading sessions for their
students, and I will make sure this is addressed, but if
you want to learn more about a particular topic, or have a
particular clinician, please let me know (shermie.potts@
edmondschools.net). I am here to serve your needs.
Thank you for all you do for your students and music edu-
cation in Oklahoma.
2018 Mixed Chorus Chair Frederich, 2017 Mixed Chorus Chair
Bielich, and Janis Dawson caught talking during
2016 Mixed Chorus rehearsal.

BAND, CHOIR and ORCHESTRA Directors!
Join us for the 29th annual
FESTIVAL PACKAGES: A group chooses ONE festival package. The package price is charged for each group member, exclud-
ing complimentary packages. All Packages include overnight lodging, recreation, travel/medical insurance and more! Stay
2 nights and ski 3 days. Stay 3 or 4 nights
and ski 4 days! These prices do not include
your group’s transportation and meal costs.
Directors arrange for these to fit their group’s
own budget!
MUSIC COMPETITION: Typical ensembles to
compete are concert bands, concert choirs,
orchestras, show/pop/jazz choirs, instrumen-
tal jazz ensembles, percussion ensembles and
more. Ensembles only compete against same
type of ensembles, with same school size, and ensemble level. Trophies are awarded for all divisional ratings, Runner-up
and Best in Class winners, and overall Grand Champion Concert Band, Concert Choir, Orchestra, Instrumental Jazz Ensem-
ble, and Show/Jazz /Pop Choir winners. Each festival week concludes with an outdoor AWARDS CEREMONY and STREET
DANCE with fanfare music, special effect lighting, interactive DJ, and fellowship with other music students from across the
nation. An exciting evening your students will not forget!
March 23-26, 2017
March 30-April 2, 2017
April 6-9, 2017
April 12-16, 2017(EASTER)
-NO PAYMENTS UNTIL 2017 -
-ONLINE FESTIVAL MAN AGEMENT TOOL -
-SIX DIFFERENT LODGI NG OPTIONS -
RECREATION: Each group member chooses
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choices: (regardless of the number of nights
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 SKI: 4 days lift ticket, 4 days ski equip-
ment rental and 1/2 day beginner lesson
 SNOWBOARD: 4 days lift ticket, 4 days
snowboard rental ($10 daily upgrade)
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Packages start
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OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Darby Cassaday
Vice–President
Band Division
Think of Fall in Advance
The January Conference is behind us, and we’ve had time
to try many new strategies and ideas. Many of us are in the
depths of contest and spring trip preparations!
Part of this past year’s excitement was due to the won-
derful performances by Coweta JH, Broken Arrow HS, the
Oklahoma State University Symphonic Band, Union HS,
Moore HS, and the University of Oklahoma Wind Sympho-
ny. Also, Norman HS and Broken Arrow Jazz Ensembles
were top notch. In the spirit of maintaining a quality con-
vention that showcases Oklahoma’s exceptionally talented
students and programs, I would like to start right away by
drawing everyone’s attention to the Honor Band Application
to Perform at the 2017 Convention. Applications can be
found on the OkMEA website and are due to me by June
20, 2016
If you are unfamiliar with the process, I encourage you to
read through the application instructions. Directors who
submit an application must also submit a CD with at least
two compositions of contrasting musical style and a list of
all repertoire performed during the past two years. Final
scores/rankings and adjudicating personnel will remain
confidential and will not be published. The OkMEA Execu-
tive Board, taking the final judges’ recommendations and
the balance of the total convention program into consider-
ation, makes final selections. Final decisions and director
notifications are made after the Board’s August meeting.
We have already begun the process of scheduling clini-
cians for the 2017 Conference! I welcome any suggestions
or recommendations you may have. This time of year, it is
easy to get buried in your own work, but I would appreciate
it if you could take a moment to send me an email with any
suggestions on topics you would find most useful to you! I
would love to hear about any great topics you have brain-
stormed or clinics you have attended that you feel would be
well received in January!
Lastly, I would like to encourage everyone to submit
names of your colleagues to Michael Raiber whom you feel
fit the qualifications for the honors of OkMEA Hall of Fame,
Exemplary Teacher, Outstanding Young Music Educator,
and Administrator of the Year. Specific qualifications for
each award can be found on the OkMEA website.
If you are new to teaching, the state of Oklahoma, or
would like to bounce around ideas, please feel free to con-
tact me, and I am happy to help in any way that I can! Have
a great rest of the school year!
OMEA
NAfME
Keynote speaker Scott Lang receives a drawing from
State Director Jerry Huffer, following the Friday Luncheon.

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Peter Markes
Vice–President
Orchestra Division
OMEA
NAfME
OMEA Opportunities to Consider
In 2017, Doug Droste will return to Oklahoma to conduct
the OkMEA All-State Honor Orchestra. After several years
as professor of orchestral studies at OSU, and actively
serving our OK-ASTA chapter, Doug is now the conductor
of orchestras at Ball State University. Most recently, he
conducted the Missouri All-State Orchestra.
We are thankful to Sarah Chan, orchestra director at
Jarman Middle School, for her service as the All-State Or-
chestra chair. One of the best ways that we can strengthen
the classroom experience for our own students is by being
active and serving in our professional organizations.
If interested in being the All-State Orchestra chair, please
talk with any of the past chairs. It is a rewarding experi-
ence! Finally, please consider submitting a recording to be
one of our honor groups at January convention. While ac-
cepted groups do sacrifice time and money, the benefit to
your program and your students’ self-confidence is beyond
measure. I look forward to hearing more of the best that
our state has to offer!
[Ed. KR]
Jerry Henry presents to the Orchestra Division session at
January’s Convention

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Brian Lamb
Vice–President
Higher Education
OMEA
NAfME
How Can We Help You?
Here, at the University of Central Oklahoma, I have a col-
league in the English Department that has created a bit of a
culture change across the campus with his written commu-
nication style. I am starting to see the effects of his positive
emails, emulated all over campus more and more over the
last few years. You wouldn’t think that one person could
have such a large influence, but the emails are so kind and
friendly that people want to respond in a similar manner.
Every message begins with a kind and caring greeting like,
“I hope that this message finds you doing well and enjoying
a productive week,” and at the end of his messages, he al-
ways says, “Please let me know if there is something more
I can be doing for you.”
Isn’t that a powerful statement? What more can I do for
you? How can I be helpful? What do you need, because I
would like an opportunity to serve you?
We have completed another highly successful OkMEA
convention in Tulsa. As we move forward into the rest of
the spring semester, it is a great time to evaluate how the
Higher Education Division of OkMEA can better meet the
needs of our members who teach at the collegiate and
university level. I’m also very interested in how the Higher
Ed Division can collaborate with the other divisions to bring
about improved communication and dialogue in important
areas such as:
• Teacher training and preparation
• Student teaching experiences and mentor-teacher rela-
tionships
• Resources and assistance that school teachers need
from college music departments and faculty
• Advocacy for music education steeped in a rich philoso-
phy and justification for music education
• Curricular training in repertoire, literature, and pedagogy
As I begin to evaluate the role that the Higher Education
Division could play in future fall and winter in-service meet-
ings, I invite input from both Higher Ed faculty in Oklahoma,
and public school faculty from elementary, choral, band,
and string divisions. How can we help you the most? What
can we be doing for you?
If you have ideas, please just email them to me at:
BLamb@UCO.edu
I’m looking forward to hearing your ideas and to meeting
your needs ![Ed. KR]
Jerry and the convention registration crew at work in lobby of
the Convention Center.

To schedule an audition:
www.okcu.edu/music
ocumauditions@okcu.edu
405.208.5980
OKLAHOMACITYUNIVERSITY
WANDAL.BASSSCHOOLOFMUSIC
Dr. Sergio Monteiro
Steinway Artist - Director of Piano
405.208.5630 n smonteiro@okcu.edu
2016
November
11 & 12
2017
February
3 & 4
March
3 & 4
AUDITION
DATES
Or by appointment

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
Leah McDonald
Vice–President
Elementary Division
edited spreadsheets that include recordings and names
(but not schools) for judges to use on judging day.
We will still mail fees and payments. There is no need to
use registered mail, unless you feel compelled to do so.
Effective for the upcoming 2017 Children’s All State
Chorus, all audition practice tracks will be performed by an
actual voice instead of an electronic keyboard. In addition,
the harmonic section of the audition (“loo” section in parallel
thirds) will be changing each year. A committee of Past
Chairs will select vocalises, using vocalises from years’
past. The new recordings will be available on the website
no later than the end of July.
Our judging procedure remains the same, except that
our judges will now use lap top computers instead of CD
players. Our deadlines remain the same. Judging will still
take place at our fall workshop in the afternoon. No one will
judge from home or alone.
Other changes regarding audition fees, grades included,
and revoking the “new” rule about Junior High All State par-
ticipants being disallowed from participating in Children’s
All State were discussed, and we voted on some. All await
discussion and approval by the OkMEA Executive Board. I
New Registration for Children’s All-State
I am so thankful for my colleagues around the state who
have surrounded me with love, care, and good thoughts
during the last few weeks and months of my dad’s illness
and his subsequent death. I think Oklahoma is the best
place in the world to teach music, and that opinion was
confirmed when friends near and far came to my side,
both figuratively and literally. I will never take our bonds for
granted, and I hope to be of service to some of you in the
same way. Thank you.
I have heard wonderful feedback about our new satellite
site for Circle the State With Song and Children’s All State
Chorus. Many, many thanks to Katie Robertson for develop-
ing and maintaining that site! It is intuitive and informative.
At our annual Elementary Business Meeting in January we
discussed and voted on many different items. Some involve
changes that are immediate, and I have listed those below.
Please take note of these changes and make plans now to
accommodate them:
*Effective for the upcoming 2017 Children’s All State
Chorus, all audition registrations will take place online.
Katie Robertson has developed a portal via a site called
Formstack. This will enable teachers to put in all informa-
tion online, including uploading a recording of their stu-
dent’s audition. Tutorials will be available on the elementary
website to help teachers understand how to use Formstack,
although it is pretty intuitive. NO CDs WILL BE ACCEPTED
FOR THE 2016-2017 ALL STATE CHILDREN’S CHORUS
AUDITIONS! A mock version of this new form is located on
the okmeachildrens.org website. Feel free to check it out!
The benefits of this new system are threefold:
This benefits students: no more CDs that will not play on
multiple players despite multiple attempts, which results in
all students’ auditions’ being adjudicated. This has not been
the case in the past, due to technological difficulties and
deficiencies, and despite every effort being made on the
part of chairs and judges.
This benefits teachers: no more forgetting to include your
NAfME card or other required information! The form will not
submit until all fields have been entered. No more lines at
the post office and postage fees! No more burning CDs!
This benefits All State Chairs: no more hours and hours of
endless data entry, calling and emailing for missing informa-
tion, and huge stacks of CDs around the house. Formstack
collates all data into a spreadsheet, and chairs will have Continued on page 28

Advanced Choral Conducting Workshop
June 20–22, 2016
Join us in Kansas City fora workshop focusing on
conducting technique forthe choral conductor. Current
high school and university faculty as well as graduate
students in conducting are invited to enroll.
Robert Bode, Directorof Choral Activities
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Pamela Elrod, Directorof Choral Activities
Southern Methodist University
Eph Ehly, ProfessorEmeritus
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
816-235-2741
conservatory.umkc.edu/festivals
.................................
........................................
FACULTY
Left: The 2016 All-State
Children’s Chorus
in Performance on
Friday of Convention

OMEA
NAfME
will update you as more information becomes available.
These changes were all proposed, discussed at length,
and voted on during our Elementary Business Meeting in
January at the Doubletree. Questions can be directed to
me or to our All–State Chairs, Karissa Parkhurst and Amy
Wright. Contact information can be found on the OkMEA
website.
Elementary VP McDonald, continued
The east side of a room ringed with elementary teachers during
a session at the January Convention.
The 2016 All-State Children’s Chorus in performance in
January.
Below: The Children’s Choir in Thursday rehearsal,
January Convention

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
ALL STATE 2017
Mixed Chorus
Steveanne Bielich
ALL STATEl2017
ORGANIZATION
CHAIRS
OMEA
2017 OkMEA All-State Mixed Chair
Steveanne Bielich, Chair
The OkMEA All-State Mixed Chorus Concert this past
January was wonderful. Amber Mash did an excellent job,
and I’m grateful for her leadership and friendship in helping
me to prepare for the coming year. Our thanks to Dr. Black-
stone for his inspiration and dedication to the students. It
was a pleasure to see him in action in rehearsals. Special
thanks to Ron Wallace for his amazing talent at the piano,
and committee member, Diana Carter, for her kindness and
willingness to do whatever was needed. In addition, thanks
to all of you for putting in the time and effort on preparing
the students for a most enjoyable event.
OkMEA has realigned the All-State Chorus Committee.
The OkMEA All-State Mixed Chorus Committee for 2017
includes Steveanne Bielich (Chair), Diana Carter (2018
Chair), and Wes Singleton (2019 Chair). The Clinician for
the 2017 Mixed Chorus is Gary Schwarzhoff.
Schwartzhoff is Professor of Music and Director of Choral
Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where
he conducts Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, The Singing
Statesmen, and teaches conducting. Schwartzhoff received
his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Central College in Pella,
Iowa and a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting
from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. A
recipient of the Helen Kemper Doctoral Fellowship Award,
he received the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Conduct-
ing at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri.
Schwartzhoff has been active in ACDA throughout his ca-
reer. He served as President of the North Central Division
from 1992-94. In 2010, the Wisconsin Choral Directors
Association (WCDA) presented him with the Morris Hayes
Award for lifetime achievement in the choral art.
In 2007, WCDA named him the Outstanding Church Mu-
sician in the state of Wisconsin. Schwartzhoff has conduct-
ed choirs in state, division and national levels of ACDA,
Intercollegiate Male Choruses and NAfME. In 2009 and
2013 he conducted the President’s Day Choral Festival
at the John F. Kennedy Center in DC. In his community,
Schwartzhoff conducts The Master Singers and serves as
Director of Music at the First Congregational United Church
of Christ in Eau Claire, where he conducts the Chancel
Choir.
Repertoire for the 2017 All-State Mixed Chorus
First Round Audition Selections
Regina coeli, by Mozart. SATB, piano, chamber orches-
tra, G. Schirmer/Hal Leonard/HL50324750
Ubi caritas, by Ivo Antognini. SATB, a cappella, Colla
Voce/41-96660
Vox populi, by Giedrius Svilainis. SSATBB a cappella,
Alliance Music/AMP 0802
Plenty Good Room, by Rene Clausen. SATB a cappella,
Santa Barbara Music/SBMP 536
Non-Audition Selections
Invictus, by Joshua Rist. SATB, cello and piano, Earth-
songs, www.earthsongchoralmusic.com
A Lad And A Lass, by James Quitman Mulholland. SATB,
piano, Colla Voce/10-96700
The complete repertoire list has been provided to Oklaho-
ma music stores. They will soon be ready to accept your
orders.
Kevin Zinn will produce the rehearsal CDs. The CDs will
include a pronunciation guide for foreign language pieces
by Chuck Chapman. CD order forms may be download-
ed from the OCDA website and the rehearsal CDs will be
available at the OCDA Summer Convention.
All-OkMEA Application Deadlines
Deadline for audition applications is September 24th
($15.00 entry fee per student)
Late application postmark deadline is October 1st ($45.00
entry fee per student)
Audition Dates
First Round Auditions: Saturday, October 29th at Quad
Sites
Audition Quadrants:
Northwest: Enid (Ron Wallace & Paula Kiner)
Northeast: Broken Arrow (Mindy Bettridge)
Southwest: Lawton (Debbie Wood)
Southeast: McAlester (TBD)

BE A PART OF THE MUSIC!
SCHEDULE
YOUR 2016-2017
SEASON AUDITION
Now’s the time
to reserve your audition
for the upcoming
season ensembles.
Auditions will take place
on May 21st, 22nd,
and 23rd on the
campus of
Oklahoma City
University.
It’s time to reserve your spot for
OYO Summer Symphony Strings Camp 2016, June 20-24!
Join us for an exciting day camp with orchestra rehearsals,
local musician performance, and sectionals —
designed for students ages 10 -14.
Students will also engage in activities focused on movement,
visual arts, and first-hand experiences on how our local arts and
culture scene works!
Register online at www.oyomusic.org/summer by April 15th
and mention “OCHEC AD” to receive $50 off the total cost of
camp. Registration deadline is May 15th. Camp tuition is $245.
SUMMER FUN IS ON
THE HORIZON!
MUSIC
LOVERS
REJOICE!
To reserve, please visit
www.oyomusic.org/join.
Be sure to click
the links for
Audition
Information
and
Audition
Requirements.
Email questions
to info@oyomusic.org.
CHECK OUT
OUR UNIQUE
NON-AUDITION
OPPORTUNITIES, TOO!
SUMMERSY
M
PHONY STR
INGSCAMP
2501 North Blackwelder
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
www.oyomusic.org info@oyomusic.org

Quaver Blog
By Sherri Thompson, NBCT, Shawnee Schools
First day of school.
Classroom decorated—check.
Lesson plans made—check.
Roll sheets prepared—check.
Supplies laid out—check.
Kids arrive.
Pop digital textbook CD–ROM in the computer tray.
Nothing.
Reboot.
Nothing.
Kids fidgeting. Plan B.
Do I have a Plan B?
I’ve done this lesson dozens of times, run this program
on my SMART Board dozens of times. What could be the
problem?
I go in search of answers on my break and I am devastat-
ed to discover that our IT department has updated our com-
puter system past the capacity to run our newly adopted
series into which we have sunk a ton of money. The digital
CD textbooks won’t work. IT will not readjust our computers
to make them work. The textbook company is not updating
their CD ROMs to keep up with the operating systems.
No matter how much I fussed, I was out of luck! What
could I do? I spent most of the next year cutting apart five
grade levels of textbooks to scan into my computer. I was
frustrated. I was mad. I went in search of something new!
Then a miracle occurred. I was reading a NAfME journal
and I saw an advertisement for Quaver’s Marvelous World
of Music (quavermusic.com). A new product that was
completely web-based in the cloud! NO CD ROMS THAT
BECOME OBSOLETE IN TWO YEARS!!!
I began to investigate. I went on–line and set up an
account for myself. The more I experienced Quaver the
more I liked it! It covered all of my standards and was fully
interactive on my SMART Board. My kids could even set
up their own accounts, create their own avatar and ex-
plore music in Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music. I was
hooked, but how could I afford this program? My school
district had spent a significant amount of money on the Fine
Arts adoption two years ago—there was no more money.
Cue the heavenly, Hallelujah music. In Shawnee, we have
a fantastic local Education Foundation—The Shawnee
Education Foundation (SEF). These hardworking, beau-
tiful people financially support projects in local classrooms
every year. They are my heroes. I discovered Quaver on
Friday and SEF grant applications were due on Monday. I
spent my weekend writing a grant application to begin to
use Quaver in my classroom for the next year. I was fund-
ed, and the fun began!
My students and I began using Quaver on a daily basis.
We loved it! I had been teaching for thirty years and I could
not wait to get to school and teach these lessons in such
a fresh and new way. The kids were motivated, I was
motivated, it was a win-win. I couldn’t wait to share this
new program with my district music teachers. They fell in
love too! I felt so guilty—I had it and they didn’t, so I began
having conversations with our curriculum department. I in-
vited all of the administrators and curriculum directors to my
room for a demonstration. It didn’t take them long to get on
board with Quaver. At the beginning of the next school year,
Quaver was available in all our K–5 music classrooms—
district–wide. Shawnee students love it—they can’t wait for
the next lesson. Teachers spirits are renewed—they can’t
wait to teach!
In the three years that I’ve been using Quaver, it keeps
getting better. They have added a full K-5 curriculum, music
programs, projects, a large catalog of songs spanning
many categories, student interactive activities using QR
codes, a grade book management system, and webinars
to show teachers how to use the new material. I thought it
was great when I found it, and it keeps getting better!
If you are tired and in need of something refreshing in
your classroom, I encourage you to take a look at Quaver’s
Marvelous World of Music. Look for grant opportunities
and remind your administration that the recent ESSA Law
includes music as a standalone subject under the “Well–
Rounded Education” provision which allows for funding
opportunities from federal funds that have not previously
been available. Be diligent, and keep sharing this with your
administrators. Once they see it in action, they will be on
board. As for not having enough time, Quaver makes my
job easier. It is truly a time saver for me. Everything is in
one place, aligned and planned. It’s a beautiful thing!
I hope you can all find your way to Quaver’s Marvelous
World of Music. It is indeed a “marvelous” place to be!
[ED. KR] [Editor’s note: Quaver is a faithful advertiser in
Oklahoma Music.]
Amanda Kelly and blogger Sherri Thompson at the Quaver
booth—OMEA January Convention

Bielich, AS Chorus, continued
Second Round Auditions: Saturday, November 12th at the
University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
My email address is sbielich@bps.k12.ok.us Additional
contact information can be found in the Directory of Offi-
cers on the OkMEA website (www.okmea.org). Please feel
free to contact me if you have any questions. I’m honored
and pleased to be serving you and your students as your
2017 OkMEA All-State Mixed Chorus Chair. [Ed. KR]
OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
ALL STATEl2017
ORGANIZATION
CHAIRS
OMEA
ALL STATE 2017
Orchestra
Sara Chan
2017 OMEA ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA
Sara Chan, Chair
AUDITION MATERIAL: The string audition material will
contain a scale, an etude, orchestral excerpts, and sight
reading.
Scale: Prepare all major scales, memorized, 3 octaves,
slur two quarter notes (quarter note = 90) in the follow-
ing format: each note is played once ascending and one
descending with the top note not repeated. See example
below. Note: Double Bass will play only two–octave scales.
The use or non-use of vibrato on the scale will not add or
subtract points.
Violin, Viola, Cello:
ascending: CDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABC
descending: BAGFEDCBAGFEDCBAGFEDC
Bass: ascending: CDEFGABCDEFGABC
descending: BAGFEDCBAGFEDC
ETUDE: Prepare the etude listed below for your instru-
ment.
Violin: 42 Studies or Caprices, by Kreutzer, Schirmer
edition, (Singer), #30 pp. 48-49, moderato, quarter note =
108. Fingerings marked are required.
Viola: 41 Caprices, Opus 22, by Campagnoli, Peters
Edition, #24, pp. 28-29.
Allegro sections, quarter note = 80; adagio sections, quar-
ter note=55. In double-stop sections play the top note only.
Fingerings marked are required.
Cello: 170 Foundation Studies, Volume 2, by Schroeder,
Carl Fischer edition (02470), #129, pg. 88-89, quarter note
= 124. Fingerings marked are required.
Double Bass: 57 Studies in Two Volumes for String
Bass, Volume 1, by Storch-Hrabe, edited by Zimmerman,
(International, 1034), #14, pp. 13-14, quarter note = 100.
Fingerings marked are required.
EXCERPTS: We will distribute audition excerpts from the
OMEA All-State music to directors at the OMEA Fall In–
Service Conference in October. We will mail excerpts on
the following Monday to all directors not in attending this
meeting.
SIGHT–READING: Sight–reading will be required at the
audition. Each student will be given a thirty–second study
period, during which they may shadow–bow or finger their
instruments, but may not make any noise. Points may be
deducted or the student may be disqualified for excessive
finger–tapping.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: The student must follow the
scale pattern indicated above. In addition, the student must
follow the printed fingerings and bowings indicated in the
specific edition of the etude(s). If the student uses an al-
ternate scale pattern, etude fingering, or bowing during the
audition, the judges will deduct points.
Students DO NOT need to purchase original parts for
excerpts. Students DO need an original etude book at the
audition, but they may play off of the distributed copies of
excerpts.
Directors: Please note that all directors who have
students participating in the auditions are required to
be at the audition and to be available to assist judges,
monitors, or in other capacities as needed. If you know
of any string specialists new to our state who would be
willing to help with the auditions, please email Sarah Chan
at sjchanllc@gmail.com.

Left: 2016 All-State Orchestra in
rehearsal
Right: 2016 All-State
Orchestra
in rehearsal
Michael Davis and friends:
Opening Session
concert on Thursday

January Convention
Oklahoma Choral Directors Association goody boo†h. Northeastern State exhibit.
Dino Heilman presides at Northern Oklahoma exhibit
Oklahoma You†h Orchestra booth.
Left: Southeastern Oklahoma State exhibit.
Above: Southwestern Oklahoma States’ reps.

Our Exhibitors
Red Carpet’s big bus exhibit.
Left: Dean Parker guards and greets at the
Oklahoma City University exhibit.
Below: The University of Tulsa greeters.
Left, below: East Central booth.

Our Exhibitors
Clockwise, from upper left: University of Central
Oklahoma exhibit. The University of Oklahoma booth.
Continuing below: Band directors’ hanky panky at the
Friday Luncheon. Green and Chapman at the Friday
Lunch. Janis Dawson and Jeanine Gully remember
OkMEA members who died in 2015.

Friday Luncheon
[Photo by K.R.]
[Photo by K.R.]
Clockwise, from upper left: Strolling Strings entertain the
Friday Luncheon. Happy table at luncheon, lots of dessert
for Belinda. Strolling Strings cellist–Look, Mom, I’m stand-
ing up to play! OMEA Pres. Classen, with keynote speaker
Lang. Band committee meeting during luncheon, Mewhorter
presiding.
Happy choral table at Friday lunch.

Directory of Advertisers
Bassoon Bonanza.......................................................................................................29
East Central State University......................................................................................23
Oklahoma City University............................................................................................21
Oklahoma City University BM in Music Education......................................................17
Oklahoma City University Monteiro.............................................................................25
Oklahoma City University Music Ed Summer Workshops........................................... 11
Oklahoma City University Scholarship Auditions.........................................................35
Oklahoma City University Summer Music Education..................................................13
Oklahoma Strings........................................................................................................28
Oklahoma Youth Orchestra.........................................................................................31
Southwestern Oklahoma State University.....................................................................3
University of Central Oklahoma.....................................................................................4
University of Missouri, Kansas City.............................................................................27
University of Oklahoma.................................................................................................2
Winter Park Ski/Music Festival....................................................................................19
Yamaha.........................................................................................................................7
Above: John Staton, President’s Award, center, with colleagues
David Snelson, left, and DeLee Francis, right.
Right: The Koehn family,
David was named Exemplary Teacher

OkMEA Honors
OkMEA Past-President Michael Raiber, right, presents the
2016 Administrator of the Year Award to
Mike Garde Superintendent for Muskogee Schools
Above, right: Brent Ballweg 2016 Exemplary
Teacher, with his wife,
Above, near: Chris Barber, Exemplary Teacher, with
his parents, and wife, Jo Anna.
Left: Exemplary Teacher Lori Park, with a mass (or
mess) of friends and former teachers. Who knows
what the dog is?

January Conven†ion
Clockwise, from upper left: Justin, All-Sta†e Women’s
Chair and Wes Singleton, All-State Women’s Chair
2017, at 2016 rehearsal. 2016 All-State Women’s Chorus
rehearsal. OkMEA Past President Raiber confers with
OkMEA President-Elect Dawson outside meeting rooms
in the DoubleTree hotel. Sell-out crowd for Scott Lang’s
general presentation Be Part of the Music. Wednesday
night Board meeting.

This table is glowing with office, past and present. Table at
the Past Presidents’ lunch on Thursday.
Table at retired teachers’ and
Past Presidents’ lunch.
“Glowing” table from
the south.

Sandy and Kay prepare their special
music for the Lobby Concerts.
Dawn and Jeremy Haas talk with the
Stegalls in the DoubleTree lobby.
Dawn and Randy presiding at
the OMAA business meeting.

Elementary Division Business
Meeting. [Photo by KR]
REMEMBER THESE PICTURES NEXT YEAR! Left: Early Registration line. Right: Two hours later.
Right: Exemplary Teachers are
recognized at the General Session on
Friday of January Convention
Mindy and Alex relax after a good Friday luncheon.

OkMEA
OkMEA
NAfME
NAfME
The Lasst Word
OMEA Editor
Kitschy Can Be Catchy, but It’s Still Kitschy
Kitsch is a noun, usually applied to products from the Fine
Arts, visual art, music, archi-tecture, or decoration, that are
of poor aesthetic quality, but which many, if not most of the
general public find amusing and enjoyable. It is necessary
for a teacher or professional in the Fine Arts to learn to
determine the difference be-tween things that are well–
made, crafted, and those which simply please the largest
number of inexperienced persons without having any
lasting value.
While I was editor for the ACDA Southwestern Division
newsletter several years ago, I wrote an editorial titled,
Friends Don’t Let Friends Sing White Zinfandel. (Link to
download a copy of it.) For some inexplicable reason, it
didn’t erase the problem of directors’ choosing poorly–writ-
ten music for contest.
This year’s long series of vocal contests is about to end,
during which some teachers could not, or decided not to try
to determine the differences between that which pleases
immediately (catchy–kitchy,) and that which is artistically
valuable.
I believe that contest literature should represent the best
possible composition, and also be appropriate and healthy
for your solo student or your group, whether instrumental
or vocal.
In vocal music, the text must also be of good quality;
placing the onus on us all to develop informed taste in a
separate, complex division of the Fine Arts.
Many years ago, I began to assemble my “kitsch de-
tector” simply by following the lead and instruction of my
teachers. When a successful musician performed or told
me something was good, I hugged it, learned it, and kept it.
When they told me one of my favorites was kitsch, I was at
first rebellious and offended, at least inwardly, but eventu-
ally and usually came to agree.
Later, as a teacher, I have tried to trace this path of de-
veloping the ability to differentiate between the mediocre,
often immediately attractive compositions, and the solid,
inspired, even if sometimes repellent at first contact piece
that I later learned to love. A master composer who has
often presented me with this dilemma is Benjamin Britten.
Almost everything he wrote was top quality, but that was
seldom apparent at first, second, or even third reading.
For a month or two. I once faced a choir rebellion over Lift
Boy. Soon the singers developed the same enthusiasm for
the piece—always a sure mark of well–written music.
Persons in the Fine Arts are often criticized for having
pretentious taste, or blindly following a false standard, to
appear “knowing.” (The Emperor’s New Clothes?) And
there is certainly an element of that in some critics.
Some of the compositions I was asked to evaluate during
this year’s contest were easy, quick–to–attract melodies or
rhythms, set to unpoetic snippets of text, English or often,
Latin; texts that wouldn’t be worth considering separately
as independent poetic texts.
From my perspective, I believe that available instrumental
contest literature is, on the average, rather better than cho-
ral or vocal solo. I can remember one or two kitschy clarinet
solos or class D band compositions I unknowingly played
in the 40s, but generally, I learned good lessons in musical
taste from instrumental literature.
Kitsch is not the same as “over-used.” If something is
good, it is worth a student’s knowing, even if the judge has
heard it over a thousand times. Excellence is never “laid to
rest” if it is, indeed, excellent.
How do teachers develop a sense of what is acceptable in
musical or poetic terms? It’s not easy, and you’ll have many
conversations with others to work out the kinks in your aes-
thetic. One of my post–graduate friends suggested to me
that Duruflé’s Requiem was “marshmallow” music. After
analysis and many performances, I rejected that opinion.
It is a masterpiece, proven to me over and over, through
nearly sixty years of its use and study.
With opposite results, when a teacher suggested to me
that Malotte’s setting of The Lord’s Prayer included an
impossibly “Broadway” finale that crushes an otherwise
acceptable setting, within a year I grudgingly had to agree
and have not willingly performed it nor taught it since.
Because Music is a non–verbal art, (even when it’s
texted,) it’s often difficult to put into words why a certain
composition doesn’t live up to our best standards, but we
have to try. Reading articles about taste and composition,
especially by articulate composers and musicians, plus
score analysis are good starts. An elective class I took at
the University of Texas, Philosophy of Art, changed my

life and my ability to analyze other arts as well as music.
At the end of 2015, The American Organist published
a series of articles written by David Vogels concerning
how people determine aesthetic quality. He was primarily
concerned about differences of opinion in selecting music
for worship. He argued that aesthetic choices made by
persons of education, training, experience, and successful
professional performance should be held superior to those
lacking this preparation. Americans are used to deciding
things by vote, whether informed or not—but should ex-
cellent quality in music be subject to that kind of decision?
(Except when one is considering only financial competition.
No one ever accused our biggest publishing houses of
aesthetic discrimination.)
Vogel’s believes that aesthetic competency is based on
acquired knowledge, and practical competency (what
works), is earned by experience, practice, and taking the
advice from fellow teachers who are masters in the craft.
NOT (church musicians note) by reactions of the congre-
gation and/or clergy. NOT (directors note) by whether your
students “like” your selections or not.
Your standards of contest quality must be higher, even,
than the OSSAA required list, which, as a committee prod-
uct, is not infallibly the source of excellent contest music.
(Occasionally, not even of well–written selections.) It’s bet-
ter than anarchy, but fallible. You still need educated taste.
When a person needs help with financial decisions, the
smart one goes to an experienced financial advisor, and
then probably should not brush aside this advice as being
“too highfalutin’ ”—the equivalent of thinking that a music
judge’s comment that better literature is available for a
group—music and texts that will stand the test of time, and
be acceptable for any future musical use—is unpractical
and “ivory tower.”
Obviously, contest literature choices should never be
made on the basis of the taste of our young singers—only a
few precocious ones will immediately “like” some of the ex-
cellent, but demanding things you choose for them to learn.
Part of your job is to develop their taste, not pander to the
same quality and style they hear eighteen hours a day on
radio, You Tube, or TV.
Part of a teacher’s learning process is the ability seriously
to consider an unpalatable remark from a judge as being
possible. Directors can check the truth of pitch comments
by comparing comments with the performance recording
(maybe,) but where do you go to check comments about
good and bad literature? You consult master teachers who
are successful, and your mentors from high school, col-
lege, and fellow professionals. Stealing from the successful
teacher is an excellent start.
If directors: (1) choose formulaic compositions, with easy
notes, “fun” rhythms, and slivers of what might have been
a good text, or unrelated fragments of liturgical Latin; (2) if
the composition begins with a fanfare, followed by a “rock”
piano transition, then throws any idea of sensitively setting
the text into the slobbering jaws of pounding, repeated
eighth notes and endless syncopation; (3) then ends with
a screamy whole–note forte finale which almost cries out
for “hands in the air,” you probably paid lots of money for
kitsch. Even if it’s catchy, it won’t earn a Superior division (I
hope.)
P.S. Recently heard items to avoid: The Prayer of the
Children. It’s a perfect example of boring kitsch, which will
maybe get applause at home, but put others to sleep. Also,
any choral piece written after 1950 titled, Jubilate, espe-
cially if it follows the formula above.
If you’re sad that television is finally ending The Voice ,
you probably have a bad case of the kitchies, and need
immediate attention from a music lit teacher.
OMEA
NAfME
Fall, 2016, issue of
OKLAHOMA MUSIC is
printed in full color.
Deadline for all copy is
July 1.
It is mailed to the
Oklahoma membership,
all NAfME officers of other
states, the Oklahoma state
and federal legislators,
and a long list of friends
and advertisers. (2000 ad-
dresses.)
This issue is a great place
to advertise coming school
year events, scholarship
auditions, and 2017 sum-
mer activities. It will reach
readers in early Septem-
ber, and contains direc-
tions and information con-
cerning the October and
January conventions. Most
information is available
before that time on the As-
sociation’s web site: www.
okmea.org.

On
January 18, 2017,
OkMEA will begin
our 75th Annual
Conference.
Plan for a
Gala Weekend!

Spring 2016

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