Oklahoma Music, Vol 3 #3

OKLAHOMA MUSIC
Highlights Include:
January Convention Recap
What Makes a Great Music Teacher?
ESSA and What It Means for Music and Arts Education
Spring 2017, Vol. 23 #3

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Oklahoma
Music
Spring 2017
Volume 23, Issue 3
An official
publication of the
Oklahoma Music
Educators Association,
a federated state
association of the
National Association
for Music Education
(NAfME)
Oklahoma Music
Submission Deadlines
March 1
July 1
November 1
Oklahoma Music
Publication Dates
April
September
December
Oklahoma Music
Annual Subscriptions
Adult Non-Member
$10.00
Student Non-Member
$5.00
Complete information
about Oklahoma Music
is available on the
OkMEA website
www.okmea.org
Oklahoma Music Contact Information
Katie Robertson
OkMEA Editor and Web Administrator
okmeaeditor@gmail.com
(918) 630-9389
Cover Photos:
Upper Left: OkMEAAll-State Children’s Chorus Dress Rehearsal
Upper Right: OkMEA Intercollegiate Band Flute Section
Bottom Left: OkMEAAll-State Treble Chorus Rehearsal
Bottom Right: OkMEAAll-State Orchestra Cello Section
Spring 2017 • Oklahoma Music • 5
CONTENTSpring 2017
Directory of Advertisers................................................................................... 49
Content
OkMEA President Dawson................................................................................. 6
OkMEA President-Elect Gully........................................................................... 12
OkMEA Past President Claussen..................................................................... 16
Elementary VP Schroder.................................................................................. 20
Choral VP Mash............................................................................................... 24
Band VP Hastings............................................................................................ 26
Orchestra VP Duggan...................................................................................... 30
Higher Education VP Stroope........................................................................... 32
All-State Children’s Chorus Co-Chairs Shimp and Wall................................... 40
All-State Mixed Chorus Chair Carter................................................................ 41
All-State Band Chair O’Kelley.......................................................................... 43
All-State Jazz Ensemble Chair Sharp.............................................................. 46
All-State Orchestra Chair Sy............................................................................ 47
Mentorship Program Co-Chairs Baumgartner and Mueller.............................. 48
Features
What Makes a Great Teacher?........................................................................... 7
ESSA and What It Means for Music and Arts Education.................................. 35

Anne Dawson
OkMEA President
And the Winners Are...
As I sat and watched the end of the Oscars last
weekend, I experienced, along with the rest of the
viewers, the “oops” moment when the best picture
was announced incorrectly. My heart went out to
those who thought they had received the award,
only to realize that their picture was not chosen as
the best. I usually do not watch awards shows. I find
that when I do have a spare moment, I would much
rather use it doing something outside, or relaxing
with my family, friends and “furkids.” But, for some
reason, I tuned in to the end of the Oscars just in
time to catch the last two awards and saw the deba-
cle that happened with the Best Picture award. My
first thought was “uh oh!” My second thought was
“what really defines a winner?”
Every day we hop in our cars and head to school
not knowing what kind of day it will be. Will our
class size be depleted because of illness? Will we
encounter discipline problems? Will we have a day
when we spend more time as counselor than as mu-
sic educator? Even in these situations, we strive for
a “winning” atmosphere. Maybe our students were
able to catch a few more notes in sight-reading that
day or that one phrase of “Ubi Caritas” that has al-
ways eluded us just happens to fall into place (I can
only hope). Small victories are just as important as
large accomplishments. We should treasure those
moments and allow our students to embrace them.
I enjoy taking ensembles to district solo and
ensemble contest because it gives many students
an opportunity to shine in a smaller, less pressurized
setting than choir contest. My outlook has always
been that if a student would like to participate in an
ensemble, I will find a place for him/her. Now, my
approach may be different than other teachers in
that I do not pick the hardest music I can for my en-
sembles. I want the content to be the most positive
experience for all so everyone can feel like a winner
(no matter the rating). It is a great feeling to see my
students’ faces after they perform like champions!
There are so many “winning” moments in our
classroom, and we are all winners, teachers and
students alike. As the end of the year approaches,
we need to step back and allow ourselves the op-
portunity to enjoy them. I believe that is one quality
that every great teacher needs to have.
I hope you will take a moment and read the fol-
lowing article by Anthony Mazzocchi, “What Makes
a Great Music Teacher?” I found it a great read and
it is pertinent at any time, but perhaps will help all of
us finish the school year strong and remember that
we are all winners!
6 • Oklahoma Music • Spring 2017

What Makes a Great Teacher?
By Anthony Mazzocchi
Greatness in teaching is just as rare as great-
ness in any other profession. Although it’s impos-
sible to offer a prescription of qualities in order to
cultivate great music teachers, understanding these
qualities can give all would-be teachers a standard
of excellence to strive for, and guide schools and
parents toward what they should look for in current
and prospective teachers.
Here are just a few characteristic traits that I be-
lieve all great music teachers have:
Great teachers connect to their students on
an emotional level. We all remember how teachers
we really respected made us feel. We remember the
teachers who saw something special in us and iden-
tified with us on some level. Before we teach, we
must show that we care–and there are many ways
to do this. The best way is the one that comes natu-
ral, and for me that is humor–but it can be anything
from eye contact, a strong sense of empathy, or
something else that indicates that the teacher truly
“sees” the needs of each individual student.
Great teachers don’t look to make everyone
feel warm and fuzzy all the time. There are a lot
of school music teachers who strive to have all of
their students “like” them. They look to ensure that
all of their students are happy and comfortable at all
times, making sure that there is not too much effort
involved with rehearsing and learning. These teach-
ers usually run entire pieces of music and cover a
lot of material in a short period of time --they tend to
not “dig in” to small sections and have a laissez-faire
approach to developing young musicians. Great
teachers, however, command respect and are not
afraid to stretch their students’ comfort zone in order
to teach them how to strive toward achieving great-
ness.
Effective teachers are great communica-
tors of knowledge. You will rarely walk into a
great teacher’s rehearsal and see them giving long
speeches. Highly effective music teachers keep the
concepts at the highest level but the explanations
short and incredibly clear. A great teacher has a
target they are aiming their students toward and do
everything in their power to guide them toward it in
the most efficient manner. Often times, the most
useful information is delivered in a few seconds be-
tween the action (in our case, making sounds) that
should be occurring throughout the majority of class
time.
Great music teachers love fundamentals
(and know how to “sell” them to their students).
Wise music teachers understand that technique is
essential, and that proper technique can be taught
during a school day, no matter how many students
are in the class. These teachers are not afraid to go
back to the beginning of a method book and honor
the foundations of playing a musical instrument. Not
only will a great teacher understand that building
blocks such as posture, breathing, and hand posi-
tion are critical to beginners, they also understand
that these fundamentals must be constantly rein-
forced throughout their student’s schooling. Great
teachers do not abandon fundamentals in order to
“teach to a concert”–they ensure that their concert
repertoire is an extension of strong musical founda-
tions.
Being “scared” of your teacher once in a
while is not the worst thing in the world. Of
course I do not mean that students should fear
their teacher, or that teachers should ever scare
their students intentionally. But great teachers often
evoke feelings that may be unfamiliar to our younger
generation– students should feel true respect for a
great music teacher; they will also tend to admire
them very much; and yes–they will be a little scared
of them from time to time.
Even though it may often seem this way, stu-
dents do not win when teachers seek to be their
buddy or even a parent figure. They do need some-
one who they trust (and trust a lot) and someone
who they will dedicate their time to being with for
the long haul while remembering there needs to be
a little distance present. Students should be a little
timid to show up unprepared to create music. The

words “that’s okay” should not come out of a great
teacher’s mouth when students aren’t holding them-
selves to a high standard. Great teachers are hon-
est and tell students “how it is,” even if it is some-
times a little blunt. Hearing the truth is rough, but
when true constructive feedback is delivered with
clear language that is not personalized, students will
be thankful, and see that they can use that informa-
tion to get better.
Great music teachers understand that every
single child is capable of becoming proficient
at their craft. We have a long way to go to dispel
the myth that talent and musical ability is inherent
and inborn. Great teachers understand that they
must help build proficient young players, one day
at a time. While some students may have instant
and early success, a great teacher communicates
through their teaching that those who persist and
practice in an intelligent and mindful way will grow,
learn and reach their potential as well.
Great teachers render themselves useless.
The long-term goal of any teacher should be to help
their students learn so much that they longer need
the teacher. They do not lead by personality alone,
and needing to be the center of attention. That’s why
great music programs cannot be built on a personal-
ity–it isn’t sustainable. Successful music teachers
create a culture where students want to continue to
go beyond their comfort zones in order to get better
on their own. These teachers seek to create mo-
ments of independence, so that students can slowly
begin to “teach themselves” moving forward beyond
the classroom.
Self reflection is a requirement of great teach-
ing. Most great teachers do not think of themselves
as being great. They are constant students of their
craft, and constantly look in the mirror and ask
themselves, “How can I do this better?” We all learn
by experiences and mistakes, but unless teachers
question themselves about what their experiences
mean and think actively about them, they won’t
make any changes. Self-reflection enables teachers
to move from good to great by eating some “humble
pie” once in a while and not being afraid to grow and
make changes along their professional journey.
It’s impossible for me (or anyone) to produce a
complete and definitive list of the characteristics of
great music teaching, but I believe this is an impor-
tant starting place. Knowing the qualities of great-
ness can help teachers strive for the highest
standards and help students, parents, and school
systems celebrate music as a core part of their cur-
ricula. Observing a great music teacher at the top of
his or her game is like watching a masterful per-
formance; although infinitely difficult and painstak-
ingly planned, great teaching appears effortless and
seamless.
Many parents and administrators tend to be-
lieve that teaching music is the simplest thing in the
world—until they actually see the work that goes
into it.
-Reprinted with permission from Mazzocchi
A Grammy nominated music educator, Anthony
Mazzocchi is Executive Director of the Kinhaven
Summer Music School in Weston as well as the
Associated Director at the John J. Cali School
of Music. He has served as Director of Fine and
Performing Arts of the South Orange/Maplewood
School District as well as an educational consultant
throughout the NYC/NJ area. As a trombonist, Maz-
zochhi has performed with the Los Angeles Phil-
harmonic, New Jersey Symphony, San Diego Sym-
phony, San Diego Opera, Riverside Symphony, Key
West Symphony, and in various Broadway shows.
Mazzocchi serves as faculty or as a frequent guest
lecturer at the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of
Music, NYU, Mannes College of Music, and Kean
University.

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Southern Nazarene University Jazz Choir–Jim Graves, Conductor
Casey Gerber and Emily Richardson Lyndsey Ransford, Beth Berkenbile, and Mary Beth Singleton
Susan Clothier receiving the OSSAA Award Mike Gilliam receiving the President’s Award

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Stephania Abell, David Hillis, Rhonda Maynard, and Bev Anyan
Exemplary Teachers
Sammy Jackson receiving the
Administrator of the Year Award
OkMEA Hall of Fame Recipient–Jim Hansford OkMEA Hall of Fame Recipient–Joe Wilhelm
OkMEA Hall of Fame Recipient–Ve Don Law Honoring Chuck Chapman for 25 Years of Service as Editor

November 3-4
March2-3
TO SCHEDULE AN AUDITION:
www.okcu.edu/music
ocumauditions@okcu.edu
405.208.5980
2017-18
ScholarshipAuditions
WANDA L. BASS SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Feb.2-3

Jeanine Gully
OkMEA President-Elect
Failure
Failure has been on my mind recently. This
weekend we took our high school students to district
solo and ensemble contest. Because many of my
students are freshman, attending district, with the
possibility of moving on to state, is daunting. Fail-
ure became real when one of my freshman totally
fell apart on her solo. She forgot words, pitches,
rhythms–she was a disaster. But, she did not quit.
She tried to get through the piece with tears running
down her face. Fortunately, she had a judge that
complimented her for her efforts, while still giving
her the rating that the performance deserved. As
I was talking her down from her emotional state, I
found myself saying, “Next year we will pick your
solo even earlier so that you will have plenty of
performance opportunities before contest” knowing
that she had plenty of time to learn, memorize and
perform the solo. Her answer was “I’m never doing
this again.”
Many times this is our reaction to failure. We see
letdown as an end instead of a stepping stone to
future success. I always threaten my young choirs
with the phrase, “Don’t make me tell you the Michael
Jordan story!” Jordan, one of the greatest basketball
players in history, was cut from his junior high bas-
ketball team, but it did not stop him from pursuing
his dream. As teachers, we have many opportuni-
ties to show our students how to use failure to build
success out of disappointments, even though they
do not always appreciate the journey. It is our job to
help them through these experiences.
However, many times I see teachers exhibit the
exact same behavior as their students. For example,
choosing not to go to contest because of a bad
experience in the sight-reading room or not sending
students to an honor organization audition because
students have not been selected in the past. Some-
times we let failure stop our efforts instead of using
the experience to spur us on to ask our colleagues
questions, attend a workshop, or look for new meth-
ods and ideas.
As a judge at district solo and ensemble contest, I
was able to talk to students who were from a disad-
vantaged school that had not been to contest in at
least 8 years. They were not entered in the contest
for a rating but for “comments only.” I was so en-
couraged to see a young teacher willing to take stu-
dents to contest so they could grow as musicians.
The students and teacher were taking the first steps
toward success and were willing to risk a negative
experience or “failure” along their journey. What a
life lesson this teacher provided for her students!
My thoughts on failure were solidified recently by
a sermon I heard at church entitled “Fall Forward.”
There is also a wonderful video of a speech by
Denzel Washington with the same title. When you
fall (fail), you are able to move forward to success
by learning from and building on the stepping stones
of failure. Let’s teach our students some life lessons
while we teach music! Have a great spring!

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Celebrating the Young
Gems: Nurturing Masterful
Musicianship in
Elementary Music
Leigh Ann Garner,
Clinician
Lessons Learned
Teaching Music in the
Band Room Over the
Past 50 Years
Gary Green,
Clinician
Technology in the
Band Room
Brian Britt and
Brian Wolfe,
Clinicians

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Intonation:
Tune the Instrument,
Tune the Fingers
Rebecca Roesler,
Clinician
Forget Not My Heart:
A Reading Session for
Women’s Choirs
Michael Spresser,
Clinician
Percussion Discussion with Artie Almeida, Clinican

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Coffee Talk for
Beginning Music
Teachers
Chris Baumgartner
and Christine Mueller,
Mentorship Co-Chairs
Coffee Talk for
Beginning Music
Teachers
Chris Baumgartner
and Christine Mueller,
Mentorship Co-Chairs
Rehearsal Matters:
Practice Tips and Ideas
for a Better Choral
Rehearsal
Greg Gilpin,
Clinician

Alex Claussen
OkMEA Past President
Focus on the Journey
I drive between three campuses daily and listen
to lots of talk radio each day. Over the last several
months, I have heard much discussion about win-
ning and losing, especially in reference to politics. I
promise, however, I am not going to discuss politics
in this article any further than this one reference.
As music educators, we get the opportunity to
impart many important life lessons to our students
while constantly trying to keep things fresh. You
probably should only tell the same old joke so many
years in a row when you work daily with ensembles
that have 9th-12th grade, 8th-12th grade and espe-
cially 7th-12th grade students together. The same
holds true with motivation. Though consistency is
important, it is more effective to use new analogies
from time to time.
In the sports world, it is very common and ex-
pected for conversations to revolve around winning
and losing. Frequently, the most successful coach
is selected for coach of the year honors or member-
ship into the Hall of Fame. Though music certainly
can be a competitive activity, much of what we do
is subjective. As musicians, we consider what we
do as beauty and expression. However, many of
us also place a very high value on earning ratings,
sweepstakes awards and winning contests. Though
I absolutely agree with using competition as a moti-
vational tool, I highly disagree with making the rat-
ing, ranking or size of trophy the ultimate goal.
Though some years may feel like five, the truth
is we will be part of a child’s life for only a short time.
Keeping this in mind, how do you want to be re-
membered by your students? How do you choose to
motivate your students? What is most important to
you, the journey or the destination?
When you are working with a student or an
ensemble, ask yourself if this were your own child,
how would you speak to him? How harsh would you
be to your niece for making a mistake? Does your
nephew deserve to be spoken to in a sarcastic tone
when he makes a mistake?
I would love to be able to share that I never
spoke to a student or an ensemble in an ugly or
harsh way, but that would be an absolute lie. I am
honestly quite surprised that so many of my stu-
dents keep in touch with me, especially the ones
from my early years. I have learned, however,
through many experiences that if I can speak to my
students the way I would like to be spoken to, I can
normally be much more effective and impactful.
By the time many of you read this, you will have
just recently attended a district level or state level
contest, a time during our year that can bring out the
worst in us, especially when we are more focused
on the destination, rather than the journey. How-
ever, I would like to encourage you to focus on the
journey a little more, try to be a little more kind and
be aware of the legacy you are leaving. Be tough,
have the highest expectations and do not let your
students get away with nonsense. However, do it in
a way that shows how much you love them, appre-
ciate them and are genuinely concerned for their
success.
Students will want to do their best because they
love what they are doing rather than doing it out of
fear of failure. Students will be more willing to make
a mistake, allowing you the opportunity to correct
them, thus helping them improve more quickly.
Students will be more compassionate towards each
other when they see their leader demonstrating
these positive life skills. A group of students can per-
form incredibly well under the tutelage of a talented
dictator-style teacher. Their potential is literally end-
less, however, when they are all doing something
together because they love it and genuinely want to

help each other succeed.
I encourage you to leave a legacy of love, com-
passion, and thoughtfulness with your students.
They will always strive to be like you and will always
cherish their time spent under your leadership.
Audition for the 2018
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The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band is the only FREE all-star
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All-expense paid week
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SCREAMING
FANS
OkMEA Conferences
Fall Conference
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Winter Conference
January 17-20, 2018

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From left to right:
Katie Rolf,
Anne Guevara,
Denise McClurg
From left to right:
Kenni Lowry,
Erin Finley,
Stephanie Stephens
Katie Lenier
From left to right:
Leah SaeLim,
Carolyn Capuano

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Horseshoe Road
Kyle Dillingham (Violin), Brent Saulsbury (Bass), Peter Markes (Guitar)

Lindsey Schroder
OkMEA Elementary Vice President
Do You Love to Teach?
For the first time since becoming a music educa-
tion major at Oklahoma State, I was unable to at-
tend one of my favorite conferences of the year. And
to miss the elementary line-up this year! Leigh Ann
Garner. Artie Almeida. I was heartbroken! The start
to each new year has many music-related events
that I continuously look forward to, so to miss the
opportunity to be around “my people,” I found myself
wondering what I would be doing had I not been a
teacher, specifically a music teacher.
One thing you may not know about me is that I
never intended to become a teacher. I grew up in
the school system having a coach as a dad and a
speech pathologist as a mom. While I look up to
each of them greatly with the utmost respect, I was
not going to follow in their footsteps. I had all sorts
of ideas in my head of what I would like to become–
an eye doctor, a wedding planner (yes, the movie
was popular at that time), an interior designer, and
the list went on. However, I never felt convinced I
was making the right choice until I decided I needed
to keep music in my life somehow. Teaching music
to others and sharing my passion on a daily basis
has continued to be one of the best decisions I have
ever made.
Over my break, if one would call the first six
weeks with a newborn a “break,” I have been read-
ing a few books that I had been putting off for a
while now. I still read a few for fun, but I also wanted
to continue thinking about what I was going to bring
back to my students after being gone for an ex-
tended period of time. The anxious “first-day jitters”
returned all over again!
One book in particular, really resonated with the
type of teacher I strive to be. In Michael Linsin’s The
Happy Teacher Habits, he told a story about a pro-
fessional musician, Karina Canellakis. He pointed
out that many times when her performances are
reviewed or commented on, the reporter notes that
she appears to be having FUN on stage–even
smiling as she plays! In The San Diego Union Tri-
bune, Ms. Canellakis once said, “It’s important to be
really in love with what you’re performing in order to
translate it to the audience in a powerful way.”
Isn’t that the point? Being in love with what you
do every day and sharing that passion with your
students? Teaching is supposed to be rewarding.
It is even supposed to be fun! Not to say that there
are not challenging days, tough decisions to make,
difficult classes or yet one more program that feels
like it may be the death of you before it finally comes
together. But when you have a moment to step back
and reflect on why you chose this career path and
why you became a teacher and why you want to
make a difference in the lives of young people, can
you remember why you love it?
We are so lucky to have such great leaders to
follow in our state and such extraordinary educators
that came before and inspired us. I sincerely pray,
especially during this troublesome time in education,
that you remember why you fell in love with teaching
and what first brought you to it. In case no one has
told you lately, THANK YOU for all you do–for our
organization, our profession, our students and our
state. You continuously make a difference.

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OkMEA All-State Deadlines and Audition Dates
September 23, 2017 CTSWS First Deadline
HS All-State First Deadline
September 30, 2017 CTSWS Second Deadline
Children’s All-State First Deadline
HS All-State Second Deadline
October 4, 2017 Children’s All-State Second Deadline
October 19, 2017 Children’s All-State Emergency Deadline and Auditions (OCU-OKC)
October 28, 2017 HS Choral All-State Auditions - Round 1 (Quad Sites)
November 4, 2017 HS Band All-State Auditions - Round 1 (District Sites)
November 11, 2017 HS Choral All-State Auditions - Round 2 (UCO-Edmond)
November 18, 2017 HS Jazz Ensemble Auditions (Midwest City High School)
December 2, 2017 HS Band All-State Auditions - Round 2 (Westmoore High School)
HS Orchestra Auditions (Westmoore High School)
December 9, 2017 HS Instrumental Weather Contingency Date

Amber Mash
OkMEA Choral Vice President
Time to Get Involved
Did you attend the January convention? I hope
so! It was a great time of togetherness. My favorite
things about conventions are sessions, concerts and
time spent with other choral directors. Each of these
things contribute to a fulfilling time of renewal and
send me back to my students with focus and energy.
Thank you, Shermie Potts, for your tremendous
work–your leadership and service is appreciated.
I also hope that each convention recharges and
reinvigorates you. To that end, will you “help me help
you?” I need input from you for our upcoming cho-
ral sessions. What topics interest you? Was there a
session that piqued your interest and left you hungry
for more? What ‘refresher’ sessions are needed?
Send me your thoughts and ideas! My email is
amash@putnamcityschools.org and other contact
information can be found in the Directory of Officers.
After gaining new ideas from sessions, I love
experiencing choral performances as an audience
member. It reminds me of the joys and rewards that
come after the struggle and the hard work. The All-
State Choirs were a great success. Those students
were a part of a once-in-a-lifetime event that will
stay with them forever. Thank you Steveanne Bielich
and Wes Singleton for bringing these groups to frui-
tion.
The performances of each Honor Group in the
evening concerts were beautiful and inspiring. It is
amazing to see and hear what these young singers
accomplish! Directors, each of you are extraordinary
teachers that work each day to build up musicians in
your classroom. Thank you for pouring yourself into
the lives of these students.
We need these great traditions to continue to
enrich our students, our colleagues and ourselves.
I want you to consider submitting an Honor Group
application. There are many thriving programs in our
state that cover a range of ages and genres, and I
believe that the convention concert experiences are
the richest when diversity is reflected. We have
outstanding groups from small schools to large
schools–women’s, mixed, men’s, middle school,
high school, college/university choirs, and non-tradi-
tional groups, such as jazz choirs and show choirs.
How wonderful it would be to experience a rich vari-
ety in a short few days.
Get those recordings ready! Information for Honor
Group application is located on the OkMEA website,
www.okmea.org. If you have applied before, apply
again. If you cannot send in your own group this
year, encourage a colleague to submit an applica-
tion. The deadline for submission is June 15, 2017.
After the sessions and the concerts, I look for-
ward to having time to visit with other directors. We
talk strategies to deal with current struggles in the
choir classroom. We brainstorm ideas for the new
challenges being faced. We share lots of stories and
laughter about our families and life events. Time
with other choral professionals is vital. Many times,
we are the only choral director in our building, and
we often face our day-to-day activities feeling alone.
Music teachers from other disciplines are wonderful
friends, but it is not the same.
I am so thankful that I now have a network of
people whom I can contact when I need help or
ideas. I started out at OkMEA events by just tagging
along with someone else, not really knowing anyone
very well. I hung around, listened and learned, and
eventually built relationships that I consider invalu-
able today. Who do you know that you could bring
with you to the next OkMEA event? Is there a new
teacher in your district? An experienced teacher that
moved in from a different state? How about a teach-
er that just hasn’t spent much time at OkMEA activi-
ties before? If you are the teacher that does not feel
connected yet, let me encourage you to go ahead

and jump in. Join the OkMEA Choral Directors Face-
book group. Plan to attend the Fall Conference. If
you have questions, email me. If I do not know the
answer, I will try to point you to someone who will.
I look forward to hearing from you by email and
seeing you at our next event. I appreciate your con-
fidence in me to serve as Choral Vice-President and
will do my best to serve you well. I hope you have
successful end-of-year performances and plenty of
time to relax and recharge this summer. You have
earned it!
OkMEA Conferences
Fall Conference
Winter Conference
January 17-20, 2018

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Mixed Chorus
Gary Schwarthoff,
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Treble Chorus
Janet Galván,
Conductor

FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
July 9-14, 2017
BAND • ORCHESTRA • PIANO
Apply online at
music.okstate.edu.
u Five-day intensive camp designed for high school
band, orchestra and piano students
u Large ensemble performance opportunities with the
band and orchestra
u Lessons, sectionals and technique classes with
Oklahoma State University music faculty
OSU Summer Music Camp
@OSUSummerMusic

Jeff Hastings
OkMEA Band Vice President
Promote!
What an incredible Winter Conference with clin-
ics featuring new ideas as well as refresher courses!
And, most of all, amazing performances by our
own Oklahoma college, high school and junior high
bands. These experiences inspire me to go back
home and do my best.
I encourage all band directors in our great state
to promote music education. With the doom and
gloom of repeated shortfalls in public education from
our state capitol, promoting our craft is now more
important than ever. We can accomplish this in three
different ways.
First, submit an application for your band to be
an OkMEA Honor Group at the 2018 Winter Confer-
ence. The Honor Group directors that I have talked
to say that the reward is well worth the work. Go to
the OkMEA website, www.okmea.org, to read the
Honor Group guidelines and submit your applica-
tion. The submission deadline is June 15, 2017.
Second, recommend your colleagues for awards.
This past year we did not have any band directors
nominated for the Exemplary Teacher Award–this
is not good! Looking through the list on the OkMEA
website, I can name many directors who should be
on that list. Qualifications for each award as well as
the nomination application are located on the Ok-
MEA website. The nomination deadline is Septem-
ber 30, 2017.
Finally, submit articles to your local newspaper
and use Facebook to spotlight the kids in your band
program and their activities. For many of us, band is
part of a deep-rooted culture in our towns. This will
not only please moms to see their little ones in the
newspaper, but this will also show your community
that the band program is worth the funding that it
receives.
Plans are already underway for scheduling clin-
ics for the 2018 Winter Conference. I welcome any
suggestions or recommendations you may have. I
know most of you are in the middle of your contest
season and are buried in your own work, but I would
appreciate it if you would send me an email with any
suggestions on useful topics or clinics that you have
attended that would be well-received in October or
January. If you are a new teacher, I encourage you
to contact a veteran band director and find a mentor.
I know that every veteran band director in our state
would be willing to help you succeed. Best of luck
on your contest, concerts and spring trips!
OkMEA Honor Award Deadline
June 15, 2017
Nominate on the OkMEA Website
http://bit.ly/2no7jRE

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Annie Duggan
OkMEA Orchestra Vice President
Where Did Your Musical Journey Begin?
First of all, let me say how thrilled I am to serve
as your Orchestra Vice President! I am so grateful
to Peter Markes and his service as Vice President
the past two years. Bravo Mr. Markes! I hope to
continue the leadership of Mr. Markes in providing
wonderful learning opportunities for you and assist-
ing you in any way that I can.
Now, I want you to take a moment and think back
to your musical journey throughout the years. What
or who was is it that sparked your interest in music?
Perhaps your journey started with your family, an el-
ementary music teacher or a musical experience at
church. I was fortunate to grow up in a home where
both my parents had a musical background. Music
was always a part of our family gatherings. What
was it that sparked your desire to pursue music?
With that moment of spark in your mind, now
think of that music teacher who nurtured your musi-
cal growth. What characteristics do you remember
about this teacher that made music come alive
for you? Did they provide special opportunities for
performances, bring in guest clinicians, chose inter-
esting repertoire or encourage you to participate in
musical endeavors outside of school? Who was that
person that turned sparks into fireworks?
Finally, think about a time where you had an
incredible music making experience. Maybe it was a
teaching experience with your students or maybe it
was a time when you were a student yourself? What
was it about that moment that made it so special?
For me, it was performing the Hansen symphony
in an absolutely incredible concert hall in China
with my college orchestra. I remember the moment
vividly. Think back on one (or more) magical music
making moments.
As you reflect on these questions, I hope you
remember why we are here. It is sometimes difficult
to remember our purpose in the midst of deadlines,
fundraisers, contest preparation, and the daily grind
of our schedules. It can also be disheartening given
the state of current educational funding. Remember,
you could be the one to spark interest in music for a
child. You could be the one teacher they talk about
twenty years after they graduate. You could be the
one giving them an unforgettable musical experi-
ence. I know for a fact that you are inspiring and
changing students’ lives every day. Never doubt the
impact you have on a student.
I know I would not be writing this article in Okla-
homa Music without people who supported and
nurtured my spark. I am so grateful to my parents
who provided the opportunity to study music, to my
teachers who encouraged me to be the best mu-
sician and for all the opportunities I had to make
beautiful music. I am grateful that I get to have those
moments every day with my students. Remember
those special moments as you see your students
daily. Make your class the highlight of their day. We
make magic happen every day.
Please let me know how I may be of assistance
to you as Vice President. Have a wonderful conclu-
sion to your school year and go make some wonder-
ful memories with your students!

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Dr. Z Randall Stroope
OkMEA Higher Education Vice President
The Consonance and Dissonance of
Effective Leadership
In music, consonance often comes out of dis-
sonance, such as a resolved suspension. In metal-
lurgy, gold is more beautiful after fire has been ap-
plied and impurities removed. Out of conflict, people
often appreciate the importance of peace. Many
aspects of the world in which we live are a juxtaposi-
tion of seemingly very opposite poles. The idea of
embracing the relationship between dissonance
and consonance
being vulnerable, yet confident,
teaching the moment, while teaching life,
viewing art as a reflection of humanity,
yet a refuge from humanity
is precisely the place where the DNA of leadership
is born. In other words, the very thing (dissonance,
fire, or conflict) that often causes one to step out of
their comfort zone is the same thing that makes one
a great human being and teacher. “Opposites are
not contradictory but complementary.” (Niels Bohr)
Challenges cause one to search for solutions, and
successful solutions provide confidence and en-
hanced leadership capacity.
There are three fundamental steps to effective
teaching–engaging, educating, and empowering.
In each, there is balance between dissonance and
consonance.
Teachers first need to engage students - find a
“hook” or common denominator between the subject
matter and a student’s interest or psyche. This step
has to occur before learning can effectively take
place. Great teachers find connections with stu-
dents by balancing
confidence IN others (consonance) and
vulnerability TO others (dissonance).
Immediately beginning each class with a question,
pointing to the board to read a rhythm, or briefly
relating a personal story about the work that is about
to be performed engages the students in the first ten
seconds. After a few days of this format, students
know the class always requires their attention and
focus from the first moment. It is both expected and
fulfilling.
Once a student is engaged and the “mind’s door”
is open, the teacher has the possibility to educate
(apply skill-sets and enhanced knowledge). A new
teacher’s knowledge and training in the subject
matter often constitutes nearly the entirety of their
preparation for classroom teaching. Naturally, that
knowledge base is critical, but unless the student is
engaged in the process first, the education portion
will have greatly diminished results. Therefore, it is
important to plan how one is going to engage the
students in the first ten seconds, as much as how
one is going educate them with the lesson that fol-
lows. Highly successful teachers effectively balance
teaching moments (detailed information–educate)
and teaching life (responsible and caring human be-
ings–engage).
Finally, when teachers assist students in con-
necting the dots and synthesize ideas into power-
ful solution-oriented mindsets, teachers empower
students to consider and devise their own solutions,
channel their creativity, and help others to find con-
nections and potential. In other words, they become
teachers. Students who are engaged in the process

are open to being educated. Education, then, em-
powers students to impart knowledge to others and
complete the cycle of learning, particularly if the
teacher allows students to think critically, indepen-
dently, and assume leadership roles in the class-
room.
Over a 25-year career, a music teacher (on aver-
age) teaches about 5,000 students. School districts
vary greatly in number of teachers, but 25 music
teachers in a district would collectively, then, teach
about 125,000 students. That is the size of a large
city–each person engaged, educated, and em-
powered by a music teacher. There are times when
a teacher, seasoned or first year, feels isolated or
unappreciated on a given day, week or year. But the
realization that 5,000 lives will be directed affected
by their work is a motivating and uplifting reality that
should not be understated.
“Let us think of education as the means of devel-
oping our greatest abilities, because in each of us
there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled,
can be translated into benefit for everyone and
greater strength for our nation.” (John F. Kennedy)

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Intercollegiate
Honor Band
Gary Green,
Conductor

ESSA and What It Means for Music Education
By Marcia Neel
What is it?
In December of 2015, with bi-partisan support,
President Obama signed into law the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA) thereby reauthorizing the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
first signed into law in 1965 by President Johnson.
Within the current law, there are a number of “Titles”
which deal with various facets of the Act—many of
which have been established along the way in sub-
sequent reauthorizations after the initial signing of
ESEA. The most well-known of these Titles is “Title
I” as it makes up most the total funds allocated.
Prior to the signing of ESSA, the last reauthorization
of ESEA was the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
which was signed into law in 2001 by President
George W. Bush.
What are the major changes?
One of the biggest changes is that decision-
making and accountability measures will no longer
be dictated from the federal level—they will now
originate from each individual state. State education
agencies (SEAs) are currently in varying stages of
developing and/or revising their State Plans to meet
the provisions within ESSA and are expected to sub-
mit them to the U.S. Department of Education.
Also, ESSA places a focus on the providing of
a “Well-Rounded Education” for all students. ESSA
defines a “Well-Rounded Education” as follows.
S.1177-298 (52):
Definitions (Well-Rounded Education)
The term “well-rounded education” means courses, ac-
tivities, and programming in subjects such as English,
reading or language arts, writing, science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics
and government, economics, arts, history, geography,
computer science, music, career and technical educa-
tion, health, physical education, and any other subject,
as determined by the State or local educational agen-
cy, with the purpose of providing all students access to
an enriched curriculum and educational experience.
Speaking to the Las Vegas Academy of the
Arts on April 14, 2016, former Secretary of Edu-
cation John King declared that while literacy and
math skills are “necessary for success in college
and in life…they’re not by themselves sufficient.
A more well-rounded education is critical for a
safe, supportive and enjoyable learning environ-
ment.” (The Huffington Post, “Education Secre-
tary John King: It’s Time To Stop Ignoring The
Arts And Sciences.” http://www.huffingtonpost.
com/entry/john-king-well-rounded-education_
us_570e9013e4b03d8b7b9f34c6)
Why is all of this important?
ESSA has provided a major opportunity for
each state to determine to what degree Music and
Arts Education are incorporated into federal fund-
ing plans at the state and local level. The stage
has been set: 1) Decision-making is occurring at
the state level rather than from the federal level, 2)
State Plans are currently under construction thus
providing opportunities to have input via state arts
organizations, coalitions, and interested like-minded
supporters, and 3) A focus has been placed on
providing a well-rounded education which, among
others subjects, includes music and the arts so that

all students may have “access to an enriched cur-
riculum and educational experience.”
What does this mean for implementation of Title I?
Title I is the largest source of federal funding for
education. The U.S. Department of Education web-
site describes it as a program which “provides finan-
cial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs)
and schools with high numbers or high percentages
of children from low-income families to help ensure
that all children meet challenging state academic
standards.”
Arizona has had more than a decade of allow-
ing arts integration to be supported by Title I funds,
first through Title I Part F funding (Comprehensive
School Reform under No Child Left Behind) and
through Title I Stimulus funds. An Arizona website
for arts and Title I was created at title1arts.org in
part to create a centralized portal to showcase this
work and to encourage Arizona districts to under-
take more Title I funded arts integration within the
state. The title1arts.org site provides a direct link to
the “Arizona site” which also clearly states that, “Arts
programs can help schools achieve the goals of Title
I by facilitating student engagement and learning,
strengthening parent involvement, and improving
school climate and school wide behavior.” This site
even quotes Superintendent of Public Instruction
Diane Douglas in her support for arts education for
Arizona’s children in her remarks that, “as an artist
myself, I know how important the arts are for learn-
ing. I support the arts as part of a complete educa-
tion for Arizona’s children.”
As Title I can address all areas of a well-rounded
education, Title I funds may open up at your school/
within your district to supplement support of mu-
sic education. To learn more, visit the “Everything
ESSA”–http://www.nafme.org/advocacy/essa.
How does all of this impact my program?
Districts will need to create their own ESSA
plans for Titles I, II and IV – where music education
can benefit. In fact, many districts, in anticipation
of impending State Plans, have already begun this
process since ESSA is to be implemented in the up-
coming school year (2017-18). Keeping in mind Tip
O’Neill’s famous quote that “all politics is local,” this
is the perfect time to step up and become part of the
process at your district and/or school level through
coordinated action to ensure that music and arts
education are included in the local plan.
For example, some State Departments of Educa-
tion want to provide more comprehensive in-depth
accountability information to the general public
beyond test scores. They may also articulate that
the LEAs be required to substantiate how they are
providing a well-rounded education for all students.
This would indicate that there will be some mea-
sure for collecting this information from the local
school district. Will music and arts education be
included in the local plan as part of the definition of
a well-rounded education? How can the music and
arts community ensure that EVERY STUDENT will
indeed be provided with access? Now more than
ever, it is vital that music and arts educators work
collaboratively with their associations, fellow music
and arts educators, music dealers and community
arts organizations to ensure that districts, and even
individual schools, ENSURE that the local plan ad-
dresses music and arts education in a manner that
specifies, at a minimum, what is articulated in the
State Plan.
In particular, music educators will want to get
involved with the creation of the Title IV plan, the
section of the law bringing new funding specifically
for a Well-Rounded Education. You can create your
own music education needs assessment for your
district using NAfME’s 2015 Opportunity-to-Learn
Standards; checklist versions of these standards are
now available for your use at www.nafme.org/stan-
dards.
You can also work, if you are at a Title I School-
wide school, at making certain that music educa-
tion is included in your school’s Title I Plan. ESSA
encourages schools to address a well-rounded
education in their Title I schoolwide plans, so now is
a great time to get music included for the 2017-18
school year. To find out if you are at a Title I School-
wide school, check with your principal and while
you’re in the office, volunteer to help with the cre-
ation of next year’s plan.
This may also be a good time to dig into your
music education program’s impact data and be sure
that summary information on student participation
and learning outcomes are widely available via your
school/district website to the entire community. How
does music education participation relate to student
attendance, participation in advanced coursework
(AP), graduation rates, student engagement, and
positive school climate including behavior? The

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools published the
Prelude Report: Music Makes Us Baseline Re-
search Report which provides exactly this type of
information on a district wide level. It may be worth
reviewing their findings which are available at: http://
bit.ly/2BaselineResearch. In addition, you want to
get a sense of the percentage of students who are
actively engaged in music and arts education at
your school and begin thinking about how that per-
centage might be increased to address the needs of
students not currently served.
Finally, visit the website of your state Depart-
ment of Education and search for ESSA Consoli-
dated State Plan. Read through it in detail to see
if music and arts education have been included. If
not, consider engaging your state music education
advocacy group or music education association to
participate in efforts to include music and the arts in
the Plan. NAfME has provided a formatted sample
of how music and arts education can be included in
the Consolidated State Plan. That document, along
with many others, is available on the NAfME website
at http://bit.ly/NCLBEnds.
Become part of the process—the four R’s:
1. REACH OUT and get involved in your state and/
or local music and arts coalition or advocacy group.
Offer your commitment and service. The NAMM
Foundation provides a variety of advocacy resourc-
es online at nammfoundation.org.
2. REINFORCE that music is designated as part of
a well-rounded education, not only within ESSA, but
also within your State Plan
3. REMIND state, district and community leaders as
well as other music and arts education stakehold-
ers (parents, administrators, colleagues, community
businesses) about the benefits of music and arts
education and what it means for students and com-
munities. Provide supportive data.
4. REQUEST that music education be included in
your district’s Well-Rounded Education needs as-
sessment and possible funding under Title IV. Also,
be sure to request that a well-rounded education be
addressed, including music, as part of your district’s
Title I plan.
There are numerous resources available to as-
sist arts educators in learning more about ESSA and
its impact for music and arts education. It is highly
recommended that music and arts educators
review these online resources and download them
to share with colleagues (department meetings,
emails to colleagues), parents (parent nights, PTA
meetings, booster meetings) and administrators
(planning meetings with supervisors). Some of the
most helpful resources include:
1. NAfME: Everything ESSA site which may be ac-
cessed at: http://4wrd.it/EVERYTHINGESSA
2. Yamaha: The Music Teacher’s Guide to ESSA,
which may be accessed at:
http://4wrd.it/YAMAHASUPPORTED
3. The NAMM Foundation’s recently released bro-
chure, Music is a Part of a Well-Rounded Education:
What parents need to know about music education
and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Feder-
al Education Law. Complimentary copies (packets of
50 each to share with parents) are available to order
at: http://4wrd.it/ESSAPARENTBROCHURE
4. SBO: How to Use Advocacy Stats to your Best
Advantage: Using Music Education Data as Indica-
tors of a Positive School Climate by Marcia Neel at:
http://4wrd.it/SBO_Marcia
5. SBO: In the Trenches: The Every Student Suc-
ceeds Act and What’s in it for You! (But Only if You
Act!) by Bob Morrison at:
http://4wrd.it/ESSAINTHETRENCHES
6. Meet Title I Goals Using the Arts at:
http://4wrd.it/2TITLEIARTS
7. Using Title I funds to support music and arts edu-
cation in Arizona at: http://www.arizonatitle1arts.org
NOW IS THE TIME to become engaged and to
engage others. With the passage of ESSA and the
eventual passage of your State Plan, music and arts
educators and advocates have been provided with
an opportunity to speak up about the value of music
and arts education. The more that we can advocate
for music and the arts as part of a well-rounded
education within our own districts and schools, as
well as providing documented support for how Title
I funds can be used for music and arts education,
the better the chance that more students will have
increased access to the many benefits that an edu-
cation in music and the arts will provide.

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The “creepy”
eyes of the
Southern Nazarene
University booth
Sarah Orr visiting
the Northern
Oklahoma College
(NOC) booth
University of
Tulsa professor
visiting with a
teacher and signing
cards for the raffle!

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Southwestern
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State University
smiling for the
camera!
Tony Flores and
Robin Wall getting
their raffle card
signed at the University
of North Texas booth
Everyone loves seeing
a huge charter bus
in the middle of the
exhibit hall! We are very
grateful for Red Carpet
charter buses that
run throughout the entire
conference.

Michael Shimp and Robin Wall
OkMEA All-State Children’s Chorus Co-Chairs
Auditions for All State Children’s Chorus will be conducted
just as our previous year’s auditions. We have transitioned
to a fully digital audition process, and we have had wonder-
ful feedback from teachers across the state as to the effec-
tiveness of eliminating paperwork and CDs. We reached the
following decision at our Elementary Business Meeting in
January:
No enhancements will be allowed for recordings.
Voices of students must be recorded with no special effects.
Specific instructions for All State Children’s Chorus auditions
are located on the OkMEA website. Please consider enter-
ing your students in this audition process. Each child will
gain personal growth through auditioning, and the children
who are selected for the group will experience an unforget-
table, life-changing musical event!

Diana Carter
OkMEA All-State Mixed Chorus Chair
The 2017 OkMEA All-State Mixed Chorus per-
formed an outstanding concert under the direction
of Dr. Gary Schwarzhoff at the January convention.
Schwarzhoff not only challenged our students to
intellectually engage as musicians but also to move,
feel and communicate through song. Listeners
reaped the rewards of Steveanne Bielich’s year-long
preparatory efforts as All-State Chair. I am thank-
ful for her calm, collected and tireless leadership.
Special thanks to Ron Wallace for his exceptional
accompanist skills.
We are in our second year under OkMEA All-
State Chorus Committee realignment. The commit-
tee includes Diana Carter (2018 Mixed Chair), Mindy
Dennison (2018 Treble Chair), Wes Singleton (2019
Mixed Chair), and Lacy Reed (2019 Treble Chair).
Dr. Mack Wilberg will conduct the 2018 Mixed
Chorus. He is eager to work with Oklahoma stu-
dents. Appointed music director of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir in 2008, Wilberg served as as-
sociate director of the choir from 1999 to 2008. He
was professor of music at Brigham Young University
from 1984-1999. Wilberg received his bachelor’s
degree from Brigham Young University and received
his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Univer-
sity of Southern California. He is an accomplished
pianist and acclaimed composer and arranger.
Artists such as Renee Fleming, The King’s Singers,
Natalie Cole and Audra McDonald have performed
Wilberg’s works.
First Round Audition Selections
1. Cum Sancto Spiritu from “Petite Solemn Mass,” by
Gioacchino Rossini, SATB, two pianos and harmonium,
Plymouth Music/55-50105
2. Light Dawns On A Weary World, by Mack Wilberg,
SATB, piano four-hands, percussion and string bass,
Oxford University Press
3. Jabberwocky, by Sam Pottle, SATB divisi, piano and
percussion, Heritage Music/15/2088H
4. Nunc Dimitiss (The Song of Simeon), by Alexander
Gretchaninoff, SSAATTBB, a cappella, http://www2.cpdl.
org/wiki/images/b/b6/Grech_Nunc_Dimittis.pdf, sung in
English
Non-Audition Selections
1. Cindy, American folk song arranged by Mack Wilberg,
SSAATTBB, piano four-hands, percussion and string
bass, Hinshaw Music/08763322
2. Father William No. III from Three Choral Settings of
“Alice In Wonderland,” by Irving Fine, SATB, piano,
Warner Brothers
3. Homeward Bound, by Marta Keen, arranged by Mack
Wilberg, SATB divisi, piano four-hands, Alfred Music
38070
The complete repertoire list is in Oklahoma music
stores. They will accept your orders soon. Kevin
Zinn will produce rehearsal CDs. Pronunciation for
foreign language piece is on the accompaniment
CD. CD order forms are on the OCDA website. CDs
will be available at the OCDA summer convention.
First Round Auditions
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Quad Chairs and Sites
Northwest: Paula Kiner and Ron Wallace,
Enid High School
Northeast: Margie Green,
Centennial MS in Broken Arrow
Southwest: Debby Wood and Lacy Reed,
Central Middle School in Lawton
Southeast: Peggy Shelby,
McAlester High School
Second Round Auditions
Saturday, November 11, 2017
University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond

My e-mail address is dcarter@plainview.k12.
ok.us. Additional contact information is on the Ok-
MEA website in the Directory of Officers (www.
okmea.org). I am honored to serve as Mixed Chorus
Chair. Please contact me with questions. Teachers
new to the OkMEA All-State Chorus process are
encouraged to request more information as needed.
I am ready to assist you and your students in any
way I can.
2017 NAfME STUDENT COMPOSERS
COMPOSITION COMPETITION
Learn more: bit.ly/NAfMECompetitions
Application Deadline: April 15, 2017
NAfME is seeking original music written by student composers for featured
performance in the 2017 Young Composers Concert, held in Dallas, Texas,
and the 2017 All-National Honor Orchestra performance as part of the
NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles performances at Walt Disney World.
Teachers and students are invited to submit original compositions by
students for possible inclusion in the concerts. Students in elementary
school, secondary school, college, and graduate school are eligible
to submit compositions. Winning compositions may be eligible for
cash awards.
OkMEA Conferences
Fall Conference
Winter Conference
January 17-20, 2018

Shawn O’Kelley
OkMEA All-State Band Chair
I bring you greetings from the All-State Band committee. I will be serv-
ing as chair of the Wind Symphony in the coming year and Gina Thomp-
son (Mustang) will chair the Symphonic Band. Both of us look forward to
continuing the work of preparing for both rounds of auditions this coming
November and December. Joining our efforts are Rusty Chevalier (Skia-
took) and Jenn Kauffman (Blanchard). With the traditional release of the
upcoming year’s audition material, please take note of some changes in the
scale requirements for first round auditions, approved by the membership in
January outlined below:
Previous Years Changes in 2017
One major scale and chromatic scale are selected
by the all state chair and posted outside the audition
room in first round auditions
Students could perform any one of four possible
sets of scale etudes, each having two major and
one chromatic, in first round auditions.
Students enter the audition room and perform
scales with no memorization requirement
Students enter the audition room, draw to determine
which scale set is to be played, and perform that
group of scales with no memorization requirement.
Each student will randomly draw, thus any of the
four scale etude sets could be performed.
PDF files of the scale set etudes will be available on the OkMEA website. The new scale sets pair a less
difficult major scale with a more challenging major and chromatic scale to ensure that each set is of equal
difficulty. In addition, students will not know which set of scales to perform until entering the audition room.
This will eliminate any advantage experienced by students auditioning in later performance times. The four
scale groups are listed below in concert pitch:
Set 1 A Db chromatic Set 3 G B chromatic
Set 2 D Gb chromatic Set 4 C E chromatic
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you have regarding the changes to the audition pro-
cess via email: shawn.okelley@owassops.org

2017-2018 OKMEA Audition Material Round 1
visit www.okmea.org for information on scale requirements for auditions
Flute & Piccolo Cornet & Trumpet
Selected Studies for Flute Selected Studies for Cornet or Trumpet
by Voxman, Rubank by Voxman, Rubank
pg 5, a minor, Bouree Anglaise pg 8, Adagio cantabile
pg 31, c minor, Adagio cantabile pg 27, Allegretto
Oboe French Horn
Theodore Nieman Method for the Oboe
most recent edition with white cover
other editions may have etudes listed on differing pages
Preparatory Studies to Solo Work for French Horn
by Pottag-Belwin
pg 59, Polonaise, moderato (Glazounov) pg 21, #52, Pastorale
pg 91-92, Tyrolienne (F major) pg 23, #57, Allegro risoluto
pg 26-27, #66, Allegretto
Bassoon
Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book 1 Trombone
by Alan Hawkins, Southern Music Co. Selected Studies for Trombone by Voxman, Rubank
pg 57, e minor, Allegretto brillante pg 20, a minor, Allegro Moderato
pg 58, Bb major, Andante Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Bk 1, by Rochut, Carl Fisher
pg 5, #2, Andantino
Bb & Eb Clarinet
Selected Studies for Clarinet Euphonium
by Voxman, Rubank Selected Studies for Baritone
pg 25, c minor, Allegro by Voxman, Rubank
pg 26, A Major, Andante cantabile pg 29, e minor, Maestoso
pg 44, f# minor, Andante con spirito
Bass Clarinet
Advanced Studies by Weissenborn Baritone (Treble Clef)
Rhoades-Southern Music Co. Selected Studies for Cornet or Trumpet
pg 3, #5 - Allegro assai by Voxman, Rubank
pg 25, #32 - Largo pg 31, f# minor, Maestoso
pg 46, g# minor, Andante con spirito
Contra-Clarinet
Advanced Studies by Weissenborn Tuba
Rhoades-Southern Music Co. Advanced Studies for Bb Bass, by H.W. Tyrell, Boosey & Hawkes
pg 25, #32 - Largo pg 15, #15, Ab Major, Allegretto
pg 28, #34 - Allegro moderato 43 Bel Canto Studies for Tuba, by Marco Bordogni, King Music
pg 23, #20, E major Cantabile
Alto Saxophone
Selected Studies for Saxophone Percussion
by Voxman, Rubank Portraits in Rhythm, by Cirone, Belwin Mills
pg 19, D Major, Andante con gusto pg 12, #10
pg 38, f minor, Scherzo Masterpieces for Marimba, by MacMillan, Pro-Art
pg 14-15, Sonata
Tenor Saxophone Four Mallet Marimba Playing, by Nancy Zeltsman
Selected Studies for Saxophone pg 106, Los Paraguas (The Umbrellas) meas 1-25*
by Voxman, Rubank Twenty Studies for Timpani, by Jaques Delecluse
pg 19, D Major, Andante con gusto pg 7-8, Etude #6
pg 33, f# minor, Allegro marcato *In older editions of Four Mallet Marimba Playing, Los Paraguas appears on pg 104
Baritone Saxophone
Published: 3/1/17
Revisions: 4/4/17*
Selected Studies for Saxophone
by Voxman, Rubank
pg 19, D Major, Andante con gusto
pg 40, E Major, Allegro poco moderato
1

OkMEA All-State Deadlines and Audition Dates
September 23, 2017 CTSWS First Deadline
HS All-State First Deadline
September 30, 2017 CTSWS Second Deadline
Children’s All-State First Deadline
HS All-State Second Deadline
October 4, 2017 Children’s All-State Second Deadline
October 19, 2017 Children’s All-State Emergency Deadline and Auditions (OCU-OKC)
October 28, 2017 HS Choral All-State Auditions - Round 1 (Quad Sites)
November 4, 2017 HS Band All-State Auditions - Round 1 (District Sites)
November 11, 2017 HS Choral All-State Auditions - Round 2 (UCO-Edmond)
November 18, 2017 HS Jazz Ensemble Auditions (Midwest City High School)
December 2, 2017 HS Band All-State Auditions - Round 2 (Westmoore High School)
HS Orchestra Auditions (Westmoore High School)
December 9, 2017 HS Instrumental Weather Contingency Date
Collegiate
M U S I C C A N B R I N G A
n at i o n
M U S I C C A N B R I N G A
TO ITS FEET
When
it’s worth advocating for
#NAfMEHD17
June 27-July 1
R E G I S T E R TO DAYR E G I S T E R TO DAY
hillday.nafme.org

Steve Sharp
OkMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble Chair
Horns, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vibes
Etude No. 2 from Etudes for the Developing Jazz
Musician by Will Campbell
Stonemill Music – www.stonemillmusic.com
Lead Trumpet
Students who try out for lead trumpet must be in the
top five trumpet scores to make the band
Bass Trombone
The Bass Trombone will now have a separate instru-
ment category. The audition process will be modified
to accommodate this change.
Jazz Ensemble Auditions
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Midwest City High School
2018 Audition Selections
Drummers
Swingin’ for the Fences (Demo Track 1, Play-Along
Track 2) from the Gordon Goodwin Play-Along
Series Volume 4
Drummers will also play sixteen bars each of the
following styles:
Funk at 110 bpm
Swing at 110 bpm
Double-Time Swing at 220 bpm
Double-Time Swing Trading Fours
(4 bars of time, 4 bars of solo) at 220 bpm
Samba at 220 bpm
Jazz Waltz at 220 bpm
Drummers will play each sixteen-bar phrase in pre-
scribed order, as one continuous etude, then after
a short pause, play eight bars of swing ballad with
brushes at 80 bpm.
The audition site will provide a drum set. Students
who want to use their own drum set need to set-up
in the band room by 8:00am on audition day.
Add Magic!
HOW DO YOU MAKE AN ENSEMBLE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME BETTER?
Apply today: nafme.org/ANHE Application deadline: May 12, 2017
The 2017 All-National Honor Ensembles
will take place at
November 26-29, 2017
© Disney

Samantha Sy
OkMEA All-State Orchestra Chair
2018 Audition Selections
Violin
42 Studies or Caprices by Kreutzer
Schirmer Edition (Singer)
#14, pp 20-21, Quarter note = 86
Fingerings marked are required
Two bows per measure unless otherwise
indicated in the score
Viola
41 Caprices, Opus 22 by Campagnoli
Peters Edition
#3, p 4, Dotted quarter note = 60
#9, pp 10-11, Quarter note = 85
Three measures from the end of etude #9,
beginning of the measure starts down bow,
then the next six notes are up bow, then
down for the next four, finally the last four are
up bow. There will be 4 total bow changes in
the measure
All other bowings/fingerings marked are required
Cello
170 Foundation Studies, Vol 2 by Schroeder
Carl Fischer Edition (02470)
#91, p 19, Eighth note =144
#104, p 39, Quarter note = 84
Fingerings and bowings marked are required
Bass
57 Studies in Two Volumes for String Bass, Vol 1
by Storch-Hrabe
Edited by Zimmerman (International 1034)
#29, pp 30-31
Adagio Quarter Note = 60
Scherzando Quarter Note = 86
Fingerings and bowings marked are required
Orchestra All-State Auditions
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Westmoore High School
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Orchestra Contingency Date

Chris Baumgartner and Christine Mueller
OkMEA Mentorship Program Co-Chairs
OkMEA’s New Mentorship Program
We all have that person who is our “go-to” for
help with major life decisions—relationships, car re-
pair, even fashion advice. But, do you have a “go-to”
person to help you as you begin your music teach-
ing career? Everyone has a former public school
teacher or college professor whom they admire, but
what about someone in your area that can help you
with the day-to-day activities of a music program?
This is not just any music teacher but an experi-
enced one who teaches exactly what you teach and
is dedicated to mentoring you into the profession.
No? Now you can! Introducing the new OkMEA Mu-
sic Teacher Mentorship Program!
Starting this fall, OkMEA will pair beginning mu-
sic educators (first, second, and third-year profes-
sionals) with successful, experienced music teach-
ers to provide one-on-one mentoring. The goal is to
give new teachers a contact who can guide them
toward making meaningful decisions on various
music-specific topics during their early-career years:
literature selection, working with administration, les-
son/rehearsal plan ideas, music teaching resources,
OSSAA procedures–you name it!
As Mentor Co-Chairs, our responsibility will be
to identify teachers in your music genre (elemen-
tary, vocal, instrumental, etc.) who reside in your
geographic area that can assist you, be available
for visits to your classroom, and serve as a “spring-
board” for ideas. Though beginning teachers may
be assigned a building/district mentor, oftentimes
these mentors are not music educators. Recogniz-
ing those teaching elements specific to music, we
are dedicated to ensuring all beginning music teach-
ers in Oklahoma have the support they need to be
successful throughout their first years. If you would
like to sign up for a 2017–2018 mentor, please click
on the following link to sign up–https://okmea.form-
stack.com/forms/okmea_mentee_sign_up
In addition to the mentor-mentee pairing pro-
gram, OkMEA plans to host a pre-conference
workshop specifically for beginning music teachers
in conjunction with the 2017 October Conference.
Practical topics to be covered include OSSAA pro-
cedures, area-specific (elementary, vocal,
instrumental) sessions, life-work balance, admin-
istrative issues, and more–all geared toward your
first years in the profession. The workshop will begin
Wednesday evening, October 18, and continue
through the full conference on October 19, with joint
sessions. More details to come soon, but please
save the date as you plan to attend next fall!
Chris
Baumgartner
Christine
Mueller

Directory of Advertisers
East Central University ........................................................................................................................ 23
Oklahoma City University - Courtney Kalbacker.................................................................................. 22
Oklahoma City University - Jerry Steichen and others......................................................................... 40
Oklahoma City University - Katazyna Brochocka................................................................................. 17
Oklahoma City University - Mark Blakeman......................................................................................... 42
Oklahoma City University - Opera and Music Theater Company......................................................... 49
Oklahoma City University - Russell Sharp and Timothy Sutfin............................................................. 33
Oklahoma City University Scholarship Auditions...................................................................................11
Oklahoma State University Summer Camp.......................................................................................... 27
Oklahoma Strings................................................................................................................................. 47
Southwestern Oklahoma State University.............................................................................................. 3
University of Missouri-Kansas City....................................................................................................... 25
Winter Park Ski-Music Festival............................................................................................................... 2
Yamaha.................................................................................................................................................. 4

Oklahoma Music, Vol 3 #3

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