Podcasts about mmea

Hi y'all!! So excited to be back to share with you my first ever Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Conference Presentation! This presentation discusses the importance of racial diversity in music educators as currently the teaching body in Massachusetts is 93.2% white (DESE, 2023). I share personal anecdotes of my own lived experience as a teacher and person of color, discuss structural/systemic racism, and look at actionable steps we can do right now to support our BIPOC teachers. Link to PDF of resources from this conference session! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KyrbeYIMYfTqQQ2wIAAPft0wM_v8bXLJdsyfmSFwi1M/edit?usp=sharing

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, the leader of the Basie Orchestra for the past twenty years. Barnhart discusses his early exposure to music at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, how he came to play the trumpet, how he felt the first time he heard the Basie Orchestra, the background behind his Grammy-winning album "Basie Swings the Blues," and what to expect from the MMEA All State Jazz Band which he will be leading in two sets at the Dakota Friday night.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, the leader of the Basie Orchestra for the past twenty years. Barnhart discusses his early exposure to music at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, how he came to play the trumpet, how he felt the first time he heard the Basie Orchestra, the background behind his Grammy-winning album "Basie Swings the Blues," and what to expect from the MMEA All State Jazz Band which he will be leading in two sets at the Dakota Friday night.

It's a whole episode previewing the 2024 MMEA Midwinter Convention, with special guest Dr. Adrian Davis, MMEA President! Join co-hosts Bradley Mariska and Erin Holmes (Farmington High School) to find out why everyone is so excited for our annual convention - and why YOU should join us in person!

The Orchestra Teacher Podcast with Anne Marie Patterson (Ep. 61) Anne Marie Patterson is the Orchestra Director at Robert Frost Middle School in Fairfax, VA. She has been a private teacher and freelance violinist in the Washington, DC area for over 25 years, and has taught all levels of school orchestra in Charles County, MD. She directed the Charles County Youth Orchestra and Encore Strings. and is the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Music Teacher Award from the Maryland Music Educators Association. Anne Marie received Master's Degrees in both Music Education and Music Performance from Florida State University, and a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance from Washington and Lee University. She has served as President of the MD/DC Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, and is a frequent presenter at the national ASTA conference. She has also presented sessions at The Midwest Clinic, NAfME, MMEA, UMEA and VMEA. Anne Marie is the author of Basic String Technique: A Practical Guide to String Instruction, published by Kendor Music. She is also a contributing author for Rehearsing the Middle School Orchestra by Sandy Goldie. Her instructional videos and materials may be found on her website, https://www.stringsintheclassroom.com. -- Your support is appreciated! If you are enjoying The Orchestra Teacher Podcast, please consider becoming a supporter for as little as 99 cents per month. I am working hard to bring on some amazing educators who will share ideas, tell their story, and offer some support for all of you. I have invested a lot of time in putting it all together and money purchase equipment that will help provide the best possible listening experience. Here is the link: https://anchor.fm/orchestrateacher/support Thank you for your continued support! If you have suggestions for podcast guests, please let me know by providing a name and contact information. Subscribe to The Orchestra Teacher Website, YouTube Channel, and Podcast! Website: http://www.orchestrateacher.net YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/theorchestrateacher Podcast on Anchor.fm: https://anchor.fm/orchestrateacher Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5pvAWs3uftZ5FJ2KyZYU0z Podcast on Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9mNjU1ZWEwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-orchestra-teacher-podcast/id1489358262 — Looking to advertise a product or service to string and orchestra teachers? Consider an audio advertisement on the Orchestra Teacher Podcast! Proceeds from your ad will help offset costs of equipment and web hosting. Please contact Charles at charles@orchestrateacher.net for more information. ——— Please donate to Charles' charity!! Charles is a supporter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide.  AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies: * Funding scientific research * Educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention * Advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention * Supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide in our mission You can learn more about Charles' fundraisers and donate here: https://www.theovernight.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=44899 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/orchestrateacher/support

"I had already taught about a third of the students that we had at the opening of the school. We were able to hit the ground running. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other and team building. We built our own culture and have decided what we want to be." - John Parezo"It's been a really cool experience for me to teach elementary students for the first time. What's still blowing my mind every week is how musical and tuneful and brilliant these little people really are and how quickly they soak things up like sponges. They just learn so fast." - Stephanie Schumacher Stephanie Schumacher is wrapping up her first season with Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota as the conductor of both Children's Chorus and Treble Choir and the Director of Education and Enrichment. Honors Choirs is a nonprofit organization that serves about 300 students in grades 1-12 from all over southeast Minnesota. Stephanie holds a bachelor of arts in music education from Concordia College, where she studied with Dr. Rene Clausen. She has spent the last twelve years in the public schools, teaching everything from middle school band to high school chamber choir and directing musicals. Under her direction, many of her singers have participated in the MN All-State Choirs and ACDA Honor Choirs. At the height of the pandemic, her high school concert choir was selected to perform at the Minnesota Music Education Association Conference and was able to perform via videorecording, socially distanced and masked. This summer Stephanie will begin a three-year term as the Southeast District Chair for ACDA of Minnesota. She frequently serves as an adjudicator for MMEA, ACDA, and various local contests. Stephanie has sung with the Choral Arts Ensemble in Rochester, Minnesota, for past 15 seasons and serves as Alto I section leader. Stephanie lives in Zumbrota, Minnesota, with her husband, Aaron, who is also a choir director,  and their children, Kate and Will.John Parezo currently serves as the choir and show choir director at Jefferson High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In just two years as a new school, the choir department has already grown in size and has started to be recognized for musical excellence in competitive show choirs and vocal jazz ensembles. Prior to the opening of Jefferson in 2021, John worked at Roosevelt High School as the assistant choir director for six years. He was the director of Roosevelt High School's Chorale, RiderChor and Capitol Harmony show choir. He also co-conducted Mixed and Freshman Choruses. Under his direction, the Roosevelt RiderChor was invited to participate in and served as a featured performance choir for several festivals and conferences. Capitol Harmony show choir earned several grand champion placements in unisex division competition along with numerous evening finals placements. John is currently the All-State Show Choir Chair for the South Dakota High School Activities Association and President-Elect for South Dakota Region II Music. John was named Roosevelt High School Assistant Director of the Year for both the 2018-19 and the 2016-17 school years. He was also the 2017 SD-ACDA Overture Award recipient - an award given to outstanding choral directors in their first five years of teaching.To get in touch with Steph, you can find her on Instagram (@honorschoirs) or visit honorschoirs.org. To get in touch with John, find him on Instagram (@sfjeffersonchoirs) or visit jeffersonchoirs.com.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us. Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

Jim Baxter Charlie Moe Recorded at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Convention 2023 Our best episode yet.

Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Chakula na Kilimo, FAO linawasaidia wakulima wanaoishi katika mazingira magumu katika viunga vya nje kidogo ya mji mkuu wa Syria, Damascus kukabiliana vyema na mabadiliko ya tabianchi kwa kulima mimea ya dungusikakati isiyo na miba ili waweze kuwalisha mifugo wao hasa nyakati za ukame. Taarifa ya Anold Kayanda inafafanua zaidi. Ni Jalal Hamoud Afisa wa Uhakika wa Chakula wa FAO akiwa amewatembelea wananchi katika Ghouta Mashariki nje ya mji mkuu wa Syria, Damascus.   Bwana Hamoud anasema FAO ilitoa mafunzo kwa wakulima kuhusu kilimo cha mimea hiyo ya cactus au dungusikakati isiyo na miba na kuwapa pembejeo za kupanda dungusikakati hizo na kisha kulisha mifugo yao. "Hii ilikuwa shughuli ya majaribio kwao." anaongeza.  Dungusikakati zisizo na miba ni zao linalostahimili ukame linalotumika kama chanzo cha chakula cha mifugo. Suluhu hii linalenga kuboresha uhakika wa chakula na lishe kwa kaya kwa kuboresha usimamizi wa kilimo cha umwagiliaji ili rasilimali za maji zitumike kuzalisha mazao ya chakula badala ya mazao ya malisho kwa mifugo.  Dungusikakati au Cactus zina madini mengi kama kalsiamu, fosforasi na magniziamu na zina viwango vya wastani vya protini na nyuzi. Mmea huu hauhitaji maji mengi kukua, hivyo wakulima wanaweza kuendelea kuzalisha malisho na kulisha mifugo wao hata wakati mvua ni chache.  Wakulima wanaweza kuanza kuvuna miche ya dungusikakati mwaka mmoja baada ya kupanda na kuvuna kila baada ya miezi minne kwa zaidi ya miaka 20.  Afisa huyu wa FAO Bwana Hamoud, anasema, “huu ni uingiliaji kati unaoongoza kwa ustahimilivu na kukabiliana na mabadiliko ya tabianchi. Dungusikakati ni zao bora linalostahimili ukame na ni chanzo kikubwa cha lishe kwa wanyama, ikizingatiwa kuwa ni lishe ya ziada inayochanganywa na aina nyingine za vyakula. Itapunguza gharama za malisho kwa wakulima wadogo. Na mwisho, inahitaji maji kidogo ikilinganishwa na aina nyingine za mimea.”  FAO imeanzisha suluhisho hili ili kusaidia kuboresha usimamizi wa ndani wa maliasili kwa kuokoa maji kwa ajili ya umwagiliaji na kuwekeza katika maeneo ya pembezoni, kuongeza ubora wa udongo, na pia uoto wa kufunika ardhi.   Tangu kuanza kwa mzozo wa Syria mwaka 2011, kujenga uwezo wa mnepo imekuwa sehemu kuu ya shughuli za FAO nchini humo, na kuingilia kati kusaidia uzalishaji wa mazao na mifugo, kuhamasisha maisha endelevu na fursa za ajira kwa kaya na jamii na kuongeza matumizi endelevu ya maliasili.     

This is probably the toughest it's ever been to be a teacher. In this episode, we talk about why it's so tough, and then tell you how you can make it better. Don't despair! :) Also available on Youtube. Sponsored by Ernie Williamson Music --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mobetterbands/message

Bea Cukai Makassar Sita Barang Ilegal | 91 Warga Banjarmasin mengidap HIV-AIDS | Kepolisian Akan Terapkan CFN KILAS KABAR NUSANTARA. Sejumlah peristiwa penting yang telah kami rangkum hari Kamis, 2 Desember 2021. MAKASSAR (00:19) Bea Cukai Makassar kembali menyita sejumlah barang ilegal. Adapun barang ilegal yang diamankan pihak bea cukai diantaranya 5 juga lebih batang rokok, 151 bale ballpres atau pakaian bekas, 48 liter lebih minuman keras atau MMEA. BANJARMASIN (01:39) Hingga bulan September lalu tercatat ada 91 warga Banjarmasin yang diketahui mengidap HIV-AIDS. JAKARTA (02:34) Kepolisian akan menerapkan Crowd Free Night (CFN) pada pergantian malam tahun baru. Kontributor: Smart FM Makassar - News Anchor- Emil Fariz, Reporter - Dian Mega Safitri Smart FM Banjarmasin - News Anchor - Meity Wanda, Reporter - Jumahudin Motion FM Jakarta - Derry Saran dan kolaborasi: podcast@kgmedia.id

Jared Cassedy is the current band director at Lexington High School in Massachusetts, after teaching in New Hampshire for many years. He was the 2015 recipient of the Grammy Music Educator of the Year award and offers some great perspective for all band directors. Topics: Jared's background growing up in New Hampshire, his education and training and his early career. Winning the Grammy Music Educator of the Year Award and being locked in a room with Kanye and Kim. Advice for band directors of all ages about the value of music education and some wisdom that he's learned during his career. Links: Jared Cassedy Giroux: The Grace in Being Biography: Jared Cassedy is currently the K-12 Performing Arts Coordinator for the Lexington Public School System in Lexington, Massachusetts where he supports, supervises, and evaluates the department’s teachers, curriculum and assessment development, budget, and performing arts programming.  Along with his administrative responsibilities he conducts the most advanced concert band at the high school, the LHS Wind Ensemble.  Jared is also the conductor of the Junior Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and currently serves as Chair-Elect for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association: Northeastern District.  Previous to coming to Massachusetts,  he served as President-Elect for the New Hampshire Music Educators Association (NHMEA).  In 2015 Jared was the recipient of the prestigious GRAMMY Music Educator Award furnished by the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy having been selected out of a pool of almost 10,000 nominees nationwide.   Previous to his appointment in Lexington, Jared was the Director of K-12 Performing Arts for the Salem School District in Salem, NH and was the Director of K-12 Fine Arts for the Windham School District, in Windham, NH.  Jared began his teaching career in Windham, NH in 2005 first as the middle school band director and then was appointed as the first Director of Bands for the newly constructed Windham High School in 2009.  Jared’s continued collaboration with his students has enabled his ensembles to be selected to participate in a myriad of national performances and festivals including the National Band and Orchestra Festival at Carnegie Hall in NYC, the Festival of Gold at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, the NAfME Eastern Division Conference in Hartford, CT., and the Bands of America National Band Festival sponsored by Music for All and Yamaha in Indianapolis.  His ensembles were also selected to perform for the Mayor of Quebec City and the Governor of Montreal.  In 2011 the New Hampshire Band Directors Association honored Jared with the “Outstanding Young Band Director of the Year Award.”  He was also nominated for New Hampshire Teacher of the Year in 2014.  Jared has conducted a number of regional honor bands in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut, given a variety of lectures on leadership and best practices in teaching, and has participated in TEDx talking about his journey and philosophies through education.  He graduated Summa cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire – Durham where he received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and has a Masters of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Educational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.  He is a member of NAfME, MMEA, NBA, and ASCD, and the prestigious Pi Lambda Theta Education Honors Society.

It's a special episode with both Jerry and Brad --- we're gearing up to attend the 2021 MMEA Virtual Midwinter Clinic Hear what we're excited about! We can't wait to see you all at the Midwinter Clinic - but be sure to take a listen before the conference begins on Thursday!

In 2020, Music Advocacy has never been more relevant or important. Today we sit down with Kristin Chase, advocacy co-chair of the Minnesota Music Educators Association. She shares vital information about how you can advocate for music education in your community! Kristin Chase is one of two advocacy co-chairs for the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA). She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Minnesota, and a Master's degree in Education and Public Policy from Ashford University. Kristin has been teaching band for 12 years, with the last 10 at Central Middle School in White Bear Lake. Kristin is the coordinator for MMEA's 2020 Back-To-School Virtual Clinic and has been coaching the percussion sections of MMEA's All-State Bands for 12 years. Show Timings (00:00) Introduction (06:55) What is it to advocate for music education? (13:12) The importance of sharing your work and building trust (17:27) What MMEA is doing for music advocacy (22:31) Music organizations working together and building networks (25:13) Back-to-School Virtual Clinic (30:28) Music is fundamentally good…let's not lose it…it's time to advocate (35:13) You are not alone! And that wraps up this episode. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, please consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Anchor, Breaker, Spotify, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, and Pocket Casts. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. Thank you again for listening. Other Resources Show Hosts Jerry Luckhardt https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/luckh001 Bradley Mariska https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-mariska-63ba2855 FB Website (Band in Minnesota) https://www.facebook.com/Band-in-Minnesota Minnesota Music Educators Association https://mmea.org

“If students know that you want the best personal life experience for them, the music will just follow.” - Jonathan Laflamme Director of Instrumental Music at Central Lakes College, Brainerd, MN Welcome back to The Band Director's Lounge! Today I am chatting with Jonathan Laflamme from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN. Jonathan coordinates the College in the Schools Program at CLC and works with band directors at high schools throughout the state to setup CIS offerings. Through the CIS program students can earn college credit for taking ensembles and courses at their high school with their high school teacher. In an age where high school students are feeling more pressure than ever to earn college credit before graduating high school, finding a way to offer college credit in instrumental music is one of the best ways to stay competitive in your high school's course catalog. Plus it's great to be able to reward students, particularly seniors, who have been in the program their whole high school career. Jonathan and I walk through how CIS works through CLC. The goal is to give you some ideas about how and why a program like this would be great for your high school and hopefully encourage you to contact him to ask about setting something up for this year! As mentioned in the show, there are several online courses that CLC offers that would allow you to work with Jonathan regardless of the physical location of your high school.  Alright, let's dive in and learn more. Background Prior to coming to Central Lakes College Jonathan Laflamme was a high school band director for fourteen years. His first post was in Pierz, MN where he increased participation throughout the program, received high ratings at state contests, was selected to perform at MMEA and took the band on its first international tour. After Pierz Jonathan became the director of bands at Little Falls Community High School where he also increased participation, received local, state and regional recognition and performed on four international tours. Jonathan has been composing and arranging music for a variety of genres from rock and roll charts to jazz and symphonic band pieces. College and military bands have premiered Jonathan's compositions. Jonathan holds a bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from St. Cloud State University. Jonathan has been selected twice by Minnesota Public Radio as their music ‘teacher feature,' and most recently was selected to represent Minnesota in the National School Band and Orchestra magazine as The Top 50 Music Educators Who Make a Difference.. Jonathan is passionate about teaching music, bow hunting, fishing, alpine skiing, water sports, athletics and most of all faith and family. Episode Overview Background (01:38) College in the Schools at CLC (15:35) Cost and workload for the director? (40:06) What makes a great band program? (56:58) And that wraps up today's episode. If this got your wheel's turning about “is CIS the right choice for my school and program?” then I really encourage you to reach out to Jonathan. As you can tell he is a great guy to chat with and very easy going - he will help you figure out what is the best course offering to get started with if you want to dip your toes into a CIS offering this coming year. I personally will be exploring the online courses that CLC offers and running those through my high school. More importantly, what a great way to add value to your current high school course catalog. You will earn lots of points with your administrator for wanting to take something like this on. Administrators want to keep students at the high school for financial reasons AND college credit offerings are talking and bragging points for when they converse with the community and school board. If you enjoyed this episode or any other episode, consider leaving a review on any of the platforms that you listen to the show on. Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or Facebook. Your reviews, with or without written feedback, help get the word out about the show. Also, if you are able to help promote this program I would greatly appreciate it! Please share episodes with friends and colleagues; a personal recommendation goes a long way in helping out with the show. If you like what you heard today consider purchasing one of the books mentioned in the podcast. Your purchases through the amazon links on the website help give us a little help in covering costs for hosting the show. You can also head over to TheBandDirectorsLounge.com and donate through our paypal account. Any donation large or small will help cover the operating costs of the program.  Thanks again for tuning in, I will see you back here next time in The Band Director's Lounge. Other Resources Andrew Klassen (Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) The Band Director's Lounge on Facebook (FB Website) Nominate a band director for the podcast Support The Band Director's Lounge Purchase a book mentioned in the show! Sign up for a trial of Tonara 30 day free trial and 10% off, Promo Code: Lounge20 App link  Weblink (only from Desktop device) Donate to support the podcast.

Kilimo Ajira 4: How to grow Sweet Potato While many farmers in Kenya grow mainly maize, development partners like GIZ promote the advantages of Sweet Potatoes. The crop has many advantages: It has a very good nutritional value and resists drought well. Michael Akhwale, Senior Research Scientist/Agronomist at the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), passes on his expertise. Kilimo Ajira 4: Jinsi ya kulima viazi vitamu Huku wakulima wengi Kenya wakipanda tu mahindi, mashirika za maendeleo kama GIZ wanapigia debe ubora wa viazi vitamu. Mmea huu unamanufaa tele. Viazi vitamu inayo manufaa za kiafya na pia inastahimili kiangazi. Michael Akhwale ni mwana sayansi mtafiti mkuu katika shirika la utafiti kwa maswala ya kilimo na wanyama (KALRO) anapeana wosia.

Download Episode! Today I am chatting with Amanda Kaus who teaches 9-12 band at Century High School in Rochester, MN. The Century bands number close to 300 in a high school of around 1300 students - an amazing level of involvement. On top of great numbers, they are also a high performing band program. Kids are fired up about music at Century High School! Amanda Kaus directs four curricular bands, a co-curricular jazz band, marching band, in addition to the pit orchestra for the winter musical. She has served on the MMEA leadership team as band vice president and was recently appointed as a Minnesota High School League representative. She is an active member of the local music education community. This episode is brought to you by Eargasam Earplugs. If you are looking for quality and cost-effective hearing protection, consider Eargasam Earplugs. Their discreet design allows them to be worn without drawing attention to your ears. Each set comes with two different sizes for large and small ear canals. They are easy to remove from your ears and come with an aluminum carrying case that can be clipped to your keychains making them easy to carry with to pep band events or concerts. These earplugs make all frequencies softer - so they do not hinder your ability to interact with what you are hearing from your band, but they do help ensure that you will be able to continue hearing long after rehearsal is over. I personally wear these during pep band events and indoor marching band rehearsals and they work great. Eargasam Earplugs run about $35-$40 and work just as well custom audiologist earplugs. These are perfect for directors who want affordable hearing protection and depending upon your insurance provider - some providers and HSA's cover the cost. Use this link in our show notes to purchase your set of Eargasam Earplugs and your purchase will help support The Band Director's Lounge. Check out the website to see all of the styles available today. Alright let's dive in to our conversation. Episode Overview Background - Amanda Kaus (02:38) Century High School (07:31) Marching Band (12:32) “The Big 9” Music Festival (16:09) Favorite Literature (19:57) Budget Purchases (23:29) Student Motivation, Buy-in, and Recruitment (25:24) Student Leadership (29:18) Books that have impacted teaching (36:36) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper Perennial Modern Classics), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Seth Godin Advice for band directors (38:38) What makes a great band program? (40:32) That wraps up this episode. If you want to connect with Amanda, be sure to look for a link to her band's website in the shownotes. If you are interested in checking out any of the books that Amanda mentioned during our conversation, you can find links to these books in the show notes and on the website. Remember if you click thru these links, a small portion of the sales will go towards supporting The Band Director's Lounge at no additional cost to you! Thanks for tuning in! And we will see you back here next time in The Band Director's Lounge. Other Resources Amanda Kaus(Guest) Logan Burnside (Show Host) http://thebanddirectorslounge.com (Podcast Website) https://www.facebook.com/TheBandDirectorsLounge/ (FB Website) Nominate someone to be interviewed Support The Band Director's Lounge Eargasm Earplugs Audible - 30 days free + 2 free books Donate to support the podcast Books mentioned in this episode Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper Perennial Modern Classics), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Seth Godin Books from episodes

Sister Gail Buckman has been teaching in the St. Louis are since 1968, and I recently had a chance to visit Sister Gail in her band room at St. Gabriel the Archangel School. Here is my conversation with this truly remarkable music educator. Topics: Sister Gail’s early career and influences. The importance of always trying to learn from others and the value of mentors. “No one rises to low expectations” A brief conversation about fundraising. A discussion of classroom management and tips for regaining control if it’s been lost. Why music is the one of the few things that parents can’t help their students with and why that, and the need for practice is so valuable for kids. Why having students name their instruments can be a valuable teaching strategy.  Links: St. Gabriel the Archangel School De Haan: Yellow Mountains Biography: Sister Gail Buckman is in her 50th year of teaching and has taught music in the St. Louis/St. Charles area for the past 47 years. For the past 23 years she has, and is currently teaching instrumental music at St. Gabriel the Archangel School in St. Louis. She teaches students in grades four through eight in Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Jazz Bands. Sister Gail is a member of St. Louis District 8 of MMEA, and currently serves as Secretary for that District. Sister Gail is active in many facets of Music education: she is Assistant Director with the St. Charles Municipal Band; she is a staff member at the Viking Band Camp in Hillsboro, MO; she is a staff member with Missouri Ambassadors of Music European Tours; and has served as adjudicator/clinician around Missouri and Illinois. Sister Gail received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Notre Dame College in St. Louis, and a Master Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. She holds affiliations in National Association of Music Educators, Catholic Educators Association, National Catholic Band Association, Missouri Music Educators’ Association, Missouri Bandmasters Association (MBA), and is a member of Phi Beta Mu. Sister Gail belongs to the religious community of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.    

Ron Sikes has been a band director in Jefferson County Missouri for 19 years and a MMEA Past Jazz Vice President. In many ways, Ron embodies the growth mindset and in this episode he discusses his relentless pursuit of personal growth in all that he does. Topics: Ron’s background growing up and the winding road that he took to becoming a music teacher and music professional. Thoughts about jazz education, tips for teaching improvisation, and how those experiences led to Ron composing music for his own band and eventually those around him. The importance of taking private lessons on instruments that you don’t know well and advice for bartering your knowledge in exchange for those of another musician. Working with other composers, especially Gary Gackstatter (Episode 12) and the value that these collaborations bring to his students and the audience. Links: MLO Music Publications Jefferson R-VII School District Funky Butt Brass Band Missouri Music Education Symposium Wagner: Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral Elgar: Nimrod from the Enigma Variations Wagner: Overture to Rienzi Biography: Ron Sikes began teaching in the Jefferson R-VII School District (Festus, Missouri) in 2000. His responsibilities include 5th Grade Band, 6th Grade Band, 7th/8th Grade Band, 7th/8th Grade Jazz Band, High School Jazz/Salsa Band, and High School Band. In 2011, The Jefferson High School Concert Band was selected to perform at the Missouri Music Educators Association Convention. In 2013, he started conducting the Jefferson College Concert Band director. In addition to his many teaching responsibilities, Sikes maintains a busy schedule as a clinician, composer, percussionist, drum set artist, frottoirist, and jazz vibraphonist. As a composer, Sikes has written music for concert bands, jazz bands, and professional bands. His compositions have been performed all over the country. In 2009, Ron authored and self-published the beginning band method book, “Keys to Success.” As a performer, Ron performs with the Funky Butt Brass Band (drum set), Gumbohead (congas, timbales, frottoir), and Southside Creole Playboys (cajon/frottoir). Other playing credits include: Boudin Bros., Musica SLESA, Rhythm Section Road Show, Big Chief, All Roostered Up, Shane Maue, The Trophy Mules, Paul Winter, Eugene Friesen, Darol Anger, Barbara Higbie, Tommy Halloran, Stratus, Mama's Pride, Pat Liston, Danny Liston, Snarky Gargoyles, Thunder Biscuit Orchestra, Big Mike Aguirre and the Blu City All-Stars, Preston Hubbard, & Rockin' Jake. He has performed all over the country and recorded over 20 CD’s with various artists from all genres. Mr. Sikes earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1999 from University of MO-St. Louis. In 2008, he completed his Masters in Educational Administration from Missouri Baptist University. Ron has been influenced by some of the finest educators, including Mark Trautwein, Brad Madson, Dr. Claude Baker, Dr. William Richardson, Marvin Sparks, Jeff Hamilton, Sally Herman, Dennis Reis & Ray Hunt. Sikes’ professional affiliations include the MBA, Phi Beta Mu, NAfME, MOJAE, MMEA, and MSTA, and remains active as performer, teacher, and clinician throughout the area. Ron Sikes loves his titanium snare made by Dynamicx Drums and is endorsed by Lewi Custom Cajons and Vic Firth Sticks & Mallets.

This is a podcast of a session that I presented on behalf of SoundTree titled Fostering Creativity for the Non-Traditional Music Student with Technology on Friday, March 25, 2011 at the MMEA 2011 State Conference.

This is a podcast of a session that I presented on behalf of SoundTree titled Technology in the Elementary Music Classroom on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at the MMEA 2011 State Conference.