The C

horiste

r North Dakota ACDA

Winter Issue: 2015

1. The Chorister: Cover Page2. Weber: Notes from the President3. Holler: K-12 Survival Skills5. Miller: Teach a Man to Fish7. Saylor: Staying Centered9. Gerszewski: Cartoon Corner

10. Popejoy: Four to Store11. McIntyre: Enjoy the Benefits13. Meet our Membership14. Photo Flash15. Photo Flash16. Recommended Links

Congratulations North Dakota! Because of your dedication to ACDA and your advocacy for our organization, we have again increased our membership and we increased our membership by 22%. The following quotes from the National Office gives you a better idea of how we did compared with the rest of the state chapters.

" A n d d r u m r o l l . . . O u r t o p achievers in the ACDA Sing Up Membership Campaign (topping the chart in Active membership g r o w t h ) : N e v a d a ( 3 3 . 9 % growth), Utah (26.0%), New York (23.5%), North Dakota (22.1%), and Alaska (21.7%). Way to go state leadership!!"

"States that achieved at least 1 5 % g r o w t h i n A c t i v e membership during our Sing Up drive: Nevada (33.9%), Utah (26.0%), New York (23.5%), North Dakota (22.1%), Alaska (21.7%), Idaho (20.5%), Ohio (20.2%), Oregon (18.0%), Illinois (16.2%), Colorado (15.9%), and Connecticut (14.5%). Woohoo!!"

"States that achieved at least 1 0 % g r o w t h i n o v e r a l l membersh ip : Rhode Is land ( 7 5 % ) , A l a s k a ( 6 9 . 7 % ) , W y o m i n g ( 4 8 . 5 % ) , N o r t h D a k o t a ( 3 3 . 3 % ) , A r i z o n a (29.6%), Utah (27.5%), Nevada (25.8%), Connecticut (24.0%), A r k ansas ( 2 3 . 3 %) , I l l i no i s (17.1%), Vermont (15.3%), New York (15.1%), Missouri (14.2%), Oregon (12.7%), Massachusetts (12.5%), Louisiana (12.1%), M i n n e s o t a ( 1 1 . 3 % ) , O h i o (11 .2%) , V i rg in ia (10 .8%) , Colorado (10.0%), and California (9.8%). Whoot whoot!”“Nevada, Utah, New York, North Dakota, and Alaska will also be

honored at a reception at the national conference, a trophy, and their state name on a plaque that is displayed at the ACDA National Office - in addition to other recognition."

A b i g t h a n k y o u a n d congratulations to Rebecca Raber for spearheading our successful recruiting for new and returning members. Andy Miller should be recognized for his work with the increase in our student membership. Our overall state membership has grown to almost 200 members! (I will have final numbers to report at our state conference.) This is fantastic news for our state. The increase in membership will not only have positive financial benefits, but in addition, all of our new members will contribute different ideas and bring an energy to our state organization that will help us to continue to promote excellence in choral performance, and to provide opportunities for our students to experience the benefits of being in a choir. As an organization, we sponsor many e v e n t s throughout the year that will h e l p u s a l l discover many i n n o v a t i v e r e h e a r s a l techniques and n e w p i e c e s o f qua l i t y l i terature that w i l l empower us to create new experiences with our students.

I invite all of our membership to attend our State Conference that will be held in Bismarck on February 6 & 7. I know Josh Bronfman has been diligently

working to c r e a t e a c o n f e r e n c e that will inspire u s a l l . L o o k f o r m o r e information in this edition of the Chorister and on our webpage (ndacda.com).

I would also like to invite you all to our National Conference that will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 25 - 28. B e c a u s e o f o u r e x c e l l e n t increase in membership for both years of the Sing Up! Campaign, we have been awarded 4 complimentary registrations for the conference. The following people had their names drawn out of the hat: Rebecca Raber, Vicky Boechler, Michael Rockne and Sara Bray. I hope to see you all in Salt Lake City!

I feel strongly that conferences at any level – State, Division or N a t i o n a l – g i v e u s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o g r o w a s musicians through inspiring concerts and interest sessions.

I hope you will t a k e a d v a n t a g e of our State and National conference this year to regenerate your passion f o r c h o r a l

music. I look f o r w a r d t o

seeing many of you in Bismarck for our State Conference and I hope to meet all of our new members and welcome them to our energized organization

Congratulations ND!Michael Weber, NDACDA President

As a youngster, I remember asking my dad, who had been born in 1917, “What was the greatest number of horses you drove in one hitch?” I don’t remember if his answer was 6, 8, or 10. I do remember him showing me how you had to weave the reins in a particular way through your fingers to maintain control of each horse. He also told me, if I remember correctly, you needed the best horse in the front right of the team to manage direction and speed. As an experienced small school music teacher, I believe that teaching K-12 music in a Class B school is much like that.

Whether it’s the largest Class A school or t h e s m a l l e s t C l a s s B s c h o o l , m u s i c i s a demanding job with each demand similar to one of the re ins required to manage the team. Of the approximately 125 Class B schools in the state, 65 of them have a single K-12 music teacher. Class A jobs often involve large multiple sections of the same grade level; Class B jobs don’t usually have multiple sections of any grade level. Some Class A schools have lesson time bu i l t i n to a teacher ’ s schedule; Class B teachers usually have to find lesson time before school or after school. One common denominator seems to be the filing in and out of elementary students, one

class after the other. It makes one wonder whether y o u b e c o m e a b e t t e r teacher by multi-tasking and teaching K-12 including elementary general music, and upper level vocal and instrumental, or by being able to focus on a limited type of class, for example particular levels of vocal or band.

How do you handle the reins in a small K-12 school? The following items have made a difference to me.

Understand that the job is time-consuming. I’m not sure I’ve ever hit a balance; you will

always have more to do than you have time for. Teaching K-12 vocal a n d i n s t r u m e n t a l m e a n s y o u w e a r running shoes. You are often expected at all high school sporting events to provide the National anthem and/or do pep band. I know of a director who was expected to have a pep band at 35 athletic events; that’s difficult o n s t u d e n t s a n d director. There will be c o m m u n i t y e x p e c t a t i o n s a n d

requests too. If your district has buildings in more than one town, you may need to add travel time between schools to the equation.

K-12 Survival SkillsValerie Holler, Small Schools Representative

You need a thorough elementary music series; one that covers the standards and yet allows for creativity, and spontaneity. If you have some fun with the music, the students can too. Unfortunately, some school s don’t see the need to invest in a music series or replace a badly outdated series.

You need quick reliable online music retail sources where you can browse through choices and, more importantly, listen to music. Listening to choices you’ve pre-selected with students, gives them a voice and ownership.

Rehearsal time will be compromised. Many schools split one music period between band and choir. You can only do what you are given time to prepare. Begin planning and preparing earlier than you think you need to.

You may need to learn how to record on an electric piano. Good a c c o m p a n i s t s a r e becoming rare. Some s c h o o l s c a n p r o v i d e a n accompanist; some won’t or can’t.

The “lead horse” in all of this is support. You will need solid support from Booster organ izat ions , fe l low teachers , and administration. Support from all these sources is best, but it may not happen. I do th ink some commun i t ies are more supportive than others. Many small schools choose sports over anything else; be prepared for that mind set. The best small school teachers learn to share student

leaders and not overwhelm those students. Music is a valuable part of anyone’s life, quite possibly, its more vital in small communities where fine arts exposure is limited.

Another common denominator between music teachers of any size school, is the awareness of disappointment. If you care about what you are doing, you will experience some set -backs. The difference in small schools is that there are often far less student participants. If a student walks, for whatever reason, you simply do not have replacements. Because there are less students, peer pressure can be more influential, both positively and negatively. In

addit ion, a smal ler number of students can mean a more

shallow talent pool.

Finally, try to keep your options open. Those of us who live in less populated areas are often faced with less employment options. There may come a

time to cash in your chips and walk. You may

be well-intentioned, and possess considerable skill,

but small schools can be difficult. Maintaining integrity and a

high level of professionalism can be your protection. I am living on my grandfather’s homestead, the original horse barn is over 100 years old; I am tied to the community. Just as my father and my grandfather did here, you do the best you can with what you’ve got and try to leave the situation better than when you started.

First, allow me to update the title to “man or woman”, as this well-known proverb is pol it ical ly outdated.

I remember when I was three years old, lying in bed while my dad read “The Bernstein Bears” to me. The stories were so captivating, and in a three-year-old way, I was able to make sense that the little symbols on the page ( l e t t e r s ) w e r e s o m e h o w connected to the words my dad was saying. I also remember singing the ABC’s, watching S e s a m e S t r e e t , a n d practicing writing letters in t h e a l p h a b e t , w h i c h matured to read ing whole books, writing papers, taking college writing, and beyond. The common thread in all of th is is , I have been consistently educated in the English language from childhood through adulthood. I’ll bet your story is similar, and I’ll bet we could share similar stories about how we learned math, science, and other general education subjects.

English, Math, Science, History – they use each other in the teaching of one another. How does music fit in? In elementary education, music is sometimes used to supplement the learning of general education (songs, videos, etc.), but after elementary school, music’s presence in the broader world of education quickly fades to dull, whilst the gen eds continue to accumulate presence and strengthen cross-curricular bonds. In our current educational

model, as the student goes higher in grade level, music becomes increasingly sequestered from other subjects. Not a bad thing, just an observation.

At the transition from elementary to junior high, there is a coinciding shift in the teaching of music, from an emphasis on learning-based outcomes to a greater emphasis on performance-based outcomes. At this point, the teaching of cumulative curricular

elements such as sight-singing/

s o l f e g e , r h y t h m ,

a n d m u s i c t h e o r y are at t h e m e r c y

o f

performances, c o n t e s t s ,

a u d i t i o n s , f e s t i v a l s , a n d conferences. From junior high through high school, as students improve in their ability to perform, many will plateau or decline in their skills of sight singing and music theory.

The main issue seems to be that many of us choral directors feel we have to choose between meeting demanding performance standards on all these various fronts, and making sure our students are consistently building upon their skills of sight singing and music theory. While striving to accomplish both creates challenges, rest-assured it is well

w i t h i n o u r r e a c h a s m u s i c e d u c a t o r s . Here are two excellent, free and easy resources (amongst many more to choose from!) that can help keep our junior high and high school students on track not only as singers, but as musicians!

1. In every choir class we teach, have a progressive sight singing manual that the students work from. Even just two minutes per rehearsal will make a world of difference in the skill level they will have as they progress in our choirs, and when they fly the nest after graduation. Here’s a link to a free manual I use with my students. I project this in the front of my classroom (saves trees!). ww.lightandmatter.com/sight/sight.pdf

2. Keep them working on a p r o g r e s s i v e m u s i c t h e o r y curriculum. An easy and free way t o d o t h i s i s t h r o u g h www.musictheory.net. There you can pick from a multitude of exercises, customize your own exercises, assign them to your students as homework, and upon completion (x amount of questions answered or x amount of time spent, specified by the teacher) the student signs their name electronically, which produces a verification code they can email directly to the teacher for evaluation. It’s a very easy process.

Teach a Man to Fish...Andrew Miller, Student & Youth Activities R & S

Christmas at Mary

Dr. Tom PorterDirector of Choral Activities

Katherine HenjumAssociate Professor of Music, Voice

Contact the U-Mary Music Department to learn more:

music@umary.eduwww.umary.edu/music800-288-6279, ext. 8301

The University of Mary Music Department is defined by a commitment to excellence. Vocal music students have the opportunity to study Concert Choir, Vocal Jazz, Vocal Arts Ensemble, Chamber Choir, Musical Theater, and Private and Class Voice Lessons.

Scholarships are available for music majors as well as students majoring in other areas who participate in music ensembles. Audition dates for 2014–2015 are December 6, January 30-31, and February 16. Students may contact the music department to arrange a campus visit and scholarship audition on a different date. Students living more than 250 miles from campus may send a recorded audition.

SATURDAY, DEC. 6, 7:30 PM • SUNDAY, DEC. 7, 3:00 PM

A total ly justif ied knee-jerk reaction to this is “With so many choral activities and events going on throughout m y y e a r t h a t I h a v e t o prepare my students for, how will I ever find time to thoroughly and consistently teach these other skil ls?” That’s the question of the century ! I w i l l l eave i t rhetorical , but wi l l answer w i t h s o m e r e c i p r o c a l rhetor ic : “With a l i fet ime buffet of choral experiences a t a p e r s o n ’ s c h o o s i n g , which skil ls wil l give them the best chances of staying invo lved and reaping the benefits of being a l ifelong chorister?”

Although the qual ity of our c o n c e r t s , e a r n i n g h i g h s c o r e s o n a d j u d i c a t i o n sheets, and getting students i n t o A l l - S t a t e C h o i r s c a n

often bul ly their way to the top of our priority l ist, it is m y f i r m b e l i e f t h a t t h e ult imate responsibi l ity of a choral music educator i s t o p r e p a r e s t u d e n t s f o r a l i f e t i m e o f e n r i c h i n g exper iences in contributing to t h e i r l o c a l c h u r c h , community , and c o l l e g e c h o i r s . The l ike l ihood of students continuing to pursue choral singing outlets through their adult l i ves , and the qua l i ty o f exper iences they rece i ve f r o m l i f e l o n g c h o r a l e n d e a v o r s b e y o n d h i g h school, is proportionate to the skil ls they acquire in s i g h t s i n g i n g a n d m u s i c

t h e o r y w h i l e i n g r a d e school.

M u s i c i s a l a n g u a g e i n d e e d , a n d a s

choral directors we understand

t h a t c h o r a l music is one of the most n a t u r a l , c o m m u n a l , and intimate

e x p r e s s i o n s o f m u s i c i n

the world. I ’ l l conc lude wi th a

new spin on an old Chinese proverb, as it could be appl ied to a l i fetime of chora l s ing ing . “G i ve a student their notes, and they w i l l s i n g f o r a c o n c e r t . Teach a student how to read music, and they wil l sing for a l ifetime.”

As I write this I am deeply entrenched in the busy performance season of December. The hustle and bustle of extra rehearsals, performances, preparing for honor choirs, p r e p a r i n g f o r a u d i t i o n s , w r i t i n g recommendation letters, and balancing my personal life can be quite overwhelming. Each year I think that I will figure out a way to work smarter, prioritize better, and spend more time doing the things I love. Let’s be honest, this is extremely difficult to do. As Choir Directors we are driven to perform, achieve, lead, and create. This can be exhilarating while simultaneously drain us completely. It is in these times I am reminded of an analogy I once heard in a seminar. I have since done some research to find that the principles come from S t e p h e n C o v e y . T h e analogy goes a bit like this”

On a table, you see the following items:A large jar3 large rocksA pile of gravelA pile of sandA glass of waterThe question is asked “will all of the items fit into the jar?” Of course the answer is, yes. However if the items are not put into the jar in the proper order, they will not fit.

I think that gives you the visual. I would suggest that the jar is representative of life. The large rocks represent the things that

are very important. The people who are held most dear to us. In my case these would be my faith, my family and music itself. These are the things that will be with me long term. They hold much more significance than many of the other things that demand my time each day. The large rocks are the things that make me better, they center me, and inspire me.

The gravel represents the things that have to be done. These things are the things that still have importance and significance to us. They need to be there, and they need to be

done to the best of our ability. As they are added to the jar, they fall into the cracks and crevices of the large rocks. The gravel could be our students, our daily tasks, or the litany of items that are important to us daily. These items serve to help us be better, be more creative, and ultimately help to shape our lives.

The sand is added to the jar, and with a bit of shaking and shifting, it fil ls the cracks and crevices tightly. These things are the more trivial, but still

necessary tasks. I refer to them as the ugly truths. Things like personal evaluations, keeping up with my gradebook, and keeping current with my calendar are examples of sand. They are things that are important and necessary, but wi l l have very l i t t le lasting value in my life.

Staying CenteredBrian Saylor, Show Choirs R & S

The water is of the least value of all of the items. It is also the only item that is temporary. In an uncovered jar, in a matter of weeks the water will be gone. It will completely evaporate out of the jar. This is representative of the things that sometimes bog us down, they eat up our time, and create problems for us. They are the items that can cause great stress, but are not going to have lasting value in any way. An example of this would be and email from a parent who is upset about something. I had one recently that comes to mind. In fact, the parent was upset about something that had nothing to do with anything lasting or very important. It was trivial in my eyes, however it still weighed on my very heavily for several hours until I had the chance to pick up the phone and call to resolve the issue. Often I know that the parent is over the issue as soon as they hit send, however I occasionally let items like this cause me a great deal of stress. The issue was easily resolved and all is well. Like the water, this will only last in my memory until the next such event (which will come soon enough I am sure).

It is also important to note, that if any of the less important items are put in the jar it is impossible to fit the three large rocks. This can easily happen to me. I can fill the jar with gravel and sand, much of it good and necessary, however I do this at the detriment of the “large rocks” in my life. They get pushed aside and then there is no room for them.

I would suggest that if we can order our priorities in the order Covey suggests (while I realize how difficult this can be), we will be happier, more centered, and ultimately happier

people. I can quickly get caught up in the achievement mentality. This mentality only values the tangible and touchable. These items are often external, and many times have little lasting value. This is the mentality that seeks to create a measurement for success that fits on a chart, graph, or spreadsheet.

As teachers, many of the things that we do are not measured in that way. This is never more evident than when you are in a group of friends or family who are not teachers and you express your excitement over the 8th grade boy who has been unable to match pitch efficiently for days, weeks, or maybe months…

then suddenly he does. You want everyone to do some cartwheels with you, and they look at you like you have a third eyeball appearing on your forehead. These are the things that are often immeasurable, but they are the

moments that I live for. The prep choir kid who

gets a solo as a senior who you know will remember that moment on stage for the rest of his or her life. These are the things that matter, and the things that keep us centered, moving forward, and make us better humans.

It is my earnest hope for each of you in 2015 to stay centered. Spend more time with family, spend more time being creative. I know that this is a personal goal for me. I want to find ways to inspire more than I complain, worry less, be more available, be less busy, and live more in each moment.

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Cody Gerszewski is an amateur cartoonist from Fargo, North Dakota. After graduating from Red River High School in Grand Forks and singing in choirs for Tom Young and B r a d S h e r w o o d , C o d y j o i n e d t h e “ T h u n d e r i n g H e r d ” a n d i s c u r r e n t l y a t t e n d i n g N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e University where he is pursuing a degree in Theatre Arts with a minor in Music, and has been a member o f t h e s c h o o l ’ s Concert Cho ir for four years under the direction of Dr. Jo Ann Miller.

Car toon Corner

The amount of choral music that is printed every year can boggle the mind. Music retail owners listen each year to hundreds of pieces for their summer music reading clinics, whittling their selection to a small percentage of those that best fit their customers. One of the perks to being a Repertoire & Standards Chair for ACDA is receiving new music from publishers to peruse and share with our state members.

This article is the second of a three part series with suggestions of recent literature you may wish to use with your community ensemble. This first installment focused on literature for the adult SATB Community Chorus. The final article will provide suggestions for Community Men’s and Women’s Choruses.

While spring literature selections for your community ensembles might have already been made, here are “four to store” for your future consideration.

The Community Children’s Choir

Where Go the BoatsMark SirettHal Leonard 4802304SA w/Piano

Mark Sirett’s setting of this famous Robert Louis Stevenson text would be a perfect selection for an advanced children’s choir. The main melody has a beautiful flowing line that rises and falls, recreating the rocking motion of the “boats.” The verses are presented in canon, while the bridge features the two voice parts at times in unison and then moving in contrary motion. A simple, but lovely piano accompaniment compliments the vocal lines. With so many opportunities to teach vowel shaping and breath energy, this new piece might be just what you are looking for.

Shady GroveAppalachian Folk Song/Robert L. HughHal Leonard 00124456SSA w/Piano, opt. Conga, Mandolin & Washboard

Young singers love to sing catchy melodies in minor keys! This arrangement of “Shady Grove” also works very well for introducing young treble voices to 3 part harmony. The layering of the three parts in the acapella

section is quite simple, but sounds very impressive. Before the main melody returns at the end of the piece the listener is also treated to snippets of melodies from other Appalachian Folk Songs. Children’s choir organizations who also have a mixed choir may want to take a look at the SSAB arrangement of this piece. Call in your local mandolin player, put your local Mayor on washboard, and you’ve got a great Bluegrass feature.

When Day Is DoneJason Webb

Santa Barbara Publishing SBMP 1209SSA w/Piano

When listening to “When Day is Done” for the first time, you can hear the influence of Jason Webb’s experience in jazz and as a recording musician for movies and TV, with his contemporary chord choices for the piano and voices. The text, also written by the composer, conveys a message of parental love, giving it the feel of a modern day lullaby. Geared towards a more advanced treble ensemble, this piece was commissioned for Robyn Lana and the Cincinnati Children’s Choir. The Cincinnati Children’s Choir is featured on the demonstration recording on the Santa Barbara Publishing website, and is definitely worth the time it takes to listen.

Lift Our VoicesNancy Boon Allsbrook & Glenda Goodin Boosey & Hawkes 48023052SA w/Piano

From the Mary Goetze Collection by Boosey & Hawkes, this piece is masterfully crafted for young voices. With Dr. Goetze’s name on the edition, you know that the text will be absolutely fitting for young singers, and that it is designed to help teach part-singing in a sequential manner. The melody is introduced in unison at the beginning. In the second verse, the melody is in the alto part, while the soprano part singing harmony above it. With it’s upbeat melody and uplifting text, this would be a great choice as a combined choir piece for a festival.

Four to Store...New PublicationsMelanie Popejoy, Community Choir R & S

In studying the benefits d e r i v e d f r o m m u s i c performance, I have found that music can affect people in so many positive ways.  In addition to their musical skills, students involved in a choral class have the opportunity to gain life skills. 

1. Due to the nature of the class, students will learn teamwork.  Each person within the ensemble brings something special.  We would not have a choral s o u n d w i t h o u t t h e contributions of others in the class.

2. Students in music learn discipline including attending rehearsals and learning assigned parts.

3. Students learn to focus on their own parts to be sure the notes and rhythms are accurate.

4. Students learn to listen across the ensemble to determine how their part works within the piece. 

5. Students learn to interpret the lyrics and the mood of the music.

6. Students learn to deal with the physical and technical

aspects of singing in order to create the sounds using the desired mouth shaping, breath support, and coloring of the tone.

7 . S t u d e n t s h a v e t h e opportunity to explore the many cultures of the world.

8. Students learn etiquette necessary to perform in public which requires organized thinking skills.

It is important in my program to offer o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r students to give back to community through their performances.  Students perform for senior citizens, m u l t i p l e n u r s i n g h o m e performances, local business groups, volunteer meetings, local hospitals, as well as at W D A a n d o t h e r m u s i c competitions.  The students have the opportunity to i m p r o v e t h e i r o w n performance skills.  Each performance venue gives students the opportunity to adjust to the new acoustic environment. Their teamwork improves.  An obvious benefit from multiple performances is the increased confidence level.  This confidence is a benefit students can use in all areas of life.  The students

l e a r n empathy by performing for o thers such as in a nursing home or hospital setting. We study music, first and foremost, for the sake of m u s i c .  A l t h o u g h t h e

following articles have some differences in

wording, I found it i n t r i g u i n g t o discover what others felt were the addit ional b e n e fi t s o f a

g o o d m u s i c e d u c a t i o n a n d

performance in music.  I find them all to be important skills which students carry on into their adult lives.  In addition to having the ability to perform and enjoy music, they will have gathered so many more skills to empower their future success. I n T h e M u s i c i n O u r M i n d s , E d u c a t i o n a l Leadership, Vol. 56, #3; Norman M. Weinberger s t a t e s “ L e a r n i n g a n d performing music actually exercise the brain – not m e r e l y b y d e v e l o p i n g specific music skills, but also by strengthening the synapses between brain cells.”

Enjoy the BenefitsCheryl McIntyre, Children & Community Youth Choirs

Twelve Benefits of Music Education by musedadmin, lists improved language skills, reasoning, spatial intelligence, “the value of sustained effort “, creative thinking, problem so lv ing , ” c ra f t smansh ip ” , empathy, overcoming fear, and risk taking as benefits we enjoy from studying music.  The Importance of Music Education points out that music “engages students in the c l a s s r o o m ” ,  “ i m p r o v e s c o g n i t i v e d e v e l o p m e n t ” , “enhances learning in other core subjects”, “develops critical thinking and leadership skills”, and “fosters self-esteem  and t h e a b i l i t y t o w o r k cooperatively in teams.”

Music Matters from the A r t s E d u c a t i o n Partnership cites the b e n e f i t s o f m u s i c education as “enhancing f i n e m o t o r s k i l l s ” , “preparing the brain for achievement”, “fostering s u p e r i o r w o r k i n g memory”, “cultivates better thinking skills,” “sharpens attentiveness”, “strengthens perseverance”, “equips students to be creative”, and “supports better study habits and self-esteem”. According to Cheri Lucas in her article, Boost Memory and Learning with Music,” music enhances the memory of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients”.  In this article Chris Brewer says “Sounds can help to hold our attention, evoke emotions, and stimulate visual images.”  Brewer calls the use of

music throughout the day “positive mood management”. 12 Important Skills Your Child Learns by Studying Music suggests that if you want to prepare your child for success, “music  education is an excellent first step”.  The 12 skills listed in this study are self-confidence, c o o r d i n a t i o n , t e a m w o r k , comprehension, problem solving, discipline, Art appreciation, logical reasoning, communication, conceptualization, making value

judgements, and using symbols.  M u s i c T r a i n i n g H e l p s Underachievers credits music education for improving student behavior and attitude. Among the benefits cited in 20 Health Benefits of Music were easing pain, motivating people to workout harder, improve sleep quality, reduce stress, relieve symptoms of depression, improve cognitive performance, and reduce anxiety. 

In The Role of the Fine and Performing Arts in High School Dropout Prevention, 2002; Barry, Taylor, and Walls indicate that  “Students at risk of not successfully completing their high school educations cite their participation in the arts as reasons for staying in school. Factors related to the arts that positively affected the motivation of these students included a supportive environment that p r o m o t e s c o n s t r u c t i v e acceptance of criticism and one where it is safe to take risks.” 

In Empathy, Arts and Social Studies, 2000; R. Konrad

explains that “Music enhances the process of learning…which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognit ive, emotional and motor capacities, (which) are shown to be the driving forces behind all other

learning.” 

As music educators, we w i l l c o n t i n u e t o w o r k

d i l i g e n t l y t o h e l p o u r s tudents improve the i r m u s i c a l s k i l l s a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g .  I t i s o v e r w h e l m i n g a n d v e r y satisfying to understand that we are helping students develop in the discipline, teamwork skills, creative thinking and numerous other areas which will help our students strive for success in their future.

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s Name: Laurie DahlenColleges: Dickinson StateMajor: Composite Music EducationYear I Began Teaching: 1998Schools: Edwin Loe Elementary, New Town, Parshall, Plaza, Hebron Public School (2001-present)Most Memorable Moment: 1. A student thanking me publiclyfor all I do for them at a concert. 2. A student went on to become amusic teacher and told me I was an inspiration to do so.

Name: Peggy Dahl-BartunekCollege: University of North DakotaMajor: Music EducationYear I began teaching: 1974Schools you have served: South Jr. High, Grafton Jr./Sr. HighMost memorable moment teaching music: Having the Grafton High School perform at All-State in Bismarck.

Name: Jessica BlairCollege: North Dakota State UniversityMajor: Music EducationYear I began teaching: 2012Schools you have served: Milnor and Wahpeton Jr. HighMost memorable moment teaching music: a skunk outside the music window...during kindergarten music.

Name: April MaertensCollege: North Dakota State UniversityMajor: Music EducationYear I began teaching: 2014Schools you have served: Winship and Agassiz ElementaryMost memorable moment teaching music: my moment came from when I was student teaching last Spring. I was introducing a new game to my 3rd graders. They loved it and multiple times throughout the semester they would request to play it. My favorite part about this story is that after I first introduced the game, one of the boys turned to me and asked: Do you stay up all night making up games for us to play? I smiled and said: You bet I do. And he said: Awesome!

Name: Aaron ZinterCollege: Concordia College; Illinois State UniversityMajor: BA Music Education, MM Choral ConductingYear I began teaching: 2006Schools you have served: Oak Grove Lutheran SchoolMost memorable moment teaching music: I was conducting a rehearsal with our Madrigals in 2009 singing "There Will Be Rest" by Frank Ticheli. The students took the piece to a new level musically and I felt as though they had surpassed my vision for the song. It seemed as though time stood still for a few moments as they connected with both intellect and emotion.

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NDACDA Teacher Recommended Links:

www.musictheory.netwww.sightreadingfactory.com

www.musicnotes.comwww.teacherspayteachers.com

www.cpdl.orgwww.imslp.org

www.tumblr.comwww.wix.com

www.ustream.comwww.symbaloo.com

www.picmonkey.comwww.issuu.com

www.choraldirectormag.comACDA Publications

Adjustable Spinner (for classroom games)www.musicanet.org

www.choralia.netwww.ipasource.com

www.teoria.comwww.remind101.comwww.soundation.com

www.screencast-o-matic.comwww.wordle.net

www.tagxedo.comwww.printfriendly.comwww.piktochart.comartsongcentral.comwww.socrative.com

Mrs. Friedman’s Resourceswww.thepracticeroom.net

www.choralnet.orgwww.edutopia.com

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