NEWS BRIEFS FROM YOUR STATE MUSIC ASSOCIATIONS 

"Weekly Updates" is a coordinated effort by Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) and Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) to share a collection of timely news items that are relevant to both memberships while at the same time helping to limit the number of individual emails sent from each organization during summer of 2020.

WMEA News

NAfME President Mackie Spradley Shares Back-to-School Message 2020
As so many educators (and of course students) are preparing to go back to school in some shape or form in the days ahead, it's important to remember that you are not alone. NAfME President Mackie Spradley shares a special welcome back message to our community of WMEA/NAfME members in this video.    

WSMA News
Statewide Music Education Survey
WSMA is conducting a K-12 statewide music education survey to better understand how music education will be available to Wisconsin students at WSMA member schools during Fall 2020.  

The information collected will be summarized and shared with WSMA member schools on Tuesday, September 8. In order for your school's data to be included in the data for this report, please participate in this survey no later than Sunday, September 6, 2020.

Please share with any elementary colleagues in your district as they may not be currently receiving WSMA communications.


WSMA and PBS Wisconsin Education Launch Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin
WSMA and PBS Wisconsin Education have partnered with music educators to create a collection of classroom media resources featuring Wisconsin musicians from four distinct cultural groups, as they share a composition and discuss their musicianship, culture and identity. 

Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin is a collection of digital resources designed to help students in grades 4-8 explore the connections between music, culture and emotion. The collection includes video interviews and performances, audio tracks and educator engagement guides featuring learning outcomes, strategies, assessments and aligned standards. 

Through the resources created, educators and students will meet contemporary musicians currently making music in Wisconsin and learn about the ways in which musicians' cultural identities and experiences have shaped their music. The featured musicians, Latinx musicians Richard Hildner Armacanqui and Juan Tomás Martínez from Madison, First-Nations musician Wade Fernandez from Keshena on the Menominee Reservation, Hmong singer Maa Vue from Wausau and the Black American string duo, SistaStrings - Chauntee Ross and Monique Ross from Milwaukee, selected a personally significant piece of music to talk about, practice and perform. Interviews and performances are woven together to share the stories around the pieces of music and the emotions they embody and express. 

The entire Re/sound: Songs of Wisconsin is available for online access at this link. Special thanks to PBS Wisconsin Education for partnering with WSMA in this meaningful project.
Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) is a non-profit service organization with member public and private schools. Students from member schools are eligible to participate in WSMA programs, such as District and State Music Festivals, Concert Festivals, State Honors Music Project, State Marching Band Championships and Student Composition Project. WSMA also owns and operates the Wisconsin Center for Music Education.

Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) is a membership association of music educators committed to providing quality music experiences for their students. Each year WMEA presents the Wisconsin State Music Conference (in collaboration with WSMA), leads advocacy for music education in Wisconsin, and offers professional development opportunities to support members. WMEA is the state affiliate of National Association for Music Education (NAfME).