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Dear JJ,
Greetings from the Oregon Music Education Association!!
The following email includes OMEA's April News.
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OMEA members - we would like your input to create a mission and vision statement for our organization, as well as begin to engage in strategic planning.
Now that we have a dynamic new website (thank you, Ben Lawson, for accomplishing this task!) these statements of purpose will be visible in a public space to hold us accountable and set a guiding vision for the work we do for all of you and your students.
Please complete this survey to give feedback on the direction of OMEA, in addition to our strengths and challenges. This survey will be open until May 10.
We appreciate your input!
Erika Lockwood, OMEA President-Elect
Laura Arthur, OMEA Advocacy Chair
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Secondary General Music Chair Survey | |
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For the last two years, OMEA has been exploring the possibility of adding a Secondary General Music Chair to the board. I am excited to announce that the position has been approved and that I am committed to fulfilling the role in the inaugural term. This role will serve middle and high school music teachers who are teaching anything other than band, orchestra, or choir – as well as elementary music teachers whose work lands outside of the traditional general music curriculum. Some examples include:
- World music ensembles such as mariachi or steel drum bands
- Popular music courses such as songwriting, class guitar, or rock band
- Digital music classes such as music production
- General music classes such as music survey, music theory, or dedicated special education classes.
I truly believe that these courses have an essential role in our K-12 schools as they serve a population who has traditionally been excluded from music education. If we are to build robust music education programs, these courses must run alongside traditional ensembles.
My own interest in this work has been building over the last two decades through professional development with World Music Drumming and Music Will as well as my own kids’ limited opportunities to explore the music they loved while enrolled in public schools. As the program coordinator for music education at Portland State, I have been part of modernizing our curriculum to decenter European music; provide coursework for future music educators in rock band, mariachi, and music production; and emphasize culturally responsive pedagogy in our music education program. I am excited to share my passion for broadening the options for students in our K-12 systems, for collaborating with our colleagues who are already doing the work, and supporting those who are curious about trying something new.
My goals in this role are:
- Collect Data: Who is already teaching these types of classes? What are they teaching? Who takes them? What kind of support is in place in terms of curriculum and budget?
- Build Connections: How can those who are teaching similar courses work together to problem solve and share best practices? Who is able to support emerging programs?
- Provide Professional Development: What can we add to our conference to celebrate the work already being done and support teachers interested in starting new courses? How can we partner with NAfME to build on the work they are doing in this area?
- Create a Toolkit: What do districts, schools, and teachers need to know to build new programs? How does current licensure through TSPC limit our options and how can that change?
There is a concern amongst some ensemble directors that adding alternate music courses will take students away from their programs, but the evidence around the country shows the opposite. Providing more options gets more kids involved in music and not only does not diminish the numbers in band, orchestra, or choir, but often brings more students into the ensembles.
My first step is to find out what is already happening in our state. Please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire: Secondary General Music Survey.
Mari Schay
OMEA Secondary General Music Chair
mschay@pdx.edu
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OMEA Conference 2024 Survey | |
OMEA/OSAA Solo and Chamber Contest News | | |
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NEW Contemporary Vocal Music Category for Ensembles There have been some questions about the new contemporary vocal music category for ensembles. The contemporary literature category is for vocal ensembles only, not vocal solos. The following article was part of our OMEA Fall Journal. Contemporary Vocal Music Category for Ensembles Please share this information not only with your choral colleagues, but also with your OMEA district contest host/directors to help spread the word and ensure all districts, contests, and adjudicators are aware of this addition. | |
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- Nobody in the audience may show any movements during a performance that could be construed as conducting.
- When the students' attention is drawn to the audience for starts, cutoff, etc., it will raise suspicion.
- Students MAY use a gesture to indicate the beginning and end of a piece or movement.
- Students MAY NOT conduct a piece with a pattern throughout the entire performance.
- The external conducting rules apply to all ensembles.
Kathy Briggs
OMEA Choir Chair
kathy.briggs@smapdx.org
www.oracta.net
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A meeting to present and discuss the OBDA Pilot Sight Reading Form(s) was held on February 21. You may access a recording of the meeting at the following link.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1InllyAS8w1Xm9G4SqFCZSlTfShOrpbOi
The OBDA Adjudication Committee encourages everyone to either use the forms or become familiar with them and submit a survey whose data will be used should the form(s) be submitted to OSAA for their approval. Surveys may be submitted now until April 14. Early submission will be appreciated.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHCTwxekNMj94aKb8vvzD4Snp5ThMxwwfmjhofFipJS3uVlw/viewform
Reminders and Updates regarding the piloting of the proposed Sight-Reading Form(s):
- All large ensemble festivals/competitions (band and orchestra) that include sight reading in the schedule are encouraged to use the Pilot Sight Reading Evaluation Form and Rubric during the 2024 festival season. OSAA has approved the use of the forms for this year.
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The pilot sight reading form(s) have been recently revised. Please use the currently posted form(s): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1InllyAS8w1Xm9G4SqFCZSlTfShOrpbOi
- Print the Rubric and Evaluation Form back-to-back (creates one 2 sided form).
- This form is suitable for middle school ensembles.
- Organizers of Festival/Contests that include sight reading should contact their Sight Reading adjudicator prior to the event to confirm the use of appropriate forms.
Questions may be directed to:
Mary Lou Boderman
OBDA Adjudication Co-Chair
mlboderman@gmail.com
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OMEA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | |
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We are the Oregon Music Educators Equity professional learning
community! If you have a brilliant resource, song, approach, or idea
that you want to share with other music educators, please share it
here. We will include your sharing in our monthly Equity newsletter. Please click here for this month's issue.
Thank you so much for those who participated in our affinity spaces at the
conference! We’d love to hear your feedback and ideas for what to improve for next year!
Cynthia Navarro
DEI Co-Chair
navarro16@gresham.k12.or.us
Amanda Sarles
DEI Co-Chair
asarles@siuslaw.k12.or.us
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What can you do, RIGHT NOW? Advocacy steps to take action today!
1. Make it local: Local Advocacy Action Plan
This resource is intended to aid music educators and music education supporters as they seek to improve the overall condition of a music program. Use the Local Advocacy Action Plan for pursuing new resources and opportunities which can improve a music educator’s ability to provide students with high quality music education experiences.
2. Educate yourself and decision makers around current challenges and talking points
This two-page document from Arts Are Education is designed to help prepare advocates for meetings with school district or state decision makers. Whether virtually or in-person, this resource is also a great leave-behind that can clarify what communities must do to ensure quality arts education programs in their districts.
3. Contact your Oregon Legislators
Let them know about current successes in your school, district, or area and engage with them around your concerns that impact music education. Contact or visit your Oregon Legislators, or find your legislators based on your address HERE.
4. Engage with national advocacy resources
Find Resources at NAfME and the NAfME Advocacy Resource Center, or visit the Oregon Music Advocacy Website.
We all know that music is an essential part of our students’ academic and social-emotional learning. As the music education expert in your building and district, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your leadership, be involved, and advocate for your students, your music colleagues, and yourself. Remind your administrators that music is part of a well-rounded education, as defined at the federal level by the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Laura Arthur
OMEA Advocacy Chair
larthur@pps.net
· OMEA Advocacy Website
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Save the Date!
2nd Annual General Music Virtual Mini-Conference
Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 11 AM – 4 PM ET
The NAfME Council for General Music Education will host the 2024 General Music Virtual Conference on April 27 from 11:00 AM–4:00 PM ET. Throughout this Zoom meeting event, participants will have opportunities to learn about multiple general music approaches.
This event is co-sponsored by the American Orff Schulwerk Association, Dalcroze Society of America, Feierabend Association for Music Education, Gordon Institute for Music Learning, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, The American Center for Elemental Music and Movement, and the Smithsonian World Music Pedagogy program.
This event is FREE and open to the public. Watch for a registration link in the next week on this page:
SAVE THE DATE
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A Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter opens up a world of opportunities for students who have already shown themselves to be academically capable and musically gifted. Through performance and community service, they’ll develop confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, and a host of other leadership skills sure to serve them well in school and beyond.
Click here to join or renew your Tri-M membership!
All middle and high school teachers and students are invited to join Tri-M® advisors and students for this online National Tri-M® Rally Tuesday, March 26, at 8:00PM ET/5:00 PM PT! Share ideas, network, and learn how your chapter can make a difference in your community.
Register here!
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Do you have experiences with music curriculum or perspectives about curriculum and curriculum design?
If your answer is “yes”, you are invited to participate in a research study I'm conducting through Arizona State University!
I'm inviting your participation because your experiences and perspectives on curriculum are important for the field to support young people in their musical pursuits.
Participation is voluntary.
If you choose to participate, you will be invited to share your experiences and perspectives on music curriculum and curriculum design in a brief survey.
If this sounds interesting, please click/tap here for more information.
Please also share this email to anyone who works with young people in a musical context that you think might be interested in participating and sharing their perspectives on music curriculum.
Feel free to also respond to this e-mail with any questions.
Thank you!
Evan Tobias
Associate Professor, Music Learning and Teaching
evan.tobias@asu.edu
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OMEA Publications on Issuu | |
Stay tuned for the spring edition of the Oregon Music Educator, it will be released at the end of April. Please click here to access OMEA publications. Issuu will now archive all OMEA publications dating back to 1948. These older editions will be posted as access becomes available for scanning. | |
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Follow OMEA on Instragram at "oregonmusiceducation."
You can also follow OMEA on Facebook by liking "Oregon Music Education Association."
OMEA social media is a great way to receive news and updates in real time!
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OMEA's 2023 - 2024 Sustaining Members | | |
Oregon Music Education Association
560 NE F ST STE A PMB 732
Grants Pass, OR 97526
541-291-1149
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