MMEA 2012 Midwinter In-Service Clinic
Band, Jazz, Technology, Assessment, Advocacy and General Sessions

as of February 6, 2012

Begin planning your professional development days with this list of sessions! Updates will be made as needed, and a final version with locations will be posted in February. This list does not include performances.

Thursday Morning Pre-Conference, February 16

Real-World Advocacy: An Interactive Workshop
Bob Ouren, Scott Shuler, Pete Olsen, Mary Cecconi, Kristin Tjornehoj, Nancy Miller Townes
9:00 AM
Feeling frustrated with continued talk of cuts to your program and not sure what to do? This workshop gives you what you need to take back to your school, district, and community to engage decision makers and parents. Hear all the perspectives from a panel that includes a principal, parent, lobbyist, organizer, former school board member, music educator and the current NAfME (formerly MENC) president. Each of these panelists brings a passion for music education along with their expertise. Following the panelists presentation, go in to small groups to discuss the challenges and successes in local music education advocacy, and wrap up the morning by learning how to make the "asks and presentations" through a thought-provoking, hands-on role play exercise. Information will be applicable to schools big and small, rural and urban, public and private. Presenter biographies and more detailed descriptions of the sessions can be found on the Midwinter Clinic website at mmea.org/winterclinic.htm. Come learn how to involve others in supporting music education in schools!

Thursday Afternoon, February 16

Positive Change Through 8 Liberating Habits
Scott Shuler
2:00 PM
In this session specially designed for collegiate members but useful for any teacher facing a new teaching setting, NAfME (formerly MENC) National President Scott Shuler elicits reflection and provides a bit of inspiration through provocative questions and ideas based on his career of teaching and leadership, which has spanned Grades 3– Postgraduate, seven states, and almost every specialty area of music education.

Rhythm - EVERYONE can read and become proficient!
Kevin Fuhrman
2:00 PM
This session will delve into the process of learning Rhythm from a different perspective that has proven effective in having students understand and be able to perform music. The process is used in a number of schools as a way for students to be able to synthesize rhythms on their own and be able to accurately practice their own parts without having to “hear it first.” Kevin Fuhrman is a professional percussionist/teacher/composer/author that delivers a no-nonsense approach to understand our notation system that cuts the learning curve by 50% to 90%! This will be hands on and include a demonstration on the power of this approach. Experience seeing the “light bulb” go on for those going through the idea for the first time!

Methods not Mouse Clicks: Strategies for Teaching Music Technology
J. Anthony Allen
2:00 PM
A prominent challenge in teaching technology is staying current as technology evolves. Equally, teaching the art of music is challenging. This session demonstrates ways to complement teaching specific music technology tools by also teaching the art of music technology. In this session, teachers will gain strategies to incorporate music technology/software (notation, recording) into their classrooms without monopolizing their prep time.

Thinking in Music From the Very Beginning - Reading Isn't Everything
Laura Sindberg
2:00 PM
This session will present strategies for teachers of beginning band students to promote “thinking in music” from the very first lessons, with a particular eye toward improvisation.

A Thoughtful Warm-up: The Heartbeat of Ensemble Maturity
Douglas Nimmo
2:00 PM
For large ensembles, a rehearsal warm-up is the first opportunity to establish a standard of musical excellence. If the warm-up is thoughtfully planned and executed, our student musicians are more likely to understand and to internalize essential details of musical and artistic performance excellence, throughout each rehearsal experience. Indeed, the warm-up is the heartbeat of ensemble maturity.

The use of a Document Camera to Enhance Teaching, Learning, and Rehearsing
Charles Preis
2:00 PM
No more overheard projectors. No more having to make a separate slide of anything you want the class to see. You can now project your own score, individual part, or method book for all to see at once. All eyes will be on the same page, measure, or note. Everyone gets to learn the melody. Everyone gets to learn the more complicated rhythms, even the bass clarinetist. Save time, energy and money. Make rehearsals go faster and easier.

Teaching Improvisation in the Jazz Ensemble Setting
Tom Strait
3:15 PM
This session will focus on improvisation techniques which can be taught in a normal jazz ensemble situation, as opposed to an actual improvisation class. Because these strategies utilize the literature your band is working on at any given time, improvement will be quickly noticeable.

Rural and Urban Round Table NEW Description
Keitha Hamann Michael Scott
3:15 PM
Participants are invited to bring and share their ideas and "best practices" related to assessing, evaluating, and grading student achievement and participation. The goal of the session is to give our students better feedback for their efforts and to make us more effective teachers in the process. Modify these tools for your school, and consider using the data as part of the justification for your program in an era of budget deficits and staff reductions.

Building a Strong Music Program through Combined Band/Choir/Orchestra Performances
David Livermore, Barry Zumwalde, Travis Sletta
3:15 PM
Major Works, Lasting Memories, Strength in Numbers. Forest Lake music teachers will present information and strategies used in the transformation of the music program from three separate disciplines into one cohesive department. With only a few adjustments, rigor and quality can be preserved while giving audiences and music students awesome experiences. The Forest Lake Band, Choir and Orchestra will also demonstrate some of the works that are possible with the music program. Copyright issues and administrative support will also be addressed.

Using Finale in Music Education
Mavis Kallestad
3:15 PM
A practical demonstration of how to use Finale for Music Education, this clinic is designed to assist music educators in creating the materials they need in their music programs. Attendees will learn how to get the best results when scanning in music, creating tests and worksheets quickly, custom exercises, SmartMusic accompaniments and more.

Essential Technology Tools for Music Educators: Capitalizing on What Students Already Know
Michael Buck
3:15 PM
Technology is virtually inescapable in contemporary society. Explore the potential benefits and limitations of using technology in the music classroom or rehearsal. Referencing ISTE standards, the Minnesota Academic Standards in the Arts and researched-based best practices, this session will provide an overview of a variety of music technology instructional tools and software.

Perform-Connect-Reflect: Three Keys to Maximizing Student Performance
Wendy Barden
3:15 PM
Wondering how to take your ensemble's performance to a higher level? Examine three small but significant practices that can make the difference!

Assessing the 21st Century Secondary School Musician
Rich Cangro
3:15 PM
In a data-driven 21st century education, teachers need to have a valid and reliable means for measuring and reporting student achievement. This practical, hands-on session will examine different types of measurement tools used for performance-based assessments. Collecting data on authentic student music achievement and using the data for determining grades will also be discussed. Participants will design and learn to develop assessment instruments for use in their own programs.

Taking the Mystery out of Teaching Flute Vibrato
Janet Heukeshoven
3:15 PM
This session will assist the non-flute playing band and orchestra director with tips and proven teaching techniques to build a better sounding flute section. Teaching materials (with permission to copy and use) will be demonstrated, as well as vibrato use guidelines, repertoire suggestions for building expressive performances (both solo & ensemble), and general tone production guidelines. Bring your flute if you can! Q & A time will be planned at the end of the session.

Basic Counseling Skills For Music Educators: Empowering Students To Make Rational Decisions
Michael Silverman
4:30 PM
This session will provide music educators with basic listening skills and simple techniques to better help students with and without special needs solve their problems and conflicts. Participants will learn when and where to seek professional help for student problems, how to incorporate behavioral analysis and problem solving skills, and techniques for empowering students to make rational and thoughtful decisions.

Beyond Performance and Teaching: Careers in the Business of Music
Rich Meiten, Scott LeGere
4:30 PM
Do you ever talk with your students about choosing careers in music, or choosing college music programs? Do students ever ask you whether there are alternatives to becoming a performer or a music teacher? If so, this session is for you. You will learn about the many careers in music that support the recording, concert, television, and film industries, and how students can train successfully for them in college.

Text-Reading Strategies: Practical, Positive Application in Secondary Ensembles
Wendy Barden
4:30 PM
Decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Understand - and capitalize on - these text-reading strategies to improve music literacy and performance in secondary bands, choirs, and orchestras. (Designed to meet reading requirement for relicensure.)

Teaching Band with Excellence: Achieving the Most in Every Lesson
Bruce Pearson
4:30 PM
One of the time-tested ways to achieve the most in every lesson from day one is to keep students involved, engaged, and active in the learning process. This session will offer band educators practical approaches and ideas for starting beginners, carefully planning and pacing lessons, addressing the need for differentiated instruction materials, and applying the enrichment studies included in the Tradition of Excellence Comprehensive Band Method.

Can Assessment Help Music Education Survive and Thrive in a Data-Driven World?
Scott Shuler
4:30 PM
What's the big deal about assessment? Is the time required justified by improved teaching, learning, and/or advocacy for music classes? Drawing on years of working with teachers on classroom, district, and national (NAEP) assessments, NAfME (formerly MENC) National President Scott Shuler talks about how we can play the assessment game so that our students come out winners.

Meeting Students Where They're At: Using Hip-Hop to Teach the National Standards
Robert Vagi
4:30 PM
In an increasingly diverse society, engaging students can be a challenge for even the most skilled educators. One possible solution to the challenge of making music instruction relevant to students' lives is the inclusion of popular music in school curricula. However, many teachers who realize the potential benefits of using popular music often don't know where to begin. This session will provide teachers with resources, ideas, and activities for using hip-hop to teach the National Standards. Topics will include history, culture, composition, instrumental performance, analysis, and evaluation. Examples of student work will be shown and handouts will be provided. Teachers from all grade levels are welcome to attend regardless of their level of experience with hip-hop.

Creating and Utilizing Online Digital Learning Packages
Heidi Stodola, Tyrone Schmidt
4:30 PM
Learn about the components of a high quality online digital learning package, various resources for creating and publishing these digital lessons, and explore some of the tools available for use in creation of lessons. Presenters will discuss how technology can engage your students while acknowledging obstacles to using digital lesson packages in the music classroom and large ensemble settings. Session is useful for all grade levels and types of music classes.

Gestures for Entrance and Changes
Courtney Lewis, Associate Conductor, Minnesota Orchestra
4:30 PM
This session is designed especially for instrumental conductors, but all conference attendees with an interest in conducting are welcome to attend. Courtney Lewis will demonstrate and provide guidance to attendees on conducting techniques including clarity of gesture and expressing musical intent. A student string ensemble from Edina High School will participate as the demonstration ensemble. Scores will be available at the Minnesota Orchestra booth in the exhibit hall prior to the session, or at the session itself.

Elements of Musical Style and Expression
Frank Wickes
4:30 PM
This clinic will demonstrate important musical principles. Learn how to teach elements of musical expression and style in rehearsal through recorded examples from band repertoire.

Friday Morning, February 17

Band Open Forum
Scott Campbell
8:00 AM
Join Scott Campbell, MMEA Band Vice President, and fellow band directors for discussions about issues in Minnesota. Bring your ideas, comments, and concerns.

A Poster Session Featuring Minnesota Music Educators' Research
Keitha Hamann

Harmony Across The District: Building A Better Music Department
Kinh T. Vu
9:15 AM
School music departments often operate in fragmented ways. The general music, choir, band, and orchestra programs function separately within buildings and throughout a district's many schools. Students, as a result, miss out on musical and academic opportunities stemming from a lack of intentional planning on the part of adult leaders. Music educators, parents, community members, and administrators that strive to work in collegial ways will benefit learners by establishing common goals and high expectations. During this workshop, I will focus attention on strategies that encourage positive and productive music department cultures. Participants should bring their ideas for sharing.

Brain-on Ensemble Playing in the 21st Century: No Need for a Transfusion!
Rich Cangro
9:15 AM
What do we admire about great musicians? Do the skills we value in professional musicians match the skills and concepts we develop in our curriculum? Students performing with their brains on command a music education that fosters authentic learning. Profound musicianship through active, authentic music learning is the key to any effective ensemble program at the secondary level. This session will explore the ingredients of a “good” musician and provide instructional strategies and activities for developing a foundation of musicianship that lasts beyond graduation.

Connecting Standards, Repertoire and Curriculum: The Impact of Repertoire Selection
Douglas Orzolek
9:15 AM
This session will offer suggestions on how to link state and national standards and established curricula with the music that we select to perform with our ensembles.

Rehearsing the Young Ensemble
Bruce Pearson
9:15 AM
Mr. Pearson will demonstrate ways to maximize the effectiveness of your band rehearsal. He will share ideas about structuring effective and sequential rehearsals. This “mock” rehearsal with the South View Middle School Band will include remedies for performance errors, warm-up and tuning procedures, teaching sight-reading, rhythmic independence and phrasing, while meeting the National Standards.

Strike Up The Band: Creating Exciting and Educational Performances
Robert Vagi, Scott Crosbie
10:30 AM
Great school performances are exciting, informative, and educational events for students, parents, administrators, and the broader community. Music teachers must balance the demands of preparing music, organizing students, securing performance space, along with the myriad of other challenges involved in putting a performance together. Minor details can be left to chance, often at the expense of a truly exciting performance. Attendees will be given simple, easy-to-use principles and strategies for making their next performance exciting for both students and audience members while staying true to our goals as educators. Emphasis will be placed on the following aspects: performers, performance space, music, and involving the audience. Handouts will be provided.

Jazz Scales: A Fresh Take
Dean Sorenson
10:30 AM
Scales are the building blocks of jazz solos, and being comfortable with different scales is essential for students of improvisation. Soloists have more freedom of expression if scales are fully internalized. This contemporary approach is an alternative to simply practicing scales up and down. Students of all levels will improve their solos by having a stronger foundation that they can build upon.

Innovations in Distance Education at the International Music Camp
Timothy Wollenzien, Michelle Kiec
10:30 AM
The University Preparatory Program at International Music Camp prepares students for collegiate level music study through three weeks of intensive instruction in music theory, music history, and aural skills. Using an innovative instruction design, the curriculum was taught entirely in a distance learning module last summer, with instruction provided exclusively through video conferencing and instant messaging. Campers also participated in instrumental and vocal ensembles, and took private lessons as part of the program.

The Efficient Band Director
Charles Menghini
10:30 AM
This clinic will help band directors maximize their results in less time by using time-tested ideas and techniques to increase efficiency in the score study and rehearsal process. This is an instrumental methods session you will not want to miss!

Music Education for Life in the 21st Century: Vision and Challenges
Scott Shuler
11:45 AM
Today's students are growing up in a world far different from what most current teachers experienced. Dinosaurs just roll over in the tar pit, but educators evolve. NAfME (formerly MENC) National President Scott Shuler will challenge participants in this session to consider how we can use the 3 artistic processes – creating, performing, and responding – and forward-thinking secondary electives to empower our students to become motivated, independent musicians who are ready for the 21st century.

Friday Afternoon, February 17

Resource Fair: Classes to Engage the Other 80%
Nyssa Brown, facilitator
1:15 PM - 4:15 PM
What high school or middle school courses might you offer to engage students not involved in band, choir, or orchestra - the other 80% of your student body? Visit the resource fair and talk with colleagues who are teaching classes such as Beginning Guitar, Garage Band, Electronic Music Lab, or World Music. Learn the who, what, when, where, and how behind their courses and start thinking about offering one or more at your school.

Mariachi-Minnesota Style
Tim Davis
1:15 PM
Mariachi, in Minnesota? Yes, Mariachi programs are springing up all over the country. Austin Public Schools organized a mariachi ensemble in January of 2010. It has been a popular alternative to the traditional school music groups. This session will show you how it has worked in Austin and hopefully give you the motivation to introduce mariachi to your school district.

Rhythm Section Workout
Kevin Mills, Peter Shu, Jeff Warren, Ian Allison, Zach Miller, and Mark Yannie
1:15PM
The jazz faculty of North Central University will demonstrate jazz, funk, Latin, and rock grooves with stylistic correctness. Helpful print and electronic resources will be shared, and the issue of "how to get your rhythm players to listen to each other" will be addressed.

Effectively Using Technology in Beginning and Developing Band Classes
Bruce Pearson
1:15 PM
Knowing when and how to incorporate today's technology for the benefit of band student achievement can be challenging. In this session you will discover new ways to effectively use multiple technologies in private lessons, sectionals, and full band rehearsals - all with minimal teacher preparation - while using the Tradition of Excellence Comprehensive Band Method. Special emphasis will be placed on ways to weave technology together with standards-based pedagogy to develop comprehensive musicianship in every student.

SmartMusic 2012: New Assessable Sight-Singing & Sight-Reading Capability
Leigh Kallestad
2:30 PM
SmartMusic 2012 now includes new sight-singing methods and warm-ups for the choir program and sight-reading for the band and orchestra programs. When put in the sight-singing/reading mode students are given a time preview of the music and then allowed one take before the results are automatically submitted to the teacher's online grade book. Assessable sight-singing/reading assignments can be created in minutes for your students to practice at home or school.

Text-Reading Strategies: Practical, Positive Application in Secondary Ensembles
Wendy Barden
2:30 PM
Decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Understand - and capitalize on - these text-reading strategies to improve music literacy and performance in secondary bands, choirs, and orchestras. (Designed to meet reading requirement for relicensure.)

Advocacy Required
Kristin Tjornehoj
2:30 PM
Advocacy is communication. Communication is critical to success in any relationship, group or situation. This session brings together ideas that can help you present your successes (music ensembles, classroom events, individual instruction, and more) in a way that can generate support, knowledge and awareness to a wide variety of constituents. Now is the time to get organized and act in a proactive manner as you share knowledge of the myriad of strengths and activities music education provides.

A Guide for Teaching Jazz
Douglas Snapp
2:30 PM
This session will focus on how to teach jazz with an emphasis on resources available for music educators. Areas covered will include drum kicks/fills/setups, walking bass lines, piano/guitar chord voicings/comping, horn articulations, and introducing improvisation.

Recipe for Sweet Vibrations
Leigh Wakefield
2:30 PM
Have you ever noticed how following a family recipe exactly never turns out as good as you remember? This session will focus on the aspects of clarinet tone: the basics (embouchure, equipment and reeds) and the nuances required to refine your clarinetists' sound. With a pinch of this and a dash of that, you'll find that when combined with the basics, your clarinet section will be transformed.

Arts Integration: Does it Work?
Zane Schaefer, Kathy Grundei
2:30 PM
The Perpich Center for Arts Education has been working to develop K-12 models of arts integration with nine school sites in West Central Minnesota. Zane Schaefer and Kathy Grundei have been working with teachers from those schools to develop standards-based arts integration. This session will present information about what is being learned and what steps you may consider if you are interested in exploring the benefits of arts integration in your school.

Sibelius 7 + Avid Scorch for iPad – Creating new opportunities in the music classroom
A. Eric Heukeshoven
3:45 PM
The combination of Sibelius 7 and Avid Scorch for the iPad brings a wealth of new possibilities for music educators. A. Eric Heukeshoven will present an overview of several new and exciting features of Sibelius 7 including the completely redesigned task-oriented user interface, new sound library, text and typography enhancements. The session will also include a demonstration of how files created in Sibelius 7 can instantly be put to use in music classrooms in a variety of new and exciting ways via Avid Scorch for iPad.

Articulating on Articulation: Research-Based Ideas for Teaching Young Wind Musicians
Paul Budde
3:45 PM
This presentation will include a summary of current research on the subject of articulation (tonguing) on a wind instrument. The study included 353 seventh-grade band students from a suburb near Minneapolis, MN. In addition to sharing the processes and results of the study itself, the researcher will present information derived from the study of phonetics as well as the impact of native language in an effort to share effective and inclusive ways to teach articulation to young wind musicians.

Saturday Morning, February 18

MSHSL Contest Management
Carl Lipke, Lane Powell
8:00 AM
Join us with your questions regarding Large Group and Solo/Ensemble Contest. This session is intended to be an especially helpful and important session for all MSHSL music contest managers.

MBDA Young Band Literature
Charles Weise
8:30 AM
The Young Band Literature Session showcases music appropriate for young bands. Members of Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) submit new music or time tested pieces that work for their bands to be presented and played. All music is raffled off to MBDA members in good standing. Sponsored by MBDA and supported by Schmitt Music.

MSHSL Open Forum
Carl Lipke Lane Powell
9:30 AM
This session will focus on items and issues generated by the music advisory committee and the session attendees. This is your opportunity to share your ideas, comments, and concerns about the direction and policies regarding MSHSL music activities. Items may include changes for MSHSL policies, contest issues, pep band issues, adjudication issues, literature issues, or development of state level music showcases.

Chosen Gems - CBDNA Reading Session
Dr. Rikard K. Hansen
10:30 AM
This session will focus on a list of 10 - 15 wind band compositions written in the last 15 years. Dr. Hansen's presentation will focus on the merits of each composition and why he considers them to be important additions to the wind band repertoire.

Looking for other tracks or the full list of sessions?
Go to the Midwinter Clinic home page.

Want to register for the 2012 Midwinter Clinic?
Download a registration form, or register online if you are paying by credit card.