MusicEdMajor.net» Interview

MENC Changes Name to NAfME

Andrew Ritenour — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:07:36 +0000

As many of you probably know, what was formerly known as MENC has changed its name to National Association for Music Education (NAfME). NAfME began as the Music Supervisors National Conference in 1907. The organization underwent a long line of name changes, first to Music Educators National Conference, and changing again to reflect the nature of the organization – MENC: The National Association for Music Education. In an attempt to clear up any remaining confusion about the name and purpose of the group, the national association completed their name transformation to reflect what we have today, National Association for Music Education.

I had the opportunity to speak with NAfME representative Elizabeth Lasko about this transition and other exciting development in the national organization. Check out the interview below!

What Is NAfME?

NAfME Website

NAfME Press Release: Building on the Past to Shape the Future of Music Education

Follow @NAfME on Twitter!

If you were part of the MENC Facebook group, be sure to “like” the new NAfME and NAfME Collegiate pages!

MENC Changes Name to NAfME

Special Thanks to Elizabeth Lasko for taking the time to do this interview with us!

VIDEO: Peter Boonshaft on Alfred’s “Sound Innovations”

Andy Zweibel — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:50:50 +0000

While at the 2010 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic;, I had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time at the Alfred booth, learning about their new “Sound Innovations” method book. While I’ll be writing in more detail on Sound Innovations in the coming days, here is a ten-minute interview I did with Peter regarding the method book, his involvement in its development, and what advantages it brings over other methods. Check out what Peter had to say about Sound Innovations (there is a lot of background noise, so I have included a transcript below the video):

Video Transcript

Andy Zweibel: Andy Zweibel here at the Alfred booth at Midwest 2010, I’ve got Peter Boonshaft with me, who was instrumental in developing Alfred’s new Sound Innovations beginning method books for strings, winds and percussion. So Peter, if you wouldn’t mind, tell me a little bit, just on a most basic level what IS the Sound Innovations method?

Peter Boonshaft: Sound Innovations is a remarkable new method book for strings and beginning band, developed by Alfred. And it actually comes in two formats. One is the traditional method book that’s been around forever, that you can buy at any dealer and it’s available, ready to go. And it has many revolutions to it, many innovations making it very, very, special very new, which we’ll talk about a couple of those. But the other part that is amazing is the greatest revolution to me in method book history, and that is that the first time that a teacher can go on and customize their own beginning string or band book, and have it bound, printed, and made for them especially with all of what they want in it, and it’s delivered right to them. So it’s really quite a remarkable product.

AZ: And how did you find yourself getting involved in the development of this?

PB: Years ago, I was approached by some of the authors on the team for this, and at first I was reluctant, because I thought to myself, “Well, if we’re just going to do another method book, why does the world need another method book? There are already so many wonderful ones by some really remarkable authors,” and they started to say, “Well, what do you think we could make better?” and we started bantering around ideas and things, and then we stumbled upon this phenomenal new approach. Method books before had always been done by authors or groups of authors who decided what they thought was best and, as I said, they gave us great gifts, and they’re remarkable people – most of them are some of my best friends. We decided to change the paradigm, and what we did is we interviewed thousands of teachers – literally, over two thousand teachers, from all around North America, and asked them what they wanted and what they didn’t want in a method book. We took that information to use as the basis for the decisions we made. So teachers gave us these ideas and really helped us write this book based on what they want. That’s really the reason I got involved, is I saw that it was a good project, and then when I heard about the customizability, the fact that this was the first time in history this could be done… to me this was like the greatest invention since the printing press, and I couldn’t miss this opportunity. And it’s a wonderful team of authors – some of the finest people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with, and I’ve known them for twenty years, which is the great part. And a company that is just a joy to work with.

AZ: So you did say that you’ve had some fantastic people collaborating with you on this project. Who has joined this and what have they brought to the table?

PB: The author team is great. Bob Sheldon, one of the most remarkable, talented individuals I’ve ever known in my life. Whether he’s conducting, whether he’s composing, whether he’s teaching, he’s just truly one of the giants of the industry. Bob Phillips, one of the most remarkable educators I think the world has ever seen, and as nice a human being as he is talented. Dave Black, from my vantage point, one of the great percussion educators in history. One of the most exciting things is, one of the best-selling percussion method books in history has always been the Yamaha Band Method, and we started thinking about percussion and trying to get someone, and we thought, “Well let’s ask Dave, because he’s one of the authors of that remarkable product that teachers just love and adore” so we decided wouldn’t it be great to have that wisdom in this book? So, it’s been a team of great people, and all the great people behind the scenes the production of it, and making the computer generate the customizability, and all the DVD’s series, it’s been a great team.

AZ: So what type of basic foundation or founding principles is the SI method based upon?

PB: Sound Innovations is really predicated on the likes and dislikes of teachers, and some of the things that teachers told us that we wanted to make sure we accomplish. For example, one of them is, they wanted every line of the book recorded for the kids. They wanted them by instrument-specific recordings, so it wasn’t just a sax player was listening to a clarinet or a basoonist, but instrument specific. They wanted them all, but here’s the trick, they wanted them on one disc, because up until now it’s been on multiple discs, so when you get to line 135, it’s disc 2, track 36, and it was like doing algebra for these kids. Also, by the time you got to disc two, most of the time, they had lost disc two. This way, everything is on one disc. The tempo changer software that comes with it allows the kids to go faster or slower – in pitch – is right on that disc. Every line is recorded on that disc. So it’s a wonderful tool. The second thing we wanted was, we wanted to help teachers and students by having tools so to speak. So we had the idea of DVD’s for this collection were going to be master class artists from around the country. All accomplished performers who have all taught little ones. And what we did was we got full-length, high-definition DVD’s for every instrument – we even one for Alto Clarinet – from here’s how you hold your case, through everything about starting to play, breathing, posture, hand position, making your first notes. After that, through the series of techniques, so when they learn slurs, there’s a DVD icon that says “now watch your DVD” specifically for your instrument, and then all the way to the final solo of the book, so they actually see the performance, not just hear it. And what’s so great about it is that we as teachers can generically talk about slurring in our classroom, and then send the kids home that night and hear people like Adam Fry on euphonium help them learn how to slur on euphonium. Deanna Swoboda on Tuba, Tereasa Payne on Flute, so it’s specific, so it’s a wonderful review, it’s a wonderful way to augment what we’re trying to teach the kids all throughout the book. So it’s little things like that that we tried to build upon the wonderful work that’s been done in the past to allow the teachers to have these extra things that they all were craving so much.

AZ: What’s the main demographic of teacher that you’re looking to appeal to with Sound Innovations?

PB: Andy, It’s a great question, it’s a fascinating question, I’ll tell you the truth. Originally, we thought with the customizability especially, that this was going to be a method for the new generation of teachers – people who have always had an iPhone and always had iPods and always had that kind of thing. And we thought for the people of my age this would be, “this is not going to happen.” And what interestingly happened was, it ended up appealing to both demographics – both extremes, because the folks of your generations who were used to technology, they said, “Well why not? Why shouldn’t we do this?” People of my generation were so frustrated by not having the ability, they gravitated to this like someone who was thirsty finding water. So what we found was teachers who were in their last couple years of teaching wanted to still do this, because they said, “Finally, I can get what I want!” So it’s been a real neat mix of people.

AZ: Now, I am a Music Education major, an undergraduate student, and that’s primarily the group of people I write for at my website, so could you talk a little bit about the potential advantages that SI could bring to pre-service music teachers in terms of preparing us for teaching?

PB: Absolutely. Well, one of the first things I would say, as a young teacher, you are all prepared so well. And I think it’s just fantastic the preparation that the new generation of teachers are getting. But there’s also, you get out in the real world, find out, “wow, there’s so much to learn,” and there’s so much to learn on the fly as you’re going. And I think the DVD’s help to a great extent because they augment what you’re doing, and they give you that as an extra benefit in your teaching, so I think that’s one thing. The other thing is, I think the generation of teachers that you’re among have learned great opinions about what they want to teach, maybe more so than my generation. So that you’re coming out, and begin able to say, “You know I have this, this, this, and this as a possibility, which one do I want to use?” And with the Sound Innovations ability to customize, you can choose. Now you may change your mind, and say, “You know, I really thought I wanted to start with whole notes on concert Bb for the band kids, but you know what, I think I’m going to try D going down in quarter notes.” And you’re going to be able to experiment with things that match your philosophy. So as a young teacher, I can find that people will be able to say, “This is what I want to try,” Like at a restaurant. “I might want to not get this the next time I go, I want to get some of this.” You get to have that ability to customize the book in that way.

AZ: Great, is there anything you would like to add about the SI series at all?

PB: Well, I think there are so many wonderful benefits to the series, and there are so many opportunities for teachers who are at the end of the career or at the beginning of the career to find things that will appeal to them. I think the most important thing to me, is that it allows teachers whether they’re at the beginning or the end of their career, to have a book that matches their philosophy. But the other thing is, even with the wonderful standard edition available off the shelf right now, what’s great is, so many teacher shave said to us, they sat and listened to presentations and they said, “How did you read my mind?” And we looked at them and we said, “We didn’t read your mind, we read two thousand other teachers minds who told us what they wanted.” And when you start to hear something a hundred, two hundred, a thousand times from teachers about what they don’t want in a book, what they want in a book, you realize that that probably represents most of the folks in our profession. So I think what they’ll find is a lot of the things that bothered them about existing books, or books they wanted to augment or change, are found here. But the one thing I would tell especially pre-service teachers is, there is no perfect method book. The authors of most of the major methods are some of my closest friends in the world, and some of the most remarkable teachers and educators, and I’ve said this so many times. I think the job of the teacher is to find a method book that matches what you want. It’s like going to a restaurant – If I take you to my favorite restaurant, you may like it, you may not. Your job is to find restaurants you like. So I think all the method books that exist are fabulous tools, and it’s just a question of finding the tool that works best for you, and we hope Sound Innovations is something you’ll look at.

AZ: Great, well Peter, thank you so much for taking the time to talk about it!

PB: Thank you, my pleasure, best of luck! Thanks!

Stay tuned in the coming days for more information on Sound Innovations. A special thank you to the folks at Alfred for their support over the entire conference and help in setting up this interview! Also, don’t forget to check out the other interview I did with Dr. Boonshaft, discussing his advice for Music Education majors.

VIDEO: Peter Boonshaft – Advice to Music Ed Majors

Andy Zweibel — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 23:25:46 +0000

While at the 2010 Midwest Clinic, I had a chance to sit down with Peter Boonshaft, author of the well known Teaching Music With… series of books (which I love!) and Alfred representative. During our chat, I asked him what advice he would give to pre-service music teachers. Here’s what he said:

I also had a longer chat with Dr. Boonshaft about his involvement in Alfred’s new Sound Innovations beginning method book. I’ll have the full ten-minute interview about Sound Innovations up here on the blog in the coming days.

What did you think of Dr. Boonshaft’s advice? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Interview-Nicholas DeCarbo of UMiami’s Frost School of Music

Andy Zweibel — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:34:44 +0000

I had the opportunity to do an email interview with Dr. Nicholas DeCarbo, Associate Dean of Administration and Professor of Music Education at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL. Dr. DeCarbo has been teaching for many years, both at the High School and the Collegiate level, and has one of the greatest musical minds of anybody I have ever met. Here are his thoughts:

What was your earliest musical memory?

I remember that we had a baby grand piano in our home, right as you came into the front door – sort of a parlor, and I would spend a lot of my “free” time sitting with my feet dangling over the piano bench playing on the white and black keys. These recollections are from early childhood, certainly before I started Kindergarten.

When did you realize you wanted to pursue a future in Music Education?

I realized I wanted to pursue music education and be an instrumental music teacher when I was a sophomore in high school. Like many secondary students who venture into the music profession, my high school choir and band and orchestra directors also impressed me. They “convinced” me by their actions that I wanted to be like them.

However, through my undergraduate education, I discovered that perhaps it would be good to pursue a career as a professional conductor. Because all undergraduate music majors were music education majors, it seemed that I was on the correct path to either teach or conduct professionally.

As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to conduct the combined choral and instrumental forces of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Sigma Alpha Iota fraternities. Since the memberships of these organizations were large, we could mount serious large-scale works. I had the opportunity to organize and conduct on concerts works by Purcell, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Barber, Copland, and Ives. These opportunities fed my love for teaching and conducting.

What was a musical memory that stands out to you the most from your years in secondary school?

Rather than a single musical memory, I have wonderful memories of a Sousa Band that I conducted while I was in high school.

As a junior in high school I started a “Sousa Band,” that met on Saturdays from 9 – 11 am, January through May, on the auditorium stage. All the first and second chair wind and percussion players from the high school symphonic band and orchestra played in the Sousa Band. We played Sousa marches!

The high school’s instrumental music library had a considerable number of John Philip Sousa marches that were published by John Church, the original publisher of Sousa’s music. I would sit for hours and study the scores and parts.

Can you believe it – two hours of playing Sousa marches every Saturday morning? This was the start of my interest in teaching and conducting.

What advice would you give a prospective Music Education major, as they prepare to decide what to do and where to study?

I tell students two things: first, gather as much information as you can about what you are studying, whether it be a future direction of study or a place in which to study, and then, follow your heart. Your heart will never steer you in the wrong direction!

What advice would you give a current Music Education major with regards to ways to get the most out of your undergraduate education?

Regardless of the music major, the most important part of studying music is listening to the great repertoire. That means students must go to recitals – lots of them, play in ensembles, and listen to recordings. All of this is done best after studying the scores of the music for which you are listening. I know of no other way to get a solid musical education. Listening to great music is everything.

What levels did you teach, and where? What was one lasting memory from your teaching years?

I taught elementary, junior high, and senior high instrumental music at West Middlesex Independent School District in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania. First five years, I taught all levels, band and orchestra. In my sixth year we were fortunate to hire a woodwind specialist that took over the elementary band and a string specialist that taught strings and orchestra on all three levels. This allowed me to concentrate on teaching the middle school and senior high school bands and high school orchestra.

It is difficult to point out one lasting memory because I have so many wonderful memories of teaching at West Middlesex. However, I believe a lasting memory occurred when the West Middlesex Symphonic Band played at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh with Frederick Fennell and Col. Arnald Gabriel as guest conductors. Fennell conducted Grainger’s Lincolnshire Posey; Gabriel conducted Verdi’s La Forza del Destino Overture.

I also conducted the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra for 10 years. This was a first-rate musical organization. It was at this time that I studied conducting seriously with Franz Bibo, associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. He stood right beside me during rehearsals. The pressure was always on to make the best musical decisions using succinct language. Franz was one of my best teachers – an inspiration. This 10-year stint led to my involvement as an assistant conductor of the Youngstown (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra and conductor of its Opera Chorus.

What advice would you give any band director in today’s world?

My advice was given in the previous question/answer. One cannot teach music to others without knowing in your musical ear the sound that must be produced. To teach a beginning flute player, the teacher must know a good flute sound. One learns this by listening. It follows for all the instruments. One learns to know a good band sound by listening to good band. It follows for choir and orchestra, strings, a woodwind quintet, a brass quartet, et cetera. Considerable listening is the key to becoming a good music teacher.

How do you feel you have changed as a musician and educator as your career has progressed?

As I have matured, I have become more tolerant of young musicians who want to become teachers. When I was a young music teacher, I thought my job was to teach my students everything I knew about music. I now believe I want to excite in the young musician a boundless sense of curiosity about music, so that the growing musician will come to apprehend music with an excitement tempered by awe and wonder- curiosity that will never end.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions!

You are Welcome!