TN Musician Vol. 69 No. 4

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association
The Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA)
and What It Means
for Music and Arts
Education
by Marcia Neel
p. 12
Ten Ways to
Use TonalEnergy
With Your Middle
School Band
by Katrina Fitzpatrick
p. 20
The Marching Band
and Hearing Loss
by Haley Greenwald-Gonella
p. 26
VOLUME 69, NO. 4

䴀 唀 匀 䤀 䌀
䄀 䌀 栀 爀 椀 猀 琀 ⴀ 挀 攀 渀 琀 攀 爀 攀 搀 甀 渀 椀 瘀 攀 爀 猀 椀 琀 礀 椀 渀 猀 漀 甀 琀 栀 攀 愀 猀 琀 吀 攀 渀 渀 攀 猀 猀 攀 攀
眀 椀 琀 栀 昀 愀 挀 甀 氀 琀 礀 Ⰰ 挀 甀 爀 爀 椀 挀 甀 氀 甀 洀 Ⰰ 昀 愀 挀 椀 氀 椀 琀 椀 攀 猀 Ⰰ 愀 渀 搀 漀 瀀 瀀 漀 爀 琀 甀 渀 椀 琀 椀 攀 猀
琀 漀 瀀 爀 攀 瀀 愀 爀 攀 礀 漀 甀 昀 漀 爀 礀 漀 甀 爀 最 漀 愀 氀 猀 愀 猀 琀 漀 洀 漀 爀 爀 漀 眀 ᤠ 猀 洀 甀 猀 椀 挀 椀 愀 渀 ⸀
唀 一 䐀 䔀 刀 䜀 刀 䄀 䐀 唀 䄀 吀 䔀 䐀 䔀 䜀 刀 䔀 䔀 匀
䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䄀 爀 琀 猀 椀 渀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ∠ 䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 䔀 搀 甀 挀 愀 琀 椀 漀 渀 ∠ 䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 椀 渀 倀 攀 爀 昀 漀 爀 洀 愀 渀 挀 攀
䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 椀 渀 䌀 栀 甀 爀 挀 栀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ∠ 䈀 愀 挀 栀 攀 氀 漀 爀 漀 昀 匀 挀 椀 攀 渀 挀 攀 ⴀ 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 䈀 甀 猀 椀 渀 攀 猀 猀
䜀 刀 䄀 䐀 唀 䄀 吀 䔀 䐀 䔀 䜀 刀 䔀 䔀 匀
䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ⴀ 䔀 搀 甀 挀 愀 琀 椀 漀 渀 ∠ 䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ⴀ 倀 攀 爀 昀 漀 爀 洀 愀 渀 挀 攀
䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀 ⴀ 䌀 漀 渀 搀 甀 挀 琀 椀 渀 最 ∠ 䴀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 漀 昀 䌀 栀 甀 爀 挀 栀 䴀 甀 猀 椀 挀
䰀 䔀 䔀 唀 一 䤀 嘀 䔀 刀 匀 䤀 吀 夀 ⸀ 攀 搀 甀 ⼀ 洀 甀 猀 椀 挀

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN EDITORIAL STAFF
Michael W. Chester
Managing Editor and Advertising Manager
Justin T. Scott
Associate Editor
Laura Boucher
Associate Style Editor
Jazmin Jordan
Social Media Director
Allison Segel
Pre-Production Editor
Contributing Editors
Matthew Clark
Susan Mullen
Doug Phillips
Carol King-Chipman
Jerome Souther
PUBLISHED BY SLATE GROUP
6024 45th Street
Lubbock, Texas 79407
(800) 794-5594 office
(806) 794-1305 fax
Rico Vega
Director of Creative Services
Taylor Sutherland
Graphic Design
Ian Spector
Account Executive
TABLE OF CONTENTS | 2017 | VOLUME 69, NO. 4
Prelude - A Message from the Editor 4
Micael Chester
TMEA President’s Message 6
Johnathan Vest, Ed. D.
TMEA - By the Numbers/Verbatim 10
Matthew Clark
FEATURED ARTICLES
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and What
It Means for Music and Arts Education 12
Marcia Neel
Ten Ways to Use TonalEnergy With Your Middle School Band 20
Katrina Fitzpatrick
The Marching Band and Hearing Loss 26
Haley Greenwald-Gonella
Tennessee Musician Advertiser Index 35
TMEA Back Then 36
All editorial materials should be sent to: Michael Chester, Managing
Editor (615-873-0605) E-mail: editor@tnmea.org.
Submit materials by e-mail in Microsoft Word format.
Advertising: Information requests and ad orders should be
directed to: Michael Chester, Managing Editor (615-
873-0605) e-mail: editor@tnmea.org. All advertising
information is on the TMEA web site, www.tnmea.org.
Deadlines for advertisement orders and editorial materials:
Issue No. 1 – Deadline: August 15 (in home delivery
date October 15); Issue No. 2 – Deadline: October 15 (in
home delivery date December 15); Issue No. 3 – Deadline:
December 15 (in home delivery date March 15);
Issue No. 4 – Deadline: February 15 (in home delivery
date May 15)
Tennessee Musician is copyrighted. Reproduction in
any form is illegal without the express permission of
the editor.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Tennessee Musician,
c/o National Association for Music Education
(NAfME), 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA
20191-4348.
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization U.S. Postage Paid
at Lubbock, Texas. ISSN Number 0400-3332; EIN
number 20-3325550
20
26
12

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL
TMEA OFFICERS 2016-2017
TMEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Ron Meers
execdirector@tnmea.org
TMEA PRESIDENT:
Johnathan Vest, Ed. D.
president@tnmea.org
TMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Lafe Cook
pres-elect@tnmea.org
TMEA PAST-PRESIDENT:
Jeff Phillips, Ed. D.
jeffrey.phillips@sumnerschools.org
CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT TEAM
TMEA CONFERENCE CO-CHAIR:
Brad Turner
brad.turner@acsk-12.org
TMEA CO-CONFERENCE CHAIR:
Paul Waters
paulwaters.tmea@gmail.com
TMEA CONFERENCE EXHIBITS CHAIR:
Jo Ann Hood
jhood10105@aol.com
TMEA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CHAIR:
Mark Garey
mgarey86@comcast.net
TMEA CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE
GROUP CHAIR:
John Mears
mearsj@rcschools.net
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TMEA STATE GENERAL MUSIC CHAIR:
Linzie Mullins
genmusicchair@tnmea.org
TMEA STATE CHORAL CHAIR:
Gerald Patton
pattong@rcschools.net
TMEA STATE ORCHESTRA CHAIR:
Michelle Clupper
michelle.clupper@knoxschools.org
TMEA STATE BAND CHAIR:
David Chipman
banddir@bellsouth.net
TMEA STATE HIGHER EDUCATION CHAIR:
Ryan Fisher, Ph. D.
rfisher3@memphis.edu
TMEA COUNCIL
WTGMEA PRESIDENT:
Linzie Mullins
genmusicchair@tnmea.org
WTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Information not received
WTVMEA PRESIDENT:
Lalania Vaughn
lvaughn@rebelmail.net
WTVMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Christopher Davis
davischristophert@gmail.com
WTSBOA PRESIDENT:
Stephen Price
prices@gcssd.org
WTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Ollie Liddell
ollie_liddell@hotmail.com
MTGMEA PRESIDENT:
Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry
derryberrya@rcschools.net
MTGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Information not recived
MTVA PRESIDENT:
Michael Choate
choatem@pcsstn.com
TMEA STATE COLLEGIATE NAFME CHAIR:
Jennifer Vannatta-Hall, Ed. D.
jennifer.vannatta-hall@mtsu.edu
TMEA STATE EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY CHAIR:
John Womack
webmaster@tnmea.com
TMEA PUBLICATIONS EDITOR AND
ADVERTISING MANAGER:
Michael Chester
editor@tnmea.org
TMEA PUBLICATIONS ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
Justin Scott
justin.scott@tcsedu.net
TMEA ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS CHAIR:
Christopher Dye, Ed. D.
christopher.dye@mtsu.edu
MTSBOA PRESIDENT:
David Aydelott
president@mtsboa.org
MTSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Debbie Burton
dlburton98@gmail.com
ETGMEA PRESIDENT:
Margaret Moore
mamcmoore57@aol.com
ETGMEA PRESIDENT-ELECT
Marcus Smith
marcus.smith@knoxschools.org
ETVA PRESIDENT:
Kenton Deitch
kenton.deitch@knoxschools.org
ETVA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Stephanie Coker
scoker@acs.ac
ETSBOA PRESIDENT:
Gary Wilkes
gwilkes428@gmail.com
ETSBOA PRESIDENT-ELECT:
Alan Hunt
ahunt@bradleyschools.org
ALL-STATE MANAGEMENT TEAM
TN ALL-STATE CHORAL GENERAL CHAIR:
Amanda Ragan
aragan@ortn.edu
ENSEMBLE CHAIRS
TREBLE HONOR CHOIR CHAIR:
Tiffany Barton
tntreblechoir@gmail.com
TN ALL-STATE SATB ENSEMBLE CHAIR:
Lauren Ramey
lauren.ramey@wcs.edu
TN ALL-STATE SSAA CHORALE ENSEMBLE CHAIR:
Amanda Short
amandalovellshort@gmail.com
TN ALL-STATE TTBB CHORUS ENSEMBLE CHAIR:
Johnny Kimbrough
johnny.kimbrough@jcseagles.org
TN ALL-STATE 9TH - 10TH GRADE STRING
ORCHESTRA CHAIR:
Andy Smith
andy.smith@sumnerschools.org
PROJECT CHAIRS
TMEA MEMBERSHIP CHAIR:
Position unfulfilled at this time
TMEA GUITAR EDUCATION CHAIR:
Chip Henderson
paul.henderson@mtsu.edu
TMEA JAZZ EDUCATION POLICY CHAIR:
Richard Ripani
richard.ripani@mnps.org
TMEA SOCIETY FOR MUSIC TEACHER
EDUCATION CHAIR:
Jamila L. McWhirter, Ph. D.
jamila.mcwhirter@mtsu.edu
TMEA MUSIC MERCHANTS
INDUSTRY CHAIR:
Rick DeJonge
rick.dejonge@khsmusic.com
TN ALL-STATE INSTRUMENTAL
GENERAL CHAIR:
Martin McFarlane
martin.mcfarlane@tcsedu.net
TN ALL-STATE 11TH - 12TH GRADE SYMPHONIC
ORCHESTRA CHAIR:
Jessica Peck
peck_j@hcde.org
TN ALL-STATE 9TH - 10TH GRADE CONCERT
BAND CHAIR:
J.R. Baker
john.baker@rcstn.net
TN ALL-STATE 11TH - 12TH GRADE CONCERT
BAND CHAIR:
Carter Noblin
noblinc@wcschools.com
TN ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND CHAIR:
Cord Martin
corderyl.martin@gmail.com
TMEA WEBMASTER:
John Womack
webmaster@tnmea.org
TMEA TRI-M CHAIR:
Todd Shipley
todd.shipley@mnps.org
TMEA MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS
MONTH CHAIR:
Tiffany Barton
tntreblechoir@gmail.com
TMEA HISTORY AND ARCHIVES CHAIR:
Position unfulfilled at this time
TMEA RETIRED TEACHERS CHAIR:
Bobby Jean Frost
bjfrost@aol.com
2 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

Compose
Your Future
Performance, Education,
Jazz Studies
● Bachelor of Music in
Music Education
(Five-year program)
● Bachelor of Music in
Performance
(Four-year program)
● Bachelor of Music in
Jazz Studies
(Four-year program)
Complete information
can be found on the
ETSU Department of
Music website under
“Degree Programs.”
www.etsu.edu/music
Department of Music
Department of Music
PO Box 70661
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614
423-439-4276

PRELUDE - A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Michael Chester
HAPPY JUNE EVERYONE! I hope
everyone survived the 2016-2017
academic year. Even more so I hope
everyone is enjoying time off now
and not reading this editorial. For
the remaining few die-hard fans still reading
this, let us briefly recap the last month.
It was T.S. Eliot who penned in his epic poem
The Wasteland “April is the cruelest month.”
I’m going to have to go out on a limb here
and disagree with Mr. Eliot. I believe if Mr.
Eliot were alive today and a member of our
profession, that perhaps The Wasteland
would have taken on a whole new meaning.
For myself, and to the many I have spoken to
in recent years, the month of May is, in fact,
the cruelest month of them all.
Typically, the month of May signals an
end to the cold weather. It also signals the
subconscious countdown that all educators
revel in enjoyment. The days cannot end fast
enough. It seems that the more years I have
been teaching, the more that the month of
May has become filled with so many things
that need to get done. It’s as if we’ve managed
to pack three months of work into one single
month. Has it always been like this or am I
just more aware of it?
The month of May is like a mad sprint.
From the holding patterns that school-wide
testing has forced us to navigate, to-end-ofyear
concerts, parent meetings for the next
year, inventory, graduation performances,
checklists and endless paperwork, there aren’t
enough hours in the day and not enough
days in the month. For those of you who also
happen to be parents of school-aged children
or younger, my hat is off to you. I have no idea
how you seem to manage that too.
The reality of the situation is that in the end,
no matter what the tasks are still left to complete,
we all manage to get it done. Even if it
requires an enormous amount of resolve, sarcasm,
humor, and lots of profanity. In the end,
I keep coming back to the fact that May also
means one more notch in the belt of service.
It requires me to look back and forward at the
same time. When I first started this journey, it
was extremely hard to imagine being a music
educator for a thirty-year time span. Having
just finished my eleventh year of teaching
it’s hard to imagine only having 19 years left.
I think to myself, I want and need more time.
I keep going back to a conversation I once
had with a prominent and well-respected
music educator several years ago. He was
serving as and adjudicator for the TMEA
State Concert Performance Assessment. I
had volunteered to pick him up at the airport
(as an aside, I cannot tell you how valuable
this was – you would think there would be
a waiting list for volunteers to have one-onone
time with such great music educators).
Among the many topics discussed was his
impending retirement. His feeling was that
teachers, and in particular music teachers,
have a shelf life. It is during this time that a
music teacher can decide to accomplish as
much or as little as their ambition will allow.
Past that shelf life, one is on borrowed time,
which he confessed was where he assessed
his current career status to be. The notion
didn’t resonate with me then. It does resonate
with me now.
Today’s generation of transient millennials
and quick-fix, instant gratification types, and
even some of the youngest members of Generation
X are said to change careers and jobs
at rates that would be considered alarming
to previous generations. In fact, according to
research from Gallup, a recent report on the
Millennial generation reveals that workforce
and job engagement is extremely low, with a
finding of 29% cited as being engaged at work.
Gallup further breaks this number down by indicating
that 3 out of 10 millennial generation
workers emotionally and behaviorally connect
to their job and company. If we were to take this
research and apply it to education as a profession,
we would either be very shocked or not
shocked at all. Gallup goes on to cite that part
of the millennial generation has, in essence,
“checked out.” Behavioral indications reveal little
to no passion in their work, only indifference
to it. They show up and go through the motions,
only putting in their hours. Now, this is certainly
not exclusive behavior to the millennial
generation. Simply put, all of us are looking for
that gig that feels meaningful. Maybe some are
looking for some incentivization too. Our math
and science colleagues might know a thing or
two about that.
In the end, I think music education is a
profession where the only true incentive is
an altruistic sense of contentment. It’s not
for everyone and certainly not for those with
a lack of heart.
MUSIC EDUCATION
IS A PROFESSION
WHERE THE ONLY
TRUE INCENTIVE IS AN
ALTRUISTIC SENSE OF
CONTENTMENT
Like the month of May and all the many
tasks that we were asked or required to complete,
it would seem that the short time span
of our effectiveness as music educators is
filled with so many goals and achievements to
get accomplished before our shelf life expires
and we find ourselves on borrowed time.
As we enjoy the summer months ahead,
I hope that each of you can find ways of reconnecting
with what engages and motivates
your passion as a music educator.
Michael Chester, Managing Editor
4 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

TMEA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Johnathan Vest, Ed. D.
It is important to celebrate the things that
have worked well and been successful, while
also acknowledging the things that need
improvement, or just outright didn’t work.
ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR HAS COME AND GONE. This year
has been filled with festivals, competitions, concerts, showcases,
conferences, musicals as well as formative and summative
assessments. Now is the time to take stock, review our work and plan
for the next year. We all do this. In my classroom, for example, I create
a spreadsheet with two columns: “Celebrate Successes” and “Do
Better”. It is important to celebrate the things that have worked well
and been successful, while also acknowledging the things that need
improvement, or just outright didn’t work.
The same is true of our work here at TMEA. Below, I would like
to outline some things that I believe have been successful, as well as
things that we would like to improve upon.
CELEBRATE SUCCESSES
Anytime you have an event as large as the TMEA Professional Development
Conference, you are going to have successes and failures. Let’s
talk about the successes first, and, when doing so, I always start with
people. Dedicated, passionate and talented people are what makes an
event run smoothly. Thanks to our board, council and numerous volunteers,
I believe our conference is getting better every year. We are beginning
to become comfortable with the space at Gaylord Opryland and
to truly understand our needs there. Paul Waters does an amazing job
of organizing our space, and he has plans to continue to improve how
we used the space we are allotted. We had a first-rate slate of conductors
and clinicians, and all of our ensembles sounded incredible! (Did
you hear the All-State Jazz Band singing in four part-harmony?) Our
performances and presenters were all first-rate, and it was a great time
share in community with our fellow teachers.
We hired the lobbying firm of Milsap & Gowan to represent our interests
at the Tennessee Capitol. The addition of Dr. Christopher Dye
to our board has been a huge win for us, as we now have someone who
is solely dedicated to advocacy issues in the state. We have already
had our first success in this area—your emails and phone calls helped
to stop a bill that would have required another year of history at the
high school level, potentially reducing students’ abilities to participate
in the arts. We had our first ever meetings with representatives
at the Tennessee capitol, along with some fine performances from
Madison Creek Elementary and Hendersonville High School.
• Our collegiate students continued to be involved with the conference
and in advocacy efforts.
• Our fantastic Executive Director, Ron Meers!
DO BETTER
While the conference was very successful, we still have some improvements
to make. In addition to the laborious check-in process,
we need to try and ensure that people are getting the rooms they
booked, and are not being charged in advance of their stay at the hotel.
We are already monitoring this with Gaylord personnel and will keep
you updated. We are also continuing to look at space to makes sure
that each ensemble has a room that is appropriate for its rehearsal.
I would like to see more people involved in the advocacy process,
whether in official or unofficial roles. The true difference-maker in
advocacy efforts is each of us developing a personal relationship with
our legislators, so they know that, each time something related to education
and music education is introduced, that they will hear not only
from TMEA, but from YOU, the constituents.
Other “do-better” items:
• Timely communication from the president with all of members
via email and the website regarding pertinent information
• Update our strategic plan and begin to work on finding office
space for our Executive Director
• If deemed successful, find more ways to fund continuation of our
partnership with the lobbying firm
I know there are other items on both lists I’ve neglected to mention—a
comprehensive list would be too exhaustive for this publication;
however, I want to personally thank those who have emailed
throughout the course of this year to share your concerns, as well as
your praise for things that have gone well. With your help, we are
dedicated to continuous improvement of this organization. Our ultimate
goal is to serve our teachers, who in turn serve the students of
our state.
I hope everyone has a great summer, filled with vacations, family
time, alone time, and engaging professional development. Thanks for
helping make this a great year for TMEA!
Other successes:
• We have begun a partnership with the Country Music Association
that I hope will be fruitful.
6 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

®
Start a chapter at your school in
3 EASY STEPS!
Join the only national honor society for
student musicians in grades 6-12
1,775
chapters
|
75,000
student members
nafme.org/Tri-M
PERFORMANCE CAMPS
for STUDENTS
BELMONT PIANO CAMP: June 11–16
SUMMER WINDS BAND CAMP: June 11–17
STRING CROSSINGS CAMP: June 18–23
SUMMER VOCAL ARTS INTENSIVE: June 25–July 1
MUSIC EDUCATORS
ORFF LEVEL I: June 12–23
2017 BELMONT UNIVERSITY
Summer Music Education Programs
SCHOOL of MUSIC
For more information
visit belmont.edu/music
or call 616.460.6408
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 7

Some are born with
If authenticity had a
soul, you would find it
in Memphis. Creativity
flows through our veins.
This is the kind of city and
university where original
people are elevating the art
of music in unforgettable
ways. If you were born
with music in your blood,
you belong at the UofM.
DEGREES OFFERED
B.M., M.M., D.M.A., Ph.D.
AUDITION DATES
Dec. 2, 2017
Feb. 3, 2018
Feb. 17, 2018
Feb. 24, 2018
in their souls
memphis.edu/music
901.678.3766

Department of Music
Learn from a faculty of world-class performers and teachers who truly
care about you, in a state-of-the-art music facility. Our program is
designed to help you create a positive, diverse, and successful life in
music, whether it’s in the classroom or on the stage.
2016-2017 Audition Dates*
Honor Choir Friday, Jan. 20, 4 p.m.
Honor Band Saturday, Jan 28, 8 a.m.
Junior/Senior Day Monday, Feb. 20, All day
Woodwind Day Saturday, Feb. 25, All day
* Additional dates upon request.
Experience
the Music within
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
(731)881-7402 • music@utm.edu • utm.edu/music
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 9

BY THE NUMBERS
Maximum class size
35
30
25
20
15
CLASS SIZE DATA
K-3 4-6 7-12
Grade Level
“Class size limits may be exceeded in such
areas as typewriting and instrumental and
vocal music classes, provided that the
effectiveness of the instructional program
in these areas is not impaired.”
TENNESSEE ACADEMIC
STANDARDS FOR
FINE ARTS EDUCATION
(BEGINNING FALL 2018)
FOUR
Artistic Processes replacing the 1994 National Standards In music, the
Artistic Processes—Perform, Create, Respond, and Connect—contain
foundational skills that encompass and surpass the nine National
Standards implemented for the past 20+ years. These apply in ensemble
and general music classes.
10 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

PLANNING TIME DATA
37.5
hours
TYPICAL WORK HOURS IN A PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHER’S WORK WEEK.
TENNESSEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2.5 MINUMUM
HOURS
of planning hours per week required.
May be divided on a daily or other basis.
6.67%
MINUMUM
PERCENTAGE
of time required for teacher planning
in a 37.5 hour workweek
(Source: TCA 0520-1-3-.03)
5.33 PLANNING
HOURS
per week for elementary teachers
8.33 PLANNING
HOURS
per week for secondary teachers
(Source: http://ww-
w.nctq.org/districtPolicy/-
contractDatabase/districtReport.do?id=4)
FROM THE INTRODUCTION
“Literacy is an important concept in all academic areas. Rather than being a stand-alone subject area, literacy provides a pathway for cognition,
enabling students to learn content efficiently and express themselves effectively. The arts, like all subject areas, help to reinforce literacy through
the careful study of discipline specific vocabulary…it would be counter productive for school leaders to suggest that an arts teacher limit the
implementation of the Tennessee Standards for Arts Education during instructional time in order to reinforce learning in English language arts
classrooms. Arts teachers’ instructional efforts are best leveraged when creating synergy towards the multiple meanings of literacy instruction…”
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 11

THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) AND WHAT
IT MEANS FOR MUSIC AND ARTS EDUCATION
by Marcia Neel
S. 1177-298 (52): Definitions
(Well-Rounded Education)
The term “well-rounded education” means courses,
activities, and programming in subjects such as English,
reading or language arts, writing, science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics
and government, economics, arts, history, geography,
computer science, music, career and technical education,
health, physical education, and any other subject, as
determined by the State or local educational agency,
with the purpose of providing all students access to an
enriched curriculum and educational experience.
12 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

What is it? A brief
background
In December of 2015,
with bi-partisan support,
President Obama
signed into law the Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA) thereby reauthorizing the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA) first signed into law in 1965 by President
Johnson. Within the current law, there
are a number of “Titles” which deal with various
facets of the Act—many of which have
been established along the way in subsequent
reauthorizations after the initial signing of
ESEA. The most well-known of these Titles
is “Title I” as it makes up most the total funds
allocated. Prior to the signing of ESSA, the last
reauthorization of ESEA was the No Child
Left Behind Act (NCLB) which was signed
into law in 2001 by President George W. Bush.
What are the major changes from No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) to the Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and
why is this important for Music and
Arts Education?
One of the biggest changes is that decision-making
and accountability measures
will no longer be dictated from the federal level—they
will now originate from each individual
state. State education agencies (SEAs) are
currently in varying stages of developing and/
or revising their State Plans to meet the provisions
within ESSA and are expected to submit
them to the U.S. Department of Education.
Also, ESSA places a focus on the providing
of a “Well-Rounded Education” for all students.
ESSA defines a “Well-Rounded Education”
as follows.
S. 1177-298 (52): Definitions
(Well-Rounded Education)
The term “well-rounded education”
means courses, activities, and programming
in subjects such as English, reading
or language arts, writing, science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, foreign
languages, civics and government,
economics, arts, history, geography, computer
science, music, career and technical
education, health, physical education, and
any other subject, as determined by the
State or local educational agency, with
the purpose of providing all students access
to an enriched curriculum and educational
experience.
Speaking to the Las Vegas Academy of
the Arts on April 14, 2016, former Secretary
of Education John King declared that while
literacy and math skills are “necessary for
success in college and in life…they’re not by
themselves sufficient. A more well-rounded
education is critical for a safe, supportive
and enjoyable learning environment.” (The
Huffington Post, “Education Secretary John
King: It’s Time To Stop Ignoring The Arts
And Sciences.” http://www.huffingtonpost.
com/entry/john-king-well-rounded-education_us_570e9013e4b03d8b7b9f34c6)
Why is all of this important for Music
and Arts Education?
ESSA has provided a major opportunity
for each state to determine to what degree
Music and Arts Education are incorporated
into federal funding plans at the state and
local level. The stage has been set: 1) Decision-making
is occurring at the state level
rather than from the federal level, 2) State
Plans are currently under construction thus
providing opportunities to have input via
state arts organizations, coalitions, and interested
like-minded supporters, and 3) A focus
has been placed on providing a well-rounded
education which, among others subjects, includes
music and the arts so that all students
may have “access to an enriched curriculum
and educational experience.”
What does this mean for Music and
Arts Education and implementation
of Title I?
Title I is the largest source of federal funding
for education. The U.S. Department of
Education website describes it as a program
which “provides financial assistance to local
educational agencies (LEAs) and schools
with high numbers or high percentages of
children from low-income families to help
ensure that all children meet challenging
state academic standards.”
Arizona has had more than a decade of
allowing arts integration to be supported
by Title I funds, first through Title I Part F
funding (Comprehensive School Reform under
No Child Left Behind) and through Title
I Stimulus funds. An Arizona website for arts
and Title I was created at title1arts.org in
part to create a centralized portal to showcase
this work and to encourage Arizona districts
to undertake more Title I funded arts
integration within the state. The title1arts.
org site provides a direct link to the “Arizona
site” which also clearly states that, “Arts
programs can help schools achieve the goals
of Title I by facilitating student engagement
and learning, strengthening parent involvement,
and improving school climate and
school wide behavior.” This site even quotes
Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane
Douglas in her support for arts education for
Arizona’s children in her remarks that, “as an
artist myself, I know how important the arts
are for learning. I support the arts as part of
a complete education for Arizona’s children.”
As Title I can address all areas of a
well-rounded education, Title I funds may
open up at your school/within your district to
supplement support of music education. To
learn more, visit the “Everything ESSA” page
at http://www.nafme.org/advocacy/essa.
How does all of this impact
my program?
Districts will need to create their own
ESSA plans for Titles I, II and IV – where
music education can benefit. In fact, many
districts, in anticipation of impending State
Plans, have already begun this process since
ESSA is to be implemented in the upcoming
school year (2017-18). Keeping in mind Tip
O’Neill’s famous quote that “all politics is local,”
this is the perfect time to step up and become
part of the process at your district and/
or school level through coordinated action to
ensure that music and arts education are included
in the local plan.
For example, some State Departments of
Education want to provide more comprehensive
in-depth accountability information to
the general public beyond test scores. They
may also articulate that the LEAs be required
to substantiate how they are providing a
well-rounded education for all students. This
would indicate that there will be some measure
for collecting this information from the local
school district. Will music and arts education
be included in the local plan as part of the definition
of a well-rounded education? How can
the music and arts community ensure that
EVERY STUDENT will indeed be provided
with access? Now more than ever, it is vital that
music and arts educators work collaboratively
with their associations, fellow music and arts
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 13

educators, music dealers and community arts
organizations to ensure that districts, and even
individual schools, ENSURE that the local plan
addresses music and arts education in a manner
that specifies, at a minimum, what is articulated
in the State Plan.
In particular, music educators will want
to get involved with the creation of the Title
IV plan, the section of the law bringing new
funding specifically for a Well-Rounded Education.
You can create your own music education
needs assessment for your district
using NAfME’s 2015 Opportunity-to-Learn
Standards; checklist versions of these standards
are now available for your use at www.
nafme.org/standards.
You can also work, if you are at a Title I
Schoolwide school, at making certain that
music education is included in your school’s
Title I Plan. ESSA encourages schools to address
a well-rounded education in their Title
I schoolwide plans, so now is a great time to
get music included for the 2017-18 school
year. To find out if you are at a Title I Schoolwide
school, check with your principal and
while you’re in the office, volunteer to help
with the creation of next year’s plan.
This may also be a good time to dig into
your music education program’s impact data
and be sure that summary information on
student participation and learning outcomes
are widely available via your school/district
website to the entire community. How does
music education participation relate to student
attendance, participation in advanced
coursework (AP), graduation rates, student
engagement, and positive school climate including
behavior? The Metropolitan Nashville
Public Schools published the Prelude
Report: Music Makes Us Baseline Research
Report which provides exactly this type of
information on a district wide level. It may
be worth reviewing their findings which are
With the passage of ESSA and
the eventual passage of your State
Plan, music and arts educators and
advocates have been provided with an
opportunity to speak up about the
value of music and arts education.
available at: http://bit.ly/2BaselineResearch.
In addition, you want to get a sense of the percentage
of students who are actively engaged
in music and arts education at your school
and begin thinking about how that percentage
might be increased to address the needs
of students not currently served.
Finally, visit the website of your state Department
of Education and search for ESSA
Consolidated State Plan. Read through it in detail
to see if music and arts education have been
included. If not, consider engaging your state
music education advocacy group or music education
association to participate in efforts to
include music and the arts in the Plan. NAfME
has provided a formatted sample of how music
and arts education can be included in the
Consolidated State Plan. That document, along
with many others, is available on the NAfME
website at http://bit.ly/NCLBEnds.
How to become part of the process—
the four R’s:
1. REACH OUT and get involved in your
state and/or local music and arts coalition
or advocacy group. Offer your commitment
and service. The NAMM Foundation provides
a variety of advocacy resources online
at nammfoundation.org.
2. REINFORCE that music is designated
as part of a well-rounded education, not
only within ESSA, but also within your
State Plan
3. REMIND state, district and community
leaders as well as other music and arts
education stakeholders (parents, administrators,
colleagues, community businesses)
about the benefits of music and arts education
and what it means for students and
communities. Provide supportive data.
4. REQUEST that music education be
included in your district’s Well-Rounded
Education needs assessment and possible
funding under Title IV. Also, be sure to
request that a well-rounded education be
addressed, including music, as part of your
district’s Title I plan.
There are numerous resources available to
assist arts educators in learning more about
ESSA and its impact for music and arts education.
It is highly recommended that music
and arts educators review these online
resources and download them to share with
colleagues (department meetings, emails
to colleagues), parents (parent nights, PTA
meetings, booster meetings) and administrators
(planning meetings with supervisors).
Some of the most helpful resources include:
1. NAfME: Everything ESSA site which
may be accessed at: http://4wrd.it/EV-
ERYTHINGESSA
2. Yamaha: The Music Teacher’s Guide
to ESSA, which may be accessed at:
http://4wrd.it/YAMAHASUPPORTED
3. The NAMM Foundation’s recently
released brochure, Music is a Part of
a Well-Rounded Education: What parents
need to know about music education
and the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA) Federal Education Law. Complimentary
copies (packets of 50 each to
share with parents) are available to order
at: http://4wrd.it/ESSAPARENTBRO-
CHURE
4. SBO: How to Use Advocacy Stats to your
Best Advantage: Using Music Education
Data as Indicators of a Positive School
Climate by Marcia Neel at: http://4wrd.it/
SBO_Marcia
5. SBO: In the Trenches: The Every Student
Succeeds Act and What’s in it for You!
(But Only if You Act!) by Bob Morrison at:
http://4wrd.it/ESSAINTHETRENCHES
6. Meet Title I Goals Using the Arts at:
http://4wrd.it/2TITLEIARTS
7. Using Title I funds to support music and
arts education in Arizona at: http://www.
arizonatitle1arts.org
14 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 2

NOW IS THE TIME to become
engaged and to engage
others. With the passage of
ESSA and the eventual passage
of your State Plan, music
and arts educators and advocates have been
provided with an opportunity to speak up
about the value of music and arts education.
The more that we can advocate for music and
the arts as part of a well-rounded education
within our own districts and schools, as well
as providing documented support for how Title
I funds can be used for music and arts education,
the better the chance that more students
will have increased access to the many
benefits that an education in music and the
arts will provide.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The author would like to thank Mary Luehrsen,
Executive Director of the NAMM
Foundation, and Lynn Tuttle, Director of
Content and Policy for the National Association
for Music Education, for their extensive
and comprehensive contributions
in the preparation of this article. Luehrsen
is NAMM’s chief strategist for education
policy and music education advocacy. Tuttle
currently serves as the AMEA Advocacy
Chair and was the Director of Arts Education
at the Arizona Department of Education
from 2003-2015.
The author, Marcia Neel is the Senior
Director of Education for the Band and Orchestral
division of Yamaha Corporation of
America. She also serves as the Education
Advisor to the Music Achievement Council,
is also President of Music Education Consultants,
Inc. and was the former Coordinator
of Secondary Fine Arts for the Clark
County School District headquartered in
Las Vegas, Nevada.

D E P A R T MENT O F
Music
Clarksville, Tenn.
by Frank Diaz, Ph. D.
BACHELOR OF MUSIC DEGREES
Music Education
Performance (Instrumental, Vocal,
Composition)
BACHELOR OF ARTS/SCIENCE
DEGREE IN MUSIC
Liberal Studies*
*Pave your way to success with
a customizable music degree plan!
MASTER OF MUSIC
Music Education
Performance (Instrumental, Vocal,
Composition, Conducting)
THE APSU MUSIC EXPERIENCE OFFERS
•Individualized instruction by
outstanding faculty
•Nationally recognized 600-seat
concert hall
•Tennessee Center of Excellence for
the Creative Arts
•20 vocal and instrumental student
ensembles
•Summer graduate program
•Beautiful campus and friendly
environment
For Audition Dates and Requests Please Visit
www.apsu.edu/music/auditions
Austin Peay State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender
identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to
all employment, programs and activities sponsored by APSU. http://www.apsu.edu/files/policy/5002.pdf
Contact : Department of Music
931-221-7808 • music@apsu.edu
THINK MUSIC -- THINK A USTIN PE A Y
www.apsu.edu/music
16 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

Music is
Part of a
Well-rounded
Education
REINFORCE what’s in the law.
REMIND stakeholders about the benefits of music education.
REQUEST that your school and community leaders
collaborate with the state Board of Education.
Download your free ESSA Brochure at nammfoundation.org
“Well-rounded Education”
The term ‘well-rounded education’ means
courses, activities and programming in subjects
such as English, reading or language arts, writing,
science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign
languages, civics and government, economics, arts,
history, geography, computer science, music, career
and technical education, health, physical education,
and any other subject, as determined by the state
or local educational agency, with the purpose of
providing all students access to an enriched
curriculum and educational experience.”
S. 2277 (52)
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 17

MusicatTech
CHANGE YOUR WORLD.
SCHOLARSHIP
AUDITION DATES:
Friday, January 27, 2017
Friday, February 24, 2017
Friday, March 17, 2017
Cody Hoenie, a junior from Knoxville, Tennessee, is majoring in percussion performance, and studies with Dr. Colin J. Hill. PHOTO BY WARREN LAFEVER.
You have dreams, goals, plans for your future. You want to teach; you
want to perform; you want to study with a world–class faculty . . .
degrees
-
Scholarships
Member of
NASM
since 1967
events
We’d love to meet you
WWW.TNTECH.EDU/MUSIC
Tennessee Tech University
www.
tntech.edu/aa.

NEW
Total
Percussion
Series
Sound. Quality. Design.
At Yamaha, we believe that the first
instrument in one's musical journey must
provide excellent quality and tuning
consistency. With that in mind, the new
YX-230 xylophone is designed for the
beginning percussion student. Featuring
professionally tuned Padauk wood bars,
this instrument produces a beautiful
Yamaha sound that has been familiar to
music educators for over 30 years.
Weighting only 22 lbs. and just over 45"
in length, this xylophone offers a 3 octave
range (C52-C88) with 1- 1 /2" wide bars.
A pair of ME-103 mallets are included
along with a cover to protect the
instrument from dust and scratches.
An optional stand (YGS-70) and soft case
(PCS-YX230) are sold separately.
YX-230 Xylophone
Visit 4wrd.it/TotalPercTM for complete details
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 19

TEN WAYS TO USE TONALENERGY WITH YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
By Katrina Fitzpatrick
has gained popularity in the music community.
The app can be used on a daily basis in several
different capacities and increase overall sound
production and aural skills in middle school band
THE TONALENERGY APP for iPhone and iPad
students. This article is describes to provide directors
ten ways to successfully integrate TonalEnergy in
both ensemble and individual instruction.
1. TUNER
The target tuner is an ideal tuner for young or inexperienced
students. It is easy for students to understand if students
play a tone and see a happy face they are close to the
correct pitch (see picture 1). It is equally easy for students
to understand that if they see an arch above the happy face
they are above the pitch. Likewise, if they see an arch under
the happy face they are below pitch. The display of the
tuner is simple and can be clearly seen from across a room.
The large distance between the student and the tuner can
be turned into an opportunity for young musicians to be
encouraged to project their sound. From across the room,
students have a tangible target at which to aim their tone.
They should strive to put their sound in the center of the
target. If the tuner does not pick up their sound, it is evident
to the student they are not playing at a level that is
appropriate for the tuner to work. This is an effective way
to encourage tuning with a full, supported sound.
Incorporating TonalEngery into
full ensemble rehearsals and
individual practice can change
an ensemble’s approach to pitch,
time, and tone production.
picture 1
2. TONAL GENERATOR
The tonal generator can produce 9 chromatic octaves
in 22 different timbres. The tones can be played on a
piano keyboard, or, if the student is not comfortable on
piano, the tones can also be play by note name on a chromatic
wheel. There is a sustain button that allow a pitch
to drone. As the pitch drones, the target tuner still is able
20 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 42

to register a student’s pitch. The student can
hear the note while she is getting visual feedback
on what her ear is hearing. When connected
to an amplifier, this makes for steady,
consistent tuning pitch for the full ensemble.
Up to 14 individual pitches can be sustained
at once. This allows not only for matching individual
pitches, but chords as well. This is a
great way to model and demonstrate chords
within a piece of literature. Students are able
to hear the chord, sing the chord, and match it
with their instruments. The tonal generator
is also an excellent tool to develop matching
and aural skills.
3. EQUAL vs. JUST PITCH
Both the target tuner and tonal generator
can operate in either equal or just temperament.
This allows the tonal generator to
function almost as a harmony director. It is
easy to demonstrate the difference between
equal and just pitch with a few simple steps.
To do this, connect TonalEnergy to an amplifier
and play a sustained major chord with
the tone generator on just temperament and
toggle back and forth just between equal temperament.
The students can clearly hear the
difference. When approaching a cadence,
have the students play the final chord in just
pitch as the ensemble arrives that vital point.
Then have the ensemble release the chord
while the chord is still sustaining through the
tone generator. Instruct students to listen,
sing their chord tone, and play again. This
helps students identify what they should be
listening for at key moments in a piece.
4. METRONOME
The metronome within TonalEnergy is
useful because it can be used in conjunction
with the tuner and/or tone generator. Students
can turn the metronome on and have
the tuner show the pitch as they play. This
is helpful for long tone exercises in both
individual practice and small group settings.
Students can receive visual feedback
on their pitch while maintaining a steady
pulse. The metronome offers a variety of
different note values: quarter notes, eighth
notes, triplets, and sixteenth notes, as well
as sixteen different time signatures including
mixed meter settings. The metronome
can be used with the blue wave form window
so students can both hear and see the tempo.
This can be used to illustrate the relationship
between eighth notes, triplets, and
sixteenth notes to the beat.
5. RECORDING
The recording function can operate simultaneously
with the target tuner, tonal
generator, and metronome. This allows for
student to record themselves with the metronome
ticking and the tuner giving feedback.
The recording can then be played back with
the blue wave form window or target tuner
running for feedback on pitch and accuracy.
Since the recording provides audio and visual
response, this is ideal for student self- assessment,
because the recording provides both
audio and visual response. It is also possible
to make recordings of the tone generator of a
bass line to a chorale or a long tone exercise
with the metronome ticking. The files are
saved in .wav format and are easy to export to
email or dropbox.com. Students can access
the recordings and can have them to practice
with at home or in a practice room.
6. ANALYSIS – SHAPE OF NOTE
The blue waveform window gives a visual
representation of sound. The blue waveform
window allows the students to see
if they are using steady, adequate air and
proper support. Students are encouraged
to aim for a “square or rectangle” sound
that does not diminish or expand (picture
2). The blue sound wave also can be used
to illustrate fronts and backs to the notes.
Students are often surprised when they see
their long tones looking like an hour glass or
vase (picture 3). The blue wave form provides
the students with tangible evidence of
their air support. With a full ensemble, the
blue wave form can be used to give feedback
on the clarity of both entrances and releases.
The blue wave form will visually illustrate to
the ensemble if a player comes in too early
or releases too late. No one wants to be the
extra blue speck at the beginning or end of a
note. The blue waveform can be visual confirmation
of the director’s advice.
picture 2
picture 3
7. ANALYSIS – LENGTH OF NOTE
The blue waveform window and metronome
can be used simultaneously to create
a visual representation of tempo. This is an
excellent way to illustrate a note’s full value.
For beginning players, it can often be difficult
to understand that a four count note
needs to be released on the fifth beat. With
the blue waveform, beginners can easily see
the space between the beats and they focus
on filling in the space between the beats in
with an even stream of “square” sound (picture
4). The same approach can be used with
articulated notes such as multiple staccato
quarter notes. The analysis allows students
to see if they are indeed putting separation
and silence between the notes (picture 5). If
a student is playing a staccato too long, it will
show on the analysis.
picture 4
picture 5
8. ANALYSIS – PLOT POINT
Within the blue wave form window, an orange
plot line can be turned on. This line will
illustrate the pitch throughout the course of a
note. When playing only with the target tuner,
students will often play a tuning pitch until
they see the happy face. They receive immediate
gratification and do not realize that
they either had to come up or down twenty
cents in either direction (or sometime both)
to find the center of the pitch. As in picture
six below, the majority of the tone was out
of tune even though the student found the
tonal center eventually; however, it was not
maintained. When first using the plot pitch
line, encourage student to focus on hold the
line straight regardless of pitch. This could
be a challenging task for some students. Over
time they will be able hold it straight in the
center of the pitch and improve their concept
of tuning (picture 6).
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 21

As students become comfortable with the routine, it can be done in
fewer than five minutes. Obviously, this routine doesn’t correct all of
the pitch issues within a middle school ensemble, but over the course
of a school year it builds upon itself to develop a band with a greater
sense of matching and tone production.
Incorporating TonalEngery into full ensemble rehearsals and individual
practice can change an ensemble’s approach to pitch, time,
and tone production. The visual and audio tools this app provides are
ideal for young musicians and can encourage a strong fundamental
foundation in the early years. Students enjoy the fun features like
the happy face, in the app and they are quickly able to learn the app on
their own. Whether you choose to use TonalEnergy in one capacity
or all ten, this app has the potential to assist you in improving your
ensemble’s tonal center.
picture 6
9. TRANSPOSITION
The transposition function allows students to choose both their
instrument and transposition from concert pitch. With the transposition
function young French horn players, for example, can see they
are playing an F in the sheet music and they will see F on the tuner.
In the beginning stages of playing this saves time, and avoids confusion
and frustration. The transposition function also works with the
tone generator. If the horn player wants to hear the transposed pitch
before she plays, she can press F on the tone generator and a concert
B flat will sound.
10. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Here is a five minute TonalEnergy Routine that can be used with a
middle school band on daily basis.
• Drone a pitch with the tonal generator through an amplifier.
This pitch will continue throughout the entire routine. Using a
projector, show the analysis with the blue waveform window and
orange plotline.
• Have the ensemble match the pitch.
• Have the ensemble hum and sing their respective pitches.
• Play again to match, and then have the ensemble bend the pitch
down and come back up to match.
• Starting with the first clarinet player, each student plays their
pitch individual for four counts. There are no rests between
players. Students will not only try to match the drone, but they
aim for square sounds for a four full beats and a straight orange
plot pitch line. Every day, each wind player receives at least four
counts of individual feedback.
• After the last student plays, the full band will match the pitch
one last time. Then have a short discussion about intonation and
sound tendencies that day.
• This routine can be recorded through the app, and exported to
the student for an at home written prompt assessment of the
ensemble or individual progress.
Katrina Fitzpatrick is the fine arts department head and band
director at Morton Junior High School. She received her bachelor
of music education from Bradley University and masters in music
education from Illinois State University. In 2010, she directed the
MJHS Jazz Band at the ILMEA All State Convention, and in 2014,
her concert band presented at the ILMEA All State Convention. She is
a member of Phi Beta Mu and a flutist in the Prairie Wind Ensemble.
Katrina is the flute instructor for the Music for All Summer Symposium
Marching Band Track and woodwind instructor for the Morton
High School Marching Band.
Originally printed in the Illinois Music Educator, volume 74, No.
3 Spring 2014. Special thanks to Bill Froom, Publications Editor for
IMEA for assistance with this article.
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL
BAND, CHOIR, AND ORCHESTRA
2017:
April 21-22
April 28-29
May 5-6
2018:
April 20-21
April 27-28
May 4-5
www.SMMFestival.com
or call:1-855-766-3008
22 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

TENNESSEE
U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E N N E S S E E
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO BE A PART OF THE
2017 PRIDE OF THE SOUTHLAND BAND!
Incoming Freshmen can still audition!
For more information on how to join The Pride of the Southland Band visit
our website www.utbands.com or call us at 865-974-5031.
Connect with UT Bands
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 23

music AT UNION UNIVERSITY
to exalt
to inspire
Jackson, Tennessee
731.661.5345
uu.edu/music
DEPARTMENT of MUSIC
EXCELLENCE-DRIVEN CHRIST-CENTERED PEOPLE-FOCUSED FUTURE-DIRECTED

• Competitive
scholarships available
• Music ensembles from
symphony to salsa
• 200+ music
events per year
• Ten undergraduate
music programs
• Eight graduate
music programs
• Music living/learning
community on campus
• 38 full-time and
45 part-time faculty
• University Honors
College courses
AUDITION DATES
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
CAREERS IN MUSIC DAY
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
MTSU Box 47
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
615-898-2469
mtsumusic.com
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 25
Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. See our full policy at mtsu.edu/titleix.

THE MARCHING BAND AND HEARING LOSS
By Haley Greenwald-Gonella
MARCHING BAND
Now imagine the
is Hurting Your Ears!
Playing the cymbals
has the same noise
intensity as an ambulance
siren while
playing the flute can
seem as loud as operating
a chainsaw.
combination of instruments in a full ensemble,
and you’ll realize the potential damage it
can do to your hearing. Protect yourselves!
When I marched in my high school band,
I did not wear earplugs. As a band, we were
not educated about the amount of sound and
noise we were being exposed to on a daily basis.
I played the flute during marching season
and the bassoon during concert season. Most
people think that woodwinds don’t need to
worry when it comes to hearing loss; it’s just
something drummers need to worry about,
right? Wrong.
A clarinet clocks in at 93 dBA, and an alto
sax comes in at 110 dBA—both at extremely
high levels of noise exposure. However,
if someone told me then that I needed to
protect my hearing and that I should wear
earplugs, I am not sure I would have done
it. Wearing earplugs when I was marching
came with a certain stigma.
Now, as hearing loss prevention is becoming
more prevalent, thanks to such
programs as Adopt-A-Band, more marching
participants are wearing earplugs in
practice and performance.
THE STATS
As with many dangers, kids and young
adults think that they are invincible. They
choose not to floss, skip the sunscreen and do
not wear seatbelts because they are young,
healthy, and “it won’t happen to them.”
Like with gum disease and skin cancer,
though, hearing loss is cumulative with effects
seen over time. “50% of professional
musicians have hearing loss,” says Brendan
J. Leonard, president of Health Enterprises,
Inc.“26% of high school [senior musicians]
have hearing loss to some degree.”
26 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

In the whitepaper “Noise Exposure: Explanation
of OSHA and NIOSH Safe Exposure
Limits and the Importance of Noise Dosimetry,”
audiologist Patricia A. Niquette explains
that “OSHA permits exposures of 85 dBA for
16 hours per day, and uses a 5 dB time intensity
tradeoff. For every 5 dB increase in noise level,
the allowable exposure time is reduced by
half. For every 5 dB decrease in noise level, the
allowable exposure time is doubled … NIOSH
recommends an exposure limit of 85 dBA for
8 hours per day, and uses a 3 dB time intensity
tradeoff. For every 3 dB increase in noise level,
the allowable exposure time is reduced by
half. For every 3 dB decrease in noise level, the
allowable exposure time is doubled.”
Both OSHA and NIOSH govern workplace
safety, but they don’t regulate marching
bands. Taking their regulations into account,
though, music rooms are well over 85 dBA, so
even if you are a parent observing practice,
you are being exposed to extremely high levels
of sound.
“A small music room with a marching band
[in it] can be louder than a rock concert,”
says Carolynn Travis, global brand advocate
for Etymotic Research, Inc., makers of the
ETY-Plugs. “The human ear overloads at 100
dBA—you cannot physically hear everything
[at that level].”
Think about it this way: The unprotected
permissible exposure time for playing a clarinet
at 94 dBA is about an hour. For a bass
drum at the low end of 100 dBA, a safe limit
is only 15 minutes. When using earplugs, the
exposure time is increased. For a correlation
between exposure time and earplug use, visit
www.etymotic-media.com/sliderule.
A study titled “How Loud is a Drum and
Bugle Corps?” conducted by Dr. Sandra
Teglas and Dr. Debbie O’Connell from the
Music Research Institute (MRi) at The University
of North Carolina at Greensboro confirmed
the dangers of intense sound levels in
the marching activity. Thirty members, ages
15 to 60 years old, of Carolina Gold Drum
and Bugle Corps volunteered to wear sound
dosimeters on their shoulders or hats during
rehearsal. The sound dosimeters measured a
daily sound dose, providing one-minute averages
as well as all-day averages. A daily sound
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 27

“26% OF HIGH
SCHOOL [SENIOR
MUSICIANS] HAVE
HEARING LOSS TO
SOME DEGREE.”
dose of 100% can be thought of as a daily allowance
of sound.
“All instrument averages experienced
sound doses exceeding NIOSH recommendations
during a 12-hour rehearsal,” the
study found. “Individually, all but one participant
(contrabass) experienced sound
doses exceeding NIOSH recommendations
during a 12-hour rehearsal. Overall, battery
percussion experienced the greatest sound
levels, followed by pit percussion and brass.
… Mellophones experienced an average of
four days’ worth of sound, and the snare
drums experienced an average of 49 days’
worth of sound.”
THE POTENTIAL DAMAGES
At age 66, snare drummer John Day says he
“isn’t old enough” for hearing aids. “[My hearing]
can’t get any worse,” he says. “I’m not at
the levels of exposure that I used to be,” muses
Day, who’s been playing about 57 years.
Day got his ears checked about 10 years
ago after experiencing constant ringing (tinnitus)
in his ears during his 40’s. Not only is
Day a drummer, he was an instructor for 35
years and put himself right in the hearing
danger zone as a judge for 15 years.
He and his alumni buddies from the Skyliners
Drum and Bugle Corps joke that,
“We’re already deaf enough—we had no idea
what we were doing to ourselves.”
Day was probably unaware that if he was
playing his snare for about 12 hours in a single
day, he was receiving 8,822.29% of his daily
noise and sound exposure.
Hearing problems can occur way faster than
Day experienced. Travis says she has talked to
kids in junior high, high school and college
who have already experienced ringing in the
ears, one of the first signs of hearing loss and
an indicator of a not-so-temporary problem.
Haili Sun played the cymbals for five years
and marched in the University of Southern
California (USC) Trojan Marching Band. Sun
said he didn’t “wear earplugs at first because
you just don’t know.”
He believes that “the cymbals are the worst
15 to 20 minutes of practice [without earplugs
gets] your ears ringing.”
Ringing in the ears signifies a temporary
threshold shift, but since hearing loss happens
gradually, typically people do not find
out that they have hearing loss until it’s too
late. Unfortunately, hearing loss is not curable;
there’s no magic pill, shot or procedure.
Had he known what was happening to his
hearing, Day says he “wishes [he] would have
thought of that 50 years ago.”
So he has a new philosophy: “Protect your
eardrums, protect your body, make sure you
floss everyday.”
THE SOLUTION
For hearing protection, prevention is
worth more than a pound of cure—it is the
cure. Specialized musicians’ earplugs help
reduce noise exposure while allowing performers
to hear instructions from the director
and to hear themselves and others play.
Etymotic’s ETY-Plugs reduce sound evenly
across frequencies (loud, moderate and soft)
by approximately 20 dB. Therefore, you will
still be able to hear sounds clearly, only quieter,
and without muffling.
Earplugs from Health Enterprises, Inc.
have continuous noise impact reducing technology
that allows for 100 dBA to come in at
under 85 dBA; musicians can still hear spoken
instructions when using the earplugs.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to further
music education,” Leonard says. “[With
this technology,] we can extend the gift of
music during a young musician’s formative
years.” Leonard says.
Teglas and O’Connell’s paper recommends
that percussionists have even greater
protection.
“Custom or foam earplugs would best
protect battery percussionists,” the study
says. “Foam earplugs have a noise reduction
rating of 29 dB. These earplugs reduce high
frequencies to a degree that distort timbre
perception, so they do not function well for
pitched-instrument musicians but would be
acceptable for battery percussion. Custom
earplugs provide the most accurate timbre
perception of all earplugs and have interchangeable
filters of 9, 15 and 25 dB. Custom
earplugs are appropriate for all musicians but
are the highest price since each pair is made
to fit the ears of only one user.”
So if earplugs are the solution to preventing
hearing loss, what’s the barrier to acceptance?
Cost? Social stigma?
Some people believe that the challenge
seems to be a lack of a collective stance. If band
directors by and large put hearing loss prevention
into the forefront of their music programs,
there would be a reduced stigma to wearing earplugs
for protection purposes, experts say.
Leonard compares musicians marching
without earplugs to football players playing
without a helmet. We wouldn’t send young
athletes onto the field without proper protection,
would we? Why are we doing this with
young musicians, who work just as hard as
any student athlete?
28 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

Health Enterprises will send free sample
earplugs for evaluation to any music director.
“We try to make our earplugs as economical
as possible,” Leonard says. “We have a strong
heritage in selling consumer health care products
to the schools, so for the cost of a soda and
a hamburger, you can protect your hearing.”
To help get earplugs to every musician, Etymotic
Research created the Adopt-A-Band
program, which provides cost-effective earplugs
for marching bands across the country.
Through the program, band directors,
parents or sponsors can pay a range of fees to
send earplugs to students. Etymotic also became
a sponsor of Drum Corps International,
working to educate directors and students
alike on hearing protection.
THE PRESENT AND FUTURE
According to all the experts, wearing earplugs
should be as much a part of marching
musicians’ daily routine as putting on sunscreen
or warming up. Luckily, more and
more ensembles are doing just that.
Sun notes that veteran members of the
USC band have begun passing out earplugs.
“It is definitely a known issue in drumline and
throughout the rest of the band,” he says. “[It’s
like] ‘Oh, we’re playing; put in your earplugs.’”
In addition, Sun is currently volunteering
with the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle
Corps, where “all drummers and staff wear
earplugs,” he says.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After dancing since the age of 3, Haley
Greenwald-Gonella thought it was time to
try a new art. In elementary school, she began
playing the flute and was in the marching
band in middle school and for the first
two years of high school. She also played the
bassoon during concert season. Dance drew
Haley back while in high school.
She graduated from the University of California,
Irvine, with degrees in dance and English.
She recently graduated from the University
of Southern California with a master’s
degree in Specialized Journalism (The Arts).
Haley is also a certified registered yoga
teacher with Yoga Alliance. She draws upon
her dance and yoga training when it comes to
all things fitness and the arts.
©2013 Halftime Magazine – Special
thanks to Christine Katzman for assistance
with this article.
This information would be music to clinical
audiologist Sara Neumann’s ears.
Neumann spent time in color guard
and did her research on the “Effects of
Hearing Conservation Programming on the
Attitudes of Percussionists in Drum and Bugle
Corps.” In her 2010 study, Neumann addresses
the stigma of wearing earplugs while participating
in the marching arts. Neumann states
that knowledge about hearing loss protection
has increased.
In addition to using earplugs, Neumann
recommends taking frequent “quiet breaks”
and using a noise dosimeter during rehearsals
to help keep track of exposure levels. And
after a long day of band rehearsal and its resultant
noise exposure, it is probably best
not to blast your car radio with the windows
rolled up as you have most likely reached
your daily dose of sound.
The loudness of being in the marching arts
is “generalizable because we’re all around it,”
Neumann says. “It’s your job, but [it’s important]
to think smartly.”
Music Education - General/Vocal/Instrumental k-12
Music Theory • Church Music
Keyboard, Instrumental, and Vocal Performance
Music with Electives in an Outside Field
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Carson-Newman offers high academic and performance
standards, low student/faculty ratio, highly qualified,
approachable faculty and quality environment for
learning. Scholarship opportunities available.
Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition is held in late
January. See our website for more details.
Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City, TN 37760
(865) 471-3328 | music@cn.edu | cn.edu/music
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 29

Slate Group is a proud print partner
of Tennessee Musician and other
state Music Education Associations.
CONTACT IAN SPECTOR TODAY!
800.794.5594 | ian@slategroup.com
30 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 31

LEARN, PERFORM, PERFECT
“Maryville College is the perfect
place for me to grow into
the music educator
I hope to be.”
MEGAN KOLB
Birmingham, Alabama
Recipient of the
Full-Tuition Scholarship for
Music Majors
Located in the new $47-million Clayton Center for the Arts, the
Maryville College Music Department offers a comprehensive,
NASM-accredited music curriculum within the College’s
acclaimed liberal arts experience. Because of its size,
Maryville College provides students with nearly endless
opportunities to perform — in choirs, ensembles,
bands, orchestras, musicals and opera scenes.
Degree opportunities:
B.A. in Music | B.M. in Music Education
B.M. in Vocal Performance
B.M. in Music Theory/Composition
Music scholarships are available,
and worth up to full tuition.
Contact Ashley Maynard at
ashley.maynard@maryvillecollege.edu
for details.
MARYVILLECOLLEGE.EDU
MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE
32 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 33

SUMMER SYMPOSIUM
summer
symposium
2017
WESTERN
CAROLINA
UNIVERSITY
July 9-13, 2017
R E G I S T E R N O W
Drum Major
Wind
Percussion
Color Guard
Rock and Record
High School Director
AND OUR NEW
MIDDLE SCHOOL
DIRECTOR TRACK
Featuring
www.prideofthemountains.com

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN ADVERTISER INDEX | VOLUME 69, No. 4
A very special
thank you to all
of our advertisers
who support the
work of music
educators at all
levels in the State
of Tennessee.
ADVERTISER
Austin Peay State University 16
Bob Rogers Travel
Inside Back Cover
Belmont University 7
Carson Newman College 29
East Tennessee State University 3
Lee University
Inside front Cover
Maryville College 32
Middle Tennessee State University 25
Music and Arts
Back Cover
NAMM Foundation 17
Slate Group 30
Smoky Mountain Music Festival 22
Tennessee State University 5
Tennessee Technological University 18
Union University 24
University of Memphis 8
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 33
University of Tennessee at Knoxville Bands 23
University of Tennessee at Knoxville School of Music 31
University of Tennessee at Martin 9
Western Carolina University 34
Yamaha Corporation of America 19
Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 35

TMEA BACK THEN
• In his letter to the membership, then
TMEA President Charles Ball expressed his
concern for the activities that were taking
place in the second legislative session of
the Tennessee General Assembly under the
new administration of former Tennessee
Governor Ned McWherter. Ball does not
explicitly state what the issues were, only
that many of the gains for arts education
that were championed by the previous
administration (former Tennessee Governor
Lamar Alexander) were now being placed on
hold. He further states his concern that the
impact could have lasting repercussions and
that TMEA should become involved more
directly with what is happening in statewide
politics, especially in the legislative affairs of
the Tennessee General Assembly.
band, Rodney Eichenberger for choir, Bill
Scott for orchestra, and Jerry Coker for jazz.
Jim Sparks served as the conference general
chair, Solie Fott served as program chair,
and Norman Woodall served as the all-state
general chair. Convention room rates were
$56.00 for a professional single room and
$62.00 for a professional double room.
THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN
(OCOTBER 1987)
Volume 40, No. 1 – 36 pgs.
Charles Ball, TMEA President
Cynthia R. Curtis, Editor
• TMEA Executive Secretary -Treasurer
John Bright wrote a letter to the membership
regarding an apparent dilemma “of a tencent
student activity fee” that was in force
for several years (presumably to help offset
all-state ensemble costs). A committee was
appointed and recommended a change in the
activity feel assessment. Dues for membership
in MENC (now NAfME) were $35.00, and
TMEA membership dues were $10.00
• A financial report was included in this
edition of the Tennessee Musician. Total
income of funds were $28,310.03 with a total
of $26,715.47 in expenditures with a surplus
balance at the end of the fiscal year 1986-1987
of $1,594.56.
• A report from then TMEA Legislative
Chairperson Tommie Pardue included
information on the TMEA delegation to
Washington D.C. as a part of the MENC (now
NAfME) Leadership Institute. In addition
to Pardue, the representatives also included
Charles Ball, Ray Bell, T. Earl Hinton, and
John Bright. Her column also included
information about a second annual TMEA
Tennessee Legislative session that was to
take place during March, held in conjunction
with Music In Our Schools Month.
• The TMEA In-Service Conference was
scheduled to take place in Knoxville on
March 24-26, 1988. The Tennessee All-State
Ensemble conductors were Ray Cramer for
36 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2017 | Volume 69, No. 4

To us, every
moment matters.
You create the music, we’ll do the rest.
since
1981
we’ve been working
with directors to create
incredible student travel
experiences.
over
5,000
custom trips planned
to destinations in the
U.S. and abroad,
no two alike.
bobrogerstravel.com Making Moments That Matter Call: (800) 373-1423
for 35 years

Tennessee Music Education Association
129 Paschal Drive
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128
CELEBRATING
YEARS
IN MUSIC EDUCATION
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
CONTINUED LOYALTY!
HERE’S A COUPON TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE THANKS
TAKE $ 10 OFF
ANY PURCHASE OF $ 50 OR MORE
*1329395*
1329395
Expires 6/31/17. This offer does not apply to rental payments, lessons, taxes, shipping and handling charges or any similar processing charges.
Coupon valid in stores and in-stock product only. This coupon is non-transferable. No cash value. Not valid with other discounts, prior purchases,
clearance items, sale items or discontinued items. Coupon may not be applied toward institutional/educator purchase. Some exclusions may apply,
visit musicarts.com/exclusions for details. One coupon per customer per visit. Minimum purchase $500.00 before tax. Maximum discount $500.
INSTRUMENTS | LESSONS | RENTALS | REPAIRS
MUSICARTS.COM