TN Musician Vol. 74 No. 1 (REV)

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

REIGNITED AND REVITALIZED: 

BEING A MENTOR TEACHER 

IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 

by Kristina Westover 

p. 16 

TMEA HIGHER 

EDUCATION UPDATE 

by Robert Bryant 

p. 19 

HOW DO WE R.E.H.E.A.R.S.E.? 

by Jason Worzbyt 

p. 20 

DIGITAL BADGING 

IN MUSIC EDUCATION 

by Stephanie Riley 

p. 26 

VOLUME 74, NO. 1

School of 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2021 VOLUME 74, NO. 1 

04 

05 

PROGRAM NOTES 

TMEA Board and Council Directory 

2021-2022 

Tennessee Musician Advertiser Index 

Issue No. 1 

07 

09 

Prelude - A Message from the Editor 

Anna Laura Williams 

TMEA President’s Message 

Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry 

12 

16 

BY THE NUMBERS/VERBATIM 

Stop and Hear the Music 

Lisa Burden, Contributing Columnist 

TEACHING IN TENNESSEE 

Reignited and Revitalized: Being a Mentor 

Teacher in the COVID-19 Pandemic 


Tennessee Musician is mailed to members four times each year at an annual 

subscription rate of $6.00 (included in dues). 

Non-member subscription rate (includes S&H): $30.00 per school year; 

single copies: $10.00 per issue. 

GUEST FEATURES 

19 

TMEA Higher Education Update 

by Robert Bryant 

20 

How Do We R.E.H.E.A.R.S.E.? 

by Jason Worzbyt 

31 

TMEA Back Then 

October 1963 

26 

Digital Badging in Music Education 

by Stephanie Riley 

R E H E A R S E 

Postmaster - Send address changes to: 

Tennessee Musician 

c/o Tennessee Music Education Association 

2441-Q Old Fort Pkwy, #635 

Murfreesboro, TN 37128-4162 

Published by Slate Group: 6024 45th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79407. 

Graphic Design: Nikki Davis. Account Executive: Ian Spector (800-794-5594). 

Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization. U.S. Postage Paid at Lubbock, Texas. 

ISSN Number 0400-3332; EIN number 20-3325550. 

Copyright © 2021 Tennessee Music Education Association. Reproduction in any form 

is illegal without the express permission of the editor: Anna Laura Williams, Managing 

Editor & Advertising Manager; anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org. 

Tennessee Music Education Association | www.tnmea.org | 3

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL 

national executive board - national association for music education 

Southern Division Immediate Past-President 

Dian Eddleman 

deddleman@usjbruins.org 

tmea executive board 

TMEA Executive Director 

Michael W. Chester 

michael.chester@tnmea.org 

TMEA President 


alexis.yatuzisderryberry@tnmea.org 

TMEA President-Elect 

Ryan Fisher, Ph.D. 

rfisher3@memphis.edu 

TMEA Immediate Past-President 

Lafe Cook 

lcook@k12k.com 

TMEA Secretary 

Dian Eddleman 


board of directors 

TMEA State General Music Chair 

Franklin Willis 

franklin.willis@mnps.org 

TMEA State Choral Chair 

Jason Whitson 

whitsonj@btcs.org 

TMEA State Orchestra Chair 

Anna Maria Miller 

amamiller@bellsouth.net 

TMEA State Band Chair 

Jacob Campos 

jacob.campos@wcs.edu 

TMEA State Higher Education Chair 

Robert Bryant, Ph.D. 

rbryan14@tnstate.edu 

TMEA NAfME Collegiate Chair 

Jody Blake, Ph.D. 

jblake17@utm.edu 

TMEA Society for Music Teacher 

Education/Research Chair 

Loneka Wilkinson Battiste, Ph.D. 

lbattis2@utk.edu 

TMEA Advocacy and 

Government Relations Chair 

Christopher Dye, Ed.D. 

christopher.dye@mtsu.edu 

TMEA Publications Editor and 

Advertising Manager 


anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org 

tmea council 

WTGMEA President 

Jennifer Proseus 

wtgmeamemphis@yahoo.com 

WTGMEA President-Elect 

Harrison Howle 

howle.harrison@hardingacademymemphis.org 

WTVMEA President 

Sharon Morris 

smorris@lced.net 

WTVMEA President-Elect 

Adrian Maclin 

maclinal@scsk12.org 

WTSBOA President 

Jennifer Cupples 

jennifer.cupples@wcsk12tn.net 

WTSBOA President-Elect 

Benjamin Martin 

bmartin@huntingdonschools.net 

project chairs 

TMEA Guitar Education 

(Modern Band) Chair 

Ryan Payne 

payner@rcschools.net 

TMEA Jazz Education Policy Chair 

Ollie Liddell, Ph.D. 

ollie_liddell@hotmail.com 

TMEA Music in Our Schools Month Chair 

Tiffany Barton 

tntreblechoir@gmail.com 

TMEA Music Merchants Industry Chair 

Nick Averwater 

nick@amromusic.com 

TMEA Retired Teachers Chair 

Bobby Jean Frost 

bjfrost@aol.com 

TMEA Tri-M Co-Chair 

Dian Eddleman 


4 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2021 | Volume 74, No. 1 

MTGMEA President 

Corynn York 

yorkc@rcschools.net 

MTGMEA President-Elect 

Abbi Miller 

abigail.miller@cityschools.net 

MTVA President 

Gerald Patton, Ed.D. 

pattong@rcschools.net 

MTVA President-Elect 

Lorna Pyka 

lornapyka@yahoo.com 

MTSBOA President 

J.R. Baker 

john.baker@rcstn.net 

MTSBOA President-Elect 

Stacy Jernigan 

stacy.jernigan000@gmail.com 

TMEA Tri-M Co-Chair 


anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org 

TMEA Webmaster 

John Womack 

webmaster@tnmea.org 

all-state management team 

TN All-State Choral Chair 

Brian Russell, DMA 

brian.russell@tnmea.org 

TN All-State Instrumental Chair 

Carter Noblin 

noblinc@wcschools.com 

ETGMEA President 

Bryant Adler 

badler@alcoaschools.net 

ETGMEA President-Elect 

Hannah White 

hannah.white@maryvillecollege.edu 

ETVA President 

Deborah Gouge 

debbie.gouge@ecschools.net 

ETVA President-Elect 

Kristen Wiram 

wiram_k@hcde.org 

ETSBOA President 

Donald Benton 

dbenton@bradleyschools.org 

ETSBOA President-Elect 

Jim Burton 

jburton@clevelandschools.org 

ensemble chairs 

TN Treble Honor Choir Chair 

Tiffany Barton 

tntreblechoir@gmail.com 

TN All-State Jazz Band Chair 

Cord Martin 

corderyl.martin@gmail.com 

conference management team 

TMEA Conference Chair 

Ryan Fisher, Ph.D. 

rfisher3@memphis.edu 

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 

tmeaperformancechair@gmail.com

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN ADVERTISER INDEX | VOLUME 74, No. 1 

Tennessee Musician 

The Official Publication of the 

Tennessee Music Education 

Association 

The Tennessee Music Education 

Association (TMEA) was officially 

formed in 1945 as a voluntary, nonprofit 

organization representing 

all phases of music education at all 

school levels. The mission of TMEA 

is to promote the advancement of 

high-quality music education for all. 

Active TMEA membership is open to 

all persons currently teaching music 

and others with a special interest 

or involvement in music education. 

Collegiate memberships and 

retired memberships are available. 

Additional membership information 

is available on the TMEA website: 

www.tnmea.org. 

Inside Front Cover 

Tennessee Tech. University 

University of Memphis 

Inside Back Cover 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 

Back Cover 

Lee University 

The Tennessee Musician was 

founded in 1948 with J. Clark Rhodes 

appointed by the TMEA Board of 

Control as inaugural editor. 

Tennessee Musician was preceded 

by an earlier publication, Tennessee 

Music Editors’ Downbeat, which was 

discontinued by the TMEA Board of 

Control at the spring board meeting, 

held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 

1948. 

All advertising and editorial 

materials should be sent to 

Anna Laura Williams, Managing 

Editor and Advertising Manager; 

anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org; 

615-784-8632. 

08 | Maryville College 

10 | Middle Tennessee 

State University 

11 | String Theory Music 

14 | University of Tennessee 

Knoxville School of Music 


Knoxville Bands 


at Martin 

25 | Yamaha Corporation 

of America 

30 | Slate Group 

Advertising information is available 

on the TMEA website: 

https://www.tnmea.org/advertising. 

html. Submit editorial materials by 

e-mail in Microsoft Word format. 

Non-member subscriptions and 

single copy orders can be placed via 

e-mail to the editor. 

Deadlines for advertisement orders 

and editorial materials: 

Issue No. 1 – Deadline: September 15 

(in home delivery: October/November); 

Issue No. 2 – Deadline: November 15 

(in home delivery: December/January); 

Issue No. 3 – Deadline: February 15 

(in home delivery: March/April); 

Issue No. 4 – Deadline: April 15 

(in home delivery: May/June) 

The views and opinions expressed in 

the articles included in the Tennessee 

Musician are those of the authors and 

do not necessarily reflect the official 

policy or position of TMEA, the 

members, the staff, or the advertisers. 


IN THIS ISSUE . . . 

BY THE NUMBERS/VERBATIM 

Ê “Stop and Hear the Music,” by Lisa Burden 

spotlights the benefits of listening to music. 

TEACHING IN TENNESSEE 

Ê “Reignited and Revitalized: Being a Mentor 

Teacher in the COVID-19 Pandemic,” 

by Kristina Westover provides a positive 

firsthand perspective about choosing to 

become a mentor teacher. 

Ê 

“TMEA Higher Education Update,” by 

Robert Bryant highlights new initiatives and 

opportunities during the 2021-2022 academic year 

for higher education teachers across Tennessee. 

Ê “TMEA Back Then” revisits the October 1963 

issue of the Tennessee Musician. 

GUEST FEATURES 

Ê “How Do We R.E.H.E.A.R.S.E.?” by Jason 

Worzbyt explores the rehearsal process with 

thoughts that directors of all types of ensembles 

can consider. 

Ê 

“Digital Badging in Music Education,” 

by Stephanie Riley describes an innovative 

way that music educators can incorporate 

technology in elementary, middle, and high 

school music classes and ensembles. 

6 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2021 | Volume 74, No. 1

PRELUDE - A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR 


Siegel Middle School 

DURING TRYING TIMES, OUR STRENGTH AS 

A TEAM OF TENNESSEE MUSIC EDUCATORS 

IS RENEWED WHEN WE CHOOSE TO 

WITHSTAND THESE MOMENTS TOGETHER. 

STRENGTH AND STABILITY 

Autumn has arrived. This annual seasonal change in Tennessee 

is one of the most visually artistic transformations across our 

statewide landscape. During these fleeting months, the vibrancy 

of the colorful, ever-changing leaves illustrates a striking scene 

every morning. 

As the leaves fall, we begin to see the intricate framework 

beneath their beauty that provides stability. Although storms 

may come along the way that test their might, the underlying 

structures can become strengthened in the aftermath of these 

experiences. 

Similarly, the music educators across Tennessee have 

weathered some challenges during the previous year. Through 

it all, every member of the Tennessee Music Education 

Association has been (and continues to be) an integral 

part of the system that forms a constant base for music 

students across our state. The first part of this school year has 

marked a time where many of us have been rebuilding and 

reconnecting through music. 

REBUILDING 

. . . our programs. 

In several ways, we may need to employ similar efforts and 

strategies that are needed to develop a new music program. For 

those of us who have “started a program from scratch” at some 

point in our careers, we know it personally takes a great amount 

of energy, vision, and resiliency. This year, we can reestablish or 

create positive musical cultures within our schools by modeling 

constructive habits and fostering essential values in our music 

students. Working together through the difficulties makes the 

victories all the more rewarding. These shared experiences with 

our students, our music families, and our colleagues culminate 

to build not only our programs but our unity. 

. . . our teaching. 

Everyone has a unique teaching style, but we all have a distinct 

commonality: we are teaching students who have been 

impacted in some way (either directly or indirectly) by the prior 

year. One of the most valuable resources we have as teachers 

is each other. This community encompasses those who teach 

every music concentration and age level of students. 

RECONNECTING 

. . . with our students. 

Seeking ways to combat recent student learning loss has been a 

topic at the forefront of discussions for many educators across 

all content areas. We know quite well how prominent this matter 

is in the field of music. Over the past school year, students have 

become further immersed in a world of technology. This year, 

many of these students will be experiencing their first in-person 

music experiences. As we consider how to plan instructional 

elements for our specific ensembles and music classrooms, we 

can consciously help bridge this transition for our students. We 

can make it a goal to incorporate teaching our students how to 

responsibly utilize technology while also engaging them in the 

group music making process. 

. . . with music. 

Regaining positive musical interactions is not solely linked 

to our students. We as music educators should make our own 

personal wellbeing a priority. Likewise, we should continue to 

consider how we can assist current and future music educators. 

In our individual music settings, there will be external elements 

beyond our control. During trying times, our strength as a team 

of Tennessee music educators is renewed when we choose 

to withstand these moments together. Our Tennessee Music 

Education Association is strong because of you and the music 

support you provide your students. In making the decision 

every day to help others through music education, please know 

that you are a vital part of the foundation of our organization. 

It is my sincerest desire that you find the materials in the 

publication helpful as we continue to rebuild and reconnect 

through music during this season. 


17th Editor, Tennessee Musician 

Inspired by the theme of the opening message by former TMEA President O’Dell 

Willis in the “TMEA Back Then” featured issue: 

“. . . two cornerstones of TMEA . . . strength and stability.” 

(Tennessee Musician, October 1963, Vol. 16, No. 1) 


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TMEA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 


Stewarts Creek High School 

TENNESSEE MUSIC 

EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 

63rd Annual Professional 

Development Conference 

APRIL 27-30, 2022 

Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center 

Nashville, Tennessee 

NOW ACCEPTING 

RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICE 

POSTER SESSION PROPOSALS 

Submission Deadline: 

December 10, 2021, by 11:59 p.m. (CST) 

Visit the TMEA website for details 

and the online application: 

www.tnmea.org/call-for-research-posters-andpresentation-proposals.html 

If you have questions, please email: 

TMEA SMTE/Research Chair, 

Dr. Loneka Wilkinson Battiste: lbattis2@utk.edu 

or contact the TMEA Office : 615-784-8632 

REQUESTS FOR MEETINGS, 

RECEPTIONS, AND CATERING 

Submission Deadline: 

December 10, 2021, by 11:59 p.m. (CST) 

Visit the TMEA website for details 

and the online application: 

www.tnmea.org/request-for-meetings-receptions-- 

catering.html 

If you have questions, please email: 

TMEA Conference Chair, 

Dr. Ryan Fisher: rfisher3@memphis.edu 

or contact the TMEA Office: 615-784-8632 

As you read this message, we 

are already knee-deep into the 

2021-2022 school year. I know 

that this year hasn’t panned 

out like many of us expected. So 

far this year, COVID-19 cases 

among students and educators 

have fluctuated and protocols 

have been constantly changing. 

We are all trying to prepare for a 

future we cannot predict. Please 

know that your regional and state music leaders are in constant contact 

discussing each regions’ challenges and are working together to create a plan 

to assist where we can. 

We are planning ahead for an in-person Tennessee Music Education 

Association Professional Development Conference and All-State 

Concerts on April 27-April 30, 2022, at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and 

Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Performing groups that were 

invited to perform at the 2020 TMEA Conference have been reinvited to 

perform at the 2022 TMEA Conference. We are planning on using an online 

submission method (Jotform) to hold the Instrumental All-State Chair 

Auditions in advance prior to the conference so that we can offer an engaging 

student-centered event on Wednesday evening; the choral students will also 

have a similar student-centered experience later in the conference. We also 

have a Thursday evening teacher banquet planned at the conference where 

we can all break bread together and reconnect after two years apart. 

The deadline for TMEA Research and Best Practice Poster Session 

Proposals is quickly approaching. Individuals interested in applying 

to present a Research and Best Practice Poster Session at the 2022 TMEA 

Professional Development Conference can access the application form and 

additional information on the TMEA website. 

The deadline to submit Requests for Meetings, Receptions, and 

Catering for the 2022 TMEA Professional Development Conference 

is also coming soon. More information and the submission form are also 

located on the TMEA website. 

Special thank you to the TMEA Board, Council, and Conference Team 

members who have already been diligently working throughout the summer 

and fall to ensure that our conference will be an enjoyable experience for our 

conference attendees and All-State students! 

I wish you all the best during the rest of the fall season. As always, please do 

not hesitate to reach out if we may be of help to you! 


38th TMEA President 


Audition Dates for Fall 2022 Admission 

Saturday, February 5 or Saturday, February, 19 

Virtual auditions are also possible. 

More information about auditioning and available programs at mtsu.edu/music 

Ensembles from 

jazz to orchestra 

to commercial music 

Music living-learning 

community on campus 

SCHOOL OF MUSIC 

615-898-2469 • Angela.Satterfield@mtsu.edu 

0821-9660 / Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, 

age, status as a protected veteran, or any other category protected by law. See our full policy at mtsu.edu/iec.

SEASON THIRTEEN 

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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 

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March 1, 2022 

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November 16, 2021 

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February 8, 2022 

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David Requiro CELLO 


January 26-30, 2022 

OUTREACH INITIATIVE 

Rebecca Anderson VIOLIN 

Mika Sasaki PIANO 

JANUARY 29, 7:00 PM 

Concert At Mizpah 

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JANUARY 30, 2:00 PM 

Annual Family Concert 

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The Tucker 

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For more information, please visit us at stringtheorymusic.org

TMEA BY THE NUMBERS / VERBATIM 

by Lisa Burden 

STOP & HEAR 

The Music 

There’s an old English phrase that describes how the 

shoemaker always has the worst shoes or even goes 

barefoot; a modern equivalent might be that the 

computer expert is the last person to back up his/her 

work. 1 I wonder how many music educators have found 

themselves listening to music for enjoyment less and 

less. I’ve definitely had a gap of time where this was true 

for me. When live performances stopped and I couldn’t 

hear my students make live music. . . when I myself 

could not perform music. . . I found myself forgetting 

how much my favorite songs brought me pleasure. I 

had forgotten how my favorite genres made my day 

just a bit sunnier. The data below suggests that just 

simply listening to music has merit and is good for 

our mental health! 

ELEVATES MOOD AND EMOTION 

The Journal of Positive Psychology conducted 

a study in 2013 that discovered individuals who 

listened to music could be classified as happy and 

upbeat, and they were able to improve their mood 

and overall happiness in just a few weeks. 2 

REDUCES STRESS 

Dr. Daniel Levitin of McGill University in Montreal 

conducted a meta-analysis of 400 music studies 

that showed listening to music reduces the stress 

hormone cortisol. 3 

A study conducted by the University of London and 

Sonos surveyed 12,000 people and found that 75% 

said their stress was reduced when listening to their 

favorite song. 4 

1. Martin, Gary. “The shoemaker always wears the worst shoes: The meaning and 

origin of this phrase.” Phrasefinder. https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/theshoemaker-always-wears-the-worst-shoes.html 

2. Ferguson, Yuna L, and Kennon M Sheldon. “Trying to Be Happier Really Can Work: 

Two Experimental Studies.” The Journal of Positive Psychology 8, no. 1 (2013): 23–33. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2012.747000. 

3. Novotney, Amy. “Music as Medicine.” Monitor on Psychology. AmericanPsychological 

Association, November 2013. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music#:~:text= 

The%20researchers%20found%20that%20listening,of%20the%20stress%20 

hormone%20cortisol. 

4. Morris, James. “Music Key to Reducing Stress and Improving Productivity, 

Study Says.” London Evening Standard, May 14, 2019. https://www.standard. 

co.uk/news/world/music-key-to-reducing-stress-and-improving-productivitystudy-says-a4141221.html. 


IMPROVES FOCUS 

A Western Washington University study indicated that 

students with ADHD who had background music playing 

may result in a 38% increase in their test scores. 5 

HELPS RELAXATION 

Current findings indicated that music around 60 beats per 

minute can cause the brain to synchronize with the beat 

causing alpha brainwaves (frequencies from 8–14 hertz or 

cycles per second). 6 

REDUCES ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION 

A recent study by Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson of Mindlab 

International has shown instrumental, classical, or ambient 

music can help result in up to a 65% reduction of anxiety. 7 

Music brings us pleasure and releases our 

suffering. It can calm us down and pump 

us up. It helps us manage pain, run faster, 

sleep better, and be more productive. 

- Alex Doman, Entrepreneur and Music Producer 

CONCLUSION 

Something made us so passionate about music that we 

chose to share that passion with young people. Likely, it’s 

a collection of pieces, songs, and genres that made up our 

exciting musical heritage before today. There are pieces 

that make us elated and smile when we hear them on 

the radio, in a live performance, or even on a commercial. 

For me, there is music that I love so much that I laugh out 

loud with the glee of it all. Admittedly, it’s been a while 

since I’ve actively sought those favorite tunes. When is the 

last time you’ve tapped into that music that brings you joy? 

The research is clear that taking time to just listen can 

benefit our lives and ourselves so much! Music isn’t just our 

job. . . it’s clearly something we love or else we wouldn’t make it a 

career as well. I hope you take the time to put some headphones on 

or enjoy a drive with the music that YOU love! As I’ve reacquainted 

myself with some of my favorites, I can tell you that I think it will 

make your day! 

5. Mittag, Jennifer. “The Effects of Background Music on the Executive Function 

of Children with ADHD in the Classroom Setting: A Study Proposal.” Western 

CEDAR, 2020. https://cedar.wwu.edu/orwwu/vol10/iss1/4 

7. “5 Positive Effects Music Has on Your Mental Health.” Open Minds, 

February 10, 2020. https://www.openminds.org.au/news/5-positive-effectsmusic-mental-health. 

6. Kučikienė, Domantė, and Rūta Praninskienė. “The Impact of Music on the Bioelectrical 

Oscillations of the Brain.” Acta Medica Lituanica. Lithuanian Academy of Sciences 

Publishers, 2018. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6130927/. 

Tennessee Music Education Assocation | www.tnmea.org | 13

Whatever your musical passion may be, 

the University of Tennessee School of 

Music is here to help you achieve your 

dreams. Pursue your aspirations with 

confidence by joining the Volunteer family.

TMEA TEACHING IN TENNESSEE 

REIGNITED AND 

REVITALIZED: 

BEING A MENTOR 

TEACHER IN THE 

COVID-19 PANDEMIC 


Student teaching is difficult at any time, even in the 

best of situations. Even though my own student 

teaching placement occurred over ten years ago, I 

still remember it (with fear and anticipation) like it 

was yesterday. Student teaching was when I learned 

to drink coffee every morning and put on pajamas at 

5:00 p.m. For the first time in my life, I had to not only 

be awake before dawn but also friendly before dawn. 

Although it was challenging, at least my student 

teaching occurred during a “normal school year.” I 

remembered the magnitude of my difficulties during 

that time and multiplied that several times over to 

imagine what I am sure student teachers must have 

felt in the midst of a pandemic. 


BEING A MENTOR TEACHER 

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 

At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, I had an eightmonth-old 

infant and a two-year-old toddler. I was afraid of 

bringing COVID-19 home to my children, worried about my 

students’ academic and musical achievements, and concerned 

about maintaining quality teaching in my music program 

while transitioning in and out of the classroom with distance 

learning. I was particularly concerned about my full-year choir 

classes where we essentially could not sing. 

At the beginning of December, after toiling through the first 

semester of that year, I received an email from my principal 

asking me to become a mentor for a student teacher in the 

spring semester. My first thought was, “This is such an awful 

time to be taking on a student teacher! I have so much to do, and 

I am struggling to just get by with all of the new procedures.” 

But the more I considered it, the more I thought it might 

actually be the perfect time. 

That year, I had been reaching a point in my teaching unlike 

any other I had previously experienced. The overwhelming 

feeling of uncertainty, the fear of teaching in-person, and the 

immensity of figuring out new technology were causing me to 

feel burned out. 

HOW MENTORING A STUDENT TEACHER HELPED 

In walked my student teacher. Despite the complications 

we were facing, she was excited, motivated, and yearning for 

knowledge. Her enthusiasm was infectious and inspiring. My 

self-pitying streak of pandemic teaching completely turned 

around to focus on mentoring someone else. In guiding her 

through her first full classroom instruction, I saw my classes 

from a new perspective. 

My particular challenge for the year had been planning and 

preparing the choir classes. I could teach my quarter-long 

general music class materials almost as effectively online as I 

had during a typical year. However, my year-long choir classes 

were beginning to present a predicament: I had run through 

every analysis, composition, and research project that I had 

ever created, and I was only halfway through the year. 

I said to my student teacher, “I’ve reached the end of my plans 

with choir. I want to give you an opportunity: I am going to give 

you (almost) free rein to create and try any new project. If there 

is any activity that you’ve been dying to set up, now is the time 

to try it.” 

In my case, I had several elements in place that allowed 

this approach to be effective. I had a couple of choir classes 

with whom I had a strong, trusting relationship, and I knew 

my students would be open to trying anything. I also had a 

student teacher who within her first days of working with me 

had demonstrated she could be trusted to work efficiently, 

take her assignment seriously, and learn from mistakes when 

presenting a new activity. 

AT THE BEGINNING 

OF DECEMBER, AFTER 

TOILING THROUGH THE 

FIRST SEMESTER OF 

THAT YEAR, I RECEIVED 

AN EMAIL FROM MY 

PRINCIPAL ASKING ME TO 

BECOME A MENTOR FOR 

A STUDENT TEACHER IN 

THE SPRING SEMESTER. . . 

THE MORE I CONSIDERED 

IT, THE MORE I THOUGHT 

IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE 

THE PERFECT TIME. 

I gave her time to brainstorm possible activities and then sat 

down with her to help her identify the shortfalls and benefits of 

each activity. She made a selection of a project for the students 

based on her own interests and experiences. She prepared the 

project outline, rubrics, and accompanying files. She presented 

her project to the students, and it was an enormous success. 

I asked my student teacher what she felt about being given 

the task of creating her own project from scratch: “I was very 

overwhelmed with the task. I had no idea where to start, what 

to include, and what activities could facilitate the project. 

However, this proved to be the single most helpful assignment 

I completed during student teaching. Having that opportunity 


MY SELF-PITYING 

STREAK OF PANDEMIC 

TEACHING COMPLETELY 

TURNED AROUND TO 

FOCUS ON MENTORING 

SOMEONE ELSE. 

IN GUIDING HER 

THROUGH HER FIRST 

FULL CLASSROOM 

INSTRUCTION, I SAW 

MY CLASSES FROM A 

NEW PERSPECTIVE. 

to practice creating a project from scratch has helped me to 

create other projects, to long-range plan and pace myself, and 

to create unit overviews to keep me on track.” 

MOVING FORWARD 

I cannot say what is a “better” or “worse” time to be a student 

teacher, but I do know that the future teachers who completed 

their student teaching during the 2020-2021 school year had a 

unique opportunity to discover how resourceful, flexible, and 

capable they could be during the most challenging situations. 

As my student teacher said, “[B]ecause of the pandemic, I 

feel that my student teaching experience was a safe space to 

problem solve, figure out new ways to think about teaching 

music, make mistakes, and improve every single day.” 

I was reignited and revitalized as a result of being a mentor 

teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am sure many 

other cooperating teachers who guided student teachers 

during that time in history could say they felt the same way. 

KRISTINA WESTOVER received her 

bachelor’s degree in Music Education 

from the University of Oklahoma 

and her master’s degree in Music 

Education from Michigan State 

University. She has taught over ten 

years, both Elementary Music and 

Middle School Vocal/General Music, 

and currently teaches at Fairview 

Middle School in Williamson County Schools. She was 

the recipient of a National Merit Scholarship, Outstanding 

Senior Award (University of Oklahoma Music Department), 

and New Directions Scholarship (Michigan State). Her 

research interests are Social Emotional Learning for Middle 

School Musicians and Music Educators’ Work-Life Balance. 

I WAS REIGNITED 

AND REVITALIZED AS 

A RESULT OF BEING 

A MENTOR TEACHER 

DURING THE COVID-19 

PANDEMIC, AND 

I AM SURE MANY 

OTHER COOPERATING 

TEACHERS WHO GUIDED 

STUDENT TEACHERS 

DURING THAT TIME 

IN HISTORY COULD 

SAY THEY FELT THE 

SAME WAY. 


TMEA HIGHER 

EDUCATION UPDATE 

Dear Higher Education Colleagues, 

I hope that you are experiencing a safe and productive start 

to this school year. As we chart a new course for music 

education amid the coronavirus pandemic, please know that 

you are essential to the success of music education programs 

throughout our state and beyond. I would like to share some of 

the ways that you can continue to make an impact as a TMEA 

member. 

TMEA HIGHER EDUCATION 

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION 

We now have dedicated links on the TMEA website for joining 

and renewing membership as a higher education member. 

You can find the new links on the “Full Membership” page for 

each region (West, Middle, East). Included on each regional 

membership page are options for our collegiate members, 

music education and ensemble faculty, and a new higher 

education membership category for our applied faculty. 

TMEA APPLIED COLLEGE/ 

UNIVERSITY FACULTY MEMBERSHIP 

We are excited for this new membership opportunity for our 

higher education applied music faculty. It is my pleasure 

to invite our applied faculty members to join TMEA at 

the special membership rate of $50 through this new 

membership category. 

Benefits of this level of membership include a 

complimentary exhibit hall badge for the 2022 TMEA 

Professional Development Conference as well as access to the 

TMEA All-State student and parent roster (for your applied 

area) that would contain contact information that could aid 

in recruiting future students. In addition, TMEA Applied 

Faculty members may have the opportunity to assist in the 

adjudication process for seating our All-State Instrumental 

Ensembles which would give these members a glimpse into 

future student recruits. 

Additional opportunities for TMEA Applied Faculty 

members may include masterclass presentations and faculty 

ensemble performances at future conferences. This could be 

an excellent opportunity for applied faculty to share more 

about their applied studios and recruit for both their 

universities and music programs. 

TMEA NAFME COLLEGIATE CHAIR AND 

TMEA SMTE/RESEARCH CHAIR 

The higher education division has been working tirelessly to 

keeping you updated on our programming for our collegiate 

members, music teacher educators, ensemble faculty and the 

larger music education community. I would like to extend a 

special thanks to TMEA NAfME Collegiate State Chair 

Dr. Jody Blake for the commendable work he has done to 

keep our collegiate membership engaged over the past year. I 

would also like to thank TMEA SMTE/Research Chair 

Dr. Loneka Wilkinson Battiste for her dedication and 

leadership in our research efforts. 

2022 TMEA PROFESSIONAL 

DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE 

As a reminder, proposals for research posters and research 

presentations for the 2022 TMEA Professional Development 

Conference are open until December 10, 2021 (11:59 p.m., 

CST). Please note that due to the cancellation of 

our 2020 and 2021 conferences, anyone accepted 

to present those years will need to resubmit their 

proposal for consideration for the 2022 TMEA 

Professional Development Conference. The application 

and additional information are located on the “Conference” 

page on the TMEA website. Links are included within Alexis 

Yatuzis-Derryberry’s President’s Message in this publication. 

Thank you all for your continued support and dedication to 

music education and our higher education division. For every 

setback we have had, we have also found new opportunities to 

get involved and support one another. Let’s continue to do so as 

we set our sights on the 2022 TMEA Professional Development 

Conference and beyond. 

With great hope, 

Robert Bryant, Ph.D. 

TMEA State Higher Education Chair 

TO JOIN TMEA 

as a Higher Education member, visit 

www.tnmea.org/full-membership.html 

DR. ROBERT L. BRYANT III currently serves as Music Education Coordinator at Tennessee State 

University. He earned degrees from Florida A&M University (B.S.), Florida State University 

(M.M.E.), Georgia Southern University (M.Ed.) and Mercer University (Ph.D.). Prior to his current 

role, Dr. Bryant taught as a middle and high school band director while also working in various 

roles in higher education for colleges and universities in Georgia and Alabama. 

Dr. Bryant is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, College Music 

Society, International Tuba Euphonium Association, Music Teachers National Association, 

National Association for Music Education, and is the advisor for the NAfME Collegiate Chapter at 

Tennessee State University. Dr. Bryant is the 2020-2022 TMEA Higher Education Chair. 

http://www.tnstate.edu/music/rbryant.aspx 


TMEA GUEST FEATURES 

HOW DO WE 

R E H E A R S E 

? 

by Jason Worzbyt, DMA 

As a young clarinetist and bassoonist growing up in rural 

western Pennsylvania, I was deeply fortunate to have 

two outstanding band directors that mentored me from 

elementary band through high school. Both of them provided 

me with the inspiration, confidence, and drive to become 

a music educator thanks to the exceptional modeling that 

they provided for me at an early age. They were very different 

in their approaches to their role as a conductor/teacher; 

however, their strengths complemented each other so well 

that they created a high-quality music program in a sparsely 

populated community. Thus began my early fascination with 

the rehearsal process and its impact upon a community of 

musicians. 

I am positive that my journey from student, to student teacher, 

to teacher, is not unique. I believe that all of us as music 

educators have been deeply influenced by one, or more than 

one, large ensemble conductor during our formative years. 

I am incredibly fortunate that I had excellent and inspiring 

conductors from my elementary band years all the way through 

my days in graduate school. I continue to be inspired by my 

colleagues where I teach and through the incredible teachers 

that I meet during my travels. 

As process-driven educators, I think it is healthy for us to 

take a step back and assess what we do in the classroom on a 

periodic basis. It not only keeps us fresh, but it also lets us 

take advantage of ideas, techniques, and concepts borrowed 

from friends, colleagues, and the top minds in our profession. 

I freely admit that about 95% of what I do in rehearsal is 

“stolen” from others. I am able to rationalize this by telling 

myself that I try to steal only from the best! It reminds me of 

a quote: “The definition of creativity is the ability to be able to 

hide your sources.” 

As I take a look back at almost 25 years of teaching, I came to 

realize that many of the concepts that we use in the classroom 

correspond to what we do in the form of an acronym – 

R.E.H.E.A.R.S.E. I thought it might be interesting to investigate 

these ideas one by one as a way of taking stock of what we do 

and also planning for the future. Here we go! 

REVEAL THE GENIUS OF THE COMPOSER 

R 

As music educators, we are all well aware that selecting 

repertoire for our students is perhaps the most important 

thing that we do for our students. In essence, we are choosing 

our textbook for the entire year. If you have never read 

H. Robert Reynold’s article, “Repertoire Is the Curriculum,” 

I highly recommend that you add it to your reading list. One 

of the points that I take away from this article is that when 

we choose a particular work for our ensemble, we are also 

choosing not to program hundreds of other works that could 

have filled that spot. 

Every time that I begin a new concert rotation with the IUP 

Symphony Band, I can feel the words of Frank Battisiti, 

former director of bands at New England Conservatory, 

hanging over my head—is our rehearsal going to be a place 

where music education takes place, or is it going to be a “drill 

shed?” I firmly believe that when we are teaching a new work 

to our ensembles, we teach the work as a comprehensive 

whole, rather than perfecting the composite parts that make 

up the composition. This is not to say that we should avoid 

eliminating error as part of our rehearsal process—far from 

it. However, if we focus solely on eliminating error, we as 

educators are falling short of showing our students how the 

compositional process works. 

ONE OF THE BIGGEST 

FAVORS THAT WE CAN DO 

FOR OUR ENSEMBLES IS TO 

MAINTAIN OUR SENSE OF 

EMPATHY AS WE TEACH. 


Furthermore, we are depriving our students their role in the 

creative process if we take this “right vs. wrong” approach. 

If it is our duty to select the best repertoire possible for our 

students, then I also believe we have a responsibility to share 

with our students what attracted us to that repertoire, and then 

share with them the genius of that composer. If we are going 

to ask the third clarinets to play short, why? Is there a reason 

why this composer wrote several duets for alto saxophone 

and flute? The answers to these questions leads to greater 

understanding of the work by our students. During a rehearsal 

cycle, I will refer to and/or play recordings of other works 

that were written by a particular composer to demonstrate 

similarities in their style between different works as well 

as changes that appeared in their music over time. If we all 

subscribe to the concept that the purpose of rehearsal is not to 

learn our own part but to learn everyone else’s part, we will be 

well on our way to bringing a holistic view of the composition 

to our students. 

E 

ELIMINATE ERROR THROUGH THE LENS OF 

EDUCATION AND EXPRESSION 

One of the finest books that I have ever read that deals 

specifically with the rehearsal process is The Musician’s 

Soul by James Jordan, who is a member of the music 

faculty at Westminster Choir College. If you have not had 

the opportunity to read this book, I highly recommend its 

specific insights into the relationship between the conductor 

and the ensemble. Jordan states that during the rehearsal 

process, every conductor enters a rehearsal with an 

ideal sound for a particular work, assuming that they have 

taken the time to study the score in great detail. Early in 

the rehearsal cycle, the sound that the ensemble produces 

will likely not match the conductor’s ideal sound. In that 

split second, the conductor must make a choice on how 

they will respond to this stimulus. They can either respond 

as an educator with care and concern for their students, or 

they can make choices such as anger, sarcasm, distrust, and 

fear. While this is a bit of an oversimplification of Jordan’s 

writing, it drives home the fact that we must maintain 

our humanity during the rehearsal process and make the 

education of our students our top priority. 

Once we have located something that we want to adjust in 

rehearsal (tone, articulation, intonation, etc.), finding a way 

to relate that change to the musical expression of the work is 

often the most effective and meaningful to the student (this 

was stolen from Craig Kirchhoff, retired director of bands 

at the University of Minnesota). I often find that this is the 

hardest thing to do in the “white heat” of rehearsal, when we 

have a limited amount of time to work and many things to 

do. It is always easier to say, “louder, shorter, softer, louder, 

sharp, flat, etc.,” get the results that we are looking for, and 

move on. Personally, I am very guilty of not taking the time to 

relate a change to musical expression. However, I have seen 

time and time again that these moments spent in rehearsal 

are well worth the time and effort to our students’ education. 

H 

HEAR WHAT YOU SEE, AND SEE WHAT YOU HEAR 

(SCORE STUDY) 

I think another point that we can all agree upon is that 

mastery of the score is the key to any successful rehearsal and 

performance. There simply is not a substitute for knowing how 

a piece is put together, and how we will relate that knowledge to 

our students. If you are like me, the usual enemy to completing 

this task before the first rehearsal is time. The pressures and 

demands of our everyday lives frequently wreak havoc with 

even the best of intentions. The question then becomes, how 

do we thoroughly study a score with the limited time that we 

have available? Fortunately, there are many resources for the 

music educator that can help with this very sophisticated 

task. One of the best books that I know and that I recommend 

for my students is the Guide to Score Study by Frank Battisti 

and Robert Garofalo. In this text, you will find a treasure 

trove of ideas for studying your next set of scores. I would 

also recommend the Teaching Music Through Performance in 

Band series, as well as several volumes of Rehearsing the Band. 

E 

WHEN OUR STUDENTS 

WITNESS OUR PASSION, 

I CONTEND THAT IT 

ADDS FUEL TO THE 

GAS TANK IN OUR 

REHEARSAL AND 

ENERGIZES EVERYONE. 

EMPATHIZE AND ENERGIZE 

One of the most important lessons that I learned early in 

my teaching career is that our students have lives outside of 

music, and sometimes these lives present challenges that we 

cannot comprehend. Family issues, illness, financial troubles, 

academic difficulties, etc., do not stop when they enter our 

classroom. One of the biggest favors that we can do for our 

ensembles is to maintain our sense of empathy as we teach. By 

suggesting this, I am not saying that we abandon our classroom 

management or change our standards. What I am suggesting is 

that we maintain our humanity and vulnerability as we teach 

(another powerful lesson from The Musician’s Soul). 

Working in tandem with this is freely showing our passion, 

zeal, and enthusiasm for our students, the music, and the art 

that we are creating together. When our students witness 


our passion, I contend that it adds fuel to the gas tank in our 

rehearsal and energizes everyone. If we are trying to get more 

miles per gallon (i.e., the most efficient rehearsal), freely share 

your passion for the music and your students. 

A 

ADVOCATE FOR THE COMPOSER 

One of my favorite quotes about advocating for the composer 

is by Don Wilcox, retired director of bands at West Virginia 

University: we should become a pizza delivery boy for the 

composer! Unless we have the opportunity to communicate 

with a composer during a rehearsal of their work (which has 

become much easier through Skype, FaceTime, etc.), we spend 

most of our time in front of our ensembles trying to honor the 

composer’s wishes that he/she has left for us via the printed 

notation in the score. Even in the best of situations, this can 

be a complex and confusing task. While we are all aware of 

the limits of musical notation, this gives us the unique 

opportunity to combine our creativity and our ensemble’s 

creativity with the artistic intent of the composer. 

In other words, if we think of our rehearsal as a laboratory 

to try new ideas, we can come up with several possible 

interpretations as opposed to binary “right” and “wrong” 

solutions. I often compare this to painting by the numbers. 

When some of us were younger, we were given a “paint by the 

numbers” kit, which consisted of a black and white drawing 

filled with numbers and a set of paints that would be used 

to fill in the corresponding numbers. While I am sure that 

our loved ones were thrilled with what we were creating 

when we were younger, were we creating great art? It is my 

opinion that we were replicating someone else’s art and not 

creating an original work of our own. If we can strive for 

creation balanced by the composer’s intent, then our students 

will be able to experience the essence of the composer and 

create something original as well. 

R 

REMEMBER THE PURPOSE 

THAT THE REPERTOIRE SERVES 

This could be a whole article by itself! I have previously 

written about forming a philosophy of programming for 

our ensembles several months ago, but when we consider 

the transformative power that our art can have on today’s 

young people, choosing the right music is the most important 

thing that we do every year. Some questions to ponder: 

Ê 

Ê 

Ê 

Ê 

Your expectations in rehearsal and performance will 

be determined by the repertoire. Therefore, selecting 

repertoire that is appropriate for the ensemble is the most 

important decision that we make. 

Are we as conductors selecting repertoire that allows us, 

as well as our students, to have an aesthetic experience? 

Does the repertoire that we are selecting affect us and our 

students in such a way that other individuals outside our 

ensembles notice the profound changes within us? 

Are we selecting repertoire that allows us to have a “better 

band,” or allows our students to experience all of the facets 

of a complete music education? 

Regardless of the abilities of the students that we teach, we 

must select repertoire that aesthetically affects us so that we 

can bring that passion, dedication, and joy to our students. 

S 

SEEK OUT THE BEST MODELS FOR YOUR 

ENSEMBLES AND ENSEMBLE MEMBERS TO EMULATE 

I can still remember from my instrumental methods classes 

about the use of modeling as a powerful teaching tool. Rarely 

does a bassoon lesson, conducting class, or rehearsal go by 

that I do not demonstrate a sound, gesture, or concept for 

my students. As I try to continually grow as a teacher and 

performer, I am constantly searching for the best models 

to emulate. Whether it be performances of the University 

of Michigan Symphony Band or the sounds of Canadian 

bassoonist Christopher Millard, these artists continue to 

inspire me as well as provide excellent models for my future 

development. 

With the creation of YouTube, Spotify, etc., we now have 

access to a treasure trove of audio and video recordings that 

demonstrate the best that the music world has to offer. I 

use these resources frequently in my private lessons, 

classroom, and ensemble teaching to demonstrate the 

best aural models the world has to offer. Most recently, 

I have become aware of videos available by the Berlin 

Philharmonic called the Digital Concert Hall. While this 

service is available for a fee, the resources found at this 

website are amazing! I highly recommend them to you. 

I STILL CONTEND THAT 

WE HAVE THE BEST 

JOBS IN THE WORLD– 

PRACTICING OUR 

CHOSEN ART AND 

HELPING TO SHAPE 

YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES 

SO THAT THEY CAN 

EXPERIENCE A FULL 

EDUCATION IN WHAT IT 

MEANS TO BE HUMAN. 


ENJOY! 

E 

No doubt, we are living in challenging times to be an arts 

educator. We are constantly receiving messages in the form 

of budget cuts, furloughs, competition for students with A.P. 

classes, and a laser-like focus on S.T.E.M. classes that can 

make even the most seasoned and enthusiastic educator feel 

a bit deflated. Despite all of this, I still contend that we have 

the best jobs in the world—practicing our chosen art and 

helping to shape young people’s lives so that they can 

experience a full education in what it means to be human. 

The challenge is to show this enthusiasm on a daily basis. 

Perhaps it is the eternal optimist in me, but I believe that if 

we look hard enough, we can see the fruits of our labor 

every single day. Whether it be one of our former students 

that becomes a band director and influences generations of 

students, or seeing one our students that gained confidence, 

self-esteem, and pride through being in our program. Success 

stories are all around us if we look hard enough. 

I want to close with one of my favorite quotes by Marian 

Wright Edelman: “Service is the rent that we pay for being. 

It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in 

your spare time.” A career in music is spent in service to 

others. We serve the composer with our labors to realize their 

artistic vision; we serve our students with our dedication 

to their intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth; and we 

serve our community by bringing the life-changing power 

of art into the public square. 

Let’s go out and have a great spring of music making! 

Music Education and 

Social Emotional Learning 

Reprinted from the Fall/Winter 2021 issue (Vol. 75, No. 1) of Iowa Music 

Educator with permission from the Iowa Music Educators Association. 

DR. JASON WORZBYT is Professor 

of Bassoon and conductor of the 

Symphony Band at Indiana University 

of Pennsylvania. He holds a B.S. 

in music education from Indiana 

University of Pennsylvania, an M.M. 

in wind conducting from the 

University of North Texas, and a 

DMA degree in bassoon performance 

from the University of North Texas. 

Worzbyt has studied bassoon with Kathleen Reynolds, 

principal bassoon of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and 

professor of bassoon at the University of North Texas; 

Kristen Wolfe Jensen, professor of bassoon at the 

University of Texas; Jim Rodgers, principal contrabassoon 

of the Pittsburgh Symphony; and David Borst, professor 

emeritus of bassoon at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 

His conducting teachers include Jack Stamp, Emeritus 

Director of Band Studies at Indiana University of 

Pennsylvania, and Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Director of 

Wind Studies at the University of North Texas. 

This brochure answers: 

• How are music educators 

well-suited to help students 

develop socially and 

emotionally? 

• What does research tell us? 

• How can public policy 

support music education and 

Social Emotional Learning? 

Download your brochure at 

bit.ly/MusicEduSEL 

Questions? Email 

advocacy@nafme.org

DEDICATED Innovative INCLUSIVE 

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Test Flight: Feb. 21, 2022 

Experience what it’s like to be a music major or 

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Additional audition dates upon request. 

Visit: utm.edu/audition 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Available for music majors, music minors, 

and campus musicians. Early accept 

scholarship of $500 available for students who 

schedule an audition before Dec. 31, 2021. 

utm.edu/musicawards 

DEGREES 

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NEW CERTIFICATES/PATHWAYS 

New to UTM Music: Add to your degree: 

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Touring Pathways 

More info at utm.edu/musicacademics 

EVENTS FOR 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 

Sept. 9-10 – UTM Honor Choir 

Sept. 13-14 – Music & Event Production Career Days 

Nov. 13 – Woodwind & Brass Day 

Jan. 27-29 – UTM Honor Band 

Feb. 20 – Death by Voice 

Feb. 21 – Test Flight 

Mar. 3-5 – Chamber Fest 

Register at 

utm.edu/musichighschoolevents 

For more information: (731)881-7402 | music@utm.edu | utm.edu/music 

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/ Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, 

age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Inquiries should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 303 Administration Building, Martin, TN 38238, (731) 881-3505 Office, (731) 881-4889 TTY, Hearing Impaired, (731) 881-3507 Fax, equityanddiversity@utm.edu, http://www.utm.edu/departments/equalopp/. In compliance with the 

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act), UTM’s annual security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on or around the campus and UTM’s emergency response and evacuation procedures. You can view the report at http://www.utm.edu/departments/ 

publicsafety/_pdfs/annual security report 2014 adobe.pdf or you may obtain a paper copy of the report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, 215 Hurt Street, Martin, TN 38238 or calling (731) 881-7777. Data on intercollegiate athletics program participation rates and financial support may be found at http://www.utm.edu/about/consumer.php#3g and printed 

copies may be obtained through the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1022 Elam Center, Martin, TN 38238 or by calling (731) 881-7660. E05-5220-00-004-22

EVEN TEACHERS 

NEED TEACHERS 

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why the Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) helps music teachers access professional development 

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more. YES brings you a network of like-minded teachers, experts and professionals, who want 

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TMEA GUEST FEATURES 

DIGITAL 

BADGING 

IN MUSIC EDUCATION 

by Stephanie M. Riley 

Digital badging has been around for a while 

in a variety of ways. It’s likely that you’re 

most familiar with the social media, personal 

development apps, and my beloved Google 

badges that you get for checking into certain 

places a certain amount of times, etc. In a 

time where technology is making its way into 

our classrooms at lightning speed, it seems 

digital badging in the music classroom could 

be very successful. 

WHAT IS DIGITAL BADGING? 

Digital badging is a system that individuals complete to 

show competency or achievement in any given area. It 

could be viewed as a digital portfolio or a digital checklist 

but with specific steps to be taken by the student in order to 

complete various tasks to complete the program. 

In our case as music educators, we would be music-based 

on our badges, and those programs can be completely 

tailored to your students: their grade level, ensemble, 

specific course, and specific school, just to name a few. 

PROGRAMS 

This is where you can begin the tailoring for your digital 

badging programs. Ask yourself a few questions as you 

begin this process: 

1. Do you want this to be a district-wide program? 

a. Benefits to a district-wide program: If a school has 

multiple elementary schools, this can help the 

elementary teacher prepare and share progress with 

the next teacher that a student will have within the 

district. Instrumental programs, of course, would be 

obvious programs that benefits, but choral programs 

and even general music programs can also benefit. 

b. Digital badging can work as though it’s a built-in 

rubric if designed carefully enough. These can be used 

district-wide. 

c. Digital badging is a great way to meet students 

where they are at. Advanced students have 

something tangible to work towards, and those 

who need more time and guidance have clear 

expectations laid out for them. 

d. Standards: Keeping track of any and all standards 

addressed and achieved is very easy to accomplish. 

2. Do you want to create programs for each ensemble? 

(Chorus/Band/Orchestra/Guitar Ensemble/etc.) 

3. Do you want to create a badging program for 

your elective music classes such as Rock History, 

Music Theory, Piano, or Guitar? 


4. Do you want to “go big or go home,” or do you prefer 

to select a few things to try before you really invest in 

this model? If you’re unsure, I suggest a smaller trial. If 

you are an elementary music teacher and you are starting to 

navigate your way in digital badging, I suggest piloting with a 

single classroom teacher (or a few) who you think would be on 

board with this new idea. If they’re on board, you’re going to 

find yourself with support and honest encouragement. 

5. Do you want this to be a “quick” program? A term? A 

semester? Or, do you envision this program extending 

through the year? 

ELEMENTARY MUSIC 

Generally speaking, you’re most likely going to gear digital 

badging to older elementary music students. Grade 3 is an 

excellent place to start. 

Programs such as Chrome Music Lab are easily “badged.” You 

can make this a goal for your class, or introduce it as a fun 

program to complete during Music in Our Schools Month. 

Depending on your school’s policy of screen time, if you find 

yourself with indoor recess (especially during the month of 

March), completing a badging program could be a fun and 

educational use of time. 

In this case, if one-on-one devices are not available during 

class time due to school policy or other outstanding reasons, 

an educator could easily work these into class time each time 

they see their students. In addition to Chrome Music Lab, 

other fun things to include that are worthwhile and lend 

themselves to future musical endeavors are websites such as 

Incredibox, Staff Wars, and creating music with the Google 

Arts & Culture experimental sites, such as Blob Opera. 

IT’S A TINY 

INVESTMENT OF YOUR 

TIME UPFRONT, BUT 

THEN YOU CAN TAILOR 

AND ADJUST FOR 

WHAT WORKS WITH 

YOUR PROGRAM AND 

EVEN EACH LEVEL OF 

YOUR STUDENTS. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Middle School is already tricky, and we often hear woes 

of teachers trying to figure out how to reach students and 

keep them interested in music during this often awkward 

time of life when singing in class can be frightening for some. 

If anything, middle school could be the perfect place for 

digital badging. 

Many schools over the past few years and moving ahead now 

in the wake of the pandemic have been opting for digital 

programs such as Soundtrap, GarageBand, and BandLab, just 

to name a few, to add to their music curriculum at the middle 

school level. 

A badging program at the middle school general music level 

could include: 

1. Individual skills that are used in any DAW program. This 

includes but is certainly not limited to: looping, sequencing, 

layering, sampling, dynamic contrasts (fade in and fade out), 

and effects. 

2. Larger-scale projects such as podcast creation and 

formatting (both digitally and organizationally), use of voice 

recordings and editing of those recordings, and the production 

of those larger-scale projects. 

3. Music Notation Software: Noteflight, MuseScore, or 

Finale. 

CHORUS, BAND, AND ORCHESTRA 

Coming from the beginning band and orchestra angle, this could 

be a great way to track students’ progress for both them and 

you. Coming from the chorus angle, in programs and schedules 

that often make it difficult to offer individualized feedback, this 

could build in an attainable avenue to do that for your students. 

As more and more programs are becoming digital in their 

delivery of materials such as method books, repertoire, and 

sight reading, this could be a natural fit. Yes, like all of the other 

programs, it’s a tiny investment of your time upfront, but then 

you can tailor and adjust for what works with your program and 

even each level of your students. 

Digital badges that could be included here are: 

1. Accessing a digital classroom such as Google Classroom, 

Schoology, or even a class website. While this may seem super 

fundamental in its own way, for a beginning instrumental student, 

it helps you know who is able to get in (or not) to the virtual 

classroom and ensures that they know how to navigate the space. 

2. Accessing a practice log in a program such as Google Docs or 

Google Sheets. Google in particular shows you updates and time 

stamps, so if you were ever interested, you could see when they 

went in to edit them to record their practice. 

3. Accessing material when they’re at home or even at school. 

With COVID-19, the vast majority of students have personal 

devices, whether it be a Chromebook, a smartphone, or an 

iPad, and most have the ability to access digital files practically 

anywhere. This could certainly solve the classic problems of 

forgetting music either at home or at school. 


4. Recording themselves playing/singing an assignment 

and then uploading it or sending it to the teacher. When in ideal 

teaching scenarios (i.e., pre-COVID-19), giving students one-onone 

attention is never an easy task. Even though our intentions 

are heartfelt for our students, it’s entirely commonplace to 

be hyper-focused on an upcoming performance and less 

on individual development. Frequency of these types of 

assignments, of course, are at the teacher’s discretion, but 

always allow for authentic feedback to students. And, for that 

student who is terrified to sing or play in front of others, it gives 

them the chance to perform individually on their own terms 

and may even help to bring them out of their shell to sing or 

play in front of others in the future. 

5. Musicianship development can easily be badged using 

websites such as www.musictheory.net or other software 

programs. It’s a great way to help students practice the beginning 

fundamentals such as note naming, etc., and track their practice/ 

proficiency. 

Other added benefits to a badging program are that it helps 

parents understand expectations of their child and also shows 

the highlights of your program and its curriculum. Depending 

on how you prefer to develop a badging program, it can be 

completely sequential in nature, and even if the badges are 

similar in nature, you could do “volumes,” “levels,” or even 

“chapters” of a potential “badge book.” 

IMPLEMENTATION 

The program below is based on a semester long “exploratory” 

class for eighth graders. In this program, the students rotate 

through four sessions that last five weeks each: guitar, piano, 

music tech., and history of rock and roll. 

In the Google Classroom, each student is given an assignment 

that is titled “digital badges.” This assignment can be in Google 

Slides format or in a Google Doc that is assigned to each 

student and each student receives their own “copy.” As 

students complete each badge, the color of the badge goes from 

grayscale to color to mark their completion of the badge. 

Here is an example of what a digital badge “card” could look like. 

Again, tailor your badge program to your needs and your class’s 

needs. You can be super detailed, or very basic, as you see here: 

Before completion 

After completion 

8TH GRADE EXPLORATORY MUSIC DIGITAL BADGE PROGRAM 

DIGITAL CLASSROOM MATERIALS 

✔ Accessing Google Classroom 

✔ Completing an assignment in Google Classroom 

✔ Accessing Digital Worksheets in Google Classroom 

✔ Completing a Google Slides Assignment 

BASIC DAW SKILLS 

✔ Demonstrates adding loops 

✔ Demonstrates spitting a region 

✔ Demonstrates layering 

✔ Demonstrates fade in and fade out 

PERSONAL RECORDING 

✔ Uploads a recording via an unlisted YouTube link to a 

Google Classroom assignment 

✔ Uploads a recording using the program Soundtrap with 

a backing track playing 

COMPOSITION USING NOTATION SOFTWARE 

✔ Demonstrates setting up a composition with 12 Bars 

(for a 12-bar blues composition) 

✔ Demonstrates ability to input basic rhythmic notation 

within the 12-bar blues parameters 

✔ Demonstrates ability to differentiate between the bass 

line and melody when composing 


TEAM IMPLEMENTATION 

Depending on your program’s structure, you can easily work on 

a badging program with your colleagues. Of course this is easily 

done with fellow music teachers, but opportunity could certainly 

present itself to partner up with your art, media, and physical 

education teachers and create a comprehensive arts badging 

program. 

EVALUATION OPPORTUNITIES 

Another opportunity that this program opens up is in the realm 

of annual evaluations and goals. If you find yourself at the 

beginning of a cycle or charged by your administrator to branch 

out of your comfort zone, this could be a great opportunity— 

not to mention the evidence will literally collect itself. 

EXTENSIONS 

So, now that you’ve read all of this, you may be thinking to 

yourself, “This is all great, but it’s just basically the projects and 

items we do on a normal basis with a ‘reward’ system thrown in.” 

Not necessarily. Remember that the goal of digital badging is to 

use technology as the vehicle to help us teach and solidify those 

musicianship skills and, for many students, offer a different 

lens from which to look at music, create music, analyze music, 

perform music, and become musically diverse, among many other 

great qualities of being a digitally literate student. 

HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL 

DIGITAL BADGE RECORD 

Google Badge 

*This badge is given when a student successfully 

completes the following items: 

a. Uploads a YouTube video in Google Classroom 

b. Completes a presentation in Google Slides 

c. Completes an assignment in Google Docs 

Chrome Music Lab-Melody Maker 

Online Collaborator Badge 

Chrome Music Lab-Producer Badge 

Reprinted from the Summer 2021 issue (Vol. 69, No. 4) of Massachusetts 

Music Educators Journal with permission from the Massachusetts Music 

Educators Association. 

THE GOAL OF DIGITAL 

BADGING IS TO USE 

TECHNOLOGY AS THE 

VEHICLE TO HELP US 

TEACH AND SOLIDIFY 

THOSE MUSICIANSHIP 

SKILLS AND, FOR MANY 

STUDENTS, OFFER A 

DIFFERENT LENS FROM 

WHICH TO LOOK AT 

MUSIC, CREATE MUSIC, 

ANALYZE MUSIC, 

PERFORM MUSIC, AND 

BECOME MUSICALLY 

DIVERSE, AMONG 

MANY OTHER GREAT 

QUALITIES OF BEING 

A DIGITALLY LITERATE 

STUDENT. 

STEPHANIE RILEY is the Massachusetts 

Music Educators Journal technology 

editor. She is an 8-12 grade choral music 

educator at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional 

High School where she is responsible 

for choirs grades 8-12, beginning piano, 

music technology, and theory classes. 

She is also an avid lifelong chorister. 


you work hard at 

sounding good 

we work hard at 

looking 

good 

SLATE GROUP SUPPORTS 

MUSIC EDUCATION 

THROUGH WHAT WE DO BEST. 

PUBLICATION DESIGN 

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DISPLAY GRAPHICS 

CONTACT IAN SPECTOR TODAY 

800.794.5594 | ian@slategroup.com 

slategroup.com

TMEA BACK THEN 

➣ 

➣ 

“Strength and stability;” these two cornerstones of the 

Tennessee Music Education Association were the focus of 

the opening message by then-President O’Dell Willis in the 

October 1963 Tennessee Musician. 

An article by William Graves, then-Tennessee State 

Department of Education Supervisor of Fine Arts, titled 

“We Do Not Walk Alone. . . Nor Can We!” featured the 

various people and organizations involved in effective music 

instructional programs. Mr. Graves specifically described in 

this article how music educators “walk with” the parent, school 

administrator, guidance counselor, faculty, professional 

organizations, and music dealer. He reminded music educators 

that “the responsibility for developing and advancing a 

program of music education in the schools is largely [the 

music educator’s]; however, there is a highly potent team 

upon which he may call for support—he does not walk alone!” 

➣ 

➣ 

New MTVA and WTSBOA officers for 1963 were 

announced in this issue: 

Ê MTVA Officers (October 1963) 

President: Dr. Charles Nelson 

Vice-President: Frances Southerland 

Secretary-Treasurer: Margaret Douglas 

TMEA Board of Control: Helen Mackie 

and Ruth W. Brandon 

◆ WTSBOA Officers (October 1963) 

President: Lawrence Cooney 

Vice-President: W. B. Day, Jr. 

Secretary-Treasurer: L. M. Ragsdale 

TMEA Board of Control: Walter Burnette 

and James Terry 

A summary of the Southern States Choral Workshop 

held August 19-23, 1963, sponsored by the University 

of Tennessee Knoxville, was featured in this issue. 

Led by workshop co-directors Dr. J. Clark Rhodes 

(then-Professor of Music Education) and Dr. Alfred 

W. Humphreys (Head of the Music Education 

Department in 1963) from U.T. Knoxville, this 

event included 114 participating choral directors 

representing 12 states. The event was held at the First 

Baptist Church, Knoxville. A demonstration choir 

from this church consisted of 25 children under the 

direction of then-Minister of Music Woodrow W. 

Wall. It was also noted that Hewgley’s Music Shop 

managed the music (over 100 choral selections 

from over thirty publishers) for this workshop. 

THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN (OCTOBER 1963) 

Volume 16, No. 1 - 16 pgs. 

O’Dell Willis, TMEA President 

Carolyn M. Scruggs, Editor 


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about Tri-State Honor Band 2022. 

E041054-001-22

Tennessee Music Education Association 

2441-Q Old Fort Pkwy, #635 

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128-4162 

Visit our website to schedule your audition! 

A Christ-centered university in southeast Tennessee 

dedicated to preparing tomorrow's musicians. 

For audition information & scholarships visit leeuniversity.edu/music

TN Musician Vol. 74 No. 1 (REV)

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