From Where I Sit Eric Measells DoDDS-E Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator

Welcome back! I hope you have the best schedule ever, tuba players lined up at the music room door, and all notes in tune, on time, and played with appropriate enthusiasm. My motto this year is “All those footsteps will add up.” As you take each step to bring students the finest music education possible, just remember, those steps will add up.

Last year we examined priorities in the arts in DoDDS-E. The greatest need was lack of technology in elementary music programs to support DoDEA Standards in the Arts. An Elementary Music Technology Plan was developed to meet these standards:

• Sing and perform, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments
• Compose and arrange music within specified guidelines
• Read and notate music
• Understand and create music through technology

Objectives are to provide teachers tools to create quality accompaniments for lessons and performances; to create printed lessons to teach notation and composition; to use technology to encourage students to compose, arrange, and improvise melodies and accompaniments; and to share lessons and MIDI arrangements via the Internet or email.

Choosing software and peripherals, we had the following objectives: Use Mac and Windows platforms; incorporate digital and analog recording; provide consistency from K-12 for ease of training and teacher transfers; and meet the needs of basic to advanced users.

Schools will be asked to provide a computer with specifications to run the software and a MIDI keyboard (i.e.Clavinova or a Roland SK-50). DoDDS-E will send to each music room a tone generator (i.e. Edirol SD-90); a pair of powered digital speakers; appropriate cables; and a pair of headphones. Sequencing software capable of printing music (i.e. Cubase VST) and an artificial accompaniment program (i.e. Band-in-a-Box) will be provided.

The technology plan includes a training plan. One teacher and one ET per district will train as district trainers. Districts will be asked to provide training for other music teachers. Summer training will be scheduled. I will contact elementary teachers as all the footsteps to provide music classrooms with materials and training add up.

Fine Arts events are being planned. Creative Connections welcomes a new percussion class taught by Connie Ericksen. Tom Donaldson and Rebecca Brashier offer a highly acclaimed class on improvisation, composing, and arranging. Lynn Soeby’s class will dazzle the audience with Broadway musical selections. Drama is led by Rebecca Briley from Bitburg HS, and Linda Dahlstrom, Vicenza HS, will teach dance. The DoDDS-E Jazz Seminar, led by Kent Yardley and Robert Hartline, will be in London. Bob Benson serves as Music Director for Honors Music Festival with Gary Kelb as lead Choir Director and Bob Modr as lead Band Director. These events provide students with enrichment above and beyond the classroom experience. Please encourage high school students to apply. Be actively involved with the planning, organization, and promotion of our Fine Arts activities. For more information, please feel free to contact me.

All those steps will add up.