Dear JJ,

Greetings from the Oregon Music Education Association!!

The following email includes OMEA's February News.

Please visit OMEA's new website, www.oregonmea.org! Our previous website, oregonmusic.org, is no longer being updated and will be disabled in the near future.

We're still moving things around and getting settled, please explore and contact JJ Sutton if you find something that needs to be adjusted.

Thank you all for joining us at last month's OMEA State Conference in Eugene! As we continue to refine and improve the conference experience for everyone, please take a moment to complete a survey by clicking here.

Please stay tuned for session and performance applications for the 2025 OMEA State Conference!

Questions? Feel free to contact Elizabeth Soper using her email address, [email protected].

The 2024 All-State Elementary School Choir concert has been rescheduled for February 24th at West Salem High School (1776 Titan Drive NW, Salem, Oregon 97304). OMEA Executive Board members will be on-site and can sign for PDU credit. Conference attendees in January may attend free of charge.

All-State Elementary School Choir students should check in between 8:30am - 9:00am in the auditorium lobby in the NE corner of the school. The students will be rehearsing with Coty Raven Morris from 9am - 4:30pm with a lunch break in between.

Doors will open to the public at 4:30pm with the concert beginning at 5:00pm. Tickets already purchased for the January performance will be honored. Tickets are still for sale via Seat Yourself, $6 for adults and $1 for children, click here to purchase concert tickets.

Please contact All-State Chair Kristi Stingle if you have any questions.

Please congratulate Cole Haole-Valenzuela of West Salem High School OMEA's new President-Elect!

This is a six-year commitment with two years of service as the President-Elect, two years as the President, and two years as the Past-President.

Once again, congratulations to Cole!

Approved Choral Repertoire If high school choir directors are selecting pre-1900 literature for their required repertoire that is not on the ACDA/OMEA Required Literature List, they need to complete an online form to have their piece approved by the ACDA Repertoire Chairs. The deadline to submit a form is March 1, 2024.

• OSAA/ACDA/OMEA Repertoire List. OSAA-ACDA-OMEA Repertoire List
• Approval Request Form for OSAA/ACDA Require Repertoire Selection Approval Request Form for OSAA-ACDA Required Repertoire Selection  March 1, 2024 deadline 

NEW Contemporary Vocal Music Category for Ensembles  There have been some questions about the new contemporary vocal music category for ensembles. The contemporary literature category is for vocal ensembles only, not vocal solos. The following article was part of our OMEA Fall Journal.  Contemporary Vocal Music Category for Ensembles   Please share this information not only with your choral colleagues, but also with your OMEA district contest host/directors to help spread the word and ensure all districts, contests, and adjudicators are aware of this addition.

Chamber ensembles should not be conducted at district or state contests.  Contest rule 1.4.5 states that ensembles may not be conducted externally. There were several issues that were brought up in our State Chamber Contest last year. To clarify:

• Nobody in the audience may show any movements during a performance that could be construed as conducting.
• When the students' attention is drawn to the audience for starts, cutoff, etc., it will raise suspicion.
• Students MAY use a gesture to indicate the beginning and end of a piece or movement.
• Students MAY NOT conduct a piece with a pattern throughout the entire performance.
• The external conducting rules apply to all ensembles.

Please click here for information on an August professional development gathering featuring a bass clinic, a reading session, and plenty of social time!

Orchestra resources:

1.       We have a shared google folder that you can use to upload things or look for ideas

a.       Director spreadsheet is part of that folder (feel free to update as needed)

b.       [email protected] for more information

2.       OBDA has added a page for orchestra directors to access: https://www.oregonbda.org/orchestra.html (there are several in our state teaching both band and orchestra so this is a central site.

3.       Adding to the OBDA site – links to literature lists to help as you look for music for your ensembles. 

We DO NOT have a required orchestra list. This would be as a reference and help as directors put together programs. 

https://www.uiltexas.org/pml/OrchSECodesPerfReq.htm 

(this is from Texas – there are others)

ASTA (American String Teachers) also has great resources for solos/chamber music: https://www.astastrings.org/site/teach-strings

4.       Tango website shared at the conference:  https://tangosinfin.org.ar/en/ediciones-de-libre-descarga/

Festival Invitations:

DDHS Scots Invitational this spring on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024 at our beautiful Horner Performing Arts Center located at 1400 SE 130th Av. Portland, Oregon 97233. This invitational is a State Qualifying event that is open to all middle and high schools that would like to bring a Band, Orchestra or Symphony to perform.  

As part of the invitational, we will be offering a clinic led by one of our highly esteemed judges.  This year, our highly esteemed judging panel will include Ben Brooks, May Lou Boderman, Ike Nail and Karl Raschkes.  

The cost to participate in this State Qualifying event is $325 per ensemble. Please make checks payable to DDHS Music. The deadline to register is Friday, February 16th.

6th ANNUAL SPRINGFIELD ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL will be held on Friday, March 1, 2024, at Springfield High School in Springfield, Oregon. The festival is an OSAA sanctioned event and will serve as a qualifying festival for the high school OSAA State Orchestra Competition in May. Middle school participation is welcome on a space available basis.

The purpose of this festival is to provide orchestras with an opportunity to perform in an educational and inspirational atmosphere. In addition to the regular performance time, each group will have a mini clinic with the guest conductor followed by a separate 30-minute clinic with one of our outstanding adjudicators. The festival also provides a great opportunity to meet and share ideas with other directors. Each participating group is encouraged to plan to listen to other groups perform.

This year’s outstanding lineup of festival adjudicators will be Dr. Dijana Ihas, Pacific University Associate Professor of Music Education, Director of Strings Project; Dr. Andy Strietlemeier, music teacher /string specialist, Springfield Schools, former music professor (UO) and orchestra director( Dennison University); Laura Boldon, Music Educator and String Specialist, Grants Pass Schools ; and Dr. Ike Nail, Director, Western Oregon Symphony (WOU) and Salem Pops Orchestra. Our special guest conductor/clinician is Robert Ponto, retired Director of Bands (UO).

A pizza lunch is included for festival participants, compliments of the Roaring Rapids Pizza Company (roaringrapidspizza.com).

The early registration deadline is February 15, 2023 (postmarked). The early registration fee of $225.00 per orchestra will be required to pay adjudication, clinician fees and facility rental. The registration fee after February 15th will increase to $250.00 and applications will be accepted on a space available basis.

Summer Chamber Camps:

Delgani: https://mailchi.mp/fed592efe4f6/announcing-our-2024-summer-quartet-academy

Red Fish: [redfishmusicfestival.com]redfishmusicfestival.com

Please contact OMEA Orchestra Chair Krista Debolt via email at [email protected].

Get ready for Music In Our Schools Month®!

For more than 30 years, March has been officially designated by the NAfME for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month®, the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation. You can read more about it here: 

Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®) - NAfME 

MIOSM® Presentation from 2024 OMEA Conference 

I'm overwhelmed and it's almost March! How do I get started?

• Make it about THE STUDENTS.  Let them lead, get their ideas! It is hard to ignore the voice of our amazing young musicians, especially when they get their administrators, board members, and community leaders to commit to supporting them - and music education!
• Share a ready-made post on social media:
• MIOSM® Shareable Graphics
• Add a personal anecdote about what school music means to you (#MusicIsMe) and to your students!
• Tag decision makers and stakeholders #MIOSM
• Harness the craziness of March!
• Add a graphic to your program for one of your already scheduled performances
• Have your admin introduce the show with a Resolution
• Hosting a festival? Have a student or stakeholder make a statement to the audience. 

I’m ready to do something bigger! 

• Reach out to school boards and local/regional elected officials.  NAfME has sample Proclamations and Resolutions.  Look up your legislators: http://bit.ly/ORLOOKUP

Make your March concert/performance themed and engage with attendees. Ask them What does music mean to ME?

What can you do, RIGHT NOW? Advocacy steps to take action today!

1. Make it local: Local Advocacy Action Plan 

This resource is intended to aid music educators and music education supporters as they seek to improve the overall condition of a music program. Use the Local Advocacy Action Plan for pursuing new resources and opportunities which can improve a music educator’s ability to provide students with high quality music education experiences.

2. Educate yourself and decision makers around current challenges and talking points 

This two-page document from Arts Are Education is designed to help prepare advocates for meetings with school district or state decision makers. Whether virtually or in-person, this resource is also a great leave-behind that can clarify what communities must do to ensure quality arts education programs in their districts.

3. Contact your Oregon Legislators

Let them know about current successes in your school, district, or area and engage with them around your concerns that impact music education. Contact or visit your Oregon Legislators, or find your legislators based on your address HERE.

4. Engage with national advocacy resources

Find Resources at NAfME and the NAfME Advocacy Resource Center, or visit the Oregon Music Advocacy Website.

We all know that music is an essential part of our students’ academic and social-emotional learning. As the music education expert in your building and district, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your leadership, be involved, and advocate for your students, your music colleagues, and yourself. Remind your administrators that music is part of a well-rounded education, as defined at the federal level by the Every Student Succeeds Act. 

If you find yourself needing more assistance, contact Laura Arthur, OMEA Advocacy Chair, at [email protected]. 



·   OMEA Advocacy Website

Follow OMEA on Instragram at "oregonmusiceducation."

You can also follow OMEA on Facebook by liking "Oregon Music Education Association."

OMEA social media is a great way to receive news and updates in real time!

The latest Oregon Music Educator was released at the end of October. Please click here to access OMEA publications. Issuu will now archive all OMEA publications dating back to 1948. These older editions will be posted as access becomes available for scanning.

Please click here to access the latest edition of NAfME Notes.

Make sure to check your email regarding voting instructions for national NAfME elections! Click here to read about the two candidates running for President-Elect.

A Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter opens up a world of opportunities for students who have already shown themselves to be academically capable and musically gifted. Through performance and community service, they’ll develop confidence, creativity, critical thinking, compassion, and a host of other leadership skills sure to serve them well in school and beyond.

Click here to join or renew your Tri-M membership!

Click here to access NFHS publications and e-newsletter subscriptions.

We are writing to offer you an opportunity to participate in a music education research study titled “Predictors of Music Teacher Efficacy.” The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that predict music teacher efficacy, including professional dispositions, imposter phenomenon, and music performance efficacy. Dr. Nancy Summitt at Central Michigan University is serving as the principal investigator.

If you choose to participate in this research study, you will be asked to answer questions regarding the following: demographic and background questions, professional dispositions, imposter syndrome, music performance efficacy, and teacher efficacy. This questionnaire will take approximately 15 minutes. Your responses will be completely anonymous. We ask that you complete this survey within the next two weeks in order for your responses to be included in our analysis.

There are no foreseeable risks associated with the study. You may benefit from this study by becoming more aware of the impact of these factors on your music teacher efficacy. The field of music teacher education may benefit from this study as more information is compiled regarding music teacher efficacy. We intend to present the study results within the music education research community.

If you would like additional information about this study, please contact Dr. Nancy Summitt: [email protected]. If you are interested in participating, please click the following link to access and begin the research study questionnaire.

Thank you for participating in this research.

Click Here.

Sincerely,

Anna L. Williams, Graduate Assistant

PhD Music Education Student

University of Memphis

[email protected]