Welcome to the April Mariachi Newsletter!

Dear Mariachi Educator,

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find the second part of an interview with mariachi great Miguel Martínez as well as the latest mariachi and MENC news.

Do you have a great mariachi lesson plan you'd like to share? Visit www.menc.org/lessons and submit it to My Music Class, MENC's teaching idea center and lesson plan library. You can also e-mail your lesson plans to annew@menc.org.


¡Viva el mariachi!

Anne Wagener
Mariachi Newsletter Editor

An Interview with Miguel Martínez, continued …

Jonathan Clark is a well-known and respected mariachi historian. He lived for 12 years in Mexico, playing the guitarrón full-time and studying the instrument with Natividad de Santiago of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. While in Mexico, he collected many historical photographs, documents, and testimonies of seminal musicians. He is the author of numerous articles on mariachi history.

The following segment is the second part of an interview between Clark and the renowned mariachi artist Miguel Martínez. Click here to read a full transcript of the interview in Spanish. Visit the March Mariachi Newsletter to read the first part of the interview.

Trumpet Pedagogy

JC: When did you first meet trumpet players from other musical genres that weren’t mariachis?

MM: Not until I was at radio XEW with Vargas. Before that, the only trumpet players I’d ever met were those in Garibaldi. The one who gave me the most advice was don Pedrito. But he would say: “Look, I play by ear, and I don’t know whether what I’m showing you is right or wrong. Keep in mind that one blind man can lead another blind man over a cliff! You’d be better off if you found a school.” He was very honest with me. I used to ask questions of many of the trumpet players at XEW. Some would give me advice, but others would say: “Look, I can’t explain much to you. It would be better if you enrolled in a school.” I was apprehensive about doing so, but necessity caused me to put that fear aside.

JC: You didn’t yet know how to read music?

MM: Are you kidding?

JC: When did you take your first formal trumpet classes?

MM: Not until after I recognized that I needed lessons. That was in 1944 or ’45, with maestro Luis Fonseca, at the Escuela Libre de Música y Declamación (a private music school in Mexico City).

JC: Back when you began playing mariachi music, there weren’t a lot of rules for the trumpet to follow.

MM: No. If you played only the introduction, a cadencial adorno (melodic figure or embellishment) at the end of each verse, and the finale, you fulfilled all the expectations. Sometimes I think that since the public didn’t like the trumpet, perhaps Jesús Salazar didn’t want to extend himself too much, so the trumpet wouldn’t be playing too continuously — so it wouldn’t be too prominent. This would have even been more the case after the owner of XEW told the artistic director that if the public continued complaining about the trumpet, the plan was to eliminate it.

JC: Did you ever feel pressured not to call attention to your instrument?

MM: Of course! That’s why I practiced so much. Playing in Plaza Garibaldi didn’t carry the same level of responsibility as playing over XEW. Just imagine how many more people were going to hear me!

JC: How do you describe the difference between your style and that of Jesús Salazar?

MM: Well, it’s important to recognize that don Jesús was a very good player. Nonetheless, I became aware that I didn’t want to copy his adornos. I admired him a lot, and I also admired don Pedrito for his sound; it was quite different from that of Candelario Salazar, don Concho’s trumpet player. But I didn’t want to sound like any one of those three — I aspired to something different. I didn’t yet know what it was, but I knew I didn’t want to imitate them.

JC: And when you joined Mariachi Vargas, you obviously had the opportunity to develop in that sense.

MM: I believe so. I wanted to take things in a different direction. For example, if the others played an ending a certain way, I would multiply the number of notes, or invert them. It took a lot of mental energy, however, to make sure I remained within the musical framework. There was always the risk that someone would ask, “What in the world are you playing?” It was always in the back of my mind that what I improvised might not be accepted. What if they didn’t like it?

JC: And were there occasions when that happened?

MM: No, thank God! No one ever criticized me or said, “Don’t play that,” because my ideas had been thought out and rehearsed beforehand.

Rubén Fuentes

JC: About four years after you joined Mariachi Vargas, Rubén Fuentes joined, and certain musical changes began to take place in the group.

MM: He gave me a lot of tips and suggestions. He didn’t know anything about the trumpet, but he would say, “Look, try and play this,” and I would do so without hesitation. Perhaps not at that precise instant, but after three, four, or five times, or after woodshedding it, I’d be able to play it.

JC: Rubén Fuentes also gave more organization to the distribution of the adornos.

MM: Of course! He has tremendous musicality. What more could we ask for? He was the one who gave me my first solfège method book.

The Trumpet Duo in Mariachi Music

JC: Can you tell me briefly how you came to define and popularize the two-trumpet instrumentation in the mariachi?

MM: That was another major step! You see, there had already been recordings made with two trumpets, but these weren’t well received. So Pepe Villa got this idea to form a mariachi with two trumpets. I’d recently left Mariachi Vargas, and I said to him, “You’re taking a big risk, but let’s try it and see what happens.” And we did. He let me take the first trumpet part and my compadre Jesús Córdoba took the second. And that‘s how the first two-trumpet mariachi was born.

JC: Did the two trumpets blend right away?

MM: Very superficially. He knew the melodies one way, I another. For that reason, my compadre and I first had to get together, apart from the rest of the group, and practice adorno by adorno, song by song, until the phrasing was uniform and other details had been worked out.

JC: So in those rehearsals, you basically pioneered the two-trumpet performance practice that’s still in effect today.

MM: Yes, thank God. But don’t think it was accepted right away. If, at first, the public didn’t want one trumpet, even less did they want two of them!

JC: So how did the trumpet duo become popular?

MM: Radio is a powerful communications medium. When you hear something over and over again, day after day, you get used to it. After a year, those who initially didn’t like the two trumpets began to accept them. The same people who at first called on the phone and wrote letters telling the station to get rid of the trumpets eventually ended up accepting them. Little by little, they became accustomed to this, like everything else. I’d like to make one more observation: about six months after my compadre Jesús and I began meeting to work out the adornos together, the number of letters and phone calls requesting that the second trumpet be eliminated had gone down by more than half — a sign that the public noticed the way our two horns were starting to blend. When I’d pass through Plaza Garibaldi on my way home, fellow musicians from the plaza would remark, “Nice job! The trumpets sounded much better on that last program.” Before that, the only thing I’d heard from them was criticism about the two trumpets!

JC: And after you left Mariachi México, they continued with the two-trumpet instrumentation and performance practice you had implemented.

MM: The trademark sound had been established, and it made sense for Pepe Villa to stick with it.

Back with Mariachi Vargas

JC: After a year with Pepe Villa, you went back to Mariachi Vargas.

MM: Yes, we made peace. You know how quarrels go. A year later, Silvestre Vargas and I patched up our differences. Rubén Fuentes, whom I esteem highly, said to me, “Come on back! Why are you drifting around, when this is your group? This is where you became what you are now!” And his words were true. That was where I came into my own, after the humble mariachi where I learned my first sones, which we played so terribly! After that, Vargas was where I honed my skills, and I recognize this. So that’s how I ended up going back to Mariachi Vargas.

JC: Mariachi Vargas didn’t hire a permanent second trumpet player until more than a decade after Pepe Villa had done so.

MM: Vargas didn’t have two trumpets until after I had left the group for good. While I was there, they only added a second trumpet sporadically — to record specific pieces, or for special programs or presentations.

JC: I know that Silvestre Vargas didn’t have a personal affinity for the trumpet.

MM: I believe that if it had been left up to him, he never would have added a trumpet to his mariachi, much less a second trumpet!

JC: During the lapse of time between when you left Mariachi México (in the early fifties) until the final time you left Vargas (the mid-sixties), didn’t you often run into customers who suggested that the group add a second trumpet?

MM: No, the solo trumpet tradition was well established in Mariachi Vargas. Sure, there were groups out there with two trumpets, but there were also groups with only one, and there was work for everyone. It’s true that one continued to see more and more groups with two trumpets, but there are still groups today that use only one.

JC: I know that in Mariachi Vargas today there are many moments when one of the trumpet players will sit out and let the other play solo, just to preserve that older tradition. After leaving Mariachi Vargas, you continued playing with various groups. Can you name some of these?

MM: I played with them all—everyone who invited me. I was a free agent, and I didn’t want the kind of commitment I’d had with Vargas, where I had to be at his beck and call 24 hours a day. I freelanced with whoever invited me. About two months after I left Mariachi Vargas, Miguel Aceves Mejía called and asked me to put together a small group for a tour of the Caribbean and parts of Central America. I agreed, and we did so. When I returned, I formed my own group, Mariachi Tolteca, and was fortunate enough to find work in hotels, nightclubs, television, and the home expo La Feria del Hogar. Six years later, I disbanded the ensemble. I didn’t enjoy being a group leader. I was musical director for a number of artists such as Luis Aguilar, Manuel López Ochoa (Chucho “El Roto”), the Hermanas Huerta, “La Prieta Linda,” Lupe Mejía “La Yaqui,” and others. I did their arrangements as well. I also did a lot of recording sessions. I recorded with Miguel Díaz, and Arcadio Elías invited me to some freelance sessions, as did Heriberto Aceves, Alfredo Serna, Pepe Chávez, Pepe López … I recorded with whoever invited me.

The Current State of Mariachi Music

JC: What do you think of the current mariachi situation in Mexico?

MM: Well, I’m going to be frank with you. To me, the mariachi is not at the level it used to be. I feel and observe that it’s in decline. Nowadays, except for five or six groups that take the trouble to rehearse, most mariachis only get together when it comes time to work. On the job, everyone plays whatever they feel like, and nobody says anything about it! It didn’t used to be this way. You would rehearse a piece and get it down well before performing it. What’s more, the groups were full ensembles and they remained that way. Today, on the other hand, they grab players from here, there, and everywhere, and then go off to the chamba (gig). Once it’s over, they don’t see each other again. What can it sound like if each musician is playing a different version of the same song? I believe that our music is being devalued because the musicians don’t want to rehearse any more. I don’t want to be the bearer of dire predictions, but if things continue like this, the situation is going to hit rock bottom!

JC: What do you think about the mariachi movement in the United States?

MM: Well, there it’s really strong. You know, they’ve been bringing me to these festivals for almost 15 years, thank God, and each time I go, I see the enthusiasm that pervades every festival in the U.S. I’m not a traitor to my country, but neither am I going to speak badly of the United States — they’ve treated me marvelously! Now, getting back to your question — the mariachi is doing quite well in the U.S. Practicing is important to them. You know that our people who were born on the other side of the border like this music, and they practice. From one year to the next, I see the difference and the progress that the students have made with the exercises I left them. This shows that they have passion for it.

Miguel Martínez Today

JC: What are your current activities?

MM: I gig a little with the groups that invite me, and I try not to work late hours. I’m also on the board of directors of the Sociedad Mexicana de Ejecutantes de Música (SOMEM), an organization dedicated to collecting performance rights for recorded music, similar to what BMI does in the United States.

JC: You also give trumpet lessons.

MM: I teach how to fend for oneself in the mariachi, how to improve technique, how to play sones, and the students come! I favor those who love to practice, because if they show up today then don’t come back for three months, how are they going to make any progress?

JC: So you’re selective about your students.

MM: If we are trying to revive this, to bring it back to the level where Silvestre Vargas left it … Vargas fought hard to bring the name of the mariachi and folklore to the place he did. If Vargas could hear how the accents to “La Negra” have been deformed, he’d turn over in his grave!

JC: I understand they make a trumpet named after you.

MM: I’ve been quite fortunate. The Tombstone Trumpet Company in Arizona wanted to make a Miguel Martinez model trumpet, and they asked me if this would be all right. How could I not accept their offer? I was flattered. The Olds company created the “Méndez” model for maestro Rafael Méndez, and my trumpet has “Miguel Martínez” engraved on it. I don’t compare myself to my good friend, the great maestro Méndez, nor would I ever want to.

JC: Nevertheless, it pleases you that they’ve honored you in this manner.

MM: Of course! They distinguished me by making a trumpet that bears my name. But the point is for me to play it and use it, so people see me with it. It’s the instrument I currently play on.

JC: How long has your artistic career lasted so far?

MM: Seventy years now.

JC: Are you satisfied with your career?

MM: On the one hand, yes, I feel satisfied; on the other hand, no. I still feel that if I had more time, I could contribute more to Mexican folklore.

JC: What are your plans for the future?

MM: Whatever God has in mind for me. I’ll keep playing the trumpet and see what happens. When I play gigs, I don’t want to be given the money as charity — I want to earn it.

JC: What can you tell us about the autobiography you are writing?

MM: So many things have happened to me in my life! The tours... can you imagine? I’ve worked with all the artists — Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, Lola Beltrán, Amalia Mendoza, María de Lourdes, Luis Aguilar, Miguel Aceves Mejía — with all of them! I worked with the Martínez Gil brothers, with Los Panchos, with the Trío Guayacán… Thank God I’ve worked with everyone here in Mexico, as well as in the United States with Nati Cano, Mariachi Águila, and others.

JC: All of this is going to be in your book?

MM: All of it! Everything that’s happened in my artistic career: the experiences, the satisfactions, the disappointments… a thousand details. What doesn’t happen on a tour?

JC: Any final comments you’d like to make?

MM: Well, I’d like to thank once again the organizers of the recent festival, where they honored my artistic achievements with a commemorative plaque in Plaza Garibaldi. I’m quite grateful to them, because they bent over backwards to do me this honor, which I feel I don’t deserve.

JC: Well, thank you very much, don Miguel. Good evening, and may God bless you!

MM: Thank you. Good night.

Mariachi News

Spring/Summer Mariachi Education Workshops

Summer 2008 Workshop Provides "Everything You Need to Know" about Starting a Mariachi Program



Participants of this summer 2008 workshop will be provided with sample materials so that they may present the concept of a mariachi program to district administrators, principals, parents, and fellow educators. Resources that will be provided include standards-based curriculum documents; beginning-level musical arrangements; recordings; historical information; list of contacts for instruments, uniforms, and clinicians; and much more. Participants will learn to play the guitarrón, vihuela, and mariachi guitar in authentic styles including ranchera, son, and bolero.

This event is cosponsored by Yamaha Corporation and Villanova Summer Studies for Educators in cooperation with MENC. Members of MENC receive a 25% discount on the registration cost. The course will take place July 7–11, 2008, at The National Music Center in Washington, DC. Visit www.villanova.edu for more information and registration. Three graduate credits are available for this class through Villanova University.

Mexico City Workshop Explores the Integration of Mariachi Music in the School Curriculum

From May 19–23, 2008, Katherine Lopez and Richard Haefer of the mariachi program at Arizona State University will teach a course on mariachi education in the U.S. Lopez and Haefer were invited by the Escuela Nacional de Música (ENM) to teach this weeklong course for university music students. The course includes workshops on flute in mariachi, a “play along” with a live mariachi, and interactive lessons with mariachi music.

For more information and registration, contact Maestra Violeta Cantú of ENM at violetac@servidor.unam.mx or Licenciada Alejandra Flores of ENM at musicale100@hotmail.com.

Mariachi Student Groups Impress Principals, Board Members

Student Mariachi Group Performs at Secondary School Principal Convention

In February, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) members met in San Antonio, Texas, for their annual conference. During the event, principals enjoyed several performances by the local Somerset High School mariachi group, led by MENC National Advisory Committee Chair Noé Sánchez.

The Somerset High School Mariachi group, directed by MENC National Advisory Committee Chair Noé Sánchez, performs at the 2008 NASSP National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Kathryn Oliver (far right), Principal of Somerset High School, proudly acknowledges the group.

Clark County Mariachi Honor Ensembles Impress Board Members in Las Vegas

At a February school board meeting in Clark County, Nevada, the district's mariachi honor ensembles drew quite a bit of attention. The Las Vegas Sun noted that "as the strains of 'Palabra de Hombre' wafted through the halls, the School Board's meeting room quickly emptied into the foyer for the show." Students in this first-ever Clark County mariachi honor ensemble auditioned for selection in these ensembles and are led by Ramiro Benavides at Monaco Middle School.

Clark County’s first-ever mariachi ensemble performs for school board members.

Mariachi in the Schools Program Offers Training, Scholarships for Mariachi Students

In response to the growing interest in mariachi in the Sweetwater Union High School District of California, the Mariachi in the Schools Program provides mariachi training to students and instructors. Conferences offer elementary- through college-age students the opportunity to study each of the mariachi instruments. The program also works to increase students' self-esteem by developing their pride in mariachi music and its performance.

Along with training opportunities, the Mariachi Scholarship Foundation offers scholarships to each of the graduating seniors in the program, along with graduating and continuing mariachi students at Southwestern Community College, outstanding middle school students, and ballet folklórico students. The organization honors mariachi students each year at an annual gala dinner in which elected officials present the students with certificates. This year's gala will be held on May 9 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and will feature a performance by Mariachi Mujer 2000.

To learn more about the Mariachi in the Schools Program, contact Sandi Smith at sandra.smith@suhsd.k12.ca.us or by calling 619-585-4405.

Mariachi Vargas Celebrates its 110th Birthday: Bring Their Music to Your Classroom

During the Coastal Bend Mariachi Festival last month, the renowned Mariachi Vargas celebrated 110 years of mariachi music. With over 60 recordings and 200 film appearances under their belt, the group had much to celebrate. For recommendations on Mariachi Vargas albums to add to your classroom listening library, see the list of albums below provided by the MENC National Mariachi Advisory Committee Chair-Elect Bill Gradante. The list includes album titles, label names, and catalog numbers.

• El Mejor Mariachi del Mundo, Vol. I, BMG/RCA, CDM-3146
• Fiesta en Jalisco, BMG/RCA, CDM-3150
• La “Nueva” Dimensión del… BMG/RCA Camden, CDV 743214205723
• …En Concierto, PolyGram, CDNPM 841-424-2
• El Mariachi, PolyGram, CDNPM 1082 839 333 2
• Rubén Fuentes: 50 Años, Mercury, 314-526-223-2
• La Fiesta del Mariachi, (Mex) PolyGram (USA) Mercury, (Mex) CDNPM-1632-522-923-2 (USA) P2-26946

PBS Features Mariachi Documentary

The PBS series Independent Lens featured COMPAÑERAS, a rousing, passionate look at America's first all-female mariachi band, L.A.'s Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, on April 1. Learn more at www.pbs.org/companeras.

Free Guitar Workshop in Summer 2008

This summer, participate in a free workshop on guitar teaching techniques. These workshops have helped more than 1,500 teachers provide guitar classes for 700,000 students and are open to MENC members. In addition to the instruction, workshop participants receive a free guitar, guitar publications and accessories, and three graduate college credits from Duquesne University. The entire package is worth about $1,800, and participants pay only travel and housing expenses. To register, visit www.guitaredunet.org. The workshop is sponsored by The Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association, MENC, NAMM—International Music Products Association, and the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University.

Foundations of Mariachi Education: Materials, Methods, and Resources Now Available from MENC

Beginning with how to start a mariachi program, each chapter of this new book, copublished by MENC and Rowman & Littlefield Education, addresses a specific topic in mariachi education, including choosing appropriate repertoire, preparing for performances, and teaching each mariachi instrument—including voice. Each instrument chapter includes practical advice on care of the instrument, tuning, posture, fingerings, technique, and the role of the instrument within the mariachi ensemble. With dozens of music exercises distributed throughout the chapters, this resource shows you how to build your students' technical skills using mariachi repertoire so your students truly shine onstage. MENC National Advisory Committee members contributed the chapters, and William Gradante, chair-elect of the committee, is the editor. Visit www.rowmaneducation.com to learn more and order.

New Mariachi Method Book Now Available

Northeastern Music Publications recently released ¡Simplemente Mariachi!, a beginning mariachi method book by Marcia Neel, President of Music Education Consultants, and Francisco A. Grijalva. The book provides a comprehensive curriculum for first-year study that covers mariachi song forms, pitch relationships, music terminology, improvisation, basic composition, and mariachi history, and includes a CD.

Neel is the president of Music Education Consultants and has served as the supervisor of the secondary music education program of the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada, which has a successful mariachi program. She is a veteran of 36 years in public school music education and is an active MENC member, speaker, and clinician. Grijalva is a well-known arranger of mariachi music. His arrangements have been performed by Mariachi Cobre and recorded by the Boston Pops.

For more information and to order this book, contact your local music store or Northeastern Music Publications at 866-385-8446 or info@nemusicpub.com.

Meet the April Mariachi Mentor

From September through May, MENC’s mariachi forum features a professional mariachi mentor each month. In addition, the general music forum features a guitar mentor.

This month’s mariachi mentor is Javier Trujillo, who teaches mariachi music in the Clark County School District of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Do you have mariachi teaching questions? Visit www.menc.org/resources/view/mentors to post your questions and read responses.

Mariachi Groups: Join Us in DC for the 2008 National Anthem Project Event!

Due to the amount of positive feedback we received about our successful National Anthem Project finale event this past June, MENC plans to continue the National Anthem Project by holding an annual summer celebration. Next year’s event will be during Flag Day weekend, June 12–15, 2008, in Washington, DC, and we’d like to extend a special invitation for you to join us!

Some of the highlights of this celebration include a concert on the National Mall featuring a national anthem sing-along and performances by student groups, including yours, at some of DC’s historic monuments. The presence of mariachi groups at this event would be a great way to celebrate the cultural expressions of music in the schools and communities across our nation.

To learn more and register for this event, please visit the Web site of American Musical Salute, the official tour and concert provider of the National Anthem Project, at www.americanmusicalsalute.com. You can also call 800-626-8590.

Mariachi Conferences and Festivals

Below you will find information about mariachi events in the upcoming months. These events are excellent opportunities for professional development as well as for enjoying mariachi performances.

Visit MENC’s Mariachi Events Web page for a full list of mariachi concerts, festivals, and conferences across the nation.

Ford Mariachi Festival
April 22–25, 2008, San Antonio, TX

Middle and high school mariachi groups from San Antonio will perform for the public along the city’s River Walk. Visit http://paseodelrio.com/Events for more information.

La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference
April 23–26, 2008, Tucson, AZ

This weeklong event features student workshops, a participant showcase, a mariachi mass, and the Espectacular Concert featuring Mariachi Vargas and Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. Visit www.tucsonmariachi.org to learn more and register.

¡Viva el Mariachi! Concert with the Santa Rosa Symphony
April 26, 2008, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, CA

The Santa Rosa Symphony will perform with Mariachi Champaña Nevín in the culmination of the Symphony's Latin Waves series. Visit www.santarosasymphony.com for more details.

Clark County School District Mariachi Festival
May 9, 2008, Eldorado High School, Las Vegas, NV

Participating mariachi students will be judged by three professional mariachi performers and critiqued by two clinicians who either teach or perform mariachi professionally. Contact Adam Romo at aromo@interact.ccsd.net for more information.

Southwestern College Mariachi Concert "Serenata para las Madres"
May 9, 2008, Southwestern College, Chula Vista, CA

This concert features the performances of three groups of over 80 mariachi students. Visit http://swccd.edu for more information.

Northwest Mariachi Festival
June 18–21, 2008, Wenatchee, WA

Visit www.northwestmariachi.org for more information and registration.

Sweetwater International Student Mariachi Conference
June 19–21, 2008, Chula Vista High School, Chula Vista, CA

This annual event features classes in all mariachi instruments, mariachi history presentations by Jonathan Clark, a student showcase, and performances by Mariachi Internacional Guadalajara. Classes are available for all levels and will be taught by 30 master teachers including Rigoberto Alfaro. Learn more by visiting www.suhsd.k12.ca.us/mariachiconference/ or by calling Sandi Smith at 619-585-4405.

 

MENC News & Announcements

MENC's latest specials and news

April Member Special: Video Clearance

The April MENC member monthly special features the Choral Triad video series. These six videos are a must-have for teachers of choral music at all levels.

This month only, MENC members can purchase each video for only $5.00, and you'll receive the accompanying workbook free! (Limit one book per member.) Buy one or buy all six, but get them now. Quantities are limited, and when these are gone, you won't be able to purchase them anywhere. No additional purchase is required. This special is not available at state conference resource shops. Call 800-828-0229 to order.

New MENC Web Site Offers a Fresh Look and New Resources

Submit your mariachi lesson plans to My Music Class!

This month, check out the new MENC Web site at www.menc.org. You'll find a fresh look and a well-organized site that's divided into several main categories to help you find exactly what you're looking for.

As part of the new Web site, MENC now offers My Music Class, an online teaching idea center and lesson plan library. Help us offer more mariachi lesson plans through My Music Class by submitting yours at www.menc.org/lessons or by e-mailing them to annew@menc.org.

New Books for Teaching Recorder and Jazz

Playing the Soprano Recorder: For Church, School, Community, and the Private Studio
By Lois Veenhoven Guderian

This book provides teachers and students with a sequential approach to learning Western music notation and soprano recorder playing. Each lesson provides opportunities for students to apply the notation and concepts they learn and also to develop creative thinking skills and the tools needed for composing music in Western notation. The book features 76 pieces with optional instrument parts, piano accompaniment, and a practice/performance CD. Visit www.rowmaneducation.com to learn more and order.

Teaching Improv in Your Jazz Ensemble: A Complete Guide for Music Educators
By Zachary B. Poulter

This resource will guide you in designing an effective sequence for teaching improvisation and reinforcing it with correlating jazz ensemble charts. Over 180 arrangements of jazz standards are indexed to correlate with the sequence of improvisation study. Learn how to design a sequence of instruction, interpret chord symbols, rehearse improvisation in a group format, and assess jazz improvisation. Also learn about the philosophy and history of the educational jazz ensemble. To order this book, visit www.rowmaneducation.com.

Upcoming Music Education Events

New Music Adjudication Seminars

Learn from the best during this new music adjudication event! MENC and NFHS: The National Federation of State High School Associations, in cooperation with Walt Disney World Performing Arts Programs, are offering two seminars to improve music adjudication skills. The upcoming three-day seminar beginning April 24 will provide attendees with the opportunity to develop and improve effective music adjudication skills under the guidance of a world-class music adjudicator. MENC members receive a 25% discount on registration. Visit the National Center for the Assessment and Adjudication of Musical Performance (NCAAMP) Web site at www.menc.org/resources for more information and online registration.

Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project

This program is a weeklong intensive event for songwriters ages 18–30 who are writing in the genres of pop, country, independent, and music theatre/cabaret. Participants will work on their craft with master teachers Amanda McBroom ("The Rose"), Craig Carnelia ("Working"), Andrew Lippa ("The Wild Party"), and Lari White ("Green Eyed Soul"). The program runs from August 9–16, 2008, at Northwestern University. There is no cost to participate, and stipends are available to cover transportation and lodging. Visit www.amtp.northwestern.edu for more information and an application.

The National Symposium on Multicultural Music

This event, which will take place on October 8–11, 2008, at the University of Tennessee, features

• performances and sessions on African, African American, Appalachian, Asian, Australian, Cajun, Latin, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, and Scottish music and dance,
• a visit to the Museum of Appalachia, and
• folk dancing and storytelling.

Contact Marvelene C. Moore at mmoore7@utk.edu or call 865-974-7515 for more information.

Question of the Month: Share Your Thoughts

Each month, MENC surveys members on music education topics. This month's questions are about copyright and being an "iron chef" (i.e., being prepared for class). Visit www.menc.org/question to contribute.

Eastern Division Conference 2009 Call for Performing Groups

You're invited to bring your performing group to the 51st MENC Eastern Division Biennial In-Service Conference managed by Rhode Island Music Educators Association in Providence, RI, on March 12–15, 2009. Application deadline: May 15, 2008. Apply online at the Eastern Division Conference Web site, www.all-eastern.org.

Study Reveals Teens’ Commitment to Music Making

The NAMM Foundation recently announced the results of a study by MENC member Patricia Shehan Campbell of the University of Washington. The study, titled “Adolescents’ Expressed Meanings of Music in and out of School,” was based on responses by 1,155 teens who submitted student essays to Teen People magazine as part of an online contest. Throughout their essays, students expressed their thoughts about learning and playing music and revealed that they value music making as a central aspect of their identities. Visit www.namm.org to read their comments.