Music News
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Any Given Saturday: Judging Comments Critical for Educational Growth
By Ronnie, Rios, TMAA Marching Band Vice President | Thursday, September 30, 2010 12:57 PM
Think about loading up the car with the family, picking up grandma on the way to the stadium, snacking on homemade cookies, all while spending a beautiful day at your local marching band contest. Unfortunately, on any given Saturday, this picture could become tainted for marching bands and spectators alike if the adjudication process is flawed.
The judge’s decisions and comments absolutely do matter and they are the sole reason we are selected to serve as adjudicators. It is our responsibility to provide a positive commentary full of beneficial suggestions and musical growth opportunities for each performing group. Reward achievement like there is no tomorrow. We must always remember that our comments are a primary source for educational growth. The students, directors and parents deserve our best effort, and it is essential for the evolution of the activity.
New PML Revision Committee Takes Shape
By Richard Floyd, director of music | Thursday, August 26, 2010 8:42 PM
In January of 2010 I wrote about a vision to modify the process that we use to review and amend the Prescribed Music List. It started out like this.
The long standing procedure for revising the Prescribed Music List has consisted of appointing a committee of five to seven people in band, choir and orchestra, who have four years to study the PML, consider additions and deletions and make recommendations that are incorporated into the list for the next four years. Then the cycle begins anew. This process has remained basically unchanged since at least the 1960s when I served on the PML Revision Committee.
Yet, over the past decade technology has dramatically changed virtually every aspect of how we deal with print music and audio recordings. And, at the same time everything I hear and read suggests that there are many more changes to come. In addition, our Prescribed Music List is now maintained in an electronic database online so there is no need to wait four years to complete a revision in order to print a new book. We can amend the list immediately with just a few keystrokes.
A Few Reminders as the School Year Starts
By David Lambert, TMAA President | Thursday, August 26, 2010 8:39 PM
Welcome back to a new school year and the opportunities it provides you to influence the lives of young people. Nothing is more important than providing a student with a good educational foundation and life skills to help them make their mark in the world.
Since the 2010-2011 school year is just beginning, I thought it might be a good time to re-address a few on-going concerns regarding TMAA, as well as some new concerns that were brought forth last year. Some of this may seem redundant, but it needs to be reiterated so that we keep it fresh in our minds as we go about the daily routine of preparing students for the various competitions and events in the coming year and preparing ourselves to serve as adjudicators for many of these events.
The Importance of Adjudication
By Richard Floyd | Tuesday, March 16, 2010 2:44 PM
In 1991, I was asked to write an article on the importance of music adjudication and the vital role that our music directors play as music contest judges. The information in that article is as pertinent today as it was when first written almost 20 years ago. Please feel free to share these comments regarding adjudication with your principal and other administrators.
It’s Time to Rethink the Prescribed Music List Revision Process
By Richard Floyd | Tuesday, January 12, 2010 11:56 AM
As most of you probably know by now the University Interscholastic League is celebrating its 100th Anniversary during the 2009-2010 school year. Music has been a member of the UIL family for better than 60 of those years. As I have looked back at our history it has been interesting to see how some things have changed dramatically while others have remained static for decades.
Two Recent Issues Need Clarification in Sight Reading Contests
By Richard Floyd | Monday, December 14, 2009 12:27 PM
Yep. Texas is a big state. Let’s face it. According to Mapquest, it is 820 miles from Texarkana to El Paso and an equally impressive 930 miles from Texline in the Panhandle to Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley. That’s a lot of wide-open spaces, and at countless locations in this vastness, there will be UIL Concert and Sight-reading Music Contests this spring. And, it will be the hope that most, if not all, will be run consistently and with little confusion or misunderstanding. Of course, this is always the goal but perhaps not always the reality.
Music Director Honors Former Band Director at State Meet
By Jeanne Acton | Tuesday, November 10, 2009 12:34 PM
At the Conference AA 2009-2010 State Marching Band Contest, Music Director Richard Floyd had the unique opportunity to honor a former high school band director, Charles Enloe of Wichita Falls, whose students participated in the first UIL Marching Band Competition in 1947.
Wind Ensemble Contest Provides a Valuable, Educational Experience for Students
By Richard Floyd | Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:08 PM
The State Wind Ensemble Contest was established in 1976 as a part of the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest. During the years that followed, this event gradually evolved into the festival format that is in place today. It is now referred to as the State Wind Ensemble Festival (SWEF). It is viewed to be an educationally rewarding and positive experience for all participants. This year this prestigious event is scheduled for May 8, 2010.
Tips to Remember Before Competition Season Begins
By David Lambert, TMAA President | Tuesday, October 06, 2009 12:23 PM
We are once again well into the school year, and competitions will soon begin for bands, orchestras and choirs. As these events are set into motion, many of you will be asked to judge performances for organizations throughout the state. This will require every adjudicator to approach each event with decorum and professionalism.
TMAA is a professional organization that has made great strides in creating a cadre of adjudicators who demonstrate their dedication to the profession, and their fair approach to evaluating each adjudicated performance. We want to continue that perception and improve every year. With that in mind, I would like to provide a list of some of the things to remember when adjudicating these events.
• Re-read the rules for the event you are going to adjudicate. Rules change and we forget. It is always a good idea to re-read the rules each year and understand your role in the process. Sight-reading judges should know who gets extra time and how much. Too often, mistakes occur that could be avoided if time had been taken to review the rules and guidelines.
When You Find It, Speak It
By Ronnie Rios, Marching Band Vice President | Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:57 PM
Find the great! See the great! Reward the great! Be the great! And, as UIL adjudicators, speak the great!
As we go through life, it is very important to remember that a bad lunch, a bad moment in time, even a bad rehearsal should be cherished. Why? Consider the alternative.
What if there was no lunch, no rehearsal or no moment to experience. Regardless of the circumstances we must strive to find the great in everything and acknowledge its value.
Many times we, adjudicators, often speak of one problem after another on our tapes or sheets. Although constructive criticism is imperative, we must also speak to the great that is happening or has potential to happen with the groups we adjudicate.
Having a group of students represent a school at a contest is an achievement. Having a group of students play music in an outdoor arena is an achievement. Having a group of students march from point A to point B 65 times is an achievement.