Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 will return to the Dominican Republic in August for a five-day residency and two performances presented by Fundación Sinfonía.
The 89-member youth orchestra, made up of teen musicians from across the United States, will perform after a two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, and a July 30 concert at Carnegie Hall.
Conductor Mei-Ann Chen will lead the ensemble with violinist Tessa Lark as soloist. The program includes music by George Gershwin, Ottorino Respighi, Gabriela Lena Frank, Arturo Márquez and Michael Torke.
NYO2 is scheduled to perform Aug. 2 at the Gran Teatro del Cibao in Santiago and Aug. 3 at the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito in Santo Domingo. The trip marks the ensemble’s second visit to the Dominican Republic, following its international debut there in 2023.
For more information, visit carnegiehall.org.
","related":[{"id":22562,"slug":"you-can-help-shape-a-bold-future","title":"You Can Help Shape a Bold Future","category":"Headlines","categories":["Headlines","January 2026"],"categorySlugs":["headlines","january-2026"],"date":"Jan 20, 2026","shortDate":"Jan 20","byline":"Tom Palmatier","excerpt":"From the classroom to their careers, students carry the lessons of music with them. Together, we can ensure more students discover the skills that shape their futures. Through Music for All’...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/you-can-help-shape-a-bold-future/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/image4-2.jpg"},{"id":22314,"slug":"headlines-december-2025","title":"Headlines December 2025","category":"Headlines","categories":["December 2025","Headlines"],"categorySlugs":["december-2025","headlines"],"date":"Dec 10, 2025","shortDate":"Dec 10","byline":"Tom Palmatier","excerpt":"2025–2026 Music In Our Schools Month Composition Call Calling all Music Educators and Students! NAfME encourages all music educators to UNITE and celebrate Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/headlines-december-2025/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AdobeStock_184010116-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22213,"slug":"sousa-aba-ostwald-winner-announced","title":"Sousa-ABA Ostwald Winner Announced","category":"Headlines","categories":["Headlines","November 2025"],"categorySlugs":["headlines","november2025"],"date":"Nov 10, 2025","shortDate":"Nov 10","byline":"Tom Palmatier","excerpt":"Co-sponsored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and the American Bandmasters Association, this year’s winner is Concerto for Euphonium and Band by Tom Davoren. The work will be featured at...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/sousa-aba-ostwald-winner-announced/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image1-2.jpg"}]},"features":[{"id":22900,"slug":"why-music","title":"Why Music?","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 7, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 7","byline":"Brian C. Murray","excerpt":"Brian C. Murray is director of choral activities, assistant professor, and vocal arts area coordinator at the University of Wyoming. A version of this article appeared in Choral Journal, April 2016 (Vol 56, No 9). It is surprising to think of 2016 as ten years ago, but that is when the Choral Journal originally published this article. All our lives have chan...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AdobeStock_852091040-1-scaled.jpeg","content":"Brian C. Murray is director of choral activities, assistant professor, and vocal arts area coordinator at the University of Wyoming. A version of this article appeared in Choral Journal, April 2016 (Vol 56, No 9).
It is surprising to think of 2016 as ten years ago, but that is when the Choral Journal originally published this article. All our lives have changed tremendously since then—as they will again in ten more years. Wonderful additions and tragic losses have marred this span of time; we are different people than we were before. Now, more than ever, it seems, it is more important to have an impetus for our work as music educators. Most music education students at the university write a philosophy of music education for one (or more) of their courses. This statement (whether they call it a personal philosophy, teaching statement, or something different altogether) is not something to craft when required for a class or for job applications and then forget. It merits revisiting and considering why you make the choices you make. If we hope to instill the trait of life-long learning into our students, we, too, must strive to improve our craft as teachers. We must have a compelling reason for why we do what we do. As we change, our philosophy of music education changes. Major life moments—births, deaths, health crises, changes in relationships—influence who we are as individuals. Our philosophy should metamorphose, reflecting who we are and what we value. This statement of beliefs serves as our personal credo of music education. The behaviors of these beliefs must align with who we are. Holding fast to your values, perhaps it is time for you to revisit your personal philosophy of music education. Allow it to direct all your decisions as an educator.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.”
This idea encourages everyone to contemplate his or her beliefs—to consider the foundational principles that govern everyday decision making. Every choice has repercussions; therefore, it is essential that music educators understand and can articulate their beliefs about why music is important, why it should be included in the school curriculum, what kind of music should be experienced, who should teach it, and who should learn it. In creating a personal philosophy of music education, educators establish a raison d’être for their life’s work—a foundation and impetus behind every decision they make.
Why Music? “The arts exist to make the seemingly ordinary extraordinary.” Music is an integral element in the lives of all people. It has a transformative power over everyone it contacts, an unparalleled ability to communicate directly with the soul and transcend reality. Music, in its capacity to achieve a sense of deep significance by going beyond the meanings made available by words to meanings only sounds can bring into being, has always been a major source of the quest for profound experience.
Music is more than an activity, a pastime, or a hobby; it is integral to the human experience. To be able to express meaning and emotion, to prompt the senses through intricately planned noises, to unite unique individuals momentarily through a shared communal endeavor, is the art of music. Through music we experience the past, communicate with the present, and inform the future about the essence of humanity. “Music…is a demonstration of the human capacity to think—to be intelligent.”
Why Music in School? “The primary aim of education is not to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of school.”
A lifelong pursuit of musical experiences is valuable for everyone. It is integral, then, that music be included in school curriculum. If students do not have the opportunity to study music in schools, where or when will they? Consider the number of families that own pianos and encourage their students to take piano lessons. Valuing private musical instruction is no longer ubiquitous— it has been relegated to the affluent, educated, social elite. Without the free music education offered by public schools, society relinquishes the opportunity to musically educate all children, and services such as iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube take the place of general music teachers, ensemble directors, and private music instructors in the music education of America’s students. When students are exposed to and trained in music in school, they are more likely to participate in music as adults. Schools can encourage students to actively participate in music ensembles where they develop music reading, performance, critical thinking, work ethic, teamwork, and social skills. Through this, students can develop a passion for music making that motivates them to actively pursue musical outlets for the rest of their lives. The American public school is responsible not only for educating citizens to develop and maintain a democratic society but also for engendering in individuals the desire to continue their education throughout their lives.
What Music? All music has a place in the curriculum. Not only does the Western art tradition need to be preserved and disseminated, but music educators also need to be aware of other music that people experience and be able to integrate it into classroom music instruction.
The music that educators choose to teach has an indelible impact on the musical development of their students. This music becomes their curriculum, the conduit through which students learn myriad musical elements, critical thinking, and sociocultural awareness. These pieces, then, should have merit so students experience the highest quality repertoire available. Careful consideration should be given to each piece of music educators put in front of their students. It is the obligation of all music educators to inform their students about high-quality repertoire—music representative of the most prominent composers from all time periods. It is also crucial to program music that makes students feel successful. The art of repertoire selection falls under the Goldilocks rule: the music conductors select should not be too hard, making students feel unsuccessful, neither should it be too easy, shielding them from the necessary challenges that accompany skill development. Other factors music educators should heed include the appropriateness and interest of the text, the range of each voice part—it is not enjoyable to sing something that is uncomfortable—the skill level of the ensemble, the social and cultural composition of the ensemble, and the way a song relates to the other repertoire the ensemble performs. Additionally, music educators should incorporate high quality music from various cultures and genres to expose students to differing forms of musical expression and to promote appreciation for and tolerance of differences. Music serves as a pathway for teaching humanity to students to expand their social and cultural understanding. For many students, school might be the only place they come to know cultures different from their own. The materials you choose offer you the privileged position of shaping children’s way of seeing the world.
Who Should Teach? Teaching music as a profession requires long-suffering commitment, unyielding passion, fierce tenacity, and genuine care and patience. People who desire to pursue music education as a profession must strive to create a classroom culture where creativity, musical artistry, friendship, safety, and learning are fostered continually. They must be lifelong learners themselves—modeling a quest for continual self-improvement for their students. Many are not equipped to fulfill the role of musical expert, professional educator, mentor, counselor, role model, or any of the other tasks music educators take on every day. While the demands and stress of this profession are at times unbending, the intangible rewards associated with positively impacting the lives of students through music endure and sustain. Music educators have the fortunate challenge of bridging two distinct genres: the world of musical performance and the field of education. To be effective, music educators must be fluent in both; lacking in either arena greatly limits teachers’ ability to positively influence students. A music performer is not necessarily equipped with the correct skill set to be a music educator; likewise, a general educator is not adequately trained in music to lead the musical development of students. The skills and traits that mysteriously combine to make up the fabric of a great music educator seem impossible to manifest in one human being. Fortunately, educators need not exhibit perfection in all areas of pedagogy to be effective. A teacher’s weaknesses only hinder student achievement when they go unchecked. Awareness, self-reflection, and motivation to improve are the keys to continued development and success in the profession of music education.
Who Should Learn? In the Housewright Declaration of 1999, leaders in the field of music education exclaimed that “all persons, regardless of age, cultural heritage, ability, venue, or financial circumstance deserve to participate fully in the best music experiences possible.”
Additionally, “Musical expression can enlarge the personalities and enrich the social living of all, not just a few, children.” All students should have the opportunity to study music in school, and then, ideally, continue to experience music in various contexts throughout the rest of their lives. Fortunately, music educators can reach and communicate with all people through music, regardless of factors such as ability level, language, mental fortitude, and age. While it may not speak to everyone in the same way, music is unique in its ability to be enjoyed and valued by everyone. Developing a personal philosophy is paramount to the success of any professional. In the same way that major corporations have mission statements, countries have constitutions, and religions have sacred texts, educators must maintain in the forefront of their minds a concrete understanding of why they do what they do. This philosophical exploration is more than the amalgamation of novel ideas; rather, it is the engendering and the molding of a mind-set from which the teacher can shape the musical experiences of future generations. This enormous responsibility placed on music educators is palpable—weighing, pressing, and twisting deeper with every ineligible student, every unpleasant parent-teacher conference, every irrelevant assignment from administrators, and every out-of-tune chord at the end of an otherwise flawless performance. Regardless of this seemingly insurmountable burden, music educators press on, continuing the venerable work before them. Holding fast to their renewed understanding of why they do what they do, music educators directly affect how they engender hope for the future—by fostering humanity in young adults through music.
","related":[{"id":22898,"slug":"why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student","title":"Why Music Education is Vital for the Modern Student","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 6, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 6","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"For decades, music programs have often been the first to face the chopping block when school budgets tighten. Viewed by some as a \"luxury\" or a mere extracurricular hobby, music is frequentl...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/UpClose-THP.png"},{"id":22849,"slug":"add-this-to-your-bucket-list","title":"Add This to Your Bucket List","category":"UpClose","categories":["June 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jun 4, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 4","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"I travelled this April to attend the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, Virginia. This is an amazing one-of-a-kind event but what impressed me most is the educational value for school...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/add-this-to-your-bucket-list/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_Tattoo_Sat-4.jpg"},{"id":22799,"slug":"50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference","title":"50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference","category":"UpClose","categories":["May 2026","UpClose","Archives"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","upclose","archives"],"date":"May 2, 2026","shortDate":"May 2","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"It’s our privilege to bring you this year’s 50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference. Want to recommend a great teacher for next year? The nomination form is available now at SBOplus.net und...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_527804866-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22898,"slug":"why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student","title":"Why Music Education is Vital for the Modern Student","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 6, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 6","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"For decades, music programs have often been the first to face the chopping block when school budgets tighten. Viewed by some as a \"luxury\" or a mere extracurricular hobby, music is frequently sidelined in favor of core standardized testing subjects like math and literacy. However, this narrow view of education overlooks a fundamental truth: music is not just...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/UpClose-THP.png","content":"For decades, music programs have often been the first to face the chopping block when school budgets tighten. Viewed by some as a \"luxury\" or a mere extracurricular hobby, music is frequently sidelined in favor of core standardized testing subjects like math and literacy. However, this narrow view of education overlooks a fundamental truth: music is not just an art form—it is a powerful tool for cognitive development, emotional intelligence, and social cohesion. Integrating music into the standard curriculum is not a distraction from academic success; it is a primary driver of it.
The Cognitive Symphony: Boosting Brain Power
The neurological benefits of music education are perhaps the most compelling arguments for its preservation. Unlike many activities that utilize specific localized parts of the brain, playing an instrument or studying music theory requires a \"full-body workout\" for the mind.
When a student reads music, their brain is performing a high-speed translation of visual symbols into motor commands. This process strengthens the corpus callosum—the bridge between the left and right hemispheres of the brain—allowing for faster and more diverse communication between the analytical and creative centers. Research consistently shows that students involved in music programs score higher on standardized tests, particularly in spatial-temporal tasks. These tasks are the foundation for higher-level mathematics and engineering, as they require the ability to visualize and manipulate patterns in space and time.
Furthermore, music is inherently mathematical. It is built on ratios, fractions, and sequences. A student learning about time signatures and rhythmic subdivisions is, in essence, practicing applied fractions. By experiencing these concepts aurally and physically, the abstract nature of math becomes tangible.
Emotional Resonance and Mental Well-being
Beyond the data and test scores, music education serves a critical role in the emotional development of children. The modern school environment can be a pressure cooker of social anxiety and academic stress. Music provides a unique sanctuary for expression and emotional regulation.
For many students, the music room is the one place during the school day where they are encouraged to feel deeply and express those feelings without the fear of being \"wrong.\" Whether it is the catharsis of a powerful crescendo or the quiet introspection of a solo piece, music allows students to process complex emotions. This fosters resilience and self-awareness.
Moreover, learning an instrument teaches the \"growth mindset\" in a way few other subjects can. Improvement in music is slow and requires disciplined practice. A student learns that failure—a wrong note or a missed beat—is not a permanent state but a necessary step toward mastery. This stays with a child long after they leave the rehearsal hall, giving them the confidence to tackle difficult challenges in other areas of life.
The Social Fabric: Collaboration and Discipline
In an increasingly digital and isolated world, music education demands physical presence and active collaboration. An ensemble, whether it is a choir, a marching band, or a jazz combo, is a microcosm of a functioning society.
In a band, success is not individual; it is collective. A lead trumpeter cannot succeed if the rhythm section is out of sync. Students must learn to listen to one another with an intensity that is rarely (never?) required in a standard classroom. They must learn to lead, to follow, and to support their peers. This fosters a deep sense of empathy and accountability. If a student doesn't practice their part, the entire group suffers. This social contract teaches responsibility and the value of contributing to something larger than oneself.
Cultural Literacy and Connection
Music is a universal language, but it is also a historical record. Through music education, students are introduced to the sounds and stories of different cultures and eras. Studying the works of Mozart, the blues of the Mississippi Delta, or the traditional drumming of West Africa provides students with a global perspective.
By performing music from diverse backgrounds, students gain an appreciation for the human experience across geographical and temporal boundaries. This builds cultural literacy and combats provincialism, preparing students to be empathetic citizens in a globalized world.
Addressing the \"Value\" Gap
The argument against music education usually centers on \"utility.\" Critics ask: How many of these students will become professional musicians?
This question misses the point of education entirely. We do not teach physical education only to produce professional athletes, nor do we teach chemistry only to produce lab scientists. We teach these subjects to create well-rounded, capable humans. Music education produces adults who are better listeners, more disciplined workers, more creative problem-solvers, and more empathetic neighbors.
In the age of Artificial Intelligence, where rote tasks and basic calculations are increasingly automated, \"human\" skills—creativity, emotional intelligence, and collaborative spirit—are becoming the most valuable assets in the labor market. Music education is one of the most effective ways to sharpen these exact traits.
Conclusion
Music is not a \"frill\" to be enjoyed only after the \"real\" work of schooling is done. It is a core pillar of a comprehensive education. By investing in music programs, schools are investing in the cognitive health, emotional stability, and social maturity of their students. To cut music is to silence a vital part of a child's development. Don’t all students deserve that?
","related":[{"id":22900,"slug":"why-music","title":"Why Music?","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 7, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 7","byline":"Brian C. Murray","excerpt":"Brian C. Murray is director of choral activities, assistant professor, and vocal arts area coordinator at the University of Wyoming. A version of this article appeared in Choral Journal, Apr...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AdobeStock_852091040-1-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22849,"slug":"add-this-to-your-bucket-list","title":"Add This to Your Bucket List","category":"UpClose","categories":["June 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jun 4, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 4","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"I travelled this April to attend the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, Virginia. This is an amazing one-of-a-kind event but what impressed me most is the educational value for school...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/add-this-to-your-bucket-list/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_Tattoo_Sat-4.jpg"},{"id":22799,"slug":"50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference","title":"50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference","category":"UpClose","categories":["May 2026","UpClose","Archives"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","upclose","archives"],"date":"May 2, 2026","shortDate":"May 2","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"It’s our privilege to bring you this year’s 50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference. Want to recommend a great teacher for next year? The nomination form is available now at SBOplus.net und...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_527804866-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22896,"slug":"why-music","title":"Why Music?","category":"Perspective","categories":["July 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","perspective"],"date":"Jul 3, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 3","byline":"Col. (USA Ret.) Thomas H. Palmatier","excerpt":"In this issue we dive into the reasons for doing what we do. Summer is not only a time to rest and recharge, it can also be an opportunity to examine the why of our occupation. If it's not because that’s where the big bucks are, it’s important for each of us to have a purpose to guide our decisions. We offer you four articles looking to answer the question...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Tom2.jpg","content":"In this issue we dive into the reasons for doing what we do. Summer is not only a time to rest and recharge, it can also be an opportunity to examine the why of our occupation. If it's not because that’s where the big bucks are, it’s important for each of us to have a purpose to guide our decisions. We offer you four articles looking to answer the question, “Why Music?” By investing in music education, we are not only fostering future artists but also nurturing a generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers who can contribute positively to our society.
Last year, we debuted our Teachers’ Choice Awards. I will admit I didn’t know if it would be successful, especially in its first year. It turns out there were thousands of ballots cast and the manufacturers and publishers who won were thrilled because their most important customers had selected them.
Nominations are now open for this year’s product categories. Make your voice heard by nominating your favorite products at https://artistpro.media/teachers-choice-awards/.
This is a note from Mike Lawson, our publisher:
This week marks the 5th anniversary of my acquisition of MMR Magazine and SB&O—now SBO+ Magazine, —by the real ArtistPro, the company that has served music professionals for more than 26 years through online platforms, books, videos, directories, periodicals, and direct connections to the music products and music education industries. Our work has helped millions become better lifelong music makers, and that mission continues today.
Five years later, we’ve transformed what had become a traditional print publishing operation into a next-generation Music Industry Intelligence Platform at artistpro.com.
Today, artistpro serves music manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, distributors, publishers, associations, universities and colleges, K–12 music and fine arts programs, student travel organizations, military music and recruiting programs, arts nonprofits, and service providers with proprietary market intelligence and strategic research. It's the next level from advertising in MMR and SBO+, it teaches you how to do that more effectively, and improve all of your business planning, whether you advertise, or not.
At the heart of the platform is Industry Insights. Rather than simply searching the web or summarizing articles, it synthesizes decades of proprietary editorial content, commercial relationships, product ecosystem intelligence, campaign history, education data, geographic intelligence, and authoritative public sources into executive-ready business reports that help organizations understand not just what is happening, but why it matters.
In Q3 2026, we’ll take another major step forward with the launch of Spatial Intelligence. Spatial Intelligence goes far beyond heatmaps, revealing relationships across companies, brands, products, schools, colleges, districts, dealer networks, territories, campaigns, editorial coverage, market trends, and business opportunities to help organizations see patterns that have never before been visible in one place.
Our mission has never been simply to publish books, videos, directories, or magazines.
Our mission is to build the intelligence platform for the music products and music education industries—the connective tissue that helps every part of the ecosystem make better decisions, from a student’s very first encounter with music through a lifetime of performance, teaching, manufacturing, retailing, publishing, and leadership.
We’re musicians first, and that perspective continues to guide everything we build.
Thank you to our readers, advertisers, contributors, partners, and the thousands of organizations that have trusted us over the past five years. Special thanks to Col. (Ret) Thomas H Palmatier Editor-in-Chief of SBO+ Magazine, and Christian Wissmuller, Executive Editor of MMR Magazine, for helping position these publications—and artistpro Media—for this next chapter.
If you’re in one of our industries, and would like to see where they are headed, request complimentary access at artistpro.com.
Mike Lawson
","related":[{"id":22846,"slug":"breathe-then-reinvent-yourself","title":"Breathe – Then Reinvent Yourself","category":"Perspective","categories":["June 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","perspective"],"date":"Jun 1, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 1","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"Occasionally, I believe I’ve fallen in a time warp where weeks pass in an instant or time drags so slowly you think a thing will never end. Along with working on SBO+, I’m also manager of a...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/breathe-then-reinvent-yourself/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Perspective.jpg"},{"id":22806,"slug":"the-future-looks-bright","title":"The Future Looks Bright","category":"Perspective","categories":["May 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","perspective"],"date":"May 7, 2026","shortDate":"May 7","byline":"Tom Palmatier, Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"This issue celebrates our current music educators while embracing new ways of serving you. The future is indeed bright! Introducing the 2026 class of “50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Differenc...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-future-looks-bright/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_1874180587-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22738,"slug":"the-start-of-an-era","title":"The Start of an Era","category":"Perspective","categories":["April 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["april2026","perspective"],"date":"Apr 1, 2026","shortDate":"Apr 1","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"Normally, you read of the end of an era, but not this time. More about this below but first, the main topic of this issue is summer professional development. In UpClose, we include articles...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-start-of-an-era/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AdobeStock_158457472-scaled.jpeg"}]}],"latest":[{"id":22907,"slug":"carnegie-halls-nyo2-to-return-to-the-dominican-republic-in-august","title":"Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 to Return to the Dominican Republic in August","category":"Travel/Festivals","categories":["Headlines","July 2026","News","Travel/Festivals","Archives","Teaching Resources"],"categorySlugs":["headlines","july-2026","news","travel-festivals","archives","teaching-resources"],"date":"Jul 7, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 7","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/carnegie-halls-nyo2-to-return-to-the-dominican-republic-in-august/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/remote-image-1-hero.jpg","content":"
Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 will return to the Dominican Republic in August for a five-day residency and two performances presented by Fundación Sinfonía.
The 89-member youth orchestra, made up of teen musicians from across the United States, will perform after a two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York, and a July 30 concert at Carnegie Hall.
Conductor Mei-Ann Chen will lead the ensemble with violinist Tessa Lark as soloist. The program includes music by George Gershwin, Ottorino Respighi, Gabriela Lena Frank, Arturo Márquez and Michael Torke.
NYO2 is scheduled to perform Aug. 2 at the Gran Teatro del Cibao in Santiago and Aug. 3 at the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito in Santo Domingo. The trip marks the ensemble’s second visit to the Dominican Republic, following its international debut there in 2023.
For more information, visit carnegiehall.org.
","related":[{"id":22562,"slug":"you-can-help-shape-a-bold-future","title":"You Can Help Shape a Bold Future","category":"Headlines","categories":["Headlines","January 2026"],"categorySlugs":["headlines","january-2026"],"date":"Jan 20, 2026","shortDate":"Jan 20","byline":"Tom Palmatier","excerpt":"From the classroom to their careers, students carry the lessons of music with them. Together, we can ensure more students discover the skills that shape their futures. Through Music for All’...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/you-can-help-shape-a-bold-future/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/image4-2.jpg"},{"id":22314,"slug":"headlines-december-2025","title":"Headlines December 2025","category":"Headlines","categories":["December 2025","Headlines"],"categorySlugs":["december-2025","headlines"],"date":"Dec 10, 2025","shortDate":"Dec 10","byline":"Tom Palmatier","excerpt":"2025–2026 Music In Our Schools Month Composition Call Calling all Music Educators and Students! NAfME encourages all music educators to UNITE and celebrate Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/headlines-december-2025/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AdobeStock_184010116-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22213,"slug":"sousa-aba-ostwald-winner-announced","title":"Sousa-ABA Ostwald Winner Announced","category":"Headlines","categories":["Headlines","November 2025"],"categorySlugs":["headlines","november2025"],"date":"Nov 10, 2025","shortDate":"Nov 10","byline":"Tom Palmatier","excerpt":"Co-sponsored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and the American Bandmasters Association, this year’s winner is Concerto for Euphonium and Band by Tom Davoren. The work will be featured at...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/sousa-aba-ostwald-winner-announced/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image1-2.jpg"}]},{"id":22900,"slug":"why-music","title":"Why Music?","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 7, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 7","byline":"Brian C. Murray","excerpt":"Brian C. Murray is director of choral activities, assistant professor, and vocal arts area coordinator at the University of Wyoming. A version of this article appeared in Choral Journal, Apr...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AdobeStock_852091040-1-scaled.jpeg","content":"Brian C. Murray is director of choral activities, assistant professor, and vocal arts area coordinator at the University of Wyoming. A version of this article appeared in Choral Journal, April 2016 (Vol 56, No 9).
It is surprising to think of 2016 as ten years ago, but that is when the Choral Journal originally published this article. All our lives have changed tremendously since then—as they will again in ten more years. Wonderful additions and tragic losses have marred this span of time; we are different people than we were before. Now, more than ever, it seems, it is more important to have an impetus for our work as music educators. Most music education students at the university write a philosophy of music education for one (or more) of their courses. This statement (whether they call it a personal philosophy, teaching statement, or something different altogether) is not something to craft when required for a class or for job applications and then forget. It merits revisiting and considering why you make the choices you make. If we hope to instill the trait of life-long learning into our students, we, too, must strive to improve our craft as teachers. We must have a compelling reason for why we do what we do. As we change, our philosophy of music education changes. Major life moments—births, deaths, health crises, changes in relationships—influence who we are as individuals. Our philosophy should metamorphose, reflecting who we are and what we value. This statement of beliefs serves as our personal credo of music education. The behaviors of these beliefs must align with who we are. Holding fast to your values, perhaps it is time for you to revisit your personal philosophy of music education. Allow it to direct all your decisions as an educator.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.”
This idea encourages everyone to contemplate his or her beliefs—to consider the foundational principles that govern everyday decision making. Every choice has repercussions; therefore, it is essential that music educators understand and can articulate their beliefs about why music is important, why it should be included in the school curriculum, what kind of music should be experienced, who should teach it, and who should learn it. In creating a personal philosophy of music education, educators establish a raison d’être for their life’s work—a foundation and impetus behind every decision they make.
Why Music? “The arts exist to make the seemingly ordinary extraordinary.” Music is an integral element in the lives of all people. It has a transformative power over everyone it contacts, an unparalleled ability to communicate directly with the soul and transcend reality. Music, in its capacity to achieve a sense of deep significance by going beyond the meanings made available by words to meanings only sounds can bring into being, has always been a major source of the quest for profound experience.
Music is more than an activity, a pastime, or a hobby; it is integral to the human experience. To be able to express meaning and emotion, to prompt the senses through intricately planned noises, to unite unique individuals momentarily through a shared communal endeavor, is the art of music. Through music we experience the past, communicate with the present, and inform the future about the essence of humanity. “Music…is a demonstration of the human capacity to think—to be intelligent.”
Why Music in School? “The primary aim of education is not to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of school.”
A lifelong pursuit of musical experiences is valuable for everyone. It is integral, then, that music be included in school curriculum. If students do not have the opportunity to study music in schools, where or when will they? Consider the number of families that own pianos and encourage their students to take piano lessons. Valuing private musical instruction is no longer ubiquitous— it has been relegated to the affluent, educated, social elite. Without the free music education offered by public schools, society relinquishes the opportunity to musically educate all children, and services such as iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube take the place of general music teachers, ensemble directors, and private music instructors in the music education of America’s students. When students are exposed to and trained in music in school, they are more likely to participate in music as adults. Schools can encourage students to actively participate in music ensembles where they develop music reading, performance, critical thinking, work ethic, teamwork, and social skills. Through this, students can develop a passion for music making that motivates them to actively pursue musical outlets for the rest of their lives. The American public school is responsible not only for educating citizens to develop and maintain a democratic society but also for engendering in individuals the desire to continue their education throughout their lives.
What Music? All music has a place in the curriculum. Not only does the Western art tradition need to be preserved and disseminated, but music educators also need to be aware of other music that people experience and be able to integrate it into classroom music instruction.
The music that educators choose to teach has an indelible impact on the musical development of their students. This music becomes their curriculum, the conduit through which students learn myriad musical elements, critical thinking, and sociocultural awareness. These pieces, then, should have merit so students experience the highest quality repertoire available. Careful consideration should be given to each piece of music educators put in front of their students. It is the obligation of all music educators to inform their students about high-quality repertoire—music representative of the most prominent composers from all time periods. It is also crucial to program music that makes students feel successful. The art of repertoire selection falls under the Goldilocks rule: the music conductors select should not be too hard, making students feel unsuccessful, neither should it be too easy, shielding them from the necessary challenges that accompany skill development. Other factors music educators should heed include the appropriateness and interest of the text, the range of each voice part—it is not enjoyable to sing something that is uncomfortable—the skill level of the ensemble, the social and cultural composition of the ensemble, and the way a song relates to the other repertoire the ensemble performs. Additionally, music educators should incorporate high quality music from various cultures and genres to expose students to differing forms of musical expression and to promote appreciation for and tolerance of differences. Music serves as a pathway for teaching humanity to students to expand their social and cultural understanding. For many students, school might be the only place they come to know cultures different from their own. The materials you choose offer you the privileged position of shaping children’s way of seeing the world.
Who Should Teach? Teaching music as a profession requires long-suffering commitment, unyielding passion, fierce tenacity, and genuine care and patience. People who desire to pursue music education as a profession must strive to create a classroom culture where creativity, musical artistry, friendship, safety, and learning are fostered continually. They must be lifelong learners themselves—modeling a quest for continual self-improvement for their students. Many are not equipped to fulfill the role of musical expert, professional educator, mentor, counselor, role model, or any of the other tasks music educators take on every day. While the demands and stress of this profession are at times unbending, the intangible rewards associated with positively impacting the lives of students through music endure and sustain. Music educators have the fortunate challenge of bridging two distinct genres: the world of musical performance and the field of education. To be effective, music educators must be fluent in both; lacking in either arena greatly limits teachers’ ability to positively influence students. A music performer is not necessarily equipped with the correct skill set to be a music educator; likewise, a general educator is not adequately trained in music to lead the musical development of students. The skills and traits that mysteriously combine to make up the fabric of a great music educator seem impossible to manifest in one human being. Fortunately, educators need not exhibit perfection in all areas of pedagogy to be effective. A teacher’s weaknesses only hinder student achievement when they go unchecked. Awareness, self-reflection, and motivation to improve are the keys to continued development and success in the profession of music education.
Who Should Learn? In the Housewright Declaration of 1999, leaders in the field of music education exclaimed that “all persons, regardless of age, cultural heritage, ability, venue, or financial circumstance deserve to participate fully in the best music experiences possible.”
Additionally, “Musical expression can enlarge the personalities and enrich the social living of all, not just a few, children.” All students should have the opportunity to study music in school, and then, ideally, continue to experience music in various contexts throughout the rest of their lives. Fortunately, music educators can reach and communicate with all people through music, regardless of factors such as ability level, language, mental fortitude, and age. While it may not speak to everyone in the same way, music is unique in its ability to be enjoyed and valued by everyone. Developing a personal philosophy is paramount to the success of any professional. In the same way that major corporations have mission statements, countries have constitutions, and religions have sacred texts, educators must maintain in the forefront of their minds a concrete understanding of why they do what they do. This philosophical exploration is more than the amalgamation of novel ideas; rather, it is the engendering and the molding of a mind-set from which the teacher can shape the musical experiences of future generations. This enormous responsibility placed on music educators is palpable—weighing, pressing, and twisting deeper with every ineligible student, every unpleasant parent-teacher conference, every irrelevant assignment from administrators, and every out-of-tune chord at the end of an otherwise flawless performance. Regardless of this seemingly insurmountable burden, music educators press on, continuing the venerable work before them. Holding fast to their renewed understanding of why they do what they do, music educators directly affect how they engender hope for the future—by fostering humanity in young adults through music.
","related":[{"id":22898,"slug":"why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student","title":"Why Music Education is Vital for the Modern Student","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 6, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 6","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"For decades, music programs have often been the first to face the chopping block when school budgets tighten. Viewed by some as a \"luxury\" or a mere extracurricular hobby, music is frequentl...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/UpClose-THP.png"},{"id":22849,"slug":"add-this-to-your-bucket-list","title":"Add This to Your Bucket List","category":"UpClose","categories":["June 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jun 4, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 4","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"I travelled this April to attend the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, Virginia. This is an amazing one-of-a-kind event but what impressed me most is the educational value for school...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/add-this-to-your-bucket-list/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_Tattoo_Sat-4.jpg"},{"id":22799,"slug":"50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference","title":"50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference","category":"UpClose","categories":["May 2026","UpClose","Archives"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","upclose","archives"],"date":"May 2, 2026","shortDate":"May 2","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"It’s our privilege to bring you this year’s 50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference. Want to recommend a great teacher for next year? The nomination form is available now at SBOplus.net und...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_527804866-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22898,"slug":"why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student","title":"Why Music Education is Vital for the Modern Student","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 6, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 6","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"For decades, music programs have often been the first to face the chopping block when school budgets tighten. Viewed by some as a \"luxury\" or a mere extracurricular hobby, music is frequentl...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music-education-is-vital-for-the-modern-student/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/UpClose-THP.png","content":"For decades, music programs have often been the first to face the chopping block when school budgets tighten. Viewed by some as a \"luxury\" or a mere extracurricular hobby, music is frequently sidelined in favor of core standardized testing subjects like math and literacy. However, this narrow view of education overlooks a fundamental truth: music is not just an art form—it is a powerful tool for cognitive development, emotional intelligence, and social cohesion. Integrating music into the standard curriculum is not a distraction from academic success; it is a primary driver of it.
The Cognitive Symphony: Boosting Brain Power
The neurological benefits of music education are perhaps the most compelling arguments for its preservation. Unlike many activities that utilize specific localized parts of the brain, playing an instrument or studying music theory requires a \"full-body workout\" for the mind.
When a student reads music, their brain is performing a high-speed translation of visual symbols into motor commands. This process strengthens the corpus callosum—the bridge between the left and right hemispheres of the brain—allowing for faster and more diverse communication between the analytical and creative centers. Research consistently shows that students involved in music programs score higher on standardized tests, particularly in spatial-temporal tasks. These tasks are the foundation for higher-level mathematics and engineering, as they require the ability to visualize and manipulate patterns in space and time.
Furthermore, music is inherently mathematical. It is built on ratios, fractions, and sequences. A student learning about time signatures and rhythmic subdivisions is, in essence, practicing applied fractions. By experiencing these concepts aurally and physically, the abstract nature of math becomes tangible.
Emotional Resonance and Mental Well-being
Beyond the data and test scores, music education serves a critical role in the emotional development of children. The modern school environment can be a pressure cooker of social anxiety and academic stress. Music provides a unique sanctuary for expression and emotional regulation.
For many students, the music room is the one place during the school day where they are encouraged to feel deeply and express those feelings without the fear of being \"wrong.\" Whether it is the catharsis of a powerful crescendo or the quiet introspection of a solo piece, music allows students to process complex emotions. This fosters resilience and self-awareness.
Moreover, learning an instrument teaches the \"growth mindset\" in a way few other subjects can. Improvement in music is slow and requires disciplined practice. A student learns that failure—a wrong note or a missed beat—is not a permanent state but a necessary step toward mastery. This stays with a child long after they leave the rehearsal hall, giving them the confidence to tackle difficult challenges in other areas of life.
The Social Fabric: Collaboration and Discipline
In an increasingly digital and isolated world, music education demands physical presence and active collaboration. An ensemble, whether it is a choir, a marching band, or a jazz combo, is a microcosm of a functioning society.
In a band, success is not individual; it is collective. A lead trumpeter cannot succeed if the rhythm section is out of sync. Students must learn to listen to one another with an intensity that is rarely (never?) required in a standard classroom. They must learn to lead, to follow, and to support their peers. This fosters a deep sense of empathy and accountability. If a student doesn't practice their part, the entire group suffers. This social contract teaches responsibility and the value of contributing to something larger than oneself.
Cultural Literacy and Connection
Music is a universal language, but it is also a historical record. Through music education, students are introduced to the sounds and stories of different cultures and eras. Studying the works of Mozart, the blues of the Mississippi Delta, or the traditional drumming of West Africa provides students with a global perspective.
By performing music from diverse backgrounds, students gain an appreciation for the human experience across geographical and temporal boundaries. This builds cultural literacy and combats provincialism, preparing students to be empathetic citizens in a globalized world.
Addressing the \"Value\" Gap
The argument against music education usually centers on \"utility.\" Critics ask: How many of these students will become professional musicians?
This question misses the point of education entirely. We do not teach physical education only to produce professional athletes, nor do we teach chemistry only to produce lab scientists. We teach these subjects to create well-rounded, capable humans. Music education produces adults who are better listeners, more disciplined workers, more creative problem-solvers, and more empathetic neighbors.
In the age of Artificial Intelligence, where rote tasks and basic calculations are increasingly automated, \"human\" skills—creativity, emotional intelligence, and collaborative spirit—are becoming the most valuable assets in the labor market. Music education is one of the most effective ways to sharpen these exact traits.
Conclusion
Music is not a \"frill\" to be enjoyed only after the \"real\" work of schooling is done. It is a core pillar of a comprehensive education. By investing in music programs, schools are investing in the cognitive health, emotional stability, and social maturity of their students. To cut music is to silence a vital part of a child's development. Don’t all students deserve that?
","related":[{"id":22900,"slug":"why-music","title":"Why Music?","category":"UpClose","categories":["July 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jul 7, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 7","byline":"Brian C. Murray","excerpt":"Brian C. Murray is director of choral activities, assistant professor, and vocal arts area coordinator at the University of Wyoming. A version of this article appeared in Choral Journal, Apr...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AdobeStock_852091040-1-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22849,"slug":"add-this-to-your-bucket-list","title":"Add This to Your Bucket List","category":"UpClose","categories":["June 2026","UpClose"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","upclose"],"date":"Jun 4, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 4","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"I travelled this April to attend the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk, Virginia. This is an amazing one-of-a-kind event but what impressed me most is the educational value for school...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/add-this-to-your-bucket-list/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_Tattoo_Sat-4.jpg"},{"id":22799,"slug":"50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference","title":"50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference","category":"UpClose","categories":["May 2026","UpClose","Archives"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","upclose","archives"],"date":"May 2, 2026","shortDate":"May 2","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"It’s our privilege to bring you this year’s 50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Difference. Want to recommend a great teacher for next year? The nomination form is available now at SBOplus.net und...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/50-music-teachers-who-make-a-difference/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_527804866-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22896,"slug":"why-music","title":"Why Music?","category":"Perspective","categories":["July 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["july-2026","perspective"],"date":"Jul 3, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 3","byline":"Col. (USA Ret.) Thomas H. Palmatier","excerpt":"In this issue we dive into the reasons for doing what we do. Summer is not only a time to rest and recharge, it can also be an opportunity to examine the why of our occupation. If it's not b...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Tom2.jpg","content":"In this issue we dive into the reasons for doing what we do. Summer is not only a time to rest and recharge, it can also be an opportunity to examine the why of our occupation. If it's not because that’s where the big bucks are, it’s important for each of us to have a purpose to guide our decisions. We offer you four articles looking to answer the question, “Why Music?” By investing in music education, we are not only fostering future artists but also nurturing a generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers who can contribute positively to our society.
Last year, we debuted our Teachers’ Choice Awards. I will admit I didn’t know if it would be successful, especially in its first year. It turns out there were thousands of ballots cast and the manufacturers and publishers who won were thrilled because their most important customers had selected them.
Nominations are now open for this year’s product categories. Make your voice heard by nominating your favorite products at https://artistpro.media/teachers-choice-awards/.
This is a note from Mike Lawson, our publisher:
This week marks the 5th anniversary of my acquisition of MMR Magazine and SB&O—now SBO+ Magazine, —by the real ArtistPro, the company that has served music professionals for more than 26 years through online platforms, books, videos, directories, periodicals, and direct connections to the music products and music education industries. Our work has helped millions become better lifelong music makers, and that mission continues today.
Five years later, we’ve transformed what had become a traditional print publishing operation into a next-generation Music Industry Intelligence Platform at artistpro.com.
Today, artistpro serves music manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, distributors, publishers, associations, universities and colleges, K–12 music and fine arts programs, student travel organizations, military music and recruiting programs, arts nonprofits, and service providers with proprietary market intelligence and strategic research. It's the next level from advertising in MMR and SBO+, it teaches you how to do that more effectively, and improve all of your business planning, whether you advertise, or not.
At the heart of the platform is Industry Insights. Rather than simply searching the web or summarizing articles, it synthesizes decades of proprietary editorial content, commercial relationships, product ecosystem intelligence, campaign history, education data, geographic intelligence, and authoritative public sources into executive-ready business reports that help organizations understand not just what is happening, but why it matters.
In Q3 2026, we’ll take another major step forward with the launch of Spatial Intelligence. Spatial Intelligence goes far beyond heatmaps, revealing relationships across companies, brands, products, schools, colleges, districts, dealer networks, territories, campaigns, editorial coverage, market trends, and business opportunities to help organizations see patterns that have never before been visible in one place.
Our mission has never been simply to publish books, videos, directories, or magazines.
Our mission is to build the intelligence platform for the music products and music education industries—the connective tissue that helps every part of the ecosystem make better decisions, from a student’s very first encounter with music through a lifetime of performance, teaching, manufacturing, retailing, publishing, and leadership.
We’re musicians first, and that perspective continues to guide everything we build.
Thank you to our readers, advertisers, contributors, partners, and the thousands of organizations that have trusted us over the past five years. Special thanks to Col. (Ret) Thomas H Palmatier Editor-in-Chief of SBO+ Magazine, and Christian Wissmuller, Executive Editor of MMR Magazine, for helping position these publications—and artistpro Media—for this next chapter.
If you’re in one of our industries, and would like to see where they are headed, request complimentary access at artistpro.com.
Mike Lawson
","related":[{"id":22846,"slug":"breathe-then-reinvent-yourself","title":"Breathe – Then Reinvent Yourself","category":"Perspective","categories":["June 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","perspective"],"date":"Jun 1, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 1","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"Occasionally, I believe I’ve fallen in a time warp where weeks pass in an instant or time drags so slowly you think a thing will never end. Along with working on SBO+, I’m also manager of a...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/breathe-then-reinvent-yourself/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Perspective.jpg"},{"id":22806,"slug":"the-future-looks-bright","title":"The Future Looks Bright","category":"Perspective","categories":["May 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","perspective"],"date":"May 7, 2026","shortDate":"May 7","byline":"Tom Palmatier, Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"This issue celebrates our current music educators while embracing new ways of serving you. The future is indeed bright! Introducing the 2026 class of “50+ Music Teachers Who Make a Differenc...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-future-looks-bright/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_1874180587-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22738,"slug":"the-start-of-an-era","title":"The Start of an Era","category":"Perspective","categories":["April 2026","Perspective"],"categorySlugs":["april2026","perspective"],"date":"Apr 1, 2026","shortDate":"Apr 1","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"Normally, you read of the end of an era, but not this time. More about this below but first, the main topic of this issue is summer professional development. In UpClose, we include articles...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-start-of-an-era/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AdobeStock_158457472-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22880,"slug":"patriotic-music-binds-us-to-the-idea-of-america","title":"Patriotic Music Binds Us to the Idea of America","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 29, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 29","byline":"Harvey Rachlin","excerpt":"SBO+: Well-known author and regular SBO+ contributor Harvey Rachlin provides this article on the important role music plays in developing and sustaining our national identity. In conversatio...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/patriotic-music-binds-us-to-the-idea-of-america/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_175517748-scaled.jpeg","content":"
SBO+: Well-known author and regular SBO+ contributor Harvey Rachlin provides this article on the important role music plays in developing and sustaining our national identity. In conversations with Harvey about this article, I suggested the traditional “American musical canon” needs to be expanded to include songs relevant to the diverse nation we have become, to which he enthusiastically agreed. The music that students learn, especially in their early years, can enlighten, enrich, and educate them about all parts of America’s heritage and hope for the future.
One day, during a class I give on the history of popular music, I was taken by surprise. I was lecturing on late 19th century music, and when I mentioned the famous composer and band leader John Philip Sousa, I looked at the students spread across several rows in the crowded classroom and saw a sea of blank faces. “John Philip Sousa?” I repeated, this time as an exclamatory question. “The March King? You know him, don’t you? The students sat quietly until one said shyly “The name sounds familiar.” “Well, okay,” I responded, confident they really did know who he was. “Even if you don’t know his name you surely know his work.”
I walked over to the keyboard to my left at the front of the room, clicked on YouTube, and typed in a composition title. “Don’t you know his most famous composition, ‘The Stars and Stripes Forever’? You hear it every July 4th.” From the speakers Sousa’s iconic patriotic march blared and I thought the students would fall all over themselves with recognition. Some faintly smiled and indeed, said they had heard the tune before, but to my disbelief many claimed the tune was unknown to them.
The students’ unfamiliarity with music of the past wasn’t an entire surprise. As an educator I have found many students do not have a basic knowledge of the American music canon—songs like “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee),” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again,” and “Anchors Aweigh.” I have taught at the college level for many years and have noticed students coming in who not only do not know these songs that were an integral part of the culture that helped shape our country but don’t even care to. They indubitably love music and can tell you all about the latest hit makers who they avidly follow on social media like Taylor Swift, Drake, Beyoncé and Post Malone, not to mention they can also effortlessly recite their lyrics, but the music that is inextricably tied to the heritage of our country is like a musty relic from a bygone age that holds no appeal to them.
Young people have historically been introduced to patriotism through inspiring stories about war heroes and events, indelible symbols such as the American flag and monuments, and stirring songs about our nation’s past. Today, however, patriotism is looked down upon by some people. In another recent class I played an original tune to get the students’ feedback. The song had lyrics that could be construed as patriotic, and one student responded “We don’t go for that. We’re not patriotic like your generation is.”
Understandably, from a student’s point of view, our nation today is embroiled in turmoil, torn apart by myriad social issues such as abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, discrimination, and global warming to name a few. America’s heritage is from a distant past and is enshrouded with its own bevy of social injustices. Why should we celebrate our nation’s past, they ask, when we rebuke its social practices?
Yet the America we have today resulted from people championing freedom and shedding rivers of blood to sever the manacles of human bondage as well as to uphold liberty in lands far from our own shores. Through all these struggles citizens were sundered by their own different political and social views, just as we are today. The issues may change, but the charged emotional differences remain.
Music is a glue that brings people together and we can all appreciate it in ways we find personally meaningful. During the Financial Panic of 1893, which resulted in an economic depression, Katherine Lee Bates, an English literature professor at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, travelled across the country to teach in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While there, she and other educators took a trip in prairie wagons to the top of Pikes Peak.
The rarified air made breathing difficult, so the trip had to be cut short but in her short time looking down upon the land Bates was so inspired by the grandeur of the view that she wrote about “amber waves of grain” and “purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain.” Bates, who some modern scholars allege to have been bisexual or lesbian, chose not to interpolate any political statements in her lyric but only to focus on “America the Beautiful.”
Indeed, we can proudly sing the songs of our nation’s past, celebrating America for its splendor and grace and for giving us the freedom to speak out today as we may, and still work to make our land the glorious nation we want it to be.
Courtesy New York Daily News
","related":[{"id":22877,"slug":"effective-music-leadership-moving-from-busy-to-intentional","title":"Effective Music Leadership: Moving from Busy to Intentional","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 27, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 27","byline":"Aaron Nöe","excerpt":"When you look at social media, it almost seems the culture of music educators is busyness. We read about directors moving from rehearsal to rehearsal, barely keeping up with email, juggling...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/effective-music-leadership-moving-from-busy-to-intentional/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_1708909064-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22857,"slug":"closing-this-chapter-and-looking-to-the-next-in-our-ensemble-programs","title":"Closing This Chapter and Looking to the Next in Our Ensemble Programs","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 12, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 12","byline":"Stephen Pickard","excerpt":"It’s the end of the year, and some of you reading this may be days away or already done with your year. Cue the reflection season! As we near the last school day, final concerts, graduations...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/closing-this-chapter-and-looking-to-the-next-in-our-ensemble-programs/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_807278233.jpeg"},{"id":22820,"slug":"stepping-stones","title":"Stepping Stones","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","may-2026"],"date":"May 15, 2026","shortDate":"May 15","byline":"Bill Humbert","excerpt":"Effective leadership isn’t about having every solution at your fingertips, it’s about modeling the same curiosity, flexibility, and perseverance we hope to inspire in our students. Ensemble...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/stepping-stones/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_1546674549-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22877,"slug":"effective-music-leadership-moving-from-busy-to-intentional","title":"Effective Music Leadership: Moving from Busy to Intentional","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 27, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 27","byline":"Aaron Nöe","excerpt":"When you look at social media, it almost seems the culture of music educators is busyness. We read about directors moving from rehearsal to rehearsal, barely keeping up with email, juggling...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/effective-music-leadership-moving-from-busy-to-intentional/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_1708909064-scaled.jpeg","content":"When you look at social media, it almost seems the culture of music educators is busyness. We read about directors moving from rehearsal to rehearsal, barely keeping up with email, juggling logistics from concert to concert. \"Busyness\" has almost become a badge of honor.
Sharing how busy we are seems to be a sign of how great a job we are doing. However, as we scroll further, we see signs of burnout. We hear about trouble at home. Or worse, we hear about a talented director leaving the profession all together.
What's interesting is that when I speak with some of the most successful directors, they are not frantic or overwhelmed. They are intentional. Don't get me wrong. Their calendars are packed. But everything they plan is done with intent. There is meaning behind when they do things and more importantly WHY they do things.
\"Busyness\" makes us feel like we are doing something. And often \"busyness\" can be mistaken for success. Busy directors are rarely idle. They fill their days with tasks. Their calendars are full of obligations. And their energy is dwindling. Yet despite the busyness progress seems to be non-existent.
The most successful directors make decisions based on the vision they have for their ensembles. The first step to effectiveness is defining the vision you have for your program. Clearly define all elements of your vision: Musicianship, Growth, Community Support and School Support. This vision becomes the compass for your program. And the decisions you will make will be weighed on whether that decision will bring them closer to their vision. An effective director's time and energy is focused on the priorities tied to long-term success.
Being effective allows you to say yes to the decisions that align with your vision and to say no to things that won't move your program closer to your goals. Effectiveness isn't about doing more. It's about doing what matters most. Consistently. Over time. Shifting from \"busy\" to effective doesn't require more time. It requires defining what you want to accomplish and making sure you align and prioritize the things you do with the vision you have.
Take time to create a vision for your ensembles and begin the shift from \"busy\" to effective. Clarify priorities. Calculate the impact of activities. Say no to things that don't align with your mission. Measure your progress by outcomes rather than activity. The shift is a process. Effectiveness isn't a personality trait; it's a learned skill. The process of developing a vision creates clarity. And you accomplish it through planning, evaluating your effectiveness and planning your next steps.
When you move from being active to being intentional, your program becomes stronger. Your focus becomes more sustainable. And your accomplishment becomes more fulfilling and rewarding.
","related":[{"id":22880,"slug":"patriotic-music-binds-us-to-the-idea-of-america","title":"Patriotic Music Binds Us to the Idea of America","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 29, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 29","byline":"Harvey Rachlin","excerpt":"SBO+: Well-known author and regular SBO+ contributor Harvey Rachlin provides this article on the important role music plays in developing and sustaining our national identity. In conversatio...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/patriotic-music-binds-us-to-the-idea-of-america/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_175517748-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22857,"slug":"closing-this-chapter-and-looking-to-the-next-in-our-ensemble-programs","title":"Closing This Chapter and Looking to the Next in Our Ensemble Programs","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 12, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 12","byline":"Stephen Pickard","excerpt":"It’s the end of the year, and some of you reading this may be days away or already done with your year. Cue the reflection season! As we near the last school day, final concerts, graduations...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/closing-this-chapter-and-looking-to-the-next-in-our-ensemble-programs/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_807278233.jpeg"},{"id":22820,"slug":"stepping-stones","title":"Stepping Stones","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","may-2026"],"date":"May 15, 2026","shortDate":"May 15","byline":"Bill Humbert","excerpt":"Effective leadership isn’t about having every solution at your fingertips, it’s about modeling the same curiosity, flexibility, and perseverance we hope to inspire in our students. Ensemble...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/stepping-stones/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_1546674549-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22875,"slug":"80th-midwest-clinic-schedule-available-now","title":"80th Midwest Clinic Schedule available now!","category":"News","categories":["June 2026","News"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","news"],"date":"Jun 26, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 26","byline":"Amanda Cantlin","excerpt":"","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/80th-midwest-clinic-schedule-available-now/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/36.png","content":"The full three-day line-up of clinics, performances, and special events at the 80th annual Midwest Clinic is now available at https://www.midwestclinic.org/midwest-clinic-events-schedule.
The 2026 conference will officially kick off on Wednesday, December 16 at 8:15AM with a performance by The United States Air Force Band’s Chamber Ensemble, followed by a full suite of clinics and performances ending at 8:45PM. Wednesday highlights include performances by the University of Kentucky, GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion, Athena Brass Band, and concerts by the full United States Air Force Band and Youth Performing Arts School Jazz Ensemble to end the day.
Thursday’s programming begins at 8:30AM with performances by Iowa City West High Symphony Strings, Risa Quartet, and The Woodlands High School Percussion Ensemble. It also marks the return of the High School Leadership Institute, designed for students interested in a career in music education, as well as the 34th Annual College Night at 5:30PM, free to attend and open to the general public. The Reynolds Conducting Institute also begins on Thursday, under the direction of Dr. Kevin Sedatole and Dr. Rodney Dorsey, with open sessions in both the morning and afternoon. Thursday programming concludes with a 6:15PM concert by the Singapore Armed Forces Central Band. Other featured performances on Thursday include Spanish Brass, the University of Kansas, and the University of Georgia, RYSS Jazz Ensemble, and North Side High School Mariachi Espuelas de Plata.
Friday performances also start at 8:30AM, with the Bumpus Middle School Symphonic Band, the Smith Middle School Chamber Orchestra, College Park Wind Ensemble, and L.D. Bell High School Percussion Ensemble. The Reynolds Institute continues throughout the day, with an afternoon finale concert featuring the repertoire workshopped during the Institute. Performance highlights for Friday include Boston Brass, Tokai University Osaka Gyosei High School Wind Orchestra from Japan, Loyola University New Orleans, and a closing performance by Flower Mound High School Wind Symphony at 5:30PM.
Throughout all three days, the Exhibit Hall will be open for browsing and testing instruments, exploring new music, and picking up the latest accessories. Directors can meet with representatives from travel and booster companies and advocacy organizations, while students can chat with performing arts institutions, professional ensembles, military groups, and many more. Over 400 exhibits and vendors are confirmed for this year’s Clinic. For the full list, visit midwestclinic.org.
Registration for the 80th Annual Midwest Clinic will open August 1: mark your calendars!
","related":[{"id":22907,"slug":"carnegie-halls-nyo2-to-return-to-the-dominican-republic-in-august","title":"Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 to Return to the Dominican Republic in August","category":"Travel/Festivals","categories":["Headlines","July 2026","News","Travel/Festivals","Archives","Teaching Resources"],"categorySlugs":["headlines","july-2026","news","travel-festivals","archives","teaching-resources"],"date":"Jul 7, 2026","shortDate":"Jul 7","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 will return to the Dominican Republic in August for a five-day residency and two performances presented by Fundación Sinfonía.","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/carnegie-halls-nyo2-to-return-to-the-dominican-republic-in-august/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/remote-image-1-hero.jpg"},{"id":22851,"slug":"headlines","title":"Headlines","category":"News","categories":["June 2026","News"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","news"],"date":"Jun 8, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 8","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"NBA Programs of Excellence Deadline Applications for the Programs of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award are available on the National Band Association website and must be submitted by July 15, 202...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/headlines/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Headlines-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22521,"slug":"teachers-choice-awards-at-the-midwest-clinic","title":"Teacher’s Choice Awards at the Midwest Clinic","category":"News","categories":["January 2026","News"],"categorySlugs":["january-2026","news"],"date":"Jan 8, 2026","shortDate":"Jan 8","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"Some of the winners of the Teacher’s Choice Awards got their trophies at the Midwest Clinic. Everyone said this was one of the most important recognitions ever received because it came from...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/teachers-choice-awards-at-the-midwest-clinic/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-01-at-9.25.40-a.m.png"}]},{"id":22873,"slug":"viajando-pelo-brasil-i-suite-for-strings-a-fun-way-to-explore-the-richness-of-brazilian-culture-and-music","title":"Viajando Pelo Brasil I, Suite for Strings: A Fun Way to Explore the Richness of Brazilian Culture and Music","category":"String Section","categories":["String Section","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["string-section","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 25, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 25","byline":"Bianca d’Avila do Prado","excerpt":"","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/viajando-pelo-brasil-i-suite-for-strings-a-fun-way-to-explore-the-richness-of-brazilian-culture-and-music/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_58288159-scaled.jpeg","content":"The following article sample was reprinted from American String Teacher, vol 72, issue 2 with permission from ASTA and the author.
Playing music from other countries is an effective way to teach students about other cultures and to help them to appreciate the diversity present in different musical languages. Furthermore, world music pieces develop musical skills and introduce new techniques, harmonies, and rhythms through engaging music.
Viajando pelo Brasil I is an interesting piece. It was written by Ernst Mahle, a German-born composer who moved to Brazil at a young age and devoted his life to teaching young musicians and composing music inspired by Brazilian folklore. In six short movements, the strings “travel” around Brazil. Nursery rhymes inspire some movements and others use the folk music style of traditional feasts from different states in the southeast and northeast regions.
This article shows an overview of the Suite, exploring some of the technical and pedagogical skills used throughout the piece. The primary Brazilian elements to be noted in this work are rhythms, including syncopated and offbeat patterns, and modal harmonies. As a music teacher, Mahle composed this piece for one of the intermediate string orchestras in the school he founded in Brazil. Considering the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) String Syllabus parameters, referencing the ensemble and individual instruments’ listed skills, I classify the Suite Viajando pelo Brasil I as a Grade 3 piece
Viajando Pelo Brasil I, Suite para Cordas (1989) “Traveling Around Brazil I, Suite for Strings”
*Full descriptions and analysis of the movements can be found in the original article on astastrings.org.
Conclusion
Overall, playing the Suite Viajando pelo Brasil I is a great opportunity to work on syncopated rhythms, matching the bow strokes, articulations, and modal harmonies while introducing some shifting. Another feature is the variety of dynamics, tone colors, and styles found in the contrasting character movements representing the different regions of Brazil. It is an excellent piece for a balanced intermediate orchestra as all the instruments are featured and need to have the individual skills to make it work as an ensemble.
Although the composer was not born in Brazil, he is one of the most significant researchers in Brazilian folk music. He did a thorough job transforming folk themes into relevant pieces in terms of musical interest and is a great pedagogical source for string students and teachers. According to Feres-lloyd, “he (Mahle) is one of the most important composers of his generation. Besides his work as a composer, he has been developing a very important pedagogical work in Piracicaba.”
I believe teaching Viajando pelo Brasil I to students in the United States is an opportunity that will challenge them to open their ears to a different musical language while developing their rhythmic skills, technique, and ensemble playing.
Read more by accessing the full article at www.astastrings.org.
ASTA Members can take advantage of this incredible resource and more: https://www.astastrings.org/site/resource-library. Become an ASTA member TODAY! https://www.astastrings.org/site/membership
","related":[{"id":22836,"slug":"sidney-harths-bowings-for-the-beethoven-symphonies","title":"Sidney Harth’s Bowings for the Beethoven Symphonies ","category":"String Section","categories":["String Section","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["string-section","may-2026"],"date":"May 25, 2026","shortDate":"May 25","byline":"Emily Hanna Crane and Gregory Jackson ","excerpt":"The following article sample was reprinted from American String Teacher, vol 74, issue 4 with permission from ASTA and the author. Beethoven . . . the name alone holds reverence and admirat...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/sidney-harths-bowings-for-the-beethoven-symphonies/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Beethoven.jpg"},{"id":22602,"slug":"french-versus-german-the-over-under-on-double-bass-bow-holds","title":"French Versus German? The Over/Under on Double Bass Bow Holds","category":"Orchestra","categories":["String Section","January 2026","Orchestra"],"categorySlugs":["string-section","january-2026","orchestra"],"date":"Jan 26, 2026","shortDate":"Jan 26","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Michael Geib The following article sample was reprinted from American String Teacher, vol 74, issue 4 with permission from ASTA and the author. Modern double bassists are often confro...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/french-versus-german-the-over-under-on-double-bass-bow-holds/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/image2-2.png"},{"id":22097,"slug":"energizing-young-players-creative-ideas-to-inspire-beginners","title":"Energizing Young Players: Creative Ideas to Inspire Beginners","category":"Orchestra","categories":["String Section","October 2025","Orchestra"],"categorySlugs":["string-section","october2025","orchestra"],"date":"Oct 15, 2025","shortDate":"Oct 15","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Monica Hrudik The following article sample was reprinted from American String Teacher, vol 73, issue 1 with permission from ASTA and the author. We all recognize and acknowledge the impor...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/energizing-young-players-creative-ideas-to-inspire-beginners/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image2-2.jpg"}]},{"id":22871,"slug":"what-would-my-band-director-do","title":"What Would My Band Director Do?","category":"Tone Deaf Comics","categories":["June 2026","Tone Deaf Comics"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","tone-deaf-comics"],"date":"Jun 23, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 23","byline":"John Bogenschutz","excerpt":"","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/what-would-my-band-director-do/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/What_Would_My_Band_Director_Do-scaled.webp","content":"","related":[{"id":22828,"slug":"the-different-type-of-music-stands-part-2a","title":"The Different Type of Music Stands - Part 2a","category":"Tone Deaf Comics","categories":["May 2026","Tone Deaf Comics"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","tone-deaf-comics"],"date":"May 22, 2026","shortDate":"May 22","byline":"John Bogenschutz","excerpt":"www.ToneDeafComics.com","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-different-type-of-music-stands-part-2a/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ToneDeaf.webp"},{"id":22793,"slug":"beginning-band","title":"Beginning Band","category":"Tone Deaf Comics","categories":["April 2026","Tone Deaf Comics"],"categorySlugs":["april2026","tone-deaf-comics"],"date":"Apr 27, 2026","shortDate":"Apr 27","byline":"John Bogenschutz","excerpt":"ToneDeafComics.com","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/beginning-band/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ToneDeaf.webp"},{"id":22688,"slug":"tone-deaf-comics","title":"Tone Deaf Comics","category":"Tone Deaf Comics","categories":["March 2026","Tone Deaf Comics"],"categorySlugs":["march2026","tone-deaf-comics"],"date":"Mar 12, 2026","shortDate":"Mar 12","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"www.ToneDeafComics.com I HAD TO PUT THIS IN TO SEND TO PRODUCTION. PLEASE ENSURE IT DOESN'T GET PUBLISHED ONLINE /laksdj l/'akgj'al l;kaj/lak /lk;jasd/kl;j ;LAsjdf: /laksdj l/'akgj'al l;kaj/...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/tone-deaf-comics/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Tone-Deaf.webp"}]},{"id":22869,"slug":"ask-a-conductor","title":"Ask a Conductor","category":"Choral","categories":["Choral","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["choral","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 22, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 22","byline":"Brian Jones and Karla McClain","excerpt":"","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/ask-a-conductor/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_877034366-scaled.jpeg","content":"From Chorteach with permission from ACDA
How do you assess your middle school singers to determine vocal range?
Brian Jones Choir Director at Canton Middle School and Canton High School bjones@cantonschools.org
It can be difficult to find the time to assess your middle schoolers’ vocal ranges. They’re frequently being pulled in other directions for assemblies, make up work, special schedules, testing, or extracurriculars, not to mention all the things that are on our plates. I have found the most efficient way to determine vocal ranges with my students is during rehearsal/class time. I teach 7-12 choir, and when I meet my 7th graders for the first time, I spend the first few weeks of school prioritizing vocal range exploration. During warm-ups, I go through a large part of the vocal range, from high soprano to low baritone (roughly C3-C6). I have everyone try to sing through everything, while emphasizing self-regulation, telling my students to challenge themselves without causing strain. We explore chest voice vs. head voice/ falsetto, and I state clearly and frequently what a typical range is for a soprano, alto, or baritone, using terms like “comfort zone,” “hitting your ceiling,” or “bottoming out” to give the students an idea of how they might feel when singing certain notes, and therefore in which section they should most likely sing. Another method is to use accessible repertoire when helping students explore and discover their voice part. I pick a short, easy rote song voiced in either three-part mixed or SAB and teach every part to the whole choir. We explore how each part feels in their voice to help them decide in which section they’d feel most comfortable. Some cases will arise where you will need to meet with a student one on one to check their vocal range, especially in guiding males through their voice change. It is in these instances where finding a common free time would be helpful, like having a group of baritone friends come down to the choir room for lunch and sing together, even when you only need to hear one of them. This small group environment can bring a level of comfort for the students, especially if it’s early in the year and you are still building relationships with them. Throughout this entire process, there are a few rules that I try my best to follow:
Karla McClain Illing Middle School Choral and General Music Teacher, kmcclain@mpspride.org
For a sixth-grade or seven/eight treble group, I don’t assess their ranges. I just assign students to parts randomly. However, I ensure everyone has a chance to sing the top or bottom part over the course of the year. For TB groups, it is more integral to look at ranges. I usually do it organically: I have all students sing a simple folk song and then listen for students who should be singing the bass versus tenor as we sing the song all together. Middle school students are so self-conscious, and I feel strongly about helping them feel safe in my classroom. Having them sing alone can be anxiety-provoking and also is difficult in terms of management, so that is why I choose to do it in this manner. For my select groups, I do listen to students individually, and I will use vocalises to hear their ranges. In addition, I will have students sing “America (My country tis of thee)” in different ranges to see where their voice might fit best in an ensemble.
ACDA.org
","related":[{"id":22832,"slug":"translating-emotion-to-expression-five-strategies-to-try","title":"Translating Emotion to Expression: Five Strategies to Try","category":"Choral","categories":["Choral","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["choral","may-2026"],"date":"May 27, 2026","shortDate":"May 27","byline":"Christopher Loftin from Chorteach with permission from ACDA","excerpt":"Students are constantly looking for positive ways to express themselves. They want to feel valued, heard, and understood. More research and attention are on social-emotional learning, trauma...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/translating-emotion-to-expression-five-strategies-to-try/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ChoralCorner-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22686,"slug":"choral-corner","title":"Choral Corner","category":"Choral","categories":["Choral","March 2026"],"categorySlugs":["choral","march2026"],"date":"Mar 11, 2026","shortDate":"Mar 11","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"Reprinted with permission from ACDA We often combine older and younger choirs together for a finale. This can offer a great opportunity for younger students to see what their future might lo...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/choral-corner/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AdobeStock_1649774993-1-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22542,"slug":"ask-a-conductor-3","title":"Ask a Conductor","category":"Choral","categories":["Choral","January 2026"],"categorySlugs":["choral","january-2026"],"date":"Jan 13, 2026","shortDate":"Jan 13","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"From Chorteach with permission from ACDA What do you do with those students who don't often sing in your class? They say they enjoy being in choir, but I don't see evidence of this in their...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/ask-a-conductor-3/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/image1-copy-1.jpg"}]},{"id":22867,"slug":"why-every-band-program-needs-a-trusted-repair-tech-relationship","title":"Why Every Band Program Needs a Trusted Repair Tech Relationship","category":"Wind Talkers","categories":["Wind Talkers","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["wind-talkers","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 19, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 19","byline":"Lisa Canning","excerpt":"As music educators, we measure the health of our programs in dozens of ways — enrollment numbers, contest ratings, retention rates, parent involvement, student progress on their instruments...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/why-every-band-program-needs-a-trusted-repair-tech-relationship/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lisas-Clarinet-Shop-Clarinet-Repair-Tech.jpg","content":"As music educators, we measure the health of our programs in dozens of ways — enrollment numbers, contest ratings, retention rates, parent involvement, student progress on their instruments. But there's one quiet metric that affects every one of those outcomes and that most directors I talk with have never actively managed: how quickly does an instrument that goes down in our band room get back into a student's hands?
In an ideal world, every program would have a trusted repair technician on speed-dial. Not just a name, but someone who knows our students, our inventory, our calendar, and budget realities. In the real world, most directors are improvising. We send instruments to whoever the school district has historically used to a regional shop ninety minutes away, or — increasingly — we don't send them at all because we know the turnaround will swallow most of a quarter.
This matters more than we usually acknowledge. A clarinet that sits in a closet for six weeks waiting on a pad replacement is a student who isn't progressing, a chair in the section that isn't filled, and — if it happens enough — a young player who quietly decides that band isn't for them after all. The repair relationship is not a back-office detail. It is part of our retention strategy, whether we treat it that way or not.
What a real repair relationship makes possible
When a director has a working relationship with a qualified woodwind or brass technician, the program changes in ways that are easy to underestimate.
What gets in the way
Most directors I work with want this kind of relationship and don't have it. The barriers are usually structural rather than personal. District purchasing rules can make it hard to commit to one vendor. Geography limits options. The repair pipeline itself has thinned over the past two decades, with fewer working technicians than at any point in our recent history. The simple fact is that most of us were never taught, in our undergraduate or graduate programs, how to evaluate a technician or build a productive relationship with one.
The shortage on the technician side is real and getting worse. The 2025 Music Trades Census showed that the average age of a working band-instrument repair technician is now well over fifty, with thin replacement pipelines coming behind them. This means that the directors who build relationships now will have access in five and ten years that the directors who don't will not.
How to start the relationship
Building the relationship doesn't require breaking purchasing rules or shifting your whole approach. It requires a few intentional moves over the course of a year.
What we owe our students
Every student picking up an instrument in our band room is putting some piece of their musical future in our hands. The instrument they play, the support they get, and the quality of the experience all shape whether they become someone who plays for a year or someone who plays for a lifetime.
A working repair relationship is one of the simplest, most leveraged investments we can make in that outcome. It costs nothing money-wise. It costs a small amount of relational time. And it pays back over the entire arc of a director's career, in students who keep playing, programs that hold their numbers, and instruments that last.
Find your tech. Build the relationship. Your students are counting on it, even if they don't know.
","related":[{"id":22818,"slug":"building-a-stronger-ecosystem-for-growth-in-the-music-industry","title":"Building a Stronger Ecosystem for Growth in the Music Industry","category":"Wind Talkers","categories":["Wind Talkers","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["wind-talkers","may-2026"],"date":"May 14, 2026","shortDate":"May 14","byline":"Lisa Canning","excerpt":"In the evolving landscape of the music industry, fostering participation requires more than just promoting products; it necessitates the creation of a robust ecosystem that supports collabor...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/building-a-stronger-ecosystem-for-growth-in-the-music-industry/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_654863597-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22694,"slug":"windtalkers","title":"WindTalkers","category":"Wind Talkers","categories":["Wind Talkers","March 2026"],"categorySlugs":["wind-talkers","march2026"],"date":"Mar 18, 2026","shortDate":"Mar 18","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"SBO+: This is a great article. If it seems intimidating keep in mind that once you do it, an annual update is easy. There are also lots of sources of assistance like Conn Selmer’s Signature...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/windtalkers/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AdobeStock_1823908887-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22448,"slug":"holiday-gift-guide-for-music-businesses-tools-to-boost-engagement-and-growth","title":"Holiday Gift Guide for Music Businesses: Tools to Boost Engagement and Growth","category":"Wind Talkers","categories":["Wind Talkers","December 2025"],"categorySlugs":["wind-talkers","december-2025"],"date":"Dec 21, 2025","shortDate":"Dec 21","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Lisa Canning The holiday season is the perfect time for music businesses - shops, repair services, and studios - to invest in resources that not only drive sales but also create deeper co...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/holiday-gift-guide-for-music-businesses-tools-to-boost-engagement-and-growth/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-29-at-9.31.39-PM.png"}]},{"id":22861,"slug":"policy-paradox-accountability-in-arts-education","title":"Policy Paradox: Accountability in Arts Education","category":"Advocacy","categories":["Advocacy","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["advocacy","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 17, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 17","byline":"Laurie T. Schell, Elevate Arts Ed","excerpt":"Money and policy are usually cast as the engines of accountability. In arts education, though, the story is messier. The real question is what actually drives accountability—and what states...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/policy-paradox-accountability-in-arts-education/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_87893384-scaled.jpeg","content":"Money and policy are usually cast as the engines of accountability. In arts education, though, the story is messier. The real question is what actually drives accountability—and what states can do when the formal levers are weak, uneven, or easy to ignore.
To get at that question, I paired Arts Education Partnership’s (AEP) ArtScan policy data with access and participation data from the Arts Education Data Project. What emerges is a familiar but uncomfortable truth: supportive policy, by itself, does not reliably translate into access or participation. Accountability depends just as much on how policy is interpreted, implemented, and enforced.
Policy Paradox
That is the policy paradox: what states require on paper is not always what students experience in practice. California has long been a vivid example. A 2022 SRI Education study found that 79% of school leaders reported offering at least one of the four required arts disciplines, yet only 11% of schools offered a sequential, standards-based course of study in all four disciplines, as state policy requires—essentially unchanged since 2005–06.
California is not an exception, though it may be starting to narrow the gap through major funding with the Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act (AMS) and new audits tied to how those funds are used. Across other states, the same pattern shows up: strong arts instruction policies on the books, participation rates still hovering in the 50–60% range, and as many as 13% of students left without access.
Focus on Instructional Requirements
One useful place to look is instructional requirements, because they reveal how seriously a state expects its arts standards to be taken. According to ArtScan, all fifty states have elementary and secondary arts standards; 40 have some instructional requirements in elementary or middle school, 39 in high school, and 12 have none.
These requirements vary in strength: policies that say the arts “must be taught” or specify minutes or course counts are stronger, while phrases such as “shall provide” or “shall have experiences” allow more variation in implementation.
Policy Overlay with Participation and Access
If instructional requirements are among the clearest policy levers available, we should expect them to produce stronger access and participation. But the data resists that tidy conclusion.
A snapshot of nearly 20 states shows participation rates from 52% to 83%, a wide spread among states that mostly have good to excellent policies.
The contrast becomes even harder to ignore among the 12 states with no instructional requirements: two still report high participation rates of 78.8% and 64.7%. That is a strong signal that accountability is shaped by more than policy, testing, or funding alone.
Accountability Levers That Drive Educational Goals
So, if policy and funding do not fully explain accountability, what does? Which levers actually move arts education from formal compliance to something that is visible, valued, and hard to sideline?
Accountability is a constant in education, but the arts have never fully claimed their place in that conversation. If arts education is going to do so, it will need to show not only that it is required, but that it advances the larger purposes of schooling in ways that matter and are difficult to dismiss.
Laurie Schell Associates | ElevateArtsEd
","related":[{"id":22822,"slug":"the-storm-is-here-seven-threats-every-music-and-arts-educator-must-understand-right-now","title":"The Storm Is Here: Seven Threats Every Music (and Arts) Educator Must Understand Right Now","category":"Advocacy","categories":["Advocacy","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["advocacy","may-2026"],"date":"May 18, 2026","shortDate":"May 18","byline":"Bob Morrison","excerpt":"SBO+: Regular contributor Bob Morrison has written an important and powerful essay entitled \"The Storm Is Here: Seven Threats Every Music (and Arts) Educator Must Understand Right Now.\" Bob...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-storm-is-here-seven-threats-every-music-and-arts-educator-must-understand-right-now/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Morrison.webp"},{"id":22785,"slug":"take-the-win-everyday-advocates-for-arts-education","title":"Take the Win: Everyday Advocates for Arts Education","category":"Advocacy","categories":["Advocacy"],"categorySlugs":["advocacy"],"date":"Apr 23, 2026","shortDate":"Apr 23","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"I’m asked by music and arts education advocates how to stay positive in times of crisis and uncertainty. A glib response might be, “When is access to arts education not in crisis?” It’s true...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/take-the-win-everyday-advocates-for-arts-education/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Schell-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22325,"slug":"the-road-ahead-for-music-and-arts-ed-keeping-it-human","title":"The Road Ahead for Music and Arts Ed: Keeping it Human","category":"Advocacy","categories":["Advocacy","December 2025"],"categorySlugs":["advocacy","december-2025"],"date":"Dec 18, 2025","shortDate":"Dec 18","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Laurie T. Schell, Elevate Arts Ed “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” ~Yogi Berra Arts education is poised to be center stage. Human creativity—what distinguishes us from arti...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-road-ahead-for-music-and-arts-ed-keeping-it-human/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-29-at-9.18.42-PM.png"}]},{"id":22859,"slug":"ten-commandments-of-programming","title":"Ten Commandments of Programming","category":"MAC Corner","categories":["MAC Corner","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["mac-corner","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 15, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 15","byline":"Cheryl Floyd","excerpt":"SBO+: This was originally published in our December 2022 issue. However, I judged several festivals this fall where directors performed all three of their pieces by the same composer, so it’...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/ten-commandments-of-programming/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ten-Commandments-1.jpg","content":"SBO+: This was originally published in our December 2022 issue. However, I judged several festivals this fall where directors performed all three of their pieces by the same composer, so it’s due for a reminder.
Repertoire selection is among the most important responsibilities for all band, choir, and orchestra music educators. We have the freedom to make choices based on our groups’ abilities, preferences, and most important, musical growth. Yet, it seems to remain a struggle for every director every year. Certainly, this is a formidable task and not one to be taken casually. I have found that having a clearly defined template of criteria brings focus and consistency to the task. I call mine the Ten Commandments of Repertoire Selection.
Here goes!
III. Thou shalt explore a broad range of key signatures, both major and minor. Certainly band, choir and orchestra directors have their “user friendly keys.” But it is our responsibility to expand our students’ comfort zone in terms of tonalities.
VII. Thou shalt consider musical challenges of every student. While every piece in your folder cannot be equally challenging to all, there should be at least one piece that “pushes the envelope” for every section. A challenge that takes them somewhere they’ve not been before.
VIII. Thou shalt choose at least one piece that challenges your students both in terms of craft and artistry.
Forward march!!!
","related":[{"id":22781,"slug":"end-the-year-on-a-high-note","title":"End the Year on a High Note","category":"MAC Corner","categories":["MAC Corner"],"categorySlugs":["mac-corner"],"date":"Apr 22, 2026","shortDate":"Apr 22","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"SBO+: If you don't recognize the trumpeter, watch some videos of Maynard Ferguson who ended every year on a high note. It’s not too late to make your end of the year the best one ever. Incl...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/end-the-year-on-a-high-note/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Maynard.jpg"},{"id":22319,"slug":"rehearsal-ai-transforming-artificial-intelligence-into-authentic-musical-intelligence","title":"Rehearsal AI: Transforming Artificial Intelligence into Authentic Musical Intelligence","category":"MAC Corner","categories":["MAC Corner","December 2025"],"categorySlugs":["mac-corner","december-2025"],"date":"Dec 15, 2025","shortDate":"Dec 15","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Marcia Neel The technology increasingly focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI). A future where humans abdicate thinking and decision-making to automation is presented as the next step in...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/rehearsal-ai-transforming-artificial-intelligence-into-authentic-musical-intelligence/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-29-at-9.41.45-PM.png"},{"id":22250,"slug":"some-thoughts-on-program-building-through-retention","title":"Some Thoughts on Program Building Through Retention","category":"MAC Corner","categories":["MAC Corner","November 2025"],"categorySlugs":["mac-corner","november2025"],"date":"Nov 20, 2025","shortDate":"Nov 20","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Marcia Neel We all spend countless hours recruiting new students into our programs, yet retention—the piece that ensures those numbers last—takes just as much, if not more, effort. As stu...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/some-thoughts-on-program-building-through-retention/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image1-7.jpg"}]},{"id":22857,"slug":"closing-this-chapter-and-looking-to-the-next-in-our-ensemble-programs","title":"Closing This Chapter and Looking to the Next in Our Ensemble Programs","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 12, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 12","byline":"Stephen Pickard","excerpt":"It’s the end of the year, and some of you reading this may be days away or already done with your year. Cue the reflection season! As we near the last school day, final concerts, graduations...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/closing-this-chapter-and-looking-to-the-next-in-our-ensemble-programs/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_807278233.jpeg","content":"
It’s the end of the year, and some of you reading this may be days away or already done with your year. Cue the reflection season! As we near the last school day, final concerts, graduations, and banquets, we take time to close this chapter with this group of students and consider what lies ahead. It’s bittersweet—we cherish the experiences we’ve had and yet feel hopeful at the thought of a fresh start and bright opportunities ahead. Currently, I’m closing the chapter on 13 years of high school and elementary school band experience to transition to a junior high school—not only am I reflecting on the past year, but my career is also in focus. With summer season ahead of us, I invite you to make time to connect the end of this year with the next and reflect on your own status.
Rebuild: “Those who teach must never cease to learn.” —John Cotton Dana
Moving into the summer is a great time to retool and change something big or small about how we do this. Systems and consistency are important in our programs, but the educational landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and we must evolve with it. Consider finding something to read up on to help you prepare for the coming year. As I am transitioning to teaching a different level, I plan on reading Successful Habits of a Middle School Band Director by Scott Rush, Jeff Scott, and Emily Wilkinson, as well as The Anxious Generation by Johnathan Haidt; both have come highly recommended and cover two very different areas of teaching.
Recharge: \"Resting is not a waste of time. It's an investment in well-being.\" —Adam Grant
Simply put, find a way to separate. Many of us are in all-consuming jobs, and, while we find joy in thinking about the future, forgetting to focus on the moment and ourselves does not lend itself to longevity. Consider simple ways to disconnect, like setting up an autoreply for your email address and removing school email from your phone. This small change can help us cut ties for a short time and support a healthy reset.
Reflect: “In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” —Haim Ginott
I have this quote in my office and I read it daily, especially on the days I wake up struggling with motivation. Ask yourself: Was I an element for good in the room this year? Did I struggle to connect with students, or do I feel I was a force for good? Depending on our life situations, teaching locations, general struggles, or new concerns, negativity and cynicism can creep in like a cancer. We are the energy in the room, and our “aura,” as the kids say now, can become a mirror of what the students do. If this was a challenging year, find a trusted colleague to share your struggles and frustrations with. Another trusted music educator can be a great resource to offer suggestions, help redirect, or create greater connections within our field to help us evaluate where we are.
Goal Setting: You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures.\" —Charles C. Noble
Goal setting is deeply personal because every educator and program has different needs. As you evaluate yourself and your program, consider two areas of improvement: the day to day/year to year as well as the new. Whether you’ve been at your program for many years or are just about to start year one somewhere, develop a tiered multi-year goal list and keep it visible in your teaching space. When I started my current job, I set up a three-, five-, and 10-year goal sheet with a variety of goals. I recently rediscovered it and was impressed to see what had been achieved, and what I felt was important 13 years ago—much of which has changed for the better.
As we close one chapter and begin preparing for the next, it’s important to remember that we are constantly evolving alongside our ensemble programs. Students graduate, new leaders emerge, traditions shift, and educators grow through every season of teaching. Sometimes the most important thing we can do during the summer is pause long enough to appreciate what was accomplished, learn from what was difficult, and give ourselves permission to begin again with renewed purpose.
Whether your next chapter includes a new teaching assignment, a rebuilding year, or simply another opportunity to refine your craft, I hope you enter it with reflection, balance, and excitement for what lies ahead. Our students deserve educators who continue growing alongside them.
","related":[{"id":22880,"slug":"patriotic-music-binds-us-to-the-idea-of-america","title":"Patriotic Music Binds Us to the Idea of America","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 29, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 29","byline":"Harvey Rachlin","excerpt":"SBO+: Well-known author and regular SBO+ contributor Harvey Rachlin provides this article on the important role music plays in developing and sustaining our national identity. In conversatio...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/patriotic-music-binds-us-to-the-idea-of-america/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_175517748-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22877,"slug":"effective-music-leadership-moving-from-busy-to-intentional","title":"Effective Music Leadership: Moving from Busy to Intentional","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 27, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 27","byline":"Aaron Nöe","excerpt":"When you look at social media, it almost seems the culture of music educators is busyness. We read about directors moving from rehearsal to rehearsal, barely keeping up with email, juggling...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/effective-music-leadership-moving-from-busy-to-intentional/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_1708909064-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22820,"slug":"stepping-stones","title":"Stepping Stones","category":"Commentary","categories":["Commentary","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["commentary-current-issue-all","may-2026"],"date":"May 15, 2026","shortDate":"May 15","byline":"Bill Humbert","excerpt":"Effective leadership isn’t about having every solution at your fingertips, it’s about modeling the same curiosity, flexibility, and perseverance we hope to inspire in our students. Ensemble...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/stepping-stones/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_1546674549-scaled.jpeg"}]},{"id":22855,"slug":"teaching-theater-kids-about-the-importance-of-correct-phrasing","title":"Teaching Theater Kids about the Importance of Correct Phrasing","category":"Theater","categories":["June 2026","Theater"],"categorySlugs":["june-2026","theater"],"date":"Jun 11, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 11","byline":"Mary Gray","excerpt":"For a lot of lines, it is essential that the emphasis falls on the correct word. Kids don’t always understand this. Often it indicates the actor doesn’t understand the meaning of the line. B...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/teaching-theater-kids-about-the-importance-of-correct-phrasing/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Theater-scaled.jpeg","content":"For a lot of lines, it is essential that the emphasis falls on the correct word. Kids don’t always understand this. Often it indicates the actor doesn’t understand the meaning of the line. Below is an exercise that demonstrates the importance of phrasing.
Sample sentence: (Write this sentence on the board and underline the emphasized word, then explain the implied meaning.)
I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW TO DO IT.
I can’t tell you how to do it. (Emphasizing the word “I” indicates that though I can’t tell you how to do it, there may be someone who could.)
I can’t tell you how to do it. (This indicates that I’m not able or willing to give out the information on how to do it.)
I can’t tell you how to do it. (This phrasing indicates that I might be able to show you how to do it, I just can’t explain it in words.)
I can’t tell you how to do it. (This indicates that I could tell someone else how to do it, but I can’t tell YOU how.)
I can’t tell you how to do it. (This indicates that though I know what to do, I am unable to explain how it’s done.)
I can’t tell you how to do it. (This indicates that though I may know what needs to be done, I don’t know how it is done.)
I can’t tell you how to do it. (This indicates that I could explain how to do something like it, but I can’t explain how to do this particular thing.)
","related":[{"id":22824,"slug":"a-good-stage-manager-is-better-than-gold","title":"A Good Stage Manager is Better than Gold","category":"Theater","categories":["May 2026","Theater"],"categorySlugs":["may-2026","theater"],"date":"May 20, 2026","shortDate":"May 20","byline":"Mary Gray","excerpt":"Most theatrical productions have a stage manager. The stage manager usually is backstage during the entire performance. They follow the script, and either by headset or by physical or verbal...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/a-good-stage-manager-is-better-than-gold/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AdobeStock_216638229-scaled.jpeg"},{"id":22238,"slug":"the-ideal-choral-music-teacher-a-student-description","title":"The Ideal Choral Music Teacher: A Student Description","category":"Choral","categories":["Choral","November 2025","Theater"],"categorySlugs":["choral","november2025","theater"],"date":"Nov 17, 2025","shortDate":"Nov 17","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Lloyd P. Campbell This article is a reprint from Choral Journal, December 1978. View the original article online at https://acda.org/publications/choral-journal. Describe an outstanding t...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/the-ideal-choral-music-teacher-a-student-description/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/image1-6.jpg"},{"id":18935,"slug":"spinning-my-wheels-lamentations-reflections-and-reset-plans-of-a-bewildered-choir-director","title":"Spinning My Wheels! Lamentations, Reflections, and Reset Plans of a Bewildered Choir Director","category":"Choral","categories":["Choral","June 2025","Theater","Archives"],"categorySlugs":["choral","june-2025","theater","archives"],"date":"Jun 13, 2025","shortDate":"Jun 13","byline":"SBO+ Staff","excerpt":"Y To close out each year, our school plans a fun field day event with options for both indoor and outdoor activities. After I complete my chaperoning duties for the potato sack races on the...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/spinning-my-wheels-lamentations-reflections-and-reset-plans-of-a-bewildered-choir-director/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/image1-36.jpg"}]},{"id":22853,"slug":"an-inspiring-story","title":"An Inspiring Story","category":"America's Bandmasters","categories":["America's Bandmasters","June 2026"],"categorySlugs":["americas-bandmasters","june-2026"],"date":"Jun 9, 2026","shortDate":"Jun 9","byline":"Tom Palmatier, SBO+ Editor-in-Chief","excerpt":"SBO+: In our May 2026 issue, we announced that the American Bandmasters Association has created the Alton Adams Legacy Recognition to be presented to outstanding concert band conductors and...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/an-inspiring-story/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/McFarlin.jpg","content":"SBO+: In our May 2026 issue, we announced that the American Bandmasters Association has created the Alton Adams Legacy Recognition to be presented to outstanding concert band conductors and composers who had not previously been recognized by ABA.
It was not that many years ago that many organizations were only open to membership by white men. The result was that generations of women and people of color were either denied entry to those professions or faced obstacles and challenges to their success and in the case of music education, the success of their students.
One of the two inaugural recipients of the Alton Adams Legacy Recognition is Kernaa McFarlin, a legendary Florida band director. I encourage you to read his inspiring story.
At age eleven, Kernaa D. McFarlin began his career in Tampa, Florida under the tutelage of Captain Carey W. Thomas, retired director of bands at Florida A & M University. Later, he played in the Middleton High School Band and received a scholarship to Florida A & M upon graduation.
During his college years, he was the woodwind section leader in the band and orchestra. Kernaa credits Leander Kirksey with outstanding woodwind instruction. In 1943, Mr. McFarlin was inducted into the U.S. Army and soon became a member of the famous 92nd Infantry Division Band. The 92d Infantry Division, known as the “Buffalo Division.” was the only African-American infantry division to serve in combat in WWII. During his military career, he attained the rank of Sergeant.
After leaving the Army, Kernaa returned to Florida A & M where he participated in the college bands under the direction of William P. Foster. Because of Mr. McFarlin's experience and training, he was able to provide valuable assistance and leadership in the development of the newly re-activated college band program.
Upon graduation, Kernaa McFarlin was appointed to be the first official band director at Stanton Senior High School in Jacksonville, Florida. During his tenure as the band director, he earned a Master's Degree from New York University. McFarlin's bands amassed a total of nineteen consecutive years of superior ratings in the Florida Association of Band Directors and the Florida Bandmasters Association contests. Other highlights of the achievements of this band include being selected as Florida's representative at the 1964 New York World's Fair, participating in three Florida Governor Inaugural parades, and being selected by the Florida Department of Education to appear at the 1966 Midwest National Conference of Colleges and University Education's “Education is for All'' convention. In 1966, Mr. McFarlin's Stanton High School band was recognized by the Instrumentalist magazine as one of the “highly regarded bands in the Southeast'' and performed at the Midwest National Band Clinic (now the Midwest Clinic).
For twenty-seven years, Mr. McFarlin served as an honorary member and adjudicator of the Florida Bands Association. He received over fifty awards for musical excellence and community service.
In a speech, Mr. McFarlin described some of the hurdles he and other Black band directors faced:
Battles by local school administrators, parents, and community activists eventually forced some school board members to provide adequate funding for instruments, equipment, and practice facilities. As an example of the depravity existing during this time, Duval County did not hire its first black band director until 1948. . . . In 1948, I was appointed band director at Stanton High School. There were sixteen students who had an instrument to play. The school had five instruments which had been acquired by Coach J. P. Small.
In 1966, the Stanton Band competed in the first integrated Florida Bandmasters Association festival and was one of only six bands to receive straight Superior ratings (out of 76. As such, they were invited to perform at the convention and McFarlin described:
“There were many in the audience who doubted our merit for being there. There was some show of racism present as evidenced by the presence of waving Confederate flags, someone hollering in the audience, ‘Whatcha gonna do, play Night Train?” while some in the assemblage laughed. When our three selections were announced, Jubilee March, Phedre Overture and the finale to Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, there were murmurs of disbelief. When our band finished playing, we received a standing ovation which lasted until after the band left the stage.”
Dr. Richard Bowles, Director of Bands at the University of Florida wrote:
Stanton “always performed last on the program, because nobody wanted to follow them.” Bowles was very impressed when he visited Stanton to have the band read through one of his compositions. Students arrived early to practice independently. The concert band of approximately one hundred students included a very well-balanced ensemble including many color instruments, double reeds, horns, and tubas. Students with school-owned instruments wore white gloves with fingertips cut out so they would not tarnish the instruments.
SBO+ joins the American Bandmasters Association in recognizing the outstanding contributions to music education by Kernaa D. McFarlin.
","related":[{"id":22810,"slug":"american-bandmasters-association-announces-new-recognition","title":"American Bandmasters Association Announces New Recognition","category":"America's Bandmasters","categories":["America's Bandmasters","May 2026"],"categorySlugs":["americas-bandmasters","may-2026"],"date":"May 8, 2026","shortDate":"May 8","byline":"Col. (USA Ret.) Thomas H. Palmatier","excerpt":"American Bandmasters Association Announces New Recognition The American Bandmasters Association has established the Alton Adams Legacy Recognition to honor the contributions of conductors, d...","sourceUrl":"https://sboplus.net/american-bandmasters-association-announces-new-recognition/","image":"https://sboplus.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Adams.jpg"},{"id":22156,"slug":"the-journey-continues","title":"The Journey Continues!","category":"America's Bandmasters","categories":["America's Bandmasters","October 2025"],"categorySlugs":["americas-bandmasters","october2025"],"date":"Oct 27, 2025","shortDate":"Oct 27","byline":"SBO+ Contributor","excerpt":"By Cynthia A. 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