As we all know, the rigors of being a music educator in today’s school climate can be an overwhelming and particularly demanding experience. As we prepare for concerts, band reviews, musicals, choral and orchestral events, and all of the activities that enrich the musical lives of our students, it is not uncommon for us to disconnect with colleagues and friends who share similar classroom experiences.

Unlike other subject areas that have multiple faculty members on campus collaborating with one another, a single music educator is often given the responsibility of serving as band director, choir director, orchestra director, and is called upon to organize any function involving music. Elementary and middle school music teachers may have an itinerant schedule that requires travel between three or more schools. These expectations can result in a feeling of isolation from fellow faculty members, who often don’t realize the magnitude of a music teacher’s responsibilities.

One of the best ways for us to thrive under the demands of our jobs is to network with our music colleagues at festivals and conferences. Our jobs become much more rewarding knowing there is a support system of people who share the same joys and frustrations that teaching music can bring. The 2008 Bay Section Winter Conference held on January 11 and 12 at San Jose State University offers us the opportunity to meet and learn from outstanding music educators from both the local and national levels.

In addition to all of the great sessions you’ve been reading about in this issue of Tempo, I’m pleased to announce that Glenn Roberts, of Best Music Company in Oakland will once again be providing his delectable tasting of fine wines for our Wine and Hors D’ourves Reception Friday evening from 5:30–7:00.

This year’s conference promises to be a rewarding experience for all of our attendees and will provide us with new tools and techniques for us to bring back to our classrooms. We are also offering a fifty percent discount on conference fees for first time attendees, so all teachers new to music education are encouraged to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. See you at the conference!

January 11-12, 2008

San Jose State University

Registration is open to all MENC/CMEA members. The registration fee for non-members includes a one year membership in MENC/CMEA. Registration forms can be viewed, printed, or downloaded from this page. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free from Adobe) to view and print the form. If you have the pdf plug-in installed in your Internet browser, you can view and print the form without having to download. Pre-registration for the next conference will begin in September. The pre-registration deadline for the 2008 Conference is December 15, 2007. On-site registration begins at 7:30 AM on Friday and at 8:00 AM on Saturday.

The cost for the Winter Conference is $65 if paid by December 15. After that date it will go up to $75. Also, as an added incentive, new conference attendee's get 50% off!! (membership in CMEA/MENC still required) 

2008 Winter Conference Registration Form

Michele Winter, Orchestra Director of Lowell High School, has developed one of the finest string programs in California, has given many years of service to CMEA and has graced our podium once before as Director of the Winter Conference Orchestra. She holds a B.Mus.Ed. degree from San Francisco State University and an M.Mus.Ed. degree in the Kodaly Approach from Holy Names College.

Michele has conducted festival orchestras in Northern California and presented sessions at regional and state CMEA conferences and at OAKE national conferences. Her articles and reviews have appeared in Teaching Music Through Performance, Strings Magazine and the Music Educators Journal. She has a special interest in researching the words and music of folk songs, art songs and sacred songs found in famous orchestral masterworks.

Sharon Vela grew up in the “musical oasis” of Wichita and is a graduate of Wichita State University in Kansas with a degree in music education with a concentration in violin and piano & voice-secondary.

She was a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra for six years, several bay area orchestras, and soloed for various events as well as teaching violin and viola privately.

Sharon taught classroom music in Wichita for four years before moving to California in 1971 where she began teaching in Antioch at the elementary level — choral, classroom and instrumental and later moved to junior high. Her students actively participated in CMEA group performances as well as conference groups and ACDA honor choirs. All totalled, 38 years of public school music, 34 in Antioch, before retiring in June of 2005.

Ms. Vela served as choral representative for the CMEA Bay Section for 4 years and is active in CMEA, MENC and ACDA.She presents various workshops for CMEA Bay Section/State and other organizations on music education, choral, strings, and “Juggling for Better Reading”

Sharon is presently involved in a career of “part time things” — private teaching studio, teaching two days per week at an elementary doing classroom & instrumental music, adjudicating for CMEA in choral and instrumental, freelance performing and guest conducting.

Andy Collinsworth is now in his 17th year of teaching instrumental music. Following a two-year sabbatical to pursue the Doctor of the Musical Arts degree at Arizona State University, Mr. Collinsworth recently returned to his position at Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa, California, where he directs the Concert and Symphonic Bands, Jazz Band and teaches Advanced Placement Music Theory. Groups under his direction have consistently earned praise for their superior performances. The MCHS Symphonic Band has performed twice for the California Music Educators Association State Convention in Sacramento in 2000 and 2002, and at the 2005 CMEA Winter Conference at San Jose State University.

Mr. Collinsworth is a candidate (ABD) for the DMA degree at Arizona State University where he studied wind conducting with Professor Gary W. Hill. He served as a teaching assistant to Professor Hill, Dr. Wayne Bailey and Professor James Hudson in a variety of capacities with the ASU Wind Bands, Sun Devil Marching Band, and the undergraduate conducting program. Mr. Collinsworth holds two degrees from the University of Nevada at Reno (B.A. Music Education and M.M. Applied Saxophone) where he was a student of Drs. David Ehrke and A.G. McGrannahan III.

Mr. Collinsworth has served as an instructor, adjudicator and guest conductor throughout California. He is a member of the several professional organizations, including MENC, IAJE, and CBDNA, and has served in leadership positions with the Bay Section CMEA, the California Band Directors Association, and the Northern California Band Directors Association.

Letter from our Conference Host

Greetings from Silicon Valley!

The faculty and staff at San Jose State University are very pleased to host the CMEA Bay Section Conference. We are pleased to provide concert and clinic facilities ranging from the School of Music & Dance's 500 seat Concert Hall to the 1100 seat Morris Dailey Auditorium located in the historic Tower Building in the center of campus. The Student Union is also an important venue, housing the conference registration, orchestra rehearsals, technology sessions, music industry exhibits, and some conference clinics. Founded in 1857, San Jose State University is the first of the California State University campuses. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the SJSU School of Music and Dance offers a variety of innovative degree programs spanning traditional studies in performance, composition, and education to the technical avant-garde, cross-cultural studies in improvisation, and jazz.

Surrounding the University, downtown San Jose offers a variety of restaurants from ethnic and fast food to distinctive, fine dining. Coupled with world class hotel accommodations, San Jose provides a truly exciting conference environment. We are honored to serve you and look forward to seeing you each January.

Edward C. Harris
Conference Host