From the President...

New beginnings have now become daily routine as we have finished our first semester of school.   Fall musicals and various concerts have challenged us as directors and we hope, gave our students wonderful musical memories.

I am now in a new situation that has challenged me to go back to my bag of tricks by teaching the basics of vocal production to high school students. It is impossible to tune a choir if vowels are not consistent just as it is impossible to recognize the melody if the trumpets do not know the correct fingering!  We are doing a disservice to our students if we do not teach them the basics at all levels of vocal music.  This has been my daily routine as I try to “make pure vowels fun”!  Then throw in some articulation and correct breathing and they definitely think I’m crazy!!!  I keep reminding myself that change takes time for all involved.  I can’t expect the students to understand my ways overnight so I have to be careful to not scare them away with too much of a good thing.  Improvements are there and students are noticing.  I am always amazed how students are hungry for success and it is our job to show them that details and hard work are worth the effort.   Success will then come – I just wish it could come quickly!  Therein lies the next and probably most important challenge – Patience!   My friends keep reminding me that good things will come but at this time small steps are necessary.

As we move into our second semester there are many things to look forward too:  Contests, Concerts and Conventions.   I realize that the SWACDA Convention in Denver has been scheduled during our KMEA Convention weekend but we do want to wish our new R & S Community Choirs Chair, Mark Bartel and the Wichita Community Children’s Choir the best of luck as they represent the great state of Kansas in Denver!!!  We also want to wish the Kansas directors and their choirs the best of luck at our State KMEA Convention in Wichita.  The schedule and list of clinics will soon be posted on www.ksmea.edu.  

One last friendly reminder - our students worked hard to make the State Honor Choirs so please prepare them by teaching them the notes.  Our state clinicians are excited to work with our great Kansas musicians so let’s show them how excellent our kids truly are.  Help them be prepared!  

I hope that everyone had a great first semester and anticipate that 2010 will bring continued success!

Happy New Year!!!

Greg

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