Happy Tuesday and last day of July! The PR & Marketing Department has been cranking out the work this month. News Editor RF's August online news is live; September print news is about finished; Marketing Manager BS has all the MENC ads for September Music Educators Journal completed (or as we sometimes say, they are in the "current final version"); she and Web Specialist PF have updated the online MENC Member "Tour" with all the new information and benefits; she and Web Assistant DP have posted the Centennial Photo Gallery on the Centennial Web site; PF has worked with the editorial department to post Spring 2007 General Music Today ; DP has produced his first MENC Podcast featuring an interview with NAMM's Joe Lamond; a couple of new press releases have gone out; an RFP for major Web development has been distributed; PSAs are being prepared for "back to school" release; and on and on and on. There is also a big meeting tomorrow about an exciting development for Music In Our Schools Month 2008 -- more info to come!
We finally got some much-needed rain in Northern Virginia over the weekend. Luckily it ended Monday morning so last night's "HippieFest" at Wolf Trap wasn't washed out. I can add the Turtles to my concert list. They ("Flo and Eddie") were hilarious, and their songs still sounded great. The Rascals played a great set, and the Zombies were good, too. It was kind of a weird experience though. Each group played for about twenty minutes, and the set changes took about ten. Somehow seven acts got on and off in three hours. But there was a lot of down time for the amount of music. Still lots of fun. The audience rose to the occasion - lots of flowers, tie-dye, tattoos, long hair, etc.
Off now to a membership marketing meeting, followed by a photo storage strategy session (we have so many digital photos we're starting to overwhelm our computer server), quick lunch with MENC colleagues who kindly supported me and a sister of mine in the "Race for Hope" this spring -- then the afternoon will likely be spent organizing fall Tri-M and Collegiate promotions. Onward!
--EWL
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Gentle Giants and Ghost Hunters
Gentle Giants - just got back from lunch spent with a few MENC employees who were discussing the latest Harry Potter book. I mentioned that I was pretty shocked JK Rowling did not kill off Hagrid - my gentle giant. I remember growing up and it was like all really tall men were giants in my world. Most were gentle like my German grandfather with his white hair and big hands. The minute I saw Hagrid in the first movie I knew he would win my heart as his character unfolded. Did you have giants in your life? Harley did - once....
We are getting ready to go into the lazy hazy dog days of August. Here in my world we were blest (we do have drought) with rain on Sunday and altho I was not able to play tennis, I was happy for the rain. It is beginning to get muggy today and we are warned that the hot days are headed to us from the west. It is quiet here and we all seem to be in the busy bee cleaning mold waiting in anticipation for all of you to go back to school the end of August. This is a great time to play catch-up and get the desk cleaned off. In my world the NEB will not meet again until November 2-3 in Milwaukee, WI. They will receive their board books on October 5 which means they have to have information to me by September 28. The state presidents will be logging their reports onto the web site by September 21. On September 13-14 I will be in Philly looking at the King Tut Exhibition (thought I 
would throw that in as a side note). And as another side note (we will see if any board members even read this blog) I am headed to Massachusetts October 24-28. Oh so close to Halloween and the NEB meeting - I will be staying at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, then head to the Little Women home, and then stay in Salem. SO, excited am I! Just think, Lizzie Borden's little axe earrings --- or did she really use a hatchet? - oh well, no matter they will be hangin' in my ears. (Not to do any plugs here ---- but Ghost Hunters on Wed. nite on Sci Fi channel, 8 pm eastern daylight time, is doing a Lizzie Borden ghost segment. If you watch, see if they mention the Andrew & Abby Borden's master bedroom - yes, that is where Harley and I will be sleeping! WOW, why couldn't Jason and Grant wait until I got there to do their show - they are too cute.)
would throw that in as a side note). And as another side note (we will see if any board members even read this blog) I am headed to Massachusetts October 24-28. Oh so close to Halloween and the NEB meeting - I will be staying at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, then head to the Little Women home, and then stay in Salem. SO, excited am I! Just think, Lizzie Borden's little axe earrings --- or did she really use a hatchet? - oh well, no matter they will be hangin' in my ears. (Not to do any plugs here ---- but Ghost Hunters on Wed. nite on Sci Fi channel, 8 pm eastern daylight time, is doing a Lizzie Borden ghost segment. If you watch, see if they mention the Andrew & Abby Borden's master bedroom - yes, that is where Harley and I will be sleeping! WOW, why couldn't Jason and Grant wait until I got there to do their show - they are too cute.)Since Harley is a dog he knows how to spend his dog days. He hangs out in streams with little gnomes, trolls, and sprites.... Harley doesn't let no moss grow under his little paws!
May your week be a good one. If, off on a stroll, you pass a running creek, peek down to see if Harley and the gnomes are hanging out together.... I'm sure if you see them, it has to mean good luck is coming your way OR you were up way too late last night watching way too many movies...... or something...
Friday, July 27, 2007
Here In Pleasantville
Well, this is pretty exciting! My first ever "Inside MENC" blog posting!
So many directions that I could go with this... hmm... hmm... where to start, where to start...
Ok, since today officially concludes my first week as Government Relations & Outreach Director (yay!), a quick little anecdote about how, once upon a time, I got my start both in politics and in music education... at the very same time!
Ahem:
As anyone who knows and works with me here at MENC will tell you, I am a devoted lover of ALL kinds of music, but sadly, not a musician myself (you're going to need to just trust me on this one--asking me to prove it would be forcing a very cruel fate upon yourself). Anyways, when I was in 5th Grade, I decided to run for school president (my very first campaign experience!). All candidates were required to enlist a teacher to act as their campaign manager, and I had always thought that our school music teacher was (naturally) pretty cool (I'd also caught her breaking it down to Prince's Purple Rain on a couple of occasions after school hours when, clearly, she didn't think that anyone else was around), so, after much deliberation, I ultimately decided to ask her to join Team CBLW. Long story short, my campaign theme song, chosen by my music teacher/campaign manager, ended up being "Baby I'm A Star" (seriously? a PRINCE song is appropriate for a little kid's first time on the campaign trail??), and ultimately, by some miracle, I ended up winning that little election! So there you have it. That's how I got my start. The moral of the story, of course, is that music teachers are terrific, both for teaching music, and for assisting with achieving hard-nosed political victories!
Oh, and they seem to like Prince.
A lot.
Now a little bit about the rest of the "fabo" Government Relations & Outreach Department here at MENC...
SKJ and HLS.
Ahhh SKJ and HLS, what would I do without either one of you? The hardest workin' people in showbiz! Everyone in this department definitely has their role. SKJ is smart, great with people (see amazing TNAP successes), wonderfully honest (especially when my socks don't match), and a truly dedicated, hard worker (see amazing TNAP successes). Then there's HLS. HLS keeps us going around here. If I don't know how to do something, chances are, HLS has already figured it out. HLS is efficient, incredibly eager to learn, consistently cheery (SO necessary on a day when the rest of the department is grumpy), and much like SKJ, very upfront (again, see the mismatched socks thing).
So that's a little bit about our department! We're a very happy, fun-loving bunch :-)
And now... in conclusion... here are the FIRST ever...
"Government Relations & Outreach Department Album Picks of the Week!!!"
SKJ: Various Artists - Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture)
HLS: Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
CBLW: Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
*We miss you Anne!!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Midweek Meanderings and Miscellany XVIIII: Headlines
Just an average week so far, busy, but steady. Nothing particularly needing elaboration, so I'll just give some headlines!
- I'm stunned and amazed and impressed by EWL's long list of remembered concerts ! (see her blog 7/24)
- The big Clean up on Friday was pretty successful, overall, and in my neck of the woods, managed to get rid of about 2 Hefty bags of stuff, but I probably have about at least 5 bags worth to go.....will continue to chip away at it! At least I can walk around in my office now!
- MENC employee CR, from member services, is leaving MENC for greener pastures! He will be missed, as he's an enthusiastic, helpful, highly motivated, and fun person.
- New MENC server up and running, thanks to the IT guys!
- on-going Eureka and standards survey work, the project continues.......!!
- kudos to LE, KR, AD and MB for providing a great short advocacy piece under a tight deadline, to send to one of MENC's stalwart advocates for her mailing to her state's Legislature!
- member requests and school starting, just around the corner! Can already see fall flowers (milkweed pods, goldenrod, others) forming their buds of flower.....can't believe in a month or so it'll be September! where'd the summer go?
- many new initiatives and projects on-going....there's buzz all around the office, no doubt news of these things will soon be out!
- some new treats in store for members, some new items for the classroom and web resources too....keep your eyes peeled for info in alerts and news!
- New cool advocacy brochures now available on MENC website! click here: The Power of Music: Advocacy Brochure Series
-August Question of the Month will be a chance for you to tell us what you did this summer, and what you're looking forward to this coming school year! Click it out come August 1!
- Jerusalem Symphony Saved! A few blogs back, I posted a link about the Jerusalem Symphony possibly being shut down after 70 years. It was rescued. Jerusalem Symphony to Stay in Business
Around the Water Cooler
- have not watched "The Singing Bee" or "Don't Forget the Lyrics", but here is an interesting article about singing misfit lyrics!
And for all you lyric fans, see THIS and THIS!
And for song snippets, see THIS!
See you next week! SR
- I'm stunned and amazed and impressed by EWL's long list of remembered concerts ! (see her blog 7/24)
- The big Clean up on Friday was pretty successful, overall, and in my neck of the woods, managed to get rid of about 2 Hefty bags of stuff, but I probably have about at least 5 bags worth to go.....will continue to chip away at it! At least I can walk around in my office now!
- MENC employee CR, from member services, is leaving MENC for greener pastures! He will be missed, as he's an enthusiastic, helpful, highly motivated, and fun person.
- New MENC server up and running, thanks to the IT guys!
- on-going Eureka and standards survey work, the project continues.......!!
- kudos to LE, KR, AD and MB for providing a great short advocacy piece under a tight deadline, to send to one of MENC's stalwart advocates for her mailing to her state's Legislature!
- member requests and school starting, just around the corner! Can already see fall flowers (milkweed pods, goldenrod, others) forming their buds of flower.....can't believe in a month or so it'll be September! where'd the summer go?
- many new initiatives and projects on-going....there's buzz all around the office, no doubt news of these things will soon be out!
- some new treats in store for members, some new items for the classroom and web resources too....keep your eyes peeled for info in alerts and news!
- New cool advocacy brochures now available on MENC website! click here: The Power of Music: Advocacy Brochure Series
-August Question of the Month will be a chance for you to tell us what you did this summer, and what you're looking forward to this coming school year! Click it out come August 1!
- Jerusalem Symphony Saved! A few blogs back, I posted a link about the Jerusalem Symphony possibly being shut down after 70 years. It was rescued. Jerusalem Symphony to Stay in Business
Around the Water Cooler
- have not watched "The Singing Bee" or "Don't Forget the Lyrics", but here is an interesting article about singing misfit lyrics!
And for all you lyric fans, see THIS and THIS!
And for song snippets, see THIS!
See you next week! SR
Monday, July 23, 2007
16 Years!
At last week's monthly "social" (basically a monthly staff meeting where we celebrate people's birthdays and MENC anniversaries), I was reminded that July 29 marks my 16th year here at MENC.
Good grief. It's hard to believe.
I was a piano major in college and always hung out with the collegiate MENC students, so I was well aware of what MENC was and did. A few years after graduation, during which time I had been working in marketing at another association, I was offered a position at MENC national headquarters, which just happened to be located in my new hometown of Reston, VA. Working in the field I cared so much about, with a five minute commute -- it was a no-brainer and a decision I'm so glad I made.
It does hurt a bit to think I've been working here since before there was e-mail or the internet in the office. Lots of other things have changed, too; my recollection is that smoking at one's desk had just been prohibited when I arrived -- but everyone could smoke in the refectory, so that's where my then-boss wanted to have all her meetings. We used to always call our Web site "MENC's internet Home Page on the World Wide Web." Here's what it looked like 1996! Now we have a Web site that is visited thousands of times a day, with more than 1500 pages.
There are a handful of folks who've been here even longer than I! Dr. M, ML, MB, SF, CA, AD, EW, and TH. Maybe I'll try to get a photo of all of us as a little anniversary present to myself. We've all seen a lot of fine people (and some major characters) come and go (or sometimes stay) during our time here.
Anway, enough about the past! The future is .... busy. We're starting a major review of the MENC Web site, launching new initiatives for Music In Our Schools Month 2008, preparing various membership promotions for the fall, etc., etc., etc.
I'll leave you with a bit of personal musical trivia: Last week, at a Vince Gill concert, I started thinking about all the pop concerts I'd seen since my first show in the 8th grade. Over the weekend, I started a list and have been adding to it as the acts have popped into my head. It's been a fun exercise. I've been lucky to live in the Washington DC area where we have so much fantastic live music. Most of my favorites I've seen many multiples of times. At the risk of dating myself (and seriously embarrassing myself in a few cases -- one's tastes do change with time, and one has no control over the opening act), the list is posted below for all to see!
Onward -- EWL
Bruce Springsteen, U2, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Queen, Heart, Jethro Tull, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle (reunion tour), Ray Davies (solo), Love featuring Arthur Lee (reunion tour), Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Paul Simon (solo), Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, the Police, REM, Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, Roger McGuinn, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills & Nash, Randy Newman, Van Morrison, John Fogerty (solo), the Everly Brothers, Madonna, the Pretenders, Pat Benatar, Animals (reunion tour), B-52s, Blondie, Debbie Harry (solo), the Cars, the "New Cars" with Todd Rundgren, Warren Zevon, Sting, Emmylou Harris, Buddy & Julie Miller, Elvis Costello, David Lindley, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart, Bill Kirchen, the Nields, Karla Bonoff, Jesse Winchester, Sonny Landreth, Crowded House, Finn Brothers, Mark Knophler (solo), CPR (David Crosby, Jeff Pevar, James Raymond), Stephen Stills (solo), Steve Miller Band, Chely Wright, Rosanne Cash, Radney Foster, Rodney Crowell, Lindsey Buckingham (solo), The Turtles, Los Lobos, Linda Thompson, Judy Collins, John Hiatt, Little Village, Marshall Crenshaw, Wynonna Judd, Chris Isaak, the Rascals (reunion tour), John Sebastian, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, the Mavericks, kd lang, Lyle Lovett, John Jorgenson, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Bruce Hornsby, Lou Ann Barton, Marcia Ball, Angela Strehli, Dwight Yoakum, Kelly Willis, Suzy Bogguss, Donovan, The Hollies (reunion tour), Juice Newton, Chuck Brown & Eva Cassidy, the La’s, Martina McBride, Saffire the Uppity Blues Women, Joan Armatrading, Clive Gregson & Christine Collister, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steve Earle, Del McCoury Band, Walter Egan, the Corrs, Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, Jim Lauderdale, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Pete Seeger, Desert Rose Band, Tony Rice, Ollabelle, X, Gordon Lightfoot, the Zombies (reunion tour), Dionne Warwick, the Waifs, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Neal, Aimee Mann & Michael Penn, Don Dixon & Marti Jones, Kim Richey, John Prine, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Teddy Thompson, Al Petteway, Yolanda Adams, Cheryl Wheeler, Michael McDonald (solo), John Jennings, Bobby Womack, Foreigner (reunion tour), Leo Kottke, the Roches, John Cale, Deana Bogart, Kevin Welch & Kieran Kane, Susan Werner, John Denver, Danny O’Keefe, Reba McEntire, Edwin McCain, James Ingram, Marc Cohn, Peter Cox, Brian McKnight, The Oak Ridge Boys, REO Speedwagon, Jonathan Edwards, the Kennedys, Nanci Griffith, Graham Nash (solo), Jo Dee Messina, Blackhawk, Dan Fogelberg, Dar Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucinda Williams, Amy Rigby, Amy Grant
Good grief. It's hard to believe.
I was a piano major in college and always hung out with the collegiate MENC students, so I was well aware of what MENC was and did. A few years after graduation, during which time I had been working in marketing at another association, I was offered a position at MENC national headquarters, which just happened to be located in my new hometown of Reston, VA. Working in the field I cared so much about, with a five minute commute -- it was a no-brainer and a decision I'm so glad I made.
It does hurt a bit to think I've been working here since before there was e-mail or the internet in the office. Lots of other things have changed, too; my recollection is that smoking at one's desk had just been prohibited when I arrived -- but everyone could smoke in the refectory, so that's where my then-boss wanted to have all her meetings. We used to always call our Web site "MENC's internet Home Page on the World Wide Web." Here's what it looked like 1996! Now we have a Web site that is visited thousands of times a day, with more than 1500 pages.
There are a handful of folks who've been here even longer than I! Dr. M, ML, MB, SF, CA, AD, EW, and TH. Maybe I'll try to get a photo of all of us as a little anniversary present to myself. We've all seen a lot of fine people (and some major characters) come and go (or sometimes stay) during our time here.
Anway, enough about the past! The future is .... busy. We're starting a major review of the MENC Web site, launching new initiatives for Music In Our Schools Month 2008, preparing various membership promotions for the fall, etc., etc., etc.
I'll leave you with a bit of personal musical trivia: Last week, at a Vince Gill concert, I started thinking about all the pop concerts I'd seen since my first show in the 8th grade. Over the weekend, I started a list and have been adding to it as the acts have popped into my head. It's been a fun exercise. I've been lucky to live in the Washington DC area where we have so much fantastic live music. Most of my favorites I've seen many multiples of times. At the risk of dating myself (and seriously embarrassing myself in a few cases -- one's tastes do change with time, and one has no control over the opening act), the list is posted below for all to see!
Onward -- EWL
Bruce Springsteen, U2, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Queen, Heart, Jethro Tull, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle (reunion tour), Ray Davies (solo), Love featuring Arthur Lee (reunion tour), Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Paul Simon (solo), Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, the Police, REM, Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, Roger McGuinn, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills & Nash, Randy Newman, Van Morrison, John Fogerty (solo), the Everly Brothers, Madonna, the Pretenders, Pat Benatar, Animals (reunion tour), B-52s, Blondie, Debbie Harry (solo), the Cars, the "New Cars" with Todd Rundgren, Warren Zevon, Sting, Emmylou Harris, Buddy & Julie Miller, Elvis Costello, David Lindley, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart, Bill Kirchen, the Nields, Karla Bonoff, Jesse Winchester, Sonny Landreth, Crowded House, Finn Brothers, Mark Knophler (solo), CPR (David Crosby, Jeff Pevar, James Raymond), Stephen Stills (solo), Steve Miller Band, Chely Wright, Rosanne Cash, Radney Foster, Rodney Crowell, Lindsey Buckingham (solo), The Turtles, Los Lobos, Linda Thompson, Judy Collins, John Hiatt, Little Village, Marshall Crenshaw, Wynonna Judd, Chris Isaak, the Rascals (reunion tour), John Sebastian, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, the Mavericks, kd lang, Lyle Lovett, John Jorgenson, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Bruce Hornsby, Lou Ann Barton, Marcia Ball, Angela Strehli, Dwight Yoakum, Kelly Willis, Suzy Bogguss, Donovan, The Hollies (reunion tour), Juice Newton, Chuck Brown & Eva Cassidy, the La’s, Martina McBride, Saffire the Uppity Blues Women, Joan Armatrading, Clive Gregson & Christine Collister, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steve Earle, Del McCoury Band, Walter Egan, the Corrs, Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, Jim Lauderdale, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Pete Seeger, Desert Rose Band, Tony Rice, Ollabelle, X, Gordon Lightfoot, the Zombies (reunion tour), Dionne Warwick, the Waifs, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Neal, Aimee Mann & Michael Penn, Don Dixon & Marti Jones, Kim Richey, John Prine, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Teddy Thompson, Al Petteway, Yolanda Adams, Cheryl Wheeler, Michael McDonald (solo), John Jennings, Bobby Womack, Foreigner (reunion tour), Leo Kottke, the Roches, John Cale, Deana Bogart, Kevin Welch & Kieran Kane, Susan Werner, John Denver, Danny O’Keefe, Reba McEntire, Edwin McCain, James Ingram, Marc Cohn, Peter Cox, Brian McKnight, The Oak Ridge Boys, REO Speedwagon, Jonathan Edwards, the Kennedys, Nanci Griffith, Graham Nash (solo), Jo Dee Messina, Blackhawk, Dan Fogelberg, Dar Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucinda Williams, Amy Rigby, Amy Grant
It is a deathly hallow quiet in my world today
WHAT - Harry Potter - OH NO - don't worry, Harley will not give away any trade secrets here although he could if he wanted to because he can soar with the best of the owls. Speaking of owls - OH NO won't go there. Last Friday we had a cleaning day since our computers were down and we had no emails. We did get a lot done and some things boxed and some things trashed. I like days like that when you can really see the accomplishments - like a clean desk? ! And of course, Anne left and we were all sad.
This week it is a little quiet and I do need to get more cleaning done right now. I will be more newsy next week -- maybe.... Harley and I are still missing Annie but we look forward to Chris stepping up to the plate to play ball with Harley. We have confidence that he will be able to fill her shoes (in a manner of speaking) -- well maybe not her Pradas..... Harley is laughing and not going there. Harley is now being sent to a time out since he made the joke about Anne's shoes.
Poor Harley - little guy like never ever in eternity will learn to behave. He needs to be reading Harry Potter. But then again -- Harry Potter had trouble listening and behaving, didn't he?
Friday, July 20, 2007
These Small Hours
Well friends, the time has come. Today is my last day here at MENC. There's a song that is good for illustrating my time here called "These Small Hours" sung by Rob Thomas.
Please indulge me in posting some of the lyrics. :)
You really just don't know where life will take you and there are certainly twists and turns of fate that creep up--and this is one such instance for me. I think I will remember the small hours here at MENC the most, so I'm going to post just a very few.
And with that, I will now turn over Fridays to the brand new Director of Government Relations and Outreach, Chris Woodside! Not only will you be amazed by his blog-writing skills, you will also be amazed by his talent.
To the small hours behind us, and the ones to look forward to!
Please indulge me in posting some of the lyrics. :)
our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain
all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now
in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away but these small hours
these small hours, still remain,
still remain
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these little wonders still remain.
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain
all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now
in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away but these small hours
these small hours, still remain,
still remain
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these little wonders still remain.
You really just don't know where life will take you and there are certainly twists and turns of fate that creep up--and this is one such instance for me. I think I will remember the small hours here at MENC the most, so I'm going to post just a very few.
- My interview! Meeting my soon-to-be co-workers for the first time. I parked on the left-hand side. (But I would recommend the right side now.)
- Watered down Starbucks iced tea!!
- Friday morning blog-pondering and making my staff comment. ;)
- Centennial Congress with the MENC dream team...
- "Mama" making me eat my veggies at Prime Time Cafe...covered in whipped cream and sprinkles. EWWWW.
- Ice cream when the air conditioning went out.
- "Your mailbox has exceeded it's size limit."
- Lining up to speak with MB!! And chatting with LE during the wait. (Maybe I should have scheduled more meetings ahead of time.)
- My yogurt...plain yogurt with frozen raspberries.
- National Anthem Project Launch.
- Then TNAP Road Show and the weekly Monday meetings.
- Then the Finale...and having my own staff who helped make it happen.
- Chatting with my co-workers about anything and everything--work-related or not. Including American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance (nominated for two Emmys), nutrition, Rachael Ray, and BEING A SUPERTASTER!!!
- "No, she's just excited." ~CW, second week on the job
- NAS. And Allyson is spelled with a "y."
- "See me."
- Post-it art!!!
- Laser Vision Correction...
- Picture days! The women of the third floor tend to dress very similarly so a wise woman decided one day we should plan it and take our pictures! We recently took the "summer" edition of the picture. Thank you BS for organizing and convincing a professional photographer to take it this time!
- Talking with EWL in the waning afternoon hours...
- My staff are definitely the wonders mentioned in the song. I don't have to words to describe how wonderful they are, but the good news is now I am happy to just be their friend.
And with that, I will now turn over Fridays to the brand new Director of Government Relations and Outreach, Chris Woodside! Not only will you be amazed by his blog-writing skills, you will also be amazed by his talent.
To the small hours behind us, and the ones to look forward to!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thursday Interlude:The Day Before... Friday
It's been a quiet week here in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, my hometown... Wait a minute. I'm not Garrison Keillor. Actually, it's been a busy week in Reston, Virginia, for staffers at MENC. For many of us the week has been filled with deleting computer files and emails and clearing obsolete stuff out of our mail room.
Also we have had some music educators in the building who are judging CDs submitted by music groups who want to perform at the MENC Biennial Conference in Milwaukee in 2008. When you walk past various closed doors you hear orchestras, or jazz bands or choral groups singing and playing, kind of a nice punctuation to the day. I am glad I don't have to pick, though. With my untrained ear every snippet of music I heard sounded great.
In addition to that inadvertent eavesdropping, for me it's a been a week of finishing up September Music Educators Journal news pages, making final edits on the August Teaching Music online news. That and saying goodbye to ARN, our stellar government affairs guru and fellow blogger, who is leaving tomorrow. She is one of those people who is really good at what she does but is fun to work with too. Oh, well. she knows we wish her well in her new life north of here, despite the fact that we will miss her. CW has been named to replace her and I know he will do a great job in her stead.
We did have some really good news recently that I wanted to share with you. MENC won a Bronze Telly Award for the 2006 edition of The World's Largest Concert, featuring The Oak Ridge Boys, which also helped to raise money for Feed the Children.
Nicole M. Springer, a project manager on the MENC staff, was Executive Producer of The 2006 World's Largest Concert. We are so proud of the award and that Nicole's hard work was recognized
According to the Telly web site, the Telly Awards "recognize distinction in creative work," honoring outstanding local and regional television commercials and productions, as well as non-broadcast video productions."
I will be on vacation next week. My son is playing in an out- of-town baseball tournament near a beach area next week, so my husband and I are tagging along.
Hope summer is going well for you. You should be seeing the August issue of Teaching Music soon if you haven't all ready. Look for my special two page section on the National Anthem Project Grand Finale in the news. And the August online news with additional content will be up shortly,at www.menc.org/news where you can link to the the special National Anthem Grand Finale section. DP has worked really hard on the Web stuff and the sections look great.
Ta Ta For Now
RF
Also we have had some music educators in the building who are judging CDs submitted by music groups who want to perform at the MENC Biennial Conference in Milwaukee in 2008. When you walk past various closed doors you hear orchestras, or jazz bands or choral groups singing and playing, kind of a nice punctuation to the day. I am glad I don't have to pick, though. With my untrained ear every snippet of music I heard sounded great.
In addition to that inadvertent eavesdropping, for me it's a been a week of finishing up September Music Educators Journal news pages, making final edits on the August Teaching Music online news. That and saying goodbye to ARN, our stellar government affairs guru and fellow blogger, who is leaving tomorrow. She is one of those people who is really good at what she does but is fun to work with too. Oh, well. she knows we wish her well in her new life north of here, despite the fact that we will miss her. CW has been named to replace her and I know he will do a great job in her stead.
We did have some really good news recently that I wanted to share with you. MENC won a Bronze Telly Award for the 2006 edition of The World's Largest Concert, featuring The Oak Ridge Boys, which also helped to raise money for Feed the Children.
Nicole M. Springer, a project manager on the MENC staff, was Executive Producer of The 2006 World's Largest Concert. We are so proud of the award and that Nicole's hard work was recognizedAccording to the Telly web site, the Telly Awards "recognize distinction in creative work," honoring outstanding local and regional television commercials and productions, as well as non-broadcast video productions."
I will be on vacation next week. My son is playing in an out- of-town baseball tournament near a beach area next week, so my husband and I are tagging along.
Hope summer is going well for you. You should be seeing the August issue of Teaching Music soon if you haven't all ready. Look for my special two page section on the National Anthem Project Grand Finale in the news. And the August online news with additional content will be up shortly,at www.menc.org/news where you can link to the the special National Anthem Grand Finale section. DP has worked really hard on the Web stuff and the sections look great.
Ta Ta For Now
RF
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Midweek Meanderings and Miscellany XVIII: Organizations, Organizing, and Unearthed Treasure!
Happy Midweek and Midsummer to you! Hope your Summer is going well!
Quick, this is a test!
What are the three functions of the MENC National Assembly?
What time of year do they meet?
Do NOT cheat, or you will not pass GO.....(but you can reference ML's blog from Monday!).
Good reference material to demystify the mysterious workings of the National MENC office!
This week a bunch of housecleaning will be going on at MENC.....since MENC transferred handling of book sales to Roman and Littlefield, the MENC stock of books were sent out of house, and so there are/were many shelves sitting empty in our basement warehouse. The amazing IT and mailroom guys have worked to clear out those shelves, dismantle them, and rearrange that area for more effective use.....and they're also changing MENC over to a new server this weekend, so staff has been instructed to clear out old computer files and emails to make the load on the electronic transfer less onerous.
We'll be without computers at MENC from mid-day Friday - Sunday, so I'm planning to FINALLY get up from my desk and CLEAN MY OFFICE, which is in sore need of it - boxes and piles of paper everywhere....(file system? what file system!?) Actually, I know what's in each pile and have a plan for what to do with them all (most go in the famous "revolving file" i.e. trash can - recycled, of course!)....but a few of the more precious entities will find (hopefully!) a prestigious place in an actual file cabinet! Tough to be an info pack rat! But I take heart from the "Infamous Organizational Myth** ", courtesy of my pal EW -
Myth: To be organized means to be neat or tidy.
"Yes, we will admit you can be neat and organized at the same time. But, there is also a huge percentage of neat, but extremely disorganized, men and women. In fact, and this one's probably going to surprise you- you can be the total opposite of neat (you can be sloppy) and still be organized! So, what does it mean to be organized?"
1. You get everything done when it's due
2. You find everything easily when it's needed
I strive for #1 and 2. Usually I succeed. # 2 is getting harder, which is why I'm taking advantage of Friday's server transfer and computer "downage" to make sure I DO know where everything is! KIND of important for the department that's an info resource!
***(note, The Myth and above text is from a commercial website; if you're interested in knowing it, write me at info@menc.org)!
As usual, below are a bunch of (what I think ) are interesting articles/resources..... Hope they're helpful/enjoyable...if not, just skip over this next section! (but do jump to the WATER COOLER!)
ARTICLES for FUN
The Stradivari of Ramadi: amazing U.S. Soldier who makes violins in his "free" time overseas!
U.S. Navy Band provides comfort on board Navy hospital ship
The Maestro of Method Actors: actor plays composers in more ways than one!
The Proms of England!
Around the WATER COOLER
FLASH!
MENC Membership rep SA brought in a wonderful treasure she discovered recently....while sorting through the possessions of an Uncle, she discovered, at the very bottom of a box, four perfectly preserved, not even yellowed or frayed, beautifully calligraphied original CERTIFICATES of AWARD/Honor given to her Uncle David Hall when he was a high school student back in 1935 and 1936 in Syracuse, NY. Yes, you guessed it - these certificates were awarded for superior performance in MUSIC, and awarded jointly by MENC and the National Bureau for the Advancement of Music (currently known as National Music Week) and also sponsored by David's high school and district sponsoring the event.
SA's Uncle David Hall played French horn, and he won superior and highly superior ratings as the French horn soloist and as the horn player in Group contests/District, for the New York State School Band and Orchestra Contest. What an amazingly cool discovery!
After high school, David went on to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to study music. He joined the the U.S. Navy Band as a French horn player during World War II, and retired as a Chief Musician in 1973. He was a member of the Syracuse Symphony, the Philadelphia Symphony, and the National Symphony in Washington, D.C. He then worked at a large music store Alexandria VA for over 20 years. He summered on Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks in upstate NY, and played with the Booneville, NY Summer Concert Band. SA fondly recalls how Uncle David would bring his beloved French horn up to the camp during summers, and then get in his truck and drive out to where no one could hear him (he was a modest man!) and just play his horn for the love of it - SA likes to imagine him, sitting on a log, serenading the critters .......
SA has been working at MENC and never knew her Uncle had had a link to MENC. (SA also mentioned that David's Mother, Helen Hall, used to serenade her grandchildren with her piano playing, and it was REALLLY playing, all up and down the keyboard, according to SA! Turns out Helen used to provide the musical soundtrack behind the curtain for the silent movies at the Loew's Theater in Syracuse, NY!
(Organ at Loew's, click HERE)
Thanks to SA for sharing these treasures! (and to LE for alerting me!). Click on these links below to see these beautiful and unique certificates up close (If you'd like a PDF which shows more detail, write to info@menc.org)!!
MAY 1935 Horn Solo, Syracuse
MAY 1935 Fr. Horn Solo, E. Central District
APRIL 1936 Group
MAY 1936 Horn solo, Endicott, NY
See you next week! SR
Quick, this is a test!
What are the three functions of the MENC National Assembly?
What time of year do they meet?
Do NOT cheat, or you will not pass GO.....(but you can reference ML's blog from Monday!).
Good reference material to demystify the mysterious workings of the National MENC office!
This week a bunch of housecleaning will be going on at MENC.....since MENC transferred handling of book sales to Roman and Littlefield, the MENC stock of books were sent out of house, and so there are/were many shelves sitting empty in our basement warehouse. The amazing IT and mailroom guys have worked to clear out those shelves, dismantle them, and rearrange that area for more effective use.....and they're also changing MENC over to a new server this weekend, so staff has been instructed to clear out old computer files and emails to make the load on the electronic transfer less onerous.
We'll be without computers at MENC from mid-day Friday - Sunday, so I'm planning to FINALLY get up from my desk and CLEAN MY OFFICE, which is in sore need of it - boxes and piles of paper everywhere....(file system? what file system!?) Actually, I know what's in each pile and have a plan for what to do with them all (most go in the famous "revolving file" i.e. trash can - recycled, of course!)....but a few of the more precious entities will find (hopefully!) a prestigious place in an actual file cabinet! Tough to be an info pack rat! But I take heart from the "Infamous Organizational Myth** ", courtesy of my pal EW -
Myth: To be organized means to be neat or tidy.
"Yes, we will admit you can be neat and organized at the same time. But, there is also a huge percentage of neat, but extremely disorganized, men and women. In fact, and this one's probably going to surprise you- you can be the total opposite of neat (you can be sloppy) and still be organized! So, what does it mean to be organized?"
1. You get everything done when it's due
2. You find everything easily when it's needed
I strive for #1 and 2. Usually I succeed. # 2 is getting harder, which is why I'm taking advantage of Friday's server transfer and computer "downage" to make sure I DO know where everything is! KIND of important for the department that's an info resource!
***(note, The Myth and above text is from a commercial website; if you're interested in knowing it, write me at info@menc.org)!
As usual, below are a bunch of (what I think ) are interesting articles/resources..... Hope they're helpful/enjoyable...if not, just skip over this next section! (but do jump to the WATER COOLER!)
ARTICLES for FUN
The Stradivari of Ramadi: amazing U.S. Soldier who makes violins in his "free" time overseas!
U.S. Navy Band provides comfort on board Navy hospital ship
The Maestro of Method Actors: actor plays composers in more ways than one!
The Proms of England!
Around the WATER COOLER
FLASH!
MENC Membership rep SA brought in a wonderful treasure she discovered recently....while sorting through the possessions of an Uncle, she discovered, at the very bottom of a box, four perfectly preserved, not even yellowed or frayed, beautifully calligraphied original CERTIFICATES of AWARD/Honor given to her Uncle David Hall when he was a high school student back in 1935 and 1936 in Syracuse, NY. Yes, you guessed it - these certificates were awarded for superior performance in MUSIC, and awarded jointly by MENC and the National Bureau for the Advancement of Music (currently known as National Music Week) and also sponsored by David's high school and district sponsoring the event.
SA's Uncle David Hall played French horn, and he won superior and highly superior ratings as the French horn soloist and as the horn player in Group contests/District, for the New York State School Band and Orchestra Contest. What an amazingly cool discovery!
After high school, David went on to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to study music. He joined the the U.S. Navy Band as a French horn player during World War II, and retired as a Chief Musician in 1973. He was a member of the Syracuse Symphony, the Philadelphia Symphony, and the National Symphony in Washington, D.C. He then worked at a large music store Alexandria VA for over 20 years. He summered on Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks in upstate NY, and played with the Booneville, NY Summer Concert Band. SA fondly recalls how Uncle David would bring his beloved French horn up to the camp during summers, and then get in his truck and drive out to where no one could hear him (he was a modest man!) and just play his horn for the love of it - SA likes to imagine him, sitting on a log, serenading the critters .......
SA has been working at MENC and never knew her Uncle had had a link to MENC. (SA also mentioned that David's Mother, Helen Hall, used to serenade her grandchildren with her piano playing, and it was REALLLY playing, all up and down the keyboard, according to SA! Turns out Helen used to provide the musical soundtrack behind the curtain for the silent movies at the Loew's Theater in Syracuse, NY!
(Organ at Loew's, click HERE)
Thanks to SA for sharing these treasures! (and to LE for alerting me!). Click on these links below to see these beautiful and unique certificates up close (If you'd like a PDF which shows more detail, write to info@menc.org)!!
MAY 1935 Horn Solo, Syracuse
MAY 1935 Fr. Horn Solo, E. Central District
APRIL 1936 Group
MAY 1936 Horn solo, Endicott, NY
See you next week! SR
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Back to Business
Vacation was great, but I'm back in the office and paying for taking the time off! Rather than sully the recent extremely entertaining posts by filling space whining about all my deadlines ... I will just sign off and start taking care of them. Have a good week!
Onward -- EWL
Onward -- EWL
Monday, July 16, 2007
Harley is not a happy camper
For all of you visiting my world -- I want you to know that Harely is not a happy camper and is very close to running away. He is emotionally distraugt that ARN is leaving the employ of MENC and is trying to come up with ways to keep her around. In fact, he is so depressed he has jumped into an enclosed space in a bag so the world does not intrude on the little bugger. 
Needless to say, I am at my wits end here and the only thing I can ask is that ARN reconsider her decision to leave Harley and go with her husband. Okie Dokie -- I know it involves a choice between her husband and Harley (OK MENC too) but for the sake of all of our sanity I personally believe as one commenter said - (paraphrased, of course by me) she can stay here and enjoy a long distance relationship with her husband. He has also come up with one other idea which I am not letting him go there of locking her in her office and letting her play with those red staples as much as she wants.
Now back to business -- Thank goodness the minutes for the June NEB meeting are in draft form and have been mailed out to the National Executive Board for their review and comment. Today, we are going to have a conference call among Board members to discuss items brought up in the June 24-25 meeting. Basically they are going to discuss feedback received from the National Assembly along with other items involving the budget. Summer NEB meetings are a little lively and the agenda usually full of all sorts of issues such as the budget, appointments, approval of division nominating committee reports, etc. Every other year we have the Board meeting in conjunction with the Summer Interim Meeting of the National Assembly. The National Assembly has been around for so many years it might be as old - maybe- kinda - God. But don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with that - And as a matter of fact, Harley typed that sentence. I didn't and have just grabbed the keyboard out of those pudgy white paws. (He is like so in trouble at the moment he is headed for a time out.) The National Assembly serves as: (1) an advisory body to the National Executive Board; (2) a leadership conference; and (3)
a clearinghouse for the exchange of information concerning stuff. These meetings take place at the time of the national convention and at other times stipulated by the NEB. The "other times" are usually the summer in the odd numbered year. So -- we have just had a Summer Interim Meeting (2007) and are preparing for another meeting prior to the national convention (2008) and then there will be another summer interim meeting in 2009. This message has been brought to you by the MENC Constitution & Bylaws. You didn't know it could be so fun, did you.
Harley does want you all to know that ARN's last day will be Friday, July 20, and he is like really gonna miss her. (Me too) But he really does wish her bunches of luck out there in the cold hard world to wherever she is traveling to with her husband. Harley just whispered to me that he is gonna join the circus and travel the world and when she decides to come back - he will. Oh the drama in my world! I will be busy trying to talk the little red wonder out of his latest fantasy. Have a great week. ARN - Harley is coming up to see you in your office -- this is becoming like a bad horror flick - I can see it now. . . . ..... forget nightmares about clowns..... Harley's coming.
Needless to say, I am at my wits end here and the only thing I can ask is that ARN reconsider her decision to leave Harley and go with her husband. Okie Dokie -- I know it involves a choice between her husband and Harley (OK MENC too) but for the sake of all of our sanity I personally believe as one commenter said - (paraphrased, of course by me) she can stay here and enjoy a long distance relationship with her husband. He has also come up with one other idea which I am not letting him go there of locking her in her office and letting her play with those red staples as much as she wants.Now back to business -- Thank goodness the minutes for the June NEB meeting are in draft form and have been mailed out to the National Executive Board for their review and comment. Today, we are going to have a conference call among Board members to discuss items brought up in the June 24-25 meeting. Basically they are going to discuss feedback received from the National Assembly along with other items involving the budget. Summer NEB meetings are a little lively and the agenda usually full of all sorts of issues such as the budget, appointments, approval of division nominating committee reports, etc. Every other year we have the Board meeting in conjunction with the Summer Interim Meeting of the National Assembly. The National Assembly has been around for so many years it might be as old - maybe- kinda - God. But don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with that - And as a matter of fact, Harley typed that sentence. I didn't and have just grabbed the keyboard out of those pudgy white paws. (He is like so in trouble at the moment he is headed for a time out.) The National Assembly serves as: (1) an advisory body to the National Executive Board; (2) a leadership conference; and (3)
a clearinghouse for the exchange of information concerning stuff. These meetings take place at the time of the national convention and at other times stipulated by the NEB. The "other times" are usually the summer in the odd numbered year. So -- we have just had a Summer Interim Meeting (2007) and are preparing for another meeting prior to the national convention (2008) and then there will be another summer interim meeting in 2009. This message has been brought to you by the MENC Constitution & Bylaws. You didn't know it could be so fun, did you.
Harley does want you all to know that ARN's last day will be Friday, July 20, and he is like really gonna miss her. (Me too) But he really does wish her bunches of luck out there in the cold hard world to wherever she is traveling to with her husband. Harley just whispered to me that he is gonna join the circus and travel the world and when she decides to come back - he will. Oh the drama in my world! I will be busy trying to talk the little red wonder out of his latest fantasy. Have a great week. ARN - Harley is coming up to see you in your office -- this is becoming like a bad horror flick - I can see it now. . . . ..... forget nightmares about clowns..... Harley's coming.
Friday, July 13, 2007
The countdown begins
Hello all!
This is a very tough blog to write. As some of you may know, I am leaving MENC. You see, my husband got a fantastic job--really fantastic--about 200 miles away from here. It's the sort of opportunity that you just don't turn down. So after we talked about it, he didn't. And that means I'm going too. My job at MENC is an amazing job and I'm so sorry to leave it and the people. I believe so much in what we are doing for music education, but ultimately my family comes first and so off we go.
Next Friday will be my final blog and my final day here so be sure to tune in--that will be the sappy blog. I'm just not quite ready to go down that road until it's good'n durn time to. :)
I'd now like to use humor to cheer this blog up so I have solicited some ideas for what direction my life should go next! (All humorous and completely without merit.) Add your own creative idea in the comments section!
Around the Water Cooler: I'm still watching So You Think You Can Dance. And so should you. It is a phenomenal showing of artistic talent in both the choreographers and the dancers. My favorite this week was a jazz piece choreographed by the incomparable Wade Robson with dancers Neil and Lauren. Watch it here! It's only about a minute and a half so it's worth it! I also got HS in the department hooked (as well as SKJ) and we agree the hip hop this week was fantastic and the West Coast Swing was just amazing! Enjoy those, too!
CW Comments
Well, CW came up with so many great directions for my future life, I have to post his separately!
8. Running across the country ala Forrest Gump (please be supportive of me during this challenging time in my life)
9. So inspired by music education that you're heading out on your own to begin a recording career (look for your debut album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind: A Tribute To Government Relations, Lasik, Post-its, and the Backstreet Boys" in stores and on iTunes soon!)
10. Devoting your life to the art of "pudding study" to perhaps one day take on the evil "Dr. Pudding" 11. Leaving work to prepare yourself more fully for next season's So You Think You Can Dance -- on Wednesday and Thursday nights, check your local listings.
This is a very tough blog to write. As some of you may know, I am leaving MENC. You see, my husband got a fantastic job--really fantastic--about 200 miles away from here. It's the sort of opportunity that you just don't turn down. So after we talked about it, he didn't. And that means I'm going too. My job at MENC is an amazing job and I'm so sorry to leave it and the people. I believe so much in what we are doing for music education, but ultimately my family comes first and so off we go.
Next Friday will be my final blog and my final day here so be sure to tune in--that will be the sappy blog. I'm just not quite ready to go down that road until it's good'n durn time to. :)
I'd now like to use humor to cheer this blog up so I have solicited some ideas for what direction my life should go next! (All humorous and completely without merit.) Add your own creative idea in the comments section!
- iPhone tester (Please send iPhone to 1806 Robert Fulton Dr, Reston, VA ASAP!)
- Basket weaver
- Train for extreme snowboarding at the next X-games
- Clam digger
- Cat walker
- Contortionist
- Hot air balloon operator (I'm scared of heights, might be tricky.)
- Post-it artist (See beginning of portfolio below. Special thanks to blogger ML for providing the artistic tools.)
Around the Water Cooler: I'm still watching So You Think You Can Dance. And so should you. It is a phenomenal showing of artistic talent in both the choreographers and the dancers. My favorite this week was a jazz piece choreographed by the incomparable Wade Robson with dancers Neil and Lauren. Watch it here! It's only about a minute and a half so it's worth it! I also got HS in the department hooked (as well as SKJ) and we agree the hip hop this week was fantastic and the West Coast Swing was just amazing! Enjoy those, too!
CW Comments
Well, CW came up with so many great directions for my future life, I have to post his separately!
1. Astronaut
2. Replacing Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News
3. Climbing Mount Everest
4. Moving to Canada because you have strong feelings about Universal Health Care
5. Moving to Canada because you have strong feelings about seals
6. Moving to Canada because you saw Cuba Gooding Jr. in Disney's "Snow Dogs" and decided that you'd found your calling
7. You've actually been an undercover CIA agent this whole time, and you're fully responsible for the implementation of the Barracuda Web Filter8. Running across the country ala Forrest Gump (please be supportive of me during this challenging time in my life)
9. So inspired by music education that you're heading out on your own to begin a recording career (look for your debut album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind: A Tribute To Government Relations, Lasik, Post-its, and the Backstreet Boys" in stores and on iTunes soon!)
10. Devoting your life to the art of "pudding study" to perhaps one day take on the evil "Dr. Pudding" 11. Leaving work to prepare yourself more fully for next season's So You Think You Can Dance -- on Wednesday and Thursday nights, check your local listings.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Thursday Interlude: Picture This
Hey, Happy Thursday
The photo above is me on Grand Finale day, a shot taken by BS. I like it because it makes me look like a real photojournalist. which I am not. I will explain the other photos in a moment.
This week was really busy for me as I worked to finish the online news for August Teaching Music and a special Web news edition of the National Anthem Project Grand Finale. With both of those projects in the capable hands of the Web guys, I am now working on news from September Music Educators Journal. Lots of news to pass along to you in the September issue, which is scheduled to go into the mail in mid-August.
I have stories on the MENC Centennial Congress held in late June in Orlando, Fla. Click here to read MENC 's Centennial declaration. I will also include stories on MENC's new Concerto Contest in which a talented high school musician will be chosen to play with "The President's Own United States Marine Band" at the MENC Biennial Conference in April 2008 in Milwaukee. Other stories include National Anthem Day on September 14, the birthday of "The Star-Spangled Banner." You can make plans to celebrate that day The four pages are jam-packed. I know, I know. School is still out, but hey, I am just trying to give you a heads-up. Feel free to continue what you are doing.
Have the summer doldrums set in where you are? Actually, the weather here is pretty nice here in Reston today. My son Matt is doing a teen camp this with several buddies and as I write this he is at King's Dominion, an amusement park near Richmond, Va. I am so glad they have a warm but not hot and sticky day.Though, actually, he plans to do the water park, too, so he probably doesn't care. I am just being a mom.
But right now I need to go back to being an editor because I have an issue calling my name.I leave you with a couple of my favorite photos of recent weeks.
I spent quite a bit of time looking through photos over the past few weeks. Photos of the centennial celebrations in Keokuk, Iowa, and Orlando, photos from the National Anthem Project Grand Finale, lots and lots of other photos. Some of them I had taken, while others were taken by BS, MJ and MB on the MENC staff. Others were taken by MENC members. Only a select few end up in magazine or even in the online news so I want to share with you a few that I liked but didn't have room for.
BS captured this cute kid on the Washington Monument grounds on National Anthem Project Grand Finale Day. Someday the folks will say "Hey you were there!"
I like this shot, taken by James T. McRaney, past president of the History SRIG, which planned Keokuk II. He took some of the photos you will see in August Teaching Music. It should land in your mailbox sometime in the next week or so. It is a photo of Immediate Past MENC President David Circle in profile.
I took this photo on Saturday June 16 at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. TNAP participants were rehearsing on the field for the opening ceremony of DCI Salutes America, which also served as the final event for the three-day Grand Finale. I remember what a hot day it was, but the young people on the field listened patiently to instructions and did a great job. But, hey, you know what good kids music kids are, don't you?Oops. One more photo I meant to add. While waiting for the Grand Finale festivities to begin, BS took the photo below of MB, MENC Deputy Executive Director, picking out a tune on a guitar from the instrument petting zoo.
Til Next Thursday,
RF
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Midweek Meanderings and Miscellany XVII: They're BAAACK!!!!
No, not the teachers/students in school, but most of the MENC executive staff and other staff who've been away nearly 2 weeks on vacation over 4th of July! Even the roads around the N. Va area are busier than they've been in recent weeks - the first wave of vacationers are back, it seems!
Along with the staff, the new projects/work have landed as well! After-effects of the Centennial Congress and National Assembly are being felt like small earth tremors throughout the work force here - the NEB and Assembly speaks and - (slight rumble, jelly-ing of terra firma) - - the staff gets going! It's certainly better to be busy than not! Lots to do, and things are just perking along.
A lot of routine things for me to be working on this month, and some not so routine. MENC is re-evaluating the National Standards for Music Education, and the June/July Question of the Month has asked for member input.... see: http://www.menc.org/contest/quesform.htm
These responses will be sorted out (by me) and sent to the task force who is working on the analysis. There'll also be a short follow up survey to a selected group of about 200 folks, set to go out this Friday. By the time this project is wrapped up on my end, it'll be the start of August and I'll bet the requests from teachers and students will be starting! (in fact, I've already received some student requests! seems there may be a few year round schools out there!)
AROUND THE WATER COOLER (which is much needed this week of 100 degree plus heat index!)
I was saddened to read this past week about the passing of someone I have fond memories of - not that I knew this Opera Diva personally! But you felt like you did.....Ms. Beverly "Bubbles" Sills, American Opera Diva - see these links for some good remembrances......
NY Magazine
Washington Post
NYTIMES
Chicago Tribune
Odds and Ends (click on title for story)
Found out Miss Maryland's platform is music education! MENC has been contacted in the past by many (many!) state and regional pageant contestants for info, as their platform was music education. Read here to find out about this vocal/opera performance major!
Song Writing contest
Seattle fighting crime with musicians!
Musings on Who Cares about Classical music (scroll down the page to get to article)
Jerusalem Symphony to end after 70 years!
"At the Children's Violin Concert" by Susan Cataldo, scroll to 7/15/07 entry
See you next week! Stay cool! SR
No, not the teachers/students in school, but most of the MENC executive staff and other staff who've been away nearly 2 weeks on vacation over 4th of July! Even the roads around the N. Va area are busier than they've been in recent weeks - the first wave of vacationers are back, it seems!
Along with the staff, the new projects/work have landed as well! After-effects of the Centennial Congress and National Assembly are being felt like small earth tremors throughout the work force here - the NEB and Assembly speaks and - (slight rumble, jelly-ing of terra firma) - - the staff gets going! It's certainly better to be busy than not! Lots to do, and things are just perking along.
A lot of routine things for me to be working on this month, and some not so routine. MENC is re-evaluating the National Standards for Music Education, and the June/July Question of the Month has asked for member input.... see: http://www.menc.org/contest/quesform.htm
These responses will be sorted out (by me) and sent to the task force who is working on the analysis. There'll also be a short follow up survey to a selected group of about 200 folks, set to go out this Friday. By the time this project is wrapped up on my end, it'll be the start of August and I'll bet the requests from teachers and students will be starting! (in fact, I've already received some student requests! seems there may be a few year round schools out there!)
AROUND THE WATER COOLER (which is much needed this week of 100 degree plus heat index!)
I was saddened to read this past week about the passing of someone I have fond memories of - not that I knew this Opera Diva personally! But you felt like you did.....Ms. Beverly "Bubbles" Sills, American Opera Diva - see these links for some good remembrances......
NY Magazine
Washington Post
NYTIMES
Chicago Tribune
Odds and Ends (click on title for story)
Found out Miss Maryland's platform is music education! MENC has been contacted in the past by many (many!) state and regional pageant contestants for info, as their platform was music education. Read here to find out about this vocal/opera performance major!
Song Writing contest
Seattle fighting crime with musicians!
Musings on Who Cares about Classical music (scroll down the page to get to article)
Jerusalem Symphony to end after 70 years!
"At the Children's Violin Concert" by Susan Cataldo, scroll to 7/15/07 entry
See you next week! Stay cool! SR
Vacation!
I'm on vacation this week! I confess to being one of those people who checks e-mail while vacationing. I just find it very hard to return to the office and find all the messages have built up into a gigantic pile, all "needing immediate attention". Of course, sometimes one reads messages that one would rather not be thinking about on vacation, but I still think it's worse to come back to the gigantic pile! Will report back next Tuesday. -- EWL
Monday, July 9, 2007
Back in my MENC world!
Yup, me and Harley are back in my MENC world. As EL and ARN told you last Monday, I was headed for vacationland and really enjoyed myself. However, you have to see how hard Harley worked during the NEB meeting in Orlando. He really tried to help MENC President Brinckmeyer and sat his behind on her water glass so he could answer any questions she might have for him. Was he a distraction during the meeting? --- well NO. You can see he also toodled over to help me do the note-taking and even made some suggestions. Eventually, I had to put him back in his carrier...... poor little guy. He really tries.
From Orlando (Harley and I had to get up at 1:00 AM on Friday, June 29) to make it to OKC in order to drive in the "floods" to Winfield, Kansas, for a college reunion. It was fun seeing all the old gang ("old" is a relative word in my world).... saw an old boyfriend who broke up with me the summer between our freshman and sophomore year AND the gal he started to date during our sophomore year - yup, they are still married - I knew it would never last! Saw an old finance who I broke up with when I left St. John's and went to OCU in Oklahoma City. We all had a lot of fun! Harley terrorized a good friend of mine w
ho is a Lutheran minister who (not Harley) took real good spirtual care of my mom and dad when they were in a nursing home. Seems either Harley is confessing or Barrie is just plain suspicious of anything Harley is gonna preach to him (or at him).
ho is a Lutheran minister who (not Harley) took real good spirtual care of my mom and dad when they were in a nursing home. Seems either Harley is confessing or Barrie is just plain suspicious of anything Harley is gonna preach to him (or at him).
I am still catching up with all of my e-mails from being away from the desk for 2 weeks. Have to get a rough copy of the minutes in draft form to President Brinckmeyer really soon. Been in meetings most of today and still have a ton of other stuff to do! But overall LIFE is good! Missed you all! The rains in Kansas and Oklahoma were really something to see. When we (my best friend Betsy and me) were ready to leave Winfield they announced roads that were flooded out and rivers that were swollen. The OKC bombing (April 19, 1995) memorial at the federal building was so touching. I will show you a pic next week. Take care. Enjoy the warm summer day in July In my world it is 98 and climbing! Might be too hot for the bug convertible this afternoon......
Friday, July 6, 2007
It's been a slow week.
Another week has come and gone and we have arrived at Friday!
Monday and Tuesday were catch-up from being down in Orlando all last week and then came the bizzaro Wednesday holiday (which I heartily enjoyed). Then came yesterday and today. It's been pretty quiet around here with all of the people taking off the week for the 4th of July. So quiet, it's almost as bad as around Christmas time when folks take off between Christmas and New Years.
The good news is that it's actually the second Friday of the week! (Tuesday being the first Friday, of course.) You really can't complain about a week with two Fridays. Well...maybe about the fact there was also two Mondays, but that's it.
No news from Capitol Hill as they've been "out" all week. It's sometimes called "recess" but Congress has moved to calling it (more appropriately if you ask me) a "district work period." The July 4th work period doesn't even closely resemble a "recess" for Members of Congress (MoC). With so many parades and public events, MoCs are usually stretched thin the entire week. Typically it's also a good time to campaign so there's often fund raisers and rallies set up during this time, too.
Short and sweet this week! Lots more to come next week!
Around the water cooler: Lots of hydration. A discussion on coffee and mustard turned into learning about supertasters. Are you a supertaster? Take this quick quiz to find out! Then post in the comments what you are. I'll go first...
Monday and Tuesday were catch-up from being down in Orlando all last week and then came the bizzaro Wednesday holiday (which I heartily enjoyed). Then came yesterday and today. It's been pretty quiet around here with all of the people taking off the week for the 4th of July. So quiet, it's almost as bad as around Christmas time when folks take off between Christmas and New Years.
The good news is that it's actually the second Friday of the week! (Tuesday being the first Friday, of course.) You really can't complain about a week with two Fridays. Well...maybe about the fact there was also two Mondays, but that's it.
No news from Capitol Hill as they've been "out" all week. It's sometimes called "recess" but Congress has moved to calling it (more appropriately if you ask me) a "district work period." The July 4th work period doesn't even closely resemble a "recess" for Members of Congress (MoC). With so many parades and public events, MoCs are usually stretched thin the entire week. Typically it's also a good time to campaign so there's often fund raisers and rallies set up during this time, too.
Short and sweet this week! Lots more to come next week!
Around the water cooler: Lots of hydration. A discussion on coffee and mustard turned into learning about supertasters. Are you a supertaster? Take this quick quiz to find out! Then post in the comments what you are. I'll go first...
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Thursday Interlude: Fireworks Aplenty
These three photos were taken by BS, my friend and ace photographer on the MENC staff here. She and her family attended July 4th celebration in Manassas, VA. yesterday. Her photos are really good. I asked for some tips on shooting photos of fireworks.Hello All,
I don't know about you, but having a holiday on a Wednesday is a bit odd. Now, don't get me wrong. It was nice getting a day off in the middle of the week, but since I am back to work today, when I woke up this morning, it was a bit disorienting. For a moment I thought it was Saturday. Uh, no.
Did you have a nice holiday? We got some rain here in Reston, not to mention a funnel cloud a bit south and west of here. I had planned a small neighborhood gathering, a small potluck dinner that we ended up having inside. The food and conversati0n were tasty, but the only fireworks displays we saw were on television: the fireworks at the end of A Capitol Fourth at the U.S. Capitol near the National Mall. It was broadcast on PBS. The Boston Pops program was on CBS. Both featured people in red, white and blue, star-studded hats, little kids waving flags.
According to The Associated Press The Boston event "ended with a crescendo of cannons and church bells and fireworks exploding over the Charles River as the Boston Pops strike up Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" -- a rousing tribute to the Russian defeat of Napoleon's army in 1812 that was adopted by Boston Pops organizers in 1973 to give the event more "oomph." It looked quite grand on the telly.
In Washington, as SR noted below, Little Richard rocked the crowd (his Wikipedia entry already mentions it), the National Symphony sounded great as usual, and I loved Bebe Newirth , too. She is a favorite of mine, both from her days on Cheers and her musical work on the Broadway stage. She sangs songs from Cabaret and Chicago.
Now I am sure that you have a very nice July 4 fireworks display where you live. Have you ever been in Washington DC for July 4 festivities? Everyone should do it at least once. When I first moved to Washington in the mid 1980's my husband and I went to the Capitol every year for the fireworks and the Symphony. In those days, people actually (OK, let's be clear hear, frat boys really) hauled sofas to the mall so they would have a good seat and if you wanted good place to sit on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol lawn you got downtown about noon and camped out on the grass all afternoon with a picnic and a Monopoly game.
Was it worth sitting around for seven hours in the heat for concert? In addition to the always stellar NSO, superstar performers for A Capitol Fourth’s over the years have included Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Gloria Estefan, Tony Bennett, Faith Hill, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, the Bee Gees, Kenny G, Aaron Neville and Kenny Rogers. Yeah, it was worth it.
And then, around 9 pm, you got to see fireworks in colorful display around the Washington Monument while you listened to one of the worlds' greatest orchestras play "America the Beautiful" and "Stars and Stripes Forever." Yes, it was worth it. It was even worth a long, crowded subway ride home.
These days, in a post 9/11 world, seeing the fireworks in DC is a bit more complicated. It would be just about impossible to get a couch through the security checkpoint :-) Not complaining, just stating a fact. The gates for the Capitol lawn don't even open until 5 pm, so don't expect to get in a Monopoly game while you wait for NSO. If you are ever in town for the 4th, though. I highly recommend it. Kind of like New York's Times Square on New Year's Eve. Like I say, everyone should see Washington fireworks on July 4 at least once. The events are free, as are the goosebumps.
Well back to work. I am putting together the August online news (look for that later this month) and then it is on to September Music Educators Journal. Remember my time warp? It's time for Back to School!
See you next Thursday.
RF
Midweek Meanderings and Miscellany XVI: HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
MENC is closed......and so I will just post some interesting articles and links to patriotic music sources - BELOW!!
Water Cooler
WHOA!! The Washington DC 4th of July Concert on the Capitol steps was amazing, ESPECIALLY Little Richard, who despite having to use crutches, dazzled with his voice, sizzling piano playing, and glittering blue suit! He got that crowd going big time! The orchestra (Nat. Symphony) was wonderful doing medley from West Side Story, although I wished it'd had "the dance at the gym"....overall, an eclectic program mix. Great fireworks! Hope your 4th was a happy one!
See you next week! SR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Classical Gas, for Now - Washington DC
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Classical music radio, virtually gone from commercial stations and increasingly shoved aside even on public radio, is refusing to die in Washington.
JAM sessions fill music students with Southern pride - North Carolina
The Junior Appalachian Music program shows North Carolina students how to pick up instruments and strum old-time favorites.
Schools adopt narrow curriculum to increase students' math and reading scores
Gannett News Service
The study released June 12 concludes that subjects such as art, music and social studies, which aren't tested under No Child Left Behind, are increasingly neglected.
RAND CORP site with info on schools/education
City group looks to raise awareness for arts education - metro New York
Where do the arts fit into public schools when there’s such an emphasis on reading and math scores? The Center for Arts Education believes the arts are essential to a well-rounded basic education
Specialist subjects planned for five-year-olds - ENGLAND
WHAT DO YOU THINK?? ADD YOUR COMMENTS at end of this blog!
Children as young as five will get specialist tuition in science, art and foreign languages under new Government plans to improve exam results.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Patriotic resources!
I hear American singing patriotic songs websites
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html
Library of Congress
"Patriotic Melodies is a special presentation of the I Hear America Singing Web site, which includes a much larger array of performing arts materials from the Music Division of the Library of Congress.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/perform/patriotic/
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html
From MENC National Anthem website:
sing along to the anthem, and hear the anthem sung: see this page and top two items http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/teachermaterial/naptm_START.html#lessonplans
Lesson plan k - 4, about the song "America the Beautiful" http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/teachermaterial/naptm_lesson03.html
Lesson about the Anthem: http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/teachermaterial/naptm_lesson01.html
Children's songs w/ lesson plans, MENC site
http://www.menc.org/guides/startmusic/contents.htm
MANY songs to help teach different subjects: http://www.songsforteaching.com/
recommended song list: http://www.songsforteaching.com/educationalmusiccurriculumsubjects.htm
folk music for teaching: http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/
MENC resource, Get American Singing again-
see list of songs in both volumes at the END of the page
http://www.menc.org/information/prek12/again.html
Marilyn WARD SONG LIST from her thesis on this topic of heritage songs: http://www.neflin.org/marilyn/folksongsurvey/songlist.html
HISTORY of some patriotic songs: http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/styles/patriotic.html
other link to periods of music: http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/histor.html
Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry"
examines 18 historical American songs and poems. Organized by time periods and considered from historical perspectives, songs and poems include Bonny Barbara Allan, Yankee Doodle,
John Brown's Body/The Battle Hymn of the Republic, You're a Grand Old Flag, We Shall Overcome, and others. Sound recordings and original documents are provided. (LOC)
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/
The Teacher's Guide for the Liberty for All: A Musical Journey CD featuring the U.S. Marine Band www.menc.org/libertyforall and click on "Teacher's Guide" under U.S. Marine Band CD.
WHY WE SING THE ANTHEM AT SPORTING EVENTS SOURCE:
http://www.poppolitics.com/articles/2003-02-28-flagprotest.shtml
(this info was collected in Spring 2002)
Water Cooler
WHOA!! The Washington DC 4th of July Concert on the Capitol steps was amazing, ESPECIALLY Little Richard, who despite having to use crutches, dazzled with his voice, sizzling piano playing, and glittering blue suit! He got that crowd going big time! The orchestra (Nat. Symphony) was wonderful doing medley from West Side Story, although I wished it'd had "the dance at the gym"....overall, an eclectic program mix. Great fireworks! Hope your 4th was a happy one!
See you next week! SR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Classical Gas, for Now - Washington DC
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Classical music radio, virtually gone from commercial stations and increasingly shoved aside even on public radio, is refusing to die in Washington.
JAM sessions fill music students with Southern pride - North Carolina
The Junior Appalachian Music program shows North Carolina students how to pick up instruments and strum old-time favorites.
Schools adopt narrow curriculum to increase students' math and reading scores
Gannett News Service
The study released June 12 concludes that subjects such as art, music and social studies, which aren't tested under No Child Left Behind, are increasingly neglected.
RAND CORP site with info on schools/education
City group looks to raise awareness for arts education - metro New York
Where do the arts fit into public schools when there’s such an emphasis on reading and math scores? The Center for Arts Education believes the arts are essential to a well-rounded basic education
Specialist subjects planned for five-year-olds - ENGLAND
WHAT DO YOU THINK?? ADD YOUR COMMENTS at end of this blog!
Children as young as five will get specialist tuition in science, art and foreign languages under new Government plans to improve exam results.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Patriotic resources!
I hear American singing patriotic songs websites
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html
Library of Congress
"Patriotic Melodies is a special presentation of the I Hear America Singing Web site, which includes a much larger array of performing arts materials from the Music Division of the Library of Congress.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/perform/patriotic/
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html
From MENC National Anthem website:
sing along to the anthem, and hear the anthem sung: see this page and top two items http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/teachermaterial/naptm_START.html#lessonplans
Lesson plan k - 4, about the song "America the Beautiful" http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/teachermaterial/naptm_lesson03.html
Lesson about the Anthem: http://www.thenationalanthemproject.org/teachermaterial/naptm_lesson01.html
Children's songs w/ lesson plans, MENC site
http://www.menc.org/guides/startmusic/contents.htm
MANY songs to help teach different subjects: http://www.songsforteaching.com/
recommended song list: http://www.songsforteaching.com/educationalmusiccurriculumsubjects.htm
folk music for teaching: http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/
MENC resource, Get American Singing again-
see list of songs in both volumes at the END of the page
http://www.menc.org/information/prek12/again.html
Marilyn WARD SONG LIST from her thesis on this topic of heritage songs: http://www.neflin.org/marilyn/folksongsurvey/songlist.html
HISTORY of some patriotic songs: http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/styles/patriotic.html
other link to periods of music: http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/histor.html
Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry"
examines 18 historical American songs and poems. Organized by time periods and considered from historical perspectives, songs and poems include Bonny Barbara Allan, Yankee Doodle,
John Brown's Body/The Battle Hymn of the Republic, You're a Grand Old Flag, We Shall Overcome, and others. Sound recordings and original documents are provided. (LOC)
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/
The Teacher's Guide for the Liberty for All: A Musical Journey CD featuring the U.S. Marine Band www.menc.org/libertyforall and click on "Teacher's Guide" under U.S. Marine Band CD.
WHY WE SING THE ANTHEM AT SPORTING EVENTS SOURCE:
http://www.poppolitics.com/articles/2003-02-28-flagprotest.shtml
(this info was collected in Spring 2002)
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Back to Business
Just a short message today on this Tuesday sandwiched between the "return to the office" day and the 4th of July holiday tomorrow. I'm a bit crunched for time because I'm trying to go on vacation for a week after that. So today is full of meetings to get/keep projects moving over the next few weeks.
Here are some new MENC developments! The new incarnation of the National Executive Board has been posted, and the 2008 Music In Our Schools Month logo has been unveiled. Yesterday, we had a photo shoot here at the office for the 2008 MIOSM items. We always call upon staff and kids of staff to volunteer for modeling duty. This year, staff members MB and CR were kind enough to participate, and TH and YK volunteered some cute kids. (Look for the new items to purchase at www.menc.org/miosm soon.)
There is also a new edition of "Notes from the Clef," MENC's podcast series, featuring musical excerpts from the new resource "Liberty for All -- A Musical Journey Volume II: Westward Expansion-Industrial Revolution" and an interview with MENC member Linda White, one of the lesson plan contributors to this exciting project. Please take a listen -- the music, performed by the US Army Band, is fantastic.
Missed the Webcast of Mike Huckabee, Anne Bryant, and Brenda Welburn at MENC's Centennial Congress last week? It will be available online soon -- check back to www.menc.org.
That's all for now -- onward!
EWL
Here are some new MENC developments! The new incarnation of the National Executive Board has been posted, and the 2008 Music In Our Schools Month logo has been unveiled. Yesterday, we had a photo shoot here at the office for the 2008 MIOSM items. We always call upon staff and kids of staff to volunteer for modeling duty. This year, staff members MB and CR were kind enough to participate, and TH and YK volunteered some cute kids. (Look for the new items to purchase at www.menc.org/miosm soon.)
There is also a new edition of "Notes from the Clef," MENC's podcast series, featuring musical excerpts from the new resource "Liberty for All -- A Musical Journey Volume II: Westward Expansion-Industrial Revolution" and an interview with MENC member Linda White, one of the lesson plan contributors to this exciting project. Please take a listen -- the music, performed by the US Army Band, is fantastic.
Missed the Webcast of Mike Huckabee, Anne Bryant, and Brenda Welburn at MENC's Centennial Congress last week? It will be available online soon -- check back to www.menc.org.
That's all for now -- onward!
EWL
Monday, July 2, 2007
Centennial Celebration Report Continued...
We're back! ARN and I will post today on behalf of ML, who went straight from the Orlando event to vacationland. Here are more photos from last week's Centennial Celebration! Many more to come, maybe even later today!
This is former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee with members from Norfolk, VA at the 100th anniversary picnic in Orlando.
This is President-Elect Barbara Geer and MENC Executive Director John Mahlmann at the Dessert Reception that ended the Celebration. It was held in Disney's Epcot Center.
Here is a fantastic picture from the Dessert Gala at Epcot from Thursday night. It had a French theme so you can see the French musical ensemble in the background as well as the mime. The mime was the best mime I've ever seen in my life. Really. Apparently he studied with Marcel Marceau so that might explain something.
Here are two "behind-the-scenes" shots. MB spent most of Wednesday and Thursday serving as the "Wizard of Oz" behind the big projection screen running the "audience response" programming. The picture on the right is of me (ARN) behind the screen running the webcast from the Centennial. You will notice in both cases how brightly lit it was. ;)
This is former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee with members from Norfolk, VA at the 100th anniversary picnic in Orlando.This is President-Elect Barbara Geer and MENC Executive Director John Mahlmann at the Dessert Reception that ended the Celebration. It was held in Disney's Epcot Center.
During the National Assembly, MENC President Lynn Brinckmeyer presented appreciation plaques to outgoing National Board members Jim Rice, Earl Groner, and Ron Chronister. (Thanks, guys!)
Former Governor Huckabee addressed the Congress on Tuesday. Here he is with Lynn Brinckmeyer before his address, which was also Webcast live!
And here is a photo of MJ, EWL, and ARN at the end of the event -- just finished the dessert reception and fireworks at Epcot Center. Thanks MB for taking this photo! (Confession - MJ stayed and enjoyed the park til all hours. ARN and I headed back to the hotel to collapse.) (Also, check this photo closely for a sneak preview of the 2008 Music In Our Schools Month logo!)
Here is a fantastic picture from the Dessert Gala at Epcot from Thursday night. It had a French theme so you can see the French musical ensemble in the background as well as the mime. The mime was the best mime I've ever seen in my life. Really. Apparently he studied with Marcel Marceau so that might explain something.
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