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