MENC Leadership Sets New National Conference Schedule

Check out the announcement on the MENC Web site "News Stand."

Harley's take in his world

Harley just read the post from April 4 that we may be back. News to him, but hey, the little guy is ready to go after have been on a cruise. He is all rested now and is missin' everyone......

Hello, is anyone out there? Is the world still listening? Oh oh..... Harley thinks he is hearing voices OR is it music?

Who knows.... maybe -- maybe not! Better question, who will find this post....

Stand by...

We may be back in the future!

The Last One -- Bye Bye

Today is the last staff blog. A decision was made to end the one-year old Blog on its one year anniversary! Harley has loved sharing his life with you all but it is now time to say, "see you later."

Since four of our five bloggers will be writing for the newly designed MENC web page to be previewed at the upcoming Milwaukee National In-Service Conference, they really really don't have time to also post on the MENC Staff Blog -- and I'm pretty certain you all don't want to only hear from Harley. So Harley along with the other four bloggers wish you all a very happy St. Paddy's day. I am sure at some point in your travels you will run into Harley as well as the other four!

We have LOVED posting for you each week and we will miss you. But, hey, you can always pick up the phone and give us a call! If you like, you can also leave us a comment below. We are not blowing up the site just yet! Harley likes to blow stuff up every once in a while. I know that does not surprise you! Happy Trails to you - until we meet again. Happy Trails to you - keep singing until then......... Happy Trails to you - till we meet again!

:-)

Happy Friday, music education lovers! Today, I leave you with nothing more than the lyrics to one of my all time favorite songs ... and a wonderful tribute to life, and to all things music.

Enjoy!


Sir Duke - by the great Stevie Wonder

Music is a world within itself
With a language we all understand
With an equal opportunity
For all to sing, dance and clap their hands
But just because a record has a groove
Don't make it in the groove
But you can tell right away at letter A
When the people start to move

They can feel it all over
They can feel it all over people
They can feel it all over
They can feel it all over people

Music knows it is and always will
Be one of the things that life just won't quit
But here are some of music's pioneers
That time will not allow us to forget
For there's Basie, Miller, Satchmo
And the king of all Sir Duke
And with a voice like Ella's ringing out
There's no way the band can lose

You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people

You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people

You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people

You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
I can feel it all over-all over now people

Can't you feel it all over
Come on let's feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
Everybody-all over people


Good times are ALWAYS just around the corner -- take care everybody! :-)

Thursday Interlude: Need I Say More?

Hmmm. It's Thursday, isn't it? Happy WLC Day! I hope you were able to participate in the World's Largest Concert. I just returned to my office from a staff screening of the 2008 WLC DVD.

Loved it. Really creative staging of songs, from "Music Rocks" to "Hallelujah, Get on Board," to "Fangaa Alafia." When you see kids enthusiastically participating in an event like that you know an energetic music educator is somewhere orchestrating what they do.

NS on our staff here.does such a good job of directing the WLC project for MENC members.

Anyway, with the Vernal Equinox next Thursday, spring officially arrives, but you and I both know it's already spring. (Or I hope is comes soon where you are). My son made it through tryouts for the junior varsity baseball team at his school and in the past couple of weeks, I have seen what beehives high schools can be. Kids playing lacrosse and tennis and baseball, running track.

And then toward the end of last week, his high school also hosted the district orchestra festival, so as sweaty kids headed from the field to the locker room they shared the doors that led into the building with violinists and cellists in dress attire.

It reminded me how great a high school can be for kids, no matter what their interests. A friend in my book club also has a high school freshman and her son, not a musician or an athlete, has found friends and a niche in robotics and animee. Like a variety of restaurants in a shopping mall food court, good high schools offer an array of choices, something to tempt most kids into creating a fuller life inside and outside the classroom.

Well, gotta go. I am working ahead on May Music Educators Journal as well the revamped news we will be able to provide you on the MENC Web site EWL described earlier in the week. Now that will rock.
Til next Thursday,
RF

MMMM 52: Spring Again! Bouquet of Resources....

SPRING AGAIN! (nearly!)
One year ago next week, the MENC bloggers began this journey into blogdom.....my first post was 3/21/07.....

As EWL mentioned yesterday, we're all gearing up for the NEW MENC WEBSITE....lots to do, and we hope members will like it. There are going to be some great things on there......! Check back in mid - April!

A new report by the Dana Foundation is just out......it may help bolster the discussion on the importance of the arts, discussing how training in the arts might contribute to improved general thinking skills for children and adults. See the write up about the report in EDUCATION WEEK
And here is the actual 146 page pdf report: Insights Gained Into Arts and Smarts

As a way to commemorate a full year of MENC blogging, below I revisit a few favorite sites/entries that have appeared in the Wednesday Midweek Meanderings and Miscellany......I think they're worth a second look.....! I also add a few (just a few!) additional personal favorites for all you arts education fans.

Have a good week, and Happy Music Making! SR (scroll on!)

GREAT MUSIC EDUCATION BLOG, tech oriented, but other issues too:

SEE Catalysts and Connections

Exhibit revives musicologist's work, and African-American Music believed to be forgotten:

see this ARTICLE

America Sings! inspires young people involved in the arts to use their time and talents to help others - see their WEBSITE

Read about American Sings! upcoming participation at the April MENC Biennial Conference in Milwaukee! See their NEWSLETTER

Rock and Roll: Steven Van Zandt, MENC, and Rock 'n Roll Forever Foundation; rock lives on in high school curriculum! Click HERE and HERE

Kennedy Center's lesson plans and resources on ARTSEDGE

Music Alive: great music magazine for middle school/high school, comes with teachers guide and cd, monthly. Good resources on their website, too! SEE!

Sol y Canto, fabulous Latin group playing original and authentic music from Central and South America, the American SW, and Puerto Rico. Great songs, great vocals, great instrumentals, childrens' music, family friendly, sophisticated, playful and intelligent music!

see their WEBSITE

MMMM Blog of 11/14/07 revisits MENC Position papers, advocacy resources, and a short report on areas of concern to MENC music teachers. see this LINK

Pete Seeger inspired song book, RISE UP SINGING - for everyone!

Gov. Mike Huckabee addresses the MENC Centennial Conference, June 2007; see short recap of his talk HERE

Brilliant and inspiring singing from the African Children's Choir - see their WEBSITE

Dana Foundation's ARTS ED IN THE NEWS, a good source for periodic arts education news updates

Interested in the business of the music industry? Check out MUSICAL AMERICA

Making Music magazine (for anyone with a love of making music!). As their website says:
"information/instruction/Inspiration for the amateur musician. Read stories about music makers from all walks of life, learn about the latest medical research into the benefits of making music, discover tips to make you learn better...." see WEBSITE

and last but NOT least..........
our old friend of early MENC blog days, AMERICAN IDOL (even though I'm NOT watching it this year! (at least til the last 6 or so contestants!)

Tuesday Toiling

On this lovely Tuesday I am immersed in the overhaul of the MENC Web site. We are literally moving, page by page, the old Web site into a new one. Each page has to be stripped of codes and links, entered into a new template, formatted, and then have any links added back in. This is tedious but not particularly difficult. The hard part (for me at least) is keeping straight where the pages need to be placed, and to what and from what other pages they need to be linked. This gets complicated when not all the other pages have been moved yet. The other complicaton is that there are "bugs" that pop up -- images that don't show, bullets that disappear, pages that can't be saved. We're working all this out as we go.

We're racing against the clock to get this site ready for launch the week of the National Conference. I'm very excited to show our members this new, improved music education resource.

Watched the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night (while I was moving pages via my laptop). Parts of it were pretty strange. Instead of performing after she was inducted (and had given an endless acceptance speech), Madonna sat in the audience while Iggy Pop sang two of her hits. It was really weird. Iggy looked in pretty good shape, but he did Madonna's songs in his own punk-rock style which doesn't have much to do with her music. They are both from Detroit -- that's the only connection I could make. There has been some debate online as to whether Madonna should really be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so maybe she wanted to make the case that her music could be performed in a rock and roll style. Tom Hanks gave a somewhat over the top but ultimately moving induction speech for the Dave Clark Five. John Mellencamp and his inductor, Billy Joel, also went on and on and on. But all in all, pretty good background noise for moving Web pages.

Hope you're participating in the World's Largest Concert this Thursday! The MENC staff will join the singing at our monthly staff meeting.

Onward .... EWL

Bundles of Stuff going on in Our World

Harley is being a "busy little thing" trying to stay out of my way and out from under my feet as we frantically work on the Board Book, mailings to the National Assembly, and whatever other stuff we are up to our ears in! He has decided to read the book, "Hotel Hobbies -- 50 things to do in a hotel room that won't get you arrested." I should by happy he is reading. Should I be happy about this book -- not really sure. Items in the chapters include: 1) Towel Origami; 2) Soap Scimshaw (requires a nail file); 3) Feng Shui Your Room; 4) Minibar Bottle Band (hmmmmm this should appeal to music educators); 5) Dental Floss Pom-poms (for the inner cheerleader in all of us?) 6) Wine Cork Stamps (need a sharp pointy thing to carve with); 7) Coat Hanger Wind Chimes (music again); 8) Tea Bag Puppetry; 9) Olive Golf; 10) Olive Pit Checkers; and my all time favorite -- 11) Blow-Dryer 007. The book suggests that you unplug the blow-dryer before attempting to leap around the room in your tux or black dress (Emma Peel move over)...... this also has exercise possibilities - you too can be James Bond.... WAIT a minute - how about Balcony Scarecrow.

You know Harley needs to get back to work to help me out with the board book. At this rate the little tyke is going to get into trouble and get cutoff from posting. Oh Oh - he is now trying Shower Cap Paragliding. He did have fun with his two girls in here on Friday BUT everyone was so busy he did not have a chance for a photo opt. Poor Thing..... Maybe next time. OH my - he is now so upset he has decided to crash land in the board book copied pages. Stay tuned......

MMMM51: Odds and Ends

HI Everyone,

Here at mid-week, it's not a very happening place "in my world" (as fellow blogger ML says!)
(I mean, it's happening, it's just not that newsworthy or exciting!), so I'll just leave you with some links to "musical" articles and sound sources you may wish to check out in your "spare" time, and/or share with your students! SCROLL DOWN.......
Hope you have a good week, and see you next! SR


Van Cliburn: 50 years later! Read how the 23 year old piano player from Texas took the Soviet Union by storm, and became the first and only American musician ever to receive a ticker tape parade in the states! Listen to his hit recording (first classical recording to ever sell more than a million copies) of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, recorded just six weeks after winning the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow! Click HERE

Wings Over Jordan: learn about a weekly Gospel program on national radio, created by and for African Americans, at a time when segregation was still strong, when there were very few opportunties for black people in the United States to make themselves heard! Hear the report and read transcript CLICK HERE

12 year old composer: Read about a 12 year old girl who started composing in 3rd grade "because she loved it", "right off the bat", when composition was introduced at her school. She was born in Bangladesh, and her music was just played by the New York Philharmonic in N. Korea!

CLICK

Amateur songwriters for Obama: unknown musicians compose their own odes to the presidential candidate. CLICK

"The Boss" (Bruce Springsteen) discusses his latest album and what inspired him (or not!). Hear the conversation, and read it too. CLICK

Odd Tuesday

I had four important meetings lined up for today, but a mysterious March bug has descended on the department and four people are out with various ailments. We're limping along without them but will need to reschedule meetings for when they can be present.

We released the March 2008 "Why Music?" PSAs last Friday for Music In Our Schools Month, and it is great to already hear from so many radio stations and members about using them on the air and at school events.

I had the pleasure of attending a concert by the Ahn Trio on Sunday here in Reston. These three brilliant sisters will be performing an evening concert at the MENC national conference in Milwaukee next month. I will be at the conference and hope to get the chance to listen again -- I thought they were fantastic. The program was all music that had been written for them, with some unusual jazzy inflections, at least to my ears.

We are hurtling along toward the launch of new Web site at the national conference. I must get back to work on it. 1700+ pages must be moved over to the new site, and that includes reformatting them and making sure all links are corrected. Fortunately I do not have to do this all myself. When PF, DP, and I finish this project, we are going to have to figure out how to take long vacations. Or... at least few hours off. (It's actually very exciting and I can't wait for you to see the results in April!)

Onward!
E

Pretzel Brain 2

Brain in a pretzel? HUH - nope, Harley and I hate to admit it but we know what our buddy CW was talking about below. WOW oh WOW was that an episode of LOST or not! Harley is usually lost most days. He heads out and wanders around the office in search of whatever trouble he can find. It seems he gets wanderlust when it is time to work on the board book. AND he is way too excited right now. You see - his two most favorite lady-gals in the world are coming to visit him on Thursday (please, don't tell him they are coming to see the Dr. M ... o.k.?) He loves President Brinckmeyer and he is growing quite fond of President-Elect Geer as she gets ready to take over the helm on July 1.

The changing of the guard is an interesting time around here. First of all - thank you letters from the outgoing President is mailed to all whose term comes to an end when the national president term ends. The other is that all Task Forces appointed by the President also ends on June 30. So there can be up to 100 thank you letters that will be sent out. THEN, at the NEB meeting appointments are made as an outcome from the meetings of the Executive Committee of the Societies, Editorial Committees, and standing committees. All of these letters are sent out right after the NEB meeting. This year the meeting will be June 12-15, 2008. Although the meeting is held in June it is still considered the "Summer" meeting - or the first meeting of the fiscal year. President-Elect Geer will be in charge of that meeting and also the Finance Committee meeting scheduled in May.

So the question is -- does MENC have a "lame duck" period - like when President Bush gets ready to vacate the White House on January 20, 2009. He is considered a lame duck from election day, November 4, until January 20. A lame duck is defined as, "person holding office after his or her replacement has been elected to the office, but before the current term has ended." This isn't quite the case with MENC since the President-Elect of MENC serves a term of two-years before becoming the national president. However, over the years, the period between the last day of the national in-service convention and July 1 in an "even" number year is considered the MENC Lame Duck period.

Harley would never call President Brinckmeyer a Lame Duck during this time - he might quack but he wouldn't call her that. As you can see - he is once again LOST in his pretzel brain and must now leave you. His head hurts tied up in knots. So my little duckies, you have a good week and next time we will see Harley's photo with his two favorite girlfriends!

Brain in a Pretzel!

Phew!

Hello there, everyone!! You'll have to forgive me, my mind is still a bit topsy turvy from watching last night's episode of LOST, you see. If you're a fan, then CERTAINLY you know what I'm talking about today!! What an AMAZING show! (forgive my picture tribute above! haha) Ok, no more derailing now, I promise...

On to more important matters! Like aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappropriations!! Waahoo! That's right ladies and gentlemen, as of today, MENC is officially seeking a brand new appropriation request (for something very, VERY exciting!) through the congressional office of Virginia Representative Jim Moran! Congressman Moran has been a big education supporter in the past, and as many of you probably already know, MENC resides in the Congressman's district (Virginia's 8th), so hopefully he will have a very special little place carved out in his heart for music education! Sorry to be so secretive, I promise that there will be more to report on this exciting new government relations project in the near future, but you'll have to stay tuned to MENC Legislative ALERTS for more on that! (ooooooh what a tease! haha)

One final note for today as the wind howls outside my window here in Reston: At today's staff social I realized something kinda neat. This month marks my one year anniversary here at MENC.

Wow.

A YEAR has flown by?? Incredible! And what an awesome year it was! I've made so many terrific new friends, gotten to be a part of so many inspiring projects and initiatives, and I get to come to work every single day fighting for a truly amazing cause! Thank you to everyone who has made this such a very special year for me, I can only hope and look forward to more of the same in my future!

Ok, well have a wonderful weekend everyone, and if you're out on the roads, be careful not to get "LOST!" haha

P.S. This week marked our favorite little red friend's (Harley!!) b-day! A happy happy to MENC's most beloved (and only) animal staff member! ;-)

MMMM50: Music Everywhere!

HI Everyone,

No doubt you've heard that the New York Philharmonic just played a concert in N. Korea.

If you haven't had enough of this news, you can read more about it at the links below! And they will be broadcasting the concert Thursday Feb. 28 on PBS. It will also be available on the NY PHIL website - read all about it and get links below!

I'm also blogging ecstatic about PBS' "Month of Music"! Their musical offerings for MARCH are diverse! Check THIS LINK for your local listings, and the additional links below for details about the programs I list here!

Coming to PBS in MARCH!
American Masters: Pete Seeger

American Soundtrack: Doo Wop's best
My Music: Doo Wop love songs
My Generation: The 60s

Bruce Springsteen with the Session Band: Live in Dublin
The Clash Live: Revolution Rock
Celtic Women
The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash
The High Kings
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: a musical treasure
Osmonds 50th anniversary reunion
Sarah Brightman

Great Performances:
Andrea Bocelli
James Taylor One Man Band
Peter and the Wolf

Great performances at the Met: Great Moments, Viewers' Choice:
Hansel and Gretel

Live from Lincoln Center: NYCity Opera: Madama Butterfly

Hope your week goes well, and see you next! SR

NY PHIL articles:

Washington Post

New York Times

Wall St. Journal

Bloomberg

ON PBS

ON NYPHIL site

Busy Time for the Little Guy

Harley is gearing up for a number of tasks this week and next. He is working hard at “starting” the Board Book. Just remember “starting” is the operative word here. Although the NEB meeting is not until April 5-7, the Board Book has to be mailed no later than March 10. Deadline from NEB members for information going into the board book is Friday, February 29 – LEAP DAY! (Harley is anticipating that a number of his lady friends will be asking him out since it is Leap Year!) He remembers the last time he worked on the Board Book and to make sure all the papers stayed in numerical order and then he had to not let anyone near them in case they might fall on the floor and his trusty ally PS go off widely in search of the perpetrator responsible for this gross ugly situation (He’s been watching way too many crime shows no cable). He loves his PS since she is the one responsible for all that copying and copying and copying…… Harley thinks she dreams about copying during the time surrounding the board book creation. Lucky it only happens three times a year – Spring, Summer, Fall.

Next Wednesday, March 5, President Brinckmeyer visits MENC along with President-Elect Geer. They will be meeting in the office discussing a range of topics and meeting with a variety of individuals including the executive director of the National Art Education Association, MENC legal counsel, various staff members, etc. Discussion will be held on the upcoming 2008 National Assembly meeting.

Registrations for the 2008 National Assembly meeting to be held April 8-9, 2008, are “rollin’” in like crazy. There will be a good showing of the state and national leadership in Milwaukee. Right now (of course, subject to change) topics will include a session on the “State of the Association,” breakout groups on Advocacy; Curriculum and Assessment in Music Education; Serving the Profession; Organization and Governance; and Long-Term Financial Stability of MENC and Alliances, Partnerships, and Sponsorships. Division Board Meetings are scheduled to take place the evening of April 8. On Wednesday, April 9, there will be additional breakout sessions by state size, and information on the new MENC Website and Performance Events Department. Harley thinks it sounds like a really exciting meeting. Well off the little pup goes off to work with PS. Have a great week.

Ice, Ice, Not So Nice!

Good morning all!

Much of MENC's staff is missing in action this Friday A.M. as the greater D.C. area was walloped last night with a messy ice storm! We're all kind of waiting with bated breath now to see if the worst of this sucker is over, or if there is even more drive time madness to come! We seem to have a habit of getting hit with ice instead of snow around these parts lately, which can be very pretty, but also VERY VERY unsafe. NOTE: All MENC staffers be extra careful out and about today! How about some snow Mother Nature?!?! Give us a break!!

Anyways, today is a crazy day with lots of work to get done in spite of the outside conditions, so I'm going to have to keep this short! Let me leave with a really interesting article on campaign music recently tracked down by MM, however, to keep you in the "primary" season! haha It's definitely worth the read! Have a great weekend everyone! Stay warm!

MMMM49: Diversionary Musical Notes!

HI Everyone,

Nothing real eventful or newsworthy in my neck of the woods at the MENC national offices, so, let me move RIGHT on to a few bits and resources I found of interest, perhaps you will too!

Hope your week goes well, and see you next! SR

Travels with Music: Ran across this item by accident, I personally thought it sounded like a cool resource for learning about world musics...(in other words, this does not mean MENC endorses or recommends this product...it's this blog writer's two cents!). The website says: "a comprehensive educational tool for all grades, but for entertainment and music enthusiasts as well. " CLICK to watch a demo and preview 2 units!

There is a wonderful article about COMMUNAL SINGING and Pete Seeger's influence on group singing....(it's worth taking a moment to do the free registration on the NYTIMES website.)

According to the article: "communal singing isn’t a class or a choir; the singers, not the leaders, choose the tunes. " Community sings, or singalongs, "draw together the average-voiced and bring old songs into common memory." (SEE NYT SOURCE LINK BELOW!)

The article goes on to say: "Pete Seeger...... championed the cause of group-singing for more than 60 years." ...... Seeger says: "I think that singing together gives people some kind of a holy feeling. And it can happen whether they’re atheists, or whoever. You feel like, ‘Gee, we’re all together.’ "

The NYTimes continues: "In 1945 Mr. Seeger founded the People’s Song collective, which disseminated its own songbooks, thereby helping to popularize songs like "We Shall Overcome."

" In 1943, when he was in the Army, Mr. Seeger conducted an experiment on his fellow soldiers, asking them to write down the names of the songs whose words and tunes they really knew. In his own memory file he counted about 300, but he was impressed by the competition. "

More recently, Mr. Seeger explained that he believes the number of popular, common songs known by the average person today is far less than what the average person of 1943 knew. Seeger still leads sing alongs every month, and loves hearing kids sing in the group - read the article to hear how he describes kids singing!

CLICK HERE for the FULL ARTICLE

For more info on PETE SEEGER, click HERE

"COMPANY" is coming!
on PBS great performances..... you can find out more about the "show that broke the traditional rules of musical theater", and see excerpts of this current revival, see the song list, and other helpful info about Sondheim and theater, at THIS LINK

For your local listings, CLICK HERE!

CLICK HERE for more info on musical theater!

Finally, heard one of my favorites over the weekend, incredible beat, horns, live crowd whooping it up...for a real musical treat, learn more about LOUIS PRIMA, "The King of Swingers" and his crazy, delicious singing and instrumentals at THIS LINK and THIS ONE

SEE Prima on YOU TUBE: Just a Gigolo/I ain't got no body Medley
and Oh Marie! (1957)

Read about "ANGELINA, the Waitress at the Pizzeria" , HERE!

Tuesday Update

The day is almost gone and I have not found a moment til now to think about blogging! That's what happens when Monday is a holiday.


So, quickly, check out Sunday's 60 Minutes report on Gustavo Dudamel, the new conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I found it a fascinating profile. He is a product of "El Sistema" -- the Venezuelan innovation that takes children (a quarter of a million so far, almost all from poor neighborhoods), and teaches them how to play instruments. This has now led to hundreds of youth orchestras sprouting up all over the country.


El Sistema has been mentioned in the MENC blog before so I felt very well informed as I watched the segment!


Onward -- EWL

It's a Holiday in Our World - Mr. President!

Tomorrow (Monday) the MENC offices are closed for the Presidents' Holiday, otherwise known as George Washington's Birthday! Mr. Harley will be taking the day off to sleep in. He knows that after Monday there are no holidays until the end of MAY! Yes, he will survive -- the little guy always does! Here is wishing you a happy day wherever you may be - at work, at play, at home.

Thursday Interlude: Stating the Obvious

Happy, you know what. I know some people love, love, love Valentine's Day while others believe it is a day that is a worldwide conspiracy promoted each year by greeting card companies, florists and chocolatiers. I personally love Valentine's Day, because I think it is a great time to let people know you care about them, whether significant others or others in your world at large. That said, I hope you have a good day, whether you celebrate or not. Every day is great when you get to do something you like. Hopefully like me chatting with you on the blog today (shameless pandering).

I really liked SR's posts yesterday about songs. I have mentioned previously that I love all kinds of music. I don't know a lot about many of them and that is when I need to do some research. Opera is one of those genres.

I found the Aria database Web site a while back where you can find information. The Web site includes a description of the opera plot, characters and links to where you can buy sheet music or recordings. My favorite operas are Aida , Carmen
and A Midsummer Night's Dream?

We have talked the past week or so about our new MENC Web site and our Web writing training. I am so psyched that I will be able to give you news more quickly than I do now. I will continue to provide the news for our two magazines, Teaching Music and Music Educators Journal, though, which also will be fun.

The discussions have been fun and we have a great group of MENC staffers working on the Web project. I already enjoy working with this enthusiastic group.

Oh, before I forget, are you getting into American Idol yet? I find it slowly reeling me in. Comment and let me know what you think about this year's crop of singers. Among the top 24, my favorites so far are Amanda Overmeyer, Syesha Mercado and Colton Berry, who is 17. He is from Staunton, Virgina, where he has performed in community theater productions like :"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."

Gotta go. April Teaching Music looms, as to do various other projects related to the MENC Conference in Milwaukee in April. Visit the conference link to see the cool array of events and sessions.

Til Next Thursday, Happy Hearts Day
RF