Alabama Music Educators Association

Involvement or commitment? Have you given much thought to the difference? Most of us are involved in many things on a daily basis, but of those things in which we are involved, to how many are we actually committed? To what are we giving most of our time and energy, mere involvement or total commitment? Commitment to teaching choral music involves a deep and abiding care for the students that come our way. Hopefully we are seriously committed to changing and enhancing their lives through music and not just involved in teaching a lesson every day.
September 9th & 10th brought teachers and college students to the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa for the annual Fall Workshop. Attendance at this workshop demonstrates a commitment from so many teachers to improving themselves as well as their students. The university music students were gracious hosts for this event, meeting the needs of AVA on so many levels. What a commitment each of them made in contributing to the success of every aspect of the workshop. Dr. Marvin Latimer organized the student task force beautifully as they greeted the board upon their arrival and helped to unload and set-up, Their involvement continued as they were available at all times to answer questions as well as provide physical and technical support. What a great service for these students and future teachers! I can’t think of a better way to introduce a group of college students to the passion shared by music teachers than to interact with them on this level. I hope that these students could see in us a commitment to their futures in this great profession. It was also a pleasure to have college students from Montevallo and UAB sitting with seasoned teachers and enjoying the vivacious spirit of Dr. Steve Zegree. He is such a fine example to all of us of a dedicated educator and innovative composer and thinker as well. We are grateful that he was able to share himself and his music with us, even for such a short period of time.

I would like to applaud those teachers who are working so hard to prepare students for All-State Show Choir and All-State Choir auditions as well as Outstanding Choral Student, Outstanding Accompanist, Music Education Scholarship Award, and the Honor Choir Screening. Some are also preparing for Fall Solo & Ensemble Assessment as well as pulling out the music for the winter concerts. This level of involvement with your students requires a commitment to excellence that is exemplary and often goes beyond the regular school day. As you are reading this, the Show Choir auditions have passed and the AVA Executive Board is preparing to travel the state ready to listen to hundreds of students audition for the All-State Choirs. We eagerly anticipate meeting your students and celebrating their individual commitments to excellence.

Please be making your commitment to attend the AMEA In-service Conference, January 19 – 21, 2012. We are once again in Montgomery at the Renaissance Hotel & Spa @ the Convention Center. This will be a weekend packed with entertainment and educational opportunities. AVA has great session offerings for each director with Paul Gulsvig, Rollo Dillworth, and Greg Gilpin. Rosephanye Powell will be conducting the Honor Choir and Paul Gulsvig and Santana Shelton will be working with the All-State Show Choir students! You will not want to miss a minute of this fabulous weekend so plan to come early and stay late!!

The AVA Governing Board is dedicated to mentoring new teachers. If you are registering for the conference and have only been teaching 1 – 3 years we invite you to a luncheon with the AVA Board on Thursday, January 19 @ 11:30. If you will contact Pat Blackwell via email (pat@alavocal.org) she will reserve a spot for you. We would like to have your reservation by January 10. Our goal is to keep you well informed, provide a forum for you to ask questions, and offer you the opportunity to become better acquainted with the governing board.
The AVA Governing Board continues its commitment to advocacy with the introduction of the Don’t Silence Our Voices campaign. The executive board will be traveling with a banner and brochures throughout the year to proclaim to the state that we have a commitment to Keep Alabama Singing! If you would like to have copies of the brochure to share with principals, PTO boards, superintendents, local, state & national legislators, they will be available at all AVA events.

I challenge each of us to examine ourselves to determine our level of commitment and involvement in our professional organization. Are we demonstrating a level of care for our students, our colleagues, and our profession that represents a dedicated sense of loyalty to all three? Lou Holtz has been credited with the following...”If you don’t make a total commitment to whatever you’re doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It’s tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his life jacket on…

Are you casually involved or totally committed?