Here we are at the midpoint of the first semester already! I hope the first part of your year has been a good one. Now is the time to start asking your administrators if they will help you get to the AMEA conference on January 30 and February 1, 2020. Ask your principal for a professional day to attend the conference. Check to see if your district's professional development department will assist you by paying for your conference attendance fees. (An excellent use of Title IV-A funds!) Let them know you want to take advantage of this opportunity to participate in professional learning that is directly related to music education. You'll be glad you did!

Do you need some help justifying your conference attendance to your administrator? We have prepared a letter for you to share with them when you ask to go to the conference. We hope this helps you make your case to attend the conference!

Scott Burgener

AMEA President 2019-2021

president@azmea.org

Fellow AZ Music Educators. Please join AzSGM: The Arizona Society of General Music on Saturday, November 16. We will be presenting our Fall Workshop with international music teaching icon Dr. Rob Amchin. We hope you join us from 9:30-3:30 at the MCC Performing Arts Center for Dr. Amchin’s Great Beginnings: Sing, Dance, Play all Day! Entrance will cost $20 at the door or you may register online soon through the azmea.org website (details to come shortly)

We hope to see you all there.
John Denton, AzSGM President

The All-Arizona Flute Choir presented its first concert last June. High School students who made their AMEA regionals or were an alternate were eligible to participate in this new opportunity sponsored by Mesa Community College and Desert Echoes Flute Project. Flutists from around the state, including Flagstaff and Yuma, gathered for rehearsals on a Friday afternoon/evening and on Saturday to prepare music for a flute orchestra/flute choir concert. It was a wonderful musical and bonding experience for everyone involved during the low flute class, rehearsals, sectionals, and dinner. They presented an hour-long concert under the direction of Jenn Bock, Kehokule’alani O’Daniell, and DEFproject Music Director and founder Christina Steffen. (See pictures below.)

A variety of music was prepared: Mozart Allegro con brio from Symphony No 25; a McLearnon piece, The Flutewise Theme, using extended techniques; Jobim’s The Girl from Ipanema gave volunteers an option to improvise; and the students were excited to play the world premiere of ‘Petrichor’ by James-Michael Sellers. Participants also had the option to borrow and play an alto or bass flute provided by MCC and DEFproject and guest artist Sam Lupe, an MCC/ASU student, played the contrabass flute.

Flute Choirs have become increasingly popular and are a part of many college and university programs with a large body of repertoire that includes compositions for flute orchestra in addition to transcriptions. Jenn, Keh, and Christina really enjoyed working with these talented young flutists who also valued the experience. The progress made from the first reading rehearsal to the concert was tremendous. A reception followed the performance to celebrate this first year and Kehokule’alani made an amazing flute cake that included the first names of all the participants! Select concert videos are being uploaded to a dedicated YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJFWjKOadQ-U7lpHkFiAtA.

Everyone is looking forward to the 2nd Annual All-Arizona Flute Choir at the MCC Performing Arts Center on May 29 & 30, 2020. Contact Christina Steffen at AllArizonaFluteChoir@gmail.com for more information. Contributed by Christina Steffen.

AMEA President Scott Burgener, AMEA President-Elect Darin Shryock, and AMEA Executive Director David Waggoner all attended the NAfME Western Division Meetings in Salt Lake City in mid-September. The Western Division is made up of Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, Hawaii, and India. It was great to learn about the activities of the other state associations. Our very own Renee Shane-Boyd is currently serving as the Western Division President-Elect. Also in attendance was NAfME National President Kathy Sanz and NAfME Executive Director Mike Blakeslee who provided us with lots of information regarding nationals. The picture below is all who were in attendance, shortly after we enjoyed a performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.