SCVA Newsletter (on-line version) - October 2000

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President's Message
Kenneth Tuttle
Well, we are off and running, aren't we?! I know I feel like I'm already several weeks behind, even though tomorrow is the fifteenth day of school this year in my district! Oh-oh! But I am excited about the potential my students this year have shown - as performing ensembles, and as great, positive young adults to work with. I hope that's true for each of you as well.

As you saw in our first newsletter, SCVA is also off and running with a full plate of activities from which to partake. Honor Choirs auditions are taking place, and the Herculean effort to process those results begins shortly. Please read the article in this newsletter for final information, and interesting biographical information on our two guest conductors this year. We are going to be in for a treat in November, I believe! Thank you to Sheri and Grace for their time and talents in coordinating this wonderful event for us! They will be asking many of you to help out in various stages of the process. Please agree to help out! It's a rewarding feeling to be a part of the Honor Choirs experience! (Really!)

Our Fall In-Service Workshop at Cal-State Northridge on October 20th will be a valuable day of professional growth and camaraderie for those who attend. Mary's article gives a detailed breakdown of the day, and the clinicians that will guide us through an interesting day. I hope to see you there!

Please check and read all of our vice-president's reports inside. Information on the Vocal Solo Competition, Our Vocal Jazz Competition, Festival Host Application, et cetera!!! Don't let deadlines accidentally slip by!

I want to welcome a dear friend of many of ours, Mark Henson, back to the SCVA Executive Board as our Middle School/Junior High Honor Choir Vice-President. Mark has so much free time on his hands that..... not really! He is just willing to step in where there is a need for our kids, and Mark, we appreciate you for that! Support his efforts for a successful honor choir this year!

Finally, a brief word about the CMEA State Music Convention in Ontario next March. I have been notified by Jim Shepherd, our friend who is California ACDA President, that the convention in Ontario this year will be run by CMEA, and those who attend will need to be members of CMEA, or pay a non-member registration fee. It seems it was CMEA's understanding that the open registration policy of the last two years (Ontario 1999 and Sacramento 2000) was a temporary policy for those two conventions only. Just as our activities are open only to SCVA membership, so it is with ACDA and CMEA, and their respective events and activities. ACDA will still have input with the coordinating of the All-State honor Choirs; and in selecting performing choral groups at the convention for this year. As a life member of ACDA, and longstanding member of MENC (CMEA and SBCMEA), I believe we should all belong to and support our professional organizations. I am disappointed we will no longer have a united, public event with all our names on it to the people of California, working together to advance music education and our professional liaisons. I know, however, that we will continue to support each other, attend as many events as possible, and continue to give our kids the opportunities for musical and personal growth that SCVA, ACDA and CMEA provide for us.

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Vocal Jazz Choir Festival
Erin Crowe, Jazz Choir VP
Greetings from your Vocal Jazz Festival Coordinator! I hope everyone is having a great year so far! I am very excited about hosting this year's Vocal Jazz Festival. The date is going to be Friday, March 2, 2001 at the Don Wash Auditorium at Garden Grove High School. Put it on your calendar now!

As in previous years, there will be novice, intermediate and advanced divisions. Further details will be forthcoming in the December Newsletter. I would like to thank past coordinator Randi Carp for all of her help and great organizational skills! My students are very excited about hosting the festival. They are anxious to meet you all and watch all of your fabulous performances. Don Wash Auditorium seats 1200, and is run by a professional staff of technicians. I hope you will encourage your jazz choir 'groupies' to attend as well.

Look for the application in the December newsletter. I am looking forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail, phone or FAX me!

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High School Honor Choir
Sheri Nelson, Senior High Mixed Honor Choir VP
Auditions
The school year is now off and running and so is the SCVA Honor Choir. Auditions are underway and we will soon begin rehearsals. The auditions could not occur without the help of NUMEROUS SCVA members who volunteer to host auditions at the school site or judge the auditions. (thank you, thank you, thank you!)

If your students have yet to audition I encourage you to thoroughly prepare them so that it is a more rewarding experience. Have the students perform a mock audition in your choir room having them sing their prepared solo, complete tonal memories, sight read, and sing the scales and triads. This will make it a great learning experience whether they make honor choir or not. We want all students to walk out of their audition feeling like they did the best job possible.

Audition Requirements
1. SOLO: Prepare a song form Twenty Four Italian Art Songs and Arias, by G. Schirmer (or an equivalent Italian Art song book) with accompaniment, in Italian. This solo must be from memory, emphasizing tone quality, diction, pronunciation, musical sensitivity, and appropriate range.
2. TONAL MEMORY: Demonstrate tonal memory skills (4-5 note passages sung on any syllable).
3. SIGHT-READING: Demonstrate rhythmic and melodic sight-reading skills, single line, unaccompanied melody (sung on any syllable).
4. SCALES/TRIADS: Be prepared to sing the following: Major Scale, Chromatic Scale, Major Triad & Minor Triad (sung on any syllable.

You must provide your own accompaniment. You may use one of the taped accompaniments or bring a pianist. If several students from the same school are auditioning with the same piece we request that each student have their own tape since they could be in different rooms auditioning at the same time.

Reminders
* At auditions the students will be asked to fill out an audition form that asks for the directors name, full school address & school phone number. Please have the students carry this information with them to auditions.
* Students selected for the honor choirs will be sent a packet of music and rehearsal tape. These packets will be mailed to each choir director to distribute to their students.
* Female singers who are chosen for Honor Choir for the first time are picked randomly for the Mixed or Women's Choir. Girls who have already sung in one of the choirs in previous years will automatically be assigned to the other choir. Please be sure your students understand this policy.

SCVA Honor Choir Conductors
Mr. Dan Jackson - Women's Honor Conductor
Dan Jackson is in his fifteenth year as director of the Mt. Whitney High School Choral Department He graduated with honors from California State University at Fresno, with BA and MA degrees in choral conducting. He previously taught at Washington Junior High School in Dinuba, CA where his choir sang at numerous California Music Educators Association State Conventions and an MENC National Convention. In addition to those appearances, Mr. Jackson's choirs have performed at three California Directors Association Western Division Conventions, two American Choral Directors Association National Conventions, Washington DC and San Diego, and most recently the 1998 Music Educators National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dan Jackson has been honored by California Music Educators Association as "Music Educator of the Year" for Central California in both 1995 and 1999. He has served as guest conductor for honor choirs and adjudicates for local and state music educations organizations.

Mr. Donald Brinegar - Mixed Honor Choir Conductor
Donald Brinegar is Professor of Music and Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Pasadena City College. He is also instructor of voice at Pomona College and has been a visiting professor of conducting and voice at University of Nevada, Reno, Southern Oregon University and the University of Southern California. Brinegar's distinguished career has encompassed international and national concert tours as a tenor soloist and conductor. He has made appearances as a soloist and conductor at five national and western division American Choral Directors Association Conventions and in the spring of 2001, his choir will sing at the national ACDA convention in San Antonio. To date he has conducted over fifty states and regional honor choirs and is in constant demand for voice, conducting and teaching seminars throughout the United States.

Don Brinegar received his degrees in Music Education and Choral Music from the University of Southern California where in 1985 he was recognized for being the outstanding graduate in choral music as well as the outstanding graduate student in the School of Music. He is currently past president of the Music Association of California Community Colleges and is a past president and honorary life member of the Southern California Vocal Association.

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Fall In-Service 2000
Mary Purdy, Past President
In the immortal words of pop icon, Brittney Spears, "Oops! I did it again!" ... I did it again. In re-reading my article in the September newsletter, I found that I had written two different dates for the Fall In-Service. Honestly, it was an easy mistake to make. Instead of hitting the "0" on the numeric pad, I hit the "9", making the first date written October 29th. However, the Fall In-Service is actually October 20th. Hopefully you noticed that on the application and in several other places in the article I wrote the correct date of October 20th. If you were confused, please forgive me. All that aside, the day is going to be a wonderful day. As I said last month, it is going to be very practical.

In the tradition of SCVA workshops, this year is going to be an exciting day led by dynamic professionals! One of our headliners is Dr. Ronald Kean, Director of Choral Activities at Bakersfield College and Western Division President of the American Choral Directors Association. If you heard his choir at the CMEA conference in Ontario two years ago, you know that you are in for a treat as he discusses choral tone. Joining him will be Dr. Dan Hosken, Music Technology Specialist as CSUN, who will present a "hands-on" computer workshop for all levels of computer proficiency. Be sure to mark your computer proficiency level on the registration form. In addition, Karen Garrett, former SCVA Honor Choir Vice President, will give some practical methods of teaching sight-singing in the choral classroom. Finally, students of Mary Schliff, professor at CSUN, will present "A Backpack Opera". Another highlight of the day will be a performance of the Northridge Singers under the direction of Paul Smith. Finally, two choirs will perform at the adjudicator's workshop for prospective festival adjudicators.

REMEMBER TO RETURN YOUR REGISTRATION FORM AND FEE TO ME POSTMARKED BY OCTOBER 5th. NO ON-SITE REGISTRATIONS CAN BE TAKEN.

GUEST CLINICIANS

Dr. Ronald Kean
Dr. Ronald Kean is Professor of Music, Music Department Chair, and Director of Choral Activities at Bakersfield College where he has been since 1994. He is Western Division President of the American Choral Directors Association following six years as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives at state, division and national levels.

Dr. Kean began his musical studies at Los Angeles Valley College and earned the B.A. in Music from California State University Los Angeles. He taught choral music at the high school level for four years in Orange County. During this time, he sang with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Roger Wagner, Director, William Hall Chorale, and for Paul Salamunovich at St. Basil's Cathedral in Los Angeles. After a year of extensive score study and performance with Robert Shaw in Atlanta, GA., as Mr. Shaw's copyist, he completed M.M. and D.M.A. degrees in Choral Music at U.S.C. Dr. Kean was accepted as a conducting fellow of the U.S.C. Symphony, Daniel Lewis, conductor, and chose to have Psychoanalysis of Greek Mythology and English Literature as one of his areas of doctoral study.

Dr. Kean taught at Porterville College for seven years while developing pedagogy and repertoire in the area of children's music and world music. He was awarded Innovator of the Year by the Kern Community College District Board in 1992 for developing the nation's first Multicultural Choral Festival. He studies West African drumming with Samuel Kwaku Daddy, a 28th generation of master drummers. Concurrent with his college responsibilities, he taught music on a volunteer basis in the Porterville Unified School District at all levels. He was a course assistant for Education Through Music, a dynamic music education program for children of all ages, at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, California State University Fresno, and Porterville Unified School District.

The Bakersfield College Chamber Singers under his direction performed at the Western Division ACDA Convention in March 1998. Both the Chamber Singers and College Choir performed at the California Music Educators Association Convention in March 1999. The Chamber Singers will perform at the National ACDA Convention in March 2001.

Dr. Kean has been actively involved in providing advanced vocal training and opportunities for his students for twenty years. He has conducted full student productions of Bizet's Carmen, Mozart's Magic Flute, Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, and also his Help, Help the Globolinks.Pavane Music publishes the Ron Kean Choral Series and the Ron Ken Multicultural Choral Series. Both series include Dr. Kean's compositions and arrangements.

It is our pleasure to welcome Dr. Kean to our SCVA Fall In-Service.

Dr. Dan Kosken
Dr. Dan Hosken is a composer and music technology specialist. He has taught numerous classes and workshops in computer applications for music, encompassing such topics as notation, sequencing, computer-assisted instruction, synthesis, sound design, multimedia authoring, and interactive performance systems. He is currently an Assistant Professor at California State University, Northridge where he teaches course in music technology and manages the Music Technology and Computer-Assisted Instructions Labs.

Hosken's music has been performed at Carnegie Recital Hall, the "Cube" at the MIT Media Lab, and at such festivals as the National Conference of the Society of Composers, the National Conference of SEAMUS (Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the US), the International Symposium on Electronic Art, and the Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival. His honors include Finalist in the Concorso Internzionale "Luigi Russolo", Honorable Mentions in the ASCAP Grants to Young Composers competition, and a grant from the MIT Council for the Arts. Hosken is a co-founder of AUROS, a Boston-based new music ensemble, for which he has served as co-director and conductor. He has also served as a co-director and conductor for the Madison Chapter of the Wisconsin Alliance for Composers.

Dr. Hosken holds a D.M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he managed the computer music studios and taught courses in music technology and computer music. He also holds an M.M. in Composition with Academic Honors from New England Conservatory of Music and a B.S. in Music and Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has studied computer music with Barry Vercoe, Tod Machover and Robert Ceely, and composition with John Harbison, Stephen Dembski, and William Thomas McKinley.

Karen Garrett
Karen Garrett holds a B.A. in Vocal Performance from California State University at Hayward and is a graduate of the California State University Fullerton's music educator credential program. Mrs. Garrett is beginning her fourth year as Director of the Vocal Department of Santiago high School in Corona. At Santiago, she conducts four choirs and teaches Music Theory. The Madrigal choir under her direction has consistently earned superior performance ratings as well as winning 1st place in sight singing at the Riverside Choral Fest in 1998. In the spring of 1999, both her Madrigal and Treble Ensemble participated in the Festival of Gold Invitational held in the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In the Spring of 2000, the Madrigal choir earned a superior rating in performance and sight singing at the Pacific Chorale Festival at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Mrs. Garrett also conducts the Children's Festival Choir at Blessed Sacrament Episcopal Church in Placentia. Previous to her public school teaching, she spent fifteen years as music specialist and teacher trainer in the Music Education Division of the Yamaha Music Corporation. Mrs. Garrett has just completed her two-year term as Vice President in charge of Honor Choir on the board of the Southern California Vocal Association.

Introduction to Backpack Opera
Backpack Opera is a musical theater small form which takes operatic principles of action music and feeling music, and presents them in an age-appropriate production for preschool and elementary children. The performance is portable, using only those props which can be hand-carried or which are normally present on-site, such as chairs and tables. There are no sets. Because Backpack Opera is a mobile event, the number of characters is small and the amount of carry-in material is minimal. The performers may be high school, junior high, or college students. The average length of a backpack opera is under thirty minutes. Since it is generally accepted that preschool and elementary children need to have as many opportunities to experience age-appropriate music performances as possible, Backpack Opera was created to meet that need.

Unlike more traditional recital type of performance, Backpack Opera sustains interest for young audiences through engaging characters, simple plot lines, high visual involvement (movement and costuming), as well as through interesting music. It functions as a broadening and enriching supplement to classroom music performances because it includes drama and dance.

As an introduction to opera, Backpack Opera has the potential to instruct as well as to entertain, and it serves school performers as well as young audiences. The opera that will be presented is "Old MacDonald Had a Farm".

Mary Schliff
Mary Schliff, Coordinator of Music Education at CSUN, holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Iowa and a Master of Arts in trombone performance from the University of Vermont.

Ms. Schliff's teaching areas at CSUN include early childhood music and elementary and secondary general and instrumental music. Prior to her appointment at CSUN, she was Director of Music at Crestview Preparatory School in La Canada, where she coordinated and taught general, choral and instrumental music grades K-6. She has also served as adjunct faculty at Glendale Community College and UCLA.

Professional affiliations include MENC, CMEA in which she has served as Early Childhood Representative and State Conference Chair, CALCOMTE, SCSBOA, American Orff Schulwerk Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda. Last year, Mary was recognized for her outstanding contribution to CMEA for being the sponsor of the largest Student Chapter of CMEA.

DIRECTIONS TO CSUN AND PARKING INFORMATION
Take the 405 Freeway (I know--yuk!) toward Northridge in the San Fernando Valley. Exit the freeway at Nordhoff. Turn West onto Nordhoff (that is right if you are coming from the north or left if you're coming from the south). Travel down Nordhoff until you come to CSUN. When you see the CSUN design you have another block to go before you see the buildings of the school. Drive another large block to Darby. Turn right. Parking Lot A will be on the right. There will be some parking spaces designated for us. You must pay $1.75 for the day. The machines take dollar bills as well as quarters. Remember to pay for the parking. The parking lots are patrolled regularly and citations will be issued for unmarked cars!!

Note: If you want to avoid the 405 freeway, make your way onto the 118 freeway, from the 210 or the 5 freeway go West. Exit the freeway at Reseda. Turn right. Make another right onto Reseda. Follow Reseda until you come to Nordhoff. Turn left (East). Proceed approximately one block. At Darby, turn left. Turn right into the first parking lot (Lot A).

After you have put the parking permit in the windows of your car, walk down the first available sidewalk. Proceed through the Drama building and out the other side. The music building is the next building. The registration tables will be found in the courtyard of the music building. Breakfast breads, fruit, and coffee will be set up in room 110. Come early and meet new colleagues and become reacquainted with others.

Please arrive early so that we can begin on time. We have a packed day and you don't want to miss a minute. Bring a new teacher in your district. Bring someone who needs a shot in the arm. REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER. NO ON-SITE REGISTRATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED!!

The Adjudicator's Conference is held bi-annually. If you have always wanted to become a festival adjudicator, here's your chance. If you know someone who would be a good adjudicator, invite them to attend the workshop. Current membership and attendance at the Fall In-Service are required in order to sit for the certification. Two choirs will perform. Each will demonstrate one or two pieces. Following the performances, each choir will be the test choirs for potential festival adjudicators.

Don't Miss This Practical, Exciting, Dynamic, and Educational Day!!

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

8:15 - 9:00 Continental breakfast, sign-in and packet acquisition
9:00 - 9:10 Welcome, Introductions and directions
9:10 -10:00 Choral Tone in the Choral Rehearsal - Dr. Ron Kean
10:10-10:55 Session 1 - one of three - Computers, Sight-singing, or Opera
10:55-11:10 Break
11:15-12:00 Session 2 - one of three - Computers, Sight-singing, or Opera
12:00 - 1:20 Lunch (provided)
1:30 - 2:00 CSUN Northridge Singers under the direction of Paul Smith
2:05 - 2:50 Session 3 - one of three - Computers, Sight-singing, or Opera
2:50 - 3:05 Break
3:05 - 4:05 Adjudication certification workshop

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Solo Vocal Festival 2001
Desiree La Vertu, Vocal Solo Vice-President
Hello! Hope your school year has gotten off to a great start!

The Solo Vocal Festival will take place February 17th, 2001. The preliminary round will be on January 13, 2001.

The guidelines for the Solo Vocal Festival established in the last two years will continue into the year 2000-2001:
- The entry fee will remain $20. Checks should be made payable to SCVA. Please send one school check or money order only; do not send individual personal checks!
- Each participant will be required to sing only one musical selection, and the selection must be of a classical nature.
- In keeping with the founding principles of SCVA, participants must be currently enrolled in a choral ensemble. Church, temple and community choirs meet this criteria as well as school ensembles. Be sure you choir students obtain your signature, or if you are vocal instructor and not a choir director, the signature of the director of the choir in which they sing. (The signature of the student’s vocal instructor is needed only if his/her choir director is not a member of SCVA.)
- The semi-final round will be held at Cal-State Northridge in the recital hall, and the preliminary round at various campuses across Southern California (locations will be listed in next month's newsletter). All students will once again receive the benefit of master class coaching both at the preliminary and semi-final rounds. At the conclusion of the final round, awards will be presented to six participants.
- All Applications should be postmarked no later than December 8th, 2000. Applications must be filled out complete to insure student eligibility. To applicants: please include the title and composer of your piece on the application. (If you find it necessary to change the selection at the time of your audition, please be prepared to inform your site host upon arrival.) Include a self-addressed envelope (no stamp necessary) to receive your location information. Applications, checks and self-addressed envelopes should be mailed to:

Desiree LaVertu - SCVA Solo Vocal Festival, 642 N. Vermont Ave., Glendora, CA 91741

Please encourage your students to participate in this event! Solo work can only serve to enhance the work of the choral ensemble.

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Other Items:
2000-2001 Calendar
SCVA Executive Board 2000-2002
Vocal Solo Competition Application
2000-2001 Festival Host Application
SCVA Membership Renewal Application