From October 27–30, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) will hold its 2013 NAfME National In-Service Conference at the Gaylord Opryland and other locations in Nashville, Tennessee. Professional development for music educators is a focus is the conference and several special music groups were invited to perform for conference attendees.
Dian Eddleman, president of the Tennessee Music Educators Association (TMEA), said Association officers worked diligently to ensure that highly-accomplished performing groups were selected for the conference performances.
TMEA is a NAfME federated state association. Eddleman, the choral director at University School of Jackson, Tennessee, a college preparatory school, said, “Groups applied through our (TMEA) Area Board Chairs. Resumes and program files were submitted. Resumes were compared according to performance experience and diversity of groups. In addition, we did not want to have two groups from the same district and/or school.”
As groups were considered for performances at the conference, she said TMEA sought a mix, adding, “We picked the best groups, and included one group from every genre, level, style that were submitted from chamber choirs to bluegrass.”
Eddleman said the performing groups “will demonstrate that Tennessee is definitely leading the way in music education in many areas, from teacher evaluation and assessment to innovative music programs such as Music Makes Us in Nashville Metro Schools.”
The music groups that are scheduled to perform at the NAfME In-Service Conference are:
Sunday OCTOBER 27
The Belmont University Wind Ensemble
Belmont University
Dr. Barry Kraus, conductor
Dr. Nola Jones, guest conductor
Nashville, Tennessee
Soddy Daisy High School Symphonic Band
Eric Majors, Conductor; Coleen Pruitt, Assistant Conductor
Soddy Daisy High School
Soddy Daisy, Tennessee
White Station Middle School Chorale
Emily Frizzell, Director
White Station Middle School
Memphis, Tennessee
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28
Hendersonville High School Brass Quintet
Jeffrey T. Phillips, Director
Hendersonville High School
Hendersonville, Tennessee
Houston High School Show Choir
“Fifth Measure”
William Rayburn, Director
Houston High School
Germantown, Tennessee
Riverdale Sax Ensemble
Mike Aymett , Director
Riverdale High School
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Ryman Studio
The Belmont University Chorale
Belmont University
Jeffrey Ames, Director
Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble
Tennessee Tech University
R. Winston Morris, Director
Cookeville, Tennessee
Bethel University Renaissance Bluegrass Band
Bethel University Renaissance Program
Peter Jeffrey, Executive Director
McKenzie, Tennessee
Union University Singers
Christopher Mathews, Director
Union University
Jackson, Tennessee
Lausanne Chamber Flutes and Lausanne Tre Brass
Terri Green, Director
Lausanne Collegiate School
Trevecca Jazz Fusion
Matt Murdock, director
Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville, Tennessee
Tuesday, October 29
Central High School Honors Chamber Orchestra
Pamela Wilensky, Director
Central High School
Memphis, Tennessee
The Wizards
Linda Lee Friend, Director
Nashville Metro Schools
Nashville, Tennessee
Siegel Middle “Orff”-estra and Drumming Ensemble
Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry
Siegel Middle School
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Liberty Technology Magnet High School Woodwind Ensemble
Karen Henning, Director
Liberty Technology Magnet High School
Jackson, Tennessee
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chamber Singers
J. Kevin Ford, Director
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Bobcat Company/Bel Canto
Knox-Central High School
Beckye Justice Thomas, Director
Knoxville, Tennessee
Bethel University Renaissance “Vocal Authority”
Peter Jeffrey, Executive Director,
Nashville, Tennessee
Chattanooga Boys Choir
Vic Oakes, Director
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Wednesday OCTOBER 30
Overton Symphony Orchestra
Chelsea Negray, Chris Piecuch, and James Weil, Directors
Overton High School
Memphis, Tennessee
Tennessee Tech Percussion Ensemble
Eric J. Willie, Associate Professor of Percussion
Tennessee Tech University,
Cookeville, Tennessee
2013 NAfME National In-Service Conference Registration
Tennessee Music Education Association
Roz Fehr, NAfME Managing Editor for News, September 24, 2013. © National Association for Music Education