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Guitar Class in 50 States: Coda
By Thomas Amoriello Jr.
NAfME Council for Guitar Education Chair (2018-2020)
Since November 2017, the Guitar Class in 50 States “Music in a Minuet” blog series has visited guitar educators in a variety of settings from elementary, middle, and high schools, private, parochial, preparatory, charter, magnet, and performing arts schools. Many colorful stories have shown the dedication of each teacher and the accomplishments of their students. In turn, these articles have helped guitar educators in isolated circumstances not feel completely alone and brought attention to some high functioning, award-winning programs. The feedback received via social media “likes, shares, and comments,” private email correspondence from respected educators and administrators, as well as reprints in various state music education journals are evidence that guitar education is here to stay and not a passing fad or novelty.

Image courtesy of Thomas Amoriello Jr.
On many levels the guitar has aided children emotionally and socially providing an outlet to the disinterested-in-school teenager and academic relief to the highly motivated college bound young leader with a schedule full of AP courses. Introverts and extroverts; gifted and talented, and students on academic probation; affluent and free-and-reduced lunch recipients; and all in between: Guitar education reflects diversity and provides a common ground for all to come together.
Thank you to all of the readers, the National Executive Board of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the NAfME Council for Guitar Education, and the educators who participated in this project. These articles would not be possible or a part of “Music in a Minuet” without the assistance of NAfME communications team.
Read the past “Guitar Class in 50 States” articles:
- Number 50: The Granite State (New Hampshire)
- Number 49: The Green Mountain State (Vermont)
- Number 48: The Mountain State (West Virginia)
- Number 47: The Hoosier State (Indiana)
- Number 46: The Mount Rushmore State (South Dakota)
- Number 45: The Pine Tree State (Maine)
- Number 44: The Badger State (Wisconsin)
- Number 43: The Constitution State (Connecticut)
- Number 42: The Evergreen State (Washington)
- Number 41: The Pelican State (Louisiana)
- Number 40: The Beaver State (Oregon)
- Number 39: The Equality State (Wyoming)
- Number 38: The Empire State (New York)
- Number 37: The Old Line State (Maryland)
- Number 36: The Centennial State (Colorado)
- Number 35: The Bay State (Massachusetts)
- Number 34: The Sooner State (Oklahoma)
- Number 33: The Prairie State (Illinois)
- Number 32: The Hawkeye State (Iowa)
- Number 31: The Volunteer State (Tennessee)
- Number 30: The Palmetto State (South Carolina)
- Number 29: The Natural State (Arkansas)
- Number 28: The Tar Heel State (North Carolina)
- Number 27: The Magnolia State (Mississippi)
- Number 26: The Peace Garden State (North Dakota)
- Number 25: The Treasure State (Montana)
- Number 24: The First State (Delaware)
- Number 23: The Buckeye State (Ohio)
- Number 22: The Yellowhammer State (Alabama)
- Number 21: The Sunflower State (Kansas)
- Number 20: The Great Lakes State (Michigan)
- Number 19: The Lone Star State (Texas)
- Number 18: The Bluegrass State (Kentucky)
- Number 17: The Golden State (California)
- Number 16: The Show-Me State (Missouri)
- Number 15: The Keystone State (Pennsylvania)
- Number 14: The Last Frontier State (Alaska)
- Number 13: The Beehive State (Utah)
- Number 12: The Peach State (Georgia)
- Number 11: The Cornhusker State (Nebraska)
- Number 10: The Gem State (Idaho)
- Number 9: The Old Dominion (Virginia)
- Number 8: The Aloha State (Hawaii)
- Number 7: The Land of Enchantment (New Mexico)
- Number 6: The Sunshine State (Florida)
- Number 5: The Grand Canyon State (Arizona)
- Number 4: The Ocean State (Rhode Island)
- Number 3: The North Star State (Minnesota)
- Number 2: The Silver State (Nevada)
- Number 1: The Garden State (New Jersey)
About the author:
Thomas Amoriello Jr. is the Immediate Past Chair of the NAfME Council for Guitar Education and is also the former Chairperson for the New Jersey Music Education Association. Tom has taught guitar classes for the Flemington Raritan School District in Flemington, New Jersey, since 2005 and was also an adjunct guitar instructor at Cumberland County College, New Jersey, for five years. He has earned a Master of Music Degree in Classical Guitar Performance from Shenandoah Conservatory and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Rowan University. He is the author of the children’s picture books A Journey to Guitarland with Maestro Armadillo and Ukulele Sam Strums in the Sand, both available from Black Rose Writing. He recently made a heavy metal recording with a stellar roster of musicians including former members of Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force, and Dio that was released on H42 Records of Hamburg, Germany. The record released on 12-inch vinyl and digital platforms has received favorable reviews in many European rock magazines and appeared on the 2018 Top 15 Metal Albums list by Los Angeles KNAC Radio (Contributor Dr. Metal). Visit thomasamoriello.com for more information.
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The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) provides a number of forums for the sharing of information and opinion, including blogs and postings on our website, articles and columns in our magazines and journals, and postings to our Amplify member portal. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees.
Catherina Hurlburt, Marketing Communications Manager. June 26, 2020. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)
Published Date
June 26, 2020
Category
- Uncategorized
Copyright
June 26, 2020. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)