Abstract
Get Involved; Change Your World
My ASTA presidency has included many memorable moments. Such memories span the breadth of our membership from remarkable professional performances and exemplary studio teaching to extraordinary school string teaching and program development. Related to school string teaching, last month I was interviewed by CNN reporter Todd Leopold regarding the status of strings in America (See: http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/03/famed-fiddler-pulls-strings-for-music-education/). Todd's subsequent article interestingly characterized the best of times and the worst of times for school string teachers. The worst of times, as we might expect, refers to the present economic challenges: “budget cuts, job losses—and the need to meet testing goals in key subjects, which prompts some districts to move money away from music.” Todd expressed fascination, however, that amidst the economic downturn, some schools actually started new string programs: “On the plus side, programs still enjoy great support. Bands and choral groups are still a mainstay at schools, and at least 150 string programs were created between 1999 and 2009, according to Moss.”
I am excited about that statement because—thanks in part to the ASTA National Executive Board funding a series of studies led by members Bob Gillespie of The Ohio State University, Donald Hamann of the University of Arizona, and Joshua Russell of the University of Hartford—we can now use data to inform our conversations about new string programs. ASTA's research community has also grown over a similar timeframe, and their work strengthens our profession.
Since that 2009 study, new string programs continue to emerge. I recently spoke with a high school principal who played a key role in starting a curricular string program in Warsaw, Indiana: Terry Roe, assistant principal of Warsaw Community High School. Terry is a transplanted band director (a percussionist) who transitioned into school administration in order to make a greater difference in the lives of students, including through increasing the depth and breadth of arts experiences offered in his school.
In Warsaw, the topic of adding a string program in the schools had surfaced in various ways over the years, but Terry championed the cause to see it through. Known as the “Orthopedic Capital of the World,” Warsaw has significant corporate ties for a small to midsize school district. Shortly after hiring a new superintendent, the district initiated an external audit led by the business community. The superintendent anticipated that the consultants would recommend diversifying curricular offerings and, true to his hunch, their final report specifically named strings among other desirable growth areas.
With an external audit documenting the need, the superintendent asked Terry to chair a committee to examine what it would take to start a string program. The superintendent wanted it “shovel-ready” with grade levels, approach, and sites. Terry formed a committee of parents, teachers, members of the local professional orchestra association, private string teachers in the area, band and choir directors, and a community member whose daughter teaches strings in another part of the country. They created a proposal, formalized it, and then guided it through the district's curricular process until it received board approval. Their plan calls for new beginning string classes at the elementary, middle, and high school levels starting this fall. When we spoke, a string teacher was in the process of being hired and would then have input into the final details of establishing the program. Terry hopes to watch the string program grow to the point where he can help hire a second string teacher!
ASTA continues to advocate on behalf of all string teachers, nationally through partnerships such as the Music Education Policy Roundtable and locally through our state chapters. At the individual level, we must also seize opportunities to develop and expand the impact of our own private string studios and school orchestra classrooms. Using a sports analogy, defense is only one part of the game, and sometimes the best defense is a good offense. As the summer nears, I ask each ASTA member to consider new possibilities to promote, improve, and grow string playing and teaching in your area. Initiating new opportunities and outreach may depend upon your leadership. Remember: You are not alone in advocating for strings. Your membership in ASTA connects you to the largest string playing and teaching network in the world. Get involved and change your world. Generations of new string players in communities like Warsaw, Indiana may one-day thank you!
