NANM Holiday Edition 2018

Message from National President

Byron J. Smith

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” A time when we can reflect on the memories and exciting activities of the ending year and look forward to the future.  This year, NANM has been fortunate to host an informative and entertaining 99th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV and countless music events in our respective branches throughout the country. The year 2019 promises to be just as exciting as we look forward to our 100th Anniversary celebration in Chicago.  The National Board and the Centennial Planning Committee have been tirelessly working to bring to our membership and the world an historic event worthy of this great organization.  I am personally excited about the premiere of our commissioned work, the “Shine Symphony” by William Banfield.  This endeavor was made possible by the members of the Centennial Club, whose names will be published on the score in perpetuity. Thanks for your kind donations and it is not too late to join the Club or complete your donation pledges. The Chicago convention will debut more than commissioned works. We will present a wonderful professional development opportunity called the NANM Institute.  These concurrent workshops will allow music educators to receive professional development credit in instrumental and vocal music education.  The institute is open to our membership and hopefully encourages participation from local music educators. We will also continue with Phase II of our Branch Constitution and Bylaws Update.  Second Vice President, Sylvia Hollifield will be asking branches to submit an update their Policies and Procedures. Phase III will conclude with a Re-Chartering Ceremony during our 100th Anniversary Convention. As I come to the end of my tenure as President of this great organization, I want to thank the members of the National Board and the local Branch Presidents for their hard work and willingness to help build a stronger NANM.  It has been my desire to help prepare NANM for its next century and I feel we are headed in a positive direction.  Most importantly, I would like to thank YOU, the NANM membership for your many volunteer hours and dedicated service in making music possible in our local communities. Your love for NANM is priceless! The holiday season can be overwhelming for most musicians. As we put our Messiah scores back on the shelf, light our Kwanzaa Candles and review the words to “Auld Lang Syne” let's take a moment to reflect on how blessed we are. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for NANM and our musical lives in general. For I truly believe that “every round goes higher and higher!” Here’s wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday and a Prosperous New Year! Harmoniously Yours, Byron J. Smith

National adult dues increase to  $60 per person on January 1 Looking for the professional  development opportunities  over the summer? For the first time, NANM will offer  a full range of  professional development  opportunities for instrumental  and vocal music instructors at  the 2019 summer convention,  July 14-19, 2019. Cutting edge information and  top-notch musicians from around  the country will present  information that will be  useful for classrooms, vocal/ instrumental studios and  community music programs.  NANM Institute provides  educators with relevant  instruction for instrumental  and vocal educators. Instructors  can earn up to 12 hours of  credit during the week-long  convention. Instructors are  encouraged to choose a track  of study (i.e., vocal,  instrumental), but can receive  credit for both. Each track can earn up to 12  credit hours. Some  workshop sessions include  A Highlight of Chicago  Composers, Vocal Health  Care, Workshop of  Composition Techniques,  Teaching Instrumental  Music to High School   Students, Conducting for  Instrumental and Vocal  Music, Music Strategies for  K12 Teachers.   Dates: July 14-19, 2019 Location: Chicago, IL Cost: $485 (includes NANM Institute and  convention registration) Registration Available  Online:  January 30 Registration Deadline:  May 30 Introducing the Shine Symphony SHINE  SYMPHONY A work commissioned to  commemorate 100 Years of  NANM funded by members  of the Centennial Club "I remember seeing you lift  your beautiful black head,  stand squarely on your feet,  your lips trembling as the  melodious words 'Over my  head, I see freedom in the  air' came forth with an  urgency and a pain that  brought out a sense of  intense renewal and  commitment of liberation.  And when the call came to  protest the jailings, you  were up front. You led the  line. Your feet hit the  dirty pavement with a   sureness of direction. You  walked proudly onward  singing 'this little light of  mine, 'and the people  echoed, 'shine, shine,  shine.'"   James Foreman writing  about Bernice Johnson  Reagon     Shine Symphony….. ( Chicago, 2019...) The NANM committee  approached me about  having a work that  incorporated a full  trajectory of Black  cultural and artistic  life, pulling from the   Spirituals, poetry  traditions, and the  streams of our  contemporary experiences.  I wanted poetry that was full  of meaning, ripe with  pictures and experiences,  and yet people could  leave the room singing  melodies and phrases that  stick because they were  both delightful, moved  people right and meant  something.  I loved the  Abia Smith poems, they  moved me righty. I knew I’d have the ear of  “my musical people” on  this too, and I wanted  to have a musical  symphony we could all  enjoy together as a  conversation experience  in music.   My Shine Symphony is  intended to "..weave a  quilted musical tapestry.."  of Black music together,  that attempts to mirror  the cultural sounds of our  artistic journeys. We are a  people that never get tired,  as we've come so far on a  faith that pushes and leans  in forward.   I’m honored to get the  chance to share back and  forth in this way with  the organization, all  the musicians who are  making this work possible  with their brilliant gifts  so we can all SHINE  together and glow, after  too.   William Banfield NANM100 Convention July 14-19, 2019 Palmer House Hilton  (Chicago, IL) Preliminary Schedule of  Events Sunday, July 14 Opening Mass Meeting National Scholarship  Competition Monday, July 15 Scholarship Masterclass Workshops Local Artists Night Concert Tuesday, July 16 Workshops Members Recital Former NANM Contestants /Collegiate/Young Artists  Concert Wednesday, July 17 Workshops NANM Legacy Concert Thursday, July 18 Workshops Juniors Concert Awards Banquet Friday, July 19 Workshops Youth Concert Shine Symphony