From the ABA... Harry McAfee, President, Alabama Bandmasters Association We are Forging Ahead!


Hello All! I hope you had a successful school year and are enjoying a brief respite before it all begins again! We have just returned from another very enjoyable ABA Summer Conference at Orange Beach.


There were


approximately 75 directors in attendance this year….down a little from last year, probably because of the gas prices, but we had a wonderful time.


Along with the ABA Board and general meeting and the Music Selection Committee work, I found the clinics to be very informative and helpful. It was nice to hear Wayne Washam reminisce during his presentation of our “Old Fogey Series” about his long and productive career. A special thanks again to Robin Prickett and Art’s Music Shop for their support of the Conference and the Music Selection Committee. I hope you will try to attend next year.


The


conference is a wonderful excuse to bring your family to the beach while improving your skills and staying in the mainstream of our ABA activities.


I am happy to inform you that the Music Selection Committee is making significant progress in cleaning and improving our Cumulative List. Instead of adding music to the list, the committee worked this summer to reclassify works and to remove works that are redundant or unavailable. We are no longer planning on printing a paper copy of the list but will begin to correct and update it on the ABA web- site. You can then download and use the list for your own purposes. Also, be reminded that we are attempting to stem the flow of directors requesting approval for individual pieces.


This


process has become quite burdensome for our Vice President.


requests must be submitted to Chuck Eady by the second Friday in January for consideration.


The Music


Selection Committee will also meet during the AMEA Conference. Pieces that are approved on request will not be automatically added to the


ala breve Individual


I appreciate your patience and suggestions in preparing for the upcoming State Assessment. Many of you are aware now that the schedule for the


Alabama High School Graduation Exam has put us in a very difficult situation for scheduling our State Assessment.


I will continue to


work to make our schedule as agreeable as possible. Registration for State will still be 21 days prior to the event. Since that will be before most District Assessments, many of you may want to pre-register for State Assessment.


Please evaluate your


program and purposes and make an early decision about what you want to do. Those of you that pre-register but are not recommended for State Assessment will receive a refund if you notify Gene Gooch by February 23, 2009. I am encouraged by the progress that we see now from the committee that was formed to evaluate our State Assessment. Jim Knight and


Cumulative List but may be approved later by the committee.


encourage you to make your “required” selection from the list and then play whatever you want as your second or third selection.


Again, I


the committee met at the Summer Conference and with many of your suggestions has forged a schedule for submitting a plan at AMEA. Please feel free to contact Jim or me if you have suggestions towards that effort. We really want to develop a plan that will best meet the needs of all our band programs across the State.


Finally, let me encourage you to hang together during these rough times. I think students need good band programs now more than ever before. The Alabama Bandmaster’s Association has a long history of trying to meet the needs of directors and serving our students. The wheels sometime seem to turn slowly but we have made careful progress.


I’m


hoping that we will continue as a full organization representing urban, rural, large and small bands from border to border to improve music education in our great State. Thank you for all you do! Call me if I can help you in any way.


Wishing you much success! Harry


Congratulations! CMENC Chapter Growth Awards


Alabama State University Jacksonville State University Southeastern Bible College


University of Alabama - Huntsville University of Mobile University of Montevallo University of South Alabama


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