Clay McKinney - President, Alabama Orchestra Association
We have done so much for our orchestra programs in the state, and we have done it together. We have raised the level of playing at the All State festival to an unprecedented level, not just in terms of our state but on a national level as well. The guest artists we bring from all across the nation are always and increasingly impressed with the skill at which the students perform. We have something special in our state and it has been such an honor to be a part of it. Just in my time we have increased the number of youth orchestras in the state, increased the number of string programs outside of schools, increased the number of auditions to All State Festival, and expanded one of the festival’s orchestras to include winds, brass and percussion students. I am so proud to have grown up in Alabama being a part of its string programs. To see how far we have come is a blessing beyond compare.
The part I am not so proud of is the part of the statement I just wrote “….outside of schools”. Getting strings into schools on a large scale continues to be difficult and the reason is plain and simple, funding. We have the students, talented ones, and lots of them. What we don’t have is the money to pay teachers. And while it would be easy to blame the legislature they are not at fault. We the voters, including us teachers, the parents of your students and your neighbors who vote are the ones that need to change. No matter
what statistic you are looking at, whether it’s a raw percentage, or a median percentage based on per capita in Alabama, or a dozen other variations, Alabama ranks very near the bottom and in many cases dead last when it comes to property tax. How low is it? Like so many people these days I go out for coffee a couple of times a week, definitely more during the busy concert seasons when all of us are so busy and need a pick me up. At $2- $3 dollars a cup twice a week that’s anywhere between $208 and $312 I spent on coffee last year.
In property taxes last year in
Montgomery County, I spent $187.49. That’s less than even the smallest amount I could have spent on coffee. So, for many Alabamians who are regulars at the coffee shop, even if they are getting a small regular coffee, the cheapest thing on the menu, they are probably spending more in a year on one single beverage than they are on property taxes. Maybe for you or your neighbor or the parents of your students it isn’t coffee, perhaps it’s something else that rings true. Whatever it is I challenge all of us to start talking to the people we know, our friends, our neighbors, the parents of our students, and begin to help Alabamians realize that the priority of the education of our children ranks somewhere below coffee. Probably in your local community someone has already produced a figure that shows how a very small increase would mean a very big difference for our students. I encourage you to find out more.
Despite our challenges we continue to do exciting things and continue to have amazing students. Our composer in residence this year commented in amazement at the level of playing in the orchestra. He really couldn’t
believe how good it was. He is from New Jersey and historically the northeast has had large school orchestra programs. When I told him how few we have he was taken aback. I told him that most of these students did not play at school, that they were in private lessons and played in their local youth orchestra. Meaning, most of these students didn’t simply just sign up for an elective at school, that they don’t get to play at school and must fit it in at other times, and that most of them spoke up to their parents and said “I want to play a string instrument, I want to do this.” Of this I am most proud. We have dedicated impassioned students and you can hear it in their playing. If we continue to work together and collaborate I know we will continue to foster this kind of musicianship and we will see string playing grow in our state. As long as we work together to build our programs, educate, and encourage each other we can accomplish anything.
The next time you will get to hear these passionate young musicians perform at the All State Festival will be February 16th 2014 in the Moody Music Building on the Campus of the University of Alabama. For more information including dates and deadlines for registration go to our website
www.alabamaorchestraassociation.org. You can also find us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/alabamaorchestraa ssociation. And don’t forget, there is another opportunity for playing at the state level that happens in the fall. ASTA holds it’s state festival every fall and it also continues to grow and challenge our students in new and exciting ways. For more information on the festival and other events offered by ASTA visit their web site
www.astabama.org.
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your president. I could not have asked for a better group of people to work with or a better time to serve. I hope you will all join me in thanking our board that has served selflessly for many years. This truly is an outstanding group of people. Also please join me in welcoming Dr. Lisa Caravan as our new president. She has already taken a great leadership role and is sure to take our organization to new and exciting heights. I look forward to serving as past-president and hope that we can continue to build string playing in our state. Lastly, as I have said on many occasions, the biggest shoe of gratitude goes to the students. They make this worthwhile, and not just worth while, but joyous. Thank you to all the students, you really are exceptional.
Sincerely and with much appreciation, Clay
14 May/June 2013
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