There’s a “Jazz Vice President”!!!???
by Chris Becker

Wait! . . . Hasn’t there always been a Jazz Vice President? There’s one in every district of the state. And what will a newly created office do for music education in Missouri? For music educators in the classroom? For jazz education? For our annual conference?

What does it really mean for M.M.E.A. to have a Jazz Vice President?

First . . . Thank You! It is truly a privilege to serve as the first M.M.E.A. Jazz Vice President. After being a part of jazz education in Missouri for many years, I am passionate about jazz education and have some very strong convictions about the value and the place of jazz in the music education curriculum. While addressing the questions, concerns, and needs of our membership, I also want to clearly define the role of the Jazz Vice President. Jazz education encompasses cultural, historical, theoretical, and musical aspects in all realms of music education.

Every experience I have had in jazz and jazz education has in turn helped me better understand music, my teaching, and my students. During my term as Missouri – I.A.J.E. President, jazz educators spoke of the need to establish a Jazz Vice President’s position on M.M.E.A. board to speak on their behalf about the goals and objectives of jazz education, all of which are relevant in today’s music education.

Fortunately, through the efforts of MO – I.A.J.E. and the M.M.E.A. board the importance of jazz in music education has not been completely overlooked. At our 2008 conference, there were concerts, clinics, and panel discussions on a variety of topics related to jazz. I counted fourteen presentations in the conference program (ranging from West African drumming to middle school jazz band repertoire) related to jazz education. However, that fact in no way lessens the importance of establishing the Jazz Vice President’s position on the M.M.E.A. board.

The Jazz Vice President will immediately address two important duties: the selection of representative jazz ensembles to perform for the conference, and the selection of conference presenters/clinicians well suited to address jazz education related topics for all music educators.

I invite as many of you as possible to submit a jazz performance (any jazz performance!) for consideration as a conference performing ensemble. It remains to be seen exactly what kind of performances will be submitted for review, but the field is wide open! Jazz education take’s place in a wide variety of classroom settings and environments. Providing the opportunity to showcase jazz ensembles representing that potential is a vital part of the Jazz Vice President’s role. I want as wide a variety of performances as possible to be submitted for inclusion on next year’s conference!

Guiding the selection of the performing ensembles is the understanding that the jazz genre covers all mediums of music at all levels. From pre-school through post graduate study, in vocal and instrumental music, utilizing every imaginable combination of voices, instruments, and musicians, jazz crosses all barriers and affords every student the opportunity to express themselves. I do want to balance my idealism with reality: conventional big band jazz and vocal jazz choirs remain the dominant jazz ensembles in our schools, and will still be the model jazz ensemble for many music educators. Big bands and jazz choirs will retain a prominent role in advancing jazz education.

However, every conceivable ensemble should have an equal opportunity to perform one of the jazz concerts at the conference. An a cappella vocal jazz ensemble and a middle school jazz band will both be given fair consideration. Likewise, a high school jazz band and a hand drumming percussion ensemble will both be given fair consideration; and a string ensemble, a traditional early jazz band, an elementary vocal jazz ensemble will all be given fair consideration.

The foremost criteria for selection to perform at the conference will be the ensemble’s jazz feeling, style and interpretation, as well as the musical quality of the performance. Every audition recording submitted, no matter what the make up of the ensemble, will be judged on its merits as a jazz performance.

The second important task given to the Jazz Vice President is inviting presenters and clinicians to speak at the conference. Herein exists an opportunity to demonstrate the variety of topics available when jazz is included in the music education curriculum. State and national standards for the arts both include performance techniques (including improvisation), and historical/cultural awareness (Show Me Standards #1 and #5; National Standards for Music Education #3 and #9), areas which are readily addressed within the context of a structured jazz education curriculum.

My goal is to bring in speakers who can help us develop complete jazz education programs, incorporating history and culture while not overlooking student performance. Correct stylistic performance and development of improvisation skills will always be at the center of a good jazz education program, but teaching theory, history and culture along with performance skills will enhance even the best programs. Student performance improves as understanding and appreciation of the genre increases.

I have the greatest respect for the clinicians and jazz educators I have heard and watched over the years at our conference. Each demonstration and piece of information has had value, and has given me something to take back to my students. Even so, I know the majority of these presentations did not address a comprehensive jazz curriculum, or offer an approach to teaching jazz in a non-traditional jazz ensemble. There were several clinics in 2008 that tackled the issues of culture, repertoire, and improvisation in alternative settings, but more clinics on those topics are needed.

Please share with me your thoughts on the best jazz clinics you have heard over the years, and the jazz related topics that you would like presented in future conferences. I want to advance the idea of developing a complete jazz curriculum, and addressing the standards within a jazz setting. I also want to keep the clinics focused on your interests and needs in the classroom. I would love to hear from you!

As the next few months unfold, I will begin to understand what it means for M.M.E.A. to have a Jazz Vice President, but as with all my previous experiences in jazz the lesson comes in the process of doing!