Colleagues,
I hope you have had a successful Fall Semester. As the Alabama state chair for the National Band Association, I would like to recognize ensembles in our state that perform at any Regional or National events this year. Please let me know if your marching or concert groups have had or will have an opportunity such as this in 2013-14. In our NBA meetings at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, I would like to share the great music making and teaching that is going on across our state.
I am also writing to encourage your participation and membership in this important professional organization. If you are unfamiliar with the NBA, it was founded in 1960 and promotes the musical and educational significance of bands. It is dedicated to the attainment of the highest levels of excellence for bands and band music. We are living and working in a time where advocacy for bands is extremely important, and the NBA is solely focused on the promotion of this single artistic medium. The organization does not limit membership to a certain style or level of band participation, but is open to all teachers and performers that wish to advance the art form.
On a national level, the NBA has numerous projects that help advance band music and education. The organization provides all members with the official NBA magazine, The Instrumentalist. The NBA also publishes the NBA Journal and provides an online directory to help communication and collegiality among band directors. Members also have access to a selective concert band music list to aid with programming. The organization holds national and regional conventions and sponsors the Revelli Composition Contest, the Merrill Jones Young Composers Contest, the International Conducting Symposium, and the Young Composer and Conductor Mentor Projects. These are just a few of the NBA projects that help develop excellence in band performance at all levels and provide an avenue for the enhancement of band literature.
On the state level, NBA presents awards at the AMEA conference and other state and regional events to recognize outstanding achievement in band performance and education. Should you become a member of NBA, you would be eligible to nominate and present some NBA awards in your county/district as well as within your own band program. This is a great way to honor a deserving colleague or student in your band or in your area. A listing of these awards, which are all free to members, can be found at: http://www.nationalbandassociation.org/awards. When needed and requested, the Alabama membership of NBA also sponsors events (honor bands, clinics, guest performers, etc...) that help further the development and recognition of bands in our state. It is my goal to increase the Alabama membership in NBA by 15% so that we may be able to offer more services to our state directors and programs. I would love to hear your suggestions regarding ways that NBA can better serve your needs in the state.
I know there are many options for professional membership in our field, but NBA is dedicated to your needs as band director. If you would like to become a member, dues are $55 and there are numerous benefits other than supporting your profession:
* The Instrumentalist - official monthly magazine, sent to all active members.
* The NBA Journal - published three times yearly (May, October (NBA insert in The Instrumentalist) & December)
* Access to all areas of the NEW NBA web site, www.nationalbandassociation.org including selective music lists, professional advice, conducting and composition projects, awards, grants, and much more.
You can join online or print out a form and mail in the application for membership: http://www.nationalbandassociation.org/join/
The NBA is a wonderful organization of professional music educators. I do hope you¹ll plan to join this worthwhile organization today, and I look forward to seeing your name added to our statewide roster. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Best Wishes,
NBA Alabama State Chair
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Director, Auburn University Marching Band
Associate Professor of Music
334-844-3179 (office)
334-844-3170 (fax)
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