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Newsletter 5-2-05
Communications
Hello Everyone:
I hope this second Newsletter finds you well; and for many of you - I hope it finds you surviving yet another crazy semester. Since becoming president, I have communicated with many of you and let me just say that I am overwhelmed by your kindness and energy with regard to our organization. It is because of you that we are making a difference. Whether you are a performer, educator, business professional, radio personality, aficionado, or simply someone interested in the music, I thank you. On behalf of the Michigan officers, let me say once again it is a pleasure for us to serve you and help you in our mutual quest to spread all things jazz throughout our great state.
In my previous Newsletter, I listed a number of issues that we as a state needed to address. Happily, we have made some wonderful strides in a number of these areas. In an effort to keep you informed, I will address each of the issues that appeared in my first newsletter.1) Increase membership.
This is an ongoing issue and I am currently in the process of collecting data to track our membership. This of course is something we are all involved in. The best way for our membership to increase is to have you (our membership) encourage other educators, professionals, aficionados, etc. to join our great organization. Encourage prospective members to check out the IAJE Web site (http://www.iaje.org), give them back issues of the journal, and simply explain the many benefits of belonging to IAJE. To my fellow educators - if you do not have a student chapter, encourage your students to develop one. There are several options available to students. I would be happy to assist you in this process in anyway.
2) Develop a Newsletter to inform membership of activities, issues and events, etc.
Ahhhhh.........well.........ahhhhh........I guess this is self explanatory. Here you have it – A Newsletter. Anyway......back to real business.
3) Develop a Web site that will serve as a central point of information for IAJE, Educators, Performers and other Jazz related organizations in the state of MI.
This is coming along quite well. We are fairly close to launching the site. It has taken a bit longer to get it up and running than I would have liked, but we should definitely have a Michigan IAJE Web site by mid-summer. All future communications from me will come via the Web site. It is my hope that this will be the central point of contact of all jazz related activities in the state. We will have links to jazz education sites, jazz clubs, jazz radio stations, jazz festivals, jazz societies and other jazz related sites.
4) Interface more closely with MSBOA, MENC and other education based organizations.
This is vital to the success of IAJE Michigan as well as the other organizations that we work with. In December at the Mid-West Clinic in Chicago, I had a wonderful meeting with the Executive Director of MSBOA Paul Stanifer and the MSBOA VP for Jazz Activities Chris Blackmer. We discussed many of the issues that both IAJE and MSBOA face and how we can work toward a common goal. It was a terrific meeting and Paul and I have continued to communicate since December. I am excited about the future of both of these organizations and I am particularly excited about our closer working relationship. One event that will continue is the IAJE Reading Band, the Band will be playing and performing a clinic at the Michigan Music Conference and In-Service in Grand Rapids this January. For more information on this great event please visit the MSBOA Web site (http://www.msboa.org).
5) Become more active, visible, and accessible to membership and other organizations (i.e., a booth and general membership meeting at the annual Music Educators In-service in January).
This has been approached in a number of ways: 1) the Newsletter 2) the IAJE booth at the Michigan Music Conference in January 3) a stronger and more visible relationship with other education entities 4) the Regional Conferences 5) increased activity and more visibility at the Detroit Jazz Festival 6) more sponsored or co-sponsored IAJE Jazz Festivals throughout the state 7) more IAJE sponsored or co-sponsored clinics throughout the state 8) the new Web site.
6) Meet not only the new minimum state standards, but strive to be an exemplary unit.
We are well on our way to this goal. The above mentioned activities are but some of the examples of our new attention to the national standards.
7) Return to the IAJE approved election cycle and solicit nominees for President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
This is an extremely important item. In the next few weeks we will be having an election for the above mentioned positions. I have already been contacted by several people who wish to run for office. If you have any interest, please contact me by Thursday May 12th and inform me of the position that interests you. I will be sending out ballots shortly after May 12th. Also, please be sure to vote. It is important to the overall health of our organization.
8) Appoint an Executive Board consisting of Area Chairs in the fields of: Univ./College Music, Secondary Music, Elementary Music, Vocal Music, String Music, and Theory and Improvisation.
I have been contacting people for these various positions. They will be announced after the election.
9) Appoint a Webmaster once the Web site is operational. This person will also serve as a member of the Executive Board.
I have discussed this extremely important new position at length with a terrific individual. If they choose to take this task on I will notify the membership immediately. This person will be in charge of the selection of material and the overall maintenance of the Web site.
10) Contact and solicit ideas from the membership
This is an incredibly vibrant and exciting organization and many of you have contacted me with ideas. Please keep them coming. I think the future for Jazz in Michigan is extremely bright.
Finally, it was great seeing many of you at the National Conference in Long Beach and again at the first ever Mid-West Regional conference in Chicago. Both events were terrific and I look forward to NYC next year. As I mentioned earlier, it is a pleasure to serve as your IAJE President. I am here for you. I am excited about the future of our unit and I look forward to working with you for the next two years.
Peace,Brian Coyle
IAJE Michigan President
Director of Jazz Studies – Hope College
