Ron Sikes receives the East Central 7 “Music Educator of the Year” Award
Ron Sikes is the director of music in the Jefferson R-7 School District in Festus, Missouri. In a previous blog post I spoke with Ron after he had learned that his ninth grade band had been selected to perform at the 2011 Missouri Music Educators Conference. This week we’re checking back with Ron to see how the performance went.
Bob Grifa: Can you tell me how Missouri’s severe winter weather impacted your preparations for the January performance?
Ron Sikes: We lost ten rehearsals and had to reschedule two preview concerts due to snow and ice. I used the snow days to analyze scores and listen to rehearsal recordings. After each snow day, the students came back more focused, knowing that rehearsal time was even more valuable. Each rehearsal was very organized with no wasted time. As a result, we were free to relax and have fun.
BG: I heard rave reviews about your performance. How did it go from your perspective?
RS: I couldn't be prouder of how our band overcame every challenge. The kids worked hard and really stepped it up. Not only did they perform amazingly well, but they also carried themselves with professionalism and maturity beyond their years and did an excellent job representing our community.
BG: What role did SmartMusic play in your preparations?
RS: I discovered one of the pieces we performed, Gary Gackstatter’s "Alchemy (Spirit Into Sound)" through SmartMusic’s search feature. The title caught my eye, so I gave it a listen and knew immediately that we were going to perform it.
This piece has so many textures I felt that every student in the band should have an opportunity to play each bass line, melody, counter melody, etc. After analysis, I entered each line into Finale and copied it to the other instruments. Then I exported the results as a SmartMusic accompaniment and used the SmartMusic file in class.
We learned the piece together in unison lines. We were able to manipulate the tempo, loop excerpts, and give each section of the band the opportunity to play each part of the music. This helped the kids to get a deeper understanding of the piece.
We didn’t pass out the music until everyone learned all the individual lines. Then we could really focus on making music!
BG: I understand the band also premiered one of your compositions.
RS: I wrote a piece titled “Lullaby” that was published a few years ago by JPM Music Publications. It's a slow, lyrical piece that allows the students to be very expressive. “Lullaby” is dedicated to my daughters, who were in attendance for the MMEA performance, making it a very special experience.
BG: Can you tell me about the recognition you were given at the show?
RS: I received the East Central 7 Music Educator of the Year Award. It was a huge honor and a humbling experience to be recognized by my peers. I'm very grateful to be in such a supportive music district.
I’d like to thank Ron for his inspirational work and for providing this insight into his process.
Please share insights from your process, or ask any question, by clicking on “Comments” below.
Subscribe