Greetings from the Northwest District. The new school year has begun and fall is in the air. Our district has started the audition season with the use of Festival Scores. We have selected our honored educators. The clinicians for our conventions are selected.
The northwest district selected to use Festival Scores in our audition process. This is our first time using this web-based audition management system for auditions. Festival Scores enables directors to upload recordings to a website. The judges then go in and listen. This allows our district to have students audition without CD’s and mailings. The high school orchestra, high school jazz band and junior high band are among the ensembles using Festival Scores. As a director, I found the system to be an easy, time saving process compared to the one that we used before. I was in touch with one of our honor chairs about the process. Her response to the process was positive.
Our clinicians are beginning their process of music selection for our honor groups. This year’s group will prove to give our students a challenge along with some valuable knowledge. The November Convention clinicians include: Gretchen Harrison of Kansas City (Junior High Honor Choir), Kirk Harrison of Kansas City (Junior High Honor Band), and Arthur White of Missouri (High School Honor Jazz Band). The December Convention clinicians include: Janie Brokenicky of Manhattan (Elementary Honor Choir), Jason Sickel of Blue Valley (High School Honor Choir), and Randy Fillmore of Lawrence Free State (High School Honor Band).
As a reminder our November Convention is hosted by Hays High School in Hays on November 5th. The concert will be at 3:30 PM in the Hays High School gym. The December Convention is hosted by Fort Hays State University on December 10th. The Elementary Honor Choir will perform in Beech/Schmidt Performing Arts Center at 12:30 PM. The High School Choir and Band will perform in the same venue at 3:30 PM. We hope to see you there.
2016 Northwest District Outstanding Educator Awards
The Northwest District is proud to announce we have selected several outstanding educators to honor this year. The educators include: Gloria Blackwell of Hays (Elementary Honored Educator), Joey Nickols of Colby (Middle Level Honored Educator), Kristi Vetter of Beloit (High School Honored Educator), Dr. Terry Crull of Hays (College Level Honored Educator), and Lisa Gehring of Plainville (Honored Administrator).
Mrs. Gloria Blackwell is in her 42nd year of teaching. She presently teaches elementary music at Wilson and Roosevelt Elementary Schools in Hays. Mrs. Blackwell previously taught at Ransom Schools, Gorham Community School, and McCracken Schools. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Science in Administration degree from Fort Hays State University. Her bands performed at KMEA in 1983 and 1988. She was elected to Outstanding Young Women of America in 1986 and was chosen as Master Teacher for Wilson Elementary in 2002-2003 and 2008-2009. She was also Northwest KMEA elementary chairwoman in 1999 and 2000 as well as 2011 and 2012.
Mrs. Blackwell believes that music is the language of the soul. She provides opportunities for all students to deepen their understanding of music and develop their musical talents by allowing students to express themselves through movement, notation, playing and singing.
Joey Nickols is in his 11th year as a music instructor in the Colby Public Schools. A Colby alum himself, Nickols was hired in 2006 as the vocal instructor for Colby Middle School and Colby High School. He has also taught band, speech, drama, at-risk, and digital media technology/production. He has also assisted in numerous all-school musicals and plays. During his tenure in Colby, Nickols’ ensembles have performed at the 2007 Windy City Classic Choir Festival in Chicago, the 2010 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC, and the 2016 Big Apple Music Festival in New York.
Joey believes that every student is capable of making a joyful noise in everyday life. He helps students feel safe and comfortable in participating through modeling, encouragement, and building relationships. He strives to have a classroom in which all students feel safe to share, collaborate, and be themselves.
For the past 10 years, Kristi Vetter has taught 5-12 instrumental music, and college music theory at Beloit High School. She began her teaching career at Jewell High School in 1992. While at Beloit, her bands have traveled to Kansas City, Dallas, San Antonio, and Nashville, performing on the stage at the historical Ryman Auditorium and at the Grand Ole Opry. Mrs. Vetter’s bands have received numerous top ratings and placed several students in all-state band. Mrs. Vetter received a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education from Northwest Missouri State University and a Master’s of Music Education from Kansas State University.
Mrs. Vetter firmly believes that instruction in music completes one’s education. In addition to being part of something that is bigger than oneself, being a member of band is about teamwork. Music affects the brain and the soul while at the same time having a ridiculous amount of fun.
Dr. Terry Crull is Associate Professor of Music, and serves as the Director of Choral Activities at Fort Hays State University. His responsibilities include conducting Fort Hays Singers, Concert Choir, Women’s Chorale, Men’s Glee Club, and the Fall Musical. He also conducts the Smoky Hill Chorale, and teaches courses in choral conducting, choral music education, group voice, and music appreciation. In the eleven years Dr. Crull has been at Fort Hays State University an FHSU choir has been selected seven times to perform at the Kansas State Music Educator’s Workshop. Dr. Crull has degrees in Choral Music Education from the University of N. Colorado, the University of S. Dakota, and Dordt College. Dr. Crull holds memberships in ACDA, NAfME, KMEA, and BHS, and has conducted Choral festivals, clinics, and workshops and in California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin.
