NEW YORK STATE SUMMER MUSIC CONFERENCE
CLINICIANS AND PERFORMING ENSEMBLES APPLICATION
The New York State Band Directors Association (NYSBDA) is pleased to announce application
procedures for participation in the New York State Summer Music Conference in Albany, New
York, from August 15-17, 2021. If you are interested in presenting your own clinic or having
your group present a performance clinic, please follow the application procedures HERE.
Honor Band Applications
The 2021 NYSBDA Honor Bands application process will be completely online. The student application forms are now available. Applications may be submitted, if you have already completed the Teacher Participation Form. If you have not done so already, please submit and email the respective Honor Band Chairperson so your school information can be added to the student application form.
The application deadline is October 30th.
Teacher Participation Forms
Middle School
https://forms.gle/AydAT64jQG8F2PCt6
Contact: Omar Williams mshb@nysbda.org
High School
https://forms.gle/ouqxgbwzxtc3M5PT7
Band Contact: Jason Rottkamp jasonrottkamp@me.com
Brad Hartmann bradley.s.hartman@gmail.com
Jazz Contact: Austin Day aday@tufsd.org
Student Application Forms
Middle School
https://forms.gle/ZFwaHPGV1otWxazn9
High School (Band and Jazz)
Message to our Members,
Greetings all,
I hope that your school year has begun smoothly. I feel like a brand new teacher, having to learn new technologies, new protocols, new ways to engage and reach my students. It is a challenge but one that I am up for and I am certain you are too.
I wanted to take a moment to remind you that NYSBDA is standing behind you. We realize what our membership and all teachers are going through right now. As I have always said, NYSBDA is here to provide you with the latest and best information to enable you to be the best for your
students.
With that in mind and knowing that we all are planning for the future, we will be hosting our annual Symposium in March in a Virtual format very similar to our Summer Conference. Andy Pease has lined up some great presenters focused around our main theme of diversity. We will also be moving forward virtually with our Honor Bands. Our chairs are currently working on a program that will be rewarding and valuable to those students that are selected. Just remember
to nominate them. Those links are on the website. The executive board’s goal is to offer the Virtual Symposium and Honor Bands with as minimal cost as possible to our membership. We feel that, under the circumstances, we need to work for our membership and ultimately the band
students of our state.
In my over 20 years of involvement in this organization I have never seen an Executive Board that has worked so hard for its members. As we progress into this school year don’t forget that you can use our network of experienced band directors to help you navigate through this unprecedented time. I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Michael Cordaro
President, NYSBDA
Summer Conference Recap
Composer Spotlight
Accessibility in Virtual Learning
Honor Bands
Membership Forms
Hello colleagues in the world of band directing! My name is Richard Goss, Region 1
Representative for the New York State Band Directors’ Association. Along with my full-time
duties as Director of Bands at Lancaster High School, I work with a steering committee of fine
Western NY directors to present an Annual Regional Workshop (9th Annual), supported by our
NYSBDA state organization. Due to the changes brought by the coronavirus pandemic, we have
moved our workshop to a virtual format, and have worked throughout the summer to create
up-to-the-moment and productive sessions to assist you in preparing for new realities
beginning in the fall of 2020.
The entire workshop of nationally recognized educators and Conn-Selmer Clinicians is FREE.
However, to plan appropriately, we will only admit those who have pre-registered for the two-
day workshop. We also attempted to make these sessions both work-friendly and family-
friendly, by placing them in the later afternoon and evening. So please peruse the attached
digital poster/flyer, and then register and join us on August 25th and August 26th
.
Sincerely,
Richard B. Goss
Richard B. Goss
Director of Bands
Lancaster High School (NY)
Region 1 Representative, NYSBDA
716-866-5453
rbgoss50@gmail.com
August 2020 Band Stand Highlights:
I am concerned that NYSDOH did not take into account the study at the University of Colorado or the findings of the NYSSMA ad-hoc committee on the future of ensembles. I believe that at this point, there is no evidence that playing a wind instrument (with mitigation) or singing (with mitigation) is more dangerous than sitting in any other class. All of the studies that I have read suggest that six feet of social distance should be sufficient. NYSBDA intends to provide guidance that is consistent with current research, such as the University of Colorado coalition.
If you, or any of your administrators have any questions, please contact me at executive@nysbda.org.
NYSBDA has been working to create an online Honor Band application for some time. In consideration of the cancelled 2020 NYSSMA festivals, a committee of the Board has revamped the original application.
Each honor band will have two (2) applications to submit. The “Teacher Participation Form” must be completed prior to submitting the “Student Participation Form.” Only one Teacher Participation Form is necessary per school. If you teach in multiple schools, and intend to submit an application from each, please complete as many Teacher forms as necessary. If a student is applying on more than one instrument (e.g. Piccolo and Flute), please complete a Student form for each instrument
The applications will be scored based on multiple indicators (e.g. prior select/honor band participation, intended 2020 NYSSMA level, school experiences, teacher recommendation). As always, students will be selected by a committee in the Fall.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to the respective honor band chair.
Middle School Honor Band
Omar Williams
MSHB@nysbda.org
High School Honor Band
Jason Rottkamp & Brad Hartman
HSHB@nysbda.org
High School Honor Jazz Ensemble
Austin Day
aday@tufsd.org
