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The weekend before Thanksgiving, I was given the opportunity to attend the annual conference of the National Association of Schools of Music in San Diego. Founded in 1924, this organization has about 625 member institutions, and through its accreditation process, establishes national standards for music degrees in higher education. The overall theme this year was advocacy for music and musical training. I confess that, in the rush to get future performers and educators trained in technique, musicality, and pedagogy, I sometimes forget that there are other practical skills that need to be developed in my students – for example, preparing them to communicate the value of music or art in general and its relevance to society to audiences, institutions, and communities.

Hello everyone. What a great time we had in Macomb! Congratulations to all who contributed so much to making the 41st International Horn Symposium a successful event! First, we must all heap thanks onto Host Randall Faust, his wonderful team, and the staff at Western Illinois University for their generosity, hospitality, and professionalism. Next, thanks to the Featured Artists, Contributing Artists, and other performers, lecturers, and presenters for their artistry and inspiration. And finally, a huge thank-you to all participants and exhibitors for coming in support of the instrument we love, its music, its history, its technique and technology, and the rest of its interesting facets. I know I had a great time, learned a lot, and came away thoroughly inspired. I hope you did, too.

Hello friends,

By the time you read this, it will only be a few weeks before  the Macomb symposium. These last few weeks are the most exciting and terrifying. For the artists, it is time for the final details  to be put in place. For participants, it is time to make sure all the  travel, housing, meal, and social details are all confirmed. For the host, it is time for the last extended wave of panic about whether anyone, including the participants and the artists, will actually be attending. For the IHS Advisory Council, it is time  for looking through notes, reports, and the AC Agenda Book.

In my column for February, I depart from my typical type of message to address an aspect of music that is often controversial and, no matter how unrelated it might seem, in my opinion has a direct relationship to making music at any level. "Scholarship," when not identifying a financial reward, is usually defined as academic study or achievement, or learning of a high level. "Scholarly activity" is both the act of this study or achievement or the product of that activity. Further complicating the situation is that scholarship, at least in the professional world, receives credibility through "review" or critical appraisal of that product. That means there must be a venue to present the product that will allow others to see it and comment on it. So, scholarship requires a product, a venue for presentation, and a response.  This allows information to be created, presented, and evaluated. Hopefully, the process yields something relevant, and the world is a better place for it.