Expert: Rolland Puckett - 11/10/2003

Question
Hello, for my education class we have been asked to interview a teacher regarding the Professional Organization(s) he or she belongs to and if you could help me with that, it would be great. I'd just like to know what organizations you belong to, and a little bit about them. What are the general principles behind them? What are they set up to do? And finally, what sort of benefits do they provide members? Any information you could give me off the top of your head would be super. Thank you so much for your time!
        -Darcy

Answer
Hello again, Darcy!

I didn't mean to get back to you a whole week later, but I still have no computer.  It's not so good to depend so much on technology, but the internet is a good thing.  The computer works so much better for word processing than my trusty typewriter, the one that's so loud I had to use earplugs.

It's not my nature, Darcy, to join organizations unless one is clearly purposeful for me.  I know good and sensible people who join this and join that, and they're on committees and in all sorts of groups.  I must practice a lot, for one thing, and time is at a great premium. I also write - for hours and hours at a time.  Practice and writing leave me little time for participation in organizations.  I have three performances coming up in late winter and early spring, and practice now demands even more from me.  I have friends and acquaintances who perform from eighty to over a hundred times a year, in various countries!  They've always done that, but I must have roots, and I cannot live out of luggage all the time.

The only musical professional organizations in which I have membership is the National Music Teachers Asso., and the honor society Phi Mu Alpha, which I was inducted into as a college senior - roughly 110 years ago!  Just kidding.  It was a long time ago.  Phi Mu is a music honorary society.  I went to one local meeting, but I've only read the magazine a few times since then.  

How is that organization relavent?  Frankly, it looks good on one's academic record and as part of a resume.  It says that one did pretty well in college, and it does look good when one applies to graduate schools.  I had to go elsewhere to get a master's because Oberlin doesn't have a graduate program.  They want to maintain their standards and very long reputation as one of the top undergraduate colleges in the US.-

The local piano teacher's association, however, is very active.  It's a big one, too, in Nashville.  Several additional music teachers (usually piano) "clubs" thrive in nearby towns. There's one in Hendersonville (where many of the commercial music stars have homes) having around thirty-five teachers!  They have monthly meetings, too, which is surprising.  Different teachers perform a piece or two, and often they have a guest performer, perhaps a teacheer at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt.  Nashville sports several very active concert pianists who are on the road a lot.  They are surprisingly willing to drive to someone's home and play for a music teachers' club.  I've done it about a dozen times, but not recently.

Well, I'm also a Steinway artist, which means that Steinway has asked one to be placed on their list of those who perform exclusively on their instruments.  It's a nice thing to be, because one is in very good company, so it's a prestige device.  It IS taken seriously, surprisingly, by managers and those who rent performance venues, and Steinway backs up its artists, making sure there is a concert grand in the area to rent.  It isn't free.  NO!  And it's expensive.  Baldwin pays it's artists, and if they're big name, Baldwin will send two instruments to each of their venues in a big truck.  There is nothing like a Steinway, however.  I really love mine.  My ladyfriend claims I love it more than her, sometimes.  She's joking, of course.

I have several acquaintances who belong to the Music Educators National Association.  They majored in that field, of course, and it's not an easy major, let me tell you.  They must satisfy the teaching requirements of as many states as possible, and they must take so many courses to be at least sufficiently familiar with the different orchestral and band instrument families, choral techniques, voical development and performance, a minor in piano, manuscript writing and production, theory, history, etc.  Those people work very hard, and their professional organization is large and active, with well-atteneded annual national conferences, and strong local chapters.

Darcy, I do hope this information provides at least a modicum of helpful information.  Please forgive me for not editing this message; there are other questions and my practice time is about here!  

Very best wishes,
Rolland  


Hi, Darcy!

I'd be really glad to provide the information you're looking for.  However, I need just two or three days, because I'm using a computer at my church.  Mine is out for repair, and I DO miss it!  I will get back to you shortly, because I can help out with your question.

Yours,
Rolland