We, as members of the Texas Music Educators Association, in our capacity as voting members and as music educators hereby state the following:

WHEREAS, each Texas All-State band etude is chosen by an individual within the selection committee, specific to their given instrument;

WHEREAS, the Percussion selecter is Mark Ford of the University of North Texas;

WHEREAS, the etude chosen for the Percussion – Keyboard (4 Mallet) is entitled “Sweet Dreams” from #Marimbababy: A Marimba Songbook  by Mark Ford, and published by Musicon Publications;

WHEREAS, Musicon Publications is owned by Mark Ford and Ewelina Ford;

WHEREAS, “Sweet Dreams” requires use of a full 5 octave marimba, unlike past etudes which required use of a 4.3 octave marimba;

WHEREAS, the following language is included in the performance guide on the TMEA website

Sweet Dreams is from #MarimbaBaby by Mark Ford. Each of the songs in #MarimbaBaby is written for a 5-Octave Marimba which is now the standard marimba range throughout the world. However, Sweet Dreams represents the first time ever that a 5-octave marimba composition has been chosen for the Texas All-State Audition Material. 

While many schools in Texas only have a 4.3 octave marimba, music teachers cannot ignore the fact that our students need exposure to this larger 5-octave range and all of the music written for it. Originally my intention was to allow both the 5-octave and the 4.3 Octave versions to be played. However, many educators rightfully voiced concerns that having two versions of the etude could be unfair to those schools without a 5-octave marimba. So in consultation with TMEA officials, it is required that students play only the 4.3 octave version listed in the "errata" for the 2019-20 Texas All-State Auditions.

As this is a transition year for requiring 5-octave marimba literature played on a 4.3 octave marimba, music educators should demand and expect that our students have professional range instruments to play for future All-State Auditions. TMEA officials and myself are sensitive to educational budgets while also offering Texas high school percussion students the best opportunities available. There is no educational or musical reason to cling to an outdated instrument with a limited range for the All-State Audition process. It is my hope that in the years to come music educators and future selectors for the All-State percussion etudes will expect the best from this important educational experience and require 5-octave marimba literature for the 4-mallet etude. 

Change is never easy, and I remember the arguments against requiring 4-mallet marimba etudes in the All-State percussion music. While difficult, that positive step forward has benefited thousands of students. Pushing for a standard range 5-octave marimba for the All-State Auditions will only create further educational and musical benefits for all of our students. To remain silent now about this issue does not respect the hard work that our percussion students and their teachers have delivered over the years to make Texas the leader in music education. 

 

We as members of the music education community and as full members of the Texas Music Educators do hereby make these statements:

 

WE REQUEST that the TMEA Executive Committee direct Mr. Ford to choose a different etude from a book that he did not write nor that he published;

WE REQUEST that the TMEA Executive Committee establish an ethics committee to study the issue of selecters choosing their own compositions or those compositions that would financially benefit the selecter;

WE REQUEST that 2 mallet and 4 mallet etudes be chosen from pieces written for 4.3 octave instruments;

WE DEMAND that the TMEA website’s performance guide for “Sweet Dreams” be rewritten;

WE REQUIRE a response from the TMEA Executive Committee addressing our concerns.

Thank you for thoughtfully considering and acting upon these items.