President's Welcome

Jeff Carnall jcarnall@phm.k12.in.us

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!  I hope that you were able to relax, rejuvenate and spend time with friends and family over the summer. The beginning of the school year can be filled with a multitude of emotions: excitement for the possibilities, desire for success, fear of failure and anxiety over the unknown. These feelings are a sign of the importance of your job. Bringing students from adolescence to positive, contributing young adults is a wonderful responsibility, and music aids students’ transformation. Music gives the voiceless a voice, the insecure confidence and every student a sense of belonging. As you set goals for the new year, please add membership in IBA to your list.

Giving your students performance opportunities is essential to student success. The IBA has a long-standing tradition of creating amazing experiences for Indiana music students. Students can participate in All-Region Honor Band (Grades 7-9), Junior All-State Band (Grades 7-9), All District Honor Band (Grades 9-12) and All State Band (Grades 9-12). Although the beginning of the year can be overwhelming, make it a priority to go to the IBA website to become a member of IBA so your students can participate in these unforgettable opportunities.

These student experiences could never happen without IBA's professional community, which we encourage you to join. Opportunities include serving on the selection committee, running sectionals, and attending the concerts for All Region or All District Honor Bands. Teacher volunteers make these events more successful and more memorable for students. You can earn professional development credits for leading sectionals, chaperoning, or even just attending Junior All State and/or All State Band weekends. This year, the Junior All State Band will be under the direction of respected composer Mr. William Owens and the All-State Band will be under the direction of Dr. Verena Moesenbichler-Bryant from Duke University. The All-State Honor Band will be under the direction of Dr. Robert Carnochan from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Observing these iconic directors rehearse the All-State ensembles is a great way to add new tools to your tool box.

Your voice is important, therefore attending our two meetings per year is appreciated. One takes place in Fort Wayne during the yearly IMEA conference while the other is in West Lafayette on All State Band weekend. New ideas are the lifeblood of successful organizations, and they start with you.

If you are an experienced teacher, please reach out to new directors in your area and help them with IBA membership. Whether a first-year teacher or a veteran teacher new to the state, learning how the Indiana organizations work and what each offer can be overwhelming. Experienced guidance can go a long way to help our organization grow.

Thank you to our outgoing board members Bryan Ames and Nathaniel Simpson for their years of service to IBA. A special thank you to Rick Granlund for his guidance and perseverance through the COVID years. Rick’s dedication through these tumultuous times will not be forgotten. Congratulations to Thomas Wilson in his new role as vice president. Welcome our new board members Patrick Teykl, Jim Jones and Jennifer Bollero-Erickson.