Maine Motif Issue 2, Vol. II (Winter, 2018) | Page 7

Eastern Division Encores
By Marc Greene, NAfME Eastern Division President
Happy New Year! Hopefully the busy world of music making during
the month of December was rewarding for you and your students.
Now it’s time to hunker down against the cold and soldier through
the bleak winter months of life in the northeastern United States.
How fortunate we are to have a craft that brings us such joy while
inspiring future generations to value the very human characteristics
that music captures and celebrates.
In the previous edition of Eastern Division Encores, I shared some
basic information about the structure of NAfME and its Divisions, as
well as the specific structure and functions of the Eastern Division.
This edition will feature updates on our two primary functions;
governance and the Biennial Conference and Honors Ensembles.
The Eastern Division Board met in Pittsburgh, PA on October 21 & 22, 2017. Our day
began with a tour of the Convention facilities to be used for the 2019 Division
Conference. It continued with a formal meeting, including:
• Informational reports from each participating state, which led to identifying six
essential issues that were explored in more detail in breakout groups:
- What type of strategic planning initiatives have our state associations used?
- How are state organizations utilizing available technology to streamline
operations?
- How do our state organizations manage program content for their honors
ensembles?
- How do states determine eligibility to audition/participate in All-State
ensembles?
- How may Vocal