Local Music Teachers Impact Students Across The Country
Posted
Staff Report-
Martin and Judy Becker are music teachers whose careers have impacted thousands of music students all over Indiana. The Beckers have served the music students of Indiana by holding state chairs and presidencies, according to a press release submitted by the Beckers. Judy teaches choir and band at Lakeview Middle School but is also involved in music education across the state. This weekend, she will attend the Indiana State Music Association State Board meeting. She serves as the state chairperson for Circle the State with Song. This is a six-year commitment and her responsibility is to coordinate all the state regional sites along with organizing and overseeing the All State Middle School Honor Choir and All State Elementary Honor Choir at the state convention, which is held in Fort Wayne in January. Over 3,000 choral students participate in the Circle the State with Song activity at the regional level each year. This year Judy was also responsible for the finding a composer to write the 2015 commission composition to be performed by the All State Choir at the convention. She also has served as the State Chair for the Indiana Bandmasters All Region Middle School bands. She continues to adjudicate for the Indiana State School Music Association at both district and state solo and ensemble competitions. She has served as an associate conductor for the Indiana Ambassadors of Music that tours Europe every other year. Martin has continued to stay active since retiring as director of bands from Warsaw Community Schools. He taught instrumental music for 34 years and has been involved with music at Grace College for the past 12 years. He has served as both president of the Indiana State School Music Association twice, and president of the Indiana Bandmasters. He was on the ISSMA State Board for 18 years. He currently serves as president of the Phi Beta Mu, Gamma Chapter National Honorary Band Directors Fraternity. The main project of the Gamma Chapter is to mentor first year band directors across the state. This weekend, Martin will be guest conductor for the Indiana Bandmasters Association Northeast All District Honor Band held at DeKalb High School. The concert will be Sunday at 4 p.m. held in the DeKalb High School Auditorium. He has served as a guest conductor four times for the IBA All Region Middle School Honor Bands and three times as a guest conductor for the IBA All District High School Honor Bands. This past weekend Martin was involved with the ISSMA Open Class State Marching Finals held at Lucas Oil Stadium. He was responsible for coordinating the close-up camera shots for the DVD recordings and the Lucas Oil Jumbotron for all 42 bands. Over Thanksgiving, Martin will serve as a tour director traveling with the Center Grove High School Band to New York City for the Macy’s Parade. He has been working for Music Travel Consultants as a tour director for 20 years and has traveled extensively with choir, band and orchestras thoughout the United States and Europe.
