CMENC NEIU Has the Beat: By Saving the World of Music and Music Education

CMENC NEIU Has the Beat: By Saving the World of Music and Music Education

Written By: Jacklyn Nowotnik

College Music Educators National Conference (CMENC) is a national program taking place throughout the country in schools of music, as well as in schools that have an established department of music. CMENC promotes an excellence in teaching music. However, more specifically CMENC NEIU serves as a positive representation of NEIU. The program assists NEIU's music department in any way possible, including organizing and providing service work and other projects throughout the Northeastern community. CMENC NEIU has been an active club at Northeastern for 20 years and was introduced to the campus by former music professor Dr. Connie Speake.  Initially, CMENC NEIU was intended for students who were music education majors, in hopes that these students would have a professional tie to and an experience in the music world after graduation.  Recently however, CMENC NEIU has opened up its membership to vocal and instrumental performance as well as music minors to provide the same support as music education majors have.

            CMENC NEIU has had 4 meetings so far this semester and has elected officers, which have a full 1 year term to serve. The group has also acknowledged and solidified their mission and goals for the semester, as well as brain stormed ideas for workshops, guest speakers and fundraising. I met with Sasha Gerritson; who is the faculty advisor for CMENC NEIU, as well as a full time instructor in NEIU's department of music.  She teaches music theory, sight singing and musically directs the school's Opera. When I asked her about membership, she happily said that "CMENC NEIU welcomes anyone from any department on campus, but you should have an interest in music and or music education."  Gerritson believes that while CMENC NEIU has allowed her the ability to get to know students within the music department better, overall this organization is really to provide assistance to future music educators and professional musicians, as well as increase the moral within the music department.  To get an overall understanding of what CMENC NEIU's future may look like a year from now, I asked Gerritson what she envisioned it would be and she replied, "To continue in our mission, increase our membership and outreach by 25%."  Before wrapping up our meeting, Gerritson also warm heartedly expressed that she is "extremely positive about the organization. We have a group of people who are smart, fun and committed to music and to NEIU's music department. This will be a great year!"

If you are interested in learning more about CMENC NEIU or would like to attend a meeting, please contact

Sasha Gerritson

FA 134

(773) 442 – 5906

s-gerritson@neiu.edu

OR

e-kivi@neiu.edu

Erik Kivi (Student President of CMENC NEIU)

e-kivi@neiu.edu