Tennessee Tri-M Chapter Spotlight - Clarksville H.S.

Clarksville High School Tri-M Music Honor Society - Chapter 371
​Advisors: Robbin Johnston & Stella McKnight

Robbin Johnston, Advisor

Clarksville High School Tri-M, photo submitted by Robbin Johnston, 12/18

​​Responses provided by ​Robbin Johnston, Chapter Advisor (11/15/18)
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General Information

• School: Clarksville High School
• Chapter Number: 371
• Advisors: Robbin Johnston & Stella McKnight
• Chapter Charter Date: 9/30/1957

 
Tri-M Membership

• 2018-2019 Total Members: 25
• Ensembles Represented:
  Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion, Show Choir, Concert Choir
• Grades Represented: 9-12
• Student Officer Positions:
  President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer
• When/How often does your chapter host regular meetings?
  Monthly meetings during the school days.

 
Service

• How do the Tri-M students in your chapter serve their school and community?
  "We provide musical support for many events in our school and community, including our local Veteran’s organizations and nursing facilities. We have provided holiday dinners for families in need, supported food drives, performed at our local elementary schools for festivals and music events (instrument petting zoo, etc.) Our members are often featured in our school’s talent shows, lip sync’s and school pageant that supports our theater department. We provide the Star Spangled Banner at multiple sporting events throughout the school year. We provide ushers for our feeder school’s concerts and music department events. We have funded the purchase of everything for our school from a piano bench for the theater to sound equipment."
  
  
• What makes your chapter unique?
  "Our longevity is one of the most unique features of our Tri-M chapter. Many of our members have continued with music beyond high school, including artists in the recording industry. We have former students who are now active musicians, teachers, and artists. Our students regularly support many of the musical events in our school and community with their time and service. I believe fostering the attitude of our students to value all of the arts is one of the unique features of our chapter. We have a long history of this type of service and it is a hallmark of our vision for the organization."


• What are some of your chapter’s most successful service projects?
  "December caroling at local nursing homes is one of the most successful events we sponsor during the school year. All of the members participate in the event as a fall semester service project. We have also commissioned original artwork representing all of the organizations in our school with the Alma Mater music embedded in the background as a fundraiser for Tri-M and our various service projects for the department during the year. This was very popular and is a great example of the tradition and history that we have worked to foster between our music department and our school community. Outreach can foster understanding and respect between the music department and the school community at large. As advisors, we work to encourage this every chance we can."

 
Tennessee Tri-M

• Why is Tri-M an important component of your Tennessee music program?
  "We want our students to understand that to lead is to serve others. Tri-M provides an opportunity for us to recognize high achieving and hard-working students as well as providing an outlet for their musical talents. Our annual musicale features our initiation of new students, but also allows the opportunity for all members to perform in a solo and small ensemble setting. It is always rewarding to see our students have the opportunity to express themselves in an authentic and unique way during these recital opportunities. Parents love this event."
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• What advice would you give to any Tennessee music educators considering starting a Tri-M Chapter?
  "The time devoted to this endeavor will reap rewards far beyond your expectations. This provides students the chance to express themselves and be featured in a way that is not typically offered in a performance class setting. Our chapter doesn’t focus on a huge expenditure of time, but on the quality of the time and interactions we pursue. Many of our students are academically driven and work very hard in various groups and clubs in our school. We don’t want Tri-M to be something they “have” to do, but something that they “want” to pursue. Students have the opportunity to lead through service and find that giving back to their peers, school, and community can be the most rewarding activity of all."