MARK ELY portrait
  • UMEA Higher Education Vice President, School Of Music
  • Professor of Music Education and Saxophone, School Of Music
  • Professor, School Of Music
801-581-7163

Professional Service

  • Utah Music Educators Association (UMEA). Role: Higher Education Vice President. As Higher Education Vice President, I organizes and solicited 6 higher education sessions for the state conference. I also host the sessions. In addition, I am responsible for the poster session and for presiding over the CNAfME luncheon. 01/01/2019 - present

Internal Service

  • Clarinet Search Committee; School RPT Committee; School DRC Committee; Scholarship Committee; Graduate Studies Committee; Morales Fellowship Committee; . Chair of Clarinet Search; Member of others, 01/01/2021 - present. Department service.
  • • Music Education Search Committee (2019) • Clarinet Search Committee (2019) • School RPT Committee (2019) • School DRC Committee (2019) . member, 09/01/2019 - present. Department service.
  • UACTE Committee Member. 08/2014 - present. University service.
  • BTS Endowed Chair Search Committee. Member, 08/15/2013 - present. Department service.
  • Undergraduate Studies Committee. Member, 08/15/2013 - present. Department service.
  • Music History Search Committee. Member, 09/2012 - present. Department service.
  • Music Education Committee. Member, 08/2012 - present. Department service.
  • RPT Committee. Member, 08/2012 - present. Department service.
  • Undergraduate Studies Committee (2004-Present). Member, 08/2004 - present. Department service.
  • Music Education Committee. Member, 07/01/1989 - present. Department service.

Community Partnership

  • The music ed area partners with schools as part of our inservice teacher training. In 2019, my Instrumental Music Methods students are partnering with area schools (e.g., Highland; Woods Cross; Viewpoint) as part of their course requirements. Their duties are to teach brass, strings, woodwinds, percussion, band, orchestra, and/or private applied lessons as the cooperating teacher needs. 02/01/2019 - 05/01/2019
  • I think that it's important to realize the reach The U has had in our community. Our former graduates are teaching throughout the state at all levels. Many of them come together for the state conference to present sessions, to represent higher education, and to collaborate with each other. We have established a "Community Family", which extends beyond the word partnership. Did you know that we come together every year and discuss how we can better serve our state and our students? Here is a list of former students who attend the UMEA Conference who received their doctorates from The University of Utah and who are now representing other universities. We work with these folks in various capacities throughout the year. Brittany May, Ph.D. (Brigham Young University)-SAXOPHONE Steve Call, Ph.D. (Brigham Young University) Rebecca Penerosa, Ph.D. (Presenter; Session Host; Westminster College) Craig Ferrin, Ph.D. (Salt Lake Community College) Vance Larsen, Ph.D. (Snow College) Cherilyn Worthen, Ph.D. (Utah Valley University) Greg Wheeler, Ph.D. (Utah State University) Nate Seamons, Ph.D. (Snow College) Aubrey Shirts, DMA (Southern Utah University-Secondary Area Music Ed) . 01/01/2019 - present
  • I have coached Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth Baseball for about 20 yrs. in the Rose Park community. I have also been a league officer for most of those years. 1990 - 2009

Outreach

  • I am in the schools on a consistent basis and have been for over 30 years. I know most of the instrumental music teachers in Utah, and I've taught many of them. I've listed many names in previous reviews, but never a full listing. I don't see the point. It would be in the hundreds. 01/01/2021 - present
  • The results what I have done for many years, including last year, is evidenced most obviously by the former students who continue to serve our musical community. I include a list of UMEA officers for this year to reflect the extent of this outreach. Immediate Past Elementary VP---Brittany May, Ph.D. UofU-SAXOPHONE Elementary Vice President---Rebecca Penerosa, Ph.D. UofU Past President---Greg Wheeler, Ph.D. UofU Orchestra Vice President-Elect---John Findlay, Ph.D. UofU Utah State CNAfME Representative---Greg Wheeler, Ph.D. UofU President---Todd Campbell, Masters, UofU Band Vice Present-Elect---Howard Summers, Masters, UofU Choral Vice President---Larry Smith, Masters, UofU Band Committee & Web Consultant---Randal Clark, DMA UofU-SAXOPHONE Jazz Vice President---Chris Taylor, Masters, UofU Immediate Past Jazz Vice President---Tim Kidder, Masters, UofU-SAXOPHONE Orchestra Committee---Meagan Thorup, Masters UofU Advocacy Chair---Christine Wolf, Masters BYU Junior High/Middle Vice President-Elect---Spencer Frohm Mentor Committee Member---Miranda Loveless; Jenny Perkins Assistant Executive Director---Kristi Pehrson Large Group Festival Manager---Rod Wayman Awards Chair---Jenny & Eric Perkins UMEA COMMITTEE MEMBERS Brittany May, Ph.D. UofU- (Elementary) SAXOPHONE Brek Mangelson, Masters UofU (Band) Randal Clark, DMA UofU- (Band) SAXOPHONE Meagan Thorup, Masters UofU (Orchestra) Miranda Loveless, BM (Mentor) Jenny Perkins, BM (Mentor) . 01/01/2019 - present
  • Outreach for a music educator/private applied teacher is much more organic and personal than for most departments or areas. My connection with school teachers and students goes beyond specific events, although I certainly help audition and clinic for scheduled events such as our honor band, the All-State event, and the UMEA Conference. My outreach goes well beyond this. I see students for these events plus I adjudicate many of them for their solo & ensemble festivals and their band festivals. As such, I get to know many prospective students. If I clinic or adjudicate a band festival with, say, 10 bands with 60 students each, then I've reached 600 students. And, that's just for one festival. In addition, if I adjudicate them at S & E, then I've seen them again and provided comments to them. When they come to the honors band, then I see them again. Sometimes, I give them private lessons. The point is, there is not one single event where I meet them. There are many points during the year when I see students. No single outreach event can match the power of these repeated contacts. I have done these things for 30 years now. Also, keep in mind that I know most of the instrumental band teachers in Utah. Many of them are our former students, so I see them when I clinic, when I adjudicate, and when I attend the UMEA Conference. I also mentor many of them throughout the year as I have for 30 years via phone, email, and in person. 01/01/2019 - 12/31/2019
  • Career/Recruiting Fair at Booker T. Washington High School in Texas. 02/2014 - present

Honors & Awards

  • Superior Accomplishment Award . Utah Music Educators Association, 02/01/2021
  • Former students receiving awards at the UMEA Conference for their work in 2019. Superior Accomplishment---Heath Wolf, Masters, UofU Outstanding Music Educator---Vance Larsen, Ph.D. UofU Outstanding Elementary Music Educator---JoAnn Meitler Outstanding Sr. High/Middle Music Educator---Rod Wayman Hall of Fame Inductees---Julie Christofferson, Admin. Endorse, UofU . UMEA, 02/07/2020
  • Recognized for work as the Higher Education Vice President. Utah Music Educators Association, 02/06/2019

In the Media

  • My Dictionary of Music Education and my Wind Talk books have been sold around the world. I have been recognized for Superior Accomplishment by the Utah Music Educators Association and by the National Association for Music Educators (2021) Global Impact (Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Australia and New Zealand, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Canada, China, China - Macao Special Administrative Region, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States). 01/01/2022.
  • My Dictionary of Music Education and my Wind Talk books have been sold around the world. I have been recognized for my role as the Higher Education Vice President by the Utah Music Educators Association and by the National Association for Music Educators. 12/31/2019.
  • My three books continue to do well nationally and internationally and are cited in numerous publications. The Dictionary of Music Education was recently translated into Chinese. The Wind Talk books are used in many university/college courses already, and the number of sales are increasing each year. 12/2014.
  • Book Review for "Wind Talk for Brass" I needed this book for a college course on learning how to play trombone and trumpet and this book was a mandatory read. After some skimming, the tips it was able to provide on basic playing had me going in no time, this book is great! It is essential for any up and coming brass player and I highly recommend it! 10/2012.
  • Book Review for "Wind Talk for Woodwind"--This is an outstanding work that I am using as a college textbook for a class on Woodwind Techniques. The information is thorough, accurate, practical and well organized. It goes into enough detail on each woodwind instrument, but not so much that you get bogged down in rhetoric. Congratulations to the authors on publishing a book that has countless uses for teachers at all levels. I just wish something like this was around when I was in college. 09/2012.
  • An Interview with Banddirector.com regarding the "Wind Talk" books--. 08/2012. www.banddirector.com
  • Book Review for "Wind Talk for Brass" by John Korak on ITG Journal Online Article Index. 08/2012. http://www.trumpetguild.org
  • Book Review for "Wind Talk for Woodwind"--I am a peripatetic woodwind teacher, pretty new to the job, facing the prospect, as an oboist, of teaching flute, saxophone, bassoon & clarinet to varying standards. Many aspects of woodwind teaching are similar across the board, as this book points out in its first chapter, detailing in alphabetical order all the necessary teaching points shared by each instrument. Breath control & how to teach it (ie what language to use with students etc), tone quality, stamina - and so on, all covered in great detail and with examples of exercises that could prove useful in teaching. There follows an in-depth chapter on each instrument separately, talking about everything you need to know as a teacher & advanced student: embouchure, tonguing, alternate fingerings, vibrato & when to teach it... The fingering charts are great too; large diagrams with sensible labels on keys (not just L1, L2, L3 etc, sometimes so frustrating!) Ideas are given as to what kit a teacher needs to carry around with her/him too, with the occasional black & white photo. It was a risk purchasing this item for the price with no reviews, but I'm glad I did. At first glance it appears heavy & over-technical, but I'm reading it from cover to cover at the moment & learning so much. It will be OK to use as a 'dip-in' book too, due to the alphabetical lay-out. Spelling is American, but sofar, I've not come across anything that can't be used. An academic & wise investment! 08/2012.
  • Books About Music Review of "Wind Talk for Woodwinds"--Wind Talk for Woodwinds was published at the same time as Wind Talk for Brass (on the subject of brass instruments), by Oxford University Press. “The Windtalks” are already (they were published in 2009) used in several school instrumental programs. Wind Talk for Woodwinds is a much thicker book than Playing Woodwind Instruments, and can thus afford to be more thorough. Each of the most common woodwinds (such as flutes, clarinets, oboes, saxophones, bassoons) are covered in detail, with thorough information on the different concepts associated with the performance of each individual instrument. The “Practical Tips” section is perhaps particularly useful, since it points out those common pitfalls and errors, which one does best to avoid as early in the game as possible. 08/2012. booksaboutmusic.org
  • Article and book reviews are readily available on the internet. 2010.
  • The Dictionary of Music Education has been marketed around the world in both academic and non-academic venues. 2009.