In Tune Monthly
In Tune Monthly is a magazine that seeks to enrich the band, orchestra, choral and general music curriculum. It is written for middle and high school music students for whom the publication is typically purchased by music educators. It is also sold in some musical instrument and equipment stores, and can be purchased online.
Music educators who teach middle and high school, and are members of the National Association for Music Education, receive subscriptions to In Tune’s teacher edition as a benefit of membership. The teacher edition of the magazine includes a teacher’s guide that includes lesson plan and assessment materials relating to stories in the student edition.
The magazine’s website provides text, video, and audio content that supports, but does not duplicate, the stories in each printed issue. The site’s regular features include a monthly podcast called the In Tune listening list, providing commentary on recommended songs in a variety of musical genres and a collection of daily news for music students. The website is updated for each issue of the print magazine and monthly throughout the magazine’s four-month summer hiatus.
History
In Tune was founded in 2003 by veteran Billboard, Forbes and Business Week publishing executive Irwin Kornfeld, former Musician, EQ and Gig magazines publisher Angelo Biasi, and GRAMMY-winning music producer Will Edwards. The founding editor was industry veteran Rich Maloof (Guitar for the Practicing Musician). Following publication of the magazine's premiere issue, author and composer Emile Menasché stepped in and has remained the magazine’s editor to this day.
The first issue of In Tune featured Norah Jones on the cover, a story on overcoming stage fright, a glossary of musical terms, a breaking story on then newcomer Joss Stone, an explanation of how a microphone works, and a photo essay about Yo-Yo Ma’s cello. This mix of stories set the template for the magazine, which regularly offers coverage of all styles of music.
Magazine Content
Today, a typical issue of In Tune includes:
• A contemporary artist-focused cover feature (2010 covers stories were about Christina Perri, Sugarland, Maroon 5, Ne-Yo, The Script, Arcade Fire, The Zac Brown Band and Sarah Barielles. 2011 cover subjects include Wilco and Coldplay.)
• A feature about musical technique and/or theory, illustrated with music notation.
• “Timeline” examinations of genres, such as jazz, bluegrass, and classical music.
• “Tours” of musical cities, venues and equipment factories.
• Special reports, such as “how to choose a music college,” “how to start a music festival,” “the principles of sound reinforcement,” “how to choose a summer music program,”
• A feature about a musical instrument or technology (for example, the history of reed instruments; the anatomy of a violin; the making of a drum head; the basics of recording technology; etc.)
• A profile of a legendary musician. Subjects have ranged from Duke Ellington to Luciano Pavarotti to Led Zeppelin.
• An exploration of a contemporary artist’s musical influences.
• A profile of a composer or songwriter. Subjects have ranged from John Williams to Johnta Austin to Linda Perry
• A profile of a working musician, such as the trumpeter for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the trombonist for Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and the music director for The Lion King.
• A profile of a person working behind the scenes in the music business, such as record producers, arrangers, A&R people, music lawyers, etc.
• A photograph of, and a short accompanying essay about, a moment in music history.
In Tune also holds an annual essay contest for teachers called the Music Room Makeover, in which sponsors donate equipment to one school.[6]
Additional projects
In addition to In Tune, the magazine’s parent company, In Tune Partners, publishes Drum Corps International Magazine for DCI, Teaching Music magazine for The National Association for Music Education, WGI Focus for Winter Guard International, and Disney onStage. In Tune Partners also represents NAfME’s Music Educator’s Journal, its weekly newsletter and nafme.org for advertising sales.
Its sister company, Westchester Media, publishes ASCAP’s Playback magazine and helps produce the ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo.