Michelle Davis Orchetra Vice-preident Orchestra: Conference Highlights
I am so excited about our line-up of clinicians and performers for string teachers at this year’s MMEA Conference! As I read the feedback from the 2016 orchestra conference surveys, many of you wanted to see more elementary and beginning strings sessions. You also expressed an interest in how to work with and/or incorporate a symphony orchestra into the high school, and ideas on teaching more musical concepts to our students. I listened, and I believe we have these topics covered this year. First, Aaron Money, Director of Fine Arts for Liberty Public Schools (LPS), will be hosting a session entitled “The Vault: Secrets of a Beginning Strings Program.” He will discuss how the Liberty elementary strings program structures its teacher contact time with students. In addition, the LPS beginning strings teachers Rebecca Doss and Marie Coleman will host a “make and take” session on what their beginning strings classrooms look like and how to incorporate a variety of teaching strategies in the classroom. Most importantly, they want you to share your ideas as well. As we all know, some of the most creative ideas we have were stolen or borrowed from another amazing strings teacher. Maybe you learned a unique way of teaching bow holds that works 99% of the time, or perhaps you have an innovative way for kids to learn instrument position, rhythm, and note reading. Since we will have many talented professionals in one room, it is only fitting to have us all share our best teaching strategies.
The next session, entitled “Managing the Beast: Rehearsal Strategy & Structure” is presented by Pat Brumbaugh, retired orchestra and band director from Traverse City, Michigan. She has experience in planning and implementing one of the best symphony orchestras in the state. She was also the Director of Orchestral Activities at The University of Memphis. Pat will focus on bridging the gap between explaining musical concepts to string players, and
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explaining them to wind players to produce the best musical results. In addition, she will discuss how to design and incorporate a symphony program during a typical school day. Does it work before school, as in zero hour? Does after school or during lunch work? She will discuss this and possible ways to get music teachers on board to have the best wind students in the ensemble. There will also be a graded repertoire list of tried-and-true symphony orchestra music.
The third session, “ALL IN: The Music Man Was Right,” is very personal for me because this clinician has had a significant impact in my life. He challenged us to our limits, made us want to work tirelessly for maximum musical results, as well as inspired me to pursue music as a career. Anyone who has ever been in contact with Larry Livingston can’t help but be touched by greatness. His mere presence is infectious. When I was an All-State camper at Interlochen, Michigan in the 1980s, we performed Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony under his tutelage. To this day, this symphony is one of my favorite pieces, and a big reason is because he was our conductor. Professor Livingston, who will also be conducting the All-Collegiate Orchestra at MMEA this year, has graciously accepted an invitation to talk to us purely about music and music advocacy. He will give us insight into why we need to keep each and every child studying music. And, isn’t that why we are all here? Not just to become better music educators, but also to be energized and to become better people so we can serve our students? I hope you join us, and get ready to be inspired!
Lastly, one of my favorite things to do with my friends and colleagues is to go out for nice cup of “joe” and discuss all the new music out there for string orchestra. Well, what better way to do this than joining us at our annual “Mo-ASTA String Orchestra Reading Session” hosted by Ann Geiler, Mo-ASTA
MISSOURI SCHOOL MUSIC | Volume 71, Number 2
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