CASMEC Reflection
by Emma Joleen Schopler CMEA General Music, TK-12 Representative
There were so many highlights at CASMEC 2022. The best part was being back in person with friends, and meeting three internationally renowned music educators: Graham Hepburn, Keith Terry, and Kalani Das. The great news for California is that the QuaverEd K-5 Music Curriculum is aligned to the California Music Standards, and it includes FREE student accounts. I was lucky enough to catch Graham Hepburn on the red carpet for a photo.
Reuniting with Keith Terry after fifteen years was awe-inspiring. I had originally participated in his Body Music training in Australia. I was ecstatic to see him again. My favorite educational tool of his is the “Rhythm of Math: Teaching Mathematics with Body Music” Book and Video. This unique book is aligned with the common core Mathematics standards and provides a kinesthetic approach to classroom-tested lessons for teaching Math to grades 3 - 5 using an easy-to-learn rhythm technique. Professional development with Keith is available at https://crosspulse.com/. The Northern California Orff-Schulwerk Association will be hosting Keith Terry in Carmel Valley, 4/22 - 4/24/22.
Next on the agenda was Ukulele Club and World Rhythms with Kalani Das. In the words of Kalani, “rhythm is what defines genre and style - from Rock n’ Roll to Swing, Waltz to Hip-Hop. Rhythm is the bones of music.” Kalani presented multiple layers of patterns for attendees to imitate and perform. From complex to complementary patterns, Kalani’s steady beat kept the participants in sync and grooving. Visit Kalani’s online World Drum Club, and Ukulele Club. https://kalanimusic.com.
Finally, it was a friendship made at CASMEC 2017 that made everything worthwhile. Catching up with my good friend, Grace Wamhoff provided me with new learnings. She is a teacher at the Fresno Unified School District with specialist training in “Education Through Music” (ETM). That is a teacher who “explores the critical contribution of the aesthetic in the nurture and education of the post-modern child in the age of the digital brain. Through song and play, ETM fosters an understanding of human development and learning in light of contemporary research in neuroscience.” https://new.richardsinstitute.org/about-us/
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