INform Volume 75, Issue 2

Volume 75, Issue 2

A Quarterly Publication from the Indiana Music Education Association

Indianapolis Children’s Choir

1

Free online resources for distance teaching.

Get started now at

QuaverMusic.com/Distance

@QuaverMusic

2

©MMXX QuaverEd.com LLC All Rights Reserved.

S P R I N G 2021

VO L U M E

75

I S S U E

2

EDITORS WENDY HIGDON CHRISTA JONES IMEA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE JULIE GRAY President JULIA HEATH REYNOLDS President-Elect CHRIS TAYLOR Immediate Past President A R E A R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S AREA 1 JOHANN SLETTO AREA 2 SARA PULSE AREA 3 MICHAEL BENNETT AREA 4 MICHELLE BADE AREA 5 KEITH ZIOLKOWSKI AREA 6 JONATHON EDWARDS AREA 7 ANDREA DRURY AREA 8 NICK SCROGGINS I M E A C O L L E G I AT E R E P S JESSICA BAKER ELLIE VANDERVEEN R E C O R D I N G S E C R E TA RY BEN BATMAN S TA F F LANE VELAYO Executive Director MATTHEW D. ALTIZER Operations Manager IMEA Executive Offices PO Box 30558 Indianapolis, IN 46230 Phone (317) 342-4100 Fax (317) 342-4109 office@imeamusic.org

Twitter: @INMusicEd Facebook: facebook.com/INMusicEd

10

T A B L E

O F

C O N T E N T S

Notes from the Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Prelude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 60-Second Interview with Andrew Himelick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

BloomingSongs Applications in the Early Childhood, Kodaly, and Orff Music Classrooms . . 10 Inspiring Excellence in an Urban Music Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Movement Considerations for the Conductor and Choral Ensemble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Dalacroze and the Instrumental Music Educator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Educator to Educator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Finale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Article Submissions INform Magazine invites submission of articles by teachers on all aspects of music education. If you are interested in submitting an article, please contact a member of the editorial committee: Wendy Higdon (whigdon@ccs.k12.in.us) or Christa Jones (christajeanjones@gmail.com).

3

NOTES FROM THE EDITORS

Wendy Higdon

Christa Jones

he INform Editorial Committee would like to thank all those who made the 2021 IMEA Virtual Professional Development Conference a great success!

From the IMEA staff and volunteers, to the dozens of presenters and performers, thank you for your continued commitment to bringing learning opportunities to music educators throughout this unique and challenging school year. The new virtual conference format provided many benefits, including IMEA members’ ability to access the session materials online through September 2021! Be sure to check out the Educator-to-Educator segment of this edition, where three music educators share their favorite aspects of the virtual conference and provide recommendations for “must-see” sessions.

Our feature articles include inspiring contributions from music educators around the state of Indiana and beyond. Kyle Miller provides insight and expertise from his experiences teaching middle school orchestra in “Inspiring Excellence in an Urban Music Program.” In her article “Movement Considerations for the Conductor and the Choral Ensemble,” Lauren Southard describes strategies for incorporating action into choral rehearsals and performances. Nancy Summitt takes the conversation of integrating movement into the band and orchestra classrooms in the article “Dalcroze and the Instrumental Music Educator.” Finally, Maggie Olivo, Mary Stees, and Ian Cicco of BloomingSongs share their experiences and classroom applications from their Bloomington-based organization in their article titled “BloomingSongs Applications in the Early Childhood, Kodály, and Orff Music Classrooms.”

The INform Editorial Committee always welcomes feedback on each edition, and we welcome all interested authors to contact us with ideas and articles. We are happy to walk future authors through the submission guidelines and help process any article ideas. We wish you all the best through the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year!

4

Wendy &Christa Wendy Higdon Editor

Christa Jones Editor

S P R I N G 2021

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Fellow Music Educators, What a year! March 13, 2020 was the day my world changed drastically, just as it did for many, if not all, of you. It has now been an entire year since the pandemic hit, and music educators all across Indiana continue to adapt and improve our teaching practices. We have been asked to adjust our curriculum, change our standard procedures, wear masks, use bell covers, move our classes outdoors, and in some cases, refrain from singing or playing instruments at all. We have been required to teach our in-person students with new safety procedures, teach our virtual students while learning new technology skills right along with our students, and often asked to teach in-person and virtual students at the same time. Again I say, “What a year!”

As you might imagine, this pandemic has also forced the Indiana Music Education Association to adapt and change.

We have postponed or canceled student events, created a new IMEA Summer Virtual Conference to attempt to meet the upcoming needs of music educators, moved our in-person board meetings to zoom meetings, and most recently changed our annual Professional Development Conference to a virtual platform. However, in large part due to the hard work of Lane Velayo and the IMEA office staff, we have persevered! Our board members also deserve our appreciation and thanks for all of their hard work this school year. I would also like to thank each of you for your continued support of IMEA! Without you, IMEA would not exist. I greatly appreciate your dedication to IMEA, music education, and, most importantly, to your students!

As we embark on the final quarter of this challenging school year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on our recent IMEA Professional Development Conference. While we were not able to meet in person or connect in the way we traditionally have, there were still many positive aspects of our virtual conference: • Our THREE keynote speakers were absolutely amazing!

• We offered over one-hundred sessions that covered a wide range of topics and allowed us the amazing opportunity to

grow as music educators from the comfort of our homes and at convenient times that did not require us to miss school.

• If you weren’t able to attend all of the sessions you wanted during the conference, all IMEA members that registered for the conference still have access to those sessions through this summer!

• Also, if you are not an IMEA member or did not register for the conference, you can STILL purchase access to the conference sessions through the IMEA website - www.imeamusic.org.

IMEA has several student programs yet to come this semester.

At this point, we are still planning to host the Music Theory Bowl, an in-person Circle the State with Song festival in Area 4, a virtual Circle the State with Song option for the entire state, and honor ensembles in May and June. I look forward to seeing and hearing these students this spring!

Finally, please remember that you are important. You make a difference in the lives of your students every day, and you ARE essential!

With gratefulness and deep appreciation,

Julie

Julie Gray President, Indiana Music Education Association 5

prelude:

IMEA Children’s Folk Dance Festival is Cancelled…..however,

Mark your calendars with these IMEA spring and summer dates!

IMEA will continue to publish further details and information at IMEAmusic.org •

Honor and All-State Performances at The Palladium in Carmel, Indiana • All State Jazz Band – May 22, 2021 • Junior All State Jazz Band – May 22, 2021 • Elementary Honor Choir – May 22, 2021 • Middle School Honor Choir – May 22, 2021 • Honor Band – May 22, 2021 • Junior All State Orchestra – June 4, 2021 • All State Orchestra – June 4, 2021 • All State Honor Choir – June 4, 2021 • Music Theory Bowl • May 12, 2021 at The Basile Opera Center, Indianapolis, Indiana • Composition Competition • Application open now at: https://www.imeamusic. org/composition-competition • Deadline to submit is June 2, 2021 • Highlighted at the Professional Development

Conference Jan 13-15, 2022 in Ft. Wayne

6

In lieu of the event’s cancellation for 2021, IMEA is pleasd to offer a selection of festival dances free to all interested teachers; allowing you an opportunity to hold your very own mini Folk Dance Festival in your classrooms. You and your students have access to 17 total dances. 7 of the dances can be performed socially distant and several of the others can be easily adapted with a little creativity. IMEA has included socially distant dances to allow students and teachers to follow COVID protocols based on your local government’s regulations. Learn more and download all materials at: https://www.imeamusic. org/children-s-folk-dance-festival

You Spoke and We Heard!

Through such a trying school year, IMEA has continued to offer opportunities for music educators and students alike.

Many of these offerings became virtual opportunities that were enjoyed by many educators and students.

In line with this, IMEA is working to revamp its professional development opportunities for the 2021-22 school year to include both in-person and virtual options for educators around the state of Indiana. Stay tuned for more information to follow. Still looking for professional development this year? You may still purchase access to the IMEA 2021 PD Conference online at imeamusic.org.

What’s Up With My New Membership?

You may have noticed an invoice coming directly from IMEA to renew or rejoin your membership. Have no fear, this is real! Working in partnership with NAfME, all NAfME and IMEA membership will be run through your member portal at imeamusic.org. You have the option to pay with credit card or through check and still receive all of your membership perks and benefits from both IMEA and NAfME. Reach out to the IMEA Office if you have difficulty navigating the new system, need assistance with your outstanding invoice, or would like to join.

S P R I N G 2021

EVEN TEACHERS NEED TEACHERS The Yamaha Educator Suite (YES) gives you access to a wealth of professional development opportunities and resources. YES brings you into a network of like-minded colleagues, experts and professionals who want to share their real-world experiences. You’ll also receive valuable tips on advocacy assistance, program health support and much more. Let us help you raise the bar. Go to Yamaha.io/educatorsINF2

7 ED15736_Yamaha_Educator_Suite_INF2.indd 1

11/17/20 10:22 AM

B Y B E N DAV I S

60-SECOND SPOTLIGHT WITH

ANDREW HIMELICK What is your musical background?

I grew up in a musical family. My grandmother was a church organist, and when we visited my grandparents during the summers, my sister and I would sing and my grandmother would play. My grandfather was on the trustee board for a nursing home, and when we would visit the nursing home, my sister, grandmother, and I would go to the chapel and play music together for the residents. My musicianship grew in high school choir, and it was a great foundation for my musical training. When I went to Butler University, I was initially undecided about what I wanted to major in. I was taking music courses just as electives, and I eventually settled on music education.

After I started teaching and taking certification courses, my musicianship continued to grow.

What inspired you to choose elementary music education?

When I settled on music education, I thought I wanted to be a high school choir director. It was not until I started taking my elementary music methods course under Dr. Penny Dimmick that I “saw the light.” I was inspired by what she was teaching and how we were learning about the methods, which was different than what I had experienced in elementary school. I realized the methodology and philosophy of why we do this in elementary music really intrigued me, along with the fact that I would have the opportunity to work with the whole school.

Can you tell me about the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and how you are involved with that organization?

The ICC started in 1986 under Henry Leck, which was a

8

challenge that came from his wife, Meredith. When I was at Butler from 1989-93, I was not really involved in ICC mainly because I was so busy with my schooling.

After I was almost finished completing my Kodaly training, I saw Henry in passing and he said that when I finish my training, I should reach out to them and they might be able to have me on board. It worked out that I completed my training in 1999, and there was somebody on staff who was going to step away. I was honored to be part of such a wonderful organization and to continue to do something that I enjoyed, which was singing, and to work more with children in that way. I am considered an assistant director and I have taught the preparatory group, which ranges from first through third graders.

The goal of this group is to help them find their singing voice, how to have good breathing technique, posture, vowels, diction, along with general music activities. I have also worked with the beginning choir (4th and 5th graders), as well as students as young as 2 years old.

What do you, personally, define as success as a music teacher?

For me personally, what gets me out of bed every day and wanting to go in the classroom is seeing the growth in my students as they become more musician-like every day. I will sometimes receive an email from a former student ten or fifteen years later, where they are doing something musical. Today, I got a valentine from a brother and sister at our school, and I had their mother as a student twenty years ago. The mother wrote on the card, “Thank you, Mr. Himelick, for music I made also with you.”

Knowing you made an impact on another human being in a positive way and knowing that when I get student-teachers S P R I N G 2021

and they see what I am doing in the classroom and they can see the growth that they can potentially have with their own s tudents, that’s where I feel I have hit my pinnacle—when I know students are getting good, solid, healthy music education that’s hopefully going to make them a better human.

What advice would you have for future music teachers, especially those who are looking to do elementary music?

I have two suggestions, both from my own experiences: One, you are going to have to give yourself grace. Give yourself time to fail and learn from your mistakes. My second point is to observe. Go to conferences, get summer training, go observe teachers, talk to others. I think back to the people who have been poured into my life, like Penny Dimmick and Henry Leck, and if I can give back even a portion of what they have given me, then I have also been successful. Try to find those people who you know have good results and be with them. I would also add that there are multiple ways to get to the end-product. In elementary music, you could go the Kodaly route, the Orff route, Dalcroze, or a combination of things. It is important that, if you are going to teach elementary music, that you find the avenue that you get excited about using every day in the classroom, so

the students can see that in you as you are teaching. l BEN DAVIS is a junior Instrumental-General Music Education student at Ball State University. Ben is a native of Elkhart, IN and graduated from Concord High School. He studies classical piano, jazz piano, and viola, and is involved in the Ball State Symphony Orchestra and Ball State Jazz Lab Ensemble 1. He currently serves as a section coach and chamber group coach for Youth Symphony Orchestras of East Central Indiana.

ANDREW M. HIMELICK earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Butler University and is certified in both Kodály and Orff. He is an Endorsed Teacher Trainer with the Feierabend Association for Music Education. Andrew has been a music teacher in Carmel, IN for 28 years and an assistant director with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir for 22 years.

In 2006, he was awarded the Armstrong Teacher Educator Award through the IU School of Education, and in 2021 he was awarded Outstanding Elementary Music Teacher from IMEA.

SUMMER STUDY 2021 CONVERSATIONAL

SOLFEGE

June 14-18 | 2 Cr. (8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.)

John Feierabend

FOLK SONGS & DANCES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

GRANT WRITING FOR THE MUSIC EDUCATOR

June 14-17 | 1 Cr. (Evenings)

June 21-25 | 2 Cr. (ONLINE)

Lillie Feierabend

Ashleigh Lore

UKULELE IN THE MUSIC CLASSROOM

ORFF SCHULWERK LEVELS I, II, II

June 28 - July 2 | 1 Cr. (ONLINE)

July 5-16 | 3 Cr.

Lorelei Batislaong

Josh Southard, Lisa Sullivan, Roger Sams, Jenny Handshoe, and Aaron Ford

TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JOANI BRANDON AT 765-641-4547 | jlbrandon@anderson.edu | anderson.edu/music ANDERSON, INDIANA

ALSO OFFERING Master of Music Education Core Courses: Music Theory, World Music, and Bibliography & Research

9

BY MAGGIE OLIVO, MARY STEES AND IAN CICCO

BloomingSongs Applications in the Early Childhood, Kodály, and Orff Music Classrooms Introduction B Y M AG G I E O L I VO In 2016, I found myself walking with a friend. “I have this crazy idea,” I said to her, “What if we produced musical works for kids by local musicians and shared it with Indiana music teachers?” Together we brainstormed possible musicians: Ghanaian gyil master Bernard Woma, Jazz extraordinaire Monika Herzig, Salaam band member Dena El Saffar, IU African American Choral Ensemble’s Dr. Raymond Wise, and composers like Lauren Bernofsky. Everyone that I asked to contribute to this new BloomingSongs said, “yes.” These musicians created and performed music that BloomingSongs would produce with grant funds.

Now in 2021, we have finished our third collection, “Building Blocks.” We now have over 40 songs, performed by 100 musicians, representing ten languages, all with Hoosier ties.

We have hosted dozens of teacher workshops, reaching thousands of kids.

In this article, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music’s “Musical Beginnings” teachers Mary Stees, Ian Cicco, and Maggie Olivo will share some of their favorite BloomingSongs and activities—many featured at the IMEA 2021 Conference.

While universal in nature, the activities will tap into early childhood music, Orff/Keetman, and Kodály classrooms. To learn more about BloomingSongs and the artists, songs, and lesson resources, please visit BloomingSongs.org or contact us at bloomingsongs2@gmail.com.

Early Childhood Music Applications B Y M A RY S T E E S Play, movement, and creativity are essential aspects of early childhood education. By surrounding students with high-qual-

10

ity, diverse repertoire and providing them with various engaging activities, educators can construct an atmosphere that enhances a child’s natural desire for active learning (Bartel et al., 2016 & Hildebrandt, 1998). The following examples will discuss how to implement creative movement and imaginative thinking in the midst of musical play through the lens of two compositions from the BloomingSongs project: Building Blocks and Ya Sadiqi.

— Continued on page 11 S P R I N G 2021

San Toki, traditional Korean Song

Building Blocks by Lyn Rye presents a plethora of opportunities for creative movement in the early childhood setting.

Students may walk around the room, waving scarves to show steady beat, phrasing, style, dynamics, or tempo. Older early childhood students can engage in critical thinking discussions about the lyrics of Building Blocks. The singer asks, “What’s the largest/smallest/farthest/closest thing you can think of?”

Students can discuss their answers beforehand and act them out as they hear the lyrics. In the era of COVID, this song also works well for online classes. The teacher may ask students to find items that fit specific descriptors around their house and bring them to the screen to share with others.

Ya Sadiqi by Dena El Saffar is a fun and accessible resource to introduce students to a new language, culture, instruments, and tonal foundations. This song was written to help children learn common Arabic phrases to welcome others.

Along with the social-emotional connections to be made, this song mixes dance and understanding through play. Students begin by waving to classmates and outstretching both arms to welcome them, “Ahlan wa sahlah marhaba.” They then show “good morning” by making a sun with both arms raised in the air—“Sabah el kheir Sabah en noor.” They show “good evening” by arching one arm to make a moon—“Masaa’ el kheir Masaa’ en noor,” and “good night” by placing both hands together under a cheek to represent sleeping—“Tisbah el kheir, Tisbah en noor.” The final motion is a dance circle for “my friend”—“Ya sadiqi, Ya rafiqi, Ya azizi, Ya habibi.” When they hear “Yallah,” students clap in a circle, and a volunteer dances in the middle. These movements repeat several times throughout the song, making the structure of Ya Sadiqi an excellent precursor to form. Please visit https://vimeo. com/298871095 to view a video created by Haran Kim, illustrates the movements, lyrics, and oud performance.

BloomingSongs and the Kodály Concept B Y M AG G I E O L I VO

Lorna Zemke notes, “Kodály proposed that musical culture should stem from the national culture peculiar to each person of every land” (Zemke, L. 11). Here are three folk songs, suggested activities, and musical concepts from various cultures.

The song “Go Tell Aunt Rhody,” according to folklorist Henry Glassie, is a true children’s folk song (Cicco, 29). Despite its prominence in instrumental method books, beginning instrumentalists typically only learn its notes. Singing the song first supports Kodály’s assertion that singing should precede or accompany instrumental performance (Zemke, L. 13).

“I decided to play this song true to the 1950’s Burl Ives version,” Kate Long says. “I like how he alternated between major and minor chords...highlighting how strange and somewhat dark the lyrics are.” I use the first verse to teach fa to 3rd graders. In 4th grade, students learn the entire song. I ask questions relating to SEL skills, “What is the singer asking us to tell Aunt Rhody?” “Why are the goslings crying?” This segues perfectly into presenting minor.

Msichana is one of two folk songs featured in Shitandi’s BloomingSongs octavo score, “Kongolo.” Its Kiswahili text is an adaptation of the original Luhya text. This round in ¾ time is excellent for practicing ti and dotted 8th/16th. “The song starts with a tune that invites the children into the arena,” says Shitandi. “The children move [there] by skipping and hobbling to the rhythm of the music while holding an akimbo (hands on hips). The children do these movements while balancing a basket on their heads.” They sing, “Msichana atembea na kikapu cha maji—A girl is walking with a basket of water.” Students can use beanbags to emulate baskets, “Acheza ndi ndi dadangu—She is playing ndi ndi my sister, Akusalimu jambo, asema jambo —She is greeting you hello.

She says she is fine” (Shitandi, 2018).

— Continued on page 12

11

“San Toki” is a traditional Korean song about a mountain bunny. Grace Na shared this song years ago, teaching me its meaning through simple actions. When recording for BloomingSongs, Grace invited Sunny Jung to play the traditional Korean instrument, gayageum.

Teachers can use the song “San Toki” to support steady beat with PreK-1st graders and present high do’ to 2nd graders.

While singing, “San-toki, toki-ya—Mountain bunny” teachers can give themselves bunny ears. For the second and fourth verses, everyone shrugs shoulders to ask, “Eodireul ganeunya?—Where are you going?” For the third verse, they jump, “Kkangchung, kkangchung dimyeonseo—bouncing, bouncing, as you’re running.”

BloomingSongs and the Orff Approach

BY IAN CICCO

The Orff Schulwerk approach includes exploration, imitation, improvisation, and creation (Shamrock, 1995), and BloomingSongs provides Orff practitioners with opportunities for students to explore these musical processes. In summation, the Orff approach is elemental and includes the unification of

12

movement, dance, and speech (Orff, 1963). While Orff practitioners are equipped with the tools to listen to BloomingSongs and design their own activities, there are two selections that I will discuss in this article. “I Sing, U Swing,” composed by Eric Lindsay, pairs well with the finger tale titled “Mr. Blue and Mr. Black.” (Please visit https://youtu.be/77gbkeSWq7Y to see a video of this resource.) The tale involves vocal exploration, the fast/slow comparative, and improvisation as each character leaves their “homes” to visit one another. “I Sing, U Swing” is the background music to your call and response with students, using nonsense syllables while characters “sing” to one another. Younger students can echo the patterns you create, whereas 1st and 2nd-grade students might improvise a vocal pattern to respond to your call. For older students, “Mr. Blue and Mr. Black” can play instruments, improvising a response to your call on unpitched instruments.

Shamrock (1995) discussed that as students advance through their musical learning in Orff Schulwerk, they begin to take on more agency during the improvisation and creation stages.

“Blood Moon,” composed by Liam Ramsey-White, presents opportunities for students to musically engage with heightened creativity. “Blood Moon” can develop student movement, S P R I N G 2021

Hildebrandt, C. (1998). Creativity in music and early childhood.

Teaching Young Children, 53(6), 68-74.

Orff, C. (1963). The Schulwerk: Its origin and aims. Music Educators Journal, 49(5), 69–74. https://doi.org/10.2307/3389951 Shamrock, M. (1995). Orff Schulwerk: Brief history, description, and issues in international dispersal. Cleveland, OH: American Orff-Schulwerk Association.

Shitandi, W. (2018).

BloomingSongs: Kongolo. Retrieved from https://sites.google. com/view/bloomingsongs/bloomingsongs/kongolo Zemke, Sr. L. (1974). The Kodaly Concept: Its History, Philosophy and Development. Manitowoc, WI: Division of Shawnee Press, Inc.

BIOGRAPHIES:

creativity, and identification of musical elements (e.g., form, dynamics, texture, etc.). Begin by presenting images of a blood moon to students while they listen, asking them which image matches different parts of the piece. Present images of animals that roam during a blood moon and ask them to identify where those animals are within the music. Have students explain their rationale for their selection(s) to glean insight regarding how they relate dynamics, texture, timbre, etc. to visual components. After this, divide students into groups for each image of the piece. In groups, students can develop movements, soundscapes, body percussion, and visual elements that represent their specific section. Use scarves, flashlights, and discuss what it means when an eclipse happens to inspire movement. l

REFERENCES: Bartel, L., Cameron, L. & John, B.A. (2016). Creative musical play: An innovative approach to early childhood music education in an urban community school of music.

Action, Criticism & Theory for Music Education, 15(3), 21-36.

Retrieved from act.maydaygroup.org/articles/JohnCameronBartel15_3.pdf Cicco, I. (in press). A historical perspective from folklorist Henry Glassie: Roots of folk songs in music education. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education.

Maggie Olivo holds a Bachelors in Music Composition and a MAT in music education, both from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She directs the IU JSOM’s Musical Beginnings program and BloomingSongs project. Olivo is the music teacher and arts coordinator of the Fairview Elementary Performing Arts School and was awarded the Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Educator of the Year. She has training in the methodologies of John Feierabend, Musikgärten, and Orff-Keetman Schulwerk, and Kodály Methodology. ​​ Mary Stees (Pearson) completed her Bachelors in Music Education at James Madison University in 2016. She teaches K-2 general music at Rogers Elementary School and early childhood music at IU JSOM’s Musical Beginnings program. Mary is also pursuing a Masters in Special Education at Indiana University. Her early childhood music training spans methodologies of Kodaly, Orff-Schulwerk, and Dalcroze.

Ian Cicco is a Ph.D. student in music education at IU, supervising student teachers. He teaches BloomingSongs classes at IU Musical Beginnings and is an assistant teacher for the IU Children’s Choir. Ian is certified in Orff Schulwerk, Kodály Level I, and World Music Drumming Level I. His research has been accepted for publication in The Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, Visions of Research in Music Education, and The Orff Echo.

13

BY KYLE MILLER

Inspiring Excellence in an Urban Music Program I began my teaching career at Pierre Moran Middle School and Elkhart Central High School (now Elkhart East) almost eight years ago. I teach 6th through 8th-grade orchestra at Pierre Moran, considered to be the most “urban” of the district’s three junior high schools. In my interview in 2013, I distinctly remember being asked if I knew anything about the school, and I had to honestly admit that I did not. My interviewer quickly informed me of Pierre Moran’s diversity and its long legacy of a strong music program and State-Qualifying orchestra.

I highly encourage any new teacher to closely look into the demographics of the schools to which you are applying to begin researching the best ways to reach those students. The table provided gives a better picture of the students we serve (data from the PMMS 2019 Comprehensive Needs Assessment).

The teachers before me dedicated themselves to connecting with students in this community, met students where they were, built upon students’ life experiences, and brought the joy of music to the classroom every day. My eight incredible years here have taught me so much about the beauty of teaching in an urban setting, and I have realized that I still have much to learn. My hope is that you can transfer some of the tools and strategies that I have learned so far to your own classroom to best serve the needs of all learners.

The best place to start when setting up your classroom structure is to view your classroom as a mini-version of the school and as one piece of the larger puzzle. As you do this,

14

reflect on, incorporate and commit to your school’s mission. The mission that our Guiding Coalition (a team of teacher leaders and department chairs) has created is: “Pierre Moran Middle School fosters a supportive environment that engages in high levels of learning and equips and empowers all students to persevere in order to achieve personal and academic success.” Every day, I try to create and facilitate a supportive learning environment where ALL students can succeed. It is not easy to reach each and every student, but anything less would be malpractice.

We do not always know our students’ backgrounds, but proactive steps to ensure success yield greater results than reactionary measures.

Believe in your students. Believe they can achieve. Believe in your school’s mission. John Hattie, a researcher who has studied influences on student learning, has created a list of 256 influencers of student achievement (Waack, 2014). In 2015, the top three influencers of student learning were listed as “teacher estimates of student achievement,” “collective teacher efficacy,” and “self-reported grades” (Waack, 2015).

This information speaks volumes about how much we actually impact student achievement and how a group of teachers can have a positive impact by simply believing in their students.

Set high expectations for your students. According to Herbert Grossman (2003), “Teachers who are committed to poor and working-class students maintain high expectations and standards for them. Too many others tend to have low expectations for poor and working-class students, even those who — Continued on page 15 S P R I N G 2021

objective evidence indicates are capable of above-average work, and use boring drill and repetitive instructional practices with them rather than developing their higher order critical thinking skills”. To ensure high levels of learning, we must commit to setting high behavioral and academic expectations for our students while being consistent in holding students accountable. I begin every year with my expectations posted around the room and listed in an orchestra handbook that students and parents must sign the first few days of school. The expectations are clear, concise, consistent, and they align with school-wide expectations.

As far as behavioral expectations are concerned, we must teach our students how to behave at key times during the class period to ensure safety and flow. How students enter the classroom sets the tone for the rest of class. If students enter the room by running and yelling, it will be challenging to ensure a safe environment where instructional time is maximized. Suppose students do try to enter the classroom inappropriately. In that case, I call them out of the room, gently remind them of the expectation in a quiet and calm voice, and then let them try again, thanking them for entering respectfully and ready to learn.

Besides our precious students, we also have valuable equipment in our rooms. From bell to bell, we have to coach students on handling and maintaining equipment respectfully and taking care of it so others can use it. Healther Forbes (2012) authored a fantastic book about best practices for students who have had trauma entitled Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Challenging Children in the Classroom. Forbes describes these key times in our classes as “transitioning” and goes on to state, “Adults hold the responsibility for protecting and teaching children how to navigate the art of transitioning successfully.” Transitioning can cause anxiety for many students, not just students who have experienced trauma. It is also a critical best-practice to teach students what to do after they enter the classroom so that learning can be maximized.

As soon as the bell rings, I give students five minutes to gather the materials they need, check the objective and agenda on the board, tune, practice, and warm up their hands. After the first five minutes, I maintain a fairly consistent lesson structure consisting of clearly stating the objectives, warm-ups, announcements, the main content of the lesson or repertoire, and several formative assessments throughout the class — Continued on page 16

15

period. At the end of class, students return their instruments to their cubby-holes and then return to their seats until the bell rings so that they are not gathering by the door, potentially causing an unsafe situation and impeding traffic flow. The consistency of this routine structure creates a predictable and safe environment for students. It also makes more time for what they are there for—to play or sing!

In her book, Forbes (2012) states, “The gift a teacher brings to her [his,their] students goes far beyond her ability to teach or instruct; it is her ability to build a nurturing, trusting and compassionate relationship with her students. Therein lies the key to her effectiveness.” Forbes details “traditional view” and “new view” when describing thought processes, attitudes, and practices in teaching. Traditionally, the teacher is viewed as the “authority, the manager, the boss, and the ‘chief’ of the classroom.” When our students are “given understanding, validation, tolerance, and acceptance, an opening is made for [them] to move into feeling emotionally safe and secure, which then leads to academic achievement” (Forbes, 2012).

I have also found that we must build meaningful relationships with all students in order to meet their needs and ultimately help them succeed. Some straightforward steps to building relationships include greeting every student at the door by name with a smile, making time during rehearsal to get to know students, asking students about family traditions, chatting with them before and after class, and attending after-school activities in which they are involved. A great, intrinsically fun teaching strategy that also helps you get to know your students while assessing them is to have groups of students play or sing a passage while defining the groups before they play. For example, “anyone who has a cat, play, measures 55-60; anyone who loves anime, play measures 21-25,” etc.

Value them, and let them know they are valued. “The reality, especially in the times we are living, is that the more students are controlled and not given a voice, the more we will have students misbehaving, rebelling, and dropping out” (Forbes, 2012).

16

As music educators, we have the unique ability to teach, build relationships, and make music with our students for many years. We shape their early musical experiences, and it is our duty to ensure they are learning at high levels and that they are equipped for their future. l

REFERENCES: Forbes, H. T. (2012). Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Challenging Children in the Classroom (1st ed.). Beyond Consequences Institute, LLC. Grossman, H. (2003). Classroom Behavior Management for Diverse and Inclusive Schools (Third ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Waack, S. (2014, October 9). John Hattie. VISIBLE LEARNING. https://visible-learning.org/john-hattie/ Waack, S. (2015, October 27). Hattie effect size list - 256 Influences Related To Achievement. VISIBLE LEARNING. https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement/ Kyle Miller is the Orchestra Director at Pierre Moran Middle School and the Assistant Orchestra Director at Elkhart High School in Elkhart, IN. Kyle has been a clinician at the IMEA State Conference, Conn-Selmer Institute, and the Linda Luebke Strings Festival. He was awarded the Indiana ASTA “New Teacher of the Year” (2015), “Michiana Outstanding Music Educator Award” from Quinlan and Fabish (2017), “Teacher of the Year” for Pierre Moran Middle School (2018), and Indiana ASTA “Middle School Teacher of the Year” (2019-2020).

S P R I N G 2021

Music Department IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE:

ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR: Dr. Diego Piedra

and

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC THERAPY: Dr. Sangeeta Swamy

MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAMS

Valparaiso University is currently accepting students for the Bachelor of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Equivilancy Certificate.

Music Majors: Music, Church Music, Music Composition, Music Education, Music Performance, and Music Therapy

Music Therapy Contact: sangeeta.swamy@valpo.edu Music Scholarships Contact: music@valpo.edu

Auditions will occur in February

Music scholarships available to students of any major.

17

BY LAUREN SOUTHARD

Movement Considerations for the Conductor and Choral Ensemble

— Continued on page 19

18

S P R I N G 2021

A traditional choral program, such as the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, may branch into all genres and cultures while taking its singers on a journey through their musical education. Repertoire is chosen to serve an educational purpose and serve as a stepping stone on the singers’ journey to becoming who they are in their communities and who they will become in the future. If the repertoire is truly to become a part of the singer, then the focus should be on embracing the entire artistic experience. Singers should fully be in the moment, experiencing the essence of the music. Singers should understand what is behind the music, why it was created, where it came from, and how the person, the culture, or the community intertwines with the piece.

Young children are born without inhibition in movement, and little by little, it gets suppressed. A classroom community that is strong and structured, yet supportive and open to emotion, can help break down barriers and inhibition in movement to bring back natural expression. Beauty and creativity can be encouraged as singers grow so that older singers maintain their natural movement and can embrace the natural expression of an intricate piece of music. Natural movement, more intentional motion, and a little bit of choreography when appropriate can all help create the most versatile, well-rounded singers and individuals in their life’s journey.

How often do all of those considerations include movement within the ensemble? The person, culture, or community related to the repertoire may call to mind an image—but the image is rarely stagnant. The image may be a painting or sculpture, but many times it is a living, breathing human being interacting in their world—dancing, playing, dreaming, and moving.

Every conductor must make this choice. Singers can be allowed to move naturally while performing. Moving naturally while singing assists with breath support, helps initiate authentic expression, and adds to the artistry of the performance. Natural movement can help shape the line of a phrase and help a conductor “beautifully tackle” a problem in the middle of a performance. The ensemble can also incorporate movements or dance that traditionally accompanies the song in a specific culture. Research and care are involved on the part of the director to appropriately represent the community from which the song originates. Care must also be taken to ensure the movements can be performed successfully without detracting from the music. Utilizing the traditional movement or dance that accompanies a song helps to fully acknowledge the piece while allowing singers to experience the music in a more authentic way. At times it may also be appropriate to

Directors work hard to teach young children to stand still when they are first starting choir. This stillness doesn’t happen naturally and is a skill that is required much of the time.

However, if that is all that is allowed while singing, those children will be unable to move naturally and musically when the time comes. There will be a piece of music that cannot reasonably be performed standing still without doing the work an injustice. In any piece of music, singers can use their bodies and the natural flow of movement to enhance their sound and overall performance, even in the most subtle ways.

Do we move in performance?

— Continued on page 20

19

perform choreography to properly represent an iconic piece of music. For instance, watching a choir standing still while performing music by The Andrews Sisters, a group known for their iconic movement, would be difficult.

Do we move in rehearsal?

Does the ensemble only move when they are rehearsing a piece that needs movement? That is not a long-term solution towards growth. Since many young singers are taught to fend off the natural inclination to move, the process must be intentionally reversed through consistent use of movement in rehearsal. How does the conductor observe singers moving naturally while learning a piece? Singers will subconsciously move while learning a piece of music in a way that enables them to produce the sound requested by the conductor. The conductor can find the natural movements that produce quality sounds from some choir members and use them as a group exercise, deepening the connection with the music.

Does the choir director lead the singers in movement during warm-ups? Movement can be utilized as an integral and purposeful component of vocal warm-ups. Additional body warm-ups are also helpful for strength, mindset, and artistry. Singers of all ages can benefit from experiencing a new concept in their body before fully attempting and understanding the idea. For example, movement can help prepare a new time signature for younger singers, a new music genre for intermediate singers, or a new expression of deep emotion for advanced singers. Is movement being utilized as an “efficient problem-solver” and a “phrase enhancer”? Using movement to “beautifully tackle” a problem can quickly correct an issue without the need for words. This leads to efficiency of teaching. Using movement to work through a rehearsal enhances overall artistry and sound.

Start with yourself.

The conductor must be comfortable doing the movement themselves, just as they are expecting from the singers. They must move artistically in the way required by the music to convey what is needed to the singers. The singers can then convey what is needed back to the conductor. The conductor and singers must both be in that unpredictable moment together on stage. For that moment to be executed successfully, the conductor must be comfortable and ready to improvise, to feel what is needed, and to react.

A conductor must practice with movement regularly—not only conducting gestures but also the types of action central to the genres they are working on so that they are holding themselves as accountable as they hold their students. The singers can be prepared and capable in their singing and movement, but if nothing is happening on the podium to inspire that give and take, it will not produce the desired result. A conductor needs to look inward and not put pressure and blame on their

20

singers for lack of expression. The conductor must be front and center as an example and model.

The conductor must be the prime example for the singers, but other staff members or volunteers can assist with movement research and instruction. It is especially beneficial if those individuals have movement training and have appropriately researched the piece. They must also know the singers and what they are capable of, what they have already done, and where they could go next with their actions and performance.

This does not easily happen through a stranger who does not know what is going to boost the singers’ sound and what will detract from their sound because every group of singers is different. A trusted and involved colleague can help create the best possible outcome for a conductor and their singers.

Ultimately, a conductor must start with their own movement abilities before moving on to their singers. A conductor should not go through the process of researching and creating a movement plan for music that they cannot correctly perform themselves and teach to their ensemble. Cueing the movement during the performance is an added layer for the conductor to consider. If anything falls apart on stage the conductor must be able to pull it back together. The singers need support from the conductor in both their singing and their movement, or neither the singing nor the movement will be up to par. It is all one experience and one moment—coming out of the conductor’s body and gesture and flowing into the singers. It then comes right back out of the singers through their voice, expression, and body and returns to the conductor for another exchange of energy. The conductor is that one spark that is responsible for lighting up the stage with energy.

The singers are capable of anything as long as the conductor is planning, preparing their brain and body, and giving the singers everything they need to have the best chance at success. In the end, the conductor will have found a way to unleash a new potential in how their singers can sing, how they can reach out to their audience, and the things they can accomplish together both in the rehearsal room and on stage. l

Lauren Southard is the Director of Outreach and Choir Programs for the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Now in her 13th year with the organization in an artistic capacity, her teaching duties include early childhood, preparatory, and beginning level choirs, as well as developing the Foundations Choir, ICC’s new choral program for kindergarteners. She also directs the Anderson Area Children’s Choir Concert and Preparatory Choirs, and Jubilate, ICC’s choir for children with special needs.

S P R I N G 2021

SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE From the classroom to the recording studio to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, Anderson University alumni are living out their dreams. Visit our campus, come to a performance, and discover how you can grow in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Anderson University.

MAJORS: Dance Instrumental Performance Music Business Music Education Music

Musical Theatre Songwriting Theatre Voice Performance Worship Arts

AUDITIONS DATES: School of Music, Theatre, and Dance is accepting video auditions and holding virtual interviews.

Submit your video by the following deadlines for admission and scholarship consideration: • November 15 - Early Admission • January 15 - Regular Admission • Febuary 15 - Scholarship Consideration

APPLICATION PROCESS: Step 1: Submit an AU admission application anderson.edu/apply Step 2: Submit an audition application anderson.edu/my-audition Also accepting audition videos at anderson.getacceptd.com

QUESTIONS? Contact Michelle Holmes: 765.641.4543 or msholmes@anderson.edu 21

BY NANCY L. SUMMITT

Dalcroze and the Instrumental Music Educator

22

S P R I N G 2021

Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950) developed an approach to teaching music centered around students’ embodied experience of musical performance. He believed that the body is the first instrument that must be trained since humans experience emotions in the body and translate those emotions into music through the body. While Dalcroze’s methodology has gained traction in elementary general music classrooms, professional musicians have also found the Dalcroze approach to be useful in developing musicianship (Ridout & Habron, 2020). The Dalcroze approach may help ensemble members develop more positive, adaptive relationships and enhance musical communication (Wentink, 2017). Instrumental music educators may find value in learning more about the Dalcroze approach and using its principles to develop students’ ability to understand music beyond simply decoding notation. This methodology can provide a way for directors to incorporate kinesthetic learning into rehearsals and increase students’ engagement and sense of play with music.

Three Principles

Dalcroze in the Instrumental Music Class The following are examples of various eurhythmic, solfège, and improvisation exercises utilizing the Dalcroze approach that might be appropriate for an instrumental music class.

Most of these exercises can be implemented as students are seated in typical ensemble spaces. While a large, open space where students can move freely greatly expands the variety of movement exercises available to instrumental music educators, the principles of Dalcroze Education can be adapted to almost any environment (Dalcroze Society of America, 2020b).

Eurhythmic Exercises to Develop Emotional Expression · Movement vocabulary and articulation: The use of movement vocabulary can help students better conceptualize articulations; students could practice “dabbing” (or skipping, pressing, hopping, etc.) movements with a piece of music, then try to express the feeling of that movement on their instruments.

Three principles comprise the core of the Dalcroze approach: eurhythmics, solfège, and improvisation. The Dalcroze Society of America (DSA) states that “Eurhythmics is the use of movement to embody musical concepts, and rhythm is central to every lesson” (Dalcroze Society of America, 2020a). The use of the body can deepen students’ musical understanding and gives students another way to conceptualize musical notation (Ridout & Habron, 2020). Solfège, or sight-singing training, is an integral part of the Dalcroze approach and is used to help students develop an understanding of scales, harmony, and theory. The Dalcroze Society of America’s position is that: “Solfège trains the ear, eye, and voice in pitch, melody, and harmony. It enables the student to listen to music and transcribe it onto paper or to look at sheet music and hear it internally without the use of an instrument” (Dalcroze Society of America, 2020a). While Jaques-Dalcroze used the fixed-do system, students can benefit from other systems as well, including moveable do or letter names (Anderson, 2011; Caldwell, 1995).

· The body’s emotional expression: Ask students to pay attention to the ways that bodies can express emotion.

For example, students could experiment with the way they would pet and speak to a sick puppy, as opposed to the way they would interact with a healthy, playful puppy. Encourage students to think about how they use their bodies to play a piece of music with varying types of expression. As a case in point, string players could analyze the ways in which their bow arms move to perform an excerpt mournfully versus gleefully.

Instrumental ensemble directors may wish to consider the well-documented benefits of singing for instrumentalists (Bernhard, 2003; Wallace, 2014; Wolbers, 2002). Students should then be able to use what they have learned through eurhythmics and solfège by improvising, using the media of movement, their voices, or their instruments in extemporaneous, original, and musically expressive ways. Jaques-Dalcroze described the purpose of improvisation as allowing “the spontaneous expression of an individual’s musical ideas without an emphasis on reflection and mostly preconceived ideas” (Anderson, 2011, pp. 30). When students play with the elements of composed music (recurring rhythms, melodic motifs), they are better able to pay attention to the musical nuances of the piece.

· Subdivision and augmentation: Students’ internalization of the beat can be developed by showing the beat through movement in some way that will allow for easy changes in speed, such as clapping or patting. Then, at cues from the instructor, students do the movement twice as fast as the pulse and half as fast, reverting to the original tempo in between. Students could even move at three times the original pulse. This exercise can be varied by cueing students to switch between the different variations in tempo.

Eurhythmic Exercises to Develop a Sense of Rhythm and Meter · Movement on accents: In syncopated music, students could practice showing the beat and then showing the accents through movement. While such movement could involve locomotion, students could also pat their bodies or “step” while sitting.

· Two-against-three patterns: To work on difficult twoagainst-three rhythmic patterns, students could step to the pulse in three, then add in a clap on the first beat and a snap between the second and third beat. Once students are — Continued on page 24

23

comfortable with that pattern, the exercise can be varied in multiple ways. The students can show the beats in different ways, including vocalization. A cue from the instructor could prompt students to swap how they have been showing the two- and three-pulse patterns. The instructor could also play the three-pulse and then the two-pulse pattern on the piano while students show those patterns. Students can even use their instruments to perform the patterns if a pitch set, such as a pentatonic scale, is determined in advance. · Switching two-against-three patterns: The next step is for students to show the opposite pattern of what another musician is playing. The director could play a three-pulse pattern while the ensemble plays a two-pulse pattern to start. Then, the ensemble would perform a mixture of twoand three-pulse patterns. While the instructor maintains the steady pulse, students could choose whether to play the three- or the two-pulse pattern. Students would then work to hear which instruments are playing which pattern; the instructor could also cue individuals or groups of students to play their patterns while everyone else listens. · Movement vocabulary and meter: Instructors could explore the use of movement vocabulary to illustrate the feeling of different meters. For example, asking students to “push, glide, and lift” with appropriate movements can highlight the feel of ¾ meter.

Eurhythmic Exercises to Develop Responsiveness and Ensemble Awareness · Quick change exercises: In the Dalcroze approach, instructors use aural signals (piano, voice, etc.) to signal to students to quickly change actions. The goal is to develop the rapidity of students’ responses to aural stimuli. A simple example would be signaling students to switch from clapping on the beat to clapping a rhythm pattern. · Movement synchronization: If there is space, students can develop awareness of other ensemble members by walking through a room and synchronizing the pulse of their steps.

Once a unified tempo has been established, any student could stop, and then the whole group should stop; any student can start walking again, and the ensemble should begin walking at that tempo. · Non-verbal communication: While listening to a recording, students can practice non-verbal communication by taking turns clapping the pulse and shifting the pulse to other ensemble members through eye contact. · Awareness of musical parts: Showing the melody line through “drawing” it with the hands can deepen students’ awareness of other instruments’ roles in the piece. Students could also draw the bass line or an obbligato accompaniment. In pairs, students could use movement to portray two different instrumental parts at the same time.

24

Solfège Exercises ·

Intervalic awareness: To develop an understanding of intervals, students could sing the scale pattern between the interval. In singing the scale pattern, half of the students could sing only the “outside” notes (the two notes of the interval) while the rest of the students sing only the “inside” pitches.

· Altered melodies: Students could sing a melody, then sing that melody with altered pitches such as lowered thirds or raised seconds, etc. to internalize what the melody should sound like when performed correctly. Such an exercise might be particularly useful when working in unfamiliar keys. · Audiation exercises: Singing only the first beat of each measure, the first measure of each phrase, etc. while “singing” the rest of the music internally develops students’ ability to think musically. · Singing other parts: Awareness of other instruments’ parts might be further developed by asking the ensemble to sight-sing a particular part.

Improvisation Exercises · Conversation as improvisation: Students who are not accustomed to creating music may need structure and assistance to play and experiment with music (Abramson, 2001).

To introduce students to the idea of improvisation, music educators might use the idea of conversation; for example, instructing students to start and continue talking until the cue to stop (Caldwell, 1995). · Gibberish as improvisation: “Gibberish” could function as a useful transition between conversational and musical improvisation (Caldwell, 1995). When using gibberish, students have to pay attention to the sounds they are making to communicate that it is time for a partner to respond or that they are asking a question. The use of non-verbal communication through facial expression and posture plays an important role and can be transferred to non-verbal communication amongst ensemble members. · Movement as improvisation: Students can improvise movement while listening to recordings of performance pieces.

For students unaccustomed to these types of activities, movement vocabulary lists could be helpful. · Improvisation based on literature: Students could use speech, clapping, or singing to manipulate musical ideas from the rehearsal literature. For example, students could analyze a piece to locate rhythmic patterns that may be recurring or difficult (or both) and practice performing those patterns in different combinations. · Nature of improvisation: Students should be consistently — Continued on page 25 S P R I N G 2021

encouraged to improvise for themselves rather than to impress or please an audience, even if that audience includes the teacher. To that end, feedback on improvisations may need to center around the students’ experience instead of the teacher’s perception, and assist students to achieve their own goals. Students and teachers alike should refrain from comparing improvisatory “experiments” to finished, published musical works.

Resources and Tips Many resources exist for educators interested in learning more about Dalcroze Education. The Dalcroze Society of America (https://dalcrozeusa.org/) hosts workshops for teachers, as well as training sessions leading to different levels of Dalcroze Credentials. Scholarships are available for those wishing to pursue such training. While training is not required to incorporate Dalcroze principles into the music classroom, such training helps teachers become more flexible and accommodating to learner preferences (Abramson, 2001; Wentink, 2017). Engaging in movement exercises can result in feelings of self-consciousness, particularly for secondary students, and Dalcroze training provides educators with the tools to facilitate well-designed learning activities. The DSA website includes a blog and a magazine (Dalcroze Connections) free to all educators. DSA members also have access to the American Dalcroze Journal, sample lesson plans, and teaching videos.

When designing learning experiences, explain the goals of exercises to students and structure exercises to make the connection to the music clear. Be aware of any physical challenges that students may have when engaging in movement exercises. The instrumental music educator should strive to develop students’ musicality, even away from the instruments, and draw attention to how students use their bodies. Common movements such as clapping are more likely to be used in an unmusical fashion, so music teachers must carefully develop students’ awareness of the body as a musical instrument.

Particularly in demonstrating the beat, students should have a clear sense of preparation, attack, and prolongation, especially when clapping or walking. For example, when preparing to clap on the beat, students should breathe as their arms come away from the center of the body, keeping in tempo. The attack comes exactly on the instant of the beat; then, students should feel the prolongation of the beat as they pull their hands apart for its duration. Every aspect of the clapping movement should draw students’ attention to the nature of the pulse.

Our bodies are our first and most constant instruments, and the Dalcroze approach places the body at the center of our emotional and musical experiences. I believe that students’ capacity to perform and create music can be positively impacted through the incorporation of eurhythmics, solfège, and improvisation exercises into rehearsals and lessons. Ideally, the ideas in this article will inspire instrumental music educators to investigate the Dalcroze approach more fully. l

REFERENCES: Abramson, R. M. (2001). The approach of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze.

In L. Choksy, R. Abramson, A. Gillespie, D. Woods, & F. York (Eds.), Teaching music in the twentieth century (2nd ed.), (pp. 40-80). Prentice-Hall, Inc. Anderson, W. T. (2011). The Dalcroze approach to music education: Theory and applications. General Music Today, 26 (1) 27-33. doi:10.1177/1048371311428979 Bernhard, H. C. (2003). Singing in instrumental music education: Research and implications. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 22(1), 28-35. doi:10.1177/87551233020220010501 Caldwell, J. T. (1995). Expressive singing: Dalcroze eurhythmics for voice. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Dalcroze Society of America (2020-a). Branches of Dalcroze education. Retrieved April 23, 2020 from https://dalcrozeusa.org/ Dalcroze Society of America (2020-b). FAQ. Retrieved April 23, 2020 from https://dalcrozeusa.org/ Dalcroze Society of America (2020-c). Resources. Retrieved April 23, 2020 from https://dalcrozeusa.org/ Dalcroze Society of America (2020-d). Teacher training.

Retrieved April 23, 2020 from https://dalcrozeusa.org/ Dalcroze Society of America (2020-e). Workshops and events. Retrieved April 23, 2020 from https://dalcrozeusa.org/ Ridout, R. & Habron, J. (2020). Three Flute Players’ Lived Experiences of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in Preparing Contemporary Music for Performance. Frontiers in Education, 5(18), 1-10. doi:10.3389/feduc.2020.00018 Wallace, K. (2014). When instrumentalists sing. International Journal of Music Education, 32, 499-513. doi:10.1177/0255761413519052 Wentink, C. (2017). Exploring Lived Experiences of Ensemble Performers with Dalcroze Eurhythmics: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. DMus thesis, North-West University, South Africa.

Wolbers, M. (2002). Singing in the band rehearsal. Music Educators Journal, 89(2), 37-41.

Dr. Nancy Summitt is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Central Michigan University. She taught K-12 music for seven years before completing her Ph.D. at the University of Memphis. Dr. Summitt’s work centers on preservice music teachers and effective pedagogical practices; her research currently focuses on musical practice, student selfregulation, and motivation in school music contexts.

25

Educator

EDUCATOR

What did you most enjoy about the virtual conference format this year?

Ben Batman: I enjoyed being able to watch sessions at my own leisure, if I was not able to attend the session “live”. I thought it was a great idea to be able to chat directly with the presenter while the session was being presented. I enjoyed the gamification feature and thought that was an excellent way to allow members to engage with the exhibits and sessions. I also love the fact that I have access to view more sessions through September!

Mykayla Nielson: The virtual programming of the conference was incredibly user-friendly and useful, and I would say the biggest pro to the virtual event was being able to utilize any presentation that was included in the lineup. At points in the conference, I was able to catch two presentations in one hour and at times, go to a previous session that I had missed. Because of this accessibility, I was able to receive more professional development than I typically would at the in-person conference.

Cami Roper: I really enjoyed that I was able to participate in the conference live and that I still have access to all the presentations. I loved that I was still able to connect with others through the chat features during the virtual conference. There are always multiple in-person sessions that I am interested in that occur at the same time. The virtual format fixes the problem of having to choose which session to attend! I love that both during the conference and now, I can access the presentations at any time.

26

IMEA members will continue to have access to conference sessions and materials online through September 2021.

What are your “must-see” recommended conference sessions?

Ben Batman: I really enjoyed both of Christa Jones’s sessions. She had two sessions, one about expanding on folk songs and the other about teaching English Language learners, and I learned a lot from both of her sessions.

Being an Orff Schulwerk trained teacher, I loved the “Stargazing through the Schulwerk” session by Allison Croskey. She presented some excellent ideas and the session was beautifully presented. Other sessions I plan to explore are the sessions provided by BloomingSongs and “First Steps in Music for Older Beginners” by Emily Maurek.

Mykayla Nielson: I really enjoyed the sessions that applied to current societal issues, as well as encouraged me in my current younger years of teaching. So for anyone looking for those two things, I would say the must-see sessions are the “Power of Our Words”, “Facilitating Difficult Conversations”, “Pathway to Success”, and “Inclusivity in the Classroom”. These particular presentations energized me and brought applicable relevance to my classroom culture and teaching style.

Cami Roper: I watched several amazing sessions, but a few of them really stuck out to me, especially as a college student. My top must-see session is Julia Baumanis’s session titled “From Surviving to Thriving: How to Make the Best out of your First Years of Teaching.” While this session is aimed at college students, Dr. Baumanis also addresses the similarities between a first teaching job and new jobs that follow. Dr. Caroline Hand also gave a great session titled “Mentoring Female Leaders.” Her session does a phenomenal job of discussing what females can add to a team and how to help them grow. It also addresses the importance of representation. I would also highly recommend that college students watch collegiate night in its entirety. l

S P R I N G 2021

Ben Batman is in his 9th year teaching music, and 6th year at Mount Comfort Elementary School located outside of Greenfield, Indiana. He teaches K-5 general music, 4th-5th choir, and 4th-5th mallet ensemble. He serves on the IMEA board as the recording secretary and as the elementary coordinator for the Indy Site’s Circle the State with Song.

her band staff have seen growth in various ensembles within the program, including the Junior High Band, the Jazz Band, and the Winter Guard.

Mykayla Neilson is the Director of Bands at Fairfield Junior-Senior High School and is in her fourth year of teaching instrumental music. Mykayla graduated from Manchester University, summa cum laude, in 2017. At Fairfield, Mykayla has continued the tradition of taking the Fairfield Marching Pride to ISSMA State Finals. She and

Cami Roper is a sophomore music education major at Ball State University and is a graduate of Carmel High School.

She was recently recognized as a 2020-2021 Outstanding Future Music Educator. Cami currently serves as the program coordinator for Ball State’s collegiate NAfME chapter.

BACHELOR DEGREES OFFERED IN

MUSIC, MUSIC EDUCATION & MUSIC PERFORMANCE

100% job placement for music education graduates over the past two decades.

Scholarship Audition information available on website.

Bethel ranked No.2 in the nation on the list of “50 Best Value Christian Colleges and Universities”

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music

by Christian Universities Online (2017)

BethelUniversity.edu/Music 27

IMEA’s Membership and Advocacy

Programs for Students & Members

Connecting and inspiring music educators across the state towards advocacy for music in schools.

We offer an array of programs both for beginning student musicians, and seasoned performers and educators.

MEMBERSHIP: Membership with IMEA isn’t simply being part of a peer group.

We go further. Whether that’s supporting and encouraging music outreach, helping our members continue their musical education, or fostering stronger educators for Indiana’s music students, we are proud to offer an expansive amount of resources and opportunities.

Your $129.00 membership grants you access to both IMEA’s resources, as well as a National Association for Music Education (NAfME) membership. You’ll receive a subscription to our magazine, INform, along with information and opportunities for your students including the IMEA Honor Band, the All State Percussion Ensemble, our Elementary and Middle School Honor Choirs, and National Honor Ensembles.

A DVO CACY : The heart of IMEA’s mission is advocacy. We want to grow a better environment for cultivating music and musicians in the Midwest. Only through standing up for the importance of music education in our schools, can we ensure that our students receive the opportunities and support they deserve. In pursuing this goal, we strive to provide resources and tools to help other advocates give voice to music education.

Currently, we help support NAfME’s Think Beyond Bubbles: Be a Broader Mind initiative.

“ Music not only impacts academic achievement, it also shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them. Let’s think beyond the bubbles and educate the whole student.”

We also direct our members to other resources like: • • • • • • • • •

28

SupportMusic.com Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Americans for the Arts The Music Achievement Council VH1 Save The Music The MuSICA Database The Children’s Music Workshop The Dana Foundation The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

STUDENT PROGRAMS:

Circle the State with Song Circle the State with Song (CSWS) is an integral part of Indiana’s choral landscape. This program is a statewide choral festival for elementary and junior high/middle school choirs. Nearly 5,000 youth from hundreds of different schools participate in Circle the State each spring at one of 12 sites throughout Indiana. Over 15,000 community members attend these concerts annually.

All State/Honor Ensembles This event gives students at the high school and collegiate levels the opportunity to participate in one of several All State Honor Ensembles. These ensembles perform at the IMEA Professional Development Conference in January each year.

The Future Music Educators Colloquium The colloquium gives students a chance to undergo an intensive, two-and-a-half-day workshop designed specifically for high school students to learn more about what it takes to become a successful music educator. This event is part of the IMEA Professional Development Conference and is held at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne.

The Indiana Tri-M Honor Society The Tri-M Honor Society is an international music honor society for middle and high school students. The honor society recognizes students for their academic and musical achievements and rewards them for accomplishments as well as service activities to help inspire excellence and musicianship and leadership. Tri-M is a program of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and has more than 5,500 chartered chapters.

The IMEA Composition Competition The IMEA Composition Competition is an annual competition that offers young Indiana composers–grades 6-12–the opportunity to have their work evaluated by established composers/educators who provide written feedback. This event is designed to help these young composers learn and grow as creative musical thinkers and will take place in Fort Wayne in conjunction with the IMEA Professional Development Conference.

S P R I N G 2021

Do you want to do more to inspire your music students?

Ball State’s Master of Music in Music Education is designed to support the growth of K-12 music educators.

Since the program is entirely online, you can earn your degree while still teaching at your school. As a national leader in music education, you’ll receive a rigorous, applicable, and authentic education among the highest standards in the music education field.

Why Ball State?

• Learn from nationally known and award-winning faculty with years of experience teaching in public schools • Apply what you learn to your classroom right away • Course offerings include a balance of selected courses in music history, music theory, and music performance • Receive course credit for your teaching experience • Participate in virtual mentorships by education and/or performance faculty for live classroom rehearsals, conducting, professional conferences, etc.

• Fast-track option available to graduate in two years

Learn more at bsu.edu/online/MusicEd

29

The Music Theory Bowl

The Collegiate Leadership Symposium

Music Theory Bowl is a team-based program for high school students in Indiana, created as an opportunity to sharpen music theory knowledge and engage students who participate in music theory classes statewide. Music Theory Bowl is open to all Indiana high schools, regardless of whether the school has a Music Theory class.

This symposium is for members of CNAfME. During this annual meeting, leaders from CNAfME will gather in Indianapolis to discuss their agenda for the upcoming season.

The Children’s Folk Dance Festival The Children’s International Folk Dance Festival showcases thousands of children from across Indiana in grades three through eight performing international folk dances. Students learn the dances from music, P.E., and/or grade-level teachers throughout the academic year in preparation for the festival.

This event is supported by the Kentucky Dance Institute.

The IMEA Festival and Clinic The IMEA Festival & Clinic provides an assortment of student groups with an opportunity to perform for a panel of clinicians and receive a masterclass with a master teacher.

The Southern Indiana Symposium and Clinic This event is a full-bodied professional development event for educators — specifically in the Southern Indiana area.

The Northern Indiana General Music Workshop The Northern Indiana General Fall Workshop is a one-day workshop for general music teachers that is designed to give them new educational tools and tips as they head into the academic school year. As a very interactive, hands-on workshop, teachers will explore ways to get their students involved in the classroom from music room games, dancing, and other fun activities.

The Beginning and Developing Teachers Workshop

Powered by DCI, the Marching Music Academy is a free educational event for Marching Band Directors and Instructors designed to help their skills as they go into the summer. IMEA, Drum Corps International, and the Scouts (our demo group) lead the event.

The Beginning and Developing Teachers Workshop as a tool to further develop your skills as a classroom music educator.

Geared towards beginning and transitioning teachers who are looking for help with classroom management, new teacher assessments, planning music trips, or guidance on communication with administration. Learn from veteran educators, surround yourself with other educators who are new and/or further developing their skills, take in ideas and tools that you can immediately incorporate into your classroom!

Introduction to Orff-Schulwerk

The IMEA Professional Development Conference

Orff-Schulwerk is a process of teaching music to children by involving them in the creation of music. Through imitation, exploration, and improvisation, students develop musical skills and understandings. In this workshop, you will become immersed in the “Orff World” through singing, playing, exploring, moving, and most important, beautiful music-making. You will be introduced to the process through lessons appropriate for elementary school students, and occasionally extended to develop your own musical skills needed for artistic teaching.

The IMEA Professional Development Conference is the largest, more diverse professional development event for Indiana music educators. Welcoming music teachers of all levels and classrooms, this 2-day conference contains over 100 sessions and meetings with close to 100 clinicians.

MEMBER PROGRAMS:

The Marching Music Academy

The Fall General Music Workshop The Fall General Music Workshop is a one-day workshop in Indianapolis for general music teachers that is designed to give them new educational tools and tips as they head into the new academic school year. Through a very interactive, hands-on workshop, teachers will explore new ways to get theirstudents involved in the classroom from music room games, dancing, and other fun activities.

30

Music in Our Schools Month Music in Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®) is NAfME’s annual celebration taking place in March which engages music educators, students, and communities from around the country in promoting the benefits of high quality music education programs in schools.

MIOSM® began as a single statewide advocacy day and celebration in New York in 1973 and grew over the decades to become a monthlong, nationwide celebration of school music in 1985. l S P R I N G 2021

The New

Star of Indiana

FIVE Indiana Locations in:

Fort Wayne - Lafayette - Mishawaka - Muncie - Valparaiso More School Reps, More Repair Technicians, More Locations in Indiana than anyone...surprised?!?

800-637-6872 | QandF.com 31

Beginners. Teachers. Music Makers.

Music education is our priority. Trust Sweetwater to fill your classroom with the instruments and technology you need to help your students succeed in music education.

Get more at Sweetwater • Music Education Technology Experts • Free Technical Support • Online Resources and Current Trends • Instruments, Software, Accessories, & More

INSTRUMENTS SOFTWARE STUDIO GEAR LIVE SOUND MUSIC LABS iOS DEVICES

Music Educators SPRING 2020

Technology Res

ource

Sweetwater Exclusive Article:

Stefan Schyga

Using State-of-the-art Technology to Train the Next Generation of Musicia ns page 6

Visit Sweetwater.com/edu or call (800) 822-6752 for a free copy of our helpful guide. Plus, see the latest equipment, technology, and trends in music education.

Educational Pricing Available

Dedicated Sales Engineers

FREE 2-year Warranty

(800) 822-6752 Sweetwater.co m/EDU

Northeastern Indiana’s Trusted Band & Orchestral Store Instrument Sales • Repairs • Rentals • Lessons Mynett Music is Fort Wayne’s best source for band and orchestral instruments since 1933. Our knowledgeable staff will help you find exactly what you need, whether it’s for a band, a student, or yourself.

Visit MynettMusic.com or call (260) 482-5533 for expert service and advice on all your orchestral needs.

Sweetwater: 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W. Fort Wayne, IN 46818 32

| Mynett Music: 3710 Hobson Road. Fort Wayne, IN 46815 S P R I N G 2021