ElementaryColumnJudyTrohkimoinen ElementaryMusicChair

Have you started thinking about New Year’s resolutions yet? It isn’t too soon! One of the things that we as music teachers can do to help our students is to reflect on our teaching and think of ways we can build on our strengths and improve on our weaknesses. What better way than to make a resolution to shake things up a bit?

You can begin by attending the OMEA Conference, January 14-16 in Eugene. Besides our annual conference presenting us with an excellent venue for fending off the winter blahs and for networking with fellow music teachers from across the state, it also affords us with the opportunities to watch top-notch clinicians work with our students and to share best practices as well as learn something new in the numerous and varied workshops.

For example, this year we will have the wonderful learning experience of watching Lynn

Brinkmeyer, former MENC Northwest District President and current MENC National President Elect, as she works with our elementary honor choir. She will, no doubt, use some techniques we know but have forgotten, as well as many that are brand new to us. It is always enlightening to watch another conductor work with a choir as it affords us the opportunity to objectively analyze different approaches and gain new insight as to what works best.

Also, we will have the privilege of having composer/arranger Sally K. Albrecht with us, courtesy of Alfred Publishing. She will present three choral workshops (complete with choral music packets) to give us ideas for new music we can use with our choirs. Her sessions will also offer ideas for staging, programming, and teaching two-part music to elementary students.

Additionally, composer/arranger/choreographer John Jacobson will bring his unique blend of enthusiasm, movement, and inspiration to the conference as well, courtesy of Hal Leonard Publishing and McMillan/McGraw Hill. His sessions will demonstrate resources and techniques for energizing our elementary and junior high programs and will include expertise on the topic of riser choreography.

And, Denise Gagne, publisher and music teacher from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, will present three information-packed workshops full of tried-and-true materials and techniques for teaching kindergarten, playing the recorder, and helping young students discover their head voices.

All of these sessions promise to “shake things up!”

January is a great time to try something new. Come join us for the OMEA Conference! You will be thrilled you did!