Cynthia Peyson Wahl
Decolonizing Your Imagination (music room edition)

Most music educators come to the profession because of a passionate love for our art forms – Band, choir, jazz ensembles – and a desire to foster a love for that art form with children.  From that desire can sometimes come the urge to recreate our own experiences in the music classroom, but how *might* our 21st century music classrooms look different?  Our discussion will revolve around how we might break patterns in our own thinking to make our music classrooms more welcoming, healthy and accepting of the humans we work with.

Dr. William Wiedrich
GIVE THEM THE MUSIC: A Conductor's Checklist to Inspire Meaningful Musical Relationships

Especially in our current times, music plays an even more significant role in the emotional health and stability of our students, while still nurturing their soulfulness and creative energy through meaningful musical interactions. This discussion will explore the possibilities of bringing "artfulness" into the classroom/rehearsal hall as an integral part of the fabric of instruction through a process of physical, mental, aesthetic/spiritual, and practical considerations.

Melissa Remus Spraggs
Strategies for Engaging Grade 3 Boys in the Singing Process

In a teacher action research study, Spraggs investigated strategies for engaging grade 3 boys in the singing process. This session will explore the methodology and findings of the study, as well as make recommendations for future research. Practical applications for the music classroom and choral rehearsal will also be explored.

Fran Hannan
Just Play with Musical Futures

Join the Musical Futures ‘Just Play Band’ and discover practical ideas for whole class music–making using the pedagogical approaches of Musical Futures to build essential performance skills amongst students that will promote achievement and attainment in music whilst being engaging and fun.

Donna Tugby
Enseigner la culture française à travers la musique et la danse dans la salle de musique et dans la classe régulière dans un environnement anglophone majoritaire.
Alouette, Frère Jacques et la chanson du Festival du Voyageur ne devrait pas être la seule exposition culturelle française que vos élèves reçoivent. Comme enseignants de français langue maternelle, d’immersion française, ou de Français : Communication et Culture, nous avons obligation d’enseigner la culture française à travers le curriculum. Ce séminaire examinera les mérites d’utiliser de chants et de danses françaises authentiques, au lieu de celles traduites de l’anglais. Les participants apprendront une variété de chansons orientées vers les élèves de la maternelle à la 6 e année. L’emplois de l’approche Orff comme une méthode pour la mise en œuvre de sensibilisation culturelle sera également discutée. Les ressources utilisées dans la salle de classe pour favoriser l'identité culturelle seront également présentées et partagées.

Terrence Taylor
“If it sounds good, it is good” (per Ellington)

Tapping into jazz’s aural tradition to enhance song execution, improv, and song connection.

Rob Chrol
The Case for Core: Music Education and the Post-Pandemic Learner

Affected by pandemic policies, K-12 music education now rebuilds while budget cuts and core contact time drive policy. How we understand, speak about, and position music education right now matters dearly. This session explores how to help others embrace music learning as core learning in the development of resilient, efficacious, whole students.

Chee Meng Low
Performing with a Smaller Wind Band

Not every music program is fortunate enough to have a balanced instrumentation, or enough instruments and players to perform full instrumentation works. Come explore “Music for Small Bands/Flexible Instrumentation/Flex-Band series” and discuss how to manage the score practically and more musically for the smaller ensemble that will favorably distinguish them from others. 

Charlotte Botha
Click here! isiZulu and isiXhosa choral diction

In this session we’ll coordinate clicks and untangle tongue twisters of Nguni languages. We’ll explore old and new choral gems of published South African folk music and discuss how we can honour the origins of this music when we rehearse and perform.

Steve Giddingsa
Wellness Through Music 

From the Self-Determination Theory, to ‘Flow,’ and Emotional Intelligence, music and wellness are intertwined. In this workshop, participants will explore and experience the benefits of music as a tool for overall well-being through group music making. Ways to engage your unengaged and special needs learners will be explored, too! You don’t even have to be a musician to participate!  

Marla Fontaine
Those who Wish to Sing, Always Find a Song   

Participants will embark on a journey of choral music for young voices for beginner and experienced choirs.  We will explore the ways in which repertoire selection can help to build musicianship, vocal technique, and singer identity.  Discover new favourites and hidden treasures that can help your choristers to “find their song”.

Terrence Taylor
Approach to Choosing Repertoire

Injecting jazz history, individual/group identity, and other factors into choosing repertoire.

Jodi Proznick
Teaching Music Through Inquiry

Is there space in traditional music education to provide young musicians opportunities to explore concepts, ideas, knowledge, and skills to develop their capacity for individual expression? Are there ways to enable young musicians to use their artistic practice to communicate their own uniqueness, stories, ancestry, and understandings of the world?

This workshop will give examples of lessons and exercises intended to increase the artistic autonomy of each student with the goal of developing individual expressiveness, aesthetic and expertise through music inquiry project exploration.

Cheryl Ferguson, Bobbie Fast and Julie Husband
Round table Session:
The “Rare Flowers” of the Band - Recruiting and Nurturing Less Common Band Instruments

This session will focus on approaches to creating a balanced ensemble through the recruitment of musicians to play less common or more specialized instruments such as double reed instruments, French horn and low brass.  Area to be discussed include: choosing players for these instruments, ideas for promoting these instruments, and tools to put in place to ensure young musicians thrive.

Charlotte Botha
All the colours on our palette: exploring sound-based repertoire selection

The practice of group singing stretches across a vibrant and diverse expanse of sounds, stories, and musical sharing. This session considers how we introduce a broader palette of timbral colors and cultural knowledge into our choral programs through a sound-based approach to repertoire selection and foreign-language diction.

Steve Giddings
Teaching Guitar Authentically to Promote Lifelong Learning 

Whether you’re new to teaching group guitar, are interested in starting a group, or have experience teaching guitar in school, there is something for everybody at this workshop. Bring a guitar and play along as we explore the unique educational properties of learning the guitar and how you can keep the learning authentic and true to the instrument and its most famous musicians. We will also be exploring how to incorporate the instrument into regular classroom instruction with only a few guitars in your arsenal! 

Sue Harvey
F-U-N with a Bang and Bump!  

What do punching kangaroos, a bear that eats underwear and a ferocious alligator have in common? Literature connections with a musical twist. Author Matt Hazel’s, ‘Things that go bump in the Night’ and Mara Bergman’s ‘Snip, Snap, What’s that?’ provide a sound stage of possibility and creativity through the use of onomatopoeia, orchestration and a bit of F-U-N. 

Jim Mair
Jazz for Everyone

You already have the tools in your toolbox; it’s easier than you think!
Create more joy and smiles in your classroom and increase student retention with a few simple techniques. 

Beck Watt
Quick Tips for Queer Inclusion

Quick Tips for Queer Inclusion will encourage participants to reflect on their classroom spaces and teaching practices through a queer lens. We will look at how language can be used to create a more inclusive space for ALL students, not just those who have been identified as part of the queer community. Beck aims to provide participants a space to ask questions, and a way to access queer inclusion from wherever they are at and not make it feel like an additional full time job.

Shelley Axelson
Programming for Process

This session will focus on the basics of designing balanced programs with attention to the musical process for the students as well as the enjoyment of the audience.  Please come with some of your favorite pieces to share with the group!

Rose van der Hooft
Breath, Movement and Mindfulness for Middle and High School Choirs

Rose van der Hooft will offer a yoga and mindfulness workshop with short practices that teachers can incorporate into choral and vocal jazz classes and performances. Discover how breath can inspire awareness and mental focus, improve vocal technique and breath connection, and develop confident and expressive communication.

Laura Nerenberg
Inspiring Creativity: An Interactive Improvisation Workshop for Music Teachers

Learn practical ideas for how to help students to improvise on their instrument. Laura will demonstrate on the violin and you are encouraged to bring your own instrument to the session. 

Aimee Curtis Pfitzner
Singing Waters, Dancing Flames – Music and the Elements 

The elemental possibilities of Wind, Water, Earth, and Fire hold great elemental musical possibilities. Unearth these musical treasures with a plethora of playful experiences that are artistic and child centered. We will sing, move, and play our way together as we discover the beauty of our Earth.

Kelsley Grant 
Big Band Swing, Phrasing and Rhythm

This session will explore nuances of teaching swing rhythm, note placement, articulation and rhythm section function from an instrumentalist’s perspective.

Jordan Laidlaw & Winston Wuttunee
Collaborating with Indigenous Elders

This session will explore the collaborative experiences between local music teacher Jordan Laidlaw and Elder Dr. Winston Wuttunee. During the presentation, the presenters will share excerpts of school-based musical performances, as well as discuss the benefits and protocols in pursuing partnerships with Elders and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.