Conference Schedule
Session times and topics subject to change.
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Anthony has 21 years of experience as a music educator and arts administrator. His primary background is in instrumental music, as well as experience in choral music. He was the Director of Fine Arts and Director of Bands & Orchestra at Bishop McNamara H.S. in Forestville, Maryland. He is currently the Artistic Director and Conductor for the D.C.’s Different Drummer’s Symphonic Band, in Washington D.C. He earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Music in Music Education and Conducting, from the University of Maryland and he is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Executive Leadership in Arts and Culture Strategy with the University of Pennsylvania and National Arts Strategies. He has an extensive background with non-profit organizations and a wealth of experience working with teams, event coordination, fundraising, and budget management. Anthony was born, raised and currently lives in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
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11:00am - 11:45am
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This session shares original research that piloted a content-specific novice teacher mentoring program delivered virtually to combat music and art teacher isolation and attrition statewide. Learn about its impacts on novice and experienced music and art teacher job satisfaction and attrition and how to implement a similar initiative in your own state or district.
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Rachel Hoke (she/her) has taught K-12 choral, instrumental, and general music for more than a decade prior to her current role as an instructional designer at University of the Arts. She holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology from University of South Carolina, an M.S. in School Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a B.M. from West Chester University. Her research interests include novice teacher education, technology integration, and faculty development.
Do you sometimes wonder how your rehearsal instruction is being received by your choir? This session will rejuvenate your verbal directives with concepts and tools to make your rehearsal language effective, efficient, inclusive, and inspiring. Backed by both research and practical experience, you will learn new ways to effectively use language in your rehearsal settings, making your rehearsal “kitchen” the healthiest possible place for you and your singers.
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Michael Hanawalt is the Director of Graduate Choral Studies at Florida State University, where he conducts the Chamber Choir, teaches graduate courses in conducting and choral literature, and serves as Artistic Director for the Tallahassee Community Chorus. Dr. Hanawalt was formerly Executive Director of the professional male vocal ensemble Cantus, recording twelve CDs, participating in 200 educational outreach events, and performing 500 concerts. Dr. Hanawalt is active as a tenor soloist, guest conductor, and arranger.
What causes students to quit band or orchestra, and what can you do about it? Using real-life cases as discussion points, this presentation will help you create a repertoire of strategies for retaining students in your instrumental music program. We will also address issues in program structure that could be limiting accessibility, and ways to fix them.
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Tara Jade Howley teaches fourth/fifth grade band and orchestra at two elementary schools in Carroll County, MD, and teaches trumpet privately in Baltimore County, MD. She is passionate about teaching beginning instrumental students, and aims to contribute literature, resources and repertoire to the elementary level. Tara graduated from Towson University in 2018 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (instrumental focus), and is currently completing her Master’s Degree Program at Towson.
Over the past two years we have reflected on how children are going to come out of this situation as more resilient individuals as a result of the stress they have experienced during the pandemic. How do we maintain and build on that developed resilience? Music can provide unique opportunities to explicitly teach about resilience. In this session we will explore specific strategies for developing student resilience in an elementary general music classroom.
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Angela Munroe is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at West Virginia University where she teaches courses related to music teacher preparation. Angela earned a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Colorado, M.M.E. from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Music Education from Western Michigan University. Research interests include music teacher development and teaching general music. Publications appear in various national and international journals and she has presented at conferences across the country.
"We're not all guys!" This session will feature ways to use language and actions to show your students they are valued, loved, and belong. We approach inclusivity in an organic way that will be a natural fit in your existing teaching practice, using children's literature and free digital resources to guide gender inclusivity. We share ways to be inclusive of transgender students from our first-person lens as transgender nonbinary adults and teachers.
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Ær is a trans non-binary General Music teacher in Northern Virginia. They earned their Bachelor of Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory and have been teaching for seven years. In their classroom, they want their students to know they are loved, cared for, and included from the moment they enter the classroom. Ær works on being intersectional and anti-racist in their teaching practice, and was recognized as a Quarterfinalist for the 2022 Music Educator Grammy Award.
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Nicholas is a transgender nonbinary elementary music teacher in New York City. They hold a Bachelor of Music Education from Rutgers University and a Masters of Music Education from Montclair State University. They have been teaching for 14 years and are currently attending Hunter College to earn a Masters in Educational Leadership. Nicholas advocates for transgender inclusivity in K-12 schools for everyone. They also organize online support spaces for trans educators around the United States.
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12:00pm - 12:45pm
Over the past two years, students and teachers alike have experienced the stress of teaching and learning through unprecedented times. How do we identify the different forms of stress and target each in unique and meaningful ways? Music can provide opportunities to explicitly teach about resiliency in relation to different stressors. In this session we will explore the different forms of stress (such as eustress and secondary traumatic stress) and develop unique skills to treat each form both within our classrooms and ourselves.
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Shelby Jacobs is a music educator from Colchester, CT with three years of experience in teaching and one year of experience in the music travel industry. Shelby has a Bachelor's in Vocal Music from Randolph-Macon College and am currently studying for her Master's in Music Education at Towson University. After three years of teaching in Baltimore County and Carroll County, Shelby currently works as a performing arts travel specialist at WorldStrides.
How can ensemble directors evaluate their routines to determine if they are truly serving the students they have? The purpose of this session is to explore ways to center choir students in the wake of pandemic-affected learning. Some students returned to choir needing an even safer environment, to renew their confidence and love of singing. Participants will process their own experiences and goals for their choirs. Topics include re-evaluating rehearsal format, repertoire and performance practices/types.
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Amy T. Hairston is in her 17th year as a choral/general music and theatre teacher in MD (Springbrook HS). She’s a proud alumnus of Oakland Mills HS & UMD. Mrs. Hairston is currently the MMEA Advocacy Chair. She has been a music clinician and adjudicator for Howard, Montgomery, Baltimore and Calvert County, and enjoys leading and participating in professional development. She also enjoys vocal coaching for musicals and is coaching Springbrook’s JV Girls Soccer team.
We all want groups to sound better, of course. But how do we teach better Tuning and Tone Quality? This session -- targeting the “well-trained ear” -- is designed to offer a refresher about common Intonation and ensemble Tone concepts, along with specific, unique strategies/games/processes to help students gain controlled independence. Today’s goal is to arm participants with a ‘bag of tricks’ they can use immediately, and without further training. Includes a thorough Handout.
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Robin Linaberry is a multi-faceted musician, highly regarded as a teacher, conductor, performer, mentor, clinician, and speaker. Now retired after 35 years as a high-school band director and adjunct positions at several colleges, he is the NYS Chair for The National Band Association, conductor of the award-winning Southern Tier Concert Band, and Head Director Emeritus for American Music Abroad. Robin is author of “Strategies, Tips, and Activities for the Effective Band Director” (Routledge, 2021)
The clinician will draw upon Orff Schulwerk and Kodaly approaches to music education. Orff Schulwerk is NOT just about playing those amazing instruments! This session will focus on taking stock of what equipment the educators DO have, and how best to give students an authentic and developmentally appropriate musical experience. Strengths-based approach and growth mindset will be explored as self-evaluation tools. Body percussion, solfege, improvisation, composition, and student arrangements will be part of this session.
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Becky Burdett currently teaches elementary music and chorus at Lackawanna Trail School District. Other teaching experience includes grades 7-12 music and chorus. Her goal is for each student to be joyful in the act of making, expressing, and creating music. She believes that students can be capable musicians when allowed the guided freedom to explore all areas of musicianship. She has completed specialized training in music education pedagogies, including Kodaly and Orff-Schulwerk.
“Voice and Choice” is a term frequently used when discussing today’s classroom. Intentionally providing opportunities for student voice and choice in the music classroom does so much more. When students have a voice, their thoughts are heard and valued in the classroom. When students have a choice, they are more intrinsically motivated to learn. Discover how to make small shifts to encourage voice and choice, empower your students, and lead them to becoming lifelong musicians.
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Theresa Hoover is a music educator, speaker, and writer. She is an advocate for student voice and works to empower students throughout their musical experiences and help teachers transform their classrooms to become student-centered learning environments. Theresa is a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, working with teachers to help integrate technology into their music classes. Theresa is the author of Empowering Ensembles With Technology and the co-author of Pass the Baton: Empowering All Music Students.
1:15pm - 2:00pm
The pandemic has demonstrated what immense change can do to our health and happiness. In this session, you’ll learn to find daily activities that can positively influence your enjoyment in teaching. We’ll build a behavior contract (for you) that outlines daily habits to practice, how to monitor your progress on those activities, and how to gain the right support and accountability to stick to your plan and see big payoffs.
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Adam Hockman is a practice and performance consultant on the faculty of the Heifetz International Music Institute. Adam applies his training in behavioral and learning science to music practice, performance, and teaching. He coaches students at major conservatories and delivers lectures and workshops for concert musicians and educators. Adam has written for The Strad, HarpColumn, Chamber Music magazine, The American Organist, and Music Teacher magazine. Learn more at adamhockman.com.
This session is designed to provide educators with the instructional tools to effectively aid students to manage stress, anxiety, and stage fright when preparing to perform in a music classroom. Teachers will learn the basics of mindfulness practices, the connection between mindfulness and music, and the effectiveness and benefits of mindfulness and productive rehearsals and performances. Session participants will engage in various activities to utilize in their own music classrooms.
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Toni Daniel is a lifelong advocate of the performing arts. Entering her 20th year in education, Toni is the Director of Choral Activities at Parkside High School in Salisbury, Maryland. A graduate of the University of Maryland and Wilmington University, Toni has cultivated her passion for music education by creating a learning environment which focuses on the whole child. She emphasizes the importance of music in a student’s musical, mental and emotional growth and development.
Student performance struggles are often symptoms of underlying issues. Addressing what we hear or see may fix problems in the short-term while allowing underlying struggles to persist. We will use the “5 Whys Root Cause Analysis” to identify students’ true struggles. By identifying root causes, we can construct effective interventions that support student achievement. In this interactive session, we will determine the root causes of student struggles and design interventions to help students overcome them.
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Mitchell R. Davis is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He holds degrees in music education from the University of Maryland (B.M.), Kent State University (M.M.), and Temple University (Ph.D.). His scholarly interests include equity, diversity, creativity, teacher education, popular music education, curricular design, and student-centered music learning. Prior to his university teaching, Dr. Davis taught for 9 years in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
In order to have the freedom to be musical while using the Orff instrumentarium, students need to develop the physical mechanics of playing. This session will concentrate on deliberate instruction of mallet grip, tapping the bars, and navigating the layout of the xylophone.
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Becky Burdett currently teaches elementary music and chorus at Lackawanna Trail School District. Other teaching experience includes grades 7-12 music and chorus. Her goal is for each student to be joyful in the act of making, expressing, and creating music. She believes that students can be capable musicians when allowed the guided freedom to explore all areas of musicianship. She has completed specialized training in music education pedagogies, including Kodaly and Orff-Schulwerk.
In this session, attendees will learn strategies for developing successful and independent beginner band musicians. The clinician will discuss how an attitude of experimentation, opportunities for advantageous mistake-making, and student involvement in specific individual feedback can help beginners start with a solid foundation of musicianship while also developing independence as learners.
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Laura Hicken is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Towson University where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses and is the NAfME Chapter advisor. Hicken earned her doctorate in Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin, her Master of Music Education at UNC Greensboro, and her Bachelor of Music Education at Furman University. Prior to joining the faculty at Towson, Hicken taught middle and high school band and general music.
2:15pm - 3:00pm
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Starting a bucket band at your school is an affordable way to engage and retain students, promote student leadership and self-efficacy, and inspire student composition. Any student can participate in a bucket band regardless of primary instrument. This session provides directors with a plan to start a student-led bucket band where students learn the fundamentals of drumming, work in small groups to create and workshop their own compositions, and perform - generating school pride and excitement.
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Natalie Pretzello is the band director at Gorman Crossing Elementary in Laurel, Maryland. She holds a Masters degree in Music Education from the Peabody Conservatory, a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Maryland. Natalie serves on the Music Leadership Team in her district, instructs several award-winning marching bands, and serves a percussion consultant for various honors ensembles and music programs throughout Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.
Do you feel your rehearsal sequencing could use a refresh? This session will provide strategies for long-term rehearsal development as both a tool for maximizing performance outcomes and a method by which all choir members can be engaged and unified through the rehearsal journey. Discover how to involve your ensemble in the rehearsal sequencing process, helping to ensure quality performances by committed and invested choir members.
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Michael Hanawalt is the Director of Graduate Choral Studies at Florida State University, where he conducts the Chamber Choir, teaches graduate courses in conducting and choral literature, and serves as Artistic Director for the Tallahassee Community Chorus. Dr. Hanawalt was formerly Executive Director of the professional male vocal ensemble Cantus, recording twelve CDs, participating in 200 educational outreach events, and performing 500 concerts. Dr. Hanawalt is active as a tenor soloist, guest conductor, and arranger.
Join the Old Mill High School Marching Band for our basics block! Director Demetri Bedel will discuss and demonstrate the importance of maintaining a solid fundamentals routine throughout the marching season. This session will provide valuable techniques whether you are new to the field, looking for new drills to improve your students’ marching, or simply enjoy discussing the techniques of visuals.
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Demetri Bedel is the current band director of Old Mill High School in Anne Arundel County, MD, a position he has held for the past two years. Previous to Old Mill, Demetri was the band director at Calvert High School in Calvert County, MD for four years. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Duquesne University, and a Master of Music Education degree from Shenandoah University.
It's a new day, time to teach in a new way! Edutainment is what you get when you combine education and entertainment. You will move, sing, speak and play (games), while you develop ways to teach and reach all students. We'll look at some of the acronyms, the musical way. You'll receive guidelines for examining curriculum materials and finding ways to bring the JOY back to your program while meeting the standards.
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Anne Smith is an Elementary Teacher of Music in Alexandria, Virginia where she also serves as an Equity Liaison. Dr. Smith is a member of the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice Elementary Committee, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of VMEA, and the Diversity Collective of the NEA. She is a composer, author, poet, and an active clinician at the local, state, and national conferences and conventions.
Affirming transgender students has been proven to save lives, so providing affirming and inclusive spaces for our students is imperative, as well as advocating for our students through policies at the school, district, and even state levels. Participants will learn ways to create an affirming environment for transgender students, as well as advocate for students at the school and district levels. Participants will interact with real scenarios, and examine model policies from different districts.
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Ær is a trans non-binary General Music teacher in Northern Virginia. They earned their Bachelor of Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory and have been teaching for seven years. In their classroom, they want their students to know they are loved, cared for, and included from the moment they enter the classroom. Ær works on being intersectional and anti-racist in their teaching practice, and was recognized as a Quarterfinalist for the 2022 Music Educator Grammy Award.
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Nicholas is a transgender nonbinary elementary music teacher in New York City. They hold a Bachelor of Music Education from Rutgers University and a Masters of Music Education from Montclair State University. They have been teaching for 14 years and are currently attending Hunter College to earn a Masters in Educational Leadership. Nicholas advocates for transgender inclusivity in K-12 schools for everyone. They also organize online support spaces for trans educators around the United States.
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