As a life-long music educator I greatly enjoy connecting with students and teachers to share ideas and best practices. I am available for rehearsals, adjudication, clinics, Q&A's, or whatever you can dream up! I am happy to work with students on my own compositions, other compositions, or any topic you choose. 

 

Are you looking for a conference session for a division in-service, local professional development, or state conference? Contact me for more info.

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Conference Sessions: 

Beyond D Major: Building Better Intonation for the Developing String Player

Teaching string players that there is more to life than D Major can be a major hurdle—but it doesn’t have to be! Explore a fresh approach to finger patterns, known as "gears," designed to help students master fingerboard geography. Discover a unique approach to teaching the chromatic scale, and a number of warm-ups for improving intonation and key signature understanding. This hands on, rehearsal style clinic will giving you a front-row seat to strategies that build intonation & resonance through creative exercises and games.

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Getting in Gear for the School Year

Learn how to help your students "Get in Gear" with fundamental warm-ups for string orchestra. Discover how to seamlessly integrate finger patterns into your daily routine and how to use engaging warm-ups to energize your classroom from day one. Explore new ways to teach fingerboard geography, tone, articulation, rhythm and more!

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Practicing with Purpose: What's "The Big IDEA"

Practicing is not an inherent skill; it is something that must be learned. The Big IDEA is a tried and true 4-step method designed to teach the art of practicing and enhance musical understanding. During this session we will explore The Big IDEA along with a variety of practice strategies and activities designed to help students of any age practice with purpose at home and in the classroom. Teachers will leave this session with a wealth of resources to foster independent thinkers.

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How to Win Rehearsals and Influence Students

Keeping students engaged while they are used to the buzz of social media and a constant influx of information can be challenging these days. While spoofing Dale Carnegie’s book "How to Win Friends and Influence People," this session will present tried and true ways to mix up your typical rehearsal, earn your students’ attention, sneak in technique, and assesses progress.  Most importantly, it will bring your ensemble together as one cohesive group as they engage with each other and the music, to achieve a winning rehearsal! 

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Cultivating Creativity: Composing in the Classroom​

Creativity is so much more than just a standard that must be checked off each year. Learn to cultivate creativity in your students through various composition exercises that you can easily incorporate into what you already do as a music educator. In this session we will explore how to use composition to teach music literacy, develop the ear, learn musical concepts, improvisation and more. Leave with a variety of resources and activities to share with your students. 

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New Music Reading Sessions

I love creating new music reading sessions where we dive into the new music of the year. Beyond just getting to hear and/or play the music, participants leave with a rubric of info on each selection. I can even help coordinate free music that you can raffle off to your teachers through Randall Standridge Music and other publishers.