The National In-Service Conference in Nashville will feature exciting sessions on music composition presented by outstanding clinicians. Join us for timely and expert insights into the world of composition.
The conference will also include a Young Composer Concert presenting the winning compositions in the NAfME Student Composers Competition. The compositions range from solo piano, to chamber works, to full-size jazz ensemble, to 75-member chorus. NAfME welcomes performers from the Middle Tennessee State University School of Music, who are helping to bring the student compositions to life.
Composing With Your Students: Strengthening Bonds While Learning How To Compose Together
Presented by: Rob Deemer
One of the biggest challenges for teachers who want to help their students learn to compose is that they usually don’t have much experience themselves. Dr. Rob Deemer will not only present several hands-on methods for teachers to create composition projects for themselves and their students to work on together, but will also encourage a healthy, back-and-forth relationship of critique and compliment between teacher and student.
Embedding Music Improvisation and Composition into the General Music Curriculum
Presented by: Lois Veenhoven Guderian
Interactive session engages music educators in an approach to general music where assignments in music improvisation and composition are an outgrowth of, related to, and reinforcing of course content thus providing students with opportunities to apply what they are learning in creative ways. Teachers will develop understandings in ways to engage students in standards-based, sequentially-designed curriculum while at the same time nurturing students’ creative thinking in music. Included: participation in creative assignments for general music teaching per age categories of elementary, middle, and high school learners.
From Play to Purpose – Guiding Student Composers
Presented by: Susanne Burgess & Cara Rogers
In this session, participants will engage in an exploration – improvisation – composition structure that can be applied in the elementary music classroom to develop compositional skills in students K-8. Music making will provide the foundation for discussion, analysis, and the development of lesson ideas based on participants’ needs. Planning structures will be introduced, and video examples of students will be featured. Participants will leave with personalized plans for their own implementation.
Music Composition as Experience: New Composition Strategies for the Modern Classroom
Presented by: Mathew McLean
In the visual art class every student is an artist. Every student can now be a composer in music class. The art student develops skills and learns concepts through immediate experiences such as painting or drawing. With new technologies like the web app Noteflight and other iPad apps, music students can now benefit from the same kind of immediate experience. In this session, we’ll examine progressive techniques that help students explore music by being composers.
Of Stories and Songs: Composing Our Way through K-5 General Music – Part 1 & 2
Presented by: Michelle Kaschub & Janice Smith
“Of Stories and Songs” invites elementary music teachers to participate in composition lessons and activities. Each lesson will feature a story, character, or event from award-winning children’s literature as a point of departure for exploring personal creativity in music. Participants will leave this session with a packet of high quality, engaging, classroom- tested lessons and the confidence to allow their students to create personally meaningful, expressive compositions.
Strategies for Collaborative Composing in Orchestra
Presented by: Michael Hopkins
This session will provide orchestra teachers with hands-on experiences for developing collaborative student composing projects in the orchestra curriculum. The benefits and challenges of including composing in the curriculum will be discussed. Participants will receive materials and ideas for planning and assessment of large and small group composing projects, where students collaborate to create original performable works for their ensemble.
YOU as Digital Author & Composer: the iPad in the music classroom
Presented by: Brian Moore
Many schools and districts have embraced the iPad as a strategy for 1:1 technology initiatives as a means of providing personal and compelling content for students. Music is an area with great practice and promise in iPad adoption and application. Come learn what is possible for music composition and music learning with iBooks, GarageBand and iTunesU. Participants are encouraged to bring their own iPad.
Young Composer Concert
Featuring compositions by the winners of the NAfME Student Composers Competition, followed by Composers Meet Composers
