2022 Colorado Music Educators Association Conference
Thursday, January 27, 2022
Take It Outside! Songs and Games for Outdoors or Large Spaces
Come sing and play as we learn 2nd-5th grade songs, games, and dances that work well outside or inside.
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The ABC’s of Songwriting Activism: Art + Blues + Compassion = Change
Do you want to create more opportunities for the intersection of activism and active music-making in your classroom? Songwriting can be tricky, but provides rewarding musical experiences and a platform for student agency and activism. Come learn how the blues genre and visual art combine to provide a perfect initial journey for student activist songwriting that is accessible and successful. Participants will leave our session ready to build a blues unit where students own the entire songwriting process. Not only will they write and sing the lyrics, but they will also play recorder, ukulele, and barred instruments, while exploring important music concepts like form, theory, harmony, and music history. We will also discuss songwriting tips and tricks, plus quality resources for introducing a blues unit to your students. Bring a recorder and ukulele to join in our songwriting!
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Discovering a Treasure Trove of Melodic Games
Folk music resources are the roots of the Kodály curriculum and literacy skills are one of the many branches. In this session participants will learn some golden treasures to add to their collections. Through the materials presented in this session, melodic literacy skills will be presented, experienced and explored. Participants will walk away with new song materials as well as music literacy activities to implement in their classroom.
Presider: Paul Maley
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Teaching Melody, it CAN be Fun!
Teaching melodic elements is so much more daunting than teaching rhythmic elements. Students must establish a solid foundation of listening skills to be successful when learning about melodic elements. In this session, participants will sing, move, play, and read their way through the preparation and practice of a few melodic elements. How to establish a strong foundation to develop the students’ ears will be discussed. Most importantly, FUN teaching strategies will be demonstrated and experienced to ensure student success.
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Journey Around the Globe with Recorder
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West Music Presents: Buckets of Fun
Denise Gagne
Managing editor of Themes & Variations, Preschool music teacher and frequent visitor to elementary school music classroomsIn this session, Denise will share a sequence for teaching students to play bucket drums or desk drums. Tips for teaching, a sequence of skills, and fun pop song play along options will be included.
Friday, January 28, 2022
Breaking the Kodaly Norm: Engaging Upper Elementary
Join ROCKE for strategies and activities that you might not have seen before for engaging your upper elementary students. They are Kodaly inspired but provide variety in your lessons and strategies! We will share activities that utilize technology, playing instruments, projects and more!
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West Music Presents: Listening Fun!
Denise Gagne
Managing editor of Themes & Variations, Preschool music teacher and frequent visitor to elementary school music classroomsListening and responding to music is important for the emotional well being of our students. In this session, you’ll explore engaging and fun listening activities for all age, from your littles to Middle school. We’ll move and create movement with scarves, ribbons, cups, plates and more. We’ll explore form and cultural context. This session is fun – and will give you many lessons to use in your classes!
Striking Gold with Rhythmic Literacy Activities
Folk music resources are the roots of the Kodály curriculum and literacy skills are one of the many branches. In this session participants will learn some golden treasures to add to their collections. Through the materials presented in this session, rhythmic literacy sills will be presented, experienced and explored. Participants will walk away with new song materials as well as much literacy activities to implement in their classroom.
Teaching Without Words: Exploring Innovative Teaching in Elementary Music - presented by RMC-AOSA
Stop losing your voice, teachers! With instruments, sound cues, body language, unique vocal sounds and more, we can conquer the lost voice. In this session, we will explore classroom procedures, learn a dance, play a xylophone piece, explore unpitched percussion, and more – all with as few words as possible.
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Fort Collins High School and Rocky Mountain High School - One Voice - A Treble Choir Collaboration
Presiders - Tam Smith, Principal, Fort Collins High School and Craig Woodall, Principal Rocky Mountain High School
Concert Host - Bryan Kettlewell, VMC District 3 Representative
The Big Sing
Anthony Trecek-King
The Hartt School, University of Hartford and a Resident Conductor with the Handel and Haydn Society, Associate Professor of Choral Music and Director of Choral Activities
Melanie Trecek-King
Massasoit Community College, Associate Professor of Biology and Science Educator and Communicator, Thinking is PowerA Brain-aligned Approach to Fostering Belonging in the Music Room
How can we create a safe place where students have agency and feel cared for as they engage musically, socially, and emotionally? Learn what practical insight educational neuroscience has for those seeking to forge authentic connections to students and how these apply specifically to elementary and middle school music classrooms.
Learn how educational neuroscience help teachers create a safe place where students have agency and feel cared for as they engage musically, socially, and emotionally.
Pomona High School - Midnight Vocal Ensemble
Presider - Jason Parson, Assistant Principal, Pomona High School
Concert Host - Alyssa Miller, VMC Chair-elect
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Just Add Kids
It’s amazing what kids can do when given the right materials! Join clinician Andy Beck to experience the newest 2-part chorals, songbooks, movement ideas, musicals, and other classroom resources—perfect for those energetic young singers of yours! A complimentary music packet will be given to each director in attendance.
Socioemotional Learning through Music: Ideas for Teaching the Whole Child
Elementary-age children need socioemotional skills to become both strong musicians and thriving adults and citizens later in life. Even if your school has not adopted free-standing SEL standards, SEL can be integrated into your regular teaching! Come learn how the five SEL core competencies can be taught simultaneously with music standards and help you respond to students with compassion and understanding. We will provide strategies and planning ideas for songs, games, and activities that promote prosocial skills like self-awareness and responsible decision making for your learners.
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Moving to multiple genres of music: increasing student connection, engagement, and musicality
Movement is integral to true understanding in music - helping students better comprehend expression, form, and other musical concepts. When a student develops movement competence in the early years, the learning is even more powerful and continues into adulthood. Learn how to boldly and joyfully include all genres of music, including Pop, Global, R & B, to your repertoire to meet students where they are and draw them into this crucial (and fun!) component of being musical.