Inspiration for Teachers
Inspiration for Teachers is a week-long professional development opportunity for conductors and anyone teaching music that runs concurrently with Singspiration. Educators have the opportunity to sit in on junior and senior choir rehearsals, dialogue with Singspiration guest conductors, and gain practical knowledge from a variety of clinicians.
Flexible Registration
Teachers may attend for the entire week, half a week, or a day. Accomodation and meals on campus are available (Please bring your own bedding, pillow and towels). Lunch, coffee, and snacks are provided for all participants.
Fee Information
Teacher sessions
Monday
Choir Rehearsal Observations: See how the conductors get started with their new choir. Observe warm ups, rehearsal techniques, and the introduction of repertoire. An extremely valuable opportunity!
Introduction to Conducting: Jordan Van Biert
The basics of choral and conducting techniques. A great primer or review.
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Jordan Van Biert is an Edmonton native and graduate of the University of Alberta (MMus) and The King's University College (BMus). He directs Edmonton community choir Vocal Alchemy, directs music at Trinity Lutheran Church, and teaches at Concordia High School. He also teaches piano and music theory privately.
His conducting teachers have included Timothy Shantz, Debra Cairns and Leonard Ratzlaff; he has also been coached by Robert Sund, Ivars Taurins, Jon Washburn and Simon Carrington.
Jordan has recently conducted both the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Norfolk (CT) Festival Chamber Choir in concert. He has produced a series of Bach Project concerts in Edmonton featuring sacred music for chamber choir. In 2009, he formed and conducted the Illuminations Choir for Edmonton's first Winter Light festival.
Jordan has served as assistant conductor to both Edmonton's Da Camera Singers and the University of Alberta Concert Choir, and has sung in many notable ensembles including the National Youth Choir. He is currently a core singer with Pro Coro Canada.
As an educator, he has taught people of all ages in a variety of contexts, conducted many youth, adult and church choirs, and has instructed in music institutionally at secondary and post-secondary levels. |
Tuesday
Rehearsal Observations
Smart Board Activities for the Music Class: TBA
In an age where many students have an iPod or cell phone, and spend hours on the computer or playing video games, how do we reach our students and make music instruction meaningful? Although not the whole answer, technology can be both a motivating and effective tool to help increase our students' musical understanding. Delve into the world of Smart Board technology and learn about some teacher-tested sites and activities for the music class.
Planning a Successful Concert: Tim Paetko, Music Consultant for Edmonton Public Schools
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Out of concert ideas? This session addresses how to plan successful concerts with ideas for staging, repertoire, themes, and organization to make your big night go smoothly.
After 13 years in the classroom, Tim Paetkau is currently the Music Consultant for Edmonton Public Schools. He received his Master of Education from the University of Alberta with an emphasis on music and phonemic awareness. Tim has studied Orff Schulwerk at the University of Alberta, completing his Level 3 with Jos Wuytack. As a consultant, Tim presents on a regular basis on various topics relating to music. |
Wednesday
Rehearsal Observations
Voulez-vous danser? French Songs and Games for the English Music Class: Jody Stark, Singspiration Executive Director
Music is a powerful tool for enjoyment, language learning, and cultural awareness. Join Jody as she shares some tried and true games and repertoire en français for the English or French Immersion classroom or choir. Venez vous amuser !
Before becoming a university lecturer in music and music education, Jody Stark spent many years as a French Immersion teacher both in the classroom and as the school music teacher. Former chargée de cours (lecturer) in music education at U of A's Campus St-Jean and Coordinatrice of the Projet Via Musica CDs and DVD, Jody is thrilled to share her experience with French song and culture.
Vocal Technique for Music Teachers: Dr. George Evelyn
How best do we sing to provide a good vocal model for our students? Dr. Evelyn will talk about good vocal production and give some strategies for the classroom teacher and choral director alike.
University of Lethbridge Professor Emeritus George Evelyn is an internationally recognized bass-baritone and highly sought after choral conductor. Founder of the University of Lethbridge Singers, Dr. Evelyn has been recognized for his active promotion of choral music across Canada, winning several awards including the Queen's Jubilee Medal. Evelyn has also been recognized as an outstanding teacher in his 31 years of university teaching, winning The University of Lethbridge Distinguished Teaching Medal. He is also the creator of the award-winning video series on conducting called "Gestures," produced in conjunction with ACCESS Network and co-produced with colleague George Gallant.
Repertoire Choices and Vocal Development: Heather Johnson
Choosing repertoire can be one of the most daunting tasks for the music teacher or choir director. Solid repertoire selection aids in our task of teaching music and singing but where do we begin? Heather will share suggestions for choosing quality
repertoire appropriate for the developing voice.
A native of Alberta, Heather Johnson is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Cantilon Choirs in Edmonton. The Cantilon program involves over two hundred singers of all ages in ten different choirs. Since their inception, Ms. Johnson's choirs have been honoured with many awards in provincial, national and international competitions. Her work has consistently received first place standings in Provincial and National Music Festivals, including the prestigious CBC Choral Competition for Amateur Choirs. Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Lethbridge, a Bachelor of Education degree and a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Alberta. She also holds a diploma from the Kodály Pedagogical Intézet in Kecskemét, Hungary. In great demand as a choral clinician, adjudicator, lecturer and guest conductor, Heather also maintains an active voice studio. Heather lives in Edmonton with her husband, Steven Turgeon and her two year old daughter Sophie.
Thursday
Teacher Workshop Day: Successful Part-Singing: Darlene Ngo, Campbell River
Explore a sequence for developing part singing through songs and games for children from Kindergarten through and beyond Grade 6. Part singing develops an ability to do more than one thing at a time and increases students' skills, confidence and enjoyment of music.
Born in Prince George, BC, Darlene is an elementary music specialist who has taught general music, band and choir in Calgary, Alberta and Campbell River, British Columbia. She is currently teaching music in two Campbell River elementary schools and directs three choirs between the two schools. Darlene also has classroom experience teaching English Language Arts and technology as well as music. Her passion is to inspire children to love music. Darlene holds degrees from the University of Calgary (MMus Kodaly), the University of Victoria (BEd Music) and an ARCT piano diploma.
Arts Integration: What Is It and How Do We Do It? Judy Sills, Edmonton
Creative thinkers will be the leaders starting now and in the future. It is our task as teachers to help children develop their full creative capacities. This session will explore ways of integrating art and music into other curricular areas, setting the stage for the imagination to expand on these ideas and create new and exciting ways to approach these two disciplines.
Judy Sills has recently retired as Department Head of Music from Victoria Performing and Visual Arts School in Edmonton. She has instructed Levels I, II and III Orff courses at several universities in Canada and the US, and has more than 35 years of choral and Orff directing experience at school and district levels. Judy has presented many Orff workshops across Canada, the United States, Hong Kong and South Africa. Her Orff Ensembles have performed at eight National Conferences. She is sought after as an adjudicator of elementary music at festivals and was nominated as a YWCA Woman of Distrinction in 2006.
Friday
Rehearsal Observations
What’s in a Song? Darlene Ngo, Campbell River
Explore the numerous possibilities for developing literacy through the rhythm, melody, and form of a song. This session will show what, how and when to use reading and writing activities for each element over a year while making music fun and enjoyable.
Choral Reading Session: Brendan Lord (Sponsored by the Alberta Choral Federation)
Sing through some fabulous pieces for your choir and find out how you can have access to a set of scores for a small fee.
Brendan Lord holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music) degree from Augustana University College, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Alberta, and is currently studying for the Doctor of Music degree in choral conducting at the U of A. His conducting teachers have included Dr. Marc Hafso, Dr. Robert de Frece, Dr. Debra Cairns, and Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff. Mr. Lord has recently completed two major recitals which included J.S. Bach's rarely performed Easter Oratorio, the Canadian premieres of James MacMillan's Cantos Sagrados and James Bassi's Harpsonnets. Recent awards include the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship, a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada fellowship, and the University of Alberta President`s Award. Mr. Lord is a sessional professor of music at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta where he currently the director the Augustana Choir and Sangkor: Augustana's Women's Choir, and teaches keyboard musicianship. In addition, he is a member of Pro Coro Canada, the Executive Director of the Alberta Choral Federation, and a frequent adjudicator and clinician with choirs of all ages and abilities. Mr. Lord is also an active composer and arranger of choral music and is published through Pavane Publishing.
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