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
Sessions on a variety of subjects related to music education and conducting are presented throughout the week. This year's sessions (subject to change) are:
Monday
How to Start out with your Choir: Observations, Introductions and Discussions.
Facilitated by Gerhard Kruschke, Edmonton Public Schools
Tuesday
Effective Planning for the Music Program
Dr. Kathryn Smith, University of Alberta
Kathy goes through the basics of short and long-range planning focusing on how to put together an effective lesson plan to lessen classroom management problems and make our instruction more effective. A very helpful session for the experienced or new music teacher alike!
Choral Gems for the Elementary Choir
Josie Burgess, Associate Artistic Director of Cantilon Choirs
Join Josie as she reads through some of her favorite "must sing" choral repertoire for elementary aged choirs, and benefit from her experience teaching those pieces with helpful tips and suggestions for pedagogy.
Josie Burgess is the Associate Artistic Director of the Cantilon Choral program and is a long-time choral singer and educator. Josie earned a Bachelor of Education degree (elementary focus) and a Bachelor of Music degree (voice major) from the University of Alberta. Josie's ability to work with varied levels of musical experience is evident in her work with both school and community choirs involving K-12 students in a variety of educational settings. After teaching senior high school for the past eight years, Josie has assumed a new position as an early childhood music specialist with Edmonton Catholic Schools, beginning in September 2008. Josie is in demand as a vocal coach, workshop clinician and adjudicator and is a past board member of the Alberta Choral Federation. As a certified yoga instructor, Josie has been inspired to explore the relationship between yoga, singing and choral conducting. Josie's true passion lies in her desire to nurture and support young voices as they develop and grow musically and artistically. It is with sincerity and honour that she works to enrich the lives of young singers through the beauty and wonder of music. When she is not involved in all things choral and yogi, Josie enjoys cooking, traveling and walking her dog.
Wednesday
Morning Workshop: Music Literacy in the Classroom
Anita Perlau, Mount Royal College
Music class should be fun, but the teaching of music literacy should play an integral part of the elementary music program. In this morning-long session, Anita will share activities that teach and reinforce rhythmic and melodic concepts of the Alberta Music Curriculum while at the same time, enhancing children's love of music. Folk songs, art music, dances and games are utilized to make music a fun and formative experience. Come prepared to sing, play and dance as we joyfully make music together!
Anita Perlau was an elementary music specialist for 12 years and began teaching at the Mount Royal College Conservatory in 1997. Anita teaches in the Early Childhood Kodaly Musicianship Program for children ages three to nine and loves it!!!
Anita also has an extensive choral background. She directed the children's choirs of Mount Royal College for nine years. Presently she directs the "Alleluia Chorus" an ecumenical children's choir.
We're not singers, we're MUSICIANS: Encouraging Advanced Artistry in the Choral Rehearsal
So they know the notes, now what? This session will address taking the next step beyond basic musical learning, supporting our students in developing their musical literacy, and guiding them through score and poetic analysis.
Brian Galante is Associate Director of Musical Activities at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington where he conducts several ensembles and teaches Vocal Pedagogy for Music Educators, Choral Methods and Materials, and Choral Literature. Brian received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas in 2008 (Choral Conducting, with a related field in Voice Science and Pedagogy). He holds Master of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Louisiana State University. Previous choral appointments include Instructor of Choral Music and Interim Assistant Director of Choral Studies at Louisiana State University; Conductor of the 160-voice UNT Men’s Chorus and Conducting Associate of the UNT A Cappella Choir; Director of Choral Music/Coordinator of K-12 Music at Highland Park High School, Dallas, Texas; Director of Choirs at Episcopal High School and Director of Music at St. Louis King of France Catholic Church, both in Baton Rouge.
In addition, Galante has enjoyed success and acclaim as a composer and arranger: his compositions are published by Colla Voce Music, have been performed by professional, collegiate, and advanced high school choirs throughout the United States and Europe, and recorded for commercial release by Centaur Records.
Frequently in demand as a clinician and adjudicator, Galante has conducted honor choirs at both the high school and junior high level. He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), Washington ACDA, and the Washington Music Educators Association. He serves ACDA on the National Technology Committee and the 2009 National Convention Committee.
Vocal Technique: Connecting
Elaine Quilichini, Calgary Girls' Choir
Connection permeates all aspects of a choir program. Join Elaine as she explores the connection between singer and conductor, choir and audience. Look at different techniques to help singers form these connections in performance and in the rehearsal.
Award-winning conductor Elaine Quilichini is recognized the world over for her exceptional musicianship and distinguished work with choral ensembles. In 1995 Ms. Quilichini founded the Calgary Girls Choir, one of Canada's most dynamic and award-winning ensembles, which has performed to great acclaim across North America. In addition to her work with the CGC and her private music studio, Ms. Quilichini also directs the University of Calgary's Women's Choir, is Artistic Director of the Nebraska Wesleyan University Summer Youth Choral Program and the Summer Kodály Programs at Wichita State University. She also serves as conductor for the youth and children's choirs at the Kodály Music Institute, New England Conservatory in Boston's choral summer program.
Thursday
Choral Singing in the Classroom
Anita Perlau
Every piece of music we choose for our students should be of the highest musical "value". In this session, Anita will share what qualities a song of "value" should have and offer her repertoire favourites of unison and two part songs for the elementary classroom. Each song can be used to reinforce concepts of the music curriculum, while being of the very best quality for performance purposes.
Musical Understanding Through Listening
Jody Stark, Executive Director
What do you do with grade 5 and 6 students who won't sing in music class? How else could musical understanding take root? Many grade 5's and 6's are seized with peer consciousness and see themselves as different from the younger grades. They often are ready for something new after going through several years of an Orff or Kodaly-inspired program. Join Jody as she shares some thoughts on teaching music theory and increasing musical understanding through listening and discussing THEIR music. Musicianship training without singing a note (well, without singing many).
Friday
Vocal and Choral Techniques for Teachers
David Wilson
Using stretching, metaphorical movement, breathing techniques, conducting gesture and vocal instruction, we will discuss methods of creating a beautiful sounding choir, honing healthy vocal technique and how it all relates to a sense of health and well-being.
David Wilson (B.Mus, M.Mus) is a Singer, Conductor, Voice Teacher, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Respiratory Therapist. He has served as Artistic Director for the Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players, Spiritus Chamber Choir, Debut Opera Society, Edmonton Recorder Orchestra, and Vocal Alchemy. He has won both the ACF's Con Spirito Award and the International Contemporary Acappella Recording Award for Spiritus' CD "Crossing Bridges". In addition to his busy vocal studio, teaching with Opera Nuova, and singing with the Edmonton Opera, the 2008-'09 season has included teaching Choral 10/20/30 at Concordia High School, the conducting of the Edmonton Recorder Orchestra, and the presentation of over 40 choral conducting workshops, breath seminars and vocal masterclasses throughout Alberta. David has created Body, Breath & Voice Integrative Therapy to assist groups and individuals in reclaiming their natural breath and to unleash their full vocal potential. His website is body-breath-voice.com.
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