The Virtual Ensemble: A Brief History and Guideline

The Virtual Ensemble: A Brief History and Guideline

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected how we make music with others and teach music to our students. Musicians still want to have group performances, and music teachers want to have some sort of concert experience. In response to stay-at-home restrictions, school closures, and online learning, tech-savvy music teachers across the United States quickly put together virtual performances of their school ensembles. Read on for brief history of the virtual ensemble and general guidelines on how to prepare your students to record for a virtual performance.

This is Music Education: Chadwick/Milledgeville Schools

This is Music Education: Chadwick/Milledgeville Schools

A look into the music program at Chadwick Milledgeville Schools with the choral and general music educator, Scott Mattison. “The most satisfying part of teaching music is the sheer joy of watching students faces when they can bring happiness to their audience through their performance. I want my students to enjoy what they are performing and you can see that on their faces when they sing.”

Let's Do Better: Seeing Color in Music Education

Let's Do Better: Seeing Color in Music Education

There are no prescribed answers or paths to solving the inequities that exist in music. Methods of curriculum and repertoire are only as effective as the thoughtfulness with which they are crafted and selected, based on the students and communities we serve. So rather than searching for concrete or formulaic answers, let’s choose to engage. Let’s choose to question. Let’s choose to admit our own complicity. Let’s be willing to have uncomfortable conversations. Let’s wrestle with challenging ideas.

Composing in the JSGM Classroom (And Information For the ILMEA Composition Contest!)

Composing in the JSGM Classroom (And Information For the ILMEA Composition Contest!)

Many educators are considering incorporating topics such as composition that have traditionally been classified as “general music” into their ensemble classes. While this change may initially be approached simply as a way to supplement or replace live rehearsal time, topics like composition, theory, and history can truly enhance learning within any ensemble or general music class.

Tapping Invisible Talent, Part 3: Curriculum and Resources

Tapping Invisible Talent, Part 3: Curriculum and Resources

A curriculum of song writing/composing includes music theory elements such as chords, progressions, scales, etc. There is an abundance of resources available to approach these topics in a way that caters to a wealth of teaching styles, and so this article will not dictate to you how to administer those elements. For this article, I will focus on the resources related to learning digital music production and a process for shaping the creative work, and you’ll be able to apply this curriculum to any digital audio software (DAW) you choose.

Everything I Needed to Know To Be a Policy Advocate, I Learned in the Music Room

Everything I Needed to Know To Be a Policy Advocate, I Learned in the Music Room

As music teachers, we often say that we teach humans first and music second. In the same spirit, as we approach policy, we need to advocate for policies that not only benefit the music program, but also ensure that students, both in our classrooms and throughout the state, are receiving an education that addresses their needs.