AIMEE CURTIS PFITZNER PLAYFUL POSSIBIITIES Saturday, Sept. 16th, 2023 Metcalf School: ISU Campus 9:00-1:00 Join Aimee as she explores her best selling book. Mr. Rogers had it right when he said "When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy that's to be found in the creative spirit. It's the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives." This resource starts with the idea of play, incorporating some favorite children's books, singing games, listening activities, and original songs in dozens of Orff process lesson plans to activate children and let them "play" with music. Learning through play helps children make sense of the world around them. Playful learning increases confidence as well as self-esteem and builds relationships with others. It helps children learn problem-solving skills and understand rules and limits, encourages conflict resolution, inspires creativity, and expands language. AIMEE CURTIS PFIZNER has been a teacher of Orff-Schulwerk for twenty-eight years, receiving her Master level Orff certification from the University of Memphis. She holds a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of Maine, Orono. Aimee presents workshops for local, state, national, and international conferences and contributes regularly to her blog, ofortunaorff.com.
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LAUREN
SOUTHARD GROWING YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL SINGERS Saturday, Oct. 28th, 2023 Metcalf School: ISU Campus 9:00-1:00 The younger the singer, the more important it becomes to engage the mind, heart, and whole body simultaneously in order to create young exceptional singers. Technique and musical concepts are learned more quickly and fluidly when engaged in an emotional artistic experience. The most difficulty for a director at this stage might come from remembering that musical artistic moments look, feel, and are absorbed differently at each stage of development for children. Middle school singers might benefit more from talking as a group and visualizing artistic motivation, while younger singers might need physical movement and concrete visual representations. However all singers, regardless of age, can engage in music as tied to their own experiences or the experience of the world around them. It is important to emphasize vocal technique, an engaging classroom environment, and the ability to create true artistic moments actively at these early stages. LAUREN SOUTHARD is the Director of Outreach and Choir Programs for the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Now in her 15th year with the organization in an artistic capacity, her directing responsibilities include Music At Play, Preparatory, Beginning Level Choirs, and Chamber Choir. She also developed and directs the Foundations Choir, ICC’s newest choral program for Kindergarteners. In addition, Mrs. Southard directs the Anderson Area Children’s Choir Concert and Preparatory Choirs, as well as founding and directing Jubilate, ICC’s choir for children with special needs. She recently published ICC’s new early childhood curriculum at use in all of its preschool and toddler age programs, Music At Play.
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MANJU DURAIRAJ PRINCIPLES OF ORFF SCHULWERK+ CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY Saturday, Feb. 24th, 2024 Metcalf School: ISU Campus 9:00-1:00 This workshop proposes to place the artistic+pedagogical spirit of the Orff-Schulwerk as developed by Orff and Keetman within the context of current music education practice. Using Principles of Orff Schulwerk that center the humans involved in collaborative musicking while ensuring creativity in improvisation and composition, the workshop demonstrates the interplay of process and product. MANJU DURAIRAJ was born and raised in India, studied in Pune, India, and was involved in graduate research projects on comparative pedagogical practices of Indian (Carnatic) and Western Music at Middlesex University, London, UK. She graduated with her second master’s degree and K-12 certification from VanderCook College of Music, Chicago and is now the Lower School Music Teacher at the Latin School of Chicago. In service to her profession, Manju is vice president elect DEI of AOSA and past president of the Greater Chicago Orff Chapter, serves on the Elementary General Music Council of Illinois MEA, and is a certified Orff Schulwerk Levels Instructor as well as a certified Arts Integration specialist. Additionally, she is an adjunct professor at VanderCook College of Music, Chicago where she teaches curriculum design and elementary methods graduate and undergraduate courses.
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