1

Volume 26, Issue 1 Newsletter of PAOSA Chapter 5 Fall 2014

Issue Highlights Workshop Schedule 1 Presenter Bios 2-3 Announcements 4 Excerpts from the Archives 5-6 Workshop Reviews 6 President’s Letter 7 Member Spotlight 8-9 Grants & Scholarships 10 Workshop Information 11 Membership Information 12 Board Members 13

2014-2015 Workshops

September 20 Janie Vance

Creative Pathways

October 25 Jennifer Dennett

Beyond Singing Stories: Story Telling in the Orff Classroom

January 24

Orff in Action

February 28 Tim Gregory

Kenya Sing and Dance

April 18 Peter and Mary Alice Amidon Singing, Dancing, and Storytelling

May 16

Chapter Sharing and Potluck Exploring Locomotor and Non-Locomotor

Movement in the Classroom

2

Upcoming Workshops

September 20, 2014 9:00 - 1:30

Janice Vance

Creative Pathways

Traverse creative pathways through the Schulwerk to get your students thinking "outside the box". Working both collaboratively and individually with fun, everyday concepts and ideas, we will improvise and compose our own music and movement pieces. Through this process, we will also explore the possibilities for enhancing music literacy skills by making connections between what we hear and what we see.

Janie Vance is an active educator, clinician, and researcher in the field of music education. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from James Madison University, a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from the University of Miami (FL) and a Master and Doctor of Education in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her certification and Masters certificate in Orff Schulwerk from George Mason University. Janie has taught movement for the Orff Schulwerk certification courses at Villanova University, Peabody Conservatory, and George Mason University. She is an active presenter in Orff Chapter Workshops and National Conferences. Janie has taught general/vocal/instrumental music Pre-K through 12th grade for 19 years and is currently the music coordinator and teacher at The Town School in New York City.

3

October 25, 2014 9:00 – 1:30

Jennifer Dennett

Beyond Singing Stories: Storytelling in the Orff Classroom

Once upon a time, a troupe of lively music educators gathered at a workshop to hear stories and to explore the ways in which those stories could be integrated into their teaching. They delighted in the variety of ways folk tales, fairy tales, and fables enriched such musical concepts as melody, rhythm, timbre, and movement. By the end of the workshop the teachers not only had activities to take directly back to their students, they also had the inspiration to create new literature-based lessons of their own. And they taught happily ever after. The End. Jennifer Dennett is an elementary music specialist in Danvers, Massachusetts and a professional storyteller. She combines music, movement, and storytelling in workshops for both music and early childhood educators. She completed Orff Level III teacher training in 2010 and is the current president of the New England AOSA chapter.

4

AOSA National Conference November 6-8, 2014

Plan ahead for the 2016 AOSA National Conference

in Atlantic City PAOSA will be hosting.

*All are invited to attend a JUMPSTART WORKSHOP

led by National presenters, Sue Mueller and

Jennifer Donovan Saturday, August 8

10:00-12:00 Abington Friends School

Bring a friend!

New Board Members Needed! Please consider donating your time and voice to the board of PAOSA. No experience is necessary. Training will be provided. The only requirement is a desire to help keep our wonderful organization alive and well and providing resources and collegial comradery to our fellow Orff Schulwerk members.

The following position needs to be filled for 2014-2015

Membership Co-Chair For more information, contact Dawn Pratson

The following positions are looking for people to

train to take over their positions:

Act 48 Administrator For more information, contact John Bednar

Program Chair

For more information, contact Michelle Przybylowski

Announcements

5

Excerpts From the Archives Part IV

This is an ongoing series about the history of our chapter as presented by our historian, Rose Grelis

1984-85 (13th year) A message from the AOSA Executive Board meeting of September 1984, indicates an unfortunate 13th year problem with the organization. The Philadelphia Area Chapter had requested a Workshop Grant, but it seems that there was a misunderstanding that the chapter had been dissolved and was therefore not eligible. Though this was not the case, as indicated by correspondence from our chapter, we were unable to receive a grant. However, this situation led to a discussion within the National Executive Board that resulted in a clarification regarding any future change in chapter status. A financial report was sent to AOSA headquarters listing expenses from June to October 1984. A sheet with the Delaware Valley Orff-Schulwerk Association heading was distributed asking for people to add their names to the mailing list. It seems that there was discussion that the organization would be changing its name to the Philadelphia Area Orff-Schulwerk Association. Notice, they used the hyphen between Orff and Schulwerk (which is no longer allowed). There was also a membership list of 22 members, all except one being national members. Because of financial problems within the chapter, several prominent members of AOSA offered workshops at little or no cost to our local organization in order to keep the chapter alive. The listing of workshops for the season began on October 20 with Patricia Brown and on November 17 with Brigitte Warner. As an aside, one of Ms. Brown’s former students is our own Martha Crowell. Other workshops were Saturday, January 7, Sunday, February 5 and Saturday, March 24, along with the possibility of an all day Saturday workshop in April. The heading of the document read: American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Philadelphia Area Chapter with the footnote formerly “Delaware Valley”. Chapter Officers were President – Louise Bradford; Vice President – Nancy Moffitt; Secretary – Martha Crowell; Treasurer – Carole Davis and Advisory Board – Tossi Aaron, Betty Benner, Karen Markey, Deborah Pizzi and Marlene Weinstein. 1985-86 In August, 1985, a flyer was sent out to prospective members with a definite increase in dues to $30 for four Saturday workshops “to invite the best available Orff Specialists…since Master Teachers often come from great distances and require travel expenses.” The organization had arranged to meet at the Rosemont School of the Holy Child with the following “Master Teachers” Rida Davis, Tossi Aaron, Lillian Yaross and Beth Miller. For those interested in individual workshops, the cost was $10 per workshop and student members were welcome at $5 per workshop. We were determined to continue as usual while awaiting the response from National regarding our status in the organization.

6

By October 1985, it seems that a ‘fix’ regarding the dissolution of the chapter was underway. Twenty members of the chapter, including 17 National members petitioned National to have the chapter retain its status as one of the earliest founded. In addition, the regional representative offered to give a workshop to the chapter and the chapter president reiterated the fact that the chapter had never really been inactive, since they had held sharing sessions during the ‘inactive’ year. The officers for the year were Karen Markey, President, Sue Davis, 1st Vice President, Martha Crowell, 2nd Vice President; Betty Benner and Debbi Pizzi, Secretaries, Carol Davis, Treasurer and Louise Bradford and Tossi Aaron, Advisors. During this year, the chapter was reinstated. During this period, personal computers were beginning to be used and we fashioned and printed a letterhead for the chapter, with Karen Markey’s information as President. Copies of this letterhead are to be included in a scrapbook that will be available for perusal at workshops.

Workshop Reviews

Photo from April 26, 2014 Workshop with Presenter, Jay Broeker

7

President’s Letter

Dear PAOSA,

Greetings! Our chapter has some very exciting times ahead of us. So, while I suppose our minds may be reluctantly turning from the summer pace back to the school year, I hope you will find a moment to seek out how you can be involved in our chapter this year.

We have six AMAZING workshops planned for this year, beginning with our first on September 20th with Janie Vance. Check out the full listing of workshops on our website at PAOSA.org. They are not to be missed.

Another way of being involved is by joining the board. One position that is currently open is membership co-chair. Talk to Dawn Pratson (dpratson@aol.com) if you are interested in helping in this way. Michelle Przybylowski (musarch@aol.com) is looking to train a new person in the program-planning role, and John Bednar (jbednar1@verizon.net) is also looking for someone to learn the Act 48 ropes. Contact any of these folks or me if you have any questions.

The annual AOSA Professional Development Conference is taking place in Nashville this year from November 5-8th and is sure to be a conference like no other. If you’ve never had the opportunity to attend a conference before, I can tell you from my own experience that it is a highlight of my year and worth finding a creative way to get the leave time from your administrator. If you think he or she might need some help convincing, invite them to attend one of our workshops. Did you know that members’ administrators are welcome to attend any of our workshops, free of charge, so that they can see first-hand the value of what happens in the Orff process?

Speaking of the Professional Development Conference, some more exciting news—our chapter was asked by AOSA to spearhead the co-hosting of the 2016 conference in Atlantic City! This amazing responsibility is sure to bring new life and energy to our chapter—and we will certainly need your involvement to make it possible. We will be sharing some of the responsibilities with the Northern New Jersey and Long Island chapters. If you’ve ever thought about bringing a friend into our chapter family, now is the time. This is definitely an “all hands on deck” moment, but there are many rewards and perks for being involved as well. More information will be forthcoming about ways for you to get involved—stay tuned!

Hope your first day of school (and all that follow, for that matter) is wonderful and you find yourself energized being with all the children whose lives you touch.

Sincerely,

Lori Arner

8

Dawn Pratson

The Dalcroze Society of America 2014 National Conference was held this past June 19-22. Unlike the AOSA, DSA conferences are held every other year, and it is a significantly more intimate experience, as attendance hovers around 100. This year we met at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, where the air was dry and the temperature easy with sun shining every day. The newly constructed and refurbished Center for The Arts provided luxurious space for our workshops and seminars – wood floors that required street shoes to be off, great pianos and props. The conference chairs invited teachers from all over the country and overseas; Silvie Morgenegg came from the Dalcroze Institute in Geneva, and Manuel Zazueta came from the Dalcroze school in Mexico. Amidst and between the movement, eurhythmics, solfege, improvisation, children’s demo, special topics and western line dancing, seminars were held addressing the important topic of Dalcroze training. The society recognized several years ago that the few American clinicians who have been granted the Diplome Superior from Geneva, are in their 70s and 80s and 90s, and there are an extreme few taking their places. According to Geneva, only “Diplomes” can grant the license and certificate to Dalcroze trainees. Many points of view have been expressed, including separating from Geneva and creating our own credentialing process or working with Geneva to make getting the Diplome more accessible, among other ideas. While we continue to explore options, it was felt by most, I think, that the connection to Geneva and to the roots of the work must be maintained. Meanwhile rigorous training programs in the US continue to grant the certificate and license, while one institution grants a masters degree in Dalcroze. As some of these extraordinary teachers may have a limited number of years left, one might consider taking a course soon. For information on where to get training, see the website: www.dalcrozeusa.org. As always, I was filled with the joyous feeling of musicality, community, creativity, and intellectual curiosity that comes from the experience of Dalcroze.

Member Spotlight

Dawn Pratson, teaching movement principals of Dalcroze at the 2014 Dalcroze Society of America National Conference. “The photo is of a RARE moment when we are not moving.”

9

Curriculum Design

In the

Differentiated Elementary Music Classroom

Reviewed by Karen Mercer

This class was offered through Ashland University and was held from June 30 - July 3, 2014, at the Henry Defer Intermediate School in Streetsboro, OH. It was co-taught by BethAnn Hepburn and Roger Sams who together authored Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Classroom Books I & II. They brought their collective experiences with Orff Schulwerk, Kodaly, and Dalcroze Eurhythmics to life in a dynamic week of exciting musical teaching experiences. The focus of this course was to help music teachers design a curriculum that presented musical concepts in a variety of ways to reach students of all abilities and learning styles. The three areas of differentiation include content, process, and product. Each of these areas were broken down, explained, and demonstrated, throughout the week, in lessons that were created for grades K-5. We were given a reflection exercise for homework on our first day. We were asked to rank different kinds of lessons, without judgment, according to how we currently use them in grades K-5. The list included literacy, singing, folk dance, speech/rhythm/BP/UTP, instrumental/ensemble, improvisation, composition, and creative movement. It was thought provoking and brought a new awareness to how we value each of these lessons. It also provided some insight as to how we may want to change our curriculum. Roger Sams led us in Dalcroze Eurhythmics lessons. He introduced us to two pieces of literature that he uses in the classroom and brought them to life with music and movement. The pieces he chose were Peace at Last by Jill Murphy and Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres. A team-teaching assignment was our culminating project. Each group had to choose a grade level and either a rhythmic or melodic concept to teach. The lesson plan needed to include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic examples to reach a variety of learning styles. An additional requirement was to include modifications that would be appropriate for the gifted child and for the child who may need more help. BethAnn and Roger kept us engaged and excited all week long. They brought their passion, focus, and expertise and shared it with us all. I would highly recommend this course to elementary music teachers.

10

Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

The following are grants and scholarships available through AOSA. Please visit their website at www.aosa.org for grant and application information.

AOSA TAP Fund – The Training and Projects (TAP) Fund provides financial aid to AOSA members who are teachers of elementary and junior high school students of low-income populations. Funds must be used for professional development, instruments, and other creative Orff Schulwerk related projects. Funds must used benefit the music education of students from low-income populations and demonstration of personal financial need is necessary if funds are used for professional development. See website for guidelines to assist applicants who are seeking a TAP Fund grant.

Barbara Potter Scholarship Fund – The Barbara Potter Scholarship Fund provides financial aid to AOSA members who are interested in furthering the growth of Orff Schulwerk. These persons must need financial aid to further their education in Orff Schulwerk by attending the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria.

Gunild Keetman Assistance Fund - Established by the AOSA to honor Gunild Keetman, this fund provides aid to AOSA members who are interested in furthering their growth in Orff Schulwerk. These persons must need financial aid to further their education in Orff Schulwerk or to develop a valid, creative project. It is reserved for uses and benefits associated with Orff Schulwerk.

Research Grant - The purpose of this fund is to support and encourage research related to Orff Schulwerk research initiatives as outlined on the AOSA website.

Research Partnership Grant – The purpose of this fund is to support and encourage joint research related to Orff Schulwerk by music teachers and experienced researchers. Grant is available to a research team that includes at least one practicing pk-12 music teacher and one faculty member with substantial research experience at a college or university.

Shields-Gillespie Scholarship – The Shields-Gillespie Scholarship provides financial aid to AOSA members who are interested in furthering the growth of Orff Schulwerk in early childhood education. These persons must demonstrate financial need in order to further their education in Orff Schulwerk, or they must be educators in early childhood programs with low income populations. Applicants may apply for training, instruments for their institution, or for other valid creative projects.

External grants available include:

Kids in Need Foundation – Offers K-12 teacher grants to support innovative classroom projects.

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education – Provides grant awards up to $5000 to support school improvement projects at K-12 schools in the U.S.

Mockingbird Foundation Educational Grants - Mockingbird is particularly interested in projects that encourage and foster creative expression in any musical form (including composition, instrumentation, vocalization, or improvisation), but also recognizes broader and more basic needs within conventional instruction. Mockingbird encourages applications associated with diverse or unusual musical styles, genres, forms, and philosophies.

Visit http://www.k12grants4teachers.com/ for information on other education grants.

11

Workshop Information Workshops are held in the music room of the Lower School Building, which is the building all the way to the left of the Abington Friends School campus. Coffee and gathering begins at 8:30 a.m. Workshops run from 9:00-1:30. Bring a bag lunch or bring $5.00 for pizza and a drink. PA Act 48 credits and NJ Professional Development Certificates are available. To qualify:

1. Sign in for the appropriate state with John Bednar before the workshop begins. 2. You must remain for the entire workshop. 3. After the workshop, Act 48 recipients must submit a complete PDE evaluation form. 4. If you have met the above requirements, you may pick up your PA or NJ certificates

before you leave.

Directions to Workshops Abington Friends School

575 Washington Lane, Jenkintown, PA 19046

Using Pennsylvania Turnpike - Get off the PA Turnpike at the Willow Grove Exit, Rt. 611, go South on 611 (Old York Rd.) about 4 or 5 miles until you get into the Jenkintown shopping district (small shops right along sidewalk). The first light is Greenwood - turn left. The first light on Greenwood is Washington Lane – turn left, second driveway, turn right into Abington Friends School.

- From the North - take the Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike south to Rt. I-276 East. Follow directions above.

From the State of Delaware and Delaware County, PA Take I-95 North to Chester and exit at Rt. I-476 Plymouth Meeting (Blue Route). Stay on I-476 and go onto the PA Turnpike East. Follow PA Turnpike directions above.

From Chester County, PA Take Rt. 202 to the PA Turnpike East. Follow PA Turnpike directions above. From New Jersey

- From Central Jersey - Take the New Jersey Turnpike to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Follow PA Turnpike directions above.

- From Tacony Palmyra Bridge - Cross the Bridge and follow Rt. 73 North through Philadelphia (becomes Cottman Ave.) and into Montgomery County where it is called Township Line Road. Turn right onto Jenkintown Road, which becomes Greenwood Ave. Turn right onto Washington Lane. Abington Friends is on the right.

- From Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman Bridges - Take Schuylkill Expressway I-76 West and bear right at Roosevelt Boulevard Extension. Exit at Broad Street Rt. 611 North and follow directions below.

From Philadelphia Take Broad Street North (Rt. 611) and bear right onto Old York Road. Turn right at the end of “The Pavilion” shopping center onto Washington Lane. Abington Friends is 1 1/2 blocks on the right.

Via Train Get off at the Jenkintown train station. Follow Greenwood Ave. to Washington Ln. School will be across Washington Lane to your left.

12

Membership in AOSA and PAOSA Membership provides opportunities for continual development of the teacher. Active participation in our area workshops will inspire creative musical growth. By associating with other talented music educators, you can share ideas at a professional level. Teachers who are new to the Orff Schulwerk process and don't have access to the barred instruments, will be introduced to many other skills which still nurture the Orff process. *AOSA and PAOSA do not have a unified membership.

American Orff-Schulwerk Association Member Benefits:

• By becoming a member of AOSA, you will form associations with other talented arts educators who continue to seek professional renewal and growth in the same atmosphere of playful spontaneity and musical discovery that your students will experience in the Orff Schulwerk classroom.

• Membership provides teachers with unique opportunities for creative musical growth through their own active participation in area workshops and national conferences.

• Members receive two quarterly publications: The Orff Echo, which publishes scholarly and research articles that extend understanding of the Schulwerk and related approaches to music education; and Reverberations, an on-line publication containing AOSA news and teaching resources that support classroom applications of the Orff Schulwerk.

• You will be eligible for AOSA sponsored grants and scholarships for teacher education, instruments and other special creative projects that are associated with Orff Schulwerk and that will benefit the music education of children.

• You gain access to the AOSA video library, which contains hundreds of professionally produced, informational videos.

• Members save 50% on registration for the annual AOSA professional development conference held each November.

• You will be able to use the Members Only section of the AOSA website which includes teaching resources, on-line videos, access to research related to Orff Schulwerk, and much more.

Visit www.aosa.org for more information.

Philadelphia Area Orff Schulwerk Association Member Benefits: * The Pentaton: Local newsletter issued 3 times a year. * PAOSA workshops: Free admission to all 6 workshops. * Chapter Directory: Provides contact with other PAOSA members. * Complimentary admission to workshops for your administrator. * Members may bring one guest per year for $15 fee. * Individual workshops are $40. Membership fee pays for itself after 2 workshops * Access to “Members Only” section on our website at www.paosa.org.

13

2014-2015 PAOSA Board Members

President Lori Arner

LArner@crsd.org 540-742-2704

Past President Dawn Pratson

dpratson@aol.com 267-971-0926

Vice President Kate Bright

Bright184@yahoo.com 717-761-1010

Membership Chair Dawn Pratson

dpratson@aol.com 267-738-1382

Website Editor Linda Wardell

lwardell@comcast.net 302-988-7020

Member at Large Martha Glaze Zook

mglazeook@verizon.net 215-925-8948

Secretary Alaena Silva

alaena.leigh@gmail.com

Program Chair

Michelle Fella Przybylowski Musarch@aol.com 215-938-7483

PENTATON Editor

Fran Surkin f.surkin@gmail.com 978-771-4590

Act 48 Administrator

John F. Bednar Jr. Jbednar1@verizon.net 610-539-6295

Historian

Rose Grelis rgrelis@verizon.net 610-328-9784

Hospitality Chair Sharon Steward

svsteward@verizon.net 215-355-0934

Member at Large Terri Cocci

terrypiano@dejazzd.com 610-582-7448

Treasurer Jennifer Sheridan

Jennifer.Sheridan@mac.com 610 526-9189

Publicize your business in

The PENTATON

Business card size ads are

$10 per issue $25 per publication year

Members are encouraged contribute articles to the

“PENTATON”! This includes member highlights, workshop reviews, lesson ideas,

technology tips, workshop photos, or any other information you

would like to share.

Please email submissions to Fran Surkin

f.surkin@gmail.com