Our Music Educators deserve a special shout-out for their hard work at the recent Wisconsin Music Educators’ Association conference, held late last month. Together, they made significant contributions and served in esteemed leadership roles, providing invaluable professional development sessions that enhanced the teaching quality of their peers.
Under the theme "Music OF All, and Music FOR All," the conference embraced the importance of inclusivity within music education. Our music teachers fully embraced this theme and showcased their commitment to ensuring that every student has access to music.
Anne Vanderbloemen, Kristen Flak-Solom, Nancy Kurr, Steve Kurr, Julia Tibbetts, Darlayne Coughlin, and Kimberly Reynolds were among our distinguished music educators who took part in the conference. Their dedication, expertise, and passion for music education shone bright throughout the event.
Kristen Flak-Solom, in her role as the State WMEA Orchestra Chair, led an orchestra networking session that fostered collaboration and created new opportunities for musicians to connect and learn from one another.
Anne Vanderbloemen and Nancy Kurr, as section coaches for the Middle Level Honors Band and High School Honors Orchestra respectively, provided indispensable guidance and mentorship to young musicians, helping them enhance their skills and achieve new heights.
Darlayne Coughlin and Kimmy Reynolds presented a compelling session on "Incorporating District Literacy Goals into the Rehearsal." Their insights and strategies showcased how literacy goals can be seamlessly integrated into music education, creating well-rounded musicians who excel in various areas.
Anne Vanderbloemen also captivated the audience with an inspiring presentation titled "ARTS for ALL Madison Choir performance with La Follette High School Choir." Her performance, accompanied by inclusion tips for supporting students with disabilities in performance ensembles, highlighted the importance of creating inclusive spaces where all students can thrive.
Nancy Kurr's session, "Take a Risk and Join the Chorus: Group Music Activities for Confidence Building," at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference further emphasized the transformative power of music in fostering confidence and personal growth among students.
We are proud to recognize the achievements of our MHS Symphony String Orchestra, led by Steve Kurr, as they were chosen as one of only two orchestras to perform at the conference. Their exceptional performance, featuring British Connections: Music by Coleridge-Taylor, Lewis, Grainger, and Rutter, showcased their exceptional talent and dedication to excellence.
Notably, our talented middle school students from Glacier Creek, Kromrey, and MHS 8th & 9th grade bands and orchestras made us proud at the WSMA Middle Level Honors Project. A record-breaking twenty-one students participated, displaying their skills and passion for music.
Furthermore, we commend the sixteen 10th-12th grade students from Middleton High School who were selected for the WSMA High School Honors Project. Through their rigorous auditions, they earned their place in these esteemed ensembles, representing our school with exceptional talent and musicality.
String students Ethan Bo, Alex Bo, Eunice Chung, Rhea Dalvie, Anna Gruett, Anoushka Kuckreja, and Hannah Lee, along with band members Joanne Choi, Katrina Feltz, Jackie Lanear, Celia Nichols, Ben Pralat, Caroline Sax, and Alice Yang, and choir members Linus Ballard and Ava Greenberg all represented Middleton High School in these ensembles.
A heartfelt thank you to our music educators for their unwavering dedication and their contribution to the success of the recent Wisconsin Music Educators' Association conference. Your passion for music and commitment to ensuring that music is accessible for all students is truly inspiring.
Photo:
Row 1: Abe Koczinski, Jihong Kim, Maren Kuhn, Prarthna Sampath, Diya Chilukuri, Ethan Hunter, Karver Sze
Row 2: Kenneth Bickett, Hailey Marshall, Cora Wieneke, Rachel Lee, Parker Hunn, Audrey VanBendegom, Mika Stockner
Row 3: Ily Razvi, Fritz Bush, Peter Francois, Amy Ma, Maddie Schecher, Matteo Vazquez