Classroom Music
Welcome to Classroom Music!
Would you like to present a session at the Winter or Summer Conferences? Click here for the Session Proposal Form!
Coming to the Winter Conference, December 2-4 in Rochester, NY
Robert Amchin

Robert Amchin is distinguished teaching professor and Head of the Music Education/Therapy Division at the University of Louisville. He teaches undergraduate and graduate classes and supervises student teachers at U of L. Dr. Amchin studied at the Orff Institute, N.E. Conservatory, Memphis State, and the University of Michegan. He also taught at the elementary school level in Spring, TX. Dr. Amchin composes and arranges music for recorder and general music classes. He has presented at many AOSA conferences and workshops. Internationally, he has also taught in Russia, Poland, Austria, Canada and Israel
Breaking News...Winter Conference 2010 details!
Early Childhood Classroom Music
Title: Sing, Move, and Play With Stories
Clinician: Diane Sabourin
Description: Reinforce music skills with young children through the use of stories. Instrument exploration, beat competency, vocal skills, listening and music vocabulary will develop stories and actively involve children. Stories and activities are child-tested.
Time: Friday, 2:30
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: Variety Is The Spice Of Life: Creating a Music-Rich Environment for Young Children
Clinician: Kerry Filsinger
Description: Young children learn music through making comparisons. Building an engaging and diverse music environment can provide essential music-learning opportunities for students! In this interactive session, get ready to listen, move, sing, and improise as you learn strategies for creating a music-rich environment in your early childhood music classroom.
Time: Saturday, 10:15
Room: CC Highland EF
Elementary Classroom Music Sessions
Title: Melody and Message: Song writing in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classroom music program
Clinician: Thomas Sugar (with Curriculum Comm.)
Description: Exploring a method for introducing your students to the wonderful world of song writing through a successful, step by step repeatable process. Your students can create the theme song for your next school-wide event and so can you!
Time: Thursday, 4:30
Room: Cascade EF
Title: Ni Hao! General Music Experiences in China
Clinician: Rachel Whitcomb
Description: Come and hear a first-hand account of general music in Shanghai, China. This session will include a description of an elementary general music lesson taught by a master teacher that included listening, moving, singing and playing a traditional Chinese instrument.
Time: Thursday, 7:15
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: C is for Creativity...and Collaboration!
Clinician: Kerry Filsinger and Ann Marie Stanley
Description: This is a hands-on session on how to design learning environments that help students creatively collaborate with a minimum of chaos adn a maximum of learning.
Time: Friday, 8:30
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: The Three Ps of Music Literacy (Preparation, Presentation, Practice)
Clinician: Emily Mason
Description: Using the three Ps of the Kodaly method (preparation, presentation and practice) participants will gain an understanding of the Kodaly philosophy while experiencing a variety of activities that will enable them to achieve music literacy in the elementary music classroom.
Time: Friday, 1:00
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: Kick your heels up! Folk dancing for everyone
Clinician: Rob Amchin
Description: An evening of international folk dancing.
Time: Friday, 7:15
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: Songs of the Mother Tongue: Using Kodaly Principles
Clinician: Emily Mason
Description: Based on Kodaly’s philosophy of teaching children in their “mother tongue,” this session will focus on the use of multicultural folk songs that will enable them to include the principles of Kodaly while empowering students of all ethnic backgrounds.
Time: Saturday, 8:30
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: Side by Side: Guiding Young Composers
Clinician: Kerry Filsinger
Description: Learn how to create a composers’ workshop in the general music classroom! This session will feature video of teacher-facilitated student composition processes and live student composition performances.
Time: Saturday, 8:30
Room: CC Aqueduct
Title: Bluegrass for Beginners
Clinician: Rob Amchin
Description: Songs, dances and tunes from Appalachia. Sing, dance and learn traditional American Music
Time: Saturday, 10:15
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: Spring and Winter Songs for your classrooms
Clinician: Rob Amchin
Description: Enjoy familiar and new songs for the seasons. Recorders, singing, dancing and percussion pieces to enjoy with your classes
Time: Saturday, 1:00
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Title: Children’s stories that sing, dance and play!
Clinician: Rob Amchin
Description: Add to your musical explorations using children’s literature. Resources will include materials and ideas using stories from around the world
Time: Saturday, 2:30
Room: Hyatt Ballroom ABC
Middle School Classroom Music Sessions
TITLE: Chinese Music in the American Music Classroom
CLINICIAN: Wenzhou Zhang
DATE: Saturday December 4
TIME: 2:30 PM CC Cascade EF
This session will focus on different ways to present Chinese music for American students, using the Chinese dulcimer! Wenzhou is a certified music teacher in China. She holds a masters degree from Fredonia and is currently working on her doctorate in music education at Boston University.
TITLE: Rocking Out using American Popular music in the
General Music Classroom
CLINICIAN: Matthew Warren
DATE: Saturday December 4
TIME: 8:30 AM CC Cascade EF
Pop music is addressed through the NYS learning standards from scat to rap; from the blues to the 50’s & 60’s; from guitars to keyboards! This session focuses on the rational for using popular music, ways to use it in the curriculum, as well as teaching resources.
TITLE: We Can Compose……Plus More Part 1 and Part 2
CLINICIAN: Eileen Benedict
DATE: Saturday December 4
TIME: 10:15 AM CC Cascade EF Part 1
1:00 PM CC Cascade EF Part 2
This workshop will highlight melodic and rhythmic exercises that will lead intermediate students into composition. Basics will include rhythmic dictation, syllabication, scale study, interval training and rhythmic and melodic improvisation.
High School Classroom Music Sessions
Data....Data....Data... How Can it Work for You in the Classroom?
with Pamela Christie and Barbara Battaglia
This session will help you connect music and the ELA/Math test results. Presenters will share a detailed description of how to retrieve and replicate this process. You will observe the results and a detailed description of how to get and use the information they have obtained in their procedure.
Guitar for the Wannabe Hero
with Jennifer Davis
Find some new or additional materials to use with your guitar class. Whether it's middle school or high school, this session will share ideas for sequencing a unit or an entire course on the guitar. Tap into what the music students actually want to learn and find ways to differentiate instruction for the beginner student as well as those with experience.
Tune in to Smart Board Technology
with Sara Gleason
Notably, "18 million students in more than 600,000 classrooms in more than 100 countries around the world are using SMART products." (www.smartech.com) Music classrooms need not be an exception. See how technology can enhance the curriculum you already teach by making content visually appealing and interactive.
Lifelong Learning Through the Steel Drum Band
by Dan Hammond and the River Rat Rhythm Project
Steel drums have a distinct character that captures a sense of place and culture around the world. This session aims to perform traditional and contemporary music of the steel band, demonstrate strategies for teaching the instrument and the merits and limitations of the steel drum band in meeting the NYS Standards for the Arts.

A Report on PreK-12 Music Education in New York State
The NYSSMA Classroom Music Committee announces the availability of A Report on PreK-12 Music Education in New York State with a Special Focus on the Middle Level. The report provides an overview of the status of classroom music education with specific information on middle level music programs, NYSSMA benefits/services, and the effect the learning standards have had on music education programs in the State. The report can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this page or by clicking here.
The goals of the CMC are:
- to promote the importance and value of classroom music in music programs and schools of New York State
- to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and the development of activities
- to coordinate and support the efforts and activities of classroom music teachers and students
- to improve the quality, scope and effectiveness of classroom music instruction.
The CMC meets its goals through activities including...
Exemplary classroom music sessions for Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, and High School music teachers at Winter Conference and Summer Conferences
If you would like to propose an eductional session, click here for the Call for Proposals form.
Statewide series of Regional Workshops and other inservice opportunities for teachers on important classroom music topics;
Classroom Music PEAK Festivals and other opportunities for New York State students;
Collaborative work with the State Education Department on initiatives related to standards, assessment, and resources for classroom music instruction.
For further information and assistance, please contact the Chairperson, Denise Abbattista or a member of the Classroom Music Committee.
Classroom Music Committee
Donna Basile, Elementary Assistant
Ruth Breidenbach, Elementary Summer Conference Chairperson
Jeanne Gray, Committee Advisor
Robyn Hosley, Higher Education Representative
Kim Kane, Early Childhood Chairperson
Dr. Edward S. Marschilok, State Education Department
Kerry Mero, Secondary Assistant
Charles Palella, Elementary Winter Conference Chairperson
Melissa Reed, CMC Chairperson
Sylvia Walker, Middle School Chairperson
Marvin Zehr, High School Chairperson
What Resources are Available from the CMC?
Publications:
_ Assessment in Classroom Music
_ Classroom Music PEAK Festival Handbook
Conference Workshop Proposal Application Form
Consultant services- providing clinicians by area of expertise

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