Carnegie Hall

(New York, NY, June 26, 2019)—From July 10–13, Carnegie Hall hosts the 5th annual Summer Music Educators Workshop, giving music teachers from across the country the opportunity to re-energize their teaching practice, learn from leaders in the field, and exchange best practices with peers. Over the course of four intensive days, participating educators engage with expert guest faculty around the theme of Illuminating Great Teaching. Activities will explore ways teachers can foster community through music, expand possibilities for their students, and embody artistry, intention, expression, agency, equity, compassion, and inspiration in the classroom. The workshop kicks off with an opening keynote by David Kirkland, Executive Director of the NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools.

"At the heart of Carnegie Hall’s mission lies our dedication to supporting and exploring great music teaching and learning,” said Sarah Johnson, Chief Education Officer and Director of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI). “The Music Educators Workshop gives teachers the opportunity to rethink their practice, take inspiration from peers across the country, and learn from leaders in the field. We hope that participants will return home reinvigorated and ready to implement what they have learned in their classrooms, enriching countless students."

During the summer workshop, faculty members will highlight different aspects of the Great Music Teaching Framework, a set of values and principles developed by WMI to support artistry, community, and equity in music making. Teaching artist Richard Mannoia will explore how to craft meaningful questions to stimulate student curiosity, and composer Thomas Cabaniss will use vocal improvisation to deepen connections to repertoire. Karin Hendricks, Assistant Professor of Music Education at Boston University, will focus on building supportive classroom environments through compassion, while jazz tubist Bob Stewart explores courage and vulnerability in music. Lastly, Songs of Solomon Choir Director Chantel Wright demonstrates how to build inspiring musical communities, and Julie Desbordes, Artistic Director of the Turtle Bay Youth Orchestra, identifies effective and engaging rehearsal strategies. Participants will also be invited to lead peer presentations based on their own classroom practices.

For the duration of the workshop, each teacher is placed in an ensemble, giving participants the chance to revisit the experience of being part of a group and see ensemble instruction through the eyes of their students. Repertoire includes Donald Byrd’s jazz hymn “Cristo Redentor,” Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Dag Wirén’s Serenade for Strings, Frank Foster’s “Simone,” and Julius Eastman’s “Stay On It,” among other works. At the end of the workshop, the different groups come together for a final performance.

This intensive summer session builds upon the success of Carnegie Hall’s free school year program for K–12 teachers based in the New York City area, which includes monthly professional development sessions held in Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing. In 2015, the summer program was launched for music instructors nationwide, reaching 64 educators in its inaugural year, 100 in summer 2016, 125 in 2017, and 153 in 2018. Registration is still open for the summer intensive and 2019–2020 school year program (Summer Deadline: July 1). 

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About Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) creates visionary programs that embody Carnegie Hall’s commitment to music education, playing a central role in fulfilling the Hall’s mission of making great music accessible to as many people as possible. With unparalleled access to the world’s greatest artists, WMI’s programs are designed to inspire audiences of all ages, nurture tomorrow’s musical talent, and harness the power of music to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. An integral part of Carnegie Hall’s concert season, these programs facilitate creative expression, develop musical skills and capacities at all levels, and encourage participants to make lifelong personal connections to music. The Weill Music Institute generates new knowledge through original research and is committed to giving back to its community and the field, sharing an extensive range of online music education resources and program materials for free with teachers, orchestras, arts organizations, and music lovers worldwide. More than half a million people each year engage in WMI’s programs through national and international partnerships, in New York City schools and community settings, and at Carnegie Hall. This includes more than 450,000 students and teachers worldwide who participate in WMI’s Link Up music education program for students in grades 3 through 5, made possible through partnerships with over 110 orchestras in the US from Alaska to Florida, as well as internationally in Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Japan, Kenya, and Spain.

For more information, please visit: carnegiehall.org/Education

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What teachers have said about the Music Educators Workshop:

“The Summer Music Educators Workshop has provided for me a renewal of purpose, an affirmation of my original idealism and love for music and education, and an inspiration to continue to teach with enthusiasm and success.” – Phoebe Payne, Forest Hills Consolidated School (Jackman, ME)

“My own personal and professional musical creativity was challenged throughout the week, and it helped me take larger risks in the classroom—both in lesson planning and in student performance opportunities.” – Nora Tycast, Spring Lake Park High School (Fridley, MN)

“Carnegie Hall is really setting the standard for what music education should be. They are fostering an environment where music teachers learn from each other and grow together.” – Eric Dalio, High School for Public Service (Brooklyn, NY)

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Lead support for Music Educators Workshop is provided by The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family Foundation.