PAOSA
PENTATON
PHILADELPHIA AREA ORFF SCHULWERK ASSOCIATION
Vol. 20, Issue 3
chil Newsletter of AOSA Chapter #5
March 2009
ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS: 2 President’s Note 3-4 Workshop Previews 5-6 Why Join Nationals? 6 Teaching Tip 7-8 Workshop Review 9 Directions for June Chapter Sharing
Spring 2009 Workshops April 4, 2009 Kit Bardwell Theatre Techniques and Puppetry June 6, 2009* Chapter Sharing: An evening of Contradancing. Invite a friend! *This is an EVENING event at the Oak Lane Day School, see p. 4 for details.
Looking Ahead: 2009-2010
10 Directions 11 Membership Form
Janie Janie Vance - September 12, 2009 Nick Wild - October 17, 2009 Danai Gagne - March 2010 Joyce Stephansky - April 10, 2010 Workshops are held at the Abington Friends School unless otherwise noted.
For workshops, bring a bag lunch or $5 for pizza and a drink.
7
Visit www.paosa.org for directions, workshop descriptions, membership and other information.
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President’s Note Greetings to all— Happy Spring! I hope this newsletter finds you all in good health and having a robust year. Now that we are about three-fourths through our PAOSA year, I ask that each of you consider how you might contribute to the growth and well-being of our chapter. Every year PAOSA seeks to bring you top-notch presenters and offer a variety of workshops to suit your needs and preferences. It takes careful planning and perseverance to coordinate dates with presenters and Abington Friends School. We are very fortunate to have a host school that has a full instrumentarium and beautiful facility. We are in need of members to serve as at-large Board members and/or help out with some of the officers’ duties, particularly at workshops. Our officers are very dedicated and would welcome assistance at registration, with fund-raising and even hospitality. Please feel free to approach any Board member about helping or serving on the Board. Make sure to view our website, paosa.org, for photos of chapter workshops, officers, upcoming presenters and membership information. Also check out the AOSA website, aosa.org, for information about national membership, scholarships, grants, summer Orff teacher certification levels courses, master classes and special courses. Also look for information and online registration for the November 2009 conference in Milwaukee. There’s lots of great stuff! Wishing you all a very enjoyable and productive 2009, Martha Glaze Zook PAOSA President
“Don’t let your inhibitions or your impatience deprive your children of the joy of making their own music in their own way, so that music becomes an illumination, a lasting resource in their lives. It takes courage and confidence in your students and in yourself; but given them, there is no limit to what you can do together.” -
Isabel McNeill Carley, The Orff Echo, June 1969 (vol. 1, no. 3)
Thank you AOSA president JoElla Hug for bringing this to our renewed attention in the Winter 2009 Orff Echo.
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Kit Bardwell Theater Techniques and Puppetry April 4, 2009
Bringing puppeteer and Orff Schulwerk together is not a new idea. Carl Orff was interested in the use of the Balinese Gamelan with shadow puppets. And then in 1926, he received his first xylophone as a gift from two Swedish sisters who had a puppet theatre in a borough north of Munich. Kit Bardwell will provide the participants of this workshop with the opportunity to make two types of simple puppets. They will then explore a number of structured musical improvisations that can support a dramatic story-line for the puppets as well as re-enforce newly learned musical concepts and skills. In the afternoon, Kit will share a number of proven adaptations for including children with disabilities in the music classroom.
Kit Bardwell is the Program Director at Accessible Arts, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to unlocking the arts for children with disabilities. She holds degrees in music from the North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Kit has taught creative movement in numerous Orff Schulwerk levels courses and has been a presenter at three AOSA National Conferences and at the Orff 100 International Conference in Melbourne, Australia in 1995. She was the founder and Artistic Director of the Pocket Theatre, a touring company that offered participatory theatre for children. Over the past twenty-seven years, Kit’s experiences also include working as a Program Specialist for the Kansas City Young Audiences, managing the Paul Mesner Puppets, working as a freelance performer and teaching artist, director, and playwright. Her experience in working with individuals with disabilities include teaching music at the North Carolina School for the Deaf, working as a Program Coordinator for a day habilitation facility for adults with developmental disabilities, and teaching multiply art disciplines to students at the Kansas State School for the Blind.
about the PAOSA Library… The chapter has a collection of Orff materials (books, mostly) that are available for loan to PAOSA members. The list of items is available on the website. If you would like to borrow an item, contact Michelle Przybylowski Musarch@aol.com.
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Chapter Sharing An Evening of Contra Dancing! June 6, 2009, 6:00-10:00 p.m. Oak Lane Day School, Blue Bell, PA See directions on p.
Join your PAOSA friends and make new ones at this chapter sharing workshop-- a special departure from the ordinary. We will socialize while we learn new dances and get some good exercise in an evening of contra dancing. No partner needed, but spouses and guests are welcome!
Please note the time and location of this workshop: 6 p.m. at the Oak Lane Day School. See p. 9 for directions.
What is
Contradancing?
According to www.contradance.org (The Chattahoochee Country Dancers)‌
Contra is danced to Celtic, Quebecois, Old Time, New England, Southern Appalachian, Jazz, Blues, and all sorts of other music played by live bands. In a contra dance, parallel lines of dancers stand opposite -- or "contra to" -- their partners. A dancer and his/her partner form a couple. Over the course of the dance, in response to the Caller's instructions, each couple interacts with the couple next to them to form a four person "set" and each set interacts with the sets on either side of them. Over the course of a dance each couple moves up and down the hall, interacting with every other couple in their multi-set "line." There is no fancy footwork involved (that is the other sort of line dancing) but the instructions given by the Caller do form a series of repeating figures that dancers memorize over the course of a dance. As this happens, the Caller provides fewer and fewer prompts until s/he drops out entirely; leaving you, your partner, and the others in your line to finish the dance, accompanyed only by the exciting, lilting, haunting, and/or pulse pounding music provided by that night's band. Dance nirvana, Contra style!
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2008 - 2009 BOARD President Martha Glaze Zook 1040 Pine Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-925-8948 mglazezook@verizon.net Interim Vice-President Dolores Williams 439 Lawrence Rd. Broomall, PA 19008 (610) 325-3136 BnDWilliams@verizon.net Acting Treasurer Pat Lutz 1540 Montvale Circle West Chester, PA 19380 610-269-4857 prlmusic@hotmail.com Program Chair Michelle Fella Przybylowski 399 Cinnamon Drive Huntingdon Valley, PA19006 215-938-7438 Musarch@aol.com Membership Janet Tebbel 431 W. Walnut Lane Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-848-3915 tebbj@comcast.net Secretary Dawn Pratson 253 N. 3rd Philadelphia, PA 19106 267-971-0926 DPratson@aol.com Act 48 Administrator John F. Bednar Jr. 27 S. Trooper Rd. Norristown, PA 19403 610-539-6295 jbednar1@verizon.net
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Why Join AOSA? by Michelle Prezbylowski, reprinted from Reverberations Why National Membership? I asked myself that question before taking the plunge to find out why others felt as I do. I decided to ask a few simple questions of the Region V membership. The informal survey polled local chapter members ranging in membership from seven months to 33 years. Many had heard about AOSA from friends and colleagues while others had received mailings from area teacher training courses. The majority, 85 percent of those surveyed, were national members. In fact, across the country, only about half of all chapter members are national members. How can we encourage 100 percent of chapter members to become national members? At the time of printing, AOSA national membership is nearing the 4,500 mark, down from a peak in 1997- 1998 of 5,000. If these figures are any indication, there are thousands more Orff Schulwerk teachers across the country who are potential national members. So, now we are back to the original question: Why national membership? From my personal point of view as a member, some of the benefits are obvious. AOSA publishes two quarterly publications. The Orff Echo covers topics relevant to Orff Schulwerk teachers and general music teachers and its companion publication, Reverberations, keeps the connection among chapters and members alive through Chapter News while also offering practical applications such as the Lesson Ideas column. The AOSA Library offers national members the opportunity to borrow professionally produced videos of well-known presenters while books such as Orff Re-Echoes, a collection of articles previously published in The Orff Echo, are available for purchase at a discount. AOSA grants thousands of dollars annually for teacher training, special projects, research and the purchase of instruments. Only AOSA members are eligible for these grants. Our Web site, www.aosa.org, continues to grow and improve. Have you visited the “members only� section lately? Copies of Reverberations are now being posted for your perusal as well as notes from conference sessions, the member e-mail directory and a job clearing house. In addition, AOSA hosts a three-day professional development conference each year in various regions across the country to make it accessible to more of its members. AOSA members receive deep discounts on conference registration.
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Historian Karen Markey 701 Willowdale Lane Kenneth Square, PA 19348 610-444-2835 karenmarkey@mac.com Newsletter Editor Roxanne Dixon 128 N. 4th Street Lemoyne, PA 17043 717 737-4961 rtherb904@aol.com Hospitality Deborah Pizzi 804 Valley Road Melrose Park, PA 19027 215-635-2123 dpizzi@abingtonfriends.net Fundraising Marlis Kraft 7846 Montgomery Ave. Elkins Park, PA 19027 215-782-8280 marliskz@gmail.com Website Linda Wardell 2601 Newell Drive Wilmington, DE 19808 302-998-7020 lwardell@comcast.net At Large Member Rose M. Grelis 409 Granite Terrace Springfield, PA 19064 610-328-9784 rgrelis@cavtel.net
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That is only half the story. The national association supports your local chapter as well. Local chapters are the backbone of AOSA, offering workshops each year for its members. How is that network of presenters established? AOSA sets the standards for teacher training throughout the country. When chapters seek high quality clinicians, they are exposed to them through conference presentations, Orff Schulwerk Teacher Training Courses and the Chapter Workshop Calendar that is published annually in Reverberations and on the AOSA Web site. AOSA Headquarters assists chapters from day one, helping with their charter, constitution and answering questions about insurance and other details related to the organization of a chapter. Regional Representatives are there to serve the needs of the chapters and to respond to chapter inquiries. How can you, a national member, draw attention to the importance of national membership? Is the local chapter fulfilling the needs of music educators, and is that enough? Local members are under the impression that their local chapter membership includes national membership status. Awareness of this important connection between the local chapter and the national organization and its benefits is a great place to start. Chapters that offer combined membership communicate to members the importance of local and national membership. Consider offering a combined local and national membership. In closing, AOSA offers a connection with movement and music education to all of its members. You may be the only music teacher in your building. You are not alone! Join AOSA. Get others to join. Make it a goal to invite someone to become a national member. Your national membership will connect you to larger population of music educators. For more information about AOSA, check out our Web site at www.aosa.org.
Make-your-own Movement Streamers If a teacher has extra cleaning sticks for recorders, they can be used for movement or for rain, water, etc. I use the shiny curly ribbon used for wrapping presents and I thread it through the hole and tie a knot. I might use shiny blue and silver. It becomes about 8 streamers, 13 inches long. It is so beautiful to use as rain in a song. This year we used them for the song, "Zipadeedoodah." Jewel Boulet, Sanford School, Hockessin DE
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Workshop Review: Technology: a Tool for Teaching Music Michelle Fella Przbylowski & Ken Peters January 31, 2009 reviewed by Dawn Pratson Making the effort to get up early and come out on a bitter, cold Saturday in January proved once again to be well worthwhile. It was a change of pace for us to gather, not in the music room, but in the Abington Friends lower school science room, with tables, chairs and lap tops available for all (courtesy of Abington Friends). Michelle Przbylowski started the day describing and demonstrating the drawing tools in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and FrontPage. She uses these to create visuals (flash cards, posters, worksheets) to print out and use as 2-dimensional teaching aids. She emphasized several times the value of using visuals for differentiating the lesson to accommodate different learning styles. She mentioned the importance of learning how to enlarge on your printer, either via multiple panels that you paste together or by using a poster-sized printer. Michelle showed us how to create a sound file to accompany your visuals, i.e., how to make or capture a recording of a piece of music that you can turn into a sound file and then click on while you are projecting the notation of the music. She talked about using the websites YouTube to access and Zamzar to capture and download video, and how to use technology to record your students – e.g., record their own, choreographed dances so they can remember them. (“I’m too old to do all the remembering for them,” quipped Michelle). Several of our veteran teachers were heard exclaiming “I wish I had this when I was teaching!” We were then given some time to practice while Michelle came around to answer questions. She brought her flash drive with her and in some cases downloaded her files onto our computers for us to play with. Michelle emphasized taking the time to play with and really learn your way into these technology teaching tools, which can enhance our teaching process, not substitute for the hands on music and movementmaking that we do. Although her presentation was short and she went through her material fast, she succeeded in making some of these tools look much more friendly. Ken Peters took us into the second part of the workshop. He acknowledged that he loves technology (Ken – are you a technology geek?!) but the main reason he finds it useful is because it helps him achieve his end goal (teaching music) more efficiently. He admitted that he really loves helping others become more skilled with technology, and recommended having an expert with whom you can consult as you work your way through this. Ken has a webpage that provides all sorts of information, instruction for using technology, a list of websites for technology for music teachers, access to music software, games, etc.: http://www.havsd.net/~peters/
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January workshop review continued… Ken often uses YouTube as a resource for repertoire for his concerts, and as a tool for playing clips of interesting or humorous music-makings, such as Victor Borge and Tom and Jerry. He played for us a clip of Tom playing Hungarian Rhapsody while Jerry was trying to sleep inside the piano, getting jostled around by the hammers, which had us all in stitches. It was fascinating hearing how Ken plays games with his classes using Smart Board, such as a game of hearing a chord and selecting major or minor, or another one of guessing the letter name of as many notes as possible within a time limitation. He said that he has discovered kids who had musical gifts that he might not have noticed except in this competitive game. He claimed that students root for each other rather than get into nasty competitive stuff. And, how he uses technology to assist him in teaching parts to his choirs, creating sound files that can isolate parts or combine parts, and creating midi file accompaniments that have been very successful in performances. Ken says that if midi files are created carefully, they do not have to sound cheap. After lunch he showed us a remarkable YouTube clip of a group of Indonesian students playing the Beatles’ tune “Yesterday” on angklungs, bamboo, pitched percussion instruments that are shaken. Then he spent some time demonstrating how he uses Power Point to create materials for his lessons to use that week immediately following our weekend Orff workshops. Ken got us making music when he showed us the program “Band In A Box” which creates a rhythm section (guitar, bass, drums) to accompany songs and melodies. He uses this to teach a melody or for lessons on improvisation. He taught us a lovely, simple melody that we sung, played on instruments and improvised with the “Band in a Box” accompaniment. Ken uses Sibelius music notation software, and showed some of his favorite educational uses for it. He tests his students real-life use of their musical literacy competency by printing out a melody, and having them fill in the solfa syllables underneath. Then he gives them the DO pitch and has them sing it – sight-reading. He showed us a terrific collection of both rhythm and pitch packets with which he makes flip charts. We ended with us all learning and playing a recorder tune that he wrote this year (Ken writes a new recorder tune each year). While covering a lot of technology tools and topics, Ken threw in some key elements of his teaching philosophy and his school system’s music program, such as their system-wide use of the Gordon system, which he finds terrific, and his passion about using solfége rather than letter names of notes because it is more “real music.” I found very impressive how he has made clear choices about what his goals are for his teaching, considering the system that the school uses and the time limits that he has. Ken Peters is a passionate music educator with an expertise in technology for the classroom. And he is generous in sharing his knowledge. You can take a week-long course in technology with Ken in the summers at Villanova University.
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Directions to the Oak Lane Day School for our June 6 Evening of Contradancing Oak Lane Day School is located on the northwest corner of Stenton Avenue and Butler Pike, midway between Plymouth Meeting and Ambler. Oak Lane is in close proximity to Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy in Philadelphia.
From the PA Turn- Take Exit #333, Norristown. Pay toll and proceed straight ahead down the pike or Northeast Ex- ramp to Plymouth Road. Turn right onto Plymouth Road, and proceed 1/2 mile tension to Butler Pike. Turn left onto Butler Pike, and continue for just over 1 mile until you reach Stenton Avenue at the second traffic light. Turn left onto Stenton Avenue. Oak Lane's entrance is the first driveway on the right. From Route I-476 (the If traveling north on Route I-476, take Exit #20 just before the PA turnpike toll "Blue Route") booth. Follow the sign to Plymouth Road. Turn right at the bottom of the ramp, and proceed 1/2 mile to Butler Pike. Turn left onto Butler Road, and continue for just over 1 mile until you reach Stenton Avenue at the second traffic light. Turn left onto Stenton Avenue. Oak Lane's entrance is the first driveway on the right. From Route 73, Skip- At the old Broad Axe Tavern (intersection of Route 73 and Butler Pike), turn pack Pike south/west onto Butler Pike towards Plymouth Meeting. Proceed one mile to second light at Stenton Avenue. Turn right onto Stenton Avenue. Oak Lane's entrance is the first driveway on the right. From Mt. Airy, Proceed west on Stenton Avenue out of Philadelphia. Cross Flourtown and JoChestnut Hill shua Roads, and continue under the turnpike overpass to the traffic light at Butler Pike. Go straight through this intersection. Oak Lane's entrance is the first driveway on the right.
The snow is melting PENTATON Editorial Deadlines Summer Issue: June 15 Winter Issue: November 15 Spring Issue: March 15
and the village is flooded with children.
Send chapter member highlights, lesson and technology ideas, or other contributions to Roxanne Dixon: rtherb904@aol.com
-Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827)
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Directions to Workshops Using Pennsylvania Turnpike - From the East: Get off the PA Turnpike at the Willow Grove Exit, Rt. 611 (exit #343), 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 West: Exit the PA Turnpike at PA-309 (exit #339), South. Follow 309S for 5.4 miles. Take a slight left onto W. Cheltenham Ave. Turn left onto Washington Lane. School is 2 miles up the road. 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 I476 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.
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Membership in AOSA & PAOSA American Orff Schulwerk (AOSA) National Membership Benefits: The Orff Echo - Quarterly journal that contains articles, reviews and materials of interest to Orff Schulwerk practitioners. Reverberations - This quarterly newsletter includes information and news about AOSA's members, projects, conferences and activities of the National Board of Trustees. Scholarships and Research Grants- (see www.aosa.com for more information) The AOSA Video Library - Members may borrow recordings of master teachers. The Isabel McNeill Carley Library Collection -The definitive collection of materials related to Orff Schulwerk in the United States. Orff Schulwerk Professional Development Information & Employment Information The Annual National Conference
Philadelphia Area Orff Schulwerk Association (PAOSA) Membership Benefits: The Pentaton: Local newsletter issued 3 times a year PASOA workshops: Free admission to all 6 workshops Chapter Directory: Provides contact with other PAOSA members Complimentary admission to workshops for your administrator
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------2009-2010 PAOSA Membership Form Option One: National and Local dues. One year of AOSA national membership, one year local membership. (Available through October 17, 2009) ___First Time Member Teacher $120 ($125 after Aug. 1) ___ Teacher $130 ($135 after Aug. 1, 2009) ___ Full-time Student $30 ($35 after Aug. 1, 2009) ___ Retired Teacher $85 ($90 after Aug. 1, 2009)
Option Two: Local dues only. This option is for teachers who are either already national members or are not going to join national AOSA. ___ First Time Member Teacher $55 ($60 after Aug. 1, 2009) ___ Teacher $65 ($70 after Aug. 1, 2009) € I am a national member € I am not a national member but wish to join only PAOSA ___ Retired Teacher $35 (before Aug. 1, 2009, $40 after Aug. 1, 2009) Note: Because workshops are free to students, they need not become local members. Spread the word!
Name: ________________________________________
Phone: _______________________
Address: ______________________________________
Cell Phone:____________________
City: _________________State___ Zip Code_________ School District: ________________________________________________________________ School: ______________________________________________________________________ Email Address: _________________________________________________________________ € Check here to receive workshop reminder postcards (in addition to email reminders). € Check here if you need to receive the Pentaton newsletter via US post rather than email. Make check payable to: PAOSA Send to: Pat Lutz, 1540 Montvale Circle, West Chester, PA 19380 Email Questions to: mglazezook@verizon.net .
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Philadelphia Area Orff Schulwerk Association
is a chapter of the nonprofit American Orff-Schulwerk Association dedicated to the advancement of music education through the techniques of Orff Schulwerk. This is a tri-annual publication of PAOSA keeping the members informed about activities, policies and workshops.
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