More info on Brian Crisp workshop

Here are some more notes about Brian's workshop scheduled for Saturday, April 4, at the WVU Creative Arts Center, Room 424 from 9 am to 1 pm. See previous post for the workshop flyer.

It’s Elementaria: From Exploration to Composition
After developing Orff-Schulwerk with Gunild Keetman, Carl Orff reflected upon the elemental musical style identified with the Gunterschule and Musik fur Kinder. At the 1963 opening of the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Orff commented on elemental music:

Elemental music is pertaining to the elements, primeval, rudimentary, treating of first principles. It is never music alone but forms a unity with movement, dance, and speech. It is music one makes oneself, in which one takes part not as listener, but as a participant. It is unsophisticated, employs no big forms ad no big architectural structures, and it uses small sequence forms, ostinato and rondo. Elemental music is near the earth, natural, physical, within the range of everyone to learn it and experience it, and suitable for the child (Carl Orff, 1963).

From these simple ideas, Gunild Keetman created elegant melodies and simple,yet, exquisite forms. Coupling her lesser known pieces from the original GermanMusik fur Kinder Volumes and other source works with her pedagogical ideasfound in Elementaria, we will explore practical and thoughtful models forstudent compositions. This workshop will integrate singing, playing, speakingand dancing into well processed lessons that foster joyful learning andcritical thinking.

Directions to the Creative Arts Center:

*From Interstate 79, take Star City/West Virginia University Exit 155
*From the exit ramp, turn right.
*Pass University Town Center.
*Follow the road as it merges with US19/WV Route 7. Cross the Star City bridge which crosses the Monongahela River.
*Go through the first light after the bridge and drive up the hill.
*Pass the WVU Coliseum on the right and continue straight through second light.
*Turn left at third light, then turn left again and enter WVU Creative Arts Center Parking Lot

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Playing Attention

Nationally-known Orff-Schulwerk clinician will present his workshop, "Playing Attention," on Saturday, April 4th from 9-1 at the WVU Creative Arts Center. We hope you can join us! Whether you are a veteran teacher or a college student, you will be sure to get some great insights into teaching in a general music classroom.

Here is the flyer with workshop information!

Brian Crisp coming to Morgantown

Everyone...mark your calendars for April 4, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at West Virginia University's Creative Arts Center for a workshop with Brian Crisp. Official workshop flyer to come, but here's some information about Brian:

Brian Crisp, Adjunct Professor and Orff-Schulwerk coordinator. Brian Crisp is the Head of Madison School of the Arts in Madison WI. Brian is a native of North Carolina and holds degrees in English and music from Wake Forest University, Furman and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His master certificate in Orff-Schulwerk is from the University of St. Thomas. He has worked in public and private schools in North Carolina and Kentucky as well as Minnesota, where he was one of the founding members of Schulfunk, an adult Orff-Schulwerk based performance group. In addition to being the course director of Orff-Schulwerk Teacher Training at Webster University, Brian teaches the University of Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Course. Besides a strong background in Orff-Schulwerk, Brian also has studied the Reggio Emilia approach in the Infant-Toddler Centers and Preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Brian presents workshops and conference sessions throughout the United States, Europe and Australia. He recently published an article with his colleague, Dr. Louise Cadwell, titled "Weaving the Theories: Orff-Schulwerk and the Reggio Approach." Brian is the educational consultant for MMB Music, the US distributor of Studio 49 instruments.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

MLAOSA Chapter Sharing Highlights

Visual aide group movement composition

Jocelyn Peters sharing her middle school lesson ideas

Creative movement activity

Chapter Sharing Workshop 2/21/09

Please join us for our upcoming workshop:


Tried and True Lesson Ideas from the Field

Saturday, February 21, 2009

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Room 440A, Creative Arts Center

Join us in getting many tried-and-true lesson ideas for use in the general music classroom. Several of our experienced chapter members will share some of their favorite real-world lesson plans using singing, dancing and speech with us!

National Conference 2008

Jennifer Connoley (Co-President, MLAOSA) went to the conference in Charlotte and had a great time! If you have never been to a national conference, definitely plan to go to one! It's a terrific place to meet up with other Orff teachers, see old friends and make new connections. You will meet clinicians who are icons in AOSA and you will gain valuable insight into your teaching!

Here are some pictures of the banner parade:



Jennifer and Kelley Laseter (President of the WV Chapter):

Some pictures from our workshop with Rachel Batchelor

Driving Directions to WVU's Creative Arts Center

Please note that our next workshop, Saturday, September 13th, will be held at WVU's Creative Arts Center.

Directions to West Virginia University Creative Arts Center:

• From Interstate 79, take Star City/West Virginia University Exit 155
• From the exit ramp, turn right.
• Pass University Town Center.
• Follow the road as it merges with US19/WV Route 7. Cross the Star City bridge which crosses the Monongahela River.
• Go through the first light after the bridge and drive up the hill.
• Pass the WVU Coliseum on the right and continue straight through second light.
• Turn left at third light, then turn left again and enter WVU Creative Arts Center Parking Lot.

The workshop will be presented by Rachel Batchelor in Room 440A from 9am-1pm.

Rachel Batchelor Workshop Flyer

Below is a link to the Rachel Batchelor workshop flyer. Please feel free to download and share!

Rachel Batchelor Workshop Flyer

Fall 2008 Newsletter

Below is a link to our Fall 2008 newsletter! Feel free to download and share...

Fall 2008 Newsletter