The Case for Conference

I recently attended the Ohio Music Educators Professional Development Conference in Columbus, Ohio.  The conference featured concerts, clinics, and reading sessions within your focus area.  I was able to see 8 choir performances and 3 choral reading sessions and a few teaching clinics. 

I was fortunate to have been in the Ohio All-State Choir twice during high school.  That meant that during the OMEA Conference I was rehearsing and performing with an all-star choir of students from around the state.  It also meant that I attended a few teaching clinics while I was there.

During all four years at Otterbein I attended the conference as an Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association member.

My first 6 years of teaching I attended the conference religiously and learned vigorously.  After 12 years of attending the conference something happened...

In 2006 my first daughter was born and I didn't attend.  "I'll go next year."
In 2007 my wife was studying for the Ohio Bar Exam.  "I'll go next year."
In 2008 I was getting a Master's Degree in Administration.  "I'll go next year."
In 2009 my second daughter was born and I didn't attend.  "I'll go next year."

You get the picture, I didn't go in 2010 or 2011 either.  I stopped going because 'life happened' and it was so difficult to get away and take a weekend to sharpen my skills.  This year I made the decision to go and attend every session that I could.  I struggled with being away from family and my classroom, but it was time to re-dedicate to investigating what is happening in Choral Music Education.  I was so glad that I did. 

"If you're not getting better you're getting worse"

• Choral Concerts

Hearing other Choral Ensembles Perform is a constant study of tone, pitch, diction, approach, literature, technique, and purpose.  I heard a broad range of high school and college choirs that were most impressive.  Many contained aspects of music making that I wanted to apply to my ensembles.  Just hearing choirs that weren't my own was worth the cost of admission.  I learned more in 3 days than I have in years.

• Choral Reading Sessions

The choral reading sessions were also valuable.  Each of the three sessions give you a stack of 50-75 choral pieces and the teachers become the choir.  Not only was it a fun exercise in sight-reading, but I got to sing through almost 200 pieces of choral literature; exposing me to new material in a way that perusing it on a shelf doesn't.

• Perspective

I spent Friday attending sessions with fellow Choral Directors Mr. Sribanditmongkol and Mr. Miller.  Both are outstanding young High School Choir Directors.  Mr. S is a graduate of Gahanna Lincoln and Mr. M was our student teacher at GLHS.  It was energizing to talk about what we were hearing and seeing with colleagues who once were students.  Not only was I connecting with other choral teachers, but they were people that I had the opportunity to encourage and develop at one time.  Both of those people contributed to my learning, and continue to do so.    

As music teachers, we are often the only person in our building that teaches our subject.  Spending time deliberating and collaborating with other people in your field is essential to continued growth and renewal.

I was most moved by watching the performances of college choirs that former students of mine were singing in.  I sat in the audience like a proud parent seeing alumni shine in their current choirs, all of which were top notch programs.  The Wittenberg Choir was stunning, The Ohio State Men's Glee Club was stellar and the Wright State University Collegiate Chorale was pure class. 

Re-connecting with colleagues that I had not seen in some time was also valuable.  From professor Brad Rees, I learned about a new Professional Music music degree at Tiffin University that is the only kind in our state.

I connected with a university colleague that asked me to help write a column in our professional trade publication that involved interviewing high school choral directors.

I was given an invitation for our choirs to participate in an "Ensemble-In-Residence" program at Wright State University.  Students spend the day performing with professors, hearing other choirs, and participing in clinics.

I was approached and encouraged to begin judging other choirs for our Ohio Adjudicated Events and learned about other conference opportunities.

For me, it was more about engagement than opportunity. 

• Reflection

It is easy to justify not going to conferences and clinics when everything is going well.  It is just as easy to get into a rhythm and comfort zone in our teaching and be content with what we are doing.  The truth, which is overwhelming, is that we can always do more.  We can always refine what we are doing, even if it simply means staying current on trends and practice.  Complacency is the enemy and taking the time out of our classroom bubble to continue being a lifelong learner is essential to growth and professional development. 

I hope to attend EdCamp Columbus in May and will be attending the Ohio Choral Directors Association(OCDA) Summer Conference at Otterbein University in June.  (OCDA is affiliated with the American Choral Directors Association, ACDA).