It was a truly busy year for our board and members, and filled with wonderful moments and memories. Here’s the review of what has happened since our last update.
- Chris Dean has stepped down as President-Elect. We wish him the best as he and his wife settle into their new home and new careers in Seattle. We know your banjo skills will be greatly appreciated wherever you hang your hat, Chris!
- Emily Hines has graciously agreed to function as our Member-at-Large until new board members join us. Emily has served for many years as the OAKE Eastern Division Treasurer, so her skill and guidance will definitely be an asset as we continue to provide you with top-notch professional development in all things Kodály!
- Our winter workshop, Music for Everyone, had close to 80 attendees! Dr. James Bowyer, the American Kodály Institute Choral Studies instructor and AKI Choir Director, shared brilliant strategies to help with musicality and musicianship with middle and high school singers. Three of the current AKI students also shared some of the experiences and favorite activities, songs, and games that had been successful in their classrooms.
- With inspiration from some other OAKE-affiliated chapters in the US, MUSIK had it’s very first Make and Take Manipulatives workshop in the spring. We crafted, cut, glued, and colored so that our students would have additional kinesthetic manipulatives and visual aids to make learning more meaningful and magical.
- Last but not least, we would love to congratulate the American Kodály Institute on their formal recognition of their endorsement at the OAKE National Conference in Philadelphia. AKI has always supported MUSIK and we couldn’t be more proud to continue our relationship building a strong Kodály community in greater Baltimore area.