District Conferences

Amora Bussey

Adaptive Teaching Methods

Amora Bussey has been a music educator for over 25 years, with a focus on piano, flute, and vocal performance. Recognized by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a (BAMT)-trained music therapist, Amora has worked in schools across Western Europe, bringing music to life within communities of special needs children and adults. Now settled in the great Pacific Northwest, Amora offers lessons to local and international students, who seek instruction delivered through the comfort and understanding of adaptive teaching methods. As the president of the Puyallup Valley Chapter of the Washington State Music Teachers Association (WSMTA), she also serves as a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force for the WSMTA. In addition, Amora also serves as Vice Chair City Commissioner for the Puyallup Arts and Culture Commission. Amora was honored by a special invitation and participated as a guest performer at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in Salt Lake City. Amora has also received the Paul Mazzola Best Teacher in Your Area, Puget Sound Award of 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. She founded the Briar Thomas Conservatory in Puyallup. Recently, she was invited and presented “Adaptive Teaching Techniques for the Neurodivergent Learner” in 2022 at the WSMTA State Conference. Amora has most recently joined Tacoma Music Collaborative as a board member, hoping to further her outreach and support in service to the local music community.