District Conferences
For a list of WSMTA Districts, click here.
For a list of WSMTA Districts, click here.
In-person format only.
Lunch and refreshments are provided.
Amora Bussey: Adaptive Teaching Techniques for the Neurodivergent Learner
Leann Osterkamp: Combating OCD and Perfectionism in the Music Profession
Over time, social media has severely modified the meaning of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in everyday culture to the point where it has been given glorification, instead of being viewed as the devastating disorder that it is. In a similar way, society has also come to value perfectionism, turning it into the expected standard rather than an unrealistic mindset. In a profession that already places high emotional, mental, and physical discipline on its participants, perfectionism and/or OCD are at their pinnacle of complexity. On one hand, the traits and thought patterns of those with OCD can, in part, help make them exceptional musicians, with elements such as heightened intensity of feeling, realistic imagination, scrupulousness, and compulsions leading to the illusion of diligence. Perfectionists will seem to demonstrate the necessary work ethic and detail oriented nature so often praised in the industry. Yet, on the other hand, OCD and perfectionism can lead musicians to depression,
make tasks impossible, cause feelings of worthlessness, and can be devastating to the lives of artists.
Devin Weckstein: Learning Jazz in the First Term at the Piano: A Fun Way to Promote Inclusivity with Universal Design for Learning
Why should jazz only be available to intermediate-advanced pianists? There are few jazz curriculums that assist teachers in preparing first term students to learn jazz. This workshop will offer suggestions in preparing beginning pianists for success learning jazz as well as demonstrate how incorporating jazz education can help promote inclusivity through UDL. In analyzing successful advanced jazz methods, such as, the Aebersold Play-A-Long Series, I have narrowed down some of the largest differences between jazz and traditional piano pedagogy. Namely, to learn jazz successfully, aural-skills, music-theory, and internalization of pulse are crucial. With my first-term students, I have found success teaching “advanced” jazz concepts in combination with traditionally elementary concepts in the following ways:
• Aural-Skills
• Eurhythmics
• Guided-Listening
• Improvisation
• Rote-Teaching
This presentation will also introduce UDL and contextualize the guidelines with elementary jazz pedagogy. By intertwining more “advanced” jazz theory concepts with traditionally elementary pedagogy using each category listed above, students learn through a variety of representations and can contextualize knowledge successfully through multiple means of engagement and expression. UDL is a teaching paradigm which believes that multiple means of engagement, expression, and representation helps scaffold curriculums to be more inclusive and offer more robust learning for special-needs and traditional students alike. Additional exercises that I have found to be successful will be shared with teaching demonstrations along with research supporting these concepts in renowned intermediate-advanced jazz pedagogic material. Not only is teaching jazz to beginners possible, but it furthers inclusivity in piano education by utilizing UDL.
Bio: Devin Weckstein currently teaches piano out of his privately run LLC in Tallahassee, Florida where he has students of all ages, levels, and abilities. He studied at the University of Oklahoma where he obtained a degree in piano with an emphasis in pedagogy. Completing extracurricular courses in inclusive piano teaching through the Francis Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy and independently studying with the special education department at OU, Devin is dedicated to accommodating all learners into his piano studio. In the last few years, he has also been engaged in studying piano technology and has been enjoying sharing this passion with his students by helping introduce concepts that explain how pianos work. When not at the piano, Devin enjoys cooking, reading, meditating, spending time with friends and family, and anything that gets him outdoors.
The next District III Conference will be in the 2024-2025 academic year.
The next District IV Conference will be in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Check in later for more details about the District V Conference.
The next District VI Conference will be in the 2024-2025 academic year.
The next District VII Conference will be in the 2025-2026 academic year.