Conversational Solfege DEIA Supplement [Sept. 2021]
The FAME Board of Directors and GIA Music are dedicated to continuing the DEIA review of materials. In August of 2021, the FAME board voted to begin the next phase of review in collaboration with GIA. A committee will be formed in the Fall of 2021 to begin review of the Conversational Solfege curricular content to provide assessment and recommendations in a similar manner to the recent First Steps in Music review. While a revision of this nature will take several months to complete, this document, Conversational Solfege Supplement (13Sep2021) lists the songs that will be removed from the curriculum in future printings. We are providing this information now so that teachers may make informed decisions about the repertoire they use with their students. Fortunately, the majority of songs in the curriculum will remain, giving teachers plenty of musically rich and pedagogically appropriate songs from which to choose for each unit. We further recognize that our understanding of folk repertoire is constantly evolving, and we continue to research the histories and contexts of these songs to determine their appropriateness for inclusion in the curriculum. The contents of this document are subject to change as we learn more, and we will provide updates as necessary.
First Steps in Music DEIA Supplement 2020
Guided by the committee’s recommendations, GIA Publications revised the curriculum. The revised resources are available at www.giamusic.com/firststepsrevision. We removed any material that was deemed to be harmful, derogatory, or disrespectful, and we also added a number of new songs and rhymes from a variety of world cultures. The link below details the specific revisions that were made to each component of the First Steps in Music curriculum, including the curriculum book and the supplemental folk song collections. Click here to download the 2020 Supplement to First Steps in Music.
Feedback on Songs or Rhymes DEIA Supplement
Scholars and educators are encouraged to provide relevant feedback about any song or rhyme in the curriculum. CLICK HERE to access the feedback submission form at the bottom of the the GIA DEI webpage. Please fill out your name, email address, the title of the song or rhyme, and any comment, question, or information you wish to provide.