Welcome to the FAME events page!
View a full calendar view of our upcoming teacher certification course classes and workshops below.
This course is perfect for upper elementary general music, as well as middle school and high school choral and instrumental teachers.
Description
Introduction to the Vocal Parts and Movement Parts of the First Steps in Music Curriculum.
The exact dates and times are to be announced.
Description
Transitioning from unison to part singing can be challenging for upper elementary and middle school students. Proven strategies for developing part-singing by ear and eye are critical for the preparation of choral singing in the later grades. But where to begin? And how? This session will address the part-singing challenges that upper elementary and middle school students encounter while transitioning from unison to parts and from ear to eye in the development of part-singing competency. When we set up an appropriate sequence of learning, all of our students can be on their way to not only singing with understanding and joy during their school years but will have the necessary skills to sing independently and with others throughout their lives.
Improvisation plays a crucial role in music development, but when to begin, and how? With appropriate prompts, engaging methods, and active participation, even young children can successfully improvise. “The Nutcracker ” (Movement Exploration) and “Hansel and Gretel” (Arioso; vocal improvisation) provide two distinct opportunities, and the inspiration and tools necessary to aid creativity. What a wonderful way to start, even our youngest students, on their path to a life-time of confident improvisation. Join us as we dance each character and discover the delight of moving expressively and musically to many of the Movement Exploration themes in “The Nutcracker,” and explore the many opportunities for Arioso in “Hansel and Gretel.”
Conversational Solfege (CS), created by Dr. John Feierabend, develops notational literacy skills with learners of elementary age to adults. This session will explore the utilization of tonal syllables at a conversational level, progressing organically into reading notated music. Repertoire using solfege patterns with a parallel development of rhythm patterns in 2/4 and 6/8 will be presented. Part-singing will be explored. Through carefully sequenced activities, CS fosters a joyful assimilation of skills such as listening, melodic reading, dictation, composition, and improvisation in an intuitive manner. This session is relevant for music educators across various settings (classroom, choral, and/or instrumental), from elementary through college.
This course will provide participants with insights and practical knowledge to implement developmentally appropriate musical activities for children under three years old. Folk songs, rhymes, and Classical music are highlighted as primary source materials. Research findings and pedagogical techniques will be discussed, giving participants a solid foundation to support very young children to become Tuneful, Beatful and Artful.
Learn more and register for this event
Conversational Solfege (CS), created by Dr. John Feierabend, develops notational literacy skills with learners of elementary age to adults. This session will explore the utilization of tonal syllables at a conversational level, progressing organically into reading notated music. Repertoire using solfege patterns with a parallel development of rhythm patterns in 2/4 and 6/8 will be presented. Part-singing will be explored. Through carefully sequenced activities, CS fosters a joyful assimilation of skills such as listening, melodic reading, dictation, composition, and improvisation in an intuitive manner. This session is relevant for music educators across various settings (classroom, choral, and/or instrumental), from elementary through college.
The First Steps in Music curriculum is designed to prepare children to become musical in by being Tuneful, Beatful, and Artful. First Steps in Music for Infants and Toddlers provides developmentally appropriate activities that are well suited for children under three years old with their caregivers. First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond provides activities for children as young as three, but are appropriate for any aged child that needs to further develop their tuneful, beatful, and artful abilities. Folk songs and rhymes as well as classical music are the primary source materials that are used to develop their musical minds and abilities. Created by Dr. John Feierabend, this pedagogical approach contains everything you need to lead a music class for preschool and early elementary students, including Echo Songs, Call-and-Response Songs, Simple Songs, SongTales, Action Songs, Circle Games, Beat Motion Activities, and more. Ample time will be spent on exploring complete lesson plans for a three-year curriculum. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive an official certificate of completion from the Feierabend Association for Music Education.
First Steps in Music Certification Course HYBRID with Betsy Greene
Online & Wallingford, VT
Online: May 27, June 3, June 10, June 17 6:00-8:15 pm EST
In-person: July 21-23, 2025 8:00 am-4:00 pm EST
3 Graduate Credits Available
Seats are limited
Conversational Solfege™ is a pedagogical approach used to intuitively develop notational literacy skills with students of elementary age through adults who are tuneful, beatful, and artful. Through carefully sequenced activities, Conversational Solfege™ first develops an understanding of music through the use of rhythm and solfege syllables at a “conversational” level, then gradually evolves into reading, writing, improvisation, dictation, and composition skills. Teachers will learn how to enable students to joyfully assimilate the skills and content necessary to be musically literate, as well as learn various techniques to allow the acquisition of these skills. This Conversational Solfege™ course will address lesson planning, unit planning, and assessment and applies to music educators in most music educational settings (classroom, choral, and/or instrumental) elementary through college.
Register Here
Conversational Solfege™ is a pedagogical approach used to intuitively develop notational literacy skills with students of elementary age through adults who are tuneful, beatful, and artful. Through carefully sequenced activities, Conversational Solfege™ first develops an understanding of music through the use of rhythm and solfege syllables at a “conversational” level, then gradually evolves into reading, writing, improvisation, dictation, and composition skills. Teachers will learn how to enable students to joyfully assimilate the skills and content necessary to be musically literate, as well as learn various techniques to allow the acquisition of these skills. This Conversational Solfege™ course will address lesson planning, unit planning, and assessment and applies to music educators in most music educational settings (classroom, choral, and/or instrumental) elementary through college.