Sep 5
IBMA pushing bluegrass in schools
The International Bluegrass Music Association is giving special thrusts to bringing bluegrass music into America’s classrooms. IBMA’s current promotions include a competition for devising a Bluegrass Lesson Plan and a special workshop for music teachers that will be held in October in Nashville, Tenn.
Both activities have one goal: “… to help more young people discover bluegrass music,” according to information from IBMA.
The deadline to enter the Bluegrass Lesson Plan competition is Nov. 30.
The lesson plan competition is designed to “encourage and reward the creation of instructional units at all grade levels that will expose students to the sounds and the analysis of bluegrass music,” according to IBMA.
Lesson plans are judged by a team of experienced teachers familiar with bluegrass, “with the aim of honoring plans that deliver high-quality instruction in an interesting way. We’re also looking for lessons that conform to nation-wide educational standards and are easily adaptable by other teachers (who may not be bluegrass musicians).”
Up to four prizes of $300 will be awarded to the best lesson plans in grades K-12, with up to six additional lesson plans receiving $100 “honorable mention” awards. The top lesson plans are posted on the IBMA Web site, for use by teachers and home schooling parents.
Lesson plans may be submitted until the Nov. 30 deadline. Winners will be notified in February 2008 and then will be recognized at a special luncheon at next year’s IBMA World of Bluegrass convention in Nashville.
An application with detailed information is available at www.ibma.org/events.programs/schools/lessonplancontest.asp.
The teachers workshop
The free workshop, Utilizing Bluegrass Music in the Classroom, is being offered from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 for elementary and secondary classroom and music teachers. It will be held in the Music City Ballroom’s 1 and 2 rooms at the Renaissance Hotel adjacent to the Nashville Convention Center during Bluegrass Fan Fest in Nashville. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance for professional development credit.
“During the seven-hour course, educators will see demonstrations of the instruments used and the vocal harmony structure of traditional bluegrass music, along with taking a group banjo lesson from Grand Ole Opry star Pam Gadd,” according to IBMA.
A presentation by Kim Samuel’s Gallatin Middle School Bluegrass Band from Warsaw, Ky., will give teachers some insight into how bluegrass school presentations can be organized and how to get children interested in playing bluegrass instruments.
The workshop will utilize IBMA’s “Discover Bluegrass” educational DVD on the history and development of bluegrass.
Teachers will also receive lesson plans, bluegrass music resources and take-home handouts, along with a free one-day festival pass for Saturday, Oct. 6.
Class size is limited to 50 participants.
Teachers can register by Sept. 25 by calling Nancy Cardwell at the IBMA office at (888) 438-4262, (615) 256-3222 or email at nancyc@ibma.org
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