Educator
S P E A K I N G E N G A G E M E N T S
Selection of Currently Available Keynotes/Guest Lectures
Click for description and details
“The Five Fundamentals of El Sistema“
“The El Sistema Environmental Ethos”
“The Uncompromising System – How Music has finally connected how we teach with how we learn.”
“Sustaining the Sound – How Social Relevance will resurrect the Symphony Orchestra”
“Entrepreneurship for the Music Teacher and Performer”
“Cultivating a Culture of Leadership”
Keynote speaker, Symposium on Social Harmony Through Music, Ottawa, Ontario (Mar 2012)
Keynote speaker, Canadian Symposium II on el Sistema, McGill University (Nov 2011)
Guest Speaker, Music Education Seminar, University of Victoria, British Columbia (Nov 2011)
Keynote speaker, Leading Music Education Intl. Conference, U. of W. Ontario (May 2011)
Keynote speaker, Cape Town University (Mar 2011)
Keynote speaker, NAMM Conference (Jan 2011)
Panelist, “Taking Stock” el Sistema Symposium, Southbank Centre UK, (Oct 2010)
Guest lecturer, New England Conservatory (2010)
T E A C H I N G
Course Leadership, Masterclasses and Facilitations
Conducting Masterclass – Núcleo Neojibá, Brasil (February 2011)
Conducting Masterclass – Núcleo Acarigua, Venezuela (March 2010)
Journalism Seminar (with Shirley Apthorp) Stellenbosch Univ, South Africa (March 2011)
El Sistema Seminar & Workshop, Darling, South Africa (March 2011)
El Sistema Seminar, Salvador, Brasil (February 2011)
Adjunct Faculty (conducting) McGill University, 08-09
Adjunct Faculty (conducting) University of North Texas, 06-07
Adjunct Faculty (conducting) Denver University, 05-06
Y O U T H O R C H E S T R A W O R K S H O P S
CityMusic Cleveland
Orquestra Castro Alves, Salvador, Brazil
Orquestra Juvenil 2 Julho, Salvador, Brazil
Orquesta Infantil de Chiguará, Venezuela
Orquesta Infantil de Mucuchiés, Venezuela
Orquesta Juvenil del Estado Mérida, Venezuela
Orquesta Juvenil La Rinconada, Venezuela
In Harmony Lambeth, United Kingdom
K E Y N O T E S U M M A R I E S
The Five Fundamentals of El Sistema
What is El Sistema? How does it work? This 45-60 minute keynote, developed for all adult audiences, introduces the Venezuelan national youth orchestra network, explains its divergent philosophical foundations, and examines its profound impact on music education, children, and communities worldwide. This address is perfect for the opening event in conferences or symposia on music as an agent of social change or education advocacy events, and does not require any specialized knowledge or advance preparation on the part of the audience. It can also be easily modified to serve as an undergraduate music education lecture, connecting to specific concepts within current music education and sociological research. A previously-published article is available for inclusion in conference print proceedings.
Summary:
Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes (excluding questions)
Audiences: General public, politicians, policy makers, donors and program stakeholders, music teachers, music students, professional performing artists etc.
Requirements: PC Compatible digital projector, audio
The El Sistema Environmental Ethos
How does music create lasting social change? This 45-60 minute keynote deconstructs the Venezuelan national youth orchestra network in the context of current music education thought and practice. It examines how the emphasis on pro-social participant growth influences program structure, highlights areas of symbioses between music education traditions, and identifies constructive opportunities for mutual learning. This address makes an excellent immediate sequel to The Five Fundamentals of El Sistema for full-day workshops or multi-day conferences, and when presented in sequence is appropriate for all adult audiences. As a stand-alone presentation it is best suited to emerging or experienced music educators and music education researchers, but can easily be modified to serve as an advanced university-level lecture, connecting to specific modern concepts in educational theory.
Summary:
Recommended duration: 45-60 minutes (excluding questions)
Audiences: university music education students, practicing music teachers, or audiences familiar with “The Five Fundamentals of el Sistema.”
Requirements: PC Compatible digital projector. Audio connection not required.
The Uncompromising System
There’s a giant, artificial rift between how we learn… and how we’re “educated.” How do we close that gap? The conventional model of classroom education has long been acknowledged as a necessary compromise between cognitive function and economic realities. This surprising and provocative presentation challenges that status quo, and shows how new methods of music education have reverted the process of learning to its most natural, most holistic roots with startling, if not stunning results in multiple dimensions. This address offers a engaging, non-technical look at the processes of the brain and its the complex yet fascinating interaction with the world in which it develops. Excellent for all educators, corporate audiences, and the general public.
Summary:
Recommended duration: 25-30 minutes (excluding questions)
Audiences: Corporate, professional, educators, general public
Requirements: PC Compatible digital projector. Audio optional
Sustaining the Sound
How does a developing nation go from having two professional orchestras to over thirty in the space of 35 years, with venues filled to capacity? The professional symphony orchestra industry in North American and Western Europe is facing unprecedented financial challenges. Marketing, fundraising and concert programming innovations have slowed but not stopped the stream of bankruptcies, yet one country offers a powerful model of how orchestras can create meaning, build social relevance and grow audiences at the same time. This short keynote is appropriate for the general public, industry professionals and stakeholders, advocacy opportunities and orchestras looking to engage the public in new socially-oriented efforts
Summary:
Recommendation duration: 30-45 minutes (including exercise, excluding questions)
Audiences: Performing arts industry professionals, Symphony orchestra audiences
Requirements: none
Entrepreneurship for the Music Teacher and Performer
It’s not all about the internet… In this day and age, all musicians must be entrepreneurs, capable of identifying and developing career-sustaining opportunities. This seminar, targeted to emerging university-level performing artists and private music instructors, offers straightforward, non-technological strategies and frameworks for building a life in the music industry, with a particular emphasis on opportunities for social innovation. The highly interactive session focuses on entrepreneurship fundamentals, creating compelling value propositions, conducting market research, leveraging existing resources, assessing risk, and developing pricing strategies through engaging, hands-on activities and real-world case studies. Optional modules include an introduction to spreadsheet software, and social entrepreneurship models for music teachers.
Summary:
Recommendation duration: 3-4 hours (includes team project time, excludes break)
Audiences: University-level undergraduate music or music education students, private music instructors
Requirements: computer and internet access for participants
Cultivating a Culture of Leadership
Maestro José Antonio Abreu, orchestral conductor, economist, master teacher, and social entrepreneur, has built one of the most effective, mission driven enterprises in the world. This thought-provoking keynote examines the extraordinary leadership culture of one of the largest, most successful and most inspiring social/educational organizations in the world, how its very structure instills and reinforces its values, how it identifies and cultivates leadership talent from within, how it inspires passion and commitment from every employee, with fundamental concepts distilled for maximum transferability and adaptability. Perfect for chamber of commerce sponsored events, leadership training institutes, MBA students and corporate retreats.
Summary:
Recommendation duration: 20-25 minutes,
Audiences: leaders of industry and commerce, business majors
Requirements: PC compatible digital projector
