What We Need Can Benefit You Too: Rehearsal Strategies From The Perspective Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Musicians.

Approximately 20% of Americans experience some level or type of hearing loss, and many of these individuals are musicians. The presenters with the combined teaching experience of 30 years as music educators, are also Deaf and Hard of Hearing. This session will provide participants with information and resources as it relate to available technologies for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing students for music application. Participants will also be provided with best practices and rehearsal strategies that can be applied to the various music ensemble settings.

Edward Ercilla 

University of Miami Frost School of Music
Ph.D. Student in Music Education

Mr. Edward J. Ercilla is a graduate of Florida State University where he earned his Masters in Music Education (M.M.E) and Bachelors in Music Education (B.M.E). He is currently working towards his Ph.D. in Music Education form the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Prior to his Ph.D. studies, Mr. Ercilla has served as an Instrumental Music Educator in the K-12 setting for twenty years. During the span of his career, he has taught Band, Orchestra, Marching Band, Indoor Winds, Jazz Ensemble, Music Theory, and General Music. Mr. Ercilla also, serves as an Instructor for Doral College where he currently teaches Music Appreciation for the Humanities Department. Mr. Ercilla is a deaf music educator and has been wearing Behind-the Ear Hearing Aids (BTE) from a very early age. Mr. Ercilla’s other interests include working with Special Learners in a music setting and presenting those experiences in local, state, and national conferences.

Adam Chitta 

Wood Middle School
Assistant Band Director

Mr. Adam Chitta in his 13th year as an assistant band director at Wood Middle School in the North East Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas. Throughout his time at Wood Middle School, he has been teaching the beginner brass classes, co-teaching the advanced ensembles, along with assisting the orchestra program. Mr. Chitta seeks to raise awareness of teaching the deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the music education classrooms, plus strategies on how to best assist any colleagues in the workforce who may also be deaf and hard-of-hearing. He has been wearing behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids since he was seven years old. Mr. Chitta has also presented at the Cambridge University Press Accessibility Champions Virtual Talk on the topic of assisting the deaf and hard-of-hearing through their music education journey. Mr. Chitta has received his Masters in Music Education from Texas State University and his Bachelors in Music Education from Sam Houston State University.

The FMEA Professional Development Conference and All-State Ensembles receive support in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.