Jazz Beginnings in the General Music Classroom

This session is designed to introduce elementary and middle school students to the beginnings of jazz. Through drama, participants will sing and play basic jazz standards on Orff instruments, and move to jazzy rhythms and tunes as jazz history is recreated. It will help teachers understand the blues sequence and introduce songs, books, and instrumental pieces, and listening examples that use this standard jazz form.

Dr. Rene Boyer 

University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music
Professor Emeritus of Music Education

Rene is Professor Emeritus of Music Education at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. She is known nationally and internationally for her work in multicultural and urban music education. Her publications include: Share the Music, Spotlight on Music and Music Studio (McGraw-Hill Education), “Expressions of Freedom: An Anthology of African American Spirituals” (Hal Leonard) and others. She is the Urban Music Consultant for Peripole, Inc., as well as National Music Consultant for Benchmark Publishing.

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.