Academic & Performance Areas

Leading International Instrumental Experts Share Insights at Biennial Conference

Some of the world’s leading instrumental music educators and researchers came together to present the latest teaching practices and scholarly advances at the School of Music’s 2003 New Directions in Instrumental Music Education International Conference. Approximately 170 teachers, musicians and scholars attended the November 6–8 conference at MSU’s Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. This was the third biennial conference of its kind held on campus, hosted by the MSU Music Education Area headed by John Kratus, professor of music. Mitchell Robinson, who joined the faculty in 2003 as assistant professor of music education, also played a major role in coordinating and running the conference since its focus was instrumental music, Robinson’s specialty.

The conference provided a much-needed and rare opportunity for collegiate instrumental music teachers to not only come together under one roof, but also to network, share ideas, and enhance their teaching skills. 

“Professional development opportunities just don’t exist for instrumental music educators at the collegiate level,” said Robinson. The conference proved there was a real need for such a gathering in that afterward, a group of instrumental methods course instructors, including myself, formed a national professional development organization that will meet and present regularly.”

Robinson is in the process of organizing the group’s first seminar scheduled for May 2005. He will demonstrate how he organizes his unique methods course–by removing students from the typical, sterile classroom environment and into local high schools to pre-teach and conduct bands.

Conference keynote speaker Dr. David Elliott, professor of music at New York University and one of the world's foremost authorities on music education philosophy, held a private seminar for 20 lucky MSU students. For more than two hours they had a lively exchange on the values of music education and its future.

Performers at the conference included the MSU Percussion Line, MSU Community Music School Suzuki String group, and DeWitt Middle School Band, which presented a lecture demonstration.

The next New Directions Conference, entitled New Directions in General Music, will be held in fall 2005.