Save the Date! 2025-2026 workshops are being held on 9/20, 10/11, and 2/7!
Saturday, September 20, 2025, UWSP 9:00 am-1:00 pm:
Orff-Schulwerk: Centering the Human
Music begins inside human beings, and so must any instruction (Carl Orff, 1932). Using the Principles of Orff Schulwerk that center the humans involved in collaborative musicking while ensuring creativity in improvisation and composition, the workshop demonstrates the interplay of process and product. It proposes to place the artistic and pedagogical spirit of the Orff-Schulwerk as developed by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman within the context of current 21st century and intercultural music education practice. This workshop provides multiple access points for students to sing, say, move, play, experiment and create within the philosophy of Orff Schulwerk and for teachers and students to engage in joyful, elemental music making.
Saturday, October 11, 2025, UWSP 9:00 am-1:00 pm:
NCWO Chapter Share
Join us in learning from NCWO Chapter members! Fellow music teachers often have activities that are benefical for all! Join us to learn from others and/or contibute to the workshop conversation.
Saturday, February 7, 2026, UWSP 9:00 am-1:00 pm:
Rachel Aupperle: Dance and Play the Day Away
Children learn music similarly to how they learn language: through imitation! Our youngest learners are always exploring creative possibilities and ideas by watching the world and the people around them. With the right model (say, a fun music teacher!), this imitation and exploration can lead to creating and improvising!
Utilizing the musical dimensions of rhythm, pitch, timbre, texture, form, and other expressive elements, we'll be engaging in student-centered activities that combine singing, speech, movement, and play to help our elementary students explore musical ideas and creative processes.
UWSP 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Manju Durairaj was born and raised in India. She studied in Pune, India. She was involved in graduate research projects on comparative pedagogical practices of Indian (Carnatic) and Western Music at Middlesex University, London, UK. She graduated with her second master’s degree and K-12 certification from VanderCook College of Music, Chicago. Manju is the Lower School Music Teacher at the Latin School of Chicago. She is vice president elect DEI of AOSA, past president of the Greater Chicago Orff Chapter and is a certified Orff Schulwerk Levels Instructor. She is a certified Arts Integration specialist. She is on the Elementary General Music Council of IL Music Education Association. She is an adjunct professor at VanderCook College of Music, Chicago where she teaches curriculum design and elementary methods graduate and undergraduate courses. Her continuing teaching education courses, on campus and online, include Culturally Responsive Music Education, Technology, Arts Integration, Curriculum Development, Responsive Classroom, and Redesigning Teaching and Learning for 21st Century. She is a frequent clinician at various state, national, and international conferences. She has been published in the Orff Echo, Reverberations, Illinois Music Educators Journal, General Music Today, and the Journal of the Council for Research in Music Education. Her publications with Hal Leonard include InterAct with Music Assessment Levels 1 and 2, InterAct Levels 1&2 Student Activities for Devices and Print, Technology in Today’s Music Classroom and Dancing Around the World with Music Express Magazine.
UWSP 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Join us in learning from NCWO Chapter members! Fellow music teachers often have activities that are benefical for all! Join us to learn from others and/or contibute to the workshop conversation.
UWSP 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Rachel Aupperle has 20 years of teaching experience. She has conducted workshops at the local, state, and national level. She is a certified AOSA recorder and movement instructor. Rachel served as the ILMEA EGM President, HOI Orff Chapter President, and now serves as treasurer. She currently teaches K-12, general and vocal music at Ridgeview CUSD #19.