It’s been over a week since I got home from the National
AOSA Conference in Denver, and I’m still thinking about several wonderful
people I met there, presenters who inspired me, and the overall feeling of
being “home” in a place where everyone appreciates and creates quality musical
experiences for children.
From the early morning open “Sings,” which I loved all
three days, in spite of their challenging 7:15 a.m. start time, to the last
workshop I attended on Saturday afternoon on multi-cultural clapping games and
the fascinating composer I had dinner with at the airport before flying back to
Boston, it was a whirlwind of stimulation and inspiration.
I presented two workshops there on Unique Rounds & Partner Songs, and perhaps my biggest joy was
in experiencing other music educators’ excitement for this genre of music that
I’m so passionate about teaching. As we sang Namaste, which is a 3-part partner song (composed of singing “hello”
in 15 languages) with easy intervening verses, everyone walked spiritedly
around the room while reaching out hands in a kind of faux “grand right &
left” and singing their different parts in a glorious blend of languages and
harmonies. For those 5–10 minutes, it
seemed like a microcosm of this conference:
so many unique and beautiful voices, all joining together to learn and
to inspire each other with all of our individual ideas and talents, each
contributing to the common goal of helping children access the joy of music in
themselves.
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Joanne Hammil, a nationally renowned music educator,
performer, songwriter and choral director from Boston, is a major figure in
community and children's music. She directs several Intergenerational and
Children's Choruses in the greater Boston area and presents dynamic,
participatory concerts and workshops across the country. Her songs which have
been performed and recorded by many artists, have been widely published, and
her rounds have become exciting standards in books and harmony circles.
Joanne grew up in New Jersey, attended college in
Massachusetts, (B.A. Smith College) and has raised her two children in the
Boston area. Formerly Joanne Olshansky, her musical talents have been spread
over a wide range of work for 30 years, centering around teaching, performing,
songwriting and community choruses. She served as President of The Children's
Music Network for many years. Her two award-winning recordings of original
children's songs, Pizza Boogie and The World's Gonna Listen!, and her
adult songs consistently receive the highest acclaim.
Joanne has just released two exciting recordings and
songbooks of 53 of her original Rounds & Partner Songs! Mostly for adults, but containing
rounds and partner songs for all ages, these beautiful collections highlight
her unique contribution to this genre. She is now at work on a long-awaited CD
of her “regular” adult songs.
In addition to her weekly choruses, Joanne's exciting programs
at schools, on concert stages, and at her galvinizing workshops continue to
inspire joy and learning through her unique music and creative leadership.
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