Virtual Education Series

KHS America Academic Alliance invites you to attend our FREE professional development series for educators! Professional Development Certificates will be available for anyone that attends a session live, and replay videos are now available for all past clinics.

Watch Replays of: 

Presented By

John Bingaman

Associate Band Director & Director of Percussion Studies, Byron Nelson High School

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Building Firm Foundations for the Beginning Percussionist

Presented by: John Bingaman

This clinic will take you through the WHAT and WHEN of the beginning percussion experience, from the selection process to the end of the first year. Bingaman’s proven methods, which have consistently produced top percussion students in Texas, include both time-honored traditions and innovative practices which promote high levels of musicianship. In this session, he will help you navigate the challenges common to beginning percussion to build firm foundations for success.

About The Presenter
John Bingaman currently serves as Associate Band Director and Director of Percussion Studies at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, TX. His drumlines have achieved high placements at the HEB, Plano, and Lonestar Drumline Contests. Prior to his appointment at Byron Nelson High School, John was the percussion director at John Horn High School where they placed third at the 2012 Percussive Arts Society Marching Percussion Festival in the standstill division. Mr. Bingaman’s students have made the Texas All-State band consistently with two as recently as 2021. 
 
Mr. Bingaman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. John performed with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra for five seasons and then played thirteen seasons as a percussionist with the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra. John was featured as a soloist with the orchestra by performing a marimba concerto in 2004. He is also an active percussionist, drumset player, adjudicator, and clinician in the DFW area serving on staffs such as the “Roll” Models Percussion Summer Camps and the North Texas Middle School Percussion Camp. Mr. Bingaman an educational artist for Mapex/Majestic has also presented percussion clinics at the 2019 TMEA convention, 2021 Art of Teaching Music Symposium, 2021 Stryvemind Director Symposium, the 2021 Texas Bandmasters Association Convention, and the 2021 Midwest Clinic. 

Presenters

Dr. Peter Boonshaft

Director of Education, KHS America, Professor of Music, Hofstra University

Thad Driskell

Director of Bands & Music Department Chair, Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School

Susan Willmering

Instrumental Music Director, South Pointe Middle School

Len Lavelle

Director of Bands, North Hills High School

Getting Band Back To Normal: What Next?

Presented by: Dr. Peter Boonshaft, Thad Driskell, Susan Willmering & Len Lavelle

The pandemic has forced band directors to become experts in virtual teaching, remote learning, hybrid education, and all manner of technical platforms and alternative strategies to help our students succeed. Now that vaccines are on the horizon, we are all eager to get back to normal soon. But that exciting moment brings with it an enormous number of questions for which we need to plan. This session offers answers to those concerns we all need to think about now!
About The Presenters

Peter Loel Boonshaft has been invited to speak and conduct in every state in the nation and around the world. Honored by the National Association for Music Education and Music For All as the first recipient of the “George M. Parks Award for Leadership in Music Education,” Dr. Boonshaft is Director of Education for KHS America/Jupiter Band Instruments. Dr. Boonshaft is the author of the critically acclaimed best-selling books Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise. He is also co-author of Alfred Music Publishing’s method book series Sound Innovations. As well, his weekly “Boonshaft’s Blog” for music educators continues to inspire teachers everywhere. He is currently on the faculty of Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, where he is Professor of Music.

Thad K. Driskell serves as Director of Bands and Music Department Chair at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where his primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Symphony, The Band of Blue Marching Band, and AP Music Theory. Mr. Driskell serves as the All-State Band Chair for Iowa, Chair of the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the All-State Music Festival, and the National Band Association State Chair for Iowa. He was recognized in School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s “Fifty Directors That Make a Difference” in 2012, was the recipient of the Phillip Sehmann Excellence in Teaching Award from the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Association, and received the 2017 National High School Heart of the Arts Award from the National Federation of State High School Associations.  

Susan Willmering has been the instrumental music director at South Pointe Middle School in Diamond Bar, California, since 2007. Under Ms. Willmering’s direction, the South Pointe Wind Ensemble has performed at the California All-State Music Educators Conference as well as at a number of national festivals. Susan is the Vice President of the California Band Directors Association (CBDA), and has served as a manager for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association’s (SCSBOA) High School Honor Groups for the past 15 years. She was humbly named California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Southeastern Section’s Outstanding Music Educator of 2017 and was chosen by her peers as 2017 Teacher of the Year at South Pointe Middle School. In January 2021, SCSBOA awarded her the Gold Award for her service to music education.

Len Lavelle is the Director of Bands at North Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he also serves as the Music Department Curriculum Leader. He has taught instrumental music from the elementary through the college level. In the last decade, Mr. Lavelle’s bands have been featured at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival, and four times each at the PMEA All-State Convention and NAfME All-East Convention. Mr. Lavelle has been recognized with the Citation of Excellence from both the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the National Band Association, and has served as a guest conductor and clinician for school and honor groups at all levels.

Presenters

Presidio Brass

Miles McAllister, Steve O'Connor, Josh Bledsoe, Jeff Harrigan & Mike Frasier

Think Small, Play Big: Building Better Bands Through Chamber Music Opportunities

Presented by: Presidio Brass (Miles McAllister, Steve O’Connor, Josh Bledsoe, Jeff Harrigan & Mike Frasier)

The key to success for large ensembles is to “think small.” In this clinic, Presidio Brass discusses ways to use chamber music opportunities to develop musicianship, confidence, and even business acumen.

About The Presenters

Since forming in 2006, Presidio Brass has rocketed to success as the face of a bold new generation in brass entertainment. By combining a brass quintet, piano, and percussion instruments with fresh, original arrangements, their unique sound has become a trademark for the ensemble from San Diego, CA, captivating audiences the world over.

Through their hit touring show of Broadway’s greatest hits, “…And All That Brass!”, these five young men present the music of The Big Apple with a good dose of wit and humor that together have become hallmarks of every Presidio Brass performance. Audiences and music critics agree, “…And All That Brass!” is “…fun for the entire family!” and has been hailed as “a perfect mix of technical precision, charm, and heart-warming moments.” Presidio Brass has performed and provided educational outreach in over 46 states across the globe, conducted master classes at many of America’s finest colleges and universities, been featured on National Public Radio, and featured with VH1’s SaveTheMusic.

Each member of the ensemble began his music career by joining their school’s band program. Inspired by the dedication of their school music teachers, Presidio Brass came together with the primary mission to promote music education and music appreciation in youngsters. For this very reason, performances are often coupled with a master class or school program for which the quintet volunteers their time.

Members of the Presidio Brass have performed with major symphony orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony and San Diego Symphony, and have shared the stage with commercial and pop artists that include Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Quincy Jones and more. When not on tour, they continue to perform throughout the country as freelance artists, maintain private teaching studios at local universities, arrange and compose new music, assist with public school music programs, and operate an annual summer music camp in San Diego for brass students of all ages.

The Presidio Brass has released four recordings: Stolen Moments, a collection of popular classical and jazz selections, Christmas Day, an assortment of well-loved holiday favorites, Sounds of the Cinema, which includes pieces from their signature stage performance of the same name, and their newest release, Rhapsody in Brass, a collection of popular American music influenced by classical and jazz idioms.

Presenters

Brian Duffy

Assistant Principal, Dayton Elementary

Bojan Hoover

Band Director, Rosemount High School

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How to Effectively Communicate with Your Administrator

Presented by: Brian Duffy & Bojan Hoover

In order to best serve the diverse educational needs of your students it is essential to develop and nurture rich channels of communication with your school administrator(s). Having the tools to develop authentic communication with your administrator(s) in such a way that you are able to effectively advocate for arts education for all students across a variety of situations and circumstances, is an essential tool for all music educators. This clinic will provide you with not only the necessary tools and skills to communicate with your administrator(s), but also examine typical scenarios you will likely encounter as a music educator and how to communicate effectively with your administration through these various situations so that student-centered decision making is always at the forefront.

About The Presenters
Brian Duffy is a compassionate educational leader who is dedicated to creating thriving interdependent learning communities that serve to develop the full potential of all students. Brian is a native Minnesotan, where he currently resides, serving as an Assistant Principal for Dayton Elementary in the Anoka-Hennepin school district, the largest school district in the state of Minnesota. Brian spent the first twenty years of his career working in various public schools in the metro area of Minneapolis as a k-12 music educator, teaching band from grades 5-12 and elementary music to students in grades k-5. Brian holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance, both from the University of Minnesota and a K-12 Educational Administration license from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He is trained in Cognitive Coaching and is a Resident ENVoY Coach.
 
Brian is also a dedicated performing artist and has performed extensively throughout the United States as a percussion artist and has appeared several times as a guest clinician and performer at state and regional music conventions. A strong advocate of chamber music, Brian is a founding member of Penumbra Percussion Duo and Janus Percussion. Brian performed with Janus Percussion on a featured concert at Marimba 2010 International Festival and Conference. As an orchestral musician he has served as an assistant percussionist with the Duluth-Superior symphony Orchestra and as principal percussionist with the Encore Wind Ensemble. Brian was the First Prize Winner of the Heartwood Marimba Competition in 1999 and was a candidate in the 2004 Belgium Marimba Competition. Brian is an artist for Majestic/Mapex Percussion and Innovative Percussion. 
 
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A Minnesota native, Bojan Hoover is an active music educator, freelance musician, and composer for the pageantry arts and visual media. Bojan is currently a band director at Rosemount High School in Rosemount, MN, where he co-directs the largest band program in the state with over 450 students actively participating in a curricular band class. In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Rosemount High School, Bojan serves as the Executive Director for River City Rhythm, and has been involved as an instructor and designer for River City Rhythm since its inception.
 
Bojan has committed himself to supporting music education throughout Minnesota and has served on the board of directors for the Minnesota Percussion Association and the Percussive Arts Society Minnesota Chapter. From 2009 to 2016, he organized one of the largest percussion festivals in the state, the MPA Day of Percussion, and was awarded the Minnesota Percussion Association ‘Instructor of the Year’ award in both 2009 and 2016.
 
Bojan holds bachelor’s degrees in music education and music performance from the University of Minnesota, a master’s degree in composition from Pulse College in Dublin, Ireland, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Learning from the University of St. Thomas. 

Presenters

Scott Brown

Assistant Band Director, Dickerson Middle School; Percussion Director, Walton High School

Mike Lynch

Retired Band & Percussion Teacher

Download Clinic Resources

Building A Strong Percussion Ensemble

Presented by: Scott Brown & Mike Lynch

This is not your typical percussion clinic focusing on percussion techniques and skills. The goal of this session is to help band directors use the information they know based on their experience with their primary instrument or through teaching winds, along with the knowledge and life experience of the students, as a starting point for developing technique and sound. Also included are some rehearsal suggestions which might give directors some different approaches and tools to help the percussionists in their programs develop within the ensemble. Attendees will be provided a link with additional resources as well as Q&A opportunity with the presenters.

About The Presenters
Scott Brown is currently the Assistant Band Director at Dickerson M.S and Percussion Director at Walton H.S., both in Marietta, GA. Scott is Percussion Coordinator for the Music For All Summer Music Symposium Middle School Camp and Co-Director of the North Georgia Percussion Camp and Atlanta Percussion Symposium. Scott is a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) International Percussion Ensemble Committee and served as curriculum designer and consultant for Quaver Music.   Prior to his appointment at Walton, Scott spent 14 years with the 1998 & 2002 Bands of America Grand National Champion Lassiter High School Band and served on the instructional staffs of Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps, Atlanta CV Drum & Bugle Corps, CV Indoor Percussion, and the Kennesaw Mountain High School Band. He served for four years as Percussion Arranger and Consultant for Beatrix Drum & Bugle Corps from Hilversum, The Netherlands, and in 2010 won the “High Percussion” award for Drum Corps Netherlands and Drum Corps Europe. In addition to the national championships, he has been fortunate to be a part of 9 BOA Regional Championships, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (2x), the Tournament of Roses Parade (2x), the Waikiki Holiday Parade, the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference (9x), the Music for All National Festival (5x), and eight performances for The Midwest Clinic.
 
Mr. Brown is co-author of “Field Level – The Ultimate Band Director’s Guide to fielding the Ultimate Marching Percussion Section” and composer of “Kumi-daiko”, both published by Row-Loff Productions.  His articles on percussion pedagogy have been published in Percussive Notes, Halftime, and School Band & Orchestra magazines. He is featured on the “Snare Drummer’s Toolbox” dvd and has been featured in interviews for TV and Radio in The Netherlands, Colombia, and Malaysia. Active as a clinician, Scott has presented clinics for The Midwest Clinic, PASIC, MEA conventions in Georgia, Texas, and Ontario, and served as a clinician and/or adjudicator in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Thailand, Brazil, Colombia, and Malaysia. He has also appeared on the campuses of the University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, University of Tennessee, Point University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Western Carolina University as a Guest Lecturer/Clinician.
 
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Michael Lynch is recently retired after thirty-two years of teaching band and percussion in grades five through twelve. The last twenty years were spent at Simpson Middle School and Lassiter High School, located in Marietta, Georgia. Mr. Lynch’s middle and high school percussion ensembles have performed at The Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference on 7 different occasions, the Music for all Sandy Percussive Arts Society National Percussion Festival four times, the Midwest Clinic twice and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention once. While Mr. Lynch has been the percussion instructor at Lassiter, the marching band won the 1998 and 2002 Bands of America Grand National Championships and 12 Bands of America Regional Championships. The band also participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California three times each. Mr. Lynch is co-author of three method books published by Row-Loff Productions.

Presenters

Ramon Rivera

Mariachi Program Director, Mount Vernon School District

Oscar Garibay

Mariachi Director, Santa Ana Unified School District

Mariachi In K-12 Education And Its Impact On Students

Presented by: Ramon Rivera & Oscar Garibay

Mariachi programs are flourishing in many regions of the United States, transforming and connecting students with their cultural identity. Mariachi music is an important facet of post-colonial Mexican culture, and with that comes a great sense of pride and validation that provides many students, particularly Mexican American, a level of gratification and significance. In this clinic, mariachi educators Ramon Rivera and Oscar Garibay will share their experience introducing mariachi music to their schools and its impact to K-12 students.

About The Presenters
From handwritten thank you notes from parents and students to being honored by the Speaker of the House, Ramon Rivera has been recognized as being an innovative leader and pioneer in cultural arts and has received numerous awards and accolades during his teaching career.
 
He is currently the Mount Vernon School District Mariachi Program Director in Mount Vernon, in Washington state currently teaching 6 Mariachi and Folklorico classes with a total enrollment of over 200 students grades 6-12. Mr. Rivera also has written five published blogs for NAFME about Mariachi Education. Mr. Rivera has led Mariachi Education workshops for KHS Music, VH1 Save the Music, H.Jimenez Guitars, Eastern Washington University, University of Iowa Northern, Napa Valley College, International Music Education Summit, Berklee Plus,  and for the Give A Note Foundation.
 
Mr. Rivera has had his students perform for Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Little Big Town, Ramon Ayala, Los Tigres del Norte, Lupillo Rivera, Ana Bárbara, Christian Nodal, Joan Sebastian, Dolores Huerta, and George Lopez. Mr.Rivera Mariachi groups under his direction have traveled and headline Mariachi Festivals in Montana, Idaho, Washington State, Oregon, California, Alaska, and Washington DC.
 
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Oscar Garibay is an acclaimed trumpet performer based in southern California is recognized as a versatile musician. As a classical instrumentalist, Mr. Garibay has won concerto competitions and internationally toured with several orchestras and bands. As a Mariachi, Garibay has performed on tour with Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Los Camperos. He has also accompanied critically acclaimed artists which include: Steven Sandoval, Lupita Infante, and Leo Dan.
 
Mr. Garibay is a pioneer in Mariachi Education. Under the mentorship of Mariachi Sol de Mexico director, Jose Hernandez, Garibay became one of the founding teachers of the Jose Hernandez Mariachi Academy. Currently, Garibay is a full-time Mariachi Director in Santa Ana Unified School District, where he leads Mariachi Los Santos of Santa Ana High School’s SanArts Conservatory.
 

Presented By

Tonia Mathews

Director of Bands, Clint Small Middle School

KICKSTARTING YOUR JAZZ BAND: How To Get Your Band Swingin’ And Playin’ The Blues

Presented by: Tonia Mathews

Mrs. Mathews will discuss her strategy for starting the year with a middle school or young high school jazz band. The clinic provides best practices for teaching students how to swing while also incorporating the blues progression.  Engaging students in a thoughtful pace will motivate your students to improvise and be comfortable soloing in front of others.

About The Presenter
Mrs. Tonia Mathews has been teaching in the Austin Independent School District for 24 years. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and Master’s Degree in Music Education at Texas State University. Her early teaching career began in Wisconsin before moving to Texas.
 
Her high school experience continued in a position for nine years at Austin High School. There she was the Director of Jazz Studies and Wind Ensemble in addition to assisting with the marching band. Mrs. Mathews led the jazz program to be one of the most successful in the district and nation winning numerous awards at state festivals and placing more students in region jazz and all-state jazz than any other school in the Austin area. In the spring of 2008, the Austin High Jazz Ensemble was chosen as one of the top 15 jazz bands in the nation to perform for the prestigious Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City where Wynton Marsalis was one of the judges.
 
Tonia is in her 12th year of Director of Bands at Clint Small Middle School continuing it’s high level of music performance success with Superior ratings at Band and Jazz Festivals. In 2013 the Clint Small Wind Ensemble under her direction was a National Wind Band Winner of the Mark of Excellence Award. The Mark of Excellence project seeks to recognize and award outstanding achievement in performance by high school and middle school bands, choirs and orchestras. She is a member of the Texas Jazz Educator’s Association and the Texas Music Educator’s Association.

Presented By

Jennifer Kummer

Symphonic & Session Horn Artist

How To Prepare Your Students For Their Next Audition

Presented by: Jennifer Kummer

XO Artist Jennifer Kummer will share ways to help fully prepare your students for upcoming college auditions, All-state tryouts, and chair placements in band and orchestra.

The hour-long clinic will encompass practice room preparation suggestions, advice on how to record and listen, and confidence-building tools that lead to audition success. 

About The Presenter

Jennifer Kummer has maintained an incredibly diverse music career in Nashville for more than 20 years. As Principal Hornist on thousands of recording sessions, she can be heard on film, television, video game scores, publishing company tracks, and artist albums taking part in virtually every musical style imaginable.

In addition to recording sessions, she holds positions as Principal Horn of the Nashville Opera and the Gateway Chamber Orchestra, 3rd Horn of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and performs frequently with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. She has been a featured artist and clinician for international and regional conferences.

Mrs. Kummer holds degrees from Western Illinois University and Middle Tennessee State University, and studied at the University of Southern California with Vincent DeRosa. She is the horn instructor at both Lipscomb University and Tennessee State University.