Master of Music Education
The Master of Music Education (MME) program is intended for practicing music educators, and includes targeted study in pedagogy, scholarship and musicianship. The summers-only program is offered during four-week summer-intensive sessions and culminates with a research teaching project. Most students complete their course of study in three summers.
Workshop & Conference Credit
To register for credit for the event(s) listed below, please follow the directions to find, select the courses as described below. Make sure that the course number matches the workshop or conference you will attend (VMEA, ASTA, VKE). Also be sure to download the syllabus and complete the required assignments by the given due dates.
American String Teachers Association (ASTA)
One, two or three credits of undergraduate or graduate credit are available for participants of the national ASTA conference March 15–18, 2023 and completing the required assignments described on the syllabus.
Undergraduate Credit
1 Credit: MUCC 497 ASTA
2 Credits: MUCC 497 + 498 ASTA
3 Credits: MUCC 497 + 498 + 499 ASTA
Graduate Credit
1 Credit: MUCC 597 ASTA
2 Credits: MUCC 597 + 598 ASTA
3 Credits: MUCC 597 + 598 + 599 ASTA
*Need help registering? View the Instant Enrollment documentation to get started. Contact Dr. Stephanie Standerfer via email at sstander@su.edu if you have any questions about registration or assignment.
2023 Summer Workshops
Elementary General Music Workshop
June 23–34, 2023
More information coming soon…
Registration information coming in March 2023.
Music Literacy for All: Developing Musically Literate Individuals
July 24–26, 2023
Helping individuals become musically literate is central to the school, community, and church music curriculum. Working from the premise that students learn musical skills in much the same order as they do language skills, participants will explore how we ‘learn’ music through hearing and imitating patterns before reading and writing. The pedagogy also includes sequential techniques for teaching improvisation and dictation, key components of music literacy. Workshop participants will also be presented with
teaching strategies and techniques for integrating and applying literacy skills to appropriate repertoire.
Registration information coming in March 2023.
About the Course
Developing musically literate individuals is central to the school, community and church music curriculum. Working from the premise that music skills are learned in a similar order to language skills, participants will focus on the acquisition of tonal and rhythm skills via a sound before symbol approach. In other words, we ‘learn’ music through hearing and imitating patterns (comparable to a vocabulary of words in language) before reading (translating notation into sound) and writing (translating sound into notation).
To aid the development of aural (listening) – oral (performing) tonal skills, a sequence of vocal pitch exercises and chord progressions will be presented in graphic form. The TAKADIMI rhythm-pedagogy system, a beat-oriented system, will be incorporated to aid in the development of aural – oral rhythm skills. Specific techniques for developing reading readiness, literacy, audiation, musical memory and dictation will be explored.
Vocal improvisation is also central to developing musicianship and demonstrates the student’s comprehension; it is analogous to conversation in language. In spite of its importance, improvisation is rarely addressed in the choral and instrumental setting. Many teacher-conductors lack experience improvising and/or lack training to teach improvisation, consequently they are afraid to tackle it. During this experiential workshop, improvisation will be defined, the irreplaceable benefits will be explored, and specific, sequential techniques for teaching improvisation will be experienced.
Since retention of literacy skills is dependent upon immediate application to vocal/choral/instrumental literature, participants will also examine sequencing rhythm and tonal concepts, selecting repertoire to reinforce students’ previous knowledge and literacy skills, and the steps to determine ‘what’ they need to know to be successful on a particular piece. Special attention will be given to the development of music literacy curriculum maps and diction maps.
Purposeful Gesture: Non-Verbal Communication with Your Ensemble
July 27–28, 2023
Dr. Carol Krueger & Dr. Hillary Ridgley
Insights, review, and renewal of conducting gesture and skills for church and public school choral and instrumental conductors/educators will be the main focus of this two-day workshop. Special attention will be given to strengthening and clarifying physical presentation, developing essential hand dexterity, self-analysis, and matching gesture with the musical ideas embedded in the score. Mixed meter, independence of hands, phrasing, articulation, cues, and releases will be explored.
Registration information coming in March 2023.
Dr. Carol Krueger
An active conductor, clinician, choral pedagogue and author, Dr. Carol Krueger has conducted festivals and honor choirs at the collegiate, high school and middle school levels in 20 states and presented interest sessions/workshops in 30 states. She is also widely recognized for her work with music literacy. Oxford University Press publishes her book, “Progressive Sight Singing,” which is now in its fourth edition.
Dr. Krueger formerly served as associate professor and director of choral activities at Valdosta State University, Emporia State University and Florida Southern University. She also served as the associate director of choral activities at the University of South Carolina and the University of Montevallo. Krueger received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and both a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of Miami.
Dr. Hillary Ridgley
Hillary Ridgley is assistant professor of music education at Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University. Ridgley holds a Ph.D. in choral conducting/music education from Florida State University. An active conductor, clinician and adjudicator, Ridgley most recently presented seminars in Mississippi, New York and Virginia, interest sessions at Eastern Divisional and Southern Divisional ACDAs, and conducted the Kentucky SSAA High School All-State Choir. Her research interests include choral text, the poetry of Sara Teasdale in choral music, music literacy, and community service partnerships and field experience for music therapy and choral music education students. Previously, she taught 12 years in the public schools.