This session will focus on five critical areas that any music educator should consider in building and maintaining a vibrant program. These pillars are similar in urban, suburban and rural schools despite district infrastructure or demographics. The presenters will give concrete examples of how to put these pillars into action as drawn from a combined 42 years of public school teaching. Attendees will leave with tools to create a realistic action plan to implement in their own program.
Doris Doyon
- Biographical Information
Doris Doyon (she/her) has been an active music
educator for twenty years, teaching high school and middle school band in
Washington, Nevada, and California. She most recently served as Director of
Bands at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA, where she conducted the Wind
Ensemble, Chamber Ensemble, and taught Music Appreciation. She previously
served for eight years as Director of Instrumental Music at Norwalk High
School, a Title I School in southeast Los Angeles County. During her tenure the
instrumental music program grew to include three concert bands, marching band,
jazz band, and orchestra. The band earned a six-year designation as a Grammy
Signature School Program, and hosted many clinicians from around the
nation.
Dr. Doyon completed a DMA in wind conducting at UCLA in December
of 2022, and is pursuing a PhD in music education, wind conducting cognate, at
the University of Michigan. She serves as a graduate student instructor in the
music education department and is the assistant director of the Michigan Youth
Band. She earned a Master of Arts in conducting and percussion performance from
Truman State University and bachelor’s degrees in music education and music
performance cum laude from Pacific Lutheran University. Her primary
conducting teachers include Michael Haithcock, Travis J. Cross, Dan Peterson,
and Raydell Bradley.
Michael James (he/him) is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting at UCLA, where he serves as a teaching assistant for the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Marching Band. His experience includes twenty years of successful public school teaching in Washington state. Most recently, he was Director of Bands at Ballard High School where he doubled the size of the program. His responsibilities included teaching and overseeing three concert bands, two jazz bands, percussion ensemble, pit orchestra, marching band, pep band, and various jazz combos and chamber ensembles.
Under his direction, the Ballard Wind Ensemble was the first high school concert band from Seattle to perform at the Washington State Music Educators Conference and they also had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall. Mr. James established a nationally recognized jazz band that was accepted into the Essentially Ellington, Monterey, and Swing Central Jazz Festivals. The Ballard Marching Band won numerous parade awards at local and regional festivals and the pit orchestra for “Cabaret” was named Outstanding Orchestra at the 5th Avenue High School Musical Theater Awards.
Mr. James earned a Master of Arts in Conducting at Truman State University and a Bachelor of Music Education (Summa cum laude) from Pacific Lutheran University. His primary conducting teachers include Travis J. Cross, Dan Peterson, and Raydell Bradley. He has been fortunate to work with many inspiring educators and colleagues throughout his time in public education.