Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is often treated as an add-on rather than integrated into ensemble instruction. This session reframes the concert cycle; selection, preparation, rehearsal, performance, reflection, and recruitment/retention, as a series of instructional decisions where equity, access, and student belonging can be intentionally cultivated, offering practical strategies directors can implement immediately.
Krissi Davis
- Biographical Information
Dr. Krissi Davis is in her 21st year in music education and serves as orchestra director at Midtown High School in Atlanta, Georgia, where she leads a comprehensive string program grounded in artistic excellence and student-centered learning. Under her direction, orchestras consistently earn Superior ratings at GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation and have performed at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, and the American String Teachers Association National Orchestra Festival. Dr. Davis was named the 2019 Atlanta Public Schools Teacher of the Year and recently served as Georgia Music Educators Association Orchestra Division Chair. In Fall 2026, she will begin service as Chair of the National Association for Music Education’s National Orchestra Council.
Dr. Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Georgia State University, a master’s degree in music education from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from Georgia State University. Her work centers on culturally responsive, equity-centered practices in music education, with a focus on expanding access and belonging for Black and Latino students in instrumental programs. She has published in Teaching Music and American String Teacher, including her article “Recruiting and Retaining Black and Latinx Students in String Orchestra Programs.”