2024 Biennial Convention

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CONVENTION THEME:

“Foundations of the Future”

The 2024 convention theme celebrates the role of early childhood music and movement in providing foundations for both young children and the individuals who make music with them. The foundational areas may include:

Increased global, interpersonal, and intrapersonal connections through music and movement.

Music and movement pedagogical practices of tomorrow for all children.

Culture and language as the root of music and movement making.

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For a full list of presenters and sessions, click here

Featured Presenters

Dr. Lili Levinowitz

2024 Hall of Honor Inductee

Lili M. Levinowitz, Ph.D. is Director of Research for Music Together Worldwide and Professor Emerita of Music Education, Rowan University. She is also the coauthor of the early childhood music and movement program, Music Together. She is considered a leader in early childhood music. Her articles appear in professional journals and popular magazines, and she presents frequently at national conferences, and present online webinars. M.M., Ph.D.: Temple University; B.M.: Westminster Choir College.

Tiago Madalozzo, Ph.D.

TiagoMadalozzo holds a PhD in music from the Federal University of Paraná, focusing on the discussion of musical and social meanings that contribute to children's engagement in early childhood music education, considering the music classes as opportunities to foster children's creativity and autonomy. Recently, he completed post-doctoral research in education at the Federal University of Paraná and childhood studies at the University of Minho in Portugal, integrating theories from both music education and childhood studies. His research explores how children engage with music through movement and how educators may look at and listen to children’s music expressions to propose significant music experiences in music education.Tiagoemphasizes that music plays a crucial role in children's cultures, shaping their cultural production and understanding of their surrounding sound and musical world. He previously served as Assistant Professor of Music Education at the State University of Paraná, Brazil, from 2014 to 2023. Additionally, he taught and coordinated music courses for children aged 0-8 years at Alecrim Dourado, a music school in Curitiba, from 2010 to 2017.Tiagopresented a workshop on active music listening at ECMMA's 2018 Convention in Buffalo during a doctoral exchange period at the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Research Group 'Art, Education, and Teacher Training' at the State University of Paraná and the Research Group 'Educamovimento - Childhood and Early Childhood Education' at the Federal University of Paraná. He is actively involved in the Brazilian Music Education Association, serving on the Editorial Board of the association's journals and currently acting as co editor of the Music in Basic Education Journal. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Music in Early Childhood. Currently residing in Braga, Portugal,Tiagolives with his wife, researcher and music educator Vivian Agnolo Madalozzo, and their 7-year-old daughter, Helena, who recently began piano lessons at Braga Gulbenkian Conservatory.

Gabriella Montoya-Stier, author

Gabriela Montoya-Stier is an elementary music specialist with the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas. She received her Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of New Mexico and her Master’s in Music Education from Indiana University, Bloomington, where she completed Kodály certification with Dr. Jean Sinor and Dr. Alan Strong. She completed her Orff certification at Trinity University. She is the author of El Patio De Mi Casa Book and CD which is published by GIA. She is also a contributing author to Music in Elementary Education by John W. Flohr and Valerie Trollinger. Gabriela has been on the faculty for the Kodály Certification Program at Hays CISD in Kyle since 2008. Gabriela has presented several times at TMEA, including a Texas Invited Clinician in 2013. She has also presented several times at the OAKE National Conference, Feierabend Association for Music Education, and American Eurhythmics Society. Gabriela loves to spend time with her family, walk her dog Lucy, and work in her fiber studio.

Montoya-Stier is sponsored by GIA Publications.

Amanda Soto, Ph.D.

Amanda C. Soto was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley. She is an Associate Professor at
Texas State University and is co-director of the World Music Pedagogy: Teaching
Music/Teaching Culture teacher certification course. Her ongoing research on mariachi, world
music pedagogy and Mexican American music has been published in both music education and
ethnomusicology journals. She has presented research and conducted clinical workshops at
regional, national, and international music education and ethnomusicology conferences..

2024 Sponsors

Keynote Presenters

Elaine Bernstorf, PhD, CCC-SLP

Dr. Bernstorf serves as Professor of Music Education at Wichita State University, and co-author of The Music and Literacy Connection published by Rowman and Littlefield. She holds a BME and MME in Special Music Education, PhD in Communicative Disorders and Sciences, and certificate of clinical competence as a speech-language pathologist. Her specializations include elementary vocal music, special music education, early childhood arts education, speech pathology (voice, fluency, and child language), literacy development, and curriculum development.

Dr. Bernstorf will address the roles of caregivers, teachers, and children in developing literacy learning through creativity. Appropriate music and movement activities often become personal anchors with special meaning for individual children or groups of children. We will explore developmentally appropriate activities that lead toward language and literacy anchor standards.

Elizabeth Andang'o, PhD - Kenyatta University

Elizabeth Andang’o is a lecturer in the Department of Music and Dance, Kenyatta University, in Nairobi, Kenya. Her main research interests are on culture and curriculum development in Early Childhood Music Education. She has published articles in several peer reviewed journals and co-authored chapters in several books. Dr. Andang’o is the Associate Editor (Africa) of the International Journal of Music in Early Childhood and a current board member of the International Society for Music Education.

Dr. Andang’o will discuss young children’s musical engagement and how it contributes to the construction of their self-knowledge (their feelings, motivation and character, etc.) and identities in and through music. The discussion will be framed within the Kenyan/African cultural context. Examples will be drawn from school, home and community settings.

Donna Brink Fox, PhD - Eastman School of Music

Dr. Fox, an authority in early childhood (EC) music education, is a founding member of the EC Special Research Interest Group of the National Association for Music Education and has served on ECMMA’s Advisory Board. She co- authored Classroom Music for Little Mozarts, a curriculum for teaching music in EC classrooms.

Dr. Fox will share her experience creating Eastman’s early childhood music program and developing the early childhood music methods course to prepare teachers. She will focus on the importance of understanding the culture and development of children and will consider what has changed and what is needed for the future.

Cynthia Crump Taggart, PhD - Michigan State University (Emeritus)

Cynthia Crump Taggart is Professor Emeritus of Music Education at Michigan State University, where she directed and taught in the Early Childhood Music Program. She is co-author of Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum, Music Play: The Early Childhood Curriculum, Music Play 2, and numerous book chapters and journal articles.

From an early age, children can express themselves musically. Yet, often adults are so focused on getting children to sing, chant, and move correctly that they forget to encourage musical play. This session will focus on how to empower children to express themselves musically using their bodies and voices.