Interest Sessions and Presenters
Conductors as Facilitators of Musical Expression
Andrea Maas, Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam
Dr. Andrea Maas is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam where she teaches courses in General Music and Choral Practicum and directs a choral ensemble. Prior to completing her graduate work at Teachers College, Columbia University, Andrea taught PK-12 general music and choir in Vermont public schools, founded and directed community youth and show choirs, and maintained a private voice studio. Her musical training and teaching include piano, voice, general music, choir, band, theory and musical theater. These broad experiences coupled with her interests in the ways we understand musical expression, drive Andrea to challenge students and teachers toward deeper meaning-making during musical encounters. Prior to her appointment at Crane, Andrea was the Director of Education at MusicFirst, and spearheaded the elementary curriculum, MusicFirst Junior. Her dissertation, “Musical Expression in the High School Choral Classroom” is now available online.
Clumsy Conversation: A No Judgement Q&A on Gender and Sexuality in the Choral Classroom
Nick McBride, The College of New Jersey
Nicholas McBride is Assistant Professor of Music Education at The College of New Jersey where he teaches various courses in music education and supervises senior-level student teachers. Previous to his appointment at TCNJ, he served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at Westminster Choir College where he continues to teach graduate courses in History & Philosophy of Music Education and advise Masters theses. Dr. McBride has presented research at the NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference, the SMTE Symposium on Music Teacher Education National Conference, the Narrative Inquiry in Music Education International Conference, the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference, the American Choral Director’s Association National Conference, the Symposium on Research in Choral Singing National Conference, the LGBTQ Studies and Music Education Conference, the Visions of Research in Music Education National Conference, and at numerous state music education association conferences. Dr. McBride has authored chapters in the forthcoming text Narratives and Reflections in Music Education - Listening to Voice Seldom Heard and in Planning Instruction in Music. He also served as a contributing editor to the text Teaching Music through Performance in Middle School Choir, and has published scholarly articles in the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education and the Music Educators Journal. His research agenda focuses on teacher education, music teacher identity, LGBTQ issues in music education, and gender in the choral classroom. An active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, Dr. McBride has conducted the New Jersey All-State Elementary Choir, the New Jersey All-Shore Honors High School Choir, the All-North Jersey Junior High School Treble Chorus, New Jersey Region 2 Honors High School Choir, in addition to conducting various performing ensembles throughout Austria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Dr. McBride is proud to have spent nearly a decade as a middle and high school choral director and general music teacher in the (NJ) Public Schools, where his choirs performed regularly on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, with the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, and on NBC television. He currently serves on the NJ-ACDA State Board as Co-Collegiate Repertoire & Resource Chair. McBride earned Doctoral and Master's degrees in Music & Music Education from Teachers College–Columbia University, his dual Masters with honors in both Choral Conducting and Music Education from Northwestern University, and a Bachelors in Music Education magna cum laude from Westminster Choir College
Facing My Fears: Choosing and Planning Repertoire I Thought I Could Never Do
Amanda Hanzlik, CT-ACDA President
Amanda Sprague Hanzlik is the director of choral activities at Edwin O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut. The E.O. Smith Choirs actively participate in the local community as well as with regional, state and national NAfME and ACDA ensembles and festivals. In 2016 and 2019, The E.O. Smith Chamber Singers were honored to be chosen as the Connecticut Music Educators Association Showcase Honor Ensemble and will perform as one of the selected choirs at the 2020 ACDA Eastern Division Conference in Rochester, NY.
Mrs. Hanzlik frequently appears as a guest clinician and honor choir conductor. Most recently, she conducted the 2019 Rhode Island Music Educators Association (RIMEA) Junior All-State Mixed Choir. In December 2019 Mrs. Hanzlik will conduct the Vermont ACDA High School Madrigal Festival. She currently serves as President of the Connecticut Chapter of ACDA, and is also co-chair of the CMEA Connecticut High School All-State Mixed Choir. Additionally, Mrs. Hanzlik serves on faculty for the Aspen Music Festival, where she created and teaches the early childhood music program, SING, PLAY, MOVE and directs the Children’s Choir Summer Program.
Originally, from the great state of Iowa, Mrs. Hanzlik is a graduate of the University of Iowa and Teachers College, Columbia University. She resides in Storrs, CT with her husband Louis and children, Ethan and Grace.
3 Conductors, 1 Choir
Experience the diverse rehearsal strategies, styles, and techniques of three different conductors as they each work with our choir of conference attendees (you!).
And a Reading Session Sip and Sing on the beach!
What better way to unpack a great day of choral inspiration than in a lounge chair, with your friends and colleagues, sipping a cold beverage by the ocean? In the afternoon we will move from the high school to the private beach and picnic area at the Westbrook Elks Lodge, just five minutes down the road, to continue our fellowship in true summer style. Cash bar and snack bar available!
