REBECCA JUAREZ
Rebecca Lakes Juarez is an elementary music specialist at Huebner Elementary School in North East ISD in San Antonio. She is also the Past-President of the Kodály Educators of Texas and the Associate Director of the Prelude Choir for the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio. Rebecca has been teaching music in Texas public schools for 17 years. She has presented workshops at TMEA, OAKE, KET, and for numerous school districts in the state of Texas. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Arts in Flute Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. She has a Master of Music in Pedagogy from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed all of her Kodály levels at Texas State University and all of her Orff levels at Trinity University.
DR. ALICE HAMMEL
Dr. Hammel is a leader in the field of students with special needs and music, and currently teaches for James Madison University and Midwestern State University. She also has a large independent flute studio in Richmond, Va. Dr. Hammel has widely presented research and is in great demand as a clinician and guest teacher. She has published four books through Oxford University Press and is a contributing author to several other resources available through Oxford, NAFME and Connect for Education. Dr. Hammel serves in many concurrent, state, and national professional leadership positions and is a multiple award recipient, honoring her commitment to music education and music teacher education. She received her Kodály Certification through James Madison University.
DR. SUSAN HARVEY
Dr. Harvey is an Associate Professor of Music at MSU. She teaches music education courses, ear training, and has directed the Oratorio Chorus. Prior to teaching at MSU, she taught instrumental and choral music for 20 years in public schools. Dr. Harvey presents sessions at state, national, and international music education conferences and at educator in-services. Topics for presentations have focused on the use of Kodály methods in the instrumental classroom, intonation in instrumental ensembles (band and orchestra), and teaching practice strategies in the ensemble rehearsal. Dr. Harvey conducted the Wichita Falls Youth Symphony Orchestra for nine years, where she implemented Kodály and music learning theory-based teaching strategies.
Dr. van der Vat-Chromy is Director of Choral Activities at James Madison University, where she received the 2016 Woman of Distinction Award. She directs the Madison Singers, the JMU Chorale and the University Women's Chorus. Her research interests include the kinesthetic connections in conducting pedagogy, the integration of Kodaly pedagogy into performing ensembles, and the sociological impact of choral cultures on student learning. Prior to JMU, Dr. van der Vat-Chromy was Vocal Music Director at the American School of The Hague, in the Netherlands and Interim Music Director for the Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir. Currently she is director and guest conductor of the JMU Vocal Arts Summer Camp. Dr. van der Vat-Chromy earned Kodály certification through MSU.
ALLISON LEWIS
Allison Lewis, M.Ed, currently teaches general/vocal music for students in grades K-5 in the East Pennsylvania School District at Wescosville and Alburtis elementary schools. Ms. Lewis is a graduate of the American Kodály Institute at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, and recently received Level I Certification in Early Childhood Music
Learning Theory at Temple University. Ms. Lewis recently presented with her students at the OAKE Eastern Division Fall Tune-Up about maintaining a joyful music classroom, and also serves as the chapter president for the Kodály Educators of Eastern Pennsylvania. She lives in Lansdale, Pa. with her husband Will and fur-baby, Millie.
MINH-VY “TIUN” DUONG
Minh-Vy “Tiun” Duong is an educator, life-long learner, and working toward a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. Previously, she taught K-5 general/vocal music/choir in Chesterfield County Public Schools in Richmond, Virginia. Ms. Duong earned her undergraduate degree in Music Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and received her Kodály certification at Midwestern State University. Tiun is extremely passionate about singing adolescent voices, mental wellness, trauma informed singing, and vocal health. Tiun and her colleagues at the Presser Voice Laboratory are scheduled to present research relating to choral spacing and mask uniformity at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) conference.
DILLON DOWNEY
Dillon C. Downey is an educator, performer, and scholar based in the Dallas area. He is currently an elementary music specialist in Denton (TX) ISD and maintains an active private trombone studio. Dillon teaches pedagogy at the Kodály Teacher Institute at Midwestern State University. He is an alumnus of the Eastman School of Music (M.M. Music Education and M.M. Music Performance) and the University of North Texas (B.M.E Music Education and B.M. Music Performance). Dillon’s research interests are in curriculum design, community in music education, musicians’ wellness and music teacher development, and he has presented about these topics in international, national, and local settings. Dillon is passionate about creating opportunities for meaningful music for all students in all settings.
BERTA YEE
Berta Yee has enjoyed a long career as an elementary general music teacher, most recently in the Halifax Area School District in Halifax, PA. She is co-editor and co-author of Winding It Back: Teaching to Individual Differences in Music Classrooms and Ensemble Settings, and recently completed her PhD from the University at Buffalo. She continues to learn from self-reflection, her students, and her colleagues. Berta has shared ideas on improvisation, creative movement, singing games, folk dancing, and differentiation at numerous conferences, workshops, and courses, and hopes some of the ideas and materials have inspired others to incorporate active music-making into their classrooms.