Coming to Philadelphia!
July 2022
#FAMEadelphia
Registration is now open for our 4th biennial FAME Conference in Philiadelphia! Make your hotel reservations as well! It is sure to be the best FAME conference yet!
Check out our expanded Pre-Conference Courses:
First Steps in Music for Preschool & Beyond 20-hour Certification Course
Instructor: Lillie Feierabend
Dates: Wednesday, July 14 – Friday, July 16, 2021
Course Description: All children are born with the potential to become musical. With inappropriate or no music experiences children can lose their intuitions for music. This workshop will provide a bridge from research to practice by demonstrating how a repertoire of traditional children’s songs, rhymes, games and dances as well as movement with classical music can develop the next generation of tuneful, beatful and artful citizens. To achieve that goal, an 8-part curriculum will be presented that can be easily used with preschool and elementary aged children.
Cost: $400 per participant
1 graduate credit through the Hartt School of Music is available (see more info below)
Conversational Solfege Level 1 & 2 20-hour Certification Course
Instructor: David Rankine
Dates: Wednesday, July 14 – Friday, July 16, 2021
Course Description: Through carefully sequenced activities, this engaging workshop will demonstrate how to enable students to joyfully assimilate the content and skills necessary to become musically literate including the acquisition of listening, rhythmic and melodic reading, dictation, composition, and improvisation in an intuitive manner. Participants will experience a curriculum that grows out of tonal and rhythmic elements that exist in the folk song literature. Each rhythm or tonal element will be explored in patterns, songs and themes from classical literature.
Cost: $400 per participant
1 graduate credit through the Hartt School of Music is available (see more info below)
NEW Move, Move, Move 20-hour Course
Instructors: Jane Kahan (Day 1), John Crever (Day 2), Penny Mahoney (Day 3)
Dates: Wednesday, July 14 – Friday, July 16, 2021
Course Description: Three one-day workshops, taken together or separately, will explore the movement components of the First Steps in Music workout. On Day 1 we welcome co-creator of The Book of Movement Exploration and Laban specialist Jane Kahan. Participants will explore in great depth concepts inspired by the work of Rudolf von Laban, a Hungarian-born dancer who studied and analyzed the qualities of human movement. Spend a dynamic day with Jane as she offers a deeper look into communicating through movement using Laban’s ten movement themes. Day 2 highlights the Movement for Form and Expression part of the First Steps workout. Led by FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer John Crever, this session features fingerplays, action songs, circle games and will culminate in a Move It! creation! Day 3 features Penny Mahoney, an Endorsed Trainer in Phyllis Weikart’s Education Through Movement. Weikart’s movement-based learning methodology focuses on helping children learn how to feel and maintain a steady beat through a wide range of enjoyable and effective beat-keeping movement experiences. The method also emphasizes the development of motor skills, musical skills, and academic abilities through rhymes and action songs to feel and express the steady beat.
Cost: $400 per participant for all three days OR $150 per participant per day
1 graduate credit for participants that attend all 3 days through the Hartt School of Music is available (see more info below)
Check out our expanded Pre-Conference Warm-up Sessions:
Can’t do an entire certification course but want to get into a Tuneful, Beatful and Artful frame of mind before being immersed in the conference weekend? Check out these fabulous Warm-up sessions. Feel free to register for 2 warm-up sessions in one day!
NEW First Steps in Music for Infants & Toddlers 4-hour Warm-up Class
Instructor: Connie Greenwood
Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 from 8:00am – 12:00pm
Warm-up Description: Come learn the essential techniques behind First Steps in Music for Infants and Toddlers with FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer, Connie Greenwood. Connie’s mission is to help the youngest children reach their true musical potential through creative music and movement. Through singing, instrument play, and movement exploration she guides both parents and their little ones in reaching their musical potential to create tuneful, beatful and artful learners.
Cost: $75 per participant
First Steps in Music for Preschool & Beyond 4-hour Warm-up Class
Instructor: Stephanie Schall-Brazee
Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 from 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Warm-up Description: An introduction and overview of concepts and methodologies behind First Steps in Music, a music and movement program for children in preschool and beyond. Based on the research of Dr. John Feierabend, this method encourages the development of tuneful, beatful and artful children using quality literature and developmentally appropriate pedagogy. Join FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer Stephanie Schall-Brazee for four hours of tips and techniques used to provide a complete musical “workout” for young children.
Cost: $75 per participant
Conversational Solfege Book 1 4-hour Warm-up Class
Instructor: Craig Knapp
Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 from 8:00am – 12:00pm
Warm-up Description: Join FAME Endorsed Trainer Craig Knapp for an overview of Conversational Solfege, the 12-step music literacy method based on the same principles used to teach language, that was created by Dr. John Feierabend. CS develops an understanding of music first by ear and later by sight both rhymically in 2/4 and 6/8 meters in Units 1 through 3 and tonally in Unit 4. Bring students from readiness to notation while encouraging independent musical thinking.
Cost: $75 per participant
Conversational Solfege Book 2 4-hour Warm-up Class
Instructor: Craig Knapp
Date: Friday, July 16, 2021 from 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Warm-up Description: FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer Craig Knapp leads participants through an overview of the next level of Conversational Solfege. A continuation of the method, Book Two contains Units 5 through 13 and sequentially covers even more rhythms and pitches to develop the concepts of musical independence in students. Book Two also introduces the concepts of bassline melodies and partner songs.
Cost: $75 per participant
General Conference Information
The main conference kicks off on Friday, July 17th in the evening with the ever-popular Strawberry Social and evening Folk Dance. Put on your dancing shoes and join us for a fun evening of traditional folk dancing led by Rick Mohr – with a live band! In addition, David Coffin, Revels singer, will be leading the Saturday evening Community Sing and will also be giving a workshop on how to lead a successful Community Sing.
As always, you can enjoy informative and engaging sessions presented by experienced master teachers who will demonstrate applications and insights of First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfege. All this is presented at the ultra-convenient Marriott Hotel at the Philadelphia Airport. Join us in the excitement and find thoughtful and energetic fellowship with others who share the 30-year plan for a more tuneful, beatful, and artful world.
For participants interested in earning graduate credit, did you know that by attending the conference you can earn one graduate credit through the Hartt School? See information below.
Whether you are a student just learning about the Feierabend Approach to Music Education or a seasoned educator who has used this method for years, you are guaranteed to learn something new at the FAME Conference. It is a great weekend with like-minded people who all share the same enthusiasm.
Make your plans NOW to join us in Philly at #FAMEadelphia!
Early Registration pricing through June 30, 2021:
$250 for FAME Members
$320 for Non-Members (includes a one-year membership)
$100 for FAME Student Members
Conference Registration pricing beginning July 1, 2021:
$320 for FAME Members
$390 for Non-Members (includes a one-year membership)
$125 for FAME Student Members
Pre-Conference Certification Courses (July 14th – July 16th, 9:00am to 5:00pm)
$400 per participant
Pre-Conference Move, Move, Move Course
$150 per day, $400 for all three
Pre-Conference 4-hour Warm-Up Classes (July 16th, 8:00am to 12:00pm/1:00pm to 5:00pm)
$75 per participant / per session
Graduate Credit available through the Hartt School
$245 per credit
More information to come on the Hartt Summerterm Webpage.
Accommodations at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott: $158 per night, all taxes included.
Registration is available now and hotel reservations will be available soon!! Register today!
Scholarships are available. Those who applied for the 2020 Scholarships, will be transferred to the 2021 Conference. There are scholarships available to attend the Conference as well. Applications are due by April 1, 2021. Winners will be notified by May 1, 2021.
“Join us for an inspiring weekend – bringing music educators together to experience the joy and exuberance of song and dance, the opportunity to explore best practices in teaching methods, and the benefit of sharing common experiences with colleagues who share a passion for advancing musical learning for all students.”
– Dr. John Feierabend
