Description
Conversational Solfege Levels 1 & 2 with Carol Swinchoski & John Crever
Mon Aug 10 – Thur Aug 13, 2026:
8:30 am-3:30 pm
Includes: Bridging Conversational Solfege to Beginning Band
$500
Classes held at: The Church in Brielle
821 Riverview Dr, Brielle, NJ 08730
Inquiries contact: Carol Swinchoski or John Crever
Through carefully sequenced activities, the Conversational Solfege curriculum addresses the National Standards while enabling students to joyfully assimilate the skills and content necessary to become musically literate, including the acquisition of listening, rhythmic, and melodic reading, dictation, composition, and improvisation in an intuitive manner. Applications of Conversational Solfege are ideally suited to: elementary general music curricula; choral organizations at all levels; Orff Schulwerk; Kodály; Dalcroze; Gordon Music Learning Theory; high school and college sight-singing and ear-training; class piano; Suzuki; as well as recorder, band, and orchestral instrumental instruction. The Feierabend Curriculum examines a pedagogical method that develops music literacy.
Based on models used to teach conversational foreign languages, this course develops an understanding of music through the use of rhythm and tonal syllables at a “conversational” level that gradually evolves into reading, writing, improvisation, and composition skills. This is a literature-driven curriculum. The sequencing of musical elements grows out of those tonal and rhythmic elements that exist in folk song literature. Each rhythm or tonal element is explored in patterns, songs, and themes from classical literature. Applications of conversational solfege range from elementary general and choral music courses to collegiate level choral, sight-singing, and ear-training courses. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive an official certificate of completion for Conversational Solfege Level 1 & 2 from the Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME).
Applications of Conversational Solfege are ideally suited to:
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Elementary general music curricula
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Choral organizations at all levels
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Orff Schulwerk, Kodály, Dalcroze, and Gordon Music Learning Theory
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High school and college sight-singing and ear training
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Class piano, Suzuki, recorder, band, and orchestral instruction
Participants who successfully complete all course requirements will receive an official certificate of completion for Conversational Solfege Levels 1 & 2 from the Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME).
Fame-Hosted Course and Event Absence and Refund Policy
FAME-hosted In-Person and Online Events: If, prior to the start of the course, a participant can no longer attend, a refund can be requested. A $25 processing fee may be assessed.
Even though this is an in-person event, we do not have a live class video ready to share, see what the virtual online class is like?
About the instructors
John Crever is a music educator, clinician, and teacher trainer endorsed by the Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME). Additionally, he serves as an employee of the Board of Directors, where he coordinates the organization’s media. John is also a long-time member of the Teacher Trainer Committee. He played a pivotal role in developing the virtual online certification courses and continues to create new certification opportunities for teachers in the United States and abroad, with a focus on “pop-up” courses in the western United States.
Certified to teach all three Feierabend certification courses, John regularly presents on the Feierabend approach at state, national, and international music education conferences. In 2025, he received a FAME award for exemplary service, recognizing his unwavering commitment and outstanding contributions to the organization. John lives in Portland, Oregon, and teaches high school choir and supports the Feierabend Association for Music Education.
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