We welcome award-winning music educators, Dan Austin, Band Director and Instrumental Music Teacher at GCVI in Guelph, ON and Laura Lee Matthie, Arts Chair and Music Teacher at Orillia Secondary School, in Orillia, ON, to the Band Room. We discuss how they've been doing this semester, their online ensemble rehearsals and recordings, what worked and what didn't work in the classroom, how we approach ensembling/community building in our new teaching landscape and so much more!
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Music used in this episode
BRP Theme Music: Skyline by EKR Hammell
Performing Ensemble: University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, Dr. Gillian MacKay – Conductor
Second Suite in F, Fantasia on the "Dargason" by Gustav Holst
Performing Ensemble: Air Combat Command Heritage of American Band
About Laura Lee
Laura Lee has been teaching instrumental, guitar and vocal music in Simcoe County since 1995 at the secondary level. She has experienced a school closing, school amalgamation and the opening of a new school and as such became a pro at packing and unpacking a music program! She often works with her family of schools to assist them in providing music programming. Laura Lee is Arts Chair at Orillia Secondary School and is the recipient of the 2018 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award. Laura Lee is currently the Treasurer for the Ontario Music Educators’ Association (OMEA) board of directors and was President of the OMEA from 2008-2010.
About Dan
Dan Austin has been teaching Instrumental and Vocal Music for 20 years, and is currently the Band Director and Instrumental Music Teacher at GCVI in Guelph. In 2020 Dan was named the inaugural winner of the prestigious Beckwith Award by the Canadian Music Centre. (https://on.cmccanada.org/ba-dan-austin/) A graduate of York University’s Jazz Music Program, Dan has taught music classes at both the elementary and secondary levels at Twin Lakes Secondary School (SCDSB), Glenhaven Senior Public School (PDSB), and Mitchell Woods Public School (UGDSB). He has presented several clinics at the annual Ontario Music Educators Association conference and is a regular contributor to the Canadian Music Educators Association Journal, Ontario Music Educators Association Journal, and the Ontario District Trillium Magazine. Dan has also been a guest lecturer in music education classes at University of Toronto, McMaster University, and York University. Dan is also the current Western Ontario Representative on the board of the Ontario Band Association.
Outside of school, Dan keeps an active schedule as a vocal and instrumental performer with a variety of groups across Southern Ontario, as well as being a husband, and a father to two amazing children. Dan has been Treasurer for the Peel Intermediate Music Teacher’s Association, President and founder of the Upper Grand Elementary Music Teachers Association, Vice President of Youth In Harmony for the Ontario District, and Education Coordinator for the International award winning Ontario Youth A Cappella Chorus. Dan is a member of the Harbourtown Sound A Cappella Men’s Chorus (Hamilton), The After Party a cappella quartet (2019 Ontario Silver Medalists) and released his first solo jazz album as a ba
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