Music-COMP

05/29/2026

We’re not done yet!
We may be wrapping up the year, but today marked our first of 2 Young Composer Projects: a special collab between the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Music-COMP!
Students from HHSVT Performing Arts worked with composer/mentor, Travis M. Ramsey, Composer, on original pieces for brass quintet this spring. Today, they got to hear their music come to life during rehearsal/performance at their school.
Next week we travel to Hazen UHS for round 2!

Educational outreach is an integral part of our mission, especially when the outcomes include such incredible artistry and creativity in these student composers! Bravi tutti and thanks to everyone who supports this work.

05/22/2026

Fantastic blog post on a subject about which we are quite passionate!
Come study with us this summer (ONLINE!) and earn a graduate credit while you learn more and explore new ways to program for your classes.
https://music-comp.org/professional-development

Programming Diversity by Mary Lynn Doherty

05/22/2026

Need to program some new rep for next year's classes? Earn credit while you work!

In this asynchronous online course, students will explore existing data on program (repertoire) diversity and how it has evolved over time using research completed by the Institute for Composer Diversity. We will also explore their ‘best practices’ charts, looking at example programs for a variety of classroom types and age groups. Students will learn about different databases that are available to use when considering new repertoire and discuss the obstacles to creating an equitable program (including financial/budgetary limitations, pedagogical needs, etc) as well as strategies for overcoming each. Finally, the students will program their own repertoire for a class or ensemble across the entire year using the tools available to them, such as school & organization libraries, online databases, and other sample programs.

Sign up today:
https://music-comp.org/professional-development

05/22/2026

Earn 2 graduate credits or 30 hours of PD this summer!

Music Educators Methods Intensive is a week-long offering of courses covering a variety of practical techniques for the working music teacher. From instrumental skills to vocal pedagogy, from general music approaches to modern band and jazz methods, we’ll take a deep dive with a different master teacher each day to both broaden our horizons and refresh our preexisting skills. Participants will take a pre-course survey to assess everyone's needs and wants for each day of the course.

This course can be taken as a full week experience with ($1,290) or without ($1,000) graduate credit. Folks taking the course without graduate credit can also opt to sign up for select days a la carte ($250/day.)
Graduate students may sub out one methods day for an independent work study day, with an instructor-approved agenda.

The daily schedule:
Monday 7/13: Winds w/ Matt Casazza
Tuesday 7/14: Brass w/ Kyle Casazza
Wednesday 7/15: General Music (TBA)
Thursday 7/16: Vocal Tech & Choral Methods with Dr. Andrea Maas
Friday 7/17: Modern Band & Jazz Methods with Andy Gagnon

Register here for the whole week or choose 1-2 days that work best for you:
https://music-comp.org/professional-development

05/21/2026

3 Graduate Credits or 45 hours of PD/Workshop Credit in our hybrid certification course, taught by Betsy Greene!

Conversational Solfege™ is a pedagogical approach used to intuitively develop notational literacy skills with students of elementary age through adults who are tuneful, beatful, and artful. Through carefully sequenced activities, Conversational Solfege™ first develops an understanding of music through the use of rhythm and solfege syllables at a "conversational" level, then gradually evolves into reading, writing, improvisation, dictation, and composition skills. Teachers will learn how to enable students to joyfully assimilate the skills and content necessary to be notationally literate, as well as learn various techniques to allow the acquisition of these skills. This Conversational Solfege™ course will address lesson planning, unit planning, and assessment and applies to music educators in most music educational settings (classroom, choral, and/or instrumental) elementary through college.

**Participants who successfully complete this course will receive an official certificate from the Feierabend Association for Music Education.

Register today:
https://music-comp.org/professional-development

05/12/2026

Miss our Opus 40 concert last month, or just want to relive the magic of this incredible event? Thanks to LCATV, you can watch online or on your local LCATV/Comcast station 1095.
Watch online here: https://lcatv.org/opus-40-concert-2026-04-27

TV air times include:
Thu May 14 10:00 am
Thu May 14 6:30 pm
Sat May 16 8:00 am
Sat May 16 12:30 pm
Sun May 17 1:00 pm
Mon May 18 10:30 am
Tue May 19 12:05 am
Tue May 19 1:30 pm
Wed May 20 12:30 pm
Wed May 20 6:30 pm

Check out our event page for a link to the concert video, digital program, donor link, and more: https://music-comp.org/opus-40


mea

05/01/2026

3 2 1 ... SUMMER PD!

Whether you're looking for online, hybrid, or in-person learning this summer, we have something for you! From 1-day seminars to a summer of graduate work, you are covered.

NEW COURSE: "Music Educators Methods Intensive"
Lots of options from a la carte methods days to a full week of learning for 2 graduate credits. Work with our guest artists to get a reboot on your brass, winds, vocal, choral, rhythm section, and general music methods.
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NEW Hybrid Certification Course: "Conversational Solfege with Betsy Greene"
Earn 3 graduate credits (45 hours) while working with FAME Past-President, Betsy Greene. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive an official certificate from the Feierabend Association for Music Education.
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RETURNING online course: "Composer Diversity in Your Music Classroom"
Looking for a 1 credit, asynchronous, online course that works with your summer schedule? Learn to explore a variety of composer diversity databases while examining best practices and programming class content and concert rep for the next school year.

Learn more and register today at:
https://music-comp.org/professional-development

05/01/2026

On this day in 2018 = Opus 33
On this day in 2024 = Opus 38

So many wonderful memories! Were YOU there?

Opus 33 by Music-COMP

04/28/2026

Full of GRATITUDE after yesterday's Opus 40 concert day.
To our volunteers, board, teachers, families, and of course... the students.

As a nonprofit, we cannot do any of this work without your help and support from sponsors, local businesses, and generous foundations.

TITLE SPONSOR: Music First
MEDIA: LCATV, Tank Recording Studio
FOUNDATIONS/GRANTS: The VT Community Foundation, The Alchemist Foundation
With support from: TURNmusic, Crossett Hill Lodge, Piecasso, Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, UVM School of the Arts, VT Symphony Orchestra, Peak Music

There's still space for YOU on this list! With Zeffy, you can make a tax-deductible donation using Apple Pay, Google, or a CC. No fees. No fuss.

Just scan the code or visit the link in our bio:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/opus-40-funding-campaign

04/27/2026

Whether you can make it to Colchester, VT tonight or find yourself in a far away land, you can join us for the Opus 40 concert!
Visit https://music-comp.org/opus-40 for links to our concert program, livestream link, and more.

And THANK YOU to LCATV for providing tonight's concert livestream!