0112 - Diversifying the Repertoire: Strategies, Tools, and Resources to Create Inclusive Programming

Course Description

As music educators, one of the most important things we are responsible for is choosing high quality music to share with our students; music that we use to teach them skills, engage their minds, bring out their musicality, and connect to them in more personal ways. We have unique opportunities to serve our students by programming music that celebrates diversity. When we program music by underrepresented composers, we increase the power of those voices, but this requires thoughtful reflection in order to ensure that our students are learning from composers with different perspectives and life experiences; just putting a piece in front of students does not amplify those voices. This session will present several methods through which to include underrepresented voices in programming, but also to use that repertoire to engage the students on a deeper level.

Learner Outcomes

• Attendees will understand why diversity and inclusion matter in programming.
• Attendees will access tools and methods through which to incorporate underrepresented composers into their programming and curriculum.
• Attendees will understand best practices through which to create diversity in their programming.