2023 National Symposium

The ESUSA National Symposium has come to a close. All registered attendees can view recording sessions on the SwapCard platform. Select recordings will be added to the Resource Hub shortly.

Keynote Speaker

Bettina Love

Dr. Bettina L. Love is an award-winning author and the William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her writing, research, teaching, and educational advocacy work meet at the…

Gateways Brass Collective

El Sistema USA is excited to announce that the Gateways Brass Collective will speak and perform at the ESUSA National Symposium on March 11!

Pre-Conference

All main conference sessions will be offered virtually and in person. The Pre-Conference is in person only.

March 9, 2023: 12-5pm EST, In Person at Butler University

ESUSA is excited to bring together four partners to provide professional development for teachers and teaching artists! Sign up for the Pre-Symposium Professional Development “add on” option in the Eventbrite registration. Teachers can choose from two options:

Session	Option 1	Option 2
One three-hour session from 2-5 pm	“Building Identity, Belonging, and Agency Through Musical SEL” with Scott Edgar
Two two-hour sessions from 12-2 pm and 3-5 pm		“Developing High Care and High Excellence: Classroom Management in the Music Classroom “ with Teaching Artists Training Institute “For Every Child: Suzuki-Inspired Concepts and Strategies for Successful Classroom Teaching” with Winifred Crock “The Approaches of the Academy for Impact Through Music” with Eric Booth

Session Facilitators

Scott Edgar

“Building Identity, Belonging, and Agency Through Musical SEL”

Winifred Crock

“For Every Child: Suzuki-Inspired Concepts and Strategies for Successful Classroom Teaching”

Eric Booth

“The Approaches of the Academy for Impact Through Music”

Teaching Artists Training Institute, featuring clinician Jacqueline DesRosier

“Classroom Management”

Thursday, March 9

All main conference sessions will be offered virtually and in person. The Pre-Conference is in person only.

Time	Description
12:00-5:00 pm	Teacher Training Pre-Conference (must register separately for this via Eventbrite – see details above)
6:00-7:00 pm	Keynote Address: Dr. Bettina L. Love
7:00-8:00 pm	Welcome Reception (includes one drink ticket per attendee and heavy hors d’oeuvres)

Friday, March 10

All main conference sessions will be offered virtually and in person. The Pre-Conference is in person only.

Time	Description
7:00-9:00 am	Breakfast at Hotel
9:00-10:00 am	Teaching Artist Award Presentation Youth Ambassador Session 1
10:15-11:15 am	“Reconnecting and Building Relationships Through Social Emotional Learning in Music Education” with Scott Edgar (Educational Clinician, Conn-Selmer) “Stand up Take a Solo” with Damon Banks & Gwendolyn Laster (Co-Founders, Creative Strings Improvisers Ensemble) “AIM-ing Toward Continual Improvement in Teaching: Learning from the Academy for Impact Through Music – Part 1/2” with Eric Booth (Lead Team, Academy for Impact through Music)
11:30 am – 12:30 pm	“Practical Strategy Methods” with Peter Compo (Founder, ozc Research) “Knowing the Importance of Representation and Diversity with a Polynesian Twist” with Leute Lagaaia (Student, Sistema Utah) “Representation Matters! (Who does your reflection represent?)” with Alonzo Chadwick (CEO, Bravo Music & Arts Academy)
12:30-1:30 pm	Lunch (provided by ESUSA)
1:30-2:30 pm	Youth Ambassador Session 2 “The Rainbow Connection: Musical Excellence and Violence Prevention Through Early Childhood Programming” with Katie Burns (String Pedagogy Specialist, El Sistema Colorado) & Johnny Szumski (Program Director, El Sistema Colorado)
2:45-3:45 pm	“Determining the Essential Element for Excellence” with Shawn Earle (CEO, Sistema Toronto) & Alex McLeod (Academic Manager, Sistema Toronto) “Character Development in Music” with Maria Del Valle (Director of Music, WHIN Music Community Charter School) “Building a Professional Development Program without Breaking the Bank” with Anna Barson (Managing Director, Teaching Artists Training Institute)
4:00-5:00 pm	“A Path to Higher Education: Partnering with University Orchestras” with Dr. Sergio Bernal (Director of Orchestral Studies and Professor of Music, Utah State University) “Developing Instrumental and Performance Technique through Composition & Arranging” with Garrett Mendez (Artistic Director, Project Music) & Armand Hall (Director of Programs, Gateways Music Festival) “Leadership at all Ages: Building a Robust Musical Mentoring Program” with Hillary Harder (Program Director, ECoSistema)& Kent Dutchersmith (Lead Teaching Artist, ECoSistema)

Saturday, March 11

All main conference sessions will be offered virtually and in person. The Pre-Conference is in person only.

Time	Description
7:00-9:00 am	Breakfast at Hotel
9:00-10:00 am	El Sistema USA Annual Meeting
10:15-11:15 am	Youth Ambassador Session 3 “Elevating Rehearsals through Fun and Excellence” with Liber Cuevos (Program Director, Miami Music Project) “More than Music: Not Your Grandma’s Sound Factory” with Michael Jamanis (Director, Music for Everyone), Matt Woodson (Director of Community Percussion, Music for Everyone), & Katherine Lankford (Admin of Music Education, Music for Everyone)
11:30 am – 12:30 pm	“AIM-ing Toward Continual Improvement in Teaching: Learning from the Academy for Impact through Music – Part 2/2” with Eric Booth (Lead Team, Academy for Impact through Music) “Voices from Within: An Inside Look at Teaching with El Sistema-Inspired Programs “ with Anna Barson (Managing Director, Teaching Artists Training Institute) and Panel (Amanda Haag, El Sistema LeHigh Valley, Anna Perkins, Sistema Ravinia, Bobby Woody, Peabody Institute’s Tuned In, Karina Eijo, Miami Music Project, Negar Afazel, Kalamazoo Kids in Tune) “A Dream Realized: Promoting Equitable Access for Adult Learners in Strings Ensembles” with Abigayle Witt (Business Operations Manager, Butler Community Arts School) & Shannon Crow (Teaching Artist and Founder/Director of Adult Strings Ensembles, Butler Community Arts School)
12:30-2:30 pm	Lunch Networking Break (provided by ESUSA)

2:45-3:45 pm	“Embodied Experiences with Body Mind Mapping” with Kelsey Milian Lopez (Ethnomusicology Graduate Student and Educational Leadership Facilitator, CUNY Graduate Center & Miami Music Project) “At the Intersection of Music and Culture: How the INTEMPO Humanities Curriculum Project Broadens Student Learning” with Douglas Lausten (Manager of Education and Community Impact, INTEMPO), Anny Guartatanga & Nicole Rodas “Beyond our city blocks: The process and experience of a program-led summer nature retreat for young musicians from Accent Pontiac” with Dr. Tia Harvey (Program Director, Accent Pontiac) & Tina Rowan (Executive Director, Accent Pontiac)
4:00-5:00 pm	Closing Plenary with Gateways Brass Collective