Meet Your Host
Bryson Tarbet, M.M.Ed
Bryson Tarbet, a passionate advocate for inclusive music education, transitioned from a career as a PreK-6th grade general music teacher to full-time instructional coach. With a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Master of Music in Music Education with a Kodály emphasis from Capital University, Bryson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his work.
During his tenure as an educator, Bryson spent a transformative year as part of an elementary school intervention team, where he discovered his passion for working with students with disabilities. Drawing from this experience and his personal journey as a neurodiverse individual, Bryson advocates strongly for creating sensory and emotionally-inclusive classrooms.
Now the founder of ThatMusicTeacher.com and Tarbet Education Network, Bryson channels his dedication to music education into sharing diverse perspectives on issues relevant to educators nationwide. He hosts the popular That Music Podcast, catering specifically to elementary music teachers, and spearheads the Elementary Music Summit®, a platform for professional development and community-building.
Cheryl Baker
Developing Your Classroom Procedures and Behavior Management
Cheryl Baker (she/her) is currently working full time as an elementary general music teacher for Fairfax County School District. She has done webinars for Music Constructed and trains on most professional development days in her district. Cheryl is a Level III graduate of the Orff-Schulwerk methodology, has completed training in First Steps and Conversational Solfege. She holds a Master of Music from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She also holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Montana in acting and directing. Cheryl is a veteran music teacher of 39 years. She has taught in rural schools in Montana to inner city schools in California, Nevada and Virginia. She is the author of Lessons from the Music Room: A How-to Guide for the Elementary Music Teacher and A Survival Guide for Elementary General Music Teachers.
Laura Bartolomeo
Simple Strategies That Transform Student Engagement
Laura Bartolomeo (she/her) is an elementary music educator with over 40 years of classroom experience with heavy emphasis in the Orff approach. Through her platform Oodles of Music, she supports music teachers across every stage of their practice, from ready-to-use Orff arrangements and scaffolded resources to an extensive blog covering all aspects of elementary music teaching. Her weekly newsletter reaches thousands of music educators with practical ideas, teaching strategies, and classroom-tested wisdom. Laura's mission is to give teachers everything they need so their classrooms can be filled with musical delight.
David BEdard
Music and Movement for ALL
David Bedard (he/him) is the Early Childhood Music Program Specialist for Daniel's Music Foundation - a non-profit organization in New York City that offers free music instruction for individuals of all abilities and has been with them in variety of capacities for twenty years. In addition, David is an early childhood classroom teacher at The Brick Church School in Manhattan, and will be going into his sixteenth year come September.
In 2022, David was thrilled to lead a 75-minute session at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Washington D.C. titled, "Add to your music collection! Songs and music-and-movement activities that foster kindness, deepen community, and meet children's social-emotional, cognitive, and motor needs." Following that presentation, he was consequently invited to be the Keynote Speaker for the United Federation of Teachers' 15th Annual Early Childhood Conference at UFT Headquarters in 2023. In 2024, David was delighted to present at the 3rd Annual Elementary Music Summit, and in 2025 gave a Masterclass titled "Inclusive Practices - An Orchestra Mindset" for Elementary Music EDGE.
David plays guitar, sings, and believes in the power music can have in learning, enriching lives, fostering kindness, deepening a sense of community, and so much more.
David holds a bachelor's degree in Childhood Education and Psychology from Manhattanville University, and a master's degree in Literacy Education from NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Emily brackney
Active Music Making in Large Upper Elementary Classes
Emily Brackney is an elementary music teacher in Lewisville ISD, Texas where she has taught for the past 26 years. She has made her home at Forest Vista Elementary in Flower Mound since 2004, where she teaches PreK-5th grade music and directs the Forest Vista Chimes and Choir. Brackney is a finalist for the 2026 LISD Elementary Teacher of the Year and has been named a campus Teacher of the Year three times: at FVE in 2026 and 2008 and at Southridge Elementary in 2004 and has been awarded both PTA Lifetime Membership and Extended Service Awards. She is the lead elementary music specialist and model classroom teacher for LISD and has been both assistant director and coordinator of the LISD Fifth Grade Honor Choir.
Brackney has presented at the 2025 Elementary Music Summit and the 2022 and 2025 Texas Music Educators Association and 2022 Texas Choral Directors Association conventions. She led the Forest Vista Choir when they were an invited choir to the 2020 TMEA convention. She has authored Actively Ringing!, a book of lessons for integrating hand chimes in elementary music, and articles on inclusion for the Southwestern Musician (TMEA) and on handbells/chimes in the upper elementary classroom for Overtones (Handbell Musicians of America) magazines. Finally, she co-directs children’s choirs and children’s handbells at St. Andrew Methodist in Plano. She and her husband, Doug, are proud parents of Joshua and Andrew, both student-musicians at their schools.
Emily Brackney is a Bachelor of Choral Music Education graduate of Baylor University and also holds a Master of Music Education degree with a minor in special education from the University of North Texas.
Mrs. Brackney’s goal is to give her students a love for music, a desire to make it part of their WHOLE lives, and skills to achieve beyond elementary school. She believes EVERY child has both the right and ability to make music and be active and successful in her classroom, and her job is to find and use the tools to make that happen.
Brittany Brandt
You’re a Composer, Harry: The Magic of Student-Created Tunes
Brittany Brandt (she/her) is the Lower School Music Teacher at Browne Academy in Alexandria, Virginia, where she teaches students from preschool through fourth grade and leads the middle school drama program. A passionate advocate for music for all, Brittany believes that joyful, hands-on music making helps children grow in confidence, empathy, and community.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from West Chester University and a Master’s in Music Education from Shenandoah University. Her professional interests include early childhood music development, musical aptitude, and using theater and movement to nurture creativity and problem-solving.
Brittany shares her love of teaching through her growing online community, where she offers practical, purposeful classroom resources designed to help educators cultivate lifelong musicians and a joy for music making.
AMY M. BURNS
10 Powerful Canva Tips Every Teacher Should Know
Amy M. Burns (she/her) has taught PreK-grade 4 general music for over 30 years at Far Hills Country Day School. She also teaches grades 5 and 6 instrumental class, directs the FH Modern Band, is the Performing Arts Department Manager, and teaches privately in the after-school conservatory, having served as director for over 20 years. She has authored four books and numerous articles on integrating tech into the elementary music classroom. She has presented many sessions on the topic, including four keynote addresses in TX, IN, St. Maarten, and AU. She is the recipient of the 2005 Technology in Music Education (TI:ME) Teacher of the Year, the 2016 New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) Master Music Teacher, the 2016 Governor’s Leader in Arts Education, the 2017 NJ Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year, and the 2026 NJMEA Distinguished Service Awards.
Her most recent publication, Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches (2020), is available from Oxford University Press (OUP) and Amazon. Burns is also the Community Coordinator for Midnight Music (MMC), the General Music Chair for NJMEA Board of Directors, and the Elementary Music Consultant for MusicFirst, a company built by music educators for music educators, dedicated to helping music teachers and their students make the most of technology in the classroom.
Joanie Calem
Sensory Processing Behaviors in the Music Class
Joanie Calem (she/her) is a music educator, an autism parent, a songwriter, a storyteller and an inclusion advocate. Joanie presents professional development workshops, leads training courses, parent evenings and community concerts about inclusion, with the aim of raising awareness of invisible disabilities, particularly Sensory Processing Disorder and ACES. Joanie also leads therapeutic song circles for residents of Permanent Supported Housing buildings, leads community building activities with adults with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions, and is an active participant in many local endeavors to confront ableism in community settings.
Nicole Craven
SEL in the Music Room
Nicole Craven, MT-BC (she/her), is a board-certified music therapist and founder of Sing Explore Create, LLC, a music therapy and creative arts organization serving southeastern Massachusetts. She began her career as a general music educator in the public schools, where she developed a strong foundation in classroom teaching and student engagement. Nicole now leads a team delivering music therapy and arts-based programming in schools and community settings, with a focus on social-emotional learning, student engagement, and overall wellbeing. She partners with music educators as well as classroom teachers and other professionals to integrate music, movement, and brain-based strategies into their work in practical, sustainable ways. Through her programming and professional development, she supports educators in creating meaningful, connected learning experiences that foster creativity and help students build lifelong relationships with music.
Susie Davies-Splitter
Uke’N’Sing for 6-12 Years
Susie Davies-Splitter (M.Ed) (she/her) is a dynamic music and movement educator, musician and award-winning composer. She spent the last 3 years directing a K-6 music and performing arts program, choir, and band at Le Page Primary School in Melbourne.
She is an accredited ANCOS (Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk) trainer where she leads regular Orff training in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China.
Together with her husband Phil, Susie co-founded 'Welcome to Music,' a global enterprise providing innovative programs, Courses, Resources and Membership Community for Early Childhood and Primary/Elementary School Educators. She hosts the 'Take Orff with Webinar' Series and the Welcome to Music Podcast and Blog.
The 'Welcome to Music' Series is known for its engaging and award-winning collection of original, traditional, jazz, and world music songs and includes activities, teacher books, ukulele and recorder programs, musicals, storybooks, and choral arrangements. This series is widely enjoyed by teachers, parents, and children across Australia and worldwide.
Over many years, Susie and Phil have composed hundreds of fun, educational, humorous, and inspiring songs with many accompanying videos that can be found on the streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music and on their YouTube Channel
Susie's vision is to enrich lives and build confidence and creativity through the joy of music, always keeping the child's experience at the heart of her work.
Becca Davis
Super Simple Centers Ideas
Becca Davis is an elementary music teacher in Savannah, Georgia. She received her bachelor's in Music Education from Armstrong State University and has been teaching in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System for 9 years. She currently teaches at the only STEAM-certified elementary school in the state of Georgia. She has presented at the Georgia Music Educators' Conference (2024), the North Carolina Music Educators’ Conference (2025), as well as local sessions for her school and other teachers in her district.
In addition to teaching, she conducts an after school choir composed of fourth and fifth graders, sings alto in the chamber choir I Cantori, and enjoys long walks with her dog. Becca shares music lessons on her website, BeccasMusicRoom.com as well as on her YouTube channel and Instagram.
Erin Elliott
From Exploration to Ensemble: A Pathway to Orff Ensemble Skills
Erin Elliott has taught since 2008 and is currently a K-5 elementary music teacher in the Penn-Harris Madison School Corporation in Mishawaka, IN. With over a decade of teaching experience from Kindergarten through college, Erin strives to spark creativity and joy while laying a solid musical foundation in every student. She also mentors college students, both in the classroom and as a cooperating teacher for field placements. Erin received her Bachelors in Music Education from the College of Wooster, a Music Certificate in Oboe from Bowling Green State University, and her Masters in Music Education from University of Louisville. She has also completed all three levels of Orff training through the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
Elizabeth Gaskill
Preparing Concerts While Protecting Instructional Time
Elizabeth Gaskill (she/her) is a K-5 elementary music specialist in middle Tennessee. She also serves as a lead elementary music teacher in the district (since 2022) creating curriculum materials and delivering professional development for the elementary music cohort. In addition to presenting in-district, she has presented through the Tennessee Music Education Association and at the 2025 Elementary Music Summit. Elizabeth is a member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and the Clarksville Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. She has been recognized by her school twice as teacher of the year. She earned her bachelors at Austin Peay State University then both her Masters and Specialist degrees at Walden University. In addition to music, Elizabeth loves to spend her time reading, spending time with her family and dog and building Lego botanical sets.
Rachel Johnson
Music in S.T.E.A.M.
Rachel Johnson (she/her) is a music educator for gifted students at the Center for Creative Learning in the Rockwood School District. She earned a Master's in Gifted Education (K-12) and has a Gifted Certification (K-12) from Lindenwood University. Her undergraduate degree in Music Education, K-12 strings, band, and vocal from Southeast Missouri State University. Rachel has been an educator for 16 years. She has been an elementary music educator in the Rockwood School District for 6 years and in the Hazelwood School District for 10 years. Rachel is currently the Awards and Contests coordinator for the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, a member of the St. Louis Art Museum Teacher Advisory Board, and the Elementary Director of The Rockwood National Education Association (RNEA).
Rachel serves the state on the Missouri National Education Association Human Rights Committee and the Political Action Committee Council for Governance 11. She is also a part of the National Education Association (NEA) Black Caucus. She values all of her committee assignments and uses them to advocate for and better serve her students in her music classroom. Her classroom serves music to every gifted elementary student across 19 elementary schools in the district. Ms. Johnson is also an advocate of teachers in her district. She has been a mentor to a new music educator for the past two years and is on the Welcome Home committee that finds alumni graduates to come full circle and teach in the district. She is in year two of the administrative Ignite internship, hoping to become a coordinator or professor one day. Finally, Rachel Johnson has won many awards in her 16 years of teaching, including: Rockwood Belonging Environment Award 2025, Rockwood Rose Award Nominee 2025, Rockwood Teacher of the Year @ Westridge Elementary 2022, Nominated Westridge Teacher of the Year 2021, Hazelwood Teacher of the Year @ McNair Elementary 2019, Hazelwood Emerson Teacher of the Year @ McNair Elementary 2013 and 2015.
Guillermo Keymolent
Loop, There It Is!
Guillermo Keymolent (he/him) is a general music and choir director in Tucson, Arizona. When not teaching K-8 music in the public school setting, he is a deciton for the prestigious Tucson Boys Chorus. Outside of teaching, Mr. Keymolent performs with various opera companies including Arizona Opera.
Mr. Keymolent and Mr. Murzyn taught for two years in the same district together, and have stayed in touch ever since acting as a long distance professional learning community. They have both presented on similar topics at AZMEA, and are constant in contact trying to improve their pedagogy.
Emma Latham
Inclusive by Design: Making Music Class for Everyone
Emma Latham (she/her) holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Tennessee at Martin and master’s degree in Music Therapy from the University of Kentucky. Emma brings diverse experience from her decade of experience as a music instructor, research, and current work in private practice in Lexington. These experiences include work with: early childhood, schools, psychiatric, pediatric populations, older adults, and parent-infant groups. Emma’s research interests include early childhood development and parent-child interaction. Emma's therapy focuses include early childhood development, parent-infant/child relationship, neurodivergent learners (those with autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, and other disabilities), addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, and grief.
Hannah Lemont
Scaffolding Creative Group Work in the Elementary Music Classroom
Hannah Lemont (she/her) has a BME (Indiana University) and MME (Anderson University) in music education, as well as her Kodaly and Orff Certifications, and has been teaching music in Central Ohio since 2013. She is currently the curriculum coordinator at a preschool music company and a K-6 music and movement teacher at a nature based microschool. Hannah is a past president of the Central Ohio American Orff Schulwerk Association, and lives in Columbus Ohio with her husband and two daughters.
BETHANY MAIN
Choir Planning Made Easy
Bethany Main (she/her) is the Artistic Director of the Youth Chorus of Kansas City, a non-profit children’s choir that seeks to erase economic barriers to music education in the Kansas City Metro. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Conservatory of Music and Dance, where she received her Master’s and Bachelor’s of Music Education, she directs the Etude (K-2nd) and Intermezzo, (6th-8th) choirs with YCKC. Previously she taught elementary general music and directed choir in the Olathe School District.
In addition to directing, Bethany is a rising composer and author. She has written her first children’s book titled, “Our First Day of Music,” featuring an original song. Her pieces, “Becoming You,” and “Together” were selected for the JW Pepper’s Editor’s Choice distinction.
Bethany is an active presenter and honor choir clinician, and has presented at numerous conferences and led various honor choirs. She is a two-time Olathe School District finalist for Teacher of the Year, and the recipient of East Central KMEA’s “Outstanding Young Educator” award in 2021. Bethany is an active member of the American Choral Director's Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Kansas Music Educator’s Association.
Rainy Montague
Teaching A Life You Actually Enjoy
Rainy Montague (she/her) is an elementary music teacher by day, a circus instructor by night, and a mom all around—bringing creativity, energy, and joy into everything she does. With a decade of experience in the classroom, she is passionate about helping music teachers build purposeful curriculum and create classrooms filled with active, engaging music-making.
Rainy shares practical strategies and ready-to-use resources through her Teachers Pay Teachers store and her YouTube channel, Whimsically Musical, where she supports educators in making music both meaningful and fun. She is certified up to Level II in the Orff-Schulwerk Method and loves blending movement, play, and musical exploration to inspire both teachers and students alike.
Seth Murzyn
Loop, There It Is!
Seth Murzyn (he/him) is extremely passionate about music education, especially in the general music setting. He is continuously looking to improve his craft through modern pedagogical practices. Outside of school, he is a contemporary violinist who enjoys playing many eclectic styles. Mr. Keymolent and Mr. Murzyn taught for two years in the same district together, and have stayed in touch ever since acting as a long distance professional learning community. They have both presented on similar topics at AZMEA, and are constant in contact trying to improve their pedagogy.
Leanna O’Brien-Henry
Turning Storybooks Into Powerful Music Lessons
Leanna O’Brien-Henry (she/her) is a curriculum designer and educator passionate about bringing music to life through movement. Her story-based lessons and movement-centered approach have supported music teachers in over 1000 schools.
As the founder of "The Soaring Scarves Academy", Leanna creates engaging music curriculum that blends storytelling, singing, rhythm work, and purposeful movement. Her philosophy is simple: "music is movement, and movement is learning". By using scarf dancing, meaningful movement breaks, and interactive activities, she helps students experience musical concepts like tempo, pitch, articulation, texture, and dynamics in ways that truly stick.
Leanna’s work focuses on helping teachers feel confident bringing joyful, effective music experiences into their classrooms. Her curriculum is designed to make lessons memorable, support classroom engagement, and help students build a deep understanding of music through story and movement.
Debbie O’Shea
Clapping Games that Build Rhythm, Literacy and Joy
Debbie O’Shea (she/her) is an Australian primary music educator with more than four decades of classroom experience and the creator of Crescendo Music Education, an online community supporting music teachers with practical ideas, resources, and professional learning.
Debbie believes that music classrooms should be places of joyful music-making, strong musicianship, and confident participation for every child. She shares practical teaching strategies through her courses, workshops, and the Crescendo Music Education Podcast, which has published more than 170 weekly episodes for music educators around the world.
Debbie is the author of The Stalagmite Effect: How Small, Consistent Actions Build Extraordinary Lives and regularly presents at conferences and summits internationally. Her work focuses on helping music teachers feel confident, inspired, and supported in their classrooms.
AMY PAZ
Ways to Engage Through Special Days
Amy Paz (she/her) has over 25 years of experience teaching elementary general and vocal music in the Franklin Lakes School District in New Jersey. She currently teaches students in grades K–5, directs both the 4th and 5th grade choir, and proudly leads the “Woodside Wonders,” the district’s elementary show choir. Amy holds a Master of Arts in Music Education from Montclair State University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a concentration in voice from Rowan University. She earned her Kodály Certification through New York University and furthered her training at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. Amy is currently pursuing her doctoral studies at Boston University, where her research interests include musical play in early childhood and community music.
Alessandra Santaguida
Project-Based Learning in the Middle School Classroom
Alessandra Santaguida (she/her) is a K-8 Teacher of the Arts and is the teacher behind @teachfromthestage. With a Bachelors of Music Therapy and Masters in Child Study and Education, she is passionate about creating space in music education that promotes student voice and choice, as well as inspires students to be at the centre of their own learning within the music classroom.
Alaina Sheridan
Inclusive by Design: Making Music Class for Everyone
Alaina Sheridan (she/her) is a board-certified music therapist working in Lexington, Kentucky. She obtained her undergraduate degrees in music therapy and music education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and went on to earn a masters in music therapy from the University of Kentucky. Her current research and areas of interest include accessibility and social emotional supports in music environments. Alaina's therapy focuses include music for social emotional development, community building, supporting Individualized Education Programs (IEP) with music therapy, neurodivergent learners, and early childhood development.
Janine Slaga
Reggio in the Real World: Practical Adaptations for Real Classrooms
Janine Slaga (she/her) is passionate about inquiry-based, child-centered teaching and social justice. Most of all, she is deeply committed to decolonizing modern music education and teaching her students and colleagues about the diverse musics the world has to offer. Janine has been teaching choral, instrumental, and general music in international schools for over 20 years, but she continues to learn more every day. Janine currently leads a team of six elementary music educators and serves as her school’s DEIJ Lead. She has extensive experience in curriculum development, inquiry, and concept-based teaching and learning. She shares a wide range of teaching tips, strategies, and reflections on her blog at JaninesMusicRoom.com.
Dr. Liz Stafford
Development & Progression in Elementary Music
Dr Elizabeth Stafford is an internationally-recognised music education expert with over two decade’s experience as a Primary Music and Vocal Teacher in numerous school and local authority settings. She is director of Music Education Solutions®, editor of Primary Music Magazine, and author of The Primary Music Leader’s Handbook (HarperCollins) and co-author of The Secondary Music Leader's Handbook (HarperCollins).
Previously on the leadership team for the UK government’s national CPD programme for music teachers, the KS2 Music CPD Programme, Elizabeth was also for 6 years Senior Lecturer in Music Education at Leeds Conservatoire. She is the writer of Warwick Music’s award-winning pBuzz KS1 music curriculum, and is music specialist for the Kapow Primary music curriculum. Elizabeth writes regularly for Music Teacher Magazine, Teach Primary, and The Headteacher, and is in regular demand as a guest lecturer and presenter at universities, conservatoires, and conferences across the UK.
Melissa Stouffer
Creating Cultural Connections
Melissa Stouffer (she/her) is a music teacher who has taught infants through middle school general music, elementary and middle school choir as well as a middle school band program which she founded while teaching on a cart. She has a BS in Psychology and BME in Music Education from Central Michigan University and is Kodály certified. She serves as the President of the Michigan Kodály Educators, the MMC Planning Committee Representative for the Michigan Music Educators Association. She is a frequent presenter and the creator and author of www.mrsstouffersmusicroom.com.
Amy Walworth
Making Music Without a Home Base
Amy Walworth (she/her) is entering her seventeenth year of teaching elementary general music and currently serves as an elementary music specialist with Macon County Public Schools in Lafayette, Tennessee. She has spent the past decade teaching PreK–5th grade, where she is passionate about creating engaging, meaningful musical experiences for all learners.
Amy is the author of Teaching Music on a Cart, a resource designed to encourage and equip music educators who teach in mobile or shared-space settings. Drawing from her own experience, she provides practical strategies and inspiration for building strong, effective music programs without a dedicated classroom.
In addition to her general music role, Amy directs an after-school choir for students in grades 4–6 and serves as the vocal director for the high school theatre department. She is dedicated to fostering musical growth and performance opportunities across all age levels.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Cumberland University and a Master of Music Education from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She has completed Level I Orff Schulwerk training at Belmont University and Level II at the International Orff Course in San Francisco. Outside of the classroom, Amy performs on cajón with her church worship band and is an avid competitive runner.
Pamela Wilson
You Don’t Need More Ideas—You Need Systems
Pamela Wilson (she/her) is an elementary music educator, mentor, and coach with nearly 30 years of experience. She specializes in helping music teachers build simple, effective systems for behavior, lesson structure, and classroom management, especially those who feel overwhelmed or underprepared for general music. Through workshops and coaching, she helps teachers create classrooms that feel calm, structured, and manageable so teachers can spend less time reacting and more time actually teaching.