There are a range of professional development for teachers in 2016 all with the focus of unlocking creativity with both teachers and students. As a music educator and with a passion for composing the challenge of teaching improvisation and composition need not be so daunting. Add a small component of creativity to all your music lessons to switch on different pathways of the brain and activate more processing skills. I am presenting a few teacher training days this year for a range of student age groups.

Association of Independent School (NSW) High School Music Conference

7 June 2016 at Abbotsleigh (Hornsby, Sydney)

www.aisnsw.edu.au

Association of Independent School (NSW)

Primary Teachers: Boosting creative thinking across the curriculum with music and sound

17 June 2016 at Wenona (North Sydney)

www.aisnsw.edu.au

Early Childhood Conference of the Performing Arts (ECCPA)

20-21 August 2016 at Gennazano Girls' School (Kew, Melbourne)

Presenting two sessions of my Jam On Toast music and recipes for early childhood teachers.

www.vosa.org/index.php/events/64-eccpa-early-childhood-conference-of-the-performing-arts-2016

Recording session of my piano works with the amazing Stephanie McCallum, my piano teacher from the days studying at the Sydney Conservatorium. I was in awe of her performance! Together here again at Sydney Grammar School as she performed my piece 'Consolation' composed in memory of the late Mrs Chris Belshaw.

Calling all music educators to Hobart this January 2016 for an inspiring week of Orff Schulwerk sessions. I'll be presenting a workshop on adding creativity to the music classroom with selections from my new xylophone book and recorder book. Hope to see you there!

It was great to attend the Australian Society for Music Education National Conference in Adelaide with a range of teachers from across the country coming togther to share ideas and learn from one another. I presented two sessions, one based on my new Xylophone Book with ways to incorporate creative thinking and improvising activities into lessons as well as a Jam On Toast session bringing to life the activities from the Recipe Books. I also got to attend some great sessions and hear inspiring speeches, with Richard Gill discussing the state of Music Education in Australia and Anita Collins discussing the mind-blowing links of music and neuro-science. Another favourite workshop was with Katie Wardrobe from Midnight Music who shares ideas for incorporating technology into the music classroom, encouraging me to ‘game up’ and bring a bit of Loopy into the Jam On Toast show!

Check out www.AnitaCollins Music.com for an inspiring TedEx talk.

May 2015 was a busy month of sharing my ideas on music education and the benefits of creativity with a range of professional development seminars presented to other educators. For the Association of Independent Schools NSW I presented a day for high school music teachers, a day for primary specialists music teachers as well as a day for general primary teachers. All were based on the idea of using music, improvising, and composing to help create innovative and adaptable students who will be able to deal with the challenges of the future, whatever it may bring. Music has the unique ability to do this by firing up so many brain process, especially with regard to performing and creating music. I also attended and presented a session for the NSW Orff Association's conference, which is always truly inspiring. And more recently I presented a session to the wonderful Early Learning staff at International Grammar School, Sydney, sharing with them the value of music and giving them some ideas to bring more music into their classroom. If you would like some inspiration for your next conference or for your staff, please feel free to contact me.

If you like the sound of Terra Australis then a brand new piece for choir tilted Country Is Calling is coming soon! Composed for SA voices and piano, it was inspired by some amazing travels to the Top End of Australia, visiting places like Kakadu NP, Katherine Gorge and Litchfield NP. With lyrical melody lines, accessible harmony and interesting time signature changes it conveys the feeling of getting back to nature, back to country. "Winds in the grasses, dragonfly dances, country is calling..." E-mail me for a preview.

I have been doing workshops at James Erskine Public School throughout this year and they asked me to compose a new updated school song for them. I presented the new work to them yesterday to much relief that they seemed to enjoy it. It's exciting to think that the song will be sung on a weekly basis at assemblies and that my sounds and words will hopefully inspire the children to 'Strive and Grow' as their motto states.

It was a fantastic week at the National Kodály Conference 2014 in Sydney as many music educators from around Australia and overseas shared their thoughts, skills and ideas with one another. This was my due date to get this website launched and I made it!!! I had the chance to present two elective sessions with a session of Music by James Madsen, with a range of music from my vocal works, to chamber music as well as a play through my new Recorder Songs. I also presented a Jam On Toast session which was recieved with much appreciated singing, dancing and giggles. Was great to meet people at my trade table showing my original works and hopefully will see them at workshops sometime soon. Most people seemed to understand my dual personalities James vs Jamie (schizophrenia as one person commented!) and the word that people kept describing my music was 'refreshing'. I'll take that.