Whether you’re looking for research material, lesson plans or a community chat room, you can find a multitude of Web sites designed specifically for music educators on the Internet. Simply typing the words “music education” into one of the many Internet search engines will retrieve hundreds of sites with relevant information.
For a more directed search, School Band and Orchestra has gathered a sampling of some of the well-known – and lesser-known – music education sites out there on the Web. Navigating through these sites will lead you to all kinds of helpful information that will benefit your daily teaching or simply entertain you. These sites are worth the visit.
If you have come across an interesting music education Web site (not included in this Report) that you would like to share with the readers of SBO, please e-mail editor Christian Wissmuller at cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com.
The American Music Conference’s Web site is well stocked with articles tying music-making to brain activity, wellness, schools, public policy, technology, history and philanthropy. Also available on the site are advocacy toolkits, tools for teachers and useful music education links. Visitors to the site can take the survey that helps determine the Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America.
Band Chat Online is a free service providing wind ensemble and symphonic band musicians with information pertinent to their field. The Web site features a forum, a resource guide for repertoire and programs submitted from around the world. Signing up for the e-mail list will deliver daily updates about activity on the site.
The official Web site of Bands of America, presenter of musical events for high school bands, allows music educators to interact through the BOA Network – forums, live chats, news updates and more. The site also includes information about BOA events, such as the Grand National Championships and the National Concert Band Festival. Other resources, such as music copyright information and an adjudication handbook, are available.
This is the online home of the International Association for Jazz Education, a non-profit organization working to assure the continued growth and development of jazz through education and outreach. This Web site features a Teacher Training Institute, an Artist Outreach Network (to assist educators with scheduling clinics and workshops with jazz artists), a Resource Team (comprised of professionals available to answer questions and give advice) and jazz links. Coming soon: the IAJE online community.
About half of Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Web site is devoted to education. This portion of the site serves as an introduction to the organization’s educational programs, publications and print music, which are designed to guide students, educators and the general public in playing, teaching and appreciating jazz music.
The official Web site of MENC, the National Association for Music Education, is a comprehensive resource for music educators. It features music education announcements, news, job center, resources, links and forums. The “Channels” section breaks the site down into various categories dedicated to band, chorus, orchestra, general music, collegiate, early childhood, teacher education and more.
The Music Education Madness site is the headquarters for “Teaching the Wonders of Music and Surviving It with a Smile on Your Face.” The site has a collection of informational articles for music educators teaching all levels of instruction.
This Web site hosts an online community for music educators. Visitors can post questions on the bulletin board or chat with music educators in real time. The site also includes instrumental links, music advocacy links, music teachers’ resources and more.
NAMM, the International Music Products Association, has several music education-specific features on its Web site. Through the site, music educators can obtain free Sesame Street Music Works kits, enroll in NAMM University, explore music-brain research and search the resource center’s collection of music reference material.
This is the online home of the Percussive Arts Society, a music service organization dedicated to promoting percussion education, research, performance and appreciation. The Web site offers a variety of percussion education resources, including playing information on drum set, marching percussion, mallet/keyboard, concert percussion and accessories as well as drumming exercises, technique-builders, warm-ups and drum rudiments.
This is the official Web site of the Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME), a non-profit corporation with a mission to assist music educators in applying technology to their music programs to enhance students’ education. The site offers a music technology hub with music technology training courses and information for music educators.
This article appeared on pages 40 – 42 in the April issue of School Band and Orchestra.
