Dr. Jennifer Jester, Assistant Professor in the Music Business Technology Program at the Tell School of Music, has been named a recipient of the Modern Band Higher Education Fellowship by the nationally renowned Little Kids Rock Program based in Montclair, New Jersey. The 2021 Modern Band Fellowship will take place July 25-31 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.
Instruments and resources the music will be receiving as donations from the fellowship sponsors to the university are to enhance the coursework for our new Modern Band Certificate program launched in 2021-2022 in conjunction with existing Music Education and Music Industry degree programs.
The program teaches kids to perform, improvise and compose using popular styles, including rock, pop, reggae, hip hop, R&B, and other modern styles. Modern Band classes feature guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, vocals, technology and computers. The programs also expand upon existing music programming such as marching band, jazz band and chorus, making music available to children who might otherwise not participate in traditional music classes.
Educators selected to become Modern Band Higher Education fellows receive the following resources for themselves and their institutions: a weeklong professional development opportunity; modern band instruments for use with their music education majors; access to the shared syllabi of all other Modern Band Higher Education fellows; membership in the Little Kids Rock educator network which supplies ongoing professional development opportunities; and curricular resources and networking opportunities with other educators interested in culturally responsive, student-centered and inclusive music education. The Modern Band Higher Education Fellowship is an opportunity for tenure-track music education professors to receive instruction in incorporating modern band pedagogies into pre-service music teacher education programs and receive hands-on instruction in playing popular music instruments.
At MU
Visit www.millersville.edu/music to learn more about music and the modern band certificate program at Millersville University.
Photo Credit by Just Joni Photography