SEATCA / SWATCA 2022 - Southern Alberta Teachers' Convention

Five years ago Alberta officially recognized Black History month and thus the contributions that people of African descent have made to the province and the country at large. Elementary music educators have been using a limited range of pieces from the African diaspora in their classrooms for years, however this session seeks to extend the repertoire in use and connect it to the history and the experience of Black Canadians and to its potential for skill building and developing music understanding in young children. The session will include call and response repertoire for nurturing vocal development, singing games from the diaspora, and spirituals to sing, listen to and play. The session also seeks to introduce, for K-6 children, the significant musical contributions of three national treasures: composer and choral director Nathanial Dett; internationally renowned soprano Measha Brueggergosman Lee; and jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson and his Canadiana Suite. This session includes call and response repertoire for nurturing vocal development, singing games from the diaspora, spirituals to sing, listen to and play and moving to Oscar Peterson’s Canadiana Suite