Session Proposals

Presenter Information
Presenter NameDavid Tyson
Presenter's PositionAssistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith
Presenter's Short Biography

Dr. David Tyson is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. He received a Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of Florida, a Master of Music in Music Education with a concentration in Jazz Studies from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His research is focused on popular and culturally significant music integration, comprehensive musicianship, creativity, and access to teacher education for non-traditional musicians. He has presented at conferences such as APME, FMEA, NCMEA, SMTE, IMTE, Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music, and the Technical University of Kenya Arts Education Postgraduate Symposium in Nairobi. Dr. Tyson is an in-demand clinician for concert and jazz honor bands and maintains an active performance schedule singing, and playing guitar, trumpet, bass, and piano in the areas of jazz, rock, and classical music.

Presenter's Address5413
Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903
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Presenter's Phone(910) 538-9032
Presenter's EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
Will there be additional presenters for your session?No
Session Information
Session TitleSound to Symbol: Music as Language Learning
Session Description

Leaders in the field of music education have compared music learning to language acquisition. The concept of sound to symbol is rooted in the way we develop language skills. In language, we begin with listening, mimicking, and speaking much earlier than reading and writing. In contrast, instrumental music learning is often presented in the opposite manner, beginning with notation. Students using sound to symbol methods begin with listening and performing material by rote then, ultimately, connecting notation to the sounds they already understand. The purpose of this session is to present a participatory lesson modeling sound to symbol principles. By engaging in a lesson addressing common rhythm issues, the group will develop an understanding of the sound to symbol concept. These strategies can be immediately valuable in secondary band/choir/orchestra ensemble situations. We will also discuss the benefits and challenges of this model.

Session Focus
  • Band - Middle School
  • Band - Secondary
  • Choral - Middle School
  • Choral - Secondary
  • Orchestra - Middle School
  • Orchestra - Secondary
Is this a demonstration session?No
Sponsorship
Will your session be sponsored?No