K-12 Music Educators’ Criteria for Percussion Section Placement ‡ Lou Pearson Project Mentor(s): James Reddan, DMA This study aimed to examine K-12 instrumental music educators’ stated criteria for assigning students to the percussion section of their ensembles and the potential impact a neurodivergent status has on that decision. Previous research studies have explored instrument stereotyping by gender (Wych 2012, Wrape 2014) and race (Johnson & Stewart 2004), but none have explored instrument stereotyping by perceived neurodivergent diagnoses. Previous research has also identified that neurodivergent musicians have unique experiences in instrumental ensembles (Bakan 2014). The results of this survey suggest that these educators have little to no conscious bias regarding their criteria assigning neurodivergent students to the percussion section of their ensembles. The majority of educators selected students based on musical skill criteria or did not select students and allowed students to select sections for themselves. Based on this study, further research in the intersection of neurodivergent identity and its role in the world of music education should explore how neurodivergent identity may affect this choice from the perspective of the student and explore student’s attitudes towards instrument selection. Presentation Type: Oral Presentation (May 20, 9:30am–5:00pm) Keywords : music education, percussion, instrumental music education, neurodiversity SOURCE Form ID: 39 The Power of Live Music: CWU Opera at the NOA Conference ‡ Kyra Ross, Ashley Both, Camille Brennan, Jakob Kennicutt, Caitlyn Leners, Dallin Millard, Camden Sanor, Kristina Svistunov, Ryan Taylor-Schmid, Jaykub Willis Project Mentor(s): Gayla Blaisdell, PhD In Spring 2025, the CWU Opera Program presented Speed Dating Tonight! by Michael Ching. Ching describes the opera as a “new numbers opera,” where a story is built from solo arias, duets, and the ensemble. Our director, Dr. Gayla Blaisdell, submitted an 8-minute scene to the National Opera Association (NOA) Collegiate Scenes Competition, where we were then selected as a finalist. Upon receiving word that we had been chosen, motivated students stepped forward and sought to make this opportunity a reality. We adapted and reworked the scene, as a few of the students in the submission tape have since graduated. At the conference, themed “Bold Voices, Boundless Futures,” the students competed against three other undergraduate scenes, watched a performance by Dee Opera and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and attended informational sessions with top experts. This experience was important as it not only increased our understanding of opera as an art form but emphasized the importance of art in our lives. With increasing budget cuts and the fear that AI is taking away the artistry from music-making, an in-person showcase of art is becoming more essential. Live performances bring humans together and reminds us of the power of shared experiences.
Presentation Type: Performance (May 20, 9:30am–5:00pm) Keywords: Opera, Collaboration, Music, Performance, Education SOURCE Form ID: 238
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