Summative PDA Reflection (Submitted after completion of 15 PDA hours)

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Name: Jose Guilherme Proena Semester: Freshman 1st semester. Please provide evidence (written commentary and/or video) of what you learned about music teaching, learning or leadership as a result of your PDA experiences this semester. Consider: Musicianship skills (e.g., use of piano, modeling, conducting skills, knowledge of literature)

Over the course of this semester I've had many opportunities to observe many great conductors in action and I've also had the chance to be under their direction. These conductors include Dr. Andre Thomas, Dr. Joe Miller, Dr. James Jordan, and Dr. Rollo Dilworth. It was very interesting to see how all of these conductors had such different teaching styles but in the end they always got amazing things accomplished with their choir.

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Planning and implementing instruction (e.g., working toward objectives, instructional process, use of warm-ups, promoting critical thinking, student centered learning, assessment, helping students become independent, room set-up, teaching concepts through the rehearsal process, music literacy) Each conductors had their own style of how to implement specific instructions. I'll go through each one specifically.

Dr. Dilworth : Dr. Dilworth used an exercise where he had us imitating different orchestral instruments such as a cello and viola. This exercise made it easier for us to listen to each other and to stay in rhythm. After singing the respective rhythm that he showed us he would have each part one by one improvise over the cello and viola sounds. Overall a fantastic way to exercise our listening and tuning abilities. Dr. Dilworth has a specialty with working with changed voices and voices that are currently in the process of changing. Besides composing a variety of songs for changed voices he also has a specialty with choral pedagogy and teaching in urban settings. From his knowledge of younger voices and how to address them I plan on working from this reading session that we had and apply it to my future students.

Dr. Andre Thomas : Dr. Thomas observed as each of the students conducted a piece of their choice to the choir. After each student finished their piece he would add his own 10-15min. criticism to further enhance each of the conductors abilities. He focused on how to conduct a better decrescendo on an ending note. How to pull-back the note, I should say.

With the conductors with very expressive faces he demonstrated how to successfully utilize that ability. He mainly demonstrated that you can get improvements you want from your singers with just the slightest hand gestures. Dr. Thomas conducts with much expression in his hand movements and face so he applied his techniques to the students Dr. Miller : He has such an expressive conducting style. He really requires a lot out of his choir and he only expects the best. He is a tough conductor but a very good one at that. Dr. Jordan: In my opinion, Dr. Jordan has a more relaxed conducting style than Dr. Miller but at the same time he expects a lot out of his students. His rehearsals are more fun than Westminster Choir's in the sense that they still get work done, but I feel like its more enjoyable.

Creating a positive learning environment (e.g., communication, engagement, motivation, student interactions, developing an environment for risk taking, love of music and music learning) Leadership or management skills (in your self or for students).

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I felt like these two things could be combined in the way that when someone is developing a certain environment for whatever reason they must be a leader in the group and show how responsible they are with certain decisions. Whether it be Dr. Dilworth, Thomas, Miller, or Jordan, all of these fantastic conductors are role models and leaders in their own way. Dr. Andre Thomas is possibly one of the most interactive conductors that I have ever met. He brings such a positive attitude to the room and works with students wonderfully. Dr. Dilworth is a fantastic conductor when it comes to changed voices or voices currently changing. He is THE conductor to go to regarding younger voices. Dr. Miller bring a whole other definition to the word leadership. When I sat in his rehearsals I felt like every single member of the choir was a leader in every comment/action they made. Its incredible how advanced these singers are and how much is expected out of them. Dr. Jordan is a very influential man. The way he runs his rehearsals just puts all the pieces together in my head. He uses much expression in his conducting and he talks a lot about the techniques. When I say a lot its not an overstatement. He is a great conductor and leader and I'm looking forward to being under his direction the most.