Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) – Hannah Qualls & Andrea Spackman

The American School of Warsaw hosted the annual conference for the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) in November. During each block, there were sessions geared towards all types of music educators; vocal, instrumental, and general music. In addition, there were round table discussions about general music and performing ensembles in the IB.   I personally felt that the most meaningful workshops were presented by Samuel Wright, currently teaching in Vienna, on incorporating world music and technology in the classroom. His sessions on composition emphasized the importance of using the Orff, Dalcroze, or Kodaly approaches before introducing the technological components. This ensures that students have exposure to ideas that will inspire their work, and that the development of musical skills is still at the core of the tasks.