Yamaha's Sixth Annual KETS Seminar Offers Three Learning Tracks and Unparalleled Hands-On Teacher Training
BUENA PARK, Calif. From June 21-28, Yamaha Corporation of America hosted the 6th annual Keyboard Ensemble and Technology Seminar (KETS) at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. Thirty-one school music educators (public school and university), private teachers, church musicians, performers and consumers attended, representing 19 states.
Five clinicians Susan Ogilvy, Susan Cooper, Larry Keenan, Ron Pullins and Vicki McVay and guest clinician, Dennis Mauricio, shared their enthusiasm for and knowledge of the Yamaha Clavinova. Daily sessions (ensemble read-throughs with discussion, group piano, and mini MIDI concerts) were augmented by lessons on song orchestration, composing and arranging ensembles, multi-pad implementation, improvisation, and creating intros, endings and modulations. And, for the first time, three levels of daily "TechKNOW" sessions were offered: entry level, intermediate and advanced. These sessions included selecting voices, saving registrations, recording, editing, and creating custom styles, among other topics. Since about one-third of this year's participants were regular attendees and four had come to KETS every year organizers added an advanced learning track to address their particular needs.
The ever-popular "Lunch Sharing" presentations, where participants share a valuable array of ideas and experiences with their cohorts, have "really grown and evolved," says Ogilvy.
"Everyone takes it very seriously. In the early years, a couple of people stood up and talked. Now, one person came with a Power Point presentation, and two others brought DVDs with handouts. Everyone loves the opportunity to network," she says, adding that people stay in touch throughout the year.
Project Presentations, held on the last day, are the culmination of the open lab time each participant uses to prepare their own project. "They are the hallmark of the whole week," Ogilvy says. "Most of the people who attend are teachers and this is their passion. When they start talking about something that means so much to them, they get very emotional. Projects range from the simple to the complex, and most focus on something people want to do when they return home," she says. "Some are nervous because this is their first time at KETS; others arrive already prepared. For me, it's striking that people are still learning on the last day. Everyone is still taking notes, still networking."
First-timer Gloria Wright from Columbia, S.C. was thrilled at the amount of individual instruction she received and surprised at the emphasis on ensemble work, a new experience for her. "This was the most intense workshop I've ever been to in my life. I would get there at 8 a.m., and sometimes not leave until 8 or 9 p.m. Sometimes I didn't even eat lunch; I'd get so wrapped up in my project I would forget or not even be hungry. With other conferences, I would think about them a bit afterwards and then close the notebook and that's it," she admits. "But KETS kept me thinking for a long time; it felt like a turning point for me. This was my first exposure to ensemble work, and it's going to make a difference in the way I teach."
Dellana Cook (Dallas, Texas) and Shari Henney (Cheyenne, Wyo.) have attended KETS for six years, and appreciate the networking and the hands-on learning. "Working on the projects forces us to key in on something, hone our skills and make them better," says Cook, who, with her performance partner, wanted to learn about chord modulations and linking songs together during their performances. "The main thing I enjoy is that we're busy all the time, constantly moving and learning. And, it's not just note playing, but words of wisdom for my students, ensemble work, great teaching tools and, of course, the music. Even my partner, who is not a teacher, gets so much out of it. We attend each year because it's a lot of fun and we learn a lot."
Henney, who has a studio and teaches 70 students, says, "KETS is the lifeblood of my music school. I'm moving to a commercial location and establishing a music school and an elite preschool, and no one else here teaches ensembles. The camaraderie at KETS is just absolutely wonderful. The clinicians truly speak the language of the teacher and I'm not a technologically advanced person, so I feel so grateful for that," she adds. "This year, my biggest takeaway was learning to use the Clavinova to record all my performance practice disks. I go every year, to keep up with what's out there, and it's so much fun! It's a fantastic program for teachers otherwise, we'd be stuck in the Dark Ages!"
On the last evening, a Gala Dinner was held to "wine and dine" attendees and clinicians. "Everyone gets all dressed up and it's a fun, wild time," says Ogilvy. "Larry Keenan performs, and I tell jokes. We play disks and everyone tries to 'Name That Tune' by guessing the composers or the year. And there's a graduation ceremony with certificates and awards. It's a big crowning glory of a surprise at the end of a long, exhaustingly fabulous week of professional development."
KETS is a joint project of Yamaha's Institutional & Commercial Services and Music Marketing Groups. For information on future KETS and other Clavinova-related seminars, contact Sallie McCaffery at . For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
 Seminar attendees join Susan Ogilvy (center) for a week-long seminar focusing on networking opportunities and the latest in music technology. |
The ever-popular "Lunch Sharing" presentations, where participants share a valuable array of ideas and experiences with their cohorts, have "really grown and evolved," says Ogilvy.
"Everyone takes it very seriously. In the early years, a couple of people stood up and talked. Now, one person came with a Power Point presentation, and two others brought DVDs with handouts. Everyone loves the opportunity to network," she says, adding that people stay in touch throughout the year.
Project Presentations, held on the last day, are the culmination of the open lab time each participant uses to prepare their own project. "They are the hallmark of the whole week," Ogilvy says. "Most of the people who attend are teachers and this is their passion. When they start talking about something that means so much to them, they get very emotional. Projects range from the simple to the complex, and most focus on something people want to do when they return home," she says. "Some are nervous because this is their first time at KETS; others arrive already prepared. For me, it's striking that people are still learning on the last day. Everyone is still taking notes, still networking."
First-timer Gloria Wright from Columbia, S.C. was thrilled at the amount of individual instruction she received and surprised at the emphasis on ensemble work, a new experience for her. "This was the most intense workshop I've ever been to in my life. I would get there at 8 a.m., and sometimes not leave until 8 or 9 p.m. Sometimes I didn't even eat lunch; I'd get so wrapped up in my project I would forget or not even be hungry. With other conferences, I would think about them a bit afterwards and then close the notebook and that's it," she admits. "But KETS kept me thinking for a long time; it felt like a turning point for me. This was my first exposure to ensemble work, and it's going to make a difference in the way I teach."
Dellana Cook (Dallas, Texas) and Shari Henney (Cheyenne, Wyo.) have attended KETS for six years, and appreciate the networking and the hands-on learning. "Working on the projects forces us to key in on something, hone our skills and make them better," says Cook, who, with her performance partner, wanted to learn about chord modulations and linking songs together during their performances. "The main thing I enjoy is that we're busy all the time, constantly moving and learning. And, it's not just note playing, but words of wisdom for my students, ensemble work, great teaching tools and, of course, the music. Even my partner, who is not a teacher, gets so much out of it. We attend each year because it's a lot of fun and we learn a lot."
Henney, who has a studio and teaches 70 students, says, "KETS is the lifeblood of my music school. I'm moving to a commercial location and establishing a music school and an elite preschool, and no one else here teaches ensembles. The camaraderie at KETS is just absolutely wonderful. The clinicians truly speak the language of the teacher and I'm not a technologically advanced person, so I feel so grateful for that," she adds. "This year, my biggest takeaway was learning to use the Clavinova to record all my performance practice disks. I go every year, to keep up with what's out there, and it's so much fun! It's a fantastic program for teachers otherwise, we'd be stuck in the Dark Ages!"
On the last evening, a Gala Dinner was held to "wine and dine" attendees and clinicians. "Everyone gets all dressed up and it's a fun, wild time," says Ogilvy. "Larry Keenan performs, and I tell jokes. We play disks and everyone tries to 'Name That Tune' by guessing the composers or the year. And there's a graduation ceremony with certificates and awards. It's a big crowning glory of a surprise at the end of a long, exhaustingly fabulous week of professional development."
KETS is a joint project of Yamaha's Institutional & Commercial Services and Music Marketing Groups. For information on future KETS and other Clavinova-related seminars, contact Sallie McCaffery at . For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.