The West Michigan Orff Chapter (WMOC) is a chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA). We offer professional development workshops for music and classroom teachers throughout West-Central Michigan. Our Saturday workshops feature well-known Orff clinicians as well as other professionals whose work can be valuable to music teachers at all levels. This years onsite workshops will be held in the Wyoming and Allendale area. This website is part of our mission to make our services available to all interested professionals.
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Please note: Our National organization (AOSA) has adopted a unified fee structure for all Chapters as of July 1, 2022. In order to be a member of the local chapter, teachers must now be a member of AOSA. This change falls inline with other national music organizations.
Join AOSA today! Membership is ONLY $94 for one year to American Orff Schulwerk Association, and you will automatically be a member of our local West Michigan Chapter.
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2022 - 2023 Workshop Schedule
" Mixing it UP! "
Clinician: Sandy Lantz & Gretchen Wahlberg
Saturday, March 25, 2023 Host: Dan DeZwaan Location Change: Oakwood Intermediate School, 10505 Learning Ln, Allendale, MI. Workshop: 9:00 - 1:00 p.m., registration is open at 8:30 a.m. Cost: AOSA member is $35 non-AOSA member is $55 1st year teacher $35 Undergraduate Students are free. 4 Hours of FREE SCECH Available |
Description: Children’s picture books come alive with melody, props, drums, puppets, ukuleles, and barred instrument accompaniment. Come and participate in this hands-on workshop that will challenge and delight your students. Mixing It Up brings all aspects of teaching music together – singing, playing, moving, acting, creating. The integration of all of these areas is magical and develops a true sense of ensemble performing at the elementary level.
Biography: Sandy Lantz and Gretchen Wahlberg are national board certified teachers who have taught elementary music in Florida for over 38 years. For the past 18 years, they have taught Orff-Schulwerk Level I teacher training courses sponsored by the Central Florida Orff Chapter, Stetson University, Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida International Univ. They have co-taught workshop sessions at National Orff Schulwerk conferences, as well as, numerous state music conferences throughout the US. Together they have written the books, Drum It Up, Creative Bits with Children’s Lit, Strum It Up and S'More Bits with Children's Lit.
Biography: Sandy Lantz and Gretchen Wahlberg are national board certified teachers who have taught elementary music in Florida for over 38 years. For the past 18 years, they have taught Orff-Schulwerk Level I teacher training courses sponsored by the Central Florida Orff Chapter, Stetson University, Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida International Univ. They have co-taught workshop sessions at National Orff Schulwerk conferences, as well as, numerous state music conferences throughout the US. Together they have written the books, Drum It Up, Creative Bits with Children’s Lit, Strum It Up and S'More Bits with Children's Lit.
"Playful Possibilities" and "Hands to Hands"
Clinician: Aimee Curtis Pfitzner (of O For Tuna)
Saturday, April 22, 2023 Host: Tami Nelson Location: Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, 961 Joosten St., Wyoming, MI. Workshop: 9:00 - 1:00 p.m., registration is open at 8:30 a.m. Cost: AOSA member is $35 non-AOSA member is $55 1st year teacher $35 Undergraduate Students are free. 4 Hours of FREE SCECH Available |
Description: Active music making, diverse and inclusive children’s literature, songs, games, and dances? YES! Get ready for this fun-filled and engaging time together celebrating the many ways we make music creative, meaningful, and music-filled. A plethora of playful possibilities await whether you are singing, speaking, playing instruments or using only body percussion, virtual, hybrid, face to face or all at the same time. Aimee will also be presenting a few hand clapping game collected from music teachers around the world. Come celebrate and play TOGETHER! Click HERE to see Aimee’s books.
Biography: Aimee Curtis Pfitzner has been a teacher of Orff-Schulwerk for twenty-eight years, receiving her Master level Orff certification from the University of Memphis. She holds a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of Maine, Orono. Aimee presents workshops for local, state, national, and international conferences and contributes regularly to her blog, ofortunaorff.com. When not singing, teaching or presenting, Aimee can be found looking for sea glass in Maine, kayaking, hiking, exploring, sewing, painting, doodling, and creating jewelry.
I'm a little off-beat; funky, creative, crafty, with eclectic music tastes. I am known to my students as being funny, silly, and a bit goofy. I'm a proud Maineiac, born and raised in Maine, but am proud to be able to say “y’all” like a true Southerner, having lived in North Carolina for the past 24 years. I love to travel but would rather be an explorer than a tourist and come away being changed by the experience. I have an amazing hubby and an artistic and lovely 14-year old daughter. I'm passionate about teaching music, creativity, my faith, and adoption (our daughter was born in China). I hope you find some things to add excitement, engagement, and creativity to your classrooms! ~Aimee
Biography: Aimee Curtis Pfitzner has been a teacher of Orff-Schulwerk for twenty-eight years, receiving her Master level Orff certification from the University of Memphis. She holds a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of Maine, Orono. Aimee presents workshops for local, state, national, and international conferences and contributes regularly to her blog, ofortunaorff.com. When not singing, teaching or presenting, Aimee can be found looking for sea glass in Maine, kayaking, hiking, exploring, sewing, painting, doodling, and creating jewelry.
I'm a little off-beat; funky, creative, crafty, with eclectic music tastes. I am known to my students as being funny, silly, and a bit goofy. I'm a proud Maineiac, born and raised in Maine, but am proud to be able to say “y’all” like a true Southerner, having lived in North Carolina for the past 24 years. I love to travel but would rather be an explorer than a tourist and come away being changed by the experience. I have an amazing hubby and an artistic and lovely 14-year old daughter. I'm passionate about teaching music, creativity, my faith, and adoption (our daughter was born in China). I hope you find some things to add excitement, engagement, and creativity to your classrooms! ~Aimee
The American Orff-Schulwerk association strongly encourages members to be positive and discreet when discussing our organization, specific courses and/or teachers, and the Orff movement. The very nature of the Orff Schulwerk philosophy embodies a broad spectrum of expressions exploring different paths to arrive at artistic and educational goals. Members are encouraged to recognize and remain open to varied approaches and to celebrate both our differences and our similarities.