2024 General Music Workshop Clinicians

Michelle Brinkman

Michelle Brinkman is the K-5 music specialist at Nora Elementary School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Michelle earned a B.S. with honors in Music Education and a M.M. in Musicology from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and completed her Orff-Schulwerk Certification and Orff Masterclass at Anderson University. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Teacher Creativity Fellowship from the Lilly Endowment. She is a regular contributor to Music ConstructED by West Music.

 

 

 

 

Abby Means

Dr. Abby Gail Means is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Indiana State University. Dr. Means specializes in general music methods at the early childhood, elementary, and secondary levels, special music education, and music teacher preparation. Prior universities taught at include DePauw University and the University of Indianapolis in both full-time and adjunct capacities, as well as at the University of Illinois during her graduate work.

Dr. Means earned an Associate’s Degree with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from Taylor University Fort Wayne, a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Indianapolis, a Master’s of Music Education from Anderson University, and a PhD in Music Education from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Before pursuing her PhD, she taught elementary general music to K-6th grade students in the MSD of Wayne Township in Indianapolis. While teaching at the elementary level, Dr. Means received an Eli Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant, allowing her to spend a month in Aiea, HI to study the ukulele at the Roy Sakuma Studios.

Dr. Means has been a presenter at state and national conferences on topics such as introducing ukulele to the general music classroom, collaboration during student teaching, collaboration for special music education, and practices to encourage equitable facilitation of students learning English as a new language. She holds certifications in John Feierabend’s Conversational Solfege and the Danielson Teacher Evaluation Model, has completed Orff Schulwerk Level I, and has completed training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics. Dr. Means’ research interests include early childhood and elementary music education, special music education, and best practices for facilitating linguistically diverse students in the elementary general music classroom.

 

Lauren Southard

Lauren Southard is the Director of Outreach and Choir Programs for the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Now in her thirteenth year with the organization in an artistic capacity, her teaching duties include Early Childhood, Preparatory, and Beginning Level Choirs, as well as developing the Foundations Choir, ICC’s newest choral program for Kindergarteners. Mrs. Southard also directs the Anderson Area Children’s Choir Concert and Preparatory Choirs, and Jubilate, ICC’s choir for children with special needs. 

Mrs. Southard’s previous teaching experience includes Preschool-8th grade general music at St. Mary’s School in Anderson, Indiana, and Kindergarten-6th grade music at Maplewood Elementary in Wayne Township. 

Mrs. Southard received her Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis degree from Ball State University in 2016 with a Certificate in Autism, and Master of Arts in Education in Educational Administration from Ball State University in 2017. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from Butler University in 2006, where she was named Outstanding Student Teacher in Elementary Music and received an Outstanding Future Educator award. Mrs. Southard is certified in First Steps in Music, has completed the Orff-Schulwerk Certification Program at Anderson University, and has received Kodály training from Indiana University. Mrs. Southard has presented at the Chorus America Annual Conference, the Indiana Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference (IMEA), and the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children annual conference. She has also presented at the IMEA Council for General Music Fall Workshop and the Chorister and the Church of the Future Conference at the University of Notre Dame on the topic of special needs in the choral classroom, and has participated in Picture Exchange Communication System training conferences. Mrs. Southard also presents musical education workshops to public and private schools throughout central Indiana through the ICC’s Innovations program. She was honored to receive recognition from Wayne Township as recipient of the Dare to Dream award, given to a community member who recognizes inclusive practices in the school and community.