Musical Theatre Music Direction 101: A Workshop for Music Teachers

This workshop will help music teachers develop new strategies for musical theatre (MT) music direction and is specifically geared toward teachers who are new to MT vocal coaching or conducting a show. It’s common for school administrators to ask or assign middle and high school music teachers to help with the school musical, and it’s also common for teachers to be unfamiliar with the task. This workshop is for music teachers who may have performed in musicals as singers or orchestra/band members. This workshop is also for teachers who haven’t had any MT experiences at all. Topics will include: choosing a musical and planning the auditions, rehearsal techniques including the cross-training of choral and musical theatre singers, preparing the band and conducting the show, as well as an introduction to the administrative roles that may come along with producing a school musical. Workshop facilitators Robert Jordan and Steven Altinel have had extensive experience working in schools as music educators and musical theatre music directors. Robert and Steven will set aside time during the workshop to brainstorm solutions to specific challenges that workshop attendees share in an effort to combine our collective professional experiences toward solving problems and celebrating successes. Space is limited.

6 CTLE Hours available

Robert C. Jordan
Robert C. Jordan is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Adelphi University, Garden City, NY. Before moving to New York in 2019, Robert taught middle and high school instrumental and choral music in Michigan for 21 years. During this time, Robert produced and music directed over 30 school musicals. In addition, he has designed and built costumes for another 20 musicals for school, community, and professional theatres in Michigan and across the country. He is engaged regularly as a conference presenter and invited lecturer on the topic of middle and high school musicals and other music education topics with selected past appearances at the NAfME National Conference, Association for Popular Music Education National Conference, Michigan Music Conference, New York State School Music Association Winter Conference, Western Michigan University’s School of Music, and the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance. Robert completed degrees at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, Western Michigan University, and Teachers College, Columbia University. Robert has developed a range of collaborative, democratic, culturally responsive, and learner-centered ensemble techniques including student choice of repertoire, student-led rehearsals, and inter-school peer mentoring. His publications appear in the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Music Educators Journal, the Choral Journal, and ChorTeach (ACDA). For more information, please visit www.robertcjordan.com

Steven Altinel
Steven Altinel is the founder and artistic director of the Long Island Musical Theatre Festival (limtf.org). He has been featured as one of Newsday’s “Faces of Long Island” and has been interviewed by the “Artistic Finance Podcast,” episode 118. Steven has facilitated and accompanied numerous masterclasses with Broadway guest artists. He is often asked to present workshops on the topic of musical theatre at local and state conferences. Steven is also the choir director at Walt Whitman High School, where he has conducted his choirs on the stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Steven’s favorite performance credits include the touring company of “A Royal Christmas” starring Andrea Bocelli and the New York Philharmonic’s production of “Candide” starring Kristen Chenoweth and Patti LuPone (PBS). He is a proud graduate of Westminster Choir College. For more information, visit www.stevenaltinel.com.