Education Notes (5/9/14)

Reba

Country Music Hall of Fame member Reba McEntire will participate in a special Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum educational program for Middle Tennessee middle and high school students on Tuesday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m. CDT. All Access: Reba McEntire will take place in the museum’s CMA Theater. Students will have a chance to ask Reba questions about her rise to stardom, her business enterprises, and her career.

Although the program is not open to the public and the school registration period is closed, the event will be live-streamed at: countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming on May 13.

The 75-minute program will be moderated by WSM-AM’s Bill Cody.

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MercyMe’s Bart Millard

Grand Canyon University is teaming with MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard to offer a Worship Arts program to prepare students for careers ranging from national recording artist to church worship leader. The program will combine a ministry component and a performance component and will be based in the University’s College of Theology.

The bachelors program will include 32 credits of theology, and will offer four emphases including digital media, worship production, worship ministry and worship management.

“Anyone can sing the message, but first you have to get the message right,” said Millard, who will serve as Director of the Center for Worship Arts and expose GCU students to some of the top influencers in the music industry. “Parents who might be concerned their son or daughter wants to perform for a living will know that they will be able to follow their dream and still earn a four-year degree. We will equip students for worship leadership that is relevant and theologically sound.”

The program will welcome its first class in fall 2014.

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 Musicians Institute (MI), the College of Contemporary Music in Hollywood, has announced a variety of academic initiatives to update its curriculum for Fall 2014. The school’s newly named Vice President of Academic Affairs, Donny Gruendler, will oversee efforts to convert the school to a flipped classroom pedagogical model, and fully integrate MI’s Performance and Industry Studies divisions beginning this October.

In addition, MI will begin to deliver more study materials digitally, with the institution of a paperless “Bring Your Own Device” (B.Y.O.D.) policy.

MI’s 360-degree approach to music education will include revised certificate and degree programs for bass, drums, guitar, keyboard technology, and vocals. The program is centered on harmony, theory and ear training as well as core subjects in reading, technique and performance, which will be synchronized on a weekly “micro” basis.

Students will utilize the latest mobile phones, tablets and laptops on any platform of their choosing (iOS, Android, OSX, or Windows) to foster an efficient, 24/7 learning environment.