35 episodes
Beyond the Measure: A Podcast for Music Educators Christian and Kara Fortner
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- Education
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4.7 • 14 Ratings
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Listen as Christian, a young composer, and Kara, a young choir director, interview music educators in order to learn the "ins and outs" of their success in the classroom. This is the perfect podcast for beginning and veteran music educators alike, as well as composers and music students. It's time to go beyond the measure! Brought to you by Christian Fortner Music.
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#35: How To Grow Your Conducting Skills | With Andrew Kim
We've all heard that there is much more beneath the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to conducting, but what does that actually look like? And what best practices can we do as conductors to grow as music educators?
This week, Dr. Andrew Kim of the New York Youth Symphony and Conducting Institute joins us to share his story of how he became a conductor and what we can do to cultivate a life of powerful music-making and fulfillment.
SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ICM8EJruDq1M52sP7vYlUwCLD79WURzh/view?usp=sharing
Connect with Dr. Kim!
Website: https://www.andrewkimconductor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_andrewkim/
Learn More:
New York Youth Symphony: https://www.nyys.org/
The Conducting Institute: https://conductinginstitute.org/
Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!
https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings -
#34: Acknowledging What Skills Need to Improve | With Andrea Cruz
Being in a profession like music education comes with a lot of scrutiny. This can cause a lot of stress on us and make us afraid to be truly vulnerable - and not just with other people, but with ourselves. It’s important to take time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves “What am I struggling with in the classroom?” and “What steps can I take to get better at it?”
Mrs. Andrea Cruz, Choir Director at Caprock High School in Amarillo, Texas, joins us on this week's episode to discuss how music directors can learn to look in the mirror and ask the honest questions.
SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1azjQL66FCwVzardOjSJ_MZ-9jZjwgI4G/view?usp=sharing
Connect with the CHS Choir!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caprockHSchoir/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caprockhschoir/
Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!
https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings -
#33: Creating the Right Tone - in Music AND in Leadership | With Brandon Farren
This week, Brandon Farren, head choral director at Canyon High School, joins us to discuss how directors can maintain a healthy tone in their ensemble - both from a musical perspective and from the students' perspective.
SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1468XcuhWT5jiQCHHpJdW78hMZn0Nn5r6/view?usp=sharing
Connect with the Canyon High School Choir!
Website: https://sites.google.com/canyonisd.net/canyonhighschoolchoir/home?authuser=0
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canyonhstxchoir/
High Plains Choral Society: https://www.highplainschoralsociety.org/home
Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!
https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings -
#32: The Future of Music Education | With Stephen Cox
In this episode, Grammy Award-winner Stephen Cox joins us to discuss how the current systems in the music education field will make an impact on the future of our profession. What are we doing now that is working? What's not working? And what changes need to happen soon before more turn away from the profession?
SHOW NOTES: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ntm0huDiTyYeJFD2oRfOjnpjXo6i0Lhd/view?usp=sharing
Connect with Stephen!
Website: https://stephentcox.com/#:~:text=Biography,TX%20as%20of%20fall%202022.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StephenIsSleepingIn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenissleepingin/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082545140307
Learn more about the Grammy Music Educator Award and nominate someone! https://grammymuseum.org/education/music-educator-award/
Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!
https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings -
#31: Finding Balance and Renewal in the Music Profession | With Frank Eychaner (Part 2)
This is the second part of our interview with Dr. Frank Eychaner, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Central Arkansas. Frank discusses ways that music educators can continue to renew themselves and take the right steps toward staying mentally and physically healthy.
SHOW NOTES:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YN5d9JsMyLhfWAAqFzbLtsp9GTcaozJH/view?usp=sharing
Connect with Frank and the UCA Choirs
Email: feychaner@uca.edu
Website: https://uca.edu/music/choir/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicUCA/
Listen to the UTPB choir perform "Shockachi!"
https://youtu.be/EcRDWBJQjR0?si=vt4plizcEzLCYgrF
Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!
https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings -
#30: What Excellence Looks Like as a Music Teacher | With Frank Eychaner (Part 1)
Enjoy the first part of our interview with Dr. Frank Eychaner, who is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Central Arkansas. In this episode, Frank talks about how music directors can have mental and emotional sustainability in our jobs - even after years and years of experience (and therefore, exhaustion). This is a great episode for those who are unsure if they want to keep pursuing music education!
SHOW NOTES:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IHliqPmNLftoHMYK_yTstM-HIsoMflo6/view?usp=sharing
Connect with Frank and the UCA Choirs
Email: feychaner@uca.edu
Website: https://uca.edu/music/choir/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicUCA/
Listen to the UTPB choir perform "Shockachi!"
https://youtu.be/EcRDWBJQjR0?si=vt4plizcEzLCYgrF
Want a free piece of music for your ensemble to perform? Join Christian's mailing list!
https://www.christianfortnermusic.com/mailings
Customer Reviews
Great hosts with great guests
I went to school with these two and have seen their development as educators and as people. They bring a kind of maturity to their podcast that is refreshing to hear. They ask genuine questions and listen actively to the answers, trying to glean whatever they can from their guest. Their guests are also phenomenal. So far, they have had Dr. Dee Romines, Dr. Bernard Scherr, and Mr. Bill Harden, and each has brought incredible insight into what being a music educator is all about. I look forward to hearing more from them.
I am not a classroom teacher, but I have taught privately. I already have picked up so many things that I would like to use in my own teaching.
Also, Christian has had the chance to interview Eric Whitacre, who said that Christian would do well as an interviewer on his own show. So you know from good authority that this is a good podcast! Haha. Well, seriously, this is an important topic, and I think that anyone can learn a lot of great things from this.
Wholesome, insightful, and humorous!!
I studied music composition at university with both Christian, and Kara, and I’m really glad they’re doing this podcast! It’s great to hear them offer their unique perspectives on music education, and composition. As they mentioned in the first episode, there aren’t many podcasts that address what it is like to be a young composer or music educator that are in the beginning stages of their careers. They’re both talented musicians, and great people! I am excited to learn more about their journeys and how I can apply not only some of the lessons they’ve learned into my own musical life, but hear from other composers and educators as well. I look forward to hearing where the podcast goes!