Cloverleaf High School vocal music teacher Lawrence Timm was a featured presenter at the Fifth Annual International Conference on Music Learning Theory Aug. 4-6 in Chicago. Sponsored by the Gordon Institute for Music Learning, the event brings together music educators from the United States and around the world.

Timm’s presentation was titled, “Preaching to the Choir: The benefits of MLT in the Secondary Choir Rehearsal.” The conference is based on the principles of Music Learning Theory developed by highly regarded educator and researcher Dr. Edwin E. Gordon, who was the event’s keynote speaker.

“It’s one of the few approaches to music education that’s thoroughly research-based,” said Timm.

In his presentation, Timm offered ways to apply MLT to students at all levels of development, helping transform them from singers into musicians – a process he describes as the ability to perform music with understanding. The approach is applicable to students at all grade levels, in both vocal and instrumental music. The session was well-received, Timm said.

"Music Learning Theory and the high school choir is an area that no one has really looked at yet," he said. Developing and delivering the presentation was an opportunity to give something back to the music education profession, Timm added.

Timm received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music and a Masters in Music Education from State University of New York at Buffalo. He taught for 19 years in New York, where he served as state chapter president of the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. Timm has taught at Cloverleaf High School for 10 years, where he also directs the Swing Choir, spring musical and Cloverleaf Community Choir.

For more, visit www.giml.org.

John Gladden