Here is our lineup for the 2023-2024 season! Click here to register!
Sept. 9, 2023: Sofía López-Ibor
Integration of the Arts
Friendship Public Charter School Community Office
1400 First Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
The experience of integrating music, movement and language through the Orff Schulwerk can be widened by the visual arts. In this workshop, we will see examples of how to create an integrated curriculum with the Orff approach. This workshop provides an opportunity to reflect about how to create aesthetic experiences though sensory awareness training within Orff Schulwerk. Sofia will share and analyze examples of teaching practices to better understand the magic that happens in her classes with students of all ages.
Clinician Bio:
Sofía López-Ibor Aliño has taught music in Preschool, Elementary, Middle and High School for the past 32 years. She currently teaches Orff Schulwerk at The San Francisco School, The San Francisco School Orff Seminar and The San Francisco Orff International Level Courses. She also teaches Pedagogy and
Music Didactics at the Orff Institute from the University of Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. She has presented workshops and classes throughout Spain as well as in United States, Austria, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Thailand, Taiwan, China, Korea, Australia, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Greece, England, Scotland, Canada, Russia, Argentina, Colombia, Portugal, Australia, Estonia, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Korea and New Zealand. She has taught Music Pedagogy at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica de San Sebastian (Spain) and to the Special Course at The Orff Institute in Salzburg (Austria).She has performed concerts with the Early Music Group Atrium Musicae in Spain, USA, Israel, Ireland, England, Mexico and Australia (1980-1988), and also sang in different Spanish choirs and a member of the Recorder Quartet “Syrinx” (1980-1988). She has studied various styles of World Music and is particularly interested in West African, Balkan vocal music and Andean music. She has also collected childrens ́ games from all over the world and particularly from West Africa and the Spanish speaking countries. She is the Past-President of the Spanish Orff Association and served as counselor of The Orff Schulwerk Forum Austria.
Sofia leads hands-on courses all over the world in the teaching philosophy of Orff Schulwerk. In 2012 she received the Pro Merito award from the International Orff Schulwerk Forum for her work as a leader in this field. She has published two books in English: “Quien Canta Su Mal Espanta” a collection of traditional children’s rhymes, songs, and dances from Latin America, and “Blue is the Sea” which explores the integration of music, movement, and the visual arts, one of her favorite themes as a teacher. San Francisco is now her home, but she loves spending the winter and summer vacations with her family in Spain.
Sofia says. “I have taught music since I was 19 years old! I was born in Madrid, Spain and went to a school that had wonderful music classes. Growing up singing, playing xylophones, dancing, and reciting poetry was a great foundation for becoming a music teacher. The year after I graduated from high school, I was tapped by my school’s music department to teach! Later I studied recorder, flute, and Baroque music in Madrid and London, and specialized in music pedagogy in Madrid and at the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria. I came to The San Francisco School in 1996 and I still enjoy walking into the main gate every morning, entering the quiet music room and imagining how it will soon be filled with the sound explorations and rhythms of the day.”
Oct. 28, 2023: I.J. Routen
Rhythms and Songs From Here to There
Department of Creative and Performing Arts
Prince George’s County Public School’s
Thomas Claggett Teacher Leadership Center
2001 Addison Road
District Heights, MD
Using the exploration of original and traditional songs and rhythms from the Americas, Africa, and Europe to create a bridge across cultures. Spoken word, inspired movement, found and known sounds will all come together as an expression of shared moments.
Clinician Bio: I.J. Routen received her M.Ed. and Ed.D. degrees from the University of Arkansas and her B.M. from the University of Southern California. Her Orff levels were completed at Southern Methodist 
University. She currently serves as the fine arts coordinator in the Little Rock School District and chair of Artistry in the Rock, a PreK-12 arts exhibition. She also serves as director of Voices Without Borders, an elementary choir that specializes in Solid Gold music from the 60s and 70s. Dr. Routen was inducted into the Arkansas Music Educators Hall of Fame as a teacher in 2010 and as an administrator in 2017. She was project director of a federal grant for professional development for arts educators from 2002-2010. She is active in Central Arkansas Chapter 112, which she founded in 2004 as a component of the grant. She has served on the AOSA Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee.
January 20, 2024: Matthew Stensrud & Patrick Ware
New to Orff
The Potomac School
Preston Gymnasium
1301 Potomac School Rd
McLean, VA
Are you ready to learn more about Orff Schulwerk or know someone who would benefit from it? Our “New to Orff” workshop is just the thing if you want the basics before deciding to plunge into Level 1 training. This workshop is free for all interested, you do not need to be a MAC-AOSA member to attend!
Clinician Bios: Matthew Stensrud is an award-winning Elementary Music and Movement Teacher and currently teaches PK-4 music and movement at Sidwell Friends Lower School in Washington, DC. He is an Orff Schulwerk approved Teacher Educator of Movement and is currently on the National Board of Trustees of AOSA as Representative for Region V. He is also well-known on social media as @MisterSOrff on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and offers newsletters through this website www.mistersorff.com and mentoring, lesson plans, and more on his Patreon page.
Dr. Patrick Ware holds degrees from Westfield State University, Radford University and Shenandoah Conservatory. He is President-Elect of the AOSA National Board of Trustees and has been an instructor for movement, recorder and basic pedagogy for various Orff certification programs. Patrick teaches k-5 elementary music in Prince William County, Virginia. Works by Dr. Ware are published through Beatin’ Path Publications.
February 10, 2024
Chapter Share
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School
4700 Whitehaven Parkway NW
Washington, DC 20007
(In the gym across the street from the main school building)
See our local talent shine as they share their favorite ideas and activities in this fun workshop! Interested in sharing? Let us know!
March 9, 2024: Kate Bright
Elemental Musical Adventures: Composing and Creating with Students
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School
4700 Whitehaven Parkway NW
Washington, DC 20007
(In the gym across the street from the main school building)
Join Kate Bright as she leads participants in exploring a wide variety of modes and meters and demonstrates several different ways students can explore those modes by singing, saying, moving, and, most importantly, PLAYING!
Clinician Bio: Kate Bright teaches music to students in Red Mill Elementary School, Fairview Elementary
School, and ExCEL Virtual Academy at the West Shore School District. She is past-president of the Greater Baltimore Area Orff Chapter and the Philadelphia Area Orff Chapter, and has presented at the American Orff Schulwerk Association National Conference. In 2015, she received the Spotlight Award from the American Center for Elemental Music and Movement. She currently serves on the board of both ACEMM and the Harrisburg Area Contra Dance Association.
April 20, 2024: Sandy Lantz & Gretchen Wahlberg
Mixing It UP
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School
4700 Whitehaven Parkway NW
Washington, DC 20007
(In the gym across the street from the main school building)
Come join us for a fun-filled, active Saturday using props, drums, puppets, ukulele, recorder, barred instruments, movement, and children’s lit. This hands-on workshop will demonstrate process teaching of lessons that will challenge and delight your elementary students. Integration of these instruments, movement and props will show you the way to MIX IT UP!
Clinician Bio: Sandy Lantz and Gretchen Wahlberg have taught elementary music in Florida for over 38 years. They have conducted All-County performances in Polk and Osceola
counties. In 2016, Sandy and Gretchen were clinicians and conductors for the inaugural All-State Orff Ensemble in Tampa, Fla for the Florida Music Educators Association conference. They also directed the first annual FEMEA South Regional Orff Ensemble. For over 20 years, they have co-taught Level I teacher training courses sponsored by the Central Florida Orff Chapter, Stetson University, Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida International University. They have co-taught workshop sessions at National Orff Schulwerk conferences, as well as, numerous state music conferences throughout the US. Together they have written the books, “Drum It Up”, “Creative Bits with Children’s Lit”, “Strum It Up” S’More Bits with Children’s Lit” and “Mixing It UP.”