-
550 BCE
The Birth of the Acting Profession
Thespis stepped out of the Greek Chorus and performed a monologue as a character, becoming the first regarded “actor”. -
"Dafne" is Written
Regarded by many as the first opera, this work by Jacopo Peri was an attempt to revive the Classical Greek Drama, with the twist of having the chorus sing their parts instead of speaking them in chant. -
The First American Singing School Opens
Founded in Boston, MA, this school was among the first in America to focus on teaching singing and reading music, primarily for the purpose of participation in religious celebrations. -
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Established his Experimental School at Neuhof
Pestalozzi’s educational philosophy centered around emphasizing individuality and creativity. His theory of education influenced countless teachers and education philosophers, particularly in the arts. -
Metodo Pratico de Canto (Practical Vocal Method) is published
Nicola Vaccai's book includes exercises to encourage singing in the Italian operatic style and has been transposed to accommodate all traditional vocal ranges. It is still in use in many voice studios today. -
The Boston Academy of Music was Founded
Headed by Lowell Mason and colleagues, this school was modeled off of older singing schools, but also included education in music theory. It was heavily influenced by the Pestalozzian System of Education. -
Establishment of Music in Public School Curriculum
Lowell Mason persuaded the Boston School Committee to vote to approve the inclusion of a music class in the curriculum, which he would teach. -
Orpheus in the Underworld Premiered
This work by Jacques Offenbach served as the first in the genre of operettas. A derision of opera and contemporary of musical theatre, this new art form became an international craze, particularly in Europe. -
Oberlin Established the Conservatory of Music Program
This served as the first collegiate music conservatory program in the US. Here, graduates could receive a Bachelor of Music Education degree. -
The Black Crook Opens in NYC
Written by Charles M. Barras and Thomas Baker, this show is regarded by many as the first musical. The show’s components more closely aligned to the contemporary notion of a musical than the traditional form of opera causing many to deem it the prototype of the modern musical. -
The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was Established
Founded by Clara Baur, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was one of the first music conservatories in America. It put Cincinnati on the map as a cultural center for music and the performing arts. -
The College of Music of Cincinnati was Established
Led by May Festival directors Reuben R. Springer, George Ward Nichols, and Theodore Thomas, this college was founded as a direct result of the success of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. It was one of the first American schools of music to have its own concert hall. -
The Big Apple Gets it’s Core
Manhattan merges with four surrounding counties to create what we know as NYC. This was a catalyst for the rise of theatres on Broadway, with 30 legit theatres existing by 1900. -
George M. Cohan Opened his First Broadway Musical
The composer of more than 50 Broadway shows and 300 songs, Cohan is regarded as one of the founders of the Broadway musical structure. He is known as “the father of the American musical.” -
The Music Supervisors’ National Conference was Founded
Lead by Frances Clarke, this predecessor to NAfME served as the one of the first efforts to support music teachers and encourage music education to take prominence in American education. -
The University of Kentucky School of Music is Founded
Now internationally recognized for excellence in performance, research, and music education, the UK School of Music was my home throughout my undergraduate studies. -
The Beginnings of Orff-Schulwerk
Carl Orff met Dorothee Günther and began to develop the Orff approach. Their subsequent work at the Gunter-Schule became the predecessor to the methods used in Orff-Schulwerk-influenced classrooms to this day. -
National Thespians is Launched
This organization serves as the predecessor to the International Thespian Society which encourages theatre education in middle and high school programs throughout the country. -
MENC is Established
The Music Supervisors’ National Conference changed it’s name to the Music Educators National Conference. MENC served as the second iteration of what would come to be known as NAfME. -
The Georgia Music Educators Association was Formed
An affiliate of NAfME, GMEA was created to bring educational musical opportunities to teachers and students across the state of Georgia. -
Philosophy in a New Key is Published
Philosopher and educator Susanne Langer’s text argues that language is not the only means by which to express thought and emotion. She likens music and art to forms of symbolism and expressive language. -
Oklahoma! Opens on Broadway
The first collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, this show served as the sound of the Golden Age of musical theatre. Rodgers and Hammerstein would go on to write numerous musical hits that set the standard for new American musical theatre. -
Music for Children, Volumes 1-5 were Published
These volumes contain Orff-centered music and compositions that act as an integral part of the Orff-Schulwerk curriculum. They served as guidance and inspiration as I worked towards my Orff-Schulwerk certification. -
The Journal of Research in Music Education was Established
Today this peer-reviewed journal is published quarterly and includes research related to music teaching and learning, pedagogy, history, and philosophy. -
The College-Conservatory of Music was Founded
The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the College of Music of Cincinnati decided to merge their institutions to bring some of the most renowned musicians and teachers in the music profession together. -
The Launch of Sputnik
The Space Age begins with the Soviet Union launching the world’s first artificial satellite. This sparked an arguable shift in the focus of American education towards math and science-focused fields. -
Kodály's International Premiere
Zoltán Kodály presented his method for music education at the International Society for Music Educators conference in Vienna. This spread international regard for the method and sparked interest across nations as educators sought to study the pedagogy further. -
The American Choral Directors Association was Formed
This organization was intended to provide support and community for choral directors, as well as provide educational music opportunities for choral teachers and students. ACDA is still active today. -
The College-Conservatory of Music became the 14th college at the University of Cincinnati
The CCM program that we know today took roots on UC’s campus and began construction on state-of-the-art facilities, bringing further recognition to the already renowned institution. -
The Yale Seminar
This seminar occurred with the goal of developing quality literature for the music classroom. Under federal funding, the result was the Julliard Project. -
The Julliard Repertoire Project Begins
A direct result of the Yale Seminar, this project was the compilation and publication of musical works from all periods in history for use in music classrooms across all grade levels. (1965-67) -
Tanglewood Symposium and Tanglewood Declaration
As a response to the Yale Seminar, music educators met to discuss and establish a philosophy of music education. This included an emphasis on elementary music, music in special education, urban music, and electronic music. The result of this collective meeting was the Tanglewood Declaration. -
The American Orff-Schulwerk Association was Founded
Lead by 10 American teachers who saw immense potential in the pedagogy developed by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman, this organization was formed with the hopes of spreading the approach across the country. -
"A Philosophy of Music Education" is published
Bennett Reimer published the first edition of his text (with a second in 1989 and third in 2003), shifting the music education philosophical movement towards aesthetics and music’s intrinsic values. -
The Eagles Released their First Album, “Eagles”
As some of the first music I listened to recreationally, this album and their following work served as a huge influence over my love for music and storytelling lyrics. -
The International Kodály Society was formed
Occurring at a Kodály-centered symposium in California, passionate educators formed this organization to encourage teacher education in the intricacies and application of the Kodály method. -
New York Celebrated the First Music In Our Schools Day
Sponsored by educational organizations in NYC, this event would go on to inspire NAfME to promote a month-long celebration of music in schools. -
Public Law 94-142
Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (or EHA). This law protects the rights and needs of youth with disabilities, greatly influencing their access to quality education. -
The First Music In Our Schools Month is Celebrated
Now occurring annually every March, this month is intended to shine a light on music programs in schools across the country. NAfME promotes this month as a time to support music educators and students and to raise awareness about the importance of music programs for all students. -
"Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" is Published
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in collaboration with Martin Seligman, wrote this text to present his work on the concept of flow. The phenomenon that he describes can occur in musical performance and may be found in music classrooms. -
The National Standards for Music Education are Developed
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts, MENC developed these standards to align music as a content with other curricular cores. -
"Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education" is Published
David J. Elliott’s 1st edition of this text is published (with the second edition published in 2014). With arguably opposing arguments to his teacher Bennett Reimer, Elliott focused on the real-life applications of music education, emphasizing music’s extrinsic benefits. -
MENC changed its name to MENC: The National Association for Music Education
Following a physical relocation years prior, this would be the last alteration to the organization’s title before it’s current name. -
The Housewright Symposium/Vision 2020
This symposium examined changing philosophies and practices at the approach of the turn of the century. Vision 2020 was intended to predict how music education will (or should) look by the year 2020. -
Public Law 107-110
Congress enacted the No Child Left Behind Act. Supporting the standards-based educational reform, this act incentivized schools to improve outcomes through measurable goals, such as standardized testing and the use of objectives. Music programs saw cuts as funding was sent towards improving scores in “core” content areas. -
"First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond" is Published
This text by John M. Feierabend utilizes folk songs in conjunction with Kodály-influenced sequencing to provide elementary music teachers with a foundation by which to build their curriculum. Much of my early teaching was influenced by Feierabend’s curricular organization and scaffolding. -
Tanglewood II
Music educators and philosophers gathered to reflect on progress of music education since the first Tanglewood Symposium 40 years prior. They developed a declaration to cover ideals, goals, benchmarks, and predictions for the next forty years. -
The Contemporary National Association for Music Education is Named
MENC was dropped from the title to become what we know as NAfME. -
The Core Music Standards are Developed
NAfME created the new National Core Music Standards to emphasize conceptual understanding. These standards are used in many music classrooms today and include core areas of Creating, Performing, and Responding. -
The Excellence in Theatre Education Award is Created
Cofounded by Carnegie Mellon University and The Tony Awards, this award recognizes educators who make significant impacts in the theatre education profession. With recognition at the annual Tony Awards, the inclusion of this award is significant as the professional theatre community acknowledges the importance of quality theatre education in schools.