Professional Development

Date: May 6 and 7
Location: People’s Church
Time: 10 am – 4:30 pm

Join us for a unique professional development experience designed specifically for band teachers! This event combines focused learning sessions and live rehearsal observation to help you elevate your teaching and rehearsal strategies.

Professional Development Day – Part 2

Session 3: Rehearsal Techniques That Transform Performance

Move beyond teaching notes and rhythms to creating musical, expressive ensembles.  

Many music educators can identify mistakes. Great conductors know how to fix them efficiently while inspiring musical excellence. This highly practical session will focus on rehearsal strategies that maximize growth while keeping students engaged and motivated.

Topics include:

1. Diagnosing Performance Issues: Quickly identifying the root causes of rhythmic, tonal, and ensemble problems.

2. Efficient Rehearsal Techniques: Methods for achieving more in less time.

3. Developing Musical Expression: Teaching phrasing, dynamics, articulation, and style.

4. Listening Skills: Training students to become independent, reflective musicians.

5. Communicating Through Conducting: Using gesture to improve ensemble response.

6. Prioritizing Rehearsal Goals: Deciding what to fix, what to simplify, and what to leave alone.

7. Building Student Ownership: Encouraging leadership and accountability within the ensemble.

Presenter: Trent Worthington

Trent Worthington is an Alberta musician who has been active in the Edmonton-area arts community for several decades. His activities include music performance and conducting, teaching, composing, recording, consulting, and having fun making music. He performed with Pro Coro Canada as a singer for almost thirty years, in addition to being chorus master and associate conductor for ten of those years.

Trent has also been a founding member of VOCE. The A Cappella Experience and is a long-suffering member of the PreTenors Comedy Opera Troupe. Trent has written and arranged music for dozens of orchestras and choirs, including the Saskatchewan Honour Choir, the award winning Chronos Vocal Ensemble, The Redemptorist Community, iCoristi Chamber Choir ProCoro Canada, and the popular Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree. The Edmonton Metropolitan Chorus has produced an entire concert consisting solely of his compositions. He has served as an adjudicator for Festivals on a provincial and national level. Trent holds a Masters in Education degree from the University of Alberta. He has taught math, computing technology, special education and music in K-12 education, as well as teaching music at Alberta College and computing technology and music at King’s University College. Trent has also done studio work for television, film and music as editor, producer and performer, and has been a gigging musician for most of his life. Trent is currently teaching at George Simpson Junior High School in St. Albert, Alberta, where he lives with his wife Dianne.

Session 4: Recruiting, Retaining, and Inspiring Young Musicians

Build a thriving music program that students want to join and stay in.

Successful music programs do not happen by accident. They are built through purposeful recruitment, meaningful relationships, and a culture where every student feels valued and challenged.

This session will explore:

1. Recruitment Strategies: Creating excitement about music programs in schools and communities.

2. Student Retention: Keeping students engaged through challenging developmental years.

3. Building Culture: Establishing traditions, expectations, and a strong sense of belonging.

4. Motivating Today’s Students: Understanding what inspires long-term commitment.

5. Working with Parents: Creating positive partnerships that support student success.

6. Developing Student Leaders: Training section leaders, mentors, and peer role models.

7. Celebrating Success: Using recognition and achievement to strengthen programs.

Presenter: Jeannie Vanwynsberghe Pernal

Jeannie Vanwynsberghe Pernal founded the GP Boys’ Choir after moving to GP from Vancouver in 2001. She has worked with boys for her entire career in schools, churches andcommunity settings. She is a passionate advocate for boys on their intellectual and emotional development, and their music education.

Jeannie holds a Bachelor of Music Education, Level 3 Kodaly Certification and a Positive Educational Psychology Certification. She was recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and the Richard Eaton Award in recognition of valuable contributions to the community. Under her direction, the Grande Prairie Boys’ Choir has grown to over 160 members from over 30 schools in the area. The choir has won numerous awards and has travelled extensively.

Bonus Observation Opportunity

Student Ensemble Lab Rehearsal

Observe experienced clinicians working directly with a student choir, band, or mixed ensemble.
Participants will have opportunities to observe and discuss:

Topics include:

• Rehearsal planning and sequencing.

• Teaching musical concepts in real time.

• Motivating students through effective feedback.

• Addressing common technical and musical challenges.

• Balancing musical excellence with positive student experiences.

• Adapting instruction for varying age and ability levels.

A guided reflection session will follow the rehearsal, allowing participants to connect observed techniques to their own teaching situations.

Orchestral Conductor: Petar Dundjerski

Petar Dundjerski was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and has lived in Canada since 1994. He received his Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Toronto and continued his studies at the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen, Colorado and the
College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. His principal teachers were Mark Gibson, Raffi Armenian and Earl Davey. Mr. Dundjerski has also studied with David Zinman, Jorma Panula, Boris Brott and Gary Kulesha.

In 2002 he was the Assistant Conductor with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada and in the summer of 2004 served as a Resident Conductor at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

Mr. Dundjerski has received various awards including a 2003, 2006/08 Canada Council for the Arts Grants. He has worked with several distinguished instrumentalists including Shauna Rolston, Scott St. John and Jens Lindemann. Petar also teaches within Edmonton Public School Board Music Enrichment Program. Mr Dundjerski was the Assistant Conductor-in-Residence of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra 2006/08, under the mentorship of Music Director William Eddins. This was a two-year appointment, funded in part by the Canada Council for the Art

Why Attend Part 2?

Learn advanced rehearsal techniques from experienced conductors and educators.

• Gain practical tools for building sustainable, growing music programs.

• Observe effective teaching strategies in action.

• Network with colleagues who share a passion for music education.

• Leave with ideas that can be implemented immediately in your classroom, rehearsal, or ensemble.

Registration: email logistics@gpboyschoir.org and request an application form. Schedule will
be provided upon registration.
Cost: $100.00/day. Special two-day rate: $150.00