Professional Growth for Church and School Musicians

Many formal options are available to help musicians boost their skills: ALCM, ACDA, AGO, Master of Church Music, Kodaly certification, LIME, Orff, Kodaly, Feierabend First Steps, World Music Drumming, Wisconsin CMP program, and workshops by nationally recognized speakers. But many informal options also exist, such as just a handful of private lessons or coaching sessions to sharpen conducting, keyboard, or vocal skills. This session will discuss the pros and cons of various approaches as well as how to pay for them.

Bio | Daniel Hubert

Prof. Hubert is the director of instrumental music at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In addition to directing the concert band, he teaches courses in music theory, conducting, education, and arranging, and conducts the college’s jazz band and Contemporary & Gospel Ensemble. Previously he served in various music education settings from beginning band to middle school music to high school ensembles. Hubert holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Ill., and is a founding member of the Lutheran Institute for Music Education.

Bio | Dale Witte

Dale currently serves as fine arts department chairman, choir director, and music educator at Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond du Lac, Wis. He is one of the founding members of LIME, Lutheran Institute for Music Education, which seeks to aid WELS teachers and schools in strengthening their music education programs. From 2014–2021 he served on the WELS Psalm Committee, which researched, reviewed, and edited over 5,000 psalm settings to produce Christian Worship: Psalter (NPH 2021). Dale holds a Master in Church Music degree from Concordia University Chicago (1997); is a member of WCDA, ACDA, NAfME, ALCM, and WMEA professional organizations; and is an active church music composer.