Conversational Solfege
4-Day Certification Track
When: July 8 – 11, 2025
Where: Naperville, Illinois
Emily Maurek
Maurek earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Ball State University and a master’s degree in music technology from Indiana University, where she was awarded the Fine Arts Chancellor’s Scholar award.
Emily Maurek teaches Kindergarten through fourth grade general music and choir at the Lake Central School Corporation in St. John, Indiana. Emily is a frequent presenter at music education conferences including Biennial Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME) conferences and has presented at state music education conferences in Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee.
Emily is an FAME Endorsed Teacher Trainer of First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfege and is the past president of the FAME Board of Directors. She currently serves FAME as Executive Director. Emily resides in Valparaiso, Indiana with her husband, John, and their son Max.
Conversational Solfege™ is a pedagogical approach used to intuitively develop notational literacy skills with students of elementary age through adults who are tuneful, beatful, and artful. Through carefully sequenced activities, Conversational Solfege™ first develops an understanding of music through the use of rhythm and solfege syllables at a “conversational” level, then gradually evolves into reading, writing, improvisation, dictation, and composition skills. Teachers will learn how to enable students to joyfully assimilate the skills and content necessary to be notationally literate, as well as learn various techniques to allow the acquisition of these skills. This Conversational Solfege™ course will address lesson planning, unit planning, and assessment and applies to music educators in most music educational settings (classroom, choral, and/or instrumental) elementary through college.
Enrollment in this certification track includes:
- 4-day training with FAME endorsed teacher trainers
- Tickets to Summer Institute Concert:
Mark Miller and Friends - Tickets to Summer Institute Concert:
Jason Max Ferdinand Singers - Entrance to “Beer and Hymns” with Tony Alonso
Cost: $500
Required Text
Conference Add-Ons
This certification course is a part of the Summer Music Institute and will be held on the campus of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.
Additional options for campus accommodations and dining will be available when registering.
Detailed information and instructions are listed below for each option. Add them to your order when checking out to include them in your registration.
Dorm Room Occupancy
$50 per night (Double opccupancy)
$100 per night (single stay)
To order a double occupancy room, you must have a roommate. If you do not have a roommate, you must select single occupancy and pay the full fee. Dorm room accommodations require you to bring your own bedding. Bathrooms are shared on each floor. Dorm is air-conditioned and an elevator is available.
You will receive an additional email from the Summer Music Institute with more information regarding your dorm room and you will be required to indicate who your roommate is at that time. Dorm rooms must be ordered by May 31, 2025.
Campus Dining Service
$105 ($35 per day)
Campus dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Numerous food options are available through the North Central College cafeteria.
This additional meal plan will cover your meals throughout all 3 days of the Summer Music Institute and will be within walking distance of all workshops and events.