Theresa Hoover Ducassoux is the band director at Dorothy Hamm Middle School in Arlington, Virginia and co-author of a forthcoming book titled Pass the Baton: Empowering All Music Students

Topics:

• Theresa tells the story of how she turned her piano skills into an instrumental music education track despite not playing a traditional band instrument.
• Following in the footsteps of a legend for her first job and the trials and tribulations of that experience.
• Using Solfege to teach students sound to sight and a timely discussion about technology for band directors in anticipation of at least partial remote learning for next year.
• Building relationships with students in an online environment.
• Empowering students and Theresa’s new book Pass the Baton: Empowering All Music Students

Links:

• Theresa Hoover Ducassoux/Off the Beaten Path
• Cole: 32 Chorales for Band
• Pass the Baton
• Tacet for Teachers
• Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana

Biography:

Theresa Hoover Ducassoux is a music educator, speaker, and writer. She is an advocate for student voice in the music room and helps teachers empower students throughout their musical experiences by transforming their classrooms into student-centered learning environments.

Currently, Theresa teaches middle school band at a newly opened school in Northern Virginia. Prior to moving to Virginia in 2016, she taught instrumental, general, and vocal music in a variety of settings in Pennsylvania for 13 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Penn State University and a master’s degree in wind conducting from West Chester University, both in Pennsylvania.

Theresa is a recognized presenter and clinician at local, regional, and national level conferences including the International Music Education Summit, the Virginia Society for Technology in Education, and several state music education conferences. She is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and was selected as a member of the Google Certified Innovator program, participating in the London 2019 cohort. 

In addition to her school teaching, Theresa served as the founding director of the Chester County Youth Wind Ensemble and is currently on staff of the Virginia Winds Academy. She has also been the guest conductor for several elementary and middle school ensembles in Pennsylvania and Virginia. 

Theresa’s writing has been featured on websites including the NAfME Music in a Minuet blog, EdTechTeam, Band Directors Talk Shop, and We Are Teachers, as well as on her own blog, Off the Beaten Path: A Music Teacher’s Journey. Theresa is also the co-author of Pass the Baton: Empowering Students in the Music Room, set to release in the summer of 2020. 

When not teaching, you can find Theresa curled up with a good book, on the running trail, traveling to visit family and friends, or spending time with her dog Dizzy. 

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