Anaheim Elementary School District Professional Development

On Wednesday, January 24, 2017, Anaheim Elementary music teachers enjoyed an afternoon of professional development provided by our partners at Conn-Selmer. They were taken through several exercises in teaching both elementary vocal music and beginning band. They had a blast when they all picked up an instrument they were less familiar with and were band students themselves!

After each of our professional development clinics/workshops, we administer surveys to gauge how useful the experience was for the music teachers. Phil Villalobos of James Guinn Elementary responded: “Great workshop! It was great to hear from someone who has lots of experience with schools/communities like ours.”

Others particularly enjoyed the presentation given by lead clinician, Tom Bracy, who shared techniques to keep students motivated and engaged. “I loved Tom’s motivation and sheer excitement,” said Matthew Caffrey of Benito Juarez Elementary, “It is viral and inspirational. I can use the positive example for my own classroom settings to motivate students.”

About Conn-Selmer: Conn-Selmer is the leading manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments for student, amateur, and professional use. With a tradition of innovation and superior musical performance, brands such as Vincent Bach, C.G. Conn, King, Holton, Selmer, Armstrong, Leblanc, Ludwig, Musser, and Scherl & Roth have earned a legacy of respect unparalleled by any other builders.

Conn-Selmer is also the North American distributor of Henri Selmer Paris woodwinds, the U.S. distributor of Yanagisawa saxophones. With a focus on quality craftsmanship, Conn-Selmer operates U.S. production facilities in Elkhart, Indiana, Eastlake, Ohio and Monroe, North Carolina. Through its educational outreach team, led by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, Conn-Selmer is the industry leader in providing support and advocacy tools specifically tailored to music education.

The current company includes a portfolio of individual companies or brands that represent innovation, entrepreneurship, and a focus on musical excellence. The Selmer Company, which was comprised of brands such as Vincent Bach, Selmer, Emerson, Ludwig, Musser, and Glaesel was a leader in American craftsmanship with operations based out of Elkhart, Indiana. In 1995, Selmer took ownership in the Steinway Piano Company to create a base of legendary brands focused on the highest quality and reputation for musical performance and artistry. In 1998, the Selmer Company and Steinway Musical became a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: LVB).

In 2002, the Selmer Company merged with United Musical Instruments (UMI) to form Conn-Selmer. Like the Selmer Company, United Musical Instruments was built from brand legacies such as C.G. Conn, King, Benge, Armstrong, Artley, and Scherl & Roth. In 2005, the Conn-Selmer Company acquired the G.Leblanc Corporation. This brought another family of brand names such as Leblanc, Vito, Holton, Martin, and Yanagisawa into the largest U.S. full-line manufacturer of band and orchestra instruments. In 2013, Conn-Selmer and Steinway changed from public companies to private ones when Paulson & Co became the new owner.