All workshops are held at the DePaul Unversity School of Music in Chicago, IL. Workshops will also be offered via video chat program (Zoom) for those who choose not to be in-person. Fees are the same regardless of your choice to attend in-person or via a webcam.
Workshop Fees:


$15.00 discount if you are a first-time attendee to one of our fabulous workshops!

Email [email protected] for information.

Full time undergraduate students can become OAKE members and affiliate with the CAKE chapter to attend our workshops for FREE!  
​Click HERE to become an OAKE member to receive discounted workshops and registration to conventions, journals and newsletters, and access to scholarships.

Join OAKE for Workshop Discounts & Member Benefits

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Register For Workshops Here

September 28, 2024
​9AM - 1PM 
Crystal Henricks ​
Artistic Literacy: Eurhythmics for the Kodály-Inspired Classroom

Workshop Description: With limited class time, teachers can easily diminish the value of purposeful and artistic movement in a Kodály-inspired classroom.  However, the use of eurhythmics has been a pillar of the Kodály philosophy since the beginning. Through movement, students more readily retain information, internalize musical concepts, and demonstrate musical expression.  The key to joyful movement in the classroom is to do it often and with a structured plan.   The children will quickly become comfortable moving through space, learn to listen with a musical ear, and represent the music with their bodies.  Participants in this session will experience physical activities to enhance their sequence of musical skills as well as increase artistry in the classroom.  Come ready to see all the opportunities that carefully planned and thoughtful movement can bring to your classroom.

​​Crystal Henricks currently teaches lower school music at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.  Her experience includes Nursery School-12th grade general and choral music, both in Chicago and China.  She holds a BS in Music Education from Asbury University, Kodály Certification and MMEd from Capital University, and is a Master Teaching Artist with the American Eurhythmics Society.  She completed Levels I-III Orff Schulwerk Certification from the University of Kentucky and Anderson University.  She is an active clinician for workshops throughout the United States.  She has taught elementary music pedagogy and folk song research classes at Colorado State University, DePaul University, VanderCook College of Music, and the University of Central Missouri.

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November 16, 2024
9AM - 1PM 
Melissa Fuller Flores ​
Our Classrooms Are Poppin’: Musical Connections with a Pop Tune Twist

Workshop Description: Incorporating pop music into elementary music classrooms can be a valuable tool for fostering musical literacy, cultural awareness, creativity, and joy among students. Let's join together for an electrifying exploration, where we'll discover ways to seamlessly integrate the pop music your students love with essential musical concepts. You'll be equipped with practical lessons and activities tailored to support the preparation, presentation, and practice of the musical concepts for your K-6th grade students. Let’s create dynamic and meaningful musical experiences that empower students to see themselves reflected in our classrooms as they learn.

Melissa Fuller Flores holds a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Alabama and a Master’s in Clarinet Performance from the University of North Texas. Her professional journey began at the Houston Symphony, where she played a pivotal role on the Education & Community Programming Team, orchestrating concerts for over 120,000 students. Witnessing the transformative power of music in fostering a sense of belonging inspired Melissa to transition to the classroom.

She has sung and danced with PK-5th graders in her elementary general Music Classrooms in Texas, Iowa, and soon-to-be Missouri. Her commitment extends beyond the classroom as she mentors pre-service teachers, supports newcomers to the field, and actively engages in DEIC committees at district, state, and national levels, advocating for inclusive music education.​

Melissa’s passion for continuous learning is reflected in her Kodály certification from the Southeast Texas Kodály Certification Program in Houston, TX. A dynamic presenter, she has conducted workshops and conference sessions across Iowa, Alabama, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. Driven by the belief that music serves as a safe haven, Melissa provides music as a source of peace and joy for all learners, fostering growth and empowerment in their lives.

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February 8, 2025
10:00AM-12:00PM
CAKE Member Share

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April 12, 2025 
9AM - 1PM
Betty Hillmon
Miss Bessie Jones: Songs For Us All!
We are proud to welcome a recipient of OAKE's 2024 lifetime achievement award, Kodály-inspired teaching legend, Betty Hillmon to offer the finale of this fantastic season. With Betty Hillmon, we will learn, play, and celebrate the songs, chants, and singing games of Bessie Jones as Betty shares lessons and stories of her time as an early Kodály educator learning by Miss Bessie Jones' side. ​

We are proud to welcome a recipient of OAKE's 2024 lifetime achievement award, Kodály-inspired teaching legend, Betty Hillmon to offer the finale of this fantastic season.  With Betty Hillmon, we will learn, play, and celebrate the songs, chants, and singing games of Bessie Jones as Betty shares lessons and stories of her time as an early Kodály educator learning by Miss Bessie Jones' side. 
Betty Hillmon is a cellist, a former student of Aldo Parisot, a former member of the Quincy Symphony Orchestra and a current member of the Me/2 orchestra.
Previously, Ms. Hillmon served as the Department Head of Music at The Park School in Brookline, MA prior to her retirement. She earned a BA in Music from San Jose State University, an MA in Music Performance (Cello) from Fresno State University (Cello), and an MA in Musicology from Harvard University. Additionally, she was awarded a Kodály Music Education Certificate from the Liszt Academy (Budapest, Hungary), an Advanced Kodály Studies Certificate from the Kodály Musical Training Institute (Wellesley, MA). She also received National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship to Study Music Education in Hungary and Summer Teacher Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Ms. Hillmon is also the founder/director of the Boston City-Wide String Orchestra, a community group open to all who play a stringed instrument, love music making, and are willing to commit to regular rehearsals and practice sessions. 

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Click HERE to Register

Register HERE Today!

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