Michele Henry is Professor of Choral Music Education and Division Director for Music Education. A member of the Baylor faculty since 2001, she teaches a choral methods and music education courses and supervises student teachers. She advises the Baylor University Music Educators Association and coordinates the annual Baylor Women's Choir Festival.

A specialist in vocal sight-reading materials, techniques, and assessment, Dr. Henry is published widely within the music education literature and regularly presents her research findings regionally, nationally, and internationally. She has developed an individualized vocal sight-reading test that can be used by classroom educators as well as researchers. Dr. Henry recently served as the College Division Vice-President for the Texas Music Educators Association and is on the editorial boards for TMEA and TMEC research journals, and Southwestern Musician.

Dr. Henry holds degrees from the University of Minnesota (PhD), the University of North Texas (MME), and Oklahoma Baptist University (BME). Prior to coming to Baylor, she taught at Malone University, Belmont University, and Wright Middle School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Workshops

Think, Listen, Sing! Building Smarter Sight-Singers - Music Education

Sight-singing takes more than a great voice—it also takes solid analysis skills and a knowledgeable ear. Analyzing and audiating are keys to successful sight-singing, but we can’t do it for our singers. In this clinic, you will discover strategies to help singers decode melodic material and anticipate the sounds before they sing. This process leads singers to find important content by isolating skills embedded in the music and encouraging them to recall the sound of each skill in their ears. When they can find it and hear it, they will be ready to sing it with confidence!

How to Know If They Are Good to Go: Sight-Reading Assessment Strategies - Music Education

Individual assessment is necessary but challenging to do in an ensemble setting, particularly when the majority of rehearsal time is spent on performance. The good news is that sight-reading—one of our most important educational goals—provides the perfect opportunity to assess individuals in our ensembles. In this clinic, you will encounter numerous strategies for informally and formally assessing in ensemble settings. In addition, a comprehensive system for assessing individuals over time and evaluating entire ensembles and programs will be shared.

Upping Your Game: Tips for Sight-Reading Success - Music Education

Whether veteran or novice teachers, we are constantly seeking and creating new ways to facilitate learning. We especially need fresh ideas and energy to keep sight-reading engaging and interesting. The ways in which we intentionally structure learning and respond to learners can make the difference in our singers’ sight-reading success. In this clinic, we will share tips for building good habits (for singers and teachers), the art of questioning, pitch strategies, rhythm strategies, individual accountability, and assessment—strategies that apply specifically to sight-reading instruction but also transfer easily to other types of learning in the choir classroom.