This session provides music teachers with practical strategies for incorporating historically marginalized and culturally diverse music into band repertoire cycles that cultivate inclusive, student-centered learning. Participants will explore techniques for selecting diverse repertoire, designing lesson concepts, and implementing rehearsal strategies. Attendees will gain actionable ideas to enrich their next rehearsal and engage students in meaningful learning experiences.
Tonia Asel Kaufman is the band director at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She proudly serves as a National Association of Music Education (NAfME) Equity Committee member, an Institute for Composer Diversity Wind Band Co-coordinator, the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Coordinator, and the Mission Independent Percussion Ensemble Director. She was recently selected to be a member of the Phase 2 Cohort for the National Coalition for Arts Standards (NCAS) “Creating a Community for All Learners: Reimagining Standards-Based Arts Education for Equity & Inclusion” project focused on the reassessment of the National Arts Standards through the lens of culturally responsive teaching and student-centered instruction. She also is the PMEA District 11 Vice-President and a PMEA Mentor Teacher.
She was awarded a 2014 PMEA Citation of Teaching Excellence and recognized as a Colonial School District Master Teacher. Serving in a variety of additional roles, she has been an adjunct professor of music education, teacher leader, music arranger, visual designer, jazz adjudicator, and nonprofit board member. Kaufman has conducted various ensembles on the American Music Abroad Bronze Tour to Europe. She served as Cavalcade Indoor Association Board Member for 2 years, Cavalcade of Bands secretary for 2 years, and the Cavalcade Jazz Chairperson/Liaison for 11 years. She has presented sessions at the NAfME Eastern Division Conference, PMEA Annual In-Service Conference, PMEA Summer Virtual Conference, Maryland MEA Fall In-service Conference, PCMEA Region Virtual Colloquium, the Key of She Jazz Conference, and at several universities. She has been a guest conductor in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Kaufman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and Music Performance from Slippery Rock University and a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from Temple University. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student in Music Education with a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management at Temple University. She also maintains National Board Certification in EA/YA Music, and is a life coach. She loves teaching music and uses it as a vehicle to promote kindness and decency toward others.
