Ashley Danyew

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Announcing the 2020 Summer Session

Last week marked the end of the school year (and 12 weeks of online teaching) and the start of something new. A simpler schedule, a slower pace, a season to plan and prepare for what’s next.

What is next?

For many of us, there’s still a lot of uncertainty about what the next few months will hold. Will we return to in-person teaching? Will schools and churches reopen? Will it be safe to sing together, play together, be together?

We don’t have the answers just yet. But what we do have is an opportunity to plan and prepare. 

We’ve learned what it’s like to move all our teaching online these past few months — we’ve developed new technical skills, adapted our teaching strategies, and embraced the imperfections and unexpected benefits of this new teaching space. 

How can we make this experience even better for our students if we’re asked to continue teaching online next year? Or, how can we be prepared and ready to return to in-person teaching?



Whether you’re used to working on professional development, attending a conference, learning a new skill, or getting a head-start on your planning for next year, this summer already looks a little different than normal. Events have been cancelled, trips have been postponed, and many of us find ourselves (still) staying home.

So, I decided to do something new: I'm teaching an online Summer 2020 Session for church musicians and music educators.

Curate your own learning experience by selecting from a range of online seminars, mini-courses, and full courses on a variety of topics — all designed to help you lead, teach, and inspire others with creativity and confidence. Certificates are available upon request at the completion of each seminar or course. 

All courses and seminars will be taught asynchronously, meaning you can start whenever you’re ready and work at your own pace. I'll be setting aside weekly office hours inside the course platform to answer your questions and share ideas and suggestions.

Enrollment is officially open! The early-bird registration deadline is June 17. See below for a list of this year’s offerings (and early-bird offers!).

Hope to “see” you this summer!


NEW! 2020 Seminars ($29)

for children's choir directors


45-minute online seminars (from Directing a Church Children's Choir 101) with built-in workshop time for you to put what you’re learning into practice. 

Each seminar includes 2-3 in-depth lesson videos on the given topic and a collection of PDF worksheets with notes, resource links, and templates.

Early-Bird Discount: Save 15% on any seminar with code SUMMER through 6/17


Mini-Courses ($79)

for church music directors


2-hour online mini-courses designed to help you develop the essential leadership skills and teaching strategies you need to direct and lead your choir with creativity and confidence.

Early-Bird Discount: Save $10 on any mini-course with code DIRECTOR through 6/17

Great launching pad for those starting a new choir as well as some great reminders and insightful ideas for the more experienced director.”


Full Courses ($159+)

for children's choir directors & music educators


It was far above my expectations. I felt like we were taught every step we need to take to plan, prepare for and create a successful children’s choir.”

Directing a Church Children’s Choir 101 — A 4-week (or work-at-your-own-pace) online training course for children’s choir directors in church settings. Available in three levels:

  • Premium - video and audio lessons + a bonus module

  • Essentials - video and audio lessons

  • Lite - audio lessons only

Early-Bird Discount: Save $20 on any level with code SINGING through 6/17


The Art of Music Teaching & Learning: Summer Edition — An 8-week (or work-at-your-own-pace) online course for music educators in all types of settings.

This course is designed to help you refine and cultivate your teaching skills by developing a deeper understanding of teaching and learning processes, learning goals and assessment, and creative curriculum design.

Registration for this course will be open through 6/30.

I’m much more conscious about the kind of teacher I want to be, and I’ll surely come back to this course’s tools to guide my approach, the materials I use to teach, the way I’ll fairly assess student’s progress and my own.”


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