Dr. Liza Meyers
Assistant Professor of Music Education Office: 0347 - Doudna Fine Arts CenterPhone: 217-581-6657
Email: lmeyers@eiu.edu
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Liza Meyers serves as Assistant Professor of Vocal/General Music Education at Eastern Illinois University where she teaches undergraduate and masters courses, supervises student teachers, and is co-coordinator of the Music Education masters program. Dr. Meyers is dedicated to her students, takes pride in her teaching, and enjoys helping both pre-service and in-service music teachers experience the joy of music and children.
Prior to her appointment at Eastern Illinois, Dr. Meyers was Visiting Assistant Professor at Miami University in Ohio and taught as an adjunct instructor at Adelphi University in New York. Dr. Meyers holds both Orff and Kodály certifications, studied at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary, and has taught musicianship and pedagogy since 2005 in graduate-level Kodály certification courses in AZ, KY, AL, AR, and MO. Through a Japan Fulbright Scholarship, she studied music, education, and culture in Tokyo and Shiogama, Japan, spending time in local schools there.
With 19 years of public school and community music school teaching experience, Dr. Meyers has worked with babies and preschool music classes, general music, choir, and music technology students in OH, AZ and NY. She has taught in rural, suburban, and urban settings, most recently in a charter school in the Lower East side of Manhattan. Dr. Meyers enjoys national prominence as a clinician and pedagogue frequently presenting workshops and in-services for school districts and professional organizations on topics such sight-singing in a choral setting, world music, creative movement, Kodály and Orff in the music classroom, and arts integration. Dr. Meyers currently serves as Treasurer for the Central Illinois Kodály Educators state affiliate chapter for the Organization of Kodály Educators, and was previously the Western Division President, as well as National Program Chair for the 2012 national conference in Phoenix, AZ among other leadership positions.
Dr. Meyers has been an author for Heritage Music Press, a division of Lorenz Corporation. Dr. Meyers’ areas of research interest include pre-service music teacher development and gender in music education topics. She has presented findings from her research at conferences including the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE) conferences, and the Mountain Lake Colloquium for Teachers of General Music Methods.
Education & Training
DMA Arizona State University
MM Arizona State University
BM Capital University Conservatory of Music
Conference Presentations
Selected Professional Presentations
Meyers, L. L. (April 1, 2023). One, Two, Three, Come Sing and Play with Me. (3 to 5-hour Saturday workshop). Saint Louis Area Kodály Educators (SLAKE), state affiliate of the Organization of American Kodály Educators
Meyers, L. L., Gallagher, E., & Ammon, T. (2022, November). Classroom management and planning for inclusive classrooms. (2-hour presentation) Cleveland Municipal School District music teachers’ professional development session, Beck Center for the Arts, Cleveland, OH
Meyers, L. L. (2022, September). Strategies for facing post pandemic challenges in Arts classrooms. (1-hour virtual workshop). Fine Arts teacher professional development session, Beck Center for the Arts, Cleveland, OH
Meyers, L. L. (2022, January). Games that Teach and Groovin' Feet, Illinois Music Educators Conference Workshop, Peoria, Illinois.
*Meyers, L. L. (2021, November). Music for all: Adaptations for more inclusive music classes in schools, Illinois Music Education Association District 5 Festival Workshop, Belleville West High School, Belleville, Illinois.
*Meyers, L. L. (2021, October). Kodály and Orff: A perfect pairing. Joint workshop for the Central Illinois Kodály Educators and the Collegiate Alliance for Active Music Making, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois
*Meyers, L. L. (2021, September). Kodály here, there, and everywhere: Joyful activities for a variety of settings. (3-hour virtual workshop). Arizona Kodály Teachers Society, Tempe, Arizona.
Meyers, L. L. (2021, January). Interactive Kodály activities for early elementary in virtual/hybrid formats. (3-hour virtual workshop). Las Vegas Urban Chapter of Kodály Educators, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Meyers, L. L. (2020, September). Scarves and puppets and kids: Introduction to Kodály Method. Collegiate Chapter of the National Association for Music Education, Miami University, Oxford OH
Meyers, L. L. (2020, January). Oni, Taiko, and mochi, oh, my. Illinois Music Educators Conference (IMEC), Peoria, IL
Meyers, L. L. (2020, January). Creative movement, improvisation, and composition: Giving early elementary students voice in the music classroom. Illinois Music Educators Conference (IMEC), Peoria, IL
*Meyers, L. L. (2020, March). Taiko Bucket Drumming for kids. One of three featured clinicians, District 5 Elementary General Music Festival. (all day festival with 3rd-5th grade children), Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL
Meyers, L. L. (May 2019). Invited guest speaker, Women in Music Speaker Series, Tau Beta Sigma Chapter, Miami University, Oxford, OH
Hammel, A., Forward, C., & Meyers, L. L. (March 2019). Educating the teachers of teachers: New initiatives for education round table, Summer course musicianship instructors and directors surveys results, Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) National Conference, Columbus, OH
Meyers, L. L. (March 2019). Kodály meets Orff: Applying the best of both worlds for learning and creating. (5-hour Saturday workshop), Regional Organization of Colorado Kodály Educators (ROCKE), Fort Collins, CO
Meyers, L. L. (March 2019). Taiko, Sing, Dance, and Play the Japanese Way, Organization of American Kodály Educators National Conference, Columbus, OH
Meyers, L. L. (November 2018). Engaging ideas for young musicians: Applying Kodály and Orff ideas to applied music lessons, Collegiate Chapter of Music Teachers National Conference, Miami University, Oxford, OH
Meyers L. L. (April 2017). Sight-singing and ear-training games and activities for the choral classroom. (4-hour Saturday workshop), Kentucky Association of Kodály Educators, Louisville, KY
Meyers, L. L. (September 2017). Women doctoral students in Music Education. Symposium for Music Teacher Education research poster session, Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE), Minneapolis, MN
Frequently Taught Courses
Courses Undergraduate:
MUS 3440 Methods and Materials of Vocal and General Music
MUS 3420 Music in Elementary Schools
MUS 2444 Contemporary Topics in Secondary General Music
MUS 2443 Choral Methods
MUS 2441 Introduction to Elementary General Music Methods
MUS 1312 Class Instruction in World and Classroom Percussion
Courses Graduate:
MUS 5900 Research Project
MUS 5101 Research Methods for Music Education
MUS 5700 History and Philosophy of Music Education
MUS 5701 Psychology of Music Teaching and Learning
Professional Affiliations