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Welcome to the webpage for the award-winning Woodrow Wilson All-Star Choir and the recognized music program at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School,a TEA Exemplary Campus for the current year. The choir was established in 1987 and is an auditioned vocal ensemble made up of 4th and 5th graders. The Woodrow Wilson music program is based on the music philosophy of Hungarian educator and composer Zoltán Kodály. Activities, songs and specific music skills are sequenced from K-5th grade according to the National Standards, Texas TEKS, and Denton ISD music curriculum document. All students in K-5th grade receive music instruction at least once a week from

nationally-certified music specialist Cecile Johnson. 5^th graders also have an additional opportunity to select orchestra as a beginning instrumental experience. Orchestra meets on the Woodrow Wilson campus twice a week and precludes students from taking regular art or general music class at that time. Orchestra students however can meet their fine arts requirements by selecting choir or art club during the enrichment time allotted at the end of the school day in addition to the orchestra class. All students have an opportunity to perform on the holiday concerts in December and grade level programs are scheduled annually for grades 2, 4 and the All-Star Choir. Please check this page and the choir/school calendar periodically to find out what musical concerts and programs are being performed at our school.

or e-mail Mrs. Johnson at

cjohnson2@dentonisd.org

Cogratulations to the Woodrow Wilson All-Star Choir. This ensemble has been designated a TMEA Elementary Honor Choir for the thrid time (1999 and 2005 and 2010-2011) and recently won Division I trophies at the Sandy Lake Choir Festival. THe All-Star Choir has commissioned more than 30 compositions for treble choir and will premiere a new work at the TMEA Convention ,  a piece entitled Bandy Rowe arranged by Melissa Roth. We are looking forward to our 25th year of music-making here at Woodrow Wilson. Come join us as we celebrate !

Cecile Johnson

{Cecile Johnson}

Cecile Johnson has been the elementary music specialist at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Denton, Texas since 1987 and was voted the school's Teacher of the Year for 2000-2001 and 2004-2005 and recently won the prestigious Robert M Estes Award for Excellence in Fine Arts Education. She is the founder and director of the school's All-Star Choir and currently serves as President of Southern Division of the Organization of American Kodály Educators and was the the National Program Chair for the OAKE 2010 NATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN DALLAS, MARCH 18-21,2010. She is a Past-President of KET (Kodaly Educators of Texas). Mrs. Johnson received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Lowell in Massachusetts and her Master of Music degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She completed her national Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) Certification in Kodály Studies at the University of North Texas. She has published articles for the Music Educators Journal, Music K-8 Magazine, The TMEC/MENC Connection and The Kodály Educators of Texas Educators of Texas Encounter Newsletter. She has been a frequent clinician for the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Denton Association for the Education of Young Children, Houston Association for the Education of Young Children, the Denton Independent School District and many other Texas school districts. She was a member of the first TEA Fine Arts training cadre and presented sessions on "Assessment Strategies in Music" last summer. She has also been an adjudicator for the Sandy Lake Choir Fun-Fest in Dallas and guest conductor for various elementary choir festivals. Mrs. Johnson presents workshops on such topics as "Motivation in the Music Classroom," "the Music/Reading Connection," the "Use of Children's Literature in the Music Classroom," Commissioning New Works for Children's Choir," Children's Singing Games That Solicit Solo Responses," "Passing Games," "Authentic Performance Assessment Strategies," and "Musical Transitions and Extensions in the Kodály-Inspired Classroom." She recently presented sessions in Denver on "Meeting and Greeting Songs" and "Sequencing Movement Activities in the Music Classroom."The Woodrow Wilson All-star Choir founded in 1987 by Mrs. Johnson has received several awards as an innovative group for commissioning more than 30 new works for children's choir with grant monies provided by the school's PTA. In 1998-1999, The All-Star Choir was designated the State of Texas TMEA Elementary Honor Choir and was invited to perform at the TMEA Convention in San Antonio. The choir returned with this honor in 2005 and will sing an unprecedented 3rd time at TMEA as an honored single elementary school choir. Mrs. Johnson has been recognized as a Nationally Registered Music Educator by the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and holds professional affiliations with the Organization of American Kodály Educators  Music Educators National Conference, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Music Educators Conference. She most recently had  articles published in the TMEA Southwestern Musician entitled "Nurturing the Natural Instrument." and "Commissioning Works for the Elementary Treble Choir"  highlighting the Woodrow Wilson All-Star Choir commissioning project.

Email the Director cjohnson2@dentonisd.org

ABOUT OUR ACCOMPANIST

Julie Nelson, our Woodrow Wilson All-Star Choir accompanist was raised in Denton and went to Woodrow Wilson 3rd grade. She graduated from Denton High School and Texas Woman's University with a B.S. in piano performance. She is an active member of the Denton Music Teachers' Association and accompanies the Denton Community Chorus. Mrs. Nelson is also the church pianist for Trinity Presbyterian Church in Flower Mound. She is a private piano teacher locally and accompanies for many vocal/instrumental studios. A past staff accompanist for TWU Chorus and Denton High School Choirs, Mrs. Nelson also accompanied last year at Strickland, Calhoun and McMath Middle Schools. Also active as a rehearsal accompanist for productions of Always Patsy Cline (Denton Community Theatre) The Town That Wouldn't Wake Up (Pied Pipers) Les Miserables (Denton High School)Annie Get Your Gun (Decatur High School) Pirates of Penzance (Music Theatre of Denton) and HMS Pinafore (Denton Light Opera). Mrs. Johnson and the WW All-Star Choir singers are thrilled to have Mrs. Nelson working with us again this year.