Music Department Meets with Calida Jones to Discuss Anti-Racism in Music Education
The Dalton Middle and High School music department met with facilitator Calida Jones, a specialist who studies anti-racism in music education on May 5. The group met to discuss topics including how the tenets of white supremacy show up in traditional music education, responsive approaches of supporting students, and locating micro/macroagressions in the music classroom.
A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Bachelors of Fine Arts in Violin Performance), Jones received her Masters in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from The Hartt School of Music.
Jones’ long list of career accolades includes a scholar fellowship at the Aspen Festival of Ideas, The Elizabeth Mahaffey Fellowship, a Grammy nomination for the Music Educator Excellence Award, the Father Thomas H. Dwyer Humanitarian Award for her work in Waterbury, Connecticut, and the 2018 CT Arts Hero Award in Waterbury, CT. In addition, Jones chairs the Racial Diversity and Cultural Understanding Committee at El Sistema USA.
Story submitted by Dalton Music Department Co-Chair and MS/HSPercussion Teacher Bill Solomon