top of page
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Spotify
  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Yelp!

Uplevel U: Music's 2024 In Review, But What’s Next?

Writer's picture: Music RoomMusic Room

Updated: Jan 13

Uplevel U: Music logo








Uplevel U: Music had a very productive year.  The objective of 2024 for Uplevel U: Music was expansion in all of the ways it needed; in course selection, the creation of ways to find out more information about each course beyond mere descriptions, and in marketing.  


The Courses Released in 2024


One of the courses that was released this past year was “Teaching Drums for the Non-Drummer”, which is meant for the band and general music teacher that recognizes the need for stronger percussion players, but lacked the training and confidence to bring them to that standard.  


The next, which was a tremendous project, was “Growth Mindset for Music Teachers”.  This course, at a whopping 11 PD hours, is a deep dive into the world of growth mindset from the perspective of the music or other performing arts teacher.  It takes the participant through what it is, helps them examine where it is working in their personal lives and in their career lives.  Using strategies backed by copious research, the participant is guided through numerous exercises to help strengthen a growth mindset in themselves, as a way to help implement it into their teaching.  The main objective is to help students become products of this improvement through their music teachers.  


Lastly, the newest release was “Improvisation in the Performing Arts”.  Course participants are given a method to help their own improvisation skills, and it is one that is simple and streamlined enough for intermediate-aged students to begin.  One of the primary objectives is to help teachers implement improvisation instruction into more than just jazz ensembles, and to help with its consistent use and routine to help students become more confident in the skill.  



Expanding Uplevel U: Music’s Reach in 2024


Any important project can be worth its weight in gold and platinum, but its worth is nothing unless people know about it.  Uplevel U: Music built up and completed its marketing strategy throughout the year, and was finally able to launch it in November.  The two main components of this is through social media and other online platforms, and through an ever-growing email list for outreach.


Since Uplevel U: Music is an online platform itself, it only makes sense that its presence online be strengthened first.  We added our Blog, which releases an article about twice a month now.  The topics support hot issues in music education, and information related to courses that will be released soon.  Working alongside the blog is a podcast that is simply called the Uplevel U: Music podcast, which releases an episode on the blog’s “off weeks”.  The addition of the podcast in Karen (Kay) Janiszewski’s own voice is a great way for future course participants to get a feel for the individual that does the majority of instruction at this time.  


Social media presence has also strengthened.  The Music Room / Uplevel U: Music Facebook Page has posts almost daily, which brings the studio to life online, shows credibility of the diverse instruction that Mrs. Janiszewski does each day and helps showcase her program as a vibrant community.  For those that prefer to keep the news of Uplevel U: Music separate, the Uplevel U: Music Facebook Group is updated a few times a week with blog and podcast updates, new course releases and promotions, and other relevant bits and bites related to music and performing arts PD.  


The other massive project currently taking place is the building of the initial email list.  Music teachers across the county are or will be receiving two emails telling them briefly what Uplevel U: Music is and how it can help them.  While the method is indeed cold outreach, months of research and planning have helped each detail of the method to be as ethical, non-intrusive and as helpful as possible.  


When teachers receive this email (and possibly one follow-up), they are offered the link to an Interactive Catalog.  The catalog is a live document that is updated whenever there is something new added to Uplevel U: Music.  The catalog has helpful links, descriptions, objectives and the base price of each course.  Teachers are told not to download it, but rather to bookmark it, so that each time it is viewed, it is the most current version.  



Music Room passion logo
Music Room's logo that projects the same ideology into Uplevel U: Music


Now that 2024 is Almost Complete, What's Next for Uplevel U: Music in 2025?


Next year for Uplevel U: Music is looking like an exciting year.  The marketing project will be in full swing again after the holidays, with thousands of teachers in line to receive the emails offering the interactive catalog.  The number may be in the tens of thousands before the end of 2025.  


The blog and podcast will be updated as usual, and updates will continue on Facebook and Instagram.  Additional ideas will be considered as the funds become available.  Fortunately, now that the marketing systems are in place, more time and energy can be allocated to what Upevel U: Music is all about: the courses.


What Courses Are In the Works for 2025?


2025 will be about filling in the gaps.  As more market research about performing arts programs around the USA continues, the more the need for other courses that help different areas of performing arts is noticed.  Theater, orchestra and dance programs are not so rare in different states and cities, and it is quite possible that the teachers for these programs have fewer PD resources than general, band and choral teachers.  The need has been noticed.


In the works is a course to help the pedagogy of orchestral string technique, two different theater courses, and two dance courses.  This is only the beginning, and the courses will be released in no particular order as of now.  There are a few general music courses in the works as well.  The lengths of most courses will average 3 or 4 PD hours, and a few may be considered a “mini-course”, which will be low-cost courses worth 2 PD hours or less.  The podcast episode that was just released on the same “Year-In-Review” topic also states that two of these courses will continue the efforts to implement improvisation instruction in other settings, including theater and general music, so these courses may be slated for 2025 also.  


So What Can We Really Look Forward To?


The goal for the number of course releases is six total.  This past year had a substantial amount of time dedicated to marketing development and the “Growth Mindset for Music Teachers” course, which means that more time is available for course development in 2025.  It is safe to say that by this time next year, performing arts teachers will have much more variety in coursework to choose from!  


Start with the Interactive Catalog and share it with your colleagues.  Get into conversations about how worthwhile professional development from your pajamas, in bed, on your phone, while eating snacks is going to be.  Help us with our goal of making Uplevel U: Music the #1 go-to strategy for professional development among all performing arts teachers all around the world!



Karen Janiszewski profile picture

This article was written by Music Room/Uplevel U: Music's owner and creator, Karen (Kay) Janiszewski.



Recently mentioned in publications quotes

7 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page