Joanne May ha sido profesora de Educación Musical y directora de las orquestas de la Universidad de Elmhurst (Illinois), donde fundó el Elmhurst University World Music Festival, colaboró en la creación del curso String Improvisation for Educators, asesoró en la contratación de cuatro nuevos profesores de cuerda del departamento y formó parte de varios comités, incluida la redacción del plan de estudios del Grado de Interpretación Musical de la Universidad. Dirigió la Elmhurst University Philharmonic, con conciertos en la Illinois Music Education Conference y en el Millennium Park de Chicago para el Chicago World Music Festival, y desarrolló y realizó giras con la orquesta con conciertos anuales en varios estados de EE.UU. Antes de enseñar en la Elmhurst University, May enseñó durante 33 años en distintas escuelas públicas, en las que impartió clases de instrumentos cuerda, orquesta, grupos y música en general.
Alumna de Paul Rolland durante tres años como estudiante de grado en la University of Illinois, May ha incorporado la Pedagogía Rolland a todas las áreas de su enseñanza. Ha presentado la Pedagogía Rolland en varios congresos nacionales e internacionales y actualmente es miembro del Rolland Certification Planning Committee y tesorera de la Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Society. Durante dos años fue codirectora del University of Illinois Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Workshop y ha redactado el plan de estudios e impartido los cursos de Rolland Presenter y Mentor Training. May ha recibido varios premios por su labor docente, entre ellos el Mary Hoffman Award for Teaching Excellence de la Illinois Music Educators Association, el Educator of the Year y el Distinguished Service Award de la Illinois American String Teachers Association, y el Teacher Recognition Award del Presidential Scholar Program en Washington D.C. por el Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos. Ha sido presidenta del Orchestra Council Chair de la National Association for Music Education y participa regularmente en congresos estatales, nacionales e internacionales.
May es autora del libro Music for Homeschoolers, editora del String Teacher's Cookbook, Creative Recipes for a Successful Program, y pronto publicará Skills, Scales, and Tunes, Developing String Technique with Paul Rolland Pedagogy.
Joanne May, retired Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of Orchestras at Elmhurst University in Illinois, founded the annual Elmhurst University World Music Festival, assisted in writing the course String Improvisation for Educators, helped to hire four new string faculty members to the department, and sat on several committees including the writing of the Music Performance degree curriculum for the University. She conducted the Elmhurst University Philharmonic for performances at the Illinois Music Education Conference and in Chicago’s Millennium Park for the Chicago World Music Festival, and she developed and toured with the orchestra for annual performances in several states in the U.S. Prior to teaching at Elmhurst University, May retired after 33 years of public school teaching of string classes, orchestra, band, and general music.
A student of Paul Rolland for three years as an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois, May has incorporated Rolland pedagogy into all areas of her teaching. She has presented on Rolland pedagogy at several national and international conferences and is currently a member of the Rolland Certification Planning Committee and Treasurer of the Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Society. For two years she was co- director of the annual University of Illinois Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Workshop and has written curriculum for and taught Rolland Presenter and Mentor Training courses. May received various awards for teaching, including the Mary Hoffman Award for Teaching Excellence by Illinois Music Educators Association, Educator of the Year and Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois American String Teacher’s Association, and Teacher Recognition Award for the Presidential Scholar Program in Washington, D.C. by the U.S. Department of Education. She is past national Orchestra Council Chair of the National Association for Music Education, and presents regularly at state, national, and international conferences.
May’s is author of the book Music for Homeschoolers, editor of String Teacher’s Cookbook, Creative Recipes for a Successful Program, and she will soon be releasing Skills, Scales, and Tunes, Developing String Technique with Paul Rolland Pedagogy.
