GENERAL MUSIC INFORMATION

Meet your new General Music Chair - Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry

The 2011-2012 school year will be Alexis' tenth year teaching music in Rutherford County. She has taught 6th-8th grade general music and choir at Siegel Middle for nine years and spent a year teaching in interim music positions at Kittrel K-8, and LaVergne Primary PK-2. Alexis has completed Orff-Schulwerk training Level I (Belmont) and Level II (Memphis).

Alexis is currently attending MTSU in pursuit of her master's degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Education with a scheduled graduation date of May 2011. Alexis graduated from the school of music at MTSU in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in music education and received certification to teach K-12 Instrumental Music and K-12 Vocal/General Music. In 1999 Alexis was a front ensemble member of the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps and was also awarded the first place in the PAS college marimba competition in Columbus, OH. Alexis also marched with Music City Mystique Independent Winter Drumline in 1995 and 1996. During the summer of 1996 Alexis toured Europe with the Sound of America as a member of the percussion section. In 2010 Alexis was inducted into the National Music Honor Society Pi Kappa Lambda which is associated with the Association of College Honor Societies.

Alexis has been awarded the Tennessee Association of Middle Schools (TAMS) Team Teacher of the Year and was voted by the faculty as the 2007-2008 Teacher of the Year for Siegel Middle and was then named as the Rutherford County Teacher of the Year for the Middle School Level. Alexis has had the honor to present many workshop sessions including a “Drumming Across The Music Disciplines” as an interlude session at the 2009 Tennessee Arts Academy, “Music of the Maasai” during the 2010 RCS Language Arts Middle Level Summit, and two“Music and Technology” sessions for K-12 music educators during the 2010 RCS Technology Academy. Recently, Alexis was invited to be the guest clinician for the Decatur City Schools honor choir in Decatur, Alabama. Alexis is excited to have been asked back a presenter for an Interlude session at the 2011 TN Arts Academy as well as a presenter at the RCS “It Adds Up” differentiated instruction workshop.

The choirs at Siegel Middle school have received ratings of Superior in performance and sight reading in local and out of state choral festivals. Each year many Siegel Middle choir members are selected for local and state honor choirs. Alexis is excited to serve as the event chair for the 2011 TN Treble Honor Choir, as well as the 2010-2011 and the 2011-2012 event chair for MTVA Mass Choir.

Alexis is also a trained Yoga teacher and enjoys giving free yoga classes to the faculty and staff at Siegel Middle as well as sharing Yoga with the gym students when she collaborates with the P.E. department.