Endorsements

"Public School of Robeson County was excited to host Dr. Scott Watson for an Alfred In-Service music staff development.  The session he provided was a fantastic resource for our band directors.  He brought a wealth of experience to present and responded to needs our directors had.  Dr. Watson was able to relate to and appreciate the issues facing public school teachers.  He provided guidance and resources to help improve the teaching of our group.  His overall demeanor and enthusiasm for teaching is shown through in his work.  Dr. Watson's guidance would be a boon to any organization that utilizes him as a resource. 

Steven Taylor M.A.Ed., Arts Supervisor, Robeson County Schools

"Finally an in service day program for us!  Scott delivered useful information for both instrumental and vocal music in a clear and concise way.  The examples provided were of great use and I can't wait to try them out.  We all left the day invigorated and ready to take on the rest of the year.  Thanks to Scott for sharing all of this information, infused with humor and lots of interactive activities to really make us all feel a part of it.  I can't remember an in-service day going by so quickly.  We hope to have him back again soon!

Carl Sabatino, Band Director and Music Department Coordinator, Whippany Park High School, NJ

"Spending our [Hanover Park Regional Distirct, NJ] in-service day with Scott was a terrific experience! His presentations were both diverse in terms of content and chock-full of pragmatic strategies.  My colleagues and I left with practical, ready-to-implement techniques that will serve our students extremely well. Additionally, his positive perspective and enthusiasm was a reminder of how we can approach each day as we share our passion for music with our ensembles."

Peter Sciaino, Band Director, Whippany Park High School, NJ

“I've had the pleasure of working with Scott in various musical settings, and his ability to connect with people, whether they are students or seasoned musicians, is remarkable. Scott's dedication to teaching is evident in the way he engages with his students. He has an extraordinary ability to bring out the best in them, fostering a supportive and motivating environment that encourages growth and exploration. Working alongside Scott has been a rewarding experience, and I am continually amazed by his commitment to excellence in every aspect of his career.

If you have the chance to collaborate with Dr. Scott Watson, consider yourself fortunate. He is a rare talent whose influence extends far beyond the music itself, touching the hearts and minds of everyone he meets."

Keith Hodgson, Director, South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble, and
Assistant Professor of Music Education, University of the Arts (Philadelphia)

"Scott came to our school district and delivered a powerhouse, one-day inservice for every k-12 music teacher. He has so much material in his arsenal that he could have easily delivered a comprehensive workshop lasting an entire week, but he did a marvelous job honing his material into a one day event that provided something captivating for everyone in attendance.

We had teachers from every avenue of music education in attendance: general music teachers, string, band and choir directors, as well as theory and guitar teachers. Scott has wide range of experience in the many disciplines in music ed as well as the different age levels in the K-12 classroom. Because of his breadth of understanding in what it takes to effectively teach the menagerie that is music education, he was able to hone in on and deliver something pertinent for every teacher in attendance. In fact, Scott made it a point to get a survey of what the types of topics and questions every teacher in attendance would be most interested in learning for the day. And with that information, he synthesized a perfect one-day event for us all!

Scott was understanding and sympathetic to the teachers needs. But he was also comprehensive in the material he presented. The upbeat energy he exuded throughout the day was contagious and spurred a lot of positive participation. I wholeheartedly recommend Scott for your teacher in-service, educator’s symposium or conference."

Brian Horoho, K-12 Music Chair & Chori Director, Upper Merion area High School

"I flew across the country to take a week-long composition course taught by Dr. Scott Watson.  The course was very organized and well put together. It was a joy to attend class every day. More importantly, Dr. Watson took time out to review my compositions and give me suggestions. His insights were extremely thoughtful and professional.  His encouragement and belief in me have already begun to change the direction of my career.  Dr. Watson is that rare teacher who is able to connect and influence in an unforgettable way."

Kelly Dugger, M.M., RPT, Composer/Conductor (www.KellyDugger.com)

"Thank you so very much for leading the reading session at NEMC's 2019 Summer Music Education Workshop!  We heard from many of our attendees what a great job you did leading the reading session and how appreciative they were to hear the stories behind many of the compositions. I speak for our entire staff when I say that we could not have asked for a more well prepared, insightful, skilled and dedicated conductor to lead the session. Also, kudos on delivering an engaging and inspiring session on games and challenges to encourage instrumental students. I am sure that the teachers that attended will be putting many of your ideas into practice when they return to their classrooms. Bravo!"

Fred Pasqua, Educational Representative, NEMC 

"Scott proved to be an excellent clinician at the 2019 New Hampshire Music Educators spring conference.  Our college music education students filled his room for his session on selecting quality music. Veteran teachers were inspired by his session on Skyping with composers. Scott was truly unique in that his sessions were engaging for both pre-service teachers and experienced teachers. Scott was well prepared, articulate, approachable, kind, passionate and genuine. We were very happy to have him in New Hampshire. So often clinicians are unapproachable, or removed from real public school experiences. Scott is still actively teaching in public schools and was incredibly insightful and real. Most importantly, perhaps, he was kind and professional. Alfred has a gem of a clinician in Scott Watson."

Bunny Saranita, New Hampshire Band Director Association President-elect & Membership Chair

"It was our pleasure to host Dr. Scott Watson as a clinician at our 2018 [Mississippi State University] Band Director Workshop. Dr. Watson led a full day of clinic sessions and each of his presentations was filled with innovative and helpful teaching tips and techniques. One only needed to be around Scott for a short time to recognize his passion for teaching and his genuine interest in helping others in our profession.  As a veteran teacher, he has had a wealth of experience in a variety of musical settings and he enthusiastically and generously shared his expertise with us all.   

Dr. Elva Kaye Lance, Director of Bands, Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS) 

“Dr. Scott Watson is very knowledgeable in his subject area.  He is easy to work with and relates to teachers very well. His book, Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity, has helped our teachers advance their teaching skills to the next level.  Scott can tailor make the workshop for your individual needs; his extensive knowledge base is second to none.  Our teachers have made requests for him to return and share more of his knowledge in the future.”

Brad Oliver, Director of Arts Education, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, NC 

"I would just like to thank you for your presentations yesterday. The Penn State PCMEA board was absolutely thrilled that you were able to speak to all of us and you certainly did not disappoint. Your sessions were so engaging and interesting and truly made the day that much better. Technology is such an important part to our lives today...your sessions were very enlightening and useful as we all prepare to enter the workforce not too long from now. I remember turning to one of the other PCMEA board members during your first session and saying how glad I was that you were here sharing your expertise with us and how great it was to be learning from someone as distinguished and experienced as yourself."

Chris Ballentine, Event Organizer, Penn State PCMEA Chapter (October 2014)

"Scott, thanks again for your presentation to our music department! It was highly informative and provided a lot of useful tips and techniques to better utilize technology in our music courses across the K-12 curriculum. Especially helpful was the information on Web 2.0 and Blended learning. Our district is currently emphasizing these skills and the use of blended learning is actually part of our portfolio requirement. Your presentation gave us a number of great tools, resources, and examples of not only how to incorporate blended learning, but more importantly how we can maximize its benefit to teachers and students. I would recommend your presentation not only to music teachers, but to any teacher or district that wants to better teach students in a 21st century learning environment. Thank you again, I hope we are able bring you back again as a presenter."

Frank Felix, Music Department Leader, Nazareth Area School District, Nazareth, PA (September 2014)

"In August 2013, Dr. Scott Watson was a guest clinician for our music teachers in the Wilson School District, West Lawn, PA. The focus of the six hour workshop was current trends in music technology and the "Finale Top 10" list of most popular uses for the program. Our teachers were very impressed with Scott and his enthusiastic approach to the workshop. He was very patient and differentiated his teaching to the needs of the various technology backgrounds of the participants. We also appreciated his "real" stories about project-based activities and learning that may work best with various levels of students. Our teachers are excited to implement the various Finale tips that were covered during the workshop throughout the new school year. The Wilson Music Department will certainly request Dr. Watson as a future clinician to continue our growth in music technology education."

Donnasue Thompson, Music Department Co-Chair, Wilson School District, West Lawn, PA (August 2013)

"I feel this course was the best-organized and most informative music technology course I have taken in the past several years. The balance of the presentation of information with the opportunity to work on several individual projects to utilize and experiment with the tools and techniques presented was outstanding, and I now feel confident that I can successfully incorporate the use of GarageBand in my own classes at school."

Mike Buterbaugh, Choral Director and Keyboard Instructor, Schuylkill Valley High School, Leesport, PA (July 2013)

"Dear Scott, I'd like to thank you again for being a part of the MTEC2013 conference. Your engaging keynote speech was pitched perfectly for our audience of music teachers and was a fantastic opening for our 3-day event. Not only did you manage to inspire with real-life examples of what could be achieved through the use of technology in music education, you presented examples that were practical and achievable by 'regular' teachers.

The concepts in musical creativity covered in both your workshops and keynote speech were informative and practical and they reflected current trends in learning and the integration of technology. The delegate feedback about your hands-on workshops was top-notch and included the following comments (quoted!):

• Outstanding. Thoroughly engaging and again very practical.

• Ideas to immediately implement.

• Scott Watson is very engaging.

• Concepts were presented in a way which made me feel confident to go away and explore.

• Scott Watson's session was very comprehensive and useful.

• A range of excellent ideas and free resources.

• Well delivered, relevant to topic.

• Loads of great suggestions from Scott!!

Thank you once again for your professionalism and friendly demeanor. It was a pleasure to work with you during MTEC 2013 and I hope our paths cross again someday."

Katie Wardrobe, Project Manager, Music Technology in Education Conference 2013 (Melbourne, Australia)

"PMEA District 7 invited Dr. Scott Watson to give the keynote address plus two additional sessions at our annual Professional Development Day. The most consistent comment of the day was "I wish we would have had an entire day just with Dr. Watson." His real-life applications and project-based learning strategies are timely and consistent with today's classroom needs. He is able to demonstrate a combination of new technology with creative thinking skills in order to promote student learning and creativity. Every teacher left with projects, tips, and resources that can be used immediately in the classroom."

Amanda Narehood, PMEA District 7 Professional Development Chair & Cocalico School District (October 2012)

"I'd like to personally thank you for the very informative educational events you presented at our in-services this year. Even though you have held these workshops before for us in the past, we always walk away learning something new and useful. Our department had been looking forward to your visit for weeks and you surely didn't disappoint. As the school year continues, we feel confident that we will have something new to try with our students. Thank you again for helping our department. We hope you know how much we appreciate your instruction."

Sincerely, Mark S. Jonkman (Music Department Coordinator, Retired), Northampton Area School District (February 2011)

"Scott Watson is one of our best technology instructors receiving high marks from students, colleagues, and administrators alike. His courses consistently fill and his instruction earns the highest ratings. He is prepared, knowledgeable and patient with his students."

George Pinchock, Director, Villanova University Summer Music Studies Program (February, 2011)

"Scott Watson is equally at home as a workshop clinician and as an author, presenting thoughtful, engaging, and up-to-date ideas in a compelling fashion in spoken and written word alike. I admire in particular the great amount of positive energy his brings to his presentations and publications. He wears his expertise well, empowering music educators of all walks to try out new ideas."

Norm Hirschy, Editor, Oxford University Press (Spring, 2011)

"Dr. Watson's approach to composition is innovative yet practical. I believe teachers will find that his pedagogy is not only accessible to students, but also stimulating to their creativity and musicianship. I have observed him use his techniques with students and can attest to their effectiveness. 

[From back cover of Watson's book, Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity (Oxford University Press).]

Linda Thornton, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Music Education, The Pennsylvania State University (Fall, 2010)

"Scott Watson presented a lecture, “Unlocking Creativity with Technology,” to the Berks County music teachers at an in-service session at the Berks County Intermediate Unit….there was a wealth of information for which I'm sure many participants envisioned using personally to enhance instruction or with students, to further their own understanding of composition and theory. His examples were vivid and compelling - he skillfully set the scene for us to understand many of the situations surrounding the assignments and provided memorable vignettes about the students that all could relate to. I like the way he varied it with examples and stories while maintaining a close connection with the audience by posing questions, using interactive techniques, and surveying for feedback. He has a lot of energy and enthusiasm - it is obvious that he is passionate not only about teaching music but also about finding new ways to incorporate technology into the music curriculum. I certainly hope that we can have him back again one day, either in the same capacity or perhaps in a small group situation in my home district."

Leslie R. Deatrich, Vocal/General Music Teacher, Muhlenberg School District, Lecturer, Albright College (October 25, 2009)

"Why take a music technology workshop with Dr. Scott Watson? Good question, and I'm glad you asked. Let me explain it this way. In my family we like to get together often and there is always plenty of food. When I host, I am fond of saying "If you leave the table hungry, it's your own fault." Well, a workshop with Scott is the same - if you leave without having learned a new technique or a new teaching strategy, you weren't paying attention!"

Doug Bolasky, Music Department Chair, Southern Lehigh School District (December, 2009)