WEP 239: Publishing Students Through Creative Collaborations an Interview with Donnie Sorah

This is the Wired Educator podcast Episode 239, my interview with Donnie, Sorah titled “Publishing Students Through Creative Collaborations."

Donnie is a  musician, educator, composer, and an associate professor of music at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. He’s amazing and he’s going to share his story as well as inspire us all to publish students’ work in powerful and unique ways to enhance their voice, build connection and provide the best learning experience possible. This episode is perfect for teachers in any content are, teaching any age, educational leaders and YOU! 

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Dr. Donald Sorah, Associate Professor of Music at The University of Virginia's College at Wise, boasts a diverse teaching portfolio encompassing applied high brass, conducting, music technology, composition, orchestration, and various other courses. As an Apple Distinguished Educator and recipient of the Outstanding Use of Technology in the Classroom Award (May 2022), Dr. Sorah actively supports students and colleagues as an Apple Learning Coach at UVA Wise, an Apple Distinguished School.

Under his guidance, the college achieved initial accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music in 2019. Beyond UVA Wise, Dr. Sorah has served as Associate Adjunct Instructor at Mountain Empire Community College since 1999 and previously taught at J.J. Kelly High School and L.F. Addington Middle School in Wise, Virginia.

As the Associate Director of the Spirit of America National Honor Band, he conducted and performed as a trumpet soloist across Europe. He co-founded the Guayaquil Summer Music Academy in Ecuador, where he engaged in performances, lectures, and trumpet instruction. Recent teaching and research ventures have taken him to Chile and Spain.

Sorah is a member of the Symphony of the Mountains and the Johnson City Symphony. In 2006, he founded the Winds of the Mountain Empire, a regional wind ensemble comprised mainly of music educators and is a champion for new works, presenting numerous premieres and commissions.

As a prolific composer, Dr. Sorah has crafted works for various ensembles, including piano, organ, chamber groups, wind ensemble, and orchestra. His compositions have been performed by The University of Louisville Symphonic Band, University of Florida Symphonic Band, Nicholls State University Symphonic Band, and Madison Concert Band. Most recently, his orchestral work Rhapsody on In the Bleak Midwinter was featured at the 2023 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.

As an advocate for proving free high-quality educational resources for his students he has published four books on Apple Books including Composing with Found Sounds in GarageBand, Everyone Can Create Music With iPad Curriculum Guide, Book of Rhythms and Melodies Vol. 1, and Book of Rhythms and Melodies Vol. 2. Under his leadership, students in his music appreciation course published five introductory books covering eras of classical music.

Dr. Sorah earned his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Music Education from The Florida State University and holds master's and bachelor's degrees from Morehead State University (KY). He resides in Wise, Virginia, with his wife Kelly, son Brennan, and dog Roamer.

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Mentioned in this Episode: 

• Donald W. Sorah, Ph.D. Musician • Educator • Composer, Associate Professor of Music, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise,  Distinguished Educator
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DonaldSorah
• Twitter/X: dsorah
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dsorah/
• SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/KHjRp
• ADE Application Video - https://youtu.be/a_1dYkdXJJ8?si=MKOko9rtAxZBhWns
• Institute Reflections (presented to UVA Wise Administration) - https://youtu.be/p7etYKV_hqg?si=A90EG05O7vQqHTRz
• Year in Review Video - https://youtu.be/CjCbBa0XiIY?si=3peCrTY-4r1rZolA
• Donnie's Everyone Can Create Music With iPad course - https://youtu.be/QTrmauafu3k?si=dQndZtrVSozrFjKk
• Donnie's Apple Books
  • Composing with Found Sounds in GarageBand - https://books.apple.com/us/book/composing-with-found-sounds-in-garageband/id6446335882
  • Everyone Can Create Music With iPad Curriculum Guide - https://books.apple.com/us/book/everyone-can-create-music-with-ipad-curriculum-guide/id6469569998
  • Book of Rhythms and Melodies Vol. 1 - https://books.apple.com/us/book/book-of-rhythms-and-melodies-volume-1/id6458742968
  • Book of Rhythms and Melodies Vol. 2 - https://books.apple.com/us/book/book-of-rhythms-and-melodies-volume-2/id6475354723
• Music Appreciation Class Challenge Based Learning - Twitter/X #MusAppBk - https://youtu.be/zDXPJWVhDUc?si=r5Fetwv2eiaYjjpK
  • Team Building
  • Alternative Assessments
  • Book Creation (class created five books available on Apple Books) - https://books.apple.com/us/book-series/music-appreciation-textbook-series/id1721184559
    • An ongoing project
• Music Albums
  • Everyone Can Create Music With iPad (6 albums) - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-university-of-virginias-college-at-wise/1537518067
  • Pandemic Sketches (personal album good for musical creative writing prompts) - https://music.apple.com/us/album/pandemic-sketches/1699298689

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Kelly

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