David Thaxton
David Thaxton is from Sparks, Nevada, where he is currently in his 31st year of teaching Elementary music to pre-K through 6th grade. He holds a B.M.E. Degree from the University of Northern Colorado and an M.M. from Eastern Washington University.
As an AOSA-certified teacher trainer for Orff Level I, II, and III pedagogy and Levels I and II recorder, David teaches Summer Courses in Reno, San Diego, Birmingham, Chicago, and Portland. He has presented workshops and clinics at local, state, and national levels, and he also presents to Orff chapters throughout the country.
David is also a Past President and current Treasurer for the Sierra Nevada Chapter of AOSA, where he was co-founder of the Sierra Nevada Orff Festival. At the national level, he has served on the Editorial Board of The Echo Journal of the American Orff Schulwerk Association and the monthly online publication, Reverberations. He is currently the Treasurer for the American Center for Elemental Music and Movement and was also awarded the ACEMM Spotlight Educator Award. His book “Making Tracks: Recorder Explorations, Creations and Improvisations,” published through Sweet Pipes, is used in elementary music classrooms across the country as an improvisatory approach to recorder instruction. His most recent publication, “Rounds all Around” through F-Flat books, features a collection of original rounds in addition to “Sasquatch,” an eBook for elementary students due for release in 2026.
eBooks by David Thaxton
Posts by David Thaxton
Musicast Episode 3: Lucky Chops – Streets & Stage: Funkifying Music Education
Lucky Chops has been unleashing high-energy brassy funk on the world since forming in NYC in 2006. The intensity of the band’s energy is fueled by their desire to share the healing and inspirational power of music with others. That power has resonated with audiences around the globe, giving the band hundreds of millions of views on their online videos and leading to live performances in more than twenty five countries. Lucky Chops maintains a busy schedule touring across several continents. [...]
Musicast Episode 2: Wanda Vasquez Garcia – Equity and Expectancy
Wanda is currently the general music teacher at the Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer in Lafayette, Colorado, and the children and youth choir director at First Congregational Church of Greeley, Colorado. As a K-5 music educator, she believes music is a very effective way to learn about cultures. [...]
The “New Normal”: Silver Linings of Going Back to School
Silver Linings I’m an optimist at heart, so some of [...]
Musicast Episode 1: Williams Goldsmith – “Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do”
Williams Goldsmith is a 17-year-old guitarist, producer, and singer from Massachusetts. He started out playing rock and metal music, but in recent years has gotten more into pop, R&B and hip-hop. He has independently released an EP and 3 singles of varying styles, reflecting his varying music taste. He hopes to innovate and one day leave a lasting impact on the music world. [...]
The “New Normal”: Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs in Pennsylvania
Have you ever had a year like this year? I [...]
The “New Normal”: Teaching Elementary Music in Prince Edward Island, Canada
Heading back to the classroom on Prince Edward Island [...]