Well-traveled talks
TALKS & PRESENTATIONS
Jon Michael Iverson has been heard in dozens and dozens of presentations throughout the Twin Cities Area. His wide range of musical knowledge and easy-to-listen-to approach to public speaking make him an appealing presenter.
While deeply steeped in music pedagogy, Iverson has also presented on topics such as Leadership and Organizational Development (the thesis of his dissertation).
Recently, Iverson has turned his imagination to a new field: AI Music. He is actively preparing presentations on this topic for future release. Topics of select presentations are below. In you are interested in booking Iverson for a speaking engagement, please click here.
TOPICS
THE NEW INSTRUMENT: AI AND THE FUTURE OF MUSIC CREATION
Every new instrument, in its time, has been accused of threatening the soul of music. The player piano, the electric guitar, the synthesizer, the drum machine — each was once called a danger to real musicianship, and each became an indispensable part of the musical landscape we now take for granted. AI is simply the newest chapter in that story: a tool whose value lies entirely in the hands and the vision of the artist who wields it. Composer and educator Jon Michael Iverson has recently turned his imagination to creating original AI-assisted music while holding fast to one conviction: AI is an instrument — humanity is the music. In this presentation, we explore what AI can and cannot do, and offer music educators a chance to reflect on what it means to teach, judge, and create with integrity in the studio and classroom today.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP, TRANSFORMATIONAL TEACHERSHIP
There’s an adage in the teaching profession: we teach the way we’ve been taught. A similar saying could be said of leadership: we lead the way we’ve been led. Leadership, in general, is a skill set requiring vision, goals, commitment and dedication – all skills necessary for effective teaching. This presentation by Jon Michael Iverson, Doctor of Educational Leadership (Ed.D), offers teachers an opportunity to reflect on transformational leadership, effective teaching, and what that means in the music studio and classroom.
FOSTERING THE MUSICIAN'S SPIRIT
From time to time, we teachers come across a student either in lessons or at a performance that has a certain je ne sais quoi – an X-factor – that is genuinely musical. This “thing” makes us swoon, it touches our heart – it moves us. But what is that elusive quality, where does that expressiveness come from, and how can we develop that musicality in all of our students? Pianist and faculty member Jon Michael Iverson has heard hundreds, if not thousands, of performances. In this presentation, we will discuss a broad overview of musicality: what it is, where it comes from, and most pertinent to teachers, how to foster it in students.
