Sigma Alpha Iota

30 Summer 2024 • sai-national.org development sessions for teachers at the district, regional, state, and national levels. Darla Meek is a member of several professional organizations in addition to AOSA, including the Organization of American Kodály Educators, the Kodály Educators of Texas, the Texas Choral Directors Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Dalcroze Society of America, the College Music Society, and the National Association for Music Education. She is a past President of the North Texas Chapter of AOSA. YANI TREVIN RUBIO Yani Trevin Rubio was initiated as a Friend of the Arts by the Sigma Beta Chapter at Ohio University in April. Professor Yani Trevin Rubio is a native of Miami. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Music Therapy from the University of Miami. She is a board- certified music therapist and a Fellow of the Robert F. Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy. Rubio has over 25 years of clinical experience working in vast settings with various populations with an emphasis on children, youth, and adults with special needs and adults in rehabilitation with neuromotor deficits. She founded the Creative Children Ensemble for youth with special needs from 2003 to 2011. She served as adjunct professor at the University of Miami within the Music Therapy program earlier in her career and has supervised countless music therapy students and interns. During her years as Director of Programming and grant writing at Creative Children Therapy and Villa Lyan School, her programs received several grants for inclusion through the arts. She has created new programs and lectured abroad in South America since the late 90's and at various universities in South Florida. She has been broadcast on radio and TV on the positive effects of music therapy. She developed and produced, "This Is ME!" in 2018 and 2019, a full-stage innovative theater production including individuals with and without special needs and their families. Professor Rubio is a founding member for the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs All Kids Included Initiative (AKI). Through AKI, she received a grant for the MAAS program (Music and Art for Autism in the Schools) through which teachers would implement successful new methods. Rubio is currently an active professional development facilitator throughout the community enhancing program development, inclusion through the arts, best practices, and strategies to assist in the management of community arts programming. MALCOLM SWAN Malcolm Swan was initiated as a National Arts Associate by the Sigma Eta Chapter at the University of Redlands in March. Mr. Swan is an accomplished educator, having taught and conducted at schools and universities around the world. He currently serves as an accompanist and vocal coach at Redlands University, working with faculty studios, the University Choirs, the opera, brass department, and the Concerto Competition. In 2023 he was the accompanist for the Redlands School of Performing Arts production of Sweeney Todd; in 2024 he was the musical coach and co-director of the University production of Hansel and Gretel. Mr. Swan earned a Masters of Music from Goldsmiths College at the University of London, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Middlesex University, is an honor graduate from the Royal Schools of Music, and attended a three year programme of study at the Royal Academy of Music, London. Mr. Swan taught music and served as Deputy Head teacher at Parklands Junior School in London, UK from 1990-2014; the last year was as Acting Head teacher. His choir performed at local and national events, including The Royal Albert Hall and The Queen Elizabeth Hall. This choir was also the representative choir for the Big Sing (a nationwide initiative to encourage singing in schools). He ran workshops for teachers from other schools on different aspects of musical education for children. Mr. Swan was also an instrumental teacher in the London Borough of Havering, where he taught brass instruments to students in schools throughout the Borough and conducted ensembles and coaching sections for the Borough orchestras and concert band. He served as Director of Music at the Chase Cross Music School (1988-1990). As a trombonist, he performed regularly in numerous professional theatrical productions both in London's West End and regional theater across the British Isles. He was principal trombonist for the Hatfield Symphony Orchestra and the Essex Chamber orchestra and was routinely engaged to play in orchestras accompanying choral society concerts in London and across the South East of England. Mr. Swan was principal trombone with the orchestra employed to play for the Commonwealth games in Edinburgh. He has played with orchestras and bands at the Festival Hall and the Barbican Centre, as well as The Royal Albert Hall. In the last ten years before emigrating to the U.S, he had the opportunity to be musical director for amateur/semi professional theater societies with productions of many standard shows, such as Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, and Oliver, as well as light operatic productions, such as The Mikado. Mr. Swan served as accompanist for Andrea Hazell, a member of the chorus at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He was a founding member of the Helios Chamber Ensemble; as pianist for Helios he performed most of the piano trio, quartet, and quintet repertoire. Distinguished Members

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