Opus 243

Music. Education. Reeds. Life.

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We're done!  Halleluja, the Tumblr project is over!!  Let's celebrate with some Stevie Wonder!  I had heard about Stevie, of course, for a while, but I first started to actually listen to his stuff a few years ago when my high school jazz band played this song.  This is his tribute to Duke Ellington and music in general.  It's great; it's my jam.  Listen to the lyrics--they're all about music and how great it is.  It is great isn't it?  This project has helped me realize that. I hope enjoy and can use all the resources I've compiled here.  Thank you for following me on my musical journey!  

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Research shows that learning the do-re-mis can help children excel in ways beyond the basic ABCs. Learn all the benefits of music education.

We all know it--musical training has sooooo many benefits for young people!  Music is stimulating; it make your brain work harder.  It aids in language development, spacial awareness, and IQ, not to mention work ethic and communication skills.  While this article focuses on these "practical" benefits of music, it's important to remember, of course, that  studying music has so many other benefits.  It's great for kids socially and expressively--it's just great!  And how lucky are we to be able to teach it to them?!

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Recorder! First Lesson

It's time for everyone's favorite part of elementary music--what we waited all the way to fourth grade for... RECORDER!  This details a first lesson for playing the recorder.  The procedure for this lesson says to begin by teaching fingerings for the first three notes: G, A, and B.  You can then learn "Cross Hot Buns" by starting with rhythm, then adding fingers, and finally playing all together.  I think I might try to incorporate the aural learning techniques I discussed in an earlier post.  I would probably teach them the fingerings and then do a call and response type of exercise.  It would hopefully keep them from being overwhelmed and at the same time reinforce some great musical imitation skills.

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Another piece of music that inspired me in my youth!  "Sing, Sing, Sing"  recorded by Benny Goodman!  This was one of the first charts we played in junior high jazz band.  It pretty quickly joined my MP3 playlist next to "The Planets".  I'm glad we got to play (arrangements of) great classics like this.  The music is so live and spirited, it's a blast to play.  Take a listen; you'll love it!

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The Piano Guys are another group that comes to mind when I thinking of digital performances.  They really make use of YouTube.  They play in the classical style, with cellos and pianos, but they make it really cool and appealing to popular audiences.  I admire that about them a lot.  They like to reinvent old classical pieces, mash them up with pop songs, and collaborate with different artists (like in this video), and the result is super cool.  

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Listening in the Classroom

Listening to music with your students is a great learning opportunity--you can teach them all about great music, train their ears, and make them think in a new way.  My teachers in junior high and high school liked to have daily listening (at least for a while)  and I really enjoyed that.  We would listen to all kinds of music: jazz, pop, classical.  It lends itself to teaching so well!  For example, we might listen to a string quartet, and the teacher can say "What instruments do you hear?" "What did you like about this piece?" "Was it major or minor?"  Listening is fantastic.  The end.

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The Planets--specifically Jupiter--was probably the first orchestral piece I really heard.  Thanks to my junior high band director, I started to fall in love with the music of the orchestra.  Being one of the first things ever on my MP3 player (I come from the days before the Ipods wild popularity), it has a special place in my heart.  The opening is so epic, and the chorale...eek!  I also had the honor of performing the entire suite with the Honor Orchestra of America last year, which was a real treat! I hope you enjoy this as much as I do--I believe this recording is the London Symphony Orchestra. 

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We have moved into the age of digital music.  While Sousa despised this, Glenn Gould embraced it.  Check out this article written by Gould about the ups and downs of recording as he saw it.  He discusses the change from concert performances and the possibilities of recording. He saw it as an artistic tool.  It allows for analysis and performance unlike ever before.  Food for thought.

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Take a minute to read this writing by the famous John Phillip Sousa--it's a quick and enjoyable read, I promise.  Sousa did not like the direction technology and music was going.  He thought it was a threat that would eliminate talent and take away the humanness of music.  He displayed his opinions in this piece of satire which describes a world where phonographs have replaced real musicians and everyone is astounded by their talent.  Of course, this is a little extreme, but it's still an entertaining read, and it'll hopefully make you think a little.

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A well-rounded program

I want to take a little time to write about something that I think leads to the best possible band program.  It's so easy for a band to pour all of its energy into one area of music--usually marching band or concert band.  But, you know, there's a lot more out there that's also important to the development of your students.  Jazz is one thing that I wish was more developed at my school.  A freer environment that encourages improvisation can be great for musical growth.  Chamber music is the same; encouraging students to communicate musically in small groups and work on a newer level; make something their own--it's cool.  AND this class and this project have opened my eyes to other possibilities, too.  Students need to have opportunities for creative growth through composition or production of something.  I'm starting to see that the creative part of music is sometimes skipped over, and in order for our students to have the best possible education from us, we need to provide a well-rounded environment.

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This is a real, raw, down-to-earth blog from an educator in the field.  She talks about things that come up while teaching children: conflicts with students, remembering names, etc. as well as resource and other ideas like fingering charts.  Do you want to see what teaching is like--the things that you're not prepared for when you leave college?  Take a little time to browse through this blog.  

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The Music Ed Lounge is a great blog to check out for new/future teachers.  This guys has lots of practical ideas that can be applied to your music program.  Sample topics include:  "Five Ideas for a Better Beginning Band Concert" and "Testing a New Mouthpiece".  Things like these are practical and useful to a new teacher.  We probably won't remember everything we learn in our education classes, so when you need somewhere to turn check out this blog!

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Honestly, little kids can be nuisance at concerts.  Especially the criers.  But that doesn't make it less important to reach out to them as an audience!  This article discusses the idea of family concerts for young children and their families which have become and important part of the music program at Brigham Young University.  This article explores what goes into creating successful programming for your own youth concerts.  It talks about considering your performers, and keeping things interesting for kids with movement, narration, technology, participation etc.  It's some good stuff--I think community outreach is one of the most important things we can do as musicians!

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General Music...

For many of us, our first jobs will be in... general music!  Does that strike fear into your heart?  Or maybe it excites you?  I hope it excites you!  For so many kids, you have the opportunity to be their first contact with music-making!  How cool!  You could alter their life.  And you get to do all sorts of fun stuff.  Have you seen the lesson plans for elementary music?  They're a lot more fun than long tones and lip slurs.  Teaching general music might not be where you want to stay for long, but if you do end up there, enjoy it!  A positive attitude will go a long way, and I'm sure you'll look back and be glad for the experiences you gained from that time.

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Music wouldn't be the same without the scores behind them.  Music can paint a beautiful picture and transfer emotion like nothing else.  One of the greatest film scores of all time is the "Lord of the Rings".  Listen to this clip depicting the Shire--it almost feels like you're there!  Ah!!  I actually used this clip in my Music Identity project because I think it's such a great description of the Shire.

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To March or Not To March

Many directors have strong feelings about marching band and what it's about.  There's been considerable debate over the growing trend of competitive marching band.  Many say that competitive marching takes away from concert band time, which should be the cornerstone of a good band program.  It certainly does take a lot of energy and time from both students and directors. I can see both sides.  I come from a school with a hardcore marching band.  We traveled to national competitions and spent hours rehearsing visual, effects, and all that competitive stuff.  It was a blast!  I think having that competitive drive can really inspire students to do great things and work REALLY hard.  The bonding, the growing, the leadership that occurs in a competitive band are amazing.  Is it all worth it?  What do you think?

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Aaron Copland's music screams 'Merica!  So many of his scores are absolutely beautiful and have made a lasting impact on American classical music.  "Fanfare for Aaron Copland" is a great blog which explores Copland's life and work.  On here you'll find a lot of biographical information as well as recording and films featuring him.  There are some real treasures within!