During my classes the last two days, students have asked me several questions about musical notation. I thought I might share these questions and the answers I gave to them. I think it is helpful to know what is going on in the minds of students while we are teaching them. Sometimes, lines of thinking, … Continue reading What Are Questions Students Ask About Music Reading?
Month: April 2014
Does That Instrument Always Sound Like That?
Tomorrow, my fourth grade students will attend a young peoples concert, put on by the local symphony orchestra. This is an annual event, and is by no means the same program each year; however this year, the concert will focus on introducing the audience to the various instruments and instrument families of the orchestra. One … Continue reading Does That Instrument Always Sound Like That?
What Are Some Effective Ways to Teach Dotted Rhythms?
In music, there are three kinds of durations: beat elongations, beat divisions, and beat equivalents. The beat being elongated, divided, or equaled is called the tactus; it is the one being tracked as the pulse or "heartbeat" of the music. Beat elongations are durations longer than the tactus, beat divisions are durations that are shorter … Continue reading What Are Some Effective Ways to Teach Dotted Rhythms?
What are Ways to Handle Performance Anxiety in Student Musicians?
For anyone who performs music in public, or directs music ensembles, performance anxiety is something that must be dealt with. Different people experience performance anxiety differently, and to different degrees, but the person who has no anxiety when performing in public is rare. Last Friday, my 5th grade chorus participated in a choral adjudication. My … Continue reading What are Ways to Handle Performance Anxiety in Student Musicians?
Overcoming Confusion When Teaching Music Reading
Teaching children to read music can be challenging, particularly if formal instruction in it is not started until the children are 9 or 10 years old. Elsewhere, I have written about the importance of teaching "sound before sight" when teaching students to read music. Like language, musical patterns must be learned aurally and orally before … Continue reading Overcoming Confusion When Teaching Music Reading
The Tricky Business of Musical Potential
I've heard it said by educators many times over the years that we are in the business of helping our students develop to their full potential. This sounds like a noble goal, and indeed it is. But what is a student’s full potential? How do we know when a student has achieved as much as … Continue reading The Tricky Business of Musical Potential
Performing Music Alone–Why It’s Important
Recently, I wrote a post on lesson planning. In it I laid out a three-part method of teaching: the teacher does, the students do with the teacher, and the students do independently. The first two steps are part of the teaching cycle, the last step is an opportunity for the student to show what they … Continue reading Performing Music Alone–Why It’s Important
Music Teacher Talk
Blog April 21 2014 At times I have to remind students, particularly the older ones, to stop talking to each other in class. Students are highly social people, and they have to practice resisting the urge to to use their words to socialize. But it is also true that there are times when I talk … Continue reading Music Teacher Talk
Why Music is More Than Fun
Amidst the process of teaching and practicing musical works and concepts, it is worthwhile from time to time to remember why music is important to our lives. We who are music teachers enjoy teaching music, and our students have fun in our classes and ensembles, but it is important that music classes and rehearsals be more … Continue reading Why Music is More Than Fun
Update on my Switch to Fixed Do
Last month, I wrote about using fixed do solfege in my music classes (Another Try At Fixed Do). At that time, I reported early success with fifth and second grade students sight singing using the fixed do system. Since then, I have continued to be pleased with the results, and do not at this point … Continue reading Update on my Switch to Fixed Do
mister a music place 
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