Much like a writer of prose, a poet or a composer ought to have an intent in mind when writing a poem or musical work, respectively. The use of language in a poem can be quite expressive, going beyond the literal meaning of prose, and the notes in a musical work are always expressive because … Continue reading Poetry and Music: Steps to Composing
Month: December 2014
What Is Creative Musical Thought?
It has been my observation that the words creative and improvise are among the most misunderstood in the field of music education. Both of these words often given a connotation of being original or of being made for the first time from ideas that are vowel or heretofore unknown. Before discussing creative and improvisation as … Continue reading What Is Creative Musical Thought?
Reflections On Attending A Live Performance With Students
As I write today's post, I have just returned from a trip to the New Haven Ballet's production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. This is a trip I have been taking with my fifth graders for several years now. Some look forward to the trip, some are skeptical about seeing ballet, and a few are sure they … Continue reading Reflections On Attending A Live Performance With Students
Five Lines and Four Spaces–Which Way Does It Go?
Maybe it's because the letter names of the notes go alphabetically from low to high, or maybe it's because music tends to start low and build higher, but it does seem rather strange that the lines and spaces of the musical staff are most often taught from the bottom to the top of the staff. … Continue reading Five Lines and Four Spaces–Which Way Does It Go?
Syncopation, Meter, and Beat: You Really Can’t Separate Them
Syncopation is an interesting subject for music teachers in many countries around the world. On the one hand, right from childhood, people hear syncopated rhythms in folk and popular music styles everyday. The sound of syncopation, and the frequently used rhythm patterns that constitute syncopated rhythms are familiar, and most can quickly learn to correctly … Continue reading Syncopation, Meter, and Beat: You Really Can’t Separate Them
A Strategy For Improving Student Engagement
When an entire class is singing or playing musical instruments, having everyone actively participating is a given. There is no waiting to be called on and no hoping not to get called on. Music ensembles involve everyone all the time. Every student is either singing, playing, or tracking measures of rest so they will make … Continue reading A Strategy For Improving Student Engagement
Judging When a Musical Work is Ready to Present
The last week before a concert can be stressful. With limited rehearsal time, music teachers are often working especially hard to finish preparing their students for the big performance. While there doesn't ever seem to be enough time to rehearse, there is another force at play that makes it unnecessarily difficult to get our ensembles … Continue reading Judging When a Musical Work is Ready to Present
The Inner Workings of a Concert
As much as I enjoy putting on concerts, there are aspects of the enterprise I just don't like at all. They are mostly the non-musical details. Making the program, copying the program, usually on a copy machine that will jam at least once, getting the office assistant to break open the vault and sneak me … Continue reading The Inner Workings of a Concert
Supporting A Claim With Evidence From A Text
One of the important things students will have to do under common core is to support a claim with evidence from the text. While this at first glance sounds like something that requires an article to read, music educators can strengthen students' proficiency at doing this using printed music as the text. Anything that is … Continue reading Supporting A Claim With Evidence From A Text
Using A Little Common Sense To Help Music Reading
When I was in elementary school lo those many years ago, there were a few years when I had trouble with math. I tried really hard, and spent a lot of time at home trying to get it, and practiced many strategies for understanding concepts and coming up with the right answer. Sometimes, after I … Continue reading Using A Little Common Sense To Help Music Reading
mister a music place 
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