One of the challenges that often face music teachers is a tension that develops between students playing music they enjoy, and teachers who want their students to play music that facilitates growth in musicianship. Often, this comes down to the teacher wanting the student to play classical music, and the student wanting to play popular … Continue reading Student Choice in Selecting Repertoire
Month: December 2014
The Pre-Recorded Technology Trap
When it comes to performing music, I think most music educators agree that through some combination of general music classes, ensembles, chamber music, peer teaching and learning, and private lessons, our students will develop the musicianship necessary for them to have a lifelong relationship with music that includes taking on the roles of audience, performer, and creator … Continue reading The Pre-Recorded Technology Trap
The Concert Is Only Part of the Performance Process
Many of us will be giving our winter or holiday concerts in the coming weeks. With the rolling out of the new core arts standards for music, our concerts will be the performance process and the present standard. The interesting thing about the way the standards are laid out for performance is that all of … Continue reading The Concert Is Only Part of the Performance Process
Teaching Improvisation
I view improvisation as a form of conversation. Unless we are giving a prepared speech, people don’t know ahead of time every word they are going to speak. We speak thoughts as they come to mind, respond to what we read, see and hear other people say, forming thoughts that turn into words we speak … Continue reading Teaching Improvisation
The Exit Ticket for Music
If there's anything that music standards have done to help me improve my teaching over the years, it is to get me beyond singing songs and playing instruments to teaching musical concepts, skills, and processes through singing songs and playing instruments. In other words, standards have taught me that the song is not the objective, it is … Continue reading The Exit Ticket for Music
Why Do Kids Want To Take Music Lessons?
Why do people take music classes or music lessons? It's an interesting question. There is no shortage of articles and even books on why people should take music lessons, but that is a different issue. While there may be some children of overly ambitious parents who take music lessons to improve their math scores, for example, … Continue reading Why Do Kids Want To Take Music Lessons?
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