Robert Adams Learning to play a musical instrument, or to sing, with a high level of musicianship takes lots of training, practice , and listening. A student will take lessons in school and attend music classes beginning in early elementary school, and continuing through middle school, if not further. Through it all, music teachers will … Continue reading The Importance of Musicianship in Learning to Play an Instrument
Music Education
A practical guide to planning, teaching, and assessing music instruction.
From Middle School Musicals to Broadway: The Impact of Arts Education
by Robert Adams One of the many joys I had while teaching middle school and elementary music was putting on productions of musicals in the Broadway Jr. series from MTI. Not only were these shows very successful, they pulled in the entire school community, even to the point where alumni would come back every year, … Continue reading From Middle School Musicals to Broadway: The Impact of Arts Education
Owning your stereotyping music?
Snide remark or eye roll at the music playing? Children pick up on this. Are they YOUR opinions which reduce music appreciation and impact feelings? …Owning your stereotyping music?
Why Do Grand Pianos Sound So Grand
by Aidan Whelan, guest author Grand pianos are prized for their magnificent sound. What makes these instruments sound so extraordinary? Why do grand pianos sound so full and rich? What makes their tone so penetrating and robust? Pianos come in all shapes and sizes, so why don’t all pianos, big ones and small ones alike, … Continue reading Why Do Grand Pianos Sound So Grand
Conducting Is A Visual Art
When I think of the many conductors I have played for, three kinds come to mind. One is the talker. This conductor explains everything before allowing anyone to play or sing. They like to "talk through" the piece, drawing our attention to all of the details they want us to play or sing in a … Continue reading Conducting Is A Visual Art
What Is An Effective Approach To Memorization?
Playing music from memory is an interesting subject. At times, it is disparaged under the guise of playing by rote, Asia learning to play a piece of music by hearing many times produces a inferior quality of musicianship. Aside from the obvious slight to the method that bears the name Suzuki, those to hold that … Continue reading What Is An Effective Approach To Memorization?
What Do Dynamics in Music Mean?
I recently came across an illustration of a relationship between dynamic markings in music and the emotions they may elicit. These relationships were presented in a table which I’ve included below. I immediately realized that all of the “suggested emotions” were positive. There was no anger, or fright, or grief. Are the only emotions we … Continue reading What Do Dynamics in Music Mean?
A Composer’s Musings (Mine)
I am fascinated with who a composer's influences are. Whenever I listen to music, one of the first thoughts I have is, "who does this sound like?" For example, Leonard Bernstein was heavily influenced by Mahler and Copland, so it is fun for me to listen for passages in Bernstein's music that point to those … Continue reading A Composer’s Musings (Mine)
Welcome To The Opera: This is how children should be introduced to opera
I recently read Carolyn Sloan's excellent volume, Welcome To The Opera. In this article, I will share my running notes that I made as I read the book, and then my summative review. This is a welcome addition to previous books by this author introducing children to other music forms. It can be difficult to … Continue reading Welcome To The Opera: This is how children should be introduced to opera
What’s A Concert Audience to Do?
How should concert audiences be expected to behave? Recent events at concerts have quickly brought this question to prominence. For quite a long time, there has been a distinction between what is and what isn’t allowed at a concert, depending on the genre of music being performed. Audiences at a symphony orchestra, opera, or ballet … Continue reading What’s A Concert Audience to Do?
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