Recently, I observed that music reading has received minimal attention in the new NCCAS music standards. To be sure, music reading is not necessary for every musical experience. From a global perspective, our Western music notation is not used at all in many places, especially where music culture is preserved within an oral tradition. In … Continue reading How Much Music Reading Instruction is Enough?
music teaching
Which Way Is Up?
The concept of up and down is central to musical understanding and experience. In an earlier post entitled, “Musical Ups and Downs—Why is Contour Important?” I discussed several reasons why this is so. But during formal musical training in early childhood, how up and down is represented is not always readily apparent. Early training in … Continue reading Which Way Is Up?
Every Child Should Have Arts Education Every Day In School
Below is a video of Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser's keynote address to the Houston Arts Partners Conference attendees in 2012. Among the points from his address is that music is not for a talented few. Every child has the propensity to make music. Music education during the early years builds the brain up to be musical. The years … Continue reading Every Child Should Have Arts Education Every Day In School
How Is Reading Music Relevant Today?
One of the things I find most challenging in my music classroom is keeping music reading relevant to students who by and large don't need to read music in order to have their daily musical experiences. Those of you have been following this blog know that I am a fan of the new NCCAS music … Continue reading How Is Reading Music Relevant Today?
How Do Composers Know When a Musical Work is Finished?
I read an interesting question on social media the other day. A composer asked, “When do you know that a composition is finished?” Several answers were offered, ranging from “when the composer has expressed everything he or she wanted,” to “when the parts are passed out to the musicians.” The first of these has potential. … Continue reading How Do Composers Know When a Musical Work is Finished?
What Can Be Learned About Children from Producing A Musical?
It is good to beck with you again. Our production of Grease School Version was highly successful and great fun. Now I am happy to once again have time to post here. Last week the culmination of months of practice took place as my students gave performances of the musical Grease School Version. The students ranged … Continue reading What Can Be Learned About Children from Producing A Musical?
How Can Music Students Work Smarter?
This week I will be conducting my students in performances of Grease School Version. Because of my schedule associated with the production, my next post here will be Sunday, May 25. It will be good to see you here then. We’ve all heard the saying, work smarter, not harder. In music performance, this is especially good … Continue reading How Can Music Students Work Smarter?
What’s Your Interpretation?
Yesterday, I discussed creativity in the music classroom. When children perform music, and when I say perform I include practice, rehearsal, and concertizing, they need freedom to explore the interpretive possibilities before them. I think it is an unfortunate result of our pre-service training and perhaps also of our experience playing and singing under some … Continue reading What’s Your Interpretation?
What’s All The Movement About?
Movement and music are a natural pair. When we listen to music, we naturally want to move. Researchers have found that just listening to music stimulates the motion center of the brain just as if we were actually moving. There is also an emotional aspect of movement as well. This morning, during my pre-kindergarten class … Continue reading What’s All The Movement About?
What Are Strategies for Keeping Students’ Attention?
I think that the single most difficult obstacle to overcome when teaching is keeping students attention focused on what I have planned for them to be doing. This is especially true if the activity requires them to problem solve or practice something over a time span of five minutes or more. Because practice, refinement, and … Continue reading What Are Strategies for Keeping Students’ Attention?
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