# data[].attributes.body
It is a beautiful snowy winter.  Snow days, ice, plows, and other interruptions.  In their place are also extra family time, extra crafting time, and the gift of being flexible.

Due to having a snow day after we just got back that means that adjusting lessons were easy.  One day in my rotation got the same lesson twice...sort of.  I kept the same outline, but made adjustments.  Since so many students were missing the first time anyway, it was new for some and review for others.  It was also interesting to watch the growth and confidence of the students who were there, lead the students who weren't.

The biggest part of January is a magical reset. Students get new seating charts and we treat the first few minutes of class the same as the beginning of the year. Laying out the MUSIC expectations then we jump right into our learning targets. At least one game if not two or three are included as well so the students are learning through play and learning to appreciate music in class.

I'm looking forward to a few more weeks of fireplaces and hot beverages. May your toes stay warm and your coffee stay hot!

# data[].attributes.body
It's everywhere!

It's on your computer, at the store and even stuck to you.

Is it glitter or is it Christmas Music? Both?

This time of year can be extremely challenging for music teachers.  We have concerts to coordinate for classes, choirs, and concerts to attend for our own children.  We also have holiday performance gigs (usually volunteer) on top of everything else.  It's exhaustingly rewarding....

Music teachers, enjoy every moment and show your students how much this season can be enjoyed and how music impacts whole communities.  Everyone sings at Christmas and it's a wonder.  Take in at least one event that you are not in charge of or participating in and take a moment to just listen.

For everyone else that has a music teacher in their life.  Water, coffee, and chocolate do not go amiss this time of year (allergies exempted)

Happy holidays!

# data[].attributes.body
Grab your coffee, your yearly scope, monthly outline, and any song material that you need.  My song collection back up is kodaly.hnu.edu for quick look up.

Daily lesson planning is the heart of planning. This is where your students come first.  How old are they? What is their attention span? What do they know? What would you like them to know? How are they learning (songs and manipulatives)? I know these are typically unit planning questions, but they are also useful for daily lessons.

The next thing you need to organize is the general structure of your lesson. Most curriculum programs have one, even First Steps.  So decide what you are most comfortable with.

Here is a general outline that my help:
1. Introductory activity
2. learning activity (moderate or high concentration
3. change of pace (game or singing)
4. repeat 2 and 3 as needed to accomplish today's learning targets (watch how long you stay on 1 task and time it with your lesson length and student attention spans)
5. closing activity.  Send your students back to their teachers calm and ready to learn.

Now that that is all put together there is one more step that I adopted during covid and still implement.  Slides.  You can choose the slide show software you use, but this will allow students to have access to some of the materials after class or help them catch up if they miss class.  It is also a friendly way to share your outline with your administrators if you don't have an existing format. For them and for yourself, you can add your teacher notes in the presenter comments and create links on the slides and in the comments as needed.  You can also add your own recordings for songs too.

I think the coffee has gone cold... Time to refresh my coffee and myself.

Happy planning.

# data[].attributes.headline
We do not play musical chairs in the music room!!!

# data[].attributes.subject
We do not play musical chairs in the music room!!!

# data[].attributes.body
I'm so glad that this is out there. Thank you John Atkinson for creating this. "Can we play musical chairs?" is one of the first questions I get from new students when they earn an extra game.  First, I don't have chairs in my room...... Second, just because it has music, that does not make it a music game.  So let's keep this is mind as we move to the next part of our planning phases.

Summer Planning Part 2

Now that you know how often you will see the students plan on 1-2 concepts per month (1 new and 1 review)  Not the most Kodály way of planning, but functional if you don't use the Kodály philosophy, or see students often.   Write this down in a year at a glance format for each grade. Include how many lessons are in that month  Don't forget those events marked on your calendar (ie. concerts)

That's all part 2.  Simple, sort of.  If you use a curriculum that has a scope/sequence that can help you fill things in.  Or if you have partner teachers, do this with them.

Summer Planning part 3.

This is the fun part.  Expand the monthly targets from the year sheet onto a separate month sheet.  Go ahead and add songs that support the concepts you are teaching, games you want to play that support the learning, and anything else that you may need or want to include.

Now you have a working list for lesson planning!  We will get into lesson planning next time.

Start warming up those voices!!!

# data[].attributes.body
In mild horror I saw the beginnings of school supply displays appear at my local dollar store.  It’s not quite July, but it is a reminder of the summer time ticking away.  I like to have things planned out slowly over July so I can start material prepping in August.  So here I am with my digital device and a second cup of coffee procrastinating… or rather, planning to plan.

Summer Planning part 1

1.  Find the school calendar.  Simple right?  Yup! Your school calendar is the key to PD days, vacations, and other variation ins the 7-3 routine of our lives.

2. Count teaching days in each month.  This is a little more complicated.  Are you on a rotation? Do you have a set schedule?  You will now need to take the calendar and repeat this for each of your grade levels. Don’t forget about half days, special event days, and other disruptions that you know for sure will happen in your schedule.

3. Pause.  It’s summer. You just did a LOT of math and your own kids are asking you a million questions.

We will take on part 2 later with another cup of coffee and perhaps at the park when the kids are having too much fun to notice you “working”.

# data[].attributes.body
Everyone can sing, some people just need more practice.

It is amazing to me how many adults tell me that they can't/won't/don't sing.  My retort is that I don't let my students get away with that.  I am not a professional vocalist. I never took formal singing lessons.  I play woodwind instruments.  Singing is personal, scary, and takes a lot of confidence.

Growing up, I loved to sing and be a part of music. It has also taken some work.  I still have days where I can't hold a pitch completely through a song.  It happens.  What doesn't disappear is the JOY of expression and creativity.

My words to you - your voice is powerful.  Use that power for good.

Sing your favorite song with no inhibitions in front others.  For your babies, sing the lullaby instead of using the recording.  It's  your voice your child longs to hear. Sing in the shower and even in the store.  Your voice has a lot to say.

# data[].attributes.body
I am so excited to start this year in my room again.  I am no longer on a cart and have access to more music materials.

I overheard our dean of students say "the right way from the first day" and it stuck.  Seeing my students for the first time this week was all about doing it the right way the first day.

7 Down -
This is a new to me game from an Orff Workshop that was offered online.  The idea is that you have a pattern that ends with the 7th motion as hands down or pat.  This is how 4th and 5th started this year.  No introductions, no sitting on the floor.  Just movement and body percussion.  It was beautiful.  The rest of the lessons were review of where we left off in the spring and it has still been an amazing first week.

Apple Tree -
If you do not know this song and game, you should.  It is a fun Kodály activity and reinforces beat/rhythm and basic solfege for older students at the beginning of the year.  I even had a student from Washington who was able to connect to the song because he had a Kodály teacher in his last school.

It's a small world after all -
Sorry not sorry. :) It really is a small world and the more people you get to know the more connected it gets. My advice this week - do something you love and expand your world.

# data[].attributes.body
The sun is out! The seedlings are planted! Spring Break is around the corner!

It's time to go outside with the students and sing.  With musicianship goals in mind, here are a few of my favorites.

CUT THE CAKE
I love this song for teaching fa.  I have yet to have a class that does not like this game. Because this is a chase game, this is best played if you have a big room or a warm day.

KING KONG KITCHIE
This is a new song in my collection.  It is a variation of Froggie Went A Courtn' that has a call/responce and a chorus.  This let's me do a long ballad with a lot more student participation.  I did this once and had students asking when I didn't have it right away in the next lesson.

# data[].attributes.body
January 6, 2021

The chaos is over?  Nope, but there is hope as we are finally wrapping our heads around what is going on.  The best part about being unable to attend workshops and conferences in person has been the online opportunities?  I have actually been able to attend more workshops and professional development sessions this year than I ever have.

I have learned several things this year.

1. Creativity and Flexibility are always a part of the music room, but can be extended when you have other colleagues to communicate with.

2. Social Emotional Learning is an underlying and constant element in the music room that can be brought to the surface through different activities.

3. I am not alone!

4. Perseverance and determination pays off.  While my monthly blog has suffered, my lessons and technology integration has increased.

5. Remember the joy!

Ok, so the last one isn't new.  It is however, a great reminder.  No matter the situation, it is important to find the joy in what we are doing as teacher, parents, learners.... So that is my word for the year - JOY!

I hope you find your word for the year and continue to be filled with positive energy.

Happy New Year!

# data[].attributes.body
August 6, 2020

"Summertime and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich and your ma is good lookin'
So hush, little baby, baby, don't you cry"

Porgy and Bess was the first Broadway production with Black actors in lead roles.  George Gershwin broke ground when he opened the show in 1935, and while the entire show is still famous, Summertime most remembered.

"Summertime" was covered by jazz greats such as Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong.  There are many other covers as well, adding to the memorability of Summertime.

Our own summertime has been uniquely memorable.  Family vacations were changed to smaller trips, people still camped, most stayed home and enjoyed extra time together.  Whatever your summer may have looked like, I hope you enjoyed the time you had with your families.

Summer vacation is coming to a close and a new adventure is on the horizon.  School will look different this year.  Further from our friends, limited movement, masks, flipped classrooms, lunch at desks, thermometers at the door.

But, no matter the changes, or curve-balls that come our way, one thing is still important: #RememberTheJoy

While teachers have to face the challenges of completely restructuring their lessons and activities, we will also strive to tackle the need for joy in everyday learning.  Games, movement, play...all different, but we remember that "Only the best is good enough for a child" (Zoltan Kodály)

Lessons and activities that I can add in place of singing games and play parties, include listening and discussing songs (like Summertime), more advanced recorder skills that reinforce what we are learning in class, and some of those cool ELA vocabulary lessons in my idea bank. For teachers I recommend reading Bringing Words to Life by Isabel L Beck, Linda Kucan, and Margaret G. McKeown. As a music teacher, there are activities in there that work really well. Bonus - one on one devices means I can do interactive notebooks digitally and I don't have to spend any money on notebooks and supplies!

Spend your time with POSITIVE ENERGY
Attend to your tasks with EXCELLENCE
The two multiplied will have amazing RESULTS, no matter the situation

Happy Back To School!

# data[].attributes.body
May 2020

High Hopes,
gotta have high hopes
gotta have high apple pie in the sky hopes.

Life has ups and downs and we have taken a full detour.  But that's ok because this is taking us on the scenic route.  Have you seen the videos of all the amazing nature  that is abounding without human interference?  How about John Krasinki's Some Good News? I actually finished a book (or two or three) DURING the school year!
While I sit at home amid multiple devices, a TON of my resources, and helping my home learners get their stuff done, I have only one request.  Be patient with the person on the other side.  I am thankful that my immediate irritation with annoying questions is not visible to the student on the other side.  I can rant, roll my eyes and SMH all I want!  Then I can gently remind them of what they need to be doing

My only request of students READ THE DIRECTIONS COMPLETELY.  Please for my sanity and yours, complete all the tasks required of you before asking me what I already posted in the directions.  Please.

Time to sit down for another online class, some more grading, and finally some extra practice time, books, and maybe even some baking.

Happy Quarantine!

# data[].attributes.body
March 2020

So when I wrote the post in early March. Life was normal.  I was teaching in a classroom and I got to see the faces of my 400ish students.  This morning, taking the time to got through their comments on Google Classroom, emotions took over.  I miss my students!

Today's post requires a little bit of interaction so why not share it here.

Today's vocabulary is "Bass line"  Look it up online and you will find information about playing bass guitar, walking bass line, and even about playing the bass part on a regular guitar. (check out Little Kids Rock some time) But for us not all of that is possible.  Good thing our voices work as instruments as well.

Ready?  Ok.  You can do this in a variety of ways.  First decide if you are going to use a voice recorder, garage band app, or do this with your family.  Great!  Gather everything and pick two songs from this list.  You can use ones you know or look them up.

I had a dog
Johnny Works with One Hammer
Down By the Station
Eensy Weensy Spider
Biddy Biddy Hold On

Sing one.  Then sing another.  Can you sing them at the same speed? (with a steady beat?) Once you can do that here is the next step: Either record yourself singing one, and sing the second one at the same time, or sing one song while someone in  your family sings the second one.  Did it work?  The answer should be yes.  So take your time and try again.

This works because they share the same bass line.  Try singing the solfa: do, do, do, do, (low) so, (low) so, do, do.

Now add the bass line as a third part.  Want to get crazy.  See how many layers you can add.  Try this with different songs.

# data[].attributes.body
March 2020

It is the season of spring and winter playing tag.  Some days are warm and beautiful, and the next couple days it is snowy and cold. As we all try to avoid viral fevers and, as a mom - cabin fever, this is a great opportunity to explore some original music roots.  Our own!. When was the last time you sat down with your family and sang songs from when you were little. Can't visit grandma over your extended spring break. Interview your grandparents about songs they learned growing up.  The best songs are songs that come from people, by people, for people.  These are called folk songs, and have a fun, rich, and sometimes long and  colorful history.

Want to know more about your musical history.  Do a genealogy search, or ask family, about how far back you can trace your family and find out where they came from. Then put together a list of folk songs from those countries.

Don't leave us out the loop.  Record your family performing some of these songs and games with a little background of where it comes from and why it is important to you.

Keep exploring, keep singing, and spread some joy.

# data[].attributes.body
October 2019

An odd combination to be sure. It just so happens that our annual patriotic concert is scheduled two days before Halloween. This works out pretty well in fact.
Our fifth grade concert is concentrating on honoring our country and our veterans. We are singing a combination of pop songs over time and a variety of folk music that connects us to history. My favorite this year has to be the presidents song.  It is the name of all the presidents to the tune of the "10 Little..." song.  I have been thoroughly impressed with how well our 5th graders have memorized and learned all of the concert songs this year.  It will be an amazing performance.

As soon as our performance is over, it is time for one of my favorite events of the year.  The Halloween listening lesson.  While listening for content is a great tie in, (that is form, rhythm, melodic, or other concepts) I find that sometimes it is just a cultural exposure for my students as well.  5th grade will be exploring Keeping Score with Michael Tilson Thomas and Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique. Fifth grade will look at the idea of program music an narrating a story through sound. Fourth grade will also listen to Berlioz and explore the idea of variation of a theme. If you want to explore more, see my notes from last year or check out the idee fix on Keeping Score Third grade this year will be listening to "Danse Macabre" by Saint-Saens. This piece is definitely fit for Halloween, as it is about a fiddle player (otherwise known as "Death") who calls skeletons from the grave to dance. The harp at the beginning of the piece plays 12 times--striking midnight.

Can't wait to celebrate!

# data[].attributes.headline
Another School year and 19 seating charts

# data[].attributes.subject
Another School year and 19 seating charts

# data[].attributes.body
September 2019

I am going digital this year!  Digital seating chart, digital planner, digital assessments, and digital data tracking.  Since we do so much online anyway, it makes sense to have everything with me in the form of an iPad.  Easy access without having the "teacher tote".  Of course, I still have my backpack that I use for traveling between schools and I still use a travelers notebook planner for my family organization. That being said, I'm excited not to have a 2" planner this year.
This summer I downloaded or purchased organizational apps that have made my life a little bit easier as a mom, musician, and teacher.  The first one is PiaScore.  I can scan in all of my music scores, import PDF scores, make notes on the digital versions, and link my AirPed to turn the pages if I am playing an instrument while reading my music.  The big bonus here is that I don't have pages blowing off my stand if I'm at an outdoor concert.  The second app was GoodNotes5 I can create notebooks with a variety of pages (including music staves), import and export PDF (write music then send to PiaScore), add images as pages, onto pages, and have multiple notebooks at a time.  This is where I have imported my seating charts.

The average classroom teacher would probably cry if they had to do more than a few seating charts at a time.  A specials teacher sees that number and may say "only 19" you have it easy. And, I always want to find a way to make it better.  This year I have a Game Plan.  Literally. I am using the Game Plan seating chart...upgraded. I designed what I wanted from the Game Plan design inside of a Google slide, then converted it so I could have it as a PDF page in GoodNotes.  With GoodNotes, I can replicate the blank as many times as I need, even if I have filled one out already, I can add a blank.  Once this was set up, I came up with 4 ways to set my students: Alphabetically by first name, by last name, by height, and random or teacher designation.  This gives me a structure to work on over time and for each quarter, meet the needs of the students and learning. It also gives me a place to mark daily grade whether that is participation or a content assessment.  I can zoom in and write tiny if needed!.  I can also move the students and their grades to a new seat with the lasso tool and never loose data, or have to try and rewrite if a student changes a seat. (This is a huge bonus!)

My planner this year has been more of an undertaking than I originally planned.  I had designed it in Google Slides with links so that I could send it to GoodNotes. However, due to some unforeseen schedule changes and ease of formatting, I have left it Google Slides and am happy with the ability to make notes on classes, moving lesson plans, and the ease of access no matter what school location I am at.  My scripted out lessons are also in Google Slides and shared with my administrators so that I can easily add to the grade level and keep the same format each week without it being in a small square. Within this format, I have linked the district, state, and national standards as well as learning best practices that I want to include.  I can also hyperlink this into my digital planner. If want faster access to them when I am planning or teaching.

How has your classroom set up and planning been going this year? Did you focus on the big picture first? What is your game plan?

Always learn and stay on the sunny side!

# data[].attributes.headline
Spring and the End of Another School Year

# data[].attributes.subject
Spring and the End of Another School Year

# data[].attributes.body
May 1, 2019

This time of year is always just a little nuts.  Extra field trips, testing, and the natural desire to be outside...well most of the time.  Basic point; May requires a note of expecting the unexpected.

Being prepared and having a solid repertoire to pull from the school year is important.  All of the singing games that corresponded with teaching points are invaluable at this time of year.  Not only have students learned concepts through play, they have gained valuable social skills.  These are my favorite for both review activities when the spring snows fall, and for taking outside when the weather is nice.

May is also the time of year we review instruments and do a hands on with the older students before they go in to band next year.  I have a small collection of different instruments that I am able to bring in and demonstrate and allow students to see more than just a picture of the instrument.  Seeing and touching does so much more for the learning, and it's fun.

The other final things I cover in music in May are Billboard.com and careers in music.  We take a look at all the different jobs it takes to put an artist on stage or on a recording.  We look at a couple of videos then try out careersinmusic.com and explore the experience and education needed for a music job, that may not require a musician.  (I've considered adding jobs that prefer hiring people with music experience as well, but that my be added to the beginning of the year to remind students of the value of music.)

Billboard.com is a fun way to show students how the music they buy, listen to, and even watch on YouTube, is rated and charted. We then look at some top 10's in different genres and I spoil them with a couple of music videos (after hours of screening for appropriateness.....)

Despite the chaos of planning in May, there is still so much fun and learning to be had. Teaching every day, wholeheartedly, until the end of another year.

# data[].attributes.body
April 22, 2019

I have learned a lot from my students this year and am fascinated at the different responses from different classes. I have followed some basic outlines for third, fourth and fifth grade this year and have been pleasantly surprised at the responses.

The two best jazz workshops I have been to in either Colorado or Wyoming have been in Wyoming with some amazing jazz educators.  The first one is a strings/choir director who did a workshop on scat habits.  Some students take two years of his vocal improvisation class before they are comfortable on their own.  That is one reason I try to stick to whole group where they all respond independently, or small group with just two or three together on their own, when we are doing vocal jazz.

The second workshop was with a University of Wyoming professor that supplied us with recordings to implement blues form, and tools for improvisation.  This is the frame that each grade starts on.  We work on trade 2's as a class then develop independence. 3rd grade is continuing this on recorder while 4th grade is exploring scat, and 5th grade has added some more "Scat Cat Skills" into their scat with partners and small group

We have also explored jazz from Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian, and great artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Bobby McFerrin, and so many more.

Keep it Jazzy!

# data[].attributes.body
March 19, 2019

The city is Boston. The era is the 1830s. The man is Lowell Mason, the father of American music education. His love of music outweighed his “sensibile” career as a business man and he became a composer and music teacher. He brought music education into the Boston public schools with such high success that the program grew and full children’s choirs and curriculum became a part of the public school system.

The city is New York. The date is March 14,1973. The day is Music in our Schools Day. A state wide celebration of the joy and importance of music in education and education in music. This became a month long celebration and in 1985 became a national celebration for music educators in America.

This year starts a multi-year goal of celebrating “All Music, All People” from the National Association for Music Educators. Culturally we are so diverse and still have so much more to learn from each other. I am looking forward to building a selection of year round material that celebrates all music and all people.

March is also a fun time to celebrate St. Patrick’s day. This year I shared some of my favorite musicians and dances from Ireland. Artists to explore include the Chieftains, the Dubliners, Sean Cannon, and James Galway among so many more. This year the upper grades did different levels of dances including Irish Stew, Irish Washerwoman, and Siege of Ennis. It is fun to compare some of the elements to dances we have already done in class.

As we sit on the edge of of spring break I wish you all a musical month

# data[].attributes.body
February 8, 2019

Second concert of the year is in the books!  The fourth graders took on Broadway tunes that were written for children's voices.  It was fabulous to share the love of the theater with so many students and parents.  The best part was the parents who wanted to see the shows associated with the songs we performed.  It just so happens that one of the shows is also this year's high school musical in our town.  Living in such a remote community (closest live professional theater is hours away), being able to bring arts awareness is a small passion.

We were challenged recently to look at our school and students in a five year perspective. It was fun to look at the potential of what could happen.  Small steps have already been taken to establish a children's chorale and involve our small group in local and state events.  For a first year group it is an inspiring snapshot.  I hope to continue to inspire my students to grow and involve themselves in various arts opportunities as they move on in the world.

Besides a love of the arts, it is also the month for Valentine's Day. The school I am at, hosts a parent/child dance. It is always thrilling to see students at these events and have the opportunity to socialize with parents on a non-academic level.  While this is not my favorite holiday of the year, it does provide opportunity for some fun!

"I Got a Letter This Morning" is a fun African American folk tune that I like to use for low la, the post office game, and call/response form. It can also be used for ti-ta-ti depending on what variation is used.  Since it is Black History month as well it is a good chance to share some history with the tune.

February is packed with musical love and I hope that you enjoy some of your own passions in the arts along with a steaming cup of coffee!

# data[].attributes.body
January 3, 2019

There is something beautiful in the opportunity to turn over a new leaf.  We set goals, change habits, and look at the hope that comes with that change of date from December 31 to January 1.  This year my goal is to increase my collection of teachable repertoire.  Each school year the audience changes and I like to throw in something that they particularly like.  This fall I've had a few favorites, so I thought I would share them.

"Biddy Biddy Hold On" (or hold fast)  This is a fun song that includes tikatika and ti-ta-ti in contrast to ta and ti-ti. I like that those rhythms are clear. The students really like the game though. With everyone in a circle, the students hold open their hands like an open book. Then one student comes around with a "ring" (I use a clear counter chip). That student pretends to drop the ring in everyone's hand and actually does with one person.  As they pass each student,  the "books" close.  After everyone has their hands closed like a book, they take turns guessing.  I would like to credit my version of the song from John Fierabend and the game from my level 3 Kodály pedagogy.

"Bim Bam" is another great piece with tikatika, and can be used for tika-ti as well. There are three words in the entire song, Bim, Bam, Bidy. Bim is a clap and a single ti. Bam is a snap and a single ti.  Bidy is a pat (or double pat) and a tika. My students love this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DScgmrHv6wg

Alabama Gal is a fun play party that my students have really enjoyed this year and is great for social interaction. As is any play party for that matter.  "Sasha" is another big hit with my older students as well. That brings me to my resolution to introduce more play parties this year.

Have a Happy and Musical New Year!

# data[].attributes.body
November 30, 2018

It's the holiday season!  My oldest child is into pumpkin spice and everything nice.  He can't get enough of everything pumpkin spiced flavored.  As I consider my own options for the latest latte flavors, I wonder about the "everything nice" that we get to enjoy in the music this time of year.

I'm diverting a little bit and going to talk about some of the history and poetry of the music of Christmas.  There is beauty in the music and the words, as well as a deep tradition.  As you select your own music for enjoyment, teaching, or caroling; start with these three things in mind:  What does it say? What is the difficulty? And, what is the purpose? (Honestly we should consider these three questions all year long.)

Let's start with "Silent Night"  A beautiful tale of the survival of music surrounds this old Christmas song.  The words are simple, easy to remember, and all about the nativity. The music is simple to sing, meant for voice and guitar in the original arrangement. The purpose is generally for closing a concert, service, caroling, or just self reflection.  We could go further into breaking it down, but not needed

Ok, another one...."In the Bleak Midwinter" is one of my favorites this time of year. Gustav Holst was a brilliant composer and though the words may not be as easily retained, the melody sticks with you. The melody is short, simple, and has inspired many choral arrangements through the years. It is another nativity focused work, but would be most likely used in a concert or service, not really for caroling.

Changing gears..."Jolly Old St. Nicholas" is a fun children's tune that describes the conspiratorial whispering of a child to the man in the red suit. This is a great piece for kindergarten or first grade concerts, and a lot of fun to carol with. However, you would not find this in a church service.

The best part of Christmas music is that these three questions (programming for us music people all year long) are taken into consideration by so many people as they grab the sing-a-long sheets and spread the joy of Christmas and of music wherever they go.

# data[].attributes.body
October 24, 2018

It is nearly Halloween and I get to present my favorite listening lesson:

SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE!

Hector Berlioz was a brilliant conductor that managed to define both what a program symphony was, as well as the emotional style of the Romantic Era.

Wait....

I promise this won't be boring.  It is a tale of love, danger and imagination!

Berlioz was always an imaginative person. His career took him from his little village in the Alps to Rome and Paris.  Early in his travels, he watched a performance of Shakespeare.  The lead actress was Harriet Smithson.  Berlioz was smitten by the beautiful woman and declared his undying love.  It was an unrequited love, and crushed the young composer.

Later Berlioz compiled his Symphonie Fantastique, with some pretty outrageous staging demands, orchestrations, and unique story line.  The star of his symphony - Harriet Smithson.  Though not mentioned by name in the program, Miss Smithson was given the prime seat at the premiere.  This was a social declaration of Berlioz's love.

The program follows the journey of unrequited love all the way to an opium overdose, a beheading, and a witches sabbath. In each of the movements you hear the melody given to the female character.  Sometimes it changes depending on the setting.  There are also other fun little musical treasures hidden from other known melodies and unique composing elements, to the sound effects for the "March to the Scaffold" and "Witches Sabbath".

Here is the PBS link for Symphonie Fantastique.  Enjoy your holiday listening!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique: Keeping Score | PBS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Keeping Score investigates the compelling stories behind and intertwined with classical music. Regardless of your musical background, the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas are ready to conduct you through the fascinating history and modern interpretations of these masterworks.

# data[].attributes.body
October 2018

It is pumpkin spice season.  Everything from our cereal and coffee to our ice cream is speckled with nutmeg, ginger, and all the delicious scents of fall.  The best part about this time of year is the color change.  Not only the leaves on the trees, but also the color of music and art.

October is the month I pull out the “scary” music, the lonely echos, the haunting melodies, and the tales that chill.  My favorite chant is “El Reloj de la Calavera”.  The clock of the skeleton.  It describes a skelleton on a night out and the activities it chooses to be involved in each hour.  The best part is that I let the students act it out.  Even the older ones enjoy the activity and the rhythmic tumba ta tumba of each spoken chorus.  There is a small collection of Halloween related songs that are great for all ages and teaching.

Song tales also start coming of the shelf this time of year.  Really any book that is a song or can be used for vocal exploration reaches my podium.  It’s great audience skill building and entertainment for all ages.  I have no particular October favorites unless you count “Who Killed Cock Robin”.  This older folksong is a beautiful book set as an 19th century mystery in the art of Kevin O’Malley. My November Favorite is "The Fox Went Out" illustrated by Peter Spier. I use "the Fox Went Out" with the recording from Nickle Creek.

So if “Miss White Had a Fright” as the “Little Leaves Are Falling”, I suppose it’s time to take a trip to the “Pumpkin Patch” for some of that pumpkin spice everything.

Happy Fall!

# data[].attributes.body
September 2017

This summer I bought a cold brew filter for a mason jar.  It was a great summer "project" to play around with concentrations and flavors.  My current favorite flavor in my coffee is lavender.  Sounds odd, I know, but there it is.

Now that we are back to school there is a cold brewing.  (achoo!)  This is not the pleasant kind of cold brew and requires a lot more care.  Which brings me to vocal health.  As those tonsils swell and the sinuses drain, singing can become a challenge.  A music teacher sings, talks, encourages, answers questions and so much more.  So what happens when that precious voice becomes a victim of a cold?

First, water and more water, any good nurse will tell you staying well hydrated is important.  And yes, for this coffee lover, that means less caffine and more water.
Second, your favorite cold busters.  Vitamin C, zinc, ginger, garlic, and others are on the various web sites as home treatments.  When my household starts feeling down, I add broth soups to the menu. (And I LOVE ginger year round)

Third, grab some teaching resources. One I use is my recordings by Jill Trinka. She has a beautiful voice, and even has room in the recordings for your class to sing alone in echo, or response songs. Music Play Online is my other go to. I also have a small collection of Teachers Pay Teachers files from Amy Abbott, Aileen Miracle, and Tanya LeJeune in my resource bag.

Still not quite there vocally, or feeling a bit strained. Pull out those music games we all stash and create centers for the day. (Centers also make great sub plans) If you have a mic, use it. And remember to take care of yourself and your instrument.

# data[].attributes.body
August 2018

This new school year comes with new schools, a new house, and a new adventure.  The family and I have moved to a new part of the west and I am teaching at two schools.  We also have a new house!  Hooray for new.

New also comes with new students, new names and getting to know each one.  This year I am teaching music 3rd-5th grades and am having a blast.  My favorite activity is "Ministers Cat".  It is a quick assessment on who can keep a beat pattern, it qualifies as improvisation, and it's a lot of fun to play.

Here is what it looks like:
The first time we go around the circle filling in the blank with an adjective or adverb. (Hooray for ELA connections!) Then we level up and say our neighbors name in the blank.  Once students are starting to get comfortable we level up again and "get serious"

This time around any name can be said.  If your name is said to fill in the blank, it is your turn.  I have 2 rules. 1: don't say the name of the person who said your name. 2: Don't miss.

There are two options if a student misses; "Poor Little Kitty Cat" or "Naughty Kitty Cat", and the student who missed is in the middle.

I like having one student in the middle at a time.  Having the extra tune sells the game and students learn it quickly.  It is also a great game to leave on your sub plans.  The students know it and it helps the subs associate names and faces as well.

It's been a great week with lots of coffee.  I'm looking forward to a fabulously long weekend and hope you enjoy yours!

Cheers!