2014 Holiday Music Extravaganza

Hello families,

Several of my students agreed to participate in a new special project this year.  I decided to create a "virtual recital" that could be shared with loved ones, both near and far. 

It is with great pride that I present to you this special gift from your children: 'A Holiday Music Extravaganza' - a compilation of 67 Christmas, Hanukkah, and other winter themed pieces.

I hope that you will have an opportunity to watch this 60 minute video with your family, and even pass it along to whomever may enjoy some holiday cheer.

ARTICLE: The Positive Emotional Impact of Listening to Sad Music

I found this article to be very interesting, especially this excerpt:

“Music-evoked sadness can be appreciated not only as an aesthetic, abstract reward, but (it) also plays a role in well-being, by providing consolation as well as regulating negative moods and emotions.”

 

Read the full article here:

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/books-and-culture/positive-emotional-impact-sad-music-93607/

 

VIDEO: How Playing An Instrument Benefits Your Brain

My students have often heard me talk about how listening to music creates "fireworks" in all multiple areas of their brains. But playing an instrument creates an even more impressive fireworks display. 
Every time you play your instrument, your brain is getting a full-body workout!

This clip shows why daily practice is so important.

2014 Costume Recitals

What a fun week it was!  Thanks to everyone for your fine performances and for your participation in the group discussion about "What Makes Music Sound Scary?"

A special thanks to the Sands family for providing the yummy treats on Wednesday.

I hope you will enjoy the following video performances.  

Tuesday's Recital (featuring Katelyn, Celine, Eva, Alex, Amanda and Liam)

Tuesday

 

Wednesday's Recital (featuring Amanda, Anna, Maren, Eva, Liam, Avery and Jamie)

Wednesday

 Thursday's Recital (featuring Samantha, Autumn, Katie, Zoe, Madison, Kyle, Gwen, and Maddy)

Thursday

VIDEO: Why Music Matters

This 6 minute clip demonstrates why music education is so important. It is geared more toward band, and keeping music in the schools... but it still makes some very good points.
  
Is 95% good enough?  Watch and see (hear!) what happens when musicians strive for a 95% success rate in their music. 

VIDEO: Music and Math

Watch this short video to learn how Beethoven used math to write his most beloved songs, while going deaf.

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/music-and-math-the-genius-of-beethoven-natalya-st-clair

Video of the Week: Amanda

This week's video comes from Amanda, one of my 3rd grade students (and also my daughter.)

She is playing Pirates of the North Sea, from the Faber Piano Adventure Lesson Book, Level 2A.  This was an especially fun piece for her because of the chords and the "cha-cha-cha" rhythms.

Video of the Week: Gwen

This Video of the Week is one of my personal favorites... I absolutely loved this piece as a kid, and Gwen seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did!  I wonder how many of you will remember this one.

Here is Music Box Dancer by Frank Mills, played beautifully by Gwen, one of my 3rd grade students.  This piece is included in the PlayTime Popular book by the Fabers.

Video of the Week: Alex

Our featured video this week comes from Alex, one of my third graders.

He is playing a solo piece called Somersaults by Robert Vandall, a contemporary composer.  Alex did a great job of practicing with the metronome to achieve a steady tempo, despite the tricky hand crossings.

Video of the Week: Anna

This Video of the Week comes from Anna, a 2nd grade student who is in her second year of lessons.

Anna is playing a lively piece called The Juggler from the Faber Piano Adventures Lesson Book, Level 1. Anna does a wonderful job with the tricky hand crossing and leaps between Treble C, Middle C and Bass C.

Video of the Week: Zoe

This video features Zoe, another of my Kindergarten beginner students.  Zoe has been playing for about 6 months now, and does a great job here!

Zoe is playing Rodeo from the Faber Piano Adventures Lesson Book - Primer Level, accompanied by the MIDI disk recording.

Video of the Week: Maddy

This week's video is from Maddy, one of my Kindergarten students who started in September.

 Maddy is playing March on D-E-F from the Faber Primer Piano Adventures book, accompanied by the MIDI disk recording.  Great job, Maddy!

Gold Medal Winners: Major Pentascale Challenge

Update: Madison and Kyle have also earned the Pentascale medals, not pictured here.

For the past month, students have been working on mastering their Major pentascales, moving around the Circle of 5th's.  With this knowledge, students are now able to construct and build chords in all TWELVE of the major keys.

This is a huge accomplishment, and such an important skill for a musician to know.  I am proud to announce that 14 students have completed this challenge!  Way to go, everyone!
 

Congratulations to the following Gold Medal winners: 

Faith

Katelyn 

Leah 

Jamie 

Celine 

Amanda

Anna

Avery 

Halina 

Alex

Gwen

Eva
Madison 
Kyle

Video of the Week: Avery

This Video of the Week features Avery, a Level 1 student, who is just coming up on her one year anniversary of piano lessons.

Her piece is a dreamy, meditative piece called Lotus Blossoms.  It is composed by Christopher Goldston and is from the Fantastic Fingers book, Level 1.
.

Video of the Week: Eva

This video comes from my daughter, Eva, a 1st grade student.

She is performing a fun rendition of La Bamba by Ritchie Valens, accompanied by the pre-recorded MIDI disk.  This piece is from the Faber's ShowTime Popular book, Level 2A.

Free Metronome app for iPad

This week the students and I have been using the Metronome Plus app quite a bit.  It is a fantastic app for iPad, and the best part is that it is FREE!

Users have the ability to change the time signature or the sound of the "ticking." We have also been using the RECORD feature, which is a great little bonus. I highly recommend this app for at-home practice.

Follow the direct link below:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/metronome+/id434136233?mt=8

Video of the Week: Jamie

Our next Video of the Week features Jamie, a 7th grader.  Jamie is a Level 3B student, and here is an example of her beautiful artistry and expression.

This piece is entitled Day's End by Dennis Alexander, from the Piano for Adults series, Book 1.

Video of the Week: Kyle

This Video of the Week comes from Kyle, a level 1 beginner in his first year of lessons.

You will surely recognize this piece if you have been watching the Winter Olympics!  It is called Olympic Fanfare (Bugler's Dream) by Leo Arnaud, and comes from the ShowTime Popular book.

Video of the Week: Samantha

This week's Video of the Week is one of my first year students.

Here is Samantha, a 2nd grader, performing 'Bingo' from the PreTime Children's Songs book.
 

Chart: The 12 major pentascales

In case your child needs a reminder of how to build each major pentascale, here is a handy chart.  Thank you, Layton Music!

http://laytonmusic.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pentascale-cards-6-to-a-page.pdf

Video of the Week: Katelyn

This Video of the Week comes from Katelyn, one of my Level 2 students.

Katelyn, a 6th grader, is performing a syncopated jazz piece called Mr. McGill, from Piano Adventures Performance Book - Level 2A.

Video of the Week: Celine

This week's video performance comes from one of my 5th grade students.

Here is Celine, performing Mashed Potato Clouds by Diane Hidy, from the book titled Attention Grabbers, Book Two.

Beautiful performance, Celine!

Why Music?

I received this from a colleague, and felt the need to share it because it is so perfectly describes my philosophy on teaching.  I wish I could give credit to the source, but it was passed along anonymously.

 Why Music?

Music is a Science.

Music is Mathematical.

Music is a Foreign Language.

Music is History.

Music is Physical Education.

Music Develops Insight and Demands Research.

Music is all these things, but most of all,

Music is Art.


That is why I teach music.

Not because I expect you to major in music.

Not because I expect you to play or sing all your life...


But so you will be human

So you will recognize beauty

So you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world.


So you will have something to cling to

So you will have more love, more compassion,

more gentleness, more good -

in short, more life!

Video of the Week: Madison

Here is the first video in our Video of the Week series, which will give the spotlight to my favorite student performances each week. 

This is Madison performing Pastel Sky by Jeanine Yeager, from Fresh Impressions - Book 1.