Musically Yours!!

In a number of previous posts, I have given examples of some really fantastic interactive sites for the music classroom.  I recently, however, stumbled upon the guru of all musically oriented interactive sites.  Also referred to as the Children’s Music Page, this site combines the likes of interactive songs, online activities, instruments making crafts, sheet [...]

The Unspoken Word, a sister site to Music Notes, provides students with a more in-depth insight into the areas explored on Music Notes, with the addition of a very cool “interact” option in which one can view video interviews with some very famous composers, as well as share original works.       

Music Notes allows students of all ages to interactively learn about music theory, history, genres, professions, and instruments.  This is a really great site to help aid with both in class and take home research and assignments!

As presented in a previous post, many music majors drop the title of “major” after only a semester or two due to the fact that music theory is such a killer.  The truth is, it really does take a lot of hard work, dedication, determination, and practice to completely understand all the concepts presented within [...]

As long as I can remember, Nintendo has been of huge interest to many young minds (and, as it turns out, adults too!).  And yes, while these games are extremely fun and inevitably addicting, it has always been hard for me to see the value in them.  Nintendo, however, is being to change my views [...]

If composing music happens to be your calling, then Finale is the program for you.  With Finale, one is able to quickly and easily create a composition with just a few clicks of the mouse.  Identified as “the world’s most powerful music notation software,” Finale not only makes it much easier to composer and arrange, [...]

Practice makes perfect—and thanks to SmartMusic, practicing will never be the same mundane routine again!  This interactive program allows students to practice band, orchestra, or choir compositions at home in as easy as one-two-three.  With the complete accompaniments for thousands of titles, students can now practice their ensemble music as if they were practicing with [...]

As a musician and practicing conductor, I have learned to appreciate the importance of a “good ear.”  In music, whether one is playing an instrument, singing, or conducting, a multitude of aspects, such as energy and projection, singing together, diction and expression, pitch accuracy, tone quality, correct rhythm, concentration and focus, and posture must be [...]

“I can’t wait until I can learn to play the piano somewhat, because then I will feel like a very well rounded musician. I can read/write music, I play drums, I sing, and I play piano (or WILL) – and I will probably learn other instruments too. It’s exciting – I think that’s why I [...]

“My Doggy Likes to Disco” is a piece that I recently arranged for the elementary music classroom which is orchestrated for both voice and the integration of Orff instruments. It was this piece that I was to teach to my peers during a wonderful session of Vocal Methods. The final product was, to say the [...]

It seems that the world of music and technology have collided once again, resulting in an up and coming new “fad” known as voiceless opera.  Imagine sitting in a theater, anxiously anticipating the world debut of a critically renowned post-modern opera.  As the curtains open and the lights fade, the stage appears to be vacant [...]

Not all that long ago on A Music Education Blog Collective, Joseph Abramo contemplated the question—“are the traditional ensembles worth continuing?”  As a musician and future teacher of music, this is an extremely scary concept.  While it is true that there are multitudes of new technologies that are continually changing the way in which the [...]

After being intrigued by the integration of SFS Kids (present in a previous post) in the classroom, I was motivated to look into other interactive websites that can be utilized in the music classroom.  Among the most memorable was PlayMusic.org.
 
This is a site that provides youngsters the opportunity to explore the multiple realms within [...]

Earlier this week, while in the process of completing a practicum in which I work with first grade students who have exceptionalities, I was presented with an instructional alternative for those individuals who were unable to focus or properly engage in the musical activities.  The San Francisco Symphony Kids’ Site was that alternative.
 
Although these children [...]

Just a few more fun tunes from childrens music artist Eric Herman!

In celebration of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, award winning musician Eric Herman, creator of “Cool Tunes for Kids,” created an extremely fun video and song entitled “Bluebeard, Blackbeard, and Redbeard.”

Eric Herman is a name which an music teacher should become familiar with! He has multiple websites and blogs, and participates in concerts [...]

Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna!” from the critically renowned Carmina Burana, is without a doubt one of his most famous compositions.  A largely recognized, yet unknown work, 1936’s “O Fortuna!” deals with issues such as love, gambling, and fate which we are, to this day, still contemplating.  Ultimately introducing the “Wheel of Fortune,” Orff’s composition brilliantly [...]

Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you an experimental blog which I can guarantee will prove to be fun-filled!  But, before you start allowing yourself to get lost in all the wonderful information, let me introduce myself.  My name is Jaime and I am a music education major at Washburn University (thanks to numerous [...]