Friday Fun: Just sing with your kids!

Happy Friday! I read this article and thought it was worth sharing.

http://www.nafme.org/singing-early-childhood-create-musical-thinkers/

The authors speak from the teacher perspective about the importance of singing and listening to students in early childhood classes in order to inspire them musically and, in turn, be inspired by them. This article struck me as something I employ both as a teacher and as a parent. As the article states, I often find myself proudly and energetically singing songs with my daughter and son that are their favorites, but not necessarily mine (Old McDonald, anyone?). While I do find joy in sharing my personal musical tastes with them (everything from Bach to Beatles, from Beach Boys to Beyonce), I agree that it's important to allow them the freedom to share their voices by singing songs that they know and love on a regular basis...which is why I've had the Mary Poppins soundtrack on repeat in my car for several weeks now!

Enjoy this article, and whether you're a teacher or a parent, and whether you feel like you have a lovely voice or are hesitant to sing out loud, JUST SING WITH YOUR KIDS. They love hearing you sing, no matter what you sound like (I promise) and who knows...you just might have a blast doing it!

UPDATE on This Year's Musical!

Howdy folks!

I wanted to update you all on the dates of this year's musical, INTO THE WOODS.

The performance weekend is now April 8 & 9, 2017. The dates changed for a variety of valid reasons, and we (Mr. Howe and I) are excited for the extra rehearsal time with the students!

Auditions will be held the week of November 14-18, with callbacks happening the following week on Monday/Tuesday before we leave for Thanksgiving break.

More details to come as the weeks continue...for now, check out the songs and scenes online, watch the latest movie, and get excited to venture INTO THE WOODS with us!

In the News: Nobel Prize in Literature goes to Bob Dylan

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/10/13/497780610/bob-dylan-titan-of-american-music-wins-the-2016-nobel-prize-in-literature

Singer-songwriter, poet, and musical icon Bob Dylan was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature. I didn't know it was possible for a songwriter to win this award, but I can certainly vouch for Dylan's powerful, moving lyrics having listened to his songs countless times. I discussed Dylan and his Nobel Prize with some classes today and played Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" as a reference for his music. I was struck by how much that song (posted below) STILL resonates today, even though it was first performed in 1964.

What do YOU think?

Friday Fun: From Shooting Hoops to Singing Opera!

I happened upon this video about mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges and thought it was worth sharing. My takeaway? It's NEVER too late to try something new...and who knows? You may end up being REALLY good at it!

HAPPY FRIDAY, everyone!

For more info on Bridges' story, click here.

5th Grade Chorus: The Vocal Roller Coaster!

Here are the 5th graders doing one of their favorite new vocal warm-ups: the Roller Coaster! This exercise helps us expand our vocal range in a fun, silly way to warm up our voices.

Music Together Concert with Sunny Train, Jessica Nevins, and Uncle Gerry!

Last Friday we hosted a special Music Together concert at The Country School. 

 Lala (ukulele) and Christopher (guitar) from Sunny Train came to perform with their band, along with Music Together of the River Valley director Jessica Nevins on accordion, and also troubadour "Uncle" Gerry Dignan, one of the original voices from all the Music Together recordings. With the help of PreSchool, PreK, Kindergarten, and some visiting families, we rocked out to lots of great songs, and they even invited me to play violin with the band!

Together with these talented musicians, I had a blast sharing the joy of music with all the children. Now I cannot WAIT to kick off this year's Music Together song cycle, FLUTE, with my PreS and PreK classes this fall!

Quote of the Day #3

I'm sure this won't be the only quote I offer from this brilliant mind, but the words felt especially worth sharing as we dive into another full week of teaching and learning here at TCS:

"Play is the highest form of research." -Albert Einstein

I love watching TCS students (and my own children) when they are deep into playing something. There is something truly magical happening in the brain when one is at play, and if you think about this quote in connection to music, the words can become even more powerful.

Thanks, Einstein...now let's do some serious research this week, everyone!

Quote of the Day #2

In an effort to start the week off well, I'm going to try to post a quote on Mondays. I might not be able to do it every week, but I will try! Here's a quote from another one of my favorite violinists:

https://adsence.kiev.ua/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/hilary_hahn-11.jpg

"I just want to work with people, so I always try to find a way to collaborate in the best way for the music." -Hilary Hahn

I really enjoy working with people (it's one of the reasons I became a teacher!) so here's to seeking out ways to collaborate with students and colleagues. Thanks, Hilary!

Great First Week!

Congrats to everyone for making it through the week with kindness, respect, and responsibility! I am so glad to be back teaching full-time at TCS, and it's been fun to see how the students have changed over the past six months while I was out on maternity leave. 

Below is a photo of the Kindergarten musical agenda. Both K classes had their very first visit to the music room today, and we rocked out to all these great tunes and had a blast singing, moving, listening, and playing together!

 

Enjoy the weekend, and I'll see everyone back on Monday for more musical learning!

Quote for Day 1

"Never miss an opportunity to teach; when you teach others, you teach yourself." -Itzak Perlman

Thanks, Itzak. Okay...let's do this! See you all at the Community Welcome!

Happy First Day, everyone!

Staying Connected: Back to School!

...and just like that, 6 months of maternity leave have come and gone, and this time tomorrow I'll be at school welcoming everyone back to TCS! While I will miss spending my days with my babies and enjoying the summer sun, it's time to get back to teaching and learning with my students. I'm really excited for the year ahead, and I know there will be lots of fun things happening in my classroom and all over the TCS campus.

Are you excited too? Nervous? A little of both?

Check out the "Important Dates" page if you're looking to start adding things to your calendar...I just updated it will all the musical performances that will be happening this year.

Looking forward to greeting everyone in the courtyard tomorrow morning for the Community Welcome & Candle Lighting Ceremony!

Staying Connected: John Legend's National Anthem

John Legend has been one of my favorite musicians for many years. Not only is he a supremely talented singer, pianist, performer, and composer, but he also cares deeply about the power of education. John Legend has taken some interesting pathways during his career simply because certain things actually matter to him, even if they aren't cool or popular with mainstream media. Hearing his soulful, precisely tuned version of a song we ALL know made my heart happy this evening, especially since we just celebrated Memorial Day this past week.

Thanks, John. That's how you sing the national anthem.

Staying Connected: The Importance of Practice

Here's an interesting interview with Anders Ericsson about his thoughts on the importance of practice, specifically in relation to musicians and prodigies. I'm not sure I can jump on board with everything that he's saying. However, based on his extensive research, I can connect with his larger claims about education needing to become more skills-based so that "students will be able to see how, by learning certain skills, they'll be able to do things that they couldn't do before." Check out more regarding talent, time, and levels of engaged learning below:

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/06/01/forget-talent-why-practice-is-key-to-most-prodigies-success/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

Staying Connected: Orchestral Graphic Design?

Check out the article below about how the Toronto Symphony is including detailed graphic analysis of their musical repertoire in every program. Do you think this enhances or diminishes the listening experience? I can't decide, but would love a chance to see and listen some time!

https://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2016/may/how-the-toronto-symphony-orchestra-uses-graphic-design-to-guide-its-audiences-though-its-music/

Staying Connected: An interview with Yo-Yo Ma

So I just need to come right out and say it: I love Yo-Yo Ma. I've followed his musical career for decades and he just continues to fascinate me as a musician and as a human being. I've had the privilege to see him perform live a handful of times (and if you haven't, that should be added to your bucket list NOW), and those performances were all moving and magical. I've also heard him speak on several occasions and have been struck by his poise, passion, humor, and humility. But what truly impresses me about Ma is his relentless thirst for knowledge and his insatiable curiosity about music, culture, and life. This man is the epitome of a life-long learner. His optimism is also contagious, which I learned first-hand when I attended the Arts & Passion-Driven Learning Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He sat in on one of my seminars and smiled, laughed, and learned right along with us. At one point we even high-fived. That's right: I high-fived Yo-Yo Ma. Unreal. 

Anyway, I could continue gushing about the man, but below is a recent interview he did that speaks to all the reasons why he's so beloved. Ma, at his core, is thoughtful, humble, and grateful...which makes him worth admiring as a person, in addition to being inspired by his incredible artistic talent. 

https://hbr.org/2016/06/yo-yo-ma

Staying Connected: Thanks, Itzhak!

I'm a violinist. I started playing when I was 5. I don't remember this story, but my mom claims that when I was about 3 years old, I watched Itzhak Perlman and a little girl play their violins on Sesame Street, pointed at the tv, and said, "I do that." (It's still one of my favorite SS segments about things that are hard vs. things that are easy. Check it out here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z3richcoCUI)

It took two more years of asking and begging before my mom gave in and I started violin lessons. To this day, Itzhak Perlman remains my most favorite violinist, and I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't play the violin. 

To her credit, my mom never, ever forced me to practice. Sure there were many, many, many times when I didn't want to take out my violin and work on a scale or a piece. And I know I could certainly have done more practicing as a child and young adult. Even now I don't practice as much as I probably should. But growing up as a Suzuki learner and having my mom attend every violin lesson, take notes, and essentially practice "with" me made the sessions a bonding experience for us. There also *may* have been some after-practice treats (2-3 pieces of red licorice) waiting for me on the kitchen table once I put in some solid effort. 

I'm so glad to have something in my life that allows me to access music in a profoundly personal way. I also enjoy sharing music with others, both as a performer and as a listener. The engagement level that music requires is accessible to all of us. We may not realize it, but there's a reason we become obsessed with a song, or an artist, or, in my case at 3, a musical instrument. It is because at its core, music connects us to the larger world and makes us feel like we're part of something bigger than ourselves. Music can also be extremely personal, and provide us with the necessary emotions when our words don't suffice. I hope I never stop playing the violin, and I hope that everyone has access to music in a way that speaks to them. Lots of things can be easy or hard, but music is a challenge worth pursuing in whatever way helps us learn more about ourselves and the world around us. 

Staying Connected: "The Orchestra of our Brain"

"Playing music is the brain's equivalent of a full body workout." 

HOW COOL IS THAT?!

Watch the TedEd video below explain what happens in your brain when you play a musical instrument, and the unique brain benefits of musical instrument learning and practicing:

https://www.facebook.com/TEDEducation/videos/1060409360638936/

Staying Connected: Female Guest Conductor appointed to L.A. Phil

Wow...this is exciting! I wish female conductors were more common, and clearly so does Susanna Malkki. Check out the article below to read her words on conductors as musical leaders (something men and women can achieve!), and enjoy the final quote from a musician and journalist whose name jumped out at me...Ellen and I played in high school orchestras together, and it was a thrill to see her beautiful words on Malkki quoted in the L.A. Times. Congrats to Susanna Malkki...I can't wait to find out what her programs with the L.A. Phil will be!

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-susanna-malkki-phil-20160404-story.html

Staying Connected: Singing with Synchronized Heartbeats

Below is an article about a study on what can happen to the heart when people sing together in a choir. It makes me wonder if this happens to our TCS chorus groups when they sing together...do all our heartbeats start to slow down and synchronize? I really hope so...what a powerful idea. It makes me miss my students!

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/07/09/200390454/when-choirs-sing-many-hearts-beat-as-one?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nprmusic&utm_term=music&utm_content=20160404

Staying Connected: "Kindie Rock"

I'm not sure who coined the term "Kindie Rock" as a musical genre consisting of hip, up-and-coming artists who primarily rock out with tunes that both kids and parents can enjoy without sacrificing their musical integrity, but I think it's pretty smart. Below is an article with a comprehensive list of just such artists who are performing at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival, alongside countless other great bands.

https://www.fatherly.com/kid-and-family-friendly-acts-at-south-by-southwest-sxsw-2016-1652195510.html?utm_content=bufferce468&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I certainly haven't heard of all the musicians or bands, but I'm excited to reconnect with a few and hear some new tunes too. As a music teacher and a mom, I take my Kindie Rock pretty seriously, so enjoy the list and hopefully you'll find some new songs for your family car rides and at-home dance parties. 

If I find a song or band that really excites me, I'll be sure to share it here. Please do the same if you're inspired by leaving a comment below. Happy listening!

Staying Connected: The Pillars and Pitfalls of Memorization

I've definitely been both victorious and victimized when performing a piece of music from memory.

As a student of Suzuki violin beginning at age 5, the idea of memorization has always held a strong place in my musical learning process since it began as part of the foundation for how I worked through every piece (listen, learn, memorize). The article below has given me new insight into the differences between certain types of memorization and how they can strengthen or weaken one's learning and performing process. It also gave me flashbacks to different times when I either forgot or miraculously remembered a piece of music, and now has me wondering how my brain functioned under those intense situations. (That's right...I'm talking to you, Preludio from Bach's E Major Partita!)

Interesting points to ponder here, and even if you're not a musician, try the author's alphabet "test" to see how your brain functions...fascinating!

http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/musicians-seem-memorization-naturals-can-become-one/

Staying Connected: The Power of Musical Repetition

Here's a cool article with a TedEd video all about the powerful nature of repetition in music. Watch the video and see if it sparks any ideas about how you listen to music and what makes you press "play" over and over again. 

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/24/how-repetition-in-music-affects-your-thinking/

Staying Connected...

Since I'm home on maternity leave, I've decided to use my blog as a way to stay connected with the musical world. I'll share interesting articles, songs, videos, and pictures that relate to music and the performing arts. 

Today's article is all about the power of music and how it can scientifically affect our bodies and minds. Read below for some ways that music can influence and enhance your life:

http://mic.com/articles/133981/7-ways-music-affects-the-body-here-s-how-science-says-sound-moves-us

Baby Wepler is Here!

I wanted to share the exciting news that Grady Hayes Wepler has finally arrived! We are all happy and healthy and big sister Fiona loves her new baby brother!