Normally I don’t post about group activities and games until after I’ve tried them, but I’m so excited about this one that I thought I’d go ahead and post it anyway. I’m hoping to use it at tomorrow’s group class, so I’ll try to let you know how it goes after the fact, too!
A while back I came across this page for a Beginner Guitar and Fiddle song that caught my attention. The song is the simple, but catchy, Boil ‘em Cabbage Down. The couple of video clips on the page are great! Being able to play music in a group like this seems like so much fun and I really want my piano students to enjoy similar ensemble experiences. So I’ve printed out the sheet music, told all my students to bring their second instrument if they play one, gathered up the various keyboards in my studio, and decided that we’re going to try playing it together and see how it goes!
Have any of you tried anything like this? Any tips? Thoughts on what works well and what doesn’t?
What a terrific idea, Natalie, on so many levels! I’m looking forward to your report, and I plan to steal your idea for a future group class. I have several students who will be adding the IV chord into their cadence soon, and can’t think of a more fun (and likely to be practiced) reinforcement. If you’re familiar with the “Up Down Boogie” in Celebrate Piano 2A, this could serve as a similar function/warm-up.
Hi Natalie. Your idea is great!
I have done it in my concerts. I take an ensamble for keyboards and then I write music for other instruments that my students play in band (at school)like, sax, flute or bells.
Then we put all together. This year I wrote a little fun song called “Being a musician” and some students are playing keyboards, others are singing and showing signs with different music simbols. I even have a girl who is going to do “clogging” for a few seconds during the song !!! maybe you’ll think this is crazy, but I think is going to be really fun!
This is a great idea. This is the first year that I planned 4 group lessons as part of schedule for the year. I divided my students into groups of 6-8. I also made one group a group of kids that play other instruments. In this group we talked about transposing for each instrument. I have about 3 clarinet players and a kid on piano working on Old Rocking Chair Blues by Martha Mier for our spring recital. My students usually do a piano solo and a duet. This ensemble will do this in place of their duets. (The kids were more than happy to trade off.) This has been positively received by their parents. It gives the kids a chance to show off their other talents as well. I would say the biggest challenge is when you try to mix different abilities and instruments. But it’s fun to include the kids with their ideas as well…