After discovering and posting about Glory’s music theory videos a couple weeks ago, I was excited to see catch up with her again at their exhibitor booth and attend her workshop this afternoon.
Glory is an energetic and passionate educator and a great communicator. She has an amazing way of explaining theory concepts in a common sense way that clicks for teachers and students alike.
She explained harmonic intervals by showing two notes stacked on top of each other on a staff and drawing an H to represent a hotel, where the rooms are on top of each other. A melodic interval was likewise illustrated on the staff with an M drawn to represent a motel where the rooms are side by side.
Ultimate Music Theory is an attractive theory curriculum that is well laid out. In addition to the lessons with these creative memory joggers, the books contain review tests and in-studio exams. All of their scores/percentages are placed in the table of contents for an easy overview of the students’ overall music theory grade.
What is the point of doing music theory? It’s important to make it relevant to students. Theory helps us grow as musicians. It enables us to analyze a piece of music. Theory gives us the knowledge to understand what we are hearing and/or playing.
Glory shared a little bit about one of her favorite people: Albert Einstein. Of course, we know him as a brilliant scientist, but he was also a violinist and played the piano. His mother was a piano teacher. She closed by sharing several of his quotes:
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them.”
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
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