So…a while back I had a brilliant idea. I was sure it would be a hit. The idea came to me one day as I was working on a Christmas arrangement for several of my students. Six of my students wanted to play on ensemble for the Christmas recital. They had played a Patriotic ensemble […]
European and American Music and Christianity
[Natalie’s Note: Mike Ellis is at it again – researching and writing on facets of music that often go unexplored by music teachers. In this article, he discusses some interesting correlations and raises some thought-provoking questions. If you haven’t checked out his Know Chords website, I highly recommend it. Mike has a way of presenting […]
A Customized Christmas Recital Program!
As I’ve given workshops for our local associations on how to use the computer to develop customized materials for the studio, one common desire many teachers have is to be able to make their own well-designed recital programs. In light of this, I am making available the following cover design, and corresponding files, for purchase […]
A Music Spelling Bee!
Looking for a fun game to play with a group of students that will also help them work on note identification? Try having a spelling bee! Here’s how it works: 1. Divide the students into two or more groups. 2. Give each group a set of flashcards with notes on the staff (make sure the […]
Free Music Games!
Check out this collection of downloadable musical games that D’Net has made available for free on her studio website! I especially love these 44 composer cards and plan to print them off and start using them right away. Teachers who use the Nancy and Randall Faber Piano Adventures course will especially love this Primer Level […]
Expand Your World
Natalie’s note: This fascinating article by Mike Ellis will stretch your brain and push you outside the box, er, beat of traditional musical understanding. The more I teach, the more I realize the importance of teaching music as sound to be felt, interpreted and conveyed, not just as notes on a page to be intellectually […]
