Week 7: Our Value as Educators

Here is a link to an article about our value as educators.  This is link to a powerpoint presentation that discusses how valuable we are to a school corporation.  This is definetly something that we can use to help support our programs. 

Music Educators and our value

Week 7: My 7th grade band

Here is a recording of my 7th grade band at ISSMA Concert Band contest for middle school.  I was extremely proud of them.  They recieved great comments from the judges and came home with a Gold rating. 

Week 7: Jazz Trombone

This is a great article about jazz trombone and jazz trombone players.  It offers some insight to some fantastic trombone recordings in the jazz genre.  It also suggests some jazz trombone players for young musicians to listen to.  This is a great read and resource. 

Jazz Trombone

Week 6: Jazz and Gender

Considering it is jazz appreciation month, I thought that I would share a great article how a jazz group broke through the gender barrier.  This article is about the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. 

Jazz and Gender

Week 6: 1:1 School

A couple weeks ago I was able to attend some professional development with some coworkers where we were given information about making a school 1:1.  What this means is that every student and teacher has their own laptop.  It was awesome to see how engaged the students were!  I hope this is something that go through in my school corporation.  The following is a link to an article about the Lincoln Junior High School in Plymouth, IN. 

1:1 School

1:1 School

Week 5: Jazz Cello?

Here is a great article on how the cello can be a jazz instrument.  It not only discusses how the cello can be a great jazz instrument, but it offers some great CD's for listening.  I love listening to good cello playing and then combining it with my favorite genre of jazz is even better! 

Jazz Cello

Week 5: PBS for Kids Music Program

Here is a link to a PBS for Kids Music program called "Chuck Vanderchuck Something Something Explosion."  In this program, the students are taken through a musical journey about different styles of music.  In this episode the students discover jazz music.  There are listening games that the students can work with and at the end the "band" led by Chuck and his assitant will perform.  This is the first I have seen this, but it looks like it is updated every month or so with new musical style.  This would work great for elemantary school students. 

Chuck Vanderchuck

Week 4: Brass Pointers

Wayne Downey Brass Pointers

I know it is not quite marching season yet, but some of us are anxiously awaiting it like myself!  This is a link to an article written by long time staff member of the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, Wayne Downey.  He has written many articles and published some great warm up technique books for brass players.  If you want to improve your brass sound, I would recommend checking some of his stuff out!  It is almost Drum Corps season!!!

Week 4: My 8th Grade Band

LMS 8th Grade Band

This is a recording of my 8th grade band at the Indiana State School Music Association contest a few weeks ago.  I was extremely proud of how they performed.  They recieved great comments from the judges. 

Week 4: A Tribute to Lena Horne

http://blog.americanhistory.si.edu/osaycanyousee/2010/05/in-tribute-to-lena-horne.html


Here is a link to a tribute to Lena Horne, one of the most influential voices in jazz history.  It includes some short excerpts from her career.  There is some great biographical information included as well.  Also, some great pictures are included.  Normally I would post this closer the anniversary of her death, but we won't be in class. 

Bicycle Built for Two

Here is my version of Bicycle Built for Two. I really liked this program.  It is really user friendly and allows you to do just about anything you would want with a music notation program.  This would be a great program to use in a classroom, if the budget does not allow for one of the more expensive music notation programs.  This a great option for exploring composition with music students. In some cases, I think some of the commands in this program make more sense than in the typical musical notation programs.   This program could also be used by students to create their own rhythm exercises.

Week 3: Life on the Road

Here is a link to a diary of a jazz musician who is on the road.  There are some interesting insights. 

http://www.jazz.com/jazz-blog/2008/6/3/fry-aagre-s-tour-diary

Week 3: Why music is important?

Here is a link to an article by MENC that offers links to performers thoughts on why music is important. 

http://www.menc.org/news/view/press-release-musical-stars-answer-the-question-why-music-for-2011-miosm

Cool Ipad video

This was sent to me during the holidays, but I thought it would still be fun to share it with all you.  I think it is really cool all the different music technology things you can do with an Ipad.  It makes me want to purchase one for all of my students!  Make sure you watch it all the way through the stuff at the end is the best! 

https://www.tricreek.k12.in.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://gizmodo.com/5709283/rockin-around-the-christmas-tree-with-ipads

Music Advocacy

This is a great article about one teacher who went to bat for our profession.  She made it her mission to make sure that music positions were not being cut from her school district.  I applaud her! 

http://www.menc.org/news/view/rhode-island-music-teacher-spreads-word-about-need-for-advocacy/

Jazz and Hip-Hop

Here is a great article about how Jazz music is constantly combining different genres to form something new.  This article talks about taking hip-hop and jazz and combining them together.  I think this could be something very cool to work with!


http://www.jazz.com/jazz-blog/2008/8/26/jazz-and-hip-hop-one

Status of Music Education

Here is a good article on the status of music education in schools today.  It discusses how it can lead our students to be better suited for the 21st Century. 

http://leadingnotes.org/2011/02/15/pisano/