Newsletters

Music and the Brain Newsletter No. 3 – May 2001

Dear Music and the Brain Teachers,

This may or may not be the last newsletter of the year, but it is just a quick one to pass on the valuable observations of your fellow teachers. Also included is an example of what we have been observing as we visit your classrooms. Once again, thank you for your feedback! Please continue to send us your ideas and criticisms.

Question to all - How useful is it to repeat songs so often that the children eventually memorize them,instead of reading the music each time? It is always something to think about.

Stories from the Field

One of the difficulties in teaching the tune to "Ode to Joy" is that thewords in English are religious, and so not appropriate in most schools. One teacher worked around that by singing "Very happy, very happy, very happy Ode to Joy." This gave the students something to sing while learning a new melody. This teacher also used the recording and levels of happiness. It begins with a faint smile, goes to a half smile on the second repeat of the theme, and a wide grin on the third repeat of the theme. This repetition helped the children to learn the melody, while giving them something to do while listening.

Children have trouble playing chords. Some of them try to use their other hand to hold down the "extra" keys.

One teacher observed how his classes loved learning "Duerme Pronto"because of the repeating pattern. They knew they could succeed in playing wellquickly.

One teacher taught a section on "Lullaby" style using the Brahms Lullaby,"Duerme Pronto" (in two hands), and added "Hush Little Baby." "Hush Little Baby" was added because it is a song most of the children are more familiar with than the other two, and so provides a great introduction to the style.

The students responded very well to these songs, and many told stories of going home and singing to little brothers or sisters.

"La Paloma se Fue" has been a big hit with many students as it is a song that looks very long and hard, but when they get into it, they find they can really play it. It is also a great song to involve any Spanish speakers in the room to help with pronunciation and describing what a "La paloma" is.

When the teacher pointed to the fermata in "Happy Birthday," asking what it was, a student replied "It's a dotted tie!"

Here's a fun game: Sing the clef names in a high or low voice. Then swirl your finger or a pointer around in the air until you land on one of the clefs. The kids then sing the appropriate name in a high or low voice. Try it with left and right hands as well.

Many kids really enjoyed the recording of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."  Some were counting how many variations there where, others wanted to dance to it.

One teacher added percussion instruments (rhythm eggs) to "La Palome seFue" and the kids really loved it.

While learning "Morning", one student saw a "triple dotted half note." (Referring to the triad in the accompaniment of the piece.)

One way to look at syncopation is as a "ta" between two "ti-ti's."

It's amazing! Sometimes the kids make connections that the teachers don't! During a class on "The William Tell Overture," the teacher was looking at the"two-eighths quarter, two-eighths quarter, two-eighths quarter quarter quarter" rhythm in the second line.  She asked, where have we seen this pattern before. A boy answered, "In "Old McDonald"!" It was only later that she realized he was right! Look at "here a moo, there amoo, everywhere a moo-moo". The pattern is the same!