Come get your composing game for this next week

I ran across this fun music composition game a few weeks ago and bought it to have my students work on while I'm gone.  No slouching just because there won't be a lesson for a week guys!

I'm going to set a wooden box out on my front porch with a packet for each of my piano families inside (your names will be on them.)  Please stop by and take yours and have your student(s) compose a Halloween song during the next week.  This will be a new experience for almost all of them, it will make them really think about how music works when they have to write out their own song.  For students who have had 1-2 years of lessons, this might be very challenging - if they need help and if you as a parent don't feel up to it, why don't you look at the "Swap List" I gave you of my students and invite one of my older ones to come and help teach your student how to do this.  (This will make my older students get in there and figure it out as well!!!)  You know the old saying about the teacher learns the most, you will be doing them a favor :)

I tried this myself and it's possible to end up with a very odd sounding song :)  But Halloween songs can sound weird!  I think the experience of doing this is well worth the effort to put into practice the  application of some music theory. 

I also need you to check your Christmas music.  We are going to begin using those early in November.  Post a comment here or send me an email if I need to order music for your student(s).  Christmas music is so great to have actual books available to pull out year after year to enjoy.

  

Group Lessons and Practice Abacus

Everyone made their own Practice Abacus today at group lessons.  This is to help them get in the habit of practicing a song productively.  Just playing straight through a song 3-5 times a day is not a good way to make improvements.  More often than not the song comes back to the next lesson with the same errors they were making the week before.  I tell students over and over how to practice, but don't think it really is happening at home often, if at all.  This is how to use the abacus:  First string - play through the song once and watch for 3 areas that need extra attention.  2nd,3rd & 4th strings - play each of those "needy" areas 5 times each, working to improve it.  5th sting - play through the entire song 2 times trying to get the 3 areas you worked on to smoothly work into the rest of the song.  Do this with every song, every day.  If your student ever gets to where they automatically are practicing this way, then the abacus doesn't need to be used, a habit has been formed - until then, though, make sure they are using it!

The 4 sections of group lesson this time:

Part 1:  Recital

 Part 2:  Making their Practice Abacus

Part 3:  Playing Rhythm Cups

(They've been told to take their sheet home and teach it to their family!  It's fun :)  

Part 4:  Refreshments 

always the most popular part!

There is one more group lesson this school year, on Feb. 18th.  Just FYI, get it on your calendar :)