Music Theory Song

The Music Theory Song (Intervals Roasting)



For advanced musicians, here is a Christmas treat for you!  It is a fun and creative way to sing about the theory of this song:  "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire?"  Yay for music theory!!!  What a great way to get into the holiday spirit...Enjoy!  

Music Makes You Smarter

Did you know...? 
Music stimulates the mind, encourages creativity and helps to lay a foundation for learning that leads to higher intelligence and aptitude. 

Preschoolers who studied piano performed 34% better in spatial and temporal reasoning ability than preschoolers who spent the same amount of time learning to use computers (Rauscher & Shaw. As reported in Neurological Research, February 1997). 
Preschoolers who took singing and keyboard lessons scored 80% higher on object-assembly tests than students at the same preschool who did not have the music lessons (Rauscher & Shaw. As reported in Symphony, Sept.-Oct. 1996). 
Listening to Mozart’s Piano Sonata K448 was found to significantly increase spatial scores of college students on IQ tests (Rauscher & Shaw. University of California as reported in Nature). 
In a study of medical school applicants, 66% of the music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group. Only 44% of the biochemistry majors were admitted (Lewis Thomas, as reported in the Phi Delta Kappan, February 1994). 
The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians (Grant Venerable, The Center for the Arts in the Basic Curriculum, New York, 1989). 
For the unborn child, classical music, played at a rhythm of 60 beats per minute, equivalent to that of a resting human heart, provides an environment conducive to creative and intellectual development (Dr. Thomas Veert, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child). 
In 1994, it was reported by the college entrance examination board that students with coursework in music performance taking the university entrance exam (SAT) scored 49 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 36 points higher on the math portion than students with no course work or experience in the arts. 
It has been shown that high school music students have higher grade point averages than non-music students do in the same school (from Time Magazine June 11, 1999). 
"It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the rest of musical perception." - Albert Einstein on his Theory of Relativity. 
Plato once said "...music is a more potent instrument than any other for education..." Now scientists know why. Music trains the brain for higher forms of thinking. After eight months of musical training, 3 year olds were expert puzzle masters, scoring 80% higher than their playmates did in spatial intelligence – the ability to visualize the world accurately. This skill later translates into mathematical/conceptual and engineering skills. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Five Fat Turkeys are hiding in the Tree...
What else is hiding the tree?! Sol, sol, do! in the Red Balloons' version.  

Magical Lamp Show

Here are videos of the students performing the Magical Lamp puppet show. (Aragonaise from Carmen by Georges Bizet)

Wednesday Class   

Thursday Class

We have a lot of fun with classical music!

Musical Journey has Begun

 These kids have just started their 3-year journey in Let's Play Music!  Their first semester is Red Balloons!  I'm so excited that I get to see their sweet faces every week! 

2012 National Composition Contest

It is so fun seeing young children perform their own compositions! Watch what these students can do after 3 years in Let's Play Music.

3rd Year Preview

I attended a WONDERFUL 3^rd Year Training last weekend!!! It is going to be so much fun, I can hardly wait! I just wanted give you a preview of some of the skills your child is going to be able to do the 3rd year in Let's Play Music.

They will learn...

• Music Staff: ALL the notes on the staff (by letter) and where to play them (on the keyboard). Time Signatures (and the function of measures & counts).
• Number Counting: So that when they go on to a Private Piano teacher, they know “how to count” all of our bug rhythms.
• “Magic Keys”: sharps, flats, and naturals (and how they change our moveable “DO” to different keys.)
• Transposing: mentally changing keys (to pay a song higher if necessary)
• Chords: How to build a Triad, How to find the root of a chord, and understanding the chord inversions (and root position).
• Classical Music: Learn ABA Form, themes and variations. FUN puppet shows!!
• How to Compose a song to perform at the Recital!!!
• and much more!

This is CHALLENGING stuff!!! But because the students have such a strong foundation in music...this is going to be a natural progression for them! (and the parents are fortunate to get to learn along with them...so don't be scared.) One great thing about LPM is that these musical concepts are taught through song lyrics! (you get terrific CDs!!)

I'm so excited about what kids will be able to do after 3 short years in Let's Play Music. It's amazing!! 

 

Recital 2012

We had a wonderful Recital on Saturday night!  All 4 classes did a great job!  It was so fun!!  Watch the videos with your kids. 

 First Years!  Wed Class (above)

Thursday Class (below)

 Second Years!  Tuesday 4pm (above)

5pm class (below)

  

First Year Video (7:30min)

Second Year Video (6:57min)

Piano Cake!  

Why Teach Music?

Why do parents want their children to learn music?. . .

Pirate Ship

The students had a blast with this Puppet Show! "Hungarian Dance No.5" by Johannes Brahms. Here they are using props to tell the story.

4pm Class: http://youtu.be/I21DIGLT_z8

5pm Class: http://youtu.be/dn9Fx00IvDw

2nd year class 4pm

A mom brought her camera to the Tuesday 4pm class (and sent me the photos).

Triumphant March

The 1st year students are performing the Triumphant March (from Aida by Verdi). We had a lot of fun with all of the props.

Wednesday Class:


Thursday Class:

Happy Valentine's Day

Emma & Sarah did a great job playing piano, as they accompanied their sisters singing "Love Somebody." They even added a second verse. Loved it! Happy Valentine's Day!

Musical Zoo

The Fort Collins Symphony Guild puts on the Musical Zoo each year. It is a fun musical event for the entire family! At the end, the Symphony Orchestra performs Peter and the Wolf and the kids get to hold up puppets when certain instruments play (just like with our puppet shows.)
Sunday, February 19th from 2:30-5:30pm.
Check out the website for admission and Schedule of events.

Yellow Indian Arrows

This new semester is going to be so fun as the students learn to play piano with BOTH hands. (First we learned the Right Hand and now we focus on adding the Left Hand on the keys.)

I love these Indian Chiefs!