Monthly Archives: November 2012

Issue 66:Welcome to the Jungle

Posted on November 24, 2012 by

Due to various events, my schedule is a bit flaky at the moment, and will stay that way at least until the end of the year. However I am doing my best to keep the Music Jungle updated every week, even if it … Continue reading →

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Issue 66: Using Music Videos

Posted on November 24, 2012 by

I had a brainwave this week: I was planning a lesson for year 5 and 6 on the instruments of the orchestra, and wanted to show them a video recording of Benjamin Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” that I have … Continue reading →

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Issue 66: Beginner Recorders: reading the dots

Posted on November 24, 2012 by

I do go on and on about this, but I strongly believe that if you don’t teach children how to read music when you teach an instrument, you are not doing them any favours. So, my year 3 recorder players … Continue reading →

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Issue 66: “Thinking” in order to learn – contrary motion scales

Posted on November 24, 2012 by

If you play a “single line” instrument, rather than a keyboard instrument, all the following is irrelevant, unless you want to see HOW HARD the scales are for keyboard exam candidates… With one week to go before the piano exam, … Continue reading →

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Issue 65: Welcome to the Jungle

Posted on November 17, 2012 by

Apologies for the delayed posting of the Jungle this week –  but here it is, and better late than never? Three posts as usual: firstly some thoughts on finding your fingers. Secondly, a useful little canon, of the musical, rather than … Continue reading →

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Issue 65: How many fingers are there on each hand?

Posted on November 17, 2012 by

Recently I have been giving some thought to the way the brain is connected to the fingers. I’ll admit at the outset that I haven’t researched this: the following is just what I think, having observed the struggles of some … Continue reading →

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Issue 65: A Useful Canon

Posted on November 17, 2012 by

I’ve come across this simple little canon in several places. According to the excellent AC Black book, “Banana Splits”, it is “anonymous”. They use the “Autumn Leaves” words, but I have also sung it to the letters of the alphabet. … Continue reading →

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Issue 65: Finding the Pulse

Posted on November 17, 2012 by

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse Finding the pulse of a piece of music isn’t always as straightforward as you might think. The children are often distracted by the rhythm, and clap the rhythm instead of the pulse.         I have … Continue reading →

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