Monthly Archives: January 2013

Issue 74: Welcome to the Jungle

In spite of snow, ice, frost, rain, sleet, hail…………………. here we are again! Joys of teaching, Music of the Spheres, and a djembe piece this week. Have a good weekend.  

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Issue 74: At last! One of the joys of teaching

I’m as interested in teaching “how to learn” as I am in teaching music. This week, I have been very pleased to have seen my efforts bear fruit: The grade 8 sixth-former who has done a really thorough and careful … Continue reading

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Issue 74: Sounds of the Solar System

This is on youtube – I came across it via @quikipdia on twitter: All the planets make musical notes as they revolve. This music video is based on them http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ORH9UuKEodQ The piece is composed by Giorgio Costantini and called “Alba Mundi” … Continue reading

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Issue 74: A Djembe Rhythm in triple time – The Volcano

I have been experimenting with teaching this djembe piece. I called it “Triple Whizz” because I needed a catchy title in a hurry, but one class is using it to link in with their Volcano topic – and I think … Continue reading

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Issue 73: Welcome to the Jungle

So, this week: A Miles Davis quotation, thoughts about seating plans for your classes, and, Snow! have a good week.  

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Issue 73: Quotation – and thought for the week?

“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.” I took this Miles Davis quotation from the quotation site http://www.brainyquote.com I was actually looking for a different quotation at the time, but I’ll save that for another week. The quote seemed to be too clever … Continue reading

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Issue 73: Arranging the class

By this I mean how and where the children sit. I think my favourite way is for us all to sit in a circle on the floor. This works well for me for groups of up to about thirty, give … Continue reading

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Issue 73: The Snow is Dancing

This is a lovely piano piece by Debussy from the suite “Children’s Corner” (which is where the more famous “Golliwog’s Cakewalk” comes from). I was in London on Friday. From my window, in the morning, I could see across the roof-tops … Continue reading

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