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Blog: Catalysts & Connections

Let’s play! Learning music through video games and virtual worlds

Tobias, E. S. (2012). Let’s play! Learning music through video games and virtual worlds. In G. McPherson & G. Welch (Eds.), Oxford handbook of music education (Vol. 2, pp. 531-548). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199928019.013.0035 This chapter examines the ways video games promote musical learning and engagement. It begins by outlining the background and current scope of music-focused video games. It then situates video games in terms of new literacies. Next, it provides a theoretical framework that supports… Read More »Let’s play! Learning music through video games and virtual worlds

Breaking Winds Bassoon Quartet: A model for contemporary musicianship and additional directions for school ensembles

During my presentation at the NAfME Composition Academy this past Music Education Week I mentioned the Breaking Winds Bassoon Quartet, but forgot to include a link to their Kickstarter Project Page in my handout. There was quite a bit of discussion related to arrangement throughout several of the composition academy presentations. Dr. Rob Deemer and Dr. David Stringham in particular provided some excellent strategies for including arrangement processes in music programs and our own music making as educators. The BWBQ… Read More »Breaking Winds Bassoon Quartet: A model for contemporary musicianship and additional directions for school ensembles

Expanding Secondary Music Curricula: A look at students engaging with popular music, technology, and creating original music

Tobias, E. S. (2012). Hybrid spaces and hyphenated musicians: Secondary students’ musical engagement in a songwriting and technology course. Music Education Research, 14(3), 329-346. A research article I wrote entitled Hybrid spaces and hyphenated musicians: Secondary students’ musical engagement in a songwriting and technology course is now available in the journal Music Education Research. Below is the article’s abstract: This case study investigates how secondary students (three individuals and three groups) engaged with music and acted as musicians in a… Read More »Expanding Secondary Music Curricula: A look at students engaging with popular music, technology, and creating original music

Project Based Learning & Music Education: Resources

The lastest version of Edutopia focuses on best practices for Project Based Learning, highlighting a school that incorporates this approach to teaching and learning. Project based learning is an approach that works naturally in music education settings and can assist music educators in providing students with deep and rich engagement and learning that can be applied beyond the school setting. With the assistance of my students and local educators I keep an evolving curated list of resources for designing and… Read More »Project Based Learning & Music Education: Resources

Valved low brass in jazz. . .

In the following two posts, jazz musician and educator George Colligan speaks to the issue of valved low brass instruments in the context of performing jazz music. If you have any perspectives on the trombone, euphonium, marching baritone and other low brass instruments (or any instruments for that matter) in the context of your school jazz ensembles, combos, or general performance take a look at the original posts, the comments of other readers, and consider sharing your own thoughts on… Read More »Valved low brass in jazz. . .