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music education

How do you introduce classical music to young people?

The NPR blog deceptive cadence recently posed the question “How Do You Introduce Classical Music To Kids?” A great discussion ensued and several responses are now organized around emerging themes on a follow up post. Oddly, while deceptive cadence invited some fabulous artists to contribute to the conversation on their blog (and those invited shared wonderful approaches to connecting young people in performance settings), no K-12 public school music educators were invited to provide their perspective. Since the majority of… Read More »How do you introduce classical music to young people?

Musical Expression & Perception in the New York Times

The New York Times article To Tug Hearts, Music First Must Tickle the Neurons by Pam Belluck is a fantastic look at issues of musical expression and perception that could lead to engaging discussions and projects in a variety of music class and ensemble settings. In addition to having students read and discuss the article it might be worth modifying some of the included experiments in contexts ranging from composition to performance. The article could also serve as a springboard… Read More »Musical Expression & Perception in the New York Times

The Future of Orchestras and Their Role in Music Education: A Dialogue

Michael Gagliardo contributed a blog post over at the League of American Orchestras regarding the role that orchestras play in music education. The post focuses primarily on the lack of young musicians who attend orchestra concerts and the degree to which orchestral musicians should be enthusiastic during concerts designed specifically for young people. What types of concert formats do you think would benefit your students? What types of innovations might orchestras make to help build interest among young string players… Read More »The Future of Orchestras and Their Role in Music Education: A Dialogue

Creating, Producing, Analyzing, & Critiquing Music in the Cloud: IndabaMusic & Music Education

Music educators can benefit from the increasing sophistication and ease of use of music web-based technologies allowing for a wide range of musical engagement. IndabaMusic is one such technology with great potential for music educators looking to have their students create, record, produce, listen to, analyze, and critique music. This web-based platform makes it easy for students to collaborate on projects in ways similar to that of professional musicians working together across the globe. In addition to serving as a… Read More »Creating, Producing, Analyzing, & Critiquing Music in the Cloud: IndabaMusic & Music Education

Regina Carter's "Reverse Thread" as inspiration for potential chamber music projects

Wether or not your music program includes string education, it is well worth your time to listen to and consider including this NPR interview with violinist Regina Carter in your classes. Carter, a winner of a MacArthur Genius grant, discusses her work interpreting African folk music and realizing several pieces in new contexts on her latest album, among other aspects of her thoughts on performing and music in general. The instrumentation which includes a violin, accordian, and kora are compelling… Read More »Regina Carter's "Reverse Thread" as inspiration for potential chamber music projects