NFMC Music Theory Level 2 Video Part 2
NFMC Festival is almost here! Are you ready to brush up on your theory skills?
Check out part 2 of Level 2 theory here. You will learn
- Treble Clef Notes Recognitions
- 2nd and 3rds
NFMC Festival is almost here! Are you ready to brush up on your theory skills?
Check out part 2 of Level 2 theory here. You will learn
NFMC Festival is almost here! Are you ready to brush up on your theory skills?
Check out part 1 of Level 2 theory here. You will learn
Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Favorite Teaching Tools, Inspiring Videos Dalcroze 0
“Pure Joy” is what I experience in Dalcroze Eurhythmics lesson.
I feel like a kid again when I am in the Eurhythmics classroom. Many students dread learning advanced music concepts such as mixed meter, syncopation, polyrhythms. In Eurhythmics, learning complicated music concepts is no longer intimidating but fun! Eurhythmics invite students to learn in a creative and joyous environment.
I had my first Dalcroze lesson in college. After only one-hour session, I couldn’t help but asking myself: “Why didn’t I know about this earlier? I wish I learned music this way when I was a child!” The class, taught by Eurhythmics Master Teacher Dr. Frego, was MAGICAL. Abstract music concepts became EASY and I can SEE the beat through the body movement.
Concepts: anacrusis, crusis, and metacrusis; time, space and energy, meters
This activity is great for
Sample Lesson Plan:
We are very lucky to be granted access to 3 videos. These videos get us a sneak peek into the exclusive video contents that accompanies Dr. Marla and Dr. Frego’s book Meaningful Movement.
You’ll find all the Lesson plans in the book Meaningful Movement – the ultimate guidebook to Dalcroze Eurhtymics.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Favorite Teaching Tools, Inspiring Videos Dalcroze 0
I have a dream – a dream to bring Dalcroze Eurhythmics to every student’s piano lesson! In previous blog, I shared the story of how I was hooked the first time I experienced Dalcroze Eurhythmics and how I wished that every child could learn music this way.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics is the Music Training I wish I had when I was a child.
I am so excited to show a series of videos by Dr. Marla Butke and Dr. David Frego.
Instead of having a passive listening experience, the students build deeper listening skills by actively expressing the music in their movement.
This activity is great for
* group and private lesson settings
* children and adults of all ages
If you would like to see the lesson plan and detailed instruction, make sure to check out Dr. Marla and Dr. Frego’s book Meaningful Movement.
Listed below is a sample lesson plan
There are 3 more lesson plans for “Canon” that goes from beginner to advanced level. (Lesson plan #16,25,61, and 94)
You’ll find all the Lesson plans in the book Meaningful Movement.
We are very lucky to be granted access to 3 videos. These videos get us a sneak peek into the exclusive video contents that accompanies Dr. Marla and Dr. Frego’s book Meaningful Movement.
Video 3 will open next Monday (May 28)!
We are very lucky to be granted access to 3 videos. These videos give us a sneak peek into the exclusive video contents that accompanies Dr. Marla and Dr. Frego’s book Meaningful Movement. Many thanks to Dr. Marla Butke and Dr. David Frego for sharing the videos and lesson plans with You LOVE Piano readers!
My students LOVE the Focus activities! They are short, fun and spontaneous. Click to see my TOP Teaching Tools.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Favorite Teaching Tools, Focus Activities Dalcroze 0
I was hooked the first time I experienced Dalcroze Eurhythmics.
My very first Dalcroze class was in college. At that time, I had no idea what Dalcroze Eurhythmics was. I entered the classroom not knowing what to expect. However, after the one-hour session, I was hooked.
I couldn’t help but asking myself: “Why didn’t I know this earlier? I wish I learned music this way when I was a child!”
The class, taught by Eurhythmics Master Teacher Dr. Frego, was MAGICAL. I remember the smiles on everyone’s faces. Abstract music concepts became EASY as we stepped and moved to the music. What amazes me is that I can not only feel the beat, but SEE the beat through the body movement.
I wish that every child could learn music this way. It is just that good.
If you are wondering what Dalcroze Eurhythmics is, what better way to experience it than watching the master teachers in action?
I am so excited to share a series of videos by Dr. Marla Butke and Dr. David Frego.
Concepts: Steady beat, pitch range recognition, durations, quick reactions
Instead of filling out boring music theory worksheets, the kids internalize these music concepts in a musical and engaging way.
This activity is great for
*both group and private lesson settings
*children and adults
If you would like to see the lesson plan and detailed instruction, make sure to check out Dr. Marla and Dr. Frego’s book Meaningful Movement.
Here is a sample lesson plan
There are 3 more lesson plans for “Walking Bass/Clapping Treble” that goes from beginner to advanced level. ( lesson plan #38, #42, 68, and #99 )
You’ll find all the Lesson plans in the book Meaningful Movement.
My students LOVE the Focus activities! They are short, fun and spontaneous. Click to see my TOP Teaching Tools.
Favorite Teaching Tools, Reading, Theory Landmark notes, Staff 0
Every month, I share one of my favorite teaching tools and books. This month we will focus on landmark notes and E-Z Notes Magnetic Music Staff.
In this 3-minute video, you’ll see how I use the Music Staff to explain the landmark notes and how I number the staff.
Are you interested in learning more about my favorite teaching tools? Don’t forget to check out Paul Sheftel’s Modules and my Visual Rhythm Pocket Chart.
Make sure to leave a comment. I’d love to hear how you plan to use it at home or in your studio.
Favorite Teaching Tools Preschool Music, Rhythm 0
Every month, I share one of my favorite teaching tools and books. In January, it was Paul Sheftel’s Modules – an award-winning book with clever and fun pieces that bring music theory to life.
This month, I combined 3 of my favorites into 1 package for you. My students have so much fun learning rhythm visually and kinesthetically AND they love the opportunity to be a conductor. Are you ready for my 3-in-1?
Click and watch this 1-minute video. In only 1-minute, you will see how I use these tools for students to learn the song “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” It’s perfect for group, too. Some students can play the song on piano, some singing, some chanting while some do air-tapping.
Favorite Teaching Tools, Theory Composition, Technology 0
Does your student love learning music theory? So many students think of learning music theory as completing worksheets, memorizing facts, or playing scales, arpeggios… it’s just too dry and boring!
Far from being dry and boring though, music theory has always been fascinating to me. For me, it unlocked the key to truly understanding how music works. I remember vividly that as a child, I wanted so badly to know why certain notes or chords sounded good together and why the composers chose the combination of notes to create the different mood in the music. I wasn’t satisfied with just playing the notes on the page. I wanted to know why music was put together a certain way.
Because of my passion for music theory, I was always looking for ways to help other students learn music theory in more creative and musical ways. After a lot of searching, I finally found a book I would like to share that brings music theory to life.
And the book is…
Modules by Paul Sheftel
Modules features 36 compositions that aim to teach students scales, intervals and triads in a musical and logical way. Paul’s compositions in Modules were recognized nationwide and had won the Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award in 2017.
One of my favorite pieces in the book is “TANGO.” The whole piece is constructed from only two chords, Bb Major and B Major. It amazes and inspires me that Paul is able to achieve the feel of the lively dance by using just two chords in root-position! It’s easily accessible for beginner students who are learning 5-fnger patterns, and is also great for teachers to drill the chord by turning the piece into a duet – students play the left hand part and the teacher plays the right hand melody.
Another piece called “OLE” is the companion for “TANGO.” OLE was also written with two chords only, Bb and B Major. Unlike TANGO though, OLE features the chords in 1st inversion. Because the piece is highly patterned, it’s fun and easy for the students to learn. One of my students said: “When I first glanced at the music, I thought that the piece would be VERY HARD, but it was actually quite EASY to learn, sounded amazing and learning the beautiful piece gave me lots of confidence. I feel so proud!”
Other than chords, Paul introduced intervals in a fun and musical way. Consider this question before you read further:
“If your students were asked to identify and play ALL major 6th intervals on the piano, can they do it with ease?”
Well…after playing Paul Sheftel’s piece “The Sixth Sheik’s Sixth Sheep’s Sick,” it will be a piece of cake to find ALL major 6th interval.
In fact, after learning most pieces in Modules, the students will be able to
As you can see, Paul has an amazing ability to relate keyboard patterns to theory. He cleverly weaves those black and white key patterns into charming pieces of music.
The musical and logical ways Paul presented the scales, chords and intervals help students connect the EYES with the HANDS and the MIND. It’s very important to develop this EYE-HAND-MIND connection. Imagine that after playing “The Sixth Sheik’s Sixth Sheep’s Sick,” your student will be able to understand interval patterns in their mind (the black-white key configurations), feel the interval kinesthetically in their HANDs, and see the shape of the interval both on the score and on the keys with their EYES.
What to hear what these pieces sound like? Make sure you watch this 2-minute video. I recorded the video to show you my favorite pieces from Modules.
As I mentioned in the video, SuperScore is a great app that features music by lots of famous composers. You can view, manage, and interact with library of musical scores. SuperScore provides virtually unlimited notation sizes with Liquid Music Display™ technology. You can explore Paul’s music and many other classics by various composers all inside this app.
Here is what the SuperScore looks like:
Discover more:
SuperScore have a winter sale going on now until Jan 15, 2018. It’s a great time to stock up on your favorite music!
Go check out this award-winning book. Paul was recognized by MTNA for his significant contribution to the pedagogy world because of this book. MTNA awarded only one person in the entire nation annually. Clearly it shows how important and wonderful this book is!
**This is the first blog that features my favorite books or teaching tools. I only write and share what I love using in my studio with my students and I am not getting paid for writing the post.