Happy Birthday!

As we had quite a few February birthdays, the kids were keen to talk about them. They were sooooooo excited about their birthdays. They told us at the drop of a hat when their birthday, their brother’s birthday, or Kayla down the street’s birthday was. They are learning about time all the while they are saying, “My birthday was yesterday,” and “My birthday’s next week,” sometimes having no relation to when the child’s birthday really is. Bliss! Living in a world where time is of no consequence. Speaking of time, this old favourite seems to have endured throughout the years.

Happy Birthday to You.

Disregarding the lawsuits, it has fallen into the realm of “Tradition” and I love to hear and sing it. However, I think there is room for new content on that front. I am proposing to write a Happy Birthday Song just for fun. I’ll try not to make it a blues, rock, country or, in fact, any genre related version. I feel confident you will give me your honest opinion on this new “work of art.” Anyone else’s version of a Birthday Song, with their permission, will be posted on my blog.

Happy Writing!

Tags: February Birthdays, Happy Birthday Song

Dance Sing and Listen

The Dance Sing and Listen Series by Bruce Haack and Esther Nelson is great for kids ages 2-6. There are games, stories and music which will keep children engaged for its duration. There is an excerpt from this CD which you and your child may click on to hear: Rondo Capriccioso. The performer speaks of elves, fairies and gnomes dancing over the keyboard on a moonlit night, sure to stir the imagination and creativity of children. The Rondo Capriccioso is an andante and presto, (Slow and fast), but we will only hear the presto as it is more suitable and entertaining for kids.

Maria

Tags: Bruce Haack, Esther Nelson, Felix Mendelssohn, Moonlit Night, Music, Rondo Capriccioso

Preschool Composition

It’s always fun to start making up songs with the kids, telling them that they are now composers. We have, by this point, usually introduced one or more of the greats, so they just need to be reminded as to what composition is. They usually relate to the concept of making up your own song. Quite a few children are timid about it at first. They could be shy about improvising a song on the spot in front of their friends; yes, it starts that early, or not be able to think up anything promptly. That’s why I start with the kids who like to ham it up at any opportunity. These guys will be the first to sing, dance or tell a long tale of whatever they are thinking about at the moment. The other children, after seeing this, will at least attempt to compose a song, and whatever material they come up with is greeted with cheers.

That’s why when they came running into the music room yesterday with their stuffed groundhog who they had named Muckmuck, I decided to forego part of the prepared lesson and ask them to make up a song about their stuffed friend. When I realized they were having trouble composing a tune, I gave them a 2 note call and response theme which allowed them to concentrate on the lyrics alone, very easy to remember and the whole class repeated the singer’s line.  They decided that Muckmuck was in the Olympics and therefore their song included many of the Olympic sports: speed skating, curling, bobsleigh, luge, figure skating and, of course, ice hockey. They were clearly keen on their groundhog being an Olympic Athlete.

Catch you next time!

Maria

Tags: Call And Response, Composers, Composition, Groundhog, Lyrics, Music Room

Underwater play

A few weeks ago, at Armbrae Academy where I teach a music class, the children were doing an underwater theme with their teachers. They wanted to sing two Beatles songs, Octopus’s Garden and Yellow Submarine and had fun singing and clapping along as I played. Great music always stands the test of time, regardless of one’s demographics. Here is an MP3 of Octopus’s Garden for you and your kids to enjoy. Another good song for underwater play is Baby Beluga where the children can pretend to be the beluga whales and the diving dolphins.

Audio files: Octopus’s Garden & Baby Beluga

Enjoy!

Maria

Tags: Baby Beluga, Beatles Songs, Beluga Whales, Diving Dolphins, Dolphins, Music Class, Octopus's Garden, Underwater Theme

The healing power of music

As we are learning more about our brain, we are realizing more and more that music, due to its inherent nature, can help us heal with its power. I believe that even the oldest cultures intrinsically knew this. As primitive mankind learned to make tools to meet their needs, they also learned to create percussion instruments. From the beginning, these instruments were considered sacred and magical; they were associated with religious and healing rites. In many cases only chosen individuals were allowed to play these instruments. The players were often priests or shaman, using their percussion instruments to drive away evil spirits and to cure sickness.

It is interesting to note that our physicians today are rediscovering the healing power of music, albeit without the driving away of spirits. Regardless if we are driving away spirits or in modern day terms, releasing anxiety and depression, we have come to realize that music releases the neurotransmitter serotonin, one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the brain which plays an important role in the regulation of mood and a key role in the treatment of depression. Another activity which increases serotonin thereby releasing endorphins, a hormone responsible for increasing a feeling of pleasure is exercise; so if you are depressed and feeling lethargic, time to go out dancing, giving yourself a blast of both music and movement.

Maria

Tags: Anxiety And Depression, Cultures, Evil Spirits, Exercise, Healing Music, Healing Power, Key Role, Mankind, Music And Movement, Music Releases, Neurotransmitter Serotonin, Neurotransmitters In The Brain, Percussion Instruments, Physicians, Pleasure, Power Music, Power Of Music, Priests, Shaman, Treatment Of Depression