Did You Know

Most children compose at a level more difficult than they can play.

Watching a child compose really makes that apparent. They understand music and they can hear so much more in their heads than their hands know how to play yet.

It is interesting to see that 'play' out here in the girls' first compositions.

Quinn doesn't even attempt the melody, she just self accompanies and improvises a melody.

In Addie's Artist's Statement you hear a pause and whisper toward the end when she realizes she can't play the variation back (up to her own standards).

These few measures came about by her playing around with the rhythm of the main theme until she found this syncopated one that she liked. She knew she could leave the chords the same and they would work. When we listened to the MIDI playback I had forgotten to tie the middle note in the chord and she really liked how it played in the off-beat. So we left it. The result was too complicated for her to play without a few more weeks of practice.

The Evolution of Creativity is a Beautiful Thing

A Walk In The Weather by Addie

Addie composed this for the school Reflections Contest.

The theme was "Diversity Means..."

Bugs by Quinn

Here is the piece Quinn wrote for the school Reflections Contest

The theme is "Diversity means...."

Sisterly Love

I love how this clip shows more than a sweet performance by two sisters.

They could play together from the very first spontaneous attempts because of the ensemble skills that we work deliberately on in class, and those that come naturally from group lessons.

You can see accompaniment skills in the way they hold a steady rhythm and compensate without hesitation upon a mistake.

This clip doesn't show it, but Quinn often improvises on the chords by throwing in an extra yellow (5th) chord on the second to last beat. It sounds great and shows excellent ear training.

They are developing a strong base in their fingering and fundamentals, notice how rarely they look down to their hands...pretty good for a 5 and 7 yr. old!

Musicians in the 1st Grade Play

1st year Recital Video

Music Theory Everywhere!

Here are some of the brilliant places my students found music:

Addie heard a 'Do Mi Sol' chime at the Phoenix airport before every loudspeaker announcement

Quinn heard a 'Sol Mi Do' chime when the elevator reached her floor

Gabe shot his dart gun at the window and declared the result of his aim a 'sol sol do' notation

Jordyn was looking at the stars and saw some that made a 'sol sol do' notation