Teaching Rock Songs can get Students Rockin!

I read an interesting article about a “new” idea on how teaching rock to young people is a wonderful way for them to get interested in learning music. I am not sure how “new” this idea is but it does make sense. I started using Rock Band software on a PlayStation with my grade 6 students a few years ago and it got them all playing their favorite songs on drums, guitar, keyboard, and singing as well.

We use to teach common folk songs to get kids interested. Why don’t we update the situation to include current material rather than the same songs as when our parents were kids. Makes sense that their would be more interest if the songs were more current.

You can read the article called “Rock is not the Enemy” and make your own call, Rock Is Not the Enemy By DAVID BORNSTEIN

Hip Hop in the Classroom – This weeks News

Flocabulary is a fun and well organized site that offers the news in RAP and much more. Lesson plans and More at Flocabulary

This Week’s News in RAP

A fun way to get a recap of this weeks news. Give it a go at This Week in Rap.

YouTube Symphony Audtions 2011

If you know of any musicians that would like to audition for the 2nd anual YouTube Symphony get them to sign up at the YouTube online site.
Go here to check out the YouTube Symphony Auditions Online
Submissions close November 28, 2010.

New Visual Dictionary – Wordia

Wordia is a new visual video aid for young readers. When a word is looked up in the Wordia dictionary you get a professionally prepared video with a host explaining the meaning of the word. Wordia is quite a bit of fun and really a new experience for young readers.

Here is one of their videos for the word “nuckle”

New Application “MuseAmi” Lets You Hear Printed Music – A New Way to Help Composers?

No that is not some villain peering out from behind that iPad. It is Robert Taub a concert pianist and new CEO that has performed from Carnegie Hall to concert halls around the world. He wanted to help his daughter with her music. I guess she was having trouble figuring out the right rhythms and notes to play. It gave him an idea for a new software that could play sheet music so that a student could hear the music the way it is suppose to be played. It is available from MuseAmi.

Well he succeeded according to an article I read in the New York Times Online. It looks like it could be very useful for many upcoming musicians. Check it out here.

Here is another article on the software that I found in the Wall Street Journal Blogs

El Salon Mexico – The Movie – IB Music Prescribed Work

El Salon Mexico – The Movie.

El Salon Mexico – The Movie.

IB students and teachers, here is a fun way to listen to one of this years prescribed works “El Salon Mexico” by Aaron Copland.  It is an award winning short animation that is set to Copland’s famous piece.  It won’t help too much with your analysis but it is fun. Check out their site