Elementaria: First Acquaintance with Orff-Schulwerk (Schott) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am tempted to give this book a 6, since it is considered the bible of the Orff-Schulwerk approach.Sure enough, it gives complete instructions on how to set up an instrumental ensemble, how to play the instruments, and how to teach the gross motor activity.In fact, it presents some ideas which I put to immediate use in my work as a preschool English teacher in Korea.

But theory is important as well as method.Why should certain activities be taught?Why should the instruments be played a certain way?Why is the Orff approach better than the others?Why are certain musical activities and gross motor activities beneficial?If these questions were answered, I would give this book a 6.

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Product Description:
Elemantaria is a fundamental and practical handbook to Orff-Schulwerk . The author gives suggestions and examples without insisting dogmatically on one exclusive method. She offers well-tried solutions without excluding other possibilities and individual variations. It is not only a valuable personal document, but also a practical and essential guide for educationalists concerned with Orff-Schulwerk. The book is divided into two sections: Part One includes rhythmic, melodic and speech exercises. Part Two contains a detailed study of elementary movement training. There is an important appendix, with illustrations, on how to play the instruments used in the earley stages of teaching. Music examples, movement diagrams. Illustrated. Author's Preface * Part One: Rhythmic-Melodic Exercises * Fundamentals * Rhythmic Exercises * Disposition and posture * Reaction trainig * Finding 'rhythmic building bricks' * Games with 'rhythmic building bricks'* Leading a group, making up accompainments, completing phrase * Melodic Exercises * Disposition and posture when playing barred percussion instruments * Accompaniements, songs, pieces * Making up accompaniements and completing phrases * Hints on the early stages of recorder playing * Speech Exercises * Word series and sayings with rhythmic accompainment * Part Two: Elementary Movement Training * Introduction * Reaction training * Gymnastic exercises * Movement training * Movement variations and combinations * Movement pieces * Elementary movement improvisation * Movement accompaniment * Suggestions for movement lessons for beginners * Appendix

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Start Playing Keyboard: Omnibus Edition (Start Playing...) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this as one of several books I own in order to prepare me to teach a small group of people on how to play the piano, and this is the most straightforward book I've ever reviewed.This book is a great investment in your efforts to learn how to play piano.

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Product Description:
Books 1 and 2 in one volume, specially enlarged to 9" x 12" size for easier reading

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Hands On- A Rockin' Rhythmic Romp (30 pieces for hand percussion) Review

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(More customer reviews)Great book.Love the words that go along with the rhythms.Most content seems geared to elementary, but I teach in an urban area, so my kids may be more worldly than some.For middle school, the teacher could change some words to reflect more of their interests.Love that the repertoire gets so complex and interesting by the end.

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Product Description:
Hands On is a collection of thirty pieces with hand percussion instruments for grades three through middle school. From pure conga jams to timbre studies to polymetric rhythms, this book will keep your class tapping its toes while developing their brain.Though the book contains excellent individual lessons, the author encourages changing the content to fit the specific needs of the student. Hands On takes into account that each classroom has different needs and provides the flexibility to meet them. With engaging songs, enriching content, and unlimited customizability, Hands On is a must-have for your classroom!

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Conducting -- A Hands-On Approach Review

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(More customer reviews)My daughter needed this book for a college course.Amazon had the best price and quickest delivery.

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This comprehensive text by Anthony Maiello on the art of conducting is designed to be hands on, user friendly, playable by any instrumentation, a step-by-step approach to baton technique, great for use with a wind, string or voice conducting class, and excellent as a refresher course for all conductors at all levels of ability. The 232-page book covers a variety of conducting issues and the included CD contains all the musical exercises in the book (there are more than 100).

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The Winds of Change: The Evolution of the Contemporary American Wind Band/Ensemble and its Conductor (Meredith Music Resource) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a must for any band director or conductor who is a scholar and would like to know where our craft came from.It brings up details about composers and their significant contributions to our genre.The challenges wind literature faced in its early stages were significant and this book will walk you through who was a significant part of that process and who refused to be a part of that process.

The Winds of Change will also state significant pieces of literature that The Goldman Band, The Sousa Band, and many others were performing while the genre was still in its infancy.This is a must for any conductor that wishes to move beyond waving the stick.

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Product Description:
This expansion on Battisti's The Twentieth Century American Wind Band/Ensemble includes discussions on the contribution of important wind band/ensemble personalities and organizations, and provides important information on hundreds of compositions for this medium. Challenges facing the 21st century wind band/ensemble conductor including training and development are also discussed.

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Practical Guide to Percussion Terminology Review

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(More customer reviews)Amazon lists Anthony Cirone as the author of this excellent little reference book. Actually, despite Cirone's valuable contributions, the principal author is Russ Girsberger, until early 2006 the ensemble librarian of the New England Conservatory in Boston.

I own a lot of percussion reference books, but this is the one I always reach for first. It's hard to beat.

David Daniels

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Product Description:
Confused with the growing list of percussion instruments and terms? This new Meredith publication provides both definitions and an artistic interpretation of how each term is applied to the literature. A great source for conductors, composers, performers and students.

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333 Reading Exercises (Chord Method) Review

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(More customer reviews)Recommended for any vocal or instrumental student.In fact, when I was taking voice lessons, I used these exercises on my own.

The exercises are written on a single line, in solfege notation for some exercises and in conventional notation for others.

The exercises are categorized according to tone row.Recorder teachers may be especially interested in pages 1-3 and 8, which, if played in G major, are playable with the fingers of the left hand.However, a teacher following the Choksy sequence would not be able to use any of the exercises in the beginning stages.

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Product Description:
The Kodaly Choral Method is a comprehensive series of progressive songs and sigh-singing exercises designed to promote a thorough understanding of interval and tonality. By incorporative a wide range of Hungarian folk music and poetry, Kodaly has produced a stimulating addition to the repertoire of school and amateur choirs. This collection of 333 reading exercises is the revised English Edition, taken from the 1966 Hungarian Edition.

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The Creative Director: Alternative Rehearsal Techniques (Meredith Music Resource) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is outstanding!For years I have used the techniques presented in this book.There is no question about it, the techniques presented here will help your group improve and grow.

I have used this book in Japan with the groups that I work with and every time I do, they always sound better and play better.It is interesting to see how the Japanese conductors use and re-use the material presented.

There are so few outstanding books on this topic that this book truly rises to the top.You can employ the techniques in this book at all levels, early, middle, advanced and pro.After you try it you'll see what I mean.My middle school kids love the challenge and the semi-pro's in Japan I work with love it as well!It is both intellectually stimulating and fun.

Along with this book, I suggest buying the performer copies and video.Take some time to really understand the way Lisk presents the information and then work the techniques into your routine(s).Once you get the hang of it, there are literally hundreds of ways to manipulate the techniques, so find some that help your group the most and don't overplay them - change them around - so as to keep the group moving ahead and growing.

I can't say enough good things about this book and the techniques it offers - I think if you ask any great conductor about them they will all agree - this is indeed a fantastic teaching tool and a great approach to learning!

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Product Description:
A new dimension in band performance! Improve rehearsal efficiency through a more effective learning environment with access to the students' fullest musical potential. Emphasis is placed upon auditory and visual imagery techniques. Thinking skills and internal pulse are synchronized to assure consistent performance qualities throughout all types of literature demands.

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The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book Review

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(More customer reviews)This booklet has many suggested warm-ups, suggested orders, and basically explains the warm-up processes and purposes, from physical to vocal to just before the first song. Some warm-ups are more serious; some are silly and just for fun! I like the way the warm-ups are arranged by suggested purpose. Suggestions in the back are made for various types of choirs, as well. The only thing I would have preferred to see more would be more suggestions for contemporary styles.

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Product Description:
A complete sourcebook for choral directors of all levels, as well as choral methods classes. Contains 211 warm-ups with information on usage, photos illustrating correct posture and vowel formation, and a well organized index to make finding the right warm-up a snap. Belongs in every choral director's library.

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Improving Intonation in Band and Orchestra Performance (Meredith Music Resource) Review

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(More customer reviews)A very good book - mostly for band directors, although the author gives some insights on orchestral performance. Would be great if there were more practical exercises. Instruments charts seem to be a bit scholastic.

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The most comprehensive yet practical intonation book ever written. Includes tuning guides and intonation charts for all instruments.

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Measure Up! (The Game Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am always on the lookout for music games that I can play with my piano students during lessons. This one has been a big hit. Each player is dealt several cards, some of which are time signatures and some of which are notes or rests. During your turn, you try to make up a measure using the cards in your hand (first, a time signature to set the parameter, and then notes and/or rests to fill that many beats). I must admit to simplifying the rules and using all note value cards in any time signature (as opposed to suits of different time signatures), but my students pick up the concept quickly and feel proud of themselves. Highly recommended.

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Product Description:
The fun card game guaranteed to turn you into a rhythm whiz!Measure Up! is the exciting new music card game where players win points by creating full bars using time signatures,note values and rests. Measure Up! is great for learning about how time signatures and note/rest values work in a fun, simple way!Perfect for home and classroom. Contents: 40 note/rest value cards and 16 time signature cards, Rules and instructions on how to play.

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Making Each Minute Count: Time-Savers, Tips, and Kid-Tested Strategies for the Music Class Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm an elementary school music teacher for an Asian country, and I must say that this book has been a very useful resource and I do not regret buying it.

The cons of this book is that stuff like classroom management techniques are highly cultural sensitive - so it is definitely more suitable for the context of American classrooms.

However, many of the teaching techniques mentioned will definitely inspire you to make your lessons more interesting for children. They also seem to correspond quite closely with the 'learning through doing' techniques for teaching music to children that I was highly ingrained with during my pre-service training.

In short, this book is a sensible read and resource for elementary school music teachers who wish to inject a more creative approach towards teaching in their classrooms. It far beats some of those books which boast of a 101 music games etc etc which leave you with a feeling that you are running a circus rather than a music class.

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Product Description:
Look who's having the best time ... THE MUSIC TEACHER! This comprehensive time-management resource book for the music specialist can help you stay fresh and on top of things even with back-to-back music classes.Based on years of classroom experience, the author shares her philosophy of helping students learn HOW to learn. There are literally dozens of ideas to help you FIND time, STRETCH time, SAVE time, and MAKE more time to meet all your instructional goals. This book will place the "magic wand" that casts the "magic spell" of musical learning into your hand.The book is divided into 12 sections to help you achieve maximum student response in minimum lesson time. You can make each minute count by choosing and adapting musical activities that appeal to your own teaching situation.Topics include: Attitude and Atmosphere, Classroom Management and Discipline, Incredibly Successful Teaching Strategies, Attention Grabbers, Hello and Goodbye (Personalizing Your Music Class), Musical Warm-Ups (Mind-Body-Voice), Introducing and Digesting New Songs, Musical Learning Outcomes (Assessment Methods), Making the Music Room Our Own, Beyond the Music Room (Public Relations), Awards, Forms Documents and More! For all ages.

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Art of Elementary Band Directing (Meredith Music Resource) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is outstanding.It reads well and is of use.I have suggested it to several of my elementary teacher friends because I think it will help them as their career into music education takes off.

The book has useful information and it is presented in a way that is easy to read and understand - and importantly implement.I particularly like the approach used to write the book - it does NOT talk down to the reader, rather it helps by delivering a positive tone in a clear manner.

Not every teacher begins teaching music at the elementary level, as the name might suggest.Consider purchasing this book if your teach music at the beginning level (either elementary, middle school, or high school) because there are useful tidbits for every beginning teacher.

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Product Description:
A "How-To" guide that no elementary band director should be without, this book covers all aspects of the elementary band program from recruitment through the final concert. Beginning teachers, as well as those with years of experience, will find a wealthof useful information in this handbook. Thirteen chapters include information on the recruitment process, band method books, scheduling and grouping of classes, everyday instrument repairs, grading, selection of elementary band music and solo and ensemble music, ideas for maintaining student interest and becoming an integral part of the school, performance suggestions and area band. An appendix containing sample informational letters, sample concert programs, sample practice cards and more is included. This is a great resource to have on hand when teaching elementary band!

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Teaching Music with Passion: Conducting, Rehearsing and Inspiring (Meredith Music Resource) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great book!I was told to buy it by three friends who are choir directors.They said it was a really great book.They were right!!It is so well written, and the ideas presented worked so well when I tried them in rehearsals.My students saw a difference almost immediately.The best thing about the book is that it is positive.I feel better about teaching, and am a better teacher every time I read a part of the book.My friends were right, this is a great book.Every music teacher should read it!

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Teaching Music with Passion is a one-of-a-kind, collective masterpiece of thoughts, ideas and suggestions about the noble profession of music education. Both inspirational and instructional, it will surely change the way you teach (and think) about music. Filled with personal experiences, anecdotes and wonderful quotations, this book is an easy-to-read, essential treasure!"One of the most 'real' writings I have read during my 35 years in music education."- Mel Clayton, President, MENC: The National Association for Music Education

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