INVITATION: MASTER OF MUSIC (PERFORMANCE TEACHING)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & INFORMATION SESSION

You are invited to a special public seminar led by Professor Gary McPherson, Director, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

Presenting evidence-based approaches to music performance teaching, this presentation is a preview of the exciting new Master of Music (Performance Teaching) program.

Music educators, undergraduate music students, and those wishing to teach instrumental music in the future are encouraged to come and experience some of the innovative teaching that will feature in this course, as well as find out essential information and ask questions.

Refreshments will be served after the presentation.

TIME & DATE: Saturday 15 October 2.30pm

VENUE: Melba Hall Melbourne Conservatorium of Music The University of Melbourne Gate 12, Royal Parade Parkville

COST: FREE – bookings are essential

BOOKINGS: Anastasia Russell-Head rua@unimelb.edu.au or 03 8344 3673

COURSE INFORMATION: http://www.conservatorium.unimelb.edu. au/grad/mmusperfteach

READ ARTICLE HERE

Victoria is looking for 25 schools to specialise in a particular field. Let’s hope some of them become MUSIC specialists

In September 2011, NAMM created an 8-page “music education advocacy” lift-out included for the Washington Post!

www.namm.org/files/WashPostInsert.pdf

Deadline extended until Friday 9th September 2o11

Categories for Primary and Secondary song-writers

acmf.com.au

As a new initiative, nine new Special Interest Groups (SIGS) have been set up to operate at the forthcoming International Society of Music Education (ISME) world conference Thessaloniki, Greece July 15-20^th 2102.

One of these is the Active Music Making (AMM) SIG which is focused on studying, promoting, and advancing music pedagogies that facilitate students actively making music.

The aims of the AMM SIG are to demonstrate, promote, and advance well-established music pedagogies based on active music-making (e.g. Orff, Dalcroze, Kodály, Gordon and others). Activities will include dedicated workshops, papers, posters and symposia. Please email for more info.

We invite you to submit a proposal in one or more of these categories – workshops, papers, posters and/or symposia as part of the Active Music Making SIG. Submissions for each individual presenter are limited to a maximum TOTAL of four, with a limit of two submissions in any of these categories. The deadline for submissions is midnight (your time) October 1^st, 2011.

SUBMISSION STEPS:

1. Log into the system at www.isme.org – you need to be a current financial ISME member to apply

2. Click on Submit or Edit Saved Proposal

3. Click on Submit Proposal for World Conference

4. The only other choice is Commissions – SIGs are part of the World Conference

5. Submit Proposal for World Conference  (including SIGs and Vocal & Instrumental Forum)

6. Click on which type of submission

7. You get to the Submission page.  In the Topics/Area menu, click on the name of the SIG – Active Music Making!

We are looking forward to having you as part of our very first Active Music Making SIG.

Audio Production and MIDI Sequencing in Logic Pro 9

COURSE CODE: MA3
DURATION: 3hrs x 6 Mondays, 6-9pm
COST: $410 inc GST
LOCATION: Footscray Nicholson Campus
COURSE DATES AVAILABLE: 7, 14, 21, 28 November, 5, 12 December

This short course will be an introduction to audio recording/editing and MIDI sequencing in Apple’s industry standard Digital Audio Workstation. View the following link for more information: creativeindustries.vu.edu.au/short-courses-music-audio.html#Logic

Audio Production and Recording in Pro Tools

COURSE CODE: MA4
DURATION: 3hrs X 6 Weeks, 6-9pm
COST: $410 inc GST
LOCATION: Footscray Nicholson Campus and Kindred Studios
COURSE DATES AVAILABLE: 8, 15, 22, 29 November, 6, 13 December (Tuesday evenings)

Pro Tools is one of the most commonly used audio production software solutions in the world.

This short course is ideally suited to teachers wishing to record recitals. Upon completion of this course, participants should have gained the knowledge and skills required to conduct the recording process from the early stages of plugging in microphones and instruments right through to a full mixdown ready for CD. To view more course information creativeindustries.vu.edu.au/short-courses-music-audio.html#proTools

To register or for more information about the course or the teachers contact ci_shortcourses@vu.edu.au or ring 03 99191932.

www.theaustralianvoices.com/audition

Now auditioning for 17-35 year old singers.

Music groups are looking for rehearsal space, in return for FREE tuition or concert tickets for your students!

If you have a new (BER) school hall at your Australian school, please fill in the following survey.

You will be helping local community music groups!

docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDk2SmNJMXVDUmpFNXlPUndfcjFnN3c6MQ

CHAMBER MUSIC SHORT COURSE for school-age students

Students are welcome to participate in this 5 session Chamber Music Course as individuals or as an established group.

Individual students will be assigned to chamber groups based on ability and experience.

The course includes:

Þ      Rehearsal and practice techniques for working in a chamber music group.

Þ      Coaching

Þ      Ensemble exercises (away from instrument)

Þ     Student Concert in final session

CONTACT: Course Director: Robin Baker 0435 073 247

robinb222@optusnet.com.au

When: Sundays 3.30 – 5pm: 5 sessions:  Oct 16, Oct 23, Nov 13, Nov 20 and Nov 27

Who: Pianists and string players – minimum Grade 6 AMEB standard or equivalent

Where: VCA, 234 St Kilda Rd, Southbank, Melbourne

Cost: $290 per student for the full 5 sessions

www.music.uwa.edu.au/research/power-of-music/icme

Perth – 30 Nov to 3 Dec 2011

Conferences on Music & Emotion AND Musicology

The D²Drumline is one of Melbourne’s unique entertainment ensembles, providing high impact, visual, precision drumming inspired by the USA based Drum Corps International circuit. It is one of the few ensembles of this kind in Australia.

For more information: Website
Short Promotional Video

Percussion teachers, students or department heads may be interested in the upcoming Drumline Masterclass, which aims to introduce and share this relatively unknown drumming style with an Australian audience.

DATE: October 30th, 2011

EMAIL: cam@d2drumline.com

MSO ENCOUNTER

This free website from Melbourne Symphony Orchestra offers and interactive tour of the orchestra, using Stuart Greenbaum’s score “90 minutes”.

Explore the orchestra, the conductor, the score and the composer – a lesson or two worth of content – let your students explore and arrange the score.

WARNING: Won’t work on Mac computers

Watch this YouTube clip about a frog being chased by a snake (with very dramatic orchestral music). Discuss the way the music changes our perspective on the visual images. Ask students if they notice anything about the editing, as well (ie. what’s happening on the screen during loud percussion sections, etc). Can you think of any other films/advertisements that are well-matched to dramatic music?

Watch this YouTube clip about a lion being re-united with its human parents. About 1.5 mins through, the music is perfectly timed to match the physical reunion. Discuss this with the students, then brainstorm any other songs that would suit this video clip.

2011 Flame Awards have announced 23 finalist schools. This year’s finalists use technology and social networking to engage students, teach ukulele during class music lessons, promote song-writing to reinforce literacy, employ music therapists to work with special needs students, and timetable music lessons for every day of the school year.

More details of schools and attributes will soon be here.

Here are the 23 Finalists for 2011 Flame Awards – rewarding engaging and creative school music departments:

St Christopher’s Primary School NSW  - a primary school embracing technology in so many ways, from composition to creating their own video hits segments

Guardian Angels Primary School  QLD – recording studio used to compose music for weekly school news, parents co-learn at their child’s music lesson, 10 generalist staff involved in school instrumental ensembles

Henbury School NT –  amazing special needs and music therapy program which uses research to inform its practice

Harrison School ACT – research-based music program = Music for Happiness … happy students perform better in all areas, studying quality music to inspire high achievement, teachers teach other teachers to lead music groups, lunchtime music clubs, Glee Club

Ernabella Anangu School  NT – new indigenous school music program based on communication; features song-writing, music from many cultures, use of computers & student-initiated content; 100% involvement in choir with lots of time allocation as well

Girraween Primary School NT – early years music features innovative visual aids & games, across the Primary years music features in other subject areas, music hut for play-time, music games and technology used to teach notation and theory

Merri Creek Primary School VIC – composition from Year 1 with a biennial CD burned of student compositions, creativity and composition leads to performances of their own works & discussion of each other’s compositions

St Andrew’s Catholic College  QLD – webpage for music activities, emails to parents re. music news, connections with indigenous owners of the school land, parents fundraise to bring renowned guests/composers/performers to the school, lots of music IT – which is available to students at lunchtime, strong community connections

MLC Burwood NSW – all girls are involved in annual Opera House concerts, guest composers and performance workshops, outreach to other schools, use of technology to enhance learning

Killara Primary School VIC – jam sessions with parents, composition from Year 1, student-run music events at lunchtime, cross-arts activities, Ultranet for sharing musical opinions

Footscray City Primary School  VIC – Steiner / mainstream school with music as a fundamental element, massive variety of ensembles, innovation and engagement are core school-wide values

North Lake Senior Campus WA – 3 campuses use the internet to create a virtual music classroom, Moodle allows online tutorials at home and uploading videos of student performances, also collaborative online performances, video tutorials allow refugees and ESL to re-play lessons slowly as needed

Cowper Public School NSW – tiny school with amazing engagement, cows and chickens are an innovative feature of music performance and composition, ‘Opera with the Cows’ brings 1000 audience to the town and students sing with professional opera singers, award-winning choir

Boggabilla Central NSW – a low socio-economic school re-writing musical resources to bypass low literacy and confidence levels … inspiring achievements in 12 months, use 2-note power chords on guitar and compose music specifically to match student skills, wrote a new school song based on schools’ social values program

Boneo Primary School VIC – Glee Club, boomwhackers, djembes, ukuleles, instrumental lessons @$10, Music Matters PLN (Professional Learning Network) to unite isolated teachers, sharing music lessons online with other countries – the world is our classroom

The Patch Primary School VIC – music is integral to school & community, music features in many cross-arts activities, musical activity feeds off cultural community, Orff and Musical Futures methodologies, class sets of marimbe/ukulel/recorder/djembe, Music spreads to other KLA, creative music grant – composition results are shown on website, song-writing

Ferny Grove State High School  QLD – composition, community involvement, YouTube presence, 24 ensembles, aim to create a sense of belonging which promotes student creativity and experimentation

Croxton School  VIC – special needs school employs a music therapist, creativity within a structured environment, song-writing project, DRUMBEATS, emphasis on learning social skills & self-esteem through music, use visual cues and repetition to maintain student focus

Smith’s Hill High School NSW – boys only guitar + vocal group, offers single semester elective subjects which are cross age (year 8-10), 3 day music camp, overnight busking ensemble trip to Sydney, variety of large ensembles

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School QLD – Year K, 1, 2, 3, 8 have 20 mins of music EVERY day (Kodaly-based), community choir, staff outreach to refugee school

Spring Gully Primary School VIC – assisted by 20 years of composer-in-residence – original song-writing is integral to learning and sharing at this school … ‘Big Book’ style songbooks are created, to share with other classes

Parkhurst State Primary QLD – technology used to engage middle years (digital composition & podcasts), integrates music with other subject areas, students create multimedia projects which are music-rich, invite other schools to use their facilities

Resurrection Primary School VIC – a Song Room school, great work by Song Room staff, including training up non-specalist staff; school radio station; plans to take on ukulele ensemble across school

topdocumentaryfilms.com/category/music-performing-arts

This website offers dozens of free musical documentaries – from hip hop to jazz, from metal to latin. Plenty of lesson content here!

Go to this link: Ray Foo … Click on “Music Games/Quizzes” half way down the left side to find dozens of free online quizzes and games to drill music theory. Send students to this page and let them explore – learning through games.

Here is a free lesson from Klerrisa Music re. Mashing Up 2 Bruno Mars songs which have the same chord progression.

If you sign up to the Klerrisa mailing list, you get free access to a dozen more free sample lessons (Middle school & Secondary).

MIDNIGHT MUSIC LINK

Katie Wardrobe from Midnight Music has written up free tips for creating Sibelius flash cards and scores using Kodaly notation THANKS!!

Manhattan School of Music has instituted a groundbreaking distance learning program — the first of its kind at a major conservatory — devoted to exploring the use of state-of-the-art videoconference technology for music education and performance.

Use the internet to take 50 minute classes with your students, or to undertake professional learning for yourself / your community.

Monash University
School of Music – Conservatorium
Jazz & Popular Studies Audition Preparation
Two Day Short Course

This course will include performance and ensemble processes
that will assist in the building of skills that focus on attaining the
standards of the audition requirements.

2 x 5-hour Sessions
Cost: $220.00

Staffed by:
Robert Burke
Paul Williamson
Jordan Murray
Stephen Magnusson
Tony Floyd
Michelle Nicole

Schedule:
Thursday 29th September 2011         10.00am – 3.00pm
Friday 30th September 2011              10.00am – 3.00pm
For further information please refer to www.arts.monash.edu.au/music/jazz-composition

Email: music@arts.monash.edu for an application form.

Looking for trial Primary schools (Australia) to test-run a new Primary Music delivery system on Interactive Whiteboards – complete with lesson plans, audio clips, video instructions and music charts. Suits generalist classroom teachers with little or no music knowledge.

Please email me if you’re interested: schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

CLICK HERE to make your own bingo cards (using musical instruments and/or symbols)

or CLICK HERE to print off a set of bingo cards, ready-to-go, using instrument pictures.

Lesson idea: the caller will mix up the actual names of the instruments / symbols with descriptions (eg. 1 beat note, saxophone, largest stringed instrument, triangle …)

SMH article

YouTube link

“The first organized activity that I saw in New York, on the very evening of September 11th, was singing. People sang. People sang around fire houses, people sang “We Shall Overcome”. Lots of people sang America the Beautiful. The first organized public event that I remember was the Brahms Requiem, later that week, at Lincoln Center, with the New York Philharmonic. The first organized public expression of grief, our first communal response to that historic event, was a concert. That was the beginning of a sense that life might go on. The US Military secured the airspace, but recovery was led by the arts, and by music in particular, that very night.”

READ ARTICLE HERE

www.moremusictoolkit.org.au/advocacy-tools

New PowerPoint just uploaded – please check out the latest music advocacy tool – helping to get more music into more Australian schools.

If you test run it on School Executives and/or Parent & Teacher Committees, please let us know how you go! schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

4MBS Classic FM, Brisbane’s classical music community station, has introduced a new digital radio service, MBS Light. The new service caters for the large number of people who enjoy the lighter classics, such as the music of Andre Rieu.
The service also offers a greater jazz component than 4MBS Classic.
There are plans to further develop content for MBS Light to provide opportunities for Bribane-based artists and performers via the introduction of radio theatre using talented local actors, directors, musicians and composers.

MBS Light has also provided broadcasting opportunities for a dozen additional announcers. 4MBS is one of several community digital radio stations in Brisbane to introduce a new service. For updates on community digital stations visit radius.org.au.

click here for free sample: Pack Away Song and activity

Musical Child sells songs and activities for Early Childhood Music. They also run teacher training workshops.

“We value the traditional repertoire of children’s nursery songs and nursery rhymes.
We have great presenters.
We understand the value of live music.”

“Popcorn and Other Sweets” was a large-format, classroom percussion kit published by NSW DET many years ago, and has since gone out-of-printed. Now there are similar kits produced by Jozzbeat, called “JellyBeans and Other Suites”. Volume 1 and 2 are in big book + CD format, while Volume 3 is digitally produced for interactive whiteboard / digital projector. All are suitable for Primary and Middle School students, and include lesson ideas and Australian curriculum notes.

www.jozzbeat.com/JB1

Congratulations to the 2 winners of 2011 ReCount competition:

Bill Okwalo – Heathdale Christian College

Jack James Cockerall – Castlemaine Secondary College

Bill’s remix of “We’ve Got the Music” was in the style of space techno with plenty of SFX. The remix was faster, used fragments of the original horn & vocal parts, and added lots of new content.

Jack’s remix featured a new electric guitar opening and a whole new accompaniment, while maintaining the style of an anthem. The original vocal stem files were used but had been carefully cut & re-arranged to create a brand new melody.

The following 4 students were runners up:

Alyx Livingston, Bianca Redfern, Jordan Pezzimenti, Ryan Winslade

These students were rated ‘highly commended‘ by our judges:

Angus Gill, Jedd McCallum, Acacia Coates, Sarah Butler

The judges were impressed by the variety and creativity of remixes – from country to rap, from punk to orchestral fusion. All ten finalists receive Zoom digital recording equipment. Well done!!

In early November, 2011, ABC will release a tribute album to 20 years of The Wiggles! 20 of Australia’s great contemporary artists have covered 20 Wiggles songs (eg. Clare Bowditch & The Audreys). The final track is a Wiggles mash-up.

LESSON IDEA: Ask students to re-interpret or mash-up Wiggles songs before the album is released in November

Salwal blog here

An inspiring primary music teacher’s blog from Boneo, Victoria. Includes a great list of recommended websites for Primary Music lessons.

www.showsforschools.com.au

Shows For Schools lists a huge range of shows available for schools wherever you are. Because they’re all on one site, it saves your time and energy. Search under various criteria. Check out which shows suit your needs. Enquire or Book online.

SYO AUDITIONS 2012 – COME JOIN US !

Joining the SYO community opens up a world of experiences for young and emerging musicians. Whether they aspire to a career as a performer,

or simply want to have fun making music, the SYO will become the highlight of each child’s week, as they build formative memories from tours,

camps, rehearsals and performances, and life-long friends are made. Ensemble playing is non-competitive, developing skills in teamwork, self

discipline, confidence, leadership and communication. The power of a large group working towards a common goal, the collegial nature of an ensemble, the discipline and communication, are all benefits cited by research into the value of learning music, for individuals and the wider community. Young people connecting – guided by dedicated professionals, achieving excellence, and celebrating – that’s what Sydney Youth Orchestras is all about.

Your membership of the SYO family is an open invitation for you to become involved in the organization, observe the delight being experienced by the young players, come to the concerts and make friends amongst others united by a love of music. Come join us!

Bernie Heard, General Manager, Sydney Youth Orchestras

Auditions will be held in October, 2012.  To apply and/or request information you can either email auditions@syo.com.au or visit the website

www.syo.com.au.

SMH article by Richard Gill here from 2009

It is a national disgrace that music education is not a central part of every child’s schooling, writes Richard Gill.

Here are some suggestions of songs which have a particularly Australian flavour. Teach the chord progressions of each chorus (guitar / ukulele / keyboard) to your class. Discuss from which decade each song came, and why it feels Australian.

Skyhooks – Living in the 70’s (1975), Joe Dolce – Shaddup You Face (1980), Men at Work – Down Under (1981), Paul Kelly – From St Kilda to Kings Cross (1985), Midnight Oil – Beds are Burning (1987), Yothu Yindi – Treaty (1991 remix), Hunters and Collectors – Holy Grail (1992), any song from Gurrumul Yunupingu’s 2008 album – Gurrumul.

More info on Australian pop music: “Playlisted” by Craig Mathieson

National Library of Australia has a new online catalog called TROVE – research for books, journal, video, audio, websites, pictures and more. You can even click through the website to purchase many of the items, if you wish.

Give student the following chords and ask them to figure out (in groups) the order of the chords in Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida”: C major, D major, E minor, G major.

If you transpose the original song MP3 by one semitone (using Audacity software or similar), students can play along with keyboards, guitars and ukuleles.

VMTA Professional Development day is TUESDAY OCTOBER 4, 2011

Session 1: Improvisation: ownership and expression with Mark Dipnall

This professional development session will trace the importance of music
improvisation in our lives.  Knowledge of improvisational techniques assists
the performer and teacher with the expression of music. This session will
trace a history of Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Jazz  improvisation
with references to cross cultural influences.  This will be followed with a
workshop on improvisation.  This workshop will be available for wind, brass,
string, vocal and piano instrumentalists.

Session 2: Tutoring Chamber Music in Schools with Josephine Vains

Playing chamber-music is not only enjoyable, but also a valuable learning
experience for students. Tutoring chamber-music ensembles, however, can be
quite daunting for the teacher. For a piano teacher, this can often mean
that they are working with string and wind players and may at times feel out
of their depth. In this session, Josephine Vains will speak about rehearsal
technique, choosing suitable repertoire, the specifics of working with
string players (bowings etc) and dealing with intonation issues.

Session 3: Collaborative Piano (accompanying) with Wendy Rechenberg

In her workshop Wendy will explore the role of collaborative pianist, with a
specific focus on working within education. From working with the beginner,
performing in their first ever concert, to the more advanced student sitting
their VCE or L.Mus.A., there are approaches that can be used to ensure that
each and every young performer, no matter how musical or talented they are,
can perform to the best of their ability. Wendy will look at the importance
of the relationship that is formed, sometimes within a very short
time-frame, between soloist and collaborative pianist. She will also explore
the many different potential problems that a collaborative pianist may
encounter: those students without rhythm; those who lack natural musicality;
the Œlast minute¹ student; the nervous student; and dare I say it, the
poorly prepared student.  Participants are encouraged to bring questions and
specific problems they would like to discuss.

To receive more information or to make a booking, please contact the VMTA
office on vmta@vmta.org.au or phone 03 9415 1314.