Music Monday (May 11)

 

• Instrument Play – We hope you’ve been enjoying trying out all different kinds of improvisations each week with your instruments at home. Continue to build off of the last few week’s improvisation exercises. Start again with  Play and Play as a warm up. Use body percussion (clapping, tapping your knees, stomping etc.) or shakers if you have them in the house.  
• Now add our version of Floating Down the River.  The song has fast, presto moments and slow, lento moments.  How does this change how you play?  Can you try singing it on your own and changing how fast or slow you play with your instruments?

 

• Movement Game – In class, part of our musicianship time is spent on learning and embodying different sets of musical opposites.  Children, show your families how we move our bodies to reflect the changes in the music.  Below you will find the musical exercises for 2 sets of opposites: High/Low (illustrating the directionality on the piano keyboard) and Staccato/Legato (short & choppy/smooth & connected). Each week build upon these skills at home with different recordings that support the musical opposites. Play these new audio recordings for your child to move around the house to the music.  Presto/Lento try jogging and swimming to the music. For Staccato/Legato try jumping for the choppy parts and flying for the smooth and connected parts! Piece #1: Presto/Lento – Ravel. Piece #2: Staccato/Legato – Barber 

 

• Listening Exercises – One of the most important skills we hone as musicians is our ability to listen.  In class, one of the ways we do this is by listening to a piece of music and then having a discussion afterwards. Finding the words to articulate our thoughts about music is a cultivated skill. Some of the questions we ask our students are:  Did you like or dislike the piece?  What did you like  or dislike about it?  How did it make you feel?  Did it make you think of anything?  What kind of sounds did you hear – short, long, loud, soft, big, little, high, low? Use this classic performed by EC Pianist Eri Yamamoto to spark a discussion at home: My Favorite Things

 

• Take a Walk with Kirsten, to a March by Prokofiev

 

• Meet the French Horn with our friend Rob! 

 

• Listening & Playing Exercise – Continue to learn about Samba beats! Grab your shakers and play along with Sherrine as she sings Chega De Saudade.  Is it presto or lento?  Forte or piano?  High or low notes?

 

• Instrument Play- This Oren plays his rendition of a familiar favorite She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain for us to play our instruments with.  Grab your shakers, pots and pans, wooden spoons and tupperware to create a band to this fun melody!

 

• Lullaby-  This week we hope you enjoy our recording of Shenandoah.  Hold your favorite stuffed friend in your arms, and give them a gentle rock. 

 

• Down By the Bay Book with Stephanie & Walter