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... bringing the joy of music to students and their teachers
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Value of YouTube Recordings
Flute Flash
Upcoming Events
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Music For Life Books

 

Find out lots of ways to increase your students musicality in Making Music and Enriching Lives:

Chapter 15

Musicality Makes the Difference!

 

 

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for concrete solutions to your everyday problems and ideas to get more satisfaction from the
best job in the world!

 

The Funnies
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September 2012

Greetings!

At our studio retreat this year, one of our coaches showed the students a video of flutist Amy Porter performing. I was completely awed by her stage presence, musicality, tone, and the way she connected to the audience.
 
But at the same time, I wondered: Why the heck can't we do that?  What's the difference between her performance and ours? 
 
So I watched the video again to observe every detail of her performance to figure out her secrets. I looked at her body language, posture, facial expression, tone colors, phrasing, etc... Even the way she walked onto the stage.  Everything! 
 
Then I decided to have my students do the same.

Learning from You-Tube

Value of YouTube Recordings
  Amy Porter 



Amy Porter playing Griffes Poem!


Amy Porter Playing Georges Hue!








  • Ask your students to watch recordings of virtuoso performers on their instrument and see what they discover.
  • Share their written comments with the studio. This assignment will not only increase their knowledge of the repertoire, but also encourage them to articulate what they've observed. By expressing what they viewed as "amazing," they'll  create their own performance goals.  
  • Now I say to them, "What would Amy Porter do?" and we all laugh and try harder.  
                   Sample Student Comments 
  • Even on the fast runs I can hear every note.
  • All of the moods work wonderfully and I can hear the thought put into them.
  • The slow parts sound like flowing water.
  • Even before she plays a note I can tell she is confident.
  • Every time she plays the main theme I feel I'm hearing it for the first time.
  • When you hear her tone, it is as if you're flying above the clouds. 
  • Her body language mimics the music
  • Listening to her makes me want to be a better musician." 

 

 

                               Playing By Ear
 

  

 What is the best kind of music?

     

Flute Flash

Check out this fun site! 
 Flute Free printable sheet music for flute, with play-along accompaniment tracks. Also features a metronome, flute fingering charts, and scales and flute-related articles.  
This is a great site for students to learn new pieces and to practice sight-reading. Along with your weekly assignments, let students choose a piece and prepare it for a surprise.    

Bonnie's Speech Calendar
Stop by and say hello!
 

2012-2013 Speech Calendar

 

Thanks to my friends in Olympia and at the District conference. You laughed at all the right times!

 


October 20, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Wenatchee Music Teachers Association
All-Day Workshop

February 22
Mt. Rainier/Puyallup MTNA
You Already Taught Me That?

March 2013
MTNA National Convention
Pedagogy Saturday 
Disneyland!
Creating Artistic Performers
convention during the week: 
Get Paid What You're Worth

April 2013
Gig Harbor Music Teachers
Topic TBA

October 12th. 2013
MTAC Santa Cruz
Topic TBA

 

If you've found this newsletter fun and helpful, please forward it to your friends, teachers and colleagues. I'd love to hear your comments and any ideas or suggestions you might have about content; we can always learn from each other.

Look for more tips, tricks and stories in the coming months.

And don't forget to check out my website.

Sincerely,
Bonnie Blanchard
bonnieblanchard.com