While I try to keep this blog "professional", many of you who are reading this may know that my family and I have been building our new house and so we've spent a large part of this past fall and winter living in the studio. Literally. I often figuratively say that I live in the studio, but we've LITERALLY been living in the studio for the past several months. With the house nearing completion (we should have our occupancy permit tomorrow), we've spent February working on growing the student base by offering free trial lessons during the month of February. I spent a lot of time this past month talking to parents about my studio, my background and experience, and my teaching philosophy. Early on in the month, I had a parent specifically ask about my teaching philosophy, so to clearly articulate, here is my teaching philosophy: I am fortunate enough to be a private teacher. I mainly work with students on an individual level, so I have the opportunity to focus on each student for 30 minutes every week. I get to know them- their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses, their goals and aspirations, and I work hard to address their unique needs. This was the basis of my masters' thesis- learning personalities, and using different teaching techniques and strategies to address different learning styles. Although it is very "old school", I have a preference for the Bastien Piano Basics method- it is not as modern as either Alfred or Faber and Faber, but it moves through material quicker, there are less books to buy, and previous students have done well using this method, so it is where I tend to start with young beginners. HOWEVER, I deviate from method books a lot- primarily through scale use focusing on technique and theory. If you are an older beginner wanting to learn pop music, or to read a lead sheet, I start by teaching the key of C- the scale, the arpeggio, the I, IV, V, I cadence pattern, and the chord inversions for the primary chords (C, F, G). From there, students choose a song in the key of C, we find the lead sheet, and begin to work through the chords- I tend to push toward Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, but whatever they want to learn, I will work with them. I have different strategies for different ages, different styles. I myself am a unique pianist as I am comfortable reading traditional music AND lead sheets. I grew up and went to college playing classical music, but I don't want to play just Mozart, I also love playing Joni Mitchell. Or Amy Lee. Or Broadway musicals. It doesn't matter the style- I like good music in all genres, and if I like a song, I want to play it, or sing it. And I want to prepare my students to play what they want to play as well. As a voice teacher, I spend roughly half of a 30 minute lesson working on vocal warmups, getting to know each student's voice- the range, the sound, and personality is a huge factor in singing. I allow students to choose any song they want to learn- if it is not something that works well for piano accompaniment, we can learn the vocal line and use karaoke tracks (thank you YouTube! I don't know how I functioned before YouTube!). I will then choose a contrasting song which is a good fit for the voice. This way the student is able to direct their own learning, while still broadening their musical palate. We'll also do sight singing (because singers need to know how to read music too), and rhythm drills. Anyway... I had a parent ask me about my teaching philosophy for a piano student, and I basically talked through my "unique individual approach" philosophy. Unbeknownst to me my husband was in the garage grabbing something and overheard the conversation. Later that evening, he told me he overheard, and mentioned that the new buzzword for education philosophy was the term "learning outcomes" (eye roll) and that what she was probably asking me was about recitals, and other performance opportunities, to which my response was- "that's not a philosophy, that's a "to-do" list." The thing is though... he's probably correct, because the question about recitals was her IMMEDIATE next question. So, I talked through the fact that I do two recitals per year, one in the winter and one in the spring. I also have students WHO ARE READY do adjudications- either through LEST, or SCMTA, and students WHO ARE READY participate in SCMTA's Music in Action event every spring. This year, I have some students doing a professional recording session, because the opportunity presented itself, and they were ready. Again, I push them each as they need to be, and if they're struggling, I give them a pass on the high pressure situations- because music should be fun, relaxing, enjoyable, and improve their confidence. The unfortunate truth is that somewhere in the early 2000s, our education system began prioritizing "outcomes" and we let "philosophy" go. It doesn't matter anymore if students are truly understanding the information- just as long as they can recite back the "correct" answer, or at least choose it out of a list. We've stopped helping students grow in a way that makes sense for them and set up benchmarks which may or may not be attainable. Then we shame students and teachers for not achieving the goals and cut funding for those who are struggling. I DO understand that schools and teachers do need to be accountable for student's success (or lack thereof), but by prioritizing the outcome instead of the path, I believe our kids are losing a lot- creative thinking, reasoning, logic, philosophy, and so much more. Education is more than just spitting out correct answers! I don't have an answer for my perceived problem- maybe others don't see a problem, but it was on my mind. It also seemed like a good idea to articulate my teaching philosophy, and communicate the goals that I set up for my students- if for no other reason than so I can share it with current and future students and parents.. And I should close by saying... my PRIMARY GOAL with my students is not to have them play recitals, or adjudications- even though that is something I do. I want to see them achieve their own goals. I want to see them proud of their progress- even if it's slow! I want them to enjoy music, and have an emotional, artistic outlet that works for them. Individually. Each one is special, and unique, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with them! Thanks for reading! Now go practice- and do YOUR best!
0 Comments
As a first year teacher at Zion Lutheran School, this was my first year taking my middle school students down to Concordia University in Portland, Oregon for L.E.S.T (Lutheran Elementary School Tournament). As a teacher and a person, I am always looking for ways to continue to learn and grow, and this weekend was no different. Here are some of the things I learned this year: 1. Make the kids memorize their musicMy biggest, most obvious mistake was that I did not make my choir students memorize their music. My goal heading into the year was to improve their music reading ability, and making them memorize seemed counter-intuitive. Unfortunately, they were the only choir to not have their music memorized, and I believe they were docked points for that. Another unfortunate move was that I did NOT work with them on the appropriate way to hold their music books, and they had their books in their faces- which was NOT helpful. This also leads to my next failing.... 2. Look up, Look around!As far as I could tell (I left after about the 4th choir because I had an antsy 3 year old with me), I was the only director who directed from the piano. Everybody else brought in an accompanist- including a student accompanist. Not to toot my own horn, or anything, but my choir had the BEST accompanist. Seriously- I feel great about my accompanying skills. However, there is an unfortunate side-effect of directing from the piano... I have a hard time looking up! My own face is buried in music! I am busy reading the piano accompaniment, the choral parts, making sure that my hands go to the right place, my page gets turned at the right time, and my head nods at the right time, but I don't LOOK UP or CONNECT with my kids! My kids didn't look up from their music, because I DIDN'T LOOK UP FROM MY MUSIC! I didn't SEE the problem, and they followed my example! Always set a good example! 3. Open up avenues of communicationThis was another huge failing of mine- but I'll let it slide this year because it was my first year- I WILL do better next year! My student list for the year was a quickly put-together list of first names only. I had no idea which kids were in which grade, or what their last names were- but I rolled with what I had, which is fairly typical Amy :). Random aside: I'm fairly proud of my flexibility- HOWEVER, it caused some problems... I was unsure of how to reach out to parents, so most often I just spoke to the kids in class about my expectations regarding dress code, private lessons, etc. and didn't put forth any other information other than what the L.E.S.T folks sent regarding the schedule and event locations. There was a last minute flurry of questions, scheduling conflicts, and one student who didn't make it to the choir festival because they got lost. Next year, I will be sure to have kids give me last names so I know how to address parents, AND I will be sure to send regular emails to parents, and not through the students. 4. Find ways to support (all) your boys!This is just a general struggle of mine... how to encourage adolescent boys to sing! It's something I continue to try to work on both in my private lessons and in choir. Boys in middle school are struggling with voices that change EVERY DAY! It's got to be incredibly frustrating- at least I find it frustrating! They are also dealing with finding their place in the social order. Both of these combine to make it extremely nerve-wracking for boys to sing- they are unsure of what will happen when they open their mouths, and scared that they'll be embarrassed by whatever sound does come out. I made the mistake of relying too heavily on one baritone who could sing well, and all my other boys followed his lead. UNFORTUNATELY, he was the boy who got lost on the way to the festival and didn't make it. Because I was relying on his voice (and all the other baritones were as well), the other boys were left in the very uncomfortable position of having to carry their own weight- something I hadn't prepared them for, because they were (superficially) doing great. Their last piece started with a baritone part solo, and it was not as strong as normal. Here are some of the best tips I have found to working with adolescent boys: 1. Sing in your own octave! For a long time, I have made the mistake of singing with my boys in THEIR octave, not realizing that that is extremely confusing! A woman isn't supposed sing a baritone part. I cannot demonstrate how to sing like a man- they need to find where their voice fits, and it'll never sound like a woman's voice. 2. Experiment with octaves. This is a soprano trick I learned a long time ago... when trying to learn a new melody that is very high (or very low) move it down (or up) the octave and learn the part in a comfortable register, then shift it to the correct octave. This way they are not blowing their voices out while still learning a new part. 3. Match the pitch to the boy. If you have a boy singing a wrong pitch, or a wrong octave, help them by matching their pitch, then moving stepwise to the correct pitch. Many of these were taking from the nafme site: http://www.nafme.org/keeping-the-boys-singing-how-you-can-make-a-difference/. It is worth reading. 5. Keep a "back pocket" pieceThis was actually something I did well, so I'm sharing, because it was something I learned... When I selected repertoire back in December, it felt like we had a ton of time. I kept a piece from the Christmas concert, added an easy familiar hymn arrangement, and added a "challenge" piece. The challenge piece was just that, and when we missed school due to snow, I was worried that they wouldn't be ready, and I didn't want to add the stress of an uncomfortable piece. Two weeks before the event, I switched pieces on them. Way back in the fall, we did a piece called "The Concert Etiquette Rap"- it was a way for me to work through rhythm notation with them. The kids thought it was fun and we did it for the Christmas concert then put it away. But... it was still in good enough shape that two weeks before the choir festival, we could dust it off and perform it. I will always keep an extra piece in my "back pocket" just in case. 6. Embrace uniquenessEach choir is unique- find the character of your choir and embrace what it is that makes them special. For my choir (at least this year) their ENERGY was what made them special. They excelled at upbeat, fun songs, and I managed to channel that through sheer luck... at least that's what it feels like. As a director, much of your own personal strengths come out in repertoire choices because that is what WE feel comfortable performing, and teaching, but we need to make sure that our choices are good choices for our CHOIRS- which has a unique identity created by each individual who is a part. Each member is important and contributes to the general character of the choir- we are all members of the same body, and it is important to support each other and the whole group. 7. Celebrate!Always look for the positive! While there were flaws and obstacles, I am PROUD of my choir! Last year, Zion didn't have enough kids for a choir, this year, I had 20 kids in choir. That is worth celebrating! Last year, there was not a Zion Lutheran choir at LEST- but there was this year. That is worth celebrating! My choir performed 3 pieces of music in the festival- most did only 2. That is worth celebrating! My choir did mainly 3-part harmony- most choirs did only 2 or limited 3. That is worth celebrating! My choir sang well independently, without a director in front of them- the others had an adult standing directly in front of them helping them out. That is worth celebrating! My choir received 87 points out of a possible 100. It wasn't a level 1 rating, but we will build from there next year. I have learned better what needs to happen, and I will be there next year to help them out. That is worth celebrating! Thank you so much for reading! Now go practice!
This week, I've got my head wrapped around singing! Because I've got my middle school choir singing at Concordia University this Thursday for L.E.S.T adjudications, AND I'm preparing 3 of my vocal students for a recording session at Beehive Sound in March, my week has been taken up with practicing accompaniment tracks and putting together practice videos for my students. So, this week, I thought I'd take the time to review one of my favorite vocal books: the Kids' Musical Theatre Anthology, edited and compiled by Lisa DeSpain.
I love this book for several reasons: 1. It is age appropriate- both in terms of vocal range capability (especially for young boys), and in material. 2. There are real world applications for these pieces- they tend to be popular kids shows which are done fairly regularly, so kids can use them for auditions. 3. They also include a brief synopsis of the show that the song is from allowing it to be put in perspective, AND have recommended 16 bar audition cuts. 4. The accompaniments are REAL accompaniments- not simplified vocal duplications, PLUS if you're not a pianist, there is a CD available.
Here are some of my personal favorite songs to teach (and to perform myself!):Alone in the Universe- from Seussical
Alone in the Universe starts out being sung by Horton (who is traditionally an adult), but is then echoed by Jojo (traditionally a young boy). It begins with a descending chromatic recitative (which allows you to practice half steps, and explain the difference between a recititive and an aria). It does change keys 3 times- the recititive begins in E-flat, Horton's solo is in C, and when Jojo comes in it's D-flat- so the two solos are in a similar key, which makes me feel comfortable doing this song with a young boy. It also has many opportunities for tempo adjustments- rubato, and accelerando, so kids can begin to play with vocal phrasing. It's just a beautiful song, with many different elements and opportunities to shine. While this is traditionally a boy song, I have had at least one girl sing it, and it works well in the female register as well- obviously singing up the octave.
Be Kind to Your Parents- from Fanny
This is a great song for that kid who loves to ham it up! This is written for a young boy (around 12-ish), but is again a good range and appropriate for a girl. It begins with a short recititive, and then into the song. This song is pretty fast, so the accompaniment can be difficult- especially if you're still singing with your young singer, but again with the right singer who's going to embrace the comedy, this is a great choice!
Consider Yourself- from Oliver
I wish they had included Where is Love (Oliver) and As Long as He Needs Me (Nancy) as well, but I suppose some cuts needed to be made :). Consider Yourself is sung by the Artful Dodger- traditionally an adolescent boy, although I've seen several cross-gender productions- I have had one female student play Oliver. As one of the older, standard kid shows, Oliver is done A LOT! If you have a boy in particular expressing an interest in musical theatre, this is a great song to learn. It's extremely repetitive, and allows students to experiment with a different (cockney) accents.
Different- from Honk!
Honk! Is the ugly duckling story told in the form of a musical- it's extremely kid friendly. This is a great song to work on the idea of phrasing and using the singing voice to communicate- it's very conversational without being just straight up patter. Emotionally, this is a good piece for that student who is struggling with their own identity. Different is a good range for all voices.
The Girl I Mean to Be- from The Secret Garden
I LOVE THIS SONG! It is one of my favorites to do with young female singers. It's sung by Mary, the young girl who lost her parents and has just moved in with her strange and unknown uncle. Vocally, it's an ABA form, so it's repetitive- especially in the A section. The B section allows the singer to explore the upper register, and longer note values, all while experimenting with dynamic shading. Emotionally, I also think this is one that most young girls can relate to- the idea of finding a special place, and exploring your daydreams and hopes for the future. This song comes out a lot in my studio.
Good Morning- from Singing in the Rain
This is another song I love. I sing this song to my son every morning- my three year old can sing a large chunk of this song at this point. :). While this is one of my favorite movie musicals, I am not aware of this musical actually happening on stage. However, the stage musical version must exist SOMEWHERE because the opening of this song is quite a bit different than the movie. It has a vocal introduction before going into the familiar "Good morning, Good morning..." chorus. Then, there are the two verses, and repeat the chorus. It's a fun song to sing and it's repetitive so easy to memorize. It's a great choice for your more energetic female singers.
Green Eggs and Ham- from Seussical
This song is appropriate for all voices, and is a great way to work on diction and clarity of words. It changes keys a ZILLION TIMES, and is not easy to play and sing at the same time (the key changes are difficult, and they are not easy keys to play in to begin with!). I highly recommend working with the CD at least to start with. My experience has been that I need to vocally lead the student with the accompaniment when they start out, and while I am usually quite comfortable playing and singing, this one was a struggle for me. HOWEVER... this song is fun, upbeat, and uses familiar text which makes it a great choice for the kids.
I Want it Now- from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
I have only done this song once... you need to have the kid with the right personality to pull this song off! That being said, with a bold courageous student, this is a great piece! There are some large skips, lots of accidentals, and extremely long phrases where there is no place to breathe, which make this song difficult. There are some surprise entrances, key changes, and tempo/character changes which also make this song tricky. Again, with the right personality, this song is really fun, exciting, familiar, and the crowd loved it the one time I had a student sing this. I would do it again with the right kid!
It's Possible- from Seussical
.Lots of Seussical in this book... :). It's Possible is sung by Jojo, the imaginative son of the Mayor of Whoville. It is a super cute song for a young boy. For my studio, I have cut out measures 39-48 (the Beach Boys/harmony part). The song never changes key, but does build via crescendo and accelerando.
Johnny One Note- from Babes in Arms
This is a great song for those "pitch challenged" students. You can work on centering just that one pitch and using it with different words, different vowel shapes, and hearing the different octaves. And even though you can approach it in simplistic terms, the song is not simple! The range is somewhat high, the rhythm is syncopated, and there are several different sections. You start out with a vocal introduction, go into the main theme ("Poor Johnny one note..."), then you have a B section ("couldn't hear the brass..), back to the main theme, then eventually there is a C section ("cats and dogs stop yapping..."). This song has been covered by no less than Ella Fitzgerald, and Judy Garland, so there is plenty in this song to sink your teeth into while working on basic concepts such as centering pitches.
Part of Your World- from the Little Mermaid
I have many fond memories of singing this into a tape recorder with my little sister when this movie and soundtrack came out. I love to teach this song, just because I love this song! The piano accompaniment is GREAT, and there are several notes in the music that don't exist in the soundtrack, so this is a great opportunity to allow your girls to practice being independent from the recording! I have taught this song so much that I have put together a rehearsal video for my girls- it's not perfect, but it's helpful for them, so feel free to check it out:
Pure Imagination- from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
I just love doing this song myself. I have never worked on it with a student, it's just a favorite of mine that I've pulled out several times to perform. It has some large skips and surprising non-chord tones in the accompaniment which make this a difficult song. It is familiar, with a beautiful lyric line.
Wouldn't it be Loverly- from My Fair Lady
Sung by Eliza Doolittle the young orphan who is "classed up" by Henry Higgins, this is a great song for a young girl to practice the cockney accent, find the nasal voice, and assume a new character. One of the things I work on with my kids is keeping the low notes light as it tends to bounce down and back up in phrases such as "all I want is a room..." "is" is high, "a" is low, and "room" is high again, so we need to practice lightly jumping down to "a" and back up again- this is somewhat difficult, and even though there are many fast moving notes, girls still get to practice long high notes in the "wouldn't it be loverly" part. And, it includes words like "abso-bloomin'-lutely". A total win!
Conclusion
This book includes 22 songs total, and some other great ones including music from The Lion King (I Can't Wait to Be King), Finding Nemo (In the Big Blue World), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious), and Mary Poppins (Supercalifragilisticexpalidocious) if you're into Disney musicals, plus other standard musicals like Once Upon a Mattress (Shy), and Damn Yankees (Heart). I just reviewed the ones that my student's have had success with and that I pull out regularly. This is a great book to own if you're a vocal teacher with many young students, I highly recommend it! You can find it on sheetmusicplus.com via the below affiliate link.
Thank you so much for reading! Now, go practice! |
Amy Riffle-Kouyeasis a professional pianist, teacher, singer, and Music Director currently residing in Snohomish, Washington. She is the Director of Music at Peace Lutheran Church in Monroe, WA, and also teaches private piano, voice and ukulele lessons at The ARK in Snohomish, WA. |