A Musical Interactive Sunflower Story!

 

Here's a fun and worthwhile music teaching game: 

1)  Find some slow music in which to "grow".  A slow movement from a symphony by Brahms, Mozart, Dvorak, or Haydn work well.  Of course, it is also perfectly acceptable to put on any slow folk or rock music if that is to your liking.

2)  You and your child or class should start out in what I call seed position which means you are curled up on the floor and ready to uncurl and grow upward as soon as the music begins.

3)  As the adult or teacher, feel free to give direction such as, "Okay seeds, the sun is out and we are growing toward it.  Oh goodness, here is a little breeze and some raindrops so you will be swaying a little bit."

4)  Use your creativity from there, whether it be to use your arms as stems and your fingers as the growing sunflower seeds.  Maybe some imaginary birds will even fly over and tickle your sunflower seeds! (your fingers)

5)  As the children are ready to be done, you all may slowly curl back down into seed position as the snowflakes make the flowers heavy.

Getting Through Winter 2021 During A Pandemic!

Greetings in the new year!  While we all are conjuring up as much hope as we can due to the Covid-19 vaccinations starting to happen, we still need our healthy coping skills to make each day positive and productive.  One of my coping skills is listening to and making music.

During the month of January 2021 I was lucky enough to work with Tony Axtell, a Minneapolis sound engineer as well as a mighty bass player and pianist to produce my new composition, SPELL.  The other musicians that helped record this tune were Joe Elliott--electric guitar; Greg Schutte--drum set; and me--vocalist and wind synthesizer.  

Composing the lyrics and music to this vocal jazz ballad focused me on the art form of creating.  It was a joy and the next highlight was working with the musicians involved.  So, not only was I coping, I was overcoming the negativity of the pandemic.

Here are pictures of the musicians and if you'd like to hear the piece, here is the address to the Joan Schubert And Friends Facebook page where you may click on the link to SPELL.    https://www.facebook.com/Joan-Schubert-And-Friends-2087644207914367

I wish all of you the best as we forge ahead into this wonderful new year!      Joan Schubert

 

Celebrating The Holiday Season

 

This Holiday Season

Just a reminder to be proactive in taking in all of the holiday music this year.  It's always good to have your classical public radio station on in the background wherever you are. We are so fortunate to have commercial free public radio that plays the classics of the musical world as well as new compositions in all genres--orchestral, chamber, and vocal.  Remember to check your local paper and online for streaming family concerts which often are reasonably priced or free.  Just to be able to have your family see one or two shows is such a holiday gift in itself.

Happy Holidays To You And Yours From The Music Child Program

A Tribute To Maya Angelou

Hello as we slide into the fall equinox!  Ms. Joan has recently made another music video and she would like to share it here.

The poem is written by Dr. Maya Angelou and this poem is from one of her children's books, Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?  Ms. Joan wrote original music for this poem and had the good fortune to find singers and a pianist to learn the music and record it.

Simply click on the link below or copy it to your browser.  Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svs1H3DbHiY&list=RDMMsvs1H3DbHiY&start_radio=1

Music Helps Us Study And Think

 I am posting part of a column from Reema Krishnan.  She published an article exploring the relationship between math and music and it is fun to read.

There is a strong correlation between music and the way we study. Research shows that when children are given proper instructions on musical instruments, they score high on tasks that require spatial-temporal cognition, math, and hand-eye coordination. This can be attributed to the relation between music and math skills.

A musician has to continually subdivide the beats to be able to interpret the rhythmic notations. In fact, practicing music, paying attention to details, and the discipline required to learn music can prove to be a strong base for building math skills.

Moreover, research has also shown that children who learn through music retain information better than those who learn just by verbal instructions. Kids can remember concepts or facts better when it is put in a song or rhythm. Any kind of musical element can help you recall important details.

Even playing music while working or studying can create a focused learning state. Classical music such as Carnatic music has the ability to create an atmosphere of focus and concentration.

Reema Krishnan is a content creator at Acharyanet, a platform for Carnatic music learners where they can learn music from gurus through 400+ video lessons. A music enthusiast and history buff, Krishnan’s content is well-suited to musicians, music lovers, and music learners of all ages and at all stages. She loves to volunteer with music therapy groups and bakes up a storm in her free time.

Summer Concerts 2020

It can be a time of despondence or a time of creativity--guess which one I would choose!

Many music groups are choosing to use ingenuity to get their sounds out into the public eye and ear.

Here are links to:

 The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra 

https://content.thespco.org/music/concert-library/concerts

And

The Minnesota Orchestra https://minnesotaorchestra.org/blog.  Prepared to be wowed by the concerts offered by both groups!

The Saint Paul

Chamber Orchestra

                                                                                                          

                              The Minnesota                                    Orchestra

The Minnesota Orchestra is also offering outdoor concerts right outside of Orchestra Hall in Peavey Plaza this summer.

The beauty of all this is that it is intergenerational.  A person does not need to be a certain age to enjoy all these offerings!

I hope you will enjoy the bounty of our talented musicians this summer of 2020!

A Change Of Pace (Letter by Ms. Joan, Minneapolis Star Tribune, during the pandemic)

APRIL 1, 2020 — 5:40PM

GERALD HERBERT • ASSOCIATED PRESS

A street musician stands in the nearly deserted French Quarter in New Orleans on March 22.

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For those of you working on coping strategies during the pandemic, here’s one for you: Start thinking like a jazz musician. We’ve had to cope financially and socially for years.

Can’t wrap your mind around what the future holds for you and your family? Welcome to our world! Jazz musicians who improvise must let go of outcomes every day. We are inspired by our muses and have no choice but to let go. Our muses guide us and let us know where the next paycheck, meal, babysitter or teacher is coming from. The bottom line is faith in its purest form. If you need to define terms, go ahead.

Artists are used to spending hours alone to practice, write and create. When it comes time to share our art, we often need to throw ourselves into noisy and chaotic environments to sell and share our creations. We’ve gotten good at engaging with the public and not engaging with the public. It’s a parallel universe to living in times of a pandemic.

Artists show up in their lives with the accent on creativity. I’ve seen many of you using creative coping skills and I know you’ve seen the same. Our children are experts in creativity; they know how to show up in their lives. Their spontaneity and flexibility are reminding us about humor and resilience in our new normal.

Kudos to all the helpers out there. Your spirit, tenacity and creativity are infectious — in a good way.

JOAN SCHUBERT

The writer is a jazz flutist, composer, and teacher.