Music and singing are an inherent part of children's lives and offer a wonderful opportunity to promote young children's learning and development. This how-to guide is full of useful information to support musical understanding and assist practitioners in developing their knowledge, skills and confidence in planning and leading successful and enjoyable musical activities in a range of early years settings. Focusing on the role of singing and children's musical learning at various stages of development, Music and Singing in the Early Years aims to demystify music by providing practical tips, ideas and information on the integration of musical activities in the early years curriculum and environment, and provides clear explanations of musical concepts. Chapters consider topics such as: vocal strategies and development using song, rhyme and movement integrating instrumental accompaniments observation and assessment planning and delivery resources for music making. This book is essential reading for all early years practitioners looking to improve their musical understanding and plan successful musical activities with young children.

What's So Important About Music Education? presents a new philosophy of music education for the United States, rooted in history and current perspectives from ethnomusicology. J. Scott Goble explores the societal effects of the nation's foundations in democracy and capitalism, the constitutional separation of church and state, and the rise of recording, broadcast, and computer technologies. He shows how these and other factors have brought about changes in the ways music teachers and concerned others have conceptualized music and its importance in education. In demonstrating how many of the personal and societal benefits of musical engagement have come to be obscured in the nation's increasingly diverse public forum, Goble argues for the importance of musical engagement in human life and for the importance of music in education. An ideal text for courses in music education foundations, the book concludes with recommendations for teaching the musical practices of the nation's cultural communities in schools in terms of their respective cultural meanings.

Discover what it would be like to travel through the four seasons in one day in this musical story based on the classical masterpiece The Four Seasons - push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Vivaldi's score. Follow a little girl called Isabelle and her dog, Pickle, as they take on the adventure of a lifetime. As a sign of the changing seasons, Isabelle carries a little apple tree with her, and we see it bud, blossom and lose its leaves. As you and your little one journey through the vibrant scenes illustrated by artist Jessica Courtney-Tickle, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from The Four Seasons violin concerti. Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sound board at the back of the book, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music. At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Antonio Vivaldi, with details about his composition of The Four Seasons. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms. The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano. Also available from the Story Orchestra series: The Magic Flute, I Can Play (vol 1), Carnival of the Animals, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Manufacturer's note: please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long. The perfect primer to introduce children to classical music.

The perfect next step for kids with a basic understanding of how to play the ukulele, Kids' Ukulele Song Book continues their musical practice with 30 new songs for kids to learn and play! With a quick refresher in the opening section that reviews the four basic ukulele chords learned in author Emily Arrow's first book, Kids' Guide to Learning the Ukulele, children will then learn and practice brand new chords and single notes to build on their existing skills. From there, easy-to-follow guidance for 30 simple songs will have children strumming in no time - from Starlight Starbright and If You're Happy and You Know It to Emily's original singalong tunes! Kids can also create their own original songs using the songwriting template pages, use a practice chart for staying on track, cut out helpful and colorful chord cards, and even access online audio to play along with author Emily Arrow, making Kids' Ukulele Song Book the ultimate continuation to expand and grow their ukulele knowledge and skill set! Author Emily Arrow has over 10 years of experience working with children and teachers in music education. An award-winning children's songwriter, an official Kala Brand Music Co. artist, and popular YouTube personality, her work has also been featured on SiriusXM's Kid's Place Live, as well as Sesame Street Studios.

This book presents a comprehensive view of children's musical artistry and how to develop it in both the music classroom and children's chorus. Presenting the musical mind as the gateway to children's artistry, and addressing the power of movement in its embodiment and advancement, author Mary Ellen Pinzino shows how song-rhythm, melody, and text, independently and together-influence children's developing artistry musically, expressively, and vocally at every level. Accordingly, she also offers a multitude of specific songs that inspire children's artistry, all in various tonalities and meters and on a continuum of increasing difficulty. Keeping the need for practical application in mind, Pinzino offers materials for implementation with children from kindergarten through seventh grade, as well as guidance for professional development. Content can be applied alongside any pedagogical methodology, as well as with older singers in the process of developing their own artistry. In short, this book makes the intangibles of children's artistry more tangible. It enables music teachers and choral conductors to draw artistry out of every child and draw every child into the choral art. It summons music teachers and choral conductors to bring artistry to the forefront of every music class and choral rehearsal-and to the forefront of the field of music education as a whole.

Designed to build confidence and ability, the Piano Time Sightreading books are also enormous fun, interspersing lots of short, structured exercises with puzzles and games. The material is simple, imaginative, and clearly laid out. Book 1 presents lots of short tunes in five-finger position, mostly hands separately.

An entertaining mix of dinosaur pieces, games, and puzzles at about the level of Piano Time 2. Lively full colour illustrations introduce you to each of the friendly (or not-so-friendly) monsters, and all the material has a solid musical and tutorial basis as well as being tremendous fun.

Melba Doretta Liston loved the sounds of music from as far back as she could remember. As a child, she daydreamed about beats and lyrics, and hummed along with the music from her family s Majestic radio. At age seven, Melba fell in love with a big, shiny trombone, and soon taught herself to play the instrument. By the time she was a teenager, Melba s extraordinary gift for music led her to the world of jazz. She joined a band led by trumpet player Gerald Wilson and toured the country. Overcoming obstacles of race and gender, Melba went on to become a famed trombone player and arranger, spinning rhythms, harmonies, and melodies into gorgeous songs for all the jazz greats of the twentieth century: Randy Weston, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Quincy Jones, to name just a few. Brimming with ebullience and the joy of making music, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone is a fitting tribute to a trailblazing musician and a great unsung hero of jazz."

A collection of repertoire books of enjoyable, interesting, and stimulating material for use in the early stages of learning. Pieces are in chronological order, with brief notes placing them in history.

A collection of repertoire books of enjoyable, interesting, and stimulating material for use in the early stages of learning. Pieces are in chronological order, with brief notes placing them in history.

The Teaching of Instrumental Music, Fifth Edition introduces music education majors to basic instrumental pedagogy for the instruments and ensembles commonly found in the elementary and secondary curricula. It focuses on the core competencies required for teacher certification in instrumental music, with the pervasive philosophy to assist teachers as they develop an instrumental music program based on understanding and respecting all types of music. Parts I and II focus on essential issues for a successful instrumental program, presenting first the history and foundations, followed by effective strategies in administrative tasks and classroom teaching. Parts III, IV, and V are devoted to the skills and techniques of woodwind, brass and percussion, and string instruments. In all, The Teaching of Instrumental Music is the complete reference for the beginning instrumental teacher, commonly retained in a student's professional library for its unique and comprehensive coverage. NEW TO THIS EDITION: Revision and updating of curriculum developments, such as coordinating State Department of Education student learning objectives with the recent Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) New discussion of the NAfME National Standards as they relate to the teaching of instrumental music Revamping of rehearsing instrumental ensembles chapters, including new or expanded sections on programming, choosing quality music, and applying successful rehearsal techniques Updates on references, plus new discussion questions, and websites and internet links A chapter devoted to classroom guitar Updates on the use of technology for teaching and learning music More on healthy performance practice, marching band, and jazz band Online materials located in the eResources section on the Routledge website.

This book offers a wealth of ideas for making satisfying musical instruments from everyday materials. It is aimed at children aged eight and upwards who can work on their own with occasional adult help. The book will include 12 practical projects, with step by step instructions and photographs. There are also sections on choosing appropriate materials, and design and decoration techniques. The book encourages children to develop their own ideas, as well as offering tried and tested design and technology techniques which are guaranteed to work.

An illustrated biography focussing on the childhood of the great composer and pianist as well as how he came to become a great composer. The accompanying CD contains extracts of some of his most famous works as well as the narration of the story. As a young Polish boy, Chopin was already composing his own tunes at the age of five. He learned Latin, Greek, and French, then German, English, and Italian at the same time he was learning to play the piano. Children who can tell stories through their piano playing or singing, or who have ever danced a Polish mazurka, will find that they have much in common with Chopin.

World Music Pedagogy, Volume I: Early Childhood Education is a resource for music educators to explore the intersection of early childhood music pedagogy and music in cultural contexts across the world. Focusing on the musical lives of children in preschool, kindergarten, and grade 1 (ages birth to 7 years), this volume provides an overview of age-appropriate world music teaching and learning encounters that include informal versus formal teaching approaches and a selection of musical learning aids and materials. It implements multimodal approaches encompassing singing, listening, movement, storytelling, and instrumental performance. As young children are enculturated into their first family and neighborhood environments, they can also grow into ever-widening concentric circles of cultural communities through child-centered encounters in music and the related arts, which can serve as a vehicle for children to know themselves and others more deeply. Centered around playful engagement and principles of informal instruction, the chapters reveal techniques and strategies for developing a child's musical and cultural knowledge and skills, with attention to music's place in the development of young children. This volume explores children's perspectives and capacities through meaningful (and fun!) engagement with music.

Music Education: Source Readings from Ancient Greece to Today is a collection of thematically organized essays that illuminate the importance of music education to individuals, communities and nations. The fourth edition has been expanded to address the significant societal changes that have occurred since the publication of the last edition, with a greater focus on current readings in government, philosophy, psychology, curriculum, sociology, and advocacy. This comprehensive text remains an essential reference for music educators today, demonstrating the value and support of their profession in the societies in which they live.

“Colors burst across each page, with layers of collage-work emphasizing the richness of Mitchell’s influences and imagination. Will speak to readers just starting their own exploration of artistic expression." —Booklist (starred review)

Celebrate the captivating life of Joni Mitchell, the world-famous songbird who used her music to ignite and inspire an entire generation, in this stunning picture book biography from award-winning author and illustrator Selina Alko. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.

Joni Mitchell painted with words.

Sitting at her piano or strumming the guitar, she turned the words into songs.

The songs were like brushstrokes on a canvas, saying things that were not only happy or sad but true.

But before composing more than two hundred songs, Joni was a young girl from a town on the Canadian prairie, where she learned to love dancing, painting, birdsong, and piano. As she grew up into an artist, Joni took her strong feelings—feelings of love and frustration, and the turbulence that came with being a young woman—and wrote them into vivid songs.

Brought to life by Selina Alko’s rainbow collages and lyrical language, this heartfelt portrait of a feminist and folk icon is perfect for parents, children, and music lovers everywhere.

Back matter includes a letter from the author and Joni’s full discography.

Sing, read and listen to ten fabulous songs by The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson, in this gorgeous gift book-and-CD. Julia's fabulous songs are based on her much-loved, bestselling picture books with Axel Scheffler. The songs are every bit as irresistible as the original stories, and include many family favourites from Stick Man and Superworm to Tiddler and The Highway Rat. Julia's superb, witty lyrics are richly illustrated throughout with Axel Scheffler's glorious pictures. The accompanying CD features Julia Donaldson herself performing the songs, and will have the whole family singing and clapping along. A stunning hardback gift book for the whole family to treasure Lively, funny, hugely entertaining songs that children will want to listen to again and again The book also includes music scores for piano and guitar, so schools and families can play the songs for themselves Before becoming the UK's most celebrated writer for young children, Julia Donaldson began her career as a songwriter, creating many songs for children's television and radio. Julia still enjoys performing her songs when she visits schools, theatres and book festivals. Axel Scheffler is one of the world's most celebrated illustrators. He has illustrated well over a hundred books, and has brought to life many beloved children's characters, including The Gruffalo, Zog and Stick Man. Many of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler bestselling picture books have been turned into award-winning animated films, which have become family favourites on the BBC every Christmas.