Short, clear chapters each focus on a single topic, presenting necessary information thoroughly and clearly, in a manner that's easy for students to grasp Large number of musical examples allows students to better understand techniques by seeing them in multiple contexts Companion website provides video demonstrations that help students understand techniques in action

Camerata: A Guide to Organizing and Directing Small Choruses distinguishes itself from all other works on choral conducting by starting at the very beginning the conception and purpose of an ensemble and continuing through all other aspects of rehearsing and organizing a chorus to performance and reception. Wenk offers basic information on getting started, recruiting singers, planning programs, rehearsing music, publicizing concerts, sharing responsibilities, financing the operation, knowing the law, and finally getting better. He also offers detailed suggestions for creating an executive group to manage the choir as well ideas for repertoire and programming. In addition to a step-by-step guide, Camerata provides a wealth of supplementary material including a prospectus, a statement of goals and means, programs, organizational documents, a singer s guide, documents for organizing a folksong competition, a list of websites for publishers and choral federations, and an annotated bibliography of works on choral conducting. Wenk also includes more than twenty original Christmas carols and carol arrangements for performance by your small chorus. This work will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in starting a new choral organization or improving an existing ensemble. Although the book focuses on chamber choirs, Wenk s practical suggestions, based on more than forty years of experience as a choral conductor, can be easily applied to any choral organization."

From the very first lessons in Book 1, students are making music as they explore the piano keyboard through fun improvisation pieces called My Own Song. The beginning of the book introduces finger numbers, the black-key and white-key groups, and basic rhythm patterns. Directional reading is taught first by finger number, then by note name, and then by interval (stop, skip, and repeat). Once the students are introduced to the staff, they learn reading guides Bass F and Treble G and read by interval in several different hand positions.

Music education thrives on philosophical inquiry, the systematic and critical examination of beliefs and assumptions. Yet philosophy, often considered abstract and irrelevant, is often absent from the daily life of music instructors. In The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy in Music Education, editors Wayne D. Bowman and Ana Lucia Frega have drawn together a variety of philosophical perspectives from the profession's most exciting scholars. Rather than relegating philosophical inquiry to moot questions and abstract situations, the contributors to this volume address everyday concerns faced by music educators everywhere, demonstrating that philosophy offers a way of navigating the daily professional life of music education and proving that critical inquiry improves, enriches, and transforms instructional practice for the better. Questioning every musical practice, instructional aim, assumption, and conviction in music education, The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy in Music Education presents new and provocative approaches to the practice of teaching music.
Bowman and Frega go deeper than mere advocacy or a single point of view, but rather conceive of philosophy as a dynamic process of debate and reflection that must constantly evolve to meet the shifting landscapes of music education. In place of the definitive answers often associated with philosophical work, Bowman and Frega offer a fascinating cross-section of often-contradictory approaches and viewpoints. By bringing together essays by both established and up-and-coming scholars from six continents, Bowman and Frega go beyond the Western monopoly of philosophical practice and acknowledge the diversity of cultures, instructors, and students who take part in music education. This range of perspectives invites broader participation in music instruction, and presents alternative answers to many of the fields most pressing questions and issues. By acknowledging the inherent plurality of music educational practices, the Handbook opens up the field in new and important ways. Emphasizing clarify, fairness, rigor, and utility above all, The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy in Music Education challenges music educators around the world to make their own decisions and ultimately contribute to the conversation themselves."

Teach kids how to play the recorder with fun lessons and sheet music for beginners. The recorder is the most widely taught instrument in schools. For the majority of children, it is their first introduction to playing and reading music. This book which is part of a scheme is designed for teaching new notes - D, F sharp and high D. Recorder magic is an acclaimed recorder method for beginners, with fresh new tunes and performance opportunities right from the start. Perfect resources for whole class teaching of recorders in the Wider Opportunities classroom. Suitable for both generalist and specialist teachers.

Camerata: A Guide to Organizing and Directing Small Choruses distinguishes itself from all other works on choral conducting by starting at the very beginning the conception and purpose of an ensemble and continuing through all other aspects of rehearsing and organizing a chorus to performance and reception. Wenk offers basic information on getting started, recruiting singers, planning programs, rehearsing music, publicizing concerts, sharing responsibilities, financing the operation, knowing the law, and finally getting better. He also offers detailed suggestions for creating an executive group to manage the choir as well ideas for repertoire and programming. In addition to a step-by-step guide, Camerata provides a wealth of supplementary material including a prospectus, a statement of goals and means, programs, organizational documents, a singer s guide, documents for organizing a folksong competition, a list of websites for publishers and choral federations, and an annotated bibliography of works on choral conducting. Wenk also includes more than twenty original Christmas carols and carol arrangements for performance by your small chorus. This work will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in starting a new choral organization or improving an existing ensemble. Although the book focuses on chamber choirs, Wenk s practical suggestions, based on more than forty years of experience as a choral conductor, can be easily applied to any choral organization."

The Musician's Guide to Aural Skills helps students develop skills in ear-training and sight-singing through a repertoire of real music that students listen to and perform. Designed to link aural skills with what students do in the theory classroom, The Musician's Guide to Aural Skills is closely coordinated with The Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis.

Sonny Chua's Cool Keys 1 is packed with irresistible tunes that progress from Initial to Grade 2 standard (Elementary level). Featuring an assortment of exciting original pieces, from Jive turkey jazz to tango, modern waltz and cool Moonlight whispers, these creative piano solos offer a wide range of styles and moods - sure to spark the imagination of every player. With hints and tips from the composer throughout to encourage performance and support technique, as well as online audio of the pieces as recorded by Sonny himself. Sonny Chua (1967-2020) was an Australian composer, educator and pianist, known for his characterful and energetic musical style. It is hoped that these imaginative piano solos will be a fitting tribute to Sonny and inspire pianists of all ages to perform, for many years to come.

Developed by the superstar pianist Lang Lang and channelling his passion for piano and music education, The Lang Lang Piano Method reflects the way he would like kids today to learn piano. This is a fun, modern and easy piano method ideal for complete beginners from age 5 upwards. The five progressive books in the series provide a unique and imaginative way for kids to learn the piano with a cartoon superhero Lang Lang. The Lang Lang Piano Method Level 1 introduces complete beginners to different five-finger positions, note reading and moving around the keyboard. Fun, imaginative pieces develop the left and right hands equally right from the start, and supporting audio features exclusive performances by Lang Lang of the concert pieces. Musicianship is developed through theory pages and listening to exclusive performances by Lang Lang of piano classics for children. "I've written The Lang Lang Piano Method to inspire today's kids with my passion for the piano." Lang Lang

Team Strings is firmly established as a leading series of string tutors. It presents a flexible course which can be tailored to suit each student, ideal for individual, group and class tuition - including the ABRSM music medals. The books in the series contain plenty of carefully graded music in a wide range of styles, from Baroque and Classical eras to film, folk, jazz and Latin American. The series encourages ensemble playing with varied repertoire and develops instrument-related aural skills, improvisation and composition. Included are scales and arpeggios and downloadable online audio of over 70 backing tracks to make every student feel like a star performer. Team Strings is available for Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass all of which are compatible. There is also a separate book of Piano Accompaniments/Score. All of the books in the series are fully integrated allowing students using Team Strings to play in ensembles with students using Team Brass and Team Woodwind.

Embodying Voice: Singing Verdi, Singing Wagner articulates the process of developing an operatic voice, explaining how and why the training of such a voice is as complex and sophisticated as it is mysterious. This book illustrates how putting together a voice, embodying a sound, and creating a character are vital to an audience's emotional involvement and enjoyment. Moreover, it addresses an imbalance of power between the opera director and the orchestra conductor - ultimately, it is the communicative power of the singer's voice that brings life to an opera, a fact well known by Verdi and Wagner. Embodying Voice highlights the singer's creative agency to be co-creator of the composer's music. It explores the ways in which vocal performance is constructed and controlled, connecting layers of mind and bodily engagement that allow operatic singers to achieve expression beyond the text itself. Further reading, listening, and performance lists are provided at the end of each chapter, complemented by musical examples throughout.

Embodying Voice: Singing Verdi, Singing Wagner articulates the process of developing an operatic voice, explaining how and why the training of such a voice is as complex and sophisticated as it is mysterious. This book illustrates how putting together a voice, embodying a sound, and creating a character are vital to an audience's emotional involvement and enjoyment. Moreover, it addresses an imbalance of power between the opera director and the orchestra conductor - ultimately, it is the communicative power of the singer's voice that brings life to an opera, a fact well known by Verdi and Wagner. Embodying Voice highlights the singer's creative agency to be co-creator of the composer's music. It explores the ways in which vocal performance is constructed and controlled, connecting layers of mind and bodily engagement that allow operatic singers to achieve expression beyond the text itself. Further reading, listening, and performance lists are provided at the end of each chapter, complemented by musical examples throughout.

(DVD). The second volume of the best-selling original Groove Essentials features a DVD and companion book/CD package with 53 brand new grooves and over 100 variations for intermediate to advanced players. Students will learn the difference between ghost and grace notes (while being encouraged to experiment with both in all six groove "families") as well as important "go-to" grooves, like the Train and Bo-Diddley beats. For more advanced players and professionals, GE 2.0 introduces the concepts of groove construction, interpretation and manipulation- training drummers to think like musicians in order to maximize their full potential. The DVD features more than 70 new songs covering 4/4, 2/2, 6/8 and 3/4 time signatures, with three levels of difficulty for 5/4, 7/8 and 9/8 meters. On the 3-hour, 45-minute DVD, Igoe discusses and demonstrates each groove in multiple tempos, alone and with a band, with many patterns shown on both acoustic and on Roland HD-1 and TD-9 electronic drumkits. The grooves span rock, funk, R&B/hip-hop, jazz (sticks and brushes), world/specialty, extreme tempos, all-purpose, hybrid, rideless, classic and odd-meters. The companion play-Along book and CD contain over 90 tracks, including every song from the DVD in their full-length versions, minus the drums; allowing drummers to expand their skills by playing any of the grooves with a band and recording themselves on audio or video (optional) to helpfacilitate the learning process. These tracks also supply a variety of fill-in and soloing opportunities to challenge advanced players. In addition, the book features Igoe's extended "global tours" that will test even the most seasoned professional's chops, creativity and stamina and, as a "first of its kind" bonus, there is a full-length orchestral play-along track designed to provide a taste of playing in a full orchestra, complete with multiple moving tempos, dynamics and feels.

Since the mid-twentieth century, Zoltan Kodaly's child-developmental philosophy for teaching music has had significant positive impact on music education around the world, and is now at the core of music teaching in the United States and other English speaking countries. The Kodaly Today handbook series is the first comprehensive system to update and apply the Kodaly concepts to teaching music in elementary school classrooms. Kodaly in the Second Grade Classroom provides teachers with a step-by-step road map for developing children's performance, creative movement, and literacy skills in an organic and thoughtful manner. Through six years of field-testing with music kindergarten teachers in the United States, Great Britain, and Hungary (the home country of Zoltan Kodaly), authors Micheal Houlahan and Philip Tacka have developed a methodology specifically for 21st century classrooms. Houlahan and Tacka use the latest research findings in cognition and perception to create a system not only appropriate for the developmental stages of second grade students but also one which integrates vertically between elementary music classes. The methods outlined in this volume encourage greater musical ability and creativity in children by teaching them to sing, move, play instruments, and develop music literacy skills. In addition, Kodaly in the Second Grade Classroom promotes critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration skills. Although the book uses the Kodaly philosophy, its methodology has also been tested by teachers certified in Orff and Dalcroze, and has proven an essential guide for teachers no matter what their personal philosophy and specific training might be. Numerous children's songs are incorporated into Kodaly in the Second Grade Classroom, as well as over 35 detailed lesson plans that demonstrate how music and literacy curriculum goals are transformed into tangible musical objectives. Scholarly yet practical and accessible, this volume is sure to be an essential guide for kindergarten and early childhood music teachers everywhere.

(Faber Piano Adventures ). The 2nd Edition Level 1 Lesson Book introduces all the notes of the grand staff, elementary chord playing, and the concept of tonic and dominant notes. Students play in varied positions, reinforcing reading skills and recognizing intervals through the 5th. Musicianship is built with the introduction of legato and staccato touches. This level continues the interval orientation to reading across the full range of the Grand Staff. The 5-finger approach is presented here in a fresh, musically appealing way.

The Recital Books congratulate students for a job well done by providing correlated repertoire to their Lesson Books that are based on concepts they've already learned. As a result, the pieces are quickly mastered. Recital Book Level 4 comprises mostly arrangements of familiar tunes like "'Country Gardens" and "Amazing Grace," and a few new originals as well.

Model Cornerstone Assessments (MCAs), that were developed for the National Core Arts Standards in Music, are curriculum-embedded measures designed for music students to apply relevant knowledge and skills while demonstrating learning in the standards that define the artistic processes. They are meant to engage students in tasks authentic to a school's curriculum and honor the intent of the Music Performance Standards. They are created as models to allow for usefulness in a variety of curricular contexts and demographics. The intent of each MCA is to provide research-based assessment tasks that is specifically focused on the expected learning for the performance standards with rubrics that has been tested for scoring consistency. Following substantial development and piloting in schools across the United States, this book provides a thorough background of the MCAs and the confidence measures administered to guide implementation by teachers, administrators, and the educational community.

Complete Vocal Fitness: A Singer's Guide to Physical Training, Anatomy, and Biomechanics is a primer on sport-specific training for vocal athletes. Elite athletes apply cutting-edge research in movement and physiology to customize fitness regimens that ensure peak performance. The principles of sports science that enable them to fine-tune strength, flexibility and dynamic stabilization to meet the requirements of a given sport are invaluable for preparing the body to meet the physical demands of singing. This book will teach you to: *Optimize alignment by identifying and resolving postural distortions *Balance strength and flexibility throughout your torso to facilitate full breathing and promote coordinated breath management *Improve oxygen consumption to enhance your stamina and ability to sustain long phrases *Stabilize your spine and major joints in order to continue performing with solid technique while meeting the demands of stage movement Musicians of all kinds benefit from understanding the basics of how their instruments work. This book is also a guide to how the vocal instrument functions. You will find accessible descriptions of the fundamental components of vocal anatomy - laryngeal function, articulation and resonance - explaining their movements, their interaction with one another, their integration with the anatomy of breathing and alignment, and relating them to common non-anatomical terminology often used in the voice studio.

Model Cornerstone Assessments (MCAs), that were developed for the National Core Arts Standards in Music, are curriculum-embedded measures designed for music students to apply relevant knowledge and skills while demonstrating learning in the standards that define the artistic processes. They are meant to engage students in tasks authentic to a school's curriculum and honor the intent of the Music Performance Standards. They are created as models to allow for usefulness in a variety of curricular contexts and demographics. The intent of each MCA is to provide research-based assessment tasks that is specifically focused on the expected learning for the performance standards with rubrics that has been tested for scoring consistency. Following substantial development and piloting in schools across the United States, this book provides a thorough background of the MCAs and the confidence measures administered to guide implementation by teachers, administrators, and the educational community.

With Contemporary Piano: A Performer and Composer's Guide to Techniques and Resources, Alan Shockley provides a comprehensive resource for composers writing music that uses extended techniques for the piano, and for pianists interested in playing repertoire that makes use of techniques and/or implements unfamiliar to them. Shockley explains dozens of ways to prepare a piano without damaging the instrument, how to notate every standard technique and many, many obscure ones, and the specific geographies of every common concert hall piano. This will be the standard reference for pianists touring and playing inside-the-piano repertoire, and for composers at all levels of familiarity with the piano hoping to understand the mechanical miracle that is the modern piano.