For Teachers, Graduate Student Orals Review and more...
These sites can also be used to fill in the musical literacy gaps you may have with your students.
Students can do the work on their own and improve in sightreading, music history knowledge and theory skills. Or use the sites
to supplement your own lessons and teacher development. The possiblities are endless. Take the Poll and let me know
if the links were helpful. Please let me know if there are any dead links.
Tips for your Computer's Health- After a session of visiting various sites go to your Control Panel - Performance Maintenance and Free Space
on your hard disc. When prompted delete temporary internet files. This will prevent a computer slowdown from having
too many internet files. Don't forget the daily Anti-virus scans and spyware scans.
To view sites: Click
on the Bold Underlined Title or underneath the title and description the web address begining with
http://...
Overall review all subjects-
Classical Score- Review of Characteristics of styles and genres, terms, people and important events and documents..... A must for Music
History. Has all periods from Ancient to Twentieth Century.
GRADUATE DIAGNOSTIC EXAM STUDY GUIDE- from Northern Illinois University but applicable to any Graduate Music Test/Orals. Gives topics to know
and practice questions.
Louisville University see the Graduate Placement information at the top of the list. Scroll down for the sample questions and topics.
Music History and
Theory Placement TestReview Guide for studying for placement exams or reviewing for orals. Terms and people all areas.
Don't let the advertisments at the top of the page discourage you keep on scrolling down for great review materials.
See The Music Graduate Program from Kansas State University. Has sample placment tests with answers for Music Theory and History.
Online Scores for Study and Analysislisted by period and composer examples from all major composers. Just part of
a hugh collection of Music Theory and History materials and more from web pages of Dr. Gordon Callon of Arcadia University.
Site Map to see all of the resources available.
University of Indiana Sample Doctoral Styles Exam. Scroll down to see the sample questions. Talks about taped examples but you can pretend that
you're looking at the scores and how you would respond to the questions.
Musical Form Study Guideby Kelley developed as a review document. Provides an overview of all areas of formal
analysis for scores.
Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary- has midi files and detailed listing of musical terms covers all areas of music...theory,
music history, genre, style etc....
Internet Public Library- has informational articles on musical periods, great for review of important people, dates, details about style
and genre.
Think Quest-Search Music, Music History or Music Theory. Test your knowledge of Genres, Instrumentation
,Composers Stylistic details. Good source of quotes from composers, has all periods and discusses in an overview manner
with term links. Easy review pages. The Think Quest Projects make good assignments for late elementary to adult.
The Symphony Interactive GuideHas Quick Tour of the Development of the Symphony Timeline, Composers, Crash course in symphonic form and Symphonies
with sound clips, links and a interactive quiz test your knowledge
BBC’s Bitesize Revision is an interactive site for Music appreciationincludesAnalysing music, evaluating music, music evolution and music in context.Offers review and tests of knowledge. Homework help as the teacher etc….Great links to other web pages and soundbites.Great for assigning to students for enrichment and orals quick review.
The Classical Music Navigatoris an interesting site for reviewing composers, forms, styles and characteristics of music. Can be used by students.
Essentials of Music QuickOverviews of the six main periods
in music history - Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th century - including details of musical
style, context and history. A Norton Text Site.
All you have ever wanted to know about Opera. Helpful for the Choral
Director to prepare foreign language works.Oberlin has a great page with a long list of links. Plots, Synopses,
Libretti and Texts, Diction,Translation services, IPA sites, Foreign Language Sites for Pronounciation, Bibliographies.Some links only for Oberlin use.
Affiliating with a International Professional
Music Service Organization with Scholarships and Friendship opportunities. Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Fraternity (Women and Men are welcomed)
Music Theory Review and Practice Sites-
First Aid For Struggling Students - an excellent site for review and gives detailed definitions of all 1st year college theory terms.
Understanding The Leading Tone Triad Harmonic Progressions. See Harmony for Musicians Home page for an entire Theory Course with excellent explanations and diagrams.
Understanding all chord types see the chart
for Augmented 6th Chords for a detailed explanation of all types of chords and common resolutions
etc... Indiana University resource page.
Form and Analysis: A Virtual Texbook- Preparation for Score Analysis component of orals. Includes all Polyphonic forms, a guide
to Chromatic Harmony and Twentieth Century Forms. See 101 Things you can do with a Diminished Seventh Chord...
Associated Colleges of the South Site (Orpheus) has collected the following
pages….
TONAL HARMONY-Kostka & Payne (2004)- Practice Webpage see Student Edition. If you teach AP Theory you can get an Instructor
Password for more activities.
International Bacculaurate Music Online Course
Materials covers Theory and History. IB online.
Austin College Theory- Professor Timothy Cutler developed examples of various chords and voice leading etc… with examples
from literature.
Tanner's List- Dr. Robert Tanner, List MorehouseCollege
has listed most of the relevant theory practice sites a few of the links are not active however…
Teoria offers a wide variety of theory help. Has tutorials, Exercises in ear training and References with musical analysis and
links to other web resources. Great for helping student learn the basics of music theory.
Ars Nova page Realizing Harmony is
Good Help for Understanding Theory Analysis.
Stay hydrated, room temperature water is best, avoid beverages with caffeine
or alcohol they dry the vocal folds.
Get enough rest.
Warm-up everyday before you start teaching or singing. An athlete would never run a marathon with out
stretching first. And also warm-down at the end some gentle hummed sighs will also help reduce your end of the day tensions.
Develop
some non-verbal
cues in your
classroom routine for quiet, for clean-up, for freezing and listening to the teacher etc... The old "shave and
a haircut, two bits rhythm with sh sound on the last beats works for me.(Clap,clap-clap, clap, clap rest, sh-sh) ( ta
ti- ti- ta, ta rest ,ta, ta
)
During class just wait.... don't talk over the children and don't repeat your directions getting
louder and louder. They will just tune you out.
Plan your lessons to allow yourself to have some down
time within the lesson for say a listening assignment at some point during the lesson when everyone including you is
quiet. Or a sharing time when students lead. Also plan so that all of your lessons on a given day are not just
lessons that require you to sing and demonstrate all day. Mix it up a little. It you're teaching lots of classes
of the same grade level. Record the instructions and demonstration phrases on a tape and play it . You then can sing
if needed and can listen to what the students are doing.
When you're voice is tired, give it rest. Don't keep forcing it to work.
Try teaching
for a portion of the day with out talking .(I was forced to do this for 6 weeks when an ENT told me I might be developing
a polyp) I wrote directions had a student read it or put it on an overhead or board for all to read it. All the
directions I would normally speak were written down and students got an opportunity to practice their reading skills (smile).
Take the proverbial Mental Health Day. In our cases it the Vocal Rest Day. Stay home in bed
no music, no loud sounds just being quiet or asleep. All noises cause the vocal cords to vibrate sympathetically so
when you're resting your voice you shouldn't listen to loud music or recordings of singing.
Get a Karaoke Machine with
a microphone (Big Lots had them a few weeks ago for $39 and around Christmas time the Drug store chains carry them $39-$59)
Also a device called the Voice Saver (Califone-Look under
PA Pro-personal public address system) It is a good device especially for elementary teachers on the move. It is
also possible to use your sound system. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how rested you'll feel.
Internet Finds.... Tips
from the Professionals....
Getting
Help and Support from your Community Resources
Get Adopted!
Adopt a classroom lets you create a “wish list” they publish it and members of the community make your wishes
reality.http://www.adoptaclassroom.com/
Money!
Save the Earth
and Collect Spent Cartridges from Printers, Toner from the Copiers, and Old Cell Phones are worth money to your program.If you have parents that work in offices and can collect all of the cartridges,
the huge ones from the laser printers and those canisters of toner from the copier it will bring funds for music and unexpected
expenditures.Seehttp://www.greenschoolproject.com/
Write a Grant
A great place to start is Music
Education Grants for Teachers and Schools.
Provide Translations for Parents
who are not comfortable with English Language.Utilize the free text and webpage
translation at Babel Fish. http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/
See a Choir do the ultimate number of tonecolors for a commercial.. Watch the ad then see how it was made. Click on the left arrow “Watch Civic” for list to see
the conductor and the choir in action also includes a mini documentary on how the commercial was made.
K-12 Music Teachers, a must see resource site covers all areas, Band, Orchestra, Vocal and Elementary.
High School/ Middle School Extending Learning Opportunities…
Planning
for Music Study in College click on the underlined links to read.
What you need to know about freshman Music Theory before heading to college. See great site
from the Auburn University Horn Studio. Click Theory Help under Resources on the left side of the page. http://www.auburn.edu/~schafwr/
This site has many pieces and every voice
part has been digitized so that your students and adult choir members can hear
their parts. Most masterworks can be found here.
Theory on the Web- From SMU. A theory course geared
for your students or as a course for teachers to use with students. . Includes Fundamentals, Harmony, Part Writing,
Basic Chromatic Harmony and an Appendix with Definitions, Staff Paper, Teacher's Guide.
Interactive lessons in theory and music
history and links to sites like Choral Net, Musicals.Net and Think Quest.Visits
to these sites could be a part of a homework assignment to research a musical topic. Great for
Graduate Review.
Resources for the Voice/Choral Music Teacher or the Serious Vocal Student with college
plans Dr.Kenneth Martin's web page from CampbellvilleUniversity has assembled one of the best resource lists . This page
of has it all, reference books, books on diction, preparing program notes, books on performance practice links to voice care
sites etc….This site can be a valuable tool for the teacher as well.
A Sampling of Web Resources in Music-The best of the best sites listing. Has some unique sites not mentioned here. Good for study and lesson planning
with students all grades.
K-12 Music SitesOne of the best lists on the web is the list by Gina Otto. It has everything for all levels of students and teachers.
Musicians United for Songs in the Classroom Inc. - Interesting site for teachers with 3000 songs in database. Teacher lesson planning and examples of
student work. Links page has lots information and resources longest links
page on this site. Many Media represented. http://www.learningfromlyrics.org/activs.htm#links Popular Genres, Encourages learning from song lyrics.(Some strong, deep lyrics included. Professional
Organizations, and more.
The Kids and Teens Open Directory Project- This web project includes all areas of music and popular music, jazz too. Online Listening, for doing
style comparisons, Online articles from experts in all fields Teen friendly and interesting.
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators Includes Dance, Drama, And Performing Arts. with lessons, links to other sites and more… Great
for planning enrichment.
Library of Congress for Teachers- See Library of Congress Presents: Music, Theater and Dance. Includes Sheet Music, Audio recordings and film.
Script-O Quiz-Create Quizzes Online Free. Uses a Password for student access.
Music K-8 - a
site for Elementary and Middle General Choral Teachers. You can get a subscription that allows you to copy materials
for all of the students at your school. Has a companion web page for students to legally download songs K8 Kid Tunes
American Orff-Schulwerke Association Check for your state. AOSA has an Atlanta Chapter with workshops through-out the school year and Certification
Classes are available.
Kodaly- Check for your state. There is now an Atlanta Chapter with regular meetings during the school year.
Edwin Gordon Institute-How we learn when we learn music- the Certification in Music Learning Theory is available.
Check for Web pages dedicated to particular
composers.The best ones I have seen are www.raycharles.com,www.dukeellington.comwww.Gershwin.com and www.mozart.comThere are also a number of webquests already designed that can interest
even the youngest students in learning about a composer and his or her life.
Think Quest Competition Web Creations great for student assignments
and Graduate Review. Search Music, Music History, Music Theory for a long listing of projects and ideas.
Music
Connects…. Sites for Music and Other subjects.
Science
Bill Nye the Science Guy on Music and
Science….
http://www.nyelabs.com/Click onHome DemosPhysical Science-Physics-“Tube Kazoo” a project you can do with
your class or they can do on their own at home.
Bill has a video about the Science of Music (26 minutes) c1994it may be in your school or public library.Plot “What
would the world be like without music”.
The Weather Dude (Yes, that’s
really the name on the site..)Features
Musical Meteorology.http://www.wxdude.com/“Sing Along with the Weather Dude” book is available and
may be in your library already.See
the Sound clips and lyrics pages.
Schoolhouse Rock- areas government,
history, science, grammar and math…short videos.. There is also a broadway
jr. version of the musical “Schoolhouse Rock”
Sample “I’m only a Bill” http://www.school-house-rock.com/Bill.htmlSee other videos and soundfiles at the bottom of the page. The video versions
are probably in your school library.
What to do if your classroom is taken away or "Music A-la Cart"-
A copy of a letter to a teacher facing eviction from her music classroom...
Dear Jill,
I was on the cart for about 10 of my 21 years. I used a 3 shelf av cart that had
the extension cord for plugging in the boom box. I added organizer boxes for handouts, dry erase markers, my
magnets etc... and hung my class rules on the chalkboard. I had my students 3-4 get the West bare bones recorder
for 2.25. So that they always had an instrument to play. Another possibility of a lighter cart is the rubbermaid
cart has a two shelve deep top for carring boom box safely and large wheels for moving easily in tight spaces. If you
would like I can send you a copy of the letter I gave the teachers. They had to make adjustments too. Some
don't want you to move the desks or write on their boards. I made use of overhead transparencies, posters
and requested that each room have a space on their book shelve for music books and materials. I moved everything
I needed for the day on the afternoon prior to the classes and tried to arrange like grades on the same day. Doesn'
work with block scheduling but helped me to keep my sanity. If you have any questions or need any other suggestions
I would be happy to some over and assess your situation. Because I've been there....
Thought..... You
can't do everything you usually do in your classroom but you can give students a quality basic music education on the cart.
You have to scale back and realize that you are the only music experience some children will have. Make
things fun. Establish routines like special songs or activities kids can do while you set up etc... Take care
of yourself. Multivitamins, lots of rests eat well etc.... Get help with lifting books and instruments. Keep a
positive attitude and things will go well.
Arietha Music Teacher
Resources
for Piano.
The Piano Player- A fun introductory site to playing the piano for elementary or beginners any age...
Piano Nanny- Beginning to Advanced lessons online with composer/teacher. Funny name but provides good opportunity for learning.
Free Piano Music- Includes most children's songs and some keyboard classics.
How to Read Music Notes-A music teacher's encouragement for students experiencing difficulties reading music.
Web Page Design issues….
School Based Internet Web Protocol Guidelines from the PlanoIndependentSchool District.Good Ideas for Teachers that get District
help with webpages and provides common sense guidelines for internet safety and
appropriateness for students in general.
How to add soundfiles legally to your webpage. The Think Quest Trio has written
guidelines for it’s Think Quest competition… These can be used to help you do the “right” things when
it comes to using copyrighted music.Basically you must have permission from
the copyright owner. Links are included for finding out who is the owner and making contact for permission.
Hopefully you will be able to get help through your
school system if not, here are some guidelines if you decide to start from scratch yourself using HTML protocol. http://www.sitepoint.com/print/fundamentals-web-design
Note:There are many free sites for developing webpages and many options
for free hosting of a page you develop at your computer.Tripod was listed specifically
because I have had experience using their page. Other Free Web design pages... visit http://www.webs.com/ and also view this list...
