Making Real World Connections to Piano Music
Music is not my only passion. I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge involving history, art and culture. The beginning of my love has its roots in childhood memories. Every Sunday night my father would invite me to sit on his lap and watch Masterpiece theater. The drama of kings, queens, dynasties and Roman empires captivated my interest. As an adult I was blessed to continue quenching my thirst as a homeschooling parent. The library was our favorite haunt and we saturated ourselves in good historical fiction, well made films and musical scores.
My main goal as a teacher is to spark interest and joy in my students for playing music. Music is so much more than just playing the rhythms and notes correctly. It is self expression, connection to experience and a spring board for expansive learning in a child. So when I started teaching music, I found myself helping my students make connections. It just came naturally to me. One week I asked my student: “Have you heard the William Tell Overture before?” He indicated that he had not. So I challenged him to look up the story. I knew his family spent a lot of time at the library and I told him to look for a book if he wanted and return with the information. The very next week he excitedly told me all about the legend. He actually told me MORE of the story I did not know. After that day, I began to make more connections for my students. The possibilities are endless and I feel it is a disservice to simply teach them song after song. I want them to recognize famous pieces, feel moods expressed in their arrangements and to feel excited about all genres of music.
Some examples of real world connections I made in recent weeks are listed below. As an educator, I feel it is a privilege to introduce children to the world through music! Happy exploring!
*** When playing a Russian dance tune with a picture of the Red Square, the children can look up St. Basils Cathedral. I have always thought this to be the most beautiful castle and the history is fascinating!
*** When playing the song “Invention” by Nancy Faber, ask the student: “What does the melody in the tune remind you of?” (it sounds to me like an invention with springs and cogs…discordant.) . Point out how the intervals such as seconds resolving to thirds sound like something breaking, or springing.
*** Scenic Train Ride by Nancy Faber…point out how the music has portions sounding like a train whistle
***Chant of the Monks: View Monks chanting and note the similarities in the music
***Minuet: Discuss what is a minuet, the use of 3/4 time and view people dancing to a minuet
***Midnight Ride: Discuss the Ride of Paul Revere and make connections to the “galloping'“ sounds with triplets in the song
***Ode to Joy, Surprise Symphony, Claire Du Lune, Beethoven’s 5th: Any famous symphony or classical piece can be briefly viewed with a full orchestra. It was always my goal as a parent for my own children to have basic knowledge of certain famous pieces such as Flight of the Bumblebee , the Four Seasons or Rhapsody in Blue. My students deserve the same sort of guidance.
*** The Entertainer: discuss Joplin, his contributions to music and the history of Ragtime.