Beyond Appreciation: Building Family Music Literacy at Home
If you, like me, are on a homeschooling adventure, you have probably encountered music appreciation elements in various curricula. These tend to include music from the Western classical tradition, listening activities, instrument families and identification, historical periods, tie-ins with visual art and even some creative movement. You have also probably encountered a wide variety of private lesson methods: from the Suzuki method, to the Russian piano school, and everything in between.
As a college trained music educator, having earned a teaching license for grades k-12 vocal music and worked in the field for almost twenty years, I can tell you that all these things are good and fine. Well, you ask, what’s missing? Glad you asked.
In short, Music Appreciation isn’t literacy, and in all fairness, it doesn’t really claim to be. Music literacy involves comfort with music-making and creation, and is a pretty straightforward series of skills that can be learned.
I present to you four simple touchstones that indicate beginning progress toward the fundamentals of music literacy, and they are easy to learn at home, and appropriate to start with ages 4 and up (some 2-3 year olds may be inclined as well, if older siblings are doing it, or if they LOVE singing, or are geniuses.) I recommend singing these exercises together during read-aloud time, memory work, or any other time everyone is snuggled on the couch.
1. Sing a major scale
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Do, Ti, La, Sol, Fa, Mi, Re, Do
2. Sing a major scale + this pattern:
Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do Do Ti La Sol Fa Mi Re Do
Do____Sol____Do Mi Sol Mi Do__Fa Fa Sol Sol Do
Follow @citysingerschoir on Instagram for this video!
3. Sing three different major scales+pattern, beginning each scale on a randomly selected pitch.
Follow @citysingerschoir on Instagram for this video!
4. Improvise using the pentatonic scale (black notes on the piano keyboard: Do, Re, Mi, Sol, La)
Follow @citysingerschoir on Instagram for this video!
You may notice at this point that these activities are not usually presented in music appreciation courses, or sometimes even private lessons. We tend to get very performance-centric when we study music, and this can result in ignoring the most basic skills in favor of getting ready for the concert. This is a pity, because with these skills, music becomes fathomable, creatable, and our own.
So, go practice! I plan to continue this series throughout this year. Stay tuned for Part 2: If Your Mama Plays Accordion
Be well, and sing on!
Leslie Dripps
Posted: August 14, 2018 by admin
Music for Most of Us (Episode 2)
Beyond Appreciation: Building Family Music Literacy at Home
If you, like me, are on a homeschooling adventure, you have probably encountered music appreciation elements in various curricula. These tend to include music from the Western classical tradition, listening activities, instrument families and identification, historical periods, tie-ins with visual art and even some creative movement. You have also probably encountered a wide variety of private lesson methods: from the Suzuki method, to the Russian piano school, and everything in between.
As a college trained music educator, having earned a teaching license for grades k-12 vocal music and worked in the field for almost twenty years, I can tell you that all these things are good and fine. Well, you ask, what’s missing? Glad you asked.
In short, Music Appreciation isn’t literacy, and in all fairness, it doesn’t really claim to be. Music literacy involves comfort with music-making and creation, and is a pretty straightforward series of skills that can be learned.
I present to you four simple touchstones that indicate beginning progress toward the fundamentals of music literacy, and they are easy to learn at home, and appropriate to start with ages 4 and up (some 2-3 year olds may be inclined as well, if older siblings are doing it, or if they LOVE singing, or are geniuses.) I recommend singing these exercises together during read-aloud time, memory work, or any other time everyone is snuggled on the couch.
1. Sing a major scale
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do, Do, Ti, La, Sol, Fa, Mi, Re, Do
2. Sing a major scale + this pattern:
Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do Do Ti La Sol Fa Mi Re Do
Do____Sol____Do Mi Sol Mi Do__Fa Fa Sol Sol Do
Follow @citysingerschoir on Instagram for this video!
3. Sing three different major scales+pattern, beginning each scale on a randomly selected pitch.
Follow @citysingerschoir on Instagram for this video!
4. Improvise using the pentatonic scale (black notes on the piano keyboard: Do, Re, Mi, Sol, La)
Follow @citysingerschoir on Instagram for this video!
You may notice at this point that these activities are not usually presented in music appreciation courses, or sometimes even private lessons. We tend to get very performance-centric when we study music, and this can result in ignoring the most basic skills in favor of getting ready for the concert. This is a pity, because with these skills, music becomes fathomable, creatable, and our own.
So, go practice! I plan to continue this series throughout this year. Stay tuned for Part 2: If Your Mama Plays Accordion
Be well, and sing on!
Leslie Dripps
Category: blog