10 Min Tips to Teach Music

EP 14: 2016 HSC Music 2 Exam with Strategies for all

This week on 10 Minute Tips to Teach Music, I look at the 2016 HSC Music 2 Exam Paper. I go through each question, looking at strategies to answer the questions. I also discuss how you can use these questions for years 7 to 12 regardless of where you are in the world. I offer free access to the PDF document that has the links for the exam and the audio files I was able to find online, as well as a list of the questions and the strategies discussed. Check it out. It is certainly a document you are going to want to get your hands on. 

For the PDF, go to http://www.klerrisacustommusic.com.au/access-area/ 

EP 13: Sightsinging for Stubborn Seniors

I am sure you, like me, have that one student who doesn't think they can sight sing. They dig their heels in and just plainly refuse to give it a go. I have spent the last two years developing a weekly strategy that will help those students. My senior students come into class not having had a history of singing. They might do a little in their elective classes but generally there will be one or two who are "instrumentalists that don't sing!".  You know the type.  Well, I have a system that is painless, easy and makes perfect sense when taken from the perspective of the instrumental student. This weeks podcast introduces you to the first stage and explains how I go about teaching sight singing to stubborn seniors. In the coming weeks, I will be releasing other elements of this strategy to help you and your students see success in this area. http://www.klerrisacustommusic.com.au 

EP 12: Call to Action: What do you think?

Hey all,  Welcome to nearly the end of the first month of spring. This is a great time for me to reflect and review my business. This weeks podcast is a call to action. I am sure you have heard this term before. Well, I firmly believe in listening to my customers. I am here not only to educate my students and my colleagues, but to also educate myself. I learn so much in the course of a day, that it is so cool when I get to share it. So, I need you guys to tell me what you want to know. The form will only take 2 minutes to fill out but it will help me immensely to know what you need of me. It might seem really insignificant to you, and you might think that everyone already knows this stuff. That is why I have created a google form for you to use. This way, you can tell me anything that you might need help with, without the criticism that seems to happen sometimes on social media.   Just click on the link and know that I will help: https://goo.gl/YYGgLL

EP 11: It's Nearly Holidays - It's time to refocus.

For those of us in Australia, some are on holidays and some have a week to go. This week's episode focuses on "refocus". There are a number of people that are tired, and just need a little pick me up. This one is for you. I also touch on critical thinking and offer some tips for your classroom. Head on over to the website for the PDF: http://www.klerrisacustommusic.com.au/ep-11-its-time-to-refocus/

EP 10: Musical mastery and learning styles

Thanks to everyone for listening. We are celebrating with podcast no 10. In this podcast, I take a little diversion from musical concepts and have a chat about musical mastery and how learning styles can help. Don't forget to check out the webiste for the support for this podcast. www.klerrisacustommusic.com.au/latestnews

This week is the first of the HSC performances for the Sydney teachers. Boy, do I know how you feel. My team had their exam on Wednesday and our Music 1 kids were on Friday. And believe it or not, I recorded this podcast in the car on my way to the Music 1 exam. Now, do understand that I have a new car that can allow me to do this so please do not judge. This week I have been time poor!!  Regardless, this week's podcast is all about musical mastery and how learning styles can help you to guide your students to the final goal. To support this podcast, I have put together a series of links to some online resources that I have found to be useful. I have absolutely no affiliation with any of these links. They are just places that I have found to be really useful. Enjoy!!!

The Three Different Learning Styles

What is your predominant learning style?

What's Your Learning Style? 

VAK Learning Style Self Assessment Questionnaire. 

 

EP 9: What is a Texture Graph?

I have had many people over the years ask me to demonstrate a Texture Graph. This is a tool that is really helpful when you are trying to remember the music you have just listened to. This podcast explains what it is and how it can be useful. For a full video, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69asqUA8Rek 

EP 8: How to ID Core Material in Musical Scores

Well this week is designed to help any student who is looking at a score for the first time and perhaps, they aren't really sure how to analyse it. I always start with the Core Material. Identifying the core material will help you to see what the initial ideas are and how they are developed or manipulated. This week, I use "Confutatis" from Mozart's Requiem as a sample. I would like to thank Geru's Music Library for taking the time to create the scrolling score with the excerpts from the film "Amadeus". It is so good for the kids to be able to focus on this particular sequence. It is such a good analytical sequence. http://www.klerrisacustommusic.com.au/latest-news/ 

EP 7: What does treatment of melodic material really mean?

In this week's podcast, I discuss the word "treatment". I also talk about "core material" and specifically core "melodic" material and align it with a work by Debussy - Voiles. There is a great PDF at www.klerrisacustommusic.com.au/latest-news/