Letter to a student
Dear teacher,
I really need help. My practicing has and is suffering to the point that I find it hard to get up and practice. I barely practice one hour a week and that’s just when I feel so guilty for not practicing that I can’t stand it. My arm muscles have also atrophied to where it is hard to get the same sound that I used to and it makes it even harder to practice because I don’t like the way I sound. I hate not wanting to practice but I just cannot seem to get up and practice, no matter how hard I ride myself. I think that it has been like this for about half a year now and I feel so crummy to think that you put so much faith and trust and work into me and this is how I pay you back. How do I fix this? I keep thinking about how much fun it is to perform and how I’ll make a career about performing but all of it vanishes as soon as I pick up the violin. Then all I can think about is how hard this is and just how not fun it is. Then I feel guilty about how much I haven’t practiced and just how lousy I must sound. All the time I was at church camp and Music Workshop, people kept telling me how they loved my playing and how I had the nicest tone, and all I could think of was “If you only knew that I hadn’t practiced in half a year you wouldn’t say that.” I felt so guilty that they complimented like that when I knew that I didn’t deserve it. I think that of all people you would be able to help me best in this matter.. I want to love my violin like I used to when I first started. Then, no obstacle was too hard to overcome because I loved playing so much. Now everything is too hard or so I think. Can you help me? Please? I want to love my violin like I did before. And please don’t be mad at me for not practicing.
Dear student,
From your paragraph I get the following feelings: animosity, dislike, failure, guilt, disappointment and fear. You like many others, including my self, got started in the game of life at an early age. The moment you decided you wanted to be serious about it, physical and mental obstacles begin to appear. That is true for anyone that commits to anything. Just ask your parents that have been married for so many years if their relationship has always been a fairytale. We are constantly faced with changes and at your age, changes happen a lot faster. It really is a roller coaster. Career wise, the most successful men and women have faced similar feelings. Just look at the level of sacrifice some athletics go thru and you can rest assure that they fall in and out of love with their career. I will give you my own example: I remembered telling you in one of our lessons that I hardly practice any more because I am so busy. You were surprised, remember?
Well, that was during the time I was making the decision to quit the orchestra for personal reasons. I was disappointed and angry with my self. Time went by and things got better. I became more focus on my career as music administrator and I have actually found time to practice again. I am motivated and I feel like I am in love with the violin once more.
Look; the way you feel right now is normal. Don’t beat yourself for feeling like this. Just roll with it for a short while. Think about something else for now and only hold the violin when you are in a good mood. Then play a song, a piece or a scale you like. Don’t think about what it should sound like. Instead, just let it be. Walk away and come back to it later. Make it casual with no full commitment and get away from negative feelings. In the paragraph you wrote me, I also saw passion, love and the will to improve; so think about that more.
It is hard to focus in the future all the time so just hang out in the present for a little while.
To-Do for Education Committee
Study Guides by 1/30/2011
AFRO-CUBAN: need activity for 7-8 grade. I have found an activity in Poetry. I have attached it to an email titled “AFRO-CUBAN Poetry”. Let me know if we can use it for 7-8 graders and what is the standard code number if is good.
Synergy Brass: preK-K activities – Coloring different brass instruments and the flag (I will do this). Need Standard number. 1st grade – Tracing words instruments, Star Spangle Banner (I will do this). Need standard number. 2nd grade filling the blanks. Paragraph about the Star Spangle Banner (I will do this). Need Standard number. 6-7-8 graders. Thinking map about Star Spangle Banner etiquette. Need instructions and standard number.
Kinobe: preK-K activity – coloring Instruments and African animals. Need standard number. 1st & 2nd graders – Story Illustrations (I will do it). 3 & 4 Graders – Scenes of Uganda, Match the photos to its caption (I will do it). Need standard number. 5 & 6 Word Puzzle (I will do it). Need standard number.
I will email you the PDF’s later today. Thank you all!
Writing the Blues ACTIVITY
Questions about the following activity:
- What grades can this activity be use for? – Can it be adapted to 4&5, 6&7, 8&9?
- What are the GA Standard Performance catalog numbers for each grade?
- Read the list below regarding responses to “When we say someone has ‘the Blues’, what do we mean? – What are the more PC or less controversial responses we can use? – Do you have other suggestions?
Write Your Own Blues: Blues Structure
Blues generally have relatively simple harmonic and lyric structures. A twelve bar blues contains three lines of four measures (with four beats per measure). Because the first line of each verse is repeated, we only need to create two rhyming lines for each verse. For example:
I believe I’ll travel—I believe I’ll get away.
I believe I’ll travel—I believe I’ll get away.
I’m goin’ down to Carolina, the Bull City’s where I’m gonna stay.
From “The Bull City Blues”, (©1996, Scott Ainslie) Used by permission.
In music, as in poetry, we identify the form of a verse by assigning a new letter of the alphabet to each different line in the form. The first line of this verse is thereby assigned (A), the repeat of the line (A) and the rhyming third line (B):
(A) I believe I’ll travel—I believe I’ll get away.
(A) I believe I’ll travel—I believe I’ll get away.
(B) I’m goin’ down to Carolina, the Bull City’s where I’m gonna stay.
This is known as an [A-A-B] Form, where the first line is sung twice and rhymes with the following line. Part of the beauty of this form is that it is simple enough to allow for improvising lyrics in the midst of a song—and gives you time during the repeat to think of the rhyming line!
Your Blues can be written en masse, in small groups, or by individual students. Going after the first one en masse tends to get the ball rolling and acclimates everyone to the messiness of the brainstorming/creative process.
Before beginning a class Blues, it helps to solicit what it means to have ‘the Blues’. Ask your students: “When we say someone has ‘the Blues’, what do we mean? What feelings are we describing when we say someone feels ‘Blue’?”
Make a list of appropriate responses on the board. My list includes:
Lonely
Mad
Sad
Exhausted
Depressed
Jealous
Envious
Grumpy
Bored
Confined
Upset
Sick Feeling Like You’ve Been Treated Unfairly
Your classes list may be longer, or shorter, but should include some of these.
Once your have your list, you’ll need to agree on a topic for the song: it’s your Blues, and should be about things that give you the Blues. Ask your students:
“The last time you felt one of these ways—angry, sad, depressed, lonely, bored, or like you were treated unfairly—what was the cause? What gives you the Blues?”
[NOTE: I have had everything from the cafeteria food to teen (and preteen) suicide come up on these lists. Handled in an open, straight-forward manner, this can be a very cathartic exercise for a class to pursue together and may bring out things about your students' home situations that will help you better tailor your efforts to their needs. The loss of someone---whether through divorce, the death of siblings, parents, grandparents or pets---often comes up; as does the loss of a job that supports the family; having to move away from friends; and in some contexts pressure to act against your will (in the context of drugs, money or sexual situations).
One fifth grade class in Columbus, Georgia once wrote an absolutely killer tune about when parents fight. We sang it at an assembly for the PTA, and you can believe we had a lot of nervous parents out there when we introduced that Blues!
"I came home last night---and they were at it again...."]
Kinobe Study Guide
Hello Heather & Tyler,
I sent you an email with Kinobe’s Study Guide. There is plenty of activities we can use. I need help with determining what activities are for:
1. Pre-K & K
2. 1st & 2nd
3. 3rd & 4th
4. 5 & 6th
Also the numbers for each of them to cover the GA Performance Standards. If you help me with that, I will do the rest.
Thank you!
Welcome Committee Members
I believe this channel will help us stay in touch and check the progress of our tasks more efficiently. I will email you when ever I post a new topic or comment.
Grammy Nomination Artists coming to Savannah
Grammy Nominations with their heart in Savannah:
Best Country Instrumental Performance: New Chance Blues – Punch Brothers
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: The New Song and Dance – Clayton Brothers
Best Contemporary World Music Album: Throw Down Heart Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased Tracks – Bela Fleck
Best Instrumental Composition: Battle Circle – Gerald Clayton
Best Instrumental Arrangement: Money – Portrait in Seven Shades – Ted Nash
These artist will be performing during the Savannah Music Festival (March 24-April 9)
MyConnect Highlighted. Nov 17-23, 2010
Every Wednesday I open the Connect and Highlight the shows and events I would go if I could clone myself. I finally decided to share my highlighted shows and some other things I hear word-of-mouth. Here is this week’s:
Wed 17:
MUSIC: ROBERT MCDUFFIE & THE VENICE BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & Phillip Glass’ American Four Seasons
Lucas Theatre 6:15 PM presented by Savannah Music Festival
FILM: DISCO CRAZY
Sentient Bean 8:00 PM presented by Psychotronic Film
Th 18:
EVENT: AFP National Philanthropy Day. The Association of Fundraising Professionals is recognizing individuals and businesses that were nominated for philanthropist awards.
45 Bistro. 6 PM
Fri 19:
MUSIC & WINE: BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU PARTY with JULIE WILDE & THE BOHEMIAN DREAM BAND
First City Club. 6:30 PM – Members only
LECTURE: THE KING IN EXILE
The Book Lady. 7PM
MUSEUM: MUSEUM IN THE MOONLIGHT – Featuring a vibraphone performance by Stephen Primatic.
Ships of the Sea Museum. 7 PM
MUSIC: WORD OF MOUTH
Loco’s Grill & Pub. 10 PM
Sat 20:
MUSIC & DINNER: GAIL THURMOND
Broughton & Bull. 7 PM
SPORTS: DERBY DEVILS VS. CAPE FEAR
Supergoose Sports. 7 PM
MUSIC: SHOOTING FOR A CURE DANCE PARTY – Featuring The Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love
American Legion Post 135. 8 PM
MUSIC: DEBSY DOVE
Live wire. 10 PM
Sun 21:
FILM: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Muse Arts Warehouse. 2, 5 & 8 PM
MUSIC: VOODOO SOUP
Fiddler’s Crab House. 8 PM
Benedetto Violins
Stephan Grappelli playing a Benedetto violin he owned in the 90′s
Here I am with Bob and the 2 Benedetto violins I have at the moment
Free Summer Concerts in Savannah – This Week
Good Show Won’t Travel – This week
If you are looking for good music and don’t want to travel and don’t want to deal with the late night crowd, there are some free shows I recommend.
2010 Concerts in the Squares
Concerts in the Squares begin this week. This series, sponsored by City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, begins on Wednesday June 2nd at Johnson Square with Roger Moss & Eric Jones. “We’ll swing, sway and saunter,” said Roger Moss, Connect Savannah’s Best Of Savannah – Best Vocalist 2008, 2009 and 2010. “My theme for the performance this year is Blues, Ballads and Broadway.” Eric Jones, one of the most requested pianists in the area, will accompany Roger. Originally from Jessup, GA, Eric has performed with Gina Rene, Huxie Scott, Teddy Adams and Howard Paul, among others. The series continues with the second performance on Friday, June 4th. Gina Rene will take the stage with her high-energy performance backed by a power jazz trio consisting of piano, bass and drums.
When: June 2nd and June 4th
What time: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Johnson Square
Cost: Free
Roger Moss
Julie Wilde and the Bohemian Dream Band
If you are looking for a fun happy hour and want to listen to good live entertainment, Julie Wilde and The Bohemian Dream Band will be performing at Rocks On The Roof this Thursday evening. We bring a fresh air of Gypsy Jazz to Savannah. It is a sound that is not often heard around this area. Julie’s original songs and our 1920′s-1930′s repertoire makes a great late afternoon upbeat environment. Come join Julie Wilde and the Bohemian Dream Band with me on Jazz violin at Rocks On The Roof, Bohemian Hotel.
When: June 3rd
What time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where: Rocks on the Roof, Bohemian Hotel
Cost: Free
Interplay at Blowin’ Smoke
Friday night has become a steady Jazz night at Blowin’ Smoke. “We invite a special guest to come and perform with us,” said band leader Eric Jones. Even though Interplay is a trio that focuses on Jazz, they also play R&B, Funk, Brazilian and Latin music. Their guest this week is guitarist Bill Smith and vocalist Ellen Grosse.
When: June 4th
What time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Where: Blowin’ Smoke
Cost: Free
Eric Jones
2010 Concerts in the Squares
Free Summer Concerts Return to Johnson Square
The City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs will be presenting a series of free live concerts in Johnson Square throughout the summer. Sixteen concerts are planned from June 2 through July 23. Concerts will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The concert series is being managed by New Arts Ensembles (NAE), a Savannah-based group that showcases some of the region’s finest musicians. “Musicians from different styles of American traditions will be performing music loved by young and old,” said NAE founder and co-owner Ricardo Ochoa. “Whether you are visiting Savannah or taking a break from the office, it’s the perfect opportunity to grab lunch from one of our many outstanding local restaurants and enjoy your meal with great music.”
The concert series will kick-off on June 2 with Roger Moss & Eric Jones in Johnson Square. The concert line up also includes: Silver Lining (Modern Jazz); Jan Spillane (Folk/Blues); vocalist Claire Frazier & Frank Bright(Jazz); and Bottles ‘n Cans (Blues).
Concerts are free and open to the public. For information and a complete concert schedule, call 912-651-6417 or visit www.savannahga.gov/arts <http://www.savannahga.gov/arts>
For information on NAE, call 912-596-1360 or visit www.newartsensembles.com <http://www.newartsensembles.com> .
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2010 Summer Concerts in the Squares Schedule
June 2 Roger Moss/Eric Jones
June 4 Regina Rene Quartet
June 09 Jan Spillane
June 11 Jimmy Wallin Band
June 16 Trae Gurley
June 18 Claire Frazier & Frank Bright
June 23 Eddie Wilson
June 25 Bottles ‘n Cans
June 30 Silver Lining
July 2 Roger Moss & Eric Jones
July 7 Trae Gurley
July 9 Annie Allman Trio
July 14 Clair Frazier & Frank Bright
July 16 Silver Lining
July 21 Eddie Wilson
July 23 Bottles ‘n Cans
