A treasure trove of activities for music learning awaits you. The vintage resource, written more than 15 years ago, offers a romp through treasures that enchant the viewer, capture the imagination and send creativity soaring, much like an excursion through an attic storage trunk.
The activities were developed at the Come Children Sing Institute over many years with children of all ages, extensive classroom research on the process of music learning, and the development of curriculum, Art Songs and Gem Songs for music learning. They have been altered only to include activities developed since they were written, and to reflect greater understanding of the process of music learning.
The many activities are designed for rhythm and tonal Immersion and Interactivity. More advanced activities are not within the scope of this workshop. The 40 page resource includes a linked table of contents ordered by prop and a linked index organized by type of activity to facilitate lesson planning. The activities are organized loosely by prop so you can select activities for the equipment you have, or choose equipment based on the activities.
Any item used musically with children becomes a musical instrument. Props can be homemade, borrowed, inexpensive, free, store bought, or even imaginary. Many of the props offer multiple options, providing for extended activities that grow organically within a rhythm or tonal narrative. For example, a rhythm activity might start with immersion in a rhythm chant, move to immersion in rhythm patterns with group dialogue, and then to Rhythm Dialogue with individuals. A prop might be used for tonal immersion and then with Resting Tone Activities or Tonal Dialogue as children develop.
Implementation of all activities requires techniques discussed in OTEC courses and workshops—capturing the musical mind rather than the thinking mind, making the rhythm or tonal narrative prime rather than the props, using non-verbal communication and chanting on the resting tone or in meter, using a variety of meters and tonalities, using meter and/or tonal preps, and using appropriate vocal range, tempos and neutral syllables. Some of the activities offer tips for drawing very young or shy children into independent response, and some offer tips to keep the rhythm or tonal narrative in the forefront rather than the game or prop. Many of the activities for very young children include moms, though they can be done with or without caretakers. Many of the activities can be used with elementary school and much older children. Some have even been used in college choral rehearsals. All activities can be done with any meter or tonality, greatly increasing the options with each activity.
This unique resource of activities provides a view of the music classroom that videos cannot provide—one of long-term commitment to the dynamic between theory and practice, the uncovering of the process of music learning, and the sheer joy of “playing music” with children. Let the many activities trigger your own creativity, that you might enchant your little musicians while propelling music learning.
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