These pages started out as interesting information for my students, but have become interesting info for any musican!
I am always looking for tidbit topic suggestions;
let me know if you have an idea...
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Rhythm Reading -
Thoughts about why it is important, how to get better at it
and some practice sheets with MIDI files & a sheet of
correct counting. Test yourself! |
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THE MUSIC MAN - a web
page for our symphonic band members to learn more about the
musical. Most of the research was done by Monika Bernotas
for her mini-project - thanks, Monika!! |
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Jazz and
Shakespeare???" Yes, Jazz and Shakespeare..
There actually is a historical precedent for mixing jazz and
Shakespeare |
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P.D.Q. Bach. Supposedly
the 21st child of Johann Sebastian Bach. Learn a bit about
the musical satire of PDQ Bach's creator, Peter
Schickele. |
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Oklahoma! |
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Music for a Royal
Fireworks by G.F.Handel |
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The Phantom of the
Opera |
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The Music Man |
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We explored the Renaissance
period of music. See examples of early music writing
& hear a sound file of a composition by Queen Elizabeth
I. |
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This tidbit is titled, "I
Didn't Know That!"--Do you know why Bach spent a month
in jail? Or can you play a hemi-demi-semi-quaver?? Or do you
know what the mouse had to do with "Silent Night" (this has
to do with our recent study of how a pipe organ works!) |
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The History of the
Clarinet |
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Building Scales - major,
all three forms of the minors and the chromatic. |
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More scales - This time we
will focus on the dorian and mixolydian scales and the
medieval church modes from which they came. We will then
look at how they are used today (especially in jazz) and a
bit about the science / mathematics. |
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Where is that music from?? Ever wonder why you can sometimes tell what country or
culture a piece of music comes from?? We will look at music
from the Jewish tradition (including Klezmer), music from
India and what is a raga, and music from Latin America -
specifically the mambo that was included in Damn
Yankees. See the Asian
Music page for information on music from China. |
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Marching Bands! This
site includes a brief history, some different styles of
marching bands (and Drum Corps) and the commands that we use
at WMS. There are LOTS of great pictures; you can almost
hear the bands playing! |
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Circus Bands - learn about
screamers, windjammers and ballyhooing and see pictures of
some of the great circus band wagons of the previous
century. |
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Early Music Notation - Learn a
little bit about the history of music notation. Where and
when did it develop? See some examples of early music. |
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Asian Music (Specifically Chinese - Japanese to follow,
Music from India was included in Where
is that music from??
Symphonic Band is working on a piece called Asian
Song. This Tidbit explores why this music sounds like it
comes from China and includes some links to other sites and
information on Chinese instruments. |
Click on these running notes to progress through all
of the past tidbits, one at a time.
