Music
Most of the curricular texts below either require you to buy the CDROMs or know how to play an instrument sufficiently well so that you can play the music in the books and there is a lot of music in the book. Given that the music is very expensive, it seems that the practical thing to do is to learn how to play something; most likely, the keyboard.
Another possibility is to use MIDI files available over the Internet. A Yahoo search will turn up sites containing hundres of MIDI files. I've found that children's songs are underrepresented but this will hopefully improve over time.
You could also use a private music instructor which we do. This
has worked out quite well for our kids.
Below are music and piano resources that we have found useful.
-
Advanced Placement in Music
- Alfred
Publishing. Our daughter's music teacher uses the
materials from Alfred. They also have a bunch of music
games and demos that I haven't tried out yet.
- Gary
Ewer's "Easy Music Theory" site. The site contains a
list of terms and 26 (so far) lessons on music theory in a
multimedia format. Very nice place to get free music theory
lessons.
- Integrating Music Into the Elementary Classroom, third
edition by William M Anderson and Joy E Lawrence,
Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1994, BC MT 1.A696 1995.
This elementary teacher textbook doesn't assume any musical
ability but covers various instruments, some theory and
contains lots of relatively easy music to play. It does
have a useful list of goals by grade.
- Jazz Lessons
-
Laura's MIDI Heaven, has a ton of MIDI files.
-
Maestronet Sheet Music Samples
- MENC K-12 Music Standards
- The Music Book by Eunice boardman and
Barbara Andress, 1984. Nine-volume
set of elementary music instruction. BU.
- Music Connection Grade Two, by Jane Beethoven,
Silver Burdett Ginn,
Morristown, NJ, 1995. BC. There are music CD kits (12 CDs)
available but they are pricey - $300 to $400 per grade.
- Music Magic Videos by Jane Beethoven, Silver
Burdett and Ginn 1984 - 1989. These are fifteen-minute
music-instruction videos with teacher guides. RC. Titles:
- Dancing.
- Percussion Instruments: tuned.
- Unusual Sound Sources.
- From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China.
- Wind Instruments: Brass.
- Technology and Music.
- Performing in Groups.
- Jazz and Improvisation.
- Percussion Instruments.
- Theatre and Film.
- String Instruments: Bowed.
- Singing Styles.
- Keyboards.
- New
England Conservatory of Music
- New Musical Resources, by Henry Cowell, 1996,
Cambridge University Press. BC MT6.C7895
- The
Piano Education Page. Contains advice for the
prospective learner.
- Piano
Pedagogy. A site more geared to teachers.
- Sheet Music Online.
They sell sheet music and also have some free sheet music
that you can print.
- Teaching Children Music, Fourth Edition by Newman
Grant, 1995, Brown and Benchmark Publishers. Another
Elementary Teachers Textbook with lots of stuff on music
theory and music appreciation.
- Theory, analysis, and meaning in music, by
Anthony Pople, Cambridge University Press, 1994. BC
ML3877.T5
- World of Music by Mary Palmer, Silver Burdett
and Ginn, 1990. Nine-volume set of elementary music
instruction. BC.
- A Young Person's Guide to Music, by Neil Ardley
with music by Poul Ruders.
- Young Pianist, second edition by Jane Last, Oxford
University Press, 1972, BC MT 745.L23 1972b. A great little
book for the parent or teacher with lots of advice on the
development of the child on the piano. The book already
assumes that you're familiar with music theory.
Theatre
This page is maintained by Michael Moy
m_moy@hotmail.com
and was updated on March 28, 2000