Aug 13, 2024 | Theme Concerts
Holiday Singalong – Choosing songs for maximum participation of youngest to oldest
Looking for that emotional connection with your audience and students? Consider a singalong! When looking for an easy multi-generational song to end your holiday program, here’s a few things to consider.
- Repetition! The more repetition of the lyrics, the more participation – especially from your youngest singers and your audience! (I’m thinking of those 2 year olds and 80+)
- Well Known Songs – We love what we know – Like an old friend coming back!
- Easy Range An octave or less
- Has a refrain or chorus Something to sing after the children sing their rehearsed line or verse
Here’s some lyrics from the easiest choices
THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine,
Let it shine!
FELIZ NAVIDAD (Sing-A-Long Lyrics)
Feliz Navidad.
Feliz Navidad.
Feliz Navidad.
Prospero ano y Felicidad.
(Repeat)
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas (3 times)
From the bottom of my heart.
Repeat first section
IT’S A SMALL WORLD/Jingle Bells
Children:
It’s a world of laughter, A world of tears
It’s a world of hopes, And a world of fears
There’s so much that we share
That it’s time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all.
Children and Audience
It’s a small world after all (3 times)
It’s a small, small world
Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way
Oh what fun, it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh HEY!
(Repeat Jingle bells)
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
And a happy new year!
Deck the Halls
Kids: Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Audience and Kids: Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la (Kids add silly movement)
(continue same form below)
‘Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Don we now our gay apparel
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
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Aug 13, 2024 | Music Teaching Videos
Here’s a successful way to introduce layers of parts to young musicians. Take a peek and see why this engaging approach results in more musical and exciting lessons.
This Mini Workshop shows how to
- Easily add one, two or even four Orff parts to a song for young players
- Present in an engaging way through a character, story, even true scientific facts
- Adjust the level of parts to simplify or challenge certain players or groups
- Use the instruments you have including easy to make homemade instruments
Goodie Pack includes
- Lynn Kleiner’s Mini Workshop Video Presentation
- PowerPoints from the workshop (music, orchestrations, classroom activities, teaching visuals)
- Recording
- Additional Videos include children’s performance, kindergarten playshop
I used Larry the Lobster for the example but I’ve also found it magical for so many other “stories” and characters.
- A few are the mole, vole and owl
- The cat and mouse
- The gardner and the critters
- And more!
Curriculum and mini workshops are included in Music Rhapsody Membership. Want to upgrade? We can apply your Music Box membership fee to your upgrade. Click here for more information about memberships.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Making a rain stick is easy and a bouquet of flowers (rainbow streamers!) is quick and simple! Here’s how easy the streamers are to make:
Gather your old, frayed scarves. This is the only thing you need!
1. Pull on both sides of the tear on your used fraying scarves to make the strips of fabric.
2. Line up the long narrow strips of fabric in assorted colors.
3. Knot the strips on one end (this is what the children “hide” in their hands).
At the end of this video, you see us using the streamers to Carmina Burana, activity from my book/CD Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move.
Here’s a video playlist of activities that are enhanced by the use of rainsticks and rainbow streamers. The first video is how to make the rainstick.
Here are two more songs that are great with rainbow streamers:
Aug 13, 2024 | Holiday/Winter Concert Ideas For Ages 2-6
What a surprise when I visited a mixed age music class and heard an 8 year old say “Can we do Deck the Halls? That’s my favorite!” Other children chimed in “Yes! Let’s do Deck the Halls!”
Here’s a video to show you how a simple tempo change and some silly gestures have this old carol a favorite for parents at the concert too! Some other holiday favorites in this playlist too!
Most of us are busy with our holiday concerts. Here are 3 reminders:
#1 reminder MAKE SURE THE PARENTS CAN SEE THEIR CHILD!
#2 reminder – make the children smile (I tell them we are taking pictures and videos and there will be SMILE AWARDS!)
#3 – Get the singing all the way to back where Grandpa is sitting – he’s hard of hearing! Open your mouth and exaggerate the words to make sure your singing covers the entire room.
SAVE These 2023 DATES
Redondo Beach, CA June 28-30
SMU Dallas, Texas June 20-22
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Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
The reasons I love using sopranino recorder in my lessons – Orff Exploration Time, a musical start and stop signal! This handy little tool is a part of my online and live training course and used in my lesson plans, both elementary and early childhood. Here’s some reasons why, then check out the video example, a demo with Lynn Kleiner and Music Rhapsody Teachers.
The video link below will show you a Training Demonstration , Lynn Kleiner and Music Rhapsody Teachers featuring Ev’ry Morning, which was introduced to Lynn by Avon Gillespie. Training and Lesson Plans from Music Rhapsody offer a curriculum that includes Orff instruments. A musical little signal for “Free play” time is used by the teacher.
For those of you in online training or coming this summer to Redondo Beach CA or SMU, Dallas Texas, a few wonder why the sopranino recorder (for you, not your students) is included in our playing time!
I want to share my reasons for using a sopranino recorder.
Its easy to play and easy to add to our music making (even just 4 notes works well!)
- It adds a start and stop signal for an exploration time without all the structure of playing specific bars at a specific time.
- Adds musicality, form and phrasing to student’s exploration (chaos! Lol!) time.
- It takes up very little space in my book bag.
- It is stored all in one piece. You do not have to put it together (like you would a flute)
- You do not have to swab it out, etc.
- The cost for a wonderful high quality plastic sopranino is very reasonable.
- It is much higher sounding than the soprano recorder so can easily be heard when the children are playing, especially that high C that we like to save for the clear signal to end!
- We introduce soprano recorders in our Recorder Rookies lesson plans for older elementary students after they have completed Young Musicians, Rhythm Readers and Melody Makers so I like to say “Someday I will teach you to play recorder too! Your first recorder will be a little bigger than this one.” Giving them something to look forward to is motivating!
Click here to watch an example of how to use the sopranino with Orff and the “Ev’ry Morning When I Wake Up” Hello Song.
