Shows
Notes from the StaffInterval Ear TrainingIn this episode, Greg Ristow and David Newman talk about the value and role of intervallic ear training, why it's time to move beyond Here comes the bride, and ways of teaching intervallic hearing that build fundamental skills for sight singing and dictation.
Links:
Karpinski, Gary. "A Cognitive Basis for Choosing a Solmization System," Music Theory Online, Vol. 27, No. 2. June 2021. https://mtosmt.org/issues/mto.21.27.2/mto.21.27.2.karpinski.html
Transcript
[music]
0:00:21.2 Gregory Ristow: Welcome to Notes from the Staff, a podcast from the Creators of uTheory, where we dive into conversations about mu...2023-03-151h 06
Notes from the StaffTeaching IntervalsDavid Newman and Greg Ristow chat about four ways to teach intervals in music theory, as well as how to overcome some of the challenges of teaching intervals.
Transcript
[music]
0:00:20.8 Greg Ristow: Welcome to Notes from the Staff, a podcast from the Creators of uTheory, where we dive into conversations about music theory, ear training, and music technology with members of the uTheory staff and thought leaders from the world of music education.
0:00:33.4 David Newman: Hi, I'm David Newman, and I teach voice and music theory at James Madison University and I...2023-03-0255 min
Notes from the StaffPedagogy of Accidentals with Paula TelescoDr. Paula Telesco walks us through some of the "gotchas" that come up when teaching accidentals, and shares some great musical examples for explaining concepts like enharmonic spelling, double accidentals, and cautionary accidentals.
Transcript
[music]
0:00:21.0 Gregory Ristow: Welcome to Notes from the Staff, a podcast from the creators of uTheory, where we dive into conversations about music theory, ear training and music technology with members of the uTheory staff and thought leaders from the world of music education.
0:00:35.4 Leah Sheldon: Hi, I'm Leah Sheldon, head of teacher engagement for uTheory.
...2023-02-011h 00
Notes from the StaffMemory, Learning and Theory Pedagogy with Leigh VanHandelDr. Leigh VanHandel joins us to talk about the science of memory and learning, and how it can help us better structure our teaching. We also chat about her new book, the Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy, which recently received an Outstanding Multi-Authored Collection award from the Society for Music Theory, and about the Workshops in Music Theory Pedagogy series she coordinates.
Links:
Leigh VanHandel's faculty page at the University of British Columbia
The Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy:
Workshops in Music Theory Pedagogy
Ask Dr...2022-12-011h 04
Notes from the StaffMusic Fundamentals Games with Stefanie DickinsonDr. Stefanie Dickinson joins us to share some of the music fundamentals games that she uses in her music theory classroom.
Links
Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy
Dr. Stefanie Dickinson’s page at UCA
The Power of Play with Jed Dearybury (Notes from the Staff Episode)
Dalcroze Solfege Games with Greg Ristow (Notes from the Staff Episode)
uTheory.com
Show Notes
0:00:21.2 Introductions
0:02:27.1 Value of play in teaching and learning
0:06:02.4 Key Words - for key signat...2022-11-1541 min
Notes from the StaffPutting Music in ”Music Fundamentals” with Melissa HoagDr. Melissa Hoag joins us to talk about ways we can make the teaching of music fundamentals musical, fun and effective. She shares tips from her chapter in The Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy, and takes us through her list of six best practices for teaching music theory fundamentals.
Links
Melissa Hoag's faculty page at Oakland University
The Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy, ed. Leigh VanHandel: https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Companion-to-Music-Theory-Pedagogy/VanHandel/p/book/9781032174136
Lana Lubany "Sold" (Harmonic minor scale at beginning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIGxMtWXjS0
Renaissance Composer Maddalena Casulana: https://en.wikipedia...2022-11-0149 min
Notes from the StaffSeason Finale & Coming FeaturesLeah, David and Greg reflect back on favorite moments of first season of Notes from the Staff, and chat about coming features for uTheory.
Links:
Solfege Sally
uTheory.com
Show notes:
0:00:00 Theme Song
0:00:20 Introductions
0:01:00 How David jumped in and sang a Mozart Requiem with Greg on 5 minutes notice
0:03:45 Reflecting on the 2022 Pedagogy in Practice conference
0:05:30 Favorite moments from season one of Notes from the Staff
0:06:14 Theme 1: Using multiple systems to reach learners in multiple ways
0:08:15 Theme 2: Making learning engaging
0:10:30...2022-06-1541 min
Notes from the StaffMusic Theory Songs with David NewmanDavid Newman shares his music theory and aural skills teaching songs, as well as some of the stories behind them, in this laughter-filled episode of Notes from the Staff.
Links:
The Well Trained Ear on BandCamp
David Newman on YouTube
Show notes:
0:00:20 Introductions
0:02:03 How did you begin writing teaching songs?
0:03:48 David's most popular song: The Periodic Table Rap
0:11:00 Greg and Leah's favorite songs of David
0:11:46 The Dominant Seventh Song
0:14:13 Hinting at future topics in songs about more basic topics
0:15:57 Sophie Lay...2022-06-0251 min
Notes from the StaffPower of Play with Jed DearyburyJed Dearybury, author of The Playful Classroom and The Power of Play for All Ages joins us to talk about how bringing play into classrooms--no matter the age or level--leads to deeper, more engaged and more joyful learning.
Links:
Jed Dearybury’s webpage: https://www.mrdearybury.com/
The Playful Classroom: https://theplayfulclassroom.com/
Jed’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrdearybury
Jed's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV4Y68wd0lR5kuIzghPGxCw
Ron Clark: Move your Bus - http://www.moveyourbus.com/
A Mathematician’s Lament
Impro...2022-05-151h 13
Notes from the StaffHexachordal Solfege & Theory Pedagogy Trends with Megan LongDr. Megan Kaes Long of Oberlin Conservatory joins us to talk about the earliest system of Western solfege, hexachordal solmization, and recent trends in music theory pedagogy.
Links:
Dr. Megan Kaes Long's Oberlin Faculty Page
Long, Megan Kaes. Hearing Homophony: Tonal Expectations at the Turn of the Seventeenth Century
Early Music Sources: Solmization in the 16th Century
Smith, Anne. The Performance of 16th Century Music
Orlando DiLasso's Novae aliquot et ante hac non ita usitatae cantiones suavissimae
Show Notes:
00:00:20 Introductions
00:01:45 What is hexachordal solmisation?
...2022-05-011h 00
Notes from the StaffFunding Your Program with Leah SheldonLeah Sheldon shares tips for going beyond bake sales to build a sustainable fundraising model that can support a vibrant music program.
Like what you're hearing? Have topics you want to hear more about? Drop us a note at notes@utheory.com.
Show Notes:
00:00: Introductions
03:28 What does the fundraising landscape look like these days?
04:00 Traditional fundraising: Sales and Raffles
06:00: How to choose the right time and the right things to sell
08:10 Challenges of sales-based fundraising
10:30 Build a strong team of parent volunteers
11:37 Passive...2022-04-1537 min
Notes from the StaffDalcroze Solfege Games with Gregory RistowEurhythmics teaches music through movement, improvisation and play. In this episode, Greg Ristow shares some favorite games for teaching solfege drawn from the Dalcroze approach to music education.
Videos:
Bodyfege for teaching solfege:
https://youtu.be/ArVsGHZ8pTE
Doop Canon for teaching Quarter, Eighth, Half and Whole Notes:
https://youtu.be/kj7tNtNHeVM
Links:
Urista, Diane. The Moving Body in the Aural Skills Classroom
Ristow, Gregory. An Introduction to Dalcroze's Solfège Pedagogy
Ristow, Thomsen and Urista. Dalcroze's Approach to Solfège and Ear Training for the Undergraduate Aural Sk...2022-04-0159 min
Notes from the StaffRhythm Counting Systems with David Newman, Leah Sheldon and Greg RistowRhythm counting systems: what they are, how we use them, and why might we choose one over another. We break down the plethora of approaches (including 1-e-&-a, Takadimi, Gordon, Kodály, and Orff) into groups, and share tips from our own experience teaching these from preschool to college.
Links:
Free Printable Rhythm Resources on uTheory
Eastman/1-ti-te-ta Counting System
Traditional American/1-e-&-a Counting System
Gordon Rhythm Solfege
Takadimi Counting System
Varley, Paul. An Analysis of Rhythm Systems in the United States: Their Development and Frequency of...2022-03-1555 min
Notes from the StaffDemystifying Perfect Pitch with Elizabeth West MarvinWhat is perfect pitch and why do some people have it when others don't? How does it work and is it possible to learn it? In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth West Marvin (Eastman School of Music, and an author of the Musician's Guide series of textbooks) answers these questions and more.
Links:
Elizabeth West Marvin's Faculty Page at Eastman
Musician’s Guide to Theory and Analysis
Marvin, Elizabeth West. Absolute Pitch Perception and the Pedagogy of Relative Pitch
Ross, Gore and Marks. Absolute pitch: music and beyond
Van Hedger, Hea...2022-03-0156 min
Notes from the StaffChoral Sightsinging with Denise EatonVeteran music educator Denise Eaton shares a plethora of tips on how to teach sight singing in choral rehearsals, gleaned from her nearly thirty years of leading high school choirs. She's written down this approach in her SMART, STEPS, and InSIGHT sight singing books, which she created to help high school choral conductors like herself overcome the challenges of building independent musicians.
Links:
Denise Eaton's website: www.deniseeaton.com
SMART, STEPS, InSight series, and choral textbooks: https://www.deniseeaton.com/media.html
Show Notes:
00:20 Introductions: For nearly t...2022-02-1557 min
Notes from the StaffPreparing for Contest Sight Reading with Dr. Andrew MachamerDr. Andrew Machamer joins us to talk about how to teach and build the skills students need to be successful sight readers, not just for contest, but for life.
Show Notes
00:00 Intro
0:26 Welcome/Introductions
0:30 Introducing Andrew Machamer, Asst. Prof. of Music Education at Baldwin Wallace
1:45 What do you teach at BW? Band music ed. faculty, teach instrumental methods, woodwind methods, oversee student teaching placements and supervision. Great opportunity to be connected to teachers in the area and how everyone's managing in this time of the pandemic.
2:30 Preparing for Contest...2022-02-0151 min
Notes from the StaffSolfege Systems with David Newman, Leah Sheldon and Greg RistowSolfege systems: why we use them, what their particular strengths are, and why you might pick one system over another. We even touch on that hot-button topic of perfect pitch. If you’ve got strong feelings on the Moveable Do vs Fixed Do debate, this is the episode for you! Join David Newman, Leah Sheldon and Greg Ristow for this lively conversation.
Show Notes
00:20 - Introductions and what is Notes from the Staff?
Greg: Notes from the Staff as a place to share ideas about how to teach music, music theory and ear training.
David: How we can leverage technology to...2022-01-1549 minNotes from the StaffComing Soon: Notes from the StaffLeah Sheldon and Greg Ristow introduce a new podcast from the creators of uTheory.com.
Notes from the Staff features conversations about pedagogy, music theory, ear training, music technology and more. In our first episode, which lands Jan. 15, uTheory team member David Newman joins us to talk about solfege systems: what are they, why do we use them, and which one is best? In our second episode, Leah and Greg talk with Dr. Andrew Machamer, assistant professor of music education at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, to talk about preparing bands for sight reading and contest.
...2022-01-0401 min