Music Class Resources Board on Pinterest

Handy charts, composition activities, clip art, rhythm games, Easter music math, and more - you can find it all on Kim Maloney's Music Class Resources page board on Pinterest. 

I'm not on it that much, but if Pinterest is your thing, you can follow me here. 

Help the Silver Creek Organization for the Performing Arts Create a Documentary About Making Music After High School

There needs to be way more information available to high school students about music-making as a lifelong endeavor. It's just too much of a loss to our musical life if 90% of high school musicians never pick up an instrument again when they finish school, regardless if they want to be a professional or not. A Kickstarter campaign led by Paul Trapkus of Silver Creek High School aims to create a documentary that will educate people on ways to make music after graduation:

An enormous amount of individual work goes into the study of music, and teachers work tirelessly to encourage a lifelong learning of music in their students. Yet researchers and music educators estimate that only 10-20% of students are actually continuing their musical studies after high school. Many students quit simply because they aren't aware of the many ways to continue.

This documentary seeks to reveal those ways of continuing musical study after high school by following college students and adults who have done so. In addition to traditional ensembles, we will explore other examples of avocational music-making, such as jam sessions, a cappella groups, chamber music, and laptop orchestras. We intend to show that it is possible and even profoundly enjoyable to stay involved with music without necessarily majoring in it or making a career out of it. We will also examine the skewed value that our society places on music and how that impacts students' decisions about their futures.

We expect to finish the documentary and begin distribution by September. Your contribution will help us impact as many people as possible, especially high school students and teachers.

Here's their promotional video:




Best of luck to Paul Trapkus and his amazing group of students! With just over a week to go, they're just over halfway to their funding goal but still need a fair number of sponsors if their project is to go ahead.

The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities: Re-Investing in Arts Education

At long last, it looks like arts education and its inestimable effect on childhood development might just be getting the attention and funding that it deserves, thanks to a major initiative by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities:

Re-Investing in Arts Education: Winning America's Future Through Creative Schools (the full pdf document is 88 pages, but a shorter summary can be found here)

I've always found it fascinating that the field of national standards and certification in the US music education system is still a wide open field. My money, of course, is on the newly minted Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program (read my previous coverage of this story here).

(Via Elaine Fine)

Breaking: The Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program Launches US-wide

The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and Carnegie Hall in New York have just announced a major new partnership today, launching the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program, a US-wide study and assessment program for young musicians. Those of you familiar with the RCM examination system will know that there already exists an American version of the exams called the National Music Certificate Program; the Achievement Program is in effect a re-branding and relaunching of the RCM's American presence, albeit this time with much greater marketing presence, clout, and effectiveness, given the power of the world-renowned Carnegie Hall brand as a partner.

To date, there has never been a music certification and achievement program for young musicians to follow in the United States that has gained traction on a national level compared to the RCM in Canada, the ABRSM in Great Britain, and the AMEB in Australia.

That is about to change.

With the CHRC Achievement Program, the already-established RCM Examinations system and the vast catalog of books from Frederick Harris Music will be able to reach a much greater number of teachers, both independent and institutional. At the same time, Carnegie Hall will have a golden opportunity to expand its business model far beyond the concert business and give them a major foothold in the US music education market.

Stay tuned for more details as more information becomes available. You can also check out my Twitter stream for more live information. In the meantime, below are highlights from both the American and Canadian press releases which just went public this afternoon.

The Carnegie Hall press release:

CARNEGIE HALL AND THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY

PARTNER TO LAUNCH

THE CARNEGIE HALL ROYAL CONSERVATORY ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

New Nationally Recognized Program Designed To Encourage

Musical Excellence Across The United States

(March 25, 2010; NEW YORK, NY and Toronto, ON, Canada)—Carnegie Hall and The Royal Conservatory today jointly announced that they have partnered to create the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program (The Achievement Program), a national system of music study and assessment for students and teachers.

The Achievement Program will create a nationally recognized standard of musical achievement for people of all ages independently studying music in the United States, offering a sequential course of study from beginner through advanced levels. Modeled on the internationally renowned program and examination system developed by The Royal Conservatory in Canada, The Achievement Program will motivate music students, both children and adults, to strive for excellence through participation
in individual student assessments with professional adjudicators, enabling them to celebrate their accomplishments and track their progress. For younger students, The Program will assist parents who seek a better understanding of their children’s level of performance and musical growth. It will also support and empower independent music teachers by providing both opportunities for high-quality professional development and innovative curricular resources.

“The launch of The Achievement Program marks an extraordinary milestone for The Royal Conservatory and for music education in the United States,” said Dr. Peter Simon, President and CEO of The Royal Conservatory. “Our belief in the transformative power and benefits of the arts through greater participation in music study led us to a partnership with the leading icon of excellence in musical performance—Carnegie Hall.”

“Since Carnegie Hall opened in 1891, it has been the aspirational destination for musicians worldwide, a place that has inspired generations of musicians to fulfill their talent,” said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. “Especially through the education and community programs of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, we continue to embrace this tradition, encouraging people from all walks of life to engage with great music. With these values in mind, it is a great pleasure to take this next important step in music education with such a great partner—The Royal Conservatory of Music with its own wonderful 125-year commitment to music education—to launch this important initiative designed to support students and teachers nationwide and meaningfully encourage their musical development and spirit of discovery.”

****

The Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program was created in response to feedback from parents and teachers throughout the United States who said they would welcome a top-quality, nationally recognized program enabling them to measure students’ progress and musical achievement. The Achievement Program is based on the highly successful Royal Conservatory Examinations program, established by The Royal Conservatory in 1886, through which more than 100,000 students (children and adults) are currently assessed annually in communities throughout Canada.

In the United States, The Achievement Program provides comprehensive materials and tools for music educators including sequential program guides, repertoire lists, and online educational resources. Official program syllabi are available for a variety of instruments including keyboard, strings, woodwinds, brass, and voice. The official syllabi outline The Achievement Program’s requirements for each instrument for beginner through advanced levels, including an extensive list of repertoire appropriate for each level of musical development, and a comprehensive bibliography. In addition to its focus on performance, The Program also encompasses sequential learning in the areas of technique, musicianship, music theory, music history, and pedagogy.

Central to the approach of The Achievement Program are periodic assessments for students: one-on-one adjudicator-to-student performance evaluations that also function as valuable teaching / learning opportunities. Students and their teachers work together to choose and prepare a selection of repertoire to perform for the adjudicator and review technical and musicianship requirements appropriate to the student’s level. In each practical assessment, a certified professional adjudicator evaluates a student’s performance of repertoire, studies (études), and musical proficiency skills. Following the assessment, students later receive a detailed written evaluation with suggestions for continued growth and development as well as information about their current level of achievement. Assessments are also offered in the academic subjects of music theory and music history. Once all of the components of a particular assessment level are successfully completed, students are awarded certificates. One of the most important aspects of The Achievement Program is how it encourages students to work from level to level. This sequential course of study is meant to provide a clear, consistent, and meaningful path to recognize achievement and reward excellence across the US, and raise awareness of the value of studying music at the national level.

Teachers and students can participate in The Achievement Program anywhere in the United States. The Program will hold assessments several times a year with upcoming dates and registration information listed on its web site. Students of all ages can currently take assessments in 90 US locations, with the number of locations expected to grow as The Program develops.

For registration information, including details of fees, materials, and locations, please visit
www.TheAchievementProgram.org.

The Royal Conservatory's press release:

THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY ANNOUNCES

PARTNERSHIP WITH CARNEGIE HALL

The Royal Conservatory and Carnegie Hall have partnered to launch the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program (The Achievement Program), a national system of music study and assessment for students and teachers across the United States.

“The launch of The Achievement Program marks an extraordinary milestone for The Royal Conservatory and for music education in the United States,” says Dr. Peter Simon, President and CEO of The Royal Conservatory. “Our belief in the transformative power and benefits of the arts, through greater participation in music study, led us to a partnership with the leading icon of excellence in musical performance — Carnegie Hall.”

“Carnegie Hall is proud to align itself with The Royal Conservatory's 125-year legacy of excellence in music education,” says Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. “By establishing a commonly understood set of standards for people studying music across the United States, this national program will create engaging new ways for students — both children and adults — to measure their progress, motivating them to work toward greater musical accomplishments. The Achievement Program will also assist parents who seek a better understanding of their children’s level of performance and musical growth, while supporting teachers through opportunities for high-quality professional development and curricular resources.”

The Achievement Program is based on the internationally renowned curriculum and examination system developed by The Royal Conservatory, which provides a recognized standard of musical success through an effectively sequenced course of study from beginner to advanced levels. Over 100,000 students participate in Royal Conservatory examinations annually in communities across Canada.

The Achievement Program includes elements that have made The Royal Conservatory examination system the most respected in the world, including:
- Practical examinations evaluating a student’s proficiency in music
- Theory and history examinations, which play an essential role in developing musicianship and music literacy
- One-on-one sessions with a professional examiner ensuring consistent assessment standards
- Syllabi, repertoire books, and other educational materials and resources

The Royal Conservatory is one of the largest and most respected music education institutions in the world. Providing the definitive standard in music education through its curriculum, assessment, performance, and teacher education, the programs of The Royal Conservatory have had a substantial impact upon the lives of millions of
people globally. The Royal Conservatory has helped to train a number of great artists including Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, David Foster, Sarah McLachlan, Angela Hewitt, and Diana Krall. Motivated by its powerful mission to develop human potential through music and the arts, The Royal Conservatory has emerged over the last two decades as a leader in the development of arts-based programs that address a wide range of social issues. For more information, please visit www.rcmusic.ca.

Founded in 1891, New York City’s Carnegie Hall presents exceptional performances by the world’s finest artists on its three stages — the renowned Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, the intimate Weill Recital Hall, and the innovative Zankel Hall — ranging from orchestral concerts, chamber music, and solo recitals to jazz, world, and popular music. Extensive music education and community programs developed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute play a central role in Carnegie Hall’s commitment to making great music accessible to as many people as possible. WMI’s programs annually serve over 170,000 children, students, teachers, parents, young music professionals, and adults in the New York City metropolitan area, across the country, and around the globe, with more than an additional 100,000 people taking advantage of WMI’s online music education resources. For more information on Carnegie Hall or other Weill Music Institute national/international music programs, please visit carnegiehall.org.

The 2011 MTNA National Conference Opens Tomorrow in Milwaukee

The 2011 MTNA National Conference and NATS Spring Workshop will be opening its doors tomorrow in Milwaukee and running through March 30. This year's focus will be the art of collaborative music making (!!!), with its many voices and proponents. Although I was invited to attend, I've found myself in one of the busiest times in recent memory and am completely unable to leave Toronto this week. If you're  interested in following the conference blow-by-blow, head on over to Music Matters Blog and Color In My Piano, both of whom will be at the conference's many events and blogging about it.

Best of luck to everyone attending or involved with the conference!

Giving Kids a Voice Through New Opera Creation

Every summer, Tapestry New Opera's INside Opera program runs an opera creation program for at-risk kids in the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Toronto. This is no basic opera in the schools program - a composer and librettist on the creative team help the kids create, produce, and perform their own opera. The students themselves are able to take ownership of both the process and final product, with a bit of assistance from the composer/librettist team.

The following documentary was created by Juan Baquero at the 2009 INside Opera workshop, featuring the kids of City Hope in St. Jamestown. Joining Tapestry's Education and Outreach Director Amber Ebert are librettist Dave Deveau and composer Glenn James. The total running time of the documentary is around 30 minutes, but if you're interested in how a contemporary opera outreach program can create an unforgettable experience for at-risk kids, you won't be disappointed.

If you think that this program is important both for the kids of Toronto and the future of opera in Canada, here's a unique opportunity to help: Visit Tapestry's page on the Pepsi Refresh Project and vote twice a day so that the company can win $25,000 to go towards the program.

Lots of Free Resources at Music Tech Teacher

This evening, one of my student's parents introduced me to Music Tech Teacher, a huge compendium of free music education resources started by Karen Garrett (a 2006 Time Teacher of the Year!) for her work with the students at Central Park School in Birmingham, Alabama. Here some of the major pages at MTT, each of which contains a huge number of links:

• Home
• General info - some fascinating reading here, with a story of the program, information about funding sources, equipment, and activities
• Student work - free MP3's of compositions recorded by students in the program. Some incredible listening here.
• Lessons - curriculum information about the program
• Quizzes, Games and Music Help - this is a huge resource, where you'll find well over 100 quizzes and games for various facets of music learning, as well as some valuable information sheets
• Worksheets for Young Musicians - over 50 resources here.
• Links - a huge list of links to other music education resources, products, and people.

Kudos to Karen for the enormous amount of time that has gone into this project!

(Thanks for the heads-up, Miriana!)

Learning to Change - Changing to Learn

I find the following video put out by the Consortium for School Networking absolutely fascinating. How do we fit into this picture as musicians and music teachers? How many of us both in the institutional and private educational realm are being left behind?



(Via @brandags)

More Music Education Resources

Karen Koch of Music Educators Marketplace has assembled a huge list of free and almost-free resources for music teachers, students, and parents that's definitely worth a look:

Free Online Resources for Teachers, Students, Parents

(Via Music Matters)

Bloggers: One Week Left To Submit Your Articles for the Feb. 2009 Music Ed Blog Carnival

One week from now, I will be hosting the February 2009 Music Education Blog Carnival. If you would like an article, essay, or blog post featured in the carnival, you have until January 31st to get it online and submit it. I've already received a fair number of submissions from a wide variety of bloggers with room for plenty more. If you want to submit your article, here is the link:

February 2009 Music Education Blog Carnival Submission Form

The 100 Music Education Bloggers Project

What if 100 of the top music education bloggers created a network with the goal of sharing information and resources for the mutual benefit of themselves, their readers, and students? The ME Blogger project, begun by Grove City College faculty member Joseph Pisano, aims to do just that. So far he has assembled a list of 54 blogs on the topic of music education (The CPB occupies a proud 53rd spot), with 46 spots still remaining. Check out the entire list of blogs, as well as rules for participation and links to more information at the 100 ME Blogs page. Look for links to articles by some of the ME bloggers in the coming weeks...

Keeping Score with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

Ever wanted to go to a site where you could listen to music and read the score at the same time? Keeping Score: revolutions in music is a site where you can do this, as well as learn about orchestral masterpieces. Kudos to the SFSO for creating an educational site of this caliber that introduces the great orchestral works in such an intelligent and technically accomplished format. The first three installments of the series are Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, and Copland and the American Sound with more to come.