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| Author | Topic: Need Help! Chosing a string |
 Pete
Registered User
From:
North Coast NSW, Australia
Registered:
3/20/2005 | posted: 6/30/2005 at 12:36:23 PM ET
Yeah, I agree with the points you make about choice of subject, but teaching in a sports-mad country means that if keeping kids interested in music untill they can take it as an elective subject at age 14 or so means using an electric guiter or keyboard to spark interest, that's what you do. It certainly would be worth Nat's mum organising lessons after school on guitar, either way.
Take me to your Lieder...
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TheHornSupremacy
Registered User
Registered:
11/17/2004 | posted: 6/30/2005 at 1:11:04 PM ET
Absolutely.
..... or we could just convince all of the schools to stop participating in sports, and all of the TV stations to stop televising them! 
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 imnidiot
Registered User
From:
Ashley PA
Registered:
3/28/2005 | posted: 6/30/2005 at 7:12:56 PM ET
Our school last year began a new program, which gets more kids involved in music Instead of the traditional marching band, the band director on conjunction with an alumna have developed what they call "Fusion", after being challenged by the board to invigorate the music program. Fusion consists of a two tiered rolling stage withn percussion of all sorts, guitar, bass guitar, vocalists, flag twirlers, and cheerleaders performing up-beat pop songs, and patriotic tunes as well with a lot of enthusiasm and pep. The performances were so well received, that schools came to our home games to see the show. Sometimes it takes a different medium to capture the kids interest. My soon to be twelve year old, who refused to continue his music lessons in the middle school because of a very terse instructer is head over heels crazy about this program. He will be playing about six different percussion instruments between the field program, and from the bleachers during the games. All the kids put their heart and soul into this program, and it shows in their performances. I am excited to be involved. Only time will tell how long the interest will last, but eith the right individuals behind it, it should blossom.
I am a fragment of my imagination
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imnidiot
Registered User
From:
Ashley PA
Registered:
3/28/2005 | posted: 6/30/2005 at 7:14:30 PM ET
I neglected to menyion that all the other traditional instruments are also a part of Fusion.
I am a fragment of my imagination
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Pete
Registered User
From:
North Coast NSW, Australia
Registered:
3/20/2005 | posted: 7/1/2005 at 3:08:49 AM ET
Sounds like a great idea, and who knows how far those kids can go once they realise music is fun and rewarding. Whatever it takes is fine to start with, and once the fire is lit the content can be raised a level or two.
As an example, if I play Dvorak's "'New World"' as an example of the use of ostinatos, their eyes glaze over. If I play "'My Girl"" and point out the riff/hook/ostinato, THEN Dvorak, they are jumping out of their seats to spot each one.
Take me to your Lieder...
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TheHornSupremacy
Registered User
Registered:
11/17/2004 | posted: 7/1/2005 at 8:44:31 AM ET
I guess it's an "ends justifies the means" situation. There's no hope of ever getting youngsters involved and interested in classical music if they're not interested in music in the first place.
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 maintube
Registered User
Registered:
5/26/2004 | posted: 7/2/2005 at 1:59:42 AM ET
So how does Fusion work with a 75-80 and bigger band?
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maintube
Registered User
Registered:
5/26/2004 | posted: 7/2/2005 at 6:03:13 PM ET
When I was in college, we had one of the best Jazz programs in the South. It had been that way for quit a while before I arrived on campus. It remained that way for a considerable time after I left. We had 2 big band jazz bands and at one point they were up to 3. Now they have a combo of a vocalist, rhythm section and a coupla horns. All in the name of "popularity". Sorry, but GOOD music does not start without exposure to GOOD music. Putting a rock or pop band on the field and playing pop music ins't what I envision as the future of High School Band and music programs.
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