We-Teach-Music

Many of you might remember that last year my friend and I created a new website called We-Teach-Music.  WELL... we recently did a complete overhaul, redesign, and relaunch! We'd love it if you'd go and check it out.  And please share it with anyone you think would like it!  While we are specifically performing arts teachers, we think anyone involved in education will find the blog relatable and/or useful.  

If you like to use Bloglovin, We-Teach-Music is found here.

You can also follow We-Teach-Music on Twitter.

And we're on Facebook!

Instagram and Pinterest coming soon!

What can you expect from We-Teach-Music?  

- Articles answering your fundamental music-related questions, such as, "Can I sing when I'm sick?" and "What does a conductor actually DO?"
- Helpful ideas for parents.  Ex: What kind of Christmas gifts do teachers really want?
- Fundraising ideas for teachers.
- Free things!  We've designed some posters and printables, and we have more coming soon.
- Shop Our Faves - we've conveniently linked all of our favorite classroom, office, and closet items.
- Resources: We've compiled an ever-growing list of the most useful resources and sites for teachers.  We continue to add to the list as we come across other great resources.
- Lesson plans that we love!
- Music repertoire ideas
- Video examples
- Our favorite things, funny anecdotes, lessons we've learned or are learning along the way, and much more!

We are sooo excited about this new venture.  I hope you will check it out!

www.we-teach-music.org

Catch up

As suspected, once school started my blog got neglected.  I'm sorry, it's just that teaching is exhausting and also I'm suuuuper busy this year, way more than I was last year.  Although it hasn't been a total fail... these are the posts I've managed to put up in the past 7 weeks:

School started and I immediately began dreaming of an alternate career.

A couple of weeks went by and I, again, wanted to quit teaching forever.

I managed to get one post up for Travel Tuesday.

And, in the midst of a career crisis meltdown, I found 50 things that make me happy.

And as I settled into a routine at school I realized that I still need to make time for my art journal.

Ok so that's a recap of what's been happening on my blog.  Now let's review what's been happening on my Instagram...

We took a quick trip up to Nashville to visit some friends over Labor Day Weekend:

I like to doodle in my lesson planner, I went to a conference, and our doggie is still adorable:

I experimented with different styles in my art journal:

Peter redesigned my school's shield and it's been so fun to see it pop up everywhere on campus:

My dog continues to be the cutest thing in the world:

Alright so now you're all caught up with my life so far.  Now let's talk about what will be happening in the near future:

- take students to All-State Show Choir Auditions (all day event in Birmingham)

- help run tech for the lower school musical (tech rehearsals, dress rehearsals, performances take up about 2 weeks every day after school)

- choir performance for pep rally

- my drama class' production of The Princess and the Pea

- choir/solo/theater festival/competition (I have about 25 students participating)

- weekend trip up to Michigan for Peter's best friend's wedding

- All-State auditions (all day event in Montgomery)

- begin rehearsals for upper school musical (which I'm directing) after school

- choir performance with community orchestra

- christmas/holiday concerts (lower school, upper school, and sing-along)

- final exams

Oh yeah, and somewhere in there we have to do some massive fundraising for the choir's upcoming trip to New York.  By the way, all of this is in addition to teaching full time and also teaching private students in the afternoons and weekends.

So as you can see, I'm going to be very busy for the next couple of months.  And hopefully I won't go crazy.  The bright side is that I mostly enjoy what I do.  It could be worse - I could be having to grade math papers every day (yuck!).  At least I get to teach the classes that students enjoy being in.  I gotta say, I do love my students.  They are extremely creative and enthusiastic.

Ok I'm just going to take it one day at a time and try not to get too stressed out.  I hope you'll forgive me I neglect my blog throughout this season.  I will try to post but can't guarantee anything.

What do you have going on these days?

P.S. My dad and I will soon be starting an Etsy shop.  My dad makes beautiful ceramic items (nativity scenes, ornaments, vases, etc.).  I can't wait to share it with you!

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Exciting New Venture || We Teach Music

I'm excited to share with you a new venture that I'm starting with my real-life bff, Kelly, from Perfect Harmonies.  Kelly and I met in grad school and bonded over our shared love of the local French cafe, classical music, Christian faith, and general getting-along-with-each-other-ness.  :)  She and her husband even came to visit us in Rio!  Anyway, long story short, Kelly and I are both music teachers, so we asked ourselves, "Why not start a blog about teaching music?!"  So we did!

Our blog is called "We Teach Music" and can be found at www.we-teach-music.org.  Kelly will be sharing her experiences with High School choir and band in a public school, and I will be sharing my experiences with middle school-high school choir and musical theater at a private school.  We will be sharing tips and tricks, teaching resources, lesson plans, lessons learned, and much more.  The blog is not completely "ready" yet, but we've started scheduling content, so it's on its way!

Please tell all your teacher friends to check us out!

Blog content for Alone with my tea will not change.  Once school resumes I will have less time to blog, but I will still update with travel stories, life updates, and crafty projects.

Did you know?

In lieu of today's blogtober post (I don't have anything to share with my past self right now)... I thought I'd share this video.  I thought it was a great explanation on how music affects the brain.  I'm so grateful my parents made me learn a few instruments! :)

Did you learn something new today?  Do share!

XO,

Julie

Loving Right Now

Thinking about beautiful Brazil.
Grateful for a better job and apartment.
Missing the unique city that is Rio de Janeiro.

Um cantinho, um violão Este amor, uma canção Pra fazer feliz a quem se ama Muita calma pra pensar E ter tempo pra sonhar Da janela vê-se o Corcovado O Redentor, que lindo ! Quero a vida sempre assim Com você perto de mim Até o apagar da velha chama E eu que era triste Descrente desse mundo Ao encontrar você eu conheci O que é felicidade, meu amor.

A little nook/corner, a guitar that loves a song to make the one you love happy. Much calm to think and time to dream Through the window one can see the Corcovado the Redeemer, how lovely ! I want life to always be like this with you near me until the old flame dies out. And I who was sad, disbelieving in this world Upon finding you I found out what happiness is, my love.

La Boheme

Sometimes you just have to listen to opera and it just has to be Puccini.

Practicing music in an apartment

Practicing music in an apartment - how do you do it???

Obviously if you have a keyboard, you can put in earphones.  Violins have mutes (but, ugh, it's so annoying to practice with a mute on!).  What about singing???  I'm *supposed to be* a soprano, but I just don't feel comfortable practicing the high notes in my apartment.  We live on the 9th floor, with apartments directly to the right and left, below, and above us.  Plus we don't have air conditioning (except in the bedroom), so we keep all of our windows open throughout the day.  Which means most of the other condominium buildings around us also keep their windows open.  If I can hear the parrot from two condos over repeating "Mai" ("Mom") and the porteiros' and barzinhos' phones ringing all day long, then surely the neighboring condos will hear me singing!

So my question is for all those musical renters out there - how do you practice your music???  Do just have a "who cares?" attitude and do it?

Let me know in the comments below!

Beijos,

Julie

A colorful representation of Beethoven's 5th Symphony

One of Peter's Facebook friends posted this the other day, and I thought it was really fun.  It's a colorful depiction of each instrument in the 1st movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony.  This type of illustration is a great way to observe texture within the orchestra.  It is arranged vertically by pitch.  Arranging it by pitch is a great way to see how various instruments overlap and how the texture and density changes throughout the movement. 




I found this video to be really fun to watch.  Ever since taking graduate level music theory, in which we studied "alternative" ways to analyze music, I've been particularly interested in texture, density, contour, etc.  I even did a couple of projects that involved charting and graphing certain excerpts of pieces, to better depict the contour of phrases.  It's probably quite nerdy, but it's something that fascinates me.

What did you think of the video?  Cool?  Or too nerdy for your liking?  Would you like to see similar posts in the future?

By the way, the more info and a color key here.

XOXO,

Julie

P.S. I played the 5th symphony in undergrad, and hearing it again made me realize how much I miss playing in an orchestra... :(

New Favorite Song - Doce de coco played by Yo Yo Ma on Obrigado Brazil

Peter's (and now my) Brazilian cellist friend introduced me to this CD and now I'm obsessed.  "Obrigado Brazil," by Yo-Yo Ma, features all Brazilian composers.  This track, "Doce de coco," is one of my new favorite songs.  I also enjoy the vocal version. 

I like how one YouTuber described it as "This song is about a couple waltzing gracefully and tipsily on top of a market square at midnight under a peach coloured full moon." (user KINGROOSTER45).

What do you think?  Will you buy the CD?

Do You Know About: Free Online Books?

Check out these sites, search for a topic that interests you, and get to reading! 

Here are some things I'm excited about reading online, for free!  Of course all my selections are music related, but these sites have books on every topic, including novels.

From Internet Archive I'm enjoying the Music Lovers Encyclopedia (1903)

From Project Gutenburg I'm excited about starting On Conducting: A Treatise on Style in the Execution of Classical Music by Richard Wagner

From Open Library I found this interesting thing: Dwight's Journal of Music (1855)

I have to be honest, I don't really enjoy reading from my computer.  Some of these sites have the option of saving as a PDF and opening on a tablet or kindle.  I am going to try to save a bunch to my iPad. 

What are you going to read about next?

Chamber Music by James Joyce

I recently discovered a book of poetry by James Joyce, and I'm obsessed!  Chamber Music is a collection of love poems.  The origin of the title is not so romantic, but I like to think of it in the musical sense, rather than the intended urinary pun.  For poetry is so inherently musical, after all.  In fact, many of the poems have been set to song, as was Joyce's intent.  

My favorite poem from the collection is the first one listed.

Strings in the earth and air
make music sweet;
Strings by the river where
The willows meet.

There's music along the river
For Love wanders there,
Pale flowers on his mantle,
Dark leaves on his hair.

All softly playing,
With head to the music bent,
And fingers straying
Upon an instrument.

Are you a poetry lover?  You can download Chamber Music for free via Amazon.

U.S. Air Force Band (Orchestra) Flash Mob

Check this out!

When I watched this video I was immediately transported back a few years to the APU Celebrate Christmas productions I participated in during Undergrad.  Even though I complained about having to play in the orchestra for the entire 3 hour event, those are some memories I'll never forget.  

In my opinion, the best part about making music is making it with others.  Ensemble playing (or ensemble singing) is the best feeling in the world.  I wish every person in the world could experience it.  Yeah, practicing alone in a small room for hours on end isn't fun, but when you join with the rest of the group, it is all worth it!

"Is Music the Key to Success?" NY Times Article

I found this article by Joanne Lipman, from The New York Times, very interesting.

It begins with this quote: 

"Multiple studies link music study to academic achievement. But what is it about serious music training that seems to correlate with outsize success in other fields?

The connection isn’t a coincidence."

Read more here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/is-music-the-key-to-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Fashion and Art

Every time I've read a fashion magazine or blog I've been repulsed by the outfits I've seen.  I thought, "Who would actually wear that in real life?!?!"  

from here

from here

from here

But lately I've been thinking about art and trying to figure out my aesthetic... and I've been reading blogs and trying to find inspiration... and I came upon a post by a blogger I love, Guarance, called "Go Big or Go Home?" It's a short post about some earrings, but it got me thinking about fashion and art and  how fashion designers get these ideas and then just "go big" with them.  And maybe that's what I should do with my creative attempts (be it art to hang on my walls, sketches in my journal, songs I sing in the shower, music education philosophy, and more).  

Maybe I should stop waiting to "figure it out" and just do it.  And make it big and memorable.

Now I need to just stop thinking about it and actually DO it.

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City of God - Youth Choir Performance

Last week the youth choir from the school did a performance at a care center in "City of God" (Cidade de Deus), a large slum in Rio.  I'm not teaching yet, but the director asked me if I would play violin for one song that had a fiddle part.  I agreed and went with them on this little field trip.

From what I understand, this care center is run by a church and provides after-school care for local students who have less-than-desirable home lives.  The public school system in Brazil is such that students either go in the morning or in the afternoon, but not both.  So this facility is really a before-school and after-school center.

I thought these plastic bottle flowers were adorable, and I am intent on creating my own!

Made with Paper - Sketching out ideas

Paper is an iPad app that I use to sketch out ideas.  I like it because it has a "watercolor" brush and endless color possibilities.  Check out their website to see what other, more creative people are doing with the app.

The Art of Conducting - Part 1: What does a conductor really do?

Many of you know that I recently finished my Master's in Conducting.  So I thought it would be fun to do a mini-series on "The Art of Conducting."  I hope these posts are fun and inspirational, and not boring!  ;)

Part 1

What does a conductor do?  

I am often asked this question.  Many people have not had the wonderful experience of being in an ensemble (the best part of being a musician, in my opinion), therefore they only see conductors from behind.  It might be difficult to discern what a conductor is really doing other than waving his arms around.  In fact, conducting is one of the most challenging professions.  Conductors spend hours and hours studying the music before they are even in front of the ensemble!  The conductor has to make every musical decision before the first rehearsal.  

What many people think a conductor does.
Picture from "Have you heard it"

To make this easier, I came up with 3 main points and gathered some quotes from various articles and interviews with famous conductors to further illustrate the points.  

I hope you enjoy!

Getting Hooded - GIF

Fun memory of getting my Master's at SJSU...

Music I Love - Three Shakespeare Songs, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Three Shakespeare Songs                                     Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

The Three Shakespeare Songs by V. Williams were written in 1951 and are settings of three texts from various Shakespeare plays.  They were composed for the National Competitive Festival held in England, where choirs would demonstrate their technical abilities by reading “test” pieces such as these.  

As a musician, and having sung these in grad school, I can attest that these are not easy to sight read.  Once learnt, however, they are absolutely inspiring and captivating.  My personal favorite is "Full Fathom Five," just because I love the text.  But I also love the gorgeous dissonances in the second movement, almost as if the colors are melting together.  To me, the second movement is like a warm, chocolate-chip cookie.  The playfulness of the third movement contrasts nicely with the serious and somber first two movements.

What adjectives would you use to describe each movement? 

What do you think of this little music lesson?  Should I post more like this?

Thanks for reading!

Thoughts 'n' Things: Music, Art, and Classical Sculptures

Thoughts:

I was doing some "summer reading" of late.  Well, trying to anyway.  And I stumbled upon this quote.  It spoke to me, so I thought I'd share it here.

"Works of art and the work of artists did not exist in a protected vacuum; they were part of the fabric of life, and life is a mixed-up mes that gives us incredible richness and beauty and lovingkindness but also Dachau and Golgotha."

I read the above quote in  Choral Masterworks: A Listener's Guide by Michael Steinberg.  This appears in a passage where he is discussing Bach.  How does a devout Jew appreciate Bach?  Bach - whose Lutheranism was his entire being...  Steinberg realizes that, as a Jew, he can't chose to separate Christianity from Bach.  He chooses instead to notice the other, very human themes that appear in this music - such as Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial.

Steinberg says, "I don't believe there is a single person who has ever heard one of Bach's Passions who has not at some time committed some act of betrayal, great or small, and felt remorse for it, even lifelong remorse.  This is music addressed to all of us.  And have we not all known love, sacrifice, compassion, awe, transcendence, and the other facets of experience we encounter in the Passion story?  The great works of sacred art are not exclusive.  In that sense, too, they are transcendent."


Things:

I want to make this

(From HERE)

and these

(From HERE)

You should read this

(From HERE)