Interdisciplinary Education

So at first, the term "interdisciplinary" flew right over my head.  However, after some very intense googling I have come to understand that it is a practice that incorporates two or more academic areas into one activity.
This got my mind going, "how exactly does one combine different subjects with music?"  Some subjects seem to be easier to integrate into a music curriculum such as English or History, but what about Math?  Math is such a tedious topic for some students, and by incorporating it into a musical setting they may be able to better comprehend the lesson.
I stumbled upon this website in my interdisciplinary searches.  It provides links to different lesson plan options and various ways to incorporate music and math into one fun, multidimensional activity.
I feel this is a very important tool for educators.  The ability to provide a different method of learning for students is crucial to their success.

Responding to Music

Responding to music doesn't have to be a cut and dry endeavor in the classroom for your students.  I am a gamer at heart, so any way to incorporate some fun game into a lesson's context I'll go to great lengths to do so. 

One of my personal favorite games based around responding to music is Audiosurf.  Audiosurf is a purchasable game that allows students to select their favorite songs and collect colored blocks (while avoiding gray blocks.)  These blocks show up on beats or specific rhythms.  The track itself flows with the melody and context of the phrases in the song playing.  It gives students a fun way to see the music unfold in front of them and for them to respond to it without it feeling like another lesson.

Choral Warm-Up: The sequel

Here is an image of my choral warm-up, in case the link in my other post will not open :)

Performing Music: The One-Stop Shopping to get Performance Ready

As a musician, and future music educator, performing music is perpetually going to be a part of my life.  However I feel that the best part of a performance is finding the right performance piece for one's particular group.  There would be no performance without the music to start the process.  JW Pepper and other online choral music sites are perfect for this browsing of performance ready material.  I have many a fond memory of lunch periods spent with my high school choral director going on these such websites and listening to samples of the endless supply of choral music.
JW Pepper is so well organized, and they have an incredible selection of music.  From SATB Worship pieces, to Elementary level pop music medleys.

A choral performance wouldn't be a performance if an ensemble didn't have the repertoire to learn.  JW Pepper is an easy one-stop shop for any performance under the sun!

Choral Warm-Up

Check it out!

Choral Warm-Up created using noteflight!

Music Making

Music making and production has become something that almost anyone can do nowadays with the countless programs available on the Internet!  We recently had an assignment to create either an original composition or a recreation of a song on GarageBand.  GarageBand is a software preloaded onto Apple computers and laptops and is easily purchased on the App Store to be transferred to Apple Tablets.  It's a software easy to understand for all ages, and the loops of prerecorded material makes"original" compositions something accessible to all ages.

Another way to incorporate music making technology in the classroom is the various instrument apps available on the App Store!  Recently I downloaded a keyboard app for my ear training class that allows me to not only record my playing, but records my voice as well.  This is incredibly helpful to me when learning different parts of a song, and it can be helpful to students across the board.

The technology we have available today really inspires musical creativity and I feel it should be encouraged.

Professional Development/Networking

Out of all of the networking sites I have used personally, I truly like Facebook as a professional Networking tool.  Facebook allows the creation of public or private groups where information can be posted and shared between the members.  As well as groups, Facebook has the option of group chats where material can be instantly discussed with several different people at once; like an online meeting regardless of where the members of the conversation are located.  Lastly, Facebook allows for the creation of pages to promote a business or a class.  

While Facebook can be a bit of distraction sometimes, when used properly it can be an incredible tool for any modern professional.