M is for Music

A favorite book of mine, combining literacy and music: M is for Music. It's by Kathleen Krull, with illustrations by Stacy Innerst. Check it out at your library, and then buy your own copy. It has great vocabulary words (like aria, a cappella and unison) which you can use with your child. ("Let's sing a cappella, without any instruments playing along with us!") And some ideas on music to listen to: from the Beatles to klezmer, the Nutcracker, and zydeco.

Monmouth Library

A wonderful afternoon of Crazy Camp Songs at the Monmouth Library. One parent came up to me afterwards and said, "My son's Cub Scout Pack love singing your songs!"  That's what we like to hear!

The room's decorations - stars hanging from the ceiling - really added to the theme. 

Spoon players wait and listen to the dulcimer's introduction.

Guest musicians play goat toe nails, frogs, crickets and guiro.

Friday in the Columbia Gorge

Friday was a beautiful day in the Gorge. 

We had a great turnout at The Dalles-Wasco County Library. Lots of enthusiastic singers, dancers, and music makers. The program was Around The World In Song, with a special request for my original tune, "Molly's Dance." Apparently it's a favorite for their weekly story time. Thank you, Suzanne, for play my music and teaching the songs!

We don't have pictures of the audience; we do have pictures of my favorite Oregon bears, seen playing outside the library:

The Columbia Gorge is one of the premier wind-surfing areas in the world! True to form, the wind really picked up by noon. I stopped to watch the wind-surfers on my way back to Hood River.

The Hood River library was closed for a full year!  Funding was finally approved. The library opened July 1, 2011 with full services after July 5. I was their first performer. What an honor!

"Che Che Kule" - a movement song from Ghana.

A barnyard song that we sang all in spanish!
"El burrito hace así."
(The donkey does (says) this....)

Wednesday was a lovely, warm, sunny day. Folks were out playing in the city park, and splashing in the huge water fountain. Many of them took a break to come to the library across the street for my Songs Around the World program. Lots of active participation and singing.

Afterwards, folks went back to the park for some more fun in the sun. I sat in the shade, ate lunch, and read Harry Potter!

Summer Libraries

It's been a busy past week. Forest Grove library on Tuesday, with my bi-lingual program La Musica Es Magica of mostly parents and 0-5 age group, with older siblings there to help me by playing my percussion instruments. A great turnout; my camera never made it out of my purse, so hopefully folks will send in pictures!

Coming next: pictures from Beaverton, Ore.

Music experience enhances verbal and auditory skills

Here's an interesting article someone forwarded to me from the Science Daily. It discuss how music helps develop auditory skills that enhance skills used for reading. How? Increased auditory descrimination helps with deciphering the differences between sounds: "d" and "t"' "s" and "sh", "p" and "b".

We aren't talking advanced musical training. Simple songs and chants, playing and experimenting with simple percussion instruments,  will do the trick.

For the complete article, go to: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070926123908.htm

Radio Interview

I just finished a radio interview with Lady Selah SuJuruis at Storytellers Campfire. This live radio program is on every Wednesday evening at 7 PM Pacific Time. It’s mission is to teach people about history, preserve culture, and promote literary arts, both new and traditional.

We discussed how music, as a universal language, builds community and understanding within and among groups. Songs also are wonderful vehicles for learning - promoting literacy skills, cultural studies, language(s), and more. There will be a link to the interview in a day or two: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/storytellers-campfire/.

Lady Selah encourages parents and teachers to create musical experiences for children -- and I concur!