Dear Friend of Music

Welcome

Welcome to our October E-newsletter and a particular welcome to all the new readers from our recent workshops in Canberra, JSHAA in Melbourne, Castlemaine and Warrnambool in Victoria.

It’s been a difficult time for us over the last few weeks as Phil had pneumonia and simply pushed himself too hard. Fortunately, he’s now feeling fit and well. We recently visited Korowa Anglican Girls’ School in Melbourne for a performance of a new musical ‘Sticky Beaks’. It was a thrill for us to hear many of our songs performed as part of the musical including ‘Down Under in Australia’, ‘The Green and the Gold’, ‘The Aussie Rock’ and ‘Dinkie Di Aussie’. Congratulations to all the girls from Kinder (Reception) to grade 6 for a great musical.

I attended a wonderful conference in September at Melbourne High School called ‘Boys and Voices’ presented by aMuse. It looked at why it is that so many of our Aussie boys don’t sing and what we can do about it. As well as keynote speakers, there were a number of very enjoyable choral performances, informative electives, a vocal clinic, a forum with questions and answers and a ‘Big Sing’.

I’ve always been passionate about singing and continue to be concerned about how so few young people, particularly boys, willingly participate in the joyous expression that singing can provide. For more information please click the link below to read my full report.
Boys and Voices Report.doc

Term 3 continued to be busy as we presented two Artist in Schools programs at Olivet Christian College and Port Fairy Consolidated School which both culminated in a concert. Our theme for this edition is ‘Accent on Percussion Instruments’ and we hope you enjoy it.

Percussion Instrument Repairs and Purchases

A question that comes up at nearly every teacher workshop is:

Where can I find someone to repair my percussion instruments?

Do you have old and dusty xylophones stacked in a corner cupboard with missing bars and bent pins? Have you lost the beaters/mallets?

Phil and I would like to put together a list of percussion instrument repairers around Australia. We are happy to also include information for our New Zealand and Singapore readers as well. If you have someone that you use please email their details to us. Here's a start to our list:

Mountain Marimbas and Musaics in Melbourne

John Rechter from Mountain Marimbas and Bill Vryens from Musaics supply percussion instruments and also make and repair them. They can

• replace or make new bars;
• replace rubber beds and tubing;
• retune the bars;
• replace broken or missing pins;
• reskin and tune drum heads

and much more. John and Bill also make their own marimbas and xylophones and can supply a number of different instruments. For those of you in country areas or interstate etc, John is happy for you to email him with any questions. He can send you rubber tubing, pins and new bars for wooden and metal instruments. For more information –

John jrechter@alphalink.com.au or phone 03 9755 2137 / Bill 03 9754 3470

Would you like to know where to go to purchase good quality and affordable percussion instruments?

Allan Watson at Optimum Percussion in Sydney will look after you. If in Australia, NZ or Singapore – they will ship it to you.
Go to www.optimumpercussion.com.au

If you can highly recommend other instrument suppliers in your area please email us and we will put a list together for you.

The How and Why of Classroom Instruments

Why use instruments?

Instruments can be lots of fun! They provide a diverse source of expression and can add extra colour to a rhyme, song or dance. The elements of music can be taught through instruments.

Fine motor control can be achieved through instrument manipulation, also concentration and listening skills. Language skills are developed through discussion of instruments in describing sounds, material etc.

Because instruments are intriguing objects, mysterious, often colourful, varying in size, shape, weight and sound they provide wonderful opportunities for children to explore and create. Children are also highly motivated to learn through instrument use.

To read click on this link:  Instrument_article_10_2005.doc

2005 Workshop Dates for Teachers and Caregivers

SALE, VIC Fri 7th Oct 2005
All day Early Childhood Music workshop (for 3-8 yr olds)
Flier now available here or check our calendar here

MELBOURNE, VIC Fri 11th Nov 2005 ** DUE TO DEMAND NOW ON AGAIN **
Half-day early childhood & half-day middle years music workshop
Hartwell Primary School, Milvington St, Camberwell

Flier now available here or check our calendar here

Family Music Workshop at the Queenscliff Music Festival

A joyous celebration of music making for all ages. Lots of fun in an entertaining and educational setting. Families will be involved in music making through songs, rhymes, role play, playing instruments, laughter, movement and dance.

Bookings Ruth Savage – ruthqmf@primusonline.com.au

2006 Workshop Dates

MELBOURNE, VIC Fri March 3rd 2006
All day Early Childhood Music workshop
Geelong Grammar School, Glamorgan Campus, Toorak
workshops@welcometomusic.net

Susie and Phil On Tour - 2006

As you can see from the list of areas below, we are planning lots of workshops for next year – PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS. There are some gaps in our schedule in various areas so if you would like to book us – please enquire NOW so you don’t miss out!

We are booking in Professional Development workshops for teachers, Artist in School programs, children’s shows, workshops and classes for preschools and schools, performances for festivals and Musikeynotes for conferences – see below for more info.

We will send you detailed information and a costing tailor made for your individual situation. If you would like to make a booking for 2006 please email.

AUSTRALIA

INTERNATIONAL

We are always looking for suitable venues to run our workshops – if you think your centre or school might be suitable we’d love to hear from you. In return, we would be happy to offer up to 3 free registrations for you and other staff members. This works really well and can be a great opportunity to promote your centre or school to the general teaching community. Please email us!

Musikeynotes with The Splitters

Musikeynotes to motivate, energise and inspire! A mix of motivation, education, inspiration, entertainment, stories, music and humour as a positive and inspiring opening or closing to your conference.

Musikeynotes are delivered with the power and passion that only music can provide. With lilting vocals, beautiful harmonies, syncopated rhythms, positive lyrics and catchy melodies, Susie and Phil will make your event unique and memorable by sharing messages of positive thinking, self esteem and self motivation.

Performing with piano, guitar and percussion, The Splitters guarantee to entertain, educate, energise, empower and inspire you and your participants to be winners in life!

Laugh, cry, sing and join in as Susie and Phil - The Splitters, Australia's foremost Presentertainers - share their important messages and music.

Topics include;

1. I’m not stressed, I always look like this!
2. What me – musical? Why some of us are scared about music and how we can become musical models?
3. What me – sing? Singing for everyone – singing for life
4. The Power of Music - ‘Learning’ through music

Click here to read more information.

Focus Group update

We have been working with our Focus Group on developing new product for you to assist you in the preschool and classroom. As I will be running an Orff improvisation course for teachers as part of my Masters early next year, we are considering developing an album for Early childhood and the middle years that focuses on improvisation. We will keep you posted.

"Ask Susie" question and comments forum

If you would like to ask me about anything relating to music education, send me an email and I will attempt to answer it for you.

Can you help?

We are looking to put together a list of associations and conferences around Australia to be able to recommend to you for:

1. Music Education
2. Early Childhood
3. Special Education
4. Primary School

If you subscribe to a great association and/or they have a wonderful conference we’d like to know about it – please email me.

Testimonial Sept 2005

Hi Susie & Phil,

thought I'd let you know that my two year 3 classes at Terang College have been working on Chester's Cool Scool Band over the term. I have these two classes for one lesson per week, and I decided to put together this activity to be performed at the end of term assembly. The challenge was in having all the classes separately, then putting the performance together with both groups having had one combined practise.

Our performance was a hit, eleven students read parts of the story in turn, the kids were amazing in doing all the sound effects together with the movements and some added percussion, (not to mention the time we put into having the movements come from left hand, right hand, etc) and perfoming the song along to the backtrack. We got a standing ovation at the end of the performance! This was the only standing ovation anyone has ever received for an assembly item.

Thanks for providing such wonderful material to work with, and I had a great bunch of kids to work with! We all had a blast!! I'm looking forward to doing more with Razzamajazz next term.

Regards, Michelle Mackinnon

On-line shopping now available!

On our website you will also find sample songs and pages from our teacher's manuals, PLUS we now have on line shopping for your convenience – It's quick and easy and school orders and credit cards are welcome – check it out here!

PS: We think that this newsletter is really good value. If you think so too, pass it on to another teacher, caregiver or parent and suggest that they subscribe as well.

Susie and Phil

What is MusicNotes?

MusicNotes is our eNewsletter for preschool and primary teachers, caregivers, parents, therapists, community members and anyone who loves music and is passionate about music for children and all people - regardless of age or background!

MusicNotes is filled with useful information, music resources updates, workshop and event information, articles on music education and even an Ask Susie question and comments forum.

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