April, 2023 April: Balancing discipline and freedom John Ireland’s “April” captivated me. Composed in 1925, it is unapologetically and exquisitely beautiful. As an extra gift, we can hear the composer performing the work thanks to a 78-rpm record and a YouTube user. In addition, the score is available on IMSLP, and new interpretations have [...]
My sister Karen is going through boxes of our parents’ memorabilia. One of the things she shared is the Dale family’s 1960 Christmas letter, perfectly typed by my mother. The two pages recount the year's events including the birth of my sister Melissa ("very throaty, no head resonance") and my father’s second appearance at [...]
Song with meter change for children
If note-naming exercises are a step toward music literacy, do they have a purpose beyond that point?
“Dry January,” the idea of abstaining from alcohol during the first month of the year, isn't new. In fact, it's said to go back to 1942. Whether you’re always dry, dry for January, or “damp” through the year, here’s a song that offers a little perspective. “Whoa January (You’re Going to be Worse than [...]
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel was born on this day, November 14th, in 1805. (Google honored on this, her 216th birthday, in its daily doodle.) She wrote more than 460 pieces of music, at least some of which were published under her brother Felix's name. The first work published under her own name was her Opus [...]
Research award to support study of MusiKinesis® in urban Baltimore The Sherman Center for Early Learning in Urban Communities is pleased to announce its 2020-2021 research fellow, Monica Dale, Music Coordinator & Adjunct Faculty in UMBC’s Dance Department. Ms. Dale will work with early childhood educators at Arundel Elementary School to investigate the effects [...]
Happy Anniversary! Today is the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. It’s hard to believe it was only two generations ago that American women were disenfranchised. My own grandmother was prohibited from casting a ballot. Even after the ratification of the 19th amendment, black women (as well [...]
Special Features of This Year's MusiKinesis® Courses Daily classes in eurhythmics, teaching techniques, repertory, improv/composition and related areas form the foundation. Plus, the programs in both Baltimore and Rochester include a rich variety of added experiences, too! Baltimore County – July 8-12 This week will feature guest classes from experts in their fields. Teaching Children [...]
Freda Miller Modern Dance Musician, 1911-1960 Remember Modernism? Soon after women won their right to vote, they began the audacious exploration of dance as their own art form. Women were often their musical collaborators, as well. Here I'll introduce you to a significant one: Freda Miller. The staples of suburban dance studios seem to reference [...]
