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Kid Music Series: Patriotic Songs for Sing-Alongs
Here is a collection of patriotic songs that are fun for kids and easy for sing alongs. Many have importance in our nation's history.
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Kid Music Series: 10 Traditional Fun Songs for Valentine’s Day
Carry a card in your hand and a song in your heart. When celebrating Valentine's Day with children, what quality songs and games would bring joy and a smile on everyone's face?
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Halloween Stories: The Joy of Reading Aloud
Are you brave enough to use character voices while you read out loud to your listeners? Here are some tips to ‘chisel’ into reading scary stories with conviction, excitement and even some dark humor.
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East Village: Reading About New York While Living in New York
What books are an abstract reflection on your New York experiences? Grab your cafe seat while holding The Lost World of the Fair or The Beautiful and the Damned or even Less Than Zero.
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The Persian Santoor
A Full Sensory Experience: The Santoor has a dense, wooden body shaped in a trapezoid with strings that are played with delicate wooden hammers. This is my dream instrument and worth a look.
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Horror Double Feature: The Host and District 9
Why are these two horror/science fiction films perfect for a double feature movie night? They make you deliciously uncomfortable, visually titillated and they make you even laugh at times.
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Alternate Swimming Apparel for Young Surfers or Middle Aged Hipsters
These board shorts are stylish enough to be for the young as well as the more mature. Here are some tips to mix and match!
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A Great Song for Your Earth Day Circle Chant
The Earth is Our Mother is a wonderful way to incorporate music into your Earth Day Celebrations. Although it is not an authentic Native American song, its message is to take care of our world.
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Aerosmith's Pump and Def Leppard's Rocks: A Female Drummer's Perspective
Aerosmith: Their songs are tongue-in-cheek and non-apologetic pure rock trash. Def Leppard: We were card-carrying new wave punkers, but we had a secret love for hard hard rock.
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The Secret of Amohamed's Church Murals
Charleston, South Carolina has a wealth of beautiful architecture and historical churches. What attracted this artist from India to come to Charleston during the turn of the century?
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High School Band Nerd
Marching band, I wouldn't trade that experience again for the world! Now that my daughter is in marching band, I get to enjoy it all over again.
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Do We All Have a Musical Brain?
Researchers have been very active trying to answer this question. I was pleased to find software for my music classes that could give us physical data to help answer this question.
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Pop Science in Name Only
Who are the most popular science authors and show hosts? What makes them good at translating physics and astronomy to the average person? The key is that they are clear without being condescending.
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Successfully Introduce a Child to Opera
What brings music to life for young children? Movement is essential. Visuals always help. The biggest though I believe is a 'tickle in the ear.' By that I mean what is the music trying to say?
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3 Big Fun Things to Do in Pittsburgh
Yens' might as well know it now - I'M a Pittsburgher! One summer my family and I went back to my hometown and decided to act like tourists and actually do some of the things that the city has to offer.
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Keep Going Keep Going
This article contains musings on my cross country skiing experiences and their positive effect on my chronic illness.
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Kid Music Series: Fall Harvest Songs
The United States has a long tradition of harvest songs. Ours stem from songs sung by Native American, hymns sung by Pilgrims and finally secular folk songs that remind us of the old farm.
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Kid Music Series: Sa'idi Dance From Ancient Egypt
Do your children think that ancient Egyptians danced with angled arms and jutting hands and feet? The actual dances during the times of the Pharaohs were athletic but in a more fluid way.
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Kid Music Series: Meaningful Music for African-American Studies
Black History Month means reaching out to each other, not just during February but all through the year. The African-American experience is an ongoing journey towards equality and opportunity.
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Movie Review: The Screaming Skull is Coming for You!
Had you ever teased your younger brother or sister and then got in trouble for it? No? Well I have! It took kid ingenuity to create the problem and parental ingenuity to resolve it.
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Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films
I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the interpretations of these vintage Disney songs. This collection is a real treat.
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Book Review: My Stroke of Insight
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's story of stroke and recovery is compelling to read, her description of what the stroke was like from the inside was astounding considering she was a Harvard brain scientist!
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The Curious Universe of Outsider Music
It takes a special kind of person to love this CD collection. Someone that loves the bizarre and unusual. Someone that gets that the music is serious artistic expression and not a weird joke.
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Popeye and Me
How my dad's love of cartoons developed within me a love of vintage cartoons. The early Popeye the Sailor cartoons by Max Fleischer are some of my absolute favorites.
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My Neighbors TOTORO and PONYO
These creatures haunt me, but in a good way. If I could, I would dive head first into the exquisite backgrounds and then swim or fly with these beings as they journey along to their adventures.
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Seuss, Sneetches, and My Story
Although perhaps not as memorable as Green Eggs and Ham or as famous as the Cat in the Hat, The Sneetches story will forever hold a special place in my heart.
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The Ornament Box: A Family Tradition
We get to open a treasure chest before every Christmas! Well, not exactly a chest filled with gold and jewels, but even better.
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Vernon Reid's Cult of Personality and Zappa's Valley Girl
The big hit from Vernon Reid's recording VIVID is the song Cult of Personality. So what does that have to do with Frank Zappa's song Valley Girl? Silly! Vernon, Vivid and Valley start with V!!
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Bonnie Rideout and the Scottish Folk Song
Until I researched Scottish music for a school project, I never realized how pervasive this music is in American culture. In this article I highlight six songs and the talented Bonnie Rideout.
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Kid Music Series: The Top 5 Groovin' Hanukkah Songs
Does your family say 'Ho, hum' to the old Dreidel song and Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah? Need to spice up your party celebrations with a youth-friendly get down groove?
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Kid Music Series: Christmas Songs From Around The World
In the U.S. and many parts of the world, there are many common and old (loved) Christmas songs. But also, there are Christmas songs specific to different languages, cultures and melodies.
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I saw The Pixies and Jellyfish at the Academy Theatre.
Two of my favorite alternative bands. The Pixies translate music into a surreal slap in the face. The Jellyfish took a psychedelic trip into brilliant pop.
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A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Spiderwick Chronicles
How did two children’s books with mysterious going-ons and fantastical scenarios end up being practically joined at the hip in their delivery? Both of these stories successfully translated to film.
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The Dune Chronicles: Why You Should Read Them
Frank Herbert's craft in writing this science fiction series carries you through the ups and downs of vast empires and civilizations. It is elegant, enjoyable, escapist reading.
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O Brother, Where Art Thou? Review
The Coen brothers can do no wrong. They write, direct and produce movies that bring a sharp wit and edge to the American story. This movie pushes all the right buttons for me, style, wit and music.
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My 10 Favorite Children's Book Illustrators of All Time
Beautiful illustrations are nothing short of a delicious gourmet meal for the eyes. Tracing your hand over the pictures on the page is a tactile pleasure.
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Aiken Drum Harvest Man
This activity is based on the old Scottish folk song 'Aiken Drum.' As a music teacher, I sang this with children during autumn months and Thanksgiving time.
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The Hidden Reality of Brian Greene
Author and physicist Brian Greene has been in the spotlight since he wrote his first book and hosted the PBS special 'The Elegant Universe.' The visuals he uses during his explanations are stunning.
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Halloween Music: ELVIRA's Haunted Hits
Elvira's music for Halloween still rocks! This collection is only available on CD, but its worth the effort for you to transfer it to your computer or digital player.
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Evelyn Glennie Does Not Own a Champagne Sparkle Drumset
... but she wows us with every other thing you can hit, scrape or bump against!
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Surprise Kitsch in South Carolina
Little did we know what we were in store for on our trip from Northern Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina.
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Kid Music Series: Introduction to Traditional Chinese Music
There is such beauty in the traditional music of China. It ranges from the instrumental ensemble to folk singing. In this article, I will give you my recommendations for both.
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Kid Music Series: Peel the Orange and Through the Wicket
What is the difference between square dancing, line dancing and contra line dancing? Let me tell you the answer and then show you some cool contra line dance moves for your classroom.
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If All Children
If all children had the same opportunity for love and knowledge, what would the world be like? What are some small steps we can do to help? I discuss the successful One Laptop Per Child Program.
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The Bahá'í Temple: One of the Seven Wonders of Illinois!
The Bahá'í House of Worship is just outside Chicago in Wilmette, Illinois. If you travel the highway north along the lake for about 10 min., you end up on a stunning overlook where the Temple resides.
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Films: How Does Martin Scorsese DO It?
They hit the mark, they compel you to watch. Many of his movies are visually grating and gloriously colorized. His character development is one of the best in film history.
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Retro Orange and the World's Fair
I react to this color like most people react to a tranquil blue. I'm calmed and grounded when around it. Here are some ideas to bring some orange into your life.
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An Outdoor Halloween Birthday Party
When our daughter said she wanted a Halloween themed birthday party, I got very excited. Here are some ideas on how to decorate and plan for your party!
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Oooo, Pumpkin Ghosts for Preschoolers
Looking for a great Halloween craft for preschoolers thats not too scary? I learned how to do these from my daughter when she was small while cutting out pumpkins and ghosts.
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My Crazy DJ LANCE Costume
He's dressed in a fuzzy orange hat, orange sweatsuit and giant glasses. With boom box in hand he greets you. Here is the ringleader of fun, introducing DJ LANCE ROCK!!
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Musical Oddities - Lehrer's Elements Song
In 1959, why did Tom Lehrer record a song of all the known elements of his time based on the tune of the Major-General's Song from the opera The Pirates of Penzance?
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Kid Music Series: Bollywood and Bhangra Dance
How do you incorporate dance and music from different countries in your classroom? How do you inspire your students or your own children to embrace the sounds and style of a different culture?
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Make a Dandy Mad Hatter Costume
The Alice in Wonderland Movie came out spring of 2010. That fall, I dressed as the Hatter for the school parade. This time almost all the kids recognized me. "I know who you are! You're Johnny Dep!"
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Pete Seeger - My Personal Superhero
I debated whether Pete would want to be identified as a superhero. I then thought, if I can tie it in with his current causes that he's still fighting for then maybe he'd tolerate the term 'superhero.
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Everybody Has a Grandma Emily!
It all starts with a picture and a little bit of information if you're lucky. How do you go about finding your Grandma Emily in your family tree?
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My Gamera Love Niche with MST3K
Want a clear, well written description of MST3K? The television show that wowed audiences from 1988-1999? Boy are you in the wrong place. Instead are my love sick musings on their Gamera movie episodes.
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Pop Goes the Monkees!
This vintage toy exemplifies a crystal clear beacon of joy (one of many) from my days in fourth and fifth grade.
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The Top 7 Murder Mystery Shows for Preteen Girls
The best murder mysteries have witty conversations with a plot that is just complicated enough to keep us on our toes. At the end of the show- the answer is tied up neatly in a nice little bundle.
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How Do I Start a Great Music Collection?
Want to update your music collection AND convert it to digital as painlessly as possible? I solve two problems - How to transfer and how to add new quality music to your collection!
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The Invasive Tree Caper
Our new house included a beautiful yard, but unfortunately, a previous owner decided to add some invasive species of trees. These trees may look nice but they end up hurting the local environment.
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Kid Music Series: Authentic Mexican Songs For Cinco de Mayo and More
As a general music teacher, I've spent years researching music for my classes. These six recordings exemplify the best of traditional Mexican Folk Music. Guitar, harp and marimbas are featured.
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My Book Review of Tove Jansson's Moominvalley in November
Just like The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Moominvalley in November by Tove Jansson reflects simplicity, beauty and almost a meditative or spiritual aspect to its story.
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The Double Life of My Amazing Pet Tortoise
My pet named 'Turtleboy' was actually a tortoise. Luckily, he didn't seem to have an identity crisis over his name. Little did I know that he had a double life as a circus performer.
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Time for a Family Hoedown!
Time to round up those chickens and get ready for a family hoedown! This is a nice alternative to family game night. Part of the hoedown is not just pickin' and grinnin' but the movin' and groovin'.
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Zen Guitar and Me
For many, Zen is a spiritual path, but it is also a way to deepen study on any subject or discipline. This book is a guide on how to stay focused and mindful as you develop your music skills.
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Decorating with Old Brushes
Actually, why not use paintbrushes to decorate? If you pick one corner, one table or one shelf, you can use brushes that are pleasing to the eye without burdening you with too much dusting!
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Top 10 Folk Recordings for Children
Does your child only listen to Sesame Street and Disney Music? Or maybe just pop or country radio? As wonderful as they are (my family listens to them too), there is more to American music.
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Top 11 Classical Recordings for Children
These recordings have been carefully chosen to enhance your child's (or grownup's) music library. Not sure where to start? Start with just a few - but get the absolute finest performances.