Chrissy Ricker
  • Home
  • Publications
    • Piano collections
    • Pop & rock arrangements
    • Video game arrangements
    • Vocal music
    • Instrumental music
  • Search
    • Search my catalog!
  • About
  • Blog
  • Free Stuff
  • Contact

Living Composer Project--Month 4 Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

5/30/2019

0 Comments

 
Read about the Living Composer project and download the worksheets HERE. Read the Month 1 Wrap-Up HERE. Read the Month 2 Wrap-Up HERE. Read the Month 3 Wrap-Up HERE.

Our semester-long "Living Composer Project" finally concluded this month with an awesome spring recital--and some very sweet letters written by my students to their composers of choice.

I blogged last month about the composers my students would be representing in our spring recital--and everyone did a wonderful job! I shared some of the facts that my students researched about the composers on the back of our recital program, and I think it was fun for the audience to learn a bit more about the composers behind the music that was featured.

Today I wanted to share a few of the letters my students wrote during our final month of this project:

Dear Jennifer Eklund,

My name is Ava, I am 11 years old, and I have been playing the piano for two years. My teacher has been helping me learn about living composers, and I have been learning your pieces "The Calm" and "Nightscape." My favorite thing about your music is how flowing it is and how you use the pedal. One question I have about your music is how do you compose it? Do you have people helping you?

Sincerely, Ava

***


Dear Randall Hartsell,

My name is Miles, I am 13 years old, and I have been playing the piano for five years. My teacher has been helping me learn about living composers, and I have been learning your piece "Raiders in the Night." My favorite thing about your music is that it is so calm and soothing. One question I have about your music is how do you come up with the notes?

Sincerely, Miles

***

Dear Kristen Allred,

My name is Annika, I am 12 years old, and I have been playing the piano for 2.5 years. My teacher has been helping me learn about living composers, and I have been learning your piece "The Prowling Panther." I love it! I learned how to play it a few weeks ago and I'm playing it for the recital! My favorite thing about your music is how fun it is. It is jumpy, like, fun to play and move around. One question I have about your music is how do you come up with your pieces? Do you have any advice for composing a piece? What is your favorite piece you ever wrote?

Sincerely, Annika

***


Final Thoughts on the Project

I really enjoyed seeing the excitement my students had for the music we worked on this semester, and it was enlightening to read in their own words the thoughts they had about the music and the questions they had for the composers. I was introduced to some new-to-me living composers by my students--and it was helpful to know what types of music my students are listening to outside of their piano lessons.

I will definitely continue to make more of an effort to point out to my students who composed the music they are playing, and to encourage my students to read about the composers whose music they are studying. I think it is important that students make the connection that music and art are products created by real people--and that as patrons of the arts we should make an effort to support this important work whenever possible.

It was also exciting for my students to have the opportunity to connect in person with the composers we studied. My students were thrilled to get responses from many of the composers they contacted. In fact, I heard from one teacher who adapted this project for her chorus classroom, and her class wrote and received a response from Alan Menken, of Disney music fame! Isn't it exciting that we live in a world where so much great music, and so many talented composers, are only a click of the mouse away? 

What do you think? Did you use any of the "living composer project" materials with your students? I would love to hear from you in the comments!



0 Comments

2019 Summer Review Challenge Calendars!

5/22/2019

2 Comments

 
Picture
My summer review challenge calendars were a big hit last year...so this year I decided to do three new calendars: one for June, July, and August of 2019!

These calendars are a fun way to help students review and keep up their skills over summer break. Students are given a challenge for each day of the month, including:
​


  • Listening to a famous piece of music (all of the listed pieces can be found easily on YouTube)
  • Sight-reading a new piece
  • Reviewing a favorite repertoire piece
  • Playing a piece for a friend
  • Reviewing scales, chords, and music vocabulary
  • Improvising
  • Playing a familiar tune by ear
  • Clapping and writing out rhythms
  • Reading about famous composers

I tried to keep these challenges short (most can be done in 5 minutes or less) and broad enough that they are accessible to students of all ages and levels.

Picture
Get your free summer review challenge calendars HERE or by clicking on the picture above. Enjoy!
2 Comments

Freebie Alert!

5/17/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Like many of you, I am in the midst of end-of-the-school-year craziness here! However, I wanted to pop in and let everyone know that my piece "Party Time Rag" is the weekend freebie over at Piano Pronto!

This piece is from my "Hit Singles" collection and is playable by either right hand or left hand alone--and features a special "party time" surprise in the middle! This one-hand collection would be great to have on hand (pun intended) for those students who come to lessons with a broken arm or wrist--and the pieces could also be used as technical studies for any student that wanted to develop dexterity in each hand.


​Click HERE or on the cover above to get your free copy. And while you are at Piano Pronto, check out my "Hit Singles," Ready to Rock," and "Let's Quest!" collections that are on sale for a limited time!

I'll be back soon with a wrap-up of my studio-wide "Living Composer" project, as well as more fun summer freebies for your students. So, stay tuned!

0 Comments

    Author

    Chrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music.


    Looking for teaching ideas related to a specific topic? Use the "search" feature or scroll down to see blog posts organized by category!

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

    Categories

    All
    2 Minute Teaching Tips
    Active Listening
    Composer Focus
    Composition
    Duets
    Ear Training
    Easter
    Fall/Halloween
    Free Stuff
    Friday Funny
    Games
    Group Classes
    Holiday Music
    Lesson Planning
    Living Composers
    Memorization
    Music For One Hand
    Music History
    Musicianship Monthly
    NFMC Selections
    Online Lessons
    Patriotic Music
    Performing
    Pop Arrangements
    Practicing
    Professional Development
    Repertoire
    Rhythm
    Rote Teaching
    Saint Patrick's Day
    Sight Reading
    Summer
    Technique
    Technology
    Thanksgiving
    Theory
    Tips For Teens
    Transposition
    Travel Teaching
    Valentine's Day
    Wedding Music
    Young Beginners

    RSS Feed

    Subscribe to my monthly newsletter to stay informed about my latest publications and free teacher resources. Once you subscribe below, a fresh newsletter will be delivered to your inbox on the first of each month!

    *Your email will never be shared or used for any other purpose besides this once-monthly newsletter, and you may unsubscribe at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of your newsletter email or contacting me HERE through my website. 

Subscribe
 © ​Copyright 2023 Chrissy Ricker. All Rights Reserved.