listening project
Listening, Learning and Loving It! Peggy Krasin, WMEA State Co-Chair, Listening Project
“While there can be no better introduc- tion to music than by singing or playing an instrument, the fact remains that the overwhelming majority of our pu- pils will be neither singers nor players.
Whatever contact they will have with mu- sic in their adult life will be as listeners. We therefore have to teach them how to listen if we are to make them true music lovers.”
This quote by Joseph Machlis inspired me to rethink my priorities in my music curriculum. I began searching for ways to get my students excited about music listening and resources to start integrat- ing music listening into my classes. The answers came to me in the mail. I received a letter from Dr. Mary Pautz inviting me to enter my school in the Music Listening Contest. I decided to try it and found it to be one of the best things I have done for my students, my music program, my school and myself.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Peggy Krasin. I teach music at Westside
Elementary School in River Falls, a job I have loved for the past 37 years, and I have been appointed state co-chair for the WMEA Listening Project. My co-chair is Aimee Swanson. Watch the next issue of WSM to find out more about her. We are very excited to take over this fabulous program. Other committee members in- clude Sharon Gilbert, Darin Menk, Jackie Vandenberg and Diane Schnell.
The theme of this issue is “Celebrating Our Past, Imagining Our Future.” I am proud to have been a part of this wonder- ful project since it started in 1984-85, so let’s…
Music Lessons Girl Choir Program Bands and Orchestras Early Childhood Music Summer Camps Adult Programs
Lawrence Academy of Music Lawrence University Conservatory of Music Appleton, Wisconsin • 920-832-6632
acad_music@lawrence.edu www.lawrence.edu/dept/acad_music www.facebook.com/lawrenceacademy
Lawrence University ACADEMY OF MUSIC
Celebrate Our Past – Dr. Mary Pautz had a vision. Inspired by an article she had read about music memory contests held in the 1930s, she wanted to design a listening contest for fifth grade Wisconsin students. The project had humble begin- nings. Mary ran it out of her basement. She sent out letters to colleagues and music teachers throughout the state and slowly, people began to respond. The pieces for the contest were on one cassette tape that teachers received when they entered. Teachers would receive letters four times a year with information and teaching ideas. Each person who entered was asked to share an idea for the newsletter. Through this networking, the contest grew. WMEA took over sponsorship of the contest, we renamed it the WMEA Listening Project and it is still growing 25 years later.
Enjoy Our Present – I am inviting and encouraging you to become a part of this fabulous project. The project is open to all music teachers. The cost of materials, which includes 30-50 “tried and tested” lesson plans and activities shared by Wisconsin music educators, is only $25.00 for WMEA members. You are encour- aged to reproduce and use these activities with all of your students. The ideas are easily adaptable to all grades K-12. The
56 September 2010
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72