greetings from DPI
Connecting “On the Sunny Side of the Street”
Julie Palkowski, Arts and Creativity Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worries on the doorstep Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street (Source)
On this cold winter day, it seems totally appropriate to dive into this song hoping for a little more warmth from the sun. Wis- consin winters can be brutal, however we all have found a little extra warmth when walking on the sunny side of the street. We choose to venture to the place where the rays shine on our faces and provide a brighter path to navigate.
The excerpt I’ve started with is from “On the Sunny Side of the Street” written in 1930 by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields, originally recorded by Harry Rich- man. This song is over 90 years old and has 433 versions (Source) as of November 2020. The song has been covered by artists such as: Dizzy Gillespie with Sonny Stitt, Manhattan Transfer, Stevie Wonder, and even a duet between Tony Bennett and Willie Nelson. The song has taken on many styles, from jazz to country, some with vocals, others instrumental only. What has inspired so many musicians to bring this song into their repertoire? Before answering, check out another ex- cerpt from the song to see if this resonates with you.
Walked with no one and talked with no one
And I had nothing but shadows Then one morning you passed And I brightened at last Now I greet the day and complete the day
With the sun in my heart All my worry blew away (Source)
So, did that verse speak to you? After so many months in isolation from colleagues, friends and family, the verse definitely reminded me how much I miss all of you. OK, now it’s time to answer the other question. What has inspired so many mu- sicians to bring this song to life? After reading through the lyrics I see a message of hope and a determined intentional focus on looking for a positive way of living. In addition, I see how much seeing each other can brighten our outlook. If you do not have the lyrics handy and are listening to an instrumental version, there are other hints in the message. We could dissect the song further, however, my point is that this song carries a strong universal theme of choosing to walk in the “sun” and finding joy through our connections. I would guess that the song has endured 90+ years because of these ideas and the catchy melody.
Taking this idea one step forward, what other songs provide some emotional con- nections and messages that inspire us? How may students respond to the music?
WSMA and WMEA Mailing List Notice
WSMA and WMEA board policy allows for non-profits, universities and colleges to request rental of member physical mailing lists to send information about programs and services offered by their organizations. If you prefer to have your name and school address left off mailing list rental requests, please opt out by changing your preferences in the Account Portal. Questions? Please email
info@wsmamusic.org.
12 January 2021
This magazine issue is focused on the sunny side of music learning. Our roles as educators put us in a position to intro- duce our young musicians to incredible music. We can explore through perform- ing, creating, responding and connecting through the art form. For this article, a few examples are provided through interactive modules to explore utilizing the Wis- consin Standards for Music through the standards of respond and connect. Click on the modules and participate within the activities. Reflect on how you may use and alter these activities to best support your young musicians in developing their skills and knowledge in responding and con- necting in music. Besides the opportunity to engage in the modules, consider how the modules were created. I used several tools that engage participants virtually to articulate what they know, can do, and are learning in the art form. The tools I used to create the modules included: Audac- ity, Pear Deck and Google Slides. Each tool offers endless possibilities for virtual learning. Check these out and enjoy the modules exploring respond and connect in the Wisconsin Standards for Music.
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
