World Music Concert April 5 (Sunday) 3:00 pm

A self-promotion...

You are cordially invited to be part of the Annual Spring World Music Concert in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at NIU on April 5. The concert will begin at 3:00 with a collaborative music selection, Hands without Borders, by three Chicago-based percussionists specializing in drumming styles of different cultures: the Syrian-born Omar Al Musfi on the Middle Eastern drums and Venezuelan-born Javier Saume and Mexican-American Ruben Alvares on Latin-American percussion instruments.

Following this modern world music fusion trend is a series of traditional Chinese music featuring Taiwanese pipa soloist, Mrs. Wang Chen Yung-Hsin, flutist; Ms. Santina Sheng-Ting Lin; and vocalist, Ms. Vicky Yu-Kuan Wang. The NIU Javanese gamelan ensemble will again present a mixture of traditional and modern compositions on the gamelan, featuring soloists Shari Heda on the clarinet, Robyn Sutton on the flute, and Dennis Dziekan, vocal.

The Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai is the next performance group invited to showcase the folk music and dance tradition of Okinawa, Japan. NIU Percussion majors Maggie Bergren and Clarice Cast will perform folk tunes from two cultural regions, Spain and Brazil, respectively, on the same instrument, the pandeiro (tambourine). The concert will be concluded by Dr. Greg Beyer of the NIU percussion faculty playing a modern composition incorporating yet another world music element, the Venezuelan maracas.

Come join us to discover this diverse soundscape in our community and to share this wonderful multi-music feast our musicians and performers have prepared for you this year. We look forward to seeing you all then. Children of all ages are welcome. Please contact Dr. Jui-Ching Wang (jcwang@niu.edu) if you have any questions.

Journal Week#11

We're still working on integrating musical activities into children's literature. Creativity, apparently, is the main thing we want to focus on. But in addition to creativity, what else can be done in a story tellilng activity (with musical accompaniment) like what we did this week? Reflect on all the activities we did this week and tell what can children benefit from these all-in-one story telling/acting/dramatizing project?
We also learned a new musical concept, Binary form this week. Briefly review what makes a binary form? What kinds of music we listen to are written in this form? Give me some examples of it.

Have a good weekend!

Song selections for your multicultural project

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 -- Song selections for your multicultural project

Hello,

I hope you've had a better idea about how to use music library to find stuff for your final project.

Here is the thing... I will need you to use this textbook series I introduced you today to find your song selections (2 songs + 1 rhyme) to write the first set of lesson plans.

So, the first thing I want you to submit is the photocopy of these songs/rhyme. By 3/25, you should turn in the three pieces of music to me. For the two songs, yes, they must be in sheet music format. For the rhyme, it's OK that you can just type the texts down on a piece of paper.

If you have problems finding anything for your final project, come talk to me. I'll try my best to help you find what you need.

Children's literature project

Wed, Mar 18, 2009 -- A recap...

For the children's literature project, you will have to find out which subject you are assigned to do first (from the announcement below). After making sure with your group members that there's no duplication in the group, then you write an annotated bibliography.

The first part of the INDIVIDUAL PROJECT is due on 3/27

This is what needs to be included in your annotated bibliography

Publishing Information (author/illustrator, publisher, and date published).
3-5 sentences describing what this book is abou, and how children, educators, or parents would benefit from this book.
A photocopy of the title page of the book.
The second part of the INDIVIDUAL PROJECT is due on 3/30 (rationale of teaching your assigned subject). For example, why is it important to teach counting to children at young age? or why is it important to teach the concept of climate to fourth graders? Refer to the guidelines if you have any questions or talk to me...


GROUP PROJECT

As a group, collectively you will have to find a book in the subject you are assigned. I will allow some class time for you to work together (so you don't need to spend too much extra outside class time). Feel free to use cell-phone, instant messenger, facebook, any kind of communication modes to engage in group meeting.

The lesson plan is due on 4/3. On the same day, you will have to present the story along with the musical activity you design in class.


Posted by: J. WANG

MUSC373 Journal#8

For week#8, I think we can start with talking about creativity in child development. You can talk about the benefits of creativity, and specify why it is important to cultivate children to be creative? And how in music (from what we've learned so far) we can help children develop their creativity.

Make sure you tell me what you're going to do with your multicultural project in your journal.

Assignments Week#8 and Week#9

Week#8

Reflection for Chapters 7 and 8
2-3 page summary for the research article I gave you on Monday evening
The topic of your research paper along with a list of bibliography (please refer to the research paper guidelines).
Read through the two chapters (by Christopher Small) I post on COURSE DOCUMENT (under Sociology folder). There's no need to write summary/reflection for these two chapters. But keep in mind that there'll be discussions about these two chapters (and the short one by Jere Humphreys) in class on March 16.

Week#9 (Spring break)

Read through the research article I assign you to read (will be posted on COURSE DOCUMENT soon) and make a presentation (ppt) for that. You will have to present it in class on March 16 (as if it were your paper). For this one, you don't need to submit the summary. The presentation itself will be enough.
Post your thoughts about No Child Left Behind. For this assignment, just post it on your web blog. I'd like you to address the following points: its background, its influences on education in general, its influences on music education (or arts education) in particular; and what are the things you (as music educators) have done to counteract this policy and what are the things you have to continue fighting (if there's any) against the administrators to save music in school curriculum?