Songdog Music

SHORT TERM RESIDENCIES 

TITLE: The Rock Ringer
GRADE LEVEL: 7-12 Orchestra or Band or Choir or any combination thereof
DESCRIPTION: We utilize the old tactic of hiring a ringer to fill out a section - only it brings in a professional to fill out a student ensemble, and it ads in the electric guitar. Simple, yes. But if you are programming a concert with several rock pieces, the benefits can be pretty big:

*Guitar is the sound of rock and roll. You can feel it in the texture immediately . . . plus audiences tend to go "Oooooo"
*Given my classical background I can support your program on any outcomes you have, from ensemble playing to rhythm, articulation, intonation, musicology, whatever (I have taught orchestra at the elementary/MS level and I can support those players pretty well. Band, much less so. I spent many years in college choirs.).
*Academic by training, I am a rocker at heart. It is simple music played with vigor and this is what I love to bring to a student ensemble. Kids want that out of music and they can feel it when it's there. A teacher's personality always comes through. I intend to inspire kids to just play better, but if you want we can take it all the way to having a soloist/front man for your concert. I have raised my guitar overhead, jumped from a stage, worked a thousand partiers into a frenzy. Dream big, my friend.
*Sectionals/Workshops/Master Classes/Improv/Etc. We can keep it to just dress rehearsals and a concert. But teaching/rehearsing scenarios offer so much. Improvisation in particular is a natural topic when working on rock repertoire.
*Scores & Parts. Many ensemble scores include parts for guitar. Many of those suck. Many have none. I'm used to it, I can compose my own parts as needed. OR: I have some of my own work that may suit even better, both arrangements of popular tunes, and originals (those are mostly for level 1 or 2 strings). It's your project. 
 

 
DELIVERY LOGISTICS: In Person. Our location is Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. but travel/lodging is entirely plausible. Guitar is central to the project but if need and budget allow we can provide drummer and/or bassist (or work with your student/faculty/local pro on those instruments). 

TITLE: Your Voice Is A Choice
GRADE LEVEL: Any
DESCRIPTION:  In creative writing they speak of the author's voice; I approach writing a song the same way. Plus, cool pun. As in writing, students and I 
*brainstorm ideas
*sketch an outline
*rough draft
*revise, revise, revise
All together, with me as the ringleader, and of course as the provider of musical cues, elements, and structure. Zero academic music is required, I have done this with six year olds. 

I begin with examples and demonstrations and simple activities to get students' minds moving musically. When they are, we focus in on a promising idea and treat it as our raw material - their sonic playdough if you will - and we mold it. It's all a big game, a game show almost! Their ideas come fast and furious and their engagement is beautiful. Almost no one believes they can write a song, and here they are as a whole class, doing it. Of course we finish up with performing it and recording it. 
DELIVERY: In Person. Our location is Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. but travel/lodging is entirely plausible. 

 RESIDENCIES/COURSES OF ONE TO THREE ACADEMIC QUARTERS

Longer-term, skill-based courses are available. These can all be done over the internet, I normally use Zoom but if your school has an interface that works better, that is great. My goal in offering these is to provide teaching in topics most of us don't get much of in our own training. It is just my own peculiar background which makes all of this my native language. 

TITLE: Songwrighting 
GRADE LEVEL: Any 
DESCRIPTION: As a playwright or shipwright crafts their work, so we craft our songs or pieces. For many years I taught this at the school of the arts in our local metropolitan district; we did yearly concerts with student ensembles performing student compositions. It was fantastic to hear their ideas come to life, and it was clearly transforming for our student composers to hear it. I deeply love teaching music composition; if you want to make it happen in your school then write me, I will help it happen. For more on my approach click this page: Songwright Lessons.  
DELIVERY: Via internet or in person. Students will need regular access to some type of device capable of capturing and storing: audio data, video data, a music notation app, a digital analog workstation, or something. 

TITLE: Everyone Improvises 
GRADE LEVEL: Any  
DESCRIPTION: Whenever the word improvisation is mentioned to a classical musician, I can almost feel the wince, almost see the blood pressure rise. And yet every hair-brained kid with a pair of Vans and an anarchy sticker does it in his punk/pop/ska band. I would like to humbly offer to address this vexing issue for humanity. Here's the spoiler: You did it today. You'll do it again in a few minutes. Conversation is improvisation. In your head, out loud to yourself, to another adult, to your dog, every conversation is the act of creating meaning, on the spot, out of your store of language data and understanding, with intent to communicate. 

Also improvisation is listed in the educational objectives of every department of ed's music curriculum. Bunch of smart alecs, they are.

This is my approach. I use musical materials fluidly, it's not jazz, it's not rock, it's not Carnatic. It is music in the broadest sense because we have to start there in order to be relevant to all learners, particularly kids. And I love teaching it - giving access to this gorgeous expressive form to children and adults who had no idea it was within their reach. 
DELIVERY: Via internet or in person. IF perchance this is for you the teacher, I can create whatever course structure your district requires for PD. 

TITLE: Training For Guitarists  
GRADE LEVEL: Any  
DESCRIPTION: We can craft this however you need: as a class, as individual lessons, weekly or monthly or another frequency. Though most music teachers have had a guitar methods class, if you want to give select students more depth and breadth then a specialist is vital. Why. Reasons:
*Your jazz band has an eager guitarist . . . who is a rock player and has no bloody idea what jazz is. Or thinks it's rock, but with a fedora on.
*You got a kid bouncing around, trying to participate, but refuses to play a band or orchestra instrument, or bombed out at it.
*You have a bunch of kids bugging you to learn on that stack of dusty guitars in the back of your instrument room.
*You yourself want to move beyond methods class and want someone who understands your time requirements and who has a ton of tricks up his sleeve that make use of your own vast musical experience while not expecting you to play Freebird (ps. ukulele counts too!).    
DELIVERY: Via internet or in person. IF perchance this is for you the teacher, I can create whatever course structure your district requires for PD.