Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
Hi All! Amy from MI. Middle school band. Looking forward to chatting and learning this evening while working on some EOY assignments for students. #musedchat
Hi #musedchat! Kari from IL, middle school choir director. Current favorite contemporary (pop-ish) artists are @MumfordAndSons. Just listened to Wilder Mind last night!
Q1: There have been a lot of pop culture shake-ups happening just this past Spring. How much do you feel you’ve personally interacted with pop culture this past semester?
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Hmmmm....favorite musicians. Current playlist is usually a Pandora shuffle of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Cream or classic Musicals. Also a Dave Matthews Band fan and sad to be missing his show in town this week. #musedchat
A1: I feel that I've personally interacted more with popular music & popular culture than I have in the past few years because of my social media use. It keeps me in tune with the kiddos, if you will. #musedchat
A1: Personally I haven't been interacting with popular music that much recently. The extent of my interaction is listening to it while I relax or do homework. #musedchat
A1: Honestly...not so much. The usual spring madness plus my sister's wedding last weekend took up most of my energy/focus. I enjoy listening to current alternative pop, but that's about it. #musedchat
A1.1 I also try to post videos of popular instrumental/ pop music cross over things as possible on our social or show in class as a concluding activity to help keep the kids engaged and understand the relevance of what they do in the real world! #musedchat
We have used that convo: What drives your musical passion? The drugs? The experience? The success? The money? The fame? most say success, and in the end they know that can be had w/o drugs. #musedchat
A1 #musedchat Catholic school here – we do a lot of contemporary Christian arrangements and hymns but I didn't get in-depth with any of them this Spring. I play a clean pop playlist as kids come in, but not much more. I wish I were doing more!
A1: we’ve really gotten into film music and study lately. It’s a little different than what you might hear on the radio, but it links to othe pop icons. #musedchat
That's something I did actually keep up with. I read anything that I saw written about it. The video itself plus the analysis and reaction was really interesting to see. #musedchat
Q2: Just about every recent pop shake-up has come from the hip-hop world — Kendrick Lamar winning the Pulitzer Prize, ground-breaking videos from Childish Gambino & Janelle Monaé, to name a few. How much hip-hop, particularly, makes its way into your classroom?
#musedchat
I haven't talked with my students about "This Is America" yet, especially because it happened so late in our school year, but there will be a lot more discussion coming in the future. #musedchat
That's something I did actually keep up with. I read anything that I saw written about it. The video itself plus the analysis and reaction was really interesting to see. #musedchat
I think that's why I enjoyed reading various analyses of it. I'd read something and then have to go back and watch again because it was something I hadn't noticed or a reference I wasn't aware of. #musedchat
A1: I do use pop music, at times, to teach concepts. I tend to begin the school year with a pop song the students can play on the classroom instruments.
Kids are exposed to much more pop music at a younger age now, and sometimes it's the only way to reach them. #musedchat
A2: For my current situation, very little if any. I have made marching band arrangements of hip-hop before, as well as a unit based on Daft Punk for elem general music though. #musedchat
A2: It was in the middle of concert prep time, but it was really important for me to play Kendrick Lamar in context of many previous Pulitzer Prize winners for my kids. That was a cool lesson. #musedchat
A1 I feel more connected to my Ss this year. Over the past couple months I've been listening to a boxful of music suggestions. Spending some time on YouTube, I've learned a lot--found some new cool music & gained insight into my Ss. #musedchat
A2: I teach them basic piano/rhythmic skills and music theory; they choose where they will apply it. 3 Xs out of 4 it’s applied to writing and recording their own hip hop music or making instrumentals. #musedchat
A2: For my current situation, very little if any. I have made marching band arrangements of hip-hop before, as well as a unit based on Daft Punk for elem general music though. #musedchat
A2: I try to be current on all genres of pop if I can. Hip hop comes up every time we talk about lyrical rhythm and syncopation. Rhyming schemes alone are fascinating for kids. #musedchat
When I taught middle school music, I selected clean pop songs that I thought had a good message. I had the kids analyze the form, then write what they thought the song was about. We had lots of conversations about the messages in music, and really listening to them. #musedchat
A2: we started a hip-hop unit in my tech class. Can share the playlist later. It's got Nas, The Fugees, Digable Planets, and Tupac, among others #musedchat
A2 #musedchat Q2 https://t.co/DRP3c6U40h Julez Santana's tune has elements of the Dies Irae chant in it, so I showed the Nike Commercial from this article to my kids. That's about it.
A2 #musedchat Q2 https://t.co/DRP3c6U40h Julez Santana's tune has elements of the Dies Irae chant in it, so I showed the Nike Commercial from this article to my kids. That's about it.
We just did a lesson an the Pulitzer and then another on 80s hip hop and the orchestra hit (which originated from a Stravinsky recording!) not too much else to speak of, though unless they bring it to my attention #musedchat
Q3: Although very little popular music makes its way into our rooms during assessment season, what do you do throughout the year that reflects popular culture in your music room?
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It works well to expose them to different kinds of music! My students love when we study form and listen to what would be “old pop” like Elvis! #musedchat
That is really fun, too. In the past, I've plugged in my iPad, put on Garage Band, and put on the beat randomizer. I should start doing the same thing again. #musedchat
A3: i try my hardest to bring in elements of pop culture in videos as much as possible. We also went to see the @nyphil live playing Star Wars under the movie! Looking to do another movie concert- too cool! #musedchat
A2.1: Also, dare I say that Janelle Monae's "Pynk" is going to be my song of the summer, but I'm not showing the video to any student under the age of 18. #musedchat
A3: during assessment- we are starting to program our pops concert. Students look up arrangements on j.w. Pepper and check for quality based on originals they know. They can petition to have them on the concert. Creates student buy in for the last push. #musedchat
A3: we also use modern musical literature to help train students in solo singing. Student research a piece for their voice and then work it up. We have a recital every year in May showcasing those that worked it out. #musedchat
A3: I added form and analysis, chord progressions, have students do their own piano cover of a song using chord progressions of another song, transpositions... #musedchat
During one of the first weeks next year I plan to have my mixed choir Ss create beat tracks for some tech integration. Then I can use THEIR beats all year instead of the stock ones! #musedchat
A3.1: I do also put on clean music of students’ choice when they are working on written work- actually seems to keep them more focused and allows me to see what they are into. #musedchat
A3: I always try to relate the music to something the Ss may be more familiar with by making connections. I had a music theory prof use Eminem in class before. #musedchat
A3: we also use modern musical literature to help train students in solo singing. Student research a piece for their voice and then work it up. We have a recital every year in May showcasing those that worked it out. #musedchat
Not sure if this ties in with any previous questions, but I do feel it worth mentioning that connecting pop music to concepts being taught in #elmused is POWERFUL! I feel I’m almost unconventional with how much I incorporate #hiphop also. #musedchat
This Wednesday, actually, as I've collected 8th Instruments, I'm having the Ss choose a favorite song and compose a rhythm line under it with non-traditional instruments. I'm excited to see how it works out. New thing I'm trying. #musedchat
A3: When I taught middle school music, I used to have the kids learn about the Grammys and their nominees in 8 main categories. I created a ballot, and they voted. We'd see who won for the class and the school, and who took home the trophy after the show. #musedchat
This Wednesday, actually, as I've collected 8th Instruments, I'm having the Ss choose a favorite song and compose a rhythm line under it with non-traditional instruments. I'm excited to see how it works out. New thing I'm trying. #musedchat
A4: I feel like I have to protect my Ss sometimes from triggering content; also I just don’t want to hear most of the language or content either TBH. #musedchat
A4: in today’s political climate I am VERY careful of what and even more so HOW I tackle potentially sensitive content. If I feel it is incredibly important, I will do a lesson with a lot of planning and thought and with admin approval if I feel it’s necessary. #musedchat
A4: Yes. When I was having the bucket play along unit the kids would find the clean version of songs yet the content was not school appropriate. #musedchat
A3: When I taught middle school music, I used to have the kids learn about the Grammys and their nominees in 8 main categories. I created a ballot, and they voted. We'd see who won for the class and the school, and who took home the trophy after the show. #musedchat
I do something with my chorus students that's sort of similar, except our unit is on the singing of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl: style, genre representation, etc. They eat it up! #musedchat
I teach Chorus too, and this is why Hamilton (and clean arrangements) was such a gift from above. It gets the hip-hop the kids love, a social studies connection, legit musical content...punches in all the educational access codes! #musedchat
My Ss will request I inappropriate music at first in my class which leads to a great convo about which artists/songs have not had to use bad content and why having a broader vocab. is important #musedchat
A4: luckily I have supportive admin that allows us to play music with questionable content in the context of learning musical concepts and social issues for discussion. It’s a professional judgement. #thankful#musedchat
#musedchat Antoine Buttigieg here from Woodbridge Ontario Canada HS instrumental music teacher MB and drumline director of the @FrBressaniBands
It's been a while but I'm back!
I have to say, this is an area I LOVE to explore as a composer. I’m actually currently in the stage of creating a wind band Work for a new consortium that is genre EDM, but for concert band! It’s very interesting, and I don’t think it’s been done in band music before?
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And at the same time I think it brings up the conversation of use of inappropriate language in say, Kendrick Lamar vs. some SoundCloud rapper. Or the violence in that Post Malone video vs. "This Is America". #musedchat
Q5: This one is especially for veteran educators — do you think with music & pop culture being dissiminated differently than it was 10-20-30 years ago, it changes students’ relationship with pop culture?
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I have to say, this is an area I LOVE to explore as a composer. I’m actually currently in the stage of creating a wind band Work for a new consortium that is genre EDM, but for concert band! It’s very interesting, and I don’t think it’s been done in band music before?
#musedchat
Absolutely; We talk about having a purpose behind each word vs. just a “filler” or a shock factor. They get it and start to pick up on it when they go back and listen to “B artists” #musedchat
A5: not really. It gets made and kids consume. It’s slightly different being on demand now. Back then it was mix tapes that were blowing my parents minds. #gettingolder#musedchat
A5: I think our students today have a lot of immediate access to music, but very little guidance, it seems? Maybe this is age speaking, but I feel like my pop music tastes were more defined as a kid. Not sure if that's good or bad. #musedchat
A5: Yes. 32 years ago, I really didn't use pop music with my elem students. I slowly began to incorporate it, starting with one choir song per year. Now it's a necessity. Sometimes, it's the only way you can reach certain kids. #musedchat
A5.1: What I love is that if a kid is super into something, I can now check it out immediately. Not only do they have access, but *I* have immediate access, too. #musedchat
A5: Yes, and I think it's due primarily to our relationship with technology. It is so easy to find music, connect with artists, and make music of their own. #musedchat
A6: Of course! Good teaching is about relationships. You have to meet them where they are if you expect them to go along with what you say. It’s not the same road as my way or the highway anymore. #getwoke#kidssaythat#musedchat
***Shameless Plug***
I write a blog that's specifically about musical content (cool meters, modulation, neat cadences, classical samples) in popular music. I'm always updating it. Here's the song bank so far: https://t.co/Vll847eNaD#musedchat
