Really love Christmas Carols. Playing and singing Christmas music is my favorite. I can remember as a child, where my family would sit around the piano to sing Christmas music. Whether my Grandma's, Aunt, Dad, Brother and I would play some of our favorite songs whether about Santa or the brith of Jesus. We would have so much fun. Yet as I've said before I really love Carols, which are my favorite. Here is an arrangement of What Child Is This by Gayle Kowalchyk, who is an incredible musician, one of the creator of Music for Little Mozart series, teacher, clinician. Meet her and her husband, Dr. E. L. Lancaster at an event in our area, where I learned so much. What a blessing. The arrangement

I've always enjoyed singing and playing Christmas music, whether about Santa, Frosty, Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer, White Christmas, Sleigh Ride. Yet I also enjoy Carols too. The music brings a smile to my face. So last year the kids at our church sang Go Tell it on the Mountain, a Christmas Carol from the Shepherds persective of Jesus' birth. The song really made an impact on my life while I helped my kids learn the three verses to the song. It was tons of fun. They did very well. So I decided that I wanted to create an easy arrangement of the song. I was hoping a student would play the arrangement last weekend for our studio event, yet the student got sick. I need to make a few adjus

As promised, here is the arrangement of We Three Kings (Camels and Cups) arranged by Wendy Stevens. Thanks to everyone who showed up to our studio event last weekend. Everyone did very well. Had a chance to get the students, parents, grandparents, friends that came to The Muppety Christmas Carol participate at the end of the event. Everyone smiled and really had a great time. If you don't use Cup rhythms in your studios, please check it out. What a blessing. Thanks for your support.

On Friday the family went to see Frozen 2, a first time to see a movie in the theater in a long time. We had tons of fun watching the film; enjoying the animation, magnificent music, even watching to the very end with the credits. Olaf is so funny. The characters have "changed", "grown up", as they settle into life, hoping that life will stay the same. Elsa is concerned that life will not be the same, Anna isn't sure about her relationship with Christoff and even Olaf is "maturing" and noticing the darkness of life and not always seeing the silver lining. There are big changes for each of the characters, yet I don't want to spoil the film if you haven't seen it. The adventure reveals the tru

Came across a fun way to teach We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Found the idea on pianimatnion.com. Jennifer Fink shared a great idea of having the students figure out the rhythm with Santa boot and reindeer footprints. The idea is genius, where the students can try on their own or with help to figure out the quarter (Santa's boot) and eighth note(reindeer tracks). This week, I've been sharing with the students this week. They are really enjoying it. Have the students color the rhythms that match the words, while you speak to them about quarter and eighth notes. The kids really enjoy learning the rhythm. Once the have the correct rhythm, the have them play it with a small drum, boomwhackers, s

Came across a fun way to teach We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Found the idea on pianimatnion.com. Jennifer Fink shared a great idea of having the students figure out the rhythm with Santa boot and reindeer footprints. The idea is genius, where the students can try on their own or with help to figure out the quarter (Santa's boot) and eighth note(reindeer tracks). This week, I've been sharing with the students this week. They are really enjoying it. Have the students color the rhythms that match the words, while you speak to them about quarter and eighth notes. The kids really enjoy learning the rhythm. Once the have the correct rhythm, the have them play it with a small drum, boomwhackers, s

I keep talking about the amazing ideas of cup rhythms and how they are changing how teachers explain and communicate rhythm. I'm such a huge fan of cup rhythms. Thanks Wendy Stevens at composecreate.com. Her website is filled with amazing music, teaching techniques, inspiration to help a studio succeed. Always enjoy seeing what she is working on. This upcoming Christmas our studio will be sharing one of my many favorite Christmas Carols, We Three Kings, using cups. She took the carol and created her own perspective and ideas of making it song sound so diverse. Way to go. The use of accidentals, combining different musical tones to create a melody beyond imagination. The D minor tonal key sig

Depending on your ideals of listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving or after it has always been a debate. Here at Potentials Music, I start thinking about ideas in the summer time and usually try to make decisions about Christmas music for the students to learn in early October. Even though we're doing a fun event in October, Christmas music is being distributed about that time. Of course I really like all types of Christmas music, traditional and contemporary. Yet I wanted to share with one of my favorite arrangements of a classic Christmas song, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Robert D. Vandall created a unique way that really get the audiences attention. They will be impressed by