Philosopy

The magic of music and movement belongs to every person...it is our birthright to sing, dance and play! I  believe in quality through inclusion. My approach to music and movement education and performance centers around these guiding principles:

When we sing, dance and play, we are empowered.

When we sing, dance and play, we build an inclusive, global community.

When we sing, dance and play, we strengthen our hearts, minds, bodies and spirits.

When we sing, dance and play, we bring healing to our world and its people.

 JOIN ME!

Concepts To Teach By

These are the concept charts I use to plan my lessons and curriculum. Music is a language and I love helping my students become fluent! Enjoy!

CONCEPTS OF MUSIC

from Music for Dancers by Kerri Lynn Nichols

©2017 Edition Kerri Lynn Nichols. Used with permission.

RHYTHM: Patterns of movement in space and time

Pulse: steady beat, sound/movement are equidistant, no change
Grouping (Meter): grouping pulses by twos (strong-light), threes (strong-light-light) or combinations
Pattern (Rhythmic):  note values, rests, sound/movement changes or is irregular

MELODY: A series of related pitches, usually the lead part.

                 
Pitch: low, middle, high
Scale: ladder of notes, high to low or low to high; a set of notes used to create a melody
Interval: the space (distance) between to pitches: steps or jumps

FORM: The order of the musical form; the overall shape of the piece (i.e. ABCAA)

                 
Phrase: a musical sentence; questions/answer
Repeat: same; rounds, canons, rondo form, echoes (AA)
Contrast: changes, variations (AB)

EXPRESSION: Techniques used to convey how the music is played or to create a feeling or reaction to the music.

                
Pace (Tempo): slow, medium, fast
Dynamics: loud, soft, crescendo, decrescendo
Articulate: accents, staccato, legato, fermata, slur
Interpret: style, period, culture, aesthetic

TIMBRE: Various sound qualities of voices and instruments.

                 
Body: snap, clap, pat, stomp
Voice: sing, speak, whisper, call
Percussion: metals, woods, skins, shakers, scrapers
Instruments: strings, winds, brass

TEXTURE: The layers of the music; simultaneous parts.

                 
Combinations: solo, choral, unison, duet, tutti, ensemble
Harmony: different pitches sounded at the same time; tension/resolution, paraphony, polyphony, intervals
 Accompaniment: a part of the music that goes with or underlies the melody or main part; a Capella, instrumental, sound effects

CONCEPTS OF DANCE

from Creative Dance for All Ages by Anne Green Gilbert

©1995 Anne Green Gilbert. Used with permission.

SPACE           Place, size, direction, pathway, focus

TIME              Pulse, pattern, grouping (meter), breath rhythm, timed/untimed

FORCE           Energy, weight, flow

BODY            Parts, shapes, relationships, balance

Musings From My Lift Chair

Hello Musical Friends! I am writing this while sitting in my new lift chair after foot surgery two weeks ago. This chair has been my home over break and will continue to be for a few weeks. But it gives me time to write and plan and be creative. Always look on the bright side of life, duh dum, duh dum dee dum dum, right? Keep checking back from time to time...I'll post pieces I'm doing with my students, tips and tricks...maybe they will be helpful to you!

Kerri Lynn