"I have struggled to answer this question. Part of me feels like I started writing music when I was a kid, and part of me feels like I am only now starting because I keep learning more and more every year!" -Nicole Wilder "I've been making up songs since I was very young, but nothing that I wrote down. I started writing down music when I was a Senior in College (I was 21 years old then!) I wrote a choir piece for my first piece of music!" -Kyle Lamb "I wrote several little songs on guitar and piano when I was a kid but never wrote them down. I put together some song-like things experimenting with a keyboard and sequencer. The first thing I wrote that I wrote down and finished was a piece of music for concert band. It was during my senior year in high school. My band director guided me through the process and let me workshop different parts with the different sections in rehearsals and practice. Eventually he let me conduct many of the rehearsals and the performance at the spring concert! I bought a shiny blue jacket just for the occasion!" -Dan Wheeler
0 Comments
"I love ukuleles! Been a while since I've had the pleasure of playing one, but I love their bright and happy sound! My father-in-law also plays the ukulele (and even teaches ukulele classes), so I get to hear the ukulele often and it's a real joy!" "That's cool! Where does your father-in-law teach ukulele classes?" "In Albany and Holdingford actually! His name is Frank Haynes if any of the students are wondering!" -Kyle Lamb "I lloooooove ukuleles! I just unpacked 6 of them lol (finally finished moving)" -Nicole Wilder "Short answer: Because it was re"choir"ed (required...get it??? lol) in school. Longer answer: Even though it was required, I've always loved singing, so it made sense to do. Since first joining choir class in 7th grade, I've found a place where I feel accepted, where I've made a lot of friends, and where I can make great music!" -Kyle Lamb ...classical, rock, jazz, hip-hop, or countryLamb: "I don't like to choose between genres of music. I think every genre has awesome songs, so I find it incredibly difficult to pick a favorite between them." Wilder: rock Wheeler: "Yes please! There is a really good time and place for each of those!" ...jazz or hip-hopWilder: "jazz or hip-hop…can’t decide" Wheeler: "Ugh, I guess I lean towards jazz, but hip-hop is great!" ...rock or popWilder: "pop" Wheeler: "Well, a lot of rock is pop and vice versa. It depends on the band or the song!" ...jazz or bluesWilder: "jazz or blues…can’t decide" Wheeler: "Yes please!" ...your music or your dogsLamb: "I always try to choose a living being over things if possible, though I really love the music I make as well!" Wilder: "I gotta go with my Dogs!! We are BFFs" Wheeler: "This is not a fair question!" ...bagpipes or trumpetLamb: "I'll pick the trumpet over the bagpipes because it's a little more versatile across genres." Wilder: "trumpet" Wheeler: "Trumpet only because it is more versatile. Bagpipes are awesome and have their place -- including in the new Dune soundtrack thanks to Hans Zimmer!" ...singing or playing pianoLamb: "I do prefer singing to playing the piano. (I've got more practice singing, so I feel more comfortable with it)." Wilder: "singing" Wheeler: "Me? Playing the piano, though I love to sing as well." ...piano or ukuleleLamb: "I'll pick the piano over the ukelele because it's got a larger range and therefore also more versatile across genres."
Wilder: "ukulele" Wheeler: "I guess I have to pick the piano, but I love to play ukulele as well!" "YES! It's a fun way to get into the music more! I can't say I'm a very polished dancer, but moving to music I love is always a worthwhile time!" -Kyle Lamb "I loooooove dancing! It’s like expressing the music in a whole new way! Plus if I’m feeling sad putting on a happy song and dancing silly usually cheers me up pretty quick" -Nicole Wilder "Absolutely yes! The way my brain and my body work, dancing is just an outwardly visible side-effect of happiness: dancing == happy. If I had unlimited free time one of the first things I would do would be to take lots of different kinds of dancing lessons. As it is I'm probably a terrible dancer but that doesn't bother me -- I love to dance!" -Dan Wheeler "Absolutely! One that comes to mind right away is A Boy Named Sue. It is interesting to note that the lyrics to this song were written by Shel Silverstein, author of The Giving Tree and other iconic books — I highly recommend! A Boy Named Sue is popular because it is humorous. I really like it because Sue experiences a change of heart when he learns his father’s motivations. I think this is an important lesson in both point of view and forgiveness. Sue learns that his father did this mean thing to him to help him, not because he was just being cruel. When Sue learns this he forgives him. Sometimes someone will do something that we feel is just something mean aimed at us. Perhaps that person did not intend it that way at all. Maybe they had no idea, maybe they actually thought it would help. This doesn’t mean that if they ended up hurting us that we should just forget about it. The real results matter. More importantly, though, forgiving anyone is worthwhile, especially when it is difficult. Sue could do it, and so can we! Sometimes I found out a person does not like to be called the name I know for them. Maybe they prefer their middle name, a nickname, or some other name. I have had my feelings hurt when my name or a nickname were used in certain ways, even if that is not what was intended. One way we can exercise our kindness muscles is to call people by the names they prefer. We never know what pain may be associated by certain names for some people. "Because we get to help kids grow in their love of music! It's something that I think is really cool, and I want to share what I know with you all!" -Kyle Lamb "I wanted to share my deep love of music and show younger people that it is totally possible to keep doing something that brings you joy even when you’re grown up." -Nicole Wilder "Great question! I have experienced my greatest personal fulfillment when mentoring others. It is a great feeling getting to help someone else understand something I have learned through my own experiences and mistakes. Also, although I had great support from my friends, family, teachers, and others growing up, I did not have a musical mentor that was able to effectively communicate to me that pursuing music as a career was a viable option. I still see a lot of passionate musicians and other artists that are consistently told that they are lucky to have this artistic interest, but should make sure they get a "real" job so that they can continue enjoying it their whole life. Sure, pursuing art as a career is not for everyone and there can be struggle and disappointment along the way -- but that can be true regardless of your chosen career. I would never discourage anyone from pursuing their passion. You never know where you will end up, but I think your chances of being happy overall are better if you follow a path that reflects your passion." -Dan Wheeler holiday: my birthday (if that doesn't count, then Thanksgiving, yay food)
type of music: At this moment, I've been really into Bluegrass, but that changes often kind of song: something that makes me want to dance song: so hard to choose, but today I'll go with the SmashMouth cover of "I'm a Believer" from Shrek rock band: Queen musician (and why): Paul McCartney, he's written so many of my favorite songs, and he seems like a really nice person as well! activity to do at the beach: build sandcastles car: I miss my Geo Prism (first car, small, green), and my Mercury Sable Wagon (good for hauling, very efficient, also green)...currently pretty enamored with the idea of an electric Ford F-150 because I love driving Pickup Trucks, but don't want to pay for the amount of gas they use, so this would be a great compromise animal: turtle wild animal: still a turtle outside place: any tree I can climb singer: Ella Fitzgerald or Freddy Mercury pet: I'd like a cat or a dog plant: I really like Jude, my jade plant! store: I don't really shop that much, but I have a special place in my heart for grocery stores! #yayfood! note on an instrument (and why): I like the Eb's above and below middle C (octaves) in voices because that's the note I usually start my choir on when we begin warm-ups. I always know there's more music to come when we start there! 1990s hair band (and why is it your favorite): though he didn't debut in the 90's, I think Bon Jovi is a lot of fun...does that count? song by Louis Armstrong (and could you send a video of it): I love his duet with Ella Fitzgerald where they sing "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQWbqeYsqp8... to play in - I really loved singing with the Vox Nova Chorale out of the Twin Cities, but now it's too far to drive there! string instrument: hurdy-gurdy percussion instrument: hands (for clapping or snapping) sport: soccer music video: This venture by the Carpenters into space themed music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leKeknINhkc time of music (like, medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, or modern): I'm assuming we're limiting our "time of music" to the Western Classical category, so in terms of listening, I'd say romantic (play me Beethoven and Dvorak all day every day!), but in terms of the ideas, I really like the modern period, specifically the minimalist scene. I love Riley's "In C", Johnson's "4 Note Opera", and Gavin Bryar's "Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet" most out of that genre. music from a video game: how to choose???? There's SO MUCH good video game music! I'll pick two from my favorite video games for music though. "Gerudo Valley" from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hEYvdMoF2g) and the "Gym Leader/Elite 4 theme" from the early Pokémon games! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONM9_MS11I) (remastered here for one of the new games) composer: How does one even begin to pick??? I'll narrow it down to living choir composers who I've talked to within the last 5 years...still a large group. J. David Moore is a Twin Cities based choir composer who recently re-voiced one of his pieces for my choir! He's known internationally for his fun and imaginative choral music! type of calming music: I have a private playlist on YouTube called "Chill Jams" that is music that calms me down. From a wide variety of genres. Halloween candy: Almond Joy Christmas song: Either Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" or Barbara Streisand's "Jingle Bells" YouTuber: I like Bill Wurtz a lot!The whole channel is good music and comedy gold though! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g02WKrWjUgA |
About the Question BoardThe Question Board is a whiteboard in the music classroom and/or an online form on which students can write any music-related questions they have. They can be questions that are unrelated to what we're doing in class, questions that I student prefers to ask anonymously, or questions for our house leaders. Follow this page to see the intriguing and wide variety of questions that students are asking! Archives
April 2023
Categories |