Canberra Orff Chapter - Brent and Michael Present

On Saturday August 14, 2010, Michael Nichols and I presented a full day workshop for the Orff folks around Canberra, Australia.  Some folks drove in from Sydney, most were from around the Canberra area.  My topics were "Beginnings: How to Start Musical Activities" and "Jump, Jive, and Jazz: Jazz as Elemental Music."  Michael presented: "Spirituals and Folk Songs" and a short presentation about beginning the recorder.

Susan Curbishley organized the meeting which was held a the beautiful new Radford College school in downtown Canberra.  The facility was perfect and well equipped.  Michael and I were able to use our Keynote visuals, which turned out to be a very popular technique.  Our care with the visual learners in the workshop was very well appreciated.  Here's a comment from an attendee,

"I loved the way that he catered for the visual learners too with the written music on the screen – that was like an epiphany for me as other presenters/experts insist we only cater for the aural learners (and I discovered yesterday that I am a visual learner because I really appreciated the music on the screen – it enabled (and empowered) me to enjoy the activities rather than stress because I take ages to learn things aurally)."

The first session was concerned with beginning activities, not so much as to present for beginners, but rather how to begin various aspects of the music curriculum.  Sections were presented on beginning listening, beginning recorder, beginning a general music class with a name game, beginning singing and beginning choir activities.  Michael presented the beginning recorder activities from his new book, "Let's Sing and Play a Dozen."

After lunch I did a short presentation on the idea that jazz and the blues can be a great vehicle for improvisation and that these two great American styles of music are elemental and can be used to teach important musical concepts.  We started with some question/answer style improv using "scat" singing and body percussion and moved from there straight into the blues.  We learned a tune first (Corayluz Blues), then added the bass and the chords.  You can download a copy of the notes for presenting the blues to a general music class here.


Michael finished the day by presenting several of the songs in his book "Spirituals and Folk Songs." Another comment: 

 "And I thoroughly enjoyed Michael’s recorder work also, and would have loved to see more. He had an inclusive style about him as well, as the participant beside me had never done recorder before and was so pleased that she could play a song after that first session. I too picked up new ways of teaching the recorder to young kids.

Thank you so much – the workshop was brilliant!!"

 Everyone enjoyed the songs as well as the day. Here's another comment from a participant: 

"I was so impressed by the teaching style of Brent – the best of anyone I have experienced in ages (maybe ever). I loved the way that he taught at many different levels, and was totally aware of every person in the room. When he saw that people were struggling (like me!!) he went back a few steps so everyone could feel they had achieved success. Very few presenters do that – they continue on and ignore the strugglers, but it just proves how much of an exemplary teacher he is!

Michael and I are looking forward to our next trip to Canberra, perhaps to lead these wonderful folk in a Levels Course in the near future.  Needless to say, we enjoyed our day and would welcome the opportunity to do this again!