I've purchased all of Greg Percy's CDs and use them for specific
lessons. I thought it was great fun to have a song about M.C. Escher
when we did tesselations. We made a color spectrum book in lower el.
and the students enjoyed the ROY G. BIV song. I've purchased a few
classical CD's "Music in the age of Van Gogh", etc. at museum shops.
My students tell me they enjoy soft classical music while they're
working. Sometimes I play world music depending on the day. Japanese
bamboo flutes, Australian music (Crizmac sells some CDs) or others.
Angelique Kidju's "Oremi" is a big hit in my art room too. She is
African and sings in French. There is a beautiful calming song that my
second graders love. She sings in French and there is a baby's voice
singing the chorus at the end and my students get very quiet to hear
it. I also played "Imagine" and peace songs during our pinwheels for
peace project. Music is easy to change or eliminate if it isn't
getting a desired result. Hope you like the Greg Percy CD's.
~Su in Michigan
On Jan 22, 2006, at 1:27 PM, Amy Broady wrote:
> Thank you, thank you, thank you!
>
> I so appreciate the feedback regarding Greg, as well as the wealth of
> specific suggestions from Ann and Woody.
>
> When I order Greg's music, I think I will order all 4, which saves me
> a bit in the long run. If I find they are not a good "fit" with my
> classes, I will pass them on to another art educator, though I have a
> feeling that won't be necessary. I have indeed listened to the online
> samples of his songs, and am drawn to them. (No pun intended!) Judy,
> your enthusiastic offer to repay me if my kids don't like them is very
> kind, and effective evidence of your belief in this music as an assett
> in the art room. I have a feeling these songs will be a hit.
>
> My intent with the Greg Percy CDs is to play maybe one pertinent song
> at a time, applicable to the lesson, of course, not the entire CD in a
> session. Unless the kids decide they want that for a reward after they
> have earned all the colors on their palette!
>
> My intent with other music--such as the CDs Woody and Ann
> suggested--is to play it softly while they are working. Instrumental,
> not vocal, is my preference, too. :-)
>
> Linnie, I loved how you put it--"high appreciation but low
> knowledge!"--that's me, too!
>
> Well, sort of, I SHOULD have knowledge, but my knowledge never
> developed any depth. I took music lessons for years as a kid--organ
> lessons for 5 years, plus I played flute in the elementary school band
> program for a year before switching to trumpet...I played the trumpet
> up through high school, went to orchestra camp in the summers, and
> also began in the school orchestra program in elementary, before I
> began band, even, playing violin, viola, and I think even cello one
> year, though I never got GOOD at anything except, perhaps, the
> trumpet, for a short while. I was also in a touring choir outside of
> schoool for 4 years.
>
> Despite all that, I am not a musician. I can read simple sheet music,
> and I LOVE to listen. But I do not have a natural aptitude, and I do
> not have a good knowledge base of music history. I even floundered in
> my college music appreciation classes because I did not make the time
> to study effectively--I figured that since I had been involved in
> music so many years, it ought to come easily to me. I think I made B-
> or Cs. Which was humiliating, but accurate, given that I didn't
> prepare as I should have.
>
> Now as for art--that's what I SHOULD have been putting all my effort
> into--that's where my passion lies! To think that I only took one art
> class in high school, plus yearbook (loved the photography/grapic
> design elements...).
>
> But still, I ended up where I'm meant to be. :-)
>
> The elementary art room is a slice of heaven to me. And appropriate
> music will increase the bliss!
>
> Again, thank you to all who have responded to my Art/Music thread.
>
> Amy
>
> P.S. Looking forward to hearing responses from even more of you, if
> you have favorite CDs to recommend!
>
>
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