Resources for Music Educators
MacPhail offers one complimentary clinic to each school within a 30 minute driving radius of any of its teaching sites. Our teaching artists will conduct a clinic at your school for either the entire ensemble or specific instrument sections, jazz band, orchestra and choir. Contact Bob Adney, school recruiter, via email or call 612.767.5410 to discuss the options and set up a clinic at your school. It is also possible to purchase clinics for your school beyond the complimentary clinic.
MacPhail, in cooperation with the MMEA, has created a suite of tutorial videos using the pieces selected for the All-State Band/Orchestra/Choir/Jazz band auditions. Please feel free to share these videos with your students.
The Musical Passports program is designed for you, as a band/orchestra/choir director, to give the gift of music to a student of your choice, who is not currently taking lessons at MacPhail, and who is motivated and committed to his/her music. Your student will receive a 50 percent savings on one semester of music instruction, plus a waiver of the $30 registration fee. Contact Bob Adney, school recruiter, via email or call 612.767.5410 for more information.
This is an annual event open to all percussion ensembles, middle school, high school and college. There are no participation fees or admission charged to audience. It is an event to showcase percussion ensemble playing that is open to the public. The event is held typically late February or early March. Participating schools have included; University of Minnesota, St. Cloud University, Augsburg College, Rosemount, Roseville, Blaine, Centennial, Woodbury, Valley Middle, Park, East Ridge and Minnetonka Schools. For more information contact Bob Adney.
60+ volunteer musicians representing Uptown Minneapolis since 1982. The non auditioned group performs 4 concerts during the season plus summer concerts in the parks. They rehearse Tuesday nights from 7-9 at the Jefferson Community School. Conducted by Tedd Gullickson, assistant conductor is Mitch Evett. For more information, visit their website.
The East Metro Symphony Orchestra (EMSO) is a community orchestra based in the Twin Cities east metro. The orchestra is made up of volunteer avocational musicians from all around the east metro, including Wisconsin, and led by music director and conductor, Dr. Elizabeth Prielozny Barnes.
Here are some downloadable tools and links that may be helpful in your classroom.
Community Bands and Orchestras PDF
Percussion Rudiments PDF
Circle of Fifths Poster – PDF
We have created this easy-to-read, one page “Circle of Fifths” poster to download and print for your students!
These resources were contributed by Dr. Wendy Barden, Music Education Specialist at the Perpich Center for Arts Education.
Music resources for distance learning PDF
Updated May 1, 2020
A Song a Day – Each day this week, students put a new twist on a song they know…patting the rhythm in a different way, making up hand motions for the words, and more! Family members can join in, too.
Benchmarks: meets Perform, Respond, or Connect of the Minnesota K-2 Standards in Music, with some English Language Arts Standards.
Technology needed: none
I am a Musician! Activity Board – Students choose one row and complete all of the activities. Multi-day activity.
Benchmarks: Minnesota K-2 Standards in Music
Technology needed: none
Music Class Charades – A charades game that allows students to share with others some of the skills they learn in music class.
Technology needed: none
Story Time – Sing a melody to tell a story. Technology needed: none
Move it! – Students create an 8-measure rhythm composition using the given instructions and perform it with steps, slides, turns, and jogging.
Technology needed: none
Descriptor-Emoji Cards-Elementary – Students can listen to and describe a variety of musical selections using the words and emojis on this page, listening to an excerpt multiple times.
Technology needed: Internet connection
https://content.thespco.org/music/concert-library/
The library includes many live concert videos of The St Paul Chamber Orchestra. Check out their diverse list of composers and performers.
Instrument Investigation – Students use this page when they are exploring various instruments or instrument families of the orchestra.
Technology needed: Internet connection
https://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/community-education/teachers-students-and-parents/instrument-musician-guide
Learn about each instrument, hear and see them played, and meet musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra who play that instrument.
Choice Board 3 of 5 – Assign students a learning target—activities that give students choice in how they practice a concept or skill. Prompts are also included so students reflect on their work.
Technology needed: none
A New Instrument – Students imagine they are carrying a string or percussion instrument along the Silk Road, modifying the instrument with each trade.
Technology needed: none
Abstract Music – Give students a unique experience to create and perform music from an abstract image.
Technology needed: none
A Song a Day – Choose one row and complete all of the activities in that row. Another day, choose another row to complete.
Benchmarks: Minnesota K-2 Standards in Music
Technology needed: none
Music Class Charades – A charades game that allows students to share with others some of the skills they learn in music class.
Technology needed: none
That Zany Blue Man Group – Evaluate performances giving specific details.
Technology needed: Internet connection
New! It’s Good – Music Journal –
Technology needed: none
New! Pass It On! for Grades 3-8 – Share music with others.
Technology needed: none
Move it! – Students create an 8-measure rhythm composition using the given instructions and perform it with steps, slides, turns, and jogging.
Technology needed: none
Descriptor-Emoji Cards-Secondary – Students can listen to and describe a variety of musical selections using the words and emojis on this page. Have students listen to an excerpt multiple times.
Technology needed: Internet connection
https://content.thespco.org/music/concert-library/
The library includes many live concert videos of The St Paul Chamber Orchestra. Check out their diverse list of composers and performers.
Instrument Investigation – Students use this page when they are exploring various instruments or instrument families of the orchestra.
Technology needed: Internet connection
https://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/community-education/teachers-students-and-parents/instrument-musician-guide
Learn about each instrument, hear and see them played, and meet musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra who play that instrument.
Choice Board 3 of 5 – Assign students a learning target—activities that give students choice in how they practice a concept or skill. Prompts are also included so students reflect on their work.
Technology needed: none
Make a Playlist – Students respond to and connect music to life as they create playlist for various scenarios.
Technology needed: streaming device/Internet connection optional
Rhythm Differentiation Tic-Tac-Toe – For students working on half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes; half, quarter, and eighth rests. Tasks were created and placed in the Tic-Tac-Toe according to levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy shown on the TIC TAC TOE! TEMPLATE on page 1. Use the TEMPLATE to organize learning towards learning targets.
Technology needed: none
Abstract Music – Give students a unique experience to create and perform music from an abstract image, discovering how to represent different shapes, lines, and colors in sound.
Technology needed: none
New! Girls Rock! – Connect musicians’ experiences to the music they create or perform.
Technology needed: Internet connection
America the Beautiful – Interpret and connect music to personal experiences.
Technology needed: Internet connection
That Zany Blue Man Group – Draw on musical knowledge and past experiences when responding to music.
Technology needed: Internet connection
New! Moods Through Music – Elements a composer uses to convey mood. Technology needed: none
A Hope for the Future – Connect music to personal experiences.
Technology needed: Internet connection
Lin-Manuel Miranda – Connect musicians’ experiences to the music they create.
Technology needed: Internet connection
New! Practice Reflection Sheet
Technology needed: none
Musical Inquiry – Use some of the questions and resources on this page to develop your own responses and/or connections to learning experiences.
Abstract Music – Give students a unique experience to create and perform music from an abstract image, discovering how to represent different shapes, lines, and colors in sound.
Technology needed: none
Descriptor-Emoji Cards-Secondary – Students can listen to and describe a variety of musical selections using the words and emojis on this page. Have students listen to an excerpt multiple times.
Technology needed: Internet connection
https://content.thespco.org/music/concert-library/
The library includes many live concert videos of The St Paul Chamber Orchestra. Check out their diverse list of composers and performers.
https://www.metopera.org/
Beginning March 16 and continuing each day for the duration of the Met’s closure, an encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series will be made available from 7:30 pm EDT until 3:30 pm the following day.
Make a Playlist – Students respond to and connect music to life as they create playlist for various scenarios.
Technology needed: streaming device/Internet connection optional
Listener’s Tic-Tac-Toe – Students choose one row, column or diagonal of the board. Listen to a musical excerpt 3 times, listening for each element in the row. Students can collaborate or share their observations with others. Finally, have students research the composer, role and/or context of the music to know a bit of the story of the piece.
Technology needed: Internet connection optional
Rhythm Differentiation Tic-Tac-Toe – For students working on half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes; half, quarter, and eighth rests. Tasks were created and placed in the Tic-Tac-Toe according to levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy shown on the TIC TAC TOE! TEMPLATE on page 1. Use the TEMPLATE to organize learning towards learning targets.
Technology Needed: none
A Lesson from Evelyn Glennie – Use interpretation to convey meaning.
Technology needed: Internet connection
New! Music Feelings – How Music is a Part of Everyday Experiences.
Technology needed: none
Week 1 – Students improvise rhythms in 4/4 on one pitch. We’ll add more play-along tracks, bringing in more elements, in the coming weeks.
– Groovin’ from Home for Recorder – Grades 4-6
– Groovin’ from Home for Band – Grades 5-7
– Groovin’ from Home for Strings – Grades 5-7
Week 2 – Improvise rhythm on one pitch
– Groovin’ from Home for Recorder – Grades 4-6
– Groovin’ from Home for Strings – Grades 5-7
– Groovin’ from Home for Band – Grades 5-8
Week 3 – Improvise melody on two or three pitches
– Groovin’ from Home for Recorder – Grades 4-8
– Groovin’ from Home for Band – Grades 5-12
– Groovin’ from Home for Strings – Grades 5-12