I chose China because I've always like their clothes, I loved learning about in in elementary school, its where I learned to use chopsticks!

I'm sorry, I had to do it LOL I think this is hilarious!!! You can just imagine what they are saying!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jopJviDiCQ

I really like their music also. This next site is VERY visually stimulating and calming!!! ENJOY!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF-r2WgCBQw

I just had to show this video because we were talking about it in class this morning. The Aborigines are said to have been HIGHLY offended. They said the painting on the clothing looked like a three year old did it, and they are very upset about the depiction of their culture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_uoToFGK6E

I've really enjoyed this class, and seeing all my friends and sharing our thoughts, I hope we keep in touch this way. Thanks Dr V!! This is just a little something extra to make you all smile hopefully!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpdSQ1v-4h8

I found this site that is just an all-around everything you need to know about Inida.

http://www.tourindia.com/

I has an overview of India, a clickable map, that then gives you detailed information about the place you clicked, shows the national insignias, tells you about each major city, tells you about the regions and states, and gives you travel info, as well as airline info.

I don't know how many of you have seen the movie Slumdog Millionaire, but I have, and think it is a very good movie. This website will take you to a youtube video of the last song in the movie, it shows the translations of the text while you listen to it. The movie is based in Mumbai, a city in India.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQGb9g4SY_I

This last site is a video of a middle eastern belly dancer, I had to post it, because her name is Krystal LOL. This is amazing, if I was skinny, I would want to learn to do this, and look at the little boy, he looks ecspecially fascinated! LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fTPbERyfiY&feature=related

music and gender

Pics from left to right: (1) of course, the two best female trumpeters in the world, Wanda and I LOL (2) Alison Balsom -classical artist (3)Ingrid Jensen-Jazz artist (4)Leisl Whitaker- lead trumpet in the Army Blues Jazz Band. These women are my inspiration. Playing the trumpet today, is better than the old days. Back in the day, you didn't see many female trumpet players. But, today, you have Alison Balsom, Ingrid Jensen, Susan Slaughter, Judith Saxton, and Leisl Whitaker, and many more I have not named. It was always hard for me in high school. There weren't many female trumpet players where I went. The soloist was ALWAYS a guy, so I wasn't sure if I would ever get to be fortunate enough to play solos. However, I started marching band in the eighth grade, so I had a five years to try. My first year of marching band, this guy named Johnny was the soloist, and after he graduate, in my ninth grade year, it was Kevin. Then, he graduated, and we had auditions for chairs. I was ecstatic, I got first chair from then on. I was the trumpet soloist, and I had a blast!! I loved marching on the field, playing my solo, then dropping my hat to salute, and surprising people that I was a girl instead of a guy. I gained a lot of respect from the rest of the brass section. I thoroughly enjoyed my marching band, jazz band, symphonic band, and concert band years.

NOW, let's talk about the present. I graduated high school in 1997, so I am a 31 undergrad student finishing up my music education degree. I will be done in December of 2011. It is really hard for me in Wind Ensemble, because I feel like the guys get first chair, and the girls get stuck at the end, well except for Homer, he just likes to play the lowest part, lol. We audition, so I'm not saying its not fair. I just feel like they may have gotten more attention throughout the years. I know I'm in the chair I deserve, I'm not trying to say I should be higher, they are better than me. I'm saying I think the reason they are better than me is because their high school band directors and beyond cared more about their future than mine did. They knew these men would take their career as a trumpet player further. Since I am female it was just assumed that I would become a teacher, or work in an office, or be a nurse, or just have a family, and not take my trumpet skills any further. The sad truth is, the assumption was CORRECT. I graduated high school, went a year of college for music education and got married. I went another year of college, then had my first child. He is now ten. I had my second child, she is now 9. I tried to go back to school over the years, but my ex-husband finished school, and I was just expected to stay home and take care of the house and kids. Then, I had my third child, he is now 5. I got separated while I was pregnant with him, and divorced shortly after he was born. I spent the next four years working for temp agencies in offices, assisted living homes, and fast food (they typical female jobs). Then, my children reminded me how much music once meant to me, and I got off my tail and came back to school! So, here I am. And now, I would like to say that you don't see many men going back to school and finishing a full-time music education degree while they are a single parent, and have to work too. GO WOMEN!! YAYA!

LATIN AMERICA

Latin America includes the Caribbean. When I hear the word Caribbean, the first thing that comes to mind is Johnny Depp LOL. And when I hear the word Calypso I think of Calypso the Goddess in Pirates of the Caribbean. Sorry, I love Pirates of the Caribbean.





I found this site that is a lesson plan for teaching about Caribbean music. Calypso music to be exact. It can be taught from kindergarten to twelfth grade, just adjusted for each one.


http://cnx.org/content/m11688/latest/


The site comes complete with the National Music standards and National Social Standards that are met in the lesson. It tells you the materials you will need. There's also an extra section at the bottom that tells you how to make some of the percussion instruments.





I am adding this site to compliment the previous one, so everyone can hear some calypso music.


this first one is just showing you the different sounds a calypso drum can make he goes through the chromatics, and then plays a song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0LXPnmk1aY


this second one is an actual Caribbean steel drum orchestra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y34yWsCg2HY



This last site is a teaching tool like the first one. This one is interactive, though. You can take a test with it. It tells you which country to locate on the map, and you click on it. You get points for choosing the correct one. You can even ask for a hint if you need it. Although, its not much of a hint, seeing as it actually shows you the answer. LOL!
http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/Samerica.html

MUSIC AND RELIGION

I was brought up Baptist, even though I don't attend a church now, I am still and always will be Christian. I don't have a church that I belong to, but I do play at a couple throught the year. On Easter, I play at one of the Converse College Professor's church, and for their fall concert, I play at Anderson Mill Baptist Church. I believe music is an important part of religion. All religinos have some form of music or other that ties into the worship. Being Baptist, we always sang from the hymnals, and sometimes other books that were specifically for the choir when I was in it. I don't like singing, so that didn't last long. What I mean to say is, I don't like to hear myself sing. Ilike the music in church, especially when we would have homecoming week and we would haev special guests all week long. Some of the groupls that came helped inspire everyone to have more faith, or just have enough faith to carry out each day. Music is so important in church (Baptist anyway) that it would not be anormal Sunday morning, evening, or Wednesday night with it. I can't imagine just sitting there listening the whole time to the preacher give his sermon. Granted, it was usually inspiring, and worth listening to, but the music just made the service that much better. There are several songs that bring a tear to my eye when ever I hear them. Speaking of religion, when my granpa died back in 1997, our religion is to have a night at the mortuary, see the deceased in an open casket, and spend the evening comforting loved ones and telling the passed one goodbye. The next day is usually the funeral. The funeral starts out with music in the chapel of the funeral home. Our preacher said a prayer, gave a little speech and then we all bowed our heads and prayed. Then we had another song, I played "The Old Rugged Cross" on the trumpet because it was my grandpa's favorite. I still can't play it without crying. Then, once we left the funeral home, and went to the cemetery, I played "Taps" for him. He had served in the military, so it was fitting. I will never be able to play "Taps" again without breaking down. I loved him so much and still miss both my mom's parents, as well as my grandpa on my dad's side, and my aunt and uncle on my dad's side. These are people, that I know are better off now, and are up in Heaven listening to their own sweet music right now!

Cool stuff!!

The purpose of today's blog is to find cool stuff about the Native American and African cultures we have been studying in Music for Diverse Cultures. I searched specifically for Navajo music. I found this site. Not only does it have commentary, shows traditional dwellings, and practices, but it also has some great examples of music and dances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvUqDkhYpYA

I also found this site ( http://www.teachervision.fen.com/native-americans/resource/7427.html ) that is great for teachers. This site is cool because if you are planning to teach your music class about native american music, you can use this site for free.

This site has everything you would need to teach the lesson, however many days you would want to spread it out. You pick what grade you will teach it to, and the site gives you grade appropriate material. You then pick your subject, the site gives you specific themes. You are even provided a tab full of printable items such as lesson plans, graphic organizers, activities, and reading resources. There's even a tab to help with classroom management and a calendar to help you map out your lesson plans.

I looked up African music also. I found several sights that lead to youtube.come but I figured i had one of those on here already, so I wouldn't put another one. I am trying to find something REALLY exciting to add. And here it is! http://www.kinderart.com.multic.dumbek.shtml/

This site gives you step by step instructions on how to make an African drum in the classroom. It is for grades 4-12 or ages 8 and up. With a simple carpet tube (which can be found at any carpet and flooring store, that would normally be thrown away anyway) an embroidery hoop, an inflatable pool toy, masking tape, paint, and a plastic flower pot, you can make an African drum. Not only will you look smart for knowing how to do this, but you kids will totally enjoy themselves! And, once completed, they have something to keep forever. That is until they wear it out LOL!

I had a much better version of this written, and somehow i erased the entire freakin thing!! Ok, so here I go again!
My parents have always taught my sister and I to be individuals, and not go along with things because everyone else does them or likes them. I grew up liking country music (Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Billy Ray Cyrus lol), eighties hair bands (poison, whitesnake, bon jovi, def leppard, guns n roses, aerosmith, and more), and Prince, and Jazz music. I fell in love with Jazz music in junior high when I heard Dizzy Gillespie. He died not long after I discovered him, and when his family sold his updo trumpet, I was mortified. My sister always like David Bowie, New kids on the block, kiss, and others. You can imagine that our tastes in music clashed. Then one day about two years ago my sister was talking about a concert she wanted to go to and needed someone to go with her, and I asked her who it was. She told me it was My Chemical Romance. We couldn't believe it, but this was a group WE BOTH LIKED!! so we went together, and it was the best concert I've ever been to. Now, on to MY KIDS, my oldest son, 10, likes Motley Crue, Poison, Prince and lots of others. All three of my kids have their own MP3 players that they chose what music went on it. My daughter, 8, likes Aqua, because they sing Barbie lol. She also loves Gwenn Stefanie's Holla back girl! lol my youngest son, 5 is the most musical of them all though. He asked (and received) Santa Claus for a keyboard, drums, and a guitar this year. He loves playing all three and he will dance and make up moves for anything you play. My kids are the reason I came back to school. My oldest son found my trumpet laying under my bed and asked me what it was, then asked me to play it for him. This was December of 2007. I came back to school in February 2008. I had not picked up that trumpet since May of 1999. My youngest son sometimes goes to sleep to me practicing at home. Music is and always will be a major part of my family's life.