Elton John Study

A student of mine came up with a great listening activity - to study Elton John. Usually we study classical composers in the studio, but I'd never thought of branching out to pop!

Here are several videos of Elton John at different times in his career. After each video are some questions for you to try and answer - good luck!

***Update: it seems that the video for "Your Song" is not viewable for everyone. If you are having trouble watching it, try "Crocodile Rock". The questions below can be used for both videos.***

Elton John: Your Song



Elton John: Crocodile Rock

1. Look at Elton John at the piano, especially at the beginning of the video. Pretend that you are the piano teacher - what are some good things that you see, and what things would you ask him to change?
2. How many beats are in each measure of this piece? Try clapping along with the song - this might help.

Elton John: Candle in the Wind

Sung at Princess Diana's funeral

1. Watch Elton John's hands: what do you notice about his fingers? How far away do they move from the keys?
2. Elton John is singing the melody of this piece. How loud is the piano when he is singing? How loud is the piano when he isn't singing?

Music Games from the New York Philharmonic

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been trolling the web in search of fun, educational music games. Last time I posted about the site that the Dallas Symphony Orchestra has put together to help kids learn about music. Today, I explored the New York Philharmonic's collection of fun music games. I have to say, these orchestras are doing a great job of putting these resources together!

There are lots of fun games on this site. The MusiQuest game is tons of fun, a little addictive, but really challenging! I really struggled with some of the levels - I don't think my computer skills are quick enough. Better luck to you!

You can visit the New York Philharmonic's site by clicking here.

Music Games from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Today I spent a quiet afternoon browsing educational music sites on the web while I waited for my cookies to bake. I came across a treasure trove of websites! Many of these sites are put together by orchestras to help kids learn more about music.

I especially liked the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's site because it really focuses on the lives and music of famous composers. Try your hand at Beethoven Baseball, or the Composer Time Machine. I had a great time with them, and I think that some of you will recognize composers that you've already studied in the studio!

You can find these cool games on the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Kids Site.