Children's Workshops
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Let’s Write a Song - This multi-day workshop leads students through the
process of learning how to write their own songs. Themes and topics are
endless... frequently schools will pick a theme that ties in with a
specific academic topic in the school’s curriculum. At the end of the
program students perform their original song before a selected audience.
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Out of the Silence - All art begins with silence Before a writer
puts a pen to paper, she must be silent:
before a musician begins his first note, he must be silent. This program integrates
Language Arts with music improvisation. It also emphasizes cooperative group skills.
This can be a one day workshop or a several day workshop.
One day-Thomasina will read the story, Listen to the Rain, to the class
and have the students discuss the different visual and auditory images the words
evoke. Then she will lead them in various Music Improvisation exercises which will
allow the children to integrate, compose and perform their own music with the
written word.
Multi Day-Thomasina will discuss the art of Haiku poetry. Read some
poems to the class and them have the students compose their own Haiku poems. During
the next session, she will lead them in various Music Improvisation exercises which
will allow the children to integrate, compose and perform their own music with their
written words. |
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| I Am Music/Music Improvisation Improvisation is a moment to
moment experience which allows a student to take a leap from the familiar into the
unknown. Music Improvisation is done with the students using drums, Orff instruments, hand
percussion instruments, dulcimers, sticks, movement and voices. This workshop is A LOT of
fun. It allows children to be exposed to rhythms from around the world and then encourages
them to create their own rhythms and present them to the class. This activity encourages
group cooperation, listening, creative thinking and self expression. |
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| Build and Play Your Own Mountain Dulcimer Children and adults of
all ages learn to build and play this deceptively easy instrument. Students construct and
paint their own cardboard/wood mountain dulcimers from kits. Thomasina will then teach the
students how to play basic songs on their own mountain dulcimers. This is one of her more
popular workshops. |
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| Learn to Play the Mountain Dulcimer In this workshop, Thomasina
will bring ready-made cardboard mountain dulcimers into the classroom in order to allow
students to experience the joy of learning how to make music. This workshop is adapted to
the needs and time constraints of each school - it can be a one hour workshop or a series
of weekly/daily workshops. |
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| Earth Day Songs and Activities Children will be taught songs
which honor the Earth and help to instill an understanding of how each child can make a
difference as a resident on this planet. Many of the songs she teaches children in this
workshop come from the Native American tradition. Activities can be planned which help
them to clean up and make the world more beautiful in their immediate environment. Other
activities can be planned which teach them to make various instruments from recycled
everyday items. |
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Make Your Own Musical Instruments This workshop is easily adapted
and organized according to the age group of the children. It can be a one hour or several
day workshop depending upon the needs and interests of the school and children. Many of
the following instruments are made from common, everyday items.
Possible instruments:
- Make an Indian Dance Stick
- Build a cardboard mountain dulcimer from a kit
- Make your own South American Rain Stick
- Make your own percussion instruments from common household items
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| Toddlers Tunes This forty-five minute program is for parents and
their children under the age of five. The goal of this program is to get children and
their parents to have fun as they sing together and learn new songs. Most songs and
activities are participatory and quickly paced. |
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