Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Crescendo Music Education Podcast
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Music for Children (Part 1) | 138 | 27 Apr 2025 | 00:31:31 | |
Welcome to Crescendo Music Education Podcast, where we dive into the stories, sounds, and sparks that inspire creativity and learning in the classroom and beyond. Today, we're taking a musical journey around the globe—and our tour guide is none other than world music children’s performer, DARIA! For over four decades, Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou has been sharing the joy of music with families and classrooms across the U.S. and around the world. Her mission? To build bridges, celebrate culture, and create community through the universal language of music. Daria’s music has earned numerous national awards for its cultural richness and educational value. You might know her as the voice behind the MLK Day “I Have a Dream” song or the powerful Earth Day anthem "We’ve Got The Whole World In Our Hands" that's sung by children globally. She's also brought us inspiring new classics like “Beautiful Rainbow World” and a special song for World Oceans Day. But Daria’s impact goes beyond performance. She also creates incredible teaching resources that introduce children to world music instruments and traditions—like the chapchas, a unique rattle made from goat toenails and used in Andean music, which just so happens to be one of her favorite instruments! So get ready to explore rhythms, stories, and sounds from around the world as we chat with Daria about how music connects us all—no matter where we’re from. Let’s dive into the world of music for children... and the magic it brings! Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Where to find me: Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Real Teachers, Real Stories: More Than a Lesson Plan | 137 | 20 Apr 2025 | 00:35:35 | |
If you joined us for Part 1 of our conversation with Claire Hornagold, you know we explored the power of curiosity in the music room. But today, we’re shifting gears to talk about something just as important—collaboration. Teaching is so much more than just delivering a lesson plan. It’s about building relationships, working alongside other teachers, and creating meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond our own classrooms. Claire has a wealth of experience in working across subjects, teaming up with educators, and finding creative ways to integrate music into the broader curriculum. In this episode, we’ll dive into the power of teamwork, the impact of a connected school culture, and how stepping outside our own classroom can transform the way we teach. Let’s jump back in and continue this inspiring conversation with Claire! Links Mentioned in this Series: Where to find me: Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Instrumental Series: Art of Composing with Ralph Hultgren | 128 | 16 Feb 2025 | 00:36:19 | |
Welcome to this special episode of the podcast, where we’re thrilled to have the legendary Ralph Hultgren as our guest! Ralph is a celebrated composer, conductor, and educator whose music has inspired musicians around the globe. In this episode, we’ll dive into his incredible journey—from his early days discovering his passion for music to becoming one of the most respected composers in the industry. Ralph will also give us a behind-the-scenes look at his composition process. How does he bring a piece of music to life? What inspires his work? And what advice does he have for aspiring composers and educators? Whether you’re a music lover, teacher, or creator, this episode is packed with insights and stories that will leave you inspired. Let’s get started! 🎶 Biography of Ralph Hultgren: Dr. Hultgren's extensive academic career includes serving as Head of Open Conservatorium at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, where he lectured in conducting and instrumental music education and conducted the Queensland Conservatorium Wind Orchestra. He has also performed with notable ensembles like the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Brass Choir. While composing and conducting are his primary focuses today, teaching remains his greatest passion. Outside of music, he enjoys reading, listening to various genres, and leading a men's group at his church, cherishing time with his family. Links Mentioned in this Episode: Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Sing the Journey (Part 2 of 3) | 039 | 05 Feb 2023 | 00:32:00 | |
Paul Jarman is a widely acclaimed Australian composer, performer, musical director, conductor and educator. His music has inspired singers and audiences around the world. As a cultural ambassador he has performed extensively throughout Australia, Europe, Asia, North America and the Pacific in over 40 countries with theatre productions, dance ensembles, Aboriginal-Anglo Celtic performance groups, choirs and orchestras; in festivals, special events, schools and towns as a conductor and musical director, and a member of Australia’s first ‘world music’ ensemble Sirocco since 1996 representing Australia in Pakistan, India, Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Musica Viva. He has also performed on many Australian feature films and television series and composed the music to award winning adventure documentaries by renowned cinematographer Mike Dillon, including ‘Ocean to Sky’, a film to honour the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Sir Edmund Hillary in 2019. Paul has recently composed music for the Gondwana Voices 30th Anniversary, the Centenary of the birth of Sir Edmund Hillary, Festival of Voices Hobart, the Western Australian Choral Festival and a new piece for Sydney Grammar about the cave rescue of the Wild Boar Soccer team of Thailand. In 2020 Paul will write over 12 new commissions and work in Burma, Korea, China, Singapore and all over Australia as an artist in residence and guest speaker. View his full bio HERE. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Click HERE to view Paul Jarman’s Website Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Sing the Journey (Part 1 of 3) | 038 | 29 Jan 2023 | 00:37:33 | |
Paul Jarman is a widely acclaimed Australian composer, performer, musical director, conductor and educator. His music has inspired singers and audiences around the world. As a cultural ambassador he has performed extensively throughout Australia, Europe, Asia, North America and the Pacific in over 40 countries with theatre productions, dance ensembles, Aboriginal-Anglo Celtic performance groups, choirs and orchestras; in festivals, special events, schools and towns as a conductor and musical director, and a member of Australia’s first ‘world music’ ensemble Sirocco since 1996 representing Australia in Pakistan, India, Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Musica Viva. He has also performed on many Australian feature films and television series and composed the music to award winning adventure documentaries by renowned cinematographer Mike Dillon, including ‘Ocean to Sky’, a film to honour the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Sir Edmund Hillary in 2019. Paul has recently composed music for the Gondwana Voices 30th Anniversary, the Centenary of the birth of Sir Edmund Hillary, Festival of Voices Hobart, the Western Australian Choral Festival and a new piece for Sydney Grammar about the cave rescue of the Wild Boar Soccer team of Thailand. In 2020 Paul will write over 12 new commissions and work in Burma, Korea, China, Singapore and all over Australia as an artist in residence and guest speaker. View his full bio HERE. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Click HERE to view Paul Jarman’s Website Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Kaboom Percussion (Part 2 of 2) | 037 | 22 Jan 2023 | 00:30:57 | |
Kaboom Percussion was founded by Catherine Betts and Joshua Webster in 2014 and since then they have taken the world by storm with their own unique, original and enormously successful repertoire. Their popular education programs have been extremely well received and they have performed their highly sought-after School Shows to more than 100,000 students across Australia and New Zealand. This huge demand has made Kaboom a full-time job for Cat and Josh. In 2021, the Kaboom Percussion team grew to include the highly talented percussionists Grace Kruger, Laura Harris, Lochie Dormer, and Nathan Gatenby. Kaboom now has three permanent school show teams based in Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane, allowing for an even greater flexibility in booking and allowing them to reach even more students. You can meet the team below. At its core, the Kaboom Percussion team are passionate about harnessing the fun side of music, showing the world that music can be played with even the simplest of objects. Sparked by their popular version of the Cup Song, this approach has seen the growth of their YouTube channel to more than 330,000 subscribers, with their popular videos being viewed more than 100 million times. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Connect with Kaboom (Cat & Josh): Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Kaboom Percussion (Part 1 of 2) | 036 | 15 Jan 2023 | 00:21:47 | |
Kaboom Percussion was founded by Catherine Betts and Joshua Webster in 2014 and since then they have taken the world by storm with their own unique, original and enormously successful repertoire. Their popular education programs have been extremely well received and they have performed their highly sought-after School Shows to more than 100,000 students across Australia and New Zealand. This huge demand has made Kaboom a full-time job for Cat and Josh. In 2021, the Kaboom team grew to include the highly talented percussionists Grace Kruger, Laura Harris, Lochie Dormer, and Nathan Gatenby. Kaboom now has three permanent school show teams based in Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane, allowing for an even greater flexibility in booking and allowing them to reach even more students. You can meet the team below. At its core, the Kaboom team are passionate about harnessing the fun side of music, showing the world that music can be played with even the simplest of objects. Sparked by their popular version of the Cup Song, this approach has seen the growth of their YouTube channel to more than 330,000 subscribers, with their popular videos being viewed more than 100 million times. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Connect with Kaboom (Cat & Josh): Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Creating Your Own Teacher Resources (Part 2 of 2) | 035 | 08 Jan 2023 | 00:18:22 | |
Bill Henry is a seasoned elementary music teacher, presenter, and creator of the popular YouTube channel, Mr. Henry’s Music World, which offers high-quality, entertaining videos for music teachers & kids with millions of views across the channel. Bill is also the co-creator and producer of The Music Podcast for Kids, which was featured in The New York Times as one of the top music audio shows for kids in the world. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Programs Bill uses to create YouTube videos:
Nuggets of Fabulous
Find Bill Henry on: Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Creating Your Own Teacher Resources (Part 1 of 2) | 034 | 01 Jan 2023 | 00:28:30 | |
Bill Henry is a seasoned elementary music teacher, presenter, and creator of the popular YouTube channel, Mr. Henry’s Music World, which offers high-quality, entertaining videos for music teachers & kids with millions of views across the channel. Bill is also the co-creator and producer of The Music Podcast for Kids, which was featured in The New York Times as one of the top music audio shows for kids in the world. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Programs Bill uses to create YouTube videos:
Find Bill Henry on: Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| A Passion for Composing (Part 2 of 2) | 033 | 25 Dec 2022 | 00:22:38 | |
Dan Walker is one of Australia’s most in-demand choral specialists and has a compassion for composing. He has written music for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Gondwana Choirs and Halcyon. As a performer, Dan is a member of the Clarion vocal quartet, Sydney-based Cantillation, and Pinchgut Opera. He is a guest performer with The Song Company and was a founding member of early music ensemble ‘The Parson’s Affayre’. A keenly sought-after conductor, Dan has appeared as chorus-master for the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Choruses, and is now music director of the Canberra Choral Society, Oriana Chamber Choir, Luminescence Chamber Singers and the Canberra Community Chorale. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Favorite Songs: TOGETHER SING This year we have over 500 conductors/Teachers sign up representing over 150,000 singers from every State and Territory in Australia and some from Overseas. The aim of Together Sing is to raise awareness of the value of Music Education and singing together to improve mental health and wellbeing. Together Sing is a culminating week-long event during Mental Health Week. Participating schools and community groups sing a song specifically composed for the occasion. Digital downloads including lyrics, audio files, scores and other support material are available for all registered participants free of charge. This has been made possible through our partnership program coordinated by Kodály Qld. Together Sing Partners have generously donated time and expertise to provide these resources. Please take time to peruse and possibly support these partners. In the months leading up to the performance week, schools and community groups can use the song and support materials to engage in activities based around the music, singing and the benefits of making music together including belonging, community and confidence. During Mental Health Week, participants gather in their own context to perform the song together and immerse themselves in the joy and benefits of making music together. Performances do not have to be part of Mental Health Week – they can be at any time that works for you! Our 2022 song, Where We Begin, is composed by a fabulous Australian Composer, Slade Gibson and arranged by another of our favourite Australia Composers, Will Brown. Listen on this page then register here for the score, audio and video files and more free resources. Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| A Passion for Composing (Part 1 of 2) | 032 | 18 Dec 2022 | 00:30:15 | |
Dan Walker is one of Australia’s most in-demand choral specialists and has a compassion for composing. He has written music for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Gondwana Choirs and Halcyon. As a performer, Dan is a member of the Clarion vocal quartet, Sydney-based Cantillation, and Pinchgut Opera. He is a guest performer with The Song Company and was a founding member of early music ensemble ‘The Parson’s Affayre’. A keenly sought-after conductor, Dan has appeared as chorus-master for the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Choruses, and is now music director of the Canberra Choral Society, Oriana Chamber Choir, Luminescence Chamber Singers and the Canberra Community Chorale. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Favorite Songs: TOGETHER SING This year we have over 500 conductors/Teachers sign up representing over 150,000 singers from every State and Territory in Australia and some from Overseas. The aim of Together Sing is to raise awareness of the value of Music Education and singing together to improve mental health and wellbeing. Together Sing is a culminating week-long event during Mental Health Week. Participating schools and community groups sing a song specifically composed for the occasion. Digital downloads including lyrics, audio files, scores and other support material are available for all registered participants free of charge. This has been made possible through our partnership program coordinated by Kodály Qld. Together Sing Partners have generously donated time and expertise to provide these resources. Please take time to peruse and possibly support these partners. In the months leading up to the performance week, schools and community groups can use the song and support materials to engage in activities based around the music, singing and the benefits of making music together including belonging, community and confidence. During Mental Health Week, participants gather in their own context to perform the song together and immerse themselves in the joy and benefits of making music together. Performances do not have to be part of Mental Health Week – they can be at any time that works for you! Our 2022 song, Where We Begin, is composed by a fabulous Australian Composer, Slade Gibson and arranged by another of our favourite Australia Composers, Will Brown. Listen on this page then register here for the score, audio and video files and more free resources. Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Sharing the Love of Music (Part 2 of 2) | 031 | 11 Dec 2022 | 00:26:25 | |
Katherine is passionate about sharing the love of music with children of all ages and is well known for the original ideas and creativity that she brings to choral rehearsals, and also with the choral pieces that she composes. Her choral pieces are sung all around Australia and throughout the World. Katherine Ruhle is an early childhood music specialist, children’s choral composer and choral conductor. Katherine has conducted many massed choirs in Queensland and presented at choral and early childhood music workshops both nationally and internationally. Currently, she conducts three choirs at The Gap State School, runs early childhood music classes, teaches piano, and tries to find time to compose. Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Sharing the Love of Music (Part 1 of 2) | 030 | 04 Dec 2022 | 00:26:38 | |
Katherine is passionate about sharing the love of music with children of all ages and is well known for the original ideas and creativity that she brings to choral rehearsals, and also with the choral pieces that she composes. Her choral pieces are sung all around Australia and throughout the World. Katherine Ruhle is an early childhood music specialist, children’s choral composer and choral conductor. Katherine has conducted many massed choirs in Queensland and presented at choral and early childhood music workshops both nationally and internationally. Currently, she conducts three choirs at The Gap State School, runs early childhood music classes, teaches piano, and tries to find time to compose. Links Mentioned in the Episode:
Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Instrumental Series: Making Music with David Law | 127 | 09 Feb 2025 | 00:30:09 | |
Welcome to Part 3 of our inspiring conversation with David Law! This time, we’re exploring the heart of music education: students as music makers. From instruments to choir, David shares his thoughts on fostering collaboration and encouraging self-reflection. Get ready to feel inspired, motivated, and equipped with practical strategies to empower your students as music makers. Let’s dive in! 🎶 David is an experienced clinician and conductor, working with Queensland Music Festival and Griffith University’s State Honours Ensemble Program. He regularly leads school honor bands and presents at conferences on successful school band programs. Additionally, he has adjudicated state and national competitions. In musical theatre, he has served as Music Director and Conductor, trained at the Goodspeed Musical Theatre Institute, and conducted workshops for Opera Queensland. Currently, he is the Head of Performance Music at Redeemer Lutheran College, directing award-winning ensembles. Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Teach Music Your Way! (Part 2 of 2) | 029 | 27 Nov 2022 | 00:23:28 | |
Denise Gagne has authored or edited many publications including the Musicplay: Teach Music Your Way! and MusicplayOnline.com curriculum. Denise has taught instrumental, choral and classroom music from babies and preschool to College levels. She has degrees in music and education, as well as Level 3 certification in both Kodaly and Orff. Denise has authored or edited many publications including the Musicplay and Musicplayonline.com curriculum. IKS in Australia: 2004Links Mentioned in the Episode: Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Teach Music Your Way! (Part 1 of 2) | 028 | 20 Nov 2022 | 00:24:50 | |
Denise Gagne has authored or edited many publications including the Musicplay: Teach Music Your Way! and MusicplayOnline.com curriculum. Denise has taught instrumental, choral and classroom music from babies and preschool to College levels. She has degrees in music and education, as well as Level 3 certification in both Kodaly and Orff. Denise has authored or edited many publications including the Musicplay and Musicplayonline.com curriculum. IKS in Australia: 2004Links Mentioned in the Episode: Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Metacognition (Part 2 of 2) | 027 | 13 Nov 2022 | 00:35:33 | |
Australian Michael Griffin is the author of “Metacognition: Teaching Children to Think”. He’s also an educator, keynote speaker, conductor and pianist. Michael’s professional development for staff and enrichment lectures for students and parents examine the factors that impact continuous improvement toward exceptional achievement. Face-to-face sessions, online courses and published books, explore teacher/student mindsets, metacognition, intrinsic motivation and deliberate practice. Links Mentioned in the Episode:Metacognition: Teaching Children to Think Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway Michael Griffin has created a discount coupon code:
Michael’s personal website is professional-development.com.au and contact michael@professional-development.com.au Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Metacognition (Part 1 of 2) | 026 | 06 Nov 2022 | 00:33:00 | |
Australian Michael Griffin is the author of Metacognition: Teaching Children to Think. He’s also an educator, keynote speaker, conductor and pianist. Michael’s professional development for staff and enrichment lectures for students and parents examine the factors that impact continuous improvement toward exceptional achievement. Face-to-face sessions, online courses and published books, explore teacher/student mindsets, metacognition, intrinsic motivation and deliberate practice. “We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” John Dewey Links Mentioned in the Episode:Metacognition: Teaching Children to Think Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Paddle Pop Sticks in the Music Room | 025 | 30 Oct 2022 | 00:30:22 | |
Using manipulatives such as Paddle Pop Sticks in the Primary/Elementary Music Classroom is so important. Students need to practice known concepts in many different contexts to ensure understanding. Teachers also need to cater for all learning styles so that the children stay engaged and have fun while learning. Not an easy task! Manipulatives in the music room can really help. Paddle Pop Sticks are one of my favourite manipulatives. These cheap little beauties have so many uses. In this episode I’ll share some of the ways I use them in my classroom. Enjoy!
Episode 21: Intentional Collaboration (Part 1 of 2) Episode 22: Intentional Collaboration (Part 2 of 2) Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Embracing Average (Part 2 of 2) | 024 | 23 Oct 2022 | 00:30:22 | |
Astrid Jorgensen is a Brisbane-based choral conductor, composer, producer, and presenter with an unquenchable thirst for teaching the world to sing. She is the founder director of ‘Pub Choir™’ and it’s online Covid adaptation ‘Couch Choir’, as well as co-creator and co-host of live TV spectacular ‘Australia’s Biggest Singalong!’. Astrid has sung with over 300,000 people worldwide since 2017, including the likes of Paul Kelly, Neil Finn, and Olivia Newton-John. Astrid was nominated for 2020 QLD Young Australian of the Year and was named as one of the 40-under-40 most influential Asian Australians in 2021. “Watching Astrid work was a revelation and a joy.” – Paul Kelly “We loved Pub Choir. Singing along to a banger of a song with a massive crowd of people will always be a life-affirming delight. But what elevated the experience was that director/choir leader/all-round legend Astrid Jorgensen was hilarious.” – The Music (Review from Splendour In The Grass) Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Embracing Average (Part 1 of 2) | 023 | 16 Oct 2022 | 00:32:42 | |
“Pub Choir is really always about embracing average and letting people be free to be average. I think as a society/culture, we’re very obsessed with trying to be the best and feeling really competitive about stuff, but it’s really quite freeing to feel unimportant.” Astrid Jorgensen on the Crescendo Music Education Podcast Astrid Jorgensen is a Brisbane-based choral conductor, composer, producer, and presenter with an unquenchable thirst for teaching the world to sing. She is the founder director of ‘Pub Choir™’ and it’s online Covid adaptation ‘Couch Choir’, as well as co-creator and co-host of live TV spectacular ‘Australia’s Biggest Singalong!’. Astrid has sung with over 300,000 people worldwide since 2017, including the likes of Paul Kelly, Neil Finn, and Olivia Newton-John. Astrid was nominated for 2020 QLD Young Australian of the Year and was named as one of the 40-under-40 most influential Asian Australians in 2021. Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Intentional Collaboration (Part 2 of 2) | 022 | 09 Oct 2022 | 00:27:14 | |
Deb Brydon is a primary music specialist who returned to music teaching after working as a Senior Project Writer with Education Queensland’s Curriculum into the Classroom project, writing for Music and The Arts. In 2020 she earned national accreditation as a Highly Accomplished Teacher. She has taught primary school music for over 20 years in both Charters Towers and Brisbane. Deb has been an accredited do-re-mi teacher and has also taught Classroom Music at Griffith University. She has been on the Kodály Qld committee for 19 years and was recently awarded Honorary Life Membership. Deb has been the project co-ordinator for Kodály QLD’s DVD Projects including Musical Beginnings, Middle Years Music Education and Step Up With Music. She holds an Australian Kodály Certificate (Early Childhood) and is currently President of Kodály QLD. She lives in Mugan-djin (Brisbane), on Yagara Country with her husband and 3 children. Photo of Deb and I at Parliament House after our recent Kodály National Conference in Canberra.Links Mentioned in this Episode:Kodaly Resources from Part 1: Yuggera Djarra-Na: Webinar – Writing a Unit Plan Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Intentional Collaboration (Part 1 of 2) | 021 | 03 Oct 2022 | 00:31:07 | |
Intentional Collaboration is “working at working together”. Music teachers are naturally in an isolating position but it doesn’t have to be isolating. Listen as Deb Brydon explains IC (Intentional Collaboration). Deb Brydon is a primary music specialist who returned to music teaching after working as a Senior Project Writer with Education Queensland’s Curriculum into the Classroom project, writing for Music and The Arts. In 2020 she earned national accreditation as a Highly Accomplished Teacher. She has taught primary school music for over 20 years in both Charters Towers and Brisbane. Deb has been an accredited do-re-mi teacher and has also taught Classroom Music at Griffith University. She has been on the Kodály Qld committee for 19 years and was recently awarded Honorary Life Membership. Deb has been the project co-ordinator for Kodály QLD’s DVD Projects including Musical Beginnings, Middle Years Music Education and Step Up With Music. She holds an Australian Kodály Certificate (Early Childhood) and is currently President of Kodály QLD. She lives in Mugan-djin (Brisbane), on Yagara Country with her husband and 3 children. Links Mentioned in this Episode:Kodaly Resources: Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ <iframe src="https://otter.ai/u/NBgaMBnJkXg2004YrkxK1jdR48g" width="600px" height="600px" frameborder="0" style="box-shadow: -1px 3px 28px -4px rgba(0,0,0,0.76);" scrolling="true"></iframe> | |||
| Rhythm and Movement with Kate Williams | 020 | 25 Sep 2022 | 00:39:33 | |
Kate’s evidence-based intervention, Rhythm & Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR), is delivered by over 1000 adults internationally. Kate Williams is an Associate Professor in the School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, QUT. She leads the Centre for Child & Family Studies and is Academic Lead (Engagement) for her school. Kate is also a member of the Centre for Child Health & Wellbeing. Kate’s research aims to address inequities in health, wellbeing, and educational outcomes that often arise due to early childhood adversity. She is an expert on children’s development of self-regulation and the parenting, educational, and intervention contexts that support such, along with the developmental outcomes associated with children’s self-regulatory functioning. This includes children’s regulation of attention, emotion, executive function, and their sleep behaviours. She is also involved in program evaluation and interested in the measurement of children’s development and wellbeing. Kate is also a Registered Music Therapist and so is interested in the ways that music can be used to support children’s development. Rhythm and Movement (Links Mentioned):
Contact Kate via Email (ramsr@qut.edu.au) or Linkedin Join the RAMSR Community HERE. Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Instrumental Series: Building Musicians with David Law | 126 | 02 Feb 2025 | 00:34:38 | |
Welcome to Part 2 of our chat with the incredible David Law! David is an experienced clinician and conductor, working with Queensland Music Festival and Griffith University’s State Honours Ensemble Program. He regularly leads school honor bands and presents at conferences on successful school band programs. Additionally, he has adjudicated state and national competitions. In musical theatre, he has served as Music Director and Conductor, trained at the Goodspeed Musical Theatre Institute, and conducted workshops for Opera Queensland. Currently, he is the Head of Performance Music at Redeemer Lutheran College, directing award-winning ensembles. Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Technology in Music Education (Part 3 of 3) | 019 | 18 Sep 2022 | 00:45:47 | |
Tyler Swick has presented on the topic of technology in music education at NAMM, NAfME, IMES, Ti:ME, NSSBE, and state-level conferences. He is a teacher and performer residing in Las Vegas, NV. Swick was recently awarded the Heart of Education Award and is a Yamaha 40 under 40 music educator. His passion for music education can be found on his YouTube Channel, Swick’s Classroom. Outside of the classroom, he has performed at the Latin Grammys, Panorama, and was featured in an international LG phone commercial. Swick has played alongside Keith Urban, Logic, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Bad Bunny, Stephen Perkins, Tracii Guns and can be heard on the upcoming video game, “Beyond Good and Evil 2.” Links Mentioned in Parts 1-3:
Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Technology in Music Education (Part 2 of 3) | 018 | 11 Sep 2022 | 00:55:14 | |
Swick has presented on the topic of technology in music education at NAMM, NAfME, IMES, Ti:ME, NSSBE, and state-level conferences. He is a teacher and performer residing in Las Vegas, NV. Swick was recently awarded the Heart of Education Award and is a Yamaha 40 under 40 music educator. His passion for education and all things music can be found on his YouTube Channel, Swick’s Classroom. Outside of the classroom, he has performed at the Latin Grammys, Panorama, and was featured in an international LG phone commercial. Swick has played alongside Keith Urban, Logic, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Bad Bunny, Stephen Perkins, Tracii Guns and can be heard on the upcoming video game, “Beyond Good and Evil 2.”
Where to find me: | |||
| Technology in Music Education (Part 1 of 3) | 017 | 04 Sep 2022 | 00:42:33 | |
Swick has presented on the topic of technology in music education at NAMM, NAfME, IMES, Ti:ME, NSSBE, and state-level conferences. He is a teacher and performer residing in Las Vegas, NV. Swick was recently awarded the Heart of Education Award and is a Yamaha 40 under 40 music educator. His passion for education and all things music can be found on his YouTube Channel, Swick’s Classroom. Outside of the classroom, he has performed at the Latin Grammys, Panorama, and was featured in an international LG phone commercial. Swick has played alongside Keith Urban, Logic, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Bad Bunny, Stephen Perkins, Tracii Guns and can be heard on the upcoming video game, “Beyond Good and Evil 2.” Links Mentioned in Part 1 of Technology in Music Education:
Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Brain Development and Music Learning | 016 | 28 Aug 2022 | 00:44:57 | |
Dr. Anita Collins is an award-winning educator, researcher and writer in the field of brain development and music learning. She is internationally recognized for her unique work in translating the scientific research of neuroscientists and psychologists to the everyday parent, teacher and student. Anita is the author of The Music Advantage, a book for parents and teachers about the extraordinary and often surprising benefits of learning music for children from newborns to teenagers. Anita conducts her education and advocacy work through her brand Bigger Better Brains, a face to face and online education provider for the global music education community about the application of neuromusical research. Anita may be best known for her role as on-screen expert and campaign lead for the Don’t Stop the Music documentary that aired on the ABC in late 2018, her TED Ed lesson How playing an instrument benefits your brain, her and her TEDx Talk What if every child had music education from birth. In 2018 her contribution to the field of music education was recognised with the Educators Award at the inaugural Australian Women in Music awards.
Connect with Dr. Anita Collins:
Bigger Better Brains
Author Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Australian Children’s Songwriter (Part 2 of 2) | 015 | 14 Aug 2022 | 00:42:21 | |
Ian Ross Williams is a talented Australian children’s songwriter. He is an Orff and Kodaly trained primary school music teacher. Biography Ian Ross Williams was born in Sydney, long ago, and raised in a happy, churchy, musical environment. Hours were spent taking part in sing-alongs at family or social gatherings, as well as alone, often accompanied by the pedal pianola. A boy soprano with a golden voice, Ian was blind-sided in Year 6 by a girl-friend who asked him to please not sing. Up until that point he had been unaware that he often sang in the playground. Now slightly more self-aware, Ian’s teen years often did include performing in public, but generally at more appropriate times. After dropping out of high school and taking various jobs, Ian spent a year as a teacher’s aide at a school for autistic children. With encouragement from the principal, he then began his teacher training. Ian’s longstanding interest in all things Aboriginal led to his first teaching position, at a bi-lingual school on the Tiwi Islands, N.T., where he taught for three years, during which time Ian and the Aboriginal teachers wrote and recorded ‘Ngawa Ngarikuruwala – We Sing’ which, along with a song-book was released in 1981. The package sold out in 1 ½ days, with virtually every household on the island owning a copy that year. Ian has been writing and recording songs for children ever since. Continue reading his bio HERE. Links Mentioned by Ian, the Australian Children’s Songwriter:Australian Children’s Songwriter – Favorite Songs/Resources:
Find Ian on his website and his YouTube channel. Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Australian Children’s Songwriter (Part 1 of 2) | 014 | 07 Aug 2022 | 00:41:31 | |
Ian Ross Williams is a talented Australian children’s songwriter. He is an Orff and Kodaly trained primary school music teacher. Biography Ian Ross Williams was born in Sydney, long ago, and raised in a happy, churchy, musical environment. Hours were spent taking part in sing-alongs at family or social gatherings, as well as alone, often accompanied by the pedal pianola. A boy soprano with a golden voice, Ian was blind-sided in Year 6 by a girl-friend who asked him to please not sing. Up until that point he had been unaware that he often sang in the playground. Now slightly more self-aware, Ian’s teen years often did include performing in public, but generally at more appropriate times. After dropping out of high school and taking various jobs, Ian spent a year as a teacher’s aide at a school for autistic children. With encouragement from the principal, he then began his teacher training. Ian’s longstanding interest in all things Aboriginal led to his first teaching position, at a bi-lingual school on the Tiwi Islands, N.T., where he taught for three years, during which time Ian and the Aboriginal teachers wrote and recorded ‘Ngawa Ngarikuruwala – We Sing’ which, along with a song-book was released in 1981. The package sold out in 1 ½ days, with virtually every household on the island owning a copy that year. Ian has been writing and recording songs for children ever since. Continue reading his bio HERE. Links Mentioned by Ian, the Australian Children’s Songwriter :Australian Children’s Songwriter – Favorite Songs/Resources:
Find Ian on his website and his YouTube channel. Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| A Passion for Choral Music (Part 2 of 2) | 013 | 31 Jul 2022 | 00:37:28 | |
Paul Holley is a choral conductor and music educator. His personal warmth and passion for choral music have inspired many singers to discover and develop their skills as choral musicians. With over 25 years of teaching experience in schools and many years of working with instrumentalists and singers Paul knows how to connect with people of all ages and enjoys collaborating with them in the music making process. Presently, Paul is the Artistic Director of Voices of Birralee a community youth and children’s choir organisation based in Brisbane. He conducts two of the signature choirs the Birralee Blokes and Resonance of Birralee. Both of these ensembles have toured nationally and internationally, won several competitions, made numerous recordings and supported community events. He is also the co-conductor of the national youth choir Gondwana Chorale. In addition to these roles, Paul is a workshop presenter, choral clinician, guest conductor and mentor to younger conductors. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2016 for his services to choral music.
The Transformative Power of Classical Music | Benjamin Zander Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| A Passion for Choral Music (Part 1 of 2) | 012 | 24 Jul 2022 | 00:33:05 | |
Paul Holley is a choral conductor and music educator. His personal warmth and passion for choral music have inspired many singers to discover and develop their skills as choral musicians. With over 25 years of teaching experience in schools and many years of working with instrumentalists and singers Paul knows how to connect with people of all ages and enjoys collaborating with them in the music making process. Presently, Paul is the Artistic Director of Voices of Birralee a community youth and children’s choir organisation based in Brisbane. He conducts two of the signature choirs the Birralee Blokes and Resonance of Birralee. Both of these ensembles have toured nationally and internationally, won several competitions, made numerous recordings and supported community events. He is also the co-conductor of the national youth choir Gondwana Chorale. In addition to these roles, Paul is a workshop presenter, choral clinician, guest conductor and mentor to younger conductors. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2016 for his services and passion for choral music.
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| Australian Composer | 011 | 17 Jul 2022 | 00:41:55 | |
Mark Puddy has worked in Music Education for the past 37 years and is in demand as a composer of choral works. He is regularly commissioned to write works for schools and community choirs around Australia. He has published many choral pieces and his works are performed regularly in Australia and overseas, often appearing in eisteddfoddau and other choral competitions as set pieces or as recommended works. Mark is the resident arranger and composer for the Australian Girls Choir and this organisation regularly performs his works for children ranging from 5 to 18 years of age. Mark conducts and tutors with The Australian Girls Choir, and has been a regular conducting tutor at ACCET (Australian Choral Conductors’ Education and Training) for the last 9 years, teaching conducting to choral directors from around Australia. Mark regularly tours home and abroad with the Australian Girls Choir, often as an accompanist. This, combined with his instrumental experience as a trumpeter in the Australian Youth Orchestra, South Australian Youth Orchestra and various ensembles has been invaluable when it comes to working with and writing for ensembles.
Australian Composer – Mark Puddy can be found HERE. Resources for the Music Classroom:
Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Marriage of Music and Education (Part 2 of 2) | 010 | 10 Jul 2022 | 00:20:56 | |
Rhonda is an expert in the field of early childhood education, television and music. She is a virtuosic flautist, producer, conductor and advocate for Music Education in all its forms. Rhonda has a Masters of Music Education ( With Distinction ), a BA in Music Education, AMusA ( Flute / Piano ) and in 2008 she was Queensland University of Technology’s ‘Faculty of Education Outstanding Alumni’ award winner. In 2021 Rhonda was also nominated for a Telstra Business Award and has also won the “Born To Fly Award “. Spread over her lifetime and through music Rhonda has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a large number of worthy communities in need. Rhonda is currently a music specialist education consultant specialising in early childhood to year 7 and Composer and Live pianist for Network Tens hit kids show ” Crocamole”. She has a pedigree of thousands of compositions for children which have been performed on television every day throughout Australia for 23 years. Her hands on approach combined with vivacious communication skills, linked with music excellence gives her the ability to get the best out of any Community she has the pleasure to direct.
Ep10: Chat with Rhonda Davidson-Irwin – Part 2: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: Here is the Crescendo Music Education Podcast Episode Number 10. And now for the second part of my chat with Rhonda Davidson-Irwin. Just wait till you hear what she gets into for her nuggets of fabulous. Sit back and enjoy. Rhonda Davidson-Irwin. Now for the listeners, this is this is one of my favorite bits. Okay? Now, this is where you get to give us some little nuggets of fabulous. All right. So this is something that the music | |||
| Instrumental Series: Music is for Everyone with David Law | 125 | 26 Jan 2025 | 00:27:01 | |
Welcome to The Crescendo Music Education Podcast, where we dive deep into the world of music education and performance! Today, we have an extraordinary guest, David Law, who has dedicated his life to shaping the musical journeys of countless individuals. So, grab a seat and join us for an inspiring conversation with the incredible David Law! Biography of David Law: David is an experienced clinician and conductor, working with Queensland Music Festival and Griffith University’s State Honours Ensemble Program. He regularly leads school honor bands and presents at conferences on successful school band programs. Additionally, he has adjudicated state and national competitions. In musical theatre, he has served as Music Director and Conductor, trained at the Goodspeed Musical Theatre Institute, and conducted workshops for Opera Queensland. Currently, he is the Head of Performance Music at Redeemer Lutheran College, directing award-winning ensembles. Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Marriage of Music and Education (Part 1 of 2) | 009 | 03 Jul 2022 | 00:25:02 | |
Rhonda is an expert in the field of early childhood education, television and music. She is a virtuosic flautist, producer, conductor and advocate for Music Education in all its forms. Rhonda has a Masters of Music Education ( With Distinction ), a BA in Music Education, AMusA ( Flute / Piano ) and in 2008 she was Queensland University of Technology’s ‘Faculty of Education Outstanding Alumni’ award winner. Rhonda is currently a music specialist education consultant specialising in early childhood to year 7 and Composer and Live pianist for Network Tens hit kids show ” Crocamole”. She has a pedigree of thousands of compositions for children which have been performed on television every day throughout Australia for 23 years. Her hands on approach combined with vivacious communication stills, linked with music excellence gives her the ability to get the best out of any Community she has the pleasure to direct.
Ep9_FINAL.mp3: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: Here is the Crescendo Music Education Podcast Episode 9. Time for my chat with Rhonda Davidson-Irwin. Apart from the fact she is a friend, I know that she’s just done amazing things for music education in her career. Again, we’re splitting this episode into two. There’s just so much to say, and I do plan to have more episodes with Rhonda. It’s amazing. The first episode, we will listen to a little bit about what she’s done, the highlights of her career/journey as a music educator, and some of the experiences she’s had. We’ll talk about the people who’ve been influential in her life, and of course, we’ll talk about gratitude. I think you’re going to love listening to Rhonda. If you haven’t met her before, she is a positive force to be reckoned with. I hope you enjoy part one of my chat with Rhonda Davidson-Erwin. Debbie: H | |||
| Batching Rhythm Activities | 008 | 19 Jun 2022 | 00:26:33 | |
1) Teaching Rhythm Activities in your Classroom (Using Echo for Example)
Using this list, you have enough different rhythm activities for every week for a term. Go ahead and plug one of these rhythm activities into each lesson for a term. 2) Batching Rhythm Activities across the year levels. Use the same activity but practice the elements each year level knows. (13:00) 3) Think about how to record your rhythm activities brainstorming ideas. (14:37) 4) Rhythm Activities Exercises: (16:34)
5) Composing Rhythm Activities
Different is good for you too! It helps keep you inspired, motivated! Links Mentioned in the Episode:Episode 2: Introduction to Batching Where to find me:
Ep 8: Batching Rhythm Activities : this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: Here is the Crescendo Music Education Podcast Episode #8. Hi everyone, in this episode, we’re going to be talking about batching again. I thought I’d start just talking about rhythm activities first. Teachers tend to feel a bit more comfortable when teaching rhythmic elements. It’s a bit easier in | |||
| Midnight Music (Part 2 of 2) | 007 | 05 Jun 2022 | 00:40:32 | |
Katie Wardrobe is a music technology speaker, trainer, consultant, blogger and podcaster who is passionate about helping music teachers through her business Midnight Music (www.midnightmusic.com.au). She runs hands-on workshops and presents regularly at conferences in Australia and overseas as a Keynote speaker or clinician. Katie offers online training and support to hundreds of music teachers all over the world through her music technology professional development online community – the Midnight Music Community – and also through her series of free monthly webinars which have been attended by more than 20,000 teachers in 2020 alone. Katie is also the author of the keyboard and technology program for middle school students titled Studio Sessions (published by MusicEDU), Katie is also the host of the Music Tech Teacher Podcast which has more than 125 episodes.
Ep 7: Chat with Katie Wardrobe Part 2: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: Here is the Crescendo Musi | |||
| Midnight Music – (Part 1 of 2) | 006 | 22 May 2022 | 00:40:23 | |
Katie Wardrobe is a music technology speaker, trainer, consultant, blogger and podcaster who is passionate about helping music teachers through her business Midnight Music (www.midnightmusic.com.au). She runs hands-on workshops and presents regularly at conferences in Australia and overseas as a Keynote speaker or clinician. Katie offers online training and support to hundreds of music teachers all over the world through her music technology professional development online community – the Midnight Music Community – and also through her series of free monthly webinars which have been attended by more than 20,000 teachers in 2020 alone. Katie is also the author of the keyboard and technology program for middle school students titled Studio Sessions (published by MusicEDU), Katie is also the host of the Music Tech Teacher podcast which has more than 125 episodes.
Midnight Music – www.midnightmusic.com.au Music Tech Teacher Podcast – https://midnightmusic.com.au/music-tech-teacher-podcast/ Episode 2: Introduction to Batching Where to find me:
Ep 6: Chat with Katie Wardrobe Part 1: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: Here is the Crescendo Music Education Podcast Episode 6. Debbie: A very warm welcome to this episode of the Crescendo Music Education podcast where I get to have a chat with Katie Wardrobe. It was such a wonderful chat that I’m afraid, yet again, we went for quite some time, so I’m splitting this episode into t | |||
| Music Teacher Coffee Talk (Part 2 of 2) | 005 | 08 May 2022 | 00:36:23 | |
Tanya LeJeune lives in Denver, Colorado, USA and is in her 26th year of music education. She has taught K to 8th grade general music in Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado and is a Kodaly instructor of pedagogy and folk song analysis at the Colorado Kodaly Institute at Colorado State University. Tanya serves on the Elementary Music Curriculum Advisory Committee and is the music teacher mentor for Jefferson County Public Schools. For what are you most grateful? (0:32) This question is where you get to give some little ‘Nuggets of Fabulous’ to all of the listeners. What are 3 of your all time favourite resources, activities, songs or games? (8:01) At a time when Music Educators seem to have to fight even harder for the existence of their profession, what advice would you give us around advocacy? (21:16) Get on your soap box! To finish this interview, you get to tell the world something that is the most important thing for you to say. Ready, set, GO… (30:30) Links Mentioned in the Episode:Click HERE to listen to the Music Teacher Coffee Talk Podcast Where to find me:
Ep 5: Chat with Tonya LeJeune Part 2: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: Here is the Crescendo Music Education Podcast Episode 5. In this episode you'll hear the second half of the chat that I had with Tanya LeJeune. We cover things like gratitude, we hear some of her nuggets of fabulous and so much more. Enjoy the second half of my chat with Tanya LeJeune. Debbie: What are you most grateful? Tanya: I love that I get to teach music. Debbie, don't you ever have those moments where you look around, kids are singing, moving, reading, or notating and you go, 'This is my job'. Debbie: Yeah, I get to do this, dude! | |||
| Music Teacher Coffee Talk (Part 1 of 2) | 004 | 24 Apr 2022 | 00:34:06 | |
Tanya LeJeune lives in Denver, Colorado, USA and is in her 26th year of music education. She has taught K to 8th grade general music in Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado and is a Kodaly instructor of pedagogy and folk song analysis at the Colorado Kodaly Institute at Colorado State University. Tanya serves on the Elementary Music Curriculum Advisory Committee and is the music teacher mentor for Jefferson County Public Schools. Pros and Cons of Podcasting (6:46)
Highlights of your journey as Music Educator (21:57) Most influential people in your life (25:58) Links Mentioned in the Episode:Click HERE to listen to the Music Teacher Coffee Talk Podcast Where to find me:
Ep 4: Chat with Tanya LeJeune: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie: The Crescendo Music Education Podcast Episode #4. I think you’re in for a real treat with this episode. I have a chat to Tanya LeJeune, it’s just wonderful listening to her. We actually just got on a bit of a roll, we just kept talking and talking and talking. I decided I’d split this one into two episodes. It’s slightly ironic because I was even talking to her about the length of episodes and we said that a long episode didn’t really matter because you could just stop your podcast player and listen to the end later. Then I decided, actually, I will split it into two. In this first half of our chat, you’ll hear her talk about her background, the work that she does, some highlights of her journey as a music educator and some people of influence in her life. There are some real pearls of wisdom. I think you’re going to really love the first half of this chat with Tanya. Sit back and enjoy. Debbie: Welcome, Tanya LeJeune. It is so exciting to have you here on the podcast. Tanya: I’m so excited to be here.< | |||
| Mrs. Miracle's Music Room | 003 | 10 Apr 2022 | 00:43:58 | |
Highlights of your journey as Music Educator (9:01) Most influential people in your life (10:50) What are you the most grateful for as a Music Educator (14:58) Nuggets of Fabulous (17:31)
Music Education Advocacy (31:52) The Most Important Advice to the Whole World (35:54) Links Mentioned in the Episode:An American MethodologyChrome Music Lab Aileen’s lesson plans with the agenda slide: Aileen’s Blog Posts: The pictures of me as promised in this episode. Oh goodness did we laugh! Where to find me:Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ Ep 3: A Chat with Aileen Miracle: Audio automatically transcribed by SonixEp 3: A Chat with Aileen Miracle: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors. Debbie O’Shea: Here is the Crescendo Music Education podcast, Episode 3. Welcome to the first interview episode! Well, really I think of it more as like a ‘chat’ sort of episode. You’re going to hear me have a bit of a conversation with Aileen Miracle. Now a lot of you already know Aileen. I will introduce her officially once the little chat gets going but I just wanted to point out a few things before we started. First off, oh, it was fun. I had a fabulous time. We talk about her work and her professional journey. We talk about gratitude. I introduced something I’m going to be using in all of my little interview chats with people called “Nuggets of Fabulous”. You’ll hear about those and you’ll get lots of tips and advice. One | |||
| Introduction to Batching | 002 | 10 Apr 2022 | 00:20:32 | |
Our job is difficult. Yes it can be fun, but it is exhausting! If you are trying to do ‘all the things’ and do them well – it is a very difficult job. How can we make our jobs a little more efficient so that we can focus on the students when we are with them and not worry about everything else? There’s no simple answer, but here is a suggestion that I know will help and that is Batching. What is Batching? (1:35)The concept came from business podcasts, I think Amy Porterfield was the one that developed the idea of Batching the most for me. “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” Alexander Graham Bell Batching is a productivity system that helps you to work on specific tasks or types of tasks in a dedicated time period without interruptions, rather than switching from task to task. Following this method requires you to schedule and take breaks. Often paired with the Pomodoro technique which suggests 25 minutes focused work and 5 minutes break. (Take longer breaks after 4 pomodoros.) Why Batch?1. Efficiency (2:41)Working in batches can really aid efficiency. It has the added benefit of helping me to organize and record my thoughts for use now BUT also in the future. There is really no such thing as multitasking – it is task switching – and a great deal of time is lost while you get ‘into’ the new task. 2. Deep work and good focus (3:14)Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered that people find genuine satisfaction during a state of consciousness called Flow. I know when I get ‘In the flow’ time flies and the work doesn’t really feel like work. This is what I aim for! Batching helps me to get into this optimal work zone. It minimises distraction so that workflow is more concentrated and I can focus on detail. 3. Adding Method to my Madness (3:56)Batching helps me to chip away at the large amount of work, in many different areas, that has to be done. Sometimes the enormity of what I need and want to do becomes overwhelming. Batching helps me! It helps provide effective structure in which I can tackle the larger, longer term jobs. 4. Mental Clarity (4:51)I get much clearer thoughts and ideas when immersed in these specific tasks. I recall past activities, workshops, experiences, repertoire etc as I sink deeper into the work. 5. Start to feel ahead instead of behind (5:27)This is just as it sounds. By digging deep in one area, I am moving ahead, ready for the future – the next week, month, term or even year! Imagine that! What work do I batch? (6:27)These are the things I tend to batch. I am sure you can think of things that will work well for the way you work. In future podcasts I plan on having a closer look at how I batch some of these things listed below. Some of these are things that you do not have to keep working on in large focused blocks of time. You record your work and from then on just add to and edit.
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| You Are Important! A Reminder for Music Teachers | 001 | 10 Apr 2022 | 00:25:21 | |
Often Music teachers feel undervalued and not appreciated. Why do we need to hear that we are important? In this episode, I share several reasons why you are important as a Music Teacher as well as places to ‘hang out’ so that you feel valuable. Enjoy! Easy to not feel valued: (1:38)
3 reasons why you are valuable: (6:26)1. Cognitive
2. Social, Emotional and Psychological
3. Physical
“To touch can be to give life.” Michael AngeloWays to remember your value as you work: (17:07)
Links Mentioned in the Episode: | |||
| Introducing The Crescendo Music Education Podcast | 07 Apr 2022 | 00:02:08 | |
I am so excited! My podcast will launch April 11, 2022. There will be 3 episodes available, including a ‘chat’ with Aileen Miracle. Mark your calendars! Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunityOfficial Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEdTwitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusicLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDebbie/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/crescendodebbie/ | |||
| Instrumental Series: Nuggets of FABULOUS | 124 | 19 Jan 2025 | 00:30:15 | |
Welcome to the third and final episode in our Instrumental Series with the incredible Carmen Forgan! Over the past two episodes, Carmen has shared practical tools and strategies for teamwork and communication that have inspired us to rethink how we approach the music room. Today, we’re wrapping up this series with a jam-packed conversation full of resources, tips, and ideas you’ll want to implement immediately. In this episode, we’re diving into tools like Tessitura Acapella and TETuner App—two fantastic resources that can elevate your teaching and make music-making more accessible for your students. Carmen will also talk about the power of community, including the insights she’s gained from the Band Directors Talk Shop Facebook page. This episode is all about equipping you with tools and inspiration to bring out the best in your teaching and your students. Whether it’s through apps, online communities, or clever lesson starters, there’s something here for everyone. So, grab your notebook, tune in, and let’s explore these incredible resources and ideas with Carmen one last time. Let’s finish this series with a bang! Carmen is very passionate about music education. Currently Carmen works at The Gap State School and The Gap State High School as an instrumental Music instructor. Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Instrumental Series: Communication that Counts | 123 | 12 Jan 2025 | 00:17:45 | |
Welcome back to the second episode in our Instrumental Series with the amazing Carmen Forgan! In part one, Carmen inspired us with her insights on teamwork and collaboration. Today, we’re talking about one of her favorite tools: the Communication Book. The Communication Book is more than a notebook. It’s a simple way to connect school and home. Carmen will explain how it helps teachers track what students are practicing. It also lets parents ask questions and stay involved. This system is easy to use and makes a big impact. Whether you need better communication with families or fresh ways to keep students accountable, this episode has tips you can try right away. We’ll also discuss Rainbow Rockets, one of Carmen’s favorite repertoire pieces. She’ll share how it engages students and reinforces key skills. You’ll hear creative ways to use it and learn how it inspires a love of music. Join us as we explore how tools like a Communication Book and thoughtful repertoire create stronger connections and foster growth. Let’s dive in! Biography of Carmen Forgan: Carmen is very passionate about music education. Currently Carmen works at The Gap State School and The Gap State High School as an instrumental Music instructor. Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Instrumental Series: Defining TEAM | 122 | 05 Jan 2025 | 00:31:24 | |
Welcome to the first episode in an exciting three-part series on teamwork and collaboration in the music room! I’m thrilled to introduce our guest speaker, Carmen Forgan—a dynamic educator and leader who brings a wealth of expertise to our conversation. In this series, we’ll explore how fostering strong, collaborative teams can transform your teaching practice and your students’ learning experiences. In today’s episode, we kick things off by defining what it means to be a TEAM. For us, it’s all about Communication, Support, Vision, Growth, and Optimism. Carmen will share her strategies for bringing these values to life, both when working with colleagues and when guiding students. We’ll dive into how effective communication—like using tools such as OneNote—can save time, streamline collaboration, and keep everyone on the same page. Biography of Carmen Forgan: Carmen is very passionate about music education. Currently Carmen works at The Gap State School and The Gap State High School as an instrumental Music instructor. Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||
| Never Been Used Before - 2024 | 121 | 09 Dec 2024 | 00:16:31 | |
Welcome to the final episode of our 2024 podcast series! Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity | |||