It's National Kazoo Day!

by Mark Jauss, Advertising Associate and Kazoo Enthusiast

I'm sure I'm not telling you something you don't already know, but today, Jan. 28, is National Kazoo Day! Do you know how this incredibly fun instrument came into existence? Here's a brief video outlining the history of the instrument, just in case your answer to the above question was "no":

Naturally, we felt it was necessary to put together a kazoo band to celebrate this momentous day (while also celebrating "too much fun at work day!", admittedly). Enjoy the world premiere below, and three cheers to the kazoo!

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Mark is a graduate of Wright State University in Dayton, OH, having received a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in choral conducting. 

 

Before coming to Lorenz, Mark was the director of choirs at both Howard W. Blake High School for the Performing Arts in Tampa, FL, and Monroe Jr./Sr. High School in Monroe, OH.  Mark is also currently the director of the KCC Concert Choir, an advanced treble choir within the Kettering Children’s Choir organization. The group has toured extensively, and recently sang in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and with the South Cape Children’s Choir and various performing ensembles on a tour throughout South Africa. In the Spring of 2015, Mark also had the privilege of preparing the choir for performances of the Britten War Requiem under the baton of Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops. In addition, Mark has been the music director at his church since the age of 18, and regularly travels throughout the country giving workshops on conducting and worship leading. 
 

Mark is the blessed husband of Jennifer and proud father of Michael and Ellie.

Percussion How To: Claves

A good tone on the claves is easy when you have the correct grip, as demonstrated by percussionist Mark Shelton. Enjoy!

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Mark Shelton has presented hundreds of arts-in-education performances as a percussion soloist and as leader of the world music ensemble, Tin Roof Tango. From the early days of his career as Visiting Artist at Coastal Carolina Community College to his current work as a soloist, clinician, sideman, and entrepreneur, Mark has created programs, products, and educational services for a variety of ages. The author of Give Me a Groove from Heritage Music Press, Mark has also published articles in Percussive Notes, Activate!, Dulcimer Players News, and Worship Musician. 

Find out more about Mark at www.marksheltonmusic.com

This is Your Brain on Music

Over the years, there has been plenty of circumstantial evidence about the connection between music and academic success, but, if you are middle aged (or even more “mature”), much of what we learned was based on speculation. With newer brain imagining tools, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI), scientists can actually see neurons firing. With more rigorous scientific studies, researchers can dig deeper than the chicken-and-egg theories that were the best we had twenty or thirty years ago (remember the one about music and SAT scores? Did music cause higher SAT scores or did kids with higher IQs gravitate toward music?).

The current research is exciting because the correlations are being drawn and they are strongly supporting the theory that music participation creates better brains. As music teachers, it is important that we keep up on what current research is saying about how participation in music improves our thinking. Share these morsels with your administrators, students, and their parents to remind them that music is not just an activity, but an integral part of academic development.

Percussion How To: Woodblock Tone

Check out these great tips and techniques for proper woodblock tone in Mark Shelton's Percussion How To video!

Triangle Technique

Check out these great tips and techniques for playing the triangle in Mark Shelton's Percussion How To video!

Bucket Drumming Basics

Bucket drumming has come to the elementary music classroom with teachers and students getting in on the fun of pounding a pail.  Forming a bucket ensemble is easy on the budget while providing a great vehicle for learning rhythms and exploring tone colors. 

I Know Sousa Not Sopranos!

A Survival Guide for the Band Director Teaching Choirs

About a month ago, I was asked for an interview by Andrew Berman, a contributing feature writer for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) publication, Teaching Music, as part of an article for February, 2014, entitled Trading Chairs! The article is about music teachers who were trained in one area, yet ended up teaching in another area. I was reminded of my book with Heritage Music Press, I KNOW SOUSA, NOT SOPRANOS! A Survival Guide for the Band Director Teaching Choirs.