Archway Melodies
54 Followers
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
About the store
I’ve been a classroom music teacher who has trained bands, choirs and small ensembles with children aged between 3 and 14 years old. Teaching whole class recorder is a major interest of mine. Outside of the classroom I am also a performing violinist who has also, as a private teacher, taught violin.
I married Tony, my pianist/composer husband, in 2011. He writes music, lots of it… from simple melodies, solos to small ensembles and full orchestral works. Together we perform live and to date, in the educational world, we have written no less than five school musicals as well as much music for recorder and percussion.
We are a husband and wife team whose experiences in life, music and teaching have given us both different sets of skills that complement each other and make us more than the sum of our parts.
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Xylo Karate: Book 1
What is Xylo Karate?It is a positive reward system that allows the children to learn at their own pace, rewarding them with coloured belts when a level is mastered. How does the program work?Students are given the books which they can work through at their own speed at home. In class they are tested when they have finished learning a song. If it sounds good, has the correct rhythms and notes, they receive the corresponding coloured belt for that piece. What instrument is it for?It is for a “X
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Xylo Karate: Book 2
What is Xylo Karate?It is a positive reward system that allows the children to learn at their own pace, rewarding them with coloured belts when a level is mastered. How does the program work?Students are given the books which they can work through at their own speed at home. In class they are tested when they have finished learning a song. If it sounds good, has the correct rhythms and notes, they receive the corresponding coloured belt for that piece. What instrument is it for?It is for a “X
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Rocket Recorders: Book 2
What is Rocket Recorders? Rocket Recorders is a fun, graduated system to inspire students to learn the descant/soprano recorder at their own pace. If desired, a positive reinforcement incentive scheme can easily be created to work with this program. About the Series and What is New in Book 2?There are four books in this series, each adding more notes and challenges for the students. After finishing Book 1, they should have the basic skills in recorder playing and know the notes G, A, B, C and
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Bumble, the Bumbling Bumble Bee. A Musical for Assorted Insects
Bumble, the Bumbling Bumble Bee is an original, humorous and melodic work for Piano, Singers and Assorted Insects. Bumble was written for children to perfom and it premiered with just four. However, it has many songs where any number of children can be involved; so... you can have as many centipedes, grasshoppers and bees as you like. It takes around 20 minutes to perform. SynopsisThere once was a little bumble bee called Bumble. He loved flowers and flying and finding delicious nectar. One da
4th - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Vocal Music
"Images" for Unaccompanied Recorder Trio
Images grew out of the need to provide something of a challenge for a group of students who were ahead of the rest of the class. Initially written as this Recorder Trio, it has also been adapted for these combinations. "Images" for Unaccompanied Recorder Duet"Images" for Solo Piano and RecorderThe whole suite starts simply and becomes progressively more challenging with each movement, however, always remaining simple enough for beginning to intermediate players to enjoy. It uses the white note
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Rocket Recorders: Book 3
What is Rocket Recorders? This the third book in a fun, graduated system to inspire students to learn the descant/soprano recorder at their own pace. If desired, a positive reinforcement incentive scheme can easily be created to work with this program. About the Series and What is New in Book 3?There are four books in this series, each adding more notes and challenges for the students. After finishing Book 2, they should have the basic skills in recorder playing and know the notes G, A, B, C and
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Beethoven's Ode to Boomwhackers
Are you looking for a fun piece of Boomwhacker music for your students, or something to wow your parents with at a concert? This piece takes Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” and mixes in a couple more of his great tunes, to create this little gem for three-part Boomwhackers. With each part being at different difficulty levels, it is a great resource for including all levels of ability and showing your administration that you are able to diversify. Most of all it is fun for both you and your students. Ch
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
The Tortoise and The Hare - A Mini Musical
The Tortoise and The Hare is a great Mini Musical for younger grades. It allows for the teaching of untuned percussion instruments. It also has only two simple tunes for children to learn and sing. The excitement comes from differences in how these tunes are played as the Mini Musical progresses. A video of the premier perfomance is available here, on YoutubeThe audio preview is the video sound track.What's in the PackPDF with Tips for teaching unpitched percussion instrumentsTips for teaching
PreK - 2nd
Drama, Music, Vocal Music
A Glocky Dance. For one octave, diatonic glockenspiels
A fun piece that’s playable on one octave, diatonic glockenspiels. It is based on “Mattachins” (sometimes known as “Sword Dance”), which is one of the dance tunes found in Thoinot Arbeau's Orchésographie and most famously used by Peter Warlock (1894-1930) for the finale of “Capriol”. It was Warlock's version that provided the inspiration for "A Glocky Dance". The prevew audio file is the whole piece, all 1'40" of it... "A Glocky Dance" is scored one-octave diatonic glockenspiels in three parts
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
The 1,2,3,4,5,5 Suite. Six easy pieces for Piano and Recorder
The 1,2,3,4,5,5 Suite is an original suite of six movements for easy recorder using the notes G,A,B,C & D. Each movement can be used as a stand-alone piece of music or as a full concert suite. Designed to be easy to use as a full class piece or for a child or small group who need more of a challenge. It starts with just one note (G) and adds more notes as the work progresses until GABCD are used in the last two movements. The PREVIEW file is the first half or so of each piece. The movements a
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music
Rocket Recorders: Book 4
What is Rocket Recorders? This is the fourth and last book in the fun, graduated system to inspire students to learn the descant/soprano recorder at their own pace. If desired, a positive reinforcement incentive scheme can easily be created to work with this program. About the Series and What is New in Book 4?There are four books in this series, each adding more notes and challenges for the students. After finishing Book 3, they should have a good set of skills in recorder playing and know the n
4th - 7th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Rocket Recorders: Book 1
What is Rocket Recorders? Rocket Recorders is a fun, graduated system to inspire students to learn the descant/soprano recorder at their own pace. If desired, a positive reinforcement incentive scheme can easily be created to work with this program. About the SeriesThere are four books in this series, each adding more notes and challenges for the students. If the students complete the series, they will literally be playing music that is out of this world. Book 1 introduces the "one-hand" notes o
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Songs for a Chinese New Year. Four songs for Piano and Singers
Songs for a Chinese New Year is an original suite of four songs for young children to celebrate aspects of the Chinese New Year. A pentatonic scale is used to give the songs an oriental feel, however the songs are not slaves to that scale. Each song can be used as a stand-alone piece or performed together as a cohesive unit. It is very possible to create you own actions around this music. The four songs are:Come, Know the Flowers.Fire Crackers.Lanterns.The Dragon.The Audo PREVIEW file is the fir
K - 6th
Chinese, Music
The Giant's House. A musical for Piano, Recorders, Percussion and Singers
The Giant’s House is an original work for recorders, choir and piano. The Giant’s House takes around 20 minutes to perform and can be used to promote discussion, as it can ask more questions than it answers. Here is a final run-through performance in front of the rest of the school. Unfortunately, no costumes were available at the time and the actual performance, the next day, wasn't recorded.---- Synopsis A group of children take shelter from a storm in a spooky house. Inside they find a magi
5th - 7th
Instrumental Music, Music, Vocal Music
Classroom Concerto
A fun piece for older students (and adults?) that borders of being a “proper” piece of music. The idea coming from the Classical “Toy Symphony” (possibly by Joseph Haydn). It’s in four movements which are designed to spark the students' imagination with a spooky forest, brilliant parade and a wild dance to finish. Sometimes… sounding “wrong” can be just so… right.YouTube Video: Classroom ConcertoRumble Video: Classroom ConcertoPlaying optionsThe Melody line is a descant recorder from D to D, n
6th - 12th, Adult Education, Higher Education
Drama, Instrumental Music, Other (Performing Arts)
More Songs for a Chinese New Year. Four songs for Piano, Percussion and Singers
This is an original suite of four songs for young children to celebrate aspects of the Chinese New Year. The pentatonic scale is used to give the songs an oriental feel. However, the songs are not slaves to that scale. YouTube: More Songs for a Chinese New YearEach song can be used as a stand-alone piece or performed together as a cohesive unit. It is very possible to create your own actions around this music. The Four Songs are:Praying for the HarvestRelativesDumplings (For international ap
K - 8th
Chinese, Music
Airs on a D String
Airs on a D String can be used in various ways A live performance by us, can be found here: Airs on a D StringPlaying optionsOn one level, it is seven graduated pieces that is easy to use as a solo or class learning piece. Starting with just one note (the open “D”), each piece adds a new note in semi-tone or half-step increments. The pieces are great tools for introducing three and four time as well as basic counting and repeats.On another level, it’s a piece of music that works in its own righ
3rd - 12th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
A Bigger Bar Of Candy Land. Eight Pieces for Recorder and Imagination
A BIGGER BAR of CANDY LAND is a suite of eight short pieces, written with the intention of providing interesting and challenging music for the advanced beginner. It only uses the following notes F, G, A, Bb, B, C, C# & D. However, even within this limited range, there are some wonderful melodies, interesting and novel harmonies plus good counting and rhythmic learning opportunities. Playing optionsEach of the pieces can be used as a stand-alone work or played as a whole. Imagination options
3rd - 7th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Xylo Images for Unaccompanied Xylo/Glock Trio
Images grew out of the need to provide something of a challenge for a group of students who were ahead of the rest of the class. This version uses roughly the same music as that version, but is modified to take account that there are no sharps or flats. This is the original version Images for Unaccompanied Recorder TrioThe whole suite starts simply and becomes progressively more challenging with each movement, however, always remaining simple enough for beginning to intermediate players to enjoy
3rd - 6th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Candy Land. Six Pieces for Recorder and Imagination.
CANDY LAND is one of our "One Handed Pieces", written to provide fun and interesting for advanced beginners to play. It only uses the notes G, A, B, C, C# and D however, within this limited range there are some wonderful melodies, interesting and novel harmonies plus good counting and rhythmic learning opportunities. Playing optionsEach of the six short pieces can be used as a stand-alone work or played as a whole. Imagination options : Music for your own StoryCANDY LAND was written to be playe
3rd - 7th
Instrumental Music, Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Showing 1-20 of 31 results
About the store
Experience
I’ve been a classroom music teacher who has trained bands, choirs and small ensembles with children aged between 3 and 14 years old. Teaching whole class recorder is a major interest of mine. Outside of the classroom I am also a performing violinist who has also, as a private teacher, taught violin.
I married Tony, my pianist/composer husband, in 2011. He writes music, lots of it… from simple melodies, solos to small ensembles and full orchestral works. Together we perform live and to date, in the educational world, we have written no less than five school musicals as well as much music for recorder and percussion.
We are a husband and wife team whose experiences in life, music and teaching have given us both different sets of skills that complement each other and make us more than the sum of our parts.
Teaching style
Kodaly, Orff and Suzuki have proven to be a most effective basis for my teaching. However, I also draw ideas from many different sources, compiling what works best for me and, of course, the children.
Awards & shining teacher moments
Back in 2008, long before I met him, Tony was the winner of the UK Songwriting Competition. His orchestral work “Twinkle Variations” (based in Twinkle, twinkle, little star) came top in the Instrumental section. This work was used as “The Alphabet Variations” by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra as part of their program to introduce the instruments of the orchestra to young people.
My own education history
II have a B.Ed., receiving my Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan. I’m also a lifelong learner, enhancing my education and knowledge by listening and learning to those whose talent and knowledge I respect. I do however, sometimes willingly pay to be taught, and have attending various music courses over the years including Choral Conducting at Sherborne in the UK.
Tony attended the Trinity College of Music in London, UK, which sounds really posh, until you find out he only went there as a teenager on Saturday’s, during term time. He is a graduate from the University of Life being mostly self-taught and learning a lot from listening, doing, experimenting and, of course, (so he says) the occasional mistake. :-)
Additional biographical information
One of our passions is playing duets together and have performed many times together in various venues, including a farmer’s field. I mentioned earlier that Tony is a composer and he wrote me a tune on the very day we met. He later tuned this tune into a 25-minute sonata, which we premiered at a concert of his own music. Luckily he has written much shorter/easier pieces and together we perform these, together with other delightful works.
Tony writes music outside of the educational field as well, so if you want something original written please don’t hesitate to ask.
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