It’s on the Tip of My Fingers: Techniques for Memorization

Texas Music Teachers Association Convention 2005

Dr. Dawn Harmon McCord, Presenter

Music Music Everywhere . . .

. . . But not a sound to hear.

Multimodal Musical Experiences Auditory Visual Cognitive Affective Motor Memory

Donald Hodges: Neurological Research and Music Education, 1996

Effective Teaching Strategies…

…actively involve the student in the learning experience.

This is the first step towards facilitating memorization.

Basic information is easy to talk about! You can tell that the:

melody is mostly conjunct and diatonic form is ABA harmony is in a minor modality rhythm is compound duple

Could you help them discover this information in ways other than lecture? If so, they will own the parameters of the repertoire.

Where to start with active learning and listening?

Have student: Focus their attention to some specific detail in

the music Listen for that detail as they play Respond to the discoveries that surface

There are many resources available to the teacher that will help the student focus on specific parameters necessary for memorization.

Learning and Memorization Activities Guidance

Schumann “Papillons” from Carnaval, Op. 9

Is this piece: Fast or slow? Quiet or loud? Like a butterfly or an elephant?

Guidance creates active listening which empowers the learner to access great hooks for memorization.

Learning and Memorization Activities Modeling Mini-teaching Moments Questioning

Learning and Memorization Activities Storytelling Visitation Rights American Idol

Learning and Memorization Activities Listening Maps

A listening map is a visual image that highlights important stylistic parameters in a given composition. Examples of these images can include:

Pictures Graphics Shapes Short musical themes or motifs

Source for ideas is Rebecca Payne Shockley’s Mapping Music: For Faster Learning and Secure Memory

Learning and Memorization Activities

Call Charts Visuals

A A AA CB B

Robert Schumann: Frightening from Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15

Listening Map Example

Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in A Minor, K. 149; Longo 93

Now it’s your turn

Select a piece to map On your blank paper provided,

create a map for your selection. Let the following guide your choices for visualization:

FormMelodyHarmonyExpression

RhythmTextureStyleSky’s the limit

Mapping Repertoire

W. T. Skye Garcia: Cat Walk

Susan Ogilvy: Toccatina

Martha Mier: Morning Dew

Now it’s your turn

Set your imagination free. Create a map for your selection.

The following guide provides some of the ideas for mapping:

FormMelodyHarmonyExpression

RhythmTextureStyleSky’s the limit

Coda and Overture Set ‘em up Let the learning begin Let the listening begin Begin appropriate and multimodal activities Memorize at all levels and modes of learning Where there are insecurities, expand the

activities Learning activities will put it on the tip of

your fingers!