“Learn to Improvise:” A Journey in Writing this Book
Editor’s Note: Leslie Purcell Upchurch has recently released a book on improvisation; this post contains her reflections on the writing and design process. Links to find the book are at the end of the article! Origins… During the 1990s, I was teaching at a piano school where the faculty were asked to write a semester-long…
Read MoreICDS6: a Review
The International Conference of Dalcroze Studies at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Wednesday- Saturday, August 2-5, 2023 Pittsburgh gave us four sunny days for the annual International Conference of Dalcroze Studies, the academic/research arm of Dalcroze education worldwide. This year’s theme “Ecologies of Practice in Music and Movement,” entailed exploring Dalcroze practice as…
Read MoreEditor’s Letter
In what may be already obvious to others in this community, Dalcroze work is starting to feel for me like a lifelong journey where the experiences, the creativity, and the people we encounter help us evolve into greater musicians and humans. Dalcroze experiences always leave me with a lot to think about, oftentimes in the…
Read MoreMember Spotlight: Michelle Li
Every summer, professional Dalcroze students pass examinations and checkpoints, coming one step closer to finishing a Dalcroze Professional Certificate or License program. Recently, DSA member Michelle Li completed all the requirements towards her certification from Carnegie Mellon University. As part of our new Member Spotlight series, in which we introduce new Certificate holders to the…
Read MoreDalcroze Education for Youth: Subcommittee Update
Current Work The Dalcroze Education for Youth Subcommittee is comprised of members of the DSA’s Professional Development Committee. We (Adriana Ausch, Jeremy Dittus, Leslie Upchurch, and myself) have been meeting to discuss and organize common goals for Dalcroze students in the 4-7 year old age range. While our meetings began a few years ago with…
Read MoreLesson Plan: “Little notes going up and down”
The song “Little notes going up and down” is based on the C major pentascale (do-re-mi-fa-sol), with the addition of “la” in one of the verses. This song may be used in a music/movement class for babies and/or toddlers. Its main objective is to be aware of the sounds going up and down within the…
Read MoreDeveloping Aural Skills with Card Games
Introduction by Aaron Butler Émile Jaques-Dalcroze’s vision of musical education was joyful and kind. He said, “It is the function of teachers, by care and perseverance, to create in students’ souls the ray of joy.” (Rhythm, Music and Education, 1915) Herbert Henke connected this to the delight of puzzles. In a 1999 interview he said,…
Read MoreReflections of a DSA Scholarship Recipient
With generous help from the Dalcroze Society of America, I had the opportunity to continue my Dalcroze teacher training at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies‘ Dalcroze Academy in Dallas, TX from July 18-30, 2022. Under the direction of Dr. Jeremy Dittus, diplôme supérieur, the faculty at DSRDA inspired and challenged me, encouraging me to…
Read MoreNuance: The Missing Link?
In the 1960s, the renowned Dalcroze teacher Robert (Bob) Abramson had traveled to Geneva to take exams for the diplôme superiuer at the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze. He reported to his class in the 1980s (of which I was a student) that for his solfège exam he had taught a lesson from Émile Jaques-Dalcroze’s book solfège rythmique.…
Read More6th International Conference for Dalcroze Studies
“Ecologies of Practice in Music and Movement” Interested in research and practice of Dalcroze Eurhythmics and related fields? Save the date for a unique summer learning and sharing experience at the 6th International Conference for Dalcroze Studies to be held for the first time in the USA at the Marta Sanchez Dalcroze Training Center of…
Read More