iAlchemy Performance

The iAlchemy performance was last night and it went really well.

I wasn't sure the performance space would work -- we were on a 2nd stage in the lobby-- but it really did. The whole crowd surrounded us (and peered down from the balcony) and it really created a great effect.

My kids did great and looked great.  We had an interesting moment where 1/2 way through the piece piano music began to play.  Initially we though an iPad was cycling, but now we think the pianist for the 2nd half was warming up for the Tchaikovsky piano concerto and it was getting picked up by the house mic and fed into the speakers.

Good time all around.

iAlchemy on TV

Check out our iPad ensemble on TV.  Cool.

Legacy

We made an album and it just went live.  We used Legacy Productions and they were very helpful through the whole process.

This is a growing and developing group and I would appreciate any support in selling the album.

Creating eBooks in Choir Class

I have three rehearsals before our concert.  Yesterday I took a day to finish some smartmusic tests and to create ebooks.

We are performing Homeward Bound by Marta Keen.  I asked students to partner up and use the iPad to create an ebook based on the song.  I asked them to do the following:

• Choose the app (Book Creator, Scribble Press, My Story) that would work best for them.  Each app has slightly different capabilities.
• Either take write the lyrics verbatim or "tell a story" with the same meaning.
• Write it for 1st graders.
• Be able to share it and turn it in on time.

I spoke for a moment about music standards; that we connect with art and literature.  I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the books.  These sessions are sometimes challenging as I have a group of students who just. can't. work. independently.

You can create on the iPad.

Earl MacDonald writes a lot

Check out Earl's page.  This is an awesome project where he wrote a tune a day for the month of February.  Each tune was accompanied by a blog post, .pdf file, and lots of angst.

He's now published each with a recording.  Great job!

Heart of Gold

Link if the above does not work through filter.

CMEA Conference 2012

My impressions of the CMEA conference so far is that there seems to be a lot less people here.  I'm worried about my slots tomorrow that I might be talking to myself.

I am presenting two workshops.  First at 8am is talk with Doug O'Grady outlining our iAlchemy project.

Second is an iPad workshop.

Here are the apps I will go over (very quickly...) in the session.  This list is by no means exhaustive or complete.  This is a music teachers conference.

• Youtube
• SixStrings
• Garageband
• Praisehymns
• Nota
• PBS
• TED
• Soundcloud
• Gibson
• Metronome
• Too Loud
• Google
• Wolfram Alpha
• Dragon Tape
• Glee
• Thumbjam
• Planbook
• ForScore
• DropBox
• Evernote
• FaceTime
• Skype
• iPod
• DustBuster
• MadPad
• Smartmusic
• Video Time Machine
• Jimi Hendrix/Sting
• Guardian Eyewitness
• NPR Music
• Puppet Pals
• Virtuoso
• Skitch
• Notability
• iMovie
• iShred
• Wild Chords
• Band of The Day
• JoinMe
• Soundcloud
• Book Creator
• Stopwatch
• OnLive Desktop
• Kindle

Now that I've typed it that seems like a lot...