With summer in full swing, I thought it would be fun to round up all the songs I’ve written about my favorite season. I’ve been singing them almost nonstop since June, and will be sad to retire them at the end of August. But there’s still plenty of time before that unfortunate day comes, so let’s get to it:
This is the original summer song, written over three years ago! But it still gets plenty of mileage, and I even featured it in a recent Sunday Singalong video.
A song dedicated entirely to the current month. There are still a good couple of weeks left to celebrate July, even though the most exciting day of the month (the 4th, of course) has already passed us by.
This should be our theme song here in central Illinois. It’s been hotter this summer than any other I can remember, but honestly, I’m not complaining too much. I’ll take a heat advisory over a February blizzard any day of the week!
My favorite hangout during the summer months is my parents’ backyard pool (conveniently located just two blocks from my house). And judging from the suntans and damp hair my students often sport when they arrive at my studio, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who enjoys a day at the pool. And that’s exactly why I wrote this song.
Let’s not forget about all the food that just tastes better in the summertime. I could eat watermelon for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and my husband could do the same with ice cream. Singing “Yummy Summer” is a great way to get my students talking about their favorite summer treats.
One last summer tune, which will take us into the 8th month of the year. Even though August signals the start of the school year, it is also full of good things…I personally can’t wait for two weeks of pure vacation following the end of my summer session :)
I’m hoping to squeeze in a few more songs about summer in the upcoming weeks, but these should keep you busy until then. What are your summertime faves?
After having taken over 10 years of voice lessons (including studying as a voice major in college) and teaching voice lessons myself for the past 8 years, I’ve learned a few vocal warm-ups in my time.
I could probably have gone on for another hour, but I decided to spare you of that and just throw out a few favorites ;)
As I mentioned in the video, I would love to hear from you — which vocal exercises do YOU use, whether for yourself or for your students? Please share them in the comments. My students thank you in advance for the fresh new ideas!
Once every few months, I write a song to be used with the instrument being played in the picture above: the tone block. These are a staple in my early childhood music classes, because they are excellent for targeting fine motor skills. They also sound nice and are fun to play!
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a tone block.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a bell.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound that ______ makes.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound that ______ makes.
{Repeat for all students}
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a telephone.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound of a school bell.
Ring, ring…that’s the sound that we all make,
But now it’s time, to put our tone blocks away.
Very simple, but great for a group setting since it allows for each student to “solo” on the tone block. Before we begin the song, I ask my students to name different instruments and objects that make a ringing sound. They are more creative than I was when writing this song, that’s for sure :)
On Saturday, a few family members and I decided to climb a mountain in Colorado. What we originally believed to be a 6-mile round trip hike turned out to be almost double that, but when we reached the top — as pictured above — all the sweat and achy muscles were worth it.
That last mile or so to the top, I kept telling myself, “Put one foot in front of the other.” Instead of thinking about my goal as one monstrous task, I broke it down. And knowing that as long as I could take another step, I could reach my goal, is the reason I made it to the peak.
This is not unlike the challenges that my students face, whether it’s a music therapy objective to meet or a challenging song to master.
Us music therapists know all too well that progress can be slow, but each milestone is something to be celebrated. I’ve worked with some students on the same goals for years at a time, watching as they take baby steps along the way. Some of my voice students spend months and months learning and refining a particular song, one phrase at a time.
But when the day comes that they can perform that skill or song, every last moment of frustration melts away as they stand at the top of their metaphorical mountain with a huge smile on their face.
What mountains have you and/or your own students conquered lately?
What’s more appropriate for the 4th of July weekend than a baseball game with your family? That’s exactly what I did yesterday. And even though the Rockies — the home team — lost, it was a perfectly patriotic day.
Our last day in Denver will be spent by the pool, eating Chick-Fil-A (!), and soaking up a few more hours with the family before we head back to Illinois.
I hope you enjoy the holiday! Have fun, be safe, and come back here tomorrow for a brand new week of the regular Listen & Learn fare.
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two.
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