Deadline Extended: Help your students recognize a great opportunity
The questions for Mona are trickling in and someone told me that I might not have allowed enough time to tell teachers, who would tell their students, who needed to think about questions, and then needed to submit them! So, I am extending the deadline for submitting questions to Mona to this Friday, October 1st.
Another thing that occurred to me as I spoke with my own students about submitting questions was that students often do not realize a great opportunity when they see it. Just as children don’t understand how scales, chords, balanced repertoire, counting, creating, etc. help make them a better pianist, neither should I expect students to understand how they can use this opportunity to interview Mona as a way to help them be better composers. As a teacher, I feel it is my job to encourage my students to participate in the things that I know will make them better musicians.
So, this weekend, I sent an email to my students (any student who has composed something) that said this:
Last week, I gave a lecture on “Nurturing Creativity and Inspiration.” I talked about how each of us has a “creative box” from which we pull out ideas and recombine them in new ways…like you do when you compose. The difficulty is that if we continue to only use the ideas that are already in our box, our compositions will start to all sound alike. So, it’s important to continually reach outside of our box and pull in new styles, ideas, problem solving techniques, etc. so that our music can stay fresh.
I think this opportunity to submit an interview question is exactly that…a way to ask another composer how they deal with certain difficulties or things so that we have yet another way to approach composing the next time we do it.
So think of the last time you tried to write a composition. What did you have trouble with? Was it finding a good motive to begin with? Composing a B section? Coming up with a title? Writing lyrics? Finding time to compose? Feeling like you aren’t creative? These are the things that you can ask Mona about! How does SHE deal with these difficulties?
So, perhaps you can use something in the above paragraphs to help your students understand how this can help them and what a great opportunity this is. You might remind your students about their last composing experience. ”Remember how you had trouble thinking of material for your B section? Maybe you could ask a successful composer if she has any tricks for this.”
I know many teachers tell me that they don’t know how to help their student composers. This is just one of many ways that all teachers can help their student composers. We can help students enlarge their “box of creative ideas” so that they can have more ideas to draw from and more problem solving techniques with which to work. I’ll leave the opportunity open until Friday, October 1st for additional questions.
Thank you for your participation and for giving your students this opportunity! You may submit questions here or send me an email.
Read MoreFavorite Pieces of Mona Rejino–Intermediate
Yesterday, Mona shared about her favorite elementary pieces and why she likes them. Today, she shares about her favorite intermediate pieces:
Early Intermediate
“Snap To It!” on the early intermediate level is a piece I often hear performed at jazz festivals. It is now available in the HLSPL Piano Recital Showcase Book 3. This solo doesn’t stray far from basic five-finger patterns, but the challenge is found in the syncopated jazz rhythms and the added percussion. The student plays a bass line with the left hand while snapping with the right hand at various times. It is great fun to hear at a performance!
Intermediate
“Nocturne” which is found in HLSPL Piano Solos Book 5 as well as in Portraits in Style is one of my earlier compositions on the intermediate level. It is unabashedly romantic in style, featuring a lovely melody over a descending chromatic bass line. Harmonically the middle section follows the circle of fifths, and the entire piece is to be played expressively. The final measures instruct the student to play rubato, so they can experiment with exactly how they want the piece to end.
Don’t forget to submit your interview questions to Mona by Monday, September 27th on this Composer Interview post.
Read MoreFavorite Pieces from Mona Rejino-Elementary
Mona Rejino, the composer for whom you may submit interview questions, has written a number of original pieces and arrangements for all levels of students. Her most recent pieces include “In the Groove” and Disney Film Favorites.
For this post, I asked Mona the following question:
What are your favorite pieces and why?
Early Elementary
On the early elementary level I would have to say that “Wishful Thinking” from HLSPL Piano Solos Book 1 and the HLSPL Adult Method Book 1 is one I am especially proud of. It is challenging to write interesting pieces on such an early level, and this was one of my first compositions. The solo itself spans six notes and uses only stepwise motion. However, the teacher accompaniment uses a large harmonic vocabulary to enhance this simple and haunting melody. Many of my younger students have performed this on recitals and find it provides a satisfying musical experience.
Elementary
On the elementary level my favorite would have to be “Feelin’ Happy”, which was published in 2008. The lyrics were inspired by my young students who come to their lessons telling me all the great things that have happened to them that week. These might include winning their soccer game, making a good grade on a test, or having a sleep over with their best friend. By using syncopated rhythms at a peppy tempo and by employing some simple harmonies, students tend to really enjoy performing this one.
Late Elementary
“American Sonatina” was published that same year, and is my first attempt to compose a sonatina. This piece is a good supplement for late elementary pianists who are beginning to play triads and move slightly out of five-finger patterns. It is a three-movement work, so students learn how to change musical moods within one selection. One of my seven-year old boys was preparing this for the recital last spring. The first movement was accurate but lacked pizzazz, so I told him the following story:
Imagine living in the eastern U.S. in the 1800’s. Your family is about to venture west seeking a better life. Who knows, they might even strike gold in California! The first theme captures the spirit of excitement they feel as they begin this long-awaited journey.
The second theme represents some of the hardships they face along the way…terrible snowstorms in the Rocky Mountains, a dying mule, and food shortages. They even begin to question whether they will ever arrive on the west coast and find that beautiful piece of farmland. Well, during the development section one person thinks he sees the promised land so he tells another, and that person tells another, on and on. In the recapitulation you hear the jubilation and celebration they all feel as they reach their destination and begin to realize their dreams.”
Needless to say, the student had a whole new appreciation for the emotion behind the black ink on the page, and he played this piece with marvelous color and feeling!
Don’t forget to submit your interview questions to Mona by Monday, September 27th on this Composer Interview post.
Coming tomorrow…Mona’s favorites from the intermediate level.
Mona Rejino’s Life Outside Music
Too often, when we only know someone in one context, they get stuck in our minds existing only in that specific context. Sometimes we see a teacher as someone always teaching, not someone who enjoys competitive cycling. Sometimes we see a pastor as someone dressed up always helping people, not someone who works out at the local Y. Since this frequently happens with me, I thought it might be good to ask our featured composer, Mona Rejino what she likes to do outside of teaching and composing music. (Don’t forget about the opportunity to submit an interview question to Mona.) Here is her response:
Keeping Up with Current Events
I feel compelled to keep up with current events, so I read the newspaper, Time and Newsweek magazines faithfully. To me there is nothing more interesting and enlightening than excellent journalism.
Cooking
My husband and I love to cook together! We make everything from “Flatiron Steak with Avacado-Corn Relish” to “Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette.” He loves to roast ancho and guajillo peppers to make homemade salsa, and I enjoy trying all sorts of seafood recipes since they tend to be more healthy. I tend to follow the recipes fairly closely, and he is a better improviser in the kitchen. All in all, we turn out some pretty good chow!
Traveling
Traveling is something our family looks forward to when we are able to get away. The most fantastic vacation we ever took was to Italy in 2005 with our two children. We spent about ten days in Assisi, Cortona, Siena, Florence, San Gimignano and Rome. The artistic and historical masterpieces we observed were unbelievable, and we enjoyed gelato usually more than once a day! We have also taken some breathtaking trips to the Pacific Northwest, Colorado and Alberta, Canada where we explored the mountains and valleys in awe of the natural beauty. We have taken a couple of short trips to New York City which were great fun! There is so much to see there, and the pulse of that city is like none other. For Richard and I, who grew up in very small farming towns in West Texas, these vacations have afforded us great adventures that were so much fun to share with our children.
Don’t forget to submit your interview questions to Mona here by September 27th.
Read MoreWho is Mona Rejino? Things you may not know…
I hope you and your students are thinking of some questions to ask Mona for our composer interview! Please submit these in the comments section of this Composer Interview post. Here is a brief preliminary interview with Mona which discusses interesting things you may not know.
What are some things about yourself that teachers and students may not know?
I have been a lifelong pianist, and that is literally a true statement. Around age four I began to try to pick out tunes by ear on my grandmother’s piano. They were simple nursery rhyme tunes, folk songs, and Sunday school songs that I was familiar with. Luckily my parents noticed my musical interest and bought me an old upright from a farmer’s family who lived in our small hometown in west Texas. I can tell you even now that it was love at first sight for me and that clunker piano!
Neither of my parents were musicians. But my granddad played piano, guitar and “fiddle” by ear, as well as having a wonderful tenor singing voice. I spent many happy hours jamming with him on tunes as varied as “Way Down Yonder”, “Under the Double Eagle”, “I’ll Fly Away” and “What a Day That Will Be”. Our family and friends would often gather for what we called “sing-songs”. Anyone who could play a musical instrument of any sort or could carry a tune was invited to join in. My grandmother did neither, but she was a loyal supporter and always listened to us with a smile on her face. In hindsight I realize that this was great training for me as an accompanist, church musician, and even a jazz pianist, all musical pursuits I would encounter later on.
My parents were able to find a good teacher who taught me how to read music. I have always felt that being a competent sight-reader and playing by ear [See the great "Myths of Playing by Ear" by Bradley Sowash] has been a real blessing for me. The combination of the two has opened many doors, especially as a composer and arranger.
Tell us about your job as a piano teacher.
I have been a teacher ever since I graduated from college in 1983. Sharing my love and knowledge of music with others is one of the greatest joys of my professional life. Right now, I have students ranging in age from five years old to seventy, and each of them brings something special into my life. My husband and I have run the Rejino Piano Studio out of our home for twenty-seven years, and we still have eleven students who study with us here.
In 2000 I began teaching private lessons at the Hockaday School in Dallas. It is a very fine school for girls including Pre-K students through seniors. Most of my thirty-two Hockaday girls take lessons during school hours, so this gives me more time to spend with my family and to work on arranging and composing projects at home.
What is your favorite part of the composition process?
I love that “light bulb” moment when you get an idea that you know will work well. Honestly, these ideas often come to me when I’m in the shower or driving to school! I always keep a pencil and paper handy to jot down the basic melodic theme or harmonic structure that can be fleshed out later.
I’ll give you one example. Over ten years ago our family was hiking in Oregon on our summer vacation. It was a calm, quiet morning, and the vistas were breathtaking. As we climbed higher and higher, a melody and Aaron Copland style harmony flooded my brain. We stopped to take a rest and I asked my husband if he happened to have paper and pencil in his backpack. Since he tends to carry everything but the kitchen sink on hikes, he did indeed! From that bit of sketchy notation I was able to complete “Mountain Splendor” upon arriving at home, and have enjoyed teaching it to several students over the years.
Many years of experience in teaching helps me know how to make particular thematic material accessible to piano students, and taking that basic initial idea and molding it into a final shape that works well is rewarding. I think that being very familiar with the different levels from early elementary through late intermediate is a plus when writing and arranging. You know how to tailor a piece into something playable for students on that specific level.
When did you start composing music for students?
Let me start by saying it is never too late to learn something new. In fact, I’m convinced that “You can teach an old dog new tricks.” Outside of college assignments I never composed anything until age thirty-five! My colleagues and I were working on the Hal Leonard Student Piano Library method books, and there were a few holes to fill with very early level compositions. I remember having a day when two sisters who studied with me canceled their lessons at the last minute. Having some free time, I decided to compose a few little pieces to send in. I was amazed that they were accepted, and that gave me the confidence to continue composing more. A couple of years after that I sent in a few arrangements of popular songs, and that began my career as an arranger, an equally rewarding musical task.
Thank you, Mona for telling us so much about yourself and your composition process!
Don’t forget to submit your interview question for Mona on this blog post!
Read MoreYour Chance to Interview Mona Rejino
If you are a student composer, music teacher, or piano teacher, you will want to take advantage of this great opportunity to submit interview questions to a living composer! I’m sure you remember that last year, Kevin Costley was our featured composer and many of you sent excellent questions to which he gave very helpful answers (Costley Interview, Part 1, Part 2). Many have told me that Kevin and his interview was encouraging to composers and students and I know that this year’s composer will be as well.
This year our featured composers is Mona Rejino, a wonderful composer, arranger, and one of the authors of the Hal Leonard Student Piano Method. She has graciously agreed to answer our questions and tell us more about herself and her compositional process. Students and teachers can submit a question for Mona by simply leaving the question as a comment to this post. I will choose the best 10 questions, submit them to Mona and she will write a response. This is a great opportunity to learn how a real composer composes!
Some of the subjects you might want to ask about might include:
- How she comes up with ideas
- How she composes her themes, how she comes up with material for B sections
- What forms she likes to use
- How she comes up with titles
- How often she composes
Please tell your students to think of a question for Mona and submit it in the next 2 weeks. Please encourage other teachers and their students to participate as well! The deadline for submitting a question is September 27th.
Mona possesses many talents as a composer and an arranger for Hal Leonard. Some of her latest music includes the following:
In the Groove, a “groovy” Level 4 sheet which you can view here.
Current Hits, popular intermediate arrangements which are sure to interest any teenage student you have in your studio!
Disney Film Favorites, intermediate arrangements of Cruella De Vil • Friend like Me • Go the Distance • God Help the Outcasts • Scales and Arpeggios • True Love’s Kiss • When She Loved Me • You Are the Music in Me.
I’ll be telling you about more of Mona’s pieces in the next few weeks and I’ll ask Mona to share about some of her favorite pieces and some of the background behind them. Stay tuned…. It’s going to fun!
If you’d like to read more about Mona, her official bio is here, but she’ll be sharing a lot more about her background as a musician, her life as a teacher, and more in the next month. In the meantime, don’t forget to leave your interview question as a comment!
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