Wayne Shorter (1933-2023) - Always a Wonder
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/arts/music/wayne-shorter-dead.html
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Dec 8, 20222 min read
Studying English with Ukraine's "Carol of the Bells”
Last week, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America and the Ukrainian Children’s Choir joined forces under Oleh Mahlay, artistic...
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Nov 9, 20222 min read
“Glockenspiel! Take me to the Promised Land!”
That’s exactly what a highly skilled and charismatic conductor exclaimed to a percussionist in an orchestra comprised mostly of...
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Aug 2, 20222 min read
“What do you mean, ‘choppy’?” Using Informal Adjectives to Describe Sound
Recently a respected colleague teaching English to music conservatory students described a scenario: A student reported that his...
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Jul 26, 20223 min read
Practicing English with Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger with Aaron Copland and Walter Piston, 1945 (Image is in the Public Domain) In his weekly newsletter, author James Clear...
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Jun 9, 20221 min read
Noticing the Gap – It’s not Just for Train Travel
In language teaching, teachers strive to create lessons that afford learners opportunities to “notice the gaps in their language...
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Apr 28, 20221 min read
English in the Airport: Agreeing in the Security Line
I recently traveled by plane to visit family and, since it’s been awhile, I noticed all kinds of English language learning opportunities...
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Apr 2, 20222 min read
"Behind the Scenes" in Music
English Phrase of the Day: behind the scenes (Oxford Learner’s Dictionary) 1. in the part of a theatre, etc. that the public does not...
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Mar 10, 20221 min read
English phrase for today: "speaks for itself"
Definition: to be so easy to see and understand that you do not need to say anything else about it (Oxford Dictionary for English...
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Feb 26, 20223 min read
The Language of Emphasis
Lately, I’ve been noticing some of the ways we can emphasize our opinions and ideas in English. There are many ways to do this, with word...
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Feb 25, 20221 min read
A Vocabulary Word for Our Day
An important vocabulary word for today, and expressed beautifully in song: https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/videos/opera-singer-ukrai...
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Feb 1, 20221 min read
Multiplication for Musicians – Word Families
Most musicians know the value of making the most of their time: practice time, rehearsal time, travel time. Did you know you can make...
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Jan 17, 20222 min read
Real-life Grammar on MLK Day: Using “If” Statements to Talk about Probable Results
Today we honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. I’m joining vocalist, composer, photographer and educator Ruth Naomi Floyd in sharing...
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Jan 13, 20221 min read
Blog post 1/13/22: The Language of Mistakes
Happy New Year! I’m starting the new year off with a mini vocabulary lesson that may cross over into therapy (ha ha). But after making a...
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Jan 7, 20222 min read
November 19, 2021: Adjectives and Phrasal Verbs: "Bad back, called off and called in sick"
Yesterday's article from Slipped Disc, a classical music news website, features some "everyday English." Specifically, we’re going to...
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Jan 7, 20222 min read
November 7, 2021: English in Review: Verbs and Collocations
How Esperanza Spalding and Wayne Shorter Realized His Dream: an Opera https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/02/arts/music/wayne-shorter-esperan...
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Jan 7, 20222 min read
October 28, 2021: Can I jump in?
A colleague was recently speaking to me about her English language learners’ expressed need to know how to interrupt, or “jump in” (a...
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Jan 7, 20222 min read
October 21, 2021: Vocabulary & Pronunciation: Enharmonic Equivalent
Hi everyone! I’ve been writing a song that seems to belong in Db minor – don’t hate me! But when I tried to use notation software to...
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Jan 7, 20221 min read
October 13, 2021: Adjectives in Review
Happy Birthday, Paul Simon! (b. October 13, 1941) Read any review about American musician Paul Simon and you’ll find countless adjectives...
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Jan 7, 20221 min read
October 7, 2021: WELL SAID
Maestro Muti begins by saying "It will be very difficult for me to say things deep because it's not my language, the English, and so I...
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