My Musical Musings Blog | betsyleebaileymusic.com - The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey

When I Grow Up, I Want to Be Just Like You

4/4/2023

Lately, my 3-year-old granddaughter has been transitioning from taking afternoon naps to refusing to take naps. As most parents come to understand, this is a trying time. She ends up falling asleep if she is taken on a car ride, even it it is a short jaunt to pick up Mom at the train station just before dinner.

Yesterday I thought I would be helpful by letting her have quiet time in my room with me. I needed an afternoon nap. (I figured she might also nap.) CJ came up onto my bed, gently tucked the covers around me, and asked, "What do you want me to sing to you?" I told her, "Sing 'Baptism.'" So, she gently rubbed my forehead and started sweetly singing "Jesus came to John the Baptist in Judea long ago..." That song has some big words for a barely 3-year-old. But I knew she could sing it, because she had demonstrated that she already knew it when we sang it in Primary. (By the way, she can sing it with true pitch!)

After that, I was really sleepy, so I asked her if she wanted to listen to some Grandma's stories on You Tube. I showed her the playlist, and she picked the one she wanted. I guess the playlist went on and on through the picture book stories I wrote of my children -- her mom and aunts and uncles. (I was dosing, but apparently she was wide awake, quietly entertained.)

This morning when she woke up and came out to the family room. CJ hugged me as I sat in my favorite chair and she told me, "When I grow up, I want to be just like you." It came out of the blue, with absolutely no prompting. She said, "I want to be an artist." I asked her if she wanted to be a singer, too. At first she shook her head, "No," but then she thought about it and said, "I do."

My grandma heart was melting! Thank goodness for moments like this! They really help during the times when the "Hangry CJ Monster" (who won't take a needed afternoon nap) appears and has an hour long tantrum at dinner time!

"Spin Around Dresses and Click Shoes" is one of CJ's favorite picture books.

Actions in Songs vs. Wiggle Songs

3/28/2023

Adding actions to a Primary Song is not necessarily the same thing as doing a Wiggle Song. Remember that the Primary Children have just been sitting in Sacrament Meeting for at least one hour. The little ones need time to stretch and wiggle to settle themselves for Singing Time. I use the little ones' needs as the excuse, but truth be told, the older kids enjoy doing wiggle songs, too.

Wiggle Songs in Primary have a specific purpose. The good ones will provide opportunities for stretching and movement in a controlled climate. They encourage singing and following the leader which is engaging the brain. They also will end with getting back into a reverent attitude.

One of my favorites is "My Hands" CSB 273. I actually prefer to lead this one without piano accompaniment. My plan with this is to quickly get the kids attention, allow them opportunities for stretching and movement, but especially to get them to follow the leader. I plan holds and pauses in the singing and movements to see if they can follow me. I will also go faster or slower to check if they are keeping up. It ends with "Clap, clap, clap, then 1, 2, 3. See how quiet they can be" while we fold our arms and sit down. I usually do this song three times through. This takes less than one minute and is amazingly effective.

Sometimes, I throw in a quick stretch, breathing exercise or wiggle song whenever I see the children need it. Just one minute can work wonders.

Adding actions to Primary Songs can be a nice change, but they are not designed to do what a wiggle song can. Many times, adding movements to songs that have a lot of lyrics can actually shut down the singing.

For example, I have seen well-intentioned Music Leaders give the children rhythm patterns to clap during a song (that has many verses and a chorus) intending to help the children memorize the words. Unfortunately, most of the kids could not do both. So they dropped the singing altogether and focused solely on the movements.

Just because the song has been given movements doesn't qualify it as a Wiggle Song.

When and How to Use Wiggle Songs in Primary

1/16/2023

Wiggle Songs can be any activities that provide relief in Music Time.

Question: "When should I use a wiggle song?

Answer: "Whenever the children need it!

It is useful to remember that the children in Primary come in all abilities and all ages -- from 11 down to barely 3 years old. Sometimes the Seniors outnumber the Juniors or vice versa. The older children may be able to pay attention for longer stints, but remember that the little ones probably can't even read yet and to them EVERYTHING IS NEW and different. The last thing they can handle is more sitting still while people are just talking.

January is the beginning of a new year, and that, for most Wards, means a TIME CHANGE. After sitting in Sacrament Meeting for one hour, the children are likely going to be fidgety, especially the very young ones. The new schedule may be spanning lunch time or nap time, too, which complicates things. Younger children have a hard time adjusting to new rhythms in their day.

This is precisely why Wiggle Songs are so important. As valuable as doing movements during a song are, they aren't as laser-targeted as Wiggle Songs can be. Most of the Wiggle songs in the Children's Songbook start with movements but end with calming down. Many times using scarves, ribbon wands, hand signs, marching, rhythm sticks, shakers, or clapping can actually heighten the "free for all" to a fever pitch! It is very hard to regain control once you've lost it.

Leading by Example - Be sure that you practice doing the Wiggle activity or song that you intend to use. Use your hands and facial expressions as well as your whole body just like you expect the children to do. You can't be looking at sheet music!

A few of my favorite "go to's" from the CSB are "My Hands" 273, "Oh, How We Love to Stand" 279, and "Hinges" 277. I usually sing them unaccompanied so I can vary the Tempo. I often go faster and slower in places or even put in complete stops. That way I am training the children to watch me for Tempo, Breathing, Facial Expressions, and Physical Movements - including any "freeze" pauses.

Maintaining Eye Contact - Memorize the words and music! That way you can keep your eyes on the children. How else can you really judge how they are participating and how effective your teaching methods are?

Read the Room - Even the older children will give you signs that they are bored or just "checking out." You can bring them back by doing a quick BREATHING EXERCISE or a FULL BODY SHAKE. Better yet, plan VARIETY into your teaching methods from the get go. Change things up every few minutes.

Magic 7 Rule - To the very young children in Primary, every song is new. They likely cannot read or even understand most of the words to the songs. They cannot be expected to catch on to the melody and lyrics (let alone to doctrinal meanings) from just experiencing them one or two times through. Let your goal be to introduce and review the songs 7 times in various ways (and in fairly close succession) before expecting the children to start participating. Be sure to SING MORE and TALK LESS!

The key is to use a wiggle song or activity in quick, surgical strikes. A few seconds change of pace is all you need to provide relief and regain the children's attention. Then you can go back to teaching whatever you had planned.

Wiggle Songs are your FRIENDS!

The Curse of "Back Seat Drivers" in Primary

1/10/2023

Let's face it --- standing in front of a room of people is intimidating enough without "back seat drivers" trying to show or tell you what to do ---on the spot.

I read a heartbreaking post the other day about a new Primary Music Leader who kept getting reactions from teachers in the Primary who kept correcting her. They sometimes tried to help her get back on track with her conducting patterns, or they came up afterwards with a whole bunch of criticisms and suggestions.

It sounds like this poor novice leader could have benefitted by some inservice training --- something that is rarely offered any more.

To that "newbie" --- DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE "BACK SEAT DRIVERS!"

If you already like to SING, start there. FORGET ABOUT BEAT PATTERNS. Instead, focus on MEMORIZING THE SONGS BEFORE YOU TRY TO LEAD THEM. All you really need to do is TAKE A BREATH in rhythm before you start singing. The BREATH is the CUE.

Work with the PIANIST, especially if she or he is competent. Let him or her set the TEMPO and help you work out the CUES.

Practice feeling the RHYTHM and tapping the BEATS. Have the Pianist help you learn to move your hand up and down in PREPARATION CUES going UP and strong BEATS going DOWN. Don't worry about memorizing Beat Patterns yet. You can do very well just directing the words by stressing important syllables with DOWNBEATS. You want to concentrate on "pulling FOCUS" toward your face so the children can read your lips and imitate your facial expressions and follow how you MODEL the singing.

The important thing is to maintain EYE CONTACT with the children, rely on your memorization, and sing out. They will follow you if you draw them in. You need to ACT as if what you are doing is the absolute right thing in the moment (no matter what anyone else thinks).

Although you probably won't be whistling, this is great advice:

Whenever I feel afraid, I hold my head erect,
And whistle a happy tune so no one will suspect I'm afraid.
While shivering in my shoes I strike a careless pose
And whistle a happy tune and no one ever knows I'm afraid.
The result of this deception is very strange to tell
For when I fool the people I fear, I fool myself as well.
I whistle a happy tune and ev'ry single time
The happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid.
Make believe you're brave and the trick will take you far.
You may be as brave as you make believe you are. (whistle)
You may be as brave as you make believe you are
("Whistle a Happy Tune" from "The King and I" by Rodgers and Hammerstein)

Many times I have had to ACT braver than I really was. That's when you have to TRUST in what you've practiced.

You could also skip the whole "conducting" bit if you hold VISUAL AIDS and are busy pointing out pictures, or words, or doing MOVEMENTS like using scarves or shakers. Once again, it's taking the BREATH combined with NODDING your HEAD that is the CUE.

There will always be people who think they know your job better than you do. The trick is to develop your own STYLE. The children won't understand the finer points of choral conducting, so they won't be critical. They respond best when they know you LOVE them, know their NAMES, and have something interesting for them to do.

So don't let those "back seat drivers" rattle you!

Conducting Singing for Primary

1/9/2023

Often, I am asked what it takes to be a good Music Leader in Primary.

"I don't play the piano. I don't have a great solo voice. I don't really know anything about leading music, but I guess I do like to sing. How can I do this calling?"

Well, let's discuss first things first. The good news is that you like to sing. With that as a starting point, you can grow your skills to become an effective Music Leader in Primary. I would say that enjoying singing and loving the children are the most important parts of the calling. Other skills can be taught and mastered over time.

Teaching the Music in Primary is mostly a DEMONSTRATION activity. You don't necessarily need a trained solo voice in order to do the calling, but it helps if you can develop CONFIDENCE IN YOUR SINGING. PRACTICE your own singing. Learn what you can about BREATHING and POSTURE so that you can MODEL those things for the children.  Memorize the songs you are to teach. Sing with the proper FEELING and INTERPRETATION. Not every song should be sung the same way. Help the children find their own voices and variations in TONE and DYNAMICS. Help them learn to invite the SPIRIT as they sing.

Remember that your music period is SINGING TIME. That means that your teaching should involve actual SINGING for most of the minutes. Out of the 20-25 minutes, the children should be singing and experiencing music in many ways for most of the time. When PLANNING, be sure to do more singing than talking.

Most of the Primary songs in the Children's Songbook are between 30-60 seconds per verse. If you plan to sing four songs each week two times through each that only takes 6-8 minutes of your time. Imagine if in your teaching and reviewing, you do little activities where you do your "explaining" mostly by using singing and musical activities that support the singing. You could involve the children in more and better singing! You may even get so you sing 4-6 songs --- and a bigger variety of songs --- several times through each week.

Practice so that you feel confident DEMONSTRATING the melody and lyrics as you teach the songs. Sing part of a phrase yourself. Have the children sing it back to you. Do a few phrases, then review those few. (The pianist is the best tool in your tool belt. Have the pianist help you. However, you will need to plan your strategy so that the pianist knows how to support you!)

"But I'm an Alto! I can't sing as high as those songs are in the Primary Songbook." Well, you can and you should!

The Primary songs were not pitched for your benefit --- they were carefully pitched for the children's benefit. It is generally accepted that a child's range is about 1 octave from Middle C up to Treble C. Children need to learn to sing in their HEAD REGISTERS (light, high voices) in order to be able to HEAR and MATCH PITCHES! That's part of your job --- to help them sing in tune and ENJOY IT!

Conquering your own fears about singing alone in front of people is the first step to tackling this calling. That and learning to TEACH THROUGH SINGING! But you can do it! So GO AND DO!

Janie Shows

12/4/2022

Janie Thompson, entertainer about 1960

When I was growing up, I was privileged to watch how my aunt Janie Thompson operated. She put together many Christmas shows and concerts. Even her Ward's Christmas parties were something extra special. I was very young when I started to understand that when Janie did a show it was magical! I figured this out when I went to other events that were far inferior. Even as young as I was, I knew something was missing. My mother took 4-year-old me aside and tried to explain that not everyone had the talent to do what Janie did.

So, what made Janie's shows so extraordinary? Well, the first thing was the music. She could take regular people from her ward and train them to do awesome performances. She would size up their natural abilities and then create special arrangements to magnify their gifts. For example, she might give them a song but then change the key to suit their vocal ranges and, of course, dress up the accompaniment so that they would sound awesome.

But her training wouldn't stop there. She worked with them so that they could show personality and sparkle as they performed. She even taught them choreography and helped them with costumes so they looked coordinated and sharp.

Janie's job was to produce shows and touring groups for BYU. Through the 1950s-1970s, Janie Thompson organized shows that performed in places all over the world. Her most famous groups were the Young Ambassadors and the Lamanite Generation (now know as the Living Legends).

I have a memory from when I was still four years old. Janie asked me and two other kids to sing in her Christmas shows. We started working on our training in September. Tanya and Cory were older than me, so Janie figured I would sing the melody and they would sing trio harmony. But really what happened was I learned harmony parts, too.

We would go to her office on BYU campus and stand around her piano. She pulled me up close to the keyboard. It was right at my eye level. She told me to watch her little finger and sing those notes. So I did. One of the first songs we learned was "The Christmas Alphabet." This was a Christmas song made popular by the McGuire Sisters in the 1940s. We sang while the BYU Program Bureau students danced behind us.

From then on, we got to be on many of Janie's shows, mostly the holiday shows when fewer of her BYU students were available. We sang for anybody, anywhere, anytime. I remember singing in fancy private homes, schools, community halls, office buildings, church gymnasiums, theaters, basketball courts, football stadiums, and even the elegant Ballroom at the old Hotel Utah.

Those were magical times. No wonder, I have a hard time watching shows that don't have anything even close to the Janie touch!

"The Christmas Alphabet" is such a fun song. Here are two arrangements, one for 2-Part Children's Chorus and the other for Children and SATB. We sang it on a Family Show in the Festival of Lights at the Temple Visitor's Center in Washington D.C. in 2006.

Missing the Primary Presentation

11/14/2022

'Way back one time when I was newly called as a Primary President just a few months after moving into a new ward, we were preparing our Primary Presentation. I remember clearly how deflated I felt when one of the older women in the ward stopped me in the hall and demanded to know which day the Primary Presentation was happening --- so she could be sure to MISS it.

The Children's Musicals director in me wanted to assure her that our program would be worth ATTENDING. And yet, she gave me pause to reflect on the reasons older people may not appreciate the children's efforts.

1. The first reason she said was that she had trouble hearing and understanding what the children were saying. "The kids don't speak up and they are so hard to follow."

2. She also said that the children are so unmanageable and unruly on the stand. "The kids are so irreverent that watching them is too distracting."

3. "Their singing is atrocious! And the singing lady and her posters always block the view!" Apparently, hearing the previous Primaries singing was less than pleasing for this poor lady.

4. "I get nothing out of it!" Well, given her trouble hearing and following along, I can guess she would get nothing out of the children's presentation.

So, we in the presidency counseled together trying to address these points hoping we could do better.

1. First of all, we worked very hard to plan the program long enough in advance that the children were well prepared. All of them got the chance to memorize their parts, practice at the microphone, and take their turns in an orderly fashion.

2. We only brought the youngest children up onto the stand for a few parts, and all their movement was underscored with music. The older children could sit on the stand more reverently.

3. We absolutely insisted that the children had the songs completely memorized. The director had no need of large posters or flip charts. We practiced stage deportment, sitting and standing on cue, and looking only at the music director during songs. (I have to admit that their singing was quite good because they were so well prepared.)

4. We encouraged the children to understand how their songs and words were of no value to the congregation unless we invited the Spirit to be with us all. The Holy Ghost would help us present our messages well and also help the people understand us if we invited His help.

Sometimes, in the effort to make a good "show," well-meaning Primary workers try to include too much, or don't prepare in the most optimum ways. Examples of "too much" may be using sign language for a very long song, having little children hold up pictures, and giving out a lot of solo singing or instrumental parts (creating added commotion getting to and from the microphones). All of these ideas, exciting as they potentially seem, from the audience's perspective, slow the "flow" and create visual chaos.

About using sign language, in the eyes of the uninitiated grandparent observers, the signs are practically meaningless. So unless the movements are slow and flow beautifully like a dance, they are distracting. Besides, many of the children aren't coordinated enough to sign and sing at the same time. Insisting on teaching all of those signs may also usurp valuable practice time that could be used for more important things.

Being aware of who will be in the audience and their needs should always be taken into consideration when planning the Primary Presentation. You don't want to be approached by people letting you know that they want to be sure to miss your Primary Presentation!

First Snowfall, First Harmony Song

11/4/2022

We had our first big snowfall here the other day. It was beautiful, but caused a lot of problems. The leaves on the trees had not dropped yet, so the heavy wet snow weighted them down and many limbs broke. We also lost power for a few hours. However, there was enough snow on the ground that the little grandkids wanted to go out to build a snow fairy. (That's a snowman, but for girls, according to my granddaughter.)

There must be something about the first snowfall that sets people, rather musicians, into full-on Christmas mode. I am always surprised by how sharply one of my arrangement's sales picks up just after Halloween. "Jingle Bells" for 2-Part Children's Chorus.

Years ago I needed a special song for my elementary school chorus. The children were showing signs of wanting a bit of a challenge. They said that they were ready to do HARMONY songs. (Okay, maybe those were my own children who were pressing hard for this.) At any rate, I asked them if they would like a song where the altos actually sing a "Bass" part. That got the boy's ears to perk up. "Yeah! We can do it!"

So I went home and wrote out a version of "Jingle Bells" that incorporated bits and pieces of an arrangement my Aunt Janie Thompson had us sing as a family for many years. But I put my own spin on it and created a "Bass" part for the altos (in this case --- the Boys of my Chorus).

Often, getting boys to sing when they are of a certain age is challenging. They tend to think that their voices are changing WHEN THEY ARE NOT. One of the sneaky ways I have found is to help them feel special and foundational to the success of the chorus. I explain that having the Bass under the Melody is like building the foundation to a house. The building cannot stand without a firm foundation. My 4th and 5th grade boys got that analogy and did a great job learning their most important part. (They didn't have to know that they were still singing in the Treble Clef.)

This "Jingle Bells" version can be performed in a way that looks more impressive than it really is. What was even more impressive was that I conducted as I played the piano standing up. (The accompaniment includes some very easy flourishes that "wow" the audience.) The kids get to sing a "canon" on the verses that I explain is very challenging. So when they get it, they are quite pleased with themselves. And then they get to sing HARMONY on the chorus with the boys singing the "bass" line. Oooh.....so coooool!

I have had kids, now grown-ups, tell me that they still remember the "bass" part they learned in Elementary school and sing it every time they go out caroling.

Now that's longevity!

"Jingle Bells" 2-Part Children YouTube Video

Non-Christmas Winter Concert Song

10/5/2022

Public School Chorus teachers have trouble finding non-Christmas songs for their "holiday" concert programs in December. Many schools forbid the use of Christmas songs, even when the songs are not religious. Some school districts allow Christmas songs as long as the program also has a Hanukkah song as well as one celebrating Kwanza. It's really too bad because most of the very best songs are Christmas songs --- religious or secular!

So, some chorus teachers will skip the entire issue by using "seasonal" songs about "Winter" or "We're Having a Snow Day." Those kinds of songs work best when you actually encounter winter weather events where you go to school. We never had winter weather in Los Angeles or Houston. Oh well.

I overheard my daughter singing a song from one of my Children's Musicals yesterday. "Wintertime" is a 2-part chorus song from "A Successor to the Throne." The words simply talk about how wintertime is a time of waiting, waiting for the warmth of springtime to come again. It talks about the glistening snowflakes swirling and whirling gently down. At the very end, the chorus shivers and says "Brr!"

Although "Wintertime" is written using an Asian Pentatonic scale, I have often thought it would be a fun song for a Winter School Chorus Concert. If other songs from Musicals like "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" from the movie "Frozen" or "Once Upon a December" from the movie "Anastasia" can be used successfully on a school chorus concert, why not my little Chinese winter song?

I just don't think the custodial crew would like it if you blew snow crystals at the end like they do in my show!

Why We Need Variety in Design

9/29/2022

A popular song from long ago went "Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky-tacky. Little boxes on the hillside and they all look just the same..." While on my walk the other day, I really took a look at the houses in my neighborhood. Apparently my house was the first built in our section of the area and it was constructed in 1947. That means it is 75 years old now.

Not all of the houses were built by the same builder, but it is obvious that many were. So many are ranchers made of red brick with the same low profile. The few windows are trimmed in white and the nondescript front door opens out to a few steps down to a narrow cement walkway through an indifferent patch of lawn. Some poor houses really show their age due to lack of upkeep. However, some have fared better and show a surprising amount of pride of ownership.

What is more interesting, though, is seeing how many of these little brick homes (that remind me of the story of the "Three Little Pigs"), have been renovated over the years. The brick has been painted or lime-washed and porches have been added in various styles from old English Cottage to Mid-century Modern. Others have been totally transformed into styles more fashionable (like mine which is now a classy craftsman bungalow). So, 75 years later, the little houses made of "ticky-tacky" that started out looking all the same, over the years have been modified. They now provide quite the show as I take my morning walks around the neighborhood.

In music, as in architecture, variety is key. Just like taking an enjoyable walk about the neighborhood, a composition or a show or program should provide an interesting adventure. It's all about good design.

Christmas shows are fun to plan, but there are a lot of parameters that must be understood and planned around ahead of time. Who will be performing (ages, experience)? When and Where will the performance be held? What are the limitations of the venue (stage, piano, power, lighting, access to the stage, sound, technology)? Budget (for music, costumes, sets, props, seating, posters, handbills, tickets, refreshments, sound or lighting technician, etc.)? Will you need rehearsal space and how much time will you need in the venue?

With all of these questions you may also be asking yourself "WHY would I even try to do a Christmas performance!"

For musicians, the WHY is the easy part -- it is a chance to perform! It's as simple as that. And Christmas music is the best! So get your theme song picked and start planning!

Here is a fun theme song for an Elementary School Holiday Program. "Under the Christmas Tree" for 2-Part Children's Chorus.

The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey copyright 2020