Tonight was the final planned performance of Standing Room Only for this semester. I have watched the students grow both musically and as people. I have gotten to know new students - some I've not had the opportunity to teach. I will alway remember this group of students. They have learned MANY new songs and learned how to move while singing them.
There were many funny moments. There were many happy moments. However, recently there have been some "goosebumpy" moments. This is an involuntary response that I have only occasionally with my performing groups. I know the group has "arrived" when the goosebumps begin to make an appearance.
This is a good thing. My thanks to the students in SRO for making it happen once again.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Boob Tube Tunes
Many years ago there was a slang phrase for the TV: "boob tube". This prompted an article I once read that was titled "Boob Tube Tunes". The article covered the many theme songs for TV shows. I used this article as the basis for a music lesson where, over the course of a month or so, I painstakingly recorded (with my cassette player) the theme song of many TV shows then played them for my students who had to identify the show.
Still today I can hear a tune and recognize the TV show it belongs to - long after the TV show has moved on to the world of reruns. Most who read this can sing the theme to the Adam's Family, the Brady Bunch, and even whistle the theme to Andy Griffith.
I find that today I do not know the theme songs to very many TV shows. I know they still have them. I recognize the theme song to the CSI shows - but can't tell you right off the bat which tune goes with which show. Most people recognize the "du-dum" sound that accompanies the beginning of the L&O shows - it is a familiar theme shared by the shows, but does that make it a leitmotiv?
It's not that I don't watch TV - because I do. However, I record most shows and watch them in playback. When I do this I fastforward through the theme song.
TV theme songs don't have the "memorableness" that they once had. Many don't have even have words that I can sing along with. So why bother learning them?
What does this all mean? It means I may make the effort to listen to TV theme songs for a short while - but I doubt that is something I will continue.
Oh, I just remembered one show theme song I can sing: REBA. Of course, that would be the one since its star is a country music legend who sings the theme, but then it too has moved to the world of reruns.
I'll return to my rerun of Andy Griffith and as the show closes I'll whistle along as I make my way to bed for night.
Still today I can hear a tune and recognize the TV show it belongs to - long after the TV show has moved on to the world of reruns. Most who read this can sing the theme to the Adam's Family, the Brady Bunch, and even whistle the theme to Andy Griffith.
I find that today I do not know the theme songs to very many TV shows. I know they still have them. I recognize the theme song to the CSI shows - but can't tell you right off the bat which tune goes with which show. Most people recognize the "du-dum" sound that accompanies the beginning of the L&O shows - it is a familiar theme shared by the shows, but does that make it a leitmotiv?
It's not that I don't watch TV - because I do. However, I record most shows and watch them in playback. When I do this I fastforward through the theme song.
TV theme songs don't have the "memorableness" that they once had. Many don't have even have words that I can sing along with. So why bother learning them?
What does this all mean? It means I may make the effort to listen to TV theme songs for a short while - but I doubt that is something I will continue.
Oh, I just remembered one show theme song I can sing: REBA. Of course, that would be the one since its star is a country music legend who sings the theme, but then it too has moved to the world of reruns.
I'll return to my rerun of Andy Griffith and as the show closes I'll whistle along as I make my way to bed for night.
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