Advent Song, Sheet music, lyrics, and audio $3

Click the play button to here a sample.

This is my most favorite Christmas song and I use it for the Advent spiral festival called "The Holly and the Ivy." If you are homeschooling Waldorf, this music can be a nice touch for your festival. The lyrics are similar to the old Christmas tune but have been slightly modified to be more about the beauty of nature and finding the Light "As I light my candle........... I find my way in the dark of night......" We sing and play this beautiful song every Advent season that brings such reverence. On my arrangement of the audio track, 2:32, there are six verses- 3 for the singers and 3 for penny whistle players (the last verse is a duet part for penny whistle.) There is also a guitar part, which is played in a gentle harp-like style. The sheet music is written for singing, penny whistles, and guitar. If you can't read sheet music, I provide just the lyrics and notes on top with guitar chords. If you would like the music- MP3, sheet, and lyric please donate $3, I will send them to your email.

"Teaching Waldorf Music From the Heart" Webcast

The Waldorf Conncetion Bringing Wisdom to the Next Generation

Donna Ashton has invited me to join her in conversation about MUSIC in Waldorf Homeschooling Education on Nov. 19 at 8:00pm eastern time. "Teaching Music From the Heart." Her website is called The Waldorf Connection and her goal is to connect homeschooling families with the resources the need to give them direction and inspire wonderful ideas. She has chosen teachers who are the best at what they do and who have so much to offer! You can join in on the conversations for FREE! click here to sign up. This is a tele-seminar. Please join us on the phone or listen on the web on Nov. 19 at 8 pm est. Can't attend the call on Nov. 19? There will be a 48-hr replay and then only those who have upgraded to purchase will be able to download the workshop.

Thursday, November 19
Teaching Music From the Heart
5pm pst/6 mst/7 cst/8 est- Jodie Mesler
Intimidated about teaching recorder or singing to your children?
Not anymore with Jodie's AMAZINGLY easy and fun way to bring music into your home, from the heart!

Other Speakers to come
Melisa Nielsen "Inner Work and Planning" Nov.10

Barbara Dewey "Teaching Waldorf Math" Nov.17

Eileen Straiton "Seasonal Celebrations & Natural Gift Giving"

Saint Martin

My Lantern

I Go With My Little Lantern

If you would like to have the sheet music, audio songs for these 3 Martinmas Songs- Saint Martin, My Lantern, and I Go With My Little Lantern- and the note names for the penny whistle/ recorder, please make a $5 donation and I will email them to you.

Pumpkin Pie Song

If you would like to have the music, guitar chords, lyrics, and notes to the Pumpkin Pie Song, including notes for the penny whistle/ recorder, please make a $5 donation and I will email you the music. Thanks. You may also find the music for this song in Festivals, Family and Food by Diana Carey and Judy Large, but there are no guitar chords and I found it challenging to fit each verse (6 verses) with the one verse of music given. In my arrangement, I make it extremely easy for you to learn. I hope that you find my version helpful.

Michaelmas

Happy Michaelmas! We are learning a song from Elisabeth Lebret's "Pentatonic Songs." This is the tune on penny whistle.

Comments about Living Music From the Heart

Here are a few comments from mothers using Living Music From the Heart:

I have to say that her work is WONDERFUL!!! We helped her edit and produce it and it is a great piece of work. I will be using it for all of our children. By far the best way I have found to introduce a blowing instrument. I think the penny whistle is a great little piece - it is important for us to remember that he never actually said it has to be a recorder! My daughter plays both and the two instruments are easily interchangeable in my opinion.

I think this is great no matter what your child's age but especially helpful for beginners.

Melisa Nielsen from A Little Garden Flower

Jodie, I love your music curriculum! I began practicing with it a month or so ago (you make it so easy to learn!!) and gave my first real lesson yesterday. It was a hit. My sons felt good about playing, not inhibited or self conscious. You really did a wonderful job making these lessons friendly and fun. And the best part is you show real kids! I loved watching your family, the way kids really act while receiving lessons. No edit or retake to give a false sense of perfection. Kids are kids, and you show how to work with and teach them. Thank you so much, I am looking forward to future installments.

Rebecca from Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

I’ve been at this Waldorf homeschooling for awhile (my oldest is 19 and in college, youngest is 10) and these are great!!!! I’ve gone through teacher lessons 1, 2, and 3 and am loving them. I already play recorder so I’m using that; I’m not speaking from a beginner’s perspective but the beauty of the DVDs is that if one needs to review and move at a slower pace they can.

In addition to homeschooling my daughter (5^th grade), I teach a Waldorf-inspired group at my home once a week and that has younger kids as well (it’s grades 2-5 this year). We’ll continue with the recorder in that group and I still find your material very helpful. So, when folks ask if they can use this with the recorder, I’d say yes, yes, yes.

I did wake up this morning inspired to get two penny whistles for my daughter and me to play as well. I love music, sing in a women’s group, and plan on offering some kind of musical adventure in our weekly homeschooling co-op (a larger eclectic group) this fall. So thanks for the lessons and the inspiration. The Waldorf world will benefit greatly. I’m going to Barbara Dewey’s this weekend (do you know who she is? Her business is Waldorf Without Walls) and will definitely be mentioning your materials. I’m so glad you emailed because I was thinking last night that I wanted to be in touch to tell you just how much I’m enjoying your music curriculum. Can’t wait for more!!!

Jean from Ohio

I have to rave about Jodie Mesler's Living From the Heart music curriculum. I just finished the first lesson and cannot believe how easy it was for me to play the pentatonic flute!

I have been teaching myself to play with David Darcy's book for about three weeks, but I have been feeling like I might not be able to teach my dd the flute in September. Now I know that I can do it, and Jodie already has the lessons all planned out for me in her book!

Nichole

Mother to Eliza (6yo)

Can I Use the Pentatonic Recorder With This Music Curriculum?

Flutes are very similar. I am a private flute instructor and I have devised a music curriculum based on my flute skills and my love for children, as well as a love for creativity. It is called Living Music From the Heart. I have applied the same principles and techniques that one uses to play the flute, to playing the penny whistle, as you could take the 7 teacher lessons and apply the same concepts for the pentatonic flute.

The penny whistle is more similar to the pentatonic flute in that the mouthpiece is a whistle. Now of course they do not have the exact same sound but they both use the exact same notes. When I blow a B on penny whistle, it is the same note B (the same frequency) as the pentatonic flute, just as it would be the same note B on piano, and on flute.

You could use the 20 lessons for your child as a guide. The lesson plans include simple one to three note songs, games, hand claps, rhythm games such as "Call and Response", and many more ideas and verses which revolve around the seasons and festivals.

If you want to learn to play the "flute" and quickly teach your child, I do recommend this curriculum for you and your family. I promise you will benefit greatly from this and it is quite simple.

DVD tutorial samples from Music Curriculum

This is a sample from the 2 DVD tutorials of Living Music From the Heart. This tutorial is for mothers, caregivers, or anyone interested in teaching children music, who have little or no training in music. Check out the samples here on the video. If you are looking to get started learning the recorder, you may want to try penny whistle instead. (More info on penny whistle) It is in the recorder family and very similar. You can easily move over to recorder, if you desire.

It's Here! Music Curriculum for Beginners

Living Music From the Heart: Music Curriculum Volume 1, with 2 DVD tutorials by Jodie Mesler

An easy and creative approach to teaching through a child's world of play using the penny whistle, singing, and movement.

It is complete and ready for sale! For more info, check out the rest of my blog.

Waldorf- Inspired Songbook and CD

Sunshine Face

Thunderstorm

Fresh Tomatoes

Joyful Creation

A Song From My Heart

The Tooth Fairy

Crocuses

A Dance

Like the Turtle

The Waiting Song

Willow Tree

Morning Song

It's Midsummer Day

We Are One Big Family

Golden Leaves

Just Like the Penguin

Mood of the Fifth

Twelve out of sixteen songs are written in the pentatonic scale, which creates a very pleasing and dreamy mood in a young child. She has written songs for mothers, and songs for young children. You will find yourself singing more and celebrating life through her songs. Your children will have fun singing during circle time, circle games, and moving with you happily through your daily routine. Jodie Mesler has been playing music for over 25 years, and currently teaches private music lessons in the Metro Atlanta area. She brings a Waldorf-inspired life style to her home, children and music students. You can buy just the CD for $10, or buy both songbook and CD for $16.

Fresh Tomatoes

Here is a garden song for all you gardeners that love tomatoes, and love pickin' your crop. I was inspired to write this song after I went on a morning walk with my kids and when I cames back I saw a cardboard box in my garage that said "Fresh Tomatoes." I then thought of the memories I had of my dad's vegetable garden and wrote this song within minutes. Here is a fun way to share this song with your child with movement: pretend you are digging up dirt with a shovel and then tossing it aside in a push pull sort of way with the song. Dig on "Fresh tomatoes..." and toss aside on "...in my garden." Also for older children you can do a call and response. Mom sings "Fresh tomatoes" and kids sing "in my garden." Mom sings "and potatoes," kids sing "I worked hard and," and so forth.

Music Curriculum for Beginners

An easy, fun, and creative approach to teaching through a child's world of play using the penny whistle, singing, and movement. This is for those who have little or no education in music, but have always wanted a music approach and that is easy and fun. It is deeply rooted in principles and knowledge of our past educators from 100+ years ago, similar to Orff's Method.

It is called Living Music From the Heart: Music Curriculum and Video Tutorial Volume 1.

Volume 1 includes:

*7 Teacher Lessons- following each lesson in the book along with the video

- learning how to play penny whistle; using scales, techniques, finger position, improvisation

- offers teaching tips for your child

- singing with the correct pitch

*Articles in the book

- Your Singing Voice

- Understanding the Lesson Format for the Six-Year-Old Child

- Before Beginning Lessons with Your Child

- Understanding the Importance of the Pentatonic Scale

- The Penny Whistle Instead of Recorder (choosing the penny whistle leads us on a historical journey and we can become more familiar with folk tunes) read this article for more info click here

*20 Lesson Plans

- contains listening, pleasing sounds, creative breathing styles, creative finger positions, rhythm games, rhythm songs, singing with movement, and games.

- brought to the child in a imitation way, Waldorf-inspired

- each lesson has a video, showing you how to do it

*One thing you won't have to worry about is reading music. There is no hurry to do this with your child because this comes later in a child's education. You will be learning by ear along with my examples in the book and video. It is written to go along with a six-year-old, but if you have older kids, you can still benefit from learning how to play the penny whistle, also you can benefit from the many songs, games, hand claps, techniques and much more.

For all those who are NEW mothers and want to get a head start on playing the penny whistle and singing songs, volume 1 is a great place to start.

Melisa Nielsen's Atlanta Workshop

I am very grateful that I had the honor of leading the morning music at Melisa Nielsen's Atlanta Conference.  I was able to share some of my work with other home educators and help inspire their own music education for themselves and for their children, starting with the penny whistle and singing.   I selected three songs from my current work.  We started with Joyful Creation, which is about our Waldorf inspired lifestyle, a song to welcome everyone together.  Carrie, was able to play the penny whistle part with us and she did a fabulous job!  Next, we welcomed the morning with Morning Song. Last, I gave a brief explanation of the pentatonic scale and it's importance to young people. Mood of the Fifth is a song I wrote about Steiner's philosophy on music and how it effects young children.  These songs and many more will be available on CD, April 1st, called "Waldorf Inspired Songs." To hear these songs go to http://www.myspace.com/jodiemesler123

Melisa came all the way to Atlanta from Idaho and presented us with her motivational conferance about Waldorf education and homeschooling. She spoke on many topics including becoming familiar with Steiner, getting comfortable with Spirit, How to meet your needs while caring for your family, self care, inner work, getting housework done, caring for your mate, planning a rhythm, stages of homeschooling changes as your children grow, and many other topics. She also answered many of our questions and was very insightful.
Melisa is well known to most Waldorf homeschoolers, but if you are not familiar with her, she, along with her husband Eric, offer many Waldorf products and services.  Their business is called A Little Garden Flower. She sells Waldorf homeschooling curriculum guides for kindergarten and the grades, and other books; CD's & DVD's on homeschooling with the Waldorf method, drawing with block crayons, and form drawing; and she offers consulting.  She also has a radio show on the web called The Gnomes Home Radio Show. You can go to her website at www.alittlegardenflower.com and check out all that she has to offer us.  

A big THANK YOU to Mel for hosting Melisa, and for helping put together this wonderful event!  You can check out her blog at http://lovey-land.blogspot.com/

Why We Choose the Penny Whistle

Otherwise known as the tin whistle and classified in the recorder family, the pennywhistle is a very easy and fun little instrument .  It has only six holes compared to 10 holes on the recorder.  The fingerings easily match those of the flute, clarinet, saxophone, and recorder.  Although it is simply a toy, it is and has been used by many professionals to entertain people.  Think of the movie "The Titanic" and you will hear this instrument used throughout the soundtrack.  

I just love the tone, it sounds very similar to a piccolo.  It blends very well in tune with the flute, fiddle, guitar, banjo, or percussion.  The wooden fipple plug gives it a warm wooden sound blended with the tin material making up the body.  Once you hear the tone it takes you right back to early America.  I find myself gravitating to the song "Yankee Doodle" as a model song to demonstrate  it.  So many folk tunes have been written on this little flute.  It is the gateway into Early American folk music.  As Americans, this is such a great choice for us.  We have found so many great American folk songs to play and sing, and in the meantime, without even knowing it, my children and I are blessed with a great history education.  Waldorf Education is all about integration, and this is a fine example.

The penny whistle is tuned to the key of D, which to me is so much more pleasing to play than the key of C.  One can easily play songs with 2 octives.  The common pentatonic scale is easily played on this whistle by simply playing the notes D,E & G,A,B.  As for Waldorf homeschooling, Rudolf Steiner recommended the child start his musical training with a blowing instrument, not necessarily the recorder.  We start our musical education at 6 years old.  We begin by using the first 3 notes, B,A,G in a playful style for grade one.  In grade two, we learn pentatonic songs and games, still strictly by ear with a lot of improv.  And by grade 3, we are reading music and playing songs from the diatonic scale as well, using many different folk songs.  All this is done in a creative fashion and in a sing song way, this is also a layout of my very own musical curriculum. 

I am in the process of sharing my musical curriculum when it is completed.   It will be for homeschooling parents and children,  filled with all kinds of lessons and songs to play and sing using the pennywhistle,  which will be Waldorf inspired.  I am aiming to release it in July.

You can purchase some penny whistles and even a penny whistle handbook from Melisa Neilson's website www.alittlegardenflower.com at her store by clicking on the blue music catagory.

We, as Waldorf Homeschooling parents, have the opportunity to teach our children living music, coming form our souls.  We also have the freedom to choose what works and what is best for them.  The penny whistle is a great alternative to the wooden/plastic recorder.  It takes us back to our American roots and helps us to build a strong musical foundation for our children.  All great American music such as Blues, Jazz, Country, Folk, and Rock 'n' Roll started here in America, and the musicians of this fantastic music began their musical foundation with Early American folk music.