I enjoy working with colleagues to create lessons and projects that bring music and other disciplines together. Below are some of the projects of the past.
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Mandarin and Music: Moon Poems
Mr. Ho's Mandarin Class
Click Here for a Moon Poem example by Philip, 10th Grade
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Music and Literacy Project
Miss Donni's Drama Class and Mr. Bennett's Music Tech Class
Date: Spring 2009
American International School--Hong Kong
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International Music and Animation Project (iMAP)
Mrs. Morse's computer class--John Carroll High School, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
Mr. Bennett's music technology classes--American International School, Hong Kong SAR
Date: Spring 2009
Mrs. Morse and I worked together for two years at JCHS, and during that time we joined forces. Mrs. Morse's students created short animation videos using Macromedia Flash software. The music technology students created music to add to the videos. They used a combination of existing loops, MIDI, and live recordings in Garageband. After I moved to Hong Kong, we decided to make this project international. Animations were made in the US and then sent to HK for "post-production." This process of producing animation shows in different countries is common in the professional animation circuit.
2010 International Video
2009 International Video
2008 Inaugural Video
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Blues Lyrics Contest
Ms. Angell's and Mr. Bennett's classes--John Carroll High School, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
Date: Spring 2008
Whole School Project--American International School, Hong Kong SAR
Date: Spring 2009 and 2010
2008--Music and World Literature students were given an introduction to the Blues and then had an opportunity to improvise along with a blues track. The students participated in a Blues Lyrics writing contest and the winners had their blues performed at Jazz Night on February 21.
2009--I decided to bring the Contest to AIS, but with the help of the English Department made this a school-wide project. Approximately 200 entries were received, reduced to the Top 10, and then judged by the Principal and the Head of Schools.
2010--We brought the contest back. This time we gave awards to the Top 10 winners. More entries were received and the quality of writing improved from the previous year.
2010 Winning Blues
2010 Promotional Video
2009 AIS Contest Winner
Alex C.--"The I Can't Write the Blues" Blues
Honorable Mention
Linda G.--"The Troublesome Blues"
Joseph D.--"The Romeo and Juliet Blues"
Joanne W.--"The Birthday Blues"
Sunny W.--"The Waitin' on a Change Blues"
Jongmin S.--"The Basketball Blues"
Joseph T.--"The Lazy Blues"
Michael L.--"The Forsaken Blues"
Charmian L.--"The Saving Trees Blues"
Justin W.--"The School Blues"
2008 JCHS Contest Winners
Chelsea C.--"The Drivers Ed Blues"
Excerpt:
Each Saturday morning, I'm learning 'bout right turns
Each Saturday morning, I'm learning 'bout right turns
After two years of drivin', what more've I got to learn?
Andrew H.--"The Drag Me Down Blues"
Excerpt:
I can't stand these people, they're try'n to play me a fool
I can't stand these people, they're try'n to play me a fool
I don't know whay they're thinkin', but I ain't some kind of tool.
Honorable Mention
Zachary K.--"The Sam Blues"
Cody L.--"The Family Blues"
Arthur J.--"The Daisy Died Blues"
Ted M.--"The Broken Leg Blues"
Jennifer J.--"The Sunshine Blues"
Catlin G.--"The Hurricane Blues"
Sabine D.--"The Monday Blues"
Sara M.--"The Crazy People Blues"
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Drum Circle
Mrs. Cross and Mr. Bennett
Date: 1/28/08 during lunch
John Carroll High School
We decided to hold a drum circle after the Junior Ring Ceremony. Mrs. Cross brought nearly twenty instruments from her church and we played in the courtyard. The instruments include a mix of West African and Native American instruments along with some shakers, etc.
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"A John Carroll Christmas" CD
Date: Nov-Dec 2007
John Carroll High School
This was a music technology project that included a good deal of storytelling. The choir, drumline, and steel band recorded Christmas tunes; the faculty recorded Christmas stories from their past; the World/Electronic Music class recorded the story "Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas" by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman. Students used Garageband to create the tracks. The CDs were sold for $6 and approximately 70 were sold.
Click Here to listen to "Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas"
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Faculty Steel Band
Leads--Morse, Ageeb, N. Hopper, Henderson, Cross, Scotto
Middle Voices--Camber, Angell, Stromak
Basses--Easom, Fitzgerald
Drums--Brennan
Performance of Jamaican Farewell.
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Music and Poetry: The Rhythm of Words
Ms. Angell's 1st and 5th period English classes
Date: 10/4/07
John Carroll High School
The students were introduced to the concept of adding music to text and the concept that words are rhythmic. We played some "grooves" from Garageband software and experimented with a Halloween poem. A few students volunteered to record the poem on top of a pre-existing beat.
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Music and Geometry: Making Connections
Mrs. Ageeb's 1st and 5th period Geometry classes
Date: 9/20/07
Miss McDonnell's 5th period Geometry class
Date: 9/27/07
John Carroll High School
The students came to the music room for this presentation. They learned about steel drum history, the tuning process, basic design/geometry of the steel pan, and acoustic properties. The students made some music using phrases such as "Math-is-so-cool" and "Math-is-good-for-me." We also took a look at ChordGeometries software.
Music's inner map revealed, with some help from geometry--article
ChordGeometries 1.1 Download page--software
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Color Esperanza (Color of Hope)
Senor Jerolaman's 1st and 5th period Spanish classes
Date: Fall Semester 2007
John Carroll High School
The students performed the song "Color Esperanza" by singer Diego Torres. We started by listening to the recording, determining who had previous music experience, and came up with a game plan. We usually met on 1-5 schedule days. This piece was performed by a sixty piece ensemble at "John Carroll in Concert" on November 27, 2007. 
