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Wayne Shorter (1933-2023) - Always a Wonder
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/arts/music/wayne-shorter-dead.html
reneeredmond30
Mar 2, 20231 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...
reneeredmond30
Dec 8, 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...
reneeredmond30
Nov 9, 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...
reneeredmond30
Aug 2, 20222 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...
reneeredmond30
Jul 26, 20223 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...
reneeredmond30
Jun 9, 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...
reneeredmond30
Apr 28, 20221 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...
reneeredmond30
Apr 2, 20222 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...
reneeredmond30
Mar 10, 20221 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...
reneeredmond30
Feb 26, 20223 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...
reneeredmond30
Feb 25, 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...
reneeredmond30
Feb 1, 20221 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...
reneeredmond30
Jan 17, 20222 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...
reneeredmond30
Jan 13, 20221 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...
reneeredmond30
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...
reneeredmond30
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...
reneeredmond30
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...
reneeredmond30
Jan 7, 20222 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...
reneeredmond30
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...
reneeredmond30
Jan 7, 20221 min read
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