Who Levelled Up in My First Sight-reading Challenge?

October has come and gone and Stage One of my Sight-reading Challenge is behind us. It was an interesting experience for my students and I. Here are our Stage One Results:

• 72% did 4/4 weekly challenges

• 12% did extra songs

• 40% advanced one level

• 16% advanced two levels

• 8% advanced three levels

• 36 % stayed at the same same level

As for me, I didn't do nearly as well as I had hoped. It took me two weeks to clear my first challenge because of a nasty cold. In the end, I got through three pieces but not well enough to move my pin up a notch on the game board.

My adult students and Grade 12 students were in the same boat as me. There just wasn't enough time or energy to get through all of the challenges. I will have to plan how to make this work more effectively in Stage Two.

I was able to take advantage of the post-Halloween candy sales and give away some of my excess Halloween candy. Not only that, I did get regular and jumbo sized chocolate bars on sale too. It still wound up costing about $30, but I have lots of leftovers.

The funny part about this sight-reading experience is that my students have been asking why they didn't have a sight-reading challenge during Week 1 of our rest period. I suppose they got used to it.

The nice side benefit that I am seeing is that more of my students are taking the initiative to learn some songs on their own. Not just one song, but two or three. Others have taken to signing out some music books from my studio library and sight-reading music from cover to cover on their own.

Another student is using this time off to relearn all of her favourite songs from last year. She thought it was fun. I thought it was a fantastic way for her to relearn and reinforce information and techniques that she had forgotten about.

I have two weeks to prepare for the next sight-reading challenge for my students. It has been a great project for all of my students (and for me too!).

Now that I know how much time is involved with picking out pieces, I will get everything all selected in advance. Wish me luck.

Related Reading:

Efficient Sight Reading by Li-San

Improving Your Sight-reading by Melanie Spanswick

Why Sight-Reading is Important by Robert Estrin

Getting Excited for Otafest Aurora 2013

It's been a couple of years since I've attended an anime convention in Alberta (life gets in the way of serious geeking out, sometimes). So I was quite excited to hear about some of the events planned for Otafest Aurora 2013 (formerly "Otafest Lite"), which takes place on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at the University of Calgary's downtown campus.

For instance, I don't recall there ever being a gala at this Calgary anime convention, complete with dinner and entertainment. With it costing $40 for the Otafest Aurora Gala, I have a feeling that there will be a good chance of geeking out with my contemporaries. The Otafest Mixer and Mingler and an Introduction to Ballroom Dancing are other new-to-me events.

Special guests Andrea Libman (My Little Pony, DragonTales, The New Adventures of Madeline) and Tabitha St. Germain (My Little Pony, Death Note, Barbie Thumelina) will be hosting a session on voice acting and will be available for autographs. My pals from the Nintendo cover band THWOMP will be performing and hosting a panel. The timing is wonderful, seeing as they are currently recording their latest album and will have new music and experiences to share.

There are also staple events for Otafest, Otafest Aurora and other anime conventions, such as the cosplay contest, AMV's, the vendor room, improv, video games and Otafest Idol. Then of course, there are anime viewings.

Tickets for this one-day Calgary anime convention are $20 festival admission and $60 for festival admission plus Gala pass.  For Otafest Aurora's complete schedule, map and tickets, head to Otafest's website. I'll be reviewing this Calgary event on Examiner.com. それを楽しみにしてください!

Exploring Meditation in Movement

I first knowingly explored active meditation in the late 1990's with Tai Chi. At the time, I found the movements too slow and my companions and I were too immature for this ancient art.

The next time I flirted with mediation in movement was when my coworkers and I signed up for a pottery class around Y2K. I loved being able to focus on only one thing: the clay that I was shaping. My senses seemed augmented as I felt the clay on the wheel, listened to the hum of the wheel, watched and breathed in the art of making. I wasn't particularly skilled at it, unless you count being skilled at wrecking my fingernails. At least I was able to create some serviceable pen cups.

What is Active Meditation?

In Active Mediation: A technique of the future, Eliza Mala Dalian describes it as "an evolutionary process of releasing our stress and pent up emotions from the body while simultaneously being engaged in witnessing and dis-identifying from our thoughts and emotions." Unlike passive meditation, you are actually doing something.

Ms Dalian describes Osho meditations, which has been practice throughout the the world since the 1970's. However, based upon her definition, I recognize meditation in movement in various activities that either my family, friends or I do, such as: nature or landscape photography, painting, drawing, knitting, origami and flower arranging. The way I see it, so long as it is an activity that requires you to move around, allows you to lose yourself into it and ground you in the process, it qualifies as active meditation.

Martial Arts and Active Meditation

I did wind up revisiting Tai Chi last year, taking classes from Jane Sponair. Having a much smaller class and different companions made my Tai Chi practice more successful. I was able to love myself into the movements.

However, at the end of the second course, I was yearning for something more. That something more "stares" at me in my office: my iaito.

After Christmas, I'll be resuming my Iaido studies. I know that it will be bumpy in the beginning (five years is a long time for your skills to dull).

However, I know that some of it will come rushing back to me. For instance, I still practice my sword cuts occasionally as doing so releases some of the tension in my shoulders. In Mushin: The State of Mind, Chris Caile defines it as follows: "The Japanese term Mushin is a shortened version of the Zen expression "mushin no shin" which translates as "the mind without mind" or "no-mindness." It is a nice way to describe active mediation.

These are just a few ways that one can practice active meditation. Are there any activities that you engage in that qualify as meditation in movement? Please share.

Vivaldi's 'Other' Gloria

While I was writing this week's article for Examiner.com, I listened to Antonio Vivaldi's Introduction and Gloria, RV 588. It is not as famous as his RV 589.

I've always enjoyed Vivaldi's music, ever since I studied his Four Seasons in music history.The imagery in all four concerti is just lovely.

That admiration grew even more when I visited his fair (but stinky) city of Venizia in 2001. The culture is so rich in Venice. Musicians performing everywhere. Stunning blown glass works and delicate lace.

In  The ‘Other’ Vivaldi Gloria: Discovering a Lesser-known, Gregory M. Pysh describes it as "a delightful and most accessible setting for choirs of all abilities." It certainly is sonorous and pleasing to the ear, although I wouldn't go so far as to call it completely "accessible" to all levels. Every work has its trouble spots.

Here is a snippet of this work by Antonio Vivaldi for choir and chamber ensemble:

Alas, I cannot attend this Sunday's performance of this by the Calgary Bach Society (so many Calgary concerts and events, so little time). I do hope to catch a performance by this local chamber music ensemble soon.

If you'd like to add Vivaldi's Gloria & Introduction to your music collection, you can find it on Amazon:

Our Growing Collection of Geek Dog Products

Maestro and I like to check out both local and online stores for fun dog fashion and accessories and geek dog products. We even jumped onto the DIY wagon and designed a few dog shirts on Zazzle. Although Maestro received many compliments, he didn't really like his Doggles:

Maestro at the Calgary Folk Fest

On the other hand, we both like his Ultimate Trail Pack. Due to his back problems, Maestro can no longer carry his own pack. However, we still bring it with us on day trips and visits with family and friends.

We both prefer walking with the Dogmatic FreeLeash. This useful dog accessory enables me to carry other items without worrying about where Maestro is.

Another useful item in our geek dog product collection is his Waste Manager Disposal System. With it, we can feel good about taking care of the environment, one poop at a time.

The latest addition our dog fashion collection is the Star Wars R2-D2 Dog Collar, which was ordered from ThinkGeek. The reaction has been pretty consistent: "What a neat collar....[person takes a closer look]...Hey! Star Wars! Cool."

One of the ladies from the Canine Aquafitness Centre hopped onto ThinkGeek's website after Maestro's laser appointment to order geeky Christmas gifts for her entire family.

Here's Maestro showing off his new newest geek dog product: