This post has been years in the making…talking, thinking, planning, waiting, doubting, persevering…and I’m finally ready to say…I DID IT!
I have officially opened my own online shop for my creative ideas to be shared with others at a faster pace than I could handle myself. I have finally honed own what I want to do with this side of the business, and I’ve determined I’m ready to at least try to start.
With that said, I’ve created my first official PDF to release: Tin Whistle Studies Book One.
Let me explain.
I have so enjoyed learning about the classical method of education and have been dreaming ever since I first read The Core by Leigh Bortins about all the ways I could incorporate the classical model of education into classical music education for children.
I have been writing my own curriculum for well over 10 years now for both clarinet and piano, and I’m excited to dabble in a little tin whistle as I journey with my kids through Classical Conversations. This journey stems back to my days working with Gary Scudder on Music Workouts, (a beginning method for band students of all instruments) the prototype of which I was a guinea pig myself back in 6th grade when I first began clarinet lessons under his instruction. We had so much fun diving into the art of learning, the art of teaching, and how best to present super high quality music for band children in elementary school. It wasn’t long until I started on my own piano version called My Piano Book modeled after the same method, which I would personally describe as a “Reverse Suzuki Method” where music is taught to be read first in order to be memorized second, so that it can be internalized at a deeper level and transform even a very young student into a highly skilled musician. We poured over Music Workouts for hours and hours and days on end coming up with new ideas, throwing old ideas in the trash, and debating the placements of periods and staccatos. While it has been now six years since those last conversations as I transitioned home to start a family, those conversations and ideas have not stopped spinning in my head. I continued on to write an entire series of Rhythm books for piano only, then Technique books, and even dabbling in Improvisation, Warm-up, and Note Reading Tests.
As babies came into the picture I moved away from music lessons for a time and created my own baby books as a creative outlet and to give as gifts for baby showers and baby birthdays. Everything from dollar store photo albums with bright pictures of fruits and vegetables with names to coloring books, bookmarks, and even charts of things that had been helpful to me as a new wife and mother!
Somewhere in there I got brave enough to record my first CD…I believe that stemmed from my husband’s skill and equipment, being a videographer, and I was able to give out improvised public domain Christmas music as Christmas gifts. I think it was after the birth of our first I recorded my very own lullaby CD. Or perhaps that was for my nephews and nieces first, I can’t remember now. All I know is at some point I was so inspired by Scripture Lullabies and realized that I too could create my own much simpler music for my own babies and loved ones. To this day we all still love listening to their music…we’ve collected the first three albums plus Quietly. Such a worthwhile investment if you’re a young mom and want to be encouraged by both Scripture and music together.
At first I was SO nervous about performing and recording and sharing my music because I knew I was no expert. But I’ve come to realize that you don’t have to claim to be an expert and you don’t have to be an expert in order to create something beautiful and share it with others. That lesson was reiterated as I studied about the Lead Learner in Classical Conversations. You, as the parent, are the best teacher for your child. So if I could play piano, if I could teach piano, then I had something to share and teach my children. And no matter what level I was at, I could still teach what I could and share what I could so that they could learn what they could. No, I’m not the world’s best singer. But I don’t need to be. I love God’s word, I love music, and I love to sing to my kids. And that is how Words That Matter started, my first kids Scripture CD album. Eventually, I hope, all my “creations” will be available through my online shop, but to finish my story, I have finally come to a point in life where I am able and desiring to create this online website, online shop, and provide more people with my music curriculum, Scripture memory workbooks, and other random charts and lists I’ve created for my own family that others have asked I share.
What I offer is not pretty. It is not fluffy and Pintrest-y and Etsy-y and cute-sy, but it is quality content. I enjoy pretty things, but I have not the talent nor desire to dabble in graphic design and color palettes and font studies. What I do know is that I have received many words of gratitude and encouragement as I pursue my journey and share what I create. And friends and family have asked to buy my work to the point where I am ready to take the next step.
So all that to say, the first step I’m taking is the easiest possible at this point in life. My eldest has recently completed Tin Whistle Studies Book One (the rough draft version) and is successfully making his way through Book Two. Having tested it all the way through once and made necessary updates, I feel it is ready for others to try! If you are enrolled in Classical Conversations or if you study tin whistle through your school music program or if you own a tin whistle or if you want to help your child(ren) develop both musical abilities and a responsible character, then this book is for you. Take a peek inside with the images below before purchasing so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Designed for 4 years and up, this tin whistle curriculum will help your child develop the most basic coordination for playing the first and easiest three notes on the tin whistle (no holes, one hole covered, and two holes covered). Zip through the entire curriculum in 24 days or spread out a steady pace of 24 weeks or faster or slower as the talent is discovered!
You will notice a Tin Whistle Map with a plan to cover at least 6 years of Tin Whistle Studies. I have the entire map written out behind the scenes and the entire content for the first three books, just waiting to be compiled into book form. All coming soon! You will also notice samples from the first and last weeks as well as a quick sample of a performance sheet. Send any questions to mooremusicbooks@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @memorizemoore to stay connected! Thanks for reading to the end! I hope to make more posts about more products soon!
Bear with me as I teach myself how to use this technology to my advantage!
