What's New in Musicplay with Denise Gagne

Susie and Phil

Written by Denise Gagne | Jun 1, 2007 7:35:00 PM
Susie Davies-Splitter

 Susie Davies-Splitter is a music and movement educator, Orff practitioner, jazz musician, composer and president of the Victorian Orff Schulwerk Association (VOSA) in Australia. From 2000 - 2002, Susie was the Director of Music and the Performing Arts at The King David School in Melbourne, overseeing the performing arts curriculum from 18 months to 18 years. Since 1997, Susie has been on the teaching team for Orff level courses for VOSA and the Australian Catholic University Grad Cert and Grad. Dip Courses in Orff Schulwerk. In 2004, Susie trained the Bachelor of Education primary students in music at Melbourne University .

Phil Splitter

Phil Splitter is an award winning composer, scriptwriter, performer and entertainer. According to his business card Phil holds a ‘Bachelor of Hearts with a Degree of Humour'. He has been composing and performing since an early age, playing guitar and percussion, as well as singing in many bands. Phil is also an accomplished motivational speaker and humourist, script and songwriter as well as a dynamic and high calibre MC.

Susie and Phil have presented and conducted professional development workshops for teachers throughout Australia, New Zealand, Europe, USA, Malaysia, Singapore and the renowned Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria. They also regularly present shows, family music workshops, artist in schools programs, professional development for teachers, performances and their popular “Musikeynote” presentations at conferences. Together Susie and Phil have received numerous awards for their song writing and developed many CDs, music books, musicals and choral materials. Susie and Phil's vision is to spread the word to as many children and adults around the world that singing, moving, dancing, playing and creating music is good for the heart, for the soul, the body and the mind and that everyone can enjoy music! Themes & Variations is pleased to be their North American publisher. Shake it Up! and Jazz it Up! were published in 2005.

Jazz It Up!

This collection features 10 songs by Susie Davies-Splitter and Phil Splitter, Australian music and jazz educators. K-8 students will sing, improvise and move to these jazzy tunes. The songs use a variety of elements of jazz - call-response, scat singing, improvisation, rhythm and blues with accompaniments by Australian music educators Susie & Phil. Activities are provided for each song at a variety of levels, so that the songs can be used for K-6. The songs can be performed with the performance/accompaniment CD, or the students can play many of the accompaniments using the Orff arrangements that are given. The collection includes reproducible vocals making this a very economical way to purchase vocal jazz music for your K-6 classroom or your elementary choir.

Razzamajazz , Ndiani Na, Jellybean Blues, Sing and Scat , Scoo Be Doo Song, Sing to the Heavens Above, Jazzy Jive, Jam Like That, Living with the Rhythm, and Swingin Bones.

Shake It Up!

Twelve songs to get students in preK to grade 5 moving and dancing to music. They’ll also be singing, playing instruments and improvising in a variety of styles. Activities are provided for each song at a variety of levels, so that the songs can be used for the very young, but be appealing and engaging for older students as well. Orff arrangements are included for some of the songs. The collection includes a CD with performances of all the songs, and accompaniments for most.

Shake It, Aussie Rock, Action Leader, Get You Moving, Yesh Li Yadayim, The Jumping Dance, Fruity Samba , Jiggles, Fuzzy the Clown, Luna Lagoon, The Rhythm and the Beat, Jump Bump.

This fall we have three new collections of Susie & Phil material:

Shimmy Shimmy Shake!

More great dances and movement songs by Australians, Susie&Phil, for K-5. They’ll also be singing, playing instruments, creating sound effects and improvising in a variety of styles. Includes perf/acc CD.

Songs and dances include Welcome to Music (a great opening action song for your music classes), Let There Be Music (a canon that is sung and danced in unison or in two parts), Moving Down the Street (a fun and easy movement song to explore fast, medium and slow), Partner Dance (a cute song to sing and dance with a partner), Rockin’ Rhythm(improvise on instruments or body percussion), Lo Yisa Goy (a beautiful dance sung in Hebrew and English. Add scarves or ribbons to the dance for a really beautiful effect. An Orff arrangement of the song is included. (Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow....), Copycat (create movement and play a simple Orff arrangement), Move It! (create movement or improvise on instruments), Marmalade and Vegemite (a game song that your students will love while they sing about Australian breakfast foods), Funkey Monkey Story and Song (Orchestrate and dramatize the story using sound effects on unpitched instruments. Then dance the conga line to the Funkey Monkey song!), and Ocean Song (a beautiful song, dance and instrumental piece).

Coming Soon! (Sept. 2007)

Jazz and Blues for Kids

More great jazz and blues songs and dances

Let’s Sing All Together

A choral collection (reproducible) with 8 original works for young choirs.

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