Looking forward to Provoking Curriculum, a conference sponsored by the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (CACS), the University of Regina (UofR) Centre for Teaching and Learning and the UofR Faculty of Education.  As performative scholarship, I am presenting/ performing “Songs of Beginning Teachers,” which is a song cycle based upon data drawn from the “Beginning Teachers Study” (BTS). Headed by Dr. Jacqui Specht from Western University, inclusive education researchers collected survey and interview data looking at new teachers’ instructional practices, beliefs and overall confidence in teaching in diverse classroom. The name of this pan-Canadian study is “The Development of Inclusive Educational Practices for Beginning Teachers.”

From the large sample of questionnaires, 37 beginning teachers were interviewed; these interviews were transcribed.  Researchers were interested in which of the following 11 salient areas offered the most educational significance within these three afore-mentioned factors (instructional practices, beliefs and overall confidence). These areas are:

• Knowledge from courses and workshops
• Personal experience with people with disabilities
• Personal experience general
• Personal learning experience
• Experience with learners in practicum
• Discussions with school personnel
• Observations with school personnel
• Interactions with parents
• Associate teachers general
• Practicum general
• Work/volunteer experience

After these outcomes, the work here began, which followed at times a more conventional qualitative data analyses, and at times more unconventional Arts-Based Education Research (ABER) stratagem. The 37 transcriptions were read in their entirety several times, data were coded; categories created and themes emerged. Songs were written based upon these themes. Lyrics were fashioned from participants’ actual responses. The hope is that the songs lay the foundation to foster a deep emotionality of the experiences of teachers in their beginning inclusive practices, beliefs and confidence. These songs/themes are so named:  Everybody Learns in the Circle, You Would Go to a Different School, BTS Dirt Bike Rider, Key People at Key Points, and We Could Do Something Amazing!

How appropriate on the heels of National Inclusion Month!

So looking forward to the Globe’s Musical Theatre Writers’ Workshop! …..Busy listening to musical and learning lyrics!

Beauty and the Beast
Cabaret
Company
Hair
Hamilton
Les Miserables
Mama Mia
N2N
Oklahoma
Pal Joey
Rent
Show Boat
Sweeney Todd
West Side Story
Wicked

Well friends…it is most certainly the Holiday Season… or perhaps, more accurately a Holiday Season. I have two things I would like to share with you: a new Lyric Video of “I Still Say Merry Christmas” and a new lyric video for a song for my New Year’s Song “The Chronoscope Trips.” Who remembers Tinker Toys? Spirograph? Etch-a-sketch? The Slinky? Lite-Brite? The Sears Wish Book? Lite-Brite was fun…until you lost some of the coloured pegs and you needed like two more green or two more red to complete your picture. Etch-a-sketch was fun…for those who had patience to move those L and R buttons with infinite precision to create a picture…Nevertheless, “I Still Say Merry Christmas” hearkens back to “The Carpenters” and “Barry Manilow”…when harmonies were “in”….Incidentally, I not only say Merry Christmas, I also say Happy Hanukkah, Gong Hei Fat Choy, Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy Chinese New Year), Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Happy Diwali Wishes….and…

My New Year’s Song and New Lyric Video is called “The Chronoscope Trips.” Brian Greene, physicist and “superstring” theorist, published The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (2011). I read it and was thankful for the everyday explanations that preceded the complex mathematical ones. More than anything I was intrigued with the implications about our assumptions about matter. If the amount of matter is fixed, then there are, necessarily a set number of combinations in which it may be arranged (as I understand it). So, it is possible that there is more than one universe existing, more than one me, and more than one you, right now. This concept became fodder for this track…”Parallel lives can confound you…In the temporary ether of love’s warm embrace, is this all it comes down to:

You and I in this time and place?
And with each missing thought that searches for a believer,
the Chronoscope Trips…

I think such reflection about Time, Time Travel, the everyday magic within each piece of time are especially salient for the New Year. May all your moments find each other easily… And may your Festivus holiday and/or non-holiday be a season of Peace. (Check the videos in the Video Tab… or click here http://scottanthonyandrews.com/epk/)
Scott Anthony

#MyMusicalNumbers

Music is all about numbers…numbers of spins, of plays, of streams, of tweets, of views, of concerts, of tours, of weeks on chart…of……

For me, numbers might make more sense if I think about all the wonderful people with whom I have the pleasure to meet, all the interesting projects that I have been privilege to be part of over the last (1) year…

• Released 1 CD “I Don’t Do Lazy Like That” with 12 songs: Isn’t That the Reason Why You Came? Wisdom is Waitin’ on Me, I Don’t Do Lazy Like That, And I Wanted To, Feel It in Your Bones, Our Story Began in These Seats, Jazz on the Harbour, Let the Spring Come to Collect Me, A Blanket of Horses, Muskoka, Running Away with the Stars,  and Light a Candle for a Dance (1year + 1CD Released +12original songs on CD)
• Created & released 2 lyric videos for the songs, Jazz on the Harbour & Running Away with the Stars (1year +1CD Released +12original songs on CD +2 lyric videos from CD)
• 3 choreographed/directed videos produced from CD, I Don’t Do Lazy Like That, Isn’t that the Reason Why You Came, Wisdom is Waitin’ on Me, which featured 6 yogis performing 12 awesome yoga moves (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2 lyric videos +3choreogrpahed videos +6 yogis +12 awesome yoga moves/tricks)
• From CD release concert 1 live highlight video + 1 live video of A Blanket of Horses, performed with a Spirit Drum (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6 yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos from CD release concert)
• Arranged 2 of my songs for 4-part choir (SATB) “I Say Amen to That” & “Muskoka” (2×4) Performed said songs with 1 choir, the Amici Singers, which has 1 director a good friend (1year +1musical +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4 parts per song +1performance with live choir +1awesome choral director)
• Grateful to share CD release concerts with 2guest artists/friends in YQR and 2guest artists/friends in YXE friend (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4 parts per song +1performance with live choir +1awesome choral director +4guest artists)
• CD concerts were produced with multimedia elements; they had 2videos within them. One video was of Dr. Brian Greene, theoretical physicist, who explained how time travel may actually happen, which introduced—and was the impetus for—the song “The Chronoscope Trips” friend (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6 yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements)
• 
• CD received airtime in 10 provinces across Canada; Debora Windover, Host of “Soul of Jazz” on CKOL 93.7 in Campellford and 100.7 in Madock played CD in its entirety. Still humbled by stellar review in Canadian Beats “Andrews shines when performing upbeat contemporary pop tunes that feature a jazz flair; Andrews vocals soar” My voice teacher would be proud… (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6 yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4 parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements +10provinces radioplay)
• Composed words and music for 1 musical “Ducks on the Moon, A Parent Meets Autism: A Play with Music” (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6 yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4 parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements +10provinces radio play +1musical theatre)
• Wrote 7 songs for said musical: All Is Calm for Now, Not Necessarily Me (Was that a Clue?), So Lovely, So Short-Lived, Guess I Missed Those Cumulonimbus Clouds (Wendy the Weather Girl), I Don’t Know Anymore (What it Means to be Mum), It Ain’t No Thang (No, No), Just Take Your Bow” (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4 parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements +10provinces radio play +1musical theatre +7songs)
• Videotaped musical in its entirety 1 time; from which were created 7 song-focused videos; performed and showcased excerpts from musical at 1 national education conference and 1 international conference in Athens Greece (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements +10provinces radio play +1musical theatre +7songs +1presentation of musical at national education conference Congress of Social Sciences in Education (CSSE) + 1excerpted presentation of musical at international conference in Greece, International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IASSIDD)
• Composed (1), performed (1) and created lyric video (1) for the 10^th Anniversary of Jazzfest Regina, “Young Man on Scarth Street.” Also, composed (1), performed (1) song for Pridefest Regina, entitled “I’ve Left a Smile for You,” based upon Layton Burton’s short, entitled “Separate Beds” (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements +10provinces radio play +1musical theatre +7songs +1presentation of musical at national education conference (CSSE) +1excerpted presentation of musical at international conference in Greece (IASSIDD) +1Pridefest song +1jazz festival song with +1lyric video)
• 1 co-chair of Regina Chapter of Songwriters Association of Canada; as such, co-coordinated 2concerts & delivered 3lectures: rhyme scheme, repetition, song structure. Graduated with 1 Berklee College of Music Songwriting Certificate. Co-authored 2 articles for Sask Music’s Session Magazine ” (1year +1CD Released +12original songs +2lyric videos +3choreographed videos +6yogis +12 yoga moves/tricks +2live videos + 2choral arrangements +4parts per song +1live choir +1choral director +4guest artists +2multimedia elements +10provinces radio play +1musical theatre +7songs +1presentation of musical at national education conference (CSSE) +1excerpted presentation of musical at international conference in Greece (IASSIDD) +1Pridefest song +1jazz festival song with +1lyric video +1SAC co-chair +2concerts coordinated +1BerkleeCertificate +2articles =81moments of musical gratitude.
• Of course, none of this would have been possible without the wonderful communities that support me, Sask Music, the Regina & Saskatoon Chapters of the Songwriters Association of Canada, and Regina Jazz Society…and countless others…

Saskatchewan is a large province filled with many talented songwriters. There are two groups of the Songwriters Association of Canada; one in Saskatoon and the other in Regina. As co-chairs we wanted to support some inter-city songwriting; so, we paired up ten songwriters. Each partnership has a songwriter from both cities. We have songwriters of different genres and different levels of experience. We are so looking forward to hearing these collaborations!

At the same time as these co-writes, Wanda and Annie are coordinating SAC Regina’s very own 4-Week songwriting challenge… I have completed only two so far, so I best get writing and co-writing!
And for more tips on songwriting collaborations, see this link:
https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/the_dos_and_donts_of_co-writing

Local singer-songwriters extraordinaire, Glenn Sutter, Kara Golemba and Ryan Hicks coordinated an excellent Songwriting 4 Nature experience at Last Mountain Regional Park (LMRP) in Saskatchewan a few weeks back. It was wonderful to be surrounded by nature, to be surrounded by music, to be surrounded by so many talented songwriters. By far, my biggest take-away was the lesson I learned of silence and observance. There were several songwriting exercises in which we had to write non-stop, then share our words without revision. Listening to other artists lyrics and words without preparing any response cemented my attention the present. No comment, no encouragement, no judgement. And did I learn!
We are having a wind-up show of some of the songs we wrote there (and other songs, too) at

Royal Saskatchewan Museum
Friday June 15 at 7pm
Free Admission
C’mon down!

It was awesome to be featured in the March 2018 Mar. 29 – Apr. 11, 2018 Editions of Regina’s Prairie Dog and of Planet S Magazine from Saskatoon for the My Music column

http://planetsmag.com/2018-03-29/my-music/
http://www.prairiedogmag.com/2018-03-29/my-music/

Debora Windover, Host of “Soul of Jazz” on CKOL 93.7 in Campellford and 100.7 in Madock devoted an entire episode to my new CD, “I don’t Do Lazy Like That”  How kind! Thank you. Here is a little of what Debora had to say…

• • His music lies between #SmoothJazz and #AdultAlternative. His songs offer a generous chord palette, smooth, laid-back rhythms, melodic shifts and improvisation”
  • “He writes, sings and plays with an emphasis on narrative story, lyrics and reflective themes.”
  • “Scott Anthony Andrews believes in collaboration where he and his fellow [songwriting] members can hone their craft, grow and only get better and better.”

I luv being Berklee Online student (and graduate)! I co-wrote an article for SaskMusic’s “The Session” magazine with with Dale Mac Music about those wonderful experiences. Check it out here…… Berklee-SessionFeb2018

Being a Singer-Songwriter, at least as far as I have experienced it, has a surprising amount of solitary work. That is why my community of YQR Songwriters is so important. As far as my musical life is concerned, it is the connections among these songwriters for which I am most grateful. First, I appreciate the range of musical styles in our monthly meetings from pop to country to folk to jazz to… Second, our community is a serious one—one in which we thoughtfully engage with different aspects of the craft of songwriting; one in which we have reflective discussions about rhyme schemes, lyrical intents and meaning, melodic contour, etc… Third, and I believe this to be true of all groups, the community is truly larger than any one of us. A kind word from a fellow songwriter can make all the difference; so too, can a most helpful bit of feedback to change a lyric or a melody.

Through YQR Songwriters, a regional group of the Songwriters Association of Canada, as well as through Sask Music, I have met and worked with some awesome people in 2017. I was fortunate to be selected for a co-writing retreat led by Justin Gray. Sally Meadows and Lyn Besse McGinnis and I were a team, through which I learned much about lyric writing and song themes.  Justin Gray was an awesome mentor through the process.  After that weekend, Tyler Gilbert (another workshop participant) and I co-wrote a song, “A Gravel Road Has a Song All Its Own.”  Last year, Canada Sound 150 encouraged artists to write songs around iconic Canadian sounds; Tyler and I choose a gravel road sound byte, ubiquitous in rural Canada, particularly for those of us who have toured in such areas.  Tyler is a great songwriter with an especially strong and engaging voice. Check out his version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” not an easy song to sing, and he really nails it. I really enjoyed working with Tyler. Dale MAC, another YQR Songwriter, and I have both studied at Berklee College of Music Online. I completed a Songwriting Specialist Certificate, and Dale MAC courses in Vocal Techniques, and in Studio Production. He gave a useful, hands-on presentation on syncopation as applied to the art of songwriting to us YQR Songwriters.  Dale and I co-wrote an article for Sask Music’s, The Session magazine, about our respective experiences at Berklee Online. Dale is an easy-going singer-songwriter with an inquisitive nature that really opens possibilities for his songwriting. I especially like his song “Good Morning” from his new EP “American Horse”—quite unique the way he sings this song.

Of course, there are YQR regulars, starting with my talented co-coordinator, Wanda Gronhovd, who is so great at going for it and getting things done! She recently completed a tour of her new CD “Shifting Sands.”  I learn much from William John Stewart and his clever lyrics; Brian Smyth who never misses a session, and who is well-connected to various songwriting worlds.  Glen Sutter certainly supports the connection between songwriting and nature.  …And there are many more songwriters in our ranks. On a personal level I sincerely thank each of you for your participation and hope to see you at some meetings in 2018.

May your songwriting muse and your songwriting athlete meet for many training sessions in 2018! And may some of those sessions be with us at YQR Songwriters.
With you in melody, in harmony, in lyric, in song,

Scott Anthony