The coloring books presented are used by all the children enrolled in the Children's Choral Workshop, the Young Madrigal Singers and the choir classes at the School of Music of Fiesole, where prof. Yakkey teaches for almost 30 years.
The children often sing in Choral Festivals and opera performances throughout Europe and have recently recorded "La Boheme" and "Tosca", directed by Zubin Mehta with tenor Andrea Bocelli, and a new recording of an unknown opera by Leoncavallo "I Medici' conducted by M� Veronesi. The children have also participated in performances of Leoncavallo's 'I Pagliacci'; Mahler's 'Third Symphony'; Bizet's 'Damnation of Faust' & 'Carmen'; the choirs have also sung in an Oratorio by D. Bartolucci, former maestro da cappella of the Sistine Chapel 'La Nativit�'.
Joan's adolescent singers often sing as soloists in oratorios and operas; recent participations include the "three geni" in Mozart's Magic Flute, the "madrigalists" in Rihm's opera "Jakob Lenz" and the "Trio of the Angels" in Mendelssohn's "Elijah". The young soloists have learned to read music with the coloring books, solfegge methods and card games created by Joan Yakkey. Many have also concluded their Conservatory degrees at a very young age.
Prof.Yakkey hopes that other music teachers will be interested in her methods and materials and will contact her. The Photo albums with examples illustrate the following:
THE SIGN AND THE SOUND: five albums of a series of coloring, writing and singing books for children ages 5 and up and beginning adults, created from 1982 to 1997.
THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC (a contemporary solfeggio method in 16 booklets created in 2000.)
JOAN'S MAGIC MUSIC CARDS created in 2001 with a special interest in the 'next generation of musicians'. Cards are in bright colors and durable material, games and constructive exercises are included in the teacher's manual.
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAROLS for SSA.
CONTEMPORARY ARRANGEMENTS AND SETTINGS of Medieval and Renaissance melodies for SSA.
ITALIAN FOLKSONGS for children's and SSA choirs.
RARE EARLY VOCAL MUSIC researched in Italian libraries and transcribed/arranged for contemporary performance.
ORIGINAL VOCAL AND CHAMBER MUSIC.
Joan was invited to Virginia Tech University to participate in a concert of her own works. The concert was organized by professors Paul Zweifel and Linda Plaut. Joan has recently published 4 Canzonettes by Claudio Monteverdi, Treble Clef Music Press editions. She prepares her choral groups and young soloists enrolled in her course for YOUNG MADRIGAL SINGERS for special concerts; her groups have performed for three Italian Presidents and Pope John Paul.
Her singers have collaborated with 'Tempo Reale', the electronic music center for composers guided by Luciano Berio.
This past year the young children of the Polyphonic Chorus have recorded a new Illustrated Children's book entitled 'GOGO' with original songs and orchestrations developed by Maestro Ennio Clari, one of Joan's collaborators with the Children's Workshop program.
Joan collaborates with Kent State University since 1985 in their concert/study-tours to Italy. Joan was invited to Pittsburgh in 2006 to work with the
Ellis Girls school for several days, she presented her MAGIC MUSIC CARDS to the children and teachers. She is proud to think that her methods have helped many students and teachers.
When Joan first started teaching in Italy in the 1970's, few materials were accessible, little was compatible with her ideas for teaching young children. Joan's first choral students studied together with her young daughter in the church basement of the Oratorio of San Fillipo Neri near Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Materials were makeshift and badly photocopied, but the children were very interested and quickly understood the wonderful satisfaction and sense of self-fulfillment in the comprehension of the world of music. One of those children has now grown up to be a singer in the opera chorus of the Florence Opera Theater. Ignorance is not bliss. Many of Joan's students sing now in adult choirs and some direct choirs of their own. Elena Pierini, Joan's daughter, naturally studied from all of Joan's books; Elena is a percussionist, pianist, singer, conductor and composer.
Please follow the links to read more about Joan's ideas. To return to this site after visiting the photo albums and other web pages, PLEASE click on the RETURN BUTTON on your computer to GO BACK to this page and follow other links. Materials and more information can be requested by writing to Joan.
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