Hello from Aalborg, Denmark where I'm in the middle of my second Unit 1 course in two weeks. I'm staying in one of the oldest hotels in the city with big keys that I turn in at the desk as I go out. I’m across from the train station in the center of town where I can walk to shops and cafes along cobblestone streets between tall European style buildings. One street hosts a row of cute, tiny houses that date back to the 1400s, yet the traffic lights are the most modern I’ve ever seen.

There were 20 teachers last week and 23 teachers this week who are eagerly learning every twist, tip and turn of Music Mind Games. Here’s a cute photo that shows their interest. Second from the right is Joyce Bennett of Arlington, VA who came to assist me as a teacher trainer apprentice. Also assisting was Annemette Juul Petersen, a Danish teacher trainer apprentice. Yesterday I taught a group of ten little public school students who have Music Mind Games once each week. They were so eager, confident and impressive. There are now 15 schools here in Aalborg using Music Mind Games. That number is growing around all of Denmark.

This is one of my favorite games since it accomplishes so much so easily. Students learn left to right direction of notes, the difference between lines and spaces, intervals, how notes are spaced on the staff and practice sight-singing with solfege and Curwen hand signs. I tell students that this game is based on stories of a young Johann Sebastian Bach. “Loving music and learning from his musical family, he copied music, even in the moonlight on the roof outside his window. We can learn from copying music, too."

A complete explanation of the game comes with the melodic bingo cards. The game also uses staff slates. Both materials are included the Panda 1 Pack which was just released in July. A new idea I've used in the workshops here in Aalborg is to place the do re mi cards alongside the other materials and to use the do re mi rainbow colors to write the patterns with magic notes. This makes the intervals and scale tones easier to identify and it's so much more fun for the students.

This game is ideal for pre-readers as well as those who are already reading music.

The Panda 1 Pack comes in a stylish 100% totebag with two pockets and contains:

• 12 double-sided staff slates
• 12 sets of transparent clef accessories (clefs, accidentals, ledger lines)
• 12 double-sided melodic bingo cards
• 12 paper pianos
• Music Mind Games Handbook
• 3 Game Ideas inserts with 15 games
• Teacher's Guide for melodic bingo cards
• 600 magic notes
• 3 magic wands

The Panda 1 Pack is a set of three popular materials used for teaching students (ages preK - adult) in a variety of group settings. They are used for beginning, intermediate and advanced games. Panda 1 materials can be used individually, in combination with each other or with the Puppy Packet. They will hold the attention of young children, provide a support system for all ages of music students, and offer teachers many clever ideas for teaching useful music reading and theory skills.   $149.00 $135.50 (materials also sold separately)