"Whoever touches the life of the child touches the most sensitive point of a whole, which has roots in the distant past and climbs toward the infinite future."
- Maria Montessori
The experience of this program, "Mountain Music, Stories and Dance" Jeff believes, is in step with Maria Montessori's style and stages of learning. Jeff offers a music performance that is interactive, engaging, participatory and educational by nature. A workshop, "How to Make a One String Guitar" following the program gives students the opportunity to create (make) their own instrument, further instilling the new knowledge they have gained from the presentation. Jeff teaches the students how to play their new instruments and with time, they become a master at their newly acquired skill. And just as Jeff passed along this information of Appalachian mountain music to your students, they are then equipped to pass along their newly gained knowledge to their fellow students, friends, and family. Imagine...passing on a tradition...our musical heritage.
Jeff has performed at the following Montessori schools (partial list):
Montessori House, Tampa, FL
Portland Montessori, Portland, TN
The Montessori School, Florence, SC
Montessori School of Celebration, Celebration, FL
Ashworth Montessori, Dawsonville, GA
Montessori House Day School, Tampa, FL
Montessori-By-The-Sea, St. Petersburg, FL
Spruce Pine Montessori, Spruce Pine, NC
Montessori Academy of Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL
Montessori Preschool, Lakeland, FL
Montessori Preparatory, Temple Terrace, FL
Montessori Chilrden's House of Hyde Park, Tampa, FL
Montessori School of Lake Underhill, Orlando, FL
Montessori Monroe, Monroe, GA
Montessori of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Program Details and Requirements:
The program is 40 minutes however it can be tailored to meet your
scheduling needs. Set-up and break down time take approximately 10
minutes each. The only requirement is access to electrical power. Jeff
will provide his own PA.
A typical set list for primary age children is:
1. She'll be Coming Around the Mountain (banjo sing-a-long)
2. Soldier's Joy (fiddle made by Jeff's father)
3. My Home is Across the Blue Ridge Mountains (dulcimer made by Jeff)
4. Sit Down Square Dance (banjo/guitar)
5. Cluck 'Ole Hen (fruitcake can banjo)
6. Alabama Gals (Jeff's first homemade, dogwood banjo, sing-a-long)
7. Elementary Blues (Jeff shows how to make one string pork-n-bean guitar)
8. Jaw Harp demo
9. The Crawdad Song (mandolin made by Jeff's father, sing-a-long)
10. Mole in the Ground (guitar sing-a-long)
Workshop:
Jeff offers an "optional" hands-on workshop:
"How to Make a One-String Pork-n-Bean Guitar" - Workshop includes all materials necessary to build this instrument. Since this workshop also has a recycling aspect, we do ask your students to bring in a recycled can (with the lid cut out of one side) in preparation for the workshop. Additional details of this workshop can be found on the Workshop page.
Jeff Robbins
Mountain Music, Stories and Dance
PO Box 56
Black Mountain, NC 28711
