Submitted by Steven Vogel, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota

Idea posted December 19, 2001

For those of you who are interested in sending out a music newsletter, here is what I have done.

I put out a bi-monthly music newsletter called MUSIC NOTES. It all started as a class that I took a LONG time ago, but I decided to keep it going. This is my tenth year... I think. Here is what I include in my newsletter.

  • Composer of the Month biographies
  • Compositions by the composer (in case parents might want to listen to a song)
  • Information on the instrument families
  • Classroom information - what we have sung, learned, will learn
  • Upcoming concert information
  • Music riddles
  • Ideas for music exploration
  • Music web sites
  • Music graphics (pictures that go with the particular article)
  • Upcoming music dates - MIOSM, WLC
  • Personal information - how to contact me via phone or e-mail

Since I only do five a year, it is NOT overwhelming and I "re-use" the format each year. I have a 5-year cycle of composers, so that part changes, BUT, the instrument family information remains the same EVERY year along with some other information. It is only a two-sided newsletter.

I use the program Personal Press. It is WONDERFUL!! Like I said before, I have the same format for each newsletter, so it is easy to plug in information. And now, since I have been doing this for SO LONG, I can easily take last year's Sept./Oct. letter on disk, change the information needed to make it current, and send it home with my students.