B.Mus. (U Lethbridge)
B.Ed. (U Calgary)
M.A. (York U)
Jennifer Wakefield has been a vocal coach and music teacher for over fifteen years. A native of Alberta, Jennifer completed a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Lethbridge in 1995 and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary in 2003.
During the final term of her B. Ed. Degree, Jennifer relocated to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for five and a half years, where she held classroom music teaching positions from K-12, conducted an adult community choir, private vocal lessons and participated actively in the local Tanzanian music scene as a soloist. Jennifer’s hands-on exposure to traditional Tanzanian music led her to pursue an MA in Ethnomusicology at York University which she completed in June 2012.
Her recent projects include a vocalist for a Fujiwara piece in the Danceworks 40th Anniversary event, backup vocals for singer-songwriter Melanie Peterson, singer in “Have you seen my sister?” a vocal installation featured at Toronto Nuit Blanche 2017, soprano in “The Christmas Story” pageant a cappella quartet, and arranger/ vocalist and flautist in a Sprig of Rosemary, a Celtic music duo.
Get to know Jennifer…beyond the BIO!
Hobbies: cycling, hiking, choir
Musical influences: Beethoven, Loreena McKennitt, Blackmore’s Night, Karine Polwart
Favourite food: chocolate, cheese
Least favourite food: not enough chocolate, mushrooms
Favourite music: folk rock
Favourite song: Too many to narrow it down! / Both Sides Now (1969) – Joni Mitchell
Favourite movie: Life is Beautiful
Favouirite movie music: Star Wars / Dirty Dancing
Favourite musical theatre/opera: La Boheme – Puccini, Rent
Best quote from your teacher: “Ya gotta love it!”, “Success is 10% talent and 90% hard work.”
Favourite quote: “Life is short, eat dessert first.”, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”
Favourite book: The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
Best thing about teaching at ABC: Meeting great students and making great music!
Latest Homework from Jennifer
Is Jennifer Your Teacher?
Sign up now to get your weekly assignments delivered, and never lose your homework sheet again!
Homework May 18-24
Hi all,
Here are some notes for this week. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your long weekend!
Wednesday students:
Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: warm-up you tube, keep space on your vowels, Ancient dreams
How to practice it most effectively: write words that help you sing it with the emotion you think fits
Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Pg. 47 petit minuet, previous songs for fun
How to practice it most effectively: play with feeling, notice all the things you can do already on the piano!
Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Lightly row, Forest song- pg. 36 to start, think about dynamics, mood
Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Can’t stop- start with pre-chorus chords, Impossible- get lyrics
Homework for April 7-12, 2022
Hello all,
Good effort in your lessons. It is so satisfying when we put daily time and energy into our playing. When you practice more regularly, you will see how your skills grow!
Tuesdays
Student 1: Isabella- good start!
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Sol fege you tube
Song: Do a deer-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drnBMAEA3AM
https://prim14.discip.accaen.fr/IMG/pdf/doe_a_deer_part_et_paroles.pdf
*Please print this for your next lesson.
How to practice it most effectively: warm-up with the sol fege video, then practice the song singing along with the you tube
How parents can support practice: Schedule the same time and place every day for practice
Student 2: Christian
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Review PDF pages in the Accelerated piano book
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_5CXPkWBonA2r5e8OOY2HsdJNBLK13cZ
How to practice it most effectively: check your arm position (L-shape) and round hand (like you are holding a ball), use all our fingers
How parents can support practice: check for posture and hand position
Student 3: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 20-30 min per day
What to practice: Technique: E minor- harmonic and melodic and G major scales- 2 octaves, F major triads- broken and solid, major and minor chord identification
Repertoire: Minuet in A minor- Good job on this one!
Etude: well played, keep working on increasing the tempo with metronome
Cranky cat: once you are comfortable with HS, try HT slowly
Wed students
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: warmup with you tube, ear training http://www.howtosingsmarter.com/solfege/
Castle on a cloud- good progress- start on page 2 and practice the ending, good support for the high notes
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: warmup http://www.howtosingsmarter.com/solfege/
Practice learning to sight sing use you tube below, Fingers crossed- make it your own performance
Student 3: Caedan- well done on your March song
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Continue with pg. 43, try playing twinkle twinkle by ear- start on middle c
Student: 4: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: c, f major scales, warmups, All through the night
How to practice it most effectively: write the notes in if you need to, start in the middle so you practice the ending, sing along to your piano melody
How parents can support practice: work out the notes for the melody together, check if written notes are correct
Miikwan: loved your compostion!
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day
What to practice: Review book pages 9-11, continue with 12 and 13, keep composing, explore online games for learning piano notes
http://musicards.net/
How to practice it most effectively: check your hand position- round hand (like you are holding a ball), use all your fingers
How parents can support practice: double check fingerings and hand position, encourage use of all fingers
Homework for March 24-29, 2022
Hi all,
Keep up the good music making! Find your name below for your specific homework notes.
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Warm-up with the you tube link, sing along with you tube- Castle on a cloud
How to practice it most effectively: Follow along with the sheet music
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time for daily practice.
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Warm-up with the you tube link, Fingers crossed
How to practice it most effectively: Prepare your keyboard and part, and/or karaoke track to sing along with. Start by imitating her emotions, exaggerate them in your voice
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time for daily practice.
Student 3: Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Start on page 42, review any previous pages to solidify
How to practice it most effectively: Double check which hand is starting, look through the song first to be ready for anything.
How parents can support practice: Keep encouraging good posture and regular practice.
Student 4: Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Technique- c scale, HS 2 octaves, Runaway Rabbit
How to practice it most effectively: Give yourself a goal to play through a song before you go to dinner/ your next activity. Think about how you can make it musical.
How parents can support practice: Review note reading using previous songs in the book.
Student 5: Naiara
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 minutes per day
What to practice: Start with technique- c major scale, HS, Musette- hands separately
How to practice it most effectively: Write in some note names, listen to a recording of it, give yourself a goal to work for 20 min then get a small reward
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time for daily practice.
Student 6: Linda
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Technique: F major, E minor, C major contrary motion, C, F major triads broken and solid.
Repertoire: Cranky Cat, Etude in C
How to practice it most effectively: Use metronome, keep the scales and triads steady and smooth, keep yourself focused on making it beautiful
Student 7: Miikwan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 minutes per day
What to practice: Review PDF, start book on page 11, continue from there
How to practice it most effectively: Keep your fingers round, like you are holding a ball. Be patient while you are learning to read music.
How parents can support practice: Schedule a time and help to focus the practice to one goal.
Homework for week of Feb. 17-22
Hi all,
Great work everyone! It is a joy to hear your music!
Student 1: Vlada
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day (5 min of vocal warmups and 10 min of songs)
What to practice: Vocal warmups- use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-3i2CJQo4I
Song: Scarborough Fair
How to practice it most effectively: Print out the sheet music and sing along to you tube
How parents can support practice: Set aside a scheduled time for practice. Provide a private and quiet place to sing
Student 2: Alex
Recommended minutes to practice: 15 min per day (5 min of vocal warmups and 10 min of songs)
What to practice: Vocal warmups- use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-3i2CJQo4I
Song: All through the night
How to practice it most effectively: Print out the sheet music and sing along to you tube
How parents can support practice: Set aside a scheduled time for practice. Provide a private and quiet place to sing
Student 3: Caedan
Recommended minutes to practice: 15-20 min per day
What to practice: Ode to joy- memorize, continue learning in your book from pg. 32
How to practice it most effectively: If you make a mistake, practice the hard part, avoid playing through the whole song until you have practiced one section. Make it as beautiful as possible!
How parents can support practice: Keep an ear for pauses and encourage Caedan to go more slowly so the timing stays intact.
Student 4: Oliver
Recommended minutes to practice: 20 min per day
What to practice: Start with Kites in the sky, pg. 28.
How to practice it most effectively: If you make a mistake, practice the hard part, avoid playing through the whole song until you have practiced one section. Make it as beautiful as possible!
How parents can support practice: Keep an ear for pauses and encourage Oliver to go more slowly so the timing stays intact. Talk about intervals used in the music.
Preferred Books for Jennifer’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Belting - A
Written for ages 5 and 6, My First Piano Adventure captures the child’s playful spirit. Fun-filled songs, rhythm games and technique activities develop beginning keyboard skills.
26 Italian Songs and Arias
This authoritative edition of the world’s most loved songs and arias draws on original manuscripts, historical first editions, and recent research by prominent musicologists to meet a high standard of accuracy and authenticity. Includes fascinating background information about the arias and their composers, as well as a singable rhymed translation, a readable prose translation, and a literal translation of every single word. This title is available in SmartMusic.
Folk Songs for Solo Singers
Selected for contests and adjudications around the country, this incredible volume includes 11 favorite folk songs expertly crafted for solo voice and piano. Arranged by Alfred Music’s finest writers, such as Philip Kern, Jay Althouse, Don Besig, Ruth Elaine Schram, and Carl Strommen.
Easy Songs for the Beginning Soprano
This series was designed to supplement traditional vocal instruction and works perfectly as preparatory literature for The First Book of Solos and The First Book of Solos Part II . Each piece is in English and has a limited vocal range as well as a piano accompaniment that is playable by a student pianist. The pieces include art songs, folksongs, humorous songs, and suitable vintage popular songs and are all appropriate for contest solos. The audio tracks include professionally-recorded accompaniments.
