About

Ear, Mind, Heart, Hand is the blog of music teacher Ursula Slover. The blog’s name comes from the Zoltán Kodály quote:

The characteristics of a good musician are a well-trained ear, a well-trained mind, a well-trained heart, and a well-trained hand. All four parts must develop together in constant equilibrium.

Posts mostly cover subjects related to Kodály music teaching, with some posts about other music education topics, and some simply about music or education.

Ursula is an elementary general music teacher in her 5th year in the Renton School District. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Conservatory in May 2012, where she earned degrees in music education and oboe performance. Ursula completed her Level III Kodály training this past summer at Seattle Pacific University, and is also a certified Positive Discipline educator. She has served on the board of Northwest Kodály Educators (NWKE) since 2016, and currently holds the position of Secretary. Previously, Ursula has worked as a teaching artist with the Seattle Symphony, education coordinator with Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, composition teacher with the Junior Bach program, site coordinator with The Creative Access outreach program, section coach with the Peabody Youth Orchestra, and as a private instructor. Outside of teaching, she performs regularly as an oboist with ensembles including Seattle Modern Orchestra, The Sound Ensemble, Seattle Rock Orchestra, and Symphony Tacoma. In her precious spare time, she enjoys board games, science fiction, drawing, and visiting national parks.

Presentations:
Strategy for Teaching Syncopah, WD-OAKE Mini Conference, November 2017
Teaching Guitar in a Kodály Classroom, WD-OAKE Mini Conference, November 2017
Song List for Syncopah, NWKE Chapter Sharing, October 2017
Introduction to the Dulcimer, Renton Music Teachers Meeting, March 2017
Favorite Singing Games for Music Literacy (co-presenter), Renton Music Teachers Meeting, February 2017
Strategies for Introducing a Song, NWKE Chapter Sharing, September 2016
Teaching Early Rhythms to Older Beginners, NWKE Chapter Sharing, March 2016
Kodály Basics: Beginning Steps to Music Literacy (co-presenter), Renton Music Teachers Meeting, February 2016