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<h2>Early Passion for Music</h2><p>I have loved music for as long as I can remember. I began piano lessons when I was three, mostly because I wanted to be like my big brother, and because my talented, patient aunt was willing to teach me. That experience sparked a passion for learning and playing music that I have held ever since.</p><p>Throughout school, I was inspired to learn to play lots of different instruments: flute, bassoon, electric bass, percussion, guitar, banjo, clarinet, trumpet...but most of all I fell in love with the harp. I decided to go to a music conservatory and focus my studies on the harp.</p><figure id="figure-u9lmthmznflx3rvmsl"><img id="u9lmthmznflx3rvmsl" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38rEGLNhr8rFSqcr3ehrBP86cEtj0Ch7buDEEzgRd2iLVukVjVPN5XzSnwBjztoS.jpg" alt="young musician harpist with harp, long blonde wavy hair, red lipstick, black dress, pearl necklace" title="young musician harpist with harp, long blonde wavy hair, red lipstick, black dress, pearl necklace" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 30%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="30%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38rEGLNhr8rFSqcr3ehrBP86cEtj0Ch7buDEEzgRd2iLVukVjVPN5XzSnwBjztoS.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 30%;"></figure><h2>Educational Background</h2><p>I attended the Eastman School of Music as an undergrad to study harp with Kathleen Bride. I loved it so much that I decided to stay for my master's degree, and branch out to study composition and music theory pedagogy. As I learned more about performing, teaching, and creating music, I continued by studies and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of Washington.</p><figure id="figure-l6zdx3o5aolx3rvpi5"><img id="l6zdx3o5aolx3rvpi5" src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/133ppsfo3yHjbbD8ryWoUaZNfXNPFlaEsct2ZvLxapfIbaAUjyqmSiIOaflhY9eK.jpeg" alt="Side view of the gray pencil, eyeglasses, black earphones and eraser laying on the sheet notes with handwritten notes. The concept of the music creating, composing, note writing, music art." title="Side view of the gray pencil, eyeglasses, black earphones and eraser laying on the sheet notes with handwritten notes. The concept of the music creating, composing, note writing, music art." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/14n6CfVs2Y4s6clRJPXJvC54eG55rI42p2DYuLWZ48hVl1wWJx1D0HKOVXFM5lWU.jpeg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h2>Professional Experience</h2><p>After finishing my doctorate, I started teaching music theory and fundamentals, composition, piano, choir, and ethnomusicology at different colleges and universities, while maintaining a private harp studio. As a harpist, I perform with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and as a soloist throughout the United States.</p><blockquote><p>Throughout all of my teaching and performing work, I am continually inspired by my students, who remind me how important it is to always be learning, challenging myself, and having fun at the same time.</p></blockquote><h2>The Birth of Dynabuddy</h2><p>In 2016, Allan wanted to make little videos for his percussion students to play along with when they practice. As a composer, I had a lot of experience with music notation software so I offered to digitize the music put the videos together for him.&nbsp;</p><p>We were both surprised by the impact of those little videos! His students loved them, their playing and technique improved drastically, and they felt motivated to practice because it was FUN. Allan and I started talking about what a difference these types of videos could make in young musicians' lives, and soon, Dynabuddy was born.</p><figure id="figure-85w8bv2eqlx3xa3ja"><img id="85w8bv2eqlx3xa3ja" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/37i3M0QDvE19lED1NUeNJIK08YlUXxOSy4EZp5kdLVW4KJAc4jGG5Q6VkkrHhkRv.jpg" alt="Boys wear headphones" title="Boys wear headphones" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/37i3M0QDvE19lED1NUeNJIK08YlUXxOSy4EZp5kdLVW4KJAc4jGG5Q6VkkrHhkRv.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h2>Impact and Vision</h2><p>Allan and I spent about a year and a half doing research. Most of our experience is in the "band world" so we decided to expand Dynabuddy to all standard concert band instruments. We surveyed all the band literature we could find, researched State and National Standards for Music Education, consulted with experts in every instrument, and experimented with different interactive games for students.</p><p>After we decided which activities and content to include, I started composing! It's been a really fun project to write new music for band instruments. I try to make all the pieces unique, accessible, and interesting.</p><p>Once all the music was finalized and triple-checked, my next job was to build the videos. I relied heavily on indespensible advice from Milan Bertosa, our expert audio engineer consultant, to mix and master all the audio. Our graphic designer, Sean, did an extraordinary job coming up with the characters and animation for the videos. I used all those pieces to meticulously create every one of the 1,682 Dynabuddy videos that are currently available (but who's counting?).</p><h2>Looking Ahead</h2><p>We are currently working on the next level of Dynabuddy videos: 100 more videos for every instrument, and 82 videos for the classroom. That means that my job starts all over again. I get to compose the music, record/mix/master the audio, then build every video, one by one. It's a lot of work but I believe Dynabuddy videos can make a difference in the lives of students, parents, and teachers.&nbsp;</p><h3><a data-mce-href="https://dynabuddy.com/about-2/team" href="https://dynabuddy.com/about-2/team" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Read more about our Dynabuddy team here. </a><br data-mce-bogus="1"></h3>

Megan Bledsoe Ward: Dynabuddy Co-Founder

<h2>Allan Ward: The Guy Behind Dynabuddy<br></h2><p>I've been fascinated with music and how to improve my own musicianship for almost 30 years, I got hooked on&nbsp; playing the drums when i was 15 because my next-door neighbor and best-friend said "Hey, if you got a set of drums we could be in a band." It felt so good to come home from school and just bang out my frustrations that I wanted to keep learning everything I could about music. <br></p><p>This eventually lead me to study music in college where I earned an undergraduate degree from UC Boulder in percussion performance, a masters degree from the Eastman School of Music in Jazz Studies and Music Education, and a Master of Science degree in Music Education from Syracuse University. Throughout my studies I was always teaching, performing, and constantly looking for better ways to both learn and teach music. After teaching K-8 music in the Seattle Public Schools I won a full-time performing position with the Royal Hawaiian Band in Honolulu and have been with them ever since. <br></p><figure id="figure-nsrmhb3hfclwy7kxm2"><img id="nsrmhb3hfclwy7kxm2" src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/2bLyuB0ll0EByEX9bSqbdK2Q53UAdTqG8LqYrzFl7zXEXnkiIg3vZT9G7h6gVQg2.jpeg" alt="drum set on white" title="drum set on white" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/2bLyuB0ll0EByEX9bSqbdK2Q53UAdTqG8LqYrzFl7zXEXnkiIg3vZT9G7h6gVQg2.jpeg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><p><br></p><h3>Why I Started Dynabuddy</h3><p><br>As both a K-8 public school music teacher and private music instructor, it became clear that many students look to videos to learn things. I wondered: </p><blockquote><p>Can I use online videos to help students learn the things I present with photocopies, books, and audio recordings? </p></blockquote><p>I started experimenting with online play-along videos for my private students and the results were amazing. All of my students practiced more with the videos, enjoyed practicing, and made great progress. I hope Dynabuddy can make life easier for everyone involved in the music learning process. I got inspired and envisioned a platform like Dynabuddy - a resource filled with engaging online videos to empower teachers, support students, and make music education easier and more accessible for everyone.&nbsp;</p><p>While there is no substitute for in-person instruction, my hope is that these videos can be used to support students, teachers, and parents across the U.S. <br></p><h3><a data-mce-href="https://dynabuddy.com/about-2/team" href="https://dynabuddy.com/about-2/team" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary" title="Team link">Read about our team here.</a> <br></h3><p><br></p>

Allan Ward: Dynabuddy Founder

<p>As more families turn to homeschooling, finding effective ways to enhance music education at home becomes increasingly important. With Dynabuddy, the ultimate learning companion, parents and educators can take their home school music education to the next level.</p><h3>Interactive Learning</h3><p>Dynabuddy provides an interactive platform for students to engage with music theory, history, and performance. Its user-friendly interface makes learning fun and accessible for all ages, allowing students to explore music in a dynamic and engaging way.</p><h3>Comprehensive Curriculum</h3><p>With Dynabuddy, families can access a comprehensive music curriculum that covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of rhythm and melody to the intricacies of music composition and production. This ensures that students receive a well-rounded music education that prepares them for future musical endeavors.</p><figure id="figure-nqedqopv5klvvvvu29"><img id="nqedqopv5klvvvvu29" src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/8zcXlUpEZYBEXmZRX8Z9QispjB7TH0ZpSccckJUcDVLnIc8wFktRCrjH4MRkGFrP.jpeg" alt="Music Instrument Flute (Silver Flute, Real Flute, Flute on Isolated, Flûte on white, Flûte on Isolated, Flûte close up, Flûte copy space, Fl Mock up)" title="Music Instrument Flute (Silver Flute, Real Flute, Flute on Isolated, Flûte on white, Flûte on Isolated, Flûte close up, Flûte copy space, Fl Mock up)" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/8zcXlUpEZYBEXmZRX8Z9QispjB7TH0ZpSccckJUcDVLnIc8wFktRCrjH4MRkGFrP.jpeg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Personalized Feedback</h3><p>One of the key benefits of Dynabuddy is its ability to provide personalized feedback to students. Through its advanced algorithms, Dynabuddy can assess a student's progress and provide tailored recommendations for improvement, helping students to grow and develop their musical skills.</p><h3>Engaging Activities</h3><p>Dynabuddy offers a variety of engaging activities that cater to different learning styles. Whether students prefer visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning, Dynabuddy provides activities that are both educational and entertaining, making the learning process enjoyable for all.</p><h3>Parental Involvement</h3><p>For homeschooling parents, Dynabuddy serves as a valuable resource for facilitating music education at home. With its easy-to-use interface and comprehensive resources, parents can actively participate in their child's music education, even if they have limited musical knowledge themselves.</p><h3>Accessible Anywhere, Anytime</h3><p>With Dynabuddy's online platform, students can access their music lessons and activities from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility allows for seamless integration of music education into the homeschooling curriculum, without being tied to a specific location or schedule.</p><h3>Start your free trial today!</h3><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>

Home School Music Education with Dynabuddy

<h3>Hi!</h3><p>My name is Allan. For my first blog post, I want to share a little bit about why I started Dynabuddy and what I hope it can do for you.</p><h3>&nbsp;The seed idea:<br></h3><p>As both a K-8 public school music teacher and private music instructor, it became clear to me that my students learn things differently than I did as a kid. I read books and listened to music on cassette tapes and CDs, while my students watch online videos to learn things and to listen to music. I wondered if there was a way to use online videos to help them practice. I started experimenting with online play-along videos for my private students and the results were amazing. All of my students practiced more with the videos, enjoyed practicing, and made great progress.&nbsp;</p><h3>How can this help teachers?</h3><p>&nbsp;This made me wonder what my experience as a public school teacher would have been like if I’d had online videos for my students. What if there were videos I could have assigned as homework that would address technical issues I never had time to teach in the classroom? What if there were videos I could use as warmups or to introduce music theory concepts? What if I could use videos as assessments or sub plans? It would have saved me so much time and reduced my stress level.&nbsp;</p><h3>What I did about it:</h3><p>&nbsp;Thinking about this inspired me to create Dynabuddy. The pandemic has only increased the need for high-quality online instruction in music education, and I hope Dynabuddy videos can make life easier for everyone involved in the music learning process. While there is no substitute for in-person instruction, my hope is that these videos can be used to support existing and emerging music programs across the country.&nbsp;</p><h3>Check it out!<br></h3><p>Start your free trial today! Click <a data-mce-href="https://play.dynabuddy.com/checkout/subscribe/purchase" href="https://play.dynabuddy.com/checkout/subscribe/purchase" title="Dynabuddy free trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE</a> to sign up.<br></p><p><br></p>

Blog

Megan Bledsoe Ward: Dynabuddy Co-Founder

Allan Ward: Dynabuddy Founder

Home School Music Education with Dynabuddy

Introducing Dynabuddy: Your Partner for Learning Music